Day Two: NaBloPoMo

For those of you not paying attention it is NATIONAL BLOG POSTING MONTH. Today is day two and much like the number my day has been all about seconds. Its like everything looks like its going to be great and it turns out to be not quite great but almost great. For example: Today was an amazing day. Perfect weather. Sunny 75 degrees. I worked a little, always like to be productive and bring home a little cash. Came home, ate a rather boring lunch - I thought it was going to be okay, but it turned out to be really unappealing.

Then I went out to take pictures because I'm also participating in Project 365. The premise is you take a photo(s) a day, read a page in your camera manual and look at an image every day of the year and you improve your photography. See my incredible fabulous photos here. I ran out - around the lake - took the every popular picture of my favorite foot bridge - then popped into the car to the bath house and bam did I hit the mother load - perfect shot of downtown over the lake - a ton of geese and 7 pelicans. I also brought my BIG LENS. Its a 1000 mm mirror lens my dad got back in the 70's. It fits my Nikon and shazam is a 1500 mm lens on the digital. Guess what haze. Everything was a hazy and with the big lens I couldn't get all of downtown. Can you believe it? I only got 3 buildings. I also went got some pictures of the pelicans, but I had the polarizing filter on and it just didn't work out right. I'm hard pressed to find what I want out of today's shots.

So I picked up the kids, my adorable little things mocked me at every turn. Do you homework was answered with, but Mom its nice outside. Don't you want us to spend time outdoors. Soon it won't be nice enough for us to get out of your hair. 1) WHAT? I mean seriously they are 6 & 8 where do they get this stuff? 2) Out of my hair is not a bad thing. Anyway soccer practice was cold and I was wearing flip flops. I ended up grabbing a pizza for dinner which blows the diet and when I had to go to Target for double sided tape for the PTA program entry I grabbed a bottle of wine, because well, its just been that kind of day.

This month better turn around soon, because between the Halloween candy and the pizza I may be in fat camp by December.

National Blog Posting Month.

Hello peeps! Have you missed me? I've missed you. Guess what? I'm going to be here everyday - yes, I said it EVERYDAY! Why you asked. Everyone always asked I'm going to join in and participate in NaBloPoMo. National Blog Posting Month.

Woo Hoo! I have absolutely nothing in my head about what is going to be posted. Suggestions would be appreciated. Also I foresee at least one nospacebar post and probably a few cooking posts as I will probably have to take over the cooking duties in the house. UGH! I'm so uninspired in the kitchen these days. But my husband likes to cook full fat, I've got to get out of the full fat dinners.

Don't forget to give me a little comment love. I am always more fun with comments. I challenge you all to do the same and join me in National Blog Posting Month.

Does this mean I watch too much Bones?

I am slightly obsessed with that fabulous little show on Fox - Bones. Well, over this year, thanks to TNT & my DVR recorded the first 3 seasons and have spent the last few months watching a couple of episodes a night. Unfortunately this has caused a few problems:

Problem 1: I'm an now even MORE obsessed than I used to be.

Problem 2: I only have 3 hours of HD recording left on my DVR and Season 4 starts on TNT Monday.

Problem 3: I am now dreaming about plot lines. Yes, dreaming about plot lines.

So last night after I drifted off to sleep after re-watching the Season 5 premier I had a dream about the flirtatious crime fighting duo. I woke up and sighed and wished that it would happen for real. If Hart Hanson hasn't come up with this idea, he is completely free to use my dream in the show. So you know how Booth kept checking on Bones when she identified her mother. Well, something bad happened to daddy. YES BAD. I don't know what, it was a dream. Anyway, instead of Booth going to Brennan, she went to him. She quietly sat down on the couch lifted up his arm, leaned into him with her head on his shoulder and stayed there until she fell asleep. Next thing in my dream it was morning and Booth was waking up on the couch with a crick in his neck and she started to stir.....and then the cat jumped on me wanting to go outside so I don't know how it ended. But it was hot. I know it would have been hot.

I need to get out more....or maybe get obsessed with House again.

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAgh! Wake up People

I was cleaning out my closet and found my soapbox. I don't often get up on said soapbox and rant and rave, but I just got off the phone with my grandma and well, it pissed me off. Not her, the media. My grandmother is 88 years old. She's pretty much house bound and gets everything she hears from TV. She believes everything she hears and ugh! I blame the media.

SHOCK JOURNALISM IS NOT GOOD. IT BREEDS HATE. IT GIVES FALSE IMPRESSIONS. IT TERRORIZES PARENTS.

I could go on and on and on. In the 60's, 70's and 80's you didn't hear about every single child abduction. I'm not saying that as parents we don't need to be worried, teach "stranger danger" or anything else, but the media scare the living daylights out of parents so that it seems kidnappers are on every street corner.

I've got kids running around my neighborhood with pellet guns shooting at other kids and mine. Because called the police (Is it wrong to rat out kids who behave this way?) the kid is now threatening to and I quote "barge into your house and beat the crap out of you, and your stuff." Violence breeds violence. I don't think many would disagree with me on that subject. So why does everything have to be so dang violent. We see nothing but the bad on National News, CNN, Fox. One channel criticizing another. Even in our government its all about power and knocking the other guy off the thrown. It disgusts me.

What really pissed me off is this new healthcare bill. While I agree there is a problem. The thought that the government is going to fine my family if we don't have healthcare is absolutely ridiculous. A while back I was employed, but due to rising childcare costs, I had to resign because I would have paid more for childcare over the summer than I made in salary. This month my husband's salary got cut by 30% - THIRTY PERCENT. With 2 unbreakable car leases and the company insurance for the whole family 1300 a month (I gave mine up so we are only spending $700 now) and no salary from me, and 30% less of a salary from my husband. We won't be able to afford healthcare. My husband has found another job, but healthcare won't be available for 3 to 6 months. I still won't have money in addition to our regular bills to pay for other healthcare until then. In an economic crisis - how can you fine people for not getting healthcare? Pray my kids don't get sick. Seriously.

I could rant, rave and but all it will do is raise my blood pressure. The problem is not getting healthcare - its having the insurance companies do what they are suppose to.

OH, and I have one thing to say to President Obama: Please be a better role model and refrain from using words like "Jackass" in public and with all this healthcare stuff going on you should really quit smoking. My kids commented the other day when they saw a picture of you "Look there is Obama with a cigarette, doesn't he know how stupid that is? Its gonna kill him." This from the mouth of an 8 year old.

Thank you for letting me rant - its cheaper than a therapist.

Goodbye, Gentle Giant

I lost a friend yesterday. I have to be honest, I hadn't seen him in a while, this sweet gentleman from my office. He could bring a smile to your face just seeing him, he always had a happy word, never passed without a hug or a kiss on the cheek. I found out this week he wasn't well, and set aside some time to make contact, I didn't make it by before he died.

I remember when his wife died of liver cancer. I remember when he first ventured out after than complaining about the crazy widow-women bring him dinner all the time. Although you know he appreciated it, he would make jokes about having to keep up with them and their dishes. My cheeks hurt from laughing so hard him telling those stories. In fact I'm smiling, and a little teary-eyed at the same time thinking about it. I remember fond evenings after work with him and two others at "The Slounge". Paul with his gin & tonic - I don't ever remember him drinking anything else - always asking how things were and making me laugh. He had an infectious loud laugh, rich and full. I remember one year at the Christmas Party he brought a bag of blinking rings, passing them out to the women of the office. I could talk for hours about this sweet wonderful man. But instead, I'm toasting your memory Paul, giggling at those silly questions you used to ask me and praying for your family.

He was almost always the tallest man in the room, but that's not what made him stand out. He was a truly wonderful man and I will miss him. Goodbye Paul.

NEWS FLASH, I really am too old for the military.

Could someone please tell me where all the time goes. Time used to go so slow when we were kids - now I turn around and its like a week later and I don't remember anything.

I've been trying to paint my bedroom for like three months. I have hunkered down the last week or so and done all the prepping. In fact this morning I finished the texturing and caulking. Now I have to tape off the trim for painting. I feel like I've made headway, however my cat is freaking out that the bed is in the wrong place. I can't sleep. Parts of my body hurt that well, shouldn't. My arms feel like noodles - my hand I think will never be the same after using the caulking gun. My butt feels like I've done a week on the stair climber. Seriously - its just prep work. I am either the most out of shape woman on the planet or I am old.

This morning I've made the kids breakfast, packed their lunches, dropped the kids at school - looked for the already missing lunchbox all over the school campus. I've made myself breakfast - started the dishwasher, finished caulking a window, textured the walls I patched. Started the laundry (YUCK!), taken out the trash. Its 9:23 am. I feel like a marine - you remember those commercials. We do more before 9 AM than you do all day. I hope it was the marines, maybe it was the army. For those of you that read regularly - you will know to say that I am not a morning person would be an understatement of vast proportions. I feel like I should get a nap, but I'm still wading through stuff all over the house. Maybe if I get off this computer I could actually accomplish the rest, maybe even bake a treat for the kids for when they get home.

Nah, my friend would say I'm scaring her and call me June Cleaver for a week.

While the kids are away....the mommies can play

It has been a little while since I posted last. One big change since the last time I posted:

THE KIDS ARE BACK IN SCHOOL!!!!!!

Holy Smokes it feels good. I'm trying to paint my bedroom - which has been a comedy of errors. Not that I'm screwing up its just every time I move a piece of furniture there is something else to patch, caulk or sand. Whoopee!

I have already been to the school 3 - that would be THREE - times today. Once for drop off, then off to a Bloody Mary party - I had a Mimosa (don't tell the principal). Then went back and organized school supplies. Brought home decodable readers that I tore out, folded and stapled. Sharpened pencils and went back up to the school to have lunch with both of my boys. Don't think I'm one of those over-achieving moms. I'm not. I'm more than happy to help out, of course it might be because I'm avoiding the mess that is my bedroom. I also am hoping that I'll be working soon and not have time to help out.

Who cares anyway, the kids are in school!!! The mommies can play again!

Maybe its a TOOMAH...

I think something is wrong with me. SERIOUSLY WRONG. I'm feeling lovey-dovey. Yes you heard me right. I want to hug people and talk to people. I actually wrote that I loved my husband on Facebook. How pathetic is that? I do love him despite his addiction to video games and horror flicks - both of which I could totally do without. Oh and his propensity to burp at the dinner table - sometime even burp a sentence. Yes, he communicates through burps, well sometimes.

I am sarcastic and strange. Creatively obnoxious and well just plain different. I AM NOT LOVEY-DOVEY. Although I am a hopeless romantic. Didn't see that coming did you?

Except for this break so far today, I am cleaning - I think I even hear birds chirping. You'd think I was in a disney movie, except there is no way I would look as good as Amy Adams in curtains or get birds, squirrels and cockroaches to help me clean. Wouldn't that be nice? I might even go grocery shopping on a Saturday. Just because.

Okay, maybe not.

I have volunteered to make school packets next week. Am thinking about cleaning out a closet oh, and I'm going to paint my bedroom. What the heck is wrong with me? SOMEONE BRING BACK DIJEA.

Dear Hanes:

I love the fact that you have come out with tagless t-shirts, underwear, etc., however I must say that your "tagless" underwear is not really tagless. WHAT?!?! you say? Its not - its a poorly designed (I really wanted to say crappy) iron-on patch that well, starts peeling after 1 washing and when it starts to peel - its starts to chafe. I'm just saying that there is a certain part of the anatomy you don't want chafing. I'm just saying that this is the reason I stopped wearing the really-really-really soft cotton underwear from gap body (which is really to die for) because their iron-on patch underwear started to chafe - now I am sad to say I purchasing some of yours just last month because I'd lost so much weight I went down a size in underwear (crowd cheers!!!!) I will have to dump them in a giant trash can because my I'm having a reaction to your peeling tagless underwear.

Feel free to fix it and send me some free ones, because I'm not buying ANY until I know they won't upset the delicate skin that is my sexy bum.

Thank you.
Me

I'll probably have to send a bottle of wine after this

I almost fainted a little while ago. Seriously fell out of my chair in shock after reading a friends Facebook update. She follows this blog, and will probably read this and its not like she didn't put this out there on Facebook so I'll cross my fingers I won't get in trouble for posting this...

SHE DOESN'T KNOW WHO COLDPLAY IS.

Yes, you heard me right. I immediately offered to enroll her in the Dijea School of Music. I am known for coming up with obscure band that are then mainstream 6 months later. I La-la-love music and seriously need to burn her some CD's or something, but then I stop and I wonder if I actually did that would she listen? If she doesn't know who Coldplay is will she know other bands like Band of Horses or Keane, should I even try to introduce her to Chevelle or the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Maybe a little Ting Tings.

In her defense, she listens to NPR, but so does my mother and why anyone would want to learn things or stay updated in this incredibly depressing time is beyond me, but then I'm shallow and have no drive so I guess that is my answer.

What if she's never heard Radiohead or The Foo Fighters? OMG, Where are my smelling salts?

Why does this always happen to me?

There must be something wrong me - I know you've heard this before. Blah, Blah Blah Dijea is ranting again.

Well, I am.

I was suppose to go out of town today - leave the husband and take the kids to see Grandma & Papa. Well everything has gone to hell in a hand-basket. The SUV didn't get out of the shop, My phone has decided to absolutely stop working. Well, at least whenever it decides.

Just for the record this is the 4th iPhone I've had. FOURTH. My husband and I got ours at the same time. The first one I had to take back because it would never charge. Yippee!! The second one kept overheating and losing the touch pad. The third one had battery issues. Now this one is overheating and yesterday cut itself off. Completely. I didn't really want to go on a road trip with no phone. Understand? So instead I've fought with Apple for the better part of 3 hours over the stinking phone. I understand the warranty is for 1 year, but the phone I have is actually less than a year old, but apparently its out of warranty because the original one was bought more than a year ago. Does it make sense to you? Oh, and the supervisor was rude and said one of those impulsive we don't need your business kind of statements. NOT HAPPY! Not happy enough that I called corporate. I kinda feel bad, because he tried really hard to be nice he never raised his voice or anything, he just said the wrong thing at the wrong time then when I asked (more than once) for someone else, he refused to transfer me.

My husband never had a problem with his. I must be one of those people that has some weird magnetic issue. Timex watches never would work on me others yes, just not Timex. GGGGRRRRRRRRRRR! AGH! Any other noise that fits the mood, feel free to imagine.

Asserting Control or Just Stupidity

Can I just rant a little about Crosswalks, crossing the street & safety?

This morning I had to go to Walmart and had to fill up with gas on the way. 1st stop light I saw a couple - the husband was dragging the overweight and obviously handicapped wife across the street in the crosswalk. Why would I mention this - because it was against the light. What an idiot to literally drag a woman who is not capable of making fast time across the street against the light.

Then I got to the gas station and filled up and started to make my way to Walmart. Before I had fully exited the gas station there were two people crossing the street within 50 feet of the crosswalk. Seriously. Take a few steps and be safe. For that matter the little grey-haired grandma made me want to roll down the window and scream something about what a good example she was making for my children crossing in the middle of traffic not 20 ft. from the crosswalk. Instead I tried to avoid smashing her as she made her way across the street but not before she gave me a nasty look for not stopping and getting rear-ended by the big giant semi-barreling down upon me. Not a block down the road was another couple dragging their toddler across the street with them - seriously his feet were dragging against the asphalt - again 20 to 30 ft. down from the crosswalk in heavy traffic and against the light.

WHERE THE HELL DO THESE PEOPLE COME FROM? DO THEY CARE SO LITTLE FOR THEMSELVES THAT THEY ARE WILLING TO RISK THEIR LIFE OR DO THEY JUST EXPECT THE WORLD TO STOP FOR THEM BECAUSE THEY CAN'T WAIT 30 SECONDS FOR THE LIGHT TO CHANGE OR 10 STEPS TO GET TO THE CROSSWALK?

I counted in my 5 mile round trip at least 25 people crossing against the light and NOT ONE was in the crosswalk. Jeez, has common sense just blown out the window with common courtesy, brains and I don't know what else?

I'm pissed and I don't care who knows it

I was reading CNN yesterday, in fact here is a link to the story, talking about how a size 10 is really a size 14. So if I've lost 15 lbs and am making my way down to a size 10/12 that means I'm really a 14 and the damn fashion industry is trying to make me "feel good" about being a 10, but I'm really a 14 and crap - that means I'm still fat.

UNACCEPTABLE!

We as a nation, me included, are relying more and more on technology to get everything done. We have more and more to do - aren't getting anything for all the extra work. Remember the days when there were no cell phones and if you weren't at home or in the office, people couldn't reach you. OMG I wish those days were back. I mean imagine going for a walk and the phone not ringing, or driving without the phone (or ear jack) at your ear. I can walk down the mall and search the Internet and forward a contract or a photo or whatever while I'm running my errands and I wonder why I forget everything all the time. BECAUSE MY BRAIN IS TRYING TO DO TO MUCH AT ONCE and I'm all elated that I'm 2 sizes smaller when instead of being a 14 to begin with I was an 18 which means HOLY CRAP I'd let myself go.

Once upon a time I was a skinny girl with protruding hip bones and a concave stomach and 20 lbs under my "ideal" weight on that doctor's office chart. Now I'm more than 30 lbs over that ideal weight on that chart and the scary part is I'm happy that I'm not 50 lbs over it.

I am overweight, I know it but I am trying really hard to get back to a healthy weight and in a healthy way. I know that its not easy. I know that some people have issues about losing weight. My mother & grandmother have hypothyroidism. My father has diabetes. I've spent time cooking stuff that makes me pork up like a balloon because its what the kids or The Husband want. I don't fault anyone for being overweight because I'm there. But what really, really pisses me off is there is instead of trying to deal with the increasing size of America we are trying to make everyone feel better about their self by changing the size.

When is you-know-what is America and the rest of the world going to wake up and realize its not all about feeling good. Changing sizes to make people feel better is not going to get them healthy. Bailing out the banks is not going to solve the economic problem. Socializing health care is not going to solve the insurance crisis. Building debt is not going to help our nation. Bailing failing companies out is also not going to solve the world problems. And Congress has additional screwed up a BIG deal with laws regarding real estate appraisals that will set real estate back which will set back the economy.

It is all a giant screw up. Seriously.

I'm pissed that what I thought was a big giant step forward on my way to skinny is just a big giant lesson in retail deception.

FUNKIFICATION

I have been living on Twitter and Facebook and not so much ignoring my blog, but have a general lack of inspiration in blogging. I think its a trend running around a few of my regular bloggers.

I am in a Funk - yes funk with a capital F. Blah.....Meh.....Ugh. I feel blank. That is awful isn't it. Blank, which could be twisted to sound empty. And I don't feel empty - blank is a better word. Kind of like a blank canvas just trying to figure out what's going on it. I've been walking a lot and feel good in a body/mind/spirit thing - I'm just lost on putting it into words. Maybe I'm just processing it all. Maybe I'm out of words, maybe I'm just like every other person out there just struggling to make sense of it all.

Well, cyber therapists.........any thoughts.