Everything I know about hiking...I learned wearing flip flops

My Interview

Miss Lara has sent me some interview questions to post.  And boy were some of them hard to answer!

1. Why did you start blogging?

Uh, because I'm so interesting and everyone wants to know what I have to say!  Or you know, not.  Seriously, when I started, it was still called "online journaling" LOL My friend Sherri, who happens to be hilarious, had an account on live journal. So she sent me the "passcode" to set up my own. After that, I found AB at Hashai.com, and from there Miss Doxie and Dooce. It originally started as a way to keep in touch with Sherri and whomever else I didn't get to talk to/see as much as usual. Recently, a former coworker said, "I miss your stories" and now I can refer her to my blog. Ha!

 

2. Which blogger would you most like to meet in person?

You mean besides everyone?  Well...the first person I think of is Nicole. She's the one I talk to on a daily basis, and the only one that I actually talk to on the telephone. We'd have a lot of fun I think. We've pretty much just "clicked." If I could choose a runner up, I'd say Lindsey because I seriously think we are the same person living in two separate bodies.

 

3. What is your biggest regret?

As a general regret, I wish I had spent more time alone instead of dating jerks.  I should have taken the time to enjoy my own company and the company of my friends instead of focusing on someone else. 

 

4. If you had to completely give up jewelry, purses, or shoes (you can

have one functional pair, but no more), which would you choose?

OMG Lara, you're just mean. LOL This one is tough. I KNOW it's not shoes. I love shoes. And like you, Lara, it's all about quantity, not quality. AND shoes know no sizes! They don't care if you're fat - they still look good. I like purses, but I find that it's a pain in the butt to switch from one purse to another in order to really utilize the variety that I own. (why is it that every time I mean to type "purse" I type "person" hmm...I'll have to consult freud). Jewelry, I always forget to put on. I've been better about it, but generally I don’t want to draw attention to myself by adding too much jewelry, but I almost always wear the diamond pendant Mark gave me on our first Christmas together. 

I guess I'd say purses because I can get away with not carrying one as long as I have a boy with pockets. :D (don’t you LOVE that you got my entire thought process for that one?)

 

5. If you became independently wealthy and never had to work again,

what would you do with all your time? Would you still have a job, or

would you do something else?

I don’t think I could sit around and do nothing. But I know I wouldn't work a "regular" job. Seriously, I think I'd work out more - I'd spend 2 hours in the gym every day and I'd do 1000 crunches and have abs like Britney before she discovered cheetos. 

I would also start a non-profit animal rescue and sanctuary. I would utilize volunteers/foster homes, but would also have a sanctuary for other animals so that we didn't have to turn any away. I'd also pay someone else to go to the shelters to rescue because Hi! I don't have the emotional strength to go somewhere like that. It would be way too hard.

I might even consider having children. LOL

Anyone else want to play?  Let me know in the comments and I'll email you 5 questions to post!

Weight Watchers Thursday

Just a quick blurb about how the french toast totally took its sweet time to show up on the scale.  I gained 1 pound this week.  However, I did commit to following the program TO THE LETTER this week.  So I'll have better news next Thursday. :)

I was listening to a radio program this morning and they were answering letters from listeners.  The last letter was from a woman who was upset because her "asshole ex-husband" has no respect for her.  Oh yeah, and they broke up 3 years ago because SHE CHEATED.  How does she get him to respect her?

BAH!  You cheatin' whore!  Um, I'm not thinking you're all that respectable, even if it is 3 years later.  Tigers not changing their stripes, whatever.  What gets me is the fact that people have this sense of entitlement that just KILLS ME.  I mean, as long as you all aren't fighting around your kid, and he's not saying bad things to her about you, you need to suck it up.  Because to him, you are not respectable.  Period. 

Sheesh!

ANTM was totally lackluster last night.  There is no reason to even recap it because, um, hi! They dressed as men.  Ugly men.  They were uglier as men than they are as women (a tough feat, mind you).  It was creepier than them being dead.  Natasha is a muppet.  But she's a muppet who studies, takes control, and steps up her game to take a great picture.  That's it.

Mark is working on your LOST recaplet because I missed the first half and it was all VERY confusing anyway. :)

The Finish Line

Do y'all even understand how THRILLING it is to be almost done with bowling?  Last night was our last "real" night.  (I bowled totally sh*tty the first two games and then bowled a 149 the last game, go figure).  Next week is sweepers, which I still have no idea what that means even though I've asked like 3 times both this year and last. ::sigh::  After that, we will be attending the "banquet" and collecting any prizes, patches, etc. that we earned over the course of the league.  As well as pin money, which I also do not quite understand.  Except to say that last year, we got the most money per person.  This year, not so much.

I understand the concept of the banquet, and yes, I'm still bitter about the fact that I could be eating a real restaurant rather than a bowling alley.  I'm also not thrilled as to the whole "catering" thing.  The list of items sounds okay for those who like onions and mushrooms - it's all very pretentious sounding.  However, the "caterer" is the unshorn husband of the pajama troll.  I'm not sure what he does exactly, and if it's just the fact that he is a line cook at Arby's that makes him qualified to "cater", but these people look like the type who wipe their kids' noses with the dishtowel and then continue to dry the dishes.  ::shudder::

I may bring my own food.  Think they'd look at me funny if I plopped down with a happy meal?

Quote Of The Day

This quote is inspired (and written) by Emily.  During a discussion of why the day after Easter should be a holiday, and the hangovers associated with margis drank on that kind of holiday, she sent me this:

I'm sorry.  If there ever was a drinking holiday that should be it...I mean a MAN ROSE FROM HIS GRAVE for pete's sake! I  know I'd have to take a shot if you died and three days later showed up at my house and asked if I wanted to go to Crossroads.

An Intimate Portrait

(Dear God I'm already scared of the google searches I'm gonna get for this title)

I like to call this one - Clyde in Photos

Can't Wait

Can't wait to get back to work so I can finally relax!  haha.  We had a great weekend, but we're both POOPED. 

On Friday night; Emily, Alicia, and I went and bought some really cute purses.  Then we went to Walmart to show off our style. BAH!  And to buy hair dye and really cheap Smart Ones pizza and Weight Watchers ice cream.  woot! 

On Saturday, Mark and his dad got our trees planted.  Well, most of them.  I'll have to take some pictures still - the yard looks so much better. 

Today, Mark and I went to Daffodil Hill.  It's basically a farm that has LOTS of daffodils and some other pretty flowers and trees. 

I saw this pic and said, Who's the girl?  lol.  It's me!

More pictures here.

Mother's Day Breast Cancer Walk

Some of you know(?) that in October 2005, my mom was diagnosed with breast cancer.  Today, she is doing well and is cancer-free!

This Mother's Day I'm going to walk to raise money for Y-Me, an organization that provides services and support to people who have/had cancer and to their families.

Please visit the site to learn more about the organization; and if your heart (and your pocketbook) allow, make a donation benefiting this awesome charity. 

Thank you!

Cook and Eat Meme

Hi! Look at me feelin' the meme love!  I was tagged for this one by B. Good, my partner in Weight Watchers crime.  Woot!

1- Can you cook? If yes, do you like to cook?
I CAN cook, I just normally choose not to.  I cook more now that Mark and I live together - but I'd much rather him grill something while I watch Judge Judy.

2 - When does your whole family come together to eat?
Whole family?  Christmas.  That's it.  It's all we can stand, usually.

3 - What do you have for breakfast?
During the week - Teddy Grahams and milk or a granola bar or applesauce.  On the weekends, eggs and bacon and sometimes hashbrowns or toast. (see also: copious amounts of cinnamon french toast with caramel sauce).

4 - When, where and how do you eat during the week?
When: ALL DAY  Where: at my desk at work, on the coffee table at home, in my car. How: (this is B. Good's answer, which I LOVE, and uh, what kind of question is this??)  with my mouth? I use my teeth to chew, throat to swallow, and my tummy catches it all.

5 - How often do you eat out?
Not too often.  We're talking about trying a new restaurant soon though.  I'd say 2 times a month for a real restaurant.

6 - How often do you order-in or take-away?
Not so much take-away any more.  I do love me some pizza and deliver it - pronto!

7 - Re: 5 & 6 - If money was no question, would you like to do it more often?
I like eating out, but not that much.  So probably a little more often, but not very often. 

8 - Are there any standards that make regular appearances on your table?
Applesauce.  White shells and cheddar pasta.  Green beans and corn.  OMG I love corn.  with garlic salt.  Yummie!  Oh and a book - I like to read when I eat.

9 - Have you ever tried a recipe from another a food blog?
I'm too picky of an eater.  I don't like a lot of things, so, yeah, not so much.

10 - Are there any quarrels because of food?
Only the "what do you want to eat?" "I don't know, what do you want to eat?!" one.  That and when someone is "helpful" and tries to tell me "a better way" for doing something I've been doing for 10 years.

11 - Are you vegetarian or can you imagine living vegetarian?
(Note to B. Good: wow! I didn't know you were veggie!  That's cool!)  I used to be vegetarian...for uh, 4 years?  I was vegan for 6 months, and I didn't eat red meat for over 6 years.  Now, I eat everything. (for now)  Oh except seafood.   blick.

12 - What would you like to try out that you haven’t dared yet?
Nothing.  I'm picky. :)

13 - Do you rather cook or bake?
Bake, for sure.

14 - What was the most terrible mess you made in the kitchen?
I believe that would be pie baking, 2002.  Two sorority sisters, 5 pies.

15 - What do your kids like to eat best? What would your kids never eat?
No kids.  Kids are messy.

16 - What do you dislike most?
Fish! with Vinegar!  ACK, Vinegar!

Okay, since I'm totally behind on my blogging, I may tag someone who's already done this one.  If so, sorry!  And I'll catch up soon, I promise!  Nicole P. (you're just sitting there doing nothing anyway right?!)  Lara, Aly, Lala, Lindsey and Jenny.

All Kinds of Stuff!

You guys are gonna start giving me a big head.  I was all sad because there was a meme I wanted to do...and someone finally tagged me.  And NOW, I'm feeling really cool because Jenny also tagged me!  woot!  Happy Dance.

Despite having a horrifically emotional day at work yesterday, I had a nice evening.  Which, of course, started with weigh-in and ended with a dinner that I didn't have to cook, a manicure, and some great TV. 

Weigh In:  This week, despite copious amounts of cinnamon swirl french toast with caramel sauce, I STILL LOST!!  1.1 pounds.   Yeah! (which brings me back up to losing 25 pounds - so now I don't feel so bad having that magnet that says I did it, because I actually did!)

ANTM was kinda boring.  The girls had to learn posing.  Some of them were really terrible, but the creepy dude thought they were good, so, I'll just shut up.  Renee finally admits she's a bitch and then tries to be nice, which most of the girls are like, "cool!" but Diana is like, "ah, heeeeellll nah!"  Which makes me laugh.  What killed me is that wasn't it Brittany last week that was getting into it with Renee?  And now Renee is doing her hair?  It's scary Raggedy Ann hair, but it's her hair!  ::sigh::  The challenge is to move through a laser maze ala that movie with Sean Connery and Katherine Zeta Jones (I can't remember the name of it)  Anyway, and even with her plumpness Whitney wins!  AND Renee can't get through it - and she's the only one, and OMG she needed the prize so she could sell it and pay off her bills because she and her husband are broke and wha wha.  And, at this point I couldn't help but yell, "Bitch!  Get a job then!"  I mean, if a reality show is the your secret weapon against debt, then, uh, I have no words.

Anyway, the prize was an actual prize.  It wasn't a weird trophy or a small donation to a charity.  It was ugly, but real, nonetheless.  It was a charm bracelet.  (hello 1987!)  And seriously, it's a good thing a big girl won it, because if Jaslene had won it, she'd be fielding questions about being in a chain gang.

Then the girls had their photo sessions.  Ironically, they are posing as dead models. (don't we wish!)  Jael has a hard time and Jay finds out that her friend died.  And he feels bad, but not bad enough to stop before he tells her, "but I really need you to rock this photo"  I mean, he could have had a little more tact and said, "she's dead, you're supposed to look dead, can't you pull inspiration from that?" 

Renee's picture of being poisoned was really pretty.  Dionne's picture of being shot in the head was lame, as was Felicia's decapitation picture (the writers on this show are bat shit crazy!), Jaslene looked scary as usual after she fell from that building.  Diana looked soft while laying in a hallway all sewed up (I love that the photographer thought she did a good job despite the tiny hallway - like OMG you fit in that hallway lard-ass?!)  Whitney was alright laying on a couch stabbed.  I thought Brittany's electrocution was the best and even the annoying Natasha took a good photo as being drowned.  Anyone I didn't mention, wasn't worth remembering apparently.  (who's left?)  Oh!  Sarah.  I can't even remember what happened to her.  That's probably not a good sign.

The judges loved most of the photos.  But in the end, Felicia was sent home because no one can come on Tyra's show and claim to be her mini me without feeling her wrath!

*****

I think you all know by now that I'm pretty much over LOST.  Mark and I started watching it in Season 2 and we LOVED it. (well, we started watching Season 1 during Season 2)  And so it's our show we watch together.  This is the ONLY reason I have continued to watch it.  I would much rather be in bed at 10:00 p.m. 

Last night's episode has almost redeemed my faith in the show!  I love me some John Locke.  Basically, it went into his life and how he got in the wheelchair.  Apparently, some rich young guy came to Locke and asked about Locke's dad because his dad was set to marry the guy's mom - and the guy suspected that LD was a con-man.  Locke denied knowing him and then went to his dad and told him to break off the engagement because the guy was on to him and if he didn't, Locke would tell them all.

The next day, the guy is dead.  And the FBI come looking for Locke to find out more.  Locke goes to his dad and accuses him of killing the young guy and the dad is like, I didn't! and Locke says, "but you are supposed to not be here anymore" and his dad says, "well we aren't getting married."  And they kind of get into it and then Locke is thrown through a glass window by his father - down 8 eight stories to the ground below.  And then he's in the hospital, the FBI telling him that his dad escaped to Mexico and they can't find him - and then he gets a wheelchair.

On LOST Island, Sayid, Locke, Russo, and Kate are watching Jack play football with the others.  Late at night, they go in.  Kate goes into Jack's house to find him playing the piano. He tells her to go away.  Some Others come in and take Kate at gunpoint while Jack says, "don't hurt her."  Sayid is captured outside, and Russo, the only smart one in the bunch is still in the bushes, watching.  Locke has made his way into Ben's house.

AND OMG I love me some Locke when he's in there talking to Ben.  Locke's goal - to find the submarine and blow it up.  During this conversation, he finds out that Jack made a deal with the Others to go home via that submarine.  Ben also tells him a story about imagining a box (John is familiar with boxes) and that you can take a box, and whatever you imagine being in that box will be there (because of the wonderful island) and John replies, "I hope you can imagine a big box with a submarine" and I snort!  Because OMG Locke you kill me!

Also, at one point, Alex comes in contact with Sayid, who tells her that she looks like her mother.  And Alex says, "My mother is dead" and Sayid replies, "that's what they told you" and then the Other hits him with something ouchie.

Locke also points out that he understands/connects with the island better than Ben because Hi! Ben's in a wheelchair and Locke isn't.  Woot!  ::hugs::  Locke ends up blowing up the submarine (leaving poor Jack on the island) and when he is lead away - Ben shows him something else.  Locke's dad, tied up and gagged in a room with the Others.  Woot!

I'm Not Even Like a Math Wiz or Anything

Last night at bowling (it's always bowling, isn't it?) we all were ready to start bowling when we were called down to a "meeting" where we increased the amount of money we were paying for "sweepers" (which I don't understand, so please don't ask) and we needed to make a decision about the "banquet" (I'm totally using this term loosely).

See, last year, at our old league, we had a real banquet.  Which, to me, means that we went out to a restaurant where all we did was eat and then they did the awards.  And the price of the banquet was included in the price we paid for our bowling every week.

So, at our "meeting" Ms. Frumpy says that one of the guys (pajama troll's husband) has offered to cater our "banquet."  And I'm thinking, they are the type of people who wipe their kids' noses with the dish towel...and so I'm thinking, yeah, this doesn't sound too smart...but then, wait(!), Where do we eat this food?  And apparently, we eat it at the bowling alley - and we should all kick in $8-$10 for the food.  Hmmm.

Later I said something about it (like how it was paid for and at a real restaurant with our last league) and Ms. Frumpy says, "Well, some people can't afford $13 for the meal, so this makes it easier.  Hmmm...let's do the math, shall we?

Bowling Association Dues:  $19.00

Weekly League Fees:  $14.00 x 30 = (please hold while I get the calculator) $420.00

Total:  $439.00

FOR BOWLING!  I mean, seriously, does that sound like something that someone who can't afford $13 (as opposed to $8 or $10) would choose to do as their hobby?

Proving that Ms. Frumpy is an asshole: priceless