Party time!

Izzy's about to turn 6, and we are having a party! I must be crazy to host one for a bunch of 6 year olds, but it should be fun.. we are headed to the local pizza/game/golf/bumpercar spot, so it should be exciting -- we already have a few rsvp, boys only so far.

busy busy busy week! It's been crazy here, but that's what keeps things exciting, I guess.

Movies, not for the faint of heart

Chad and I just got back from our date... Tonight was the first time we saw a movie on opening night in a loooonnnnnggggg time! We chose Grindhouse, and let me tell you -- this was interesting. I don't think everyone will "get" it, but it's up there as far as movies go... What made it interesting (among the extremely gratuitous blood, gore, and perverts) were the unexpected trailers and ads in the movie. Unexpected, because they just don't happen like that anymore!

The cast of characters/ actors is entertaining. Hey, who knew Josh Brolin (Brand from the Goonies) could play such a weirdo! It is long, but it really didn't seem like you were sitting in there for a long time... My recommendation, see the movie at the big screen. You'll want to stay to the end - you'll never look at Kurt Russell the same way again!

It's Spring, I think....

Well, I know this is Ohio weather -- it was nearly 80 yesterday and SNOW tonight! It's piling up outside on the patio furniture.

The Izzster is up at her Nona's for a few days of her spring break... It's so quite without her here!

Today, on the way to work, I saw a tree on a wire - sparks and smoke were just starting to form. By the time I got my phone dug out of my purse, I saw the FD racing towards it... that's about it for my excitement for the day!Â

We are mostly moved in... yes, we've moved again (UGH - for me, this is my 14th move since starting college, boy do Ihave this down!)   Actually, we are only staying here for a little while... we found a place and are building in a cute town nearby. If all goes well - we'll move by September! The house is pretty cool, and we are selling out a bit, by going to "suburb-land" not quite Stepford, and I hope not over a burial ground, a la Polterguist! (Step into the light, Carol Anne!)Â

After just a few short weeks here, we've had a touch of mold in basement, the windows upstairs don't open (latches are installed wrong); the patio screen door has a "doggie door" CUT out of the screen; there is a big round patch of dirt (pool) that has 1 weed in it, int he backyard; our mailbox was demolished by some idiot driver; the fan is the fridge didn't work (55degrees in there!); Oh, and there is about 6 inches of space between our bed and the wall on one side, and the dresser on the other. Fun Fun Fun!Â

Off to enjoy American Idol -- My money's on Melinda or Lakisha or even Blake.Â

toodles!

3 words...

DANCE PARTY USA!!!!!

We come from the land of Ice and Snow

No, not what you think... this is how much ice we had last week -- it's frozen on a little twig. There was more, but it melted as we brought it inside.

Don't eat yellow Snow!

Chad doing the dirty work

This is covered with ice -- you can see the walk in the back, it's about 12 in of solid ice. FUN!!!
Even the walls were frozen... you can see where the "shadow" of the lamp was protected from the driving ice.
The garbage can was frozen shut!

Good Doggy

Izzy and Duncan... As you can tell by his expression, he just loves all of the stuffed animals.

Duncan is here!

Well, I told you he was coming! This is Duncan. We are watching him while the folks are on a well deserved vacation!

Izzy was just tickled pink that is here! I'm sure she will keep him busy.


Duncan likes our couch -- it took him forever to fall asleep last night!



And no wonder, with our Baby Cat giving him the spooky eye, Duncan has been on alert.




Actually, I'm surprised they are coming around each other this soon! Of course, the cat is giving the obligatory hiss and puffs up, but he's intrigued. Duncan, I don't think, realizes that he's bigger than the cat.

But he did give the cat "paws" when the Duncster was playing with his squeaky toys, which were about the same size as Baby Cat.


This is the Katt that Duncan left behind. For more about this Katt's adventures, read here.

Countdown to Duncan 2 Days!

My cell phone won't talk to me, but my shoes will

I swear someone is out to get me. Tuesday, at exactly 11:59 am Cingular time, my cell phone died. (Conspiracy - I tell you!) We had such good times. Ahhh... But - Now for an upgrade :) But for Chad. I get his old phone, so he can get one of the newer ones to access the internet by using tin foil, gum, and cheese wiz to hook up his phone and the lap top. Or some thing like that.

In other news, if they are not watching me from the sky, now my feet are being monitered.

Thanks to our new health and wellness program at my place of employment, I now have my very first pair of Nike shoes! (I grew up in the 80s without a pair of Nikes - hard to believe!) I also have a new Nano and the sport pack so now my shoes can talk to me (as if I don't have enough voices in my head.)

To calibrate the Nike+ I had to (Gasp!) run. This was probably the first time I ran in several (try 14) years. I did .25 mile in about 3 minutes. My body is not meant for running, which is why I threw track instead of running -(Shot and disc). Well, there was the few instances the shot putters ran the 1600 relay, but only when we were very far ahead in points, or very far behind.

So for iPod number 4 (perks for working for a computer based employer!) I've got it all set set now. Let's just see how it works for me getting in shape.


Countdown to Duncan: 4 days!

Thank you: corporate conglomerate convenience

Yikes.... I guess taking a few months off is not always a good thing. When I decided to come back to reality and check some email, I find that I can't log in to one particular account. It's my junk mail account, but it's tied to a bunch of other accounts in this woven world of the web. So it's saying that the user name and password don't exist. Tried all of my usual passwords - no such luck. As this is one of my first email accounts - I've had it for about 9-10 years- I think I'd know the password!

Well, I try my alternate email and get a note, actually 2, that my password has been changed, yet, no mention of the new password. Mind you this was in December, on my self imposed internet sabbatical. How could it have been changed?

Due to corporate conglomerate "convenience", when I use our internet email, which is linked also to the account as a back up email, I can't log in as "me." I have a few differnet email address, but when the services I've had separately for several years, decide to combine, It's not recognizing ME! So when I follow the link provided in the "password changed" email, it automatically logs me in from the account I'm checking it from, NOT the accout that's supposedly been changed. (Thanks, Att/Sbc/cingular/Dsl/Yahoo)

Confused? Join the club. Oh, and that secondary email, well, that's not working now either, since I'm guessing that whenever my password was supposedly changed, my back up email was altered as well. See, I've figured out that after about a hundred attempts to log in, the account is locked. I have yet to recieve the "unlock" email that was sent to my back up account.

This is just crazy. I've said for years that the internet and computers will be the downfall of civilization. But this is just getting downright spooky how all of the infomation is linked together - easily searchable, and not that easy to fix when you are dealing with semi-"intelligent" computers!

Don't even get me started on the conspiracy angle to the story (I could go on for days on that, but I might be giving "them" ideas.)

Still here...

Just letting folks know that I'm still here... been on a sort of mental vacation for the past few... weeks (OK, since the beginning of November.)

My brain is rested, and I can now ponder the wonders of Cheese. And Brendan Fraser.

There's A New Love In My Life

I simply LOVE White Castle... Yes it makes me sick everytime I eat it and I feel like I have a terrible hangover afterward, but there's just something about these greasy slimy sliders that I LOVE!!! If you haven't tried them you should run right out and grab a couple of DOUBLE CHEESE WITH BACON and NO ONION... Yes I eat White Castle with no onion as they are even more disgusting with it.

Now, Go grab some sliders...

Love me or Hate Me

I must admit, one of my guilty pleasures is watching MTV videos I've always liked good music videos, and if you name a song from the 80's - early 90's, I could probably describe the video to you. Now, I usually have to do this way late into the night. There's no way in Hades I'd let Izzy watch MTV at 5 years of age! Plus, late at night, all the really good ones come on. Well, that, or the ones that scare the crap out of you when you fall asleep to MTV and wake up to a video by some death metal band.

Anywho... came across this one, and had to watch it a few times (Thanks, TiVo!) This chick is cool!

Lady Sovereign Music Video Codes

Now Playing: Lady Sovereign - Love Me Or Hate Me
Brought you by: Music Codes

I've finally figured out my phone!

OK - I FINALLY figured out how to get photos off my phone. The following are from our trip to Memphis in 2004. For me, the highlight was one of America's best known houses - Graceland!



Notice how we spend much of our time on vacation -- watching TV in the hotel! That's DG, by the way, and Chad's feet.


The rest of Chad.

After getting them out of the room, we head to Beale Street in Memphis.... jazzy!





Whoa! How'd this get in here? Funny story: This was a gift to DG from a friend (not me) But I just had to take a picture of it for obvious reasons! This was a felt "design" - there are layers in the shape, each glued ontop of the other, so the "dangling particle" is placed there on purpose.

So now we get to Graceland:



The Entry way - gotta love the peacocks.
This was one of the first rooms you see on the tour. I wanted to ring the doorbell, man did I want to ring the doorbell, but I was afraid they'd kick me off the tour before I saw anything.



Chad, DG and me, Looking in Elvis's mirror...



Pink caddy! (OK, so the images are a bit out of order)


The infamous Jungle Room


"Elvis and Me"


How lifelike - Elvis and Chad


Jim giving Elvis a little "coochie - coo"




The record and Jumpsuit room... dazzling!


His final resting place...



Check back soon - more photos to come!

Do you know us?

If you know these people, or are indeed the couple in the photo - contact me!

I found this photo in a copy of a Gossip Girl book.

Don't ask me why I'm reading GG - those books are trashy. But strangely, I can't put them down. In no way do I recommed these books for anyone under 18. (And I am very liberal when it comes to the banning of books!) But, as one who cut her literary chops on Woodiweiss, Lindsay, and Rogers, these are pretty bad. (Sweet Savage Love is tame compared to these.)

But I digress.. If anyone knows who this photo belongs to, or just want's to make up stories about the people in the photo - you know where to put your comments.

On the next blog....
I've FINALLY figured out how to get photos off my phone. I've had the phone for over a year, so there are some good ones!

Trogdor!

http://homestarrunner.com/

If you have seen this yet - check it out... lots of goodies on this site -- my favorites: StrongBad email (Must see "Dragon" episode!) and Teen Girl Squad - Sooo Coool.

Burniating out.....

IS NOTHING SACRED? A ROLLING RANT!!!

Well folks it's been a while since I posted anything... It took something I found on Wikipedia to get me fired up enough to post... One of my favorite beers is Rolling Rock... I'm sure you all know it from the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe...

WELL GUESS WHAT... As of July 2006 IT'S BREWED IN FRIGGIN NEWARK NJ because the bastards at Anheiser Busch bought it...

Is nothing sacred. I mean this brew was a big part of my younger years. I had a whole lot of fun partying with friends and Rolling Rock and now they have stolen my favorite brew...

So if that isn't enough... I don't know if you know the whole "33" story... 33 words in the slogan on the bottle of the brew that was brewed in the glass lined tanks of Old Latrobe.. Well now Budweiser in their infinite wisdom is changing the beginning of the slogan to read "To honor the great tradition of this great brand we quote from the original pledge."

SO NOW THERE AREN'T 33 WORDS ON THE FRIGGIN BOTTLE MORON!!!!!

If I had Bill Gates dollars I swear I'd buy Anheiser Busch and shut it down....

OK that's my beer rant holla if ya hear me or not whatever i'm too pissed to care!

TV junkie

Fall TV season ... gotta love it! If it weren't for my Tivo and DVR on the upstairs computer - I don't know what I'd do!

Last night, I watched on of my favorite types of TV shows - "the semi true story of some pop culture reference of my youth but with a 21st century spin, but not authorized movie" It was: Behind the Camera: The Unauthorized Story of 'Diff'rent Strokes' Apparently, I missed it the first time it was on, but entertaining all the same.

I never knew just how much Gary C hated that line he was so known for. Because of that, I'm changing the tag line on my comment link. (*never fear - it's still an 80's reference!)

No matter how bad my life gets, I don't think it will ever be as bad as the cast of Diff'rent Strokes!

I'm turning into the crazy lady on the block

Or am I?

Here's the situation: we have several trees in our yard - some of them are buckeyes. Well, here in Ohio, especially central Ohio, I guess there is a big run on buckeyes. I know they make great candy. But the real buckeyes are pretty dangerous to humans, and most other animals except for squirrles and deer. Also - they are the mascot of some team here in central Ohio -- I don't know, I went to the real Ohio University, where Bobcats reign, not little nuts. :)

So the other day, I heard a strange swooshing in my yard - shooshing and whacking to be more precise. I look out and see three "youts" tromping through my landscaping. One was even in the tree. I stand in my back door and tell them to not step in my flowerbed (not that there are any stunning flowers in there anyway, but the principle of thing, you know.)

Below, the carnage after the much sought after buckeye.


A few days later, there are 3 other kids, a little bit older this time. Same noise, same thing, one was in my landscaping. I ask if they have to stand in my flowerbed, they said no. So I give them at least a minute. They weren't moving. I then said "could you get out of my flowerbed?" and they moved.

So today, after I found one of our branches freshly broken, Izzy drew a sign. It reads, DON"T GO IN OUR FLOWERS - trust me. (I must admit, I did think Izzy had something to do with the branch, since she likes to swing on them, but I don't think her 32 pound frame could have pulled this big of branch down.)

Today, 3 more were out, they even came with a bag to collect them. They didn't go in the flowerbed though, but they did leave a mess on the sidewalk (which the other neighbor came by to clean up.) What is up with the buckeyes? So I turned to Wikipedia, and found an interesting game to play: Conkers, which actually sounds like a neat game. Here are the rules:

1. Take a large, hard conker and drill a hole through it using a nail, gimlet, or small screwdriver. (This may be done by an adult on behalf of the contestant.) Thread a piece of string through it about 25 cm long. Often a shoelace is used. Tie a large knot at one or both ends of the string, so that the conker will not slide off when swung hard.
2. Find an opponent. It is to your advantage if you can find an opponent with a conker smaller and softer than yours.
3. Take it in turns to hit each other's conker using your own. To do this one player lets the conker dangle on the full length of the string while the other player hits. To hit, hold the string in one hand with the conker held above it in the other hand, then swipe at the opponent's conker, letting go of your own nut but keeping hold of the string.

Now, if my brother and I were playing this game, this is where we'd change the rules. Instead of trying to break the "conker" we'd probably end up hitting each other with the things.

But I digress. So, faithful readers, and anyone else who happens to read this: am I being to unreasonable to expect kids to stay out of other people's property? Honestly, I have no problem with them taking the stinking buckeyes, but wouldn't you ask first? Am I turning into the crazy lady of the block for wanting a little yard respect?

I think next time, I'll take out the broom and let them sweep up the mess.


Other pictures of our yard -the lamps were broken when we moved in - perhaps due to other buckeye grabbers.

And Lots of Lavendar! This stuff is great - I've been bringing some in and putting it in the crock pot to simmer all day - makes the house smell good!

Know thy neighbor!

. Check out the site:

http://www.familywatchdog.us/

The sad facts about sex offenses and those that perpetrate them.

impact on society.

• 1 of 5 girls will be sexually molested before her 18th birthday.
• 1 of 6 boys will be sexually molested before his 18th birthday.
• 1 of 5 children have been propositioned for sex over the Internet.
• 2 of 3 sexual abuses are perpetrated against teenagers or younger children.
• 90% of sexual assaults are committed against someone the perpetrator knows.
• The median age for female molestation victims under 18 is 9.8 years old.
• The median age for female molestation victims under 18 is 9.6 years old.
• There are new 400,000 victims of sexual assault every year.
• There are over 550,000 registered sex offenders in the US.
• There are over 100,000 sex offenders that fail to register in the US.
• 76% of serial rapists claim they were molested as children.
• Over 40% of male juvenile delinquents were molested as children.

From the web site, Family Watchdog