My Life of What Ifs

Friday, August 27, 2010

Old Lady Crush Reborn

Charlie St. Cloud: A NovelWednesday night I helped chaperon 15 tweens to the Drive-In for our Girl Scout fun day.  The girls worked really hard to earn their Journey badges this year and have concluded the process by volunteering at Recycle Livingston this past week. (Which is really hard work, let me tell you!)

So they voted and off to the Drive-In we went.  To see Nanny McFee Returns and Charlie St. Cloud.

The new Nanny McFee was great, as expected.  Very cute, great cast, good message, lots of humor.  Charlie St. Cloud caused me a little concern because it was PG-13, but it starred Zac Efron, and well... he's Troy.  And he's dreeeeaaaaammmmmmyyyyyyyy.  OK, so no one really says dreamy anymore.  They say yummy.  Yes, he's yummy.  Call me a cougar.  Hear me RAWR!!!!

My cause for concern was limited to a few cuss words that mean poop, and the common insult of calling someone Richard, or well... you know what I mean.  Of course there is a scene with Yummy's shirt being removed from his body, but hey I'm not complaining about that.

It's a sad story but a good one, and Zac Efron cries which only made him that much more yummy.  Oh and Kim Basinger plays his mom (where has she been?) but that didn't decrease his yumminess, and she seemed sober, so it's all good.  Again good message, trust your instincts, we are all here for a reason, yada, yada, yada, blue eyes, cute nose, great teeth.  RAAAWWWWRRRRRR. 
Stacy

Sunday, August 22, 2010

What If I didn't make the connection that has opened so many doors?

A year ago right now I was still trying to figure it all out.  I was making progress in my mid-life crisis, but I still wasn't there.  Whereever "there" was.

But as I was experimenting with Twitter, and a variety of Moms boards (in addition to my facebook addiction) I came across a fellow Mom who was looking for Detroit bloggers to help with a new website.  I, of course, contacted her and expressed my interest.

In August of last year, I started contributing to a website called DetroitMommies which was founded by Courtney.  Thanks to Courtney, in the last year I have been invited to a blogging brainstorm at a local TV station and a variety of events for kids and families.  I've reviewed and received some awesome products and I was invited to join Collective Bias, an emerging media firm focused on the intersection of mobile/social media and social shopper marketing.

So, in short, I am writing about what I want to on my blog.  Freelancing for a newspaper covering a variety of stories where every assignment is different and I am always learning something new.  Reading a chick lit book here and there and relaying cool news related to the genre.  And finally, I am paid to shop and offer my opinion.  Seriously.  Can you tell me that commuting an hour each way to sit sit at a desk for eight hours was better than this?  I think not. 
Stacy

Monday, August 16, 2010

Music Memory Monday

A fine memory from Central Michigan University.  Fire up Chips!


You've got to be kidding me

My first semester away at college I was unfortunate enough to have an 8 am class two days a week.  To add insult to injury it was a grammar class.  So on those days I would drag myself out of bed, make myself as presentable as possible and go grab something to eat before class.

Please Don't GoAs you can imagine the cafeteria population was sparse at that hour and I usually sat alone with a bowl of cereal.  I was never sure if the radio seemed loud because there were so few people in the room at that time or if they purposely cranked it up at that awful hour to keep themselves awake.

The radio was always tuned to the local Top 40 station in our college town, and as is the case with many Top 40 stations they play the Top 40 songs.  Over and over again.  At this time Please Don't Go by KWS was very popular and for a period of a few weeks it came on at the exact same time every morning.  At least every Tuesday and Thursday morning when I was eating my bowl of cereal.

At first I questioned my sanity.  Could this really be happening?  Am I imagining it?  But after hearing it for the 7th or 8th morning it became ridiculous, and I would catch myself saying out loud "you've got to be kidding me!"  I have to say I wasn't a fan of this song before this happened. It's very repetitive and impossible to get out of your head.  But after this, the song annoyed me even more.

My husband has all of the MTV party-to-go CDs and Please Don't Go is on one of them.  Every time I hear it I am instantly transported back to the Robinson dining hall, sitting alone with my bowl of frosted flakes.  Extremely annoyed.
Stacy

Bag it Forward and another opportunity to Adopt-A-Classroom

Come on, you can smell it can't you?  School is in the air!  Smell the paper, the new vinyl in your lunchbox, feel the firmness of new sneakers on your feet and the excitement of the unknown.  What will my teacher be like?  Who will be in my class?

Let's do everything we can to help out those who want to help others experience all of those feelings and more.

There are many opportunities to help out this year.  The economy is bad and teachers need help too, so Elmer's is also donating $10 per blog post to Adopt-A-ClassroomThe deadline for the Virtual Bag It Forward has been extended until September 12.  See Rules Below!

ELMER’S VIRTUAL BAG IT FORWARD RULES
  • Copy and paste these rules into your blog post.
  • Create a blog post giving a “virtual bag of school supplies” to other bloggers or write about your Back to School shopping trip at Walmart.
  • Link back to the person who gave you a bag of school supplies.
  • Let each person you are giving a virtual bag of school supplies know you have given them a bag.
  • Leave your link in the Elmer’s Virtual Bag It Forward comment section. You can also find the official rules of this virtual #bagitforward program there.
  • Elmer’s is donating $10 for each blog participating in the Virtual Bag It Forward Donation to Adopt-A-Classroom (up to total of $10,000 for blog posts written by August 12, 2010).
  • Please note that only one blog post per blog url will count towards the donation.
Stacy

Friday, August 13, 2010

Going back to school with purpose- and the value of some new school supplies

You can never underestimate the power of some new school supplies.  Growing up, for me it was one of my favorite rituals.  I loved fresh notebooks, long pencils, and a new Trapper Keeper with a Critter Sitter on the front.  I can smell the vinyl, can you?

With today's economy the way it is, not only are parents cutting back on these supplies, schools and teachers have to as well.  It's a shame actually, because I can't believe I was the only one who found inspiration in these items.  They made me excited for school, and passionate about going back and getting to work.

This year DaySpring has launched their Back To School with Purpose campaign.  It's a line of inspirational school supplies with motivational verses on them, all with the idea of sending our children back to school with purpose.  It's not a hardship to attend school, learning is fun, and DaySpring wants to spread that message.

DaySpring will to donate $10 per #WithPurpose post about going back to school with purpose for the Adopt-a-Classroom campaign. The potential is for up to $5,000 to be raised by the time school starts to the Adopt-a-Classroom campaign.

I have been teaching my girls about living #withpurpose by showing them to value what we have and to give to others, thus spreading the word about living #withpurpose.  We were able to put together a backpack filled with DaySpring school supplies and other items to donate to the Livingston Educational Service Agency for their Backpacks for Kids project.  My girls felt great about the project and they learned a lot too.

Check out our shopping trip!

More check-ins at WalMart
Powered by Whrrl

I invite you to take part in this campaign as well by posting about how you live #withpurpose.  I am tagging my friend Stacey at 1 Praying Mom because I think this is a cause that she would be passionate about.  I hope I'm right. :)

DAYSPRING’S BACK TO SCHOOL WITH PURPOSE BLOG CAMPAIGN RULES:


  • Copy and paste these rules to your blog post.
  • Create a blog post about what it means to you to go Back to School WithPurpose and identify others who you feel are Living With Purpose in their lives – you can recognize as many individuals as you want.
  • Link back to person who gave you a DaySpring Award
  • Let each person you are recognizing know you have recognized them.
  • Leave your link at btswithpurpose comment section. You can also find the official rules of this #WithPurpose blog campaign, and more information about Back to School with Purpose with DaySpring there.
  • Include the Back to School with Purpose image in your post
Disclosure: I wrote this post as part of a blog campaign by Collective Bias on behalf of DaySpring and was compensated for my thoughts and time. The information about Back to School #withpurpose, were supplied to me by Collective Bias.
Stacy

Sunday, August 8, 2010

The haunting drama

Is it wrong that I love this song?  Eminem's aggressive return to the airwaves with Love The Way You Lie (Feat. Rihanna), and Airplanes, Part II has caught my attention.  Maybe's it's my love of drama, maybe it's my love of a good story, I don't know.  But this video is pretty cool, in my opinion.

Stacy

Thursday, August 5, 2010

Where I am

The Fossil Ledges at Drummond Island.  Yes, it really is that beautiful.

Stacy

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

Nickelback Strikes Again

Ladies and Gentleman, please enjoy the official 2010 Drummond Island vacation song.  Yes, my kids sing this song.  Loud.

Stacy

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Signs I am getting old, part 2

Yes, I need a pedicure, among other things.  But now my middle toe is purple and swollen.

I am old.  My bones are brittle.  Do not wear crocs to walk on wet rocks.

I'm still on vacation. 

Enuff said.
Stacy

Monday, August 2, 2010

Preaching the virtues of the Upper Peninsula (2nd annual edition)

If you have never been to Michigan’s Upper Peninsula then I highly recommend you add it to your list of places to see. There really is nothing like it.

While many of the amenities of the future are arriving up here, it’s still like stepping back in time the minute you cross the mighty Mackinaw Bridge.

Things are simpler here. Yes, you can find the treasured big box stores, but they’re mainly in the larger college towns on the outskirts of the peninsula. You find that if you are in a place where there isn’t a Starbucks or a Target to satisfy your every whim then you are much more likely to just stay put.

Maybe today you stay put at camp and play Scrabble with some friends. Maybe tomorrow you stay put in town and visit a craft show at the local elementary school- which houses about 6 grades in one building. Maybe tomorrow you sit outside your camper and type on your laptop (regardless of the lack of Wi-Fi) while others play tunes, others toss a football, and kids create forts of duct tape in the woods. It’s a crazy life, but one most can handle, and should.

There are a variety of beaches to visit. Some sandy, some rocky, some made of fossilized ledges that every year we predict how many ledges the water will cover. It’s a wonderful life.

Every night we prepare crazy feasts over an open fire (I try to help, broken arm and all) and we eat and drink until we’re miserable in the best possible way. Then we sit around that same fire and stare at the stars, act silly, and laugh until our cheeks hurt. Boring. I know.

It’s one of the few places I am at ease, and that says a lot, about the U.P. and me. So I suggest you take a visit. Yeah, the Caribbean is nice, but it’s not nearly as quiet. It’s not nearly as unpopulated, and it’s not nearly as blissful. Ahh, bliss.
Stacy

Sunday, August 1, 2010

A funny thing happened at the roller rink

I broke my damn arm!!!  How's that for a story?

It seems that rollerskating with your children, while earning you cool points with your kids, can be hazardous to your bones.

It’s interesting the range of emotions you feel when you break something. The still-hiding-inside little girl thinks it’s kind of cool and starts wondering what color of a cast you may pick out. The damsel in distress thinks how great it will be to have your husband care for your every whim while you are laid up unable to do anything for yourself. The practical mom screams out loud “How in the hell am I going to get anything done?”

Then your doctor mentions the possibility of surgery, and the chicken shit in all of us loses her lunch. Figuratively of course, not literally.

I was lucky; I didn’t need surgery on my fractured radius. In fact, much to the little girls chagrin I didn’t even get a bright purple cast. I was instructed to start moving it as soon as possible, do a few simple movement exercises every day and start physical therapy after my vacation. Yippy.

In the meantime I have to remind the practical mom that it’s broken because when instincts and reflexes take over you tend to you use your arm. Your dominant arm. In my case my right arm. And it hurts when you use it let me tell you.

So we’re off to Drummond Island for our annual vacation in the Upper Peninsula, broken radius be damned. Of course “curling” is very therapeutic. As in, curling-your-arm-to-bring-that drink-to-your-mouth, which is a very treasured activity on this vacation. We shall see how much flexibility it can restore.
Stacy