Merry Christmas!

Sorry I'm a day late, but I didn't have internet access on Christmas day, which is the way it should be. My dog and I camped out in front of a REAL fire in a house in the mountains and enjoyed the company of family. We had steaks for Christmas dinner, it was great. We played some Scrabbit and put together a puzzle of the Tybee Island lighthouse.

Here's something funny...we couldn't find our stockings so we had Christmas baskets this year...oh well, at least Santa still came!

Merry Christmas, y'all!

So this is what happens to bored people...

Place an X by all the things you've done, or remove the X from the ones you have not. This is for your entire life!
1. ( ) Smoked a cigarette
2. ( ) Drank so much you threw up
3. (x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back (not since high school)
4. ( ) Been arrested
5. (x) Gone on a blind date
6. ( ) Skipped school
7. ( )Watched someone die
8. ( ) Been to Canada
9. (x) Been to Florida
10. (x) Been to Mexico
11. (x) Been on a plane
12. (x) Been lost (Mom lost me in Gatlinburg when I was a child)
13. (x) Been on the opposite side of the country
14. (x) Gone to Washington, DC
15. (x) Swam or waded in the ocean
What happened to 16??
17. ( ) Cried yourself to sleep
18. ( ) Played cops and robbers...
19. ( ) Recently colored with crayons.
20. ( ) Sang karaoke
21. (x) Paid for a meal with only coins
22. (x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't?
23. (x) Made prank phone calls (I did in junior high, and I sucked, mainly 'cause the kid's mom answered and I told her who I was! stupid! stupid! stupid! I hadn't caught on to the concept, I guess)
24. (x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
25. (x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
26. (x) Danced in the rain
27. (x) Written a letter to Santa Claus (It was a school assignment.)
28. ( ) Been kissed under the mistletoe
29. ( ) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
30. (x) Blown bubbles
31. ( ) Made a bonfire on the beach
32. ( ) Crashed a party
33. (x) Gone roller-skating
34. (x) Ice-skating
35. Any nicknames? Darlin, Joyous
37. Mother's name? Jean
38. Favorite drink? sweet mint iced tea
39. Tattoo? no
40. Body piercing? Yes - but only ears
41. How much do you love your job, from 1-10? 6
42. Birthplace: Murfreesboro, TN
43. Favorite vacation spot? anywhere away
44. Ever been to Africa? No
45. Ever eaten cookies for dinner? Yes
46. Ever been on TV? No
47. Ever steal any traffic signs? No
48. Ever been in a car accident? yes
49. 2 Door or 4 Door? 4 door
50. Salad dressing? honey mustard
51. Favorite pie? pecan
52. Favorite number? 7
53. Favorite movie? My Fair Lady
54. Favorite dessert? cake blended with cookies-n-cream ice cream
55. Favorite food? Southern
56. Favorite day of the week? Saturday
57. Favorite brand of body soap? Dove
58. Favorite tooth paste? Crest
59. What time is it now? 10:43pm
60. Favorite smell? Bob's Flowershop Candle scent
62. What do you do to relax? watch TV
63. How do you see yourself in 10 years? No clue, but ten years ago I thought I'd be living in Colombia today, so I've resigned myself to not knowing.
64. What do you do when you are bored? Respond to questionairres such as this...hehe

I hate it when this happens...

I woke up this morning, flipped on the tv, and all the cable channels had been rearranged. I feel so disoriented! I go to what should be USA and it's SciFi. Very irritating. Maybe this can be attributed to my bad day today.

Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Though I had porkchops and ham instead of turkey, it has been a decently good day.

Hope y'all's has been good.

Moral dilemma...

Ok, how many of you Christians out there don't celebrate Halloween? How many of you do?

I was raised trick-or-treating, then one year, after I was in Junior High, my family learned some of the history of Halloween, and we stopped celebrating it. No more trick-or-treating, no more costumes, no more rolling houses, no more Jack-o-lanterns, no more popcorn balls, and no more Halloween parties. I didn't mind this all that much 'cause I was getting too old for all that anyhow. But now is where my dilemma comes to play...

Do I continue to not celebrate Halloween by handing out candy? Or do I join in the community fun Halloween night and pass out cavities to all the young'uns? I don't see how much of anything about Halloween that celebrates God's character, other than God just likes to have fun. I think I've decided to go ahead and hand out the candy. I've already bought the candy and this awesome bowl to pass it out with. I guess I'm just sort of leaning towards just handing out the candy, but not going all out with decor and whatnot.

Let me tell you about this bowl. I walked by it in Kroger, and it called to me...literally. It said, "Want some candy?" It's got a mechanical hand that sticks up the middle of the bowl and it grabs for your hand whenever you reach in for the candy. It scared me as I walked by, as it is motion activated. It scared me again as I reached in to see it work again. It scared me again as I walked with it in my cart. It scared me again as it was in a plastic sack and I set it in the back of my Rodeo and the sack moved. If it hadn't been so successful at scaring me, I wouldn't have bought it...hehe. When I got back to the house, I set the sack on the counter and told my sister to go see what I bought...she jumped. I love this bowl.

Anyhow...y'all have a safe and fun Halloween!

Happy Birthday...

to Titan!!! He is now 4 years old!! That's 28 in human years...he's now officially older than I am. I'm so glad to have him with me. He's such a good dog...just ask Nate!

Happy Birthday...

to ME!!!!! I turn 27 today!! Woohoo! My most wonderful birthday gift was to have my dad back in Atlanta!

I'm busy...

My dad is in the hospital after having an auto accident.

Assinine

So last Sunday I was driving a friend to the airport so she could return home to Germany. We get caught at the railroad crossing and counted 83 cars and 3 engines go by. There was a cop sitting perpendicular to us on our side of the tracks. After the train passed, he immediately pulled us over. I hadn't done anything illegal in just crossing the tracks, but I noticed my friend had tucked the shoulder strap of her seatbelt under her arm so it may have appeared to the cop that she wasn't wearing the seatbelt. We pull over, and he walks up to her side of the car. She rolls down the window.

I didn't know this, did you? He tells us that he saw she had her seatbelt on incorrectly and warned me that I could get a ticket for merely wearing the seatbelt incorrectly, but he wouldn't give me one. I had figured that as long as the seatbelt is on, it's on. I said thanks and continued on my way.

So much for Natural Selection!

Happy Birthday!!

Happy Birthday to my brother, Mike! Mike is actually my brother-in-law, but he's been in the family long enough he's more of a brother now. Love you, Mike! Hope you have a good one!

Go Cubbies!!

To be or not to be...

My friend and I went to Six Flags Over Georgia a few weekends ago. I got a bit of a headache from the ride Deja Vu, and ended up needing some time to sit, so we decided to go to one of the shows. We went to the Honky Tonk show. They sang and danced/acted to current country hits, occasionally interacting with the audience.

My friend and I are sitting there, front row, minding our business when one of the 'cowboys' comes up and sits next to me and puts his arm around me while singing a song. Now normally I would be totally flattered by this, but the song he's singing kinda influences my reaction..."I like my women on the trashy side"

Or maybe I am flattered after all...

Bad joke

All last night I dreamed I was a tailpipe...

...wait for it...

...and this morning I was exhausted!


Another bad joke thanks to Rose from Golden Girls.

Gee...thanks, lawmakers.

I receive a monthly newsletter from my town. There was an article on page 9 of 12, "New state laws may impact you"... so I read.

The one I choose to write about is the first listed: Right to self defense. I didn't know I needed permission to defend myself from a bad guy! It says I don't have a duty to retreat. Well...duh! If I'm being attacked, is there actually a law out there that assinine enough to say that I can't defend myself? This new law says that I would have immunity from criminal prosecution for defending myself or property with deadly force, unless I use a weapon I'm not allowed to carry or possess, which I have my CCL, so I don't worry about that.

Anyway, I thought it was very generous of the State of Georgia to allow me to defend myself with every means possible.

One year ago

One year ago I brought home my motorcycle. I love it even more now than I did then. Hard to believe. I'm riding well, and enjoying it more and more.

Catholic Gasoline

This one's for you, EP...

Sister Mary, who worked for a home health agency, was out making her rounds visiting homebound patients when she ran out of gas. As luck would have it, a gas station was just a block away.

She walked to the station to borrow a gas can and buy some gas. The attendant told her that the only gas can that he owned had been loanded out, but she could wait until it was returned.

Since the nun was on the way to see a patient, she decided not to wait and walk back to her car. She looked for something in her car that she could fill with gas and spotted the bedpan she was taking to the patient.

Always resourceful, she carried the bedpan to the station, filled it with gas, and carried the full bedpan back to her car.

As she was pouring the gas into her tank, two men watched from across the street. One of them turned to the other and said, "If it starts, I'm turning Catholic."

More truth than fiction

I got this in an email...enjoy...

A Somali arrives in Minneapolis as a new immigrant to the United States. He stops the first person he sees walking down the street and says, "Thank you Mr. American for letting me in this Country, and giving me housing, food stamps, free medical care and free education!"

But the passerby says, "You are mistaken, I am Mexican."

The man goes on and encounters another passerby. "Thank you for having such a beautiful country here in America!"

The person says, "I no American, I Vietnamese."

The new arrival walks further, and the next person he sees he stops, shakes his hand and says, "Thank you for the wonderful America!"

That person puts up his hand and says, "I am from the Middle East; I am not an American!"

He finally sees a nice lady and asks suspiciously, "Are you an American?"

She says, "Now, I am from Russia!"

So he is puzzled, and asks her, "Where are all the Americans?"

The Russian lady looks at her watch, and says..."Probably at work...."

well, well...

I wish I had more of a life to post about right now, but alas, I do not. There have been two things that have usurped my time the last few months, and will continue to do so for the next couple months.

We are still in the middle of revisions for the books. That means that sometimes, usually once a week, I work until midnight to meet a deadline, but I usually get to sleep in the next day. That's one thing that consumes time right now: work. I'm currently in negotiations with my boss, aka Mom, about my hours, and I think we'll get this beast under control soon.

The other thing that consumes my time, which is work related, and family related, is babysitting. It's a perk of the job. I get to babysit my two wonderful nieces at least once a week for a day. It's wonderful. I LOVE getting to be a regular part of their lives. I didn't know that as a child, having involved extended family. However it is time consuming, but it's one I'm glad to be able to provide. This is one of the blessings I count for still being single. If I was married, or even involved with someone, I wouldn't be able to dedicate as much time to travelling to see Dr. Who, Nate and their sons, Mentsh, her husband and daughters, my dad and stepmom, or Whiskey Girl. It's important to me to cultivate these relationships while I have the time in singlehood to devote because they are SO WORTH IT!

Anyhow, this has been a brief update in the life of JOY!

Too good to be true...

This picture happened upon me. It seems appropriate that Nate's new love is cohorting with Peeps!, his other love...

Saturday's Ride...

Ok, so Nate says I have to write up something. First off, this is a pic of me on Little Red. All in all it was an excellent day. First, Nate showed me how to change the oil in LR in the morning. Then he and I hit the road with no destination other than North for the afternoon. That evening we went to the pool with the family. At night I stayed home with 4 sleeping kids while the rest of the adults went to see X-men 3.

Ok, for the ride... Well, I did pretty good. Nate seems to think that I can ride; I'm not so certain, but I have fun while trying to be safe. I only stalled a couple times. Both times were towards the first of the trip. The second was kinda embarrassing. I forgot to downshift at a red left turn light. When it turned green I didn't move. I ended up costing all the cars behind me the entire green turn light. Oops. Oh, and I finally learned how to smoothly downshift.

We rode around Lake Lanier some. Saw pretty sailboats. You'll notice one picture of Nate by the water. There was a little peninsula right in front of him. I tried to get him to go out there so I could get a pic of him there on his dirt bike, but he was too chicken... He said it was too uncivilized!!

And one more story on Nate. If you read over at his place, you'll notice a reference to "blowing past" a guy on a Harley. Well, what he didn't mention is that as soon as he passed him, he ran out of gas! Yep! He switched to reserve, and we found a gas station to fuel up again. It's just good that he didn't run out of gas while he was trying to blow past the other biker, that would've been too embarrassing.

Anyway...It was a blast. I can't wait to go again. Riding with someone is a ton more fun.

Saturday's Ride...

Nate is the storyteller, so if you want the stories, you need to visit his site: www.bloggerblaster.blogspot.com.

Saturday's Ride...

Nate is the storyteller, so if you want the stories, you need to visit his site: www.bloggerblaster.blogspot.com.

Flower and Leaf

Here's a sampling of my amateur photography...

Yuppyville

I'm getting a bit too close to being a yuppie than I'm comfortable with. I recently got an iPod nano to listen to music while I'm riding my Ninja. I also decided that I need to get my body condition into better shape, so I researched and found a gym that I love. When I go to the gym, I take my iPod, just like EVERYONE else! As I was walking back to my car today, I just had a hard time accepting what a yuppie I've become.

Let me tell you about this gym...it rocks. It's got like a hundred weight machines and another hundred cardio machines. It's got 4 raquetball courts, basketball court, various exercise classes (I took the Pilates class last Monday, and I'm STILL sore), really nice and clean locker rooms with a sauna inside each locker room, heated indoor pool, hot tub, and more! I love it. Even though I'm not in good shape, I still feel comfortable there because people keep to themselves, so I don't feel pressure, and there are a lot of average people that go.

All in all, I'm having fun. I hope y'all are, too.

Happy Birthday!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WHISKEY GIRL!!!

Today is my sister's birthday!! I love her!!!!

Okay, here are the pictures as requested. 3 sections and 2 other sections are the same size, so that the shelves can be moved around among them. I also ordered extra poles so I can convert more sections into hanging because this closet was pretty much designed with just me in mind.

Progress has been made.

Well, I've finished painting my closet. I chose Slate blue. It's really pretty. It's a tad darker than I imagined, but with white trim, ceiling, and shelving, I don't think it'll be a problem. It'll also look good with the brushed nickel hardware I chose to match the faucets in the bathroom. As far as the boxes go, I got 11 of th 13 up by myself. The last two are these long vertical panels that have to be carried up one at a time. For the moment, I'm just bringing one up with me everytime I go up the stairs. I only have 5 more trips to make! I'm looking forward to having all this done.

UPDATE: I've finished!!! Woohoo!!! I started putting all my clothes back in my closet, and I feel as though I have a brand new room!

Kids are so funny...

This past weekend we had a birthday party for one of my two nieces. The family hanged around their house until their bedtime. I was sittin' on the couch next to my 3-year-old niece, sippin' my sweet tea, when she pipes up and says so matter-of-fact, "Aunt Joy, how many times do I have to tell you not to drink while you're wearing your hair!?!" We all cracked up.

I love her; she's such a silly goose!

one step at a time

It's happening one step at a time. I've hit a second wind on decorating my home. I bought and hung a new light. I converted a chandelier into a swag lamp. That was fun, I felt like an electrician. I even installed the switch!

I finally decided on the design for the shelving in my closet and ordered it. I used www.easyclosets.com. I like this company; they're very helpful when you call, and it's cheaper than hiring a closet design company. Last night and this morning I ripped out the old wire shelves, and this evening I just finished spackling all the holes left. Now I have to choose a color to paint the walls before installing the new shelves. Actually, I welcome the delay because the shelves were delivered in 13 boxes, and a few of those are 70+ lbs AND those have to go up to the THIRD FLOOR!! yikes!

My Valentine was...

ME! I know, I know...so cheesy for a single gal. I've never had a real Valentine before, so this year, I bought myself flowers, the ones you see above.

I gave Valentine's cards to my mom and to my dad & stepmom. I received a homemade card from my dad. He's a good daddy!

P.S. Take note of the dog in the background...don't he look comfy?

hiya!

I'm surprised I remember the password to the Dashboard!

I have been so busy! If I'm not working my butt off to meet 13 deadlines in one week, then I'm babysittin'. And in the rare occasion I'm not doing either one of those, I'm entertaining guests at both my house and Mom's.

And to throw in some more fun, Titan got wicked sick. But I think he's seein' the end of it. I had to stay home all day yesterday so I could rush him out the door when the occasion called...and it did...many times.

Well, I'll be in this mode for another couple months, then I'll come up for some air and go up to help where I can with Nate and Who's move to the great state of Tennessee.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas, everyone!

What does this mean?

You scored as Republican. <'Imunimaginative's Deviantart Page'> Anarchism 83% Republican 83% Fascism 42% Socialist 33% Green 33% Nazi 25% Democrat 0% Communism 0% What Political Party Do Your Beliefs Put You In? created with QuizFarm.com

Happy Birthday!!

Today is my Mom's birthday. Happy Birthday, Momma! I love you!

Do I love this?

OH! yes. I do. I now have cable internet again. I've been living with dialup for over a year now since I returned from Colombia. But now all is right with the world again! Have a good day, you guys, 'cause I know I am!

Record Highs

Today we're supposed to reach record highs in the Atlanta area. Thus far the record is from like 1918, I think, at 77 degrees. Today we're supposed to reach about 80. Too bad I don't have time to go ride my bike today.

Wow.

This has been a very long month. We have had houseguests since October 1, and the last one just left today! This is why I've not been online much to chat or post. But at last, life will be returning to some level of normalcy soon.

So I've now officially been blogging for a year. Wow, think about it. It's been 10 months since I returned home from Colombia. It hardly seems possible. Yes, I still credit that "Y'all were right". Though, I still hold to the truth that if I hadn't gone to Colombia, I'd still be questioning "what if" like I had been doing ever since I was 16 years old. It took me almost a decade to get that idiocy out of my head. And now I feel robbed of those 9 years. I don't believe I have learned much from the experiences of my various trips south of the border, but the one thing I learned was that I wish I had never gotten that craziness in my head from the beginning. But all the wishing in eternity wouldn't get me anywhere, so I move on.

Nate finally got to see Little Red. And my helmet came in on Saturday. It's sweet. Everybody's first reaction to seeing me drive up on my bike is "I didn't recognize you!" It's probably because I finally found a way to make myself sexy enough to be notice. (No, I'm not cutting myself down, but merely recognizing that sometimes a girl has to work at it.) Along those lines, how come is it that I get more attention from guys when I look nasty, like super nasty. Rememer when mechanic dude asked me out? Yeah, that day, I was wearing clothes that not only had I worn the day before, but ALSO slept in! Hair was pulled up and gross, and no makeup. But it seems when I put effort into looking nice, guys seem to ignore me. Maybe it's when I'm not looking good that I'm more self-conscience, and therefore take notice when someone notices me. I dunno.

Right now I'm a happy girl though. I got a quiet house, full tummy, and a dog lying on his bed in front of a fire, albeit a gas fire, but nonetheless, a fire (less effort, just a flip of a switch). Speaking of Titan, this dog is SO spoiled! I'm taking him up to TN for Jeb's birthday, and I am bringing his kennel and bed for him to sleep in Nate's parents' garage, but being that it's starting to get cold at night, I'm bringing an electric space heater to put next to his bed. See?! He's spoiled. But I only do this because he has NO FUR! The dog is bald on his undercarriage. He starts shivering if it drops below 45 degrees. I feel sorry for him. I've raised him indoors, so it's not fair to him to suddenly stick him outside for a cold night. Yeah, I spoil him, but I don't have a boyfriend or anyone else to distract me, so he gets my attention.

Ok, I've gotten a decent start on catch-up, so I'm quitting for now...bye!

Happy Birthday!!

Today is MY birthday! I turn 26 today. I'm officially in my "upper 20s". I think I deserve a treat, too.

Happy Birthday!!

Today is Titan's 3rd Birthday!! WooHoo!! He deserves a treat!

It's FALL!!!

It's official! It's now Fall! This makes me very, very happy. I love Fall. It's by far my mostest favoritest season of all. Last year I only got to see the very last three days of Fall. That's it! Only 1, 2,...3 days! So it's been 2 years since I've been able to see the change of color in the trees, and watch the leaves fall, and see new wardrobes coming out. Have I mentioned that I like Fall?

long time, no post

Well, it has been a while, hasn't it? I apologize. Kinda goes to show there ain't much accountability over the internet.

Updates. Work has been busy. This is our season for revising/writing books. My mom/boss is an author, and she revises her books once every year or so. That means now we're revising 3 books and writing a 4th one. Deadlines are passing like crazy. Author Firsts are just now getting going good, and Author Seconds are already creeping up on us.

I've been spending a lot of time with my nieces. I get to go up and babysit them at least once a week. It is the highlight of my workweek. I love being an aunt. It has to be one of the best positions in a family. I get to spoil them with gifts, I love to buy clothes for them, help out with their daily routines when I happen to be there, like meals, baths and bedtime, and when they get fussy, just pass 'em back to Mom or Dad. And I've learned that if Mom and Dad aren't around, they aren't nearly as fussy, and we get to have a good time all day long.

I've not been on my bike nearly as much as I'd like. I get out about once a week. Yesterday was the first time I used it to actually go somewhere specific. I met up with a girlfriend for a movie and dinner, we went to Macaroni Grill and then to see Must Love Dogs. It was fun. What I didn't account for was that I'd be driving back at night, and I only had a shaded visor. I really need to get a new helmet, one with various visors and that matches the bike. I feel like a dork riding around in nonmatching attire. I also want a tailbag. I've found a couple bags online that I like. But I'm still at a loss for what kind of helmet to get at a decent price.

Well, that's all I've got for now. I'll come up with something more later when I find the time again.

The wave.

So all you riders out there, I need some help.

Now, I know that there's this rule about wavin' to other riders. Now what are the conditions of this rule? I know that there's no prejudice about the type of bike rider you're waving to. Do you wave to the guy stopped at a red light in the other direction? Someone who passes you? [Yes, people still pass me, remember I'm a newbie.] Do you vary your wave based on the type of bike rider you're waving to? I've noticed other riders waving at me, they never lift their hand above their elbow. Is that standard? expected? Is it odd if I do a Queen Mother wave to them? hehe.

Tell me, what are the rules?

My exciting news!!!!

Ok, my mood is over, so now I'm excited again. I bought a MOTORCYCLE!!! It's a 1998 Kawasaki Ninja EX250. It's red with purple accents. I got it ridiculously cheap considering the condition. It's only got less than 2600 miles, not a scratch (not even from keys near the gas tank lock!), perfectly polished, never dropped...need I go on? Anyhow, it's the perfect bike for me, and I'm beyond myself with happiness that I have it.

I must say, that as far as moms and motorcycles go, I have a VERY COOL Mom! She drove with me the hour drive all the way there to look at it and possibly buy it. She then followed me home to make sure I arrived home safely. Also, shortly after arriving back at home, I was still over at her house, and she walks into the room where I'm on the computer and goes, "Let's go outside and brag on your bike some!" I'm glad that she is supportive when most moms abhore their children mixing with motorcycles.

I laughed at it

So I'm posting it. They just paved almost all the roads in my subdivision, without any warning, so this happened...

Post coming soon...

I have exciting news, but something killed my mood, so I'll post on it tomorrow when I'm excited again.

Eww!!!! Eww!!! Eww!!

Fellas, I'm in some deep trouble. I found a dead mouse in Titan's treat bag tonight. And I've spotted droppings inone other location in my home, the kitchen cabinet where I keep my pots and pans. I think this might be where they're coming in from my neighbor's house.

I HATE this. I LOATHE this! I detest this! I despise this! It's aweful! I do NOT want to deal with dead mice. I don't want to SEE dead mice. I do not want to THINK about dead mice. I don't want to put out poison 'cause then there's a risk, even a slight risk, that it'll die and stink. I HATE that smell as much as I hate the sight. And I don't want to set out traps 'cause I don't want to see or be near dead mice.

I guess a dead mouse is better than a live one. THIS, my dear friends, is why women should NEVER have to live without a man in the house to go around checking the traps three times a day to insure that I don't come across it myself.

Did I mention how unhappy I am about this yet?

I am so embarrassed.

Well, I'm home from Austin now. Something terrible happened during my trip. Something that I am so ashamed of that I have to blog about it. I went to last Friday night's Midnight Book Release Party at Barnes and Noble of the sixth Harry Potter book. My friend in Austin claims to not be a fan, but if he's at the bookstore at midnight just so he can have a copy of the book in his hand before the preordered one arrives later the next day, that, my friends, is a fan. Now that I'm done pointing the finger elsewhere so as to get the attention off of myself...

It was embarrassing to be there. The place had hundreds of people there filling out trivia questions so as to win some kind of Harry Potter doodad. There were quite a few dressed in costume with cloaks/robes, broomsticks, wands, and those black round eyeglasses. What's worse, is that the costumes were aweful. Some were wearing cheap graduation gowns for the cloaks and straws with ribbon attatched as wands, or plastic GREEN handled brooms swiped from the kitchen pantry as their witch's broom. It was painful to watch.

For me, the only way to redeem this evening was to buy A Twist of the Wrist about cornering on a motorcycle.

Something interesting...

http://www.cedarislandpark.com/Models/Rides/DarkFunhouse/RAH749.htm

Apparently "Joy" isn't always a good thing.

I'm in TEXAS!!!

Hey everybody! I'm in The Great State of Texas!! There are things that I love about Texas, and then there are things that I prefer about my home states. I sometimes have to remind myself that I'm still in the United States because of all the Hispanics I see around here, but that's okay. It feels more weird about that because I'm not on my own turf, so I feel more like I'm no longer in the US. But Texas is still a great place. I feel weird about not having my gun with me. I feel like I don't belong, 'cause you know everyone here has a gun. I'm also afraid that people will think that I'm a yankee because I have a bit of an Atlantan accent, a yankee city. It is REALLY hot here. But it's worth it to put up with the heat to be in such a great state. They just put in an express lane on their death row, so this place can't be all that bad. Anyhow. I got things to do. I'll talk at y'all later.

I am SO getting a motorcycle!

Ok, so I finished the motorcycle safety course. And I passed! Considering I didn't even know how to turn on a motorcycle when I got there, I think I did darn good. There was a little bit of classroom time, but it wasn't a focus. The instructors really wanted us to get some good time on the bikes. I used a Honda CB125T for learning purposes. It's a pretty small bike, but it was perfect for my comfort level. There were a couple Nighthawks and a few Suzukis, but I like the one I got, plus, mine was RED.

One of the most difficult things they taught us was the U-turn. They put us in a box about the size of 5 parking spaces and told us to make a figure 8 inside the boundries of the box. I only managed to do that once the whole time I was there. They also taught us how to corner, using the outside/inside/outside method on curves. There were times when I was at a 45 degree angle to the pavement...it rocked. They taught us to swerve quickly. That was fun. They taught us how to come to a quick stop. They taught us other stuff, too, but it's too much to just list.

So...now I can be a safer motorcycle rider. Also I get a discount on insurance and sometimes they say dealerships will give ya a discount if you took the course. All I gotta do to get my endorsement on my license, is to wait for my certificate of successful completion, take that to the DMV, pay them $15 and get my new license! WooHoo!

The class had 12 people, 4 of which, including myself, were women. All passed, but two of the women, the oldest, about 60, and the youngest, about 21/22. Most of the guys were older gentlemen who used to ride years ago and were wanting to get back into riding and wanted a refresher course. It was an interesting mix once you threw in the two instructors. One had really long hair that he banded up in a long pony tail. They were funny. We all teased the chain smokers who kept trying to sneak off for a smoke. We had fun. I really enjoyed my time there. And I'm glad I did it.

Upcoming Events:

I got lots of stuff coming up soon. First, oldest sister with her youngin's are coming down so Mommy and Daddy can take off to a baseball game and leave the kiddies with Aunt Joy and Grandmommy. This is Thursday night.

Then Friday night, is the first class of my Motorcycle Fun!! It meets at 6pm, but there is no allowance for tardiness, so I shall be getting there plenty early, knowing my tendencies to be late. Then again Saturday and Sunday from 8am to 6pm.

I'll be spending this weekend at the house in the mountains so as to be closer to the location of the class. I am SO excited. I bought a jacket and gloves for the class. I still need to decide what type of bike I wish to get. I'm leaning towards the Ninja 500 now.

Last, but not least, Tuesday I'm flying out to Austin, TX, with a girlfriend to visit one of our closest guy friends, Aaron. You can find his link in the column to the right. He's in Austin pursuing a dream, and I am extremely proud of him, and look forward to see him again. I've not seen him since I've been back from Colombia.

Well, that's all for now. Everyone, have a nice weekend, 'cause I know I will!

Are these not two of the prettiest doggies you've ever seen? The German Shepherd is Whiskey Girl's Wendy, and the Weimaraner is my Titan. They're good friends. See? They're holdin' paws!!

Much better movie

So I saw a much better movie tonight than Mr. and Mrs. Smith: Batman Begins. All I have to say is go see it! My favorite thing was the first batmobile.

Movie Review

Mr. and Mrs. Smith

I saw this movie last night. I liked it. Not a fave by any means, but it was good. The best part was the banter between the two main characters. One example, but not one of the best from the movie: Angelina's character says, "Why do I get the girly gun?!?!" I just cackled at those lines. Angelina actually looks good all over, and not just her lips. And it's fun to see Brad get his butt kicked at times. So, go see it.

Progress has been made.

Today I went to the DMV and received my GA driver's license. I'm one step closer to getting my motorcycle driving license. There is a class being offered about 40 minutes away on June 24th - 26th. I gotta call in the morning to see if there is space available, and if I'm not too late to register since the only way to register that I can figure out by the website is by mail. I kept putting off signing up for the class in hopes that I could rope someone in to doing it with me, but no one would do it. So I've determined to do so on my own.

I know that I won't get to buy a motorcycle within the next month, unless I find one dirt cheap. But I'm going to go ahead and get the license so as to get the momentum going. I've fantasized about driving a motorcycle long enough. There's no good reason I shouldn't. So I shall. Next thing I know I'll be buying a helmet, armored jacket, gloves...the like, oh!, and a bike, too!

Hey fellas, how much should I expect to pay for insurance on a beginner bike like a Ninja 250, 500, Buell Blast, that type? I've been thinking maybe I should start off with a cruiser. I'd like to use Nate's, if he'd ever get the thing functional again. I know Red found an awesome deal. I could afford something like that by next month's paycheck.

I've been seein' a bunch of bikes out on the road. A guy on an Aprilla (sp?) passed by me today. He did a wheelie just after he passed me. I just 'bout went bizzerk with craze. It's amazing how a machine like that can be such a turn on. ;)

Haircut!

So here I am folks! 12 inches of hair lighter! I donated 10" of it to Locks of Love. I wasn't planning on cutting off this much, but the lady said that the donation required at least 10", so I went ahead and did it. I like it. The weight lifted from my head feels really good. I got a bit of a headache when she cut it off because of the drastic difference. Anyhow...here I am! I love having my curls back.

Now for something much more interesting.

This is MUCH more interesting than the previous post. I know, inquiring minds wanted to know.

This is why I do NOT need a man. I always thought that I would get a man that has a bike that will take me for rides. Well, I'm tired of waiting for him, because what if he doesn't already have one? Then I have to go through the time consuming process of convincing him he needs one and get any notions of a chopper out of his head and more in the mindset of a streetbike. That is just way too long of a wait, especially at the rate I'm going.

So I'm getting my OWN motorcycle! I gotta switch my DL to GA so I can take the course down here and get my license and buy a bike. I'm thinking along the lines of a Ninja 250 or 500 for starters.

I give up.

I just do. That's all for now.

hehe, ummm, hehe

Uh humm. Well now. So there weren't 16 people. There were indeed 18 people...in a two bedroom condo. hehehehe. Amazingly enough everyone was able to take showers at least once a day. It was SO much fun! I really needed this weekend away from everything.

So we drive down Friday. Grill out Friday night. All day Saturday is spent on the beach and in the water. During this time we were attacked by a tent canopy caught in the wind. I got a little bit of a burn that day on my back and chest. While out in the water I saw fish. They had bright yellow tails. Saturday night we went out to eat at The Crab Trap. I ordered a Sex on the Beach. It was pretty good, but I liked the one Stephen made for me better.

Sunday we spent our second day on the beach and in the water. We had a water gun fight, that is until the people next to us complained about getting wet. I found that bizarre considering they were sittin' on a beach next to a large body of water in a swimming suit. Odd, I know. Sunday afternoon we all got showers then went outlet shopping. That was fun as well, however I didn't buy anything. Stephen stayed home and cooked for us. He made stuffed chicken. Some were stuffed with crab meat, and others were stuffed with peaches and apples. He also grilled asparagus, and made rice. All this to say, we ate really really well.

Sunday night the rain that had been forcasted all weekend came. So five of us decide to be special, you know, the short bus kind, and go out to play in the rain. It was a bit colder than expected, however we discovered that the swimming pool water was warm. So we all jump in. We're thinkin' that with the lightning, it wasn't the smartest idea to be in the swimming pool, so we run to go splashin' around in the Gulf of Mexico. Brilliant! It gets cold again, so we run back to the pool disregarding the thought earlier of it not being a good idea. After a few minutes in the pool warming back up, the storm starts picking up, and the thought reoccurs to us that we shouldn't be in the pool during a lightning storm. So we get out and rinse off in the outdoor showers...in the rain. Lovely. Anyhow, so then we go back inside and get real showers and then stay up and talk forever and get up in time to drive back home on Monday.

Memorial Day Weekend

Well, folks, I'm heading off to Destin, FL, tomorrow morning. So I shan't be postin' much, not that I have been anyhow.

Every year the cell group from my church I attended in Chattanooga goes to Destin. I went 2 years ago. I had a blast. We rent a condo for the weekend and pack as many in it that want to go. This year there will be 16! 9-10 girls and 6-7 boys.

With this many to split the bill with, the trip can be quite inexpensive. Two years ago it was $75 + one meal in a restaurant. That included food, room, and gas.

We drive, swim, eat, sleep, play sand volleyball, sit in the sun, shop, drink, and make multiple runs to the package store. It's a blast. Every once in a while we must cook and clean up, but we share those duties, too.

So life ain't half bad. I'm VERY much looking forward to the fun. I just bought 6 waterguns, so we can fight.

We're takin' my Rodeo down there. My sister, The Whiskey Girl, is awesome. She borrowed my truck to help move stuff around because she's watchin' over Titan while I'm gone, and before she returned my truck to me, she picked up all my junk in there and vacuumed the interior. I plan on runnin' through a car wash on the way out tomorrow, so we're smooth sailin' in a fine lookin' truck. It's awesome when all the chrome gets a chance to shine. Two years ago, the trip to Destin was my Rodeo's maiden roadtrip. We're happy to get to go again.

I hope all y'all get to have as fine a weekend as I plan on havin'.

Gun and Knife Show!!!

There is a Gun and Knife Show at the Gwinnett Co. Fair Grounds today and tomorrow. Me and Nate are going and maybe Whiskey Girl, too, if we can convince her there are enough adults left here to take care of the four youngin's. This is gonna be fun.

UPDATE:
It sucked royally. It was a shack with like fifteen people inside. Nate and I didn't even bother to get out of the truck. Oh well, we tried.

How irritating.

You know that cardinal rule to driving? "No cop; don't stop." Well, this no longer the case. There is now an intersection in Atlanta that I will from now on avoid. It's the crossing of Peachtree Industrial Boulevard and Pleasant Hill Drive, near Gwinnett Place Mall. There are now cameras at the intersection that photograph license plates as they pass under the traffic light. I was doing business at the bank, and there was another lady there that was telling everyone about these cameras. She got a ticket for over $100.00 for passing under a red light by 1/32 of a second beyond the yellow light.

We can kiss judgement calls goodbye. Our reflexes will now have to be superhuman. And now there will be more accidents because not everybody is aware of said cameras and will assume that the person ahead will go through the yellow, this IS Atlanta, after all.

A miseducated youth.

I remember when I was in elementary school we studied the Civil War. I learned that it was over slavery and that the South was inhabited by immoral rebels. What's sickening is that I learned this in a school in Manchester, Tennessee, IN THE SOUTH. But what's even worse is that I believed it because it was what the school said. History is fact, right? You just can't go back in time and change history. Or can you?

I can testify that the re-education of the South has been successful. I grew up thinking that the North was right, and it was a good thing that the North won. I remember actually stating that I was glad that the North had won. When we watched videos in school, they had me trained to cheer for the Yankees. They taught me in the South, people didn't believe that blacks had souls and that they abused their slaves. The North was our saving grace. They trained me to be ashamed of being a Southron, ashamed of who I am.

Then came along Nate. Nate had been enlightened about the War of Northern Aggression. He then tried to open my eyes to the deception. But you know what? It never really sank in until this past Fall when I read a documentary by some very pissed off authors, the Kennedys. Their book is called The South Was Right! I read it while I sat and watched my students on the playground during recess in Cali, Colombia. I would read this, and then it would have me fuming because the deception was being revealed, and the people around me wouldn't understand because they didn't know US History.

So it is finally sinking in, and it's pissin' me off. I came to understand that this isn't just a thing of the past. It is still very present today. It even got to little ol' insignificant me! Nothing makes me angrier than to learn that I've been decieved and taken advantage of. I see how the torture and the pain that my ancestors felt of their rights and freedoms being yanked out of their reach is still happening to us today. I think it's even worse today than it was back then. I mean think...not only are we being raped and plundered, but we're believing that it is the right and moral way to go. I shudder to think of how far this will go until it changes.

And people wonder why I'm a bit of a recluse that hates the public.

Let be heard now that I am damn proud to be a Southron, born and bred, and I shall never be ashamed of my heritage again.

This is so bizarre...

This is bizarre because it is actually accurate, and it got these results by asking me questions about animals! Go figure.

The Keys to Your Heart

You are attracted to those who are unbridled, untrammeled, and free.

In love, you feel the most alive when things are straight-forward, and you're told that you're loved.

You'd like for your lover to think you are loyal and faithful... that you'll never change.

You would be forced to break up with someone who was emotional, moody, and difficult to please.

Your ideal relationship is lasting. You want a relationship that looks to the future... one you can grow with.

Your risk of cheating is zero. You care about society and morality. You would never break a commitment.

You think of marriage as something precious. You'll treasure marriage and treat it as sacred.

In this moment, you think of love as something you thirst for. You'll do anything for love, but you won't fall for it easily.

http://www.blogthings.com/keystoyourheartquiz/

Another reason I need a man...

One other reason I need a man is for the manual labor. I'm workin' on furnishing my new place that I got upon return from Colombia and have been buying furniture. Unfortunately, I'm having to move all this furniture in by myself. It was not a pretty picture this past Thursday. I just went to the Bombay Company, and purchased 11 items. All were heavy, and all were difficult to get up the many stairs, being that I live in a townhouse. Fortunately they're still in boxes, so I can "slide" them up the stairs, but even that doesn't work that well. It was a step by step process. But, being that they're in boxes, it means that they still require a bit of assembly, so that means a little more work. Fortunately the one that I've already assembled, a rolltop desk, was already partially assembled before being packed for shipment.

I have GOT to ge a man to help me with this stuff. By the way, Nate, while you're staying with me in a couple weeks, you're helping me move a desk downstairs. The desk can no longer remain in the dining room area being that I now have a dining room table, still lacking chairs though, but I'm getting to 'em. I've already spotted which ones I want to buy, but I've not had time to go get 'em since I decided on 'em.

When I get done decorating, I'm gonna HAVE to post pictures. I'm going to have put a lot of effort into it.

Seduction...

Your Seduction Style: The Natural

You don't really try to seduce people... it just seems to happen.Fun loving and free spirited, you bring out the inner child in people.You are spontaneous, sincere, and unpretentious - a hard combo to find!People drop their guard around you, and find themselves falling fast.

http://www.blogthings.com/seducerquiz/

A favorite song...

The Mississippi Squirrel

Well, when I was a kid I'd take a trip every summer down the Mississippi
To visit my granny in her antebellum world
I'd run barefooted all day long climbin' trees free as a song
And one day I happened to catch myself a squirrel
Well, I stuffed him down in an old shoe box, punched a couple of holes in the top
And when Sunday came I snuck him into Church
I was sittin' way back in the very last pew showin' him to my good buddy Hugh
When that squirrel got loose and went totally berserk
Well, what happened next is hard to tell
Some thought it was heaven others thought it was hell
But the fact that something was among us was plain to see
As the choir sang "I Surrender All" the squirrel ran up Harv Newlan's coveralls
Harv leaped to his feet and said, "Somethin's got a hold on me", Yeow!

Chorus:
The day the squirrel went berserk
In the First Self-Righteous Church
In the sleepy little town of Pascagoula
It was a fight for survival that broke out in revival
They were jumpin' pews and shoutin' Hallelujah!

Well, Harv hit the aisles dancin' and screamin'
Some thought he had religion others thought he had a demon
And Harv thought he had a weed eater loose in his Fruit-Of-The-Looms
He fell to his knees to plead and beg and the squirrel ran out of his britches leg
Unobserved to the other side of the room
All the way down to the amen pew where sat Sister Bertha better-than-you
Who'd been watchin' all the commotion with sadistic glee
But you should've seen the look in her eyes
When that squirrel jumped her garters and crossed her thighs
She jumped to her feet and said "Lord have mercy on me"
As the squirrel made laps inside her dress
She began to cry and then to confess to sins that would make a sailor blush with shame
She told of gossip and church dissension but the thing that got the most attention
Was when she talked about her love life and then she started naming names

Chorus

Well seven deacons and the pastor got saved,
Twenty-five thousand dollars was raised and fifty volunteered
For missions in the Congo on the spot
Even without an invitation there were at least five hundred rededications
And we all got baptized whether we needed it or not
Now you've heard the bible story I guess
How he parted the waters for Moses to pass
Oh the miracles God has wrought in this old world
But the one I'll remember 'til my dyin' dayIs how he put that Church back on the narrow way
With a half crazed Mississippi squirrel

Chorus

Snag-a-man

So, say I've found a guy that embodies everything I want, but I don't think he notices me that much. What can a girl do to grab a guy's attention and get him to see her potential? How does a girl lure a guy into wanting a relationship?

So guys: How were you caught?

Gals: How did you catch your man?

Relationship

For all you people out there with more experience than I have, which isn't saying much:

1. What is the difference between settling and allowing him to not be perfect?

I have the impression that it is a fine line, and if I cross it, then I'd better come to terms with it fast or I'll be miserable. I recognize that I'm not going to find perfect. I don't deserve perfect because I'm not perfect. But I also don't want to settle with someone who won't honor me or cherish our relationship. And with the way society is raising these so-called "men", the outcome isn't looking good. (Society's version of "women" today sucks, too.) I guess I'm just starting to doubt that the good men won't recognize me because of the jaded point of view because of all the "today's women" that they encounter. I've read that there is this "Men, Stay Single!" push out there now because so many people have been allowed to want what is bad for them. I don't think that staying single is going to solve the problem. I believe that we should recondition ourselves and what we look for in a mate. We need to look at what has worked in the past. Find people celebrating their 60th anniversery. Shoot, nowadays, finding a couple celebrating their 15th is a feat in and of itself. We need to learn what it means to be sacrificial, to put others' needs before our own, but also know how to not be walked over.

I say all this because I don't want to settle for an effeminite guy who thinks he's becoming what women want by getting in touch with his feelings. I don't want to settle for a guy without integrity or honor. But then, I come back to the question of where is the line between settling and allowing him to not be perfect? Is it okay if he can't get along with my family? I've experienced the heartache that can cause. Is it okay if he doesn't agree with a gun in the house? I mean, where's the line?

B. What is the difference between expecting change and expecting growth?

I know it isn't right to try to change a person, as much as it isn't right for someone to expect me to change for them. And I recognize the difference between adjusting to a person and changing for a person. I guess a lot of why I don't understand this is because I don't understand men. I grew up in a household with a mom and 3 sisters. That's it. My dad was absent, and I never lived with brothers. People tell me men are simple to understand, but it's not that easy when I'm struggling to figure out the women I've lived with. I think my biggest problem is that I've not had a MAN to be around and learn what it really means to have a man in my life to where I could recognize one when I see one. So what are the differences between a boy and a man, and a loser and a man?


Sorry about the bit of a lecture in there, but I'm discouraged. It seems that when I think I've found someone that is a good guy, he doesn't recognize me or he's all about being single. And then someone who I don't think is going to turn out to be my type does ask me out because I can already see signs of how he assumes all women want the "sensitive" type.

I want a man who will be a man. A man who is willing to be responsible as the head of the house. A man who has integrity, honor, valor, courage, determination, wisdom, and patience. I understand that I'm not going to find all that in a young man. But I'm uncertain what to look for that shows signs of these to be grown into.

Okay, with this, I will leave it up to y'all to comment or leave me with bits of wisdom and discernment.

Links!

I'm so proud of myself right now. I know nothing of this linkage stuff, and somehow I was able to figure it all out by simply copying and pasting in my template. So now Nate can no longer complain about not being able to link to other sites from mine, and having to use the "Back" button, 'cause you know it's such an imposition. But anywho. I'm really proud of myself for figgurin' it out! So y'all have fun surfin'!

Carrot emergency

That's all I remember. I cooked for my mom's dinner party that was last night. There were 12 people there. The menu was pretty good:

chicken casserole
sour cream mashed potatoes
steamed carrots
green beans with almonds
baby spinach salad with poppy seed dressing
homemade dinner rolls
sweet mint iced tea with half an orange slice in it
coconut cream and keylime pies (bought)

Well, it all turned out well, except the carrots. Everything was ready to go, and the dang carrots were still sitting in the steamer and hard. It's funny. Two of the ladies that were there both gave me tips on how to cook carrots. And one of them who writes books on social graces fixed the table b/c I had it set wrong. I thought it looked pretty, which I thought was all that counted, but apparently I was wrong, again. In the end, all the guests gave me a round of applause for a "job well done", cheesy, I know, but it made me feel appreciated. The evening was a success as far as my part was concerned.

This doesn't work.

I keep checking this blog, and for some reason the site owner isn't keeping it updated. I look at it almost everyday, and Darlin' Joy just doesn't seem to add anything. Weird.

Flashback from hell

I had a moment of panic today. I was taking a shower and all of a sudden the water got cold! I thought "Oh no, this isn't supposed to happen here! The hot water heater must have blown out. I'm in the United States of America now! This only happens in Colombia!" Then I turn around and notice that I had knocked the handle to COLD. Whew! That was a close one!

It's about time!

Finally! I figured out the secret...girls, listen up! If ya wanna get asked out, go get your oil changed.

I'm about to head up to Nate and Julie's, so I needed to get my truck serviced. I always go keep an eye on what they're doing to my truck, so I also get to chat with the mechanics in the garage. While I was standing there, the mechanic and I struck up a conversation, Alex is from Mexico and studying ESL so you can see the connection. Another mechanic came up and started givin' him a hard time, so Alex told him to go away 'cause he was tryin' to get "hooked up". Funny. Well...my truck was done, so I say bye to Alex and go in to pay.

Afterwards I'm walking out to my truck, and one of the guys from behind the counter is also walking out to pull another car into the garage. He stops me and asks since I just moved down here, if I came to be near a man, or if a man came with me. I say no. He then asks if I like men. I say, well, I'm not a lesbian. He gets bright red 'cause he meant if I was heartbroken and angry. He then asks if I want to go get coffee. I ask, "well, first, what's your name?" He got embarrassed again because he had forgotten to introduce himself. Turns out his name is James.

Well, just about when James is as red as he can get Alex, notices what's going on, and pokes his head out the garage and yells, "Yo Alex, tu novia's on line 1!" which means his girlfriend's on line 1. Poor guy...I started feelin' sorry, so I gave him a break and let him go back inside with permission to call me sometime.

It had been so long since I'd been asked out, that I almost forgot how to react and what to say!

Change the subject!!

This picture is to serve as evidence that this actually happened. For some reason my phone wasn't charging. I just figured it was my car charger wasn't working properly. So that night I plugged it in by my bed to let it charge overnight. I woke up in the morning to the smell of battery juice. I checked out the phone, it was VERY hot, and it turned on just long enough to say that the battery needed charging. I took off the battery to preserve what little was left hoping to be able to salvage my phone book. When I popped open the back, it was stuck. I pried it open and discovered The Hole. Apparently there was a short in the charging connections in the phone, and it heated up so much that it burned a hole into the battery and the phone! That afternoon, I bought a new phone.

Something stupid...

Have you ever...

(x) snuck out of the house
(x) gotten lost in your city
(x) seen a shooting star
(x) been to any other country besides Canada
( ) had a serious surgery
(x) gone out in public in your pajamas
(x) kissed a stranger - one time I missed while greeting with a kiss in Colombia...oops!
(x) hugged a stranger
( ) been in a fist fight
( ) been arrested
( ) done drugs
(x) had alcohol
(x) laughed and had milk/coke come out of your nose
(x) pushed all the buttons on an elevator
( ) made out in an elevator
( ) kicked a guy where it hurts
(x) been to a casino
( ) been skydiving
( ) broken a bone - does fracturing or chipping count?
( ) been high
( ) skinny-dipped
(x) skipped school
( ) flashed someone
( ) done the splits
( ) played spin the bottle
( ) gotten stitches
( ) drank a whole gallon of milk in one hour
(x) bitten someone - I bit Dr. Who in the stomach when we were kids, I don't remember it.
( ) been to Niagara Falls
(x) gotten the chicken pox
(x) crashed into a friend's car - barely tapped the bumper, no damage
( ) been to Japan
(x) ridden in a taxi - One time our taxi wrecked in Colombia
(x) been dumped
(x) shoplifted - when I was like 4, and mom made me return the items
( ) been fired
(x) had feelings for someone who didn't have them back
( ) stole something from your job
(x) gone on a blind date
( ) had a crush on a teacher
( ) celebrated mardi-gras in new orleans
( ) been to Europe
( ) seen someone die
( ) been to Africa
(x) driven over 400 miles in one day - 36 hours straight driving from Mexico to Atlanta.
(x) been to Mexico
(x) been on a plane
( ) seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) thrown up in a bar
(x) set a part of yourself on fire - I lit my hair on fire blowing out my 21st birthday candles!
( ) eaten sushi
( ) been snowboarding
( ) met someone in person from the internet
( ) been moshing at a rock show
( ) been to a moto cross show
( ) lost a child
(x) attended an university
(x) graduated from an university
( ) done hard drugs
( ) tried killing yourself
(x) taken painkillers
(x) had someone cheat on you - well, one guy lied to me about the status of his previous g/f.
( ) cheated on someone

CAMMO ELI!!!!!

Where is he?? I don't see him!

Picture of Elijah John!!!

This is Elijah John! Isn't he adorable...reminds me an aweful lot of his father!

Love at first sight...

You know, I never believed in love at first sight...that is until I saw my sister's first child. At that very moment I fell in love. That child had all the love I have to offer. And now, I have four of these children to love with all my heart, for Elijah John was born tonight at 11pm exactly. 7lbs, 3 oz. 20". full head of dark curly hair. Dr. Who is doing great and is blessed with another son.

Better pic

This is me tonight...I'm tired, so don't be too judgemental.

I have a life...sue me.

So what have I been up to? I've been changing diapers. My two nieces are here visiting for Easter weekend. I've had the joy and priviledge of helping take care of them. I love getting to spend time with them and acting goofy and getting them to laugh...which incidentally isn't that hard.

For some reason I've noticed that everything I do with my nieces require a sound affect from me. Why is that? Pick them up...silly noise. Fill their juice cup...silly noise. Change the diaper...silly noise. Any of you parents out there got any ideas why I just can't stop myself?

Haircut!

While in Michigan, I chopped off about 10 inches of my hair and now I also have bangs!

Well, though it be true, the change is not obvious for the 10 inches came in layers, so the length is still two thirds way down my back, and the bangs come down to below my chin.

Security? I think it's just craziness

I heard on the radio today that in a couple weeks, I think, the airlines will no longer be allowed to permit passengers to bring cigarrette lighters on board the planes. This is just getting ridiculous.

Long absence

Sorry about being out of touch for so long. Nate keeps getting on to me to rejoin the 21st century and get internet at my home again. We're still in the process of flip-floppin' houses. I'm about to take off to Grand Rapids to visit my college roommate for a week. When I get back I'll get right on to getting the cable hooked up. Until then...sorry, again.