Pit, Pinky, Pain, Pathology, Pct.

For the 2 of you who have been bugging me for a post, here I am finally. I know it's been ages. The desire to blog tends to wax and wane if you know what I mean... (ebb and flow, come and go, etc.) And it's not just the desire. I've had good intentions for a long time, but nothing has magically materialized. Firstly, can I just say that I feel like I can't keep myself healthy these days for anything. I've just been going from one ailment to the next. Had a nasty little stomach bug, got rid of that and was nearly immediately overtaken by a sore throat that felt like I was swallowing swords. Which has now settled nicely into a little head cold. I think I've already taken more sick time at this job than I did in the over 2 years I worked at the bank (which wouldn't take much - I think I only took one day off sick in that time, excluding having my wisdom teeth pulled). Anyway, that's been the main annoyance in my life right now.

Onto bigger and better things... let's see. This weekend has been very nice so far. Last night I went to a movie sort of late with a friend - not the smartest with the way I've been feeling, but by Friday, I just wanna have some fun, ya know? Then this morning, I was feeling even more faint of spirit. A friend called to see if I wanted to go out for breakfast and she ended up getting it to go and bringing it over here. We just sat around and talked for hours. It was wonderful.

Last weekend at some point, there were 5 of us here and we ended up playing Pit. If you don't know the game, this won't make much sense, but anyway, I just want to share a little story with you. This falls under the category of "where in the world do I get my luck??" The point of the game is to get lots of points - game ends at 500 points. You can get either -20, -40 (which would be really rare), or the person who wins the round gets more points - 60 - 100. There are 2 cards you don't want to have in your hand when someone gets Pit and if you have one you get -20. For some reason, invariably, I would get slipped one of these cards (Oh, everyone is yelling and trading cards at the same time and trying to get rid of the bad card) and then someone would yell "PIT!" (I don't know why I'm explaining the whole game, you probably all know how to play...) Happened over and over and over. At the end of the game when someone had 500 points and we could stop, my score was - 160. Safe to say that's never happened before.

Other news - Okay, this is for 24 lovers everywhere. I don't know how many of you are into the TV show 24, but I knew so many people who thought it was amazing. So awhile back my roommate and I rented the first 4 episodes of the first season. Oh my! It really does draw you in and the acting and plot are all superb, in my humble opinion. But then we have a problem - it will cost too much to rent all 24 episodes. So I looked around for awhile and found a good deal on ebay - much cheaper than we could have rented all of them. But I have come to the conclusion it is not good for me to watch shows like that. I felt like I was entering an alternate universe and would practically expect to hear the latest development on the evening news. We would barely be able to stop watching. Then came the evening when we finished the series. Oh the ending was just heartbreaking. I was so disturbed I wanted to go back in time and undo it all! ugh. So depressing. So now, several weeks later, I think I've sufficiently worked through my grief (it was rough there for awhile) but I still have the occasional dream about it. Yikes. Scary. So, in light of these events, I resorted to a different show that would cause me neither depression nor nightmares. (oh and by the way, I do more than sit around and watch TV shows on DVD - but all the recent sickness has occasionally lent itself to such a lifestyle) Anyone ever watch Pinky and the Brain? Doesn't it just sound like something an intelligent adult would watch? It's sort of a cartoon for adults about 2 lab rats involved in an intricate plan and diabolical scheme to take over the world. One is a genius, the other insane, as the song goes. In each show they try a new plan. My roommate brought a complete season on DVD from her parent's awhile back. If you ever need a break from the drab duties of every day life, you might want to tune into an episode - they can be quite hilarious at times, full of odd, random, and clean humor. Here's a few little quotes for you that probably won't be funny at all out of context, but here they are anyway, oh and by the way, this little post is making me feel like I really have no life at all! Oh, I did go on a glorious bike ride Monday night, in between illnesses and that was lovely. There's some really nice, recently paved trails around here. Anyway, here you go:

Pinky: Cheer up Brain, it could be worse.
Brain: HOW?
Pinky: We could be 2 cantaloupes that nobody bought, and be all rotten and smelly in the back of the market.
Brain: Funny how that doesn't cheer me up.

Brain: Scientifically speaking, it's because you are a spazy, beetle-headed doofus with the intellect of a mule hoof that I have yet to conquer the world.

Brain: Do you have any idea why we've been camping out in this wretched wall?
Pinky: To acquire a dank and musty smell?
Brain: Pinky, you have the reasoning skills of a burlap sack.

Female pilot talking to a dummy constructed by Pinky and the Brain: Don't talk much, do ya? Yeah, I had a boyfriend like you once. Always thinkin, real quiet. Turned out he was actually a propane tank, which explained a lot. (sigh) I miss him!

Okay, there's many more, but I'll leave it at that for now. Oh here's an additional couple quotes that have been overheard lately:
"What guy is going to want a girl with cardboard feet??"
"The problem with old movies is that no one is coming out with any new ones."

Okay, I apologize for the lameness of this post and hope it's not a reflection of my life.

Trying out the timer on my camera

...this provided hours of delightful entertainment (okay, not quite).

Sometimes you have to ask yourself...

At some point, I asked Bethany,"Do you ever get scared that we're less mature than other people our age?" She just nodded sadly.

in jail...

HELP! I'm being squiched by a monster.

A picture tour of our weekend...

Here's some random pics of town and the like - the guy out ice fishing - the ice didn't really seem safe to us, but what do we know?

Geneology, ancestory and the like

So, here's the long awaited post. I know you've been on pins and needles awaiting this day with baited breath. I've been meaning to post for over a week now but life was just nutty. So anyway, I'll try to give it a shot now. Last weekend my friend Bethany came to visit from Ohio. We had a grand old time hanging out and relaxing and chatting and getting all caught up. One fun little activity we did - and if you're Mennonite you appreciate this a bit more probably - there's this website where you can enter names of people (Mennonites) you know and it will figure out how you are related. And of course everyone is related somehow. Bethany and I are 6th cousins and I think I'm at least 3rd, 4th, or 5th (6th on occasion) cousins with all my growing up friends. But then you can really have fun with it and find out things such as my mom was 6th cousins with her step-sons so I am 7th cousins with my nieces and nephews, and an acquaintance I'm familiar with married her second cousin once removed, making her 3rd cousins with her grandchildren. And I'm also 4th cousins once removed with my brother through marriage... How we don't all have horns is beyond me. Here's to branching out a bit before the gene pool becomes entirely murky.

A few tips from Hilda the Homemaker

The other day I was making soup. I've made it before and it was turning out quite well. The idea was soup - I wanted chicken soup. Last time I but barley in it and it was good, but I thought I'd mix it up a bit (proverbially) and use some rice this time. A word to the wise... no a word to the airheads in the kitchen - the wise already know this... man, does that stuff swell to approximately 40 times its size!! I knew this in theory, but I dumped some in and it didn't seem like much, so I dumped some more in. Well, my lovely chicken and veggie soup turned into an hugenormous pot of rice with a few vegetables lodged here and there. (The picture doesn't really do it justice and does not capture how much rice I have to eat!) It tastes fine, but there's nothing soupy about it and I'm gong to be eating rice muck for weeks. But to redeem myself in the housekeeping department, last night I cleaned like a (to quote Jenni) squirrel on a caffeine IV. Oh my - it's probably some deep seated pride in my life that makes me want to give you an account of everything I accomplished, but I'm not 100% sure yet, so I'm going to do it quickly. Last night I swept and mopped the kitchen, mopped the computer room, thoroughly cleaned the bathroom, mopped the (rather ample) living room/dining room, vacuumed the back room, and vacuumed and mopped my room (not quite as thoroughly). I hope I didn't forget anything. And all this in under 2 hours I believe, after working all day and then working out after that. It was like I was in overdrive or something - I'm usually not that fast. So I was pleased with that. Tonight I'm not cleaning! Not at all... In fact, I'm going to not do anything this weekend but relax and hang out with the Ohio Bethany who's coming to see me. I'm looking forward to it - this week has been crazy. Well, hastalawagoamigos...

I'm going to Vegas...

Last night I won a rousing poker game and it made me so excited I can see why people gamble away their life savings. I basically won due to the last round where everyone knew it was the last round and didn't care so they bet high. But it was so fun raking in all those chips.... good grief... I might have a disease. Anyway, here I am, almost 2 days in a row - do I get a prize or something? Did everyone survive Monday? I nearly did not. I really really really did not want to go to work today. I mean, I know no one ever really wants to go to work on Monday, but today was exceptionally loathsome. I think it has something to do with gambling instead of sleeping on the weekend. Oh well..... with all the money I've won, I should be quitting my job soon anyway. Then I'm going to tour Europe till I'm 45. Anyone wanna come?

I miss my pants: The evils of household cleaners

Well, since the fans are clamouring for an update... yeah right. Actually, since it's after midnight, I was all set to go to bed, and then I remembered that I told a certain Madagascan that I would update tonight. I was tempted to ignore the nagging voice in my head, but decided that I should do what I say so as to lead an upright and trustworthy life, so here I am. With nothing to say. So I'll tell you a sad little tale of ruined pants. A few weeks ago I bought some highly discounted workout pants. They were so cheap, but expensive if you know what I mean - made well and originally cost a lot, but since they were about 90% off, I think I paid 7 bucks for them. Oh how I loved those pants. I wore them to work out all the time. They were so comfy and stretchy and inviting. Well, as luck would have it, I was cleaning the bathroom last week and used some high powered stuff on the shower. I was kneeling on the edge and then had this fleeting thought - I wonder how strong this stuff really is. I think what made me think that is that I was beginning to have trouble breathing. So I looked down and ohhhh, the sadness of it all - instead of the pretty blue color, both knees had turned a lovely, bleached white/pink. I can't just go back to the store because I didn't buy them in town. I really miss them a lot.

For something happy - this just in from my cashew butter - "East Wind Nut Butters are made by a worker-owned cooperative in the lovely Ozark hills of rural southern Missouri. As equal partners in our business we take pride in producing quality products at the most reasonable price. We also make East Wind Drums and Utopian Rope Sandals." How random is that? Good to know I guess.

I trust this post has proved invaluable in enriching your life through needed knowledge, exhortation, and merriment. I fear I have interrupted your solitary revelry with little and insufficient cause. g'night.

She's a bright one!

So, it turns out that one of my tires was very very very low. I had about 10 lbs. of air put in it and viola! - no more shaking steering wheel, nearly being pulled off the road, and when I hit 60 mph, I have also lost my vibrating chair. I sorta miss it.... Today I thought it was a bit unstable, but I think that was mostly due to the wind - I really dislike it when it's really windy and you're trying to pass huge annoying semis. ugh. Speaking of semis, I'm finding them exceedingly annoying lately! They act as though they own the road - yesterday one pulled out right in front of me - I was clipping along at 65 or so and had to slam on my breaks and get it down to about 15 - hello! Not like the jerk didn't see me!! I did have momentary feelings of ill will and thought of several fitting gestures for the situation, but refrained...

Well, nothing too exciting is going on right now- I'm really glad tomorrow's Friday. How does this work - I can never believe how fast Friday comes around, but at the same time, the weeks are kinda long - does that make sense? I didn't think so. Work has been really busy and I'm ready to be done driving to training (and fighting with big trucks). I went today but it was just for the morning, and then I left work really nice and early because I had worked some longer days the beginning of the week. That was splendid. Okay, boring, all very boring. I think this weekend I'm going to start working on my pictures from my marvelous travels last summer. toodleoo.

WE HAVE SNOW!

Okay, I couldn't post the other way with each picture being a post, so here's a whole hodge podge of snow pictures. I wanted to go take snow pictures one evening, but didn't get out till after dark so it was really hard to get anything to show up. The hazy looking ones - that was my breath, not smoking snow, in case you wondered. I was sorta surprised when I saw it show up. The wood is a walking trail close by.

Sorry about your luck - Part 2

Since it's been awhile since I've written a bitter diatribe of the downtrodden, I thought it was about time. I'll jumo right in - You know you're in for a long day when... it started out in the unpleasant manner of waking up 2 hours before I had to get up, unable to sleep. As I was groggily getting ready for the day, I ran out of hot water in the shower and became very chilly. Also at the same time, our furnace has not been working right, so when I got out of the freezing cold shower, it was also about 63 degrees in the house. At that point, I was in a very foul mood. But I managed to eventually wake and cheer up considerably. THEN, I was going to be on the road a lot today. As I was making a 45 minute treck to a small town, driving the company car, I heard an odd noise, sounded like something hit the side of the car. Then it all happened so fast that I'm still scratching my head (in the proverbial sense). About that fast, I was completely unable to drive and pulling over to the side, as one car whips past me and I turn around to look and another car is about 2 feet from mine, buried in snow. WHAT IN THE WORLD? I stumbled out of the car looked at the climbing out of his buried car and said "Did I HIT you??" He said no, and started to explain that the one guy was able to go around me, but cars were coming so he took the ditch. So then I told him I must have blown a tire, because something happened to make my vehicle stop, apparently rather quickly to cause all the commotion. It's all really fuzzy in my brain. I guess (after the very friendly and patient man had explained it about 5 times I caught on to what happened) the guy who went sailing past me was the one right behind me (he also stopped to make sure everyone was all right) was the one following right behind me. Then the guy who hit the ditch was the one following him. So he had to call a tow truck, someone from work eventually came to change my tire, and in the meantime, the police came, put out orange cones, had lights flashing, and directed traffic. (Police in this area get really bored I think) I was still sort of on the road and when the tow truck came we were blocking a lot. So that was my fun for the day. I should mention also that it was bitterly cold. And I left my sorels in Canada. I think everything else went fairly smoothly after that, but it's worth mentioning that my own vehicle has been acting odd. My steering wheel acts like it's having a perpetual seizure. It's always shaking back and forth in a speedy manner. Also when I was driving back from a training this week it was shimmying so bad it felt like I was sitting in a vibrating chair. If any guys have some suggestions as to what might be wrong, please let me know. And to end on a positive note, after 4 years of not seeing a dentist, I have NO cavities, and my gums, despite bleeding and soreness, are actually quite healthy. ya don't say.

Since I have nothing better to do...

... I just spent ages poking around with new blog colors. I was actually trying to come up with something that looks relatively nice, but now I think it looks like I just spent a day at kindergarten. What do you think?

Would you like to come eat vegetables off my floor?

Because you could ya know. I was on my hands and knees scrubbing the floor in my room last night (we do have great Friday nights around here) mostly because the mop was broken and has remained in that state for quite some time now. And also because it was in amazing need of it. Last week was nutty and I spent evenings trying to get all my stuff done so I could relax this weekend, which has mostly been happening. I have a lot of training right now - 2 days a week for 3 weeks and that makes work frantic and somewhat frustrating. Wednesday I was gone for training and met up with a friend - a friend from here went as well and we went to a .... HOCKEY GAME! Did my Canadian blood some good. I haven't seen hockey in ages.

Speaking of training, since I have to listen to hours of this a week, I'll put you through some of it too - for all you prego women out there (which is about 89% of my readers right now I think) - here's a free tip. We learned this week that if a pregnant woman doesn't take in enough calories when she's pregnant, the developing baby can loose up to FORTY PERCENT of their brain cells - yes, nearly half of their brain cells that they will never get back. So the moral of the story? EAT UP!! You might weigh 300 pounds by the time you deliver, but your kid will grow up and work at NASA or cure cancer and pay for your gastric bypass surgery. Remember that behind every genius is an enormous woman. I knew you all really wanted an excuse anyway, and if that doesn't do it for ya....

What else? I believe I may remember a few nuggets of truth from John Tesh, even though it was nearly a week ago. Let's see - in an elevator, you will let someone shorter stand closer to you than someone taller. Also, rumor has it that before smoke detectors were invented, the Chinese used to scatter firecrackers around the house - so they would go off if there was a fire and everyone could pop out of bed and head out in a speedy fashion.

Well, that just might be everything I have to say for now. Hope you're having a great weekend.

Sound the flags!

I actually made something that tasted good! It's been quite the pilgrimage this week. To give you the highlights - first there was the nasty soup that smelled enough like dog food that I haven't had the guts to taste it yet. Then one night I made a "pizza" of sorts (to completely defame the name). We had company and everyone else was eating real pizza. So I made this whole wheat biscuit dough for a crust and made this nasty home made pizza sauce and put veggies on top. Well, it turns out the little tar crust was supposed to have 4 tsp. of baking powder as opposed to baking soda. It seemed like an exfoliater of sorts... anyway, I'm continuing to eat it but it's not pleasant. Then I bought some healthy salad dressing 2ce but they were both revolting. But anyway, tonight I made some chicken barley soup with a pile of veggies and it turned out quite good. And it only took till 9:00...

Okay, onto something interesting. Let's see - the only thing I remember from John Tesh is where the name WD-40 came from. I think some of you probably know this already - something about it taking the company 40 tries to get the Water Displacement formula right. Oh, I do remember one more thing - your key to a blissful marriage is to e-mail your spouse throughout the day hashing through all your junk so you can enjoy your evening.

Onto something light and airy - a much older and wiser lady shared this story with me and I think it's okay to post here, but it is a bit more crass than usual so beware. I got such a huge bang out of it that I just couldn't keep it to myself. Okay, so a friend was telling me this true story, as told to her by the main character. Once upon a time long ago there was an older, conservative Mennonite lady who went to the shoe store to buy a new pair of shoes. As was the custom back in the day, the nice man measured her shoe, then went to the back room to find a pair for her to try on. As was also the custom back in the day, the friendly man put the new shoe on the lady so she could try it out. As he lifted her leg slightly, the lady, (ahem) farted. Well, she was so embarrassed, distraught, and humiliated, that when the friendly man went back to the shoe room to find her another shoe, she bolted from the store and sought refuge in her car. But alas, her heart sank as she realized that she had left her purse in the store. So she had to go back in and face the friendly man. So she re-entered the store, obviously completely consumed by the whole terrible ordeal, and approached the friendly man. The man asked, "Can I help you Ma'am?" and she replied, "Yes, I believe I left my fart in here." Then I don't what the man said, but hopefully he said, "Oh yes, it's right over here on the chair."

I'm sorry if I offended anyone. Good night.

Excuse me sir...how much for that bushel of rudabaggies?

Howdy all - Well, there's a few thoughts running around in my head. Let's see, where to start. Well, since there's nothing really exciting going on, I guess I'll let you in on the mundane stuff. So, for awhile now, I've been kicking around the idea of going on this nasty strict candida albicans control diet. It's supposed to cure whatever's ailing ya and I have not been happy with my overall health lately. So I officially started this thing yesterday. Basically, if it's not an organic chicken or a vegetable, spit it out. It's been a lot of fun so far. I have never bought so many vegetables in my life. They all look so pretty and green in my fridge. Now I actually have to eat the junk. (I mean natural blessings of the earth) So if anyone happens to have recipes with those ingredients, I'd be happy to hear em. I just want to tell you about my soup making experience today. So I go to the organic meat place and the super friendly lady talks me into these things called soup bones. I basically bought them because they were the only really cheap thing in the store. She said you just throw them in a pot with all the veggies and the meat will miraculously fall off the bones and she gave me this spice and said it will all be so wonderful and tasty. What she failed to mention.... oh where would I start... Let's just say I boiled the life outta the stuff until the veggies were all barely recognizable mush and then the meat was finally starting to fall off the bones ... and it smells nasty. I don't even want to ever look at it again, let alone salvage and eat it. Part of the problem might have been that the soup bones were a solid frozen lump when I threw them in. But seriously - in boiling water, how long should it take? Okay, I'm done on that painful subject.

Completely and utterly unrelated - so here's a question for you. How often to you buy running shoes? (or walking or cross trainers as the case may be...) I'm just a bit curious because I was doing some math today and I think that I have purchased 3 pairs in the last approximately 7.5 years. I know someone else fairly well who purchases many many more than that. I'm just wondering which one of us is normal. (and I'm glad I can't hear all the smart alek remarks to that statement.)

Okay, one more thing. This I think you had to be there for (bad sentence, sorry) but it hit me pretty funny. So I work with the sweetest little lady and the other day we were in the computer lab working away and I look over and say "WHAT is that???" She looks very proud of herself and says "Don't you know?" I say "Is that an MP3 player? She sqeals with delight, complete with hands waiving in the air and everything. She says how much she luuuuvs it. I find it funny, but odd, since I know her and, well, techie would not really describe her - she finds e -mailing a stretch... so anyway, she said she can't really download yet, but has help with that. Then she says, as she pulls the earphones way back and squints, "the only bad thing is I can barely read the tiny letters on the earphones telling me which one goes where..." Oh man, did I get a kick out of that! You know you're too old for an MP3 player when.... So I got to look and tell her and I felt important to at least be associated with an MP3 player in some small way. It really was a cute little gadget. Okay, with that, she stopped typing and went to bed.

Is it still brown??

Thanks so much to everyone who commented and told me that my background color was brown. I just don't get it. I even changed it to more red and it looks very red on my computer but I saw it on another computer screen and it looked pretty brown. So since that was a flop, I thought maybe you'd enjoy a new look. (pause now for excessive vomiting) Well, let's see - by Karla's request, I tried really hard to remember some insight gained from John Tesh this morning (speaking of Karla - I'm so impressed I made it in your blog and I'm saying that here, since I can't comment on yours... = P). I remember that there are 3 elements to a successful marriage -1) respect, 2) oh shoot, I really can't remember the second, 3) realism (realistic expectations). Oh YES, I just remembered - 2) integrity. He also listed the 4 different types of relationships, but I think it would sort of bore you. But on second thought, as an exercise in my lacking short term memory skills, I'll try to list them: 1) traditional, 2) companionate, 3)romantic, 4) old and mostly dead (rats! can't remember #4, actually it's # 3 I can't remember). Okay, the other thing - there's no such thing as being double jointed, only slightly more flexible than average. And also, cell phone etiquette - the one that stands out to me is that it's very very very rude to talk on your cell phone while paying at a store or restaurant. oops, done that before. Okay, this concludes John Tesh's intelligence for your life - all you need to be a better spouse, parent, employee, pet owner, cell phone user.... (it actually says something like that!)

In other news - I don't have a lot. Oh, Karla also mentioned American Idol - does anyone else out there watch? Well, I didn't watch all 4 hours that were on this past week, but I saw some of it and there were some quite hilarious moments, but at one point Simon ridiculed someone because he looked like a monkey. I thought that was quite uncalled for and he needs to stick to insulting their musical performances.

This morning in church I was by myself and looking for a place to sit when this really friendly lady came up to me and started asking who I was. She asked if I went to Grace and I said I just graduated. She told me her name and I sat with her and then she said she teaches music at Grace. Then it clicked - I right away knew her last name and who she was. She would be the practically famous director of the music department at Grace. Everyone knows her! I felt so dumb since I had just told her I graduated from there. It also doesn't bode well sitting by the director of the music department during singing. I tried to sort of turn in the other direction. Anyway, that was my Sunday morning adventure.

Yesterday I spent HOURS and HOURS going through filing and papers that have been accumulating for years. I just wasn't prepared for how long it would take. Of course it might have gone faster if I would have been more focused and bull dozed through instead of watching movies the whole time. I now have a much more user friendly system and got rid of a bunch of junk. And for anyone out there who is interested in how American government works - I would recommend the very old "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington." It was pretty good. Okay, I think that concludes all I have to say today.

Oh and another thing I was wondering...

What color does my background look like on your computer screen? Becuase I was after a dark, brick red. And that's what it looks like on my computer but my sister says it looks brown to her. So I'd love to hear (not that it matters at all in light of eternity) what it looks like to you! Please tell me! Becuase I wasn't really wanting brown. Okay, that's all. I did hear some stuff on John Tesh that I was going to pass along, but at the moment, I don't remember any of it.

Do ya ever get the feeling...

So, I guess I'm just having one of those weeks, or months, hopefully not years. Do you ever feel exceptionally ill at ease, in the way, clutzy, etc? Or do you ever feel like everything you touch breaks, burns, shatters, explodes, implodes, etc.? I think it started last week, no it started about 20 years ago, but this most recent bout started last week. First of all, I was in some minor discomfort so I decided to heat up a rice bag (or corn, I believe, as the case may be). On the second round of heating, I popped er in the microwave for a little touch up (for 3 minutes - I was using someone else's - mine I can cook for 5 min, easily), then went downstairs to do some laundry. As I was walking up the stairs, I was greeted by a smell so horrendous, I literally ran the rest of the way up the stairs because I was sure something was on fire. Well, nothing was in flames, but I had cooked the ever lovin patooties out of the corn bag. It had left brown liquid in the microwave and the smell was so awful and lingered for quite some time. The microwave still smells to this day actually (I know, I know, it stinks, I smell... [Sheldon]). Then a couple nights ago I was vacuuming and there was a lit candle on the coffee table (on a rather tall candle holder). As I was ferociously vacuuming, I knocked the lit candle sailing through the air and hot wax got everywhere - on the coffee table, floor, and couch cover. It's a big mess that's not completely taken care of yet. Great. THEN, (oh yes, there's more) today I was at a gas station getting some drinks for myself and a co-worker and when I was paying, I had my purse on the counter (naturally), and dropped something. So as I bent down to pick it up, my purse fell off the counter and on the way down, it hit my head, which was on the way up. I'm sure the people behind the counter thought WHAT in the WORLD?? But on a cheery note - I didn't have to pay for my purchases because they were rung in wrong and the nice lady said just to take them and go (quickly please before you break something you psycho!). So that's my little story. And it's about all of interest that's happening in my life. I'm hoping for a reprieve from all the clutziness soon!

Because once again, I always listen to Rhonda...

2006 in Review
I know we're well into 2007, but I'm not done reflecting on 2006 yet - and someone told me to do this, so here it is...

1. What did you do in 2006 that you had never done before?
Flew to Madagascar, saw some of Europe, went to Glacier National Park, made homemade donuts (although it was really early and I don't remember much of it), graduated kolege, got a cell phone, tried to be a social worker... I'm sure there were others - it was a big year.

2.Did you keep your New Year's resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I doubt that I made any last year but I’m considering making some this year. (Ha ha ha ha - I just left Rhonda's answer on that one, cause it's true for me too.)

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?
I'm sure a bunch of my friends and family had babies.

4. Did anyone close to you die?
Because I've had to think awhile, I'm really hoping no.

5. What countries did you visit? Madagascar, The Netherlands, Belgium (for the afternoon), France (does the airport count?), Canada.

6. What would you like to have in 2007 that you lacked in 2006?
Oh I dunno... but maybe it could be hot and have lots of money (like an ATM in Arizona?)

7. What dates will remain etched in your memory and why?
I'm having trouble coming up with any specific dates - oh, here's some - first Saturday in May - graduated, June 6 - flew to Mad. Aug. 24 - new job, Nov. 27 - new job.

8. What's your biggest achievement of the year?
finishing school (HALLELUJAH!! I'm still in awe of Sundays free of writing papers.)

9. What was your biggest failure?
Getting lost every time I leave the house. Making 45 minute trips take 2.5 hours... (actually, I'm sure I failed in more serious ways...)

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?
Nothing major - a persistent cough which felt like I was being strangled and caused tears to pour down my face. And biting the flesh in my mouth till it was bleeding and raw - you know how you bite it once then it puffs up and becomes so much easier to bite again, thus compounding the problem....)

11.What was the best thing you bought?
Cell phone is right up there, plane tickets (thanks to many generous donations)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
All the wonderful friends and family who allowed me to go to Mad.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted?
My roommate who had the nerve to steal my memory card and card reader, put it in her coat pocket, and return it only after I had bought new ones! ARGG!

14. Where did most of your money go?
Down the drain. I don't understand how it happens... the usual I guess - food, clothes, rent, car, hitting deer, stuff like that...

15. What did you get really really excited about?
Going to Madagascar and The Netherlands, getting a cell phone (I feel as though I'm repeating myself an exorbitant amount here...) having friends come to visit (Bethany, MJ) and getting to see friends (LaRonda, Robyn, Karla K., Twila, Karla N., Kristi - I'm probably missing some)

16. What song will always remind you of 2006?
Maybe "Bad Day" - I like that song and rear ended someone because I was distracted by it one day... how ironic. And a bunch of others - I had a long commute in the spring and fall both and listened to the radio a lot.

17. Compared to this time last year are you? a)happier or sadder? happier (it's Sunday and I'm wasting time in cyberspace instead of writing a 30 page paper) b)fatter or thinner? shut up and stop asking such personal questions! c)richer or poorer? Richer (meaning I can pay rent this month)

18. What do you wish you had done more of?
Frolicking with the deer in the back yard. Meeting new people and getting involved in a small group.

19. What do you wish you had done less of?
Getting annoyed and worked up over small things.

20. How will you be spending New Year's Eve?
I predict that I will be in International Falls, hanging out with my brother and his family at their church party, getting giddy on the scotch and jello shooters.

21. Did you fall in love in 2006?
Nope.

22. What was your favorite TV program?
Well, since I have a very limited selection and didn't watch much of anything - probably (I'm slightly embarrassed to admit it, but Karla will understand) American Idol, and House MD.

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year?
Hate is such a strong term...

24. What was the best book you read?
Safely Home by Randy Alcorn.

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
Well, it's like this - on the radio, most songs only stay popular for a couple months. So if you really like one, you better download it right away or you may never hear it again. However, during their 3 months of glory, you'll hear them about every 16 minutes.

26. What did you want and get?
A trip to Mad... a cell phone... (once again, what can I say... I don't think Rhonda repeated herself this much)... a diploma... a job... a different job... a necklace... flannel sheets (for so cheap)... fleece pants... fuzzy socks... gum... milk.... bugbites (don't be so literal - I mean those cracker things... they're really good)... a comforter that my aunt made... Madagascar Red tea... can I stop now?

27. What did you not want and not get?
Is this supposed to say "want and not get??" Because there are many things I didn't want and didn't get, such as a hole drilled through the head, being branded with hot irons, a house fire, mugged in a back alley .... things I wanted and didn't get - a new computer (mine sounds like a mixer or airplane getting ready for take off when you turn it on), a 2006, red, fully loaded, 5 speed Honda Civic for $5.00.

28. What was your favorite film this year?
Um, I didn't see a lot of the new releases, but I liked Firewall and Flight Plan.

29. What did you do on your birthday and how old were you?
I spent it in Madagascar with Matthew and Rhonda and their girls - if you have to have a birthday, that was a great way to do it.

30. What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying?
Graduating at the top of my class. Ha! Just threw that in to get a raise out of Jenni...

31. How would you describe your personal fashion in 2006?
Passable with a lot of outside assistance.

32. What kept you sane?
God, close friends and family, Prozac (just kidding), knowing the end of school was in sight and then finishing.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Um... I don't have any words... fancy? really? I don't think I had too many celerity obsessions this year... maybe I'm forgetting something.

34. What political issue stirred you the most?
War and Peace and the like.

35. Who did you miss?
My family, although I got to see them quite a bit.

36. Who was the best new person you met?
Some really great new co-workers.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2006.
If you are going to turn up the car radio and sing loudly, keep a safe distance between you and the guy in front of you.

If you are going to bike 56 miles - train.

If you want to find something valuable that you've just lost, all you have to do is buy a replacement.

Oh, and here's a free tip - often credit card companies will drop those pesky late fees if you call and plead your case.

38. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.
"I've been everywhere, man I've been everywhere, man Crossed the deserts bare, man I've breathed the mountain air, man Travel - I've had my share, man I've been everywhere." oh, and because I'm feeling old and nostalgic - "My, oh my Look how the time flies. Look how the world changes In the blink of an eye. My, oh my Look how the years have flown Turning around before you know it Up and gone. On that cheery note - it's been a pleasure chatting.

Oh and a couple more things - I know that the colors are hideous on the new blog - I'll try to fix it soon. I just decided to leave it for awhile to see if I can make you all crave hot dogs... or something.

Another thing - I locked my keys in my car TWICE this week!! What is my problem. I was getting a lot better at that, but seem to be regressing. As far as what's new around here, not a lot. Usually I get to feeling all blaa in January after the excitement of the holidays are over. But this time around I haven't minded so much. I sort of like things slowing down a bit. Work is going really well... last night a friend came over and we played the Settlers. It was fun, but not as fun for her I don't think because it takes awhile to catch on to the point that you can enjoy the game I think. But we had fun hanging out and pondering the deep meaning of life and existence. Maybe sometime I'll try to blog it all... This afternoon I finally watched "Walk the Line." Yes well, I found it very disturbing and depressing. I know it had a supposed happy ending, but it still didn't sit well with me. Okay, I'm going to go now so you can all get commenting. = )