I am a vindictive sort of woman

I thrive on being right. I will go to great lengths to PROVE I'm right. And I have a hard time not rubbing it in peoples faces when I am finally proven right. This is bad. A serious character flaw, you might say. So, I hold back the, "I told you so", and the, "See?"... and I really do try to hide the self satisfied smirk that sneeks on to my face when someone tells me I'm right. It's not that I believe I know everything, but when I choose my battles and fight for what I believe in, I like to come out on top in the end.

The worst part is... I'm also vindictive. When I am in pain, I want to cause pain to the person that has inflicted that pain upon me... when really, I've probably done most of the damage to myself. I don't know why this is. I certainly don't feel better after I have intentionally said something hurtful, even when I felt it deserved. I think the real problem is I used to be this quiet, shy person who did everything for everyone because it made me happy. And then people started to take advantage of my niceness. After a very long time of trying to make everybody happy all the time, I became NOT nice. I'm not sure which is the lesser evil. I refuse to let people walk all over me... but something dies a little inside me when I am cruel to people. Plus I immediately regret my rash behaviour. There has to be a happy medium. Maybe I just need to drink more wine. On the upside, I have no problems admitting to my flaws, so there's something.

Interesting Turn Of Events

Hubby was approached by a head hunter for a job yesterday.... in Bermuda. The wage they offered him was staggering... until you do some research and discover that Bermuda is the most expensive place to live on earth. The cost of living is so high, a loaf of bread is $4-8 US. The average 1 bedroom apartment rents for $2500 per month. And those are the cheap ones. However, the country is stunning, and WARM all year round. Although, aparently the clothes hanging in your closet will grow mold within 10 days if you don't keep your lights on and buy some sort of dehumidifying device.

I was reading the blog of a few Canadians who have relocated to Bermuda for the same kind of job offer, and I have to admit, it's tempting. When else are we going to have the opportunity to pick up and live with a different culture? A chance to see some of the world, even if it's a small piece, (and I mean REALLY small, the whole island is less than 50sq kilometers). I'm torn. Hubby will call today to get some more info. I'll post the updates later!

Bad Communication

You would think that with today's various forms of communications that a man and a women would be able to express themselves. Specifically, to EACH OTHER. But alas, no amount of email, cell phones, phones, conversation, love notes, or dramatic hand gestures seem to help us at all. With more than three thousand years of recorded human history, no one has found a solution to this preplexing problem....

Woman: We need to talk.

Man: God. What did I do now?

Woman: Can't you stop with your negativity? I haven't even said anything yet! Jeez. And GET your feet OFF the coffee table!

Man: Calm down, calm down! What's your problem anyway?

Woman Takes a DEEP BREATH: YOU! YOU are my problem. Can't you just shut up and let me talk?

Man: Okay, okay! Jeez.

Women: As I was saying... I need some help around here.

Man: I already take out the trash, cut the grass and shovel the snow! What more do you want?

Woman: Well, I really appreciate that, but I'm sure you also appreciate the clean laundry you wear, the dinner that's made for you everynight, and the clean house you live in... not to mention that the household finances are taken care of, the paperwork is filed, and the groceries are done.

Man: So what you're saying is you want me to do MORE? Do you have any idea how much it SNOWS here? Don't you know I work all day? I just want to relax when I come home.

Woman: Me too. That's why I want you to help with the cooking and the dishes.

Man: WHAT?

Woman: If you want to eat, you will help. I can live off of salads and lean cuisines. So, unless you want to eat take out everynight, you WILL help me!

Man: And what do I get out of it?

Woman: You get to eat. Please get your feet off of the coffee table.

Man: Oh.

Woman: What, were you expecting a weekly allowance?

Man: Do you want to help me change the oil on your car?

Woman: Don't I do enough?

Man: Do you want to drive?

Woman: Forget it. I'll get it done in town.

Man: Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how much that costs?

Woman: Than change it yourself!

Man: Not if I have to cook.

Woman: Then shut up. Jeez. You can be so difficult. Why can't you be normal? I just asked for a little help. Is that so hard? How horrible is it to help your hard working wife feed you and clean up after you?

Man: Here we go with the guilt...

Woman: There is chicken in the fridge. You can start with that. AND... FOR... THE... LAST... TIME... GET YOUR FEET OFF OF THE DAMN TABLE!

Both parties cross their arms in front of their chests... Woman stomps out of room... Man leaves feet on coffee table just to irritate woman... Woman uses mans razor to shave her legs to teach man a lesson...

SO what has this acomplished? Now both parties are irritated, hubby is burning dinner on purpose and wearing bandaids on his face, and neither one feels like they are understood. How exhausting!

Escape

I am feeling slightly overwhelmed today, and needed an escape. This is a view from the cottage we rented last summer on Crowe Lake in Marmora Ontario. Having grown up in cottage country, I miss it terribly. Especially with the coming of spring.

My mother lives just down the road from this cottage. My summers as a child were filled with days of swimming, rock-climbing, and jumping out of haylofts into piles of golden, yellow straw. Falling asleep to the sound of the crickets chirping, and the frogs singing. As children we would make up adventure stories about buried treasure at the bottom of the river and spend all day searching for it. The most I ever found was a nickel and an old shoe.

I don't know if we'll be able to get back up North this summer, but I shall certainly dream about it. Where there's a will there's a way.

Crushing Disappointment for Twilight, the movie.

I shouldn't have done it. The strange part is, I knew that. So WHY did I do it? Well, I couldn't help myself. I had to watch the movie. (I won't give out any spoilers for those who haven't seen or read the books.)

After reading the wonderful Teen-Lit book by Stephanie Myers, my anticipation to see the motion picture was off-the-charts. Most things in life do not live up to our extreme expectations, but I really beleived this time would be different. If I hadn't been so keen on the book and already knew the story, I probably would have given up on the movie before it was half-way finished. There was no chemistry between the love birds, not to mention, if you hadn't read the book, you'd have NO idea why they're in love in the first place. Like most movies that start out as novels, Twilight was trimmed for film production, a neccessary process. However, they took out the meat of the novel and left the dramatic fluff. What a shame. There are certain scenes where you look at the face of the lead man, Edward, and as a reader of the book you KNOW why he's making that particular face, and why he's looking at the new girl with undisguised loathing.... but the movie does nothing to explain this, or very little. Infact, the movie does little to explain anything. The screenplay writer is assuming you have read the book and so glosses over the final details, until what you really have is a movie about... nothing.

The special effects were poorly handled, and un-realistic, another huge disappointment. I wanted to see what my imagination couldn't picture. The incredible speed and strength of the vampires... what was portrayed were comic-like road-runner men with no upper body movement.

What was GOOD about the movie: It was lovely to see the characters brought to life. It certainly didn't hurt my impression of the book and it didn't make me loose interest in the rest of the series. I loved the attitude portrayed by the leading lady. Her performance was believable. I also liked the villains, all three did a supurb job. Word on the street is they're going to make another film for the next book and are still hunting down a director.

If anyone else has an opinion, I'd love to hear it... I'm feeling slightly demoralized. I would also like to point out that I'm not a critic. This is mearly my un-professional opinion. Lord knows it's a much better movie that I could produce!

Tidings of Magpies - Post Review

I was catching up on my Blog of Note reading today and stumbled across this post from a few days ago. It's a poem that I can relate to. In fact, just reading it made me want to smash my cell phone into little pieces... pop over and have a read, and tell me if these people drive you CRAZY.

I personally hate my cell phone. All it really does is provide my family with an instant GPS tracker. Typical conversation...

Riiiiinnnng, Riiiiiiinnnng,

Me: Hello?

Hubby: Where are you?

Me: Oh, here and there.

Hubby: And where exactly is that?

Me: Well, currently I'm standing in line for the ladies room.

Hubby: Oh, how's that going?

Me: Great. Do you want to know what's stuck to my shoe?

Hubby: Why would I want to know that?

Me: Forget it. What did you want?

Hubby: Oh, nothing. Just to know when you're coming home.

Me: Soon.

Hubby: Soon, when?

Me. At five-oh-four exactly. Or a few minutes after that.. I haven't really triangulated my position with the sun completely yet.

Hubby: uh... So when exactly?

Me: Soon. I'm not sure of the exact time. It depends on how long you are going to talk. I really do have to pee you know.

Hubby: Oh. So, you want me to let you go then?

Me: I think that would be best.

Hubby: Will you call me when you get out?

Me: Why?

Hubby: So I'll know when you'll be home.\

Me: I"LL BE THERE WHEN I GET THERE. I have no plans, I'm not flying to the moon after work, and as far as I know, aliens will not arrive from outerspace today so I will be home at the same time I get home everyday.

Hubby: Well you don't have to be rude you know.

Me: I HAVE TO PEE!! I'm hanging up now.

Hubby: Okay, okay. Can you pick me up some chips... you know, the cheesy ones?

Me: ....... *click* .... dialtone.

God. How did we ever SURVIVE without cell phones? I would like to smash mine with a hammer. All it represents is the most definite knowledge that I will never be completely alone ever again.

I have to go, my phone is ringing.

An Introduction

I realized this morning, while doing my usual speed run around the house before work, that i haven't introduced my ridiculously spoiled cats to the world yet.
This is Felix - also known as Bubba, black-faced monkey (doesn't he look like one?), baby blue eyes, dragon breath (he has the worst breath EVER!). I don't have very many good shots of him because he has exceptionally buggy eyes which do NOT photograph easily at all. In fact, I find the whole process frustrating because he always comes out looking like a red-eyed, psychopathic, serial-killer kitty, when really he is very sweet and stupid. I really do believe he has significant mental challenges to overcome. He was abandoned at the animal shelter with his friend... a Chihuahua... and he looked so pathetic, I knew no one would ever adopt him. Which was sad because he was so gentle and quiet. He's definitely not in the "best in breed"category... or in any category for that matter. His eyes are buggy and set wrong for a siamese, he has an incredibly large under-bite... fangs come up over his face and everything, his tounge sticks out of his mouth, and sometimes he wakes up and doesn't know where he is, has a panic attack, and attemps to flee through the glass patio doors... He is a classic example of what happens when you over-breed animals and there is not enough genetic material to go around... That being said, I think he's lovely. He is content to sit on your lap and snuggle, but will also leave you alone if needed, he doesn't try to steal food off of your plate, and he likes to be talked to. I really could do without the 5am wake up call for attention though. If you've ever owned a Siamese, you know what their lungs are capable of. Felix stands outside the bedroom door, pulls at it with his feet and yells, "WOW?" As in.. are you getting up now? Can we play a game? Do you know where I left my stuffed hamster? His favourite spot to sleep is on the corners of the couch where he can see everything that's going on, but still stay out of Jeff's way.
This is Samantha... also known as Princess, kitty face, goosebump (don't ask, I have no idea), fancy feet, girlie, pretty girl, crazy head, beautiful girl, baby kitty, sweetheart.... in fact... I don't think I ever call her Samantha...
Samantha was also rescued from the humane society. I got her for christmas two years ago. Her favourite things are eating... and eating. If I let her she would eat until she exploded, like a goldfish. Everytime I enter the kitchen she assumes it's because I'm going to put more food in her bowl. She waits paitently beside it until I leave the kitchen... sometimes she will stage a coux and push her bowl into the middle of the floor... just incase I didn't notice it was empty. She is rather solid for a little cat and I'm sure my vet will say she is obese at our next check-up. If I leave her alone overnight she will attack the bread, buns, muffins, or anthing else that is left on the counter. Once I couldn't find her and she was underneath my desk inside a chip bag. Apparently she had exausted herself by licking all of the seasoning off from the inside of the bag and had to have a nap - immediately.

She is rather stunning though. With lovely green eyes and a shiny coat. She photographs beautifully and makes an easy subject. She is unbelievably lazy, and makes almost no noise, except when she is staaaaarving, and even then it's only a very small, quiet "mew?" She likes to sleep in my scrap box downstairs, the linen closet, and the bathroom sink.

These are my children. Someday I would like to have some human kids, but until that happens, I will have cats.

The Twilight Craze

When the book Twilight by Stephanie Myers came out, followed closely by the movie... I admit, I was skeptical and not so interested. I do have a thing for vampire movies though, so I did plan to watch it eventually. While I was waiting for it to hit theatres, I picked up the first book. I wasn't expecting much as it was written for teens... I was pleasently surprised. I am now a complete addict. I read the first 350 pages yesterday and had trouble putting it down to get some sleep before work. Completely fabulous book. I had read some silly review from Stephen King earlier that said Myers was a horrible author and the book was crap... someone should shoot that man. Her character development was fabulous, and her descriptions so detailed (without being overly flowery), that I actually felt like I could look up from the book and see fog and mist. The story itself is very simple, but looks at the whole vampire legend/culture from a bit of a different angle. This isn't Buffy the Vampire Slayer, (which I was completely expecting). I can relate to the main character, even though she is seventeen and I'm 27, and when I'm reading, I feel like I AM her... the sign of a well written book. I'm so absorbed when I'm reading that I forget my surroundings. However, I will issue you a warning... if you're looking for the next piece of Great American Literature... this isn't it. It is a incredibly entertaining piece, but an easy read, targeted at teens and young adults.

Have you read it? Tell me what you think!

Now where did I leave that?

It's official. I've lost my winter coat. These deceivingly warm days have me running about coatless and, at some point in one of my adventures, I've laid it down and forgotten it. I'm hoping it is somewhere at the office... otherwise I will be forced to live out the winter in my spring jacket, and it's about -15C today.... not exactly spring weather!

I also seem to be missing my ipod, my book mark, one of my favourite slippers (NOT under the bed... I already checked..), and my eye glasses. I'm beginning to believe that the fairy who steals socks from the dryer has now moved on to bigger and better things... although I think that even the fairy would look silly in my eye glasses. I did catch myself putting the milk in the cupboard and the cereal in the fridge the other day... but I'm sure that's the fairys influence.

First - Welcome to all the new visitors, and a big thanks to David for the exposure on his blog. I loved reading your comments!

Second - The past few days have been a roller-coaster of craziness. My company laid-off a huge percentage of management yesterday, with little warning. I believe it was neccessary, and am grateful I still have a job, but my heart is hurting for those that are gone. Some have been here for as long as I can remember, and some even longer. My mentor is now gone. She has been an inspiration and a mother figure to all of us at one point or another. She will be dearly missed. Already it seems quiet and empty here. Despite this, I have hope that tomorrow will bring better things for all of us.

Third - It's Thirsty Thursday! What's in your wineglass? Today I've chosen Yellow Tail Cabernet Sauvignon. It's mellow, but rich and sweet. One of my favourites.

I always like to end my posts like we're in the middle of a conversation...

Puzzled

Who started Skywatch Friday? I've seen this on a number of un-related blogs, including yesterday's Blog Of Note. Is this an international movement that I've missed? Maybe a Euro thing? And what are the rules? Do I just go outside and take a picture of the sky every Friday? Maybe I should watch the news more.

I admit I find the idea very entertaining. It's neat to see pictures of the sky from all over the world. A peak outside at my sky today will show you a crisp, eye-watering blue that goes on forever. It's hard for me to imagine that there are clouds anywhere in the world today, as Sounthern Ontario is so flat, sometimes it seems as though you can see to the ends of the earth. Somewhere on the other side of the world it's dark and people are sleeping. I know this, but it's tricky to imagine. In Australia, it's dark AND summer! How strange is it to look outside at the bright snow and know that somewhere, people are swealtering. I can't quite wrap my brain around it.

Anywhoo... happy sleeping, or whatever it is ya'll are doing, I'm off for a night of Lobster and a movie.

Teachers who have inspired me.

This post was inspired by a recent visitor, Emily , whose blogs at Essential E. Emily is a teacher, thus reminding me of my teachers, leading to this post, ect, ect, ect.

I have teacher friends that sometimes despair and think it is a thankless job. They, (or she. Specifically the she that lives in Thunder Bay and teaches Biology/Math/whatever else they have her teaching this week), think that the children don't appreciate what their teachers do.

Not true. Through-out my studies I have been inspired by some of the greatest people I've ever come across. I'm not just talking about likability... because I can get along with pretty much anyone... these are people that have had a profound influence on the person that I've become, and am still becoming.

To begin at the beginning...

Mrs Lutes - Grade 3. This was the beginning of my musical background. She gave us recorders and allowed me to spend recess inside practicing. She inspired my love of creative writing with one specific comment which I still remember to this day.. "Your writing is very descriptive and a joy to read, I hope you keep at it!" She could have just put the big red checkmark on it, (well and maybe a sticker... I love stickers!), and been done with it... but she didn't. She took the time to write that small piece of encouragement, and even though I didn't pursue writing as a career, (you have to have good grammar for that), she inspired me to try harder and develop my writing "voice" per say, (which sounds alot like my regular voice, only much quieter and lower pitched!!). I remember the sound of her voice and her smile. Although, last time I saw her she was alot shorter than I remember...

Ms. Slater - Grade 7. This was the year I became an academic (lol, if you can call it that). Ms. Slater put the desks in groups of 4 and numbered each group. Every week she would deal a deck of cards and the number on your card was the group that you sat in for that week. This is how I met Heather. Heather was one of those people who was good at everything she did, and also a good person. Because I'm competitive by nature, (so is Heather, though she'll never admit it! lol). I began to study harder to keep up with her, (no easy feat!). We were inseperable for years after that and still keep in touch.
Ms Slater also taught me how to cross country ski on her lunch breaks. She also encouraged me to try out for the soccer team - a big deal because I wasn't the most athletic girl in school. I made the team and played fabulous defense!
Everyday we wrote a journal where I would make up fantastic stories about things that never happened... not sure why... I think I considered my own life boring and so had to make one up. I still have the journals... quality entertainment that is! She would read our entries everyday and always write something back, or ask questions to answer the next day, encouraging your strengths and sympathizing with your dificulties. Of all the teachers I had, she was the one with which I was the closest.

Mr Grant - I'll remember him forever for teaching me how to sing. He taught our whole town to sing together in the centennial celebration. He also doubled as the french teacher in our very small community. He also happens to be the father of Joe Grant from Three Days Grace, (adam Gontier's (from the same band), dad was my french teacher in grade 4... weird).

Mr Simmonds - High school music teacher - carted us around the entire country for four years and definitely changed the course of my life. I had no drive and no goals. It was Heather who convinced me to go try out for band, (her older sister was a member), I went with her and the rest is history. I developed a deep love for all things musical and got to see the country. We travelled from Prince Edward Island on the east coast - to Vancouver Island on the west coast, and most places in between. Because we spent so much time away from home and school, he and his wife Isabel became almost like surrogate parents. So thank you for giving so much of your free time to us. We remember and appreciate it.
Also, that year I broke my arm and couldn't hold my clairinet... he handed me a flute and stuck me in the flute section beside Corinne, who became, and still is, the best friend I will ever have... and is probably horrified by my grammar in this post. She's been correcting it in her head all along, I promise you! The thing that drives her the most kind of crazy is when I use 'you're' when I should be using "your". Strangly enough, she is the voice inside my head when I'm editing my own writing.

On and on a separate note - I would like to apologize to my grade 9 English teacher - Mrs Phillips - whom I successfully convinced that I was seeing people that weren't there, specifically my imaginary friend named Melvin... if you ever read this - I am, nor have I ever been, able to see people that are not there... but don't you think that would be a great skill to have?

Sunday Scenery

This is my garden sleeping in the snow, waiting for spring.
Ninty-Nine Blackbirds sitting in a tree....

Now I wish upon a star...

OMG the lottery is estimated at 49 MILLION dollars. I'm buying a ticket. No one has won for ages now. But what to do with my millions?

• Buy a ranch.
• Buy horses for the ranch.
• Buy someone to teach me how to take care of that many horses... I'm only used to one at a time..
• Get more cats to eat the mice in the barn
• Buy a dog to chase the cats and to play with my horses... Finally I can have my Irish Wolfhounds and Great Danes... sigh.
• Buy a new farm truck. I'm thinking a Ford F1 Superduty. Whoa. That gave me chills.
• Build an adoption center for stray pets and hire a vet to do my bidding. Oh to have a clean place to take care of sick animals and offer adoption where pets are not crammed into those little tiny cages, waiting on death row.
• Buy a politician to pass a law that allows me to execute negligent and abusive pet owners. I will sink to bribery, I am that evil.
• Ask Christian Childrens Fund how much money they need to stop putting those advertisements on tv that make me cry. Then give them the money.
• Put some away for savings... after all, I think I've spent about 40 million already and even millionairesses need SOME income.
• Have George W Bush assasinated... or maybe just put in Guantanamo Bay and let the inmates torture him.
• Buy everyone I work with free coffee for the next 20 years.... or until they retire... whichever comes first.
• Buy my mom a house and a full time maid. And a doctor that will actually HELP her.
• Buy my cats solid gold collars... ok, no. But that would be super cute.
• Buy my own Tim Hortons and put it in the garage. I'll ride my horse there everyday to get a coffee! Ok... several times a day then.
• Find that kid I used to stuff in lockers and give him $100 G's just for all the crap I put him through... and maybe stuff him in a locker once more for old times sake.
• Send Carolina on vacation whilst the contracters are fixing her bathroom, cause who wants to live through that crap?
• Buy a plane so I can fly to Thunder Bay whenever I want. I'll build a runway on my ranch.
• Buy a new pancreas for Patrick Swayze... wait.. he can buy his own. He has more money than god and his own damn ranch.
• I'm pretty sure killing George Bush and giving him to the middle east will bring world peace, so no need to ask for that.

I think I'm probably out of money. Anything I have left will go to cancer research. I hope I win.

Today's Blog of Note:

I'm hooked. You should go check this out. What a great story. It's well written and very entertaining.

Chocolate does not belong in tea.

Yesterday my boss (the BIG boss) brings in tea for everyone (this is very unusual... normally he justs hands out money for a coffee run). The tea is Chocolatey Chai. I know what you're thinking.... who wouldn't want to put chocolate in EVERYTHING!! I love chocolate, and I love herbal tea, so why not put them together? Well. I'm here to tell you that it is a VERY bad idea! *Although... I should note here that it smells absolutely heavenly*

It's kind of hard to describe the flavour... kind of like cinammon flavoured dirt. Really HOT cinammon flavoured dirt.

I finally got the nerve today to tell him how terribly horrible it is, (because who ever wants to say anything bad to your boss... especially when he's trying to do something nice). The only reason I did it is because he threatened to bring in more. I don't think I could choke down another cup.

In the spirit of, "Hey, this tastes gross... wanna try some?" I encourage you to go forth and buy tea. I'm interested to hear if you think it's a terrible as I do. Maybe I'm crazy and ate too many mud pies as a kid.

Cheers.

Things I Love That Are Blue

While over at Carolina's blog I followed her link to a blog titled My True Colours. The author of My True Colours has issued a challenge for True Colour Thursday. This weeks challenge is BLUE, and I've decided to play along. Here are a few things I love that are blue:

Ok... technically I know that the actual water isn't blue, it's a reflection from the sky, but it's such an intense and vibrant colour that it definitely makes my top 3 list of things that are blue. Plus, it makes Tuck the Buluga look blue too! This photo was taken at Marine Land in Niagara Falls.
Baby Finns eyes also make the list of favourites. He has the bluest eyes I've ever seen. Plus he is also sitting on my favourite blue zero gravity chair! Very comfy.
My favourite colour for clothes is blue. If you look in my closet there are 3 colours that stand out.. blue, light blue, and dark blue! It really is the best colour ever.

Spring Rain and Cheap Shoes.

After months and months of endless snow... it has finally started to rain. The mild temperatures have me feeling invigorated and praying that we've seen the last of the white stuff - although, I must admit this unlikely as it is only February. Does anyone know if that damn groundhog saw his shadow?

The slightly milder weather and rain has me greedy for spring. I can't wait to see the grass grow, the birds sing, and the flowers bloom.

Of course, with the beginning of spring, comes the beginning of the flip-flop season. Don't get me wrong, I think they are the most comfortable shoes on earth... but that noise drives me insane... flip-flop, flip-flop, flip flop. The worst is when you have a whole bunch of floppers together... FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP, FLIP-FLOP. I often find myself marching to the beat of someone elses flip-flops. I can't help myself, the rythmic sound is hypnotic. Next time you have your flip-flops on, watch for people marching beside you in a robotic state of facination. No, it's not your new hair, or your latest purchase from Old Navy, they are enthralled by the sound of your $2 foam shoes smacking the bottoms of your callused feet.

Happy flopping.

To all the Valentines Scrooges:

So. I've heard several people comment on the "commercialism" of Valentines Day, (interestingly enough... these people are mostly men...). Come-on guys. Is it that difficult to do something nice for your significant other? Who said you had to buy anything? Cook a nice meal, finish your hunny-do list, do anything sweet and romantic!

February is a month of blah. Someone created a holiday to get rid of the blahs. Now the complainers are turning it into something we should be ashamed of because stores and manufacturers take advantage of it? So much the easier to buy valentines for your sweetie!

I, for one, have taken advantage of the day and bought Jeff some lesson books on playing the guitar. Just fun things. I've included free lessons from myself. So now, not only does he get the opportunity to try something new, but we get to spend more quality time together and have some fun.

Hubby did something extraordinary for me. He fixed my grandmothers clock. I can't believe it. I cried. I was downstairs scrapping a photo of them last week when I heard it go off. The clock has been broken for three years (creepy right?). So I came upstairs asking hubby if he'd heard anything. He said no, hoping that I would just drop it... but of course, i CAN'T do THAT! So I unpacked everything in the spare room closet and unwrapped the quilt that covered the clock, and there it was... ticking away. Best present ever. Yesterday I also received some beautiful pink roses, and a lovely card. To top off the celebration, we had the last of the crab legs last night with some fillet. It was to die for. Which is a good thing, because it will probably be quite some time before we can afford to throw money frivolously at such delicacies.

Cheesy Talk Shows

I remember watching day time tv with my mom when I was a kid... I don't remember them being as horribly cheesy as they are now. It's Friday morning, I have the day off work, and Jeff has tuned in on Maury. I didn't think Maury was a cheesy show... wasn't there a time where he was respected and talked about real issues? Todays - and I suspect MOST days - the show is about paternity testing. How can there possibly be that many people who don't know the paternity of their babies? I mean, I know that sometimes life is crazy, but WOW. And better yet, who could have guessed that it would be entertaining for the masses? I personally think it's a load of crap. It dramatic nonsense what sells these days? What happened to quality tv? Everyone expects cheesiness from shows such as Jerry Springer, but now it seems as though they're all the same, with the same topics. Surely we have more important things to discuss than this.

For me, these shows are on equal footing with those trashy tv court shows. I'm not sure whether it's supposed to be funny or not, but I find it sad.