Day in Review - Catching Up with Life and Housekeeping

Hello to you, my favorite reader...I have missed you. It's been awhile since I have posted anything. I have a lot to write about, a lot to say, but just don't know how to say it or how to organize my thoughts.

Do you ever have those days or weeks where it feels your mind is just full of randomness and it makes so much sense to you, but you know if you release that randomness to the world you will either be committed or beat up?

That's where I am about now.  Lets just talk about some basics for now...

Do you remember when Margarita, my parent's dog, pooped on my shoe?  She has made it up to me and bought me some new tennis shoes. I am very excited and they will certainly come in handy for my new workout routine, that I incidentally began today. I promised my dad I would publicly share this information, so there....I did it. Maggie bought me some new shoes....she is the perfect chihuahua again (note sarcasm)

I went my cousin's wedding this weekend...my younger cousin...I had no date...

I shared a hotel room with my parents....and shared a bed with Tia and Margarita, my canine sisters.  Maggie snored in my face all night...not quite what I was counting on with this wedding....

The wedding was beautiful, there was a gorgeous bride, a handsome groom and parties throughout the night. I found I can put down some rum and cokes without consequence from getting roofied. Good to know, right?

Since the 4th of July, I have essentially been on some kind of vacation, so I have felt totally out of the loop with not only my life, but with what is going on in the world. I just, for the first time today, actually watched the news again and gave it my full attention. It was nice to do for a news lover like myself.

It is strange not to be in touch with the world for me.  Sure, I was able to look at my Twitter feed and check up online, but it definitely isn't the same as watching it on TV like I have done since junior high.  True story...I used to set my alarm for 5 am so I could watch the local news followed by the Today Show at 13 years old. Probably not a normal thing to do at 13, but I have never really totally conformed to what I am "supposed" to be, either.

This whole news thing has a point in this blog post....it is leading to this...."Auto Tune the News"...I seem to have been living under a rock when it comes to "Auto Tune the News" but I saw it late last week and almost peed myself watching these videos.  I will be truthful, some of you may not like them.  Basically these videos take real news stories and real news anchors like Katie Couric and auto tune them into a hilarious montage. They also use footage from C-SPAN and the UN...This one is my favorite -



I also cracked up at the one called "Pure Poppycock" if you are interested.

In other news, something that didn't make me pee myself was Rachael Owens' new album.  I picked it up last week and love it!  I am working on an amazing review right now for it. These songs were an awesome addition to my iPod for my road trip to the wedding this weekend. The album has soul, which I love. You can feel the emotion in the songs. If a song doesn't touch your soul, it isn't worth listening to in my opinion. Check it out on iTunes or CDBaby - follow this link!  Alright - Rachael Owens

I have actually been working behind the scenes trying to make this blog better and updated more often.  You probably don't realize, but just one post, usually takes an hour or two for me to write. I have opened up to some guest bloggers and we may see one of them shortly. Additionally I am working on some new features and will test them to see if I can get any audience interaction, such as a "Question of the Day".

People seem to enjoy my Quote of the Day, so I will probably keep that up. I also will probably do some kind of "Thank You" of the day on the blog...appreciation and gratitude should be a part of all of our lives. I have a huge thank you coming up in the next month or so for my 6-month anniversary of being nicotine free which will be August 1st, but I really don't know how to thank someone who 1) I have never met 2) Inspired me to do one of the hardest things I have ever done and 3) possibly saved my life. (If anyone knows how to do this, please let me know! I am SO not good with this type of mushy stuff and want to do it without being annoying.) 

This, however, is not today's "Thank You of the Day". 

Today's "Thank You" goes out to incidentally another person I have never met and also has inspired me to do something I probably wouldn't have ever done before...this is a man who has literally support me via the internet, stood by my ideas, spread the word when I needed it spread and shared this blog with more people than have ever read it before...this man is the genius behind the blog The Book of Cletis.  Yes, Cletis...my "Thank You of the Day" goes out to you. Thank you for the inspiration, the laughs, the kind words you always give, Patrice and Stumpy, and all the wonderful things your write about on your site. You have been a pleasure to interact with, a fellow blogger to look up to and a reader who inspires me to be a better writer.

Last, but not least...that quote of the day which reminds me of my youth and my wonderful tennis coach, Abby Wightman -

"Tennis is a fickle sport. No matter how good you are at it, a wall will always be better."

Day in Review - Excuse Me, Did I Say You Could Touch My Ass?

Long time, no blog! I have been a busy girl! Glad to be back though. I was on this creative kick for a few days writing some stories and working on some inspired endeavors. I had some wonderful family time this weekend as well, so all was worth it. It was wonderful to have our monthly, family "Girl's Night" at a wonderful restaurant. I wanted to give a special "Thank You" to my sister. (not sure if she reads this or not) She waited for a full 90 minutes on Friday at the restaurant so our family could get a table!  Bravo to Tricia!

Saturday was laundry day and a trip to the all you can eat Chinese buffet with my parents, Sarah and Todd. (as they are now known) I learned a new Chinese phrase from my fortune cookie as well - "Xièxiè"...it means "Thank You".  So a Xièxiè to my sister, a Xièxiè to my parents and a Xièxiè to all of you for reading this blog!

A quick shameless plug, then on with the show..did you know you can follow the blog and be notified via e-mail when I update it?  Yes! You can! If you click the "Follow" button on the top of the page, you can sign up and know when I post. You can even do it anonymously!(Just in case you don't want anyone to know you read this trashy thing)  I also want to invite you to check out another awesome blog I personally follow - The Book of Cletis. Read it and love it...like I do.

We are going to discuss personal space tonight...see, something happened to me this morning that needs to be mentioned in a public forum. I was on my way to work and stopped at the gas station to grab a bottle of water since I had neglected to bring one from home. There was a long line (only one register open), so as I was waiting, I was checking out my latest tweets on Twitter. I was engulfed in tweets when I noticed a peculiar smell...it was sort of like a mix of cigarettes/body odor/gasoline/wet dog. I turned my head to see who was behind me radiating this toxic smell. It was an older, unkempt woman with stringy, greasy hair and two teeth. I politely smiled, she smiled back (which is when I noticed the teeth) and I went on with my tweeting. It was then, when I felt something...yes...something touched my ass. I took a small step forward, thinking it was just a mistake. You know, there were a lot of people in there. Sometimes you may get in someone's personal space. I get it. I did not, however, get it the 2nd time I felt something touch my ass.  It was just a little touch...so for a 2nd time, I took a small shifting step forward. My mind raced, thinking if I should say something to this smelly woman, or let it go...it really could just be a mistake, right?  Then...it happened again...a series of taps...right on my right ass cheek. I turn around then...to face Ms. Smelly. She smiled at me with her two teeth and said "Hi!". (I was "on deck" at this point in the line, so luckily this conversation couldn't go far) I kind of looked at her, I am sure with a pained, confused expression, and she said "I just wanted to tell you that you have beautiful eyes." (Shit! Shit! Shit!  What do I do!!!) I just stared at her for a second...when I heard the best thing ever..."Can I help you?" I stepped forward, placed my water on the counter, threw my $1.02 on the counter and high tailed it out of there. As soon as I got to my car I tweeted "An old smelly lady just touched my ass several times at the gas station.".

So my question is...why in the HELL do people think they can touch you like that??!??!?  Though I may be a hot, attractive piece of....work????? (LOL!!!) That does not give a stranger permission to touch me, especially on my ass!  It is a sacred place! I certainly don't go around grabbing strangers asses! (When I am sober, at least) Do I now need to wear a sign that says "Hands off the merchandise"? She couldn't have touched my shoulder? Tapped my back if she had to say something? What about a simple "Excuse me"? I don't mind speaking to people in line. If you want to have small talk, I'm game...but unless I have known you for longer than 3 minutes, please do not touch my ass...especially if you are an old, smelly woman.


To close up tonight, I want to share this hilarious video that Brooke Baldwin shared today on Twitter.  It has had me laughing all day!