The Finish Line

It's the last day of November and this is my 30th post in 30 days!! I can honestly say that I did enjoy it and I still wonder where it all came from. Most days I would have no idea on what to write about and when it came time to sit down and browse around my normal sites, something would always hit me.

Even though I enjoyed it, I do know that I wouldn't want to do this every month. After a while I think that it would become more of a job to write in my blog than the very purpose of why I even keep a blog to begin with. I keep this up so I always have a place to come and write about whatever I want to write about (well, almost anything) and to share things I discover with those that take the time to read my blog (thank you!!)

So for now, I will end a great month of NaBloPoMo with a great song by Snow Patrol called The Finish Line with the Dr. Who series incorporated. I have so many shows to watch yet to be caught up to the final season of Dr. Who, but I'm getting there, and enjoying every minute of it!

A Lost Art

I remember back when I was in school how letter writing was an everyday task for me and my friends. We would pass notes all day long and then go home, do our homework and then write more letters. So, I've been out of school for quite some time now and times have changed, dramatically. I wonder if letter writing even exists in the current generation, with email and text messaging. I'm just as guilty. It's so much easier to just turn on the computer and bring up the email account and type a letter. Lord knows I can type a hundred times faster than I can write, and you can "read" my emails. My writing, well, its legible as long as I don't write fast.

So, tomorrow I will sit down and actually hand write a letter. I'm going to use a pretty colored pen and I'm going to enjoy it!! :) I'm also going to sit my daughter down with me to write one as well. I think it's an exercise that we should all practice once in a while and perhaps bring back the lost art of letter writing, by hand!

If you really want to touch someone, send them a letter!

Hmm...

I really don't have anything to say today. Shocking, I know! :) Partly because I've been out and about the last two days and its been nice not having my nose stuck in the computer, which also means I haven't been able to dig into my book as much as I'd like to. I'm reading Twilight since I watched the movie and enjoyed it. I must say the book is much better than the movie!! I'm just over half way though and hope to start the second book, New Moon, by the end of the weekend!

So, I will leave you with a little something to think about. Perhaps we should all have these things in our daily appointment books, and to make sure we KEEP those appointments! :)

Give Thanks!

Today is a day for giving thanks for those things, and more importantly, those people, that are special in your life. We live in a country where we have so many things to be thankful for. I hope that you've taken the chance to sit back and realize the goodness of your life. Remember your past and the paths you have taken, the friends you have met, the choices you have made. Be thankful that you have made it to where you are. Be thankful for who you are and who you've become.

"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

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He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not

I was browsing through some photo art and I came across this dainty picture that made me smile instantly. I'm sure we can all recall playing the "he loves me, he loves me not" game as young girls, and perhaps, even so as older girls, too!

And for a moment, I understand that I have friends on this lonely path; that sometimes your place is not something you find, but something you have when you need it. — Libba Bray

A Short Love Story That Lasts A Lifetime

It's no secret that I am a sucker for a love story, or twelve! This love story is no exception. In a matter of seconds the artist captures your heart and keeps it until the very end. It begins with white birds flying over house tops and then invites you into a small school room where a young girl is dreaming and drawing, with a young man holding her interest. She smiles at him and he smiles back at her. The story then flows into their courtship, marriage, their first child....then the couple as they are old and gray, still sharing their life together and reminiscing about their younger years together.

Yes, I have tears dabbling down my face by now. It's just a touching story with amazing art and creativity and an amazing musical background to boot! Have a look for yourself, even if you're not a sucker for a love story, at least watch it for the appreciation of the art. You can go HERE to read up on a bit more of the making of this sweet story.

I had seen this a few months back, had saved it with all intent to blog it, but sadly had forgotten about it until I read another blog. Of course, another Twitter friend, @genart is the owner of this blog, so a BIG thank you goes out to her for tweaking my brain to remember to post this video. Please, if you have a chance, visit her blog called Spit Happens. She is an amazing digital artist and her work is breath taking. It is like reading a good book, you just keep flipping the pages to take in more and when you get to the end, you're disappointed there's no more to look at! My absolute favorite is found HERE. Lost in a fairytale, a dreamer, a lover, in a beautiful land....If I could order that and have it framed......

If You Forget Me

If You Forget Me by Pablo Neruda

I want you to know
one thing.

You know how this is:
if I look
at the crystal moon, at the red branch
of the slow autumn at my window,
if I touch
near the fire
the impalpable ash
or the wrinkled body of the log,
everything carries me to you,
as if everything that exists,
aromas, light, metals,
were little boats
that sail
toward those isles of yours that wait for me.

Well, now,
if little by little you stop loving me
I shall stop loving you little by little.

If suddenly
you forget me
do not look for me,
for I shall already have forgotten you.

If you think it long and mad,
the wind of banners
that passes through my life,
and you decide
to leave me at the shore
of the heart where I have roots,
remember
that on that day,
at that hour,
I shall lift my arms
and my roots will set off
to seek another land.

But
if each day,
each hour,
you feel that you are destined for me
with implacable sweetness,
if each day a flower
climbs up to your lips to seek me,
ah my love, ah my own,
in me all that fire is repeated,
in me nothing is extinguished or forgotten,
my love feeds on your love, beloved,
and as long as you live it will be in your arms
without leaving mine

Just My Luck

Wow! This made me laugh out loud! This guy was supposed to just go off on his merry way and he puts the car in reverse instead of drive and backs up...right up ON the police car!! WTF?? Was he seriously that nervous that he kind of forgot what he was doing?? Maybe he was just having one of those kinds of days....heh.

Keep this video in mind the next time YOU get pulled over. Make sure when you leave, you put your car in Drive, not reverse!! :D

Twilight

"And so the lion fell in love with the lamb." ~ Edward to Bella - Twilight

I took the kids to see Twilight tonight and I must say it was pretty good! It wasn't jaw dropping, hold your breath kind of good, but just the same, good. A lot of reviewers said it is a chick flick, and I would agree. It's not your typical vampire movie. Myself, I would have preferred more of a scary twist than a romantic twist, for this kind of movie, anyways. I heard "vampire movie" and was expecting scary, bloody, gory parts. Not saying that there wasn't any of that at all, just I preferred more.

I did enjoy the romantic story line. A couple that were never meant to be together, fell in love. She loved him for everything he was, even though she shouldn't have. She looked past his faults and wrong doings and loved him for all that he was, unconditionally. He tried to do the right thing and push her away knowing that they could never really be together, but she pushed and was determined in love not to lose him because of what others thought couldn't be.

I don't want to say too much more as you should see it for yourself, but it's a movie that I would watch again and I think that it will be the next book I read. The books are almost always better than the movie.

One of my favorite songs played in this movie....Linkin Park - Leave Out All The Rest

Ease is everything..

Wow, I've really seen it all now. I was on twitter today talking about how I suck at flipping pancakes and someone commented about me reminding them to make their batter blasters in the morning. I had never heard of this, so he enlightened me and I'm still up in the air about this new way of pancake making.

It's pancake batter in a pressurized can, like the EZ Cheese cans, where you press the tip and the stuff comes out (no dirty mind here please...lol). It's interesting, but at the same time its like...what?! I think its goofy to watch and I have no idea how they taste, but hope to get a report from my fellow Twitter friend, @shpef.

Proud Mum

I have always prided myself on the fact that my kids are kind, generous, well behaved, respectful, polite, intelligent, and all around well balanced children. Yes I am bragging a bit here, but I do feel that I, as a parent, have a lot to do with how my children have grown up to be the little people that they have already become. I can only hope that what I have taught them, they hold on to and as they grow, that they continue to make good choices, and be caring to all.

I had conferences for each of my kids tonight and I am so proud. Both of them are doing very well, excelling in reading and math. Their teachers had nothing but good things to say about each of them and complimented on how personable they are.

Even with all that, they still have their moments where kids will be kids and mum hast to set things straight, especially when it comes to sibling rivalry! Hence the below photo :)

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Wheeee!

Ok, so it's been a few days since I've written anything actually worth reading and one of these days something mind blowing will hit me and I will definitely share it. Until then, watch this funny kitty take a ride on a roomba :) I wonder if cats can get dizzy as I suspect this one would quite often!

Croiky! Iz A Croc!

I couldn't help myself. I was checking out LOLCats today, and they had a TURTLE picture from the other day!!! I love me turtles...*soft smile*...

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And I had to share this one too...cuz it made me giggle at the mental picture :)

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Smiles and Laughter

"Smile! It makes people wonder what you're up to." My grandma had a plaque hanging in her house that stated this. It always made me smile, and it still does, even though my grandma is no longer with me. My grandma had a sense of humor as she had this plaque hanging in her bathroom. Still makes me chuckle.

I speak of smiling and laughter because today was a rough day at work. I don't want to sit here and complain about it because, for one, it won't do me a bit of good, and two, because I am thankful I have a job and I know there are people that have it so much worse than I do.

So instead, what better way to wash away the stresses of the day than with smiles and laughter?

Be careful with that fermented fruit :)


Don't ask my why, but this makes me giggle EVERY time!

And of course...Simon's Cat - TV Dinner!

Love Rocks

I saw this commercial play today and I was enamored by it. I even rewound it and watched it again. I smiled and my eyes welled up with tears.

I love romance whether it be in a movie, in a book, or witnessed in real life. It's a special connection between two people, sometimes bold such as in the commercial and sometimes very subtle. It always warms my heart when I see it. I only wish I personally experienced it more in my own life....

I love thee, I love but thee
With a love that shall not die
Till the sun grows cold
And the stars grow old.
~ by Willam Shakespeare ~

Be The Rock!

We go through life and think and feel that many things are impossible to do. In many cases, if you just put your heart, mind, and soul to it, anything is possible. Sometimes, you just gotta be the rock and you will make it anywhere you want to go!

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Somedays...

Puppy Love

Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies. ~~Gene Hill

I can't help it. I'm addicted to these wee little ones! I've been watching them now for about two weeks and I giggle and smile everytime I take a peek at them. Have a look and I bet you go back for more :)

Streaming Video by Ustream.TV

Sweet as Sugarland

I was watching the 2008 Country Music Awards (CMA) tonight and was glad to see that Sugarland had a couple of awards up for grabs. Jennifer Nettles is a beautiful woman and has a brilliant voice that's uniuqe and touches the heart. Then there is Kristian Bush who plays guitar and sings back up. Together they are a fantastic duo.

Her song/video "Stay" won Song of the Year this year and it doesn't surprise me one bit. Every time I watch this video, tears well up. You can't help but feel what she is feeling and know just where she's coming from. Perhaps because she is so expressive, perhaps from personal experience...it's a very emotional song.

Sugarland - Stay

The other award that she and Kristian won was for Vocal Duo of the Year with Already Gone. Have a looksie and see if you like this one too :)

Sugarland - Already Gone

A Time To Remember...

I just want to take a moment to stop and think about what today means. Something that should be thought about everyday, not just one day out of the year. A chance to thank all the men and women who put their lives on the line to fight for a country they love and for what they believe in. Our freedom comes at a great cost, and to those that fight for it, we are greatly indebted.

Thank you, to those that have fought in the past, that are fighting now, and those that will fight in the future. Thank you for standing up for what you believe in and for standing behind your country at all costs.

Be true to yourselves, stand proud, and come home safe......

Very Special Christmas

Christmas, you ask?  Yup!  Can you believe it's really just around the corner already? Time flies when you're having fun!  

Ok, so Christmas and why am I already posting about it.....

I received an email today that I was very excited about!  Jeff Dunham is coming out with a new DVD on November 18th called Jeff Dunham's Very Special Christmas!!!  Yahh!!  If you have never seen Jeff Dunham, you are missing out.  I remember the very first time I heard of him and when I was told he was a ventriloquist I wasn't the least bit interested.  Most of the time ventriloquists are boring but the first time I watched Jeff, I nearly peed my pants!  (yes I just publicly admitted that!!) 

Even more exciting is that they are going to be premiering it on Comedy Central on November 16th (Sunday) at 9PM.  I actually checked my guide and it says it's playing at 8 and 9 Central Time, but check yours to be sure :)  

Here's a clip from the show to tide you over until then :)

Jeff Dunham's Road Kill Christmas Pop-Up Video

Perfect Timing

It never ceases to amaze me how certain things hit you when you least expect it, and today was no exception.  I had been watching football, the Packers vs. Viking game, and after a near win I was disappointed at the final field goal shot being missed.  So I was pouting and sulking and flipped the channel to USA and starting watching one of my favorite movies, National Treasure.  During one of the commercial series they played a Trident commercial that I had not seen in probably two years or so, but upon seeing it, it made me laugh all over again.  Granted, the commercial is not terribly funny, but it is to me and I can laugh now just thinking about it, because it brought back a memory of my mom.  

I remember that I had called my mom one day and we were talking and for some reason we were both in a really good mood and found everything funny.  You know those times?  Where you are just plain silly for whatever reason?  Yeah....those are the best.  So during the conversation this commercial played and I had been watching it and started laughing so hard I had tears running down my face.  For some reason it just struck me really funny, probably because of the mood.  Of course my mom was clueless as she had not seen it but was laughing just as hard with me, just because I was laughing.  Once I caught my breath and could muster a word or two I tried to explain the commercial to her but could barely explain it because I could not stop laughing.   At that point, the actual commercial or what it was about was a mute point. We just laughed at laughing.  

I smile and remember how my face was wet with tears, my cheeks hurt from smiling and my stomach hurt from laughing so hard.  

Funny how a silly little commercial about a squirrel can mean so much to me.  More than I can put into words.  

I'll Keep Your Memory Vague

"No matter how long we exist, we have our memories. Points in time which time itself cannot erase. Suffering may distort my backward glances, but even to suffering, some memories will yield nothing of their beauty or their splendor. Rather they remain as hard as gems."
~~Anne Rice~~

The house was really quiet at one point in the day today. It was actually really nice to be able to sit in silence, or near silence. The house is always so full of hustle and bustle, it's a rare occasion that I can just sit, close my eyes and hear nothing but the wind out doors.

It's times like these that give you the opportunity to think about things present and past. Today I thought about the past, about where I came from, the people I have met along the way to where I am today. I could smile and think about friends I had in school, in the jobs that I have had, in life experiences, and even on-line. Yet at the same time I could frown when I thought about how I don't have contact with most of those people anymore.

I moved so much as a kid, it was hard to establish a steadfast friendship, let alone carry it with you. I didn't really stop moving until I was in the 7th grade, so those friends are the ones that I remember the most. Again, with life changes, even some of those have been lost.

I have wonderful friends now and I can't imagine my life with out them, but the ones that I have lost contact with or the ones that have went in a different direction...I miss them. I miss them a lot.

People will always come into our life. Some will stay forever and some only a short time. No matter how long or short of a journey you have with them, the memories will forever remain, etched on your heart. I'm thankful for that and I'm thankful for a lifetime of memories....and those yet to come.

Even though this video is about a break up, it fits into this post. We've all been through it. We all have memories that we try and tell ourselves to forget, but they stay with us. The only reason we try and convince ourselves to forget is to try and lessen the pain. I don't think it works and I don't want to forget.

Sensory Overload

Wow!  I just happened to run across this video on You Tube today and I've watched it like ten times!  Each time wishing I could have been amongst the fans at the live show at the Milton Keynes National Bowl!  

November 25th is the magic date for the CD/DVD release that will be in my collection that day!  I can't wait to see the entire DVD!!!!  If you enjoy Linkin Park, have a look and you'll see what I mean by sensory overload!  My heart gets pumping just watching it :)

Feelin' Lucky?

So we all have those days where we just want to go crawl into our shell, get our job done and go home with out all the crap in between. That was my day today. I don't know why, really, because even though it's work, I usually try and have a good time with my work buddies. Today was different though. I didn't want that camaraderie or chit chat time. I just wanted to get my work done and go home. I think the main reason was that I had a headache from hell today. After taking 3 Aleve it finally subsided, somewhat. I think I must have had the same look on my face as the pup below has on his face, as everyone pretty much left me alone today...lol. Tomorrow will be a better day and I will be back to my normal chit chatty self, or my friends hope so anyway :)

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Got Sticky Notes?

A friend of mine shared this video with me a while back. The first thing I thought was that I wanted to blog it to share it with my readers. He said it had made it's way around the block for the most part, but I had not seen it and thought it was pretty neat. So I'm gonna share it anyway, because I think it's that cool and if I had that many post it notes to play with, I'd give it a go. Anyone wanna pitch in? *lol*

Anyways, if you haven't seen this before, enjoy. If you have seen it already, watch it again because it's fun to watch and its just plain awesome!

EepyBird's Sticky Note experiment from Eepybird on Vimeo.

Election Day '08

I hesitate in even thinking of writing a post about today and the events taking place but here goes nothing.....

I hate presidential election years. I just get so irritated and frustrated with everything that goes on. Don't get me wrong, this "event" is very important and I am in no way trying to say it's not, I just get tired of all the crap that goes along with it. I get tired of feeling like I have to remain "in the closet" about my political choices because no matter where you go or who you talk to, you feel like you are gonna get ripped up one side and down the other because people do not agree with you. Yes, everyone has a right to their opinion but does it have to be so brutal?

You have, in this case, two men who feel that they are up to the job of running the country. Wow. I mean, really, how many people feel that they are up for that? Apparently not many, out of millions and millions of people. Yet those that feel they are up for the duty, put themselves out there along with their family. They get slandered and berated and drug through the mud because they want to help make a difference in this country. It's depressing to watch as the election moves along, the things that are dug up about each man. That "we the people" think that is what we have to do to get ahead in this world, to get what we want, to get the man who we feel is best, a spot in the Oval Office. It's nauseating, actually.

We have two men. Each of whom have their good and their bad. No matter who gets the presidency, there are going to be mistakes made and poor decisions, along with many, many good ones. Even the man you want to "win" who gets in office will make decisions that you don't agree with. Even the man you don't want to be in office that obtains the title, will make important decisions that you agree with.

It's part of life, of the ebb and flow of things. It's just so frustrating that it has to be so bloody.

So that's my take on it. My selection will remain a secret. Best of luck to whom ever becomes our next President. If you don't like it, maybe next time YOU should run for President :)

Simple Man

It's no secret to those that know me how important my music is to me (and my sanity) so I am always listening and searching for new songs and artists that I enjoy. Of course in doing so, you come across music that isn't your cup of tea but when you find something you really like, it's worth it.

A few months ago I came across a group called Shinedown while I was poking around Last.fm. I gave them a listen and I was immediately hooked. Brent Smith has an amazing voice and it is so unique. I suppose that is one of the reasons why I like them so much.

The song that I first heard was called Simple Man, which Shinedown did as a cover to Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's an emotional song about a mother telling her only son about life and growing up. She tells him not to hurry though life, that troubles will be endured and overcome. She tells him he will find love and to love himself, and if he gets lost along the way, to follow his heart. She tells him to be a simple man, and most of all to be satisfied.

The words are simple, yet powerful. They ring true to the heart and everytime I hear it, it brings me back down to reality. Its sort of my "bring me back home" song. We all rush through life like we have to get to the finish line first, when we really just need to stop, or at least slow down, and enjoy the things IN our life. We don't have to make things so complicated for ourselves. We all have to remember that trouble will find us, but those same troubles will be dealt with one step at a time and become a thing of the past. The most important, and most difficult for me of all these things, is to be satisfied. Be satisifed with yourself and what you have become and what you will be in the future. Take pride in who you are and love yourself. Don't dwell on the wrongs you have done, but think about what you can do now to keep things right. Cherish your family and friends because they will be the ones that will always be there for your highest highs and your lowest lows. Just....be....happy........

Shinedown - Simple Man


Lynyrd Skynyrd - Simple Man

Meet Fyre

On September 20th my son had an outing for Cub Scouts that had activities of every kind. They had stations where you could shoot a BB gun, shoot an bow and arrow, wall climbing, and some craft stations, amongst a few other things to keep all the boys busy, parents too! Alongside the "mess hall" they had displays of animal skins and information about them, as well as displays of trapping, hunting, and fishing. The other thing that they had in the mess hall was a gentleman who had 2 corn snakes and 1 king snake with him. The kids were allowed to hold them if they wanted to. They were very young, 6 months if I remember correctly, so they were quite small. My kids were instantly attracted to that display and I think we spent the most time there. I have to admit that I could have stayed there a bit longer too. It was a great station as the kids and I asked a lot of questions about them and the gent was very knowledgeable. I remember laughing because he said to the kids, "When I was a kid, my mom wouldn't let me have even one snake, so now I'm making up for it and I have a whole bunch!" After this statement he looked right at me as though it was a bit of a warning...lol! Needless to say, you can imagine the next questions that were posed. Funny thing is that I think I thought about getting a snake before the kids did!

I did a bit of research online, visited a few local pet stores to see what was available. I wouldn't recommend getting any kind of exotic pet from a pet store unless it's one that specialize in them. They just don't know enough about them nor did I feel the care was adequate.

I located a breeder about an hour north of me and I called him up made an appointment to go see what he had to offer as well as to see his set up. He had so many different things from snakes to lizards, turtles (I so wanted to take one home!!), he even had a bird eating spider (yes you read that right)! He pulled the container out and I almost ran up the stairs and out the door. HUGE!! **shivers** Anyways, we were fascinated with his stock and out of pure curiosity, asked him questions about each animal and he had an answer for each one. We finally got around to seeing the corn snakes he had and decided on one of the younger ones. My daughter wanted a female and chose a really sweet girl.

So on September 25th we brought home Fyre (sounds like fire). She is so tiny and the cutest thing. The kids love her, as do I. Especially my daughter. She takes her out just about every night and loves it when she tries to slither on her face and into her hair. She giggles every time!

Without further adu, I give you Fyre....isn't she cute?

One Year Later

A year ago today, was the worst day of my entire life. (blog post) A year ago today, my dad was telling me that my mother had been in a car accident and didn't survive. I remember it as though it was yesterday. I remember calling my dad after a message had been left knowing something was wrong, but never in a million years did I ever think I would have heard the news that I heard that night. The pain is still so fresh when I think of it, which is often. Not a day goes by that I don't think of my mom and miss her terribly. Not a day goes by where I don't feel that knot of sickness in my stomach, that feeling that it just can't be real, that she just cannot be gone, not forever.

She was so young. At 49 she had an entire life ahead of her. The worst part, it was unexpected. It just happened. She was here one day, and gone the next. No warning. No time for a goodbye. No preparation for the loss...she was just...gone. I didn't get to say goodbye. I didn't get to tell her that I loved her one last time. I didn't get to give her a hug and tell her everything would be ok.

I miss her so much. Today was a hard day. Emotionally draining. I don't think it will ever get easier. I can move on, take each day one at a time, put one foot in front of the other, but the pain of missing my mom will never lessen.....never.

Mom, I told you every time I saw you, or spoke to you, but I love you so much.....

"Does the sun shine up at you when you're looking down? Do you get along with the others around ...."