On the last page in Heath magazine, there have a piece where celebrities answer a series of questions. I started wondering if people really answer this honestly or are making themselves seem way more chic and deep than they really are. So here are my answers...and I'm being completely honest!
My favorite home-cooked meal: It's got to be grilled cheese because that's the only meal Jim cooks. And I'm not counting anything I make because I had to do the work.
Three things always in my pantry: olive oil, sugar, flour
The single best thing about working out is: when it's over
The body part I like the most is my: I like my feet because my toes are perfectly stair-stepped to create a 90 degree angle.
My go-to at-home spa treatment: WTF?! There's no spa-ing going on in my house of boys. Although sometimes I do remember to put lotion on.
Whenever I'm nervous I psych myself up by: Calling Kelly and having her tell me to snap outta it.
If I could change one thing about the world: Everyone would just be nicer.
My favorite book of all time: Is constantly changing. I'll read any and all Janet Evanovich and Jennifer Crusie. I'm working my way through the Nevada Barr and Dennis Lehane libraries at the moment.
My best quality: I am funny, dammit!
I wish I had more time for: Being a mother...the twins are almost 18! I'm getting a little twitchy over than!
My happy-life motto: Is this really going to matter in 5 minutes, 5 days, 5 months?!
Monday, April 5, 2010
We Survived Spring Break 2010
I should have a t-shirt printed with this. Moms all over the nation will be clamoring to buy them.
Although my spring break was woefully uneventful. I was all prepared to write a blog post, all peachy and happy on day one and then ripping out my hair by day 10.
But it really didn't go that way. It was calm and relatively peaceful every day.
Sunday evening we did come close to a melt down. Because Jermaine is addicted to the XBox Live. I didn't think it could happen, but it has. My 17 year old son is addicted to it. I think I need to find him a treatment program. Stat!
Other than that? No real drama. The twins had track practice almost every day. Coach Nihells sure knows how to tire them out! The man is a saint for introducing the heavy conditioning for the outdoor track season during spring break!
Aaron spent his time playing the Xbox and playing outside with friends. We did nothing remotely educational either. No reading. No writing. Just a little 'rithmetic.
I wonder if I can get the mellow troops to help in the Spring Break aftermath cleaning spree. They may not have been pills, but they sure are messy!
Although my spring break was woefully uneventful. I was all prepared to write a blog post, all peachy and happy on day one and then ripping out my hair by day 10.
But it really didn't go that way. It was calm and relatively peaceful every day.
Sunday evening we did come close to a melt down. Because Jermaine is addicted to the XBox Live. I didn't think it could happen, but it has. My 17 year old son is addicted to it. I think I need to find him a treatment program. Stat!
Other than that? No real drama. The twins had track practice almost every day. Coach Nihells sure knows how to tire them out! The man is a saint for introducing the heavy conditioning for the outdoor track season during spring break!
Aaron spent his time playing the Xbox and playing outside with friends. We did nothing remotely educational either. No reading. No writing. Just a little 'rithmetic.
I wonder if I can get the mellow troops to help in the Spring Break aftermath cleaning spree. They may not have been pills, but they sure are messy!
Pop Tart Wars
I am in the middle of a Pop Tart war with my youngest son, Aaron. He's the picky eater in our home and has been since his arrival. Once, I cut up everything into small pieces and served it with toothpicks. Like Costco does. He ate like a maniac that night.
But, the Pop Tarts might be the death of me. Because I am completely torn about them.
Some back story. I have, fairly recently, gone on a whole food kick. No boxed items. Which really means I'm making my own flavored rice instead of buying RiceARoni. Because I still buy a small jar of spaghetti sauce and doctor it with my own crushed tomatoes. And I had to buy taco shells because Aaron won't eat soft tacos. Of course, I buy pasta already made because I cannot see myself tossing together some homemade spaghetti. Hey, my pasta machine is for polymer clay!
Even though I have become an almost-whole foodie, I don't want to label food as "good" or "bad." After all, it's just food. Labelling is simply my own judgement. I don't want my kids going through life thinking of food as something to be conquered.
So that part of me says, "C'mon, you can get some Pop Tarts. They really aren't bad."
Then Aaron's chiming in my ear saying, "Pop Tarts are a fruit mom. Every body eats them..." Except he doesn't get the fruit flavored ones. He wants the S'mores. Ain't no fruit in marshmallows, buddy!
So, on occasion, I give in. I gave in this weekend because it could be an Easter treat.
Aaron got hold of the box and followed me around, preaching, "Mom, it has B vitamins! And is fortified! And, there's no cholesterol and no trans fats!" He points out that it says so right on the box.
I retort, "It's not real food." I mean I can say something is "real" instead of "good," right?!
"Yes it is. See, I'm chewing it. With my teeth." He stops short of opening his mouth and making me look at a dessicated pop tart.
I'm still not convinced Pop Tarts are good for you. I know, I know...in moderation anything is fine.
I'm just worried because Aaron has taken to hoarding the box from his brothers and eating the pop tarts one on top of the other, sandwich-like.
Convincing me even more that Pop Tarts might actually be a little evil...
But, the Pop Tarts might be the death of me. Because I am completely torn about them.
Some back story. I have, fairly recently, gone on a whole food kick. No boxed items. Which really means I'm making my own flavored rice instead of buying RiceARoni. Because I still buy a small jar of spaghetti sauce and doctor it with my own crushed tomatoes. And I had to buy taco shells because Aaron won't eat soft tacos. Of course, I buy pasta already made because I cannot see myself tossing together some homemade spaghetti. Hey, my pasta machine is for polymer clay!
Even though I have become an almost-whole foodie, I don't want to label food as "good" or "bad." After all, it's just food. Labelling is simply my own judgement. I don't want my kids going through life thinking of food as something to be conquered.
So that part of me says, "C'mon, you can get some Pop Tarts. They really aren't bad."
Then Aaron's chiming in my ear saying, "Pop Tarts are a fruit mom. Every body eats them..." Except he doesn't get the fruit flavored ones. He wants the S'mores. Ain't no fruit in marshmallows, buddy!
So, on occasion, I give in. I gave in this weekend because it could be an Easter treat.
Aaron got hold of the box and followed me around, preaching, "Mom, it has B vitamins! And is fortified! And, there's no cholesterol and no trans fats!" He points out that it says so right on the box.
I retort, "It's not real food." I mean I can say something is "real" instead of "good," right?!
"Yes it is. See, I'm chewing it. With my teeth." He stops short of opening his mouth and making me look at a dessicated pop tart.
I'm still not convinced Pop Tarts are good for you. I know, I know...in moderation anything is fine.
I'm just worried because Aaron has taken to hoarding the box from his brothers and eating the pop tarts one on top of the other, sandwich-like.
Convincing me even more that Pop Tarts might actually be a little evil...
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Happy Easter...and I'm just not that happy with Yahoo mail right now...
OK, Happy Easter. For all you practicing Christians, enjoy the resurrection of Jesus! I don't really know what to say to my Jewish friends, because I was raised Catholic. And I'm not really Catholic anymore. I'm more a believe-in-God closet Buddhist. But this is all fodder for a different post.
What I really want to do is rant about Yahoo mail. They have "new" mail and "classic" mail. I am using "new" mail because it's got to be better, right?! Except I can't use any of the options in "new" mail.
So I switch back to "classic" mail and make my changes. Seriously, I need my filters to work because I am a cheerleader on Goals for Guppies for the next three months and I want the posts to go into their own folder. Except that it hasn't worked so far and I've tried and tried, but they keep going into the generic Guppies folder. Now, I really want them to go into my general Inbox folder so I can answer them within an appropriate time.
But when I switch back to "new" mail, none of my changes take! I can't even make changes to my contacts list and my brother Tommy changed his email address, and I really, really need to make the changes.
So I use the "comment" link and make a comment. At first, second and third tries I am polite. When the screen comes up offering to send my to customer service, I politely decline. Well, in my head anyway. I mean there's no one really there. It's just a screen.
But the last time, I'm not even sure I wrote in complete sentences. I just want them to know that their system isn't working for me.
And when I start my new on-line class this week about freelance writing, and I fail to keep up because I can't make a folder for the million and one posts that will be coming through each day, I will get more and more angry.
If anyone knows someone at Yahoo, could you mention my problem? Their comment page isn't working right...
What I really want to do is rant about Yahoo mail. They have "new" mail and "classic" mail. I am using "new" mail because it's got to be better, right?! Except I can't use any of the options in "new" mail.
So I switch back to "classic" mail and make my changes. Seriously, I need my filters to work because I am a cheerleader on Goals for Guppies for the next three months and I want the posts to go into their own folder. Except that it hasn't worked so far and I've tried and tried, but they keep going into the generic Guppies folder. Now, I really want them to go into my general Inbox folder so I can answer them within an appropriate time.
But when I switch back to "new" mail, none of my changes take! I can't even make changes to my contacts list and my brother Tommy changed his email address, and I really, really need to make the changes.
So I use the "comment" link and make a comment. At first, second and third tries I am polite. When the screen comes up offering to send my to customer service, I politely decline. Well, in my head anyway. I mean there's no one really there. It's just a screen.
But the last time, I'm not even sure I wrote in complete sentences. I just want them to know that their system isn't working for me.
And when I start my new on-line class this week about freelance writing, and I fail to keep up because I can't make a folder for the million and one posts that will be coming through each day, I will get more and more angry.
If anyone knows someone at Yahoo, could you mention my problem? Their comment page isn't working right...
Friday, April 2, 2010
Pet Peeve Friday...Annoying Co-Shoppers
Last week's drawing for the Pet Peeve Friday prize of Avon lipstick samples is Keri Bender Roberts! Keri, keep an eye on the mail...
This week's prize is still undetermined. But please comment and share today's pet peeve! It'll be good...I promise...
***
I just got back from Target and was crowded in the check out line by a middle aged couple (that means they were older than me). The man got so close I couldn't even swipe my card without bumping him.
Seriously, if you're in that big of a hurry to get out of Target, please don't shop there! It doesn't matter day or night, morning or afternoon, weekday or weekend, Target is always the same!
My Target is set up in a rather annoying way though. From the cash register to the end of the counter, where your bagged purchases get piled, is approximately 3-4 feet. The card swipe machine is by the cashier, then there are the empty bag hangers, then the landing pad for the purchases. In order to get things into your cart, you have to keep moving back and forth, while you pay.
So, Target's at fault for poor ergonomics. Whose bright idea was it to set it up like this? Why isn't the card swiper at the end where you can grab your bags and toss them into the cart? I know they probably paid some person lots of money to come up with a workable system. Well, it ain't working!
OK, so that was a little side rant about Target and their apparent stupidity. I've done my best to accept this as part of the price of shopping at Target. Some days are easier than others...
It's the rude people that really bug me! How come the person behind you in any checkout line feels the need to get as close as possible! Well, get their cart close, anyway!
If my groceries are piled to the end of the conveyor belt and I am still piling things up there, there's absolutely no reason you need to have your cart bumping into my hip. Having you bumping me isn't making me work any faster. In fact, it makes me slow down (you know, like an adolescent boy when you tell him to do something he doesn't want to do!).
Getting into my personal space doesn't make me pay faster. It makes me turn to you and try my damnedest to blow up your skull. Like in that movie Scanners. You might think I have a migraine or something, because I have to really screw up my eyes and wrinkle my nose to get the full power of my brain into the act. But I am just trying to have your brain explode.
Now for the people in the aisles actually shopping. Have you ever heard "be polite, stay to the right!" Even preschoolers are taught this. If everyone stays on the aisle to their right, people can pass by with plenty of room to spare.
Unless you let your kid hang off the side. Then that's just an invitation for someone (said child) to get hurt when I wing around you. Have you ever noticed that people with small children just shop slower than the rest of us? I know I did.
I also don't find it amusing when your small child is blocking my way and you stand in the distance begging her to move. While you are working on your diplomacy skills, you are preventing me from completing my least favorite chore. (See the above Scanners reference for an explanation of my expression.) I do not find misbehaving children amusing at all, and their spineless parents even less so. Go take little Johnny's hand and get him out of my way.
Just a little piece of advice. There is no reasoning with a three or four year old. Using a sugary voice as you try to convince them to do something isn't going to work. They need to be shown!
(In case you are thinking that I must believe I am a perfect parent, please don't! I have had kids act like total brats in stores. Hey, Aaron still does it, and he's 11! But, unlike some parents, I have come to realize the not everyone is enamored of my children. Especially when they are misbehaving. No one likes a brat. The brat's parent is liked even less!)
There is a special place in hell for the people who insist on parking their carts diagonally across the aisle. Are you undecided? Lost? Trying to shop with both arms off of shelves on either side of the aisle? Good luck and God speed. If my wing span was something greater than 60 inches, I might try that!
Wow, shopping really set me off today. I guess I'd better stick to PeaPod!
So, tell me about your latest Pet Peeve!
This week's prize is still undetermined. But please comment and share today's pet peeve! It'll be good...I promise...
***
I just got back from Target and was crowded in the check out line by a middle aged couple (that means they were older than me). The man got so close I couldn't even swipe my card without bumping him.
Seriously, if you're in that big of a hurry to get out of Target, please don't shop there! It doesn't matter day or night, morning or afternoon, weekday or weekend, Target is always the same!
My Target is set up in a rather annoying way though. From the cash register to the end of the counter, where your bagged purchases get piled, is approximately 3-4 feet. The card swipe machine is by the cashier, then there are the empty bag hangers, then the landing pad for the purchases. In order to get things into your cart, you have to keep moving back and forth, while you pay.
So, Target's at fault for poor ergonomics. Whose bright idea was it to set it up like this? Why isn't the card swiper at the end where you can grab your bags and toss them into the cart? I know they probably paid some person lots of money to come up with a workable system. Well, it ain't working!
OK, so that was a little side rant about Target and their apparent stupidity. I've done my best to accept this as part of the price of shopping at Target. Some days are easier than others...
It's the rude people that really bug me! How come the person behind you in any checkout line feels the need to get as close as possible! Well, get their cart close, anyway!
If my groceries are piled to the end of the conveyor belt and I am still piling things up there, there's absolutely no reason you need to have your cart bumping into my hip. Having you bumping me isn't making me work any faster. In fact, it makes me slow down (you know, like an adolescent boy when you tell him to do something he doesn't want to do!).
Getting into my personal space doesn't make me pay faster. It makes me turn to you and try my damnedest to blow up your skull. Like in that movie Scanners. You might think I have a migraine or something, because I have to really screw up my eyes and wrinkle my nose to get the full power of my brain into the act. But I am just trying to have your brain explode.
Now for the people in the aisles actually shopping. Have you ever heard "be polite, stay to the right!" Even preschoolers are taught this. If everyone stays on the aisle to their right, people can pass by with plenty of room to spare.
Unless you let your kid hang off the side. Then that's just an invitation for someone (said child) to get hurt when I wing around you. Have you ever noticed that people with small children just shop slower than the rest of us? I know I did.
I also don't find it amusing when your small child is blocking my way and you stand in the distance begging her to move. While you are working on your diplomacy skills, you are preventing me from completing my least favorite chore. (See the above Scanners reference for an explanation of my expression.) I do not find misbehaving children amusing at all, and their spineless parents even less so. Go take little Johnny's hand and get him out of my way.
Just a little piece of advice. There is no reasoning with a three or four year old. Using a sugary voice as you try to convince them to do something isn't going to work. They need to be shown!
(In case you are thinking that I must believe I am a perfect parent, please don't! I have had kids act like total brats in stores. Hey, Aaron still does it, and he's 11! But, unlike some parents, I have come to realize the not everyone is enamored of my children. Especially when they are misbehaving. No one likes a brat. The brat's parent is liked even less!)
There is a special place in hell for the people who insist on parking their carts diagonally across the aisle. Are you undecided? Lost? Trying to shop with both arms off of shelves on either side of the aisle? Good luck and God speed. If my wing span was something greater than 60 inches, I might try that!
Wow, shopping really set me off today. I guess I'd better stick to PeaPod!
So, tell me about your latest Pet Peeve!
Thursday, April 1, 2010
April is Happiness/Gratitude Month!
"Optimism, like gratitude, is really about shining the flashlight of
your attention on what's good instead of what's not."
M.J. Ryan, life coach and author of Adaptability
your attention on what's good instead of what's not."
M.J. Ryan, life coach and author of Adaptability
The moms at Motherhoot are taking on the happiness/gratitude challenge! You're invited to participate too!
Take some time each day to jot down the things that you are grateful for that day. Big or small, everything counts! You don't need a fancy journal to do this. Although it really is nice to keep it all in one place so you can read over it.
This challenge developed from an article I read about The Happiness Project. Other researchers have taken the premise just a little further and have studied whether there really is an increased feeling of happiness when you focus on the good in your life.
I believe your overall feeling of happiness has to increase if you are grateful. And I challenge you to try it, too!
The moms will be posting their feelings each week throughout the month. Why don't you join us and share with others. Is it working for you? Do you think it's hokey?
We want to know it all! Good or bad!
This was my message from the universe this morning and it seemed just a little too coincidental:
Take some time each day to jot down the things that you are grateful for that day. Big or small, everything counts! You don't need a fancy journal to do this. Although it really is nice to keep it all in one place so you can read over it.
This challenge developed from an article I read about The Happiness Project. Other researchers have taken the premise just a little further and have studied whether there really is an increased feeling of happiness when you focus on the good in your life.
I believe your overall feeling of happiness has to increase if you are grateful. And I challenge you to try it, too!
The moms will be posting their feelings each week throughout the month. Why don't you join us and share with others. Is it working for you? Do you think it's hokey?
We want to know it all! Good or bad!
This was my message from the universe this morning and it seemed just a little too coincidental:
For simply giving thanks, Susie, when you lay down to sleep each night, or, from time to time, for no reason or rhyme, you'll begin to move with life instead of against it. You'll be shown that life could not possibly be more beautiful than it is now. You'll see that you are the fountainhead of your experience. You'll remember that you transcend all things time and space, and thus are their very master. And you'll find that you live in a paradise where the only thing that truly seems impossible is how powerful you really are and how much you are loved.
What else would you think about, anyway
Phew!
What else would you think about, anyway
Phew!
The Universe from www.tut.com
Where You Go I'll Follow...
So won't you follow me? I'm looking for more twitter and twittermom followers. The Bloggess, my new blog crush, has over 39,000 fans. (Yes, I put in the correct number of zeros!) I don't even have 39. (Yes, there are NO zeros here!)
And I want more! More followers! More fans! More of everything!
So why don't you follow me? Please? I'll follow you! Pass me around to your friends (hey, you know what I mean!) and ask them to follow me!
I want, and need, more, More, MORE!
Won't you help me, please?!
And I want more! More followers! More fans! More of everything!
So why don't you follow me? Please? I'll follow you! Pass me around to your friends (hey, you know what I mean!) and ask them to follow me!
I want, and need, more, More, MORE!
Won't you help me, please?!
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