Holiday TV specials

I just love holiday TV specials. Any of them will command my attention, like Rudolph or How the Grinch stole Christmas. The simple stories and catchy animation brings me back to my childhood snuggling up on my parents' couch and realizing that Christmas will be coming soon.

But there is one special that warms my heart more than any other. That one would be "Emmett Otter's Jug Band Christmas"! It is neither animated or clay-mated but instead a product of the genius Jim Henson's puppetry. It is a re-telling of The Gift of the Magi. For anyone who isn't aware, in the original story of a young, broke married couple are trying to figure out how to get presents for each other during their first Christmas together. They each agreed to get each other nothing, but then conspire to get each other something. The husband sells his pocket watch to get his wife hair clips, while she sells her hair for him a pocket watch fob. You get where the ending leads. The moral would be the age-old expression "it's not the gift, but the thought that counts." Well Emmett Otter has the same meaning as the Magi story, but in this story Emmett Otter wants to get his mother something so bad that he creates a jug band with his friends and...well I won't give it away. You should definitely see it. I think it's a very underrated holiday special compared to the others. You might see some puppet strings, but the magic will always be there. The memories of my sisters and I sitting close to the TV and swaying to the sounds of Emmett Otter's jug band.

Of course, you might not want to make your decision on my opinion, so I'll give it over the experts.

http://www.tvguide.com/PhotoGallery/Holiday-TV-Classics-67160/5.aspx

Thanksgiving

I always loved Thanksgiving not just for the turkey or the desserts (but let's be honest, it's a perk), but it is a holiday where you can reflect and remember what and why you are thankful for the things you have. These last few weeks I've started a list in my head of things I am so thankful for and some are silly and some are sweet, but all are me. I thought it would be a good idea to list them to help others remember what this great holiday is about...reflection and being thankful for what we have. So here I go.

• Cheesy Lifetime movies...nothing makes a boring Sunday afternoon better than listening to my husband cuss at the Cowboys over my cheestastic Lifetime movie where a man had done her wrong. Ladies, I know you agree.
  
• The cold weather. Finally, the weather is finally matching the season for the first time in years. I know that some people might read this and not understand it, but if you have lived anywhere in North Carolina these past few years, you know what I mean.
  
• A steady job. I will never take job security for granted. And a roof over my head that I can afford.
  
• Gas prices under $2.00. Hallelujah!!!!
• Knowing that when I have a bad day, I can call someone and know they will listen.
  
• My husband's unusual sense of humor. I swear sweetie, no one gets you but you! You still make me smile though.
  
• The look of relief on my husband's face when his brother calls safely from Iraq.
  
• That my brother-in-law is healthy and safe to call.
• Hearing "I love you". Doesn't matter from whom.
  
• That NO DOUBT is getting back together and doing a tour this summer. If you would like to contribute to the "Pamela/NO DOUBT concert fund", email me because I am traveling to wherever is the closest concert.
  
• Friends that listen and care. (Movie night)
  
• Sisters...no one understands you like your siblings.
  
• My sisters and I making each other laugh with our stories.
• My new baby niece or nephew on the way.
  
• The Office, 30 Rock, two of the most brilliant TV shows on the planet.
  
• DVR....whoever invented it should be honored with, I don't know, but have that person honored.
  
• My dog's wagging tail when I walk into my home after a long day.
  
• My kitties at play.
  
• My cat Lucy chasing her own shadow.
  
• My health: blood pressure is normal, stomach is getting better, no migraine since May, woohoo!!!
• A reliable car that has workable, reliable brakes. If you live or have ever visited Greenville, NC then you know why I said that.
• East Carolina University are football Conference USA eastern division Champions. Onto the championship boys.
  
• That my mom's cancer is still gone.
  
• The doctor's that help my mom keep her cancer away.
  
• The doctor's that removed my appendix. Thanks guys!
  
• Hearing my dad call me "dear"
  
• Hearing my mom and dad laughing at each other.
  
• Hearing my mom sing random songs as she cooks.
  
• My niece telling me "ok, I love you too, ok?" and "you silly Aunt Pam".
  
• When she also says "That Papa."
• That my parents taught me the value of hard work and the dollar.
• And never take anything for granted.
  
• And that in the end, family is always there, and I can always go home "whenever I need"

I could continue on and on, but I think I'll stop. I hope you all have a wonderful, reflective, and yummy Turkey Day!

In the end it was canceled...

So it's a sad day for me. One of my favorite shows was canceled. That show was Pushing Daisies. The show was awesome and I look forward to seeing this season through, but I was hoping my journey with this show would've been longer. But after many petitions I signed, emails sent, and cries unheard, ABC networks decided to deliver the axe today.

At first I wanted to take to this blog and slam ABC for the poor choice, but what would that have done. They have the money, they have the power, and I don't. What I will say is that I'm extremely disappointed in this decision. Pushing Daisies was an inventive show with a mixture of science fiction, humor, and faith. It was far removed from all the sex and skank that's in most shows. A little back story for people who never watched the show. "The facts were these":
Ned was a piemaker who had a magical power of bringing dead things to life with only a touch of a finger, but after a minute the person or thing is still alive, something or someone else must die. If Ned touches it twice, it's dead forever. Ned brings his longtime love Charolette Charles "Chuck" back to life but sadly they can never touch or she will be dead forever. Because of Ned's gift he is roped into helping private invesitgator Emerson Cod solve his murder mysteries. Only Emerson and Chuck know of Ned's gift.

That's it in a nut shell.

When I discussed the show with a lot of people, the response I got, "why would the show go on, Ned and Chuck can't touch." To this I say "SO!!!!!" I am by no means the moral authority, but I'm started to get a little disgusted seeing more sex on TV and not so much communication between couples. Yes physical attention is a requirement in a relationship, but what about communication; discussing fears, irratations, hurts, wants, dreams, etc. What about normal interaction between each other. I feel like so many TV shows lack these things now. Granted Ned and Chuck's relationship was not normal, but they weren't sleeping around!

Sorry, I guess my anger is slipping out onto this blog. I guess I better just published and let my feelings be know.

There are more shows that are on the bubble, so if you want your show saved then try and try and try.

An Apology

I have recently found out that one of my blogs upset a family member of mine, so I decided to take the post down as an apology to this person. It was never my intention to make anyone in my family feel bad about what I said about them. Sometimes my point of view is different from theirs, as it would be, but I never intend to hurt anyone with the things I write. If it was a regular joe down the street, I wouldn't care so much. But with my family, it hurts me greatly knowing that I might have upset one of my family members. Please take my removal of the post as an apology and know that, even though I don't say it much, I love you and eager to spend this holiday season with you and everyone else. I'm even ecstatic about the new arrival to come!

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday evening......

Election Day

I'm not going to be endorsing any candidate on here today because I know what comments would follow, but instead I just want to say that it's an awesome feeling to vote. For me as a woman and know the history behind how women won the right to vote.

It was a win, a victory, for women to be able to vote. It was until the twentieth century (1920) that women got the right to vote. If you want further history behind how women won the right to vote, I would search Alice Paul or Lucy Burns. Alice Paul was one of the prominent leaders of the women's movement during this time period and thereafter. Their journey was also made into a movie called Iron-jawed Angels. I recommend it. These women were hosed outside of courthouses, spat upon, cursed at, and even jailed for their fight for the right for their voice and their daughters' voices to be heard (the charge was that they were "obstructing traffic" while they were protesting). Once in jail, they were beaten and even forced feed (during a self-imposed hunger strike). The President at the time Woodrow Wilson wanted to have Alice Paul declared legally insane to which the doctor replied "courage in women is often mistaken for insanity." A quote that renders in my mind whenever I'm arguing passionately about a subject and then being asked if it's my time of the month.

So when I casted my ballot this past Saturday (I'm in one of those states with early voting) next to my husband, my mind wasn't just on the candidates, but on the women before me who fought so hard to let my voice be heard. I will make sure that if I do have daughters I will also tell them the history and the signficance of voting to them.

For those women who came before me....I say thank you.

Now get out there and vote!!!!!!!!!!!

Just saying......

I know 2 posts in one day, but I got to get something off my chest.

Now I love looking at celeb gossip sites, reading ridiculous news, and finding tongue-in-cheek information, but today I found something that made me feel very icky. I was reading about the recovery of Travis Barker and DJ AM from their plane crash over the weekend. What a horrible scenario and I hope they both recover well and my thoughts go to the families that lost a loved one. What disgust me the most was there was a picture of Shanna Moakler crying outside the Georgia hospital where these 2 guys are being treated. If you don't know, she's the ex-wife of Travis Barker and mother of their 2 children. How awful I felt seeing this picture of her heartache and shock. I personally don't find it fair. Sure, she's a celeb and should feel that some privacy will be undermined in her life, but some seedy photographer taking her picture of her grief outside the hospital is absolutely disgusting. For one, she's got children, very young children, and another her life has been completely altered. This is not right. I gained no emotional need from seeing that. I changed the website, which is more respectable in my opinion, to another one with same information but no pictures provided. I liked that much better. I guess it bothered me as a person who has seen a loved one suffer. As someone who has gotten horrible news and wanted to just break down in a corner somewhere alone. But she doesn't get to be alone, does she? Now instead her pain, grief, and dispair will be marketed and displayed for all of us to see because this society is sick and twisted and can't possibly fathom that a celebrity can have real human emotion. And then something like this happens and it's like "surprise". Whatever, it's BS and I'm not going to play into it anymore. I'm so over it. So over it all.

A Poem to My Husband

I write a lot. I do consider myself a writer, though I haven't published much. Someday a story will become complete and a publisher will love it. Anyway, I have always written poetry. But most of my poetry has been more goth, dark if you will, and mostly about how I observe life or my own inner struggle with life. I have never been one for cheesy poems and lovey dovey stuff, but last night I was sitting watching whatever on TV and I this poem just leaped from my brain onto paper. This is to my husband, for all those times I could never put my love for him down on paper, now I feel like I have. I have left it open still to others' interpretation. This is very hard for me to shared as I am extremely guarded to letting other people read my creative material. If you wish to provide criticism, please spare the harshness this time.

Unspoken Truth

I listen to the trees,
I listen to the wind,
I listen to you,
Could you be my friend?

I hear it your eyes,
I see it in your sighs,
Tomorrow may be filled with lies,
But today there are no goodbyes.

You scream my name with your touch,
You speak my name with the slighest nudge,
I hold your heart in my palm,
You have my soul in your arms.

You cool my temper with your breeze,
I find speaking to you with such ease,
You know my love is pure and good,
I know that your love is understood.

So as I reach to you tonight,
I know you won't be there,
But your soul wraps around me,
As I breathe your air.

Life goes on....

Before I start this post I want to show you guys a list of pet peeves listed by astrological sign. I'm an Aries and I completely believe in astrological signs because I am what you think when you think of an Aries. I'm fiery and stubborn. Here's the list from MSN.com.

Aries:
Yours is the most impatient sign of all, Aries, so naturally, what irritates you most is waiting. Period. You want to be the first one in, the first one out, and at the very head of the pack in the left hand lane, whether it's rush hour or 3 a.m. Your impatience also extends to your temper. That said, Pet Peeve #2 is anyone who won't fight back. After all, what's better than a worthy opponent?

Taurus:
Unlike your Aries and Gemini neighbors, you, Taurus, can't stand rushing. You believe in measuring twice (at least) and cutting once, in thinking before you act, and in choosing your words and actions as carefully as possible. What drives you crazy more than anything, then, is haste - but unexpected change is a close second. In fact, unlike most of us, you're not particularly fond of surprises, even if they're pleasant ones.

Gemini:
Mercury is your planet, Gemini, the guy with the wings on his head and his feet, symbolizing his quicksilver abilities when it comes to mental and physical speed. So, understandably, nothing makes you crazier than someone who just won't cut to the chase when they're telling a story or refuses to take a shortcut when they know they're running late - although it's hard to imagine how they could resist, with all the tapping and fidgeting you do while you're waiting.

Cancer:
Safety, security, and your home and family are what matter most to you, Cancer, and there's nothing you love more than spending an evening at your place, surrounded by loved ones, snuggled up under a quilt. So what makes you nuts? Being dragged out by a well-meaning friend who's decided that you "need more socializing." That's grounds for . . . well, for all kinds of things. Second, though, is having to eat someone else's cooking, which is seldom, if ever, as good as yours.

Leo:
Yours is the sign of the performer, Leo. You can turn any place into a stage, from an actual podium to a bar to the front of a classroom. What makes you crazy is one thing: someone who tries to steal your applause. You work hard to keep everyone amused and entertained, and you enjoy it as much as they do. The spotlight is only so wide, though, so when someone tries to snag some of it, you won't hesitate to show your disapproval.

Virgo:
Cleanliness. Order. Organization. That's what you need to function at your best, Virgo, in your personal surroundings, your workplace, and your daily schedule. So what drives you crazy more than anything else is filthy, unsanitary, or disorganized conditions, as well as people who exhibit those qualities. It's the dirty details where you personally see the devil - and even if you have to scrub your fingers to the bone, you will be rid of him.

Libra:
Contrary to popular opinion, your specialty, Libra, is not "balance" itself, it's restoring balance to unbalanced situations. So what you can't stand, more than anything else, is seeing lopsided, prejudiced, unfair, or discriminatory conditions. It brings out the cruise director, mediator, and judge in you. In other words, you put your own feelings aside to become whatever it takes to make things "nice" again.

Scorpio:
Your sign is famous for its love of depth, intensity, and digging below the surface. So what makes you crazier than anything is meeting up with someone who goes out of his way to be shallow, cavalier about important issues (especially the ones you feel most strongly about) and superficial. It makes you wonder what he or she is really up to - and wondering is what keeps you from getting a decent night's sleep.

Sagittarius:
You love to learn, travel, and have fun with interesting others. In short, if it's new, uncharted territory, if you feel that you're boldly going where no one has gone before - yourself in particular - then you're game. What you can't stand - what you absolutely cannot and will not tolerate, no matter what - is boredom. That's your #1 Pet Peeve. A close second? Someone who dares to tell you "no," regardless of why.

Capricorn:
When it comes to taking charge, while you may occasionally pretend you don't absolutely adore it, to be perfectly honest, you know you do - and you know we all love it when you're "driving," because you're so good at it. So what absolutely makes you nuts is having to take orders from someone who's not only less qualified than yourself, but also pitifully less suited to the position. Fortunately, that doesn't happen much, now does it?

Aquarius:
You're the rebel, the radical, and the eccentric in every group, whether it's family, friends, or your team at work. You love and cultivate those labels because of the freedom they allow you to be yourself. The worst thing, then - the very worst thing of all, in your eyes - is being pressed into a mold, being told what to do, having to obey, and being forced to act like everyone else. It's simply not acceptable - and it doesn't happen often…

Pisces:
Your specialty, Pisces, is emotions, maybe even more so than sentimental Cancer. You're comfortable sniffling and dabbing at your eyes during a sad movie (or a commercial, for that matter) and rather - no, extremely - proud of your ability to sense what's wrong with a loved one before they even realize it themselves. So what makes you most irritated is when someone tells you you're being "overly emotional." After all, in your eyes (which is what matters), can you ever be too emotional?

And yes my biggest pet peeve is waiting.

Moving on.....life goes on.

So the uncertainty is over. I was waiting for was finding out whether my husband who is finally finished with his degree & internship has been offered a job. Well he was. Yes, I'm a proud wife, but the job is in another city, so we are in the process of selling our home and I'm finding a new job. Luckily, we'll be moving to where my family lives; where I grew up. To me it is very surreal at the thought of just being 20 minutes away from my family than a hour. I know some people live like states away, but my family is so close that a hour away is immense independence. Independence that I think I needed.

See, I've lived here in Greenville, NC for 8 years. Being the youngest in my family has not been easy. I have endured other people's opinions, thoughts, and criticisms on my life since I took my first breath. While I know my family only offers these to me as a signal of love, it annoys the heck out of me! I think living an hour away for 8 years has been very productive in showing my family that I'm not 18 months old and still in a diaper. That I'm a professional young woman who can manage job, marriage, and home with the maturity my parents taught me at a young age. But still there is that underlying annoyance of advice. Sure parents are going to offer it to you no matter what you do, but to my parents: can you back off just a tad? I mean, I would think all that I have been through like my husband spending 10 months in Iraq, helping Mom with her cancer treatments, finishing my bachelor's in 3 years and my master's in 1 year, surviving a near mental breakdown, and overall climbing the ranks in a university setting in a very short amount of time would allow you to trust my judgment. Sure I've made mistakes and I will relive them in my head through the end of time because that's who I am, but what I need is some encouragement and support like "you know you'll find another job" or "the next great house is around the corner" or "of course someone will see you house and just fall in love with it".

Moving on....I am sad at the thought of leaving a second family I've made here. I never thought family was blood related. My reasons behind this rationale are personal and will not be included in this blog, but I always felt people you are your most comfortable with are your family. This is very hard for me to write, but in all honesty, I'm not going to lose these people. I think when a friendship is a good friendship then the work is already been done. The groundwork has been laid and all you need to do is keep up the maintenance. Wow, I just notice all the construction metaphors in here. Sorry, I watched too much HGTV this weekend in between the Olympics.

So now the waiting has been shifted into a new direction (selling house, finding new job), but I'm trying not to let it get the best of me. As I said to a dear friend, I'm letting the worry motivate me but not destroy me. We'll see what happens.

To end this I want to say how immensely proud I am of my husband. He has been through so much in his life and never thought he would ever be where he is today. But he made it and I knew he could do it because he never lets anything get him down. He is my hero and one of the greatest people I will ever know.

Ohhh Uncertainty!!!

Most that know me know when I'm nervous. I generally act calm, soft-spoken, and focused on something. To people who don't know me well they think I'm just a very focused person, but oh no I'm really dealing with that gnawing feeling at the pit of my stomach and that weird feeling you get before you throw up. That is what I'm feeling today. Above my fear of spiders, heights, and darkness, there is my overwhelming fear of uncertainty. Of course I've let go over my ever-loving need to plan everything out, but I can't help but freak out at the thought of not knowing where I might be living in month or where my career might be heading. Those things are important to me. That is what gives me a foundation for my life.

I think the fear all started when I was little girl. My family moved a lot when I was very little. We finally settled and stopped moving when I was around age 6. Though my parents don't think I remember any of it, I do. I remember my dad's reassuring smile that this would be the last move and my mom's uneasiness to moving to a whole other place to settle in. I remember the boxes scattered about. Nothing makes you examine your life like packing it all in boxes and moving it to another location. I'm not blaming my parents, but the experience made me crave a need for a stable home to lay my life down in. Does that make sense? I hope so.

Now the possibility of moving and finding a new job is very daunting, but I'm trying to embrace this feeling. Unfortunately I cannot go into specifics, but I'll have more information to come.

I HATE comment sections....

I want to say I'm fine with comment sections when dealing with blogs, entertainment news, or other not so journalistic websites. However, that being said I absolutely with every fiber of my being HATE that news media outlets allow comment sections on their news bulletins on their websites. It's ridiculous and dangerous. Here you give millions of uninformed and (my opinion) quite ignorant people making assumptions and conclusions without any proper knowledge of the material they are commenting on. I find it a slap in the face while I'm reading a news article and scrolling down to see some joe's idiot comment to the likes of "well...there you go....". That's it! Did you even read the article you shmuck? This is so demeaning to our journalism culture. Being a journalist used to be something dignified and quite awesome (different from the 80's meaning of awesome...meaning awe-inspiring). But now after reading what I find a great article, I scroll down to find any links to other information and what do I see...complete asinine comments that quite frankly make no sense or include some of the worst grammar I have ever seen. By the way people READ is spelled R-E-A-D, not R-E-E-D. Allowing just anyone to comment on a news article allows the idiots to come out of the wood work.

Case in point, I was just reading a very informative article on the missing Cary woman on abcnews.com. First off, I want to say I hope this woman is found alive and returned safely to her young children. Now, let me ream the dumbest people ever. Yes, there have been 3 high profile murders lately in North Carolina (my thoughts are with those families), but that doesn't mean North Carolina is a prime murder state as so many comments would like to make. I find this dangerous because as a North Carolinian I don't appreciate someone assuming information about where I live without having first hand knowledge. Like for instance, according to statistics most serial killers are born, raised, and kill within the Mid-West. Does this mean I should never visit my in-laws who live in the Mid-West? The obvious and logical answer is NO. Another dangerous point is that the comment section takes away the authority of the author of the article. Anyone can deface the article or manipulate the words for their benefit and totally lose the author's authority on their own work. How fair is that?

I will make this short and sweet because I feel like I made my point within the first few sentences of this blog. So my advice, read the article and then move on. No need in letting other people influence your decision. Also, if you feel the need to make a comment, proofread until the cows come home!

Turn off your cell phone!

This is not going to be a very friendly post.

I hate people who don't turn off their cell phones during a movie!!!! I think they are loathsome, pathetic individuals who live a sad existence. There I said it and no I'm not taking it back. For sure there are some people who will need to answer a call during a movie, but I'm sure those people kindly place their phone on vibrate and quietly leave the movie theater without interrupting anyone.

The story behind this bold statement is from occurrence after occurrence of stupid people around me texting, taking pictures of the movie (yes), talking, or constantly checking their phones to see what time it is. My one question to people who do this is: why the HELL did you come to a movie? Obviously you're so damn important that you can't possibly waste your time to watch the movie and understand the plot. You must text your friend. You must listen to your voicemail. You must check every 10 minutes as to what time it is. Who the hell cares??? You spent $8 to see a movie that you're not even watching!!!! Now whose the idiot? Honestly, it's a lack of respect in a disrespectful world. The world is becoming less respectful over time. No one ever says excuse me anymore. People push themselves into lines. Others scream into their cell phones their personal business all the while knowing that I don't give a damn that they had a one night stand last night. But thanks for saying it lady cause I'm going to Purell my hands after touching the same key pad as you on the debit machine! Everyone reading this knows it is true. It's a very sad day to be acknowledging this, but I felt the straw that broke the camel's back this weekend.

I went to Wanted with my husband (the most awesome action movie ever made so far in my life!!!! if you love action movies....SEE this movie!) and of course we sit down and turn our phones to vibrate. About an hour in the movie everything is going smoothly, then during one of the most pivotal moments in the plot what do I hear out of earshot....brrrring......and then a whispered "hello, hold on a sec". A few minutes later, I heard some tikkkkkkk, from behind me. I know that sound, it's texting. And the kicker was I kept hearing this beeping sound. Turns out the man in front of me had a message and kept looking at his cell phone, glowing in my eyes. I just wanted to scream. Are we not capable of sitting for more than an hour and immerse ourselves into a fantasy of entertainment for our viewing pleasure? I believe this is the cause of anxiety, depression, and stress in today's society. We must feel we are constantly connected. If we are not, then we are horrible people. I'll let you in on my little secret. I purposefully don't turn my cell phone on until 11am or after on Sundays. Why you ask? To have a few hours of my life to myself. No offense to my family and friends, but I think it's healthy to kick back and relax for a few hours. Everyone should try it.

Back to my story. The movie ends, awesome movie, and we exit the movie theater and what do we see, people whipping out their cell phone and calling or texting people. I'm so grateful to have family and friends who understand personal space and need for relaxing. It was so sad. Even my husband commented on the use of cell phones. Of course his words were more like "can't these people turn them off for a minute" and make his signature groan sound.

What I'm trying to say is that the world will not spontaneously combust because you turned off your cell phone to watch a 2 hour movie that you yourself paid for!!!!

Thank you....and enjoy the show!!!!

P.S. I know I don't have children and I usually don't make my judgments out loud because of that fact, but right now I don't care. I understand it is hard to get a babysitter. I understand that and most of the time respect the fact parents bring their children along with them. But when you bring your little ones; as in 10 months old, 2 year old, and 6 year old to a very rated R movie. This was a super violent movie where the movie shows a person's head exploding from a bullet and the f-word used every other word. I'm sorry, but I just think it's inappropriate and tacky.

Top 10 songs that should die or artists that should go away

Throughout the years magazines have rated the best and the worst in music. Now, it's my turn! I asked around some friends of mine to see what they might also think. You might not agree with this list, but hey it's my list. I will also follow this up with a best songs ever list. That one might be a little harder.

So here's my list.

10. Love Song (Sara Barrallies)
Ok, I didn't want to put this on the list. I still love this song, but I worry the radio stations playing this to death will only make her a one hit wonder and she is so much better than that. People download "Bottle it up" or her cover of "In your eyes" both beautiful songs.

9. No Air (Jordin Sparks and Chris Brown)
I love Jordin Sparks and I love Chris Brown, but I don't love "No Air". Between the scary lines like "if I die before I wake, it's cause you took my breath away" and it's scary beats, I feel like I'm going to have a panic attack!

8. Bad Day (Daniel Powter)
This song came out a few years ago and it will still not go away. Listen "soft rock" stations, STOP PLAYING IT!!! I have a worse day listening to this song.

7. Bubbly (Colbie Caliet)
I liked the song, but now it's so sugary sweet I feel like my teeth are rotting. We get it, he makes you feel bubbly. I wish he would "realize" it and lets move on. Ok?

6. Time of your life (Green Day)
I love Green Day and this song. I'm listing it because it has been used for all the wrong reasons. The song is meant to be ironic. Get the lyrics out and read them sometime people.

5. Any song by Taylor Swift
Yes, she writes her own music, but do I have to hear it?

4. Dontcha (Pussycat Dolls)
Let me tell you, this mindless dribble that promotes a girl trying to take a man away from another girl has set the feminist movement back 50 years! I would love some skank to try to sing this to my husband in a club. As a response to "dontcha wish you girl was hot like me?" I would reply in full melody "no cause he dont want no S.T.D."!!!!

3. Honky tonk, be donk ye donk or whatever it is (Trace Adkins)
I understand this is country's version of "Back got back", but while Sir Mix A Lot proclaimed "So Cosmo thinks your fat, I ain't down with that", Mr. Adkins kind of grossly states "She's got it going on like Donkey Kong." Really, do you think women want to be compared to an 800lb gorilla?

2. Photograph (Nickelback)
This song has and continues to be played to death!!! Please stop playing it. The more you play it the more I like Nickelback less and less! And I really like them, so stop it. Oh and burn the photograph already!

And the number 1 most irritating song that should die and quick and speedy death...

1. Before He Cheats (Carrie Underwood)
This song is like nails on chalkboard now. Oh sure this was a good f$%^ you song the first 2 times I heard it, but now when I hear it all I can think about is how passive-aggressively psycho the song is!

Honorable mentions:

• Anything new from Maroon 5. What happened to this band?
• "You saved the best for last" ( Vanessa Williams) Apparently a friend of mine loathes this song to the point she wants to destroy her radio. Lets make sure that doesn't happen!!
• "Turn the best around" (Gloria Estafen, I know I spelled that wrong) I agree with this one. Yuck.
• "Sweet Home Alabama" This is from another friend. Her reason is that people shouldn't think they are cool cause they know the song. It's a good song and she's tired of people ruining it in karaoke.
  

Debunking the myth....

This blog is based on a conversation I had last night with a friend. We both have a lot in common. We're the same age, married around the same time (give or take a year), working full time, and our husbands are both current students. She said to me last night how she's not sure if she really wants to have kids. I know exactly how she feels. Let me come to her defense and say that she is a wonderful person and any decision she and her husband make is THEIR decision. No one should judge or put down whatever they decided for their future.

So here's where I debunk the myth that all women want marriage and kids. On the contrary, there are a lot of women who want kids, but don't want marriage and vice versa. Does this make them evil? Do childless women have no heart? The answer is no. While I'm debunking this myth, let me just state that there are a lot of men I have met who have no phobias over marriage or kids. My husband first proposed to me after 6 months of dating. No ring, no knee, he just blurted out "I want to marry you!" I, the then 18 year old, sat there gasped because I never thought about getting married or kids or any of that. But I am digressing.

So growing up I had baby dolls and they sat in my room collecting dust. Random family members would give my dolls for Christmas and my birthday and I would play with them for like a day or two, but after that they sat in my room perched in their play cribs while I played with my Barbies making up fabulous stories and adventures Barbie and Ken would get into. I would also sit in my room and write or play school (I was a very nerdy child). As I grew older, people would ask my mom if I would want to babysit for them (because my sisters did) and I would look at her and ask "why". I had no interest in seeing other people's children. (I know that sounds harsh, but it's true). I would get excited when someone said they got a new kitten, but I remember being around 11 when a cousin of mine and his wife had their first child. I looked at it squirming around in their arms and they asked if I wanted to hold it. I said no. Of course I got a lecture on how rude I was, but my mom slowly starting to leave me alone about babysitting or looking at the cute baby over there. I remember being in high school and how my friends talked about finishing college and getting married and having kids. Me, I was planning my career milestones up until age 45! I just never thought wife and motherhood was in my cards and I never really had interest in it either.

Well now I'm married to a wonderfully sweet man who would like kids, but doesn't look at it as a big deal whether we do or not. I am currently going back and forth on my decision. On the one hand, I see having a child with my husband as somewhat poetic and tender. On the other hand, I see the time and patience one needs to have to raise a child. Time I can give, patience...well...that's another blog. And any decision we make is OURS and should not be judged or put down because we are making the decision that is best for us.

But I guess what I'm trying to say is not all women instantly know they want to be moms and that's ok. We will bounce back and forth between our decisions and go through the pros and cons of it all before we land on a decision, but we will make the decision that's best for us. Or biology will. Either way, we're still people just trying to make it through the day and have a great relationship with our husbands, family, and friends.

Here is some advice I can give. My husband and I decided to keep this topic as an "open-ended" conversation. Meaning that one of us can pick up this conversation and end it whenever we feel like it. We also laid out some ground rules. 1. the recipient must stop what they are doing and listen to what the initiator has to say. 2. this will not become an argument, in the event that it does, the conversation stops 3. this is a conversation where we are just airing out our feelings and thoughts and cannot be used in later arguments. Feel free to use this method. It really has worked for us and opened up communication on any topic much easier.

So that's it. That's my opinion. To my friend that inspire this blog...you'll make the decision that's best for you. That decision might not come instantly. It might be another 3 years or more, but don't let anyone else influence your decision.

Ahhh the appendix

According to Wikipedia, the appendix or the vermiform appendix as it is medically known is a blind ended tube connected to the cecum or a pouch connecting to the ascending colon. The purpose of the appendix has been medically argued for a number of years. Some believe that the appendix used to aid in digestion when human were cavemen (sorry my anthropology escapes me) and mostly dined on raw meat and rough greens. Others believe that the appendix aids with the immune system. But to this date, no one can say medically what the appendix serves.

Why am I writing about this? Well my emergency surgery was due to my pesky appendix and how it became a nasty acute appendicitis. Acute, here, meaning rapid onset, which it was. I personally would not wish that on my worst enemy. It is very painful and scary because appendicitis is very hard to diagnose. I found this baffling considering the many blood tests, urinalysis, and other tests the ER doctors performed on my and how I was screaming in pain. Then a CT scan showed the possibility of an appendicitis and was told that surgery was my only option. I remember the surgeon coming into the room to explain how the procedure would be done. I barely remember what he said because the throbbing was racing up my right side and had now started thumping in my ears. As I had my two hands gripped on the rails of the gurney, I just said "ok" when the surgeon finished talking. What I really wanted to say to the nice surgeon was "look, I know legally you have to tell me this but my body is in extreme pain and I have not had any pain medication and all I want is to have whatever is causing me pain out of me", but "ok" was the only thing my mouth could form. Plus I didn't want to offend anyone.

So now I'm recovering nicely and trying to resume my daily schedule. I find this a very enlightening experience. I always say when I get sick, it's my body and God telling me to slow down, take care of myself, and evaluate what I might be doing wrong. This was obviously a divine message saying "Girl, you got to slow down". Slowing down I am. My new motto "Things will fall into place, just not in the time you think they will."

In addition, I've got 3 new petite scars to add to my collection. When I commented to my husband about how my belly button is now "ruined", his response surprised me. "It's not ruined, it's just an added decoration." Brownie points he just won!

My message to all is slow down and take care of yourself. Sure there are things on my mind right now, but is all the worry worth it. I'm not saying stress caused this. I'm saying we all need to enjoy today's time. Also, if you have severe stabbing and burning pain in the lower right quadrant of your abdomen and it gets worse by the minute....go to the ER!

Sorry

Sorry for not posting for awhile. I, of course, had something to come up. Right now I'm out of town recovering from emergency surgery. As I said, always something seems to come up with me.

I promise to be back soon with some new blogs about summer TV and some other topics I'm interested in.

Blog soon....

P

Just thinking....

Hello all,

I'm just sitting here at my computer listening to the rain fall down. I'm trying to decide whether to do some homework, or just continue tying this blog.

I guess I can continue typing. So my class is writing for the healthcare professions. This combines two of my interests: writing and medicine. Well I wouldn't consider writing an interest. I have love to write since my sisters taught me how. I was 4 when I started writing my name without any help. This is the product of being the youngest sibling of a bunch of competitors. Jennifer would say "I know how to do this and you don't." I then would take this challenge on to my oldest sister Shelley who would reply "well I'll teach you if you really want to learn". So I did. I loved learning anything my sisters taught me. Or anything anyone would teach me. I'm still like that. If I meet someone new I hardly ask if they're married or any other personal information, but if they have an interesting job, look out I'm asking some questions. For instance a mechanic, I would ask how many vehicles they fix per week, is it hard locating parts, what's your favorite thing to fix? My dad is a computer programmer, so much of my tech savvy comes from watching him peck on the keyboards at home. He taught me some basic DOS menus back in the day. I kind of laugh under my breath whenever I'm around any IT guys and they talk to me like I'm a complete idiot about computers. So I throw in a few words tech words and they get a little thrown. When I explain what my dad does and how long I've been around computers, then the tone of voice changes instantly. But I digress. I just love learning.

Which brings me to another interest: medicine and healthcare. I have no idea why I'm so fascinated but I think it has to do with I have a hard time comprehending chemistry and basic science. These are things that learning never came easily. Language, history, even basic math I would excel in, but you put some basic science in front of me and my brain would flat line (pun intended). So I read to read as much as I can to understand the ever changing world of healthcare and medicine. I always take what I read on the Internet with "a grain of salt", but for the most part you can get some basic general knowledge. My interest also extends with helping people. I wouldn't necessarily call myself a people person, but I do generally like helping people. Instead of having yard sales all the time, I just take stuff I don't want to donation centers. If I need the money then yes I will have a yard sale, but for the most part I love the fact that the stuff I don't want will contribute to helping someone's well-being.

So someday I would like to have a career communicating to people, in however medium, information regarding their medical and health needs. I would like to know someone's life might have been saved because they understood the information carefully to know the dangers and I was the one supplying the information. You see, you can educate people without being in a classroom. That was one thing that annoyed me when I was an English major in college, everyone bugged me about being a teacher. I have no disrespect for teachers. In fact, I have so much respect I decided to not go that path. It takes so much determination and patience to be a teacher and quite honestly, I don't have that. Even now I'm getting annoyed at my cat Lucy whose meowing because I'm typing on the computer. I couldn't imagine myself in a room with 25 kids all day, 5 days a week! But you can reach people without standing in front of them handing out quizzes and homework. Understanding the basic information in any material is learning. That's the basic idea of learning. Not memorizing and regurgitating the material.

I guess that's what I really want out of life; constant learning.

My first blog!

Ok, so technically it's not my first blog. I've blogged on my myspace page, but that doesn't really count, does it? Oh well, it's my first blog here.

As it says in my description I'm here to just bring the funny and figure out my own life. So I'm 26. I'm at that pesky quarter-life crisis mode. Whoever thought of that term was a flipping genius! Ok, so I'm in my quarter life crisis. I don't know what I want to do with my life (whoa as me), I have a hard time paying bills (Oy ve), and no one understands me. Geez, I feel like Angela on "My So-Called Life", only 10 years later when she finally moved out on her own and stopped talking to Jordan Catalono and finally met Tino! (If anyone ever watched that show would get that reference). But seriously, my parents would always tell me things just fall into place. Huh? Say what again? Fall into place? Gee Dad thanks! I'll just sit here while the pieces of my disconnected life fall into place! Not to knock my parents down, but things just don't fall into place. It just seems like it does because as we run around with life, we forget how our actions help things "fall into place". How many of us have sat around with a dilemma and thinking "what am I going to do"? Then through our processes, whatever they may be, we find our answer. I mean, look I've wanted to break into blogging to earn some extra income. I know this doesn't pay, but maybe someone will find my blogs insightful and slightly funny. (Dude, I need to find a comic writer. I swear I'm a lot funnier in person, hehe). This is just the stepping stone to the rest of my life.

26, 27, 28, 29,...30! Moving on...I'm NOT afraid to turn 30! Let me tell you, it's either a) therapy, b) having older sisters/cousins or c) just not afraid. Personally I think it's stupid how people put so much damn pressure on a freaking birthday! I mean come on people, we are human, we age, we learn, we grow, and hopefully...mature! A birthday is a celebration of your life, so why hide a way because you hit a milestone? I am starting to love myself more and more every year. Ok I know that sounds self-ish, but if you really knew me you would know that was an accomplishment to say that. Truth is I've hated myself my whole life. Self-esteem didn't exist for me. My bitchy attitude when I was young was my defense mechanism and how I earned respect from people. As I got older, people got tired of it (as I did trying to keep it up), so I did a full 180 and became a people pleaser. But that grew tiring too. Somehow after a long journey, I've found a happy medium and peace. But that is for another blog and I will blog about that.

But you know I survived high school and moved onto college. As I moved past my later teens and into my twenties, I realize I was getting a good network of people around me. I got married and grew to love the commitment. That's something else I haven't mentioned, my husband. He is the best. We've been married for almost 5 years! There's another milestone!!!! I'll be honest, if I never met him I don't think I would have ever gotten married. Seriously, other guys made me feel so awkward in my own skin. He makes me feel like I'm the only one in the room, generally I am, but that's not the point. :-) He also gives me the most awesome compliments. He's very unique in what he says. He's nickname for me is Sunshine because of the blonde streaks in my hair. He tells me my glasses are nerd sexy and that sexy nerds are the best thing. He loves when I talk and talk and talk about a subject I love or reveal a bit of trivial knowledge (which I'm known for). He's fascinated and annoyed by my memory. I just think of the Martina McBride song "My baby loves me just the way that I am" when I think of him. But sometimes I think about my wedding day and how I almost had cold feet. I was standing there with my Dad beside me. My Dad, he will always be #1 man in my life, and he knows this. So we're standing there and he asked if I was ready. I just panicked and started into how it wasn't the time I wanted, the way I wanted, how I wanted (again another blog later to go into further detail) and my Dad just looked at me and said "Pamela, it's not about today, it's about the rest of y'alls' life. You have to think about that. Think about all the love you have and put that into your mind". From there I grabbed his arm and he walked me down the aisle. Thank you God for giving me such an awesome Dad.

So what about my mom? Well she's awesome too. We've butted heads so much when I was younger you would think we would never speak today, but I'm like my mother (oh crap I said what dare not speak it's name). Yes, I ended up like my mother. Basically we butted heads because neither of us like backing down and admitting we were wrong. (Wrong...what's that Mom you said you were WRONG). I honestly think the woman only has said it twice in my lifetime. But I'm still young, so we'll see. :-) My Mom could have her own sitcom. Her Southernisms would put Andy Griffith's on his toes! Even my friends quote her "Uh huh, that's rrr-iaght!" She still dances around the kitchen singing Dolly or Reba songs or making up her own tune based on what she's cooking. Who could forget the "smash" hit, "I'm gonna mash me some taters!"? That's a memory I will always have.

Sisters, awww. The oldest the straightforward woman, and the other one the one with the heels. I'll save them for later posts. I swear I could write a book on those 2 alone.

Ok, so I'm married, I have a good job that will lead to a career, and awesome family. Yes there are days where I wonder how I'm going to make ends meet. I wonder whether or not to have children. I wonder if I'm crazy to love my kitties and dog Ozzie so much. I'm confused about the world and not sure how I feel about how it's going. But at the end of the day I'm not worried about growing older because I know where I have been and trust me I ain't going back!

I guess Dad you're right, things do really fall into place when you're not looking.

Hope you guys stick around for more of my interesting life.