Five on Friday

(I kind of alluded to this coming...)

These are some things that I've discovered and am deeply infatuated with this week:

1) Don't Forget the Lyrics a "game show" in which contestants sing lyrics to songs and have to fill in the missing 5, 7, 12 words. LOVE THIS. Saw it last night and those who know me know that I STINK when it comes to knowing the actually words to songs. I couldn't be a contestant, but at home, this show had me singing and dancing as I cooked dinner. AND, when the girl had to sing Billy Jean by Michael Jackson I KNEW the line was "Told me her name was Billy Jean and she caused a scene" not "... and she left the scene". Watch it with me, I guarantee you're going to love it!

2) Oatmeal Crisp Raisin cereal. Kj introduced this to our home and I can't get enough. Scrumptious! And to think I requested Frosted Flakes... (don 't get me wrong, still a fav...)

3) Black seedless grapes {leftover from weekend with Liz}.

4) Letting go of anger: Had a looonnnngggg talk with idiot supervisior on Wed and point blank, he's dumb, he's not my friend, and I can't waste my energy pondering the previous points. He knows where I stand and I expressed it in a matter-of-fact and respectful way. Ha. A lot of prayers and morning commutes with Commited's song Everything is Going to be Alright on repeat... for the whole 45min commute... made me reach this point.

5) Man, even listing 5 things is getting tough. Here's the fifth: This site: WebMD It's fabulous. I love having so much info at my fingertips.

I hope you've had a good week. All is well on our end. Been a really busy work week so to say I'm excited about the weekend is an understatement. ;-)

Happy Friday!

These, my dear friends...

are the faces of YOUTH DIRECTORS!!!! hehehe

Last night after church, the preacher was making announcements and said he needed to see Bro. S and Bro. M in his office after Bible study. I was thinking how I was going to mess with those two after we dismissed about how they had to go to the "principal's office" and no sooner had I thought that did the preacher say, "Oh and Roz I need to see you too." What?!?!?! So immediately I think this has something to do with sharing my class and I'm pretty sure that my plan of letting the other sister have Sun mornings is about to get tossed. (I was preparing myself to hear, "Oh Sis Roz, that is not how we share...")
So all 3 of us head to the minister's office and then he says he wants to see us one at a time. So I go first, I close the door and I'm about to begin my defense when he says, "So I would like to ask if you and KJ would be the church's Youth Directors?" Uhh, waaa? Let's just say I'm pretty sure the minister was surprised to see that my cheeks could indeed touch my temples. YEA!!!! We're a small church family, but basically KJ and I are responsible for coming up with stuff for the kids to do and keeping them active and hopefully out of trouble. I've got a ton of ideas, but I'm trying to figure out the best way to get started...

So on the way home I'm saying to myself over and over, I'm a youth director, I'm a youth director, and then it hits me. Yep... they figured out one of the few things to do to make me momentarily stop my active plan of heading back across the state line. Egads! Pulling into our subdivision the woman whose house I'm stalking had her front door open (again) and I thought, "hummm, she's got some great interior stuff going on. I wonder if those plants are real... I should probably stop and introduce myself as Roz, the church youth director who lives down the street." No worries, I didn't stop by the unknown neighbor's to share my sheer joy, but if her door is open tonight, beckoning to me with her fancy light fixtures and unique wall art, then... I make no promises...

Happy Thursday all!

10 on Tuesday:

1) I've been drinking water at work. Only requirement is lemon and that it be room temp. Needless to say, I'm also taking 150% more bathroom breaks.

2) Liz is coming to visit this weekend. Yippeeeeee is an understatement. ;-)

3) My sister just had a root-canal. I feel really good about leaving her my favorite grey striped artsy fartsy flat shoes (which she had her eye on). Here's the odd part: I like that she'll "ask me for/steal" my shoes. Makes this ole girl fill fashionable.

4) My neighbor's been out of town for a week (with a week to go) b/c of a family emergency. Tonight I'm making sausage casserole to take over to her husband and kids for dinner. I like that I have neighbor's that I want to do this for.

5) Kj cut our grass with a diagonal pattern. He's getting all fancy-schmancy on me and I must admit, it looks good. There's something about coming home to a sweaty man that's been working on his yard, whooo-hooo. (or a freshly showered man making dinner in the kitchen... hehehe)

6) We've had a ton of afternoon "showers" (more like monsoons) lately. This is what I've been driving home in:
Besides the driving in it part, you know I'm loving the busted flood gates of rain.

7) Need to go back to the library, but I never have cash and I'm sure they won't let me take any more books without paying my late fine...

8) Work gives me an itch for new cds. Oh yes, and it's Free Music Tuesday and the free song is really good. Her name is Colbie Caillat and the song is Bubbly. It's here if you want to hear it.

9) Kendi sent me this pic from when we were in 8th grade. It's hilarious to me! I loved those purple jeans...


10) As much as I like to make lists, I always struggle with 6-10 of the Ten on Tuesday... Maybe I should just do 5 on Friday...

Happy Tuesday!

Is it gross

if I never wash my jeans again? I do plan on febreezing them regularly. ;-) hehehe This morning I slid into my favorite jeans and I realized that they're fitting better, before I got excited, it occurred to me that the reasoning for that is b/c I found them at the top of the closet which means Lord only knows last time they saw the washing machine. The didn't smell so off to work they go. hehehe (Just fyi, I've even been not putting my jeans in the dryer and letting them air dry hoping that would help the "fit" of them. ummm, nope. I'll probably start sleeping in them when they come out of the wash so that they can "strech" during the night...)

Anyway, it's Friday! Whooo-hooo. We're headed home to see my folks this weekend. On my hit-list of must see are: Mom, Dad, Brit, Colein, Dash, Tricey, Kendi, and Summer. I also plan on making a pit stop on Sun to see Cindy, Lisa, Connie-lee, and the rest of my Avondale family. That's a full weekend if I've ever seen one. Plus my mom is having a moving sale so that means an "up at the crack of dawn" Sat morning. I can't wait!!!!

A few things that have popped into my head:

1) Why have I not gone to Walmart and gotten my new glasses prescription filled? I need new frames and I'm trying to decide if they're going to be fashionable or sensible...
2) What happened to Mariah Carey? She may have been a little crazy at one point, but you have to admit... she could sing!
3) I'm going to start emailing myself when I stay late at work so that I can have a "paper trail" for my next review. hahaha
4) Kj has to listen to me whine more than anyone else, and he's a great sport about it (most times... hehehe)
5) I thought about Adam Lee from high school the other day (a classmate of mine who passed away suddenly) and wondered how his mom and dad are doing.
6) I get to see my nephew Dash and I'm excited to see what he can do now verses when he was 4 days old. ;-)
7) What will I bring home from my mom's "moving sale"? She's got some pretty neat stuff and then again, some stuff is just old. hehehe sorry mom...
8) I'm thinking of hosting a girls' nite with my coworkers (there's a group of us around the same age). Appetizers and board games... we'll see...
9) Trying to figure out if I should renew my People's magazine. It's more than just celebrity news... there's book and music reviews, plus the home-town heros which are everyday people just doing good things... Yep, think I just typed myself into a renewal...
10) I'm loving this song by Akon. Wonder if his cd is any good?


Happy Friday! Whoo-hooo! (have I already said that?)

Encouragement

Yesterday was a rough work day. My co-workers got on my "everlasting" nerves (have no idea where this saying came from, but you get the point). I did a lot of eye-rolling, exasperated sighing and out bursts of "Good night! Give me a break". There's too much going on and as you know, my supervisor and I are not the best of friends, so that idiot is constantly heaping more on my plate and I'm the nut that keeps taking it b/c I'm determined to "step up to the challenge, hit it out of the park, and then stick my tongue out when it's done." Anyway, needless to say I talked about it throughly with God and asked for a better disposition and attitude. I'm fully aware that I can't change other people, but I can change me.

So this morning, a co-worker sent me this after she sent a ludicrous request and I responded kindly (after a huge sigh mind you):

Date: July 12, 2007 8:44:10 AM CDT
To: roz

I think you are too nice...I have asked the Lord to help me make this a good
morning ~ I need a prayer that he does...!

Not a lot, but definitely encouraging. I love when people ask me to pray for them, makes me feel like I'm living a life that shows my conversations just might get up to God. ;-)

******Update********

Okay, it's almost the end of the work day (I'm going to have to work late) and today was really no better than yesterday, but all in all I feel as though I handled it better. Even had a meeting with idiot supervisor in which he implied that he noticed I was going directly to his supervisor for comments instead of coming to him and I simple told him that I was in fact going to her b.c we had a clearer means of communication and my timeline is short and that if he "needed" to be in the loop then I ask that he give me her direct comments along with his b/c I'm often unaware of many options once he gives me her/his feedback. In essence, he's a horrible middle man, so I cut him out. And I'll do it again. Hey idiot man, I've got a job to do!

Oh and amongst the chaos of the day, I discovered that the Weight Watchers little carrot cakes are indeed, little and not really all that tasty. Just an FYI.

Happy Thursday all!

Just a few things

that crossed my mind.

1) I haven't had a good peach or nectarine all summer. I've bought from both Walmart and Publix (for pete's sake) and I let them get extra ripe and they're still never juicy. This morning's nectarine's definitely a disappointment.

2) I have a problem asking people for help. Really... the slightest hesitation on their part and I've already got 3/4 of my plan on how I can do it myself.

3) I love when Kj compliments me on something "I'm trying out". This morning it was the side part I coupled with my ponytail. ;-)

4) Speaking of my husband... I came home to couch visible to the naked eye b.c he had folded ALL of the clothes. That's love.

5) I met some wonderful women at Viki's wedding this past weekend. I now challenge myself to keep in touch.

6) I'm generally sleep by 9 something, I wonder if my cell company would see this as a viable excuse to switch my free min. to the mornings...

7) It drives me ba-serk when new people at the company park in "my" parking space. Granted my name's not on it, but I'm thinking of fixing that... ;-)

8) The thought of getting up at 5am makes me cringe, so Kj offered to buy me an elliptical machine for the house...for my bday or cmas... ummm, no sir. hehehe I don't do self-improvement gifts on holidays. An elliptical machine is more like a Happy Thursday gift. ;-)

9) After watching Playmakers, I will probably NEVER let any son of mine play football... EVER...

10) Tonight I have to bring a finger food to church (tonight's the last night) and I have no idea what to take. Any suggestions???

Happy Wednesday

9+1 on Tuesday

1) Oh how I wish clothes could fold themselves. I don't mind the washing, it's the folding that gets me... (yes, our ENTIRE couch is still full)

2) We live too far from family and friends. I've always known this, but when you look at it from a financial stand point, most of our money goes to traveling...

3) I'm thankful that we've been able to travel as we have, but I'm also aware that we're going to have to do some cutting back (gulp!)

4) I have a million things to do at work and not the first clue where to jump in and begin. Does vacation do this to anybody else???

5) Quiting my gym is not an option, clothes aren't fitting right and I refuse to buy new ones or taylor the old. I'm going to HAVE to drop a few pounds. Good morning 5:00 workouts!

6) The sermon I heard on Sunday keeps coming to mind. God knows we're not perfect and he wants us to be honest with him about our imperfections. Doesn't seem like it should be hard, but it sometimes is...

7) I would like to do this:
to our living room (sans the wallpaper, just a nice khaki paint above chair rail), but also on the list is finishing our garage (paint and coat floor), and painting our master bed and bath. sigh, originally I thought I'd be able to knock all this out by the end of summer... need I say, not happening... ;-)

8) Kj's hooked me on an old show called Playmakers It's about the football players and the league more-so then the football game and I can see why the NFL bought/canceled the show after one season. But ooohhhh, it's good.

9) Is organization something that can be taught, or is it a gene some people are just born with?

10) Is it really almost the middle of July? Is this year flying by to anyone else?

Happy Tuesday everyone!

It makes me feel good

when people ask me about my blog. ;-) So Kendi, this entry's for you! hehehe Plus it's about time I fill everyone in on what's been going on...
I was in a wedding on Sat, so I took vaca from work and headed down to Miami on Wed to throw myself in wedding frenzy. ;-) I've known the bride since I was 11 so it was good to be apart of her special day. I was her Matron of Honor and I felt very ummm, honored (hate to use the same word twice, but really what other word does the trick) to have the position. The wedding was beautiful and of course I don't have one single picture from the actual day b/c I forgot to give my camera to KJ. The only pics I have are from the getting ready process and I don't think it would be nice to post a group of women in their scivvies. Plus I've recently began a battle with cellulite that I'm not proud to say was ambushed upon me. One minute smooth skin, the next dimple-mania. Are you serious?!?!?! Anyway, I found this cream by Nivea called Goodbye Cellulite and even though it's ranked 25 on this list it was only $10 at Target and during my moment of repulsion, I thought, "What the hey, it's worth a shot." I'll let you know if it was worth it.

We're having a Gospel Meeting at church in which I can proudly say that I stuck over 50 flyers in the mailboxes in my neighborhood (don't be alarmed, we have the kind of mailboxes that have newspaper slots under the main box and it's not illegal to put stuff there. I wasn't "tampering" with the "federal crime" box) on my 5am walk on Wed morning. My goal for our next church event will be to actually try speaking with some of those people. ;-) I'm excited b/c the preacher is from my home congregation when I was in college and he always does an excellent job. This week will be busy. Not to mention that somewhere in there, I need to fold a couch full of clean laundry and cook a few meals just to sustain us, but given my current "battle" the menu's looking pretty bleak. ;-)

Happy Monday all!

Dear 5:00

Please come quickly.

Thanks and best regards,
~Roz

Happy Friday all. For some reason today's been dragging on. I came to work 15 min late (was NOT able to get up...), I took a 2 hour lunch (had lunch with husband and his coworkers and since I work in the stix, an hour of that lunch was driving back and forth time), and it's still ticking by like molasses. Plus a lot of you haven't posted today. I checked. Four or Five times. hehehe

Have a great weekend!

I'm going...

to see a movie BY MYSELF this weekend. I'm going to the crappy local theater (that KJ refuses to step foot near) sometime on Sat to see Knocked-Up (probably an extreme girl-movie that again, my husband will probably not step foot near. We can rent them, but asking him to commit to a theater seat that he's paid $83 {you all know like I do that the movies are waaayyyy over-price} for and no promise of action but the threat of a birth scene...yeah, not happening.). I'm considering it an adventure. It's been a minute since I went to the movies by myself. In fact if I think back, I don't know if I ever have, I think so, but maybe my intent to do so was so strong it overtook my memory...

Anywho, I tried to think of someone I know here that may want to go on my little outing with me. Ummm, the girl from the gym who gave me her number (twice) who I never called and haven't seen in months (still trying to cancel that membership...), if I could remember her name or find her number... maybe. Ummm, my neighbor who has 3 kids under the age of 5 and whose husband has been away for 2 weeks and is returning this weekend....she's probably going to be busy. Ummm, 65 yr old Ms. Mary who lives at the end of the street and is really friendly, who before we went out of town told me she wasn't feeling well and I still haven't made it 4 houses over 5 days later to check on her...don't know if this movie will be her thing (but if Menopause ever comes to town, she's my girl). And just for the record: I'm going to check on her tonight. There is the girl at the corner of our subdivision whom I'm obsessed with her home improvement efforts (she's doing amazing things in her yard and I confess: last night she left her front door open and I drove by 3 times to see what she's putting up to coordinate with her lovely living room wall color...), but it'd be hard to introduce myself without seeming psycho... So I resolved that I'm going by myself. I like me, and know that I'll be great company at the movie. Plus, I never hog all the popcorn... ;-)

Happy Thursday

Having to Share...

I teach Sunday School and Wednesday night class to the children at church. I've got the 8yr - high school group (seems like a broad range, but our church is small, so max I've ever had in class is around 9 students and most are between 3rd grade and 8th, and my younger ones are brilliant so I teach lessons on a higher level so not to bore the older ones), and I LOVE my class. The kids are kids. They're my kids. They have their good days where they're attentive and clue in to the lesson's theme immediately and their bad days when they don't want to pay attention and they gripe if I give gum instead of lollipops as rewards (to which they know I will take away the "prize" because a blessing is a blessing and should we complain if God gives us one thing when we thought we wanted another...). Anyway, I came to this church when they only had 2 youth workers/teachers (one recently moved to another city, so we're back to 2) and they had been there for a while and were eager to let me join the teaching squad so that we could rotate and no one would be burnt-out. Great!

Now here's the having to share part... Recently a new member has joined our church and expressed interest in teaching. So last night the other youth worker called me and said, "Sis. G wants to teach, so I thought that you and she could rotate with your class. That way you won't get tired or burnt out." Pause. I'm not tired, I'm not burnt out. I'm on a roll and I HATE rotating because we all have different teaching styles and I feel like I sometimes have to reprogram my class when it's my turn again. In my heart I know that it's only fair that I let this other sister teach also because I know I appreciate the chance and avenue to serve in this fashion and who am I to deny it to another. I would not have wanted them to have done me that way, right? Right. So I asked the other youth worker if it might be okay if we just establish that I teach on Wed. and she gets Sun morning. Am I giving her the shorter end of the stick? Honestly... yes. There are more kids there on Wed. and b.c we travel so much on weekends I often have to have someone substitute. So I'm going to offer her Sun mornings. Is that wrong? Am I keeping the big piece of cake to only share the crumbs??? I'm a good teacher (I am. Not bragging really, I just love my kids and know how the whole youth worker thing goes b/c I've been doing it for so long.) and I don't feel it's fair to make me do all the adjusting when "it ain't broke". Sigh, I'll let you know how it goes. ;-) Maybe Sis. G could teach my class on Sun mornings and the Nursery class (2-5 students on average from the baby in church to the 7yr olds) on Wed nites (giving the other youth worker a "break"). That way she gets to familiarize herself with both groups! Yeah, both groups... I think I just discovered the positive spin on how I'm going to present the idea to her and the other youth worker. This solution still counts as sharing, right???

Happy Wednesday!

10 on Tuesday:

1) Some days my job is a challenge (good thing, I love the feeling of conquring) and some days it's just challenging (bad thing, my attitude towards Jim's stupidity constantly a battle). Lately it's been more challenging then a challenge. I think I need a sabbatical.

2) Last night I made a scrumptous salad with strawberries and sharp cheddar cheese (and lettuce, carrots, etc, but the berries and cheese were the highlights), only to realize that my raspberry vinaigrette dressing had gone bad. Confession: If Kj had not walked in and MADE me pour the bottle out, my plan was to pour all the white stuff out b/c the bottom of the bottle looked fine. We ended up finding a quick recipe for vinaigrette dressing and made my own. Really, you can't eat a salad with berries with any other kind of dressing...you thought about it and other options seem gross don't they... RECIPE HERE {just fyi}

3) Kj and I had a couple over on Sunday nite (they're getting ready to move to TX. of course. I find a friend and poof, they're gone...) and we played Spades. Here's the catch, KJ was my partner. We've NEVER played together and it threw me off. Hard to trash talk your husband when he's on your side. Plus it was hard to read his signs and I wasn't about to give him mine b/c when Liz and Jon come to visit there's a rematch to be had! (needless to say, we lost... I considered it a courteous going away present...)

4) It's FREE MUSIC TUESDAY on iTunes! Wait, I just checked to see what the free song was and I'm not enthused about gats and explict lyrics. ::sigh:: but the free discovery download is nice and I always get the latin free song so I guess 2 out of 3 isn't bad. Oh and just because I had to see if I was spelling gat (slang for gun) right, I found out that the slang term is derived from this {another fyi}

5) I read this blog daily: Amazing Trips and I think she's hilarious. Taking motherhood in stride. ;-) {Today's post is on the serious side, but go to the one underneath it for a good giggle}

6) Okay, I'm listening to the free song I just downloaded and it's soooo good. He's name is Till Bronner and the free download is A Distant Episode. Beautiful! This is another song of his. See how soothing... I think I may buy the cd...{umm, yep, bought the cd via iTunes and I'm LOVIN' it}


7) I want to read this book. Baby Love I'm torn between returning to my local library that gives you 3 days to check out, read, and return a book (okay, probably a little more days then 3, but not many...) Mind you I owe them for my last overdue books that I never even got the chance to read... or, just buying it online and having it arrive in my mailbox. Does anyone know a cheap online bookstore?

8) My parents have finally closed on their new house. I'm really excited to see what items my mom decided to let go of after 30+ years of "collecting"

9) My coworker, Tina, went to Hawaii and brought me back this:

It's a good luck tiki man and it makes me giggle. I love that its hands are on its hips like, "I dare you to not feel lucky" I've also decided that if needed, it's the perfect weight to peg the aforementioned dept head in the back of the head when said stupiditity reaches its maximum. ;-) Talk about luck, hehehe

10) It's taken me way too long to do this 10 on Tuesday, but it's made me smile. Forget work, I'm grabbing on to little morsels of happiness however I can get um!

Happy Tuesday!!!

Weekend Adventure (wrap-up)

Shea is the wife of Kj's old college room-mate, Rance, and I believe that they're the couple that holds the record for having known/done things with us "as a couple" for the longest. Kj and I hung out with Rance and Shea when we were just dating (first time around). I went to Shea's wedding when I didn't even really know her, unaware that she'd be a constant presence in my life. hehehe And during the time when Kj and I had broke up, it was Shea who proclaimed, "I'm so glad you're back!" when we started dating again.I'm not hesitant to say that with Kj, no one else compared when it came to being his better half. She confirmed it for me. ;-)

Anywho, we decided we needed a "Ladies Day" so we headed up to Montgomery in search of an adventure... and that's exactly what we had.
We had plans to eat at the Montgomery Brewery Co, ride the lunch trolley to see the downtown sites, then head over to the Alabama Shakespeare Festival to catch a play. Perfect plan... until we got to Montgomery. We get to the restaurant and it's closed (what?!?!), apparently it doesn't open til 4 on Sat. Then we go to catch the lunch trolley to just go to another restaurant, but low and behold we can't seem to catch the trolley for the life of us (we waited at the Biscuits {the Mont. baseball team...don't ask...) ticket office...taking refuge in their shade... for about an hour when finally a trolly comes around), apparently, the lunch trolley only runs during the week b/c all the restaurants downtown are closed on the weekends, but our "trolley man" kindly suggested a local hotdog place. (You all know I love my hotdogs!). So we get to the hotdog place and when we walk in the man says, "You all want to eat here??? Ummmm, we should have turned around then, but we were starving so we braved it past the front door. Hole in the wall does not begin to describe our little eatery. I told Shea that it reminded me of being in the back of someone's great-grandmother's house, where everything smells old, and it looks old, and there's a thin layer of dust over most things, and a thick layer over a few things, but you feel like it would be insulting to just leave, so you sit... and order... and act-like you're eating (Shea pinched off pieces of her hamburger to create the illusion of eating, but I scarfed down my hotdog...an 85 rating has never scared me away... SHAME...). ;-) Yep, 15 minutes later we were back on our trolley and my stomach was gurgling (no worries, a few watermelon gummies set it straight). We seriously could only laugh, so far the day was not going as planned, but we were having fun. We got to the theater about 45 minutes before our play Menopause the Musical started. Just enough time to converse with the crowd of 60 -80 year old women in the restroom, get to our seats, and count the 23 men whose wives had dragged them to see a play about The Change. hehehe

We had a good time. By the time we got home we were exhausted, but we learned that 1) with or without our husbands, Shea and I can have a great time 2)downtown Montgomery dies around 5:00 Friday, only to come back to life on Monday and 3) a crowd of around 125, 50 -80 year old women may think it's unladylike to show bare leg and not wear pantyhose, but will laugh hysterically and hoot and holler if a microphone is uses as a prop when singing "good vibrations". really.





Hope you all had a great weekend.

The things we say...

I've been waking up the past couple of mornings around 5 something and simply rolling over knowing that I had about 40 more min of zzz's to catch. This morning when I awoke at 5:30 I decided to walk around the neighborhood.


The weather was perfect, I'd guess around 60 something degrees and I had my iPod to keep me moving. This morning I discovered 4 things. 1) I love walking around the neighborhood. There are 3 streets in our subdivision and all incline (or decline depending on your direction) so I feel like it's a good "wake-up body" workout if I'm walking briskly. 2) Walking around the neighborhood gives me a chance to see what people have done to their houses/yards without seeming nosey. (took my camera so I could get pics of some yard ideas for Kj)
3) I should grab my cell phone and leave the camera. After my 20 min walk, I rounded the corner only to see my sleepy-eyed husband (he doesn't wake up til 7:00) standing in front of our garage looking for me. Apparently when I turned off the alarm system it woke him up and when he came to check and my car was still there (when it's gone he knows I've gone to the gym), he got a little worried. I don't know where I could have possibly have taken off to or what danger I could have been in, but it was sweet and besides feeling bad for not letting him know I was going so he could get his additional hour of sleep, I felt very loved.
4) It's been too long since I worked out b/c my legs were itching like crazy, which I know has something to do with circulation, but it makes me think that the cellulite and fat cells are bumping into each other. I may have to start walking with a loofah sponge. hehehe

So, on the way into work this morn on the radio they were talking about the funeral the NAACP is going to have for the n-word. Kudos! I was brought up to know that the word is hateful when spoken by ANYBODY and I'm glad to see society stepping up and stating the same. I believe this campaign is targeting more so the entertainment industry because music is the only aspect that I can think of where the word is used frequently without consequence or being reprimanded. It's not slang. It's not cute. It's not okay.
The radio dj had Sinbad {the comedian... I love his stuff} on the show and he said that he was actually at the comedy club when the Michael Richard's (Kramer from Seinfeld) incident happened. He made the statement that he believed it might have been the first time some of the younger generations have really heard the n word in all it's true nastiness and hate. Good point. I think so many times we become desensitized to things seen/or heard commonly that we "gloss over" how awful it really is.

Okay so the radio broadcast this morn, coupled with an article I read yesterday in which a mom tries to explain to her son why his peers say he's "acting white" made me think about things that are said and should not be said. Granted, I don't say the n-word and I'm very cautious of offensive racial generalizations and terms, (like Indian-giver. A friend of mine works for the Southern Poverty Law Center speaking across the country on promoting tolerance of different races/cultures and intolerance to slurs/ symbols/ negative actions and such. Anyway, B. pointed out to me that terms like Indian-giver are in fact offensive.) but I do/did have the tendency to say the word heifer when referring to a female that had got under my skin. Maybe not on the same level as the n word, but still offensive to females, right? Sometimes when you hear the very thing that you say come out of someone else's mouth, you hear how bad it sounds. Some friends and I were at an event where a group was singing and a woman behind us, knowing one of the girls in the group, yelled. "You better sing heifer!" Not in a mean way, but in a "you go girl" kind of way. Still sounded bad. So from that moment on, I made/make a conscious effort to not use the term unless I'm actually referring to cattle. (I've have adopted Cindy's term chic {pronounced chick} like "You better watch it chic." or "Okay now, chic" when a lady's overstepping her bounds)

Soooo, what brought all this on... just that radio broadcast and a 45 min drive to work to think how just like a good sermon in church, it may not hit you directly, but indirectly you can find pieces of yourself to always work on. This morning I woke up with the intent to work on this ole body. I've also decided to include working on this ole mouth (the things that come out of it) and this ole attitude (I shouldn't let people affect how I present myself, my demeanor...). Yep, always room for improvement.

Happy Thursday!!

Remember when...

So I'm toughing it out and trying to meet a package deadline that I've been procrastinating on for a bit here at work. This morn I came, turned on my iTunes and got Billy Jean by Michael Jackson going (to set the work pace) and it hits me that this song is part of my childhood memories. I used to loooovvvveee Michael Jackson (still do love the old Michael, not the new...). That man could make some music. My dad bought me this record:


so that I could play it on my own record player and dance like a maniac in my room, and my mom gave me a Michael Jackson button to wear (we all used to wear buttons, it was the 80s, hehehe). Couldn't find an image of the button, but this type of button, just to jog your memory...


Anywhy, this post is not about Michael, but about childhood memories. Kj and I have this discussion quite often about how he can remember something that happened when he was 2 years old (he really can), but how my earliest memory may be from when I was 5 and then up until about 10, it's pretty sketchy. Shameful b/c I know that I should have some good memories in there when I look at old pictures, but I guess my mind choose what to hold on to and what to let go of. So, this morn as I was getting into "work" mode with Billy Jean blaring, I had a flash back of: dancing (a fast running in place type thing with arms flying) in purple sweat pants (mom says I didn't like jeans b/c they "felt funny on my legs"...I was an odd child), and a white t-shirt, in a little space by my bed until I was sweating and out of breath only to collapse on my bed and think, I love Michael Jackson. I was about 5 years old. I also thought Michael was saying that "the Jed is not my son" which is how I still sing the song. Such a good memory! It made me smile (22 years later), and then I ate my Frosted Flakes with strawberries and drank the milk from the bowl like my father showed me many years ago. hehehe That's another memory for another post. So here's to childhood memories. It's good to let your mind go back to a time before work and bills, don't you think? ;-)

Happy Wednesday!

10 on Tuesday:

1) Tried to cancel gym membership, but I'm under contract til 8/08 and they haven't added any classes for after 6, so the program still stinks and I'm doomed to the elliptical machine for $25 a month.

2) Made spinach and ricotta tortellini with a creamy butter garlic shrimp sauce and the meal was completely experimental (no measuring, no recipe, just a spice cabinet and lots of tasting) except for the tortellini, which unfortunately wasn't that good (trying new things... this one was a dud, but the sauce was a keeper. Can't go wrong with garlic and butter!)

3) Had to move my topiaries to the front door b/c the wind keeps blowing them over (and I've even put bricks in the planter). Kj thinks they look better there. I'm not convinced...

4) I thought my office mate was over there pooting, but it's just him scrapping something across his desk... I think...

5) Watched Norbit last night and it wasn't as horrible as we expected. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't good, just not as horrible.

6) My drive to get things done seems to be a "home" thing b/c here at work I'm tip-toeing all around the little deadlines I need to meet. sheesh!

7) When you make a conscious effort to try and save up some money, you begin to wonder more oft then not, "Where is my money going???" I'm seriously not seeing it.

8) It's been raining a lot here lately, only downfall is that it rains while I'm at work and by the time I get off it's still hot and muggy.

9) Yesterday I checked everyone's blog about 25 times apiece. Please post! I'm avoiding work people! hehehe

10) Is it really only Tuesday?!?! I was pretty sure my calendar was broken. hehehe

Happy (almost done with the work day) Tuesday all!

"Get it done" mode

This weekend was eventful. Really started checking some things off the wayyyy too long "To-Do" list. Okay, honestly I checked off 3 things (sent an invoice and sent 2 people their final logos for review), but those 3 things felt soooo good. But here's the stinky part about a "To-Do" list, just as soon as something's checked off, something else has the nerve to jump on board. ;-)
So this morn this is what I googled b/c it's an unchecked box on my list:


That's right. 10 Year Class Reunion!!!! I know I know, very few people get excited when they think back to those high school years, but I've never been with the norm. High school was a fantastic time to me! Not that, "I'm stuck in the 1994-98s and I don't want to move forward" kind of weirdness, but the, high school wasn't so bad and I have some great memories and a few growing pain recollections (a certain someone wanting to fight me in the hall for liking her ex-boyfriend and making fun of my sneakers {I'm sure I wasn't the only person who wore nothing but gleaming white keds and considered them to be perfect for any athletic activity}... oh C. Warren, I haven't forgotten... forgiven, but not forgotten...) that I look forward to rehashing with the AHS Class of '98.
So, as class pres, hehehe, I'm going to get the ball rolling. I've got my trusty internet see this list, my old high school phone number, and a few other 98ers who check this blog and have therefore been recruited to help me spread the word (yes, I'm calling you out: Colleen, Klancy, Candi, Monica, Lauren, Kendi... and any lurkers who think I don't know you're there...hehe). So get ready. I'm in a "get it done" mood and this is high up on my list. I wonder if this can be attacked like planning a wedding... Any words of wisdom out there???

Happy Monday all!

****Ahhh-hhaaaa: Called the school, no help pretty much said it's all on the person planning the reunion. Then I went back to my trusty internet and found the AHS Alumni. Just google the school and the city and you'll see the school webpage. Then click on the Alumni link on the left. This is going to be my saving grace, I believe. So log on and put your info in and pass the site to others please. Colleen and Klancy, you're up there already, but only 23 out of our graduating 200 something are registered. I may also have to resort to myspace... ::sigh::*****

Watcha watching?

Okay so I don't have a ton of tv shows that I watch. Pretty much it's just:
1) Girlfriends
2) One Tree Hill
3) Grey's Anatomy
4) America's Next Top Model
5) Lost

Those are the one's that I'm almost sick if I miss an episode (esp. Grey's. Thank goodness for the online full episode thing. And what do you all think about Burke {Isiah Washington} being taken off the show????)

Anyway since my regulars are all finished with new episodes for the season, I'm branching out and seeing what some other shows are about. The 2 new ones I'm testing are: Army Wives and House of Payne.
Let's start with Army Wives. I like it. It's a little dramatic, but it's Lifetime. I'm happy with the story line and anxious to see what goes on with the characters. Have you seen it?

Ummm, House of Payne... Was anyone else thinking that those first two episodes would be the last?
I'm sorry, but they just weren't good. Not funny. Not like a sitcom, but a rushed play. So this week we gave it another try. I watched the 3rd one (still not funny and I think Allen Payne may be getting on my nerves...) and fell asleep on the 4th (b/c you know right now they're doing those back to back episodes). Kj promises that the 4th got a little better, I'll have to rewatch it and see.

So for now I'm recommending Army Wives, but I may be pulling the plug on House of Payne (sorry Tyler Perry.) Do you have any shows that you watch that I should get in on (if not then it's Army Wives and reruns of the above that will fill my lovely DVR Thursdays. I tape all my shows and watch them on Thurs nite when KJ gets his hair cut so that I'm not swayed by his that doesn't make sense, what's wrong with her, that's not realistic, sarcasm...he's such a boy... hehehe)?

Happy Friday! Have a wonderful weekend!

I had a hunch

yesterday was going to be crazy. (see Wednesday's post, last part if don't want to read the whole...awww...)

So about a month ago, one of my co-workers was telling me about the practical jokes they used to play in to office. Moving all the furniture out of someone's office, having them arrested at work, placing signs detailing "fake" embarrassing medical conditions in the bathrooms of the opposite sex of those on the end of the joke... yep, they were some pranksters. Evidently, they've been in retirement, but like so many before them (Jordon, JayZ.. um that's all I can think of right now who's retired and then come back...) they decided to get back into it yesterday and thought I'd be the perfect candidate.

So preface: Whenever the sales guys come into the office (they live in different states) they always ask if I'm pregnant yet. I'm the ONLY person in the office young (under 40) and married. There's a few singletons, but they don't bug them about marriage near like they do me about kids. Hellooo, I work in the juvenile industry and they probably just want me to birth a kid so we can have a new model for our packages. hehehe So you may see where this is headed...

Yesterday before lunch people started coming by the office and sending me emails saying Congrats! What's your due date? Girl or Boy? EVERYONE in the office, president and all (our company is not huge). So I finally figure out that one of my dear coworkers in cahoots with the sales guys went to our receptionist and had her send this out to everyone (but me) in the office yesterday:


Are you serious??? LOL! They got me. Perfect set-up and I was bombarded by people who wanted to come see if I had started to show. hehehe

So anyway, by the time I left work yesterday my jaws hurt from laughing so hard and I had come up with about a million ways to say I'M NOT PREGNANT.

Today I'm wearing a bikini top and daisy dukes while holding my stomach in and parading around the office... just incase there's any left over doubt... hehehe

Having a song on your heart ;-)

I woke up this morning with a song in my head. This song to be exact:


It's my current car-dancing fav. Immediately I wish that I could gyrate my hips like the girls in the caribbean, but alas, I've changed my ways and don't dance like that in public anymore (hehehe) and my hips have NEVER been that limber. But oh, in the car... I'm getting it!
Anywho, I saw this on another blog the other day and decided how appropriate for my "Day of Song". The idea is that you go to your iPod (Klancy, your new Zune is perfect if you choose to play along), hit shuffle or random and then answer the questions below with the songs that appear in the play list. Easy enough. Let's see what I get...

How does the world see you?
Beautiful Disaster - Jon McLaughlin (Grey's Anatomy soundtrack)
Hummm, don't know if I'm flattered or offended. ;-) I guess I am a bit of a spaz, but disaster seems a bit harsh don't you think?

Will I have a happy life?"
My My My - Johnny Gill
MY life Johnny...will it be happy? sheesh, it's not always about you...

What do my friends really think of me?
The Guide - Borne
LOL! Some, I may lead, but for the most part I think we're walking side by side in life's journey.

How can I make myself happy?
Spanish Harlem - Ben E. King
I've always said I wanted to be fluent in Spanish... apparently not only do I need to be fluent, I need to teach it in Harlem... now that's a far cry from Bham so I don't know if that's going to equal happy oh wise iPod...

What should I do with my life?
Shawty Roc - Southern Style Dj's
Oh, you ain't said nothing but a word. I wonder if "rockin it out" is office appropriate?

Will I ever have children?
Back To My Roots- Lucky Dube & The Slaves
Ummm, little iPod, are you talking about when I was younger and wanted 5 girls so I could name them all after flowers??? Sorry, I don't think Kj's going to have that.

What is some good advice for me?
I Me You I'm Your - Jim Noir
Spit it out already! What's my advice?!?!?!

How will I be remembered?
All I Want - Toad The Wet Sprocket
Well, I guess that is true. I do really want to be remembered, but to say that's all I want is a bit understated...

What is my signature dancing song?
Smooth Criminal - Michael Jackson
Now you're talking! Someone please pass me my sparkly glove and black loafers!

What do I think my current theme song is?
Where Is Your Heart - Kelly Clarkson
Well, it's with Kj of course... should he be singing my theme song?!? That could be a loaded gun that I don't need to hand over... no telling what I'd get... ;-)

What does everyone else think my current theme song is?
Suga Mama - Beyoncé
Hehehe - I'm flattered that you all think I've got it like that.

What song will play at my funeral?
Ain't No Other Man - Christina Aguilera
True, I don't want that day to be sad, but this kind of rocking might have people talking...

What is my day going to be like?
Carnival Town - Norah Jones
Yep, had a feeling I was in for a wild ride today... it's only 9:30 so I'll have to keep you all posted. ;-)

Happy Wednesday everyone!