I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

I did it!!

I DID IT!!

I DID it!!

I did IT!!

Blogged EVERY day in November. I said I would and I did.

Am I surprised? Not necessarily. Not totally. But a little.

I averaged about 5 blog posts a month this year.............until November.

Setting goals is an interesting task. Small, attainable goals; that's what everyone says to do. That's what I tell people to do. But I don't always take that advice myself.

Having a task that I MUST do, makes me think of school. It's been 13 years since I went to school. I spent about 26 yrs of my life going to school. I was beyond burnt out when I finished. I've never wanted to go back.

What goals have I set for myself since getting out of school? I don't often set attainable, specific goals for myself.

I'll create a budget for myself and then never really stick to it 'cause who can plan for the damn car repairs or the water heater that goes out, and who really wants to restrict your grocery bills or the dinner out to celebrate your friend's promotion.

I don't want to set a goal unless I'm going to achieve it. Completely. Fully. I don't wanna tell everyone I'm going to start going to the gym 4 days a week. I probably won't do it. I'd rather go to the gym for a few months and then SHOUT it to the world........I did this HUGE thing.

What's next?? Maybe I could set a goal that I will do sit ups for 10 min. every day. If I can BLOG EVERY DAY, I could do that, right?

One small success at a time.

SHOUT OUT to every NaBloPoMo participant. Rachenbo says it best.

Another list

5 things I've noticed about the other NaBloPoMo bloggers:

1. There are a lot of Heathers
2. There are a lot of blogs about knitting and cooking
3. There are some heartbreaking and inspirational blogs written by people suffering from health issues
4. There are a lot of people who didn't post every day
5. There are some cool, good looking blog headers and blogger (mine) is not one of them

10 things I feel thankful for..........right now

Let's see if I can come up with 10 things that I truly feel thankful for..........at this moment in time (when I'm not feeling particularly thankful)

1. Chocolate ice cream
2. My love for pictures; taking them, making albums with them, telling a story with them
3. My smart, sweet, sleeping child and his ability to fight off a cold
4. My warm, cozy bed
5. Friends to laugh with
6. A job to go to tomorrow
7. A trip to SD next month to plan and look forward to
8. A houseful of boys that put up with my assumption that they can read my mind
9. A book to look forward to reading when I'm done here
10. A blog to write a list of things I'm thankful for............so I remember to be thankful

Ohhh nooo...........I have 11 things. I'm thankful that they're are only 2 more days of NaBloPoMo.

Things I haven't done and things I've learned......in Nov.

Since blogging EVERY day in November, I haven't:

*Stayed out past midnight (I have seriously left parties and run home to blog)
*IM'd with a friends (even though I can see them online and haven't talked to them in awhile) 'cause it's too close to midnight and I gotta get my blog post done
*Gone to flickr most every day and browsed through pics for hours
*Left my laptop at home while going on vacation

I learned:
*I enjoy a challenge
*I can pull blog post topics out of my ass............at the last moment............and be proud of my post
*That I am still impressed with Dooce's ability to post entertaining blogs almost every day
*I can completely forget about posting pics to flickr, or checking my myspace (which is only important because I miss keeping up with my teenage buddies)
*That I enjoy reading random blogs about people looking for fullfillment and hope in their daily struggles and crazy lives.

My rigorous schedule today (& that's all you get)

Open eyes, shut eyes, go back to sleep, and repeat until 11 something
Eat cereal, drink coffee, take vitamins
Lay on couch and catch up on TiVo'd programs
Pee
Go back to couch
Talk on phone for post-mortem on last night (whole 'nother post)
Drink more water and pee
Feel son's forehead and ask him if he's feeling OK 'cause there was an evil flu bug going round at Thanksgiving.
Eat leftover yams in bed and surf channels
Put away clean laundry piled on bed so I can see the TV better
Start some laundry to clear a pathway on floor in bedroom
Eat lasagna in bed but gave up 'cause the roof of my mouth feels like I burned it
Drink some Airborne and pee
Watch Thank You for Smoking, feeling chilled but hoping it's just paranoia and I didn't actually catch the evil flu bug.
Put Wayne to bed
Drink more water and ............you guessed it.
Blog and have nothing to say but this

skiing vs laundry

The parents and auntie & uncle are all huddled round the calendar.The annual kids ski trip is being planned.

Cindy: "What? Heather? You're not going?"
Me: "Ummm. No. But my son will go as always."
Cindy: "WHAT? You're not going skiing?"
Me: "Let's review last year. Everyone kept saying.........don't worry about it, you don't have to ski, and then 5 seconds later........come skiing, you'll love it, just one morning.........then the next day............come skiing again, it won't be so hard this time. Ohhh you don't want to go.............don't worry about it, you don't have to ski, and then 5 seconds later..........YOU don't want to go skiing? HOW come? It'll be fun, come skiing.........."
Cindy: "WHAT? HOW come you don't want to ski?"
Everyone else in unison: "Remember, she was complaining the whole time about her legs and ankles and every other body part?"
Cindy: "WHAT? You should come. It'll be GREAT. Take some vicodin and come skiiing!!"
Me: "OMG"
Cindy: "Seriously HOW come you don't like skiing?"
Me: "Tell me something you don't like to do"
Cindy: "Laundry. I hate laundry."
Me: "We should do some laundry. COME ON. It'll be FUN. Take some vicodin. Let's do some laundry!!"
Cindy: "So you're going to stay home and do laundry??"

the proverbial truck

It feels like I was run over by a truck. I'm tuckered. Tired. Exhausted. Pooped. Draggin'. Comotose. I didn't see it coming but I should have. I guess I wasn't really looking. Just "crossing the street" today and BAM.
2nd weekend of traveling and family and talking and listening and hugging and crying. Lordy.

So many pics

I took so many pics and received so many pics today, and it makes me HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY. Not only did I take some nice one's yesterday and today, I received pics from both my sisters today!!

My sis in Mexico figured out how to upload to kodakgallery and had some of her Europe trip to share. Yippppeeeee. Then my other sis uploaded her pics from the SD Wild Animal Park where she took a tour and fed Giraffe's and Rhino's!!

Big Bird Day?

Just in case my hands are too water-logged from dishes or I've convinced myself that I really can drink wine, I'm posting this NOW. A few minutes past midnight on the night before. It's not cheating dammit 'cause it IS tomorrow; I just haven't gone to bed yet. One perk of being a night-owl.

7 days to go..................

My secret holiday Yams recipe

I can't tell you how many people have said to me (in a confessional, whispering tone), "I don't normally like yams but yours are great!! How do you make them?".

Finally the secret recipe.

1) Buy lots of yams...........in the produce section. Not canned. Not sweet pototoes.
2) Preheat (or don't preheat) oven to 400 (or anywhere between 300-450).
3) Bake 'em for an 1 1/2 hrs (or when the house smells really good or whenever you remember to take them out).
4) Scoop out the insides into a serving dish.
5) Mush them together with a fork (or a spoon or whatever works).
6) Put Marshmellows on top and put them in a hot oven and WATCH them until the Marshmellows are GOLDEN BROWN.

3 produce bags full should feed about 20 people with leftovers for the next day.

Seriously folks. Canned yams are kinda gross. And I'm not sure why anyone wants to add butter and brown sugar when they are oozing with natural sweetness (as evidenced by the gooey, honey like substance that will be glued to your cookie sheets).

Happy Turkey Day!! Enjoy whatever you're eating and think of at least one thing you can be THANKFUL for this year!!

UPDATE:
After posting this I went on my merry way to read blogs. I choose Dooce first. Read the last line of her post today. FREAKY. VERY VERY FREAKY.

Britney & Paris?! Ohhh come on.............

Britney & Paris are BFF?? Seen partying together?? It's just too much for me. Next they'll be honeymooning with TomKat. I'm just so thankful they got married already. Sheeshh.

And Britney's got long 'ole extensions in her hair. Who would do that (wink wink to my bud)??

Anyhow that's all I gotta say for now. I need to eat food or I'll melt into nothingness.

9 days to go..............whew.............

Free Hug Campaign

You've probably all heard about this by now but it seemed worthy of a blog post.

http://freehugscampaign.org/

You can watch the inspiring video on the website above or on youtube.com. I received the video via email months ago. Then I saw it on Oprah. Then I saw it on youtube.com. I can't see it enough.

Just a guy offering FREE HUGS. One man's way of making the world a better place.

(I tried posting the video directly from youtube but it hasn't posted yet and I'm going to bed and can't wait any longer)

daddy's tree

I sat today with the Live Oak tree planted in memory of my father. Some of his ashes are there. His running shoes are there. His pipe is there. It's been 7 months today.

I visited with my aunties this weekend. Visited and talked and listened and hugged and cried and laughed.

Family is exhausting that way.

Note to self: drink lots of water and sleep, not necessarily in that order.

The Secret Life of Bees

I’m reading a book called, The Secret Life of Bees, and the opening paragraph had me hooked.

“At night I would lie in bed and watch the show, how bees squeezed through the cracks of my bedroom wall and flew circles around the room, making that propeller sound, a high-pitched zzzzzzzz that hummed along my skin. The way those bees flew, not even looking for a flower, just flying for the feel of the wind, split my heart down its seam.”

The imagery, the feelings, the storytelling, the poetry………….makes my heart sing.

Sue Monk Kidd then writes, “The bees came the summer of 1964, the summer I turned fourteen and my life went spinning off into a whole new orbit……….”. “Right now it’s enough to say that despite everything that happened that summer, I remain tender toward the bees.”

I love the word TENDER in that last sentence. As I’m nearing the end of the book, I realize that no other word could be used to describe the meaning of the bees in her life. I can’t tell you anymore about the book because it would spoil it. You must go on the journey with this girl.

One reviewer writes, “This is a remarkable novel about divine female power, a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.”

I recommend that you read this book (even if you’re not a woman) and stick with throughout the first few chapters. You must go through the dark days to get to the light.

DAY 17............will it post?

Dear wireless router,
I am visiting your house for the next few days. I hope you will be kind to me so I can continue to do the NaBloPoMo thing this month. I've somehow managed to post EVERY day and it would be so disappointing to stop now.

I'm going to post to you now and then continue writing so I can stop holding my breath.

Whew........it worked. DAY 17 is safe. I so appreciate your cooperation! I can continue breathing.

I've come to visit my sister (your owner) this weekend. You've always been there for me but I was still a bit nervous being out of town during the NaBloPoMo contest. I've read a few other NaBlo blogs during my adventures on the randomizer and there are tales of out of town visits with dial-up only. OMG. Can you believe some people still have that old system?! Well........yes........we should have compassion for them. Not everyone is as lucky as us to have wireless routers like you.

Anyway, thank you for being there for me. I'm listening to the quiet of the ranch right now. The stillness is quite loud actually. Have you ever noticed that? Yes.....I suppose some of that noise may be the traffic on HWY 154. I'm just happy that the Peahen (that's a female Peacock) is not making that screeching sound. Apparently I'm sitting in her spot on the patio and last time I was here she freaked out and circled the house making the most horrible sounds.

I must warn you I'm going to NAME DROP now. It's not often (or ever) that I get to do that so I'm feeling the need to take the opportunity now. ELLEN DEGENERES is selling her ranch next door (meaning a 10 min walk from door to door). She's been talking about it on her show, so it's not a secret anymore. She even showed a tour of her house (last week I think) on her show. Interesting place and a crazy amount of remodel in her 2 1/2 yr residence. I guess it would have been 2 yrs ago this month that I met her here at the ranch. My dad and son and I saw her and Portia walking right up the driveway. She was quite neighborly and mostly had a million questions about the horse thing; do they need those blankets at night if they're not in the barn, how come some horses get to stay in the barn while others are outside? I'm sure they learned a lot about horses and I hope Portia gets to continue riding. She was so excited about it. It was nice to meet them for a few hours that day because I found out she IS as funny as she is on TV. She's got a quick wit and seemed to be constantly thinking up her daily monologue. I wasn't surprised about this, nor was I surprised when I heard she is constantly working and rarely sits down. It seems the ranch life here is probably too quiet and remote and the security is nonexistent.
Yes.......yes.......router..........I agree, it's a quiet life here (YES.........I'm still talking to the damn router). I'm more of a town girl myself, but it's great place to visit!!

babies

Babies are wonderful..............when they're not yours!! And this one was sleeping.............in my arms!! I could hold him with one hand (while I used the other to take a pic with my new phone ;-).

This amazing little boy is 6 weeks old and it feels like I've waited forever to meet him. He's the first child of a friend of mine, an x-worker, an x-boss, and a current client. He's a big man with a big voice with a darling wife and they've made this amazing little being.

Blogster, Blom, Blogaman

One of the crazy NaBloPoMo bloggers, Rachenbo, came up with a list of TYPES of bloggers. I think I'm mostly a BLOGSTER but throw in some BLOM and BLOGAMAN for good measure.

She also had a rant about a THEME for your blog or the absense of one. She says we don't HAVE to have a theme but she obviously wishes we did. After some thought, I've decided ramblings IS a theme. I ramble about my life and my observations and like to throw in a reason to giggle as often as possible.

I love to write and considered a career in it for about a half a second in college. I like to structure a blog post with a theme. I like to tie it all together with a conclusion. But I’m not a “writer”; and by that I mean, I haven’t been trained as one, didn’t major in it, or try to make money doing it. As it turns out, I went in a completely different direction and became an accountant (back to the structure thing). Being a writer (or photographer, which I also pursued for a second), feels way too vulnerable.

Anyone who knows me can attest to the fact that I use a lot of animation in my voice and body language. I’m more a stand-up comic than a writer. When I was 7 or so my mother thought I’d be a mime or an actor. I can’t stop being ANIMATED even if I tried (which I have; it was a dreadful couple of minutes).

So thank gawwd for BLOGGING, which allows me to do a little writing. It’s a challenge to rely on my words only (and maybe a font change, a color change, or even some CAPS). But it’s just a blog, just a journal, for whoever (including myself who) has time to read it…………or not. It's important to have a "witness" (or many witnesses) in life but sometimes you must be your own witness. Part of that growing up thing.

HAIR (note to self: create category called HAIR)

This is me. This is my hair. This is my hair after blow drying it. NOT a good look. There is only one reason I don't wear a hat every day and that reason is my CHI Flat Iron.

There are fifty million gels and sprays for de-frizzing the hair. My Silk Therapy was the one at work on the left side of my hair in the after shot. You can see it's a LITTLE bit better.

There is NOTHING that takes the place of my CHI flat iron, not even other flat irons.

I know I have spoke about this many times before. I apologize. I was drawing a total blank about what the hell to blog about on DAY 14. But it's a worthy cause. I will be adding a category called HAIR. I wonder how many there are. If I blogged about my hair everytime I cursed it, I would have to blog about it EVERY DAY.

Visitors

My x-roomie from '02-03 called me on Thurs. and said "can I come visit?". Um........OK......uuhhhh, ya' know I've got a remodel going on and the house is even more of a disaster than usual? No problem she said. Of course as I started cleaning the house I realized how totally un-baby-proofed my house had become. An 11 month crawls on the floor for gawd's sake. OMG.

She stayed two days, which I decided was a very nice amount of time for a vistor to stay. The coffee was made in the morning when I got up, the dishes were done (my current roomie/dishwasher liked that), and she took some of her stuff that has been in my garage for 3 years. SO THERE to all my friends who said she'd never come back for it!! Some dusting was done, my floor got picked up, AND let's not forget he chirping smoke detector (see Sat. night blog post)!!!

That's the kind of visitor you want isn't it? I don't have too many visitors but was quickly reminded how you're life has to kinda stop when you've got them and there is a need to entertain. Oh........AND we went to the beach, which I hardly ever do even though it's only 10 min. away.

My sister, who lives in Mexico, and I were talking yesterday about how our family aren't the "visiting" type. She has threatened to stop coming here until one of us goes there. Now the thing is............many of you may have family that comes to visit you often. Do they stay too long? Does your mother or mother-in-law criticize your cleaning habits, your parenting skills, or your eating habits? I've heard about these type of visits and I don't think I'd want that either.

Throughout the years I've thought many times about my non-visiting family. It used to hurt my feelings. One time I was talking to my dad about it and he said........"my parents only came to visit me a few times". A FEW TIMES in his whole adult life. I realized at that moment that it wasn't a sign of their love (they're always there for the times of crisis and the Sunday phone calls are common). You just get the family you get. For better or worse. AND you get to make friends.........lots and lots of them.................some will even come visit.

Stranger Than Fiction (or Cheese & Broccoli......I can't decide which)

Why do movie previews always do that?? Why does the preview show all the funny parts (or use editing to create funny parts that aren't even there), when the movie is serious or depressing or heavy?? The Family Stone did that. The Weatherman did that. The Break-Up did that. And mostly, Stranger than Fiction did that. Do they think we'll only go see it if it's a comedy? Do they have to trick us into seeing a drama with life lessons that are good for us? Kinda like cheese melted all over our broccoli so we'll eat it?

Will Ferrell, Emma Thompson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, & Queen Latifah are the man reasons for seeing Stranger Than Fiction. Emma is amazing in her dark, British way. Dustin is less cartoonish than he's been lately. Maggie is more wonderfully likable than she normally is. The Queen has too straight and small a part but lovely. And Will is a ton more serious than usual but I personally think it suits him. I've never noticed his sweet, soft, lovable eyes before. Stranger than Fiction has some very funny parts. But it's definitely not the goofy type movie's that Will is known for, and I'm not sure the previews reveal the true nature of the movie. And even though I feel tricked, I liked it! Cheese on Broccoli is good, dammit.

On the other hand, the other movie I saw this weekend was The Break-Up and I'm glad I rented it with my magical Blockbuster-in-the-mailbox club. It really wasn't funny. It was depressing with no redemption. We get a few seconds of Vince Vaughn's charmingly quick and witty dialogue, and then we get two characters arguing for another hour or so. Ok......so we get some Jennifer nakedness for about a second too. But mostly, we just get that awkward voyeurish feeling of watching a couple argue about stupid stuff. We could have video-taped our own lives if we wanted to see that!!

I guess the Broccoli wasn't cooked enough for me (I actually like vege's cooked well and yes I know they're not as good for me). I guess you can't fool me into liking hard, microwaved Broccoli, even if you spread cheese all over it.

Two more favorites

Long Beach Pier. Sept. 2006.

Sunset shines on Crab Encrusted Halibat over Garlic Mashed Potatoes, with Bok Choy and Asparagus.

We chirp no more

I have a sledgehammer and a smoke detector that is facing it's demise. This is no ordinary smoke detector. This particular one chirped (that sound when the battery's going dead)............in my garage/internet smoking lounge..........for perhaps a year. Yes I said a year. It wasn't until yesterday when my x-roomie came for a visit and said "what is that noise?" that I realized it was still doing it. Seriously. And before the day was over she had found that smoke detector........in a box, with pictures.
I either drowned out the chirping sound with iTunes or I developed a tick and no one bothered to tell me.

Two of my favorites

I love these pics.

I took them with my new Nikon Rebel,

at my annual scrapbooking retreat,

in San Simeon,

last month.

And on the 8th Day

This NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month.........I think is what it stands for) is CRAZY and WONDERFUL. Why, you ask, would joining a group of crazy bloggers in a contest to blog every day in Nov, be a good thing? Mostly because of the Randomizer. I scroll through this amazing group of over 2000 bloggers and I am overwhelmed with stories, images, information.........

I could have scrolled through Blogger blogs anytime. Blogger has this same feature. But when I did it a few times, I was bored reading about people I had never met or wrote of things I didn't find interesting. HOW could I have been bored? I'm not sure anymore. What is it that makes the NaBloPoMo Randomizer experience so much better?? The only difference is that I am connected to these people in one way for sure.

This post is becoming long winded. What I wanted to say is that I'm totally captivated by reading all these different blogs. I've read about parenthood, traveling in Turkey and Italy, stories of a scrap-a-holic, gluten-free diets, a woman who talked on the phone with Gloria Steinem this week, voting issues in other states, colds and flu's, and quitting this damn contest 'cause their busy lives must take precedence.

And if the Randomizer wasn't enough, there's a crazy blogger who REVIEWED about half of all the blogs. They haven't gotten to my blog yet (it's in the R's) but someone named "The Crap-o-Rama" has voluntered to do our those. WOW.

There is a bit of pressure but I'm taking one-day-at-a-time. Always a good lesson. And I'm a bit worried about overloading my readers, although I'm only sure about a very few readers (thanks Mom for being my lone "commentor", for who else is the best supporter and witness of your life?!)

I just signed up for this free site meter thing to see if I can track visitors. And where did I learn of this site? None other than fussy.org (one of the organizers of this NaBloPoMo contest thingy).

conversations

Earlier this evening.............
"Mommy? Come throw the ball with me."
"I'm doing my hair and it's almost your bedtime".
"You never play with me anymore. "
It's not the first time my son has said this to me lately. My heart actually hurts when he says this to me.
Later..........
"Get in bed. Light on or off?"
"Either way"
"Sweet dreams and............I'll play basketball with you tomorrow. K?"
"K"
"Now make mommy happy and go to sleep".
Guilt works both ways.

A few days ago, with the other guy in my life.........
"I like your hair better red"
"I knew you'd hate it"
"I didn't say that"
"It'll lighten as I wash it"
"I can't call you strawberry shortcake anymore"
"How 'bout blackberry shortcake?"
"How 'bout chocolate souffle?"

This morning, IMing with my lunch date............
"Did I tell you I colored my hair brown?"
"Good thing you told me so I can recognize you."
Later at lunch...........
"I miss your red hair"
"I know, I know. I asked to have highlights on top. I gotta get it fixed."
"He can't call you shortcake anymore"
"OMG, that's what he said!"

And one more conversation with "the other guy in my life"................
"You're X-wife and I look alike"
"What? No you don't"
"Yes we do"
"NO. YOU. DON'T."
"ya huh"
"na huh"
"She's got light, freckly skin and her hair color is like the color mine was 2 days ago. We look alike"
"Quit saying that"
"just sayin' "
"You better quit sayin' 'cause you're gonna lose weekend visitation rights with your bed"

Sharing my bathroom

Have I mentioned lately that sharing a bathroom with my 9 yr old son continues to amaze me?? (I could look back in my "parenthood" category and probably find at least 5 posts about my son's bathing experience.)

This is what I sound like after my son has taken his shower and/or bath:
"OMG.........look at this bathroom." Squish Squish. "These towels are soaking wet for criminy sakes". (OK......so sometimes I use other words). Ouch Ouch. "These stupid batmen are going in the trash mister 'cause they're not in the basket". "Oh man......you emptied this shampoo bottle; that'll cost you about $4. You are soooo lucky it was one of the cheap ones". "And what the he^^ is on the mirror; it looks like the Febreeze". "um.........NO......you are not cleaning this up right now; it's past your bedtime". "Jezuzzz...........I just needed to go pee".

I almost took a picture of the disaster that is my bathroom after his bathing experience...........for his scrapbook............and for this blog. But dammit, I just needed to pee..........and a dry, flat surface to walk on.

P.S. Guess what I figured out the other night?? The nightlight in the bathroom has ONE purpose. So my son can't tell me, "I missed the toilet 'cause it was dark".

ramblings and run-ons

I simply don't have time to blog right now. I'm late for beddie bye time. It's 11:11 and I must go. I put off a work project until tonight and instead fiddled about this weekend doing who knows what.

Wait...I know.........I went to a kid movie, which I haven't done in ages 'cause my kid doesn't want to see them anymore but was pressured into going 'cause his friends wanted to go and so I took them all. Flushed Away was a cute and action packed movie.

And.......I did my part to help with the construction of the basketball hoop (one of those big 'ole freestanding things) by getting the sand. Too bad I couldn't actually pick up the 70 lb bags of sand. My son did it. He's 9 yrs old. Note to self: go to the gym and lift weights.

And.......I met my boyfriend's dad and xwife today. Did I just say boyfriend? Shit. Very nice people and we're all excited about "the boyfriend's" new pad, just across town. And did I mention that I gave him my old bed? I have weekend visitation rights and I so enjoyed those rights this weekend.

OK. I did it. I posted for the 5th day in a row. Whew.............

Zits

Do you ever read the cartoon Zits? I seem to find the trials of a 14 yr old boy and his parents totally relatable. What does that mean?

Can you read the cartoon? I don't have time to fiddle with it now.

OH MY......................the pressure of this blogging-every-day-thing!!!!!!

more bed walking

continued from yesterdays post...............

1st night (last night) on the Tempur-Pedic Memory Foam DELUXE was just fine. Not great yet. More bed walking required. My munchkin (who's not much smaller than me now) and I walked, ran, wrestled (he pinned me every time), and played football on my bed tonight!!

The foreground of my pic is the handle of my vacuum and I left it there as evidence that I actually HAVE a vacuum and I do use it on occasion.

Every 10 years

Every ten years you're supposed to get a new bed, right? Or was it 7? Not sure but it was coming up on 10 years with my faithful, good quality bed and it was the perfect excuse to get a brand-spanking newTempur-Pedic memory foam bed! I've got a friend that owns a bed store that sells 'em and I've talking about it for a few years. TODAY was the day!!

Spending a bunch of money on a bed is a guilt-free experience 'cause the darn thing is going to last at least a decade, and a good quality bed saves me from oh-so-many neck spasms which leads to chiro's and massueses and headeaches and painkillers.

I'm very excited but also nervous about the first few nights in a new bed. It can be hard to get used to a new bed, even when it's a good one. The interesting thing about the foam beds in that you need to WALK on them to break down the "starch" (I'm not kidding). My son and I did this today. Who knew I was going to get a quad work-out too!!! (Imagine trying to make footprints in damp sand).

And to prove how very excited I am, I woke up at 6am today and started preparing my room for the new bed!! I had to clean underneath the bed, and vacuum up all those nasty little dust bunnies that give me nasty little colds. I also decided it was a good time to move some stuff around in my room and that involved a whole lotta' cleaning.

To be continued........................

National Blog Posting Month

Did you know it's National Blog Posting Month?? I didn't either until I read about it on emdot's flickr. I have decided to join these crazy bloggers in a pledge to blog EVERY DAY in November.

You can read all about it here.

Not sure what the heck I'm gonna write about EVERY DAY but I can't wait to find out.

I'm considering today a "freebie", an introduction, a title page. I wonder how long it'll take me to buy the book, No One Cares What You Had for Lunch:100 Ideas For Your Blog.