Nope not me.... another redhead! She's my new renter and she as ATTITUDE.... but she doesn't like the DaVinci Code and actually called me a sucka for believing or considering any of it, (well not me directly, but I was hurt anyway) so I almost didn't approve her. But I figured I like a lady with her own opinion, so how can I turn her ass down? And her agreement with me on scientology and the unbearable ick-factor of Tom Cruise did tip the scales in her favor. So go check her out, even if she can't believe or even consider that men of power could have collaborated to ruin the wholesomeness of the world and fabricated aspects of the Christian Faith to singlehandedly demean women, ruin Mary Magdelene's family, and change the face of religion and the world as we know it. (which amazingly clarified feelings about religion that I have had ever since I started to think for myself back in 8th grade confirmation class.)
Whew. She's kick ass. Go see her. Clicky Clicky Boys, she won't be around long, and you know how hard it is to get your hands on a good redhead...
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta.
Visit my renter. I keep forgetting to post. Meltwater. Torrents. Meanderings. Delta. What the hell does that mean? You will have to go visit Matt to figure that out. It's worth the trip. Click on him in the sidebar.
Monday, May 08, 2006
Idealist ~ with an "Identity Seeking Personality"
I am inventing my own personality type. The Type M Personality. For some reason today I thought I would investigate the “Type A Personality.” I hear people say that all the time but I never knew exactly what they meant. This is just one of those things I had never been educated in. My friend Carrie mentions Type A all the time. Carrie and I have a lot in common. We like to be organized. We have certain standards that we like to see met, in the way people treat each other, in the way people show tact and courtesy, in the way people take care of themselves and be responsible. We are responsible people.
But there are things about the Type A Personality that really just don’t fit me, but that I can see heavily in others who are, in my opinion, the definition of Type A.
Type A people have limitless problems with time. Type A’s need to be on time, they need to avoid running out of time, they need to have a watch or clock handy so they can measure time, they invest time, measure the value of time spent and time left available. These folks have issues with deadlines, as they are restricting, yet they feel they must have them and they must be met. Time is a tool for measuring and a means of limiting, confining and defining. As such, time is important to someone who has always had to meet standards and deadlines for acceptance.
I am NEVER on time. If I am on time, I will feel like I should accomplish something, and I will start another task and then before you know it I am late again. I am on my own schedule. I don’t meet people on time, I don’t make appointments on time, I don’t like ANYONE telling me when I have to be somewhere. That is, in fact, one of my biggest pet peeves. I HATE it when someone else decides when I have to be somewhere. It can push me over the edge. I don’t wear a watch. I don’t like deadlines. I don’t usually care what time it is. I get lost in what I am doing. You see, I have never fit into that mold where you get up early and go to work and you are home for supper by 4 or 5 pm and then you go to bed by 10pm. My husband and I don’t eat breakfast. I don’t get up till 9am. I don’t go to work till 10:30 am. We eat our first meal around 11:30 or noon, sometimes 1 or 2. I don’t get off work till 7pm. We eat supper around 8 or 9, sometimes as late as 10. I am almost NEVER in bed before midnight. Occasionally at 11 or 11:30 if I am tired, and usually more like 1am. Sometimes 1:30am. Type A Personalities are on time and have a problem with people that are late. I could give a shit. I don’t even care if people are late. I don’t care if I am late. You only live once.
As the type A individual is perfectionist and of low self esteem they don’t want to have any association with dirt. Getting dirty makes them feel cheap and worthless. They need neat surroundings.
I love dirt. I like to be ORGANIZED. I do like to do things a certain w
ay, I am sometimes called a perfectionist, but I am only held to my own standards. I want to perform to my own standards. Not someone elses. I like to do things to my own ideal. But I don’t mind funk. My house gets cleaned every two weeks. By someone else. I hate cleaning. I don’t mind picking up. I don’t mind wiping off the counter. I don’t mind running the vacuum for dog hair. But I don’t like to clean. I have too much other stuff that I would rather be doing. These people who are clean freaks… good for them. Die and early death from the stress of cleaning constantly and the fumes from the chemicals. But I am not a clean freak. Ask my mom. I like to pick things up, I like everything in it’s place… but sometimes I am too lazy or sidetracked to even do that. I have one of those artsy personalities where things can just “be” and I am okay with that. My socks can be on the stove. That’s okay. My bra can be in the magazine basket. I don’t care. I tend to leave things where they dropped, and then I spend time picking up after myself and organizing. It is a real task for me to put something away each time. I tend to let things pile up and put them away later. I love to garden. I love to garden in shorts and a tank top, bare handed with bare feet. I wear flip flops outside and I take them off in the dirt. I get grungy. I hose off with the garden hose. I went to school in agriculture, I worked in agriculture. I am no stranger to being dirty. Being dirty gives me a sense of satisfaction. A feeling of a job well done. Type A Personalities feel that being dirty is degrading. Not me. I feel like I have really worked, like I enjoyed myself. Like I did something. I love plants and I love livestock and animals. I don’t mind dog hair here and there and I don’t mind dirty feet. My dad is a mechanic and I am used to his hands looking dirty, and it makes me proud that he can fix anything. I would never be ashamed of that. I get more satisfaction out of a physical job than I ever do from a task in my office.
Type A 
people have esteem issues, as they don’t base their value on solid ground but rather on meeting standards. As such, rather than by their inherent value as people, they value themselves and what they do by money. What’s it worth, what did it cost, how much do they earn, have and spend? They spend or give money as a way of showing love or affection. It is their empowerment and security. In relationships there is a medium of exchange and of acceptance with others and it is money.
Type A Personalities supposedly have esteem issues? Um. No. I would say I am the farthest from esteem issues of most anyone. I don’t give a shit what you think, for one. I will tell it like it is. I will wear whatever I want. I hate rules. I hate other people telling me what to wear or how to act. I like to do my own thing. I like to be creative. I like to step outside the box. I like to dress, act, talk, decorate, and live how I want. I like to be in control of my own destiny. And I am not worried about what everyone else will think about that.
Type A personalities may deny emotion or not know they have any. They may feel guilty for having or showing emotions as this would take them away from the source of real value for them which is to meet standards like a perfectly performing machine.
Okay, I know some unemotional people. I can be emotional. I tend to keep my emotions to myself, except with people that I know I can trust. My husband, my two best friends. My mom. My sister. Probably my dad. I just know that I can be overly honest and that I tend to tell it like it is. But I am not emotionless. I cry during movies and books, I love animals, I love my family. I know some type A Personalities that don’t even show love to their own children. They are so mechanical it’s absurd. That is not me. I like to be funny. I like to be relaxed. I am not a mooshy emotional type but I am not unemotional. I tend to get angry and upset easily. I just don’t always show it to everyone.
I don’t know about competitive. I like to win. But I hate competitive sports
. Probably because I am a klutz and I can’t win. I like games of strategy, like chess. I like to be challenged. I like to succeed. But I don’t care about sports. I honestly don’t like to be on a team. I am more of the loner type that likes to do things my way, at my own pace. I like to know that if I win or lose there is no one to blame but myself. I am competitive, but not in ways that I see Type A’s be competitive.
I took this test: http://www.psych.uncc.edu/pagoolka/TypeA-B-intro.html and scored a 205. It is geared towards college students, but I think it makes some sense. So I was closer to a Type A personality. But I resent the fact that it suggests a person has to be Type A to get good grades and succeed in school and life. That’s just not true.
Then I took this test http://discoveryhealth.queendom.com/type_a_personality_access.html and scored a 22, and was said to be “far from having a type A Personality, as Type A was 50-100 and I was at a 22. I was described as a “stop and smell the roses” type of person. Well. Who shall I believe?
A more in depth personality test has Twice (once at work, once online) categorized me as a Champion Idealist~ Having an "Identity Seeking Personality." Go here to read about famous idealists.You can also see how Idealists relate to other stories, for example the Tin Man is the idealist in the Wizard of Oz, and the Gryffindor House is the place for Idealists in Harry Potter. "Fantasyland" is where Idealists thrive at Disney (oddly the first and place I wanted to go and the only part of Disney we visited on vacation in 2001)... and wouldn't you know that Carrie Bradshaw is the Idealist in Sex in the City? And Deanna Troy (Counselor Troy) Is the Idealist in Star Trek The Next Generation.... I don't see myself as quite as emotionally vulnerable as those people, but still... I get where they are going. Think Ghandi, Orpah, and Audrey Hepburn. Princess Diana and Joan Baez. Mikhael Gorbachev. Eleanor Roosevelt. Charlotte and Emily Bronte (ahhh How I love Wuthering Heights!) Buddha and Plato! And get this- There has NEVER been an Idealist President of the USA.
I really think the Type A/B personality is too strict. There are more than two types of people in this world. So from now on, I will be known as the “Type M” personality.
Son of a Witch
So most of you know that I read Wicked, and love love loved that book. I am about 3/4 of the way through with Son of a Witch, and I have been a little disappointed. Wicked set Liir up to be someone that you really didn't have a feeling about one way or the other. He was just "there." And I am having a hard time getting over that. For at least the first half of the book I was like "where is this going?" Is he going to find out who he is? It seems like he doesn't really care. Is he going to find Nor? Is he going to do this or that? It was like he had no GOALS. I found him more than mildly annoying. It's hard to read a book when you find the main character annoying. The book is good... don't get me wrong, but I just feel like it could be so much BETTER if Liir were a riveting character. Maybe it's just that any book read after the DaVinci Code would pale by comparison? I am just curious if anyone else read Son of a Witch and what you thought. Don't give it away, I still have the last 1/4 to read, and I really hope it gets juicier.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Online Banking Woes.
I do a LOT of online banking and bill paying. Today I am frustrated. Late Friday night or early Saturday morning, I transferred some money from one account to the other, online, to cover a large debited payment that I had coming through. The transfer completed. I got a confirmation. I could see one account's balance decrease by $100 and the other increase by $100. It was showing up on the history of the account as a pending transfer. It was there on Sunday. And today, when I go to the account, It has disappeared. DISAPPEARED! I called the bank and asked them where it was. They had me call another branch and get the accounting department. Apparently they can't see it either. The tone of voice that I got from the lady I spoke with led me to think that she didn't believe me. they told me that a $270 debit was going to be returned as a result. I explained that I was "100% sure the transfer went through and that I could see it on both accounts, and could see it still there on Sunday." and she said "I will have to investigate and get back to you." Whenever they say get back to you, they never call back. So now I am in a panic about what they will discover, what if they can't see the transfer on their system at all? Will I be considered at fault? Of course I don't do a screenshot every time I transfer money. I don't do a printout. This happened to me once before and I kicked myself for not having a screenshot or writing down the transaction number. But I do so much online stuff, I hate to have to write down each transfer. I am so frustrated and stressed out about this. I told her that if she can't see the transfer, I need her to make the transfer anyway. She said she will "get back to me" and I said "TODAY?!" and she said Yes. God I hope so.
UPDATE: an hour later, I looked online and saw that the transfer was showing up again. Whew. But the $270 debit was still being returned. WhAT! Don't panic. Don't panic. She will fix it. 15 minutes later I checked again. The return item charge of $30 as credited back to my account, but the debit was still being returned. Aahhhh! Fix It! Fix It! God I hope they don't return it! Ugh!
UPDATE #2! : Yeah! The bank called me! It was a banking error and a problem in their system that they weren't even aware of until I called to report it. They even thanked me for reporting it so they could start fixing the problem ASAP. Whew! They are contacting the company who would be in charge of the $270 debit and preventing it from being returned.... and I am A-OK and in the CLEAR! YEAH! Yippee!
UPDATE: an hour later, I looked online and saw that the transfer was showing up again. Whew. But the $270 debit was still being returned. WhAT! Don't panic. Don't panic. She will fix it. 15 minutes later I checked again. The return item charge of $30 as credited back to my account, but the debit was still being returned. Aahhhh! Fix It! Fix It! God I hope they don't return it! Ugh!
UPDATE #2! : Yeah! The bank called me! It was a banking error and a problem in their system that they weren't even aware of until I called to report it. They even thanked me for reporting it so they could start fixing the problem ASAP. Whew! They are contacting the company who would be in charge of the $270 debit and preventing it from being returned.... and I am A-OK and in the CLEAR! YEAH! Yippee!
Sunday, May 07, 2006
McVet sure wins my vote!
You know, Where the fuck does McDreamy get off? Jackass. It is my opinion that Meredith was way too easy on him. And I am glad for McVet. I am glad he is so patient and he understands. He's probably better for her anyway. And usually I am not a huge Meredith Cheerleader, but come on. And even Alex stepping up and doing a C-Section. I can't believe there are only two more episodes this season. I guess I will have to watch my season 1 DVD that husband bought me, if I feel a withdrawl coming on. But maybe I can get more stuff done on Sunday nights without having to be glued to the TV.
Since being off work for 4 days, I am not thrilled about going back on Monday. Especially since we have a busy week ahead of us with technology related things which I cannot explain in case I do the terrible and revel "workplace operations in my blog" which will get me fired, just like naming my "workplace" or even saying what type of business I work in because "someone might figure out what town I work in based on the town I live in and therefore decude where I work." **cough cough.**
So now I will go watch the first half of Desperate Housewives and my TIVO'd episodes of Crossing Jordan and Friday night's Conviction, gotta catch my sharp chin guy fix of the week.
Have a lovely evening. Can't wait to show off my new haircut/color on the blog... maybe someday....
:) Meagan
Since being off work for 4 days, I am not thrilled about going back on Monday. Especially since we have a busy week ahead of us with technology related things which I cannot explain in case I do the terrible and revel "workplace operations in my blog" which will get me fired, just like naming my "workplace" or even saying what type of business I work in because "someone might figure out what town I work in based on the town I live in and therefore decude where I work." **cough cough.**
So now I will go watch the first half of Desperate Housewives and my TIVO'd episodes of Crossing Jordan and Friday night's Conviction, gotta catch my sharp chin guy fix of the week.
Have a lovely evening. Can't wait to show off my new haircut/color on the blog... maybe someday....
:) Meagan
Lost 4 more pounds in the last 4 days!
Today I have a hair appointment, which (despite the cost) I am excited about because I haven't had cut or color (highlights/lowlights) since Mid December 05. Yeah. Just been growing since then. Down to my shoulders now, which I am enjoying.
When I woke up this morning I felt like my tummy was flatter, and I remembered that I haven't weighed myself since Wednesday, when I got off work for my 4 day weekend. When I weighed myself I was down 4 more pounds. That's a pound a day! Whoa! I have only walked on the treadmill Wednesday night.... but I have been cleaning and doing laundry and I walked around the expo... and I usually only eat when I am hungry... and I am just busy and enjoying myself. So that is AWESOME! More reason I should work from home, eh? Be on my own schedule? Be busy and not have to sit in front of SOMEONE's computer every day! Well, it will be a while before I can do that.
So here's my updated Ticker. 17 pounds lost since February 23rd. And last night I had a Steak on the grill with buttered peas. Yum. I love South Beach! Good deal.
When I woke up this morning I felt like my tummy was flatter, and I remembered that I haven't weighed myself since Wednesday, when I got off work for my 4 day weekend. When I weighed myself I was down 4 more pounds. That's a pound a day! Whoa! I have only walked on the treadmill Wednesday night.... but I have been cleaning and doing laundry and I walked around the expo... and I usually only eat when I am hungry... and I am just busy and enjoying myself. So that is AWESOME! More reason I should work from home, eh? Be on my own schedule? Be busy and not have to sit in front of SOMEONE's computer every day! Well, it will be a while before I can do that.
So here's my updated Ticker. 17 pounds lost since February 23rd. And last night I had a Steak on the grill with buttered peas. Yum. I love South Beach! Good deal.
Saturday, May 06, 2006
Mother's Day Cards Made...
Well, We got a few mother's day cards done today. I made one for Mom and Grandma, and Evan made one for his mom and one for each of his grandmas.
I got to try the new non-smear pastels and some new stamps. Check out the resulting card pictures here!
You can also see the 8x8 gift album that I made for my Friend Carrie who is due in July. Her husband is in Iraq with the Air Force and will be gone while the baby is born. She is active duty reserves right now, was in the air force. I wanted her to have something she could just slap the pictures into. She hasn't seen it yet... but it will be on it's way to her this week, just in time for mother's day!
I got to try the new non-smear pastels and some new stamps. Check out the resulting card pictures here!
You can also see the 8x8 gift album that I made for my Friend Carrie who is due in July. Her husband is in Iraq with the Air Force and will be gone while the baby is born. She is active duty reserves right now, was in the air force. I wanted her to have something she could just slap the pictures into. She hasn't seen it yet... but it will be on it's way to her this week, just in time for mother's day!
Guilty
Why is it that a trip to the scrapbook expo makes me feel like I was drug behind a truck? Icky.
Well, it's 9am and for some god-forsaken reason I woke up naturally at 8:30am on a Saturday, which is almost an hour earlier than I get up on a workday/weekday. I am sure this is probably because I had to get up at 6:30am yesterday, and now I am all off cycle. Damn!
Let's recap: Thursday I was off, doing the housewife thing. I also ordered parts for my car and planned on Tacos with family Thursday night at 6 & 34 in Sheffield. Well, 15 minutes before I was planning on getting into the shower to get ready for Tacos, I was sitting at the scrapbook table working on my altered journal, just adding a page, and Evan came in and said "we need to empty the white truck and take it back to the farm so grandpa can use it tomorrow." I was like "Oh, does he NEED to use it tomorrow?" this happens every time we need to borrow a truck. So the back of the old truck is FULL (heaped, mounded) with mushroom compost (mulch.) So we go outside. I hoop hoe two flower beds around the whole front of the house and husband shovels and I spread. We unloaded and spread a whole truckload in 45 minutes. Record time. So covered in shit and sweaty, I run in to take a shower and it is 6:30! Yikes! We are supposed to be leaving in less than 15 minutes to meet my family for dinner and neither of us has showered and my hair isn't done, no makeup. Ugh. So I call my mom, explain the situation, apologize profusely, and rush through a shower, drying my hair, makeup, getting dressed, so that I am ready in 25 minutes. Evan comes in all casual and wanders into the bathroom, takes off his shirt, I say "did you look at the clock?" and he said No... and looked and was like Shit. Can you call your mom? So we hurry. We end up driving the white truck and my car to the bar so we can take the truck to the farm afterwards, and then it is so packed that they didn't reserve the table that we asked for the day before, and we ended up not getting our table till like 8 and not eating till like 8:30. But the waitress was apologetic and super (at her job and just plain nice) so it was okay. Nice to eat with the family.
I meant to balance the checking accounts, but with all this happening, we didn't get home till 10, and I still had laundry to finish and things to get ready for my trip Friday, and I was still running around at midnight.
And then I got up at 6:30am friday.
And drove to meet the girls for the scrapbook expo. We were there early, and saw all these ladies walking to the door and waiting in line for it to open. I painted my toes in the car. Then we went inside and waited in line. Once we got in, it was so packed you couldn't walk, let alone get in or out of booths. I probably only went to 50% of the booths. I would look from afar, and if it was not something that thrilled me, I wouldn't even attempt it. There were times when I would get in a booth and you literally couldn't move around to see anything, let alone get back out. Sometimes I would be in a booth almost 10 minutes not even moving because it was so packed. I have to say that this is the most poorly laid out expo I have ever been to. And others that I talked to agreed. After two hours, I just plain wanted OUT of there. And I was out of money. I didn't go into embellishment booths, because I told myself I already have enough embellishments that I haven't used. I was looking for tools, crafty ideas, techniques.... no page kits. No Jolee's. No stickers. No eyelets. Things I would bring back and use. I only bought one embellishment and NO paper at the expo.
I did get a whole slew of 40% off Sizzix stuff, including embossing folders and templates, 4 sizzlet dies (drinks by Stu Kilgour) and 5 ellison thin cuts (firecracker, guitar, tag #6, Water Splat, and Star #2 ~ which were buy 4 get one free) and a long sizzlet film strip die and cutting mats (like I used in this layout) AND I got the sidekick tote that I had been eying online, that carries the sizzlet machine and 60 dies, plus all your accessories. Very cool. I also bought some chipboard (giant letters, shapes, and a sander that fits into tiny curves) and two of Judith's stamps. I met Judith there and purchased her catalog, and she is not only talented, but extremely polite and funny. That was a pleasure. I also got a very cool reduced price combo kit with 48 half-stick pastels, an instructional CD, three brass templates(Fairy, Butterfly, Paisley), glitter glue, and accessories from The Stencil Collection. Those tiny little blonde girls were stenciling up a storm and it was impressive. Their brass stencil collection was also vast and impressive, although I thought they were expensive.
I didn't make any make-and-takes at the expo. It was WAYYY too crowded. Way! I only signed up for three mailing lists/giveaways and I had address labels for a ton. Either they didn't have any, or you couldn't see them because it was so damn packed. We would have done much better to go later in the day when the rush was over or not on the first day of the expo the second the doors opened. But We decided that from this point we may not go to expos, but just take trips to scrapbook stores.
After the expo, we ate at Cheeseburger in paradise in Downer's Grove, and went to Archivers. I was an archivers virgin. Archivers was the best part of the trip. They carry so many name brands, and things that I see in magazines, it was worth it. Plus they had a free make and take which taught us how to use the best tool that I saw all day (and one that hadn't been at the expo!) The Crop-A-Dile! This thing sets eyelets and punches holes (even through metal, chipboard, etc) with LESS EFFORT than a fiskars hand punch and absolutely no noise. Wow. It isn't an "anywhere punch" so don't through out your click-it just yet....but once you get beyond that, for $24.99, you have to have one. And I do. Now.
I also got a giant wooden "M" to decorate, two bottles of flowers (browns and blues, earthy color mixes) some urban window supplies in the "Diner" pattern to finish my tin purses (coordinating Diner paper, a Diner Goodie Box {chipboard letters, numbers, shapes}, etc) - and the crop-a-dile... and an ellison embossing folder "daisies"
Well, then on the way home I picked up my car in Peru, and went to JoAnn Fabrics, where I watched a store employee harshly reprimand a woman who was trying to return yarn that smelled like sigarette smoke and animal urine... and bought 3 yards of fabric and 1.25 yards of elastic to start my skirt. Clearance fabric that was way cheap. So away we go!
I also went to the mall and got my wedding ring and earrings cleaned and checked (Zales 6 month checkup) and then came home. Then last night I babysat Ava for a few hours. And here I am!
Today I feel guilty for spending so much ca$h and I am telling myself no more scrapbook supplies for a few months. I have everything I could ever want and more. Time for some craftiness and no more "buying." I hate feeling guilty. I spent my own money. I worked for it. But I still feel guilty.
Well, it's 9am and for some god-forsaken reason I woke up naturally at 8:30am on a Saturday, which is almost an hour earlier than I get up on a workday/weekday. I am sure this is probably because I had to get up at 6:30am yesterday, and now I am all off cycle. Damn!
Let's recap: Thursday I was off, doing the housewife thing. I also ordered parts for my car and planned on Tacos with family Thursday night at 6 & 34 in Sheffield. Well, 15 minutes before I was planning on getting into the shower to get ready for Tacos, I was sitting at the scrapbook table working on my altered journal, just adding a page, and Evan came in and said "we need to empty the white truck and take it back to the farm so grandpa can use it tomorrow." I was like "Oh, does he NEED to use it tomorrow?" this happens every time we need to borrow a truck. So the back of the old truck is FULL (heaped, mounded) with mushroom compost (mulch.) So we go outside. I hoop hoe two flower beds around the whole front of the house and husband shovels and I spread. We unloaded and spread a whole truckload in 45 minutes. Record time. So covered in shit and sweaty, I run in to take a shower and it is 6:30! Yikes! We are supposed to be leaving in less than 15 minutes to meet my family for dinner and neither of us has showered and my hair isn't done, no makeup. Ugh. So I call my mom, explain the situation, apologize profusely, and rush through a shower, drying my hair, makeup, getting dressed, so that I am ready in 25 minutes. Evan comes in all casual and wanders into the bathroom, takes off his shirt, I say "did you look at the clock?" and he said No... and looked and was like Shit. Can you call your mom? So we hurry. We end up driving the white truck and my car to the bar so we can take the truck to the farm afterwards, and then it is so packed that they didn't reserve the table that we asked for the day before, and we ended up not getting our table till like 8 and not eating till like 8:30. But the waitress was apologetic and super (at her job and just plain nice) so it was okay. Nice to eat with the family.
I meant to balance the checking accounts, but with all this happening, we didn't get home till 10, and I still had laundry to finish and things to get ready for my trip Friday, and I was still running around at midnight.
And then I got up at 6:30am friday.
And drove to meet the girls for the scrapbook expo. We were there early, and saw all these ladies walking to the door and waiting in line for it to open. I painted my toes in the car. Then we went inside and waited in line. Once we got in, it was so packed you couldn't walk, let alone get in or out of booths. I probably only went to 50% of the booths. I would look from afar, and if it was not something that thrilled me, I wouldn't even attempt it. There were times when I would get in a booth and you literally couldn't move around to see anything, let alone get back out. Sometimes I would be in a booth almost 10 minutes not even moving because it was so packed. I have to say that this is the most poorly laid out expo I have ever been to. And others that I talked to agreed. After two hours, I just plain wanted OUT of there. And I was out of money. I didn't go into embellishment booths, because I told myself I already have enough embellishments that I haven't used. I was looking for tools, crafty ideas, techniques.... no page kits. No Jolee's. No stickers. No eyelets. Things I would bring back and use. I only bought one embellishment and NO paper at the expo.
I did get a whole slew of 40% off Sizzix stuff, including embossing folders and templates, 4 sizzlet dies (drinks by Stu Kilgour) and 5 ellison thin cuts (firecracker, guitar, tag #6, Water Splat, and Star #2 ~ which were buy 4 get one free) and a long sizzlet film strip die and cutting mats (like I used in this layout) AND I got the sidekick tote that I had been eying online, that carries the sizzlet machine and 60 dies, plus all your accessories. Very cool. I also bought some chipboard (giant letters, shapes, and a sander that fits into tiny curves) and two of Judith's stamps. I met Judith there and purchased her catalog, and she is not only talented, but extremely polite and funny. That was a pleasure. I also got a very cool reduced price combo kit with 48 half-stick pastels, an instructional CD, three brass templates(Fairy, Butterfly, Paisley), glitter glue, and accessories from The Stencil Collection. Those tiny little blonde girls were stenciling up a storm and it was impressive. Their brass stencil collection was also vast and impressive, although I thought they were expensive.
I didn't make any make-and-takes at the expo. It was WAYYY too crowded. Way! I only signed up for three mailing lists/giveaways and I had address labels for a ton. Either they didn't have any, or you couldn't see them because it was so damn packed. We would have done much better to go later in the day when the rush was over or not on the first day of the expo the second the doors opened. But We decided that from this point we may not go to expos, but just take trips to scrapbook stores.
After the expo, we ate at Cheeseburger in paradise in Downer's Grove, and went to Archivers. I was an archivers virgin. Archivers was the best part of the trip. They carry so many name brands, and things that I see in magazines, it was worth it. Plus they had a free make and take which taught us how to use the best tool that I saw all day (and one that hadn't been at the expo!) The Crop-A-Dile! This thing sets eyelets and punches holes (even through metal, chipboard, etc) with LESS EFFORT than a fiskars hand punch and absolutely no noise. Wow. It isn't an "anywhere punch" so don't through out your click-it just yet....but once you get beyond that, for $24.99, you have to have one. And I do. Now.
I also got a giant wooden "M" to decorate, two bottles of flowers (browns and blues, earthy color mixes) some urban window supplies in the "Diner" pattern to finish my tin purses (coordinating Diner paper, a Diner Goodie Box {chipboard letters, numbers, shapes}, etc) - and the crop-a-dile... and an ellison embossing folder "daisies"
Well, then on the way home I picked up my car in Peru, and went to JoAnn Fabrics, where I watched a store employee harshly reprimand a woman who was trying to return yarn that smelled like sigarette smoke and animal urine... and bought 3 yards of fabric and 1.25 yards of elastic to start my skirt. Clearance fabric that was way cheap. So away we go!
I also went to the mall and got my wedding ring and earrings cleaned and checked (Zales 6 month checkup) and then came home. Then last night I babysat Ava for a few hours. And here I am!
Today I feel guilty for spending so much ca$h and I am telling myself no more scrapbook supplies for a few months. I have everything I could ever want and more. Time for some craftiness and no more "buying." I hate feeling guilty. I spent my own money. I worked for it. But I still feel guilty.
Thursday, May 04, 2006
Housewife HNT (HNT #15)
Today is day 1 of my four day weekend. Today I am playing housewife. Laundry, Dishes, Cleaning, Vacuuming, Folding~ It's endless. So today, we have a "housewife hnt" ~ Please make the pic larger to see it all! Happy HNT!
Wednesday, May 03, 2006
White Trash Wednesday
Here is another mindless link for you to follow.Last night I had a meeting. It was a nice meeting. I gave a presentation or two. We chatted. After the meeting, two people came up to me and commented about my neighbor. You might know her as "mom" from this post and this post. Now, these ladies are nice, respectable community ladies. Probably both grandmothers. And they had heard about an incident (or actually a few incidents) that people around town have been talking about- all run-in's with my above mentioned neighbor. Apparently most of the town, including her **
other** neighbors, don't have much nice to say about her. In fact, there are people out there who just can't stand her. It made my day! Nothing makes my day more than knowing that I am not alone. I have tried not to let her get to me. But lately, It's annoying.Her dog now can not only REACH my yard and poop in it everyday, but one morning husband found the dog in our yard, with his tie-out staked to our reflector. Now I am not a fan of reflectors. But we have a steep drop off at the end of our drive, and we put them there so that no one backs off it, or so that our snow-plow guy doens't accidentally go past it with a big load of snow, because he can't see the edge of the white rock when there is snow on the ground. So husband goes outside, and their dog is staked out to our reflector at the end of our driveway, which means that the circular area his tie out can reach is about 50% our property, 50% theirs. Now what, pray tell, would give ANYONE the idea that it is okay to stake their dog out in MY yard, using OUR reflector as the stake? Please do tell? Am I missing something here?
So I have taken to video taping her dog when it barks for hours on end while wrapped around a tree without any water, or when it poops in my driveway I have it on tape also. Some day, I will need ammunition. And I damn well plan to have it.
Another thing. With the rednecks comes that whole deal where the vehicle to driver's-license-holding-person-living-in-the-house ratio must be un-balanced. Therefore there are approximately 2 vehicles to every 1 licensed driver. And this is being generous and considering her nice boyfriend
his name, even though the second thing she ever said to me was "this is MY House"Oh but wait, why is the town talking? Oh yes, because someone who was mowing her "other" neighbor's yard got too close to the property line and she came running out of the house and was a total bitch to them because it's HER property
P.S. Make super sure that you make that white trash Britney picture plenty big so you can see all the trashy details, and then stop on over at Snarkywood to read some supremely snarky Kevin Federline/White Trash Momma stuff, complete with photos.
"Like going to a nascar race and finding the only white bitch without a black eye" -Carlos Mencia
Boring Post
Wednesday. It's my Friday this week! YEAH! I am off work for the rest of the week, and attending the Scrapbook Expo in Villa Park (Chicago Suburb) on Friday. YEAH!!
I thought of lots of things to blog about this morning... but suddenly, I am blank.
My friend Erin sent me this link to the news article about the USPS's proposed stamp increase (yea, AGAIN) and you really should read the article, because it talkes about their proposal of a "forever" stamp, where you can stock up and then no matter how many times the rate increases, your forever stamp is still good for first class postage. Interesting. You know how I feel about the postage rates!
And just out of curiousity, do you follow any of the links that I give you?
Like maybe this one? Or maybe this one? Or how about this one?
Boring. I will come back later when I can remember something I wanted to write.
I thought of lots of things to blog about this morning... but suddenly, I am blank.
My friend Erin sent me this link to the news article about the USPS's proposed stamp increase (yea, AGAIN) and you really should read the article, because it talkes about their proposal of a "forever" stamp, where you can stock up and then no matter how many times the rate increases, your forever stamp is still good for first class postage. Interesting. You know how I feel about the postage rates!
And just out of curiousity, do you follow any of the links that I give you?
Like maybe this one? Or maybe this one? Or how about this one?
Boring. I will come back later when I can remember something I wanted to write.
Tuesday, May 02, 2006
It's Here! I feel Guilty!
I belong to a club. Each month one of us is "hostess" and we each place an order with Close to My Heart. It's a good gig. I have been in the club for a year. It is almost time for me to decide whether I want to participate another year. It's a minimum order of $15 a month. It is worth it. But I am starting to feel like I own everything in the catalog. I have the markers. I have almost 40 acrylic stamp sets. I have almost all of the Acrylic Blocks. I had all but convinced myself that I didn't need to be in the club another year. I could spend that money elsewhere, like save it for dining room furniture. Pay off bills. etc. Then. Today. Out came the new catalog for summer. Ahhh! It's too much! I picked out more stamp sets that I HAVE to HAVE! Many of them will be great for when I have kids, because even though we don't take many pictures when we go camping and fishing and when we have bbq's now, I know that I will when we have kids, and I can already see all the cute things I can do with the stamp sets. Adorable! I can see it already. Damn it! But then I thought, I don't HAVE to be in the club to place an order. I don't know. I just don't know!I have Thursday and Friday off work and This Friday I will be going to the suburbs (chicago) for a scrapbook Expo. I am trying to tell myself that I won't buy lots of stuff. I will just go there to look around and try new things. I am taking less than $100 with me. And that is all I will let myself spend. Including my lunch and my ticket to get in. I have bought too much stuff lately. I can't stop! This damn scrapbooking is a disease! I need to get scrapbooking and stop BUYING! Really! I need an intervention! I just acquired another Sizzlit alphabet "wet paint" (although I got it for about 50% off) and a mini light table (although I paid about $40 less than most people) and another wall organizer for the scrapbook room.... Oh yeah, and there were those Fiskars Embossing Corner Punches and All the Fiskars 3 in 1 corner punches.... and that K&Co scrapbook.... and the green crocodile 8x8 album with the funky clasp closure and the window frame on the front.... But I DO have plans for ALL of those things! I do! I promise!
Monday, May 01, 2006
Walking Fool. At least the fool part.
I am so proud of myself today! Last night I figured out something. Something revolutionary. Something FABULOUS! Something that could change my life forever. The Treadmill! YEAH ME!
Moronic. I know. But listen. Really. With the whole South Beach thing, the doctor says I am supposed to be walking. and lifting weights. I got a treadmill. It's my mom's... and a hand-me-down three times over. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, because every time I walked on the treadmill, I was exhausted and nauseous after 5 minutes. After 7 I thought I would die. I am NOT That out of shape. Out of shape yes, but how come I can walk an hour with two dogs dragging me through town and not feel even half that exhausted? And walk for 30 minutes around Princeton every day during lunch and feel refreshed? And this is at the lowest treadmill setting when you are still walking at a decent pace... exhausted! I kept feeling like I was walking uphill constantly, but this treadmill is older and I couldn't find a way to change the incline. All the electronic and digital functions don't work anymore and I thought I was just stuck on this incline. Which made the treadmill my enemy.
I usually walk during lunch at work if the weather is nice, and I can make a pretty big square at lunchtime, clear up to main street and back. I always take the scenic route. I told husband, we have to relocate the treadmill so I can watch grey's anatomy and walk every Sunday, to get some walking in on the weekends. I figure if it kills me I will have to try for 10 minutes without collapsing. And a funny thing happened.
When we moved the treadmill, and I unfolded it, the damn thing setup Flat! No more incline! YEAH! I checked it out underneath and it looks like the back legs were going the opposite direction before, causing the incline. Duh! I walked briskly for 15 minutes last night and felt GREAT! But I had to have the TV on full volume to hear it over the treadmill. And the dogs were looking at me like "are you DEAF?! Turn that shit DOWN!" I need to get me something rigged up for that. Or I need to just walk every night now and wear the ipod. Sounds like a plan. So I am now excited instead of treadmill challenged! YEAH! Tonight I try for 30 minutes... endurance (baby steps)! I can DO it!
"Another woman was attacked and raped in central park while jogging. See, excercise is no good! You never hear about a fat bitch getting raped in her house while she's eatin' doritos and watchin' One Life to Live." - Lisa Lampanelli (listen to it here)
Moronic. I know. But listen. Really. With the whole South Beach thing, the doctor says I am supposed to be walking. and lifting weights. I got a treadmill. It's my mom's... and a hand-me-down three times over. I couldn't figure out what was wrong, because every time I walked on the treadmill, I was exhausted and nauseous after 5 minutes. After 7 I thought I would die. I am NOT That out of shape. Out of shape yes, but how come I can walk an hour with two dogs dragging me through town and not feel even half that exhausted? And walk for 30 minutes around Princeton every day during lunch and feel refreshed? And this is at the lowest treadmill setting when you are still walking at a decent pace... exhausted! I kept feeling like I was walking uphill constantly, but this treadmill is older and I couldn't find a way to change the incline. All the electronic and digital functions don't work anymore and I thought I was just stuck on this incline. Which made the treadmill my enemy.
I usually walk during lunch at work if the weather is nice, and I can make a pretty big square at lunchtime, clear up to main street and back. I always take the scenic route. I told husband, we have to relocate the treadmill so I can watch grey's anatomy and walk every Sunday, to get some walking in on the weekends. I figure if it kills me I will have to try for 10 minutes without collapsing. And a funny thing happened.
When we moved the treadmill, and I unfolded it, the damn thing setup Flat! No more incline! YEAH! I checked it out underneath and it looks like the back legs were going the opposite direction before, causing the incline. Duh! I walked briskly for 15 minutes last night and felt GREAT! But I had to have the TV on full volume to hear it over the treadmill. And the dogs were looking at me like "are you DEAF?! Turn that shit DOWN!" I need to get me something rigged up for that. Or I need to just walk every night now and wear the ipod. Sounds like a plan. So I am now excited instead of treadmill challenged! YEAH! Tonight I try for 30 minutes... endurance (baby steps)! I can DO it!
"Another woman was attacked and raped in central park while jogging. See, excercise is no good! You never hear about a fat bitch getting raped in her house while she's eatin' doritos and watchin' One Life to Live." - Lisa Lampanelli (listen to it here)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
