It's time to stride for a cure!!!

MDA Dallas' Stride & Ride will be held on Saturday, January 31, 2009 at Grapevine Mills Mall. And I need YOUR help. Here's how...

If you would like to help me raise money then join my team. You can come out and see one of the largest walk events in the country or participate virtually. Either way, you simply click the "Join My Team" button below or go here - https://www.joinmda.org/MyStrideRide/MyTeamHomepage/tabid/40679/ctl/Register/JT/1277/Default.aspx - and set up your own online donation website. It's easy and will take you less than 5 minutes. Think about it, just 5 minutes to start making a difference in someone's life. Could it be any easier than that?

Yes, it can. You can donate to my team if you can't join us. Simply click the "Donate to My Team" button below or go here - https://www.joinmda.org/MakeaDonation/tabid/40675/Participant/cpldybg/Default.aspx - and donate whatever amount your heart leads you to give.

So do it. Get involved. Make a difference. I promise you won't regret it.

Together we CAN make the world a better place.

Wanna see how my team is doing? Go to https://www.joinmda.org/dfwstride2009/BugleysBunch

Stolen...

... from Kwizgiver. :)

The Ultimate Color Test

When you are at peace, you are:
Giving and unselfish

When you are moved to act, you are:
Confident and optimistic

When you are inspired, you are:
Flexible and experimental

When your life is perfectly balanced, you are:
Connected to nature and the world

Your life's purpose is:
To find contentment

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas......

At least it is over at Wendy Darling's Wonderings. :)

One of the things that Wendy and I have in common are that we can both listen to Christmas music year round. And sometimes do.

Something else we have in common is the belief that Eric Dodge has a tremendous amount of talent and will be a HUGE star someday soon. (Andy & Ashton too!)

These two things have collided in "A Christmas Wish", Eric's new Christmas CD.

Wendy is giving one away on her blog. You really NEED to head on over and enter to win it. The CD is absolutely fabulous. My copy has gotten quite a bit of use since I bought it at the beginning of October. :)

So go now! Or don't come crying to me when you miss out on the best Christmas CD that's come out in years. Seriously. Go now. Go on. What are you waiting for? I'm done here. So start clicking. :P

Let The Be Peace On Earth...

... And let it begin with me.

Lots of people have said it far better than I could ever hope to. Here are just a few. May these words of wisdom start a whisper of change in your heart that becomes a shout for change in the world.




"Until the philosophy that holds one race superior, and another, inferior, is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war."
Haille Sellassie
(Popularized by Bob Marley through is song "War")


"If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other."
Mother Teresa


"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace."
Jimi Hendrix


"All we are are saying is give peace a chance."
The Beatles




Peace on Earth CAN be achieved in our lifetime. Spread the word.

My good friend, Maria, sent this to me today. It was a good thing that most of the people in my office were off at an event because I seriously laughed out loud. Loudly. Then I promptly sent it to my co-workers. :P

Ahhhh, so many people that need one of these, so little time. :P

Happy Birthday, Tammy!!!!!!

Today is my little sister's birthday. Tammy is this many. *holds up lots of fingers* :P

Be sure to tell her happy birthday either on her blog or on her MySpace page. :)

That's her on the left a few years ago. Okay, more than a few but it's still her. :P

I can't wait to see you this month, baby sister! I love you bunches!

The Truth As I (and Others) See It...

I have just decided to learn how to play Guitar Hero...


Many thanks to Cleggy for sending the comic too me. :)

Gratitude Sundays...

For about eight years now I've belonged to an online group for plus-sized women. These women are like family to me and have greatly enriched my life. Our moderator started "Gratitude Sundays" for the month of November in 2005. I am so excited by this weekly chance to examine all the wonderful parts of my life that I wanted to extend it to my blog. I encourage everyone that reads this to participate. It truly is uplifting.

So without further ado here is this year's first entry for "Gratitude Sundays"...


I am continually thankful for...

God's presence in my life that keeps me safe, healthy, happy, sane, & inspired.

My loving family & friends especially those who touch my life on a daily basis - Cleggy, WendyDarling, Terry (& their family), Margo, KwizGiver, Violet Mistress, Maria, Andrew, Cormac, DC, my brothers - John & Mikey, my sister (& her gorgeous children), & all FOUR of my parents - Mommy, Pops, Dad, & Joan.

The chance to transfer so that I was able to move in with my brother, John, and keep the job that I love so much.

Living with my brother. I love being close to him. I enjoyed living alone, but I missed him and the dogs so very much. Now we all live together so I don't miss them and we're in a big enough space that I can have all the alone time I could ever want or need.

Books. I LOVE to read and have been known to read the backs of cans in pantry in desperation. We all owe a huge thanks to Johannes Gutenberg who invented the printing press in 1439. He's my kind of guy. :)

The opportunity every day to interact with friends & loved ones all over the world through the internet. God bless whoever really did invent it. Even Al Gore. :P



So, have you counted your blessings today?

When Someone's Secret Is Yours Too...

This will be posted on Post Secret tomorrow (Sunday). Somehow I got a sneak preview through my Google Reader. I don't know that it's necessarily a big secret of mine, but I definitely identified very strongly with the sentiment. Spontaneity and humor are some of the things I wish for in a relationship.

Just Do It!

Your voice can be heard. All you have to do is vote. So get up and go.

Not sure where to vote? Go here http://maps.google.com/vote and find out.

Your vote DOES count!

Another Round of Tests...

Some of you may know that I've been going through several medical tests because I am extremely anemic. So far I've had an endoscopy & a colonoscopy. They didn't find anything so today I am having a capsule endoscopy. I'm blogging about it because it's kind of cool.

At ten after 8 this morning, I swallowed this...


Sorry that it's blurry, but I took it with my phone and my hands were shaking. I was on a clear liquid diet the day before to prepare for the test. That tends to make you a little shaky. :P


Here is the lovely harness that holds the recorder/receiver. It's heavier than it looks and not the least bit comfortable. I didn't sleep well last night and had planned on napping today. That's not going to happen.



There are also straps that go up over my shoulders. Basically I look like I'm ready to lift heavy objects at Home Depot.
Only, I'm not supposed to do anything of the sort until they remove all this stuff. No lifting, exercising, or sweating (there are electronic leads attached to various spots on my body). I also can't go into any place that has any sort of electronic theft protection, like Wal-Mart, Walgreens, CVS, or most libraries. They also suggested that I not go inside any banks. Something about it looking like a bomb. Lovely. I think I'll just stay home until time to get this darn thing off.

BTW, driving wasn't all that fun either. Seatbelt + steering wheel + harness = uncomfortable.

Right now I'm counting down until noon when I can eat & drink again. Then I'll be counting down to 4pm when this sucker comes off.

When this is all over, I'll have an 8 hour movie of my small intestine. I'm thinking YouTube. What do you think? :P

Oh Happy Day #31!

8/31 - Jerry Lewis MDA Labor Day Telethon!!!!!!

I've been waiting all month to get to this post and it's finally here!!

I know what you're saying. "Labor Day is tomorrow and you're a day early." And I'm sure some of you are adding, "And you're only excited because you work for MDA." Neither statement is completely true.

Labor Day IS tomorrow, but in most cities the 21 & half hour Telethon starts tonight. Don't know your local Love Network station? Just check out this list - http://www.mda.org/telethon/findyourstation.html. This list provides start times, times zones, station names, network affiliations, station websites, and even the number of years each station has carried the Telethon.

This is the 43rd Annual Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon. First broadcast over Labor Day weekend in 1966 by just one TV station in New York City, this unique event starring popular comedian Jerry Lewis quickly caught the public's attention - and raised more than $1 million. Now the show is broadcast on 180 MDA "Love Network" stations across the country and raised a record breaking $63.8 million dollars in 2007.

In 1998, the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon made history as the first telethon seen around the world via Internet simulcast, hosted by RealNetworks on MDA's Web site. But the MDA Telethon was an "interactive" show long before the computer age popularized the term, the Telethon's drama comes from the ever-increasing fundraising total posted on the tote board - by hand in 1966, now electronically. Jerry's goal of raising "one dollar more" than the previous year's amount has been more than met almost every year, thanks to the generosity and compassion of the American public.

Personally, I have many fond memories of watching the Telethon with my Grammy and other family members for my entire life. At quite a young age, I would take an empty coffee can and hit up everyone I knew for whatever they could give. My Grammy would then take me down to our local pledge center to turn in what I'd collected. As I got older, I would start several weeks before the Telethon so that I could collect even more money.

Five years ago when I began to work for MDA, it was literally a dream come true. This has been the most rewarding and fulfilling job I have ever had. The only thing that could make it better would be if my Grammy had lived long enough to see it.

If watching and participating in the Telethon isn't a tradition in your family then I strongly urge you to make it one. Children learn by example. Show them how to be a better person in a fun way. I think two very wise men said it better than I ever could...

"The measure of life is not its duration, but its donation." - Peter Marshall

"We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give." - Winston Churchill


In 2006, the Houston Gulf Coast office (where I was first hired) of MDA started the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon Online Auction. In 2007, other offices picked up the idea and ran with it. This year there is even a National auction.

As of March, I now work for the Dallas office of MDA. Our auction is full of hundreds of great items. So if you'd like to shop for charity then please to give it a look. If you are in the Dallas - Ft. Worth area, many of our online auction items will be featured on our local Telethon. Please tune in and click the link. :)


Together, we truly can make a difference. Each of us makes a small ripple in the pond, but small ripples can become large waves of change when combined with other small ripples. The possibilities are limitless if we all come together for the greater good!



The Happiness Challenge has be a lot of fun for me. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did. Those of you that know me personally, know that this month long challenge was not really out of character for me. I play the Glad Game daily with or without the challenge. So what was the purpose of this challenge for me? Hopefully, I've managed to pass a little bit of happiness and joy on to someone reading this obscure blog. If I made even one person smile, then it was worth it.

So, did something make you smile today? If so, blog about it. Talk about it. Tell someone about it. A smile's true worth is measured by how many people you share it with. So go forth and share. And if you didn't smile today, let me know and I'll be more than happy to share one of my smiles with you. I've got plenty to spare. :)

Oh Happy Day #30!

8/30 - Fortune Cookies!!!
Besides the fact that you get them after you eat Chinese food (one of my all time favs), they also can be a lot of fun. It's all in how you read them.

Today's fortune said "You will be invited to a small gathering with lots of spicy conversation." When I read it I thought, "That sounds fun. Hope it comes true." And then I tucked it into my wallet because I like to save my favorite ones. I got home and discovered I had an email from a close friend inviting me to go out after the 2600 Meeting next Friday. Now that's a cool fortune.

Got one that you are pretty sure won't come true or just isn't all that amusing? Then you're not reading it right. To discover the true meaning of your fortune, you have to add the following phrase to the end of it:

In bed.

Yup, you read that right. Add that phrase, read the fortune out loud, and watch everyone at the table nearly hurt themselves laughing. Trust me on this. :)

What would your fortune say for today?

Oh Happy Day #29!

8/29 - An Empowering Breakfast!!!
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, no matter what time I eat it. I just LOVE breakfast foods! This particular breakfast was empowering for me because I gave myself permission to have what I really wanted and didn't give myself grief over it.

Due to my extreme anemia, I've been having some strange cravings. I mentioned it to my doctor because it was really bothering me. He asked me what I was craving the most. I felt like I was going crazy, but I told him. Blueberry muffins (Has to be muffins. I don't know why.) and ice. He told me to look up a disorder called Pica when I got home. Apparently it's closely associated with extreme anemia.

With Pica, you usually crave non-nutritive things (In my case, the ice.) and starchy foods or food ingredients (blueberry muffins). He even told me each craving had a name of their own - Pagophagia (ice) & Amylophagia (blueberry muffins). Although in my case, the later is not the strict definition of it. Because of my diabetes, I avoid starches as much as I can. Almost to obsession, according to my doctor. He thinks the addition of blueberries for me is because they are a fairly good, non-protein source of iron. And he says I should give in to that particular craving as often as I like.

This morning I stopped at Dunkin' Donuts and indulged. So to speak. I had a a low-fat blueberry muffin. And it was so yummy that I had to take a picture of it and share. :)

Their muffins always have these absolutely divine nooks & crannies where a blueberry has burst just after it has finished baking. So you get this gooey pocket of love that just fills your mouth with joy. It's pure bliss, I assure you. And empowering. Both physically & emotionally. My doctor would be proud. :)

I chose this ladybug picture because it's called Empowered Ladybug and that's how I felt this morning. :)

What empowered you today?

Oh Happy Day #28!

8/28 - Stolen Memes!!!

I nabbed this one from both Wendy Darling & Terry. Enjoy!

Random Meme...

What’s the greatest thing that happened to you today?
Besides the gift of life for another day? I got to help a man who lost his wife in April fulfill one of her fondest wishes. We’ll read her name on our Telethon on Monday. The only thing that could have made it better would be if she had lived long enough to hear it.

How many TRUE best friends do you have?
Several and I cherish them.

Would you rather get up early or sleep in?
Depends on what day it is. If it’s a work day then I prefer to get up early enough to get to work early. If it’s not a work day then I prefer to sleep in if I can.

Tell me about the shirt you’re wearing?
Burgandy with a light burgundy floral pattern and short sleeves.

What are you excited about right now?
The JERRY LEWIS MDA LABOR DAY TELETHON on Monday!!!

Would you rather smile over a lie or cry over the truth?
Depends on the situation. There have been several times in my life when a lie was kinder to the person I told it to than the truth would have been.

What’s on your bedroom floor right now?
Two very cute dogs.

Who’s the last person you got into a argument with?
The bill collector that called for a co-worker today when I told him that he had reached a business and he needed to stop calling several times a day. He arrogantly informed me that he could call as many times a day as he would like and no one could stop. He also further informed me that by law I had to answer all his questions every time he called. I reminded him that by his own admission the call was being recorded and that it was illegal for him to misrepresent the law just to suit him. I also informed him that not only do I not have to talk to him, but the person that owes his company money doesn’t even have to talk to him. And then I went against my upbringing and hung up on the jerk. When he immediately called back, I dropped him into voicemail as soon as I heard his voice. The third time he managed to scream at me before I transferred him so I informed him that if he called back again today, this week, or even next week that I would speak to his supervisor and demand that the tape of all his calls today be pulled and reviewed. I then dropped him into voicemail again and he didn’t not call back. :D

Do you trust people?
More than I should usually.

If you could move away, no questions asked, where would you move?
England.

Your favorite number?
6.

Could you go a day without eating?
Not safely. I’m a diabetic & I take insulin.

How much do looks matter to you in a guy/girl?
Not much. Kindness and a sense of humor are most important to me.

Do you like anybody right now?
Almost everyone. :D

When was the last time you had your hair cut?
Not long after moving here in March. I’m way past due for a cut, but haven’t found a place I want to go to.

Would you rather be mad or sad?
Sad. I’m not good with anger and it scares me. Even my own.

Does it take a lot to make you cry?
Not really.

What's the best feeling in the world?
Knowing that I’m loved.

Are you close with your mom?
Yup.

Are your parents strict?
I’d say my Mommy was about average. Strict about some things and not very strict about others.

Do you tell your parents everything?
Not really.

Name some fears you have:
Being too sick to take care of myself.

Does the thought of marriage scare you?
No. It terrifies me.

How many kids do you want?
When I was a kid, I wanted 12 of them. Now I’d settle for just one, but I’m not physically or financially able to have one.

What’s your favorite season?
Winter. It’s never cold enough for me. :D

What’s your favorite colour to wear?
Purple is my favorite colour, but my favorite colour to wear is green. I’m told it looks good on me.

Who was the last person in your bedroom?
My brother a few days ago.

What are you doing today?
I was at work earlier. Tonight, just dinner and hopefully some reading.

Do you get bored easily?
Not really. I bring a book with me everywhere I go. :D

What’s something that someone can do that really bothers you?
Being rude.

Did you ever want to change your name when you were younger?
Oh yeah.

Do you wish you were famous?
Only if it was because I was a best selling author.

Do you make a wish at 11:11?
Sometimes, but I prefer shooting stars.

When you go to the beach do you swim or lay out more?
If you knew how pale I was, you’d know how silly the last half of this question is. I can only swim if it’s dark or I’m in the shade. So at the beach I general just find a shady spot to watch the ocean. I love the ocean. It’s very zen.

Who’s the last text message you received from and what did it say?
It was from my brother and it said, “I’m going to go with yes because they made a bee line to my room.” It was his response last night to my asking if the dogs were sleeping in his room.

What are you freakishly obsessed with?
Far too many things to mention in such a public way. :D

What’s your favorite song at the moment?
”Bleeding Love” by Leona Lewis

Do you like going to the mall to shop or just shopping online?
Online. I’m not a big fan of malls.

Can music affect your mood?
I’m going to go with hell yes on this one.

What piercings do you want?
I’d love to have my ears pierced, but they stay infected so it’s a big no-no for me.

Have you ever been in a cave?
Yes, but I’m claustrophobic so it wasn’t as much fun as you would think. It was very cool though.

Ever eaten a bug?
Define bug. I’ve had escargot (snails), chocolate covered grasshoppers, and chocolate covered ants. Although that last one was not a smart thing since I’m allergic to ant bites, so eating 4 or 5 of them gave me a swollen tongue & sore throat for a few days.

Are you in a good mood?
Yup. Despite PMS. :D

Would you rather skydive or bungee jump?
I would LOVE to skydive, but that is on the list of things I can no longer do because of my bad liver. Who knew?

Do you like snakes?
Yeah, they are cool. Not so much with the spiders though.

What’s one place you would like to visit?
England

Do you like waffles?
In theory, especially if they are full of or covered with fruit. But I don’t really eat them or pancakes because of the large amount of carbs in them.

Does the number 23 have any significance to you?
Yes, I was 23 when I was diagnosed with insulin dependent diabetes.

Be honest, do you like people in general?
Yup.

What color are the walls in your bedroom?
We rent a townhome so it’s this kind of non-descript beige colour. It’s better than white though.

Do you think starbucks is expensive?
I really don’t know since I don’t drink coffee. I do buy their tea & scones sometimes.

Are you named after a family member?
Yes, my middle name was my Grammy's middle name.

Say you were given a drug test right now, would you pass or fail?
Pass because I’ve got a prescription for everything that would show up. :P

Wanting to tell someone something?
Yes, but I’m certainly not sharing that here.

Last restaurant you went to?
Alforno’s.

What is the weather like today?
Freaking hot.

What happened yesterday?
I worked, came home, pet the dogs, went to dinner with the brother, talked online to two of my best friend’s, Margo and Tammy (my sister) and read a little.

What would you do with five million dollars?
Pay off my Mommy & Pops’ house, pay off Cleggy’s house, pay off my baby brother’s house, buy a house for my Dad & Mom #2, buy a house for my other brother, buy a house for Tammy if she didn’t want to live with the ‘rents, buy a couple of houses for Cleggy’s Clan, give to charity, and take Cleggy on a trip to England.

How many hours did you sleep last night?
A total of about 6, but not in a row.

Any upcoming concerts you want to attend?
Huey Lewis & the News. :D

Who’s the last person that you felt was stalking you?
An ex-bofriend’s ex-girlfriend.

Have you ever been on your school’s track team?
For a little while in junior high.

Have you cried today?
Not yet, but the day ain’t over.

Do you think that someone is thinking about you right now?
I hope so.

Does it annoy you when someone says they’ll call, but never do?
Depends on who they are and if I want to hear from them again.

What did you dress up as for Halloween?
As myself and no one recognized me.

Cable or Satellite?
Cable

Favorite video game?
Don’t really have one right now.

Do you have to sleep with a fan on at night?
Only if I want to breathe.

Your feelings on global warming?
It sucks.

Do you still have a VCR somewhere?
Yup.

Been on a sailboat?
Yes and I loved every minute of it.

Two of your best friends are fighting. Your reaction?
Try to make peace.

Home Depot or Lowes?
Lowe’s

Beer or Hard Liquor?
Neither, bad liver and all.

Best movie you’ve seen recently?
I haven’t seen a movie in months.

Would you walk across broken glass for $100?
No way. I’m not into pain and $100 doesn’t go far.

Your feelings on dolphins?
They are quite yummy. Oh wait. They are cute. Yeah, that’s it.

Would you ever rob a bank?
I can’t think of any reason why I would. I might rob a casino if George Clooney & Brad Pitt would come and help me. :D

Do you plan out your day before it begins?
I try to.

What kind of digital camera do you have?
Kodak EasyShare M753 in purple. (Thanks again, bubba!)

Can you fall asleep with your eyes open?
No, but I’m told that sometimes I do sleep with them slightly open.

Winter or Summer?
I live in the South so it has to be Winter.

Your ex’s car breaks down and they ask you for a lift. Your response?
I tell him I’m sorry and hope he finds a ride since he’s about 1,600 miles away.

Do you go to the gym regularly?
Nope, but I wish I could afford to join one.

Internet Explorer or Firefox?
IE at work because I have no choice & Firefox at home because I do.

Favorite sport to watch?
Is Iron Chef considered a sport?

You see someone running around naked in the street. Your reaction?
Whip out my camera and take a picture. :D

How much syrup do you put on your waffles and/or pancakes for breakfast?
If I do eat them (and I usually don’t – see above), then I don’t use syrup at all. I’m diabetic and sugar-free syrup is actually too sweet for me.

Do you have a lot of candles in your room?
I have one, but I’ve never lit it in here. Too many fans going.

Are the files in your computer well organized or all over the place?
Home & work computers are EXTREMELY organized. I do have OCD after all.

Are there dogs barking in your neighborhood right now?
I don’t hear any, but I’m sure the ankle biter across the alley is yapping because he pretty much does that all the time. He’s cute though.

Where would you most like to be right now?
Some place MUCH cooler. England would be fab.

Do you own a sleeping bag?
Not since I was a kid. I don’t do camping.

Favorite reality show?
Deadliest Catch.

What was the first CD you ever bought?
I think it was the original cast recording of “Phantom of the Opera”.

Are all infomercials completely pointless?
Nope, they have great entertainment value.

If money was no object, what car would you drive?
A green Honda Element. But not that funky Kiwi Green they have now. I want the Galapagos Green they had a few years ago.

Was this survey random enough for you?
Quite.

How happy and random was your day?

Oh Happy Day #27!

8/27 - Alforno's!!!
At the risk of showing my true fat girl colours, I will blog about food for the second day in a row. But not just any food. Really, REALLY good Italian food. Hearty peasant food from one of the world's most yummy country.

My family is German. Very German. So German that I could be the Aryan poster child. I'm not a huge fan of the food though. My Mommy has always said she's pretty sure she got someone else's child. She's positive I'm some sort of hybrid of Italian & Chinese since I never tire of either of those kinds of food.

This place definitely feeds half of that need. And feeds it quite well. My favorite dish is Chicken Sorrentino. Chicken breasts sauteed with mushrooms & garlic then baked with eggplant & mozzarella on top. Add in handmade garlic knots and a gorgeous salad with their house dressing that is actually tomato-based and I'm in heaven. The brother finds his own heaven in a large bowl of Gnocchi Bolognese.

We found this lovely place when we still lived in Lewisville. It's actually in Flower Mound. Which makes it a bit of a drive from our new place. Tonight for the first time since we moved, we made the trek. It tasted so yummy that I might have walked if I had to. Maybe. :P

They have fabulous cannoli too. The only problem is that I'm usually so stuffed that I can't even think about ordering it. I've had it once and it was simply divine. One of the best parts of eating here is that the meal is almost carb free. Except for the garlic knots. And providing I don't order the cannoli again. :P

What hunger did you satisfy today?

Oh Happy Day #26!

8/26 - Los Lupes!!!
It's a local Mexican food restaurant that my brother & I found when we moved. They are yummy! And cheap too! You know you're eating at the right place when over half of the patrons are speaking Spanish. The food is really awesome.

Tonight we were entertained while we ate by a husband & wife guitar duo. They were very good. My brother and I shared a few laughs recalling entertainment on previous visits.

On one of our first visits, we were treated to a full Mariachi band. What made that so funny was the size of this restaurant. This place is pretty tiny. They were good, but my only comment was, "I sure hope they really like each other." Those poor guys were standing so close together they were practically wearing the same clothes.

On another occasion, there was a man playing an electronic keyboard. When we arrived he was playing traditional Mexican music. Or at least we assume it was. Since it was in Spanish and neither of us speak the language, the man could have been singing about overthrowing the country or being stuck in traffic. About halfway through the meal, my head shot up and I had to struggle to contain my giggles. My brother thought I had lost my mind. It took a minute but he finally recognized the strains of "Yellow Brick Road". Needless to say we both laughed so hard that the salsa burnt our noses. :P

Just a few more days left in August's Glad Game. Have you been playing along at home?

Oh Happy Day #25!

8/25 - Blogging Awards!!!
Especially when they are from one of my heroes. According to Cormac over at Cormac Writes, I'm a Kick Ass Blogger. I think he's just being kind, but I'm not crazy enough to turn it down. :P

So here it is...

Instructions:
1. Choose five other bloggers that you feel are “Kick Ass Bloggers”
2. Let them know that they have received an award.
3. Link back to the person who awarded you.

So now I get to the really fun part, passing out my own awards 'cuz thems the rules. So which 5 blogs do I think Kick Ass? Keep in mind that Cormac Writes would most definitely be on this list, but since he gave me the award, apparently I don't get to give him one back. Darn the luck!

1. The White Horse - and not just because it's written by my bestest friend. This guy not only writes really well, but he is one of my favorite writers of all time. Be sure to check out his archives for some gems that really show off his immense talent.

2. On The Turning Away - Terry is one funny guy and he definitely doesn't look at life like most people do. And that's a very good thing.

3. what if this is as good as it gets? - Again, not your usual view of the world. Anyone seeing a pattern here? What if I told you they're all my friends too? :)

4. Boobs, Injuries, & Dr. Pepper - This chick is seriously funny. Seriously. And has one of the biggest hearts I've ever seen. I don't know her personally. She's not even an online friend of mine, but that doesn't stop me from reading her blog like a voyeur or stalker. No worries, I just get lost in the crowd of her MANY admirers. I don't mind just as long as I keeping getting the RSS feed to her blog. :P

5. Gluten-Free Girl - I stumbled onto Shauna's blog two years ago after seeing something about her on the Food Network. One of those little snippets between shows. I don't have Celiac's, but as a diabetic I struggle with carbs and most carb-filled food is also full of gluten. So living gluten-free interested me. And Shauna's blog really spoke to me. She's on hiatus at the moment after giving birth last month, but there are plenty of archives to keep you busy until she gets back. And some very yummy recipes. I don't have to live gluten-free and I don't, but I do eat a lot less of it than I did and it's been quite good for me.


Okay, that was harder than it looks. Simply because there are so many people out there that kick some major ass. If I left you out, don't worry. It's not because I don't think you kick ass. It's because I only had 5 to give out. :)

Oh Happy Day #24!

8/24 - Lazy Days!!!
You know the ones I mean. When you have absolutely no plans whatsoever. No need to get dressed unless you want to. No need to leave the house unless you want to. Hours & hours to fill with reading, television, music, naps, or nothing. Whatever your heart desires.

Now if you'll excuse me, I think I'm going to crawl in bed with the puppies and take a nap.

Oh Happy Day #23!

8/23 - Living Somewhere That's Not Flat!!
I had to go run several errands this morning. Most of them were near my house. The bank, post office, and Walgreens are all within blocks of my house. McDonald's too. Hey, a girl has to eat breakfast! :P

Unfortunately, a girl also needed to get her tire looked at. It went nearly flat then suddenly stopped losing air. I didn't trust it, so I went in search of a Discount Tire. I had two choices. The closest one is in a not so nice area of town. Literally on the other side of the tracks. Normally, that wouldn't really have bothered me since I lived in the 'hood in Houston, but today I figured I'd stay on this side of the tracks.

I set off in a direction I have yet to go since moving here. The Google Maps directions were easy enough and I'm always up for a little exploring. So off I went, hoping the tire held until I found my destination since I wasn't sure what was really wrong with it.

They tried to fix the tire, but it had a piece of metal in it plus two plugs from two previous repairs. One of them was actually a temporary plug that should have never been left in there. Since the tire was on the car when I bought it just over two years ago, I knew nothing about this. I'm lucky I didn't have a blowout the guy said. So a new tire is what I needed and $141 later I leave. I'm not in a bad mood, but I'm certainly not as happy as I was. Driving home, I crested a hill and was presented with a view that made me smile.

In Houston, the only hills are the overpasses of the freeways. It's flat. Real flat. Like you can see something coming for about 100 miles kind of flat. Dallas isn't like that. We're not talking mountains, but it ain't flat. It was just nice to get a view of where I live from a different angle. A new perspective is always refreshing.

What new perspectives have you discovered today?

Oh Happy Day #22!

8/22 - Gas for $3.41 per Gallon!!!
A year ago, if you would have told me that I'd be happy about that, I would have said you were crazy. Of course a year ago, gas was a dollar less per gallon. I was so excited to fill up this morning and it cost less than $50. I drive a Taurus people so we are not talking about a huge tank here either. Here's hoping the prices keep going down. If this keeps up, I might even be able to afford a road trip. I mean I've been in Dallas since March and I've only been to Ft. Worth once and that was for work. :P

My next vehicle if gas starts going up again. :D


So what made you happy today?

Oh Happy Day #21!

8/21 - Writing!
I don't get to do it often enough and sometimes when I have the time then my muse is off vacationing somewhere far more fun. But when I do have the time and the inspiration, writing makes me happier than just about anything in the world.

My dream would be to one day get paid to write. Then again, that might take all the joy out of it. I'm willing to try it and find out though. :P

Stay tuned. There is more happiness to come.

Oh Happy Day #20!

8/20 - Good news from my doctor!!!
My iron levels are still way below where my doctors want them to be, but they are now high enough that I will not need a blood transfusion. Let the happy dances ensue. And someone be sure to do one for me. No transfusion for me, but my doctor's orders didn't change. I'm to take it as easy as I can until they figure this all out.

So right now that means I feel like I can fly, but I can't. But my heart is soaring. One more difficulty has been overcome. My EGD & colonoscopy are still scheduled for 9/8, but with a little luck and a lot of prayer my doctors will know what's wrong with me after that.

Until then, this little beauty will have to do my flying for me......

So, are you playing your own version of the Glad Game yet? You should be.

Oh Happy Day #19!

8/19 - Eric Dodge!!!!!!
Eric is an up and coming country star. He's got a lot of talent along with a great band. His band includes his brothers, Andy & Ashton. Wendy Darling introduced me to Eric's music. She's a big fan and while I thought he was talented, I wouldn't say I was an immediate fan. I'm just not that into country music.

One Tuesday evening she was trying to log onto his online radio show and needed help. So every Tuesday for three weeks, I logged in and listened to the show while I tried to help her log into the chat room that accompanies the chat. Now I'm hooked. :D

Shamelessly, I will now plug his CD's "Why Not Today" & "Since I Let You Go" which you can buy here. Please check him out. You can also download his song "Last Real Cowboy" from Country Weekly's website here if you'd like a little free listen.

And even more shamelessly, I will plug the Muscular Dystrophy Association's Telethon Online Auction (www.gomdaauction.com). Eric was nice enough to donate two signed CD's to our auction. Did I mention that he's also a very sweet man? You can bid on them here. And while you're there, feel free to browse. After all, it is for a great cause. Not that I'm biased or anything. :)

And did I mention that Eric is cute too? :D