Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Ends

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Ends

Cheers to all of us thieves!

36. Have you watched American Horror Story?  I watched the premiere, but didn’t get into it like I hoped. It was too…something for me.

37. Baseball hat or toque? This is a rarity for a person of my overwhelming intelligence (see blog title) but, I actually had to look up “toque” in the dictionary. My official answer is toque.

38. Do you shampoo or soap up first in the shower? Shampoo.

39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?  Wet the brush. Isn’t that toothbrush protocol?

40. Pen or pencil? Pen. Black.

41. Have you ever gambled at a casino? Yes, with my father on several occasions, and once oh so briefly in Canada. I think I lost a dollar?

42. Have you thrown up on a plane?  No way! Love flying!

43. Have you thrown up in a car? Probably.

44. Have you thrown up at work? I don’t remember ever doing so?

45. Do you scream on roller coasters?  Of course!

46. How many shoes do you have? One for each foot. Sorry! haha. Um…I don’t know. Seems like I only wear a couple different pairs, but it looks like I have 20!

47. Who was your first roommate? My beloved after we were married.

48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time? I don’t know about “drunk” but I enjoy the taste of whiskey.

49. What was your first job? Arthur Treacher’s Fish and Chips!

50. What was your first car? Chevy Celebrity.

51. When did you go to your first funeral? Um…first one I remember was I think for my grandpa? My dad’s dad? I think…

52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown? 23

53. Who was your first grade teacher? Miss Allison.

54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride? NYC!!!

55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with? Charlene, for sure!

56. Who was your first best friend and are you still friends with them? Charlene, and I haven’t seen her since she moved away years ago.

57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parents’ house? The first time? Haha! Once I was out, I was out! Moved to apartment in Salem.

58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day? I’d have to have a REALLY bad day to call anyone. I’d most likely talk to Kevin when he got home, or text/email a friend. If it was really bad, I might meet up with a friend to talk, but there are very few I would do this with. I tend to keep things to myself a lot.

59. Whose wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen? My Auntie & Uncle Frank;-)

60. What is the first thing you do in the morning? COFFEE.

61. What was the first concert you attended? Haha, most likely, Carman.

62. First tattoo or piercing? No tattoos. Got my ears pierced as a kid, and several times since.

63. First celebrity crush? Hmm…Fred Savage and Doogie Howser!

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part Two

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part Two

Cheers to all of us thieves!

21. Did you go to your high school prom? Nope. I wanted to, but nope.

22. Perfect time to wake up? 10:00am.

23. Perfect time to go to bed? Between 2-3 am.

24. Do you use your queen right away in chess? Not an avid chess player, but no.

25. Ever been in a car accident? Yes. I’ll never, ever forget it.

26. Closer to mom or dad…or neither? Was closer to my mom, but she’s not here anymore. But, my dad and I got pretty close through everything.

27. What age is this exciting life over for you? I’m not really sure what this question is asking?  Life is an adventure! It’s exciting all the time!

28. What decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager? I think it would have been cool to be a teenager during the 50′s, I think? Whenever they had malt shops, those looked like fun! At least in the movies, they do!

29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned? Hmm…I had a pair of amazing, high quality leather, boot type shoes. They looked gorgeous. They had heals though, and could be very uncomfortable for walking, but they sure looked nice!

30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high school?  I don’t think so.

31. Were you in track and field? No.

32. Were you ever in a school talent show? No.

33. Have you ever written in a library book? Of course not!

34. Allergic to? Cats.

35. Favorite fruit? Bananas!!

Acts Of Kindness

There are days in life when I just feel absolutely spoiled.

And, not in a spoiled brat kinda way, although I admit there are moments I can be a brat. I’m referring to days when I am just absolutely blessed by others.

Some people in this world amaze me. They amaze me with their generosity, their openness, their kindness, their genuineness and their love. They amaze me all the more because they direct these things towards me, and I am humbled by their kindness.

Yesterday, I was surrounded by these kinds of people. People who love me and do kind things for me. People who welcome me into their homes and their lives as if I were family. People who touch and humble my heart, and inspire me.

I wonder if they realize how much their simple gestures mean? I wonder if they know how very much it touches my soul?

Doing kindness for others is a valuable thing. It reaches far beyond the act itself, it takes root deeply in the heart and blesses the soul.

I feel blessed to have people in my life, who over and over again, absolutely amaze me.

It is my desire to be just like that. To be the kind of person who is a blessing to others. To be thoughtful and kind. To give unselfishly of whatever I have, whether it be time, ability or abundance. To offer up love to others in a myriad of ways.

It is also my desire to always be able to recognize kindness, to never take it for granted and to never “expect it” . It is a gift, freely given and undeservedly received. Much like the Grace of God.

Romans 12:10

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Re-Birthday!

Every year I look forward to my birthday, and every year I end up terribly disappointed, for one reason or another. I tell myself every year that I should stop looking forward to it. I guess in my mind birthdays are a day to feel extra special. For some reason, I always imagine it’s going to be a magical day filled with balloons, rainbows and chocolate raindrops!

No wonder I’m let down! High expectations lead to disappointment every time!

So, this year for my birthday, I got to be sick! Miserable, miserable coughing, fever, etc, etc.

Needless to say it was a depressing day. Kevin had specifically taken vacation time (first in over a year) for my birthday, and we had grand plans for the day.

Instead, we did nothing but lay around and cough.

And, I had previously celebrated my birthday (combined with other family members weeks in advance) and had not had the opportunity to do any other celebrating, so I was completely bummed.

Then I had an idea!

If I can’t celebrate ON my birthday, why not choose another day to replace my birthday and treat it like my birthday for that entire day. So, that’s what we did!

Saturday, we had a do-over birthday. And, from start to finish it was a great day! I even received a few “Happy Birthdays!” from some folks on Facebook, and a sweet birthday surprise from a thoughtful friend.

During our excursion out, we even had the pleasure of running into Sam…and his lady! It was a nice surprise and a bright spot in my already fabulous day!

Everything went according to plan and it was a fun time!

I bought myself a new pair of (non-Croc) shoes. Kevin had the chance to purchase my birthday gift and present it to me! And, we had an incredible dinner at O’Charley’s where we ate way too much food!!!

The picture is a bit dark, but here you go, Sam!   Sirloin steak and buffalo chicken tender combo, with smashed potatoes! (Not pictured, Caesar salad and unsliceably soft rolls!)

Re-birthdays Rock!

Also….my lovely birthday gift!

The beautiful Blue Diamond bead!

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part One

Sunday Stealing: The Never Ending Meme, Part One

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. Song that always makes you sad? I’ve been racking my brain on this one…I just don’t know?

2. Last thing you bought?  Some fun new shoes yesterday, that were NOT Crocs! (Broadening my horizons)

3. Last person you argued with? I’m not much of an arguer, unless I get REALLY mad. I’m more of a calm discusser. It takes a lot for me to even stand up for my own side of things, but I try to because I know I have the right to express my feelings. Unfortunately, it seems like I get rewarded with a return argument, no matter how hard I try to keep things peaceful and civil. Good thing I’m not much of a grudge holder either! And, good thing arguments are very rare for me to begin with!

4. Do you put butter before putting the peanut butter on? No way! I’ve never understood why people do that?

5. One of your stuffed animals’ names as a kid? My stuffed animals as a kid DID NOT have clever names. An elephant named Ellie, A bunny named um…bunny. Haha! We did have a bear named Smokey. Of course, I think he was actually Smokey the Bear! As a um…older kid, I had (have) a lamb named Woolma, though I can’t take credit for her name. My adult stuffed animals all have much cleverer names. And, yes, I still have stuffed animals! I’m not ashamed.

6. Did you ever at one time own a Barenaked Ladies CD? Nope. Never.

7. Favorite day of the week? I think there is something to be loved about every day, so this is tough. But, I guess I’d say Sunday. Church, followed by a wonderful, simple day of rest.

8. Favorite sundae topping? HOT FUDGE, and LOTS of it!

9. Did you take piano lessons? Haha, no. I grew up in a “You only do the things you have to do” house. Extracurriculars, not encouraged!

10. Most frequent song played? I’m not much of a purposeful music listener. I LOVE music, but I rarely intentionally choose a particular song. However, I’d say probably something from Flogging Molly.

11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy? If I secretly enjoy it…? I don’t know, I’m not much for hiding what I like. If I like it, I like it.

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey? Hockey, for sure. Basketball bores me. Sorry. Hockey would be fun to play. Which would also include ice skating, which I’ve yet to do.

13. Date someone older or younger? Well, I married someone two years younger, but it really, really depends on maturity. It’s a very case by case basis kinda thing. Equal maturity is very important.

14. One place you could travel right now? I’m gearing up for NYC!

15. Do you use umbrellas? No. I don’t believe in them. UNLESS I was in Seattle or England, specifically London. I just feel like those would be umbrella appropriate places. Otherwise, I’m all about dancing in the rain.

16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem? No, but it’s a very cool anthem.

17. Favorite cheese? Cheddar, New York Sharp.

18. The Smith’s or The Cure? Neither, sorry.

19. Do you prefer blondes or brunettes?  Brunettes.

20. Best job you ever had? Save a Lot. Because I really loved everyone I worked with, and for. I cried the day I quit there.

Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist, A Book Review

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man’s world . . . which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder. Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though: He’s a Texas Ranger working undercover. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

My Review: I’m normally a  big Deeanne Gist fan, but I was a bit disappointed with this one. If one could judge by how long it took me to finish it, then you would agree that this was not her best work.

Perhaps it’s just me, but the first half of the book was very slow-paced and a bit boring. I didn’t begin to care about the characters until about half way through, when thankfully the book got interesting enough for me to finish, and enjoy. I could not at all relate to  Georgie, the female main character and her odd bird obsession. To me, there was too much emphasis on the birds and the character’s interest in them seemed to be a bit much.

Once I got to the second half of the book, it started to get more interesting. The characters developed more and the plot had more of a steady focus.

So, not my favorite, but still an okay read, if you can make it through the first half.

 

*Many thanks to Bethany House for the review copy.

Sunday Stealing: The 2011 Year End Meme

Sunday Stealing: The 2011 Year End  Meme

Cheers to all of us thieves!

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? Lots! Spent a day downtown in a courtroom for jury duty, got my eyebrows threaded (huge fan!) went to a Women of Faith conference, learned to like chili, passed out (twice!), and something else I attempted, but didn’t get to do.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? You know, I don’t think I made any last year? For this year, I want to be more organized. I’m going to start my Christmas shopping for 2012 NOW. Too much pressure at the end of the year, and I really do enjoy finding the right gifts for everyone. Also, I want to purge some things and do some de-cluttering. Also, read WAY more than I ended up doing in 2011.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Um….I did have one friend from high school have a baby boy this past year.

4. Did anyone close to you die?  My beloved Deacon Puppy.

5. What countries did you visit? None! My traveling was very limited this past year. I made it to Cleveland and Pittsburgh! Haha! Hope to make up for that in 2012!

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? Um…I don’t know, hair long enough to french braid?

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? The day we lost Deacon Puppy. And, September 25th.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Growing my hair and *almost* reading the entire bible this year. I got behind, so I have a few weeks left now when I should be done.

9. What was your biggest failure? Probably holding on to some unforgiveness for too long.

10. What was the best thing you bought? Haha, my Trollbead bracelet! Love it!!! Oh, and also my Nook.

11. Whose behavior merited celebration? I can think of a couple people, and one was definitely celebrated. He got a cookie. Another that I celebrate with in my heart is Sam. He’s been through a lot this year, and has really made MORE than the best of what life handed him. I’m proud of you, Sam!

12. Whose behavior made you appalled and disgusted? A few people, but I would never name names.

13. What song will always remind you of 2011? That’s easy, The Edge of Glory!

14. What do you wish you’d done more of?  Travel, read

15. What do you wish you’d done less of? Stress out, worry.

16. Did you fall in love in 2011? Always. <3

17. What was your favorite new TV program? Even though it started near the end of 2010…The Walking Dead! This fall, we’ve enjoyed Grimm.

18. What was the best book you read? I need to decide between Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly, Divergent by Veronica Roth and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson? You’ve got to be kidding me!

19. What one thing would have made your year measurably more satisfying? Traveling some, and probably actually being able to do that thing I wanted to do.

20. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011? I’ve actually become more fashion-conscience in 2011. I put more thought into the clothes I wear, spend more time on my growing hair, wear more jewelry (Trollbeads!!) and get my eyebrows threaded regularly.

21. What kept you sane? The big three…Faith, Family, Friends!

22. Who did you miss? My mom, a lot. And, my sweet Deacon puppy. Also, those I don’t see/cross paths with as much anymore.

23. Who was the best new person you met? No one I met, but I did develop a very close friendship over the past year with someone I hadn’t known well before this year.

24. Tell us a valuable lesson you learned in 2011? Never over-fast for bloodwork! You will pass out! Twice! Worrying doesn’t do any good, whatever you are worrying about, will soon be in the past and you’ll be on to something new!

25. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year. I’m on the edge of glory, and I’m hanging on a moment with you!

2011 in review

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2011 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A New York City subway train holds 1,200 people. This blog was viewed about 6,600 times in 2011. If it were a NYC subway train, it would take about 6 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.