tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-89682162024-03-19T05:19:15.602-07:00Suburbia Las VegasMarriage, Motherhood and a Career in the City of Sin... Now where's my apple martini?LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.comBlogger1021125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-16150079260513440492013-01-16T14:04:00.001-08:002013-01-17T08:48:32.014-08:00Chores!!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6V98EDW9f4/UPcd9PD8sOI/AAAAAAAABRA/ZLPjwKYxhl0/s1600/Madison+Chore+Chart.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P6V98EDW9f4/UPcd9PD8sOI/AAAAAAAABRA/ZLPjwKYxhl0/s320/Madison+Chore+Chart.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I created a new chore chart for Madison this week - and I've gotten some questions about what I have her doing and how it works. Let me start by telling you how I got here... I was paying her $7 flat per week for chores, but finding that I was spending a ridiculous amount of time hounding her to actually do those chores. So, I talked with a few other parents to see what they're doing, and my favorites resembled how her Dad, a mechanic, gets paid. He only gets paid for what he actually does, no hourly wage. If you stand around doing nothing, you're not making any money! What I've done is provide a list of wage earning opportunities and compensation for each time she completes the chore. If she was to complete everything on the list, every day, she could earn $28 or more per week. So far, it's going pretty good. She is working on items to add to the list to make more money - we're in negotiations now. I want to see she's serious about doing what's already here before adding more. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here's a copy of the chart seen in the picture:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For Dishes and Laundry - if she does the dishes AND puts them away, it's .50 for each instance. Each load of laundry would be $1.00 - the possibilities on laundry days are endless, LOL. I'm hoping this works long term, it's time she becomes gradually more responsible and participates more around the house.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Have you tried this with your kids? Any differences? Success rate? </span>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-945851153701472812012-11-28T17:04:00.000-08:002012-11-28T17:04:12.112-08:00Repairs with Damage - Collision Authority<br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Back in September my car was at <a href="http://www.collisionauthority.com/index.htm" target="_blank">Collision Authority</a> at their Henderson location for just a little damage done to my back bumper - they'd previously done repair work on my front bumper (which had a lot of damage), and the work done was excellent. I had no idea what was going to happen next... I'm going to share my story with you readers, as consumers - and Vegas valley locals can make your own decision on whether or not you'd ever give them your business.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The car was returned to me with the bumper repaired, but my custom-made Cowboys shift knob had been shattered and an attempt to repair it was done. See for yourself:</span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgAyLdzUbvI/ULZMcTytOMI/AAAAAAAABP4/zEeLIBE6bWs/s1600/2012-11-28+08.09.28.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-WgAyLdzUbvI/ULZMcTytOMI/AAAAAAAABP4/zEeLIBE6bWs/s1600/2012-11-28+08.09.28.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsuhkZ3-gaM/ULZMiIocUAI/AAAAAAAABQA/7JbIVYqm0go/s1600/2012-11-28+08.08.54.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jsuhkZ3-gaM/ULZMiIocUAI/AAAAAAAABQA/7JbIVYqm0go/s1600/2012-11-28+08.08.54.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The explanation I was given was that the worker repairing my bumper had a tool in the car which bumped my shift knob and subsequently shattered it. This shift knob is basically a resin cue ball - so "shattering" it would have taken some effort and force. Additionally, why would any tools would be inside my vehicle as the repair was <i>outside? </i> Ummmm, ok. I explained this was a custom item and would be difficult to replace - and he asked me to find one from where I'd originally purchased, and they'd pay for it. After getting home, I realized my glove box had been rummaged, it was a complete mess. Maybe they were panicked and looking for a receipt for this shift knob, right? Well, then I realized a change purse that was hanging next to the shift knob was missing. It had no more than $5 in change in it and that wasn't the big deal - the change purse was the shape of a vinyl record and had real sentimental value. I know that I shouldn't leave anything valuable in the car, but it became very clear to me: Someone was attempting to steal the shift knob and it broke in the process. My husband had used an epoxy to make sure this thing never came off, but they hadn't counted on that. You can see in the first picture the large chips missing from the bottom. It didn't look like that when it was mounted. Someone was clearly trying to pry or twist it off.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">When confronted with this, Collision Authority assured us nobody in their shop would ever do such a thing, but they'd make inquiries. Seriously, do you think anyone is actually going to confess? This is supposed to appease me? </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, I attempted to contact the original maker of the shift knob, but no response, and no real internet presence. I could only assume he was no longer doing business. About one week later Collision Authority informed us they'd found another company who makes these and would order one immediately, and even offered to mount it. No thanks. Just order it and I'll pick it up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So this was the end of September - we're now at the end of November, and I STILL do not have my replacement shift knob. It's been over two months, and as you can see by the photos above, it doesn't stay on the shift assembly - so it's real safe, too. All I want is the replacement knob - and they don't seem to be in any hurry to provide any customer service. Nobody has called with a single update or apology in the delay, all inquiries as to the status are initiated by us, and there is never any follow-up on their part. I'm tired of the crappy customer service - so I'll be using all of my social media possibilities to let other consumers know of my experience.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I would discourage anyone from using Collision Authority in Henderson or Las Vegas. It's too bad, too, because the work they do is actually really well done. I can assure you that I will never, ever, be giving them my business again.</span></div>
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LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-55453827166609070882012-10-18T21:48:00.001-07:002012-10-18T21:48:34.213-07:00No Time for TV<div style="text-align: justify;">
Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later... I have again fallen out of love with television. I have a Tivo full of recordings from the last two weeks, and no real desire to watch any of it. Granted, I think I bit off more than I could chew - Monday night alone I have nearly 4 hours of programming I'd like to watch, and no real time to watch it all that night. I've decided I'm going to give up watching "The Voice", it's not all that attractive anymore. Three hours of it every week is a bit too much, NBC. So we'll see. There may be more on the chopping block if I can't catch up soon. </div>
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What are some of your favorite programs? </div>
LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-87270623606031546732012-10-11T11:15:00.003-07:002012-10-11T11:15:27.441-07:00Raindrops Keep Falling on My HeadIt's so dark and rainy today... the Las Vegas desert is getting a well-deserved drink of water.<br />
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What's your favorite thing to do on a rainy day?LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-75910617517664839632012-10-07T13:46:00.001-07:002012-10-07T13:47:17.904-07:00 NFL 2012 Go Cowboys?!So who are you rooting for, this NFL season? Do you watch the NFL? Why, or why not?<br />
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I was raised a Cowboys fan, my mother is from North Texas, I had no choice, really. No regrets, I bleed blue and silver! :)LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-43179029494223925072012-10-06T22:10:00.001-07:002012-10-06T22:14:44.343-07:00Back From the DeadWow, it's been awhile, huh?<br />
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Madison started blogging for her third grade class, a reading collaboration project. That's made me wonder, is blogging dead? Should I start doing this again? It's certainly therapeutic, and fun, to boot.<br />
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Bloggers - are you still out there???LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2Las Vegas, NV, USA36.114646 -115.17281635.909413 -115.48867299999999 36.319879 -114.856959tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-33499816637435786172010-02-22T18:01:00.000-08:002010-02-22T18:04:53.673-08:00Drive Time Conversation"So Maddy... how was your day?"<br /><br />"I had a great day!"<br /><br />"Great days are the best, aren't they?"<br /><br />"Word Mommy, WORD."<br /><br />I love my influences. Just luuuuuurve them. :)LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-44640642468358766502010-01-19T14:21:00.000-08:002010-01-19T14:45:40.988-08:00I Discovered Three Things Today:<div style="text-align: justify;">1. People who take up two parking spaces to protect their precious cars... Seriously? Park your fat lazy ass in the back of the parking lot where no one else parks, and walk. Really - everyone wants to run their keys down the side of your car.<br /><br />2. Nearly my entire working life has been spent working for the gov'ment. I'm so far from private sector that I've completely forgotten what that pressure cooker feels like. Not that I don't have stress, cause I can assure you I do.... but it's a different kind of stress, and I find my situation the lesser of two evils. <br /><br />3. I really need to figure out if I'm gonna do this blogging thing anymore. I know I've mentioned before that the instant gratification piece of my brain really loves Facebook and Twitter, so much that they've begun to dominate my online time. Can I find space for all of it? Sure, if I really want to.<br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-72916573754146283212010-01-02T21:14:00.000-08:002010-01-02T21:29:18.307-08:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kD9CrZODlNA"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dave Matthews Band - "You and Me"</span></a> - DMB has really grown on me in the last couple of years, and their latest, <span style="font-style: italic;">Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King</span>, is so far my favorite collection of songs from the band. If I had to describe the album, I'd call it a very sweet love letter.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xo-FGwK_l7k"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Game - "Westside Story"</span></a> - I really dig 50 Cents' voice, he is the epitome of good time rap. This comes from his former gig 2005.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TTxUiN0-Aj4&feature=PlayList&p=1576D57CAC918ABF&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=28"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Jason Mraz - "The Forecast"</span></a> - I just picked up his album "Mr A-Z" having only heard his one hit "Geek in the Pink" from it, but of course I wasn't disappointed. Jason Mraz has been added to my must-see concert list after having one of his shows on cable yesterday. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBU-FGzuP-w"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Diane Birch - "Nothing But a Miracle"</span></a> - Have you heard this lady sing? She's like Amy Winehouse meets Carly Simon to me. A very soulful, bluesy sound. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B03y5yTmJnE"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Papa Roach - "Scars"</span></a> - Have you ever been here? Yeah, me too. Love this band!<br /></div><br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-41570202780350397912009-12-18T21:34:00.000-08:002009-12-18T21:58:58.077-08:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;">Whoa, it's been almost a month since I posted?! I'm knocking the mic, anyone out there?<br /><br />I make a regular list of music I hear that sounds good, so I can download it later... and for this edition of What's On My iPod, I'm gonna give ya a sample from that list.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0dIuEFSBcU"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Creed - "Rain"</span></a> - Yeah, I know these guys lost their credibility for awhile, but I'll say it, I like 'em. Here's the new single - and I'm digging it.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQVSdvd3b08&feature=related">Alicia Keys - "Try Sleeping With a Broken Heart"</a> - Alicia Keys has one of the most amazing voices I've ever heard! I picked up her latest yesterday, and so far, this is my favorite song from the album. If you've ever had your heart smashed into a million pieces, I think you'll love this song.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8KQmps-Sog"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Muse - "Uprising</span></a>" - I know the author for the Twilight books rants and raves about Muse, but I've been pretty indifferent about this band. When I heard this song, I instantly knew I had to have it. I really expected to find this on the <span style="font-style: italic;">New Moon</span> soundtrack, but it is not.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aScxNoNgJUw"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Qtip - "Vivrant Thing</span></a>" - Yeah, bob yer head to this one... this is my turn it up, sing loud and car dance song of the month! Guys - the video has some eye candy ;)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uKLlapOG_gU"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Halestorm - "It's Not You"</span></a> - This seems to me like one of those whiskey drinking, bar fighting, hell raising, angry girl bands, and I LOVE it!! This song was enough to get me to note I should download the whole albums. <br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-85039697793384223772009-11-22T18:42:00.000-08:002009-11-22T20:26:46.024-08:00First Creek<div style="text-align: justify;">Maddy and I took on a new trail today... First Creek at Redrock Canyon. It wasn't a strenuous hike by any means, but we saw quite a bit of wildlife today. Check it out:<br /><br />We saw some wild burros today, who looked totally bored by our presence. We saw these two on the way up (the one on the right is showing us his best side, heh!). On the way back we saw a group of five, but my camera died, thus losing the photo op.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoJxhcz67I/AAAAAAAAA-E/0hXhERrYXgc/s1600/2009+Nov+22+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoJxhcz67I/AAAAAAAAA-E/0hXhERrYXgc/s320/2009+Nov+22+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407145049009154994" border="0" /></a>There were A LOT of lizards roaming about today, but this one was the only one who stayed still long enough for me to get a picture of. You can see him at the very center of the picture. :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoJyAgXvNI/AAAAAAAAA-M/dliNMJUukhQ/s1600/2009+Nov+22+020.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoJyAgXvNI/AAAAAAAAA-M/dliNMJUukhQ/s320/2009+Nov+22+020.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407145057345584338" border="0" /></a>The weather was perfect, so there were plenty of other wildlife enjoying the great temperatures, including a few rabbits and several types of birds (all of which I didn't get pictures of). First Creek has a seasonal waterfall which we didn't get to see - partly because of the season, but perhaps also due to the fact that we haven't seen a decent rainfall in a very long time. This particular trail is prone to flash flooding, so it's not one to be hiking when it looks like rain out!<br /><br />The following picture shows what a perfect day it was out... it just doesn't get much more beautiful in the desert than this:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoKVG3IaeI/AAAAAAAAA-c/qJdO0h6RQ1k/s1600/2009+Nov+22+052.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoKVG3IaeI/AAAAAAAAA-c/qJdO0h6RQ1k/s320/2009+Nov+22+052.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407145660347083234" border="0" /></a><br />Here's Madison and I at the end of the trail, relaxing and taking in the view:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoKUlbBMFI/AAAAAAAAA-U/G20BFdH5Y00/s1600/2009+Nov+22+040.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/SwoKUlbBMFI/AAAAAAAAA-U/G20BFdH5Y00/s320/2009+Nov+22+040.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5407145651370799186" border="0" /></a>The hike was a total of three miles, with a slight incline the entire walk up, but we hardly broke a sweat. We saw a few rock climbers heading up, there's quite a canyon walk to climb if you go all the way up (past the trail end). It's a great trail for young children and animals, check it out!<br /><br />To see more photos check out my Flickr page <a href="http://flickr.com/photos/lmerickson">here</a>. Even Madison took a few of them today. My old Nikon Coolpix finally died today... but it just gave me the reason to buy a new camera. :) Hope your weekend was good, what were YOU up to?<br /></div><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/84eb5d56-f32c-4c8c-825b-c74563970060/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=84eb5d56-f32c-4c8c-825b-c74563970060" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-47447812675941374932009-11-14T15:55:00.000-08:002009-11-14T22:05:28.407-08:00Where the Wild Things Are<div style="text-align: justify;">I took Madison to see "<a class="zem_slink" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where_the_Wild_Things_Are" title="Where the Wild Things Are" rel="wikipedia">Where the Wild Things Are</a>" today. It was my favorite childhood story, and I've been reading it to Madison since she was about two years old, so we were both pretty excited to see it.<br /><br />I was told several times in the last week that the movie isn't so much a kid's film. I don't agree, entirely. Realistically, the book doesn't have many words - much is left to your own imagination, and that's part of the beauty of the story. Spike Jonze was going to have to make quite an adaptation to stretch this book for more than half an hour, and I love what he did with the story. He added some real world elements to tell us more about Max; he's got a sister and a single Mom, who both have their own stories as well, and it gives some solid background and character development. After seeing the film, I can see where parents with very small children (i.e., under the age of 4 or 5) would not want to take their kids to see it. The movie is almost two hours long and the real-world situations might be a bit confusing. I'm sure there were some lessons missed by Madison, i.e. the parallels between Carol and Max. However, it kept her interested the entire film and she was quite sympathetic to the situations between Max and his Mom, as well as what was happening between the monsters.<br /><br />This movie made me all teary-eyed at the end, I'll fess up. I adore Spike Jonze's interpretation of this beloved children's story, and by all means... go see it!!<br /></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/e4bfb82f-9252-43a2-a174-25329978fece/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=e4bfb82f-9252-43a2-a174-25329978fece" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-56028634218694901732009-11-13T21:36:00.000-08:002009-11-13T22:15:20.585-08:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;">Tonight's list is right off the workout playlist, which rotates quite a bit. Since the weather is chilly outside after dark, I've been working out indoors much more. I've been doing this workout video, and while the workout is really, really good, I can't stand listening to these way-too-perky aerobic snobs talk. So I turn the volume all the way down and do it with the ipod blaring in my ears. It helps keep me from getting too bored, as well; the same workout every day is not good for my very short attention span.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPRENCIfsLQ"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Lil' Wayne - "Ready for the World"</span></a> - My friend Adam introduced me to this song not too long ago, and I can't stop listening to it. I love this man's raspy voice! The song is NSFW, although the video is...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_A7OruAFESw"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Weezer - "(If You're Wondering If I Want You To) I Want You To)"</span></a> - This is one of those songs I'll hear once and sing all day, it's <span style="font-style: italic;">that</span> catchy. I've heard all of Weezer's past hits, and they were good, I just never purchased any of them, but I pondered buying this whole album vs. the single. I read reviews online that mentioned how much Weezer has sold out, and although I wasn't an early fan, it made me pause. I remember how disappointed I was when No Doubt's <span style="font-style: italic;">Rock Steady</span> album came out; I was so deflated, because they definitely sold out with that one. I'll wait and see if Weezer releases anything else from this album before I buy more.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=onSKMRjjYRU&feature=related"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Blue October - "Inner Glow"</span></a> - It's so hard to pick a favorite Blue October song, they are definitely one of my favorite bands. This song is probably in their top 5. This is a live version - and most excellent. Speaking of live - I heard they rocked the Taste of Las Vegas, and I'm kicking myself for missing it. This song is also NSFW.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HuRDa3KvTNE"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Ester Dean - "Drop It Low"</span></a> - I Triple Dog Dare you to watch this video and try to sit still. This song is badass!! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0RYlGjQHR8"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Joan Jett and the Blackhearts - "Everyday People"</span></a> - When I was 12, I wanted to be Joan Jett. Now that I'm almost 39, I still do. LOL Have you seen this woman lately? She still looks <span style="font-style: italic;">amazing</span> (mind you, she was born in 1958). I wish she was still putting out albums, I really enjoy her music (thankfully she still does shows) - but it seems like most rocker chicks have disappeared. At least we still have Pink, eh? I can't wait until the movie about her/her band is released, but Kristen Stewart as Joan Jett? I mean, Really?<br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-54793604626484311932009-11-01T20:53:00.000-08:002009-11-01T21:25:40.552-08:00Halloween '09<div style="text-align: justify;">How was your Halloween?<br /><br />The whole family came over here, and we took the kids around the neighborhood; it has become a tradition. Here's a few pictures:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nW4JXfYI/AAAAAAAAA9k/UdTyf5DHNxg/s1600-h/2009+Oct+31+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nW4JXfYI/AAAAAAAAA9k/UdTyf5DHNxg/s320/2009+Oct+31+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399366645990260098" border="0" /></a>Madison was Sleeping Beauty for Halloween. This was a costume she took a great deal of time to decide on - she was considering Mulan and Snow White for some time as well. I think she made the best choice this year. :)<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nXkDXyWI/AAAAAAAAA90/f1WYbTys6eQ/s1600-h/2009+Oct+31+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nXkDXyWI/AAAAAAAAA90/f1WYbTys6eQ/s320/2009+Oct+31+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399366657776273762" border="0" /></a>Seeing as I love dressing up, I was the evil sorceress Maleficent, who casts the spell on Sleeping Beauty. I wish you could see just how much purple eye shadow and eye-liner I have on.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nYCeu0_I/AAAAAAAAA98/4btfrZUvJmg/s1600-h/2009+Oct+31+007.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nYCeu0_I/AAAAAAAAA98/4btfrZUvJmg/s320/2009+Oct+31+007.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399366665944093682" border="0" /></a>We had a house full of kids, and I'm wishing I'd gotten pictures of them all! Here you find my nephew Jaydon as Peter Pan, my niece Breana (his big sister) as Tinkerbell and Madison. These three are peas in a pod!<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nXZoYq8I/AAAAAAAAA9s/wgK8Oz74f7M/s1600-h/2009+Oct+31+004.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Su5nXZoYq8I/AAAAAAAAA9s/wgK8Oz74f7M/s320/2009+Oct+31+004.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5399366654978730946" border="0" /></a>The day was not without injury - Madison managed to burn herself with a curling iron. Here she's proudly sporting her bandage. Ah, genetics are cruel, she's as clumsy as I am. <br /><br />A good time was had by all, and we have enough candy in the house to last until next Spring. I'm trying to pretend it's not there, or that it tastes like cardboard. :)<br /></div><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/eda967d9-c0af-4c19-be41-8f1b10a49252/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=eda967d9-c0af-4c19-be41-8f1b10a49252" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-70838095914062250302009-10-30T11:24:00.000-07:002009-10-30T11:49:18.996-07:00Donnie Darko<div style="text-align: justify;">A friend of mine recommended the movie <span style="font-style: italic;"><a class="zem_slink" href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0246578/" title="Donnie Darko" rel="imdb">Donnie Darko</a></span> to me, and I just finished it. Following are some rambling thoughts from the film - SPOILER ALERT- If you haven't seen it and don't wanna know what happens, read no further!<br /><br />When the closing credits started rolling, all I could think was WTF just happened? So let me get this straight, he traveled time on purpose, to sacrifice himself and change the outcomes? Was he saving human existence? It makes sense that he believed so, since he repeats that it's all going to be alright several times throughout the film. But is it? Cunningham, the perv life coach - in the end, he's still a perv, and wasn't caught. So Donnie Darko did right a lot of wrongs, but wasn't it all just his own wrongs (which in turn, changed the outcomes of those closest to him)? I'm left confused about Frank - at first I was convinced he was the dead kid his parents talked about from high school, but then we see him again at the very end with the drawings of the scary rabbit and the crazy mask? What about all the references to God? It's almost like he defied God in creating his own destiny vs. accepting the path God has laid out for us. What about the teacher (played by Drew Barrymore...nice surprise), I got lost on her purpose in the film, unless it was just all some weird coincidence that she crossed paths with Donnie Darko. Perhaps she's the person who allows us to see his intelligence and lucidity despite the mental illness. Riddle me this, Batman - was it mental illness? Was he really a schizophrenic? Oh, and Grandma Death - did she still get the letter? I'm assuming so, it was a tangible he mailed to her before going back in time. There were so many factors that depended upon each other in the film to make it all fit, i.e. the bully waiting in the cellar for him near the end, which causes the girlfriend to get run over. Why would the bully have been there? I definitely need to watch this film again, it's one of those I'm sure I'll have "A-ha!" moments every time I watch.<br /><br />If you watched the film - please, tell me what you thought, and by all means, enlighten me with your take on it. If I'm spending this much energy pondering a film at its end, you can assume I enjoyed it. The cast was phenomenal, the movie moved at a very good pace and I always love a movie that makes me think about it for hours after it's over. It was the mind screw I was promised! <br /></div><br /><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/1c87a780-26c2-4712-9107-73c75db1f1eb/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=1c87a780-26c2-4712-9107-73c75db1f1eb" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-77123030008816039652009-10-23T22:10:00.000-07:002009-10-23T22:50:55.023-07:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;">I received my 2009 digital remastered copy of "Rio" today - so this week's post is all DD, all songs from the album. You can really hear the difference as compared to my old CD - it makes me wanna pull out my old vinyl to <span style="font-style: italic;">really</span> hear the difference (although I'm sure the albums would have some pops and hisses, having been overplayed and probably not cared for as well as I would now). The remaster includes a lot of bonus tracks, including B sides you only found on 12" singles back in the 80's. I can't help it, I still have a great affection for this band. :) I'm gonna have to go find them in the closet - I am sitting here trying to remember how many of those 12" singles I have. We used to spend all of our allowances at Odyssey records back in the day, looking for the rare vinyl and imports (not to mention posters, buttons, books, etc. etc. etc.).<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX8sfydqJbc&feature=PlayList&p=1A347A27F2E56EBC&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=27"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hold Back the Rain</span></a> - Although it's near impossible to pick a favorite from the album, if I <span style="font-style: italic;">had to</span>, this song would be it. So who was your favorite? Definitely, without a doubt, it was Simon LeBon for me, although Nick Rhodes was a close second.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SpqFsKTHPio"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Rio</span></a> - If I only had a dollar for every single time I've watched this video, and I'm still not tired of it. Do Do Do Do Do Do Doooooo..... I love how the chick just flips Roger Taylor over like nothing, LOL!<br /> <br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jm4Xydn8_3g"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Save a Prayer</span></a> - This is an amazing song, even if you never liked DD a day in your life. Teenage girls swooned to this song like you would not believe, it was a total phenomenon! The location for this video was absolutely beautiful; if I remember correctly, it was Sri Lanka.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T2-ct2kP5V0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">New Religion</span></a> - That opening bass line, love it. This is a live version of the song, I'm not sure how old it is, but I'm guessing somewhere around a decade, because the lineup includes Warren Cuccurullo, who left the band in 2001.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UP37yZxasGQ"><span style="font-weight: bold;">The Chauffeur</span></a> - When I was 13, this was my least favorite song on the album. It's a very good listen as I've gotten older, I find that funny. 25 years later, however, I still don't get the video! This video is censored, there's a black bar over some boobies, but guys - you're not missing much, she didn't have much to see, LOL.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oOg5VxrRTi0"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Hungry Like the Wolf</span></a> - You can't talk about the Rio album and not mention this song! Although I adore this song, it's now my least favorite from the album. I think because it's been overplayed a gazillion times over the last 25 years. The video is purposely similar to <span style="font-style: italic;">Raiders of the Lost Ark</span>, but I'm sure you'd know that without me telling you!<br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-34530002166101311742009-10-18T20:48:00.001-07:002009-10-18T21:36:22.537-07:00Painting... for the last time.I have had the busiest weekend - we decided to finally paint the last room in the house not yet painted, the master bedroom/bathroom. I'd put it off forever, and it wasn't so much that it was a lot of space as it was just a lot of work, it's not just four walls and a doorway, ya know? We have 5 doors in this area alone, if that gives some perspective. We started Friday night by just taping things off and moving things out of the room - here's a look at some of the before shots:<br /><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviTuWepOI/AAAAAAAAA88/5t-99HYE4NY/s1600-h/2009+Oct+16+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviTuWepOI/AAAAAAAAA88/5t-99HYE4NY/s320/2009+Oct+16+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394153807194006754" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviS0kLDdI/AAAAAAAAA80/O9fU-4EWx5A/s1600-h/2009+Oct+16+002.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviS0kLDdI/AAAAAAAAA80/O9fU-4EWx5A/s320/2009+Oct+16+002.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394153791682186706" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviSZz4mqI/AAAAAAAAA8s/G4kFz1TMPq4/s1600-h/2009+Oct+16+001.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviSZz4mqI/AAAAAAAAA8s/G4kFz1TMPq4/s320/2009+Oct+16+001.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394153784500329122" border="0" /></a>We did have one casualty from this experience - Karl tried moving the bed by himself, but apparently pulled on the frame a bit too hard, causing the frame to split, and it can't be repaired. I'll be heading out to buy a new frame tomorrow, but for now, we've got the ghetto bed (LOL):<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Stvim0fxNKI/AAAAAAAAA9c/eZFJZW5P2yg/s1600-h/2009+Oct+18+006.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Stvim0fxNKI/AAAAAAAAA9c/eZFJZW5P2yg/s320/2009+Oct+18+006.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394154135261099170" border="0" /></a>Karl had to work on Saturday so I did the bathroom and master closet myself that day (minus the ceiling edging), and I rolled the bedroom today while he completed the ceiling edging in the whole space. Here's a view of the finished product (I tried to get the same angles as the before shots):<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviUArqebI/AAAAAAAAA9E/zV3LrBa5aRU/s1600-h/2009+Oct+18+012.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviUArqebI/AAAAAAAAA9E/zV3LrBa5aRU/s320/2009+Oct+18+012.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394153812114700722" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviU5QZd_I/AAAAAAAAA9M/XxZQrP3gFGk/s1600-h/2009+Oct+18+017.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StviU5QZd_I/AAAAAAAAA9M/XxZQrP3gFGk/s320/2009+Oct+18+017.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394153827301160946" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StvimXVqBpI/AAAAAAAAA9U/3jNZFyHJDGI/s1600-h/2009+Oct+18+018.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/StvimXVqBpI/AAAAAAAAA9U/3jNZFyHJDGI/s320/2009+Oct+18+018.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5394154127434057362" border="0" /></a>We learned a few things this weekend:<br /><br />1. There truly is not a single straight edge in this house. It infuriates me the crappy craftsmanship in homes built anymore.<br /><br />2. I am done painting rooms. I'm not a DIY person - I'm more than happy to pay a professional. My parents always painted their own house, so it was what I knew. Now I know I definitely don't wanna do that again. Ever.<br /><br />3. Textured walls suck! I get the purpose, but wow it's a pain in the ass to roll paint over. I was doing touch-up forever.<br /><br />4. Don't move heavy furniture by yourself. Our sleigh bed is gonna cost us about $500 to replace tomorrow. Thankfully it was the bed frame and not his back.<br /><br />5. We definitely need to replace all the floor boards in the whole house. We're gonna wait a bit for that, it's gonna be costly, but it needs to be done. Our next big project is to replace the carpeting, so we'll probably do it then.<br /><br />I still have a few things left to do tomorrow, but for all intensive purposes, the house is finally back to normal. I took this opportunity to organize the closet and filled 3 lawn bags full of clothes and "stuff" we don't need. That part felt sooooooo good, cause I'm very much a minimalist! I can't even wrap my head around how much was in that closet!<br /></div><br />How was your weekend?<br /><div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/9eec14a0-6065-4e7c-a10c-c7b53fafbe13/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=9eec14a0-6065-4e7c-a10c-c7b53fafbe13" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-27918593340639632172009-10-12T21:11:00.000-07:002009-10-12T21:23:09.102-07:00A Letter to Jerry Jones<div style="text-align: justify;">Dear Mr. Jones:<br /><br />I'm no football expert, I've never coached a team - I'm just a fan. But it doesn't take a rocket scientist to see there's trouble in Dallas. Romo has moments of clarity, true, but they are so inconsistent you're never really sure what might happen. It's near impossible to recreate the Cowboys of the early 1990's - Romo hasn't the supporting cast Troy Aikman did. But he overthrows as a rule, he's too predictable, and he hasn't shown any improvement in his now 4th season. <br /><br />We're damn lucky we beat the Chiefs on Sunday. They're one of the worst teams in the NFL, and sadly it was an evenly-matched game. We're all shaking our heads, Jerry.<br /></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/0ad5fca6-ad82-4890-9e9d-4ca836947c03/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=0ad5fca6-ad82-4890-9e9d-4ca836947c03" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-49940286440896508312009-10-09T20:57:00.000-07:002009-10-09T21:35:42.996-07:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bi4DZjiZEVo"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Dave Matthews Band - "You and Me"</span></a> - I picked up DMB's latest album, Big Whiskey and the Groogrux King, I've been enjoying it quite a bit. The whole album as a whole is very sweet and schmoopy, this song definitely embodies it. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCVBHBvfMic"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Third Eye Blind - "Don't Believe A Word"</span></a> - So these guys released a new album in August - did ya pick it up yet? It delivers! This is one of the new releases from said new album, titled "Ursa Major". Stephan Jenkins, the lead singer, has been in the top 2 of my top 5 list for about ten years, but he still won't return my calls. Damn. <br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7UDcBiw-Ock">Keyshia Cole - "Trust"</a> - I haven't heard much from this lady that I don't like... she has a very strong voice. this one takes the tempo down and little bit.<br /><br /><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JS_ZJj79-9M">Mariah Carey - "I Want to Know What Love Is"</a> - I am a bit surprised at my reaction to this remake of an original Foreigner song. I mean Foreigner vs. Mariah Carey? Right? But it's good. Give it a listen. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BdMDTgwwDHA"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Mullage - "Trick'n"</span></a> - Never heard this guy before the other day, but I find that a lot on Sirius radio... anyway, it's a great head-bobbin' song. I've been in an ultra r&b/rap mood lately. <br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-72373999539764984122009-10-08T12:08:00.000-07:002009-10-08T12:15:29.778-07:00Childhood Memories<div style="text-align: justify;">I marvel sometimes at how our minds work.<br /><br />When I was a little girl, my grandfather on my mother's side was a pharmacist for Albertson's. When we visited them in Texas, we always made at least one visit to grandpa at work, and the bakery would give me a free chocolate chip cookie, every time. I used to love that!<br /><br />I stopped at Smith's to grab lunch just now, and I smelled something in one of the aisles that took me right back to age 7, heading toward the bakery, thinking about that cookie.<br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-37832569332454130292009-10-07T20:44:00.000-07:002009-10-07T21:43:25.516-07:00Is It TMI?<div style="text-align: justify;">Question: Is it possible to update your Twitter and/or Facebook status too much? Are we sharing too much personal nothings with the world? Do people really care that we're too full from dinner?<br /><br />I've seen satire and news articles alike who say we're "too connected", and underwhelming each other with a whole lot of information about nothing, numbing ourselves from real "news". (Personally, I don't see the media as a whole very credible anymore, just sayin'.) Still, I wonder if we're inundating ourselves with so much information...what's too much?<br /><br />This post stems from a conversation with a friend, we were discussing gender differences in such behaviors as Twitter and Facebook. He had the opinion that there's some kind of man-card rules about Tweeting and changing your FB status too much. It's a girl thing. ? Is it? I think that generally women do reach out and touch the world more, but is it wrong if guys announce their whereabouts during the day? Are there gender specific subjects we should stick to (i.e., it's ok to tweet more about sports, but less about your feelings if you're male)? What do you think, Internet?<br /></div><br /><br /><br /> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/b68fa8a3-530c-4784-975c-b86561c08ea1/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=b68fa8a3-530c-4784-975c-b86561c08ea1" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-59757675498788859702009-10-04T19:04:00.001-07:002009-10-04T22:51:11.447-07:00Weekend Update<div style="text-align: justify;">Saturday was a Maddy and Mommy day - I pondered going on a hike, but the wee one has swimming lessons mid-morning so that kind of blows it, so instead we hung out at the park for about two hours. We did make some tulips from an egg carton in the afternoon:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Ssl1ELy2cXI/AAAAAAAAA8k/SAEoBlJtXPc/s1600-h/2009+Oct+03+003.JPG"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_gxhytTrt_dU/Ssl1ELy2cXI/AAAAAAAAA8k/SAEoBlJtXPc/s320/2009+Oct+03+003.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5388967143871508850" border="0" /></a>Dinner was Applebee's, Madison's choice - and I watched the <span style="font-style: italic;">X-Men Origins: Wolverine</span> movie. Didn't they touch on the loss of his wife in the first movie, or am I thinking of another flick? Cause if I remember correctly, he remembered the loss... which wouldn't make sense based on the end to this installment. Anyway, it was entertaining, but not spectacular.<br /><br />Today, I slept in! It was only 8am, but hey... it's 5am during the week, so 3 hours more? Heaven! I went to the movies with my sister Toni to see <span style="font-style: italic;">Fame</span>, which was not that good a movie. I never watched the original movie, nor the TV show based on that movie, so I really had no idea what to expect. The movie never really developed any characters, it was just so broad, and it felt like they were trying to cram too much into one movie. I pondered too, if some of it was that I'm too far from my teenage years to get into it. Ugh, I was hoping that would never happen. On the same note it was a theater absolutely full with teenagers, one older couple, and us. The teens were pretty vocal during the movie and it didn't piss me off, so perhaps I'm not old yet. :) Anyway, it was awesome to hang with Toni but we could have definitely seen a better movie. Oh - and we got to see a new preview for <span style="font-style: italic;">New Moon</span> (Yay!). Is it wrong that I am on Team Jacob cause Taylor Lautner is absolutely gorgeous, and he's only 17?<br /><br />Seeing the movie meant I was going to miss the Cowboys game, and I'm pretty glad I did. Before the movie I checked NFL Mobile and Dallas was up 10-0 at the end of the first quarter, and I saw Dallas lost 17-0. WTF? The first headline I saw on the cell phone was "Romo: Please go back to Jessica", and I threw up in my mouth a 'lil. I want to go watch highlights but I don't, cause I can only imagine how he may have blown it this week.<br /><br />How was your weekend, Internet?<br /></div> <div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/01ccb836-658a-4873-80cc-8e165fb64b09/" title="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=01ccb836-658a-4873-80cc-8e165fb64b09" alt="Reblog this post [with Zemanta]" /></a><span class="zem-script more-related pretty-attribution"><script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.zemanta.com/readside/loader.js" defer="defer"></script></span></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-42378963349542292882009-10-02T21:25:00.000-07:002009-10-02T21:45:31.006-07:00What's On My iPod<div style="text-align: justify;"><a style="font-weight: bold;" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NmjO4SLVb9s">I-Yaz - Replay</a> - I can't stop listening to this song, it's definitely been my flavor of the week for like two weeks now. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lRTmNJnu6_Y"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Maxi Priest w/ Shaggy - That Girl</span></a> - I heard this recently, and wow... hadn't heard this in years! I really enjoy this song, which is funny - because I'm not a big fan of Shaggy's voice, but it just works here? Maxi Priest is one badass mo fo. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgZFkaRstbE&feature=related"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Man Parrish - Boogie Down</span></a> - This my friends, is wayyyy old school. Pull out the roller skates and get your groove on! You're welcome.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_yGEKcAFIcc"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Skee-Lo - I Wish</span></a> - It took me forever to find this song... I had seen the video once and didn't catch the same of the song, but remembered the chorus "I wish I was a little bit taller, I wish a baller, I wish I had a girl who looked good I would call her...". It didn't help me much! Finally it found rotation on Sirius radio. It only took me about ten years to find it. :)<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9aR2jKiFQs"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Vixen - Edge of a Broken Heart</span></a> - Ok guys, this one's for you. The all-girl metal band with big hair and small skirts. :) Those who know me know I have a total hair-metal side. These ladies opened for someone, I've seen them - Whitesnake maybe? I can't remember. ;)<br /><br /><br /><br /><br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-58995430272094500752009-09-28T13:09:00.001-07:002009-09-28T13:21:08.333-07:00No Flu Germs Allowed<div style="text-align: justify;">I got my flu shot at the pharmacy yesterday... and wow, they've gotten good with these needles. I barely felt it - which says a lot, I have a needle phobia. I couldn't watch, but Madison was fascinated! She's too young to get her flu shot at the local pharmacy, so I'll be making an appointment with her pediatrician to have that done. I know it's controversial for some - but we get them every year in my house, I'm a total believer in the flu shot.<br /><br />Now the H1N1 vaccination will be available soon - but I'm not quite sold on that yet. I'm not sure I'll be getting one for myself or for Madison this year. I realize it's a very serious flu, but I'm leaning toward the media has way overblown it. What do you think?<br /><br />Do you get flu shots? Why or why not? Will you get an H1N1 vaccination? <a href="http://www.cdc.gov/h1n1flu/vaccination/public/vaccination_qa_pub.htm">Here's more information on the H1N1 vaccination.</a><br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8968216.post-58478653408328380872009-09-11T16:09:00.000-07:002009-09-11T16:24:41.887-07:00What's On My iPodI'm going all Top 40 on y'all this week - but it's the Flavor of the Day, so enjoy!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tcjgWmKC6MM&feature=related"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Beyoncé - "Sweat Dreams"</span></a> - Wow, that girl can dance! I really didn't care much for Destiny's Child, but I sure have a lot of her solo work. Makes ya wanna move or at least sing along loudly.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSII2iGFcBU&feature=related"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Miley Cyrus - "Party in the USA"</span></a> - I can't believe I'm admitting this, but I downloaded this song, and I actually like it. LOL Once Madison hears it and I listen another 3k times, maybe not so much. But I dare you to not enjoy it.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKxr3YEa8WQ"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Push Play - "Midnight Romeo"</span></a> - there is a place for bubblegum boy bands. Really!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRNQS5UCQQI"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Black Eyed Peas - "Meet Me Halfway"</span></a> - If you haven't listened to their new album in its entirety, you really should - this is the fun stuff....<br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVZaA2s7xYI"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Kelly Clarkson - "Already Gone"</span></a> - Sad love song alert, LOL. Ya know I didn't even watch the first American Idol, and I only watched maybe 4 seasons after that - but she's my favorite. She's genuinely talented, and this is another example .<br /></div>LoraLoohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06250173105971467371noreply@blogger.com2