tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11595545389236477302024-02-21T21:48:28.715-05:00AnjPanjAmazing what a minute can do...Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-48002870441989800192014-01-01T23:53:00.000-05:002014-01-01T23:59:57.879-05:00Hello 2014<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfsBCEI73lUkL3xT7rW3nvwyMr8LmZUUMupQCX7BXd7ViNddkGrpy8lDDnUnAuMowfZgyJJL-P42wtd-hteYap_74BUJjHChPcA62de4ZTtmiBCARFnQlOHZDvETZA5QjG7QkagjRZNopH/s1600/drinkahope.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/AVvXsEgfsBCEI73lUkL3xT7rW3nvwyMr8LmZUUMupQCX7BXd7ViNddkGrpy8lDDnUnAuMowfZgyJJL-P42wtd-hteYap_74BUJjHChPcA62de4ZTtmiBCARFnQlOHZDvETZA5QjG7QkagjRZNopH/s200/drinkahope.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
We rang in the new year almost 24 hours ago and as always, it's a time of reflection for many people, myself included. In my case, my reflections of the last year (and years before) don't paint a very good picture of my life. No, that's not really true. Generally, my life is a good one. I have a good paying job that I mostly enjoy. I have a fantastic husband and really great kids. (I'm not just saying that, either.) I have a cool dog, a car that runs (barely), food on my table and a roof over my head. I think that constitutes a good life.<br />
<br />
But, I am not really living, you know? I have spent my life telling myself, "When I lose weight, then..." I've put off living for years because of this stupid fat. It has taken my confidence, for sure. I've missed out because of the fat and I don't want to do that any more.<br />
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I'm motivated and I want to be as positive as I can about this new year. I've got a ton of resolutions/goals and I hope to achieve many of them during the next 12 months.<br />
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I will get into more detail about my goals tomorrow. Until then, I will leave a list here.<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>I am going to attempt to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfRf43JTqY4" target="_blank">Bullet Journal </a>this year. One of my favorite bloggers, <a href="http://www.misszoot.com/2013/12/19/zoots-dorky-guide-to-bullet-journaling/" target="_blank">Miss Zoot</a>, has piqued my interest. I hope it works for me because I love pens and journals! </li>
<li>Healthier eating habits with a goal of losing weight. Small loss goals are going to be my norm, starting with the first one of 5lbs. </li>
<li>I am going to try to add consistent exercise to my life. Hopefully, starting with a couple of days a week and working up to at least 5 days. Running is not in the plan for now. Maybe not ever. </li>
<li>Ridding my house of junk and clutter. Baby steps here, too. I've cut it down since we moved, but it's still there, lurking in drawers, cabinets and closets. </li>
<li>Blog more! </li>
</ul>
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That's the short list. Sitting here now, I am drawing a blank. I can't remember the long mental list I had, but had I started bullet journaling already, I would have had a page full of goals!<br />
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Here's to new and exciting things in 2014!<br />
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<br />Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-45680146685182186312013-01-28T23:37:00.001-05:002013-01-28T23:38:50.761-05:00Patience (or stupidity), thy name is Angie<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrOqwAO3K3tAWZdVy-9bSB3TL13s2mJm5__kzHj6YfoxEBfnz62umrmv-ENtOAJzy7QGU3_C9oZIPclGvcxacC-uUglnkR2AR2477ZVV6R8hlzBX4Uz05nqE0NkvxSlx4FWSGNmHdnF2T/s1600/zzzzzdrivethrough.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWrOqwAO3K3tAWZdVy-9bSB3TL13s2mJm5__kzHj6YfoxEBfnz62umrmv-ENtOAJzy7QGU3_C9oZIPclGvcxacC-uUglnkR2AR2477ZVV6R8hlzBX4Uz05nqE0NkvxSlx4FWSGNmHdnF2T/s320/zzzzzdrivethrough.jpg" width="320" /></a>Went to Wal-Greens after work to pick up some "unmentionables" as my mother called feminine hygiene products. Anyway, when I left, traffic was backed up blocking one exit, so I decided to go around the building and go out another way. Normally, it's not really a thing to just go around, except I was going around the side that is the drive-thru pharmacy. Both lanes were occupied and each had a 2nd car waiting so I was the third car in one lane. There is no way around unless you back all the way up and turn around. I'm not a good backer upper. So, I waited. For 13 minutes. Then drove on through. 'Cause, you know, I didn't need to pick up a prescription.<br />
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This is my life.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-83421758658912952472013-01-27T15:21:00.001-05:002013-01-27T22:05:41.032-05:00Motivation Needed<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh47lK_0BpVjTF4R-oTPYp5SnYwiW4YhUhcGaeRBzCSx6MoIFnyImqBqi8a8fwJAD9SQG6j9utB75U_Y1ff7pxOJAqE-nHFvTkj44yFHzoAQcFnMo3VxJMxUG8gqB_qalXUnPtAF58qXe1L/s1600/zzzzzbullet.gif" 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/AVvXsEh47lK_0BpVjTF4R-oTPYp5SnYwiW4YhUhcGaeRBzCSx6MoIFnyImqBqi8a8fwJAD9SQG6j9utB75U_Y1ff7pxOJAqE-nHFvTkj44yFHzoAQcFnMo3VxJMxUG8gqB_qalXUnPtAF58qXe1L/s200/zzzzzbullet.gif" width="200" /></a></div>
So, yeah. It's been a while. What better time to start blogging again than on a Sunday (which is when I used to always do Sunday Bullets) and when I've started yet another weight-loss journey? How about some bullets to get me back in the swing of things?<br />
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<br />
<ul>
<li>Joined Weight Watchers for the eleventy millionth time, yesterday. I am not going to pretend to have high hopes this time around. I'm going to take it one day at a time and just see how it goes. </li>
<li>Related: I did some body measurements. I don't want to talk about it. </li>
<li>Lack of healthy foods in the kitchen is going to be highly detrimental. However, there is just a general lack of<i> any</i> food in the kitchen, so at least there's that. </li>
<li>I must become a food planner. This is difficult for me as I am highly unorganized and just an all-around Life Slob. Did I just coin a term? Can I add a little TM to that?</li>
<li>Exercise. I hate it. I've decided I'm just going to hole up in my bedroom and dance around wildly to 80s music. </li>
<li>My husband and son are at Assembly Hall in Bloomington, today, for the IU game. I am sure my husband shed some tears. (Also, IU just won.)</li>
<li>American Idol auditions have sucked so far because Nicki Minaj is a judge. I loathe her. Perhaps even more than Ga Ga. They've ruined my show. I'm very sad. </li>
<li>Just to get it on record here, at my blog, I am very disgusted and disappointed in how the presidential election went in November. That's all I have to say about that. For now. </li>
<li>Now I must go pick up a few grocery-type items before the freezing rain comes. </li>
</ul>
Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-54034183454873576822012-01-31T18:39:00.000-05:002012-01-31T18:39:46.545-05:00George<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSVW9ljSS_dXsnHcai-LpzUzRFR2R8zPqB93ctfiZ6LUw4rauzt1DMFKbz97jw1HY7Y45SD3E4VhbeM5D1oSBXtysfKd8bi5nRjvQpCJ2qldy0Wt_P6X0eannIW0SPnjb9PaRHD0c7CJ_h/s1600/zzzzgeorge.jpg" 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/AVvXsEjSVW9ljSS_dXsnHcai-LpzUzRFR2R8zPqB93ctfiZ6LUw4rauzt1DMFKbz97jw1HY7Y45SD3E4VhbeM5D1oSBXtysfKd8bi5nRjvQpCJ2qldy0Wt_P6X0eannIW0SPnjb9PaRHD0c7CJ_h/s320/zzzzgeorge.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
I have decided that I need a tiny George Foreman grill for single servings such as a turkey patty or a couple of fat free hot dogs. I also need a big one which has removable plates for more food, but also for ease of cleaning. We have a large one but that sucker is a pain to clean. Removable plates is where it's at.<br />
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Um, that's really all I wanted to say.<br />
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Yay for the Superbowl being in Indiana! (how's that for a little more substance? No? OK. Never mind.)Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-33887098258633534272012-01-24T18:11:00.000-05:002012-01-24T22:39:41.760-05:00I wonder......if I will ever lose the desire to eat anything and everything in sight? Even when I'm not hungry.<br />
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First world problems, no?<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">
Eat ALL the food!!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4eoCLNKQfxZ6DqnignWdA3lRugpqJm1vX0WTHgJqkEw3PZ_9POhLZ0l5as3G4omJHXVg8G9oDfMTSXBCR_iMP5mnbY2aWRqe7vwzpFzUtkrTLJHQYeoA45echwHGvfrdmiUBbeupOjXW/s1600/zzzzfood.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI4eoCLNKQfxZ6DqnignWdA3lRugpqJm1vX0WTHgJqkEw3PZ_9POhLZ0l5as3G4omJHXVg8G9oDfMTSXBCR_iMP5mnbY2aWRqe7vwzpFzUtkrTLJHQYeoA45echwHGvfrdmiUBbeupOjXW/s320/zzzzfood.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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Bad example, 'cause if Imma gorge myself (which I am NOT) I wouldn't choose healthy junk and stuff. Yes, that IS candy canes in the fruit jar. And a pencil sharpener on the kitchen table. Isn't that where everyone keeps their pencil sharpener?<br />
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Think I'm going to try<a href="http://sweetbeetandgreenbean.net/2010/06/13/sweet-baked-broccoli/" target="_blank"> this</a> for dinner being as I am the only one home this evening so I can eat whatever I want! I bought Agave and everything. I had to Google it. Shut up.<br />
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Pee Ess: I've lost 5 lbs total. Go, me!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-89954062352940342852012-01-16T20:47:00.000-05:002012-01-16T20:47:38.044-05:00T Minus 3 and CountingI joined Weight Watchers. Again. I'd like to crack into the WW archives and see just how many times I've joined in my life. At least twice in high school. Probably once every other year since. Fingers, toes, carry the one, divide by 5 and it probably equals out to at least 10 times. Maybe 12. I'm not exaggerating.<br />
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Speaking of WW, I lost 3 lbs this week. It's the first week and I wanted at least 5, but whatever. Slow and steady wins the race and blah, blah, blah. Bite me, Tortoise.<br />
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No, I'm not cranky from dieting. It's totally easy to change eating habits with WW. I'm just crankypants. Cranky because I wanted at least 5. Also, because I'm a carboholic and that is a hard habit to break. Whhhyyyy caaaaaan't thiiiiis beeeee eeeeaaasssssyyyy?<br />
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Enough of that.<br />
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I got new shoes! If you know me on Facebook, you've already seen them. I'm going to share them here, anyway. Nikes. Nikes are my favorite and I haven't had Nikes in years. I don't wear tennis shoes (I age myself by calling them that, I think.) very often. Because I am trying to start exercising and I plan to get a treadmill soon (maybe. Good ones made for fat girls that will last cost a LOT. Boo.), I really needed some new shoes. I prefer all white because a lot of those colorful ones are either gaudy or would make me look like an old lady trying to look young. Or both. So, after trying several places, including places in the dreaded mall, I finally found some I could stand paying the price for.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Behold The Nikes</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy9F0tAXg1poNm4eeETJPt1zChyhrR3zRhwKvMaEgoNZu-0MeNbQcjqJ1d9CQqrVuTTO6aSKLuX4-WsjxQJHeVwquR78AMxq9sJv_6Wpi3Sz7IUzU2L7pI41nqQ5HOQGg1k1rWQ7mcJxi/s1600/zzzznikes.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijy9F0tAXg1poNm4eeETJPt1zChyhrR3zRhwKvMaEgoNZu-0MeNbQcjqJ1d9CQqrVuTTO6aSKLuX4-WsjxQJHeVwquR78AMxq9sJv_6Wpi3Sz7IUzU2L7pI41nqQ5HOQGg1k1rWQ7mcJxi/s320/zzzznikes.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I don't want to get them dirty. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-90205122599536692542012-01-03T23:45:00.000-05:002012-01-04T00:01:52.985-05:00Dolvett. I Just Like To Say His Name Because It's Cool.'Member that one time when I <a href="http://fickenchingers.blogspot.com/2007/01/too-late-to-turn-back-now.html#comments">applied to be on that one show?</a> Yeah, me too.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJ9LGVoV7HXt9fMkS47XR7lOgsuDoaFPDLinZBMh41cWOsiXMy3zobWW0qHu93s7H-KXLn0NvQrNt3kYJQJKGk7R_g251_XWKe3K_e-eBXTDBric7PGKJTDSAGq-pezQ0NJhf8d4riA-2s/s1600/zzzzbobharper.jpg" 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/AVvXsEiJ9LGVoV7HXt9fMkS47XR7lOgsuDoaFPDLinZBMh41cWOsiXMy3zobWW0qHu93s7H-KXLn0NvQrNt3kYJQJKGk7R_g251_XWKe3K_e-eBXTDBric7PGKJTDSAGq-pezQ0NJhf8d4riA-2s/s320/zzzzbobharper.jpg" width="212" /></a>What? You thought there was a story to go along with that? Nah. I just watched the premier of The Biggest Loser tonight, during which I DID NOT CRY for the first time ever, and I was just reminded of the video and app that I did for that show. Holy HELL what was I thinking? All Bob Harper would have to do is look at me from across the gym and I'd be a puddle of tears and then run out the door screaming, "Send me home!!" I don't know how those people do it. I have mad respect for all the contestants. Except the ones who asked to be sent home. Kinda.<br />
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When will I learn? I went to Walmart today. It's the first of the month. Bad idea. Bad mood. Healthy food is expensive. I'm tired.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-36375772910658264272012-01-02T22:07:00.000-05:002012-01-02T22:07:26.484-05:00<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGsPo8XYRpgNe7XG9IKiv5kz-4_smrBXEBxSr_KdRX11HEfLhVPAGktXGs34pUDK371irAl6HXC6h6IA_N0rhOdo1sxyhIWhfAjaHOjlOpafrlEMrbLXD1zVrYfG0bkq62DroeJzeO8V9/s1600/2012-01-02+12.00.32.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizGsPo8XYRpgNe7XG9IKiv5kz-4_smrBXEBxSr_KdRX11HEfLhVPAGktXGs34pUDK371irAl6HXC6h6IA_N0rhOdo1sxyhIWhfAjaHOjlOpafrlEMrbLXD1zVrYfG0bkq62DroeJzeO8V9/s320/2012-01-02+12.00.32.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Woke up to snow today. Happy New Year, Suckas! So much for the mild winter. I don't mind snow that much, but as I get older, I find that snowy/icy roads makes me extremely nervous. I didn't used to be like that, but I am now.<br />
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My other phobias are worse, too. Heights especially. And don't even get me started on stairs! Oh my gosh! Going down stairs has turned into a nightmare for me. I never cared about stairs, before. Now, I can hardly go down stairs without picturing myself falling to my death twisted like a pretzel. What's up with that? You should have seen me trying to go down our basement stairs with a laundry basket yesterday. I embarrassed my own self. I think I need Dr. Robin Zasio from Hoarders to help me. I'm sure she also specializes in phobias. If I pay her enough.<br />
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Off subject, all exercise equipment is on sale at K-mart this week. I need to get out there and put a treadmill in layaway tout de suite. I also need some Dreaming Tree wine. What? I don't know what that has to do with a treadmill either, but anything Dave Matthews has his hands in, I need. I didn't get any for Christmas even after dropping eleventy million hints, but whatever. I'm gonna go get some for myself and pretend that Dave himself bottled the one that I buy.<br />
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Back to work tomorrow at 7AM after having Thursday through Monday off. Not really feelin' it, but I'd better go to bed.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-29191654258421089632012-01-01T23:33:00.000-05:002012-01-02T00:35:50.970-05:00Happy New Year!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEih-ja6_QNb11FHtVkmctGbeYvIu-OPNU0V9QzVgieTXHtFUwdA8J5BuYKdxnlve_h7urgs5Gp94nnhaSMnEpdJJ9KYMjh5IkFYOTS7dc7RR8WjCUSZgkLfQncAsCcLIpfbpYRw-Lhxt9ET/s1600/322586_10150453827305863_699205862_9144016_828874724_o.jpg" 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/AVvXsEih-ja6_QNb11FHtVkmctGbeYvIu-OPNU0V9QzVgieTXHtFUwdA8J5BuYKdxnlve_h7urgs5Gp94nnhaSMnEpdJJ9KYMjh5IkFYOTS7dc7RR8WjCUSZgkLfQncAsCcLIpfbpYRw-Lhxt9ET/s320/322586_10150453827305863_699205862_9144016_828874724_o.jpg" width="240" /></a></div>Here's to 2012 and reviving my blog! Can you even imagine? This time around I'm not worrying about it, I'm just going to write about whatever with no regard to themed posts or being coherent, really. What's the fun in that, anyway?<br />
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Christmas 2011 has come and gone. The first in our new house. Did I mention our new house? Perhaps I will talk more about that at a later date. It was a good Christmas. We were able to give the kids many things that they wanted without stressing over it all. Thank you K-mart and Wal-mart layway! Speaking of K-Mart, they just announced a list of Kmarts which will be closing and thank goodness the one here in Muncie is safe for now. It's all about the layaway, baby.<br />
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I received 3 different sets of smell goods for Christmas from my kids and husband. Are they trying to tell me something?<br />
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Brianna and I, but mostly Brianna, made a bazillion magnets for Christmas gifts this year. Magnets, silicone glue and marbles. Easy, fun and relatively inexpensive. Just the way I like it. I should include a picture but I think the only one I took was on my phone and it wasn't very good. (Cell phone cameras and digital cameras are just the bane of my existence, but that's a whole other blog entry right there, brother.)<br />
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New Year's Eve was pretty uneventful in that it wasn't a big party or anything, but I like it like that. The calmer the better. I spent the day doing not much all alone as the kids went to work at The Fieldhouse in Fishers with Bubba. And by kids I mean Braelyn, Jameson and Olivia my niece who stayed with us for two nights while my sister spent time with her new man. (another story for later) I made a trip to Walmart for party food. That was dumb. A holiday Saturday at Walmart is just a bad idea. Especially when one has panic attack tendencies. By the time I made it to the check out I was flushed and sweaty, a tale tell sign for me. I needed to get out of there! I managed without a meltdown and came home and made a cheese tray, a veggie tray, BBQ weenies and a dessert called 'The Good Stuff.' Suzy homemaker, I am.<br />
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The kids played, we watched New Year's Rockin' Eve, Bubba went to bed at about 11:30 and the kids ran out onto the porch with noise makers for about 5 seconds until the neighbors started shooting off their gun. Yay for dangerous rednecks! I do have some pictures but they're on my camera and I haven't downloaded them yet.<br />
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OK, so let's get to resolutions, shall we? I like to make resolutions even if I never succeed. Gives me something to strive for, even if for only a few weeks.<br />
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1. Lose weight. This is the 'DUH!' one. Always and forever on my list. I'm going to do Weight Watchers online. It's much cheaper than going to meetings even though I like the meetings. I'll try to set super small goals for myself and see what happens. 5lbs? 2lbs? I don't know yet. (Not starting this one today, but will start in the next week.)<br />
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2. Cut out caffeine and all pop. I used to be pretty much a No Pop kind of person. Then I got addicted to Diet Dr Pepper Cherry (Cherry vanilla when it used to be available) and had to quit. I recently became addicted to Diet Mt Dew. Sometimes I can find it in Caffeine Free but let's face it, pop isn't good for you in any way. Baby steps though. As soon as I drink up all that's left in the house, then I will stop. Even though I will probably twitch every time I drive by Gas America. Whatever.<br />
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3. Buy a treadmill. This isn't so much a resolution as a To Do kind of thing.<br />
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4. Use the treadmill. I hate exercise. For serious. I can tolerate a treadmill. Bets on how long it takes to become a clothes hanger/catch all?<br />
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5. Blog. Because I'm letting moments pass by without writing about them so I will forget them.<br />
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6. Read more books. Currently reading: The Help. Yes, I'm always behind the trends.<br />
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7. Take more pictures. I know! Me! But this past year I just sucked royally at taking enough pictures. It's a sad day in Angie Land.<br />
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And that's that. I'm not getting all deep and resolving to 'find myself' or 'stay true to myself' (what does that mean?) or anything like that. I've chosen doable stuff if I only Just Do It. Nike would be proud.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-7685739017459045172010-12-31T23:57:00.000-05:002010-12-31T23:57:45.984-05:00New Year's Eve, blogging and the perfect resolutionHappy New Year! I'm an hour and 13 minutes early(at the time I started writing this), but the sentiment is there. Isn't it pretty here, now? My girl <a href="http://justagirltryingtobe.blogspot.com/">Tara </a>fixed me up and I love it! Perfect to help me get back into blogging regularly. I miss it a lot. I've missed writing about so many things and I hate that. So, that's my resolution for 2011. Blog more. Not blog every day or even every week, just blog more. That's not so daunting a goal. Plus, the more I blog the more I will want to blog and soon I'll be a blogging-every-day fool! <br />
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As for other resolutions or goals, well, they're boring and pretty much the same old thing. Perhaps I will elaborate a little more tomorrow in my first blog post of the year 2011.<br />
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The evening has been fun with Papa Murphy's pizza, junk food, and silliness with Bubba, the kids and the dog. It's been a good year. Hopefully, the new year will be even better!<br />
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Happy New Year, my lovelies!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF_N39ELic4TEhEFzaQJdyjVbKhfDyeLxsPU5BL27QQqMn7xDc72YokhRqduhnLs6WVgrNqcLvNiBIZjuorZixL6s6vU9KM6DGmfqCm3oOfByalwpap_dNAB2dxEI557Inm0hsocJhyHM/s1600/041.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjkF_N39ELic4TEhEFzaQJdyjVbKhfDyeLxsPU5BL27QQqMn7xDc72YokhRqduhnLs6WVgrNqcLvNiBIZjuorZixL6s6vU9KM6DGmfqCm3oOfByalwpap_dNAB2dxEI557Inm0hsocJhyHM/s320/041.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">New Year's Eve excitement! </div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-44489655375727295822010-11-03T16:16:00.035-04:002010-11-04T21:48:01.415-04:00Nearly catastrophic-ish-likeI've been waiting, since my husband left for Florida last Thursday, for something to happen. An act of God, a twist of fate, bad luck. Last night, I thought it had happened. I had just gotten a refill of water at about a quarter after 11 and bzzzzz....the power went out. All noise gone from the house along with all light.<br />
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CRAP!<br />
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I'm not really a big chicken when it comes to being home alone. And by home alone I mean home without my husband no matter how many children or dogs are also here with me. However, when the whole entire block is PITCH BLACK when I look outside, there are most certainly no fewer than 10 mass murderers outside on the lawn waiting to break in and attack.<br />
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After that lovely thought, my mind starts trying to figure out what the heck I'm going to do. For once, my cell phone came in handy! Imagine! I used it as a flashlight to get to the laundry room to find the real flashlight. I used the flashlight to locate the emergency candles. BURNS FOR 60 HOURS! My laptop was still on using the battery so the living room was somewhat illuminated until I made it back with another 60 hour candle.<br />
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By the way, electric company? Y'all better have the power back on in 60 minutes. Just sayin'. <br />
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So, I light candles, cover up, answer a few Bubba texts, doze on the couch and 3 hours later, the power was back, leaving me with a bunch of flashing clocks to reset.<br />
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How very anticlimactic, huh?<br />
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Catastrophe averted.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-14652809633023243382010-11-02T18:41:00.000-04:002010-11-02T18:41:01.679-04:00Vote ee oh doh<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQgjSZi5vj2zPOhr7rD8wZzxg6mIAxp9h8bTyyVnhfJQvLC60kg2tjdyemYpvzMmVPxUyrmv0eES39ts265MXwfoNwgPW_OZfh03ySqRj_nFjfr00rFaKNSehRzTfFfhEnzP2um6kpRUK/s1600/ivoted.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="176" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwQgjSZi5vj2zPOhr7rD8wZzxg6mIAxp9h8bTyyVnhfJQvLC60kg2tjdyemYpvzMmVPxUyrmv0eES39ts265MXwfoNwgPW_OZfh03ySqRj_nFjfr00rFaKNSehRzTfFfhEnzP2um6kpRUK/s320/ivoted.gif" width="320" /></a></div>Remember when<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20xsPUnClK4"> Laverne Defazio always referred to foolin' around as "vo dee oh do?"</a> Well, that has nothing to do with the fact that I voted today, but I voted today! I love the fact that pressing some little buttons gives me free rein to complain about politics. That is awesome.<br />
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My civic duty is done and now I have to figure out what to fix for dinner since it is going on 7pm!Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-40547447644459762352010-11-01T23:49:00.000-04:002010-11-01T23:49:09.902-04:00Nablopomo<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.nablopomo.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinuh5IWYffJAmkkKfSGNYFyW50HKawGAj3WmY24RFIJSJgdsOMqdacigBO0LcLFIte96WvjJ7K1pV1Xl05ai8c7rPgJqFvv2wmpIZ2fOraZeezIoKcjwPdWA7myL5jVzXSryuHn6s2MAb7/s1600/nablo_typer_300px.jpg" /></a></div>I haven't done NaBloPoMo since 2007! Wow. I suck at life. And blogging. Anyway, I've been trying to jump start my blogging again, so what better way than to write at least a post a day for the month of November?<br />
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I miss blogging on a regular basis. As I was looking back at <a href="http://fickenchingers.blogspot.com/">the old blog</a> I was giggling quite a bit at some of the things I wrote. While this blog needs some tweaking, as far as aesthetics goes, I hope to continue writing often after November ends. <br />
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Also, October 30th was the anniversary of when I started blogging way back in 2004. 2004? Wow. So, happy blogiversary to me!<br />
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Also, real quick, for those keeping up, (Brianna), nothing catastrophic has happened since Bubba has been out of town. The week is still young.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-3798179233136740142010-10-28T07:40:00.000-04:002010-10-28T07:40:06.126-04:00Cue "Alone" by Heart<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZNHm4tfY8eBjEOmLcdDQbgX-rO3L0_YkczXY14hEzCUYORJhew0EOUSqBaZnBeycFjzaoO7KY0Y0y9Z-tVHh3fuM9N4K954TB1hjjZLWZVZtu4BMwvcefVuzlfEtyWWiGzfJVdztHLvO/s1600/smileys.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhZNHm4tfY8eBjEOmLcdDQbgX-rO3L0_YkczXY14hEzCUYORJhew0EOUSqBaZnBeycFjzaoO7KY0Y0y9Z-tVHh3fuM9N4K954TB1hjjZLWZVZtu4BMwvcefVuzlfEtyWWiGzfJVdztHLvO/s320/smileys.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Today marks the first day of my annual lonely week without my husband. He left at midnight to head to Florida for the NSA (National Softball Association) thingie. That's the official name, too. Annual Thingie.<br />
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Needless to say, I hate it. My husband takes care of me and everything domestic, pretty much. I am not good at the whole wife/mother thing and he is. Plus, I just plain old miss him.<br />
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I am bracing myself for this years' catastrophic development to happen while he is gone. Last year, I nearly had a nervous breakdown from work issues prompting me to seek medication. A couple of years ago our furnace died a tragic death AND Barack Obama won the election. Nothing so bad can happen this year, right? Cross your fingers.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-54801951034055550202010-07-23T06:30:00.000-04:002010-07-23T06:30:55.044-04:00Hours...Roughly 8-9 hours from now, my husband and I will be on our way to our first vacation together EVER. I am so excited I can hardly stand myself.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-90525659707061304862010-07-05T10:41:00.001-04:002010-07-05T21:52:58.723-04:00In an instant!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilFk59NjP7ab6oj_5iC7Gurch4fMiAjzoo_Wi9WDv5BW7Qy59w4ztPBdxJatPbJNTPA7yAXlZtYw81tiTGS_JXXKC9LoPSuIGTD-FwE_nqGxEeRTsPe91sqbIuMF1hoJG2G3_vuMfrX0kd/s1600/article-0-05E5E12C000005DC-665_468x651.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/AVvXsEilFk59NjP7ab6oj_5iC7Gurch4fMiAjzoo_Wi9WDv5BW7Qy59w4ztPBdxJatPbJNTPA7yAXlZtYw81tiTGS_JXXKC9LoPSuIGTD-FwE_nqGxEeRTsPe91sqbIuMF1hoJG2G3_vuMfrX0kd/s200/article-0-05E5E12C000005DC-665_468x651.jpg" width="143" /></a></div>Every day, when I fire up my laptop, the windows live messenger (which I only signed up for because of my college daughter so we can communicate easier while she's away. I LOATHE texting so this works.) pops up and along with that a little box called "Today" does too. It's got stories and headlines to click on and sometimes they are interesting enough to do so.<br />
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This morning in the 'Today' box it said,<a href="http://lifestyle.msn.com/your-look/everyday-style/staticslideshowinstyle.aspx?cp-documentid=24495531&GT1=32002#q=Look%20Sexier%20in%20an%20Instant%21%3A"> "Look Sexier in an Instant!"</a> Well, who am I to ignore such a promise? So I clicked. Imagine my [air quotes] surprise [end air quotes] when each and every suggestion came with a photo of a celebrity/supermodel! If I just follow these suggestions, I will be soooo sexy, my husband won't be able to keep his hands off me! Let's analyze and dissect, shall we?<br />
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<ol><li><b>Undo A Button</b>-- OK, this one I could get behind IF I wore button-down shirts. Me wearing a button-down shirt makes me look like Marge who works in the factory and stops by a bar on the way home to throw back a few. Perhaps I can cut slits in all my shirts to bare more cleavage. Will think on that one later. </li>
<li><b>Wear Red</b>--Red = side of barn. </li>
<li><b>Sport A Pencil Skirt</b>--Thunder thighs and three-baby belly. Would have to wear a top that came to my knees thus canceling out said skirt. </li>
<li><b>Show Some Leg</b>--Stark white with occasional spider veins and a side of cottage cheese. NEXT!</li>
<li><b>Wear Skinny Ankle-Length Jeans</b>--I weigh more than 85 pounds. My THIGHS weigh more than 85 pounds. And I am nearly 40. Just no.</li>
<li><b>Try Sparkles</b>--I am neither a Cullen nor am I a 30-year smoker of a grandma at the bingo hall. </li>
<li><b>Bare Your Shoulders</b>--"...shapely shoulders are just begging to be shown off." One would think that I would have heard my shoulders begging, being that they are right there by my ears and all. Pretty much all my shoulders beg for is to take off that God-forsaken bra. </li>
<li><b>Add a Dash of Leopard</b>--Nothing says sexy like yards of leopard material draped over the previously mentioned side of a barn. Rawrrrr....</li>
<li><b>Throw on a Leather Jacket</b>-- "...looks sassy paired with leg-baring separates." Moo and also see #4.</li>
</ol> *Sigh* I suppose I will stick to my usual tried and true method of trying to look sexy. Wiggling my nose, squeezing my eyes closed and nodding my head. If it worked for Samantha and Jeannie, it should work for me, right?Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-72096971703422405752010-06-28T23:03:00.000-04:002010-06-28T23:03:35.562-04:00Awesomely AmazingI was sorta kinda 45 kinds of giddy for the couple of weeks leading up to the Dave Matthews Band concert. I don't go to many concerts. It's an expense I have a hard time justifying. However, this year, I splurged. There was no way I was going to miss my Dave this year. It had been 8 years! EIGHT! That is way too long to go without a Dave fix. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mFuKt081F0FDKrjW-7bYaulih4OwQWuzXFbTmeLC0PQD9t0zOrSeOAz7YSvxS68s9w2rZeQuzW25XHsetapgiwxzRNRvdAeCvxugDMzI1tp8MNlbNeA6uJe1oHXaio_qu7w27rvGA756/s1600/001.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8mFuKt081F0FDKrjW-7bYaulih4OwQWuzXFbTmeLC0PQD9t0zOrSeOAz7YSvxS68s9w2rZeQuzW25XHsetapgiwxzRNRvdAeCvxugDMzI1tp8MNlbNeA6uJe1oHXaio_qu7w27rvGA756/s320/001.JPG" /></a></div>Saturday, the 19th, was the day. My 19 year-old daughter, Brianna, and I went. Deer Creek...er..Verizon Wireless Music Center is only about 40 minutes from here so we got there pretty quickly after gassing up the ever so hip mini van and heading out. We, of course, listened to DMB the entire way down. Once we hit our exit it was quite disorienting because Noblesville, where the venue is, has grown a LOT in the 8 years since I've been there! I didn't recognize it at all, which became obvious as we drove right past our turn off! Let me tell you, with Brianna and me in the car, it's the blind leading the blind. Pretty comical.<br />
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We made it in the parking lot with no problems and got parked (in Blue 3, don't ya know) with the help of the little fellas in the bright green vesticles. Couldn't do it without them, ya know. We were way early so we rolled down the windows and people watched. And oh boy did we get a good show.<br />
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Parked in front of us was Back Scratch Boy. So dubbed because when he took his shirt off he had some suspicious scratches across his back. I tried not to think about that so much. He filled his plastic container with vodka and crangrape juce and he and his girlfriend took off into the crowd and we didn't see them again. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn5rTX7rOFcP-z0d4PZozYXVTMNIu_J0ME8GO7I0DEPk2FIZCr1sZSQjVz-53ax9PBwN1Nbm-Cr4TBd7b9OikHUj7Th8wvtbZcwMYhSDrCYsh2AN1-4OE05Yhbg_lXt1ofeXlufo4SRlc/s1600/006.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCn5rTX7rOFcP-z0d4PZozYXVTMNIu_J0ME8GO7I0DEPk2FIZCr1sZSQjVz-53ax9PBwN1Nbm-Cr4TBd7b9OikHUj7Th8wvtbZcwMYhSDrCYsh2AN1-4OE05Yhbg_lXt1ofeXlufo4SRlc/s320/006.JPG" /></a></div>To the left of them was a big Yukon full of kids who we named, The Douche Brigade. Young guys..maybe high school seniors or college freshmen who thought they were the shizz. They had 2 or 3 girls with them and they all thought they looked cool drinking vodka and Red Bull and/or beer. We watched them, probably with looks of contempt on our faces. Or looks of amusement. Something. We were trying to snap pictures of them, especially the Grand Supreme Douche. Dude really thought he was God's gift. This is where it gets good. Worth the price of the ticket, for sure.<br />
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We're talking and watching and doing whatever and I see this guy walk by my side of the van really slowly and he stopped at the back. A minute later he walks up the driver's side and stops by Brianna's window for a second then walks up to the Brigade's vehicle. About this time, these other two guys walk up to Grand Supreme and others and ask if anyone needs tickets. Then suddenly we realize, they're getting BUSTED! Out of nowhere, there are at least 4 undercovers giving them breathalyzers and tickets. Seriously, I can't believe we didn't witness at least one of them pee their pants! It was all very calm and orderly, but oh so funny. I couldn't help but laugh. Is that bad? Oh, but the best part was when they had to dump all the alcohol onto the ground! We're talking at least 24 beers, 2 brand new bottles of Smirnoff and maybe more, I'm not even sure. I could just see the dollar signs evaporating. Poor kids. ha<br />
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After that most excellent display, I spent a big part of our free time scoping out the people around us looking for others as old or older than I. I was already feeling pretty ancient. Stay tuned for something that happened later to make me feel better about that. So, anyway, fast forward a little bit to us finally getting out of the car and heading up to the actual venue. <br />
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On the tickets, it said, "NO CAMERAS." Rules? RULES? We don't need no stinkin' rules! Before we left home, we had practiced the art of camera camoflauge. The best we came up with, without her looking like a man who stuffs his stuff with socks to look like he's got STUFF, was for Brianna to attach the handle string to her belt and tuck the camera just behind her belt buckle/top of her jeans. Really, you couldn't even tell. So, we got in line in the sweltering sun (thank you, breeze, for being present all evening!) and when the gates opened we watched security PATTING PEOPLE DOWN! OMG! OMG! OMG! What? Seriously?! <br />
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Brianna is panicking a little. We watch the patting technique by all the yellow shirts and really, while some were more aggressive than others, they were all checking waists from front to back, checking pockets, looking in bags with much more than a glance. I mean, they were making people open cigarette packs! By this time, Brianna's about to pass out. She unbuckles her belt and takes the camera strap off and tucks it in, but then is afraid the camera is going to fall out the leg of her pants. I told her to push it down lower into her panties. Brill! It worked because they most definitely were NOT patting down crotch areas. And that, my friends, is how we got a camera snuck into Deer Creek. I'm a terrible mother.<br />
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Moving on...once inside, we bought souveniers...recycled bags (they're green and very cool. How do I not have a picture? Will remedy that soon. I also got a keychain (it's a bottle opener, too! Bonus!) and a couple of window stickers which I will not put on the ultra cool mini van because I plan to get a new(er) vehicle early next year. I wanted the other bag they had but it was..$100! I think not. It would have to come with a Dave meet and greet for me to spend that kind of money.<br />
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Finally in our seats and yay, we are on the end. No having to squish in between people. We were in Row S of the upper pavilion at the left side. Really, it wasn't too far back and we had a bird's eye view of the door the band would enter the stage from. I gazed down at the pit (the standing room only section right in front of the stage..this is the first year for this at DMB, I believe.) and I remember that the day I was buying tickets, I could have gotten those tickets! I could have been close enough to watch the sweat drip down Dave's face. Sometimes, I really suck. But no matter, it was nice to have a seat to sit in before the show started.<br />
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Or so I thought. Row S, I am now convinced, was they row they advertised for those people who needed potty breaks and/or more beer every five minutes. It started approximately 5.2 seconds after we sat down and lasted throughout the entire show. Oh my Lord, I wanted to trip some of the people on their 7th or 8th trip out and back in. There were, I think, 4 separate groups of people who left multiple times plus a couple of 1 or 2 timers. "Sorry..sorry..sorry..excuse me..sorry...That's what you get for sitting on the end!...(ha ha, NOT)...'silence'....dirty looks...can I get through?...sorry..sorry...sorry..." I was ready to punch somebody. But as usual, I was ever the picture of niceness and just smiled. Oh, then there was the boy who wanted high fives from everyone as he left, the girl who wanted to sing right in our faces as she went by, and the lady who grabbed Brianna's boob. Fun times. <br />
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Why spend good money to see the best band ever in the history of ever if you're going to spend the time going out to get more and more beer until you are so drunk that you a) forget the part of the concert you actually were in the pavilion for b) you are falling down and have to be carried out c) become so ridiculously belligerent that you pick fights with security during the last song of the night and embarrass and frighten your 7 year old child to the point that he is crying?? Yes, we witnessed all that and more. People are stupid and are also freaking distracting and made my beautiful Dave experience less than it could have been. I'm suing!<br />
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So we're sitting there people watching and Dave Matthews just wanders out on stage like he would walk in the kitchen for a sandwich. I'm trying not to be all fan girly by staying in my seat and squealing just under my breath. He looked beautiful in a white shirt and jeans. He said a bunch of stuff I couldn't understand but eventually introduced the opening act who was Robert Earl Keen. (I think.) He was pretty good, but man, I would hate being the opening act for a huge band. Everybody's walking around and talking and not paying attention.<br />
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After an eternity of waiting, DMB finally sauntered out on stage all nonchalant-like and we were on our way! First observations--<br />
<ul><li> Stefan is much shorter than I remember him being. He also looks really cute in those black glasses. </li>
<li>Rashawn has lost a bunch of weight. (this I noticed a couple of weeks ago while watching Bonnaroo.)</li>
<li>Dave changed shirts. He had on white when he came out earlier but changed into black. </li>
<li>Man, Boyd is ripped!</li>
<li>I don't like Carter in baggy clothing and all black. </li>
<li>The couple in front of us may or may not have come to the wrong concert. Who would know since they showed ZERO emotion, good or bad. This went on the entire show up until they left long before it was over. Weirdos. </li>
</ul>They started the night with <b>Big Eyed Fish</b> which went directly into <b>Bartender</b>. This combo is fondly referred to as "Fishtender" by the die hard fans. One thing I love about concerts is when the entire crowd is singing along. By the end of the night, I would be somewhat disappointed that some of the best DMB sing-along songs weren't included in the set. So, I loved "I'm on beeeeendeeeed knees..." in Bartender. You could hear the entire crowd and it was awesome. Jeff Coffin (who has taken the late Leroi Moore's place) on the flutey piccolo thingie (oh wait..it's a pennywhistle!) at the end of Bartender? Fabulous and when I listened to this show again online it ended with the tune of "If I only had a brain..." I did NOT hear that at the concert. Whoa.. where was I?<br />
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Dave said a few words before and after <b>Stay or Leave </b>and that is always a treat. He is usually off the wall and I realized that most times, he talks like Sling Blade, mmm hmm.... Stay or Leave was gorgeous, as usual. "..touch the bottom you and I with muddy toes...stay or leave, I want you not to go..." That is out of lyrical context there, but I do so love Dave's lyrics.<br />
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<b>Sweet Up and Down</b> was next. I admit to not really knowing this song very well. (I KNOW! Hard to believe, right?) It's a great song, though and Carter is fantastic! He was just ON all night long and I SWEAR at some point in the show I was convinced that he actually has 24 arms and 16 legs. Plus, who else can effectively blow bubbles with gum as they are rocking out on the drums??<br />
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<b>Funny the Way</b> <b>It Is </b>had the<b> </b>crowd singing. <b>Stand Up (For It) </b>gave a lot of people time for a potty/beer break. Annoying. I, of course, didn't leave once during the entire show. I had read some other reviews of this show which said there was a Cornbread teaser at the end of Stand up. I so didn't hear it, but upon listening to it over and over after, it's subtle, but it's there. The music is still Stand Up, but there are a few words of lyrics from Cornbread. There is MAD hate for Cornbread amongst the die hards who have seen 85 DMB shows, but me? I say sing whatever the H you want, Davey. You won't hear me complain. So, Stand up went immediately into <b>Recently</b> which had a great 'pretty pretty girl...lovely lovely girl' and 'take me to the water...' outro. After Recently, Dave said, "Yall is so beautiful this evening..." and then told a story about wandering around in disguise at the campground and seeing all the pretty girls with muddy toes and needing showers.<br />
<b>Sister</b> was beautiful and damn near EVERYBODY left. Again, annoying.<br />
<b>Dancing Nancies</b> got the crowd excited again. I've always loved "look up at the sky..." with the horns. It's one of my favorite parts of any DMB song. Not sure why, it's just one of those things. The crowd sang a lot and Boyd did his thang. Boy has some guns!<br />
<br />
<b>Why I Am</b> started and the crowd went wild! It is absolutely FANTASTIC live and my favorite of the night. The energy was amazing. And each time Dave sang, "..still here dancing with the Groo Grux King..." the cheers were LOUD! After the song, Dave did a little rendition of Mr. Rogers. "A beautiful day in the neighborhood...would you be could you be mine.." with a southern sort of twang. What a goofball! But the crowd eats it up. <br />
<br />
Dave brought out Danny Barnes on the banjo for <b>Spaceman</b>... "I love the way you love me, girl...I love the way you move..." <b>Warehouse</b> was next and Danny Barnes hit the banjo. I do love a good banjo player. Probably because I likes me some bluegrass every now and again. Rashawn on the trumpet was pretty fab, as well. I like to watch Rashawn because for one, boy never cracks a smile. Watching him sing back up makes me smile. But watching him play the trumpet is even better. He often only uses one hand and it looks so effortless! <br />
<br />
<b>Grey Street </b>kept the crowd going, and even though it's not one of my most favorite DMB tunes, it was great live! After that, Dave sang <b>You & Me</b> to ME. There was lots of crowd singing (...we're gonna teach them to FLYYYY) which totally ruined our beautiful moment. Our eye contact through the binoculars was special, though.<br />
<br />
Musical intro for <b>Jimi Thing</b> was next, but he didn't begin singing at the usual starting point, so the crowd took over and sang the first lines. It was awesome. Dave did some scatting at the end which led into a chorus of "...Sexy m***** f***** shakin that a**..." with Carter and Rashawn helping out. Now, I'm not one to condone the usage of the EFF word, but really, I'm not sure Dave could have been more sexy to me and I already find him pretty dang sexy. Mmm hmm... Also during Jimi we got Coffin playing two saxes at once and a SMILE from Rashawn!<br />
<br />
I love <b>Stay</b> and I wouldn't care if they always play it at any concerts I may see in the future. Stay is definitely in my top 10. Fabulous Rashawn and Jeff stuff here and it ended with the pretend "Goodnight everybody! Bye bye!"<br />
<br />
After a 9 minute break, the band came back for the encore. Dave informed us that this is the 28th time they've played Deer Creek. And I've seen them twice. How depressing. <br />
<br />
<b>Time Bomb</b> started the encore. I love how it starts so softly and gets so intense! You know, I don't see the band for 8 years and I got the same song to end the show as I did this time that I got 8 years ago. <b>All Along The Watchtower</b>. I'm not one to complain (too much) because I will take Dave any way I can get him, but oh how I despise this song. One, because they usually drag it out for 25 minutes, but also because I just don't like Dave's voice paired with this song. It makes him very growly/screamy and I don't like that. The "no reason to get excited" part that the crowd sings, well, that's ok, but otherwise, Do. Not. Want. It is full of energy though and gets the crowd going so it's a good way to end a show. Carter's creepy "ha ha ha ha..." was the highlight for me. And, Stefan starting the song by playing that foot pedal thingie (sorry, I don't know the technical terms, obviously) is really cool. I'd seen that online at Bonnaroo and I am sure he's done it a million times before, but seeing it live is just that much better. <br />
<br />
And that was the end. *sigh* We watched them walk off the stage and hung around to watch Carter throw out approximately 30 sticks to the crowd. (JEALOUS!) <br />
<br />
I'm really glad we took binoculars because while we weren't THAT far away, I still like to see facial expressions and looks shared between band members.I would be SO appreciative of close tickets! I wouldn't take them for granted! I DESERVE up close and personal tickets!! Right? Right??<br />
<br />
So now, Brianna and I are walking out, heading to the gates just talking about stuff. I think we were talking about Brianna wanting a poster but they were all sold out and I realize that a guy has been walking beside me to my right for quite a while and he's laughing and chuckling at things we are saying. You know, I kind of gave him a sideways glance but that's all. Well, he then asks me if I thought the encore was short. So we chit chatted for a second about the show. And then he says, and I kid you not, "What are you guys doing after this?" I said something goofy like, "Fighting traffic." I somehow mentioned being from Muncie (Hello? I just gave a serial killer information about where we're from!) He said he was from Bloomington and I said something about him having quite a drive home. He then informs me/us that he got a hotel room so he wouldn't have to worry about driving home that night. Wait, huh? It is at that exact moment that I realize, he's hitting on us! Seriously, I wasn't even aware until then. Also at that exact moment, we hit the major foot traffic bottle neck that is the Deer Creek bridge and we got separated from him. I was dying! Dying, I tell you. I told Brianna that the guy was about 2 seconds from inviting us back to his hotel. Well, bless his heart! He was all of 20-21 and kind of nerdy and there is no way on God's green earth he knew I that I am 39 and also there is no way in H-E double hockey sticks that he would hit on me in the sunlight of the day! But, thank you, DMB boy for making my day! It's quite obvious I haven't a clue about flirting and such. I've been married for too long!<br />
<br />
The final moments of our DMB concert night were...<br />
<ul><li> Starving! No food in the ultra-hip mini van! Look! Over there! People selling hot dogs! They didn't come to our row of cars. </li>
<li>Blessedly cold water left over in our cooler!</li>
<li>Washing my sticky face and arms and neck with cooler water. Bliss! </li>
<li>Watching a drunk girl repeatedly return to the car in front of ours. Said car was NOT hers. </li>
<li>Watching a group of girls pee behind an open car door and an umbrella. I guess when you gotta go..</li>
</ul>We had such a good time and I can't wait to see them again. Unfortunately, it won't be next summer because the band is taking 2011 off. Sads. <br />
<ul></ul>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-66194670719677873162010-06-22T05:31:00.000-04:002010-06-22T05:31:29.876-04:00Waste of good stormsTwo days in a row now there have been perfect thunderstorms and I've had to work. Perfect storms to sleep/doze through. Perfect quiet thunder to listen to and relax to. But, noooooo. I have to be at work in an office where I have to walk across the building to even get a glimpse. And forget hearing the rain! Unless it's a torrential downpour we can't hear a thing. I'm so bummed.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Totally Unrelated Photo of the Day (which my daughter will hate)</b></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/AVvXsEh7pDRYtIHYzTRWfow8gwqTptAhQQYEKv0n3kIb8J9d2n4rgPd2dKZSPjKRjd8_VjD2LSjNgqhN9wVjdTE4UAynOVqc3vyd4JdMUqjnhlHNRi9FNJq-ixbt5sAdfv1IkTcPochsTcRd6dwo/s1600/zzzwiggumsrabears.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7pDRYtIHYzTRWfow8gwqTptAhQQYEKv0n3kIb8J9d2n4rgPd2dKZSPjKRjd8_VjD2LSjNgqhN9wVjdTE4UAynOVqc3vyd4JdMUqjnhlHNRi9FNJq-ixbt5sAdfv1IkTcPochsTcRd6dwo/s320/zzzwiggumsrabears.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-41953379440073124402010-06-20T23:02:00.000-04:002010-06-20T23:02:39.016-04:00In the processor of my mind...I am still digesting and processing the most wonderful Dave Matthews Band concert from last night. Full review coming hopefully tomorrow! Here's a picture from Brianna's phone which makes it look like we were MUCH farther back than we actually were.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAWDiiE7R32fm7naXF22NxqoRjTokWfhABq-VtJ4Pn4iK0XpQRMsx9uXyELJ8WvVLMvYVG6fVnOFdh-wMYA91NeRCNsyVtt620Bf7cU3c_acj48jheJxf4dBehufnyt4hOqq6T1T3rcs1/s1600/zzzdavedeercreek.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidAWDiiE7R32fm7naXF22NxqoRjTokWfhABq-VtJ4Pn4iK0XpQRMsx9uXyELJ8WvVLMvYVG6fVnOFdh-wMYA91NeRCNsyVtt620Bf7cU3c_acj48jheJxf4dBehufnyt4hOqq6T1T3rcs1/s320/zzzdavedeercreek.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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DMB est l'amour.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-90955192814169515332010-06-12T23:55:00.002-04:002010-06-13T17:11:59.268-04:00Countdown!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4cPCP1I_g37y19fOpsyUK5e-q3-PIskFgcqRFEH74gCrhr3pekSPdA45zAPFpOlw2LsV1U0_EptqL0oR_UtpR0AEYSiYzd27_nDwSe5DTtLrv6XrPmUcR9xghX_Vsx0rMgeRRLxW3OeM/s1600/zzztix.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="113" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd4cPCP1I_g37y19fOpsyUK5e-q3-PIskFgcqRFEH74gCrhr3pekSPdA45zAPFpOlw2LsV1U0_EptqL0oR_UtpR0AEYSiYzd27_nDwSe5DTtLrv6XrPmUcR9xghX_Vsx0rMgeRRLxW3OeM/s200/zzztix.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>One week from today is the Dave Matthews Band concert at Verizon Wireless Center! (See proof on the left...) I'm getting excited! It's been 8 years since I've seen them live and it is long overdue! This time, though, I have non-lawn seats meaning I'll be in the pavilion and while my seats aren't really close, they're closer than the lawn. I've been bathing in Dave music all evening and it's making me even more excited.<br />
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"Crush" is one of my all-time favorite Dave songs so I'll include this most excellent acoustic version for your enjoyment. But mostly for my enjoyment because it's all about me. <br />
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Is anyone really surprised that I loved the boy with the guitar on Idol this year?Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-68164842136974070842010-06-09T00:24:00.002-04:002010-06-09T19:26:34.788-04:00Sirens!For as long as I can remember, I've heard the warning sirens go off here in my fair city every Friday at 11:00am. It's the weekly test, you know, just in case we get raided or tornadoed or something. I really don't have memory of the sirens ever going off for reals. It's one of those things that no one around here pays much attention to. Every once in a while one will stop for a second and go, "Oh, it must be 11 o' clock."<br />
<br />
Sunday evening at around 7, Brianna and I sat in the living room contemplating going to get some DQ.<br />
"You want something?"<br />
"I don't know, do you?"<br />
"Let's go. I want a blizzard."<br />
"K."<br />
Neither of us moved. <br />
"We should go before it rains."<br />
"Yeah, it looks bad over that way."<br />
Movement nada.<br />
<br />
The two youngest were outside playing at the next door neighbors' house. Then, we heard the sirens. Slow realization came over both Brianna and me and we looked at each other.<br />
"Is that the sirens?" We both said it nearly in unison. We jumped up and, of course, RAN OUTSIDE! It's kind of like when the stupid girl in the horror movie goes outside to check on the noise. Yeah.<br />
<br />
Pretty much everyone else in the neighborhood was out on their porches because SIRENS! The kids came running home and what followed was some sort of tornado chaos which can only be described as...well, you know that scene in Edward Scissorhands when the daughter comes home and sees Edward in her bed for the first time and he punctures the bed and everyone is screaming and yelling and Edward is just kind of wandering in circles and down the hall? That.<br />
<br />
I'm trying to make the flipper work and find a channel which is actually reporting weather while simultaneously unplugging my laptop and running through the house looking for the keys to the church next door so we can go to that basement because our basement? NO. That's another story. Brianna is on her phone looking at a weather report and a tornado touched down IN OUR CITY! Tornado warning! Tornado WARNING! <br />
She's also running back and forth through the house for..I don't know what and then turns the radio in the kitchen up to BLARING so we can listen to the National Weather Service announcement. Jameson is following me half crying. "Mommy, is there going to be a tornado? Is there going to be a tornado? Is there a tornado?" Braelyn is saying goofy things to distract Jameson. I'm yelling, "Get the dog leash!" Which Brianna does, but then the dog sees it and thinks we're taking him for a walk so he's jumping around and doing doggie circles in front of the door. We find keys, finally, and Brianna runs OUT INTO THE WEATHER to see if one of the keys actually belongs to the church, then runs back. At some point she is talking to her boyfriend on the phone and they get disconnected. I'm calling my parents to see if they are going to their basement and if they need help getting there to which my father replies, "Nah, I'll just push her down." (referring to my mother) and I try to call Bubba who is in Indy reffing a basketball game but can't get through. Brianna runs upstairs to save her prized posession (her blankie), her boyfriend calls back in hysterics thinking Brianna has blown away to the Land of Oz and then Bubba calls back but can't hear because of the noise where he is and he somehow thinks the tornado blew the church away.<br />
<br />
Then, it stopped raining and cleared up.<br />
<br />
And we went to Dairy Queen.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>Totally Unrelated Photo Of The Day</b> </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBjWYElUZ9NnjgiYLpJBNUWpMksZVZPzAh6-B3iVhGx_oSniGljk32KsX2XQ41m91fzaoTPT5r7DiRo7Vz1UPQAHib9Jgbq8k_ut9f8Fgqx7iIyiJrOqBjBaeQovVncaNe61oczzwjCGV/s1600/094.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZBjWYElUZ9NnjgiYLpJBNUWpMksZVZPzAh6-B3iVhGx_oSniGljk32KsX2XQ41m91fzaoTPT5r7DiRo7Vz1UPQAHib9Jgbq8k_ut9f8Fgqx7iIyiJrOqBjBaeQovVncaNe61oczzwjCGV/s320/094.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Jameson and his gamer buddy, Jeremy</div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-52750729583465496602010-06-06T15:01:00.001-04:002010-06-06T15:26:50.056-04:00The best laid plansToday is the last day of a vacation from work for me. I've been off since May 20-something. Gosh, what day was that? The 26th? It's been so long, I forget. Technically, I had to work for 4 hours on the 29th but no big deal.<br />
<br />
I had such plans.<br />
<br />
No. Not plans for a grand get away or anything like that. What is that annoying trendy word? Oh, yeah. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staycation">Staycation</a>. (gag) Plans. I was talking plans. Like I said, I had such plans. None of those plans came to fruition. I'm not sure how or why, but I didn't really <i>do</i> anything. And there is so much to be done.<br />
<br />
Now, here it is, the day before I go back to work and all I feel is guilt. Mind you, no one else really knew of these plans so there really weren't any expectations from anyone else in my family. Hmm, perhaps that is why I didn't voice my plans. Ya think?<br />
<br />
Wait. Wait. Wait. I did get one thing accomplished! The fridge got cleaned out and it's all shiny and spiffy, now.<br />
<br />
I've decided that I would have gotten these things done had I been home alone. My problem is, if others are home doing their own version of nothing, then I am completely influenced to do my own version of nothing. In that regard, it's NOT MY FAULT! It feels so good to blame others for my own laziness. <br />
<br />
Maybe I don't feel <i>that </i>guilty.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8jv5dyQ9fwEQziASJYyUc-ADClVbwgh31hneZpKwo9Y6iMBwRaHnhScMAXx3GCVS7XA_Dce1lUtyOKWqyexnh41eoTSuOTmOHEwFKdFQUOOSGC-savvb5xDlfhKtrl359u4_jDdqjrbX/s1600/1braejamelastday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjH8jv5dyQ9fwEQziASJYyUc-ADClVbwgh31hneZpKwo9Y6iMBwRaHnhScMAXx3GCVS7XA_Dce1lUtyOKWqyexnh41eoTSuOTmOHEwFKdFQUOOSGC-savvb5xDlfhKtrl359u4_jDdqjrbX/s320/1braejamelastday.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Braelyn and Jameson's last day of school, 2010. Remind me to remind my husband to check the background before he takes photos. </div>Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1159554538923647730.post-36402935054780667222010-06-06T01:10:00.001-04:002010-06-06T01:14:33.677-04:00Restarting my blog engineI'm not new to blogging. In fact, I have loved blogging for several years now. It's just that my<a href="http://fickenchingers.blogspot.com/"> old blog</a> kind of died. And when I say <b>died</b> I mean that I killed it. And when I say <b>killed it</b>, I mean I took all it's food and water, put it out in the sun and watched it gasp it's last cracked-lipped, cotton-mouthed breath. I loved that old thing but a change was and is needed. I need a url which does not cramp my fingers when I type it. I wanted a blog title which won't need constant explanation. This new and improved* blog title doesn't really mean anything. My niece, Amy used to call me Anj Panj on occasion and eureka! Blog title goodness!<br />
<br />
I know how badly it stinks for bloggers to talk about, well, blogging, but I thought a little bit of explanation was due. For the record, I do not like the generic look of this blog and once I get my blog bearings about me again (read: find someone to help me pretty it up) I'll be changing it. So, no real meat in this post. I'll get to that tomorrow. In the meantime, I'll include a photo and send you to look at my friend, <a href="http://drilleraa.blogspot.com/">Driller's blog</a>. He's a pretty righteous dude as Grace from Ferris Bueller would say. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEy-c2G4RGjIfMzBinmnFwnqO5v7yafnvDFqOK7fWPOVQBNTxEwCxC1TlJs-6PJa6fyIWLnpxnWc_nYSc6iDY6ZCf04UOKHZqIa5Yo6RkwIKWXOgiebtaT3Kz0fM75o1Ir5hHKBPvWP5s/s1600/003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyEy-c2G4RGjIfMzBinmnFwnqO5v7yafnvDFqOK7fWPOVQBNTxEwCxC1TlJs-6PJa6fyIWLnpxnWc_nYSc6iDY6ZCf04UOKHZqIa5Yo6RkwIKWXOgiebtaT3Kz0fM75o1Ir5hHKBPvWP5s/s320/003.JPG" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">The pupster, Wiggums, looking kind of scary as he works on his rawhide bone.</div><br />
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*improved is yet to be determined.Angiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17003233931939801775noreply@blogger.com3