Sucking Heads and Canadian Accents

Hi,Ho! Kermit theeee Frog here...

not really. I just always wanted to open with that line. Why, I don't know.

A while ago (like a billion years), I stumbled across this website called Citizen of the Month written, directed AND produced by Neil Kramer.

He started this HUGE project of getting strange (like strangers, not like weird...well, maybe that, too) bloggers to interview each other and then he would put up the links for the interviews.

I went and signed up and lo and behold, Middle Age Woman of Unmitigated signed up RIGHT BEHIND ME (SEE, SEE...she does stalk me!).

Awesome! And weird. Because I was already a regular reader of hers.

Anyhooooooo....a while ago (again) on her blog, she posted up the interview she did with a fellow blogger (who I now read) and it shamed me into coming up with a bunch of questions to ask this blogger who I'm a little intimidated by. So, with fear in my heart and extremely sweaty palms, I sent her the following questions.

My questions are in red.
Her answers are in turquoise.
My responses to her answers are in purple.

Ok, ok, you can quit shooting me daggers. I finally came up with some questions.

What the Hell am I gonna do with all these leftover daggers? Jeez, you put a real crimp in a person’s style, here.

Keep in mind, that after you answer these and when I do my post, I'll be responding to some of your responses. I may be funny, I may be serious. Depends on my mood.

1. I know that you became a teacher not that long ago and since I can do math (not well, I might add...get it? Add?) and know that since your daughter is 18 and your son is 16, that you made this career change later in life, I want to know what made you decide to do this? Was it a specific even that triggered this? Was it a life long dream?

This is going to sound so lame. I was working part time in a CD store when the kids were little (I was in my thirties), and one of the (much younger) girls came in to work with her homework. She was in college working toward a teaching degree. I don’t know why it struck me as a good idea. Probably because it meant I could quit my job and go to school. I hadn’t done something that felt like it was just for me for a long time. Before the kids were born, I worked in a series of office jobs that I hated with the red-hot fire of a thousand suns. I am beginning to think that every endeavor I have taken on was an excuse to get out of the one I was in. Shit.

2. Do you think I'm funny?

Of course. And HAWT, too! (Somewhat related) I really wanted to show my students that video of Jessie the squirrel, but SOMEONE injudiciously mentioned her own boobs in the audio, so, no.

It's true. If you go back and listen, I do mention my boobies. I said MENTION, not SHOW!

3. Do the kids you teach motivate you in any way? If so, how?

They mostly motivate me to be goofy, which is fun for me and them. Sometimes, when I see what some of them have to live with at home (divorces, abuse, poverty, etc.) they motivate me to be grateful for what I have. Don’t start feeling sorry for me, though. I work in a pretty wealthy area of the state, so the issues I see are usually pretty tame compared to what inner-city teachers deal with.

4. If you could pick one song to sum up your life, what would it be and why?

Right now I have to go with the song my husband requested be dedicated to us on our first anniversary. Sung by Randy Newman, whom we saw in concert that night, it’s called Wedding at Cherokee County. Here are the lyrics:

There she is sitting there
Out behind the smoke house in her rocking chair
She don't do nothin'
She don't say nothin'
She don't feel nothin'
She don't know nothin'
Maybe she's crazy I don't know
But maybe that's why I love her so
Her papa was a midget
Her mama was a whore
Her granddad was a newsboy 'til he was eighty four (what a slimy ol’ bastard he was)
Man don't you think I know she hates me
Man don't you think I know that she's no good
If she knew how she'd be unfaithful to me
I think she'd kill me if she could
Maybe she's crazy I don't know
But maybe that's why I love her so
I'm not afraid of the grey wolf
Who stalks through our forest at dawn
As long as I have her beside me
I have the strength to carry on
Today we will be married
And all the freaks that she knows will be there
And all the people from the village will be there
To congratulate us
I will carry her across the threshold
I will make dim the light
I will attempt to spend my love within her
But though I try with all my might
She will laugh at my mighty sword
She will laugh at my mighty sword
Why must everybody laugh at my mighty sword?
Lord, help me if you will
Maybe we're both crazy, I don't know
Maybe that's why I love her so

I love this song. Never heard it, but the lyrics are hilarious as hell. Might have to download this one.

5. What about your students do you admire?

I admire how many of them are able to be successful at school, because at their age, I certainly was not! They can actually sit there, complete the work that is assigned, do their homework, and turn it in when it is due, having done a pretty good job—80% of them can. By the end of the year, 90% of them can.

6. I'm thinking of a number between 1 and 563. What is it?

Based on the fact that you live south of the Mason-Dixon line, have one female child, have taken in an orphan squirrel to raise, and are willing to interview me, I’m going to say I have no idea. I’m getting a zit on my chin. I think it’s because of this question.

Yeah, I have that effect on people. So I'm told.

7. What about your students annoy you?

Example: Okay, ladies and gentlemen, when you are done with the quiz, please place it on the back counter, and you may choose from any of the activities listed here while you wait for your classmates to finish (ALL of this is written on the overhead projector as I speak, the instructions, the choices, everything). After the quiz: Where do I put this quiz? Can I read my book? Where does the quiz go when I am done? What am I supposed to do now? And on, and on, every FREAKING day! Really, though? I can deal with all that.

8. Have you ever sucked the head of a crawfish?

Is this a southern-belle way of referring to a bl*w-job? Because it doesn’t make it sound anymore appetizing.

I about peed in my pants when I read this response. I know for a fact that I snorted LOUDLY. Ummmm....not, it's not a southern term for a BJ. It's what you do with a crawfish. However, it is good practice for BJ's.

9. Any advice to pass on to someone wanting to make a change in their life by becoming a teacher?

Yes. Run. Run fast and far. Teaching is really not very much about teaching. A lot of it is jumping through federal and state government hoops, dealing with parents and administrators, and dumb-ass meetings. I guess it’s worth it when you make a connection with a kid who really needs you.

10. Tell me about a time when you got stinking drunk. Anything interesting happen or did you just throw up?

The last time I got stinking drunk was about a month after my dad died. I was not really dealing with it too well. Nothing spectacular happened, I just had trouble falling asleep because the damn room kept spinning. And I had a headache in the morning. A couple days ago, something kind of interesting DID happen. I sat in my own living room for over two hours and failed to notice that Handy Jeff had been by to work in the bathroom on the Hellmouth. What didn’t I notice? Drywall, a ladder, a shop vac, a pile of tools, and a big bucket of drywall mud. I took a nap before dinner, and finally noticed it when I woke up. I called him to ask if he’d been by while I was sleeping. Nope, he’d left it that morning. I’m just losing my mind.

Now, that's what I call DRUNK. Finally, a role model.

11. Lastly, what do you REALLY think about Captain Dumbass?

I want the Cap’n to record his voice so I can hear it in my dreams. Between that deep timbre and the Canadian accent, it makes me wild with ecstasy. He’s not going to read this, is he?

No. No, he's not going to read this at all. Your secret is safe with me.

I want to thank everyone who helped me with this interview. I couldn't have done it without you. The checks are in the mail....pinky swear.

Later,

Who Would You Do?

Ok Guys and Gals, get your rears in gear cause it's Monday Morning and you know what that means....

Time for that weekly question "Who Would You Do?" (book by Susan Segrest)

Would you prefer to dress Dan Rather up in S & M gear and spank his naked butt every night for the next year

or

have Brian Williams dress you up in S & M gear and spank your naked butt every night for the next year? *

*Editor's Note---You HAVE to pick one of the choices. Even if you're a guy and the only choices are guys...same for girls...believe me, there are lots where it's only girls to choose from.

Later,



*The book has Peter Jennings listed but I don't feel it's appropriate to put him in this since he only passed away a few years ago. I substituted Brian Williams in his place. The choice was mine and mine alone.

Stolen from Captain Dumbass

I actually did this already but forgot what I did with it.

Eh, 29 out of a 100. But, I got time still. I’ll get to ‘em.

"The Big Read is a USA National Endowment for the Arts program designed to encourage community reading initiatives and of their top 100 books, they estimate the average adult has read only six.

1. Look at the list and bold those you have read.
2. Italicize those you intend to read.
3. Underline (or color) the books you LOVE .Share this list in your blog, too, if you like.”

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee (the first book to introduce me to the injustices of the world)
6 The Bible
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens (hated)
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulks
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveler’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (still to this day, one of my favorite books EVER)
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis (I have read these at least 3 times each, some of them 6 times)
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe - CS Lewis (ummmm...this is included in #33)
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding (this is what made me want to be a boy...for like a month, then I got a boyfriend and quickly decided I liked being a girl much better)
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens (hated)
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens (hated)
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens (hated)
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White (hated)
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint-Exupery
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo

Later,

I Need Questions

No, you read that right. I need questions.

I'm thinking of either doing a weekly or monthly Q & A with Light of my Life and I need questions to ask her.

Now, I know my own kid pretty well AND knowing her, any questions you ask her will probably end up surprising the hell out of me. Only 'cause she can be unpredictable that way.

So, I'll leave this post up all weekend and post in the comments any questions you want me to ask her. Depending on how many I get, it might take several sessions and several vids. But, from the response I've been getting from many of you, you wouldn't mind seeing my kid up here.

OK, let the questions begin.

And, you can ask her serious questions, silly questions, thought provoking questions. Really, anything (appropriate). She's up for them all!

If you need help, here's some deets on her.

She's 8
She takes dance lessons (since she was 2)
She LOVES music
She LOVES movies and TV shows on DVD
She likes playing Barbies
She likes playing baby doll
She has a boyfriend
She slept through a tornado once
She wants to be a cheerleader
She's really, really, really smart
She's nice and polite
She has a messy room, constantly
She likes to eat (will even try sushi and edamame)

Later,

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta

My homes.

As we were driving to go to New Orleans for a visit with friends, we swung through my old hometown and walked down memory lane.



This is the house I lived in when my mom and dad brought me home from the hospital. I, of course, don't remember it. We moved from here when I was two.




This is the house I lived in from two til eleven. I LOVED this house. I LOVED this neighborhood. I have so many good memories here. I had a wonderful childhood. Not too long after we moved, the city I grew up in started to deteriorate and I was so disappointed to hear about this. However, for some reason, this neighborhood is still hanging in there and doing good. The house looks a little different (when we lived there, there was no pink painted on it, just slate blue). Also, the mailbox was located on the other side of the street. That tree that I planted 22 years ago? Yeah, it was a free one that they gave us at school for Arbor Day. It's MASSIVE now. I wish they still did things like that.


This is our house in Florida. Please excuse the obvious camera in the picture. I was taking a picture of a picture through glass. Anyway, even though it was my teenage years, I still have good memories of this house as well. It's such a typical Florida house. Last time we were in Florida, we drove by it and it's now painted yellow. How that got by the Homeowners Association, I'll never know.



This is our house in New Orleans. Again, excuse the camera in the picture. That's my mom walking back to the house. We were decorating for Mardi Gras and had walked across the street to check on the decorations from the street. This is where Light of my Life came after she was born. She still misses the house and to a degree, so do I. But, I still love where we live now, much better. This was the one that was damaged in Katrina.



This is our current house. Of course, the dumpster is no longer there. That was there to clean out the house before I moved in. The previous tenant left it in a COMPLETE and UTTER MESS. Destroyed furniture and the floors. Thank goodness for elbow grease and a landlord that knows how to fix crap.

The porch needs to be jacked up on the right and it needs to be repainted and the shutters re-done, but that's on the landlords "to-do" list. What you don't see is the tons and tons and tons of land surrounding this house. To date, this is my favorite place to live. Funny, it's the smallest and the one that gives me the most problems, but, there's just something about it. It's......home.

If you wanna join in, please head on over to Candid Carrie's for more photo phun.

Later,

Thursday Nothing...Again

Y'all. I'm tapped out on creativity this week. Sorry. I've got a post I'm working on, but I'm stuck right now. Maybe next week.

Til then, be satisfied with this I stole borrowed from Just Lisa, No Filler.

What's true for you?

The Bold are true….

Appearance:

- I am 5'4 or shorter.
- I think I’m ugly.
- I have many scars.
- I tan easily.
- I wish my hair was a different color.
- I have friends who have never seen my natural hair color.
- I have a tattoo.
- I am self-conscious about my appearance. (now, not when I was younger)
- I have/I’ve had braces.
- I wear glasses. (actually, contacts)
- I’d get/have gotten plastic surgery if it were 100% safe, free, scar-free.
- I’ve been told I’m attractive by a complete stranger.
- I have had more than 2 piercings.
- I have had piercings in places besides my ears.
- I have freckles. (a few, not many)

Family/Home Life:

- I’ve sworn at my parents.
- I’ve run away from home.
- I’ve been kicked out of the house.
- My biological parents are together.
- I have a sibling less than one year old.
- I want to have kids someday.
- I have children.
- I’ve lost a child. (lost like die or lost in a store? if in a store, yes...if die, no)

Embarrassment:

- I’ve slipped out a “LOL” in a spoken conversation.
- Disney movies still make me cry.
- I’ve snorted while laughing.
- I’ve laughed so hard I’ve cried.
- I’ve glued my hand to something.
- I’ve laughed till some kind of beverage came out of my nose.
- I’ve had my trousers rip in public.

Health:

- I was born with a disease/impairment.
- I’ve had stitches.
- I’ve broken a bone.
- I’ve had my tonsils removed.
- I’ve sat in a doctor’s office with a friend.
- I’ve had my wisdom teeth removed.
- I’ve had serious surgery. (emergency c-section)
- I’ve had chicken pox.

Traveling:

- I’ve driven over 200 miles in one day.
- I’ve been on a plane.
- I’ve been to Canada. (no, but as soon as Trooper Thorn proposes, I will)
- I’ve been to Niagara Falls.
- I’ve been to Japan. (only at Epcot)
- I’ve been to Europe.
- I’ve been to Africa.

Experiences:

- I’ve been lost in my city.
- I’ve seen a shooting star.
- I’ve wished on a shooting star.
- I’ve seen a meteor shower.
- I’ve gone out in public in my pajamas.
- I’ve pushed all the buttons in a lift.
- I’ve been to a casino.
- I’ve been skydiving.
- I’ve gone skinny dipping.
- I’ve played spin the bottle.
- I’ve crashed a car.
- I’ve been skiing.
- I’ve been in a play.
- I’ve met someone in person from the Internet.
- I’ve caught a snowflake on my tongue.
- I’ve seen the Northern Lights.
- I’ve sat on a roof top at night.
- I’ve played chicken.
- I’ve seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show.
- I’ve eaten Sushi.
- I’ve been snowboarding.

Relationships:

- I’m single.
- I’m in a relationship.
- I’m available.
- I’m engaged (not yet, c'mon Troop, get your booty in gear)
- I’m married.
- I’ve gone on a blind date.
- I’ve been the dumpee more than the dumper.
- I have a fear of abandonment.
- I’ve been divorced.
- I’ve had feelings for someone who didn’t have them back.
- I’ve told someone I loved them when I didn’t.
- I’ve told someone I didn’t love them when I did.
- I’ve kept something from a past relationship. (uh, yeah, I call her light of my life)

Sexuality: (You know what, I know people in real life who read this blog and I think some of my answers would totally blow their mind and they might think less of me. There are some secrets a girl needs to keep to herself. I will answer the ones that are innocent.)

- I’ve had a crush on someone of the same gender.
- I’ve kissed a member of the same gender.
- I’ve had sex with someone of the opposite gender.
- I’ve had sex with someone of the same gender.
- I’ve had sex with more than one person at the same time.
- I am a cuddler.
- I’ve been kissed in the rain.
- I’ve had sex outdoors.
- I’ve hugged a stranger.
- I have kissed a stranger.
- I have had sex with a stranger.

Honesty/Crime: (Good Lord, how do I live with myself?)

- I’ve done something I promised someone else I wouldn’t.
- I’ve done something I promised myself I wouldn’t.
- I have lied to my parents about where I am.
- I am keeping a secret from the world.
- I’ve cheated while playing a game.
- I’ve cheated on a test.
- I’ve driven through a red light
- I’ve witnessed a crime.
- I’ve been in a fist fight.
- I’ve been arrested.
- I’ve shoplifted.

Drugs/Alcohol:

- I’ve consumed alcohol.
- I’ve smoked cigarettes.
- I’ve smoked pot.
- I regularly drink.
- I’ve taken painkillers when I didn’t need them.
- I’ve taken cough medicine when i wasn’t sick.
- I’ve done hard drugs.
- I’ve been addicted to an illegal substance.
- I can’t swallow pills.
- I can swallow about 5 pills at a time no problem.

Mental health:

- I have been diagnosed with depression.
- I shut others out when I’m depressed.
- I take anti-depressants.
- I have had an eating disorder.
- I’ve slept an entire day when I didn’t need it.
- I’ve hurt myself on purpose.
- I’m addicted to self harm.
- I’ve woken up crying.

Death:

- I’m afraid of dying.
- I hate funerals.
- I’ve seen someone dying.
- I have attempted suicide.
- Someone close to me has attempted suicide.
- Someone close to me has committed suicide.

Random:

- I can sing well. (this is a laugh...I can kill a man at 20 paces with my singing...trust me)
- I’ve stolen a tray from a fast food restaurant.
- I open up to others too easily.
- I watch the news.
- I don’t kill bugs.
- I hate hearing songs that sacrifice meaning for sake of being able to rhyme.
- I swear regularly.
- I am a morning person.
- I paid for my mobile phone ring tone.
- I’m a snob about grammar.
- I am a sports fanatic.
- I play with my hair.
- I have/had “x”s in my screen name.
- I love being neat.
- I love Spam. (and here's where I lose half my readers)
- I’ve copied more than 30 CD’s in a day.
- I bake well.
- I don’t know how to shoot a gun. (thanks to L, I know how to do this)
- I am in love with love.
- I am guilty of tYpInG lIkE tHiS.
- I laugh at my own jokes.
- I eat fast food weekly.
- I believe in ghosts.
- I am online 24/7, even as an away message.
- I can’t sleep if there is a spider in the room.
- I am really ticklish.
- I love white chocolate.
- I bite my nails.
- I play video games.
- I’m good at remembering faces.
- I’m good at remembering names.
- I’m good at remembering dates.
- I have no idea what I want to do for the rest of my life.
- My answers are totally honest

Happy Thursday! Whoo Hoo...Survivor's on tonight! Can't wait!

Later,

Pimping My Stuff

Ok, peeps.

I gotta take the time now to pimp my etsy.

I know, I know. Most of you aren't interested.

But for the few of you that are, I've added some new stuff to the shop. In addition, I've made some changes.

Y'all know that I sell the sunglasses cords, but I now have a policy that if you like a sunglasses cord but would prefer to have a lanyard instead, I can convert any of them I have for sale at no extra charge.

I recently had a referral from one of you (thanks Kat at Sunshine and Lemonade) and sold three cords that I had converted at her request to lanyards. It was easy to do and didn't take much extra time.

Parents-you know how you usually end up getting the teachers in your kids life soaps and lotions and whatnot? How about this year, getting them a lanyard for their ID badges. Pretty AND practical. The Nice One brought up a good point. I can CUSTOM make the lanyards in your school colors or themes. This may take a little extra time if I have to do a special order, but only by a week or so.

Not only that, but I have a couple of necklace and bracelet sets that would be perfect for that special little girl in your life.

So, without further ado......here's the highlights of my etsy. If anything strikes you, feel free to purchase. If something doesn't strike your fancy but you know of someone who might like it, please, share the link with them. Tell everyone you know. Think of the holidays. They will be upon us shortly and you may just be looking for that perfect item for someone special (or not special) in your life and it might just be at my shop.



This is the perfect necklace and bracelet set as a gift for someone for Christmas.





I just love how these sterling silver earrings turned out. Perfect to dress up a pair of jeans and a plain tee or to accompany a hot new outfit.



This is a sunglasses cord that can be converted to a lanyard. Perfectly in time for Halloween.




Here's another one that can be converted to a lanyard. I love the colors in this. Pink, orange, red and copper. So pretty.




This is one of my favorite pieces for a little girl. I can just picture this at Christmas time on a little girl wearing a green velvet dress at church or for a family portrait.

Thanks for looking and indulging me in my new endeavor.

Later,

My Head's Spinning

I just gotta respond to some comments in a separate post.

First, Trooper Thorn has all but declared his undying love for me and he would have moved down here except for those damn centipedes.

Troop, I take it back...it was a fake. It's made of rubber.

There, now pack up your stuff and move your cutie booty down here to the dirty south so we can live in sin.

Second, Captain Dumbass (who is not a serious contender for my affections since he's married but a girl can dream...back off Jenboglass) is actually going to get his kids DOWN FOR A NAP so he can read my little ol' blog. Be still my beating heart.

Third...and I'm sorry guys, but this one beats out both of yours COMBINED...Momo Fali not only knows and is close personal friends with Chris Daugherty the winner of Survivor Vanuatu but...and this is the big one....wait for it, wait for it...

She suggested that we do the AMAZING RACE together!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can you feel my excitement? No? Was there not enough exclamation marks?

Of course, now that I posted this, she's gonna take it back.

All kidding aside, this is something that I'd love to do one day. My mom and I have discussed signing up but I don't know how serious she is about the whole thing.

So far, Rhea and Trooper have been the only ones to offer up their sons for my daughter. Anyone else?

Later,

Black Hole of Nothingness...

...is what I have.

So, you get the joy of reading incredibly random crap about my life.

Yay you!

**First of all, behold Light of my Life's school pic.



Awesome, isn't it? Anybody want to lock her down for their son now? If so, I'm taking bids names.

**I recently bought a bunch of mini bananas. On the sticker on the bananas was this set of instructions. "For best results peel from the top down". Seriously? You need instructions on how to peel a banana? Even a monkey knows how to do that...for real...monkeys really know how to do that. How many kinds of stupid do you have to be to not know that?

**I was recently listening to the live version of Maroon 5’s “The Sun” and at the end, he says something like “I didn’t tell the band I was gonna do this but I have another song for you” and then "In Your Room" by the Bangles starts up. My first thought? "Cool, Maroon 5's covering the Bangles" before I realized I had my iPod on shuffle.

**Look at the pic below. Isn't that cool? C, my neighbor's kid, lined up her M & M's this way before she ate them. I thought it made a neat picture.



Kinda segues into the next pic.



This was in my yard yesterday. For reals, y'all. It was like 6 feet 4 inches long.

**Amazing Race and Survivor are starting soon! And HEROES started LAST NIGHT y'all! I'm on the edge of my seat. It was a TERRIFIC episode (two technically). I heart Peter so much. (the character, not the stupid name of a man's johnson....although....)

**The pic below is the sight from my front porch on Sunday morning. Light of my life and her friend M brought out most of her baby doll stuff and played house outside Sunday morning after she and her sister (the above mentioned C) spent the night on Saturday night while their parents went to his 20th high school reunion. Hahahahahaha, L, I still have 7 years to go before mine.



**Someone sent this to me in an e-mail. It's too short for it's own post, so I'll do it here.

My 4444 (WTF?)

Four places that I go to over and over:
Work
Wal-Mart
Shell Station
My neighbor's house (although since I just insulted L, that might not be the case anymore...sorry L!)

Four people who e-mail me regularly:
Jaymie from the boards
L
R
Jeff

Four of my favorite places to eat:
My neighbor's when they're having L's KICK ASS deer meat (there, L, I think I've kissed your ass enough now...please let me have beer)
Macaroni Grill
Mona's
Bangkok (hee, hee, I wrote kok) Thai

Four places I would rather be right now:
Disney World
a tropical island
Canada (that's for the two men who compete for my imagined affections, Trooper Thorn and Captain Dumbass)
My bed

**My mom wrote an article about our Gustav evacuees and they ran it along with two of my photos in our local paper. And, they just told me that they want me to send a pic of Jesse and his story for publication. In addition, my kid is always in the paper for her various awards and whatnot. Plus, she just got her pic taken for the special "Good Morning" section of the paper. We're FAMOUS y'all! My "list" of demands is gonna appear here soon. And I'm a DIVA when it comes to getting what I need want.

**I'll tie this up now. The below pic shows just HOW MUCH my cat J.D. loves me. He puts up with my stinky feet near his face. I love how his little paw is gently resting on my foot. I love it when he does this but he always does it at an inopportune time...like when I need a glass of wine or I need to pee. Cats are funny like that. (yeah, those are x's on my feet, I didn't want y'all judging my feet...believe me, they wouldn't win any awards)



That's all I got peeps.

Later,

Who Would You Do?

Ok, all you Monday Morning Marauders....what? That doesn't make sense? Yeah, I know. It's Monday, forgive me.

Anyhoo...here's your Monday morning "Who Would You Do" (book by Susan Segrest).

This one's for the men (and some of you ladies!!!).

Gillian Anderson still believes that the truth is out there and is convinced that she will find it in your pants. Julianne Moore just wants to get into your pants and doesn’t need some lame excuse to do it. Who would you do?

*Editor's Note---You HAVE to pick one of the choices. Even if you're a guy and the only choices are guys...same for girls...believe me, there are lots where it's only girls to choose from.

Later,

Jesse the Squirrel

Here he is, live and in color. My newest pet (who, by the way, ROCKS!). He absolutely adores me. I know, I know, who doesn't.

Ummmm.....don't tell anyone, but I think it's actually because I'm the one that feeds him, but, still, he loves me. And I love him.

If you wanna play along, go to Candid Carrie's to play!

Later,

Mama Dawg

From A Teenager's Point of View

Oh, wow.

I was totally gonna drop the whole sex education post because, well, I like to do a different post a day (unless it's a pre-discussed lengthy post telling a specific story), but I can't in all honesty drop this subject.

And it's all because of two teenagers.

When I left my neighbor's house yesterday, I still had only 15 comments on that post. I knew I might get a couple more from those that stay up late and don't get to catch up on their reading until late at night.

However, I did not expect to get two teenager's comments on this very post.

Parents, if you want to know how kids think, read the below comments.

For the record, I KNOW these two girls personally. They are level headed, smart, funny, pretty, popular girls who are seniors in high school.

One of them is family...not blood related, but we've been in each others lives for so long, I consider her like a cousin or even a little sister. The other girl is a friend of hers and I've known her for years as well.

I have not edited their comments. Please excuse any grammar mistakes. Both are such responsible hard-working girls (who know proper grammar and spelling), we can let this slide! ;)

Here's the first quote:

"OK.. maybe you want a teen's opinion on all this.... For all you readers out there, here's a 17 year old's opinion....

My mom never had "The talk" with me. One day she saw a very young pregnant girl and pointed to her and said "See that? That's what happens..." lol

I would just about DIE if she came up to me and talked to me about it. I am still a virgin, which is MY choice. I have many friends, however, that are not. That is there decision.

Kids are jumping into sex soo early now. If you decide to have "The Talk" with your kids, please do it EARLY!" Earlier than when they start to want it, but late enough so that they could grasp the importance of the subject!

Parents, sorry but the hormones will win. They won't listen to you if you tell them to wait. All you can do is to do your part by stressing how important protection is. Mistakes will happen but, there are ways to try and prevent those mistakes these days (Like birth control!) Mothers, don't freak out if your daughter comes up to you asking for birth control. Take it is an act of responsibility!"

And the other quote:

"Here's another seventeen year-olds opinion...i also never had "the talk" i have two older siblings and by the time i was 6 i knew all about the birds and the bees between my 13 year-old brother and his friends nothing was left to the imagination...

Whatever questions i did have were answered fully none of the "what a kid can handle" bit, i got the full story...being as informed as i was i knew that sex was a very large step and you shoulnt do it until you feel you can raise a child...

i am also a virgin by my own choice...my mom always told me to wait until i was at least a senior in high-school to even consider doing "the deed" and that i did! now as a senior i know I WANT to wait until i find love...not until im married but until i find someone that when im telling my daughter how old i was and who it was with it will be someone i can truly say i'll never forget...

i know many people my age girls and boys who have had sex and they admit that they really regret it and that they just did it b/c they didnt think about the possible consiquinces...So no i dont think you should tell them to wait til marriage, and i agree with v make sure they know the facts don't have "the talk" persay but have an open heart about the situation. You've apparntly done it and it's not a death sentence!"

I'm not gonna analyze these comments or break them down. I think they should stand as they are and take them for face value.

I personally feel that they have some good advice for us parents.

Girls, I just want to say how proud I am of both of you and that getting comments from you two are the highlight of my days. Both of you are strong, smart, beautiful, funny young women and I am proud and honored to know both of you and have both of you in my life.

Please, if you have anything positive to say in response to these girls, just post a comment and I promise you, they will read this (and your comments). I know that both of them are regular readers of mine.

However, if you have anything negative to say, if you really feel you need to get it off your chest, please e-mail me direct instead of saying anything in the comments section. Remember, they ARE just 17. Also, I'll personally track you down and kick your ass!

Later,

Sex Education

So, with all this political BS that's been going on, I've read several blogs where they talk about the candidates "stand" on sex education.

Now, before you guys think, "OMG, is this another political post?"....um....no.

That's just what made me think about sex education.

When I was growing up, I never had the "TALK" with my mom. She never sat me down and went over details and feelings and morality and all that crap.

I learned by reading books (not just smut books but real, honest to God, science books) and talking to my friends and taking a health class my freshman year in high school.

I actually had a good understanding of what it was (technically) but the emotional aspect of it was a little...vague. However, if you've never done it, it's hard to describe. At least, to a teen, it's hard to describe.

I'm getting off point.

I've been reading where people are saying that they are going to teach their kids that it's better to wait til marriage but at the same time, arm them with the information and, yes, protection in case the kids decide to go ahead.

This brought up a question in my mind.What if you don't want to get married?

If you truly want your kids to wait until they get married to have sex, do you mean to say that you really, really, really want them to wait til then? Or just until they're able to responsibly take care of a baby that "accidentally" comes?

'Cause, if you really, really, really mean for them to wait...don't you think that's unfair to your kid? If they are the types of kids that really do what their parents tell them (I know, I know, pipe dreams), you might be condemning them to a life of virginity.

How is this fair? And, how is this fair to the kid for you to put the pressure of living up to your expectations on them?

I know, I know, it's ridiculous to think this because most people, they have sex once they reach adulthood...no matter what their parents say.

But, it's still something to think about.

And, another point, what if your kid is gay? And gay marriages are/have been abolished? (yes, yes, I know, it's not legal in every state....I don't feel like you guys are the types of readers who would make me point out EVERY SINGLE detail that may or may not need clarification)

Again, same dilemma.

And, not only that, but did you wait til you were married? No? If not, do you really feel good about telling your kid to wait until their married when you didn't do that yourself? Wouldn't you feel hypocritical?

I've already had the talk with light of my life. She asked me when she was about 6.

I went over the details with her. The technical details. I didn't go into details like the different kinds of sex. I just went over the basic man/woman sexual intercourse.

I also made the decision to tell her that she needed to wait until she could responsibly take care of a baby on her own (or with a partner if she chooses).

I don't want to put the pressure of marriage on her. I don't think marriage is for everyone and I sure as hell don't want to lead her down a path that's not her own.

I know this is all disjointed and rambling, but it was something that came up while reading other blogs.

What do you think? What are you planning on telling your kid(s)? When are you planning on telling your kid(s)?

And remember, if you can't say something nice, don't say anything at all. Or I'll tell your mama.

Later,

Who Would You Do?

Ok, ok. I know this is a day late. But yesterday was an important day. It was V's 17th, so it trumps Who Would You Do?

Anyhoo, here's your belated question (book by Susan Segrest):

We lied: Size does matter. But legend has it that Liam Neeson, David Duchovny and Willem Dafoe all sport, um, supersized packages-so they probably aren't concerned with this revelation. Which of these blessed boys would you like to tackle? (click on the names for pics)

*Editor's Note---You HAVE to pick one of the choices. Even if you're a guy and the only choices are guys...same for girls...believe me, there are lots where it's only girls to choose from.

Later,

Happy Birthday, Roxie Hart!

Today is my friend V's 17th birthday!

Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday to you! Happy Birthday Dear Roxie Hart V, Happy Birthday to you!!!!!!!



This is V when she played Roxie Hart in her school's production of "Chicago".



I think the captions speak volumes for her talent!



This is V and light of my life.

Everyone wish her a Happy Birthday!

Later,

To Spend or Not to Spend, That is the Question

Like so many others out there, light of my life gets an allowance.

I read a long time ago that a good rule of thumb is to give them an allowance based on their age.

If they're 5, give them $5, 6 give them $6, so on and so forth.

I actually like this idea. I know it seems like a lot of money, but my daughter actually does earn it. She feeds the pets, makes her bed and keeps her room clean.

I am horrible with money. Absolutely horrible. I don't save (cause, really, if I saved anything, anything at all, I couldn't pay my bills...I am what they call the "working poor") and when I do have any extra, I tend to spend it on something fun.

However, I'm trying to instill in my daughter a sense of saving.

She's much better at it than I am.

One of the rules I set up when it comes to her allowance is that she only gets $5 to actually spend. The balance goes towards her savings for our Disney trip we take every two years.

I started this when she was five. She didn't have any money saved up for that first trip cause I had just started giving her an allowance. But, by the time the next trip rolled around (when she was 7), she had a poopload of money saved that I allowed her to spend on WHATEVER she wanted at Disney World (minus candy).

Can I tell you that that girl actually came home with money? She came home with $30! Amazing!

She likes this arrangement. It suits her just fine.

She also recently had to save up half the money for an iPod. She wanted one really badly and I told her that if she saved up half the money (about $100), I would put up the other half.

It took her about 3 months but she did it. She didn't spend a dime of what she earned.

I've read on other blogs that parents give money for good grades and good behavior and whatnot. But we don't do that in my house. I feel like she has to earn the grades because she needs them to get into a good school, not because she gets money for them.

However, my mom cancels out that lesson and gives her $20 if she makes straight A's on her report card. Oh, mom. What am I going to do with you?

This post is was written for that contest for an iPhone that The Parent Bloggers is hosting.

They have a link to Capital One that has to be included in this post. I was just going to post the link but then when I actually checked it out, it had some good advice.

Things to think about.

Anyway, have a good Sunday. I'm stuck at work. Trying to earn extra money.

Such is my life.

Later,

What Have I Gotten Myself Into?

Apparently, this is my new child.



His mama is nowhere to be found.



And for some reason, he likes me.



Sigh.........his name is Jesse.

What have I gotten myself into?

Later,

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta

So, if anyone ever wants to know what there is to do out in the country when the nearest shopping and entertainment is located about 30 miles away.....



(Notice the bridge? Yeah, I put that there months ago so it would "age" appropriately. That's how long I've been planning this "photo shoot")



(Barbie ROCKS the fishing fashion. Seriously. She's FIERCE)



(Awwww....Kelly's so cute. See the fishing pole? Yeah, I made that. Out of string, a stick and an orange bead for the bobber....go ahead, call me a dork...I won't disagree!)



(They are such a cute mother and daughter team, aren't they? Next week, G.I. Joe making a souffle.)

....this is it.

If you wanna join in on the fun or just wanna look at other pretty(ier) photos, head on over to Candid Carrie's. You won't be sorry.

Later,

Mama Dawg...The Drug Mule

Did I ever tell you about my time as a drug mule?

No?

Hmmmmm….how I missed tell you guys about that, I’ll never know.

Anyway, it was back in 1995.

Yep, the year I graduated high school.

As I’ve mentioned here before, I used to work for Disney World.

I started in February of 1995 during my senior year of high school.

I met a fabulous girl there. I called her Mimi. Her real name is not Mimi and because I love her so, I will not reveal her real name here.


(that's me and Mimi)

Nevertheless, Mimi is Puerto Rican.

It’s important you know that…seriously…it has some bearing on the story.

Anyhoo, sometime during that summer, Mimi and I decided to visit my aunt, uncle and step-cousin in New Orleans. It was normally a 10 hour road trip but this being our first road trip and all, it took a lot longer than that…naturally.

No, we didn’t get lost.

We stopped to go shopping in an Antique Mall somewhere in BFE Florida or George or somewhere near those states.

Could have been Alaska for all I know. (Hi! Sarah…nice caribou!)

Before we left, we had decided to swing through Jackson, MS to visit my dad and step-mom.

Since we were in the neighborhood and all, you know.

At that time, I was driving my Teal Mobile. We had the car full of crap. You know, necessary things. Bathing suits, clothes, hair stuff, shoes, snacks, drinks, etc…..

I made the incredibly smart decision to drive the WHOLE WAY.

Mimi offered, but I declined.

Cause I’m a good friend that way.

After driving FOREVER, we finally get on 49 in Mississippi.

Anybody that knows Mississippi knows that this is known as COP CORRIDOR.

It’s dark and I all of a sudden see these swirly lights in my rearview mirror and I pull over like a good law-abiding citizen.

This big huge good ol’ boy swaggers out of his tiny clown car sized cruiser (that’s how big he was) and mosies on over to my window.

After staring at his rather immense crotch (which was approximately 10 inches from my nose) for about 5 whole minutes, he finally leaned down and asked me for my papers. After he reviewed them for what seemed like hours, he asked me some incredibly stupid questions like “So, you’re name is (insert my real name here)? You’re from Florida, huh?” All this after looking at my DRIVERS LICENSE from the state of Florida.

I’m all “WTF” (inside my head, of course). I answer his questions and watch as he walks all around my car peering inside.

Mimi is in the passenger seat and had been sleeping but was woken up by the commotion.

The cop finally asks me to step outside and makes me walk to the back of my car while he asked me the same stupid questions AGAIN!

He finally asks me if I had been drinking and when I answered negative, he leaned in close to me. I can only guess it was to try to sniff out any alcohol fumes from my breath.

He told me he pulled me over for weaving on the road. When I explained to him that I was tired from my long trip, he finally, sweet lord in heaven, finally let me go with a warning.

An hour or so later, we’re right on the outskirts of the city my dad lives in off of 1-20 when I get pulled over again.

This time, no swirly lights. Just a siren and a white non-descript truck.

This was before we got all those warning e-mails about fake cops pulling women over, so again, like a good citizen, I pulled over.

This time, the obviously undercover cop gets me out of the car first thing and asks to see my license.

He, at least, was a smart one. He just looked at me, looked at the license, looked at me again and asked me if I knew why he pulled me over.

I said, “Well, the last cop pulled me over for weaving”.

He didn’t find that funny.

He did say that that why he pulled me over.

He then asked me where I was going and I told him. I explained we were only 20 minutes or so from my dad’s place and that I was really, really tired.

He then asked me if I had someone in the car. When I gave him her name, he got all bright eyed and started walking around the exterior of my vehicle.

This whole time, I’m finding all this incredibly weird and I can’t figure out the strange behavior.

He finally comes back around after talking to Mimi in the car and lets me off with a warning.

We continue on til we get to my dad’s house.

After we get there and we relax for a bit, I explained the cops weird behavior to my step-mom and dad.

They started laughing and told me that I was a suspected drug mole.

When I asked what that meant, they said that even though they pulled me over for weaving, they probably already had me in their sights due to the following:

I was driving a sports car
I had Florida plates
I was a young female

When they pulled me over and saw that I had a Puerto Rican in the front with me, that furthered their suspicions.

It turns out, the routes I was driving was apparently the drug corridor haven for drug mules going from Texas to Florida or vice versa.

Who knew?

Just so you can get an idea of how much I love Mimi, here’s a picture of us from a trip to Six Flags.



She Rocks!!!

Later,

Here's the Answer

I'm the one on the left. Can't you tell by the sassy cock of my hip (hee, hee, I said cock) that that's ME?

A couple of years ago, I was playing around on the net and googling people that I went to school with and discovered that the girl in the middle...Sarah...is this person.

I should have guessed. She was always thoughtful and artistic in school. I just never knew she had that kind of passion in her life.

I feel so inadequate compared to the things she's done with her life (not really, but she does seem to be operating on a higher plane than I). I mean, she's been interviewed by NPR, for eff's sake!

But, I admire her.

I lost track of the other girl. Her name is Heather and she moved to Georgia when we were freshmen.



Here's another gratuitous shot of me from the 8th grade. Yeah, I know...shut up!



Congrats to Vicky (although she doesn't count since she knows me), Jennifer, Rhea and Stephanie for guessing correctly. Too bad I have nothing to give you except for props for getting it right!

Later,

Electric Youth

Ahhhhh.......youth.

What a wonderful thing.

I grew up mostly in the 90's. I was 13 when 1990 rolled around and I graduated from high school in 1995.

I was soooooo boy crazy. And, once upon a time, they were crazy for me, too.

I dated....a lot. I mean, crazy a lot. I never kept a boy around for more than 2 weeks.

I loved growing up in the 90's. I lived in Orlando at that time. Actually, outside of Orlando, but close enough.

I lived in the suburbs.

You know, every third house had the same floor plan. Oh, sure, on the outside it was pale blue or pale peach or pale green, but the inside....the same.

Despite the cookie cutter aspect of the neighborhood, I loved it.

I was able to walk to school. Both middle school and high school.

I had friends.

I loved the trends of the 90's.

I loved the sights of the 90's.

I loved the music of the 90's.

I was a 90's girl all the way.

I can remember loving Debbie Gibson. Remember her?

She had some good hits, y'all.

She also put out a perfume.

I LOVED that perfume.

I only ever had one bottle of it.

But I used it all up.

You know how sometimes, a scent can take you back...way back?

Even though Electric Youth is no longer manufactured (I think...God, I hope), there are some perfumes or lotions out there that resemble it enough that if it's wafting through the air at some mall or a fair or at a concert, it takes me back to middle school.

The tears, the heartbreak, the laughter, the sleepovers, the secrets, the passing notes in the hallway.

It takes me back to a gentler time. Of course, it's only gentler cause I'm looking BACK on it. I'm sure if you asked me back then if life was rough, I would have responded with a "Heck yeah!"

There are some days I miss those easier times.

I'll leave you with a very badly taken photo. It's actually a photo of a photo.

See the "lovely" trends of the 90's?

Guess which one's me.



Later,

Mucho Gracias and Answered Questions

O.k. First of all, I just want to say thanks to all of you who have stuck with me through the blogging of my Katrina experience. I know it was tedious at times and sometimes it was overwhelming, but I’m glad I got it out.

Thanks, too, to all who commented and linked. I do appreciate it and believe me, I read EVERY comment!

In the comments section, several of you asked some questions and made some observations that I’d like to acknowledge.

After this post, it will officially serve as the closing of this chapter in my life.

Thanks again.

(click on the person's name below to get directed to their blog)

Sassy-I’m so sorry to hear of your cousin’s townhome. I worked with a few people who had water to their ceilings and truly did lose EVERYTHING. That broke my heart. To imagine the loss of not only material possessions but your memories as well. I’ve seen pics like that (the black line of mold along the walls, the tossed appliances, etc…) and you’re right, the pictures don’t do it justice. And, technically, I’m not a Jeff girl. I lived in Orleans, but right past the Jeff line. I know peeps in the Ridge, too! Light of my life actually didn’t know any different when it came to starting kindergarten in a different school. Since she had only been to daycare (which was a combo pre-school, too), she was going to attend a new school that fall anyway. It just so happened that it was in MS instead of LA. Now, her first grade year, that was a different story. That was harder on her and on me since we were back in LA (and knowing that we were going to move the next year…again!) and having to go to a new school (the school she was originally to attend before Katrina) with new people. She LOVED her school in Flowood and missed it terribly.

Jenboglass-I’m glad to hear that at least one candidate mentioned Katrina. Hopefully, they’ll still have NOLA in mind when whoever comes to office. They could still use the assistance down there. Thanks for all your thoughts during this saga. And it was a little like Christmas running all through the house…all excited to see our things again and to see the non-damage. Yeah, we loved Freddy. He actually lived about another 6 months before finally passing away. I tell you though, it was a hardship for him, too. Don’t ever let anyone tell you that animals don’t feel things. Before the storm, he was a placid little fellow but after….he was mean. I mean, really mean. He would attack the inside of the bowl and would swim furiously if you tapped on the glass. I love how you dumped the Vamps novels for my story. That’s high praise indeed!

Rhea-Thanks for all your support during the story. Yeah, hearing about the levees breaking just about broke me down. I was already stressed enough as it was with the not being able to react and having to stay “on” all the time. Yeah, Anderson Cooper is gay. Not confirmed, mind you, but it’s pretty much a given. Remind me to tell you my story about seeing him. Did your family make it out OK with Gustav? I tell you, it looked like a third world country after the storm hit. It was eerie and smelly and…heartbreaking. It was hard to believe that this was IN a US city. Yeah, the insurance covered all the damages. The few things that weren’t covered, we were able to replace with some excess insurance money (that was legitimately owed).

Kat-Do you ever hear any flak about having the same name? Unfortunately, that storm has ruined that name for me. I always thought it was such a romantic, mysterious name, but not any more. Anytime I hear it, I automatically think people are talking about the storm. That makes me sad. I’m so glad to hear about your church sending the youth to Biloxi. They really needed the help over there. Dealing with Gustav was pretty rough. The same nasty butterfly feelings came back. I had problems in the bathroom area, if you know what I mean. I wasn’t even going through the storm, personally, but it was a combination of PTSD and worrying for my friends and family still in NOLA. Thanks for the good thoughts. Light of my life dealt with seeing things first hand pretty well. She decided to skip out on seeing the house the first day, but when she finally decided to go, she was o.k. When she saw that all her stuff, for the most part, was o.k. I think the worry she was holding on to finally let go. I did take her on a tour of the most devastated parts of the city so she could see, first hand, the devastating effects of a hurricane. I think that was the first time I saw any empathy from her. Being 5 years old, that was a big deal. The flood lines do linger. You can still see them on some people’s houses to this day. The fridge, by far, was the worst part. At least, physically. Emotionally, it was seeing all the devastation all around the city. We moved away from the city in August of 2007 and my mom followed the next month after she sold the house (to the neighbors that helped us out during the storm…coincidentally enough!).

Insane Mama-I think any kind of natural disaster is bad. I’m sorry that you have to deal with earthquakes. As much as I hate hurricanes, at least they give us some time to get the heck out of dodge before the devastation arrives. With earthquakes and tornadoes, you really don’t have much of a chance.

Tamie-Thanks for stopping by and reading! I don’t know if I 100% blame the mayor for everything that happened after. I do feel he’s to blame for lots of the fumbling and the mistakes that occurred afterwards, but I think it’s a combination of the government and the citizens. I strongly feel that the citizens should have heeded the warnings far earlier than they did (I’m talking about the ones that evacuated real late or didn’t evacuate at all). To me, it’s logical. You live on and/or near the water, a hurricane’s coming, you make the preparations to either evacuate or ride it out. None of this counting on the government to help you out of the circumstances that you created. I’m specifically referring to those citizens that you saw all over the news wearing Tommy Hilfiger clothes, with the 2 inch manicured nails and all the gold jewelry. Those people obviously had some sort of means to get out of dodge and chose not to. However, since you can’t get people to think logically 100% of the time and there are human lives at stake, I do think the government should have done a better job of taking care of those that did stay behind and were stuck in the city. That’s all I’m gonna say about that.

Lime-Thanks for stopping by! I think that’s awesome that your husband and daughter helped out the 9th ward. I love hearing about all the support from those outside of the state. It warms my heart and is much appreciated. And, yes, it’s still shocking to see how much devastation is still around.

Jennifer and Sandi-Ahhh…another hurricane survivor. I remember Andrew. I was in school at the time, but my mom (working in the insurance industry) had to go down there to work the storm. She was changed by the experience.

Minivan Mom- (If you haven’t given to her cause yet, please click on the link above the current post…you still have time to give). Tracey, for those of you who don’t know her, is one of the Yahoo group members that I mentioned in my last Katrina post. She (and the rest of the ladies) went out of their way to make sure that my family and myself were safe and sound and fully entertained. I am forever grateful to them for all of their support. This goes for Mary and Karen as well (I mention them specifically since they commented).

Ron-Thanks for stopping by! Yeah, I went through one hurricane that affected Orlando directly, but since Disney didn’t let us off of work the day it passed through, it couldn’t have been too bad. I don’t really remember it too well.

Afro-You’re welcome for remembering the brave, wonderful, stoic people of Mississippi during this time. I truly believe that these people were some of the real heroes during all of this. In my own personal opinion, they are the quiet survivors of this devastating storm and should be recognized as such. Like I mentioned to Kat above, the emotions from Katrina reared their ugly head again during Gustav. I didn’t rest until I had all my peeps accounted for. So cool to hear that your boys were born in Flowood. It was such a lovely city to while away the year til the house was repaired. I really do think that it was best that I offered light of my life the chance to see the devastation first hand but I was absolutely 100% o.k. with her decision to back out at the last minute. There were times when I didn’t want to go either.

Heather-I think that was one of the worst parts, as well. The “not being able to communicate” aspect of it was killing me. Thanks for all your support.

MAW-Yep, the not being able to react about did me in. I did manage to sneak off on long walks and cry and yell and shake and bitch and moan. So, I did eventually get some release. But, never at the exact moment I needed it. Don’t you love how karma works? I’m referring to your landlord/plumbing story in the comments. Served him right! I have not seen Déjà Vu….yet. I may, but I don’t know when I’ll be able to stomach it.

Maggie, Dammit-Thanks for stopping by and thanks for the support. I also want to commend you on your beautiful post and the support that you and Lance give to the city of New Orleans.

Trooper-Ahhhh……my pillar of support. Not only has he read faithfully, but he’s linked to me and sent me a private e-mail…and no, all you ladies out there can’t have his e-mail address OR know his real name like I do! Nanny, nanny, boo, boo. In terms of your questions and observations, I don’t really know what was worse. The not knowing anything make me nervous as all get out but I felt so helpless knowing that even if I knew anything, I couldn’t do anything about it. Both gnawed at me day and night. I debated long and hard over whether or not to take light of my life to see the house, but in the end, I felt it was a more of a disservice to her NOT to take her. Or at least, not to give her the option of going. The drive into town felt like a Twilight Zone episode. The stillness and quietness was eerie. I kept expecting to see aliens or Godzilla stamp his foot down right in front of our car as we were driving. And, yes, it was therapeutic to write all this down. I didn’t realize how much I needed to do so until I did it. It was so hard to talk to people after the storm. I couldn’t talk to my aunt about it because I felt guilty that she suffered so much worse than we did and I couldn’t really talk to someone who had not been through it because they didn’t really understand. Through discussing it with a few people and finally getting this down on “paper”, it’s truly helped enormously. I never thought of blogging as therapeutic, but, I guess, in this case, it is. And I’m grateful.

Lisa-Thanks for stopping by and reading…and yeah, I’m pretty sure Anderson is gay. You’re right, he is easy on the eyes. Sigh…..

Captain Dumbass-That was the most bizarre story I’ve heard (about the fire in the town your mom lived in). Government is so stupid some times. Glad to know no one lost their homes. Thanks for your reading and support. I’m glad I could drive home the story to those who just watched it on TV and read in on-line.

Melissa B-Thanks for stopping by and reading! Thankfully Gustav passed them by this time. I am NOT the mammadawg that created that award. That’s actually Mamma Dawg and if you click on her name, you can get directed to her.

Uberburber-Thanks for stopping by and reading. Yeah, I’m thinking of trying to get tragiversary into the dictionary. I think it’s fitting.

Robin-Thanks for stopping by and supporting and reading. I’m just so glad to hear that your dad’s doing better.

Lula-I can’t believe I’m the only firsthand account that you’ve ever read! I thought for sure you might have known someone that was affected. Thanks for the support. I loved that pic of Mike peeking through the pillows. He got in there all by himself. To this day, I still don’t know how he did it.

Mekhismom-Thanks for stopping by and reading. It really has been a wonderful outlet to get all this out.

Jen-Thanks for reading.

Scargosun-You know, life is too short to be miserable all the time. I never knew if I was a glass half empty or a glass half full person until after Katrina. I’m happy to report that I’m a glass half full person.

LiteralDan-Thanks for your support.

Jen721-Awww…thanks for stopping by and reading. I’m glad to know that I opened some peoples eyes to the utter devastation that these storms can cause. It truly is a sight to behold.

Anymommy-Thanks for stopping by and reading. I appreciate the kind words and the support.

Greedygrace-Thanks for reading and supporting. I appreciate it.

John Deere Mom-Thanks for stopping by. I’m glad I could make it real for others.

For those interested, my friends that stayed with me during Gustav went home on Wednesday and they appear to have minimal to no damage. It looks like Ike may bypass them as well.

Fingers crossed.

Later,