Movies

So, as is my normal routine for ringing in the new year, I rented some movies yesterday. I picked up 4. A couple of them I have wanted to see, another I had kind of wanted to see and knew I needed more than 2 movies to make it through the weekend, and the last I had never heard of, but it sounded interesting.

Bewitched turned out to be better than I thought it would be. Madagascar was pretty good. Hadn't heard much good about it, but I liked it. Not as much as Shrek or Shark Tale, but it was cute.

Must Love Dogs, is a must see movie. Love John Cusack. Love Diane Lane too. It was cute. Something I felt I could relate to on some levels.

My Date with Drew was a great movie. Had never heard about it, but Blockbuster had a lot of copies, and I like Drew Barrymore. I recommend it. It was especially inspiring as we begin to enter in to a new year.

New years are looked upon as a time to "start again". Resolutions to be 'better' people are made. We reflect back on the year that has past. We assess our goal and plans to acheive these goals. This movie was all about pursuing one's dreams. Gives me some food for thought as I think about starting a new year. I just have to come up with some dreams, and then I can work on pursuing them.

Well,...there is that one....but that involves moving to Cincinnati, and I just can't afford that at the moment......and that so is never going to happen....not that moving to Cinci, the part after that. But I can't share that part....not going to happen anyway....even if it did, I would be laughing too hard to really enjoy it.

Anyway, Happy New Year!

Ummm....

So, I was online today and saw on my fare tracker tickets to San Francisco for under $200. Now, this is a rare occurance. (I have a good friend out there, and some family.) So I decided to check it out.

First I searched airline 1 (name is confidential due to my lack of ability to remember anything for more than 10 minutes). It had various flights, all requiring lay overs. Indy to Dallas to San Francisco. Indy to Atlanta to San Francisco. No problem. Looked at return flights. All had layovers. No problem.

So then I decided to try airline 2 (mostly because I was killing time and will not be flying anywhere anytime soon.) Had 3 options. Option 1 - Indy to Salt Lake City, Option 2 - Indy to Dallas (0r somewhere) to San Francisco, Option 3 - Indy to Cincinnati. And no, I didn't leave out anything on options 1 and 3. That's what was shown. I think the airline left a little something out of options 1 and 3. Needless to say I chose Option 2.

In Other News....

I got an A in Photography class. Yeah!

(And someday when I am able to get those scanned in, I'll post some of my pictures for those of you who would like to see them.)

5 Days Til Christmas

Only 5 days left.

I have so much to do, so little time.

Hopefully the New Year will be better than the end of this year.

Merry Christmas to you all.

Safe Travels.

And Happy New Year.

Strangeness...and Other Ramblings

A long time ago, back when I was young, I met this nice guy. Had a huge crush on him for like forever. After we parted ways, I still thought about him often. Then I reached a point where he didn't cross my mind every day. And then I heard from him and fell back into the habit of thinking of him all the time. Then stuff happened and I really didn't want to think about him anymore. Ever. But the last couple of weeks it seems that no matter where I go, there is something that reminds me of him.

...

Last night I had a dream that I received an email from this guy I used to date. He wrote something about me not keeping in touch with him. Which in "real life" he's the one who didn't keep in touch after he moved away. And so in the dream I was really annoyed with him, because I did try to stay in contact, but after a point, I quit trying.

Then later in the day, one of my magazines came in the mail. As I flipped through it I came across this article that made me think of him. Something that kind of answered a question I had since my second date with this guy.

...

Today was the day that I addressed my Christmas cards. Luckily I don't have many friends. Well, and some of them I just grouped together and sent 1 since they work together. That helped. Anyway, instead of trying to figure out who I needed to send cards to, I just decided to go through each page of my address book. So I came across the address of my former "crush" and decided to send him a Christmas card. I have a feeling I will regret this later. But it's Christmas. Time of good cheer and all that, right? And since I was sending HIM one, I decided to send one to the guy I previously dated. Only his had to be an e-card as I do not have a mailing address for him.

...

I was searching through the various e-cards online when my nephew, who is here visiting for a couple of weeks, came to help. There was this one card with a cat singing some Christmas song. Kind of like the dogs singing Jingle Bells. This cat just sang "meow, meow, meow...etc". My nephew thought this was hil-air-eous! He kept saying "again", "look at this one".

...

Guess that's enough ramblings for now. There'll be more later. :)

Best laid plans...

So, I had something I was going to post with the lyrics from the two songs I just posted, but of course, life never goes according to my plan. Obviously I could write it now, but it would require much more thought than I'm capable of doing at the moment. Stress and a two year old will do that to you.

Had a lot I had hoped to accomplish today. Didn't happen. Did end up spending money on stuff for me. Did also purchase 1 Christmas present. 1. 1 for someone else and...let's see...4 things for me. Oh wait, did buy a birthday present for someone else.

I actually have most of my Christmas shopping done. It's just the parents I still need to take care of. Doing a sibling Christmas exchange is so much better than having to buy for everyone. 1 gift instead of 6. And only 2 of my friends are getting gifts this year. But at the rate I'm going it will be more like New Year's gifts.

I had this great idea of sending my one friend's gifts to her mom's house so she could open them on Christmas when she's there. At the rate I'm going she'll be lucky to have them by Easter! The other friend is done except for the part where I box it up and post it.

I have a long list of things I need to do, just no time in which to do it. Maybe the new year will allow me some time do work on some of my projects....

How Do You Do Lyrics

How Do You Do Lyrics ~ Shakira

Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who have trespassed against us
Give us this day our daily bread
Daily bread, daily bread

Gloria Espiritu Santo

What language do you speak
If you speak at all?
Are you some kind of freak
Who lives to raise the ones who fall?

Hey, would you tell me why
The cat fights the dog?
Do you go to the Mosque
Or the Synagogue?

And if our fates have all been wrapped around your finger
And if you wrote the script then why the troublemakers?
How do you do?
How does it feel to be so high
And are you happy?
Do you ever cry?

... I sometimes cry ...

You've made mistakes
Well that's OK 'cause we all have
But if I forgive yours
Will you forgive mine?

Hey, do you feel our pain
And walk in our shoes?
Have you ever felt starved
Or is your belly always full?
How many people die
And hurt in your name?
Hey, does that make you proud
Or does it bring you shame?

And if our fates have all been wrapped around your finger
And if you wrote the script then why the troublemakers?
How do you do?
How does it feel to be so high
And are you happy?
Do you ever cry?

... I sometimes cry ...

You've made mistakes
Well that's OK 'cause we all have
But if I forgive yours
Will you forgive mine?

Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who have trespassed against us
... Mehila ...
Give us this day our daily bread
... Mehila ...
Daily bread
... Mehila ...
Daily bread
... Mehila ...
Forgive us our trespasses
As we forgive those who have trespassed against us
... Mehila ...
Give us this day our daily bread
... Mehila ....
Daily bread
Daily bread
Thine is the Kingdom and the Power and the Glory
Amen!

How do you do?
How does it feel to be so high
And are you happy?
Do you ever cry?

... I sometimes cry ...

You've made mistakes
Well that's OK 'cause we all have
And if I forgive yours
Will you forgive mine?

... Will you forgive mine? ...

How do you do?
How does it feel to be so high
And are you happy?
Do you ever cry?

... I sometimes cry ...

You've made mistakes
And that's OK 'cause we all have
But if I forgive yours
Will you forgive mine...?

Beautiful Life (La Bella Vita) Lyrics

Beautiful Life (La Bella Vita) Lyrics ~Lindsey Lohan

God won't talk to me
I guess she's pretty busy lately
I like to believe
She's listening

So, what does that say about me....

"Psychologists say that crucial development happens between the ages of 18 & 25." ~Coffee & Kung Fu by Karen Brichoux

So, if I haven't really changed since the age of 18, have I missed some crucial development. Is that my problem?

"Because I don't believe in me anymore.
And that takes all the living out of life."

Coffee & Kung Fu, by Karen Brichoux

The Power of Music

Purchased a couple of cds this weekend. This song really "spoke" to me. Thought I'd share it.

Lindsay Lohan Lyrics

Black Hole Lyrics

I found my box of letters
Lying on the ground
The wones you used to write me before it all went down
I even got a papercut trying to figure out what to do
With all those memories
And your not who you used to be and i wonder where your gone

Have you fallen in a black hole
Tumbling as a universe of missing stuff
What happened to the good times
What happened to the moments where we had so much
Where's the love [2x]

Remember all those hours laughing on the floor
Those days aint doing nothing fell like nothing did before
I dont need those stickers or that money after all
Ill trade them for old message you've called

Cuz its not how we used to feel
And i wonder what went wrong

Have you fallen in a blackhole
Tumbling as a universe of missing stuff
What happened to the good times
What happened to the moments where we have felt so much
Where's the love
I wanna go there, and i wanna know where
Everything i ment something to me is all

I found a box of letters, used to make me smile
But now feel so lonely

Have you fallen in a blackhole
Tumbled as a universe of missing stuff
What happened to the good times
What happened to the moments where had so much
A black hole
Tumbling as a univere of missing stuff
What happened to the good times
What happened to the moments where we had so much
Where's the love [5x]

As we're falling a a black hole [3x]

Future Forcasting

While on the internet I stumbled across a prediction for the upcoming year...

AQUARIUS in 2006 - Discovery
Frankly, friend Aquarius, you’re bored. You’re confused about what you really want from life, and you may be feeling rather fatalistic, uncertain that any of your long-term goals will ever be reached. This year won’t be an easy one, but a little effort on your part to expand your horizons will trigger some changes. One of those changes just might be a heightened love life – rendering you happier and more confident. You may find that some tired old goals are no longer as important to you as they once were, and you could actually find yourself formulating new goals that will break you out of this cycle of confusion and boredom. Don’t worry about the ultimate end. Just keep striving. At some point, your luck will change - and for the better.

I found the year 2005 to be rather difficult. Almost too much to take. So having a forcast tell me that 2006 "won't be an easy one" does not really lift my spirits. But they sure hit the nail on the head with the boredom and confusion.

Random Trivia Answers

I kind of looked over your answers, Maura. I think you did pretty good. Didn't really check them all, because basically I'm lazy. :) Thanks for playing though.

Answers

1. What Screen star bought $36,000 worth of Girl Scout cookies from his daughter Tallulah and her two cousins, in 2002? Bruce Willis

2. What W-Word denotes an Australian aborigine’s spiritual stroll through the outback? Walkabout

3. What prize is awarded to the winner of the annual Air Guitar World Championships? A real guitar

4. What future U.S. president was known to his Duke classmates as “Gloomy Gus”? Richard Nixon

5. What were the first two words spoken by Kool-Aid Man, when he first burst onto the scene? “Oh yeah!”

6. What Internet giant aired TV ads featuring a three-note yodel by cowboy Wylie Gustafson? Yahoo!

7. What date keeps Las Vegas wedding parlors the busiest? February 14^th

8. What comic strip character’s tie was drawn flat for a single day, shortly after he’d gotten a girlfriend? Dilbert’s

9. What E-word do the Amish use to refer to anyone outside their community? English

10. What model did Toyota name after a Keanu Reeves movie, in a bid to attract the under-30 set? The Matrix

11. How many years does the U.S. Army require its “ready-to-eat” sandwiches to remain ready-to-eat? Three

12. Whose report card and wedding gown can be viewed at her family’s Althorp estate in Britain? Princess Diana’s

13. What architectural style is preserved in the historic hotels along Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive district? Art Deco

14. Which came first Frosted Flakes, Sugar Pops or Sugar Smacks? Sugar Pops

15. What’s the only Vegas hotel to boast a lion habitat? The MGM Grand

16. What canine crime fighter’s costume was stolen from a South Carolina police station in 1999? McGruff the Crime Dog’s

17. What’s the minimum number of merit badges a Boy Scout must earn before attaining the rank of Eagle Scout? Twenty-one

18. What kind of wood is used to fasion the sticks for Popsicle brand ice pops? Birch

19. What legendary pirate marooned 15 men on Dead Chest Island with only one bottle of rum? Blackbeard

20. What city is central to the books The Black Dahlia, The Big Sleep and Get Shorty? Los Angeles

21. What nation devours the most sweet potatoes? China

22. What should you always follow to find Froot Loops, according to Toucan Sam? Your nose

23. What three-word slang term, popularized by Lenny Bruce, owes a recent revival to Seinfeld? Yada, yada, yada

24. What folk legend’s boyhood home in Duluth, Minnesota was sold on eBay for $94600? Bob Dylan’s

25. What U.S. landmark sports size-879 sandals? The Statue of Liberty

26. What First Lady’s unorthodox opening day pitch at a Cubs game inspired the Atlantic Monthly article, “Throwing Like a Girl”? Hilary Rodham Clinton’s

27. What restored village, along with Jamestown and Yorktown makes up Virginia’s historic triangle? Colonial Williamsburg

28. What word for annoying knuckle rubs on the head did Merriam-Webster honchos deem dictionary-worthy in 2001? Noogies

29. Which laundry detergent keeps clothes clean in Uzbekistan – Barf, Puke or Spew? Barf

30. What historic Texas site is across the plaza from a Ripley’s Believe It or Not and the Plaza Theater of Wax? The Alamo

31. What is the only season when the Iditarod Trail is passable? Winter

32. What untidy cartoon cat happily snacks on Gritty Kitty Litter? Stimpy

Random Trivia Questions

[Maura, this is for you.]

1. What Screen star bought $36,000 worth of Girl Scout cookies from his daughter Tallulah and her two cousins, in 2002?

2. What W-Word denotes an Australian aborigine’s spiritual stroll through the outback?

3. What prize is awarded to the winner of the annual Air Guitar World Championships?

4. What future U.S. president was known to his Duke classmates as “Gloomy Gus”?

5. What were the first two words spoken by Kool-Aid Man, when he first burst onto the scene?

6. What Internet giant aired TV ads featuring a three-note yodel by cowboy Wylie Gustafson?

7. What date keeps Las Vegas wedding parlors the busiest?

8. What comic strip character’s tie was drawn flat for a single day, shortly after he’d gotten a girlfriend?

9. What E-word do the Amish use to refer to anyone outside their community?

10. What model did Toyota name after a Keanu Reeves movie, in a bid to attract the under-30 set?

11. How many years does the U.S. Army require its “ready-to-eat” sandwiches to remain ready-to-eat?

12. Whose report card and wedding gown can be viewed at her family’s Althorp estate in Britain?

13. What architectural style is preserved in the historic hotels along Miami Beach’s Ocean Drive district?

14. Which came first Frosted Flakes, Sugar Pops or Sugar Smacks? Sugar Pops

15. What’s the only Vegas hotel to boast a lion habitat?

16. What canine crime fighter’s costume was stolen from a South Carolina police station in 1999?

17. What’s the minimum number of merit badges a Boy Scout must earn before attaining the rank of Eagle Scout?

18. What kind of wood is used to fasion the sticks for Popsicle brand ice pops?

19. What legendary pirate marooned 15 men on Dead Chest Island with only one bottle of rum?

20. What city is central to the books The Black Dahlia, The Big Sleep and Get Shorty?

21. What nation devours the most sweet potatoes?

22. What should you always follow to find Froot Loops, according to Toucan Sam?

23. What three-word slang term, popularized by Lenny Bruce, owes a recent revival to Seinfeld?

24. What folk legend’s boyhood home in Duluth, Minnesota was sold on eBay for $94600?

25. What U.S. landmark sports size-879 sandals?

26. What First Lady’s unorthodox opening day pitch at a Cubs game inspired the Atlantic Monthly article, “Throwing Like a Girl”?

27. What restored village, along with Jamestown and Yorktown makes up Virginia’s historic triangle?

28. What word for annoying knuckle rubs on the head did Merriam-Webster honchos deem dictionary-worthy in 2001?

29. Which laundry detergent keeps clothes clean in Uzbekistan – Barf, Puke or Spew?

30. What historic Texas site is across the plaza from a Ripley’s Believe It or Not and the Plaza Theater of Wax?

31. What is the only season when the Iditarod Trail is passable?

32. What untidy cartoon cat happily snacks on Gritty Kitty Litter?

My friend got me this calander. It's by Anne Trainor. She takes old 50s ads and puts quotes on them. Often the "quote" of the month fits really well with what I'm feeling at the time. It's a little scary actually.

December's picture is of a lady sleeping with the words "All she wanted for Christmas was a nap" above her. Right now that is truly how I feel.

Reflections :)

So good things about 2005...

In March I was able to visit my best friend who moved out to the desert, far, far, far away from me. :( [she moved in 2004, so the sad part is not included in the sad things of this year] But I enjoyed visiting with her, and meeting all her new friends. Which is always nice to be able to put faces with the names you are constantly hearing about.

Also got to visit with my mom's parents while I was out that way. They are pretty cool people. Especially enjoyed hanging out with Grandma as I am more her daughter than my mom's. Not in the sense that she raised me or anything, just my tastes and story telling skills come from my grandmother. Not my rambling tell 6 stories at one time skills, don't know where that came from. But the "don't stick your hand out of the car window, a car could come by and take it off" kind of stories. Apparently she used to take her kids (she ended up having 7. Good Irish Catholic woman.) to the park or mall to let them expend their energy, and then when the people next to her would talk about her children she would respond with "I don't know whose children those are." :) My color preferences also come from my grandma. And actually I'm a bit like my paternal grandmother also. What can I say. I am my grandparents child. Same thing happend to my nephew (good thing too, as his parents are not that smart. His dad is dumber than a box of rocks. And I realize that comment is not very nice, but truly, it's one of the nicest things I can say about the guy.)

I think this year I also got to see my paternal grandmother. It's always nice to spend some time with her, except for the enevitable conversations about her son. She loves him. I personally don't particularly care for him. And didn't really want to discuss his pending divorce, but it was kind of nice to find out that no one else much liked his second wife. Good to know it wasn't just me. But Grandma and I went to the quilt store together. I enjoy looking at all the fabrics. I love color, and the shades and hues that one can see in a fabric store is like candy for the eyes.

Got to see my family at my cousins wedding. Most of my sibs were there. The 6 that I'm closest to were all there. As well as my 2 cousins who are kind of like little sisters. It was tons of fun. Even went out and danced all crazy like on the dance floor. Although the best dance of the evening had to go to my nephew. 2 years old. Very into all his dance moves. Even had a down-on-one-knee-with-jazz-fingers move at the end. :)

Got to see my friends from undergrad at my friends wedding in October. I think that was the first time since graduation FIVE years previously that we were all together. And it ended up being girls only, well, except for the bride. Her groom was there. Good thing too! But the other girls had to leave their husbands behind. Now, I don't have any problems with their husbands. But after everyone starts dating seriously and getting married you don't often have 'girls only' functions. Did some dancing there too. Moves usually reserved for the convines of my room, showcased on the dance floor for all to see. Entertained a couple of my friends. :)

Have a...closer...relationship with cousins on my dad's side. They are 8 - 12 years older than me, so I have finally reached a point where I feel I can relate to them more. Well, except for the whole being the sterotypical white girl. But I'm learning to embrace my white-girl-ness. It's taken me 20 years to learn to deal with this, but I think I'm starting to reach a point where I'm okay being different....sort of. But I really love my cousins and they make me feel good about myself. Which is quite an accomplishment. Especially lately.

So, my other happy news of the year is that my nephew should be here in a couple of weeks for a little visit. Should be interesting. I'm really looking forward to seeing him. He just makes me laugh. He is too, too cute.

So those are my reflections of 2005 thus far. Hopefully December will be a better month than November. At least I get paid 3 times. :)

Reflections :(

2005 was not one of my better years. On one of my various weekend trips in the past month, my mom and I were discussing 2005. We both felt that November was a particularly icky month. Both of us had some $$$ issues, we got news of the latest divorce in the family (the 4th this year - this one the closest to home - no it's not my parents, don't think I'd handle that well at all), got new of the latest pregnancy in the family. I know, I know, you're thinking, babies are good things...in theory yes, but it helps if the person having the baby has the....well, it's best if the person is capable of dealing with all the aspects of having children (ie, putting the child's needs a head of your own, etc.).

News from 2005 that should be 'good' news, but, while being happy for the individuals, also makes me feel sad and alone....Had a cousin get married this past summer. Happy for her, but considering she's several years younger than me, made me question whether or not I'd always be alone. One of my best friends got married this fall. Good times, and luckily I wasn't the only single gal there. I actually was dealing well with the fact that I could possibly be single the rest of my life. Maybe that's just the way things are supposed to be. Then yesterday came. Now this story has much more impact if you actually know my brother. Good kid, my brother. Still think he ended up in the wrong family somehow, but then as I am an only child raised by wolves, and my sister was adopted from the gypsies, who am I to say. So my 'baby' brother called me yesterday. This alone is quite an event. I returned his call and we chatted about our plans for Saturday (my parents and I headed to the university for his choral concert), then he gave e the news. My baby brother has a girlfriend. Nice girl. I met her once. And he asked her. Mom didn't like that news much. Means that he REALLY likes her. (my mom would prefer that all of her children complete their degrees before getting married.) I told my cousin about his girlfriend last night. Her jaw dropped. Her reaction was quite hilarious actually. Also I found out last night that apparently one of my other sisters has a beau. Still need to contact her on the details.

So this leaves me the lone singleton in the family. Which being the second oldest of seven is...well, whatever it is. I guess if I were to be perfectly technical, one sister is on her way to single status, but I'm choosing not to think about that at the moment. Don't know that I have the emotional reserves to deal with that situation quite yet. I think, if I were an animal, I'd have to be an ostrich.

Then there is the whole job situation, which, like many of my problems, I just try to not think about. If I don't think about it, I don't cry.

Also this year, my aunt was diagnosised with cancer. I think it was colon cancer. She underwent surgery, and is now going through chemo. Saw her over Thanksgiving weekend. She appears to be doing well. 6 more treatments and another surgery, but she has a positive attitude. Wish I could be more like her.

Don't remember if this was the end of last year (it would have been after October) or the beginning of this year, but my grandmother's house in Alabama burnt down. Luckily she was not in the house, no one was, and she has relatives down there that she was able to move in with.

There were a couple of other things that helped to make this year not so good, but I think it would be too difficult to describe.

Overall, 2005 was not the best of years. Hopefully 2006 will be better.

Time

Every year, every month, every day, every hour...we get a little older every second. All of a sudden we look back and wonder where the time has gone. It can't be true that our little babies are all grown up. It is sometimes difficult to deal with the realization that the baby, whose diapers you changed numerous times, is now old enough to be in college. The people that you once thought too young to play with are now on the verge of being adults. Old enough to vote. Old enough to move out on their own. To start their own journeys in the "real world".

What's even more difficult to deal with is the feelings of jealousy that these young people seem to have a better life plan than one's self. Maybe it's just that they're young, they don't realize plans have a way of doing their own thing. Maybe it's just that MY plans don't work. I know many other people who set goals and plans years in advance....I'm going to finish college, work for a couple of years, then get married, after a few years of married life I'll think about having kids....I have my plans for after graduation all set, even though graduation is months away, I have my job, where I'm going to live. And you? What, you're just packing up and moving to Texas with no job to live with your sister and her soon to be husband?....What is this, grad school starts in 2 weeks and you don't know where you'll live?....

I try to make plans. I once planned a bridal shower/bacherolette party for a friend of mine. Had the whole afternoon and evening planned. The afternoon worked according to plan. The evening, turned into something completely different. Not bad different, just different. Many plans I make do not go according to my schedule. I do realize God is in charge of everything, and everyone has plans that go haywire. But mine go off track more often than not. I fear making plans too far in advance for fear something will go wrong.

My friend wants me to join her on a cruise. Which you must plan and pay for a year in advance. Does anyone realize what can happen in a year? My senior year of college I had ideas of heading out west to find what the world had in store (either that or to follow a friend of mine because I hate to be alone, and she seems to have enough...strength and confidence for both of us, no matter what she says.) 6 months later, I decided to pack up my belongings and move to Austin, TX. 2 years later after moving back home....I made the decision to apply to grad school, applied, was accepted, and moved 3 hours away from home, all with in a few months. Not the plans I had 6 months earlier.

Time is a crazy crazy thing, that seems to be spinning out of control some days.