Upcoming Swaps I am signed up for....
Radical 80's ATC Swap
Deadline: Today!
Sending: 3 ATC's to 1 partner
Will This Work? Chain Doodle Swap
Deadline: November 17th
Sending: my addition to a doodle that I receive
Ocean Theme ATC Swap
Deadline: August 21st
Sending: 3 ATC's to 1 partner
Woman Theme ATC Swap
Deadline: August 31st
Sending: 9 ATC's to 3 partners
Something Sparkly ATC Swap
Deadline: August 30th
Sending: 4 ATC's to 2 partners
A Letter from Me #4 Swap
Deadline: August 20th
Sending: 1 handwritten letter to 1 partner
Random ATC Swap
Deadline: August 25th
Sending: 3 ATC's to 1 partner
Favorite Song ATC Swap
Deadline: August 31st
Sending: 9 ATC's to 3 partners
That's 31 ATC's to make this month (which means 31 to receive!!), My 4th Handwritten Letter this month, AND a doodle.
Monday, August 07, 2006
Home Sweet Home
So, what did I accomplish this weekend? Besides eating everything in sight?
Friday night we w
ent to the drawdown. Saturday I woke up early (for no apparent reason) and went to Peru, where I exchanged two topiaries at JC Penney for a total refund of $84.00 which I put towards our new dining room table and four chairs which was on sale in the JC Penney Catalog for $145.00 (really, no shit) and so it is being shipped to our house.
Then JC Penney had the 50% off bedding sale and the buy 1, Get 1 for $1.00 Bedding and Towel/Rug/Pillow Sale.... So I bought two King sized pillows for us, for $23.99, and got 2 Queen Sized pillows for mom for $1.00! We will split the cost and each get some cheap ass pillows.
Then I went to the Crafters Village and spent WAY too much money on Fall Decorations, some of which I can leave up all year round if I want, because out living room is fall colored. It was fabulous. When I got home, I put everything in it's new home, took
some pictures (in the Flickr House Album, you can see what I bought) and then I vacuumed the living room, dining room, and tidied up the place a bit. I ran the dishwasher. I made the bed. Those types of things. Saturday morning I paid $22.00 to ship my August Rainbow Package to Canada. I have learned my lesson, I have to say, about keeping down the cost of Swap-Bot swaps. I am pretty sure that the swap itself cost me $50-75.00 and then the $22 shipping just put it way over the top. So Next time I need to be careful of how much I am spending. Luckily this time I got a great package in return, but if I got a crappy little package, and I sent out $75 worth of stuff, that would suck. Not to mention my time to make Kelly Skellington! So I am pleased as punch with my package and I hope the recipient loves it. I also mailed my Letter #3 swap, which was 5 pages handwritten.
Saturday's mail also brought a VERY Nice handwritten letter in response to my Letter #2 swap, which I sent to Kansas. I am in the process of writing back to Eva.
Saturday night we didn't get home till 4am Sunday, from Being out with Brad and Anya and Brandon. The boys went to a party and to some bars from about 11:30pm till about
3:30am, and Anya and I stayed at her house with Ava, and she taught me how to knit. Whew. I am finally getting fast at it, but I pull everything too tight, so after about 3 sets of stitches, I have to tear them out and start over because it's so tight you can't go any more... and at her house I literally broke the yarn (thick Chenille Yard that I was using with #13 needles) because I had it too tight.
Sunday I slept till 2pm. YES! Then I made lunch and ate, then I lay in bed and looked through my new Close to My Heart Catalog, while watching 9 to 5 with Dolly Parton. Then I laid in bed and watched BIG with Tom Hanks, and then I got dressed and went to Princeton, got some yarn, toilet paper, and lunchmeat at Wal-Mart. Last night I watched lots of TIVO'd TV while I practiced knitting more last night, started a new piece with #11 needles, practiced some with #8 needles, and then worked on crocheting on the 4 year purple blanket. Then I started to crochet a fuzzy green scarf, because I need to FINISH something, to get that satisfaction. The 4-year blanket is king sized, so it takes me almost an hour to get across it once and back again. Yep. SO figure that the blanket will have taken me 30 minutes per row by the time I ever finish, and then you will know why it's the 4-year blanket!
So that, was my weekend.
And this morning, the Fairfield Dollhouse Kit Arrived on my back porch. I can not wait! And it's yellow on the box, just like I want to paint it... but it's pretty pale, and I want mine to be brighter yellow.
Tonight I need to complete and mail my three "Radical 80's" ATC (Artist/Altered trading cards) for the ATC swap. I have millions of ideas and such, so I think I will actually be making more than 3. We will see!
Friday night we w
ent to the drawdown. Saturday I woke up early (for no apparent reason) and went to Peru, where I exchanged two topiaries at JC Penney for a total refund of $84.00 which I put towards our new dining room table and four chairs which was on sale in the JC Penney Catalog for $145.00 (really, no shit) and so it is being shipped to our house.Then JC Penney had the 50% off bedding sale and the buy 1, Get 1 for $1.00 Bedding and Towel/Rug/Pillow Sale.... So I bought two King sized pillows for us, for $23.99, and got 2 Queen Sized pillows for mom for $1.00! We will split the cost and each get some cheap ass pillows.
Then I went to the Crafters Village and spent WAY too much money on Fall Decorations, some of which I can leave up all year round if I want, because out living room is fall colored. It was fabulous. When I got home, I put everything in it's new home, took
some pictures (in the Flickr House Album, you can see what I bought) and then I vacuumed the living room, dining room, and tidied up the place a bit. I ran the dishwasher. I made the bed. Those types of things. Saturday morning I paid $22.00 to ship my August Rainbow Package to Canada. I have learned my lesson, I have to say, about keeping down the cost of Swap-Bot swaps. I am pretty sure that the swap itself cost me $50-75.00 and then the $22 shipping just put it way over the top. So Next time I need to be careful of how much I am spending. Luckily this time I got a great package in return, but if I got a crappy little package, and I sent out $75 worth of stuff, that would suck. Not to mention my time to make Kelly Skellington! So I am pleased as punch with my package and I hope the recipient loves it. I also mailed my Letter #3 swap, which was 5 pages handwritten.Saturday's mail also brought a VERY Nice handwritten letter in response to my Letter #2 swap, which I sent to Kansas. I am in the process of writing back to Eva.
Saturday night we didn't get home till 4am Sunday, from Being out with Brad and Anya and Brandon. The boys went to a party and to some bars from about 11:30pm till about
3:30am, and Anya and I stayed at her house with Ava, and she taught me how to knit. Whew. I am finally getting fast at it, but I pull everything too tight, so after about 3 sets of stitches, I have to tear them out and start over because it's so tight you can't go any more... and at her house I literally broke the yarn (thick Chenille Yard that I was using with #13 needles) because I had it too tight.Sunday I slept till 2pm. YES! Then I made lunch and ate, then I lay in bed and looked through my new Close to My Heart Catalog, while watching 9 to 5 with Dolly Parton. Then I laid in bed and watched BIG with Tom Hanks, and then I got dressed and went to Princeton, got some yarn, toilet paper, and lunchmeat at Wal-Mart. Last night I watched lots of TIVO'd TV while I practiced knitting more last night, started a new piece with #11 needles, practiced some with #8 needles, and then worked on crocheting on the 4 year purple blanket. Then I started to crochet a fuzzy green scarf, because I need to FINISH something, to get that satisfaction. The 4-year blanket is king sized, so it takes me almost an hour to get across it once and back again. Yep. SO figure that the blanket will have taken me 30 minutes per row by the time I ever finish, and then you will know why it's the 4-year blanket!
So that, was my weekend.
And this morning, the Fairfield Dollhouse Kit Arrived on my back porch. I can not wait! And it's yellow on the box, just like I want to paint it... but it's pretty pale, and I want mine to be brighter yellow.
Tonight I need to complete and mail my three "Radical 80's" ATC (Artist/Altered trading cards) for the ATC swap. I have millions of ideas and such, so I think I will actually be making more than 3. We will see!
FOOD!
This could potentially be a long post. I will try to keep it short and informative!
First. I ate terribly all weekend. South Beach Diet- OUT the door (mostly) for the weekend. Firstly, let me blame it on PMS. I wanted FOOD and I wasn't going to stop until I got it. Plus I had spent $40 on a drawdown ticket for the Manlius Historical Society, and then Evan wasn't feeling well, so Mom and Liz (sister) and I went.... so I had to eat $40 of food myself.
They had spaghetti and fried chicken (my new favorite food) and WHITE rolls and homemade desserts. And I ate all of the above and skipped the salad they had. Yum! Then I had 3 sprites (no alcohol for me) and I usually only allow myself one per day. A south beach indulgence. Then Saturday I ate a Wendy's Frescata Sandwich for breakfast at 10am, which has WHITE BREAD.... and then for lunch RAMEN NOODLES! Ohhh! And then for supper we went out to Wise Guys with Brad and Anya and Ava and Ava's uncle Brandon (Anya's brother) and I had fried catfish with steamed veggies (in place of my potato) and TWO Amaretto and Cokes. Mmmmm. Sunday I had Tuna Cheesy Pasta (bad bad bad!) and for supper I had an Oreo McFlurry, and a Turkey Sausage stuffed with Mozarella, Garlic, and Artichokes. Yum. So today, I am aiming for "back on the south beach." and this morning I had my South Beach Breakfast bar, and then I was still hungry (duh) so I had cheesy potato rounds (from Casey's) which are another favorite of mine.
Before Friday (and all this food) I had gained 3 pounds of what was certainly the usual PMS water weight and by Monday, (even with all this crap I ate all weekend) I had lost those 3.5 pounds plus one more pound, so now I actually weight 1 pound less than I did BEFORE I ate all that. LOL.
Oh and I forgot that I are 6 oreo cookies too. For dessert, naturally.
First. I ate terribly all weekend. South Beach Diet- OUT the door (mostly) for the weekend. Firstly, let me blame it on PMS. I wanted FOOD and I wasn't going to stop until I got it. Plus I had spent $40 on a drawdown ticket for the Manlius Historical Society, and then Evan wasn't feeling well, so Mom and Liz (sister) and I went.... so I had to eat $40 of food myself.
They had spaghetti and fried chicken (my new favorite food) and WHITE rolls and homemade desserts. And I ate all of the above and skipped the salad they had. Yum! Then I had 3 sprites (no alcohol for me) and I usually only allow myself one per day. A south beach indulgence. Then Saturday I ate a Wendy's Frescata Sandwich for breakfast at 10am, which has WHITE BREAD.... and then for lunch RAMEN NOODLES! Ohhh! And then for supper we went out to Wise Guys with Brad and Anya and Ava and Ava's uncle Brandon (Anya's brother) and I had fried catfish with steamed veggies (in place of my potato) and TWO Amaretto and Cokes. Mmmmm. Sunday I had Tuna Cheesy Pasta (bad bad bad!) and for supper I had an Oreo McFlurry, and a Turkey Sausage stuffed with Mozarella, Garlic, and Artichokes. Yum. So today, I am aiming for "back on the south beach." and this morning I had my South Beach Breakfast bar, and then I was still hungry (duh) so I had cheesy potato rounds (from Casey's) which are another favorite of mine.
Before Friday (and all this food) I had gained 3 pounds of what was certainly the usual PMS water weight and by Monday, (even with all this crap I ate all weekend) I had lost those 3.5 pounds plus one more pound, so now I actually weight 1 pound less than I did BEFORE I ate all that. LOL.
Oh and I forgot that I are 6 oreo cookies too. For dessert, naturally.
Thursday, August 03, 2006
Curly HNT
When I got up this morning I put my hair in a clip. Tonight when I took it out, my hair was curly! And I have SUPER straight Hair! Cool! I once had a perm in 5th grade and it was gone in one week, pulled straight by the weight of my hair, which is super thick, and at the time was just below my chin. I never have curly hair so this was cool. I had to show you!Kelly Skellington Doll is Finished!
Well, my Kelly Skellington Doll is Done! The whole Coloriffic swap*o*rama Rainbow Swap is together, packed up, and ready to mail. Since I accidentally have almost $70 in this package (my bad, I know, But I got so excited!) and that doesn't count the time to make Kelly, I am really hoping it doesn't cost too much to send... but it has to go across borders, so I am worried about that. I feel sad watching Kelly go, and packing her up in her little coffin for the last time and closing the lid was very hard... but she will love her new home, I am sure, and I hope her owner loves her and appreciates all my hard work!So off she goes!
See all of Kelly's pictures and all my swaporama pictures here...
Wednesday Night
Last Night, Evan helped me paint tha last 1/4 of the sewing room in the basement. I am so pleased as punch at the results! Yeah!
Tonight will be "swap*bot" night as I have to sew my skeleton, the coffin lining, and some clothes for her... and get the rest of my August Rainbow swap ready to go. I also have two Letter Swaps handwritten already, but need to decorate them and the envelopes, address them and get them ready to send. Then this weekend I have to work on my 3 "radical 80's" ATC's for a swap due to be sent Monday. So I have lots of crafty stuff to do! I also need to pick out the color of yellow paint I want for my dollhouse, I have all my paint samples and I just need to research a little more to make sure that I get the correct color.
When I get home from work tonight, We will move everything back where it goes in the sewing room, and then over the weekend hopefully I can organize and post some pictures.
This morning at about 3am, icky storms came through Wyanet. The wind was pretty strong and it woke me up, and By the time I got out of bed, it was scary. There was lots of lightning. Evan was watching TV and I walked out and he looked outside and said "Wow it's getting pretty bad" and then after about two minutes of looking outside, he said "You'd better get the dogs, let's go to the basement." Evan is like my dad, he grew up standing outside looking at the storms and isn't scared, so when he says "go to the basement" I know that it is icky. Just like my dad!
The weather radio wasn't going off, and I don't
think the town sirens did, and even when they do you can't hear them on our side of town when it's calm, let alone when it's windy. The dogs were on the porch and they were whining and scratching at the baby gate, the storm had woke them up too and they were not happy. We went to the basement with pillows and blankets. Boyd of course went right down the stairs, but Hadley hates stairs so he balked and wouldn't go down. I had to drag him by the collar. I was sure he would pee on the stairs he was so scared, he was like Bambi on ice. So when we get to the basement, Evan put the futon mattress on the floor (we keep it around just for these occasions... we take it camping and spread it in the tent and we use it during storms. Several times I have been in the basement, in the sewing room, under a banquet table, on the futon mattress with blankets, flashlights, and dogs.
Well, the second the mattress got on the floor, Boyd lay right down on it (he's conditioned, he knows the drill) and Hadley followed him, and promptly peed all over the mattress. So much for the emergency Futon mattress, eh? Looks like it's going in the garbage. Bummer.
So once the wind died down we went upstairs and went outside and looked around. We could see little branches and twigs and leaves everywhere, but it looked like everything was intact. Of course We didn't see the rest of North Street until this morning, and it was the worst hit that I could tell. Neighbors down the street had large limbs down, two neighbors on our side of the street had entire trees down. One house had no power, it looked like the tree came down on the line that feeds the power from the pole into the house, there were Elmore Electric Vans Everywhere, and brandches, trees, leaves covering their entire yard. It was crazy.
And the weather radio and sirens never went off.... thunderstorms with straightline winds. The wind was so strong I thought it was going to break the windows on the west side of the house. When we got back upstairs, the weather radio went off with warnings for the county north of us, and sever weather in Walnut, but never once mentioned us. Strange. I wonder if we weren't an isolated area along the front, because mom and dad slept right through it, and there was no way you could sleep through that- It woke up me, and the dogs, and Evan, all in three seperate rooms.
So after being awake for about 40 minutes, it was hard to get back to sleep, and then Evan came into bed and he is sunburnt (yeah, remember that day that it was 115 heat index? He was on a ROOF and then swimming. Shirtless with no sunscreen. What an idiot.) so he was tossing and turning and moaning and groaning. Ugh.
Lovely night.
At least the sewing room is painted!
Tonight will be "swap*bot" night as I have to sew my skeleton, the coffin lining, and some clothes for her... and get the rest of my August Rainbow swap ready to go. I also have two Letter Swaps handwritten already, but need to decorate them and the envelopes, address them and get them ready to send. Then this weekend I have to work on my 3 "radical 80's" ATC's for a swap due to be sent Monday. So I have lots of crafty stuff to do! I also need to pick out the color of yellow paint I want for my dollhouse, I have all my paint samples and I just need to research a little more to make sure that I get the correct color.When I get home from work tonight, We will move everything back where it goes in the sewing room, and then over the weekend hopefully I can organize and post some pictures.
This morning at about 3am, icky storms came through Wyanet. The wind was pretty strong and it woke me up, and By the time I got out of bed, it was scary. There was lots of lightning. Evan was watching TV and I walked out and he looked outside and said "Wow it's getting pretty bad" and then after about two minutes of looking outside, he said "You'd better get the dogs, let's go to the basement." Evan is like my dad, he grew up standing outside looking at the storms and isn't scared, so when he says "go to the basement" I know that it is icky. Just like my dad!
The weather radio wasn't going off, and I don't
think the town sirens did, and even when they do you can't hear them on our side of town when it's calm, let alone when it's windy. The dogs were on the porch and they were whining and scratching at the baby gate, the storm had woke them up too and they were not happy. We went to the basement with pillows and blankets. Boyd of course went right down the stairs, but Hadley hates stairs so he balked and wouldn't go down. I had to drag him by the collar. I was sure he would pee on the stairs he was so scared, he was like Bambi on ice. So when we get to the basement, Evan put the futon mattress on the floor (we keep it around just for these occasions... we take it camping and spread it in the tent and we use it during storms. Several times I have been in the basement, in the sewing room, under a banquet table, on the futon mattress with blankets, flashlights, and dogs.Well, the second the mattress got on the floor, Boyd lay right down on it (he's conditioned, he knows the drill) and Hadley followed him, and promptly peed all over the mattress. So much for the emergency Futon mattress, eh? Looks like it's going in the garbage. Bummer.
So once the wind died down we went upstairs and went outside and looked around. We could see little branches and twigs and leaves everywhere, but it looked like everything was intact. Of course We didn't see the rest of North Street until this morning, and it was the worst hit that I could tell. Neighbors down the street had large limbs down, two neighbors on our side of the street had entire trees down. One house had no power, it looked like the tree came down on the line that feeds the power from the pole into the house, there were Elmore Electric Vans Everywhere, and brandches, trees, leaves covering their entire yard. It was crazy.
And the weather radio and sirens never went off.... thunderstorms with straightline winds. The wind was so strong I thought it was going to break the windows on the west side of the house. When we got back upstairs, the weather radio went off with warnings for the county north of us, and sever weather in Walnut, but never once mentioned us. Strange. I wonder if we weren't an isolated area along the front, because mom and dad slept right through it, and there was no way you could sleep through that- It woke up me, and the dogs, and Evan, all in three seperate rooms.
So after being awake for about 40 minutes, it was hard to get back to sleep, and then Evan came into bed and he is sunburnt (yeah, remember that day that it was 115 heat index? He was on a ROOF and then swimming. Shirtless with no sunscreen. What an idiot.) so he was tossing and turning and moaning and groaning. Ugh.
Lovely night.
At least the sewing room is painted!
Wednesday, August 02, 2006
Story. Of. My. Life.
Just Scan in His Photo and Use Face-Recognition Google
via Overheard in the Office, Jul 27, 2006
Boss: I went to school with this guy...I don't remember his name, but he just became the president of some real estate development company in DC. Can you look him up on the internet? I'd like to send him a note.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Overheard by: office minion
via Overheard in the Office, Jul 27, 2006
Snarkalicious
Another Quiz? Sure, why the hell not! I got this one from my new renter, who you just MUST visit, Winged Emotion. Apparently, she's married (like me) and she's Sarcastic (like me.) I see that she is writing about her husband, but they are all protected posts, so if you wanna see the good stuff, I think you had better get a login. Tell her Meagan sent you!
| You're Totally Sarcastic |
 You sarcastic? Never! You're as sweet as a baby bunny. Seriously, though, you have a sharp tongue - and you aren't afraid to use it. And if people are too wimpy to deal with your attitutde, then too bad. So sad. |
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Educationally Speaking...
Since no one is really reading..... or commenting.... I have been kinda slacking. It's been so hot here, 115 heat index... that mostly we have all been hanging out in the AC, in our pajamas or scantily clad whenever possible, as the AC is having a hard time keeping up. Ceiling fans whir lazily overhead, shades and curtains drawn, dogs snoozing on the floor contendedly. That's my life the past few days.
Last night we had a fabulous dinner. It was sooo hot, we finally shucked the two dozen ears of sweet corn that we got from a co-worker of mine. It was DELICIOUS. We picked the few red tomatoes we had in the garden, since the vines collapsed under their own weight and some high winds during a couple of nasty thunderstorms. Cut some chives and made some chive butter that we brushed over our sweet corn on the grill, and husband made cheeseburgers, and on mine he put provolone and colby jack cheese. Yum! I ate them with freshly sliced tomatoes from the garden.
This morning I had a thought. My new brain waves recently, besides Altered Trading Cards and a sudden urge to build my own dollhouse, is history. I love books that are historical fiction, like the Memoirs of Helen of Troy, The DaVinci Code, and The Linnet Bird. I am currently trying to read The Widow of the South but I am not "into" it very well. I loved History in High School. It amazes me how little the average person knows about History and Historical Persons. One of my upcoming Altered Trading Card projects is themed "woman" and one of my trading cards will be themed for Marie Curie. How much does the average person know about Marie Curie? It amazes me that there are practically an infinate amount of historical places, events, and people of whom I can learn more. Suddenly, my life seems so very very short!
A recent swapbot letter swap led me to discover that King Tut's tomb is being exhibited in Chicago this summer/fall and I didn't even know it. Talk about a once in a lifetime chance to learn and see a piece of history! There are so many books I need to read, so much research to be done, and so very little time! I feel like I should spend the rest of my life doing history papers and writing essay questions. I always loved history class. I am trying to remember what I wrote papers on when I was in School? I almost always got A's.... I remember Mt. Vesuvius. And I think something about Napolean. But that's all I have retained?
While putting on my makeup this morning, I was thinking that if I were rich, I would send myself to college every single day. I would learn something new about history every single day. I would see every museum exhibit. I would red every book I could lay my hands on. I would research the internet all day. Learn Learn Learn. I would travel to Greece and Rome. France and Brazil. Russia and China. Learn Learn Learn. Experience.
You know, I always thought about what I would do if I won the lottery. I always thought, get a new car, build a big farmouse with a barn out in the country, have lots of animals. Pay off debts. Invest so I could live off the money forever. But I never really thought beyond that. I thought I would probably still work, but likely part time. But I never really thought what I could do with that money. What I could really do for myself. And now I realize that learning would be the perfect use of lottery money. Travel. Reading. Education. Studious Endeavors. I would be the oldest college student ever. I would take Art History and see the Louvre. I would paint still lifes in Tuscany. I would make wine with grapes I grew myself. Tortellini and Bread. I would go to Egypt and see the pyramids, to the rainforests... to Alaska. Hawaii. Africa. I would see and learn and experience everything I could. And if it were possible.... I would take my family with me.
What would you do with infinite funds and limitless time?
Last night we had a fabulous dinner. It was sooo hot, we finally shucked the two dozen ears of sweet corn that we got from a co-worker of mine. It was DELICIOUS. We picked the few red tomatoes we had in the garden, since the vines collapsed under their own weight and some high winds during a couple of nasty thunderstorms. Cut some chives and made some chive butter that we brushed over our sweet corn on the grill, and husband made cheeseburgers, and on mine he put provolone and colby jack cheese. Yum! I ate them with freshly sliced tomatoes from the garden.
This morning I had a thought. My new brain waves recently, besides Altered Trading Cards and a sudden urge to build my own dollhouse, is history. I love books that are historical fiction, like the Memoirs of Helen of Troy, The DaVinci Code, and The Linnet Bird. I am currently trying to read The Widow of the South but I am not "into" it very well. I loved History in High School. It amazes me how little the average person knows about History and Historical Persons. One of my upcoming Altered Trading Card projects is themed "woman" and one of my trading cards will be themed for Marie Curie. How much does the average person know about Marie Curie? It amazes me that there are practically an infinate amount of historical places, events, and people of whom I can learn more. Suddenly, my life seems so very very short!
A recent swapbot letter swap led me to discover that King Tut's tomb is being exhibited in Chicago this summer/fall and I didn't even know it. Talk about a once in a lifetime chance to learn and see a piece of history! There are so many books I need to read, so much research to be done, and so very little time! I feel like I should spend the rest of my life doing history papers and writing essay questions. I always loved history class. I am trying to remember what I wrote papers on when I was in School? I almost always got A's.... I remember Mt. Vesuvius. And I think something about Napolean. But that's all I have retained?
While putting on my makeup this morning, I was thinking that if I were rich, I would send myself to college every single day. I would learn something new about history every single day. I would see every museum exhibit. I would red every book I could lay my hands on. I would research the internet all day. Learn Learn Learn. I would travel to Greece and Rome. France and Brazil. Russia and China. Learn Learn Learn. Experience.
You know, I always thought about what I would do if I won the lottery. I always thought, get a new car, build a big farmouse with a barn out in the country, have lots of animals. Pay off debts. Invest so I could live off the money forever. But I never really thought beyond that. I thought I would probably still work, but likely part time. But I never really thought what I could do with that money. What I could really do for myself. And now I realize that learning would be the perfect use of lottery money. Travel. Reading. Education. Studious Endeavors. I would be the oldest college student ever. I would take Art History and see the Louvre. I would paint still lifes in Tuscany. I would make wine with grapes I grew myself. Tortellini and Bread. I would go to Egypt and see the pyramids, to the rainforests... to Alaska. Hawaii. Africa. I would see and learn and experience everything I could. And if it were possible.... I would take my family with me.
What would you do with infinite funds and limitless time?
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Slacker
I am such a slacker! I should be switching laundry, cleaning the kitchen... or the office. But instead I am parked on the couch watching TV. Still. I did lots of picking up today, around the whole house, done abut 5 loads of laundry, took a long bath, painted my toes... but I also successfully watched the movie "Star!" (Julie Andrews) and "Dark Passage" (Humphrey Bogart/Lauren Bacall.) followed by Malcolm in the Middle, King of the Hill, n\and the Simpsons.
Ugh. I can hear the jeans tossing around in the dryer.
Someone needs to get salt for the water softener, and someone needs to check the mail. I did eat fish and veggies for dinner, but I am already thinking about ice cream with raspberries on top, mmmmm. PMS will do that to a person. As soon as I finished supper, I wanted pizza. Damn Commercials!
This weekend, I didn't do a whole lot. Friday night I was here... Went to bed fairly early because Saturday morning I had to wake up at 7:30- I agreed to accompany Anya and Ava to Stockton so that I could watch Ava while Anya got her hair done. It was a good ride, and Ava was super cute as usual. When I got home, I was so tired, I slept from 3:30 till 7:30. Then I talked to Carrie for a while. Then Evan brought me a Culver's Cashew Chicken Salad for supper (mmmm) and then I watched The Incredibles and The Bourne Supremacy.
I keep seeing those new Nike Commercials where the people are all confused looking and they say "I've never run this far before." Hmmm.... maybe if I had new Nike's, I would also be motivated! This is something to think about! I need to sew the skeleton doll and the coffin lining this week. I meant to do it this weekend, but it's already 8pm, so the weekend is almost over!
NOOOO! No Monday.
Did I mention it's hotter than hell? Tomorrow is supposed to be 115 with the heat index. Today, was 104 with the index. I went outside once, at 7pm, for about 15 minutes.
It was too much. At least I have only wore pajamas today. That makes me happy. Off to get ice cream with raspberries!!
Ugh. I can hear the jeans tossing around in the dryer.
Someone needs to get salt for the water softener, and someone needs to check the mail. I did eat fish and veggies for dinner, but I am already thinking about ice cream with raspberries on top, mmmmm. PMS will do that to a person. As soon as I finished supper, I wanted pizza. Damn Commercials!
This weekend, I didn't do a whole lot. Friday night I was here... Went to bed fairly early because Saturday morning I had to wake up at 7:30- I agreed to accompany Anya and Ava to Stockton so that I could watch Ava while Anya got her hair done. It was a good ride, and Ava was super cute as usual. When I got home, I was so tired, I slept from 3:30 till 7:30. Then I talked to Carrie for a while. Then Evan brought me a Culver's Cashew Chicken Salad for supper (mmmm) and then I watched The Incredibles and The Bourne Supremacy.
I keep seeing those new Nike Commercials where the people are all confused looking and they say "I've never run this far before." Hmmm.... maybe if I had new Nike's, I would also be motivated! This is something to think about! I need to sew the skeleton doll and the coffin lining this week. I meant to do it this weekend, but it's already 8pm, so the weekend is almost over!
NOOOO! No Monday.
Did I mention it's hotter than hell? Tomorrow is supposed to be 115 with the heat index. Today, was 104 with the index. I went outside once, at 7pm, for about 15 minutes.
It was too much. At least I have only wore pajamas today. That makes me happy. Off to get ice cream with raspberries!!
Thursday, July 27, 2006
New Burn Ordinance In Wyanet
For those of you who know the Neighbor saga, this should be interesting....
This morning, I am upset. Okay, I am pissed. And I am pissed at Major John Gordon in Wyanet, Illinois. Why? Because I see a new burn ordinance has showed up in the post office. Why am I pissed at the major? Because he signed the thing. Should I be pissed at him? Probably not. But can I stop being pissed at him? Uh-No. Will he EVER stop being MAJOR? He's like 900 years old now. I plan on scanning the ordinance in and attaching it to this post.... when I have a moment.
The most pissed off that I am about this whole damn thing?
Item Number 1. The Location of all Burning Barrels Should be placed fifteen feet inside your property lines. Yes, well. In theory, it sounds good. But what the fuck are you supposed to do when A) you really don't know where your property lines are, because no one has ever told you, and your neighbors seem to have their own plants, dogs, and lawnmowers on my property, so I don't even know where the actual line is because they can't respect our property and stay the fuck off it. or how about B) It is wonderful in an ideal world, where you HAVE 15 feet of property between your house and the property lines. But what about if you don't? What about if your property lines are closer to your home and garage than that? What if the only place on your property where you have 15 feet of fucking privacy is in your front yard? Do they want me to put my burn barrel in the front yard? Please. I plan on totally discussing this with my town board members. I would like their opinion on how I should handle this.
Number 2. All Burning should be done between sunrise and sunset. Um. Okay. So in the fall, when it gets dark at 5pm, and I work till 6:30 or 7 pm, I would have to wake up AT SUNRISE and do my burning, and then go get cleaned up for work? Because I can't burn between 5pm and 9pm? Why not? What's the deal with that? And before, I tried to burn around 11:30 or 12pm, because neighbormom is allergic to leaves *cough cough* and she leaves for work around 11:30pm. So I would always burn stuff after she left, because I am all courteous like that. What now?
Number 4. All items allowed to be burned are non-recycleable items, including organic materials grown on the subject property. Could someone please explain this to me? I do not get it. I mean, right now I was under the impression that we could only burn paper and cardboard. But you can recycle paper and cardboard. So it's like, what are they talking about? I can burn anything that can't be recycled but I can't burn paper, cardboard, or newspaper? WTF? Am I totally uneducated when it comes to burning? I don't GET IT? And what's with the fancy words? Did they hire someone from Chicago to come write this thing? THIS IS WYANET. SAY IT IN GOOD PLAIN ENGLISH.
Footnote (Typed in giant letters and underlined {in case we didn't see it}) There shall be no burning of leaves in city streets and alleys. Um. I hate to tell them, but the entire goddamn town rakes their leaves to the little gravely area between the road and their property line, or into the edge of the alley, and burns them. So, why is that bad? Is the road gonna burn? Is it? I don't get that one either. Really. Is that necessary? I usually burn the leaves in my ditch, since we have the wildflower and prairie grass plot and all.... but really... not everyone has a ditch. Sometimes I burn in my driveway, but besides that, I don't know what everyone else will do? Makes no sense. It says yard waste doesn't have to be burned in containers, but it can't be burned along the street either?
So. It pretty much sucks. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Here I am supposed to have my burn barrel 15 feet from neighbormom's property line, but neighbormom's dog can shit in my driveway and her cat can nap on my swing? Doesn't seem quite fair, does it? Can we post a "no roaming animals" Ordinance? And a "Know and Respect Your Property Lines Ordinance?" Please?
This morning, I am upset. Okay, I am pissed. And I am pissed at Major John Gordon in Wyanet, Illinois. Why? Because I see a new burn ordinance has showed up in the post office. Why am I pissed at the major? Because he signed the thing. Should I be pissed at him? Probably not. But can I stop being pissed at him? Uh-No. Will he EVER stop being MAJOR? He's like 900 years old now. I plan on scanning the ordinance in and attaching it to this post.... when I have a moment.
The most pissed off that I am about this whole damn thing?
Item Number 1. The Location of all Burning Barrels Should be placed fifteen feet inside your property lines. Yes, well. In theory, it sounds good. But what the fuck are you supposed to do when A) you really don't know where your property lines are, because no one has ever told you, and your neighbors seem to have their own plants, dogs, and lawnmowers on my property, so I don't even know where the actual line is because they can't respect our property and stay the fuck off it. or how about B) It is wonderful in an ideal world, where you HAVE 15 feet of property between your house and the property lines. But what about if you don't? What about if your property lines are closer to your home and garage than that? What if the only place on your property where you have 15 feet of fucking privacy is in your front yard? Do they want me to put my burn barrel in the front yard? Please. I plan on totally discussing this with my town board members. I would like their opinion on how I should handle this.
Number 2. All Burning should be done between sunrise and sunset. Um. Okay. So in the fall, when it gets dark at 5pm, and I work till 6:30 or 7 pm, I would have to wake up AT SUNRISE and do my burning, and then go get cleaned up for work? Because I can't burn between 5pm and 9pm? Why not? What's the deal with that? And before, I tried to burn around 11:30 or 12pm, because neighbormom is allergic to leaves *cough cough* and she leaves for work around 11:30pm. So I would always burn stuff after she left, because I am all courteous like that. What now?
Number 4. All items allowed to be burned are non-recycleable items, including organic materials grown on the subject property. Could someone please explain this to me? I do not get it. I mean, right now I was under the impression that we could only burn paper and cardboard. But you can recycle paper and cardboard. So it's like, what are they talking about? I can burn anything that can't be recycled but I can't burn paper, cardboard, or newspaper? WTF? Am I totally uneducated when it comes to burning? I don't GET IT? And what's with the fancy words? Did they hire someone from Chicago to come write this thing? THIS IS WYANET. SAY IT IN GOOD PLAIN ENGLISH.
Footnote (Typed in giant letters and underlined {in case we didn't see it}) There shall be no burning of leaves in city streets and alleys. Um. I hate to tell them, but the entire goddamn town rakes their leaves to the little gravely area between the road and their property line, or into the edge of the alley, and burns them. So, why is that bad? Is the road gonna burn? Is it? I don't get that one either. Really. Is that necessary? I usually burn the leaves in my ditch, since we have the wildflower and prairie grass plot and all.... but really... not everyone has a ditch. Sometimes I burn in my driveway, but besides that, I don't know what everyone else will do? Makes no sense. It says yard waste doesn't have to be burned in containers, but it can't be burned along the street either?
So. It pretty much sucks. It doesn't make a whole lot of sense. Here I am supposed to have my burn barrel 15 feet from neighbormom's property line, but neighbormom's dog can shit in my driveway and her cat can nap on my swing? Doesn't seem quite fair, does it? Can we post a "no roaming animals" Ordinance? And a "Know and Respect Your Property Lines Ordinance?" Please?
Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Matthew McConaughey's Corvette Auctioning on eBay
If I were loaded, I would totally bid. I love his little paragraph, and of course, "just keep livin" - That's Matthew, and Dazed and Confused, all the way.
Altered Trading Cards.... and more!
Last night when I went to Jessie's to pick up my new Stampin Up Book (view online here), she showed me her latest and greatest, and among her projects were altered trading cards. Now. I have seen them before. I get the concept, but I was always like "why??" Hers were super cute (of course) and when she participates in a swap they have a theme.... one was teddy bears, which I am not a huge teddy bear fan.... but then I got the new SU book, and made my wishlist today, and the two things that I was like "hmmmm" and ordered today? Sets named Trading Collection and Open for Trade, which are essentially backs for trading cards. Yeah. I had them on my maybe list.
Then I got onto Swapbot (my newest weakness) to see the activity on my current swaps, and I saw a NEW swap (why do I even look??) with Altered Trading Cards... and the theme? Woman. Yep. I am intrigued. I thought about it, for about 10 minutes. Then I joined. The great part? I have to make 9 of them, with at least 3 different layouts, and they don't have to be sent until August 31st! Plenty of time! Plus I have two crops/scrapbooking deals to go to on August 11th and 12th, so that will give me something specific to work on, and plenty of time to get them done. Yee!
So let me tell you why swapbot appeals to me so much. Humor me.
I love to craft. I love to scrapbook and stamp. But I have a hard time staying on task. Really I do. I have a hard time figuring out where to start, or being patient with myself while I figure out what I am going to do. So when someone gives me a definite assignment, with a theme, and allows me creative license, and a deadline, I excel. It's like art class all over again. I need direction (when it comes to crafting) or I have a bazillion little projects that I don't finish.Examples: The 4 year blanket, the half-painted sewing/craft room, this "almost" finished basket and empty scrapbook albums.
And although I sometimes follow projects on my own, like many other baskets, this pillow, the moopy, these bookmarks, and this bulletin board....
I do much better with a class or on task with a deadline and a purpose! Like 20 very different Christmas Cards, An altered tin, a Squash book, this packet of 5 matching cards, this gift baby scrapbook, or mother's day cards.
When I am not on task, I end up with curtains like these (unsewn) and never ending projects that take up 2 square foot each, like the guts for my altered journal.
So, essentially, swapbot keeps me on task, allows me to use the multitude of supplies that I have, relax and be creative and excercise my brain, create something for another person (which is an awesome feeling) and receive something neat and crafty in return (made especially for me!) and that is a REALLY awesome feeling too. Swapbot also gives me a project, with a theme, and a deadline, so it doesn't fall by the wayside.
Hooray Swapbot!
Hell-ooooo Altered Trading Cards!
Question for General Motors
Question. Why on new GM (and some ford) vehicles, do we have a nifty auto-down drivers side window.... but there's no auto "up"?? Is it so that a child doesn't roll an extremity or their head up in the window? Um, if that's the reason, let me just have you consider this...
How many children, too young to know better, should be hanging out in the drivers seat of a car with a key in the ignition, unsupervised? Just curious. Cuz you know if the key isn't in the ignition, the window won't go anywhere... so um... kinda seems a little overcautious.
How many children, too young to know better, should be hanging out in the drivers seat of a car with a key in the ignition, unsupervised? Just curious. Cuz you know if the key isn't in the ignition, the window won't go anywhere... so um... kinda seems a little overcautious.
Dear McDonalds, Princeton, Illinois
Dear McDonalds in Princeton, Illinois-
Your evil greasy goodness is only second to that of Wal-Mart.
That said, I am very upset about my visit this evening. You see, I follow the South Beach "lifestyle" because of health issues that I have. I purchase alot of your salads and fruit and yogurt parfaits, along with your overpriced bottles of water. Every now and again (once every 2-3 months) I get a craving for your french fries and perhaps a burger. Tonight was one of those occasions.
I waited in the drive through line for about 10 minutes. I placed my order. I was salivating over the thought of my burger and fries. When I finally got to window 1, (which amazingly was actually staffed!) I handed the girl in a visor my debit card, to which she replied "It isn't working, I can try it though." Uh. Okay. Why don't you then. Either it's WORKING or it ISN'T.
I said "I hope it's working because I don't have any cash." and she swiped my card, thew up her hands, and said "Nope, not working...." then handed back the card and stared at me blankly. I said "So no food for me? It's my problem then, not yours?" and she said "let me go check" (bounces away... bounces back) "yep, there's nothing we can do about it."
Okay. Let's revisit that sentence. THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Let's go over a few options:
1. You put a sign, even a handwritten one, taped to the drive through speaker dealy, that says "We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are unable to process debit/credit card payments at this time." (feel free to insert your own McD's slang language here, if it better suits you...)
2. You give me my food for free, because you do it for that guy you went down on in the parking lot after your shift was over.
3. You give me my food for free, with a manager's override, as I have seen you do before, because it's your problem not mine and I want my fucking once in a blue moon burger and when I am hungry it get cranky.
3. You fix your goddamned machine so that this isn't the third time this has happened to me at your establishment in the last two months.
Just a thought. Or two. For you to ponder. Yeah. Go sit on that for a while.
It is with deep regret that I inform you, your business went to Burger King instead. I didn't wait in line, my food was hot and fresh, their debit card machine worked, AND I was told THANK YOU by a smiling woman in a uniform 100% less greasy than yours.
Dismayed Customer,
Meagan Johnson
Wyanet, Illinois
Your evil greasy goodness is only second to that of Wal-Mart.
That said, I am very upset about my visit this evening. You see, I follow the South Beach "lifestyle" because of health issues that I have. I purchase alot of your salads and fruit and yogurt parfaits, along with your overpriced bottles of water. Every now and again (once every 2-3 months) I get a craving for your french fries and perhaps a burger. Tonight was one of those occasions.
I waited in the drive through line for about 10 minutes. I placed my order. I was salivating over the thought of my burger and fries. When I finally got to window 1, (which amazingly was actually staffed!) I handed the girl in a visor my debit card, to which she replied "It isn't working, I can try it though." Uh. Okay. Why don't you then. Either it's WORKING or it ISN'T.
I said "I hope it's working because I don't have any cash." and she swiped my card, thew up her hands, and said "Nope, not working...." then handed back the card and stared at me blankly. I said "So no food for me? It's my problem then, not yours?" and she said "let me go check" (bounces away... bounces back) "yep, there's nothing we can do about it."
Okay. Let's revisit that sentence. THERE'S NOTHING WE CAN DO ABOUT IT.
Let's go over a few options:
1. You put a sign, even a handwritten one, taped to the drive through speaker dealy, that says "We apologize for any inconvenience, but we are unable to process debit/credit card payments at this time." (feel free to insert your own McD's slang language here, if it better suits you...)
2. You give me my food for free, because you do it for that guy you went down on in the parking lot after your shift was over.
3. You give me my food for free, with a manager's override, as I have seen you do before, because it's your problem not mine and I want my fucking once in a blue moon burger and when I am hungry it get cranky.
3. You fix your goddamned machine so that this isn't the third time this has happened to me at your establishment in the last two months.
Just a thought. Or two. For you to ponder. Yeah. Go sit on that for a while.
It is with deep regret that I inform you, your business went to Burger King instead. I didn't wait in line, my food was hot and fresh, their debit card machine worked, AND I was told THANK YOU by a smiling woman in a uniform 100% less greasy than yours.
Dismayed Customer,
Meagan Johnson
Wyanet, Illinois
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