McFunkville

So I'm sick.

I guess it's true that when you are super stressed for any given amount of time your immune system becomes vulnerable to every snotty five year old you encounter at the grocery store.

Ahh. Such is life.

I'm laying here tonight, having fully digested the craptasticness that is the new 90210 and waiting on my new prescription strength cough syrup to kick in. It's supposed to knock my ass to the floor, and leave me snoring in no time.

Ha. Supposed to. Clearly, it's not doing its job.

So let's see. What is new since the last time we talked?

Hmm. Not much.

Since last time I did a 'things I'm obsessed with list', this time I'll do a 'things I hate list'. Because I generally don't like lots of things. But that is only heightened when I'm hopped up on cough syrup.

• Facebook. I hate Facebook. I hate reading about the lives of people I really didn't even like in high school. I'm tired of looking at pictures of people's: 1) babies 2) drunken nights out 3) trips I wish I were going on. And I hate the new interface. HATE. I've hovered over the delete button several times, but I've yet to actually do it.
• 
  
• People who literally 6 months ago told me a woman should never be president, but who now believe Sarah Palin is the second coming of Jesus. Seriously people, it's either FOR or AGAINST. Perhaps I'd appreciate your view a little better if you weren't such a flip flopper.
• 
  
• Hurricanes. I'm tired of hearing about hurricanes. I'm tired of Anderson Cooper reporting on hurricanes. I'm tired of flipping through channels and hearing about more hurricanes. It's election time, Cable News Networks, quit giving me reasons to be glad I don't live in Florida.
• 
  
• And finally: being sick, having the blahs, not wanting to blog. I hate that. I hope I return to 'normal' soon. For now, I'm signing off from McFunkville.
  

Fun Pointless Stuff

I posted this earlier to my Tumblr, but I figured I'd share it further since I thought it was cute. Thanks Katie for the idea.



* Type your answer to the questions into a flickr search
* Using only the first page, pick an image
* Copy and paste each of the urls in the Mosaic Maker

1. What is your first name?
2. What is your favorite food?
3. What high school did you go to?
4. What is your favorite color?
5. Who is your celebrity crush?
6. What is your favorite drink?
7. What is your dream vacation?
8. What is your favorite dessert?
9. What do you want to do when you grow up?
10. Who/ what do you love most in life?
11. Choose one word that describes you?
12. What is your Flickr name?

In Which She Talks of Blogging

I saw this at American Family and figured it'd give a starting point for today. I've been struggling with what to say lately, due to silly things I don't want out there for the internet to see.

Why did you start a blog?
I was a freshman at UK, my first semester, when I read an article in the Kernel about blogging. It listed several sites to try and I signed up for a Xanga account. Then Candace and Ryan got one and it became this little thing we did I guess to pass the time, keep in touch. I don't know really. After that kind of died off I began the first of many attempts to start a blogspot blog, but I never really updated consistently. Then I found Charles' myspace blog and got the bright idea to start blogging over there. Which has lead to the current situation where I cross post at myspace and blogspot.

All the while I discovered the blogging giants like Amalah, Dooce, A Little Pregnant, Mighty Girl, Joy Unexpected, Zoot...etc. and kind of became in awe of the community. It's really given women a voice, which I've always thought was incredibly cool.

Why do you continue to blog?
I've always loved writing and oversharing stories about my family and life. In 5th grade I remember standing up in the class and voluntarily reading stories about my brother from my journal to the class. I have no filter, and I guess this blogging thing is just an extention of that.

Do you have a blogmother/blogfather?
Amalah and The Sarcastic Journalist were the first blogs I ever read, which were great inspirations. But I've not had anyone take me under their wing or anything.

Any downsides to blogging?
Despite my knack for oversharing my life I will be the first to admit I'm actually a really sensitive person. I think in some cases I've taken comments the wrong way (or the right way) and gotten really down in the dumps for the rest of the day. Which is silly. And I think in some cases this has led to me censoring myself on certain topics, namely: politics, depression and religion, simply because I don't want to start something.

I also think realizing if you put it out there it can be found is a sobering idea. I've begun to write less about my parents for the simple fear of them finding this (and the fact that my Mom is begging for a myspace). And as Jon gets older I've become more sensitive to what I'm sharing about him as well, out of simple respect. Early teenage-dom is an awkward time, I don't need to add to that.

Do your 'real' world friends read your blog?
Lots of them do, obviously. Strangely enough my closest real life friend does not though which is a bit odd. And I've made closer friends with people I've met in real life, but not known that well, through blogging which is really awesome.

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So tell me, if you blog, why do you do it?

Proof I Don't Just Read Trashy Romance Novels

Supposedly this is the list of 101 Books to Read Before College as selected by the College Board. Only I couldn't find the original link, so who really knows. Looks legit though. You know the drill...bold the ones you've read. Exam at the end.

Beowulf
Achebe, Chinua Things Fall Apart
Agee, James A Death in the Family
Austen, Jane Pride and Prejudice
Baldwin, James Go Tell It on the Mountain
Beckett, Samuel Waiting for Godot
Bellow, Saul The Adventures of Augie March
Bronte, Charlotte Jane Eyre
Bronte, Emily Wuthering Heights
Camus, Albert The Stranger
Cather, Willa Death Comes for the Archbishop
Cervantes, Miguel de Don Quixote
Chaucer, Geoffrey The Canterbury Tales
Chekhov, Anton The Cherry Orchard
Chopin, Kate The Awakening
Conrad, Joseph Heart of Darkness Cooper,
James Fenimore The Last of the Mohicans
Crane, Stephen The Red Badge of Courage
Dante, Inferno
Defoe, Daniel Robinson Crusoe
Dickens, Charles A Tale of Two Cities
Dostoyevsky, Fyodor Crime and Punishment
Douglass, Frederick Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass
Dreiser, Theodore An American Tragedy
Dumas, Alexandre The Three Musketeers
Eliot, George The Mill on the Floss
Ellison, Ralph Invisible Man
Emerson, Ralph Waldo Selected Essays
Faulkner, William As I Lay Dying
Faulkner, William The Sound and the Fury
Fielding, Henry Tom Jones
Fitzgerald, F. Scott The Great Gatsby
Flaubert, Gustave Madame Bovary
Ford, Ford Madox The Good Soldier
Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von Faust
Golding, William Lord of the Flies
Hardy, Thomas Tess of the d'Urbervilles
Hawthorne, Nathaniel The Scarlet Letter
Heller, Joseph Catch 22
Hemingway, Ernest A Farewell to Arms
Homer The Iliad
Homer The Odyssey
Hugo, Victor The Hunchback of Notre Dame
Hurston, Zora Neale Their Eyes Were Watching God
Huxley, Aldous Brave New World
Ibsen, Henrik A Doll's House
James, Henry The Portrait of a Lady
James, Henry The Turn of the Screw
Joyce, James A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man
Kafka, Franz The Metamorphosis
Kingston, Maxine Hong The Woman Warrior
Lee, Harper To Kill a Mockingbird
Lewis, Sinclair Babbitt
London, Jack The Call of the Wild
Mann, Thomas The Magic Mountain
Marquez, Gabriel Garcia One Hundred Years of Solitude
Melville, Herman Bartleby the Scrivener
Melville, Herman Moby Dick
Miller, Arthur The Crucible
Morrison, Toni Beloved
O'Connor, Flannery A Good Man is Hard to Find
O'Neill, Eugene Long Day's Journey into Night
Orwell, George Animal Farm
Pasternak, Boris Doctor Zhivago
Plath, Sylvia The Bell Jar
Poe, Edgar Allen Selected Tales
Proust, Marcel Swann's Way
Pynchon, Thomas The Crying of Lot 49
Remarque, Erich Maria All Quiet on the Western Front
Rostand, Edmond Cyrano de Bergerac
Roth, Henry Call It Sleep
Salinger, J.D. The Catcher in the Rye
Shakespeare, William Hamlet
Shakespeare, William Macbeth
Shakespeare, William A Midsummer Night's Dream
Shakespeare, William Romeo and Juliet
Shaw, George Bernard Pygmalion
Shelley, Mary Frankenstein
Silko, Leslie Marmon Ceremony
Solzhenitsyn, Alexander One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich
Sophocles Antigone
Sophocles Oedipus Rex
Steinbeck, John The Grapes of Wrath
Stevenson, Robert Louis Treasure Island
Stowe, Harriet Beecher Uncle Tom's Cabin
Swift, Jonathan Gulliver's Travels
Thackeray, William Vanity Fair
Thoreau, Henry David Walden
Tolstoy, Leo War and Peace
Turgenev, Ivan Fathers and Sons
Twain, Mark The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
Voltaire, Candide
Vonnegut, Kurt Jr. Slaughterhouse-Five
Walker, Alice The Color Purple
Warton, Edith The House of Mirth Welty, Eudora Collected Stories
Whitman, Walt Leaves of Grass
Wilde, Oscar The Picture of Dorian Gray
Williams, Tennessee The Glass Menagerie
Woolf, Virginia To the Lighthouse
Wright, Richard Native Son
_____________________________________________________

In all fairness, I read many of these once I actually got to college. So I'm not entirely sure what the so called "college board" has been smoking. Shakespeare, The Canterbury Tales, Beowulf Antigone and Oedipus Rex evoked bad memories of miserable days spent in Senior English. Thank you College Board for that.

Favorites from the list: Pride and Prejudice, Leaves of Grass, The Glass Menagerie, The Great Gatsby, Wuthering Heights, To Kill a Mockingbird, Vanity Fair.

Books I Ceremoniously Burned After Reading: Native Son, Moby Dick, The Odyssey and The Iliad.

The Ones I Still Want to Tackle (In Some Cases Against My Better Judgement): As I Lay Dying, The Sound and the Fury, both by William Faulkner (Reading Faulkner is on my list of things to do before I go), The Awakening by Kate Chopin, A Death in the Family by James Agee.

Personality Test

Your answers suggest you are a Counsellor

The four aspects that make up this personality type are:


Summary of Counsellors:
*Search for meaning in their life and develop powerful insights
*Are dedicated to helping others reach their potential
*Think of themselves as gentle, peaceable and cautious
*Others may find it difficult to get to know them

More about Counsellors:

Counsellors have a natural understanding of human relationships and the complexities of life, which they use to help others. They search for meaning in everything and develop complex insights.

Counsellors feel most relaxed and creative when their surroundings are organised. They are deeply private people who only share their insights with trusted friends; however, they will defend their values if challenged.

In situations where they can't use their talents or are unappreciated, Counsellors may withdraw from the people around them or become resentful. Under extreme stress, Counsellors may feel overwhelmed and be driven to organise small parts of their lives such as their kitchen cabinets or their record collection.

Counsellors typically prefer a few close relationships to a wide circle of friends.

Counsellors are often drawn to jobs where they can help people develop emotionally, intellectually or spiritually and where they can use their imagination.

Read about the 16 personality types from the What Am I like? Personality test:
Big Thinker,Counsellor, Go-getter, Idealist, Innovator, Leader, Mastermind, Mentor, Nurturer, Peacemaker, Performer, Provider, Realist, Resolver, Strategist and Supervisor.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/humanbody/mind/surveys/whatamilike/index.shtml

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Overall I was surprised by how much I agreed with the results of this thing. I think it describes me pretty well. I am very private, sensitive, tend to have a small group of friends and I am alway searching for meaning in my life. Yep, sounds about right.

Inspired

Inspired by this, I'm going to answer these. And frankly, you should too.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?
Finding someone to raise children and grow old with.

What is your current state of mind?
As always, super worried about silly stuff. but other than that (which is normal) I'm pretty calm and enjoying summer.

What is your greatest fear?
Losing my family and being alone for the rest of my life.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?
Procrastination, I put EVERYTHING off until tomorrow.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?
Ignorance and stupidity (i.e. refusal to be more enlightened about the world and issues involving us all).

What is your greatest extravagance?
I'm pretty darn frugal, but I really love gadgets and technology. I'll always spend money on computers and cameras.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?
steadfastness, I think it's important to have the ability to waver on something if you were truly wrong to begin with. You should always admit mistakes.

What is it that you most dislike?
I hate when people are apathetic towards anything. But I'm a pretty passionate person, so I guess I'm always seeking that in others.

On what occasion do you lie?
To protect people, or smooth out situations.

What do you dislike most about your appearance?
I'm not crazy about my thighs.

What is the quality you most like in a man?
Sincerity and sense of humor.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?
Strength, general kick ass-ness. We need more Hillary Clintons and Angelina Jolies in this world.

Which words or phrases do you most overuse?
Lately it's been "for sure".

What or who is the greatest love of your life?
I do believe I've yet to find that.

When and where were you happiest?
Sheer bliss in the moments after my Dad's first heart attack when he was wheeled out of the cath lab, I remember sitting in the waiting room smiling from ear to ear and just feeling this incredible just like...light within my whole body. It was quite amazing.

Which talent would you most like to have?
I really wish I were crafty. I just don't have the eye for it.

What do you consider your greatest achievement?
I don't think I've had a greatest achievement yet. I was a good kid, I made through school, am working on my "higher education", but nothing remarkable yet. It's coming though.

If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be?
I'm still working on being less uptight, so I guess I would have more fun...that's what I'd change.

If you were to die and come back as a person or a thing, what do you think it would be?
I always say a dog, but one of those dogs that has it made.

What is your most treasured possession?
Photographs, you just can't replace them.

What do you regard as the lowest depth of misery?
Poverty and hunger I would imagine, the victim of Ethnic Cleansing, Hiv/AIDS mother in a 3rd world country, old person with no family and no support system.

What is your most marked characteristic?
I'm sure people say I'm quiet. But, I'm not really sure how others perceive me.

What do you most value in your friends?
Honesty and ease of friendship, if we have to work hard to be friends it's just not worth it.

Who are your favorite writers?
Mark Twain, Jane Austen, Rebecca Wells, F. Scott Fitzgerald, J.K. Rowling, Richard Yates, Walt Whitman, Margaret Mitchell, Wendell Berry, Maya Angelou.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?
Rhett Butler, although he is a bit of an anti-hero.

Which historical figure do you most identify with?
Good lord that's a hard question. How about Elizabeth Cady Stanton and Susan B. Anthony. Had that been my time period I feel I would have been just as adament about women's rights as they were. Thank god they existed. And look how far we've come.

Who are your heroes in real life?
un peace workers, volunteers, first responders, my mother, jacqueline kennedy onassis, princess diana, angelina jolie, bono, hillary clinton.

What are your favorite names?
Harper, Ellis, Sloane, Julian, Sullivan, Jude

What is your greatest regret?
Not getting on a boat with my grandpa the last time we were at the lake before he died, not telling someone how I truly felt.

How would you like to die?
Surrounded by my loved ones, happy with how it all turned out.

10 Guilty Pleasures

1. Reality Television: I think many of us have this guilty pleasure lurking in our closet. I mean, of course, they wouldn't stay on the air if none of us were watching. My personal favorites include all of those TLC shows (Little People, Jon and Kate), Gene Simmon's Family Jewels, Tori and Dean: Inn Love, the Bravo shows like Real Housewives and Project Runway and a few weeks ago I finally caught onto the hype that is The Hills. Father forgive me, for I have sinned.

2. Not dieting: You know what? I talk a good game. I'm going to get fit and trim and work it out. But you want to know the truth? I love food. A lot. I enjoy baking things that are chock full of butter. I really like red meat. And there is nothing like a good bag of potato chips. I like to eat, I find joy in eating. And despite all of my best efforts, I don't think I'll stop anytime soon.

3. Couponing: I'm throwing this one in. Because while couponing is not a guilty pleasure for say...Moms, it is one for a 22 year old single woman. I don't even have a need to coupon. Except it fills a certain time slot on a lazy Sunday. It's a good outlet to get my shopping out, and I figure I will someday use my money saving skills to good use, like saving for amazing vacations. Still, I only tell the internet about this one. ;)

4. Running the A/C: Here's a secret for you, I hate driving with my windows down. It seriously fucks up my hair, I spend most of the ride spitting my bangs out of my mouth and attempting to see through the fury. I also hate letting other drivers at stoplights hear my embarrassing taste in music. So, I don't do it. I know that we are all supposed to love driving with the windows down. But, I don't. I happen to really enjoy running the A/C.

5. Dancing with the Stars: I love this damn show. I love it so much, I once contemplated paying to see their live tour. I get fully invested in one couple, every season. I'm also eerily good at predicting the winner by week one or two of the competition. I've managed to get it right every season, and this year I predict Kristi takes it home tomorrow.

6. Celebrity Gossip: When I was in high school I used to spend $1.99 every single week on In Touch Magazine. I bought it because it was cheaper than People or Us Weekly. By the time I graduated I had a stack of those magazines like you wouldn't believe in my closet (nope, I didn't throw them out either). Sometime during my freshman year of college my In Touch obsession was replaced by Perez Hilton and Pink is the New Blog. I'm not proud of knowing every single latest celebrity hookup, but the popularity of those blogs tell me I'm not the only one.

7. Auntie Anne's Pretzels: Have I ever mentioned I can not go to the mall and leave without purchasing an Auntie Anne's Pretzel? I can't even remember the last time I did. In fact, just this past Saturday I indulged. And it was amazing. I think it's their buttery-ness that attracts me.

8. Reading Online Message Boards: When I was in middle school I belonged to a University of Kentucky basketball forum called "Wildcat Faithful". I posted a bunch. Made friends with people. Even got together with the whole group at a UK exhibition game. I don't participate in online forums anymore, but boy if I don't love reading them. Some particular favorites include the forums at Television Without Pity, where the snark flows in the reality tv forums, and a few Grey's Anatomy ones to keep up with the spoilers and speculation. I also take advantage of the coupon ones like "Hot Coupon World" to help with my drugstore trips.

9. Harlequin Romance Novels: No kidding. I love those little books. Not all of the time, or even half of the time. But when I need a quick pick me up I'll grab one of those little jewels (the "Super Romances" being my favorites) and read through it. 1/2 Price Books usually has them packaged up, four of them for $1 and every time I'm in there I usually grab another stack to keep on hand.

10. Blogging: Can I say this here? I guess so. There really is no reason I can think of to blog. I could use the excuse that I'm exercising my writing muscles, but I could do that alone and to myself in a journal. I suppose I enjoy the community. Even if people don't always comment. I really enjoy reading what other's blog about and feeling apart of it all. Most of us will never be Dooce, but we all share this common thread. People don't drop in on their neighbors anymore, we don't stand together on front porches sharing stories. But we get together on the internet. We share things with strangers that we sometimes don't even tell our families. And in the process we make new friends and a new support group. And really, it may be a guilty pleasure that I don't have to partake of, but goodness if I don't love it.

*cue the violins*

Tagging: All of you. I hope you do it.

Great Blog Block '08 (How I've Spent My Time)

• alphabetized my spices
• tried to cook a casserole
• burnt a pot holder
• watched "Beetlejuice" 8,495,838,783 times; and it just keeps getting funnier
• read 13 trashy romance novels
• watched the birds in the retreat
• cried
• bemoaned
• whimpered
• got the dog's leg unstuck when it came out of socket
• stopped couponing for the time being because I couldn't find the energy to clip them
• read a book about birds, front to back, can't remember any of it
• painted my toenails their signature pink
• organized my pictures
• attempted to learn aperture
• twittered
• twiddled my thumbs
• wrote 6,000 blog posts...deleted each one
• became dyslexic
• cured cancer
• wrote a love song, not cause you asked me to
• bought britney spears songs on itunes
• watched a lot of jimmy kimmel
• am now fucking matt damon
• read exactly one piece of actual literary work; hated it
• ate a lot of white cheddar popcorn
• didn't exercise
• bought squash and promptly killed all nutritional goodness by frying it
• come to think of it, fried lots of foods
• called my mom's dog, "the baby jesus"
• changed her name to "el diablo"
• then back to "the baby jesus"
• watched my father become a huge OBAMA supporter
• for the record: that's 2 against 2 in this house
• we hillary supporters are a slightly delusional bunch ;)
• sniffed permanent markers and gasoline
• suggested that someone should make a candle out of that shit
• avoided all family member phone calls
• lied to my dad about the cost of our condo for vacation
• took up shoplifting for sport
• watched a lot of "king of the hill"
• debated bobby hill's true parentage with my brother
• pan broiled ribeyes, causing every smoke alarm in the house to go off
• annoyed by father by:
• calling him by his first name
• refusing to twist tie the bread or potato chips
• not double bagging the garbage cans
• and breathing
• contemplated the merits of ramel bradley's rap career
• admired robert downey jr.'s ability to wear the color purple and still seem manly
• took entirely too much of my time writing this

(Disclaimer: some of these may or may not be embellished. You decide which you would like to be true. Too many are for me to admit.)

Covet List

1920s style bungalow is my current dream home. Well, that's a lie. My dream home is a huge ancient plantation style home like something from out of "Gone with the Wind", because I have a thing for columns. But if I'm being realistic, this kind of house is my real dream home. I'd love to buy one someday that needs a little fixing up and really make it my own.

I have a thing for blue kitchens with white cabinets and stainless steel appliances. I also have a thing for any kitchen larger than a thumbtack, in which I can pan broil ribeyes to my heart's content. But especially ones that look like this.

As mentioned, I have a wedding to attend next month. It's a casual affair so nothing too dressy is required. I'm thinking a dress along the lines of these three. And since I rarely have an opportunity to dress like this, I'm super excited about shopping for this event. And attending I suppose, I do quite enjoy the couple. ;)

A wedding also means I finally have a reason to show off my mad stilleto skills. Y'all, I can walk in the pretty shoes now! After much heartache and a realization that I should be buying an 8 1/2, not a 9 (hi! am not as large as I think I am), I get to actually feel pretty and elongated in some shoes. Yay for me.

I can't stop perusing the lovely halls of Etsy. The idea of an online art village of handmade goods is incredible to me. It makes it super easy to find wonderfully handcrafted gems of all sorts. Like this sparrow print I've had my eye on for a few days:

When I own my own home it will be full of beautiful prints like this one. Love, love, love it.

Let's not kid ourselves, I'm not getting married in the near future. But what is a girl to do when no marriage prospects are on the horizon and she wants a diamond ring?

She buys herself a right hand ring. Whoever came up with this little creative ploy is a marketing genius. Because I totally want one.

Also. What's a girl to do when she can't come up with blog material? She makes of list of things she currently wants to own.

Worked out quite nicely huh?

Zapped

There are times with this blogging thing that I feel like a machine. A million things swirling around in my head, furiously posting several times per day.

And then there are times like now, when I feel creatively zapped.

To be honest I think it has to do with my current pace of life. My days are filled with nothing more thrilling than watering plants. And the most exciting thing I've done this week is watch Dancing with the Stars last night. (I know, sad.)

The writing is not for lack of trying, if you took a peek into my blogger account you would find no less than 12 attempted blogs. 12 very stupid, very incoherent, very boring blogs.

My flickr account holds 1,675 of my photos. And out of those 1,675 I can't find a single one worth a photo of the day. And three nights ago, Molly, the dog of Satan herself managed to chew my cleanest SD card to little tiny bits.

I've not bothered to replace it yet.

This week I have to purchase a wedding shower gift. From a gift registry. I hate gift registries. And apparently my options are down to a blender, a lamp or a rug.

The excitement around here is downright palpable I tell you.

So that is what I've been up to. For all of you who, I'm sure, could not contain yourselves any longer with my lack of material.

Yeah.

Inside the *Me* Studio

I saw this done last week, wanted to do it then, but forgot. I'm an Inside the Actor's Studio geek. Love, love, love it. And if you've ever watched you'll know these are the questions James Lipton ends the session with before turning it over to the students.

What is your favorite word? Arachnophobia. No joke, this was the first big word I learned to spell and in the third grade I'd spell it for you whether you asked me to or not. It's got sentimental value.

What is your least favorite word? Republican! No, I kid. I actually don't mind Republicans, they give me a reason to believe so fervently. Real least favorite word: Genocide. I hate that a word like that even has to exist.

What turns you on creatively, spiritually or emotionally? Ambition. I love to meet people who are just going for it. Taking that proverbial leap. That's totally hot.

What turns you off? Inability to back up your belief system. I don't care if we don't agree on something, but I want the other person to know the issue and believe as passionately as I do on the opposite end. Otherwise it's just pointless.

What is your favorite curse word? Dammit. I know, not glamorous. But it really applies in so many situations.

What sound or noise do you love? The fan running at night and the sound of waves hitting a shoreline.

What sound or noise do you hate? Knives scraping across a plate. Ehh, I'm tensing up at the thought right now.

What profession other than your own would you like to attempt? I don't really have a profession yet. But something off of my gameplan would be a real estate agent or getting into politics in some fashion. Both would be interesting in my opinion.

What profession would you not like to do? Something medical. I admire those who go into it, but I can't imagine putting up with the effed up healthcare system in our country day in and day out. My Mom does it everyday and hearing her horror stories of how system runs frightens me enough.

If Heaven exists, what would you like to hear God say when you arrive at the Pearly Gates? You did good, they will be okay and let me take you to see your Grandma.

Your turn. I'm tagging you all. Let me know if you do it!

Caution: Girl Talk Ahead

It would seem I have two menstrual cycles, one which leaves me lying in the floor crying from the pain...oh dear God the pain and the other which leaves me relatively pain free but an otherwise blubbering, yet full of rage, emotional mess.

This week it's been the emotional mess I've been dealing with. I have, in the last three days, managed to cry over the following:

• Cole Slaw
• my Mother
• otherwise happy music on the radio
• Little People, Big World
• Dancing with the Stars
• "Dan in Real Life"

I'm rounding a corner and should be fine by the weekend. But geez...it's getting a little pathetic.

In other news, I figured my car lot weekends were over now.

Ha. Right. So my mother informs me last night that she needs me to follow her to the Honda dealership tomorrow because they are fixing a cylinder in her driver's side door and reprogramming the keyless entry. After that she needs me to follow her to garage where they will be replacing her brakes.

Happy joy down in my heart.

Other things I've been doing while suffering from blog block this week besides taking pictures:

• Buying milk from a local dairy
• Planting bulbs of gladiolus and raniculus. The latter of which I can't find a proper spelling nor picture of. But when I brough them home Jon looked at the package and said, "Raniculus? More like ridiculous!" Then he laughed like an old man and held his hand up for a high five.
• Catching up on all of the neighborhood gossip. Which, remember as we re-enter the warmer seasons, I live surrounded by housefuls of extremely religious people of several denominations. Including a pastor from a prominent Mt. Washington Church. The gossip never ends. (You know those kinds of church goers. Don't deny you don't. "I'm not into spreading rumors, so listen close the first time." Yeah.)
• Trying to find a suitable pet friendly hotel in Amelia Island, Florida. I've had loads of success with Savannah and have a list of about 12 different options. But Amelia is turning into a crapshoot. Unfortunately this is one area of this trip where I can't just go with the flow. As is the nature of traveling with pets I suppose. I'm currently considering St. Augustine or Daytona as a backup.
• Officially killed all of those seeds I planted. They sprouted. Things looked promising. And now they are dead. Moving onto Plan B on that one. Which would be buying the plants from a nursery or garden center. Oh well. Can't win them all.
• And finally I'm trying to talk myself into purchasing a Blackberry. So far, I've got myself pretty well talked into it. But does anyone have experience with them? The reviews have, for the most part, left me salivating. But I always enjoy hearing personal accounts.

Look at that! A real post. Aren't you all proud?

P.S. Any guesses on what Amalah is having for those who read her? I initially thought girl after comparing ultrasound pictures from a Google search, but I keep second guessing myself.

Shuffle

I got tagged by Katie for this lovely meme. I haven't done one of these in a while so I figured I give it a go. That and mah shows are all done for the evening. ;)

Here’s how it works:

1. open your library (iTunes, winamp, media player, iPod)
2. put it on shuffle
3. press play
4. for every question, type the song that’s playing
5. new question — press the next button
6. don’t lie and try to pretend you’re cool

opening credits: Realize--Colbie Caillat

waking up: I Get Money--50 Cent

first day at school: Indescribably Blue--Elvis Presley

falling in love: Push It--Salt n Pepa

breaking up: Smile--Lily Allen

prom: Under Pressure--Queen and David Bowie

life’s okay: Simply Complicated--Jimmy Buffett

mental breakdown: GNO--Miley Cyrus

driving: Long Time Gone--Dixie Chicks

flashback: Touch The Sky--Kanye West

getting back together: Motown Philly--Boys II Men

wedding: Tequila Loves Me--Kenny Chesney

birth of child: Nobody Knows--Pink

final battle: Invisible--Taylor Swift

death scene: Wall to Wall--Chris Brown

end credits: Satisfaction--Rolling Stones

I tag... Devin, Laura, Cassie, Candace, Erin, Charles, Tammy...whoever wants to do it!

Blog of the Day

I love discovering new blogs, especially ones that draw me in from the first post and leave me sifting through pages of archives for hours afterwards. I don't take nearly enough time to find new blogs, but I was reading through sites and articles about one of my favorite topics: adoption, when I came across this gem.

Pho for Four

She just gave birth today to a beautiful baby girl, and just a few months ago she and her husband brought home their 2nd son from Vietnam.

Vietnam and Ethiopia are my latest countries of choice for my hypothetical future adoption and reading a blog like this makes me wish with all of my heart that I could be financially secure and finally working in real life so I could start the process tomorrow. (Which is weird, because I don't get baby lust. Ever.)

In the meantime I'll just enjoy living vicariously.

Any good blog suggestions you've come across lately? Or an old favorite that I must check out?

Weekend Update

Accomplished: One week of made from scratch meals. Including:

• Baked Chicken with Saffron Rice and Brussel Sprouts
• Sweet and Sour Chicken with White Rice
• Ribeyes with Salad and Fried Cauliflower
• Breakfast for Dinner
• Pot Roast with Carrots and Potatoes (and a salad)
• Cube Steaks with French Fries
• Pizza

Accomplished: Biscuits from scratch. My mother can't even make biscuits from scratch. But I can! Mwahahaha....

Not-So-Accomplished: Rice Crispie Treats. Apparently I don't do well with the simple dishes.

Next Big Thing: Quilting. I actually just came up with this one. But I'm intrigued. My grandmother and great grandmother quilted. Perhaps I can do. Or it'll go the way of every other crafty hobby I've tried, which is...not so great.

Still on the Fence: Milk. I can't figure it out. Is Organic worth it? What about Local, but not organic milk? What about store milk that doesn't come from rBGH Cows? Oh so confusing.

Not Accomplished: My Costco trip. I'm still dying to go, maybe next weekend.

Accomplished: Easter Candy buying.

Not Accomplished: Avoiding eating it until next Sunday.

Testing, Testing, Is This Thing On?

Is there some sort of blog drought I don't know about? I get online, I run through my bloglines and nothing. Nobody is updating, except for the few who do write every single day without fail. Praise the lord for them. And let me just say, I don't praise for just anything.

So I log into Myspace. Again. More of the same: nothing. No silly surveys to read, no blogs there. So I try Facebook. And that's just ridiculous anymore. It used to be the cool alternative to Myspace but now the only updates are someone inviting you to another stupid "application". Or so and so from eight thousand years ago just had a kid. Woohoo. Let me roll my eyes.

Then I update my blog for the umpteenth time. But there are no commenters because of some internet outage I don't know about. And let me tell you, anyone is lying if they say they don't blog for the comments. I mean, I could write for myself and never publish it. But it's the same concept as a book, we write to be read. Or post stupid videos from YouTube to be watched. Either way, it's striking a conversation.

A conversation that might I add is not going so hot. Umm hello. Is this thing on?

So I check the mail today. Imagine me, walking slowly to my mailbox with that "I'm So Lonely" song playing in the background. And thank Jesus it was like Christmas. (you see this crap, the great blog drought '08 is going to turn me evangelical...holy shit) Not only did I get the travel guides pictured earlier but I also got a Country Mart ad and Time Magazine. Christmas and New Years I say!

Which lead me to spending time earlier reading Time from front to back. In one setting. Without moving. Thank God I read fast. (again...I'm warning...the jesus thing) And besides the compelling article by Joel Stein on Hillary's Comeback and the other compelling article on Darfur, I found a fluff piece about internet alternatives to software. Specifically a comparison of Photoshop to Picnik.

I'm too cheap to have Photoshop. And although I have Paintshop Pro coming in a software package with my new camera, it ain't here yet. So I spent all evening messing around with pictures and such on that website. Oh where has it been all my life?

And that's where I am now. Blogging again. Proving that someone can update and at least prove that they still exist. Hopefully some of you return soon. But let it be said, if I find out the internet went on a cruise without me, I'm going to be pissed.

Overall: Accurate, I think

My Birth Chart
Name: April
March 4 1986
11:30 AM
Time Zone is EST
Louisville, KY

Rising Sign is in 14 Degrees Gemini
Extremely active by nature, you like to get around, meet people and do different things. Very restless, you just can't seem to stay put. You need to be involved in several projects at once in order to keep your mind stimulated. You like to read books and to write letters and to talk -- constantly. Seemingly ageless, you will always appear to be much younger than you really are. Very adaptable and inquisitive, you are always open to new ideas and experiences. A "jack-of-all-trades", you are lively and versatile. Because of the high nervous tension that you always seem to have, athletic activity would be a good way for you to burn off energy. But be careful of a tendency to experience things only superficially -- try to dig in and absorb things at a deeper level.

Sun is in 13 Degrees Pisces.
Extremely sensitive and emotional, you absorb the emotions of others (whether positive or negative) like a sponge. Emotionally vulnerable, you are easily upset and tend to cry readily. You are at your best when you can structure your environment in such a way that you are surrounded by positive, upbeat people. You are very helpful and understanding of the needs of others. Indeed, at times this can be a disadvantage, because you can be a sucker for anyone who needs help. Shy, dreamy, romantic in nature, you delight in retreating into your private fantasy world. Just be careful that you do not get lost in it! Trust your intuitions -- you may be quite psychic.

Moon is in 29 Degrees Sagittarius.
An idealist, you prefer the grand, the beautiful, the good and the noble. You get very disappointed when your high expectations in life are not met. Very curious by nature, you enjoy traveling and learning about other peoples and cultures. Try to avoid your tendency to ignore the small but important details of living. You are independent and free, and you want others to be that way, too. Optimistic, buoyant and cheerful, others like to have you around. You have an incessant desire to learn as much as possible about metaphysics, religion, philosophy and any other broad, deep subject. Your life tends to be punctuated by bursts of energy and frenetic activity.

Mercury is in 00 Degrees Aries.
Very quick-witted, you are known for being an independent thinker. You love to debate and argue, and are excellent at repartee and battles of wits. At times, however, you act too fast on hastily formed opinions and thus waste a lot of energy defending your rash and sometimes incorrect conclusions. It is perfectly acceptable for you to defend your beliefs with your usual vigor, but try not to take the opinions of others as personal insults.

Venus is in 24 Degrees Pisces.
You have a dreamy, fanciful, romantic nature and a very creative imagination. Indeed, at times, your private fantasies are more appealing than the reality around you and it is difficult for you to leave them. You tend to be unselfish and giving in relationships and are extremely sensitive of the needs of others. Be very sure that those you help are worthy of your devotion and are not merely taking advantage of your innocence and naivete.

Mars is in 17 Degrees Sagittarius.
Your every action is motivated by high moral standards and ideals. You will work very hard to improve the lot of the world at large, but you demand action about it -- you do not like to just sit around and talk about doing it in an abstract manner. You like to be where the real action is. You resist mightily any attempts to limit your freedom and you will assist anyone who feels put down and restricted. You are extremely restless by nature -- physical exercise is very important to you if you would maintain your health.

Jupiter is in 02 Degrees Pisces.
You are at your best when you give of yourself and what you have -- try to avoid being a martyr about it, though. You're a true idealist, but you must learn not to be upset when life does not cooperate with the way you think things should be. Very concerned with spiritual truth and growth, when you practice what you preach, you make an excellent role model for others. You are so devoted to altruistic ventures and concerns that you tire easily at times. It then becomes necessary for you to go off by yourself to recharge your batteries.

Saturn is in 09 Degrees Sagittarius.
Basically quite conservative, you respect traditional authority figures and are very thankful and supportive of the laws and institutions which govern your life. You learn and accept new ideas only after having very thoroughly examined them. Ideals and abstract concepts are important to you only if they can be used in some practical fashion. You are so practical and so orderly that you have natural skills in planning, administrating and organizing.

Uranus is in 22 Degrees Sagittarius.
You, and most of your peers, have the tendency to think that all ideas, customs and traditions from the past are outmoded and irrelevant. You are attracted to radically new ideas, philosophies and religions that will, hopefully, cause sweeping changes throughout the world.

Neptune is in 05 Degrees Capricorn.
You, and your entire generation, will idealize work, practicality and the ability to attain reasonable goals. But, because you will also stress the need to be selfless and giving, you may find it difficult to attain your goals unless you have lowered your expectations on all fronts.

Pluto is in 07 Degrees Scorpio.
For your entire generation, this is a period of intense research and discovery in areas that were heretofore considered mysterious, remote or taboo. The root causes for many complex occurrences will be unearthed due to the intensity and thoroughness of the search.

N. Node is in 01 Degrees Taurus.
It's not in your nature to seek out many casual acquaintances in your daily round of activities. You feel much more comfortable with a small, close-knit group of people -- those with whom you can relax and work toward known and clearly defined goals. Your loyalty to a person or group, once given, is forever -- you'll expend all of your quite considerable energy in seeing that the group stays together and prospers. You choose your partners and relationships so carefully that you're bound to gain certain advantages from them, including those of a material nature. Be careful though not to let mere self-service be your motivation in establishing your connections -- make sure that there's an even give-and-take!

Now go do your own and post it:
http://www.alabe.com/freechart/

Amazing Prose

I watched the Oscars last night, of course. I managed to predict, in one way or another, everything but Supporting Actress. Tilda Swinton surprised me there, but she gave a great acceptance speech and I was thrilled with her win. Jon Stewart did a good job. Although I will admit to wanting Billy Crystal back next year for some classic Oscar-ness.

That's all I have to say about that, to quote Forrest Gump. Which is a film I watched this weekend and remembered all the amazing things about it. Does anyone else love that movie?

I digress.

Okay, seriously. I must admit I've been sitting here with this browser open, those first few paragraphs written, staring at the blankness at the bottom and wondering what in the hell I could possibly write about today.

I'm not coming up with much.

The next big thing on the horizon is my birthday. I don't know what I'm getting, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it's the Flip Ultra with underwater case, or a Coach bag. I honestly don't care which one because birthday means birthday cake! Like, the best cake ever.

Which reminds me...I've got to start working out again because I'm now hearing I'll have a wedding to attend in early June. Which is totally exciting. And like...for real...why is everyone getting married? I'm going to have to get married just to see what the fuss is about.

Or not. Seriously. Me...married? Ha. I just don't see it yet.

I'm at least hoping for some good weather soon so that I can get out of the house. I've been meaning to take Jon on a trip to Frankfort forever, maybe one of these days I'll actually do it. If anything so my poor camera, which is sitting on my desk mocking me, can stop bitching because I haven't used it for anything good in way too long. I hate that. It's exactly why I always stop short of justifying an SLR purchase...I can't commit to using it often enough.

And so I really think this about wraps things up. Another magnificent prose from me, please....hold all of your applause. I get it, I have simply, the best blog you've ever read. I'm sorry I'm so amazing.

*snort*

Oscar Predictions

The Academy Awards begin in just a couple hours. I failed to do this sooner, but meant to. Better late than never I suppose.

My picks, if you will:

Best Original Screenplay
Will Win: Juno
Should Win: Juno

Actress in a Supporting Role
Will Win: Ruby Dee
Should Win: Ruby Dee

Actress in a Leading Role
Will Win: Julie Christie
Should Win: Marion Cotillard
Could Surprise: Ellen Page, the buzz is surrounding Juno going into this thing.

Actor in a Supporting Role
Will Win: Javier Bardem
Should Win: Javier Bardem
Honorable Mention: Casey Affleck, I just saw The Assasination of Jesse James last week and Casey was amazing in this film.
Could Surprise: Hal Holbrook, if The Academy goes the honor route.

Actor in a Leading Role
Will Win: Daniel Day Lewis
Should Win: Daniel Day Lewis (tremendous, can't say enough about this guy)

Directing
Will Win: No Country for Old Men
Should Win: No Country for Old Men (Coen Brothers...just sayin')

Best Picture
Will Win: toughest category, I'm going to say No Country for Old Men though
Should Win: No Country for Old Men, but There Will Be Blood was good too.
Could Surprise: Juno (lot's of buzz I say...kind of like Crash that one year)

A Perfect Day: Part 1

Katie has started a series called, "A Pefect Day". I encourage all of you to try this on your own. It's a wonderful way to fight these winter blahs and remember a really good day in your past. Here's my first one:

The first memory that stands out in my mind is crossing the bridge over Tampa. My first real glimpse of the Gulf of Mexico. A big expansive body of water, larger than anything I'd ever laid my eyes on. The sun seemed to dance on the surface and reflect off of my surprised eyes. The real deal had far surpassed the anticipation.

The next memory is a fork in the road. Literally. Like something out of that story about Robert Johnson and the crossroads. One direction led to swampland, the other to my sweet salvation. A gas station stood on the corner with two pumps and quite abandoned. I think I'd seen it before in a bad horror film.

The signs in Fort Myers blew my mind. Beach this way and that way. Alligator crossings. Sanibel Causeway up ahead. And the beach shops, on every corner with their colorful inflatables hanging on ropes. Signs proclaiming nothing over $9.99. A bargain hunter's dream.

A tollbooth and $6 later and we were crossing. Estero Bay spread out before my eyes like a Thanksgiving Feast. Boats and fisherman dotted along the waves. The sun twinkling on the surface in a more furious fashion than Tampa. An island lay up ahead.

A vacation rental office awaited with keys. A credit card imprint, a pile of paperwork and a folder full of directions and more information than we'd ever need and finally I'd arrived. A parking lot full of sand. Sand! I'd never seen such a spectacle. Periwinkle Way laid out before me with it's shops and bait houses. And palm trees, truly tropical remnants, proof that I'd finally made it. 19 years and a dream.

The sun was setting, the sky had turned overcast as Jon sped ahead towards the surf in his red swimming trunks. I walked gingerly, taking the sights in. A long expansive beach lay before me, much more real than I'd ever imagined. Everyone said smell the salt in the air. I guess that was salt I smelled. It was the freshest air I've ever been in before, despite the heat it felt fresh and not heavy. Shells of every shape and color dotted the beach. I kept my flip flops on until I reached the surf, then delicately slipped one off, swept my foot across the surface and then dug my toes into the wet, warm sand. Perfection. I'd found another home.

One definition of home is any place of residence or refuge. That day, on the sand with my feet in the water I stared across the gulf before me and the island behind me and discovered something that I hadn't known I'd been missing. A place of refuge. Solitude. Peace.



June 4, 2005: A Perfect Day.