Practically Netter

Body Parts

2011-09-05T11:56:00.005-04:00

I had a couple of hours to walk around the state fair by myself and I took the opportunity to snap some pics I wouldn't normally take. This young girl was getting ready to show her horse, and just as I was getting ready to take their picture the horse stepped in front of her and completely blocked her face. I almost deleted the picture when I uploaded it to my computer at home - it wasn't as I intended when I took it. But I started looking at the composition of their feet at the bottom, and with a quick crop, I think it came out sort of interesting.

Up

2011-09-01T22:46:00.006-04:00

I don't get downtown very often. This day I was at the Statehouse to watch my daughter sing with the All Ohio State Fair Youth Choir. As we waited for the kids to run onto the bleachers, I took a minute to look around at the buildings towering around us. While the architecture was beautiful and imposing, the sky forming the canopy over it all made it even more striking.

Summer

2011-07-24T10:00:00.003-04:00

I can almost hear the buzzing of the bumblebee. This was on one of our walks at the nearby park. It was after dinner, getting toward sunset. I love how the leaves sort of glow with the evening sun. It reminds me of hot summer days going fishing with my Dad, hiking through fields of wildflowers, seeing the milkweed and cattails around the ponds, and it makes me smile.

Peace

2011-06-12T23:09:00.004-04:00

Taking a walk at the park today, these little guys were in front of us. Friendship knows no prejudice for the young.

Trees

2011-06-09T22:26:00.004-04:00

I took this picture a few years ago. Trees have always been a creative subject for me. I have paintings of trees from middle school and a whole pen and ink series from college. This remains one of my favorite photos of trees - the way the trunk formed out from the rock before growing straight and tall. And to think of the power in those roots to hold it in place all these years. It has a precarious feeling to me and, at the same time, an incredible strength.

Spirit

2011-06-07T22:56:00.003-04:00

Spirit in the sky...

Growth

2011-06-05T23:24:00.004-04:00

Our oldest daughter was graduating from high school last weekend. I was holding her cap with the tassel while she brushed her teeth and made final preparations to walk out the door to the ceremony. I set it down for a second and - it just hit me: our baby was graduating!

Spring

2011-04-22T22:44:00.004-04:00

Each Spring I enjoy the blossoms on our crabapple tree. They're beautiful and fragrant and signal the end of winter. We're having the family Easter dinner here tomorrow and I may take some cuttings to put in a vase to bring some of the Springtime inside.

Work

2011-02-27T18:20:00.005-05:00

When I saw these tools in the leather goods store in Roscoe Village, I knew I wanted to try to get a picture to capture the feeling they gave me. I felt an awe as I stood and imagined the hands that have held these tools through the years to allow the art of this lost trade. Beauty can be found in the tools as well as the art.

Tired

2011-02-21T21:18:00.003-05:00

Nothing to me says "tired" like our dog Mulligan. He is slowly recovering from another bout with his illness. It is a disease that has compromised his immune system. He is on strong medication (one of them we even have to wear gloves when handling), and it makes him exhausted. It was his second go-round, he came out of remission since last year. The vet staff was even talking about euthanasia, but he seems to have turned the corner. He doesn't like to have his picture taken, so unfortunately this is probably as good as I'm going to get.

Macro

2011-02-21T21:03:00.004-05:00

This was one of the first sunny days we've had this year. We were in Roscoe Village and this rope was hanging on a canal boat display. I thought the diagonal lines and the ragged ends and the way the sun was hitting it made something so utilitarian into something beautiful. I'm not sure it qualifies as macro but I think of it as any close range photo that makes you look at the subject slightly differently.

Breakfast

2011-02-21T20:54:00.003-05:00

This photo may not be thought-provoking or even that interesting, but when I think of breakfast, bananas are one of the first things I think of. I love bananas, especially when they are slightly green. Once they start turning a little brown and getting mushy, they're good for slicing on cereal, or if you let them go too far - making banana bread.

Cold

2011-01-14T21:37:00.003-05:00

This tree is in our front yard, right next to the driveway. We pass by it in our daily comings and goings from our house. In spring it has beautiful pink flowers, lots of leaves in the summer, and it sports berries in the fall. But until the foliage was gone and we had some snow, we had no idea that there was a bird nest in our tree. The snow had fallen from the tree leaving just the little pillow of snow on top of the nest.

Newness

2011-01-14T21:25:00.004-05:00

This is the new scarf my youngest daughter bought me for Christmas. She has a little business making duct tape bags and saves her profits. About a week before the holiday, she asked me to drive her and a friend to the store and drop them off so they could pick out some presents for us. She wanted to spend her own money and get us each something she selected just for us. Needless to say, I love my scarf. I wear scarves a lot. After wearing it the first time, I took it off and laid it on the nightstand and it looked so beautiful that I wanted to try to capture the color and texture in a photo.

Photo project

2011-01-14T21:13:00.006-05:00

Many people are committing to a Project 365 for 2011. For those that don't know, that is taking a photo everyday and posting them. I came across a list of suggested weekly themes to help accomplish this. Notice I haven't once said that I am committing to this! No, that would completely stress me out if I didn't take a picture one day - I envision laying down to go to bed at night and jumping up so that I can go snap a pic just to satisfy some random resolution.

So what I am proposing to do is use the list of weekly theme suggestions and try to take a picture, not daily, but each week. The title of each photo post will be the theme from the list. I'll try to post them weekly, but if I end up posting a couple at a time, so be it. This is a personal project that I hope will: a) help me learn to use my new camera (Nikon Coolpix L110), b) allow me to express some creativity, c) give me some blog fodder! This isn't becoming a photo blog, I'll try to share stories or some description with the photos too. Hopefully the photos will illustrate the theme and any description will add to it. To really view the photos, be sure to click on the photo itself to see all the textures and details - the pics aren't as clear directly on the blog as they are if you click on them.

If anyone else wants the list of themes, I can send it to you, or you can probably find it or something similar by googling it. I always appreciate any comments or suggestions - constructive criticism as well as excessive praise ;) (I'm totally kidding about that - if you know me, you know I don't accept compliments well.)

Say cheese!

It's the little things...

2010-12-19T10:21:00.004-05:00

We moved into our brand new home over 14 years ago. K was 3 and she picked the bedroom with 2 windows - I think she envisioned watching for Grandma and Grandpa to arrive for visits. The next biggest bedroom became the office with the computer desk, etc. It had the biggest closet which was great for our extra storage. Since we naturally had the master bedroom, that left the "fourth" bedroom as a nursery for D. We moved in just five days before D was born which meant a scramble to get moved in and ready for our new arrival. We discovered the door to the fourth bedroom didn't work. You could pull it closed but it wouldn't latch, which meant it wouldn't lock either. Since we were rushing to get the nursery set up, a non-latching door was not a concern. A baby doesn't need to have a tightly-closed door anyway. And as she got older, the fact that it wouldn't lock would be a bonus, she couldn't lock herself in or lock us out (we'd later find this was a very good thing with this strong-willed child).

A few years later we moved the office to the first floor dining room space, freeing up the bedroom with the big closet. K decided she wanted a change and a bigger closet that would hold all her clothes and toys so she switched rooms. D was ready for a big-girl bed so we moved her to the room with 2 windows, leaving the fourth bedroom free. What to do with it? I had an art table tucked away in the basement and a sewing machine that I'd have to haul out to the kitchen table when I wanted to be creative. So we decided the fourth bedroom would become mine - my sewing room, craft room, art studio - my office. It worked out great. The door didn't latch, but no big deal. There was no reason to lock it or keep anyone out. The only time it was a problem was at Christmas when I'd want to wrap presents in there and I'd worry that the girls would walk in and see their gifts. I would just threaten them that they were not to come in under any circumstances until I told them I was done.

So here we are 14 years later. The non-latching door is just one of the quirks of our house that we've grown to live with. The fourth bedroom is still my office. We've put a single bed in there - it can be used by a houseguest now, as long as we warn them that the door doesn't latch. Or I can (and do) sleep in there when snoring (his and mine) interferes with sleep (his and mine). The only problem is our dog. He likes to push the door open during the day when we're not home. He goes in, jumps up on the bed and digs around, tearing the blankets and sheets off the bed so that it has to be remade each day. I started barricading the bed with the ironing board (see? there is a use for that thing!) when we left each morning. It was a pain in the butt - one extra thing I had to do in the morning rush, sometimes I'd forget to put it in place, or sometimes I'd do it and he'd still find ways around it. More often than not I'd be making the bed when we got home.

Yesterday, my wonderful husband got out his screwdriver, hammer, chisel, powerdrill, toothpicks, woodglue and extra long screws and he re-set the strikeplate 1/2". I think it took him all of about half an hour. At long last, the saga of the non-latching door has come to an end.

It's amazing how something so small and seemingly simple can make such a difference. As I pull the door shut and hear it latch, I can't help but smile.

As you sow, so shall you reap

2010-09-15T19:02:00.014-04:00

Summer is ending and that means it's the end of my garden for the year. It is giving me cause to reflect on why I go to the trouble in this day and age, when I could easily drive to the store to get what I need.

I think gardening is something I inherited. My grandparents were farmers. When they moved from the farm into town, essentially their entire backyard was devoted to growing food. I fondly remember helping Grandma pick green beans then sit on the back porch, colander in her lap, and snap them with her to prepare them for dinner. Or being with Grandpa in the middle of the blackberry patch on a hot summer day (I swear most of the berries made it to the kitchen for the pie).

My favorite though was when we'd go visit and I'd get up really early before the rest of my family and head down to the kitchen. Grandma would already be up fixing breakfast and we'd go out and pick strawberries fresh with morning dew.

My Dad, following their example, has always had a garden. He has about 1/3 of his yard as vegetable gardens. He spends hours cultivating the soil and picking his "crops." I grew up helping dig and plant, weed and harvest. Whenever I'm there I always ask to see his garden. He takes great pride in the fruits of his labor and always sends me home with tomatoes. There's nothing like the beefsteak tomatoes he grows.

When we moved into this house I knew I wanted to have a garden and grow some vegetables. My husband built a raised bed with a trellis area for plants with climbing vines.

Each year I make my selections of what to plant. Some years are more plentiful than others (the year of the cherry tomatoes) and some choices don't work out (watermelons have been a big failure). It is such a pleasure to walk out back and pick a zucchini for dinner, grab a couple tomatoes to add to a salad, or harvest cucumbers to make a great cucumber pasta salad. My girls would help me when they were younger. This year the only help I got was in selecting what to plant (what they wanted to eat). I very well might be the end of our family vegetable gardening. But I hope that maybe one day when they have their own plot of land they'll get the urge to get dirt under their nails and continue the heritage.

It's On My List

2010-07-28T17:01:00.002-04:00

Each day I try to cross at least one thing off of my to-do list. But I don't use an actual to-do list. I don't like to have a list with messy lines crossing things out. I'd have to re-do my list each time or it would bug me (yeah, I'm just a little OCD).

Here is my system - it works for me. I write an individual post-it note for each pending task. Sometimes it is a single word on a small note, other times I use a bigger one and add any extra reminders. Then I place the notes flat on my desk, within reach and directly in my line of sight. Every morning I take stock of what needs done, sometimes placing them in a different order as to deadlines or what I feel like doing that day. If I get sidetracked after a meeting or after lunch or I just need a break and want to work on something else, it's easy to get back on task. If I'm not due in the next morning, like over the weekend or for a vacation day, I put all my posties in a binder so none will get lost while I'm out and I can re-organize my priorities when I return. And when I finish something, I get a little satisfaction from pulling up the sticky note, crumpling it and tossing it in the trashcan.

Click here for some cool ideas for things you can do with post-it notes, they don't have to simply be utilitarian.

How do you manage your to-do list?

Scrambled, Please!

2010-06-28T12:15:00.006-04:00

I did something this weekend that I haven't done in a couple years - golfed, and something I've never done before - played in a scramble.

I wasn't too worried about how I'd play after taking over a year off because, 1. I've never had LPGA aspirations, and 2. it was a scramble. Golf is fun for me because I can be outside, get some exercise, and the event was with lots of my friends. And it was a charity event to benefit children with challenges. What could be better?

The weather was good (thought it was a tad hot) but I am a fair weather golfer, I hate playing in bad weather. I remember playing some Spring rounds that were cold, blustery and rainy - never again. If I'm going to spend the day out on the course, I'm not going to waste it on a crappy day. I want to be out in the sunshine enjoying nature and all the flora and fauna around me, not trying to contend with wearing extra, bulky layers of clothes, dealing with club covers and umbrellas on rainy, windy days.

Speaking of the sights around us, despite the firecrackers being set off by a couple of groups of rowdy hockey players golfing in the event also, there was lots to see. There was a groundhog off to side of the 10th fairway (which sparked the question of whether it was the same as a woodchuck and/or is it the same as a whistlepig? Yes, we did try to whistle at it.), mulberries (we decided not to experiment to see if they are edible), spotted some fish in the streams and ponds (not saying my ball went in the water, mind you), a horse ran to the fence and whinnied at us when we were on the 16th green, and we had an impromptu lesson on what poison ivy looks like (there was lots of it, hopefully my cartmate avoided it successfully! No comment on why we were traipsing around in the woods.).

Back to the actual golf - I had fun. We used some of my drives and approach shots and I hit a couple good putts for us to make par or bogey. I hit some bad shots, and some really bad chips (the short game is the first to go, right?). But I'm ready to hit the links again, especially if it's a scramble.

The big bonus of the day is the time I spent with my friends. It wasn't about the golf, we didn't care if we won. (Ok, I admit we were trying to have the lowest score for the chicks' teams and we came in 2nd. Maybe next year!) But it was really about the time we spent together and the memories we made. There are pictures of our day but I don't think we took any pics of us actually hitting any shots. Our photos included taking turns swinging from a Tarzan vine (maybe that's why my arms are so sore?) and other candid moments from our fun outing.

Anyone want to make a tee time?

I Went to the Library

2010-03-15T21:33:00.004-04:00

When I was a little girl, I remember going to the library with my mom. She'd take my sisters and me and we'd browse in the picture books and make our selections. My favorites were about Edith and Mr. Bear, or anything by Dr. Seuss. As I got a little older, I'd check out the Ed Emberley drawing books or some of the Little House on the Prairie titles of course, or even the Guinness Book of World Records. I'd pick out a stack in about 10 minutes and sit down to peruse my finds while Mom and my two sisters made their choices. After we checked our books out, I remember racing to the little foyer with the drinking fountain. That fountain had the coldest best-tasting water ever. With Mom looking on, us three girls would jostle each other trying to get the first drink, and then the last drink heading out the door. Then riding home in the car while Mom drove, we'd inevitably get car-sick from reading our books, too excited to wait the short drive home.

As a teen, I volunteered during the summers helping with their reading club. Little did I know that it would lead to my first job. Or that I would continue working at various branches of the library for the next 20 years. Never would I have guessed that I would meet the love of my life working together at the library.

I went to our local library tonight. It only took about 5 minutes to gather a stack of books that looked promising. After sitting down to read the dust jackets, not all of them made the cut, but I was happy with my selections. Some from favorite authors, a couple new authors to try. As I made my way out through the lobby, I spotted the drinking fountain...and I kept walking, right past it out the door. I knew there was no way it could ever taste as cold and sweet as the one in my memories.

Feeling Out of Sorts

2010-01-26T12:55:00.003-05:00

I have been a little out of it the past couple days.

Sunday night I went to bed a little later than usual. I had just drifted off to sleep when suddenly I sensed someone run into the room and stand next to me beside the bed. I opened my eyes and saw a figure standing there looking at me - I started screaming. AH! AHH! AHHHH! My third scream woke me up - yes, I woke myself up, screaming.

I sat there, instantly wide awake, shaking in fear. My eyes wide open, unblinking, as I searched the darkness for the person I saw a moment ago. It took me half an hour before I finally got up the nerve to move to reach over and turn on the light on the nightstand.

I ventured downstairs where my husband was watching tv and winding down for the night. I crawled into his lap and burst into tears, from the fright and relief. I was surprised he hadn't heard my yells. My wonderful husband checked throughout the entire house to reassure me that there wasn't a prowler hiding somewhere. Neither of us really slept the rest of the night, keeping our senses alert.

I know it was all just a dream, but it was so, so real. I don't dream very often, and never anything like this. I don't think I talk in my sleep and as far as I know, this is the first time I've screamed in my sleep. It was truly horrifying.

When I got home after work yesterday, the girls were still at school at their activities. For the first time ever, I was nervous being alone in our house. I kept the dog close by. I haven't been watching scary movies, reading horror novels, or eating spicy foods before bed. I don't know what caused me to dream this, and frankly I was more than a little afraid to go to sleep last night for fear it would happen again. I try not to think about it, but it keeps coming into my head.

I'm not sure if I believe in premonitions, or ghosts, or visitations. But the urgency of the figure running to me and how real they seemed standing next to me, definitely makes me wonder what the message is.

How Do I Love Thee?

2010-01-20T21:16:00.004-05:00

It's that time of year - Valentine's Day is approaching. We are starting to see the ads for flowers, chocolates, jewelry and restaurants. Sappy commercials to tug at your heartstrings, or sexy commercials to tug at something else. ;)

Those with significant others use it as an occasion to show each other how much they mean to each other. As for those who are single, it only serves to drive home the fact that they are indeed single.

I am happily married (20 years this coming summer) and we don't celebrate Valentine's Day, never have - by my own choice. Flowers just die, spend the money on something more lasting. Candy is dandy, but I don't need the extra calories. The restaurants will be crowded, we can go out another day. Jewelry is always nice of course, but will be overpriced for the holiday - save that for another day (or a 20th anniversary, hint hint!). (My practical side even comes through in romance!)

Why do I need a date on the calendar to remind me to show my husband I love him? I tell him everyday. Everything I do shows him how much I love him.

And in exchange? He does the same for me. No grand gestures or extravagant gifts - it's all the little things he does. Even paying the bills or picking up the girls shows his love for me.

As for "grand gestures," just last week I came home from work to find that he made spaghetti with his homemade sauce and garlic bread, the table was set and he did the dishes and cleaned up the kitchen afterward. No occasion or special date on the calendar - just because. Completely took me by surprise. I know he loves me. We celebrate our Valentine's Day every day.

Requesting a Friend

2009-11-01T13:07:00.004-05:00

I've written and said often how much I'm enjoying using social media to reconnect with old friends and classmates. Sadly, one re-connection just isn't going to happen.

On FB this morning, I found someone. As I was growing up he was my neighbor, a friend, and a classmate. I fondly remember hanging out with him with our neighborhood group, playing kick-the-can and putting on shows. Anticipating the opportunity of reminiscing about our younger days, I sent a friend request, and got back this:

"wow. Are u f***ing kiding me. You are a total ****. Do you remeber how you treated me. Think about you white trash w**** NOW"

OMG! I'm shocked.

I've always thought that I was a good person, I give back to the community and to others. I'm a nice person. This is not self-proclaimed - many people have told me so, sometimes so much so that "nice" doesn't always seem like a compliment. I know "kids will be kids" and kids are mean to each other, but for those of you that knew me then, I think you'll agree that I really was a nice kid. Brown-nose, teacher's pet, straight-A student, Girl Scout even through high school, respectful, accepting, straight-laced - heck, I was the kid that got picked on and made fun of! So this scathing response I received from my friend request came as a surprise.

I don't know what I did to him. I don't know why he still has such vehement hatred toward me, and at this point I don't think it matters. It troubles me to think I could have been so mean to someone that they carry such indignation to warrant such a diatribe decades later. And I'll admit it gives me pause to think: could there be others that I offended and I have no recollection?

So first of all, I'd like to thank him for his honesty (I really do try to see the good in everyone, there is something to be learned even from our harshest critics). And second, I'd like to apologize to anyone that I ever offended or hurt in some way. I assure you it was unintentional, I meant no ill-will toward you.

I don't expect to be friends with everyone I've ever met. And I'm sure I'll be more selective before I click on "Add as Friend" on FB in the future. I do hope he will somehow find some peace and let go of his resentment towards me and his childhood.

I still look back on our neighborhood childhood with fondness, and I would still call him my friend. I hope when I leave the world one day that the majority of the people I've ever met will remember that I am a nice person.

Signs

2009-10-30T23:11:00.005-04:00

I love my kids and their friends. It seems I'm always driving them from one activity or another, or transporting them between each others' houses. These rides are little peeks into their microcosm, I gain a lot of insight just listening to their conversations.

The following is a real conversation, and I just have to share. (I won't use any names so as not to embarrass anyone!)

We were driving down the street and stopped at a traffic light. Standing near the corner was a gentleman holding a sign:

"Homeless vet, need $."

I didn't give him a second look or thought. But he caught the eye of one of my passengers.

"Did you ever wonder?"

I waited to see what she was wondering. I was expecting something along the lines of: How do people end up homeless? or Where are his friends and family? But no, what followed was so much more.

Passenger #1: Did you ever wonder? Where do the homeless people get the marker to make their sign? I mean if you have enough money to buy a marker to make a sign, you have enough money for a hamburger. I'd sooo buy a hamburger instead of a marker.

Passenger #2 interjects: You'd just steal the marker to make your sign.

Passenger #1: If I bought a hamburger and I stole a marker, I'd get kicked out of my house - then I'd really be homeless. I'd have a marker, but I'd have to move into someone's basement and live with them.

Passenger #2: You could move into my basement.

Passenger #1: And I'd still have a hamburger!

I sooo love this great adventure of raising kids!

Sing Out Strong

2009-10-19T20:32:00.002-04:00

Sing, sing a song, sing out loud, sing out strong...

Okay, kinda cheesy maybe, but this is the new philosophy I'm going with for blogging. I worry too much that my topic isn't interesting to anyone else. I fret over posts for way too long before pushing the publish button. But who am I trying to impress? My blog is mine, any rules are self-imposed. I don't represent any company or brand, I can express myself without offending anyone.

If you're reading one of my posts and you feel like commenting, that's great - I appreciate the feedback and especially the conversation. But I'm not going to judge myself on my number of followers or comments. This is a great outlet to say whatever I have to say, whether anyone reads it or agrees with it.

...So don't worry if it's not good enough for anyone else to hear. Just sing, sing a song.

Fashion Police

2009-09-15T22:47:00.008-04:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I'm no fashionista. Being a child of the 60's and 70's - it is truly a wonder that I grew up to have any fashion sense at all. Exhibit A:

(Actually I think that's probably sufficient evidence, I don't think any further exhibits are necessary.)

My parents always provided me with nice, classic clothes (picture Jan Brady in the early episodes). I was happy, and I didn't care all that much about what I was wearing. Then a couple of my older "cool" cousins sent care-packages filled with bell-bottom jeans and other treasures. Finally I had some outfits that were more "with it" (more like what the Partridge Family would wear instead of the Brady Bunch).

I learned how to sew in home-ec at school and from my mom at home. I continued sewing some of my own clothes (including my own wedding dress with lace and beading on the bodice),

and started sewing for friends and family as well (2 other wedding dresses and probably a hundred bridesmaid and flower girl dresses). My sewing machine still gets some use, but not as often as I'd like. These days I enjoy hitting the thrift stores and hunting for fashion treasures. I look for classic pieces rather than any current fashion trends. My closet is full of my finds and I mix and match separates to create different outfits for work. Nothing too out there, but definitely a lot of variety and higher end pieces that I didn't pay top dollar for.

When Project Runway first aired, combining reality tv with sewing and fashion, I knew I'd have to watch. While the fashion aspect feeds my creative side, the competitors are such characters and I get my reality tv fix (one of my guilty pleasures). Personally, I'd never want to go on any reality show, but I have to say I always think about what I would create for the challenge each week. I appreciate the creativity and workmanship of practically every garment they make - even the most avant garde creations. Rules are made to broken - fashion rules anyway.

(But my good friend would still insist that you can't wear white shoes after Labor Day.)

Twitter - a Win / Win Situation

2009-08-29T10:02:00.004-04:00

I started using Twitter last year ultimately to re-connect with some friends at an old workplace. I've done that and become closer than ever to them as a result. Along the way I've added lots of new contacts that I network and share ideas with and I consider many of them to be friends now as well. I have met several of them IRL (in real life) at events like PodCamp Ohio where I was gathering info to update our foundation website (still a work in progress, but revamped and revitalized).

So all in all it has been a positive experience.

The bonus that I didn't foresee?
Winning prizes!

A list of my winnings thus far:

4-pack of COSI passes from the Connector Podcast on Blogtalkradio (they post notices on Twitter, then they do drawings during their broadcast to their lucky listeners) I donated these for the raffle for the golf tournament for the foundation.

4 4-packs of avitae caffeinated energy water by retweeting (retweet/RT: to resend someone else's message out to all your followers) as a daily prize winner during a contest.

2 tickets to the Ohio State Fair by retweeting their message.

A year's supply of avitae as a first prize winner in their sweepstakes by retweeting. A case each month for the next 12 months - I love avitae!

4-pack of COSI passes from the Connector Podcast - I'm keeping this set to use some cold weekend this fall with our family.

2 tickets to the Jonas Brothers concert from VerizonWireless by retweeting their message. (D loves the JoBros and had never been to any concert before. She and a friend went - they were great seats, just 7 rows from the stage. Priceless!)

My husband has won avitae and restaurant gift certificates, as well as a copy of Trust Agents by Chris Brogan. Since Jim had already purchased a copy to read, he's doing a giveaway of his own on his blog for the extra copy.

Through Twitter we have also gotten donations, sponsorships and promotion for the foundation.

This doesn't include the free food I've gotten from watching everyone's postings about daily promotions from local restaurants.

Twitter definitely has its rewards!

What are some of your rewards from social media?

K's Great Adventure - part 3 The Road Home

2009-08-13T20:27:00.004-04:00

18 days

64 songs

104 performances

120 miles

Those are the stats, but those are just numbers and they don't begin to sum up K's experience in the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir (and the miles don't include the week of boot camp before the fair started!).

The AOSFYC choir performed every day of the fair, 4-6 concerts scheduled each day. They started every morning with a couple hours of rehearsal. Then they marched from the dorm to each concert location doing cadences and cheers along the way. In between concerts the choir marched around the fairgrounds and serenaded different vendors, sharing their voices and providing musical fun to fair-goers. The AOSFYC also marched in the daily parade, doing their cadences and singing songs from the Natural Resources area clear back to the north end of the fairgrounds where their dorms are located.

The kids worked incredibly hard each day - and it definitely paid off. We were able to go to the fair 5 or 6 times (I think I had fair french fries for dinner every time - I've had enough till next year ... maybe) and saw them perform more than a dozen times. Here is one of my favorite songs at my favorite venue:

It wasn't all work though. The kids had small pockets of free-time during the day and usually an hour or two in the evening. During these times they rode rides and had their fill of fair food - usually the vendors would see their badges and let them ride for free, or give them discounts on snacks. They got to hang out with their new choir friends and further cement the bonds they were forming.

The final week of the fair had some added activities. They had the Opus Olympics - a night of relay races and games between the Opus groups (an Opus is what they call the smaller groups they divide the 200 kids into on the first day for team-building and activities throughout the entire fair). A Recruit Day was held with about 40 prospective members tagging along with the choir members and performing with them - a great opportunity to help them see if they want to apply for the choir next year. And Alumni Day had hundreds of AOSFYC alumni attending the fair and singing with the 2009 choir.

The conductor, the staff and the CITs added to the whole experience. All are very talented individuals sharing their time, humor, love of music and friendship with the kids.

The last day of the fair arrived and we were excited to get to bring K home with us. But not until after the final concert - the Friendship Finale.

While waiting for the concert to begin, I met some people sitting behind me - the gentleman had been in the choir back in the early 90's and has since moved to Florida, the woman was his mother who lives in Kentucky now. They drove up together just to see the concert. They talked about his experience with the AOSFYC and what it meant to him and what it still means to him today. Listening to their story, I couldn't help but imagine coming back with K in 15-20 years and watching and reliving it with her.

At the Friendship Finale, the 2009 AOSFYC performed together for the last time. Hundreds of people were in attendance. They sang 50 of their songs and received several standing ovations. Many tears were shed during the Finale, by the parents, the kids and the staff. These 200 kids who came together for the first time less than 3 weeks before, along with the CITs and the staff had become a family.

When we brought K home, she reunited with our dog, laid down on her own bed for a minute, and took a shower (alone for the first time in weeks). Then, despite the fact that she was exhausted and it was getting close to midnight, she logged into her FB account and added all 200+ new AOSFYC friends. They have been chatting and sharing pictures and memories online. K is already making plans to attend the reunion in February and looking forward to the fair next year.

Friends for 18 days, family forever.

K's Great Adventure - part 2 - The Statehouse

2009-07-28T20:56:00.006-04:00

Four days into their rehearsals and preparations, the choir made a trip to the Ohio Statehouse. We hadn't seen K since we dropped her off, we hadn't talked to her in 2 days, so I was anxious to go downtown on my lunch hour and try to see their performance. I took D to work with me so she could tag along too.

We parked in the garage under the Statehouse and made our way to the west lawn where they were scheduled to perform. The buses were lined up across from the Ohio Theater and the risers, flags, keyboard, and other equipment was set up awaiting the choir. D and I talked to one of the AOSFYC staff that was there and were told that the kids were touring the Statehouse and would be singing an impromptu concert inside before coming out on the risers. So we headed inside.

There were the kids, looking very impressive in their uniforms for the first time, all lined up on one side of the rotunda. I scanned the section on the left that I knew were the altos, looked through everyone there, and didn't see any sign of K. Since we hadn't talked to her in a couple of days, the thought crossed my mind that maybe she was sick and didn't get to come. I finally asked one of the AOSFYC staff and was informed that they were waiting on one last group - the director's group actually. A couple minutes later, the stragglers joined the others (K included - she looked so grown up all of a sudden!) The director stood in the center of the beautiful marble floor with the choir forming a double ring around the rotunda. "The acoustics in the rotunda are amazing and the room has a 5-7 second reverberation!" They performed the Star Spangled Banner:

Then they made their way outside to the risers for their scheduled concert. All of the rehearsing was evident - it was a great concert. I can't wait to see them at the fair.

We did get to talk to K. We found out that she was having cellphone issues - it wouldn't turn on or charge so she had no way to call us. Before we left the concert, I gave my cellphone to the alto section leader to give K when they returned to the dorms so we are back in contact with her.

Opening ceremonies of the fair are tomorrow morning and the choir is performing. My husband is heading to the fairgrounds before going in to work so he can see her (and video so I can see it!).

K's Great Adventure - part 1

2009-07-26T10:19:00.011-04:00

In my last post (oh, so long ago), I told of K making the All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir (AOSFYC). Well her adventure has begun.

First, if you want to write to her, click on this link and you can send an online message that will get printed out and given to her within 24-48 hours.

Or if you want to send an actual letter, they really like getting mail. Address it to her at:

All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir
Ohio ExpoCenter
717 East 17th Avenue
Columbus, OH 43211-2698

And if you want to keep up with their daily blog with new pictures each day: All-Ohio State Fair Youth Choir blog.

The fair runs from July 29 through August 9. If you're planning on going, here is their concert schedule.

Okay, business out of the way.

This has been a month of preparation. Uniforms and music ordered and paid for; took K to the doctor for a physical (and tetanus booster was overdue) which then had to be notarized. Bought a footlocker, hanging organizer, laundry bag, accordian folder to organize sheet music, new toiletries, etc.

About a week before she was scheduled to report, her music packet arrived: 70-some pieces of music for her to go over and try to learn (with about 20 more to be received when she checks in), a CD recording of maybe 30 of the songs. K had performed a couple of them in different choirs, but has since changed from Soprano to Alto so she even had to relearn those. She spent a couple of afternoons with pianist friends who helped pick out the alto parts for her. A mentor was assigned to all of the rookies - K's mentor A called to see if she had any questions and introduce herself.

Drop off day came, K was all ready to go, packed and so excited. We drove to the fairgrounds and were directed to a parking spot. Before we were even out of the van, 4 of the boys in choir uniforms from last year were standing next to our back hatch waiting to unload and carry all of K's luggage and things. Everything was so organized - the whole check-in process for 200 high school kids and their parents and all the luggage and supplies needed for their over 2 week stay. And impressive - everyone greeted K (and us) with smiles and introductions, making her feel instantly welcome and included.

After getting checked in and photo id pictures taken, we were led up to the alto dorm. It is a barracks style dorm that sleeps 50 girls along with the alto staff member and a CIT (counselor in training). Two long rows of bunks, footlockers, girls, parents, siblings - all trying to get beds made and stuff stored and organized. K's mentor A found us at K's bunk and introduced herself and showed us the lay of the land - bathroom (with communal showers), water fountain (to fill their water bottles each day), cafeteria (for their 3 meals each day), and rehearsal areas. The whole time A was introducing K to other choir members.

At 7pm the entire choir was organized by voice part on the risers and the parents got their first look at the 2009 AOSFYC. They got out a piece of music, the director introduced himself and then they started singing. It was beautiful - 200 of the best high school singers in Ohio! I can't wait to hear them after they've been rehearsing together for a week!

It was hard to say goodbye to her after the concert knowing she won't be home till the last day of the fair, but she was anxious to get to her dorm meeting and the ice-breaker activities.

They are working hard, learning their songs and harmonizing, learning where things are around the fairgrounds before it opens to the public, learning to march, etc. And if you know K, the hardest part is that she can't have her cellphone except during free time! They are having a lot of fun too - they had a pizza party and a dance the other night, they learned how to salsa dance too. The friendships they are forming and the memories they are making - this is such a great opportunity for K!

They have an extra performance scheduled for Monday, July 27th. They are taking the kids to the Ohio Statehouse for a tour, then they are singing on the West lawn of the statehouse at 11:30 - if you are downtown that day, you should check it out!

Brag Blog - Part B

2009-06-05T17:54:00.008-04:00

So I thought my last post would sum up the end of the school year - Ha!

Since I wrote that last post...

K passed all sections (scoring Advanced or Accelerated) of the OGT, meaning she is eligible to graduate from high school now. She won't have to retake any sections of the test, she just has to put in the time and earn credit hours for the next 2 years. That's a good feeling!

D was selected for a P.R.I.D.E. Award. (People, Respect, Involvement, Dedication, Education). The teachers nominate students for this award. Her nomination said she was selected for this award because she is hard-working, has insightful ideas, is an outstanding writer, is a nice person and a good friend. It ended with, "You are sweet and scholarly...what more can I ask!" We are proud of our PRIDE student!

Still not done though...

One of D's artwork pieces that was part of the Celebration of the Arts last month was selected to be framed and displayed permanently at the school! Only 4 pieces were chosen this year!

And finally...

The letter arrived last week saying K was accepted into the All Ohio State Fair Youth Choir! Over 600 high school kids from all around the state applied and they selected 200 for the choir. K will spend 18 days living in a dorm at the fairgrounds and singing 4-6 concerts each day of the fair. If you're planning on going later this summer, you'll have to try to catch one of their concerts. They are an awesome choir, she's going to make lots of new friends, and most importantly it looks great on college applications!

Okay, I think I have come to the end...for now anyway!

Brag Blog

2009-05-22T14:08:00.002-04:00

It's hard to believe that this school year is ending in just a few days. Almost seems like we are on fast-forward sometimes.

Time to pause and take a minute or two (and a deep breath or two) and brag about my girls. End of the school year brings concerts, banquets and ceremonies for the various activities the girls are involved in. Honors and awards came our way once again - but it never gets old, it only makes us prouder.

The various concerts the past two weeks were great - you could tell they had worked hard all year to put on these performances. D's band (she plays the trumpet) played at their Celebration of the Arts and she had 3 art pieces on display as well. K's choirs had a Kaleidoscope concert, a Spring Sing, and finally the Show Choir had a Cabaret with the group dancing and singing show tunes. She even sang a duet from Guys and Dolls (Sue Me) and a solo from Cinderella (In My Own Little Corner).

K was invited to the academic awards ceremony at her school and earned a letter for her school coat for her outstanding GPA. Her drama awards banquet yielded another certificate (their musical "Bye Bye Birdie" this Spring was fantastic!). Then at the VMAs (that's Vocal Music Awards - they even dressed for the "red carpet!") K was presented with a letter for her school coat for her involvement in the vocal music department. So two letters for her coat now, guess we better get it ordered! She is most proud of the letter she earned for music, though her daddy and I are pretty darn happy about the academic one.

Miss D has us busting with pride - she was inducted into National Junior Honor Society! She got the letter saying she was nominated, she wrote her required essay and waited to hear. She is not a patient wait-er either. The school called and told us she had made it, but asked us to keep it a secret from her until the ceremony. It was so hard to keep telling her "Maybe next year" everytime she'd ask if we heard anything yet. The day of the ceremony they kept us parents hiding in the hallway as the students' names were called. And to keep them guessing, they didn't announce them in alphabetical order - then put D as the very last one named! It was quite a moment - she was thrilled (and a bit worried that her signature was so shaky from her nerves when she signed the induction book)! They gave them a medal which she immediately hung prominently in her room when she got home that day.

Looking back at the year, I wish I could rewind and do it all again - it's been a great year!

Inci-dental Advances

2009-04-22T18:08:00.005-04:00

The last visit to our dentist was in a small office in the basement of a medical building. We've been going to Dr. D for years, so when he had his own office built and it was still close by, I scheduled our appointments for our regular checkups at the new office. My girls and I were very surprised by the spa-like atmosphere when we walked into the new waiting area. Even more surprising was the big flat-screen tv on the wall - at the old office you were lucky to find a magazine from the current calendar year.

Beyond the waiting room, the exam rooms were equally surprising. The x-rays were all done on the computer - no more developing films. The hygienist even used a small pen-like camera to take a close-up picture of K's tooth that had a cavity so that Dr. D could get a good look at it blown up on the computer - very cool! A computer in each exam room had our dental records, x-rays, even the appointment calendar so the hygienist can schedule follow-up appointments right then and there.

Ah, but the best part was the tv on the ceiling above each exam chair, complete with remote control and headphones. I have heard about dental offices with these high-tech improvements, but never really thought my dentist would have them. I ended up having a root canal the following week - and I have to say that while it wasn't a fun experience, I really didn't mind it that much. Was it because I was distracted watching Law & Order: SVU? Was it that I couldn't hear the sounds of what they were doing because of the headphones? Did all the new technology make it hurt any less?

All I know is, the OB/GYN could definitely take a lesson from this!

Personal Choice

2009-03-26T19:39:00.007-04:00

Recently I was faced with a decision that is very personal for women - I needed a new purse. The strap on mine broke beyond repair.

You probably think buying a new purse is a relatively simple task. You go to the store, find the accessory department - ah, purses, here they are, grab one and buy it. Done deal.

If that is what you think, let me just say that you are WRONG. It took me 4 separate shopping trips to find my new purse. You can't just pick up any old handbag. There are a lot of choices and decisions that go into finding THE purse. Some women go the designer route, but I can't justify spending more money on the purse than I'll actually carry in it. Plus if you spend less, you can get a new one more often.

Last year I had a great purse that was exactly what I wanted. And with all the thousands of purses out there, amazingly my sister showed up with the identical purse in a different color. I guess we think a lot alike!

The first requirement for me when buying a new purse is the strap/straps - I can take a single or a double strap, they just have to be long enough for me to carry the purse on my right shoulder. Some women like the shorter straps to just carry on your arm - much like my grandmother carried her pocketbook. Or of course you could choose a clutch and not have a strap at all. Then there is the backpack style - very popular with the teens and tweens. I even came across some that had the shorter double strap with a detachable longer strap - attempting to meet the needs of everyone.

Regardless of what you've heard, size IS important - I don't understand the point of a small purse except for an evening bag. My daughter K likes a really BIG purse - she even carries her school stuff in it. Somewhere in the middle is best for me.

Another must for me is it HAS to zip closed. I've done the snaps, the drawstrings, tie closures and even the open top hobo bags - not secure enough for me. I've had my purse get dumped off the carseat from a sudden stop enough not to go that route again.

And I want pockets inside, at least a couple for my cellphone, sunglasses and other items I need to be able to find quickly.

Next consideration is what it is made of - cloth, leather, woven - lots of choices. Color plays a big role in the decision-making too. I wear a lot of black, so I usually get a black purse (though I do have a brown one I can carry in a pinch) so I don't have to switch it out to accessorize. But it's Spring and I've been carrying a black one for a while so I checked out other options too.

In the end, I found a black purse with white trim - making it acceptable for the season I think - and the stitching is tan so I can even wear brown with it.

And now you can sleep easier having the inside scoop on how I choose a new purse.

Finding My Voice

2009-02-16T17:15:00.003-05:00

Today I woke up to find I had no voice. It seems like it happens every year, I get a cold that runs through various symptoms and eventually settles in my throat and I end up not being able to talk. My job requires me to take calls and provide answers - today I was able to squeak out a greeting and communicate, but I was very frustrated trying to make myself heard. You would probably ask: Why not take a sick day? And I would reassure you: I feel fine - very good actually, and we only get so many days each year - what if I really need this day later? So I went to work, did my job and helped others.

This voiceless day reinforces my new respect and appreciation for the Web 2.0 technologies. Much of my work interaction today took place through email. On the personal side, I was able to text my daughters and not worry about being heard. Twitter allowed me to converse with friends, colleagues and even my husband. And my Facebook provided me with the social interaction that would have had to wait till my voice came back.

My day with no voice may actually provide additional insight as I continue to encourage my office to engage in these new technologies. It definitely reinforces my motivation for staying current.

Whether I have anything to say or not, and despite not having a voice to say it, I have the means and connections to make myself heard.

You Needed Us...

2009-02-05T17:38:00.010-05:00

It was 16 years ago today that I first saw your face. Your entry into our lives was eventful to say the least. We loved you and took care of you. You needed us...for everything.

As you got older, you became mobile and started to communicate. We loved you and picked you up when you fell, and helped you learn words to express yourself. You needed us...for support.

Preschool started your formal education, learning your colors, ABC's, counting and socialization. We loved you and showed you how to tie your shoes, taught you right from wrong, and what you needed to know to be a good person. You needed us...for knowledge.

Different activities provided various learning experiences. Sports provided coordination, competition and lessons in sportsmanship. Girl Scouts helped develop your self-esteem and offered new insight and friendships. Daddy as your coach, and I as your leader, we loved you and helped you find your interests and become more independent. You needed us...for guidance.

You stretched your wings and your voice - choir and drama provided you with an outlet for expressing yourself. We applauded you and became your biggest fans. You needed us...sometimes.

For 16 years - every step, each word, your performances, activities and interests - we were there for you. You needed us. And do you know what? Just because you're 16 now, nothing really changes. We are here for you, no matter what you do, no matter how old you are, everything you try - we'll be there cheering you on. You may not always need us...but we're here whenever you do.

Happy Birthday K! We love you!

Snow Days

2009-02-01T21:53:00.033-05:00

Now that I have all of our photos scanned in and stored electronically, I'm able to easily look back at memorable times and events. We had a big snowstorm last week, and another is predicted this week as well. So I thought I'd share some of our snow pictures through the years.

K is our snow shoveler now. She earns extra spending money by clearing the driveway and sidewalks anytime we get a significant snow. We started her early - these pictures are from 1995 when she was almost 2 years old.

She really does not like the cold though, even now that she's older.

For D, her first big snowfall was just after Christmas in 1998. She was 2 1/2 years old. She never even made it outside - just getting her ready to head out to play sent her into hysterics. (I know, what kind of parent am I that I took a picture of this "memorable" event?) But K had fun outside without her.

The snow stayed around till after the first of the year. We still didn't manage to get D out to experience it, so I played with K and built a pretty awesome snowfort (if I do say so myself!).

Between Christmas and New Years 1999, we had a big snowfall - and D finally took part in the fun, even making a great snow angel.

February of 2000 brought a big snow and the girls made a cool snowman - complete with a carrot nose and actual coal for the eyes and mouth. And they had a great time making a big fort (with some help from Daddy).

These are pictures from 2003, February again. (Yikes, lots of February snowstorms and today is just February 1st!) A lot of snow meant a lot of shoveling, and a trip to the sledding hill.

Daddy took D down the hill - once. That's it, she didn't go down again. Of course, who am I to talk? I didn't even make it all the way down - I fell off the sled, grabbed it and walked the few feet back to the top and that was it for me too.

K and Daddy went down the hill on every kind of sled we had, and were exhausted when it was time to head home.

Another snowman picture, taken just after Christmas in 2004. K and D both worked on this guy, K just got sick of the cold, so D and "Snowy" make a happy couple.

These days as the girls are getting older, they limit their snow activities. When the snow starts falling, K's only concern is for the money she'll make from shoveling, and D hopes for a snow day so she doesn't have to make her way through the snow-covered sidewalks to her bus stop. Then they take Mulligan, our dog, out in the backyard and throw the ball for him, chase him, and throw a couple of snowballs at each other. Mulligan loves the snow - he leaps and tries to bite the flakes as they fall from the sky, he runs around and rolls in it until his long fur gets full of snow and he can hardly walk from the weight of it. But he's in the minority in the family - the rest of us are ready for Spring.

Join the Club

2009-01-18T16:48:00.006-05:00

In an effort to save on groceries by buying in bulk and stocking up, last year we went to the local big box club store on one of their free trial days. We saw enough products that we thought we’d use that we went ahead and joined. We’ve found that we should have done it years ago – especially the years I was doing home daycare. It comes in handy now for all of our regular staples – we get our syrup, ketchup, snacks, dog food and bottled water, just to name a few. (Not sure we REALLY needed the gallon jar of dill pickles sitting on the shelf in the pantry, but SOMEONE ;) just had to have them.)

Recently we tried the jumbo can of sausage gravy – half a can will feed all of us, and we freeze the other half. It heats up in no time. Pop open a can of biscuits and by the time they’re baked, we have a quick, easy, tasty dinner.

We’ve gotten some good deals on their non-food items also – a flashdrive for data storage, my Tommy Hilfiger flipflops last summer, golf umbrellas – all at great prices.

When we went this weekend (you have to go on the weekends for all the free samples – you can eat lunch while you shop!) they made an announcement over the loudspeaker offering free $5 paring knives. We were standing next to the knife demo stand as they made the announcement, so we thought, “we're here, they're free, why not?” We can always use another paring knife. There was quite a crowd listening to the demo, and when it was all over we walked away the proud owners of a whole new set of knives. Still not sure if: a. we’re just a couple of suckers, b. the guy had a great spiel and was a good salesman, c. our knives suck THAT bad that we were willing to try anything, d. all of the above. For $40 we got 3 large “utility” (i.e. Ginsu) knives, 7 paring knives, a filet knife, 3 juicers, and a food chopper - and they’re all guaranteed for life.

So if anyone needs to cut through a tin can, saw through the head of a steel hammer, or cut a chunk out of a piece of wood, then peel the skin off a tomato and slice through a sheet of paper – we’ve got the knife for it!

The Urge to Purge

2009-01-12T21:10:00.005-05:00

I haven’t posted anything in a while, but it’s not because I’ve been slacking off. I’ve been working on my home “office.” Notice I didn’t say IN my home office. You couldn’t really work IN it. My office is supposed to be my sewing, craft, painting, project room. But it had become the dumping ground for all those things no one in the family knew what to do with - extra shoelaces, old school papers, friends’ birth announcements, buttons, the flotsam and jetsam of our daily lives. Common type of questions: What do I do with my letters from my pen pal from camp? What about this sock with no match? This Christmas ornament has a piece that broke off, what should I do with it? Where should I put this flower girl dress I wore in 1999? The answer was the same for all of the above: Put it in my office.

There was no way any work could be done in my office – every flat surface became piled with “stuff.” (I use the term “stuff” but it is interchangeable with “sh*t.”) It had gotten to the point that there was even “stuff” piled on the floor. Although there was a path through the “stuff” to the ironing board, ironing was the only productive thing that could be accomplished in there.

I spent the last week completely re-organizing, re-arranging and purging things in my office. And I mean purging - I was pretty ruthless. I gave a bag of clothes to a co-worker for her daughter, 2 bags of "stuff" to charity, and I have a large bin full of other "stuff" to list on ebay. I threw away so much “stuff” that I completely filled our 90 gallon trashcan (I have no idea where our normal garbage will go till trash day on Friday). I had so many unfinished projects that I always thought I’d finish one day and I threw most of them away. I’ve come to the realization that just because I start a project, it doesn’t mean I have to finish it. Various granny squares I crocheted with scrap yarn, small pieces of terry cloth leftover from making hooded baby towels for gifts over the years, old film canisters, and miscellaneous odds and ends that I thought I might need for crafting with the kids (from the home daycare years and two scout troops over the course of the past 10+ years). As I got rid of these never finished projects, I actually got rid of sooo much stress. I never realized how much pressure I felt having those pending items hanging over my head. Now that they’re gone, I have an amazing sense of relief.

The result: an actual office. There is room to move and work. My desk has space for my sewing machine. I enjoy making doll clothes, and the rack for the completed dresses to sell is right by the window. The floor is so open and clear that I was able to layout the fabric and pin patterns to cut out two bridesmaid dresses for my nieces last night. I have a small desk set up just for painting with my brushes and paints set out close at hand. I am a painter at heart. Not having my paint and supplies packed up and having them right out in the open may actually allow me to paint for the first time in over 12 years. Things are organized and stored – and most importantly, I can easily figure out where things are.

I’m not trying to become ultra-productive. But if I get inspired or someone sends me a cool craft idea, now I can easily act on that inspiration. Just walking into my office gives me a sense of satisfaction. Now, my only dilemma is: what do I want to work on next?

Uphill Both Ways

2008-12-29T20:03:00.007-05:00

You know how as children our parents told us about walking miles to school in knee-deep snow, and we thought they were just exaggerating – and you never thought you’d tell those kinds of stories to your own kids. Then one day it happens, you find yourself telling your offspring how good they have it today - how when you were a kid you had to actually get up off the couch to change the channel, you only had 4 TV stations, and the only time cartoons and kids’ shows were on was on Saturday mornings. Yep, I’ve done it. Guilty as charged.

My latest transgression: generic Christmas gifts. When I was growing up, as you made the rounds to see family over the holidays you could be guaranteed that some relative that you only see once a year would generously hand you a gift. As your mom was telling Great Aunt Addie that it was so nice of her to think of you, you were eagerly unwrapping your gift to find – socks.

Now mind you, I have nothing against socks – I’ve enjoyed wearing every pair I’ve ever gotten (as much as anyone can enjoy socks anyway). And it really was very thoughtful of them to remember me (and my feet)!

My girls each received some “generic” gifts this year, and I have to confess – I’m jealous. No socks for kids today. No, my daughters got gift cards from Chipotle! and Starbucks! and iTunes! and cash!

Now those are gifts that are worth kissing dear Aunt Addie (even with her mustache) to thank her.

Deck the Halls

2008-12-17T20:48:00.004-05:00

The decorating is done - all 21 boxes of decorations, garland, bows and wreaths. The tree is up and lit, complete with all of our many ornaments we've collected over the years. Our "collection" of Christmas golf characters (golfing Santa, snowmen and nutcrackers holding golf clubs) is displayed on top of the old library card catalog in the living room, along with a mini tree with all of the golf ornaments. My snowman collection is properly displayed and lit above the kitchen cupboards. The mantle is decorated and stockings are ready to be hung on Christmas Eve. Everything looks beautiful and festive.

And now ... nothing. I have no great drama, plot or moral to this post (hard to believe, I know). We have no company coming to stay with us over the holidays. No one is coming over to visit even - it is all for us. We just get to enjoy it.

So the purpose of this post? To send out an open invitation: if you have a free evening, or you're in town and want to get together, give us a shout, a call, or an email. We'll break out the eggnog, the cheese & crackers and the beef log ('cause you can't entertain during the holidays without 'em). We'll find a time - we'd love to entertain and spend time with all of you.

I was going to include some pictures of our decked out halls, but you'll just have to come over and get the full effect.

Fa la la la la, la la, la, la.

Tag - You're It!

2008-12-12T23:41:00.006-05:00

I have never been tagged before now. Okay, so I wanted to do a meme.....and if I tag you below I hope you play!!! Post this on your blog, answer and then tag 5 other people.....ready....GO!

1) Wrapping paper or gift bags? Gift wrap for family, bags for friends/co-workers.

2) Real tree or artificial? Artificial for the past 3 years, always cut one down ourselves before that. Got to be a BIG hassle, so much nicer now.

3) When do you put up the tree? After Thanksgiving, on a weekend when we have time.

4) When do you take the tree down? First weekend in January. But I sometimes leave my snowman collection up longer.

5) Do you like eggnog? Yep, it’s a tradition in my family.

6) Favorite gift received as a child? I’m not sure … a Scrabble game maybe?

7) Hardest person to buy for? My niece.

8) Easiest person to buy for? D – she has a very precise list and there is quite a variety.

9) Do you have a nativity scene? Yes, one porcelain, another more like a child’s playset – love them both.

10) Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Cookie jar shaped like a barn with animals painted on it – not quite my thing, uh, yeah.

11) Favorite Christmas Movie? Elf – I always laugh out loud when I watch it. But I really like Heat Miser and Snow Miser, the Grinch (cartoon version) and Charlie Brown’s Christmas too.

12) Favorite Christmas song? Handel’s Messiah

13) Travel at Christmas or stay home? We stay in town for Christmas. We visit my parents on Christmas day, but they are here in town.

14) Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? Yes, why not? I’m all for recycling!

15) Favorite ornament theme or color? I like a variety of ornaments, handmade especially. I have a lot of snowmen ornaments, and any that say “Joy” on them are special of course.

I am going to tag...

Maureen
Lisa
Lynne
Cat
Kelleh

Any Way You Slice It

2008-12-03T19:14:00.004-05:00

Picture if you will: Christmas dinner at my grandparents’ house, everyone (even us kids) gathered around the long table complete with lace tablecloth, the family silver, Grandma's fine china, crystal stemware, candlelit centerpiece; table loaded with the holiday meal and all the trimmings, the cinnamon glazed apples, stuffing, rolls and potatoes, and of course a big golden roasted turkey; Grandpa at the head of the table holding a large carving knife, ready to slice The Bird.

Flash forward to the current day: separate tables are set up – one for the adults and another for the younger crowd; all of the wonderful holiday food served buffet style; the turkey has come out of the oven, golden brown and juicy. Now picture the carving knife … in MY hand. Yep, it’s true – I have become The Carver of the Meat in the family.

Though I happily take on this traditionally honored role, I can’t say I came into it through any great cutting skill or meat-related talents. (Uh, that didn't quite come out the way I meant.) It’s kind of my own doing though – I would watch my father carving the meat at the big holiday meals when we got together. He would grumble a bit in the crowded kitchen as all the food was prepared around him, Mom and my sisters and I bustling around getting everything ready. He continually struggled with the less than sharp knife – and I had a thought: electric carving knife! Brilliant!

So the next time we got together, I brought along my own electric knife that we had received as a wedding gift years before and had stashed in that cupboard above the refrigerator where small rarely used appliances go to collect dust. The time came for Dad to start slicing and I produced the electric knife and proudly presented it to my dad. This didn’t have quite the result I was hoping for - he gladly turned the job over to me and my electric carver. He stayed at my side and kept a watchful eye on me and gave some helpful fatherly suggestions to make sure I was doing it right. And I didn’t do too badly if I do say so.

This year when we got together for yet another holiday meal, I “accidentally on purpose” forgot my electric knife. I thought maybe Dad would resume his carving role – but it turns out that he enjoys himself more hanging out with his sons-in-law in the living room in front of the t.v. discussing sports and fishing. I don’t mind though. While Mom and my sisters are busy with all of the other meal prep, I stand by, electric knife in hand, carving my place in our family tradition.

Rude Awakening

2008-11-28T15:42:00.003-05:00

Thanksgiving is over and the Christmas season has officially begun. I love this holiday, but I have a grey cloud hanging over me this year. There is tension in our extended family, and I initiated it. This is not typical for me, usually I am the peacemaker - always trying to smooth ruffled feathers and make sure everyone gets along. This could be because I am a Libra – we are commonly known for a sense of fairness and equality. I guess you could say that I come by it “astrologically,” :) but when I see something that’s just not fair I sometimes can’t help but speak up. Last Christmas, I had finally had enough.

My parents taught me that respect for your elders is not suggested, it is expected. My husband and I are teaching our daughters the same values – “what you’re told, when you’re told.” When I see children - especially adult children - being rude to their parents I am appalled. Last Christmas season, my daughters and I witnessed a total lack of parental respect – by a guest in our own home. It provoked questions from our perceptive children, so I used it as a teaching moment with the insolent behavior as an example of what not to do. I later described the situation to my husband. We decided that even though this rudeness had for years previously gone unchecked, if either of us saw a repeat performance and our daughters were again spectators, we would be obligated to speak up.

Unfortunately, the next time was the very next day. My husband, daughters and several others were present. This time we could not overlook it. I had to voice our feelings about the rude display. I never want our children to think that that kind of behavior is acceptable. I told this “kidult” that they would not be welcome in our home again until some attempt was made to correct the offensive behavior.

Sadly, our disapproval and ban were met only with excuses. I have now gone from an “in-law” to an “outlaw.” No changes have been made, no reconciliations have been offered. This causes an internal struggle for me – I want balance and fairness, I want everyone to just get along – but we will not sacrifice our choice to abide by our strong morals and our desire to instill them in our daughters.

So here we are once again in the holiday season and this year for the first time we will not be gathering with that extended family. Disappointingly, our ex-communication has continued. We will miss seeing those loved ones. We will celebrate the season under this grey cloud – and I’m okay with it. I know we are being true to ourselves and confident in our convictions. We’ll spend the holidays with other family and friends, and everyone will respect one another – even us outlaws.

Virtually Speaking

2008-11-19T20:08:00.003-05:00

You’re reading this blog so you are witness to - and an essential part of - my personal efforts to stay current. You may have come here because you follow me on Twitter, or maybe you’re one of my friends on Facebook. All three are new ventures for me just this year. Also new for me in 2008 - a cellphone. I don’t get very many calls - almost exclusively from my husband and daughters - many days I don’t get even a single call or text. My kids make fun of me because I text so slowly – but I do text. I even use the lingo and abbreviations.

Before I began this technological exploration of sorts, I thought each of these things was simply a novelty – unnecessary and just a way to kill time. But the usefulness and importance has become obvious. The connections I have made and social networking that has resulted would never have been possible without this new Web 2.0 community.

I have always been a shy person, and I’m very introverted. (Are those two different things? Can you be shy and an extrovert? Hmm – now I’m curious. How about a poll? Answer to the right!) I was so shy and insecure growing up that I couldn’t see why anyone would want to be my friend - I even suspected that my mom may have paid my friends to like me and hang out with me. (Whoa, did I actually just admit that? I really must be feeling more secure these days!)

Small talk is uncomfortable for me – and frankly, I think I suck at it. It’s so much easier for me to communicate in a written format. Now through my social networks I have reconnected with old friends, made new friends, and gotten to know casual acquaintances much better. Hopefully they’ve all gotten to know me better too. I feel like I’m included and I’m part of something.

This isn’t any kind of personal epiphany or great revelation. It’s just me finding a place where I can be myself. In the words of Kool Moe Dee (didn’t know I was a closet rap fan didja?): “How ya like me now?”

10 Random Things About Me

2008-11-15T16:47:00.003-05:00

I am trying to "learn & play" along with my old and new friends at the library. They were given an "assignment" to come up with ten random things - I thought this would make a good topic on my blog as well. So here they are - things you may or may not have known about me.

1. Fly-fishing is one of my favorite pastimes - any kind of freshwater fishing really. I love being around a pond with the cattails, frogs and dragonflies.

2. I didn’t go take my test and get my driver’s license until I was 25. I never needed to drive anywhere, I always had someone to take me where I needed to go. I could get to most of the places I needed to go by city bus - I lived right off of High Street, went to Ohio State, worked at Whetstone Library – all right on the bus line.

3. I made my own wedding dress. Lace inserts, pearl beading and all. I’ve made 2 other wedding dresses since then (and probably close to a hundred bridesmaid dresses).

4. I can’t swallow pills – when there is no liquid version available, I have to crush or dissolve them. I remember choking on a cherry Lifesaver in the backseat of a car when I was very young - maybe the reason.

5. Never had even a single puff on a cigarette, ever – honest!

6. I love Ohio Stadium: I was an usher for the home football games when I was in Girl Scouts; My mom bought a piece of the old turf when they tore it up years ago; I sat in Block O when I was in college; I used it as the subject of my photography class at OSU; I made sure I graduated in the Spring so the ceremony was in the stadium; We made a donation and have a commemorative brick at the south end still today.

7. My stupid human trick – I can name all 50 states in alphabetical order in less than 30 seconds.

8. When I was 12, I was the horseshoe champion in my age bracket for the Columbus Recreation and Parks Department. (Unfortunately, I haven’t retained any of my horseshoe throwing ‘skilz’ though…)

9. I have become a germ-a-phobe. Hand sanitizer is never far away. (Especially right after punching the numbers on an ATM machine or handling the canister in the bank drive-thru. Gives me the heebie-jeebies!)

10. Someday I’d like to have an old house to refurbish. Home improvement projects, knocking out walls, laying tile, installing faucets, decorating, painting, design and layout – bring it on!

A Thousand Words

2008-11-09T11:55:00.014-05:00

I try to post with some regularity, but sometimes other projects take up most of my spare time and I don’t take the time to write a new post. Currently, I am working on a photo project.

I love photographs and especially the convenience and immediacy of digital photography. My husband’s generous cousin sent me a digital camera a couple of years ago - she was trying to inspire me to sell my handmade doll clothes on ebay (a future blogpost topic?). I keep the camera in my purse, so I have it with me most anytime a photo op presents itself. Downloading the pictures to the computer is so quick and easy with my digital memory card reader, I usually get the pics off the camera after each use. The photo editing software that is available today means every picture you take has great potential. I crop, remove red eye, adjust the contrast – whatever it takes to enhance the image to best capture that moment.

My photos are my screensavers at home and at work. They provide a slideshow every time I stop working for a moment. (Sometimes I’ll intentionally stop working just to watch a slideshow of some of my favorite people and times!)

But I was thinking about all of the pictures I have from before I went digital, sitting in albums in a trunk in our living room. There are some great pictures there, and some very important moments. I wanted to have them on my computer too. Knowing it was a huge undertaking, I started scanning photos. I started with the oldest pictures – photos of my ancestors.

Then I worked on my one album I have with pictures from my childhood. I didn’t sca n every photo, just my favorites and the ones that represent an important event or memory.

The old snapshots scan really well. Some that were too dark or fuzzy since the day they were taken on film and developed can actually be adjusted and fixed. The old prints that have faded can have the saturation adjusted and the color comes back to life. Shots that were so far away can be cropped - the subjects come to the forefront, bigger and clearer than ever. A couple have had marks and scratches and seemed worthless, but even those can be retouched and look better than ever.

Of the more "recent history" albums, I’ve only made it through from the time my husband and I met up to our wedding rehearsal. Obviously I have a long way to go – 18 years and 3 kids worth of pictures – probably about 30+ albums in all.

But when I’m through, it will all be worth it. I’ll be able to burn photo discs and make multiple copies to store in a fire safe and share them with my family. I envision the ease of creating graduation and wedding slideshows for the girls when the time comes. I’m certain I’ll be using more of them when posting to this blog – it may even provide new topics to post about.

I am really enjoying my trip down memory lane as I go through the old albums. As I add to my computerized pictures, the “old” photos start appearing in my screen saver slideshow – it really makes me happy to see them intermingled with the more recent ones.

Trick Or Treat

2008-10-28T22:44:00.002-04:00

I don’t like going to haunted houses – I’ve never liked being scared. Jack-o-lanterns do have their charm I suppose, but carving them is messy and a lot of work for the short time you can enjoy them before they rot or hooligans bash them in the street. We’ve tried roasting the seeds to try to get more out of the whole thing and they just don’t taste good. But going Trick or Treating – what’s not to like? Beggar’s night is still my favorite part of Halloween.

When I was very little, I had one store-bought costume – sort of a rabbit I guess, probably made from some kind of highly flammable material, with one of those plastic masks that are more than likely outlawed now because they block your vision. Another year, after our 1st grade play (I was Mama Bear), I wore the homemade chocolate-brown terrycloth costume (envision something like brown footy pajamas complete with hood with ears, and a small tail tacked on the back). But beyond that my costumes were bits and pieces of things thrown together (not like today where parents spend outrageous amounts of money on rubber masks and complete costumes). Some of my many costumes I came up with were: a bum, a football player – uniform borrowed from a neighbor, and a gypsy – flowing skirt, a shawl and tons of my mom’s old jewelry. We’d go door to door filling a pillowcase with as much candy as we could carry. It seemed like we stayed out all night.

In trying to pass this experience along to our kids, we’ve only purchased minor accessories (a witch’s hat, fairy wings and such) to create their costumes over the years. I did sew parts of them, but we created their looks mostly from things around the house. No expensive masks – we used make-up when needed.

So we would get the kids sufficiently disguised and ready. Walking with them when they were younger, we’d go with them to the door till they got the hang of it. But as they got older and went to the doors without us, we’d stand on the sidewalk waiting for them – and my husband and I came up with our own holiday tradition: we take a 6-pack and 2 red cups in a bag. That way we can walk around with the kids, visit with neighbors as they follow their kids around, and enjoy a frosty beverage or two or three. As our supply diminishes, we empty the kids’ candy buckets into the bag. Ahh … the candy! The girls don’t notice when we sample their candy as we walk (especially the candy bars). Beggar’s Night may be geared toward the children, but it’s one of our favorite holiday events.

Lunches with Rules

2008-10-22T20:39:00.002-04:00

I have a couple of friends at work that I go to lunch with a few times each month. (First rule: everyone pays for their own meal.) But each time, the predictable conversation would ensue: “Where do you want to go?” “I don’t care. Where do you want to go?” Then we’d drive around and end up at one of the usual 2 or 3 sit-down restaurants near our office. One of us came up with a suggestion – nothing very original or earth-shattering actually, but it put an end to our indecision. We each wrote 5 restaurant suggestions on slips of paper and put them in a jar. Now when we are planning to go out, we just pull a slip from the jar and the choice has been made – we have to go to that restaurant (that’s rule #2 and there are no re-draws). This added a little element of chance, and made our lunches less stressful and more fun.

After doing this a couple of times, we decided to add yet another rule. Rule #3: wherever we go, you have to choose something that you’ve never had at that restaurant before. No more ordering the same old thing you always get, try something new. You don’t have to order something crazy, just explore the menu, see what other choices you might like. We each have discovered new likes (and dislikes) that we wouldn’t have tried without rule 3.

We were having fun with our lunches, and we even told some others at the office about our excursions and our rules. Now to take it the next step: Why not share the fun with others? But, who should we ask to join us? The jar idea worked to make our restaurant decisions, why not a jar for this too? There are 40-50 people in our office, so we put everyone’s name on a slip of paper (okay, so we actually cut apart our staff roster) and put them all in a cup. Now we choose our restaurant slip and see where we’re going, then (rule #4) draw a name and see who we’ll invite to come along. Okay, this could be a scary prospect – some invitees would see this as an opportunity to gossip or talk shop. So we instituted rule #5 – absolutely no talking about work or things related to our office. When we invite the “chosen” individual (who very likely is someone we don’t regularly interact with), the initial puzzlement becomes eager anticipation as we explain our lunches and the rules.

Our lunches with rules may seem a bit structured – but in actuality, they have become more enjoyable, it has become a game, and something we really look forward to each month. And since our game has us branching out talking to people we wouldn’t otherwise, we are finding out more about them on a personal level. As a bonus, it seems to also be creating more of a cohesive workplace.

If you ever find yourself struggling to decide where to go for lunch at work or for dinner with your spouse, try playing your own game. You don’t have to come up with rules. But, why not try out #3 – order something new? Or maybe #4 - invite someone along, someone you normally wouldn’t ask. You’ll break up the monotony and expand your horizons.

Strange Bedfellows

2008-10-13T22:15:00.002-04:00

If you haven’t noticed (ha, ha – yeah, right), it’s election time. Many people use their blog as an opportunity for posting their opinions on their choice for president.

My political post is not to state my party preferences, but to share my presidential election pet peeves.

A. Political ads - Why do they advertise for a year (or more) ahead of time? Are there regulations about how soon they can start campaigning? I have such overload at this point that I tune them out and pay no attention to them.
B. Recorded phone messages - Shouldn’t you be able to put yourself on a “do not call” list for political calls? Why are they exempt from it? Does anyone even listen to those recorded messages?
C. Mailers - What about a “do not mail” list? I walk straight from my mailbox to the trashcan – they never even make it to my counter for later perusal. The amount of paper wasted on political ads mailed to my household alone is staggering, imagine the truckloads sent out nationwide over the course of the campaign.
D. Personal opinions - Why does everyone assume you’re voting for the same candidate they are? Neighbors, co-workers, friends – from both sides of the fence – they just start talking about the opposing candidate in a derogatory manner, slamming anyone who would vote for the other - without even knowing who I support.
E. Debates - What is the purpose of the debates? No one seems to actually watch them with impartiality or to gain insight on what a candidate’s stance is. They have their preconceived ideas, and look for every example that backs their ideas, pro and con.
F. Media - The media with their supposed fence-straddling – every story seems to have a particular slant, depending on which channel you watch or listen to, or which paper you read. Can’t someone just give the facts without bias?
G. Prejudice - Why does it play into it at all? Does race or gender really matter? Shouldn’t it be about what they stand for, not whether they’re standing in high heels or if they are descended from Africa? Their physical bodies - the color of their skin and whether or not they have a penis - should be totally irrelevant.

Someday, a presidential candidate will announce their candidacy and give their viewpoints. Then they will announce that they will not spend the typical small fortune for campaigning – they will not send mailers or make commercials. They will donate any campaign funds – to the American people, to the national debt, something. That’s a president I would vote for and support.

With the state of things in this country, whoever is elected in a couple of weeks, I will support them as they serve as President of the United States – they’re going to need it.

Spirit of Fire

2008-10-07T19:35:00.002-04:00

This past weekend was Homecoming at the high school my daughter attends. As times are evolving, things are becoming more electronic and so much is geared around the internet and social networking, but I’m happy to say that some things haven’t changed at all. Long-standing high school homecoming tradition is alive and well!

The entire week featured various spirit days (dress like your favorite teacher day, “what not to wear” day, green and white day, etc.). As expected, Friday evening was the football game - and as their school’s tradition goes, they lost. Saturday was the dance - boys looking uncomfortable, girls in pretty dresses, corsages, going out to dinner - the whole bit.

But the part that impressed me took place on Thursday. Late afternoon featured a parade consisting of the marching band, guard, ROTC, cheerleaders, football team, homecoming queens and kings, and floats for various school groups and each grade. They paraded through the streets and wound up back at the school parking lot where everyone assembled in a huge circle. With the fire department looking on, the bonfire was lit. You could see the flames from blocks away. The marching band played various school fight songs. It seemed the entire community was there showing their support and cheering on the school.

I always thought these storied bonfires were a small-town tradition or something out of my parents’ high school years. The pep rallies we held in our gym during the school day were nothing to compare with the spirit and tradition I saw that night. I hope it is a tradition they will continue for years to come.

Homework - Help!

2008-09-30T23:55:00.002-04:00

I was always a good student, in all subjects. For math, I took all of the college prep classes and passed the necessary math in college. Granted, there was not much of a math requirement for a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree, but I took what I had to. So I feel like I have a pretty good handle on it. I can balance a checkbook, figure square footage of a room, measure for curtains or for sewing dress hems.

(Reader: imagine a sufficiently ominous/scary music bit for effect here).
Then my daughter came to me with her 7th grade homework. (AAaaagh! Not that!)

I don’t remember there being so many different kinds of numbers: composite, prime, whole, rational, real, reciprocal, and integers. When did they come up with all of those? What do you need so many kinds of numbers for? A number is a number! Dividing fractions, common denominators, cube roots – remember how to do those? I don’t! Negative times a negative is a positive, positive times a positive is a positive, negative times a positive is a negative – it’s enough to make your head spin!

Okay, so I sit down and try to drag some recollection from my classes (so long ago!) and begin to try to help her understand the assignment. I think I get it and start to explain it to her.

This is when it really gets good (insert more ominous music here) – she tells me they don’t do it like that anymore!

What? Can they really change HOW you do math? Aren’t there formulas and equations and an order of operations? How do they expect us to help our kids to succeed with their schoolwork if they go and change it all on us? It’s hard enough to remember how we were taught, but to have to learn new ways of computing word problems? No thanks! And I don’t know about you, but how much of that stuff do you actually still use in your day to day life? None! I can honestly say I haven’t had to graph a parabola, or figure out how many apples and oranges Susie and Billy are sharing, or anything about trains leaving stations traveling in opposite directions. Of course this line of reasoning doesn’t go over real big with your kid’s teacher.

I said earlier that I was a good student, I’m a fairly intelligent person. So I do what anyone would do in my situation – I yell to my oldest daughter to come help. She’s in 10th grade, they can’t have changed things in the 3 years since she learned it. Oh, but they can!

I don’t get it (and honestly, I don’t want to), but I have confidence my daughter will - it will just take time. In the meantime, she can call Uncle John who teaches math in high school.

And I’ll tell my daughters that I’m a whiz at English – unless they decide to change it on me.

I’m With Stupid

2008-09-28T00:02:00.006-04:00

Today is Ask a Stupid Question Day. Really, you can look it up! Ask away – this is your chance. Anything, no matter how dumb - today’s the day! Whatever has been nagging at you, find someone to ask.

Here are some things I’d like to know:

*Is Tweety bird a boy or a girl? (Well? Do you know? I’m taking a poll, look to the right. Make sure you give your answer!)
*How many licks DOES it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop?
*If “bra” is singular, why is “panties” plural?
*Why is there Braille on drive-up ATM’s?
*Can I ask you a question? (I think this is my favorite!)

So go ahead. You can ask anything – start it like this: “This might sound stupid, but…” Leave a comment on this post and ask your stupid question you'd like to know an answer for. (Maybe someone can come up with an answer!)

Now if someone can just tell me why hot dogs come in packs of 10 and buns come in packages of 8…

As Forrest Gump says, “Stupid is as stupid does.”

Family Stories

2008-09-24T23:41:00.008-04:00

When I was very young, my parents took an interest in tracing our family tree. My mother started doing historical research, interviewed family members, wrote to distant relatives and was able to come up with fairly detailed genealogies for both sides of our family. As part of the research of the paternal side we visited small cemeteries deep in the hills of Muskingum and Guernsey counties. Believe it or not, I have fond memories of running and playing tag with my sisters in the graveyards amongst the tombstones on many beautiful, quiet, hot summer days, while our parents took careful notes of dates and names, and sometimes took rubbings from the headstones of our ancestors.
An interest in genealogy is a family trait that I inherited. I enjoy research in general - with ~20 years spent at the library I’ve done more than my share of looking for answers, and have often been told I’m good at it. Even my current job requires quite a bit of research. The historical anecdotes of family trees are fascinating to me. So I took on the responsibility of maintaining and updating the family tree. Thankfully, in this computer age there are boundless resources available. My first task was to computerize the research that my parents had done into a genealogy electronic database program so I could easily identify any gaps. Then I turned to online resources. I discovered links to family lines that my parents’ research would never have uncovered. I located long-lost family members, and I met strangers who we are actually related to. Currently, our family history is rather detailed and complex. The software program I use allows you to print your family “story” which I printed out and presented to my dad a couple of years ago. To see the work that had been started years ago by my mom combined with my new exploration – well, it was a gift he still treasures.

While on vacation this summer as we walked through a wooded path to the lake, I spotted an old forgotten family cemetery through the trees. Making our way off the path through the forest, we climbed over a portion of rusted wire fencing. It was a beautiful, quiet, hot summer day. We wandered over the graves and explored the tombstones, many broken and leaning on others, some so old and worn they could not be read. We called out to one other the names and dates of soldiers, infants, families – each lost in our own thoughts. Looking back on the experience, the genealogist in me hopes that some descendent has documented their stories. But my thoughts that day were taking me back to another cemetery, another family, another story…

High School Musings

2008-09-21T23:32:00.005-04:00

High school seems like a whole other lifetime to me. I graduated over 25 years ago (now that's a statement that will make you feel old!). I have some good memories from those times, and bad memories too of course (high school girls can be so mean). It's such a short span of years that you spent there when you look back at it.

I signed up for Facebook recently, just to look at a friends' photos on her profile. I started looking around the FB site a little and discovered a few old friends from high school that I hadn't talked to in years. I've added them as friends now on FB and re-connected with them, and discovered that two of them have actually gotten together after all these years and are now engaged.

Then at a friends' house this weekend, she introduced me to their new neighbor. Amazingly, we had gone to high school together - I recognized her right away, after sooo many years. Though we hadn't been close back in those days, we did have some mutual friends. We spent some time reminiscing and talking about who ended up with who, the class couple that actually got married and are still together, all our old friends and what they're doing now.

Hopefully as my daughters go through their high school years I can offer some insight. Those years have an impact, but the dramas and relationships are easily forgotten over the years. Though it may be hard to believe now, any tragedies experienced - no matter how big or small - will recede from memory as they grow older. The friendships can continue through the various stages of life, but it will take effort. The boys that break their hearts are just stepping stones along the way to finding "the one." Things that happen now, friends and enemies they make in high school - they all help make you who you are, but they don't define you. Enjoy every minute of it - the good and the bad.

Going green, er... pink

2008-09-16T21:34:00.009-04:00

Recycling again, but this time as inspired by "Pretty in Pink."

Remember that 80's teen movie? With Jon Cryer as the fabulous "Duckie," Molly Ringwald played "Andie," and Andrew McCarthy's wealthy character "Blane" ("His name is Blane? Oh! That's a major appliance, that's not a name!") was to take Andie to prom. Then when Andie's father buys her an awful second-hand dress and she gets another hand-me-down dress from her friend, she takes the dresses and reworks them into her own creation.

Great movie, awesome soundtrack, and perfect inspiration for K's homecoming dress. Instead of hitting the mall and trying on armloads of gowns looking for "the dress," a co-worker gave me some of her college-aged daughter's old dance dresses. K was instantly infatuated with one of them in particular. With some adjustments - cutting out excess fabric, sewing in some extra seams, getting rid of the puffy sleeves, and shortening it to tea-length - it is homecoming ready.

Now we just have to hope her date doesn't turn out to be a jerk like "Blane" in the movie, or her Daddy might make him the next recycling project!

Going Green

2008-09-13T11:32:00.015-04:00

Like everyone else, we are recycling. And of course we are trying to instill it as a habit for our daughters to help save the environment. We save our pop cans, D crushes them as one of her daily chores, and they are later turned in for cash. We save and re-use paper for notes and quick print jobs. I pack the girls' clothes up and pass them on to my co-worker's young daughter. We do our part.

The end of this summer saw a huge recycling proposition from K & D. They gave up their swingset in the backyard. (OMG! I still can't believe they've outgrown it!) Our good friends S & A have an adorable daughter and cute little boy, and they were thrilled with the offer.

The day came for the playset to be taken apart and transported to their house for reassembly. K & D spent some time in the backyard that day, having a last swing and taking some pictures:

The dad, S, came over after work that day and began by taking pictures of his own - to show how to put it back together, and marking pieces for easy reassembly. His father-in-law and brother-in-law arrived and the three of them had it taken apart in no time. They left many pieces bolted together to make their job easier when they got it home, but it made the parts incredibly heavy to move from the back of the yard, over the fence and out to the driveway. My husband helped too when he got home from work, and the four of them managed to move even the tall tower part mostly in one big section. They loaded it all into their pick-up trucks and transported it 26 miles around the outerbelt to their house, looking very much like the Beverly Hillbillies or Sanford & Son in their junkyard truck.

As they drove away with their precarious load, I went and looked out at our backyard. The absence of the playset brought a tear to my eye - because my girls are growing up. I thought of all the fun times that so many children have enjoyed on that playset over the years - the daycare kids, birthday parties, friends, cousins and neighbors. Those days with my little daughters are past, but they'll always be my baby girls.

We received a thank-you note from S & A in the mail yesterday. They included pictures of their cute kids swinging and sliding on their "new" playset, with huge grins on their little faces. Those pictures were all the proof I needed that this recycling project definitely made a big difference!

Where were you...?

2008-09-09T21:26:00.004-04:00

That's a question you'll hear this week for the rest of your life. Where were you on 9/11? Where were you when the planes crashed into the towers? Where were you when the towers collapsed? Those that lost someone that day will always have their personal loss, a hole in their heart and soul. But everyone has their own story of that day, and most are eager to share theirs. This tragedy didn't happen to them, but because of how it has changed who we are and where and how we live, everyone has taken it on as part of their own personal history.

Where were you...?

I was on a leave of absence from the library where I had worked for almost 20 years. I had a home daycare at that time so that I could be at home with my girls for a few years. Parents had dropped off their children that morning, we had finished breakfast and I had put my older daughter on the bus for school. The Today Show was on in our home office just off the kitchen. When they broke away for a report that something had happened at the World Trade Center and one of the towers was on fire, I woke my husband who was due to go into work in a couple of hours. As we watched in shocked disbelief, the plane hit the second tower. The daycare children and my youngest daughter were in the playroom, totally oblivious to the fact that the world had just undergone catastrophic change. I sat glued to the events unfolding on the screen and rocked one of the babies I was caring for (as much to comfort myself as the little one) and I watched stunned as the towers collapsed.

We were in contact with my daughter's school and were reassured that their day was to go on as planned, there was no need for early dismissal. The next concern was for my husband. As metropolitan areas across the country were closing offices downtown, I was certain my husband wouldn't have to go to work - they surely would close the library where he works (the same library I was on leave from) and show some concern for their employees at such an uncertain time. Unbelievably, the decision was made to be open regular hours and my husband was required to drive into downtown as everyone else was essentially evacuating the area. And I turned in my resignation - one month shy of 20 years working there. I was not going to go back and work there - I didn't want to work someplace that held that little regard for their employees and their families.

That date, those people, these events changed my life. Changed our world. Changed ... everything.

Where were you the day planes fell from the sky? I was rocking a baby.

Change is good

2008-09-04T17:04:00.012-04:00

We were set on the idea that our daughters would go to parochial school. They were enrolled in a small, local pre-k thru 8th-grade private Catholic school beginning at age 4 for both of them. Looking back now, we don't regret them attending there - it was a good foundation to begin their education. The Christian values that were instilled in them at that young age are a big part of who they are today. However...

When the tuition was increased by over 50% in the course of two years, we felt it was time to analyze the situation - were we getting our money's worth? Were we happy with the education they were getting? After much discussion and observation, we realized there were a couple of problematic areas for us at the private school, the main one being how everyone was treated exactly the same - which may sound like a good thing, but... there was no enrichment, no honor roll, everyone was expected to do everything adequately - not to excel at anything. Essentially, students weren't pushed to strive for anything above mediocrity.

So we made the switch, and were second-guessing ourselves at first. But then... we saw the proof that we made the right decision.

(Prepare for the bragging to begin...)

D started 5th grade at a public intermediate school - only 5th and 6th graders, but there were about 1500 students in the building (big jump from the 250 total students they were used to). It was a fairly new building - bright, colorful, air-conditioned, and had a great computer lab, library, music room, art room, etc. - far exceeding the facilities at the old private school. The first week there, she was elected to student council. Friends were made and she loved her teachers. When grade cards came home - all A's. These were the first A's we'd seen since at the Catholic school they used the +, check, and - grading system (which is awful in my opinion). Then her classes went on a learning field trip to Exchange City and D's classmates voted her as the mayor for the day. The A's continued. At the end of 5th grade at an assembly with the parents, she was chosen by her teacher as the model student of their class. Sixth grade continued in the same manner - she was elected for student council again and made honor roll every grading period. She was in the choir and she started playing the trumpet and took to it naturally. She memorized 120 places of Pi and won a class prize. And at the end of 6th grade at the assembly with the parents, she was given an award as one of just 9 sixth graders that got straight A's the entire year (that's 9 out of 800 - pretty awesome accomplishment!).

(And the bragging continues...)

K's introduction to public school was at the local middle school as an 8th grader. She was voted as student council rep (she ran every year at the old private school but was never elected). K was in the choir and selected for solos/duets, she made the Power of the Pen team (competitive creative writing), and was chosen by one of her teachers to receive a Pride Award for her positive attitude and leadership. She eagerly gave up her afternoons in the Spring to be a track statistician. Even with her busy schedule, K still managed to make honor roll every report card. Freshman year at high school saw more of the same - she joined the yearbook staff and Pencil Dust (the creative writing magazine). She was in the choir and each performance had a solo/duet. In the Fall, in order to go to all of the away football games, she volunteered to be the water girl for the varsity football team. She got to ride the bus with the sports med staff and got to watch each game from the sidelines. (And as a bonus she got to be around the upperclass football players!) If you know K, then you know how much she likes to perform - she auditioned for the Fall play and got a part with a monologue. She auditioned for the winter muscial and got a role in "Once Upon a Mattress," so she got to dance and sing - all while wearing a pretty princess dress and crown (a dream come true)! In the Spring she auditioned again and got a role in a one act play. All this stage time, as well as Saturdays that she gave her time to paint the set and props, earned her an invitation to join the International Thespian Society. You'd think all that would be enough, yet she still offered her time to the track coach back at the middle school and went to their meets and kept stats for them again. And her grades? Honor roll of course.

Currently, K is in her sophomore year of high school (for details on her schedule, see my earlier post: Back to Reality). This year D is at the middle school for 7th grade. She is changing classes for the first time and has a locker for the first time. Her schedule includes classes with 8th graders (pre-algebra, language arts, science) as she is in the accelerated classes because of her good grades the previous years. She's in the band playing trumpet again. We'll see what the rest of the year holds for Miss D, but I'm confident she will continue to thrive in public school.

Did we make the right choice? If they had been left in the private school, would they still be stagnant? Would they be satisfied being average? I think its evident that adequate just doesn't cut it for our girls!

Vacation, our way

2008-09-03T19:41:00.043-04:00

Summertime last year saw many of our friends heading off on exciting (expensive) vacations to exotic locations. Plans for our time off were just to stay in town and find ways to keep everyone entertained, cheaply of course. But I really wanted to "get away" and it had been several years since we had actually been on a vacation, so I formulated a plan. I suggested to my husband that we could go on vacation even with our limited resources - I would come up with a destination (somewhere not too far since both of our vehicles are older) and activities (something for everyone), and still keep costs minimal. After spending a couple of days discussing ideas with friends and co-workers, and researching various possibilities online, I found the answer.

This would be our own version of vacation. To keep lodging cheap, camping seemed like the solution, but my husband had 2 requests - he must have a bed, and he needs air-conditioning. So maybe a cabin then - but the cabins I was finding weren't really very cheap. Then I stumbled on a website for a private campground by Cowan Lake State Park near Wilmington (only about an hour away). Beechwood Acres Camping Resort has "camper cabins" - these are very basic structures with electricity but no bathroom or running water inside, but much cheaper rates than other cabins. Since the camper cabins had the pre-requisites - beds (a full-size and a set of bunk beds) and A/C, and the price was right, we booked our stay and arranged for my parents to dog-sit. Everything worked out so well that we made a return trip this summer.

Since the cabin had electricity inside, there was a fridge with small freezer for the food, and we could take the all-important coffeemaker to start each day. We took a BIG tub full of adult beverages and with the great A/C (it was awesome, we were actually cold sometimes even on the hottest days) we only had to add ice one time.

The cabin is directly across from the heated pool complete with volleyball net, basketball hoop, and a bench for lounging around the edge in the shallow end. They have great tunes playing whenever the pool is open (9am - 10pm), and since it's a private campground we could have our red cup beverages with us while we relaxed in the pool.

We grilled dinner when we got hungry and sat around the campfire every night. There is a playground, basketball hoop, cornhole, a gameroom, and goats - Minnie and Maggie - that you can pet and feed. The lake and beach at the state park are just a very short walk away. We did attempt to fish last year, and even went on a short hike to see the water lotuses this year - beautiful! - but swimming is by far our preferred activity. The campground has tent and RV camping along with the camper cabins (the other cabins sleep 5, 6, and up to 10), and is very well maintained with beautiful flowers everywhere and palms by the pool.

We had perfect weather both years and spent hours relaxing, swimming, reading, playing cards, hanging out and re-connecting as a family.

This vacation may not have been expensive, but it was ... priceless!

Trip to the mall

2008-09-01T18:07:00.004-04:00

I promised my girls a trip to the mall when we went school shopping last week. So with Daddy off golfing and Labor Day sales calling, we decided it was a perfect time to go.
When they hire those guys that work the kiosk booths lining the center of the mall, what are the requirements?
"Help wanted: Annoying Kiosk Salesman, must be willing to harass innocent people minding their own business that want absolutely nothing that you are selling."
Why do they have to be like carnies at the fair? Any other store, they wait for you to come in. You know what you're looking for, you'll stop in the stores you're interested in - that's the way shopping works. But for some reason having your booth as a divider down the middle of the mall (where everyone can plainly see what you have to offer) gives you the right to accost every passerby with your spiel. I think maybe they get bonus points if they ask you more than once, as you pass by in each direction.
Anyway, I digress.
Each girl had a particular item we were searching for - D wanted a new t-shirt from one of the popular stores (we'll just call them "AF," "H," and "AERO" for the purposes of this post) and K needed new jeans. According to K's friends, she just had to get her jeans at "H" if possible. If you've ever gone into "H" you know it's dark, cramped, hot, and loud. Even making it in the door, it feels like you should give a secret handshake or a password or something. But we made our way through the dim lights and pumped up music to the racks of jeans - only to find out that you have to be 1. a child, or 2. anorexic to fit in their clothes. K being a sophomore in high school is not either of those. Seriously, if you pick up one of their sweaters sized XS, hold it up and look at it - I don't think I know many kindergartners that it would fit. And even if they came in normal sizes, paying $60 for a pair of jeans that come complete with rips and worn spots wasn't going to make Daddy very happy. At "AF" there were similar selection/price issues, but at least it was well-lit and the entrance was wide open, no secret doors or handshakes here, we at least felt like we were allowed to shop there. We had success at "AERO." Pricing was very reasonable, and their sale prices were - surprising! They had jeans on sale, and racks of shirts 2 for $22 and some that were even $5 as a Labor Day special. Both girls came home happy.

Falling...

2008-08-29T15:58:00.018-04:00

My office closed early at noon today for the holiday. Labor Day

weekend - the weekend signalling the end of summer, the last chance to go to the pool before they close till Spring, having a final cookout and hanging out on the deck before cleaning up the grill and putting away the patio furniture, vacations are over and kids are back in school.

Many people mourn that summer is ending - especially the kids! But not me - I love fall, it's my favorite time of year. There's a feeling in the air, a crispness - the muggy stickiness of August goes away, it's cool in the evenings and mornings yet still warm during the day. Perfect evenings for sitting around a firepit or bonfire. Time to break out the jackets and sweaters.

Fall means my gardens are full of color (and the weeding is coming to an end - yay!). Spring flowers have their own appeal, but they seem so fragile, pastel-colored and short-lived. Flowers of the fall are bright, bold and hardy as hell. My perennials begin to display their structure as they drop the petals and foliage and show what they're really made of. The vegetable garden has produced a few zucchini and some cucumbers over the summer, and now with fall upon us all that remains is a veritable plethora (yes, plethora - look it up if you don't know it, it's a great word) of cherry tomatoes!

Of course fall brings college football, and with it the Saturday "tailgate" parties at friends' houses. As an OSU alum, the sound of the best damn marching band is music to my ears, and watching as they perform Script Ohio and the dotting of the "i" always makes me smile. When the team takes the field in that beautiful old stadium overflowing with scarlet and gray, they'll kick off another great football season. If all goes well, we'll be watching and cheering them on - hearing neighbors and friends shouts of "O-H," we'll answer with the requisite "I-O" - till the victory bell rings and the team sings Carmen Ohio on the field after the game.

Other bonuses of fall? The colorful leaves as they change and drop from the trees, pesky bugs start to die off, grass mowing comes to an end, my husband and I both celebrate our birthdays, and daylight savings time ends giving us a bonus hour of sleep.

It's obvious - I fell in love with Fall!

Which one are you?

2008-08-26T17:18:00.006-04:00

Last night was D's turn to visit her school, get her schedule, find her locker, meet her teachers ... and WORRY. She is a worrier. What if I can't find my classroom? What if I can't get my locker open? What if I break my pencil? What if I don't have anyone to eat lunch with? What if..? what if...? what if? Aaaahhh! Needless to say, it was a bit stressful - for both her and me.
When we got home and I shared the story with her daddy, he asked her to come outside with him where he was grilling our dinner and had a chat with her. He tried telling her how a positive attitude can really make a big difference, but she wasn't quite getting it.
Then, being the good father that he is, he came up with a great analogy. He asked her, "Are you Eeyore? Or are you Tigger?" She completely understood what he was getting at, and thanks to my wonderful husband, overnight she has become the most bounciest tiggeriest Tigger there is and is truly looking forward to the first day of school tomorrow.
Which one are you? Are you Eeyore? Or are you Tigger?
Me? Definitely a Tigger through and through.

Back to reality

2008-08-23T16:04:00.005-04:00

We've been home from our camping trip just over 48 hours, and I'm ready for another vacation! Arriving back in town in time for K's schedule pick-up for her sophomore year at high school, she was able to find out her classes and teachers, locate her locker (almost directly across from her "bestest" friend - what could be better) and finally see so many of her friends from school (lots of hugs and screaming all around). As for the Readin' and Writin' - she made the honors block for English and U.S. History (they combine the two classes together for some honor roll students upon the recommendation of their teachers) and she is very proud and excited. For 'Rithmetic, she has Geometry. Rounding out the curriculum courses, she has Chemistry, Health and
Spanish II. She has Symphonic Choir again this year, and in addition, she tried out for and made Show Choir - so now K will be dancing as well as singing. With all of that, she actually doesn't even get a lunch period (we had to sign to give our permission for them to go ahead and schedule it that way). But the choir teacher has given his okay for granola bars and small snacks to be eaten during his 3rd period class for these kids with overflowing schedules. (D has her schedule pick-up on Monday, so I'll provide a rundown of what she has going on next week sometime.) School starts on Wednesday, August 27th, and they can't wait.
That was just the beginning of the running since we've gotten home - both girls have already had friends over, gone to our parish festival at least once (we're going tonight and doing our duty as good parishoners and volunteering a couple of hours), and done a little school shopping. K went to the high school opening football game last night, and a pool party today.
I know we're just getting back into the swing of things, but I can't help but wish I was still sitting in the pool sipping a frosty beverage and looking forward to a nice campfire and s'mores later.

To blog or not to blog...

2008-08-17T20:02:00.001-04:00

Okay, okay. I give up. I'm trying to stay current, so I'm starting a blog.
Me! Netter! Can you believe it? I like computers, I can design spreadsheets, database management is my job, I like to Photoshop/edit digital photos, and I even create and maintain our foundation website, so why not?
Why not? Because I can't figure out why anyone would really care what I have to say. Anywhere you go online you can find someone ranting or giving their opinion about something they know nothing about. Why do they think anyone cares what they have to say?
But I think I've come up with my motivation. To come up with something interesting or relevant or humorous or important is challenging. And what do I have that challenges me? There are the usual daily hassles dealing with schedules and social dramas of my daughters (a 7th grader and a sophomore in high school). My husband is my best friend, and my marriage is wonderful - while he can be stubborn about certain things, there are no real challenges there. I enjoy my job, and even though some of the people I deal with on a daily basis aren't model employees, I'm not particularly challenged by them.
I am a quiet, thoughtful person. In social situations, I have always been an observer, rarely sharing my ideas. So for me to step out of my comfort zone and actually be introspective and say what's on my mind ... that is truly challenging.
This is an opportunity for me to gain some insight, share my thoughts, and on the practical side - keep everyone informed of what our family is up to. (If you know me at all, I am above all else, practical!)
I'm up for the challenge!