My Thoughts on Facebook

You may not want to hear them...in which case, you can stop reading now. However if you visit this site with any regularity, then you are probably used to my over-opinionated self.

I joined Facebook today. I have been dragging my feet about it, but I finally decided to cave for the mere fact that I might be able to find people that I couldn't find any other way. And that is where I think Facebook's benefits end. True, I don't use all the features yet, so maybe I will find something else that I enjoy, but for the moment, I am not that impressed.

This is how I see it. Facebook is like a continual party in motion. You see someone you know across the room and you yell out a greeting to them. You might meet someone you haven't seen for a while at the party and exchange some info. People are living at the superficial level; and that is what a party is for. It is lacking in reality and sincerity.

And that is why I will never give up blogging. A party is not the place to have a heart to heart conversation. It is not where I want to reveal glimpses of my soul (and yes, I know this blog is not private, so anyone can read it). But I hope that if you visit here, you care a little more about who I am, my family, and what I am doing.

So, if you see me on Facebook, give me a shout-out, but if you want to know the real Maleen, this is where you will find her.

I Sing With the Quyir

June asked if we could play Scrabble the other day. Normally she likes to play by herself and she will make the alphabet out of the tiles. But today, I thought we could go for a real game (and by real game, I mean you can spell anything as long as it makes sense phonetically and if you can't find a place to play, then you can start your word in a new spot. So basically, the totally fun rules). June did a great job making words out of her tiles. She asked for help a few times, but in general she held her own.
This may have been the best game of Scrabble I have ever played. Some of my favorite words were:

GLEM (gleam)
NEET (neat)
JOO (Jew, and I was very clever and added an 'L' later to make JOOL)
KUT (cut)
SED (said)
but my favorite by far was
QUYIR (choir—creative huh?)

We didn't keep score but if we had, she probably would have won (just kidding, I totally rock at Scrabble—if you want to get beat, just come on over; although you have to play the regular rules if you are over 10).

This is Only a Test

This here is my first test. You can see the lines in it as I exposed each section longer to see how many seconds would be optimal. I told Tyler it was a test picture and he said, "What happened to it?"
"It's supposed to look like that," I said. It should get slightly darker going from the left to right.

I didn't have time to do the finished product, but I thought you might enjoy a taste. I am loving this class.

The Fabulous Cat Lady....Oh, and a murder too!

Sunny, this post is for you. I apologize deeply for letting those pictures just sit there. Mostly, I despise my scanner and I wanted higher quality, but I finally opted for just getting it done. So that said, let us delve into what was a night of mystery, suspense, and leopard print...

...November 21, 2008
It was a cold night when Georgia (me—complete with southern accent) invited her guests to her gallery show. We pause here to mention how utterly cool Provo Art Services was for letting us borrow almost all their art for one evening. They are by far my favorite people for framing and the like.
Those attending included the Archeologist and Comedian/Crazy Bird Lady,



the Heiress and Sportscaster,



the Psychiatrist and Congresswoman,



the Entomologist and Alien Baby (she thinks her Dad is an alien),



the Big Game Hunter and the Multi-Level Marketer,



the Photographer and Hostess (um, I was actually Nancy Drew here, but I'll explain that later),



the Actress and Mystery Writer (not pictured),
the Second-hand Lawyer and the Fortune Teller,



and of course, the Fabulous Cat Lady (too bad her Kung Fu husband was home with a sick kid).



Sunny was freaking hilarious. The picture just doesn't do her justice. She was in everyone's face and so animated (you have looked into local theater, right Sunny?). I am including this picture just so you can see her fabulous tights (I am a little jealous of the whole ensemble).



We had a good time chatting and accusing people of past deeds. Eventually someone went too far and killed the poor Fortune Teller.



(This is where I change costumes and reenter as Nancy Drew to solve the case). I can honestly say that I was stumped on this case for a few moments—mainly because I had told her to put the spider in her sock and when I arrived at the scene, she wasn't wearing socks. After much investigation, I did find the bugger though.



I'm not sure if we ever really put the blame on someone, but the evening was not wasted. The company was good as was the food. And like I said, it was all worth it just to see Sunny in character (especially with those teeth).



I did come away with one telling clue from the evening. I was definitely meant to be a brunette. Here I am as the Hostess, and then Nancy Drew.



Although, I may audition for the next Twilight movie...put me in black hair and my skin practically shines, I am THAT white.

Success!

Today, I developed my first roll of film.

Well, actually my second.

See, I kinda loaded the film incorrectly into the camera the first time, so there were no pictures taken, so when I developed the film there was nothing on it (yep, that was a great moment—developing film for 30 minutes to find nothing on it—good times).

So, today was the first time I developed film WITH pictures on it.

They are just negatives for now, but I am really proud of myself, and excited for the finished product.

And I am reminded that school is all about learning from your mistakes.

Check.

Teeny-Tiny Déjà Vu

Well, if any of you have seen my baby recently, you may have remarked on how small she is (everyone does). I was not worried because all my children are small. They started that way and remain that way. What can I say? Tyler and I bare midgets.
That said, there have been some problems with the kids being too small at times. I recall taking Robyn in for her six month check-up and she hadn't gained an ounce. Apparently the doctors frown on this. I immediately went into 'plump' mode and we started her on formula and solids. She never did take a bottle, but the solids were enough to jump-start her growing again. She was small for a while, never really acquiring a ranking on the charts until she was almost three, but if you saw Robyn today, you would not think her inordinately tiny.
Fast forward four-ish years. I took Daisy in for her six month check-up. Good news, she was not the same weight! Bad news, she had actually LOST weight. Apparently the doctors frown on this even more. So we are in 'plump' mode yet again. Daisy won't take a bottle, so we are starting her on solids. Some days are good; some, not so much. Here is Tyler trying to use gravity on his side to force some food into her.



Here are some quick stats:

2 month check-up: 10 lbs

4 month check-up: 11 lbs

6 month check-up: 10 lbs

6 month and 1 week check-up: 11 lbs

We weigh her again in another week and a half. I am hoping to break the 12 pound barrier. She is such a happy, fun baby and developmentally she seems to be doing fine; it is just the weight that seems to be an issue. I think we can safely presume that I make skim milk. I want her to be healthy of course, but as for size...who needs a stein, when you can have one pint-sized?

The Silver Lining

I have heard from many people that they are sick of the cold and snow. Me too. I don't really like winter to begin with. It involves entirely too many days where going outside is not an option (I have to say option, because even in the summer I stay indoors, but I could go outside if I wanted).
To me the only things that make winter worth it are...

Glitter mornings—that is when the ice crystals have frozen on to everything and then they come off and float around in the air and everything sparkles. It is like being in a fantasy ice kingdom (very cool).

No scorpions. This may sound random, but I appreciate that I live in a climate that does not come with creepy things with stingers on their tails. So, it snows some a lot, but at least there are no scorpions.

You have to find the silver lining somewhere.

300 Posts!

This was a triumph.
I'm making a note here: HUGE SUCCESS.
It's hard to overstate my satisfaction.
But who cares...

...I'm really here to tell you about something more important. It's Tyler's birthday today. Thirty-one years ago he came into the world. I wasn't there to see it, but I hear it was pretty cool. And from there, he just proceeded to get more amazing each day. By now, he is fairly stellar. Just imagine how incredible he will be in another 31 years. Boggles the mind, I know!

I can't speak for him, but I think he had a good birthday. I woke him up to breakfast in bed, and some presents. He didn't want a cake, so we all went out for ice cream in the evening. Where, you might ask? Thirty-one Flavors, of course (That was a joke. Ha Ha...). Oh, and Obama was inaugurated. Who could ask for more?

Here are some pictures. We looked around the whole building to find the '31' logo and the only one we could find was in the corner.



We thought it odd, until we realized that the new logo has the '31' incorporated into it. Can you see it?



Tyler is truly my best friend and a wonderful husband and father. He deserves the best. Here is some gratitude from me:

1. Thank you for always being my knight in shining armor (like rescuing me when my car wouldn't start this week).
2. Thank you for being older than me.
3. Thank you for getting up with the kids in the morning (even when you don't want to).
4. Thank you for being so handsome and looking good in everything and nothing ;)
5. Thank you for watching movies with me.
6. Thank you for letting me be the boss most of the time.
7. Thank you for loving the dog (someone has to...okay, I love her a little too).
8. Thank you for fixing all my problems (like the brakes—too bad the car has had so much trouble lately).
9. Thank you for being a righteous example for our children.
10. Thank you for reminding me of what is most important. (We do what we must because we can.)
    

I love you more today than I did yesterday, but not as much as I will tomorrow. Happy Birthday!

ps And believe me I am still alive.

If you don't understand everything in red, you also have no idea what Portal is. I have never played Portal, but I like this tune.

Things That Make Me Shudder

*Watching the dog lick inside Robyn's mouth.

*Having the baby spit up on me.

*Watching the dog lick up whatever spit-up landed on the floor.

*Watching the dog roll in the spot she just licked.

Unfortunately these things are usually a daily occurrence.

I try to ignore that three of these could be eliminated by getting rid of the dog—proof that she is growing on me.

Luck of the Draw

Last night was our annual Laser Tag Fest that we do for Tyler's birthday. I'd like to say that I did really well; that I won again.

Not so much.

BUT...it was because I had a bad gun. I know you are all saying, "Yeah, right Maleen, that is not even a clever excuse." Which is proof that it is not an excuse—it is the truth. So, it seems that other years I must have gotten a gun that actually functioned because the piece of trash I wielded last night was doing me no favors.

First, it wouldn't shoot anyone, meaning it didn't seem to register on other people's suits, even when I was hitting them point blank (very hard to score with this problem).

Second, it would shoot even when I wasn't firing it, which would be useful (I guess) if those random shots could actually hit someone (see first point).

Third, sometimes it wouldn't fire at all. I would push the trigger over and over while nothing happened (meanwhile people were scoring on me). Then the gun would remember that we were playing a game and it would work again, only to malfunction moments later.

All this resulted in a scenario much like this: Me coming face to face with the other team. We would both fire and almost every time, my suit would light up because I had been hit, yet again. I did have a good time overall, but the game is WAY more fun when your gun works. I wasn't even a threat. My final standing was 12 out of 14. Sad huh?

Pliley was our big winner, congrats! The birthday boy came in 6th and that was cool. I think he hit me 8 times where as I only got him twice; lame.

Thanks to everyone who came for the fun. And if you ever tell me that you did poorly because you had a bad gun, I will totally believe you.

Over the Hill?

Hardly!

Ok, I can admit that I am not thrilled with the idea of 30; mainly because I don't feel 30 (or feel how I think people might feel at thirty). In my mind, I stopped aging at 23, so that is the age I assume I must be. Therefore, I am always surprised when people start talking about ages, and I find out I am the oldest in the group. Yikes, when did that happen?

All that aside, I feel this has been one of my best birthdays ever. I threw myself a Mary Kay/Birthday party last night and I had a great time. I was surrounded by friends and I laughed a lot and enjoyed a delicious cake (made by yours truly of course). I almost didn't make it on the candles, but luckily I only put six on the cake, so hopefully my wish will come true (don't bother asking, you know I can't tell you).



More importantly, I am completely happy with where I am in my life as I enter this thirtieth year (wait, technically I am entering the thirty-first year right?). I am doing what I want (being a mom), I have a wonderful family, and I am still growing and changing as a person. As I did laundry all day today (I know...what great birthday fun!), and gave my baby a bath tonight, I was content with my simple birthday today. There would have been other years where I would have complained that I didn't do anything fun on my actual birthday, or lamented that Tyler was busy or we didn't go out to eat. But not today. We had tacos and I am writing a blog entry while he is out at Elder's Quorum (oh, and finishing the laundry of course), and that is fine by me.

Yep, it has been a good day. Happy Birthday to me.

Oh, and here is a small tribute to me: When Tyler made my birthday invites, we didn't have any good pictures of me, so we had a mini photo-shoot. It was fun, here are some of my favorites. This is probably it for the year; I don't often get photos of myself.

Stick with the Norm

So, I don't really think any of you keep track of what I am currently reading (on my sidebar), but from the end of November to just recently, it has been Moby Dick. I took a Herman Melville class in college and never read Moby Dick. It was the only test I have ever taken that I randomly chose letters on the multiple choice (this is the first time I have confessed this).
So the guilt being what it was, I told myself that someday I would actually read the book. Well, I am still trying...
I have checked it out twice and and have been reading it over a month and I am only half-way through. I don't know what it is about it, but it is seriously boring to me (at least the first half—who knows, maybe he was saving all the suspense and action for the second half). I only get through a few pages before I fall asleep each night, so it has been slow going. I finally decided to give myself a break.
A book came up that I had on hold, When You Are Engulfed In Flames. There was quite a queue for the book (I think I have had it on hold for several months) and when I checked it out they said that the check-out time had been reduced from three weeks to two because of the long line of people who wanted to read it. Great...this must be an awesome book. This will be the perfect break from Moby Dick; something I can read in a couple of days like normal. I originally put it on hold because it was a library pick (meaning someone who works there recommended it). I usually only read things that my mom recommends or a close friend...

...and it looks like I will have to go back to that method. I must admit that David Sedaris has flair and a great writing style. His stories are interesting and entertaining. However, if you would like to read a chapter that is devoid of sexual references of some sort, and swearing, then his book is not for you. I wanted to finish it, but after a chapter about a charming cranky lady with quite a potty-mouth I figured it was just not my kind of book.

So, it is back to Moby Dick. Can't wait.

Light Bulbs that last FOR-E-VER!

When I was ten, our home received a telephone call. I attended the phone and had my first telemarketing experience. (Unfortunately, it wouldn't be my last...) The person asked for Barry—my Dad—but he wasn't available. I told him that Dad wasn't available and that he'd have to call back. “Do you make decisions in the home?” he asked. I thought for a moment. Well, I chose what cereal to have this morning. I chose what I put on... “Yes,” I responded, “I make decisions.” 14 days later I got to explain to my Dad why a crate stacked five feet high with light bulbs had arrived via UPS at our front door. I've been leery of telemarks ever since.

Regrettably the above story will, no doubt, cause great laughter at my expense in some homes. That's okay, because I laugh at it too.

Now on to what I wanted to write about: light bulbs. “But!” you say, “you already told me a story about light bulbs, Tyler!” That's true, oh but there's more!

Being the ultra fiscal conservative that I am, I told Maleen that we're not going to waste money on these blasted 19th century technology incandescent light bulbs. No, no! We're going to use these new-fangled save-energy 'cause they're so efficient, last-for-11-years (it says so on the box), spiral micro florescent bulbs. Ya, baby! Not only do I not have to pay my electric man so much, but I don't have to buy light bulbs NEARLY as often. Score—I'm getting the best of both worlds, right?

Wrong.

Just for clarification, here's the box. Note it actually says, "Lasts 11 Years." Also notice, "This 2-pk will save $112." My box actually says, "$184." Ha!


On 22 April 2008, I bought 7 packages at $7.98 per package of 2, plus tax—that's 14 light bulbs for the amazing low price of: $4.24 per light bulb. My afore-mentioned fiscally conservative self cringed, but, “Hey, they're going to save me money in the long run and I'm doing my part to save the planet.”

And now we pause this story for a short outburst from my non-environmentalist self: “Earth first, we'll take the rest later.”

Meanwhile, back in our story, I was trying to lull my fiscal side into a state of carnal security. But Nephi knew even before there were light bulbs that such “carnal security” was not brought about from a trustworthy source. “And others will he pacify, and lull them away into carnal security, that they will say: All is well in Zion; yea, Zion prospereth, all is well—and thus the devil cheateth their souls, and leadeth them away carefully down to hell.” (2 Nephi 28:21). Hell is not lit by Sylvania light bulbs, I'll tell you that right now...or maybe it is.

Tonight I put in the last of those 12,000-hour light bulbs. Sometime in my skeptical past, I suspected that twelve thousand hours weren't transpiring between replacements—so I started time-stamping each of my light bulb replacements with the replacement date. The one I replaced tonight was dated 9 Dec 2008. That's 33 days. 792 hours (if you count today and I think it was out last night), or just 6.6% of its rated life. Considering that the school system doesn't claim you're passing until 60%, I'd say this one gets a solid F.




Here's a picture of our light fixture. Not very interesting, I know, until you notice there are incandescent bulbs next to our new-fangled... bulbs. These 19th-century technology, regular, eco-hater bulbs literally came with the house when we built it...over 5 YEARS AGO! Funny thing: they're still lit. The one on the right, replaced at least twice.

Fourteen light bulbs installed. Yes, fourteen. By my crude reckoning, thirteen of those replaced other “new-fangled save-energy 'cause they're so efficient, last-for-11-years (it says so on the box), spiral micro florescent bulbs.” And it AIN'T BEEN NO 11 YEARS, SYLVANIA!!

Worst. Light Bulbs. Ever.

Do not buy this product. 0 stars. I am unhappy. I think I'll send a copy of this post to their world headquarters with a steaming bag.

Ah, now that I've got that out of my system; I no longer have any back up light bulbs. Does anyone have a reliable suggestion for GOOD light bulbs?

*sigh* I feel better.

A Sonnet for my children

Last year, Prairie Home Companion held a sonnet contest. People submitted a sonnet and then they choose a winner who won some kind of bed with roses deal. I thought, 'Hey why not, I haven't written any poetry for a while (since high school probably) and I could use a new bed.'

Well, I didn't win, and my sonnet wasn't even read on the program. I think there were over 3,000 sonnets submitted, and they read less than thirty. I was a little bummed that I didn't make the program, but more saddened that they didn't let us hear more of them (there were some really good ones).

The only criteria was that it had to do with love (I think this was near Valentine's Day). I found my sonnet again while I was cleaning out files, so here it is in all its glory. I still really like it. Oh, and keep in mind that I was pregnant while I wrote it:

In history there’s a love so great and mild,

It’s stronger than new lovers who clasp hands

It’s that of mother for her unborn child

Whose love won’t lessen as her waist expands

They say my heart will burn with loving care

But Tums or Maalox takes care of that pain

The stretch marks aren’t so easy to repair

And yet the thoughts of fondness still remain

Most older mothers say the trials are few,

They say that little girls are heaven sent

But after all the “joy” you’ve put me through

I think that I might charge nine months of rent

And will I cry when you are gone and grown?

Or laugh when you have children of your own?

And speaking of children and how much I love them...here is a sample of June's penmenship that I had her write yesterday.

Uber Nerds Unite

WARNING! Wives, you must inform your husbands of this post. It can start with something as simple as, “Tyler got a new machine and he posted his spec,” but you are now morally obliged to let them know. And yes, not telling your husband is a sin.

So I've been a loyal Dell customer for exactly one computer now. Before Dell it was Hewlett-Packer for three machines. Before that it was Compaq for one. And before that it was Toshiba (I think). And before that there weren't computers. (Ah, the 1s and 0s genealogy.)

Now I belong to none of these companies. Now, I'm a Newegger. Oh sure, I'm new to Newegging—a veritable Newegg n00b. But that's okay, because I built my machine—for the first time! I think I should have some sort of certificate or something.

There are some who already know about my machine. Indeed there are several who helped me along the way in building this masterpiece. For all you uber nerds out there who didn't have a hand in it, let me extend the byte of friendship—here's my spec list. For all you non-uber-nerds, this won't be all that interesting, for everyone else—gorge yourself and feel free to feel great jealousy:

• Mobo
  MSI P45D3 Platinum LGA 775 Intel P45 ATX Intel Motherboard - Retail
  Item #: N82E16813130213
  
  

• Processor
  Intel Core 2 Duo E8500 Wolfdale 3.16GHz LGA 775 65W Dual-Core Processor Model BX80570E8500 - Retail
  Item #: N82E16819115036
  
  

• Video Card
  EVGA 896-P3-1267-AR GeForce GTX 260 Core 216 Superclocked Edition 896MB 448-bit GDDR3 PCI Express 2.0 x16 HDCP Ready SLI Supported Video Card - Retail
  Item #: N82E16814130400
  
  

• Memory
  OCZ ReaperX HPC 4GB (2 x 2GB) 240-Pin DDR3 SDRAM DDR3 1333 (PC3 10666) Dual Channel Kit Desktop Memory Model OCZ3RPX1333EB4GK - Retail
  Item #: N82E16820227275
  
  

• Power Supply
  Thermaltake W0116RU 750W Complies with ATX 12V 2.2 & EPS 12V version SLI Ready CrossFire Certified 80 PLUS Certified Modular Active PFC Power Supply - Retail
  Item #: N82E16817153038
  
  

• Storage - got 2 of these hard drives--Mirrored RAID 1.
  Seagate Barracuda 7200.11 ST3500320AS 500GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s Hard Drive - OEM
  Item #: N82E16822148288
  
  

• Monitor
  ASUS VH222H Black 21.5" 5ms HDMI Widescreen LCD Monitor - Retail
  Item #: N82E16824236053
  
  

• Case
  Rosewill R214P-P-SL Silver SGCC Steel ATX Mid Tower Computer Case - Retail
  Item #: N82E16811147103
  
  

• Keyboard
  Logitech 967738-0403 Black USB Standard Deluxe 250 Keyboard - OEM
  Item #: N82E16823126013
  
  

• Gaming Mouse
  OCZ Technology OCZMSEQRD Blue 7 Buttons 1 x Wheel USB Laser Gaming Mouse For Desktop - Retail
  Item #: N82E16826100001
  
  

• Case Fan
  Scythe S-FLEX SFF21D 120mm Case Fan - Retail
  Item #: N82E16835185004
  
  

• Wireless
  LINKSYS WUSB100-RM USB 2.0 Wireless Network Adapter
  Item #: N82E16833124327
  
  

• DVD-Burner
  LITE-ON 20X DVD±R DVD Burner Black IDE Model DH-20A4P-04 - OEM
  Item #: N82E16827106228
  
  

Oh, and I also got a new chair to rest my weary bones in while I game it up something fierce. And so begins the dynasty of a new machine. Spread the word through the geek tree—the nerd network—let all revel in the greatness that is this machine.

BTW, no I don't have any games yet, besides my old standby, which many of you already know. Since I refuse to play on pirated software and the above specs drained my wallet, I won't be able to have any new games for a while, but I am taking suggestions—post your comments. I've got a few plans already, but you never know—you might be able to influence my next game purchase.

Ready?...Set, Go

I am very serious about trying to work on my emergency preparedness this year. I have already been saving up for my ARKs, and I saw this give-away and figured it couldn't hurt to enter and keep an eye on a site like this. It is blog.TotallyReady.com. They are doing give-aways each month and even if I never win something, it will still give me ideas of what I can do to get my family ready.

My future self will thank me for this one.

Back to School

Well, the girls are back in school, but guess who else is going this semester?

Yep, me!

There are so many websites with people who take fabulous photography, and I always wish I could do that. Well, here is where the wishing stops and the action begins. I am taking a photography class this semester (possibly some Photoshop later on) and Tyler has promised me a nice camera. And I have a never ending supply of people to photograph (meaning my kids). I have high hopes for myself, not to be diminished by the fact that I couldn't even turn on the camera that I borrowed from a friend (I had to have her come over and give my a small tutorial—not at all embarassing). Actually, I couldn't figure how to open it to put film in, find the batery, or take the lens off.

Yeah, some poor teacher has no idea what he is getting into having me as a student.

This is the camera I have my eye on (thanks for the tip Alissa, whose site is filled with amazing photography—I am not at all jealous).



I'm assuming it will come with instructions 'cuz I will probably need them. *sigh*

Finders, Keepers

Daisy found her feet.



Ivory found a new way to dress,



and a good place to nap.



Tyler found June telling herself stories at bedtime. Apparently this also involves walking around on her bed with a sheet over her head.



I found my earring. There is a little more story to this one. I lost it when we were leaving Idaho. The girls decided that they needed one more hug and kiss and as I was handing Robyn out of the car to Tyler, she brushed against my head and pulled my earring out of my ear. It didn't hurt, but it was gone. It was dark, so I found a flashlight but what would normally show up due to the fact it was shiny was being eclipsed by all the other shiny stuff (a.k.a. the ice and snow). I searched diligently and even said a prayer (I have been known to find almost anything with a prayer—the Lord must feel sorry for me when I lose things). I extended my search zone and eventually found the back to the earring (not so helpful). By this point, I figured it could be anywhere; after all, it is small and it could have landed on Robyn's clothing and been carried inside. I decided to give up the hunt. I called Vicki outside, showed her the general area where it had been lost and asked her to look in the morning. Then, as I rounded the front of the car, I looked down and there it was. Yay! I picked it up and the post broke off in my hand. Dang it.



I should mention that these were a gift from Tyler when I had Daisy and we already know my terrible history of losing/breaking jewelry he gives me when I have children. I was truly saddened, but at least I had all the pieces so we could put them back together right?
Well, the next day, Tyler brought my earring back to me and it was as good as new. Wow, that was fast. I asked how he fixed it so quickly, but I don't think I got a straight answer. The truth was revealed later.



Yes, that is three earrings you see there. He actually bought me another pair. This is probably not a bad thing knowing my history. I can lose another one and still have a full set. He must really love me.

Speaking of love, I found it is still fun to kiss in the snow.



Hope you find something fun this week.

What We Need

I saw this on someone's blog quite a while ago and I lost it in the mass of files I have. As I have been going through and weeding stuff out, I found it again, and here it is for your viewing pleasure.

You basically go to google and type in "(your name) needs" and check out the first few things that come up. They can be rather amusing.

Um...just to warn you. The information below was done last April, but I tried it out again tonight to see what might have changed, and in the meantime several ladies named 'Maleen' have been posting on escort services. Needless to say, I was slightly shocked by several of the blurbs, so you may try this out, but strictly at your own risk (especially if your name is something like Candy, Trixie or the like).

Here, apparently, is what we need...

1. Maleen needs a new home
2. Maleen needs to tone it down
3. Maleen needs to escape from her own past
4. Maleen has not been in touch with her needs on a conscious level
5. Maleen needs your help to keep going
6. Maleen’s needs are different
7. Maleen needs to salvage America
8. Maleen needs teachers
9. Maleen needs an apartment by May 1^st
10. Maleen needs help

1. Tyler needs a turbo
2. Tyler needs a life
3. Tyler needs more whiskey
4. Tyler needs a girlfriend
5. Tyler needs to learn Russian
6. Tyler needs someone to ride with
7. Tyler needs your signature
8. Tyler needs Dan Brown's help
9. Tyler needs a Hero
10. Tyler needs a GPS to find home plate (my personal favorite—he needs a GPS to find everything).
    

Best New Year's Ever...NOT

Well, we all know that when it rains, it pours...but does it have to be on New Year's?

We did not have big plans this year. Last year we threw a party and I did want to do that again, but I wasn't organized in time. So we skipped it. Instead, we went shopping for a new computer chair. Tyler is getting a new computer this year, and let's face it, he practically lives in a chair, what with working on a computer all day and then playing games all night. So, the man needs a nice chair.

So we stopped by Office Depo to check out their selection. They had some nice models, but they were closing early for the holiday so they were trying to shoo us out right after we got there. However, we didn't take long shopping and we did make a purchase, so they shouldn't complain. Sadly, when we returned home, Tyler noticed that his pocket PC and his phone were missing. And as you already know, the store was closed so we couldn't run back and look for them.

So we settled in for an evening together. I stayed up until midnight barely so I could wish Tyler a happy new year, and then I tumbled into bed. Around 3:30 am, Tyler crawled into bed and said, "Well, that is it for the computer. It crashed again and now it won't restart at all. We may have lost everything." Then he promptly fell asleep. I on the other hand sat and worried about the idea of losing everything. No pictures of my kids, all my recipes gone, financial records lost forever, all my contact information missing (and this is especially sad since we finally updated everyone this year), and a myriad of random things I kept around for the kids. I just wanted to cry. I probably tossed and turned for an hour before falling back asleep. Man, when computers mess up, they really screw things up for people.

So, chalk up an awesome new year for us. The good news is that Tyler went back to Office Depo and found his stuff, and after much sweat and tears, the computer seems to be recoverable. So, no harm done right, except for that hour of sleep I lost. I told Tyler that in the future he could wait until the morning to give me bad news, unless it had to do with the children. But for most things, it won't matter if he waits a few hours to deliver the report.

And so the new year started with a small deluge, but our boat is still floating and we have both oars. Here's hoping there isn't a flood in store this year.