Hmmm....

I was browsing news headlines during lunch break today and I found this interesting article...

Woman Claims To Find Virgin Mary Image In MRI

Wonder what my brain MRI says about me....

Just what I thought - nothing I did not already know....(if you cannot read the MRI, email me for an explanation at phillipia@yahoo.com)

The plan....

I am not one for political conversations....but I thought this was a well thought out plan...

Bush will resign now.
Then Dick Cheney becomes President.
Then he appoints Condoleeza Rice as VP.
Then Cheney resigns two weeks later and Condoleeza Rice, a Republican, becomes the first BLACK President and the first WOMAN President!!!

Think that will tick off the Democrats?


Thanks to MSC...

Not-so-sweet dreams...

I used to dream almost every night...but for the longest time, I did not dream at all....

...at least not when I slept...I mean, I am not dead and I often day dream about that hot knight in shining armor coming to take me away to a life of romance and all that happily ever after brings....but I digress...

Lately, I am back to dreaming almost every night....all night...waking up from a weird one and falling right back asleep into another even weirder one...

By weird I mean all mixed up, people from my past and present all tangled in there together... reality dreams, but not the kind of reality I would want to be living or reliving...

About right now, I could really use a shining knight, happily ever after dream...or reality...

Early Morning Trek...

Traditionally, I fill a shoe (or boot) for whoever is at my house on the morning of St. Nick's...
This year, I just kind of let it slip through...not giving it much thought for a couple reasons.
First, finances are tighter than any other Christmas season I have celebrated...
Second, I never know who, how many, or if any, of G-man's friends will be spending the night.

Well, I goofed...

With G-man's renewed interest in Catholicism, I should have realized that he would be reminded of St. Nick through other sources...

And wouldn't it ya know it, I woke to a shoe set outside my bedroom door filled with one of my favorite snacks - pistachios....

So, I made a quick jaunt up to the corner Speedway....gum, gas card...

Thanks, G-man, for setting me straight....

Thanks in advance, ldboy, cuz I know, after reading this, you will not tell your brother about my lapse of Christmas Spirit:)

I am missing you ldboy, and your sister ...everyone is so busy...cannot wait for Christmas when we will all be together again at least for awhile...

Happy belated St. Nick's to all...

OK, that was fun...not:(

Our house switched from TWC to AT&T the other day...for economical reasons...hopefully.. Well, actually, AT&T installed, but I have yet to cancel TWC...

G-Man uses a TWC email address and if I waited for him to create a new address and get everything he needs out of his old email account, well we may be supporting two cable companies for who knows how long.

So, I decided to help him (and my finances) out...I went through his email box and deleted what he did not need (such as messages from Facebook, Myspace, Friendtrap, and what ever other social networks he was signed up with...) and forwarded anything I thought he may want to keep (such as notes from Mom) to a Yahoo account I created for him...all with his permission, of course...

Well that kept me busy for quite a few hours today....he had almost 1000 unread emails and not quite that many read emails...

What I learned today....:)

• G-man has a lot of friends on social networks.....wow...(I wish I was 1/8 that popular growing up - I may have enjoyed my teen years a little more...)
• G-man rarely reads his email, mine included...
• G-man does not subscribe to any porn sites - at least not with the TWC email:)
• G-man does not have incoming mail automatically add the sender's address to his contact list...which made it easy for me to input his few contacts into his yahoo account.
• I knew or knew about most of the friends G-Man received Facebook type messages from...which makes me feel good that he is following Mom's advice to only talk to people he knows...not advice I always follow, but no need to tell him that...

So now I can say goodbye to TWC this Monday...

Thanks, G-Man for trusting me with your email...

OK...stumbling goes on....

Glad someone in the family has some smarts...never thought of hooking my laptop to the t.v...thanks, G-Man.

At least now I can access all my data (and stumble) until I can afford a different solution....:)

Life is ok again...

Oh noooo...

I am so upset with myself.

I love(d) my laptop....

I was going to take a late afternoon nap today - cuz I thought I deserved and needed it (but that is another story)...

Before I lay me down to sleep, I closed my laptop, with a pen in it...

I did not think anything of it at the time, I mean I did not close it hard or all the way - I just took the pen off of, closed it, it and went up to take a nap...

After nap, I wanted to check my email, cuz I have a tendency to do that a zillion times a day...

That's when I realized what I had done. Apparently, the screen did not like my pen pressing against it and now I cannot read the bottom half of the screen at all and the top half looks like it is on its way out...

So now I need either a cheap monitor and keyboard to make my laptop a desktop :(or a new laptop, neither of which I can afford at this point. (If I am not buying anyone else anything for Christmas, I am certainly not buying myself something...)

I hope G-Man does not mind sharing his computer for awhile....

Forgive me, ldboy:(

Just say "no"...

I found this while stumbling and thought it was good advice - especially for some very Catholic parents I know and love, but just do not understand...

Just saying 'no' prevents teenage pregnancy the way 'Have a nice day' cures chronic depression.
-Faye Wattleton

Further Adventures at Peyton PHlaCe

So coming back after a few days hiatus (aka Thanksgiving holiday), several of my male co-workers have sprouted new facial hair... Hmmm....

• Some of them look bad boy scraggly (me likes the bad boy look)...
• Some of them just look like boys trying desperately for a show of manhood (I liked their baby face look better)...
• Some of them are having a rough time of it (I give them 3 more days tops)
• Some of them are hunters and are trying the au natural bait ploy (at least they did not give up the Right Guard for the office)
• Some of them are just taking Peyton PHlace advice to help promote prostrate cancer awareness (while promoting Norelco shavers).

Seriously, the email sent out a few weeks back encouraged employees to grow facial hair (specifically, mustaches) to raise awareness of prostrate cancer and promote their brand of shavers. I have been trying my best to be a good employee - but it is just not quite working out the way it should, so...

Today I learned...

Sometimes no reply is better...

As many of you know have been trying the online dating thing for a few months. I have met a lot of different kinds of people - most of them nice enough even if not interested in striking up a friendship...

As you may also know, I have made an honest attempt to meet people on line by initiating contact with guys who seem to enjoy some of the same things I do or who have interesting profiles.

Most (99%) of the guys I initiate contact with do not even have the decency to reply after they read my email. So, I just recently started adding to my email that a reply either way would be appreciated...

After the reply I got today, I think I will omit that line...

Thanks, but I already have a DOG!!!

In fact, I may quit initiating conversations altogether, at least until I lose some weight, get a haircut, and can post a better picture...a dog????

Ok...thanks to maddawg98 for putting me in my place:(

Accomplishments...

This is a busy time of year for me...busier than usual this year.

What have I accomplished in the last few days?

• Applied for refinancing so I can get out of the ARM I did not realize I got into three years ago (thank you Countrywide)...
• Cleaned the house enough for Thanksgiving Dinner...
• Cleaned the house enough for a decent appraisal (I hope)...
• Fixed the garbage disposal all by myself (ok, with help from an on-line disposal doctor, but still - I am proud)...
• Helped my friend pack and move (ongoing all week - to be completed by Sunday)..
• Obtained a newer dishwasher (traded the one in my friend's condo for my original issue, falling apart POS) which I still need to get hooked up properly, but hey, it looks nice...
  
• Did several loads of laundry - mostly blankets, but laundry none the less...
• Worked on updating Player profiles for the web so the coach can use the info at recruiting nights throughout the year (to be completed by EOD Sunday, hopefully)...
• Avoided Bally's the past few days (I think moving boxes and furniture up and down stairs a few hours a day qualifies as a pretty good workout)...
• Get the house ready for the cable guy who will be here this week...
  
• Posted this, my 150th blog!!!
  

A christmas tradition...

Our family has had a few Christmas traditions that have come and gone over the years (yeah, we make new traditions whenever we get tired of the old ones).

We use to always have a live tree. That ended one year when the live tree I bought fell over for the third time...out the door it went and to K-mart I went - got the best looking fake tree I could find within my low price range...the kids were not happy with me, but we were not stepping on pine needles in the carpet in July, either:)

After a few years the cheap fake tree got to be looking less and less real - no matter how many lights or strings of garland I covered it with, so to the curb with it...now what?

Well, CareBear and I had been wanting to spend Christmas on a sunny beach somewhere, but I could not afford that any more than I could afford a live looking fake tree. So we came up with another brilliant idea...why not get a live-looking palm tree for our living room and decorate it with lights and snowflakes at Christmas. A new family tradition is born...and we can store the tree out in the open living room all year...awesome!!

That was a few years ago and the kids are starting to ask if I will ever get a traditional tree again...so maybe it is time we start a new tradition...I started browsing online for ideas ...hey, I shop for a lot of things online, why not trees?

And here is what I found...


So...here is where I need some help...I think I want Jose to build my tree, but I have not been saving the bottles. Who wants to join me in Margaritaville?...

Altogether now...One tequila, two tequila, floor...

A question from the turkey...

"Why on this day does everyone feel the need to roast a turkey and candy yams and bake apple crisp and knead bread dough and mash potatoes and clear the table and wash the dishes and fall into bed exhausted when they could just as easily sit back and enjoy a hamburger or a pork sandwich?"

Happy Thanksgiving!

May your stuffing be tasty
May your turkey plump,
May your potatoes and gravy
Have never a lump.
May your yams be delicious
And your pies take the prize,
And may your Thanksgiving dinner
Stay off your thighs!

Thought for the day...

There are some gentlemen out there...

I knew if I kept at it long enough, I would eventually meet a gentleman in the world of online dating...

Yeah, Bad American, I am talking about you...

You are sweet and kind and sensitive and a true gentleman...

I enjoy our chats, online and in person...

I like that you spend time with your kids...and try to do what is best for them...

I appreciate your honesty and caring about what I am looking for...

Though I may not enjoy talking politics and religion as much as you do....

Though I may not be as good a housekeeper as you need:)

I hope that we will stay friends for a long time...

Bad American, you are one of the good guys....

And I wish the best for you...

I hope that you find that someone special that you just know you cannot live without...

... because she completes you...

Thank you for restoring my hope that there are some true gentlemen and all-around good, honest guys out there....

You are the sweetest Bad American I have yet to meet:)

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for your friendship...

...& Fundraising

The Boosters (aka...Athletic Department Supporters) sponsor a Reverse Raffle fundraiser every january. It is pretty expensive (dinner ticket plus everything you take a chance on after you get there) and more of a couple or group activity. So I usually do not put that event on my calendar.

but...

At the football awards dinner one of the dad's suggested that the group of us who sit together at the football games get a table and go have some off-season fun...

So here we go...maybe...depends if we can get enough people to fill a table that are willing to part with the dinner fee knowing they will blow another few bucks while they are there....hmmm...what do I get myself into?...but it will be fun...and I will take only so much cash with me...and I will leave my debit and credit cards home even if they are not maxed out- I promise...

No more fundraisers, please....I'll buy my kids uniforms and gear....

Volunteering...

I just cannot help myself...
The High School Athletic Department decided to try a different fundraiser this year - a Nautica Poker Festival at the PowerHouse in the Flats (or what is left of it).

Being the Rebel Mom I am, I have volunteered to be a Fee Collector/Shift Monitor on for a couple of 4-5 hour shifts...I have no clue what I am suppose to do...but I was assured that it would be easy and fun.

G-Man wants to know what the heck I am doing going down to the flats at night alone. I said I will not be alone, I am going with another Mom...that didn't help my cause much...but how do you know what its like in the flats anyway, G-man?

If any of you who stumble across this blog are interested in helping a good cause (IMBHO), we are looking for dealers for Thursday and Sunday shifts...I am assured that no experience is necessary. One of the football coaches has supposedly won awards for his dealing abilities and can teach anyone(except me)in a few minutes...

Hmmm...recently there has been an increase in the number of football players caught gambling in the student lounge...coincidence?

I refuse to deal...I am not going to take the chance of misdealing and having some angry card shark follow me when I am leaving the flats at night...

But I think I'll have the O-line coach escort me to my car just as a precaution...:)

Mom's Turkey Recipe

Thanksgiving is at my house this year....and I guess my mom did not like the turkey I made the last Thanksgiving at my house because she sent me this email this morning...

Here is a recipe perfect for people like you-who obviously cannot tell
when the turkey is thoroughly cooked, but not dried out.
(I do not know why you continue to trust those pop up thermometers.)
Baked Stuffed Turkey
10-12 lb Turkey
1 cup melted butter
2 cups stuffing
2 cups uncooked popcorn
Salt/pepper to taste
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Thoroughly clean your kitchen floor and sink area.
Brush turkey well with melted butter salt, and pepper.
Fill cavity with stuffing and popcorn. Place in baking pan withthe
neck end toward the back of the oven. Listen for the popping sounds.
When the turkey's ass blows the oven door open and the turkey flies across the room, it's done!!!

Thanks Mom.

Back to Work Monday...

Not the break I wanted...

Ok, I hate housework, but this is not the kind of break I wanted....

My best neighborhood friend called a little bit ago and asked if she could stop over for a bit. I had a feeling something was up because we stop over each other's house a lot, but we either do not call ahead or call ahead because we want to borrow something or return something...or see if it is a good night to walk her dog...

Well, she told me her family is moving out of the neighborhood for personal reasons. And they are moving this Friday. I am bummed...she is moving only a few miles away, and I will visit until she is sick of me...but it will not be the same as having her in the neighborhood. She has been here since I moved up here...she has been here for all the neighborhood kids whenever they needed anything...and she does not want to go...I wish there was something I could do...

I am getting more bummed the more I think about it...

New Plans...

So the chores are getting there...time for a blogging break:)

This morning, on my way to Bally's, (which I forgot to put on the chore list) I went to the library to pick up a couple of books I had reserved. Going to the library is like feeding an addiction for me. I try to reserve books so I just go in and get what I reserved and get out quick....cuz I could browse all day and not get much else done...like chores:)

Well, the WH library makes the mistake of putting new releases, 14 day checkout - no renewal, right by the desk where ya pick up reserved books. Now that's a problem...because over the summer I started stumbling (in more ways then one) and slowed down on my reading. In the meantime, all of my favorite authors have released new books, and there they were right in front of me...I could not resist.

Needless to say, I have a lot of reading to do in the next two weeks....

But this could be a good thing...because I have a plan...ya see I put the books in the room with my exercycle/clothes rack and I have made up my mind that I will only read while I ride.

Reading can be good exercize...
read the pounds away...
let's see how long I keep that resolution...

Planning my Weekend...

I figure if I am going to blog this morning, I should make it useful...
So...boring as it is here is my weekend to do list...

• Laundry...lots of it
• Clean G-man's room, my room, living room, kitchen, bathrooms, basement...
• Check schedule for OSU game...done - how can I schedule rest of day w/o knowing?
• WHills Library to pick up reserved reading material (thank you Janet and Sandra)
• Grocery list (it's Thanksgiving week - yay)
• Grocery shopping - cuz turkey needs to thaw (otherwise this would probably be on Wednesday's list...)
• Budget - before I grocery shop so I do not overdraw at the grocery store...
• Sunday Mass at 2:00 or Browns game on tv (ok, ok, it is for G-Man)
• Update football profiles on web...
• Add countdown....to web
• Catch up on G-man's calendar
  
• Find some time for me...
• Quit blogging and stumbling and get to it....

I will add to this blog as I think of things to add to list...(you know how good I am at finding ways to get out of chores...)

Happy Weekend!

My Football Hero....

So last night was the High School Football Sports Award banquet.

G-man was voted by his teammates as Best Offensive Back for the 2nd year in a row. I am proud of him because he worked so hard this year to come back after a season-ending ACL tear late last year.

I try to let G-man understand how proud I am of him, not because of his God-given talents, but because of how he makes use of them to better himself and be a good team leader. Earlier in the week I decided that I wanted to do a little something to show him I care.

He plans to participate in a teen retreat this weekend, so I thought I would pick out a Bible and a rosary for him, not just for the retreat, but because he has been showing an interest in the Catholic Youth Group his girlfriend encouraged him to join. (I believe it may have been more of a shotgun type encouragement from her Dad, but that is another story.)

I started with my usual approach to shopping...on-line:) I did find a few choices in the $15-$45 range. But since I wanted this Bible pretty much next day and I wanted to look at it to make sure it was something that would interest G-man, I knew I was going to have to visit some bookstores.

Where to start....not too many Christian bookstores in the area...but then any bookstore would have Bibles, right. And I just happen to know a guy who own a bookstore....And would you believe, he actually has a used copy of an Athletes in Action New Testament. Hmmm, not sure I wanted just a New Testament and not sure I wanted a used Bible....

But then I got to thinking. Until recently, G-man was almost as religious as I am. I want to encourage his faith formation, but I think he may want to pick out his own Bible. So all of a sudden Athletes in Action is sounding pretty good. It's a deal.

Now for the rosary - not at this bookstore. So, I head to the nearest religious gift store I can find. Now mind you, I am looking to buy an inexpensive (~$5) corded rosary. This store has a few different rosaries. And they are beautiful...and they should be for $40.

So then I got to thinking, again...I saw a corded rosary in G-man's car a few months back after one of the Youth Group sessions. I'll bet it was a gift from his girlfriend and he would rather use it than one from Mom....

So last night, just before we were ready to leave for the football dinner, I give G-man a card and he sees the Bible in my hand....

Is that a Bible, Mom. I don't need a Bible - I asked the group leader last week. I do not need a Bible. Why did you buy a Bible?

Ok. Ok. Calm down. I guess you do not want a rosary either...

I have a rosary in my car somewhere...

So why are you going on this retreat? For your girlfriend?

And the other kids...I made a lot of friends in the program and it is fun and I am learning a few things and Fr. Andy is a nice guy...but I am not getting all religious or anything...

Well, just take the Bible on retreat in case you want to read it...or if you want to look up a passage they are talking about...

Yeah, let's hope it's not in the Old Testament cuz this book comes up short in that department. Or maybe one of the cute girls will have the Old Testament and I can be her study partner....

Yeah, that's the G-man I know and love...

Hmmm...wonder if I could get those letters back I wrote....

Ahhh...so that's what I have been doing wrong...

Further Aventures of Peyton PHlaCe...

So I am sitting in a defect scrub (aka, a long boring meeting) when my phone vibrated...yes, an excuse to walk out of the meeting.

After I answer and assure G-Man I will be home in plenty of time to get to the sports awards dinner, I decide to take the long way back to the meeting. Through the ladies' room, past a friend's desk (who also found an excuse to leave the meeting), grab a jolt (gum), and ok, if I have to, back to the meeting.

Sitting there I am thinking that this would be a good meeting to program my phone to ring automatically. I can fake answering my phone as good as the next person.

So I sent a message to my walk-out cohort suggesting we figure out how to do that. He replies 'good idea' and at that exact moment a phone rang. It was not a phone belonging to anyone in the meeting. It was the Peyton PHlaCe phantom phone that we hear every so often. The ringer sounds like an old-fashioned ringer. I am not talking rotary phone bell ringer, older than that - Alexander Graham Bell-Watson age ringer.

And no one knows exactly where in the building that ringer is coming from...it sounds the same wherever you are in the building when you hear it. And apparently not every one hears it at the same time...

My Futurama....

Fool me 7 times...
shame on you!

But fool me 8 or more times,
shame on me...

Yeah, I was watching tv again...

From Scoop Sunday into Blue Monday into White Tuesday...

Sunday was a busy day as far as Sundays go... I got myself out of bed relatively early, did a load of laundry, made breakfast for G-man and prepared to take on the chores I skipped on Saturday.... Then the call came....yesss....

What ya doin, Mom? Ya know we need to renew our phone plan and I have have errands to run - so why don't we go to lunch in Akron?

I will do anything to get out of housework:)

So now I have a new phone instead of a clean house... Scoop, scoop...please be patient over the next few months while I figure out how to answer, text, save numbers, etc., etc...but I did figure out how to take pictures...now what do I do with them?

On the way back from the Alltel store, I did stop at Ballys to work off the Steak'n Shake lunch (cheddar topped fries with extra chesse on the side...yum) and a deluxe topping burger with musrooms and grilled onions (double yum).

Then I headed home to fill out paperwork for a LifeTeen retreat G-Man decided he wanted to participate in...no problem, except all paperwork and registration was due last week and $70 does not grown on trees...but we got it handled...never discourage spirituality in a teen...even if the initial intent is to impress a girl...:)

After G-man left for teen life I did start a few chores and then the call came...:)

Mom, guess what I left at home...the forms and money you for retreat...can you rin them up here?

I am not meant to do chores...I am sure of it...

And when G-man came in the door later that evening, he was upset...hit the punching bag across the basement floor upset....must be girl problems...stay out of his ways and pray for his safety...by morning all was well again...

Except for the swollen cheek...it was bigger and more painful than it was last night...did I forget to mention that above?... ok, that is pretty tough to fake...G-man gets the day off from school... And I am off to a day of meetings and office chatter about what the morrow will bring...

And hoping for a snowstorm tonight so tomorrow is white-out Tuesday instead of black-layoff Tuesday:)

But hope the snow holds off till we get back from Kaiser...cuz the cheek is suddenly worse...

Stumbling....

Wishing I had picked up a good book to read earlier in the day (note to self...start carrying your list wherever you go), I found myself instead stumbling for quizzer content...

I happened upon a Rorschach inkblot test. I like that kind of thing, so I decided to play along...

I stared at that first inkblot quite awhile, but all I could see was inkblot...so, I decided to type in MALE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS....well, actually, first I tried inkblot, but that didn't work, literally....see for yourself at
http://www.virtual-arts.com/inkblot.html

What do you want to be married to me for?

So I can kiss you any time I want...

good answer:)

So if you know me, you know I do not watch much tv...

But I ran a few errands this morning, visited a friend, and came home to try to do a few more weekend chores.

And, if you know me, you also know that it does not take much to get me away from those weekend chores.

So when G-man got home from work and wanted some hanky panky, I warmed that up and we sat down in front of the tv. He was in charge of the remote, cuz I was not really watching...until Sweet Home Alabama flashed across the screen and I said stop there...and much to my surprise, he did...it took me a few minutes to realize that he was not watching it because I wanted...yeah, Reese caught his attention...

G-man actually watched for about 15 minutes until he finished eating. Then he found somewhere else to be and left, leaving the tv on.....and it is just not right to shut off a perfectly good movie with a perfectly good looking Jake....especially when you know the ending is one of those happily ever after ones...except for Andrew of course, but I am pretty sure he will survive and be president of something someday....

Ok...time to get back to the chores...

No wait, G-man's back, with Chipotle? You just had a pound of hanky panky an hour ago...yeah, I know you're growing...so am I...but I am trying not to...

So now we are watching Bruce Almighty...Jim Carrey is much easier to look at than dirty laundry...

Saturday night ...what are all the football players doing at home with their Moms...but I am not complaining...

Hanky Panky...

Since today is payday, and a couple of bills did not get posted yet, and CSEA payment came through on time, I had enough money in my checking last night to get some groceries...

Unfortunately, I just realized this as I was leaving work, so I did not have time to make a physical list. But the list in my head seemed pretty good...

Get the staples to feed a 17-year old active teen...milk, bread, ground beef, sausage, cheese, cookies (big chocolate chip ones with M&Ms....mmmm), iced tea, gatoraid, yogurt with blueberries on bottom (for me), french bread pizzas, eggs, onions, shrimp, butter, pierogies.

We should be good for a couple days...

Rather than freeze the meat, I decided to make hanky panky with it. Try explaining that to online chat buddies...excuse me while I stir the hanky panky....yes, I am alone...I am
just browning beef and stirring in cheese...no, I'm not serving cheesy beefcakes...no they are not stinky...

Only my favorite daughter, CareBear, understood. 'I love hanky panky, Mom. Will you share?'

To the rest of you....it is ground beef, sausage, and velveeta, served on toasted cocktail bread...and it is yummy:) and filling...even for G-Man.

And then the call came..."Oh yeah, Mom. I am working til 10 and don't bother cooking. I am bringing us KFC..."

Hmmm, the one night I cook...but I love KFC and hanky panky keeps...

And I have learned...never refuse a free dinner...

Today's lesson...

I can chat with 2 girlfriends, my daughter, and my girlfriend's daughter while cooking dinner ...and not burn dinner...and only type in the wrong chat window a couple of times.
(I know your daughter didn't need to know that - I didn't meant to tell her, really.)

Another fine day at Peyton PHlaCe....

The CEO sent an email earlier in the week to update Peyton PHlaCe employees on the impending doom...there will definitely be a 5% workforce reduction starting next week.

That has just made everyone...

• Work harder...at finding another job...
• Start wondering out loud...next week Monday? or Tuesday? or Friday?
• Start analyzing what it means when their boss passes them in the hall without looking at them....is he just busy?...is she avoiding me on purpose?...does he hate me because I do such a good job he has to keep me?
  
• Spend more time in hallway conversations figuring out who will get the axe.
• Spend more meeting minutes (as in time, not summaries) discussing who will be left to do all the work...
• Write shorter meeting minutes because most of the meeting was idle chatter about the impending layoff...

More to follow...

A day in the life....

I woke up feeling crappy today and needing a few extra hours of sleep...so I emailed work and fell back asleep within a few minutes.

G-man has a habit of stopping home between his classes at Lakeland and his classes at South. If it were not for that habit of his, I may have slept the day away....

But after I crawled out of bed and made a little lunch for myself, I was feeling quite a bit better.

In fact, I probably got more work done in 5 hours at home than I would have in 8 at the office...yeah, part of that is because I would have went to all of the scheduled meetings if I was at the office, instead of just one phone conference...but that is a whole other issue...

About 6:30 I decided it was a Bally's night. Apparently, a lot of other people in Willoughby decided the same thing. I am one of the strange breed who like to work out by myself. I do not mind going with someone, but once I get there, I like to go off on my own at my own pace; It is like a road trip for me...time to be by myself and think...

Well, tonight I was thinking and wondering...why do they have beach chairs around an indoor lap pool? And why were they all occupied tonight? Ok, so there is a sauna and steam room and hot tub, and you are suppose to take a break after a little bit in them, but these people visit with each other, take naps, do sit-ups and leg exercises...I just do not quite get it...what am I missing?

Maybe it was because the water in the pool was so cold tonight. I actually could not get warm...so I too took a break. But I opted for the hot tub, where it was warm.

After two sessions in the pool, I headed for home. As I pulled down my road, a noticed a van in my drive. Ah, my friendly neighbor was returning some books she borrowed. She and her husband were on their way to the library...hmm, I had been thinking I need to get to the library, so I hopped in their van and off we went...me not thinking that I had just come from ballys and looked like it...sweats and no supporting underwear...bare feet in slipper like shoes...wet, unbrushed hair tied back...no makeup...

Oh and by the way, after the library, we're stopping at our brother's house to drop something off...maybe we should have mentioned that earlier....

Oh no worries, I will just be your token tag-a -long slob.....

But all in all it was a fun evening; a nice little impromptu jaunt around town with friends, all sharing stories of our lives as parents of teenagers, and noone commenting on my state of un-dress - just as if I was one of those teenagers whose parents do not care how they leave the house...hey just as long as they come back on their own power and not escorted by the cops....

Thanks for the joy ride J & G:)

Thanks for saving my butt!

In case you were wondering....

...maybe....

Friday Morning Water Cooler...

Brady Quinn looked good last night...

I totally agree!!!!!!
(Oh, you meant on the field?)

Thursday Night Football!

Almost as good as Friday Night Football!

Go Browns!

Try to play through all 4 quarters tonight!

Earn those big bucks:)

Good advice I try to follow....

Live your life
in such a way
that when your feet
hit the floor
in the morning,
Satan shudders & says...

Oh shit....she's awake!!

Thanks to MSC for this...

Election Day '08 - Finally..

And that means....
No more political phone calls during dinner ...
Less campaign signs blocking my view of oncoming traffic...
No more campaign workers knocking on my door...
No more campaign flyers in my door, on my windshield, in my mailbox...
No more asking me who I am going to vote for...or if I am going to vote...

May the best turkey win!!!

Busy week...end...

The last few days have kept me very busy and it does not seem like it is going to let up any time soon...if like me you consider soon right now:)

Every weekend I seem to get less and less done of the things I intend to get done...

So next weekend the list is longer by the things I did not get done last weekend and the weekend before that and....

I think it is time to lower my expectations and shorten the list....or at least make it more attainable

Proposed to do list for next weekend:

sleep
cuddle
smile
laugh
eat
sleep a lil more
visit with friends
take a long walk
visit bally's pool
pay bills
dream
cuddle some more

Black...for the funeral?

Our local High School football team is awesome this year...and I am not saying that just because my son is one of their two awesome running backs (he gets a lot of help from his fellow backs and the line). And the defense is pretty damn good too...the whole defense...

Anyway, playoffs are here and we (the team, of which I am part of by having given birth to one of the RBs - yes, the white one) are in - in Division I, Region I no less.

The opposing team is a local team...I work with and otherwise know (not in any Biblical sense) some of their team (the parental part). So it is a friendly rivalry and will be good for the area in so many ways...

The other team's color is Red; ours is Rebel Blue; however, our coaching staff has asked the fans to wear black to the game....We do have a lot of football and school spirit wear in black. But most of us prefer the Blue at gametime. So why did the coach request that we wear black?

Could it be in preparation for the funeral of the other team's season?

Let the dirge begin....

Go REBS!

It's Definitely a Guy Thing...

Thanks to ddeucey2....

Poetry Tuesday (PG)

Rub a dub dub

I'm in a defect scrub

This is where I'm sittin'

Thinkin' about quittin.

Roses are red

Violets are blue

I'd rather be in bed

How about you?

This defect is big

This defect is small

Let's end this gig

Let's fix 'em all.

Thanks to AppsGirl for your input...

One day at a time...yeah right:)

Thanks to ldboy for this reminder...
(and yes, we will survive the attack)

Vote for South's Gary Harmon

Congrats Rebels!!!

PAC Champs!!!!

#6 in Ohio's Div I Reg I!!!

Vote at Cleveland.com for Gary Harmon Week 10 Gameball!!!

Thanks for your support!!

I couldn't agree more....

I see a PAC championship in your future....

Go Rebs!

Leaders of the PAC!
Thanks to the Seniors of '09 for sharing the awesome memories...
OK, Coach MO, I am wanting to see those thighs I heard so much about:)

Not from personal experience...thank God!

So, there I was . . .
just relaxing in front of the T.V.
and then the kids yelled,
'Hey, Mom come see the kittens.'

You really, really want a pony?

No Time for....

This week I am overextended....

• PMs have demanded a firm localization plan in place that they can present to upper management next week at Program Review (so you appear to have a clue of the scope of localization ...sure, I will attend the three looooong meetings you have scheduled this week...no problem...i will prepare and present my plan for you to critique and maybe approve...sorry for you that I insist that you schedule around my evening personal commitments...)
• Thursday is Senior Night for the football team (oh...what do you mean it was assumed that I would coordinate this event ....oh yeah, I would love to....next year, when my son is a senior, let it be known that I am just fine with going to DQ after, just like we did when they were in grade school after the fall, winter, and spring concerts)
• G-Man has an essay due Wednesday AM (sure I would be glad to help you get your thoughts on paper and proofread and....tell me again why we are waiting until 8:00 PM the night before to start this?)
  
• This weekend is Homecoming weekend...(Oh that's right, I am suppose to go to the mall and pick out a shirt and tie to match her dress and I need to order the corsage cuz you would screw it up and I need to return that shirt because I should have known that you haven't worn that size for 2 years....)

Is it Sunday yet?

Lazy fall days...

I love the fall...(the time of year...not the "on your face" references previously mentioned). I love the changing of the trees and the cool evenings and bonfires and walking through leaves.

I also love cuddling...
with a blanket or a pillow or a warm body...
with a cup of hot cider or tea (with a touch of rum) or coffee (irish is good)...

Sometimes, I love cuddling so much that I resent having to get my butt off the couch to take care of day to day business like...

• laundry
• dishes
• dusting
• mopping
• cleaning bathrooms (yuck)
• cooking dinner
• grocery shopping
• paying bills
• updating web - I can do this from the couch
• updating calendar - I can do this from the couch too

Ok...now that I made my to do list, I guess I had better get to doing...

...unless anyone has a better idea:)

....anyone?

...Save me , please:)

Happy Sweetest Day!

Too many sweets can make you sick:)
(That is what he means, right?)

Ran out of excuses...

So tonight after I ran out of reasons not to go to Bally's...

Hey, G-Man, you sure Ames is not stopping over, I can stay home (you should go, Mom - not that you need to or anything)...
Hey J, sure you don't want to walk MJ tonight?
(yeah I know its raining, and MJ hates the rain and you do too)...
Maybe I should watch the debate...there is one on, right?

Ok, so after I ran out of excuses, I headed up to Bally's...

By the time I get there it was 9:30 - much later than I have ever been to Bally's any night of the week. And the parking lot seemed to be full of much nicer cars than I usually see there....
So I am thinking, the night crowd is different; these people are not here because they are overweight; they are here to show off their beautiful bods and find someone to f@%$# with....(there's 5 letter there, oh ye of the dirty mind)
And so I tell myself ..if the pool area is crowded, I will just walk back out the door...I mean, why spoil the scenery, right?

Well, evidently, the pool is not the place for the hot bods of the evening...
I pretty much had it to myself...

But I did learn....

No matter how much you hate the way your swim suit fits - do not wear shorts with pockets over it....cuz if you do, there will be no need for a floaty....

Chinese Astrology

OK, we all know how it works...
#s 1-11 down the side of a blank piece of paper, be spontaneous and no cheating...

1. any number
2. any number
3. name of person of opposite sex (real person)
   
4. name of good friend or family member
5. name of good friend or family member
6. name of good friend or family member
7. name of person of opposite sex (real person)
8. song title
9. song title
10. song title
11. song title

So...according to my horror scope:

* 3 (#1) is my lucky number...I knew that
* I have to tell 11 (#2) people about this game ... or what?
* I supposedly love lc (#3)...hey, give me a break, he was the first guy that came to mind cuz I was trying to blog when I got this chain email...and ok, maybe I did at one time for a short time...
* I care most about CareBear (#4) - I know, I know, she is my favorite....daughter, that is:)
* G-Man (#5) knows me very well...duh - he still is stuck living with me:)
* ldboy (#6) is my lucky star...make me a million:)
* SWG (#7) is supposedly the person I like but the relationship just won't work...duh...maybe because he's a nice guy and a good friend I can talk to at work...let's not screw that up:)
* Margaritaville (#8) supposedly matches lc (#3)...not a chance in hell...
* Bat Out of Hell (#9) supposedly matches SWG (#7)...hmmmm....tell me a little more about yourself, SWG?
* And Cracklin' Rosie (#10) is what's on my mind...sing it Neil:)
* And I am feeling Born to Run (#11)...away with you and your SB band, Boss?

So now you know...

These could work:)

Handy Dandy Reasons Not To Go To Work!

If it is all the same to you I won't be coming to work.
The voices told me to clean all the guns today.

When I got up this morning I took two Ex-Lax with my Prozac.
I can't get off the toilet, but I feel good about it.

I can't come in to work today because I'm stalking my previous boss,
who fired me for not showing up for work. Ok?

I'm religious and w-o-r-k is a four letter word!

I have a rare case of 48-hour projectile leprosy,
but I know we have that deadline to meet...

Constipation has made me a walking time bomb.

I'm feeling a little disgruntled this morning.
You sure I should come in?

Rangers still cannot catch Rebels!!!!

Check out the article on the sports page of the Lake County News Herald....yeah...that's my baby:)

The News-Herald: Breaking news coverage for Northern Ohio

Posted using ShareThis

Don't ya wish you were a rebel?

Are you Ready for Some Football?

Go Rebs!!!!
Go #25!!!
Yeah, I am biased, but hey - I have a right!

The South will Rise Again!!!

Good Luck to Both Teams!!!!
I do not really mean that, but I feel bad for our cross town rivals, knowing they are most likely going to get an ass whooping tonight in their own house.

Peyton PHlaCe...

This week I learned...

• SteroidMan (so named because, well, you can figure it out) was caught earlier this month in a rather compromising position with an unnamed (not so much to protect the innocent, but because I have no clue) female coworker in the training auditorium.
  
• Peyton PHlaCe (SteroidMan and his female cohort's place of employment - which happens to be mine as well) is not as understanding of such compromising positions as the White House.
• SteroidMan and SMGirl (so named because... yeah) are no longer employed at Peyton PHlaCe.

I am privy to knowledge of quite a lot that goes on at Peyton PHlaCe because, well, I work there and am not deaf and dumb. So I feel a little bad for SMGirl.

• I mean, I would do him, given the opportunity. OK, I hope I would be a little more discreet and not get caught in the auditorium for God's sake, but still...I am pretty sure it was consensual between two adults, neither of whom are otherwise attached...
• Peyton PHlaCe is pushing their sense and simplicity branding...what is more sensual and simpler than doing it right where you happen to be? As SWG pointed out in his contribution to our list of possible excuses for doing it in the auditorium...watch for the future post...
  

And NOOOO...I am not SMGirl.

Ring my bell...:)

A lonely woman, aged 70, decided that it was time to get married. She put an ad in the local paper that read:

• HUSBAND WANTED!
• MUST BE IN MY AGE GROUP (70's),
• MUST NOT BEAT ME,
• MUST NOT RUN AROUND ON ME,
• AND MUST STILL BE GOOD IN BED!
• ALL APPLICANTS PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON.

On the second day she heard the doorbell. Much to her dismay, she opened the door to see a gray-haired gentleman with no arms or legs sitting in a wheelchair.

The old woman said, "You're not really asking me to consider you, are you? Just look at you ... you have no legs!" The old man smiled, "Therefore I cannot run around on you!"

She snorted. "You don't have any hands either!" Again the old man smiled, "Nor can I beat you!"

She raised an eyebrow and gazed intently. "Are you still good in bed?" With that, the old gentleman leaned back, beamed a big broad smile and said, "I rang the doorbell, didn't I?"

Today I learned...

There are jobs out there a lot worse than mine...

So...for today...

I will try harder not complain about my job.
I will try not to whine or express my personal disdain to my associates, affiliates or supervisor.

Today (and maybe even tomorrow)...

I will be thankful for every irritation, distraction, and challenge.

Today's lesson...proud to be an American I am!!!

Unfortunately...

• If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Delta Airlines one year ago, you would have $49.00 today.
• If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in AIG one year ago, you would have $33.00 today.
• If you had purchased $1,000 of shares in Lehman Brothers one year ago, you would have $0.00 today.

But....

• If you had purchased $1,000 worth of beer one year ago, drank all the beer, then turned in the aluminum cans for recycling refund, you would have received $214.00.

Based on the above, the best current investment plan is to drink heavily & recycle.
It is called the 401-Keg.

Other related findings...

• A recent study found that the average American walks about 900 miles a year.
• Another study found that Americans drink, on average, 22 gallons of alcohol a year.

That means that, on average, Americans get about 41 miles to the gallon!

And in honor of this being my 100th post on this blog, let's all join in...

100 Bottles of beer on the wall, 100 bottles of beer...

Thoughts for the day...(not all mine, btw)

Today I learned...

Why bicycle shorts are usually black....

And hardly ever red....

Thanks J...I needed a good laugh....

Not Blonde...Just Dizzy...

So I have been feeling like crap the past couple of months...tired, cranky, and dizzy...

The tired and cranky I can put up with as long as it does not get too bad...or coupled with dizzy...

The dizzy part made me decide I better make the dreaded visit to the doc. Don't want to end up in the hospital again 3 pints low because I waited too long...

Well, I feel better just knowing...

Blood count is fine - but I'm sooo tired...
Thyroid is fine - damn, can't use that excuse for the weight gain...
I really am dizzy - I was not imagining it...I am suffering (yeah, that's right) from vertigo!

What to do, doc?

Keep taking your happy pills, cranky lady, I'll tell you when to stop or slow down...being cranky takes a lot out of you...and you wonder why you are tired...
No... your bp is not low enough for you to go off the meds....no more self-diagnosis...
Do these exercizes for the vertigo; a common side effect is dizziness with lots of nausea. When you can do them without getting dizzy, you are cured...

You're kidding, right? you want me to make myself dizzy to cure myself of the dizziness...
Like that's gonna happen...
Do you not understand that I do not like the dizzy feeling?
And maybe I forgot to mention my thoughts on nausea...
...9 months of that is the reason I stopped having kids!

Did I mention that I am feeling old, too? Doc says that is because I am...quit being a baby about it....(a baby about being old?...hmmm...)

Can I at least get a couple days off work? to sleep? please?

Message of the Day:

Every sixty seconds you spend angry, upset or mad,
is a full minute of happiness you'll never get back.
Life is short...
Break the rules...
Forgive quickly...
Kiss slowly...
Love truly...
Laugh uncontrollably...
And never regret anything that made you smile.

Life may not be the party we hoped for...
but while we're here we should dance...
or at least make a half-assed attempt!

Happy Birthday, G-Man!

Remember when?

At least this kid is not on the floor behind the table :)

I bet his butt is not as...ok, we won't go there...:)



Love ya, bud!

Not in this lifetime...

I happened on this post while I was stumbling...

Michael Phelps - More bad ass than Chuck Norris?

Uh...not in this lifetime...I mean, I do respect Michael Phelps, but there is NO comparison...