The random thoughts that flutter through my mind...
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My birthday: April 17
My anniversary: April 25
YIM: downbutterflylane
If I had a billion dollars, I'd give a million to each of my friends and family. I'd have an indoor gym and pool built at my college. I'd pay for teachers aides at my daughter's school. I'd buy every book Nora Roberts ever wrote, and I'd fly to her next book signing so I could tell her thank you for saving my sanity by giving me an escape from reality for a few hours at a time.
.
1,000 Shades of Fool
American Girl
Buddhists Do Scratch Their Heads Too
DJGroovySlug
FlyLady.net
He Wrote, She Wrote
I choose not to believe
I Was Just Thinking...
Jill Shalvis
Long and Writing Road
Miss Snark
Passionate Chaos
Pub Rants
Questions Asked, Questions Answered
Running With Quills
Still I Rise
Sublime Vacuity
The Steal-Me Book
Turn the Page
Woodland Rambles
today
April 2008
May 2007
March 2007
February 2007
January 2007
December 2006
November 2006
October 2006
September 2006
August 2006
July 2006
June 2006
May 2006
April 2006
March 2006
February 2006
January 2006
December 2005
November 2005
October 2005
September 2005
August 2005
July 2005
June 2005
May 2005
April 2005
March 2005
February 2005
January 2005
December 2004
November 2004
October 2004
September 2004
August 2004
July 2004
June 2004
May 2004
Taken from the ALA website
Books I have read are italicized.
And as such:
By the way, I totally stole this from Below the Eight. I did copy the image over so at least I'm not a bandwidth thief, too.
In anticipation of the 25th anniversary of Banned Books Week (September 23-30, 2006), the American Library Association (ALA) compiled the top 10 most challenged books from 2000-2005, with the Harry Potter series of books leading the pack. The 10 most challenged books of the 21st Century (2000-2005) are:
1. Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling
2. "The Chocolate War" by Robert Cormier
3. Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor
4. "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck
5. "I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings" by Maya Angelou
6. "Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers
7. "It's Perfectly Normal" by Robie Harris
8. Scary Stories series by Alvin Schwartz
9. Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey
10. "Forever" by Judy Blume
All but three of these books also were in the top 10 of the most challenged books of the 1990s. The ALA reports there were more than 3,000 attempts to remove books from schools and public libraries between 2000 and 2005. Challenges are defined as formal, written complaints filed with a library or school requesting that materials be removed because of content or appropriateness. See also Challenged and Banned Books. See also Harry Potter tops list of most challenged books of 21st Century.
The ones I have read are in yellow. Ethel is reading both the Harry Potter series and the Captain Underpants series. (Aside from an increase in bathroom humor, she has shown no ill effects. And lets face it, she's eight. Farting is hilarious, in her opinion.)
That's what I have. Too many books.
I've been going through and updating my book list- trying to weed out the duplicates and get a better idea of what I actually have- and I've come across five so far that I haven't even read. They were already on my shelf- not even in the to-be-read pile. When the system is that out of whack, it's time to do something serious. So I added another column to my database so I can check them off as I go through each shelf. I've made it through five shelves out of ten. I've got over 200 books on those five shelves alone. And the next five shelves are going to be worse- most of them are stacked two deep. Some are even three deep.
And, of course, that doesn't include the roughly 60-80 in the window seat. Or the ones scattered around the rest of the house. Or the totebag full that are at Lishy's house. Or any of the boxes in my closet. Or any of the ones in the car.
I think I might actually catalogue all of them now, instead of just my favorite authors.
What the hell am I thinking? That will take me a couple of months. Then again, I would really, really love to have them all organized and know what I have.
Of course, I also keep thinking that I might just donate most of them to the library at work. Their romance collection is vastly pathetic.
run like hell.
Okay, so yeah, it does its job. It made me far less depressed and angry. After the first month or so, the side effects pretty much went away. But I forgot to take it yesterday and today, and let me tell you, SSRI Discontinuation Syndrome sucks. I didn't realize I'd forgotten until I started getting lightheaded, nauseous, and otherwise miserable. Since I went through this once before (because I forgot to get my prescription filled), I recognized it faster this time, and I was able to head it off at the pass by taking the damned drug sooner. Last time I thought I had an inner ear infection- my equilibrium was so off it was scary. Fortunately for me, my little sister is an old hand when it comes to drugs, and she knew exactly what the problem was. Sure enough, once I picked up (and took) the drugs,and then slept for about three hours, I woke up feeling relatively normal again.
I guess its a good thing I'm not planning on reproducing again, because the thought of coming off of this stuff scares the hell out of me. (Not to mention the thought of being off of it for a year and a half during pregnancy and nursing.)
I'm back on an even(er) keel now. Not sure exactly what brought on the case of the uglies, but it seems to have left again. Sorry to anyone unfortunate enough to wade through my puddle of self-pity.
Anyway... I went on a field trip last Friday with George and his class. It was a riot. Thirty-odd kindergarteners at the Gymnastics center. They got to try tumbling, the uneven bars, the trampoline, a low balance beam, and I don't remember what all else. I'll try to find a good picture or two to post when I get home tonight. I've decided that if I was a member of the kindergarten teaching staff I would become an alcoholic. They're all adorable kids, but there is just no way that I could spend all day every day with them and not go bonkers. (Who am I kidding? I went bonkers ages ago.) It didn't take me very long to figure out which ones were the cryers, the whiners, the one who had to be physically attached to the teacher at all times... amazingly enough, George doesn't seem to be in any of those categories.
The funniest part was when one of the other moms (and I've forgotten her name, damn it) walked up and said she thought she should introduce herself to me since we're going to be inlaws. I guess I hadn't had enough coffee yet or something, because I'm pretty sure I just stared blankly at her. Her daughter is obsessed with George- apparently some days she picks out her clothes based on what he likes. "George likes this dress, he says I look beautiful in it." Oh, lord... isn't he a little young for this stuff? The daughter is adorable- wavy dark hair, beautiful eyes, sweet smile. Her mom seems pretty cool- I really need to find out her name and see if she'd be interested in hanging out some time.
I kind of want to have a halloween party for the kids this year and let them invite all of their friends. Not totally sure yet if I'm brave enough to do it. I'll wait and see. Oh, crap, halloween is like five weeks away and we haven't even started on costumes yet. Eek! Maybe we'll work on that this weekend.
Ethel is doing istep this week. Standardized tests are a crock. The teacher has been prepping the kids for this test since school started- how much valuable class time has been wasted on getting the kids ready for these tests? (Don't eat me- I know it's not the teachers' faults- but someone *cough*Bush*cough* has a lot to answer for. Whose brilliant idea was it to tie school funding to a test? Dumbass.) I don't remember spending a month prepping for the test when I was in school- we just took it, and a month or two later, our parents got the results. Now things are so out of hand that the principal gets on the intecom and talks to the whole school about istep- which is good in that he is showing his support for the kids who are taking it, but bad for the ones in younger grades who now get to spend a whole year worrying about it. Ethel was so spazzed last year that she wasn't sleeping well, she was a nervous wreck. And that wasn't even her taking the test- just knowing she would have to take it this year. How wrong is that? We're screwing around with our children's heads. If I thought Oshu would let me (and if I wasn't already so far over my head with work and school) I'd homeschool her. She'd fare far better from an academic standpoint- but she really needs the interaction with other kids, so I guess it's good that she stays where she is for now.
Maybe it's the weather, maybe it's the new semester, maybe it's just my body going psycho- but I've been teetering on the edge of the abyss for a few days now. I can feel it creeping up on me- sort of like when you're a little kid and you know there's a monster under the bed waiting for you. Well, my monster isn't under the bed. It's in the back of my head, all of the time, and right now it wants to come out and eat me.
I feel sort of numb, and a whole lot crazy. I can't seem to find the words to explain just how I feel right now, and I hate that. I always have words. Words are my forte, my niche, and they have deserted me. I just want to go home and sleep. But I can't do that. I have to be at work- I have to make money so that I can pay the bills.
I spent five hours yesterday in the bathtub. Three before class, and another two after. Just laying there, reading and thinking. Oshu just doesn't get it- or maybe he doesn't want to. I tried to tell him that I was feeling really down, and his answer (like it always is) was, "well, don't". This time he even said that he was feeling down earlier in the day, and he just stopped and told himself to quit it. I'm sorry, but it doesn't work that way for me. I can't pull myself out just by thinking positive. I might be able to fake it for a while, but in the end, it won't work- and it will be worse for trying to ignore it.
I'm not sure why his attitude surprises me- if I say I'm sick, he immediately is sick, too. If I say that my knee hurts, he hurts all over. If I ask for a backrub, he immediately cracks his knuckles, as if to say, "Oh, I can't, my hands hurt too much." If I'm really lucky, he might give me thirty seconds or so. Then, of course, he goes back to playing his video games. It's like a twisted game of one-upmanship.
Today, I can't remember why I put up with it. I'm not sure if I still want to.
K is planning her wedding. Again. To the same guy. The one she's been with for four years. She bought the wedding dress nearly four years ago, and has had a baby with him since she bought it. *And, skinny ho that she is, it still fits.* Now she's planning on actually marrying him. Supposedly, anyway. I'm not going to hold my breath.
We're going tomorrow to look at bridesmaid dresses. This is the one she has picked out. Sigh... I'm going to have to do a whole lot of crunches before next July. I was doing better on the whole diet and exercise thing, but then I sorta fell off the wagon. Now I'm back to around 165.
But, I bought healthy foods yesterday, and I've taken a new vow of healthier eating, so we'll see how it goes.
Sparky. Isn't she beautiful? She's sweet and cuddly and adorable. She even tolerates the kids pretty well.
She's been declawed but not spayed yet- the vet said she was too young, so she will be going back in December for that. (Poor baby...) The couple we adopted her from paid to have her declawed and said they would pay to have her fixed later, they got her shots, and they sent a 'Kitty care package' with her. This kitten came with a pet carrier, bed, litter box, food and water dishes, toys, a flea comb, a bag of food and a box of cat litter. Course, then I ended up going and buying her a collar with a bell, more toys, flea drops, treats, and a cat grass kit. What can I say? I want her to be a happy kitty.
We lost her the first night she was here- she was hiding under the coffee table (which is being used as an entertainment center, so it's shoved in the corner and has electronics on it). It took Oshu about an hour to talk her out, and then she went right back under when the kids walked through. After that we stuffed a blanket under there because he was afraid she might do her business down there, not to mention that all of the electronic cords are jumbled up under there. After that she started hiding under the end table and under the recliner. The next time she disappeared she was in the back of his closet. Now, though, she seems to like to hang out in the hallway upstairs. She seems to be getting much more comfortable in the house now- she only hides when the kids are running around like imbiciles (which they do frequently, being five and eight).
She likes to roam the house around 5:30 every morning and wake up anyone unwise enough to leave their bedroom door open. She's woken Ethel two mornings in a row by climbing into her window and meowing. I guess when Ethel put her out of the room and shut her door, Sparky went downstairs and started pestering our houseguest, since he sleeps in the livingroom floor and can't shut the door. *Personally, I'm kinda hoping she annoys him enough that it makes him want to move out sooner. He's lived with us for over two months now, paying no rent. The only bills he has are for his food and cigarettes (and he eats with us when he's at home) and gas money for the guy who drives him to work and back. How long does it take to save enough to move out, anyway?*
Apparently when Adam left to bring her to me, his wife was crying. I need to take a couple of good pictures to send her so she will know that Sparky is being well-treated and loved. I might even write a little letter telling her how she's doing while I'm at it.
The hardest part is making sure that the kids understand we have to keep Sparky a secret- our apartment currently has a no quadrupeds policy (but I heard that they might be changing that soon) so they can't tell their friends. If they do change the policy, we might even adopt a second cat so Sparky will have a playmate while we're all gone during the day. Until then, though, I think one will be enough.
*Doing the dance of glee*
It's here, it's here, it's finally here! I've been eagerly anticipating this book since Jill posted an exerpt way back when she was writing it. Now, it's finally in my hot little hands and I have to feed the family before I can sit down and devour it. (Thus the reason I'm blogging instead of reading. I'll burn supper if I start it now.)
And, just for fun, a picture of other copies for sale at Waldenbooks.
Must finish cooking. Sooner the family has food, sooner I can go read.
I have a picture of my sleeping baby dragon tattoo. I had Ethel take the picture, and she did a great job. The girl likes to take pictures. And now, with no further ado (because I'm tired and going to bed as soon as this posts), I present a photo.
And just for the sake of reference: another picture.
Oh yeah, while I'm at it- the latest knitting project. It's a baby kimono for a little boy (whose name escapes me right now) who is due in December.
Oh, and one more thing: LIshy right before she went through the security checkpoint and we had to say goodbye. (Oooh, oooh, 21 hours and 42 minutes until she gets home!)
Guess I shouldn't have made fun of Oshu. Karma has bitten me in the ass. I've spent the last two days with a fever, dizziness, and general malaise. At the moment I'm feeling better- I took the kids to school this morning, came home and crawled my spinning headed self back into bed for another five hours. My theory is that my body needed rest so it could fight off whatever was ailing me.
If it tells you anything- I haven't even felt like knitting.
