tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-92232859079202615362023-11-16T06:20:34.810-07:00A Lot of LayersYou think you know, but you have no idea...The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.comBlogger159125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-82158181494853338542013-11-27T22:39:00.003-07:002013-11-27T22:40:07.012-07:00ThankygratefulnessI'm thankful.<br />
<div>
<br />
So, so, grateful.</div>
<div>
<br />
I know I am lucky in ways I don't even fully realize. My crew is healthy and happy and we want for almost nothing. My Mom is cancer-free when she wasn't last year at this time and that is SO BIG, I can't even crack wise about it. She looks great, feels great and I am swimming in gratitude while I think of those who aren't as lucky...or are hoping to be. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
First world thankful-ness and junk. And this stuffs:</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9F11R59pTlkY4Zl1rRqW90HeObXyr2PQOdJuNvGWUTo-GEmVV57ES2SCuxvsstkhmVXJfaKVeozUrbTx-U2ycpDrFAB0woKTLNZ220UDO0pVcSTDoZjbrieQreDqYmQ2AQ5z0ua6iwQ/s1600/Opulence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhp9F11R59pTlkY4Zl1rRqW90HeObXyr2PQOdJuNvGWUTo-GEmVV57ES2SCuxvsstkhmVXJfaKVeozUrbTx-U2ycpDrFAB0woKTLNZ220UDO0pVcSTDoZjbrieQreDqYmQ2AQ5z0ua6iwQ/s200/Opulence.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Social Media - I has it.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
1. Social Media- yep, I said it haters. It makes me happy, mad, annoyed, aggravated and sometimes stay up too late. It also keeps me closely connected with people I was close to in one small sliver of this long life, some I didn't know well in school but should have, and a few who are good friends I have never met. Social media keeps me entertained, informed and provides a (mostly) thoughtful forum for concepts and ideas. This makes all of the duck lips and the occasional inappropriate nonsense tolerable. Communication WIN.</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
2. Missing people</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5xBOkHlMM1QvkOWAG4chudIVPRxQPMUgwMPYdzGm2JjFeJ8GYhiF2Ala0n1lbvjn21mXQbNe0kYgYLFwxkHyEj9pd9rI8j5xWueEoDQy072aiFazCaGx4wKE919BTjnA2lx5yrmrCG8/s1600/Stacie+jason+vic.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge5xBOkHlMM1QvkOWAG4chudIVPRxQPMUgwMPYdzGm2JjFeJ8GYhiF2Ala0n1lbvjn21mXQbNe0kYgYLFwxkHyEj9pd9rI8j5xWueEoDQy072aiFazCaGx4wKE919BTjnA2lx5yrmrCG8/s200/Stacie+jason+vic.jpg" width="200" /></a>The Holidays <strike>can be</strike> are a melancholy time for me. I miss my Dad and brother. I miss being annoyed by them, miss annoying them back. And I am thankful for this? You bet. I have learned over time what a special thing it is to grow up in a close family, with family members who are worth missing. I am so lucky in my unluckiness in this. <br />
<br />
<br /></div>
<div>
3. Glorious Food</div>
<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS-X2l_61pkgGZ3p-OSMXLUiqwkslXjGNi_f1-hGuwEpTTon2NZwPHNoMo-6kusLA8ZHp4kpbaYGhA5HyIn1Kfz4e0E-whnXE2DdItiTX4adddWDmjmPvAroof8e4n3H-O9-S2HKGF8A/s1600/thanksgiving-table.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnS-X2l_61pkgGZ3p-OSMXLUiqwkslXjGNi_f1-hGuwEpTTon2NZwPHNoMo-6kusLA8ZHp4kpbaYGhA5HyIn1Kfz4e0E-whnXE2DdItiTX4adddWDmjmPvAroof8e4n3H-O9-S2HKGF8A/s200/thanksgiving-table.jpg" width="132" /></a>This is the epitome of #firstworldproblems for me. My decisions around how to prepare the T-Day meal harbor on embarrassing. I have made turkey every conceivable way except fricassee, which I need to look up. We have variations of the same items on the same table because we all want what we want. We make extra so we can have leftovers AND discuss making extra so we can have the adequate leftovers even after we share with our family. I know there are many in my own town who are struggling to make daily meals happen. For plenty, I am thankful.</div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
4. Mae. </div>
<div>
Because, Mae.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuOlWUWDWGGg9fslCnwnhpT2-HlXLRNGt0kBXhhPOZdYl33_EiyaXnpK9tqYb18ukRgCot_Oq1-1_49Oh3jh7nQ9xRBfj7JFeVBYw0SFXixLMG05U6tIF9oPeJ0yY2BnXjkAFV2IwuJc/s1600/1470341_10202415936029709_379205005_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGuOlWUWDWGGg9fslCnwnhpT2-HlXLRNGt0kBXhhPOZdYl33_EiyaXnpK9tqYb18ukRgCot_Oq1-1_49Oh3jh7nQ9xRBfj7JFeVBYw0SFXixLMG05U6tIF9oPeJ0yY2BnXjkAFV2IwuJc/s200/1470341_10202415936029709_379205005_n.jpg" width="200" /></a>No offense to others, but Mae is my favorite. She wins. She loves me, she gets me, she tolerates me, she gave me her genes (we used to be the same height but she shrank). She is bossy and wise and good. Her only fault is that she lives just far enough away that you can't make it there and back in a weekend. I am thankful every day that she is still only a phone call away from me at 94 years old. I am not sure there is a time we have spoken from childhood to now that she hasn't told me I am special. It makes me want to believe her.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
5. Coffee Dates<br />
I love going for coffee, especially for someone who doesn't drink it (tea nerd here). The best thing to combat a shitty week is a coffee date with one of my peeps who makes me laugh and tells me to get over myself.<br />
I have a rule that I won't turn down an invitation from someone who wants to talk up an idea over coffee, and I have rarely been disappointed in this rule. The last time I took a chance on a stranger (with ideas I wasn't too sure about) who wanted to talk it up over coffee, I joined his election committee, and made a good friend. He won.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpMM7Ga53Ab-FU2cUXjKR6qXxhix1xJ1SRNRueFUjSm011AN5y5m_bTeMcKu9D44axFYKH6QDXHDyMkzEtKQsup5BI30Ep_6Y1uTNffEJxLIMyrF9yppBFm6wawiQ9NrcK5T4VfT7NZ4/s1600/Coffee-Meeting.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdpMM7Ga53Ab-FU2cUXjKR6qXxhix1xJ1SRNRueFUjSm011AN5y5m_bTeMcKu9D44axFYKH6QDXHDyMkzEtKQsup5BI30Ep_6Y1uTNffEJxLIMyrF9yppBFm6wawiQ9NrcK5T4VfT7NZ4/s200/Coffee-Meeting.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
6. Nutty pets<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhzNhWLDQWYa6RLhYynaavwHLvTu-E6ddupNVyeYFOZmMa95qVvLrJrFI3BVryty1lGYIvC4LGzwgpKoM09npT7AJBNYFcJqlEwyYpV2kyGIPEaBB0KS39CX5Tr3CuwUVP3ZR5A32y7Y/s1600/IMG_0372.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMhzNhWLDQWYa6RLhYynaavwHLvTu-E6ddupNVyeYFOZmMa95qVvLrJrFI3BVryty1lGYIvC4LGzwgpKoM09npT7AJBNYFcJqlEwyYpV2kyGIPEaBB0KS39CX5Tr3CuwUVP3ZR5A32y7Y/s200/IMG_0372.JPG" width="200" /></a>I threaten our pets often that I am getting rid of them, but I don't think they believe me (We used to similarly tell our kids we were selling the other one to the gypsies. It's like that.). These knuckleheads are just like the rest of us with all of their idiosyncrasies. Water obsession, dogorexia, murderous behavior, and stealing. The lizard finally packed her rock and moved into a school classroom where she can run free. Who can blame her? It's a zoo in here.<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
7. This.<br />
I don't even have an exact name for it, but its about friends. And I am thankful.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIZdel_fLQAKfuIQcqFiWd7kbMGAjrkK3RlKHrz4ODeVcGMKZVm9y-PQXowJHUNaBmcELYB5sZX5BarOV_c0Q-AP25nesu9aT4hNIv0kjxSOCm1waWYSNcA_EOT53eKvCo3c-eIQlZto/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUIZdel_fLQAKfuIQcqFiWd7kbMGAjrkK3RlKHrz4ODeVcGMKZVm9y-PQXowJHUNaBmcELYB5sZX5BarOV_c0Q-AP25nesu9aT4hNIv0kjxSOCm1waWYSNcA_EOT53eKvCo3c-eIQlZto/s200/IMG_0672.JPG" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
8. Red Velvet Cake - But only my mom's recipe. You can keep your cream cheese frosting. I prefer the light and fluffy Crisco frosting which will likely lead to clogged arteries. Every year, she makes me one. Mom = cake=love.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOW80aIXfiBbk22hi551VuJS514CbRo3ir8kFnEA6VyyKbCV-Bu2jTUGIgKnHMcZmn68J8wZd2u__K934IuOfUCr18Aenw6HtF2sq9wrKU6S5DshEk0WLiDy0S7w8Hq-RHWfQMEiyf3dw/s1600/161.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOW80aIXfiBbk22hi551VuJS514CbRo3ir8kFnEA6VyyKbCV-Bu2jTUGIgKnHMcZmn68J8wZd2u__K934IuOfUCr18Aenw6HtF2sq9wrKU6S5DshEk0WLiDy0S7w8Hq-RHWfQMEiyf3dw/s200/161.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
9. Wyoming<br />
This is MY state, and many of yours as well. It isn't definable as any one thing, which is what makes it great. If you're new, welcome. If you moved here 9-12 months ago so you could run for office in what felt like an easy-to-win flyover state, that's not ok. Behave accordingly.<br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkFi2oLo8TNtty-cbUKNuv6ZE3pfGsmq1nlISQPgbfldc1i-B2zmiyjhlsoUEexN3etfhXTepykUTzXE1TxSz_uDL6FaVu_diJIdSCxqSnghWU6xychCkpigXvBx_b4fhWtRi_QQH240/s1600/IMG_0543.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvkFi2oLo8TNtty-cbUKNuv6ZE3pfGsmq1nlISQPgbfldc1i-B2zmiyjhlsoUEexN3etfhXTepykUTzXE1TxSz_uDL6FaVu_diJIdSCxqSnghWU6xychCkpigXvBx_b4fhWtRi_QQH240/s200/IMG_0543.JPG" width="200" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
10. Stuff<br />
<br />
There are more things of course, like the Baboos, epidurals and headline news. There's always more, always things to be thankful for. And those things always, ALWAYS outweigh the things that are hard. Always.<br />
<br />
I am thankful for that. </div>
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-64326031559503199722013-11-22T00:14:00.000-07:002013-11-22T07:45:26.139-07:00Considerations for my Daughter<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hi,</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's me.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The one to whom you keep rolling your eyes. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I know, I know, it doesn't really mean much and truthfully, it doesn't really bother me. We love each other and drive each other crazy concurrently. That will get easier over time, but will always be the case to some degree. Ask your Grandma.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am seeing so much of myself in you these days, the days you will remember in snippets, for both good and bad reasons. I know these fine speeches of mine are part of what creates the eye rolling epidemic, but since I can't go back and tell myself all of these things I wish I had known in 1987, the best I can do is share them with you.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl93p7eLcsMxGOfkYeHbZEB7kBjos_EPCt9prjD-dZ9sQ2eZwDpwhjPAT40vVgXrI0EyZfioLOMd1v8eAKhQAj91MWecGltlNR7DE1NJq7NAq20R0M2hOTeJ_TcpbRB2RGCWvfMo-_3U/s1600/teenager.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifl93p7eLcsMxGOfkYeHbZEB7kBjos_EPCt9prjD-dZ9sQ2eZwDpwhjPAT40vVgXrI0EyZfioLOMd1v8eAKhQAj91MWecGltlNR7DE1NJq7NAq20R0M2hOTeJ_TcpbRB2RGCWvfMo-_3U/s320/teenager.jpg" width="212"></a><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">These are NOT rules, nor are they those things that seem like rules, but which aren't called rules. These are items to be considered and weighed by you, (an almost adult) as you travel through these both tough and fantastic years. Just think about them, m'kay?</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<br>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The happenings over these next few years will shape who you become so it is critical that you make good decisions...and a few calculated (and hopefully minor) bad ones. That's how you learn the difference. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">That boy that didn't text you back? He'll probably re-think that decision one day, even if not until your 20 year reunion. You will also regret someone you didn't give a second glance as well. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Set limits early. For whatever. For everything. Know who you are and how you feel about things before you wade in and have to make a decision on the spot. You can always adjust your limits, if you already have some. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You're a good looking person. So is most everyone. Starting around this age, it will seem like there are a million things wrong with how you look. Every person does this, even 'that girl'. We all have things about ourselves we may not like, so we just have to work with what we DO like, so find some things and focus on them. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It can feel great to feel like you are at the top of the heap, but sometimes that means someone else is at the bottom. That feeling is fleeting, and you will find yourself on the bottom of someone else's heap sooner or later. So be kind. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Want the best for others, even when it isn't easy. Even when they don't deserve it, be happy for them. Bitterness is like drinking poison and hoping the other person dies.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are looking at your text messages, social networks and whatever else because it gives us insight into your world and makes sure you are safe online. We both know there is still a lot we DON'T know, and that's ok.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Things that seem defining now won't mean much later on. I swear, no one will ever ask which team you made in a job interview. Just play.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Soon enough, your friends are going to make choices that you don't agree with, and that doesn't mean you have to make the same choice. It also doesn't mean you have to stop being friends with them.Worry for them, but try not to judge. See #3</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A lot of drama could be avoided if people just kept their trap shut.</span></li>
</ol>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-83330645480616729432013-11-21T23:27:00.002-07:002013-11-22T07:43:43.140-07:00I'm Thankful! (Except When I'm Not)<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So....I have been hiding out, but have been challenged by one of my pals over at<a href="http://illhaveitontheside.blogspot.com/2013/11/shit-im-not-thankful-for.html"> I'll Have It On the Side</a> (go look) to write another post about what I am NOT thankful for this Thanksgiving season. </span><br>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am so frigging thankful for my #firstworldproblems, I can't even tell ya. Thankful most of each and every day, except when I am being a whiny baby. Which happens. </span></div>
<div>
<br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I realize this is going to land wrong with a few of you and some of you will think I am talking about you. Truthfully...I am. BUT, only in a general way, and always with me realizing fully that I have a counter-annoying habit which makes you want to write/rant about me. Feel free - It's OK. It takes all kinds, peeps. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So...there's the disclaimer, suckas. Here is my list:</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">((Ahem))</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A Lot of Layers List of Grimy Unthankfulness</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1.</span><span style="color: #666666; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace; font-size: large;"> Video Conferencing/Wrinkles</span></div>
<div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3kSNZoqkHh_hQT2KczEv3GZ0HBjyYK1kp_e8tH33eGLFIjQ56b5ip-0_r3ei3Bwiitm_ond0Rv5FU6_i-rVWF1aOw41Q65Mpb1kJQKbr-E9ZLSuMLCKboh0pxDFP9445mXti7H94UMU/s1600/facelift.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgO3kSNZoqkHh_hQT2KczEv3GZ0HBjyYK1kp_e8tH33eGLFIjQ56b5ip-0_r3ei3Bwiitm_ond0Rv5FU6_i-rVWF1aOw41Q65Mpb1kJQKbr-E9ZLSuMLCKboh0pxDFP9445mXti7H94UMU/s1600/facelift.jpg"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What? I'm listening!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My new job involves many, MANY hours of online video conferencing. I have learned to love the improved communication, but what I do not love is looking at my face while my mouth is talky-talking</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">, my eyes are bugging and squinting and my face is wrinkling. Do I really look that way? Yikes. I really have to resist pulling my face skin taut while I am on the call, which would be distracting to the others on the call....but would make me look *so* less almost-forty.</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. <span style="font-size: x-large;"><span style="color: lime;">C</span><span style="color: red;">h</span><span style="color: lime;">r</span><span style="color: red;">i</span><span style="color: lime;">s</span><span style="color: red;">t</span><span style="color: lime;">m</span><span style="color: red;">a</span><span style="color: lime;">s</span></span> in <span style="color: orange; font-size: large;">October</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Knock that shit off Retailers! Give the turkey his 15 minutes, wouldja?</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXP91RvdBLE7DnSALjq9ooyTkEwA9dFoLUhsMhFHu0gbYPoG-WFzhqWkimpndUbJI4piXO9QEaFxIQRhWT1hXgXwsaArhX3K0SwWih3lTL9T0J5Iw1pEfKjuWRv3_b0jBkgF6S9mLv6qU/s1600/xmas+vs+Tday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="236" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXP91RvdBLE7DnSALjq9ooyTkEwA9dFoLUhsMhFHu0gbYPoG-WFzhqWkimpndUbJI4piXO9QEaFxIQRhWT1hXgXwsaArhX3K0SwWih3lTL9T0J5Iw1pEfKjuWRv3_b0jBkgF6S9mLv6qU/s320/xmas+vs+Tday.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. <span style="font-size: large;">Junk email</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Amazon, do I need to hear from you every three minutes? Thirty-One auto-emailer! Sweet baby Jesus, how many times do I have to unsubscribe?? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. <span style="font-size: large;">Tree-murdering snow</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Snow is supposed to be soft and lovely, falling gently and dusting the rooftops and junk. This tree-splitting nonsense? Ain't nobuddy got time for this. My trees aspire to be more than bushes. Go home snow, you're drunk. </span><br>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcWHv_nQaytlZk25PDbVsDt9_tdA7rfEj7lxoJP8d6Zf2IYEfzEcIccxYK3Ix5CXNbB6xLvXIi-6TKfF4TCoV_bHlKWI3h7xsDAo5PvkamvTuQ0sZ_-mQYugpDlpYgmUETwsF-qFH44Y/s1600/snow+trees.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="191" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKcWHv_nQaytlZk25PDbVsDt9_tdA7rfEj7lxoJP8d6Zf2IYEfzEcIccxYK3Ix5CXNbB6xLvXIi-6TKfF4TCoV_bHlKWI3h7xsDAo5PvkamvTuQ0sZ_-mQYugpDlpYgmUETwsF-qFH44Y/s320/snow+trees.jpg" width="320"></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Help.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">5</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; font-size: large;">. Exercise cults</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There, I said it. Exercise does a body good (I hear) and it's great to be health-conscious. But obsessed? Cult-ish? It feels like I am surrounded by Exercise Moonies, but instead of handing out flowers at the airport, they are doing push-ups. Talk about something else. The world is a big place. Moderation and balance folks. (Stop planking! That isn't what I meant by balance!!!) sigh. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<br>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4keJmtNdpJoa3R19XIJ4GpIp1CEZ9haB9sxuHljusvAXWFoUyWcFlZM_yWB3WLcoTzZM94kUqtOFzRelQxpLZ8pM2nvbdpkLeMCxQn4_cDciQW1QKlbpcvPvcTpf_b6UNyb5cP6DZX0/s1600/994355_10202146545975126_1925748532_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgn4keJmtNdpJoa3R19XIJ4GpIp1CEZ9haB9sxuHljusvAXWFoUyWcFlZM_yWB3WLcoTzZM94kUqtOFzRelQxpLZ8pM2nvbdpkLeMCxQn4_cDciQW1QKlbpcvPvcTpf_b6UNyb5cP6DZX0/s320/994355_10202146545975126_1925748532_n.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">6. <span style="font-size: large;">SnapChat</span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I enjoy <strike>stalking</strike> monitoring my teenager's social networks and damned if SnapChat won't cooperate. I can see lots of messages but can't open them. What's the point of a social network that won't let you look at a message more than a few seconds???? </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh. </span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">7. <span style="font-size: large;">When blogging gets Stoopid </span></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Some of my more serious bloggy friends sometimes seem to compete with each other and can appear over-invested in their 'blog-persona' and the popularity contest of blogging than seems to make sense. So..yeah.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">8. <span style="font-size: large;">The Cable Company</span></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-aoPTijb5sxYwAFLGL2cd2gQVwQZFXZ81t2VSTbKJyRMdiKR3E_VHB60N_F2fE8ChQVbnmxuK9-p9AR4ERrdCaiAlCL0A34lRuGGQPrb-CTuhF_fwpO_Ku-h63tn64qBcYDjv6H1cao/s1600/package.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgL-aoPTijb5sxYwAFLGL2cd2gQVwQZFXZ81t2VSTbKJyRMdiKR3E_VHB60N_F2fE8ChQVbnmxuK9-p9AR4ERrdCaiAlCL0A34lRuGGQPrb-CTuhF_fwpO_Ku-h63tn64qBcYDjv6H1cao/s320/package.jpg" width="320"></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wanted to reduce my cable (and my bill) since we are using Netflix, Amazon and Hulu. THRICE, I have had a conversation which in a nutshell tells me that because I am in a special program which will end in January, I am getting a great deal! And, if I reduce my package, I will end up paying $more-dollars and if I keep the same package, I will pay $more-dollars. If I add a phone line, I will pay $less-dollars, but still $more-dollars than I am paying now. Sigh. I think they are training their representatives at Bath and Body Works. And both are out-smarting me. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br>9. Facebook/Pinterest recipe shares</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Seriously people. Just click the link and save it. Or send it to your own mail. Or stop posting 1,000 recipes we both know we'll probably never find again on the book of Face. </span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">10. <span style="font-size: large;">People who have their shit together</span></span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Gawd, I am hugely annoyed and insanely jealous of people who have clean cars, don't forget their shopping list, keep all of their laundry done and know what day they are supposed to bring snacks for...um, whatever...at any given moment. What are you people, robots? I continue to tell myself that my lack of these skills is just part of my fun quirkiness, but a few days ago I spilled gum squares on the floor of my car....and today i ate one because I needed gum. Help me.</span><br>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div>
<div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aixYs3lO4Lfojb6xG6tWZ_LLGMBZSpy550B5nbXzhPhkr14aoc2nl1ZeoLvMHQgL9E9Cs79XT8EeajOXVU7YTYtQDHErj_Ua5TybalQk_1yMWLdGZgOGi2lBdRawq2T-IRFuFIkRXFg/s1600/hoarders.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi6aixYs3lO4Lfojb6xG6tWZ_LLGMBZSpy550B5nbXzhPhkr14aoc2nl1ZeoLvMHQgL9E9Cs79XT8EeajOXVU7YTYtQDHErj_Ua5TybalQk_1yMWLdGZgOGi2lBdRawq2T-IRFuFIkRXFg/s320/hoarders.png" width="320"></a></div>
<br></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11. <b>Bonus Unthankfulness - Selfies</b></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Peeps, I *knows* you need a good profile pic or four to choose from. We all do! A few Selfies with friends, solid! But the daily individual selfie makes me worry about the state of society; a place where instead of using the technology of photography to capture what you SEE, it's all about seeing YOURSELF first. It's the Sistine Chapel vs. "me kicking it at the Sistine Chapel..! ((Peace sign)) #vacay #illegalselfie #seeingtheworld"</span></div><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br></span></div><div><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Feel me? Enough, really. </span></div>
<br>
<div>
</div>
<br>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<br></div>
</div>
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-85967350148569943032013-03-21T14:59:00.001-06:002015-03-27T11:36:40.757-06:00I DID NOTHING.<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaDWivMAKudK8TkpqBpysgfJZK6u_n-jHhuI9ZODyfoGq7ZwmWXzE7IGKvQxcjxHgR_wdtT3WPdJ1lY9sXXyHUNmObQuT-u0nG3o2zCOkNrgfUKlsbmB3TjIsu3IX8ZWgxuxlnEkfmEM/s1600/nothing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRaDWivMAKudK8TkpqBpysgfJZK6u_n-jHhuI9ZODyfoGq7ZwmWXzE7IGKvQxcjxHgR_wdtT3WPdJ1lY9sXXyHUNmObQuT-u0nG3o2zCOkNrgfUKlsbmB3TjIsu3IX8ZWgxuxlnEkfmEM/s1600/nothing.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">A girl in my relatively small-town high school class accused an older classmate of rape. I wasn't really friends with either of them, but knew them both. I heard the rumors, I listened, raised my eyebrows. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I judged. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The accuser suffered the wrath of the popular accused's many friends and likely saw eyes cut her way by those who didn't say what the others did, but thought it. She was the topic of jokes, ones I *may* have smirked at. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The case was eventually dismissed. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">One rumor said the accused passed a lie detector test, and that she failed. I have no idea if that's true, but it sealed her fate and she laid low a long time. He flourished. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I DID NOTHING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">After graduation, I heard whispers, knowing shrugs and even open discussion of this same accused boy doing the same thing to several other girls, WHICH WAS RAPE. They spoke of it like a rite of passage, or a group they now belonged to. They all said, I shouldn't have been there, I was drunk, etc. By this time, we were all adults and the accuser had moved, but I felt vindicated for her somehow by this reception-hall-bathroom-conversation, even if she didn't know it occurred. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">She and I became better friends over the years, over Facebook. I never told her what I had heard, and we have never spoken of her ordeal, or the fact that I didn't do as I should have, was not a friend to a classmate who probably could have really used one. For that I am ashamed. I still see the accused around town, and as much as I don't want to, when he smiles and says hi, I do the same. And I cringe.</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">____</span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the same time period, another friend said she was date raped by a older boy we hardly knew. One of our friends wondered if she had made it up; after all, she had gone on a drive with him willingly, and was flirting with him like mad. I should have DEFENDED her, should have probably told. I DID believe it happened, but I was afraid to tell my parents because I didn't want her to get in trouble for going off with a clean-cut but much older boy with out-of-town plates and a charming smile, who turned out to be anything but. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That sounds ridiculous to my 'parent ears' now. Even worse, I didn't talk to her about it, although we were as close as sisters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I DID NOTHING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">While we are still close, I STILL haven't talked to her about it at any length, except once when she told me that he raped her in the hard, cold bed of his truck and told her "it can be the easy way, or the hard way". He berated her the entire drive back to town, before offering her another chance to 'learn a little something and do it better next time.' </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">She was barely 15. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
_____</div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Over summer break, a friend told me her long time boyfriend "pretty much made her do it", after tiring of waiting on her to go all the way. They broke up right after and both were mum as to why it was over, odd in our usually gossipy 'popular clique'. It was the period of time when we were all deciding whether or not to abandon our virginity and I am pretty sure I remember suggesting she should go ahead and do it. <u>To her, that may have felt like pressure, and I am sorry for that. </u></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">After she told me, I was horrified that he didn't stop when she said she was at her limit, but again, I didn't handle it well. I was scared of what I knew, and freaked out that the boy who had <strike>done it</strike> RAPED HER was at the same party I was later that night, acting like... not-a-monster. I shudder as I remember quietly sharing the *idea* (without saying RAPE) that 'maybe he had pushed my friend to 'do it' and that maybe that was why they had broken up?,' with a small group of our mutual male friends. I remember the boys saying to each other "well, what did she expect; that he would wait forever?" I gave up. WHy did I give up? I should have marched over and kicked him in the nuts for my friend. I even asked him what the hell happened, why they had broken up, hoping he would confirm what she said, admit it to me so I could react appropriately, but he mumbled something incoherent about her being dramatic and I shamefully accepted that. I spent the entire summer inside the same social group with him, the rapist of my good friend. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I DID NOTHING.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My friend and I have rarely spoken of that night, at her urging. I fear that by not being a good friend then, I have made it more difficult for her now. </span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">_____</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today I wrote to each of my three friends and apologized. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I do a lot of writing about women's issues, support of women by women, and suddenly feel like a hypocrite. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I wrote that I had not supported them, I judged or did not defend them, I failed them as a friend, as a woman. I feel that each of them carries a scar from the incident, but also in part because of my inability to know what to do. I am just now realizing that I knew of 3 rapes before I was 18. THREE RAPES OF TEENAGE GIRLS, and I DID NOTHING. I am sure there are many more I don't know about. The ones that my other girlfriends knew about our other friends, have kept secret for years and the ones they didn't handle as well as they could, either. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">As we talk about rape culture, I think there is a chance that the boys in these rapes felt somehow justified, or thought that pushing a girl beyond her initial </span>NO's<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> was 'usual', and that what they did wasn't a scary word like RAPE</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">, since it wasn't like they were 'violent'. Or because she was drunk, or because she had obviously let herself be alone with him for a reason. Maybe they look back now and realize it was wrong. (I'd like to ask them.) Hopefully they didn't continue to behave the same way with others because I DID NOTHING. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Hopefully those who knew about and belittled the claims of our first friend in the 90's look back now as I did and think how we reacted poorly, blamed and shamed a possible victim, and said all those things people are saying now like:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - Why was she so drunk?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - Why did she go with them then? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - She just regretted it the next day..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And then I hope they talk to their teenagers about those events and how we were so, so wrong. Being young is hard, </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">and we have to acknowledge that </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; text-align: center;">DOING THE RIGHT THING ISN'T ALWAYS EASY. I was aghast at the actions of the kids in Stuebenville, until i took a long fucking look in the mirror today. </span><br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We need to talk about the difficulty of doing the right thing among peers with our young people, instead of stamping the kids in Stuebenville immoral. We need to understand WHY no one reacted, and why some felt the young girl had created this situation to be violated and were comfortable enough to tweet about it. We need to have all the hard discussions and ask all the uncomfortable questions. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had to force myself to write the word RAPE in this post, made myself capitalize it as I went back and changed it. Even now, I was tempted to minimize the word, make it less horrible.</span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> We need to say the word RAPE, identify what it means and label it when it happens without minimization or justification. Or victim blame. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I want my daughter and son to feel different, to be different and to have the courage to do the things I didn't do to support friends and classmates, even when it isn't easy. I want them to understand the awkward nuances of sex, and where the limits lie, without debate. But without acknowledging my own failings, it will sound hollow to my own ears. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My penance for my failure will be to share this post with them when the time comes, share the stories above and the role I played in rape culture. There are many to blame, including myself. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I AM DOING SOMETHING. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">My gratitude to the women who accepted my apology today and agreed to allow me to share their stories in this blog. Their courage and forgiveness overwhelm me. </span></i>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-51770880721555039932013-02-28T20:41:00.004-07:002013-02-28T20:41:53.528-07:00Who the Hell Do You Think You Are and Junk?<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">I am in a passive aggressive argument with this blog. I was feeling a weird responsibility to it, which made me annoyed with it, which made me have writers block, which made me ignore it more, which has made me irritated with Facebook, which drove me to Twitter, which made me read a lot of political articles, which brought me back to Facebook.</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"> </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">The point is, I am still not interested in blogging. My blogger is broken and it can't get up. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">My pal at DeBie Hive heard me say it, so she is trying to get me off of my dead ass and blog it up by tagging me with an assignment to write more about myself. Which I need to do less off in lieu of writing other more interesting stuffs. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">But I like DeBie, so........</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
1. <strong>Where were you born</strong>. I am the second born of a set of twins born in Buffalo, WY. I was 6 weeks premature and breech, which means at 4 lbs, I practically jumped out. My mother says I always land on my feet to this day. A sentiment I have always liked.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
2. <strong>Were you named after someone</strong>? I need a lot of therapy over this topic. My brother was named for Jason in Seven Brides for Seven Brothers (Named after a musical, fitting) and TWIN was named after a darling girl named Stephanie who lived down the lane from my parents in Germany when my father was in the Army. When she was called to in the lane by her mother, she would answer "Yaaaaa, mamaaaaaa.... my mother dreamed of her daughter when she heard it.<br />
<br />
My name? Oh, well....IT MATCHED STEPHANIE. I am the throw pillows to my sister's couch of a name. Yep. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
3. <strong>How many children do you have</strong>? I have two, and they are cool cats. They are funny and sarcastic. And they both have stories for their names.<br />
<br />
4. <strong>How many pets do you have</strong>? Too many! We have a chubby Corgi who eats anything you leave in reach, including purses, girl scout cookies and to-go boxes, etc. Our Corgi is the owner of a Chihuahua who won't eat a damn thing and who is constantly 'aroused". I had to stop walking him to school because he was afraid of the kids and when approached would immediately roll onto his back so I could answer 13 questions from kindergartners about his 'situation" on display. Sigh. We also have 2 pound cats, one who owns me. Our latest pet is a bearded dragon who spends a lot of the day hanging on the side of the cage. I would like all of our pets better if they did not defecate.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheONUHM5Mx9xgJZbrPXpMBAVSaUh566E4ZIhf8EvDTEBRkbdrkw6O6BDPFhF74GoVNmpBKjc6MZcveZQmezipVpn3Up-r2-IzszWdxsGIre6mGQoTJVcymSHSxbrb068xOPYOo8NlmHL0/s1600/042.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheONUHM5Mx9xgJZbrPXpMBAVSaUh566E4ZIhf8EvDTEBRkbdrkw6O6BDPFhF74GoVNmpBKjc6MZcveZQmezipVpn3Up-r2-IzszWdxsGIre6mGQoTJVcymSHSxbrb068xOPYOo8NlmHL0/s320/042.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
5. <strong>Your worst injury</strong>. I abhor exercise, so I do my best not to do any of it. My worst injury was probably childbirth. Yeowch. Totally worth it though. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
6. <strong>Do you have a special talent</strong>? I can find anyone or anything on Google. I will stalk anyone, research anything. The answers are all there and I clearly need to know.it.all. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
7. <strong>Favorite thing to bake</strong>. I prefer to cook instead of bake. I can do good things with my Le Creuset enameled dutch oven, which I have renamed The Magic Pot. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
8. <strong>Favorite Fast Food</strong>. Probably a Taco Bravo from Taco Johns, which is a soft shell inside a hard shell. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
9. <strong>Would you bungee jump</strong>? Not me. I don't mind heights, but I get nothing out of the stomach lurch from jumping off said height or racing back down at lighting speed. I will stroll down, thankyouverymuch. I always wonder what the pulling up short does to a person's back? </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
10. <strong>What is the first thing you notice about people</strong>? Wit. If they're quick on the draw. Lots of smart people, lots of nice people. Not always a lot of witty people. But when I find them, I know it almost immediately. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
11. <strong>When was the last time you cried</strong>? Hmm. I am not a crier. Even alone. I might be a robot. Special Agent says I am Spock. But I was so frustrated when I listened to the the Wyoming legislature fail to pass the gay marriage bill in Wyoming this session that i cried. Sometimes i think I feel the world changing, getting better, y'know? I thought this was one of those times and I was going to hear it, FEEL it change right in front of me. When it didn't, I was crushed. Special Agent was freaked out at my unusual outburst and bought me a drink and hugged my shoulders. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
12. <strong>Any current worries</strong>. I hate wasting time on worrying, I prefer action. I have a few things that are bugging me and I am working them out so they will go the hell away.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
13. <strong>Name 3 drinks you drink regularly</strong>. Tea, Diet Pepsi, Crystal Light adult kool aid. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
14. <strong>What’s your favorite book</strong>? The Cliff Walk. I wanted to strangle and hug the author while I watched him slowly catch on. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
15. <strong>Would you like to be a pirate?</strong> No way, they smell. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
16. <strong> Favorite Smells?</strong> Baby heads, fresh cut grass, wood fire, puppy breath, winter air, charcoal. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
17. <strong> Why do you blog</strong>? I originally did it because my life needed a creative outlet. Now my blog and I are on a break. I think i need to put effort into writing something I want to accomplish instead of dicking around. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
18. <strong>What song do you want played at your funeral</strong>? I'd Have to Be Crazy, by Willie Nelson.<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/s-6bYOwr2Bg" width="420"></iframe><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
19. <strong>What is your least favorite thing about yourself</strong>. I'm a know it all. And bossy. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
20. <strong>Favorite hobby</strong>. Reading, Google, kids. Shit. I need a hobby.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
21. <strong>Name something you’ve done, you never thought you would do?</strong> Wouldn't you like to know?</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
22. <strong>What do you look for in a friend</strong>. I don't look for a friend, we just gravitate toward each other and then bam, we're friends. Like DeBie, who I have never met. See #10</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
23. <strong>Favorite Fun things to do</strong>? Sit in a coffee shop with a friend and laugh my ass off. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">24. </span></span><strong style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">Pet peeves</strong><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Century Gothic;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;">. Lots: Bad manners. Word mispronunciation, like liberry instead of library. inefficiency. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
25. <strong>Whats the last thing that made you laugh</strong>? A video I have seen before with gay men telling heterosexual men that they should support gay marriage so the gay guys don't marry their girlfriends. It's funny no matter how many times you see it. </div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; padding: 0px 0px 15px;">
Now, I am supposed to tag other bloggers. But I'm being a rebel. If the mood strikes you, consider yourself tagged. </div>
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-35879624288785866092013-01-28T14:54:00.001-07:002013-01-28T14:54:50.131-07:00L is for Liebster<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Heloooo. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Its snowing today and I am glad to be INSIDE. Its nice in here and I am getting some shiz </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">done up in this mofo. For reasons unknown, Blogger is whack today and has spacing issues. Just go wit it.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">I have been taking a 'Facebreak' the past few days since frankly, I am spending way too </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">much time facebooking bloggers about blogging and writing than I am actually blogging </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">or writing. I wondered just what I might get done if I stopped mindlessly scrolling through </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Facebook pages for a few days. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Also, I am starting to think that the concept of knowing EVERYONE's opinions on </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">EVERYTHANG and then shotgunning my own out there is probably overrated. Maybe I </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">should just think what I think, and let others think what they think and let's call the whole </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">thing off. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">In just a few days, I finished a few assignments so my experiment is proving to be </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">worthwhile. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Until.....I got a comment on an older blog post...distraction! Yay! I was su-prised. It was </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">from the lovely <a href="http://www.modernmamadramas.com/">Modern Mama Dramas</a>, who is much younger than me, but I like anyway. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Go check her out; she is growing a new little being and has agreed to be my '<a href="http://www.alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-off-sauce.html">off the </a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://www.alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2013/01/i-off-sauce.html">sauce</a>" partner. <strike>Don't tell her I already cheated. Urg</strike>. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">She was giving my lame ass an award! Pretty nice of her, considering I have been using my </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">freelance gig links as blogs for a while, which is technically cheating. She is too good to </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">me. So..here are the rules. There are always rules. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34nhnRgQCgiGOpmDzEwcxohn1TrmPavUeusb6IH-zSC74grDdmNPyo9MOSTgaWCE0n63u0zBpIH6trzlFRo9QLoLTUTnHGto7j1TB8zm8L97ztZD8NCOs9FrLTr1zo5a188Ys4UmNMhg/s1600/liebster+award.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi34nhnRgQCgiGOpmDzEwcxohn1TrmPavUeusb6IH-zSC74grDdmNPyo9MOSTgaWCE0n63u0zBpIH6trzlFRo9QLoLTUTnHGto7j1TB8zm8L97ztZD8NCOs9FrLTr1zo5a188Ys4UmNMhg/s1600/liebster+award.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #280f06; line-height: 21px; text-align: center;">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black;"><i><span style="color: purple; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">1.</span><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;">Each blogger should post 11 random facts about themselves.</span></i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #280f06; line-height: 21px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="color: purple;">2.</span> Answer the questions the tagger has set for you, then create 11 new questions for the bloggers you pass the award to.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #280f06; line-height: 21px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="color: purple;">3.</span> Choose 11 new bloggers (with less than 200 followers) to pass the award to and link them in your post.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #280f06; line-height: 21px;">
<div style="margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="color: purple;">4.</span> <a href="http://www.modernmamadramas.com/2013/01/a-fitting-award-if-i-do-say-so-myself.html#" id="_GPLITA_3" in_rurl="http://i.trkjmp.com/click?v=VVM6MzEwMDI6NDpnbyBiYWNrOjU3NmIzMjM2OTY4MjBjZDRiNjg2NDEwMmYzMGViMGFmOnotMTA2My0xMDMxODc6d3d3Lm1vZGVybm1hbWFkcmFtYXMuY29tOjI4MjM3OmUyYzdjOGI2MDFiOTMxNmFiZGRhMzdmZWY5ZjVmZThh" style="color: black;" title="Click to Continue > by Browse to Save">Go back</a> to their page and tell them about the award.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;">
<div style="color: #280f06; line-height: 21px; margin: 0px;">
<span style="color: #444444;"><span style="line-height: 24px;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Courier New, Courier, monospace;"><i><span style="color: purple;">5.</span> No tag backs.</i></span></span></span></div>
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Have yo</span><span style="background-color: white; color: red; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">u ever moved away from "home"?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I did, and I think it should be required. I moved from my small town in Wyoming to </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Guantanamo Bay, Cuba a</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">bout 8 months after I graduated High School, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">which was </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">and about </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">7 months after I got </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">married to </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Special Agent, without a shotgun, </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">even. (Ain't love </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">grand?)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;">2. What are your hobbies, besides blogging?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Hmmm. Sadly, Facebook has been a hobby, but I am officially knocking that shit off. I like </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">to read, and I suppose one would say that i am ridiculously addicted to Google research. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Whattanerd. I don't need things to do, i can spaz out on anything. Right now, it's <a href="http://www.inwardoutward.org/2011/02/12/traveling-light">THIS</a> (Click word).</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red;">3. Do you go on family vacations; which was your favorite?</span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">We go every few years to a sunny locale with a national language we don't speak. The last </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">one was to the <a href="http://alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2011/07/be-kind-im-in-swimwear.html">Dominican Republic</a>. I highly recommend. We also go camping every year </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">to the Big Horn Mountains, and I have to say that is my favorite. Dear Wyoming, I love </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">you.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMeGlZGosiSZChwI5s4BeXC56a01EY1345Kp-xqzwx7zGP3fkfLOVJbEsqOEcZi_cluJvIXV_8CxY022iAJ0O7jU0I4SR0bCzzCkgrdyeOY0CWrtCQpXu12PsT-VJn5c66fnhkiB0zN0/s1600/bighorns-275-01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKMeGlZGosiSZChwI5s4BeXC56a01EY1345Kp-xqzwx7zGP3fkfLOVJbEsqOEcZi_cluJvIXV_8CxY022iAJ0O7jU0I4SR0bCzzCkgrdyeOY0CWrtCQpXu12PsT-VJn5c66fnhkiB0zN0/s1600/bighorns-275-01.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">4. Any big plans for 2013?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Not really. While I like change A LOT, I don't really plan ahead about it. I live in the now. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: #333333;">5.</span><span style="color: red;"> If you could have any animal, real or imaginary, for a pet, what would you choose and </span></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">why?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">I want this baby Giraffe. Why?? Uh...duh, because it's awesome. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyobyt45khYkRa89MxVL-cZ5ow67miV2wNb8D3ewohtQU2FDrinjB6P2WvOJZM6RJsOLJ4hMbLyTmM5fHH2xY2YpTX3E8mI5mNI95FiIWL-pCH9X7DhaH0P1wqprKVUOD4lw3D1DE2IHo/s1600/russian-giraffe-billionaire.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyobyt45khYkRa89MxVL-cZ5ow67miV2wNb8D3ewohtQU2FDrinjB6P2WvOJZM6RJsOLJ4hMbLyTmM5fHH2xY2YpTX3E8mI5mNI95FiIWL-pCH9X7DhaH0P1wqprKVUOD4lw3D1DE2IHo/s320/russian-giraffe-billionaire.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">6. What's your favorite book/movie?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">I like too many to name and it depends on my weird mood of the day. I would be suspect </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">of anyone who has just ONE. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">7. It's raining and the kids are home from school, WHAT DO YOU DO?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">We like to watch bad TV. The baboos aren't afraid to lay low, like their mother. If we tire </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">of that, we'd probably cook. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">8. If you could time-travel, would you go back to the past or into the future?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">I hate rules, so I say BOTH. Past to say hi to my Dad and ask him to stop smoking that day. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">I would also like to see my parents when they were young. I </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">would probably totally McFly </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">that shit and erase my existence. Fail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">9. Do you censor your posts based on your followers (like family or certain friends)?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Nah, those who know me, know me. Most like me anyway, even if I am one of the few </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">social liberals in my state. </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="color: red; line-height: 14px;">10. Will you keep blogging?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">That's a good question. I have become terrible at reading blogs, which is what made me </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">start writing one in the first place! </span></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I have been thinking at times that blogging can feel </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">like a job, a </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">responsibility. One that I don't get paid for but which can impede that which </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I AM paid </span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">for. My Spock brain struggles with that computation at times. I will do it as long </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">as its fun</span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">, but will never forget that the blogosphere isn't real life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="color: red; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">11. You get to meet a role model or idol: who is it and why?</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am not really a fan type, and try to get my role models from my real life, so usually know </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">them. It would probably be someone like the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Jawed_Angels">Iron Jawed Angels</a></span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfStmks1TFRpWi_GTPgMPt3aCKFsMI1RhTdCeEPhRDe-46trNqDVeb3RuwwRUymZmKUIvsBrJrbU0X-0HC4uxfhYh3diW78V1PVS0ykdYDR0jK2W08S8S-PRey36mWmAkDc27dD2uTYk/s1600/iron+jawed+angels.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdfStmks1TFRpWi_GTPgMPt3aCKFsMI1RhTdCeEPhRDe-46trNqDVeb3RuwwRUymZmKUIvsBrJrbU0X-0HC4uxfhYh3diW78V1PVS0ykdYDR0jK2W08S8S-PRey36mWmAkDc27dD2uTYk/s320/iron+jawed+angels.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is an excellent movie about them, see it! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">So....11 random factoids about moi</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">. I am pretty random, so there. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Well, I just told you all a bunch of crud above, so....now I feel spent. Be right back, I am </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">taking a nap. Just </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">kidding. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">1. I don't drink coffee. I can't stand it. I only drink tea, and only a kind which your </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Grandma and the local </span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">pancake house carry. I have tried all of the chi-chi varieties, but I </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">always come back to the one with the </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">stupidest name in creation; I don't even like to say </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">it.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSw4s6noUoKCxPH-8oQNQAqfMl1MB_BH_gJydTnUn19kZSPkSsSSgGUy4bR9_TyX7aS9uabtMj3dUFAKJFS8W2jLBLi8tkz4ZpCtQciH0noWucPXerecEngO_o3QCyBfoXVaYUkCjY0w/s1600/constant+comment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPSw4s6noUoKCxPH-8oQNQAqfMl1MB_BH_gJydTnUn19kZSPkSsSSgGUy4bR9_TyX7aS9uabtMj3dUFAKJFS8W2jLBLi8tkz4ZpCtQciH0noWucPXerecEngO_o3QCyBfoXVaYUkCjY0w/s1600/constant+comment.jpg" /></a></div>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 18px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">2. I have a twin sister, who is a much nicer person than I am. I am opinionated and I try to </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">push her around. </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">I imagine when she hangs up the phone with me, she occasionally</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"> flips </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">me the bird. And I don't blame her. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">3. I wake up at 5:55 almost every day so I can lay in bed and watch a whole lotta news. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">While I check my </span></span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">Twitter and read articles. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">4. On one of our first dates, I made Special Agent watch a Manson- family documentary. I </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">am surprised he ever came back. Romantic, right? His own weird streak must have kept </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">him hanging on.</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIF3NJOfSZZ0nGJaNsMsyb5schpDc3iyl7i9wUqYri9nRRcZKr4CXfwDg-FgLBnMcMS1i8NxySbnYXeq4Z6AtyeVwXJr044lEwxKrukkbTfUZTe6RkhzEIt5nJSuv3k0Yn6RlJan9zdB8/s1600/helter+skelter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIF3NJOfSZZ0nGJaNsMsyb5schpDc3iyl7i9wUqYri9nRRcZKr4CXfwDg-FgLBnMcMS1i8NxySbnYXeq4Z6AtyeVwXJr044lEwxKrukkbTfUZTe6RkhzEIt5nJSuv3k0Yn6RlJan9zdB8/s320/helter+skelter.jpg" width="229" /></a></div>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">5. For a time, I used to check the bathroom from behind the shower curtain obsessively </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">while showering, something I blame on <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7YvAYIJSSZY">Rockwell</a>. One day, i just stopped. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">6. I am married to a former Marine-turned-Special-Agent, but I am really a pacifist. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">7. I have no idea who Liebster is. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">8. I sometimes cheat at Words With Friends. But usually because I am too busy to take the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">time to think it out. Fuck, did I really just say I am TOO BUSY FOR SCRABBLE? </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">9. I was voted 'most blunt' of my Senior class. Is that a compliment? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">10. My brother was gay and died of AIDS. I have a special needs niece who has half a brain </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">and outsmarts me on a regular basis. If you are mean or nasty about gay rights or say the </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">words "fag" or "retarded", I will fuck you up. I learned to not say those things as a part of </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">speech, and SO CAN YOU. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">11. I am under-emotional and it can make me seem cold, but I am actually astute at </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">understanding all elements of a situation and have a lot of empathy. Just because I don't </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">burble </span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">over with emotion doesn't mean I don't have any. I am just not sharing them with </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 14px;">you. </span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">OK! I did it!! </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Now, I would like to tag the following, who are my peeps and are also funny bloggers, </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">who like me, struggle to blog it out regularly. Ok, only some of us. Well, really just me. </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">Here are their <strike>well thought out</strike> questions:</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">1.Where do you do your writing? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">2. Do you have aspirations for a book, or just dicking around? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">3. What do you think non-bloggers, family members and friends think about blogging?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">4. Do you think Facebook can also hinder blogging, as well as help spread your name </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">around? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">5. Do you like sandwiches? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">6. How are you different from those in your peer group? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">7. Are you on Twitter and actually using it? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">8. Do you read a lot of other blogs, or just use yours as a means for your own thoughts?</span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">9. If you could be a fruit, which one would you choose and why? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">10. Do you think these awards are sometimes too long and time-consuming? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">11. How do you think these arbitrary numbers, like 11 are chosen? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;">12. Did you know I was a rebel? </span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Freptilesintheicecream.blogspot.com%2F&ei=ne4GUfzHCqeOiALkjoG4Cw&usg=AFQjCNGKxNgCZwhB_kawROOmO-m8z5r1fA&sig2=Dc-DcxSQtfx4a0R8yT3brw&bvm=bv.41524429,d.cGE">Reptiles in the Ice Cream</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&ved=0CDIQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.musingsofmunch.blogspot.com%2F&ei=u-4GUa_kConwiwLu7YCIBQ&usg=AFQjCNFpc0U85YQbgK8Jb48VsfgUHQa3vA&sig2=c7tSvWtotcxIs0Aq7a4Dlw&bvm=bv.41524429,d.cGE">Musings Of Munch</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://illhaveitontheside.blogspot.com/">I'll Have It on the Side</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://allisonmhahn.blogspot.com/">The Way I See It...</a></span></span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><br /></span></span><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://www.theloadedhandbag.blogspot.com/">The Loaded Handbag</a></span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://debbiesdays.wordpress.com/">Day In and Day Out</a></span><br />
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-26470266364973613882013-01-18T17:28:00.001-07:002013-01-18T17:50:10.759-07:00I'm Off the Sauce...That's it.<br />
I'm through.<br />
<br />
With drinking, that is. No, don't try to talk me out if if just because it improves my personality. (It improves yours too, y'know.)<br />
<br />
I just can't do it anymore, my people. It's time to throw the towel in on casual drinking. And heavy drinking. <br />
<br />
I am not a beer swiller, so hanging up my red solo cup is just fine with me. <br />
<br />
Every time I have ever done shots, I want to be shot out of a cannon at the onset, but feel like I have BEEN shot the next morning. <br />
<br />
But wine...I love her. Especially in red. Especially from Oregon. But wine is like a frenemy; nice to my face but kissing my boyfriend behind my back. I have been told it is called RWH (red wine headache; Google it, yo) but it gets me in every color.<br />
<br />
So, that has basically left me with vodka, which I pronounce 'Wodka' when I drink it, because by three I am walking and talking like a Russian mail-order bride. <br />
<br />
Wodka has been ok as of late, dressed as a Moscow Mule. Wodka, lime and ginger beer dressed in a copper mug. It feels like summer every day. Yum.<br />
<br />
But even Wodka has turned on me, making me have a headache almost immediately. Tsk...Just like the others. Wah.<br />
<br />
So go on, booze hounds; live it up. I'll drive your drunk asses home. <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-26617655508881792052013-01-09T20:56:00.001-07:002013-01-09T20:56:21.271-07:00Matt Damon is Ruining My DayHi there. I am getting my blog on at the Wyoming Policy Institute today, railing about among other things, Matt Damon.<br />
<br />
How could I ever be pissed at Matt Damon you ask??<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN2uO8IK1VxNccfxmNH8nAtP3DkFyaFvHa3ITyrkT8tc1aF4w1RKXWz31ArnJEm2m6lPrXpc_NLI2J_rRb5NtfrGFeZwuBatTDAmMtv_PbzbLKyD7-9RFQBi7M8zlnaoN2tBhS5VFlS8/s1600/Matt+Damon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJN2uO8IK1VxNccfxmNH8nAtP3DkFyaFvHa3ITyrkT8tc1aF4w1RKXWz31ArnJEm2m6lPrXpc_NLI2J_rRb5NtfrGFeZwuBatTDAmMtv_PbzbLKyD7-9RFQBi7M8zlnaoN2tBhS5VFlS8/s1600/Matt+Damon.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I said, Matt! DO YOU LIKE APPLES?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
Go over for a look. I'll wait.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wyomingpolicy.org/index.php/2-uncategorised/98-matt-damon-is-ruining-my-day">Matt! Stop being a dick!</a> (click here)<br />
<br />
Open invite to Matt to come to Wyoming and tell our fine citizens that we don't care about our air, land, water or wildlife.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tGAUURGUfTtDYQf_hNj_9Ly6cNITcab2AfNADUvathOZrFa5UQDYg2muA-Ft9OEuRBy4sHkQvZ617MzB8cc3IIEwYQZSjc1mzairwus0NrQKNMRzM0fQvZEcZ4Auo3_8Y-2e2HsuJyA/s1600/antelope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2tGAUURGUfTtDYQf_hNj_9Ly6cNITcab2AfNADUvathOZrFa5UQDYg2muA-Ft9OEuRBy4sHkQvZ617MzB8cc3IIEwYQZSjc1mzairwus0NrQKNMRzM0fQvZEcZ4Auo3_8Y-2e2HsuJyA/s320/antelope.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Those are fighting words, Damon - The Antelope</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-68433548533670712182013-01-01T14:21:00.001-07:002013-01-01T14:21:22.661-07:00Yeah..Happy New Year and JunkI want to be sunshine-y. <br />
I do.<br />
I said I DO.<br />
<br />
Trouble is, I don't feel sunshine-y. I feel a little like...<br />
Smog. Mixed with a little acid rain.<br />
<br />
This Christmas was suck-ariffic with my mom in the hospital, being tortured by the side effects of the chemo medicine already in her system. <br />
<br />
Second worst Christmas on record. And people wonder why I am a grinch. <br />
<br />
Anyway, the holidays are over and the new year is here. But my mom is still in the hospital, and still feels like crap. She is napping now, and I am happy she is resting. But I wish she could eat more and not feel un-sunshiny.<br />
<br />
So I feel like smog. <br />
<br />
I could give two shits about people's resolutions to exercise more, eat Paleo or stop doing crack. (Ok, the last one would be good, carry on). <br />
<br />
I just want my mom to get better and get the hell out of here. I want to see my mom pissed off and raging against the effects of this miserable shit she is enduring, even if that means she yells a little. Even at me, eek. What I don't want is her to feel sad and helpless. Because that makes me feel sad and helpless. And smoggy.<br />
<br />
I want to stop wearing this fucking face mask, which makes it hard to breathe, or to eat cookies. <br />
<br />
Although I manage.<br />
<br />
So...sunshine-y? Not me, not today. <br />
Soon. <br />
<br />
Until then, I have cookies.<br />
<br/><br/><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQDc5k_2UMJImQ3D8CKC-Sztk2bLil-imlBpZpIOW6Dob_KFRPaRqY6fdpOz5ojZFNg5uywZ-rIKh1KI-xV2W7p_eF6Hgvo986S9kJhZaJZW4bn5a9DPfIvawxubXL_R-G106NlKNZ3g/s640/blogger-image--761421842.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjQDc5k_2UMJImQ3D8CKC-Sztk2bLil-imlBpZpIOW6Dob_KFRPaRqY6fdpOz5ojZFNg5uywZ-rIKh1KI-xV2W7p_eF6Hgvo986S9kJhZaJZW4bn5a9DPfIvawxubXL_R-G106NlKNZ3g/s640/blogger-image--761421842.jpg" /></a></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-75933427752662083122012-12-13T10:14:00.001-07:002012-12-13T10:24:53.996-07:00If Wishes Were Layers....<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hello from the Layers, <strike>Gangnam</strike> holiday style! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsQpBlpEAo5akPJ5gAvs9bJfjBdw0skZ7_x6MMUS0a8o5wV9K4zdzvaIPKaYWG00QeTyVGAK7EXA2W5A36iMwJP8Vgxp3nDmFFB7avtRb48mSmO_7m3NDvgckMZCexMK6R6Qp95A4GGk/s1600/cat-hates-christmas-sweater.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgWsQpBlpEAo5akPJ5gAvs9bJfjBdw0skZ7_x6MMUS0a8o5wV9K4zdzvaIPKaYWG00QeTyVGAK7EXA2W5A36iMwJP8Vgxp3nDmFFB7avtRb48mSmO_7m3NDvgckMZCexMK6R6Qp95A4GGk/s320/cat-hates-christmas-sweater.jpg" width="230" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am dancing under this sweater.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My BFF-pal <a href="http://www.musingsofmunch.blogspot.com/">Munch</a> has tagged me in a neverending-pay-it-forward blog-a-palooza where I am <strike>pressured </strike>requested to write about 5 wishes I have for Christmas. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, here's the thing: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">((whispering)) <span style="font-size: xx-small;">I don't believe in wishing. </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: xx-small;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My swami, Pema Chodron talks a lot about how hope/wishing is really futile since we have to experience what we will experience in our lives without avoidance or wishing it were different or hoping it would be better soon. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Yes, seriously. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Don't judge, read all about my experience with <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&cad=rja&ved=0CFoQFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Falotoflayers.blogspot.com%2F2010%2F11%2Fleaning-into-sharp-points.html&ei=MQbKUO7YGMOziwLv7YC4DA&usg=AFQjCNEagbz9h3T1QLB63es5rv8igDMQLQ&sig2=QlLc6uPHCiwQgY6d1U1Qlg&bvm=bv.1355325884,d.cGE">l<span style="color: red;">eaning into the sharp points HERE</span></a>..then love me more and then come back)</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Special Agent is somewhere rolling his eyes at this, although he *tries* to get me. He would say the reason I don't wish is due to one of my layers he calls Spock. WHat?? A <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&ved=0CEEQFjAB&url=http%3A%2F%2Falotoflayers.blogspot.com%2F2012%2F08%2Fthe-suspense-is-terriblei-hope-itll-last.html&ei=qgfKUKPVGrT9iQLC6oDwBg&usg=AFQjCNFoAg5UHnDu2GdVrjDzevS4yjqJpQ&sig2=uFTA0COCqIf14Pcviy3PAA&bvm=bv.1355325884,d.cGE"><span style="color: red;">Willie Wonka comparison</span></a> a few months ago and now Spock? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I will admit to being a little overly logical and realistic, and that I have slightly protruding ears, but...Spock? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwC7zuHatCpIRKKPPGIqleJxYPpLxJLcKrTjvGusjRqyU_BmhCAEAyiabyAVF-ckWzuFUpufdL4N5ZCq44kWymG6LYN6-6na_nmlYbkpF75OA48sWIiZA1rVWiu7uNRUZUoxwkPdFWYY/s1600/spock.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkwC7zuHatCpIRKKPPGIqleJxYPpLxJLcKrTjvGusjRqyU_BmhCAEAyiabyAVF-ckWzuFUpufdL4N5ZCq44kWymG6LYN6-6na_nmlYbkpF75OA48sWIiZA1rVWiu7uNRUZUoxwkPdFWYY/s320/spock.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Ok, maybe.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But for a friend, specifically the munch who is making women feel better about themselves all over the blogosphere....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My 5 wishes for this holiday season...by the Meanie Onion</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">1. Of course, my first wish is that my mother remain in cancer ass-kicking mode and that by Valentines Day we no longer throw lingo like 'white blood count', 'chemo pump', and other yucky cancer-y words. We will be over that shit. And still eating a lot of lunch together.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">2. My second wish is for the folks in the Oncology waiting room whose situation is much more uncertain than my mother's to kick cancer's ass as well. :( Get well, darlings. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">3. This one is none of your beeswax.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">4. I wish all servicemen and women serving away from their families don't have to be away much longer. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">5. I wish that those who are sad, lonely or unfulfilled by their lives this season find what they need in the New Year. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">There. Done. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> Live Long and Prosper and junk. </span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>I am happy to link up a few fellow bloggers as well who are awesomesauce and deserve a fly-by. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i>Check out<span style="color: red;"> <a href="http://musingsofmunch.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Munch</span></a></span>, linked above as well. I didn't want you to forget, since he is a friend to all bloggers and will definitely give a shout one when earned. </i></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://debiehive.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">De Bie Hive</span></a> - Although we have never met, we have mutual friends. It WILL happen. I know it. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://reptilesintheicecream.com/"><span style="color: red;">Reptiles in the Ice Cream</span></a> is crazy in all the right ways. I love her long time. She also got her own domain, adios Blogspot..</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://www.midgetmanofsteel.com/"><span style="color: red;">Rowdy Rodne</span>y</a>: Also follow him on Facebook. He has a new book out and I am extremely JEALOUS. He also has a cookie line. You heard me. </i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><a href="http://illhaveitontheside.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">I'll Have it on the Side</span></a> - She and I are having some issues with blogging regularly, but when she does, it's enjoyable goodness.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><i><br /></i></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-12059586688551796722012-12-11T16:08:00.003-07:002012-12-11T16:08:33.904-07:00Onward HO! Layers Visits Social Wyoming..and is PoeticHi there,<br />
<br />
I have been blogging it UP with more holiday spirit than I feel over at Social Wyoming this week. One silly poem and a fun little chat about 'decking the walls' (see what I did there?). Check it out and leave me some rad comments so my boss will be uber impressed! um...please?<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.socialwyo.com/2012/12/onward-ho-social-media-and-holi-daze.html">Social Wyoming, Holiday style!</a> (Because <a href="http://www.alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2012/12/family-cancer-social-blitz-o-ramaits.html">Gangnam Style i</a>s soooo last week, yo.)<br />
<br />
See you there!<br />
<br />
And, because I love you and I know...KNOW you will hustle over to Social Wyo to give me some love, this is for you. This is some seriously powdery snow leaping.<br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/0sUL0KCIc48" width="420"></iframe>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-79319257309650306002012-12-05T11:41:00.002-07:002012-12-05T11:50:24.909-07:00Family Cancer Social Blitz O' Rama...It's A Layer<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Hi, hello..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Unlike cool bloggers, I don't have those special days in which I post, except the occasional Throat-punch Thursday, which occasionally occurs on Monday. Or Saturday. Or skips a week.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This day, I am calling Random Wednesday. I had to check the calendar to make sure I was on the right day. It's that random, yo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have a few things I want to chat about:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Those of you who knowS me, knowS I don't likes to share a lot about tough times or the accompanying feelings beyond self-righteousness or annoyance. But I shared on my Layers <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/A-Lot-of-Layers/155418797843657?fref=ts">Facebook page</a> (you aren't on it? get going!) that my mom has a <span style="font-size: xx-small;">small</span> case of cancer, which I am rudely calling "Cancer Light". Before you yell at me about minimizing my poor decrepit (she isn't, she's fab) mother's illness, you needS to knowS a few more things.</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">My mother's cancer was caught SUPER early and has been mostly banished from Sandy-land with the biopsy. She got an A+ on her PET scan test! ((Beaming))</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I minimize shtuff because it makes me feel less afraid. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Compared to the many very ill people at the oncology center, I feel relieved about my mom's prognosis and 95% treatment success rate.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I joke about serious matters because it makes me feel less afraid</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I am emotionally stunted</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbZon2IloDLfdyZHzC61dFXdWI5krC0VrURPGIFHPDqb9xFjgZnvFCWUPW5waN3wXCrHQaTyQzS6LuC4Gd4IWkJLS6LR1cfx-yoFPjRau0Zze9qj96iJLxtpyu82by8v8KkW0tpTf3sI/s1600/cat+on+lizard+cage.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvbZon2IloDLfdyZHzC61dFXdWI5krC0VrURPGIFHPDqb9xFjgZnvFCWUPW5waN3wXCrHQaTyQzS6LuC4Gd4IWkJLS6LR1cfx-yoFPjRau0Zze9qj96iJLxtpyu82by8v8KkW0tpTf3sI/s200/cat+on+lizard+cage.JPG" width="149" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have guilt that I shared about my mom's diagnosis, since it is her beeswax, but I can't stuff the cancer cat back in the bag (I also can't keep our real cat off of the lizard cage either, but that is another story).</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Cancer is </span>suckariffic<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and my mom is handling her treatment like the woman she is. She looks awesome and you wouldn't know she was even taking treatments if I hadn't just rudely announced it in the </span>blogosphere<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">. I shouldn't have shared it, but I was so </span>fecking<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> annoyed last week that i couldn't stop myself from posting a public service announcement asking people not to ask those who have cancer WHERE THEIR CANCER IS. This is none of your business. And don't ask her </span>meanface<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> daughter either.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Ask TWIN, she is the nice one.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">If you feel you must ask (don't), and the person you ask quietly replies that it is in a place that people don't want to share about, don't AGAIN ask "really, where???". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Please stop it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I know you are curious and concerned in a mostly good way, and I will happily regale you with the details of radiation, chemo pumps, white blood counts, my research on </span>Probiotics<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> and my rock-star mother's handling of it all, I promise. But please don't look at her in alarm with what she is calling "the cancer eyes" and screech "I hope your beautiful red hair doesn't fall out!!". </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Seriously, stop that right now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhQYDjf1o4b6_bgzxHDxtfcKN0ZnOLRlFWOS3ckBpg63xbOykihwZq4wshLdB-8dODniBpKYMT5HSFzikcivn1X9ylyqCW6S3CfLrTpV3ETnDfRWdFNRvIUbFKpzLFJ9OzD-vlFVVG_U/s1600/just+don't+do+it.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRhQYDjf1o4b6_bgzxHDxtfcKN0ZnOLRlFWOS3ckBpg63xbOykihwZq4wshLdB-8dODniBpKYMT5HSFzikcivn1X9ylyqCW6S3CfLrTpV3ETnDfRWdFNRvIUbFKpzLFJ9OzD-vlFVVG_U/s200/just+don't+do+it.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Although I wish my mom didn't have cancer, there has been a weird silver lining. </span><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(Hey, look-a-me <a href="http://alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2012_09_01_archive.html">being all sunshin-y and shizzle again</a>, yo!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We are all busy in our family and our extended family life suffers. We can barely manage to get a meal in together which doesn't occur on a national holiday or an anniversary of someone's passing (those lunches just piss me off). I have been openly pouting about this for some time, even demanding I be invited to dinner randomly. We have gotten better, but...we still stink at it.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Until recently.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We have been transporting my very able-bodied mother to treatment every day, taking turns with TWIN. The treatment is pretty fast most days, leaving time to run some errands for my mom in order to keep her away from germs and also just to carry heavy stuff and do the hearing for her (she is hard of hearing). But the cool part is that TWIN and I and Sandy are spending some serious quality time! Some days, I join TWIN on her day for a lunch trio, and she joins mine. It's a FAMILY-CANCER-SOCIAL-BLITZ! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Did I just say that? You know I did. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It will be nice if we can keep it up once we don't have to worry about those pesky treatments any longer. Fuck you, treatments!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had a lot more to tell you, but I forgot. But, I promised some randomness, so....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dr. Phil's wife appears to be aging backward.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Discuss.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oh, and there is this. I am proud (most days) to say that this crazy Al Simpson character is from my state. He hasn't always voted my way, but the dude exudes common sense. And, he is hip. Even with a bum knee. Gangnam Al! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(If you think this is funny, check him out on YouTube saying Snoopy Poopy Poop Dog.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Al Simpson, please be my grandpa.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And...I'm OUT!</span><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="360" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/kjLuj0EhsQg?feature=player_embedded" width="640"></iframe>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-98399650765651042012-11-23T22:03:00.001-07:002012-11-23T22:03:26.056-07:00The Best Kind of FollowingMy kids follow me around the house. Not in an obvious way; more like a fog which trickles in over time, one after the other. They don't really talk to me, but bring their book or electronics in to sit near me after I have snuck away from the noisy TV show they were watching. One arrives, usually to lie on the bed by me. Soon enough, the other rolls in to share my air. I'd love to say it drives me crazy, but the truth is, it's dreamy, animalistic, mother-y goodness which makes me feel like a lioness with her cubs. Purr. <div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmoYAKKzmylPFjKLgaTmifF-oNM554DY0ha8gKRUzOTEsBdccUFFNfuzSAwaB8q3dAlEq3kPMkwkettixy8SecUbdVk7M8rEbp-sDYom4ErthcivxLTaUZykkfFyJWFKbJnXE7CYp0is/s640/blogger-image-78542525.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRmoYAKKzmylPFjKLgaTmifF-oNM554DY0ha8gKRUzOTEsBdccUFFNfuzSAwaB8q3dAlEq3kPMkwkettixy8SecUbdVk7M8rEbp-sDYom4ErthcivxLTaUZykkfFyJWFKbJnXE7CYp0is/s640/blogger-image-78542525.jpg" /></a></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-919790047313532092012-10-17T20:42:00.000-06:002012-10-17T20:42:01.432-06:00Crud is in the Hiz-Ouse.<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An e-bola like crud has descended upon our household. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Stomach viruses are awesome....said no one ever. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa5fm0sxunlOeRHK3f4GhaU8Fxkg8fpuSxztDmoXBFCHBtkMD8N0XePbEhctIR44uI0HVyIgkOn65Mposhmjztvdd6wXiUUURXrK4mb10V4cqE4tgoRqZjaV97Zxqx5yGdPfqR1NzzNQ/s1600/stomach+flu.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiZa5fm0sxunlOeRHK3f4GhaU8Fxkg8fpuSxztDmoXBFCHBtkMD8N0XePbEhctIR44uI0HVyIgkOn65Mposhmjztvdd6wXiUUURXrK4mb10V4cqE4tgoRqZjaV97Zxqx5yGdPfqR1NzzNQ/s1600/stomach+flu.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have managed to avoid a major collision with the bug, but have been sideswiped a little between bouts of caring for the infirmed. But I AM NOT SICK.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Special Agent and I don't "do" sick. It isn't allowed around here. We reject illness. When it inevitably strikes one of us, this is how the conversation goes</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: ((sniff)) ((Cough-cough, gag))</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse B: You ok?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: I'm fine. ((clearing throat))</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse B: No you aren't....Oooh, you're getting SICK!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: No I'm not. ((squinting evil eye at Spouse B)) I'm FINE. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse B: Yea-heah..Youuuuu're sick. ((Smiling))</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: I'M NOT SICK!!!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse B: Sick. Siiiiiick. Sick-sick-sick-sick.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: Shut up. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br />Spouse B: ((singing)) sickety-sick-pants....</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse A: SHUT UP! SHUT YOUR MOUTH ((random violence))</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Spouse B: ((Walking away backward while mouthing)) SICK.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MQQtgWNIY6ISOtBvmkW7LjbumtdnI4Lwz3vHDdbaIViJ51bczj2nvcU-b6_9Nbj96lpg3O6Xi-ohSnd4p7XU4vWn0l7OgnAH7X441W8j2yKLrxZV9-CLlYg47uaBWIBdMnTROGaHZzU/s1600/special+agent+sick+mask.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6MQQtgWNIY6ISOtBvmkW7LjbumtdnI4Lwz3vHDdbaIViJ51bczj2nvcU-b6_9Nbj96lpg3O6Xi-ohSnd4p7XU4vWn0l7OgnAH7X441W8j2yKLrxZV9-CLlYg47uaBWIBdMnTROGaHZzU/s1600/special+agent+sick+mask.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Special Agent calling me an hour later to<br />say..."you're sick". ...Jerk.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It isn't much better with our kids. When they say they feel sick, we literally try to talk them out of it. We have had a modicum of success with the strategy and will hold out on it until someone has a fever or throws up TWICE. (Once could just have been a fluke, a bad clam, whatev.) </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fevers and continued vomiting are a no argument illnesses. Your body is literally PROVING its ill. Fine. Fiiiine. You're sick. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But how long does this have to go on, geez???? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Both kids have been through two days EACH of smashing their germy bodies into our couch, intermittently throwing up and groaning. I throw crackers through the door into the couch area and roll a bottle of Gatorade their way. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUhpgSEPsPKci-jmfUCm9XmQcAhcDTqKBvH_g4FmXjtcwLIofat9rZK-rJGtfIC3nUnKNP21vIfZe-wHQkTLSHAIvm85OLe9Aiasw3i72aHD4b5hx7_Nd28KXk4JPbq9PwDaOZHWHPD0/s1600/saltines.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghUhpgSEPsPKci-jmfUCm9XmQcAhcDTqKBvH_g4FmXjtcwLIofat9rZK-rJGtfIC3nUnKNP21vIfZe-wHQkTLSHAIvm85OLe9Aiasw3i72aHD4b5hx7_Nd28KXk4JPbq9PwDaOZHWHPD0/s1600/saltines.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> I try to be nice and kind, but I don't have a ton of stamina after about...4 hours of this sick business. You've thrown up everything you could possibly have had in your body (and then some). Get well...Now. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Consequently, our kids are pretty tough. The insurance lady just noted with amazement that we haven't had a claim yet this year for either kid. And I haven't even been employing my <a href="http://alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2011/10/dr-onions-fishy-experiment-in-self.html"><span style="color: red;"><b>fish antibiotic treatment</b></span></a>! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Our daughter has yelled at me several times today that she is FINE, in between school, trying out for basketball, doing her math homework and throwing up. I keep winging crackers at her,but she won't eat 'em. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So don't come over. Stay far away from us for at least 10 days. We have a little something going on around here. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But, WE ARE NOT SICK. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkjbuT7ijpb2X1-dlAtfHfTGEHN9-5rYo4K7t8D8S9ao2bTqu6Vf_No1B4_HsFH1GusN7nVP9Z9x4Pt1hUjgYNe1OUDC-PZiOpySeTiruCkFEXPyzMOAolqkUPFf74TwarP_szycQ2Io/s1600/quarantine.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYkjbuT7ijpb2X1-dlAtfHfTGEHN9-5rYo4K7t8D8S9ao2bTqu6Vf_No1B4_HsFH1GusN7nVP9Z9x4Pt1hUjgYNe1OUDC-PZiOpySeTiruCkFEXPyzMOAolqkUPFf74TwarP_szycQ2Io/s1600/quarantine.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-31433004888987720122012-10-04T14:21:00.001-06:002012-10-04T14:25:06.782-06:00Melancholy <div style="text-align: center;">
The lonesome oak tree held its fire</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
til November...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
We watched the last brown leaf </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
hit the ground and blow away....</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
An evening gunshot let him know </div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
the hunt was over...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
A familiar cold moved in</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
somewhere between snow and rain...</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
- Robert Earl Keen</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I did some errands and couldn't help but notice all of the hunters in town, gathering their supplies together and smiling and at the cool, damp weather which lends to their success. I smiled at them, groups of men looking like boys. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I felt sorry for myself, sorry for my loss, which is not new but always with me. I ate some fresh bread, ripped in chunks from the loaf in my cart while i slowly pushed around the aisles of light bulbs and steel wool. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I frowned at the hunters behind their backs. Somewhere, someone had no idea that next year, their hunter won't not be among these boy-men. And then he won't be there for the next six years, either. He isn't coming back. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I felt sad for my mother. I felt sad for a friend who lost her hunter just last month. I felt bad for fatherless and grandfatherless children. But mostly, I felt bad for myself. </div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
I miss him.</div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0tZpcmvXLmJO-7EuIHFVOuDti5z_L3I7yb76Nt9wnh87n6iTmUC2WI-crsHq9uK-iNezOgCzU3FiMBmUWy1rcNIdezEdMu6zz3Grli9h9E0ibXVZIhwrqhHV377qHpiep27yQNuJEaA/s1600/hunter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE0tZpcmvXLmJO-7EuIHFVOuDti5z_L3I7yb76Nt9wnh87n6iTmUC2WI-crsHq9uK-iNezOgCzU3FiMBmUWy1rcNIdezEdMu6zz3Grli9h9E0ibXVZIhwrqhHV377qHpiep27yQNuJEaA/s1600/hunter.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-80954081090076223412012-09-23T08:23:00.001-06:002012-09-23T08:50:31.471-06:00I'm Sunshiny and JunkSo yeah.......<br />
<br />
Remember I was just telling you about being described as being "nice like Gene Wilder in Willie Wonka in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory?" If not, look <span style="color: red;"><a href="http://alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2012/08/the-suspense-is-terriblei-hope-itll-last.html"><span style="color: red;">here</span></a>.</span><br />
<br />
It kind of seemed like an insult and compliment all rolled into one freaky eyed, frizzy haired rich guy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YLZn9w4rtegBUMKAaMPjTmYBrLc_SyV0wGV5u7iYX5atzNG3M3zjoi9bwpoXXLumadi2FqXPrX4Hp7Tpc6AEMxDdar8T-Chy5srV9qS9UmgdCxdga7LbaioO9WDbIGiOyNL9d_muQ8E/s1600/Willy+Wonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YLZn9w4rtegBUMKAaMPjTmYBrLc_SyV0wGV5u7iYX5atzNG3M3zjoi9bwpoXXLumadi2FqXPrX4Hp7Tpc6AEMxDdar8T-Chy5srV9qS9UmgdCxdga7LbaioO9WDbIGiOyNL9d_muQ8E/s320/Willy+Wonka.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />
<br />
I'll admit, I can be a bit sarcastic and droll. I am no Mary Poppins or Maria Von Trapp,. But, apparently, someone, namely the fabu blogger <a href="http://debiehive.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">DeBie Hive</span></a> thinks my blog is... *sniff*<br />
<br />
Sunshiny.<br />
((wiping nose on arm))<br />
<br />
She gave me the Sunshine Award. Isn't that nice? And here when I have been a bad, neglectful blog-mommy? I have been trying to do better and it made my Willie-Wonka heart skip a beat when I saw it. Go check her out. Give her a little layers shout-out and shizzle.<br />
<br />
She likes me.<br />
She really likes me.<br />
<br />
Yep, I could be over-doing it. But an award is an award, so I am taking it. What did you accomplish today, sucka?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RXbV40Vzlmt2pFdjXOg2NgyQ7bBMfljdWOz-ZAVyiu_OqkLFApvNFcaLY2WK1B8odwUWMA5vD_SQO8Un9RgsbIvtyVXF79ttBcATNBj9g6UC98bhoF7CXw3Mk3A0f9zAp6JLxwfCkPA/s1600/sunshineaward-285x260_zps1f542aee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4RXbV40Vzlmt2pFdjXOg2NgyQ7bBMfljdWOz-ZAVyiu_OqkLFApvNFcaLY2WK1B8odwUWMA5vD_SQO8Un9RgsbIvtyVXF79ttBcATNBj9g6UC98bhoF7CXw3Mk3A0f9zAp6JLxwfCkPA/s1600/sunshineaward-285x260_zps1f542aee.jpg" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="background-color: white;">These awards are a nice way for bloggers to recognize each other and share our blogs with other followers of other blogs. So, play along. </span>Go check her out. Give her a little layers shout-out and shizzle. Here is the link a-gain.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://debiehive.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">DeBie Hive</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">Awardees are supposed to answer the following eight questions, then nominate other bloggers. I included a lot of photos, because it's Sunday and I am still in my jammies, and because I don't want to clean the house. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">1. What is your favorite Christmas/holiday movie?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> Hands down, it's the cartoon version of Dr. Suess' The Grinch, with a special shout out to the dog with the bone tied to his head. You're a foul one, Mr. Carey, for the remake that made people forget the funny and sweet original. </span></span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11YrEPxQ6CKjUieqsHlAIkFSHbRbFsTRh9blP4S55geuoWCQqtZT_XKN6POtnOn4aC5WJRmel5WMuI_EB4j_BeLMq24G0yiTBPaTWjmXyqWQaXfRXfDsYWjLI0ISefy5li7fT15DqrhU/s1600/grinch+cartoon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="187" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj11YrEPxQ6CKjUieqsHlAIkFSHbRbFsTRh9blP4S55geuoWCQqtZT_XKN6POtnOn4aC5WJRmel5WMuI_EB4j_BeLMq24G0yiTBPaTWjmXyqWQaXfRXfDsYWjLI0ISefy5li7fT15DqrhU/s200/grinch+cartoon.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">YES! </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAF3BKG1t6X9k4ckpB4b6NpVrELIrHTrxHZjFQF-Ghqh47QDdu1uBU2O5l9miTCDrR5m_Z7Jvv3pqZOg2_shf_YmXeL3tT8Wd86Di9hs2FeqQkTUPJSoCbuKqNjY8qzEwleSN9uJO5G8/s1600/grinch+movie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrAF3BKG1t6X9k4ckpB4b6NpVrELIrHTrxHZjFQF-Ghqh47QDdu1uBU2O5l9miTCDrR5m_Z7Jvv3pqZOg2_shf_YmXeL3tT8Wd86Di9hs2FeqQkTUPJSoCbuKqNjY8qzEwleSN9uJO5G8/s200/grinch+movie.jpg" width="130" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">MEH.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></b></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">2. What is your favorite flower?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> I really like orchids, which are bold and simple all at once. I also lurve anything purple which grows wild, which reminds me of the line in The Color Purple about everything wanting to be loved. The Big Horn Mountains near our home always have a beautiful display in the spring. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpenT6ki4TbMOGeqauUwQub7aWvnNWs2lRD9npqBFcJsdYE1pRdEQmn9SwDcr-nrDNUA2tnv83zezWRinPhlDWSMEMQEMOb-JxYMQUeHW3RgPtzy8bg8tQuZHntxRXVq4YI5HreNlxZA/s1600/big+horns.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjbpenT6ki4TbMOGeqauUwQub7aWvnNWs2lRD9npqBFcJsdYE1pRdEQmn9SwDcr-nrDNUA2tnv83zezWRinPhlDWSMEMQEMOb-JxYMQUeHW3RgPtzy8bg8tQuZHntxRXVq4YI5HreNlxZA/s200/big+horns.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif; font-size: small;">I know. I live an hour away from this. Muah.</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">3. What is your favorite non-alcoholic beverage?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> Bigelow "Constant Comment" grocery store tea. Every day. I carry it with me since I find the name </span><span style="line-height: 20.766666412353516px;">embarrassing</span><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> to ask for in a restaurant. And because I am addicted to it. And because I am preparing to be an old lady.</span></span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhMvil2l2x2TuqCiGWUgnn3aUrUEG6uv_YLxuw1FfCmF8xtFKz2oSqPU3fLmrP-vrK-L1jJXm30Bd7gV0I4ZhoDTWqqfra_-ADf-raor4cCveQMg4T4QSQg0QqMRetP1Sq6E5VIZ2bMY/s1600/constant+comment.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="178" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPhMvil2l2x2TuqCiGWUgnn3aUrUEG6uv_YLxuw1FfCmF8xtFKz2oSqPU3fLmrP-vrK-L1jJXm30Bd7gV0I4ZhoDTWqqfra_-ADf-raor4cCveQMg4T4QSQg0QqMRetP1Sq6E5VIZ2bMY/s200/constant+comment.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">How about a cuppa tea, Granny?</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><span style="line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">4. What is your passion?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> Special Agent and I just discussed this and....I don't appear to have one. He said maybe being bossy? :-/ I like that I don't have a white hot passion. I am a layered person, made up of a lot of different interests. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXUrNsQsglBuswZ9cnbYFnHEFoSzBYuNNYFLkw_YnT-ra5Hn02NVG_0TXKDMLxZ2o4hJcsIFdFotSslgpQA4xaMZWY9axkR3Fdh-zkU7q8gurLNctnMV6L7XkgcbHpcI_yHrij_2oUBs/s1600/blank.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="190" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivXUrNsQsglBuswZ9cnbYFnHEFoSzBYuNNYFLkw_YnT-ra5Hn02NVG_0TXKDMLxZ2o4hJcsIFdFotSslgpQA4xaMZWY9axkR3Fdh-zkU7q8gurLNctnMV6L7XkgcbHpcI_yHrij_2oUBs/s200/blank.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">5. What is your favorite time of year?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> I love fall, I always have. I dress in fall colors, my house is decorated in fall colors, I sometimes pretend I am a leaf. Unfortunately, this is my allergy season so I spend a lot of time enjoying it through a Kleenex and Claritin-induced haze while wishing for the first frost. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFIOXL8I-sbk0avDpm5alSIZuMCy505m6cPdx2NxqM7R7ND37FwzMGgwND0c7tvzrI-qKMKrBdC4uhFMN01tGFcgvpKgDyf8J6HtPEQ2kQ6c8tzcPcYCLdDB8Ox9EgLwCBN2K40qw6yc/s1600/autumn.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBFIOXL8I-sbk0avDpm5alSIZuMCy505m6cPdx2NxqM7R7ND37FwzMGgwND0c7tvzrI-qKMKrBdC4uhFMN01tGFcgvpKgDyf8J6HtPEQ2kQ6c8tzcPcYCLdDB8Ox9EgLwCBN2K40qw6yc/s200/autumn.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">6. What is your favorite time of day?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> A time of day called The Gloaming. That moment between day and night when just for a moment, the whole world gets quiet. It feels like the world is perfect and calm, just for that very moment, if no other. So no talking.</span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1e8rUdeStTvjvTFS8VD7BGWeUZEoHhWZ8B4a6Yd3rqOdUKhEaPH85ZrDM2HMB0s_GVqKHVLoxvPlGXxVDLbyEFHhY5BWp5OVtewViAEXNIXSobIYzuUPkbexkJRrATQGQFTqxcO0eFI/s1600/gloaming.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEga1e8rUdeStTvjvTFS8VD7BGWeUZEoHhWZ8B4a6Yd3rqOdUKhEaPH85ZrDM2HMB0s_GVqKHVLoxvPlGXxVDLbyEFHhY5BWp5OVtewViAEXNIXSobIYzuUPkbexkJRrATQGQFTqxcO0eFI/s200/gloaming.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">7. What is your favorite physical activity?</b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> I am not a person who likes exercise. I tried paddle boarding this summer and I loved it. It required concentration and balance and was in a beautiful surrounding. I was having a zen moment until Special Agent and the boy launched an attack on me from their kayak. Boys. </span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTpfLZn8oxvcT5jQpOYCyXjDSRz7oPKIeY6IfNJErcjT8m8UkO0GYZFzrjWhgrbjSSnwWwyZ7CYsJPDfqWQZOZ-LNa2hvE-5HR3XzBdLtTP9W-YyjDUKCOE9VtgtIeVCM1QmhJApyggY/s1600/paddle+boarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="149" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvTpfLZn8oxvcT5jQpOYCyXjDSRz7oPKIeY6IfNJErcjT8m8UkO0GYZFzrjWhgrbjSSnwWwyZ7CYsJPDfqWQZOZ-LNa2hvE-5HR3XzBdLtTP9W-YyjDUKCOE9VtgtIeVCM1QmhJApyggY/s200/paddle+boarding.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;" /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">8. What is your favorite vacation? </b><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"> I love traveling, and wish I had the means to go more. If you are seeing a trend here, i like things which are calming, so no Disney for me. I like cool-chilling, with a few fun excursions mixed in. In the Dominican we lounged around most days but included zip lining and surf lessons excursions to keep it interesting. </span></span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eA9MmZrg7igsYQRRxXLYdX8JOXudcnTcM6vduI7eCIc01xKYbqsDjF_tEPKXGqvENpj4cISyUTs0CQaNVpohOMxPKu00IG7DD1hbVVRuUNIdGi0KMEYdPoJwaK65BN5KGitGF995Pg8/s1600/surfing+shark.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="86" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0eA9MmZrg7igsYQRRxXLYdX8JOXudcnTcM6vduI7eCIc01xKYbqsDjF_tEPKXGqvENpj4cISyUTs0CQaNVpohOMxPKu00IG7DD1hbVVRuUNIdGi0KMEYdPoJwaK65BN5KGitGF995Pg8/s200/surfing+shark.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The surfers are really us, the shark...is in disguise.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;">I am pitching some sunshine to the following blogs, so go have a look-see here or on Facebook.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: red;"><a href="http://www.musingsofmunch.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Musings of Munch</span></a> </span>- haha, funny guy. Snarky goodness. Also, he is a male model for Ambercrombie & Fitch</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://reptilesintheicecream.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">Reptiles in the Ice Cream</span></a> - Oh man, strap yourself in. The girl is much funny. And thoughtful.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://illhaveitontheside.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: red;">I'll Have it On The Side</span></a> - I am trying to arrange our children to be married. We would be some awesomely embarrassing in laws. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.theloadedhandbag.com/"><span style="color: red;">The Loaded Handbag</span></a> - I haven't been a good follower of blogs, and I miss what is going on with this one. I am tuning back in ASAP. I just read her blog and now I want to move in with her.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 20.78333282470703px;"><br /></span>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-71527149110771926952012-09-18T12:41:00.000-06:002012-09-20T11:25:22.680-06:00Throat Punch Tuesday<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Dear this week,</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">You suck. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, and it is only Tuesday. Monday dropped in and kicked me in the layers yesterday and Tuesday is not looking any shinier. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Today's nonsense was (in a round about way) brought to you by the worst idea in retail: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No..</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWn3cJj_qnvcS-960QkST5JgkuFiXK_uZGHcUkGyflsCdFC_xb89S2Frp8uXPJnyR-AJqIylGrk5KNjTNO-1K7JBh6VlMExGxGl4en-mCG1bng8YpLoP3A_RIk3TXnkvS4sv-xhvDGjU/s1600/bacon+soda.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBWn3cJj_qnvcS-960QkST5JgkuFiXK_uZGHcUkGyflsCdFC_xb89S2Frp8uXPJnyR-AJqIylGrk5KNjTNO-1K7JBh6VlMExGxGl4en-mCG1bng8YpLoP3A_RIk3TXnkvS4sv-xhvDGjU/s200/bacon+soda.jpg" width="149" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not this either, although this is just weird and wrong. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_E_SZxyrNS_LczR2RXAk-g81JZIEL0W8AcyZiVpKXq8H7Tt6c8eIlqKE0TaW8WCKAY7R5SPknHZz0WTZfK6ktMGAuoShGT6RUN1Ei7D9F5YTRVxVI-vddOvelSBtSnDtlYEGdvePeOM/s1600/gelli+bath.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="145" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj_E_SZxyrNS_LczR2RXAk-g81JZIEL0W8AcyZiVpKXq8H7Tt6c8eIlqKE0TaW8WCKAY7R5SPknHZz0WTZfK6ktMGAuoShGT6RUN1Ei7D9F5YTRVxVI-vddOvelSBtSnDtlYEGdvePeOM/s200/gelli+bath.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFwWpA0S79XIe6JQTUy6WcsArKChqPDaqWJlA_1vMQJh2MSccbLtP-ZFmggQZh6XjKmyfKmiOu7G4GeY50ZFmNRPhCJAY9qQnxP2eunol_0MUYxoFIf0K_Rz0SDM8xyXPypct8D4AIho/s1600/handerpants.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="152" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVFwWpA0S79XIe6JQTUy6WcsArKChqPDaqWJlA_1vMQJh2MSccbLtP-ZFmggQZh6XjKmyfKmiOu7G4GeY50ZFmNRPhCJAY9qQnxP2eunol_0MUYxoFIf0K_Rz0SDM8xyXPypct8D4AIho/s200/handerpants.jpg" width="200" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Not even Handerpants...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's bathroom products which are housed in glass containers. This combined with tile flooring is akin to money with wings at my house. I am getting wrinkly and old <strike>waaaaay</strike> before my time because these jars and bottles of eye cream and youthful splendor lotion end up humpty-dumpty'ed on the tile after about 2 applications. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Yes, I have considered scooping up and using the product post-break (don't judge), but the idea of rubbing splintered glass into my already not-youthful skin only allows me to consider it for about... 13 seconds. Then I frown until that wrinkle between my eyes pulsates and throw it all away. </span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHTw3comWoJqrfIBQhcqlOG_udeSI1sEQORGLUmPxKT2vkpgeaILxhUjLmppIUBKQSpAz_juMVGiPNmADTzRZOU8GIBHV7i8YXtgrBgx9OAunXRbtMxx9I_kLCgf4pdQ4KNHbq0Nityc/s1600/broken+jar+on+floor.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrHTw3comWoJqrfIBQhcqlOG_udeSI1sEQORGLUmPxKT2vkpgeaILxhUjLmppIUBKQSpAz_juMVGiPNmADTzRZOU8GIBHV7i8YXtgrBgx9OAunXRbtMxx9I_kLCgf4pdQ4KNHbq0Nityc/s1600/broken+jar+on+floor.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Adding injury to insult today was Special Agent, who was lovingly changing light bulbs <strike>in his Superman underoos</strike> when, while </span><strike style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">throwing awa</strike><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">y cramming the old bulbs in the trash, encountered my latest broken miracle cream container and sliced his knuckle well, off. Craaap. Much blood oozery and swearing. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We loaded up our still home baboo (who was also still in his underoos when notified of the injury) and headed off to the doc, post-haste. Special Agent had already told me he wanted to go to the walk in-clinic, to which I agreed might be faster than the local ER. He held gauze over his bloody grossness as I drove.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">We hustled to the walk in clinic of his choice..</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"> which was closed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">So, we went to the other clinic. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Also closed.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I grew tired of dicking around and drove to the open-24-7-ER, much to the annoyance of Special Agent. He was adamant he would NOT be going to the ER. I drove there anyway, ignoring him and his bloody nub of a knuckle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He insisted we drive back home and wait for the clinic to open. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I wanted to go in so we could get things taken care of NOW since we were already HERE.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">He allowed he didn't like the ER and didn't feel like they offered a quality service. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I condescendingly reminded him that the clinic we were trying to go to originally is a branch of the same ER we are arguing in front of presently. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think Special Agent must have suffering from blood-loss related illness, because at some point he stomped toward the ER doors just to prove that I HAVE to have my way, but then I wouldn't let him go in, since he didn't want to. It was the height of ridiculous arguing for spouses. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Baboo sat in the back and looked at us like we were both annoying idiots. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I think he might have been right. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">At some point, I think Special Agent worried that I might be wishing he would bleed to death because he suggested we get a drive through breakfast while we waited. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">BREAKFAST!!!!???!!! I fumed as i drove to a McDonald's for Egg Mcmuffins. I considered attacking him, but </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">a) we were in a drive-thru</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">b) he couldn't really defend himself while holding his finger and </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">c) I didn't want his drippy blood all over my car. </span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiF4nH782TISCikfA1-5bCZWOHX43j-GmHPkd7pwN5zmME6VMjnpHgmoVkP3SaPfVkF3Y7cwdjWcIs8KSybUz_p-OUkNOOded8AbkFtTI6htqEYXzTHtQegZyIHxLPxJBUzZ_oYTXhxk/s1600/annoyed+woman.jpg" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" /></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">CAN I SUPERSIZE THAT COFFEE?????</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKiF4nH782TISCikfA1-5bCZWOHX43j-GmHPkd7pwN5zmME6VMjnpHgmoVkP3SaPfVkF3Y7cwdjWcIs8KSybUz_p-OUkNOOded8AbkFtTI6htqEYXzTHtQegZyIHxLPxJBUzZ_oYTXhxk/s1600/annoyed+woman.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">We got our food and I headed back to the clinic. We ate in the car and ventilated the tension through the open car windows. We watched all of the docs and nurses roll in, and stand around outside healthily smoking cigs. I pointed to the child coming in, and let Special Agent know that was likely his doc. We walked in just as they opened and were 01 in the serving line. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The cut was actually a cut-OUT, so there wasn't much to be done about the wound except irrigate it and wrap it in dressings. I delighted only mildly that Special Agent had to get a tetanus shot (not in the ass, bummer) and that his finger dressing makes him look a little like this guy. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qEJHOisJ2V0zC4yphCxMwpFkLZ1cf9v7OhDa3_FoYeFKBPBoCmMz5b33PjLny-tZR6C3-Vde78N_jeUOsSqsngkyIrWzaud4L5udXB8t6CvlL8LG6h53U4z4y954PuGL41pHrbpvQcU/s1600/doctor+finger.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5qEJHOisJ2V0zC4yphCxMwpFkLZ1cf9v7OhDa3_FoYeFKBPBoCmMz5b33PjLny-tZR6C3-Vde78N_jeUOsSqsngkyIrWzaud4L5udXB8t6CvlL8LG6h53U4z4y954PuGL41pHrbpvQcU/s1600/doctor+finger.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And, that the doc was the child I pointed out from the parking lot. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Happy Tuesday at The Layers. The couch is calling me.... </span>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-56497394470228125962012-08-29T12:42:00.003-06:002012-08-29T12:43:11.398-06:00ADD Post: Cooking and Ranting...ooh, and a Lizard..and Cake.<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I feel it...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">do you?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fall cometh.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBDC2iUDQaFRtm-G22z2YQPNFxxc30uT12ni5WcEEXjmqr3o2ErYmcow1OTk10yf3_MbnzI0sNnLM20DKk2ZA2vCV1QanJFEhvnEIBURdYKOpgkAzg5KbN4T5tJ5V9irs5eKA6MMZnrU/s1600/fall+bear.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihBDC2iUDQaFRtm-G22z2YQPNFxxc30uT12ni5WcEEXjmqr3o2ErYmcow1OTk10yf3_MbnzI0sNnLM20DKk2ZA2vCV1QanJFEhvnEIBURdYKOpgkAzg5KbN4T5tJ5V9irs5eKA6MMZnrU/s1600/fall+bear.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even bears like fall....</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I love Fall (I want to call it Autumn publicly, but the kids told me it sounds stupid, so fine..). Fall is beautiful and amazeballs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Even though my hay fever makes me attempt to sneeze out a kidney for many weeks.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a ridiculous 100 degrees in Wyoming today, which makes one think there could be something to that global warming, El nino business, no matter what causes it. All we really know is that it has been one hot summer and everyone is ready for what fall is bound to bring:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cooler temperatures!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Kids back to school!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Cooking!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Politics?</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Um, wait a minute. Did I just say politics? No, no, no, that won't do at all. Politics doesn't let you turn off the smelly and damp air conditioning. It doesn't let you send your brood off into the bright sun to learn stuffs while you drink tea and lurk on Facebook. And it definitely doesn't include white flour or buttah.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The political climate sucks. Neither of the POTUS candidates are good, and some aspects of each are downright frightening. There is a lot of spin and rhetoric swirling around, some by me. Some while I am cooking. I have opinions, yo. It's a layer.</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpP6o5Usm2fSTz-EKgFGR9MyZHGC3uP5_6IxoWk3jAFJ00vWrdO8YJY-knvpcD_yHn2jA2I-sdNN7X-MMrOiDhujrZWnbJReTUkUcKtwMtFbJkUBwXoXifpiBJc542Tk0wNurnpAn3p0/s1600/romney+obama+women.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="318" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitpP6o5Usm2fSTz-EKgFGR9MyZHGC3uP5_6IxoWk3jAFJ00vWrdO8YJY-knvpcD_yHn2jA2I-sdNN7X-MMrOiDhujrZWnbJReTUkUcKtwMtFbJkUBwXoXifpiBJc542Tk0wNurnpAn3p0/s320/romney+obama+women.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I own a small TV we bought when we were first married (13"?) that sits in the kitchen. Modern cable has made it possible to get a whole lotta channels and I use them to watch morning news, bad re-runs and Chris Matthews rounding up sex perverts on Dateline while I cook or clean. Or rant. Or all of the above.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have been doing a lot of Donna Reed style cooking lately, trying to prevent my addled brain from driving like a robot to buy dinner in a sack in between our many practices. Special Agent goes to hide in the backyard when he sees me in an apron over the weekend, yelling at the TV while bagging up prepared batches of smell-good meals I didn't let anyone eat immediately, and shakes his head when he rolls through as I am pouring chicken stock into muffin tins to freeze while grumbling.. 'WHY we CA-ARE who other people MARRY and WH-YY people who purport to support FA-REEDOM want to decide MYYY political party for me. .." Special Agent knows this cooking behavior leads to home-cooked, tasty food, but that it will only appear occasionally between our days of multiple practices, evening meetings and food delivered by teenagers in a piece-of-shit car. The ranting part on the other hand is kind of continual. So, he hides out.</span><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYkjiWgeg3S7icDTaSVqJz_yh4KNsIz78_wnNgCJipKp1SayaSU1aB9GuMdGiHRo8BiEYjtQ9TXSVLiVGpwhieAAjAqRz0RkceY68HFhCx7-qsEcUphkNN-rr4Hn9K9z8DCwCtLD4ZG4/s1600/gordonramsey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgoYkjiWgeg3S7icDTaSVqJz_yh4KNsIz78_wnNgCJipKp1SayaSU1aB9GuMdGiHRo8BiEYjtQ9TXSVLiVGpwhieAAjAqRz0RkceY68HFhCx7-qsEcUphkNN-rr4Hn9K9z8DCwCtLD4ZG4/s1600/gordonramsey.jpg" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Me, talking to Conservatives..</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Sometimes I get the kids on the bandwagon of the cooking and the ranting. Someday we are all going to a march. As soon as my conservative state gets one worth marching in. And, we will tailgate prior with good eats. I have some things in the freezer that will be perfect. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I have made this TWICE this week, after everyone liked it so well the first time. The second time I made it into muffins, so I can pretend it is....breakfast? A healthy-ish snack (fruit and olive oil are healthy, you know), or if we are running late and just need to snatch and grab sustenance for a few hours.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH0u1PEwdO2k0x5V1wV4WktednDTd9BHzVwldRG9ps0wkxBGZPlYbo0_rEthrmNE65O6Dqz_rBa8FXbbUzdondMixk8YQSYrAl9Oa5JYdmIENonMp5m9kr1wTF6hkT3fSdlNk-gC_xZ4/s1600/olive+oil+cake.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUH0u1PEwdO2k0x5V1wV4WktednDTd9BHzVwldRG9ps0wkxBGZPlYbo0_rEthrmNE65O6Dqz_rBa8FXbbUzdondMixk8YQSYrAl9Oa5JYdmIENonMp5m9kr1wTF6hkT3fSdlNk-gC_xZ4/s1600/olive+oil+cake.jpg" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Do you *think* Donna Reed ever succumbed to dessert as a healthy snack??</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">No, no, you're right. Probably not. Fail.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Here is the <a href="http://www.marthastewart.com/345543/olive-oil-cake-with-red-grapes">Olive Oil Cake with Grapes</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I had champagne grapes from Bountiful Baskets, which were small and sweet, <strike>just like me</strike>. It made it more blueberry muffin looking. The second batch was made with orange zest and pecans substitutions, because that is what I had on hand, yo. Sue me.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">P.S. Because I am also the best mom, evah.....I made a deal with the boy that he could get a lizard if he got a touchdown at football. Have a goal, right? Wrong. The kid has made quite a few now and thinks he needs a lizard for EACH TOUCHDOWN. And, no. After dropping two bills on a bearded dragon and her accouterments, we are going to be a ONE lizard family. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And two dogs. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">And two cats. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(We had a an aquatic frog, but he died a violent death. A suspected frog-i-cide</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Suspect: The cat.)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">This definitely flew in the face of my 'nothing-else-that-poops-is-living-here' rule, but look how happy he is? (The boy, not the lizard. <span style="color: #741b47;">Elly, the wonderful lizard of Oz</span> is female. We think. I am NOT checking.)</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8wsM6KFgRiyDta7TtSnTvWQrBN9hT9fXwATdK4LDTFOyGZdMmb8ME5bUV71Nr_eXyRNRoxFNz9UvrvFB3KEfCHeFLbGvZi8VrOnx9V7rULEqfmHb3NAFPpSM84_Uu0VnVtguCMu8r8I/s1600/boy+and+lizard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhM8wsM6KFgRiyDta7TtSnTvWQrBN9hT9fXwATdK4LDTFOyGZdMmb8ME5bUV71Nr_eXyRNRoxFNz9UvrvFB3KEfCHeFLbGvZi8VrOnx9V7rULEqfmHb3NAFPpSM84_Uu0VnVtguCMu8r8I/s400/boy+and+lizard.JPG" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">See her posing for the camera? A natural...</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Finn wears her around on his shirt, which is cute now, but will not land him dates if it is still happening at 15. Don't tell the kids, but sometimes when they aren't here...I hold her too. The cats would like to hold her in their teeth.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">True story: I went in the other day and she was on a toy motorcycle the boy had put in for fun. Swear it. I ran to get the camera, but no. Staging it felt wrong, so no lizard motorcycle pic for you. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But she does blog...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzkm2zq6Nzl-ZdzeLpTJ3rDQ1jjyWbloXdhG9vq484ca6RK_BsLxJrIKYI1B-yX3MDA8r0o6OoHEsXBdZyeGtGh6Q8Aaqc35PhqE6bfGNwCPDMuCf1LA5hvjdIixSx7ovUkB9dg8InCg/s1600/lizard+keyboard.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrzkm2zq6Nzl-ZdzeLpTJ3rDQ1jjyWbloXdhG9vq484ca6RK_BsLxJrIKYI1B-yX3MDA8r0o6OoHEsXBdZyeGtGh6Q8Aaqc35PhqE6bfGNwCPDMuCf1LA5hvjdIixSx7ovUkB9dg8InCg/s320/lizard+keyboard.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-49444294342808633062012-08-08T22:51:00.002-06:002012-08-08T22:51:59.832-06:00The Suspense is Terrible...I Hope It'll Last..<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I likes to make new friends.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">It's a layer, yo.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">People are interesting creatures - all a slightly different hot mess of their own making, just like moi.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Neato.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">But I wouldn't exactly call myself "friendly". And apparently, neither would a new online friend of a friend, who recently described me as being "nice like Gene Wilder in Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory..".</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Say WHUT??</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YLZn9w4rtegBUMKAaMPjTmYBrLc_SyV0wGV5u7iYX5atzNG3M3zjoi9bwpoXXLumadi2FqXPrX4Hp7Tpc6AEMxDdar8T-Chy5srV9qS9UmgdCxdga7LbaioO9WDbIGiOyNL9d_muQ8E/s1600/Willy+Wonka.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="184" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1YLZn9w4rtegBUMKAaMPjTmYBrLc_SyV0wGV5u7iYX5atzNG3M3zjoi9bwpoXXLumadi2FqXPrX4Hp7Tpc6AEMxDdar8T-Chy5srV9qS9UmgdCxdga7LbaioO9WDbIGiOyNL9d_muQ8E/s320/Willy+Wonka.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">I needed to think on this a minute. Willy Wonka? From Wonkaland? I made a little table to compare and contrast:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">(Of course I have things to do, why do you ask?)</span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoTableMediumGrid1Accent4" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; mso-border-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-padding-alt: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-yfti-tbllook: 1184;">
<tbody>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-firstrow: yes; mso-yfti-irow: -1;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Willie Wonka<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-left: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">The Onion at A Lot of Layers<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 0;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Frizzy hair<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Curly hair which tends toward frizziness<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 1;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: left;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Crazy eyes<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Crazy eye (in photos I always
appear stoned)<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 2;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Condescending<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Condescending..,duh<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 3;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Secretly mean to kids<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Only really likes own kids<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 4;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Aloof<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Emotionally cut
off<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 5;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Flips out on the boat ride<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Flips out when she finds one
glove<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 6;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Eats a candy teacup<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Drinks tea,
does not eat cup. Usually<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 7;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Shares life lessons<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Occasionally overshares<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 8;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Zillions of dollars<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">({crickets}}<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 9;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">An active and creative imagination<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Imaginary fantasies of becoming
famous<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 10;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Oompa Loompas<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Small children<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 11;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fashionable purple suit<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Fashionably challenged<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 12;">
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Has a fizzy lifting drinks floating room<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #BFB1D0; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 127; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Occasionally burps<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr style="height: 13.45pt; mso-yfti-irow: 13; mso-yfti-lastrow: yes;">
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-top: none; border: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 185.4pt;" valign="top" width="247"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Goose that lays golden eggs<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
<td style="background: #DFD8E8; border-bottom: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; border-top: none; height: 13.45pt; mso-background-themecolor: accent4; mso-background-themetint: 63; mso-border-bottom-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-bottom-themetint: 191; mso-border-left-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-left-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-left-themetint: 191; mso-border-right-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-right-themetint: 191; mso-border-top-alt: solid #9F8AB9 1.0pt; mso-border-top-themecolor: accent4; mso-border-top-themetint: 191; padding: 0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; width: 3.0in;" valign="top" width="288"><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<i><span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Wants to raise chickens in town<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">Well, what do you know...?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Trebuchet MS, sans-serif;">What happens when I find one glove laying around...</span><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/2Zail7Gdqro" width="420"></iframe>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-11393226883167118102012-07-20T13:22:00.001-06:002012-07-20T13:22:41.283-06:00The Pitch for PitchEngineI am at SocialWyo again, learning new shiz about social media so i can take over the world. (In reality, I am camping, isn't technology grand?) In my latest post, i am traipsing through a new, fun, easy FREE and innovative way to create messaging. This Wyoming-based business is amazeballs. Check it out at www.socialwyo.com/2012/07/pitch-for-pitchengine.html<br />
<br />
Go! Now! You can thank me layer, we..I mean later, yo.<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRNOUoCr-9dSY_ev6x21wSlGFNK7ZPPALv_qJQtxeSrfCCa_8qca0_R8MRSoS2Yq5P5Tq-5yLAuKTzzZnuqy6jqRcXtVLJpQ9PXp-FV-eVhrzGCroAWlMSbMXu7y7_EfkebOT2jro4IE/s640/blogger-image--1632367559.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlRNOUoCr-9dSY_ev6x21wSlGFNK7ZPPALv_qJQtxeSrfCCa_8qca0_R8MRSoS2Yq5P5Tq-5yLAuKTzzZnuqy6jqRcXtVLJpQ9PXp-FV-eVhrzGCroAWlMSbMXu7y7_EfkebOT2jro4IE/s640/blogger-image--1632367559.jpg" /></a></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-52545856921231841142012-06-04T10:59:00.001-06:002012-06-04T11:00:59.171-06:00Views From The HammockIt's summer, and I am trying hard to find some balance between work and sheer unadulterated laziness. This balance is best represented by the visual of me trying to maintain myself in my hammock with a phone, laptop and work files...and a beer. I fell out once; luckily the conference call was muted from my end.<br />
<br />
It wasn't pretty.<br />
<br />
I wanted to wax political about the upcoming elections, but I have lost heart with regard to both parties and their competition at ridiculousness. A confederacy of dunces. <br />
<br />
Today the fam and I are headed to another region of our fine state; a place that the last time I visited, gave me the idea to quit my job and get out of the rat race. I wonder what the hell kind of epiphany might come from this trip? <br />
<br />
Time will tell...<br />
<br />
I hope they have a hammock.<br />
<br />
(by the way, have you seen these flip flops? Since this photo, they have gone MIA.)<br />
<div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FiGNgzhFnQgpnZAK01AzdEY6zvVnOqwyHKBEyFM5M0VXBjRn8QO8dKvYrNi0YjaYGvcAI_mmFi0aUJr09RqjD6Vc255dHFv2hp6iyi-dziaP6NbhcsYfWB_vMDLr1L4jHLd9xT_8jA4/s640/blogger-image-751674130.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5FiGNgzhFnQgpnZAK01AzdEY6zvVnOqwyHKBEyFM5M0VXBjRn8QO8dKvYrNi0YjaYGvcAI_mmFi0aUJr09RqjD6Vc255dHFv2hp6iyi-dziaP6NbhcsYfWB_vMDLr1L4jHLd9xT_8jA4/s640/blogger-image-751674130.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator"style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznL-Rg91FDp5JoEDgc3R1ZYm0djuIj7JaELGST3wJDm3T0f1AoYhgIUJFpmAz27fNbqxMHPan1oZezPZwmlFbq0Su4QIkU4Kylwa0CZTpjhth6uzg0Ij9Iwbbliskqw2tpyMpu9EnGGM/s640/blogger-image--832738632.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhznL-Rg91FDp5JoEDgc3R1ZYm0djuIj7JaELGST3wJDm3T0f1AoYhgIUJFpmAz27fNbqxMHPan1oZezPZwmlFbq0Su4QIkU4Kylwa0CZTpjhth6uzg0Ij9Iwbbliskqw2tpyMpu9EnGGM/s640/blogger-image--832738632.jpg" /></a></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-72990702027773398262012-05-17T12:00:00.000-06:002012-05-17T12:00:03.565-06:00Public Relations; It's a LayerI know, I know....I haven't written squat, made fun of any weirdos hanging around the coffee shop or embarrassed myself lately. I am completely off the grid.<br />
<br />
In truth, I have done all of those things, especially the last one, but I have failed to blog about it.<br />
<br />
I am this lady:<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTfyaC9SbxVhWwogQy6yTa8Fu8GCgPMthBKZBn_EUn4tLzaP6gViEnJjMe7ID407_4hIJ3CFjlsxYGCqw2kSy-Ps5CW4zHkqSQ9WQV_vlLYhvkAitCA9lhyphenhypheneHS-57bM3aLqgtjTuTNOc/s1600/fallen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivTfyaC9SbxVhWwogQy6yTa8Fu8GCgPMthBKZBn_EUn4tLzaP6gViEnJjMe7ID407_4hIJ3CFjlsxYGCqw2kSy-Ps5CW4zHkqSQ9WQV_vlLYhvkAitCA9lhyphenhypheneHS-57bM3aLqgtjTuTNOc/s1600/fallen.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">My blogging is broken and it can't get up!! </div><br />
While you are reading this, I am riding, laptop-free, on one of the very last of the local Flintstone Airline flights to Texas to drink margaritas and enjoy good Mexican food and country music with Special Agent, so you will have to entertain yourselves until I return....with a sun tan, a few extra pounds from too much table-side guacamole and Mexican Bulldogs (a drink, not a sexual term, pervs).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hMwe6JPvNb2074GhcegTxM6VhekXJnaSnKEgVoW92-K4I9-EM4NOWb3BAPiL9oM4bs2n8KZvGmGI3nEa-luD_1OkhPs_ikVVowTT3QTuOPkipMUnU4eVl8ysCTdwsvVTpn4ksd1u9CU/s1600/mexican+bulldog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3hMwe6JPvNb2074GhcegTxM6VhekXJnaSnKEgVoW92-K4I9-EM4NOWb3BAPiL9oM4bs2n8KZvGmGI3nEa-luD_1OkhPs_ikVVowTT3QTuOPkipMUnU4eVl8ysCTdwsvVTpn4ksd1u9CU/s1600/mexican+bulldog.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
I wrote a lovely post for <a href="http://www.socialwyo.com/"><span style="color: red;">SocialWyo</span></a> today, a bit of a how-to for writing a Press Release. This is a basic need for promoting your business, self (election, anyone?) or others.<br />
Click on the link above.<br />
So go look and comment; they're paying me you know.<br />
Go ahead, I'll wait.<br />
Go ON, then.<br />
((tapping))<br />
<br />
Check it out, yo.The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-7873706091375238702012-05-02T08:57:00.000-06:002012-05-02T08:57:27.749-06:00Being Social and Cheap at the Layers<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Good morning (afternoon, evening, late night, or alter-time universe)!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It's May! The sun is shining, birds are singing and I am curled up next to the <strike>flesh-melter</strike> space heater under my desk. WTH? Only in Wyoming!! </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am migrating back to my home office after a nasty bout with a virus called "hanging around the kitchen too much". I am so much more productive down here in a work setting which does not include a refridgerator or television. Who knew? </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">OK, I knew. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I am getting my blog on over at <a href="http://www.socialwyo.com/">SocialWyo</a> again today with my friend Juliette and her band of merrymen. Today I am talking about <a href="http://www.socialwyo.com/">Marketing on the Cheap</a>! There are so, so, SOOOO many options for peeps to do their own marketing (or have me help them, yay!) through low-to-no cost options. Intrigued? Of course you are! Head over there RIGHT NOW and learn about 1/10th of what is available to your frugal awesomeness. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Click this link: <a href="http://www.socialwyo.com/"><span style="color: red;">SocialWyo</span></a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">(It includes a bit about a talking monkey, just saying.) Now GO! DO IT! RIGHT NOW!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Because you were kind enough to stop by, please to enjoy this video: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I can't decide what is funniest; the ponytail and glasses, the tiger-blanket-wall-hanging or that a person is silly enough to tape their mediocre workout. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="338" src="http://www.collegehumor.com/e/6344481" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="600"></iframe>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-2524085160425481312012-04-27T21:43:00.003-06:002012-04-27T21:45:08.393-06:00Sea Change<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">While speaking to a friend recently about a difficult time in his family, he used a term I was not familiar with: </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">sea change. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Because of our conversation, I understood his meaning, <a href="http://alotoflayers.blogspot.com/2010/11/my-research-about-researchyou-heard-me.html">but of course, I had to look it up</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
</div>
<h3 class="r g0" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: medium; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;">
<span style="padding-bottom: 14px; padding-right: 15px;"><em style="font-style: normal; font-weight: bold;">sea change</em></span><div id="sound_flash" style="height: 0px; position: absolute; width: 0px;">
</div>
<span class="speaker-icon-listen-off" id="speaker_icon" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: initial; background-image: url(https://ssl.gstatic.com/dictionary/static/images/icons/1/pronunciation.png); background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: transparent; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-image: initial; border-left-color: transparent; border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: transparent; border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: transparent; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; display: inline-block; float: none; height: 16px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0.7em; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; opacity: 0.55; vertical-align: bottom; width: 16px;"></span></h3>
<div class="s" style="color: #222222; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: small; line-height: 15px; max-width: 42em;">
<table class="ts" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="color: #666666; padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top" width="80px">Noun:</td><td style="padding-bottom: 5px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 5px;" valign="top"><table class="ts" style="border-collapse: collapse;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">A profound or notable transformation.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
</div>
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; font-family: sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Taken from Shakespeare's<i> The Tempest</i>, the phrase stuck with me and I have been carrying it (and my conversation with my friend) around for several days, mulling it over. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You all know that among my layers is one that likes change.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Even loves change;</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">embraces it,</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">desires it. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But a SEA CHANGE is an entirely different animal, and one that I felt deep down as soon as I read the definition. A moment in time when something occurs that doesn't just mean a new job, new location, or excitement. A sea change alters everything in time and space. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">It changes who you are. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Intensely.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Irrevocably. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">And that change won't change back. And that change isn't ever going to leave you.</span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNqSXj7LLgms2H5pFZw-2iz4vgIE8Z0ra_G4_K51O8VpiqmCfLaM6cPJJq__NQmZSbjcVcDMl18ic6GN74H3Mtx2HKUnlw9rK_EAjpZaDcZHEn6zbP2-bXZueMVYLt66LbhjaUupUUJM/s1600/rough+seas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimNqSXj7LLgms2H5pFZw-2iz4vgIE8Z0ra_G4_K51O8VpiqmCfLaM6cPJJq__NQmZSbjcVcDMl18ic6GN74H3Mtx2HKUnlw9rK_EAjpZaDcZHEn6zbP2-bXZueMVYLt66LbhjaUupUUJM/s1600/rough+seas.jpg" /></a></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">But, you live. You learn to live with the change in your life. The change in yourself. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">You're still happy. Probably even similar; just not the same. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I have felt the sea change, but I didn't know what to call it until now. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, I know. </span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.5em; margin-top: 0.4em;">
<span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> </span></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9223285907920261536.post-31703902639836438332012-04-09T22:07:00.000-06:002012-04-09T22:07:30.414-06:00The Cowardness of Anonymity - Sign Your Name<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>My good friend <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JExFzChH4Nk">Bushrod Sinclair</a> wrote this piece after a tragic week in our community, made worse by a slew of "anonymous" Facebook posts laden with innuendo and gossip. Please to enjoy his wise take on having the courage of your convictions, even in print. </i></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>_________________________________________________________________</i></span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9fz6y8FKHfexqzTDjKa7KM3SsrYc45z-EuqukmCttalWt6LmDLYKAEmWqfOQr4wkUnQTBPiSYFieP1vnB7BbGFod8xWJkfOsHW3OhYbnyfy3TpQsTUo2IlfIEq9eGW3OCkrxLc-Cf2M/s1600/twain.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgC9fz6y8FKHfexqzTDjKa7KM3SsrYc45z-EuqukmCttalWt6LmDLYKAEmWqfOQr4wkUnQTBPiSYFieP1vnB7BbGFod8xWJkfOsHW3OhYbnyfy3TpQsTUo2IlfIEq9eGW3OCkrxLc-Cf2M/s320/twain.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“</span><i style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A lie can run around the world six times while the truth is still trying to put on its pants.</i><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"> - Mark Twain</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mr. Twain made that observation in the days of the Pony Express and the paddle steamer. We can only surmise what Mr. Twain would have thought of all the heartless tweets, posts and comments made anonymously in a 24-hour news cycle that can race around the world with the click of a mouse.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The tragic events of the past week in my community are hard to comprehend, and the families and friends of those we lost need our <a href="http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/stories/Have-the-courage-of-your-convictions-Sign-your-name,69988#" id="_GPLITA_0" in_rurl="http://www.textsrv.com/click?v=VVM6MTQzNTM6NjgwOmNvbWZvcnQ6ODc0NjA4OTRkMGUxMjZjN2FjYTc0ZjI5Mjk2N2VhN2E6ei0xMTI0LTIxNTQ2Ond3dy5naWxsZXR0ZW5ld3NyZWNvcmQuY29t" style="color: #b3422d;" title="Powered by Text-Enhance">comfort</a> and support. Their grief is beyond words.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">In the midst of these tragedies, I was alarmed at the number of people who took to the local airwaves and websites with such animosity and ignorance simply to damage other people’s lives and reputations.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The ability to say or type anything — using rumor and innuendo as the only basis to support your “theory,” while hiding safely behind the veil of a user name — is nothing but cowardly. One could make the case that an anonymous post ranks right up there with the “poetry” scribbled on a bathroom stall. We must consider the source. But how do we do that if the source is concealed from us?</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">The Internet is a wonderful tool. We rely on it more and more for communication, education and information. And since rapidly evolving technologies often outpace the norms and ethics that must govern them (we didn’t need stop signs until we had cars!), our society finds itself wondering, as many of us did last week, if this is what <a href="http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/stories/Have-the-courage-of-your-convictions-Sign-your-name,69988#" id="_GPLITA_1" in_hdr="null" in_rurl="http://www.textsrv.com/click?v=VVM6OTM0MToyMzp0ZWNobm9sb2d5OmFkZTU5ZDEyZjBlOTM5ZGRjMzFjOTYxNjM0Y2M4YzFhOnotMTEyNC0yMTU0Njp3d3cuZ2lsbGV0dGVuZXdzcmVjb3JkLmNvbQ%3D%3D" style="color: #b3422d;" title="Powered by Text-Enhance">technology</a>, particularly social media, is intended for. It’s as if we tossed the village idiot the keys to a D-9 and then looked on and scratched our heads as he bulldozed over half the town.</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7NMerkdhpa16W1u6fYZ-zfTIaui-wpH40SXYmLXb2fs2tsEn8pT1GoJLAzJYC97InzpC2aZzkFWbZUm5b2RkFThPVj8Kmu2QeBKo1K4b8k9rAXS9u0Fc6epjonZqqM21Cb2nhp-Ii-0/s1600/61088_1456385082002_1004588664_31082496_3179345_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="206" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhw7NMerkdhpa16W1u6fYZ-zfTIaui-wpH40SXYmLXb2fs2tsEn8pT1GoJLAzJYC97InzpC2aZzkFWbZUm5b2RkFThPVj8Kmu2QeBKo1K4b8k9rAXS9u0Fc6epjonZqqM21Cb2nhp-Ii-0/s320/61088_1456385082002_1004588664_31082496_3179345_n.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In 1981, Bushrod and my small hometown was astounded<br />
when an angry drunk climbed into a D-9 and smashed up cars<br />
and an apartment building in a neighborhood near our school. </td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Almost as alarming as the anonymous comments are the responses. It is human nature to correct a mistake and right a wrong, but on the Net this just leads to an endless cycle of “Is too! Is not!” that escalates the hostility without ever resolving the issue. The local media can own up to this phenomenon as well by reducing the power they have given to “Anonymous,” whether it’s through their blogs and comments sections, or on their Facebook pages. They can regulate their audiences’ ability to post.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4ekdgWdGoj8JwHnYILYfWjJDc0ovKEkaW8sVFsvJohZG4wF_959aD2FprNSb-QHDma8kjDiv9X4Qw-FpurARBG05maoROu6jQ4SS8_mfOHxPBOrU3G0VmV3QFtrycSsiNs_vb4vZVYI/s1600/D9.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiN4ekdgWdGoj8JwHnYILYfWjJDc0ovKEkaW8sVFsvJohZG4wF_959aD2FprNSb-QHDma8kjDiv9X4Qw-FpurARBG05maoROu6jQ4SS8_mfOHxPBOrU3G0VmV3QFtrycSsiNs_vb4vZVYI/s320/D9.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lesson learned: Never leave the keys in a D-9.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">How do we address all this? Remember: The keys to the D-9 are ours. The village idiot doesn’t need them, and we, as a community, can keep them safely in our pocket. What should happen is that people should leave the blue glow of their computers and get actively involved in this community — leave no doubt about who you are and what you have to say.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">A good example would be the<a href="http://www.basinsradio.com/basin/local/local-news/government/24378-decision-on-field-of-dreams-postponed.html"> Field of Dreams project</a>, which has been a hot <a href="http://www.gillettenewsrecord.com/stories/Have-the-courage-of-your-convictions-Sign-your-name,69988#" id="_GPLITA_2" in_rurl="http://www.textsrv.com/click?v=VVM6MTMyMzc6NDp0b3BpYzplY2E4NDA1ZDJlMmI5OTRlYmM2ZmNiYTgzMmFiN2U5Yjp6LTExMjQtMjE1NDY6d3d3LmdpbGxldHRlbmV3c3JlY29yZC5jb20%3D" style="color: #b3422d;" title="Powered by Text-Enhance">topic</a> for several months in our town. Some people opposing the project took to the worldwide web to voice their concerns and frustrations. It wasn’t until those folks showed up at the public hearing — stating their name and their case in full public view — that their opposition had a tangible, concrete presence. That’s a great civics lesson, because in this day and age it is far too dangerous to be silent or anonymous.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Your community deserves better, your government deserves better, and the families who face tragedy most certainly deserve better.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I would like to make a suggestion based on the Cowboy Code — which the State of Wyoming adopted in 2010, and as near as I can tell, anonymous posts defy at least half of the 10 stated codes, such as:</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Live each day with courage,”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Take pride in your work,”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Talk less and say more,”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Remember that some things aren’t for sale,”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">“Know where to draw the line,”</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">My suggestion: Get involved in your community by attending public meetings to show your support or opposition for the topics of the day, and if you’re going to make a public statement — whether it’s in print, radio or other media — use your full name. It is no secret that others in my community and I may disagree on an issue or two, but when we send in our letters to the editor, we both sign our names because we believe in what we say. Demand that your local media (and their listeners and subscribers) follow these guidelines as well.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">P.S. I realize that Mark Twain’s real name was Samuel Clemens, but he was not hiding anonymously. We know who he was and what he stood for. </span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">______________________________________________________________</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 15px; text-align: -webkit-left;"><span style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i>Like Twain, Bushrod goes by a pen name, but signed his first, middle and last name to this letter when he sent it to our paper. Setting the example, Bushie. I dig. </i></span></div>The Onionhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003018180927573923noreply@blogger.com1