And so ANOTHER Obsession Begins...

I was up WAY too late (4am!) reading a Disney Alice/Hatter ship fanfic. Now I'm just lost in this little fairly land can't focus. I want to read more!

PS. As stated on here before, we shouldn't punish for being rich. Nor should we take from what is rightfully theirs & give to those who haven't earned it.

Question for the populace angry about tax cuts for the wealthy: if they EMPLOY everybody, how do you think they'll make up the $ they lose? Lemonade stands?

My friend Kristie thinks it's weird I stay friends with my ex boyfriends (only 2 of the 4 really). Sometimes I agree. They're nice guys, but they're weird. LOL

Gobble Gobble

Happy Thanksgiving! Be glad you're not a turkey! I'm grateful for friends & family like you! :)

Yes, it's rude to finish her sentences. It's also rude to cut in line & make me re-endure the same conversation I heard her have with you on Monday & last week.

Overheard: He's like a dervish. (A what?) Y'know that little mammal in New Zealand that spins around. Wzzz wzzz. They made that cartoon. #fb

Ch-ch-ch-changes

Tomorrow (or really today now) I embark on a new journey at church. I have been the Primary Chorister (singing time leader for children 3-11) for just over 2 years. That means I've survived 3 programs, 3 pianists (one of them twice), gained friends, watched others move away and a whole passel of kidlets. I had them sing this year's "anthem" for me one last time last week and started sobbing 3 lines in. I honestly think it was the best they'd sung it all year. The little ones looked a bit freaked out because how often do you see adults cry like that? It was time for a change, but I'm still gonna miss the little buggers.

Tomorrow/today I start as the Beehive advisor (girls 12 & 13). I'm very excited for this group. I've been told they're the biggest class of teens in our ward (congregation). For you non-LDS folk (if there even are really), we separate our boys and girls for usually the last hour of church (they still attend Sunday School together, and yes, we have 3 hours of church). In those groups we separate them again into 2 year blocks. So I have the youngest ones girls, fresh out of Primary. Because I've served in our ward so much in Primary I know all of the girls already somewhat. No new names really, but I get to get to know them much better now.

This change has inspired me to try and take my personal spiritual growth more seriously. I've always had a testimony of the gospel and never really questioned it. It has always made sense to me. I know some may find that to be a bit gullible or naive to just take, but I've had enough good experiences in my life and felt a closeness to my Savior enough that I've never really doubted. I guess it's just been a blessing in my life that way.

This really goes against most of what people would normally expect of me. I'm very sarcastic and can be rather crude if the situation allows. I need to work on that more. I feel like I'm going to have to be a better person so that I may be a better example to my girls now. This may be the change I needed to give myself a kick in the butt.

Until then, I'm giving a chastity lesson for my first run. Greeeaaat. Wish me luck!

You Know If...

*Paaarrppp!*

Me: (teasingly) Niiiiice.
Him: You know you're just jealous.
Me: Of your gas passing capabilities?
Him: Yup!
Me: Oh yeah. Totally. *giggle*

And then you giggle and run off to blog it because you haven't updated in awhile, it's kinda late and you JUST WANT TO SHARE!

So...

We have established that we're an old married couple that has no problem passing and discussing gas. And yet, we're still immature enough to make giggly jokes about it.

Yup. I married the right one for me!

My Poor Honey

So, I got up this morning, and Matt, yet again, was sleeping on the couch. I snore (but he GRINDS HIS TEETH!!!), and he goes to bed later than I do so it's hard for him to get to sleep when I go first. I'm a MUCH heavier sleeper than he is. He was snoring and then hiccuping in-between each breath.

Inhale. Exhale. Hiccup. Repeat.

Not just any hiccup, but the body jarring, painful kind. They were LOUD and I have no idea how he was sleeping through them. By the time I grabbed the camera and got it going, he had slowed down some, but believe me when I tell you that it was EVERY BREATH he took for awhile there.

I need a nap!

That is my gorgeous niece on her daddy's shoulder (Matthew's brother Aaron). Her younger brother got blessed today. Her cousin had her first birthday party yesterday. Miss Maggie is partied out! It was WAY past her nap time when I took this photo and she'd been having a rough time for a little while by then. Fortunately for me though, she finally held still long enough for me to get this shot of her. I love this girl!

I'm doin the 365 project!

Here's my photo for the day!


I'm so excited to try this out this year. I've been meaning to do it for awhile, but keep forgetting to start on a memorable date. So here we go!

I brought Eggbert to work because I was so happy to have him again. I took him to my friend's house last night... or so I thought! I got there and he wasn't in my purse! I was tempted to go right home and find him right then, but I was trying to go walking and be "healthy" so I stayed. I just kept hoping that I didn't lose him with less than 24 hours from when I finished him, because then I'd be a BAD egg mommy! :) He wasn't lost as it turns out, just naughty. He'd "jumped" out of my purse before I even left home. I found him chilling next to the couch when I got back.

I brought him into work to "meet" my other toys (always a child, even now, I blame the geek in me for still playing with collectible toys). That's Violet (armadillo), Rosy (gecko) & Peach back there. I'll really have to grow up someday, but for now I'm enjoying my childish moments.

I used to have a bunch more of the LPS toys, but I gave them to my sister-in-law's niece on her family's side. I kept my turtles and iguana from before, gave my sisters each one (Roxanne was going on her mission, so I gave her a little friend to keep nearby as they're small). Roxanne now has my girl monkey and Kate has my hermit crab. I've since bought Kate another hermit crab and I saw a really cute monkey to send Roxanne for Christmas. I need to buy it soon. Kate is also getting another LPS from me for her birthday in October. It was so cute, I had to grab it. It fit in well with a conversation we'd had about particular animals. I won't say anymore on the off-chance that she actually pops in here and reads my blog (not likely, but I'm not saying anymore). I'm sure I'll eventually take photos of my bale of turtles for the project. They were favorite subjects of mine before I fell off the radar here (thank Facebook).

Eggbert!

So... in attempt to get back to my blogging about crafting roots, I decided that I needed to actually CRAFT. So I picked up an unfinished project...

Meet Eggbert...
Matthew says he looks like an onion more than an egg. :( Not bad for my first amigurumi project if you ask me! He may be a bit lumpy, but he was mostly for practice anyway. My crochet technique isn't consistent really yet, but I'm getting there.

I found Eggbert's pattern via Owlishly's blog. She makes all kinds of cute dolly patterns to sell in her Etsy store. I've bought her ballerina and little girl patterns and because she thought she took too long to email me the files, she threw in a pattern for her snowflake girl. She REALLY did get back quickly though, within 24 hours, but I wasn't going to turn away a cute and free pattern. They're all really cute! If you see one on her blog that she doesn't have listed on her Etsy, she'll re-list it for you so you can grab it. Her blog also has several free patterns, including Eggbert (she calls them Huevitos).

Next I think I'm going to attempt her hearts (also free on the blog). I just want to do one more simple pattern before I jump into a harder one. Lemme know if any of you jump on in and try a pattern out!

It's demoralizing to see HOURLY people get paid 8 hours when they leave for the day at 9 am. I work, on average, an extra 2.5 hrs a week without OT pay.

Not perfect, but getting better

Wow. Just looked at my blog archive. I haven't posted much of anything the last 2 1/2 years really. I really place blame on Facebook & Twitter. Pixie Powered... what? Ha ha. We'll work on it. I think I averaged 1 1/2 posts per month last year. I'm just under 2 a month right now. Let's see if we can get it up to 3 by December. :)

I think part of it all is that I feel like nothing new is going on. I'm not even in school to discuss any more. We just run around with our crazy friends a lot and I constantly forget to use the camera that still resides in my purse. Gotta work on that one too I guess.

I cleaned up my blog roll to the side (it's just 1 big list again) and removed my archives links and some other link lists. I added a label cloud though. I like those types of visual representations better than an archive. I think the archive just makes me feel guilty.

That's about it for now. See you soon! (Hopefully)

Your Approval is Not Requested

Apparently my "coolness card" was revoked when I told someone that I went to see Eclipse at midnight. This came from another geek. I didn't know we were even allowed to give those out.

I thought the whole point of being a geek was liking what you wanted and not judging. This came from someone who worships 2 guys who write, basically, a gaming blog and plays a virtual version of Magic the Gathering. He met his one of his best friends growing up by figuring out that the other kid ALSO had an older brother that played D&D. They bonded over that. And now play regularly.

Dude, I love you and all, but your "cred" to hand out "coolness cards" is a little lacking. : )

I've found a lot of anti-Twilight resistance out in the geekdom lately. Maybe I'm just sick of feeling like I need to explain why I like it.

The Kindness of Strangers!

I went to go pump my gas today... And promptly locked my keys in the car. Only my ATM card was on me! I had gone inside to ask to use the phone to call Matt (because no one has Slim Jims anymore) and the guy that had been pumping gas next to me said that someone opened it for me!

I walked out and this BIG BEEFY guy had his pick-up pulled up behind me with his wife/girlfriend waving from the front seat. He was closing the toolbox on his truck & my door was open! I just thanked him over & over. He was very nice & said [Judy] had seen me trying to get in & thought I needed help. So I thanked all 3 of them & went off, back to work!

I've been re-auntied! 8 lb. 2 oz. Born at 12:44 a.m. Trena and Milo are both doing well.

I'm in love...

I just LOVE Etsy. Like, I never go on, because that'll be ALL I do that day. I got sucked in via another website today and found Birdz n Beez. They have the CUTEST clockwork jewelry (SO steampunk). And I found an Alice charm bracelet that I refuse to link to... because I want it. Check out their store though... really cute stuff & very creative!

Something else to think about

Before I post this:

• I did not write this. It was sent to me as the usual email fwd usually is.
• I don't know ALL situations referred to, but have heard/know of many of them.
• I'm not claiming GWB was the best president by ANY MEANS (we all know that the best one in the last 50 years was Reagan after all)
• I'm leaving comments closed on this one because it's my blog and if you don't like it, don't read it. I'm not wasting time debating for something that I just found funny.

And now for the interesting point email that I got today...

If George W. was an idiot....

This is an eye opener - we need to pay closer attention to this president.

If George W. Bush had been the first President to need a teleprompter installed to be able to get through a press conference, would you have laughed and said this is more proof of how inept he is on his own and is really controlled by smarter men behind the scenes?

If George W. Bush had spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to take Laura Bush to a play in NYC, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had reduced your retirement plan's holdings of GM stock by 90% and given the unions a majority stake in GM, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had made a joke at the expense of the Special Olympics,would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given Gordon Brown a set of inexpensive and incorrectly formatted DVDs, when Gordon Brown had given him a thoughtful and historically significant gift, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had given the Queen of England an iPod containing videos of his speeches, would you have thought this embarrassingly narcissistic and tacky?

If George W. Bush had bowed to the King of Saudi Arabia, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had visited Austria and made reference to the non-existent "Austrian language," would you have brushed it off as a minor slip?

If George W. Bush had filled his cabinet and circle of advisers with people who cannot seem to keep current in their income taxes, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had stated that there were 57 states in the United States, would you have said that he is clueless?

If George W. Bush would have flown all the way to Denmark to make a five minute speech about how the Olympics would benefit him walking out his front door in Texas, would you have thought he was a self important, conceited, egotistical idiot?

If George W. Bush had been so Spanish illiterate as to refer to "Cinco de Cuatro" in front of the Mexican ambassador when it was the 5th of May (Cinco de Mayo), and continued to flub it when he tried again, would you have winced in embarrassment?

If George W. Bush had misspelled the word "advice" would you have hammered him for it for years like Dan Quayle and "potatoe" as proof of what a dunce he is?

If George W. Bush had burned 9,000 gallons of jet fuel to go plant a single tree on Earth Day, would you have concluded he's a hypocrite?

If George W. Bush's administration had okay'd Air Force One flying low over millions of people followed by a jet fighter in downtown Manhattan causing widespread panic, would you have wondered whether they actually get what happened on 9-11?

If George W. Bush had failed to send relief aid to flood victims throughout the Midwest with more people killed or made homeless than in New Orleans, would you want it made into a major ongoing political issue with claims of racism and incompetence?

If George W. Bush had created the position of 32 Czars who report directly to him, bypassing the House and Senate on much of what is happening in America, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had ordered the firing of the CEO of a major corporation, even though he had no constitutional authority to do so, would you have approved?

If George W Bush had proposed to double the national debt, which had taken more than two centuries to accumulate, in one year, would you have approved?

If George W. Bush had then proposed to double the debt again within 10 years, would you have approved?

So, tell me again, what is it about Obama that makes him so brilliant and impressive? Can't think of anything? Don't worry. He did all this, and more, in his first year as president- so you'll have three years to come up with an answer.

I'm still in shock

My heart hurts for our country. I stayed home from church with a stomach ache... and for the first time today, I actually feel like I'm going to throw up.

We hold these truths

"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness." Declaration of Independence by Thomas Jefferson

Free education is not a right. Free health care is not a right. Both items could technically fall under the 10th Amendment:

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.

But they are not a Creator-given right (or if you don't believe in one/any, it's not a basic human necessity as pointed out by countless philosophers). Therefore, they have no place in our Federal government.

There. I said it.

One may try to argue that they fall under the "pursuit of happiness" clause. And yes, I agree, getting an education and having health care falls under that. BUT, that line is only saying that we have the right to go after those things. Not that we HAVE TO be GIVEN them. See the distinction?

The only thing this country is obligated to give me is life, liberty and the freedom to chase my dreams. Because THAT is the true American dream.

I'm not guaranteed to actually BE happy. I'm not guaranteed a car, house, job, marriage, education, white picket fence, food, money or anything else. I'm guaranteed the freedom it takes to go out and get a job, work for those things, pay for those things and try to enjoy the new advantages that those things I've worked for now give me.

That being said, another great American said something that needs to be repeated over and over these days. We've become a greedy nation. A nation with it's hand out, demanding a job, demanding money for food, for education, for doctors (for free!). Franklin and Jefferson didn't have those things given to them, why should I? They've done more for my life and everyone else in this country than any of us have ever, could ever, do for them. So to you out there, demanding that the government gives us these things I repeat back to you:

And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country. President John F. Kennedy

Post Secret this week

That's okay. Feel superior all you want. I'm secure with being Right. Oh, and I can spell Democrat AND Republican.

Alice in Wonderland

It was everything I could have hoped for. I melted into the world that Tim created. Sucked into the music by Danny and just melted at the latest outcast that Johnny portrayed. Of all the previous Burdelfman movies I've seen, this may be my favorite.

Recap:
Edward Scissorhands (1990): May have been arguably my favorite previously, since it was the first. A modern-day fractured fairytale. A Frankenstein for an 80s world. *sigh*

Sleepy Hollow (1999): Another beloved movie of mine. I love Tim's spin on "period piece" and let's be honest, Christopher Walken? What isn't there to love?

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005): I don't care what anyone says, THIS is the Willie Wonka I wanted when I first saw Gene Wilder's version. GW does a great job, but Johnny is king. This version also put back in the squirrels that I loved so much... the geese were just sad.

Corpse Bride (2005): Venturing back into stop-motion animation after 12 years for Tim and Danny. They added in Johnny and came up with a cute movie. While I liked it a lot, it was easily the weakest of the (now) five.

Alice in Wonderland (2010): Wow. I saw it last night and I'm still floating from the afterglow. It's my favorite children's story (followed VERY closely by Harry Potter... like millimeters). I did a full report on it for my children's literature class based off the top of my head. I'm obsessed with that poor, confused little girl. This movie just sucked me into it's story and I basked in the score, the art design, the characters, the vision.

I cannot say it enough: Thank you Tim, Johnny & Danny. Your wonderful streak continues. The wait was well worth it.

Name Abbreviations

In high school, my girlfriends all had shortened 3-letter nicknames. Meg, Mia, Dot, Bob, Kim, Dez, Jen, Shy, Bon... you get the idea. We all thought it looked cute written out that way. I dunno why, but we did.

Now, all my name shorthand seems to be based on couples. Only if they're funny. Matthew's whole family has a set: M&M, T&A, S&M, A&M and H&M. Trena and Aaron are the weirdos with no M, but their children will shortly become M&M Minis. Once they have more or Matthew and I have kids, I'll be taking that one back.

Assorted married friends include: PJ, The SS, J&B and A-Ha. Can you think up one for you? Or guess who you are?

Am I weird?

Gut instinct says a resounding "Yes!" but this is a specific question.

I don't remember my dreams very often, bit I usually remember WHO was in them if it's someone I know. And when I have celebrities in them its a total tame thing. I really can only clearly remember 2 celebrities even showing up. Johnny Depp did about 2 years ago, and Nathan Fillion has featured a lot lately.

When Johnny showed up, I was totally star struck & couldn't talk to him really. He was very cool and personable and just an all around nice guy (which I've heard before in the real world). There was a play at church or something and he was helping out (?).


Nathan Fillion is that "ruggedly handsome" goofball he plays in Castle & Firefly. In those dreams I had run into him at this crazy 100 story hotel that seems to be the center of my dreams lately. I've never been there before or seen it on TV or movies so I'm fairly its a composite of several places or totally made up in my head. Anyway, this hotel always has a lot of weird stuff happening in it. I cant remember particulars but I feel like its a TV series crossed between Indiana Jones and the TV show Las Vegas. Nathan has been randomly popping up to help out on various adventures. He showed up again during my nap and we discussed Twitter. Not only was he aware of me following him, but he had visited my Twitter page a few times.

Who dreams that? Talk about a dork! Most people have "fantasy" dreams. My celebrity crushes turn out to be normal people, and we just chill. Whatever. I still don't wanna wake up from them. :D

I'm Only Happy When It Rains

You know that song by Garbage? Yeah, I've always joked that it was about me, but now I'm really beginning to wonder. I have felt so uninspired lately. Ideas come, but I lack the enthusiasm to start projects. NOW, when it's pouring like it hasn't since I was in high school, all I wanna do is craft. I've got all these awesome ideas whirling around in my head with no where to go. I'm going to be a crafting maniac!