Loca the Cat

Video of the Day: Quitame Ese Hombre

2010-05-12T14:16:00.000-07:00

Ah, I've been so tired lately. I've been burning the candle at both ends. Maybe even trying to burn the sucker in the middle. There's wax all over the place. Okay, maybe not, but I'm tired. :) Things will be alright by Monday, though. By then I'll have a chance to rest a bit... and then I can start tackling the yard work that is getting worse and worse by the day. Woohoo!

Anyhow, I was listening to the radio today and this song came up. I used to love it back in the day. I never really understood it until now, though. Sigh. No comment. lol...

Anyhow, there's no particular reason for me putting the video on here, is there? Nope. Not at all. Except perhaps for the fact that Ms. Montenegro in a bikini is the perfect inspiration for me to continue my diet. Not, of course, that I've got a chance in heck of ever looking like Pilar Montenegro, but still. I don't want to look like her anyway. I want to look like myself. Just better. :) So... here 'tis. Enjoy!!

Quitame el recuerdo que me dejo,
quitame el vestido destrozalo,
bajame del cielo donde me llevo,
bajame y de nuevo subeme
hasta el sol.

Quitame esa idea de serle fiel,
quitame el deseo de estar con el,
dejame en la mente ganas
de volver a verte.

CORO
Quitame ese hombre del corazon,
quita de mi cuerpo su sensacion,
anda quitalo tu, anda quitalo tu.
Borra con tus labios lo que el beso,
llega donde nadie jamas llego,
anda intentalo tu, anda intentalo tu.

Quitame la venda que me cego,
quitame de golpe esta obsesion,
siempre queda espacio para un
nuevo amor, siempre si el que
llega es muy superior.

Quitame esa idea de serle fiel,
quitame el deseo de estar con el,
dejame en la mente ganas
de volver a verte.

CORO
Quitame ese hombre del corazon,
quita de mi cuerpo su sensacion,
anda quitalo tu, anda quitalo tu.
Borra con tus labios lo que el beso,
llega donde nadie jamas llego,
anda intentalo tu, anda intentalo tu.

Video of the Day: Hot n' Cold

2010-05-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay. I know that Katy Perry does this song. However... Bowling for Soup totally rocks it. I can't wait until they hit Richardson in a few weeks. In the meantime, here's this. Enjoy. :)

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes
Yeah, you PMS like a b*tch
I would know

And you always think
Always speak cryptically
I should know
That you're no good for me

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You, you don't really wanna stay, no
You, but you don't really wanna go, oh

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down

We used to be just like twins, so in sync
The same energy now's a dead battery
Used to laugh 'bout nothing
Now you're plain boring
I should know
That you're not gonna change

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You, you don't really wanna stay, no
You, but you don't really wanna go, oh

You're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down

Someone call the doctor
Got a case of a love bipolar
Stuck on a rollercoaster
Can't get off this ride

You change your mind
Like a girl changes clothes

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

'Cause you're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down
You're wrong when it's right
It's black and it's white
We fight, we break up
We kiss, we make up

You, you don't really wanna stay, no
You, but you don't really wanna go, oh

You're hot then you're cold
You're yes then you're no
You're in and you're out
You're up and you're down, down, down, down...

Video of the Day: Me Voy

2010-04-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Imagine getting up the nerve to tell someone what this song conveys... and then the person responds with, "Okay. I'll talk to you later." It's like, huh?? Did you not listen to what I just said? lol. Okay, whatever. De todos modos, me voy. It's up to your schizophrenic self si me sigues o no.

Porque no supiste entender a mi corazón
lo que había en el porque no tuviste el valor de ver quien soy
porque no escuchas lo que esta tan cerca de ti
sólo el ruido de afuera y yo
que estoy a un lado desaparezco para ti

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Porque se que me espera algo mejor
alguien que sepa darme amor
de ese que endulza la sal y hace que salga el sol
yo que pense nunca me iría de ti
que es amor del bueno de toda la vida
pero hoy entendí que no hay suficiente para los dos

No voy a llorar y decir que no merezco esto
porque es probable que lo merezco pero no lo quiero
por eso me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios me despedio de ti

Me voy que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti y me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy
que lastima pero adios
me despido de ti
me voy

Video of the Day: Mirando Las Estrellas

2010-04-12T11:23:00.000-07:00

Okay, this isn't actually *my* video of the day. Someone dedicated it to me last night. So it's actually someone else's video of the day. Or maybe someone else's video of yesterday? Whatever.

Anyhow, when I Youtubed it to give it a listen I found this really sweet video that a guy did for his (former) girl. Hopefully she reconsidered and returned to him. It's obvious he put a lot of thought into the video. Maybe they're together even now. I hope so. Regardless, here's the vid. The song is by Banda San Jose de Mesillas. Enjoy.

Esta noche quiero decirte cuanto te amo
que ya no puedo callar lo que siento por ti
quiero gritar al mundo cuanto cuanto te amo
quiero escuchar de tus labios que tu tambien me amas a mi.

Ya no soporto estar un dia mas sin ti
pues sin tus besos no consivo la razon
paso las noches nomas mirando las estrellas
y preguntando a la luna si volveras.

Todavia esta en mi cama tu aroma
a donde quiera que voy en mi mente estas tu
esta pasion que llevo en el alma me esta quemando
te necesito cariño regresa y vuelve a mi.

Ya no soporto estar un dia mas sin ti
pues sin tus besos no consivo la razon
paso las noches nomas mirando las estrellas
y preguntando a la luna si volveras.

Video of the Day: Healing

2010-04-09T12:41:00.000-07:00

I was driving to work this morning and listening to my trusty brick-sized mp3 player. Then this song came on. Kelly Price singing Healing. I don't think I'd even heard the whole thing before today. I've probably had it on the mp3 for a while and skipped over it every time it came on because it might have been a bit too gospelly. This time, however, I listened. And then listened. And listened again. I've listened to this song several times today. It's like Kelly is sending a special message to God just for me. So I sing with her. So that He can hear me... and heal me.

[Chorus:]
I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul.

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul,
just for my soul, I need healing.

(Lord, I'm looking for a new life),
(it's just for my soul),
just for my soul, I need healing.

('Cause I'm tired of crying all night),
(just for my soul),
just for my soul, I need healing.

[Verse 1:]
Lord, I need Thee, oh I need Thee,
to take away this pain and misery,
'cause God, I just can't do this by myself,
I need help, Lord.

[Chorus]

[Verse 2:]
Lord, I've made some terrible mistakes,
gave my body and my soul away.
Now I come to You 'cause I need to be whole,
heal my soul, Lord.

[Chorus 2:]
I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul.

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul,
(just for my soul, I need healing).

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul.

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul,
(just for my soul...)

[Bridge:]
I need healing for me, that's what I need.
I've been brokenhearted, torn apart,
but Lord, I know that if I only trust You,
You'll exchange my issues for Your virtue.

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul.

I need a healing for my soul,
give me a healing for my soul,
(just for my soul...)

[Vamp:]
I need a healing for my soul,
so give me a healing for my soul.

I need a healing for my soul,
so give me a healing for my soul.

Video of the Day: Need You Now

2010-04-05T13:55:00.001-07:00

Ever since the first time I heard it, I've felt a special something for Need You Now by Lady Antebellum. Not only is it beautiful, it totally describes the way I've felt sometimes. Needing that special someone and wanting to call even though I've promised myself I wouldn't. How funny is it then that now *I* am that special someone who gets late night calls from (an inebriated) someone who is trying to move on without me? Is that gratifying? Not at all. It's kind of sad, really. But it gives me hope... and the song is still wonderful. Click on the link and enjoy. :)

Picture perfect memories,
Scattered all around the floor.
Reaching for the phone cause, I can’t fight it any more.
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.
For me it happens all the time.

It’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now.
Said I wouldn’t call but I lost all control and I need you now.
And I don’t know how I can do without, I just need you now.

Another shot of whiskey, can’t stop looking at the door.
Wishing you’d come sweeping in the way you did before.
And I wonder if I ever cross your mind.
For me it happens all the time.

It’s a quarter after one, I’m a little drunk,
And I need you now.
Said I wouldn’t call but I lost all control and I need you now.
And I don’t know how I can do without, I just need you now.

Yes I’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all.
It’s a quarter after one, I’m all alone and I need you now.
And I said I wouldn’t call but I’m a little drunk and I need you now.
And I don’t know how I can do without, I just need you now.
I just need you now.
Oh baby I need you now.

Free eBook: All the Pretty Girls

2010-03-12T12:26:00.000-08:00

For all you e-readers out there, J.T. Ellison is currently offering free downloads of "All the Pretty Girls" at eHarlequin. It looks like a pretty good book. There's a synopsis of the story on the website.

When you download it, you're offered three different versions:
Adobe PDF eBook
Microsoft eBook
Mobipocket eBook

At 1682 KB, the Adobe is the largest file and you have to download Adobe Digital Editions in order to view the book. However... after you've downloaded the software, the Adobe website offers even more free ebooks! Yup, baby. The motherlode. If not that, it's at least a few freebies that you might enjoy, even Sophie Kinsella!

I would totally do this if my laptop was in commission... but it's been on vacation since late last year. Sigh. It looks like mama might just have to buy a new one. :) lol. In the meantime, go out and get this freebie and tell me what you think.

Tater Tot Casserole

2010-03-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

A while back I made this for a neighbor. One for her and one for me. I meant to share the recipe here, but never got around to it. Looking in my purse today I figured I better hurry up and share before the recipe wears away to nothing!! Come on, it's been almost a year now. Yes, I procrastinate. What? You want to make something of it?? Go on then. I'll respond to your criticisms... eventually. :)

Anyhow, you probably remember this from back in school. The recipe I clipped forever ago out of who know's what magazine was called "Big Beef Casserole". It's the kind of thing that home ec teachers across the country are probably still showing their students. I just adapted it to use with ground turkey instead of beef. It's a bit less expensive and a bit better for you. :)

Tater Tot Casserole

1 lb. ground turkey (raw)

1 medium onion, diced

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 lb. frozen tater tots

Crumble the ground turkey in the bottom of a baking pan. You can use either a 8"-9" square cake pan or a 9"x12" pan. Spread the diced onion on top. Spread the soup over the mixture and cover with the tater tots.

Bake at 350 degrees for about one hour.

Serves 2-6.

Hard, huh? This is seriously supposed to serve 6, but if you're hungry (and you probably will be, otherwise why are you cooking??) you and a friend can probably finish the pan off easily.

You should see these things cooked. Pure elementary school lunch bliss!!

Jerezita

2010-03-02T09:16:00.000-08:00

About a year ago I went through a major bout of housecleaning. I tossed a bunch of things that reminded me of Mexico and of what I had mistakenly thought to be happier times. One thing that I gave away was Jerezita. Jerezita was an adorable Mexican doll. I say "was" because (sigh) she has a new life now and hopefully a new name as well.

Today, I was on Wee Wonderfuls, and noticed a cute little doll that reminded me of an Americanized Jerezita. Isn't she adorable? She makes me want to go out and get another doll. Do you have a good source for handmade dolls? I checked on etsy.com but couldn't find anything I liked. If you know a place, let me know, please!

What's funny is I never really liked dolls growing up. I was more of a stuffed animal girl. However, I remember my maternal grandmother used to collect dolls. I never saw the attraction. Now I do. :) Weird, huh? Am I turning into my grandmother?? Lol.

Everclear Punch

2010-02-16T11:49:00.000-08:00

Punch is an alltime standby when it comes to making drinks for a number of people with a limited budget. One way of stretching your money even more is by using Everclear, the hero/villain of many a frat party. Just be careful with this stuff. It's highly flammable! Yeah, really.

After looking online, I found a few recipes for Everclear Punch. The one that caught my eye was Becky's Magic Punch. Here's my version. Enjoy judiciously and away from flammable sources.

Everclear Punch

16 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate

8 oz. frozen lemonade concentrate

8 oz. frozen white grape juice concentrate

8 oz. frozen limeade concentrate

1 big can pineapple juice

2 2-liter bottles raspberry ginger ale

3 c. Everclear alcohol

Washed cut fruit (apples, plums, canteloupe, grapes)

Mix all the liquid ingredients in a large container. Add fruit and remix. Makes enough to last all night long! It gets stronger the longer it sits.

Also, the longer the fruit is in the punch the more alcohol-saturated it becomes. This is grown folk's punch. Keep the little ones away!

Video of the Day: Video

2010-02-15T09:53:00.000-08:00

A good friend and I have been dieting since back in November. That's about four months of food journals and "should I, shouldn't I" debates over mealtime/snacktime choices. Since November I've lost two pounds. Woohoo! Two pounds! :) Okay, maybe I should have set my sights higher. Okay, maybe I *did* set my sights higher. But I will be very happy over those two lost pounds.

Stubborn little suckers that they are... those two little pounds are not resigned to being lost and will occasionally come back to visit. That's okay, though. I'm kind of happy with how I look. I'm not happy to look like this forever, but I'm quite happy to look like this for the moment. I'm a work (of art) in progress. Hopefully not an abstract piece of art. lol.

Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don't
Sometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won't
Depend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toes
It really just depends on whatever feels good in my soul

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the india arie

When I look in the mirror and the only one there is me
Every freckle on my face is where it's supposed to be
And I know our creator didn't make no mistakes on me
My feet, my thighs, my lips, my eyes; I'm lovin' what I see

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the india arie

Am I less of a lady if I don't wear pantyhose?
My mama said a lady ain't what she wears but what she knows
But I've drawn a conclusion,
It's all an illusion, confusion's the name of the game
A misconception, a vast deception
Something's gotta change
but don't be offended this is all my opinion
ain't nothing that I'm sayin law
This is a true confession of a life learned lesson
I was sent here to share with y'all
So get in where you fit in go on and shine
Clear your mind, now's the time
Put your salt on the shelf
Go on and love yourself
'Cuz everything's gonna be all right

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be the india arie

Keep your fancy drinks and your expensive minks
I don't need that to have a good time
Keep your expensive car and your caviar
All I need is my guitar
Keep your Kristal and your pistol
I'd rather have a pretty piece of crystal
Don't need your silicone I prefer my own
What God gave me is just fine

I'm not the average girl from your video
and I ain't built like a supermodel
But, I learned to love myself unconditionally
Because I am a queen
I'm not the average girl from your video
My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes
No matter what I'm wearing I will always be india arie

Party Garland

2010-02-03T11:50:00.000-08:00

This weekend we're going to have a bit of a family get together. On Super Bowl weekend. This was planned even before anyone really knew who had made it to the big game. The Saints against the Colts. Um, I was already going to decorate in gold and black. Does that mean we're going to be rooting for the Saints? lol. Guess so.

Anyhow, I found a great party garland idea online via One Pretty Thing. Instead of putting mine together with casual cotton, I used this gorgeous ethereal-looking fabric in sheeny, transparent black and gold. I cut it in different-sized strips averaging 1" by 6". Each strip was quickly tied onto gold crochet thread. Here's the result. Whatcha think?

You can't really tell, but the slightest movement of air in the room sets the garland to fluttering. So simple and pretty. This reminds me of the gorgeous drinking straw/silk flower garlands they hang up in Mexico for fiestas. I've tried to find a source up here but haven't had any luck. If you know of one, let me know, please!

Feeling Phenomenal

2010-01-29T09:04:00.000-08:00

Lately I've noticed that I'm getting the swing back in my step. I'm a tad more confident, letting go of things that I should have never gotten ahold of in the first place. I've prayed a bit, afraid that my prayers would be answered... not wanting to step out of my comfort zone and move on. God heard what I left unsaid. He answered my prayers. Now I know that I must move on regardless. I have moved on. God has brought joy back to my life.

Even my coworkers have noticed. My boss says he's noticed something different about me. He asked if I have a boyfriend now. lol. Um, no. I asked another coworker why he hasn't stopped by my office to chat for a while. He told me that he's been scared away because I've been so pretty lately. lol. Yeah, I blushed hard.

I haven't been doing anything different lately. In fact, I've been taking less trouble with my appearance than I used to do. I think it's in the way that I feel. In the way that I hold and carry myself. In the inner peace that God has given to me. I feel good. I feel phenomenal.

Phenomenal Woman

Pretty women wonder where my secret lies.
I'm not cute or built to suit a fashion model's size
But when I start to tell them,
They think I'm telling lies.
I say,
It's in the reach of my arms
The span of my hips,
The stride of my step,
The curl of my lips.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

I walk into a room
Just as cool as you please,
And to a man,
The fellows stand or
Fall down on their knees.
Then they swarm around me,
A hive of honey bees.
I say,
It's the fire in my eyes,
And the flash of my teeth,
The swing in my waist,
And the joy in my feet.
I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Men themselves have wondered
What they see in me.
They try so much
But they can't touch
My inner mystery.
When I try to show them
They say they still can't see.
I say,
It's in the arch of my back,
The sun of my smile,
The ride of my breasts,
The grace of my style.
I'm a woman

Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

Now you understand
Just why my head's not bowed.
I don't shout or jump about
Or have to talk real loud.
When you see me passing
It ought to make you proud.
I say,
It's in the click of my heels,
The bend of my hair,
the palm of my hand,
The need of my care,
'Cause I'm a woman
Phenomenally.
Phenomenal woman,
That's me.

- Maya Angelou

Loud and Clear

2010-01-11T11:42:00.000-08:00

After six months, I finally bit the bullet and plunked down $30 for a new car antenna. Wow. It's amazing all the lovely music that I've been missing out on. Now I can leave the house without taking my nifty Walkman-sized MP3 player and I can *still* listen to music. Not just the same CD over and over again. And definitely not staticky rap and country music. Woohoo!!

This baby is going to be staying home for a while.

Picture borrowed from here.

Now I'll be able to listen to news, traffic reports, even weather! No more going to get a carwash before a week of rain and snow. No more getting stuck in traffic because I have no idea what's going on with major highways. Ahhh... :) Now I can even hit the drive-in movies. Hmm. I wonder what's playing...

Six Questions

2009-12-30T10:05:00.001-08:00

A friend sent me these six questions by email this morning. I just had to share. Do you have a minute? Why don't you answer these questions yourself and post your answers below? :) And be honest!!

Six names you go by:

1. Mija

2. Michelle

3. Mi amor

4. Mitch (this also rhymes with another word that I've been called on occasion)

5. Monkey

6. Ho (thanks, R.T.)

Three things you are wearing right now:

1. Converse lookalikes

2. Fuzzy green sweater

3. Lip gloss

Two things you want very badly at the moment:

1. No responsibilities (just for a few days)

2. True freedom (for a very long time)

Three people you are certain who will fill this out:

1. Sorry, can't think of anybody at all. R.T.? Little sis??

2.

3.

Two things you did last night:

1. Finished watching season one of M*A*S*H

2. Baked a ton of cookies... out of fundraiser dough. (Thanks, little nephew!)

Two things you ate today:

1. A Ritz Crackerful (130 cal. and SO not worth it. I'm HUNGRY!!)

2. Does water count?

Two things you are going to do tomorrow:

1. Drink

2. Go out with a friend

Three favorite beverages:

1. Agua fresca de sandia (like lemonade but made out of watermelon)

2. Diet root beer

3. Coors Light

Video of the Day: Hey Jealousy

2009-12-30T09:30:00.000-08:00

"Hey Jealousy" came on the radio this morning while I was getting up and ready for the day. Have you noticed that's when I listen to most of my music? It's because I still need to get a replacement antenna for my car. Mine was stolen at a summer festival and I still haven't gotten around to getting another one. I did try to find out if my local dealership had them in stock, but they never got in touch with me. Ah, their loss. Well, their loss of a sale. My loss of six months of radio-listening. Yeah, whatever.

So, anyhow, I was listening to the radio this morning when the Gin Blossoms came on. Somehow it seemed right to make it the video of the day. Have you ever felt like this? Like maybe the past happened & you've screwed up, but maybe it would be nice to start up something again anyhow? Something fresh and new based on what you had before? Okay, I'm *not* saying that I feel like this. But I *am* saying that this is a good song. Hope you enjoy it. :)

Tell me do you think it'd be alright
If I could just crash here tonight
As you see I'm in no shape for drivin'
And any way I 've got no place to go

And you know it might not be that bad
You were the best I ever had
If hadn't blown the whole thing years ago
I might not be alone

Tomorrow we can drive around this town
And let the cops chase us around
The past is gone but something might be found to take its place

Hey jealousy
Hey jealousy
Hey Jealousy
Hey Jealousy

You can trust me not to drink
And not to sleep around
And if you don't expect too much from me
You might not be let down

Cause all I really want's to be with you
And feel like I matter too
If I didn't blow the whole thing years ago
I might be here with you

Tomorrow we can drive around this town
And let the cops chase us around
The past is gone but something might be found to take its place

Hey jealousy
Hey jealousy
Hey jealousy
Hey jealousy

Tomorrow we can drive around this town
And let the cops chase us around
The past is gone but something might be found to take its place

Hey jealousy
Hey jealousy...

Listen to my heart
There's only one thing I can start

Video of the Day: Decode

2009-12-28T14:14:00.000-08:00

This Christmas Eve was spent at home, all warm & cozy, wrapping presents and watching movies while it snowed outside. One of the movies that we finally got around to watching (again) was Twilight, bummed off of my little sis. The DVD even has special features! Ah... I love special features. Especially when they include cool music videos like this one.

How can I decide what's right
When you're clouding up my mind?
I can't win
You're losing sight
All the time

Not gonna ever own what's mine
When you're always taking sides
But you won't take away my pride
No, not this time
Not this time

How did we get here?
I used to know you so well
How did we get here?
Well, I think I know

The truth is hiding in your eyes
And it's hanging on your tongue
Just boiling in my blood
But you think that I can't see
What kind of man that you are
If you're a man at all
Well, I will figure this one out
On my own
(I'm screaming, "I love you so")
On my own
(My thoughts you can't decode)

How did we get here?
I used to know you so well, yeah
How did we get here?
Well, I think I know

Do you see what we've done?
We've gone and made such fools
Of ourselves
Do you see what we've done?
We've gone and made such fools
Of ourselves

How did we get here?
I used to know you so well, yeah
How did we get here?
Well, I used to know you so well
I think I know
I think I know

There is something I see in you
It might kill me
I want it to be true

The Perfect Guy

2009-12-28T08:53:00.000-08:00

The other night I was watching the most amazing movie. It's a remake of a classic and somehow neither the classic nor the remake fail to get me all teary-eyed.

Perhaps I was in a bit of a sentimental mood when watching the picture, but towards the middle, I came to the surprising conclusion that the hero represents the perfect man. Tall, dark, and rugged, it seems unlikely that he can ever capture the heart of the lovely heroine. Yet he does. Maybe his good qualities can serve as a reference guide to some of the hapless men and women out there still looking for "the one".

Good qualities:

1. He doesn't let fundamental differences come between them. In fact, he almost seems to relish their differences.

2. He likes to laugh. Not only does he enjoy her humor, he can make her laugh as well.

3. He will fight for her despite seemingly insurmountable odds.

4. He protects her and looks out for her well-being.

5. He enjoys spending time with her.

6. He enjoys life and relishes the quiet beauty of nature in sunrises and sunsets.

7. Although rough, he does his best to not hurt her, either physically or emotionally.

8. Although circumstance conspires against him, he doesn't blame it on her, nor does he hold a grudge.

9. Although he can get jealous, he never takes his frustration out on her.

Maybe we should all get a clue and start acting more like this leading man...

Picture borrowed from here.

Not that I'm into big, hairy apes or anything. :)

Christmas Meal-Planning

2009-12-22T11:13:00.000-08:00

If you know me even a little bit you'll know that I'm not a holiday person. I'm not an Easter, Halloween, or Christmas person. Thanksgiving is different, but I think that's the only holiday I don't mind celebrating. This year I didn't stress as much as I normally do. Dare I say I didn't care as much as to the outcome? No, I daren't. :) All I know is that I didn't put as much thought into the menu and the outcome as I normally do.

Anyhow, my family is coming to my house on Christmas eve. I still have no idea what I'm going to do. Should we make tamales? Should I make posole? (Ah, yummy posole. Normally made for New Years, but I don't care, it's so good!) Should I go pick up some fried chicken from the place down the street? Or should we just have some light food all day long? A fruit salad, summer sausage, cheese, and crackers, etc. Maybe some tortas? Ah, make-your-own tortas. Now that's an idea. Maybe some sweet tea? Yum!

The only thing I know is that I don't really care that much about the food now. I don't know if this has anything to do with the fact that my fridge is empty of everything but beer and Mexican cheese. Well, that could have a bit to do with it. lol.

Truth be told, when cooking on Thanksgiving many of the staples I would normally use in day-to-day life, including spices and brown sugar, were nowhere to be found. I couldn't even find the huge bottle of vanilla that I *know* used to be in the pantry. I had to use vanilla vodka instead. Laugh if you will, but my famous sweet potato casserole didn't come out that bad. :)

Now, what are you planning on making for your Christmas meal?

Video of the Day: Mala Hierba

2009-12-18T08:24:00.001-08:00

Alejandra Guzman is my idol. She is amazing, una gran mujer. She must be fantastic in concert. I think I love her because she does what she does and she does it well. Shouldn't we all be like that? If you're going to do something, just give it your all. If something's worth doing, it's worth doing well, no?

Poco a poco consegui
fijar tu atencion en mi
a que esperas por favor ven aqui

Algo noto raro estas
de mi te han hablado mal
y es que munca entederan
a una mujer de verdad

dicen que soy, un desastre total
que soy mala hierba
que tras de mi
no deje piedra sobre piedra
ven atrevete, oh

Y quisas tengan razon
que me puede el corazon
si vas tras de algo especial
no te arrepentiras

Dicen que soy un desastre total
que soy mala hierba
que tras de mi
no deje piedra sobre piedra
oh, ven atrevete

Video of the Day: Te Dejo Madrid

2009-12-17T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ah, for the past month or so I've had ganas de huir, de viajar. Yet all the travel plans I've made this month have fallen through. That's probably a good thing. Do I really want to travel when it's cold? Agh! Maybe during springtime would be better?

One place I've always wanted to travel is Spain. It's got to be gorgeous out there... and it would be fun to hear everyone talk with a lisp. lol!

uh... ah ah
si, ya es hora de esconder
del mundo el dolor
bajo la piel

yo se que estare bien
los gatos como yo
caen de pie

no quiero
jugar mi suerte por ti
y no puedo
con v pequeña vivir
pronto estare de aqui
muy muy lejos

[coro]

ahi me voy otra vez
ahi te dejo Madrid
Tus rutinas de piel
y tus ganas de huir

yo no quiero cobardes
que me hagan sufrir
mejor le digo adios
a tu boca de anis

si, ya es hora de limpiar
las manchas de miel
sobre el mantel

yo nunca supe actuar
mis labios se ven
muertos de sed

no quiero
dejarlo todo al azar
entiendo
que he comenzado a estorbar
pronto estare de ti
muy muy lejos

[coro]

ahi me voy otra vez
ahi te dejo Madrid
tus rutinas de piel
y tus ganas de huir

yo no quiero cobardes
que me hagan sufrir
mejor le digo adios
a tu boca de anis

ah, aah

[coro x2]

ay te dejo Madrid
madrid
a tu boca de anis
a tu boca de anis

Video of the Day: Rocket Queen

2009-12-16T10:25:00.000-08:00

Oh, yeah. Mama's been hitting the hard stuff. Musically, that is. I remember GNR back in the day. They were amazing.

What was really amazing was that my mom let me listen to their music. I actually got the Appetite for Destruction cassette tape for Christmas. Did my mother not understand what they were singing about? The album name should have given her a clue. If not, then maybe the picture on the cover? Ah, well. I know she gave me a tape of Cinderella and Poison as well. Yup, big hair bands rocked.

I see you standing
Standing on your own
It's such a lonely place for you
For you to be
If you need a shoulder
Or if you need a friend
I'll be here standing
Until the bitter end
No one needs the sorrow
No one needs the pain
I hate to see you
Walking out there
Out in the rain
So don't chastise me
Or think I, I mean you harm
Of those that take you
Leave you strung out
Much too far
Baby-yeah

Don't ever leave me
Say you'll always be there
All I ever wanted
Was for you
To know that I care

Video of the Day: Ready for the Good Times

2009-12-01T14:22:00.000-08:00

Lately I've been going through my old CDs. The ones that escaped the inadvertent house cleaning that some would term a robbery. Anyhow, now that my CD collection has been culled through (or wiped out, whatever...) I've had the wonderful opportunity to go through some old favorites that I'd totally forgotten about.

One of these old favorites is Shakira's Laundry Service. It's the perfect "get up in the morning and get ready for the day" music. This is one that I've been listening to several times each morning. It's *that* good. I hope you enjoy it while you're getting ready for your own good times. :)

I don't wanna clear the cobwebs from my head
Time will bring them back, I bet
So if you hear me say that I believe in love
Don't make me feel ashamed

I used to sing the saddest songs
And while in the meantime roaches used to climb my door
Falling back down to the floor

I used to read survival guides
When my world was full of seven legged cats
But here I am with eight more lives

I'm ready for the good times
I'm ready for the good times
Ready to get it on...

You know it Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh Oh
You better not ignore it

I don't want to look at fashion magazines
While someone does my nails
Sitting here watching other people live
Frozen by the fear to fail

Cause, everyday there's a war to fight
And if i win or lose never mind...

I'm ready for the good times
I'm ready for the good times
Ready to get it on...

Video of the Day: Seven Whole Days

2009-11-30T14:31:00.000-08:00

Toni Braxton is amazing. Why don't we hear more of her nowadays? Anyhow, I was totally loving her last night when she magically came up on my Walkman-sized mp3. Yeah, babe. That's just the way I roll. Hope you love her, too.

Seven whole days
And not a word from you
Seven whole nights
I'm just about through
I can't take it, won't take it
Can't take it no more
I had about enough of you

I'd rather be on my own
Yes, on my own

Darlin', darlin'
You know if you cared anything about love
You woulda been front and center
Lovin' me and touchin' me
Honey, honey
You know if you knew anything about me
You woulda been much more tender
Ooh... squeezin' me, caressin' me
You coulda had about anything you wanted
But you messed it up
You had to be tough
You told your friends
You had me wrapped around your finger
You were talking kinda cocky
Like you had it goin' on
All the while you knew
That things were kinda shaky
You knew that you were wrong
Dead wrong to be
Mistreating me
How can we go on

Seven whole days
And not a word from you
Seven whole nights
I'm just about thru
I can't take it, won't take it
Can't take it no more
I had about enough of you

I'd rather be on my own
Yes on my own

Sugar, sugar
You know if you knew anything about sweet
You woulda been talkin' to me
Everyday
Seven days a week
Baby, baby
You shoulda been givin' me
A little more time
But you were just much too busy
Abusin' me and usin' me
I woulda done about anything
Ya wanted
I was there for you
I was crazy about you
When I was sittin' thinkin'
I was kinda special
You were runnin' round
Hittin' every other girl in town
How could you love me
When you knew you played me funny
You knew that you were wrong
Dead wrong to be
Mistreating me
How can we go on

Seven whole days
And not a word from you
Seven whole nights
I'm just about thru
I can't take it, won't take it
Can't take it no more
I had about enough of you

I'd rather be on my own
Yes, on my own

Deep in my heart
You were number one to start
But then you changed
You threw my heart away
Told your friends that
You were runnin' thangs
Why'd it have to be that way
You're wrong, dead wrong
Tell me how, how can we go wrong

Seven whole days
And not a word from you
Seven whole nights
I'm just about through
I can't take it, won't take it
Can't take it no more
I had about enough of you

I'd rather be on my own
Yes, on my own

Site of the Day: MonthlyInfo.com

2009-11-10T14:19:00.000-08:00

Years ago, a dear friend and I were blessed to be able to work together. Actually, we met at work and became friends. (Sorry. Am I *already* getting off-track?) Anyhow, organized person that I am, or used to be, I would keep track of a certain... ahem... cycle for her. Not that I'm a nosy freak or anything, but her cycle just happened to coincide with mine, and... anyway!! TMI? It's a female thing, so get over it...

Anyhow, she kindly let me know that I've been replaced. It only took her seven years or so. So at least I know that I'm not easily replaced. :) So, in the interest of promoting female empowerment and menstrual cycle organization (not that they can be easily organized, but at least you can keep track of them)... I present to you...

http://monthlyinfo.com/

You'll be pleased to know that you can also make notations on whatever date you choose, as well. For example, if you wanted to remember that you ate at Razoo's on Saturday and then at Lupita's Taqueria on Wednesday. Very helpful if you're keeping a food diary. Or whatever. So there you go, ladies. Knock yourselves out!

Video of the Day: As If

2009-11-05T14:39:00.000-08:00

I'm not a very outgoing person. I have a select few people in whom I confide, in whom I can trust. Not that I'm anti-social. I'm not. Well, not really... I love people. I always have. It's just difficult getting to know people again after so many years of enredandome in my marriage, my family. Now, I'm without the husband, without the family. On my own... yet not on my own.

I have amazing friends who have helped me in so many ways. My friends tell me that I'm strong. Am I really? I've got to be. It must stem from the many, many prayers and supplications that I've sent up to God for the past ten months. There's no way I was this strong before. God answers prayers. Not in the way we expect. Not on our own time. We're all on his time schedule, no?

So, how does this relate to the video of the day? Well, I've decided to rely on this strength and just let things take their course. I won't stress over little things. Won't stress about other people, what they think, what they do. That's all them. It has nothing to do with me. Now, enjoy a bit of Sara Evans and have a great day! :)

I love the way you wear those worn out blue jeans
walking all around in the big sunshine
Baby let me believe that you're perfect
at least for a little while

You don't have to tell me what you're thinking
You can keep all that to yourself
Baby we got such a good thing going
don't show me that you're someone else

Cause Im acting as if
this blue sky's never gonna rain down on me
I'm telling myself
This true love's never gonna leave me lonely
Unless there's something I've missed I'm acting as if

We don't have to have a conversation
Baby don't ya think it's going fine
We don't need to send out invitations
to tell the world that you're mine

Cause Im acting as if
this blue sky's never gonna rain down on me
I'm telling myself
This true love's never gonna leave me lonely
Unless there's something I've missed I'm acting as if

As if your sweet kiss is never gonna fade away
And the way you look at me will never change...

Video of the Day: All I Have

2009-11-04T11:29:00.000-08:00

Sometimes there's a song that just hits you. It can represent however you're feeling that particular moment. Here's one that affected me this morning. I had to keep replaying it. Don't worry, feelings change. Songs as well. There will surely be a different song tomorrow! :)

So what song was on my radio this morning? All I Have. The video is just gorgeous, although it looks a bit too chilly for my taste. Remind me to never go to New York when it's cold! Maybe in the summer?

Stop playing, you gaming, I got to leave you alone

... Cuz I'm good
Holding down my spot
And I'm good
Reppin' the girls on the block
And I'm good
I got this thing on lock
So without me you'll be fine, right?

... Ain't nothin' you can say to me that can change my mind,
I gotta let you go now,
and nothin will ever be the same, so just be on your way,
Go ahead and do your thing now,
and there's no more to explain to me, ya know?
I know ya game
I'm not feelin' what you do
(and I'm good)
so I'm bouncing and I'm out, son
(I'm good)
I gotta leave you alone... yeah, yeah...

New Blog!!

2009-10-30T13:31:00.000-07:00

Everyone (of which there is perhaps only one or two)... I've started up a new blog. I'm no longer the crafty (as in arts and crafts), cooking (as in the kitchen with food) person that I once was. This new blog will perhaps reflect some of new interests. Don't worry, though. I'm pretty sure this is all just a phase and I will still continue to pop up on Loca the Cat occasionally. Please come visit and see GG2GO to see if you like it. :) Have a great day!!

The Cutest Shoes in the World

2009-10-20T10:04:00.000-07:00

Look at this! Isn't it adorable??

This is the Queen of Hearts Mary Jane, available on the Kohl's website. Please tell me why I'm even looking at shoes. This is not the thing one would wear to work everyday. Well, not normal people anyway. I'm saying this while I sit in my office wearing a Bowling for Soup rocker t-shirt, a torn pair of jeans with ragged hems and a homemade safety-pinned BFS patch, and a big ole pair of thick-heeled clubbish boots. In an office.

On second thought, these mary janes might be the perfect thing to wear to work. An improvement, maybe? Now, if I could only find them a bit cheaper than $51.99 plus $4.99 for shipping and who-knows-how-much for tax. I checked online and could only find a similar pair of flats for $20-ish. But no. I want the cute mjs instead. Sigh. Maybe after Halloween? Apparently these are costume shoes. I have no idea why. I'd wear them to work and.. Oh, hold on. I only go to work. Never mind!! I'd wear them to work. lol.

Video of the Day: Con los Ojos Cerrados

2009-10-07T19:23:00.000-07:00

Ah, Youtube. How I love thee. And how thee dost distract me from my homework. I really shouldn't be on here at all. It all started with a Bowling for Soup song. Then it somehow ended up moving on to Twilight homages. Now it's on this, my video of the day by Los Aliados de la Sierra. Yeah, I'm easily distracted. Well, here's the vid. Enjoy.

Todos quieren que me aleje de élla
que es de lo peor y no me quiere bien
dicen que me envuelve el cerebro
con el fin de enredarse en mi cuerpo.
Debo confesar que cuando élla me besa
el mundo da vueltas dentro de mi cabeza
cierro los ojos y siento su aliento,
mi sangre quema cualquier pensamiento
y le creo, le creo, le creo,
le creo cuando dice te quiero,
le creo que es la mujer mazZ buena
le creo que la luna es de queso
y si el me diera otro beso
que mas da si me miente
yo...le creo

Con los ojos cerrados iré tras de ella
Con los ojos cerrados siempre lo amare
Con los ojos cerrados yo confío en ella
Con los ojos cerrados yo le quiero creer
(SE REPITE)
Le voy a creer!

y nunca te dejare chiquitita¡¡
no me importa lo que digan¡¡
y echele y echele mis aliados de la sierra...

Ellos dicen que yo no puedo ver
Que el amor me ciega cuando estoy con el...
No me fijo que el no tiene dinero
Dicen que el es malo y que yo soy su juego

Debo confesar que cuando élla me besa
el mundo da vueltas dentro de mi cabeza
cierro los ojos y siento su aliento
mi sangre quema cualquier pensamiento
y le creo, le creo, le creo,
le creo cuando dice te quiero
le creo que es la mujer mas buena
le creo que la luna es de queso
y si el me diera otro beso
que mas da si me miente
yo...le creo

Con los ojos cerrados iré tras de ella
Con los ojos cerrados siempre lo amare
Con los ojos cerrados yo confío en ella
Con los ojos cerrados yo le quiero creer
(SE REPITE)
Le voy a creer!

Aventura en Musica, Si No en Amor

2009-10-06T12:50:00.001-07:00

Whatever happened to my wonderful plans for a fun, informative, interesting blog? Instead it seems that all I do is post videos. Well, not today. Nosirree. Today I'm posting a link to AOL Musica Zona Estreno. It's not a video. It's a wonderful link where you can listen to Aventura's latest CD. Ah... Aventura. Yeah. When he finds out. Sorry! Couldn't resist.

Anyhow, hope you enjoy the music. Until next time...

AOL link shared via AddThis

Video of the Day: Me Vale

2009-09-29T14:10:00.000-07:00

No me importa lo que piensa la gente de mí
que si traigo el pelo de alguna manera
porque me gusta traerlo asi
Que por qué escucho ese tipo de música??
Si es la que me gusta oir

Critican todo lo que ven en mí
Inventan chismes que no son ciertos
Con quien hablo, con quién salgo, con quién ando,
Que te importa? Es mi vida.
Si yo no le hago daño a nadie,
quién eres tú para decirme cómo vivir? Quién eres tú?

Me vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí
Es mi vida y yo soy asi, simón!!
Ee vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí
Es mi vida y yo soy asi!

Chorus: Porque me vale vale vaale, me vale todo
Me vale vale vaale, me vale todo
Si no me entienden o comprenden pues ya ni modo!
Porque me vale vale vaale, me vale todo

No puedes criticar algo sin conocerlo primero
Sere muy feo por afuera pero muy bello por adentro
Si eres una de esas personas te tengo una solución...
En vez de estar fregando y molestandome asi,
dedicate a encontrar que esta mal en tí
por que...

Me vale lo que piensen hablen de mí, es mi vida y yo soy asi, simón!
Me vale lo que piensen, hablen de mí, es mi vida
y yo soy asi por que...

Chorus

Mientras los reprimidos andan aburridos
yo no ando, de jodido
no tengo broncas porque soy yo mismo

Hablen lo que quieran...

Qué piensa o murmura la gente de mi?
Qué piensan los vecinos de mi?
Qué piensan los maestros de mi?
Qué piensa la autoridad de mí?
Qué piensan mis padres de mí?
Qué piensan mis suegros de mí?
Qué piensa todo el mundo de mí?
Sólo tengo que decir:
Me vaaaaaaaaleeee
Me vaaaaaaaleee

Ponganse al tanto porque el mundo gira rápido
Ponganse al tiro o se quedarán atrás

Gorgeous Upliftment

2009-09-25T07:48:00.001-07:00

Are you ready for some gorgeous upliftment? That sounds so much like a good-quality bra, doesn't it? Okay, maybe it's a good bra, too, but that's not what I meant. You see, this morning a friend sent me a delightful email about being a good woman.

It is so beautiful and inspiring that I had to track down the originator. It turns out the inspirational message comes from Nubia Group, a terrific blog/group. You should go and check it out. It'll just brighten your day. Just be forewarned, there is music on this blog. It's nice and calm, though. Perfect for easy listening when in the office or just chilling at home. :)

Video of the Day: Million Dollar Bill

2009-09-21T09:42:00.000-07:00

Sometimes life lessons can come to you at any time. Like on the weekend. At three o'clock in the morning in a Whataburger parking lot. Life lesson learned? Don't ever think you're all that. Maybe you are, but you're not perfect. You never know when you're going to fall down, get all scraped and bruised, and rip a hole in the knee of your new jeans. (Darn that curb.) BTW, designated drivers absolutely rock. Especially when they're going through your music collection and don't notice you fall!

One person who's fallen and has picked herself up, dusted herself off, and walked away with her head held high is Ms. Houston. Whitney is amazing. I've heard that her voice isn't quite back to her extremely high standards, but she sounds pretty darn good in this song. What do you think?

Oh oh oh yeah
Ooh oh ooh oh oh

Came in the door
Checked in my coat
And who I’m looking for
Is staring in my face, ooh
They played our song
We hit the floor
He held me strong
And we danced the night away

I can see the way that he is making me feel
This way about his love
I’ve been looking for something like this
I’m saying ooh oh oh oh ooh oh oh !

If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill
Say oh oh oh, say oh oh oh !
If makes you go left, right, up, down
Makes you spinning round and round
Say ooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

It’s been a long long time
Since I fell, fell
Love has found my way oh oh oh
I’ve been looking (looking)
I’ve been searching (searching)
For the man to touch this place, oh ooh oh yeah

Can’t deny the way that he’s making feel
This way about his love
I’ve been searching for something like this
I’m saying oooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill
Say oh oh oh, say oh oh oh !
Makes you go left right up down
Makes you spinning round and round
Say oooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill
Say oh oh oh, say oh oh oh !
Makes you go left, right, up, down
Makes you spinning round and round
Say oooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

If you feel good
If you’re feeling good,
Put one hand in the air, say yeah
If you feel good
If you’re feeling good
It’s cause love is in the air
Love is in the air

If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill
Say oh oh oh, say oh oh oh !
Makes you go left, right, up, down
Makes you spinning round and round
Say ooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

If he makes you feel like a million dollar bill
Say oh oh oh, say oh oh oh !
Makes you go left, right, up, down
Makes you spinning round and round
Say ooh oh oh oh, say ooh oh oh oh !

My baby
Ooh
C’mon and say
C’mon and say
Ooh
C’mon and say
Ooh baby

Video of the Day: Boots On

2009-09-18T12:09:00.000-07:00

I just love this song. It just puts me in such a good mood. It's even got me wearing my boots more. Silly, huh? Yeah, but I've been rockin' the boots more in the past month than I have in the past year put together. Rockin'... *not* knockin'. lol. That's a whole other Video of the Day and not one that will be going up any time soon. :)

Anyhow, here's the Video of the Day. Enjoy!

Video of the Day: Cleaning This Gun

2009-09-16T13:16:00.000-07:00

My dad. My dad is the type of guy that guys like. He's amiable and easy to talk to. Whenever my husband's guy friends/family would meet my dad, they'd love talking to him. Afterward they'd always make it a point to ask after him. Whenever my husband and I would have a get-together, the guys would always ask, rather eagerly, if my dad would be there too.

Then, there's the other side of my dad. The side that, when I was younger, would freak out unsuspecting young men. So many times I've heard, "OMG, you didn't tell me he's so.. big!!" Okay, now. My dad's not big. He just somehow gives that impression.

My dad also enjoys scaring guys by acting all gruff and ornery. He'll scare guys, females, children, whoever he can. It's really cool when he comes across someone who won't back down, like the feisty waitress at Rosie's. You go, girl!

Well, anyhow, we got tons of rain over the past week and my dad mentioned that we have a leak in the roof. When I told a friend, he said that he could come over and fix it for us. So, my bud came over yesterday and hopped up on the roof. Then my dad came out of the house. (Insert scary music here.)

My dad, lovely man that he is, realized that the young man on the roof would probably fall right off if my dad did his normal bit. So instead of scaring my friend, he was instead quite cordial and (dare I say it??) gentle. Yes, gentle. It's rather unbelievable. It's a good thing, too. It would have been bad if there had been a falling-off-the-roof accident.

So, the point of the story? Dads rock sometimes. Not always. Sometimes they can be rather annoying and drive you batty. But there are times when they rock.

Now, for the video of the day. It's a good thing my dad didn't have a gun when I was a teenager. :)

I Know What You Meme

2009-09-10T09:36:00.000-07:00

This meme comes from 2nd Cup of Coffee. I found it via Over the Moon with Joy (isn't that a beautiful name for a blog?). So, here goes...

1. When you go to Wowmart, what one thing do you get every single time, besides a funky-wheeled squeaking cart full of frustration?

Dog food. It seems like everytime I go it's for dogfood. Whenever I get lucky, I also get something from the clearance section. :)

2. What is something that people are currently "into" that you just don't get or appreciate?

Social networking. I just don't understand it. I'm trying, though. Just last week I signed up for facebook. Who knows how that will turn out!

3. What is something that really hoists your sail that other people might feel "ho-hum" about?

I get really excited about my pets. Seriously. I'll go on and on about my horse, my chickens, etc. Yes, I understand that you may not be as interested (if you're interested at all) but bear with it because I'm going to tell you anyway!

4. Favorite song to sing in the shower or car?

For some reason I've always loved to sing All Cried Out. Not the new one by Allure, but the original one with Lisa Lisa. Yes, I'm old school like that.

5. A really great salad must have this ingredient:

Ranch dressing. Preferably low calorie. :)

6. Advice in a nutshell to new bloggers (one or two sentences):

Don't worry about getting readers. Just do your thing and enjoy yourself.

7. What was the alternate name that your parents almost named you? Do you wish they had chosen it instead of the one they gave you?

Cher. Yes, like the singer. If they'd named me that, I'd probably have ended up calling myself Cherry. That's so much cuter than Michelle that I don't think I'd mind it so much. :)

8. What in your life are you waiting for?

Freedom. My life has changed a lot in the past year. I'm waiting for freedom. Not so much a release from responsibilities, but freedom to do, to breathe.

9. You get a package in the mail. What is it, and who is it from?

It's surely something from ebay or amazon. Can ebay be an addiction? It's my vicio. I recently ordered a sword and a sword DVD online. Oh, yeah. Mama's going to have fun with that!

10. Today--what song represents you?

It changes from day to day. Most of my "Video of the Day"s represent some facet of my life at that point in my time. Today's would probably be Calle 13's Atrevete-Te-Te or Aventura's Dime.

11. What is one thing that blogging has taught you about yourself?

Perhaps that I'm my own person. There is nobody like me. (Thank God! Can you imagine two of me??)

12. How are you going to (or how did you) choose the clothes you're wearing today? What do they say about you in general or specifically how you're feeling today?

I generally roll out of bed and pick whatever I can find that doesn't need ironing (too much, at least). Today I'm wearing a cute sleeveless shirt with jeans. Oh, yeah. My jeans are cut off at the bottoms, frayed, but neatly trimmed.

What do my clothes say about me? That I'm a bit lazy and don't care about fashion too much. There are too many other things to worry about! Even a going-out outfit looks pretty much the same, except that I wear strappy black heels instead of workboots!

Pic borrowed from here.

No More Horsing Around

2009-09-06T09:27:00.000-07:00

Lately I've been wondering about what I'm going to do with Lucky. My Lucky needs attention that I can't give her. She needs one-on-one time and some good training.

Well, this weekend my aunt and uncle came to Dallas to visit for the weekend. We started to talk about Lucky and somehow they offered to take her off my hands. They have a couple of acres out in the country and all of their neighbors have horses.

So now my aunt and uncle are returning to their home to put up fencing and even to buy a lady donkey to protect my girl from coyotes. In a few months they'll return to pick up Lucky and take her back with them.

This is just about breaking my heart. I know it's the best thing for Lucky. My aunt and uncle will love her and provide her with an amazing home. They are animal lovers and will treasure her, I'm sure. Still, I'm going to miss her terribly.
This is a big step for us. It's actually in my best interests, too. This will free up so much of my time, a bit of my money, and get rid of all my precupaciones for her welfare and well-being. Lucky will have plenty of room to run and play. She'll get daily attention from my aunt. When they're big enough, my little cousins will get to ride her around.

Somehow I feel like I've been through all this before. At least this time I know it's in my girl's best interests. So, in the meantime, I'm going to start boxing up all of my horse books and magazines. I'll send them to my aunt so she can start reading up on her new pet. Ah, my heart is breaking. It's hard to let go.

Video of the Day: Beautiful Day

2009-09-04T12:09:00.000-07:00

There have been many changes in my life this past year. Everything that I though was good and true in my life has changed. If you know me at all, you know that I don't take things sitting down. I always feel the need to control my life... and sometimes not only my own life. Friends and family aren't safe!

Lately, however, I've been learning to sit back a bit. Not necessarily to let people or situations run all over me, but to have a bit of trust and faith in what is going on and that it's going on for a reason. :)

Trust in the Lord and do good; so you will live in the land, and enjoy security. Take delight in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him, and he will act. Be still before the Lord, and wait patiently for him. (Psalm 37:3-5, 7a)

The heart is a bloom
Shoots up through the stony ground
There's no room
No space to rent in this town

You're out of luck
And the reason that you had to care
The traffic is stuck
And you're not moving anywhere

You thought you'd found a friend
To take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand
In return for grace

It's a beautiful day
Sky falls, you feel like
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away

You're on the road
But you've got no destination
You're in the mud
In the maze of her imagination

You love this town
Even if that doesn't ring true
You've been all over
And it's been all over you

It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Teach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the Bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
And see the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colors came out

It was a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Beautiful day

Touch me
Take me to that other place
Reach me
I know I'm not a hopeless case

What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
Don't need it now
Was a beautiful day

Dia de los Locos

2009-09-02T14:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, it was really called Dia de los Toadies. However, you'd know what I mean by Dia de los Locos if you were there right about the time the Toadies came out on stage.

This weekend I went to this day-long concert thing with my darling Baby Sis and her sis-in-law. It was fun.

The icky cowpond

Swimming in a big cowpond (icky, yet refreshing), eating and drinking in the parking lot (a bit of a trek, but still fun), and peoplewatching (interesting people, interesting watching). Oh, yeah... there was music, too.

My favorite band of the day was Bowling for Soup. They're adorable (even the really big one) and they totally rock. They're just so fun. It was great how they talked to the audience. The music was pretty cool, too.

Jaret Reddick of Bowling for Soup

Then... the Toadies came out. I get the fact that this was their thing, but they're still not a group that I'd listen to of my own free will. Perhaps the highlight of their set was when they played Possum Kingdom, or the "rape song" as I like to call it.

It wasn't all cans of beer and elbows to the head, though. There was also a healthy amount of shoving and slamming into other people. Am I really this old? Or could it be that most everyone there (except for the Bowling for Soup fans, of course) was insane?

Video of the Day: Put It On Me

2009-08-31T14:48:00.000-07:00

I was listening to this song on the way to work today. It was so good I had to replay it twice. It's a good thing I have an mp3 player. I'm going to be using it a lot for the next week or so... since someone stole my antenna this weekend! Can you believe it? lol. Yeah. I didn't even know people still did things like that. Thank God that the vehicle is fine. Just a bit musicless. Unless you like your music with a healthy dose of static!

So, anyhow, back to the video of the day. Enjoy. :) And no. It's not dedicated to someone in particular. It just is what it is.

... When you cry who wipes your tears
When you scared, who's telling you there's nothin' to fear
Girl, I'll always be there
When you need a shoulder to lean on
Never hesitate knowing you can call on...

Where would I be without you (uh)
I only think about you (yeah)
I know you're tired or being lonely (lonely)
So baby girl put it on me (put it on me)...

Como Santa Elena

2009-08-27T12:02:00.000-07:00

In Spanish, "buena" has more than one meaning. It can mean, of course, "good". This is the meaning that I've always known. It can also mean someone has a, ehem... "nice figure". :) Really.

In my younger days, guys would always tell me that I was very buena. Silly girl that I was, I thought they meant that I was a good girl, with a good heart. So I would preen in a good girl way and say gracias. But, no... that's not what they meant. lol. It took me a while to realize what they really meant. That was a bit blush-creating.

So anyhow, last night a friend taught me the cutest saying that I was advised not to use with guys (aka pelados). Ready for a Spanish lesson?

When someone asks you, "Como estas?" (Spanish for "How are you?") you can reply, "Como Santa Elena. Cada dia mas buena." At first I thought it meant that each day is better than the previous one. But no, it means "every day I'm getting more buena". Cheeky, huh? So, I tried it a while ago with someone. And oh, yeah! He was very impressed.

So ladies, whenever someone asks you como estas, remember... you're like Santa Elena. Especially when you're only 7.5 pounds away from your 22-year-old weight. Woohoo!!

Video of the Day: Let It Go

2009-08-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

Letting go has always been hard for me. I used to be the person who would need to fix everything. Although I don't think I'm still that much of a fixer nowadays, I still have trouble letting go. However, holding onto things doesn't seem to help.
Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you... -Psalm 55:22

Maybe I've been going about thing the wrong way?

Today's video is a song by Tim McGraw. Enjoy.

... Today, I’m gonna keep on walking
I’m gonna hold my head up high
I’m gonna leave it all behind
Today, I’m gonna stand out in the rain
Let it wash it all away, yeah, wash it all away
I’m gonna let it go, oh yeah
I’m gonna let it go, oh yeah

Skeletons and ghosts are hiding in the shadows
Threatening me with all the things that they know
Choices and mistakes, they all know my name
But I’m through holding in and holding onto all that pain

Today, I’m gonna keep on walking
I’m gonna hold my head up high
Got no more tears to cry
Today, I’m gonna stand out in the rain
Let it wash it all away, yeah, wash it all away
I’m gonna let it go, oh yeah
I’m gonna let it go, oh yeah...

Video of the Day: Online

2009-08-24T12:39:00.000-07:00

The video of the day is by Brad Paisley. Why? ;-) Just because. No particular reason!

Brad's pic snagged here.

Anyhow, this weekend was pretty good. I went to the movies Friday night and somewhere else on Saturday night. Somehow an earring went AWOL Saturday/Sunday. Sigh. Now I need to find some cute hoops. Or is time to be a bit daring & step out of the hoop comfort zone?

Somewhat Single and Fancy Free

2009-08-17T10:55:00.000-07:00

Who am I? How can I be married if I have no husband? How can I be a mother if I have no child? 7 1/2 months ago I was (or so I thought) happily married, a wife and mother. Now I no longer have the husband or the child. Oh, yes. They're still around somewhere. They're just no longer with me.

If a baby can be created and born in nine months, can I be recreated and reborn in the same amount of time? On October 9, it will be nine months since this chain of events started. What will happen by then? Will I be a totally different person? Will my priorities be different? What about my goals? My dreams? Rebuilding your life can be hard, but I'm blessed to be given the opportunity. Many don't have that chance.

Slowly but surely, I've started living my new life. It's hard.

Boxes of Crafty Fun

2009-08-14T11:02:00.001-07:00

Kristin over at Lu Bird Baby put together a "Bored No More" box for her little girl. It's a shoebox filled with all sorts of crafty goodies. Although I no longer have a little one in the house, I just *had* to put some together. I did a green one and a blue one for my two favorite little people. Moms, I'm going to check with them later to make sure that y'all don't take them away for your own use, so watch it!!

Here's a picture of my nephew's box. (I have no idea whose foot that is, okay?)Do you see how the top looks a bit bare? I'm going to pretend that I left it like that so that he can finish decorating it. Sure... that was the idea! An almost blank palette to inspire artistic tendencies.

Anyhow, the kit contains construction paper, crayons, watercolor paints, scissors, glue, pompoms, etc. Lots of things to (hopefully) keep the kids entertained while their moms have a quiet moment. Or to maybe keep the moms entertained while the kids take a break. Whatever.

Happy art-project-making, little R and little miss H!! :)

Video of the Day: If You're Going Through Hell

2009-08-06T10:11:00.000-07:00

I've been listening to a bit of country music lately. This one came on the radio this morning and it seemed timely. Who hasn't ever gone through bad times? With that in mind, I decided to use it as the video of the day. Enjoy...

Well, I been deep down in that darkness
I been down to my last match
Felt a hundred different demons
Breathing fire down my back
And I knew that if I stumbled
I'd fall right into the trap that they were laying, yeah...

But the good news is
There's angels everywhere out on the street
Holding out a hand to pull you back up on your feet
The ones that you've been dragging for so long
You're on your knees, you might as well be praying
Guess what I'm saying...

If your going through hell
Keep on going, don't slow down
If you're scared, don't show it
You might get out
Before the devil even knows you're there...

Can all your worries add a single moment to your life?... So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today. -Matthew 6:27, 34

Good News on the Hoof Front!

2009-08-03T09:31:00.000-07:00

We heard back from the barefoot trimmer over the weekend. He's decided that Lucky's hooves are pretty healthy and he's accepted us as his clients. Yay!!

Now, like any mom who has a child accepted into an elite preschool, I'm a bit dismayed at the price. Then again, Lucky's our only horse and we *do* want the best for her. Pricy barefoot trimming it is, then. Sigh. Do you think he'll take payment in figs and chicken eggs? Whatever, we'll make it work. Who can say no to a face like this? :)

Running Barefoot

2009-07-31T09:25:00.000-07:00

My Lucky girl has been needing someone to come out and take a look at her feet. For several weeks I tried to get a local guy, a "farrier for Christ" to come out and trim her hooves. However, it just hasn't worked out. Which may be a good thing. I'd rather have someone reliable. Wouldn't you?

Then I lucked out and found a barefoot trimmer. He wanted to see pictures of Lucky's legs/feet/hooves so I went out and took a bunch of pictures. Now I'm waiting on his response. I feel like a mama waiting to see if her precious baby makes it into a good preschool. Fingers (and hooves) are crossed that he decides to take us on.

Duct Tape Will Fix Anything.

2009-07-29T08:51:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I could hear one of the neighbors sawing wood so I took the challenge and pulled out my trusty reciprocating saw to finish cutting down a tree damaged in a recent storm.

My closest neighbor complimented me on my tree-cutting abilities, telling me I was doing it like a pro. Yeah, but did he see me bust a blade and then run to the store for a replacement (and a replacement replacement, just in case)? Did he see me tear up my shed roof because the huge tree trunk was laying across the roof and I decided the quickest & easiest way to get it down would be by pulling it down with brutish force? (Yes, I'm so sore after doing that.) Did he see me tear the skin off my thumb because I wasn't wearing gloves? Not to worry though, I took a quick break and put on some Amy Brown fairy bandaids. Rough and tough as I may be, I'm somewhat pitiful when it comes to scrapes and cuts!

Okay, then after I dragged myself in for a much-needed shower, my dad recommended that I duct-tape the shed roof so that water won't come in before we can get the sucker repaired. So yes, I'm that kind of girl. The not-quite divorcee who comes out in itty bitty shorts, a skimpy tank and long wet hair to climb onto a ladder and duct tape her shed.

It's so silly it's sad. I'm sure all the men neighbors were incredulous and dumbfounded, while the women neighbors were incredulous and PO'd. But sorry, I wasn't about to get appropriately dressed (or put on appropriate under garments, i.e. a bra) just to come out and climb onto a ladder and get all sweaty and mosquito-bitten!! Darn those mosquitos.

Self-Image and Self-Worth

2009-07-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

I've always tried to instill within my daughter a sense of her intrinsic worth as a person. Sadly, two major male figures in her life have laid waste to my hard work and erratic positive reinforcement. Instead of being lovingly treated as the wonderful gift with which God entrusted us, she was treated otherwise. I wish that she would trust me enough to share her feelings. All of them, not just her feelings of anger. In order to heal, one must release.

Why do we put so much store in what others think of us? The other day someone told me I'm "as cute as a button". What?! I'll admit, there are some cute buttons out there. However, when I'm getting dressed in the morning, it's not with the aim of achieving button-level cuteness. :)

Pic snagged from here.

Perhaps I'm taking the button comment the wrong way. It could be the fact that the comment seems a bit patronizing, reminiscent of "Well, bless your heart." In Texas, that's akin to saying, "You poor thing, you're pathetic." I think not!

This weekend, I went to Pleasant Grove to have some needed work done on my car. It was like stepping into another world. I was called beautiful, baby, sweetheart, even mama! You know, all those terms that can be either offensive or affirming, depending on what type of female you are. Well, I'm the type of female that took it all as a compliment. By the end of the evening, I was not feeling at all like a button-faced chica with a good work ethic.

FYI: Gentlemen, when you're trying to get in good with a woman, whatever you do... don't tell her you want to get to know her better because she's got a good work ethic. However true that may be, a woman usually wants to hear something about how cute and special she is. And please, please, PLEASE, don't compare her to a button!! Am I bitter? Not at all. Annoyed? Okay, a bit! :)

The Shirt

2009-07-24T07:46:00.000-07:00

The question is on everyone's mind. Did she find it? The impossible quest for the perfect shirt started last night after a bowl of beer at On the Border.

Picture from here

Although the search didn't start off well (you should see some of the stuff they sell at Ross! Way too trendy for little ole unstylish me...) I ended up stumbling upon a shirt just one minute before the store closed.

Even though my dear friend T. scolded me for picking something so boring and business casual, I think it's perfect. It's the kind of shirt that can be worn to work or to drinks after work. It looks nice without saying "I'm trying really hard to look cute." It can be worn just about anywhere! Here's the shirt with the jeans and shoes that I'll wear it with. What do you think?

BTW, the shirt was only $6.50. Yeah, I rock. Thanks, T. and Miss H. for your shopping assistance. T., I'm sorry that I didn't pick one of your shirts. But, I'm not sorry that I won't look like a big black jellyfish with pouffy nylon sleeves!! :)

Video of the Day: Irreplaceable

2009-07-23T13:06:00.000-07:00

This has been a quiet week. Not necessarily a good quiet. Nor is it a bad quiet. It's just quiet. Thank God. He has been good to my family and me. He's helping us and showing us his blessings during these not-easy-at-all times. Things will get better.

In the meantime, I'm just plugging along. I'm looking forward to a brief hiatus in between classes... although I'm scared of having so much free time on my hands. Yet that's exactly what I need. Free time. Time in which to work with Lucky. Time to take care of her, Baby, and our 15 chickens (and counting- or should I say subtracting). Time to cut trees and build fence. Time to clean the house and move things into- and out of- storage. I may even do something about my sweet little car. The one that's been parked since February. Sigh. So many things to do.

In the meantime, here's the video of the day. It may not be the Irreplaceable that you were expecting. This cover is done by Sugarland. I just love Nettles. Doesn't she have the cutest drawl? :) Enjoy.

Standing in the front yard telling me
How I'm such a fool, talking about
How I'll never ever find a man like you
You got me twisted

You must not know 'bout me
You must not know 'bout me
I could have another you in a minute
Matter fact he'll be here in a minute, baby

You must not know 'bout me
You must not know 'bout me
I can have another you by tomorrow
So don't you ever for a second get to thinking you're irreplaceable...

12/18/2009: Edited to change out the video. The first one was pulled by the youtuber. Darn!

Video of the Day: Strong Enough to be My Man

2009-07-20T12:31:00.000-07:00

Have you ever seen a frosted raisin in real life? Are those the ones that come in Raisin Bran? Or are those sugared raisins? Regardless, a frosted raisin sounds like something that would taste good in cereal, not something that belongs on toenails.

Nonetheless, Saturday night I spent a very productive 5 minutes painting my toenails a pretty Frosted Raisin. Then the next day I kept on admiring them every time I looked down. Even today I had to wear strapless heels just to show them off!

Anyhow, here's the video of the day. Enjoy.

When I've shown you that I just don't care,
When I'm throwing punches in the air.
When I've broken down and I can't stand,
Would you be man enough to be my man?

Just no lies, please. I don't think I can take any more.

First Impressions

2009-07-20T08:41:00.000-07:00

My arms and shoulders were so sore this weekend. The other day, one of our neighbors had his horse out. I thought it was the perfect opportunity to introduce Lucky to him (the horse). I told Lucky all about him, but by the time we got out to the field he was long gone... or so I thought.

A calm Lucky

I had Lucky on her lead and she was calmly chomping out on grass when she started jumping around as if a fly had gone up her nose. There was no fly. She'd seen the neighbor's horse out of the corner of her eye. Although he was halfway across the field, Lucky was jumping and kicking as if she was auditioning as a rodeo bronco. If it was a real audition, she'd have won the job!

I immediately took her home, with her acting alborotada the whole way. Her crazy fits freaked out the neighbor so much that he came over to check on us. Since Lucky doesn't know the neighbor, this set her off a bit more so that I had to put her up for the day.

My traviesa didn't make me look totally bad, though. I opened her gate and led her through. She waited calm as can be while I walked back out of her pen, closed the gate and took off her halter from the outside of the pen. I may not know too much about horses, but at least I've been working on her manners a bit! :)

Heavy Drinking

2009-07-16T12:30:00.000-07:00

Lately I’ve been under a bit of stress and worry. At times such as this I turn to prayer and drinking. Yesterday I drank a Dr Pepper and a Big Red. Today I’m just getting started with another DP. At least it’s not the hard stuff. I always try to drink diet instead.

This cute retro-looking bottlecap is from here.

Video of the Day: Ayer Me Dijo un Ave

2009-07-16T10:24:00.000-07:00

Is it silly of me to look for signs in little creatures? This morning there was a darling baby bird outside by the front steps. He was a little ball of fuzz and beak, tucked into a corner away from the hot sun. I was worried until I saw his mom in a nearby tree. After a few hours, the baby and his mom were gone. Obviously the flying lesson went well.

Wouldn't it be great if we could all protect our children from what can hurt them? At least when they're too small or too weak to protect themselves. At least until they know how to protect themselves.

Ayer me dijo un ave que volara
Por donde no hay ardor
Que lo sufrido no resucita en sueños
Y en rezos nunca murio

Que saque el aire de mis ojos
Que abrace el miedo con tus sueños
Que sea un guerrero de sangre
Para que nadie te haga daño

The Moth, Part 2

2009-07-15T12:50:00.001-07:00

Okay, this has nothing to do with the moth. It has to do with feeling worry, frustration, helplessness and anger all rolled up into one. Not with my stubborn and confused A., but with the real cause of the problem. Just when I was feeling close to exploding with righteous fury, a lovely coworker emailed me this:

Jehovah is pleased when we imitate him and his Son by being merciful in our dealings with one another. (1 Cor. 11:1) And others are encouraged to be merciful, for mercy begets mercy. (Luke 6:38) Mercy is a blend of many good qualities. It involves graciousness, love, kindness, and goodness. Tender feelings of compassion or sympathy are at the root of acts of mercy. While godly mercy does not compromise justice, Jehovah is slow to anger and patiently gives wrongdoers sufficient time to attain to repentance. (2 Pet. 3:9, 10) Mercy is thus related to patience and long-suffering. As a combination of many desirable traits—including various aspects of the fruitage of God’s spirit—mercy becomes a framework within which these qualities may be cultivated. (Gal. 5:22, 23) How vital that we strive to be merciful!

So timely and so needed. Thank you.

The Moth

2009-07-15T09:35:00.000-07:00

I received a package yesterday at work. Unfortunately it had somehow been attacked, so it leaked itsy bitsy pieces of recycled paper all over the place. It got all over the rug inside the front door. The vacuum missed it this morning so I decided to shake it off outside.

Underneath it was a little moth...

This picture is from here.

It that had somehow been caught under the edge of the rug. It took me several tries to get the little thing outside since he kept on flying back in before I could close the door. After being outside for not even 30 seconds... he was eaten by a quick-thinking bird.

My morning has not been very good so far. Please, God, don't let this be an indication of how it will continue!

Video of the Day: Strange

2009-07-13T14:17:00.000-07:00

Alright. It's Monday, which means that I should be frantically studying/reading/learning for my one and only online class. Not. Instead, I proudly present to you my newfound fave from Ms. Reba. Enjoy!!

Strange...
Talk about luck I woke up
And the sun was shining.
Strange...
I ought a be in the bed with my head
In the pillow crying.

Blessed

2009-07-06T14:07:00.000-07:00

1. Money's tight for the next three weeks.
2. I've got no chance of making an A this semester (a C might still be within my reach).
3. It rained this weekend, but I always just miss it so my vehicle's still dirty/dusty.
4. My feet are inexplicably smelly today. Not that they don't ever smell. Come on, they're feet. Still, it's noticeable today. When I'm wearing summery sandal/heels!

On the other hand...
1. I've got it going on, according to the auto parts guy. I'm going to take that as a compliment to my financial and overall capable-ness in making it from day to day. Surely that's what he meant.
2. If I don't switch majors again, I'm only three years away from my degree. Less if I stay on track.
3. Although dirty, at least I've got a vehicle that won't leave me on the side of the road. (Fingers crossed.)
4. Although a bit malodorous today, at least my feet aren't horribly ugly. They're almost cute in a quirky way. :)

Yup. I'm blessed.

Video of the Day: Tren al Sur

2009-07-02T10:02:00.000-07:00

What a morning. I overslept and got to work an hour late. Agh! My bosses are lovely, though. And despite the frantic rush to leave the house, I didn't yell and I'm feeling good. Looking forward to tomorrow. :) Sigh. A day off! Who knows what will happen?

Y ya estos fierros van andando
Y mi corazón está saltando
Porque me llevan a las tierras
Donde al fin podré ver nuevo

Respirar adentro y hondo,
Alegrías del corazón, Ajaja!

Y no me digas pobre
Por ir viajando así
No ves que estoy contento
No ves que voy feliz.

Video of the Day: Hay Amores Que Matan

2009-07-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

Should I even post this video? It's a bit risque. Then again, I feel that parents should know what their children are looking at anyway. So, okay... I'll go for it.

Why this song? Because I'm so tired of living with anger and even hate. Not my anger and hate, but that of a person who I love very much. Loving someone who's not in the right state of mind/heart/soul can take a lot of a person. I'm tired and feel that this is sucking any joy out of my life!! It will get better, though. Despite it all, we're very blessed. It will get better.

More Twilight...

2009-07-01T12:45:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I should be writing an editorial essay and taking two quizzes for school. I know I should be studying and doing other paperwork. However, one of the young ladies in my office put together an office wordsearch puzzle. It got me to thinking about putting together a puzzle of my own. Now that I've done it, I promise to do my schoolwork. Really.

While I work away, check out my Twilight puzzle. There's a button at the bottom of the screen so that you can print it out. It's kind of easy, but I hope you like it. :)

Romance Reading

2009-06-30T13:29:00.000-07:00

Have you ever wanted to just read a good romance? Something with a story that just flows & doesn't take much thought on your part? Lots of people look down on romances. Okay, I'll admit it... sometimes the juicy covers make it embarrassing to read romances out in public. Other than that, it's all good, right?

Well, guess what? Right now Harlequin is running a great promotion. In honor of its 60th anniversary, Harlequin is offering 16 of their books free of charge (in ebook format). To download some juicy reading, click here.

The Harlequin site takes a second to show the back page description of each individual book, so for your reading convenience the Amazon descriptions are below. :)

Crime Scene at Cardwell Ranch (Harlequin Intrigue) by B.J. Daniels
Hide in Plain Sight (Love Inspired Suspense) by Marta Perry
Stranded with a Spy (Suspense) by Merline Lovelace
Kiss Me Deadly (Silhouette Nocturne) by Michele Hauf
Slow Hands (Harlequin Blaze) by Leslie Kelly
Price of Passion (Harlequin Presents) by Susan Napier
Baby Bonanza (Silhouette Desire) by Maureen Child
Irresistible Forces (Kimani Romance) by Brenda Jackson
Dancing in the Moonlight (Silhouette Special Edition) by RaeAnne Thayne
Snowbound (Harlequin Super Romance)by Janice Kay Johnson
Once a Cowboy (Harlequin American Romance) by Linda Warren
The Bride's Baby (Harlequin Romance) by Liz Fielding
A Very Special Delivery (Love Inspired) by Linda Goodnight
Speed Dating (Harlequin Nascar) by Nancy Warren
His Lady Mistress (Harlequin Historical Series) by Elizabeth Rolls
Homespun Bride (Love Inspired Historical) by Jillian Hart

Oh, and for those of you who love vampire romances, check out Kiss Me Deadly. I doubt it's as angsty as Twilight, but you might still get a kick out of it. :)

Happy reading, folks!

Coloring Twilight

2009-06-26T09:32:00.000-07:00

I just found a great little site. It's supposedly only for girls, but I'm sure boys could go there too if they really wanted. I've been trying to find Twilight coloring sheets online for A... despite the fact that she says that she's not one of those girls that goes all mushy over Edward, I suppose.

Anyhow, while looking I found this. It's a great online Twilight coloring sheet. It's kind of like one of those paint applications. You just click on the color and then click on what you'd like to fill in. You can click on the down arrow and get access to more colors, too. Which is a good thing. Because without that, my picture was becoming too brightly-colored to be at all Twilight-ish. I hope you enjoy!

Video of the Day: Lamento Boliviano

2009-06-23T09:03:00.001-07:00

I heard several this song several times this morning while stuck in traffic for 45 minutes. Different versions of the song, that is. Versions in rock en espanol, merengue, and cumbia vallenata. Can you tell I like the song? :O) I hope you will, too.

Me quieren agitar
Me incitan a gritar.
Soy como una roca,
Palabras no me tocan
Adentro hay un volcán
Que pronto va a estallar.
Yo quiero estar tranquilo.

Es mi situación
Una desolación,
Soy como un lamento,
Lamento boliviano.

Que un día empezó
Y no va a terminar
Y a nadie hace daño.

Y yo estoy aquí
Borracho y loco
Y mi corazón idiota
Siempre brillará...

Spaghetti & Diner Food

2009-06-22T12:04:00.000-07:00

You know food's good when you eat it with your fingers. Come on. It's not like you've never done it before.

Sigh. What a lovely weekend. A. & I went out to eat with friends on Saturday night. Total goofiness, lots of laughter and tasty food- including spaghetti. Yup, so good you could eat it with your fingers. We'll have to do a spaghetti night at the house sometime. :)

Then A. & I carried out a successful dadnapping for Sunday morning brunch. Yes, brunch. 'Cause we're sophisticated like that. Actually, A. and I had breakfast and my dad had lunch. That's like brunch, right? :)

Brunch was yummy and artery-clogging. Diner food rocks. And the waitress was spunky and enjoyed putting (or trying to put) my dad in his place! You go, girl!

Anyhow, here's the video of the day, Celofan by La Gusana Ciega. I love the music and the words. That was even before I saw the video. Enjoy!

Comprar azul acero
es todo lo que quiero,
plantar un par de sueños
y despegar del suelo.

Soñar envuelto en pliegos,
dejar atrás el miedo.
Quebrar las formas viejas
y despertar de nuevo.

Es papel de celofán,
lo que cambia de color,
lo que pierdes con el tiempo
y lo que vuelves a encontrar.

No estoy volando lejos,
no estoy volando cerca,
eso que quieres ver en mi
es lo que se refleja.

Es papel de celofán,
lo que cambia de color,
lo que pierdes con el tiempo
y lo que vuelves a encontrar.

Comprar azul acero
es todo lo que quiero,
plantar un par de sueños
y despegar del suelo.

A Day with the Family

2009-06-15T11:59:00.000-07:00

A. has been wanting to go to the lake for the longest time now. Finally, this weekend she got her wish. It was a gorgeous day. Nice and hot with a pretty regular wind. Loading up and getting out was a bit of a pain. It was almost as bad as preparing to travel out of the country. Once at the lake, though, we just sat back and relaxed while my dad grilled. Ah. So nice.

See these dirty little feet? That's my nephew. All he wanted was for someone to take him to go play in the water. While he was waiting the forever it took for the big people to get around to finally taking him, he had to content himself with a tiny spot of formerly puddly dirt. :) Boys and mud...

Yeah, the day wasn't bad. Hope your weekend was fun, too!

Los Nubes No Se Van

2009-06-11T08:16:00.000-07:00

What a fun-filled night! (Not really.) A pretty bad storm hit Dallas. Actually, it's still hitting it! The lights went out right when we got home. While I was taking care of things in the garage, A. was taking care of Lucky. While A. was in the feed shed, a tree fell on it! Fortunately, it was one of the trees we'd been meaning to cut down. Mother Nature just got to it before I did. Now we'll only need to do a bit of tidying up, picking up pieces of tree and such.

Since it was raining so hard, I was reluctant to open any of the windows so it was warm all night long. However, that didn't stop us from having a movie ~~night~~ hour before the laptop's battery died. Twilight. Although I heard that it wasn't all that, I actually liked the movie pretty well. At least what we saw of it. Great. Now I'm going to have to read the books! :)

After that, I washed dishes by candlelight. It was very relaxing. Then on to studying by candlelight. Maybe Laura Ingalls was used to this sort of thing, but I'm not. It's hard to nod off when you have a candle on the book that can easily set your head afire. Well, it's not hard to nod off, but it's dangerous! Thank God, the lights were on again by morning. Hopefully the rain will ease up a bit by this afternoon. We have fence to mend and tree limbs to move. In addition to the long list of other things that need to be done around the house.

To see the video of the day, click here. It's El Sol No Regresa, by La 5ta Estacion. We're hoping the sun will return soon.

Hygiene Kits for Kids

2009-06-03T10:44:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the not-too-good pictures. I took them about 1 a.m. when I really should have been sleeping. Hmm. Maybe I was sleeping when I took them. That explains a bit. Anyhow, this is the special project I mentioned before. A. and I have been working on these bags for about 1 ½ months. The bags are actually hygiene kits for homeless kids and teens helped by SUFK (Stand Up For Kids).

Kids and teens are a cause that’s dear to my heart, whether it's the kids at the neighborhood school or the kids living on the street who are unable to attend school. SUFK goes out and hits the streets, looking for homeless kids, street kids, kids who are at risk. They provide them with food, hygiene kits, and an ear to listen.

What you see in the pic are some of the hygiene kits that my family finished assembling on Memorial Day. They have all the basics that a street kid can use to maintain personal hygiene. Each kit includes a brush, comb, toothpaste, toothbrush, soap, shampoo, etc. As a little extra something, the bags also include comic books that we stumbled across in a local thrift store. All the comics are rated T for teen. (It’s a good thing, too. Some of those books can get a bit racy/violent/bloody!)

What’s the point of this post? My point is… these kids are not on the street because they want to be. They’re out there because they feel they have to. Perhaps they come from abusive homes. Maybe they were kicked out. Maybe they’re second-generation homeless. Can you imagine how hard it must be for them to get from day to day? Every child needs a home. All these children need to be helped so that they can rise above their adversities and break the cycle. They should get to sleep under a safe roof in a warm bed just like the rest of us. They need love and understanding. If I can’t get out there and give them that, at least I can contribute toothbrushes and such.

If you can help in some way, please do so. It doesn’t have to be through Stand Up For Kids. It can be another organization in your area. It doesn’t have to be a monetary donation or a donation of goods. Maybe you can go and serve dinner at a homeless shelter or go and volunteer at a children’s shelter or organization. There are so many young people that need help. There are so many of us who can give it. Why don’t we, however we can? :)

Video of the Day: You Were Meant for Me

2009-06-02T14:10:00.001-07:00

Listening to the radio this morning, A. & I heard this song came on. I told her about something that happened forever ago, back in the dark ages, when I was recording this song as the music for friends to hear when they paged me. Yes, paged. On a pager (aka beeper). Those cool little gadget thingys that nobody could live without back in the days before cellphones were affordable for regular people.

This cool pager pic was borrowed from here.

Anyhow, a very dear friend called me while I was recording the song, so I told him to call the beeper & tell me what he thought of it. After calling it, he called me back and asked me if the song was for him. Um, no... Yup, I was a heartbreaker! Anyhow, it was just a good song & I totally adored Jewel. So, here's the song. I hope you enjoy it. And no- it's not dedicated to you.

Video of the Day: What If

2009-05-25T22:54:00.000-07:00

It's after midnight and I just finished an exam and a report on something that I haven't even read. Yep, bad. Why this frenzied (non-)scholarship at this late hour? I didn't have time to study today since I spent all day shopping for something that I'd really like to buy. Did I find what I wanted? Yes. Can I afford it? Yes, barely. Should I buy it? I don't know yet.

So, instead of sleeping on it or, at the very least, playing catchup for school... I'm looking at music videos. Is this sensible? Not really. Am I sensible? Not really. Otherwise I wouldn't be scraping pennies together mentally and thinking... what if?

I'm always doing this. It's quite annoying. Sometimes I imagine the scenario so realistically that later on I can't remember if it's really happened or if I only imagined it. Is this a sign of a mental disorder? Please say it isn't!

Anyhow, here's Babyface. Isn't he gorgeous? And so talented. Maybe that's what makes him so gorgeous. Whatever. Anyhow, here's something to watch before you, too, start wondering what if. It's funny the turns that our lives can take. Who knows where we'd be if we'd made different decisions. We'll never know.

Video of the Day: No Te Pido Flores

2009-05-22T11:11:00.000-07:00

Woohoo! Today is an early day off because of Memorial Day. Gotta go and hit the dollar stores. I've got some major spending to do. No, not for me. For a special project. I'll show you more later. :) Have a good weekend!!

Definitivo este dolor
que me condena y me lastima
Sera la suerte quien decida
si me mejoro o me domina...

Video of the Day: Angelito

2009-05-21T12:59:00.000-07:00

Today's video is due not to a lost love, but to a sad mood. It's okay, I'll get over it in a few hours. But while it's here, I think I'll just watch this video. The music is so sad. And the pictures are so cute. Some of them remind me of Edward Scissorhands. Was he emo? I admit it, I don't know what emo is. Yeah, I know. I'm not cool.

Video of the Day: Mientes Tan Bien

2009-05-20T13:25:00.001-07:00

This is one of my most favorite videos ever. I remember understanding why she does what she does. It's all for her child. It's amazing that she never loses her joy in life, even in the face of her child's illness. She's a strong person and just handles her business. I want to be like her. Except for the whole dancing-on-a-pole part.

Video of the Day: Y Hubo Alguien

2009-05-15T13:47:00.000-07:00

Please don't ask me how in the world I stumbled upon this. I have no idea. But I'm glad I did. Check it out. It's Army Lieutenant Bryan Thompson doing a fantastic cover of Marc Anthony's "Y Hubo Alguien" with the 1st Cav Army Band. Don't just listen to his voice... look at the video, too. These soldiers were stationed in Iraq when this video was taken. Can you believe it? These guys are amazing- and not just for how they jam.

Breaking Bread After the Storm

2009-05-13T13:17:00.000-07:00

Have you ever had a really bad argument? The kind where accusations are made, voices are raised, tears are shed? As nasty as it can seem, this can help to get a weight off your chest and it can help to clear the air so that you can just move on.

Well, A. and I had one of those this weekend. I really don't think of it as an argument, though. For me it was just clearing the air, a way of communicating that otherwise wouldn't have come about. Regardless, such vociferous and teary communication can make a girl hungry. And, oh boy... did we eat! Then all was right with the world.

Video of the Day: Me

2009-05-12T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is just a quick post to share a new song with you. Okay, maybe it's only new to me, but still! Whatever, I still love it. Enjoy. :)

You ask me if there's someone else
I replied yes, hell yeah
You asked me if it's another man, I say no
You laughed and say is it a woman, I say yes
Surprisingly you asked me for honey's name

And her name is me,
And she loves me more than you'll ever know
And I finally see that loving you and loving me
Just don't seem to work at all
So patiently, she's waiting on me to tell you
That she needs love
And to choose between you two, boy you know
If I have to choose, I choose me

A Jazzy Evening

2009-05-08T06:58:00.000-07:00

Last night A. and I went to get a free dinner at KFC because of a promotion they were running online. We found a place that wasn't absurdly packed. Feeling happy and hungry we went in... and got turned away. Apparently KFC bit off more than they could chew when they offered free chicken to the whole country. The young woman at the register had us turn in our coupons and fill out forms to get coupons in the mail. What? Turn in a coupon to get a coupon? Okay, we did it. Then we went and picked up dinner at Burger King instead. :)

Why fast food for dinner, you ask? Well, the Dallas Museum of Art has jazzy Thursdays with live music... and no admission fee. Seriously. This is the perfect thing to do when you can't hit the museum during their regular daytime hours. Thursdays they're open until 9 pm and it gives you plenty of time to browse the artwork (and the giftshops!). Not only that, when you go after 6, you can park out on the street without having to pay the parking meters! Oh, yeah. What can be better? Maybe free chicken, but we're not dwelling...

The museum was packed and it was a good experience. Too bad we didn't have time to see it all. Then again, who would want to see it all in one day? That would be a total art overload. Maybe we'll go back again sometime. This time wearing comfortable shoes!

I would have loved to take pictures of some of the artwork, but we couldn't figure out how to turn off the flash. So instead, here is a pic of the ginormous windows in the atrium. This is where The Jamal Mathis Trio was performing. The way the Atrium is, you can listen to the music there, out in the passageway, in the giftshop, and even on third level! So nice.

Video of the Day: Un Monton de Estrellas

2009-05-07T07:09:00.000-07:00

I've always loved this song. I first knew it as sung by Grupo Mojado, one of the first groups I fell in love with after learning Spanish. Then I found out that Bacilos did the song, too. Oh, joy! :) Here is the song as done by Polo Montañez. The video is a bit dated, but the sentiment is timeless, no crees?

Todo fue así....así mismo fue
Todo fue por ella...
Yo la quería, yo la adoraba, pero tenía que aborrecerla oohh ye
Todo fue asi....todo fue por ella
Como yo quise a esa mujer porque pensaba que era bueeena
Todo fue así... ay dios... todo fue por ella
Yo era capaz de subir al cielo, para bajarle un monton de estrellas
Un pajarito que iba volando yo lo cogí para complacerla
Todo fue así... todo fue por ella

Video of the Day: Gives You He**

2009-05-05T20:11:00.000-07:00

Today A. sent me a link for an All-American Rejects video. She thinks Tyson Ritter is hot. I think she may be right. What do you think?

Sorry the video is unembeddable. That means you'll have to click on the link to see it. Isn't it a great one, though? I think this is my new favorite song. :) The words sound mean. Well, okay... they are mean, but not viciously so. And the video is so funny!

I wake up every evening
With a big smile on my face
And it never feels out of place.
And you're still probably working
At a 9 to 5 pace
I wonder how bad that tastes

When you see my face
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell

Now where's your picket fence love
And where's that shiny car?
Did it ever get you far?
You never seem so tense, love
Never seen you fall so hard
Do you know where you are?

Truth be told I miss you
Truth be told I'm lying

When you see my face
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell

If you find a man thats worth the damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool you're just as well hope it gives you hell
Hope it gives you hell
Tomorrow you'll be thinking to yourself
Where did it all go wrong?
But the list goes on and on

Truth be told I miss you
Truth be told I'm lying

When you see my face
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way

I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell

If you find a man that's worth the damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool you're just as well hope it gives you hell
Now you'll never see

What you've done to me
You can take back your memories
They're no good to me
And here's all your lies
If you look me in the eyes
With the sad, sad look
That you wear so well

When you see my face
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell
When you walk my way
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell

If you find a man that's worth the damn and treats you well
Then he's a fool you're just as well hope it gives you hell

When you see my face
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell (hope it gives you hell)
When you walk my way
I hope it gives you hell, I hope it gives you hell (hope it gives you hell)

When you hear this song and you sing along well you'll never tell
And you're the fool I've just as well

I hope it gives you hell
When you hear this song

I hope that it will give you hell
You can sing along

I hope that it puts you through hell

Video of the Day: Baby, It's Cold Outside

2009-05-04T22:34:00.000-07:00

Okay, maybe it's not cold outside. But this song seriously rocks. I just love the version with Harry Connick, Jr. and Lee Ann Womack. Come on, be honest. If darling Harry was singing to you, would you want to go outside? ;)

Sadly, I couldn't find him singing the song online, but I did find Tom Jones & Cerys Matthews. I hadn't heard of her before, but she really jams. So, for your listening pleasure (in not-cold-at-all-April)...

Cheap, while still being thoughtful.

2009-05-01T14:41:00.000-07:00

Yup, that's me. I'm the one who loves to spend money but tries to do it as inexpensively as possible. What? Someone's giving something away? I'm there. The new neighborhood dollar store is having a grand opening sale? Oh, yeah! I'll be there with my walking shoes on. So, as you may be able to tell... I love to spend money, especially if I'm getting a good deal. But if I can get something without spending any money- even better!

Well, this month Hallmark.com is giving away greeting cards. Not only that- you can personalize them and have them sent to your recipient. You don't even have to pay for the stamp! Seriously. This is right in time for Mother's Day, too. If you want to get your mom's card there in time for the big day, you'd better hurry!

There are two coupon codes to use. That means that you can get two free cards as long as you do two separate orders. Get it? :)

The codes are: APRILCARD or CARD4MOM

It's Not Rainin'

2009-04-30T14:20:00.000-07:00

Allegorically...

What does a mother do when her daughter wants to go out and play in the rain? The daughter cries, complains, throws fits, is dissatisfied and angry with the world when she can't go play in the rain. The mother keeps telling her that she can go and play in the rain... as soon as it starts raining. Nobody can make it rain. It's up to the raincloud.

The daughter looks up at the raincloud. It's there in the sky. She tells her mother she loves the rain and wants to play in the rain. The mother says she knows that. The cloud knows that too. But it's still not letting loose the rain. The mother can't make it rain. The daughter can't make it rain. The cloud is the only one who can make it rain.

Don't throw away your happiness & your life in the present because it won't rain. Just because it's not raining doesn't mean that you can't play and enjoy your life. Daughter, it's not your responsibility, nor is it mine... to make it rain. Let the raincloud do what it needs to do. You and I can't make it rain.

Gorgeous rainclouds borrowed from here.

Houseguests

2009-04-29T09:09:00.000-07:00

This weekend some family came over to stay with us. They're my sister's little ones, so I guess that makes me their aunt. Although I've loved them from afar I haven't had too much interaction with them. Sunday night was actually my first time meeting them face to face.

Adorable as they are, I'm glad they're not mine. Mean, huh? Well, it's just that they are too rambunctious. Too needy of attention. Too mischievous. Too smelly. Umm, they're not potty-trained!! But I'll admit that they are rather cute.

Sis, oh sis...?? When are your babies going home?

What's Love?

2009-04-22T14:20:00.000-07:00

Last week I was trying to talk to my daughter about love. No, not about the birds and the bees. About love. For example, just because someone says that he loves you doesn't mean that he actually does. As they say, words are cheap but action talks. (Mixed metaphors? Whatever.)

Anyhow, if someone loves you, he needs to show that love for you. Anyone can say empty words. It takes a real man (or woman) to back up those words. If someone loves you he will respect you. He will be someone in whom you can trust... and that trust will be well-founded. He will do his best for you.

He doesn't have to have money to spend on you, but he'll want to do things for you. If he's as poor as a church mouse, he's still going to want to wash your car, mow your lawn, make you dinner, whatever. The point is, he'll want to do things for you. He will do everything he can to make you happy. He will want the best for you. He won't disregard you for his own convenience or because it's just too much trouble to do the right thing. He will treasure you and value your opinions and respect your feelings.

That's just my opinion, though. Here's a better definition/description of love:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud.
It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs.
Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth.
It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
Love never fails.

1 Corinthians 13:4-8

I need more love in my life. Don't you?

Three Things

2009-04-17T07:17:00.001-07:00

Three things that made me smile this morning:

1. My daughter had a nutritious breakfast (yogurt and a banana)... with no nagging or prodding on my part. Yay!

2. The guy at the local cafe gave me great service and a free burrito!

3. My coworkers and bosses aren't hostile and are actually nice & pleasant to be around.

Yup, I'm blessed.

Video of the Day: Stranger in My House

2009-04-15T14:54:00.000-07:00

Alright, I have no idea why I'm doing all these female singers lately. But the songs are amazing, aren't they? :) Here's one by Tamia. I've always loved this song. Apparently she's going to drop another disc next month. That'll be one to keep an eye (ear) out for.

Video of the Day: Stay

2009-04-14T21:23:00.001-07:00

Why this one? I have no idea. It's just a wonderful song and Jennifer Nettles sings it so well. Her tears are as real as her determination by the end of the song.

"But I NEED It!"

2009-04-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

That's what my little nephew will say whenever he's at the store with his grandpa and he spots something he can't live without it. It's also what I said when I saw this:

This picture is from here.

Isn't it pretty? Luckily, A. chimed in and told me no. Otherwise I'd be 125 bucks poorer and one horsey picture richer! :) If you've fallen in love with this oil painting too, you can find it at BirdonaFernStudio's Etsy shop. Go ahead and buy it. I won't tell you no!

The Sweet 100

2009-04-09T11:12:00.000-07:00

Cakespy has put together a "Sweet 100" list. This is the funnest thing. You should also go and check out her original post- it has the cutest graphics. Not only that, her blog is bursting with baked yumminess. You should check it out. No, I didn't stumble onto this list myself. I found it at Ruth's Kitchen Experiments. Thanks, Ruth!

1) Copy this list into your site, including the instructions!
2) Bold all of the sweets you've eaten--or make them a different type color.
3) Cross out any of them that you'd never ever eat.
4) Consider anything that is not bold or crossed out your "To Do" List.
5) Optional: Post a comment here linking to your results--or just post a comment letting us know how many you've tried, or what you're going to try next!

Red Velvet Cake
Princess Torte
Whoopie Pie
Apple Pie with sharp cheddar
Beignet
Baklava
Black and white cookie
Seven Layer Bar (also known as the Magic Bar or Hello Dolly bars)
Fried Fruit pie (sometimes called hand pies)
Kringle
Just-fried (still hot) doughnut
Scone with clotted cream
Betty, Grunt, Slump, Buckle or Pandowdy
Halvah
Macarons
Banana pudding with nilla wafers
Bubble tea (with tapioca "pearls")
Dixie Cup
Rice Krispie treats
Alfajores
Blondies
Croquembouche
Girl Scout cookies
Moon cake
Candy Apple
Baked Alaska
Brooklyn Egg Cream
Nanaimo bar
Baba au rhum
King Cake
Sachertorte
Pavlova
Tres Leches Cake
Trifle
Shoofly Pie
Key Lime Pie (made with real key lime)
Panna Cotta
New York Cheesecake
Napoleon / mille-fueille
Russian Tea Cake / Mexican Wedding Cake
Anzac biscuits
Pizzelle
Kolache
Buckeyes
Malasadas
Moon Pie
Dutch baby
Boston Cream Pie
Homemade chocolate chip cookies
Pralines
Gooey butter cake
Rusks
Daifuku
Green tea cake or cookies
Cupcakes from a cupcake shop
Crème brûlée
Some sort of deep fried fair food (twinkie, candy bar, cupcake)
Yellow cake with chocolate frosting
Jelly Roll
Pop Tarts
Charlotte Russe
An "upside down" dessert (Pineapple upside down cake or Tarte Tatin)
Hummingbird Cake
Jell-O from a mold
Black forest cake
Mock Apple Pie (Ritz Cracker Pie)
Kulfi
Linzer torte
Churro
Stollen
Angel Food Cake
Mincemeat pie
Concha
Opera Cake
Sfogliatelle / Lobster tail
Pain au chocolat
A piece of Gingerbread House
Cassata
Cannoli
Rainbow cookies
Religieuse
Petits fours
Chocolate Souffle
Bienenstich (Bee Sting Cake)
Rugelach
Hamenstashen
Homemade marshmallows
Rigo Janci
Pie or cake made with candy bar flavors (Snickers pie, Reeses pie, etc)
Divinity
Coke or Cola cake
Gateau Basque
S'mores
Figgy Pudding
Bananas foster or other flaming dessert
Joe Froggers
Sables
Millionaire's Shortbread
Animal crackers
Basbousa

Okay, I've only had 44 of these sweets. That's not good! Where's the dessert table? :)

Video of the Day: I'm Real

2009-04-09T10:13:00.000-07:00

The video of the day is one of my favorite songs. Luckily the link is for the edited version!

Now people loving me and hating me treating me ungratefully
but not knowin' that they ain't making or breaking me.
My life I live it to the limit and I love it.
Now I can breath again baby now I can breath again.

Just watching the video makes me think of the summer. Soon, soon... It's right around the corner.

A Really Green Lawn(Mower)

2009-04-08T08:00:00.000-07:00

I've always wanted to have one of those old-fashioned reel-type mowers. Everyone would always tell me, "No, no. Those things aren't good. They don't work very well." So I never got one. That, and the fact that I've always had a man to mow my lawn! Anyhow, I no longer have a man, but I do have a lawn- a very big one. And two gas mowers and assorted weed wackers, in various states of operability. Instead of turning them all on and figuring out which are the keepers, I'm just going to let them gather dust and... get a reel mower. Yeah, baby!! Our lawn is going green.

After doing extensive research (okay, reading the reviews on homedepot.com and amazon.com), I've decided to get the Scotts 20 In. Green Classic Reel Mower. This baby retails at $139.00 at my local Home Depot. That plus tax brings it to $150.47. However... Amazon sells the same thing (brand new) for only $109.00. Plus, there's no tax and no shipping. They even give a $30.00 credit if you get an Amazon credit card. Can you imagine? The lawn mower of my dreams for only $79.00? Oh, yeah. Mama's got a new lawnmower!!

This pic was found here.

Video of the Day: Pirates of the Caribbean

2009-04-06T14:16:00.001-07:00

This is just because. Dedicated to my baby, who just loves Captain Jack Sparrow. What girl wouldn't? He was gorgeous back in my day, too. ;-)

Mother-Daughter Outing #3

2009-04-06T12:13:00.000-07:00

Something came up on Saturday and I unexpectedly got a free day. Since we still had four food/beverage tickets left over from the festival, A. & I just had to go back. (Drat the festival and their unbreakable strips of 10 tickets! They wouldn't sell in anything other than lots of 10.) So, in order to use those four tickets we had to buy more. Then we ended up having two left over on Saturday afternoon. Luckily a cute little girl passed us & A. ran up and gave her our last two tickets. Hopefully the girl's mom found the two-ticket ice cream cone stand. Otherwise they, too, might have gotten sucked into the never-ending food/beverage ticket cycle!

Anyhow, while we were there, we browsed the great art for sale and listened to some terrific music. The reggae/ska/rock bands were the best. After sitting on various curbs and browning a bit in the sun, we finally wised up and went to this little taco place right by the stage. Santiago's Taco Loco Express has a shaded rooftop patio were we watched the band. It was the perfect spot to enjoy the music while A. ate her long-awaited turkey leg and I had my bacon cheeseburger and fries. Yup, we're traditional girls.

Stairway to Santiago's rooftop patio

Getting Henna-fied

2009-04-06T11:54:00.000-07:00

Friday night, A. & I went to the Deep Ellum Arts Festival with some family friends. It was a beautiful night- nice and cool. While we were there A. and I got some mother-daughter henna tattoos. We'd been planning on getting some done. It was serendipitous that the henna artist I was interested in, Karen Weiss, was working the show. We're pretty pleased with the results and will surely be doing this again. :)

Child Abuse Prevention Month

2009-04-03T09:49:00.000-07:00

Did you know that April is National Child Abuse Prevention Month? There are so many children being abused in this country. It's a shame. Children should be raised with love, not with abuse. This month why don't you do something that can positively impact a child's life?

There are many volunteer opportunities out there. More than I know about, that's for sure! In the Dallas area, there are a few organizations that help abused children (yes, teens are chidren, too!). There are even opportunities that enable you to work one-on-one and mentor a young parent. This can strengthen and encourage the parenting skills that all parents should learn.

If you're in the Dallas area, a few organizations that you can check out are:

Dallas CASA

Dallas Children's Advocacy Center

Destiny's House

Jonathan's Place

Our Friends Place

Promise House

To find a local organization that can use your help, you can check sites like Volunteer Match or even do a Google search for "child abuse" and your city's name. Even if you can't volunteer your time, gifts of money/goods are probably welcome. Give your local organization a call today!

(c)Tomo.Yun (www.yunphoto.net/en/)

My Chick Lit Life

2009-03-27T10:49:00.000-07:00

My life has turned into a bad chick lit novel. Seriously. You know the books. They're always about a young woman who lives in the big city, going through adventure after adventure while living the single life. Yup, my life is now kind of like that, just more embarassing and less exciting. Something happened yesterday that just about killed me from embarassment. Seriously, it was through no fault of my own. Okay, maybe it was partly my fault, but most of it was someone else's. Is this confusing you? Good, then I'm not the only one! Sorry, no further details will be given to protect the pride of the embarrassed. (That's me.)

If you're looking for a good chick lit read, try one of these on for size. They're great.

Jemima J., by Jane Green

Good in Bed, Jennifer Weiner

Asking for Trouble, Elizabeth Young

Angels, Marian Keyes

For Better, For Worse, by Carole Matthews

Sharing the Love... er, Savings

2009-03-26T06:39:00.000-07:00

Last night A. and I went to a local feed and supply store to get Lucky a new halter. The bighead now needs a "yearling" size. It's hard to believe. Well, she is almost two, but still! She's a blessing, traviesa that she is. Anyhow, last week we got a coupon in the mail for $10 off so it was the perfect time to go and pick up the halter.

You know how sometimes you have a coupon that you don't need, but you wish that someone else could enjoy the savings? We got in line behind this guy who was buying a pair of workboots... and our other coupon happened to be for 15 percent off leather shoes/boots. I was a bit embarrassed (okay, I turned red) but I asked him if he was using a coupon for his shoes. When he said no, I offered him ours. He was surprised, but after a half-second he said yes. :) He saved $19 with the coupon!! When he left he thanked me for offering it. It just made my night. Plus it saved him a few bucks.

Why don't you try to do something nice for a stranger today? Even if it's a bit out of your comfort zone. You might make their day- or yours. One site that I like to visit is Operation Nice. It's all about being nice to others. Why don't you go by?