Day 30 - Let's ignore it all? Mmmm kay!?

And today is the finale of the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place ... 

Your highs and lows for this month.

Highs... Hmm... yeah..

Lows... bleh... who wants to think about those?

:)

Is that a good enough answer?

Sunday Stealing

SUMMERTIME MEME

Welcome back to Sunday Stealing which originated on WTIT: The Blog authored by Bud Weiser. Here we will steal all types of memes from every corner of the blogosphere. Our promise to you is that we will work hard to find the most interesting and intelligent memes. You may have heard of the expression, “honor amongst thieves”. In that age-old tradition, we also have our rules. First, we always credit the blog that we stole it from and we will “fess up” to the blog owner where we stole the meme. We also provide a link to the victim's post. (It's our way of saying "Thanks!") We do sometimes edit the original meme, usually to make it more relevant to our global players, to challenge our players, sometimes to select that meme's best questions, or simply to make it less repetitive from either this new meme or recently asked questions from a prior featured meme.
Let's go!!!


This week's questions come from Academic Cog and she wrote the questions herself because she hadn't seen a summer meme in a long time.

1.) What first tells you that Summer is here?  
When school is out...
When girls are wearing shorts that are shorter than the shirts they don...
When the temperatures rise above 95 degrees...
...but mostly when school is out



2.) Name your five of your favorite distinctively Summer habits or customs.
If I can't think of any, is that a bad thing?  I don't really have summer habits or customs.  

3.) What is your favorite smell of Summer?
Yumminess cooking on the grill or freshly mowed grass.

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4.) What is your favorite taste of Summer?
I love all the fresh produce... fresh, vine ripened tomatoes; watermelon; sweet Mexican cantaloupe; pick-your-own strawberries... deliciousness!

5.) Favorite Summer memory?
I don't have ONE favorite summer memory.  Sorry boutcha luck!

6.) Extreme heat or extreme cold? Which would you choose and why?
I'm sure I'm in the minority but I'd prefer extreme cold.  I can always snuggle with a warm body to get warm... plus, I love wearing jeans and boots and sweaters.  I mean, they look cozy, right?

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7.) What books do you plan to read for the season?
I have a list... that I'm too lazy to get right now.

8.) What is your favorite part of summer?
When it's over... it's too freakin' hot in Texas.

9.) What's your favorite quintessentially summer food? Least favorite?
Watermelon.  Least?  There's not much that "screams" summer that I don't like food-wise.  

10.) Best beverage to beat the summer heat:
Ice cold water with freshly frozen fruit inside.

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11.) Least favorite/most annoying thing related to summer?
Mosquitoes, the extreme heat, sticking to leather seats, high electric bills, did I mention I hate the heat?  Yeah...and I hate butt sweat.  And boob sweat...and feeling any sweat dripping down your back... Getting dressed only to go outside and within 30 seconds experiencing a full-body sweat ruining your hair and make up...

12.) Pick one: the lake /the beach.
I'm not a fan of water I can't see beneath.

13.) Most amusing summer vacation trip you've ever taken?
I took Drew right before he turned two to Estes Park, Colorado.  I'm not big on travelling in the summer -- you know..when EVERY OTHER PERSON IN THE COUNTRY IS VACATIONING TOO!

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14.) Most ridiculous/cringe-inducing/blush-provoking summer outfit you have seen? (Bonus points if you yourself were wearing it!)
There are FAR too many to list here... no bonus points for me.  

15.) Your absolute dream summer afternoon would be
Any day with my boys... somewhere where someone ELSE is cooking, cleaning, laundrying, taxi-ing and doing it all... where I can sit back and relax and take it in.

16.) If you could go anywhere on summer vacation where would you go?
Summer vacation to Italy would be nice... if it were for THE WHOLE SUMMER. Would that not be awesome?  Or, vegging on a deck with a cold beer and a good book at a cabin in Colorado.

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July Blog Challenge - Get ready!

I'm ready.  Are you?  After June is gone... we shall cover:

Day 29 - Looking ahead

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 29... 

Goals for the next 30 days.

I plan to SURVIVE..it's Texas

It's hot

I have boys at home

I have boys at friends

I am a taxi, cook, maid, referee, psychotherapist, counselor, doctor, nurse, errand girl, serving wench, handy-woman... you name it... I'm gonna get it done.  Period!  

Plus, get organized for the new school year that starts mid August.  Turn around this exercise/clean-eating slump and get back on track.  Period.

PERIOD!

DAMMIT!

(i'm trying to convince myself of something, can you tell?)

Saturday 9 - Suit and Tie (Mrow!)

Welcome to Saturday: 9. What we've committed to our readers is that we will post 9 questions every Saturday. Sometimes the post will have a theme, and at other times the questions will be totally unrelated. Those weeks we do "random questions," so-to-speak. We encourage you to visit other participants posts and leave a comment. Because we don't have any rules, it is your choice. We hate rules. We love memes, however, and here is today's meme!



Saturday 9: Suit and Tie  (link up by clicking)

1) When was the last time that you got dressed up, or to borrow from Mr. Timberlake, "fixed up to the nines?"  I'm a mom.  I drive a minivan and usualy feel lucky to obtain a shower or have time to put on mascara.  I can't say that I have been "fixed up to the nines" in a REALLY ... REALLY long time.  Primarily because I'm not that kinda girl... I'd rather be where I were comfortable and myself.  So, to answer, NO CLUE!

2) Justin Timberlake is known for his threads. Do you try to keep up with fashion trends?  Absolutely not.  I'd feel so fake with sparkles all over the butt cheeks of my jeans.  Trends are for teens... 

3) While on tour, Justin has a cigar roller on call so that he and the band can enjoy a "gentleman's club" atmosphere back stage. Do you enjoy the smell of a good cigar?  They make me want to hurl.

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4) Justin appeared on Star Search when still in grade school, and he's been working ever since. When Crazy Sam was that age, her only "job" was to load the dishwasher and for this she earned her $1/day allowance. Did you work when you were a kid?  Absolutely.  My grandmother owned a ceramic shop that supplied all the pieces (think decor, dishes, vases, etc.) for an interior decorator warehouse.  They shopped there to finish out their model homes for builders.  This was junior high through high school.

5) JT has appeared several times on Saturday Night Live, a show that premiered before he was born. Who is your most favorite ever SNL castmember of all time?  Wow, I'm old school when it comes to SNL... Eddie Murphy... Chevy Chase... Dan Ackroid... Bill Murray... Steve Martin... Gilda Radner... But I did like Chris Farley... in a van...down by the river.

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6) Justin is a very good golfer (6 handicap). Will you play this summer?  Golf?  Nope.  

7) A round of golf requires hours outside in the elements. Have you ever endured a painful sunburn?  Unfortunately, yes.  I'm not a big fan of the sun.  I appreciate a tan but I don't want to be in the sun to get one so I never have a tan and always look like some anemic broad who is probably Nosferatu.  However, I found these cool t-shirts online and so maybe I'm in the middle of a trend... damnit!

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8) When they were young, Justin dated Britney Spears. Obviously, it's been easy for him to keep up with her successes and problems over the years. Do you wonder how one of your exes is doing?  Yes. 

9) Ever since his days with N'Sync, Justin Timberlake has supported music education. Did your grade school offer music classes? If so, do you remember any of the songs you learned then?  Yes.  Elementary school.  Mrs. Patrick was the music teacher.  

I can spell hip.  H-I-P
I can spell pot.  P-O-T
I can spell mess.  M-E-S-S
but I can't spell hippopotamus

H-I-P-P-O I know
and then comes P-O-T
but that's as far as I can go
and it sure bothers me

Well, I can spell hip.  H-I-P
I can spell pot.  P-O-T
I can spell mess.  M-E-S-S
but I can't spell hippopotamus

Oh yes... I still remember that little gem from what... maybe second or third grade... LOL

Day 28 - I miss

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 28... 

Something that you miss.

Wow, how appropriate for this to be today's topic... when my hunka hunka burning love is in another state...and I'm left here... with Chuckie!

Sigh...

It's been a long two days...

But... you know we can't sit and wallow in despair forever.

I miss being able to sleep til noon without regard to coming up with a menu.  

I miss the metabolism of a 17 year old girl.

I miss being able to get up and go do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted.  

I miss being a size 6.

I miss being able to work ... in an office... with adults... and be part of something much bigger than myself.

I miss Colorado.

I miss working out regularly.

I miss wearing a C.  (Women, you'll get that one, men... just keep reading.)

I miss my grandmother...and her homemade goulash and biscuits and gravy... making ceramics in the workshop in the back... 

I miss having a sister (she's not dead... just removed for cancerous reasons).

I miss good music.

I miss Colorado, did I mention that one already?

I miss having an SUV.

I miss having vacations.

I miss cold weather.

I miss my beautiful wedding ring.

I miss my best friend. 

But, mostly I miss being a size 6.  :)  ha!   We're working on that one, however.  :)  I'll see it again this year I'm predicting.  Stay tuned! 

Day 27 - Problems.

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 27... 

A problem that you have had.

Well, well, well... hmmm...

Problems, who hasn't had them in some form or fashion.  Lately, meh, life is a problem it seems.

I have Rheumatoid arthritis in my hands, feet, hips, wrists, knees... some mornings it's a good 45 minutes before my hands are truly functional without pain.  Some days the joint pain in my knuckles never completely dissipates.  I'm not really one to share this because... well, to be honest this is the hand that I've been dealt.  I just need to put on my big girl panties and deal with it. Right?

Well, I have a friend that truly loves me to pieces and is ALWAYS asking me how I'm doing and really, truly wants to know and actually CARES FOR REAL how I really am feeling.  And, it's a genuine care, not one of those grocery store check-out clerks, "How are you doing today?"  Because, you know they don't give a damn.

I've always wanted to say, "You know, it's been a long day.  Kilt me a man, dug a shallow grave over in Bicentennial Park.  Broke a nail in the process... and my favorite shovel.  How are YOU?"  

Anyway... back to the subject at hand... The "problem."  The problem is that unfortunately, this condition (RA) also seems to come with a side of migraines.

Those --have and do - shut me down.  

The problem is that I need to fight through the rounds of inflammation, pain and general feeling of malaise in order to make it through a good three - four week cycle of clean eating and working out.  Why?  Because once it's habit, everything else seems to just fall in place and I FEEL BETTER.  The RA symptoms greatly diminish, headaches are fewer and farther between, abdominal issues are alleviated   Life is good.  However, until I make it through that time frame, I just can't seem to stay with it and let my body "win" against me.  It's a vicious cycle.

I'm starting the fight again.  A plan is being formed.  I'm excited about it.  And very thankful to those that continue to motivate me even when I don't feel like I have it in me to even BE motivated.

Day 26 - Like a moth to a flame

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 26... 

What kind of person attracts you?

Hmmm... Is it sad that I just sat here and pictured someone ... and smiled... I'll refrain from whether or not I will admit that they were clothed. 

BWAHAHAHAHHA

Okay... um... sorry, what were we speaking of again?  Oh yes... what kind of person attracts me.

And.. please understand that I'm not actually speaking of characteristics of a male... I'm just talking about PEOPLE in general.... because we have to be attracted to the qualities in our friends as well... so I think that those basic fundamental characteristics of people at the most basic level would be the same for both male/female.

I like someone that is confident and will look you in the eye when they speak to you.
I appreciate someone that cares for their appearance.
I like someone that is strong in character

... but the biggest and best characteristic... (truth)... is someone with intelligence.  

Nothing is sexier than a big ole brain!  And a gigantic vocabulary!

That's the gosh darned truth!

Because you know what they say about people with big vocabularies, right?  ;)

Day 25 - I'm fascinated by...

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 25... 

Someone who fascinates you and why.

This is proving to be quite difficult.  You see, I'm not easily fascinated in the least.  

I'm not awe struck at the sight of celebrities.  

I don't go ga-ga over sports figures.  

I'm not easily intimidated nor am I easily fascinated.  

I suppose I could be rather agog over the whole idea that the masses drinking the Koolaid spewed out by our government still believe that our current president is even remotely doing a mediocre job.  That whole fascination with HIM and how AWESOME he is (not) especially due to the fact that he is going down as the worst president EVER... yet they still act like the guy lay golden eggs.  THAT IS fascinating.  The stupidity of the average American.  Hey, look, I found an answer to the question!  Why does this fascinate me?  Because to be so confident while being so misinformed and clueless is just a crying shame.  

Day 24 - Reel fun...

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 24... 

Your favorite movie and what it's about.

I do believe that I have mentioned time and time and time and time and time again.  I do not have favorites.

I do not limit myself for no reason to one specific anything because that... and that alone is the end-all-be-all of whatever the category may be.  I refuse to have favorites.

I mean, you can't even compare something like Gladiator to Toombstone... or Bram Stoker's Dracula to Mel Gibson's Hamlet... or Open Range to Dumb and Dumber... IQ to Princess Bride... Die Hard to The Lorax... yet these are ALL in my category of favorite movieS (plural...see that "s" on there?  Yeah, it's there for a reason!  I don't pick favorites!)  

I have more, but... ya know... I'm sure you've figured that out by now.

Day 23 - Bow chicka wow wow

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 23... 

Give pictures of five guys who are famous that you find attractive.

I will have to say that it's very hard to look up celebrities when you don't FOLLOW celebrity -- and I am actually one of those WEIRD people that literally WONT be attracted to ANYONE if I'm old enough to be THEIR MOM.  That's gross!


Rick Springfield



Justin Timberlake


David Boreanaz



Hugh Jackman



Enrique Iglesias


And since I don't like being limited... here are more gratuitous pieces of eye candy.... you may need a bib.  You're welcome. :)

Viggo Mortensen


Matthew McConaughey


Johnny Depp


Dwayne Johnson (a.k.a. "The Rock")

Day 22 - It's only a number, right?

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 22... 

How have you changed in the past two years?



Well, lets be quite frank.  Two years ago... I was 38...now I'm 40.

:)

hahahahaha!

I like to think I'm a little older, a little wiser and a lot better... 

Day 21 - Favorite Shows

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 21... 

One of your favorite shows.

Anyone that knows me well knows that I am not a watcher of the boob tube.  I'm not a fan of anyone being allowed to confiscate my imagination and take it to the places they dream... I like to read books and stories and go on adventures (in my mind) and let my little 'ole noggin be in complete control of what my characters wear... whether they have laugh lines or a permanent scowl... how they look... if they are portly or svelte.  Do they have a double chin?  Is she as thin as a rail or have flyaway hair?  Are her eyes as soulful as the depths of her love?  Can I envision the just how deep the disappointment in a character's heart truly goes?  

You see, *I* choose to be in control of me... not some TV producer trying to appeal to a broad audience for rating points.  

Books are king.  

I don't watch shows.  :)

Day 20 - Education

In line with the June Blog Challenge over at Paula's Place we are now brought to day 20... 

How important you think education is.

Well, this is an interesting topic to me.  You see, I'm an educated person, so, by default you would think that education would be important -- and it is -- but only if you WANT IT.

I believe that college degrees are a piece of paper.  I don't believe that they necessarily mean you have one iota of common sense.  

I know people that have spent their lives becoming professional students but do little with the educations they have obtained.  Now, mind you, if you can afford to BE a professional student without incurring any debt, then by all means, go get your piece of paper! (I'd LOVE to be a professional student!!! 

However, if you're like a huge majority of college students that are taking on massive amounts of debt in pursuit of a piece of paper that is probably going to be pretty worthless unless you truly focus on a field that is IN DEMAND!  More than half the college graduates are un- or under employed.  

People seem to have little common sense.  For instance, taking on crazy debt in pursuit of a master's degree when the earning potential certainly wouldn't help them pay off their student loans within any sort of reasonable time period.  Or getting a degree in something like "Art History" or "Women's Studies."  Seriously?  Who incurs debt ... for THAT?  

Couple that with the education bubble.  The costs of education continue to rise because they (the mafia, obviously) con unsuspecting youth into believing that a degree=high earning potential (high valued promising career) and is critical to securing said position.  As such, more and more sign on to loans based on the false promise that that one automatically equals the other.  Newsflash -- they don't!

The truth is, while almost everyone would agree that education IS fundamentally important, it's not for everyone.  

Education, in the sense of which I speak -- HIGHER education -- is definitely not for everyone.  I mean, not everyone is even meant for college.  Just like not everyone is meant to flip burgers, drive trucks, be a police officer or an attorney.  

A basic education, I feel, however, is critical to becoming the most basic member of society.  You may not need algebra, but you DO need a clue!  

The fact remains that the world needs ditch diggers, too.