Wordless Wednesday - Time For A Beach Party

AARP card came in the mail last night...Bastards!

Starting plans for my Barbie 50th Party. Co-Hosted with my friend Barb who hits the big 5-Oh a week after me.

50s-style Pot Luck, Girls-Only, Pool Party.

Barbies will be donated to Children's Hospital.
Game On!!!

No Joke

While tomorrow is April 1st, the concern about the Conficker Worm is no joke. On Sunday, 60 Minutes had a segment about this computer hacker worm.


From 60 Minutes: Lesley Stahl conversation with Steve Trilling, a Symantec vice president

"You sell the anti-virus, anti-worm stuff. I mean, how do I know you're not just saying, 'Go out and get this,' 'cause you sell it? I mean, you know… there's a sort of conflict of interest here," Stahl pointed out.

"Well look, Lesley, in 60 minutes we are blocking nearly 400,000 threats around the world. If you're goin' out on the Internet and you're not protected, it's like walkin' outta your house and leavin' the door open," Trilling argued.

I can't help but wonder how much of this virus is hyped by the companies like Symantec that sell anti-virus software. They certainly benefit by mass panic.

I have noticed some phishy emails from "Facebook Friends" as well as suspicious messages on my FaceBook account. At least 90% of my emails are junk (or worse). Spam filters only do so much. I have a rule of thumb, "When in doubt Junk it out"

I have decided to stay away from FaceBook & Twitter for awhile as I see more potential for harm than good.

It's been fun while it lasted.

Spring has Sprung

I had to get outside today before it rains and the temperatures drop. I had to get a photo of the first flowers to pop up. I think these flowers may have morphed from Paperwhites into a Paperwhite/Yellow Daffodil Hybrid. My uncle had sent us some Paperwhite bulbs that were all white the first year. The next two years they have been popping up with a yellow center.

I can't wait for my Tulips to pop up!

Sum It Up Sunday - All A-Twitter

Finally Jumped On The Band-Wagon

This past week, I finally set up a Twitter account. As if I didn't have enough time-sucking hobbies on the web! I'm still trying to make sense of it all. The 140 character limit can be maddening. Also the frequency of some vs the infrequency of others can be overwhelming. I'm not yet sure how to use this tool.

I guess it's good for when I have a tidbit that is short, even by Friday Fragment standards or if I want to try to draw attention to a post or event.

Barack's Teleprompter

A friend sent me a link to a new blog, http://baracksteleprompter.blogspot.com/ which is a smartly written blog from the point of view of the President's teleprompter, TOTUS. While much of the humor is over my head, I still feel a bit guilty for following it.

The blog is written by Mark Hemingway who is a writer for the National Review, a vehicle for the Republican Party. I wonder if "The Big Guy" reads this new blog. If so, does he find it entertaining?


Bad Momma's Secret to Housecleaning

I let my middle-son invite a friend from school over yesterday. The rules are simple. If you want to invite a friend for a "play date", you must help clean the house.

Works like a charm. We need to entertain more often.

Media Overload

Between blogs, websites, FaceBook, LinkedIn and Twitter, I have 9 places to post information on the internet. I have maxed out my ability to disseminate tidbits of creativity and knowledge.

On that note, time for my caffeine infusion so I can make it through the day!

Happy Spring!!!!

Pop-Up Ad ( or should I say "Plump-Up" ?)

I saw this ad pop up in my email browser. My first thought was "Allergic Reaction".

Then I wondered if this is a real result or some good Photoshop work.

Is this a good thing? Who wants lips this big? Is this a "Lip Plumper Gone Bad" Result?

Do you or someone you know use a lip plumper? What do you think about this ad?

Inquiring minds want to know!

Sum It Up Sunday - Birthdays, Bicycles & Barbies, Oh My!

Topping off the birthday list: My baby turned 8 on Friday! No bad luck here! We decided to make it a birthday weekend with just the family. Friday we went to Colin's favorite restaurant for dinner. We were going to go shopping afterwards but it was late and we went toy shopping on Saturday. The older two boys wanted to buy their brother a gift and have him help pick it out. As we were wandering the aisles, I stumbled upon the Barbie collection.
Both Barbie and I turn 50 this year; although that Biotch looks soooo much better. note to self: get name of her plastic surgeon!

I decided I want a Barbie for my birthday next month. Is that weird? Having all boys, I miss out on all the princess and Barbie stuff.

As I scanned the aisle, there were so many cool choices: Tatoo Barbie, Birthday Barbie with an extra pink tiara for a human friend, Barbie in her Pink Bedroom, Pool Party Barbie.......my head was swirling. Too many options.

And then I saw her. The one I must have. A vision of gold and sparkly lovlieness. I want her!!!! 50th Anniversary Barbie
And then I looked at the price tag. $50! Holy crap! How do I justify this????

What to do? Maybe I'll have a Barbie themed party with a Barbie Cake ( I saw the cutest one in Meijer!)...... hmmm... I have a month to mull this over.
Speaking of birthdays.... This month I celebrate my second year of blogging. I'll have to do a special post. Not one of those 100 things about me. Just a simple year in review /bloggy lessons I learned this past year.





Spring is Almost Here!
We had a brief Spring-like day on Tuesday and I went for a bike ride with Alex. It's been a while since I had any real exercise. I was a bit sore afterward; especially going up and down the stairs!
note to self: better start getting in shape, summer is just around the corner.



Another WTF ?- On Thursday we started getting a series of unanswered phone calls, 8 in all from a phone number we didn't recognize. We were also left two puzzling messages on the machine.
The 1st message was left Thursday afternoon from a man wondering why our number showed up on his wife's phone. The 2nd message came at 12:05 a.m. on Friday morning when we were
sleeping. This time from a woman who was curious who we were. She saw our number in her caller ID & didn't recognize it.
The only possible explanation I could think of was the number I misdialed a week ago. I only let it ring 2 times before hanging up. TWO RINGS. I didn't hang up on anyone when they answered. I just let it ring twice before realizing I may have dialed the wrong number! The owner of that phone called back & I already said "Sorry, I dialed the wrong number."

WTF??? I was going to call them back at 6:30 a.m. but my husband stopped me and warned me not to call them. Instead my hubby called our carrier(Time Warner) to check the numbers they called from to see if we had called them.

Time Warner only showed the 8 calls they made to us. None to them. WTF? If it is the lady I spoke to last week, it was a different number. WTH did I call? Why would someone be that obsessed with a single unrecognizable number?

I was ready on Saturday to answer our phone but the calls stopped. As much as I want to call them back, I agree with my husband this is not a good idea. Then there would be a record of us calling them AND I'm not sure what kind of whackos we are dealing with.

Fill'er Up!


Finally, gas prices on still fluctuating below $2! I took this photo on Thursday and yesterday the same station was a nickle cheaper at $1.79!

And that's the week in review..... and now time for a breakfast of birthday cake and coffee. Yum!

How to Fix Damn Near Everything

There's a great book with the same name, How To Fix Damn Near Everything by Franklynn Peterson, that is an "Easy-to-Follow Guide" to repairing all sorts of household items.

But that is not what this post is about....

I have been having issues at work with an automatic overhead door that has seen better days. The tenant before me must have left the latch locked in place when using the opener and there is a huge dent and rip in the top panel. The bottom panel is also dented by what looks like either a bad or impatient driver (that was not me!).

The end result is a door that gaps a bit on the sides.


The Repairman Cometh
For the second time in 5 months, a repairman was called in to see why the door is starting to slip during the last inch of closing. I was worried about further heat loss as well as critters sneaking in at night.

After tinkering a bit with the drive train, the workman focused his attention on the warped door. Using a combination of fist, hammer & feet, he employed a method I like to use at home. One that always gets me in trouble with my husband. A little trick I like to call...
"The Kicking The Crap Out of It Until It is Fixed Method"


Guess what? It works!!!
Next time I do this at home, I think I'll include a repair bill for $85 an hour! That ought to get me some respect!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Owly

Wordless Wednesday about a Wordless Book!

Friday Fragments - WTF Moments

wtf moment	41 up, 1 down
	A moment where something so surprising or ridiculous happens that the onlooker can only exclaim "wtf?!". I was sitting down at the table for our formal dinner when this dude with aviators, a flannel shirt, and a mullet walked in. It was the ultimate wtf moment. by sixoclockshadow May 12, 2005 share this

There's a dictionary for that!
I found the above definition in the Urban Dictionary after writing about my 1st WTF moment of the week. I was curious if "WTF Moment" was being used and googled the term. I discovered the Urban Dictionary and fell out of my chair lmao while reading some of the definitions. Definitely worth perusing when you have some extra time on your hands!

If U Seek Amy.. and you find her, ask her if WTF is swearing.

Right after I posted about my WTF Moment, I saw a segment on the news about a young boy who was fed-up with his friends swearing to be cool. He started a No Cussing Club and has become a media darling and famous overnight.The club has over 20,000 members.

Don't think they're gonna let me in.....

Elmo??? WTF?!!!

"Grandparents Say Elmo Toy Spouts Inappropriate Message"

This was a featured story this week in our local news. Something about Elmo asking a child for sex.

Sorry, Wrong Number

Last night I realized I had miss-dialed a phone number just as it was ringing. I quickly hung up when I realized my mistake. Two minutes later my phone rang.

"Hello"

"Yes. Someone just called my number???"

"Um, that would be me. I'm sorry, I realized I had miss-dialed."

"Oh .....*click*"

WTF??? What was I supposed to do, wait & leave a message???? I always assume when I don't recognize a number that called and hung up, that it either was a wrong number or not important. Next time "someone I accidentally called and didn't leave a message for" calls me back I'm gonna pretend I'm a charity and ask for a donation.

How about The Sisters of Perpetual Motion Home for Wayward Children???

Final WTF Moment of the Week...

Drum roll please..... and the WTF of the day goes to Colin, my youngest, for waiting until I am dropping him off in the carpool lane at school this morning to realize he left his backpack at home.

WTF? The thing weighs 20 lbs, Colin! I swear the kid would forget his head if it wasn't attached!

(reminds me of the time his older brother went to school without his shoes... but that's a whole other story.)

Wordless Wednesday - Texting For Babies

(Devon let a baby friend use his phone; something about needing to make a deal on E*Trade)

WTF Moment

I came home to this lovely offer sitting on the kitchen table. My DH (this time the D is not for dear) not only opened my mail but neatly left this money-saving proposal on top of my reading pile. Even though he was not here at the time, I imagined the smirk on his face.* (think I can get him for tampering with my mail?)

A.A.R.P.?!!!! W.T.F.???

In another month I will be half a century old, 5 decades, 5o Fabulous Years Young! Other than a few more gray hairs, wrinkles and aches, I feel pretty good and not much different from my 30's. I am no where near retirement age.

Or am I????

My back is starting to ache, I feel extra frown lines forming and I swear I just felt another patch of hair turn to gray.


I just had a Senior Moment.

Thank you A.A.R.P.!

*the reason my hubby thinks this is so amusing is that he is 1 1/2 years younger than me. (I look years younger, though.) ;p

Friday Fragments

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard.

Death Camp for Cutie -
I waited until the very last day (today) to sign the permission slip ( along with a $104 check) for a 3 day "Nature Camp" for my 6th grader. This is a school sponsored trip and if my son doesn't go, he will most likely be one of the very lonely few left in school. He also could face becoming a social outcast and may resent us for the rest of his life. (probably will no matter what we do).

On the other hand, if he goes (or should I say when he goes as I signed off & wrote the check) I will be responsible if anything happens. I was fine with this until I got to the part of the "legalese" about

"some of the activities take place in a natural environment......conditions create risks of injury or death from falling, tripping, etc., insect or animal contact, and potentially harmful vegetation."

Several other places in the Acknowledgment also mentioned death, drowning, illness and risk of injury. We are also denied any communication with our child for these 3 days. No cell phones. No calls in, no calls out. My husband is convinced this is a camp run by a cult. (Good luck on the brain-washing part. This kid is strong-willed with a mind of his own)

What kind of camp is this? We've been told by the Vice-Principal that no one has died. Yet...

It's Not Just About The Economy (Stupid)
I have another blog, Color Me Bitter, for when I want to bitch about something. Haven't used it in a long time but today I did.


Help Spread Some Blog Love
I have a friend who just started up a new blog. She was recently "downsized" and is struggling with the idea of being a SAHM. If you have a chance, check her out & offer some words of wisdom (to help balance out my nonsensical comments!).
http://swamimami.wordpress.com/

Virtual Girls Night Out

It's Friday night & Ann has another great drink recipe, cool party music & a fun game.
I only have the Kahlua part of the Seattle Manhattan, so I guess I'll just have a Kahlua on the rocks.

On to the fun & games:

I licked a noodle in line at the bank because I need serious help.

O.K. My work is done here & I'm off to party!

Wordless Wednesday: Coach Lost a Bet

(Next time we'll help him accessorize !)

Who's in Your Five?

I asked my middle son if he still wanted to invite one of his friends from school over this weekend. I have found this to be a great trick to getting the kids to help clean the house. Works like a charm.

Step One: "Would you like to have a friend come over today?"
Step Two: "We have to clean the house first!"

This time the question was met with a pair of sad eyes. Apparently there was a Birthday Party / Sleep-Over that 3 other friends from class were invited to that my son was not. My poor child was the odd man out.


Teaching Moment

I started a discussion about how sometimes a person can not include everyone.

"I know that Mom." was my son's response. "That's not what hurt my feelings. "Birthday Boy" has been acting very cold to me lately and I've been nothing but nice to him."

I explained that perhaps the birthday boy was feeling guilty about not inviting my son and that's why he started to distance himself. I even suggested that this boy might even be a bit jealous of him. Alex is a very smart, sweet, caring young man who gets along with everyone.

This is why I don't like birthday parties and stopped having them for my boys. Besides the chance of hurt feelings by inadvertently leaving a friend out, there is also the time and money spent to gain a bunch of unneeded gifts and subsequent Thank You notes to be written.

Instead we take a small group of family and one or two friends to a movie and dinner. We try to keep things low-key.


I then had an AHA-analogy moment.

Some people are like T-Mobile and only have room for 5 close friends. Others are like Verizon and prefer to have a large group of Friends and Family. Maybe that's why we chose Verizon as our network provider.

We have better reception and no "Dead Zones"!



Revenge Gifting

In a recent conversation I had with my sister, I learned of a concept called "Revenge Gifting". My nephew was the recipient of such a present from a neighbor that was not invited to his Bar Mitzvah.

Due to a space issue, just a few of the neighbors ( ones that had boys that were close to my nephew) were invited. This particular neighbor was left out because her children were not the same age and are not close with the family.

After the event, this neighbor mailed a card with a substantial check enclosed; apparently with the intent of making my sister feel bad for not including their family. My sister retaliated with a really nice Thank You note and a baby gift for the neighbor's sister who recently had her first child.

Ouch!

What Would You Do?
I prefer to look at the bright side of not having to buy a gift. I have learned that life is too short to worry about being left out. You can't be in everyone's Five. Have you been in similar circumstances? Ever received a Revenge Gift?

Weekend Update - When you missed Friday Fragments and Ann's Virtual Girl's Night Out.

Friday Fragments ( on Saturday) - Pride and Joy

Pride:
For one day a week, my eldest son has been staying late after school to take part in "Math Counts" where students can practice solving math problems in preparation for a competition against other schools. He chose to do this entirely on his own and asked us for permission to participate. (as if we would say no).

On Thursday he found out he was one of 8 students (and one of 2 sixth graders) that made the team for his middle school. Today he got to ride a bus to a local college and take some tests. While their team didn't place in any of the competitions, I was proud that my son actually thought this was fun!

Let's hope he continues down this path......

Joy:

One of my long lost friends from Cre8Buzz tracked me down and added me to her new blog. I guess it's only been a few months but I was still over-joyed. Ironically I had just posted about missing the Cre8Buzz network which had met an un-timely demise.

If you have a chance, go visit my pal JoJo and leave her some comment love!


Virtual Girls Night Out

On Fridays, Ann, one of my friends from Mom Blogger's Club, has been sending out email blasts about Virtual Girls Night Out or GNO for short. She provides party music, a nifty drink recipe and an interesting party conversation topic. This week's topic is Oscar-related and we are to name 3 things we would like to give thanks for and the people we would thank ( our own personal "Academy" speeches) so here goes:

• I'd like to thanks my family for making my life "interesting" and giving me something to blog about.
• I'd like to thank You, the faithful few who come by to offer encouragement, friendship and most importantly COMMENTS! Without you, I'd just be another tree falling in the forest and not knowing if I made a sound. ( o.k. better cut off the Bourbon Slush, I am starting to sound like Mickey Rourke. Thank god we don't have any dogs!....)
• I'd like to thank Ann for being a great hostess and providing a great way to meet new bloggy pals!
  

This concludes my weekend update and I need to get back to the land of the living.
Hope you are all having a great weekend!

Influence

Yesterday I took my 2nd grader to the local Library. He needed to pick up a book about Rachel Carson for a school project. He has two weeks to make a poster-report on a person who did something important to change the world.

He came home with a list of people to choose from that included: Neil Armstrong, Susan B. Anthony, George Washington Carver, Thomas Jefferson, Thomas Edison & Tecumseh, as well as Ms. Carson. My son chose to do his research on Rachael Carson because I thought she would be a good subject.

A Premier Environmentalist
Rachel Carson wrote a book, Silent Spring which help draw attention to our environment being poisoned by the mis-use of pesticides and led to the formation of the EPA. While I never read this book, I remember as a young child, seeing Silent Spring on my parent's book shelf. I was excited to help gather information with my son.

A Trip to The Library

Usually my husband takes the boys to the library but I decided I need to start reading more and had put a few books on reserve for myself. When we reached the Library, I spent the whole time trying to keep up my my 7 year old. He was a whirling dervish of activity. By the time I went to the reserve area to find my books, my son already had them pulled.

Note to self: Must go to library more often so I can keep up with the rest of my family.

Why Not Neil Armstrong?

Shortly after we had returned back home, my husband asked me why I pushed Rachel Carson on my son. I explained that I thought Colin's interest in birds and nature made this a good fit.
Hubby:"Why not Neil Armstrong?"
Me: "Why, Neil Armstrong?"
Hubby: "Colin is into the stars and astronomy"
Me: "What's wrong with Rachel Carson?"
Hubby: "Your son doesn't know who she is and only picked her because you told him to"
Me: "Mmmmm. I better talk to Colin....."

I had a quick chat with my baby to make sure I didn't force him into a topic he didn't really want to learn about. I made sure he knew he could change to another person of influence and I would still be happy to help him. Colin was fine with our original subject.

As we started to read through the biography I could see a lot of common threads.

Rachel as a young girl loved to be out in nature and observe birds and wildlife in their natural habitat. My son loves to look for fossils and when he was 5 years old, memorized a bird guide that I had brought home. We would go for "bird walks" and he would try to identify all the birds we would see.

I remember as a young girl how my mother used to love to help me with projects. (At times a bit too helpful and I had to get her to back off). I am now trying to do the same with my kids (hopefully without the pushy part). I find I am learning right along with them. The trick is to make sure I am only helping to provide guidance and to let them do the work. (even if it is not as polished as I would like).

I realized how much of an influence I have on the choices my kids make. But, they also have had been a good influence on me as well. Going through school the second time around had made me smarter and a better person!

Friday Fragments - Buzz-Kill

Friday Fragments

What Happened to The Buzz?

A few weeks back, one of my favorite blogger network sites, www.cre8buzz.com went off-line, never to return. Anyone know what happened?

Some of my best blogger buddies came from there!

I've had to turn to FaceBook for my time-wasting, soul-sucking, social interaction!

No More "Perks"!

Mike recently posted about his company eliminating "free"coffee for employees but keeping it for the customers. I think this is a hostile move to get people to quit. I find that caffeinated workers are better workers. A cup or two of fresh hot "motivation" is worth every penny, especially in these tough economic times.

Wasn't it Ben Franklin who warned about being "Penny-wise but pound foolish"?

Kind of scares me that Mike works for a financial institution!

Family Fun Night

Wednesday night, my middle-schooler had a Book Fair / Family Fun Night at his school. For a $5 admission fee, there were samplings from 12 different restaurants. The theme was "Wizard of Oz". Members of the band took turns playing songs from the movie, the film was projected on a wall in the hallway and the decor also picked up the theme.

I was grateful my son was not embarrassed to be seen with me and actually asked me to take him. I also appreciated the one on one "quality" time. We went early and didn't stay long because of the pending storm.

Wasn't it cool how the school got the weather to fit the theme? Fortunately we didn't get an actual twister!


Buzz-sted

Thanks to all the media frenzy, my boys are aware of the Michael Phelps fiasco. While I understand Kellogg's move to end its sponsorship and Michael being banned from competitive swimming for three months, I am surprised that there may be criminal charges filed. (I'm not sure how this would work. The photo shows a pipe but I don't know how anyone can prove what was in it.)

I ending up having the discussion that I really wanted to avoid with my boys. I did my best to explain the situation.

Michael was a geeky, awkward kid who overnight became a Rock Star. He suddenly started dating strippers, because now he could, and at a party smoked some drugs to be cool. Someone took a picture and sold it to the tabloids for lots of money. Now Michael is in lots of trouble.
How cool is that?!!!!

This doesn't take away what Mr. Phelps has accomplished. However, it shows what happens when you use bad judgment; especially when in the public spotlight.

The Blustery Night

Last night we were hit by high winds of up to 60 mph. Just to be safe, I slept on the pit group in the basement with 2 of my boys. My husband and our oldest son were brave and stayed upstairs.

While I may have over-reacted, the rattling of the trees in our back yard kept me awake until I moved to safety. I slept easier, knowing that in case of disaster, at least half of our family would survive.

When I woke this morning, I was surprised to find very little damage. This afternoon I noticed our neighbor's pine tree was uprooted. Thankfully this was the worst carnage in our neighborhood.

Wordless Wednesday - Calm Before The Storm

Sum It Up Saturday - AHA Moments

In No Particular Order, The Week in Review:

The Path Less Traveled

I had to make a delivery this week to a place I have been countless times. I always take 1 of 2 routes. As I was coming up to the section of road where I needed to decide which way to turn, I suddenly took a slightly different approach; a path I had never taken before. This "new" route actually made much more sense. I had an "Aha Moment".

So many times we get stuck in a routine and don't look for other, potentially better options. With child-like optimism, I made a promise to myself to start taking the "Road Less Traveled".


PT Oh!:
I went to another PTO meeting. I had a few Ah Ha realizations:

1. It is far easier (and interesting) to sit through a monthly hour-long PTO meeting than to try to keep up with the flood of paper from school that hits our kitchen table daily. I learned information that I would have other-wise missed. There's also the layer of subtext that is not found in a newsletter!
   
2. Arrive early, and sit where you can see everyone in the room. Keep a smile frozen on your face and try not to make eye-contact unless absolutely necessary with the "Alpha-Moms". Remember, like wild animals, they are more afraid of you than you are of them.
3. Make at least one friend so you have someone to sit & chat with.
4. Count the number of parents in the room and divide by the number of families in your school. By my calculations, between 1-2% of the parent population is represented. I thought back to one of my favorite movies, Napoleon Dynamite, and realized that alienated and "outsider" parents like myself are really in the majority. I don't know about you, but I'm gonna vote for Pedro! I'm also going to keep attending these meetings for the rest of the year. It'll help build my character and give me the appearance of an involved, caring parent!

Cheap vs Values

I learned from my post on the SuperBowl / GoDaddy Ads that men like things that are "Cheap" (including "cheap" ads) and women are more value(s) oriented.


Fallen Hero

Speaking of values, I've been asked by a few people who know my boys are swimmers about my views on the Michael Phelp's scandal. It hasn't come up yet and I am hoping this blows over soon. My older two boys who have been through DARE would think this was stupid because drugs harm your body as well as being illegal.

These days, heros are hard to come by and we all make stupid mistakes. My AHA here is that I am grateful my boys are happy, healthy and quite average. We don't need Gold Medals. We prefer to celebrate small victories such as shaving a few seconds off our time or winning a heat. (like Alex did today!). I have no desire for fame or great wealth for there is 'baggage" that comes with this.

I hope this scandal has been a wake-up call for Mr. Phelps and he has learned his lesson.

Friday Night Party Time

It's Friday Night and it's Virtual Girls' Night Out at Ann's Place. I've decided to take the rest of the night off & play along with the party games.

Time For A Party Game!

The Mighty Four:

*Four places I go over and over:
1. Work
2. Kroger
3. Sam's Club
4. Macy's

*Four places I would rather be:
1. ?
2. ?
3. ?
4. I'm actually quite happy in my jammies on my couch with my family nearby.

*Four things I wish I could eat everyday (calories be damned!)
1. Chocolate Layer Cake
2. Carrot Cake
3. Lasagna
4. The Farmer Breakfast at Bob Evan's

Not So Super

This year's Super Bowl was by far one of the most exciting with last minute plays that could not have been scripted any better. I wish I could say the same for the commercials.

There were a few that were worthy. I loved the Bridgestone Mr. Potato Head, the boys love the Talking Babies on E*Trade and we got a big laugh with the new twist on the Coke Zero Ad with Troy Polamalu. The Doritos crystal ball, Dog Adoption PSA and Conan O'Brian ads also made us smile.

You're Not My Daddy!
One of the most irritating to me is the GoDaddy T&A commercials. Apparently I must be in the minority because the headlines proclaim these sexist ads to be a success. I understand that sex sells and that the Super Bowl advertisers are targeting a testosterone and beer fueled crowd. I just don't understand what women flashing their cleavage has to do with buying domain names or web products.

I may be in the minority here, but when a consultant suggested I use GoDaddy to purchase web-hosting products a few years back, I refused because of their commercials featuring the GoDaddy girls. This year's GoDaddy Ads are just as annoying.

What do you think about these ads?

And how are you voting with your pocketbook???

Running of the Mascaras

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Wordless Wednesday - What No One Seems To Notice....

Eyes Right Before I Leave The House

Eyes A Few Hours Later

Back in the summer, I did a Wordless Wednesday that involved one of my pet peeves: Mascara that runs and gives dark patches under my eyes. Even when I only apply the brush full of goop to just my top lashes.

To make matters worse, no one ever tells me. I have to find out when I look into the mirror and catch a glimpse of my scary reflection.

Because I am a contact-wearer, I need waterproof eye makeup. My moisturizer and foundation tend to help speed the bleeding of my mascara. After my first test, I've decided to perform the rest of my tests on Sundays, when I don't need to worry about my appearance.

Test 1: Aborted after 3 hours - Fail
A few weeks ago I performed my first test. I was at the store and couldn't remember the "tubes" that a fellow blogger recommended in a Friday Fragment so I bought one that promised "Healthy Volume". I stopped the test at 10:30 because I was at work and refused to spend the whole day looking like a victim of domestic violence.

Test 2: Impressive - Success!
Jo @ Under the Influence mentioned this brand: L'OREAL DOUBLE EXTEND in her Friday Fragment post this past month (Jan 16). I tested it out today. I must say I am impressed! After over 6 hours, it seems to stay in place. The only dark lines under my eyes are the ones I earned from Mother Nature.

Unretouched Photos

Thanks for the great tip, Jo!

If anyone else has a mascara or eyeliner that they love and would work well for contact wearers, please let me know. I am also looking for a magic concealer to help hide my "baggage". One that will not encourage the rest of my eye-makeup to blend together.

Try This Brow Liner
Yesterday, Mrs. 4444 posted a very funny tale about trying to save money on getting her brows waxed. This is a browliner that I think she might like!
What are your favorite beauty products?

Beware of False Profits

photo from 2007 - Fox News

February 2nd is Groundhog Day and we will find out the forecast for the balance of winter. The city that I "Live-Work-Play" in sponsors an annual "Groundhog Day Economic Development Forecast Breakfast" held on the Friday morning before Groundhog Day.

Yesterday I was fortunate enough to be able to attend this free breakfast for the 3rd year in a row. This was, as always, a first-class event. There was a speaker, Dr. Edmond Seifried, Chief Economist from m.rae resources inc. who was sponsored by Heartland Bank.

Dr. Seifried did his best to explain the Housing Bubble, Interest Rate fluctuations and their effect on the economy. His best advice for a rule of thumb to avoid future scams and disasters is the following:

"If it grows too fast, it's a weed."

Simple, yet profound words to live by. Similar to the old adage, " If it looks too good to be true, it probably is". In these troubling times, cooler heads need to prevail. We need to take charge of our finances and reclaim ownership of our choices (both good and bad). In the words of Agent Muldar in X-files "Trust No One". Don't rely on the advice of strangers and do your homework when making financial decisions.

We will weather this storm and things will get better if we avoid panicking and knee-jerk reactions. To quote my husband, whom I've nicknamed "Mr. Turtle".

" Slow and steady wins the race."

Have a great weekend and let's hope that Spring is on the way!!!!

Wordless Wednesday - Snow Day

Sum it up Sunday - when I've totally slacked off & missed Friday Fragments & Saturday Posting...

Good Reads:
My boys have discovered a great book series "Diary of A Wimpy Kid". The series chronicles the life of a middle-school kid, Greg Heffley. Pure comic gold! If I didn't know better, I would swear some of the entries were written by my boys!

The third book is just out : The Last Straw.
A must read!



Cast Off:
Alex had his cast cut off this week and is getting back into "the swim" of things. Literally. He is now able to go back to swim practice and Dad is having him do a bit of weight training to regain strenth in his arm. We are also back to 2-handed piano playing!

Bills are starting to roll in from the December trip to the ER as well as from the follow-up visits to the orthopedic doctor, x-rays & radiologist's fees. Fun times for my hubby who is trying to decipher them. Amazing how many "extra" charges were found. It pays to review bills and make sure they were coded and charged properly!


Million Dollar Smile:

Colin had two teeth pulled on Monday. He was a model patient and has recovered nicely.

Wish I could say the same for our pocket book!

Surprise Package

A friend who was visiting a few weeks ago from Florida, sent us a package which arrived yesterday. Inside was a cool book, Pandora's Box. This is a box/book filled with activities, pop-up pictures, stories and games that are designed to make learning about Greek Mythology fun.

She had learned that my boys are "getting into" Greek Mythology and thought the boys would enjoy this book (Which they are!)

My oldest son has read the series of books, Percy Jackson & the Olympians. (Greek mythology for kids) The last book in the series is due out in May.

Perhaps I can borrow this book from the boys. I have some catching up to do. I'm definitely not smarter than my Fifth ( and Sixth) grader.
Thanks Glynis!

Fill'er Up!



Price of gas on Thursday,
January 22, with my 20 cent Kroger Fuel Perk.

Gas prices dropped the next day from $1.83 a gallon to $1.77.

Hard to believe that prices were double this amount just a few months earlier.

At least we're saving money somewhere!

Skin Deep / Deep Thought of the Day

I was commiserating out loud with Debbie on her Jan. 18th post about not recognizing the older person in the mirror. It seems like overnight gray patches of hair are sprouting, I am developing jowls and "laugh lines" are starting to make a case for Botox.

Fresh from hearing the Inaugural Address and Martin Luther King Speech, my wise son, Alex, reminded me that

" It doesn’t matter what your skin looks like; it’s what’s inside that counts!"

(I give that 2 LOLs & a big )

Putting Our Money Where His Mouth Is!

Word to the Toothfairy: Pay Up!!!

Today my youngest son (who will be 8 in March) had to go to the oral surgeon to get 2 teeth pulled. Colin had a supernumerary tooth which was creating a log jam in the gums and preventing his top-front baby tooth from falling out. When he smiled, he reminded me of Goofy Grape.

The orthodontist recommended immediate action: 1. Braces then 2. Get the baby tooth & extra adult tooth removed; attach a chain to the remaining adult tooth then 3. Go back to orthodontist and have the chain attached to the braces to guide the Adult Tooth into place.

We were a bit nervous. We were attempting to have the extraction done with only Novacaine. Most patients his age are "put under" which would require an anesthesiologist at the local Children's Hospital. Not only is the hospital visit much more costly, there is more risk involved with anesthesia.


When Push Comes to Shove
Last week Colin had braces put on his top teeth. He was a good patient for most of the visit until he grabbed the orthodontist's arms and pushed back, while the doctor was jamming metal bands on his teeth.

The orthodontist shot a look at my husband and issued a warning. If Colin put up even the smallest resistance next week with the Surgeon, he'll refuse to operate in his office and the procedure will be postponed and moved to the hospital. This did not bode well and we had a week to prepare.


The Bribe
My two younger boys are into Webkinz, which I would describe to the uninitiated as a cross between Beanie Babies and Second Life. For around $14 you get a bean-filled animal with a code to enter a virtual playground. This is like crack for elementary-school kids. My husband made an offer of FOUR WHOLE HOURS on the Webkinz virtual world in exchange for model patient behavior.

Game Day
The bribe worked! I have never in my life heard of anyone looking forward to getting teeth pulled. Yet my son was giddy with excitement. It also added to his glee that his brother was jealous.

In just under 30 minutes the deed was done and my son came bouncing though the door. With a gauze filled mouth and two teeth in hand, he couldn't wait to get home to his computer. I was told Colin did great and the doctor was impressed (pleasantly surprised).

We Need To Schedule The Toothfairy Visit.

My husband told me there would be a two day delay for the Toothfairy. We need to allow time for Show & Tell at school. I told my hubby that I will leave the logistics up to him. Lately due to "great minds thinking alike" the late-night tooth payout has been double. I think the only reason the gig isn't up is that my kids don't want to mess with a good thing!

These days we don't worry about our bank failing. We prefer to put our savings into the mouths of our babes. I used to call my baby "Mr. Jack-o-Lantern Smile".

Now I call him "Lil Bling-Bling Mouth"!

Stupid Human Trick: The Straw

In my family, I am the only person who can not roll their tongue. Two of my boys can even turn their tongues into straws. Not sure the "straw trick" is even that unusual ( my boys don't think so).

Unfortunately, this is the best "Stupid Human Trick" that I can come up with. If you can roll your tongue, do YOU ever make it into a straw?

Friday Fragments - Out in the Cold

Friday Fragments

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard.

Minority Report

I remember my first open house at my boys' school. I have always felt a bit "out of the loop" and like an "outsider". I was sure that I was labeled "One of Those Parents" - the bad mom who is totally clueless as to her children's school-life. I was so relieved to find out I was not alone and found many parents to commiserate with. We pooled our collective knowledge and shared tips on surviving the school year.

Nothing like a PTO meeting to bring back that "special feeling"! Thought I'd attend a PTO meeting to get a better handle on school fund raisers and to make a few suggestions. Quite the opposite of Open House. I sat in a room full of "In-The Know", "Uber-Volunteers" who would make the Stepford Wives look inferior. If you ever want to ruffle some feathers, go to your next PTO meeting and suggest some changes to procedures that have not changed in years.

I am now officially: "One of Those Parents"!

I have a "Smart Phone", Now I need a "Smart" Answering Machine

I keep getting messages at work from a bill collection agency for someone who must have previously had my phone number. They are left at night on my answering machine, when no one is here and start out the same way:

"This message is for "___________". If you are not "__________", please hang up. By continuing to listen to this message, you acknowledge you are "____________".......*brief pause*.... (message for "__________" continues)

"____________" is a person I do not know. How the heck can I hang up when I did not answer the call in the first place. Perhaps my voice mail system has a secret life and in off-hours is "___________"!

The Weather Outside is Frightful (and My Electric Space Heater is Quite Delightful)

So much for a "White Christmas"! We had unseasonably warm, wet weather when the kids were home on Christmas break. This week we have been having a cold snap with 6 inches of snow and sub-0 temps! The boys had a 2 hour delay yesterday and no school today, due to the deep freeze. How's that for irony?

I've Got Mail!

A short while back I wrote about a temporary reprieve from spam due to the shutdown of a host for major spam servers. Well that Junk EMail Holiday is over. My spam levels are back up to the daily, triple-digit, pre-take-down levels.

Let me know if you are looking for great deals on Swiss Watches, ED Drugs, Hot Girls, Discount Drugs or Hot Investment Tips...

Wordless Wednesday - Snowy Day

Almost Home

Dinnertime

Friday Fragments - What did you mean by that?

Friday Fragments

Friday Fragments are bits and pieces of your week that are usually brief; too short for a stand-alone post, but too good to discard.

Be Careful of What you Ask

We are creatures of habits and tend to ask questions that we don't really want an answer to.
We ask total strangers "How are you doing today?", a fellow parent: "How are your kids?"or a shop owner as we stroll through their establishment, "How's business?". Most time we are looking for a one-word, affirmative answer; "Great!" or "Fine" or "Okay". This is our awkward attempt at being friendly.

I've caught myself pontificating to the point of eyes glazing over when asked about my children, only to realize one syllable would have sufficed. The clerk at the store doesn't really want to hear about my litany of ailments. Many times it is unclear how much information is too much and whether my inquisitor really cares.

I've decided that my new tag-line / response to this line of questioning will be:

"Do you want the Director's Cut or the Cliff Notes version?"

Um....Thanks (I think)

Speaking of awkward conversation.... I was at a business networking luncheon yesterday. It was a delightful group of people exchanging polite conversation over a catered meal at a fine-dining establishment. As the event was breaking up and we were exchanging goodbyes, one of my table-mates wished me

"Good luck with your business!"

I've been in business for over 15 years and things are "going well"* (*Cliff Notes Version). I couldn't help but wonder if the parting comment was meant as a nicety, the same way someone would say " God Bless You!" to a sneeze. Or was it more snooty like " Good luck with your life" (I have no use for your kind)?

Perhaps I didn't sound sincere enough when I had said "It was nice meeting you." Come to think of it, I was just being polite.

I wonder what the world would be like if we all just said EXACTLY what we meant????


In other news (non-sequitur)

On Wednesday, we finally got some snow ( 2 weeks 2 late). We are supposed to have a bit more snowfall over the weekend. Glad we haven't put away our "Holiday Decorations". Macy's is having a kick-*** sale. Perhaps I'll recreate Christmas. I think I'll take a "Do-Over"!

Wordless Wednesday - 2 Weeks 2 Late

Sum it up Saturday - Kind of like Friday Fragments but on Saturday

Forgive me fellow bloggers for I have sinned! I have been neglecting my blog. I have been called out by Weaselmomma and she is correct: I have been wrapped up in my new cell phone!

The Joys of Technology

The second half of 2008 brought new technology into my life that I never dreamed of owning and I almost feel like an Amish teen experiencing Rumspringa.
I had heard tale of cars that talk and fondly remember the television show "My Mother the Car" (60's t.v. show). I never dreamed that I would ever own a car that would give me directions (navigation system), tell me when I was going to back into something ( rear-view camera) and entertain my family (dual DVD system & satellite radio).

Thank you Stop-Sign-Crashing-Driver that totaled my old, inferior vehicle!

Talk to Me
Sometimes when I am driving by myself and get a bit lonely for company, even though I know where I am going, I have used my navigation system. The soothing voice reminds me where to exit and turn in a non-judgmental tone (unlike my hubby).

Now with my new "Smart Phone" and blue-tooth technology, I can make calls though my sound system using voice recognition software that is installed in my "Mother the Car". There are a few glitches to work out yet and I have accidentally called the Emergency Towing System and the wrong contact a few times.

I also noticed that the car's VRS (voice recognition system) seems to listen better to my husband than me. Just like at home with my boys! I thought it was because I am not speaking loudly or clearly enough. (Or perhaps not spanking hard enough!)

Turns out there is a bit of sexism in the VRS software! I ran into a friend at the bank yesterday who has a PhD in Speech Pathology and specializes in voice recognition systems. She told me that much of the programs in service are out-of-date and used mainly male voices for modeling speech patterns. Guess I'll have to lower my voice an octave....


Lucky 13

On New Year's Eve, my husband and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary. To celebrate, we had reservations at one of our favorite restaurants that we have not been to in a few years.
My oldest son just turned 12 and we were able to leave the boys alone for a few hours.

We fed them an early dinner and let them watch t.v. They were able to call us with any questions or problems. Which they did twice.

1. When will you be back and can I go on Webkinz?
and
2. Can we have dessert?

We were home by 8:30 and brought back a chocolate cake. We watched Carson Daley who has the same cell-phone as me and posted photos he took as the night progressed. I haven't gotten around to mastering the camera function yet. ( I'm still working on not calling or sending text messages by accidentally bumping the wrong button)

Other Tidbits

Keep those Cards & Letters Coming!
Our kitchen wall is covered with Holiday Cards & Letters and we need to get started on writing ours. I heard from a long lost friend who is now living in sunny Florida at the beach. (I am sooo jealous)! We also found out that one of our friends had a new addition to their family via adoption and another couple who has been trying for years to conceive are expecting twins in a few months!

Looks like we'll be meeting our Insurance Deductible this year!
Alex went back to the Orthopedic Dr. and his arm is healing nicely. Just a few more weeks hopefully....
Colin, my 7.75 year old has been bouncing between the dentist, orthodontist and oral surgeon(s) getting x-rays, molds and second opinions. He currently has a "Pumpkin Smile" due to a "supernumerary tooth" or extra adult tooth that is creating a "pile-up" of adult teeth and will require tooth extraction and braces.

Better start playing the lottery! We are going to be needing some $$$ in 2009. I wonder if my new cell phone or my new car have any suggestions for numbers??????

Happy New Year !