Lost In Thought

I have moved

2009-01-01T18:58:00.005-06:00

I have moved! All posts from here have been uploaded at my new location - and new ones have been added. Feel free to drop by: http://reflectionsonmylife.wordpress.com/

Disturbed and Confused

2008-10-23T15:40:00.003-05:00

I am usually the person raving about the newest book I have just read and encouraging others to read it. However, this one time I am going to save you some heartache and tell you NOT to read The Almost Moon by Alice Sebold. Stop reading now if you don't won't to be spoiled...I'll give you some space before I continue...

I was so excited to see another book by this author as I had loved her earlier work The Lovely Bones. I should have saved my excitement. The first chapter finds the protagonist, Helen, smothering her elderly, mentally ill mother with a towel after the the mother has soiled herself. After years of caring for her mother (who we will learn in flashbacks was an agoraphobic, yet very vain woman) Helen finally snaps. The rest of the book plays out over a 24 hour period that shows Helen dragging her mother's body throughout the house - washing it in the kitchen, sitting with it on the porch, and finally stuffing it in the basement freezer and cutting off the woman's braid as a memento. She calls her ex-husband and admits what she did and he tells her not to leave the house that he will catch the next plane and be there in the morning to help her. Obviously this means that she will drive away in her car to her best friend's house and have sex with the friend's son. Because that is what you do after killing your mother and stuffing her in a freezer.

How does the book end? I don't know. Did I finish the book? No. May I have found out that it redeemed itself if I had? No, I highly doubt that as well.

So basically in summary, this book is just bad. Don't read it!

Men With Fangs

2008-10-10T13:06:00.003-05:00

Almost everywhere you look lately, someone is reading the book series "Twilight". If you are not aware of this phenomenon, let me explain...The Twilight series is a set of four books about a young, clumsy girl named Bella who falls in love with a vampire who sparkles. Yes, that's right - sparkles! Girls (and grown women!) across the nation have fallen in love with the sparkly Edward Cullen and are actually a little depressed that their boyfriends and husbands don't glow in the sun.

Now, I confess, I read the books and enjoyed them for what they were. Although, I'm solidly on Team Jacob - the werewolf who pines after Bella's heart and completes the love triangle that every good teen romance should have. I even have Jacob "flair" on my FaceBook page. However, I prefer my vampires a little darker, a little sexier, a little more dangerous. That got me to thinking... I actually "have" a vampire preference?? Yes, indeedy I do! Call it the bad boy mystique that good girls tend to gravitate towards but I would pick Spike over Angel any day!

Alas, dawn broke on the Twilight saga. No more Bella and Edward (at least until November when the movie releases). What will I do? Where I will find another dark, brooding man of the undead variety just waiting to emerge from the shadows?

He can be found in Bon Temps, LA! My current obsession is the HBO series "True Blood". Decidedly more adult in nature than "Twilight" (and I DO mean "adult". No child under 18 - possibly 25 - should in the room when the show is on) it definitely has its bad boys.

Will Sookie find herself in a love triangle between Bill and Eric? Someone completely different? Having read the books, I know the answer to that question. I won't spoil it for those who are just now finding this story, but I can tell you that Mr. Bill Compton is a bad, bad boy. Whether or not that is a good thing - I leave you to decide.

A Rose By Any Other Name...Part 2!

2008-09-30T15:03:00.003-05:00

As a follow up to my previous post, here are a few more nicknames that I can not believe I forgot to mention...

Principessa ~ My friend Alan. Alan and I both have a love for the movie "Life Is Beautiful" and this name was inspired by a scene in the movie.

Lady Di / Princess Di ~ More people that I can count. The only time this nickname has ever gotten on my nerves was when it was used by a previous neighbor of mine. He was a single man about 20 years older than me with hair that looked like it had been shellacked to his head. He would get very drunk and sit out on his balcony and scream this to me when I would be walking from my car to my apartment. One time, he even met me in the hallway with his phone and asked me to talk to his mother. I was very glad when I moved away from him.

Goosh-Goosh ~ I'm not sure he would even remember, but my friend Jay from high school (who I'm very happy to have recently found again on Facebook!) gave me this nickname. It derives from the fact that I used to have a very long, thick braid. He would squeeze the braid and say it was "gooshy". That evolved into Goosh-Goosh. Even if he doesn't remember, I can't forget as he wrote it in my yearbook. I can honestly say from the bottom of my heart, if anyone else tried to call me that, they would probably be introduced to the back of my hand very quickly. However, he got away with it. You would just have to know Jay...

A Rose By Any Other Name...

2008-09-18T12:27:00.009-05:00

For years, I have read the comic strip "For Better or For Worse" and have followed along with all of the trials and tribulations of the Patterson family. I would always giggle a little when Michael would *affectionately* call his sister Elizabeth "lizard breath." Having not grown up with any siblings of my own, I never had to endure this type of teasing. While reading one of the recent strips, I did begin contemplating nicknames and realized that I have more than I thought. Gratefully, most of these stem from actual affection from family and friends, although I wouldn't be surprised to find out that I had a few I didn't know about as well.

Di - not surprisingly, the most common, and used by family and friends alike. I suspect that this is an easy way for people not to have to deal with the whole "she spells her name one way but pronounces it a different way" drama.

DiDi - my cousin Doug called me this when he was a young child as he couldn't say my whole name. It actually stuck and even now in our 30s he will occasionally refer to me in this fashion.

D - a former co-worker was the first person to use this one. I can still hear him say (in strong southern accent) "Heeeyyy, D!"

Kingery - another former co-worker. He had a tough time for a few weeks after I married.

DiBeth - from my friend Lori in high school. I called her Lori Ann.

Cupcake - from my mom. :) She still addresses birthday cards, etc. to that name.

Be-Bop - again from my mom. This one actually fits me better than I would like to admit. A former high school boyfriend heard her call me that one day and really enjoyed a laugh! He started using it occasionally after that as well.

Baby Girl - from my dad. :) All girls should have a daddy like the one I had...

Liz - again from my dad. I actually prefer my middle name of Elizabeth over my given name. Dad would occasionally tease and call me Liz.

Angel / Honey / others that I won't type - my husband, Scott. Self-explanatory. :)

Beautiful - the maintenance man at my current job. LOL

Punkin - My uncle Dick. He was blind and I spent a lot of time as a teenager driving him around and we became very close. He has passed now, but I still smile when I think about him calling me that.

LadyBug - My manager at work. She is a very motherly type of person to her staff.

Jake's Mommy - the children in our neighborhood. They might not know my name, but they know my puppy is named, Jake!

I must confess that I have casually adopted "D" for myself. I tend to sign notes and emails that way.

So while I don't currently have anyone in my life to call me "lizard breath" (for which I am forever grateful) I have plenty of other names to which to answer. Even the ones that may grate on my nerves a little, I still love as I know they are said to me out of true affection. Keep that in mind the next time I call you "Mo" instead of Monique or "Noogle" instead of Scott. It's just because I love you...

Home Improvement with Tinkerbell

2008-09-11T14:40:00.004-05:00

Recently, Scott and I decided to switch credit card companies. We ended up going with a Disney Rewards card. When applying for the card, they give you a choice of 5 or 6 different designs to pick from for the front of the card. Scott picked a plain design that maybe had a silhouette of mouse ears, and I chose a different one. However, when the cards arrived, both had defaulted to the design I chose...Tinkerbell. Scott grumbled a bit, but stuck the card in his wallet and didn't think to much more about it.

Fast forward a few days...Scott stomps up the stairs to my office and slaps the card on my desk. He had just come from Home Depot where apparently he had received some funny looks for paying for his new power sander with an ethereal winged pixie on his card. So, in between my laughing fits, I called the customer service line and requested his card be changed. I admit that I was a little unnerved by the heavily accented gentleman on the other end of the line telling me that the new card would arrive in my mailbox having been carried by pixie dust.

I told Scott that as he awaits for his new card, he should just shop at Lowe's. I've always found them to be a little more progressive and open-minded. I prefer that in a business...and people.

But I Don't Like Snakes On My Head...

2008-08-20T14:03:00.003-05:00

My office building has a small problem with unwanted creatures. The majority of the time it is limited to a stray mouse who has come inside searching for warmth or that stray candy bar in someone's desk drawer, but we also have bats who hang around in the parking garage and an occasional snake in the elevator by the back door.

However, whenever a new employee starts in our building, it isn't long before they hear THE creature story. The story that makes some rethink their employment. I wish I could say we are telling the story as some sort of hazing on the new person, but unfortunately it is 100% true. Snakes fall out of our ceiling. No, this doesn't happen everyday, but it has happened.

Recently it was time to tell the new girl about the snakes. (btw - this girl prompted the guy who sits next to me to send me an IM and ask if I was talking to Barbie) It just so happened that my very British friend Brian was standing there at the same time. So, I preceded to tell "Barbie" that we have had a previous incident of a snake falling from the ceiling and landing on an employee's desk while she was working. "Barbie" so eloquently replied, "but I don't like snakes on my head." (I'm assuming she thought the rest of us thought it was an employee perk!) Before I could think of an appropriate response, Brian, in his very proper British accent, replied, "that is why I carry an umbrella." I was biting the inside of my jaw to keep from laughing as I watched the wheels spin inside of "Barbie's" head as she contemplated walking the halls with an open umbrella. I assured her we had not experienced a snake drop in some time, but that she should keep an eye out as winter came closer. And, if the occasional one in the elevator bothers her, she should probably stick to the stairs.

I know I shouldn't laugh at someone else's expense. And really, I blame it all on Brian and his accent. It was funny though, and now the next time someone new starts and they hear the snake drop story, I'm sure someone will mention an umbrella. If I could just figure out a way to get HR to start putting them in the welcome bags...

Fears

2008-08-15T13:06:00.004-05:00

Most people who have known me for any length of time already know what I am about to admit, but I still feel the need to make the announcement to the rest of you...

I HATE Clowns. More specifically, I'm scared of them. Yes, I realize I am a grown woman and that this is a completely irrational fear, but I don't care. I hate them and I have since I was a little girl. Their eerie white faces and big floppy feet are just not normal.

Why am I telling you this now? Because some well meaning friend just sent me a "Have A Nice Day" Hallmark card with a clown on the front. One of my co-workers almost peed himself laughing as he was able to witness my jump/roll chair back from the desk/slight scream reaction.

Go ahead and laugh at me. I'm used to it. It's not going to change my mind that clowns are evil.

And for those of you who think I've completely lost my mind, I leave you with three small words:
John Wayne Gacy

Mr. Pest

2008-08-11T15:08:00.004-05:00

Recently we had a small ant problem in a confined area of our kitchen. It wasn't in an area where food was kept and the counter was cleaned and sanitized daily so I was a bit flummoxed as to where they were coming from. Well, after whacking away at the counter with a magazine one to many times, I called the pest control man. Of course the only time he could come happened to coincide with my husband being out of town. I dreaded this for a couple of reasons:

1) Our dog (Jake) goes looney whenever I'm home alone and a man other than Scott is in the house. (Not that I make that a habit, but you know what I mean.)

2) I'm a creature of habit and this was going to throw my schedule WAY OFF! I know, I know - get over it already.

So I put Jake outside and let Mr. Pest into the house. Now the ants must have heard me making the appointment because they are now nowhere to be found. Mr. Pest explains to me that this is the WORST possible scenario as that means they are now living inside the walls and the house will soon self-destruct from the inside out. I basically told him to stick his poison wand in the electrical outlet and give it a good squirt and I would take my chances on the house falling down around me.

Seeing as we have now discovered that the ants are building condos in my walls, Mr. Pest will of course have to spray the entire house as well as around the outside perimeter as opposed to doing a localized shot. I had expected this anyway, but by this time I was getting cranky and tired of dealing with Mr. Pest and the fact that instead of spraying he was leaning against my counter explaining proper preventative measures against roaches and other creepy-crawlies.

ANTS - we have ANTS

I was starting to weigh the cost/benefit of allowing Jake back into the house...

Finally he gets to work. Did I mention that our home has three stories? He wore a path in our stairs because apparently it is impossible to spray one floor at a time. First you spray all the NW corners of the rooms and then you circle back around and capture all the SE corners. Up and down the stairs, up and down the stairs...

By this time I was positive he was NOT a pest control man (but still quite certain he was Mr. Pest), but was in fact casing the house to come back later while I was asleep.

Time to meet JAKE!

I brought Jake in, keeping him on his leash, and allowed his death stare of protectiveness to be noticed. Mr. Pest finished up soon after that and launched into his sales pitch on monthly visits. Are you kidding me??? You have been here 3 hours (Truth!). I should have enough poison running through the walls of my house that the neighbors shouldn't even have to call pest control for the next year.

I wrote him a check and guided him firmly to the door as he continued to blather. Never again! I don't care if we become one of the lucky few in Tennessee who find snakes in their dishwashers, my husband will have to deal with it! Actually, if I ever found a snake in my dishwasher my husband would have to deal with it anyway as I would be dead of fright on the floor.

I don't normally buy into the traditional gender stereotypical roles, but of this I am now certain...the MAN should have to kill the BUG! Or at least deal with the other man who is killing the bug...

They have the same hands

2008-08-08T13:00:00.002-05:00

I was watching my mother and my aunt the other day and for about the one thousandth time in my life, I noticed that they have the same hands. This similarity between them has always fascinated me as my hands are mine alone. They don't look like my mom's and they didn't look like my dad's. If I had a sister, they wouldn't look like hers either. The reason for this is of course the fact that I was adopted at the age of 18 days. I've always been open about that fact and have never minded discussing it or answering questions.

I tend to cycle through periods in my life when I start wondering about that "other" family that I have never met, and then not thinking about it for months. Lately though, it has been on my mind a lot more than normal. I think it came back to me the most aggressively a couple of months ago when the daughter of Christian recording artist Steven Curtis Chapman was killed in an accident. Steven and his family are wonderful advocates for adoption and had three adopted daughters of their own with Maria having been the youngest. I worked with Steven for many years, and was absolutely heartbroken when I heard the news. It is devastating when any child leaves this world too soon, but the Chapman family is strong in their faith and I knew that they would make it through and find their way to acceptance.

So now I'm back to thinking about my other "family". I use that term loosely as obviously my family is Ralph and Betty Kingery and all the aunts, uncles, and cousins that came with them, but for ease here, I will use that term. I know bits and pieces of information - she was 30/he was 35, she was English and Irish/he was Italian, she was married/but not to him. But I don't know the important things - what would I have been named, do I look like either of them, does he even know I exist? Does any of that even matter? Honestly - no. I have a fabulous family and have never lacked for love, but I still wonder some times about those missing pieces. I could have brothers and sisters in this world that I've never met. That is the one thing that gnaws at me over and over as I grew up an only child and always longed for an older brother. I've considered searching, but have always stopped myself before taking that next step.

My heart tells me that if I'm blessed with a biological child of my own that some of the void will be filled as I will be able to finally have the experience of looking at another human being and knowing my blood runs through them. But what if I don't have a biological child? Will there always be just a little something missing? Will I always marvel at the likeness of my mom and and my aunt and wonder what it is like to share that unbreakable bond? Or is that when the search for answers will begin?

I'm going to have to leave that question unanswered at this point.

My mom gave me a plaque when I was a young girl, and to this day I keep it hanging above my desk. Whenever these questions begin intruding and the confusion starts - the words always help to calm and comfort me:

Not flesh of my flesh

nor bone of my bone

but still miraculously my own

Never forget for a single minute

you didn't grow under my heart

but in it.

The Eyes Have It

2008-08-07T20:11:00.001-05:00

"Boys don't make passes at girls who wear glasses"

Maybe that's true, but it doesn't stop complete strangers from commenting on them. I've had my current glasses for a couple of months now and I have been absolutely amazed by the number of people who seem fascinated with them. I am not exaggerating when I say that complete strangers come up to me and comment. I'm actually a little perplexed. Just today it happened again. I was standing in line at Panera Bread waiting for my order and one of the sandwich makers stopped what he was doing to tell me he really liked them. Granted, I love them and think they are cute and funky and match my style very well, but I still think the situation is odd. It never happened to me with any of my other glasses! I'm starting to think the blue glow has some special power over people's minds. Now if I can just decide whether to use that power for good or evil... LOL

I used to just write in a diary

2008-08-06T18:42:00.003-05:00

I just spent the past 15 minutes writing up a new post to my blog. Hmmm...do you see it here? No? Well that is because internet explorer suddenly developed a "problem" and had to close. GRRR... I checked my drafts and luckily most of my post is still there, but I'm still going to have to recreate most of it and that isn't what I'm in the mood to do right now. The worst that ever happened when I wrote in my diary is my pen ran out of ink! The joy of technology...

A Charmed Life

2008-07-29T17:53:00.002-05:00

When Scott and I first got married, we decided that travel would be a priority in our life. We hoped to visit someplace new at least every other year if we could. Now of course, traveling means shopping! SOUVENIRS! You never can have to many pecan logs from Stuckey's or snow globes with palm trees from The Shell Factory. Actually, yes you can.. believe me on this point and save yourself the upset tummies and dusty knick knacks.

However, we needed something tangible to show. Our decision was to buy a nice piece of artwork for our home, local to the region, from every "large" trip we took. We now proudly display such diverse items as a handmade Hopi Kachina doll and a framed painting of a blue flower to which we both were drawn.

But, I still needed a little kitsch in my life. The charms above fill that void. I now try to pick one up on every trip! Although they haven't made it on to a bracelet yet, they are important to me. Each tiny piece of silver represents time with my husband, a beloved place to visit, and carefree memories. The journey of my life on a chain - linked, full circle, for all time.

The current charms and their significance:
A diamond ring in the shape of Mickey Mouse's head - Scott and I became engaged at Disney World
Trolley Car - our honeymoon was spent in Gatlinburg where we were able to ride the trolley
The Bird Girl - a trip to Savannah, one of our favorite places to go. She was pictured on the cover of the book Midnight In The Garden Of Good And Evil which takes place in Savannah
Charleston Row Houses - we combined a side trip to Charleston during one of our Savannah adventures
Plumeria flower - 1st anniversary in Hawaii
Plain Flower - no real significance. I just liked the charm. However, it was bought on the Hawaii trip and since we island hopped between Maui and Kauai I thought 2 flowers were appropriate
Maple Leaf - a trip to Niagra Falls
Cinderella's Castle - We visit Disney so often that one charm just wasn't enough
Cactus - one of our best vacations ever was spent in Carefree, Arizona
Saddle - a quick trip to San Antonio!
Pelican - most recently bought in FL during my high school reunion

He's a winner!

2008-07-28T14:51:00.002-05:00

I'm back at work today and not feeling to creative with my journaling, but I did want to mention that Scott won three awards this past weekend!

After returning Wednesday from vacationing in FL, he turned right around on Thursday and headed to Gatlinburg. He is a member of the Chevy Avalanche Fan Club and was in fact the founder of the Middle Tennessee chapter. Although he stepped down from his post a couple of years ago, he still attends events. They were having the annual National meeting in Gatlinburg and he was able to at least go for the weekend. Luckily he did! He ended up walking away with awards for "Best 4x4", "People's Choice", and "Avalanche Spirit". He was very happy when he returned home.

When he first started in the truck club, I just sort of rolled my eyes and let him do his "guy" things. However, I have went with him to many events and have helped him host large gatherings here in our state. Last year we hosted "Music City Mayhem" and had over 97 trucks attend from all over the US. We rented out Titan's Stadium for a day and had the truck show, banquet, raffle, and awards there. I can honestly say this "club" is a true family. We have made true and lasting friendships with people both local and far. That's one of the reasons I was glad he still got to attend part of the weekend in Gatlinburg. He had given up a good portion of the meet to take me to my reunion in FL. If that's not love - I don't know what is.

Where did 20 years go?

2008-07-26T12:22:00.002-05:00

One week ago today I was at Portofino Restaurant in Port Charlotte, FL drinking, dancing, and eating with great friends. Had it really been 20 years since I had seen most of them? Hmmm...most of them look the same. We are laughing and talking as easily as if we had been in class together earlier that day. We can't be almost 40 - we are all still 18! (If you doubt me, just look at Michelle Mazzoni, I swear she hasn't aged one day since graduation.) Oh wait, here's an indication that I'm not still in high school - I just introduced my HUSBAND to my first BOYFRIEND. They are shaking hands...everyone is laughing...yep, not in high school anymore. It was a wonderful weekend filled with great stories and memories and I admit that when I gave my last hug to Jeremy as we were leaving the picnic, I had to blink back tears. But, I'm glad that I can always have those safe, sweet memories of my teen years. Because of the friends and experiences I had back them - I became the woman I am today. I met and married the man I love. I'm living the life I was meant to have.

I'm struggling to find the proper words to express what I'm feeling as I sit here still enmeshed in nostalgia but loving my present. So I am going to quote an entry a friend wrote in my yearbook a couple of days before graduation. There were so many people to whom I would have liked to have said the same thing: "...may each person you meet color your world. There is no better canvas than yours my friend, and I hope we have given the painting a good start. Personally, I don't want to put down the brush, but it's my turn to allow others the privilege of helping you shape your life."

Yes, we have changed since we all stood together so many years ago in our red caps and gowns, but we will always share that bond and that is what keeps us the same.

Alive once more!

2008-07-24T18:38:00.003-05:00

I've decided to resurrect this VERY OLD blog. I've been posting a journal elsewhere, but it is on a private site and I'm going to go back to using this one for more "public" entries. Updates coming soon in the next couple of days....

I do NOT have a penis!!

2005-07-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

Why, why, why do I get so many spam emails wanting to sell me something to make my *manhood* bigger, longer, thicker, etc.? I do NOT have a penis! I have NO idea what I signed up for that got me on this mailing list, but whatever it was I hope I enjoyed it. Yes, I have a dummy email account that I use for online shopping and such so I rarely check it, but when I do (which I did about 10 minutes ago) it is always full of emails advertising potency products or from girls named *Caprice* who would love to show me their pictures. GRRR!! Further to my frustration, my husband (who obviously DOES have a penis [and wouldn't he be thrilled that I'm discussing this in my blog]) does NOT receive these emails? Why am I the chosen one?

Okay - vent over - back to my regularly scheduled day.

The Luckiest Dog

2005-07-03T22:02:00.000-05:00

I would never be as bold to say that my dog, Jake, is the smartest dog in the world. He's a little loopy and very prone to hide all of his toys in the shrubs. Of course a proud mama would always look for the best, so I have convinced myself that when he hangs his rubber ring on a branch and then drops his ball in between the leaves that he is actually just decorating his tree early for Christmas. The one thing I do know without a doubt is that he loves me, and today I think he did his best to try and make me smile.

We were outside for our evening game of ball. I throw the ball as far as I can and he chases after it like a rocket. Usually he will bring it back, but that is hit and miss. Tonight he took off running just like normal, but ran around the ball without stopping and headed back to me. He sat down about halfway between me and the ball. After saying "get the ball, come on, Jake, get the ball" ten to twenty times while he sat and looked at me I gave up and started back to the deck knowing he would follow. He didn't follow. He just sat there looking at me with his tongue hanging out and his head tilted. When I looked back, he put his nose down and rooted in the grass. He would look at me and then root the grass again. Well, anyone knows this is dog speak for "come here and see what I found."

So, I went over to see what my sweet puppy had found and discovered it was a 4-Leaf clover. Yes, he had his nose directly on a 4-leaf clover.

Now, I could choose to be logical at this moment and realize that it was hot outside and he was tired and didn't want to run so he sat down in a soft patch of grass to rest. OR, I could choose to think that my normally loopy dog sensed this was a bittersweet weekend for me and was trying to offer me a sign of love. I'm a pretty practical girl in most of my life, but for today I'm going to allow myself to accept this piece of magic.

The 4-Leaf clover? It's currently being pressed to adorn a scrapbook page in the future. Who knows, maybe tomorrow I'll find a pot of gold.

July 4th

2005-07-02T19:49:00.000-05:00

Today begins a long holiday weekend. A holiday that celebrates the birth of freedom. July 4th has always been one of my favorite holidays. Families and friends coming together to cook hamburgers and hotdogs outside on a grill; to make homemade ice cream; to enjoy the beautiful summer sunshine. Later in the night, as the evening air cooled, big beautiful bursts of color would light up the sky. It all seemed very romantic to me. I still love the 4th of July, but now as I celebrate the birth of our nation, a little piece of my heart will cry over the loss of someone I loved.

My father passed away July 4, 2002. Interestingly, I think he would have been pleased to leave this world on that day. He was a Korean War veteran and very proud of his military service. We draped his coffin with an American Flag which my mom proudly has displayed on her mantel. One day it will adorn mine as well. I don't mean this post to be sad for anyone who may be reading it, but I can't help the fact that it is on my mind this weekend. I celebrate that he left the world without pain; that he spent his morning teasing my mom and talking with a neighbor friend; that he was sitting in his favorite chair on the carport when his time came. But, I will probably always torment myself with the fact that Scott had asked me that morning if I wanted to go spend the day at my parents and I said, "no".

So here we are, holiday weekend upon us. I fully intend to enjoy the Fireworks and to do my best to remember what this holiday means, but please understand if my smile isn't as wide as it may have been a few years ago.

Rest well, daddy.

Kim thinks I'm Crazy!

2005-06-27T21:33:00.000-05:00

I've been working on a very "deep thought" post, but I still have it in drafts. It's not quite ready to publish into my blog. However...I couldn't go another day without at least posting something new here, so I thought I would tell you the story of why my friend Kim thinks I'm crazy.

Kim is a girl I met through one of my online communities. The first time we ever decided to meet in person, there was a group of about 5-6 girls who decided to meet up at Macaroni Grill for dinner. Since I had the longest drive from work, I was the last to arrive. I really didn't know what anyone looked like, so I scanned the restaurant for groups of women. I saw a table with 3 ladies, and I walked up to them and said, "are you from the website?" They basically looked at me like I had 3 heads so I figured out quickly this was NOT the group I was looking for. I finally spotted my group tucked back in a corner. After telling them what I had done, Kim declared that it was one of the funniest things she had ever heard. (you might have to be an aficionado of message boards to fully comprehend the subtly of the humor, but believe me, it is there)

Fast forward a few months...once again I am meeting Kim for dinner at the mall. This time I arrived a little early and decided to shop. I happened to run into Kim while I was leaving Bath & Body Works. Oh, did I mention they were having a sale? A sale on my favorite scent (cool citrus basil) which had been discontinued? The fact that I had bought every shower gel and bubble bath I could find in the store? That I was dragging TWO HUGE bags behind me as I struggled out the door? Kim was once again practically in tears laughing at me. I know she was thinking, "can anyone actually get dirty enough to use all of that?"

So...we continued to chat on our board and met up a couple more times for a girl's day at the movies or a lunch at the Loveless Cafe with our other *sweet* friend Onna. I was finally starting to look normal again. Then today happened...

I met Kim and Onna for lunch at Dalt's Grill. Kim was trying to get me to turn around and look at some man who was acting crazy in the phone booth (which is in the restaurant). I kept saying, "is he talking to that other guy in the other booth?" She was looking at me like I was crazy. I finally turned around to see her man leaving the booth at the same time my guy was leaving his booth. To which I said, "I think they are twins." Okay...here it comes...I was looking in a mirror! It was the same guy all along. The top of the booths have these tiny mirrors in them. I thought it was a piece of glass and that I was seeing straight through to the other side of the restaurant. Nope!!! (keep in mind, the mirrors are above your head, it's not like I could see my own reflection in it or anything)

Seriously, if we hadn't been talking to each other for close to 3 years now (goodness, has it really been that long?), she would probably think I was some internet psycho. As always, my best foot forward! LOL

Hooters

2005-06-23T08:52:00.000-05:00

I was reading a debate on my OLU website that originated when one of the women took her child to daycare and was a little shocked to see a young boy there in a Hooters T-Shirt. It was one of the ones with the Owl and the word Hooters - no girls in sight. She still thought it was a little inappropriate and it has sparked quite the debate, both about the child wearing the shirt and about the restaurant in general. I don't have kids, so I won't weigh in on that side of the debate, but as far as the restaurant itself...I like their wings! I don't have a problem going there and in fact Scott and I are meeting friends there for dinner tonight.

As far as the people who think it is exploitive to women, my question is "how"? The waitresses aren't forced to work there. They CHOOSE to apply. They know beforehand what the uniform is. It's not like they show up to work and are suddenly all offended because they thought they would get to wear their Quaker dress and bonnet.

To be fair, maybe if I had the type of husband who would sit there in front of me and lear down the waitress' shirt, I might feel differently. But, he doesn't. If I'm there, he's respectful. Obviously I can't know what he does when I'm not with him, but I would like to think that I know my husband well enough to know that he is a good man. I'm not going to restrict him from going out and having fun with the boys, and he doesn't complain when I announce to all of our friends that I think a certain FL boy in our truck club is quite the hottie! LOL

Honestly, I just feel bad for those poor Hooter's girls that they have to wear those orange shorts. Could they not have picked a better color? And how thick are those nylons they have to wear? Shorts and nylons... hmm...

I do think that if they have these restaurants catering to men, turn about is fair play. We women need a restaurant! *Rooster* shirts anyone?

Reading Moods

2005-06-22T17:01:00.000-05:00

Are you able to pick up a book of any genre (that you would normally read) and begin reading at any time, or does the genre need to match your mood of the moment?

I think I'm a little in between. If it has been a while since I have read a book (which doesn't happen very often), I can just pick anything up and immediately become engrossed. However, if I have been reading steadily, I actually have a problem *switching* genres. For instance, over the weekend I read Black Creek Crossing by John Saul. He is an author that I love and I have every book he has ever written. When I finished Black Creek, I was immediately craving more of his writing. Luckily, I did have a book of his that I had never gotten around to reading, so in the last two days I have read Nightshade. Now I have a problem. Since I finished Nightshade today, I don't have anything of his left and his new book The Perfect Nightmare doesn't release until September.

Of course, I do know what is next on my list: Second Glance by Jodi Picoult. It will just take me a couple of days to let go of Mr. Saul before I can completely immerse in my new book.

I am VERY author loyal. Once I find an author that I like, I will read everything they write. My list of favorite authors (and my favorite book of theirs) includes:
Jodi Picoult - My Sister's Keeper
John Saul - Manhattan Hunt Club
Nicholas Sparks - The Notebook
Erich Segal - The Class
Colleen McCullough - A Creed For The Third millennium
LaVyrle Spencer - Years
A. Manette Ansay - Midnight Champagne

I have a plastic tub under my bed full of books that I want to read. I can't resist buying new books even though I have a stack that I still need to read. My bucket includes everything from A Separate Peace by John Knowles (yes, I know I was supposed to read this in high school, but I never did) to The tattooed Girl by Joyce Carol Oates.

I think I would be very sad if I ever opened that tub and didn't have anything new in there to read. Oh well...that would be a great excuse to head to Borders!

Friendships and Chocolate Trifle

2005-06-22T13:49:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I'm still surprised about how modern forms of communication can affect relationships so drastically. In particular, I'm thinking about friendships that I have formed over the last few years solely because the internet exists. I think that I have three categories that emphasis this point:

Our Little Universe - When I was planning my wedding, I came across an internet site devoted to brides and wedding planning. It was a message board designed in an interactive fashion where you could talk about your dress, complain that your Maid Of Honor had suddenly gone looney (mine didn't - but I would have known how to handle it if she did after hearing all the stories), compare photographer costs, etc. After the wedding, the site wasn't as useful but we still missed blabbing with each other. Through a series of migrations, a lot of us now reside on the OLU site where we can talk about anything and everything with other women and yes, even a few men. Through that site, I have met some wonderful women that I do in fact consider to be my friends. A few of them I have met in person, some I just talk to daily on the site. Either way, I do give them the label of "friend". These girls have given me comfort when my dad passed away and when I had a miscarriage. They have celebrated with me when I quit my job and started out on my own. They have oohed and aahed over pictures of my puppy and my wedding. We have discussed books and movies and new cars and old boyfriends... A few years ago I would have thought it just very strange to share my life inside and out with someone that I only knew through a small profile picture on a website. But today, I'm blessed that I have done just that. If any of them are reading this blog...love to you Kim, Onna, Shelby, Dana, Lisa, Diana, Michelle...and all the rest of you that have touched my life. They next time I make a chocolate/peanut butter trifle you are all invited to the house. :)

Chevy Avalanche Fan Club - This is more of Scott's baby, but I have reaped the benefits of it as well. Who knew that just by buying a truck and finding a website to read and keep current on warranties, recalls, new body styles, etc. we would meet some of our best friends in life? At least 2 - 3 times a month we have a get together with a few of the club members. We have done everything from just an impromptu dinner, to convoying to Niagara Falls for a weekend event. Even if we ever decide to sell the truck, these people are in our lives to stay. And can I just add that I was never hugged so much in my life until we started hanging out with these men and their families?

Class of 88 Message Board - I loved high school, and was so glad when the message board for our class took off. I have reconnected with so many people. Some I already knew and loved, some were acquaintances, and some I probably never spoke more than 5 words to back then. Somehow, that last group is what makes this board so special. I love that time has erased cliques and we all can talk freely with each other. I honestly think I have made NEW friends that will be just as special as the old ones. Remember that song from Girl Scouts..."Make new friends but keep the old...one is silver and the other gold." That's what I feel now. Blessed with silver and gold.

And that brings me to my sense of awe of these friendships. Years ago, we would have kept in touch by writing letters. Soon that would have dwindled to a card on the friend's birthday and a couple during the holidays. Slowly, that would have ended as well. Now, I can type one post on a message board and talk to dozens of people at one time. I can stay in contact so much easier. Does that diminish the quality of the friendship? Not to me. Of course there are still going to be people that rise to the top of your list, and that's just human nature. But maybe the list is larger now. Hearts don't divide love, they multiply it.

Friday Fun

2005-06-17T10:51:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready to head out for the weekend. Scott and I are going to his mother's lake house for her birthday. But, I of course couldn't leave for a couple of days without leaving some sort of message. :) However, since my mind is still melting over the fact that Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes are engaged, and is still foggy from the Tylenol PM I took last night, I couldn't think of anything interesting to post. So, I stole the following from my other website (see links for Our Little Universe):

KNOW YOUR STATE MOTTO
Alabama Hell Yes, We Have Electricity.
Alaska 11,623 Eskimos Can't Be Wrong!
Arizona But It's A Dry Heat.
Arkansas Literacy Ain't Everything.
California By 30, Our Women Have More Plastic Than Your Honda. !
Colorado If You Don't Ski, Don't Bother.
Connecticut Like Massachusetts, Only The Kennedy's Don't Own It Yet.
Delaware We Really Do Like The Chemicals In Our Water.
Florida Ask Us About Our Grandkids.
Georgia We Put The Fun In Fundamentalist Extremism.
Hawaii Haka Tiki Mou Sha'ami Leeki Toru (Death To Mainland Scum, Leave Your Money)
Idaho More Than Just Potatoes... Well, Okay, We're Not, But The Potatoes Sure Are Real Good
Illinois Please, Don't Pronounce the "S"
Indiana 2 Billion Years Tidal Wave Free
Iowa We Do Amazing Things With Corn
Kansas First Of The Rectangle States
Kentucky Five Million People; Fifteen Last Names
Louisiana We're Not ALL Drunk Cajun Wackos, But That's Our Tourism Campaign.
Maine We're Really Cold, But We Have Cheap Lobster
Maryland If You Can Dream It, We Can Tax It
Massachusetts Our Taxes Are Lower Than Sweden's
Michigan First Line Of Defense From The Canadians
Minnesota 10,000 Lakes...And 10,000,000,000,000 Mosquitoes
Mississippi Come And Feel Better About Your Own State
Missouri Your Federal Flood Relief Tax Dollars At Work
Montana Land Of The Big Sky, The Unabomber, Right-wing Crazies, and Very Little Else. Nebraska Ask About Our State Motto Contest
Nevada Hookers and Poker!
New Hampshire Go Away And Leave Us Alone
New Jersey You Want A ##$%##! Motto? I Got Yer ##$%##! Motto Right here!
New Mexico Lizards Make Excellent Pets
New York You Have The Right To Remain Silent, You Have The Right To An Attorney...
North Carolina Tobacco Is A Vegetable
North Dakota We Really Are One Of The 50 States!
Ohio At Least We're Not Michigan
Oklahoma Like The Play, But No Singing
Oregon Spotted Owl...It's What's For Dinner
Pennsylvania Cook With Coal
Rhode Island We're Not REALLY An Island
South Carolina Remember The Civil War? Well, We Didn't Actually Surrender Yet
South Dakota Closer Than North Dakota
Tennessee The Edyoocashun State
Texas Se Hablo Ingles
Utah Our Jesus Is Better Than Your Jesus
Vermont Ay, Yep
Virginia Who Says Government Stiffs And Slackjaw Yokels Don't Mix?
Washington We have more rain than you do
West Virginia One Big Happy Family...Really!
Wisconsin Come Cut The Cheese!
Wyoming Where Men Are Men... And The Sheep Are Scared

2005-06-15T16:43:00.000-05:00

Favorite Things

2005-06-15T12:47:00.000-05:00

I decided to make a list of my favorite things. I think it goes without saying that my family would top the list, but here are a few other things in no particular order:

~The state of Indiana: I loved growing up in the Hoosier state, small town USA. You could drive down highways that cut straight through corn fields and watch big combines in the fields. Children grew up learning the difference between green and red depending on whether their fathers farmed with John Deere or International. The air always smelled clean (unless you were on the one stretch of Hwy 19 that goes right by the hog farm) and the grass was soft under your bare feet. I wouldn't really appreciate that small thing until years later when I couldn't walk barefoot through my FL yard without getting a foot full of stickers.

~Cousins: I have a ton of them! At one time I counted 123. Of course I have my favorites, but they are all special to me. Part of who I am today was shaped by growing up part of the "Kingery cousins". Add to that group Mike and Kim from the Reed side of the family and you have met a large portion of my heart. Maybe it is because I do not have any siblings, but my cousins mean the world to me.

~Books: As much as I love going into a crisp, clean Barnes & Noble, heaven on earth to me is an old, dusty used bookstore. I can spend hours rummaging through the stacks, my fingers trailing along the book spines. I've been known to sit right down on the floor and read. Libraries don't offer me the same pleasure. They want the books back when I'm done with them, and that is not something I can do. I fall in love with my books and I have to keep them. I'm not even really very good at loaning them out to people.

~Photographs: My home is filled with pictures of people that I love, both family and friends. Years ago a tradition started with my cousin Brian. Each year at the family reunion we have our picture taken together. It started as a joke after a comment I had made as a very young girl, but it blossomed into a yearly ritual. Now I have a visual timeline of Brian and I growing up over the years and it is something I treasure.

~Movies: I love to go to the movies by myself. I can pick the exact seat that I want (middle section, last few rows, middle seat in the row) and immerse myself in what's on the screen. No one is going to lean over and ask me, "what did he just say?" or "do you think it's odd that no one went to the bathroom in that scene?" For two hours I'm alone in the dark without a care in the world.

~My Eric Clapton CD "Chronicles"

~Homemade Strawberry Ice Cream

~St. Clair Glass

~A very large bolt given to me by my uncle from when he worked on the railroad. Obviously there is a story here, but I will save it for another time.

~Kissing

~Hydrangea

So there is a glimpse into a few of my favorite things. (how many people now have Julie Andrew's voice floating through their mind singing "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens...")

No, I don't agree with you

2005-06-14T22:35:00.000-05:00

Anyone who knows me, knows that I rarely have a problem giving someone my opinion. However, right now for some reason that is beyond me at the moment, I am biting my tongue all over the place. Here is what I want to say:

I don't really care if you don't like your daughter's boyfriend, the fact of the matter is that he has gotten her pregnant. I don't think you have the right to deny him his parental rights. Yes, he's young (16) and she's not much older (18), but this is still their child. You are bullying her into signing custody over to you under the guise of putting the child on your medical insurance when really it is just another step in keeping him away from his child. You have already convinced her not to name him on the birth certificate. Do you not realize that as soon as he turns 18 he can demand a paternity test and sue you for custody/partial custody/visitation rights/whatever anyway under your state's law? Why put the child through that? Let him be a part of her life now like he wants to be. As far as I know he isn't a drug addict or a criminal. You claim you don't like him because he doesn't have a lot of ambition. Hello - he is 16!! I'm not saying they should run out and get married and try to raise the child while working at minimum wage jobs. They do need support from their parents. But, you are crossing the line and making decisions for your daughter and somehow convincing her that she is the one making them. That is going to come back and bite you in the ass some day. Might I remind you that you were convinced that by only allowing her to see him 1 night during the week and 1 night on the weekend you had control over her. You had so much control that now you are going to be grandparents. Back off! She just might surprise you and be a wonderful, loving mother.

I don't know why this situation has gotten under my skin so much. These are good people and good friends of ours. But the more they talk about this situation, the more I feel my blood pressure boil. I think it's their attitude of superiority more than anything. They just automatically assume they are right on all counts and that I am in agreement with them.

I know in this particular situation, the absolute best thing I can do is keep my mouth shut. But, since that is *extremely* hard for me to do - I'm letting it out here.

I don't even know what to say...

2005-06-13T16:20:00.000-05:00

Michael Jackson - not guilty on all counts.

I'm curious now to hear from the jury. Did they really think he was not guilty, or did they just not have enough evidence to erase reasonable doubt? I have no idea. Honestly, I didn't follow the case other than media snippets here and there. My gut said he was guilty. If not of molestation, at least of inappropriate behavior. I don't need to rehash all of his "oddities" here - we all know what they are.

I mourn the Michael Jackson of my youth. The man who sang "Billie Jean" at the Motown 25 Special. The man who made it okay for high school boys to wear one white glove to a school dance, I'm thinking of one particular popular boy from my class, and me still think they were cool. That man's been gone for quite some time.

Will anyone ever listen to his music again and not at least wonder?

I just hope that the jury did in fact reach the right decision. That hope stems not from concern for MJ himself, but for those 3 innocent children still in his care.

Tequila Makes Her Clothes Come Off

2005-06-13T08:10:00.000-05:00

WOW - what a busy week! Haven't had one of these for some time now that I don't work in the corporate world anymore. It was fun busy though.

The CMA concert was a blast. Luckily we had remembered our rain coats although I was still soaked to the skin and I think my jeans soaked up about 30 pounds of water. The rain didn't slow anything down. Everywhere you looked in the stadium, all you could see was a swaying mass of yellow, blue, and red ponchos. LOL

Joe Nichols was second on the stage. He was the one I went most excited to see. He's a cutie and a half and Scott almost had to hold me down in my seat. LOL He sang his standards "Brokenheartsville", "The Impossible", etc., but then he launched into "Tequila makes her clothes come off" which they are considering for the next single. It was funny and cute. I must have been enjoying the song a little too much, because Scott leaned over and said, "I'm rethinking the fact that you are headed to FL by yourself in a couple of weeks.". LOL

JoDee Messina was up next. I love her attitude and powerful voice. I was really hoping to hear her sing "Bring On The Rain", but no luck. Considering the weather she may have thought it a bad choice.

Wynona closed the show. I must admit, she has never been one of my favorite artists, but this is the second time I have seen her live and she is electrifying on stage. Oh, to have her voice!! The girl rocked! I also think it says a lot when someone can effortless transition through covers of songs by people as diverse as Mercy Me, Tina Turner, Foreigner, Melissa Ethridge, and others. Flawless. She actually got a "Woooooo" and a standing up clapping over the head from me. Give credit where credit is due I say.

All of the others (Miranda Lambert/Trace Adkins/Trisha Yearwood/Kenny Rogers) did great sets as well. Scott even enjoyed the show (aside from my Joe Nichols drooling, although I'm pretty sure he I caught a little drool from him over Jo Dee) and he NEVER listens to country music.

So today it is back to the regular grind. I need to take a couple of hours and actually figure out what that is. I have emails to read and mail to go through...and maybe spend a little time on iTunes downloading some new favorites songs! Just for the record...the only tequila I will be drinking in FL will be contained in a Margarita!! :)

WOO HOO! Free Tickets

2005-06-08T10:39:00.000-05:00

Hubby just scored 8 tickets to the CMA Music Festival for this weekend. Hmm...I work in the music industry and didn't get them, he works for a hospital and did. Something is not right here. LOL

We are only going Saturday night. We have given all the Friday night tickets away to some friends. Concert lineup Sat. is:
Trace Adkins - love his DEEEP voice!
Miranda Lambert
Jo Dee Messina - I'll be singing right along with her on "my give a damn's busted!"
Joe Nichols - Cutie, cutie, cutie
Kenny Rogers
Trisha Yearwood - maybe a surprise visit from Garth?
Wynonna - I saw her in concert a few years back. She was great and she had never been one of my favorites

Funny thing is, I worked the CMA festival a few years ago. I SWORE I would never go back. However, I'm not turning down free tickets and the concerts are now given in the Titans' stadium which is MUCH better than when they were at the Fairground. As long as we can get through the parking okay we should be fine!

Did I mention Scott hates country music? LOL

2005-06-08T10:24:00.000-05:00

Since I'm telling stories about my Jakey and his desire to make friends with the skunks - you should know what he looks like! Here he is the night we adopted him at 3 months old. He was 6 pounds. I'll post a recent pic of him later.

Adorable Stinky little creatures

2005-06-08T09:47:00.000-05:00

We have 4 baby skunks living in our yard. To be honest, they have to be the cutest little creatures I've ever seen. However, obviously we can't let them continue to live here. I called animal control yesterday and was told they wouldn't come out. They would rent us traps for $50.00 a piece and we could catch them ourselves. Not an attractive option to me! Our neighbor has a friend who works for Wildlife Rescue, so we have a call into them.

In the meantime, my dog is going nuts. He doesn't understand why we won't let him play with the "kitties". He was barking at one last night and it raised its tail. I grabbed Jake real quick and was dragging him across the yard. The skunk just started hopping backward with its tail still in the air. It was actually kind of humerous. I do not want to have to give him (or me!) a tomato juice bath though.

The joys of country living! :)

Emotional Roller Coasters

2005-06-06T11:58:00.000-05:00

I hate the fact that I am a crier. If I just cried over things that made me sad (or a really good chick flick) it wouldn't bother me. But, I cry when I'm mad or frustrated. Then I get mad that I'm crying, so I cry some more. See the vicious cycle here? I want to appear strong, capable, independent. That's a little hard to do with tears flowing from your eyes and your nose running. :(

The past couple of days have been a little bit of an emotional roller coaster for me. I'm drained and tired. The good news is, I also feel cleansed. A good cry, a good conversation...it always gives me a sense of renewal. A fresh start if you may.

I don't have it in me to be deep or philosophical today. There is still that urge to cry right under the surface, but it is fading fast. A hug and a kiss from my husband tonight should go a long way toward easing any last remnants of my roller coaster ride.

400 Miles

2005-06-04T18:53:00.000-05:00

Today was...well...Interesting.

Scott and I had plans to meet some people from his truck club and take in the 400 mile yard sale across Kentucky. We weren't planning on driving the full route, just a section from Glasgow to Hopkinsville. We drove up to my mom's last night and spent the night there so we wouldn't have as far to drive this morning to meet everyone else. Well, sometime in the middle of the night I woke up SICK! UGH! I basically didn't sleep the rest of the night and considered just staying at my mom's today while Scott went on the GTG. I didn't want him to drive all that way back for me, so I went ahead and climbed in the truck. By the time we got to Glasgow, my tummy had settled down and I was glad to see our friends.

The trip was actually pretty fun, we stopped in various quaint little towns and scoured some antique shops. However, it was HOT!! I was already somewhat dehydrated from my night and this did not make things better. We decided to call it a day around 5:00 and everyone went their separate ways to go home. Scott and I arrive home - open the garage door - no car! Panic mode for a full 2 minutes until we remembered that I had driven to his work on Friday and left my car in his lot. We're both too tired to deal with it tonight, so we'll go in tomorrow and pick it up.

Did I also mention that we currently have a skunk wandering around in our yard? He seems to be eating the clover. Animal control doesn't open until Monday morning, so hopefully he will have his dinner of clover and just wander on away.

Now...what in the world do I make us for dinner? I'm too tired to think about it. We may just order pizza.

2005-06-03T16:23:00.000-05:00

I've always liked this picture of me. :) It was taken at the Biltmore Estate in NC. It was freezing cold and VERY windy. It was the first time that Scott and I went away for the weekend together. I was actually very afraid that he was going to ask me to marry him that weekend, and I just wasn't ready. He didn't ask, but he did give me a diamond eternity band and told me that he hoped to replace it with a gold band someday. A few months later I got the emerald cut diamond ring with a gold band that followed 6 months later. :)

2005-06-03T15:10:00.000-05:00

I'm just testing the photo posting function and thought I might as well post a picture that makes me happy when I look at it! LOL Thank goodness my husband puts up with me. :)

Trim Spa, Baby!

2005-06-03T07:56:00.000-05:00

I HATE the new Trim Spa commercial that has Anna Nicole Smith on her knees at the beach, arms stretched above her head, saying in her baby voice, "Trim Spa, Baby!" What is wrong with her mouth when she says that? I think she is trying to smile but it ends up being some weird contortion of lips and teeth that quite honestly FREAKS ME OUT!!!

I'll give her credit, she looks great. Maybe the stuff really works. But, I can't get past the commercial! Scott knows how much I hate it so he will mimic it to try and make me laugh. He doesn't actually do the full pose but he will kind of twist at the waist and do the high pitched voice and attempts that freaky smile. I can't help but laugh (and slug him) each time he does it.

I've always thought Anna Nicole was a bit of a train wreck, but I think she crosses the line to plain scary in this one. So, think of me the next time you hear "Trim Spa, Baby!" I'll be cringing in the corner. :)

She's the reason why

2005-06-02T19:25:00.000-05:00

I've always believed in giving credit where credit is due, so I want to give a shout out to Katie! Katie is a member of a message board that I used to frequent daily - and hope to again real soon! I noticed a link to her blog in her signature at the site, followed it, and soon found myself creating my own. It was something I'd always wanted to do and I guess that was the final push I needed.

I don't even think she knows how much I enjoy her posts. She has that "intelligent humor" that never fails in making me laugh. :) Her blog can be found at: http://www.80kay.blogspot.com/ I did verify with her that it was okay to post the link!

I better run. Less than 30 minutes until Hit Me Baby One More Time premieres! LOL :)

I Remember Falling

2005-06-02T13:56:00.000-05:00

This is a memory that goes back a few years, but it is something that affected me greatly. I don't think physically I am what you would call a "risk-taker". I'm not going to go skydiving or bungee jumping unless I'm on The Amazing Race. Although, I would love to drive an Indy Car around the Brickyard at 220 mph some day.

A few years ago, the department I worked in at EMI went on a "team building" retreat. It was a ropes course. Yes, it was physically demanding, but more than anything it was psychologically demanding. I guess that was the point. We started out in an open field, standing in a circle. We were blindfolded, and led off into the woods one by one. The instructors demanded silence. We were to put complete faith into them and each other. Finally after walking for quite some time, and I suspect we were led in circles, we were told to remove our blindfolds. I found myself deep in the woods. I wouldn't have known which way to go to even begin to find my way back to the field. I looked around at my coworkers and saw expressions of excitement, nervousness, even fear. Thus began our day...

The first trust building exercise required me to climb to a platform situated up in a tree. I'm not sure how high up it was, but at least 10 feet as it was above the heads of even the tallest man in my group. I stood on the very edge of the platform with my coworkers positioned on the ground in two lines. I was supposed to fall backward into their waiting arms below. No nets, no cushions, just the outstretched arms of 10 men and women to break my fall.

So, I fell. And it was one of the most beautiful moments of my life. There was this moment as my body left the platform and I was floating in the air. It felt like I wasn't even moving. At that moment, I didn't even think of the arms waiting for me below. I just saw the sky above and felt the complete freedom of not being restrained to the earth. I remember smiling the most genuine smile I have probably ever given in my life. It seemed to last forever, but logically I know it couldn't have been more than a few seconds.

The moment broke when I landed in my coworkers arms, but that experience was just as beautiful. I no longer saw the faces of "coworkers" above me. I saw the faces of friends and family. I trusted them and they caught me.

The rest of the day found us flying on zip lines and falling from tight wires into nets. Sometimes it was an individual accomplishment, sometimes we needed each other to solve a puzzle and reach the other side. But nothing came close to that first moment. That moment of freedom.

If you ever have a chance to experience a ropes course, I encourage you to do it. Take your family, go with a church group, round up your 10 best friends... You will leave with a new confidence in yourself and new love for others.

What to expect...

2005-06-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

I've kept journals my entire life, but this is my first attempt at an online journal. What can you expect from me? I really don't know. I'm sure I will blather on about my life in all sorts of ways. Some of it will be boring, hopefully some of it will be a little exciting. Things I know for sure will come up frequently:

Adventures with the Truck Club. (believe me, this takes up a huge chunk of my time and I will talk about it and the wonderful people involved.)

My husband, Scott (I love him dearly)

Movies & Music (hey, my job revolves around them both so of course I'm going to chat about them)

Incoherent thoughts and ramblings (basically, anything on my mind at that exact moment!)

I'll also probably post a lot of pictures and maybe even a few sound clips.

Okay - I need to actually go read some instructions and find out the best way to utilize my blog. Hopefully I can find a spell checker somewhere on here as well! :)

I should explain my signature...

2005-06-02T09:53:00.000-05:00

You might notice that I am signing my posts in the following fashion:

Dian(a)

This might be causing a bit of confusion to anyone who doesn't know me (or for that matter, some who do!). I have the misfortune of having a name that is pronounced one way and spelled a different way. Why? I don't know. My parents were never able to answer that question for me.

Spelled: Diana
Pronounced: Diane

When I first started working at EMI a little over 10 years ago, there was a young man who worked in the accounting department named, Rob Robinson. He was quite the cutie!! :) Whenever he would send me any inter-office mail, he would always add the paranthesis to my name. I thought it was cute and so I'm bringing it back as my signature here! I don't know where Rob is these days. He left EMI after a couple of years and I didn't keep up with him. Maybe he'll stumble across this blog one day and get a kick out of my remembering this small thing.