why i don't watch the news

so my day is off to a good start. yesterday the kitchen circuit blew, and it appears to be a short in the wiring, so a nice hefty electrician bill today (hasn't come yet, but i'm certain of it). the appliances are fine, nothing is spoiling, but i can't see to cook b/c the lights are out.

get up this morning to call the electrician. my internet won't connect. i rebooted the computer, the modem, the wireless, all twice. no dice. so i went in the TV room to call the cable company. turned on the TV to check whether i had ANY cable function.

CNN scares me. they're predicting things like oil prices doubling AGAIN. how the hell will anyone be able to live? there will be riots, panic, food riots! our country is very dependent on oil for everything - products are trucked everywhere, and the cost of transportation very much affects the price of food.

so i come to the computer to look for a story i can READ about oil futures. maybe i heard CNN wrong - on the internet, they're talking about an increase from $100 to $120 a barrel on oil. still ANOTHER blow to the gut, but a smaller one, anyway.

but the internet also talks about current food shortages worldwide. if gas and food both double in cost AGAIN, society will fall apart.

i want to go buy 100 pounds of beans and rice, and go hide in my basement. you can live on beans and rice for a long time!

there are people who ENJOY hearing bad news. i'm not one of them.

did you know?...

a song that gets stuck in your head is called an earworm???

me, i have chronic earworms. this is just the latest - and funniest!

breakfast thoughts

i buy rye bread every few months for a treat. b/c obviously i LOVE it. i love rye toast with real butter. nothing like it.

only thing - i HATE CARAWAY SEEDS. almost as much as horseradish.

and i bought the wrong damn bread. so this morning for breakfast i just choked down a single slice of toast as fast as possible, and it's no damn treat! and i'm doing well to be only saying damn this morning!

*sigh* Wii will make it up to me later.

did i mention i finally found a Wii in the store? on Sunday? and it's running hot b/c it hasn't been off since? and yesterday i got EXERCISE from it? hm. how could i have neglected to do so - unless i was too busy PLAYING!

asthma and spring!

i am so freaking glad it's spring! with all of the colds we passed around all winter, my asthma got worse than it has ever been. i have asthma that is triggered by other events, and then has to be treated; i take a singulair pill every day that normally controls it completely.

#2 son and i had to go get inhalers a few weeks ago. he got 100% better very quickly - ain't it great to be young? i took it for a week before i noticed ANY improvement, and another week before i stopped feeling sick, and a THIRD week before i started feeling wellish!

the dr. said we should take these through cold season AND allergy season, and hopefully won't have asthma attacks next year.

however. now that my asthma has improved, i can sing Good Morning Baltimore without being completely out of breath! woohoo!

yikes!

DH's mom is 84, in pretty good health, but recently had a recurrent GYN cancer and has been taking radiation therapy. he planned when this came up to visit her this weekend.

so he was supposed to fly to Philadelphia yesterday morning. he got up at 3:30, got on the plane fine, got to Wilmington DE (which is where the low-cost airline flew). but they couldn't land b/c of fog; circled, considered whether it would clear, thought it would, decided it wouldn't, and CAME BACK TO GREENSBORO. we thought this is insane! why would they come all the way back HOME?

after that, DH took the refund offered and said i'm not going - he was flying home sunday morning anyway, had already put out the effort to get there, didn't feel like starting over for such a short trip.

this morning, the headline of our paper read: SKYBUS OUT OF BUSINESS. i'm so grateful DH isn't in PA! he would have had to take a bus or a train home, and would likely have missed work, and we both would have been very anxious and stressed.

sadly, we had purchased tickets for graduation (nephew graduating West Point 5/31! we're VERY proud!) through this airline; odds look like we SHOULD be able to get a refund, but we'll be driving all the way to new york now! guess the kids will miss a couple more days of school. i really had to work to get DH to agree to the trip in the first place, but the debate is over and we're still going.

there has definitely been someone watching over us this weekend! hoping that will continue for our other trip and, of course, all of our days.

deeper still

we had a sad event in March. Milly, our beloved kitty of 9.5 years' age, was put to sleep. she had developed a tumor in Jan.; #1 son told me about it and i took her to the vet Feb. 18, where it was diagnosed and was inoperable. it had grown by March 17 to this point. we miss her very much.

and it casts a pall over the whole family. except perhaps LaLa! i'm off my game, and i'm blaming this event. i've also been journaling more at cafemom.com, so maybe i need a little less outlet here. i don't know.

i'll hafta get some humor going on here to lift the tone. the Deep Thoughts title is supposed to be extremely tongue in cheek, not reality!

guilty pleasures

another deep thought, this time posted before it strayed away...

#1 son is home sick, poor lamb, with the johnny trots (they got him last night, too).

just as we have comfort food, we have "comfort movies." and his choice of comfort movie is so unlike my own! he's watching The Polar Express, which i really don't care for. he's in another room, so no big.

my comfort movies are usually "guilty pleasures," like charlies angels and bring it on. also hairspray and 7 brides for 7 brothers. just brought the VHS movies out of my bedroom that had been taken up when i was on bed rest; the boys picked them b/c i didn't care. some of my faves, some of theirs in the pile. iron giant, last of the mohicans.

movies are a big part of our lives. i spose that's part of why i've got a big butt. :p

deepest thoughts

i've had a lot of deep thoughts to share in recent weeks, just can't keep them in my head long enough to share them, and am too busy anyway.

LaLa is on the move! and she is an energy drain now more than ever. first she learned to crawl - which is more a Marine crawl, an inch-worm movement, and adorable. then she REALIZED she could move where SHE wanted to go, and hasn't stopped since.

life is just a little more hectic, a lot more cute, and a ton more draining! and we wouldn't have it any other way.

more Mother Teresa

if you google "mother teresa anyway" (quotation marks unnecessary), this is what you'll find. you'll also find another version by Dr. Kent M. Keith. either way, it's rather inspirational; whichever version inspires you more is the one you should keep handy!

People are often unreasonable, irrational, and self-centered. Forgive them anyway.

If you are kind, people may accuse you of selfish, ulterior motives. Be kind anyway.

If you are successful, you will win some unfaithful friends and some genuine enemies. Succeed anyway.

If you are honest and sincere people may deceive you. Be honest and sincere anyway.

What you spend years creating, others could destroy overnight. Create anyway.

If you find serenity and happiness, some may be jealous. Be happy anyway.

The good you do today, will often be forgotten. Do good anyway.

Give the best you have, and it will never be enough. Give your best anyway.

In the final analysis, it is between you and God. It was never between you and them anyway.

Our pastor quoted some of this in church yesterday. Obviously I was impressed!

baby daddy joke

I THINK YOU'RE THE FATHER OF ONE OF MY KIDS

A guy goes to the supermarket and notices an attractive woman waving at him. She says hello. He's rather taken aback because he can't place where he knows her from. So he says, "Do you know me?" To which she replies, "I think you're the father of one of my kids."

Now his mind travels back to the only time he has ever been unfaithful to his wife and says, "My God, are you the stripper from my bachelor party that I made love to on the pool table with all my buddies watching while your partner whipped my butt with wet celery???"

She looks into his eyes and says calmly, "No, I'm your son's teacher."

oops, i did it again!

once wasn't enough, apparently, b/c i got the crazy scissors out again and cut my hair!

i cut my bangs last week, and nobody noticed (haven't had bangs in five years or more). so i cut the whole thing, layered, textured, etc. didn't screw up too bad, or worse than you get at Great Clips anyway. i actually am getting compliments on my appearance - wearing yoga pants, no less!

i feel lighter, i look younger, and i can leave my hair down without it driving me crazy. all good stuff. still shoulder length, even after 4-6 MORE inches off, but flattering instead of utilitarian. photo to follow (next time i wear makeup, i'll have someone take one).

still singing

(reference meme below)

Good Morning Baltimore is still running through my head. i sing it in the shower, i sing it in the car. LaLa loves it (she loves all of Hairspray). it's SO not in my range - i can sing it an octave lower and sound like a drag queen, or in the proper range and be all breathy and unable to sustain. *sigh*

but i know all the words - even if i don't know "all the steps!"

Mother Theresa's Prayer

i know, she's "Saint" Theresa now. but i grew up with Mother Theresa, and Mother Theresa she will always be to me.

May today there be peace within.

May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be.

May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith.

May you use those gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you.

May you be content knowing you are a child of God.

Let this presence settle into your bones,and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love.

It is there for each and every one of us.

more politics (i should know better)

Here's a fun link that's supposed to help you decide if you should vote democrat or republican... what it really does is show you where you stand on the major issues and compare that to the parties' positions.

Your Vote Score: 26% Republican, 74% Democrat

While you don't always agree with the Democrat party, it's a pretty good match for you.Do be sure to research each candidate. A liberal Republican or independent candidate might fit you better at times.

Should You Vote Republican or Democrat?

laugh at me!

When you cook a piece of toast, which side of the toaster do you put it in? one piece goes on the left.
Do you sing along to music? of course.
If so, chorus or the main singer? main singer, b/c i'm FABULOUS, dahling.
When was the last time you washed dishes? a couple of days ago.
Washed a dog? never
What did you have for supper last night? kielbasa
How old were you when your parents told you the truth about Santa? my parents didn't TELL us much of anything.
Do you think Pepsi is better in the bottle or can? it's better when it's Coke.
Have you ever shot an animal? No
What was the last song stuck in your head? Good Morning Baltimore
Have you ever talked to a pinecone? um, no.
What was the last thing you put on your head? headphones
What color is your cell phone? country blue
Have you ever put peanut butter on the roof of a horse’s mouth? um, no.
How about a dog? no again.
What type of deodorant do you use, assuming you use one? Degree Little Black Dress
Last show you watched on TV? Two and a Half Men, the episode where Charlie is up for an award, with Jon Lovitz... we did watch AFV afterwards, but i PLAN to watch 2.5 Men every day. i love charlie.
What is the best flavor of Jelly Bellies? peach
Have you ever body surfed at the beach? mhm
What is the strangest thing you have ever found? drawing a blank here
Have you ever said, “Brontosaurus Blubber butt”? i would now so i could say yes, but i don't want to wakt the baby.
Name one character from the Simpsons. Lisa
Name one character from King of the Hill. Luanne
Do you wear mirrored or regular sunglasses? regular
What is the best candle scent? spice, or hazelnut coffee, or vanilla... me likey candles
Have you ever stirred up a fire ant hill? no
Have you ever had a laughing fit in church? no
How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? quoting Alana here, b/c it's exactly what i would say: One. Two. Three..crunch.. Three.
Have you ever speeded up a vinyl record just to hear squeaky voices? mm, no.
Ever fallen on a Christmas tree? No
Did you ever believe in the boogeyman? no, but i was afraid of the dark.
Do you have any scars on your left index finger? yeah, all my fingers have scars
Have you ever examined one of your digits? regularly
Have you ever eaten a jalapenõ pepper for money? no
When was the last time you actually wrote a letter to someone? yesterday, if email counts
Have you ever fallen out of a hammock by yourself? i don't think i've ever been IN one.
When was the last time you rubbed the Buddha’s belly? it's been a few years, but i'm gonna run downstairs and rub him!
Does your clock make noise? considering i use my cell phone for a clock AND alarm, it makes a LOT of noise, intermittently.
Do raisins belong in cookies? only oatmeal
How do you like your meat done? i like to not worry about parasites or bacteria, so medium.
Do you buy those email chains or just delete them as soon as you see them? they infuriate me, so i go to snopes and send the debunk link back to the sender with some choice, pithy comments.
Which is funnier, a mime pretending to be in a box, or trapped in a box? i always liked the mime who couldn't keep the piano lid up...
What is the best prank you have ever pulled? double faked-out DH with a Christmas gift/wrapping
Can you say the alphabet backwards? i have actually spent the last week practicing this... i can not only SAY it, i can SING it! quickly, in fact.
When was the last time you literally slapped yourself? i used to slap my face to keep myself awake when driving too late at night, or at school too late, when i was young and foolish... now i'm just old and foolish.

more p. humor

please note the word HUMOR. this isn't any more real than the last post, that's why it makes us LAUGH.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnL9HRLNxIA

Barack Obama's top 10 campaign promises, as written by Letterman.

political HUMOR

In a news conference Deanna Favre announced she will be the starting QB for the Packers this coming Sunday. Deanna asserts that she is qualified to be starting QB because she has spent the past 16 years married to Brett while he played QB for the Packers. During this period of time she became familiar with the definition of a corner blitz, and is now completely comfortable with other terminology of the Packers offense.

A survey of Packers fans shows that 65 % of those polled supported the move.

Does this sounds idiotic and unbelievable to you? Well, Hillary Clinton makes the same claims as to why she is qualified to be President and 50% of democrats polled agreed. She has never run a City, County, or State.

When told Hillary Clinton has experience because she has 8 years in the white house, Dick Morris stated "so has the pastry chef".

25 signs you're getting old

everybody likes a funny! this is a trend I should keep...

1. Your houseplants are alive and you can't smoke any of them.
2. Having sex in a twin bed is out of the question.
3. You keep more food than beer in the fridge.
4. 6:00 am is when you get up, not when you go to bed.
5. You hear your favorite song in the elevator.
6. You watch the weather channel.
7. Your friends marry and divorce instead of "hook up" and "break up."
8. You go from 130 days of vacation time to 14 (if you're lucky!).
9. Jeans and a sweater no longer qualify as "dressed up."
10. You're the one calling the police because those &%#$ kids next door wont turn down the stereo.
11. Older relatives feel comfortable telling sex jokes around you.
12. You don't know what time Taco Bell closes anymore.
13. Your car insurance goes down and your car payment goes up.
14. You feed your dog Science Diet instead of McDonald's leftovers.
15. Sleeping on the couch makes your back hurt.
16. You take naps.
17. Dinner and a movie is the whole date instead of the beginning of one.
18. Eating a basket of chicken wings would severley upset, rather than settle, your stomach.
19. You go to the drug store for ibuprofin and antacids,not condoms and pregnancy tests.
20. A $4 bottle of wine is no longer "pretty good shit."
21. You actually eat breakfast food at breakfast time.
22. "I just can't drink like I used to!" replaces " I'm never gonna drink that much again."
23. 90% of the time you spend in front of the computer is for real work.
24. You drink at home to save money before you go to a bar.
25. When you find out your friend is pregnant you congratulate them instead of asking "Oh shit - what the hell happened?"
Bonus: 26. You read this entire list looking desperately for one sign that doesn't apply to you and can't find one to save your sorry old ass.

b/c we all needa giggle

A woman has the last word in any argument. Anything a man says after that is the beginning of a new argument.

to flog an issue...

one comment i've heard about Obama is that he doesn't have enough experience to run the country.

my immediate thought is, that might be a GOOD thing! b/c he hasn't had time to have his back scratched and accept the price involved, and to stop believing change is possible.

on this one i'd love to hear feedback.