Welcome To My World

Nurse Appreciation Week - May 6th - May 12th

2011-04-28T12:23:00.008-05:00

This is one of my favorite poems.

Being A Nurse Means…

You will never be bored.

You will always be frustrated.

You will be surrounded by challenges,

So much to do and so little time.

You will carry immense responsibility And very little authority.

You will step into people’s lives

And you will make a difference

Some will bless you,

Some will curse you.

You will see people at their worst

And at their best.

You will never cease to be amazed

At people’s capacity for Love, courage, and endurance.

You will experience resounding triumphs

And devastating failures.

You will cry a lot,

You will laugh a lot,

You will know what it is to be human,

And to be humane.

By Melodie Chenevert,RN

random

2010-01-18T14:37:00.004-05:00

It's been forever since I've blogged here. Since my last post a very dear friend of mine Johnny and my grandmother have passed. I've lost three people now in less than two years. Ironically all with names starting with the letter J.

I finally decided to go back to school for my BSN. For some time I thought I would never go back. I've applied to OU's Outreach Program. I'll keep you updated.

Definitions of Ass-hat

2009-01-02T20:52:00.002-05:00

Definitions of Ass-hat

according the the Urban Dictionary.

A Christmas Story Marathon on TBS

2008-12-05T11:22:00.002-05:00

TBS is running A Christmas Story Marathon again this year!

8:00 pm, wednesday, december 24th
10:00 pm, wednesday, december 24th
12:00 am, wednesday, december 24th
2:00 am, wednesday, december 24th
4:00 am, wednesday, december 24th
6:00 am, thursday, december 25th
8:00 am, thursday, december 25th
10:00 am, thursday, december 25th
12:00 pm, thursday, december 25th
2:00 pm, thursday, december 25th
4:00 pm, thursday, december 25th
6:00 pm, thursday, december 25th

A Christmas Story

2008-12-04T20:44:00.002-05:00

We're going to see A Christmas Story at the Cleveland Playhouse this weekend! I will post my review Sunday. I am so excited.

Brady Quinn is in!!!!

2008-11-03T21:19:00.001-05:00

Just had to do a happy dance!!!! I cannot wait to see Brady Quinn start on Thursday.

Palin

2008-10-17T08:19:00.002-05:00

This link is really funny.

http://www.palinaspresident.us/

Definition of an Asshat

2008-10-14T21:16:00.006-05:00

I have a friend who uses the term Asshat frequently. I assumed it meant some sort of jerk. Over the last two days I have had to deal with two people I would consider labeling as such. To be sure I was on the right track, I looked up the definition.

According to the flickr website, Asshat is defined as:

"An Asshat is anyone who's got their head planted firmly up their ass, i.e. wearing their ass as a hat.

Asshats are inconsiderate, rude, or just plain mean. Anyone who's actions are taken with no regard, or a disregard for others, is an Asshat. Asshats, while often stupid, are not considered so for being stupid, but for their actions.

Common signs of an Asshat are, but not limited to, driving erratically, driving slow in the left lane, cutting people off, cutting in line, leaving trash around, not cleaning up after themselves, abusing privileges, and in general pissing people off for no good reason.

An Asshat is not necessarily someone who is stupid, can't spell, or is incompetent, although that doesn't rule them out of the group if their actions indicate otherwise."

flickr has a site dedicated to ridiculing the asshats of the world. If you are so inclined to participate or just view their musings, click here.

History of the Cleveland Browns DVD

2008-10-13T20:23:00.003-05:00

I just got an e-mail from the Cleveland Browns site for the opportunity to buy The History of the Cleveland Browns.

Where's Waldo? with navy dress shoes

2008-09-11T12:11:00.004-06:00

I had no idea how hard it is to find a navy special occasion shoe. I have tried several stores and the sales people all say the same thing,"I have customers in all the time looking for them but we have none." I even tried online. What the heck. So, I will have to wear silver with my new Elizabeth Taylor "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" style dress. Grrrr.....

The upside is that while driving to store number 8 or 9 I decided to put my hair up. Driving with one hand and rummaging through my purse with the other, I found something I thought I had lost - my half of the best friends necklace. I thought of my friend Jenny, who passed away this July, and I smiled.

Origin of the Cleveland Brown's name

2008-08-16T08:17:00.004-06:00

Football is finally here. In the spirit of the season, I thought I'd look up how the Cleveland Browns got their name. According to the Pro Football Hall of Fame site, the name was picked via a fan poll in 1945. Paul Brown initially was against the idea, so the Cleveland All-American Football Conference franchise picked the Panthers - also on the fan poll. It seems that our beloved Browns were meant to be because the rights to the name "Cleveland Panthers" already belonged to a businessman who had tried and failed with his football team. And so, Paul Brown gave his permission for his name to be used.

Click here to see the origins of various other NFL team names.

rest in peace Big Kitty

2008-08-11T09:56:00.004-06:00

Our eldest cat passed away this morning. Jason found her lifeless in the living room. It looks like she died in her sleep.

We will miss her sweetness, ridiculously loud purr, head butting, plopping down in the middle of our card games so we will pet her, and her snoring - even her meowing at us for food or to go to bed. She was our pretty girl. I miss her already.

Star Wars, Obama, and Hilary

2008-07-31T15:22:00.003-06:00

I have not decided who I am voting for yet; Much depends on the VP selected. Being that I am a fan of Jib Jab, I had to share this clip. It is a spoof using Star Wars and the Democratic candidates before Hilary Clinton conceded the nomination.

THE EMPIRE STRIKES BARACK | Funny Jokes at JibJab

time for some campaignin'

2008-07-31T15:11:00.000-06:00

Time for Some Campaignin' | Funny Jokes at JibJab

Happy Birthday to me!

2008-07-30T13:11:00.001-06:00

Passed my NCLEX, started my new job, and a birthday all in just over a week. Life is good.

rest in peace my friend

2008-07-13T22:44:00.005-06:00

I got an e-mail today from my mom to let me know one of my best friends from childhood passed away, and that the obit was in the paper. At first, my stomach sank. It is not possible I thought - as I typed as quickly as my fingers would allow to get to the paper's website. She was only 35! Guilt immediately consumed me. I had not spoken to her in years. We had a disagreement in high school and (because we are equally stubburn)we never made up. Reading the obit evoked a flood of emotion I did not expect. I began to sob with my boys in the room. They have never seen me like that, so I was anxious to regain my composure. Once I dried myself off, I searched everywhere to find my half of our Best Friends necklace. It was not where I thought it was, which lead to an hour long frantic sifting through every container and box in hope of finding the "safe place" I put it. No luck. Just add that to my list of regrets.

My old friend Jenny was an amazing person. I am a fool for not being a better friend and now she will never know how sorry I am.

So, here I am, sending my apology out to the great void we know as the internet. Rest in peace my dear friend. I love you.

George Clooney as Mullet Man

2008-07-02T00:03:00.003-06:00

Last night I dreamt of George Clooney. Yep, it's just one handsome celeb or another when I do finally fall asleep. :) Sadly, he was not as attractive as the shirtless Matthew McConaughey from before. No, this sexy symbol had a mullet- a Billy Ray Cyrus, salt and pepper on top, red on bottom, mullet. My choice of late night snack is likely to blame. With Angel Food cake I get Matt while Lucky Charms cereal gives me Clooney as Mullet Man. I think looking through my old middle school year books played a part as well. Many a mullet, but none so good as George.

The Mighty Quinn?

2008-06-21T17:07:00.006-06:00

I met up with David at the boat early afternoon. It was raining here but I figured if it ended up raining there we could at least have lunch. That storm stayed south so we had time for goofing off, lunch, ride on the lake, and cruising some of the Chargin and Lagoons. Shortly after docking we could see storm coming in from the lake. Devin called to let me know another storm was coming from the west. I really did not like the clouds I saw hovering over the freeway. Thanks to Storm Chasers I am painfully aware of cloud formations that have more potential than I would like. The boys were worried for our safety because the tornado watch south of us. I made sure they knew what to do if the sirens sounded when Devin called me earlier. I feel bad for all the people who have grad parties. There were several going on at the marina.

After returing home, I made Jason something to eat and then clicked on the tv. Flipping through the guide I noticed "The Mighty Quinn". My first thought was of Brady, but I knew there was no documentary about him so I checked the info to find it was a mystery/drama. After Jason was done eating, he came into the room and plopped down beside me. Unhappy with 50 First Dates, he grabbed the remote and put up the guide eventhough I told him the channel was not going to change. He too found "The Mighty Quinn". Before he could get too excited, I had to tell him "It's not what you think." To which he let out a sigh of disappointment. Just in case anyone is out there willing to make a documentary about Brady Quinn, you will at least have an audience of two willing to view your work. ;)

the last two weeks

2008-06-17T19:56:00.006-06:00

The last couple of weeks have been busy. We've had the boat and jet ski out. The lake hasn't been as calm as we would like or we would have taken the tube out as well. We also spent some time at the big pool.

Jason has British Soccer Camp all week. The two young Brits are very nice. J likes it and is considering it as a Spring sport.

I took two I.Q. tests last week within a couple of hours of each other. Somehow my score dropped from a 137 to 127 in those two hours. Some would blame it on television. Clearly I am not intelligent enough to argue - as the rate my I.Q. is declining has left me with too few brain cells to work with. Sad.

I tried the new Tostitos golden mini chips. They are very good. We slept on the boat Saturday which called for a massive amount of junk food to be purchased -chips, marshmallows, pop, and the like. David started a fire that lasted from 9:30 p.m. until we put it out at 1 a.m. This was his first successful fire ever. I was very proud.

I've spent some time calling family to sell D's tennis tickets, which he was supposed to do this time but obviously did not. I was able to sell them all and get a little extra as a donation.

I'm still waiting for my authorization to test. I'm growing impatient.

That's all for now.

Jasonism

2008-06-17T19:53:00.001-06:00

Jason: "What did the ghost choke on?"

Me: "I don't know."

Jason: "An airball"

Million Friend Challange

2008-06-17T10:32:00.002-06:00

There is a little boy in the UK named James who has Leukemia. His wish is to have a million friends on myspace. If you are interested in helping him reach his goal click here http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=100541969&MyToken=8333d3c1-1818-4807-ba01-2495e825bafc

Happy Birthday Jesse!

2008-05-29T06:47:00.001-06:00

Happy Birthday Jesse!

Birds Of A Feather Flock To Taylor

2008-05-28T21:38:00.004-06:00

I am very happy to see Home Improvement on Nick at Nite. Tonight I watched one of my favorite episodes Birds Of A Feather Flock To Taylor. This quote courtesy of tv.com is one of the reasons why:

Eddie: I was married to Tildy for 45 years, and the woman drove me absolutely crazy. She had these ugly little porcelain cats that she loved to line up on a window sill. Every day for 45 years, I used to take those cats off the window sill and put them in a cupboard. And every day for 45 years, she'd take the cats out of the cupboard and put them back on the window sill.
Tim: Where are they now?
Eddie: On a window sill.
Tim: You didn't throw them out?
Eddie: What for? (pause) You don't have to understand a woman. All you have to do is love her.

history of the float

2008-05-28T18:17:00.005-06:00

Yesterday Devin said that he thought the rootbeer float was the first of it's kind. I had no idea so off to google I went. Yes, google is a verb now.

Rootbeer was not the original choice for a float. According to Soda Fountain magazine (1910), Robert Green invented a new drink consisting of vanilla ice cream and your choice of 16 flavors of soda water (PA in 1874). Fred Sanders of Detroit is also known for creating the Boston Cooler in the 1880's. It typically contains a golden ginger ale and vanilla ice cream. Oddly, Ohioans have been known to call a rootbeer float a Boston Cooler. David was aware of this, but I had never heard of it. A Snow White is 7up and vanilla ice cream. Up until today I only knew of Coke, Pepsi, and rootbeer floats. Very interesting indeed.

This info was found on Wikipedia.

The Cleveland Playhouse 2008/2009 Season

2008-05-24T20:31:00.002-06:00

The Cleveland Playhouse 2008/2009 Season.

my toothbrush is possessed

2008-05-23T22:08:00.010-06:00

I am not sure why my belongings have a tendency to misbehave like they do. It wasn't long ago that the cd player in my car spewed cds at will and the window decided it was much happier down when I pushed the button for it to go up. What ever creature possessed my car has migrated to the house. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised since the garage is a much cooler appendage of the main dwelling especially since I set the thermostat for 72 yesterday. I am cold damn it! Today my Braun toothbrush would not turn off. I pushed the button repeatedly and nothing. Then I put it on the charger to see what woud happen. Turns out on the charger tames the wild bristled beast. As soon as I take it off it spins like the Tasmanian Devil. Sigh....

Too much time on my hands

2008-05-22T12:10:00.005-06:00

My mind is racing today. I am impatiently waiting for a number of things. I had to laugh when I saw this comment on my friend's myspace page. My brain on Pepsi and too much time on it's hands...not a good thing.

I am still waiting for my ATT which is what I need to schedule a date to test. Some fellow students who graduated last December didn't get to test until late Feb and even as late as early March. Lots of time to wait and worry.

Kitty Update

2008-05-20T14:29:00.002-06:00

The vet called yesterday with good news. Her blood work was normal with the exception of some age-related kidney dysfunction. I am to check in with the vet every 2-3 days because we still aren't sure if the renal impairment was the cause of the strokes. Kitty has been tired but normal. Her new diet consists of canned and dry food mixed well each day.

Our Girl, Big Kitty

2008-05-17T09:22:00.005-06:00

Thursday morning Big Kitty was coming down the stairs and her legs gave out. It was lucky that only four steps were before her at the time. She ate and then went into the family room and that is when she changed. She would pace, go in circles, pace, run into things, and freeze for seconds at time. This lasted for about an hour before she tired herself out and went to sleep. I thought she might be having a stroke but she also looked like she was sleep walking. It was weird. She was fine the rest of the day and all of Friday. So we rationalized and decided it was just a weird isolated event. Sadly, we were mistaken. David heard her crying but could not find her. She had her head wedged between the fish tank and the wall. She never goes behind the fish tank. He got her free and laid her on the floor. There she twitched. She was very weak. We called the vet to tell him we were coming. I got the boys to come down and spend some time with her just in case she was dying. She is 16.
Dr. Richmon confirmed that she had a hemorrhagic stroke. She had hemorrhages in both eyes. He gave her iv fluids because she was dehydrated and a cortisone shot to control swelling. We decided to have the blood work done. We have our fingers crossed that the strokes resulted from anemia, diabetes, or thyroid related because that is something we can control. If the strokes are caused by liver or kidney failure...let's not go there just yet.

We found Big Kitty and her sister BoBo outside our apartment building a week after we were married. She is our girl. I hate the way this feels.

Devin and Jason have been so sweet and attentive. They are taking great care of her. She can't see yet so we are keeping a close eye on her to keep her safe. She just got her head stuck under the cabinet which I didn't think was possible. So we are trying to anticipate any danger to her right now. The kitchen is off limits for sure.

Happy Graduation To Me!!!!

2008-05-10T12:13:00.000-06:00

Today I graduated from nursing school!

2008-05-06T16:33:00.002-06:00

I'm a Dierks Bentley fan (not just because I think he is a handsome devil ;), so when his fan project was announced I had to be a part of it. Each person who pre-ordered his greatest hits cd had the opportunity to vote on which pictures featured were to be on the cd, the title, and given an executive producer credit on the cd. I have been patiently waiting for it to arrive and today it did. I couldn't get it opened fast enough. Very cool. An added bonus, my given name with my maiden name is on there as well! Two for the price of one. Doesn't get much better people. Oh wait....but it does...

Today was pinning practice. There I learned that the results of NCLEX Predictor Test (required to take in order to graduate) were up. I am happy to report that I passed. What makes this a big deal is that after I took the test, I came home and cried; in the basement, folding socks, so no one could see. I honestly thought I failed.

Life is good.

what I have learned in the last two weeks and then some...

2008-04-24T21:25:00.004-06:00

I picked up my cap and gown last week. I did not expect to be as excited as I am about the event. The day after graduation, the nursing program has a pinning ceremony. Each student can have two people participate; I chose my boys of course. What's nice about the pinning is that you can invite as many people as you want unlike the 6 allowed for grad (3 if there is severe weather).

In anticipation of this life altering event, I cut my hair. Yep, four full inches. I resisted the urge to cut any more and hope that next week I will not be in tears over the loss (as in the past). As of now, I like it just fine. Perhaps I have yet to learn that lesson.

Things I have learned lately...

1. Adults at children's sporting events are less adult than the children they are there to support.

2. Lean Cuisine meals are tasty. I am addicted to the 30% more version of the turkey dinner with green beans and cranberries (never thought to put those two together). I actually eat the veggies first which is a big deal considering how much I love turkey.

3. The only incentive Big Kitty has to jump on the couch comes from the kitty cat stairs we bought her. She does not use them mind you, but ever since we bought them, she has been jumping up on the couch on her own; This she hasn't done in months, hence the stairs.

4. Dental floss, breath mints, hand cream, and nail clippers should be kept in the car at all times.

5. Life isn't as complicated as I think it is.

6. We all need a safe place where no one will judge us.

7. Ho Ho's tasted better wrapped in foil. This isn't new but I just ate them so it is fresh on the brain.

8. Too many people value the appearance of being a good person rather than actually being a good person.

9. Aveeno Positively Ageless Rejuvenating Serum rocks!

10. Drew Barrymore is too skinny. To me she always had the perfect sexy hour-glass figure. I was surprised to see her lately. Somebody buy the girl a pizza.

That's all I know for now. Have a great weekend everyone!

Who's your inner nurse?

2008-04-18T11:25:00.001-06:00

Who's Your Inner Nurse?

My Result: Florence Nightingale

Like the nursing idol herself, you're determined and persistent in your efforts — day or night. Your brave nurse counterpart helped out on the front lines during the Crimean War and pushed for better hospital conditions. And it's your similar commitment to raising the bar on nursing standards and patient treatment that puts you in her fine company.

Like her, you're a selfless and devoted soul who's not afraid to go the extra mile to help your patients — or the greater good of humankind, for that matter. Whether you're aiding one patient, a whole hospital wing, or an entire school body, it's clear that you've got lots of dedication and a big heart. And that's what's sure to make you a well-loved and well-known nurse.

What are you?
http://web.tickle.com/jumpto?test=innernurseogt&c=50652

Link to The Cleveland Browns 2008 Schedule

2008-04-15T15:11:00.001-06:00

The Cleveland Brown's 2008 schedule is up.

Thursday Night TV...What a disappointment

2008-04-11T15:48:00.008-06:00

I was really looking forward to Thursday night "must see tv" especially since they were all new. I was disappointed for the most part. I watched My Name Is Earl, 30 Rock, The Office, Scrubs, and Eli Stone. Really, what were the odds of them being mediocre? I guess about the same as all three pieces of my luggage being lost by the airline on the way home from Vegas. It doesn't happen often, but it does happen.

My Name is Earl wasn't bad really. It just wasn't as funny as it usually is. Both 30 Rock and The Office were painful to watch. Scrubs was simply uninspired. I didn't laugh once until Eli Stone. I liked the gay monkey story line. I am also looking forward to seeing Katey Sagal's new role blossom.

What are the odds next week will be the same?

monkey see, monkey blue

2008-04-05T15:37:00.002-06:00

Yesterday David brought me a blue Barrel of Monkeys. This goes on the list as one of the most thoughtful gifts because not only do I love monkeys, blue is my favorite color. We played with them last night and today. I had forgotten how hard it was to link the little rascals.

April Fool's Day

2008-04-02T11:43:00.003-06:00

Devin was excited yesterday. He has been anxiously waiting for the day he could legitimately use his itching powder and squirting flower on his friends. The flower had to stay home as the bladder was not to be found. The itching powder picked up the slack much to the dismay of his friends, one of whom asked him to put the itching powder on him. Teenage boys are strange.

I warned J not to fall for any tricks as he left for school. He improvised to fool his classmates because he didn't have any props.

You would think I would be prepared for the phone call I received that morning. I knew what day it was. Nope. David called me to say that Brady Quinn had been traded and I believed him. He has been teasing me for months that the Browns are going to trade him so I should have known. Darn it.

field goal in the family room

2008-04-02T11:31:00.002-06:00

All I hear is the television in the background and Clara having an afternoon snack. It is so peaceful here since the boys returned to school on Monday. Spring break was fun. Lots of time was spent kicking field goals in the family room. I bought J a goal post for Easter but it has been too cold to take it outside, hence the indoor trial. Mind you, we are using a miniture football that came with it, not the junior sized that would take out the ceiling fan. Everyone is adept at putting the ball through but me. I keep kicking it like a soccer ball. I can't get it up in the air.
During the week, we also played a lot of Rummy. In the past, we didn't keep score because J wasn't ready. As it turns out, he is quite good, so we decided to play a 500 point game. He beat us all. Devin is really good too which makes it very sporting.

I love that they are old enough to play. I think it is time for them to learn Spades!

my favorite tv shows of all-time

2008-03-31T13:24:00.006-06:00

I'm into lists much like the gang from High Fidelity. Every so often I put one out there for fun. I need help though because I am middle aged and have difficulty remembering all the shows I have seen since my youth. I used Time's list 100 BEST TV SHOWS OF ALL-TIME to refresh my memory.

My list of favorite shows of all-time(in no particular order)

1. NewsRadio
2. Arrested Development
3. Scrubs
4. The Monkees
5. Laugh-In
6. The West Wing
7. Friends
8. The Office
9. M*A*S*H
10. Cheers
11. Home Improvement
12. The Cosby Show
13. Gilmore Girls
14. Quantum Leap
15. Moonlighting
16. Murphy Brown
17. Sesame Street
18. The Letter People
19. That 70's Show
20. Fame
21. Welcome Back, Kotter
22. Happy Days
23. Laverne and Shirley - even after they moved to California
24. Homefront
25. The Nanny
26. Battlestar Galactica (2004)
27. Star Trek: Enterprise
28. The Muppet Show
29. The Jeffersons
30. Good Times
31. Early Edition
32. Family Ties
33. Who's The Boss
34. WKRP in Cincinnati
35. Sex and The City
36. Reba
37. George Lopez
38. How I Met Your Mother
39. 30 Rock

Mom, what is the difference between soda and pop?

2008-03-29T17:47:00.003-05:00

Today Devin asked me what the difference is between soda and pop. Honestly, I wasn't sure if there was one. The subject has been debated often. I remember years ago at ONU sitting in the lounge arguing that "pop" was the correct term for drinks like my beloved Pepsi, but only because that is what I grew up with. I had friends who grew up using the term "soda" (they came from southern Ohio and other states). Neither side won their argument for the simple fact that they are one in the same. The only compromise would be to call it soda pop. But that just feels wrong.

Dictionary.com answers this question plain and simple:

soda pop
–noun a carbonated, flavored, and sweetened soft drink.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Origin: 1905–10]

—Regional variation note The terms soda pop, soda, and pop are widely used throughout the U.S., although pop is mainly associated with the Midland U.S. Dope is used as a synonym in the Southern U.S., esp. in the South Atlantic States, and tonic is used in eastern New England.
Dictionary.com Unabridged (v 1.1)
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2006.

I found another view of Pride and Prejudice (Cleveland Playhouse)

2008-03-29T14:35:00.003-05:00

Elaine Guregain reviews art and culture for The Beacon Journal. She takes into consideration the Jane-ite point of view. :)

http://www.ohio.com/news/top_stories/17121466.html

Why I won't see the big screen version of Pride and Prejudice

2008-03-29T00:06:00.005-05:00

This article explains the main reason I have no interest in seeing the big screen version of Pride and Prejudice.

La-di-da London sets the stage for Playhouse production of Austen classic.
By Vince Grzegorek
Published: March 19, 2008

In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, the Bennet sisters' overbearing mom and pissed-off dad don't make matters any easier as the siblings are wooed by a couple of handsome suitors. A cavalcade of rumors and class struggles in 19th-century England also gets in the way of the relationships. "It's all about the education of the person," says Peter Amster, who's directing the Cleveland Play House's run of a play based on Austen's novel. "It's about not being stupid, allowing yourself to change your mind about somebody, and taking in more facts."While moviegoers will recognize the plot from the 2005 cinematic version of the book, the Play House has tried to restore Austen's thumbprint on the dialogue. "I felt like the movie version was being told by Emily Brontë. It was too romantic and all heaving bosoms," laughs Amster. "This is more about social structure and comedy. People will be surprised how funny it is." Find out for yourself at 2 p.m. Sundays and 8 p.m. Tuesdays through Saturdays, through Sunday, April 13, at the Cleveland Play House's Bolton Theatre, 8500 Euclid Avenue. Tickets are $38 to $62. Call 216-795-7000 or visit www.clevelandplayhouse.com.
Sundays, 2 p.m.; Tuesdays-Saturdays, 8 p.m. Starts: March 23. Continues through April 13, 2008

the best club sandwich I have ever had

2008-03-28T21:05:00.008-05:00

Baker's Square has been around for as long as I can remember. David and I have a habit of eating out often which means there are few restaurants we have not tried. For some reason, we had forgotten about Baker's Square until recently. Aside from having some of the best pie, they also have the best club sandwich I have ever had. I have tried clubs from various places in the area and have found they all use lunch meat. BS uses hand-carved turkey and ham with hickory smoked bacon and mayo. I always order it with the bacon well done because 9 times out of 10, regardless of where I order it, it will be under cooked for my taste. I get it without mayo usually, but today I forgot to order it without. I wiped most of it off and it was still delicious.

There is a special running where you can get soup or salad paired with pie for only $3.99 when you buy a meal. The a la mode pies and cheese cake are not included. It was well worth it. David had the banana cream and I had the French Silk pie. We left feeling full, not stuffed. The waitresses and hostess are pleasant and helpful. The prices are reasonable. It only cost us $29 + tip.

Link to Tom Brown's Review of Pride and Prejudice at the Cleveland Playhouse

2008-03-28T18:30:00.005-05:00

Today I found a review of Pride and Prejudice by Tom Brown who writes for the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Tide Stain Commercial

2008-03-28T14:31:00.005-05:00

I was on youtube yesterday trying to find the stain commercial that cracks me up. I found it and that if you go to www.mytalkingstain.com you can upload your own photo to be the stain. I used pictures of the boys and it found it wasn't as funny. But that's just me.

Eli Stone

2008-03-27T22:36:00.008-05:00

The promos for this show are what sparked my interest but I have learned that promos, pilots, and in some cases, first seasons can be misleading. I like the plot of Eli Stone. I think because the main character has hallucinations, especially those including George Michael, there are infinite possibilities for story lines. The concept is similar to Dirt's with the most important difference being that Don Konkey is mentally ill whereas Eli has a brain aneurysm causing his all too realistic visions. That and Don's hallucinations don't determine which pictures to take. Eli has the burden of visions that have a purpose. He is guided to do good much like Gary Hobson in Early Edition. It is an all consuming task that alienates the people he is closest to. The brain aneurysm is supposed to be extremely risky to remove but as of tonight, Eli has elected to give it a go. Now one of two things are possible here, either the writers will come up with some story that will make it impossible to be done or (my personal favorite) he will still have the hallucinations after the aneurysm is removed. Humor me here. Let's say that his acupucturist is correct in his belief that Eli is a Prophet. That his visions serve a purpose and that removing what medically seems to be the cause will not stop them. I don't think they will go that route but I wanted to put it out there.

Greek

2008-03-25T16:44:00.010-05:00

This show appeals to me not from a "been there done that" perspective but as one who was an independent with friends who were Greek. I was a Little Sis for the Kappa Psi fraternity because most of the guys I was friends with in the co-ed honors dorm were pharmacy majors. Our pledging was nothing compared to theirs. We had to perform one good deed, one bad deed (ours was legendary), learn the history of the Kappa Psi sisters, and I believe host a breakfast or something like that. No hell week for us or a need to fit in. I get a kick out of watching the show Greek because it is what I remember college being. Well, at least the whole year I went away to school in my youth anyway. The character Rusty (Jacob Zachar)is sweet. His sister Casey (Spencer Grammer) is growing on me. She is the daughter of Kelsey Grammer. I guess you could say that the show is a guilty pleasure of mine. It isn't thought provoking, just fun to watch.

My sister is pledging a sorority right now, so it also gives me a glimpse of what she is going through. Or not, I will have to get her perspective when I see her.

Glo-putt

2008-03-24T18:48:00.005-05:00

I had the worst cabin fever today. The cold weather does not want to leave us even though Spring has officially begun. J has been asking to go bowling but I really didn't feel like it. David remembered a new place that opened up not far from us that we haven't tried yet that has glo-putt putt. I looked them up on the internet to see all they had to offer and pricing. In addition to the putt-putt they have glo-pool and a basketball shooting game. It cost us $25 for all four of us to play 18 holes (prices vary by age). David and Devin's shoes glowed best. They looked like something from Tron. The course wasn't that difficult but did have some unique challages such as the ferris wheel. If you hit it just right the wheel will take the ball for a ride to a hole in one. I imagine it is very cool to see at night. While the room is dark some light still peaks through. The place is clean and colorful. The gentleman working the counter was very nice.

We will definately go there again. I cannot wait to try the glo-pool!

Pride and Prejudice at the Bolton Theater (Cleveland Playhouse) REVISED

2008-03-23T17:19:00.025-05:00

Last night David and I saw the Cleveland Playhouse production of Pride and Prejudice .

We left early to make sure we had plenty of time in case we lost our way. The Cleveland Playhouse was simple to find and since we were an hour early we found a spot very close to the door. The weather was quite chilly and we have yet to buy dress coats, so this was to our advantage. We were surprised to find that over half the patrons were dressed very causal. On the other end of the spectrum, there were ladies dressed to the nines, furs and all. Although there is no enforced dress code, it is stated on the website that business casual is preferred for evening performances. Many people wore jeans. David wore his black suit. I had read that black is the rule of thumb for both genders and that only tourists wear color to the theater. I too wore black and a lovely pair of black and white checkered stilettos with a cute bow in front. I received two compliments on them prior to the show. :) I am in love with them. David will just have to settle for being #2. The lobby contained a round bar where you can preorder drinks for intermission. There were history boards along two walls giving the timeline of theater in general and of the Cleveland theater district. There we found a picture of Derdriu Ring(my high school boyfriend's wife). She is an accomplished actress. By Bolton theater, there was a wall of pictures of the cast of Pride and Prejudice and banners showing different productions as well as tables to sit at while waiting. The theater offers a pre-show discussion prior to the play that is free but we did not elect to attend, so at the little table we sat.

Our seats were OL. We noticed that the mezzanine seats were not in use and there were no poles obstructing any seats in the house. The seats were less comfortable than those of a movie theater with virtually no leg room. The first act might have been a bit too long and some people did not return after intermission. The second act seemed to move more quickly. I admit that despite my eagerness to see the play, it was well into the first act before I accepted the actors as their characters. This is no reflection on the actors however. It is due to my preconceived notion of what it should be based on the book and the A&E mini series. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book therefore any production I see is viewed with a critical eye.

I settled in before the initial intermission. Given the play could only be so long, I think they did a nice job in condensing the heart of the book into 3 hours. Some of my favorite parts were not played out, but I own the book and mini series so I am not at a loss. The changes made were delightful. I left the theater with an enormous smile and a content heart. I cannot wait to return.

My thoughts on the actors:

Elizabeth Bennet/Chaon Cross

Her Elizabeth proved charming and believable. I did not expect her to be blonde and Jane to be brunette. That distracted me for most of the first act because Elizabeth and Darcy as a couple and Charles and Jane as a couple, were written to have similar characteristics as well as personalities. So the change in appearance changes the parallels Jane Austen intended in the book. The actor's appearance is just as important as the performance for comparison and contrast of these characters.

Mr. Darcy/Jason Bradley

Colin Firth raised my expectations of this character greatly. I think Jason delivered many of the lines and his mannerisms quite well. He was a good Darcy. The only scene he was weak in was the proprosal.

Charles Bingley/Tom Degnan

His Bingley was right on the mark. This character reminds me of my cousin Dean.

Mrs. Bennett/Judith Day

Where to start. Mrs. Bennet is a comical character. Judith Day stole the show. Her Mrs. Bennett was a roller coaster of emotion as anticipated. David even commented on how good she was. Getting a compliment from him is rare.

Mr. Bennet/Bill McGough

His Mr. Bennet delivered with great humor as the book intended. He complimented Judith Day's Mrs. Bennet beautifully.

Lydia Bennet/Roni Geva

I want to see this girl in Charlie and The Chocolate Factory as Veruca Salt! She captured Lydia's silly simple self-centered character from beginning to end.

Mr. Wickhem/Daniel Graham

He was better looking than Adrian Lukis and while not as smarmy, he was true to the character.

Mr. Collins/Nigel Patterson

His obsequious sycophantic Mr. Collins drew me in. Very good indeed.

Mr. Denny/Nathan Gurr

From the moment I saw him, I could not help thinking he was miscast. He is very handsome and seemed to perform well enough. He is what I picture Darcy to be.

Caroline Bingley/Amanda Duffy

She was believable but her accent irritated me for some reason. I cannot describe it. I want to say it was overdone.

Lady Catherine de Bourgh/Annabel Armour

She was stiff at first. I wasn't sure if I was going to like her but she quickly transformed into the pompous busy body I was hoping to see.

What is your life rated?

2008-03-19T12:05:00.002-05:00

What is your life rated? (ESRB)
Everyone

Not set far from Ec, you are rated E for Everyone, ages 6 and up. You are very uptight, and politically correct. You are someone who is afraid to do wrong. Chances are you'll go out into the world but will take absolutely no risks whatsoever. I advise you to fix that.

http://quiz.myyearbook.com/myspace/Video_Games/40995/What_is_your_life_rated_ESRB.html

Horton Hears A Who!

2008-03-17T08:42:00.005-05:00

Yesterday we headed out to the movie theater for a matinee. Jason and I saw Horton Hears A Who! and David and Devin saw Doomsday.

Horton Hears A Who! is charming. Jim Carrey is a cartoon character in real life so it is only fitting that he play Horton the elephant. Steve Carell is the Mayor of Whoville who communicates with Horton from The Speck. The Speck is a pollen like fluff floating in the air that Horton saves from doom and protects despite the fact that no one believes there are people living on the speck which Horton keeps safe on a flower. His biggest foe is the kangaroo (Carol Bernett) who is determined to get rid of The Speck and goes to great lengths to do so. Meanwhile, the Mayor of Whoville, has his own challenges to face. He must convince the perpetually positive rose colored glassed Whos that their world was in danger of being destroyed. The story has just the right amount of humor and action to keep you from looking at your watch.

The main themes of the movie are to do what you think is right no matter what or who tries to change your mind and that as Horton says,"Even though you can't see them at all...A person's a person, no matter how small."

Fear the Elf picture

2008-03-12T06:58:00.002-05:00

Breast Cancer Patient Petition

2008-03-11T22:19:00.002-05:00

The following was sent to me from my friend Ava and I think worth a moment of your time:

From a nurse:

I'll never forget the look in my patients eyes when I had to tell them they had to go home with the drains, new exercises and no breast. I remember begging the Doctors to keep these women in the hospital longer, only to hear that they would, but their hands were tied by the insurance companies.
So there I sat with my patients, giving them the instructions they needed to take care of themselves, knowing full well they didn't grasp half of what I was saying, because the glazed, hopeless, frightened look spoke louder than the quiet 'Thank You they muttered.

A mastectomy is when a woman's breast is removed in order to
remove cancerous breast cells/tissue. If you know anyone who has had a Mastectomy, you may know that there is a lot of discomfort and pain afterwards. Insurance companies are trying to make mastectomies an
outpatient procedure. Let's give women the chance to recover properly in the hospital for 2 days after surgery.

It takes 2 seconds to do this and is very important .. Please take the time and do it really quick!
Please send this to everyone in your address book.
If there was ever a time when our voices and choices should be heard, this is one of those times.
If you're receiving this, it's because I think you will take the 30 seconds to go to vote on this issue and send it on to others. You know who will do the same.

There's a bill called the Breast Cancer Pat ient Protection Act which will require Insurance Companies to cover a minimum 48-hour hospital stay for patients undergoing a mastectomy. It's about eliminating the 'drive-through mastectomy' where women are forced to go home just a few hours after surgery, against the wishes of their doctor, still groggy from anesthesia and sometimes with drainage tubes still attached.

Lifetime Television has put this bill on their Web page with a petition drive to show your support. Last year over half the House signed on.

PLEASE!! Sign the petition by clicking on the Web site below. You need not give more than your name and zip code number.

http://www.lifetimetv.com/breastcancer/petition/signpetition.php

Leatherheads

2008-03-10T23:06:00.001-05:00

Happy Birthday Devin!!!

2008-03-08T18:28:00.002-05:00

Today at 0306 Devin turned 14. We are snowed in so it hasn't exactly been an exciting day for him, but he doesn't seem to mind. Tomorrow is his party. The snow is supposed to subside by then.

Books...books...more books

2008-03-03T12:43:00.006-05:00

In an attempt to broaden our minds, Saturday Devin and I headed out shopping for a long list of books. I decided to shop the Half Price bookstore first. There we found Moby Dick, Frankenstein, and Robin Hood (not on list but Devin wanted it). Then it was off to Barnes and Noble. There we spent the bulk of our time. We left with Dante's The Divine Comedy, Catcher in the Rye, No Fear Julius Caesar, No Fear Taming of the Shrew, and Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazof. Jason asked for books from the Wayside series by Louis Sachar. I bought him a book set and two others from that series.

The No Fear series of William Shakespeare is amusing and brilliant. It gives you a modern translation of the play on the opposite page throughout the book. I don't believe it was necessary for The Taming of the Shrew but I couldn't resist buying this version because the translations were amusing. The authors do an excellent job making the words understandable for kids. It is perfect for Devin to start with which is why I bought him the No Fear Julius Caesar. Up until now, I had only read Shakespeare in high school. Freshman year it was Julius Caesar and senior year I read MacBeth. I have read bits and pieces of Taming of the Shrew online after seeing Elizabeth Taylor's performance in the movie. It is my favorite by far. True to form, it is my nature to pick a love story over murder and incestuous story lines. It is what I can relate to most in life. Shakespeare writes with ease and good humor about the differences between men and women. Regardless of gender, one's temperament and overall personality prove to cause the most difficulty and so the most excitement in the human story. Shakespeare had a firm grasp of human nature which is why his work has stood the test of time.

I wanted to read the same books as Devin so we could talk about them. I am forcing myself to read Dante's The Divine Comedy which starts with the Inferno. It is a difficult and slow process for me, but I am trying. Devin and I have very different taste in literature and he reads as quickly as he breathes. His library is full of classics as well as Vampire books and comic books. It was my intention from the time he was very small for him to love to read because I never did. I read Pipi Longstocking, The Danny Dunn science mysteries, and Choose Your Own Adventure books as a kid for fun. I only read the classics when it was required for school. As an adult, I have read a dozen books, almost exclusively Jane Austen. I am trying to broaden my scope by reading Devin's kind of books. If nothing else, it will give us something in common to talk about.

Project Runway!

2008-03-02T19:11:00.006-05:00

First let me say that I am not a fan of reality shows. I don't like drama. Well, not unless it has a good love story or football mixed in. This is usually true for movies not so much television. Project Runway has lots drama, no romance, and lots of clothes. I had no interest in it up until today. There was nothing on so I was flipping through channels and stopped when I saw Heidi Klum because I knew a little about the show from commercials. Fashion is not my thing. Anyone who knows me can attest to that. I spend most of my days in jeans and Nikes (or keds). But I have always loved beautiful clothes. When I was a little girl, I owned the Barbie Fashion Plates (Tomy 1978) and spent much of my time designing as well as sewing clothes for my dolls. As a matter of fact, Strawberry Shortcake is in my basement as I write in my last youthful creation. I kind of regret it now because I have no idea where her orginal dress and hat are which means it only has sentimental value. Anyway, my love for clothes remains.

Project Runway gives a number of designer want-to-bes assignments each week that can range from costumes for women wrestlers to outfits inspired by fine art. My personal favorite was when they took them to the Hershey Store in Time Square and had to use products from the store to create an outfit. They must design, sew (or glue as time would allow), and prepare their models for the final runway walk. And in true reality show fashion, they must also live together, boys and girls respectively.

While I had little interest in the drama of who gets along or how the results affect the participants, I very much enjoyed the challanges they were presented with and the clothes they created. I cannot believe a reality show finally hooked me. I swore I would never watch one. I guess it was only a matter of time given reality tv has been around now for over a decade.

Origin of the Cleveland Browns Elf

2008-02-27T12:34:00.003-05:00

I have been actively searching for the origin of the "Fear the Elf" slogan for awhile. Since I have yet to find it, I decided to post the article I found on the Cleveland Brown's website about the origin of the Brown's elf mascot.

Origin of elf remains a mystery
Steve King, Associate Editor
02.17.2005
Because of injuries, the Browns had to add a lot of new faces toward the end of the 2004 season. But for some people - especially those less than 40 years old - there was one new face whose name couldn't be found anywhere in the souvenir game program.

It was the Brownie elf, a pixie-type character with big, pointy ears, wearing slip-on boots, a belt with a big buckle and a stocking cap - and a football tucked underneath his right arm.

Browns equipment manager Bobby Monica put the elf on the back of the capes the players wear during cold-weather games. Monica said it is the first time he has done that, or really put the elf onto anything significant, since he came to the Browns in the 1999 expansion season.

That's pretty much been the story with the elf - sometimes he's with the Browns, and sometimes not.

Browns alumni relations manager Dino Lucarelli, the team's unofficial historian, said the elf was with the team "at the very start" when the original franchise was born nearly 60 years ago in 1946.

"It was the first official team emblem of the Browns," Lucarelli said.

The elf graces the cover of the first four Browns media guides, 1946-49 in the All-America Football Conference. And it is featured prominently with other mentions of the team at that time.

The Cleveland Plain Dealer helped popularize the elf. The late Gordon Cobbledick, the former sports editor, decided to use the elf caricature on the front page of his section to accompany coverage of the Browns, especially game stories. The use would even reach to the front page of the entire paper on certain occasions.

If the Browns had won the day before, the Brownie elf would be smiling broadly. But if they lost, the elf would appear battered and bruised. He would have a black eye, some bandages or a cast, and maybe a few missing teeth. It's the same way the paper treated the Indians via their Chief Wahoo character.

So fans who had missed the previous day's game - remember, this is long before ESPN and other 24/7 sports stations - needed only to look at the elf to know whether the Browns had won or lost.

The elf became so popular, in fact, that the Browns' first head coach and general manager, Pro Football Hall of Famer Paul Brown, thought about putting it onto the side of the club's plain orange helmets in 1953. So he asked trainer Leo Murphy to do a mock-up of what the helmet would look like, painstakingly drawing the elf onto a decal that could be placed onto the helmets.

So what happened when Brown saw the finished product?

"He didn't like it," said Murphy, a Medina Township resident who was trainer of the Browns from 1950, the year they entered the NFL, until his semi-retirement following the 1988 season. "He told me to take it off and leave the helmets like they were."

That was good news to Murphy, who had designed the helmets in the first place only a year before.

But how the elf was born - where he came from, who designed him, and why - remains a mystery. And why an elf for the Browns? Why not some other character?

"If anyone would know the whole story on that, it would be me because I was buying all the equipment not long after that happened. And I don't know," Murphy said.

Put Lucarelli into that category as well.

"I've never seen the answer to that mentioned or written anywhere," Lucarelli admitted. "Paul Brown obviously commissioned someone to come up with it, but who that was, I don't know."

Or did he?

"I had heard or read once - I don't remember where - that the elf was taken from a Sears ad at the time, but I can't be sure of that," Monica said.

Sears director of corporate advertising Nancy Turk can, though.

"I don't see any evidence of that being the case," she said.

Stories have also circulated that the elf's origin is from the Girl Scouts. Supposedly, the wives of prominent Browns players who were also Scout leaders made up the elf from those characters associated with Brownie troops.

There may - or may not - be something to that. Newspaper clips from the early, formative days of the Browns, in 1945 and '46, do not include anything about the elf, least of all its origin. But the first appearance of the elf comes in a newspaper ad for tickets to the 1946 season opener against the Miami Seahawks at old Cleveland Stadium

The ad, which ran several weeks before that game, includes the elf, with a mean look on his face, running with a football. It is very similar to the elf that's on the cover of that first Browns media guide in 1946.

Most important, though, is the inclusion of this phrase in the ad: "Here come the Brownies."

Wherever it came from, the elf remained the emblem of the Browns through the championship years of the 1950s and until the first part of the '60s. But he started becoming extinct when Art Modell bought the club on March 21, 1961 and began putting his own imprint onto the team.

"Art was quoted on numerous occasions then that, ‘My first official act as owner of the Browns will be to get rid of that little (elf),' " Lucarelli said.

The elf, though, managed to slip through security and onto the cover of the team's 1961 media guide - for the second year in a row. But by the time the club's 1962 media guide came out, the elf was gone. It remained that way for the duration of Modell's ownership of the Browns, which ended when he moved his franchise to Baltimore following the 1995 season.

After firing Brown shortly after the conclusion of the 1962 campaign, Modell was even more determined to change things, especially those, like the elf, that were tied closely with Brown's tenure.

In lieu of the elf, the Browns quickly adopted the orange helmet as their official emblem. It stayed that way through all of the Modell years, and picked up again in 1999 when the Browns were re-born. It is still the official emblem now.

"But the elf is starting to come back," Lucarelli pointed out.

Aside from the work Monica did on the players' capes, the elf is beginning to appear again on some other items. How far that process goes, remains to be seen. The "new" Browns have also used a "Dawg" logo, which is readily identifiable with today's younger fans."

The Dawg looks a lot meaner and tougher than the elf, but then again, it lacks the elf's charm and longevity - and it's not holding a football, either.

Readers: Anyone know the true origin of the elf? Send Steve King an e-mail at sking@clevelandbrowns.com.

Night At The Races

2008-02-24T20:29:00.013-05:00

Last night we had tickets for Night At The Races for the Eastlake midget football league. My aunt and cousins are very involved in that league and so several family members attended. We had two tables. David and I arrived late because David wanted to get there closer to the time dinner was to be served. My sister was the first to greet us. She had tried to call me because everyone was afraid we forgot about the event but of course my phone was turned off. I should say David's old phone with my number (remember mine was washed and dryed and still does not work).

The first thing I took a look at was the Chinese Auction. They had several baskets worthy of bidding. The best above all was one with an old style Browns mini-helmet signed by assorted Browns players, including Brady Quinn. All 20 tickets went in for that baby. The basket had other items such as a Brady Quinn mini-helmet (no signed), Browns football autographed by Leigh Bodden, Cleveland Cavaliers t-shirt autographed by Shannon Brown, baseball signed by Jason Michaels, baseball signed by Johnny Peralta, and a Columbus Blue Jackets mini-helmet autographed by some of the hockey players. It wasn't long before the food was served. The family style meal passed quickly around the table. The chicken was particularly good. The only way the food could have been better is if there were more of it.

With a full stomach and a yellow program, I was ready to bid on my first horse. My cousin and her fiance owned 5 of the horses racing so we had to bid on some of those. Actually, the only two races David and I won were those we bet on them. I am happy to report that at the end of the night I won my basket! This is a big deal to me because the only autograph we did not get from the Football Hall of Fame rookie meet and greet was that of Brady Quinn.

I cannot wait to do it again next year!

The boys were excited when they saw all the stuff. Jason put the Brady Quinn helmet on Shrek. It fit perfectly (even the leather chin strap). Devin liked the baseballs most of all. I have no idea where to put it all, but I'm looking forward to figuring it out.

Our Vegas Trip

2008-02-20T18:57:00.006-05:00

Our plane left Cleveland on time without incident as did our connecting flight in Phoenix, Arizona. We had not eaten all day with the exception of the complimentary snack packs on the planes and few snacks I brought from home so we were starving by the time we arrived at the MGM.

We looked at the cafe prices and then ended up at their famous (says the guy behind the desk) buffet at just past the lobby. After a 10 minute wait, we were seated. Hands down the biggest buffet I have ever seen and was priced accordingly ($17.50 not including drinks, tax, and tip). As with our trip to Notre Dame, I was ill which meant that even though I was starving I could barely eat. David felt the need to eat my share because of the price and was not feeling to well himself afterward. We took a walk and played the slots for awhile. Ten dollars kept me going on the nickel slots for over an hour. The machines no longer cash out in coins, only receipts these days cutting down on the noise level considerably. The desk told us our room would be ready 3pm and it was. We decided to upgrade which gave us a room with a whirlpool tub and seperate shower as well as a nice big area to hang out in. My favorite part is the bed. I have never slept in a bed so comfortable. They give you several body sized pillows that feel like butter against your skin. The view was of the airport, Hooters, Mandalay Bay, and Tropicana Ave. We spent a good amount of time watching the planes fly in and out.

Tuesday we toured the Hoover Dam. The bus driver proved colorful making the trip even more memorable. He was fixated on UFOs and the Mafia which not only made us giggle, but he cracked himself up several times. The Boulder Dam, as it was originally named, stood as big as ever with a steady flow of tourists admiring her inside and out. Looking down at the bottom brings the size of the structure into perspective when you see the tiny trucks parked by the generators rooms (one on each side of the dam). It's funny how different things are in person than in movies though. My only vision of the dam was from that movie Fools Rush In. David and I expected there to be a line where Nevada ends and Arizona begins but there was not. There are however two clocks stating the time in Nevada and Arizona as the time changes as you cross the dam. We walked the site ourselves at first then decided to take the tour. We did not realize at first how long the tour was and ended up finishing only 10 minutes before the bus was to leave. Afterward we stopped at a chocolate factory. I was very disappointed that there were no Oompa Loompa like characters working feverishly to provide us with delicious treats like the Wonka factory tour with Gene Wilder (and his even wilder hair) giving us a ride on his train. Willy Wonka and The Chocolate Factory ruined a whole generation of us by raising our expectations of all things chocolate and factory. Anyway, they appeared to be cleaning the machinery when we did the walk through but were nice enough to give us a piece of candy on the way out and lead us to the candy gift shop. I controlled myself and only ate the one piece.

Upon returning, we headed over to the front of NY NY so I could get a picture of the Pepsi sign which by the way does not have Pepsi products for sale beneath it like the gigantic Coke bottle store which has tons of cute things. I was disappointed, but happy that when we walked the strip that night, the Pepsi sign was lit up and I got a great picture of it. We encountered many unsavory peddlers of porn on our walk but none in front of the hotels. We watched the Bellagio fountains twice. One of the coolest things we have done yet. I wish we would have brought the digital camera to take video footage of it. On the way back to the hotel, we stopped at Walgreens and bought my beloved Pepsi (non since Sunday), Las Vegas magnet, allergy medicine, and M&Ms. We were exhausted by the time we got back to the hotel so we both just climbed into bed and went to sleep.

The next day we viewed the Titanic exhibit. They gave us each a card of a passenger at the beginning that tells about them and then later on you can check the list to see if they survived. The staircase and deck were replicated so visitors could see them just as they were. However, you are not permitted on the stairs unless you are having a picture taken unlike the deck which is lite with stars and cool just like the deck on the Titanic that faithful night. One of my favorite pieces was the iceberg, cool and smooth to the touch. My passenger Mary Davis survived the voyage but David's violin player did not.

Wednesday night we had tickets to see Carrot Top. His performance was at the Luxor. Very cool and confusing hotel. We almost didn't find the theater in time to claim our tickets. His performance was interactive with rain falling on us a couple of times, smoke, and confetti. I was grateful he didn't go Gallagher on us with the fruit. That would've been too much I think. The show flew by. We agreed that it was the best part of the trip.

Thursday morning we headed home. Unfortunately our luggage did not follow. All three bags are MIA. At least we didn't loose them on the way there. We are still waiting to hear about them. On the way home from the airport, the van died. David's brother came out to drive me home while David waiting for a tow truck. The roads were dangerous last night and people were flying past us. It was a little scary sitting in along side the road like that. David was able to get the van to a gas station after I left but did not ensure his safety as he was still not in the best of neighborhoods to wait for the tow.

The important thing is we made it home in one piece and we had a good time.
Even so, we will not be returning to Vegas. I think, unless you are a big gambler, once is enough.

Mr. Woodcock

2008-02-15T23:44:00.002-05:00

Movie Review: Mr. Woodcock

I really wanted this movie to be good. As you know, I am the two star movie queen. I laugh hysterically every time I watch Just Friends. Every time. So when I saw the trailer for this movie I thought it was the same type of silliness. Trailers are evil. They can brain wash you into believing a movie is good by showing the only clips worthy of viewing (in the entire movie) over and over again. That "Take a lap" line hooked me. It wasn't a terrible movie, but it also wasn't worth the price of rental. I can hear Billy Bob's character now (in his monotone matter-of-fact voice), "Kim, you slack jawed overweight simpleton. Only you would watch this movie and expect it to be funny....[pause, look of disdain] Take a lap."

The Prettiest Vomit I've Ever Seen

2008-02-15T16:21:00.002-05:00

The prettiest vomit I’ve ever seen

Jason has not been up for Sorry today. He ate a tiny bit this morning and had half of a milk shake this afternoon. He hasn't left the couch once. I let the Motrin wear off so his body could have some time to fight the infection. Shortly after I took his temp (103.6) he vomited. I have cleaned up more than my share of emesis, both human and animal alike, but none has ever looked so pretty. It resembled vanilla pudding. Devin thought it looked more like pancake batter. I think he is right. No odor, no fuss clean up. Usually it happens in the middle of the night and shoots in every direction. The worst I can remember was when Devin became sick in the car years ago. The car never did smell the same.

I gave J some Motrin. It didn't bring the temp all the way down earlier, so I am curious to see his temp in a couple of hours.

I am going to my uncle's wake in a little while, hopefully he will be okay until I get back. David doesn't do well with vomiting children, not even his own.

GINGER ALE AND SORRY IN OUR FUTURE

2008-02-14T15:49:00.004-05:00

WEEK IN REVIEW

I STUDIED NON-STOP FOR MY FINAL EXAM STARTING LAST FRIDAY ONLY TO HAVE SCHOOL CANCELLED MONDAY BECAUSE OF THE COLD WEATHER. ONE WOULD THINK IT WAS A BLESSING, BUT NOT ME. I WAS READY AND WAITING JUST STRESSED ME OUT. I FINISHED UP CLINICALS THIS WEEK AND TOOK THE FINAL TODAY. I AM PROUD TO SAY I EARNED A 90%. I KEPT LOOKING AT THE SCORE JUST IN CASE I WAS MISTAKEN, BUT THE SCORE DID NOT CHANGE. I WAS SO EXCITED I HUGGED PEOPLE I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW. I AM COMPLETELY DONE WITH CLASSES NOW. I ONLY HAVE CLINICAL PRACTICUM IN MAY AND THEN I GRADUATE. THIS IS MY FIRST COLLEGE DEGREE.

EARLY THIS MORNING J WASN'T FEELING WELL. HE ENDED UP COMING HOME FROM SCHOOL WITH A TEMP OF 101. WHATEVER IT IS, WE ARE ALL FEELING IT. J HAS THE FEVER, LETHARGY, AND NAUSEA. DEV HAS A HEADACHE. DAVID HAS A SORE THROAT. I HAVE THE LETHARGY, SINUS PAIN, AND MIGRAINE HEADACHE. J WILL HAVE TO STAY HOME TOMORROW BECAUSE OF THE FEVER. I AM LOOKING FORWARD TO IT. WE WILL DRINK LOTS OF GINGER ALE AND PLAY SORRY ALL DAY. LIFE ISN'T TOO BAD ON MY END.

NY Giants win the Super Bowl!!!!!!

2008-02-03T22:14:00.000-05:00

On that last Giants touchdown I screamed so loud Jason is deaf in his left ear. Dev just shook his head and said, "You know better than to sit next mom during a game."
David and Dev were rooting for the Patriots. David chose them because their winning would make NFL history. Jason and I were rooting for the Giants. I chose the Giants because they have the most Notre Dame players (of the two teams). That and my fondness for Peyton Manning extends to his brother. Wow! Back to back Manning Super Bowl MVPs. Now that is history. While I think that is cool, Justin Tuck performed better than Ely did on the field today. He should have won the MVP award.

Notre Dame Players:
86 Jerome Collins
91 Justin Tuck

Vegas here we come.

2008-02-02T23:21:00.000-05:00

First trip to Vegas in the works. David and I have never been there. I'm so excited. I cannot wait to find the nickel slots!

succubus

2008-02-02T16:27:00.000-05:00

Today at lunch I used the word succubus when refering to female narcissists. This is not I word I generally use but it seemed appropriate. To be certain, I decided to look up the meaning as well as the spelling, because I was taught never to use a word you can't spell. What I found surprised me. I understood the meaning loosely. I believed it meant a person who sucks the life out of you. While this is partially true, it is not entirely accurate. A succubus means different things to different people. One thing all definitions have in common is that it is a demon in female form. Some believe it has sex with men while they are sleeping and in doing so sucks the life right out of them. Others believe the demon lures unfaithful men to have sex. During the act, the razor blades in the succubus's vagina cut the man who is subsequently devoured alive while writhing in pain.

I will choose my words more carefully next time.

my life in a bubble

2008-02-01T11:00:00.000-05:00

I haven't slept much this week. The first of three tests was Monday. I didn't feel prepared and eventhough I passed, I am determined to do better next time. I was wide awake the entire night before so it is a miracle I passed at all. Clinicals were hairy. Just when I thought I was getting back into the swing of things in med surg I was proven wrong. As group leader, I believe I performed well. With my patients, I need to be a little more organized. I am confident that by next week I will be fine. By this time next week, I will be preparing for my final exam. These five week classes fly by.

David and I are thinking about trying a new (new to us) restaurant/jazz club in Cleveland Heights called Nighttown. As you know, I am not much for cooking and the like, so we eat out quite a bit. Which also means we have eaten just about every where around here. I am bored with just going out to eat. I want to be entertained. Life is good, but sometimes you just need to get out there and live a little. This coming from me is a bit of a shock as I am very fond of my position here on my comfy couch, but I am beginning to see that I have lived over half my life in a bubble.

Why not Direct TV?

2008-01-26T21:13:00.001-05:00

A few months back David decided to switch from cable to satelite tv because Direct TV offered significantly more HD channels. Recently he noticed they have taken 5 of those channels away. When he called they said that is just the way it is and we would have to pay five dollars a month to get them back. Unfortunately we have just under two years on our contract. David found online that our package is no longer avaiable but he can switch over to another. It would have been nice for the live customer service rep to mention that as a possibility. David is printing out the packages for me to look over. I think we are going to downsize.

Maybe by the time our contract is up cable will have more HD channels.

three more weeks!

2008-01-24T17:03:00.000-05:00

Done with the second week of med surg. Only three more to go. Big test next week and I get to be team leader on Tuesday and I think a quiz on Thursday. Never a dull moment here. They passed out info on clinical practicum and predictor testing. I have until the end of Feb. to decide where I want to go for that rotation. Where you have practicum is often where you end up working so I have to think for a while on this one. I picked up my application for graduation. If I fill out the survey, I get five dollars off the application fee. Whoohoo!

Yesterday was David's birthday. He forgot. We grabbed some take out on our way from picking up his ice cream cake. They have a cookie dough ice cream cake now at Dairy Queen. It was pretty good. The dough was only on top. After eating we settled in for some Rummy and Go Fish. Before we went to bed, I kissed him and told him I was glad he was born. He laughed and said something like the world shares my gratitude in his existence.

Free at last

2008-01-20T13:15:00.000-05:00

Last night I had a strange dream. It began with me in jail. I opened a door with a little black and white mouse at my feet also trying to flee. I crouched down by a slightly open sliding window in the dark waiting for a chance to make a break for it. I had to wait for Valerie Bertinelli to lock the door and leave. When she turned I made a break for it. As I was running for the woods, I could see a the reflection of those in the house that Valerie went to warn when she spotted me in a mirror above the trees. The jail was now a house. I could see the residents coming down the stairs hurried to get their robes on as they descended. Then I stopped dead in my tracks before the woods. They were my woods. Standing there, I watched Matthew McConaghey, in pj bottoms (apparently he didn't have a robe), run into the woods after the escaped convict, who was no longer me.

Week in Review

2008-01-19T22:00:00.000-05:00

Monday
Back to school. Advanced Med Surg is my last class. There are a few people I know in my rotation, all of which are also in my clinical group. This made me happy.

Tuesday
Clinicals. This weeks schedule was slightly different from what it will be next week, which meant I had to be there really early. Still not loving mornings. Even so, it was a good day.

Wednesday
Clinicals. It's been awhile since I've been in med surg but I am getting back into the swing of things. It was a good day.

Thursday
Class. Long day. David and the boys tore down the wallpaper in the hallway.

Friday
Two quizes. Interesting lecture. Awesome instructor. Long day. Four weeks to go. Grocery shopping (forgot paper towels).

Saturday
Renee and Jake came over. Jake and J played air hockey, basketball, video games, etc...Dev had a friend over too. Eventually they all got together to play Risk. I helped Renee research her family tree. Afterward, David and then Jason played us in Boggle. Last but not least was the game Say What?. Big Kitty even made an appearance three times and let Renee pet her. It was a good day. :)

Other
I watched We Are Marshal, A Good Year, and The Long Hot Summer.

We Are Marshal is good. I think I cried the entire movie.

A Good Year is also good. No tissue required. Russell Crowe is as handsome, sexy, and charming as one would hope.

The Long Hot Summer. My all-time favorite movie is as good as it gets.

After doing some research online, I stopped taking One A Day Weight Smart. I found the common side effects are: insomnia, nightmares, nausea, vomiting, and nervousness. Within a couple of days, I was able to sleep without a problem. I have had 2-3 Pepsis a day and still no problem. I am no longer anxious and the dreams are less strange as dreams go. I think it is safe to say that the vitamin was the problem.

Titanic relates to nursing

2008-01-12T20:13:00.000-05:00

Rose: I know what you must be thinking. "Poor little rich girl, what does she know about misery?"
Jack: No, no, that's not what I was thinking. What I was thinking was, what could've happened to this girl to make her feel she had no way out?

This is one of my favorite quotes from Titanic. Jack's response makes me think of nursing. His train of thought is much like a nurse's. A nurse's goal is not judge the patient but to assess a need and then do everything in her/his power to meet that need (usually there are several). It is also important to acknowledge when we do not have the answer and to then find someone who does.

Weirdos From Another Planet

2008-01-12T00:02:00.000-05:00

Weirdos From Another Planet has become Jason's favorite book. I cannot imagine anyone not liking Calvin and Hobbes. He likes reading it to me. He gets all into it by creating voices for the characters and performing as if it were a play. I love that he loves to read.

Devin is into non-fiction literature, especially books about WWI and WWII. He is currently reading two books on the subject (Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 World War I and It's Violent Climax and the other I cannot remember off the top of my head).

In language arts class they are reading The Diary of Anne Frank. Monday they are watching Schindler's List. I have never been able to watch it. I hope is okay with it.

3x6=

2008-01-11T23:48:00.000-05:00

Today I picked up two sets of multiplication cards. One set has the problem on front and the answer on back. The other set has several problems on the front with the answers for the other side's problems at the bottom. The cool thing about these cards is you can use a dry erase maker to right the answers and then wipe them clean. A chain keeps them together. The only thing it could use is a place to attach the maker. Jason liked both sets and began to draw on the cards. He drew many things, none of which were numbers. I guess we will work on that tomorrow.

Random acts of kindness

2008-01-10T11:47:00.000-05:00

An elderly gentleman approached me and another mom at the bus stop this morning with some index cards he had found while walking his dog. He was kind enough to give them to us so we might find the child they belonged to. From the look of them, they belong to one of the middle school kids. Laurie is going to send them with her daughter to the bus stop tomorrow.

It has always impressed me how a simple act of kindness can lead to another. It is a domino effect. I see it every day. It is what renews my faith that good people exist in the world, a world determined to prove otherwise.

Manningism

2008-01-09T20:54:00.001-05:00

"Pressure is something you feel when you don't know what the hell you're doing."
-Peyton Manning

Happy Birthday Elvis

2008-01-08T13:04:00.000-05:00

When I was a little girl I fell in love. I fell in love with Elvis Presley. In high school, I was the only girl I knew who had a poster of him on my wall. I was lucky to have a good friend who shared my passion for the king. My friend Renee and I would listen the stack of albums that her mom had collected whenever we got the chance. Dream the Impossible Dream...good times.

Happy Birthday Elvis where ever you are. ;)

An old friend of mine has the honor of sharing his birthday with the King. Happy Birthday Marty!

What song will they play at your funeral?

2008-01-07T17:58:00.000-05:00

I saw a commercial today that offered to send any willing person a "last will" pamphlet so the family would know exactly what they wanted. I'm not sure why you would need a pamphlet, but it got me thinking about what I would want. I know I want the wake/funeral to be at Davis funeral home. What I wasn't sure about was the music. There must be music. Would it be in poor taste to have them play Another One Bites The Dust/Queen? It's my favorite. In every great story there are tears and laughter. My life is my story. While I do not know how great my life has been, it has had both. Shouldn't the songs reflect that? Another One Bites The Dust would make them laugh. One song that I know for certain would bring on the tears is Angel/Sarah McClauchlan. It is one of the most moving songs I have ever heard. My fondness for it began when Jason was a baby. I found that whenever the song came on the radio, Jason would stop fussing. I went out and bought the City of Angels tape (my car didn't have a cd player and that is where he was most fussy). It was the only part of the movie that I liked by the way.

I am a fan of ambiguity in poetry and music is poetry. The definition of a lyric is "composing poems to be sung to the lyre" (www.dictionary.com).

Here are the lyrics from Sarah McClauchlan's site:

Angel

Spend all your time waiting
for that second chance
for a break that would make it okay
there's always one reason
to feel not good enough
and it's hard at the end of the day
I need some distraction
oh beautiful release
memory seeps from my veins
let me be empty
and weightless and maybe
I'll find some peace tonight

in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there

so tired of the straight line
and everywhere you turn
there's vultures and thieves at your back
and the storm keeps on twisting
you keep on building the lie
that you make up for all that you lack
it don't make no difference
escaping one last time
it's easier to believe in this sweet madness oh
this glorious sadness that brings me to my knees

in the arms of an angel
fly away from here
from this dark cold hotel room
and the endlessness that you fear
you are pulled from the wreckage
of your silent reverie
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort there
you're in the arms of the angel
may you find some comfort here

Poor Big Kitty

2008-01-06T19:57:00.000-05:00

Big Kitty is getting old. She turns 16 this year and looks it. She has become quite thin and her gait is unsteady to say the least. David noticed that her walk is not only unsteady but loud. Odd. In checking her paws we found litter clumped heavily inbetween her toes. Like most cats, Kitty is not a fan of baths. It took two of us to get her clean. Our concern is her old joints. She just isn't able to care for herself like she used to. I am looking into joint care suppliments and NSAIDS for her arthritis and we will be keeping a close eye on her paws from now on.

This afternoon, the boys and I went bowling. Three games, a pitcher of Pepsi, and a tray of nachos made for a fun time. My high score was 136. That was the only game I broke 100. The finger holes on Dev's ball are too small now. We need to take it down to the Pro Shop to either have them enlarged or the inserts removed.

Shortly after returning home I found I had to leave again for the grocery store. While I was gone, David and the boys took down the Christmas tree. I put the rest of the decorations away when I got back and then started dinner. It was a Chi Chi's taco night. I used two packets for a 1.5 pack of ground round. I really miss the restaurant, but I'm grateful they still sell the seasoning online. I bought what I thought would last me a year. Looks more like a 6 month supply.

Football....Not surprised to see the Titans lose to the Chargers. What did surprise me was WV's win over Oklahoma. The National Title game is tomorrow. We are rooting for Ohio State because Devin was a good sport and rooted for ND at the ND vs. Duke game. As much as it pains me to say it, "Go Bucks!"

Pomegranate Blueberry ?

2008-01-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

I'm getting on David's nerves with the handwashing and healthy eating. I know because he said so. I'm okay with it. While at Target yesterday, I picked up V8 Infusion juice. I had tried it before and did not like it. I tend to keep trying things hoping I will like it eventually like fish, yogert, corn, etc...It's never worked before today. I like this juice. I don't even know what a pomegranate is to be honest and I'm not a fan of blueberries. By all rights I shouldn't like this stuff, but I do. There is no after taste. It's been a couple hours since I drank it at dinner and still nothing.

Tonight we added three-way War to the Rummy/Go Fish mix. Not a keeper. I used to like it as a kid. I remember playing it for hours. Not so much fun for me now. Devin wanted to learn Solitaire and found it as fun as War is for me. I told him Double Deck Solitaire is much better. I have to buy more cards just for that otherwise it is a pain to play because you have to separate the cards at the end each sitting.

tissue box garbage can

2008-01-05T14:45:00.000-05:00

I've been ill twice in the last month and a half. The first time was before Thanksgiving and I lost my voice for a week. The last time was due to a sinus infection that still lingers after two weeks. This is despite my frequent hand washing. I have gone through 7 boxes of tissue and 2 rolls of toilet paper (when I was too sick to go to the store for tissue). I have learned something in the process. Empty tissue boxes work well as make-shift garbage cans so you don't have to move the regular can next to you at all times. The anti-viral Kleenex boxes are the best because they have that plastic that only leaves a small hole at the top keeping the contaminated tissues contained.

There is a downside to the anti-viral tissues however. They can be too absorbent leaving your nose red, dry, and sore with constant use. I had to switch off to Puffs for a while. The regular kind not those with lotion because they make my sensitive face break out. Although, they have a new one out with lotion and Vicks that I would be willing to give a go. I love Vicks.

I am feeling good today. I have been taking extra vitamin C all week and have watched my dairy intake. Dairy weakens the immune system and vitamin C bolsters it.

David is sick now. He refuses to take the vitamin C. We'll see how he does.

Let's Play

2008-01-04T23:37:00.000-05:00

One of the perks of the kids getting older is that we can play cards. We play mostly Go Fish and Rummy. I'm hoping that J will be ready for Spades next year because Spades is my favorite card game. I will continue to play on msn's gaming zone with the bots until then.

The Bachelor (1999)

2008-01-01T23:26:00.000-05:00

I had seen bits and pieces of the movie The Bachelor but had not seen it fom beginning to end until the other day. I'm glad I did. It is a light hearted feel good chick flick. No Lifetime movie where the bachelor is secretly a cross-dressing serial killer who used to be a woman and has married your mom. No, this is a nice little film where the stereotypical commitment phobic male realizes he really wants to get married to the woman he loves. The movie is full of grand and not so grand gestures that made me giggle. I have found another movie that I will undoubtedly watch 300 times, at least.

My favorite quote was from the priest: It's a wonderful thing, as time goes by, to be with someone who looks into your face, when you've gotten old, and still sees what you think you look like. .

New Years

2008-01-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

Last night the boys and I stayed up to see the ball drop. After several games of Go Fish we finally decided to get some sleep. Mostly my idea really. The boys were wide awake. Woke up to the sound of wind whipping the house from every side. I thought the roof was going to cave in. We lost our Direct TV signal so David had to check the satellite. The wind was still strong and blew his ladder down. Fortunately for him it was while he was getting the WD40, because had he been on the roof it would have taken me a while to realize he wasn't just making a lot of noise out there. The WD40 is supposed to keep the satellite clean throughout the winter. Let's hope so.

Football is all we have watched for weeks now. I love this season. The bowl games have been competitive this year which makes the games exciting to watch. It is sad not to see Notre Dame play. Right now we are watching Michigan vs. Florida and Arkansas vs. Missouri. Go Michigan and Missouri!

Top 10 Sexiest Jobs

2007-12-31T22:23:00.001-05:00

The headline on Time Warner's site caught my eye. I thought it was interesting enough to post here.

10 Sexiest Jobs
Anthony Balderrama, CareerBuilder.com writer

You’re at a party. You spot someone across the room and you make your way toward each other. Things are going well, so after some small talk you ask, “What do you do for a living?” The answer you receive determines if you exchange phone numbers or say goodnight.

Whether or not we admit it, what people do for a living affects their sex appeal. A recent CareerBuilder.com survey asked participants what occupations they consider the sexiest. You might be surprised that the top picks weren’t necessarily based on salary or looks.

Here are the 10 sexiest jobs, according to the survey.

1. Entertainer/Model
Why they’re sexy: Entertainers and models make a living by looking good, so you can bet they’re easy on the eyes. Their dedication to their dream in such a competitive industry is also attractive.
Where you’ll find them: Supermodels are on the runways in Paris, Milan and New York or at photo shoots in major cities around the world. Entertainers can find work in any city, but New York and Los Angeles certainly have the best opportunities.
Pros: They travel the world, are famous and have huge paychecks.
Cons: Competition is fierce and there’s a lot of pressure to maintain their looks.

2. Cocktail Waitress
Why they’re sexy: Although it might not seem like an obvious top pick, consider the fact that the waitress is probably dressed in a short skirt and bringing you drinks, which never hurt anybody’s sex appeal.
Where you’ll find them: At any establishment that serves alcohol — casinos, bars, clubs, restaurants and concert halls.
Pros: A good cocktail waitress can make a killing on tips alone, especially in an upscale establishment.
Cons: They have to deal with drunken customers and they often work in smoke-filled bars and clubs.

3. Athlete
Why they’re sexy: Professional athletes are likely in good — no, great — shape. Not to mention they’ve probably been practicing their sport since childhood, so you know they’re disciplined and goal-oriented.
Where you’ll find them: When they’re not training, they’re on the field (or rink or court whatever venue they perform at).
Pros: The chance to be famous and internationally adored is pretty nice.
Cons: The odds of making it big are slim.

4. Firefighter
Why they’re sexy: Firefighters are brave and selfless. Who wouldn’t find that attractive?
Where you’ll find them: Everywhere. Every city needs firefighters, though some smaller towns have volunteer squads.
Pros: They save lives and serve the community.
Cons: They risk their lives every day.

5. Cowboy
Why they’re sexy: Few archetypes are as engrained in our culture as the cowboy. He’s masculine, chivalrous and everything else we admired in Western movies.
Where you’ll find them: On ranches in rural areas. Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming and California are the most traditional examples of cowboy country.
Pros: It’s a quiet life away from the city.
Cons: The have to work with their hands and outdoors, regardless of the season.

6. Nurse
Why they’re sexy: Nurses keep you comfortable, make sure you’re healthy and bring you morphine when you’re hurting. That they devote their lives to caring for others and understand all that medical jargon only makes them sexier.
Where you’ll find them: In hospitals, your doctor’s office and other health care facilities.
Pros: They care for patients, watch them get better and put a baby in its parents' arms for the first time.
Cons: The hours are long; patients and their families can be demanding and there are plenty of sad events they have to witness, too.

7. Artist
Why they’re sexy: The average artist is doing what makes them happy, not what will bring them fame or money — and that’s pretty sexy. How many occupations can you say that about?
Where you’ll find them: Everywhere. Painters, photographers, sculptors and other types of artists work in their own studios, in offices for ad agencies or on location for photo shoots.
Pros: They spend their days being creative and get paid for it.
Cons: The paying work that’s easiest to find is often boring and doesn’t allow artists to express themselves.

8. Military Professional
Why they’re sexy: Well, they’ve got the ultimate uniform, if you’re into that sort of thing. The military also instills a sense of discipline, so you can count on them to be responsible and dependable.
Where you’ll find them: On military bases throughout the country.
Pros: Job security and good pay.
Cons: Long-term commitment and willingness to relocate frequently, which means sticking with a job no matter where it takes you.

9. Construction Worker
Why they’re sexy: Didn’t you see that soft drink commercial where all the women stare out their window to watch the construction worker take off his shirt?
Where you’ll find them: Wherever a new building is going up, a house is being renovated or a road is being repaved.
Pros: Their job keeps them in shape and their hard work is often rewarded with a nice salary.
Cons: Performing manual labor every day is tiring and sometimes dangerous.

10. TV Anchor/Personality
Why they’re sexy: Maybe it’s the way they talk with authority, seem to know everything and make you feel like you’re best friends. Or maybe it’s the fact that you don’t know if they’re really wearing pants under that desk.
Where you’ll find them: On your TV in the morning, at noon and at night.
Pros: They get to be on television and get the news before anybody else.
Cons: They can spend years working in small cities before they get a job in a major market.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues.

Last Updated: 17/12/2007 - 5:06 PM

Brady Quinn's first drive against the 49ers

2007-12-31T20:55:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year!

2007-12-31T12:29:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Comments - DazzleJunction.com

Brady Quinn Plays!!!!

2007-12-30T16:43:00.000-05:00

Brady Quinn played today. I was shocked. Pleased, but shocked. I never thought Romeo would put him in given that he has been pissy ever since the hold out; Romeo that is, not Quinn. Brady was poised, confident, and reasonablely accurate. I do not understand why they pulled him because Anderson was not doing well at all, the game was not on the line, and Quinn was, as I stated above, effective. I believe Quinn will win the starting quarterback next season. If he is not, it will not be because he was not the best man for the job, it will be because Romeo is not the best man for the job.

On a lighter note, it was good to see Browns fullback Charles Ali do well today. He has been a favorite of mine since the HOF Meet and Greet where he took the time to talk to my kids. He even read Jason's football book he made for Quinn. How could I not root for a guy like that?

Arnes Battle (WR 49ers) looked good as well. He is a former ND player who I believe was a senior when Quinn was a freshman. It was nice to see him talking to Quinn after the game. It is what one would expect from former Notre Dame teammates.

--------------

Now we wait to see if the Colts can win. I like Peyton Manning. From what I heard he will only be playing for a short time in order to keep him healthy for the playoffs.
I had to laugh while we were watching the Patriot vs. Giants game because there were several Manning commercials and not one of Tom Brady. Tom is an amazing quarterback and yet he not beloved like Manning. Why is that? I can only guess it is a result of poor image. Who wants their kid looking up to a guy who knocks up supermodels? Ok, some might. Well, quite a few might. I take that back. Who wants a guy who does not have that boy next door charm to sell them on credit card debt and child sized footballs? I admit to being fond of Peyton. There is something darn likable about him that I just can't put my finger on. Tom does nothing for me. Go figure.

Nerf War: A new family tradition

2007-12-25T21:18:00.000-05:00

The day began with stockings. No surprises except this year's potato in the toe of the stocking was sporting a smiley face. Gifts were opened in record time. Soon the family came and went. The girls loved their Steelers number 7 jerseys and funky animal socks. The boys loved everything. The biggest hit though was the Nerf cross bow my brother-in-law got for J. I think Keith was more excited than anyone to give it a go. Before we knew it, every male in the house was dodging and shooting nerf darts from it or the Nerf Maverick Rev-6s I bought the boys this year (with a 30 pack of velcro darts). My mother-in-law's husband, who could not actively participate because of his leg, smiled as he collected darts in his pocket as the guys scrambled for ammo. Us girls tried to stay behind enemy lines but were defenseless when they decided we were the easiest target. The madness continued for at least a half hour. Oh how I wish I had a video camera. Good times.

By early evening everyone was gone. I finished cleaning up and tried out some of the new toys as David played the ps2 with the boys. I also watched Charlie Brown's Christmas (I have it on DVD). It is one of my favorites.

Charllie Brown Christmas

2007-12-25T08:58:00.000-05:00

Death comes in twos (corrected)

2007-12-24T01:18:00.000-05:00

Death in twos

This week both my great-great aunt (92) and neighbor (91) passed away.

Mrs. Navar

Mrs. Navar had been our neighbor for exactly four years this week. From the moment we moved in, she made us feel at home. Every Christmas she had her son bring us baked goods, and bags of candy on Halloween for the boys. She was too ill to do it herself. My boys would leave her cards and pictures in her mailbox. Jason even wrote her one of his football books. Friday night, Skip came to our door to let us know she had passed with a plate of cookies and candy in hand. He asked if we could keep an eye on the house during the wake and funeral. Apparently during the last one someone broke in. I did not realize criminals scope out the obits to see when families will be away. I grateful that day passed without incident. Mrs. Navar was a wonderful neighbor. She will be missed.

Aunt Martha

My Aunt Martha was special to me. She was the only member of my dad's side of the family to stay touch when I stopped visitation with my dad. She remembered every birthday and holiday. Never an unkind word was spoken. She sent letters with each card and I did the same in return. When I decided to contact my dad at the age of 18 the letters stopped. I did not understand why at first. Later, it occurred to me that she kept in touch until I made my way back to them. My guess is she did what she thought my grandmother (her niece) would have wanted.The truth is I will never know for certain. What I do know is she was very good to me and that I loved her.

50 to 30 in less than 2 hours

2007-12-24T00:13:00.000-05:00

Busy day. David has been eagar to see I am Legend since he saw the first trailer. Devin is finally old enough to see movies like that with him which makes me a happy girl. This is where David would not so subtlely remind me that I no longer a girl. I am a middle aged woman. Sigh.....Anyway, I took Jason and a friend to see Alvin and the Chipmonks. Both movies started and ended at about the same time so it worked out perfectly with us driving only the van. The movie was really enjoyable. I have loved the Chipmonks since I was a little girl, and as I stated before, that was a long time ago. The boys thoroughly enjoyed the movie as well. Jason Lee fits the character Dave perfectly. The animation is well done as expected. I give it two thumbs up (or Chipmonk tails in this case. hehe)David and Devin liked I am Legend. It wasn't quite what they were expecting. I think David was anticipating vampires when in fact the infected humans had something like rabes instead. I will not give any more info than that because I do not want to spoil the movie for anyone.

Leaving the movie we about froze. The temperature went from 50 to 30 in two hours. We headed home for a little bit to kill time before our niece's birthday party. That was just enough time to see the Browns lose. David and Jason seem to feel Anderson deserves some credit for getting the Browns this far. I have to admit that he is better than Frye. I also agree with him that it is better to have Brady sit out the first year and learn; even though it is killing me to know how much better we could be with him in. The biggest problem with Anderson is inconsistency and inaccuracy. These are two issues a first string quarterback should have resolved early on. Oh well. We watched all the way to the bitter end. You cannot expect to move into the playoffs giving up four interceptions. I know there is still a chance, but I do not think we should be in the playoffs at the level we are playing.

Danni's party was fun. We played Rummy and Go Fish. Dev and Miranda played Slap Jack. The pizza and ice cream cake left us bloated and tired. It was a matter of hours before we had the energy to get our coats and head home.

What's been goin' on

2007-12-18T08:15:00.001-05:00

Sunday

Devin's glasses broke about a month ago. A thank you to his middle school gym class for that one. He was due to have his eyes checked so it worked out. Of course I picked Sunday, when the storm was to hit, to take him to the optometrist. I planned to have his old lenses put into new frames as a back up pair, but could not find any to fit. We lucked out when we stopped in at Eyemasters because his doctor was able to take him immediately. Devin's eyes are slightly worse than last year, which is common for us near-sighted folk. He also switched contacts from weekly to monthly. I have to watch him carefully to make sure he does not get an infection. When it came time to pick frames, David said to ask the sales clerk for the most durable frames they've got. They recommended Flexon. Devin picked out the Nike flexon in an adult size. They are the best fitting glasses he has had. The display showed the one side of the frame twisted repeatedly around an index finger. The saleswoman stated that they have never had a pair come back to them broken. Let's hope the Curious George of the family doesn't decide to test them out. Afterward, we planned to get a bite but could not agree on a place so we just went home.

The Browns game was on when we returned. I have never seen a snow bowl before. I do not know how the refs were able to keep track of where the ball needed to be or the players. Very happy to see the Browns win.

Out of milk.

Off to the grocery store via the nearly visible road. We were surprised how many people were out considering the snow flying everywhere and ice under what was on the road. We some how managed to make it there and back.

Monday

Eyemasters lab was closed on Sunday which means we had to go back the next day for Dev's glasses. David stayed home with J while Dev and I trekked back to the mall. I was glad to go because there was a new store with Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends items that David didn't want to go into the day before. It only took a few minutes to fit the glasses. They look great and Devin seems to like them. The new store proved too expensive but very cool. On the way out, another new store had Fear the Elf Browns t-shirts we looked at before. It was only $9.99. That price was just right.

Once we were home, David brought up the Christmas tree. It seems we put it up later and later each year. I usually buy each boy a new ornament each year, but the tree is full. I will have to create a new tradition. I learned something as we were rearranging the furniture to accommodate the tree, scented oil from Bath and Body Works will eat through the finish of an end table. I had put some on my decorative pine cones and must have dribbled on the table without realizing it. Lesson learned.

Furball

2007-12-16T23:05:00.002-05:00

I am everywhere

2007-12-15T18:58:00.000-05:00

David took the little van to get an oil change this morning well before any of us were awake. While it was on the lift, he noticed something hanging down. It was my hair. My thyroid condition is to blame. My lovely tresses are sprinkled all over the house, on clothing, in the car, and apparently under the car as well.

First thing this morning, I decided to color my hair, just as I had earlier this week. Tuesday I tried this new touch-up hair color by Revlon that uses a sponge applicator and was supposed to match a number of popular brands. I openned the box to find the color had leaked outside the tube. A good sign that this product was not going to work and yet I still tried it out. As I suspected, it was compromised. My hair remained dark rooted. So yesterday while I was at Marcs to buy starter logs for the fireplace, I bought my Garnier in Intense Auburn. This is my all-time favorite color. It never fails to deliver the most beautiful color I have ever seen. When I finished, I sent Dev down the street with a sample for my friend Laurie who is considering color her hair the same color. The little bit I had left will give her enough for a stand test.

The rest of the day was spent cleaning the bedroom closets of both boys. Jason was done quickly whereas Dev just finish a half hour ago. In his defense, he has two large closets filled with household items as well as his things.

Late afternoon, David and I headed out to Lowes to get a tool set for the fireplace, bucket for the ashes, and new smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. We made it home just as the snow began to fall. The fire is going strong. It took a long time for David to get it going yesterday. We had bought green wood, only 3 months old. He picked up some seasoned wood from Home Depot while out this morning, which made a huge difference. Neither of us are good at starting fires let alone keeping them going, so the fact that it is still going is huge. I love the smell and constant warmth. I don't think we will need to turn on the heat all winter.

I've got to go beat J in air hockey now. The basement is cold.

Mother Nature gives David the day off

2007-12-13T21:30:00.000-05:00

Mother Nature decided David should have a day of rest. We lounged around this morning. He napped as I organized my Christmas cards. I wrote out the majority of them last month. I only had a few left and to buy stamps before they could go out. While David was sleeping I ran to the post office for stamps. There was a nice elderly woman in line in front of me who I struck up a conversation with to pass the time. The young man in front of her was on his cell phone. His non-verbal communication suggested we were disturbing his oh-so-important phone call. [insert sarcastic expression and eye roll here]. His behavior did not sway me. I continued talking about the weather with a smile. After the chit-chat I noticed the new Christmas stamps on the wall. They were not what I was hoping for, so instead I bought four sheets of Yoda stamps. I hope next year they have Chewbaca. Even better would be furry Chewbaca stamps. If only they would. Anyway, all of my Christmas cards are finally out.

When I returned, David and I headed out to lunch and then to the mall in search of a jewelry box. We tried Macy's first only to find that they did not receive a single one this season. The clerk said they usually do because it is a hot item. Penneys had several, tall and small. It was difficult to chose one. Lucky for David, who has no patience for shopping at all, I am a super speedy shopper. I picked out my favorite in less than 15 minutes. That time includes being misdirected by the sales clerk at the perfume counter.

Once we were home and settled in I remembered Dev had a concert tonight and his dress clothes were dirty from the field trip on Tuesday. The shirt ended up fitting him just fine and so did not need my super shrinking powers after all. He looked so cute all dressed up. I cannot believe how big he is. We left for the concert at 1800. The holiday concert included the 7/8 grade choir and band. David's mom could not attend because of work, but my mom and step dad were able to be there which made Devin happy. His godparents were there too. Devin had two solos. He did very well on the first and had some difficulty on the second. Afterward, he admitted that he should have practiced more. I trust he will next time. The concert only took 45 minutes. According to my son, I was the ONLY parent moving to the music. I told him to get used to a life time of me embarrassing him. On the way home
boh boys agreed I am strange. I'm okay with that.

The house is quiet with the exception of David's snoring. Everyone is asleep. My arm was asleep too before I freed it from David's grasp. I am to wired from the Pepsi to follow suit.

My dictionary is defunct

2007-12-13T15:39:00.000-05:00

I received my encyclopedic dictionary as a present from my high school boyfriend for my 18th birthday. I am now 35. The binding screams "You are killing me!!!" from the moment the maroon cover varies in any direction. Loose and darkened, the pages are intact. The presidential section is in mint condition. I was unaware of it's academic inadequacy until my youngest son needed a dictionary to complete his spelling assignment. At first, the assignment flowed effortlessly. Then we came to the word railroad. No other forms were listed. Jason is a smart cookie and immediately rattled off other forms such as railroaded, railroading, etc... I decided to check dictionary.com to make sure they were acceptable words and not considered slang. Not that it matters really given the fact that all words originate somewhere. A dictionary is a tool used to teach us commonly used words and meanings. Sadly, even ain't is now in the dictionary. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. After all, what two words form the contraction ain't? The only acceptable way to list the word is aint without the apostrophe. I still do not like it, but at least it is grammatically correct. That is enough ranting I suppose, for now. We used both the old Webster dictionary and dictionary.com for the remaining words.

I will be visiting Barnes and Noble this weekend.

2007-12-13T14:51:00.000-05:00

Pediculosis. Yes, that is what a student nurse checks for when visiting local schools,that and scoliosis. It has been my experience that people are not educated in either subject. Pediculosis is an infestation of the parasite head lice. The head lice choose only human hosts, so pets are not a factor. They do not fly or jump, they crawl. The brown sesame sized pests are hard to see as they scurry away at the first glimpse of light. What is most commonly found are the nits (eggs). From what I have seen, they look like a grain of salt cemented on the hair close to the shaft. Nits are not to be confused with dandruff which is easily moved by the fingers. If a louse or egg is found, shampoo must be applied and hair carefully combed through to get rid of the eggs and lice. Nix works the best and protects for 14 days after. All bedding must be washed in the hottest water available. Vacuuming is also important (stairs, bedrooms, living and family rooms, etc...). Stuffed animals are to be sealed in bags for two weeks because eggs can hatch up to two weeks after laid. Once an egg hatches, the nymph must find a human host to feed from within 24 hours to survive. The likelihood of this happening is slim. Nymphs cannot be seen by the naked eye. After checking each person's head, wash hands with soap and water for 20 seconds and dry completely. If soap and water is not available you may use hand sanitizer that is 60-70 percent alcohol. Soap and water is recommended if active lice is found however.

The biggest risks are sharing brushes, pillows, hair clips or accessories, hats, hugs, bedding, and stuffed animals. It is not recommended to treat other family members with the shampoos, unless lice or nits are present, for several reasons. A few off the top of my head are: the shampoo is a pesticide that can harm you, using the shampoo to prevent infection increases the resistance of lice to the treatment, simple precautions are effective if thorough, and shampoos can be expensive.

Now let's talk about scoliosis.

Scoliosis is idiopathic. Often found in middle school children, it appears that the spinal curvature occurs during the adolescent "growth spirt". The S or C shaped curve can be subtle and more common in girls. Observed by uneven clavicals, scapulae, or hips. Distance between arms and truck as well as uneven flanks are also significant. Mild forms are to be watched closely and usually do not need treatment. Moderated and severe cases are treated with braces and in extreme cases surgery.

Peyton Manning commercial

2007-12-11T08:02:00.001-05:00

Random thoughts

2007-12-10T19:02:00.000-05:00

1. The cap to my son's bubbles fits my Clorox bleach bottle. The original cap rolled under the gigantic shelving we have downstairs and I can't get it.

2. Peyton Manning is darn cute. I cannot get enough of his commercials.

3. One package of peanut butter cookie dough is not enough and three bags of candy kisses is too many.

4. Brady Quinn is far too good to be on the sidelines. How much longer are the Browns going to torture us!!!

5. Letting a good looking foreign gentleman buff your nail in the middle of the mall will only leave you with a discolored nail and the feeling that you are not using your time wisely.

6. Ebay is my friend.

7. I can no longer chew the left side of my mouth.

8. I don't get out enough.

9. I need a hobby other than myspace and Zuma.

10. I need to decide what area of nursing to go into.

11. Charlie Sheen has either an abnormally large head or a small body.

12. I look pretty good as an elf.

13. Regina Spektor's voice is lovely.

14. Google maps is just as inaccurate as mapquest.