ABCs of Me

Shamelessly stolen from Lori!

Age: 38.92

Bed size: Queen and it used to seem SO big before the kids and the dog.

Chores I dislike: Mopping the floor.  Thank goodness for the Swiffer WetJet!

Dogs: Maxx, our pretty, wide-assed, son who is an Australian Shepherd / Gold Retriever mix.

Essential start to your day: A banana.

Favorite color: It always changes.  Right now I am loving orange.

Gold or silver: Silver.

Height: 5'4"

Instruments you play: I played the violin.  Sometimes I wonder if I still could...

Job title: Self-employed Jill-of-all-Trades.  Writer, blogger, Social Media User, Rights & Licensing Manager, Thirty-One Consultant.

Kids: Ryann Emily, 10, and Jayden Grace, 7.

Live: Livingston County.  Transplant from the Prison City.

Mom's name: Judith :)

Nickname: Stace.  Jojo.

Overnight hospital stay: Many as a child, and two as an adult for each of my girls.

Pet peeves: Attending an event with your child and having your own conversations in the back of the room.  Commenting on your kids behavior, weight, grades, but enabling it at the same time.

Quote from a movie: "He's gonna use your ass and throw you away.  God, I would have died for you."  ~ Duckie Dale, Pretty in Pink.

Righty or lefty: Righty, thanks to Granny taking the pencil out of my left hand and putting it in my right.

Siblings: Oh my.  Bob-Rob, 30, Kasey, 27, Eric, 24, Betsy, 24, Kyle, 19.

Time you wake up: 7:30 during the week. Whenever is necessary on the weekends.

Underwear: The normal kind.

Vegetables you don't like: Brussel. Sprouts.

What makes you run late: Facebook.  The Internet.  My computer.  Like right now.

Xrays you had: Lungs, arm when I fell rollerskating.

Yummy food you make: My Mama's meat loaf.  Pot Roast.

Zoo animal favorites: Monkeys.

If you do this too, post your link in the comments!  Have a great day!

iPhone 4, Smurfs & Castaway Bay

Almost two weeks ago at my request, the Fed Ex man dropped off an iPhone 4.  My iPhone 4.

You see, the stars aligned for me.  I needed a better phone, my LG 2 was a bit of an embarrassment, and as a blogger with an ever growing presence in the world of social media I needed something with an app or two, or 40.

At first I was not happy with Verizon for not letting me upgrade earlier.  In my many years of cell phone ownership and experience I have always been allowed to trade up a month or two in advance, but for some reason Verizon wasn't budging.  So I would visit the various Droid models at the store and dream.  Droid 2 or Droid X?  Bedazzled case or one with a profound quote showing my intellectual side?  And then I heard THE news.  The iPhone 4 was coming to Verizon.

It was scheduled to arrive on 2/10.  Existing customers could order online 2/3.  My contract expired on 1/29.  The Stars.  Aligned.

The iPhone 4 was a better choice for me because of my music collection.  I know there are bigger iTunes collections out there but my 6,000 plus tracks were already iPhone compatible.  Plus I wanted Instagram.  And Stickybits.  And apparently Smurfs.  OK, Jayden wanted Smurfs.  It was the first game we downloaded.  She has quite the little village of blue creatures growing, and they happen to be something I adored when I was around her age.

This morning my youngest wakes up all sleepy eyed after a crazy 24-hour period of indoor water slides at Castaway Bay and a birthday party and the first things she says to me is "Mama, did you check on my Smurfs?"  I got an iPhone so she could have Smurfs.

This past Friday I was invited to represent Detroit Mommies at Cedar Point's Castaway Bay Mommy Blogger Event.  I got to take Hubs and the girls and we had a quick, little getaway.  I will be posting all about our trip on Detroit Mommies later this week.  But it was great fun.  Friday night they hosted us Moms at the spa area and while we weren't given facials and pedicures as a group we were able to check out the facilities and they were quite nice.  It's nice to know that when we head back to Cedar Point that the Castaway Bay Spa is available for me to get my feet rubbed after walking around the park.  The park that my girls want to go to SO bad.  The park that I visited faithfully in my youth but now in my old age most of the rides make me feel ill.

But I have given birth to a couple of coaster freaks, who like Smurfs.  Who can also build them villages on my iPhone.  My iPhone.

Hello February

Wow. A week goes by so fast.  I guess that's one thing that happens when you have so many things going on at once.

Last week I actually got to dip my toes back in the advertising talent world and guess what?  I actually liked it.  Shhhh.  Don't tell anyone.

Tomorrow is February 1st, which means I am embarking on an extremely busy month.  We have different events and activities EVERY WEEKEND this month.  And it all culminates with my baby's 7th birthday on the 27th.  Sigh.

Right now we're anticipating the Snowpocalypse here in the midwest.  I'm curious to see what we actually get in snowfall.  Weather forecasters don't have the best record around here, but as usual, peeps are panicking.  There are lines at the gas stations, empty shelves at the stores.  Really?  It's Michigan.  It snows here.  Let's all relax and enjoy it if it does happen.  Because I see these weather conditions as the perfect excuse.  To slow things down.

Am I... Nesting?

What. The. Hell.  I mean... Hell?

I have cleaned more in the last few weeks than I have in the last few years, or so it seems.  Purge, purge, purge, I'm in the mood to de-clutter.  It's amazing what I can collect, and how it stresses me out.  But it also reminds me of nesting.  You know, when you're pregnant and suddenly feel that EVERYTHING MUST BE IN ORDER OR I WILL NEVER REST AGAIN.

For example, did you know that I am much more apt to scrapbook if I have less scrapbook paraphernalia all around?  Less tools and supplies means I'm not so overwhelmed and can actually picture myself scrapping the pictures I have printed before I migrate over to digital.  Whew, it feels good.

Plus my kids are older and oddly, they seem to have less stuff.  As a result of having less stuff, I get more work done because I am not surrounded by stuff.  I hate stuff.

As a book reviewer, a dream job I might add, I am surrounded by books, but even that can stress me out if they are not in some kind of order.

All of this nesting, cleaning, purging, sorting, etc. has kept me from blogging!  See how I work?  Craaa-zzzyyyy.

Sorry Cheryl

But I don't have a good post in me tonight.  I am tired, I have a headache, I overindulged to the nth degree on food this weekend and I think I may be putting myself back into a full time job market.

So really.  I have nothing. :)

Oh Crap!

Almost forgot to post!

***yes, I know, it shouldn't count, but it does :)

Just a quickie

I have decided to participate in NaBloPoMo's January event, which requires posting every day in January.  Since it's only the 2nd it would be a shame to mess it up already.  But I accomplished many tasks today and spent the last few hours watching Angel & Demons with my husband.

Hmmmm, blog post or cuddling in front of a fire and a movie?  Yeah, that's what I picked.

So here's my quickie post, published just before midnight Eastern time.

Good Night.

I would just like to care a little less

OMG!! I just LOVE this guy

At the suggestion of author Jen Lancaster who tweets as @altgeldshrugged I found Justin who tweets as @shitmydadsays.

It's freakin' hilarious, you have to check it out!!!!

Happy Belated 4th & a Random Fact

I hope everyone had a fantastic holiday weekend. Ours came with a lot of time for relaxing and some great fireworks. I had to share this picture. It is by far the best picture of fireworks I have ever taken. Actually it's the only picture of fireworks I have ever taken that has come out. I guess I've learned a thing or two about my camera.

I also learned an interesting (to me) random fact this weekend as I was perusing the latest issue of Readers Digest. I had no idea that the movie Love Story is to blame... eerrrr to thank... (sorry) for the abundance of friends I have and have had named Jennifer. It seems that there is direct correlation to that movie and the rising of that name to the #1 spot on the girls list. I have 8 friends on facebook alone with that name, and it was one my mother considered for me as well. It just goes to show how pop culture effects everything. Now I need to research who's to blame for all my friends named Heather. Kidding!

Cop Out Post

I saved these two postcards from Post Secret a week or two back. In lieu of a real post I choose to post these. They are important because they spoke to me. The first one I would like to believe was posted for me, and for my writing. Even when I don't believe in myself I hope there is at least one person out there who believes in me and what I will accomplish before I leave this beautiful earth.


The next postcard is just another example of my dramatic side. Even with all I am blessed to have, the teenage girl in me still hopes there is someone out there secretly thinking of me.


I promise something real soon. As soon as I am inspired enough to come up with something original. Or is that my excuse for not posting?

Sharing due to neglect

I am behind. In everything. Today is the seventh day in a row I've worked, and I'm not complaining about that, as I am happy to have work. But everything else is a little neglected including my beloved blog. I hate not writing. It's been brought to my attention how much happiness I get from a blog post, a journal entry, or a writing assignment. So after my seventh day of work I hope to post something really good :)

But for now I want you to watch this from the season (series?) finale of Scrubs which I was finally able to watch last night. I love this song and if the show is over I will miss this show.



The book of love is long and boring
And written very long ago
It's full of flowers and heart-shaped boxes
And things we're all too young to know

I Wonder if Everyone Else Would Pick James Earl Jones

I found this last week on PostSecret. I think it jumped out at me because I was just finishing David Sedaris's book Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. I love his humor and have read many of his books. I have also heard them on CD and while he does have an interesting voice I'm not sure that's the one I want narrating my every move. Maybe the person who submitted this postcard thought of that, and that is why it's a secret.

Cryptic Enigma

(This is a totally weird post. Don't ask questions, not knowing is good... )

I've OD'd on nostalgia. I've been dumped by the past. It's time to purge for the sake of my mind, body and soul. So ladies and gentlemen I give you the word hurl... the melody retch... the lyric upchuck.

There were times I almost let you go, when I thought I needed to break free.

It's not what you got, it's what you give. It ain't the life you choose, it's the life you live.

Where the sidewalk ends and the road begins, we said goodbye on a cold dark night. I'm not afraid to go, you bet I'm not. Where the sidewalk ends you left a lot.

The broken locks were a warning you got inside my head. I tried my best to be guarded, I'm an open book instead.

Took a long walk after midnight trying to make sense of it all. Tried to catch a glimpse of my old life but your face was all I saw.

When it's good, then it's good, it's so good 'till it goes bad. 'Til you try to find the you that you once had.

I love you. I've loved you all along. I miss you. Been far away for far too long.

Have you ever hated yourself for staring at the phone? Your whole life waiting on the ring to prove you’re not alone.

Someone swears his true love until the end of time. Another runs away, separate or united, healthy or insane. And to be yourself is all that you can do.

Your eyes were red, mine painted black. My thin blue dress, slid down my back. You held me close and you cried cried cried, cause we both knew I wasn’t coming back.

Oh I've felt that fire and I've been burned, but I wouldn't trade the pain for what I've learned. I wouldn't trade the pain for what I've learned.

All that I am. All that I ever was. Is here in your perfect eyes they're all I can see. I don't know where, confused about how as well, just know that these things will never change for us at all.

You shimmy-shook my soul, leaving me stranded all in love on my own. Do you think of me, where am I now?

Should I let it start again? Open up the book and read it. I will show you what I can, show you I can be the best of men. Just don’t break my heart, just don’t break my heart, ‘Cause it’s the only one I’ve got.

And we know it's never simple, never easy. Never a clean break, no one here to save me. You're the only thing I know like the back of my hand. And I can't breathe without you, but I have to.

You have been mine since time untold. Our love is immortal, don't you know. Others will come, and they will go. But I loved you young, and I'll love you old.

It's all your fault, you called me beautiful. You turned me out and now I can't turn back. I hold my breath, because you were perfect. But I'm running out of air and it's not fair.

Still you're my best friend, and after a good, good drunk. You and me wake up and make love after a deep sleep where I was dreaming, I was dreaming of a Dreamgirl.

We're strange allies, with warring hearts, what a wild-eyed beast you be. The Space Between the wicked lies we tell, and hope to keep us safe from the pain.

Don't forget my broken heart, you remember it from the start. You made it and it's all a part, of your grey blue eyes.

Lost and insecure, you found me, you found me. Lying on the floor, surrounded, surrounded.

How many times can I break til I shatter? Over the line, can't define what I'm after, I always turn the car around. All that I feel is the realness I'm faking, taking my time but its time that I'm wasting. I always turn the car around.

There's an emptiness inside her and she'll do anything to fill it in. And though it's red blood bleeding from her now, it's more like cold blue ice in her heart. She feels like kicking out all the windows and setting fire to this life. She could change everything about her, using colors bold and bright. But all the colors mix together - to grey, and it breaks her heart.

There's always one that gets away. The one that sneaks up on you that slips away. In a closed off corner of my heart, yes I'll always see your face, the one that got away.

I miss the sound of your voice, loudest thing in my head, and I ache to remember all the violent, sweet, perfect words that you said.

Nobody knows, nobody sees. Nobody knows but me.

You see the smile that's on my mouth. It's hiding the words that don't come out. All of the friends who think that I'm blessed. They don't know that my head is a mess.

This is our last goodbye. I hate to feel the love between us die, but it's over. Just hear this and then I'll go. You gave me more to live for, more than you'll ever know.

Plus, for reading this far, my favorite Post Secret postcard of the week....



And finally, the awesome valentine created by Joel Holland that appeared in Ready Made magazine in the February/March issue...



I consider myself cleansed :)

Hell Hath Frozen Over

My hopes for moving to New York, or Montana, and finding a sugar daddy in the form of David Letterman have been squashed. At 61, Dave has married his girlfriend of 23 years! I am sad and disappointed. Life as we knew it is no longer. Let's just hope he survives the seven year itch.

Click Click Click (the sellout)

If you're ever visiting my blog and there isn't much new to read, then click on the long column on the right! Or click on the wide bar at the bottom of the page. Some of it's good, some of it's not, but I may make 3 cents off of it and that would be fantastic. So give it a try! Click, click, click!

Done dropped my hook in a fished-out creek

I'm spent. Tapped out. Empty. No, not my bank account, my energy tank.

This week I managed to catch some strain of cooties for the third time since becoming unemployed. This particular strain came with a high fever, excruciating body aches, and some mucus. Mucus that led to a cough. A productive cough, due to the mucus. Yum.

Needless to say I was pretty much worthless all week. So for the first time since walking out of my office sixteen weeks ago I indulged in daytime TV. A lot of daytime TV. I remembered that I love Ellen Degeneres. I found out that Whoopi is awesome on The View and I caught Van Morrison on Regis & Kelly.

The hot topics were in abundance. I saw many discussions, on many programs about "Octomom". I could not bring myself to watch her interview on Dr. Phil, but I did listen to him talk about her on The View. Judge Judy also had a strong opinion about her that she shared with Ellen.

The Bachelor Jason was also mentioned a few MILLION times during my TV time, and this morning on Ellen I got to see him apologize to the world for being a cad. Or rather, for changing his mind which is what all men do at one time or another anyway.

My boyfriend in another dimension, Jeffrey Dean Morgan was on The View this morning. Yes, Denny Duquette from Grey's Anatomy. Of course they showed the clip that I refer to here and I didn't even have the energy to scream, but I cried. A little. I worked hard and managed to stay away from soap operas. My fear was that if I saw one frame of General Hospital my years of recovery would be shot to hell and I just don't have time for that or I will never go back to work.

I said hello to my good friend Oprah and introduced myself to a new friend named Bonnie Hunt. Oh and I have to ask. What...the...hell...happened to Maury? Is he not married to Connie Chung a well-respected journalist? Does she not watch his show and just want to slap the crap out of him? His show is nothing but DNA tests and bodyguards. When did he become Jerry Springer? I guess I've been out of touch but I seem to recall Maury covering topics that were less creepy back in the day.

The final gem in my week of daytime TV came from TV Land and is responsible for the title to this post. Yesterday I watched about seven episodes of The Beverly Hillbillies. Yes, the black and white ones, not the ones in color. My girls were baffled. "Why is the TV gray?" Jayden asked. "Didn't we see stuff in black and white at Disney World?" Ryann added. I resisted the urge to tell them to shut up, because that's not nice. But please! I cannot hear Granny! I cannot hear Jed! Jed was fresh out of ideas on how to get Granny out of beatnik mode so instead of saying that he said he "done dropped my hook in a fished-out creek." Love. That.

Anyway, today I am feeling better and even managed to leave the house and enjoy the nice weather. I also removed the sweater from the dashboard of my car, 'cause it's almost Spring and my car doesn't need it anymore. Just kidding. It wasn't a sweater. It was a thick layer of dust and hair. Next I'm going to sweep up the french fries, M&M's, fruit snacks, confetti and let's not even think about what else. So I guess you could say I have found some energy. Or as Jed would say "Wee doggies!" Have a good weekend and stay away from the TV.

Welcome

Welcome to My Life of What Ifs, my new blog about anything and everything. You will also find that by reading My Life of What Ifs you get to travel with me into my own little hypothetical world. Some of it far fetched, some not so much...

Such as, what if I had asked someone else to my senior prom? What if I had gone to Florida after graduation to work at Disney World instead of taking an advertising internship in Detroit? What if I hadn't spent 12 years paying actors to appear in commercials?

As my subtitle says, I don't believe in regrets. I am who I am because of the choices I have made and really, I like my life. But for me, what ifs are irresistible. I quit my job 14 weeks ago basically to play what if. What if I was a writer? What if I could find work on all the movies being shot in Michigan? These are very real what ifs and the writing one is very possible. I've experienced some things in the last four months that are totally what if book worthy. So with a few alterations and embellishments I am writing my first book. It's loosely based on my experiences, but loose enough that it is more fiction than memoir. But it's odd how it all fits together. Hopefully.

So join me for this new journey. Welcome to my domain. Welcome to My Life of What Ifs.