Snuggies For Seniors

Kristina has started an internet charity drive:




While it may sound silly up front, it really is a serious effort. If anyone would like to contribute, click on the button above to help with the cause. Or please donate some Snuggies to needy nursing homes in your area.

Many thanks!

Google Searches

I like to check every so often to see what search phrases put my blog in the Top 10 on a Google search.

You will find me if you go searching for "watermelon butts". Seriously, who knew people actually searched for this?

My current favorite search that lands you here is: "warped sense of humor". Oh, yeah baby!

And finally, my public service announcement is number two on the charts: noreply-comment@blogger.com. If you haven't already fixed your email so I can respond directly to you, I would love it if you would do so!

I'm still very busy with Real Life, but will probably be back to mere normalcy once school starts. Maybe.

Here's What I've Been Up To Lately

In case you cared. :)

Letterboxing Utah

I've been spending a lot of time carving rubber stamps lately. As in I've-been-losing-sleep lots of time...

If you don't letterbox, you should. It's a really fun hobby. :)

Speaking Of Warped Senses Of Humor

If you haven't seen this blog yet, you should go read:

My First Dictionary

Reason #32,566 I'm going to hell in a handbasket. I loooooooooove this blog!

Texting Conversation

Kayla: This car in front of the bus has a spazzy blinker lol its like a hummingbird!
Me: Those are weird blinkers. :)
Kayla: Those blinkers had way too much coffee lol


(Go visit Kayla at her new blog!)

Persistence Has Paid Off

Three of my girls have now started blogs over the weekend.

Kayla, age 16: A Blonde Life
Lu, age 13: I'm Blogging!!!
Violet, age 11: CrazieCamper

Swing by and pay them a visit! :)

Happy Valentine's Day!

Yesterday at work, I was a witness to the sweetest Valentine present ever-- Jean's sweet husband hired a barbershop quartet to come to her desk and sing some romantic songs to her. I wish I had my camera so I could have taken a video of the event to share with you. It truly was a tear-inducing moment.

For the rest of us, I direct you over to Blogger Dad's. He wins the GreenJello Jiggler Award again for this Valentine's post!

And finally, I leave you with a picture text message I received from Kayla... she had just finished counting all her money before leaving on a clothes shopping spree:



Kayla: Money. . . My one true love!!!! <3

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!

Random Tuesday Thoughts

I saw a co-worker eating some “Fruit Naturals” grapefruit. I hate that brand. It is false advertising in a name! Unless, of course, people think that added sugar to their fruit is “natural”.

Beans and legumes are awesome food. I just wish I knew how to cook with them so I’d eat them more. Mostly, I just stare at the packages of dried little beans and say, "Hmmm."

The Post Office just came out with a new, small flat rate box on Jan. 18th. I’m very happy about this! However, I’m not happy that none of the Post Offices around here have any (“Sorry—we haven’t received our shipments of them yet.”). I even ordered some online on the 18th, and they haven’t shipped yet. Yet another shining example of our government dollars at work.

A couple years back at work, a consultant was brought in to our company to look at the viability of outsourcing the IT work. It made a lot of us paranoid. When they left, our company decided outsourcing wasn’t the thing for us. About a year ago, all our printer support was outsourced to a local company. And last week, they announced the recommendation to outsource our 1st level tech support (phone people) to another company. We’re all taking bets on how long we have before we’re outsourced. **sigh**

I think that most adults don’t feel like adults inside. We’re all just children, pretending to be grown-ups.

Washington ruled in my favor. Now it’s Utah’s turn to clarify the support order and fix the mess later next month. Right now, I am grateful for the accomplishment of Step 1 in this long process.

I’m in the process of starting up a new blog that will follow my attempt at losing my ‘muffin top’. More details to follow…

Inauguration Day of a Different Sort

Mrs. C. has finally started her own blog! Please stop by and say "hi" to her. You'll like her. I know you will. I've liked her since I met her in what... 6th grade? Wow. That means I've known her just about forever.

(All that whining to get you to start your own blog finally paid off, I see...)

Things I've Done

Over at Michelle's blog, she had a list of things people can do. You bold the ones on the list that you've done.

Wow. I've done more on this list than I haven't done. That's really cool, if you think about it. (Except I don't want to bounce a check, or eat caviar. Ewww!!)

1. Started my own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than I can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/World
8. Climbed a mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sung a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched lightening at sea
14. Taught myself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown my own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitchhiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of my ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Learned a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had my portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had my picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Rode an elephant

Inspiration

Over at the Wayfaring Wanderer, I was encouraged to write a post about my favorite photographer.

I would have to say that honor currently belongs to David, over at Authorblog.

Why do I like David's photography so much? I think it boils down to this: He is an expert at taking photos of everyday objects, and making them look fabulous. He also sees photo opportunities where others wouldn't even notice.

David, you inspire me to become a better photographer and to look at the world just a little bit differently.

Photography Meme

Over at dlyn's place, I got tagged for a photography meme just because I saw hers. (So, of course, that means you're now tagged, too, if you'd like to participate!)

Directions: Go to the fourth photo folder on your hard drive, and then choose the fourth picture. Post it.

I found:


Haha! Fun story. This is a photo of Violet's 10th birthday party. She has just opened up a pair of headphones, for her electronic keyboard. Her sisters got them for her because they were tired of listening to Violet play on the keyboard for hours on end. It drove them batty. She knew exactly why they got her the present, and showed her "disgruntled-ness" in this photo. :)

Here's a pic of her birthday cake:



And her later joy at realizing she got the Mother Of All Birthday Gifts, an iPod. :)



If you decide to participate in this meme, please link to your post in the comments so I can come see!

Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test

Over on Michelle's blog, there was a link to take an Intelligence Test. I scanned through her results, and immediately thought, "I'm going to be a Logical person." I have enough Vulcan in me to know what my test results were gonna be. (Here's the part where I should brag about all my scores being "higher than my peers" in all categories, but that would be letting my Type A Personality show too much...) Instead, I will give you the website's linky code, so you can go take the intelligence test yourself.

And contrary to some peoples' beliefs, I actually have some intelligence. At least, according to the test, I do....

What this test didn't come right out and say, though, is that I'm hopelessly, completely, and always will be a geek. I can't even hide it from an online test. I'm doomed.

Your result for Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test...

Logical

"This area has to do with logic, abstractions, inductive and deductive reasoning, and numbers. While it is often assumed that those with this intelligence naturally excel in mathematics, chess, computer programming, and other logical or numerical activities, a more accurate definition places emphasis less on traditional mathematical ability and more reasoning capabilities, abstract pattern recognition, scientific thinking and investigation, and the ability to perform complex calculations.

Careers which suit those with this intelligence include scientists, mathematicians, engineers, doctors and economists." (Wikipedia)

Take Howard Gardner's Eight Types of Intelligence Test at HelloQuizzy

Blogtations

Want to find some new blogs to read? My suggestion is to go check out the awesome quotes at Blogtations. Find some blog quotes that tickle your fancy, and go check 'em out. I've found some great blogs through it.

Pretty soon, they're going to be celebrating the 500th blogtation on the site. You can join in the fun, if you'd like, by reading through quotes and finding one that you love to pieces.

For example, from Steenky Bee:

I purposely watch some television programs on our wide screen television so that the actresses look wider than they actually are. This makes me feel better about myself.

How can you not resist checking out her blog now? :)

Letterbox-- Lehi Sugar Factory

We placed our first letterbox last night at the Lehi Sugar Factory. We did a covert night operation and moved a lot of rocks to cover the hidey-hole. It was fun!

This place has quite a history behind it. To read more, visit here.

I've created a new blog just for my letterboxing clues. Please visit Letterboxing Adventures for fun and excitement. :)

For more information about letterboxing, please visit http://www.letterboxing.org/.

How to Rule the World with Jello

Someone posted a comment on The MomBabe's blog. Apparently this is her favorite Google search phrase-- "How to Rule the World with Jello."

I have now claimed it as mine. Mine, I say!

How to Rule the World with Jello.
How to Rule the World with Jello.
How to Rule the World with Jello.

It just flows off the fingertips, doesn't it?

I Like It!

Black Boxing has exposed me to something in the blogging world I was heretofore unawares of... Wordless Wednesdays. I guess the idea is to post a photo of something that speaks for itself.

I like this idea.

I think I will start today by photographing something off my desk at work.

Happy Wednesday!

Working Woman

The Black Box has led me to many interesting blogs. I've been currently reading Joe's blog, who (from what I can tell) is a HR guy. This kind of sent me into thinking about the various interesting HR situations I've been in.

Like, when I was newly married, and 5 months pregnant-- "I'm sorry, but I can't hire you for this job because you're pregnant."

Or, upon giving my two weeks notice to the chauvinist computer store owner I worked for, said to me, "You know, the only reason Microsoft would hire you is because you're a woman."

My current manager wrote me up based on what someone told someone who told him what I did. This is also the same guy who tried to dictate what I could and could not do on my lunch break, and also tried to institute a dictated work schedule because I had "missed so much work". (I was off on FMLA for medical reasons, hello....?) He's also the one who delivers back-handed "compliments" like, "Suz was in charge of this project, but it turned out good anyhow."

I keep a comic strip up on my cube wall. It's in honor of the men who somehow think that my skills and knowledge are inferior, just because I'm a woman. Ha!


(Click on the comic strip to make it bigger...)