Monday, March 31, 2008

book group

If you are interested in joining (or are already a member of) my online bookgroup head on over and vote for April's book...but hurry, voting ends tonight!!

um, because you broke the rules, dummy...

I remember when I was in high school I had a very strict curfew. One Saturday I had been out with friends and I lost track of the time. When I noticed it was closing in on the Cinderella hour I pushed my friends in the car and we took off towards home. After dropping them all off I coasted into the driveway at 3 minutes past curfew. I thought I was ok, but I was wrong: I got grounded for a month.

The reason for the reminiscing is I am baffled as of late at the problems facing my political party. The DNC set forth a rule that states were only allowed to have their primary elections on dates approved by the DNC. I can understand this rule completely...if you let states keep changing their dates, the primaries will get sooner and sooner and before we know it presidential primary elections will be held just after the inauguration of the current president.

Well, Florida and Michigan decided to disregard the rules and have a primary outside the allowed dates so the DNC stripped them of their delegates. Each of the states knew before-hand that they could lose their delegates for breaking the rule, but decided to go for it anyway. Now politicians in both states want a do-over. Are you kidding me??!? You broke the rules, got slapped with a punishment and now because you don't like the results you want a do-over??

If the DNC allows a do-over it will shake the already weak foundation upon which ALL politicians stand. If we, as Americans, see this kind of 'leadership' what will that tell us?? That we do not have to take responsibility for your own actions if we do not like the consequences. I think we have enough problems in the great of US of A right now, and we don't need our leaders giving us more rope with which to hang ourselves.

Friday, March 28, 2008

Sanjaya, is that you??

I was reading Janus' blog and she posted some pictures of last summer when they came to visit and I did Alexis' hair up in a Sanjaya do.

You need to follow the link and see my creation. :)

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

73, that's my number


Yesterday I was chit chatting with one of the guys here at work about my LOVE of shoes and he asked how may pairs I had. I guessed what I thought was a pretty good ballpark figure and he was shocked! So when I got home last night I counted just to see how close I was. I told him 67. Counting my snowboots and my slip-safe server shoes I have 73 pairs of shoes. When I called him back this morning to explain my counting error he told me he just 'threw up in his mouth a little'.... I know he is a man and so by genetics cannot understand the sheer joy of shoes, but I began to wonder: How many is 'normal'?? How many pairs do you have?

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Happiest Place on Earth

I am SOOOOO excited - on Thursday I am going to The Happiest Place on Earth!!! Disneyworld you say?? Nope. Disneyland you jest?? Nope.


DSW

Now for those of you unfortunate enough to have never been humbled by the wonderful awesomeness that is DSW, let me give you a glimpse into heaven on earth:

SHOES!!!

Shoes as far as the eye can see... in EVERY color and style... oh, I think I may just faint. And to go with all these fabulous shoes, what could be better than:


Fabulous pocketbooks!!! :)

A new DSW just opened not far from here (well, over an hour, but for shoes, it is SO worth it!) and we are going on Thursday.

Friday, March 21, 2008

I don't have a problem...

I know I am a bit emotional sometimes...well, ok a lot of the time. I cry often in movies, and even some commercials. It doesn't help matters that my Dr. wants me to take BC pills for a couple months to see if that gets things working on schedule. I have only been taking them for 10 days and I have noticed some changes... I am nauseous almost all day, and dizzy too... Add to that extreme emotional volatility and you have one hormornal mess wrapped up in cute Bandolino stilettos. To demonstrate please allow me to submit the following story as Exibit A:


Today on my morning break I ran to the store to grab a couple necessities and I caved and bought myself a dark chocolate Lindt bunny. (which depending on the day could be considered a necessity too...) I peeled back the gold foil ever-so-carefully and bit off the ears. A little later I wanted a bit more so I peeled the foil down a little further and then I froze... what I saw punched me in the gut and I actually welled up with tears... there it was - the Bunny's eye. I was EATING a bunny. A cute, little, defensless bunny.


Some of you may be snickering - I am glad that my emotional instability could bring you a chuckle.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

Happy Anniversary Iraq

Well, today marks the fifth anniversary of the invasion of Iraq. I have kept my politics on this blog to a minimum (well...I did indulge in a Bush Countdown clock) even so, it should be no surprise to any frequent reader where my 'loyalties' lie.

I remember the months leading up to the war in Iraq - I remember how surprised I was that the vast majority of American people supported the idea of going that direction and when questioned their ignorant response was "Well they bombed us first!" I was saddened that our government would try to sell the war to us by tugging on the still too painful memories of what we lost on September 11th. I did not support the war then - ask Nathan - poor thing got an earful everytime he would let his guard down long enough for me to let politics in the discussion. I had this gut feeling that we would go in and stir things up in an area of the world that did not need to have things stirred up - and that we would be there for a long time. I remember specifically using the words quagmire and Vietnam.

Now don't get me wrong, Saddam was not my choice for 'Leader of the Year' - he did horrible things to a lot of people and I do think that should have been punished. Yet, on that January night when I watched his hanging on youtube I got misty eyed. It felt like vigilante justice, it did not feel like Democracy.

The most recent of my thoughts have turned to the lives lost. Do you realize that since the beginning of Operation Iraqi Freedom the number of US military (soldiers, marines and sailors, etc) that have died in combat is higher than the number of US civilians we lost on September 11th? Does that bother anyone else but me? We were drug into a (now seemingly endless) war on a vengeance mission and yet we've lost more lives than the total number of those lives we were avenging.

I do not believe the world is safer because we invaded Iraq - yes, there were groups of people before all of this who hated Americans and yes, there were those who cheered in the streets when the towers fell but the groups of people who fell on that side of the line were in the minority. The blood we've shed 'in the name of freedom and democracy' has fueled the fires of hatred all over the world. If someone doesn't hate us they see us as the bully - the one who thinks they are above the law, the one who gets told 'No' by someone and yet we do it anyway because we can. I know that it has been prophesied and predicted for many years that times would become more perilous but I hate to think that Americans, who pride themselves on freedom and liberty would be the ones poking the wasp's nest.

Monday, March 17, 2008

An Irish Blessing


May the road rise to meet you,

May the wind be always at your back.

May the sun shine warm upon your face,

The rains fall soft upon your fields.

And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of his hand.


May God be with you and bless you:

May you see your children's children.

May you be poor in misfortune,Rich in blessings.

May you know nothing but happiness

From this day forward.


May the road rise up to meet you

May the wind be always at your back

May the warm rays of sun fall upon your home

And may the hand of a friend always be near.

May green be the grass you walk on,

May blue be the skies above you,

May pure be the joys that surround you,

May true be the hearts that love you.


Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

Who are these people??!?

Here we have yet another story of a 'parent' throwing their kids off a bridge. This woman chose to chuck her 6 and 8 year old boys off a bridge onto the concrete FREEWAY 22 feet below...then she chucked herself off as well.... Suprisingly not one of the three died. The eight year old and the 'mom' were hit by cars, and all were taken to the hospital.

I am going to run for office and I am going to institute a Parent Law. In order to have children you will have to pass a test for mental competency and common sense...if you fail, well, in the words of Bob Barker: "Have your pets spayed or neutered today!"

Sunday, March 09, 2008

Do you ever wonder...

...did I unknowingly break a WHOLE box of mirrors???  I seem to have some of the worst luck... 

I mean, it has been three and a half years of trying for a baby and we have yet to have a pregnancy go past 8-9 weeks.   We have had roughly 40 shots at getting a baby and we have ended up with zip... Not to mention we've lost more than one friend over the uncomfortableness of our infertility...

We buy a great house that turns out to be in a HORRIBLE neighborhood.  We have a congregation at church that could really care less that we inhabit said house....in fact when we move I don't think anyone will even notice. 

We have owned four cats since we've been married (well, anyone who has a cat knows you don't own it, it owns you)...and two of them have died...that's 50% chance of survival for the poor things that choose to let us own them...

And at work I seem to get all the bum-deals.  I had a party of 14 that had a reservation for 5:30...well they didn't show.  No big deal, right??  WRONG!  We cannot sit anyone at those tables for 1.5 hours before the reservation to make sure they are vacant and so I got no one... then I had one table tonight leave me $60 to pay for their $58.77 dinner and my tip...  ??? ...add a few 10% tips and at the end of the night I ended up walking with $45.  Which is great, but not when other servers are walking with $150.   And I did good the whole night - I didn't screw up orders or forget to refill drinks or anything...I just got the bottom of the barrel tonight (except for my brother and his cute wife)

So this whole thing leads me to wonder if I broke a whole box of mirrors at some point, you know, to explain the slew of bad luck I've had...

Thursday, March 06, 2008

Just what you wanted...

...Kristen tagged me and so I must post...feel free to read if you want and if you don't, ah well...

Where were you born? Ogden, UT

Middle name: Dawn...just like my mother's and (hopefully) just like a daughter some day

How old will you be this year? 28 in December

Nicknames: Hollywood, Mouse, Holly Hobby and Holinator

Are you taller than your mother or father? Yes, poor short mom

Do you cry often during movies? Yes...I cry over sappy commercials

What is your biggest pet peeve? Eating noises and when people misuse their, there, they're, your, you're, to, too and two

Favorite color: Green and pink

Favorite foods: Prime Rib, Green Goddess salad dressing, See's chocolate

Favorite restaurants: PF Changs, Gold's & Pickles

Favorite beverage: Diet Coke (I know it will kill me...I don't care, if I could 'drink' it via IV I would)

Favorite cold cereal: Cinnamon Life

Favorite smells: Right after a rainstorm, crisp fall evenings by the ocean, kittens

Favorite time of day: Anytime I am not working or on my way to work

What brand of shampoo/conditioner do you use? Pureology - I LOVE the conditioner, it smells minty... mmm

Favorite make-up products? Mary Kay moisturizer, and my teal eye shadow :)

How many pillows do you sleep with? One stiff one under my neck and one fluffy down one tucked under my chin.

Do you play an instrument? Yes: flute, piccolo, piano and an amazing assortment of percussion instruments

Have you ever been skinny dipping? Yes

Did you do any sports in High School? I ran track for a week (I had to quit the team...big misunderstanding with the coach)

What was the last movie you saw in the theater? 27 dresses

What is your favorite article of clothing? Any one of my shoes :) But this week it is the Bandolino red patent leather peep toe pumps.

What is your dream vacation? On a beach, with a book and a Pina Colada

What was your first impression of your spouse? I thought he was cute - I even asked him out but he rejected me (he 'claims' not to remember this...)

If you were an animal what would you be? A cat - hands down....someone feeds you, cleans up your poop and I get to just sleep all day... sounds good to me

What is your favorite “me- time” activity? Shopping...especially for shoes.

Favorite TV shows: Sex and the City (can't wait for the movie!!), Seinfeld, Grey's and Desperate Housewives

What is your dream car? 1967 Ford Mustang convertible. Cherry Red with white leather interior and red leather accents.

What is one of your weaknesses? I get my feelings hurt easily. And I am a sucker for a good deal on a great pair of shoes...I'll eat Mac and Cheese for a week instead of buying groceries if it means getting those Bandolinos... :)

What do you fix for dinner when there’s nothing to fix? Fancy Shmancy Belgian Waffles in my Fancy Shmancy new Belgian Waffle maker. Top them with syrup and butter and chocolate chips and you have a meal!! ;)

If you could live in a different decade/era which one would it be? I love the 20's for the music and clothes and I love the 70's - talk about some great shoes!!

Do you consider yourself outgoing? Yes

What is something you are constantly working on? Losing weight...it is a battle I fear I may never win. Damn chocolate chip Belgian Waffles.

Any hidden talents? I am a WICKED fast silverware polisher...and I can walk in 4" stilettos

What is a word or phrase you overuse? Like. It has gotten tremendously worse since we moved here...I don't do it as bad when I type, but in person I am beginning to sound "Like a total Valley Girl"

What is the worst thing that happened to you this past year? Lost two babies

What is the best thing that happened to you this past year? Learned that Nathan would finally graduate, mom's heart surgery went good and I found Frank on the side of the road.

What is one thing you hope to accomplish this year? Run the 5K in May.

The best piece of advice you learned this past year? Be patient...impatience is just too stressful

Who are the 7 people you are going to tag to do this survey? Erin (yea for new bloggers), Kim S & Lisa (put it in the comments), Cindy, Sheila, Briana, Janus