Seriously.

I thought the Christmas season was supposed to be a huge time for feel good movies. Apparently, this isn't so. I have not gone to see any of the movies in theaters currently, but I have heard from friends about four of them. If you don't want to have your movie-going experience (hahaha!! Cartoon Network just said "implosive diarrhea"!!! ) ruined/spoiled, don't read any further. These are all downers, I warn you!
Feel Good Movie #1: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
He grows YOUNG, then dies. By the time he's "10 years old", he has dementia and can't remember anything.... he dies as a 6 mos. old infant. Babies dying, even if they're 90 years old, are a HUGE downer. The only saving grace of this flic must be getting to stare at Brad Pitt for three f*cking hours. (Like putting a "*" in place of the "u" makes it a non-swear word. Did I fool you with that one? I didn't think so.)
Feel Good Movie #2: Marley and Me
The dog dies. She has a miscarriage. When the dog dies, there are three small children who have to mourn the dog. Not comical. Why the hell are they advertising this as a comedy?? Let me just remind them of another infamous movie where the dog dies at the end: "Turner and Hooch". That film has been laughed into eternity. See where your fate lies, Marley & Me?? And, I can't even say that there are any saving graces to this flic. If you want the "comedy" of this film, just keep watching the commercials over and over, because apparently, those are the only "funny" parts. Ha ha! The dog is crawling out the car window! Hilarious! :
Feel Good Movie #3: Revolutionary Road.
Now, no one I know has seen this, and I only know the gist of the story, but it does not sound like you will leave the theater with a smile on your face. Leo & Kate are a young idealistic couple who fall in love and marry, but who refuse to fall into the pit of "normality". They want to be the adventure seekers who live by the seat of their pants and have a wonderfully romantic and exciting life together. Yet, just as we all do, they fall into the rut of "normalcy"... he works a job he's not crazy about, she's a housewife, they have children, they have the normal backyard BBQ social life.... and they hate it. Which then makes them start hating each other. I have no idea how this movie ends, but if it resembles real life at all, it ain't good. Saving grace of this movie? It's supposed to be FANTASTIC. Tons of Oscar buzz.... I appreciate a good movie, even if it makes me want to slash my wrists afterward.
Feel Good Movie #4: Seven Pounds
It starts on a high note: Successful MIT grad/businessman/whatever (Will Smith) is riding in his car, texting on his blackberry when *BAM*! Car accident. Seven people killed. (If I'm correct, his wife is also killed). So, in his loneliness and guilt, he begins to find people that he can give back to in order to alleviate his guilt/hurt. The first person, he gives money to (I think)... then he progresses to donating part of his lung... then his kidney... in all, he ends up helping 7 people. The last two he helps are a blind man and a woman in need of a heart transplant. He falls in love with the woman. The irony: He can either be with her and watch her die, or he can die, NOT be with her, but give her his heart that she may live. So, he makes a pact with his brother with specific instructions: He's going to kill himself, but his brother has to make CERTAIN that dude gets his eyes and chica gets his heart. The End.
Apparently, Hollywood didn't get the memo about the fact that the holidays tend to be a DEPRESSING time for people. (I don't know why, really.... I had a great time this holiday season!)..... but, just in case you AREN'T affected by seasonal depressive disorder, go to a movie! You'll be ready to jump off a bridge when you're done!

Did anyone get anything good for Christmas? :D I got a can of Pringles! (they were "bloomin' onion flavor!). And a pilates dvd and mat! And the best: tickets to see Kurt Elling in Pittsburgh in February! John and I will be doing an overnighter! By ourselves! No kids! In a hotel! (I think we're more excited about the prospect of a night of sleep undisturbed by "Waaaaah! I have to go potty!" "Waaaaah! I'm having a nightmare!" "Wahhhhh! I'm thirsty!" than we are about any awesome undisturbed sex. :P

Dust and Static

That's what I'm at war with currently in my home. I'm losing the war. My daughter's hair is in a constant state of upheaval, and fleece clothing is enemy #1.

Christmas was fantastic. Having my sister and her husband in for a whole week was such a joy! And, little Maison. I miss him already! (I love love love babies to begin with, so being my first nephew... that kid has a special place!) Oh, crap... the Steelers are about to play. I'm going to have to get back to this later!

Christmas IS Magical!

There is no other explanation for Spencer acting like such a perfect, helpful, loving, generous child. And, I'll take it!!! And, I swear, if I get just one kid to fall into line like that, the others seem to follow suit. That's right kids, drink the kool-aid! Groupthink dynamic is not always a bad thing!!! (Let me just say that I'm not making light of Jonestown.... I watched way too many documentaries on that this past month, as it was the 30th anniversary, and Jim Jones was one disturbing man. Totally fascinating, though.)
Speaking of genocide (not to get off the topic of "Christmas is Magical"), I think that our generation is going to be very ashamed of ourselves (myself included) when history is written on Darfur. We look back on WWII and are HORRIFIED that 6 million Jews alone were systematically wiped from this earth. That was 78% of all the Jews living in Europe at the time. 78%!!! But, we also know that we (Americans) had a hand in fighting against Hitler and his regime, so we weren't completely void of taking some kind of action against the atrocities. And, don't think I"m simply focusing on Darfur. The world also failed Rwanda and Chechnya. And none of these places has recovered from the actions. Rwanda, though rid of its dictator and not completely vulnerable to ethnic/tribal cleansing, has never fully recovered from the problem. They have millions who were displaced and traumatized, their social working systems are still in dire need of attention (including safe food, medical aid, shelter, running water and electricity). The same goes for Chechnya.... and Chechnya is still at risk of more action by Russia. Their problems have not been quelled. Though I'm against the war in Iraq (at least in the manner that we have gone about it), I can say that it was necessary to take Saddam Hussein out of power, for he was another leader in ethnic cleansing. The point of this rant, I suppose, is that we look back at WWII.... we use Hitler as a synonym for evil... yet we haven't learned anything from the past. It's all very disturbing.
Back to "Christmas is Magical". I'm done with my Christmas shopping, which is a HUGE relief (thank you, amazon.com!!). The UPS man is my new best friend. (not really, Chooch. Nothing replaces you). The Christmas music is really getting me into the spirit of things. And, nothing gets me MORE into the spirit than the excitement of the kids. Counting down the days, making their wish lists, drinking hot chocolate around the table every night. It's just fantastic.
John gets part of his Christmas gift from me this Saturday. We're going to see Jim Gaffigan in concert (he's a comedian) in Cleveland. He is HILARIOUS. If you can rent "Beyond the Pale" (dvd) from someplace, do so. You will not be disappointed.
Our house needs new windows.... badly! Does anyone have any suggestions on who we should go through? We also need a garage built. Any suggestions there?
Oh, also: we have 3.5 acres of land for sale in a development out here in Columbiana county. It's beautiful land, in Leetonia school district (Leetonia is rated "excellent"). We really really need to get this land off our hands. Though, by "really really", I don't mean we're willing to take a loss on it. If you know anyone looking for land out in the country, but still want to live in a community, let them know about this. :D
I think that's all I've got for today. :D

I'm in the wrong state of mind

John and I went Christmas shopping the other night. Toys R Us is a joke. Normally, when I go out Christmas shopping, I am in a wonderful state of mind... very positive, cheerful, smile on my face, glad to see others and to be out and about. Not the other day. Apparently, someone needs to inform the retailers that the American people are suffering from this recession, because the cost of toys was NOT reflecting the fact that I don't have the money to spend on them. My kids want Star Wars stuff. There's LEGO star wars stuff, vehicles, masks, light sabres.... a whole SLEW of products. And the only ones that are less than $25 a piece are the little figurines that are two inches tall. My kids don't want that. They want that big ass ship that costs $150. ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY BUCKS! For ONE SHIP! I would be shelling out $600 to just get one toy for each of my kids!! Insanity. So, obviously, that wasn't purchased. They really want a light sabre. Now, they have light sabres that are only $20, which is what the kids WILL be getting, but they also have this amazingly cool, totally awesome, would be so fun to play with light sabre with sounds and lasers and all the cool stuff..... FOR $100!! FOR A LIGHT SABRE! And, can someone explain to me why LEGOS cost so much? I mean, essentially, I'm paying for a deconstructed toy in the form of hundreds of pieces that the kid has to put together himself. You would think that would be pretty affordable, no? No. Not affordable. Expensive. Very expensive. And, if I might advise anyone who has kids: Toys R Us should be the very LAST place you stop to get toys. Their prices are higher than anywhere else. Start at WalMart, work your way toward Target & Kohls, then go to ToysRUS. Actually, let me revise that. Start at Amazon.com, THEN WalMart, Target, Kohls, and finally ToysRUs. Amazon, when you can get free shipping, almost ALWAYS has the lowest prices on stuff.
Alright. My negative Christmas rant is over for now. You know that the pissy rants are far more interesting to read than if I were to write something all bright and positive and cheery. You'd vomit on your keyboard and you know it.
That dude, TOTALLY wasn't going 35 mph, btw. There are kids in this neighborhood, douche bag! Where are the po po when it's not I whom is speeding?? Whatever. (I'm looking out my window for those of you who just got completely lost)
Let's see, what else? I just lost my train of thought, so I guess this is the end of this entry.

IPA for criminypsilanti: kraim' In Ip' sI lae' nti
also could be read non IPA: crime in Ypsilanti... just run it together quickly.

Election: FINALLY! The person I voted for for president won! It only took me 8 years for vindication, but it happened. Thank CRIMINYPSILANTI! I feel so proud to be an American right now. I really feel that Obama is going to help change the world's perception of America. Put us back into an admirable standing.
Michelle Obama's election night dress, however, was HORRIBLE.
There. are you happy, Sarah? :P :D

This early sundown can blow me.

Thank criminypsilante that with winter come the holidays, because it would be a miserable three months with nothing jolly to look forward to. (I'm not correcting that sentence, even though I ended it with a preposition, so eat it.)
I was harassed because I hadn't updated this thing in a while, but as of right now, I don't have much that I feel like ranting about. (eat that preposition, too)
I love my new house.
I'm getting my hair cut tomorrow.
I love my nephew Maison. He's one of the five cutest babies I've ever seen.
I'm making decent progress on my Christmas shopping. Thank the lord for online shopping.
umm.....
yea.... that's about it right now.

It's Snowing

I absolutely love Ohio. I say that with no hint of sarcasm, either. I absolutely love it here. I love the people (for the most part), the seasons, the geography.... everything about it. I love other places, too, don't get me wrong. I loved Wisconsin when we lived there. But, a year up there was enough for me. I love Baltimore when I visit my sister. But, I LOVE Ohio. A lot of people have a lot of things to say about Ohio.... that we're backwards here.... that we're hillbillies.... that our roads are bad, that our amenities are poor, that there's nothing to do here, that people don't care about their homes or properties..... I've heard it all. But, any arguments... good or bad... can be said for ANY location. Generalizations are so easy to make.
Columbiana's new Main Street Theater is showing The Shining tonight! And, tomorrow, their showing The Exorcist. I am hoping to go both nights, as I absolutely love horror flics. The scariest movie I have ever seen has to have been The Blair Witch Project. Now, let me clarify that by saying it was the scariest movie I'd ever seen THE FIRST TIME I saw it.... and that was in a theater. Subsequent viewings don't make such an impression. Oh, man... that movie. The pitch black screen scenes, where all you are doing is trying to listen to the noises in the woods... the freaky, creepy noises. And, an abandoned house in the woods.... I have seen too many of those out here for me not to have been freaked out by it. The night I got home from the movies after seeing it the first time, I had to have a couple of shots of Southern Comfort to get myself to sleep, I was so hyped-up/freaked out. I love being scared.
Speaking of being afraid, our little neighborhood had their Trick-or-Treating on Sunday night. For the first time ever, I got to sit on my porch and hand candy out to the kids. I hate generic, store-bought costumes, but I can't deny that I buy them for my kids, too. Mainly, because making your own costumes for your kids becomes an incredibly expensive venture... especially when you're trying to costume four kids. Also, I found out very quickly that my kids have very strong feelings about what they want to wear. It goes to the whole "choose your battles" thing, and Halloween costumes just isn't something worth arguing with your kids over. HOWEVER, let me make an exception to this rule. When Kate is in her teens, there will be RULES in regard to what she is allowed out of the house in! It never fails to disturb me when I see teenage girls out trick-or-treating in whore outfits. Seriously. Thigh high stockings, slutty little fairy or Dorothy dresses that barely cover their goods. It never ceases to shock me... especially when my little children turn around to stare at them and my daughter says "ooh, they're pretty". To boot, it is almost always cold on Halloween.... COLD.... so, when you put a piece of cloth that is as thin as a tissue over your heaving, pushed up breasts, it does little to hide your headlights. INAPPROPRIATE. That's all. I gave them crap candy. A couple of teenage kids didn't even bother dressing up... they just wander up to the porch with a pillowcase held out. Seriously. I made every one of those f***ers say "trick or treat" before I gave them candy. At least do something to earn the treats, you lazy bastards.

And last, but CERTAINLY not least: My sister and her husband are new parents!!!! Maison Walsh was born on Oct. 23rd, and everyone is healthy and happy! I am officially an Aunt now, which is totally awesome. I can't wait to visit them all and see how they're doing! I LOVE BABIES!

I need another cup of coffee.

Pavlik got his ass kicked.

But, he still walked away with $3million. I would let someone kick my ass for $3million, too. Hell, I'd do it for $1million, who am I kidding? What? You're offering $100,000? I'm in. $5? Just take off your rings before you punch.

Tomorrow is the big day. "The Move". Well, hopefully it is, anyway. :P We only have a few major pieces of furniture left to move over there, and the rest is just stuff to box up and unpack one trip at a time. Which brings me to tonight's topic: Cleaning other peoples' houses. I don't think there's anything that grosses me out more than moving into a new house and having to clean their bathrooms and kitchens. I'm fine with anywhere else, but the kitchen and bathrooms completely wig me out until they become my own. Technically, bathrooms wig me out even when they ARE my own. Three boys who have poor aim do not a clean bathroom make. If there is one job I would love to have taken off my hands, it would be the bathroom cleanage. Put me in a hazardous waste suit and hose me down afterward, because that just totally grosses me out. So, I got lucky and John bit the bullet for me (I'm so freakin' spoiled, and I know it) and he cleaned the kitchen down for me. Scrubbed the cabinets and the oven and refrigerator and stuff. But, now... there's a HUGE pantry that needs cleaned out. And, every shelf has contact paper..... black and white cow print contact paper. And, it's sticky.... and there are legumes and dried up macaroni all over the place in it. And, it's completely grossing me out. Ugh... I'm getting the willies just thinking about it. So, I'm hoping that I can rope John into cleaning that, too, so I can finally move my kitchen stuff in. So, yeah. There's that. Tomorrow night, I believe, will be our first night sleeping in the new house. Yay!!
Hell. My brain just shut down. I'll have to write more tomorrow, when it's awake again.

Slacker Deluxe

I can't wait until this election is over. #1, I can't believe I sat through all four of those debates. Criminypsilante, that was some sort of torture. Before I begin, let me just state that I am an Obama supporter. I didn't come to that decision easily... four years ago, I had said "If McCain ever runs for president, I will most assuredly vote for him!". Apparently, four years changes a lot of things. To be honest, I may still have been a bit unsure of my decision had it not been for McCain picking Palin as his running mate. (I am all for girl power.... when the announcement came out that McCain had picked a woman running mate, I was ALL over that).... but, man.... she should NOT have opened her mouth. Dude.... if that woman becomes vice president by some miracle of divine intervention, I may have to move to Canada. Or Mexico. But, definitely not Russia, because, apparently she would be able to see me from where she lives. And, lord knows I don't want her spying on me.
I am completely in love with Joe Biden. That man can run my country ANY day of the week, if you know what I mean. (I don't even know what that was supposed to mean, but it got your minds in the gutter, didn't it? Perverts.)
Back to the debates. If Palin winked at me one more time, I was going to sue her for sexual harassment. Seriously.... I don't want my vice president flirting with foreign dignitaries once she finally travels outside of the United States with her all-too-new passport. I could only hope that they would make her wear one of those burkas.... the SERIOUS burkas where even the eye slits are covered with little screens. I think that would be the only way I could take her seriously. And even then, only if she kept her mouth shut. And, I don't know who "Joe Six-pack" is, but I'm pretty certain he's the guy(s) that I was desperate to get out of high school and away from. The ones with the closed minds and the cruel jokes played on anyone that was any bit different than themselves. The ones who are STILL hanging out with each other and getting drunk every weekend, even though they're 35 years old. Ok... I'm getting a little too judgemental. I apologize to all of you guys who fit that description. More power to you!
But, McCain. No, he may not be BushJr., but he certainly is learning to perfect the smirk and condescension that Bush is so famous for. If he chuckled/grinned/smirked at Obama anymore during the debate, I was going to shoot myself in the head. Ok, we get it. You think he's green and stupid and idealistic. Whatever. Look at your running mate. Anything you say negative about Obama can now be said for Palin. And, anything positive you say about yourself and your experience can be said about Biden.
Let me talk for a moment to those who base their presidential vote solely on the abortion issue. It's a very very difficult issue, I have to admit. And, though I would never choose abortion for myself, neither would I impose MY decision on someone else who I have no idea what they're going through. They have to live with whatever decision they make, not I. Choice is the key word. I know a LOT of people who voted for Bush solely on the abortion issue. "I can't vote for (insert Democratic candidate here) because they are pro-choice". Has anything changed on the abortion issue in 35 years?? Has that decision not been made already? Do we really think that if you elect a president based solely on that issue that we're going to change the constitution?? Did W. do what you wanted him to do on that issue? There are a million more issues that are impacting our lives a million times more important than whether Susie (whom we don't even know) is able to have a safe abortion. Base your vote on other issues. The abortion issue is not going to be changed/decided in the next four years. God knows what your beliefs are.... that's all that matters.
Crap... I've got more to say, but I have to pick up someone from pre-school. I'll rant more later.

My apologies to anyone I've offended. :D

The Wisdom/Intelligence/Knowledge Triangle

John was just waxing on about how intelligence and wisdom are not the same thing, and that there is a triangle of wisdom/knowledge/intelligence... and I have no idea where he was going with it all, because I started chuckling before he could explain further. I swear to you... if I weren't on these damned meds and could focus on something for more than a millisecond, I would find this topic absolutely fascinating. But, my ability to contemplate deeper issues and existential topics has been eradicated, just as my ability to feel deeply has. I won't get into what a piece of crap it is to have to be "controlled" emotionally for the safety and well-being of myself and those around me. I'll simply say that it sucks. Big. And hard.

Anyway, next topic. Well, poo. I don't have a next topic at the moment. I'll figure something out and write more later.

Enjoy this rainy and chilly day!

Where do I begin??

I will begin with O.J. verdict: He has been found guilty on all counts for his latest shenanigans. Let me voice my opinion on this. I watched the trial (because CourtTV is a staple in my day), and I honestly believe that the wrong verdict was reached. At the same time, I have to say that karma has a way of biting you in the ass. (And, since I'm speaking of karma, I might as well tell the story that I know my sister would be telling right now if she were typing). So, two weeks ago, Mom and I went down to Baltimore to visit Karin. We took John's company car, because it's free gas (I say free, but technically, John pays for the use of the car... automatically deducted from his pay... though, it's still cheaper than if we owned our own car and were paying for gas and maintenance). ANYWAY. I was approximately ten minutes from Karin's house, and I was going 72mph, as I thought it was a 65 mph zone. Apparently, it was not a 65 mph zone, because *WEEEOOOOHHWEEEEOOHHHH* the po-po came after me. Ironically, only seconds before this, I had been thinking to myself "man, I haven't seen a speed limit sign for a while". So, I pull over, and I'm kind and curteous to po-po man as he asks for my license and registration and informs me that I was going 72 in a 55. And of course, I was all "It's 55? I thought it was 65." And, I'm thinking... maybe he'll just give me a warning, as I'm out of state and not familiar with the area. Well, after waiting almost ten minutes while he sat in his car with my license and reg., I realize that a warning doesn't take that much time. He came back with the ticket "That's a $90 fee, unless you'd like to show up to contest it". Yes.... that's exactly what I'm going to do. Drive five hours back to Baltimore so I can inform the court that I thought it was a 65 and I'm from out of town and blah blah blah. I say to the guy "Sir, please.... I can't get a ticket in this car... it's my husband's work car, and I can't risk it getting taken off of him", to which the po-po says "I'm sorry, ma'am, it's already written". Now, someone f***ing explain this to me. You're telling me that you can't just throw that ticket away, even though you already wrote it?? That's such a load of bullshit. I guarantee that there have been times when he's spilled his coffee or smeared the icing from his donut on one of the pages of his ticket book and had to throw it away.....you couldn't use that excuse and say "oh, I lost it"?? So, now I'm getting rather pissy and I say to the guy "You couldn't have just been nice, could you?". So, I take the ticket, and as the cop is walking away, I call him an asshole under my breath. (My mom will differ on this and say that I said it far too loudly, and do I want to get myself in more trouble, etc.) So, then I cried and cried, because I didn't know what the consequence of getting a speeding ticket in the company car would be and was totally freaked out. Long story longer, when I get to Karin's and we sit down to dinner, she says "see, that's what you get for stealing gas from Kodak.... that's karma". To which I respond by singing "Karma Police" by Radiohead. So, that was the joke the rest of the weekend... that the karma police picked me up because I was using Kodak to pay for the gas. Whatever. That cop was a jerk.
Next topic.
Myself and my two friends, Jen and Chooch, went to an 18 year reunion last night. That's right.... we went to the New Kids on the Block concert. Let me preface this by saying how completely obsessed with the New Kids I was in high school. Obsessed to the point that I should have been arrested for stalking. Obsessed to the point that it cause HUGE fights between my mom and I. Obsessed to the point that Jen and I would sit in school all day and write fantasies about how we would get to meet them and how awesome our lives would be. Well, 18 years later, we can't not go to the concert. It was a given. So, we bought our tix and went last night. They played at Quicken Arena in Cleveland (home for the Caveliers), and we had floor seats on the "court". We were in row YY.... there was one row behind us... ZZ... and it was empty. We were as far as you get back. They weren't HORRIBLE seats, but they were seats that you had to use the jumbotrons to get a good look at the action on stage. Halfway through the concert, a security guy taps Jen on the shoulder and tells her that she should go stand up by this center area on the floor. In the middle of the court, barriers were set up and a tarp was covering something, which ended up being an approx. 8' circular stage. Bottom line.... we ended up having better than front row seats to 15 minutes of the concert. Tracy got to touch Donnie and Jon, and Donnie winked at me.... TWICE. It took 18 years, but it was totally worth the wait. You can roll your eyes at me all you'd like, but that was one awesome night. Those crappy seats ended up being the best thing ever. Seriously... I don't know if any of you have something that you go crazy over... a singer, a chef, a celebrity.... but, to get that opportunity... particularly after waiting so long to have it.... man, how awesome was it?!
Next topic:
We are moving into the new house very very very soon... within the next couple of weeks. If anyone feels the yearning to move heavy furniture, you are more than welcome to join the party. No, the bathroom is not done yet, and no, the first floor laundry room is not done yet, but my awesome Dad is helping us jimmy-rig a shower in the basement to keep us until the bathroom IS done, and we're hooking the washer and dryer up in the basement until the laundry room is done, so it's all good in the hood. All the rooms are painted (except the hallway/stairway area), the new livingroom furniture gets delivered this Thursday, and we are there! I couldn't be more excited.
I think that's all I have for today. Not so much of an interactive blog this time, but since you all are slackers, does it really matter?

Oh, and here's a bit of entertainment for you all. (If you don't love the Muppets, you may want to skip it)

Guilty Pleasures and Pet Peeves

I have a few guilty pleasures. I'm not proud of them, but I'll share them with you nonetheless, in hopes of getting you to open up and tell me yours. :D
One guilty pleasure John and I have together (this is absolutely not sexually related in any way, so keep reading) is watching Project Runway. I think we have watched almost every season, now. And, thank God for DVR's, because we never miss a show! I am completely sewing inept, yet, when I watch the show I think "Ooooh... I could do that!". I couldn't. If there is one thing on this earth that frustrates me, it's sewing. I am not good at it, I don't understand it, I don't have the patience for it, and it's exceedingly tedious. I literally become a drooling neanderthal when confronted with a pattern.
Another guilty pleasure: smelling my kids' blankies. I absolutely love the smell of dried up drool and "sleep" that lingers on the blankets. Another smell that I absolutely love (it's my favorite smell in the world) is the scent of budding poplar trees. They ooze this tacky sap, and I LOVE the smell of it. My best friend Choochie says it smells like wet dog. Most other people say it's a disgusting smell. But, it is my absolute favorite smell EVER. Don't knock it until you try it.
Another personal guilty pleasure is watching the Janice Dickinson Modeling Agency. And Ghost Hunters. And reading about true crime. I've got a lot of guilty pleasures, apparently.
Pet peeves: Chewing with your mouth open!!! I would have to list that as my all time #1 pet peeve ever ever ever. Ever. Another huge pet peeve of mine is people who are completely unaware of people/things around them. For example, going to a store... those people who park their buggies at odd angles in the aisle and don't even notice that other people are trying to get around them. Or people who walk like snails, but don't stand to one side so other people can get past. Just general "consideration". I mean, seriously. Is it really that hard to notice that there are other people in the world other than yourself?
Slow talkers..... people that embellish or pause or give you all of the unnecessary information without getting to the point. If I wanted to listen to droll for an hour, I would watch President Bush give a speech. (I love John), but he would have to be the champion at not-getting-to-the-point talking. That man can jump from a subject to a completely whackadoo-off-the-wall idea without blinking. The telephone. I hate it. If I'm on the phone with someone, I want the necessary information to be shared and then I want to say goodbye and hang up. I'm not one for chit chat and uncomfortable silences. I don't do well with those things. The main reason I avoid the phone is for that reason only. Because I don't want to offend people by not spending time making small talk. Exchange the information necessary and hang up. The end. GG is a PRO at that. That woman can keep a phone call under 30 seconds without blinking. I LOVE IT.

There are a million more pet peeves, I'm sure, but I'm not putting the effort into coming up with them right now.

Your turn. Guilty pleasures and pet peeves..... GO.

Carpeting is stupid.

Let me begin by giving Cheryl a HUGE round of applause. I am very glad to know that guilt works on you so well, Cheryl! I will be certain to use it more in the future with you! :P

Now, to the carpeting.
Our new house has "frame" hardwood floors, which means, there is beautiful hardwood all the way around the outer edge of the room, then a bigass piece of unfinished flooring in the center, which typically, one would put an area rug over. Area rugs are a flipping joke. To begin with, the dining room and living room areas that need to be covered are some whackadoo size.... like... 9'3"x 10'8". 8x10 rugs are not big enough, 9x12 are too big one way, and not big enough the other.... it's totally screwball. Aside from that fact, when we DO find area rugs that we like, they cost between $600-$2000!!!!! If I'm correct, there are places you can go to get your entire house carpeted for $600! So, my thought was this: get regular carpeting, just have it put down in the "areas".... not wall to wall. Those hardwood floors are part of the character of the house. I am not covering those suckers up! Well, I called (sing it with me...) "800-588-2300.... Empire!" to get my free in home estimate, and somehow, I got the one salesman who has no clue what I'm talking about and thinks that what I want would be impossible to do. So, my free in home estimate was free and in home, but has yet to be estimated, until he gets further information. He seems to think that what we would need to do is bring the carpet to the house, measure it to the floor, take it back, get the edges bound, then come back and we could use it as an area rug. Ok... that's not what I wanted. And, when I said that I wanted only the center part of the stairs done, he said the same would have to be done.... bring it, measure it, cut it, take it back, bind the edges, then bring it back and lay it. : COME THE FLIP ON! I said "so... if I can't have folded under edges that are tacked down?" and he says he doesn't think so. He took one helluva lot of measurements, and John and I found the perfect carpet (which we were informed was one of the most expensive ones he had.... there's a shocker)..... so, dude is scheduled to come back in two days and have all the answers for us. I'm having a feeling that we'll be doing more shopping around for carpeting and skipping our business with Empire.

Next topic: I love Dancing with the Stars. And, could I be more excited that the new fall season starts this week?? No... I couldn't. Cloris Leachman made me laugh out loud last night. They had to silent bleep her three times on live television because of her filthy mouth. That woman is 82 and kicking ass. I absolutely love her. I even loved her when she was on Facts of Life.
Kim Kardashian's ass amazes me. Let me link you to a pic so you can understand. She's cute. She's got a nice body... but, then there's that ass!!!! That is some crazy stuff there. Bottom line is, I love Dancing with the Stars. Not as much as I love So You Think You Can Dance, but still.

Bedtime for the kiddies! More tomorrow!

You All Suck Big

I don't know if insulting people is the way to go about getting a positive result, but I just wanted to go on record to say you all fail miserably at being "interactive".

in·ter·ac·tive
/ˌɪntərˈæktɪv/ -adjective
1.acting one upon or with the other.
2.of or pertaining to a two-way system of electronic communications, as by means of television or computer: interactive communications between families using two-way cable television.
3.(of a computer program or system) interacting with a human user, often in a conversational way, to obtain data or commands and to give immediate results or updated information


I'm sure I'll have more to say tomorrow, but for now, I just wanted to let everyone know that they have jobs to do. CHIP CHOP CHIP!

Eight Loads of Laundry

YAY!!! Electricity is back at the Tatta house! For those of you who prayed that I would not get food poisoning from the sausage pizza, I thank you. Your prayers worked. ( I know that none of you actually took the time to pray for that, but whatever)

So, the aftermath is this: laundry piled to the ceiling and mold growing in the dishwasher. GROSS. Eight loads of laundry. Technically, that may not sound like that much, but when you are actually having to do it, it's an albatross. I would soooooo love a first floor laundry room right now!

I've decided to start making my blog slightly interactive. At the end of each thread, I will pose a question related to the topic. I would greatly appreciate getting your responses if you are so inclined to do so!

Today, the topic is laundry. The question is this: Do you love or hate doing laundry? And, what part of laundry do you hate/love the most?
Obviously, I hate doing laundry. Mainly because it's downstairs and I can't do it as efficiently as I would like. However, easily the worst part of doing laundry is putting it all back in the drawers after it's washed. Man, I hate that. I HATE it. I have to spread everything out on my bed to divvy it into piles for each member of the family, then proceed to put it all away in different rooms, drawers, closets, etc. I always procrastinate, and then the laundry piles up again before I've put away the last batch.
So, there you go.
Do you hate separating? Folding? Switching from washer to dryer? Having to lay certain items out to air dry? Putting away? Everything about laundry?
Spill.

Electricity is cheap.

Since 6pm Sunday evening, the Tatta household has been without electricity. Zero power. And, in the Tatta household, zero power mean zero running water. Zero running water means zero baths/showers or toilet flushing. Oh, and just for the record, I'm eating leftover cold pizza right now that has sausage on it.... this pizza was not refrigerated overnight, so lets all take a moment to pray that Amy doesn't get diarrhea from said pizza.... at least not until the toilets are flushable again.
The generator is currently running to keep the meat in the chest freezer downstairs from spoiling. But, it's been three days for me without a computer, so I rigged this sucker up to the generator to save a bit of my sanity. If it weren't for my cell phone (especially its ability to be charged in the car!), I would be completely over the edge at this point. The highlight of today has been that the school got its power back, so the two older boys are at least in school all day! YAY! This pizza is quite good on day 2, I must say.
Here is a small list of things that you can not do without electricity:
laundry (and, jeez 0' crips, it is PILING up)
vacuum (four kids do not leave a carpet clean for long)
wash your hands under running water
flush the toilet (I would say this is the most severe of all of the issues)
bathe (we've been mooching shower time off of friends and relatives)
watch tv (this has actually not been that big a deal)
play the Wii (Spencer may go into a coma if he can't play Guitar Hero soon)
cook
refrigerate
wash dishes (and wouldn't it be the case that we had sauerkraut and kielbasa on Sunday, and didn't ge tthe dishes washed before the power went out! That shit STINKS!)
computer/internet (though, when you're desperate, I suppose you find a way!:D)
fix your hair (well... some people may be able to look good without a blowdryer, but I'm not one of them)
use cordless phones
charge cell phones outside of a running car
heat the house
cool the house

So, I'm sure all of you "glass half full" type people out there are saying "Yes, but look at all of the GOOD things that are coming out of it!" I'm not a pilgrim. If it had been left to me, we would not have discovered anything past Jamestown. Do you want me to list the good things that come to mind out of this? Here you go:

I broke it down, and it seems that we pay approx. $8 a day for electricity in this house. So now, when I get the bill every month, I won't go "Jeez o' cripes, I can't believe how freakin' much electricity is!!!!" Instead, I will say "I love you, Ohio Edison, and everything that you provide me. Here is your money.... I will gladly pay my bill and worship the ground you walk on"

At least I have a home to live in and none of my belongings were destroyed by water to boot.

I don't have to sleep outisde with animals and bugs.

I am eternally grateful for the peace and quiet the school hours provide me.

Thank the Lord for friends and family that have allowed us to invade their homes in the name of personal hygiene.

This has forced me to defrost my fridge and freezer.

I can still dust and sweep with a broom.

I'm certain there are plenty more positives that can be found in this situation, but until I hear that "whirrrrrrr" and the beeping of appliances kicking on, I'll be slightly more focused on how this is taking me out of my comfort zone. :D

So, that's the word of the day around here! I miss my morning cup of coffee.

If anyone has any interest in browsing through some photos of the new house and the kids, here's a link to my Snapfish albums

Home Depot Makes Me Want to Slit My Wrists*

If you plan on going to Home Depot (I'm not even going to get started on Lowe's), and you plan on actually purchasing anything that is more difficult to find than a hammer, I advise you to put aside at least three hours of your day to do so. I'm not going to get into details about what our nightmare experience has been with Home Depot and ordering shit for our bathroom, but there was a point in the whole dealings that John actually said "If she doesn't get things straightened out, I'm going to kick her in the snatch". The "she" he was talking about was a lovely woman who did all of our special ordering for us, which included the bathtub, the vanity base (which cost an extra $100 for delivery, even though it was only getting delivered to the store, and not to our actual home! ONE HUNDRED DOLLARS! Am I insane, or do you not sell this item?? If you sell this item, why am I paying for it to be delivered to YOUR STORE?? whatever) faucets, light fixtures, and a few other things. Well, the day after we had spent three hours with the lovely woman while she figured out how the computer system worked for special orders, she called us to let us know that the order hadn't gone through, and that we would have to return with our receipt for things to get straightened out. I'm not going to get into the profanities that went back and forth between John and I about incompetence and not making the drive back to the store for their mistake and how, if we had paid for these items, how did they not actually get ordered, etc. This whole bathroom remodel is one continuous nightmare. A very expensive, time consuming, move delaying nightmare. The only good thing about this bathroom is that a brilliant craftsman is installing it. (props to BuilderDan). He's saving us an assload of money, and he is the best of the best at his craft. Now I lost my train of thought. Poop.
Oh... I was talking about the lovely woman. Four days after finally getting the whole ordering situation resolved, we get a letter in the mail, and it's a brochure/invitation to join her church (of which her son is head pastor). Now, call me crazy (again), but is that not solicitation through the theft of our address? SHE WANTED US TO JOIN HER CHURCH. SHE GOT OUR ADDRESS THROUGH THE HOME DEPOT SPECIAL ORDER WE PLACED. I mean, granted... John and I are heathens. I can't deny that. I'm certain that we put out "we need churchin' " vibes pretty strongly. But, seriously. SERIOUSLY. We're not heathenish enough to report her and risk getting her reprimanded or possibly fired from her job, granted. Like I said... she was a "lovely woman". I mean... anyone that cares that much about my soul's salvation can't be all bad, right?

I can't concentrate anymore. The USC/Ohio State game is on.





*(I'm generalizing my opinion of Home Depot based solely on the employees which we came in contact with, and I realize that there are many very competent Home Depot employees who do their jobs professionally and with great knowledge, I just have yet to interact with one)

Grocery Shopping

It's funny how my feelings have changed so intensely toward the chore of grocery shopping. Eleven years ago, when John and I lived in Wisconsin for that brief period, I used to LOVE going grocery shopping. It was like a date night for John and I (we really lived it up back then), and for some reason, we just had a great time with it. There were two grocery stores near where we lived. The Piggly Wiggly (for those of you who remember your history lessons, the Piggly Wiggly was the very first commercial grocery store ever.... it originated in the South) was a two or three block walk away from our apartment, and we used it for emergencies. But, the BIG outing was to Pick & Save. Let me tell you... their generic brand, Roundy's, was EXCELLENT. Thank the lord we didn't have many guests over during that year in WI, because we ate one helluva lot of generic food. The best time to go grocery shopping was during a Green Bay Packers game. The entire state of Wisconsin becomes desolate during a GBP game. They are hardcore up there. So, we had full run of the grocery store during the football games. Don't ask me why, but I remember laughing a lot and hard during our grocery trips. I don't know at what point in the eleven years since that something went horribly wrong...
The situation now is this: I hate driving to the grocery store, taking the goods off the shelf, putting the goods in my buggy, taking the goods out of my buggy to pay for them, putting the goods back in my buggy to take to my car, taking the goods out of my buggy to put in my car, driving home, taking the goods out of my car and into the house, and then taking the goods out of the bags to put them away. It's one helluva lot of shifting goods from one position to another. It very much reminds me of this, but on a different topic:
Essentially, I don't want to load anything, unload anything, or have to pay to load and unload anything. I don't want to load anything unloadable or payable, I don't want to unload anything loaded or paid for, and I don't want to pay for anything loaded, unloaded, or payable. However, neither do I want to kickbox or spend as much time with your daughter as I can.

Ed

So, Ed has taken up guitar playing. If it didn't take an age and a half to download a video to here, I would post one. I'll try doing so later. He's mastered the beginning of Welcome to the Jungle.

Also, we've allowed Ed to get his hair cut in a pseudo-Mohawk. I want everyone to know this so they're not shocked when they next see him. He has been having a lot of issues with anxiety and having difficulty at school with kids bullying him and such, and, as silly as it may seem, the new haircut has given him a real boost in confidence. I realize what other parents probably think when they see my kid with this haircut now, but what matters is that it is making Ed feel better about himself. He's still a good kid. If he weren't, he wouldn't have gotten the privilege of the haircut.

The First Post

As of this post, I am no longer a blog-virgin.
A friend of mine told me that I should start a blog, and, considering that I had all the laundry done today, I thought I would try that out.

So..... a blog. Yep. ....

I wonder how long I can stare at this page with a blank mind? I bet I could do it for quite a while.

I need to come up with some topics of discussion, I suppose. (I see at the bottom of this screen, it has some sample option of "Labels for this post:" They include "scooters, vacation, fall". Well, I don't have any scooters, to my knowledge. Vacation.... I imagine I can breach that subject at some point. Fall.... it would be much more interesting to write a nice anecdote about an actual fall, and not the season Fall. But, I haven't fallen for a while, so I would be lying if I gave you a good story about that.

I realize that people are dying to know what goes on in the life of a housewife. Well, let me tell you... it's a rollercoaster ride of pure excitement DAY AND NIGHT! So, be prepared for strong language, violence, and some sexual content when reading these blogs. They are not for the faint of heart.
But, before we get to the good stuff, I'm going to have to end this post, as there is a child who is digging in the fridge for a slice of cheese when he CLEARLY did not finish the piece of peanut butter toast that I made him ten minutes ago. He will not get away with THAT one! Parenting, ahoy!!!