Uh, Excuse Me ...

I hope you don't mind my taking over the blog again--I'm Jill's computer. We talked at Christmas, remember? She was doing Christmas shopping? Anyway, you may have noticed she's been away from the blog a lot this week, and I thought I could explain why.

She's sick.

Nothing serious, just a sinus infection, but it's made her very hard to live with. At least, that's what I hear murmured around the house. I wouldn't know because she's always been kind to me. Sort of.

So since she can't be here, I'm getting a little bored and I thought I'd just say hi.

Hi.

Actually, I guess I sort of lied. A little bit. Jill is usually kind to me, but she did something Wednesday that really upset me. I'm sure you know what Wednesday was. Big press situation. Everyone around the world covering it. No, I don't mean the State of the Union address. I'm talking about Apple's latest. You know. The thing. (whispering)

Hey, I'm proud to be part of Apple. Who wouldn't want to be labeled with that half-eaten logo they have on everything. It's a standard to be proud of. And innovation is one of the things that makes our company so great. I mean, look at me! I don't need a tower. I have USB ports in my keyboard. And my software! I can teach you to play an instrument, help you design a movie, write music, organize and produce your photos ... I have it all! Except ...

Well, for a little while I was everything. Apple made ipods and itouch and iphones, but they all docked   with me for their battery charging. A lot of times they got their downloads from me. I was the anchor that held our universe together.

Well now the very "anchor" part may be my undoing. After all, I'm not portable. When someone came home they would plug in their other devices during their down time. And now Apple has invented the thing. It's not just a computer. It's not a laptop. It's like a computer, phone, ipod and everything else all rolled into one. Who can compete with that? I'm still fairly new and I see a lot of dust in my future.

So what did Jill do? She researched the ipad. That's right. She used me to look up the details on the ipad. She even...I can barely say this...watched a video demonstration. On me!

I'm still bitter.

So anyway, I thought I'd stop in and say hi. You know. While I have the chance. Hope your week was better than mine.

*sniff*

And if she blogs Monday about a new acquisition, well, it's been nice knowing you.

*sniff*

Random ... Well, You Know The Rest

Time for another random dozen questions. Although there's not always a theme, this week's questions revolve around patience. Here we go!

1. How good are you at delaying gratification?

This covers a broad range of topics. There's the wait 20 minutes to eat something and your craving will go away (I usually nibble on chocolate while I'm waiting) to the don't buy something on credit--wait until you can actually afford it. I can do that. I can't afford not to.

2. Maybe a marshmallow wouldn't be too difficult a temptation for you. What food (or anything else) would be most tempting?

Temptations would depend on my mood and my situation at the moment. For instance, I was really tempted to stay in bed this morning, but I didn't. The tenth time that snooze went off, I forced myself to get up!

3. On a scale of 1-10 (10 being saintly) how patient are you?

The Bible says that "tribulation worketh patience".  I don't want tribulation, so I don't pray for patience much. I'm probably a 4.

4. Have you ever waited for something in life only to be disappointed upon realization of the goal/object/etc.?

Nope. Every time I've waited until the meal was over to begin dessert, the ice cream was just as good as I anticipated!

5. Are you a person who takes shortcuts?

Only if I know for sure that it's actually a shortcut, and not another way to get there that takes as long or longer than the first way. Huh?

6. Which line is hardest to wait in?

Is there an easy line to wait in? Can I have that one?

7. Did you wait to discover the gender of your unborn child until its birth?

The first one we were surprised. (Boy) We found out the gender on all the others before they were born:  girl, boy, boy, boy, boy.  After a while we kept discovering the gender, but we weren't all that surprised anymore.

8. Are you more patient with children or the elderly?

I'm probably more patient with children because they rarely drive their Buicks 15 miles below the speed limit in the fast lane.

9. Did you ever sneak a peek at a present?

Only twice. The first time, my mom was selling toys at home parties around Christmas time. One day she left me and some of my siblings in the car while she ran into the bank. We flipped open the boxes in the back to see what she had because we knew that's where our presents were coming from. The thrill (and subsequent guilt) of sneaking overshadowed everything else, and I didn't even remember anything I'd seen in the box.

The other time I peaked into the room where my mom was wrapping Christmas gifts and I saw a toy phone that I knew was for me. I announced to everyone, including my mom, that I was getting a toy phone for Christmas. I was excited right up until I unwrapped the package. Then I realized that waiting was half the fun and I never did it again. I never did enjoy that toy phone very much.

10. What is the longest you've ever waited for anything?

That would be when I waited ten days beyond my due date for our daughter to be born. Or the thirty-two hours of labor I went through before Matt was born.

11. Who has more patience, you or your significant other?

During labor he had more patience. He was annoying that way.

12. Which of the following songs about waiting is your pick for the best? (OK, you may substitute another, if you like.)



A) Anticipation by Carly Simon

B) The Waiting by Tom Petty

C) Right Here Waiting for You by Richard Marx

D) Wait for Me by Rebecca St. James

I don't really know these songs, but if Anticipation is the one they used to sing for the commercial (was it syrup or ketchup?) while they waited for it to pour out of the bottle, then I'll pick that one.

If you want to join in with your own answers, or if you'd like to read random answers from random other bloggers, click the link at the top of the post!

London Bridges Please Don't Fall Down!

I have something to confess. I am afraid of bridges. I always have been. I've just learned that this is a condition known as gephyrophobia. That would be a fear of bridges.

My family knows I'm afraid of bridges--especially drawbridges. They dealt with the issue by taunting me whenever we were going over a drawbridge. Nice family.

I don't think I'm afraid of bridges themselves, actually. I think I'm more afraid of the heights that they have to go to in order to span whatever it is you want to cross. The fear of heights thing would also be called acrophobia. I'm also afraid of falling from those tremendous heights. That fear of falling would be called bathophobia. (I guess that term stems from fear of falling into the water that most bridges span, and then being doused with soap.) And then too, I'm afraid of being trapped on bridges. You know, when they start crashing from their tremendous heights and sending its occupants plunging into a reluctant bath. That fear of being trapped would be claustrophobia.

I'm not sure where all this fear of bridges came into being, but I think I can basically blame it on two things: dreams and television. For years I've had a recurring dream that I'm driving across a very tall bridge. As I get closer, the bridge keeps getting higher until it assumes rollercoaster proportions. It also sways in a very unsteady way as I struggle to the top. It's only when I reach the top of the bridge that I realize there's no road down on the other side. Trust me, if you dreamed that you would be afraid of bridges too.

I'm afraid of drawbridges because of watching television. Seriously. Think of any show or movie that has a drawbridge in it. If there's a drawbridge in the picture, it's going to open at the wrong time and either a car or a person is going to be dangling from it. There's no reason for the drawbridge to be in the picture unless something's going to go wrong. I don't like drawbridges.

So there you have it. I have gephyrophobia, which feeds my acrophobia, bathophobia and claustrophobia.

What about you? Got any fears you want to share? 100 meaningless points if you know the "phobia" name that goes with your fear. I'll read your comments when I finish putting a psychiatrist on speed dial.

NOTE:  While I reserve the right to use your fear as a trait for a character in one of my novels, I promise to give you full credit and spell your name correctly in the acknowledgements.

Major Triumph!

It finally happened! The day that I've so longed for is here! I just can't believe it!

If you've followed my blog for very long, you know that I've had less than stellar results in the kitchen. I'm not a bad cook--I'm just not a very good one. I tend to have more than my share of mishaps.

Since my skills are less than I desire, my confidence is also a little lacking. I've blogged here about my problems in coming up with suitable dishes to bring to our church potlucks. As I've mentioned, I'm a middle-of-the-road kind of cook. I aim for mediocrity and hope not to be the one who produces food that everyone avoids.

As I am not the first name that comes to mind when looking for recipes, imagine my surprise and joy when someone actually asked me for a recipe this week! In fact, two people actually asked me for recipes. Actually, they asked me for two different recipes! Earlier this week someone asked for the recipe for my venison stew. Then, also this week, for random dozen, I mentioned that my favorite dish to fix is Italian meatloaf. Incredibly, someone asked for that recipe too! Two recipe requests in the same day! I feel the need to warn you that life as we know it may be coming to an end.

In the meantime, here's the "recipe" for Italian meatloaf. Will you be less impressed when I tell you nothing's measured?

Mix 2 lbs. of ground beef with onion salt, pepper, italian seasoning, one egg and italian bread crumbs. Press the meat mixture out into a rectangular shape on top of a sheet of aluminum foil. Line the meat with pepperoni slices and grated mozarella cheese. Use the foil to help fold the meat roll together, pinching ends and sealing seams tightly. Bake in a 9x13 dish at 350 degrees for one hour. Remove from oven, slice and top with Ragu pizza sauce.

Now, lest you think I'm going to get a big head, I will assure you that I am as unsure of myself as always in the kitchen. We have another church fellowship this Sunday, and I signed up for my usual so that I can hold my head high.

Once again, I'm bringing the ice.

Another Random Dozen!

1. So I was thinking about how Jon Bon Jovi never seems to age much. His hair is smaller nowadays, but he still manages to look like a boy somehow. And then that made me think of the story of Dorian Gray. Question: If you physically lock in one age for yourself, which would you choose and why?

I think 8 is a good age. You're old enough to read, dress yourself and take care of your own bathroom needs, but you're also young enough to have more playtime than work time, and it's still okay to whine or cry once in a while.

2. What is the best dish that you cook or bake (your piece de resistance?)

Well I like my pyrex rectangular dish with the green lid ... oh, wait! You meant the actual food? Okay, I'd have to say Italian meatloaf--meatloaf stuffed with pepperoni and mozarella cheese, topped with pizza sauce. Add a side of smashed potatoes and nobody can resist it. 

3. When you feel blue, what is one strategy you use to help yourself back to normal?

Stop holding my breath.

4. When was the last time you danced in public?

Does rolling on the floor laughing count?

5. Do you consider yourself a realist or dreamer?

I dream of being a realist.

6. As a parent, what is one thing that you have done well?

Given birth. I've done it six times now, and I'm practically an expert. I'm thinking of starting a consulting business.

7. Which is your favorite character on the Andy Griffith show?

Aunt Bea's pickles.

8. On a scale of 1-10, how much do you know about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.?

I think 5 is a good number to give on any scale. You're acknowledging you're not an expert, but you're also showing that you're not an idiot with your head in the sand. I'm going to go with 5.

9. Have you never been mellow? Have you never tried … to find a comfort from in side you? (Sorry, Jorge was singing that song just now, and it just seemed to be perfect timing as I was creating this week’s questions.) REAL question: What is your #1 driving pet peeve?

I'm an impatient driver, and I have a lot of pet peeves. One of the worst is when someone who is advanced in age gets in the left lane and goes five miles under the speed limit. I live in Florida. It happens more than you can imagine.

10. Which color best represents your mood today? Care to elaborate?

I'm best represented by an entire box of crayons. I could never settle for just one color.

11. If your spouse were an animal, which would he/she be?

A cougar. He's not flashy like a tiger or dominating like a lion. Neither is he sneaky like a panther. He's simply his own man and the best at who he is and what he does. (Brownie points today, baby!)

12. What activity takes up the bulk of your time on an average day?

Living.


If you'd like to join in and do your own Random Dozen, then click the link at the top of the post!

What's That?

Like most companies, we use computers at work. We use the internet, Word, Excel, etc. Most of the time we print mailing labels from the post office website. But once in a while we have an envelope or package that needs a different label. For those times we have an electric typewriter that sits in the corner. Sometimes it's just easier to sit down, throw an envelope in and type out the address.

Today happened to be one of those days when I was at the typewriter for a few moments. The boys are at work with me today, and Luke happened to wander over to tell me something. He was absolutely fascinated, watching the address being typed onto the envelope. Then he asked me what this machine was.

Seriously?

My first job out of college I worked on a typewriter. It had memory and some word processing capabilities, but it was still a typewriter. That wasn't all that long ago, was it?

My kids find it amazing that my family didn't have a microwave until I was in high school. They've already commented on the fact that when we watched movies, it was on those "cartidge/tape things". Yeah, that was videos we played in the VCR. They asked me if we had anything like Nintendo or X-Box when I was growing up. I tried to explain the joys of Atari 5200 and games like "Pitfall Harry" and "Shipwrecked", but they stare at me blankly.

All of this wasn't really that long ago (relatively speaking), but how quickly the world has changed! What about you? What seemed new to you at one time, but is now obsolete?

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Sometimes I am so amazed at the grasp my children have on Biblical things. They've been in church all their lives, so it shouldn't surprise me, I guess. But seeing Biblical events through their eyes gives a whole fresh new meaning to faith and belief. I believe every word of the Bible. I believe the events it describes are literal actual events. I believe the people of the Bible really lived. But something about hearing it from my children's point of view ... well here--take a look:

We were listening to a sermon about the valley of dry bones in Ezekiel. The passage says they became a living, breathing army. One of my boys wanted to know if the army went back to where they lived before and got married and had kids who could say, "my dad used to be dead".

After a sermon on Noah's ark, one of the boys lodged on to the fact that the Bible says God shut the door of the ark seven days before it started to rain. He wanted to know if someone knocked and asked to be let in during that time, could they be saved on the ark too. I told him God shut the door, so it would have been up to God whether or not to let them in.

The boys were playing with G.I. Joes, and were discussing the biggest war ever. One of them said, "the biggest war we'll ever be in is ... what's that word that starts with an 'A'?"

"Armageddon?"

"Yeah. That one. We get to ride horses."

"I hope mine's white."

"I want mine to be gold."

I believe we'll be coming back on horses with Jesus for Armageddon because the Bible says so. But I never really thought about the color of my horse.

Through the eyes of a child. My boys definitely keep the Bible fresh for me.

How about you? Anything from God's Word really blessed your heart or stood out lately? Whether it's a favorite Bible story or a favorite verse, share it in the comments. Give me some fresh eyes.

A New Twist

I'm taking today's post from something my son, Matt, said on his facebook wall the other day. Everyone knows some of the standard cliches and sayings like, "when life hands you lemons, make lemonade". Matt put on his wall, "when life hands you lemons ..."

I was surprised at how many people added their own twist to that saying! Like this:

When life hands you lemons ...

... add sugar.

... throw them back and demand oranges.

... make grape juice and confuse the daylights out of everyone.

It got me to thinking about how creative a lot of my friends are in blog world. So how about it? Let me give you two different sayings, and you leave a comment with your own twist on it. Choose either, or answer both.

It ain't over 'til ...

OR

Been there, done that ...

Or use the lemon one:

When life hands you lemons ...

How would you finish these sayings?

Random Dozen

1. When was the last time you craved a food--what was it, and did you cave?

Chocolate. This week. Yes. (Don't mess with me!)

2. M&M's or Skittles?

I love peanut M&M's, but I won't turn down a Skittles if it's offered.

3. Have you ever read the Bible completely through?

Yes, every year.

4. How long does it take you to really wake up in the morning?

I'll let you know if it ever really happens.

5. Have you ever been on a cruise? If not, would you like to?

I've never been on a cruise. I'd kind of like to, but I'm pretty sure I'd enjoy it the most if I went first class.

6. Who is your favorite actress?

That would depend on the movie.

7. ______ is something that I will just never understand.

Stupidity. Otherwise known as being dumb on purpose.

8. How much of a technology junkie are you?

The term "junkie" implies a dependency that affects your functionality. In that case I'd say I'm a total junkie. I don't think I could do without cellphones, internet, etc. As far as understanding technology and being able to use it properly and to its full potential? Not a clue. (That would be why the font size occasionally changes in my blog. I have no idea why it does that, and I don't know how to stop it!)

9. Do you enjoy selecting greeting cards for people, or is it more of a cultural "have to" for you?

I think it's more of a love-hate thing. I enjoy getting cards for people, but it's frustrating when you can't find a card that says exactly what you want it to say.

10. When was the last time you got a new style/haircut?

I got my hair trimmed about a month ago, and I've been seriously considering a new style for some time. My hair, on the other hand, has a mind of it's own. When I'm contemplating something new, my hair will behave itself and look great in the usual hairstyle--for a while. If I try to make it do something new, it throws its hands up in despair, and tries to stick out from my head in every direction.

11. What do you enjoy shopping for most?

To be completely honest--me! I always know exactly what I want, and I'm always grateful that I took the time and effort to get the perfect gift for myself!

12. What's the last thing you think of before you leave the house?

Did everyone go to the bathroom, did someone take the dog out, did we turn off all the lights, did we leave anything else on, did we set the alarm, did we lock the door, did we shut the door, etc. You get the idea.

If you'd like to play along, click the link at the top of the post!

Show Me That Smile!

There are some things that just make me break out into a smile whenever I think of them. Whether it's a line from a song or movie or something someone said or did, I'll be driving along and all of a sudden realize I'm just grinning. It's a good feeling.

Recently we were in the car and the three youngest boys were singing a snatch of song from a DVD we had watched the night before. When they finished, Nicky laughed out loud and said, "Oh, that never gets old!" His sheer delight in that makes me smile right now as I'm thinking of it.

So last night I asked some of my family members what makes them smile.

Luke:  "Taco. It's just a great word." (He did smile when he said it.)

Paul:  "No School."

Joel:  "Trying to smile makes me smile."

Nicky:  "Matt." (His oldest brother. I'm not sure if the thought of Matt makes him smile or the realization that Matt is off at college. I didn't ask.)

Terry:  "Thinking of you." (That made me smile.)

So I'm sharing the smiles today. Leave a comment telling us what makes you smile. Come on! It doesn't hurt and you actually might feel a little warmer for a moment. Show me that smile!

The Good Ole Days

So I'm walking through the store this weekend, and I spied something new. Or ... old. Actually, I'm not sure.

See, I noticed a 12 pack of Mountain Dew, and it was in a different box. Instead of the usual green swirls, this box was white with red lettering on it. And under the Mountain Dew, it said "throwback".

Okay, I get it. Retro. Vintage. Nostalgic. Marketing campaign. Let's face it. The good ole days are a great angle. Memories tend to sweeten through the years, and no matter how bad things might have been, there can be a certain nostalgia when faced with items from your past. Somehow people can be convinced to buy something when the packaging reminds them of way back when.

But Pepsi is going even further. Under the throwback line, the advertising blurb said, "made with REAL sugar". Now you know it's retro because sugar is not a selling point in this day and age. But I guess you can get away with enjoying something that's bad for you if you're doing it because it brings back memories.

It's funny though that the nostalgia angle doesn't work for everything. For instance, you'll never see a computer with the packaging:  "relive the slow speeds of the good ole days with this single processor dinosaur!" Toilet paper never seems to get retro advertising either. Restaurants go in for nostalgia in their decorations, but never in the menus. When's the last time an eatery advertised: "eat the artery-clogging foods your father enjoyed".

What I'd really like to see is gas station advertising that capitalized on the good ole days. How about, "let us fill 'er up! And can we check your tires?" How about a store that says, "May we help you? We really mean it!"

I know of one marketing campaign that could really capitalize on the throwback to better days. Instead of just packaging it in old packaging, sell it at the old price. Now that would really bring back some memories!

'Splain It To Me

So the entire nation is in the grip of cold temperatures. The warmest spots in our country--California, Florida, Texas--are in the low fifties today.

Here in central Florida, people have been discussing the weather for almost a week. We've turned on the heat in our homes. We quit wearing flip-flops. Some of us have actually worn coats! (Those of you in sub-zero temperatures, quit complaining! I have a point!)

Yesterday I went into one of those little shipping stores. The clerk was very friendly, and as she weighed my package, this is how our conversation went:

She: "It is just cold out today!"

Me: "I know. They're even predicting possible 'winter precipitation' by the weekend." (I'm not sure the weather people know the term for snow down here.)

She: "Makes you think. This global warming thing ..."

Me: "I know!"

She: "The whole country's turning blue. That Al Gore really was on to something. I mean, now we know there's got to be something to this global warming thing, right?"

Huh?

Somebody piece this together for me, please. The entire country's freezing. It's snowing everywhere, including in Florida. So that proves global warming?

Adolph Hitler once said, "If you tell a lie loud enough and long enough, people will believe it".

Obviously.

Happy 101

Joyce at From This Side of the Pond gave me the Happy 101 award! I absolutely love getting awards. I'd like to thank my husband and my wonderful children and all the little people that made this possible. (Sorry. It's award season and I got carried away.) Anyway, this award is given to someone who brightens your day. I think that's an awfully nice thing to say about someone! When accepting this award I'm supposed to post 10 things that make me happy and try to make at least one of them part of my day today. Then I'm to pass the award on to 10 bloggers who brighten my day.

So here's ten things that make me happy (in no particular order):

1. Peanut M-M's. They make me very happy right up until they give me a horrible sugar headache. We have a love-hate relationship.

2. Comments on my blog always make me happy. It means someone liked what I wrote ... or ... it means they want me to come visit their blog, but whatever! Comments make me happy!

3. A great looking pair of shoes. In lots of different colors.

4. My husband makes me happy. (Most of the time.)

5. My kids make me happy. (Most of the time.)

6. A really good plot twist that no one could possibly see coming makes me happy, whether I'm writing it or reading it in someone else's writing.

7. Losing weight makes me happy. I've lost some, but not enough to make me absolutely ecstatic.

8. Taking the boat out on the lake makes me happy. I love when our whole family is together in the boat. What fun!

9. Cold weather makes me happy. For those of you in the midwest, I don't mean below zero temperatures. I mean the 50's we get down here in Florida in the winter. (Stop complaining! This list is supposed to be making me happy, not you!)

10. Getting the rest of my Christmas decorations taken down and put away would make me very happy! Maybe today????????

And now to give the award to ten blogging friends who brighten my day ...

Five Moms and A Blog always make me laugh.

Nan at Moms the Word is how I found Five Moms and a Blog. Whether she's being profound, witty or thoughtful, I always enjoy what she has to say.

Rachel at A Future Pastor's Wife. Rachel is a great writer who makes everything interesting.

Nina at Portugal Bound gives a close up view of life on the mission field. She's witty, she's funny and I love going to visit her blog.

Erica in Scottsville. Another author from Five Moms and a Blog, Erica has a wonderful blog and absolutely fabulous pictures.

Dani Joy at Taking the Gospel to Gijon. Another missionary, Dani Joy's enthusiasm for life and the people of Spain is very contagious.

FringeGirl at The Domestic Fringe. What a great writer! Unless she's being profound, just about everything Fringegirl writes makes me laugh out loud. I never miss a post!

Sass at Interpret Sass. She's always fun to be around and I love her take on things.

Katie at The Baby Factory. Life with three boys under the age of two. There's always something going on this blog!

If you chose to accept this award, then you are supposed to link back to me and then do the 10 happy things and 10 bloggers that brighten your day. No pressure, though, if you don't want to. You can just leave the award sitting there on the stage. Forgotten. Alone. Rejected.

I won't take it personally. : )

First Random Dozen of the Year!

1. On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being a cranky-baby-hissy-fitter, how much of a complainer are you?

Well obviously the correct answer for this question would be a 5. Any less of a number and people are going to think you have too high an opinion of yourself. Any higher of an answer would be ... well, embarrassing. But in truth, I think I could say that some days I'm a 2 and some days I'm a 10. On the days I'm a 10 I also require a lot of chocolate.

2. When someone else is talking, do you listen, or are you thinking about what you're going to say in response?

I guess that depends on whether I think they are expecting an answer from me or not. Most of the time I try to really listen. Almost half the stuff that comes to my brain does not come out my mouth. (I consider that to be a triumph since that percentage used to be a lot lower!)

3. I just deleted 1062 messages from my email account. Do you have any plans for a clean sweep this month--of anything?

I'm definitely planning on sweeping the floor sometime this month.

And now, here are some brilliant questions from a gal named Angie at Angie's Ad Lib who graciously offered to let me borrow her brain. Please go over and see Angie because it was so nice of her to help me out. Thank you so much, Angie!

4. Tell us about your perfume. Was it a gift? What does it remind you of? Do you have a signature scent?

I have a few bottles of perfume that are very old and have probably lost all their scent. I don't usually wear perfume. For fifteen straight years I had babies and/or toddlers that I carried around on a regular basis. I have always believed that babies should smell like babies and I hated it when I got my baby out of the nursery and he smelled like Chanel No. 5. (Or a generic version thereof.) So I didn't wear perfume so that I would not incorrectly "scent" my babies with something a little too old for them. Plus, I mostly had boys and I can only imagine what it would have done to their little psyches if they spent their formative years smelling floral.

5. What is your best organizing tip for the new year?

I have no tips because I'm not that organized. I did organize our vitamins in alphabetical order this year and I think that will satisfy any organizational yearnings I have until 2012.

6. What is your favorite comic strip?

Peanuts wins hands down. We used to have several books of their comic strips when we were growing up. I remember my mom reading them and laughing out loud through most of them. I feel the same way. They're timeless.

7. Do you sleep with a fluffy or flat pillow?

We actually have eight pillows on our bed with varying degrees of fluffiness. I sleep with three because my husband always steals the extra one.

8. What color is your kitchen? Why did you choose that color?

My kitchen is red and brown. I chose those colors because I like them. (duh)

9. What’s the most interesting bumper sticker you’ve seen?

This week I saw a vehicle that had an "Obama/Biden 08" bumper sticker on the right. On the left it had a bumper sticker that said, "I reject your reality and substitute my own."

10. Do you prefer an expensive writing tool or whatever is lying around? (Are you a Montblanc or a Papermate?)

I have no expensive writing tools, but I am particular about what kind of pens I use. I don't want some cheapie pen that leaks all over my hands. I also don't like real skinny pens. I like bics with a finger grip. And I don't like writing in blue ink. (I have no idea why, so don't ask!)

11. What chore doesn’t feel like a chore – you just enjoy it (at least most of the time)?

Ummm, it's a chore. That's work. I don't enjoy work. I don't think it's healthy.

12. If your parents often repeated themselves, what is something one of them said more than once?

My mom was the epitome of a lady, and she was always telling me, "that's not ladylike" for just about everything I did. The saying still applies all too often.

If you'd like to enjoy some more random answers to random questions, click the link at the top of the post!

Setting Myself Up for Failure

Okay, toward the end of last year (it seems so long ago now, doesn't it?) I posted on reviewing the old year and finishing well. Then I posted on how to make successful resolutions, such as making them specific and measurable. Those of you that know me knew it wouldn't be long before I got to the lighter side.

Sometimes you never know if your going to slip off that resolution horse until it actually happens. But other times failure is looming large. Here's a few reasons why you might be in danger of failing on your new year's resolutions.

You might not keep your resolutions if ...

... you wrote them on a post-it note.

... you lost your list on January 2nd.

... you found your list only to realize that was actually your resolutions from 2009.

... after you found your 2009 list you realize you have all the same resolutions for 2010.

... you look more closely at your 2009 list and realize that you doubled the amount of weight you need to lose.

... along with your resolutions, you made a list of excuses for not keeping them.

... you formed a mental disclaimer as you wrote down each resolution.

... you spent December 31st saying, "Resolutions start tomorrow!"

... you spent January 1st saying, "Resolutions start tomorrow!"

...you've already decided you're not making any resolutions for 2011.

Hope you're having as much fun with your list as I am. At least, I will be having fun once I find the list. It was on a green sticky note ...

So what about you? Are you setting yourself up for failure? Have any resolutions already hit the wayside on this fourth day of the year?

Happy New Year!

I hope your new year is starting out right. Last night we had another family over and we all ate pizza, bowled with the Wii, watched a movie and generally enjoyed ourselves. Both men dozed off during the movie, and when it was over, my friend's husband yawned and asked, "What time is it? Must be about 10:00, right?"

I picked up my phone and checked the time. It was 8:48. That was our first clue that we might have trouble staying up until midnight. : ) Fortunately, the neighbors decided to help us out. They set off fireworks in the street in front of our house in the middle of the subdivision. It was a nice show, but I couldn't enjoy it because I kept worrying about them setting the neighborhood on fire. Plus, they were obviously drunk. When the neighbors finally finished the show, we went back inside and ate some more, played some more and watched the new year come in.

Our first day of the new year has been great so far. All of us slept until 10:00. That's a record for the boys. We've had a tradition for a long time that we do our Christmas stockings on New Year's Day. So the boys dug some goodies out of their stockings and then we had our traditional holiday breakfast of cinnamon rolls.

I've got to get downstairs and get some dinner ready to go with the Honeybaked ham, but I wanted to wish all my blogging buddies a very happy new year. Hope 2010 beats 2009 hands down!