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Gimmicks
Wednesday, April 30, 2003
I have decided on our anniversary present...
Nothing snazzy...we have a family portrait scheduled for Sunday.
Thank goodness, I can use Xmen2 for a bit of leverage! That should keep my husband in line! Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/30/2003 04:45:00 PM
Tuesday, April 29, 2003
This or That: The *Take Comfort* Edition 1. Lying down on the couch or stretching out on a recliner? My couch actually has recliners at both ends, but I usually lay down with my husband to watch a movie.
2. Going barefoot or wearing soft slippers? I prefer socks, but in the winter, usually wear slippers for heat-conservation.
3. Eating ice cream or pizza? Stuffed-crust double pepperoni pizza, please!
4. Watching on TV... a classic movie or a reality show? A movie.
5. Wearing: blue jeans or sweat pants? Blue jeans rule, sweats are what I call "fat-n-frumpy" clothes.
6. A long, soothing bubble bath or a quick, invigorating shower? Quick shower. I'm clean and shaved, no need to fill a tub.
7. Furniture: leather or something more on the fuzzy side? I hate leather with a passion. Our furniture is microfiber, which is incredibly soft!
8. Soft, classical music or upbeat rock & roll? Rock and roll, of course!
9. Darkness or light? I love both, but it has to be all the way...REALLY bright or REALLY dark.
10. Do you grin and bear monstrosities or scheme to get rid of them somehow? Keep them. I'm not much for decorating myself. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/29/2003 06:06:00 PM
Yet another fun project to tackle...
I am seriously contemplating creating a book. Not much writing involved, hence the word: create.
Yesterday, I threw the concept out to Gusto, who gave me a plethora of fancy ideas to complement my crazy endeavor.
It's a long-term project, years probably, complete with a code-name. I am creating an outline this week and hope to be able to start a few angles by summer.
One key element is my digital camera. The other is my Jeep.
The best part is that my family will be involved without intruding upon their lives. At the very least, they will learn a bit!
And it's a just my own little project. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/29/2003 11:11:00 AM
Monday, April 28, 2003
I was doing a bit of research and came across this letter, blasting Reader's Digest for reprinting an article by Helen Keller called, "Three days to see."
The Letter to the Editor author, Ms. Ryan, has completely skewed the positive message into something sinister and destructive.
I read it feeling pity for her armour of arrogance. Whereas Helen Keller was reminding people to appreciate every little thing (not just stop and smell the roses, but LOOK at them, too), Ms. Ryan consoles herself by alluding to sight as possibly distracting to feeling "deep emotion."
Ms. Ryan is lying to herself if she believes that "given proper training, a blind person can do anything a sighted person can do." That is a pretty broad claim. Of course, that would mean driving to the grocery store alone, right?
For Ms. Ryan, "proper training" obviously means access to proper tools, such as adaptive devices and special services. No problem, except she might want to clarify that point and not gloss it over.
"On my journey through life I have not missed out on the beauty of nature," Ms. Ryan claims.
At the age of 10, I began wearing glasses. I was legally blind in my left eye, with poor vision in my right. Since then, my vision has worsened. To this day, without my corrective lenses, the world is a huge blur. I could not drive. At 10 feet away, my cats are moving spots. I would have to be less than 6 inches from my bathroom walls to see the pretty leaf pattern on the paper. Most rainbows and fields of deer would be lost to me.
I am blessed to have my sight-problems corrected. One day, I may not be so lucky. Unlike Ms. Ryan, I will know what I am missing...and I am neither afraid, nor ashamed, to admit it.
Then again, maybe those are the "deep emotions" Ms. Ryan feels? Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/28/2003 10:05:00 PM
Sunday, April 27, 2003
THIS JUST IN...
My mother has Type II Diabetes, regulated with diet, exercise and pills. She has lost about 50 lbs. and looks good, except for her weird LONG white-grey-black hair. I have NEVER seen my mother so thin in all of my life! She's probably about 175 lbs now!!! (She's only 5 ft tall.)
Guess her years of being overweight, having high blood pressure (that she refused to properly medicate), smoking and lack of exercise have caught up with her. Sad, but at least this put the fear into her to take better care of her body!
I spontaneously commented her on looking so good, "You really have lost weight!" I didn't know about the diabetes. She replied, "Well, I didn't get here by choice!" OK... Then she changed the subject.
In the van, Munchkin told us about the diabetes. (You realize how LITTLE I actually know about diseases that run in my family?!!? GEEEEEEEEZ! Diabetes is a pretty important diagnosis to share with your children!)
Rick told me he was shocked that I complimented my mother. And proud, even if we both know that she didn't accept my words well. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/27/2003 02:19:00 PM
Saturday, April 26, 2003
GRANDPARENTS' RIGHTS.
The Michigan Supreme Court will be issuing a ruling on Grandparents' Rights later this spring. A Florida Senate panel is trying to restore these "rights," too.
My parents would be stupid to try to sue for "Grandparents' Rights." Not only would we get a DAMN good lawyer, AGAIN, but I would have no problem airing their dirtiest laundry. They wouldn't win.
I don't believe in "Grandparents' Rights." With rights come responsibilities. Unless the grandparents are the child's legal guardians, they should not have any rights. Otherwise, they don't have the right to authorize medical attention for a minor child in their care. They don't have the right to remove a child from school without parental consent. The list goes on and on.
Why I, or anyone else, keeps child(ren) away from grandparents, that is OUR decision to make and be respected. What is trivial to one, is significant to another: morals, religions, prejudices, etc. There are many secrets in the most "perfect" of families.
As I said above, with rights come responsibilities. Will grandparents seeking visitation, be similarly ordered to pay child support? Or have mandated health care coverage orders? In divorce cases, whose time will they be stealing? The parent who gets every other weekend? That sure isn't right. And if time is taken from the primary parent, why couldn't THE OTHER PARENT have been given that visit?
Ultimately, the parents, no matter how warped the reason, unless their parental rights have been terminated, should not have a court meddle in their decisions about who visits their child. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/26/2003 11:48:00 PM
Friday, April 25, 2003
Friday Five. 1. What was the last TV show you watched? I caught part of ER last night because I was taping for Gusto.
2. What was the last thing you complained about and what was the problem? My husband constantly ignoring the puppy.
3. Who was the last person you complimented and what did you say? My husband. I told him he was a bad, bad boy! Honest, it was WORK-related!
4. What was the last thing you threw away? Last night's dinner fine "china."
5. What was the last website (besides this one) that you visited? My bank. I'm NOT rich yet. Who knew? Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/25/2003 05:19:00 AM
Thursday, April 24, 2003
I am torn on Unions.
My father has always refused to join a union and was, at times, limited to where he could work. He had witnessed unions bullying their little-guy clients. Too often, they didn't help.
Interestingly, my mother's father was staunchly PRO union. He had helped get the union into the then-largest Post Office in the Midwest. My mother often told stories of her childhood about him having to go into hiding, because he had death threats. The FBI came looking for him many times. Their phones were tapped, their house under surveillance.
My husband is in a union. What I don't like about his is how rarely they deal with a SERIOUS contract complaint. In the last 5 years, the guys have basically been told to roll over, or even IGNORED, by the union on many issues. BLAH!
I know many people who are blindly PRO-UNION. They scream about jobs being lost to non-union contractors. They refuse to shop at places like WalMart because WalMart discourages unions. They picket Best Buy for bringing in their own contractors.
Did I miss some CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT that all workers MUST be in a union?
My stepson boasted how THEY no longer shop (this week) at WalMart because "they are anti union" and started in on some speech. I reminded him that his mother didn't care when SHE worked there a few years ago. She got her discount, she worked her 2 days a week. He countered that she never had A CHOICE. "Employees should have A CHOICE."
Sounds like an intelligent argument? Not really. His mother has recently hired two women to work for her. Now SHE is an employer. I tossed that back at him with, "So you think your mom should have to deal with a union if they want to join one?"
He looked at me like *I* was an idiot. "No, she only hired two women."
I asked him to explain why. He said there were only TWO WOMEN. So? Well, that's not enough and they don't need a union to deal with his mom. "When she hired them, she TOLD them what she could pay and when they would work. And they agreed."
Yes, but what about the benefits they might want, like health insurance and vacation time? Hmmm...she doesn't give it. I asked him what if they felt they SHOULD get it? He replied, "But she shouldn't HAVE to, it's just those two women! They don't need a union!"
I threw his words back at him, "Didn't you JUST say, 'Employees should have A CHOICE'? But now, with your mom being the owner, you are saying the exact opposite?"
He knew he was caught. "Well, what union could they even join?"
"Let's see, many nurses belong to a union, most secretaries at schools belong to a union, postal workers have a union...I'm sure the AFL-CIO or somebody would offer them protection."
"They'd be stupid to pay union dues. My mom might just need them for a few months, depending on whether or not she gets The Big Contract. If she doesn't, she is going to let them go."
I laughed. "Sounds like a good case for layoff benefits and unemployment; unions LOVE stuff like that!"
Something tells me that household's hard-nose stance on PRO-UNION would shift quite quickly, too! Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/24/2003 09:57:00 PM
Pet Peeves - Found this and it seemed like fun, even if it is from last week!
1. What are 3 silly pet peeves you have? Leaving lights on, drama queen sick people and overspending.
2. What are 3 things that drive you nuts that shouldn't? My husband never helping with the pets HE desperately wanted, the never-ending stupidity of my husband's X wife, Steven Seagal as an actor.
3. What are 3 things that you've seen others go nuts over that you can't help but laugh because its so silly? Impolite cell phone use by others (like they DESERVE to hear the other side of the conversation), bad hair days and the Dixie Chicks uproar. I can't help but laugh when I hear anyone gripe about The Remarks. I never realized how important to national policy it was for the Dixie Chicks to be happy with our government! WOW!!! Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/24/2003 06:46:00 AM
Tuesday, April 22, 2003
Quotes from Scott Peterson's mom, Jackie: "He could not do anything bad."
"He and Laci were so much in love. I mean, they had just a wonderful relationship. They were just so happy and anticipating the baby."
She must have missed his admission to an EXTRAMARITAL AFFAIR? Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/22/2003 11:04:00 AM
This or That: The *What Is* Edition. 1. Yummier: Chocolate ice cream or strawberry cheesecake? Chocolate ice cream preferred. Cheesecake is ONLY yummy in Atlanta at the Cheesecake Factory with Lulu.
2. Better to watch on TV: Movies or sports? Movies.
3. A better web browser: MSIE or Netscape (or tell us your own favorite!) MSIE.
4. A better way to travel: Automobile or bus/train? Automobile. I like having control over stopping.
5. Your preferred camera: Digital or film? Digital.
6. A Cooler Vehicle: Motorcycle or sports car? Sports car...a Z3 convertible, actually.
7. More fun: Video games or board games? Box games like Scrabble, Kismet, Connect Four, etc.
8. Sexier: A perfect body or an intelligent mind? A perfect body is sexy to look at for a moment, but intelligent mind is sexier to live with long-term.
9. A stinkier smell: Skunk or gasoline (petrol)? Skunk.
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: What is more important to you: making a ton of money and being at the top of your field, or finding your soulmate and living a comfortable, but not wealthy, life? Neither. Being happy with myself for my choices wins out. It is difficult to explain, but kind of like, "City of Angels." No matter what choice is made, one never knows how long it will truly last. I just want to be a happy person and happy with my decisions. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/22/2003 09:33:00 AM
Sunday, April 20, 2003
HAPPY EASTER!
Or, should I say, Happy EATER?
The turkey, not ham, is in the oven. Trimmings are pretty close to Thanksgiving, except for a strawberry pie.
We ALL got baskets, far from the child-like candy galore. Hidden quite well, too. teehee
A bit of advice on buying for older kids: go for quality, not quantity. Get novelty treats. Shop at gas stations and party stores. Include non-candy items, especially trinkets for collections. Buy a box of assorted packs of chips, crackers or cookies, which can be put in lunches the next week.
Munchkin got #2 and #3 volumes of "The Princess Diaries," while Kiddo received a black-light lamp. Each had in their basket a bit of chocolate and little bags of chips. I bought them each a new electric toothbrush and a sheet of collectible stamps. Mini packages of flavored popcorn, taffy and cheese-sandwich crackers were a hit, too.
My darling husband, who doesn't like candy much, received some salt water taffy, a package of saltines and 2 tins of sardines, a bottle of white zin and the classic movie, "Spies Like Us." He LOVED his basket!
Mine was a surprise from my wonderful husband...he bought me, "Armageddon," the newest "Left Behind" book. I also got a box of Brach's chocolate-covered cherries and a large box of chocolate-covered mints. mmmmmmm...I had some mints and hard-boiled eggs for breakfast.
Weather-wise this is quite an odd Easter. I got up at 7 a.m. and it was 62 degrees and sunny. NOT close to the weather predictions! As of last night, it was supposed to be high of 55 and storming all day. Glad the storms stalled! (Can't blame the forecaster.)
So, I dressed in shorts, my new pink T (gracias, Gusto!) and a light sweater...and took Sim on a 1.5 mile walk! Came back completely whipped, but leashed up Jun and took him for just .6-mile...brisk walk the first half, RUN the whole way home! We both had quite the workout!
It is cloudy now, but still quite bright. No dark storm clouds or raindrops here, yet! YAY! What a NICE Easter!
http://www.missoulian.com/articles/2003/04/19/ap/Sports/apnews68747-04.txt
Brain-Damaged Boxer Finishes Marathon Missoulian (paper is out of Montana, but story is British)
http://www.mlive.com/news/fljournal/index.ssf?/xml/story.ssf/html_standard.xsl?/base/news-12/1050753001138830.xml
Bill would give donor last word The Flint Journal Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/19/2003 03:32:00 PM
Hope you are doing better, Lulu! Don't forget to tell Paul that I said, "Thank you," for him taking care of you. :-)
Today is The Big Day. Munchkin gets her eyes checked. She is praying for glasses. She has NO FEAR, except that she will not need them.
She is SOOOOOOO like her mother! Happily embracing what so many children and adults find horrifying.
I have to wonder, is it vain for me to LOVE my glasses (which I desperately need), or is it vain for others to loathe and refuse to wear them? Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/19/2003 09:13:00 AM
Friday, April 18, 2003
Friday Five! 1. Who is your favorite celebrity? Deanne Bray, who plays Sue Thomas in the show of the same name.
2. Who is your least favorite? J.Lo comes to mind. I'm not impressed with her singing or acting attempts.
3. Have you ever met or seen any celebrities in real life? Sure, I have met former President Bill Clinton (when he was still in office), Marshall Mathers (when he was a snot-nosed teenager), Mateen Cleaves, among others. Benefit of former jobs: I had a speaking relationship with singers, Anita Baker and Aretha Franklin and Dr. Jack Kevorkian.
4. Would you want to be famous? Why or why not? Heck NO! I love privacy. My parents already tell plenty of lies about me...I sure do NOT need tabloids pitching in, too!
5. If you had to trade places with a celebrity for a day, who would you choose and why? J.Lo. She needs a day off the primadonna pedestal and taking care of my house and living my schedule would give her new appreciation for all she takes for granted. Nothing bring about humility and humanity like dealing with The Daily Grind without personal assistants, security and a hairdresser! In exchange, I would do LOTS of nice things to make her image less sassy, and more sweet. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/18/2003 09:39:00 AM
Thursday, April 17, 2003
Dr. Atkins died today.
Soon to come (research pending): The Atkin's DIRT Diet...sure to leave you skin-and-bones thin!
I am not a believer in fad diets, like the Atkin's Diet. People go on them thinking, OH HOW EASY! QUICK FIX! EAT WHAT I LOVE! etc.
The big problem isn't that they lose interest in it (menus get BORING, banned foods tempt 24/7), but that they lost weight so fast and did NOT learn to eat healthy: natural foods, smaller portions, etc. They did not exercise.
Instead, they were continuing their gluttony and laziness.
I know several DOZEN people who have tried the Atkin's Diet. EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM IS HEAVIER TODAY!!! NONE made it past 3 months, not even the steak-bacon-burger lovers.
Of course, they were shocked at how quickly the pounds packed on when they started eating again. With the Atkin's dieters, they continued to eat what the diet suggested, but added in the banned foods, like bread and potatoes. WHAMMO!
I know how easy it can be to gain weight. I also know that, to a SMALL percentage, weight problems can be hereditary, but that can still be combatted with exercise and watching what you eat.
A little trick I use occasionally without guilt: eat dessert first.
I did that yesterday. Had a large slice of delicious chocolate cake. Then went to lunch with Gusto and her boss. Ate 1/2 of a grilled cheese sandwich, didn't even order the fries. No dieting, I ate what I wanted and I was filled up.
My routine doesn't claim fast and easy weight loss, or have a cutesy name. There won't be guidebooks or specialty snacks. There won't be "point systems," lists of banned foods and nasty side effect warnings, like dragon breath and fatigue.
It probably could be simply called: "Common Sense." Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/17/2003 11:20:00 PM
This or That 1. File taxes as early as possible, or wait until the last possible minute? EARLY! I did them the old-fashioned way and although we did not get everything until Feb. 1, they were all sent out less than a week later and we had our refund deposited 4 weeks later.
2. File electronically, or mail paper forms? Paper forms.
3. Prepare your own taxes, or have someone do it for you? I do them myself.
4. Are you a saver or a spender? I love to save, but bills force me to spend.
5. Do you prefer to carry cash, or pay with plastic (credit/debit cards), or by check? PLASTIC...bank card.
6. You're broke and desperately need a job, but the only places that are hiring are retail or fast food places. Which would you pick? Retail. I hate stinking like food after a long day at work (Little Ceasars experience here.)
7. Keeping track of your money: are you more meticulous or careless about it? Most people think I am careless because it is not in a wallet in my purse, but I am pretty good about it.
8. What do you do if you find yourself with a lot of change weighing down your purse/pocket/wallet? Do you try to spend it to *get rid of it*, or do you put it in a jar or a piggy bank? I have a silver jar and a penny jar. My bank has a free counting machine and no longer accepts ROLLED coins, so I like to take in a jar once in a while.
9. Which form of fake money do you like better...Monopoly money or those chocolate coins covered with gold foil? I prefer anything chocolate!
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You find a wallet containing $5,000 in cash, as well as several credit cards and the owner's drivers' license. Your rent is due tomorrow and you're short $200. Do you take the money (some or all of it) and mail back the wallet anonymously...or do you return the wallet with all contents intact? A thief is a thief and I am NOT a thief, not even to get out of debt. Not even anonymously. I used to turn in found bottle slips, but I know that MANY store employees will dishonestly cash them in themselves. Now, I try to find the owner, unless I know the store or a specific worker well. (I have been known to stand by the registers/customer service for 30 minutes, watching for the person hunting for their bottle slip and giving it back.) Otherwise, I will cash them in and donate ALL of the money. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/15/2003 06:37:00 AM
Sunday, April 13, 2003
It was SUCH a gorgeous spring day, especially in our rejuvenated small town.
- I got up at 6:30 again, so everyone else could sleep (Juneau wanted to PLAY!)
- I took Juneau for a 1/2-mile walk at 10 a.m.
- Simba and I enjoyed 15-minutes together at noon.
- I pulled out the old sunflowers along the sides of the house while Simba followed me around.
- Munchkin and I walked up to the little store and then around town a bit. There were many people out cleaning up branches and other damage from last week's ice storms.
- I made cheeseburgers on the BBQ for dinner.
- R and I took both dogs for a 1.5-mile walk about 7:30.
The three of us went to the mall, so Munchkin could look at eyeglass frames. She has an appt. this Saturday because she failed an eye exam at school. The exam was given by a nurse's aide, NOT an optometrist, but we received a VERY official letter in the mail stating we HAD to get her checked immediately. She passed with 20/20 in Sept. 1999, but we wanted to be prepared and let her look at some styles. Should she need them, she already has chosen and she won't feel rushed or bothersome.
Plus, we had a great time laughing at some of the frames she picked for fun...best line: "Geez, kiddo, you look like you just came out of 'Pleasantville!'"
Funny, our quaint community seemed like Pleasantville! Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/13/2003 10:35:00 PM
Guess who is OUT of the Rescue? Yep, my favorite PITA, the know-it-all Allison! The one who desperately wanted ME out!
Her name is not only removed from their contact list, but also on the Board (where she had 2 duties.) When she took over last fall, she updated the site THAT SAME DAY!
I'm not sure if her best friend, Sara, is out, too. Her info has been completely removed from the contact line, but she is still listed on the Board.
Although the Rescue changed URLs last month, their names were listed prominently on the new site AND on Petfinder, when I visited to check on their available dog list. Now, it is only the guy who took over after "The Jim Fiasco."
This is pretty recent, too. Probably the past week. Wonder what they will do? Gee whiz, and I just changed e-mail addies, too! Talk about hard to contact! teehee Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/13/2003 12:22:00 AM
Friday, April 11, 2003
Friday Five: The bonds of music 1. What was the first band you saw in concert? Beach Boys/Chicago at Pine Knob in 1989 with Kevin. His dad's truck was broken into (window smashed) and the radar detector, CD player and CDs were all stolen. It was utter chaos...the concert was oversold by thousands and there were several hundred other people who were robbed, too. We didn't get home until 5 a.m.
2. Who is your favorite artist/band now? Overall, it would have to be George Strait for country and Gloria Estefan for pop, Journey for rock.
3. What's your favorite song? "The Search Is Over," by Survivor. It is the song that bonds my husband and I from our very first face-to-face conversation on our first date and it is OUR song. Even our kids know the words to it!
4. If you could play any instrument, what would it be? I have had many opportunities to learn to play an instrument, but never wanted to...not since band was first offered in 6th grade. My husband plays the guitar and piano and has tried to get me to learn the latter, but it is not intriguing to me.
5. If you could meet any musical icon (past or present), who would it be and why? Elvis, shortly before his death and I would LOVE to give him a swift kick in the ass. Whoops! I forgot...he's not dead, right? Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/11/2003 05:28:00 AM
Thursday, April 10, 2003
Thursday Threesome: It's Daylight Savings Time Again: Time to: Are you a punctual person, always on time? Or do people have to tell you that everything starts an hour earlier than it really does, just so you'll be on time? Or are you somewhere in between? I am extremely punctual, much to the chagrin of my never-a-minute-early husband. Punctuality is leisure to me, whereas rush-rushing is quite stressful and just a PITA.
Spring: After a long week, what puts a spring in your step? How do you spend your downtime? I look forward to the evenings and weekends where I can take my dog for a leisurely walk.
Forward: As we enter Daylight Savings Time and the clocks spring forward, do you like having that "extra" hour of daylight or would you rather just not mess with it? Or do you live in an area that doesn't follow DST? Honestly, I've never really thought about it. We have DST here, and I just go with the flow. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/10/2003 09:12:00 PM
YAHOO!!! It was 60 degrees here, bright and sunny, with nary a breeze. The forecast is similar for the next few days, too.
How to celebrate such a wonderful day that REALLY signifies spring is here?
1. We took the dogs for a walk around town.
2. We wore short pants and short sleeves on the walk.
3. I washed and dried my Jeep this evening in our driveway.
This or that...The Who Is Edition 1. Sexier (female)...Pamela Anderson or Jennifer Garner? Jennifer wins. Pam is so phony (boobs in, boobs out, BOTOX and collagen) and slutty, the word, "SEXY," could NEVER apply to her.
2. Sexier (male)...Ben Affleck or Matt Damon? Matt, I like the studious, kinda geeky type. Ben is just TOO perfect looking...he could play Ken in a live-action Barbie movie (dunno, is Hollywood doing it?) Ben needs a broken nose or a few scars to look real.
3. The better piano player...Billy Joel or Elton John? Torn on both. Will adhere to Lulu's choice, since she saw their concert not too long ago!
4. Funnier...David Letterman or Craig Kilborn? Blah. Neither!
5. The dumber cartoon cat...Stimpy (of *Ren & Stimpy*) or Tom (of *Tom & Jerry*)? Tom and Jerry was just STUPID! At least I could actually watch an episode of R&S!
6. A better news anchor...Tom Brokaw or Dan Rather? Neither. Bill Bonds. Gotta be from Detroit!
7. A better TV chef...Emeril Lagasse or Jacques Pepin? Oh, please! Nobody really WATCHES them, do they? YIKES!
8. The trashier talk show host...Maury Povich or Jerry Springer? Jerry is FAR worse. Maury is bad sometimes, but he does have a few saving grace shows. I hope? (Giving him credit for Connie Chung.)
9. The worse fast food burger joint...McDonald's or Burger King? McDonalds, they ALWAYS use too much ketchup!
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: Only a handful of U.S. Presidents have been considered to be *great* Of the following two, which one do you consider to be greater...Franklin D. Roosevelt or Abraham Lincoln? Why? History is rather kind, things have easily been forgotten in order to make each man even greater. A more interesting question would be: "Who would have been greater if they had CNN and FOXTV crews following every move for 24-hour coverage during their wars?" Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/08/2003 07:49:00 AM
Sunday, April 06, 2003
The Movie of Your Life: name the most bizarre casting you could call perfect.
Roseanne Barr could be my mother without any acting or much makeup. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/06/2003 09:48:00 PM
Saturday, April 05, 2003
Hodge-podge 1. Donut or bagel? Cinnamon-raisin bagel or salt bagel.
2. Dairy Queen or Baskin Robbins? DQ, especially for their Blizzards and Peanut Buster Parfait.
3. Dine-in buffet or dine-in order from menu? Buffet
4. Take out or drive thru? Take out
5. Brownies: with or without nuts? I love them with nuts, but most people don't, so they are a special treat for me!
6. Favorite chocolate candy? Thin Mints
7. Favorite non-chocolate candy? Cherry Twizzlers
8. Favorite jelly-type product? Strawberry preserves
9. Least favorite class in high school? Typing. My class had 2 instructors (they swapped teaching some business class with shorthand and secretarial duties.) One looked like a fat Q-tip with a short, tight, fake-white pincurl Afro who belonged to a local church that bordered on cult-like. All she did was play the monotone typing tapes from hell. Hmmm...was that Ben Stein's voice?
10. Favorite class in high school? History, even though I took 4 years of Spanish and 2 years each of French and Yearbook. I elected an extra year of history. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/05/2003 11:20:00 PM
Friday, April 04, 2003
Weekly Wrapup 1. Do you like to sing? Why or why not? I love to sing; it enhances my mood, whether upbeat or melancholy.
2. Where do you like to sing? Why? I sing mostly in my Jeep, probably because that is pretty much the only place I listen to music.
3. Do you sing in front of people? Why or why not? Sure, I sing in front of my family, but I'm not really into karaoke. I will leave that up to Munchkin, the TRUE vocal talent of the family!
4. What's your favorite song to sing along with? Why? Wow, this one is hard! It depends on my mood, the type of music I want (country or pop), etc. Right now, my favorite new song is the duet with Sheryl Crow and Kid Rock, that always makes me sing!
5. What song is your guilty singing pleasure? Why? Munchkin and I LOVE to sing "Roxanne" by The Police. I can growl "Roxanne" perfectly! Another fun song is "I Love Rock and Roll." Lulu probably still laughs that the memory of Girls Weekend, Nina playing the tape and my howl: "OWWWWWW!" Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/04/2003 07:20:00 PM
Friday Five! 1. How many houses/apartments have you lived in throughout your life? It is hard to get an exact count, since my parents moved quite a bit when I was young, but I can safely count 15. Four of those were apts, one was a townhouse and the rest were houses.
2. Which was your favorite and why? Besides the house we own now, I think my favorite was my very first apt. It was INCREDIBLY small, but my first taste of freedom.
3. Do you find moving house more exciting or stressful? Why? I hate moving and have refused to do it again until after the kids are in college! I am the type of person who doesn't enjoy moving furniture or changing around drawers/cabinets, either. My sister, who I had to share a room with growing up, was always moving stuff around...MY stuff, to be exact! She would frequently take over or move my bed, my dresser, etc. without asking and she would just dump my stuff into a big heap on my new bed. Literally, flip a drawer upside down, contents nicely folded, and hangered clothes flung onto the bed. Her stuff would be nicely moved, mine was trashed. Still don't understand it...was she just trying to be a bitch or did she have a legitimate mental condition, like obsessive/compulsive disorder? Nah...she was just a bitch!
4. What's more important, location or price? For us, it was location. We wanted to be out of congested, unfriendly Oakland County. Price was significantly reduced then, too.
5. What features does your dream house have (pool, spa bath, big yard, etc.)? I am simple: a gazebo, decks, a paved driveway. My husband desperately wants a HUGE pool, HUGE polebarn, HUGE jacuzzi, 6 ft. fencing, etc. My satisfaction drives him nuts, his dissatisfaction drives me nuts! It's a healthy flow. lolol Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/04/2003 05:08:00 AM
Please update the link in your Favorites folder! Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/02/2003 06:08:00 PM
Due to my vast reading on the Net, I have decided to keep a separate war blog, which will NOT have commenting. It will contain my opinions and links to news articles by reputable sources from around the Net. Stories that are NOT being told in our newspapers and broadcasts.
I am not censoring myself, I will speak my mind. I won't be proclaiming that I support the war, which makes me "a patriot." I fly an American flag nearly every day, NOT just when it is PC. I vote (in school elections, too), participate in town council meetings and pay taxes, too.
Weekly Wrap-Up #48 - Fears & Phobias 1. What simple things scare you? Why? Besides FOX NEWS, I'd have to say caterpillars. When I was very young, probably 5 or 6, we had BUNCHES of the tent catepillars living in 6 or 8 apple trees in our yard. One day, they all suddenly crawled down their trees and descended upon two of our HUGE weeping willows, devouring all the leaves in their path. My dad told me they were going to climb into my window and eat me, too.
2. Do you have any phobias? If so, what? See above. I am fine with heights, spiders, close spaces, snakes and the dark. And, I really am trying to work through the caterpillar thing.
3. What is your earliest memory of being afraid? How are the same things scare you? See above.
4. What is the scariest movie you've ever seen? Why? Is it still scary to you now? Why or why not? Donnie Darko. Watch it, you will understand. It is a real thought-provoking movie!
5. What is the scariest nightmare you've ever had? What happened? Is it still scary to you? Why or why not? I have lived through my scariest nightmares, which is exactly why they haunt me. Sunshine - Walking on Sunshine -
4/01/2003 08:23:00 AM
