Tales from Creekistan

Thursday Thirteen #88

2008-05-08T03:27:00.000-07:00

13 Gross Things In Creekistan

1. People who throw bags of dirty diapers out of their car window. I can't figure it out! Camping? Or is it a creature that finds the bag in the trash and drags it away.

2. Speaking of trash, we drug up over 40 used tires that were rolled down into the creek. The slime and mosquito larvae that collected in the tires was very gross.

3. The Bee House used to contain a large hive of honeybees and now houses only honeybee carcasses. Years of dead bees were collected between panes of a window and are stacked about a foot high.

4. The black-headed vultures around here are known to attack newborn calfs, killing them by pecking their eyes out and attacking their anus.

5. Vultures also projectile vomit. Can you imagine the smell of vomited rotted roadkill?

6. Can't wait until the infestation of thousands of millipedes on my front porch, eventually sneaking under my door and into the house. You can't take a step without the gross crunching sound.

7. Last Spring, my dog ate a fawn.

8. During the Fall deer hunting season, hunters will field dress a killed deer by emptying out it's guts, cutting off it's head and legs, and skinning it. Those are the items that my dog brings home. Good morning! Deer guts, anyone?

9. Some people throw out pop bottles filled with used chewing tobacco.

10. I've noticed that bees, yellowjackets, wasps, etc. like dead animals too.

11. My cat loves to kill mice. But she only eats the good parts and leaves the head, tail, and guts on the floor for us to find. Or worse: step on.

12. We have some very large wolf spiders that live in the attic. They are the size of a hand. If I find one, I try to vacuum it up, but I had one that held on so tight, I couldn't. I just left the house for a while.

13. We see spiders all the time. What worries me, are the ones we don't see.

Wordless Wednesday #2

2008-05-07T07:44:00.000-07:00

Thursday Thirteen #87

2008-05-01T07:53:00.000-07:00

13 Things I, Bandit the Dog, Like About Creekistan

1. My big cushion on the front porch. Yeah, it used to be an archery target, but I like to lay on it.

2. People bring me bones. I especially like hog bones.

3. Chasing cars. I love to chase the UPS guy.

4. Tricking my masters by barking at nothing and making them come outside to investigate.

5. Playing with the children. They can't catch me.

6. Getting deer parts from the forest. I love to bring deer legs home to sit on my cushion and nibble on them.

7. Barking at cars that park up the street. Why do they stop there?

8. Coming into the house to clean up food spills. Thanks, kids!

9. Drinking out of puddles.

10. Trying to chase and catch rabbits. I got one, once. Yummy!

11. Protecting my family from those guys that come and take our garbage every Thursday.

12. Did I mention that I like to bark at anything?

13. Getting let into the house on cold winter nights and sleeping on a pile of dirty laundry.

Wordless Wednesday #1

2008-04-30T13:56:00.001-07:00

. . . Another Door Opens (2008)

2008-04-29T20:16:00.000-07:00

A year ago, the worst thing that ever happened to me, happened. Worse then the death of my Father due to a rapidly-progressing disease. Worse then the stolen natural childbirth experience due to an emergency c-section. Worse then the car accident that put me in the hospital for 5 days.

I've never considered myself a stay-at-home person. I've always worked a full-time job since the day after I graduated with a two-year college. I was lucky enough to get a job that I enjoyed, that helped me learn many valuable skills, and, when I felt there was no more growth potential, left on my own terms for a better opportunity.

Three years ago we decided to move to Creekistan, much closer to my husband's job. Or more correctly, our move to Creekistan was decided for us. For one thing, a home near our dear friends became available for a shockingly low price. It was a "handyman special," and our dear friend was a handyman. Then on the day we closed on the house, I was offered the perfect job. Jobs near Creekistan are rare. It was as if fate was paving the road for us.

I really loved my new job. It was an oasis to me while my home in Creekistan was not finished. I was able to shower at work--a luxury I didn't have for a while at home. I had wonderful and like-minded co-workers. I had pets at work that helped take the stress away and make every day special. It was such a nice change from the sterile corporate environment I had been in for many years.

I was, as I refer to it, "quit" from that job. I wasn't fired and I didn't quit on my own. I was forced to pack up my desk and my desk trinkets because I wanted to preserve as much dignity as I could. I didn't want to go. I enjoyed my job and the workplace. But something made the boss stop trusting me and start criticizing everything I did. And I couldn't continue to work under those circumstances.

I was really hurt and scarred by losing my job. I still have nightmares about returning to work, humiliated and subservient. I still have anger toward the boss who forced me to leave. To this day I can't say the name of the company or the name of the boss. Instead I refer to them as "The Place I Used to Work," and "She Who Must Not Be Named" respectively. I cringed when my W2s arrived in January.

A year later, I've learned to become a Domestic Goddess. Some days I even manage to get my son off to school, make breakfast and lunch for my Husband to take to work, and I teach my 3-year-old the alphabet. I can now do laundry during the day instead of late at night. My garden is going to be bigger and better. My home is better run.

I feel like I didn't just lose a job, but I lost my identity. I'm still troubled by the fact that people use their employment as their identity. At parties, when people ask, "And what do you do?" I used to tell them all that I found interesting and fun about my job. Now I have to really think about my answer. I'm in transition, and making the best of it.

Thursday Thirteen #86

2008-04-24T07:08:00.000-07:00

13 Things I've Seen While Driving in Creekistan

1. A lot of deer. They're overpopulated, and now I'm not just seeing them at night, I've actually seen them running during the day. A couple years ago, a deer ran into my car (I was nearly stopped!) broke a light and ran off. But I can usually spot them.

2. A lot of litter. Some people around here seem to think that it's perfectly okay to throw their garbage right out their window. In fact, this morning I saw a complete bag of fast food garbage in the middle of the road. I have a neighbor that I suspect drives into town every morning for McDonalds, and on his way back, throws his garbage out near my house. The dog knows too, and looks forward to it.

3. Chickens eating on the side of the road. I guess they're smart enough not to cross. But if they did, I'd have to ask myself "Why?"

4. Roadkill. Most recently, I saw a dead fox. Broke my heart since they are such beautiful creatures.

5. ATVs. A favorite local past-time is to drive a loud four-wheeler on the road (illegally) with a cooler of beer strapped to the back. People of all ages participate. I once saw a 2-year-old with a hurt hand because she reached for something while on a 4-wheeler and got injured.

6. Vultures/Buzzards. With all the roadkill, who can blame them? But these are the kind of creatures that make you stop your car and wait until they fly off. They are large, nasty things. I've even heard that if you piss them off, they will projectile vomit at you.

7. Baptisms. There is a creek on my route that is perfect for this purpose. It's also good for fishing. We joke that we hope a fisherman doesn't snag a recently saved person. Baptisms upstream, fishing downstream, please.

8. Rusted appliances. Some people, instead of properly disposing of their old appliances, leave them outside. We've joked that Creekistan is where old appliances go to die. But I've noticed that during these hard economic times, more people are trying to get money by taking garbage to scrap yards.

9. Very large, old satellite dishes with vines growing over them. I love the site of nature taking over. Or is nature trying to get satellite TV?

10. Dogs that love to attack cars. I don't get it. What is a dog going to do with a captured car? They can't eat it! Bandit has been know to do this, but we're working hard to curb this habit. (Sorry about the pun!)

11. Chipmunks quickly running across the road with their tail straight in the air. The soundtrack in my mind plays the xylophone as I giggle at the site.

12. Box turtles getting a little sun. I've made it a habit that if I can safely do it, I'll stop and carry them off the road. They are too precious to be killed by careless or heartless people.

13. Beautiful scenery. Every day, no matter what time of year, there is something lovely to admire.

Thursday Thirteen #85

2008-04-17T10:12:00.000-07:00

I just recently signed over the title to our cute VW Beetle. So this week I'm doing a retrospective of that car.

13 Things About Our VW Beetle

1. My husband, during his 2+ hour commute from the city to his job near Creekistan, passed by this cute blue 1999 VW Beetle. It was nearly love at first site.

2. We bought the Beetle from a boat dealership. All the paperwork said "boat," but was crossed out and replaced with the word "car."

3. Neither one of us could drive a shift, so we had a friend come down and test drive it for us.

4. Our friend had to drive it home. He kept it at his place until my husband could learn how to drive it.

5. I was in my last trimester of pregnancy at the time, so I didn't want to ride in the car while my husband learned to drive a clutch. I was afraid the jerking motion would put me into early labor!

6. After a few weekends of practice, my husband felt comfortable driving it and we brought it home.

7. Just a couple of months of having the car, my husband thought he was comfortable enough to drive it during a really terrible snow storm. He just wanted to go to the library. We all get in the car and we can't even get off our hilly street. Eventually he had to park it and we walked home. We couldn't get the car out of the deep snow for almost a week.

8. For Christmas that year I got him a matching steering wheel cover and a bouquet of flowers for the built-in vase.

9. It wasn't long and things started to go wrong with the car. The first thing was the driver's seat: it wouldn't go back down after you moved it up to get into the back seat.

10. Then the driver's-side door wouldn't close right. Then the driver's-side door wouldn't open right--you had to roll down the window and open the door with the outside handle.

11. Then the windows stopped working--they wouldn't go up without considerable help.

12. Finally, my husband realized that the heat gage wasn't malfunctioning and that the car was really overheating--eventually blowing the headgasket--the equilivant to a massive heart attack.

13. We managed to drive the car--steaming like an angry, blue dragon, to our mechanic. That's where it remains and that's who bought it for parts.

The Daffodil House

2008-04-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

At the end of a long hike in the woods near our house, we found the old homestead we call The Daffodil House. Abandoned long ago, this house now stands--actually leans--in a secluded and beautiful spot. I imagine, long ago, that the farm wife who lived there planted a few daffodils so that she can enjoy the first signs of Spring with the lovely yellow flowers.

Now the house is sinking into to ground and the daffodils have taken over. The house leans to one side, being held up by a couple of trees that have embedded themselves into the side of the building. Windows are now small doors. If you peek inside, you see the detritus of long-gone residents, teenage parties, and careless hunters who have left evidence that people used to feel safe going into the house.

The wallpaper hangs from the walls. The couch has exploded and springs are everywhere. But the best site is the vast field of daffodils that have spread all over the area. Nature is taking it back.

Thursday Thirteen #84

2008-04-10T05:11:00.000-07:00

13 Reasons I Haven't Done My Thursday 13 Lately

1. It's Spring! I've been enjoying the outdoors.

2. I've been busy starting seeds for my garden. I use those cute dirt pellets that magically expand when you soak them with water.

3. I've also been expanding my garden and turning the earth for another garden plot. A lot of digging! Where's that roto-tiller I was promised?

4. I finally took my son to his first 4-H meeting. He's officially a Cloverbud!

5. The mushrooms have started to appear. My family have found a few, but I've found none.

6. Because the mushrooms are so prized (and valuable), we've had to let Bandit scare people off our land. He just barks at them, but I think they get the hint.

7. We've been trying to clean up the glass mound across the street. The people who used to live in the house that used to be there just tossed their glass behind their outhouse. Now we've got years of beer bottles, coffee jars, medicine bottles, and the occasional Ponds jar to pick up.

8. I'm going to see if any of these old glass bottles are valuable. Perhaps I can clean some up and sell them on eBay?

9. I've made the hotel reservation for my husbands Doctoral Hooding ceremony (aka Graduation.) Next I need to look into limos! He's graduating on a Friday the 13th.

10. We've also finalized the dates of our vacation to Omaha. Boy is my Mother excited.

11. There is now flooring down in one of the extra bedrooms. All it needs now is some electric, a new celeling, some drywall work, and paint. Then the kids can move out of my bedroom.

12. I've applied for College. I'll probably start classes in the Fall. It's been 10 years since I've done any classes. I hope that some of the stuff I did a few years ago will transfer over.

13. I've really missed Thursday 13 and everyones comments. I'm glad I was able to write this today!

Put on Your Mushroom Eyes

2008-04-09T07:56:00.000-07:00

It's now the wonderful time of year in Creekistan when everyone gets a little mushroom crazy. The Morel mushrooms are coming up! In some places in Appalachia, they are called "Molly Moochers."

We have a great spot for these prized mushrooms on our property. So prized, in fact, that we have to scare away mushroom hunters all the time. People around here tend to stop their car and start roaming the forests for mushrooms. I don't think they care if they are on private property or not. But I care! We value these mushrooms and use them for ourselves.

The whole family goes mushroom hunting, except for the dog, Bandit. Aptly named, Bandit will eat the mushrooms if he finds any. So we have to keep him tied up and barking when we hunt for morels.

First, we put on long pants and boots. Some of our property used to be a glass dumping place for long-gone former residents. We try to stay away for that area, but protect our feet from broken glass anyway. Then we grab mesh bags that we've saved all winter--the kind that onions or some fruits come in. Mesh bags allow proper ventilation of our precious mushrooms. Last, but not least, we put on our mushroom eyes.

Mushroom eyes help you to focus and see the mushrooms that have the magical ability to hide in plain site. You can be looking right at a morel and not even see it! But once you've used your mushroom eyes and had seen a mushroom, then you can see even more. It's like they magically appear!

We're going out, right now to see if we can find some. Even if we don't return with mushrooms, it's still a good excuse to explore the forest and enjoy nature.

Wish us luck!

2008-03-31T07:51:00.000-07:00

Now I Feel Like A Heel

As readers of my blog may know, I occasionally have to deal with stray or dumped dogs appearing on my doorstep. I can't believe that some people--rather than deal with unwanted puppies, old dogs, or random strays--would drive to the middle of nowhere (aka Creekistan) and just leave these dogs. Cats too. I've dealt with several such homeless potential pets that I've become a little hardened to it. I would love to take all of these animals into our home and hearts, but we simply can't.

The most recent story is of Red, a young adult mutt that almost found a home here. It started out as this wild dog appearing in the distance to play with my dog. The two dogs seemed to get a long. Eventually, Red warmed up to me and allowed me to examine him. He seemed okay to me, and we even discussed keeping him. He was a mix of a lot of things, including German Sheppherd, Lab, and possibly Pit. The Pit gave me pause. But he seemed really nice and even knew how to sit and give me his paw. Yep, someone abandoned him.

But Red fought and injured Bandit, probably over food. Any funds that might have been used to neuter Red were utilized to hospitalize our beloved Bandit. That was it for Red. I tied him up and called the Dog Warden on Monday. I called the Dog Warden on Tuesday. I called the Dog Warden on Wednesday before I went to the vet to get Bandit out of the "hospital." I had to keep Bandit in the house 24/7 in order to keep him away from Red as well as nurse him back to health. Red, in the meantime, started to think that he was ours. He started to protect the house and bark whenever someone came to visit. But he was too intimidating.

I called every day, trying to sound frustrated, sad and pathetic about having to be stuck with this stupid dog and why isn't someone coming out to get this dog that attacked my dog?

Finally on Friday the Dog Warden came and got Red. I felt bad--the kids watched as Red, tail between his legs and fighting the entire time, was taken away and put into a truck to go to one of the worst dog pounds in the state. But I was mad, too, that it took five days. The dog warden apologized profusely, and I even gave him a can of Coke, but our interaction was brief.

Then, on Saturday, I saw the headline of the weekend paper:"Dog warden injured avoiding dog." Seems that the dog warden was driving down the road and had an accident trying to avoid a stray on the road. Well, that explains why he was late. Now I feel like a heel.

My Significant Other

2008-03-20T20:37:00.000-07:00

Thursday Thirteen #83

2008-03-13T05:24:00.000-07:00

March 20, 2008, which would have been Mr. Rogers' 80th birthday, is being promoted as "National Sweater Day" in his honor. As a tribute, everyone should wear their best sweater next Thursday. If you have a sweater or two that you don't want or need any more, be sure to donate it.

13 Beautiful Things about Fred McFeely Rogers:

1. Mr. Rogers studied music composition in college and wrote all the music on the show.

2. In 1963, Fred was ordained a Presbyterian minister.

3. In 1969, Mr. Rogers testified in front of the Senate to help save funding for Public Television. He said that shows like his are an alternative to less positive messages on network television and encourage children to be come happy and productive citizens. By 1971, PBS funding was increased from $9 million to $22 million.

4. Mr. Rogers also testified in front of Congress, defending the use of VCRs to videotape shows. He said that by by taping shows, working parents could watch the shows with their kids at a more convenient time.

5. Koko the Gorilla was a fan of Mr. Rogers. When she met him, she gave him a big hug, and helped him take off his shoes.

6. When his car was stolen, it made news all over town. Within two days, it was returned to the exact spot it was stolen with a note reading, “If we’d known it was yours, we never would have taken it.”

7. He was color blind--he couldn't see blue. So basically, he didn't know what he looked like with the blue sweater on.

8. All the sweaters on the show were hand-knit by his mother.

9. A red cardigan sweater belonging to Rogers hangs in the Smithsonian.

10. MISTER ROGERS' NEIGHBORHOOD is the longest- running program on public television. It started in 1967 and the last original episode aired in 2001.

11. In 1998, Mr. Rogers met the Dalai Lama. I can't think of two kinder men. Think of the karma in that room!

12. In 2002, President George W. Bush presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, recognizing his "contribution to the well-being of children and a career in public television that demonstrates the importance of kindness, compassion and learning."

13. Mr. Rogers died in his Pittsburgh home on Thursday, February 27, 2003 after a brief battle with stomach cancer. He was 74.

Thursday Thirteen #82

2008-03-06T05:46:00.000-08:00

Thursday Thirteen: Mayhem in Creekistan

1. The 3-year-old boy that I watch 3 days a week freaked out Monday morning and didn't want to be at my place. I had to hold him down for about 20 minutes so that he wouldn't run out the door and down the street. He was kicking and screaming the entire time, and even pissed himself. I kept my cool, because I knew that no matter how stubborn he is, I'm more stubborn. He was much better on Wednesday.

2. Monday was warm outside, so I started on the gardening stuff. At least I found the shovel and the hoe. But I noticed some annuals starting to get green.

3. The spring flowers are starting to come up.

4. I'm waiting for my new digital camera to arrive. Hopefully it can take much better pictures than my old one.

5. Speaking of spring, there is an old abandoned house deep in the woods that, every spring, is completely surrounded by beautiful daffodils. We call it the Daffodil House. I'll take pictures.

6. The spring peepers (frogs) are peeping. I love the sound and will stop my car, roll down all the windows, and listen for a while.

7. I got a call from a company that I interviewed with around November last year. They are finally interested in looking to hire me, but lost my resume and want me to send it again. Do they really think I would want to work for a company that disorganized? Besides, I think I like this stay-at-home thing. At least for now.

8. I did call that company back and found out that indeed, the executive had lost my resume and contact information. He made his assistant track me down. Eventually she spoke with someone at my son's elementary school and found me.

9. I felt sad that they went through all that trouble just to find me and then I didn't want to work for them! So I'm working out a freelance/consultative agreement with them instead. Work at home and bill them the hours.

10. I've also become very busy doing postcards and posters for local arts organizations. It's fun work, but they are the toughest customers!

11. Our dog Bandit keeps bringing home deer bones and leaves them on the porch or driveway. My 3-year-old daughter grabbed my hand one day and said that I had to see something. She pointed them out and said, "Look, dinosaur bones!"

12. One day in the car, my daughter started repeating a phrase over and over. I couldn't figure it out at first. I asked her what it was and she said "Austin Powers". I finally figured out was a phrase from Austin Power's Goldmember: "Twins, Basil!"

13. We may have a new dog. One that has just been hanging out but would run away as soon as he saw people. But yesterday I was able to pet him and feed him. Bandit likes him except when I give him attention. But I think the new dog is going to stick around. I'm afraid to name him.

Alphabet MeMe

2008-02-26T07:00:00.000-08:00

Here’s how it goes: Rule #1: Copy all the links below and replace a single link under the appropriate letter of the alphabet. If your domain name, or even the title of your blog, starts with an “A,” you’d replace the link under that letter and put the replaced link at the bottom. Also, don’t forget to credit the tagger, or where you got the list from, at the end of the list with a full URL of the post so that a pingback gets generated.

A. Amy the Black

B. Blogging with Cent

C. Cricket's Hearth

D. Dane Bramage

E. Everything and Anything

F. Fond of Snape

G. Gone to Plaid

H. Holiday Bizarre

I. It's Like she's Raising Animals!

J. Jen's Horde

K. Kabalyero

L. Loose Leaf Notes

M. Mommy Mandy

N. Not Just Mama

O. Original Mx5

P. Peapod Squad Stuff

Q. Q Weddings

R. Rowdigrl

S. Scribbit

T. The Rock Chick

U. Utada Online

V. Valmg

W. Wicked Babylon

X. Xavier Media

Y. Yimto

Z. Zbudapest

Replaced Links: An Ordinary Life
DadThing
Forum Finder
Happy Keg
I’m Running To Win Two
Julies Journal
Ladylike4
Shirleys Delight
Not Just Mama
The So Called Me

Thanks to Cricket's Hearth for tagging me.

Sorry, I'm not going to tag anyone. But if you want to volunteer, go for it!

The Oscars 2008

2008-02-25T05:15:00.000-08:00

I love to follow the Oscars. I used to stay up late and watch. When they used to be on later in March, sometimes they'd even land on my birthday! But those days are over.

Since I don't have TV, I followed the Oscars by Live Blogging. Yep, someone at the awards ceremony with a computer blogged the night away. Every so often I'd go to my computer, hit "refresh" and find out something new. It doesn't replace seeing the awards, but I still find out who won.

Unfortunately, I didn't get to see any of the movies up for Best Picture. In fact, I didn't see most of the movies nominated for any category! But now I know what to put in my Netflix queue.

I'm Now An Artisan Bread Baker

2008-02-22T17:03:00.000-08:00

A huge shout out goes to fellow blogger SusieJ, who wrote a Thursday Thirteen about the book "Artisan Bread in 5 Minutes a Day." She inspired me to get the book, which I did. In fact, I paid extra for overnight shipping and thanked my husband for the Valentines Day present. But because of this stupid Flu and Bronchitis, I was not able to make my first batch for a week.

I have to say, this is wonderful. The dough was easy to make, and the baking was easy, too. The only difficult part was waiting for it to cool before we had our first bite.

Now that the loaf is almost gone, we'll have to discipline ourselves to wait until tomorrow to make another one. Otherwise, all this weight that I lost while sick will just jump right back on.

I highly recommend: Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: The Discovery That Revolutionizes Home Baking
by Jeff Hertzberg

Thursday Thirteen #81

2008-02-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

Thursday Thirteen: Life in Creekistan

1. My son and I were listening to NPR this morning in the car. The station wasn't coming in very good and we would lose the signal with a buzzing sound. So we pretended that the people on NPR were actually flys with giant heads, buzzing around a microphone.

2. We wanted to watch the lunar eclipse last night, but it was too cold. So we sat in the car and watched from our driveway.

3. We already received our Girl Scout cookies, and half are already eaten.

4. With being sick these past two weeks, I've come to realize that Pirates of the Carabbean At Worlds End makes a great movie to put in while you're taking a nap. It's so long, that I can usually fall asleep during the beginning, take a nice nap during the middle, and wake back up in time to see the end.

5. We've been watching a lot of Star Trek lately. Mainly Voyager and Deep Space Nine. Great science fiction crust with a wonderful morality play center. Yum.

6. Since we were all sick on Valentines Day, we didn't get to celebrate. We've decided on a new holiday: Go Crazy at Jungle Jims Day. You wouldn't believe this store if you haven't seen it. Check it out here. We're planning on traveling there and spending the day. I have to make a giant shopping list, first.

7. I've decided that when I grow up, I want to be a Script Supervisor. I'm always spotting continuity problems in movies.

8. When I told my son the above fact, he said, very delicately, "Um. . . . but you are grown up." Then we argued: "No I'm not!" "Yes you are!" "Not" "Are" Not" "Are" "Not infinity."

9. Whenever I move my front passenger seat up so that my son can have more leg room, my husband accuses me of having someone else in the car. I tease that I'm having an affair with a midget.

10. I still can't teach my daughter knock knock jokes. I say, "Knock Knock," she says "Who's there?" and no matter what I say, she just starts laughing before I get to finish the joke.

11. Speaking of my daughter, she's been wanting to wear pretty dresses all the time. I don't have many. But it is cute when we go out because she also wears rubber boots. She's such a country girl.

12. I recently found out that sometimes, late at night when me and my kids are asleep, my daughter will get up and go downstairs to spend quality time with my husband. They snack, watch a movie, and cuddle on the comfy chair.

13. My husband can play "Tubular Bells," the theme from the movie "The Exorcist" on the toy xylophone. Creepy.

Thursday Thirteen #80

2008-02-13T15:08:00.000-08:00

13 Things I Did Twenty Years Ago

I vividly remember February 12th, 1988 because it was my first date with my future husband. Once we're over the flu, I'm sure we'll celebrate this 20th anniversary.

1. February 12th, 1988 was a Friday before a 3-day weekend. Sunday was Valentine's Day, and Monday was President's Day. As a bonus, school was called off on Friday because of snow.

2. Although I had not seen him in a few months, I was talking to FH (future husband) on the phone a lot. We talked a lot on the phone that day, and agreed to meet at a local mall.

3. I was fairly new to the area, but I could navigate by malls. Unfortunately, on my way to the mall to meet with FH, I missed the exit.

4. I finally got to the mall and we met near a pet store. The pet store has since been replaced by a food court. Makes me wonder . . .

5. We went out for Chinese (Golden Buddha) and brought it to a friend's babysitting job to eat. My friend is responsible for making sure we got together. My school was having a Sadie Hawkins dance--girls were supposed to invite boys. I could only remember FH's name and the school he attended. She researched it in the phone book and actually found his number, dialed it, and forced me to talk. He wasn't home.

6. I took him home to meet the parents. I'm not sure what they thought, since FH had safety pins stuck all over his pants in a semi-punk style. But my Shi-Tzu puppy loved him and nipped his nose.

7. We went to a movie that night. What romantic movie did we choose for our first date? Fatal Attraction.

8. By the time we got back from the movie, it was late. We sat in front of the fire and kissed for a while. We looked at the clock and it said 1:11. From then on, every time we see that time, we kiss.

9. With permission from my parents and FH's mother, he stayed on the couch.

10. I brought him coffee in the morning in my "Amy" cup.

11. We hung out the next day with my friends. We had our typical Pop-Tarts, Root Beer Float and Fencing party. Seriously! We'd have junk food and spar with swords.

12. We had to take FH home Saturday night. He lived across town, about 45 minutes away.

13. But I did get to see him again on Monday, President's Day. We hung out at his Mother's house and watched the Talking Heads movie, "Stop Making Sense." I love the '80's!

For Valentines Day: Porn for Women

2008-02-12T15:36:00.000-08:00

(click on the photo to see the larger image.)

Porn for Women
by Cambridge Women's Pornography Cooperative
Available on Amazon!

Thursday Thirteen #79

2008-02-07T07:09:00.001-08:00

13 Famous Rats

1. Today, 2008, starts the Year of the Rat, according to the Chinese calendar.

2. Rats are charming, passionate, charismatic, practical and hardworking.

3. William Shakespeare, and Mozart were born in the year of the rat.

4. More modern famous rats are Gwyneth Paltrow, Ben Affleck, Samuel L. Jackson, Carmen Electra, Cameron Diaz, Jude Law, Avril Lavigne, Kelly Osbourne, Bono, David Duchovny, and Hugh Grant.

5. Let's not forget about the rats in the the movie and book "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH". . .

6. . . . or Templeton in "Charlotte's Web" . . .

7. . . . or Rizzo the rat from The Muppet Show . . .

8. . . . and especially Ron Weasley's rat, Scabbers, in the Harry Potter books who turns out to be the big rat Peter Pettigrew (aka Wormtail).

9. The newest rat on the scene is Rémy, a rat that would rather be a chef in the movie, Ratatouille.

10. The last Year of the Rat was a very good year for movies. 1996 was the year of Jerry Maguire, Fargo, and my favorite, The English Patient. It was also the year for Beavis and Butt-Head Do America, Independence Day, Twister, and Mission: Impossible.

11. The Year of the Rat, 1984 was a very significant year. The first MTV Video Music Awards are held in Radio City Music Hall, New York City. It was the year of Ghostbusters, The Karate Kid, and Footloose . . .

12. . . . . and when Happy Days finally ended after jumping the shark.

13. In 1984, Andy Kaufman made his final performance.

The Ungodly Coin

2008-02-05T09:04:00.000-08:00

In my crusade against misinformation being sent through e-mail, I wrote this article this morning, hoping to end the debate.

Rumors have been spreading for years about the fact that the new U.S. Mint coins are omitting the phrase "In God We Trust," thus indicating a government plot to "phase God out of America." This rumor has some in the the Christian community in an uproar, with some religious people indicating that they'd refuse to accept or spend these "atheist" coins.

Nothing could be further from the truth. Well, actually, there is a little sliver of truth, about the size of the edge of a $1 coin. In early 2007, the U.S. Mint admitted that an unknown amount of George Washington dollar coins were minted missing the "In God We Trust", which should have appeared on the edge of the coin.

Truth is, the phrase was never intentionally omitted. This new series of $1 gold coins, similar to the popular state quarter program, are to honor U.S. presidents, starting with George Washington. These coins feature a new bold design with the figure of the honored president much larger then in previous designs. In order to make room for this large design, the phrases "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum" were moved to the edge of the coin. Some people, seeing only a head-on photograph of the coins and not seeing the edge lettering, might have become outraged and spread the rumor through e-mail.

The government has taken measures to help make heads and tails of the situation. The Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2008, that was signed by President George W. Bush on December 26, 2007, changes the design of the coin. H.R. Bill number 2764, Section 623 "Modifies the edge-incused inscription on $1 coins minted and issued honoring each of the Presidents of the United States to remove "In God We Trust." Requires the design on the obverse or the reverse of the coins to bear such inscription." In other words, the phrase "In God We Trust" will be required on the front (obverse) or back (reverse) of the coin.

Starting in 2009, the $1 coins will have "In God We Trust" and "E Pluribus Unum" printed on the front or back of the coin instead of the edge. Hopefully this will satisfy some in the religious community that the government is not trying to phase out God. But if you do happen to stumble upon a coin with the Ungodly error, they are worth a lot more than $1!

References:

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/$1coin/index.cfm?action=Washington
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/17501178/
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/dollarcoin.asp
http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=h110-2764

The New Hair

2008-02-05T07:29:00.000-08:00

For those of you curious, Amy the Black may have to change to Amy the Black/Red/Blond. I can't be Amy the Red because it's taken! Redheads have the most fun, huh Sandi the Red?

Thursday Thirteen #78

2008-01-30T18:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday Thirteen: For The Birds

1. A friend of mine had extra beer left over from a party and gave them to me. I don't usually like Bud and Bud Light, but it's free! I put them on the back porch to stay cold. Lately I was worried that they may explode in the cold temperatures. I was afraid to even check, and I've been out of beer for a while. But I got desperate and checked, and YEAH! they did not explode. The cans of beer, however, do have sawdust all over them from being too close to the circular saw.

2. With the temperatures in the teens and single digits, we've been letting the dog in at night. Contrary to what most people may think of Bandit, he's pretty good inside the house. I can get him to lay down on the floor near the kids and he'll stay there all night.

3. My 7-year-old son is getting pretty good with the computer. I let him have my old iMac (older than him!) and he knows how to use it. In fact, right now, he has iTunes playing my 3-year-old's personal playlist so that she'll leave him alone long enough to do his homework.

4. My 3-year-old daughter's iTunes playlist is actually pretty good. She really likes Devo, especially Whip It and Working In A Coalmine. I've been playing Radiohead for her, and she really enjoys it. She whips her long blond hair around like a heavy-metal guitarist. Actually, I think she'll play drums.

5. I've been watching a friend's two kids while she teaches at the university. Her husband also teaches there, as does my husband. I feel like the housewife for three professors.

6. I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow, finally. I was inspired by Colleen who said "Overnight my hair reaches critical mass and I can’t go another day without a haircut."

7. I'm also going to get my hair highlighted. So now I have thoughts of having hair like Kelly Clarkson or Penolope Cruz. Actually, the only reason I'm having highlights is to hide the grey.

8. I've been daydreaming about what I'd do with the money I get from the economic stimulus package--it reminds me of dreaming of winning the lottery. Actually, the money is already spent and would be used to pay outstanding bills. I'm still holding out for winning the lottery, if only I had enough money to play.

9. I just found an old friend on MySpace. He owns a parrot that I used to "birdsit" occasionally. I don't know if I missed him or the bird more! Sorry, Andy, I don't mean it. I really miss your gigantic hugs more than bird poop on my shoulder. Say "Hello" to Crackers for me!

10. My daughter turned 3 last Wednesday, but she's been celebrating for a week. Every night I have to read Dr. Seus' Happy Birthday To You, she's still playing with her Happy Birthday mylar balloon, and wishes everyone a Happy Birthday. Why not?

11. My son just wrote the sentence "I am straighter then you." When I checked his writing, I had to laugh. He thought the word was "stronger." So he changed the word "am" to "stand." Much better!

12. My husband's car door froze shut when I was starting the car for him. So I managed to climb into the back and open the door from the inside. When he was trying to leave, the door wouldn't shut. He yelled at me for opening the door from the inside. I guess, in his fury, he forgot that sometimes you need to get OUT of the car. I quickly fixed the latch and all was better.

13. Someday I'm going to compile a list of phrases that you may only say once in your life. For example, "I hate it when the kids break the abacus!"

Thursday Thirteen #77

2008-01-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

13 Reasons Why My Thursday Thirteen Is Late

1. Wednesday was my daughter's third birthday. We partied all day and the kids were still wound up in the evening.

2. I let my son stay up a little later Wednesday night because we were doing his "French for Kids" lessons--listening to a CD and doing worksheets. We can count to 10 in French now!

3. Wednesday night I went to bed with the kids and fell asleep. Therefore I was not able (or willing) to get up in the middle of the night and do my Thursday Thirteen. A lot of my TT writings are done around 3 am.

4. When I did wake up in the middle of the night, I was too cold. All I could do was change into my warm pajamas and get back under the warm covers.

5. With Monday being a holiday, I forgot that Thursday was Thursday.

6. My husband was scheduled for minor surgery Thursday morning. I was getting prepared for a rushed morning.

7. Thursday morning was rushed and very snowy. We decided, after starting down the road, to drop my son and daughter at the sitters and forget about school. I thought it would be cancelled anyway because of the snow.

8. I had to ship out some eBay stuff and had to stop at the post office before going to the surgery.

9. We got to the Same-Day Surgery center at 10 am--just as we were supposed to, even though the roads were snowy.

10. The doctor was running late. We had to wait until after 2 for his surgery. (FYI: He's fine, it was a routine procedure--but you know how sometimes men can be big babies!)

11. During the 4+ hour wait, I managed to crochet a small hat.

12. The drug store's computer was down, so I had to wait for my husband's medications.

13. I didn't get home to my computer until about 7 pm Thursday night. So here I am! Finally!