Red Paint

Why is it that when children decide to break into paint to paint your walls, they always, always, always pick the bright red paint?

I came home from work tonight at 8:30pm, completely exhausted from my first week at my new job and my first full-time job in nearly two years only to find Jack covered in bright red paint.

I went down the hallway and there it was.

A red-striped wall.

A red-striped door.

Red paint on my couch.

Red paint everywhere.

My first inclination, of course, was to throttle him. Thankfully for his little neck, I had just come from a Y function where people had talked about how the Y had changed their lives when they had nothing. So, since I had a house and food on the table, I had been feeling pretty blessed.

Then I saw the red paint.

Though my clinched teeth, I said, "Jack, honey, why did you paint my walls?" He looked at me with those giant brown eyes and said, "But Mommy, I wanted to make the wall beautiful for you! Isn't it beautiful?"

Ugh.

Confession Tuesday

Here we are, again, another week! I have not posted much this week because I was off with my family in NC. Had a great time even with half of the family going down one by one with a stomach bug. Not my kids or me so all is well! (I guess my poor sister who had to clean up after four sick people in her house is probably be throwing darts at a photo of me right now!)

Ok, and we're off!

1. I'm actually writing this on Monday night. I started my new job today so I don't know how much inspiration or time I will have tomorrow.
2. I love my new DVR. What did I do before it? Do I need fifteen minutes to get supper on? Jack, here's Fireman Sam for ya! No need to get a tape out or deal with the fact that there are multiple episodes on the tape. Just fifteen minutes of quiet bliss.
3. I need to get into shape...bad. Have this whole new plan in my head for the new year but have eaten Mexican food three meals in two days. Ugh. Guess I'll get going "next week".
4. I had to sign and HR document today that said that I would not swear at work. Sh*t! What am I going to do now??!!

Happy Tuesday!

Suzanne Varela Hastings

I just got an email a few minutes ago that a childhood friend of mine, Suzie Varela (Hastings) passed away last night of breast cancer.

Suzie and I were friends in the earliest part of my life. Her father and my father were friends. Don Varela was the pastor of a christain community we used to belong to. Suzie, her sister Charmaine, David and Clint Hunt, my brother Gordie and I used to pal around together all the time.

I remember Suzie as a beatiful ray of light. She was hilarious.

My two strongest memories of her were strange in their opposites. I remember a trip to Nags Head that she took with my family (that's where the pictures came from) and I remember that we were in a car accident together when we were 12. Suzie and I had spent the night at an elderly couple who were friends of my parent's house. We were on our way home from church when a girl was drag racing with her brother. I was knocked out and when I came to, Suzie's head was in my lap (still attached, of course). She had cut it with a coffee can of fresh flowers. Wow, such vivid memories. The four of us were fine. I crushed vertebrae in my back but have been just fine. Everyone else had minor cuts and bruises.

I found out about Suzie's breast cancer just a week or so ago. She was diagnosed with it just weeks after she buried her father from a heart attack. It reminded me that I had not seen or heard of her in over 20 years. She had gotten married young and had kids young and I guess we lost touch.

I'll still always remember that trip to Nags Head, Christian skating and those (I can't believe my parents made me go) Halloween parties.

God bless you, Suzie. God bless the Varela and Hastings families.

Confession Tuesday

Here are my thoughts for the week:

1. Instead of watching the debate on TV last night, I watched "Dance Wars." Admittedly, I did flip back and forth in the commercials, but MAN most of those folks on "Dance Wars" are talented!

2. Speaking of reality shows, I was in a bar on Sunday evening and a group of folks from the show, "So, You Think You Can Dance" were working on their casting lists at the next table for the upcoming season. Guess they did a call in Dallas? Anyway, as I walked past them, I burst into the "Running Man" to their hysterical laughter.

3. Ok, I really didn't dance in front of them but wouldn't that have been a hilarious story if I did?

4. I wake up each morning with a song in my head. Usually, it is from a musical or a TV show theme song. It is strange, though, that my subconscious seems to know what kind of day I'm going to have as that seems to set the tone for the day. Hairspray? Good day. Les Mis? Well, I'm not so sure.

5. Today, I woke up with the theme song from "Cheers" in my head. I don't know what that means.

6. I'm off to my parent's house tomorrow. I'm so excited to see everyone, especially my grandfather, Dyda. That said, I'm secretly most excited to have a bowl of Brunswick stew from Smithfield BBQ.

7. I'm sitting at home right now waiting for a representative of the US Navy to come to my house for me to serve as a "character reference" for a good friend of mine. A work colleague told me that she did it once and they asked her lots of questions about herself. For some reason, I'm really nervous.

How about you guys???

Murder Unscripted

For those who are going to miss their Law and Order (that means, you, Jana!) A peek into your future...

Tonight's American Idol

Tonight, I was putting Jack to bed. When I got back in the den, Jon had turned on American Idol.

Truth be told, I like American Idol OK once they get to Hollywood but even still don't watch it too much. But I have never felt comfortable with the audition portion of the "competition". I thought it was just kind of mean. That said, people are adults and if they want to look ridiculous on tv, well, that's their choice.

So, back to tonight. When I walked into the room, they had someone called "Douglas" singing (my happy karaoke tune) "Livin' on a Prayer" by Bon Jovi. They first interviewed him where he said that his father "hates him". This poor person very CLEARLY was mentally unstable. He was walking around in circles and singing off key while Paula, Randy and Simon just sat there and told him he was a bad singer.

I nearly cried. This poor person had Asbergers or some other disorder and it was like the cool kids in school making fun of the poor mentally challenged kid by making him do stupid "tricks" for their amusement.

Now, I know that some producer chooses the best and the worst for the three of them to see. But, that segment should have NEVER been allowed to air.

For a show that claims to be a "family" show, what lessons are we teaching our children? It's OK to laugh at people who are different?

Shame on you, American Idol. Someone there should have had more compassion.

A Five-Year-Old Explains the Writers Strike

Saw this on another blog. This pretty much explains what I know about the writer's strike.

Confession Tuesday

Ok, Jana presented a challenge and I'm going to take a swing. Let's see how this goes.

Jana has started her blog list of "confession Tuesdays" for quite sometime. I do really enjoy them. So, here I go:

-I just ate three girl scout cookies (samoas that I had put in the freezer yesterday, to get them just right). We got a shipment at the office because we are a newspaper and they want us to write about how great they are. Ok, mission accomplished.

-I quit my job today. I guess this is not quite a confession but I just got a great job at the YMCA of Dallas and I can't wait to start even though I will miss it here (and especially the advance girl scout cookies!)

-I'm really sad we don't have snow here. It sure would be nice for a couple of days of really cold weather when I could take the kids out to throw snowballs. Then, I want it to get to 75 degrees immediately.

-This morning at the hair salon when he was coloring my gigantic patches of grey hair, I read an US Weekly cover to cover.

Any confessions for you???

Ah, the Writer's Strike

Well, I have to say that I have been completely numb to the effects of the writers strike. I have my favorite shows (too many, actually) but took the break as an opportunity to check off the first thing on my New Year's resolution list, read more.

I'm doing that but I've also ramped up my first love, movies. Jon and I snuck out and saw five movies over the holidays.

Quick review:

Atonement-Very similar to English Patient. I loved it but you have to like sweeping war/romance/period dramas. If so, this is your movie!

Charlie Wilson's War-Very interesting and entertaining. Julia Roberts bugged me, though. I live in Texas and her accent sounded like she was channeling her Olympia Dukakis co-star of Steel Magnolias. I kept waiting for her to say, "Now, Cha-lie, you KNOW I love ya more 'n my luggage!"

I am Legend-Ok, I admit it, I'm a sucker for Will Smith. 'Nuff said.

Juno-Loved it.

PS, I Love You-I can't believe that I just wrote that I saw that dreck.

Anyway, back to the writers strike. They have canceled the Golden Globes.

To me, this is like canceling the football playoffs before the Super Bowl of the Oscars. I have two nights where Jon just KNOWS to take the kids away. The Golden Globes and the Oscars. For the past 20 years, I park in front of the tv from about 5pm on. Jana, Al, Joseph and I make phone calls all night long to each other. We discuss who is wearing what, who we think is going to win, do we think this will lead to an Oscar, etc. We get our ballots together for our now legendary Oscars contest.

This is the start of my Oscar season!

Damn, you writer's strike! Damn, you fat cats, pay those poor starving writers. I need to see what Nicole Kidman is wearing!

I'm taking you guys on. This time, it's personal.