Catching up

I know you've missed me... LOL! Here's what's been happening...

* 14 turned 15! He got his Learner's Permit to drive. OMG, I have no little kids anymore. I'm really trying to deal with this.

* 14 (it was before his bday) went to a Beyonce concert. That was his bday present from us. He went with a friend, they had floor seats and had a good time. They said that she was amazing. She looked awesome! I'm glad they had a good time. They had funny stories about the people around them.

* I lost 2 hours and 11 minutes of my life never to be recouped seeing the movie "Knocked Up". Hubby and I saw it killing 3 hours for the concert to be over to pick up the boys. Hubby laughed, I didn't. OK, maybe I did a couple times but checked the time more than I laughed to see if it was almost over. Please don't waste your time.

* Hit the road with Hubby and 17 to go visit colleges. We went to Univ. of Central FL, Univ. of FL and FL State Univ. I was readily impressed with UCF, I think I was expecting a big community college and it surprised me. It's modern looking, bid campus, lots of things going on, the educational programs were impressive too. UF and FSU are all red brick buildings with gorgeous architecture. They look like what I'm used to seeing in a college. They were impressive too. I think he will end up applying to all 3 as well as others.

* We've also been sick in between all of this. That is everyone except 15 (see, I can adjust). Actually, 17 is going for more blood work today because he may have mono. GREAT!

* Finished reading "Men In Chains" by Virgina Reede. If you like romance novels, this is for you! I was about to say historical romance but it's not a true historical because its a fantasy world, I guess you might say Sci Fi historical. Anyway, it's an easy read and very entertaining. The 'romantic' scenes are very tame not over the top at all. I hadn't read one in a while and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

* Also read "Darcy's Story" by I don't remember who. It's Pride and Prejudice from Darcy's point of view. It was lovely, like reading the original again. She stayed true to the story line and just added his thoughts and little pieces that would fill in the blanks and reasonably explain why he behaves the way he does.

* Now I'm reading "The True Darcy Spirit" by Elizabeth Aston. No she didn't write Darcy's Story. This one is about Lady Catherine's granddaughter. Remember she had a sickly daughter Anne who she wanted Darcy to marry. Well, this is about Anne daughter, Cassandra.

* You may think this is a lot of Pride and Prejudice (my favorite book in the world) type reading. Well, I bought them at the same time at the bookstore, they were on sale, I left them in the car and so I read them on the trip.

* Since you are curious about my cleaning and organize (ROTFLMAO), I have cleaned out and organized my Utility closet. It's a closet in the kitchen that houses the Washer and Dryer. It has 2 shelves that with the aid of the shelf organizers I turned into 3 shelves and stored and stacked all kinds of big bulky kitchen stuff that only gets used once in a blue moon and thereby emptied a whole shelf in another cabinet! I don't know what's going in there yet but I'll get to it for sure.

* Next, I am cleaning out games. They kids have some old games they don't want and I have cleared a spot on the top of my closet for the adult games I want to keep. That is the project for this week.

Can't think of anything else right now. Although it feels like I have been busier than that.

Moaning Meme

We all do it. We all *itch and moan and complain about things. So, here are my pet peeves...

List 4 things that should go into room 101 and be removed from the face of the earth:

1. Entertainment news shows- Isn’t that an oxymoron! Either entertain me or give me news. How the entertainers entertain themselves is NOT news!
2. Frivolous law suits that lead to warnings like: WARNING: Remove before operating vehicle on my car sun shade. For Pete’s sake people – THINK!
3. The freeze frame interruptions that many of the TV stations are doing now to talk about other upcoming shows, or when you are watching a show and a character from another comes waltzing across the bottom of your screen advertising the other show or when they just put a banner across the screen or their logo on the corner. THIS IS NOT HOW THE PRODUCER SHOT THE SHOW/MOVIE; let me watch this then maybe I’ll watch that.
4. TV shows/hosts/guests/analysts that tell me how someone should have reacted or what someone should have done or what they were thinking. What does Geraldo/O’Reilly or their guests etc know about what someone was thinking when they did something!? They have NEVER spoken to the person, they don’t KNOW the person and yet they know what they were thinking, how they should react and by their reaction what they were thinking and what they did. They surely don’t know spit about how I would react to something! Why should we believe it when they talk about someone else? Isn’t it just gossip?!

I need to take some deep breaths now before I go on….

3 things people do that make you want to shake them violently:
OMG, this is easy…only 3 hmmm…maybe not so easy…

1. Tell me I can't or you can't- Who the bleep are you tell to anyone that we can't do something?! You are not the boss of me!
2. Let me see their underwear- See the word UNDER? It’s an undergarment and by definition goes UNDER your clothes and should NOT stick out or show through! Unfortunately, this now applies to men and women.
3. Give poor Customer Service- again, let’s define…your job is Customer Service, I am the customer and you are the servicer, make me happy. Simple.

Taking a deep cleansing breath…in…out….in…out…in…out

2 things you find yourself moaning about:

1. Work; I need to win the lotto and pay off my mortgage that way my hobbies can become my life ;) sigh;)
2. My weight; I need to shed gajillions of pounds effortlessly and overnight ;) sigh ;)

1 thing the above answers tell you about yourself:
1. It’s ALL about me baby! But I knew that ;)

If you want to tell me your pet peeves, go for it!

Take the Book Quiz

I've done this quiz before but I don't remember what book I was so I saw this over on Bookworms' blog and stole it. Hmmm...I think parts of this description really fit me, at least today.

You're The Sound and the Fury!

by William Faulkner

Strong-willed but deeply confused, you are trying to come to grips
with a major crisis in your life. You can see many different perspectives on the issue,
but you're mostly overwhelmed with despair at what you've lost. People often have a hard
time understanding you, but they have some vague sense that you must be brilliant
anyway. Ultimately, you signify nothing.


Take the Book Quiz
at the Blue Pyramid.

Weekend stuffs

I didn't do too much because my nose wasn't working right. I'm all congested and wasn't feeling too well. Of course, that didn't stop me from going to some friends house after dinner Friday to meet their parents that were here from out of town. We went late and played poker while we waited for 14 to call us to pick him up from a party. A nice easy night with good company. While I was there my friend gave me this lovely orange tea that I can't wait to buy and it's available at our local grocery store. It was yummy and made me feel good. She even gave me an extra tea bag to take home and have for breakfast. Yum.

Saturday, I napped, we went to BJs to do some groceries, I napped, and we did a couple of loads of laundry and I napped, and then fixed dinner and I napped. By the time the same friends came over to our house after dinner I was feeling much better and we played more games.

Sunday, we all slept until 11:00 AMAZING! I made waffles fro breakfast. We watched our Netflix movie "Cocaine Cowboys" a documentary about the cocaine trafficking in Miami in the late 70's and '80's. It was very well done. We watched it with 17 who was impressed because obviously hubby growing up here was very familiar with the headlines that they were referring to. I think he was impressed because to him it was like ancient history and to his father it was memory. Then I napped while the last load of laundry was washed. Them we watch "Hidalgo" which we had recorded quite sometime ago. I enjoyed it but I think I may have dozed in and out. I was under the influence of OTC cold meds.

Hubby was a bit more active than I was, while I was napping he was cleaning the pool and chauffeuring 14 to his weekend stuff. He was quite useful this weekend! Yeah, for me!

So, a lazy congested head weekend makes for a lazy congested head Monday. My main source of nutrition today is tea, Halls cough drops and soup.

Movie

I saw Volver last night. I thought it was awesome!

Now, I didn't tell hubby that it was a foreign film I only told him that it was a Penelope Cruz movie so that he was willing to watch. Of course when he heard the Spanish and saw subtitles, Johnny on the Spot that he is, quickly asked, "What's wrong with it? Why is it like that?" and "Oh God" was his reaction when he realized it was supposed to be that way. Honestly, I didn't think it would be a big deal, for goodness sake we do speak the language! It's not like it was in Chinese!

I thought the movie was fabulous! The acting - fabulous, the female characters - fabulous, the plot - fabulous, visually- fabulous. Do you see a pattern here? The strong topic was to be expected and not surprising but I think stupendously weaved into a circular plot line. The male characters were merely there to help explain or define the women; they were strictly supporting roles. I loved all the work in opposites in the movie. Part of the story is set in a coastal town that has either stifling heat or crazy wind, the town folk, slow paced, referred to as gossipy and crazy with only one helpful neighbor. Another part was in the city where you see everyone bustling like crazy people trying to live life but many neighbors helpful. 3 sets of sisters are the main characters: Raimunda (Penelope) and her sister Sole who were raised apart by 2 sisters, Tia and their mom, and the helpful country neighbor who's alone and searching for her mother and her sister who is a TV star. Each set of sisters have oppositional characteristics that are quickly brought to light form their livelihoods, to their outlooks and temperament. The camera shots were very interesting and beautifully foreshadowed and made the movie look real not glitzy or stylised at all which enhanced women's roles because they are all such real looking women dealing with real life and their.

Hubby and I disagreed on a vital point in the movie which I don't want to mention to not spoil it for others. But his review was: Penelope was great to watch.

See this movie as soon as you can.

I did other stuff...

Well, we knew I wasn't going to do those things I listed yesterday BUT I put away some loose pictures that I had out back into their original photo albums. And I copied a couple of them so that I could scrap with them. But I did bring in the Confirmation certificate to copy! Yes I realize that I said I would bring the diplomas too but well, something is something.

I will call the Microwave repairman again today. And correction on yesterday it's to replace the cover of the fan that fell off not the fax that fell off.

Other news...

14 is going to the Beyonce concert with a buddy of his. Well, he'll be 15 by then. Anyway, it's kinda far so we have to drive them up there then we'll hang out at Sawgrass Mills. It's a big Outlet mall that's across the street. The last time we did this for 17, the mall actually closes before the concert is out and then hubby took a nap in the car and I read. I don't know yet if I'm going with hubby or if I'm going to accompany the other mom. I haven't hung out with her in a long time so it would be nice. We'll see.

So much to do, so little time. This isn't letting me put a title for this entry! Start frustration! Moving on, tonight I will draft the blog entry of the books I've read. I will Dust (yeah, right). I will enter important dates in the new agenda I bought. I will answer emails. I will put together a package of stuff for someone at hubby's office for a Pampered Chef Bridal Shower. Yeah, I sell Pampered Chef products (read: its the part time job I have been NOT doing). Tonight I will gather the Confirmation Certificates and 8th grade diplomas of my kids to copy them at the office in a reduced size to use them in the scrapbooks. I was talking to someone at the store on my lunch hour and they suggested this and I think it's too cute! Can't wait.

Now, in reality I probably won't do much of any of that but I did call the microwave repairman today to ask about replacing the cover to the fax that fell off. Woo Hoo. I did something on the long list of things to do. I'm so proud of me. I also had a 40% off coupon and so I went and bought more scrapbook paper.

Guess who I saw?!

OK, I've never mentioned her before but anyway, so you can't really guess.

I was at JoAnn Fabrics scoping out the scrapbook papers that were on sale and these women were talking really loud (fine, I was eavesdropping- but only because they were talking about scraping and I need to learn) and then I suddenly thought I recognized the voice. When I turned around it was someone I worked with a lifetime ago! We haven't seen each other in years it was like 5 jobs ago and yet we caught up in 60 seconds and felt like we hadn't missed a beat. We exchanged numbers and vowed to get together soon and keep in better touch. I hope we do, I'm not good at that stuff.

AND today I'm going to get together with another friend (fine, former boss AND friend- why do you insist I be so technical?) who I haven't seen in months. Since, early December I think. She's an avid scrapper, like a professional and I'm going to show her what I've done but it's like a preschooler showing a Nobel laureate their schoolwork. But whatever, I'm so happy with what I'm doing I'm showing it anyone who will look.

I'm really looking forward to seeing her and gossiping catching up on things . We don't have any set plans other than the time that she's picking me up. Can't wait!

Lost track...

I haven't been reviewing or chatting about the books I read and I've lost track of what I've read this year. So, this week I'm going to think back and try to write a short review on each book. This way at the end of the year I can feel all accomplished and wonderful about myself and all that I have read. Stay tuned. The goal is to have this done over the weekend.

I wonder if I can remember them all, they say short term memory is the first to go!
Take Big Bites, A Raisin in the Sun, Bel Canto, Eat Love Pray...see, I'm already stuck! and I know I've read way more than that! Heck that was just in the past month. oh no, this is going to be hard! Maybe if I go stare at my book case and sundry book piles....

(added later) I remembered another one: My Sister's Keeper