Hey a**hole - Santa doesn't send hate mail.

I'm just saying...he doesn't...that's all.

Christmas Part 1

Had a wonderful Christmas - full of family, friends, and way too much food. More to come this week - I love when the holidays linger on. Hope all of you are having a safe and happy holiday!

Some Favorite Quotes

"The more you listen to the voice within you, the better you will hear what is sounding outside."Dag Hammarskjold

"Every good thought you think is contributing its share to the ultimate result of your life." Grenville Kleiser

"Just do what you do best." Red Auerbach

"What we think, we become." Buddha

"The most exhausting thing you can do is to be inauthentic." Anne Morrow Lindbergh

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind." Dr. Seuss

"Word." NC

He Lays what?

I don't know if they did this on purpose but the intro sentence of an article regarding Brit's sister's baby daddy struck me funny (and I'm clearly still 13):

JACKSON, Miss. - He's a 19-year-old pipe layer; a deer-hunting, dirt-bike-riding former high school class president who still lives in his tiny Mississippi hometown. So why are the paparazzi hot on his trail?

Because Casey Aldridge is an expectant father — and the mother is 16-year-old Jamie Lynn Spears.

My Secret Admirer

I got this bogus email tonight - it's awesome!

I am afraid you will be surprised with this letter. I have found yours email on website. I have been surprised, that they
have allowed me to see yours email.
First I want to ask, whether correct it email? And you have profile on it dating website? And if you really search
serious relations I want that you have answered me mine privat email: prolitka@yahoo.com.

So it is real you, and I have your correct email? If yes, speak me, and I shall write more
about me and I shall give you my photo. Ok?
So I hope to have letter from you soon because I am disappointed with people on website which write to me there. They
want only chat or sex. But I want more serious, I want relation. Well, I shall not speak much in this letter because I
really am not sure that is your correct email. But hope dies last!
So write to me, I shall wait your letter, with your photos.
Please sorry if I have mistake and you do not search any relations.
I only check my destiny.
In any case take care!

The 90's

Joan Osborne looks better; Paula Cole got fatter; Fiona Apple grew up; Sinead O' Connor looks like a middle age priest; and the whole thing is freaking me out! I've been watching Vh1's 100 greatest songs of the 90's and it is making me feel old I gotta tell ya.

It's so weird to see these artists 'grown up'. It's hard for me to believe that Fiona Apple's Criminal came out like 11 years ago when she was about 19 or 20. It seems like it was just a few years ago.

Sugar Ray, Sheryl Crow (looked so young back in'94), Edwin McCain all came out with hits (their first hits) 10 plus years ago and I just can't comprehend it. Where does the time go???


It's wiggity wiggity wiggity wack.

Dumb ass of the week...

Besides Huckabee and Anderson the dumb ass of the week would be...drum roll please...ME!

I was on an exit ramp off Briley Parkway and I came to a stop a bit past the line and couldn't see the stoplight so I needed to back up.

I looked behind me and didn't see anyone so I threw it in reverse and zoomed backwards. The problem was I forgot to keep looking back and forgot evidently that I was on a MAJOR highway exit ramp and the next thing I know - BAM - I slammed into a Astro mini van.

I got lucky though. I waved at the man in the van and pulled over to the side of the road figuring he would do the same. But he just waved back and when the light turned green he drove away.

I was stunned b/c I hit him and even more stunned b/c he drove away. If someone hit me I would sure as hell pull over and at the very least check for damage. Pedro drove away without a look back.

As for me and the Mini - I have a little whiplash and it has some scratches that seem like they will buff out.

And for my next trick I plan to pull my head out of my ass.

Huckabee

What's wrong with you!!! Used Jesus in a political ad referencing Christmas/Jesus. Come on! I'm moving to Canada to live with a group of atheists/agnostics/or pagans.

Pam Anderson

What is wrong with you Pam? She's getting divorced AGAIN - after two months of marriage to the Paris Hilton Sex Tape guy. No big loss I'm sure but really she needs to stop getting married - evidently it just doesn't work. And why do these people get married and get divorced 2 months later? It usually takes a year or so for the nasty to come out and nice to rub off. Come on!

Brithday Bash in Ohio

Went to Ohio this weekend to celebrate my mom and grandma's birthday (13th, 14th), Andy's birthday (Monday) and my birthday. Did a little pre-Christmas celebrating as well.

It was a quick trip but got a lot of visiting done and got to see snow, bought a bucket of German mustard (straight from Germany at this German village in Akron [I love this mustard - it was a BIG deal] ), went to see a swing version of the Nutcracker, had some fantastic home made red velvet cake, and got lots of hugs and love from Megan and Jacob.

Mom, Me, Grandma, Heather, Megan, Barb

Jacob

Dad, Jacob, Megan

Pure Holiday Party

Had our company holiday party tonight. Fun times.

Heather and Buddah Bob

Me & Rese

Lily Bugg - cutest lil bugg

Lily ready to go "bye bye" to see Nana & Papa Bugg

Elfed

I've had a few people send me their "Elfed's" and so I did one for me, kristin, tori, and stef. Makes me laugh - check it out

http://www.elfyourself.com/?id=1223378496

p.s. it may take a bit to load and if it asks you download some flash thing just say yes

Baby Emma

Tori & Tom had a baby girl on Dec 3rd - Emma Blaithin. When she born Tori texted all of us to share the news and she said she was beautiful...and you can see she really is :) Good job guys!

Emma

Momma Tori, Kristin & "Little Flower"
Pictures by Moira - thanks :)

Popping the Q

I've blogged about everything in the last 2 years so I'm going to blog about this as well and hopefully not sound too cheesy...

He popped the question - I said yes - yipee!!

Halfway to 70?!?!?

I turn 35 at 3pm today. Or as Snooky pointed out the other day - halfway to 70.

35 doesn't bother me but thinking about how fast this first 35 went, it is sort of scary to think how fast the next 35 may go. If I'm fortunate enough to be around for 35 more of course.

I like to think I will be - my grandma turns 97 in 11 days and my grandpa was over 100 when he passed so maybe I got lucky to get some of those genes. (if not I'm screwed b/c that means I got the senile genes and I'll be talking to the wall and wearing a diaper in the not too distant future).

So anyway back to turning 35. The day started off well and seems to be going in a generally positive direction. I woke up this morning to a big cheesy "Happy Birthday" greeting from Bugg. Then the girl at the Y wished me happy b-day on my way out - it was nice a surprise and made me feel even better about getting my butt up to work to. Guns n Roses was playing on the radio when I got in my car and when I got back home from the gym there was a pre-present and card from Bugg on the counter.

Lots of nice greetings from friends and family as well which makes it nice (thanks!). And double bonus Tori's water broke this morning and I'm hoping that she pops that baby sometime today so we can share a birthday! GOOOOOOO Tori!

It might seem silly but I took a picture of myself this morning to document "35". I think 35 is a big deal - whether it's because it's halfway to 70 or because it's 5 years from 40 or just because it means I got to be around another year - it's a big deal. So I took a picture b/c I wanted to capture the 35 and when I do hit 70 I can look back and remember how young I looked and how happy I felt.

And I just made myself tear up. Crap.

Cheekwood

B and I went to Cheekwood Botanical Garden/Art Museum today. We walked through the museum - located in the an old 'mansion' once owned by the Cheek Family.

We saw Christmas trees decorated in themes from various countries, saw a Faberge exhibit, walked along the sculpture trail and ended up in the Japanese Garden.

There was more to see but I was crabby and tired - which is almost a given when I'm at a Botanical Garden. At any rate - it was neat to see and I'm sure will be even better in the Spring.
www.cheekwood.org

The Museum/House

Picture in the Museum - check out the little girl on the table and the "Bling" on her head. Surely she grew up with issues if they continued to dress her up like a circus performer.

Yet another arm's length pic of the two of us

Outside of the Drawing Room (top and bottom pictures)

Glass Bridge on Sculpture Walk

Wonder if anyone will claim it..

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071128/ap_on_fe_st/odd_highway_pot_6;_ylt=AmB9A.RjBcz482LGTrFt5e9saMYA

Two of my favorite people

Bugg

Jayrod

Captain Duh's

Jared and I went to Captain D's tonight to get him dinner. The meal he ordered came with two hush puppies and he ordered a side of hush puppies as well (to share with me). Four hush puppies come as a side, so we're talking six hush puppies.

When his order was up the cashier opened the box and showed me the food to verify and I saw there were four hush puppies. Convo as follows:
Me: doesn't the meal come with two HP?
C: Yes
Me: and the side has 4 HP?
C: Yes
Me: there are only 4 HP here
C: Yes
Me: 2 + 4 = 6
C: Yes
Me: .....then there should be 6 HP here......

She finally turns and confirms with the cook that we do indeed get six HP's and then gives us the two extra pups we ordered.

Poor thing - I realize it can't be fun to work all day at a fast food place and dealing with the public sucks but come on - give me a little somethin'.


And now to make fun of myself a little bit - When I started writing this post I thought of the title and turned to Jared and said "Captain Duhs". He started laughing at me and said "you just gave me a look like 'I'm witty aren't I?' And he's right I did - but it wasn't really a question - it was a statement ; )

Time for Bowling!

FYI

I wrote about this once and then took it down but I got another email today about it and I'm about to blow a gasket so I'm going to put it up again and leave it...

Barack Obama is NOT a member of Al Queda or any other "radical Muslim" group.He is NOT a terrorist.He is Black enough, White enough, American enough, and Religious enough. So shut the hell up already .

And I'm not posting this because I'm a 'crazy liberal' or because 'I'm one of those Obama supporters'. I'm posting this because it's total BS and I don't want to see it anymore. So please would all of the 'conservative right wing religious wing nuts' kindly step off.

Thankful

Had a very nice Thanksgiving Holiday

Spencer the Fireman

Too Much Turkey Baby!

Mom, Me, Dad

This is what I feel like

Like a big Macy's Balloon that can't get off the ground!

Chocolate cake - I love you - I hate you

It's really hard to be on a 'diet' when your office mates bring in chocolate cake, pumpkin rolls, cookies, truffles, breads, and whatever else fattening bad for you make your thighs big things they bring in.

I do put effort into resisting - I really do - but there are some days, Monday - Friday usually, when it's hard to resist. Just let me be a fat kid and eat chocolate cake!

The funny, or sad part (or maybe it's that irony thing again) is that as I'm writing this I'm finishing up a piece of chocolate cake. And you know what? It's GOOD! I probably didn't do enough on the treadmill this morning to counteract the calories but it sure does taste good. And since I no longer have any credit cards with which to buy instant gratification I'll just go ahead and eat the free fat food at the office and get my instant grat that way.

I'll try again tomorrow - every day I fight my battle to say yes to veggies and no to cake...soldier on fat kid, soldier on.

Weekend in IL/MO

Ben got married this Saturday (Go Ben) so Bugg and I headed out on Friday to visit with some STL friends and attend Ben & Amy's wedding on Saturday. Had a short but nice visit with Kim and Todd Friday night - they fixed a great dinner for us and made us feel at home.

Saturday morning we got up early b/c I wanted to show Bugg where I used to live and let him experiences some St. Louis grub. We headed over to see the apt on Nottingham and have a quick sub at Mom's Deli and a Great Pumpkin Concrete at Ted Drew's before another quick visit - this time with Kory & Andy.

Then headed to the wedding and finally landed at Pere Marquette State Park in IL for the reception. We had some time before the reception and sat out on the terrace at the lodge and watched the sunset and the river while talking with the Howells, a sweet couple, married for 54 years.

We also got to see Amy & Ken :) Great weekend!


We just got back home and we are poooped!! Enjoy the pics - night!

Righteous Dude

So I may or may not have emailed my favorite minister guy - the one I have never met but like to harass, er talk to, via phone and now email, when I feel especially hateful and angry and a little lost. And he may or may not have written back to me the following in response to my telling him how angry I was and how much hatred I felt towards someone and what the heck do I do with all of it:

"There is such a thing as righteous anger, but few of us ever leave it at that– we almost always mix our righteous anger with our own baggage and we wind up being in the wrong as well."

I like it. And he's right. I do feel my anger is righteous b/c M-WIT is a hate machine but also I'm letting my own baggage mix in too and that could turn me into an angry bitter person and I'm just not going to give her the satisfaction. He wrote other stuff but I'm not sharing :)

I do however still wish I had that super power...

Ho Ho huh?

Just read that in Sidney Australia they want Santa Claus to stop saying "ho ho ho" and start saying "ha ha ha" b/c ho ho ho is offensive to women.

Makes that Super Power wish not seem like such a bad idea after all. But someone else will have to use it on the stupid people that came up with this b/c I've got my power targeted for somebody else.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20071115/wl_asia_afp/lifestyleaustraliachristmasoffbeat

My super power

I decided today that if I could have a super power (just for one day - and use it only once) I would want my super power to be the ability to Hate. Someone. To. Death.

Simple, Easy, Effective.

Yes it might seem extreme and hate is a strong word blah blah blah but it makes me happy to think about the possiblity.

Happy Thursday!

Seriously?

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20071113/ap_on_en_tv/people_paris_hilton;_ylt=AgcbVCf4bJN72QDTt0eiZpas0NUE

Chaquita speaks

Steve and I were in Target shopping for underwear and sports bras when we overheard the following conversation in the food aisle by the canned fruit and fruit cups.

"Girl all dis fruit round here - I'm gonna have to git me some and eat it fo real"

And I'm thinking - Uh huh - that's right...fo real white girl - shoot.

I'd like to try another spin on my opening sentence - so perhaps I too can sound as fly, hip, cool - fo real as the white girl in Target.

My biznatch Bugg and I rolled our whip up in da T-get for some jock bling - ju know, when dis fly ass ho was scoping out the Doly Dole fruit cups and she got all up in dat an' said she wanna be eadin' dat shiznit fo real.

Peace out Chaquita - I hope you git to eat you some fruit.

Walking with Bugg

Steve and I went for a walk around the lake at Long Hunter State Park this afternoon. It was calm and crisp - perfect day for a walk...with Bugg.

Heart in a tree