What I know for sure - like Oprah but cooler

1. I hate yard work
   
2. Mosquitoes LOVE me
3. I'm out of shape - pathetically so
4. I have a shopping problem - I love buying clothes
   

I know these things b/c today after work I pulled, tugged, and hauled limbs, branches and twigs up and down the hill in our backyard for about an hour and it reminded me how much I detest touching anything remotely related to foliage or other earthly delight. It gives me the willies thinking about the possibility of bugs and snakes hiding and waiting for me.

While I was hauling the downed limbs the mosquitoes were feasting on my legs and arms as evidenced by the welts/bites all over them.

I did manage to move some heavy branches and I went up and down the hill several times without passing out I could feel it and I know I'm too young to be so flabby and out of shape. Which leads me to the shopping problem - I decided during the yard work that perhaps I should be spending more time/energy/money on getting my fat ass in shape instead of clothing it.

Two birds - one anxiety disorder

In addition to my social anxiety I have dress anxiety. I have in the past purchased cute dresses/skirts that never see the light of day b/c I'm too anxious to wear them.

The reasons:

1. I'm not fond of my legs
2. People will fuss. People being people - i.e. nice - and the whole dress thing will being new - they will fuss and it will make me uncomfortable and make me deflect anything nice they say with some random wise crack and run to the nearest bathroom to put on pants.
   
3. I'm not fond of my legs

Today though I sucked it up and put on the dress and made it out the door, into the car, and into my office. And yes a few people have been complimentary which I really do appreciate and so instead of saying something wise ass I opted for a 'thank you'.

Look at me all grown up and handling anxiety without much medication at all!

Socially Awkward Random Musings

I went to a work function last night where I was supposed to 'work the room' along with some other PS folks.

I'm not a room worker.

I'm awkward, I babble, my eyes go all crazy and I swear one is looking one way and the other is looking the other way...that is when I can make myself make eye contact.

It's just awkward and I always dread it.

I called Bugg 5 minutes before 'show time' and told him I was about to have a full blown panic attack and he gave me a nice "everybody loves natae" pep talk - which while sweet made me instantly realize how ridiculous I was being - so I sucked it up and walked in armed with no canned questions or tidbits on current events - just me. Filter- less and ready to inadvertently offend others and embarrass myself.

Rock on.

As it always is, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it actually was and as always there were some genuinely nice people to talk with and I enjoyed myself. The show was good, singing was good and it was too cheesy.

I do wish that Allison could have been there when the Singers on the General Jackson busted out their PROUD TO BE AN AMERICAN PATRIOTIC FINALE EXTRAVAGANZA b/c there was no one there to make eyes with.

The glitter on the girls dresses literally almost blinded me. They came out on stage and looked like sparklers they were so dag gone shiny. But as they say in the south, "The bigger the hair and the shinier the dress, the closer to God." Amen.

Father's Day Pics Part 1

Sweet child on the radio perfect driving song

On the way back to nashville

Two new favorite sayings

"Get down to the Butter and Beans of it"

"Balls out of the box" As in "Is he/she a fun person or does he/she need help getting their balls out of the box?"


And honestly don't we all need help getting our balls outta the box sometimes?

Vice Squad

It's like I told my mom yesterday,

"If I knew why people did things that they knew were bad for them I'd be a rich thin woman without any vices."

"All the things I really like to do are either immoral, illegal or fattening. "
Alexander Woollcott

Argh!

Week in Review

1. We've had the boys this week and it feels like I haven't seen them much but they've been good and it's been a good week. Lily aka Ms. Sassy Prissy Bossy Bugg also has been around and she's always entertaining and so damn cute!
   
2. Violet had her annual checkup and dental cleaning and she came through like a champ. She has clean teeth, no fleas or ticks, and is up to date on all her shots - and believe it or not I saved like 800 bucks on the visit b/c I enrolled in PetSmart's wellness program type deal. The visit, cleaning, shots, meds, was all included in the package that I've pretty much already paid for. It works out to something like 30 bucks a month and you get all the goods discounted - highly recommend it.
   
3. Work has been busy and all of our hard work paid off yesterday when OSHA approved one of our programs. Mucho exciting stuff for the safety geek in me.
   
4. Speaking of work I traveled to Atlanta on Wed to visit a few prospects with one of my favorite sales reps. We had two good meetings and about 10 hours of driving - some of which was sitting waiting in Atlanta traffic. It could have been much worse and we did manage to avoid Bonaroo traffic which was a huge relief. (holla at Snooky who is at the Roo right now).
5. Hibachi last night was gooooood.
6. South Beach starts Monday - the diet not the location. Good times.
   

This is totally awesome

http://ferrariguyforhire.com/
It makes me want to break out into a chorus of "I can't drive 55!!!"

Paper Empire

I finally got the new Better Than Ezra CD & I'm loving it.

Hearts

Sunday Cookout

Salt & Pepper Heart

Props to Mich for this one

How I spent Saturday

Pretty much just like this - sunning myself by the pool w/ Bethany and friends

Rese & Darren had a baby...

They named her Layla and she's adorable

More Than Meets the Eye

Reasons to TGIF

1. Rese is in labor and baby Layla will most likely arrive today - I lost the office pool but that's ok
2. It was free donut day at Dunkin...so...you know...I got one
   
3. Sarah brought in homemade monkey bread...so...you know...I had some
   
4. It's jeans day and bagel Friday
5. I have a job to show up to M-F
   
6. After Friday comes Sat and I might get some quality pool/sun time in tomorrow and possibly a cookout at A.E.'s tomorrow evening
   
7. Only 9 more days til pay day!
   

Hearts on a Thursday

Sidewalk & Patio Heart

Jared's pics

Dork of the Day

It's all fun and games at work with my 'Strategy Hat' and New Specs

45 lessons

Written By Regina Brett, 90 years old, of The Plain Dealer, Cleveland, Ohio

"To celebrate growing older, I once wrote the 45 lessons life taught me. It is the most-requested column I've ever written.

My odometer rolled over to 90 in August, so here is the column once more:

1. Life isn't fair, but it's still good.

2. When in doubt, just take the next small step.

3. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone.

4. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends and parents will. Stay in touch.

5. Pay off your credit cards every month.

6. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

7. Cry with someone. It's more healing than crying alone.

8. It's OK to get angry with God. He can take it.

9. Save for retirement starting with your first paycheck.

10. When it comes to chocolate, resistance is futile.

11. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

1 2. It's OK to let your children see you cry.

13. Don't compare your life to others. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

14. If a relationship has to be a secret, you shouldn't be in it.

15. Everything can change in the blink of an eye. But don't worry; God never blinks.

16. Take a deep breath. It calms the mind.

17. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.

18. Whatever doesn't kill you really does make you stronger.

19. It's never too late to have a happy childhood. But the second one
is up to you and no one else

20. When it comes to going after what you love in life, don't take no for an answer.

21. Burn the candles, use the nice sheets, wear the fancy lingerie. Don't save it for a special occasion. Today is special.

22. Over prepare, then go with the flow.

23. Be eccentric now. Don't wait for old age to wear purple.

24. The most important sex organ is the brain.

25. No one is in charge of your happiness but you.

26. Frame every so-called disaster with these words 'In five years, will this matter?'

27. Always choose life.

28. Forgive everyone everything.

29. What other people think of you is none of your business.

30. Time heals almost everything. Give time time.

31. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.

32. Don' t take yourself so seriously. No one else does.

33. Believe in miracles.

34. God loves you because of who God is, not because of anything you did or didn't do.

35. Don't audit life. Show up and make the most of it now.

36. Growing old beats the alternative -- dying young.

37. Your children get only one childhood.

38. All that truly matters in the end is that you loved.

39. Get outside every day. Miracles are waiting everywhere.

40. If we all threw our problems in a pile and saw everyone else's, we'd grab ours back.

41. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.

42. The best is yet to come...

43. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.

44. Yield.

45. Life isn't tied with a bow, but it's still a gift."

New Favorite Song

Ween's Piss up a Rope

I don't think it's new but it was new to us.