My Summer of Reality (T.V.)

I know, I know I have been MIA lately. Well, I've been busy dammit. So far this month I have...

1. Driven over 2000 miles - all within my state.
2. Just spent 2 hours in the sweltering heat watching 52 little girls do cartwheel after cartwheel. Cheerleading season has begun.
3. Ate at a restaurant where a woman was eating with her right hand and swatting flies with a lime green flyswat with her left hand. She never stopped eating. This is totally true!I.Swear.My.Hand.To.God.And.The.Baby.Jesus.
4. Finished all assignments for my summer class, but have not finished writing/developing the class I am creating for my portfolio.
5. Saw Clerks II and laughed so much I think I peed a little.
6. Have made a decision about school - if the person I have asked to chair my committee refuses, I am either a) dropping out or b) switching programs to a Master's in Teaching and calling it a day. Okay, she's really the only person I have asked sincerely, but it's so stressful. It's like being in 4th grade and telling [insert hottest boy name here] to "go with" you.
7. Written copious amounts of emails to Shannon.
8. Joined several Yahoo DTC groups and will probably be spending 50+ bucks a month on Secret Pal gifts. What was I thinking?
9. Broke up with my hairdresser and went to the salon under my office. Nice job. No pics yet.
10. Watched way too many episodes of BB7, Rock Star Supernova, Project Runway, What Not to Wear, and Hell's Kitchen.
11. Researched bicycles to find the perfect present for B to buy me for my birthday. I am really stuck on this one.

The Electra June

I Have Been Tagged

I have been tagged by wzgirl for the first time in the year I have been blogging! So here goes...

7 THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE:
1. Sing the Blues in a smoky bar
2. Go to Ireland
3. Plan my daughter's wedding
4. Finish my doctorate
5. Retire to Alaska
6. See the Pyramids
7. Write a novel

7 THINGS I CAN NOT DO:
1. Swim
2. Run a mile
3. Kill a person or animal
4. Knit
5. Compromise my personal ethics
6. French braid
7. Read music

7 THINGS I CAN DO:
1. Sing well
2. Cook well
3. Roller skate
4. Answer questions about celebrities and pop culture like a freaking savant
5. Flirt
6. Public speak with ease
7. Grow roses

7 THINGS THAT ATTRACTED ME TO MY HUSBAND:
1. He's a great dad
2. He makes me laugh every day
3. He let's me be the center of attention
4. He calls me on my shit
5. He's my best friend
6. He's a really great kisser
7. He's the kindest person I know

7 THINGS I SAY MOST OFTEN:
1. I know...
2. Does that make sense?
3. I am so hot, cold, hungry, tired...[fill in whine here]
4. I love you too
5. What the hell?
6. Goddammit
7. What do you think?

7 BOOKS I LOVE:
1. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
2. All Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books - Francis McDonald w/ Hilary Knight illustrations
3. Catcher in the Rye - J. D. Salinger
4. Crows - Charles Dickens
5. Wicked - Gregory Maguire
6. Contemporary romance novels - the trashier the better!
7. Practical Magic - Alice Hoffman

7 MOVIES I LOVE:
1. A Room With a View
2. Grease 1 & 2
3. Sixteen Candles
4. Garden State
5. All Kevin Smith movies
6. Hustle and Flow
7. The Transporter

I so don't know how to tag anyone, and I am really kinda lazy, so if you're reading this then, TAG! You're It!

Random Questions

~Why is it that at least 2 times a year I forget the nausea and subsequent vomit-in-my-mouth taste I get every single time I eat anything from Capta'n D's? I'll get this wild hair that I really need to eat some greasy, deep-fried fish and end up inhaling it like a Hoover. Within minutes it all comes rushing back.
~ Why have I had the weirdest songs in my head lately? Two days ago it was "Valerie" by Steve Winwood, whom I greatly dislike. Today's hit - "It's Only Natural" by Crowded House.
~When did I decide not to shave any higher than right above my knee? For some reason, the razor stops there and I've never really thought about it before now.
~Why do I have a mental block about important things like answers to test questions or remembering important facts about my job, but yesterday I answered fifteen questions about this 5 years after it happened and had such an effect world events?
~What is my fascination with James from Big Brother 7? He's scrawny, has a lisp, and wears sleeveless T-shirts (which no man should EVER WEAR). I had one of "those dreams" about him and since then he makes me a little breathy when he's on the TV.
I just don't get me sometimes.

20th Reunion

Last Friday, B had his 20th reunion. His band, Whistlepunk, was supposed to play and it was a big deal. B was not looking forward to the trip down memory lane, but was a little bit excited about playing. Well, at the last minute, the singer (the small guy in the sunglasses) decided he didn't want to play for a group of people who know every word to Hank Williams Junior's Family Tradition. I can't say I don't blame him. Dude, they know every. single. word.

Anyways, after S bailed, B didn't want to go anymore. What the Hell? After many conversations of "I'm too fat, old, [insert self-degrading adjective here]... and one argument later, B and I gussied up and made our way to The Blue Parrot, a local bar owned by one of B's classmates. The room was spinning with disco lights, and the synthtic sounds of Roxette's The Look was blaring over the speakers. I have never seen that many desperately tanned bodies and bleached teeth in my life.

After a couple of beers and the arrival of the other bandmate, B finally loosened up and relaxed. He didn't say much about anything or anybody, and more often than not, I had to just jump in and introduce myself. We left after about 3 hours, came home, and went to bed. I thought that was it. Oh no, all I have heard about for the last few days is this reunion - who was there, what they looked like now, etc... For somebody who didn't want to be there, he sure has a lot to say about it.

Ironic

Today I got the email from our agency saying "Congratulations, your dossier has been logged into CCAA!"
How bizarre is it that our LID was 6/27/06 - the same day I wrote this post?
Off to celebrate~

Snoogans

I'm ready. Bring on the Mooby's

Asphalt Summer

Happy 4th of July!

Not the 4th

Even though today was a workday and not the 4th of July, my city decided to celebrate. B's brother Allen and his three children were in from Nashville, and it's always good to see them. In the picture are Carlie and Peyton in the front and Ethan and C in the back. Ethan and C are six months apart. Yeah, puberty's a real bitch. She's not only a foot taller, she's twice his weight. I'm thinking some of it may have to do with the fact that the only food he eats are hot dogs (no bun), chicken fingers, and pepperoni pizza. Occasionally he'll eat macaroni and cheese. Fortunately C got some of her mom's DNA and doesn't have that Children of the Corn pasty skin, light hair, and light red-rimmed eyes look that her cousins do.

As you can see, C's hair is a lovely shade of plum. Her mom's hippy friends came in last week and taught her how to dye her hair with vegetable dye. She loves it. My FIL almost had a stroke. C dyes her hair and Ethan let his grow out. My FIL eats-lives-breathes fifties mentality. It wears me out.

So they all had to try the Mentos & Diet Coke Experiment. As you can see from the picture, C had to put it in her mouth and let it foam.

We live about 50 yards from the riverbank where the city's fireworks are set off, and they all walked down to watch. I stayed back and started cleaning up from the havoc wreaked by Thing 1, Thing 2, and Thing 3, otherwise known as C's cousins. About 30 minutes later, instead of hearing fireworks booming overhead, the entire house lights up with lightening and I hear a huge clap of thunder. That storm hit so hard and fast, everyone was soaked to the skin within seconds. I was amazed at how fast they ran the 50 yard dash! Needless to say, the fireworks were cancelled

Family Cookout

Nothing says summer better than a boy swimming in his underwear. God, I hate to think how many hits I'll get because of that statement. Anyways, after getting up at the butt-crack-of-dawn (6:30 am) to finish writing a narrative about "schools being key institutions in creating social change," slaving over homemade hot dog chili (which I don't eat), and making macaroni salad (which I do eat), B and I sludged over to the Parents to have a "just us" family cookout. B had a hangover and I was working on about 4 hours sleep, so sludged is the word. The only person who wasn't a part of our immediate family was my SIL's grandmother, Thelma. She's pretty cool and fits right in. C was at her mom's house playing "mommy;" her mom still can't lift the baby, so she's keeping C in her clutches tighter than Anusol suppositories.

We had gigantic cheeseburgers - my favorite, drank gallons of water, and ate all fruit popsicles. My SIL, who works for a major children's retail chain that's not Baby Gap or Children's Place, and I made plans to shop for Ms. Ruby next weekend. Several "collections" are on sale and I am starting to cave on the "No Shopping Till LID" big time. We had a great time.




















Evie loves her some cupcakes!

I'm With the Band

I finally bought new furniture for the living room. For the three or so who follow along, you may remember I tried this once back in January and it was a bust. Well, I tried a different furniture store and ended up buying a sofa, chair 1/2, ottoman, and 4 tables. Whoo hoo! Here's my mom hanging in the chair. It's not quite as yellow and green in real life.
We then went to Applebees and I had the new Grilled Greek Chicken Salad and it rocked. We shopped some and I bought Ruby this and this from LeapPad.
Later I went to the Vandalia Lounge to see Brian's band, Whistlepunk with Thea, Caroline, and my brother-in-law Allen. The Vandalia Lounge is a swanky little joint that has a kick ass drink menu. I had a java martini and it was fabulous. Oh yeah, the band was cool too. Don't tell anybody, but I took the drummer home with me!