the [r]evolution theory

Welcome back, me!

2009-08-24T10:37:00.000-07:00

How can you not love Tiny Tim ...

Knock, Knock ...

2009-03-19T06:43:00.000-07:00

Possibly the greatest Knock Knock joke ever ...

Vintage Weight Watchers. Truly a classic.

2009-02-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

So a friend forwarded me these lovely vintage recipe cards circa 1974 for Weight Watchers.
It seems these diets have come a long way.
I think, after looking at these meals, I've lost my appetite. Now that's a diet!!!
Here are a few of my faves ...

I don't think you're ready for this jelly.
I don't think you'll ever be. None of us will.

Chicken Liver Bake: enjoy it with the ashes of a loved one.
Or maybe what's left of the chickens are in that urn. Maybe the chickens were your loved ones.
But chickens never love back enough. And that's why you have to KILL them. And eat their livers ritualistically. And then they're a part of you forever. Forever!

I don't think this one even necessitates a comment.

Once upon a time the world was young and the words "mackerel" and "pudding" existed far, far away from one another.
One day, that all changed. And then, whoever was responsible somehow thought the word fluffy would help.
Oh, and eggs, too.

I have no idea what "shashlik" is. All I know about this dish is that it's meat ... or at least I think, you know, since it's on a kebab. And that the meat's, uh... caucasian???
You racist.

Sometimes mere adjectives for 'mackerel' are not enough.
Sometimes mackerel is mackerel unto itself. Sometimes you just have to let go. Mackerelease yourself.
Embrace mackereality.

Just some new stuff ....

2009-01-30T07:58:00.001-08:00

Look what I got in my email! YES!!!

2009-01-30T07:44:00.000-08:00

Apparently I'm on the Geriatrics Anonymous mailing list.
Hoveround ... The Scooter Store ... Depends ...
I'm on them all!

It's my birthday and I'll cry if I want to!

2009-01-09T11:36:00.000-08:00

So it's my BIRTHDAY!! I'm, like, 5 1/2 hands now! Yes, 27. Actually, according to Quinlan standards I should have had about 3 kids already but I guess I'm not that cool.

So a lot has happened since I last blogged. No, I'm not going to go onto gory details because, frankly, I'm not that exciting.
Christmas week was a blast. Fun times were had by all.
As soon as I can sit down and pull the images off my phone from our weekend trip to Fredericksburg I'll post them.

I got a flippin' sweet phone for Christmas, bath stuff, a PSP, Jim Shore collectables, Christmas decor, an adorable treat jar for Audrey, hand carved wood candle holders a handbag and so much more fun stuff!!!

Check out my phone ... I'm hands-free!

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2008-11-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

Look what the Christmas fairies rounded up!

Nom nom nom ....

2008-11-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

I went out on a limb a few days ago and bought Omaha steaks, aka The Expensive Stuff. I couldn't resist the tender steaky goodness so I caved.
And last night I think I made the most delicious meal to date.
It's all about the meat.
Really.

Beef Stroganoff Extraordinaire:

Boil package of egg noodles 10 - 12 minutes.

In pan add top sirloin or your choice of a tender cut of meat, cubed.
Cook to desired "doneness."
Drain just a bit of the juice.

Add cooked noodles to the pan and mix together with a can of cream of mushroom soup and small container of sour cream.

DELISH.

John McCain: Courageous Service.

2008-11-04T09:03:00.001-08:00

This video is truly amazing ...

Funny dieters ...

2008-10-24T21:16:00.000-07:00

So I had to take a minute to rant about "bad dieters" ... you know the types. They're the ones who always claim they are dieting, but you often wonder where and when this is taking place.
We all know someone like this.
They can't manage to eat the cheeseburger on the menu, but they order chocolate cake after their bowl of soup, chicken salad, loaf of garlic bread and butter.

Here's a good one. I knew a lady on the Slim Fast diet.
After a McDonalds McGriddle and hashbrowns she'd gulp down a Slim Fast shake, and a diet coke..

Mmmkay.

By the time lunch rolls around she'd already "snaked" on popcorn and crackers with canned cheese. No seriously. And who in the world actually buys canned cheese because it's good?!
That's neither here nor there ...
Add a Diet Coke it the mix.

So lunch consists of nachos or a burger, bag of chips, two diet cokes, and a Slim Fast bar. Hey now ... they're Slim Fast bars. They have to be working. Nevermind the eight thousand calories already devoured since the morning time.

Of course expect a little hunger by 2:30 or 3:00. Naturally another Slim Fast bar and/or shake could do the trick ... along with a "specially portioned bag" or Loorna Doone cookies.

Who knows what's left for dinner.

I don't get it.
Do people really think eating or drinking the Slim Fasts are going to somehow magically void the rest of the crap that they've eaten throughout the day?
And I guess were calling Diet Coke an actual diet booster drink. Apparently.

If people are that naive I'm going to have to start earning some money of my own.
I am now putting my Dyson to good use. Please, tell all your friends, I'm now offering instant weightloss through Dysosuction.

I've been tagged ...

2008-10-24T20:46:00.000-07:00

I've been tagged ...

no, not skin tagged. I know, I know ... you must be truly disappointed that I won't be talking about moles. Nevertheless, I'll do my best to entertain you and tell you just what my days are all about.

6:55 AM - roll self out of bed, curse at the alarm clock, hit big toe repeatedly on the computer desk upon passing it, continue cursing use "facilities", shower.
Put war paint, err makeup, on.
Maintain and gel my Jheri curl.
Select favorite knee length blazer with shoulder pads, stirrup pants, leg warmers, and Chuck Taylor Converse shoes in matching color.
Now that I'm looking hot to trot, leave for work.

8:00 - Pop a handful of sedatives to get through the day.
I generally come in at least fifteen minutes late ... I use the side door - that way Lumbergh can't see me, heh heh. And, uh, after that I just sorta space out for about an hour.
Yeah, I just stare at my desk, but it looks like I'm working. I do that for probably another hour after lunch, too. I'd say in a given week I probably only do about fifteen minutes of real, actual work.
Air guitar under desk to favorite song on radio.

12:00 PM - Complain about the poo stain who parked too close and crooked next to me. Contemplate keying their car. Realize to have a conscious. Enter through passenger side.

1:00 PM - Pop handful of sedatives and try to think on the bright side: Only 4 hours left!!!
Put on Nelson's hit Cant Live Without Your Love And Affection while pumping fists in the air wondering why life has to be so complicated.

2:00 PM - Explain to boss, repeatedly, why he's a moron.
End up crying.
Tell myself to quit.
Fax resume to another job.
Get over it.
Talk to client on phone.
Check on Jheri curl.

3:00 PM - Stare at clock.

4:00 PM - Get inspiration through a series of Journey's greatest hits. Look busy by holding calendar and ink pen. Jot down big words if boss arrives. Pretend to count days on the calendar, as if planning something important.

5:00 PM - Wait until boss goes to restroom and haul butt out of there. I've got to make it back for reruns of Golden Girls and Who's The Boss!

6:00 PM - Walk dog while talking to very important people. Anyone who calls me is very important. I'm important ... I have many leather bound books.

7:00 PM - Do crafts. Remember, I have an extensive collection of nametags and hairnets.

8:00 PM - Successfully pass off La Madeline's rotisserie chicken as my own creation.
Add instant potatoes and burnt piece of garlic bread to meal to make it look "authentic."

9:00 PM - Shrink clothes in the laundry.

10:00 PM - Is it bedtime yet!?

This kinda hurts my eyes ...

2008-10-18T19:10:00.000-07:00

So in my attempt to locate Christmas tree designs I found this ...
Decorate your Events.
After careful examination, I discovered that there was, in fact, an actual Christmas tree underneath the explosion of way-too-much-crap on it.
Keep in mind, these people are professional ... I mean, they get paid to do that.

And furthermore, I'm not sure how I feel about this. "Apparently" these dolls intended on being part of the actual decorating process, but it ended painfully when they each internally combusted and all that remained of their legs were horrid colored dangles. What a shame ...

Why he's voting McCain/Palin ...

2008-10-13T07:41:00.001-07:00

This guy is ama-za-zing. Around the 7:30 mark he gets even better.

Political Ramblings ...

2008-10-03T09:43:00.000-07:00

Barack Obama claims to be the candidate of change, yet he has flip flopped on so many important issues.

Obama's Top 10 Flip Flops:

Obama's Gun Flip Flops - Obama says he's been "consistent" in opposing the D.C. handgun ban. But in the past he agreed that he supported the ban.

Obama's Oil Spill - Obama says he doesn't take money from oil companies. We say that's a little too slick.

Obama's Inflated Health "Savings" - He claims that a shift to electronic medical records will help save families up to $2,500 a year in his first term. Independent experts say that's wishful thinking.

Obama's Lame Claim About McCain's Money - Obama says McCain is "fueled" by money from lobbyists and PACs, but those sources account for less than 1.7 percent of McCain's money.

Obama's Real Record: Public Housing -Obama rich friends hurts communities proof that Obama's Hope and Change rhetoric is all symbolism and no substance?

Look no farther than this devastating Boston Globe investigation:

Obama's Top Ten Flip Flops

1. SPECIAL INTERESTS. In January, the Obama campaign described union contributions to the campaigns of Clinton and John Edwards as "special interest" money. Obama changed his tune as he began gathering his own union endorsements. He now refers respectfully to unions as the representatives of "working people" and says he is "thrilled" by their support.

2. THE CUBA EMBARGO. In January 2004, Obama said it was time "to end the embargo with Cuba" because it had "utterly failed in the effort to overthrow Castro." Speaking to a Cuban American audience in Miami in August 2007, he said he would not "take off the embargo" as president because it is "an important inducement for change."

3. ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION. In a March 2004 questionnaire, Obama was asked if the government should "crack down on businesses that hire illegal immigrants." He replied "Oppose." In a Jan. 31, 2008, televised debate, he said that "we do have to crack down on those employers that are taking advantage of the situation."

4. DECRIMINALIZATION OF MARAJUANA. While running for the U.S. Senate in January 2004, Obama told Illinois college students that he supported eliminating criminal penalties for marijuana use. In the Oct. 30, 2007, presidential debate, he joined other Democratic candidates in opposing the decriminalization of marijuana.

5. NAFTA. During the primary season, Obama hammered Hillary Clinton for her support of NAFTA as First Lady, calling the free trade agreement "devastating" and "a big mistake." Now, in an interview with Fortune to be featured in the magazine's upcoming issue, the presumptive Democratic nominee said that NAFTA has indeed been positive for the US in some ways, and that his earlier criticism - while trying to convince white blue collar voters in some states to vote for him - was 'overheated and amplified.'

6. THE DEATH PENALTY. Ten years ago, when Obama was running for statewide office in an ultra-liberal Chicago district, he opposed the death penalty. As Obama announced this week, he now supports the ultimate penalty.

7. HANDGUN BAN. For 8 years--before becoming a US Senator--Obama sat on the board of a non-profit which contributed $2.7 million to efforts advocating for a complete ban on handguns. (Before that, Obama filled out a questionnaire in 1996 stating that he supported a ban on the manufacture, sale AND POSSESSION of handguns.) But starting with his primary campaign in the gun popular Midwest, Obama now opposes such legislation, and claims to support gun owner's rights.

8. PROPOSED FISA LAW IMMUNITY FOR TELECOMS. In October, 2007, Obama pledged that if the FISA bill contained an immunity provision for telecoms, he would not only oppose the bill, he would help block it through a filibuster. This week, he voted for the bill, telecom immunity provisions and all.

9. PUBLIC FINANCING FOR OBAMA'S GENERAL ELECTION CAMPAIGN. In November, 2007, Obama issued a written pledge to opt into the public campaign finance system for the general presidential election, if the Republican nominee also did so. John McCain immediately accepted the pledge, which acceptance Obama acknowledged in writing in November 2007. After he became the Republican nominee, McCain opted into the public finance system (as he pledged to do), but Obama broke his pledge and opted out.

10. THE WAR IN IRAQ. In 2004--when Obama was running for the United States Senate-- Barack Obama not only said that he was open to a U.S. troop increase in Iraq, but warned against a premature troop withdrawal as a "slap in the face to the troops fighting there" which could make Iraq "an extraordinary hotbed of terrorist activity." Fast forward to Obama's presidential campaign premised in large part on an immediate withdrawal from Iraq.

These 10 examples evince 180 degree changes by the Senator from Chicago on fundamental issues going to the core of Obama as a candidate, and provide important indications of whether the "change" candidate will do what he promises to do in the campaign to court our votes.

Legitimate questions are also raised as to whether Obama is accurately portraying himself during the election process, or is he simply feinting to the middle like the good basketball player he is? How many more Obama flip-flops can we expect before November 2008, and to what extent can the "change" candidate continue to portray himself a different kind of politician who rejects "politics as usual"?

Also another note. While he has flip flopped on many issues Barack Obama has had to backtrack on foreign policy issues, just recently on Jerusalem. He tried to outdo John McCain at AIPAC by insisting that Jerusalem remain the undivided capital of Israel. The Palestinians erupted in anger at that statement, and by the end of the day they had Obama backpedaling...

Now, let's discuss last night's "Veepee" debate.
Sarah Palin brought it ... and she brought it with dignity.
Palin is, for some, a hard pill to swallow. Many argue her position on pro-life, the institution of marriage, or her insistance on drilling for oil in Alaska's north slopes. I, however, admire her positions on most of these issues, but there will always be opposition.

When November 4th comes around I'm going to look at it this way:
Who has my best interest at heart?
Who has stood firmly on issues, and who has flip-flopped to get the popular vote?
Am I voting for a popularity contest, or for a Presidential campaign?
And last, but not least, do I want the next President to have the expertise and experience to do the job, or do I want to sit around while he gets his on-the-job-training?

I leave you with a few clips I admire:

[Obama/Biden ... I was for it, before I was against it.]

[Funny ... didn't Obama previously strive to support the gay community?]

A few of my faves ...

2008-09-29T19:52:00.000-07:00

I'm a home decor guru.
Wait ... I take that back. I'm an apartment decor guru. The fact of the matter is that I have the design habits of a homeowner. I see something, I get it.
You don't really need a place to put everything ... right?

In any case, I've put together a slideshow of my absolute favorite design style: Old World. It's a little Old World with Tuscan influences, minus the wine and carbs.

I like to imagine, just for a moment, that I have a disgusting amount of money and I have to spend it or it will disappear. POOF! So, these are the kinds of things I'd buy and they kinds of things I hope I can one day incorporate into my future home. [I'm apparently going for the "mansion" look].

... That bathroom! *drools* It's heaven.

WICKED

2008-09-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Fall is here! Fall is here!
And that means pumpkins, sweet treats, and costumes!
In the spirit of Fall, I give you ...
WICKED.

[Jenn and Mom ... yet another reason to go to Chicago next year!]

Popular

Defying Gravity - My favorite.

In honor of the debates ...

2008-09-26T22:29:00.001-07:00

I really enjoyed the debates in Mississippi this evening. It didn't take much to confirm what I already thought, and that is that John McCain is, in my opinion, the right choice for America.

I admire his character, his dignity, and his ideals.

COUNTRY FIRST.

All about me ... but not really.

2008-09-25T14:07:00.000-07:00

What are you doing tonight?
After my back-to-back rerun episodes of 90210 I plan on doing all sorts of fun things like cook, walk the dog, and dust. Please, try to contain your jealousness.

What is your current mood?
Hold on … let me check my mood ring.
Okay, it says I’m loquacious.

What side of the bed do you sleep on?
I always wake up on the WRONG SIDE!

Credit cards or cash?
I’ll take whichever you’re offering.

Do you drink the milk from the bowl after you eat all the cereal?
I don’t eat “the cereal”.

Who is your favorite football team?
Whichever one is NOT playing.
You know who doesn't liek football? This girl. [points to self, in case that wasn't obvious]

Have you ever lost a friend?
Yea, but I found her in the shoe section. She moves swift like a ninja!

Ever go camping?
Sentence fragment?

Do you like birds?
I like beans.

Do you have any tattoo/piercings?
No, but I’m planning on tattooing “Xavier Roberts” on my cheeks.

Has anyone ever told you you have pretty eyes?
I apparently have “bedroom eyes,” which makes me feel a bit oogie.

Does anyone call you baby?
I’m not a toddler. Or gay. So no.

Do you have a good memory?
All my past memories involve food. Food is good.

How many red lights have you ran?
I’m not sure that’s correct English. I plead the fifth.

Last thing you questioned yourself on?
I constantly question myself. Myself is interesting.

Bars or clubs?
Go Cubs!

How many kids would you like to have?
Uno.

Are you available?
I am available for birthday parties and bar mitzvahs.

Do your parents have myspace accounts?
Oh, that’s funny …
You know my parents, right? ... Right?

If you saw someone broken down on the side of the road, would you stop to help?
Dude … I’ve seen too many movies to do that …

What’s one food you could eat everyday for the rest of your life?
Chocolate is a food …

How many cousins do you have?
Two. We’re a ‘tiny tiny’ family.

You're in line at Taco Bell, what’s your order?
Does it really matter? You’re going to get the muddy butts either way.

I want a Ninja Cat ...

2008-09-22T13:17:00.001-07:00

Watch to the end ... it's adorable!

Someone's not paying attention ...

2008-09-18T08:26:00.001-07:00

More than just a great bargain!

Come on ... someone fell for it. Why not make $19.95?

"And my child is going to come out deformed because these gosh darned jackhammers!" I can't think about this right now... it's giving me a headache. I need another cigarette.

You know I can't pass up a great deal!

Get over it Jill ... you're lame.

2008-09-18T08:26:00.000-07:00

Well ... I decided it was long overdue that I get rolling with this blog.
When my sister’s blog started to become more internet hip than mine I knew it was time to step it up a notch. [no offense Jen ;)].

I’d say life on my homefront is rather boring.
No, not boring … uneventful. Oh alright … boring.

My big exciting news is I have just 4 gifts left to buy for Christmas. HOT DANG! … I’ve always been kind of nerdy like that – I love buying Christmas gifts. Of course, I love receiving them, but that’s neither here nor there. And, it looks like my economy sized Hobby Lobby Christmas wrapping paper is going to see another, make that a third, Christmas.

I spent last Sunday at my sister’s house in Forney. Matt finally had a Sunday off … since he became the “lead mechanic” (don’t let that title fool you – it’s technically no different … nor is it more pay) he had to rearrange his schedule until they found an additional mechanic. So Sunday morning I’m laying in bed and I say “hey, what time do you get off today?” He then tells me he’s off … see, this valuable bit of information would have been helpful to know ahead of time, but okay … whatev.

So we had a great day playing outside on the “whing set” (as Caroline would say), getting into “gun fights” with Ethan, and just cuddling Wyatt. He’s a good cuddler when he’s not trying to lunge himself face forward onto the couch.

I then decided I’m going to quit my job and stop paying bills (I never really liked paying them anyway) and go work at Moore ISD (homeschool). I’d make a great drama teacher. Hey Jen, think about adding that to your curriculum.

Anyhoo … I’m at work and apparently there’s “work” to do. Hmph! The nerve.
Signing off …

Chicago Trip!

2008-07-17T07:29:00.001-07:00

Well, Matt and I spent 5 days in Chicago, thanks to a brief act of generosity by my boss. This doesn't happen often, so we jumped at it.
Anyhoo ... I packed all my stuff for the trip, put my nice camera in the car since I have yet to take really nice pics in Chiacgo, and drove to the airport.

Mid-flight I realize I didn't remember to get my camera out of the car. So, my only option was to buy one of those one-time use disposable digital cameras at CVS. Even worse, the viewfinder was off, so nothing centered as I wanted it. The good thing is that it was digital, so I could at least retake if need be, but the screen was hard to see.

ANYHOO ... these are the pics we got.
We arrived Monday and Matt got really sick after getting off the plane. Turns out he was hungry (as I said he was) and felt better after our favorite Chicago deep dish pizza joint, Giordanos.
I was going to write a narrative about what all we did on our trip, but I'll just do a day-to-day list as I'm at work and pressed for time.

Monday - arrived, pizza @ Giordanos, hung out at Millenium Park, rented Untraceable at the hotel.
Tuesday - delicious crepe breakfast at "our" crepe shop, thenshopping on Michigan Avenue, and in the evening we saw the musical WICKED. (No photography allowed :( But it was SOOOO cool!!! Dad said Matt needed to "man up", implying it was girly, but he loved it too!
Wednesday - Chinatown! Good Chinese lunch, cheap shopping (whoo!), then headed to the Navy Pier (gorgeous!) to walk around and then see the Cirque Shanghai Gold. That was the coolest show ... so neat! No photography allowed there either but I put my finger over the flash and got a couple of lame pics anyway. Oh, and we went to the Bubba Gump Shrimp restaurant - well, we WENT, but we didn't eat. 2 hour wait? No thanks.
Thursday - Just walked around and enjoyed the town. It rained in the late afternoon, but we'd bought some cards, so we literally spent hours in the hotel playing cards and looking out the window of our 33rd floor room. We ordered pizza that night. Yum yum.
Friday - the weather was perfect again, so we spent our last day there just checking out the area again. We are nerdy, so we just enjoyed feeding the pigeons for over an hour and people watching at the park.

The trip was a success, and we just love it there!

Here are some of my not-so-professional pics ... but we had a blast!!!

Are kids truly damaged by daycare?

2008-06-17T13:18:00.001-07:00

DISCLAIMER:

We're not having kids now (!!!) ... this is just a debate I'm having.

Someone made the comment about someone else that "if you have to put your kid in daycare, you shouldn't have kids."

This got me to thinking, because I'm a realist - I know that when my time comes to have a child I can almost guarantee (unless we win the lottery or a family member moves closer) daycare will be my only option. Realistically speaking, it's almost a given that neither Matt nor I will ever have six-figure jobs that will allow either of us to stay at home.

So the question is: if two people truly want a child, but neither can afford to be stay-at-home parents but CAN afford daycare, are they unfit to be parents?

I think the objection from stay-at-home advocates is that if your child is with someone else (nanny, church daycare, regular daycare, etc) during the day, they are instilling THEIR values into YOUR child. While I see that side of the issue, I dare say that I've met many people who have gone to daycare at some point of their life, and they turned out just fine.

The arguement is that there will always be people who just can't afford to be a stay-at-home parent. There's no debate that one income provides better than two. Now, would I love to be a stay-at-home parent? Of course! But I feel I can provide more to a child by supplying a second income.

What it all boils down to, in my eyes, is how well I can raise a child and instill my love, teachings, and values in them regardless of whether I'm home or at work. I might not be able to spend every moment during the day with a child, but am I truly hindering their upbringing by sending them to daycare or allowing someone else to watch them for a portion of the day?

Love is all that matters, and sending a child to daycare doesn't mean you don't love them.

Thoughts?

EDIT:
Don't forget that daycares/church groups, etc. are great ways in which children can learn social skills and make friends. And as for the arguement that only stay-at-home-children get values instilled by their parents, have we forgotten that children will be in school, taught by teachers, for at least 13 years of their life? It's the parent's job to teach right from wrong, no matter where your child is during the day. ???

::: Friday's Funnies :::

2008-05-23T08:26:00.000-07:00

This one has me rolling!

Steven Curtis Chapman's 5-year-old daughter passes away in driveway accident ...

2008-05-23T07:37:00.001-07:00

Maria Sue Chapman was taken by LifeFlight to Vanderbilt Hospital, which confirmed her death, according to Laura McPherson, a spokeswoman for the Tennessee Highway Patrol.

The 5-year-old was hit by an SUV driven by her teenage brother. The teen was driving a Toyota Land Cruiser down the driveway of the rural home at about 5:30 p.m. and several children were playing in the area, McPherson said. He did not see Maria in the driveway before the vehicle struck her, she said.

"It appears to be a terrible accident," McPherson said.

Several family members reportedly witnessed the accident, which occurred in Williamson County, just north of Nashville.

It's so sad to hear about any child's life being lost. As you probably know, Chapman is an award-winning Christian singer and advocate of international adoption. He has 6 children, 3 of which were girls adopted from China.

While I agree this is a tragic accident, I have to wonder how something like this can happen.

Reports indicate that several people were outside where the accident occured.
Why would children be allowed to play in the driveway in the first place?!
Maybe I'm missing something, but this seems to be an accident caused by carelessness. I won't dare say it is bad parenting, because I've learned you can't watch a child 24 hours a day. You can tell a child to keep their hands out of a cookie jar, but the moment you turn your back you'll find chocolate on their face (or so that was me, anyway).

I just can't see how something like this can happen.
You have children playing in a driveway, obviously where cars are pulling in and out, and no one bothered to remove the children from the situation? Is that not common sense? Do they not have a backyard?

It's sad a life is lost, but even more sad that if happened so carelessly.

Randomness at its finest ... or at least that's what I'm telling myself

2008-05-19T10:40:00.000-07:00

So it has come to my attention that I haven’t blogged in an ungodly length of time … hence my entry today.

From what I understand, these things are supposed to be about the latest and greatest happenings (baby showers are fun!), personal achievements (yay, I made it to the bathroom today!), and deep thoughts (What the heck is Idaho anyway … I mean, when was the last time you heard of something coming out of Idaho? The potato that supposedly comes out of Idaho is really from Ireland. Have you heard of any big event happening like "____: Live from Idaho!" I mean, I don't know of anyone from Idaho, therefore it doesn't exist).

I guess the reality of it is simply that I am excessively boring. I never have big events in which to share.
So, I’ll do my best to make this a lot more spunky, and a lot less boring dribble.

Let’s see …
There are a few things that have happened in May that were fun for me. May 3rd was the Otep show. You all should know by now much I enjoy the band, musically and personally, so that was an exciting evening. I’ve practically broken records with my number of attendances at Otep shows. I’m cool like that, you know.
I’ll share a few pictures I took at the venue:
[Editor’s note: I’m writing this in Word, which I will then paste into my Blogspot … so if I just so happen to forget to paste any of these pictures I mention, you’ll have to forgive my loopiness. It happens a lot.]

The next morning we drove to Waxahachie for Scarborough Fair. I’d actually never been, so it was so exciting.
We made an immediate B-line to the turkey leg vendor … I didn’t love it as much as I expected to, so I ate a few bites and found the Scottish Eggs.
Oh my gosh ...
Imagine this if you will:
A boiled egg with sausage around it, then fried (or baked – I don’t know, I didn’t cook it!).
Holy batman.
We went back for seconds, obviously.
We had a great day just walking, catching a few shows, walking, window shopping, walking, and eating. Oh, and walking.
I brought my camera along for this event too. I know, I know … I have skills. Err, I mean, I try. [Positive reinforcement Jill, positive reinforcement ...]

Good times ...
Good times ...

<><><><><><><>
Oh yea, I almost forgot ...
Wouldn't you label these two as Fashion Faux Pas ... even for Scarborough?

... I mean seriously ... velvet stretch pants? Purple strap sandals?

I need a nap.

Funnies

2008-04-10T09:56:00.000-07:00

You Know Your States

You got 7/10 correct.

You've got a pretty good handle on US geography.

There's a good chance you've visited at least a dozen of the fifty states.

How Well Do You Know Your States?

You Are Smores

Unusual and unconventional, you make your strange ways work for you.

You've got personality - no one's denying that!

What Dessert Are You Most Like?

You've Changed 52% in 10 Years

You've done a good job changing with the times, but deep down, you're still the same person.

You're clothes, job, and friends may have changed some - but it hasn't changed you.

How Much Have You Changed in 10 Years?

You Are 55% Normal

While some of your behavior is quite normal...

Other things you do are downright strange

You've got a little of your freak going on

But you mostly keep your weirdness to yourself

How Normal Are You?

Your Preppy Name Is...

Montague Marsden Higgins the Third

But most people know you as Bunny

What's Your Preppy Name?

Your 80s Hunk Is

John Stamos

Who's Your 80s Hunk?

This should be easy to do ...

2008-04-02T07:16:00.001-07:00

They say life comes at you fast …

Well, I think I’ve always had a fear of the unknown. That extends into a vast spectrum of life’s many hurdles. Love. Family. Career.
I’m so familiar with the way things are, it’s scary to imagine transitioning your life to form another mold.
Familiarity is a double-edged sword. It’s a good thing to know where you’ll be tomorrow, who you’ll be with, or what you’re doing.
But it can also be a burden.
I’ve spent the past 5 ½ years in a job that I don’t love. I’ve spent the past 5 ½ years working for someone who doesn’t respect me and who treats me as such.
Quoting the words of just about everyone I know, “I can’t believe I’ve stayed this long.”
I can’t.
I think if I didn’t have such a fear of change I would have left long ago.

The signs have always pointed in one direction – away from here.
My boss is very anti-family.
He doesn’t even want to think about anyone enjoying a home-life.

So I had to literally pull myself out of the box and seek this change I fear so much.
I did it.
I posted my resume.
I realized I don’t want to hold myself back, or be afraid to do anything just because of work.
Yet, the idea of leaving scares me to death.

Am I completely insane?

Well, much to my surprise I’ve had three possibilities arise within 3 days.

I’m qualified for all of them, and one more so than the others, but despite the amazing benefits package I’m iffy. I shouldn’t be. I should run away from this place and not look back.

Don’t get me wrong … it’s not always bad. But it’s as if you’re riding the hormone rollercoaster and you’re just waiting on the operator to decide if he’s going to stop the ride or keep on going.

I know, without a doubt, that change is what I need.
But the scared little girl in me is afraid ..
I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings.
How sad is that?
I’m working in a place where screaming, badmouthing, and gossip is the norm and I don’t want to “hurt” anyone’s “feelings”?

Change is good.
I need to remember that.
But sometimes the easiest things to do end up being the hardest…

I like turtles.

2008-02-29T21:21:00.000-08:00

Funny Video Thursdays!

2008-02-14T08:44:00.001-08:00

Ellen Uses The Hawaii Chair.
A must-have item for your home, office ... anywhere!

Too Cute Not To Post!

2008-02-01T14:31:00.001-08:00

By popular demand ...
My beautiful Neice and Nephews!

These were in my Valentine's Card! :)

Video Fridays!

2008-02-01T09:10:00.000-08:00

Who the heck let Bubba Gump in the audition room?

Catchy catchy.

2008-02-01T08:36:00.000-08:00

Verb; a word belonging to the part of speech that usually denotes an action.
I love verbs, and I love blogging.
And now there is solid proof that “blogging” is, in fact, a verb (i.e. an action).
Since activities such as “running”, “biking” and “swimming” are verbs, I guess it’s safe to say that I am actually performing a strenuous, athletic-based action at this very moment by blogging. And burning tons o’ calories, of course.

Moving right along … Audrey, the dog, has had it pretty rough these pase few weeks.
Monday she had surgery, a Femoral Head Ostectomy, performed on her hip. She’d popped it so far out of place that sawing away an inch of the femoral head was the only option. Since then she’s licked her stitches out, gotten stapled up, and will be on her way back tomorrow to be re-stapled. This is torture! She’s walking around with the lampshade on her head, looking entirely defeated.

Matt’s working a lot. It’s not very stable right now, but he’s got crazy hours and when it’s busy … it’s busy! He loves it though. I’m glad.

Now … moving to the real reason I chose to blog today.
Grammar.
Yep, grammar. (No need to point out the obvious use of sentence fragment).
I’m amazed at people.
Not amazed like “whoohoo”, amazed like “you attended 13 years of schooling and you can’t place an apostrophe where it rightly belongs?”
I know, I know … apostrophes are not only difficult to spell, but they’re ridiculously complicated in nature.
NOT!
(Also keep in mind, it’s still not cool to end a sentence with the word “NOT!” after it if you were born after 1985, but for blogging purposes I’m leaving it as is).
So, there are a few things in particular I see everyday, from the likes of Dentists, bankers, (stupid girls), grocery store clerks, etc etc etc.
That would be ….
*drum roll please*

…..
……

No one knows the difference between “your” and “you’re”. And don’t even get me started on “there”, “they’re” and “their” … puh-lease!

Now, I know I come from Quinlan … and we aren’t known for our education … but I attended 13 years of public schooling and I know when and where to use apostrophes and the difference between the previously mentioned words.
Apostrophes separate two words that you want to make into one. No, “fixin’to” to and “mm’kay” don’t apply this time.

“Your stupid!” My stupid what?
Oh … you mean “you’re” stupid?
…Exactly.
“Your” is possessive, and “you’re” means “you are.”
We don’t have to go into further details – most of you reading my blog are quite possibly literate.

Whose magazine is that? “It’s theres.”
I know where it is … so whose is it?

“There” – over there. In that direction. In that spot.
“Their” – possessive. Belonging to someone.
“They’re” – they are. No further text needed.

Let us unite and start a grammar revolution! Let us not read this foolishness any longer.
Ok, nix that … I enjoy a good laugh when I see this stuff.

Oh, and spelling will be and entirely different blog for a later date.

Until then … live long and prosper.

Hey, who doesn’t love the concept of instant bacon gratification?
I know I do.