Best Laugh I've had all week

I've been off this week. Hanging out with my mom who is down from Tally and shopping and getting the kids ready for school. There are still three weeks before it starts, ok, almost two now, but it's better to have it all done and be ready for it, don't you think.

Anyway, I'm at my grandmother's this afternoon and she tells me about the ham she made yesterday. She often forgets I don't eat meat, so she is asking me if I think it's good. She made it yesterday. I say well, of course, and then she proceeds to tell me how she didn't realize that it had two plastic coverings and the second one was air compressed on the ham. Nanny, I say, did you cook it with the plastic wrap on it. Yes, she says, it was wrapped so tight I thought it was the skin. My mother then chimes in with the, I was wondering why it wouldn't absorb the basting sauce. WTF?? Really?? Did it taste good? I ask. Well, my mother says, it was a little dry.

LMFAO!!!! My aunt and I just cracked up laughing. LOFL!! Gotta love Nanny.

Writing on the rise

I just read a blog, BookNinja, that spoke of creative writing programs being offered on the rise. And one person commented that of course, with all the people blogging it shouldn't be a surprise that so many people are interested in writing and expressing their thoughts in written form.

But is it? I mean, do all those people taking creative writing courses really want to be published or it is another means to an end. I mean, there are about a million jobs in which expressively yourself in a written format is important. Look at the advent of email. So many people use email as an informal means of communication rather than picking up the phone. Therefore, making your writing skills more important. Or not, as the case may be with some people that I work with.

Then of course, there are all the people who blog and write that DON'T take a writing course for any number of reasons. They just seem to read a lot.

This just in, the ex bf is no longer on my friends list on FB.

Answering machines should be mandatory for businesses

So, I went to run errands, er, check out a used book store on the east side of town. One of only two in the county. I tried calling beforehand but got no answer. No, this wasn't a repeat of where I showed up at the address only to find that the economy had taken it as a prisoner of war. Rather, this particular indie shop is closed on Sundays. Isn't it a requirement for a business license to have an answering machine at a minimum to indicate what your hours are. Apparently in North East Ft. Lauderdale this is not the case.

Not wanting my trek eastward to have been in vain I took US1 to the two story and rather large B&N to check it out. I don't have a two story one close to me and I wonder if it's the same size or is it just my imagination because it's two stories. Either way, it was a pleasant way to spend a couple of hours. My daughter loves books, so of course after getting my mandatory Skinny latte from the SB counter I went upstairs to the children's section. Once Shy had her pick, I went down to peruse the bargain sections. I found this...

in hardcover no less, for a whopping $6.98

I bought it as I've heard nothing but good things about this book. AND my library has it classified under the YA section so I'm wondering if my 12 y/o would like to read it when I do and we can discuss. Either way, a bargain I couldn't resist. It did mean, though that I would have to yet again delay my purchase of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, a book that I've been dying to read. Regardless of the stacks and stacks I have at home, once I get this book, I'm dropping everything.

Now, back to Japan and Neuromancer.

Oatmeal is the new garbage dump

This has to be said. I've noticed a trend lately. I can remember the days of when you would add in a banana and a handful of walnuts into your oatmeal and call it a day. Or some raisins. Or an apple and some apple spice. Lately, however it seems that it is common and trendy to add in at least 5 different add ins to your oats and eat it that way.

Maybe it's because people don't like the taste of the oats and are trying to find ways to defeat the purpose. I don't know, call me crazy but adding in the caloric equivalent of toppings to your oatmeal seems counterproductive to me. I mean, when I want to eat oatmeal I want the oatmeal. The other things are nice as embellishments but when they become equal to the amount of oatmeal then can you really call it oatmeal. I suppose it can be compared to coffee where is it really coffee anymore if your adding in way more stuff than the coffee itself.

And what the fuck is the deal with chia seeds???????? Who eats that?

In other random yet related news, green monster drinks. I must have missed the CNN newsflash where grinding up your vegetables and mixing them with milk is the way to go now.

I long for the simple days.

Lazy Sunday Morning

Catching up on reading my blogs. The dog, not the kid, woke me this morning. Geez, well I suppose it's better than her having an accident. I totally need to give her a bath today. Folding laundry and doing that are the only chore related items on my agenda today.

I've become torn between the two books I'm reading. I'm about half way through Mansfield Park and the uncle has just returned from a year long, actually plural years, to Antigua. He appears to be the only one in the entire lot, with the exception of Edmund, that treats Fanny as if she is truly family rather than a glorified servant. It's been pissing me off that she is so mild and meek, but I suppose that is what Austen is going for.

Neuromancer I just started last night and it's not been particularly easy to read. Gibson has some made up words that I've never heard so I've been using my 4th grade "context clues" skills to determine what it is he is trying to convey. Of course, he did invent the word "cyberspace" so you would have thought that some of these others would have taken off as well. No, they really didn't. The story is, however, interesting and since I actually have a deadline with an event scheduled, Aug 19th, I suppose that I will go ahead and try to finish this book first. I'll be sure to let you know how I like it since it's my first adult foray into science fiction.

I haven't eaten anything yet today, but I did weigh in as I want to go ahead and start actually following Weight Watchers. Again. I've been maintaining the weight I am now for quite some time and have determined that if my 12 y/o can manage to stay on plan then WTF am I waiting for. Seriously. I am just enjoying coffee right now. Breakfast will be a bowl of cereal. I'm keeping to my budget by not buying items until I'm completely out of them. Which means no breakfast food until I run out of the cereal, oatmeal and eggs that I have. I'm a relatively boring breakfast eater. Pictures to follow.

I won't be doing much today but going to the grocery store and hanging out at home. By choice. Oh, I may take the little one to the pool or the park.

Books, books, and more books

I joined a book club via meetup.com which seems like it isn't your typical book club. In an attempt to get out more I decided that I wanted to do so in a way that was stimulating intellectually and since I love to read why not?

Anyway, the book I'm supposed to be reading is a science fiction book of all things. Not exactly my cup of tea, and I'm not going to lie, I like to read fluff every once and awhile. But, so far this book seems very interesting. It's Neuromancer by William Gibson. It was published in 1984 and is a futuristic look at something, I'm not sure what.

But I love the opening sequence where the main character walks into a bar and the bartender is the ugliest human alive or something to that effect. Hah!! I have been switching back and forth between this and Mansfield Park. Two totally and completely different books. From 19th century England to 22nd century or so Japan. Hmm. It's going to be an interesting Saturday night that's for sure.

I'm also going to find a way to squeeze in an episode or two of Mad Men.

Another weekend

It's another wonderful weekend. Wonderful because I get to spend two days doing exactly what I want. Well, with the exception of chores. But other than those, I'm doing fun things with the kiddos.

Last night was movie night and we watched "Marley & Me." I really enjoyed that movie. I've become a dog person owning my little Sedona so of course I cried at the end. But we really did enjoy it.

Sat is chore day. Well morning anyway because todays chores are just dusting and laundry. I break out the chores day to day so that I never have to spend more than an hour or two doing chores. Laundry doesn't count. I can read/watch tv between loads.

I think we'll go to the pool if the weather holds out and the library of course.

My car was towed to my mechanic yesterday since the AC went out in it. I'm hoping that it isn't too much $$. In the meantime, my wonderful boss has let me borrow one of his cars. The BMW SUV. How fun to drive. The kids particularly like the dvd player in it.

Someone said to me on FB yesterday, how come I've been so quiet and I realized that being quite online means perhaps that you are living life offline. Which in this circumstance is a good thing. I've discovered I have reclusive tendencies and I'm totally ok with that. As I age I'm enjoying time alone more and more.

Off to dust those bunnies.