I've decided that it's high time to resurrect this blog. It's been almost 6 years since I last wrote, and a lot has changed. I'm no longer a soccer mom. My girls are teenagers now, and I'm stagnant. I work part time outside the home, and still have my home business. Did I say stagnant? Been married 20 years now. Again, stagnant.
One thing that isn't stagnant is my ever loving disdain of stupid people. I swear I think stupid people multiply like bunnies because they are everywhere. The older my girls get, the more I realize that teenagers are just plain stupid. I don't know if the constant checking of Twitter and Instagram has made them such, or if the teenage brain has evolved backwards, in to a more under-developed version of teenagers long ago.
I honestly don't remember being so stupid when I was 13 and almost 15. I'm not talking about lacking in street smarts, because let's face it, that comes mostly from experience. No, I'm talking about common sense. You need a coat when it's 15 degrees in Chicago, no? How about planning at least 12 hours in advance if you need $50 from mom for a school outing? No? You want a new dress for the school dance but don't want to help unload the dishwasher? Seriously?
I swear I'm not raising stupid lazy daughters. I empower them, give them freedom, cheer them on, embrace their differences and abilities.... So where did the lazy, stupid brain come from?
More to come....
Monday, February 16, 2015
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Saint or Sinner?
I'm a news junkie. I admit it. iGoogle is my home page, complete with ABC News, MSNBC, Fox News and CNN. (OK, I also have People and E Online in there too.)
Being a news junkie, I stay up late to watch not only my local news, but Nightline on ABC. Tonight was an intriguing report on infidelity and monogamy. There were some holy rollers on there, but there were also a few people that believe that we, as humans, are not wired to be monogamous.
I've been with the same man for almost 18 years, and then of course there's my husband. HA! Only kidding! My husband and I have been together for almost 18 years, and married for almost 15 years. In that time, I have always been faithful in body. But in mind and spirit? I've lusted, I've had crushes, but have never and would never act on them.
Which brings me to the point of the Nightline episode... Is it a sin to be lustful towards someone else if you are in a committed relationship? Does that make you a sinner or still a saint?
We've all heard the term, "Emotional Affair". But is it really an affair if you are not physically bound to the other person? Some would argue that emotional affairs are twice as damaging as a physical affair, and with good reason. If it was just about sex, then you can pretty much figure out what is wrong in the relationship. But if a partner is seeking an emotional attachment outside the confines of your relationship, then the soul and heart are crushed by the dead weight of the hurt in the mind. Repairing that relationship is an uphill battle.
I remember going through Pre Cana with my now husband. For those of you non-Catholics, Pre Cana is the Catholic program for marriage preparation. In Pre Cana, we discussed shared wants, philosophies, even birth control. But we never discussed the possibility of developing a relationship with someone of the opposite sex that could be deemed as a sin. Strange.
So, are you a saint or a sinner? Take the poll on ABC News and find out. Click HERE to start the poll. And when you are done, only share the results with your partner if you turn out to be a Saint like me ;)
Being a news junkie, I stay up late to watch not only my local news, but Nightline on ABC. Tonight was an intriguing report on infidelity and monogamy. There were some holy rollers on there, but there were also a few people that believe that we, as humans, are not wired to be monogamous.
I've been with the same man for almost 18 years, and then of course there's my husband. HA! Only kidding! My husband and I have been together for almost 18 years, and married for almost 15 years. In that time, I have always been faithful in body. But in mind and spirit? I've lusted, I've had crushes, but have never and would never act on them.
Which brings me to the point of the Nightline episode... Is it a sin to be lustful towards someone else if you are in a committed relationship? Does that make you a sinner or still a saint?
We've all heard the term, "Emotional Affair". But is it really an affair if you are not physically bound to the other person? Some would argue that emotional affairs are twice as damaging as a physical affair, and with good reason. If it was just about sex, then you can pretty much figure out what is wrong in the relationship. But if a partner is seeking an emotional attachment outside the confines of your relationship, then the soul and heart are crushed by the dead weight of the hurt in the mind. Repairing that relationship is an uphill battle.
I remember going through Pre Cana with my now husband. For those of you non-Catholics, Pre Cana is the Catholic program for marriage preparation. In Pre Cana, we discussed shared wants, philosophies, even birth control. But we never discussed the possibility of developing a relationship with someone of the opposite sex that could be deemed as a sin. Strange.
So, are you a saint or a sinner? Take the poll on ABC News and find out. Click HERE to start the poll. And when you are done, only share the results with your partner if you turn out to be a Saint like me ;)
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Why Cats and Men are alike but we prefer cats
My entire life, I've been surrounded by cats. From our family cats, to the cats out at the barn where I rode and trained horses. Always purring, always there for a hug... you get the picture. I have two cats now, 14 year old full sisters, but as different as night and day. One of our cats is very friendly, a little dopey and just your basic lazy-ass cat. The other cat - the one who has attached herself to me - is quite finicky and rather bitchy. (Gee, I wonder why she likes me?)
I was thinking the other night that cats and men have a lot in common. Let me list the similarities:
~ They both purr when you pet them.
~ They will seek you out when they are hungry.
~ Thankfully, they usually bathe themselves.
~ They will stand at the door and howl when they want to go out with their friends.
~ When they are angry at you, they both will yell and sometimes hiss at you.
Now, the reasons we women prefer cats over men:
~ When you pet them, they ONLY purr.
~ They actually like to snuggle in bed with you.
~ They pretty much leave you alone.
~ They never argue with you.
~ They sit patiently when you talk to them and unload on them, and never interrupt.
I'm sure I could think of another five thousand reasons why cats are preferred by women, but as you can see by the spattering of items listed above, this is absolute proof as to why there are so many cats in a household that also includes a woman.
I was thinking the other night that cats and men have a lot in common. Let me list the similarities:
~ They both purr when you pet them.
~ They will seek you out when they are hungry.
~ Thankfully, they usually bathe themselves.
~ They will stand at the door and howl when they want to go out with their friends.
~ When they are angry at you, they both will yell and sometimes hiss at you.
Now, the reasons we women prefer cats over men:
~ When you pet them, they ONLY purr.
~ They actually like to snuggle in bed with you.
~ They pretty much leave you alone.
~ They never argue with you.
~ They sit patiently when you talk to them and unload on them, and never interrupt.
I'm sure I could think of another five thousand reasons why cats are preferred by women, but as you can see by the spattering of items listed above, this is absolute proof as to why there are so many cats in a household that also includes a woman.
Friday, September 11, 2009
The Donkey, The Curling Iron & The Berries
We had our last, blow-out camping trip of the year over Labor Day Weekend. The sun was shining, it was warm, and our campground was a blast! The kidlets found other kids their own age, and all was good! Then came the donkey, or I should say, donkeys.
Our campground featured a barn with llamas, shetland ponies and donkeys. Cute, right? Fun for the kids, right? And it was... until one of the donkeys started braying in the middle of the night... for three straight nights! Now, I have never heard a donkey in heat, or one that is seriously maimed, but that's what it sounded like! I swear, if grunting was involved in the braying, I would think that in a few months there would be little donkeys running around!
Then there was the curling iron. Each morning when I went into the bathroom to wash my face, there was this woman there, blow drying the wet counter (and she told her daughter not to put anything down on that wet, disgusting counter) and curling her hair. Her face was already painted like some toddler that goe into her mom's make-up. This was every morning!!!! Does this woman not realize that it's called CAMPING?!?!?!? No one cares what your hair and face look like! Nine out of ten times, you're not ever going to see these people again! Are there still women that VAIN out there? Seriously?
But the highlight of the weekend was after we got home and realized that the pretty berry tree we had the camper and van parked under was shedding berries. And the birds that were eating the berries, were also crapping the berries onto the camper and the van. My nice white camper and nice white van looked like someone was executed at point blank range in front of them! And I don't know how much you know about berry-soaked bird crap, but it's like trying to get cement off of a leaf! I finally resorted to the trusty power-washer.
Phew! All in all, it was a good time, and we will be returning to that fabulous campground, but next time, I'm going to request a site under a nice fir tree. And I'm going to be sure that there are no divas in the bathroom, and I'll be sure to bring with the ear plugs!
Our campground featured a barn with llamas, shetland ponies and donkeys. Cute, right? Fun for the kids, right? And it was... until one of the donkeys started braying in the middle of the night... for three straight nights! Now, I have never heard a donkey in heat, or one that is seriously maimed, but that's what it sounded like! I swear, if grunting was involved in the braying, I would think that in a few months there would be little donkeys running around!
Then there was the curling iron. Each morning when I went into the bathroom to wash my face, there was this woman there, blow drying the wet counter (and she told her daughter not to put anything down on that wet, disgusting counter) and curling her hair. Her face was already painted like some toddler that goe into her mom's make-up. This was every morning!!!! Does this woman not realize that it's called CAMPING?!?!?!? No one cares what your hair and face look like! Nine out of ten times, you're not ever going to see these people again! Are there still women that VAIN out there? Seriously?
But the highlight of the weekend was after we got home and realized that the pretty berry tree we had the camper and van parked under was shedding berries. And the birds that were eating the berries, were also crapping the berries onto the camper and the van. My nice white camper and nice white van looked like someone was executed at point blank range in front of them! And I don't know how much you know about berry-soaked bird crap, but it's like trying to get cement off of a leaf! I finally resorted to the trusty power-washer.
Phew! All in all, it was a good time, and we will be returning to that fabulous campground, but next time, I'm going to request a site under a nice fir tree. And I'm going to be sure that there are no divas in the bathroom, and I'll be sure to bring with the ear plugs!
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Starbuck's Mocha Frappucino... Jen's Way...
I'm the first one to admit that I'm a Starbuck's snob. Oh, I make my own coffee at home, and use whatever French Roast is on sale, but I have to have my Starbuck's! It's always a toss between a Venti Non-Fat, No Foam Latte, or a Venti Mocha Frappucino (yes, I know they have 500 calories.)
I have put a twist on the Mocha Frappucino though, and I thought I would share it with all of you.
The next time you have a hankering for a Mocha Fappucino, ask them to add a banana. Now, you do NOT want a cream based drink. You have to specifiy the coffee based drink. Tell them they make it the same way they always do, but you want them to drop a banana in there before they blend it.
O - M - G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember when you were young and you would get a banana split sundae? And towards the end, everything was just about melted and all you could taste was the banana and chocolate? It's like that, but for us adults, walking around with a Mocha-Banana Frappucino looks a lot better than walking around with a banana split sundae!
Enjoy :)
I have put a twist on the Mocha Frappucino though, and I thought I would share it with all of you.
The next time you have a hankering for a Mocha Fappucino, ask them to add a banana. Now, you do NOT want a cream based drink. You have to specifiy the coffee based drink. Tell them they make it the same way they always do, but you want them to drop a banana in there before they blend it.
O - M - G !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Remember when you were young and you would get a banana split sundae? And towards the end, everything was just about melted and all you could taste was the banana and chocolate? It's like that, but for us adults, walking around with a Mocha-Banana Frappucino looks a lot better than walking around with a banana split sundae!
Enjoy :)
Monday, August 10, 2009
Who else misses "Friends"???
It is after midnight, and I'm sitting here with tears in my eyes from laughing so hard! I was always an avid "Friends" watcher, and can pretty much answer any trivia question on the show, but it is my late night obsession with the reruns that really get me going.
I'm watching the one where Chandler sleeps through a meeting and accidentally agrees to be transferred to Tulsa. His expression is just priceless when he realizes what has happened!
And how about the episode where Ross wears black leather pants to a date, and he takes them off in the bathroom, but can't get them back on? So he calls Joey from his cell, and Joey recommends lotion, then baby powder. That has to be my ALL TIME FAVORITE!!!
My point to this post, is that it's good to still have things to laugh at, even when you are alone, on your couch, sometime after midnight.
I'm watching the one where Chandler sleeps through a meeting and accidentally agrees to be transferred to Tulsa. His expression is just priceless when he realizes what has happened!
And how about the episode where Ross wears black leather pants to a date, and he takes them off in the bathroom, but can't get them back on? So he calls Joey from his cell, and Joey recommends lotion, then baby powder. That has to be my ALL TIME FAVORITE!!!
My point to this post, is that it's good to still have things to laugh at, even when you are alone, on your couch, sometime after midnight.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
When is a friend a friend, and when is a friend just awful?
In the course of my (ahem) 40 years, I have been friends with a lot of people. My first friend was Therese. The story goes that my mom walked me next door to Therese's house the day she came home from the hospital, so technically, I have known her longer than her sisters, who were still at their grandparent's house.
My next dear friend was Christy. Christy and I did everything together - except when it came to getting our periods. We were at sleep away camp the summer between sixth and seventh grades, and she got her period and I freaked. Our friendship declined further until we were in our 30s and had a final arguement over our baby's schedules. (She was a nap and feeding tyrant, and I was the hippie, go-with-the-flow mommy.)
My next set of friends came in high school. We were a close knit bunch - not popular, not freaks, but somewhere in between. And after high school, we still all remained tight. Sorority sisters, college roomates... sure we had other loyal sisters in crime, but none knew each other better than the close knit bunch of high school.
Which brings us to present day. We all have kids, we all have minivans and husbands, and we all have email. For most of the close knit bunch, email serves the greater purpose - letting each other know when Junior gets his/her first tooth, when the next 1st communion is happening, etc, etc... For one member of our close knit bunch, email is not what a friendship makes. She expects everyone to see each other face to face at least a hundred times a year. Now, I don't know about you, but between soccer, softball, school, sex and sleep (which of course the latter two I know nothing about) I barely see the inside of my bathroom much less my close knit bunch.
This particular member of the close knit bunch sends a scathing email to the rest of the tight knit bunch, calling out a few of us, that continually turn down invitation after invitation to get together. Now, I must point out that the events she had planned were not to my liking. I mean, I'm not going to go do something if I don't want to, right? Then she points out that she has attended many an event that she did not want to go to. So why is that my fault?
Which brings me to the point of the post in the first place - When is a friend a friend, and when is a friend just plain awful? And how far does one need to go to ensure a lasting friendship? I mean, I know you have to work at marriage, but that's a no brainer - men are the lesser advanced of the sexes, so us women have to work to keep their men in line. Duh! But when you are friends with another woman, there is an unspoken rule that since estrogen flows 3 out of 4 weeks a month, no one really has to work at the friendship.
(Wow this post is getting long)
Alright, here is the ending... should we have to work at friendships this hard? Are some friendships meant to end, like when you move away when you're seven? How hard are you supposed to fight for a friendship? At the end of the day, I wish I had Socrates sitting next to me answer these questions.
My next dear friend was Christy. Christy and I did everything together - except when it came to getting our periods. We were at sleep away camp the summer between sixth and seventh grades, and she got her period and I freaked. Our friendship declined further until we were in our 30s and had a final arguement over our baby's schedules. (She was a nap and feeding tyrant, and I was the hippie, go-with-the-flow mommy.)
My next set of friends came in high school. We were a close knit bunch - not popular, not freaks, but somewhere in between. And after high school, we still all remained tight. Sorority sisters, college roomates... sure we had other loyal sisters in crime, but none knew each other better than the close knit bunch of high school.
Which brings us to present day. We all have kids, we all have minivans and husbands, and we all have email. For most of the close knit bunch, email serves the greater purpose - letting each other know when Junior gets his/her first tooth, when the next 1st communion is happening, etc, etc... For one member of our close knit bunch, email is not what a friendship makes. She expects everyone to see each other face to face at least a hundred times a year. Now, I don't know about you, but between soccer, softball, school, sex and sleep (which of course the latter two I know nothing about) I barely see the inside of my bathroom much less my close knit bunch.
This particular member of the close knit bunch sends a scathing email to the rest of the tight knit bunch, calling out a few of us, that continually turn down invitation after invitation to get together. Now, I must point out that the events she had planned were not to my liking. I mean, I'm not going to go do something if I don't want to, right? Then she points out that she has attended many an event that she did not want to go to. So why is that my fault?
Which brings me to the point of the post in the first place - When is a friend a friend, and when is a friend just plain awful? And how far does one need to go to ensure a lasting friendship? I mean, I know you have to work at marriage, but that's a no brainer - men are the lesser advanced of the sexes, so us women have to work to keep their men in line. Duh! But when you are friends with another woman, there is an unspoken rule that since estrogen flows 3 out of 4 weeks a month, no one really has to work at the friendship.
(Wow this post is getting long)
Alright, here is the ending... should we have to work at friendships this hard? Are some friendships meant to end, like when you move away when you're seven? How hard are you supposed to fight for a friendship? At the end of the day, I wish I had Socrates sitting next to me answer these questions.
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