What worries you?

10 Things that Worry You

1. The environment. I'm not a tree hugger, but I care and worry about how what we do affects how we will live.

2. Money, Money, Money. There is never enough.

3. Getting older. I look pretty good for thirty-something, but I can see my face and body changing. It's a very scary thing. If I had enough of #2 then I'd be on Christian Troy's table getting the best view AND service in plastic surgery!

4. Time, Time, Time. There is never enough. (wait...Didn't I already say that?)

5. My kids. Do they watch too much TV? Do I give them enough attention? Will they make dumb mistakes (like I did)? Do they love me like I love them?

6. Random accidents. If you know me, you know I'm not scared to die of falling, in a fire, or in a car crash. I am more afraid of dying or losing someone in a freak accident; something that no amount of careful planning could prevent.

7. Middle and High school kids mental health. As a teacher, I see some disturbed students and the signs ARE THERE. They need help before it gets to the point of black trench coats and an armory of assault rifles.

8. My brother. So idealistic. So hippy chic. So poor and aimless.

9.My eyes. I get blinder and blinder everyday. Soon I will unable to drive, have to have a guide dog, and a carry a white taped stick.

10. Diabetes. I am a sugar fiend (I have gotten better though) and it runs in my family.

10 Cities You Could Live In (for a month, for a year...if you couldn't live in your own)

1. London - I love an English accent, and I think I would be endlessly entertained just people watching (and listening). I would also love the music scene!
2. San Antonio - When we went to visit this summer we were enthralled! Things I have seen a million times (The Alamo, Market Square, Space Needle, etc) seemed like the first time!
3. Cypress, Texas - To be near Brigette and Kylie for a little while.
4. Las Vegas - for a month of debauchery!
5. Atlanta- For inexpensive houses and a million things to do, not to mention being close to my in-laws ( Yes I would want to be close to them!)
6. Austin - We were not impressed with Austin when we went to visit this summer (damn non-flying bats!) but I would love to live there for a few weeks for the South by Southwest music festival.
7. Barcelona - because it just sounds beautiful.
8. Souda Bay, Crete - For the goat cheese pizza, the harbor, and the restaurant on the cliff all described to me second hand by my hubby.
9. Ft. Walton Beach, Florida - White beaches and warm water, who could ask for anything more!
10. Maui - Do I even need to explain why?

13.1

Check me out!

A month later...tanned and just as busy!

So... our vacation was awesome! I havent uploaded all 500 pictures to Kodak Gallery yet but I do have the South Carolinian leg pics up. Thanks to Mark, Sarah, Jack, and all the other awesome family members we met while we were there. It was a great time.

For all 103 pictures click on the link below.

http://www.kodakgallery.com/I.jsp?c=uavuwsc.c4wfrosg&x=0&y=6721x

Why must you mess up my mojo?

5 miles in the heat of the Morn'. AHHHH refreshing! Some weird old guy trying to lick the sweat off of me as I run by...disturbing! I almost had to stop because I was THAT freaked out.

:(~ <----GROSS!


On a brighter note.....

This is the new website I found online! I can map any run I do. I DON"T have to drive around in my car, checking mileage, wasting precious gas! Yea!

The key to my sanity!

Running makes me a nicer person!

If you only knew!

Chris makes me laugh everyday! This picture was taken on "date" night. We had a great time just walking around taking pictures of each other. This picture was taken with the timer and that is genuine laughter from both of us. Can't you tell? Not everyday is this much fun, but these are the moments that I cherish.

Want to hear something you've never heard before?

This is a great independent internet radio site that is out of Corpus Christi, Texas (my home town!). Mostly country, some other "crossover" stuff, and pop too. I love supporting local and independent music, and this is a great way to do it. Check it out...especially if you are from Texas, because these are mostly local bands that play around the state!




http://www.hosstheboss.com

Runner's High

I love the way my shadow looks when I'm running with the sun at my back. The sinewy lines are fluid harmony. I look thinner, stretched like good yoga. No bumps are visible, just solid grey movement. As it pulls me forward, appearing in and out of the tree's dappled shadows, I see the gait of my father, and it makes me run a little longer. Of all his qualities, quirks, and passions, I'm glad this is one that I inherited.


Animated GIFs

Ten on Tuesday...but it's Wednesday!

This is like a myspace survey...but cooler...and shorter! Ten on Tuesday is remenicent of John Cusack's lists on High Fidelity. I love lists, and when I saw this on a friends blog I thought, "I wanna do it too!" Here it goes...

Movies that I remember fondly from my youth:

1) The Neverending Story - THe first movie I recorded on VHS to watch over and over!
2) Mary Poppins - I knew all the songs
3) Superman I and II - I waited in line to see it the second one in theaters!
4) Beetlejuice - shake shake shake Senora shake yo body line!
5) Clash of the Titans - One of the greatest movies of all time!
6) Big - Tom Hanks is the best!
7) Pinocchio - My parents say I cried at the end...because it was over!
8) The Wizaed of OZ - I knew all those songs too, and the munchkin dances!
9) Star Wars - Because I was in love with Mark Hamill!

I was wrong about Paula Abdul

Beacause of my hectic schedule, three jobs and graduate class, I only got two hours of sleep last night. I haven't gone on two hours of sleep since my early twenties, and I'm telling you it is a strange experience. It's like being on drugs I think. My heart was racing all day. I was jittery, and I was so tired I COULDN'T sleep. WEIRD! I seemed to get a second wind about 5 pm... Complete turn around... I cleaned (something I've been neglecting) , I ran 4 miles, I did lesson plans. It's surreal. Usually, 5 hours of sleep is what I get, and I am EXHAUSTED by the end of the night, sometimes falling asleep by 7pm. It was strange this morning though, and I can see where Paula Abdul and Uncle Jesse claimed sleep deprivation for their strange actions. I wish I had video of me this morning...but I don't. It was a little like this though....

Pickles, Popcorn, and Popsicles

Do you think I could create a diet with those three things? The three Ps! I wish I could lose twenty pounds eating the three Ps! I probably could if that was all I ate....hmmmmmmmm. That might get old. Maybe this will satisfy my salty/sweet tooth for now.

More Games at arcadecabin.com | Cool Generators

Father's DAY!

Happy Father's Day to all you dads out there, and especially to my two favorite dads of all time! I love you both very much. Chris, when I watch you with our children, I count my lucky stars! Dad, though it hasn't always been perfect, we have made leaps and bound in our relationship and I'm thankful.

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

My son Jake is 9 today! I remember having him in the hospital 9 years ago, the most traumatic birth of all three of my children, but so worth it! He is a gift!

Waitin'

So I picked up a second job waiting tables. I've waited tables off and on for about ten years , so this seemed like the easiest thing to start to do again. I really want to start saving money for a down payment for a house, and though I do have a full time job, three kids are very expensive! For those of you who have NEVER waited tables, it is not as easy as it looks. You have to put up with a lot of bull. I'm pretty good at it because I am a service pacifist. I hate confrontation, and I like to make people happy. So, I understand the term "the customer is always right".

What I have noticed in the many years of waiting tables is that it is the same story, different actors. You have the SAME archetypes working in the restaurant business. it's almost comical. here are some that I have noticed at the new restaurant, that I have known at every restaurant I have ever worked at.

1. The MegaWitch - She complains about EVERYTHING: Tips, what she is expected to do, the guests, the other servers, the weather, etc. She is a pain to work with, she's never happy, and she has been there longer than you!

2. The Greediest Server Ever - In general, servers are there to make money. In that sense I guess there is a bit of greed, but there is always the one server who is the greediest of the bunch. He, usually a guy, will do anything to make a buck. He will take on too many tables, he will sacrifice the kitchen ("the kitchen is running really slow tonight" when in fact he forgot to put your order in), he will be cheap on the tip out, he will bitch and moan if you get the party he wanted, and he will always, always brag about his tips.

3. The Crazy Kitchen Guy - He is an ass. He yells and screams at the servers. He is rude, crude, makes bad jokes, but is amazing with the homemade lobster bisque. You've seen those reality cooking shows. I guess its a prerequisite if your going to be a food genius to be an asshole.

4. The Way Too Dedicated Manager - Company guy who haunts the restaurant 80 hours a week. He is so dedicated he has a coronary when things are not going just right. This is his baby, and you have to do right by it. I can respect a hard worker, but the obsession of some these guys is just strange.

If I've forgot any let me know!

I hope everyone has a great weekend!

Sometimes I get really bored, and only a mindless AddictingGame can cure that kind of boredom! This game is my favorite because it really isn't as mindless as you may think. You have to think about negative space and that makes me think I COULD be a math genius! Not really, but the BAKER looks like Jon Lovitz and that makes me laugh!

Play Games at AddictingGames

A Mother's Gift to the World

I hope everyone is having a great Mother's Day! Amidst all the gifts (Click here to check out mine!)remember as a mother you have also given a gift to the world! This truth was clarified to me when I received this email from my mother~



Monica,

I wrote this mother's day poem about 25 years ago. I JUST REALIZED IT IS UNFINISHED. Please add the next stanza. Happy Mother's Day. Love your mother.

I GAVE A GIFT TO THE WORLD,
OF MY OWN MAKING AND NURTURE,
HANDCRAFTED WITH LOVE AND PASSION.
THERE STANDS MY GIFT
MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN MICHAEL ANGELO'S STONE
MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN DA VINCI'S OWN.


Wow...It's true. Our children are the true gifts. This is the poem with the stanza I added.


I GAVE A GIFT TO THE WORLD,
OF MY OWN MAKING AND NURTURE,
HANDCRAFTED WITH LOVE AND PASSION.
THERE STANDS MY GIFT
MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN MICHAEL ANGELO'S STONE
MORE MYSTERIOUS THAN DA VINCI'S OWN.

I GAVE A GIFT TO THE WORLD,
AND THAT GIFT RECIPROCATED,
MULTIPLIED AND DIVIDED INTO GLEAMING FACETS.
MY OFFERING IS ETERNAL REPRODUCTION,
AS SOPHISTICATED AS THE MAYAN SPAN OF TIME
AS INFINITE AS THE THEORIES OF EINSTEIN.



We've decided that we are going to add a stanza every year. What a wonderful "gift" my mother has given me. Thank you Mom! I love you!

In anticipation of Jake's birthday!

Jakob, my middle boy, has his birthday weekend all lined up! He wants to see Pirates of the Caribbean, go to a baseball game, AND have a birthday party! His birthday just happens to fall during the Memorial Day weekend this year, so we have an extra day to party. Jakob's party last year was lots of fun. So fun, in fact, I created a birthday music video for him. Just call it Jake's Apple Tree~

(be sure to silence my music mayhem on the left so you can hear the music accompaniment!)

Jake's Apple Tree

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My Muse!

My friend Sarah is an amazing artist! A few years ago she "talked" me into taking a painting class with her at a time that I really needed a creative outlet. It was the best thing that could have happen to me at that time in my life. I was stifled and Miss Sarah B gave me the opportunity to express myself. After the class was over, she continued to teach me on her own time. We would meet at her apartment on Monday nights up until she went back to Chattanooga. I miss her so much! And I miss our wine drenched Monday night painting sessions. She recently sent me pictures from her art show, and I was floored. Most exciting is that she sold some pieces! Below are some of my favorite pictures from her art show. She is so awesome!

Busiest Month ever!

I spoke to my dad this past week and he said, "Why haven't you called me?"
"I've been so busy Dad!" was my reply.
and he agreed, "You're the busiest person I know!"
I don't know if that's true, but I have been very busy in the last couple of weeks with life, school, and the kids.

Some of the things that happened or are happening this month (yes and we are only at the beginning!):

Gabe will be starting private viola lessons May 8th

Alyssa and Jakob's soccer season is winding down so trophies had to be ordered, money collected, and banquet planned (Chris and I are the team coaches!)

I will be beginning my graduate classes May 10th

May 4th was my mother's birthday

May 5th was Cinco de Mayo (so many people don't know what it's all about so click the link to learn)

May 5th was Sarah Sherfey's Art Show in Chattown! (She is my muse in everything artistic)

May 5th was the wildest Peruvian Party ever celebrating the graduation of Claudia and Pia!

May 6th is the wedding date of Jake Briggs and his lovely wife!

There are so many more miniscule things that had to be taken care of and organized in the last couple of weeks as well! We aren't even half way through the month yet!

Oh and how could I forget! one more entry to the list:

Spiderman 3 came out and so requires a family outing (50 dollares for tickets! No popcorn for anyone!)

So I'm off...how was your month?