Do you hear what I hear???

I'm always amazed at the things people say out loud in public. I had a strange (yet, funny...to me) experience at our local Frisch's restaurant this week.

First, my waitress, who was very sweet and courteous, proceeded to take my order in a familiar way. But, when she repeated my order back to me it was in a loud tone of voice ("SO YOU'LL HAVE THE SOUP AND SALAD BAR, WATER AND A SMALL GRILLED CHEESE"). "Yes," I said quietly. I really think the people in the drive-thru were aware that I wanted the soup and salad bar, water and a small grilled cheese. I decided to let that one go, maybe she had been dealing with some elderly customers who couldn't hear during the lunch shift.

The second incident occured as I returned from the salad bar. There were two ladies (assuming it was mother and daughter) sitting directly behind me. They were talking in normal voices, but I think they forgot there were other patrons in the restaurant...i.e., sitting directly behind...meaning me. As I began to eat my salad, the younger lady was telling a story about her last visit to the doctor. She began to explain about the medicine she was taking, she said and I quote..."It was something like Diflu..Diflucan...oh, something like that, it's just one pill and should clear up my yeast infection with one dose." (Cue the dreadful music here) I was just about to a bit of cottage cheese as she said the words "yeast infection." I was officially ready to move on to some soup at this point. It gets worse...don't worry. When I returned, they were on to a discussion about her doctor. She assumed her doctor was going to be from India based on his name, but when she got there he was British. The older lady then said, "Well, maybe he has a parent from India, you know the one drop rule? Barack Obama is black, but his mother is white. Therefore, he's a black man. And, you know...he has to help out the black people in this world while he is in office. That's his job now. He doesn't care anything about us white people." REALLY?? Are you kidding me? My blood pressure was on the rise, but I bit my tongue and sat quietly.

After they left, my waitress began a conversation with the people across from me. I can't recall the entire conversation because I became extremely distraught over one particular comment. The waitress said (more like yelled), "LAST YEAR I WAS ROOFING IN THE BELOW ZERO WEATHER AND MY EAR GOT FROSTBITTEN, THEY HAD TO CUT PART OF MY EAR OFF. IT WAS MY BAD EAR TOO, THE ONE I CAN'T HEAR VERY WELL OUT OF." Well, that explains why she was screaming at me when taking my order.

I can't believe the things people say in public. I will now be very cognizant of what I say when I am OUT AND ABOUT. I'm still having trouble getting over the frostbite part...I might be scarred.

Halloweiner

Note: Attached pictures were taken with my camera phone, hence the blurriness...it was the best we could do under the circumstance (LOL).

I am not a big fan of Halloween. Most of the time, I advoid it all costs...including passing out candy to trick or treaters. I know...I'm like Captain Buzzkill for little kids.

With that said, my friend Heather called several weeks ago and asked me to go to a Halloween party in Carlisle, Kentucky. I didn't even hesitate when I answered with, "Sure, I'll go." Really?? It's so unlike me. Maybe I was just excited to do something with my pal, or maybe I thought it might change my mind on Halloween.

Let me just note here that Heather feels the same way about Halloween, she's not a fan either.

After toiling with my ideas (I will detail in a moment, don't worry) we decided to dress as Thing 1 and Thing 2 from "The Cat in the Hat"....cute, I know. In lieu of buying the complete copyrighted outfit from a Halloween store, we decided we could find things to wear that would be cheaper. Luckily, I was able to find some red fleecy pajamas that would work perfectly at Meijer. Check. My neighbor's had dressed up as the same "Things" a couple years ago and were gracious enough to let me borrow the blue wigs and "Thing" signs. Check.

But, here's were things went a little off track...Heather decided she didn't want to be Thing 2. We were on a mission to find something else. Here's an overview of some of the costumes we came up with prior to going back to our original idea:

• Dress all in black, including a black mask and hat. Wear a sash that says, "blessing"....Blessing in Disguise.
  
• Run fishing wire through a lemon, tie it to your belt (above your crotch)...Sour Puss.


• Wear all camo and a Fidel Castro hat, do the same thing as above with a potato...Dictator.


• Wear all blue, get a chicken and tie a cord around its neck, wear it around your neck...Chicken Cordon Blue.


• Heather came up with some others...Blue hair kitty (complete with whiskas), Blue hair fairy, etc....none of which appeased me.

So we get to the party (party of eight including us) and I looked in the window as we approached. I busted out laughing when I saw people inside not dressed up. We had been had...this was not a costume party at all! What had she gotten me into...long story short...the people I saw were dressed up (mullet, big fake gut sticking out of the shirt)! I felt pretty bad assuming this was their normal attire. We stayed about an hour and a half before hightailing it back to Lexington where we continued to enjoy ourselves at the local watering hole.

Always good times with Heather, always.

Book Worm

Note: If you don't like to read, you may want to skip this blog entry.

I have been on a serious reading kick over the last two weeks. My average seems to be a book every two days. Some of these are easy reads (a couple hundred pages), others are more like four-hundred pages. I'm flying through these books so fast that sometimes the characters and story lines run together. This causes me to read certain chapters twice, due to the fact I don't want to miss anything.

So, here's a brief overview of what I have been reading. The author's don't vary much in my choices, it just happens these were on my bookshelf. Two books stood out, making me think hard about the past and another was truly inspiring.

-"Resilience" by Elizabeth Edwards

My friend, Heather gave me this book for my birthday. On the cover, she writes "Reflections on the Burdens and Gifts of Facing Life's Adversities". We all have bad days, some of those days are worse than others. Trust me, I know firsthand. I read this book in one day--it's very short, but sends the most warming message I have ever read or heard. Elizabeth Edwards has always been one of my heros. She embraced the life of a politician's wife, loves and cares for her children in the most amazing way, and endures her entire life beyond limits. She seems to have the picture perfect life, right? Not so much so after you read her words in this book. She lost her beloved son when he was sixteen years old, battles every single day with a disease that is killing her and is constantly struggling with John's "indescretion". Here's the message I received from her book: This life we have been given is not the one we may have hoped for or dreamt about, sometimes it lets us down, but it is the only one we have to live. In other words, never give up and enjoy every precious minute of it. Would I feel so strongly about this message if I hadn't have lost my father-- the man who will never hold my children, the man I will never see enjoy retirement, the man who made me who I am today?? I believe I would choose to read this book regardless of my own personal heartache. There are so many pages "dog-eared" in her book so I can revisit them when I need to, feel free to borrow it from me, you won't be disappointed.

Do you get the point about this book being inspiring? I will read it again and again. Love it!

-"Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult

I just recently began reading Picoult's books. Now, I can't seem to put them down. This book mirrors some of the recent High School tragedies--Columbine and Paducah. It also tells the story of a lonely boy who was the victim of bullying. Don't take this the wrong way, I do not condone any type of violence, but there is something so sad about the kid in this book. What he did was wrong, no doubt about it. The plot made me do some soul searching. There are always socio-economic boundaries within our lives, unfortunately it's unavoidable. I wish it wasn't that way, but it is and that saddens me. Old wounds surfaced by reading this book.

I always considered myself part of the "in" crowd. I had lots of friends, shopped at the best stores for clothes (thanks to my mom and dad), and lived the ideal life. I remember just how mean and cruel teenagers can be to others. I would like to think that I didn't actively participate in some of the mean things my fellow friends did to those that weren't "like them." But in reality, I was probably guilty by association. Even though I considered myself part of the "in" crowd, there were times when I was on the receiving end of bullying. It doesn't feel good, trust me.

After reading this book, I asked myself several questions. Why are kids so mean to each other? Is it a nature vs. nuture issue? Will the bullies of the world grow up and have children that will bully their way through school? Do teenage bullies grow up to be adult bullies? Can they admit they are a bully? And most importantly, what can I do to create awareness and keep everyone safe in the world of bullying? It's easy to prevent and/or cease this problem in early childhood (most children/students won't hesitate to tattle on a bully), but it's the pre-adolescent/teenage years that pose the biggest risk of being hurt (self-esteem goes down the tubes...it's really hard to get that back, no matter how hard you try).

Aargh! I could go on and on about this book. Other books I have read recently include: "Salem Falls" (highly recommend), "Picture Perfect" (not one of my favorites by this author), and "Handle with Care" (great book, but kind of reminds me of "My Sister's Keeper"), all by Jodi Picoult and Nicholas Sparks' "The Lucky One" and "The Choice"...both of which I loved.

Now, I'm going to sit back and wait on the new Augusten Burroughs book to be published. By the way, he is one of my all-time favorites! Last, but not least, I caved into peer pressure and finished the "Twilight" series (in a week and a half). And, yes, I enjoyed them.

Hope everyone is enjoying life. I'm always looking for new favorites...share away if you have any recommendations!

Three Week Recap

My, oh, my...where does the time go these days? I just realized my last blog was on September 23rd. Either I've been too busy to write or I am just too boring and can't think of anything that would be interesting enough for anyone to read.

So, what have I been doing? Let me refresh my memory by checking my calendar.

We vacationed in Hilton Head, SC from September 26th until October 3rd. Our beloved dog, Cacy went with us. We had a splendid time, as all vacations should be. We biked the island, kayaked with dolphins (btw, amazing), ate lots of yummy seafood, hung out on the beach until the sun set, etc., etc., you get the idea. Then we packed up and drove home, where we were welcomed back by the chill of fall weather. I'm not complaining though, I love the kaleidoscope of colors and the chilly, turtleneck wearing weather.

Bill and I celebrated our anniversary on October 4th. I use the word "celebrate" very loosely. We have never really made a big deal out of birthdays, anniversaries and so on. We celebrated on our own terms, meaning I sat around watching Lifetime Movies and he went shopping.

I had another birthday on October 7th. The big 3-5. I do not feel like I am thirty-five (35) years old. The reality hasn't set in yet, although I did come close to crying when a high school senior pointed out that I could be her mom if I had her when I turned eighteen (18). Seriously?? Way to burst my bubble. She tried to back pedal after the fact by telling me just how "cool" it would be to have me as a mother. That comment didn't help. Ouch.

I've been substitute teaching a lot these days and working at the tanning salon. I just love getting called in at 5:30 in the morning (being factitious). Hopefully, it will pay off in the end and I will land a job soon. I'm dying to have my own classroom...bring it!

So there you have it, a lovely recap of the past three weeks of my life.

Hope everyone is healthy and happy!

Unconditional Mothering

"A mother is the truest friend we have, when trials, heavy and sudden, fall upon us when adversity takes the place of prosperity when friends who rejoice with us in our sunshine, desert us when troubles thicken around us, still will she cling to us, and endeavor by her kind precepts and counsels to dissipate the clouds of darkness, and cause peace to return to our hearts."--Washington Irving

September 23rd (today) is my beautiful, amazing, loving mom's birthday. There just aren't enough adjectives to describe her. She is spending her birthday in Biloxi, Mississippi. I look forward to being with her every year on her birthday, this year I will have to wait until she gets home. I wanted to make it a surprise and treat her to a pedicure (at a local salon, I wasn't going to attempt to do it myself). I don't think she has ever had a pedicure, she doesn't know what she is missing. I talked to her earlier today, she said Ray was going to take her to a nice dinner (which she will most likely on eat a salad, maybe she will splurge on pasta...that's usually all she ever eats--when she actually eats, it's no wonder she's teeny tiny). She's probably hitting the penny slots up at the casino as I type this...talk about some luck, she has it! I could never imagine winning (or sitting long enough) to win the amount of loot she has won off the penny/nickel slots!

My mom deserves a million kinds of happiness. She is the most giving person I will ever know. She won't let me pay for anything when we are together and when I try she always finds a way to pay me back at the end of the day. She is so strong, although she is reluctant to admit it (she can also be hard-headed at times, but aren't we all?). I love to hear her laugh, that true giggle and smile I have heard for so many years. She is beautiful, creative and wise. It seems like everything she touches turns out just right, including some of the most delicious meals you could ever imagine. My mom has given me so much, even when I don't deserve it. The most important of these is the love she has shown me during a lifetime.

I could go on forever about my marvelous mom. I hope she is having an awesome birthday. I thank god for her every single day, I'm truly blessed! She has a heart that never hardens, a temper that never tires, and a touch that never hurts.

Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!! (btw, Bill and Cacy say, "Happy Birthday too!")

"To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power."-- Maya Angelou

Prepare to be annoyed

From an early age, I can vividly remember certain things "getting on my nerves." Those things have evolved from my nerves getting frazzled to a full blown list of pet peeves.

My brother would crack his knuckles growing up, something that still bothers me today, regardless of the person doing the cracking. It's worse than running your nails down a chalkboard to me. I will shot someone a death stare upon the first sign of knuckle cracking. My friend, Kadie, cracks her knuckles all the dang time. She knows it bothers me (especially when I wince), only to say she can't help it, her hands hurt if she doesn't.

Another pet peeve of mine is when people crunch ice. First of all, it sounds like you are chewing rocks and second, it can't be good for your teeth to endure so much hard trauma. My mom is an avid ice cruncher. Once again, she knows the effect it has on me. She has been very good in the last several decades of trying not to chomp down full throttle on an ice cube. This in turn drives me more insane because I see she has it in her mouth trying not to make noise...just get it over with already. But again, a look of mine is on the way at the first sign of a cup of ice close to a mouth.

I could go on and on about table manners. Our parents would have a fit if we acted like we were eating out of a trough for dinner. "Chew with your mouth closed." "Elbow off the table." "For crying out loud, hold your fork right."...just a few examples of the memories around the dinner table. Therefore, if you eat like you are completely uncivilized, smacking your way through the lovely dinner prepared for you, another stare of mine will ebb its way to your vicinity. And please, don't blow your nose at the table with the napkin you are using to wipe your mouth (especially if it is cloth).

So, I may sound like a rough person to be around from the above statements. If I told you the other small, but important, pet peeves I have you probably would not want to be friends with me. I'm really not that bad, just a little neurotic at times.

But here's the biggie...bad grammar (written or oral). Heaven forbid, I make a mistake. There are some out there who are watching my every move to report my use of a dangling participle. I've really upset some people (uh, rephrase that to family) by reporting to them the way they misspelled a word and misused their/there/they're. You know, if I really wanted to get technical about it I would freely inform them about capitalization, punctuation, and overall sentence structure (please stop ending sentences with prepositions). I blame this pet peeve on being a teacher. But seriously...is it that hard to proofread what you write? Oral communication is different, there are some things that fly out of our mouths unedited. Guilty as charged (although I try to conjugate my verbs very carefully before speaking). My accent always throws people for a loop, so I don't want to give anyone the ammunition to accuse me of being an uneducated hillbilly. By the way, A LOT is two words. Bad grammar use will jump off a piece of literary print before I even read the sentence. I even have a hard time texting abbreviations because they are not grammatically correct. And, I would save a lot of text lines if I didn't feel the need to put two spaces behind a period.

I'm a mess. I admit it. I'm by no means perfect. Please excuse me in advance if I correct your grammar or give you "the look." It isn't anything personal, I promise. Feel free to correct my grammar at anytime.

The List

Ok, so here's my problem. The last two blog entries I wrote are about things in the past. I'm not talking anything negative, but memories that I truly want to remember. I've saved them unpublished. I'm beginning to think the whole "blog" idea is to share stories and events about the present. I have my memories stored deep inside of me. That's where they belong, no need to force everyone to hear/read the same stories they have heard so many times (I'm a story teller by nature...so if you are reading this entry there is a 85% chance you have heard the previous unpublished entries that I wrote).

Don't you hate it when you have great ideas and nothing to jot them down on so you won't forget. Well, that's what just happened.

(5 minute pause, seriously...I really need to get a small notebook to carry around)...

And now I remember. I'm going to start a bucket list. There are so many things I want to learn, do and be. Here are three items that have been on my list for many years:

1) Learn to play the guitar- I can't sing, but I can sure as heck read the notes on a page of music. I love the sound of someone strumming the strings of a guitar (you have to be aware my infatuation with Dave Matthews if you are reading this, Sheryl Crow...you rock, too!). I learned to play the violin in first grade continuing on until I graduated High School. I can play the piano as well, although it has been years since I "tickled the ivorys". It's like a bike, right?

2) Learn sign language- I read the local newspaper on occasion, mostly the sale ads and comic section, but I have also been known to check out the listings for community classes. I have always wanted to participate in the sign language classes held at some of the local hospitals. Why I haven't done so before is beyond me. I will have to learn a second language when I begin work on my doctorate. Russian: out. Spanish: no hablo espanol. German: too hard (not that I'm not up for a challenge) and I'm not fond of their beer. Latin: does anyone really speak Latin? Not only is sign language the obvious choice for my profession, but how much fun would it be to avoid talking to people you haven't met by simply acting like you can sign...skip the acting part, I want to learn how to sign properly. Genius. No offense of course to those who rely on sign language as a means of communication. I just wish I understood what your hands were saying. Now, I will.

3) Learn how to change the oil in my car- Grease monkeys beware, you will no longer get my money if I learn this skilled trade. How hard can it be to put my car up on blocks and get my hands a little dirty??? Not only would this be a money saving option in our household, but it could lead to a little bit of self-worth for a job completed. Sign me up.

There you have it, three of the many things listed on my bucket list. By the way...Mom, (if you're reading this) I would really, really, really like a guitar for my birthday or Christmas. I can't start my list without it.

Hope everyone is healthy, happy and enjoying life!

Gunk

So, here's my life in a nutshell:

Sept. 1st: Sick (sore throat, runny nose, etc.). Treated by the doctor for sinus problems with an antiobiotic. No problem, should get better in a couple days...

Sept. 4th: No improvement, actually worse. Another trip to the doctor and another co-pay. Thank goodness for my wonderful medical insurance. Continue with antibiotics, add steroid for seven (7) days. No problem, should be better after the weekend...

Sept. 9th: It's bad, people. Can't breathe, lungs are full of "stuff" that refuses to come up, and I'm a swollen "hot mess" from the steroids. What to do? Head back to my favorite doctor and deliver another wonderful co-pay (thank goodness we have met our deductible for the year). One breathing treatment and two (2) x-rays later, the conclusion is no pneumonia, good. But what the heck is this that ails me so?? Acute Bronchitis they say....oh yea, can you please fix me or put me out of my misery??? No problem, just take this top of the line antibiotic (which by the way would cost $400 if I didn't have a prescription card).

I'm now on a medication called Levaquin. Yes, that's right, it is the medication used to treat Anthrax. In addition to the above, I am on another round of steroids and an inhaler...let the fun times begin. Food tastes exotic, so yummy and I can't get enough of it. My face has already puffed up and I can't stop eating like a fifth grader.

When I get sick, I don't hold back. Bring it, I'm ready for the next round. I'm ready for Anthrax if it comes my way.

Hope everyone is happy, healthy and enjoying life!

I am who I am...Who am I?

I often describe myself as "carefree" and one that "flies by the seat of my pants". As I get older (ahem, I mean wiser), I begin to wonder if this is a good quality or trait to have in life.

By profession, I am a planner taking all the necessary time and consideration to be well organized for the children in my classroom. I have spent countless hours making lesson plans, doing research and using all of my accessible resources to enrich the lives of those around me.

In reality, I am not so organized. I wait as long as possible to do laundry, resulting in 8-10 loads and no clean underwear (never fear, there are always some of my husbands boxer shorts around to wear...I swear he has more "drawers" than any girl I have ever met, and they are quite comfy). The spare bedroom of our house looks more like a storage room than does our actual storage room. I don't like to plan what I am going to do tomorrow, the next day, or even the week after next. It just doesn't suit me. My mom is the planner. She will ask me what we are doing for Thanksgiving in September. She will continue to ask what our plans are up until the week of, my response "Mom, it's Monday and Thanksgiving isn't until Thursday, geez...you're asking me so early." On a recent trip with a friend, I wouldn't commit to anything including where we would go for our outing. My suggestion was to do "Rock, Paper, Scissors" and drive somewhere...anywhere. Let's just go, see where we end up. All in all, it was the best trip ever. My pal was a little leary but it all worked out just great. Actually, beyond great. See, my thought process of how to do things isn't so bad.

Is it possible to be completely organized in one aspect of your life and absurdly unpredictable in another? OR, am I just being arrogant as described by Dr. Phil?

Regardless of the above, it's time to clean the spare bedroom. You never know, I might find something new that I completely forgot existed in that mess.

New Addition

My cousin, Kristen and her husband Bob welcomed their first child into the world on Monday, September 7th. I might just be in love with the newest little nugget of our family. Mommy and baby are doing terrific. I chatted with my cousin on Monday and Tuesday to see how they were coming along...Kristen said, "I think she looks like Bob, her face is all squished up." I found this rather funny because Bob's nickname through pictures is "Squints," needless to say his eyes close together really tight after a long or short night of drinking.


I love you, Kristen and Bob.


Amelia Maureen Staab...welcome to the world!

The Simple Life

This summer has really taken a toll on my vigorous schedule and daily routines. As the other person in my household put it, "It's like you're on a never ending vacation." True, but not by choice. My weeks have been filled with getting up no earlier than 11:00 am, chilling on the couch watching Beverly Hills 90210 reruns, running a few short errands, walking the dog, going to the pool, hanging out at Kings Island and taking lots of naps. For the record, I do work part-time at a small, upscale tanning salon, it's not as if I am a total bum.

So, a couple weeks ago I came up with a plan. It's a plan with phases and so far I am right on track. Phase One: no naps during the day, with the exclusion of Saturday and Sunday. Everyone should be allowed this luxury. Check. Phase Two: wake up at the same time during the week, this does not mean 10:00 am or 11:00 am. For the last week, I have woke up prior to 8:30 am without having to depend on the alarm. Check. Phase Three: do something (anything) productive each and every day. This can be anything from doing a load of laundry (which I am not doing so well at lately, washed a load of clothes 3 times because I forgot to put them in the dryer) to painting a ceiling in the house or cleaning out a closet. I've managed to have some success on Phase Three with only some minor slip-ups...but who's counting?

I'm feeling pretty darn good about myself right now. It doesn't take much. I live by three simple rules: 1) Must have shelter over my head to keep my warm and safe. 2) Need food to keep me nourished and alive, and 3) Surround myself with people who love me unconditionally and allow me to love them back to my fullest.

Any suggestions on Phase Four and Five are welcomed by all. Hope everyone is loving life!

Thirty-Something

There is officially one month until my next birthday. I dread birthdays and try to be as low-key as possible. Sometimes, I have to stop myself and think really hard when someone asks my age. Scary, right? That seems to only happen as people get "up there" in age, but not for me. Often times, I forget that I am NOT in my late 20's or even my very early 30's. I took a "What's your true age?" a year or so ago, the results stated I was 6 years old. I'm a kid at heart, what can I say (maybe my choice of "The Lion King" as a movie preference tainted the answer).

Time sure does fly by...sometimes all you have to do is blink and it's gone.

My Best Pal

My friends have made the story of my life. Every year my circle of friends grows a little bit bigger, all the while growing closer to those who have been there through the years. My friends inspire me to be a better person, motivate me to enjoy life and most of all, they love me. My life journey has been rough at times, to say the least. Without my padres in tow, I don't know if I could have made it through these thirty-four years. My mom has been close friends with Janie and Gretchen for my entire life. As a young girl, their names were frequently mentioned in our house. As I look back on those times, I ask myself "Who will be the constant friends in my life that I talk about to my children?" (I often refer to my closest of friends as "constants" because they will never let me down and have always been there...no matter what). I know who my "constants" would be, without a doubt. Keeping in mind that family doesn't count in the above question because the obvious choice would have to be my mom and my cousin, Michael.

Have you ever had a close friend that you don't see for eleven years, but when you finally see each other you can pick up right where you left off and never skip a beat? If you said, "That sounds like Heather"...you are correct. Heather and I met in 1995 while I was attending UK. There was an instant connection as we screened donors working at Plasma Alliance. Oh, the good times we had in Lexington. The memories we made from 1995 until 1998 are unbelievable (I moved away in 1998, which dented our friendship slightly). We picked up again last year and truly are closer than ever.

Heather is one of my three heros (my dad is another, and the third one I will never tell). She has the resilience I so wish I possessed. The girl just keeps on ticking, laughing her way through life and making the best of any situation. There is never, ever a dull moment on the phone or in person with my pal. She is loving, beautiful, wise beyond her years and most of all, loyal. I hope everyone has a "Heather" in their life!

To read or not to read

I am an avid reader and enjoy many different genres of books. My current book collection consists of approximately 350 books. Lately, I have been reading personal memoirs (absolutely love Dave Sedaris, Augusten Burroughs and Chelsea Handler). The authors I just mentioned have a tendency to make me LOL, literally. I can read a book in a couple days flat--especially since I have no j-o-b to tend with these days. I know, you're jealous. But trust me, laying around by the pool or on the couch all day can get pretty boring...especially when all of my friends are working.

Ok, back to my point (it's true, I do have one). I cannot bring myself to read those dang "Twilight" books. My mom has read them, my niece was obsessed about finding my mom's copy a while back so she could start reading them and one of my dearest friends (*ahem* Heather) licked the cover when she pulled it out of her bag to show me. So, yesterday I was at Meijer with all four books in my cart. I put them back on the shelf only to pick them up 10 minutes later when I decided to get them standing in the pickle aisle (which, by the way, is on the opposite side of the 30, 000 square foot store). I think my behavior was drawing suspicions as I noticed Dept. 10 (security) hovering around. Did they really think I could get a 800 page book down my pants in an effort to avoid paying $9.00. It wouldn't surprise me if this has happened before, considering all the hype that surrounds these books (now my mind is drifting to the visual spectacle of someone shoving these large books in their pants, instant butt implants...random, I know).

Anyways, here I stood in the book aisle debating whether to get these books--again. I decided to open one of them and read some pages at random. I usually do this when trying to find a new book to read and I will immediately know if I will be hooked. I felt nothing. I couldn't believe it, not at all interested. Did I open it up to a boring part in the book or will I forever refuse to succumb to the peer pressure of reading these books? In the meantime, I will be searching for new books to put my nose in for the remainder of the summer. In addition, would someone please tell me why these books are so good?

Get your blog on.

The whole "blog world" is new to me. I enjoy reading others, but I have no idea how to set it up, post items, etc. I have been asking myself why I am starting my own blog. Seriously, who would want to read about me? I love to write and tell stories about my life; Honestly, I find them quite humorous (and I hope you will too).

With that said, where do I begin? Do I try to pimp out my page layout (which I am finding to be extremely difficult) or do I begin to rant and rave about my life? I'm going with the later. There are just some stories I can't leave out...I have to share them. I've always dreamed of writing a book, I suppose this could be a start.