2010 Book Challenge - February

We're beginning February today, all, and to date I have read sixteen books (one book per every 1.9375 days). Here's what's on deck for February so far (note how I threw a little baseball lingo in there? Opening Day is about three months away!):

Cassandra Clarke; City of Glass

Spider Robinson; Callahan's Lady (reread)

Clive Barker; Coldheart Canyon

Catherine Coulter; Riptide

Doris Christopher; The Pampered Chef

M Mignola/C Golden; Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampires

Gregory Maguire; Wicked

I'm getting a list from my mumsy to see what she's reading, and she's going to unofficially do this challenge with me, and I'll list hers here as well.

Heepwah, and be safe out there,

Your favorite bookie,

Mrs. Dreamer

(Read something, or I'll break ya kneecaps!)

2010 Book Challenge - January

Ok, my LDs, your bookie Mrs. Dreamer here. We're one-twelfth of the way through 2010, and I'm updating you on the books I've read for January. As a reminder, my goal for 2010 was to read 50 (yes, fifty) books.

1. Piers Anthony; Two to the Fifth (a Xanth novel)

2. James Patterson; Roses Are Red (an Alex Cross novel)

3. Charlaine Harris; Real Murders (an Aurora Teagarden novel)

4. Fannie Flagg; Standing Under the Rainbow (reread)

5. Janet Evanovich; Plum Spooky (a Stephanie Plum Behind-the-Numbers novel)
6. Fannie Flagg; Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (reread)
7. Patricia Davids; A Military Match

8. PC Cast and Kristin Cast; Tempted

9. Alex Archer; Rogue Angel: Secret of the Slaves

10. Christina Skye; Code Name: Baby
11. Piers Anthony; Pornucopia (reread)
12. James Patterson; Witch and Wizard
13. Lynsay Sands; Bite Me If You Can
14. Charlaine Harris; Dead Until Dark

15. Cassandra Clark; City of Ashes
16. Charlaine Harris; Living Dead In Dallas

I'll be posting my reading list for February next.

Heepwah, and be safe out there.

Your favorite bookie,

Mrs. Dreamer

Responsibility

Sorry for not posting for, like, a zill years. Been busy.

~~I'm still working on the 2010 Book Challenge. I'm about finished with one of them on my list, and I just received a plastic grocery sack full of books from my mumsy. She loves me. :) I told her what she needed to do was to keep me updated on the books she's reading, and I'll keep track of them here for her; kind of like a mini-challenge between me and her (I think I'll win).

~~Picked out flower colors for my sister-in-law who is getting married in August. I'm helping plan the wedding...but I'm not the MOH (matron...I'm married). Nope, I'm first in, first out, last in line. Darker colors of dresses (which I got to pick mine up this afternoon. Yay), and the flowers are yellows and cream and red and white and peach. Surprisingly, they look good against the color swatches that I bought.

~~Monday, February 1 is D-Day. Not like December's D-Day, but the kind of D-Day that happens when you're 60 (no, that's not a typo. 60. Six-zero.) pounds overweight. I did well in high school dropping weight when I was running. Let's see if I can do it again.

I want to run at least one 5K this year. My friend Jessi and I (Mr. Realist said he'd go if he could wear all Cards gear...) are planning on running the Race to Wrigley in Chicago this year. I'm definitely not in it to win it. I'll settle for finishing on my own steam. That race is in April. We are definitely running the Beaverthon in September/October for our alma mater's Homecoming. Gonna try to win that one.

But there's also a Polar Plunge that I'm partnering into with my friend Jen. It's in Springfield, and it's to raise money for the Special Olympics. I've written about her before, but Jen's (and her hubby A) daughter Ainsley has Down syndrome. I'm going to start getting my shiz together and hitting people up for donations. I've got to have $75 in order for me to take the plunge. I'm going to freeze my ass off...wait, that might be good. I need to lose an ass (or seven)....

Doing a Couch to 5K thing means that I'm going to HAVE to blog every night I run. Let you know how I feel, what I listened to or what Mr. Realist and I talked about (if we can talk over the sounding like Big Bad Wolves). If I don't blog that night or the next day, call me out on it. PLEASE. I'm tired of being fat (and I'm tired of Mr. Realist being fat, but he's "perfectly happy". I'm not happy with either of us being the way we are, and I'm doing something about it).

Call me out on it. I dare you.

No, really. I dare you to call me out.

Please. Call me out if I don't.

Heepwah, and be safe out there.

Wanna be sexy again,

Mrs. Dreamer

I Winded!

No, my LDs...not winded as in "I just ran eleventy seven steps and my fat ass is out of breath!" winded.

Winded. As in I wonded. As in "I won the 250 business cards from Dragondreamer!"

Yay go me!

Now...

What the hell do I put on them?

Heepwah, and be safe out there,

Pondering business cards,

Mrs. Dreamer

2010 Book Challenge - January Update

My goal for 2010 is to read 50 books. Think I can manage that? I'll start you off on January:

Completed:

1. Piers Anthony; Two to the Fifth (a Xanth novel)

2. James Patterson; Roses Are Red (an Alex Cross novel)

3. Charlaine Harris; Real Murders (an Aurora Teagarden novel)

4. Fannie Flagg; Standing Under the Rainbow (reread)

5. Janet Evanovich; Plum Spooky (a Stephanie Plum Behind-the-Numbers novel)
6. Fannie Flagg; Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (reread)
7. Patricia Davids; A Military Match

8. PC Cast and Kristin Cast; Tempted

9. Alex Archer; Rogue Angel: Secret of the Slaves

10. Christina Skye; Code Name: Baby
11. Piers Anthony; Pornucopia (reread)
12. James Patterson; Witch and Wizard
13. Lynsay Sands; Bite Me If You Can
14. Charlaine Harris; Dead Until Dark

15. Cassandra Clark; City of Ashes

In Process:

Cassandra Clarke; City of Glass

Charlaine Harris; Living Dead In Dallas

Mike Mignola and Christopher Golden; Baltimore, or, The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire
Doris Christopher, Founder; The Pampered Chef

Gregory Maguire; Wicked

Second Sunday

You know, I'm not sure of the 'Dear Readers' thing. I've seen 'Humble Readers' and 'Lovely Readers' and 'Bloggy Bitches'. :)

I think I'll take a page from Lady Gaga. She calls her fans her 'little monsters.' But you're not monsters (and I'm not the fabulous Lady Gaga).

You're my little dreamers, aren't you? Of course, it makes me sound like I'm an Evil Overlord. "Off with you, my little dreamers - serve me! muah-ha-ha-haaa!"

Anyway, my LDs (ooooo, I like that)....

This has been the second Sunday in a row that Mr. Realist and I have made it to church (!).
I was born and raised Roman Catholic.
Went to a Catholic grade school from kindergarten through eighth grade.
Went to a Catholic high school for my freshman year. (after that, it becomes a different story, but that's for a later date)
I liked going to Mass when I was in school. My favorite part? The music.
See, my LDs, I LOVE to sing, and I sing well. Best part when it was our class's turn to be Mass helpers was the fact that I (majority of the time) was the songleader. The first time getting up in front of the entire school and leading the songs was incredibly nerve-wracking. After that, it was a piece of cake. I got to college...and God 'ceased' to exist for me.

I'm getting distracted. Sorry.

That is one of Mr. Realist's goals ('fuck resolutions', right?) for this year - go to church regularly. Seeing as how I'm Catholic and he's non-denominational, it's actually not that hard.

You see, Pastor Randy of the Free Methodist Church here in the Boro of the Hills married us four years ago. He's a wonderful pastor and a hell of a guy (can I even say that about a religious figure? Hell?). He's passionate about his faith in God, and he wants that passion to grow in everyone.

So we're going to St. Agnes one week and the Free Methodist Church the next. We're rotating.

Mr. Realist made a good point after services today: he likes the message and the sermon of the Catholic Mass, but the music of the Free Methodist is much more uplifting.

I feel kind of like a hypocrite: born and raised Catholic, but attending a Free Methodist church part time. Liking the Catholic sermons, but the F.M. music much, much more. Today, whilst everyone else was singing along to music that I had no clue about the notes (words were up on a projector and they weren't in a music book), I tried to enjoy the music through my tears. The music affects me quite profoundly, and I don't know why.

Could it be God trying to tell me something?

There are ideas that confuse and anger me about religion, though.
1. I don't think it's very Christian if "your religion" is the only right one and the only way you can get into Heaven is if you worship there. Mr. Realist made a good point - it's the people that express that sentiment, not the religion itself. My retaliation to that is - they have to get the idea somewhere.
2. The Bible states that homosexuality is wrong. However, in some cases, I don't see it as a lifestyle choice. I will never, never be a professional golfer. It's just not in my genetic makeup. However, Natalie Gulbis is a professional golfer. Everyone is different - no two of us are exactly alike. So why should that be any different?

I'm struggling with faith here. How can all of the people around me, not just in church this morning but everywhere, have such unwavering faith?

And how can you combine Catholic with Methodist? Cathodist? Metholic?

Heepwah, and be safe out there,

Asking God for help,

Mrs. Dreamer

Lay Like Broccoli

Why is it so hard to tell my husband things when they affect him? Yesterday (since Mr. Realist works in a bank), he consumed an entire box (yeah, twelve) normal sized doughnuts. I worry about him. He had three for breakfast, Taco Bell for lunch (a chalupa, a double-decker taco, and a chicken taco, along with half a bag of the cinnatwists), and the rest of them between 1pm and 5pm. Sorry, I take that back - he had two Sunday night as a snack. So he only consumed ten on Monday. Ten fucking doughnuts. And to top it all off, he had a chicken fried steak and a mound of mashed potatoes for dinner that I had to cook. Apparently, he's above reading a cookbook and making dinner on his random day off.

Don't get me wrong; I love my husband. But he's lazy. Unmotivated. Would rather sit in front of the computer or the TV watching a movie than do anything else. Hates to read. Wants me to feel bad for him because 'he doesn't have any friends.' Is 'jealous' that I have Pampered Chef and Angora Management and I read and write and 'have friends.' Thinks that my "Sweet Sixteen (x2)" birthday idea is a lame one.

I want to go back to school, but I don't know how to do it. Dear Readers, please don't think ill of me for what I'm about to tell you (two of you already know).

We've filed Chapter 13. It's about half medical, half credit cards. For the next five years, we won't be getting a tax return. It'll go to the 13 payoff.

I'd like to go back to school, but I don't think I can. We don't have children to warrant the 'mom goes back to school' shiz I've seen all over the interwebz. We don't have near enough in savings (hell, there's just enough to cover our insurance deductibles) for me to be able to quit my job and go back to school full time. If I did, there would be no insurance for me (it's kind of expensive to put me on his due to my 'pre-existing condition' of high blood pressure, and that's because I'm fat - no need to sugar coat it, is there?).

I'd like to go work out. Just running (jogging...ok, fast walk) is good for me. It's how I lost weight the first time around when I was in high school. He doesn't want to. Two summers ago, we bought ourselves brand new bicycles (we had the cash saved for these) so we could go riding. Get some exercise. Lose weight. His has been ridden exactly one time (he fell and hurt his tailbone at work, and couldn't sit well). Mine's gotten a bit more use, but not near enough as it needs.

We started the Wii Active. He got ill about three weeks in, and it hasn't been touched since.


Sigh.

Sorry for the depressing post.

But it's what was on my mind.


Anne Lamott tells us, "Listen to your broccoli, and your broccoli will tell you how to eat it." She's referring to that inner voice that we hardly ever hear anymore.


Today, take a few minutes to be still and quiet. Listen to your inner voice and write what she/he says. That's it. Whatever it is that's in there, let it out.


Don't like broccoli? Have a taste of these veggies:

UPrinting from Dragondreamer...

Dear Readers,
I'm posting this for the off chance that I can win 250 business cards. I'll probably use them for mini paper aeroplanes, but it'd be cool!


Check Dragondreamer out!

UPrinting is giving me a chance to give one lucky reader 250business cards. The contest will be open until midnight on January 17th and the winner will be announced on January 18th.

Giveaway Prize: 250 Business Cards for one (1) lucky winner
Size: 2 x 3.5”, 2 x 3”, 2 x 2” (square card) or 1.5 x 3.5” (skinny card)
Paper: 14 pt gloss cardstock, 14 pt matte cardstock or 13 pt recycled uncoated cardstock
Shipping: Sponsored bloggers and Winners have to pay for shipping
Eligibility: Limited to US Residents due to shipping costs.

You may be thinking, "Why do I need business cards?" Well, if either you or your partner/hubby/wife/significant other has a business...YOU NEED THEM. If you are going to BlogHer 2010...YOU NEED THEM. If you want to make personalized itty-bitty, teeny-tiny paper airplanes...YOU NEED THEM.

Per FCC regs, I have to tell you that I am getting 250 freepersonalized mini paper airplanes business cards. That's right...I'm getting free stuff too! Was that loud enough FCC?

Seriously, uPrinting does amazing work and I highly, highly recommend them (and I'd say that even if I wasn't getting free stuff). So enter and get goodies. Shipping is only about $7 (cause 250 business cards are heavy) via UPS Ground.

So, here's how you enter (one comment for each entry)...

1. comment on this post and tell me how you would use your business cards (required)
   
2. Tweet this giveaway and come back and provide the link
3. blog this giveaway and come back and provide the link
4. follow my blog
   

Don't forget to comment one time for each of entry.

A Dream Job...

Reville. Although my watch was always set five minutes earlier than the strains of the bugle coming at 5.55am.

Shower. If you get there early enough, there might be hot water left for you.

Breakfast. Mug of hot tea laced with copious amounts of sugar and milk. Breakfast casserole was the bomb.

Head count. Gotta make sure all thirty-seven or thirty-four or forty girls are present and accounted for

"What are we doing today?" (heard every morning)

Could be anything. 

Riflery. Archery. Canoeing. Boating. Hiking. Handicrafts. Horsemanship. Woodsmanship.

Lunch. Eaten picnic style on the trail or hiking back to the mess hall.

Then back to whatever was on the schedule. You got to do each activity twice during the week.

Shower. Hey, summer's hot, and the afternoon icy showers felt pretty good after you'd just been on the wrong end of a warm horse fart. :)

Inspection. A rainbow of colors on the parade grounds (the parking lot), each unit trying to outdo the others in timing and perfection.

Dinner. Eaten out by a fire or in the mess hall.

Evening activities.

Grotto fire (welcome to the place you'll lose your heart. Not to a boy or to friends, but to nature)

Unit fire (can you call Garnier from Daniel?)

The Game (now what the hell did Spies and Secret Agents have to do with camping?)

Overnight (Kane Lake. Pakentuck. Pine Alley. Wayne's World. Timmy's Well.)

Lodge (Indian dances and drums and flaming arrows and Simon's intentional slip)

Closing fire (trying to say goodbye to friends that have changed your life, and you theirs)

Taps.

~~

I did this for two glorious summers when I was in high school. 

My first real paying job was one of a summer camp counselor where I'd been a camper the previous five summers, one week at a time.

They say you need to dress for the job you desire most.

I dress in tie-dye and sandals every chance I get.

Challenge #5 from {W}rite of Passage. 

Re-create for us your first job, your first "real" job, your last job. Tell us details about your first day, or last day. Not generalities like, "My boss sucked" because we've all learned from Dooce not do to that.

But pick a day of your life in a significant, or completely insignificant, job and make us feel like we're living it with you.

I know. I decided to do an entire week. As a camp counselor, you can't just take one day. They blend together like perfectly prepared pizza ingredients. Camp could never be insignificant.

At least, not to me.

Looking for a new job? Check these out:

2010 Book Challenge - January

My goal for 2010 is to read 50 books. Think I can manage that? I'll start you off on January:

Completed:

1. Piers Anthony; Two to the Fifth (a Xanth novel)

2. James Patterson; Roses Are Red (an Alex Cross novel)

3. Charlaine Harris; Real Murders (an Aurora Teagarden novel)

4. Fannie Flagg; Standing Under the Rainbow (reread)

5. Janet Evanovich; Plum Spooky (a Stephanie Plum Behind-the-Numbers novel)
6. Fannie Flagg; Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe (reread)
7. Patricia Davids; A Military Match

8. PC Cast and Kristin Cast; Tempted

9. Alex Archer; Rogue Angel: Secret of the Slaves

10. Christina Skye; Code Name: Baby
11. Piers Anthony; Pornucopia (reread)
12. James Patterson; Witch and Wizard
13. Lynsay Sands; Bite Me If You Can
14. Charlaine Harris; Dead Until Dark

In Process:

Cassandra Clarke; City of Ashes
Doris Christopher, Founder; The Pampered Chef

Changing my goal to be 125.

Dear Readers

This was inspired by Mrs. Gamgee , who got it from Dragondreamer's Lair - it's the 2010 Book Challenge! As many of you know, I'm a bookie (not that kind of bookie. Like foodie, but with books. Get it?). So when I happened across this Challenge in one of my frequented blogs, I decided to join in.

Here's the challenge:

1. your goal can be as high or low as you feel comfortable with...the goal is to read more, not to beat everyone else
   
2. read, read, read
   
3. keep a running total
4. have fun
5. if it is under 50 pages or an audio book, it counts as HALF a book
6. anything over 50 pages counts as 1 BOOK no matter how long it is
   
7. textbooks, childrens books, ebooks all count
8. rereading counts and any books read so far count
9. cookbooks count as a whole book if you actually read them (I mean really read...not just skim while looking for a recipe)

So I'll have one post per month that is just the books that I've read for that month. I'll give you title and author.

Maybe, just maybe, you'll see something that you like and take it for a spin.

Heepwah, and be safe out there.

Preferably with a book :)

Hells Yes I Can!

You know, Dear Readers, that I am a woman of many...um...talents (yes, talents), and um...ideas (sure), and...erm...well...we'll just go with talents and ideas. I got into blogging as a way to vent my frustrations with softball and stuff and ideas and thoughts and, well, you know. Just an online journal that my friends could read (glad that I could amuse you). Not about work, because Dooce could tell you about why it's death to blog bad stuff about your day job.

I am totally girl crushing on Aunt Becky (no, she's not my real aunt). She's funny, she's cute, she's popular to boot (OMFG, I just channeled Bring It On. Shoot me now. Please). You really need to check her out at Mommy Wants Vodka.

I somewhat enjoy blogging. I think it kind of disturbs me that there's not a lot of comment love going here on Cloud 9. But...I have to give it some time, right? Right? Yes (just smile and nod).

Anyways, Aunt Becky has given us an interview.

I like her interviews.

1. Dave and I have a long-standing feud over cheese in a can. He thinks its the food of The Gods while I think it's probably Of The Devil. Your take? Sorry Aunt Becky, I have to go with The Daver on this one. Loves the spraycheese on Ritz. But it has to be the real stuff - no generic spraycheese for this Dreamer (isn't that an oxymoron? generic spraycheese?).

2. Is there any way you can think of to make the elder Gosselins go away? I AM ALL EARS. No, but if any of yous figures out a way, you have my full support!

3. Who is your ridiculous "I can't admit this to anyone in polite company lest I be banned from life" crush? And you really expect me to post them here?? *sigh, and yes I said 'them'*
Jacuzzi Splot. Ryoga Hibiki. And Charlie Weasley. (o God, what have I done?)

4. If you could fuck it all and pursue your dream (assuming, of course, you were going to be GOOD at it), what would that dream be? An actress/country singer.

5. They say "living well is the best revenge." I think they are wrong. Do you? I'm torn on this. Coming from an abusive household and constantly being told by the stepfather that 'you'll never amount to anything,' living well could be construed thusly:
I have a high school and a college education. I'm happily married to my college sweetheart. We have our own cars and a home. I have two wonderful dogs and two cute rats. I have superfuckawesome friends. I have an imagination that keeps me happy.

If this means 'living well,' then I spit in the face of the stepfather with 'ha ha, you dumb fuck - you were WRONG!' Other than that, I don't see how that's possible.

6. What is the most humiliation you've experienced in public that you'd be willing to admit to The Internet? Probably mishearing my math teacher my freshman year in high school. I could swear on a stack of Bibles that she had said we could use our books on the last ten minutes of our final to check our work. Needless to say, I was the only one who calmly whipped out her book at ten till whatever time we were supposed to be done, and started flipping through it. She took pity on me, and only docked me ten points (I still passed).

7. Are you honest with The Internet? Like, if I came over to your house tonight (heh)(I'm coming over, yo)(heh), would I be surprised at who I found? Not really, but you'd have some peace and quiet. You'd find me on the interwebz and Mr. Realist WoWing it up.

8. If you could have one talent that you currently don't possess, what would it be? Talent? Don't know. But it would be fabulous to have wings and fly. I want dragon wings (and not the nasty vestigial ones. I want the pretty blue/green scaly ones).

9. There's not always room for Jello. Is there? Not always. I loves the Jello, but someone can fuck up a good thing like no body's business. Example: my grandmother makes Jello salad on a weekly basis - cherry Jello with mixed fruit, lime Jello with pineapple and cottage cheese, or orange Jello with pineapple and carrots (don't knock it - it's awesome). The stepfather's brother in law, not to be outdone by my mom's mom, decided he'd try his hand at Jello salad. No one ate it. Only someone on copious amounts of drugs would find cherry Jello with mixed vegetables in it appealing. Also, there's no room for Jello when you've eaten yourself into a food coma.

10. What's your guilitest of the guilty pleasures? Erm... well...there are some really guilty ones that I'd prefer not to give away here (can't air all of my dirty laundry, now can I?). Most of them involve fantasizing about people I have no business doing so about :)

Well, there you have me...or more of me...well, you know.

Grab a button, post your own!

Heepwah, and be safe out there.

Mrs. D

Chapter One

Good evening, all. I'm slacking (as usual). I did promise to post a story, and I've done a horrendous job at doing so. So...here you go. If you're lost, go back and read "Prologue" (it's labeled under ashley/andrew).

I had been especially rotten one day. I remember being about six years old and had done nothing but upset plant stands, dumped the maid's mop pail down the stairs, and ran through the clean hallway after I had been playing outside with Matty's son Ezekiel. There were twigs in my hair and my pretty blue dress and doll were covered in the black dirt that our area was famous for. Matty couldn't control me at all and was at her wits' end. I was running around the huge dining room table, singing at the top of my lungs, when my father came in and stomped one great foot.

"Ashley Elizabeth!" he thundered. "What are you doing?"

"Playing," I replied abashedly. With that one stomp, I'd lost all my energy. I could tell Daddy was mad.

"Young lady, did you not hear Matilda asking you to stop?" he asked, bending down to be at my level. I could see Matty behind him, looking very unhappy and wringing her hands in her apron. Suddenly, my dander was back up.

"I heard her, and I don't care!" I stomped my foot back at him. "She's not my mama and I don't have to listen to her! I want MY mama!" I stood there for a scant second, then burst into tears, fled upstairs to my room, slammed the door shut, and flung myself into my bed, sobbing. I heard my father come in my room and felt him sit down on the edge of the bed. After a few minutes, I rolled over to look at him, perched there, staring out the window that overlooked the pond. "I didn't mean to be bad, Daddy."

"I know, little one. It's just that...I just miss your mama that much more." I crawled into his lap, doll forgotten on the bed.

"Daddy, why isn't Mama here?" He took a deep breath.

"Ashley, about a year after you were born, both you and your mama got yellow fever. You were both so very sick. Doc Barnard didn't know how to make you better. I couldn't do anything but offer prayers up to the Good Lord. One afternoon, almost a week after you both got sick, Charity called for me and Matilda." I looked at him, puzzled.

"Who's Charity?" He smiled.

"That is your mama's name, Ashley."

"Oh." I snuggled deeper into his embrace.

"We both came in, and she had Matilda get you from your room. You were just a-screamin'. The fever was so bad that anyone's touch made you cry. Matty handed you to me, so I sat down on the bed and she reached out your small fist. I could see her mouth movin', but I couldn't hear her words. I leaned in and she was prayin'. 'Lord God, take this pain away.' At first, I wasn't sure what she was meanin', but then she said, 'A child this young shouldn't suffer so. Lord, let me have her pain. Heal her. Take me instead.' I couldn't bear the thought of losing you or your mama, but this was her prayer. You began to quiet down, and I could tell that Charity's pain was getting worse. The look on her face told me she was ready to go home. Her last words were, 'I love you, Ashley Elizabeth. Cole, I'll always be here with you two.' You settled into the first peaceful sleep you'd had in a week, and your mama drew her last breath."

I looked up into his face, and saw tears in the prairie green eyes he'd handed on to me. It scared me - Daddy was big and strong and boys weren't supposed to cry. I curled up tighter in his lap and he held me close. We mourned together; me for the mother I never knew and missed terribly, my father for his anchor and the love of his life....

Damn Dirty Lurkers...

Come to find out, it's Blog Delurking Week (can't figure out how to put the logo here...I'm a dumbass when it comes to html, Dear Readers). If you read my shiz on a regular basis (meaning whenever the hell I post...he he he), let me know you're here.

Tell me you love me.

Tell me that you care.

If you tell me that I've offended you, I'm going to tell you "tough." Most of you know me, so you know that's not going to change any time soon.

Tell me that I've inspired you to not do things the way I have. :)



Or just tell me what crayon color you would be and why.

But most of all, tell me you're here and you're reading.

Heepwah, and be safe out there.


Mrs. D

Happy 2010!

Technically, it's 'Good morning, Dear Readers,' (since it happens to be 12.02 in the am of 3 January. I pulled this post from two of my fave bloggers - Aunt Becky at Mommy Wants Vodka and Kisha at In Through The Out Door (would help if at some point I learned how to create linkies, wouldn't it? Wait, on Blogger, there's a button to do that - hooray!). Here are 40 questions that you might not care to read...or they might inspire you.


1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before?
Let's see...started this blog, started selling Pampered Chef (shameless plug here: www.pamperedchef.com/stephtomkitchen), rescued a dog from death's door, visited a winery (on more than one occasion), um...there's probably more, but I'll have to think about them.

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?
Yes, but we're not calling them 'resolutions' anymore. They're goals, dammit! Sounds better.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
Yes - Jen (one of my very good friends) gave birth on Harry Potter & the Half-Blood Prince premiere day (!), and my sister-in-law about two weeks after that.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
 No, thank God.

5. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009?
Less body fat and more knowledge and the ability and stamina to blog at least three times a week.

6. What countries did you visit?
Um...the good ol' U S of A (and there was the Silverwind Galaxy and the Outland Galaxy. Go ahead, ask. I dare you.)

7. What date from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why:
There were so many.February 15th. May 21st. July 15th. July 26th. October 24th. December 25th.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Starting my own business (hey, Pampered Chef counts!)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Not sticking up for myself as I should.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Other than the random cold, I was very healthy this year.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

My Doc Marten shoes. I LOVE them...and they only cost me $5 at a yard sale!

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Probably Duke's (the dog). He just wasn't getting 'stay,' and Daisy (dog - and NO, it wasn't intentional) figured if he wasn't going to stay, neither was she. One morning, it finally clicked with him, and they both 'stay' on command.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?
Let's not go there.

14. Where did most of your money go?
Coffee shop, knitting yarns, books. The list does go on.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
My yearly Halloween party.

16. What song will always remind you of 2009?
 "You Belong to Me" by Taylor Swift, "Human" by The Killers, and absolutely anything by Lady Gaga (I lurve her). 

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:

i. happier or sadder? Happier, I would venture to say :)
ii. thinner or fatter? The same.
 iii. richer or poorer? The same.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?
Working on my own stories so that I might one day finish them.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?
 Worrying about things that are SO far out of my control.  Contrary to my popular belief, I cannot save the world. (Kish, totally stealing this from you. I'm your soul sister on this one!)

20. How will you be spending Christmas?
Are you kidding me? I'm not even going to THINK about that until after Thanksgiving 2010 is done!

21. "There was no #21. I don’t know why there was no 21.
I’ll make up my own question here, then. Hmmm.
Name one random thing that people would be surprised to know about you." --Aunt Becky
Um...erm...fuck, I don't know! What do you think would surprise you to learn about me?

22. Did you fall in love in 2009?
Yes. I fall a little deeper every day that I wake up with my husband.
And yes, I fell in love with characters that have no basis in real fact.

23. How many one-night stands?
Let's see... Agent Booth. Dr. Hodgins. Finn (but he's a bit young...). Taylor Lautner (again, a bit young). Andrew Hale. Lalo Rodriguez. Evan Page. Oh...these all happened in my brain - not IRL!

24. What was your favorite TV program?
It's a toss-up. The only two I watch every week are Bones and Glee. And since I don't have cable? I watch them on Hulu on Friday night!

25. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?
Nope, and I will always hate that man.

26. What was the best book you read?
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenger.

27. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Muse - they're fuckwonderful.

28. What did you want and get?
Quite a few things.

29. Must have quit this bitch.
He he he...not mine.

30. What was your favorite film of this year?
Toss-up again: HP & the HBP or New Moon or The Blind Side.

31. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
I turned 31 in February, and we just went out for dinner. This year, I'd like to plan a Sweet Sixteen X 2! :)

32. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
I don't want to make myself sound like a heinous cunty bitch, so I'll refrain from the 'death' answer.

33. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009?
FTW - I'm happy

34. What kept you sane?
Wine, friends, and hubster

35. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
David Boreanaz

36. What political issue stirred you the most?
Same sex marriage.

37. Whom did you miss?
Loads of people

38. Who was the best new person you met?
There are a few of you, and you should know who you are!

39. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009:
He he he...I don't think I learned any 'valuable' life lessons this year (score one for me!)

40. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year:
"Are we human, or are we dancer?
My sign is vital, my hands are cold
And I'm on my knees, looking for the answer.
Are we human, or are we dancer?"
~~The Killers, "Human"

Oh...and I know have FOUR goals (fuck resolutions) for 2010 - blog at least three times a week. Let's see how far we get. 


Heepwah, and be safe out there.