That's Not a Bad Gig

I'm not a big cell phone user. I don't give my number out to many people because (between you and I) it irritates the crap out of me when I'm out somewhere and my phone rings. I don't want to dig in my purse for a call I'm pretty freaking sure can wait until I get home. I'm not home! Leave me alone! It's not like I don't have an answering machine. For Pete's sake!

Okay, I'm breathing. I'm fine. I really am. Anyway, I kinda don't like it when I get calls on my cell phone. I more or less carry it for emergencies.

And a clock.

Pretty much the only person who calls me on my cell is Brian. A couple of times it's rang when he's been standing right next to me and we both look at each other like, "Huh? Who could that possibly be?" (Usually the school, in case you were wondering.)

So, all that was to explain that when I found out Qwest would no longer be offering wireless, I was a little less than thrilled to have to spend my time figuring out a new carrier, costs, yadda yadda yadda for something I barely care about anyway. (My priorities were a free phone and a monthly bill that would stay the same or maybe even go down.)

Still, I was kinda excited to get a new phone. My old phone was so old it didn't even know how to text. Not that I wanted to text, but it'd be nice if my phone at least knew how to do it.

Well, after a few months of pretending I wouldn't have to do this, I finally decided to get it all worked out over Memorial Day weekend. I ended up on the phone with Verizon... in India. Shockingly, language was not a barrier and the lady on the other end (with her fake Americanized name) was very helpful. By the time we got off the phone, I felt so comfortable with her that I almost asked for her real name, but didn't know if that'd be offensive or not. That's okay though. I know the important part. Her favorite color is red.

Wanna know how I know?

Hee hee.

So Verizon has a free phone deal going on (free=good) and there are plenty of phones to choose from. Nice India lady starts describing phones to me with features I know nothing about. It made me think of Anna's post. I don't really care, I just want a phone I can talk on!

Feeling a little confused by all the stuff she's rambling off to me, I quick-like went online to see if I could just scroll through some pictures of phones. Guess what I see? Go ahead guess.

"Is that a red phone? Is that red phone one of the free ones?"

"The Samsung blah blah blah comes in red, yes ma'am."

"Is that a good phone?" (As if it mattered. I just didn't want to seem like a total idiot.)

"The Samsung blah blah blah with blah blah blah features? Yes ma'am, that's a good phone."

"And it's red," I say. "I'll take it."

Check out my new phone:

Oh yeah, baby. It's a Snapshot so it takes pictures. It also has some sort of music player feature AND it knows how to text. Course, none of that matters because I'm only paying for the ability to make a phone call. But that's okay, because this phone is smarter than my other phone because it knows how to do more stuff!

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And I'm now completely color coordinated:

Ten Questions No One's Ever Asked Me

Over the past few years, I've received a lot of those "getting to know you" type emails you're supposed to send along to a friend. You know, the ones that ask questions like "Do you have a tatoo?" "Beatles or Rolling Stones?" and "How many siblings do you have?" I exchange these with my sparkpeople friends I've made, which is kinda fun because I don't know as much about them.

Lately there's been one going around called "65 Questions You've Probably Never Been Asked." When I got this in my email about a month ago, I thought "Oh good, let's see what they come up with." Because I'm kinda sick of the same old questions.

Some were pretty good. To the question "Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush?" I reply: "Is he buying?"

Cuz I'm on a budget George.

But there were still plenty of questions I've seen before. (For the twentieth time, my favorite color is red people. RED!!!!). Which got me thinking, what ARE some questions I've never been asked before? (P.S. to Christy - I'm not ignoring your tag, but the only people I'd flag in a note on Facebook have already seen my answers and I'm too lazy to do it again. ;)

So, without further ado, here are Ten Questions No One's EVER Asked Me:

1. Have you ever been to an Indian Sweat Lodge?

I don't understand why this never comes up. This is the most interesting thing I've ever done and I'd like more opportunities to talk about it. It gives me the chance to pretend my life is exciting.

2. Do you like polar bears?

No one ever asks me about polar bears.

3. How many elementary schools did you attend?

Five. And it sucked. In fact, I still like to complain about it, so ask this question all you'd like.

4. Do you have a miniature tractor in your home?
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Doesn't everybody?

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5. Have you ever received a Ladmo bag?

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Sadly, no.

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6. Did your dad used to watch soap operas?

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Every day. All My Children, One Life to Live, and General Hospital.
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7. Are you being serious?

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Yes. I've been meaning to write a post about the enigma that is my dad, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

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8. How many times a day do you fantasize about being a bestselling author?

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I can't count that high.

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9. Have you ever used milk crates for shelving?

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If I answer that question, will I need a lawyer?

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10. How fast can you eat a chocolate bunny?

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Okay, okay, maybe someone's asked me this before. One answer is: I've never timed myself, so I don't know. The other answer is: pretty fast. Size is not a factor.

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So there you have it. Ten (ish) questions no one's ever asked me.

Read Aloud Books

Here are a few books we've enjoyed as a family lately. The first is our latest read aloud chapter book. Also, some picture books are great for kids of all ages so here are a couple I've read to the whole family. I know there are others but I haven't been keeping great track of things and don't remember what they are.

Chocolate Fever

by Robert Kimmel Smith

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This was a fun book to read, and had lots of illustrations which we all enjoyed and which make story time easier for Christopher. The blurb on the back cover is great, so I'll just quote from that:

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"Henry loves chocolate so much, it practically runs through his veins. Chocolate cake, chocolate cereal, chocolate syrup, chocolate milk, and chocolate cookies - and that's just breakfast! Still, it comes as a shock when he suddenly breaks out in chocolately brown spots and is diagnosed with... Chocolate Fever. Rather than be poked and prodded by doctors, Henry runs away, starting the adventure of a lifetime. But at the end of it all, the question remains: Is there a cure for Chocolate Fever?"

When Stephanie Smiled

by Jeanne Willis

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Christopher picked this out at random and it turned out to be really cute. You should've seen my boys giggling at this! Even daddy liked it.

Miss Nelson is Missing

by Harry Allard

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I'm sure you've already heard about this great classic. (If you haven't, put it on your library list!) I loved this book as a kid and I still love it. We now have our own copy because the Friends of the Library was selling it for 25 cents!!

This Blog is Brought to You by...

No, this blog is not brought to you by the origami boulder company, but I totally want to buy one too. That guy is too funny. (By the way, I just now found this page on his site I didn't notice before and it's hilarious.)

Anyway, this is something I've been meaning to do for a LONG time but procrastination is my standard mode of operation, so there you go. I know several people I'd like to help out by giving them a plug on my widely-read, vastly-popular blog. (Ahem.)

Okay seriously, when you're running a business (and for one of these, this business represents their whole livelihood, not just a side business) you can use all the promotion you can get, no matter how small. So check these out, and if you're feeling extra lovely and generous in your heart, spread the word. :)

SPONSOR #1: Photoloom

Okay, this is the real business one and lemme tell you, it's awesome. This is a site that allows you to connect the data of your family tree to your family photos. You don't just see a family tree full of names, you get to see faces. Then you can click on those faces and see what other pictures you have of that person, scroll around through extended relationships, etc. It's flexible enough to allow you to record all the unique family links that pop up as a result of divorce, remarriage, adoption, etc. You can even link the dog if you want to.

Photoloom is fantastic. It's all online so you can set it up so other family members can look at/contribute to your database (if you want) but it's totally secure and safe. Absolutely no one will be able to access information you want kept private.

One of the best things about Photoloom is the way it navigates. Something that drives me batty about certain online family history programs (which shall remain nameless) is having to wait for new brower pages to load while you click on this name, that function, etc. It feels like it takes freaking forever.

But this site is set up some smart computer way I don't understand, which basically allows you to navigate with the same ease you would as if you were using a computer program. That's how fast and seamless it feels. It's amazing.

They offer a free trial, so I encourage you to check it out. (I love free stuff.)

I gotta say too, this site is the primary reason I'm doing this post. Please check it out and if you like what you see, tell your friends how much Photoloom rocks! :)

Sponsor #2: Heaven Scent Candles and Crafts

Okay, I'm practically giddy. These are the only candles that make me drool. They smell sooooo pretty! There are a ton of scents too, and I'd hate for you to get overwhelmed, so let me just help you out and make a few suggestions. (Hee hee, this is the fun part. Okay, I'll calm down now.)

Suggestion #1: Birthday Cake

This. Scent. Rocks. If you only get one, this is the one to get.

Suggestion #2: Cinnamon Apple

I love the smell of this candle AND it's red.

Suggestion #3: Exotic

A very unique scent. It's fantastic.

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(BTW, I love that all her scents come in these different sizes. The little ones are good for trying out scents, and they still burn for a long time. The big ones are also nice if you're like me and prefer candles without labels on them.)
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Okay, I guess I can let you do the rest of your shopping. ;) Go to Heaven Scent Candles and Crafts to check out her other offerings.

Sponsor #3: Etsy

Okay, not Etsy exactly. I doubt Etsy needs any advertising from me. But I know two people with Etsy shops and I'm going to give them a little plug.

First up: Decorative Creations

These are one-of-a-kind, handpainted pieces. I love unique stuff that you're not going to see in other people's homes.

My favorites at this site are:

This adorable Denim Pot (though I'd probably plant real flowers in it... and put Brian in charge of keeping them alive) and...

...the Goldfish Candleholder. Can't you just see that in on a bathroom counter?

Anyway, Decorative Creations is a pretty new shop and still building traffic, so be sure to check it out. :)

Next: All Boy House

I've plugged this shop before in response to the request on her blog all those months ago, but it doesn't hurt to do it again. She sells soft light swords so boys can be boys without cracking a skull, and has added a new item, the soft whip. Way cool!

Sponsor #4: I Heart Mesa

Okay, not really a sponsor since this isn't a shop or money-making venture of any sort. But a friend of mine runs it so I'm going to plug it. So there. If you want to find out about cool things to do right here in Mesa, including great places to eat, check out I Heart Mesa.

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Sponsor #5: Photoloom

Yes, I know I did this already, but that's how badly I want you to check out their site if you haven't already. I mean, you're not done surfing the net for the day anyway, are you? I thought not. ;) Seriously, if you're looking for a way to organize and preserve your family photos, this is the way to go. Click HERE to see how.

And that's all folks. Did I miss anybody? Anyone else want to take advantage of my free advertising? I'm tellin' ya, it's almost like getting a free Superbowl spot.

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What? I said almost.

I Know the Answer!!!!!!!

Okay, are you ready for this? Today as I was driving by that crazy sidewalk (see below if you missed yesterday's post) I saw a couple of guys working on filling it in. I thought, This is my chance! So I flipped a U-ie (U-ee? You-ee? U-E? Whatever... a U-turn) and stopped in the middle of the road right next to them.

I rolled down my window and leaned over. "Excuse me!" I holler, ever so ladylike. The first man turns and I'm happy to see he looks like a nice guy. "Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure," he says, and now the other guy is looking too.

I ask him what's up with the funky sidewalk, except a lot more politely than that.

Man #2 (also a nice guy) proceeds to explain. Every year the city does a "rodeo" for city workers, where different teams compete in different areas. This was the location of the sidewalk laying competition, and the reason the squares were spaced out was so the judges could see around the edges!

A sidewalk laying competition! Now why didn't I think of that???

I feel so much better now that I understand!!!!!!!!!!!

Unfortunately due to budget cuts, they didn't have a rodeo this year. The city decided to fill it in because they didn't like the way it looks (Thank you Mayor Obvious!). But as he was walking away from my car, Nice Man #2 proudly announced that last year, his team won! :)

I wish I had a picture of these guys for the blog, but I was NOT bold enough to ask for one. I'll just have to settle for the satisfaction of a mystery solved.

I think I can handle that. :)

Question of the Week

Not to imply I'll be asking a question every week, but I gotta ask this question:

What in the heck?

Who lays a sidewalk in sections like this? Is there some logical reason for this? And it isn't just here either. See the sidewalk stretching off in the distance, all one piece like a sidewalk should be? Well, here's a close up:

Yep, two shades because it used to be in sections too. We're talking for a long time too. I drove past that stinkin' patchwork sidewalk for over a year before they finally filled it in. Maybe two years. (I know some of you readers drive by this too - how long was it like that?)

Anyway, I'm sure there's a good reason for this. Isn't there? I think there must be a good reason, because who's going to do that for no reason? I don't know. It's just bizarre.

God's Carwash

Monday night my car got just enough sprinkles on it to make it spotty and dusty. This morning I drove through a little cloud burst of rain that was less than 1/4 mile long. I thought, a little more of that and my car might not be so spotty. So turned around and drove through that rain again, and then the third time on the way back home. It wasn't perfect, but God's carwash wasn't bad. :)

Christopher liked it too:

Japanese Writing Game

The other day I came across a piece of paper with a "poem" I'd written over a year ago. It was for the Japanese Writing Game for one of my Sparkpeople teams.



The game goes like this. Write down a word. The next word begins with the last letter of the first word. And so on. You can create a "rule" for yourself that decides when the poem is done. Something like, "ending with the letter n" or "repeating the first word". But you don't have to.



When I did these, I had no ending rule. I wasn't trying to write great poetry (or even good poetry). I thought it was fun playing with words just for the sake of playing with words. I didn't edit or plan. I'd just sit for five minutes, put one word after another, and write until I felt done. Here's the poem I found:



Cows
so
overjoyed
dance
energetically,
yellow
wildflowers
soar,
rallying,
gathered
down
near
rust
torn
nettles,
sowed
deep,
prim
meadows.



As you can see, this game is just for sillyness so I think anyone can do it, whether you consider yourself a "writer" or not.


I went back and found a few others I wrote. I like this one too:

Petals
swiftly
yield
down,
nestled,
deep
places
slit
the
eastern
Napa
air.
Run
now
wind.





Anyone wanna play??? (You don't have to play to comment though.) ;)

One More Little Note...

There are many things I love about my husband, including the fact that he's a fantastic father, but for this year's birthday post, I just want to talk about my sweetheart. I love the times we're able to spend alone together. As I look back over the years, those are some of my sweetest memories. We've had fun times together, whether vacationing in Chicago or staying in the tiny Arizona town of Show Low. Some of my favorite memories are the times we'd explore a new town by randomly driving all over. We'd get to an intersection, and Brian would ask "left, right, or straight?" We never knew where we'd end up and we didn't care, as long as we were going there together. Inevitably, we'd end up fantasizing about doing that cross country in an RV one day. We'd imagine that he'd come to an intersection on the interstate and ask "left, right, or straight?" Hmmm, Oklahoma or Louisiana?? How fun!

I really don't want this to be another sappy birthday post, but I do want to say that I'm grateful for my sweetheart and the love he's given me over the years. I've loved loving him too, and I look forward to the years to come. He truly is a wonderful person. Each year that goes by only strengthens my feeling that come what may, it's okay with me as long as we're traveling the road together.

One day, babe, it'll be you and me in an RV. I can't wait! :)

Happy Birthday honey.

My Favorite Thing About My Dad...

In their own words...

John: "I love that he's a good father and that he teaches me a lot of things and helps me in scouts. My favorite memory about dad is when I was a baby, and he showed me around our apartment. For example, he said, 'Look John, this is the refrigerator.' That makes me feel really happy. I just want to wish you a Happy Birthday Dad."

Ben: "I like it when you pull me by the shirt and pull me towards you to tell me what to do [Note for blog readers: this is a game they play]. I like it when you make hot dogs. My favorite memory is when you played with me. I love you Daddy. Happy Birthday Daddy. Have a great day! Good bye!"

Chris: "My favorite thing about my dad is that he teaches me sounds and he loves me. I love it when Dad carries me with one hand. I like that he gives us fireworks. I love you Dad and Happy Birthday."

Happy Birthday Dad!!!!! :)

Why Didn't I Think of That?

This ranks right up there with the pet rock. Except this guy is WAY funnier!

http://origamiboulder.com/

Attitude of Gratitude: Day 50

Well, here it is. The last day of the gratitude challenge. All along, I've felt this final post needed to be pretty significant. Actually, it wasn't hard to decide what to say. Next to my family, my friends, and my testimony, there's one thing I cherish more than anything else. It's a gift my Heavenly Father gave me, and I'm grateful for it all the time. No matter how insane it sometimes makes me.

I'm grateful for my passion to write.

Now, I'm not saying I'm a genius writer. I'm not saying I'll ever be published (though I sure hope I will be). I'm not even saying I'm grateful for my talent for writing. I'm saying I'm grateful for my passion for it. Which is an entirely different thing.

Writing lights me up like nothing else does. It sparks something in me nothing else can. Sometimes when I think about all the stacks of books I have around my house, I'm a bit alarmed by the way I hunger after them. Until I remember what's behind it. It's not the reader in me that hungers after those books as if I could never get filled. It's the writer in me. Every book, regardless of genre, regardless of quality, is a lesson. The reader in me likes them too, but I want to be the best writer I can be and that's what drives it. Those books are my university.

Writing drives me crazy sometimes. If you doubt it, ask my husband. He'll tell you. A writer's life is full of self-doubt, fear, frustration, and legitimate lunacy. I thought getting over the hurdle of writing my first real book would cure me of it, but no. There are days when I'm so frustrated with whatever storyline I'm wrangling that I'll think to myself "I can't do it! I just don't know how to write a book!"

Never mind that I've already done it.

Apparently, this is normal. I follow a few author blogs and read many author interviews. More than once, I've heard another author say they struggle with the same thing. Honestly, it wasn't very comforting to realize that this fear and self-doubt pretty much never goes away. Even after publishing a book. Even after publishing several. Every book is a new battle to fight.

So why do it? And why be grateful for this madness?

Oh man. Because the exhilaration when everything is going right is pure, unadulterated ecstasy. The creation of a character you can't help but fall in love with, the turn of phrase that reflects real life with shimmering perfection, the plot twist that surprises even the writer who created it... these are the moments for which we writers live.

When everything's clicking, the world falls away. Even the room I'm in and the desk I'm working on disappear from my awareness. The only thing that exists is the pure act of creation.

Pure bliss.

The Lord blesses each of us with talents. I'm a firm believer in this. We each have something unique to contribute. For some it's the ability to be a good leader or to puzzle out a scientific problem. For some it's the ability to see the good in everyone they come in contact with - to make others feel that unconditional love and acceptance. (I've known a few people like this, and it's the most godly talent I know.) I try not to envy others their talents, because I think the Lord gives us exactly what we need. Exactly what will give us the most joy.

I love to write. I love that nothing stands in the way of my writing except myself. I don't have to leave my kids to the mercy of day care or have a ton of money to do it. If I can afford a notebook and some pens, I can afford to write. If I can carve out five minutes in a day, I have time to write. If I can become a better person by learning to face my fears and keep writing anyway, then I'm okay with that too.

It all comes down to the joy of the process. That's something I've always had, and will always have, no matter what happens.

It's something for which I am deeply, profoundly grateful.

Now I want to hear from you. Following the spirit of "nothing obvious," tell me, if you were to do a gratitude challenge and it came to the last day, what would you write about?

Attitude of Gratitude: Day 49

Well, I'm going to keep it really simple and try not to get too "Mother's Day sappy." I just finished reading my Mother's Day post from last year. While I still have a bit of a love/shrug relationship with Mother's Day, today I'm grateful for the growth I've made as a mother over the last year. I don't torture myself nearly as much as I used to.

Oh I still manage it from time to time. More than I should, I'm sure. But this time last year my feelings of inadequacy as a mother weren't just huge, they were debilitating. I'm still not a perfect mother, but I know I never will be and I'm grateful for the peace I've made with that.

Attitude of Gratitude: Day 48

Ah, this close to the end of my challenge, I hestitate to go with something so light-hearted and silly. But I'm doing it anyway. Truly, the point of this challenge was to remind myself that the little things in our daily existence have the power to infuse our lives with joy. So long as we stop to acknowledge them.

Today I'm grateful for this pic, and blurb, from Amy's blog:

"Van Gogh's self portrait with my foot!
Just for you Donna!
Side story: I searched the whole place for the most famous painting I could think of so that it would be just right for this picture. I had to have Lindsey hold my camera so I could HEFT my leg up that high then try to hold it still in mid-air! This thing was pretty far off the ground! Note: I am NOT flexible! So I pulled some major hamstring trying this, and it still didn't get very close to the painting! HAHAHAHAHA! That's as good as it was going to get!!!(For those of you who are confused, click on Donna's blog on my sidebar and start reading under her "My Foot" label. Or just know that she has a little tradition of doing this and I find it utterly, awesomely hilarious.)"

Who's not going to like someone thinking their foot tradition is "awesomely hilarious" instead of "insanely dorky?" I mean, really.

Attitude of Gratitude: Day 47

I've expressed before my gratitude for the modern age. Modern medicine and modern conveniences pretty much rock. The invention of the washing machine is not something to take lightly! ;) (Hmm, nor is the invention of the hot water heater, now that I think about it.)

Still, in my mind, nothing beats the beauty of books. Thanks to the printing press (no, I'm serious, I really am grateful for the printing press) we modern folks have the most amazing access to books. As most of you know, I've been having a love affair with books my entire life.

I decorate with books:

(See the token candle there? It only gets to stay until I acquire more art books - then it's all over for the candle.)

On my nightstand I keep a well-stocked pile of books waiting to be read:

(Actually, this picture is old. I've already finished The Reader. Three stars. Worth reading. In case you want to know.)

I usually have another to-be-read pile in the office:

Sometimes I have another pile on top of the bookcase in the first picture, but I try not to get carried away. (Ahem) Actually, that's where I stack books ready to go back to the library.

Speaking of the library, what's not to like about the library? I mean, really. Mine is even across the street from my kids' school, so it doesn't get much more convenient than that. All the books I care to read, for free. Unless you count a few dollars annually in late fees.

Which I don't.

Books inspire, inform, entertain, and sometimes change our lives. The only thing that makes me sad is the thought that I'll never live long enough to read all the books I'd like to read.

Is it bad to hope Heaven has a library? Because I do. I really, really do.