reworked

For those of you following the Journey blog... it's been repurposed, redecorated and renamed. It seemed rather silly keeping it as it was when there's quite obviously not going to be any use for it. The new name is Falling Out of Warranty . Clicking the title will take you straight there so you can update your links. Some of the same stuff will be located there and it does have a content warning on it.

hello hello hello echo echo echo

*peeks in*

.oO(anyone still here?)

Not that I'd blame anyone for not hanging around. It's truly no one's fault but my own. I haven't exactly been the best bloggy friend in the world. There's no way I can say that it's because there's nothing to say, because I have plenty I could be talking about, a whole year's worth infact. However, I just haven't felt like it compounded with the addiction (which got worse as I got introduced to 3 other games... *sigh*). I keep saying that I'm going to weed a couple of them out but I can't seem to choose which 2 to toss. I mean the one game has alotta time invested, while 2 of the other 3 seem to be a tad more interesting at this point...

I'd like to take a moment to thank everyone who came in to wish ranger (hubby) a Happy Birthday. He wanted me to pass along his thanks. :)

I've been trying to get around to the blogs as I can. It's pretty sad when some that you'd never miss end up having entries into the double digits that you need to catch up on! Now that Idol season is over, I won't be reading those other 3 sites as much because I'm not needing to keep on top of things as much. That cuts down on about 85% of the reading I do daily. I got through about half of them the other night. Going to try and get another 20-30 entries read before going into CrackFacebook.

As I was catching up, I came across a certain blog that pretty much took aim at friends that disappear and choose other hobbies over this. Sorry, I don't deal with snark like that too well. You'll noticed I stopped commenting and I haven't read a single blog entry after that. I probably won't either. I'm sorry you take offense at what I do as a hobby and I'm sorry you're hurting, but that wasn't cool. Next time, try dropping a line if you feel I've been too quiet. Others have, and I answered as soon as I got their note. All I know is when I find something a small group of us would enjoy, I make sure to include you in the emails. You haven't bothered participating when we get going on stuff like that. As for my "friends" on the other site, yes the list is substantial and no I don't talk to all of them... but there are a great many I ~do~ manage to talk to every day. Again, best bet... drop me a line there. I answer all those daily as well. In fact, it's the first thing I do when I get in. Oh wait, you can't, because you aint bothered to send a friend request even though we have a few common friends. Ah well. Your loss. Yea, I know I could always send one along... but after that snark, I don't think I'll bother. Oh and your commenting ~when~ I drop a post... well you don't do it all the time because from January to May I was dropping at least twice a week over in Styx Picks and I haven't seen you over there not once, although I know for a fact you watch the program. *gets off soap box*

As for the Mommy bloggers, I'd like to apologize. I don't often comment on your blogs simply because you have something I've been wanting. I know you're proud of your kid and it is YOUR blog to do with as you see fit, however it's really hard to visit when I don't have one of my own and there's only so many ways that I can say "oh how cute" or "how absolutely darling". However, you bloggers are actually why I needed to drop this post today. I was attempting to catch up in my magazine reading (which fell behind when we moved and never really caught up on) and I saw a link in Redbook that y'all may enjoy. I read the first few entries and was simply in stitches. Yeah, it's alotta kid based stories, but funny is funny no matter how it's delivered. The blog is called Mommy(and Daddy)Lingo and it has story upon story about the funny stuff parents end up having to say to their kids (one is titled "Um, stop making Batman kick your pee pee"). She's only got 11 followers at the moment. Well, 12 if you count me but I'm in private right now. Anyhow, I thought you ladies might just enjoy some of it, it's a good read.

Gotta go. I have a project I need to get done and a package to get ready to go out tomorrow or the next day. A surprise that I cannot talk about until the recipient gets the package. At that point, most of what I want to talk about just might decide it's time to be written.

It's been HOW long???

Lately I've been seeing my friends celebrating their bloggy anniversaries and every single time I say... "I really should check and see how many entries I've done" or better yet "How long HAS it been?"

This morning, I noticed a very significant number on this, the 2 Cents blog. I figured, now is as good as any to start running the totals.

I started blogging in Yahoo 360 on October 13, 2005. This makes this past Tuesday my 4th year anniversary. I originally started blogging to work out some of the hurt from the last marriage and it has sense grown into something much much more. It's grown into 10 blogs on this one account that deal with many different topics. As a friend of mine once said "She's got something for everyone". Some of it's just junk and little shares, and others have a bit more meat to them. Either way, it's all me.

The blog numbers are substantial. Not as many as some bloggers (you know who you are), but definitely alot of writing.

2 Cents from a Chaotic Mind has reached it's 500th post as of last night at 9pm.
Life's A Stitch (the Jokes I get in emails): 341
A Journey to Parenthood: 15
Styx Picks (the American Idol/Music blog): 71
The World Can Be Amazing (the home page): 323
Inspirationally Speaking (another blog started in the necessity to clear out the emails): 38
Craft Corner: 9 (I really need to add to this one)
Archived 360s: 124
Memories:1
and finally, the one that really needs more entries, The Like a Phoenix blog (which I often call the Padded Room): 45

For a total of 1,467 entries. Well 1,468 if you count this one.

Alotta words. Not much content. What can I say, deep thoughts give me a migraine. I'm hoping to rectify this someday. Heh. Maybe I should add it to the Bucket List...

**** Be more profound.

Yeah right, I see that happening. Especially with everything going on in my life.

Truck in the repair shop for 4 weeks in a row. It got so I threatened to draw up joint custody papers for her because she obviously LOVES her mechanic. The last time we brought her in, the poor dude nearly had heart failure seeing us. Until hubby told him it was just an oil change. He said we were so wrong for messing with him like that.

Then us into the doctors (and him outta work) for 3 weeks in a row. My sinuses are outta whack and I'm on my 3rd course of antibiotics. I hate this because these last two... well they've given me a certain side effect that I won't go into. Just know it's uncomfortable for me. Hubby has an infection in the sinuses too, I guess. The dr never said where it's just that it shows up in the blood work. He has also been on his 3rd course of antibiotics. Seems to be getting better.

There is some good, however.

I've made a couple trips in August to places unexpected. If you have been checking out my Flickr stream, you'd know what I'm talking about. For those that don't, I made a trip to the military museum as well as the Battlefield. Not exactly my favorite places to be, but I was desparate to get out of the house. I did manage to get through both trips without any major melt-downs. the only problem I had was when we were in the Gift Shop at the Battlefield. It was a bit small with alotta people in it and nothing that I really wanted to look at (unlike the Shop at the museum, which had some jewelry and a couple porcelain dolls, on of which I ended up buying).

We had a vacancy show up in the neighborhood. Let's just say it's mighty peaceful nextdoor and it's been that way since August. No, there wasn't a weird smell coming from under the door but there certainly is one of those realtor lockboxes on the handle. I'm kinda hoping it stays empty until we get ready to move. Then all we have to deal with is the other neighbor's teenage girl who tends to act out now and again. Not often, but sometimes the music gets a bit loud.

I was searching online early Tuesday morning to see what's out there and found a few jobs that I'd be qualified to do so I applied to one. They called me yesterday (Wednesday) for an interview today around 330pm. Unfortunately, the job I applied to wasn't being filled at the time (well then WHY was it listed on your job site???), but we discussed the possibility of a different position. I'm kinda hoping I get it because I can wear what I want that way and won't need to worry about getting uniform shirts and making sure they're clean daily (this company only gives you 2-3 depending on how many hours a week you pull). Besides being able to wear what I want, I'll be working overnight and won't have to deal with customers. Don't get me wrong, I like people just fine...but I'm more of a task oriented person. Give me some freight, a knife and leave me alone and I'll be just fine, thanks. Put me on the floor and expect me to get a task done AND handle the customers at the same time.... not really condusive to a happy worker.

awards and a tour of bloggyville

Warning: extremely long entry.You'll be here and in other blogs for awhile so save me for the last read. I don't mind, honestly. Just make sure you go potty, wash hands, grab a meal or snack and drink...yadda yadda yadda...you know the drill...before sitting down. Oh and grab some kleenx just in case.


We all know what a poor bloggy buddy I've been. I didn't get my thank yous out timely and this one deals with the awards I didn't post when I should have. As much as I'd like to blame it all on the addiction to that site that I have, I suspect many of these simply got jambed up behind the Journey entry. Most of my usual readers can tell you, if I get something on my mind and I don't blog it right away, well everything else gets tossed to the back burner until it's dealt with. Usually, once I get the problem out of the way...the rest of the entries all insist on being told LIKE NOW!! However, I had a dr appointment on Thursday and it's taken til today to actually feel close to 95%. That's another whole entry though. If you have yet to have these awards given to you, please feel free to help yourself.

Anyhow, these are all the beautiful awards that were either specifically sent my way, OR the general reader was instructed to please take. Many of my friends are like that as we don't like thinking that anyone got left out. The only two that I'm sure of where I got them are the first two, because I made sure to change the name slightly while in the files so I knew who. Not sure why I didn't with the other two. Anyhoo...the first two were swiped off of Deanna's Blog. They were so beautiful that I couldn't resist.



I ~think~ this next one came from Wendy, I'm not entirely sure. I seem to remember making a comment on her blog saying I already had it....


*goes to double check*


Yeah, here we go the rules to this one are on this entry that she wrote on September 2nd.


Now, this one....I have no clue who I swiped it from. I suspect it may have been iggy's blog although I'm not really 100% certain on that. If someone could look into that for me? Thanks.

N/M I found it.

Anyhow, if I recall, this one was supposed to provoke some actual thought and as such became a bit of a speed bump because if you've learned anything about me , it's that anything that takes thought pretty much places my brain in traction for weeks. Well. In honor of this award I'm going to put in some links of my more popular entries as well as a few of those entries of others that really touched me in some way. Personally, I think collectively ALL of you deserve this award and should be proud to wear it on your blog somewhere (oh crap...this means I gotta get these uploaded into the Slideshow stream now...).


The most popular of my entries by far seem to be when I'm in a very dark spot or when I fail at something. Why is that? I thought for sure everyone wanted happy bloggers? *laffin* Anyway, I had two tie for the position of "Most Popular Blog Entry" at a whopping 21 comments a piece (ok, so it aint whopping, but dammit...I got a very small following comparatively speaking and not everyone leaves a bloody comment like some of y'all's entries get!). The first one was written on February 10th, dealing with my then SCSis (now GaSis) who'd called me up and left me feeling very disturbed. The entry was titled In A Dark Dark Spot Right Now . This story seemed to have reached a bit more even footing as of the end of July. However, I'm in the dark....again.... I am hoping it's just that she has no phone service and no friggin common sense to ask the boss if she could make one 5 minute phone call to assure her friend of 30 years that she's ok. I surely HOPE it's nothing more serious than that. Needless to say, it's weighing heavily on me right now. I do have an idea, but it needs to wait until tomorrow.


The next one was written on August 11th in 2008 and was entitled Itshouldabeenakodakmoment. A bitch of a title to write, but one that expressed the frustration of not being properly armed, OR while being properly armed just not having enough juice in the damned camera to get that perfect "Kodak moment". This, too, garnered 21 comments. I think this one may have actually gotten that number because I asked a question at the end of the entry (which is something I don't generally do). Maybe I need to write when I'm pissed off, sad or frustrated more often?

Some of the runners up are:

From the Home page (please remember this blog section plays music automatically BUT the player's at the top so you can turn it off):

The Committed TShirt creation that was made for iggy. This May 12, 2008 entry got 14 comments.

The Super Bowl Sunday post that debutted the new bumper sticker for the upcoming election season. This entry from Feb 2008 had 11 comments.

From the "Padded Room" entries (the Like a Phoenix blog):

The Nov 13,2008 entry entitled Tour of Duty-TRU intermission where I go into a small side track of some of the troubles occurred in the one apartment I was living in. Surprisingly, they WEREN'T caused by the jerk I was married to at the time. That one had 9 comments on it. It only got that many because I'd neglected the blog for so long though.

Then there was the 2 parter I wrote in June of 2008 called Great Escape. Both part 1 and part 2 got 2 comments a piece. Not bad considering that it's a much smaller circulation than the 2 Cents blog.

The last 3 entries come from the Journey blog. It's another that I don't exactly update frequently. Mostly right now, it's a place to whine and put things that I deem much too adult at times for my usual writings. All 3 are ones I wrote in 2007.

Interesting Read dealt with information as to why certain test were being performed and why certain medicines were being considered. We've sense discovered that the one medicine does NOT play nicely with my body. This was writen August 16th and got 8 comments.

Two days prior I posted one entitled Thursday August 2nd where I dealt with the indignity of being a woman, seeing a new doctor and having a very long overdue pap. What some of the issues were that the dr was considering placing me on. All the "Let's try and get this baby started" good stuff ya know. All that stuff that had to be placed on the back burner because hubby had to have certain surgeries to fix him up. At the time, I had to weigh things as to importance. His, which were MEDICALLY necessary.... or mine, which were just because I wanted a baby. Obviously, his were much more important.(7 comments)


The last worth mentioning in this section is I Hate This Feeling which dealt with the fact my dr stuck me on Prometrium and how the drug affected my body. This got 7 comments.

Now. Here are some of my favorites of the ones I read.

The entire Insight Series written by Dorkys Ramos, where I think I saw this reflection type post first. I like these posts because they really make me think (and then the brain goes into traction and I forget to comment most times....just know that they're some of my favs of yours).

There are a few over at Yaya's Place (whose Fragment Friday entries are the bomb all and on their own) that really get to me. Why? Because Yaya and I are sorta in the same boat right now... or at least in two like boats rowing side by side. Each wanting desperately what some women (Octomom, Kate, et al) seem to get so friggin easily. We just wanna be mommies. Her entry on Aug 10 2008 called Why I'm A B^tch goes into the side effects of the medicine she's taking to help her get pregnant and the frustration (and I suspect a bit of depression) she gets every month when the medicine hasn't worked it's magic.

Then there's her entry on March 22nd of this year that actually made me cry. I had to step away from the computer for a good long while after reading How Do You Be Happy For Others where she answers a reader's email in detail on her blog. All those same feelings that I have...right there...and someone else was feeling them too.

Next we're going to visit iggy's blog entry called Trees Are Like People (June 3rd) was stunning and thought provoking even in its simplicity. I haven't seen a tree the same since. A real shame that no one thought to include this gem in their choices. Oh look...it was HIS blog I first saw the award on...awesome.

Oh look...THIS is where I got the award (*whew* I really would hate to think I swiped yet ANOTHER award!) so I actually EARNED this one too!! I got the award from over at Deanna's Blog in August. I am going to agree with iggy on his selection of He Had Curly Hair and a Crooked Smile and I Loved Him Very Much as one of the best entries. I'd say that a close second would go to Change Your Thinking entry. That one got me to thinking of an idea for an entry which I have yet to post but I think I'll stick in the drafts for the next appropriate moment as they seem to hit every year at least twice...

.....7th inning stretch.....

Put down the food for this one. This one is from Marmy's blog and the entry is called Laff Me Red Stripey Sock Off. Actually, most times it's inadvisable to be drinking or eating while reading her posts. It's much too messy and I'm sure the monitor and keyboard don't appreciate getting splattered. This is one of her shorter entries but gives you a good idea what she's all about.

Then there's always a trip to Razors and Vines blog. I suggest reading the entry entitled Ever. I love the quirky writing style. I just may need to adopt that style considering both sides of my personality like to fight for control of the keyboard.

do not

Do so.

And the last stop on this entry is going to be in Shan's blog. Her entry, An Apple For the Teacher? Nope, School Supplies which went into how little teachers get for supplies for their classrooms. Every word of what she had to say was true. Actually, things are much much worse for the private schools... or at least it was at the private Christian school I worked at in Louisiana. I was there for about 3-4 years and I can tell you the average there wasn't even the national average for teacher pay. They were alotted ~maybe~ a grand total of $50 per semester for stuff for the classrooms (visual aids, decor, standard supplies like chalk and erasers were supplied by the school if extra was on hand) and dickyboy's salary never topped $24,000 for the year.

She also wrote one called We Are Women...We Must Backstab that I think should be required reading for everyone. Thankfully, I don't believe I've seen any of my bloggy readers saying stuff to purposefully hurt another around here. Now sometimes, there's the errant question that gets misread, misinterpreted, whatev... but that happens because of the medium. If we could only HEAR what the heart and mind of the writer is writing, then there wouldn't be nearly the hurt feelings.

Well, that completes our 3 hour tour...

Holy shit it took me that long to write???

Yep, it did (thanks to the contant stream of emails that came in while I was writing and we all know I just can't let 'em sit there when I'm at the computer....).

I'm truly and absolutely spoiled

I'm pretty sure I've mentioned it a couple times before. In case I haven't, I'll say it again.


I am sooooo incredibly spoiled.


I have some of the best buddies in the world. Considering I have friends in at least 4 countries, I don't feel that's too much of an exaggeration. It's not, is it? Well anyhow, in the days leading up to "F-Day" we started with a kick-ass party over at iggy's blog, where a rowdy time was had by all... especially by a certain stoned OCHA, who will remain nameless in my blog, that professed that what she was smoking was for "medical purposes only". Well, at that was her story and she's still sticking to it.

Then on Saturday an envelope showed up from iggy with not one, but 2 cards in it. The post-it note enclosed said that he couldn't decide which one to send so I was getting a two-fer. I have to laugh because apparently I did a very good job of hiding my "natal day". One of the cards got signed with a smiley face sticking its tongue out in a :P~~ fashion. Must be because I wouldn't give up my birthdate. So? I'm just a little sensitive about my age, even if it IS only a number.


Our truck was still in the repairshop and since they close before hubby normally gets out of work, well he had to leave a bit early. He swung by the shop in the early afternoon, on his way home from work. They didn't have it done yet but they were looking at about another 30 minutes or so. YAY!

He told me how long it was going to take for the truck when he got home and I started to get ready. I can usually be ready in about 20 minutes or so depending on where we're going. He went downstairs to take the pooch out while I finished up. When I came downstairs, imagine my surprise when I see the most beautiful bouquet of flowers and a card sitting on the laptop waiting for me to notice them.

They are the most GORGEOUS shades of pink and peach. Who cares if they're artificial? They're not the cheesy fakes either, they look real from a distance. He said he figured he hadn't gotten me flowers in a very long time (and he hadn't) and that I'd like these better because they wouldn't die off in a week's time. Have I ever mentioned that he's got the most exquisite taste when it comes to stuff like this?
He gives me these gorgeous flowers so I figure that the card's gonna be one of those mushy ones that he's prone to getting. Nope. My baby knows me too damned well.

It was a beautiful day out. Not too sunny, not too cloudy and plenty of sunrays poking through the clouds.I think they look so pretty like that.

I glanced over at our neighbor's yard on our way out and saw the prettiest rose sitting right by the fence so I grabbed a snap of it. This is the adjusted version of the picture. I saturated the heck of it to get the colors to pop.
Our first stop was to the repair shop (remember it was supposed to be 30 minutes from the time he left there the first time and it took me about 20 to get ready and another 5 or so to deal with my pressy), figuring that the truck would be ready... right? Nope. They were doing a second flush on the radiator because it was so yucky and there were a couple last minute things to do. We ended up waiting 90 minutes for them to finish up. I won't grouse though because it was exceptionally busy that afternoon AND they HAD let us borrow the company truck.

That truck cost us $200+ (closer to the $250 end of that) to repair this time. *sigh* It could have been worse though, the bill actually was closer to $350 but the owner knocked $100 off the bill for us. I guess we must be good for his business...

Hubby took me to Chili's for lunch and then we popped over to Michael's to check on some craft items I'm wanting. Unfortunately, they don't have anything for Christmas out quite yet and the stretch canvases aren't in the size I'm wanting. In fact, they don't have a single square canvas. All rectangular ones with a few round and oval ones. I guess I'm gonna need to go to JoAnn's this week and check them out. I know from their web site that the fabric I'm looking for is carried there, now the question is if they have it in stock. I also noticed that they had the square canvases. They aren't in the size I'm wanting (16"x16"), but there's only a 2" difference (18"x18") and I'm hoping it won't look too bad. I think I'll just buy one and hang it on the wall next to the others to see how it looks. If it looks bad, I can always do something else with it. I've got some ideas floating around anyhow. I really hope that they have a head start on the Christmas ornaments too. Either the glass or the flat plaster ones would be nice right about now.

When we got home, we just chilled. Well...and I painted my nails

Glambert Blue!

When I got up the next day and started catching up in the blogs, I found a very nice surprise on Alice's site. Since her blog is private, I'm not going to leave a link because many of you won't be able to see her page anyhow. However, with her permission, I've done a screen cap of the entry that I saw the next day waiting for me.
Aint it pretty?

Ooooh and today? I got a wonderful handmade card in my favorite color (PURPLE) from my friend Queenie Jeannie. So considering the festivities started in iggy's blog on Tues the 28th and I got my card from Jeannie on August 5th...my birthday has lasted over a week!

cleaning out, new acquisitions,classy slippers

I saw a few comments about the crafts in the last entry. I didn't bother answering any of them via email because I knew I was covering it in this next entry.

So one day about a week ago or so, I got tired of seeing the over filled baskets in the hall closest. They were put in there to make life easier for us instead of having all this little stuff scattered in there. The system seems to work well, except when we get lazy and just toss stuff in...which is most of the time. *laffz* Anyhow, I got it cleaned up and had to re-adjust what got put with what other items. At one point, my items only took up one basket. Thanks to my mom (and a great sale at Bath and Body Works) my stuff now takes 2+ baskets. Oh my! You see, mom used to work for Gottchalk's and was forever getting samples from the girls at the perfume counters to send off to me. If that wasn't enough, she'd send perfume sets for Christmas. Some of you remember that I'd mentioned getting the same set two years in a row. You can see them in the above photo...one's still in its box. Anyhow, she's telling me that she's looking to get into a different industry and not stay in retail so I'm hoping this is the last of the perfume because as it stands, with as often as I wear it, I have YEARS worth of scents in those baskets! If she ends up in retail again, I may send her the picture and just write "Please, for the love of God, NO MORE!" *laffin* I may do it anyhow just to get a laugh out of her.

This little beauty I found in the local Salvation Army store. If the matching piece had been in better condition, I would have bought it too. I figured it was a great deal at $4.99 as something like that runs nearly $10 or more brand new in the department stores. That piece next to it is a dolly my mom had sent me for Christmas. The kitty will look better with some of the other "girls" but I don't have them unpacked yet. I'm hoping to get a nice lighted case one of these days so I can get them displayed properly. As it stands right now, there isn't enough room for them to come out of their boxes yet. Besides, I don't want to unpack them to simply have to pack them back up in a few months. I reminded hubby about our choices again today regarding the living arrangement we're in but I don't think he was overly receptive to that kind of conversation yet. All I got was an "I know" but no details. Men!


A few weeks back, hubby called me from work and let me know that his friend had just come back from vacation and had very generously bought all his friends a bit of beach front property. Wow. Ok, maybe a time share? That would be cool. Get outta the house for a weekend and put the camera through its paces. Then I noticed a couple days later the item below sitting on the DVD case under the thermostat:
Ok, quit ya groaning. Don't you dare tell me you didn't see THAT one coming from a mile off!

The last picture is for punkn Deanna. These are the leopard "they're classy cuz I say they are" slippers I mentioned in an earlier entry. They're my favs to wear around the house. If I could wear them out to every place else, I would. Could ya see me popping into Olive Garden wearing these?
Had a follow-up appt with the allergy dr today to discuss how the treatment is going. She's said that it seems like those that have the roughest time with the build-up shots (like I've been having) tend to have better results in the long run and the serum helps. That's good to hear. We're hoping to get me off the expensive daily pill and have me down to just the OTC meds and possibly just the one spray during peak season. That would be awesome. Good news though...all this hard work for my weight is paying off. No, I didn't get weighed...but I did have my bp checked. I came in with a beautiful 115/60 (normally I'm a 120/80 or 118/78 or so). Yeah, I'm stoked.

After the appt, we went shopping a bit. Stopped in to Burlington Coat Factory because their window advertised a HUGE clearance sale. Gosh that store's gotten rough looking. I don't remember shopping in one of them before with it looking so rough. Ahh well. Found a nice pair of jeans that fit but would feel nicer with a couple more pounds gone. Definitely NOT "that time" jeans. They don't have the stretch that my usual pairs have but I was pleased to see the 22W fit anyhow (especially after the 24W I tried on before it wouldn't even snap!). God bless the Gloria Vanderbilt lines! Best bet? The original tag price was $21.98 (which makes me suspect it was a first mark down price and they'd been much higher at one point) and the mark down price on the tag now? $9.99. Yep. A bit over $10 and I have a nice pair of jeans. Women's sizes NEVER come that cheap. I may have to pop in again another day and give a proper look around.

Went to AC Moore because I needed to replace some of my brushes. I walked out with only 3 new spotters (brushes are expensive...*sigh*) but that's ok. It'll do. I have a few more items I want to pick up but since they didn't have the canvas sizes I wanted, I didn't bother getting the rest of the supplies for the projects in mind. JoAnn's is less than a half mile from the townhouse and in easy walking distance so I'll just wait until a coupon shows up in the paper and get the stuff later. I'm in no hurry to do those projects yet anyhow. I still have plasters to paint. I have about 10 pieces that I just finished the other day. All that they need is the felt glued to the bottom so I think I'll do that tomorrow. Or maybe Monday.... I really need to consider an internet free day during the week so I can concentrate on my crafting. It might be a Sunday or Monday. I haven't decided yet which day. I do know it needs to be a day when the hubby isn't around to pester me.

Afterwards we went to Best Buy and I drooled over the toy I've been wanting. Some of you might remember that I'd mentioned it sometime before this past Christmas but never got it (if I had you KNOW I would have blogged about it). I just didn't see spending nearly $200 on an item I can get via Amazon for $150 (and if I get it during one of those no shipping costs if you spend x amount...that'd be great!). If I get the smaller one, I can get it for around $85 on Amazon. Not a bad deal, but not something I can justify after spending over $30 on Amazon already this last week.

I met a couple neat bloggers the last couple days or so and would like to welcome them to my corner of the web. Feel free to wander around all the blogs that seldom get maintained. There's plenty for everyone here. While I was checking out their sites, I found a couple that I really like and have added them to my blog roll. There's another game I may just end up playing one of these days ...actually 2 new games. With one of them I'm thinking of adding a twist to it. Maybe adding these games will inspire me to at least post a bit more often.

I think I close this for now. I have one more entry that's in draft form right now (read: the pictures are loaded, I just gotta write about 'em) that I expect to drop either tomorrow or the next day. There's yet another sitting in my email inbox and there are a few more pix in the camera to upload...I got some new nail polishes. You should SEE the shade I'm sporting today (and no it's not Adam Lambert blue!).

and now for a word from our author

Ok, I think I just about have this blog to where I want it. I'm actually pleased with the look I have so it shouldn't change too much....well until autumn shows up in the next few months!

Anyhow, you'll notice a few additions and changes. Some will be staying for a while and one or two, well they'll be on their way out the door at month's end.

I've got a new profile pic up. There's this cam sitting on my monitor that I haven't used so I was playing around with it a bit last night (early this morning). I liked some of the effects it did, especially the one that's in the profile pic. It kinda reminds me of Hula's profile shot. Does anyone else miss her? I do. Alot. Anyhow, if ya reading this...that pic is a tip of the hat to you, my dear.

Since I changed my profile pic, I knew Pop N Ice would be going thru withdrawals so I reposted the pic of the kids. I may put a slideshow up of them later just so she can get her Dharma fix in.

The pictures I've been posting that I took are also over in my Flickr account. If you look to the right, you'll see a section called Styx Clyx (originial, I know)... click over there and it'll take you to the account. Feel free to poke around and check the other Clyx over there out. Some pictures have notes and descriptions and in some cases, additional stuff that I don't mention in the entries. I'm trying to decide if it's going to be worth my money to go pro there. It depends on the traffic and if I'm clicking enough to make it worthwhile.

Oh...I found out last night, while going through my brother's Flickr that he'd done a shot similar to my banner one. And here I thought I was being original. Sheesh. Anyhow, that'll change in a few days because I think I found a better shot (I was aiming for the words on the mirror) of it.

Some of you have noticed that I added an email to the profile. Well I'm here to say that I absolutely hate the fact that I caved in to those that clamored for it. Sorry y'all. Why? Because all the updates of comments on my blog go to my main account... it's the account I check multiple times during the day because I generally have a certain IM service running. The yahoo account that the account sends you to, well I don't check it as often so sending something there doesn't always guarantee that I'll get it in a timely manner. I've had a few emails show up and I'd completely forgotten why I left the comment I did. I'm really kinda pissed I caved and NO, I'm NOT about to change it to the main account I check frequently. Most of you know why. The year 2012 is coming fast and I need to make sure the hatches are battened tightly. Anyhow, I'm leaving the email hooked until the end of July, at which point it will be removed again. I figure by that time anyone who really WANTS to contact me will have been given the other email addy. Either way, the fastest way to get a response is to drop a comment here.

I've mentioned some weeding. this will happen sometime this next week I think. I'm following about 50 blogs and only have 24 followers... well 23 that I can see, someone is obviously following as an anonymous because I can't see them (wuss!). Anyhow. Since I've been following everyone's blogs and have been more or less faithful on leaving a comment or three daily and I'm getting so little in return, I have to venture a guess that the bloggy love is only going one way and to be honest, I aint up for a one sided friendship. I've got many other things I could be doing than following all these blogs and not hearing anything back. I've got a pretty good idea on who is leaving the love and who aint but I'll be watching and tracking back a month or so to check out the pattern. Anyone who is following me, is pretty much going to be kept in my "must read" area. Those that comment but don't follow, well I'll be keeping you around too. Those that don't bother? Pbbbbt! If this means dropping a couple that I enjoy because they don't visit...ah well. I've done it before and after a few weeks I simply won't miss 'em.

As for the invisible reader... please drop a comment otherwise I'll take this puppy private and you won't be invited. I'd rather lose readers and keep those that really give a damn to keep the friendships going than to be over stressed and cranky because I have little to no time for anything else (painting, needlework, READING!). I have no clue how those with many more followers manage to keep up with everyone but ya know, I'd be much more than willing if I was being shown the same in return.

NYBro, if this goes private, I'll email you the blogs so you don't miss out.

I DID IT IDID IT I DID IT

Ok...so I had a bit of help.... via the Blogger help area. But still... I DID IT!


Hot shit I'm good!!!



Ok, now back to our regularly scheduled modesty......

update

Last Thursday was a very rough day for me. We have 3 handsets for our phone, but they dont share info. You see...cell phones generally come up "cellphone" and ~sometimes~ have a state listing next to it. If I dont recognize the number, I wont pick up. Once I know who it is, I enter their info in the phone so it shows up as who it is on the next call. Generally, I pick up on the extension in the livingroom OR the one in the office. The one in the bedroom rarely gets used.... except during times when we're in bed and someone calls during sleep cycles. Normally, I crack an eye to see who's calling and then decide whether to take it or let the machine answer it. This said, my SCSis called during a sleep cycle early in the bloody morning (ok, it was 10:29am but considering bedtime is around 5am these days...)....and I had no clue as to who it was so I let the machine get it. She's like me, hates talking to a damn answering machine unless ya gotta....especially in the day and age of caller id. If it's really important I talk to you, I leave a message but usually I just hang up and try later. I listened and no message was left so I crawled outta bed and went to the office where I picked up that handset and realized it was her so I called back and got voicemail so I left a message (Lord knows what at this point as I was NOT awake enough to remember what I said...just a "if you still need to talk gimme a jingle"). I crawled into bed and had a hard time getting back to sleep. I must have been asleep only 30 minutes or so, just enough to get good and under....I know I was in REM as I was definitely dreaming at that point....when she called at 11:42am. I barely remember that conversation either. I do remember her asking if I was ok and I muttered something about us being on night shift here. She said something about it being a badtime, she didnt realize we were on the nightshift, and that she really hadnt been thinking straight, and when would be better to call...I told her 3-330pm and she hung up on me. Well of course when I finally woke up, I kicked my own arse for not spending time talking to her when she'd called earlier. Didnt matter that I wasnt entirely cognizant of things around me at that point. When the phone didnt ring at 3pm, I called her...and got the voicemail. I didnt bother leaving a message, just called her right back. I tried a good part of Thursday, ringing her number and got no answer. Of course considering Wednesday's mess, I was beyond worried. I didnt sleep well Friday morning because I was worried all day and I half expected a phone call saying I needed to write the eulogy. I worried all day on Friday (after the sleep cycle)....oh hell, I hadnt slept well either....so I called when we got home from our errands, around 930pm. Much to my relief she picked up...sounding better than she had in a long time. She hadnt picked up the day before because she was having some Mom and her time. Seems they get along just fine when all of them arent crammed into 1 efficiency apartment.

Since then we've talked one other time. Things seem to be going ok. She's got a job at a local diner and the boss is already talking about creating a new position for her. She's skeptical about it though as she doesnt really trust anyone at this point. Her lawyer got in touch with her and said his lawyer got in touch with arrangements to pick up her stuff and the 2 cats. This pretty much has her ticked off as there were 4 cats, not 2...meaning he sent 2 of them to the pound. She let her lawyer know the arrangements were inadequate as she was out of state and even if she did drive in, it's a 4 hour drive one way plus she doesnt have a vehicle large enough to get all her stuff (she drives a Miata). She also told her lawyer that he needs to put a hurry on things because she wants the divorce finalized "as of yesterday". Things are still kinda bad, but she's got a bit of hope there and is finally getting her legs under her a bit so that's good. I dont feel the need to be on suicide watch right now....which is good for me.

Im having trouble keeping up with the blogs lately. It seems like I just dont have enough hours in the day anymore (that and I just havent had the desire to be in them much lately...yeah, I know, it's a sign of depression...Im fighting it though). God help me if I read every entry (which I usually do, I just dont always comment). I still need to write in the Jukebox....once American Idol fires up (like, ummm, tonight), I doubt I'll have much time for keeping up. It'll all depend on how fast I get hooked into the show (ok, Im obsessed).

While I was reading the other night, however, I saw an entry that came along very timely. I'd like to thank Bookbitten for the reminder....I needed it.


From the entry at BookBitten: Eye of the Tiger

Rocky is surprisingly profound, in addition to being one of the most
inspirational film series I know of. After a rough night, hell, a rough year, I
went to sleep last night thinking about what he said to his yuppie punk son
(paraphrased): Life will try to keep you down. It is not about how hard you hit
back, rather it is about how hard you can get hit and keeping moving forward.

The next several entries might be nothing but games and such as I found a few while reading that looked like fun.....which means I gotta empty my email inbox out *again*. Until then, I'll be keeping on moving forward.

Fun Monday

This week one of my new bloggy buddies, Pam (http://thedustwillwait.blogspot.com/), is hosting the Fun Monday game. This week's subject is:

Show me in pictures or tell me in words what defines the place where you live. I want to leave the interpretation open to include any possibility.

She went into detail as to what she meant in her post called THE DUST WILL WAIT: Invitation: Play Fun Monday on February 9 . Boy did SHE open a can of worms because she really DID leave it quite open for interpretation! I can hear some of my usual readers groaning at this point because they know me real well. You leave a little loophole and I'll open it nice and wide (case in point the Letter Game which resulted in a multi-entry arc on the letter M). I promise...I will NOT do that this time (although with all the moving I did Im sure I could do several entries on just this topic). I will, however, dissect it in my usual obsessive way. Starting right with the subject itself.


The two verbs I'll be concentrating on are:

Define: (v): To describe the nature or basic qualities of; explain
(Im using the 2nd definition of the word as it's the one that best fits this situation)

and

Live: (v): multiple definitions
4. To reside; dwell
5. To conduct one's life in a particular manner
6. To pursue a positive, satisfying existence; enjoy life

(4-6 used as that is what Im beliving her to mean for the assignment...4 will stand alone while 5 & 6 will be combined)

as well as this noun:

place: (n):
1. a. An area with definite or indefinite boundaries; a portion of space.
b. Room or space, especially adequate space


2. a. The particular portion of space occupied by or allocated to a person or thing.
b. A building or an area set aside for a specified purpose


3. a. A dwelling; a house:
b. A business establishment or office.
c. A locality, such as a town or city



(definitions gotten from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/)



That all said, I could just wuss out and post a picture of the town I presently reside in ... as the running joke in my family is that I actually live in a gypsy caravan (and live everywhere as well as nowhere at the same time). I spent a good deal of my adult life on the move and everyone pretty much puts my address and phone number in pencil because they changed so often. To be honest, almost anywhere I hang my hat (not that I normally wear one, but if I did) is home enough for me. But this isnt about where I call home, this is where I LIVE....which is another story completely.


I could also just put up pictures from Google of the battlefield or the museums, but my friends all know I won't do that. For one reason, I really have no interest in being in any of those locations and for a second reason...it's simply just too easy (who wants to use Google when they can use the pix they actually clicked while out and about?). Besides it doesnt show the Manassas I see day to day. The area I exist in is mostly businesses, strip malls, restaurants and townhouses (not to mention vanity plates that are seen on every other vehicle!!). Even with the economy the way it is in this day and age, we have sections of expansion.

On the road in the picture above, we have a new Walgreens, Panda Express and Chik Fil A being built. I suspect there will be another business or two going in sometime in the future.




The townhouse that I'm presently occupying, well at least for the next 18 months or less, is situated in a cul de sac behind one of the many strip malls on the main road in the area. We are definitely in the minority racially in this neighborhood. The neighbor in the unit to the left there is the one Im continually griping about. The neighbor to the right (in the grey townhouse) is really nice. I bearly even know when he's home. I can't wait to move though. Im hoping we get into an actual HOUSE on property without the neighbors so darned close as I feel like a sardine in this place (even though technically this place has more square footage than the house in Texas did).

Although that picture alone would satisfy the goals of the project, it's not truly where I LIVE. My closest buddies (that have known me for roughly 5 years and in some cases a bit more) know that where I LIVE is truly in a much much smaller place. I love music and working on decor for my places online. So realistically, I LIVE here:



Yeah, it's perpetually a mess. I just like everything within arm's length because I never know when Im going to need something. I must have about 3-5 projects running at all times in the place where I live.

today's ride and a link to check out

Calories burned: 342.9
trip miles: 9.79
ave mph: 19.58

Again, I dont feel bad about the poor showing on the bike as this was day one on tension setting 3. In another 5 months, I'll have the tension settings maxed out. After a month at level 8, I plan on increasing the time spent on the bike....maybe add another riding session?


I was in the blogs earlier and iggy's entry reminded me that I had taken to reading a new blog and I thought ya'll may enjoy it as well. The link is:

http://horriblelicenseplates.blogspot.com/