The Super Competitive Hodgepodge

I want to inform you that, just like at the Superbowl Party, snacks consumed while participating in the Hodgepodge have zero calories. 

Just so we're clear.

1.  In the USA this coming Sunday millions will be watching as the Baltimore Ravens take on the San Francisco 49's in the Superbowl.  What was the last event you attended that could be described as super?

Are you kidding me? Life with four teenage boys and a dog with a major attitude, plus I'm married to the original Indiana Jones. Everyday LIFE is a super event. (Super busy, super crazy, super intense, sometimes super smelly ...)

2.  Share something you're a fan of these days?

Peace and quiet. Don't see it much, but absence just makes the heart grow fonder.

3. How do you feel about wings?  In case anyone is confused, I'm talking the edible appetizer kind.  What's your preferred seasoning on a wing-hot, mild, teryiaki, sweet and sour, other?  Do you make your own or is there a favorite place you like to go for wings?   

I don't like having to work that hard for my food, neither do I want to leave countable substance on my plate so everyone can know just how much I've eaten.

4.  As long as we're talking sports today...have you followed the Lance Armstrong story?  Did you watch his interview with Oprah and if so what was your reaction to his confession and subsequent remarks?  

I'm aware of the story but have not followed it, so I can only comment on what I've heard--a dangerous practice that millions of people engage in every day. Since that would not be prudent, I will simply comment on what I know:  "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God." Anyone can do wrong because we have a sinful nature. It's what we do with God's forgiveness that counts.

5.  What's a question you hate to be asked?  

I'm not a fan of "Did you do this?" because it usually means I'm in trouble. A close second would be the oh-so-similar, "Why didn't you do this?"

6. The coaches in this Sunday's big game happen to be real life brothers.  Jim Harbaugh coaches the 49er's and his older brother John Harbaugh coaches the Baltimore Ravens.  Were you and your sibling(s) competitive?  In what way? Are you still?  If you're an only child how did you handle competition growing up?  

I am not at all competitive, and contrary to popular opinion, I have never left intentional scratches on an opponent during a frenzied round of Dutch Blitz.

7.  What's your favorite game involving a ball and when did you last play?    

Boccie ball. I don't think I've ever played it, but I like saying boccie. (or bocce, whichever you prefer.)
 

8.  Insert your own random thought here. 
Sometimes you don't do something because you want to. You do it because it's the right thing to do.

I know, profound, right? Sometimes I amaze myself!

 

The Fair and Silent Hodgepodge

Joyce has no voice (no, I'm not trying to rhyme) and we're discussing what's fair in the Hodgpodge today. Let's hear what you think, first in my comments and then by clicking the link and adding your own thoughts to everyone else's.

 

 

1. The popular saying, 'All is fair in love and war' is originally credited to English writer John Lyly. Is he right?
I'd like to know what kind of experience John Lyly has had in both war and love that he feels qualified to make that statement.

2. Are you a cereal eater? What's your favorite kind?
We are seriously going to have to stop all the food questions that concern carbs since I'm not doing carbs right now. And I'm pretty sure the Hodgepodge is all about me, isn't it?

It's not? My bad. (I like Cocoa Pebbles.)

3. A five year old in Pennsylvania was recently given a ten day school suspension for talking with a friend about shooting one another with a Hello Kitty Bubble gun (the gun blows bubbles). She did not have the gun with her at school.

A psychological evaluation was also ordered and the incident was recorded on her permanent record. The suspension was later reduced to two days and her parents are suing to have the incident removed from her file. Your thoughts? (If you missed the story click here for details).
I think they parents are right to sue to have the incident removed from her file. Any reference to Hello Kitty could seriously affect her college choices.

I also think a psychological evaluation should be ordered for all government employees. And then we should get ourselves checked out for being dumb enough to let these people run anything in our lives.

4. Whatever happened to_____________________________?
... Sanity? (See previous question.)

5. January 23rd is National Handwriting Day, billed as a day to reacquaint yourself with a pen and pencil. Do you like your handwriting? Do you prefer to print or write in cursive? This date was chosen because its the birth date of John Hancock. What's the last thing you signed your name to?
I reintroduced myself to both my pen and my pencil. They said hello.

6. Speaking of John Hancock...ever been to Philadelphia? Do you have any desire to visit the city of Brotherly Love?

I'm not so sure I want to see a lot of brotherly love. Especially since, in our house, brotherly love means noogies.

7. Share something funny you've heard a child say.

Well he's not a child, but recently my husband was preaching and he referred to someone working by the sweat of his brow. Only what he actually said was, "...by the sweat of his bra."

8. Insert your own random thought here.
Why is it that, every time you run into someone you know at Walmart, your arms happen to be full of feminine hygiene products?

 

The World's Best Diet Plan

We do it every year. Or we know someone that does. Losing weight is the top New Year's resolution on many lists, and the reason gym memberships and diet books sell like (low carb) hotcakes in January. I've had it as a resolution for so long, that it automatically appears at the #1 spot on the list whenever I write the word "resolutions". 1. Lose weight.

See?

Almost everyone wants to lose weight. Or get in shape. Or become a completely different person. Well, maybe not that last one so much. But still we're thinking about it. Some want to lose 100 pounds. Some want to lose 10. Some just want to bulk up. Some want to slim down.

And for every different person's resolution, there's a different plan to help get us there. The problem is, I've found a flaw with almost every plan.

There's Paleo and Atkins, South Beach and Zone. They may work, but I'm afraid if I mix them up and drink Atkins shakes while eating Zone bars, I'll actually gain weight instead of losing it.

And of course there are the old tried-and-true standbys: Weight Watchers - I've actually caught myself cheating on points; Jenny Craig - ever notice how all their spokespeople seem to gain weight back as soon as their contract is up? As for Nutrisystem, you need to listen to their advertisements carefully. They ship food to your door in perfectly proportioned (re: tiny) servings. I'd have to sign both my husband and myself up, and then eat both our servings in order to get a decent meal. Which probably also defeats the purpose of the diet plan, but whatever.

And then of course, there's the fad diets:  the grapefruit diet, the cabbage diet (I'll bet that one's fun!) and the liquids-only diets.

You can do all the standard diet techniques such as get a diet buddy (we encouraged each other to cheat), or start a food journal. I'm sorry, but writing about food is NOT going to make me stop wanting to eat. In fact, just writing this post is making me hungry. And I tend to "forget" to write down anything that shouldn't be on the list anyway.

One of the problems with all these diets are that they are so stinkin' expensive! Don't you just love when the commercials say their program is only $30 a month! Cost of food extra. Can someone explain to me exactly what I'm paying for if I haven't even bought the food yet? Oh, that's right. I'm paying for the privilege of showing up once a week and having you watch me step on a scale. I'm paying you to give me guilt. Yeah. You should be paying me for that one.

Well you can pack all your money in your old kit bag and smile, smile, smile 'cause I've got the perfect diet plan for you. Doesn't matter if you're slimming down, building muscle, trimming fat, or getting into shape. It doesn't matter if you're training for a 10k run, or you'd just like to be able to walk faster than the snail in your driveway.

The best part is, this diet doesn't cost you anything. Well, nothing you weren't going to spend already. And it's absolutely foolproof!

So what is this miracle diet? It's called My Child is Getting Married and I Have to Lose Weight Before the Wedding Day Diet.

I admit the title needs work.

I've been on this diet before. You all may remember a couple of years ago when I lost seventy sixty pounds before Matt and Kylee's wedding day. (I thought it was seventy, but turns out my math skills were a bit lacking. Shocker!)

There is a downside to this diet plan. Once the wedding is over, the motivation pretty much is also out the window. I discovered this the hard way when some of those unwanted pounds started coming back.

Thankfully, my daughter came to the rescue! Stephanie's always looking out for me, and I'm sure that's why she recently got engaged.

I think I mentioned a while ago that she was dating this guy ...

... and it seems like they both thought this was a pretty good thing.

So eventually Zack decided to make a phone call--to Indiana. That might have been a daunting task except that the guys had already bonded over hunting. But even at that, I think Zack was nervous the night he called Stephanie's dad to ask permission to marry her. He explained that he loved our daughter very much and was asking for our blessing.

And Indiana said no.

After waiting through a long and awkward silence, Indiana said, "Just kidding!"

I guess he wanted to make sure Zack's heart was strong enough to take being married into our family.

Steph didn't realize Zack had asked permission, so she was totally caught off guard when he popped the question.

Although they were far away when he proposed, Zack won big points because he tried to skype us with his phone so that we could witness the proposal. It wasn't his fault they were in Podunkville where the cell service was not that great.

And here Stephanie sat in the restaurant wondering why Zack and his entire family were so consumed with how their reception was and who's phone was getting the best signal.

I guess he's pretty good at surprises.

At any rate, I'm very grateful to her for saying yes so that I can get back on the World's Best Diet Plan.

Since the happy couple are getting married before the end of summer, I've plunged back into the deprivation of dieting and the agony of exercising with grim determination.

I've already lost 10 pounds. I figure I owe it to Zack and Steph to do my best at this dieting thing since they're so willing to go to all this trouble for me.

I'm sure that's the main reason, anyway.

Just wait 'til she finds out what I've told you before--the most important person at the wedding is the mother of the groom. I'm sure that's the way Zack's mom will see things.

Just like I did.

The Superior Hodgepodge

Laugh. Click. Repeat. You can do it.

WAIT!

Don't forget the comment!

1. Lake Superior University has once again published a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English...here's the list for 2013-

fiscal cliff, kick the can down the road, double down, job creators/creation, passion/passionate, yolo (an acronym for you only live once), spoiler alert, bucket list, trending, superfood, boneless wings, and guru

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why. Go here to read more about how the words were chosen.

I think someone is taking the word "Superior" in their title just a little too seriously. Perhaps we ought to do away with Lake Superior University, banish, and the Queen's English.

By the way, if the words are banished, what happens if we use them anyway? Are the grammar people gonna get us?

2.  When was the last time you rode a train?  Where did you go?
Does the tram at the amusement park count?

3. Bagels-yay or nay?  Favorite 'flavor'?  Favorite topping?
I cannot discuss bagels right now because I'm off carbs for the foreseeable future. But thanks for making me crave one.

  4.  'Tis the season of awards shows...if you could star in a movie already made which one would you choose?
Cinderella--killer shoes and a happy ending. What's not to love?

5. The move towards single gender classrooms has been making the news in recent months....what say you?  Do you think kids perform better if separated by gender and are taught differently or is that discrimination?  If you're a parent, is this something you'd support in regard to your own children? 
I teach in a single gender classroom. We homeschool and I only have boys. Although I'm in there too and I'm not a boy. So maybe we're not so gender-specific as I thought. Except that with all that testosterone around I do occasionally have to fight the urge to scratch and spit in public.

6. What's your favorite thing about staying in a hotel?
Someone else makes the bed and they bring you food whenever you want. 

7. Do you have a 'word' for 2013?  What's the story behind your choice? 
I was going to double down and pick something that was really trending, but apparently some job creator at Lake Superior U got hold of a superfood (probably boneless wings) and was inspired to put the job of banishing words on their bucket list. I feel very passionately that we ought to find that language guru and kick their can down the road because *spoiler alert* you only live once, and you ought to be able to use whatever words you choose.

Within reason, of course.

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
My darling granddaughter went to the pediatrician for a check up this week, and she now weighs 10 pounds and 6 ounces. I told her daddy that she was now only 2 ounces shy of his birth weight. Puts a whole new perspective on 32 hours of labor, doesn't it?

He still owes me.

Hodgepodge Bubbles

Well if you don't understand the title, then you haven't read all the questions. (I think that's true in life, too.) At any rate, it's Wednesday so it's time for the Hodgepodge.

You know what to do.

1. What is ONE thing or area in your home or life you hope to report is completely organized when 2013 draws to a close?  Do you  have a plan to make it happen? 
2013 is only a week old and you're already asking about the end of the year? I don't have problems with getting something organized. I have problems with keeping something organized. So my plan is to organize it right before the end of the year, and then it'll be organized for the new year. 

2. What's the worst uniform you've ever had to wear for a job?
Probably the one covered in baby puke, snot and smeared peanut butter and jelly. That would be the uniform of Motherhood. I wear it proudly. (Although my kids are big enough now to keep their bodily fluids to themselves.)

3. What was your last kitchen 'mishap'?  This question comes to you courtesy of Bettywho blogs over at A Glimpse Into Midlife...everyone go say hi to Betty!
That would be the frozen deviled eggs at Thanksgiving. It wasn't pretty. Or edible.

4. How do you protect yourself from other people's negativity?
Just say no!

5. Who in your family do you most resemble (physically)? If you have children, who do people say they favor? Do you agree? 
People have often said that our children are distinctively "Boyd" and that we could never deny they're ours.

Too bad because I really wanted to deny one of them when they decided to pee in the flower beds in front of our church building.

6. January 8th is National Bubble Bath Day...will you be celebrating?
We are very in favor of bubbles in this house, but most of them are blown into milk through a straw.

7.  Some of the 'world's best winter festivals' are - Mardi Gras (New Orleans),Quebec Winter Festival (Canada), Sundance Film Festival (Park City, Utah),  Rio Carnivale (Brazil), Sapporo Snow Festival (Japan), VeniceCarnival (Italy) and the Harbin Ice Festival (Northern China).  Of those listed (and if cost were not a factor) which would you most like to attend and why?
I would go to all of them. And then I'd start in on the spring, summer and fall festivals around the world. Hey, if money's no object ...

8.  Insert your own random thought here.
Why is it that my children get older, but I don't?

A New Year of the Hodgepodge

Happy New Year! Hope all of you enjoyed the holidays as much as I did. And now, on this 2nd day of January, when people are struggling to get back down to regular business, here's some business everyone enjoys. I'm sure it was one of your resolutions to start participating in the Hodgepodge, (I never tire of saying that word!) So right after you read my answers and leave a comment (yes, you have to!), click the link and head over to Joyce's to see what the rest of the blogging world has to say. And don't forget to add your own answers either. 

1.  How did you ring in the new year?
There was no ringing. Who rings anymore anyway? Did you hear anyone ringing anything? All I heard were a lot of fireworks. Fireworks that were set off in the street in our subdivision. I briefly wondered if we were going to be hearing the ring of the fire engine siren when some of the fireworks landed on the roof of a neighboring house. We were not the ones setting off the fireworks, by the way. We know to play with fire only in wide open spaces.


2.  What is one thing you are looking forward to in 2013?
I don't know what I'm looking forward to because it hasn't happened yet.


3.  Steven Spielberg is quoted as saying, "All of us every single year, we're a different person.  I don't think we're the same person all our lives."  What say you?
I'm still Jill. If I'm going to be someone else I'll let you know. And I'll probably start a different blog 'cause it wouldn't be right for someone else to be posting in Jill Boyd's Place.


4. The Pantone color of the year for 2013 is emerald green. Like or dislike? Do you already own something this color?  Will you add something in this shade to your home or wardrobe in 2013? 
First off, why do they get to declare the color of the year? I mean, who made them the color guru? I want to pick a color. Although there are so many, it would be hard for me to pick just one. I'm not against emerald green; I kind of like that color. And it sure beats something like puce green which is way to close to puke green for my liking.


5.  Speaking of emerald...what's your favorite gemstone?
I'm not picky. I'll take any that you want to give me.


6. Share a favorite book or movie from 2012.
Would this be a book or movie that was produced in 2012, or one that I experienced in 2012? What if I'm behind the times and something I read or watched was actually from a much earlier year? That might be lame, and I can't take that kind of pressure this early in the morning.


7.  What is something you want to tell yourself at the start of this brand new year?
I don't often talk to myself--at least not in public. People tend to think you're weird. And I've gotten to where I ignore what I have to say almost as much as my kids do.


8.  Insert your own random thought here.
I do just happen to have a picture of me in emerald green.

Yeah. It was a good Christmas.