In The Mind of a Ten Year Old

I had a little talk with Nicky this morning. This picture is of Nicky at VBS a couple of weeks ago. He's wearing the mask because he dressed as the Lone Ranger all week, and in this picture he's winning the burping contest. (He has a real talent for that sort of thing.) Nicky is ten and half (the half is important) and quite sure of himself and the world around him. We had a little conversation about his future and here's some words of wisdom straight from his active little brain.

"When I get to be Luke's age (that's 16), I'm gonna get a job at Steak n' Shake and then I'll get discounts on shakes!"

"When I get older, I'll waltz (yes, he actually said waltz!) into Cracker Barrel and start working for them." Sideways glance. "Tips, man."

"When I get to be about sixty-five ..."

Me:  You're going to work as a waiter at Cracker Barrel your whole life?

"They have tips. Matt made, like, seventy-five dollars in one night!"

"After I'm done at Cracker Barrel, I'm gonna travel around the world preaching. I'll preach in Paris and New York."

I asked if he would have a family.

"I'm gonna have four children. Twin boys and twin girls. I'm gonna name the boys, so my wife can probably name the girls."

I agreed that was fair, and then asked him who his wife would be.

"I don't know yet. But if she's hot and she's saved, I'm gonna get her!"

Dontcha just love his confidence? And His criteria! So what about you? What're you going to be when you grow up?

As for me, I plan on being a lot more of what I am now, only better. Hey, I can dream too!

What Would You Do?

Say it's 11:30 at night, and you are driving home by yourself. You're about five minutes from home and you seriously have to pee. I mean seriously. And then you're stopped at a railroad crossing.

There aren't many cars around. You can see the train is far down the track and moving slowly. You know you could make it through the crossing gates and over the tracks in time. What would you do?

Your Opinion Please

Socks with sandals. Your opinion?

Toe socks. Your opinion?

Disclaimer:  No feet of mine were abused this way in the making of this blog post.

Stopped In My Tracks

I have favorite authors that I like to read. I usually keep track of when their latest book is being released because I will read just about everything they write.

Just recently I bought the latest release from one of my favorite suspense authors. I eagerly opened up and started reading, but then something terrible happened.

I figured out who the bad guy was.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, but I was only a little way into the book. I'm not always clever at figuring out whodunit, and the writer is actually very good at disguising things until the ending. But somehow this antagonist just leaped out at me, and I knew it was him.

I never finished the book. What was the point? I skimmed through and doublechecked my thinking at the ending, but I was right.

And I was disappointed.

So here's my question to you--what will make you put down a book or turn off a movie? Do you feel you have to finish what you start, or are there certain things that just make it impossible for you to finish?

Ten Things I Love and the Reason I'm Ignoring You

Those of you who read my blog on a regular basis (all three of you) may have noticed my posts have been a little spotty lately. Not spotty as in polka-dotted, but spotty as in not here very often. I have a very good reason for my absence.

Life.

Apparently you occasionally have to live life in order to have something about which to blog. My life lately has had all the terror and none of the joys of being inadequately strapped in the front seat of a monster rollercoaster that is stuck in fast forward and was condemned for killing passengers just last month. (How's that for an analogy?!)

Anyway, I kept promising myself I was going to take some time off and go away for a few days. I wanted to curl up in bed until I felt like getting up. I wanted to relax and enjoy myself and have no duties to worry about for a few days. I was scheduling this rejuvenating time for later in the summer.

My body overruled me.

I ended up coming down with a pretty nasty virus last week. I did indeed curl up in bed until I felt like getting up--that took three days. I didn't enjoy myself, although I think everyone else in the house appreciated the fact that I completely lost my voice. I have now been struggling with this bug for a week. I'm back at work, and definitely on the mend, but not completely well yet.

So now you know why I waited until today to post the ten things I love in answer to the I Love Your Blog award. I didn't love anything last week. : )

I should issue the following disclaimer:  I am assuming you know that I love my husband and children beyond measure. That's why I did not include them on this list.

1.  I love the first crisp day of Autumn. Leaves are turning, the sky is a brilliant cobalt blue, and there's just a hint of a nip in the air.

2. I love decorating the Christmas tree with Christmas music playing in the background. The drapes are drawn back from the big picture window, and I can see that it's just dusk, and the snow that's been falling all afternoon hasn't stopped, but is piling up on the porch.

NOTE:  The first two don't happen in Florida. I know that. I love when it did happen.

3. I love when I bake something and it turns out exactly as it should.

4. I love a really good plot twist, whether I thought it up or I'm enjoying it from someone else.

5. I love the first pull from the straw when I drink a McDonald's mocha frappe. That first taste is a perfect blend of coffee and chocolate.

6. I love singing in a choir when perfectly blended harmonies are completing each other.

7. I love really good hair days.

8. I love pedicures.

9. I love when my kittens purr.

10. I love when my house is completely clean.

Most of the above items do not happen often (except for the kittens--they purr all the time). But if the above list were every day occurrences, would I love them as much?

Your turn. What do you love?

Clarifications, Screams and Other Things

I don't often do a "random" post, other than the Random Dozen posts, because I'm not good at it like Taylor is over at the Lumberjack's Wife. Joyce at From This Side of the Pond is also very good at random. Me, not so much. But I have a bunch of things to cover, and I don't think any of them rate their own post, so here we go:

1. Taylor at the Lumberjack's Wife gave me an award. And here it is:

That's right, folks. I have a blog with substance. Taylor says so. Go say hi to Taylor. Make sure you say, "Holla!"

2. Based on some of the comments from my hairstyle post, I think I need to clarify a few things:

*I don't think pastors' wives have to be boring.

*If I thought my hairstyle was boring, I would change it.

*I don't think there's anything wrong with looking sexy for your husband.

*I don't think "sexy" is the right look to work towards in general. Attractive? Sure. Good looking? Perfectly fine. Knock-out gorgeous? Absolutely.

*I don't think I achieve any of the above looks. But I'm NOT boring!

3. The other day, early in the morning my husband startled me and I let loose with a bloodcurdling scream.

4. There were six other males in the house, and not one of them came to see why I screamed.

5. I actually went out of the bedroom and into the hallway to see if any of said males were lingering around anywhere, or heading in my direction to rescue me.

6. No males were in sight.

7. I guess my safety is up to me.

8. Good thing I am armed.

9. I scolded my ten year old the other day for burping in public.

10. His reply? "In some countries, that's considered a compliment."

11. I'm not sure who or what he was complimenting. I told him as long as we're in the U.S. it's rude.

12. Sometime ago (I'm blushing that I've put this off for so long) Cathy at Tales of the TCKK Family gave me an I Love Your Blog Award:

Thank you, Cathy! Since this post is already getting long, I will list the ten things I love tomorrow. In the meantime, go see Cathy and say hi!

And that's all I have for today. Have a good one!

In Search of A Hairdresser

So I got my hair trimmed this weekend. Are you one of those people that have regularly scheduled appointments? Does your hair dresser know your hair inside out?

One day I wake up and look in the mirror. And as I struggle to get my hair into some reasonable fashion, it suddenly occurs to me that I've gone so long without a trim that I've lost any resemblance to an actual hairstyle.

That's when I get it cut again. The problem with this method, though, is that not everyone takes walk-ins. I was having one lady cut my hair, but I usually needed to call a week in advance to get an appointment. I don't know I need a cut that far in advance.

The last two times I've gotten a trim, I used a walk-in salon. Both times worked fairly well, but it's really a little bit like playing Russian Roulette. You never know what kind of a stylist you're going to get. So here's my list of things I look for in a stylist.

1. She has time to cut my hair with no advance notice.

2. She knows more than one basic style.

3. She knows how to work with curly hair.

4. She will listen to what I want, instead of giving me what she thinks is best for me. (EX:  when I say I don't want heavy bangs, I mean it!)

5. She can give tactful advice and tips on improving my hair, without making me feel like I look horrible now.

6. She can shut up and cut my hair, so I can zone out and relax. (I hate making small talk.)

7. She doesn't try to sell me all the products their salon offers. She can use them on my hair--if I like the results, I'll ask for it.

8. She is a she. I don't like men cutting my hair. Not even the man that was dressed up as a woman (albeit an ugly one).

9. She gets more hair on the floor, and less hair down the collar of my shirt. (I'm still itching!)

I once had a stylist tell me that my hairstyle was boring. She suggested a few changes to make my look more sexy. And this right after I told her I was a pastor's wife. I don't want boring, but I'm not exactly sure sexy is the look I should be working toward. Nor am I sure it's even possible.

So what about you? Is getting your hair done a treat or a chore?