1st shipments have arrived

I'm not sure what's gotten into me lately, but it seems like I've been shopping online an unusual amount lately! Now, there's the occasional shipment of things like your best acne treatment. Some people even have that kind of stuff on auto ship!

No, I'm not talking about that. I'm saying these are things I've actually sought out and ordered recently. It's odd because I rarely buy online and have packages to wait for, and now all of a sudden theres a bunch of them all at once. I'm just trying to remember them all! Of course, since you know how much I love a good list, I've created this one to help me keep it all straight. Here are some of the items that are on their way to me right now:

• Binoculars from my credit card rewards program
• (2) sets of 'Star' shaped earrings from the free silver site
• Mother of Pearl ring from the free silver site
• Black and white summer dress from Evans in the UK
• (2) 8" LCD Picture Frames from Woot.com
• LTD Commodities order

The first shipments have now arrived, so I can check off the binoculars and the 2 pair of 'star' shaped earrings from the list. On a side note, I'm a little disappointed to get an email today (2 days after I ordered the dress) notifying me that Evans now has dresses on sale for 20% off. I called and they can't give me a refund on the discount but they are, as a goodwill gesture, refunding my cost of shipping. Which is 7.50 GBP. More than the 20% off (6.00 GBP) would have been, so I can't complain there, I just wish they had a policy like most US retailers do, if the price goes on sale in the next 7-10 days after you buy it, they give you the sale price. Oh well! I'll take it either way!

Life is so busy these days...

There's work every day, something going on practically every night and sometimes extra work, too. Just seems like there's a lot going on right now...parties of all sorts, graduations, family reunions, holidays, meetings, birthdays, traffic school, court, benefits, hair cuts, car maintenance, bills, cleaning, family, pet meds, losing weight, skin care, sick people...the list goes on and on!Of course, some things never stop knocking at the door...like getting healthy and losing weight. If you don't ever start, you can't ever finish, right?! LOL It's not like I'm going to go out in search of some diet pills or anything like that. I just need to start off by making better decisions. I know I talk about this alot on my blog because I want to be open about my intentions. I need the reminder right in front of me. So keep me in your prayers, all. It's gonna be 'no rest for the weary' for a while yet!

Pet Peeves. Yeah, I got em'

I have a few pet peeves, I think we all do. As much as we try to be tolerant of other people's habits and quirks, sometimes things bug us and we just can't help it. I'm sure if we could list all our pet peeves we'd end up with a list a mile long!

Today I'd like to mention just one special pet peeve of mine. Any guesses? No, it's not people who look down at their hands while they play piano. No, it's not when people text while driving, although that is high on my list.

Today's pet peeve has to do with telephone calls. Here's the situation, they either:
1. Never have their phone on
2. Never answer the phone when you call
3. Never call back when they see the 'missed call' or
4. Never return your call when you leave a message!

UGH! Seriously...maybe it's the Italian in me, but that is sooo disrespectful. Nothing says, 'you aren't important like to me' like not being answered or called back. Especially if you leave a message saying hey, I need some information you have. I understand people are busy...what, like I'm not?? I guess some people just don't put the same importance on the certain things we do but it really does get under my skin when it happens over and over again with the same people.

America, you done good! Kris Allen wins American Idol!

This season of American Idol was pretty good. I can't say it was my favorite though. I didn't feel particularly partial to any one contestant this year. If I had to pick, I'd say my favorite was Danny Gokey. I liked his story and his performances. After he was eliminated, I really thought Adam Lambert was going to win.

I mean, Adam has all the attributes to be the next biggest thing on the goth/emo scene! I just couldn't stand to hear him screaming anymore. There's a fine line between carrying a note and screeching and he crossed that line. Alot. I just figured the emo and goth kids who text to the friends they are standing next to rather than speaking in case an adult would happen to hear them, would have burned up the airwaves voting for Adam. The kids these days can text in their pockets without even looking! I didn't even bother voting to be honest, because I thought it was a waste of time and effort...it'd be like calling a Pleasanton motorcycle accident attorney even though the bike went down in Sturgis. You know what I'm saying?

But America voted well! I think Kris Allen is great and I'm glad he won. Congrats Kris! The finale show was great and I enjoyed most of the various performances. Adam fit right in on stage with Kiss (good to see someone does)!!! It was especially satisfying to see Tatiana being corralled by security as she tried to sing her way back into the competition. Never give up hope, sista! LOL In the end, Kris was awarded the winner and I'm excited to see what he will be busy doing in the upcoming months!

Wow, what a beautiful day in St. Louis!

I can't wait to get outside...I slept in this morning but now I'm ready to get out and about :)

On today's agenda is to vacuum my car, pick up a get well card for a friend in the hospital, meet up with some friends and go visit her in the hospital, dinner with friends and then I'm open! I'm in a great mood, had a great pancake breakfast and I'm ready for just about anything! Well, not shopping for wholesale computers, I'll save that for a rainy day :)

I've missed my blog, haven't posted in a while. Funny how Facebook seems to grab all my extra online time these days....but I'm happy to come back and blog too. How about you? What are your plans for this beautiful day? Anyone having a bbq they'd like to invite me too? LOL

It takes a village...and a policeman and a hair dresser and a mail man...

I know raising kids in the big city can be hard. Especially when you are the kind that thrives best in a more rural setting. Sometimes, you could use a little help when you find yourself in a pinch. It's ok! That's what we are all here for, to help each other!

Take this momma for instance. This morning she was out for a walk with the kids when tragedy struck. Somehow some of her little ones found themselves down in a drain pipe unable to get out! Help! Help!

As you can see, the community was very willing to help out. A policeman, a mail man, a hair dresser and many others, all chipped in to help momma duck rescue her babies and get them on the road to safety. Of course, momma duck doesn't always understand that we are doing our best to help them, not hurt them. Communication is everything in situations like these!

Just calm down, momma duck. We're doing our best here! Here's 2 more....aww...one can't be saved. Sorry momma duck, they did everything they could!

Soon they were on a guided path to safety. So mom's out there, when you find yourself in a pinch, don't hesitate to ask for help. Someone, even a perfect stranger as in this case, is more than willing to help out in any way they can.

***************************************

This incident happened around 10 am 4-29-09 in Lemay, Missouri.

Favorite quotes from Southland: Episode 1

#1 "What are you, Canadian?"

#2 "Wanna know how to stop all this gang bangin'? Give em' all free marijuana!"

#3 "What did you think the gun was for? Show and tell??"

#4 "I had the day from hell...I got arrested."

If you missed the start of this great new show on NBC, feel free to watch them over on Hulu.com and get caught up on Southland. It's a great show!! Each week I'm going to post my favorite quotes to tease and/or remind you. I'm a little behind so I have some catching up to do. If you watch the show, feel free to comment with your favorite quotes!

New addiction on Facebook...Farm Town!!

I am prone to addiction. I know this. I must repeat things over and over. If I even visit something like Amazon books, I'm there getting a stack of books! Addicted!!!

Well, as if I wasn't already addicted to Facebook enough, now I've discovered a new app to spend copious amounts of time on. It's called Farm Town!

Love it!!! I'm totally addicted. I don't want to work, I don't want to sleep. I want Farm Town! I only wish there was a way to get the crops to grow quicker LOL It's too fun and by the way, if you have any crops to harvest, I'm your girl! The only thing I don't like is pimping yourself in the marketplace for harvesting jobs to earn money to run your own farm. Other than that, it's awesome! Try it and come be my neighbor. I need a couple more :)

St. Louis City, smoke free? Is it possible?

I heard a piece on the news last night that talked about changing a law in the city of St. Louis to make all public places smoke free. Although I personally love this idea, I know alot of people are miffed about it.

Think about it though, would we allow any other toxic waste to fill the air in public places? I realize some bars and restaurants feel like they will lose business if this gets changed, but how much business are they already losing by allowing smoking now? I personally stay away from smoky places. I simply don't patronize places where my clothes and purse and hair and lungs are going to be drenched in cigarette smoke during and well after my encounter. It's harmful to my health and offensive to my sense of smell and negatively affects the taste of food. No thanks!

Besides, when are we going to consider the negative affects on the kids? Not only is it harmful to their health, it sends a message. A self indulgent message that it's ok to hurt someone else, because you have the right to do it to yourself. My father smoked with us kids in the car and in the house, my entire life at home. I ended up taking up the habit after he left. Perhaps I was 'conditioned' to regular doses of the nicotine and subconsciously craved it? Who knows. The point is, it wasn't good for us to be breathing that in for all those years but that didn't matter as long as he wanted to do it. It's everyone's choice weather or not they want to smoke, unless they are standing next to someone else's choice. Take a moment to read up on the effects of second hand smoke from the American Lung Association.

School nurses have to have like written permission from parents to give kids an aspirin at school but do they have your protection from breathing toxic waste into their lungs by just walking through the clouds just outside the entrances to theaters, malls, schools, restaurants, stores and many many other public places? If you want to smoke, keep it to yourself. Literally. Just like news of the best diet pill might spread fast, smoke gets around! It's your choice to smoke or not, but don't expect other people to enjoy being forced to suffer because of it. For shame.

And don't EVEN get me started on the part where the earth is just one ginormous ash tray! What do you think happens to that butt or empty pack? 'Someone' has to clean them up! They don't just disappear into thin air when you throw them out your car window! I'm done with this conversation.

Robin Thicke is coming to my town!

Tomorrow night, Robin Thicke will be in concert at the Fabulous Fox theater in St. Louis and I can't afford a ticket :( Jennifer Hudson is opening and I wouldn't mind seeing her either! Waaah!!!

You may remember a post I did a while back about Robin Thicke, the man is so smooth, he can make baby lotion sound like the best eye cream ever made! He actually has a song about cocaine and makes it sound sexy! This style of music isn't even my 'normal' diggs, there's just *something* about him! I think he has a more recent album than 'The Evolution of Robin Thicke' but that's the only one I have or have heard. Still, shoot! I wanna go!!! Someone should totally give me a ticket out of the kindness of their heart, I only need the one ticket! :-{)

(click on the above photo to go to a 'Lost without you' video)

Time to party!

Well, this past Saturday got off to a great start! We had a rummage sale to benefit the women's ministry at church and for no more than we had, we did great! Can't complain there.

Next, it was time for my friend's son's 5th birthday party. They make a lot more 1st birthday decorations than they do 5th birthday decorations...but I think that's because by the time they are 5, they have specific things they like and you go for those kinds. His party theme was Transformers....too fun! It was a simple yet fun party and everyone had a great time, especially the kids who played and played!

While I was at that party, I got invited to another party for later on that night. A girls night in type party. It was my first time to be invited and I have had reservations about it in the past and was actually kind of relieved I hadn't been invited yet because if I decided not to go, that would possibly cause offense and I wouldn't want that. But where I am right now, I felt comfortable enough to say yes and it helped my other friend since this was also her first time to be invited back since her reuniting with that friend again and she needed someone to drive her with her sight being what it is right now. So it all worked out. Although I wasn't sure it would for me since I had been up since 4:45 that morning to open the rummage sale, ack!

I ended up going to that party after the first party and had fun at both. We ate food and played games and it was nice to see some faces I haven't seen in a while. I'm talking about both parties :) So, party on!

Susan Boyle's got it going on!

Surely by now you've heard this performance on Britain's Got Talent last week. Susan Boyle sang so beautifully, I'll bet Simon felt under dressed! It was like all of a sudden being at a fine operatic performance and perhaps he should have been wearing a tuxedo instead of a t-shirt.

None the less, Susan gave a wonderful performance and I really hope this isn't the last we've seen/heard from her. I read one blog that talked about her age and love of cats and the fact that she was still single gave women hope that would otherwise be thinking 'it's too late for me'. Maybe there's something to that, but doesn't she wish she would have tried before now to get discovered? She wasted alot of time and maybe she did try and nothing ever worked out. It's great that she continued to put herself out there. Maybe Simon can give her a kiss and that would kill 2 birds with 1 stone! Just joking...she hasn't waited this long to throw it away on someone like Simon Cowell! LOL

Let this be a lesson to everyone about jumping the gun and judging the book by it's cover, shall we? You never know the beauty inside of a person just waiting for an opportunity to burst out!

"Do you have a blog?"

The coolest thing happened to me the other day in Target. I was roaming around the store shopping for what seemed like everything short of appetite suppressants, I really need to start making a list to take with me. Anyway, I had just enjoyed a 15 minute conversation with a little old lady who noticed I had kitty litter in my basket and wanted to discuss our love of cats :)
After I walked away from that furry conversation, I began again to wonder through the store. Suddenly I heard a woman speak to me asking, "Do you have a blog?" I replied 'yes' with a bit of surprise. "And you went to London?" At this point I was stunned because I wrote about that like, 2 years ago! "Yeeeeees....?" She then tells me that her friend has a blog with a similar name and she also had gone to London. She stumbled upon my mine by pure accident looking for her friend's blog and she recognized me from my blog!!! Wow! I was blown away that I could be recognized on the street because of this blog...so cool!

I told my mom about the encounter with Heidi (I think that's your name, please correct me if it's not, sorry!!!) and my mom cried out, "My daughter is a celebrity!!!" She had a big grin on her face. I didn't have the heart to tell her that was highly unlikely. Especially with my page ranking and traffic scores. But it is nice to be recognized for something positive :)

Heidi if you are reading this, thanks for stopping me to say 'Hi', it really made my day. Congrats on the pregnancy and don't give up on your blog. I hope you stop by here again and leave me a comment so I can come find your blog, too!

Pirates gone wild!

When I was a kid, I learned that pirates were 'the bad guys'. They would overtake the control of boats and ships to rob people of jewelry and cash with only one eye yelling 'Arrrrrgghhh!' Sometimes the vessels themselves were the object of the pirates desires. They were known to be very violent and brazen, empowered with a strong sense of lawlessness.

Over the past few years, I've noticed an increase in the number of otherwise 'regular' people who fancy taking on the persona of pirates as their chosen lifestyle. Even going as far as speaking like them and dressing and raising their kids with the same lawless attitudes. Perhaps pirates have been glamorized by Hollywood and Halloween a bit too much. Keep in mind, these are the kind of 'pirates' that never rob anyone nor do they desire to plunder anyone's goods. They live in suburbia for goodness sakes!

Real pirates of today have taken piracy to a whole new level. They aren't interested in a few heart pendant necklaces or bigger boats for their fleets. No, these guys set out in tiny boats with big guns and overtake ginormous cargo liners! What is wrong with these people? Somalian pirates *must* have a screw loose...and a big one at that! I think they've been let go to get away with this for far too long or something. Now, not only are they wreaking havoc among the European shipping circles, they are now barking up the tree of the USA! Well, we came in bigger boats with even bigger guns and all the skills needed to handle the situation! Even still, they just aren't accepting that there will be an end put to all this, if they continue. I just read an article on Charter.com that said they have just hijacked 4 more ships in retaliation of their fallen colleagues in the Gulf of Aden. Oh boy...here we go again. Certainly these are definitely not the kind of people to be modeling your family values from.

I think this would make a great bit called 'Really' on SNL's Weekend Update. It might go a little something like this: "Really pirates? Really? You didn't learn the first time we shot 3 of your colleagues in the head on the first shot from a good distance atop a moving surface through a glass about *this* big simultaneously? Really?? And really, now we have to come back and do it all over again? Really??? Really, do you think we will actually turn our backs on this? Really, Really??"

It's about time now, to get back to blogging!

After the shiny new glow of Facebook has finally started to fade, I'm discovering that I'm missing things I used to do online to keep busy with. Like blogging! I predicted that joining Facebook would divert much of my attention throughout the day and I was right! I find so many things on there to keep busy with, I forget all the other facets of online life that I shoved aside in the meantime. The games, the (Lil) Green Patch, Flair, photos, videos, groups...the list goes on and on!

Facebook has it's fun and it's 'worth', if you will. But when it comes to writing, it doesn't hold a candle to blogging! I feel completely open on my blog to express myself and have my time to really get it all out there. On Facebook, you are sort of limited in characters in some areas and you really only get to express tiny blurbs here and there as different topics arise.

Well, it's time to get back to other things! It's also about time for some Vegas vacations too, but that's a whole other topic!! It's time to get back to my regular game site, Gold Token. It's time to get back to emails, for goodness sakes! I've had this one friend I've intended to email for months now! Good grief already. So Facebook, I love ya, but it's time for me to refocus and you're gonna have to step back in line somewhere else.

Proactiv, you owe me a pillowcase!!!

Let's have a talk about beauty and health care for a minute. I promise, no talk about such colorful topics as colon cleanse or wart remover!

I had been happy for years with my Bio Matte Oil Free skin care products from Arbonne. I loved it! It really kept my face looking good as long as I used it regularly. I couldn't believe the difference in my skin and overall look in just the first week alone! Well, like all good products that you find work great for you, the line was discontinued by Arbonne and the next generation line was nothing I even cared to use on my face. The feel was wrong the smell was wrong and the lotion didn't have any SPF in it. Bleh.

So the search has continued for years of me trying to find a good system that I like and works well for my combination skin. I've tried various Avon products that were only 'Ok'. They had a moisturizer that would irritate my eyes. So I'm still looking.

Last week, I realized my mom had purchased the Proactiv system to try and had never used it. So I finally got around to trying it last night before bed. I used Step #1, the cleanser followed by Step #2, the toner and then after a time of air drying, I went on to Step #3, the repairing lotion. My face felt pretty good when I went to bed, I must admit! And the fragrance itsn't too bothersome.

The problem came when I woke up today and saw that the pillow case to my brand new sheet set is all bleached out where my face had been all night!!!!!!!! What is up with that? Should I be worried about my clothes during the day if I have this on my face? And if it can do that to a green pillowcase, what is it doing to my skin??? Ugh, Proativ, you owe me a pillowcase!!! I miss my Bio Matte from Arbonne! Waaaaaaah!

Late night drama in the city

Tonight at approximately 1:03 am, I was jolted out of bed by the loud sounds of a car accident in front of my apartment. The weather is cool tonight but I have the windows open anyway. So I grab my phone and dial 911 before I even have time to throw on some clothes. I was already in bed, mind you!

So, I ran to the front living room windows and look out. I had to tell the dispatcher on the phone that I heard a terrible crash but now that I'm looking I could only see some debris in the street, I couldn't see any cars! Then out the door and into the street. By this time, other neighbors began to emerge and my attention was directed to about 2 blocks down the street where you could see a white car stopped in the street. As it turns out, this guy had hit the car parked on the street in front of my parking lot and from the vantage point of my apartment, you couldn't see the damage to the car. It's totaled on the other side.

He then proceeded down the street until his right front tire broke off to the right and the car stopped about a foot short of hitting a second car. The other neighbors and myself walked down the street and greeted a young man who was walking around the car. He was almost laughing. I asked him if this was his car and he said, "Yeah, this is my car. I just need to move it over there and park it." I asked him if he was driving and he was like, "Yeah I was...I just need to move it over here."

WOW! Drunk or high much?

Later we saw the drunk/high (maybe both) driver in the back of one of the squad cars. Congratulations dummy, you've won a free night's stay....in jail....YESSSSSSS!!! The unfortunate owner of the totaled car never did come out. One of the officers ran the plates on it and it was registered to an address for across the street but he couldn't gain entrance into the building to notify them of the accident situation. They are gonna be ticked off in the morning!!!

Vacation time dreaming

Every time the weather goes from dreary and drab wintery overcast clouds to bright and warm springy blue skies...I want to get out of Dodge! I always want to take a vacation and go see the world and get out of this office! Ugh...

This has been one drawback of working for a business that prepares tax returns, as soon as the weather is getting nicer, that is when we have to work the most hours! Although I am not directly involved in the tax preparations much around here these past few years, I still can't take any time off until after the April 15th tax deadline because I need to be here to do my job since my boss doesn't have enough time to get done what he has to do, much less having time for my work, too.

So, until then, there will be no flight plans, no road trips, no days in the sun at all!! Ok, I'll stop crying in my soup for now...I'm just satisfied to still have a job in this economy!!

My Name is Earl: Karma theology

I have really enjoyed the sitcom My Name is Earl. I've watched the show since it began! I get a kick out of the situations they find/get themselves in and how Earl uses karma theology to right wrongs from his past. It's great entertainment!

Tonight's show entitled 'Witch Lady' seemed a bit after-school-special to me. It was nice to see Betty White working again but the 'let's not put labels on people' set-up and speech by Earl was a bit predictable to say the least. Hopefully they won't have any trouble raising the content bar back up to it's previous level in the future. It's been a really funny (and odd) show for me, wouldn't want to have nix it!

Cirque Dreams, A jungle fantasy! TONIGHT

Tonight I have a ticket to see Cirque Dreams, A jungle fantasy at the fabulous Fox Theater in St. Louis, Mo.

I'm pretty sure it's a sort of Cirque Du Soleil ripoff. But still, I can't wait! I have only been to the circus one time, when I was 21 no less, and I loved it. Also, I've never been to a ballet of any kind so for me this is a fun combination of both! I'm excited. I just wish I would have ordered a pair of opera glasses from ebay by now. I think they'd come in real handy on nights like these. :)

My momma really, really loves me.

This was waiting for me on my desk this morning. My momma really, really loves me!

You can find me on Facebook!

Ok, I finally caved in and joined Facebook. Now, I'm totally addicted! I'm finding myself not even checking my email as much as FB. And the best part? I've been reunited with an old best friend that I had grown apart from years ago! When we were friends last, she had 2 sons around the age of 6 & 5....the oldest is graduating high school in May and she has another son who's now 7!!! It's just wonderful :D

It's also amazing to discover that I only joined Facebook about 3 weeks ago and when I searched for her, she wasn't on there. Last week, she joined and looked for me right away and there I was! Even more amazing is to see how the Lord is working in my life. I had always been left with a sour taste in my mouth at the idea that there were these people who had left my life thinking I was a bad person and Sheila has just proved that wrong! She has proved to me that even though we have all made mistakes and lost years of history because of ill feelings, we are still left with a lifetime of great memories still to make! What a wonderful feeling to regain a lost and broken friendship. Praise the Lord, you are so good to me. I can't wait to meet her/them all over again!!!

The Hole in the Wall game show

Have you seen this game show on Fox called 'Hole in the Wall'? It's a great concept for a game show. It's originally a Japanese game that became wildly popular around the world.

There's 2 teams of 3 players and points are given for clearing through the walls that are moving towards the players. The walls are made of thick foam cut out into different shaped openings and the players have to contort themselves in order to clear them. You also have to land in the 'play area' or else it's a 'not clear' and there are no points. Also, *just* behind the play area, is a pool of water and if any part of you ends up in the water, that's also a 'no clear' too.

The melodramatic host and over glamorized female assistant with 80's hair and scantily clad clothes are a bit over the top. But it's understandable considering there's really no 'content' to the show, there's alot of empty time to be filled considering each wall encounter takes about 15 seconds...and that includes the replay. LOL

But it's so fun to watch them try to clear the walls! When they do, your jaw drops down and you can't believe it! Some of the wall combinations are IMPOSSIBLE to clear. Literally. And then, the winning team gets a chance at the blind wall as the sort of 'bonus round' for extra winnings. They pick 1 teammate to be blindfolded and the other 2 have to give directions to how they should position their arms and legs and everything else in order to clear the wall, which rarely happens successfully. But I just finished watching the newest episode and these 3 girls just took home $125,000 for winning the game for $25,000 and they actually successfully cleared the blind wall for an extra $100,000!!! You can watch full episodes of Hole in the Wall on the website. Too funny! It's very entertaining.

It's time, to face the hole!!!

That's it! Tatiana is schitsophrinic.

The judges finally nailed it tonight on American Idol. They finally figured out that there are many faces to Tatiana :)

I personally think she sings just fine but she is (as my friend Patrick says) crazy! She's very entertaining to say the least. She's up, she's down...even when she seems on an even keel, you can't help but to think some crazy is *just* about to seep out from her. They should have put her through just for the entertainment value alone!

And what's up with that, all of a sudden she speaks with a new accent we've never heard before? Viva Las Crazy, fo sho! My condolences to all the Tatiana fans who are disappointed to see her off the show for real this time....unless someone has to drop out in a couple weeks....Tatiana! There's still hope, again!!!! ;-)

It could have been worse

This past weekend was full of hope to get some much over due projects going around my place. I was tossing around thoughts of getting my oil changed, shopping for wholesale clothes, house cleaning...you know, nothing spectacular but things that were needing some attention.

Saturday morning came and I decided to do the necessary cleaning on my list that requires the use of those annoying yellow cleaning gloves, like changing the cat box and such, before I took my shower and went out to run errands. That would give me an extra opportunity to try and get that latex smell off my hands and wrists. I digress. So I am vacuuming around the cat box and I can tell the electricity is doing a little dance. Nothing major, then I notice the burning smell. "Great! My vacuum is about to burn out and I'll have to sell a kidney to buy another one."

Simultaneously, part of the electricity went out and the smoke detector started screeching! I looked up at the smoke detector and there was smoke coming out of the circuit breaker box hidden behind a wooden trap door in the hallway! Now I notice the smell was not just burned, it was the distinct smell of fire! So I proceeded to begin crying and franticly looking for my phone. I dialed 911. I was so scared, I could hardly talk! The firemen came and checked everything out. Too bad one wasn't Kirk Cameron like in Fireproof! Just joking...

There was no actual fire but it did burn out one of the breakers in that box and it had to wait until Monday to be repaired. Apparently, there were 30 watt glass fuses (yes, I said glass fuses. I know, old school) in one of the circuits in the basement and that allowed things to overheat before tripping the breaker. They aren't supposed to be more than 20 watts. So be sure and check yours to make sure you don't have 30's either!

So, needless to say, I didn't get much done what with having all that going on...Oh well! Atleast there wasn't a real fire!

Big important plans for the night...

Are you ready? Are you sitting down? My big important plans for the night are.... >insert drum roll sound effect<

Laundry!!!
>ta daaaaaa<

That's right, you heard it straight from me. Feel privileged to be told first cause it's kind of a big deal. My poor laundry hamper is buried somewhere beneath a mound of clothes in my bedroom and I'm running out of long pants to wear!

The good news is, my toe is feeling surprisingly better than I had expected so it shouldn't be a problem to go up and down the stairs tonight as far as that goes. I will have to unwrap it for the first time tonight so I hope all goes well there. Eek.

What a beautiful day for a toenailectomy!

The weather in St. Louis is just gorgeous today! I believe it was in the 70's, nice. I did get out for a brief time to go to the podiatrist and have a partial toenailectomy. Oooo, yay.

I only noticed my toe hurting a couple of days ago and it soon showed signs of infection and just wasn't getting any better so I decided to fork out the $40 copay and see the specialist. It was my first ever visit to this kind of Dr. so I was a bit apprehensive. He assured me that he went through this many times when he was a child and that is what made him interested in this field.

So, they sprayed freezing spray on it, then numbed it with shots, then in no time at all, the Dr. had cut out the ingrown portion of the nail and had me bandaged up ready to go! I was back in my office staring at the ceiling fans dreading the time when the numbing meds wear off before I knew it. I didn't watch the procedure. I took a book and honestly couldn't tell anyone was doing anything to me. Thank you, Lord! Eek, I think the numbing meds are losing their strength... Thank God I thought to bring a pair of flip flops with me today, 'just in case.'

Who knew fiber could be SO good?

On a recent trip to Sam's Club, my mom picked up a box of Fiber One blueberry muffins. I usually don't enjoy the taste of "diet" or "good for you" foods. But for the lack of anything else to have for breakfast one morning, I caved and tried one out.
Um, YUM!! These are the best blueberry muffins I think I've ever had! They have a bit of oats and some kind of crumbles on top and they are so moist and blueberry-y. Mmmmmm....I'd have these for breakfast everyday. Each muffin boasts 7 grams of Fiber and at least 8 grams of whole grain and have 25% less calories than other popular muffins. They come in a box of 12 and are individually wrapped which makes a great on the go snack that you can enjoy on your way to work or throw in your child's lunchbox. Did you know that fiber is a key ingredient in curbing hunger and managing weight? Talk about weight loss products, add this to your shopping list, they are so yummy! My only complaint would be that each one is only *this* big, so I feel like having 2, ssssshhhhh!

Um, ew?

How are you supposed to know if you are sick or not if your tissues are colored green already?

I just opened a new box of Kleenex and to my surprise, the tissues are not white, they are green! It's just strange is all. I wasn't really expecting to see that. I guess atleast this way, I will be all set for St. Patrick's Day, you know if I need to blow my nose that day or a leprechaun happens by and piddles on the floor. LOL

Enough is enough!

Yep, I'm there again. The place where I'm physically at my limit. I am no longer able to be comfortable and all my clothes are getting too small and nothing new in the stores fits right and again I am finding myself at the edge of what I can handle.

How can I expect my body to be strong and ready to serve others and get through what I ask it to get through everyday if I am overloading it with junk? Some people turn to various strict diet and work out regimens. I'm not interested in losing a bunch of weight rapidly and focusing on the pounds and results. What I am interested in, first and foremost is getting back to my online bible study called The Lord's Table: Phase 1. I was part of the way in to this fantastic and FREE 60 day study before and dropped the ball. I have an obligation to honor God in all my ways and that includes the health I have control over. The study will help me to make better eating decisions and discover the importance of being intentional about working exercise into my life a few times a week. If I get a grip on a few simple things, the Lord will control the results and I'm ok with that. So, enough is enough already, it's time for me to get focused!

I'd like to get back to things I used to do that were fun, like Six Flags or going back to Washington DC and Baltimore but in this condition, I am not ready for that, that's for sure! Not only do I need to get my physical self into shape, but get my finances into shape, too. I want to save up for it so I won't have any debt as in my prior trips, I'd also need to look into things like travel insurance online and new luggage.

I'll come back and share my tips and tricks. What works and what doesn't work so well. Perhaps you have a few ways you are intentional in realm of eating and exercise that you can share with me, feel free to leave a comment and let us know what works for you!

Review: The Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament MP3 Set

This is good, you're gonna love this! Imagine if you could just sit back, close your eyes and listen in while the stories of the Bible came to life in your mind. Now, what if I told you it would come to life with the voices of an all star cast? Well, you don't have to imagine anymore!

The Word of Promise Next Generation New Testament is a set of 3 CD's in MP3 format is over 23 hours of just that! Each book of the New Testament is introduced and explained by either Max or Jenna Lucado setting up the book in an easy to understand format. Sean Astin is the main narrator, you younger generation may remember him from the Lord of the Rings series.

The best part about listening to the CD's for me is the care and hard work that went into the background ambiance and how not only was there great musical accompaniment but also when the stories take you to different places, you can hear the movement. When someone runs from the truth, you hear their footsteps! For instance, when Jesus' parents came back to find him in the temple, you can hear the bustling of the market and town in the background! And in Revelation 4, when John is describing heaven and the thrones and the lamps, you can hear a roaring fire crackling.

This set would be great on a long road trip, I wish I would have had them when A and I drove from Maryland to St. Louis this past December. These CD's would make great gifts for people of all ages, really. I suggest, if you are thinking about giving someone an MP3 player, it would make an even better gift if you loaded it with the Word of God! I plan to enjoy mine for many years to come.

What's your favorite social networking site?

I realize that I am old fashioned when it comes to certain principals. I can't help but to be put off by the idea of Facebook or Twitter or MySpace or any of the other social networking sites. Do I really need to know every little detail of everybody else's life? Do they all need to know what I am doing at all times during the day? Do I really need yet another distraction in my day to keep me from doing the things I need to do or being the person I need to be? Are we losing touch with reality with our relationships? Some might say they are 'closer' to other people because of their participation and some might say they now rarely communicate by traditional means, even email or by phone, now that they are 'Tweeting' and such.

So now I want to hear from you. What is it about the social networking sites you belong to that you have liked or not liked? What are some pros and cons? What are your thoughts on the extent at which you feel you need to be 'plugged in' in order to keep up? What would you change if you could? Do you have any concerns about the reality of your relationships being like disposable gloves in the sense that you don't make as much 1 on 1 contact with those around you? How many minutes or hours would you say you spend a day on these sites? Am I just missing the boat?

Blow me away!

What is the deal with the wind in St. Louis today? We've had clients coming in all day and the wind just about rips the glass door to our office right out of their hands! According to the weather.com website, the gusts have gone up to 34 mph, but it seems like more than that. If it keeps on, it will blow all the mulberries off of the Mulberry trees!!! Even the street signs are wobbling back and forth.

Coming to the Fox Theater: Spring Awakening

Spring Awakening takes its inspiration from one of literature’s most controversial masterpieces – a work so daring in its depiction of teenage self-discovery, it was banned from the stage and not performed in its complete form in English for nearly 100 years.

It’s Germany, 1891. A world where the grown-ups hold all the cards. The beautiful young Wendla explores the mysteries of her body, and wonders aloud where babies come from, till Mama tells her to shut it, and put on a proper dress.

Elsewhere, the brilliant and fearless young Melchior interrupts a mind-numbing Latin drill to defend his buddy Moritz – a boy so traumatized by puberty he can’t concentrate on anything. Not that the Headmaster cares. He strikes them both and tells them to turn in their lesson.

One afternoon – in a private place in the woods – Melchior and Wendla meet by accident, and soon find within themselves a desire unlike anything they’ve ever felt.

As they fumble their way into one another’s arms, Moritz flounders and soon fails out of school. When even his one adult friend, Melchior’s mother, ignores his plea for help, he is left so distraught he can’t hear the promise of life offered by his outcast friend Ilse.

Naturally, the Headmasters waste no time in pinning the “crime” of Moritz’s suicide on Melchior and expel him. And soon Mama learns her little Wendla is pregnant. Now the young lovers must struggle against all odds to build a world together for their child.

I remember teen angst. Not a time I would enjoy revisiting, but I know there would be plenty to do over again-differently-if I had the chance. I have a ticket for the musical on opening night, next Tuesday night. It sounds very interesting, I've never heard anyone talk about it, so not sure what it will be like. They have some videos on their website that seem ok so far. Think there will be any custom promotional products? I'll let you know what I think after...

Valentine's Day is looming

What is the deal with Valentine's Day?

When you are a child, it's all about the candy and 'Valentine's' cards which are shared with every student, not just the girls. As you get older, the day takes on an entirely different persona.

Having never had a Valentine on Valentine's Day, I can honestly give an outside opinion. The whole 'holiday' (and I use that term loosely considering there isn't anything 'Holy' about it these days) seems to have taken the same commercial route that all the other holidays have taken. You have to buy flowers which are exponentially priced compared to 'off season', special candy that is put out just for the occasion, a card full of glitter and gushy words that someone else thinks might reflect your love and devotion, a 'real' gift like jewelry or a weekend away, an expensive dinner out, some kind of activity such as dancing or a show, not to mention a new outfit or two of them, if you are married. If you're *really, really* in love, you could spend a couple thousand dollars on this day!

If you are not in a serious relationship, you can be left to feel loveless or worthless or hideous if you don't have 'that special someone' who will shower you in this way. That is ridiculous! I know personally, I felt this way for many years before I realized that I didn't need a man to shower me with superficial things that I can buy for myself. It can really drive a person to feel bitter and sad and depressed! As if having a man in your life will make all those feelings go away. Well, it's simply not true.

And since when is it all the man's responsibility to go overboard trying to set up this forced environment of love? I don't really understand why the burden of this day always falls so heavily on the man...and women buy into it as well, as if they are entitled! I've seen women basically assume they will get X, Y and Z or their man is 'in trouble'. What??? Ugh...don't get me started you pampas arrogant princesses! Of course it's nice to be appreciated, but how dare you go there? You don't think your man shows you his love and devotion every day when he gets up and goes to work when he'd rather do something for himself like go fishing or sleep in just once? And that's just one way men show their commitments. I think the women today take WAAAAAAY too much for granted. They threaten to leave when things don't go their way and there is nothing sadder and weaker than using fear to gain control over your mate. Do you really want him if he's acting on fear or with his wallet? What ever happened to your vows? For better or for worse or for until I can no longer get whatever I want and need? Wake up women who act this way! Stop taking it for granted and focusing on the bad things in your mate. Why not look for the good that's there and find out what he needs for a change? Better yet, invite God back into the equation. Remember, you made your vows to Him!

Now there's nothing wrong with doing something nice for each other. Flowers are great! Cards are wonderful and so are notes left on the steering wheel just letting them know you are thinking of them that day. And who wouldn't enjoy a small gift of candy every now and then? Every couple has an anniversary, a date set aside in their lives for them to reflect on the past, evaluate the present and dream of the future! So why do we need an anniversary and some other day as well, that everyone celebrates? Do we really need to be reminded to be loving to each other? Is it really that special if everyone is doing it? Hmmm......

Down with conformity!!!

Well, as usual, I'm pretty sure I am alone in my convictions. So if you'd like a chance to win a $70 gift card for ProFlowers.com, go over and leave a comment on my friend Patrick's blog on his contest post called 'You Got Me What!' It's only open for a week so hurry in for your chance! There's nothing to sign up for, just leave a comment and you are entered. Anyone can play along.

Too funny: "Baby got book"

Enjoy!!!