Monday, February 22, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

So Much For Superwoman

As a mom, you have to deal with all kinds of gross things. It just comes with the territory. Some of us deal better than others. I have no problem with sick children. I can handle vomit better than many adults. I don't freak out over blood. (That's how I got volunteered to pick the gravel out of my friend's elbow when he wiped out on a motorcycle.) Runny noses? Got it covered. Split your head open? Slap some ice on it and you'll be fine.

But it seems that even us moms, superheroes though we may be, have our weaknesses. I have just discovered my kryptonite. It's a simple loose tooth.

My kids' teeth are as stubborn as they are. They do not come out until they absolutely have to. When a tooth finally does fall out, the new tooth is usually already poking through. So when a tooth is just hanging there as Sassy's was this afternoon, you know it's ready to come out.

Her tooth was literally hanging by a thread, making it next to impossible to eat lunch. I knew all it would take was a simple tug to free it, but I couldn't do it. It made me nauseous just to look at it. So instead, I tried to encourage her to take care of it herself. She wiggled and twisted and tugged but nothing happened. The only thing it accomplished was making my stomach turn. I really thought my insides were staging a revolt for awhile. Just thinking about it makes me want to throw up. But she finally did it. She pulled her own tooth out. It took a little harder tug than she'd been doing but it came out. The only thing I had to do was wash the offending tooth.

Let me just say that I'm grateful that all this occurred before I'd eaten lunch. Is it wrong to wish the whole thing had been as simple as the stomach flu?

Movie Review: The Wolfman

Anytime I can actually see a movie in a theater, I'm excited. But a creature feature on the big screen? Now that's a good time.

Casting Benicio Del Toro as the titular Wolfman was brilliant. He just looks like he has a beast inside of him, waiting to claw its way out. Emily Blunt co-stars as Gwen, his recently deceased brother's fiance, and Anthony Hopkins is perfectly cast as his father.

This movie was good but I felt like it should've been so much better. Del Toro's character, Lawrence, has been living in America and has a mostly Americanized, bland accent. I so wanted to hear him speak with more of a hint of his real accent. I know, it's just a little thing but hearing him speak kept distracting me. I felt like he was a watered down version of what he could have been.

If you're going to see this movie, the plot isn't all that important, but here it is. In trying to find out what happened to his brother, Lawrence encounters the beast that's been terrifying the town and gets bit in the process, turning him into a werewolf. Can Gwen save his soul or is he doomed to be a monster forever?

Got it. Now, let's talk special effects. There was definitely not a shortage of budget when it came to karo syrup blood and fake intestines. Limbs are ripped off with abandon and bodies are used as chew toys. Even knowing what the movie was about, I was a little surprised at the level of gore for pure entertainment's sake. This is NOT a movie for children, despite the disturbing attendance of a five or six year old little girl at the theater.

I have mixed feelings about the actual werewolves. For the most part, they were great. When Lawrence first experienced the change, I thought to myself, "boy, they've come a long way since 'Teen Wolf". But whenever I saw his face, I just kept thinking of the old black and white version with Bela Lugosi. He was almost too...cuddly.

Yes, I'm probably being a bit too particular. I want my creatures to either be very impressive or "B" quality cheese. I don't want them somewhere in the middle. But overall, "The Wolfman" was an entertaining ride, worth seeing on the big screen

Movie Review: Funny People

I am a fan of Adam Sandler. I've been following him since his days on SNL where he was one of my favorites. His movies, however, are hit or miss. Sometimes he's great, sometimes he's a little too crude and infantile for me.

When I got "Funny People", I knew this wasn't a typical Adam Sandler movie. I knew this was one of his attempts at "serious" acting. It co-stars Seth Rogan, Leslie Mann and Jonah Hill so I had high hopes. I wasn't disappointed.

The movie is about Adam Sandler's character, George, who is a famous comedian living the high life (big stretch there). Then he finds out he has a rare disease; he's dying. The problem is, George is not a likable person. He sleeps with every woman he can, he's rude, his comedy is crude. He has no one in his life. The love of his life, played by Leslie Mann, left when he cheated on her. He's all alone with his money and mansion and fame.

He sees Seth Rogan's character, Ira, and hires him to write jokes and be his assistant. He's mean to Ira and treats him poorly for the most part but Ira manages to help George have a life again, even as he's dying.

Don't get me wrong, this is no redemption movie. George starts out as unlikable and ends up as slightly less unlikable. But I enjoyed watching Adam Sandler deal with adult situations in a real and honest way. He actually appears grown up. Yes, this movie has comedy but it doesn't hide behind it. It deals with George's life in a way that's so believable for his character. He's just not the type of guy who would pull a Scrooge and turn his whole life around just to have a happy ending.

If you're looking for an Adam Sandler comedy, this isn't it. If you're looking for a grown up movie about honest, sometimes uncomfortable situations, there are worse ways to spend an evening.

A Friend By Any Other Name...

I've just spent the last few days hanging out with my sisters. It's something we only get to do a few times a year because of distance and work schedules. A few days spent with my sisters is a few days of having fun, acting stupid, making a fool of myself and laughing until every muscle aches. Who could ask for more?

It got me thinking about the role they play in my life as not just my sisters, but as friends. Think about the friends you have in your life. I don't mean how many friends or even specific names. I'm talking about what KIND of friends you have. You see, God gives us all kinds of friends to fill all kinds of needs that we may have. I got to thinking about these different types of friends and the role they play in my life.

My sisters fall into one of my favorite friend categories. They belong to the group of friends that I can be loud, rude and completely obnoxious with, as well as inappropriate and embarrassing. This is actually a need that I have to have filled in my life and they are there to help me fill it. This is a great group for me because I can make a complete idiot of myself and they will still hang out with me.

But what other kind of friends do I need? What other types of friends has God provided me?

I have "mom" friends. These are the friends that totally get it when I say that I'm ready to beat my children or shoot my husband. They understand the feeling of loving your child's smile while at the same time wishing you could cover it up with duct tape to prevent hearing the words "mom" or "why" come out of that mouth. We can share our struggles with discipline, bills, housework, meals and marriage and know that we have a sympathetic shoulder to lean on.

I have "young" friends. These are the friends that I love hanging out with because they make me forget that I'm older. We all have kids so we're emotionally the same age, right? If you're a mom with young children, you instantly have something in common with other moms, even those that are younger. We can talk kids, babies and the desire to have more or to shut down that factory forever. We exchange ideas, recipes and hand-me-downs whenever we see each other.

I have "single" friends. These friends are some of the most fun. For me, I see them mostly at church functions but I look forward to them being in attendance. When I'm with them, I feel like I'm in my twenties again. We're silly, goofy, and always funny. Life isn't quite so serious when you don't have a mortgage or dependents.

I have "lifelong" friends. Lifelong friends are few and far between. These rare individuals are some of my closest friends. I may only talk to them once a year or once every few years, but at any time I can call them up and we can pick up our conversation as if no time has passed. There's no need for long explanations because they just get it. They know me.

I also have "peripheral" friends. I think for most of us, this is the category that most of our friends fall under. These friends are always there at the edges of my vision but it's only when I change my focus that I really benefit from that friendship. These are women such as other homeschool moms. I only see them at co-op but they make the day enjoyable and I value their suggestions and support. Most of the women I attend church with fall under this category. Church, bible class, retreats and gatherings just wouldn't be the same without them. I look forward to these events just so I can spend some more time with them. I may not see them often outside of the usual meeting places, but I know I can call on them in the event of an emergency and they will be there, as some of them have already proven.

Friendship is a very flexible thing that changes with the seasons, our situations in life and sometimes even our moods. God puts people in our lives to satisfy all the different needs we may have for companionship, mentoring, acceptance, entertainment and assistance. Some people may fall into different categories at different times. Others may just fill a role for a short period in our life and then be gone forever. Whatever their particular role or purpose in my life, and no matter how much I may neglect them or take them for granted, I am so very grateful that God has placed all these women in my life.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

A Matter of Genetics

I had to talk myself into blogging today. I'm feeling rather lazy as usual. The funny thing is, I usually blog as a way to avoid all the other work I'm supposed to be doing. So how bad am I if I'm getting too lazy to sink into denial and procrastination? I would hate to think I've really sunk that low so...I'm blogging.

Today was a beautiful, sunshiney day. A little on the cool side, perhaps, but just right with a small jacket on. And my children (being that they are, in fact, MY children) had to be forced to go outside and play. They could not be convinced to go outside and enjoy the weather until we threatened them. We told them they couldn't play on the video games until they'd spent some time outside. For every 10 minutes they played outside, they earned 5 minutes of video game time. Even that was only enough to keep Howdy outside for about 10 minutes. It was only after Daddy suggested they play "trampoline dodgeball" that Howdy reluctantly went back out. Nothing will change his mind faster than the thought of inflicting pain on his siblings.

How many children have to be forced to play outside on a sunny day? We just bought the kids a trampoline for Christmas, we have a huge pile of rocks and dirt to dig in and they have little cars and bikes they can ride. Why aren't they begging to go out there and play every day?

Why? Because they are my children. Apparently when they were being knit together in my womb, my DNA got bossy and took over the place, kicking most of Hubby's peaceful DNA out of the way. The compulsion to remain indoors? They got that from me. The insatiable desire for books? That's all me. The angst, worry and stress? Their therapists can reassure them that also came from me. The picky palates? OK, that one can be blamed on the both of us. But the point is, most of these little quirks and odd personality traits can be traced back to yours truly.

Sometimes I actually feel a little sorry for them. Why couldn't they have their dad's love of sports and the coordination required to be good at them? Where is Hubby's laid-back, don't-worry-be-happy attitude? Where is the love of the outdoors? And if they had to favor me, why did they have to inherit my hermit nature and my perfectionist tendencies?

I know a little of Hubby's DNA lurks in each of them, waiting until the Sheri DNA has become lax and unsuspecting. I know it because I see it appear for brief moments before the Sheri DNA beats it back into submission. Knowing my husband's reluctance to rock the boat, I'm not sure his DNA really stands a chance. I can only hope that one day, it will rise up and take over. I'll know that day has come when my children ask me, completely of their own free will, if they can go outside and play in the sun.
Monday, February 15, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

Movie Review: Passengers

"Passengers" stars Anne Hathaway as a therapist called in to help survivors of a plane crash deal with what happened. The survivors all have varying reports of what really happened and the airline investigators are not too forthcoming with information. This movie wants to be a tense thriller with its missing passengers, creepy men who keep appearing in the shadows, and annoying barking dog. The problem is it just doesn't make sense. Which I guess is the whole point. They're trying to keep you guessing.

My husband guessed a major plot point way before I did (he has an annoying habit of doing that) but it took me awhile to catch on. When the final twist was revealed and I finally discovered what's really been going on the whole time, I believe my precise reaction was, "Huh." It was a major let down after all this build up of suspense. I'm a big fan of Anne Hathaway but I don't think this movie is worth the price of a rental. I picked it up on loan from the library and free is definitely the only way to watch it. (**)
Sunday, February 14, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

Connecting the Dots

I loved today's sermon. Scott preached today about using every moment that we're given to sing the praises of God. When something good happens, we need to make sure that it all points back to Him. "Of course," we answer quickly. That's what we always do.

Is it really?

I went grocery shopping last night. I got in one of the only 3 lines they had with my cart full of groceries and unloaded everything onto the belt. But then I noticed a woman behind me with only 2 items. If I was her, I wouldn't want to wait in that line just for 2 items, so I let her go ahead. Then a man walked up and got in line behind me with only 1 item. Again, I let him go ahead of me. By the time I was done, 3 people had been allowed to cut in front of me in line. I do this all the time, although it's usually just one person. I was being nice and they thanked me. My response? "You're welcome." End of story.

But what if I had answered differently? What if I had said, "God bless your day"? Instead of them walking away thinking, "That was a nice lady", would they have possibly walked away thinking about God? Why didn't I do that? It would've been absolutely painless. And if they didn't like it? Who cares? Chances are I will never see them again in my life. It was on the tip of my tongue as the last gentleman thanked me and I couldn't do it.

I put myself out there all the time. Not as much since I've left high school and college, but on occasion I do embarrassing things. I love it. I'm all for self-induced public humiliation. I've mooned traffic from an overpass; I've performed as a mascot at a school that considered me a giant nerd; I've raced through an airport wearing my pj's, bathrobe, slippers and hair curlers; I've sung karaoke in a Teriyaki bar; I dressed as a clown for my kids' birthday party that was attended by more adults than children. And some of these I would do again (just don't ask which ones).

But mention God? Are you kidding me? What would people think? What would they think of me? What if they thought I was one of those weird Christian-types that was just trying to convert them? What if they got offended? Or uncomfortable? What if I got uncomfortable? What would I do then?

You know what I would do? I would suck it up and get over it. Will it make people uncomfortable? Quite possibly. Guilt does that at times. Will they think I'm weird? Maybe. Will I be uncomfortable? At first, yes. But when did God ever promise us comfort? When did He ever say that we should go and preach the gospel to other Christians who already know what we're talking about and therefore won't take offense? I believe that verse can be found in 1 Procrastinators chapter 1.

We are here to serve Him. Period. What does He want us to do? Tell others about Him. How can we do that if we never say His name? "Oh well, I'm just going to live a faithful life and others will know Him from my example." Great. But how do you explain why you do things the way you do? What are you going to say when they ask you why you are different? And are you different? You should be.

Something great happens at work? "Praise God!"

Enjoying a meal out? Offer blessing right there at the table.

Someone cussed in front of you? Correct them. They probably wouldn't do it in front of the boss or their grandmother so they are more than capable of refraining.

Your kids' friends come over and they use language you don't like or want to watch TV that's not allowed in your house? Tell them no and explain why. There's a good chance they will go home and tell their parents what you said. Perfect. Their parents may not even realize there's anything bad with the shows their kids are watching to begin with.

Sprinkle His name in. Blame all good things on Him. Call on Him during the bad times. Offer up comfort in His name to those who need it, whether they believe in Him or not.

If they reject you, move on. They are rejecting the love of the Father, not you. And if they do publicly, or even privately, reject you--move on. This life is not a contest to see who dies with the most friends. Bottom line? Some people just won't like you. It's a tough pill to swallow. Believe me, I know. But the point is, to make sure that every man, woman and child has heard the name of Jesus. Whether or not they choose to accept it is out of our hands.

When I was in AIM, Rex Boyles used to always say (and I'm paraphrasing here), "If you get doors slammed in your face all day, but one person seeks to know more about God, was it worth it? If you've gone all week with no one responding to your outreach except for one, was it worth it? If you work for months, even years, but you've only saved one soul, was it worth it?" The answer is YES!!

So put yourself out there. Make sure that all the dots on the page connect to Jesus. You may not see the results but you could be planting a seed for someone to come along after you and water. And if all you ever do is plant seeds, is it worth it?

YES!
Friday, February 12, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

Don't Judge Me

I have a confession to make. Lately I've been spending a lot of quality time with 2 men, neither of whom are my husband. I realize that what I'm doing is wrong but I just can't help myself. They are both smooth, enticing and yes, irresistible. CJ is aware that they are in my life but I don't think he knows to what extent.

Anytime I head out to go "grocery shopping", I offer up a fervent wish that I will find them waiting for me. And I do. They're always there, calling to me, tempting me.

When I'm bored, they give me something to do. When I'm stressed, I can take all my worries out on them. When I want to celebrate, they are right there with me, the life of the party. They listen to me without judgment and simply offer up more of themselves.

Don't get me wrong, there are a few downsides. No matter how cautious I may be, they always leave their mark on me. My body just hasn't been the same since I've started spending so much time with them. They've become an addiction for me. I'm afraid nothing short of the loss of my car keys and wallet could keep me from them.

I sneak in a little quality time whenever possible. There are days that I don't even wait until after dinner when I know my husband will be occupied. I admit I've even been known to cozy up with them before lunch.

I know it's not right and I do feel guilty on occasion, but how can something that feels so right be wrong? I won't try to explain how much this relationship means to me. I don't think anyone else would truly understand. Say what you want, but for now, I will continue to indulge in my passion for Ben and Jerry's.

Movie Review: Coraline

If you haven't seen this movie yet, don't. I don't know what I was thinking. Libby picked it out from the library. I had reservations since A) it was from Tim Burton and B) the commercials had seemed a bit creepy. Well, it turns out I was right about the creepy.

The story is about a girl named Coraline who discovers a secret door in her new house that leads to a world where her parents, friends and life are all perfect, not like real life where she's often neglected and doesn't get her way. She likes this new world better than the old one of course.

The problem is that "New Mother" is one scary chick. She's evil and wants to suck out Coraline's soul. I watched this with my kids. I know, big mistake. What possessed me to do that and why didn't I reach over and hit the "stop" button on the remote? I have no idea, but I paid for it when both the boys woke up with nightmares.

This is definately NOT a children's movie despite what the marketing campaign may say. Not only do we have to deal with frightening other mothers, haunted ghost children and missing parents, we also have a neighbor with a size EEE chest who appears in pasties and bikini bottoms. Try explaining that one.

So unless you want to permanently scar your children and even your own psyche, skip this movie. (*)
Thursday, February 11, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

My Dear Jane

I never watch TV or movies during the day because I don't want my kids seeing or hearing things that are not appropriate. However, I do make an exception on laundry day. Laundry day isn't necessarily the day that I wash all our dirty clothes, but it is the day that I sit down and fold the four or five baskets full of clean clothes that I've already washed. Because this is such an automatic, mundane task, I have to have something to engage my brain. And so, out comes the chick flick.

But like I said before, I can't watch just any movie. It has to be clean. My favorite has been "Ever After", the Cinderella story with Drew Barrymore. I just adore this movie. My kids have seen me watch it so many times that when it comes on, Logan asks, "Is this the one where they throw the book into the fire?" As a matter of fact, it is. But Cinderella has now been replaced.

I now have copies of my favorite book-turned-into-a-movie. I have "Pride and Prejudice". I sit and fold my laundry while Keira Knightley plays Elizabeth Bennett on my TV. I just love this movie. I've seen it so many times that I can beat the characters to their lines. When I am in the kitchen, I watch the 6 hour BBC version with Colin Firth. See, in my kitchen I have a TV/VCR combo so my Keira Knightley DVD can only be enjoyed in the livingroom. But whether I am folding laundry or washing dishes, my beloved Jane Austen keeps me company.

I have to admit that I like Keira's version better. In the BBC version, Mrs. Bennett and Mr. Collins are so over the top they are more like caricatures. And while I'm not crazy about Keira's version of Jane and Matthew MacFayden lacks the presence and severity of Colin Firth, I still prefer the newer version.

Honestly, I would watch any version of "Pride and Prejudice". I love the way they dress, the way they talk, the way they adhere to all things "proper". And I love the way the movie is actually made. I'm a big fan of sweeping, uncut takes and the new version has so many great scenes like this, most taking place at the balls. Watch it just for the camera work. And the music. You can't forget the music.

My children sometimes roll their eyes and complain, "This one AGAIN?!" and sometimes they sit down and watch in spite of themselves. I don't mind either one as long as they don't interrupt my Jane Austen fix.

Yes, I Ask For Directions

I consider myself a fairly intelligent person. I keep up (somewhat) with current events, I can hold a conversation and not sound too much like an idiot, I can do basic math without having to count on my fingers and toes. But somehow I always manage to make myself look like a complete moron. I wish I had someone else to blame for this but it's my own doing.

I have a somewhat good sense of direction. If I drive someplace new, I can almost always find my way back out and can find my way there again next time. But on occasion, my brain cells turn off and I find myself driving around town in the complete opposite direction of my goal. I'm not lost. How can I be lost when I usually know exactly where I am? I am, however, nowhere near my intended destination and not always sure the best route to take to get there.

I wish I could say this rarely happens but this is me we're talking about. It happens more frequently than I would like to admit. I don't mind asking for directions but I usually resort to my own personal GPS--my mother. She's usually in front of a computer and can Mapquest my location for me. It's very helpful.

The only problem with this is that I will never be able to convince my mother that I am a capable, independent adult who can take care of herself. She knows me better than that. Just today I left her waiting for me at a restaurant for more than 30 minutes because I thought I knew where I was going. Even though all the signs pointed in the other direction (literally), I went the way that made sense to me.

Hmmm. I may have just discovered the source of my problems. This wouldn't be the first time that I've noticed things make sense to me in a way that no one else seems to get. Maybe if I just start doing things that DON'T make sense, I won't get lost. But then, where is the fun in that?

Tooth Fairy

The Tooth Fairy visited our house last night. Sassy lost her top front tooth in the middle of the night on Tuesday night/Wednesday morning. She put it in a special box under her pillow but she was very concerned that the Tooth Fairy might not come...just like last time.

You see, we have a somewhat unreliable Tooth Fairy. Sometimes she shows up when expected, sometimes we have to leave her a note telling her that we do indeed have a tooth for her, sometimes we have to leave the tooth in a different spot so she can find it. If this was a paid position, she would have been fired long ago.

I assured Sassy that the Tooth Fairy would come this time and I even meant to set an alarm so I could remind Miss Fairy but of course, I forgot. Luckily, I check on the kids every night before I go to bed. So last night at midnight as I was heading upstairs, it clicked. I called the Tooth Fairy and sent her into action.

Normally it would be as simple as finding 2 quarters but my dear daughter had a different request this time. She wanted the Tooth Fairy to bring her "some little things instead of money". Not an unreasonable request I thought. That was before the Tooth Fairy found herself scrambling around the house trying to find some little trinkets that not only would Libby like but that she hadn't already seen. She combed through the office and craft room and then moved upstairs to the dreaded craft closet.

This closet holds treasures of all sorts, certainly something suitable could be found in here. The problem? The light in the hallway doesn't work, making it next to impossible to see inside the closet. Although, even if she could've seen inside, she knew it was a near impossible feat to even find anything in there without causing a catastrophic avalanche that would no doubt wake every person in the house.

It was with some stealthy maneuvering and not a few whispered prayers that Miss Fairy finally came up with a few baubles for Sassy. They were placed with care under her pillow and the tooth was taken away. With a sigh of relief, the Tooth Fairy climbed into bed at 12:35am, waiting to hear the excited sounds of Sassy discovering her treasure in the morning.

The best part? It's 10:45 in the morning right now and she hasn't even looked under her pillow. Go figure.
Sunday, February 7, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

Finding the Rhythm

In today's sermon, it was mentioned that life has a rhythm. It's true. Life does have a rhythm. I think everything has it's own rhythm or pattern. It's the pace at which you go through life, it's the routine of how things are done. When I think about the rhythm of my life, I get exhausted. We live in such a fast paced world, everyone hustling and bustling to go there, accomplish that, get this done. When do we get a chance to slow the pace and appreciate what's around us?

A rhythm is steady, it's constant. It brings to mind a metronome. A metronome is a devise used by some musicians. It's purpose, according to Wikipedia, is to set a consistent tempo. This gives the musicians a guide, a lead, a rhythm to hold to. By listening to the steady ticking of the metronome, a musician can stay on beat, match the rhythm and compose a soaring piece of music.

Wouldn't it be great if we had such a thing for our own lives? Something that set the pace for us? Instead, we feel like we're running three beats behind. It's like following someone's footsteps who has a longer stride than you do. At some point, you're going to have to double your steps in order to keep up. That's where we spend most of our life, running double time.

Somewhere along the line, we've stopped listening to our metronome. We can no longer hear the steady, consistent beat that's been set for us. God has set that tempo. He has given us a beat, a pattern to follow, a rhythm to march to. His rhythm isn't rushed, it isn't forced, it never makes us quicken our steps in order to catch up.

It's time to clear out all the background noise, to put away all the other devices we've been setting our rhythm by. Clear the way to make a space for the metronome. The pendulum has never stopped swinging, it's an unending beat, an unwavering rhythm.

Listen for it.

Listen. Find God's voice, His rhythm. Then match your life to it. Fall in line with that tempo until the steady ticking can be heard in every room of your life. Use it, build on it. Compose a masterpiece to that constant, beautiful, rich tempo. Set your life by that holy rhythm.
Thursday, February 4, 2010 | By: Slacker Mom

Dress Rehearsal

When I was looking to change my blog page, I came up with a great title--"Dress Rehearsal". Unfortunately it was already taken, but I thought I would share with you what it was going to say.

Someday the lights will dim, the curtains will go up and it will be my turn. I will be on centerstage in front of an audience of one. The One. The only one that really matters. In the meantime, I will make mistakes, I will flub my lines, I will fail to hit my mark. But none of that matters because it's only Dress Rehearsal.

Under New Management

Isn't that what stores always post when they change things up? Someone else has come in and changed the signs and the paint schemes but really it's the same store on the inside. Well, that's what's happened to my blog.

I watched "Julie & Julia" the other night and I was inspired to get back to blogging. I was also guilted into finishing unfinished projects. I first started a blog as an exercise in writing. I figured no one was likely to read it but it would give me an outlet for all the random thoughts swirling about in my head while I worked on my writing skills. Well you know what happens. Life. I went from visiting blogs and facebook every day to trying to remember to check my email once a week. I make no promises that I will be anymore faithful, only that I will try.

Are my blogs filled with humorous anecdotes and observations? Have I gone through touching experiences that you can relate to? Do I have wisdom and insight to share with you? The answers to these questions are "no, no and yeah, right".

I write purely for me. I write about life in the way I see it, which I'm discovering is a little bit skewed from the way most people see it. And I crack myself up if no one else so I'm not too concerned with being funny.

So here it is, the new and improved blog from yours truly. I may blog several times a day, I may forget to blog for a week. I write to an unseen audience and hope you enjoy the ride.