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See you when I get back next week!

Manic Monday - Memorial

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Today's word is Memorial.

I was going to let this stand as my post for today, in honor of those who gave their lives for the United States, but I have to add this for my blogging friend at Tiggerprr's Scratching Post. Tigg hasn't posted much lately, but I just got word that Tigg lost her husband late last week. Her friend Yoshi at Hello! Yoshi has posted more about this sad event HERE; information about how you can send donations to help Tiggerprr and her daughter and his two children as well as a link to her husband, Ken's, obituary can be found at Yoshi's blog.

R.I.P., Ken. Big hugs to you, Tigg.

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On Being Nice

Warning: I've been known to have a mouth like an interstate truck driver when she lets it rip... so proceed with caution. You have been warned.

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I try to be nice.

I'm not controversial, and I usually avoid confrontation. I've been known to rabble rouse when the situation warrants it, but most of the time I'm all talk and very little bite.

I guess if my obit were to be written today, my few close friends would say that I was "nice." "Talented, sweet, and giving." Actually, if you go back into my archives, you would find that they said this about me.

At least, that's what they've told me to my face.

But you know, even the "nicest" person needs to be a bit mean sometimes. Right? I don't mean malicious or evil; just a bit mean-spirited. In order to blow off steam. It's all for mental health reasons.

So, now, Ms. Nice Gal is going to spend the next few minutes bitching about some things that have been building up inside her.

1. Stupid people really annoy me. I know I'm not the brightest bulb; I'm really somewhat of a three-way bulb. I have my brilliant moments, and I can function at middle wattage, but sometimes I'm a bit dim. But really stupid people, ones who feel they need to explain even the most basic concepts (like what a majority count of the votes would be, for chrissakes!) because they themselves don't really understand it boggles my mind and makes me want to slap the shit out of someone. Preferably the stupid person.
2. People who disregard the signs on the community lake that say, "Private property, No swimming, no fishing" and fish anyway. Oh, and they feed the fucking ducks old bread even though the community newsletter says DON'T DO IT because it makes the ducks crap out really stinky shit and makes the lake smell horrendously bad for all of us who live around it. Blech. Learn to read, dickwads!
   
3. People who are so damn lazy they can't park in a regular parking spot at school and walk their prima donna asses to the front office. These asswipes illegally park in the last remaining handicapped spot (or worse, make their own spot next to the last spot), thereby making it tough for me to maneuver the Exxon Valdez known as my Mom Mobile into the parking spot TO WHICH I AM LEGALLY ELIGIBLE TO USE. You know what, you pretentious, showboating suburban housewife? Get over yourself; park your damn Lexus SUV in a spot that is NOT handicapped and then take your not-quite-as-taut-as-you-would-like-to-believe-ass and WALK THE EXTRA FIFTY FEET TO THE FRONT OFFICE. If I could give you parking spot, I would, but bear in mind that YOU GET THE DISEASE THAT COMES WITH THAT COVETED SPOT. Bitch. Oh, and while I'm at it, get the hell out of my way and stop blocking the parking spots if I'm trying to pull into or out of the spot. Your precious little brats can learn to walk a few extra feet, too.
4. What the fuck is up with suburbanites driving a Hummer? As if. The only "off roading" those people do is driving surface streets as opposed to a freeway.
   
5. Speaking of the freeway, hey, asshole! See that "Yield" sign on that freeway access road? It means, get the hell out of the way for people coming off the freeway's exit ramp! That means, let me over or run the risk that I'm going to mow your BMW down. Dick.
6. Turn your car speakers down, you teenaged, white, middleclass, gangbanger poseur. NOBODY but you wants to listen to that garbage you call music. That means you, Kyle.
   
7. Cover your muffin top, sweetie. Really. Nobody needs to see that.

See? I can vent with the best of them. I promise I'll be nice again tomorrow. Or later.

Good thing I didn't put this in a vlog, huh?

Later daze...

Things I Learned This School Year

My kids will have their final day of the 2008-2009 school year this Thursday, May 21st. I usually spend this time of year thinking about what has happened and being grateful for the wonderful things and considering how I can change the not-so-wonderful things.

Here's what I learned this year:

1. My kids are not too old to appreciate my being at school several times a week. They actually like to see me on campus - even my seventh grade daughter.
   
2. Our school principal has been everything we needed her to be this year. And so much more.
3. Ten-year-old boys can be more cruel than 13-year-old girls.
4. I need to spend more time in my son's class next year.
5. I miss being a field trip chaperone.
6. I need to learn more about "filling in" in the school's front office so that I can at least answer the phones and transfer calls.
7. Patience can bring about change, but sometimes a bit more coercion is needed to ensure that it will come to fruition.
8. I still really like my kids and look forward to spending more time together this summer.
9. I really, REALLY need this vacation to the beach next week.

Well, I'm off to school to witness a proud but rare event: my son is being awarded a certificate for making Honor Roll this quarter. SAINTS BE PRAISED; IT FINALLY HAPPENED!

Later daze...

Manic Monday - Shadow

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Shadow Shots



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So, How Smart ARE You?

Did you get them all? You know what I mean - the "scrambled egg" words that I posted last week.

As promised, I now reveal the answers. Since no one shared their answers in my comment section, I'll have to take your word as to how many you got correct. BTW, my fourth grader got them all correct, but I don't want to rub it in.

*Cheshire cat smile*

1. Early morning	Dawn	Magician’s stick	Wand
2. An agreement	Deal	To be ahead	Lead
3. Curved roof	Dome	A popular style	Mode
4. Domestic animal	Horse	Coastline	Shore
5. Gain by working	Earn	Close by	Near
6. face covering	Veil	Not good	Evil
7. part of body	Face	A small diner	Café
8. wild animal	Wolf	To move along	Flow
9. an insect	Gnat	A strong taste	Tang
10. to listen to	Hear	A rabbit	Hare
11. rubber tube	Hose	Footwear	Shoe
12. a seasoning	Salt	Final	Last
13. tardy	Late	A story	Tale
14. citrus fruit	Lime	A distance	Mile
15. implement	Tool	Slang for money	loot

Manic Monday - Swing

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We used to sit on the back porch swing and talk. Or laugh. Or just sit and read.

She'd tell me stories about our parents, stories I never knew because I either wasn't born yet or was too young to remember.

She told me that when our parents were living in Europe they loved to have big parties with lots of food and music and friends. And how when the evening got really crazy, everyone would dance. Our parents would dance - swing dance, she said. She said they were really good at it, and my mother loved it. I wish I could have seen that. I don't think I ever saw my mother really, really happy. That would have been a wonderful sight.

We'd sit on the swing for hours, swinging and talking and laughing.

She moved away nearly three years ago - three years ago this summer. I haven't sat on that porch swing since.

Thanks, sis, for sharing memories with me. Come back and visit again soon; maybe we'll sit and swing again.

Are You Smarter Than a (Gifted) Fourth Grader?

My son had some fun homework for his gifted class this week, and I thought I would challenge you all with it. Some of them had us stumped for a few days, but eventually my son got them all. See if you can figure out these puzzles. (No prize for the winner; just satisfaction knowing that you're as smart as a gifted nine-year-old boy!)

Good luck! Answers will be revealed next Tuesday.

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Read each set of clues below. After figuring out the first word, just rearrange its letters to form the second word

Example: A sack___bag__ To talk a lot_gab__

Early morning		Magician’s stick
An agreement		To be ahead
Curved roof		A popular style
Domestic animal		Coastline
Gain by working		Close by
face covering		Not good
part of body		A small diner
wild animal		To move along
an insect		A strong taste
to listen to		A rabbit
rubber tube		Footwear
a seasoning		Final
tardy		A story
citrus fruit		A distance
implement		Slang for money

Reminiscing

I remember it was chilly and rainy; I think it was no more than 50 degrees Fahrenheit.

I'm not sure I slept. I mean, would you? The excitement was almost unbearable. Eighteen months of planning and wishing and hoping were finally ending, and a new beginning was here.

The phone rang; the clock read 5:45 a.m.

"Not sleeping, are you?"

I laughed. "Are you kidding me? Who can sleep?"

My friend Tree, sharing my room with me, stirred restlessly for a moment, and then popped up out of bed. She looked at me quizzically, and I mouthed the word, "Florist" to her.

After a brief conversation with the florist to confirm delivery instructions, Tree and I looked at each other, and I started giggling.

This day was finally here.

Time to start rolling along.

May 4, 1991 - wow, has it been 18 years already? Happy Anniversary, my darling husband. Thanks for sticking with me.

Manic Monday - Pines

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I have never missed a Manic Monday post since it started. As you can see from the category headers down below on the right, that means I have posted something or other for each and every Manic Monday that ever was, which at this point totals 119. I must say, however, that this week, I am stumped.

I am blank. I got ZIPPO, NADA, ZILCH.

When I hear "pine" or "pines," I got no inspiration.

Soooooo, today, just for this week, I got nothing.

I guess I'll go hide away and pine for some new blogging ideas.

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