Pledge, Promise, Pinky swear

The New Year is upon us which means champagne, kisses at midnight, resolutions.

I could use me a resolution…. I’m just not sure what to resolute.

It’s not as if I don’t have issues I could resolve; stop biting my nails, lose a few pounds, stay away from Starbucks, quit counting to 8 when I walk (that’s a whole separate blog post), or cooking at home more often. Now that I dwell on it, there’s a whole gamut of subjects I could attack with this resolution… I just want to be sure to stick to whatever I choose. There’s the rub.

I tried to find some New Year’s resolution statistics to hopefully give me a boost of confidence. The numbers I found were all over the place: some good, some bad, but none consistent. My hypothesis from all the research is that it’s truly a crapshoot. Either you have the will or you don’t.

I’m not too sure where I’d land in the will department. I definitely have drive and determination… but am easily distracted.

So I’ve thought a lot about this and am staying away from “breaking tendencies” as my resolution. I’m a creature of habit in most ways and before I know it I’ll be counting to 8 continuously as I walk to Starbucks with my fingernails in my mouth. There’s no saving me there.

I just read/watched the Julie/Julia Project and while I thought the book/movie was so-so, the premise appealed to me: set a goal for possible self-fulfillment and realization with lots of butter along the way.

So here it is, my New Year’s Resolution for 2010/2011:

I am going to read the Bible, cover to cover.

Before you all read (no pun intended) too much into this, I want to clarify because I’m sure you’re already thinking I’ve broken out the orange toga and tambourine. This resolution is for educational as well as spiritual purposes. You may have noticed that I also gave myself an additional year’s buffer because I doubt my 2 current book clubs will be anxious to read Leviticus and Numbers.

The Bible is probably the most widespread and well-known book in the world and I’m honestly ignorant of much of it. Most of my knowledge is basic; like I know that Noah built an ark and Moses went up on a mountain. I’m anxious to learn all about the players in the Testaments and maybe discover a lesson or two along the way. So many people find peace from the Bible and I’d truly like to know what all the fuss is about. I’m not expecting miracles to happen from me delving into the Bible, but I do think it’s gonna be kinda cool to spout off verses at my kids when they misbehave.

So now and then I’ll be updating you about my progress and possibly my enlightenment. Feel free to pick a chapter book and join me along the way if you like.

Amen.

Rise, I say…..RISE!!!

Bringing back Brown Bread Blows would be so much more symbolic if the holiday-around-the-corner was Easter instead of Thanksgiving.

Nevertheless, after endless harassment, BBB is back from the dead.

…and since the upcoming holiday is a time for giving thanks, I am sharing my list of the things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

1.  The 80’s station on Sirius Radio

2.  The Starbucks app on my iPhone

3.  Dog the Bounty Hunter re-runs

4.  Gravy

5.  Scrabble on Facebook

6.  Target’s jewelry section

7.  The power of  TIVO

8.  The heated seats in my car

9.  My keen ability at Fantasy Football

10.  El Quatro

11.  Our lady of Guadalupe

12.  ….and of course, my wonderful, wonderful family that I would be nothing without.  Plus, my “army” of friends that make me “be all that I can be”.  I’m thankful for each and every one of you.

13.  Lip gloss.

Happy Thanksgiving to all !

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The things I do for my family…

Don’t get all excited, people. Brown Bread Blows is not back in session….yet!

I just had a post a pix of my mother-in-law on the web so my brother-in-law could use it as his Fantasy Football logo (Mama’s Boy!).

Here you go, Matt:

The Original Milli Vanilli

Has it truly been almost a month since my last post?  My apologies.  I’ve been occupied….

… like last Friday night I had the pleasure of checking out a play at our community theater.  Nancy G (my friend that introduced me to Spanish Dr Seuss) was starring in a production of “Nunsense” so a few of us gals attended to heckle her show her some support.  She was great!

Being in a hometown theater made me a little nostalgic. When I was young, my mother enrolled me in children’s theater workshops during summer vacations. From about eight years old until eleven, I spent all my June, July, & Augusts practicing lines, rehearsing songs and perfecting dance moves (we did mostly musicals).  Acting came very easy for me so it wasn’t a big surprise when I was asked to audition for parts in the theater’s regular season shows as well.

At nine years old I tried out for the role of  little Mary Morgan in a production called “Ten Nights in a Bar Room”.  I can still clearly recall standing by the mailbox awaiting the morning school bus when my grandma hollered out the front door to me announcing that the director had called and I GOT THE PART!

Cast photo 1979

I showed up to the first rehearsal with my chest all puffed out and feeling very confident.  I had made the cut and was now standing as an equal to the adults on the stage! I would have a bio printed in the program! I was a star!

 Now here is where this story takes somewhat of a nosedive. At this first rehearsal I am informed that while I hit the reading out of the park for little Mary’s part, my singing voice was more like a foul ball.  The director felt that I was just too good of an actress to pass up and creatively came up with a solution to my crooning.

I would lip-synch.

That’s right. For the play’s three-week-run, one of the chorus girls sang from the wings as I lip-synched my way around the stage. 

And just like Milli Vanilli, it must have been genius because I was nominated AND WON a grammy the Best Supporting Actress award for that season’s run of productions. 

As I look back now though, I’m horribly emberassed that I didn’t share the glory with my “voice-over”.  It’s been 20 years, but I’m almost willing to bet that I remember her name: Kimberly Cade.  I contemplated looking for her via the world-wide-web and expressing my gratitude and giving her the kudos she deserved for my award, but I couldn’t quite word my approach email in a way that didn’t make me seem like I’ve been dwelling on this since I was nine.

So, Kimberly Cade if you’re out there, thanks for being my wind from within the wings.

My way of thinking

I was thinking yesterday… and this is how it went:

*  My friend  Ann, and I were talking about musical tastes and she said she listens to bluegrass (Don’t judge her. I think it’s by proxy).

* Which made me think of the movie Deliverance.

* Then I remembered this:

Ned Beatty and the blond Me

* I recalled too, as I posed for this picture having to bite my tongue not to whisper “Squeal like a pig” in his ear.

* My head then thought “pig = bacon”

* My 3 year old daughter, Maris, greeted me at the door after work last week with “Mommy, did you bring home the bacon?”

* Maris LOVES American Idol nights at our house because Maselli’s kids come over. She’s finally dropped her insistance of moving in with them.

* American Idol then made me think of my pal Jonice’s comment about Blind Guy:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

She said “Everytime he looks in the camera, I think he’s trying to hypnotize me!”   I seriously laughed for five minutes.

* That made me think about how my friend Megan thinks she can control traffic with her mind.  She also voted for Obama, which explains a lot.

* I then was very grateful that I live in a city that has no traffic issues.  My longest time ever idling in a car is in the Starbuck’s line.

* Which reminded me that yet another friend, Lauren, walks to get her coffee, sometimes calling me on the way. That’s probably why she’s skinnier than me… although at least I have the bulk not to end up in a leg brace for a month just from serving a volleyball.

* Then I started contemplating rounding up some friends to play volleyball in a city league again. I’d definately have to recruit all my tall chums, like Bread & Phin. 

* I wonder if there’s something I can do to make myself taller? Maybe I could use one of those contraptions that allows you to hang upside down in doorways.

* Should I ask for one of those for my birthday?

* Which fondly reminds me of my birthday last year when Dr. Marc had a few drinks at a charity event and bought a birdhouse. Good thing it’s a great birdhouse or I’d never hear the end of it.

* And I got to live out my dream of singing kareoke at the worst dive bar in town that same night. Proof:

 

 

 

 

 

 

   

 

 

 Huge thanks to Phin for sharing the stage with me and agreeing to sing Bon Jovi. 

*  Then I thought if I bought Ann a Bon Jovi cd,  would she stop listening to bluegrass?

The Easter Bunny? Oh, you mean that child-eating vermin whose whiskers will poke your eye out?!

Easter’s right around the corner; time for dying the eggs, devouring all the Marshmallow Peeps, weaving your way through all the potted lilies at the grocery store, and for me to get out of town to escape the chaos.

I’ve never been a big fan of the Easter holiday. For one thing, it always lands on a Sunday which cheats me the opportunity to have a free day off of work. Plus, there were those atrocious dresses my mother used to make me wear for that one day a year. The tons of floor-length lace and fluff  always impeded me from gathering the most eggs during family hunts and the day would always end in tears and potato salad. Who looks forward to that?!

Then there’s all the pressure of decorating Easter eggs.  Now that I have children, I have the burden of boiling cartons and cartons of eggs and spending weeks cleaning food coloring out of my grout. Again…who looks forward to that?!

I was flipping through some old pictures and came across one that just might truly be the root of all my Easter issues. Let me present, ladies and gentlemen, Exhibit A:

This is me (the toddler) and my mother God-knows-where.  I know the first thing that probably strikes you is my clashing outfit of horizontal and vertical stripes, but give me a break.  I couldn’t dress myself  back then!

… But did you notice the HUGE HARE to my right?  His ears look like tentacles and he’s wearing a bib!

I don’t recall taking this photo. I’m sure the event has been blocked from my memory due to trauma.

Therefore, due to my childhood-borne phobia of Easter, I am hitting the road and heading to San Diego for spring break;  basking in the sun, taking the kids to the zoo & Legoland, splashing at the waterpark…. I can look forward to that!

I’m a bookie…There, I said it!

I’m a bookie, a bibliophile, a bookworm, a reader.

I’ve been on some sort of reading roll for the last 4 years or so. Of course  I read in high school, but once I graduated and it wasn’t required, I put a halt to anything bound. My reading was then limited to the newspaper and an occasional Rolling Stone.

But now I’m a proud member of two book clubs (The Spinecrackers and The LitWits),  Swaptree, and yes even the library! Seriously, friends, I have the card to prove it.

The great thing is is that books are a cheap, cheap form of relaxation and entertainment. The library doesn’t cost a thing (unless you’re like my friend Maselli and don’t return the books on time and would need to take out a second mortgage to pay your overdue fines) and if you use sites like Swaptree you can trade books for just the cost of postage.  Reading as a hobby is very cost-efficient for me… until now.

This love of books I have has turned me obsessive over a silly gadget. I shouldn’t label it silly.  It’s ingenious, really. It’s also sleek, lovely, handy, revolutionary, and super cool.  May I present to you… The Kindle 2

The Kindle 2 is basically an Ipod for books.  Ever since Amazon introduced her predecessor, I’ve been like a child drooling outside the window of an ice cream shop.  The concept is nifty, the design is attractive, but the price is steep… $350 steep!

I’m considering a Kindle 2 carwash to raise the funds because I know my husband would keel over with a heart attack if I bought one (even though we always have to keep up on the latest Nintendo-this and XBox-that for him).  I’m tempted to sit with the bums at the Taco Bell parking lot with a sign that says “Will work for a Kindle”, but I’m a little nervous there might be some sort of hobo territory I may infringe upon and get shanked. 

So for now I can only dream… dream with my fingers crossed that the book fairy will hook me up.  YOU HEAR ME, FAIRY?!

Promises, promises…

Five days.

Just five days.

That’s how long my lenten coffee deprivation promise lasted.  Pathetic, I know.

I could blame my demise on a lot of things, but the finger always points back to me anyway.  I should have endured, persevered, fought through the yearnings and the aroma coming from my work’s break room… but I didn’t.  I found myself in the  Starbucks drive-thru on my way to work, suddenly regretful as I pulled to the speaker, but a van pulled up behind me and I took it as a sign that God just wanted me to go ahead and get my coffee. 

So on the fifth day I drank coffee…. and it was good.

A few of you have also been asking what happened to my verbal promise to write on this blog every other day.  I love to write, but sometimes nothing comes to mind worth sharing.  I mean, do you really want to hear about kindergarten yard duty, my neighbor’s barking dogs, my noisy dryer, the daily cold lunch vs hot lunch battle, or my anxiety over my income tax return?

In spite of my recent commitment failures,  I’m going to get back on the saddle and pinky swear again.  This time (in writing) I’m going to promise to blog every 5th day in honor of my ultimate coffee fast.  Satisfied?  On the occasion that I write even more often then consider it a bonus…. and if you want to encourage me in my stick-to-it-ivness, THEN COMMENT.  Everyone loves a critic… even me.

Til Tuesday then…

American Idol Round #2 & my Lenten promise

I’m so embarrassed.  Casey Carlson was not AT ALL the racehorse I predicted in last week’s American Idol sing-off.  I guess the hair bands were in fact all she had going for her.

So tonight is a new night of Idol-ness; 12 new contestants squaring off.  I’m hesitant to even predict who’ll be thumbs up vs thumbs down, but I think Matt Giraud will probably be a shoe-in.  We’re having some friends over to watch the show under shades of libations,  so it’s completely possible I’ll be thinking the performances are better than they are anyway.

Today is the first day of Lent and I gave up coffee.  For the next 40 days I hope to handle my mocha-fix withdrawal without violence nor breakdown. I’ve already bitten my nails to the quick and have drank more diet soda today than ever before, but it’s all in the name of God, right? 

I can’t be held responsible for the bitter posts and writings coming out of this blog for the next 40 days.  Pray for me, people.

Succotash!

Who watched American Idol last night?

I did and I’m super baffled.

Jamar Rogers has been my pick since the initial auditions and somehow, someway he got the boot last night. Huh?

I won’t even begin to analyze the judges’ thoughts behind their final picks. I understand they need a well rounded group of 36 to hit the TV spotlight and I get the need to “entertain” at the same time (ie: Nick Mitchell & Tatiana), but I still thought Jamar deserved a spot.  Succotash!

So now what do I have to look forward to next week?  Since my pony is out of the race, I have to choose a new darling. But the choices….

Of course, Danny Gokey comes to mind, although I can’t figure out if I like him for him or for his story.  Everyone I know can’t get enough of Matt Giraud and yeah, I like him too, but I don’t want to bandwagon jumper.  None of the females have me under their spell, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and pick a wallflower (since it’s always the people that fly under the radar that win anyway).

Ok, my revised choice for American Idol Season 8 is….

…. Casey Carlson.

I can’t remember what she sounds like, but I like her hair bands and that’s gotta count for something, right?