Layaway

Sunday whilst at W.almart I decided that I should start my Christmas shopping.  So I moseyed on back to the bike department and picked out the cutest little bike for Lovegirl.  Rolled it over to the layaway department, paid $25 and patted myself on the back for a job well done.

Got home and told Smoochy what I’d done.

Smoochy: Why did you put the bike in layaway?
Nerd Girl:  So we’d have somewhere to store it until Christmas.  Duh.
Smoochy:  How much was the bike?
Nerd Girl:  $50.  I paid $25.
Smoochy:  Fifty dollars?!? You put a fifty dollar bike in layaway?!? And paid for half of it?  Why?
Nerd Girl:  I just told you, so we’d have somewhere to store it until Christmas.
Smoochy:  When do you have to get it out?
Nerd Girl:  December 16.
Smoochy:  And where are we going to put it from then until Christmas?
Nerd Girl:  Your dad’s.
Smoochy:  So really, you just wanted to put something in layaway.
Nerd Girl:  Yep.

The only other thing I’d ever put on layaway was a couple of outfits from H.ollidays (remember them?) when I was in college.  By the time I got them out two or three paychecks after I’d put them in, I didn’t even like what I’d chosen and got a refund.  I just wanted layaway success in my life and thanks to Lovegirl’s bicycle, I’ve got it!

What Is Wrong With These People???

http://www.wapt.com/politics/29584149/detail.html

Go ahead, watch the video…I’ll wait!

 

I Support Her Endeavors…

See my title?  Yeah, there’s no way I’d be saying that if Lovegirl ever decided to pose nude or topless.  Apparently E.ddie and N.icole Mu.rphy’s daughter B.ria is going to appear in M.axim magazine soon in various states of undress.  Both parents have expressed their support for their daughter and wish her the best as she pursues an acting career.

I call b.s.  Now, don’t get me wrong, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with a naked body.  However, I have no desire for Lovegirl’s to be splayed all over any publication.  And I’d tell her as much.  I realize that all we can do is raise our children to the best of our abilities and that they will do things of which we don’t approve.  But that doesn’t mean we have to cosign on whatever they decide to do in the name of parental support.

Of course, the M.urphys may fully endorse what their child has chosen to do and in that case – rock on.  But I will not be telling Lovegirl that I support her in whatever she does.  Because I don’t/won’t.

I wonder if this is a “Hollywood” phenomenon (K.hardashians anyone?) or if parents all over America are willing to okay whatever it is that Little Johnny/Jane want to do?

 

Reminder…

Next book club book:  The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Discussion:  Monday, December 5.

Hope you’ll join us!!  This is your “next time” so grab a copy and get to getting!

Big Thug Thizzle…And Other Weekend Occurrences

How was your weekend?  Did you party like a rock star?  Chillax the days away?

My weekends are never quite as chill as I plan them out to be in my mind.  But that’s mostly because until now, I’ve pretty much refused to do that 15/20 minutes of housework a day that’s supposed to leave your weekends free.  I think I’m going to try it – for real – this week and see if it works.  Do you break your housework up or do you jump up on Saturday mornings and tackle it all?

Saturday morning we hung around and cleaned up the house.  Lovegirl was not pleased with the amount of time and effort she had to put into cleaning up her rooms.  Yeah, that’s right, rooms.  In addition to her bedroom she’s taken over the guest room and between the two rooms – sister had a lot of work to do.  I’m hoping that this 20 minutes of dedicated housekeeping nightly will help her out too.  Anyway, then we ran errands – picked up a few more fall/winter items for her – including a pair of suede boots for that were unexpectedly on sale for $20!  Thank you Lord   We also picked up birthday presents for the next two weekends.  I’m telling you – this kid has quite a social calendar!

Saturday night we moved our maxing and relaxing over to Pserendipity’s house.  Where Tim and Smoochy got to talking.  About our blogs.  Now, Smoochy’s always known that I had a blog, but he’s never bothered to read it.  Tim?  Reads Pserendipity’s blog.  For real.  After much discussion about their aliases, they’ve decided they no longer want to be called “Tim” and “Smoochy.”  Um, Tim, your name is Tim.  Nevertheless, they’ve given themselves new blog identities.  You ready?  You’re not ready.  Tim would like to be called….Thug Thizzle.  And Smoochy?  Well, he wants to be called…Big Thug Thizzle.  So….please know that from here out, Smoochy shall be called BTT.

Tim Thug Thizzle also spent a good deal of time talking about how badly he and P whipped BTT and I last time we played spades.  Except they totally lost.  Every game.  I think he really thought they won!  Poor TT!!

Sunday was spent playing hooky from church (it was our church anniversary and…I really don’t like programs) and taking Lovegirl to a birthday party at a local park.  Initially I totally was not feeling the birthday party, but I must say, it was really nice and I had the opportunity to get in a few laps around the park.  So, all in all we had a great weekend!

I don’t think I’ve told y’all yet, but for the next year I will work diligently toward getting back into shape.  I will go to the gym a minimum of 3x a week.  I will make better food choices.  I will start lifting weights again.  I will tone up.  I will turn forty looking fab.  That is all

Lovegirl (who hasn’t requested a new name…yet) insisted that I get a picture of her in action yesterday.  Here, in all her glory, she is!

Man, I love this kid!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

This week’s manicure: Coalest Day of the Year by Barielle.  My ring finger bling is courtesy of Sinful Colors.

One of my favorite cool weather colors!

Thursday Randoms, Published on Friday.

• I did not accomplish nine random acts of kindness during my birthday weekend. Apparently one has to leave the confines of home and a stadium parking lot to be truly randomly kind.  I did manage three:  I taped change to a vending machine outside of the student union, I bought a McDonald’s gift card and handed it to a lady in line, and I went inside the neighborhood doughnut shop and handed a guy in line a few dollars and told him to enjoy.  Next year, I will plan better and get nine accomplished!
• Lovegirl’s class went to the pumpkin patch Tuesday.  The teacher told Lovegirl to hurry up and pick a pumpkin.  Lovegirl told her that she was searching for the crown jewel of pumpkins and that it might take a while.  That child…
• Mentioned this on Twitter…the D.ollar T.ree sells marijuana testing kits.  Yep, they’re right up front at the register.  Who knew??
• I scored an awesome mirror at Goodwill the other day for the low-low of $15.  I’m going to stain it a darker shade and lean it against a wall in our bedroom.  Way past time to replace our “temporary” cheap mirror that we’ve had for…9 years.  I’m all kinds of excited.
• Do you remember specifics from your childhood?  I was talking to Pserendipity last night and she was recalling things she’d done in the first grade.  What?!?  I can’t remember yesterday,  much less things that happened…a while ago
• The floor above me at work is being renovated for new office and library space.  I feel like I’ve been at the dentist’s office for the last week.  The constant drilling is working my nerves.  Not to mention one dude sings all the time.  I’m going to send him a request list ’cause I don’t know anything he’s singing and I’d like to hear some of my favorites.
• I told my pastor last night that I wasn’t enjoying reading the Bible as much now that we’re studying it.  Seems too much like a text book or something.  Yeah, that got me the side-eye.
• I really only want two things for Christmas this year – a stand mixer and a new oven.  I’m pretty sure one of those will not be happening.
• One of my latest goals is to learn more American history.  I picked up a couple of books at the library book sale which should help on that front:  A Voyage Long & Strange, and Nixon and Kissinger.  I always thought I had a pretty good base in history, but really, I don’t.
• I lost my keys at home Wednesday night.  I veered from my usual routine of walking in and immediately hanging them on the key rack.  Could not find them until this morning.  They were hanging one hook over from where I usually put them.  o_O
• The football players from UAPB and Southern got into a post-game fight on the field last week.  Southern lost and one of their players refused to shake hands with a UAPB player after the game and swung on him – resulting in an on-field free for all.  25 UAPB players were suspended for one game, 5 were suspended for two games, 12 Southern players were suspended for one game.  Dizzamn!  Who’s left to play???  Guess we’ll find out what these sanctions amount to next weekend – this is a bye week for both teams.
• I’m back in the gym.  Somehow I just realized that I’ll be 40 next year – I cannot afford to let the temple that is my body fall apart.  Back to serious cardio, weights, and stretching.  Gotta keep it right and tight!!!
• Mmkay, that’s it.  Have a great weekend.  LG has one birthday party and that’s it for us!!  Whoo hoo!  I plan on puttering around the house, reading, and maybe staining the mirror.  That is all and I’m glad about it!  Be well.

Page 463

That’s right, I fell 24 pages short of finishing “A Life of Reinvention: Malcolm X.”  Oops.  But I’m still ready to discuss.  Did anyone (besides Jameil) hang in and finish on time?  Okay, let’s go:

1.  I was shocked – yep shocked – at Marable’s dislike of Malcolm X.  The strong dislike he had for his subject was almost palpable.  Snide comments, unproven tidbits thrown in, and condescension ran rampant through this book.  Let me state – I don’t really have any heroes.  I’m not a worshiper of people.  So I didn’t hold Malcolm X in some sort of god-like view before reading this book, nor do I now.  But I get the feeling that Marable wrote this book with a strong determination to discredit Malcolm X and  the work for which he is known.

2.  I learned quite a bit about the Nation of Islam.  Who knew?  I always thought that the Nation of Islam were “just” black Muslims.  I didn’t realize that this Fard fellow started the NOI and then transferred leadership to Elijah (Poole) Muhammad before he disappeared.  Do what?  And that whole Yacub’s History?  I don’t know how I missed all of this.

3.  It’s been ages since I read “The Autobiography of Malcolm X,” and I now want to read it again – and soon – so that I can note the differences between what Marable wrote and what Malcolm X told Alex Haley.

4.  This book provided a wonderful synopsis of how and why Malcolm X split from the NOI and became a “true” Muslim.  As a pretty peaceable person, I was surprised at how much anger and hatred Malcolm’s former friends and associates displayed when he left the NOI.

5.  I feel like Marable just thew “controversial” tidbits in the book and then just quickly moved on without ever proving his allegations.  I’m referring to Malcolm’s homosexual experience, his affair with the Parisian woman (name escapes me), his relationship with Sharon 6X, and Betty’s affair with Charles 37X Kenyatta.  What was written about these incidents was not enough to convince me that they actually occurred.

6.  What this book did for me was make me more curious about the life of Malcolm X.  I was hoping for insight into his personal life, and don’t feel as though this book gave me that.  I suppose that Mr. X was so very private and reserved that we’ll never really “know” him the way we may feel we know other historical figures.

Anyhoo, those are some of my thoughts…what did you think of the book?  Were you surprised by anything you read?  Has your interest in Malcolm X been piqued?

Comment away.  I’ll be back periodically with my two cents!

 

Weekend Recap

Thanks all for the birthday wishes.  Despite what I’m about to write here, I had a great weekend!!

My friend and her foster-working-toward-adopted daughter made it in on Friday night around 10.  Which was cool.  Except that I was knocked out sleep.  For real.  I woke up – kinda – and we talked and caught up for what seemed like an eternity.  I think it was really only an hour or so.  They wanted to go to IHOP the next morning for breakfast which was fine but I told them to anticipate a wait – it was Saturday, the breast cancer walk was happening, and it was Homecoming weekend.  We weren’t going to just waltz in a get a table.

Saturday morning we head to IHOP.  Where she promptly starts complaining about the wait.  O_o.

We make it through breakfast and walk around the mall to kill a little time before we head to the tailgate.  She requests a stop at S.onic first so she can get a Route 44 ice water.  In theory, that’s great.  In reality we are about to be in a stadium parking lot for 4 hours.  Port-a-potty only.  She gets two ginormous waters – one for her, one for her daughter who is 9. Of course, they need to go to the bathroom.  I told them where port-a-potty row was located and continued trying to learn the “monkey feet” dance.

We finish phase one of the tailgate and head into the game where we were handed our asses by JSU.  The final score was 48-10.  I don’t want to talk about it.

Game over, we head back out to the parking lot to continue partying.  About 30 minutes in she asks when we’re leaving ’cause the daughter is hungry and wants to go through the B.urger K.ing drive-thru.  Naw dog.  Just naw.  We are at a TAILGATE.  There is enough food to feed the children. Sally Struthers.  I suggest that she feed the child from the available food – spaghetti, boudin, sausage links, hot dogs, john wayne casserole, salad, cole slaw…..I told Smoochy he was going to have to do an intervention ’cause I was gonna snap.  He fixed them both plates and told them to dig in.  With the exception of the boudin everything was a hit.  We still had to leave about 45 minutes later.  Because they had to go to the bathroom.  Aaaargh!!!  I still don’t know how to do the monkey feet.

Sunday morning I left everyone at home and celebrated the start of my birthday at early morning church services.  Got home, fixed breakfast for all.  Am repeatedly told the turkey sausage doesn’t taste like pork.  That would be because it’s not.

Then she tells me she wants to take me out for lunch.  I was like great – let’s go to the Vietnamese restaurant.  She and the kid have never had Vietnamese.  Okay…Chinese?  Nope.  Mexican?  Too spicy.  So we head to…The G.olden C.orral.  Really?  Really?  Yeah, really.  Praise God from whom all blessings flow – the line was too long.  So we ended up at…wait for it…Ci.Ci’s Pizza.

They left around 4 and I’ve never been so happy to wave goodbye in all my life.  I love my friend dearly, but have decided that our relationship is not going to make it through too many more overnight stays.  We do best with phone calls and short drop-ins when I’m in the Bluff!!!

This chick was my road-dog all through college.  We went to almost every away football game.  She was fun to travel with, I knew I wasn’t going to have to worry about some strange dude being in the room, and she’s not a get sloppy drunk kind of girl.  Having said that, it’s obvious that 20+ years has changed both of us.  Can’t help but think of TIH’s latest post on friendships – have you read it?

Anyhoo, when’s the last time you had overnight guests?  How’d it go?

Happy Friday!!!

• I have a friend who I love dearly that drives me batty.  She cares way too much about what other people say/think about her.  She’s 37.  I wish I could give her a big old box full of “I don’t give a damn” for her next birthday.

• My child has requested a fur vest.  What y’all think?  Should I get her a fake fur and let her rock it?  Yea or nay?

• I love P.interest.

• My pastor has started opening the floor for questions at the end of Bible study.  I wish he’d close it back.  There are some…interesting questions floating around in the minds of my fellow church members.

• I don’t like selling stuff.  At all.  Ever.  Lovegirl’s in the midst of two fund raisers – one for school, one for Girl Scouts.  I’m going to order two or three things from each and be done with it.

• For Barista:  Nope, we no longer have a dog.  Used to have a Pomeranian.  One night I let him out and then I promptly fell asleep.  Haven’t seen him since.

• Did y’all know The T.ime is now a whole new group called The O.riginal 7ven?  I don’t get it…

• My birthday is Sunday.  I’ve decided to celebrate my birthday (October 9) by performing 9 random acts of kindness.  I totally stole this idea from someone, but I love it, so I’m doing it!

• Happy 1st anniversary to Pserendipity and Tim.  They’re probably the only anniversary I’ll ever be able to remember other than our own.  Shout out to them for marrying on my birthday.  I’m totally sure that’s why they picked that date…

• To commemorate this weekend’s game, I did my first ever tape manicure last night.  Turned out pretty good – not the neatest paint job, but eh.  I’ll definitely be doing this again – with a more subtle color palette

Repping those Golden Lions of UAPB! Roar Lions roar!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hope you have a lovely weekend – I plan on having a blast!!!

 

Random Stuff

• New book club discussion date:  Monday, October 17.  Thanks much to Simply B for requesting an extension…I surely need it!  We’re reading “A Life of Reinvention: Malcolm X” if anyone wants to do some quick reading over the next two weeks.
• Our pastor is teaching us how to study the Bible.  Really great series.  Very common sense, but nothing I’d ever considered before.  I’ve read the Bible, but never studied it.  We’ve started with the book of Ephesians, and though I’ve read it on several occasions, I’m reading studying from a new perspective and really enjoying it.
• JSU’s homecoming is this week.  And they’re playing my undergrad alma mater UAPB!  I cannot wait for Saturday’s game!  We’ve bought a tailgating lot, I’ve pulled together my black and gold accessories, I think a few friends are coming down, and I’m ready to talk ish!  Let the games begin!
• Drake has got to be the worst “rapper” ever.  Yep, ever.  I’d rather listen to…hell, anybody else.
• It’s breast cancer awareness month.  If you’re not up on your self-exams, annual checkups, or your No Thank You Ma’amogram (KRock – August 2011) do what you need to do and get down on it!
• You know what’s better than new underwear?  Nothing!  Okay, there are better things.  But new unmentionables rank pretty high on my list.
• Operation Clean This Crap Up is still in full effect.  I am so excited by how much better our house looks with just a little extra attention being paid to it every day.  This weekend Lovegirl and I bought new plants for our entryway, cleaned out her room and closet, and washed everything that wasn’t pinned down.  And I found out we need a new vacuum cleaner.  Yeah, it’s broken and I didn’t even know it…
• Anybody got any recommendations for a new vacuum?  Don’t bother mentioning a Dyson, Miele, or Oreck…that’s not happening.
• I tweeted a pic of the Jolly Green Giant at last week’s JSU/TSU game.  I still feel kinda bad about it.  I would make a horrible paparazzi.  I couldn’t even take the picture – the lady in line behind me at the concession stand saw what I was trying to do and took the picture for me…
• This lady at work wears too much perfume.  And I don’t like the scent.  Smells like the stuff the groomers used to spray on my dog.  Until I told them to stop ’cause it stank.
• In case my Mama’s reading – happy birthday sweets!  I love you much!

That’s it for now.  Hope everyone has a marvelous day!