Meme

About a month ago Shannon2 tagged me with this meme. I am just now getting around to it. Getting a little stir crazy, so filling it out filled some time.

ARE YOU:
1. A Cuddler? Only with B
2. A morning person? Yes and no - I am an early riser, but not a very nice person.
3. Are you a perfectionist? Not really.
4. An only child? Nope...I have a younger brother who rules.
5. Catholic: No.
6. In your pajamas? Yes I am.
7. Currently suffering from a broken heart? No.
8. Okay styling other people's hair? Ummm...no. Why would I want to do that? I've been out of Junior High for a while now.
9. Left handed? All the way.
10. Addicted to MySpace? No. See #8
11. Shy around the opposite gender? No. I love boys.
12. Loud? Yes.

DO YOU:
1. Bite your nails? No, but I do bite my cuticles. Nasty, I know.
2.Get paranoid at times? Yes, I am a little bit insane.
3. Currently regret something that you have said/done? Constantly.
4. Curse frequently when you get mad? I curse all of the time, I don't have to be mad.
5. Enjoy country music? No not really. Unfortunately I know a lot about it because I am a celebrity gossip whore just like my mom and she fills me in on the scoop.
6. Enjoy jazz music? I would rather slit my wrists with a dull spoon.
7. Enjoy smoothies? No they freak me out - texture.
8. Enjoy talking on the phone? No. I hate to talk on the phone, but when I do it's usually for a really long time.
9. Have a lot to learn?Always.
10. Have a pet? 2 cats - Darwin and Eliza.
11. Have a tendency to fall for the "wrong" person? In the past, but no more. I have a keeper.
12. Have all your grandparents died? All but one biological - my maternal grandfather, Poppaw Kitty Kat. He remarried so I also have a stgrandmotherher, Helen.
13. Have at least one sibling? Didn't I answer this earlier?
14. Have been told that you are smart? Yes. Actually B told me the other night that my "brain is sexy." Whatever. I was fishing for something more superficial.
15. Have had a broken bone? No, I am incredibly lucky because I fall down a lot.
16. Have Caller I.D. on your phone? Duh. I am a social worker who worked in mental health for 6 years.

HAVE YOU:
1. Changed a diaper? Yes, but I am currently on strike until Ruby arrives.
2. Changed a lot over the past year? Yes.
3. Had friends who have never seen your natural hair color? No, I stick close to the original.
4. Had surgery? Yeah, last week. That's why you're reading this instead of something profound.
5. Killed anyone? Only with kindness my friend, only with kindness.
6. Had your haircut within the last week? I wish, it needs it.

LAST PERSON WHO:
1. Saw you cry? My mom earlier today.
2. Went to the movies with you? Lori.
3. You went to the mall with? Caroline.
4. You went to dinner with? B.
5. You talked to on the phone? My brother.
6. Said 'I Love You" and meant it? My brother as we ended our call.
7. Made you laugh? B. Every.single.day.

WOULD YOU RATHER?
1. Pierce your nose or tongue? Neither. The nose piercing stinks and I have a porcelain veneer on my front tooth, so the tongue is out.
2. Be serious or be funny? Funny. Seriously.
3. Drink whole or skim milk? Neither. Milk tastes like blood. GAG!
4. Die in a fire or drown? Smoke inhalation. I think it would be somewhat peaceful and then the cost of cremation is voided.
5. Spend time with your parents or enemies? I like my parents and talk to them daily.

ABOUT YOU!
1. What time is it? 6:11 pm
2. Name? DebraSue
3. Nickname(s)? Deb, Debbie, D, Sister, and Doo Doo
4. Where were you born? Charleston, WV
5. What is your birthdate? August 3
6. What do you want? My daughter, a donut, sleep, and some good coffee
7. Where do you want to live? Wherever B and my family are.
8. How many kids do you want? Just my girls. They're enough.

Conversation

So I went around the block to my parents for a little family time and some Turkey Tetrazzini earlier today. My brother and his family stopped in to say howdy. I noticed that my nephew had a large scratch on his nose...

Me: "Hey Noah Bob, how'd you get that big scratch on your nose?"

Noah: "Sissy (my niece Lauryn) and I were playing and she accidentally scratched me."

Me: "Oh yeah?"

Noah: "Yeah, and my fist accidentally hit her in the mouth."

No lie.

On the Mend

The surgery went well. I am now officially cleaned out, sewed up, and sterile. Pshew.
I am taking Advil around the clock, cat-napping, eating Turkey, and playing Civilization III - Conquests.
Happy Thanksgiving!
Time to heal.

Good Grief

I know it's been a while, and I may have lost a few of my 10 or so readers, but things have been a little hectic here at home. Life's fast and we are just hanging on for the ride.

It all started a few weeks ago with a crazy sinus infection, jittery eyeballs, and the spins. I was in a meeting for work and as I bent over to get some paperwork out of my bag, I kept right on going over. It was pretty scary. Fortunately, I work in the medical field and a nurse was at the meeting. Logically, I called my doctor and got another appointment. He suggested bloodwork and a CAT scan to see what was going on. I did the bloodwork the next day, requested they send the results to my gyno because of my surgery, and scheduled my CAT scan for a week later. On Monday the nurse called and told me my bloodwork was fine. I specifically inquired about my TSH (thyroid) and glucose levels because I have a pretty strong family history (foreshadowing here) , and she told me, "No they're perfect."

So B and I go to get the CAT scan the next Saturday. Well, my doc didn't inform me that I was getting a CAT scan with contrast or that I couldn't eat or drink anything beforehand, so I was a little surprised when they whipped out the "You can die from this dye" contract. I had a major panic attack. Tears and a little hyperventilating because I was so pissed and upset that no one prepared me. I should've known, but I have never had a CAT scan of my brain before! I felt like an idiot, but finally consented and did the test.

I got the call on Monday that my brain is fine and that's that. No follow up, no nothing. Oh I did let the nurse know I was pissed, and she totally blamed it on the hospital. Whatever.

Here's the kicker - I go in Thursday for my pre-op appointment with my gyno. The NP started asking the typical questions, and when she asked about meds, I told her "BP meds only." She looked at my chart, and goes, "Well, when are you starting synthroid?" What?

Of course I had no idea what she's talking about. She then informed me that my thyroid levels are above normal according to my latest round of bloodwork on November 3. Remember the foreshadowing? To add insult to injury, the Pre-admission Testing nurse at the hospital asked the same freaking question when we got to the med review! ARGH!

If you know anything about hypothyroidism, and you've been around me for the last month or so, you would quickly put 2 and 2 together. I am beyond pissed. So pissed I can't even call my soon-to-be-former doctor because I can't trust myself to be rational.

Needless to say I am (yet again) firing another doctor and finding a new one. My friend Alicia has always been vehemently opposed to having a DO as a PCP, and after experiencing 2 really quacky ones, I finally concede to her belief. Sorry to those of you out there who are pursuing this degree, but I will no longer consider a DO as an option. This will be the third one we have fired - 2 for me and 1 for C.

So that's just a drop in the bucket of the excitement in the Ladybug house. Add that on top of traveling for work, finishing the semester both as a student and instructor, wrapping up cheerleading, and trying to get my house in order before surgery and you get one busy, busy DebraSue. So busy that lamenting the very real possibility that we may be traveling to China at the height of the 2008 Olympics doesn't even phase me - now that's some stress.

Flying by the Seats of Our Pants

Just wanted y'all to know I am still alive, but just barely...

1. Whatever illness I had is dying the slow lingering death a'la Pee Wee Herman in Buffy the Vampire Slayer - the movie, not TV show;
2. News about my CAT-scan incident and panic attack;
3. Travel (only bits and pieces because it's all work related) and related ills;
4. C's cellulitis in her left eyebrow;
5. My dad's scary PSA results and possible prostate issues (keep your fingers crossed it's not cancer).

We're all just a damn mess here at the Ladybug house.

The good news is B is feeling great.

No Parties at this House

Since it's so close to Halloween, I thought this pic was appropriate. Today we are 4 months LID. How are we celebrating, you wonder?

Well, B is at a business meeting, C is at her mom's house, and I am sitting in my bed surrounded by journal articles, Halls Honey Lemon with the medicine center, copious drugs and a book about curriculum adaptations for students with learning and behavior problems. Yep, I am sick and finishing a paper that's due tonight. Sore throat, nausea, cruddy chest and fever. God only knows what I am saying, cause I am feeling rough.

Back to the grind.

I Never Knew I Had a Twin

I saw this over at Mrs. Figby's and thought I would give it a try. I think she'll get a kick out of my match with David Hasselhoff. Hail to the Hoff! Go check it out and tell me, who do you look like?

Fat and Fashionable

So I was scanning some of my favorite blogs and came upon 2 different posts containing the words "leggings." Fortunately, over at buttercup it was a language issue. Leggings = tights. However, Karen addressed the real issue of the Great Legging Comback of 2006, which distresses me to no end. My problem really isn't that leggings are coming back. No, really, it isn't. Everything circles around again, and it's time for an 80's revival. No biggie.

My problem is with the women who choose to wear leggings. In my book, if you are over the age of 9, you should not own a pair of leggings. EVER. Nonetheless, many women decide that comfort overrules fashion. To take it a step further, overweight women choose comfort over fashion. Don't get me wrong, I am not criticizing the big girls - I am a big girl. A plus size woman. Voluptuous, Reubenesque, Zaftig, Fat, Curvy, and Healthy. I shop in the "Women's" section, I wear double digits, and buy the majority of my clothing at Lane Bryant. Do not flame me saying I hate fat people. I am fat and I am okay with it.

What I am not okay with is the fact that plus size women do not know how to dress to emphasize their shape or bodies. This makes me crazy. It drives me bonkers to see a curvy, beautiful woman in leggings, or even worse, a shapeless jumper and tights. No, no, no, no, no, no, no! Oh Mama Mia! Dressing like a little girl (child) does not make you look like a little woman (petite). Ironically enough if you check out Clinton's Fall Fashion Trends he advises about both of these horrible pieces of clothing. See? I am not the only one!

I know all about how hard it is to find clothes that fit. I also know how easy it is to fall into a rut of comfort and acceptance. The top 5 most common trends that I see in larger women's fashion are:

1. Wearing knit pants - leggings, sweatpants, and/or drawstring, tapered knits that cling to the butt and thighs. Often, cellulite on the butt and thighs is seen in a mesmirizing dimple pattern through the fabric.
2. Large, voluminous T-shirts/shirts that are tent-like and unflattering. These usually are worn with leggings or knit pants.
3. Jumpers worn with turtlenecks and tights. These hang in a tubular column from the shoulder, creating a silo effect.
4. Wearing too tight jeans and shirts. With this phenomenon, women get the rounded gut protruding over the low cut jeans. Also known as a Buddha belly. Further, the tight jeans create a "muffin top" on the back and sides. The muffin top is emphasized by the tight shirt, and you can see the strain of the shirt in the small of the back as it is stretched between the flesh pouring over the sides of the waist.
5. Droopy butt. A lovely effect that occurs on Apple shaped women who wear pants that fit in the waist but are too large in the hips and thighs. This is a lovely "full-diaper" effect.

This is a call to arms. If you are a voluptuous woman who commits these fashion crimes, Stop Now! Get help. Call a friend who will tell you the truth. Be fat and fashionable, starting now.

Lonely Reader

Need a little help over here. Being active in the role of A-parent of a Chinese daughter, I have agreed to participate in several Secret Pal exchanges. Actually only 2, but anyway, this month's theme for one exchange is children's books. Not Chinese Adoption children's books, but all-over-the-charts children's books. You would think this would be easy, being as I have a 10 year old who was 2 when I became her stepmom. No, sorry. Being just like her father, C hates to read. I know, I know. I punctures my soul like a bullet, because I read every single day and feel like my arm's been cut off if I don't have a stack of to-be-read books sitting on my table. When C was small we didn't have story time, we had singing time. I would sing to her every night before she would go to bed. Songs that eventually became part of a lullaby CD that still works, 8 years later. I am hopeful and a little determined that Ruby will be a reader. If she's not, I don't know what will happen to the lonely reader in my house.

I have several books in my collection that I love, but aren't age appropriate for the exchange. They are books I remember loving when I was a child - Eloise, Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle (all of them), The Little House on the Prairie collection, the Ramona Qumiby chronicles, all Judy Blumes, and several in the Anne of Green Gables series.

As you can see I am in a quandary. These won't work, not for the little ones. So tell me, what works for you? What have you purchased to get ready and make your little one love the written word?

September Secret Pal x2 Whoo-hoo!

I have the greatest Secret Pals ever! For the past two days, my front porch has been filled with the delights of presents. Every month, I look forward to sending and receiving Secret Pal gifts. People weren't lying when they said it makes the time go by more quickly.

We are in love with all of our booty, and greatly appreciate both wonderful Pals for thinking of Ruby and C. You two are the best!

If You're Happy and You Know it, Clap Your...

I have to say my Mountain Girls weekend was one of the best I have ever had. I can't say much because what's said in the Mountain House stays in the Mountain House.
Top Ten Highlights include:
1. A formation of the "Tiara Girls" club. Memberships are being accepted, but the criteria for entry is fierce.
2. Shannon 1 is the CEO of the LSKs.
3. Shannon 2 and I share a deep love of reading and chatted at length about books - something I don't get to do very often.
4. If we get bad service, we don't tip.
5. Must get a pug NOW.
6. Interpretive dance is so worth watching, especially after several 16 ounce mojitos.

7. Mountain driving takes on a new meaning when you have 4 women in the car singing along to Madonna's Crazy for You.
8. Luke! You are our waiter...
9. Yes, grown ups get pimples, and even though we were together less than 72 hours, I am sure our cycles are synchronized. It was just that much bonding.
10. I have made girlfriends for life - same time next year? Count me in.
The Shannons
Susan and Me


Room of Snark
The Princesses of the Tiara Girls
Yes, I really do wear shoes like these!

Okay is it me?

Or is Joey Lawrence trying to cash in on the Chris Daughtry sultry bald man look?
Ewwwww! He looks incredibly creepy. Dead eyes, man. Serial Killer Dead.

Leave The Light On

As much as I travel for my job, you would think I wouldn't want to spend my weekend traveling. Well, most weekends you would be correct. Not so this time; I am getting ready to head down to over and down the mountains to visit my bloggy posse - Susan, Shannon 1, and Shannon 2. I am so excited I am ready to slap myself.
When I return pictures galore, bloggy news, and all about the fun, fun, fun we're gonna have!

Bunny Love

If you haven't figured it out by now, I am a TV hussy. I love evening TV and watch as much of it as I can. I have ghetto TiVo (DVR) and spend lots of time watching silly things that only I enjoy. Nevertheless, I think everyone would enjoy the 30 Second Bunny Flicks by Angry Alien that are showcased on Starz. My favorites include "Brokeback Mountain" and "Pulp Fiction." Check them out.

Relieved

See that image ladies and gents? That, my pals, means that I finally have a chair for my doctoral committee. If you are unfamiliar with the process, basically it means that I finally have a mentor that will help me navigate the dissertation process and finish the last leg of my program.
To me, asking someone to chair my committee was a little like proposing - stressful, anxiety-inducing, and immensly relieving when she said yes. All is well in the land of Deb.

Ho-Hum

Disclaimer: I am incredibly predictable and oftentimes have very little to discuss. Therefore, I have adopted the need to cut and paste memes from other people's blogs. Furthermore, I am inherently lazy and will not forward things like these to anyone; thus guaranteeing that I will most likely never be tagged by another blogger in the future. So, here we go...

1. FIRST NAME? Debra
2. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? No, my parents truly believed that I was going to be a boy and had full intentions of naming me Dwight (thank God I was female) and had not chosen a girl's name. My mother says when she looked at me she said "Debbie her name is Debbie." They chose Debra because they felt Debbie was a better nickname.
3. WHEN DID YOU LAST CRY? Yesterday.
4. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? Yes I do. I have very nice print and cursive handwriting, especially for a leftie.
5. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCHMEAT? Pastrami
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? I think so. Sometimes I am a bad friend, so my expectations for my being my friend would be low.
7. DO YOU HAVE A JOURNAL? Just the blog and sometimes it's a chore; see disclaimer
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? Yes and they are disgusting harbors of infection and other gross things I am choosing not to discuss
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Get real. No. Gravity is good.
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? I am not really a cereal person. Occasionally I will eat Smart Start. I do like the Fruit Cheerios, they're pretty tasty once in a while.
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? No. There are few times I wear shoes that have laces. I have to dress for work so I wear sandals, pumps, or dressier casual shoes most of the time. On the weekends in the winter I'll wear sneakers, but I don't untie them.
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? Physically, no. To use the words of my coworker Tami, "I have the upper body strength of a kitten." Emotionally, yes.
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM FLAVOR? I like Strawberry, Strawberry from Baskin Robbins. I also like Ben & Jerry's Pistachio, Pistachio. What's up with the double titles? I really love popsicles.
14. SHOE Size? Depends on the shoe. I go from 8 1/2 to 10.
15. RED OR PINK? Definitely Red
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? My legs. I also worry constantly.
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My friend Alicia. We are both very busy living our lives right now, but that doesn't mean I don't think about/worry about her.
18. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Gray gauchos, bare toes.
19. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? The hum of the laptop fan.
20. WHERE IS THE ONE PLACE YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE RIGHT NOW? Although, I'm pretty comfortable right here, I wish we were in China.
21. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Royal Purple. It is dark and rich and represents lushness.
22. FAVORITE SMELL? Sesame oil, the back of B's neck, and Wrigley's spearmint gum.
23. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? B. I called him to come out to the car and carry in groceries.
24. THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE YOU ARE ATTRACTED TO? Their teeth and clothing.
25. FAVORITE DRINK? Coffee
26. FAVORITE SPORT? Not a fan. If I were forced to watch any it would be men's swimming or women's gymnastics.
27. WHATS YOUR FAVORITE COLOR? Purple, green, and red
28. HAT SIZE? I don't know.
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Very infrequently. I have an astigmatism and very abnormal vision in both eyes. Contacts mess with my depth perception.
30. FAVORITE FOOD? A big fat cheeseburger. My mom's Cajun chicken pasta. BLTs, and creamed tomatoes with buttermilk pan bread.
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy endings.
32. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? White Hanes
33. SUMMER OR WINTER? Winter, I love to walk in the snow.
34. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs. Kisses are reserved for the one who is worthy.
35. FAVORITE DESSERT? Cake
36. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? None. It's hard to believe, but I am not reading anything. I am hitting the library today before C's football game. I just finished listening to "The Cover of Night" by Linda Howard. Don't waste your time.
37. WHAT'S ON THE MOUSE PAD? My finger.
38. WHAT DID YOU WATCH LAST NIGHT ON TV? "Chicago" and parts of ''The Big Lebowski."
39. WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SOUNDS? Mail coming through my mail slot; B & C laughing and making up silly songs.
40. THE FURTHEST YOU'VE BEEN FROM HOME? Florida.
41. WHAT ARE YOUR SPECIAL TALENTS? I am a pretty good singer. I can also cook well.
42. AND WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Charleston, West Virginia.
43. WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I actually swiped it from Krista and Connie.
44. WHAT DAY IS IT? Sunday

All About the Idols

Thirteen Things about The American Idol Concert 1. Ace Young is so much hotter in person than he ever was on television. Oh man, he's beautiful. I needed a fan. I am a fan. 2. Don't ever assume that you'll be able to see things on the large screens most concerts provide. For some reason the most visible screen hosted pictures of flames, the moon and other nonsensical items. I would much rather have seen close ups of Ace's abs and lovely Crest smile. 3. There are people out there who love to sing, but can't. If you are one of them, do the person in front of you the courtesy of not screaming every lyric to every song. Sing softly so that people won't hear that you have absolutely no ability to hit one note in tune. 4. Katherine McPhee is just stunning. She looks like a young, thin Linda Rondstadt. She sings almost as well. 5. Taylor Hicks is awfully cute, but when standing next to Ace, he doesn't have a chance. 6. I was as giddy as C and my niece Lauryn when Elliot Yamin came on stage. He's a phenomenal performer. I heart Elliot. 7. Little girls can only handle so much excitement before they become emotional and cranky. We hit our excitement quota about 9:20. It was all downhill from there. 8. Kelly Pickler is just a shame on the face of womanhood. All I'm sayin.' 9. I loved the fact that there were people of all ages in the audience. We were surrounded by moms, dads, children, and grandparents. It was a family-style love fest. 10. Taking two pre-teens to a concert is a superior act of kindness and patience. I should be commended for both. 11. Seeing the looks of awe, excitement, and extreme pleasure on the faces of C and Lauryn was worth every dime spent. 12. Chris Daughtry is going to be a mega rock star. I have not heard that type of squealing and screaming since Duran Duran in 1983. 13. Did I mention that Ace Young is smoking hot? Oh, yeah...he is! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I'll add you here!)

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Warming Up for Tomorrow's Concert

C had a brief brush with fame this evening. While out dining with her mom and brother, she noticed this cute boy down the way. Well, being any red-blooded pre-teen she immediately was in his business. Autographs, pictures, and giggling excited phone calls ensued.

I guess she's ready for the concert tomorrow, huh?

Welcome Back

New Season of Nip/Tuck. Hello Lovah.

The Dictator in my Head

I am still being a state traveler, so blogging may be sporadic. Actually, that's just an excuse for being lazy and somewhat discouraged with the whole referral process. 9 Freaking Days. All I'm saying. Grrrrr.

I try to fill my time with work, school (which is going well, thanks), prepping a proposal to hopefully present at this conference, getting excited for my trip to meet Shannon 1, Shannon 2 and to see Susan again, reading other people's blogs, thinking about gifts for my Secret Pals, and making lists of the things I need to do before my surgery in November. But it's still there. A constant whisper in my ear

... 9 days, new restrictions, 9 days, years of waiting, 9 days, rejection, 9 days, what if? 9 days...

It's in my head when I travel, when I shop, when I am driving and listening to this (which is terrible) and this (which is great). It's my mantra. Over and over, the broken record of a little Chinese devil that unfortunately looks like this guy, who's not even Chinese!

I am taking suggestions for anything else that can fill my time and get this guy off my back. Any takers?