All about the nut - in a nutshell

I have been struggling with this post for days!  Don't ask me why, it's not a difficult one....it seems easy for me to tell you whatever I have to say but once I have to lay it out in bullet points it becomes daunting.  I guess, it's kind of like what I imagine a therapy session would be like - the therapist would ask about me and I would not be able to think of a single thing to say.

The ever lovely Cherished By Me has tagged me with a Stylish Blogger Award (I am so not worthy).   Thank you so much - this was a much needed surprise today a few days ago - especially as right before she contacted me in short order I had lost a button and then totally ripped out the hem of my slacks!    I certainly wasn't feeling very stylish as I grabbed the scotch tape and went to work trying to make myself presentable for the remainder of the work day.  It's amazing what you can do with office supplies in a pinch.

The Rules

• Thank and link back to the person that gave you the award
• Share 7 things about yourself
• Award 15 recently discovered bloggers
• Tell the people you have given them an award

Seven things?  This may be difficult.  It seems like I've already told you every possible thing about me.  (Deep breath) Ok, here goes nothing:

1.  I was the "co-star" in our first grade Christmas play (or was it second grade?  It had to have been second grade because somehow I can't picture Sister Susan putting on this play) "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus."  I was MORTIFIED.  I had to sit on Eddie H's lap and pretend to kiss him.  In front of the WHOLE school AND their families.  I have to wonder if he remembers this as vividly as I do.  This was clearly where my desire to fade into the background stems from.

2.  Despite the fact that I spill (most of) my guts here - I'm actually a pretty private person.  (No, really!)  In fact, I just told a very dear friend about something I had been wrestling with for a while and she said, "Really?  I had no idea that you had so much on your mind!  Why didn't you tell me?"  Clearly, I didn't want to bother her with my trivial issue.

3.  Despite my tough exterior, I am a softie at heart.  This one you HAVE to keep between us - we can't let word of this get out - it may ruin my image as a cold hearted witch.


4.  I am NOT a crafty person - at all.  I WANT to be - I YEARN to be - crafty.  But I'm not.  Nine times out of ten when I embark upon some kind of DIY project (Hubby and Man-Child both duck for cover) it never turns out as it does in my head (or in the picture).  When it does actually turn out okay I am all kinds of proud.  I just read something about making curtains . . . it SOUNDS easy.....the question is "just how will this end?"  With me in tears and angry - or pleased as punch with myself?  I'm leaning toward the former - but I'll give it a shot anyway....because I'm also very stubborn (despite the many, many previous failed attempts at curtains). 


5.  I suffer from SAD.  Terribly.  No, I have not been diagnosed by a licensed physician - what do you think WebMD is for if not to self-diagnose?  Which, of course, has led me to mis-diagnose myself on a regular basis - but on this particular instance I'm positive I'm right.  In fact, I'm fairly convinced that the only treatment would be to move to a tropical island somewhere.  Hubby is being resistant on this - but I think if we have just one more snow "event" I could push him to see that I am right (as always).


6.  I'm not a patient person at all.  This is something I have struggled with my whole life.  I am getting better (I am)  but as with most everything it is a work in progress which, of course, makes me impatient.


7.  I'm not nearly as stylish as I may have led you to believe.  As much as I love clothes, shoes and all that go along with being a "fashionista"  I do relish comfort (and warmth this very frigid time of year).  If you were to drop in on me unexpectedly, you would most likely find me lounging about in something comfortable, old  and not very stylish.  And I would be mortally embarrassed.  So if you are planning on stopping by - please call first.


So there you have it.  Seven things about me that you never knew.  Don't you feel enlightened now?


Now comes the choosing of 15 new blogs (and I thought the above was so very difficult) that I have discovered.........


I can't choose just 15!  I can't.  So as always, I will be a rebel and break the rules (yeah, right!  I am such a rebel) and bestow this gift upon whomever wishes to take it.  Although I may have struggled - I have to admit it was fun and it is always nice to learn a bit more about our friends - so take it.  Run with it.  I can't wait to see the results.

It's a wonder I don't drink more.....

Corporate America. . . it confounds me on a daily basis.  But this one?  This one takes the cake.

Remember when I told you that my dear friend and colleague had decided to retire and leave me alone with the wolves?  Well, because of her selfish decision our department has been left in total chaos.  Well, not really - but there have been a lot of "what ifs" and "what nows".  Which all could have been avoided if Mr. Big Dog in our department had dealt with this prior to her leaving.  I mean, it's not like she waited until the last minute to announce her retirement - she gave at least two months notice before she ran off to do whatever it is retired people do.

Because of his inaction (and lack of thinking things through) it came to pass that I had to apply for the job that I am currently doing.  The position that I've held for the past five and half years.

I know - right?  It doesn't make any sense.  But whatever.  I applied.

And was then promptly informed by Human Resources that I wasn't qualified.

*sigh*

A quick trip down Memory Lane

I have tried to post.  I really have.  I've thought about things to post.  But then couldn't find the time, the inclination or the ability to get past the first line.

I assumed that when the boys took off this weekend leaving me alone that I would find my mojo and be back in the swing of things in no time.

Ummmmm, no.  It didn't work.

Instead I have spent all my time trying to find pictures for a slideshow I'd like to do for hubby for our anniversary.  And do you know what I've discovered?  Since the advent of the digital camera none of my pictures are in one spot.

Back in the day when you had to have your film processed I would bring the pictures home and put them in albums.  Easy.  I knew where all my pictures were.  And I was organized about it too.  I made sure to put names and dates on them and stick them in an album as soon as I got home with the prints.

Now?  Now I've got pictures EVERYWHERE.  Some are on this computer.  Some on the notebook.  Some on the dead computer that I will never be able to retrieve.  Some are on the work computer.  Some are on FaceBook.  Some are on Shutterfly.

You get the idea.  So what was supposed to be a quick project has turned into two days of hunting for pictures; never mind trying to put the slideshow together.

Although, I must admit the walk down memory lane was eye-opening and sweet.

I can distinctly remember being extremely self-conscious.  I can remember constantly comparing myself to others and finding myself lacking.  Of course, I sometimes still do this - but not nearly as often as I did then; thank God.  Apparently, I was an idiot.  Looking back, I can see now what I couldn't see then.  Obviously, I have traded my youth for a modicum of wisdom.

Also, looking back, I can now realize that I was a BABY when I got married!  For that matter, Hubby was a baby - and he's twelve years older than me!  It should be against the law to get married so young.  Wait a minute . . . . that sounds like I regret getting married; which is not the case at all.  I just look at how young I was and realize that in six short years Man-Child will be that age - and he will be entirely too young to get married.

All this hunting has made me realize that I need to get all my pictures in one place.  I do like the option of having them online as I can then access them from any computer.  But that also makes me a bit uneasy - because I remember at one point storing some on Yahoo.  Then Yahoo decided it didn't want to store pictures anymore and I had to scramble to move them - luckily I finally read one of the emails they sent instead of deleting them like I usually do; otherwise those photos would have been lost forever.  I'll have to do some research I suppose.  I have learned my lesson about storing them solely on the computer though - should the computer die of natural causes or, in the event that someone (*cough - Man-Child - cough*) drops it - then they are lost forever.  I know some of you are avid photographers - how do you keep and organize your digital photos?

I've also realized that since the "baby" was born most of the pictures are of him.  Very few of just us.  So this slideshow will mainly feature pictures pre-Man-Child.

You know what else I realized in my walk down memory lane?  I had big hair. Really, really BIG hair.

And?  I didn't have any wrinkles.

The Bastardization of American Literature

Have you heard/read about this?  The fact that a professor of English at Auburn University, Alan Gribben, who (supposedly) is a “passionate academic” of Mark Twain, is publishing a “sanitized” version of Huck Finn.  His aim, he claims, is to ensure that this book is welcomed by all schools and their curriculums.

This has just now hit my radar and I've got to tell you I am not happy about it.

I remember having to take turns reading the book aloud in class - a long time ago (high school? middle school?) and being extremely uncomfortable about "the" word.  But isn't that part of learning - stretching outside of what is "comfortable?"

Mark Twain is one of my favorite writers - I love his stories and have tried and tried to interest my son in them for years (he has no interest - yet).  Mark Twain wrote stories about society as it was then.  It wasn't pretty and nice. It wasn't politically correct.  And it certainly wasn't morally right.  BUT - that is the way it was.  

If the book is "sanitized" what lessons do we learn?  How is it possible that we think we can re-write the past?  And if we allow the distortion, nay – the bastardization - of the words of one of America's greatest writers - where will it end?  What's the next target? Roots? 

I remember watching Roots, with my family, and being extremely disturbed. Should that be sanitized as well?  Too keep people from being "uncomfortable?" When we bury our heads in the sand about what really happened in the past - aren't we doomed to repeat it in one form or another?
 
Yes, we all want our children to grow up in a peaceful world where everyone is treated with respect – but how do you drive that lesson home without the true telling of just how ugly the past really was?  If we make the past "nice" how then do we teach our children right from wrong?

Mark Twain's words were true to his time and were used in that context for telling a story about society in that era.  Unfortunately, "that" word was considered acceptable back then.  As was the treatment of other human beings.
  
Even more unfortunately, this word is considered acceptable in certain circles today; as evidenced in some music and videos.  So can you explain to me, why Huck Finn needs to be "sanitized" while the music industry continues to allow "that" word to be used prolifically? 
 
I asked my family what they thought – while one is an avid reader (though not of Twain, sadly) the other is not.  They were both outraged as well.  
 
I asked the Intellectual Property attorney at work about this – she too believes that the book should be left alone.  That it is a “snapshot” of history.  When I questioned the legality of it – she explained, that unfortunately; it is legal.  Apparently, so many years after the death of the author the work is considered "public domain".  
 
Be that as it may, she went on to say that if this “sanitized” version is published it should be well-noted that it is an AMENDED version of the original work.
 
Despite the legal right of the publishing company, and this professor, to do so – I call B.S.  Big time (and the IP attorney agreed.  And for that matter, so did a random litigator who happened to be walking by when he got sucked into this conversation).
 
Mr. Twain took great pains to capture the spirit and flavor of the era and locations of which he was writing.  Mark Twain’s writing actually transports you to the era and location with his prolific use of colloquialism, vernacular and ability to write in “accents.”  So when you begin to bastardize his work you lose the context he was trying to convey to the reader.
 
While Professor Gribben would claim that his goal is a noble one – I disagree completely.  As a professor of English – he should be encouraging that Mark Twain’s works are kept whole and accepted as part of an educational curriculum; as a key to open the door for discussion.  You cannot re-write history simply because you feel that the harsh reality is too much for today’s society.
 
As I feel that my ability to express my outrage is so very inadequate, here is a link to an article in the NY Times – that can explain it so much better than I can.  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/01/07/books/07huck.html
 

If you wish to voice your displeasure with this "new" publication, here is the address of the publisher (you can bet they will be hearing from me!).


NewSouth Books, Inc.
P. O. Box 1588
Montgomery, AL 36102-1588


I seriously doubt that it will help - but you never know.  I refuse to link to their site because I am so totally outraged.


My thoughts on Professor Gribben?  If he were truly a "passionate" academic of Mark Twain then he would never dare to presume that he could publish a "sanitized" version of the book.  In fact, I believe that were he a true academic of Twain he would be pushing that this book be on every required reading list - as is.  


Because as I said earlier - isn't the point of education is to stretch beyond what is "comfortable?"

How is it that no one has pointed out the obvious to me?

As I may have mentioned a few posts back, I've been wandering aimlessly through this vacation.

Nothing is getting accomplished and I've been bored.

Last night it hit me.

THERE'S NO LIST!

And, as we all know, with me being a person who needs to have things to do that means I need lists.  I just don't know what came over me that I completely forgot to make a list.

So last night I made a list of things that I want to accomplish.  Now being that vacation will be coming to a close on Monday, it is not an ambitious list - just a few little things that I want/need to get done before then.

Things that, while in the big picture don't seem to mean much, will make me happy that they are complete.

Although, the more I think on it, the more I want to call a do-over.

Do you think the powers at be will let me start my vacation over?  No?  Yeah, I didn't think so either.


Oh, and Symdaddy?  What the hell is rugby?  Is that a football-like game where the players are crazy and don't wear padding??  I couldn't bear to watch if he wasn't wearing padding.....

Sometimes you actually do win - so you share the results

A long, long time ago (at the beginning of December) I entered a give-away.  I know! Me?  I never enter give-aways.  Usually.

But my dear friend, Nova, at Cherished By Me was giving away a SmileBox Premium Package for a year.  Have you ever played around with Smilebox?  Even the free version is addictive.

I'm not a photographer.  At all.  This fact has been documented far and wide.  But I see all the pictures around the blog-o-sphere and it makes me want to take better pictures.

When Nova hosted this give-away, I remembered how much I enjoyed playing around with the free version.  So, I thought - why not?  I entered.  And then promptly forgot all about it.  Because I never win anything.  Ever.

Then I saw a random tweet from Nova.  Asking if I'd seen the winners.  I hadn't.  So clicked over and discovered.....OMG! I'd won!  I was SOOOOO excited.

Then I received the email with the special code.  And I kind of ignored it.  Not on purpose, mind.  I received it on my Blackberry, while on the run.  I saved it to look at later when I was on the computer.  Then kind of forgot about it.  Because Christmas and all it's craziness ensued.

Today, I found it again.  And downloaded it.  Then proceeded to spend at least two and a half hours playing with it.

And without further ado . . . the result.

Greeting card made with Smilebox

Thank you once again, Nova.  I love it!  I will definitely be picking up my camera more often - just so I can play with Smilebox.

Stream of Consciousness.....

Somebody please remind me if I ever build, or buy, another house to make sure that there is at least one room on the ground floor that has a door.  Besides the bathroom, that is.

This house has an open floor plan downstairs.  And most of the time that is great.

But after you've been trapped in the house for two days - it's not so great.

After two days - you really don't want to look at, or talk to, the people you live with anymore.  No matter how much you might love them.

Christmas dawned with the onset of snow.  YAY!  Snow on Christmas day is a magical thing.

Until late afternoon.  And you have no plans to visit with your friends as you usually do.  Then it's not so great.

Then?  Then, the snow keeps falling.

And the next day?  Why, it's still falling.  Now you are beginning to hate snow.  Very much.  Yeah, that whole enchantment thing you had going with winter when you first moved here about 13 years ago?  It is soooo gone!  Now?  Now, you are ready to move back to Texas - be damned the heat and humidity.  At least there is air conditioning and NO SNOW (for the most part) in Texas.

You realize in the deep recesses of your brain that your fellow bloggers who live in places like Minnesota, Utah, New York and Canada would laugh at the snow you are currently cursing.  But they don't realize that we don't deal with snow well.  We live in the "South."  That means that the 4 to 6 inches that we received means we are "snowed in."  With the very same folks that you love so very much - but really can't stand the sight of any more.

Finally, you are able to get out for an hour or so - because the good folks at the Department of Transportation were on the ball (this time).  They were ready for this "storm."  You run out the door with glee.

But then you come home.  And guess what?

The Giants game has just started.  And guess what else?

They aren't doing well.  And the two fans - that you love so very much - are having total meltdowns.

And then?  That open floorplan that sounded like such a great idea?  Is no longer such a great idea.

Wishing You A Merry Christmas - in my usual long, rambling fashion

My Christmas Wish List is long and varied (world peace, a robust economy, hitting the lottery, that people will learn to use their traffic signals, etc.....) and I expect that Santa probably won't be able to pull it off this year for me; especially so late in the game.  I mean we are at the eleventh hour and here I am, just now writing my list.

As most of you already know, I've been on vacation since the 15th and will continue to be on vacation until the 3rd.

I'm going nuts over here.

Usually, when I'm on my Christmas vacation some of my time is filled with preparing for a party that we usually give.  We elected not to have it this year - so that left a huge pocket of time.  I wisely used that time to buy and wrap presents.  So I've been done for about a week now.

I do find it curious that we've not been invited to any holiday gatherings this year.  I have talked to a few people, who repeatedly tell me they want to get together.  I have responded with "Sounds good! Let's."  Only to hear nothing from them.  Apparently, we are expected to do all the entertaining.  Hmmph!

Once Christmas is over I also usually have various projects around the house that I plan on completing.

So far, this year, I don't have any.  Well, I take that back; I have a few in mind but either they cost lots of money or I just don't have the desire to do them.  

So basically, I've been wandering around aimlessly lately.  Quite bored.  Which makes me think that retirement might be pure hell for me - if I ever get to it.  

One would think being home with the two guys I would at least get some blog fodder from some of their antics.  They are falling down on the job because they've given me nothing.

Well, they probably would have - but it seems that we've all been going in our own directions this past week.  Now that Man-Child isn't held captive as a passenger in my car (where all the best conversations take place) it seems that I am spending quite a bit of time alone.

Normally, a hermit would relish this - but even a hermit can only take so much alone time.

At any rate, on to the purpose of this post.....

“The light of the Christmas star to you, The warmth of home and hearth to you, The cheer and good will of friends to you, The hope of a childlike heart to you, The joy of a thousand angels to you, The love of the Son and God’s peace to you.”  -- an Irish Blessing

May your eggnog have just the right amount of rum, may your turkey be moist and your gravy lump-free!

Much joy, peace and love for each of you and your families this Christmas.

The Fine Art of Trying to Schedule Time Together With Friends - it should totally involve wine, lots and lots of wine

This whole weekend has been an exercise in frustration.

But rather than bore you with all the minutiae that has driven me crazy over the past two days (traffic, crowds, more traffic) I thought I would share this nugget of wisdom with you instead.

"When you attempt to set up a girl's date so that your friends can exchange small gifts, catch up with each other and escape from their families for a few hours - don't make it complicated."

My dear, darling friend whom I love to pieces is doing her absolute damnedest to drive me completely insane.

First, there was the round of emails asking if we all wanted to get together.  We did.  Then there was the next round of emails asking when would be good.  Everyone replied any time except for the 16th and the 18th.  Instead of picking a date - there was another round of emails.  Finally, I replied that I was good for any date at all - SOMEBODY pick a date.  I figured it was better left in their hands to choose - since I don't have small children and I'm on vacation.  Finally a date and time was chosen - Sunday (today).

Then came the phone calls.  One tells me that she can't do it at the initial time because of an unexpected funeral - totally understandable.  So I call the first friend (the one who is trying to drive me crazy) we discuss and she suggests moving it to Monday.  Fine, I call second friend back she tells me that while she could do Monday - she would prefer to keep it on Sunday - just later in the evening - because of her husband's work schedule.  Fine.  I call first friend back - she waffles a little, but in the end is fine with it.  I call second friend back to let her know that we are set for Sunday (tonight) and that yes, she can borrow that dressy jacket for the party she was going to last night.

In between all the phone calls, I am attempting to find gas gift cards (did you even know they had these?  I didn't - what a great gift idea for the very poor teen driver in your life) which isn't as easy as driving to your nearest gas station; just so you know.  I ended up driving all over town trying to find gas cards for the most convenient gas stations in Man-Child's route to school.  After visiting 5 different stations - I finally found them. Yay!  I have a feeling these will be the best gift under the tree.

Upon arriving home, I immediately begin to regale Hubby with all the details of finding the gas cards and the drama centered around trying to schedule our girl's date.  His eyes immediately glazed over.

But apparently, some of it must have filtered into his brain because this morning he asked if we ever got the details straightened out for today.  I told him that we had.  Then I laughed and said, "But it's early yet.  First friend still has time to cancel."  We both laughed and went on our merry ways.

About 2:00 pm I receive a call from the first friend.  You see where this is going, right?

She cancelled.  She can't do it tonight.

Her reasons?  Very thin.  Very, VERY  thin.

Knowing her the way I do, I can honestly say I am not surprised.  But at the same time; she's lucky I love her so - otherwise I might have to smack her.

I'm SOOOOOO embarrassed...

You know that "wonderful" kid that I talk about all the time?

The one that your children can only aspire to be?

Yeah, THAT one.  Man-Child.

He has TOTALLY disgraced the family.

*******

He has detention on Saturday.

THREE WHOLE HOURS!!!

His infraction?

Chewing gum.

I do NOT know where I went wrong with this kid, y'all.  Seriously.

Was I not strict enough?  Too strict??

I need advice - it is apparent that this kid is headed straight to the Big House and it's all my fault!