Not for men

HHOK, can I talk frankly for one second. Not like that doesn't happen on a frequent basis, but at this time I feel a great need to comment on some absurdity in the universe. I literally mean "universe" and you'll understand why in a moment.

has anyone seen this yet??!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfskwS_mnmg

Clearblue Easy is a well known brand, and for many of us not a tool we need just yet. They have sold their product with the guarantee of reliability for years with some semblence of discretion and decency; But a stream of pee shooting through outer space (OUTER SPACE), dubbed by the "voice guy" (who does every movie ad in THE WORLD), is a little much! Though I am somehow intrigued by this ad. It's short, it's simple, it captures your attention, and it gets to the point. Peeing on a stick!! How much more straight forward can they get. I am still shocked by the stream of pee every time I happen to pass it while channel surfing. Wow. i mean, come on people! Is this really how far we've come? I enjoy my television programming just as much as the next person, but i think this is really beyond taste. What do you think? Thank goodness it seems to be restricted to Oxygen and We. Let's hope it stays there.


**please note a heaping hint of sarcasm when you read this. do i need to add some 'hehes' or smiley faces? that is all.

Photo's from "break"

we registered at Target. Mike got to "play" with the scanner and give me "brain cancer" whenever I was being ridiculous or over-excited about kitchen gadgets.

THIS is what happened to my poor little SUV after four days in Erie...boo dirt roads, snow, and rain. Reason #524 why I hate PA.

this FANTASTIC group you see before you spent the New Year at my house. It was a great New Year. Mike met my friends and they loved him. Perfection.

the insanity began right after this shot...

i think my picture speaks for itself...i am most proud of the fruit. you thought i would say shuttle cock, didn't you?

there was a bit of Wii playing as well! (we even registered for it- we're awesome)

another one that speaks for itself. Artist: M. Glenn Lyle

it's a giant apple...

and a giant pear and oversized olive. WHAT?!?

this pony is just downright SCARY

this bottle came up above my KNEE...my KNEE!! oh the absurdity!!

e.e. cummings

i carry your heart with me

(i carry it in my heart)

i am never without it

(anywhere i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done by only me is your doing, my darling)
i fear no fate

(for you are my fate, my sweet)

i want no world

(for beautiful you are my world, my true)
and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant
and whatever a sun will always sing is you
here is the deepest secret nobody knows
(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)
and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart
i carry your heart

(i carry it in my heart)

Things that make you go- AHAHAHAHA

just a little of the funny for you...

Some all-time picks

I highly recommend these books. That might not mean much to you but, you have to admit, I have taste.

Historically based during the 1893 World's Fair in Chicago.

probably THE best childrens author. He started out working for Disney- you may have seen some of the movies he animated for- Snow White, Sleeping Beauty...heard of em?


The reason we have a USDA today...also set in Chicago.



The Congolese people were turned upside down by this Belgian king.

controversial and thought provoking. Menzies argues that the Chinese did in fact have the means to travel to America. It's along the same line as the Norse in North America. Valid. Maybe, maybe not. You should read to determine that.

a name we should ALLLLL be familiar with.

"i don't front
i just do not front"

--me

"i like the way they feel against my teeth"

--mike (doped up on Nyquil)

New Paintings

"and the sky ran red"

"there is not enough nothing"

i know, but do you?

this is based on a print i did last year. i'm not that happy with it. i may redo the whole thing, or I may learn to love it and leave it like this...who knows!

Shine On Us

Lord, let your light, light of your face shine on us.

That we may be saved, that we may have life;

To find our way in the darkest night, let you light shine on us.

Lord, let your grace, grace from your hand fall on us.

That we may be saved, that we may have life;
To find our way in the darkest night, let you grace fall on us.

Lord, let your love with no end come over us.

That we may be saved, that we may have life;
To find our way in the darkest night, let you love shine on us.

cutest thing EVER!

I went to a daycare from a very young age- say, 1 or so- through fifth grade. One such daycare in Plano was called Palisades. This was the most wonderful daycare EVER! I'm really not kidding. This place, in 1986, had a computer lab before some of the local schools did. We had this giant playground complete with large wooden play fort, yellow-painted concrete teepee, and a pool. Oh, and I can't forget the large dead tree we could climb on, ooh, and stone gravel. These were the days when kids were actually allowed to be kids and run around on and climb things that today are considered 'too dangerous' for a child. Here I went to preschool and kindergarten and it is where I learned to read, write, lasso, and swim. I don't think they're there anymore, but I loved it there. We also made some wonderful crafts here. The most memorable was a reindeer ornament, and since I'm getting ready to teach art, I'm going to teach YOU how to make your very own! YAYYYY!! Ok, here we go:
What you'll need:

• brown, black, white, and red construction paper


• glue


• ruler


• scissors


• red glitter


• small piece of string

1. measure out a 4"x4" square on the brown paper


2. cut it out


3. now cut along the diagonal so you have two triangles


4. free-cut a pair of black antlers. You can draw one and trace if you'd like.


5. with two tiny dots of glue, place the antlers at the corners of the longest side of the triangle.


6. spread more glue on that side


7. place your string on the paper so you have something to hang it with


8. place your other triangle on top


9. press the two sides together very well


10. now cut out two red circles. make them sbout the size of film canister tops


11. cut out four white circles about the size of quarters


12. cut out four black circles about the size of dimes.


13. glue one of the two red circles to the triangle corner that doesn't have an antler.


14. flip it over and do the same thing, making sure to glue the two together where they touch


15. glue down two of your white circles


16. glue a black circle in each of the white circles


17. flip it over and do the same thing


18. spread glue on one of the red noses, and cover the glue with glitter


19. shake off, and let it dry for a bit


20. flip it over and glitter the other side


21. let it dry before you hang it or the glue will run

now you have a cute ornament for your tree! also great for package tags, computer decorations, etc...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

and then there's the time i cut my hair...

"The hair is the richest ornament of women."
~Martin Luther

for anyone who knows me, this is a very true statement for this self-conscience girl. I have never been my best critic, never. My hair has, in my eyes, been one of my few redeeming physical qualities. Recently though, I decided I could do with a change. I am never satisfied with long term stability. It is not something I grew up adhering to- i mean, you really can't when you have a new school for every year of elementary school. Thus, a cutting and donation was in order. I will sample you with some of the pictures. Be amazed by my mother's wonderful photographic work (i'm totally kidding- she had NO clue as to how to use my camera)! Now my long locks are a thing of the past, but I'm happy with the older-looking version of me. Plus I have plenty of time for the hair to grow long enough for the wedding.

don't these look like RATS!?

the new haircut...joy!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Enjoy time with your family. Many blessings friends!!

Mawage...

Mawage. Mawage is wot bwings us togeder tooday. Mawage, that bwessed awangment, that dweam wifin a dweam...

I sometimes feel like our upcoming nuptials are all I talk about. Then I think, hey you don't really talk to anyone here so you have full right to blog about it. Mike, as you know, proposed on the fourth of July. Well, it's mid-November already and I can't believe it. On the day he proposed we had exactly one year and one month until our set date. Now, we only have eight and a half months until our wedding.

It has been so exciting for us. and time has quickly slipped by. Being apart makes it very difficult. And by difficult I mean I get cranky after long periods of not seeing him, i.e. the four month separation until Christmas, and not being able to enjoy our time together as an engaged couple. Difficulties aside, it also makes our wedding day that much more spectacular. I am marrying the most wonderful man on August 4th.

I don't often have time to sit and think about the stature of this event. How grand and life changing it all is. Sometimes if I catch myself daydreaming, I snap back and think "We're getting married!" ala Carrie Bradshaw intonation, hand gestures and all (see, I love my sex and the city). I find myself not really grasping all that I'm planning. We have the florist, the photographer, the color scheme, the chapel, the reception site, the bridal party chosen, and my pastor. I know what we're doing for the invitations, the escort cards, the centerpieces, the favors, the wine, the music, etc. Very rarely though does it hit me that I am planning our wedding. OUR WEDDING! *gush* But when I realise, my day is marked by elation and extreme "ants in the pants lets get married" emotions.

Michael is just as excited, though he's very cool and collected, very "mannish" about it. And that's perfectly alright. He is the more levelheaded one in our relationship. So, I am planning this great thing that is the ceremony and reception. It will be a time that will be all about the bride and groom, but more importantly, will be about the friends and family that brought us to the point where we could make that lifelong commitment to each other. I'm going to marry this man, grow up with this man, have children with this man (darn cute babies), and be with this man until we die.

I'm going to be a mess on our wedding day. If I hold back the tears it will be nothing short of a miracle. I love him. Simply.

My Paintings

To indulge ego in me that wants to be let out time to time, here are a few of my newest paintings. Three to be exact. One, two, five...! The landscape i am not thrilled with at all. But i'll throw it in with the other two because hey, some of you actually want to see what i've been doing with my time in school.

my ugly ugly landscape

the complementary one..."Cornfields"... finished. Although, I may do some retooling of the actual cornfields. Not my favorite, but i like it.

i think i'll call this one "Fleet". The light is a little deceptive, but this is the best i could do tonight. "Fleet" only took me about two hours and i LOVE LOVE LOVE it. LOVE it. So much. I really do think i've found which technique works best for me. Thank God for impressionism, right.

a detail from "Fleet"*. This is the foremost ship.

*title may change, in likely event please proceed cautiously to exits.

Anniversary

Happy Anniversary to me! I've lived here three months today.
One: I can not believe it's been three months, let alone mid-November
Two: I feel like I've been here much longer
Threeve: I was born here, I belong here

Happy Anniversary to me...what does one get ones self for a three month anniversary? Good question self...

I...[part 2]

am still obsessed with Robbie...(my baby got me his new disc- YAY!)

can't believe her new single samples "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music. No, really!

LOVE Lily Allen! If you haven't heard smile...well, lets just say, YOU SHOULD!!

[no picture]

am really excited to try Michael Chiarello's Pea Whipped Potatoes. Really. Yummm..

love seeing my handsome young brother...yes, he's single ladies -wink-

actually taught kids how to make these bugs. wow. (proud mom moment) :)

Artist?

So, I'm almost done with this painting. We had to take an artist- in my case Maurice Vlaminck- and copy one of their paintings in complementary colors. Vlaminck is one of the premiere fauvist painters. This means literally, the Wild Beasts. Thick lines, bright colors, lots of paint, lots of texture characterized these works. His work started out looking more childish like Gauguin. He had little art training, but after time developed a style closer to Van Gogh or Cezanne (very Cezanne) and sometimes Matisse. The Fauvist movement was short lived and his paintings became more subdued and orderly. I painted "Cornfield". This doesn't mean much to you since you can't see the original. I don't have a picture of that one. But here it is...my newest painting. I'm really starting to come into my own and I'm quite proud of it!

There's more to the world then DARFUR!

This is a reminder to myself to write about this topic. I'm not saying focus should be completely redirected from Darfur, but it's not the only humanitarian problem we've got. Not everything happens in africa people! I'll finish tonight hopefully when i have time. Some topics will include:

• Burma (Myanmar) and the Junta whose military dictatorship, which was never legally elected, is destorying a population and leading to yet another civil war
• Ukraine and it's lost children. Thousands of children from ages 3 to 15 (they become legal adults when the turn 16) live in the streets, or rather underneath them, all year long. Kicked out by parents who can't financially support children, they are displaced and left to survive in the tunnels below Kiev. Heating is regualted by the state, and along these underground, and sometimes above ground, pipes live a class of lost children.
• On a brighter note: MICRO-LENDING! http://kiva.org/ A little going a long way.

You know what I love...

I love Sheetz. You know what made my night? Sheetz...and Journey and Billy Joel. In a move I am sure to regret in the morning, I went to Sheetz and got my 8.30 dinner. It's delicious by the way. On the drive back to my place I ran the stations to find some good music. Low and behold- JOURNEY! Can I just tell you how much I love Steve Perry's voice. LOVE it! Love it. He makes me swoon (sorry Mike). And then what made the night progress even farther into "awesomedom" [yes, i made up a word- i can do that sort of thing] was the wonderful history lesson that is "We didn't start the fire" by Billy Joel. AMAZING! Now I know there are folks out there who can't stand the billy joel, but i don't care. I LOVE him as well! Yay! I mean anyone who teach 20th century history in a 5 minute song is tops with me. And what poetry...
"Roy Cohn, Juan Peron, Toscanini, Dacron Dien Bien Phu Falls, Rock Around the Clock" Anyone who can insert, let alone rhyme, all these things is a genius in my eyes. Ahh...what a glorious night

With the greatest of ease

And in one fell swoop I shift tone and stick in a new picture. Painting number 3. What do you think? Honestly? I love it. I painted it outside- which made it a tricky bugger. Do people actually read this thing? I know Gurley does, and that makes me smile. But let me know you do...and what you think of my paintings.

anyone who guesses the subject correctly will be sent a prize. and I am in NO way guaranteeing a GOOD prize :).



OOh, and my family. I had to add pictures of them from last weekend too. I look like my mum, sound like my mum, gesture like my mum but have all the looks, stubbornness, and tenacity of my dad. It's really quite amazing. I mean, come on, look at our chemistry.