It's All About the Blog Bling

Just when I was comfy in my sweats I remembered I have an awards events to hostess. I dragged my Dolce & Gabbana gown in a lovely navy blue out of my closet along with my silver Monolo Blahnik dress sandals, called my hair and make up person and here I am, looking almost identical to the picture above. DAYAM! I'm hawt, aren't I? (See I told you folks I look nothing close to my age!!! )

My close pal Eileen from A Life Full of Triggers gave me this lovely award.

This is an award given to bloggers who think and consider what they blog about. I would like to hand out this award to Liv at madness, madness I say!
Andria at Boy Crazy
Sara at Surburban Oblivion

Summer at Summer's Nook

Allie at The Ramblings of Allie

Zubli Zainordin gave me TWO awards

and I'd like to spread the blog love to:

Reggie at I'm Always Mentally On Vacation (Yes ya'll get two awards for the price of one!!!)
Kate at One More Thing
NTE at Never That Easy
Flutter at Flutterby Me Garden
WonderMom at Wondermom

Polliwog's Pond honored me by giving me the Break Out Blogger award, and now I get to pass the first of the new badges on to some of you! I’m going to choose five bloggers for the first badge, but you can award either one, not just the one you get, to bloggers of your choice. If you haven’t received one, but would still like to nominate a blogger for them, you can do that too! Just go to the official headquarters for the badges and follow the simple instructions. Now here are my awardees! (Click the blog award, it's a link!)

Award Rules & Instructions1) Display the Best Kept Secret or Break Out Blogger button in a post about the award —- using the special code below. Please do not alter the code, because the button links up to the Awards Page listing both the history and recipients of the award.
2) Give either award to as many bloggers as you choose … and then send them to the Awards Page for the instructions and codes.
“This award casts a spotlight on bloggers who are just beginning to draw lots of attention — the equivalent of a song with a bullet on Billboard’s Top 100 chart. Lotsa good posts. Lotsa good buzz. These bloggers are going places in a hurry.”
Break Out Blogger

Tyler's Triumph

Blooming Marvelous

Hidden Mahala

Huma~B

motherbumper
Award Code for Break Out Blogger Badge:
~~~
“We all have a Best Kept Secret blogger or two we visit regularly — a blogger with great style and wit and warmth who hasn’t been discovered yet. Here’s our chance with this award to say, ‘Wow. Check out this blogger!’”
Best Kept Secret Blogger
Award Code for Best Kept Secret Badge:

This concludes our immense awards presentation for tonight. (blowing kisses to all the bloggers!)

On my way to the after party with Hugh (he's with the band. The band includes Hugh, James Denton, That guy from heros who used to be on Alias...........anyway we gonna be rockin' and rollin' the whole night long!!! ROWR!)

Teenage Heartbreak and Studying for The Long Run

The girl my BBB asked to Homecoming last Saturday changed her mind by Wednesday. My comment to all teenage boys: DO NOT date 15 year old girls, they'll rip your hearts out and laugh as you bleed to death. Why yes, I do remember being 15 as a matter of fact. That is how I know how harsh and selfish and nasty 15yos girls can be. BBB will not be attending the dance and I get to save about $300 dollars. He said he's not messing with any girls again but I know better. Give him six weeks and watch him fall again...........sigh. This is tough on mom's too!!!!

My school week consisted of 4 hours of anatomy lab (woohoo too exciting for words), 3 hours of a&p lecture, 5 hours of algebra lecture(Y_A_W_N), 15 minutes doing the drama quiz where I got 8 out of 8 and homework to be done today, tomorrow, Monday and Tuesday before math class. I have to memorize all anatomy directional terms and the bones(from femur to plantar surface) and their markers(ridges, shallow areas, condyles, epicondyles, linea aspera yaddayaddayadda). I also have some number of algebra homework to start and finish. My math teacher is not what I would dynamic. 2:50 minutes of math twice a week with Professor Snore. I'm a lucky lucky girl.

Rules for My Life

Rules For My Life

I'd like to strangle thank Kate for hitting me up on this meme.

1. Humor is essential for day to day life.

2. Hang on to that temper instead of losing it. The calmer one is dealing with teenagers, the better off one is, because you are not sinking to their level.

3. Believe in yourself and try hard to do your best without compromising every aspect of your life.

4. Letting go is sometimes the correct answer.

5. You can never study too much for Anatomy & Physiology class. Use all resources from flashcards to notes to hands on study of bones and muscles, attend all lectures and labs, do the coloring book and the study guide, finding a study group is an excellent way to review.

6. Algebra is NOT worth having a stroke over.

7. Teenage boys are annoying, ignore this 50% of the time. Take deep breaths the other 50%.

8. You are only as old as your attitude. I'm 28, forever.

9. Your past doesn't have to rule your future.

10. Marriage requires effort from both parties, it's never one sided.

11. Treat others as you wush to be treated.

I'd like to tag Bobbarama and Karl at The Frog Bog.

Heads or Tails: Pet Peeves

It's Heads or Tails Tuesday again. Don't forget to visit Skittles at her site for more wonderful Heads or Tails posts!!

My Top Ten Pet Peeves

1. Erratic drivers who pay no attention to the speed limit and drivers who tailgate the good law abiding citizens such as myself!

2. High school girls who wear inappropriate clothing to school that distracts my son from hearing anything his teachers say.

3. My husband's tendency to let things build up until he explodes or just walks around making hit and run comments that are unfairly nasty.

4. BPB sneaking in and out his window!

5. BBB's rude attitude and tone of voice unless he wants something.

6. The fact that one's metabolism slows down after 40! ARGH!

7. The insanely high housing prices in the Seattle area.

8. People who get in the express line at the grocery store with 15 items too many!!!

9. Network TV's assumption that we're dumb enough to watch reruns 3 or 4 during the seasons.

10. Math classes I am required to take!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

School Daze

Back to class this afternoon. Yeehawwwwwwwwwwwwwwww! I need the break. I've already written out 50 flash cards from the first chapter of my Anatomy and Physiology book. The teacher I have is hard but I am determined to get an A since I'm retaking this for a better grade. I know I'll feel more comfy and knowledgable this year as I've got the basics down and just need to concentrate on the details now. Tomorrow night Algebra 2. A silly grad requirement Drama is an online class about pop culture in film and tv.

19 years ago I as in agonizing back labor and I started hurling at 7am and hurled until after the birth at 6:13pm~he was 7lbs 15oz and the damn kid was sunny side up. I pushed for three hours. I had a terrible headache but I did not know about spinal headaches back then. I thought I had a migraine. I was stupid. It was not a pleasant birth experience. Kid's head was huge. Anyway, I am so not missing being in back labor. Now if I could find a cure for mental illness, this family would be styling!

Live From Seattle, It's Sunday Night

I know I've been whining to you folks about my kids often this summer. Right now I feel so sorry for BPB. He had big plans to go to an under 21 nightclub and got a deal for his friends to get in half price up in Seattle. Instead, he's sound asleep in his bed at 10:30pm. It just hit me that his mental illness and erratic behavior has robbed him of close friends. I am so close to crying. The night before his 19th birthday and he's alone(so to speak).

This was a popular, friendly, bright, ambitious kid until he was 17 and a half years old. I think there were symptoms of grandiosity earlier, there were more signs that he wasn't working in school and he lost his intense fascination of playing baseball. The hypomania showed up in March 2006. I'm not sure who he is anymore. I don't think he knows who he is. It is heartbreaking to realize what his life consists of at the moment. Almost nothing. I think maybe the drinking is to numb pain and maybe to help him sleep. He's self-medicating.

I love this kid with all my heart and it's killing me to watch him screw up his present and his future. He has no real friends. I guess it just hit me and I am so sad. Please if you pray add BPB to your prayers. He needs to find some ability to see his life clearly and understand he has an illness.

Teenage Romance and Teenage Hazards

Yesterday BBB asked his first girl to his first dance, Homecoming. I was invited along since I shelled out the money. Around the corner from where his girl lived he used orange chalk to write HOMECOMING? on the street in huge letters. He also had a dozen peach roses. His friend went to get C. (Oh for crying out LOUD! BBB just had a cow because I accidentally put his English papers in recycle. His binders from last year were on the floor and so was this year's English binder. Now he's accusing me of opening his backpack and taking the binder out blahblahblah. Crap, he's irrational and I'm the one on antidepressants???? OK DEEP breath. It's enough to start me drinking alcohol, ya know?) C. came by and saw the writing on the street and he gave her the roses and they hugged and kissed. How sweet. In 3 weeks I get to pay for a tux, tickets, a coursage, dinner and hopefully that is all.

Any parents who have lived through the teenage years...would you please enlighten me on how you survived? PULEAZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!

BPB turns 19 tomorrow. He's already been out drinking and hanging. Last night he was unable to drive so two girls drive him home and spent the night. I was told they all fell asleep. But he snuck them out his window. His brother knew about this because one of the girls was supposed to come into HIS room and hang out with him!!!! I was awake until after 2am and I still missed all the fun(deeply sarcastic here.) I want to nail his window shut. I have had it. There has to be a way to keep him from climbing out of the window.....w/o compromising fire safety.

BPB is goig to a club tonight and has informed me he will not be home tonight. woohoo. Happy Birthday. :P~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to Avoid Confrontations With Your Spouse

Repost, one of my favs.

Ways to avoid conflicts(and/or meetings) with your spouse...

1. Build a treehouse in the closest grove of trees and go live there for the weekend. Remember to bring blankets and pillows, your laptop(cuz all laptops plug into trees and all trees have wifi!), snacks and drinks. Try not to leave a trail of breadcrumbs unless you want to be found.

2. Act like you have a cold/allergies and your ears are all clogged up and you can't hear any thing! Keep saying "WHUT?", have the tv turned up very loud, fake a cough here and there and yank on your earlobs to try and "clear" your hearing up.

3. Keep your iPod earbuds in your ears at all times! Once again, if you see hubby gesturing just yell,"WHUT?" and point to your ears.

4. SLEEP for 24 hours. No decent man will wake you up just to argue with you. Of he does try to wake you up just scream at him for being so selfish and stomp back to bed and or your car and lay back down.

5. Wake up early and leave a note saying you're spending the day with a friend in need and will not be home until very late. Now go spend the day however you want to.

6. Tell hubby you have a massive project due Monday and spend all day at the library. No man will scream in a library and if they do, the librarians will kick them out!

7. Fake a migraine. Lie in a dark room with ice on your head(and a book & flashlight hidden under your pillow) and moan anytime you hear noise, see light or feel movement.

8. Run away from home, check into the Four Seasons, get a massage in your room and enjoy.

If you have any other ideas please let me know!

One of My Favorite Authors On Earth

Lorna Landvik is one of my very favorite authors. Her books are set mostly in Minnesota and are great stories. Her most popular book is Angry Housewives Eating BonBons and if you haven't read it, I strongly urge you to go get this book. I adored this book. I've reread it, I liked it so much. It's about a group of housewives in the late 1950's who start a book group and what happens to them over the next 25 years. It reminded me of the kind of relationships my mom had when we lived in MI.

Right now I'm reading her latest release The View From Mount Joy. It sucked me in from the first page. This book is written from a male point of view and has wonderful characters, as do all her books.

Patty Jane's House of Curl is another terrific read about two sisters who are very different but love each other very much. I've read this book twice as well. I love a great story.

This is not a paid post. I just wanted to share my love of this author for those of you who read. I own all the books she has written and am now buying her in hardback because I enjoy her books so much. They are very different from most popular fiction and very enjoyable.

Anyone still reading this? I feel like I lost some of my audience in the last month. I know I was a downer. I'm doing better mentally now. School starts Monday and we'll see if I can keep up the daily blogging. My classes are afternoon and evening plus one internet class. I'm jumping for joy that I start Algebra 2 on Tuesday. WOOHOO! I love math.....NOT!!!!

My school year will be a major grind. Math all 3 quarters, repeating anatomy and physiology 205, 206, then I get to take Ochem and biochem spring quarter...pleh. Not a social science class in the bunch....pout, pout. Encouraging comments will be greatly appreciated!!!!!!! I have a feeling this will be my longest year in college ever. I am in my 8th year when you include my 5 years at UCSD that resulted in no degree, but dang, I'm terrific at trivia. So we can't say education is ever wasted.

I start applying to university BSN programs this fall. Not exactly, I apply to the schools as a general undergrad and the nursing schools in January and February. Once I get into a BSN program I believe it's 2.5 more years of undergrad. I think the only person who was an undergrad longer is Zonker from the Doonesbury Cartoons. And he's not real.

Throwback Thursday: Summer 1992

Here we are in the Santa Barbara airport waiting for our flight back to Bellingham.

As you can see by the joyful look on my face, I was ready for my SIL to STOP taking pictures!

BBB would not let go of me!
I'm pretty sure my eyes are closed behind those sunglasses.


BPB being his energetic self!

BBB being the cutest toddler evah!!!

Our first owned home which we moved into on June 30, 1992!

This has been a Throwback Thursday(amazingly similar to my WW posts)
For more great Throwback Thursday posts go to The Pinks and Blues Girls.

Signs You might be...An Old Fogey!

Signs You Might be an OLD Fogey:


1. You get all bent outta shape because a building has gone up in 2 days w/o you noticing until it's done. You drive by, do a classic retake and wonder how the heck you missed that?!!

2. It makes you sad when you realize certain stores have closed down and replaced with an Ebay Store! (BTW, what does one do in an Ebay store?)

3. You cannot make out any lyrics in a rap song except for the nasty epithets.

4. You miss Johnny Carson. (Even the fact you remember Johnny Carson!)

5. Your teenage children point out how "uncool" you are all the time.

6. The first TV your family owned was either a black and white version OR you had to get up and physically change the channel.

7. Gas used to .99 a gallon and darn it, you want that price back now!

8. You find yourself muttering ,"Darn teenage drivers!"

9. You mention how great "some celebrity" is looking to your spouse and then ya realize said celebrity is your age or younger! (Botox is a MIRACLE for some folks.)

10. You miss the days when David Letterman was cutting edge humor.

11. The names of new bands make you wonder what kind of nutjobs are in the music biz nowadays.

12. You use phrases like nowadays! Snort.

13. Your MySpace page never gets any inappropriate comments. :(

14. Facebook, MySpace, Friendster, and Xuqa are completely unrecognizable names.

15. You have no clue what a social utility is. (Speaking as a parent of teen boys you might want to check your child's computer for social utilities...)

16. "Roots" was an original and thought-provoking mini-series the first time you watched it.

17. You can recall when Farrah Fawcett looked GOOD and/or you owned one of her famous posters.

18. Charlie's Angels was a TV show and NOT a movie.

19. Your ever-so-kind 16yo hears one of your favorite songs and lets you know he thinks "The remix of said song is way better!" (Took me awhile to comprehend what a "remix" was. I consider a remix a terrible thing that happens to great music!)

20. You are completely unaware that Painkiller Jane was a TV show on Sci Fi. Worse, you never knew there was a Sci Fi channel!

21. Your kids cannot believe you used to live without a home computer, a cell phone, an answering machine and you never felt deprived.

22. You owned a Walkman cassette player and thought you were so COOL!

23. You still own any cassette tapes or vinyl albums or an 8 track player!

24. Walking everywhere when you were 13 was not a hardship.

25. The first computer you owned was a clunky Apple that did not have a color screen.

(Nearly) Wordless Wednesday

Secret Agent Man without pants..Is he COOL or what?

De Bros~can you feel the love?



Silly Wabbit and Shower Cap Boy

(future stars on the new season of Heros!)


Bathing Beauties~I can hear BPB(the older one) saying I'm the king of the castle......

and you're the dirty rascal!

BBB answers with pacifier in his (yes I know) 3yo mouth~nuh nuh nuh(jeez kid, take that thing out so we can understand you!)

The kids aren't the only silly ones in the family!

wordless wednesday

Heads Or Tails: The Magic Key

This post is for Heads or Tails Tuesday. Skittles(aka Barb) started this event. Please visit her site and finds links to the many other Heads or Tails posts!!

As the mother of two teenage boys, I need a magic key. This key would open my closet of anxieties(in my deep dark mind) and would slay all my worries. I have felt overly stressed and worried for the past several years. Ever since my oldest was sixteen and a half and began sneaking out in the middle of the night. He wasn't too great at sneaking out because we caught him. The problem with catching him is seeing the empty bed and then the worries burst out of my mind closet and start dancing on my LAST Nerve! "Who is he with?Where is he?Is he drinking?Is he with someone we really dislike and is a bad influence?"

My neck tightens up, my blood pressure rises and there goes my night of peaceful sleep. It seems like 24/7 of constant worrying, stress, and anger.

The magic key would open up the secret of where my children are when they are not at home. Since they wander from where they SAY they are going to be, I would love a magic key.

The magic key would also reopen the world of restful sleep to me. I have never slept as deeply since I've had children as I did before I had children. At first I'd awaken at every noise. I was awake for years feeding them every 1-2 hours during growth spurts or illnesses. I got up earlier than my natural biorhythms dictated to get them to school, soccer, baseball, Sunday school, scouts etc. Now when they are teens, they stay up later and decide to cook at 2am(BPB) or play computer games until midnight(BBB) and they wander around more later at night. The magic key would let me sleep as I did when I was a teenager.........soundly, never hearing any noise, deeply dreaming of my future.

The magic key would relieve my anxiety. The magic key would bring back ME!!!

Steel Magnolias

Sunday, February 11, 2007


One of my very favorite movies. These sweet crazy Southern women who are truly the steel that holds the re bar of the family in place. People who aren't married may not realize how often the men defer huge decisions to us. That way if anything goes wrong...............it's our fault.

I know when when we were experiencing the unemployment, birth of our third beautiful son who joined his brothers ages 6 and 4. They always look to me for the mood of the day. They could watch me and see if it would be a relaxing day at home, a day out with goals to accomplish, a happy silly day or even a grumpy day.This put a huge weight upon my shoulders when Brennan got sick and then we learned he would die as an infant. Wow. This was real adult stuff. I did well. I advocated at the hospital for my son. McHub and I traded night at Children's so the older boys would see me. One of us was at the hospital 24/7. I insisted on it. A 6 month old cannot speak up for himself. Being Children's is a teaching hospital I felt my beautiful boy was looked at like a lab rat. So I watched over him like a mother hawk watches over her chicks. Woe to the nurse or doc who would not explain a procedure to me. I needed to feel a modicum control over an out of control situation.

This movie reminds me how awful it is to lose a child at any age. No matter the support you have that child is still dead. It sucks and it hurts and it breaks your heart. It might have broken my soul if I did not have 3 males expecting me to make the decisions in the family.

Time heals. But not completely. Something will always be missing from my life and my heart. I miss him and my mom and my grandma. Growing up comes with loss as people get old but it surprises us each time.I was truly blessed to have my dying son at home for 87 days. I got to care for him, hold him, cry over him and just feel that weight on my chest and shoulders as we rocked together. Nothing sweeter than rocking an infant to sleep.

My life did go on. I am not stuck in 1996. I did what moms do~PTA, drive to baseball, soccer and flag football. Help in my older sons classrooms so we could stay connected. I've always been pretty close to my boys.(junior high years notwithstanding). I still love them and would sacrifice my life for theirs.I miss the simple joys of having an infant and a toddler. Never a day went by with me feeling overwhelming joy and love for them. I don't know of they'll ever understand that being male~but I pray they can feel overwhelming joy with their own children. I miss the simplicity of the problem, the secure feeling when they slept in my bed(with a foot in my face by morning every time). I wish my mom could have seen me with them more and gotten to know them.Even 50 years from now I will remember those baby/toddlers grins with the unrelenting love in them. I wish I could go back and hugs them a few more times...................

If I Had Become a Nun Instead of a Mom....

I was raised Catholic in N.J. and MI, two very Catholic places. We had Good Friday off from school and were supposed to from 1pm-3pm sit inside quietly contemplating Christ's sacrifice for our sins and how painfully He had died on the cross. If you have ever been in a Catholic home on the East Coast you KNOW Jesus had a very terrible death. My grandmother had a lovely(?) painting of Jesus and His crown of thorns with blood dripping down his face and his eyes facing heaven. There was another obligatory painting with the full view of Jesus on the cross with tortured face and blood coming from his feet, hands and side. I read The Nun's Story as a 10 year old and thought the sacrifices nuns made were holy and saintly. For most people who grew up Catholic in the 60's-70's know that the Catholic God was presented(to me) as a harsh unforgiving God, which the sacrifice even more noble.


In my early teens I did think about becoming a nun. Just lately I've been thinking about it again........but in a much different way...

If I Had Become a Nun Instead of a Mom..............

...I would not have any stretch marks!

...I could weigh anything and no one would care!

...I'd be praying somewhere In Africa or Asia instead of sitting here.

...I would have been taught nursing already when I had a young nimble brain, not a Mommy holey brain.

...I would never have any arguments.

...I would have never learned men are pigs!

...I'd still believe love conquers all!

...I'd probably not be online.

...I'd have calluses on my knees.

...I could have spent my life helping others, instead of driving to soccer games, baseball games, psychiatric appointments.

...I'd have no past to regret or mourn.

...I'd still have a wacky sense of humor, I was born with that.

...I would have learned to keep my opinions to myself, something I cannot seem to master.

...I would be kind and gentle instead of cynical and sarcastic.


Today it hard for me to see what I have done that is worthy in my life, somewhere I have made a completely positive impact. I am however living in poverty and chastity! All I need to work on is obedience.

House Marathon/Saturday

glitter-graphics.com

USA Network has 6 hours of House tonight. I'm into my fourth hour. FUN!

Yesterday I read the newest Kathy Reichs book Bones Into Ashes. Reichs is a foresenic antropologist on Charlotte, NC and in Montreal, Canada. This is her tenth book and one of her better books. This book is set in Montreal, which I love as I've been there and has some french phases that add to it's allure. These books have excellent medical, forensic, bones stuff and keeps my A&P on the forefront on my brain.

Next book up will the newest Tess Gerritsen. She's an ex-internist who writes books about a coroner and her police buddy. These are also cutting tech, issues and both protagonists are whip smart and female. I had to order the new on Amazon. Her latest paperback is The Mephisto Club. These books are set in Boston are terrific reads and thrillers.

Happy Birthday Barrett!! I hope it was a good day! Hugs.

Friday Fiction

I'm off reading some new books I found today. I wish everyone a fabulous Friday night!!!!!

Honor and Open House at The High School

My friend and your Zubli Zainordin, who has many blogs and events going on wrote a profile on ME to read it click here.



Zubli is probably the very nicest person I have met on the internet. And I have met many wonderful and caring people here. Zubli loves to makes other happy and have some fun as well!
For everyone on My Blog Log go visit zublizainordin and tell him I said Hi!

Zubli also gave me some awards which I will post about later on this weekend.

OHMIGOSH! I am so radically glad I am not in high school anymore! It was open house tonight at BBB's high school. They have an enrollment of 2500 students so you can imagine the crowd.
All I could think was I am glad I am not in high school anymore. Even though BBB has some great teachers and some good teachers I do not miss the whole scene. I think I heard the phrase Go BlahBlah Team 67932 times in 2 hours.

I do not miss the drama of the hallways. I do not miss wondering if so and so will wave at me or why did that cute guy ignore me. High school is all ME ME ME all the time. I have now seen high school from the parental side and I can honestly say I would never go back.

When you are in high school you don't realize how a HUGE section of the school's population is unknown to you. My high school graduation had about 2000 graduating seniors and I knew maybe 200 of them. I remember looking around and reading the program and wondering who the HECK were these people??

Things I don't miss about high school:

1. Running to get get to my locker and to class on time.

2. The smell of hormones in the air.

3. Teachers who would make fun of students for their own amusement.

4. Getting run over in crowded hallways.

5. Never feeling sure of myself.

6. My 11th grade chemistry teacher who was too touchy-feely.(Gross old fart!!)

7. Feeling like I didn't belong.


Things I do miss about high school:

1. Little kisses at my classroom door from my boyfriend.

2. The thrill of the chase.

3. The triumph of catching your prey!

4. Learning and the excitment I would get from learning new things.

5. Dances!!!!!!!!!!

6. Feeling like I did belong.

7. Some terrific memories!

Throwback Thursday

Shall We Dance?

June 1978

Prom for Senior Class

I'm 16 in this picture. I'm with John, my first love and boyfriend.

A picture John's mom took in their backyard. She was not overly fond of me. Maybe because I hung all over her son! We always had a great time when we were together.

My junior prom 1979. This in Mike. I dated him for about 6 months.




Winter Formal 1979
Lindsey and I dated off/on for 2 years.




We were pretty good friends as well and had tons of fun!






Senior Prom 1980
This is my friend Mark. He lived in another district. I went to his prom because Lindsey was playing head games and I figured how dumb!!


My 18th Birthday
My youngest brother Jamie is hanging over my shoulder.

I Must Have a Tatoo on my Forehead...

that says, "TAG ME!"

Since I seemed to get tagged all the time....of course, I keep forgetting about them. Because I procrastinate or I had other stuff I needed to write about, or I've lost most of my mind from the trauma of BPB and the incident. Oh and McHub is in an even more grouchy mood than normal and emailed the family about the fact HE IS NOT THE MAID! Dayam, I thought I was sleeping with the help! Oaf. Where oh where are my powers of destruction that come through my eyes to kill all evil in the world???

Instructions: Remove the blog from the top, move all blogs up one, and then add yourself to the bottom.
Life in the Fast Lane, Life is Murphy’s Law, Huma B~, First Time Dad , Mom’s Journal, and Twist and Skewer


1. What were you doing ten years ago? Being the ultimate soccer/baseball mom to my two sons who were 6 and 8.

2. What were you doing 1 year ago? Taking care of what the boys needed for high school and fall ball. Waiting for fall quarter to begin.


3. What are five snacks you enjoy? McIntosh and Granny Smith apples, healthy granola/fruit bars, low fat ice cream bars, raw almonds, whatever is readily available and not fattening.

4. What are five songs you know the lyrics to? Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, Hold Me Now by The Thompson Twins, The Glory of Love by Peter Cetera, Surfing USA by the Beach Boys, California Girls by the Beach Boys

5. Five Things You Would Do If You Were A Millionaire: Donate money to Habitat to Humanity in New Orleans and donate the rest to the New Orleans Medical Free Clinics(set up this fabulous doctor from Charity hospital).

6. Five Bad Habits: Disorganized, lazy, procrastinator, lack of exercise, don't like to "submit" to my husband's opinion

7. Five Things You Like To Do: Walk on the beach, listen to the waves, read, internet, write

8. Five Things You Would Never Wear: sleeveless or strapless anything, too much make up, pantyhose, polyester, old lady pants

9. Five Favorite Toys: spirograph, legos, chemistry set, play dough, sand toys

10. Five Things You Hate To Do: hate to clean bathroom, floors, dusting(I'm very allergic), getting old, be responsible for all the phone calls in the family~appts, bill questions, etc.
That’s my top ten! Now to tag YOU! Whoever you are................

I Must Have a Tatoo on my Forehead...

that says, "TAG ME!"

Since I seemed to get tagged all the time....of course, I keep forgetting about them. Because I procrastinate or I had other stuff I needed to write about, or I've lost most of my mind from the trauma of BPB and the incident. Oh and McHub is in an even more grouchy mood than normal and emailed the family about the fact HE IS NOT THE MAID! Dayam, I thought I was sleeping with the help! Oaf. Where oh where are my powers of destruction that come through my eyes to kill all evil in the world???

Instructions: Remove the blog from the top, move all blogs up one, and then add yourself to the bottom.
Life in the Fast Lane, Life is Murphy’s Law, Huma B~, First Time Dad , Mom’s Journal, and Twist and Skewer


1. What were you doing ten years ago? Being the ultimate soccer/baseball mom to my two sons who were 6 and 8.

2. What were you doing 1 year ago? Taking care of what the boys needed for high school and fall ball. Waiting for fall quarter to begin.


3. What are five snacks you enjoy? McIntosh and Granny Smith apples, healthy granola/fruit bars, low fat ice cream bars, raw almonds, whatever is readily available and not fattening.

4. What are five songs you know the lyrics to? Paradise by the Dashboard Lights, Hold Me Now by The Thompson Twins, The Glory of Love by Peter Cetera, Surfing USA by the Beach Boys, California Girls by the Beach Boys

5. Five Things You Would Do If You Were A Millionaire: Donate money to Habitat to Humanity in New Orleans and donate the rest to the New Orleans Medical Free Clinics(set up this fabulous doctor from Charity hospital).

6. Five Bad Habits: Disorganized, lazy, procrastinator, lack of exercise, don't like to "submit" to my husband's opinion

7. Five Things You Like To Do: Walk on the beach, listen to the waves, read, internet, write

8. Five Things You Would Never Wear: sleeveless or strapless anything, too much make up, pantyhose, polyester, old lady pants

9. Five Favorite Toys: spirograph, legos, chemistry set, play dough, sand toys

10. Five Things You Hate To Do: hate to clean bathroom, floors, dusting(I'm very allergic), getting old, be responsible for all the phone calls in the family~appts, bill questions, etc.
That’s my top ten! Now to tag YOU! Whoever you are................

I Feel Old When...

(This is a repost from July)

Disclaimer: Remember folks, I am sarcastic and facetious as much as I possibly can be. Please don't write to me explaining how rap is the voice of the ghetto or the high school aged kids or of anything, k?

I'm taking a break from studying and doing problems for my chemistry test tomorrow at 7am. Let me tell ya peeps, this is some seriously tedious stuff. Giving me a headache. Pleh on moles, atomic mass units, molar mass of chemical compounds with 7 different elements in them, the varying types of reactions, and super PLEH on algebra which I have to use to solve all the problems I will never ever, no matter what happens to me in a million years, use.

I usually feel about 28. It's not denial so much as I think you only feel as old as you want to be. Forget all the old rules. Oprah said 50 in the new 30 and if Oprah said it, well gosh darn, it MUST be true. Are ya with me or are you with me?

There are some times where I do feel my age or older. You lucky people. I'm going to tell you all about it. Isn't that too gnarly of me? Bitchin' too.

I only feel old when..........

...I get up from the couch after crouching over my chemistry homework with my calculator, my notebook, my binder, my book, my periodic table and my sharp pencils for 1 hour. OY! My neck hurts, my knees are stiff and my brain can't figure out why it's doing math. My brain and I think most math is so not worth doing. Three more weeks folks. 3 mo' weeks.

...I catch a glimpse of myself nekkid in the mirror! I not only feel old but I scare the living daylights out of myself at the same time! EEK!

...I try to understand the lyrics of some (c)rap song my 16 year old wants me to listen to, and all I hear are the swear words. Poetry my ass. Rap is not for the clean of mind or pure or heart. Just my point of view.

...Trying to figure out html. I'm told it's all very logical. Terrific. My brain and I don't normally care for logical, it's just not as fun as illogical.

...I'm babysitting in an 80 degrees inside home and sweating my ass off and don't want to move let alone play with 600 matchbox cars. Nor do I want their damn dog licking me anywhere! The dog is a major licker with bad dog breath. EWWWW. No one licks Janice until she gives permission, so that's basically no one, unless George Clooney calls. Or maybe Cal Ripken.

...when my lovely blogsister Jo from Life with Heathenstells me she's only 32. I can barely remember being 32! (Jo, you are a BABY!)

...I realize I know all the lyrics from all the tv shows in the 1970's. YOICKS! What a waste of brain space.

...when the music I loved from the 80's is on all the tv commercials. For example, the Romantics song What I like About You. Even Devo sold out. Devo for goodness sake. For a freaking duster! Devo that stands for de-evolution. They've devolved all right. Into millionaires who live in the 'burbs. I guess those upside down flower pots they used to wear on their heads now actually have flowers in them. Their orange jumpers, unfortunately, have turned into a teenage fad.

...when I walk into the kitchen and forget why I went in there. DUHHHH!

Time to get back to the chemistry. The only kind of chemistry I like involves a super fantastic reaction between me and Mr. Clooney, know what I mean? (devilishly evil grin)Sniffle.........Clooney has a new 28 yo "friend.....Sniffle. There goes my fantasies!!!!!!!!!!

I Feel Old When...

(This is a repost from July)

Disclaimer: Remember folks, I am sarcastic and facetious as much as I possibly can be. Please don't write to me explaining how rap is the voice of the ghetto or the high school aged kids or of anything, k?

I'm taking a break from studying and doing problems for my chemistry test tomorrow at 7am. Let me tell ya peeps, this is some seriously tedious stuff. Giving me a headache. Pleh on moles, atomic mass units, molar mass of chemical compounds with 7 different elements in them, the varying types of reactions, and super PLEH on algebra which I have to use to solve all the problems I will never ever, no matter what happens to me in a million years, use.

I usually feel about 28. It's not denial so much as I think you only feel as old as you want to be. Forget all the old rules. Oprah said 50 in the new 30 and if Oprah said it, well gosh darn, it MUST be true. Are ya with me or are you with me?

There are some times where I do feel my age or older. You lucky people. I'm going to tell you all about it. Isn't that too gnarly of me? Bitchin' too.

I only feel old when..........

...I get up from the couch after crouching over my chemistry homework with my calculator, my notebook, my binder, my book, my periodic table and my sharp pencils for 1 hour. OY! My neck hurts, my knees are stiff and my brain can't figure out why it's doing math. My brain and I think most math is so not worth doing. Three more weeks folks. 3 mo' weeks.

...I catch a glimpse of myself nekkid in the mirror! I not only feel old but I scare the living daylights out of myself at the same time! EEK!

...I try to understand the lyrics of some (c)rap song my 16 year old wants me to listen to, and all I hear are the swear words. Poetry my ass. Rap is not for the clean of mind or pure or heart. Just my point of view.

...Trying to figure out html. I'm told it's all very logical. Terrific. My brain and I don't normally care for logical, it's just not as fun as illogical.

...I'm babysitting in an 80 degrees inside home and sweating my ass off and don't want to move let alone play with 600 matchbox cars. Nor do I want their damn dog licking me anywhere! The dog is a major licker with bad dog breath. EWWWW. No one licks Janice until she gives permission, so that's basically no one, unless George Clooney calls. Or maybe Cal Ripken.

...when my lovely blogsister Jo from Life with Heathenstells me she's only 32. I can barely remember being 32! (Jo, you are a BABY!)

...I realize I know all the lyrics from all the tv shows in the 1970's. YOICKS! What a waste of brain space.

...when the music I loved from the 80's is on all the tv commercials. For example, the Romantics song What I like About You. Even Devo sold out. Devo for goodness sake. For a freaking duster! Devo that stands for de-evolution. They've devolved all right. Into millionaires who live in the 'burbs. I guess those upside down flower pots they used to wear on their heads now actually have flowers in them. Their orange jumpers, unfortunately, have turned into a teenage fad.

...when I walk into the kitchen and forget why I went in there. DUHHHH!

Time to get back to the chemistry. The only kind of chemistry I like involves a super fantastic reaction between me and Mr. Clooney, know what I mean? (devilishly evil grin)Sniffle.........Clooney has a new 28 yo "friend.....Sniffle. There goes my fantasies!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, September 15, 1995 con't

While I was thinking my infant looked dead, we were walking with the resident, a nurse, the social worker, Geo, my friend and I, to the CT Scanner. If you have not seen a CT Scanner up close they are pretty large. They are HUGE next to a five month old baby who weighs 15 lbs. They slid him in and scanned his head. They did not seen anything unusual in the scan but would let the radiologist look at it and let us know.

Next stop~Infant ICU aka NICU aka Neonatal Intensive Care. They set Brennan and his IVs and respirator up in a room with only 2 beds. There were 2 other rooms in the ICU area, a huge room with 20 babies and a small room which held only one baby. The room we were in also held the ECMO machine(A heart/lung machine for critically ill babies awaiting surgeries usually). Brennan had a nurse just for him and one other baby that first night.

McHub had to go home and deal with the older boys, his father who happened to be visiting(OY VEY!), and call my parents and his mom and sister. My friend C, needed to get home but promised to come back later. She had to take care of her boys and husband and would bring me supplies back, as I was not leaving my Brennie's side.

I settled in a rocking chair right next to Brennie's metal crib bed. I kinda rocked and stared at him. I cannot remember a single coherent thought going through my head. The resident who had asked me about Brennie's medical history came up and kept me company for awhile. Dr. Deb was 25, a 3rd year pediatric resident who went through med school at University of Michigan(My favorite all time college on earth). Even though she had not slept in 2 days, Dr. Deb stayed for over an hour, which helped me to calm down. I was calm on the outside the entire time but inside I think my stomach was full of heavy lead and somewhere in the very far back in my mind, I knew this was all a very bad scene. As if a teeny black cloud floated above me and Brennie, I could feel a terrible knowing this was not going to have a happy ending. Deb and I had quite a bit in common and it was an enjoyable talk considering the circumstances.

I kept getting asked if I was hungry and was offered a voucher for a meal in the cafeteria. I wasn't hungry. I don't think I was hungry for the next 6 months. They did kick me out as per their policy. It was for 30 minutes every so many hours I think. I can't remember now. I wandered down the hallway with the names of children who had died there on glass plaques on the walls extending for seemingly forever. I mentally flinched. I could not look at those names. I could look out of every window I passed but I could not make myself even glance at those plaques(perhaps knowing my child's name would be on one someday?).

I was 33 when this happened. I looked about 20. No makeup, no sleep, hair short, like a boys. When I was in the crash room rocking and praying they had to ask who I was, none of them thinking I was old enough or hysterical enough to be the mom. I'm pretty sure I was wearing an oversized t-shirt and an old pair of my hubby's sweats. That was my usual thing to sleep in. Yup, I was dressed for success. Like I cared.

I skipped the cafeteria and wandered into the gift shop. I bought a People magazine. It was their worst dressed celebrity issue and that was a stretch for my attention span. I went back into ICU and settled back in my very uncomfortable rocking chair. The sun was setting because I remember the slant of light in the room. The very quiet room except for respirators, monitors and IV pumps. I rocked and stared at my still, silent beautiful baby and brushed his hair back or held onto his leg. It made me feel better to feel the warmth of his body. No matter how high tech weird all the stuff going into him looked, underneath, it was my baby boy.

Friday, September 15, 1995 con't

While I was thinking my infant looked dead, we were walking with the resident, a nurse, the social worker, Geo, my friend and I, to the CT Scanner. If you have not seen a CT Scanner up close they are pretty large. They are HUGE next to a five month old baby who weighs 15 lbs. They slid him in and scanned his head. They did not seen anything unusual in the scan but would let the radiologist look at it and let us know.

Next stop~Infant ICU aka NICU aka Neonatal Intensive Care. They set Brennan and his IVs and respirator up in a room with only 2 beds. There were 2 other rooms in the ICU area, a huge room with 20 babies and a small room which held only one baby. The room we were in also held the ECMO machine(A heart/lung machine for critically ill babies awaiting surgeries usually). Brennan had a nurse just for him and one other baby that first night.

McHub had to go home and deal with the older boys, his father who happened to be visiting(OY VEY!), and call my parents and his mom and sister. My friend C, needed to get home but promised to come back later. She had to take care of her boys and husband and would bring me supplies back, as I was not leaving my Brennie's side.

I settled in a rocking chair right next to Brennie's metal crib bed. I kinda rocked and stared at him. I cannot remember a single coherent thought going through my head. The resident who had asked me about Brennie's medical history came up and kept me company for awhile. Dr. Deb was 25, a 3rd year pediatric resident who went through med school at University of Michigan(My favorite all time college on earth). Even though she had not slept in 2 days, Dr. Deb stayed for over an hour, which helped me to calm down. I was calm on the outside the entire time but inside I think my stomach was full of heavy lead and somewhere in the very far back in my mind, I knew this was all a very bad scene. As if a teeny black cloud floated above me and Brennie, I could feel a terrible knowing this was not going to have a happy ending. Deb and I had quite a bit in common and it was an enjoyable talk considering the circumstances.

I kept getting asked if I was hungry and was offered a voucher for a meal in the cafeteria. I wasn't hungry. I don't think I was hungry for the next 6 months. They did kick me out as per their policy. It was for 30 minutes every so many hours I think. I can't remember now. I wandered down the hallway with the names of children who had died there on glass plaques on the walls extending for seemingly forever. I mentally flinched. I could not look at those names. I could look out of every window I passed but I could not make myself even glance at those plaques(perhaps knowing my child's name would be on one someday?).

I was 33 when this happened. I looked about 20. No makeup, no sleep, hair short, like a boys. When I was in the crash room rocking and praying they had to ask who I was, none of them thinking I was old enough or hysterical enough to be the mom. I'm pretty sure I was wearing an oversized t-shirt and an old pair of my hubby's sweats. That was my usual thing to sleep in. Yup, I was dressed for success. Like I cared.

I skipped the cafeteria and wandered into the gift shop. I bought a People magazine. It was their worst dressed celebrity issue and that was a stretch for my attention span. I went back into ICU and settled back in my very uncomfortable rocking chair. The sun was setting because I remember the slant of light in the room. The very quiet room except for respirators, monitors and IV pumps. I rocked and stared at my still, silent beautiful baby and brushed his hair back or held onto his leg. It made me feel better to feel the warmth of his body. No matter how high tech weird all the stuff going into him looked, underneath, it was my baby boy.