Tag Meme Thingy

I was tagged by my sweet friend twin baby momma Courtney...thank you Court! Now I have something to blog about... because while I more often than not have something to say, sometimes it just shouldn't be said...

So here we go:

Tag Game-

I love the smell of - Napalm in the morning? Oh wait, we aren't playing movie quotes. I love the smell of coffee and fresh baked bread. Reminds me of my mom.

People would say that I - Would have no clue what they would say about me.

I don’t understand why - We don't know what the hell is on Joey's head.

When I wake up in the morning - I do many things. Mostly argue with my bladder, hit the snooze button (more than once) and roll over and try to go back to sleep.

I lost my willpower to - Believe I have anything called willpower.

Life is - An amazing journey. Sometimes we are in a sunny little meadow covered with flowers and blue skies and a cool breeze. Other times we are in a dark mosquito infested jungle hacking our way through the obstacles in our path. Either way, our family, our friends and our faith are what keep us going and guide our feet.

My past made me - Appreciate the fact that we are not bound by our past. We are shaped and sculpted by it. We are moved towards our future by it. But we are not completely defined by it nor are we held captive to it. And, no matter what was in the past, we can grow beyond the mold that once formed us. We can step back, take a look at the work and begin to reshape the lines and smooth the edges. We can redefine the definition of who we are. The past is just that, history and not prophecy.

I get annoyed when I - Meet people who intimidate me and I come across sounding stupid.

Parties are not a good time to - Admit you hate parties.

Dogs are - Sitting right here beside me looking up at me ever so expectantly. They want a treat. They need a bath.

Cats are - I don't have a cat. I like cats, I've had cats growing up and I loved them dearly. But now I have dogs and I do think my dogs would torture a cat much like an older brother tortures his sister - to death.

Tomorrow is - The first day of June. We will be half way through the year and already we've had several weeks of the torrid sweltering season known as summer. I so look forward to January and the promise of at least two semi-chilly days.

I have low tolerance for - Shushing. I HATE to be shushed. If you EVER want to annoy me, tick me off, see me miffed or straight out make me cuss...Shush me. See #5 of this post.

I’m totally terrified of - Heights. Oh and THIS.

I wonder why I thought my life would be - A lot like a fairy tale.

Never in my life have I - Jumped off of a bridge because my friends did it - despite my mother's worst fears.

High school was - I kind of remember it as a montage of various scenes from Fast Times at Ridgemont High, The Breakfast Club, Rock 'n Roll High School, Ferris Bueller's Day Off & Napoleon Dynamite. That is to say, what I actually can remember of high school...

When I’m nervous - I talk too much. Go figure, like you could tell the difference between nervous and calm right? I mean I talk a lot any ways, so how could you know???

One time at a family gathering - My mom was steaming home grown broccoli. If you've ever steamed home grown broccoli you know that it can have a pungent odor quite similar to, well, to put it nicely, bodily expelled gas. Each time another person walked in the door they would immediately screw their nose up and you could see the words flash neon red across their faces "okay, who farted?!?!". We began explaining "mom is making broccoli". That Thanksgiving the tradition of calling that particular body function 'making broccoli' had begun in our family. Sigh. Good times.

Take my advice - Never eat the pecans from the bag of Texas Pecan Coffee. Ne-ver.

I'm almost always - On a computer.

I’m addicted to - My husband, my kids, Lost, American Idol, Jesus, blogging, facebook, music.

I want someone to - Explain to me, if everyone is unique in their own way, are we really all that unique?

Okay. The deed has been done. You now know me that much more. Although I'm sure there are a few tidbits your life could have gone on quite merrily without...

Who to tag? Hmmm...Wils is new to the circle so I tag her. Mr. Ex Planet himself hasn't blogged in a while, so perhaps he needs some fodder. Pluto, tag you are it! Who else, who else...Yes, I have it...from one of my favorite blogs, One Thing, Miss Jenni!

Happy Blog Birth-versary to Me

In 3 days it will have been one year. It started on May 25th, 2007 with a gentle suggestion from friends. With me sometimes that's all it takes. Peer pressure would just be overkill.

So my dearies, if you are the type that needs to lay blame somewhere, you can blame the following: Kelly Fisher Sharon Ziegler and Nancy Monarch

They are the culprits who gave me the nudge that sent me over the blogging cliff.

You know what? I am so glad they did.

Here is where you come in, and I shamelessly insist that you pander to my needy ego with your acclamations and praise.

I want to know what in the world you've come away with from reading my blog over the past year...So please answer as many of the following questions as you like:

1. What is/was your favorite post and why?

2. What if anything have you learned about me?

3. What do you hate that I do (only on this blog!) and you wish I'd stop but you've never had the guts to say it to me - even though you might live in Finland - until now that I'm asking for it?

4. What would you like to see me write about over the next year? No really! I am going to keep a list and write about each and every request.

5. Who have you "met" from visiting my blog?

6. What keeps you coming back to visit my blog?

7. Are you anonymous and why don't you comment? I LOVE comments.

8. I am running out of questions...

9. Does the name of my blog totally throw you for a loop and you wish I'd change it?

10. Make up your own question for me.

Okay, whew. My brain hurts.

Well, that's it folks. Sorry we can't have a party with some cake or something...oh that's right, I don't like parties....

The Difference

I step on the scale. 235. Step off. Sigh. Same weight as yesterday and the day before that and the day before that.

I have apparently hit what the bariatric surgery world calls a stall. Different than a plateau because it's shorter, only lasting a week or two. But frustrating none the less.

The ironic thing is, so many people have commented on my disappearing act this week. Perhaps it's inches instead of pounds which is still good....but....It's funny how a number, as insignificant as it may be, can give your spirit a lift every day. Just that smidgen of encouragement you need to go on.

I'm not sure how to react to the comments either. Comments such as:

"I don't even recognize you!"
(How do you know you are talking to the right person then???)
"You look like a completely different person!"
(Like who? Can I be Ashley Judd?)
or
"You must feel like a whole new woman!"

Truly? No. Well, I mean yes, I feel good. I feel great in fact. But a completely different person?

I know, I know, what am I complaining about? These are friends who are loving on me. And if any of you reading this has said these things to me, please don't feel bad. I love you for it. But it's just odd to hear. And I never know quite how to respond.

This is how I usually respond: I look in the mirror. Yep that's me.

Brown hair with more gray than I care to think about at the moment?
Check.
Blue eyes?
Check.
Freckles?
Check.
My mom's nose?
Check.
Nice big arms. Big legs. Good child-birthing hips?
Check. Check. Check
Huh.

I say to the mirror, "well you look like Dana." and then I think, you sound like Dana too.

But in truth, there are differences. Many. Mainly internal. Mostly unseeable. If that's even a word. I don't think it is, I see a red line....

Like I kind of feel pretty.

And I no longer feel like a Macy's Day Parade float.

And I actually want to go for a walk instead of laying around watching The Top-Secret Recently Opened Never Before Seen Undocumented Footage of Area 51 UFO Files for the 16th time in a month.

What?? The cooking channel was showing Emeril. Not a fan. No baby, give me Tyler Florence or Paula Deen or a Bobby Flay Throw Down any day...

So, that said. I am different. Not yet completely different. Or a whole new different. But well on my way.

Perhaps one day my eyes will see what it is you see.

Wicked Cool Winner...

If you haven't been following the comment thread on my last post, I would like to inform you that we have a winner ladies and gents.

And the winner is: *drum roll please*


Ali of the most beautiful Emerald Isle!!!

As soon as she gets her address to me, I will send her the prize.

Thanks so much for having fun with this...I had so much fun reading your guesses and fielding the emails asking begging me to just tell them already.

OH!!!

The answer? Yes, I guess you would want that.

It will be my
1 year Blogiversary on May 25th, 2008.

See, I told you it wasn't THAT big of a deal.

But - do look for more details regarding this celebration soon...

Something Wicked Cool- Hints

So, quite a few of you have guessed and several have said they can't take it. Several have even gone so far as to email me and say "Okay, I give, just tell me, what is it?!?!"

But, I'm still not telling...not yet any way.

I will say this:

1. I'm pretty sure each of you will say, What the? That's it? Oh come on, that's no big deal! when you see the answer.

2. You are all thinking way outside the box. Which is wicked cool in itself, I love creativity. But think a little closer to...home? (So to speak.)

3. It involves the number one.

4. When I say wicked, I don't mean evil. When I say cool I don't mean ice.

5. It has absolutely nothing to do with the Ray Bradbury book of the same title. Although I have read it and did love the book and for some reason was always fascinated by the title. Simply stated, it's what came to mind when I wanted to post about the impending event.

6. I truly didn't expect it to pique everyone's curiosity so...

Something Wicked This Way Comes...

Wicked cool that is...

Can you guess what it is?

Go ahead, try.

Psst...a prize to each correct guess!

2 am Thoughts

My eyes pop open and I am wide awake. So begins the battle of me against my body. My mind against me sleeping. And the thoughts creep in...

Why do they say "you're preaching to the choir" when the choir doesn't actually listen? At least when I was in the choir I didn't. I was too busy watching the annoying kid squirm in his seat and bug his mom for gum and pester his sister and get up and go the bathroom for the third time.

Speaking of, I gotta go to the bathroom.

And besides the kid, why in the world did that lady in the front row think that big ol' hat was a good idea? And then you have to make sure you are sitting at a good angle with my knees just so (no choir robes). Hey, where is that kid going now?

Turn over. Check the clock. Sigh.

"Go to sleep Dana."

"I'm trying."

The guy who wrote "when it's cold outside, I've got the month of May" must have lived in the south. What was he rhyming May with? Why can't I remember that? You're tired. So, I know that song, who doesn't know that song, I should know the word that rhymes with May! When it's cold outside...no, I can't remember. Gah!

Turn over, fluff pillow, straighten sheets, nudge snoring husband, check the clock, ignore bladder...

Sweet Caroline, bom, bom, bom. Good times...Oh heck no! Get it out of my head!

It is hot in here. It seems hotter than it was a minute ago. Gosh how do Muslim women stand summer?

GO. TO. SLEEP!

Why don't I have a problem sleeping at 5 am when the alarm is about to ring...yet at 2 am when I have PLENTY O' TIME to snooze I seem to find it the most difficult task to carry out.

Warm, touching warm, reaching out....NO. MUST. SING. SOMETHING. ELSE...

Cloudy day! That's what he was rhyming with May. Sigh. Yeah, he must have lived in the south. May ain't so warm up north. Is it? Huh, I really don't know that do I. I will have to Google that...

Bladder is screaming. Go away bladder...if I get up I will really be awake.

Hear my dog coming down the hall. Sit up in bed, heart racing, squinting in the dark, making sure it actually is my dog coming down the hall...

It is. Whew. Flop back down on bed.

The dog must know I can't sleep. How do they know these things?

He whimpers beside me.

No. If I let you out I will have to let the other one out then I have to wait for you to come back in. Then I will want some water. Then I will really have to pee and all that is just wasted time I could be using for sleep. No you can just go away.

Money talks, but it can't sing and dance and it don't walk. As long as I have you here with me, I'd much rather be, forever in bluejeans babe...

Okay, must pee.

Get up. Go. Let BOTH dogs out. Get water. Wait for them to want back in. Let them back in. Go back to bed.

Fluff pillow. Straighten sheets. Check the clock.

4:45 am.

So...yawn...sleepy.

Nod off.

15 minutes later alarm rings. And I can't wake up.