Zombies are sure popular these days

What happened to Aliens and Ghosts?

I think that these days people would welcome an Apocalypse just to see if their plans worked out.  Getting in my daughters car the other day and I noticed the MRE's in the back seat.  I ask her why they were there and she said, "Well when the Zombie Apocalypse happens, I'll have food."  I have to admit I like Zombie stuff, too.  Watched all of season one of the Walking Dead this weekend.  I understand loving Zombies, but I'm not sure how or when they became so popular.  Nothing like running from a bunch of people turned brainless that do a lot of "urrgghhs", and walk slower than your grandma on a good day.

Halloween has always been my youngest son's favorite holiday.  Last night he said, "I think it's weird that we have to go to school on Halloween."  I think he's hilarious.  He was watching a TV show last night and decided that someone in his room (Henry, our ghost) was watching him.

This is our first year for not trick-or-treating.  We're handing out candy and trying to scare kids, I guess.  Maybe baby Lucy will need me to Trick-or-Treat with her some day.  I'm feeling quite old lately and I'm missing my babies being babies.

Quirks

There are a lot of things that people have little quirks with, and I'm not any different.  I do get the crazy look a lot from some of the people that know me.  Maybe I am a bit crazy, but I'd venture to say that crazy is good sometimes.

People - WASH your hands.  I can't handle being in the bathroom and seeing someone come out of a stall and walk out the door.  That is totally gross, but lately I've even been more extreme about it.  Like using the paper towel or my feet to open doors.  I find you not washing offensive enough to want to punch you in the neck.

A few years back, 10 or so, I decided that going to buffet restaurants were not for me.  I can't stand the idea of kids or adults sniffling over the food I might eat.

A year or so before that I decided that eating meat off of bones I was never doing again.  I'll eat meat just fine, but if it is still on the bone, forget it.  I was at the covered bridge festival and these two women were sharing a turkey leg.  I swear they reminded me of barbarians and I decided that day that we have knives and forks and the store sells meat already off of the bone.  I'm not a cavewoman, so I'll eat boneless.  I have slight issues with watching anyone eat anything bone in, but I don't preach it ( I do realize that it's my weirdness).

Somewhere along the way, I decided that I do not like to share towels.  I know that you're supposed to be clean after a shower, but sometimes, people aren't, and I do not want someone else's stink on my clean body.  This actually goes along with another issue I have.  Sometimes, when I'm in an enclosed space with a bunch of people I catch myself looking around and freaking out a bit about sharing air.  I know it's dumb, but it is what it is.  I start thinking about the air being sort of warm, and that maybe part of what I'm breathing in came out of someone else, and it totally creeps me out.

Before that, maybe when I was a small child, I don't know when or why it happened, but I have a major issue with feet.  I do not like feet on people from about 7 years old on.  This doesn't mean that I don't want people to wear flipflops around me or to be barefoot.  All of that is fine, but touching or really looking at feet is totally yucky to me.  Keep the feet to yourself.

Okay - Yeah - I have a bug guy come and spray my house once a month whether it's needed or not.  I even have him treat outside a couple times a year.  I can't handle bugs in my house.  I don't mind them being in their own space, I don't want anyone to physically kill them around me, but bugs beware - my house is off limits to you.  Not just bugs.  Spiders, snakes, lizards, bugs...all of that creepy stuff..

I sure there are more of these things, but this is definitely enough for you to know about me right now.

Companies I love and why...

First and foremost, I love Google.

No place does it like Google.  They're interesting and they don't waiver in that.  The company puts my needs (yes MINE) first.  I use almost every app they have.  Google Docs, Gmail, G+, Google Calendar, Picasa, Latitude - keep it coming Google, I love you.

Second - I love Amazon.

Amazon is AMAZING. They have really been working hard on the one stop shopping idea.  Music, Apps, Clothing, Food, Electronics.  I can't wait to buy the new Kindle Fire from them.  They have definitely lit my fire (not lame at all).

Third - Trader Joe's

I think I would marry Joe.  He has so many original healthy items in his store.  Me loves me some tasty healthy.


Fourth - I love Wabash National.

It's where I get my paycheck from, but it's more than that.  It truly is a good company to work for.


Fifth - I love Plato's Closet.

I can always find nice jeans for Zach there, and they're typically really in style and cheap.  Plus they stamp my card and every so often I get 20% off the whole purchase.  Woot!

Sixth - I love Woot.  I said Woot and thought of Woot.com.

I do check woot every single day.  I love kids woot and the t-shirts.  Nothing like Woot-off's to get me excited.  Really good deals sometimes.

Next - Kohls - yeah I still love Kohls and Macy's but Kohls is cheaper.

Macy's is great - but way expensive sometimes and Kohls is well more my style.  I love their sales, which they seem to always have.

Oh and there is Lovesac.com

I hope to outfit my living room with those babies someday.  Lovesac are bean bags that are HUGE.  I love them so much, but again a bit pricey.

I occasionally buy from overstock.com and zappos.com too

Great stores, both of them.  Zappos gets a lot of attention, but Overstock is nice, too.  Websites are really easy to maneuver.

Okay - last but not least - that I can think of right now - I love Apple.

I know - I'm an Android person totally, but Apple is pretty good for Simpletons, and I really would prefer to give Simpletons and simple phone.  My mom can even work that phone, so there ya have it.

Thickness of life

I wonder sometimes what it would be like to live a normal life (whatever that is).  I have said forever that I do not believe in conformity, but I'd bet it's a lot easier.  I would guess that if you didn't have to think about things or try to be good and decent that you could just easily blend in with the rest.

Do you ever feel like saying to everything and everyone "I'm just done with all of this" or "I'm tired of fighting the uphill battle of life"?


I remember when I was a young adult and my mom would give me advice or try to help, and I found it so annoying.  I remember asking to move out when I was 17 and disappointing my parents so immensely, yet I didn't care.  The two people who had actually loved me the most and cared for me the most, I hurt them without even thinking about it until years later.  I can not imagine how my mother felt when I did some of the things I did back then.  My parents had always treated me with respect and like I was an adult from a really young age.  Once I actually could make decisions for myself, I wanted to make them all.  I was invincible.  Until I wasn't.  Often times, I wish I could go back and listen to what they had to say, not just listen to them, but really hear them.

I give so much of myself to the people in my life, that I sometimes forget who I am.  Until someone shakes me back to reality.  I am a great me, and people are lucky to have me in their lives.  I'm lucky to have them, too, but sometimes I think the others around me just take me for granted.

I'm running for president

So driving to Chicago always makes me think about toll roads.  Why don't we charge for bypass roads all over the place instead of raising taxes.   So if you choose to take the bypass then you pay a toll.  This works for other things like that too.  The government makes a lot of money off of ipass and i think they should do that other places.   Offer a slight discount but your ipass auto refills at 30 bucks which they draw interest on.  Imagine if 10000 people gave you their 30 bucks to bank.  It just makes sense.

I've said this before but also i don't get why the  government doesn't force our citizens to recycle. So let's say you buy a computer. My thoughts is that upon purchase you have to pay a disposal fee. This money would go to our trash company to pay them for proper disposal of whatever and then we as citizens just throw away everything.  Any money that the trash company makes from recycled items would go back towards the staffing of the program. This still gives everyone choices. They can choose not to buy items if they don't want to pay for properly disposing of them.

Sometimes Insanity works

So I had a crazy thought the other day.   How do we know that eating our dead people doesn't have some great health benefits? How do we know that eating someone's brain wouldn't give us the wealth of their knowledge?  I'm just saying, not doing.

Today

I'm sitting here, trying to think of what I want to blog about today.  

My car is fixed AGAIN.  Only another $550.  Well that's 2K in a few months. I'm tapped out on it, so it better be truly fixed.  It did feel good driving and cleaning it today.  Like it's fresh and new.

Eagle Creek was beautiful today.  I really enjoy being with my sister-in-law and brother so much.  They're good peeps.  Little Lucy has my heart, too.  It's weird how I didn't think I'd ever love anyone even nearly as much as I love my kids, but I find myself falling all over her.  She's like the closest love I've ever felt to that kind of love.  

We're getting ready for our trip now, and I just can't wait to have all my babes in one place.  That's going to be great.  I'm also looking forward to a few days R&R.  Still have homework, but no work to contend with, hopefully.

Have you ever had someone say that you did something that you didn't do?  That is frustrating as hell. I am a bit weird about it though, because I just think that makes a person seem dumb.  For instance, I hear something like so and so said that she heard you don't like her and called her .....(whatever)..and so she doesn't like you.  I think - What?  I'm so out of high school...If you know me, you know that I will tell you to your face what I think of you.  I can't help that.  I like most people.  I can be civil to those I don't care for so much, but most generally you'll know how I feel about you.  I think I've only ever been a mystery to a few people, and to you people I am sorry.   

I think we should all just love each other and get along. 

Thanks for reading...I'll think of something more interesting for the next one.

Captive Advertising

I'm in an advertising class right now, and one of the questions was "do I think that captive advertising is unethical?" 

This really amused me.  I wanted to respond with "How could it be, unless the advertisement itself is?"  

So captive advertising is like when your at the grocery store and your cart has an advertisement on it.  You need a cart, because you're shopping, so you see the advertisement even if it's not meant for you.  Another example might be when you're at a football game and the jumbo screen has advertisements for soda and concessions on it, or when you're at an airport and there are food advertisements on the wall.  You may not be shopping for those things, but because you're standing there, you're the captive audience. So everyone that watches online videos know that often times you have to watch the non-skip ad first. Is this annoying? Sure, but unethical, no way.  How about when you buy a smart phone and there are tons of preloaded apps.  That's captive in a way, because I can't remove them without jail-breaking my phone, but still I think ethics do not play in.  If I want to buy those products, or watch those videos, then it's the right of the seller to add advertisements, and my right as a consumer to say I'm not buying.   

You say - why are you wasting my time with this?  I don't know, it's something I found amusing yesterday, and this is my blog, so I decided to share.  

You guys are reading this, I'm so surprised by that.  I think it's great; I mean, I do like the things I have to say, but I didn't think other people would even find it interesting.  If anyone would like me to post more often, let me know, cuz I have so many thoughts rolling around this head. 

People still use Yahoo for mail? Or for anything?

I'm really confused by this.  I figure it has something to do with comfort and maybe a bit of ignorance.  Okay - ignorance means " lack of knowledge, education, or awareness." I'm not being mean.  
I also think it has to be a stubbornness to change.  *Thought Bubble* "I've always known this, so why should I change to something way more superior?" 


I rarely say much to anyone about it, but every one that knows me knows that I'm a HUGE Google fan.  I've had my Gmail account for a long time now (when it was still beta) thanks to my Gary.  I just don't think people understand that a Google account means a free online account to basically everything needed to do anything.  So, daily I can save my excel documents to my Google Docs, I can check my mail, I share calendars with people in my life, I can upload pictures for sharing to Picasa, I can create a quick and easy website, and most recently I can post to G+.  And guess what, it's all in one place and it's so easy to use, even my mom can navigate it.  I encourage you; I implore you, to change your computing experience forever.  


Also you can include me in your circles on Google Plus, I'd love to have you.  I'm probably more entertaining on here, but who knows.

Let's talk about life baby.. . .

Not really.

Instead, I'd like to talk about why people say "lol" all the time.  Really?  You're really Laughing out Loud?  If you really are laughing out loud as often as you type it, then there is something wrong, because you don't laugh out loud like that when we're actually talking.

Recently I decided to start putting a R before my LOL if I really did laugh.  Also a GOL (as my daughter kindly pointed out, is not a lie), I do giggle out loud a lot while texting.  I also thought of adding an "F" to my lol if I'm talking to someone that uses it a lot, in order to tell them that I just "Fake laughed out loud" like you are ever time you say it.

Another small issue I have with texting is 'kk' - What the hell does that mean?  It's not short for OK cuz we're still typing two letters, and KK sounds really weird.  Like a baby.  I don't like mk either..cuz that's like ummm okay..why not just say k...

BTW...NO one actually ROTFL or ROTFLMAO - Those are just stupid.  Stop using them.  That's what I say, and if it were truly my world, everyone would stop it.

New Favorites

Yeah, so I love music.  I love all kinds of music.  I'm not a huge a country fan, but there IS country music that I like.  Some months I go without getting all excited about music, but sometimes I find something new that I really like.  Maybe it's not new to everyone; maybe just new to me, but last month, my kid introduced me to Andy Grammer.  He sings a lot of good songs, but there is this one that I just LOVE. (Lunatic)

The song gets me going in the morning and well the lyrics seem to stick with me all day.
"You can do this, you can do this
You are not a lu, Lunatic
Crazy would be changing your mind."
Anyway it's such a catchy beautiful tune.
I think I like this song almost as much as Train's "Drops of Juipter".  

A little on happiness. . .

Okay I admit it, I struggle with staying happy and positive each day.  Someone will say something negative, or I will hang on something I thought to be negative.  I think way too much and analyze conversations, people's actions and my own feelings towards everything.  I know that I can choose to be worry free and happy all the time, but it's really not that simple to do for me.

I'm gonna tell you some of the crazy things that I do to keep a smile on my bright face.  I know they're dumb, but they tend to work for me.

• I make my bed, or well Gary does now, cuz he's there.  Coming home to a fresh made bed always makes me feel relief.
• I look in the mirror and say "today is going to be a great day".
• I text my daughter.
• I try to stand up straight (almost stretch it's so straight) once or twice a day.
• Listen to a happy song.
• Imagine my happy place.
• Drink some tea.
• Spend some quality time with my phone.
• Exercise.
• Laugh with Zach.
• Go on a date with the man.
• Listen to an audio book.
• Find the love around me - it's everywhere.

I encourage you to think of the things that keep you happy and positive.  Write a list.

Weatherman

I'm kind of getting tired of educated guessing.  My son has been ill a lot lately, and we have had lots of tests run to get only vague answers.  I know that sometimes things are not as they seem.  I know that worrying will get me nowhere, but I want to scream sometimes.  A weatherman is paid for predictions, but doctors should not be.  A doctor should look for evidence and treat what they can.   I am so tired of hearing, "it looks like it might be. . . ", or "let's try this."  I know that doctors are just people and that they just have a different kind of education than I do, but I so wish they would think more like, "what if he was my son?  How would I treat this then?"  I feel like if they can't fix him then they shouldn't be paid anything.  Or rather, if all i get is indefinite answers, then all you get from me is half of your pay.
Oh the frustration.

Orson Scott Card thoughts. . .

This dude is seriously talented.  I listen to a lot of Audio books.  Long drive to work and home every day.  Anyway, a few months back I downloaded Pathfinder.  It’s a great book!

I think the narration in all of the Orson Scott Card books that I’ve listened to have been phenomenal also.  The books have all caught my attention from the first paragraph to the end.  The Lost Gate is another must read.  I have now listened to the entire Alvin Maker series, and I am a true fan.  I do have to say I even liked Treason, but it did make me wonder what kind of drugs he was doing at the time of writing it.

Interestingly enough, after listening to Pathfinder and loving it, I decided to download Ender’s Game.  I had trouble getting into that one, so I moved on to Alvin.  Card has published a ton of books, and in such a small time frame.  I have completely in awe of him.  That’s really not saying that much, considering I am quite taken by many authors.  I do believe I’d give my left foot to be half as good of a writer as he is though.  (Foot because I want my hands for typing.)

Loving You. . .

You were so little in my arms.  I recall the bridge of your nose and the wide eyed stare filled with love.  I remember the moment when I thought, “you’ll never get this back. Enjoy him now.”
Your cheeks were so chubby and your eyes so blue.  You weren’t wholly mine, yet it felt so like you were.  I remember the thought, “you’re making her like you, even the weird stuff.”
Zelda was my bonding tool with you.  I knew when you were young that you were a gamer at heart, and we played until the game was complete.  I remember thinking, “I will come to your level and then you’ll love me as much as anyone.”
Time has passed.
In the blink of an eye, everything changed.
The lesson that I’ve learned from the experiences we’ve had, is that we never stop.  The love is and always will be, but everyone moves on and changes and grows.
I look into your big brown eyes that I’m only looking down an inch at, and I think, “I’m so proud of the boy you are, and the man you’re becoming.”
The once chubby and now slim face of my young woman is so loving and careful not to upset.  I often think, “How did I get so lucky to have you in my life?”
The young man that is still playing games, but getting ready to join the military, I wonder..”Will you ever know how much I love you?”

Why Android. . .

My first smart phone was a gift from my wonderful man on Valentine’s Day probably about 4 years ago.  It was an iPhone 3G.  I loved that phone and named it “My Precious”.  When the iPhone 4 came out, I jumped quickly on it.  I was most definitely a Mac Head (reference to Apple fanatics).  One day a while ago, I saw the advertisement for the Atrix 4G(“is it a computer or a phone”).  All of the sudden, I decided I would try the Android world and see for myself which was truly the better operating system.  Honestly, I like them both.  They are just a completely different world from each other.

Apple is about keeping it simple, and the look and feel of things.  They made it sleek and beautiful and aesthetically clean.  It’s appealing and they advertise well.  Grandparents and children alike can use the iPhone, yet I still think sales people are trying to figure them out.

Android devices are more complex.  They integrate with all of the Google products, which is very nice.  There are tons of more free apps than the iTunes store has.  The Atrix had a dual-core processor from the start, was on the H+ (true 4G) network, and my laptop dock is pretty neat.  All in all, the device is sweet, but that’s not what sells me on Android.  Amazon and Google sell me on Android.  See, Amazon is amazing and they really know what’s going on and what consumers want; Google has always known what I need and they give it to me in fresh new small beta’s all the time.  The Amazon Apps Store and the Android App store has always stored my App library for me online.  Now both companies store my music, too.  Guess what they charge me for doing this?  That’s right, NOTHING.  Google has any document I need or want in their cloud, along with all my contacts, music, mail, pictures.  Seriously, I know that there is a lot of fear out there, and that some people will be all like …”you do what?”  “don’t you want to protect yourself from identity theft?”  Amazon even guesses at what I want to buy, because I’m there so often.  I love this technology thing, and I love Amazon and Google.  

That is all.

Yes - me and my Android buddy in Mountain View, CA

Thinking that the 4S has nothing on us.

Engel's Law

What is Engel's Law?
So this dude in 1857 named Ernst Engel, a German statistician, came up with this "law".  Plainly stated it means that if you spend 25% of your income today on essentials and you make $50k - you're spending $12,500 on essentials, but if you get an increase to $100k, you will still spend approximately $12,500 on food and essentials.  You won't increase your amount to $25,000.

Okay - so I have to say..REALLY?  You think that I won't use more toilet paper if I make more money.  Were people dumber in the 1800's and someone really had to explain this.  I wonder if this guy won some sort of award for his totally obvious assertion.

I believe that a person who has 24 hours in the day to complete a task will spend possible 8 hours a day being productive.
I believe if you give a teenager a cell phone they will text 3 hours a day.
It is positive that the days get shorter in the winter months.
I believe that this blog has already taken too much time out of my 8 hours of productive time today.