Remember the days of using your imagination? I mean really using your imagination. Not just daydreaming. (not to say daydreaming is bad because I love to do it quite frequently) Back when almost every sentence you spoke to your friends started with "Pretend like..."
I was reminiscing about this today at work. The weather was unusually warm today, so it gave us a rare moment to take our students outside for recess this afternoon. It was so awesome to watch a group of kids create a volcanic adventure out of a pile of mulch. Everything was, "Pretend like we have shoes that won't melt" or "Pretend like we need to crawl through rocks". It was awesome. I know that our students usually play like this, so I don't know why it struck me this much today. Probably because I'm getting old.
Here is another fantastic story from today at work. I didn't witness it, but I was told that one of our students put a worm in her mouth to prove her honor. Amazing. Just another day at the office!
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 19, 2008
2-17-09 We are ready! (we think)
So Robbie and I cashed in one of our "DTV coupons" this week...
...and the critique is mixed. We've never had cable in our house because we are too poor. (and well, it gives us a good excuse to visit our parents. Right Dad?) So we've always been at the mercy of our aluminum foil covered antenna for a peek into the outside world. On a good day we can get about 3 channels with some fuzz, but most of the time it is just 1 channel that tolerable enough to watch without getting a headache.
We were so excited to get our converter box. All the commercials rave about the quality of digital signals, blah, blah, blah. But what they DON'T tell you is that your signal is only as strong as your antenna. Hey, I'm no techie so it's perfectly okay that I believed all our problems would be solved with the little box prophesied to save the end of the world (2-17-09, that is). We were pretty deflated when we plugged in our fancy-shmancy box and had to strategically place our antenna to get signal. I don't know, maybe our expectations were unrealistic. But you have to admit that the commercials make it sound like the little box is some mystical wonder.
All of this is taken with a grain of salt though. After some adjusting of the antenna, we do get 7 channels now! And it is nice not to have to squint through the fuzz to watch Scrubs!
Our other biggest complaint about the box is that it takes foreeeeever to change channels. That is because it has to find the analog signal, and then convert it. I hope this goes away after the apocalypse. (2-17-09, that is)
We are waiting to cash in our other coupon to see if we like this brand of converter box. Brand-name probably doesn't matter much in this matter though. Besides that, we only have 1 antenna for our 2 TVs. We (did) move the antenna to whichever room we wanted to watch TV in.
...and the critique is mixed. We've never had cable in our house because we are too poor. (and well, it gives us a good excuse to visit our parents. Right Dad?) So we've always been at the mercy of our aluminum foil covered antenna for a peek into the outside world. On a good day we can get about 3 channels with some fuzz, but most of the time it is just 1 channel that tolerable enough to watch without getting a headache.
We were so excited to get our converter box. All the commercials rave about the quality of digital signals, blah, blah, blah. But what they DON'T tell you is that your signal is only as strong as your antenna. Hey, I'm no techie so it's perfectly okay that I believed all our problems would be solved with the little box prophesied to save the end of the world (2-17-09, that is). We were pretty deflated when we plugged in our fancy-shmancy box and had to strategically place our antenna to get signal. I don't know, maybe our expectations were unrealistic. But you have to admit that the commercials make it sound like the little box is some mystical wonder.
All of this is taken with a grain of salt though. After some adjusting of the antenna, we do get 7 channels now! And it is nice not to have to squint through the fuzz to watch Scrubs!
Our other biggest complaint about the box is that it takes foreeeeever to change channels. That is because it has to find the analog signal, and then convert it. I hope this goes away after the apocalypse. (2-17-09, that is)
We are waiting to cash in our other coupon to see if we like this brand of converter box. Brand-name probably doesn't matter much in this matter though. Besides that, we only have 1 antenna for our 2 TVs. We (did) move the antenna to whichever room we wanted to watch TV in.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Christmas Graveyard
As I type, we are waiting for the brunt of some winter weather to slam in less than 12 hours. Right now it is a balmy 57 degrees, and the low tonight is supposed to be around 18 with rain switching to ice and snow. Just in time for the morning commute! Fun! (Not!!) I need to go to the store, but I'm afraid that it will be kinda crazy. Even though we are all used to this type of weather around here, I don't know anyone who likes to travel in it.
Anywho, thanks to all of those who gave me advice concerning conflict resolution on the blog or in person. I got some really good ideas that I am going to try!!
I thought you all would like to enjoy the scene below. I see it almost everyday, and I still can't decide whether I love it or hate it. I encourage you to click on it so see the picture more close up. There are A LOT of decorations you can't see as a small picture.
Unfortunately this picture doesn't do the decorating justice. The lights on the house and inside the lawn characters change to music, so a lot of lights aren't lit in this shot. The picture also isn't very good because I was trying to be inconspicuous while taking it. Although--I think you surrender some rights when you decorate your house like this. Robbie calls it "Christmas graveyard" because he thinks that is where all Christmas decorations go to die.
Anywho, thanks to all of those who gave me advice concerning conflict resolution on the blog or in person. I got some really good ideas that I am going to try!!
I thought you all would like to enjoy the scene below. I see it almost everyday, and I still can't decide whether I love it or hate it. I encourage you to click on it so see the picture more close up. There are A LOT of decorations you can't see as a small picture.
Unfortunately this picture doesn't do the decorating justice. The lights on the house and inside the lawn characters change to music, so a lot of lights aren't lit in this shot. The picture also isn't very good because I was trying to be inconspicuous while taking it. Although--I think you surrender some rights when you decorate your house like this. Robbie calls it "Christmas graveyard" because he thinks that is where all Christmas decorations go to die.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
Your Advice Wanted
Okay, so I've come to a huge road block on my path to a fun learning environment. I have asked friends in the education world, relied upon my own experience, and have endlessly searched books and the web for ideas on how to resolve conflict among 4th and 5th grade boys. Granted, the situation was already-a-brewin' before I was involved, but none-the-less I want to do whatever I can to be a positive influence. A fun learning environment is not possible even if just a couple kids are going at it without respect to themselves, their peers, or the teachers. My students deserve the best.
Nothing has been working. And I am sooooo tired about reading conflict resolution ideas that involve role-playing, filling out "how I feel" cards, and making posters. Those ideas work as preventatives (especially for young elementary students), but I need something to help in the heat of the moment when pre-adolescent rage is occurring. We are talking abrasive name-calling, throwing whatever they can get their hands on, and physical contact.
And it needs to be positive. Screaming and threatening only makes the student(s) and the situation more tense. I am working daily on building trust and creating positive relationships. How do I get them to make a better choice before or during the conflict?
Your advice is wanted.
Nothing has been working. And I am sooooo tired about reading conflict resolution ideas that involve role-playing, filling out "how I feel" cards, and making posters. Those ideas work as preventatives (especially for young elementary students), but I need something to help in the heat of the moment when pre-adolescent rage is occurring. We are talking abrasive name-calling, throwing whatever they can get their hands on, and physical contact.
And it needs to be positive. Screaming and threatening only makes the student(s) and the situation more tense. I am working daily on building trust and creating positive relationships. How do I get them to make a better choice before or during the conflict?
Your advice is wanted.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Interesting Christmas Facts
Sorry for falling off the blog wagon, life has been busy. And when you don't have internet at home it takes scheduling to enjoy the world wide web. :)
Anywho, so my job at the before and after school program is one of the things taking up most of my time. I love, love, love working there. I have been busying planning out the next couple weeks, and our theme is "Christmas Around the World". First of all, I was quite shocked to learn that it is perfectly o.k. to say "Christmas" in a public school due to past political-correctness. In fact the tides have turned again as far as that goes. Remember when we were little and vacation time around Christmas was called "Christmas Break"? Then it turned into "Holiday Break". Now it is acceptable to say "Christmas Break" again. I am nobody important, but my opinion is that it is okay to say it either way. I am a Christian who tries to reflect on Christ's birth and death throughout the year, and also on December 25th. The fact is that there is more than one holiday celebrated this time of year (Christian or not), and I think it's okay to say "Happy Holidays".
Okay, so back to the original theme. Here are some interesting facts about the Christmas holiday that I've learned while reading up on how other cultures celebrate Christmas. If you are interested in this type of stuff, there is a whole lot of info out there on the origins of some of our Christmas traditions. Beware, you might not like what you read. :)
Fact #1: Poinsettias are native to Mexico. Who'd a thunk? It is believed that a young boy walking to the church to see the nativity scene showing the birth of Jesus had realized on the way that he had no gift to offer the Christ child so he gathered up some plain green branches as he walked in he was laughed at but upon placing the branches near the manger they started to bloom a bright red poinsettia flower on each branch.
Fact #2: The Christmas tree used to be oak, not fir. There are various legends regarding the origin of the Christmas tree, often relating to Saint Boniface. Thus, in one version, Boniface disrupted a pagan child sacrifice at an oak tree, flattening the oak with a blow of his fist. A small fir sprang up in place of the oak, which Boniface told the pagans represented Christ. In some accounts, Martin Luther is credited with coming up with the idea after seeing the night stars through the branches of a pine tree on a walk home, and decorated a tree with his family with candles and silver and gold tinsel.
Fact #3: Hoteiosho. In Japan most do not recognize Christmas as a religious holiday. It is very commericalized. (Hmmm...how is it any different here?) Their version of Santa is a Buddhist monk called "Hoteiosho". He has eye balls on the back of his head so he can always watch the children to see if they are behaving.
Fact# 4: The Advent Calendar came from Germany, and originally started out as lines of chalk on the door. Then children began hanging 24 pieces of paper in the home, each would open to reveal a drawing or phrase. Now the calendar comes in many forms to reveal artwork or candy.
These are just a few fun facts. A lot of these I already knew, but thought you might like to know them too! I looooove learning the origins of words and ideas. Did you know that sub sandwiches used to be called grinders? This is because the mechanics who worked on submarines made this type of sandwich popular.
As a Christian it is important for me to remember that Christmas should be an all-year event. Do I think it's wrong to decorate or throw parties this time of year? No. Because it's all about where your heart is. It is wonderful that we gather with friends and family to reflect on Christ's birth, and show love for one another. Just try to make it more than once a year.
Anywho, so my job at the before and after school program is one of the things taking up most of my time. I love, love, love working there. I have been busying planning out the next couple weeks, and our theme is "Christmas Around the World". First of all, I was quite shocked to learn that it is perfectly o.k. to say "Christmas" in a public school due to past political-correctness. In fact the tides have turned again as far as that goes. Remember when we were little and vacation time around Christmas was called "Christmas Break"? Then it turned into "Holiday Break". Now it is acceptable to say "Christmas Break" again. I am nobody important, but my opinion is that it is okay to say it either way. I am a Christian who tries to reflect on Christ's birth and death throughout the year, and also on December 25th. The fact is that there is more than one holiday celebrated this time of year (Christian or not), and I think it's okay to say "Happy Holidays".
Okay, so back to the original theme. Here are some interesting facts about the Christmas holiday that I've learned while reading up on how other cultures celebrate Christmas. If you are interested in this type of stuff, there is a whole lot of info out there on the origins of some of our Christmas traditions. Beware, you might not like what you read. :)
Fact #1: Poinsettias are native to Mexico. Who'd a thunk? It is believed that a young boy walking to the church to see the nativity scene showing the birth of Jesus had realized on the way that he had no gift to offer the Christ child so he gathered up some plain green branches as he walked in he was laughed at but upon placing the branches near the manger they started to bloom a bright red poinsettia flower on each branch.
Fact #2: The Christmas tree used to be oak, not fir. There are various legends regarding the origin of the Christmas tree, often relating to Saint Boniface. Thus, in one version, Boniface disrupted a pagan child sacrifice at an oak tree, flattening the oak with a blow of his fist. A small fir sprang up in place of the oak, which Boniface told the pagans represented Christ. In some accounts, Martin Luther is credited with coming up with the idea after seeing the night stars through the branches of a pine tree on a walk home, and decorated a tree with his family with candles and silver and gold tinsel.
Fact #3: Hoteiosho. In Japan most do not recognize Christmas as a religious holiday. It is very commericalized. (Hmmm...how is it any different here?) Their version of Santa is a Buddhist monk called "Hoteiosho". He has eye balls on the back of his head so he can always watch the children to see if they are behaving.
Fact# 4: The Advent Calendar came from Germany, and originally started out as lines of chalk on the door. Then children began hanging 24 pieces of paper in the home, each would open to reveal a drawing or phrase. Now the calendar comes in many forms to reveal artwork or candy.
These are just a few fun facts. A lot of these I already knew, but thought you might like to know them too! I looooove learning the origins of words and ideas. Did you know that sub sandwiches used to be called grinders? This is because the mechanics who worked on submarines made this type of sandwich popular.
As a Christian it is important for me to remember that Christmas should be an all-year event. Do I think it's wrong to decorate or throw parties this time of year? No. Because it's all about where your heart is. It is wonderful that we gather with friends and family to reflect on Christ's birth, and show love for one another. Just try to make it more than once a year.
Friday, November 28, 2008
The Big Feast(s)
Robbie and I had a stuffed (pun intended) Thanksgiving, and every minute was awesome. The day started out with "The Big Feast" at Riverside Community Church. This is the first year it was done, and it was organized by people from many different churches. The idea behind "The Big Feast" is to make a free Thanksgiving meal available to anyone who would like to enjoy sitting down with other people to eat and fellowship. Plain and simple as that. As was the goal, people who attended came for different reasons. Some came because they couldn't afford Thanksgiving dinner this year. Some came because they didn't have any family to eat with. Some came just to enjoy the opportunity to connect with the community. It was an awesome way to celebrate Thanksgiving, and it felt like family.
Robbie and I volunteered to help out with The Big Feast, and we were on the hospitality team (which was the best!). Our job (if you call eating and talking a job!!) was to sit with the people who came in to eat and just fellowship with them. We both were able to meet incredible people and shared amazing conversations with them. I've always known that we all consist of common threads that are blind to gender, race, and socio-economic status. It was so refreshing to connect with people to talk about those common threads and share our lives together for a brief moment.
After "The Big Feast" it was off to my parents' house for my side of the family's feast. As always the food was incredible, and we all ate too much of it! We had our annual hockey game going on out front, and the exchange of Christmas lists going on inside. I suspect that like most families do on any holiday, we talked about current events and holidays past.
I've noticed that in the past few years our holiday gatherings have changed. I don't want to say that they have become more special, because they have always been really special. In the past 3 years or so, we all take more time to enjoy each other and not take these moments for granted. From 2003 to 2006, we lost one family member each year, 4 total. Not to say one person is more loved than another, but losing Uncle Jimmy was the hardest. Having just turned 40 a month before, he died of a heart attack on Father's day 2006.
After the family feast, we gathered with friends and had loads of fun. Not to say my family isn't fun. :) We played games until our stomachs hurt from laughing, and snacked on even more food. Unintentionally the crowd divided like a junior high dance: boys on one side, girls on the other. The boys ended up playing one of their nerd games (involving role play cards, 20-sided dice, etc) and the girls did what we do best, talk!
So all in all, we had an incredible Thanksgiving filled with the best family and friends. And with all the feasting, we are like 20 pounds heavier today! We eventually went to bed at like 2 am, which was not the best decision for me because I had to be at my mall retail job at 8 the next morning. But I didn't care!!
This was my first Black Friday as a retail worker, and it wasn't too bad. Granted I work at a clothing store, so its not exactly high priority on the Black Friday shopping list. (unlike electronics stores) We were definitely swamped though. I personally racked up the most sales I've ever done at that job. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I was more busy at Starbucks on Black Fridays past. All those shoppers need their coffee to wait in line at 4 am!
Now we are at home enjoying our turkey hangovers, and watching awful/awesome cheesy Christmas movies. 'Tis the season!
Robbie and I volunteered to help out with The Big Feast, and we were on the hospitality team (which was the best!). Our job (if you call eating and talking a job!!) was to sit with the people who came in to eat and just fellowship with them. We both were able to meet incredible people and shared amazing conversations with them. I've always known that we all consist of common threads that are blind to gender, race, and socio-economic status. It was so refreshing to connect with people to talk about those common threads and share our lives together for a brief moment.
After "The Big Feast" it was off to my parents' house for my side of the family's feast. As always the food was incredible, and we all ate too much of it! We had our annual hockey game going on out front, and the exchange of Christmas lists going on inside. I suspect that like most families do on any holiday, we talked about current events and holidays past.
I've noticed that in the past few years our holiday gatherings have changed. I don't want to say that they have become more special, because they have always been really special. In the past 3 years or so, we all take more time to enjoy each other and not take these moments for granted. From 2003 to 2006, we lost one family member each year, 4 total. Not to say one person is more loved than another, but losing Uncle Jimmy was the hardest. Having just turned 40 a month before, he died of a heart attack on Father's day 2006.
After the family feast, we gathered with friends and had loads of fun. Not to say my family isn't fun. :) We played games until our stomachs hurt from laughing, and snacked on even more food. Unintentionally the crowd divided like a junior high dance: boys on one side, girls on the other. The boys ended up playing one of their nerd games (involving role play cards, 20-sided dice, etc) and the girls did what we do best, talk!
So all in all, we had an incredible Thanksgiving filled with the best family and friends. And with all the feasting, we are like 20 pounds heavier today! We eventually went to bed at like 2 am, which was not the best decision for me because I had to be at my mall retail job at 8 the next morning. But I didn't care!!
This was my first Black Friday as a retail worker, and it wasn't too bad. Granted I work at a clothing store, so its not exactly high priority on the Black Friday shopping list. (unlike electronics stores) We were definitely swamped though. I personally racked up the most sales I've ever done at that job. Looking back, I'm pretty sure I was more busy at Starbucks on Black Fridays past. All those shoppers need their coffee to wait in line at 4 am!
Now we are at home enjoying our turkey hangovers, and watching awful/awesome cheesy Christmas movies. 'Tis the season!
Monday, November 24, 2008
This is why Jenni doesn't get tattoos.
People often ask why I don't have any tattoos after they see Robbie. Robbie has quite impressive work done on his foot, thigh, and almost a full sleeve on his left arm. I love his tattoos, and I love that they are a part of him. Maybe some other time I will post more about tattoos, but today I just want to say that I love how Robbie literally wears his heart (beliefs, etc) on his sleeve.
So back to the original plot: the reason why I (Jenni) do not have any tattoos is very simple. I just cannot endure seeing the same thing all the time. I have to change the wallpaper on my computer at least once a week. Right now you're probably thinking, "Then how can she stand having tattoos on her husband?" The answer is that I love what Robbie's tattoos signify (you should never tattoo something on you that isn't already a permanent part of your life). And I literally notice something new each time I look at them. It is amazing artwork that I love to look at, and I wish I was that cool to have them.
A picture of his foot. This lamp symbolizes that God's Word is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path. Tattoo artist: Lars Van Zandt
Some pictures of Robbie's sleeve. It's not quite finished, but really amazing. It is a pictorial representation of 2 Peter 1:5-9. Artist: Nate at All Star Tattoo.
The reason for this post--I've been wanting to change the background/template for this blog for a long while. I know there are some good ones out there, I just haven't had the time to mess with changing it. So for now, I just went with an easy pick. Isn't it weird that changing the template of the blog made me think of tattoos? My mind runs like this all day.
So back to the original plot: the reason why I (Jenni) do not have any tattoos is very simple. I just cannot endure seeing the same thing all the time. I have to change the wallpaper on my computer at least once a week. Right now you're probably thinking, "Then how can she stand having tattoos on her husband?" The answer is that I love what Robbie's tattoos signify (you should never tattoo something on you that isn't already a permanent part of your life). And I literally notice something new each time I look at them. It is amazing artwork that I love to look at, and I wish I was that cool to have them.
A picture of his foot. This lamp symbolizes that God's Word is a lamp unto his feet, and a light unto his path. Tattoo artist: Lars Van Zandt
Some pictures of Robbie's sleeve. It's not quite finished, but really amazing. It is a pictorial representation of 2 Peter 1:5-9. Artist: Nate at All Star Tattoo.
The reason for this post--I've been wanting to change the background/template for this blog for a long while. I know there are some good ones out there, I just haven't had the time to mess with changing it. So for now, I just went with an easy pick. Isn't it weird that changing the template of the blog made me think of tattoos? My mind runs like this all day.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
You might be married to a cyclist if...
So let me tell you what I'm not excited about: going on a 24 mile bike ride today. When Robbie told me a couple of days ago that he and a friend had decided to have "us couples" go on a ride together, I wasn't too alarmed. Bike rides are fun. Not my first choice of recreation, but it's not bad. Interestingly enough my favorite outdoor activity is hiking (which is actually more strenuous on the body than riding a bike--go figure). Last Sunday I did a 4 mile river hike with our dog Belle while Robbie participated in a demo on mountain bikes.
So I asked him, "How long is the ride?"
Robbie's response was a coy, "It is 12 miles..."
"Oh that's not too terribly bad, just go easy on me..." says me.
"12 miles there and back..." Robbie mumbles.
"24 miles!!! Are you kidding me??!! Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest!!" I proclaim and further my protest.
Now I need to clarify that I like to ride bikes--except with my husband.
I know that sounds mean, but it is the truth. Let me plead my case: my husband is a cyclist who works in a bike shop. It is a double whammy. Not only is he super fast as a rider, he has a super nice bike that makes it easy for him to ride even faster. Meanwhile I am left in the dust, or feeling guilty that he is literally riding circles around me waiting for me to catch up. Although I must say, like a loving husband he never complains about it, and is all too happy that I'm out there riding with him.
This reminds me of some more tell-tale signs of being married to a cyclist:
-you do everything in your power to prevent your spouse from seeing the bike section of a giant retailer (especially if they work in a bike shop) because they complain about how the bikes are built terribly, and the money should go to a local shop. This wouldn't be so terrible except that this adds an extra 30 minutes to the shopping trip.
-they slow down when they see a cyclist on the road NOT because they are afraid of hitting them (see the next sign), but they want to see what bike/bike components they are riding.
-they yell and scream at other drivers for swerving a ridiculous distance in an attempt to avoid a cyclist on the road. (this annoys me too!!) Listen people: it is illegal for cyclists to ride on the sidewalk (not to mention very dangerous due to the uneven pavement and other pedestrians). You do not have to drive in the other lane to go around a cyclist, and further increase the chance of an accident. Slightly move to the left of the lane and feel guilty that you are not as cool as the cyclist. The cyclist is used to riding on the road with cars, they are not going to make any sudden moves. (like the automobile drivers around them)
Conclusion: you are more likely to scare the cyclist if you swerve to avoid him. Slow down a bit (you are probably doing 10 over the speed limit anyway) and move to the left of the lane. No big deal. Now go ride a bike!
-their bike costs more than their car.
-your dishwasher and/or refrigerator is filled with squeeze water bottles.
-they measure everything in grams, not pounds.
-their thighs are bigger than yours.
-they aren't ashamed to wear shammy shorts in public (and by now you aren't embarrassed to be seen with them).
-they like the sound of cowbells.
-they know who Christian Vande Velde is.
-bull horns are not on an animal.
-they avoid the Katy Trail like the plague.
-they have tan lines that would make Hank Hill feel better about himself.
-they have to buy more shaving cream than you do.
So I asked him, "How long is the ride?"
Robbie's response was a coy, "It is 12 miles..."
"Oh that's not too terribly bad, just go easy on me..." says me.
"12 miles there and back..." Robbie mumbles.
"24 miles!!! Are you kidding me??!! Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest!!" I proclaim and further my protest.
Now I need to clarify that I like to ride bikes--except with my husband.
I know that sounds mean, but it is the truth. Let me plead my case: my husband is a cyclist who works in a bike shop. It is a double whammy. Not only is he super fast as a rider, he has a super nice bike that makes it easy for him to ride even faster. Meanwhile I am left in the dust, or feeling guilty that he is literally riding circles around me waiting for me to catch up. Although I must say, like a loving husband he never complains about it, and is all too happy that I'm out there riding with him.
This reminds me of some more tell-tale signs of being married to a cyclist:
-you do everything in your power to prevent your spouse from seeing the bike section of a giant retailer (especially if they work in a bike shop) because they complain about how the bikes are built terribly, and the money should go to a local shop. This wouldn't be so terrible except that this adds an extra 30 minutes to the shopping trip.
-they slow down when they see a cyclist on the road NOT because they are afraid of hitting them (see the next sign), but they want to see what bike/bike components they are riding.
-they yell and scream at other drivers for swerving a ridiculous distance in an attempt to avoid a cyclist on the road. (this annoys me too!!) Listen people: it is illegal for cyclists to ride on the sidewalk (not to mention very dangerous due to the uneven pavement and other pedestrians). You do not have to drive in the other lane to go around a cyclist, and further increase the chance of an accident. Slightly move to the left of the lane and feel guilty that you are not as cool as the cyclist. The cyclist is used to riding on the road with cars, they are not going to make any sudden moves. (like the automobile drivers around them)
Conclusion: you are more likely to scare the cyclist if you swerve to avoid him. Slow down a bit (you are probably doing 10 over the speed limit anyway) and move to the left of the lane. No big deal. Now go ride a bike!
-their bike costs more than their car.
-your dishwasher and/or refrigerator is filled with squeeze water bottles.
-they measure everything in grams, not pounds.
-their thighs are bigger than yours.
-they aren't ashamed to wear shammy shorts in public (and by now you aren't embarrassed to be seen with them).
-they like the sound of cowbells.
-they know who Christian Vande Velde is.
-bull horns are not on an animal.
-they avoid the Katy Trail like the plague.
-they have tan lines that would make Hank Hill feel better about himself.
-they have to buy more shaving cream than you do.
Friday, November 7, 2008
Costumes, Posion Ivy, and the Season Change in the 'Lou
This post will have lots 'o pictures. I want to share with you our Halloween costumes, the poison ivy from the party, and the season change around our home. Enjoy!
Some of our friends at the Halloween party. Unfortunately this is the only picture of myself, and you can't see my amazing tight-rolled jeans. Nor can you see that my 80s inspired purse matches my 80s style fashion boots. I actually won 1st place in the costume contest! Read the post titled "Hallowen '08 Costume Idea" about how Robbie and I were inspired for our costumes.
Costumes from right to left: Joe the Plumber (quite the popular costume this year), Dina Alexander from Salute Your Shorts, Bobby Budnick from Salute your Shorts, Joe Six-Pack, and Micheal Phelps.
Our friends hosted the party at their home, and they happen to live on a campground where they work. So they were able to build a fantastic bonfire that was like 12 feet high!
Hanging around the bonfire. Can you tell that our friends really like to dress up??
A few days after the party I noticed an itchy rash on my arms and legs. I had no clue what it could have been, and after some consultation with my dad and the internet I diagnosed myself with poison ivy. I've never had a reaction to poison ivy in my life, but I've learned that your immunity can change! I suppose I got it from the hayride or just being out in the campground. So far nobody else at the party has shown any signs of poison ivy though. Hmmmm...
This picture was taken in July. Look how green our yard is!! Compare it to the pic below!
This picture was taken a few days ago. The color change is beeee-utiful! So many brilliant fall colors!
Here are some more pictures I took of the trees in our yard. Unfortunately, all the leaves have shriveled and fallen off the trees in just a couple days. I'm glad I grabbed my camera!
Some of our friends at the Halloween party. Unfortunately this is the only picture of myself, and you can't see my amazing tight-rolled jeans. Nor can you see that my 80s inspired purse matches my 80s style fashion boots. I actually won 1st place in the costume contest! Read the post titled "Hallowen '08 Costume Idea" about how Robbie and I were inspired for our costumes.
Costumes from right to left: Joe the Plumber (quite the popular costume this year), Dina Alexander from Salute Your Shorts, Bobby Budnick from Salute your Shorts, Joe Six-Pack, and Micheal Phelps.
Our friends hosted the party at their home, and they happen to live on a campground where they work. So they were able to build a fantastic bonfire that was like 12 feet high!
Hanging around the bonfire. Can you tell that our friends really like to dress up??
A few days after the party I noticed an itchy rash on my arms and legs. I had no clue what it could have been, and after some consultation with my dad and the internet I diagnosed myself with poison ivy. I've never had a reaction to poison ivy in my life, but I've learned that your immunity can change! I suppose I got it from the hayride or just being out in the campground. So far nobody else at the party has shown any signs of poison ivy though. Hmmmm...
This picture was taken in July. Look how green our yard is!! Compare it to the pic below!
This picture was taken a few days ago. The color change is beeee-utiful! So many brilliant fall colors!
Here are some more pictures I took of the trees in our yard. Unfortunately, all the leaves have shriveled and fallen off the trees in just a couple days. I'm glad I grabbed my camera!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Consistency in an Inconsistent World
Sorry for an eternity between posts. Life has been busy, which can be a good thing! I am working 2 (sometimes 3) jobs now, so free time as it once was, is now gone. I work at a retail clothing store part-time (really just for the discount on clothes!) and my other part-time job that I absolutely love is teaching in a before and after school program. When I can fit it in, I also substitute teach.
Life still isn't the same as last year at this time. And honestly, I still don't know if that is a good thing or not. Last year at this time I had a regular full-time job in addition to Robbie's full time job. We had steady income, and more importantly, insurance. Robbie has already missed a check-up on his routine post-cancer schedule. We just can't afford it. Without insurance, it is $5000 per CT scan. Not to mention the doctor's fees and blood work.
Whenever I get discouraged about our money situation or insurance dilemma, I have to remind myself that God always provides. He has before, and He always will. How He provides can change, and it takes everything within me to trust that. Last year He provided through our steady income, and this year He has been providing through unsteady income. Never-the-less, we still have our home and food on the table. Robbie and I are still healthy. Robbie has no signs or symptoms of his cancer returning. He has been cancer free for over a year. It isn't even a forefront thought in our minds anymore.
I'm not going to lie and say that I have been completely okay about our situation. I get pretty discouraged and distressed actually. Sometimes the guilt and worry can be everything but all-consuming. But at the same time, it does grow and strengthen my relationship with God and others.
I have been at the peak of both points. The highest point of having steady income, and the lowest point of having no income. And I can say that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However life is at the time, He never changes and will never leave you.
Life still isn't the same as last year at this time. And honestly, I still don't know if that is a good thing or not. Last year at this time I had a regular full-time job in addition to Robbie's full time job. We had steady income, and more importantly, insurance. Robbie has already missed a check-up on his routine post-cancer schedule. We just can't afford it. Without insurance, it is $5000 per CT scan. Not to mention the doctor's fees and blood work.
Whenever I get discouraged about our money situation or insurance dilemma, I have to remind myself that God always provides. He has before, and He always will. How He provides can change, and it takes everything within me to trust that. Last year He provided through our steady income, and this year He has been providing through unsteady income. Never-the-less, we still have our home and food on the table. Robbie and I are still healthy. Robbie has no signs or symptoms of his cancer returning. He has been cancer free for over a year. It isn't even a forefront thought in our minds anymore.
I'm not going to lie and say that I have been completely okay about our situation. I get pretty discouraged and distressed actually. Sometimes the guilt and worry can be everything but all-consuming. But at the same time, it does grow and strengthen my relationship with God and others.
I have been at the peak of both points. The highest point of having steady income, and the lowest point of having no income. And I can say that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever. However life is at the time, He never changes and will never leave you.
Thursday, October 23, 2008
Our Halloween '08 Costume Idea
Okay, so anyone in their mid to late 20s should fondly remember a show on Nickelodeon called Salute your Shorts. Seriously folks, everyday after school I would come home and eat a small snack and watch Family Double Dare, Salute Your Shorts, and Clarissa Explains It All.
This is the first year that we have decided to do a couples' costume idea. Speaking of which, have you tried searching for couples' costumes???? Every stinkin' girl costume is ridiculous. Just because there is 90% less fabric doesn't mean it is a good costume idea. Sheesh.
So back to our idea. Robbie is going as Bobby Budnick:
And I am going as Dina Alexander:
Actual Pictures soon to follow....
This is the first year that we have decided to do a couples' costume idea. Speaking of which, have you tried searching for couples' costumes???? Every stinkin' girl costume is ridiculous. Just because there is 90% less fabric doesn't mean it is a good costume idea. Sheesh.
So back to our idea. Robbie is going as Bobby Budnick:
And I am going as Dina Alexander:
Actual Pictures soon to follow....
Monday, October 20, 2008
Dogs don't do that in real life...do they?
Our dog Belle never ceases to amaze us, nor let a dull moment occur. I hate to sound like one of those annoying dog owners who thinks that every little poopie or bark is a message from heaven, but Belle really is spectacular. You might want to try asking me this question again after she has chewed on my flip flops, because you will likely hear a different answer. I don't know what it is about my flip flops. She only likes to chew my flip flops. This is why I stopped investing in the expensive pairs a while ago.
Belle has to take 2 pills daily for her urinary incontinence, and she gets a little treat when she takes her pill without problem. Normally she gets kibble-sized training reward treats, but sometimes she gets a Milkbone. For most dogs a Milkbone is nothing to write home about. One gulp and its gone. For Belle its a huge deal and we don't know why. She has to go lay down and hold it between her front paws and eat it as if it were a steak bone.
The other night she did something new, and something we've never seen a dog do in real life. In cartoons or commercials you often see a dog take a bone and bury it in the backyard. Ha ha ha...how cute...but have you ever seen a dog actually do this? I cannot remember a time in my life when I haven't owned a dog, let alone watch one of them bury something in the backyard with or without the intention to get back to it later.
Going back to the Milkbone. Belle received her treat (this time a Milkbone) for taking her medicine. She immediately scratched on the door to go outside this time for whatever reason. She darted out the door with the Milkbone sticking out of her mouth like a cigar and ran to the grass by the porch. Then, as if she was Belle the cartoon dog, began digging with her front paws and dropped the Milkbone in the hole. With pushes of her nose she covered the hole back up with dirt and grass. Robbie and I watched from the window in complete awe. Not that we should have been in shock for a seemingly simple act; but again, we've never seen a dog do this in real life. Plus, we've owned Belle for almost a year and have never witnessed this before.
When Belle was done burying her treasure, she looked around to make sure no one saw where she buried it. Just like on t.v.
The next day she looked around before she went to dig her Milkbone back up (so the squirrels don't find it??) to enjoy eating it like a steak bone on the porch. I guess Belle heard about the economic recession and is doing her part to make her treats last longer.
Sunday, October 12, 2008
The disease of news and media
I confess: I used to be a news junkie. Having just graduated from college a year ago, I was (and still am) eager to experience the world. I just had to keep tabs on any and everything around me. I still have an affection for reading the newspaper or other publications whenever I can get my hands on one, but I no longer go out of my way to watch tv news (or internet sources). I've always tried to watch the news from as many sources possible so that I could always get a new or different perspective. (there are always at least 2 sides to a story) And I also confess that I am a believer in government conspiracies, but that is a whole other blog topic! Going back to the topic at hand, I just don't want all that broad-casted junk to get in my head anymore.
One would think that this is due to the economic "crisis" at hand, but I've grown weary of the news and media a while ago. They are like wolves that feed on the warm blood of public fear and irrationality. (I think I just made a new word--and I'm sticking with it!)
There has been a growing buzz around the weakening physical and mental health of the nation. People are overwhelmed with worry and stress because their 401(k)s are not the worth the paper they're printed on. I don't know if its true or not, but I've heard on the news that even suicide is increasingly the forefront of peoples' minds. I feel bad for those people (especially since I have loved ones who are feeling the pain), and I wish I could help them out. I just can't fathom pinning all my hopes and fears on my bank account anymore. Maybe its a good thing that I've never had lots of money, because I just don't know what it would be like to lose it all.
For Robbie and I personally, we've been on "economic lock down" for the past 4 or 5 months due to a change in employment plans. This so called "economic lock down" has been great for us because it has cleared our lives of a lot of junk. On the other hand...not having insurance and worrying about our mortgage have been a little nerve-wracking. The lesson that we have learned through it all: It is ALL His anyways. This is a simple and (overused?) statement in the Christian circle. But I just don't know how to describe it any other way. I remember the exact words that came out of my mouth in conversation before I knew I was going to lose my job: "I need stability. I need a steady income. I just can't live with instability." I hate to paint a picture of a God who seems to sit on a cloud using his binoculars to pick out people who need to be taught a lesson. God doesn't do these things just to punish or prey upon the weak. (Quite the opposite actually!) Sometimes it takes a change in plans to bring about a new life of blessings that people would not have experienced otherwise. When God promises something, He does it. Now, because we are human and can only see our perspective (which is incredibly limited) we tend to expect our own ideas and expectations of "working it all out". Sometimes God works things out how we expect it, and sometimes He chooses a different way; but both outcomes are His.
So where am I going with this blog? I don't know. I'm just sharing my heart. I just wish our society could understand that the love of money is not the reason to live or die. God provides what I need (whether its through a steady job or unexpected unemployment). All that I am, All that I own are His. God gave it to me, and when I have it I need to share it with others; and when the Lord sees fit, He takes it away. But He never leaves me empty or alone.
One would think that this is due to the economic "crisis" at hand, but I've grown weary of the news and media a while ago. They are like wolves that feed on the warm blood of public fear and irrationality. (I think I just made a new word--and I'm sticking with it!)
There has been a growing buzz around the weakening physical and mental health of the nation. People are overwhelmed with worry and stress because their 401(k)s are not the worth the paper they're printed on. I don't know if its true or not, but I've heard on the news that even suicide is increasingly the forefront of peoples' minds. I feel bad for those people (especially since I have loved ones who are feeling the pain), and I wish I could help them out. I just can't fathom pinning all my hopes and fears on my bank account anymore. Maybe its a good thing that I've never had lots of money, because I just don't know what it would be like to lose it all.
For Robbie and I personally, we've been on "economic lock down" for the past 4 or 5 months due to a change in employment plans. This so called "economic lock down" has been great for us because it has cleared our lives of a lot of junk. On the other hand...not having insurance and worrying about our mortgage have been a little nerve-wracking. The lesson that we have learned through it all: It is ALL His anyways. This is a simple and (overused?) statement in the Christian circle. But I just don't know how to describe it any other way. I remember the exact words that came out of my mouth in conversation before I knew I was going to lose my job: "I need stability. I need a steady income. I just can't live with instability." I hate to paint a picture of a God who seems to sit on a cloud using his binoculars to pick out people who need to be taught a lesson. God doesn't do these things just to punish or prey upon the weak. (Quite the opposite actually!) Sometimes it takes a change in plans to bring about a new life of blessings that people would not have experienced otherwise. When God promises something, He does it. Now, because we are human and can only see our perspective (which is incredibly limited) we tend to expect our own ideas and expectations of "working it all out". Sometimes God works things out how we expect it, and sometimes He chooses a different way; but both outcomes are His.
So where am I going with this blog? I don't know. I'm just sharing my heart. I just wish our society could understand that the love of money is not the reason to live or die. God provides what I need (whether its through a steady job or unexpected unemployment). All that I am, All that I own are His. God gave it to me, and when I have it I need to share it with others; and when the Lord sees fit, He takes it away. But He never leaves me empty or alone.
Thursday, October 9, 2008
Are you the father of John "Bee Log" Pate Randolph?
Family history is a pretty exciting thing. My amazing mom has spent years diving into records searching out our lineage. Even before the internet! :) I can remember going to the library with her, and while I read a book she combed over microfilms on some pretty antique machines. She has traced our family back to the 1500s on her parents' side!
I remember my mom once telling me that we could be related to Pocahontas, the infamous Native American woman who fell in love with an Englishman. At the time I thought that the idea was cool, but really didn't think it could be possible. Years passed and I got a bee in my bonnet to read through her massive archive of family genealogy. I decided to check this information out for myself. Not that I didn't trust my mom, I just wanted to see it with my own eyes from multiple sources. Here is the information we have:
John Rolfe Jr. (born 5-6-1585 in Heacham, Norfolk, England; died 3-2-1621 or 1622 in James City, VA) married Matoaka Powhattan "Pocahontas" (born 9-17-1595; died 3-21-1616 or 1617 in Gravesend, England) on 4-5-1614 in Jamestown Island, VA.
Well it turns out that my mom was right (they usually are). This information matched the sources I checked out about the "John Smith & Pocahontas" we all know. I could be 14 generations away from her. It all hangs on the paternity DNA of John "Bee Log" Pate Randolph. "Bee" is my great, great, great, great grandpa on my maternal grandma's side. There is speculation that "Bee" was an illegitimate child, therefore he could break my link to being related to Pocahontas. Sounds like an episode of Maury Povich to me!
Apparently I am not the first and/or only one interested in the paternity of "Bee". Rumors of an impending DNA test are circling. Isn't that crazy??? I hope that he is the child of John Randolph Jr. That way I can have some claim to fame!
I remember my mom once telling me that we could be related to Pocahontas, the infamous Native American woman who fell in love with an Englishman. At the time I thought that the idea was cool, but really didn't think it could be possible. Years passed and I got a bee in my bonnet to read through her massive archive of family genealogy. I decided to check this information out for myself. Not that I didn't trust my mom, I just wanted to see it with my own eyes from multiple sources. Here is the information we have:
John Rolfe Jr. (born 5-6-1585 in Heacham, Norfolk, England; died 3-2-1621 or 1622 in James City, VA) married Matoaka Powhattan "Pocahontas" (born 9-17-1595; died 3-21-1616 or 1617 in Gravesend, England) on 4-5-1614 in Jamestown Island, VA.
Well it turns out that my mom was right (they usually are). This information matched the sources I checked out about the "John Smith & Pocahontas" we all know. I could be 14 generations away from her. It all hangs on the paternity DNA of John "Bee Log" Pate Randolph. "Bee" is my great, great, great, great grandpa on my maternal grandma's side. There is speculation that "Bee" was an illegitimate child, therefore he could break my link to being related to Pocahontas. Sounds like an episode of Maury Povich to me!
Apparently I am not the first and/or only one interested in the paternity of "Bee". Rumors of an impending DNA test are circling. Isn't that crazy??? I hope that he is the child of John Randolph Jr. That way I can have some claim to fame!
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Happy Birthday Robbie!
So, technically Robbie's birthday is tomorrow: October 8th...but I didn't know if I would have time to blog it. I just wanted to shout to Robbie:
I've been told that Robbie made a very tiny appearance into the world. He weighed only 4 pounds at birth, and his dad could fit him on one palm. The nurses in the maternity ward gave him the nickname "Little Peanut" and his bottles were baby doll sized.
Not to get too mushy here, but I just want to share how thankful I am for my amazing husband. I am so blessed to have shared another year with him, and look forward to growing old with him. I love that he knows what I need before I say it. I love that he loves me as much as Christ loves the Church.
He eats my cooking, even when the chicken I baked turned into what has now been infamously labeled as "chicken rocks". He is willing to stay up late to make sure my laundry is hung up, so that the next morning I won't have wrinkled clothes. He re-arranges his schedule so that I don't have to drive myself on snow-covered roads. (I'm terrified to drive on snow due to a couple bad experiences) He always knows when ice cream and a chick flick are in order, even when a new action movie is out. He helped to teach me how to snowboard, when really he could have been enjoying precious powder time for himself.
He is the cheese to my macaroni.
Okay, enough of the mush. I love you Robbie! Happy 28th Birthday!!!!
Wednesday, September 24, 2008
Happy First Week of Fall!
For those of you out there in Bloggy Land, Happy First Week of Fall! Here are a couple pictures of the weather right now in good ol' St. Louis. The weather has been unusually consistent, and a little warmer than what you would expect in the fall. But we'll take it!!! Before we know it we will need to warm up our cars for 30 minutes and shovel the snow off the driveway.
The arrival of fall comes with excitement and dread. I will start out the dread and end with the excitement.
The Dread of Fall in St. Louis:
Really, there is no blame on Fall except that it comes before winter. And winter in St. Louis means teeth chattering, frigid air that slices your skin. The aches that come from shoveling the snow knowing it will all be covered back up tomorrow. Driving in the snow is a whole other blogging event that I don't even want to think about right now.
The Excitement of Fall in St. Louis:
The sweet relief from the blistering heat in the form of cool, crisp air. The air smells like crunchy leaves (just hang with me on that one!). Picking apples and pumpkins from the local farms is incredible. Wearing your favorite sweatshirt outside for the first time since early spring, but you don't need a hat or gloves. Getting an extra hour of sleep when we "fall back" our clocks. Enjoying candy corn while watching Halloween movies. Carving pumpkins! And the MOST spectacular food holiday ever invented: THANKSGIVING! (I realize/respect that Thanksgiving is much, much, more than food...but it really does offer a once-a-year occasion to enjoy delectable foods without guilt!!)
An item that fits into dread and excitement:
Rams Football. For obvious reasons, we St. Louisans are dreading the start of football season. We ask ourselves, "Is it really that bad?"
And the answer is, "Did you really have to ask that question?"
To put salt in this wound, our beloved baseball team is not going to make the playoffs this year. So this leaves nothing to look forward to except the good munchies at football parties. (Hence--the reason for Rams football being in the excitement category.)
Happy Fall!
The arrival of fall comes with excitement and dread. I will start out the dread and end with the excitement.
The Dread of Fall in St. Louis:
Really, there is no blame on Fall except that it comes before winter. And winter in St. Louis means teeth chattering, frigid air that slices your skin. The aches that come from shoveling the snow knowing it will all be covered back up tomorrow. Driving in the snow is a whole other blogging event that I don't even want to think about right now.
The Excitement of Fall in St. Louis:
The sweet relief from the blistering heat in the form of cool, crisp air. The air smells like crunchy leaves (just hang with me on that one!). Picking apples and pumpkins from the local farms is incredible. Wearing your favorite sweatshirt outside for the first time since early spring, but you don't need a hat or gloves. Getting an extra hour of sleep when we "fall back" our clocks. Enjoying candy corn while watching Halloween movies. Carving pumpkins! And the MOST spectacular food holiday ever invented: THANKSGIVING! (I realize/respect that Thanksgiving is much, much, more than food...but it really does offer a once-a-year occasion to enjoy delectable foods without guilt!!)
An item that fits into dread and excitement:
Rams Football. For obvious reasons, we St. Louisans are dreading the start of football season. We ask ourselves, "Is it really that bad?"
And the answer is, "Did you really have to ask that question?"
To put salt in this wound, our beloved baseball team is not going to make the playoffs this year. So this leaves nothing to look forward to except the good munchies at football parties. (Hence--the reason for Rams football being in the excitement category.)
Happy Fall!
Friday, September 19, 2008
Eye-opening sleep
It is pretty much a requirement for modern parents to upkeep some sort of online blog or profile about their kids. Well, we are that way about our dog Belle.
Belle is like most young children when it comes to sleeping. She falls into a deep sleep very quickly, and when she does it is quite entertaining to watch her. Her most impressive feat was sliding off the couch in her sleep.
Typical of dogs, she moves all 4 paws as though she is chasing something. She whimpers and growls with the occasional full-on bark. The cutest thing ever is when she barks so much that her tounge sticks out. I have tried many times to get a picture of this before she barks again and it goes back in. This time I have suceeded!
Her eyebrows start to twitch and her eyelids begin to flutter open. I didn't know this until recently, but dogs and cats have a second eyelid. It is vertical whereas the outer eyelid, like people, is horizontal. So her outer eyelid will open, and then the secondary eyelid opens. Creeeeepy!
So creepy that she looks like this when she is sleeping:
She didn't even flinch when I took these pictures. She was totally asleep. Ka-razy!
Belle is like most young children when it comes to sleeping. She falls into a deep sleep very quickly, and when she does it is quite entertaining to watch her. Her most impressive feat was sliding off the couch in her sleep.
Typical of dogs, she moves all 4 paws as though she is chasing something. She whimpers and growls with the occasional full-on bark. The cutest thing ever is when she barks so much that her tounge sticks out. I have tried many times to get a picture of this before she barks again and it goes back in. This time I have suceeded!
Her eyebrows start to twitch and her eyelids begin to flutter open. I didn't know this until recently, but dogs and cats have a second eyelid. It is vertical whereas the outer eyelid, like people, is horizontal. So her outer eyelid will open, and then the secondary eyelid opens. Creeeeepy!
So creepy that she looks like this when she is sleeping:
She didn't even flinch when I took these pictures. She was totally asleep. Ka-razy!
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Stage 6: Tour of Missouri
This afternoon Robbie and I were able to experience our first international cycling race. It was so awesome to finally see it in real life! One would wonder how important this race is because it takes place in Missouri. :) To let you know, this race has the best of the best in international cycling. We're talking about guys who compete in the Tour de France and the recent Summer Olympics. Here are some pictures for you to enjoy. We were roughly 150 km from the finish line.
Friday, September 12, 2008
That Cart
How is it that we always get "that cart" when we go grocery shopping?
Immediately they greet you. Immediately the confrontation is on. And no, I'm not talking about the greeters at wally world. It is the inevitable cart selection pressure that starts as soon as you walk in the front door. You want to pick the right cart that is free of blemish, and full of promises for a quiet and smooth shopping trip. Unfortunately the cart selection process usually has to occur in a few split seconds because there are 5 people behind you with screaming kids or they are on a time crunch to get to their next errand.
You look for the tell-tale signs of the cart not to choose. For instance, rusty parts or a sure sign of abandonment like newspaper ads paper-mached to the bottom. Sometimes you are lucky enough to get an omen to telling you to not pick a cart before you are stuck with it. Like when you go to pull the cart away from the row, and it won't budge. Right away you should just give up and move to the next one available.
I am unfortunate enough to always get stuck with a jalopy cart despite my best efforts to avoid one. Typically the symptoms don't show until you are too far away from the cart corral to exchange it for a new one. "That cart" is plagued with a ridiculously loud noise. The noise comes from a squeaking wheel set, or I've even had a cart with a rear wheel (the load bearing wheels) with a piece missing so it clunks on the linoleum floor as it goes round and round.
"That cart" has steering situations in which it either pulls too strong to the left or right. Just last night I had a cart that refused to steer left, and without a large amount of effort would severely turn right. (usually on top of my toes)
I've noticed that whenever I happen to get stuck with "that cart" I tend to get glances of sympathy/relief from other shoppers. They know the feeling of having "that cart" and would never ostracize you for it, yet they are all too glad that its not them pushing it around.
Anyone else out there have a good "that cart" story? Consider participating in this public service announcement if you do!
Immediately they greet you. Immediately the confrontation is on. And no, I'm not talking about the greeters at wally world. It is the inevitable cart selection pressure that starts as soon as you walk in the front door. You want to pick the right cart that is free of blemish, and full of promises for a quiet and smooth shopping trip. Unfortunately the cart selection process usually has to occur in a few split seconds because there are 5 people behind you with screaming kids or they are on a time crunch to get to their next errand.
You look for the tell-tale signs of the cart not to choose. For instance, rusty parts or a sure sign of abandonment like newspaper ads paper-mached to the bottom. Sometimes you are lucky enough to get an omen to telling you to not pick a cart before you are stuck with it. Like when you go to pull the cart away from the row, and it won't budge. Right away you should just give up and move to the next one available.
I am unfortunate enough to always get stuck with a jalopy cart despite my best efforts to avoid one. Typically the symptoms don't show until you are too far away from the cart corral to exchange it for a new one. "That cart" is plagued with a ridiculously loud noise. The noise comes from a squeaking wheel set, or I've even had a cart with a rear wheel (the load bearing wheels) with a piece missing so it clunks on the linoleum floor as it goes round and round.
"That cart" has steering situations in which it either pulls too strong to the left or right. Just last night I had a cart that refused to steer left, and without a large amount of effort would severely turn right. (usually on top of my toes)
I've noticed that whenever I happen to get stuck with "that cart" I tend to get glances of sympathy/relief from other shoppers. They know the feeling of having "that cart" and would never ostracize you for it, yet they are all too glad that its not them pushing it around.
Anyone else out there have a good "that cart" story? Consider participating in this public service announcement if you do!
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Age related bugs, Blogging, Voting, and Caving
Today I have a few things on my mind, so there are 4 parts to this blog. I promise to keep each part short and sweet. One might ask, "Why blog all of this at once?" My answer to that: I have to travel to get Internet access.
Part 1: Age related bugs
Last week we were so lucky to have celebrated the marriage of the nicest guy and girl in the world, and because of that many old friends reunited. In the wee hours of the morning the conversation turned to how our lives have changed. We used to talk about who we had a crush on, and now we talk about our husbands, babies, and mortgages. My circle of friends and I are in the mid-twenties and we've all been bitten by the marriage bug. Now the baby bug has claimed a few more. It made me think: what are the bugs to come? In a few years will we all be bitten by the house remodeling bug, or the PTA bug? What is the age 40 bug? My guess is that it will have something to do with dealing with our adolescent children or how we are saving for retirement. The age 50+ bug will have us talking about which medical procedures we have endured. The more you've had, the higher your rank is. Of course, I could be totally wrong. I sure hope so!
Part 2: Blogging
All this thought about age-related bugs made me think of an article I read in the St. Peters Journal a few days ago. It was about how my generation is struggling to find an identity. (we even have 2 names for our generation: generation y and the millenias) Is my generation going to be defined by the fact that we blog to communicate? How much we love YouTube? Or could it be the Iraq War? Surviving the economic downturn (lest I call it a depression)? Not saying any of these things would be a bad label, I am just curious.
Part 3: Voting
In this election season, I have decided to start a poll on our blog. Just for fun. I realize the current topic is rather narcissistic ("Do you like reading our blog?"). Now that I've had time to think of some really great questions, be ready to vote! Some may ask your opinion of less trivial things like t.v. show topics, and some may even slice into politics. It depends on how risky I'm feeling. So even though you may never comment on this blog, I urge you to vote! :)
Part 4: Caving
As most of you know, we have a siberian husky named Belle. She is wonderful. She also has a favorite past time: caving. No caving of the spelunking variety, just caving in the house. She loves finding little nooks to make a cave out of. After doing some more research on huskies (I don't know how much more I could do), I've found that they love to have a cave for a den. When it snows outside Belle will literally dig a little hole and sleep in the snow for hours and come out feeling refreshed. Inside she sleeps under 1 of 3 things: the computer table, the coffee table, or the foot stool. Belle is over 50 pounds and we don't know how she manages to slink under the coffee table or foot stool. But she loves it. I thought I would share a couple pictures.
This is Belle in her coffee table cave.
Compare the size of Belle to the size of the coffee table space behind her.
Part 1: Age related bugs
Last week we were so lucky to have celebrated the marriage of the nicest guy and girl in the world, and because of that many old friends reunited. In the wee hours of the morning the conversation turned to how our lives have changed. We used to talk about who we had a crush on, and now we talk about our husbands, babies, and mortgages. My circle of friends and I are in the mid-twenties and we've all been bitten by the marriage bug. Now the baby bug has claimed a few more. It made me think: what are the bugs to come? In a few years will we all be bitten by the house remodeling bug, or the PTA bug? What is the age 40 bug? My guess is that it will have something to do with dealing with our adolescent children or how we are saving for retirement. The age 50+ bug will have us talking about which medical procedures we have endured. The more you've had, the higher your rank is. Of course, I could be totally wrong. I sure hope so!
Part 2: Blogging
All this thought about age-related bugs made me think of an article I read in the St. Peters Journal a few days ago. It was about how my generation is struggling to find an identity. (we even have 2 names for our generation: generation y and the millenias) Is my generation going to be defined by the fact that we blog to communicate? How much we love YouTube? Or could it be the Iraq War? Surviving the economic downturn (lest I call it a depression)? Not saying any of these things would be a bad label, I am just curious.
Part 3: Voting
In this election season, I have decided to start a poll on our blog. Just for fun. I realize the current topic is rather narcissistic ("Do you like reading our blog?"). Now that I've had time to think of some really great questions, be ready to vote! Some may ask your opinion of less trivial things like t.v. show topics, and some may even slice into politics. It depends on how risky I'm feeling. So even though you may never comment on this blog, I urge you to vote! :)
Part 4: Caving
As most of you know, we have a siberian husky named Belle. She is wonderful. She also has a favorite past time: caving. No caving of the spelunking variety, just caving in the house. She loves finding little nooks to make a cave out of. After doing some more research on huskies (I don't know how much more I could do), I've found that they love to have a cave for a den. When it snows outside Belle will literally dig a little hole and sleep in the snow for hours and come out feeling refreshed. Inside she sleeps under 1 of 3 things: the computer table, the coffee table, or the foot stool. Belle is over 50 pounds and we don't know how she manages to slink under the coffee table or foot stool. But she loves it. I thought I would share a couple pictures.
This is Belle in her coffee table cave.
Compare the size of Belle to the size of the coffee table space behind her.
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
So cute...and violent!
After arriving home and parking in our garage, we were amazed to find a little critter who had hitched a ride home on top of our car. We're pretty sure it is just a classic grasshopper, but this one was sporting quite the brilliant outfit. Neither one of us had ever seen one so brightly colored before. In fact, I'm pretty sure it was a grasshopper of some tropical descent. Anywho, being the nerdy science teacher, I told Robbie to make sure it didn't get away so that I could grab the camera. After a few snapshots Robbie decided to put the cute little guy (or girl--not sure because it wasn't wearing pants or a skirt) in his hand. It walked around his palm for a moment before inflicting large amounts of pain on Robbie. I guess the grasshopper used those cute little fangs to let us know he didn't want to be bothered.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Never a dull moment these days!
As if the moldy shower episode wasn't enough for our household, we had another crazy episode last night! This time it involves an ink pen.
Robbie asked me to throw in some of his work clothes into the laundry last night so that he would have clean work shirts to wear today. No big deal, just toss 'em in. I never check pockets when I do laundry because I never carry anything in my pockets. That is what a purse is for. Funny though, last night I just happened to check the pants pockets of all the clothes and found nothing. So the laundry proceeded as usual.
Hearing the washer beep to tell me it was done, I just tossed all the wet clothes into the dryer and headed back upstairs to enjoy more wallpaper removing. (yes, it has been 9 months since the wallpaper removal process began...but don't even go there...our house is covered in almost every room!) About an hour or so later the dryer beeped to let me know it was done drying our clothes. The devastation occurs next.
I open the dryer door to find blue ink EVERYWHERE! Not streaks, or spots. We are talking full on blue tint of the whole inside of the dryer with large streaks of dark blue. It was like a toilet bowl exploded. I just stood there asking, "Really? Is this really happening to the moldy shower people? Come on! Seriously?!"
At first I wanted to cry because this washer and dryer set aren't even a year old, and they were a house warming gift from my parents. Then my mind focused on trying to remove as much ink as possible to prevent future loads of laundry from being ruined. As for the clothes in the dryer, almost everything had ink on it in some capacity. We found out that the ink pen came from Robbie's work shirt. I feel terrible for not catching it, and Robbie feels terrible for leaving it in there. I immediately doused the clothes in "Shout" to soak overnight. But even the label says that ink is unlikely to come out. So if anyone knows how to get ink out of clothes, let me know please!
The task at hand turned to cleaning the dryer. Nothing was working. I tried every cleaner I had. By this time I had developed quite the high from using these chemicals while stuffing the top half of my body in the dryer. I even had an oscillating fan on at the mouth of the dryer. Then it came to me--I've used fingernail polish remover to remove permanent marker...it's gotta work! I climbed the stairs and grabbed all my little bottles of remover and a fresh roll of paper towels. Success! The dryer is definitely still covered in ink marks, but not nearly as bad.
As I am about done using the fingernail polish remover, the warning label on the outside of the dryer catches my attention. "Do not use any sort of flammable material or vapor inside or near the dryer. This could cause fires, explosion, or death." Holy crap what did I just do? Use only the most flammable liquid known to man all over the inside of the dryer. I am really trying to prove my intelligence these days.
I panicked in a big way, and by now I'm literally sweating. I rushed upstairs (believing that I could prevent the nail polish remover from soaking in somehow...can it soak into metal???) to grab a huge pail of soapy water. Most of my body is in the dryer by now trying to scrub every inch of the dryer, even the parts where I know I didn't put nail polish remover. I'm soaking wet. There are suds all over the dryer, the floor, and in my hair. This process lasted for 2 hours as I quadruple washed every inch of the dryer.
That night as I tried going to bed all I could envision was waking up in the middle of the night trying to break out of our bedroom window as our house was ablaze in a fiery inferno. Would I have time to grab Belle? Would I have time to grab non-replaceable things? So dramatic, but these were the things buzzing in my brain.
After a weak sleep I went downstairs to check out the dryer. The time had come to use it. I needed to wash and dry the inked clothes. Before I put the clothes in the dryer I sniffed around in there to check for "flammable vapors". None. So I proceeded to toss all the clothes in with all of my hopes and fears. I seriously considered using a broom or something to press the start button so that I could be as far away as possible in case of immediate incineration. But I ended up pressing the start button and running for my life.
I am happy to report that the house is still standing and the dryer worked just fine. For the first 20 minutes I jumped at every noise. I am not so happy to report that the ink in the clothes didn't really wash out, but my expectations weren't high.
It all seems so silly and ridiculous now. But it makes me wonder what would have happened if I chose not to be obsessive-compulsive about washing it with soap and water.
Robbie asked me to throw in some of his work clothes into the laundry last night so that he would have clean work shirts to wear today. No big deal, just toss 'em in. I never check pockets when I do laundry because I never carry anything in my pockets. That is what a purse is for. Funny though, last night I just happened to check the pants pockets of all the clothes and found nothing. So the laundry proceeded as usual.
Hearing the washer beep to tell me it was done, I just tossed all the wet clothes into the dryer and headed back upstairs to enjoy more wallpaper removing. (yes, it has been 9 months since the wallpaper removal process began...but don't even go there...our house is covered in almost every room!) About an hour or so later the dryer beeped to let me know it was done drying our clothes. The devastation occurs next.
I open the dryer door to find blue ink EVERYWHERE! Not streaks, or spots. We are talking full on blue tint of the whole inside of the dryer with large streaks of dark blue. It was like a toilet bowl exploded. I just stood there asking, "Really? Is this really happening to the moldy shower people? Come on! Seriously?!"
At first I wanted to cry because this washer and dryer set aren't even a year old, and they were a house warming gift from my parents. Then my mind focused on trying to remove as much ink as possible to prevent future loads of laundry from being ruined. As for the clothes in the dryer, almost everything had ink on it in some capacity. We found out that the ink pen came from Robbie's work shirt. I feel terrible for not catching it, and Robbie feels terrible for leaving it in there. I immediately doused the clothes in "Shout" to soak overnight. But even the label says that ink is unlikely to come out. So if anyone knows how to get ink out of clothes, let me know please!
The task at hand turned to cleaning the dryer. Nothing was working. I tried every cleaner I had. By this time I had developed quite the high from using these chemicals while stuffing the top half of my body in the dryer. I even had an oscillating fan on at the mouth of the dryer. Then it came to me--I've used fingernail polish remover to remove permanent marker...it's gotta work! I climbed the stairs and grabbed all my little bottles of remover and a fresh roll of paper towels. Success! The dryer is definitely still covered in ink marks, but not nearly as bad.
As I am about done using the fingernail polish remover, the warning label on the outside of the dryer catches my attention. "Do not use any sort of flammable material or vapor inside or near the dryer. This could cause fires, explosion, or death." Holy crap what did I just do? Use only the most flammable liquid known to man all over the inside of the dryer. I am really trying to prove my intelligence these days.
I panicked in a big way, and by now I'm literally sweating. I rushed upstairs (believing that I could prevent the nail polish remover from soaking in somehow...can it soak into metal???) to grab a huge pail of soapy water. Most of my body is in the dryer by now trying to scrub every inch of the dryer, even the parts where I know I didn't put nail polish remover. I'm soaking wet. There are suds all over the dryer, the floor, and in my hair. This process lasted for 2 hours as I quadruple washed every inch of the dryer.
That night as I tried going to bed all I could envision was waking up in the middle of the night trying to break out of our bedroom window as our house was ablaze in a fiery inferno. Would I have time to grab Belle? Would I have time to grab non-replaceable things? So dramatic, but these were the things buzzing in my brain.
After a weak sleep I went downstairs to check out the dryer. The time had come to use it. I needed to wash and dry the inked clothes. Before I put the clothes in the dryer I sniffed around in there to check for "flammable vapors". None. So I proceeded to toss all the clothes in with all of my hopes and fears. I seriously considered using a broom or something to press the start button so that I could be as far away as possible in case of immediate incineration. But I ended up pressing the start button and running for my life.
I am happy to report that the house is still standing and the dryer worked just fine. For the first 20 minutes I jumped at every noise. I am not so happy to report that the ink in the clothes didn't really wash out, but my expectations weren't high.
It all seems so silly and ridiculous now. But it makes me wonder what would have happened if I chose not to be obsessive-compulsive about washing it with soap and water.
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Quick! Grab the Haz-Mat suits out of the front closet!
This story is sort of embarrassing to share with the general public, but we must share tales of our newlywed life right? This weekend a really awesome friend of ours is coming to stay for a week in honor of our other best friends' wedding. Knowing that we want the best place to offer for many of our friends who will be stopping by, we have been on ultra-cleaning duty for the week. We're talking about dusting window sills, scrubbing the floors, and polishing our fake wood furniture.
I literally have a schedule of cleaning to get done by Saturday. Among other items, today's agenda included an attack on the bathrooms. I hate to use the word attack from the start, because we are generally tidy people and the bathrooms were not all that bad.
For some background information here, I need to tell you that when we first moved into our house we primarily used the master bathroom attached to our bedroom. All was fine and dandy except the shower plumbing was starting to get tricky. The shower head began leaking water even after the nozzle was turned off. It was getting so annoying that we had to keep the bathroom door shut at night. Robbie was annoyed by the sound, while I was annoyed by the thought of wasting so much water. (ask Robbie how it drives me kaaa-razy when he brushes his teeth with the water running!) After a trip to the hardware store that brags about helping you fix your house, we thought we had fixed the leaky shower head.
All was fine for about a week, then the water pressure went to almost non-existent. We are talking weaker than pouring water out of a bottle. With no time to fix it, we just moved our shower routine to the guest bathroom. Until then, we had never used the guest shower. Why walk further than 10 feet from the bed? This is quite a task at 5am! We were over-joyed with the discovery that the guest bathroom shower had water pressure like a power washer. Soon our memories of the master bathroom shower were sprayed away.
Fast-forward roughly 4 months to today. The last time we used our master bathroom for showering (circa mid-April) we just closed the shower doors and left it at that. "We will try to fix the water pressure later, it's fine for now" is what we said. Famous last words.
I opened the shower doors today and almost had a heart attack. I sat on the nearby toilet (lid closed thank you!) pondering how we used this bathroom for everything but showering for this long without getting sick. Apparently the shower head had a very tiny water leak...not loud enough to notice...but enough to have stagnant water on the floor of the shower. There was pink mold. Brown mold. Black mold. You-name-the-color-mold all over the floor of the shower and the tiles closest to the floor. I was so appalled because even though the shower doors are frosty clear, you couldn't notice anything from the outside of the shower. No smell. Nothing.
Wishing I had a Haz-Mat suit, I prepared for battle. Elbow high rubber gloves? Check. Every kind of antibacterial/bleach chemical known to man? Check. Hazardous waste container? Check. Exhaust fan turned on? Check. Disposable cleaning cloths? Check. Face mask? Thought of this one afterwards.
After carefully and thoroughly cleaning out the shower floor I scrubbed my arms (even though I wore gloves) and changed clothes. Ugh. How did we not notice that? More importantly--who can we get to help us fix that leak!? My mind started thinking about mold and its potential dangers. Then I realized my best friend who is coming to stay with us this weekend just had a horrible experience with mold. Oh crap.
My friend just moved out of a house that experienced what we did with our shower...except on a house-wide scale. They had an unknown leak in their plumbing throughout the foundation of the house. Both my friend and her father got pneumonia from the mold exposure. As a result my friend has terrible asthma now. It has been making her pregnancy quite uncomfortable and a concern for the baby getting enough oxygen. Thankfully it hasn't been too bad recently. The doctor even had some reservations about her flying because of it.
Our shower mold is nowhere near the scale of what happened at her house, and it is cleaned up now. But it really makes me wonder if we escaped getting sick from our mold, or if cleaning it today with the exhaust fan going has exposed me to some crazy mold spores. I doubt it. I soaked that floor really well before I even started scrubbing. Time will only tell.
I literally have a schedule of cleaning to get done by Saturday. Among other items, today's agenda included an attack on the bathrooms. I hate to use the word attack from the start, because we are generally tidy people and the bathrooms were not all that bad.
For some background information here, I need to tell you that when we first moved into our house we primarily used the master bathroom attached to our bedroom. All was fine and dandy except the shower plumbing was starting to get tricky. The shower head began leaking water even after the nozzle was turned off. It was getting so annoying that we had to keep the bathroom door shut at night. Robbie was annoyed by the sound, while I was annoyed by the thought of wasting so much water. (ask Robbie how it drives me kaaa-razy when he brushes his teeth with the water running!) After a trip to the hardware store that brags about helping you fix your house, we thought we had fixed the leaky shower head.
All was fine for about a week, then the water pressure went to almost non-existent. We are talking weaker than pouring water out of a bottle. With no time to fix it, we just moved our shower routine to the guest bathroom. Until then, we had never used the guest shower. Why walk further than 10 feet from the bed? This is quite a task at 5am! We were over-joyed with the discovery that the guest bathroom shower had water pressure like a power washer. Soon our memories of the master bathroom shower were sprayed away.
Fast-forward roughly 4 months to today. The last time we used our master bathroom for showering (circa mid-April) we just closed the shower doors and left it at that. "We will try to fix the water pressure later, it's fine for now" is what we said. Famous last words.
I opened the shower doors today and almost had a heart attack. I sat on the nearby toilet (lid closed thank you!) pondering how we used this bathroom for everything but showering for this long without getting sick. Apparently the shower head had a very tiny water leak...not loud enough to notice...but enough to have stagnant water on the floor of the shower. There was pink mold. Brown mold. Black mold. You-name-the-color-mold all over the floor of the shower and the tiles closest to the floor. I was so appalled because even though the shower doors are frosty clear, you couldn't notice anything from the outside of the shower. No smell. Nothing.
Wishing I had a Haz-Mat suit, I prepared for battle. Elbow high rubber gloves? Check. Every kind of antibacterial/bleach chemical known to man? Check. Hazardous waste container? Check. Exhaust fan turned on? Check. Disposable cleaning cloths? Check. Face mask? Thought of this one afterwards.
After carefully and thoroughly cleaning out the shower floor I scrubbed my arms (even though I wore gloves) and changed clothes. Ugh. How did we not notice that? More importantly--who can we get to help us fix that leak!? My mind started thinking about mold and its potential dangers. Then I realized my best friend who is coming to stay with us this weekend just had a horrible experience with mold. Oh crap.
My friend just moved out of a house that experienced what we did with our shower...except on a house-wide scale. They had an unknown leak in their plumbing throughout the foundation of the house. Both my friend and her father got pneumonia from the mold exposure. As a result my friend has terrible asthma now. It has been making her pregnancy quite uncomfortable and a concern for the baby getting enough oxygen. Thankfully it hasn't been too bad recently. The doctor even had some reservations about her flying because of it.
Our shower mold is nowhere near the scale of what happened at her house, and it is cleaned up now. But it really makes me wonder if we escaped getting sick from our mold, or if cleaning it today with the exhaust fan going has exposed me to some crazy mold spores. I doubt it. I soaked that floor really well before I even started scrubbing. Time will only tell.
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
I'm supposed to be impressed?
I am so tired of those fast food commercials that are trying to impress you into thinking their food is unbelievably amazing or something. I'm talking about the commercials where they have a "hidden camera" set up on customers who they think are experiencing delicate french desserts or 5 star gourmet hamburgers, and after a costume change and an unexpected, "Look how dumb you are" speech from an actor, find out that they were really snacking on fast food.
What are they trying to prove? That their food is so incredible it tastes expensive and cultured? All they are showing is that people are products of their environment. Of course the people in the commercial (who could easily be you or I) are going to believe that the chocolate dessert sticks are French because they are asked to sample a stick from a "French speaking Chef" inside some sort of fancy restaurant that looks eerily similar to The Ivy restaurant. How could you expect anyone to suspect otherwise?
All those commercials are telling me is that their marketing payroll department must not be high on the priority list.
What are they trying to prove? That their food is so incredible it tastes expensive and cultured? All they are showing is that people are products of their environment. Of course the people in the commercial (who could easily be you or I) are going to believe that the chocolate dessert sticks are French because they are asked to sample a stick from a "French speaking Chef" inside some sort of fancy restaurant that looks eerily similar to The Ivy restaurant. How could you expect anyone to suspect otherwise?
All those commercials are telling me is that their marketing payroll department must not be high on the priority list.
Thursday, August 14, 2008
What is up with all the new World/Olympic records?
Every evening the past week or so, like millions of other Americans, we have been watching the Olympics in awe. We are amazed for many reasons watching different sporting events. It seems like each sport is experiencing new records and athletes are performing outside the box like never before. So everyone is asking, "Why are so many records being broken?"
The spotlight for this question is undoubtdly focused on the miracles occuring in the "Water Cube". Is Micheal Phelps truly a machine? Or is the new technology the reason for his success? The answer is yes. Micheal Phelps (and Company!)is a remarkable athlete whose hardwork and dedication is magnified by the advances in technology.
So I did the right thing and searched the almighty internet for the answer to our question. After reading lots of articles and blogs, I felt that this blog did a great job of answering our question.
The news of the Swedish wrestler who threw is bronze medal on the floor is completely appalling. I understand the frustrations that come with losing (or the shady politics of the judges' scoring according to this wrestler). All I ask is for him to look past his pride and gaze upon a true Olympian who deserves to compete on this level.
During the swimming re-cap, a bit of attention was brought to a swimmer from the Republic of Congo. He walked out with the rest of the swimmers to compete in his heat, only he had his giant beach towel slug over his shoulder. He didn't have a fancy warm-up outfit on. Just the desire to compete for his country. Having never competed on this level before, he had to look to his competitors to learn how to set himself up on the starting blocks. Visibly shaking from the excitement and nerves, he jumped in and did fantastic. Even though he finished last and some 14 seconds slower than the winner, no one had to even mention the fact that he had already won.
The spotlight for this question is undoubtdly focused on the miracles occuring in the "Water Cube". Is Micheal Phelps truly a machine? Or is the new technology the reason for his success? The answer is yes. Micheal Phelps (and Company!)is a remarkable athlete whose hardwork and dedication is magnified by the advances in technology.
So I did the right thing and searched the almighty internet for the answer to our question. After reading lots of articles and blogs, I felt that this blog did a great job of answering our question.
The news of the Swedish wrestler who threw is bronze medal on the floor is completely appalling. I understand the frustrations that come with losing (or the shady politics of the judges' scoring according to this wrestler). All I ask is for him to look past his pride and gaze upon a true Olympian who deserves to compete on this level.
During the swimming re-cap, a bit of attention was brought to a swimmer from the Republic of Congo. He walked out with the rest of the swimmers to compete in his heat, only he had his giant beach towel slug over his shoulder. He didn't have a fancy warm-up outfit on. Just the desire to compete for his country. Having never competed on this level before, he had to look to his competitors to learn how to set himself up on the starting blocks. Visibly shaking from the excitement and nerves, he jumped in and did fantastic. Even though he finished last and some 14 seconds slower than the winner, no one had to even mention the fact that he had already won.
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
The Stink Smelled Round the Block
This afternoon I was tired of watching Robbie play the Wii, so I decided to play outside with our dog Belle. As soon as I walked out to our back porch I was immediately knocked over by a rancid smell. (Just even thinking about it makes it filter through my nostrils again)
My first thought was that it had rained a bunch the night before, so it could be some sort of rotting plant life. But this smell was beyond anything I could imagine rotting. So my eyes were skimming the backyard for some sort of clue, and I noticed a big brown rock that had not been there before.
In our backyard, there is a place under these huge overgrown bushes of ours that Belle likes to sleep. She is all about having a "cave" of some sort to sleep in. Inside the house she sleeps under our computer table or under our foot stool. Outside she sleeps under the bushes or under the covered part of our porch while sticking her face out through a wall.
The big brown rock was tucked under the overgrown bushes in Belle's "cave". One step closer in that direction sent an immediate signal to the brain: the smell was coming from the big brown rock. By now a quite obvious signal was present: a swarm of flies. Upon further squinting I realized that the big brown rock was a deceased animal of sorts. After some consultation with Robbie and his friend Nate, we decided it was a groundhog.
Like any concerned parent I started to freak out about how long it had been there, because I was afraid Belle may have been exposed to some strange diseases. Fortunately it was all still in one piece, so Belle didn't mess with it in any measureable way. We don't know if she killed it and then brought it back to her "cave" or if the groundhog had just crawled there to die in the blazing heat.
Now the issue of removing the putrid carcass was at hand. I was all about calling the animal control people and having them do the removal and disposal, but Robbie and Nate decided to just shovel it into a trashbag and throw it out with the trash. The thing was so huge they had to use a snow shovel to scoop it. Robbie double tied the trash bag and put the poor thing in our garbage can.
So instead of our backyard smelling like sizzling heat-death, the whole front yard including our garage was infected with the smell. There was nooooo way we could wait until Friday morning for the trash truck to haul that thing away. The smell would have permeated into our cars and who knows what else by then. So I called the animal control people and they said they could come by to dispose of it.
You know its bad when the person who scrapes up road kill for a living says that the smell is unbearable. He graciously put the unlucky groundhog into his truck and took him away. Now our garage and trash can are open to air out the smell...which I think is going to be around for a while.
You know how smell is the quickest link to memory? I hope I never have to smell anything like that ever again!
My first thought was that it had rained a bunch the night before, so it could be some sort of rotting plant life. But this smell was beyond anything I could imagine rotting. So my eyes were skimming the backyard for some sort of clue, and I noticed a big brown rock that had not been there before.
In our backyard, there is a place under these huge overgrown bushes of ours that Belle likes to sleep. She is all about having a "cave" of some sort to sleep in. Inside the house she sleeps under our computer table or under our foot stool. Outside she sleeps under the bushes or under the covered part of our porch while sticking her face out through a wall.
The big brown rock was tucked under the overgrown bushes in Belle's "cave". One step closer in that direction sent an immediate signal to the brain: the smell was coming from the big brown rock. By now a quite obvious signal was present: a swarm of flies. Upon further squinting I realized that the big brown rock was a deceased animal of sorts. After some consultation with Robbie and his friend Nate, we decided it was a groundhog.
Like any concerned parent I started to freak out about how long it had been there, because I was afraid Belle may have been exposed to some strange diseases. Fortunately it was all still in one piece, so Belle didn't mess with it in any measureable way. We don't know if she killed it and then brought it back to her "cave" or if the groundhog had just crawled there to die in the blazing heat.
Now the issue of removing the putrid carcass was at hand. I was all about calling the animal control people and having them do the removal and disposal, but Robbie and Nate decided to just shovel it into a trashbag and throw it out with the trash. The thing was so huge they had to use a snow shovel to scoop it. Robbie double tied the trash bag and put the poor thing in our garbage can.
So instead of our backyard smelling like sizzling heat-death, the whole front yard including our garage was infected with the smell. There was nooooo way we could wait until Friday morning for the trash truck to haul that thing away. The smell would have permeated into our cars and who knows what else by then. So I called the animal control people and they said they could come by to dispose of it.
You know its bad when the person who scrapes up road kill for a living says that the smell is unbearable. He graciously put the unlucky groundhog into his truck and took him away. Now our garage and trash can are open to air out the smell...which I think is going to be around for a while.
You know how smell is the quickest link to memory? I hope I never have to smell anything like that ever again!
Monday, July 28, 2008
Back by popular demand!
We don't want to brag...but we do have the cutest dog in the world! These were taken this past winter, when we first got Belle. I finally got the roll of film developed today. Enjoy!
Friday, July 18, 2008
Travel Scrabble and The Dark Knight
The much anticipated release of "The Dark Knight" is everything and MORE than what the buzz is saying around town. Robbie and I packed the travel Scrabble game and headed to the movie theatre at 9:30pm to catch the 12:01am showing of the "Batman Begins" sequel. Fortunately for us and our bottoms, they let us sit in the actual theatre until showtime.
"The Dark Knight" is a highly legitimate bid for an Oscar in multiple categories. I am definately not anyone special in Hollywood, but I do spend a good chunk of my income watching movies and can confidently say that this is a remarkable film. As noted by critics, the Academy Awards are not too particularly kind to superhero movies and even less kind to awarding post-humous Oscars. In the history of the awards, only once has the statue gone to a deceased actor...but there could (and should) be an exception for Mr. Ledger.
As an avid movie-goer, when the news of Mr. Ledger's death was announced I was afraid that "Dark Knight" would be over-shadowed by the hype surrounding his untimely death. After watching the movie last night it was unmistakable to realize that his performance as the Joker would be the the perfect tribute to his career as an actor and the film would be without merit in his absence.
Even if you shy away from the superhero action flick, I ask that you set aside your pride to experience what could be next February's dark horse at the Oscars.
"The Dark Knight" is a highly legitimate bid for an Oscar in multiple categories. I am definately not anyone special in Hollywood, but I do spend a good chunk of my income watching movies and can confidently say that this is a remarkable film. As noted by critics, the Academy Awards are not too particularly kind to superhero movies and even less kind to awarding post-humous Oscars. In the history of the awards, only once has the statue gone to a deceased actor...but there could (and should) be an exception for Mr. Ledger.
As an avid movie-goer, when the news of Mr. Ledger's death was announced I was afraid that "Dark Knight" would be over-shadowed by the hype surrounding his untimely death. After watching the movie last night it was unmistakable to realize that his performance as the Joker would be the the perfect tribute to his career as an actor and the film would be without merit in his absence.
Even if you shy away from the superhero action flick, I ask that you set aside your pride to experience what could be next February's dark horse at the Oscars.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Welcome to St. Louis!
As any fellow mid-westerner would agree, living in the heart of the country brings weather that is quite literally changing every 10 minutes. The news recently has shared stories on the midwest flooding and I thought I would add my own perspective. The following pictures were taken on the way to my sister-in-law's place, about 15 minutes away from our house. As you can see the water is right up to the highway on both sides of the road. My favorite pic: water surrounding the power grid.
The following are some attempts to capture lightning on my new digital SLR camera. I set up my tripod in the garage and enjoyed the show taking place at 1:00am! I know Florida is the lightning capital of the world, but the thunderstorms we get here in St. Louis are really amazing.
The following are some attempts to capture lightning on my new digital SLR camera. I set up my tripod in the garage and enjoyed the show taking place at 1:00am! I know Florida is the lightning capital of the world, but the thunderstorms we get here in St. Louis are really amazing.
Friday, June 27, 2008
If I ever...
If you ever want to know what kinds of things roll around in my head, this post is for you. If I ever own a restaraunt, I will never ever use the word "appetizers" for the various snack items meant to eat before a meal. To me the word appetizer should describe a feeling of getting more hungry; an increased appetite.
If I were to open my own restaraunt, the various snack items meant to be eaten before a meal would be called "satisfiers". You are satisfying your intense hunger so that you don't go crazy waiting for your main meal. By eating these various snack items, you are actually decreasing your appetite.
If I were to open my own restaraunt, the various snack items meant to be eaten before a meal would be called "satisfiers". You are satisfying your intense hunger so that you don't go crazy waiting for your main meal. By eating these various snack items, you are actually decreasing your appetite.
Monday, June 16, 2008
It's like having a baby in the house
Okay, so I have to vent some frustration. Our amazing-in-almost-every-way dog Belle has been having some potty issues, and after following the advice of both professionals and non-professionals alike we don't know what to do anymore.
Belle is about a year and a half old, and we have had her living at our house for about 6 months. Of course we had the initial potty training concerns, but she did imporove and had no incidents for relatively a long time. She gets us up at about 4:30 or 5am every morning to go potty. And this is after just taking her outside when we go to bed around midnight. During the span of the day, I would say she gets to go outside at least 10-15 times, sometimes staying out there for over an hour.
We did discover that she had urinary incontinence, as a result from spaying her. But putting her on daily medicene took care of that. When she was dealing with urinary incontinence she would only pee in her sleep, which is an unusual thing for dogs to pee in their "den" or bed. Now, we are almost sure that it is a behavior issue.
The front living room in our house is the only place she has ever gone potty. I don't know what it is about that room, but from day 1 that has been her spot to potty in the house. Even after barracading it off, she somehow has gone under/over/past the barriers. Last night was also a "first". Until last night, she would only tinkle in the house...but this time she left some poo. (and not to get too graphic here, but it wasn't runny so we know its not likely due to a medical reason) There was nothing out of routine for her that day, including a trip to the park. So we don't know why she is going out of her way to potty in the front room.
Belle is not a dog to crate. We tried for months, but she gets very distressed. Try as we did to make it a positive experience, she looks at it like punishment. Who knows, maybe her past owners who abandoned her used the crate for punishment? Most dogs do not crate well if you miss the window of opportunity when they are young puppies. Besides all of that, she is a great...no....aweseome dog around the rest of the entire house.
If anyone has any other suggestions...please pass them along!
Belle is about a year and a half old, and we have had her living at our house for about 6 months. Of course we had the initial potty training concerns, but she did imporove and had no incidents for relatively a long time. She gets us up at about 4:30 or 5am every morning to go potty. And this is after just taking her outside when we go to bed around midnight. During the span of the day, I would say she gets to go outside at least 10-15 times, sometimes staying out there for over an hour.
We did discover that she had urinary incontinence, as a result from spaying her. But putting her on daily medicene took care of that. When she was dealing with urinary incontinence she would only pee in her sleep, which is an unusual thing for dogs to pee in their "den" or bed. Now, we are almost sure that it is a behavior issue.
The front living room in our house is the only place she has ever gone potty. I don't know what it is about that room, but from day 1 that has been her spot to potty in the house. Even after barracading it off, she somehow has gone under/over/past the barriers. Last night was also a "first". Until last night, she would only tinkle in the house...but this time she left some poo. (and not to get too graphic here, but it wasn't runny so we know its not likely due to a medical reason) There was nothing out of routine for her that day, including a trip to the park. So we don't know why she is going out of her way to potty in the front room.
Belle is not a dog to crate. We tried for months, but she gets very distressed. Try as we did to make it a positive experience, she looks at it like punishment. Who knows, maybe her past owners who abandoned her used the crate for punishment? Most dogs do not crate well if you miss the window of opportunity when they are young puppies. Besides all of that, she is a great...no....aweseome dog around the rest of the entire house.
If anyone has any other suggestions...please pass them along!
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Point of Accountability
So Robbie and I started a new work out regimine last night...and we got our booties kicked! I was sore lifting up the tube of toothpaste this morning. It is an intensive 7-days a week, 1 hour each night rotation of muscle toning, cardio, and yoga/pilates. But the really cool thing is that you can still work at your own pace in the comfort of your own home. The other really great thing is that the only equipment you may need to buy is some tension cords or free weights.
The overall goal of the program is to achieve noticeable results within 90 days, and still improve thereafter. I know that it is physiologically impossible, but I swear I felt skinnier waking up this morning.
Why post this on the world wide web? Hopefully making this announcement will keep me accountable to stick with it. Someday I will look like this:
The overall goal of the program is to achieve noticeable results within 90 days, and still improve thereafter. I know that it is physiologically impossible, but I swear I felt skinnier waking up this morning.
Why post this on the world wide web? Hopefully making this announcement will keep me accountable to stick with it. Someday I will look like this:
Friday, June 6, 2008
1st anniversary
This has got to be a record for me, look how many posts I've made just this week! It must be that I have time on my hands....hmmm. Anyway, on May 26 Robbie and I celebrated our 1st wedding anniversary. He suprised me with the plans to go horseback riding...but unfortunately that got rained out on our actual anniversary. So we went this past Sunday. I can't say enough thank-you's to the owners of this ranch, because they let us go horseback riding for however long we wanted, and where-ever we wanted on the ranch, by ourselves.
I was a bit nervous about being on our own because I've had a pretty bad experience horseback riding before. Let's just say it involved being tossed off and having to walk back a couple miles in mud & poo. But the horses they let us ride were amazing. Robbie rode "Ginger" and I rode "Red". They were very sweet and obedient. Robbie always suprises me with the best ideas!
I was a bit nervous about being on our own because I've had a pretty bad experience horseback riding before. Let's just say it involved being tossed off and having to walk back a couple miles in mud & poo. But the horses they let us ride were amazing. Robbie rode "Ginger" and I rode "Red". They were very sweet and obedient. Robbie always suprises me with the best ideas!
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