New

My brother almost died Christmas weekend. From an ear infection.

Okay, it's a tad more complicated than that.

Sunday morning I got a call from my oldest brother in California. Our younger brother, Jason, was admitted to ICU. We didn't know what was wrong with him except that he had a blood infection. They ran 5 million tests (all of which he'll have to pay for because he just started a new job and didn't have insurance yet).

He was admitted to the hospital early Sunday morning and is still there. He tried to leave shortly afer they admitted him. He became violent. His fever was extremely high, he was severly dehydrated, and delerious. He wanted to leave but the doctors calmed him into submission by telling him that he was very ill and that if he left he would be dead within two hours.

The diagnosis, as of today, was that he had an ear infection for a long, long time and either didn't realize it, didn't treat it, or both. Over the Christmas holiday he drank. Alot. This is how he got dehydrated. And after he got dehydrated his body couldn't adequately fight his infection anymore. The bacteria spilled into his blood stream and turned his whole body into a war zone.

I talked to him finally yesterday. He was feeling better. His temperature had gone down and stayed down after so many, many IV bags of antibiotics and thanks to the saline drip his blood pressure was finally regulated. He was taken out of ICU and taken to a regular room today. He told me, "Dad's going to kick my ass." I agreed.

I acquired a new appreciation for my family this week. One of the best Christmas presents I could ever receive is another holiday with all my siblings present and accounted for.

New template

I'm addicted.

It's embarassing. But I think you all should know.

I think about it all day and night. It's the only thing I want to do. I'm pathetic. I should go to rehab. But it makes me feel so...sigh...good!!

I'm addicted to manipulating blog templates.

There!! I said it. I feel so much better. I created my first template here. It's our oldest son's blog. Yep, he's bloggin' to. And here is Joe's new template. I'm currently working on my new template which will be so much different than this one and I'm really looking forward to finishing it. Keep checking back. It'll be up soon...

Anyway, I hope you won't think any less of me, being an addict and all. ;0)

Hey, here's a challenge for you guys: Name all of Santa's reindeer. When you click on the comment link, you'll have to refrain from peeking at everyone else's answers! Are you up to it?

All I want for Christmas...

I wondered if anyone would like to share their favorite Christmas memories. Perhaps family traditions that you really enjoyed and maybe still do...

Christmas is getting so close and this is the time of the year when I play Christmas music (Nat King Cole, Doris Day, The Chipmunks...yeah, I said it, Bing Crosby, etc.), I prepare the holiday stockings, and protect the Christmas tree from vandalism.

As it stands, our tree is naked from the waste down. All of the ornaments are on the top side so that our youngest (3 and 1) don't take turns pulling them down and hurling them across the room.

A problem in the storage room this year, courtesy Hurrican Katrina) caused mildew to grow on our stockings, so this year I plan on making them by hand. One for each member of the family. Should be fun!

So, how about it? What are your favorite Christmas memories?

A week.

Oh, I bet you think I've fallen off the planet. It's been a week now since I've done anything with my blog. I think it's as good of an idea to take a vacation from your blog as it is to take a vacation from your everyday life. Not that either are bad, just persistent.

I've taken this week to read a book. It doesn't happen often and it's not really a special occassion, but my husband sucked me into the world of Dan Brown, author of "The Da Vinci Code" amongst others. I literally did not want to do anything except sit down to read this 500+ page novel. We've borrowed the rest of his novels from the local library and I intend to read all three of those, too.

For those of you who still hang around even when there really isn't anything interesting to read here, I want to deliver a heartfelt "Thank You".

Oh, my sis-in-law started her own blog! You can find her here. She just finished barber school and I'm just itching to get into her chair to see what she'll do! We're really very proud of her and her husband, Josh. They celebrated their first wedding anniversary this past October. (Hooray!)

I'm still working on the new site for The S.O.C.K Project. Those not familiar can pop in here at the current site. I got an email from a woman who sells socks online and she offered to send me some socks for the project. I was extremely grateful and eager to receive the extra help. I also received another donation which brings my to $55 toward a basic sewing machine. The project is going slowly, but I'm an organizer which means that I need everything to be in place before I really get the ball rolling. It's good, it's bad. BUT, it's rolling!

Thanks for taking the time to keep up with me. Here's something for your trouble!

Anniversary

Yesterday was Joe's and my anniversary. Eight beautiful, love driven years.

In the beginning I lived with his mother and helped to take care of his sister and also with the housework. Meanwhile he lived with his father. One day, about a month after I moved in, he came for a visit. I had seen a picture of him, but didn't want to look "interested" in him. So, I dabbed on just a tiny bit of chapstick, and put on a barely-there layer of mascara. I stayed in my t-shirt and cut-off jean shorts. I don't think I was even wearing shoes or socks.

In walks this boy. Tall, handsome, and seemingly completely at ease. I was impressed by his confidence. More than impressed...intriqued. He spoke to me without fear and I knew immediately that we would get along.

We talked all night every night for 3 days. Then he was to return to his home in Mississippi. I didn't want him to leave because I was afraid he would never come back. But he did. And the night he came back I was so overjoyed, that I stayed in the bedroom and and waited until the last possible moment to come out and welcome him so that he could not see my desire.

Not only did he come back, but he never left again. Since that day in September of 1995 we have been together. Some times were good, some bad, and some ugly. But we were always together.

A toast to the one soul who keeps my heart afloat: may you always know your strengths and conquer your fears. There is no man who can make me float as you do. Cheers to the most beautiful, completely wonderful man on this earth!

Bunny

Where's there's bunny, there's money!

Advertisers in America have made a lot of money by using the bunny as a marketing tool. Quick! How many bunnies can you remember being used on television, in newspaper ads, and on the radio to sell a product?

Time's up.

Bugs Bunny has been used to sell toothpaste, TV dinners, diapers, toys, you name it!



The Energizer Bunny has been used to sell Energizer batteries.

The Easter Bunny of course has been used to sell easter products such as candy and decorative grass.

The Milk Chocolate Bunny can be placed in the same basket (wink).



The Nestle Quick Bunny has been used to sell Nestle Quick's chocolate drink mix.



And the Trix Bunny, of course, has been used to sell the popular kid's cereal, Trix.

Bunnies have become popular tools because of they are one of the least hostile of creatures and nearly everyone likes them. They don't bite, growl, eat your shoes, make terribly annoying sounds, or leave surprises in your shoes. They don't roll around in the dirt, eat garbage, get stuck in your tree, or jump on you when you get home. They are really wonderful pets! America has a love affair with rabbits and this simple fact brings more validity to the fact that where there's bunny, there's money!

(How I'd do? Did I forget any bunny?) :0)

Control

I finally finished my semester up here at the local community college. I aced my Literature final and got a low A on my Western Civ. II final (Hooray!). I haven't done this well in school in years.

I learned some very important things about myself this year. Those things have helped me to understand that making excuses for why I'm not doing something is really the only thing keeping me from actually doing it.

It was a frustrating semester, no doubt. There were times when I would be reading through my textbook looking for certain answers and I would myself thinking "ctrl F, ctrl F!" Other times I was unable to concentrate on what I was reading and would wish for the chance to "ctrl, alt delete" so I could start fresh.

But, here I am. I made it. And I'm none the worse for the wear.

I sent a letter to my school requesting a degree audit. After 7 years of undergraduate school, I figure it may be time to actually graduate with some kind of degree. Oh, I know that an associates degree is unimpressive and wouldn't get me much of a job in the long run. BUT, it would be a great milestone.

Joe was a tremendous help this semester. He rejoiced with me when I was doing well, and encouraged me to do better when I appeared to be defeating myself with more excuses. He is my life. There is no one on this earth I would rather share all my joys and sorrows with.

I'll spend the rest of this year working on The S.O.C.K Project and will hopefully get to send lots of dolls off before Christmas actually arrives. Then, in January, I'll begin another (and hopefully the last for a while) semester.

Enjoy your holiday, everyone!!

test

Your Personality Profile

You are pure, moral, and adaptable. You tend to blend into your surroundings. Shy on the outside, you're outspoken to your friends. You believe that you live a virtuous life... And you tend to judge others with a harsh eye. As a result, people tend to crave your approval.

The World's Shortest Personality Test

Your turn!

Fun!

Running with the idea, Steve..

Tag to anyone who reads!

This is how you play:

Do a Google image search of the following and post the first result for each:

The name of the town where you were born
The name of the town where you live now
Your name
Your grandmother'’s name (just pick one)
Your favorite food
Your favorite drink
Your favorite song
Your favorite smell

Town where I was born:
San Diego, California
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Town where I live:
Some city in Mississippi
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My first name:
Tanda
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My grandmother's name:
Audrey
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My favorite food:
Taquitos! MMmmmm...
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Favorite drink:
Cappucino
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Favorite song:
"World by a string"
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Favorite smell:
Peaches
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Your turn!!

Thanksgiving.

Nana Blythe came early. Under her brown knitted cap lay her white tresses which curled like dozens of miniature spiral staircases. Her face was flushed pink from the frigid wind that was making it's seasonal visit. In her right hand she held a small wooden box painted sky blue with two dainty hinges on one side of the lid, and a small latch on the other. There was no lock and no key.

Johnny Blythe, all 80 lbs of him, stepped quickly down the staircase to the front door where his father was taking Nana's coat to hang on the coat rack. He had just woken from a good night's sleep where he had the most incredible dream that he was racing on a professional racing track on his dark mare. It was the most vivid dream he thought he had ever had. He could see the crowd in the stands, the cloud speckled sky, and the horses with which his mare was competing. The other jocks looked just like him, but Johnny was determined to win first place just the same. Just before crossing the finish line, Johnny woke to the sound of the front door's bell.

When Nana saw Johnny, her smile magnified and her wrinkled face transformed to pure sunshine. There was her little Johnny with chestnut brown hair, light brown eyes, and still in his locomotive pajamas. She opened her arms and bent over just enough to catch him with her hug. She heard him exclaim, "Nana!!" The joy in his voice made her forget about all of her physical ailments, financial struggles, and general frustrations. She melted into his love and he her's. Johnny released his Nana with an overwhelming curiosity about the little blue box she was carrying.

Father took Nana's coat to the coatrack and returned to see Nana opening her little blue box. He understood what the box was for already. He, too, had received a little blue box from his Grandmother as a small boy. As he stood back and watched, he saw Johnny peer into the box. Father knew that it was empty and watched with amusement as he saw Johnny's puzzled face.

"There's nothing here", he heard Johnny say.
"That's because you haven't put anything in it", father replied. Nana smiled her knowing smile and proceeded to explain the purpose of the box.

"Johnny", she began. "This is the 'Thanksgiving box'. I'm giving it to you on Thanksgiving day, but that doesn't mean that you only use it at Thanksgiving. Whenever you have a problem that you can't solve on your own and you begin to feel sad about it, you can write down something that you are thankful for and place it in this box. That way, when you feel like everything is wrong, you can open your thanksgiving box and see all the things that are right."

Father smiled as Johnny took the box from Nana. He could tell that Johnny was taking that very moment to find something to be thankful about just so he could use his new blue box.

SOCK update.

I wanted to give everyone an update on The S.O.C.K Project this morning.

First, the Walmart here in town was kind enough to give me a gift card to purchase materials needed for the project. With their donation I was able to purchase enough for 82 dolls! I'm really grateful for their help, especially considering Christmas is almost here and I wanted to get the dolls out by that time.

Second, I haven't been able to obtain a sewing machine yet. I received a total of $45 in monetary donations (and am VERY appreciative to those who donated) toward the project but still cannot afford to buy one. Joe suggested that I contact the local fabric store and area churches to see if they would like to donate one for the project. And I'm going to do this on Monday because...

Third, I contacted the local paper who agreed to do an article on The S.O.C.K Project the week following Thanksgiving! Yeah! Hopefully that will draw people in to help me make more dolls before Christmas gets here. Cross your fingers for me. I'm a single soul here at this chapter, but I aim to change that!

Fourth, I received an email from a teacher in Missouri who teaches 5th grade who wants her class to make the dolls this season for the children's hospital in their city! She'll be providing me with pictures of her class when they complete their project and these pictures will be featured at the S.O.C.K Project website.

Fifth, and finally, I'm moving The S.O.C.K Project to a bigger website where I will be able to update information easier and at the same time be able to give more information on the project. You will always be able to get to the site from here (in the right column where you see J.J. waving!).

Thanks to all!!

Vicki

If you've not met Ms. Vicki yet, it's time to.

She has a new blog located here!!

Here's a quick excerpt from her new place, just so you can get a taste:

"I am slowly peeling the layers of an onion away and sharing more of myself with you as I remove these layers. Just don't forget the type of onion I am, a Sweet Vidalia Onion, yes that is right and we grow them right here where I live."

Go visit Vicki! She needs new company to break in her new pad!

Mystery

Here's a mystery for you to solve:

This morning I was driving our oldest to school. As I approached the school's drive, I saw a police car sitting on the side of the road behind another car. It looked, from afar, like he had pulled someone over.

But as we got closer I noted two things: first, the car in front of the patrolman had crashed into the utility pole that sat at its bumper; second, there was no one in it. The hood of the car was bowed up, it's windshield was cracked, and both airbags had been discharged.

There was no one at the scene except the policeman who sat quietly in his car. There was no one walking around the area except the mothers and fathers who walked their children to the school. There was no tow truck, ambulance, fire truck, or any other emergency vehicle save the police cruiser.

Your mission: try to answer why there was no one there except the policeman, and what happened to the people who were in the car that had crashed into the pole.

This message will self destruct in...no, I'm kidding. If I blew up this computer, my husband would disown me. Haha!

Johnny Blithe sucked in his bottom lip. He was fighting the tears, but they were winning. He kept his fists clenched and his knees locked. The harder he fought, though, the more he failed.

Steven, the neighborhood bully, grinned his evil grin as he pressed his heel harder into Johnny's foot. His evil grin penetrated Johnny's core and with final resolve Johnny brought his arm back and swung. Steven's nose exploded in a haze of red and Johnny felt instant relief as the weight of Steven's heel left his foot. Steven fell backward and landed on Mr's Hadley's lawn. Luckily she wasn't home and wouldn't call Johnny's mother to report the incident. Steven cried and Johnny stared in disbelief as the boy who he thought was impenetrable continued sobbing. He was certain that Steven cried more from shock than pain, but he wasn't staying around long enough to ask.

Johnny ran. His house was behind Mrs. Hadleys so all he had to do was pass the metal gate to her backyard and crawl over the five-foot fence that linked the two properties. He hoped that the back door was still unlocked as he bounded up the short stairway. To his relief, it was, but standing on the other side of the door was his father.

There was an awkward silence as Johnny's father realized that Johnny was trying hard not to cry in front of him. While trying not to embarass Johnny, his father quietly placed his hand on Johhny's little shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. That was all Johnny needed. He jumped into his father's arms and wailed until he couldn't anymore. Life finally started making sense.

Panda

SIGNS THAT YOU SUFFER "ROAD RAGE"

* For lack of a more effective weapon, you find yourself threatening other drivers with the cigarette lighter.

* You exchange your Uzi with laser sighting for a "more serious weapon."

* You've stopped wearing pants in the car to make it easier to moon tailgaters.

* Local Crips now have a hand signal for "Get Off The Road, That Psycho's Coming!"

* On your license, under "restrictions", it says, "Valium Required."

* That Yugo hood ornament on your 4X4 is not *actually* an ornament.

* The only thing that calms you down is your trusty Megadeth CD.

* The need to wring Dr. Laura Schlessinger's neck is just a bit more urgent than usual.

* You swear more before you get to work than most gangsta rappers do all day.

* You threaten to run over the person in front of you, even though you're in line for communion.

* The car's a year old, but you're already on your fifth horn.

* Your saw blades don't work, your voice is out of sync with your mouth, and Speed Racer has just beaten you in another race.

* You've traded your plastic statue of St. Christopher for one of A.C. Cowlings.

* You'd flash your brights at that slow dumbass Jacob ahead of you if your buggy only had headlights.

* You've plowed more pedestrians than Wilt Chamberlain.

(http://www.unwind.com/jokes-funnies/miscjokes/roadrage.shtml)
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Sign that you've run out of blog topics:
*You start posting top ten lists...(wink)

My Neighbors

We live on a very busy street. There really isn't ever very much traffic because we're near the city limits, but there is almost always someone walking, jogging, skating, or riding a bicycle on our road. It's wide enough to accomodate both vehicles and pedestrians at the same time. Usually it's pretty quiet here. That's probably because the local police department spends plenty of time down here. When you're driving down our street you're more than likely to see at least one of the following people:

"DOT"-A forty-ish black woman who can be found doing a speedwalk/jog almost every day. She is always wearing black spandex pants with a black windbreaker. You can guarantee she'll be sporting her headphones and if you catch her at the right time you'll see her singing aloud. I always smile and wave at her as I'm passing but she's never acknowledged me. I suspect that she is so entraced with the music and is focusing to intently on her routine that outside interference is automatically denied her attention. Maybe one day I'll get a smile in return.

"JOHN"-An older black man, maybe in his fifties, that has shoulder length dreadlocks, mostly gray. I see him all the time walking to the gas station or back from it. He also walks his little boy to school every morning, although on occassion you will see his little boy sitting on his shoulders enjoying a ride to school instead. He's the opposite of "DOT". He is very alert to his surroundings and not only will he smile and wave at you as you're passing by, but he will act as if he was expecting to see you! I often smile when I see him because I know he'll be wearing his "hey, how are you?" grin.

"LIN"-She's an oriental woman who lives in the neighborhood. I've never seen anything of her except her face. Everything else is usually covered. She is always wearing a bonnet, a long sleeved shirt, slacks, and gloves over her hands. I speculate that she has a skin condition, but perhaps she is merely modest. She has her hands in her pockets most of the time and scarcely ever looks up from the road. She seems to be perpetually withdrawn but spends a lot of time walking our busy street. I've never seen her going in or out of any building (gas station, house, apartment). I don't have any idea where she came from or where she goes so she's an enigma to me.

Maybe one day if you come this way you'll meet them. :0)

Haiku.

I was browsing a local message board when I found a thread about Haiku. Here is a definition for those not familiar: Haiku is one of the most important form of traditional japanese poetry. Haiku is, today, a 17-syllable verse form consisting of three metrical units of 5, 7, and 5 syllables.
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To write Haiku:

What to write about?

Haiku-poems can describe almost anything, but you seldom find themes which are too complicated for normal PEOPLE's recognition and understanding. Some of the most thrilling Haiku-poems describe daily situations in a way that gives the reader a brand new experience of a well-known situation.

The metrical pattern of Haiku

Haiku-poems consist of respectively 5, 7 and 5 syllables in three units. In japanese, this convention is a must, but in english, which has variation in the length of syllables, this can sometimes be difficult.

The technique of cutting

The cutting divides the Haiku into two parts, with a certain imaginative distance between the two sections, but the two sections must remain, to a degree, independent of each other. Both sections must enrich the understanding of the other.

To make this cutting in english, either the first or the second line ends normally with a colon, long dash or ellipsis.

The seasonal theme.

Each Haiku must contain a kigo, a season word, which indicate in which season the Haiku is set. For example, cherry blossoms indicate spring, snow indicate winter, and mosquitoes indicate summer, but the season word isn't always that obvious.

Please notice that Haiku-poems are written under different rules and in many languages. For translated Haiku-poems, the translator must decide whether he should obey the rules strictly, or if he should present the exact essence of the Haiku. For Haiku-poems originally written in english, the poet should be more careful. These are the difficulties, and the pleasure of Haiku.

Definition courtesy: http://www.toyomasu.com/haiku/#whatishaiku

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Here are a couple that I've written:

Christmas is coming;
Credit card debt, vicious crowds
And kids thank Santa.

~~~~~~~

Rose red in my vase
It's dead in less than a week;
Beauty has it's price.

~~~~~~~

Dirty faces and
Loud noises which wake me up;
Beautiful angels.

~~~~~~~

Now, let's see what you've got!

Amy.

Thanks for hanging with me guys. Here's a funny family story...

Amy-

In the late 1990's we lived in the foothills of the Sierra Madre Mountains in northern California. The population of people was dramatically outnumbered by pine trees. Not having a four-wheel drive automobile was a "no-no" on these steep roads and if you were caught in the winter without snow chains you were the joke of the town.

There were plenty of children in our neighborhood, all of whom had to walk up a very steep road to get to the bus stop. A morning treck to the bus stop is how we all met Amy.

Amy's family had just moved in. They were sort of an oddity. Amy was cute, sweet, and fun. But the longer you knew her, the more questions you had. She was awefully flighty and although her hair was red, we called her a "blonde". Her younger sister had a hairlip, which we were able to overlook because of her charming personality. But her older brother, Danny, was one strange duck. He used to jump into the thicket in our neighborhood and we wouldn't see him for hours. I guess he just really loved nature. He wasn't very good with people, and vice-versa, so I suppose that theory checks out.

My sister, Cheryl, and Amy became good friends. Cheryl would go to her house and they would listen to music, skate in the basement, and play dolls. Amy would come over to our house sometimes too. Everybody seemed okay with this. Except Cheryl's dog, Brownie.

One night Amy stayed over. The girls had a great time staying up late eating snacks and watching movies. I let them play in my room for a while, which they loved. My room was a loft that covered half of the girl's room. A short climb up the ladder and !voila!, you were there. They liked to go up and look over the edge at the room below.

In the morning Amy began packing up her things. A short search revealed that an article of her clothing was missing. So was the dog.

Cheryl and Amy left the house. Cheryl was going to walk her home and play for a while since she was already going to be up there. But when they go to the mailbox, they stopped short. There was a freshly dug hole near the post and a very dirty dog next to it. And in the hole was Amy's underwear.

We never looked at her quite the same after that.

Our family has this story filed away in the "Ohmygosh, do you remember when..." file.

Busy.

Well, my blog hasn't been much lately. Then again, neither has my brain.

I'm bouncing between sick kids, 2 school papers, an impending exam, housework, a newly started novel, and sanity.

While visiting all of my blogger friends is something that I really look forward to, I don't always have the time.

SO, if ya don't hear from me this week, that's why. But I do hope that everyone is well and that life in general is treating you all well!

Candy

Reeses Peanut Butter Cups

Very popular, one of you is not enough.

What Kind of Candy Are You?

Is it coincidence that this is my favorite candy? lol. What kind of candy are you?

Scary Stuff.

We had a little scare last night.

At midnight I was getting ready for bed when our 3 year old stumbled into the hallway coughing like his lungs were about to turn inside out. We had noticed earlier that night that he was developing a cough, but this clearly was worse than our initial impression of his malady.

We sat him down in the livingroom and I handed him a towel to keep in his lap because he started vomiting a little. Joe stepped into the kitchen to get some cough syrup and I headed for the phone book to call the doctor. While I was looking for the number, however, I couldn't bring my eyes from his little chest. It was concaving and his breathing was loud and laborious. When Joe came back into the room I said, "look at his chest!" At first he didn't see it, but when he realized what was happening, he looked at me and said, "Hospital".

Joe helped me dress him and he took our little one outside to get some wet, cold air into his lungs. In the meanwhile, I grabbed a pair of jeans, a shirt, and slipped on my tennis shoes. No time for a jacket. I ran out the door with my purse and loaded him into his booster seat in the back of our Blazer. Joe stayed home to take care of our other two boys.

When we arrived at the hospital he still wasn't breathing right. His face was red from coughing and the nurses sent us back immediately, thinking he was having an asthma attack. I layed him on the ER bed and took off his jacket while they checked his oxygen level (which turned out to be normal). Then they sat and watched him breathe for about 5 minutes to figure out what was going on. After checking his chest and listening to his throat they determined that he had Croup, a common ailment for a child his age, and proceeded to give him a breathing treatment. I felt so bad for him, especially when they arrived to give him a steroid shot.

I held his hand as he was getting his treatment and when they were done his breathing was much quieter and his face finally returned to it's normal hue. I hugged him and heard myself saying over and over again, "I'm sorry". Maybe he said it because he was tired of hearing me repeat myself, but I heard him say, "It's okay. It's not your fault". I sobered up quickly. What three year old has ever said that?? lol.

Now that his breathing was under control we were both able to relax and started talking about interesting things that we saw and heard at the hospital. It was almost fun.

I called Joe to tell him our little boy was okay and a half-hour later we arrived home. Joe was waiting outside for us and we all went inside and crawled into bed. The rest of the evening went without event and we were able to get some sleep. Finally.

Oh, but what a night...

Halloween

Happy Halloween Everyone!

Victory!

I'm sitting in my fortress. The walls shake as the loud banging sounds resonate throughout the room. There is the battle cry of the warriors who will eventually penetrate my world and steal my sanity. The room is in a shamble and there's nothing that I can do to prevent it. I only sit and wait until the battle lapses into a lull so that I can gather my wits and repair what's been broken.

I hear them again. They are coming now. Up the stairs, through the doors, from the windows...I can see them now. They're here and they are ready to hear me surrender. They want to see me crack from desperation. But I won't! I refuse! They can have my body, but not my sanity. They can't penetrate my will. I will conquer.

They see me now and wait for my response. So I give to them, cold and raw:

"Go to your room and clean up that mess!"

Our little soldiers march to their bedroom where they spend the next 20 minutes complaining that there are too many toys to pick up and not enough room for their books. I tell them they are not leaving their room until the floor is completely visible.

I keep my sanity and the room eventually makes sense. Today I am victorious!

Perspective.

I can always count on Victoria to bring my life back into perspective. It's not the struggles that she faces. It's what she does with them. She uses adversity to create something beautiful within herself. Trouble is not her enemy. It's her tool. It's what she uses to mould her spirit.

I just wanted the opportunity say "thank you" to Victoria. She is a jewel and her light has made my life brighter.

Speed Novel.

I was checking out a local board this morning when I found a link to the National Novel Writing Month website. As a result of visiting the site and learning more, I've decided to write a novel! Here is some interesting information about the site:

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What: Writing one 50,000-word novel from scratch in a month's time.

Who: You! We can't do this unless we have some other people trying it as well. Let's write laughably awful yet lengthy prose together.

Why: The reasons are endless! To actively participate in one of our era's most enchanting art forms! To write without having to obsess over quality. To be able to make obscure references to passages from your novel at parties. To be able to mock real novelists who dawdle on and on, taking far longer than 30 days to produce their work.

When: Sign-ups begin October 1, 2005. Writing begins November 1. To be added to the official list of winners, you must reach the 50,000-word mark by November 30 at midnight. Once your novel has been verified by our web-based team of robotic word counters, the partying begins.
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If you have any other questions, please read here from the NaNoWriMo site.

I just put up another blog where I will be writing the novel. I had a great brainstorming session this morning and I'm fired up. Stop by every once in a while and check my progress. I welcome critiques from my good friends.

And, hey, you should write a novel too!!!

Lorna's Quiz.

Lorna takes a quiz.

It's a guaranteed to generate a smile. Take a looksy!

The Big Nothing.

The Big Nothing.

That's what I've got for you all today.

But, in the spirit of nothingness, I just want to say, sometimes it's good to have just nothing.

Nothing guarantees the reader won't be disappointed by a bad post. It also gives the reader to time to reflect on your more intelligent posts.

So, cheers to the nothing posts, here and everywhere.

Vacation

I'm taking Joe on a virtual vacation. Can you think of anything more exciting than traveling the world with the Knight of your heart? Ready? Here we go!!

First, we are going to the Great Wall of China where we will walk 4,153 of the 4,163 mile wall then stop for lunch. On the menu will be shrimp fried rice, wontons, egg rolls, and sesame chicken. But the fortune cookies will stay home this time. "Something will happen soon" just doesn't speak to me anymore.

Next we'll head for the Pyramids in Egypt. We'll climb halfway up only to stop so I can ask Joe if he remembered to bring the little brown paper bag in case I hyperventilated. Damn. Hate it when I'm right. Then he'll carry me gallantly down to the bottom and we'll lie in the sand until our skin turns brown and crispy.

Then we'll travel to Greece to see the coliseum. We'll get out our mountain climbing equipment and when the police show up to see us scaling the walls, we'll flash our visas and accept the free plane tickets out of the country.

We'll go to Pisa, Italy to see the leaning tower, which Joe will offer to set aright with his brute strength. The city will gratefully decline citing a loss in tourism money. Joe will set the building aright anyway. Otherwise he'll lose money on a bet we made in the hotel earlier that day.

Then we'll go to Paris, France. After shopping for 2 days to find the "perfect" kite, we'll fly it too close to the Eiffel Tower and it'll get stuck. Then we'll spend the next 2 days searching for the "next-to-perfect" kite.

Finally, we'll fly to Hawaii. When the clerk at the hotel hears noise coming from our suitcases, we'll pretend that we don't hear anything and continue to our room. When the bellboy accepts his tip with a scowl and leaves the room, we'll let Emeril out to cook our dinner.


Well, thanks for traveling with us. It was a great trip! Maybe next time you can come with us.


Nah.

50 years!

I recently received an invitation from my Grandparents (on my mother's side) to attend their 50th Wedding Celebration. I was unable to travel to their event, but I was fortunate to get an email from my Grandpa, who described what happened. Here is an exerpt:

I managed to keep Audrey from knowing that we would be married again, even when all attending, and our three children that could not come, knew.
After I introduced our previous First Man and his wife, Frank and Jan C., I called Audrey up to join us. "This like when we were married 50 years ago, same couple, same first man, and this time we have a wedding cake!" I said. "I wonder if there is someone here that could play the part of Pastor Ray W." I had told Pastor Bob to not respond until I asked him directly, "Do you know if there is someone here who could marry us again?"
This was the first moment Audrey understood what was happening. When the pastor asked for the rings, she tried to get her wedding ring off her finger. I told her, "That was for last time! We need new rings. Jan and Frank, do you happen to have any rings with you?"
Of course they did; our girls, Mary, who flew in from Houston, and Joyce, the hostess with the mostest, had picked out the rings and had them engraved inside, "David and Audrey, on your 50th wedding anniversary". I had sneaked out to get my ring finger measured, but had not seen the rings. The jeweler took two correctly-sized flat bands of gold and embossed them with the most interesting finish, so we can say they were made especially for us.
Now we have been married in California, North Dakota, and Arizona, and are eager to continue this fantastic marriage for the next 50 years!

How beautiful is that?! I had no idea that my Grandpa was such a romantic. But I told him I suppose that 50 years is enough time to learn, lol!

Although I'm certain that not every year was perfect, they worked hard to create a beautiful, fully-functioning relationship that floated no matter how high the water rose. To that, I raise my glass!

Meet Jac!a

Ladies and Gents, meet Jac!

I'm happy to have him here. I was so impressed by his work that I wanted to add him to the list of talent so that I could share with everyone.

Here's a teaser that I pulled out of his most recent post:

This is my reward as I waited for a full 10 days with my cheap camera... the full bloom in Pink, hanging down towards the ground by the sheer weight of the bunch.

Take some time to visit Jac!

Prince Charming

Prince Charming was a metrosexual.

Definition for metrosexual:

------------------------------------
1. You just can't walk past a Banana Republic store without making a purchase.

2. You own 20 pairs of shoes, half a dozen pairs of sunglasses, just as many watches and you carry a man-purse.

3. You see a stylist instead of a barber, because barbers don't do highlights.

4. You can make her lamb shanks and risotto for dinner and Eggs Benedict for breakfast... all from scratch.

5. You only wear Calvin Klein boxer-briefs.

6. You shave more than just your face. You also exfoliate and moisturize.

7. You would never, ever own a pickup truck.

8. You can't imagine a day without hair styling products.

9. You'd rather drink wine than beer... but you'll find out what estate and vintage first.

10. Despite being flattered (even proud) that gay guys hit on you, you still find the thought of actually getting intimate with another man truly repulsive (Thank you, Urban Dictionary).
-----------------------------------------------

Could be there be any other explanation for Prince Charming's poise, good fashion sense, and excellent hygiene?

Prince Charming sure got around. There was the ball with Cinderella, the kiss with Sleeping Beauty, the hair climbing with Rapunzel, and the competition with the 7 dwarfs to get Snow White. But why shouldn't he get all the girls? Is he not Prince Charming??

Now, Betty Boop's Prince Charming was definately not the same guy. Even though he had a small role in the "Cinderella" episode, he made a big splash with his blue eye-shadow, mascara, and lipstick. In this case, he clearly is homosexual so we can leave him off the "Metro" list. But we're talking about Betty Boop, a gal who wore lingerie to the grocery store. Clearly she would never go for Cinderella's P.C. He was just too tame.

The moral of the story: Guys with good hygiene and a passion for fashion? Sometimes dreams really do come true!

*Note-This post is specifically targeting Prince Charming. Any persons who believe that this post might define them should calmly exhale and recite the following: "Tanda is merely making an observation about a fictional character who has remained on the "questionable" list for quite some time."

Thank you. Drive around. :0)

Worried

Oh Great! Now I'm worried about being worried.

Without turning this post into a religious discussion, I thought I'd share what I learned last night in my "Women's Prayer Class".

According to the workbook set we are reading from ("A Woman's Call to Prayer", by Elizabeth George) worrying is a SIN.

Let me beat you to the punch. "Huh??"

Consider this exerpt from E. George's book: "God's word is clear in instructing us to take care of our responsibilities and families and to carefully manage all that we possess. But beyond that, the Bible is also crystal clear in letting us know that we are not to worry...about anything...ever...period!" (97)

Here was the question that I wrote on page 63 of my workbook: "Worry is built into the emotional code. We can't prevent it from coming. We often do not even realize that we are doing it. Sure, we can deal with worry in different ways. We can exercise, rest, bite our nails off, or cry. But how (please tell me) can you call something that you have almost no control over a SIN?

I probably missed the point of the lesson completely, but this question still sits in my brain like a gargoyle atop a great building. (yeah, I said great building.)

:0)

Food

How I love to eat thee? Let me count the ways.

When I was a kid, there were foods that I didn't enjoy eating: peanut butter & jelly sandwiches, turkey, sauerkraut, bell peppers, and (of course) onions.

But today, those are all foods that I love. I like to go the grocery store and peruse the many jars of jellies and jams to go with my crunchy peanut butter. Sauerkraut and hotdogs make a fine lunch for me. And I don't mind putting bell peppers and onions in my cheese omelets in the morning.

After saying that, let me introduce some more irony. The foods that I loved as a child, I no longer want to eat. I'd rather eat a sand-wich than go to McDonalds. Cantelope nausiates me. And oranges are now too messy to eat.

What foods did you eat as a child that you won't eat now?

Talk Show

Charles Manson, talk show host. Hey, why not??

Ladies and Gents, there have been good, bad, and ugly talk show hosts. Among the good are Oprah Winfrey, Dr. Phil, Jerry Springer (hey, for an ass, he was a pretty effective host), Phil Donahue, Sally Jesse Raphael (see "Jerry Springer"), and Ellen Degeneres.

Then there were the bad: Tony Danza, Wayne Brady, Ricky Lake, Rosie O'Donnell, and Kathy Lee.

But then there's the ugly. I just have to put a big "WTF" at the front of this very short list:

Tyra Banks.

That's it. Just Tyra Banks. I had the misfortune of catching her show while waiting in line at a local deli today. She didn't budge an inch when her guest came out from behind the stage. She just stood there like a foreign dignitary (she certainly was a foreigner in this role) and waited patiently for her guest to arrive. She gave a polite hug and didn't look concerned at all when her guest started wailing about a tramautic childhood event. You can't look beautiful, after all, if your makeup is sliding off your face in sheets or wrinkles are distorting the shape of your sculpted eyebrows. Her disposition was so unemotional and uninteresting that I almost fell asleep waiting for my pastrami sandwich.

The only thing that could possibly save this show is the natural attraction that humans have to situations where extreme emotion is being shown. People will watch it, not because she's a great host, but because they enjoy hearing the life stories given by the guests.

It's becoming increasingly clear that just about anyone could become a talk show host. Even Ole Charley!

Joker

Everybody has a joke that they tell everyone. You know...the joke that's good no matter who's around?

Submit your joke and I'll start a poll so we can vote on the favorite!

Here's my submission:

What do you call a dog walking on the sidewalk?




(anwer-a dog walking on the sidewalk. Ha!)

Featuring!

Just a quick post to address the newest feature here.

I've replaced "The Talented" list with this new "commercial" box. My goal was to bring more attention to blogs that I really enjoy visiting. I hope you like it.

However, if you have any problem with how your blog was presented, please email me. I will be happy to make any changes that would make you, my friends, more comfortable.

Happy Blogging!

Busy.

I have a life. Sort of. And although it's not really poetry, I'd like to post about my weekend.

On Friday night, Joe's family drove up to spend the weekend with us. He and I snuck out of the house later the same night while the boys stayed home and drove their grandparents nuts.

We left without a plan, but ended up at a small bar located here on Main Street. There was a drunk guy sitting right inside the door. After listening to him wrestle with words that clearly were not coming out as he intended, we realized that he was there to check licenses. Amazingly, we both passed his examination. Joe ordered a couple of beers after we sat at the barstools. When an older man sat beside him, Joe looked over to acknowledge his presence. They shook hands and the man proceeded to announce that he was "in love" and that he was going to "get some food for his girl" so that she would "give him some love." Now, there's a guy that has it all figured out. Ha!!

We went home around midnight and to our utter amazement our two oldest (7 and 3) were still awake watching the "Land Before Time". So, I put them to bed and headed that way myself. The next morning they were up at 6:30 am. I don't know how. They just were. I got through the day without falling asleep in my food or laying down on the stuffed animals that were strewn all over the boy's bedroom floor.

Saturday night Joe and I went out again. Now, before you start thinking we go out all the time, I should say also that the only babysitters that we use are the grandparents. They come to visit about once a month. So, while they are here, we take full advantage (which they don't mind!).

Joe and I flew off to a 24 hour diner since it was late and ordered a bacon, swiss, mushroom burger with fries. It was one of those burgers that you eat and then the next morning you get up thinking about. It was REALLY good! Then we took a walk around main street. There were about 40 college age kids just milling about and the bus started coming around. We thought about hopping aboard just to see where the bus would take us but changed our minds after we realized that it was the "drunk bus" sent by the University to bring inebriated students back to their dorms. The plastic garbage bags taped to the backs of the seats gave it away.

We continued to walk until we arrived back at the car. Then we decided to drive over to Walmart for some birthday shopping. Our oldest had a birthday the next day. Normally we would have been carrying a list of things that our son mentioned an interest in. This year, though, he didn't know what he wanted. That means we spent a hour in Walmart looking for something we didn't know we were looking for. We ended up with a nice chess game (he loves chess) and a fun Spongebob "rock 'em sock 'em" type of game. The party was yesterday afternoon and it went off pretty well.

It was a fun weekend, although terribly exhausting!

How was your weekend?

My Birthday

Today is my birthday!

In honor of this day, I submit to you 28 things that I want:

1. World Peace. Heehee.
2. 1979 Mustang, cranberry in color with soft top
3. A bread maker
4. A kiss from my lovely
5. A sewing machine with an autopilot feature
6. A trip to Italy
7. A reliable, reputable babysitter
8. To buy new homes for my parents
9. Oh, and they'll need new cars also
10. A bike
11. Some roller skates (not to be confused with roller blades, which suck entirely)
12. A hair cut that I can look at and be able to say, "Gee, that turned out just the way I like."
13. The complete set of "Anne of Green Gables" videos
14. A phone call from the IRS saying they owe ME money.
15. A winning lottery ticket
16. An interest- free loan to build our new house with
17. The ability to fly
18. New socks
19. To grow sunflowers in my back yard
20. A carpet that is impossible to get dirty or stained
21. Good grades
22. The fairest skin in all the land
23. Great legs
24. Mexican food. MMmmmm...
25. Hugs from my boys
26. This list to end. I'm getting too old for this.
27. Skydiving lessons
28. To live until I die.

:0)

Update

The S.O.C.K Project
Click here to find out more about this project.

I wanted to offer this update this morning to let you all know where I am with this project.

Materials-Thanks to kind contributions I have been able to save half of the cost for the sewing machine. I called Walmart this morning and found out that the same machine that they offer online is also in our local store. I will be purchasing it as soon as I raise enough money for it.

Also, I made a visit to the local thrift store where I purchased all of their pillows. I took them home, opened them up, and washed the filling by hand. This was a cheaper way to obtain poly-fil than buying it new. I am shopping around for good bargains on new men's tube socks. However, I am considering approaching the ladies at church to ask for sock donations.

Organization-I have received one offer to start up a chapter other than my own (Chapter #1). Since I haven't really "advertised" the project yet, I'm pretty happy with that. However, if you are considering joining The S.O.C.K Project, please contact me and I will be happy to mail you general directions for making the doll. I believe that every woman will be able to add her own "flavor" to the doll by adding special touches so I will be sending a simple design.

I am trying to figure out a way to make the tags, also. This is still a bit tricky since we'll need a lot of them for distribution to the different chapters. Please share any ideas you have in the comments section.

News-There will be lots of news in the near future about where we are with this project. Therefore, I am working on another blog specifically for this. The blog will act as a newsletter and a place to obtain information about starting a chapter, creating the dolls, adding members, finding places in your area to distribute the dolls, etc.

Thank you again for your help in getting The S.O.C.K Project running. I'm really excited about this!

Tanda

Short Story

At sunrise, I watched her walk to the river to wash her face. Our camp was located right outside of a wooded area and very near to the river. Rain had not come for many days. We waited but it did not come. The night before we had come through dense woodland to arrive where we had seen the birds dive. All three tepee's were erected before sunset and the fire was sparked in the minutes following the sun's gentle descent.

I saw her looking at her face in the solemn waters this morning. She seemed to always pause after washing up. Her slow, reflective movements told me that she was looking at more than just her face. She was looking at her past. And as I expected, she began singing her sad song. I could see her chest rise and fall rapidly as she forced the sorrow to stay inside. But the pain was unyeilding and the tears fell copiously from her eyes.

She saw me watching and stood quickly with her head held high in the air. The tears were swept away with one stroke of her previously clenched hands. She walked back to camp and sat near the fire as the older women baked cod over the fire. The women did not acknowledge her but still she sat erect with her spirit in tact.

It had been 7 months since she stepped into her father's tepee to announce that she was with child. Her father, Spirit Eagle, accepted her announcment and granted her permission to bring her baby into the world. She kept her excitement close to her heart and did not release it until she had left her father's tent. The older women read the future when they saw her face.

But three months ago, her child released it's spirit from it's body. She knew it almost immediately. Even before she realized that she was not feeling movement anymore, she felt an emptiness. The child's lifeless body was delivered on a frigid morning when no animals were yet stirring. Her mournful cries could be heard all across the camp. When they brought his body to the edge of the wood for the burial, she did not go. Saying goodbye to her young one was intolerable.

After watching her at the river this morning, I think I understand why she pauses. She believes that one day she will wash her face and the pain will be washed away with all the dirt. And when she sees her reflection and realizes that the pain is still there, she weeps.

E-Hobbit

It's official. I never have to leave my house again. Ever. Thanks to my trusty computer and the miracle of the internet, I can officially become an E-hobbit*. Here's what it would look like:

If I'm hungry, I can buy my groceries online. All I have to do is pick my city, then my grocer, and have whatever I'd like to eat delivered to my home. And if I don't like the store-brand coffee, I can always order specialty coffee. After eating all that food I'll need some exercise. I can have exercise equipment shipped right over and enjoy the benefits of the natural high.

Then if I find myself bored, I can purchase entertainment from the net. When my computer dies, I can have a new one delivered. I won't need a car anymore because I won't be going anywhere. But, if I change my mind I can always go here for a new/used vehicle.

When I get sick, I can diagnose myself at home. Then I can order my medication (non-prescription, of course). When I find myself in emotional turmoil (as I most certainly will from being in the house 24 hours a day), I can find a therapist online.

Holiday shopping? Here's a listing for all major holidays: Christmas, Easter, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day, New Years, Halloween, and Fourth of July. And fireworks can be found here.

Not that I'll need new clothing, but I can visit an online clothing store when I get the urge. And since the shoe selection in clothing stores is usually limited (even online), I can go here instead.

If I was single, I'd need a companion. Of course, my date would have to come to my house. But that's okay because I can order a movie and have the grocer deliver an extra box of popcorn.

All that shopping would mean I'd need a job so I'll just go here and submit my resume. Then, after my telephone interview, I can start working from home. The IRS will still receive my electronic tax filing every spring. Tax evasion is a no-no, right?

There you have it. No more waiting in line, sitting in the doctor's office, or meeting with teachers whom I've only heard bad things about. I won't have to worry about car accidents or car insurance, being car-jacked or having my purse ripped off my shoulder. I'd never have to deal with rude people who ruin my day or rainy days that ruin my hair.

I NEVER have to leave my house again. Thank you, Bill Gates.


*Thanks to Joe for coining the word "E-Hobbit".