T13- So Lazy I Can't Even Think of a Title

13 Reasons my Blog Hasn't Been Updated since July 8th

1. My birthday was on the 10th. I turned 40. I feel ok about it, but I am not ready to wax poetical about it.

2. less computer time, more sun time!

3. 5 trips to the dealer and a rental car later, and my air conditioning is finally fixed in my van

4. must get out of the house before I kill my children

5. nothing exciting is happening.

6. really. life is sweetly boring right now.

7. my daughter is at camp and I am cleaning her room.

8. have you seen her room?

9. it could take me a month, but I have less than a week.

10. in fact, I have really just one more day.

11. but I am just about done, mostly.

12. have been doing research for curricula for homeschooling

13. it's SUMMER! The kids have it off, I guess I am taking time, too.

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T, who let the time get away from me

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Well, Monkeys Will Just Fly Outta My Butt!

I can't believe it, but he did it! Kyle from One Red Paperclip was sitting at his desk over a year ago lamenting that he couldn't buy a house. He noticed a red paperclip on his desk and decided to trade for it, on the Internet. 14 trades later, he made it!

Here is the story

I guess anything is possible if you have the ingenuity and creativity. Congratulations to Kyle McDonald, duuuuuuuuude, you are sooooooo money! I wonder how many others will try the same thing? Kyle's feat will definitely be the talk of offices throughout the U.S. come Monday!

Ok, now your turn....with what item would you start a trade, and what would you hope to end up with? I will post the answers in a future post, so don't be shy, let me know!

T, who says color me red, I didn't think he would pull it off!

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T13- Maybe I Should Just Stay Home

13 Things About TLC's Car

1. I drive a 2001 Kia Sedona.

2. I like it quite well, but the air keeps going out.

3.Last time it did was a year ago.

4. It is out again. First it was just not getting really cold, and making a hissing noise. Then the air turned warm and swampy.

5. Today is the day we are supposed to go to the beach with our homeschool group, but the air is out in my van and no way am I driving 20 minutes in a tin can with no air.

6. JBear might get heatstroke, sitting in the back of the van with no real windows!

7. I have had my van at the dealer three times now to get the air fixed. The first time was the third week of June. They diagnosed the problem and ordered the part, I brought the van back. They ordered the wrong part! I had to wait until after July 4th. Monday, I took it in, there is another part missing! They ordered that, should be here today. So frustrating.

8. The good news is that it is under warranty.

9. The bad news is that Kia dealers all around us are closing up shop. This is one of the last left in the area. It is even in my city.

10. But I was going to another city, because I bought my car there and I liked them better. That dealer is closed now, so I have no choice.

11. This is our second Kia. The first was J's 1995 Sportage.

12. He still drives it. It has over 125,000 miles on it.

13. Because all the dealers are closing, it is doubtful we will buy another Kia, though they make a good car. We would consider it, but reliable local service is important. So we will probably buy another make instead. My dream is the Honda Odyssey, but it is spendy. We will probably get a Nissan Quest. It is J's turn for a new car, though. This fall he will probably end up buying a hybrid, like the Prius.

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, auto-link to your Thirteen. It’s easy, and fun! I will visit everyone who auto-links from my page!

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T, who is thinking I could sweat away the pounds in my own personal "Sauna on Wheels"

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All This, and Chocolate on Your Pillow, Too

The guest room has a new resident. Go and say hello to Becca, over at Hot House Momma, in my sidebar. She is a mom of 2, has been married for 3 short years (says me, since I have been married going on 17 years, I can say that). She just got back from Cabo San Lucas and I am envious!

Go and pop on over and send her a little TLC love. I bet she would even set out a margarita for you. She seems to be fond of them. Just don't speak Spanish to her, even though she is tan, she wouldn't understand. (ask her about that, if you don't get it).

Thanks to all who asked to rent...keep trying, and..I'll leave the light on for ya.

T, who loves guests

This is how they did it in my day, youngster

That's right, we are doing it Old School. I remember when I was just a kid, and Pong came out. How excited we were! Games! That you could play on your television! In the old days, we had black and white games and they were sticks that hit a ball, and we liked it!

We have been telling the kids about it, and how games now are so much better. This weekend we took the kids on a trip down memory lane. We pulled out our Sega Genesis and the games we have, as well. We also pulled out the Atari and wiped the dust off of it all. Can I just say, that the memory of Atari was not as sweet as it was when I was a kid? My children were unimpressed with the lack of graphics and how difficult the controls were. Honestly, the games were pretty lame. Adventure, which was literally just a square that could carry a key around mazes. Whoopee. Games like Centipede and Missle Command have not stood the test of time. And the kids are finding the games were difficult, as well. And, while Pitfall looks fun, it is incredibly frustrating to play.

The Sega Genesis, however, fared a bit better. Despite incredulous looks when we announced that you can't save the games which for difficult multi-level games like Toe Jam and Earl is just ridiculous they liked the graphics. My son was a bit frustrated at how hard the old Sonic the Hedgehog was...and it really is, even more so than I remember. Another favorite was Ecco the Dolphin, kind of the Tai Chi of the game cartridge market. At the time, I would play the game and just enjoy the music and the ability to move around as a dolphin. The game play itself was hard. But the game experience was beautiful.

I have been trolling eBay and I am amazed at just how many cartridges there are out there for the Sega Genesis! And they cost next-to-nothing! Guess we will have some inexpensive fun this summer. And my kids can go back to their Nintendo DS portables actually appreciating what they have. Hey, that would be a good fringe benefit!

T, who can't believe we gave in

With Liberty, and Justice For All

this post was for yesterday, but was delayed due to technical problems...

In honor of the 4th of July, I wanted to present some food for thought. The Declaration of Independence I know, I know, you have read it before. Read it again...with fresh eyes.

Also, go and listen to this song: (Didn't Know I Was) Unamerican

And remember, it is our basic right to speak up when something isn't right.

In the words of our Founding Fathers:

When the government fears the people there is liberty; when the people fear the government there is tyranny. --Thomas Jefferson

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it." Thomas Jefferson

"What country can preserve its liberties if its rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance?" --Thomas Jefferson

"Whoever would overthrow the liberty of a nation must begin by subduing the freeness of speech" -- Benjamin Franklin

"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety." --Benjamin Franklin

"Nip the shoots of arbitrary power in the bud, is the only maxim which can ever preserve the liberties of any people." --John Quincy Adams

"But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored. Liberty, once lost, is lost forever." --John Adams

"Fear is the foundation of most governments; but it is so sordid and brutal a passion, and renders men in whose breasts it predominates so stupid and miserable, that Americans will not be likely to approve of any political institution which is founded on it." --John Adams

"[H]owever weak our country may be, I hope we shall never sacrifice our liberties." --Alexander Hamilton

"An elective despotism was not the government we fought for; but one in which the powers of government should be so divided and balanced among the several bodies of magistracy as that no one could transcend their legal limits without being effectually checked and restrained by the others." --James Madison

"Where an excess of power prevails, property of no sort is duly respected. No man is safe in his opinions, his person, his faculties, or his possessions." --James Madison

"Guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism." --George Washington

"No country upon earth ever had it more in its power to attain these blessings than United America. Wondrously strange, then, and much to be regretted indeed would it be, were we to neglect the means and to depart from the road which Providence has pointed us to so plainly; I cannot believe it will ever come to pass." --George Washington

"If you love wealth better than liberty, the tranquility of servitude better than the animating contest of freedom, go home from us in peace. We ask not your counsels or arms. Crouch down and lick the hands which feed you. May your chains set lightly upon you and may posterity forget that ye were our countrymen." --Samuel Adams

"Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect every one who approaches that jewel. Unfortunately, nothing will preserve it but downright force. Whenever you give up that force, you are ruined.... O sir, we should have fine times, indeed, if to punish tyrants, it were only sufficient to assemble the people!" --Patrick Henry

I love this country. It is not unamerican to believe we are headed in the wrong direction. Today, I prayed and participated in a parade with my children. I believe in change, for the better. And it starts with us. We have to want it. We have to want the government to do what is right and just. We have to want them to care for the interests of more than just the Almighty Dollar. We have to pull the power out of the hands of the few, those who would sacrifice us to the special interest groups. We have to fight those who would destroy our air, water and our very lives in order to grow richer! We have to be informed. We have to vote and not just turn on American Idol. Right now, the american idol is MONEY. Everything in this country is based upon the god of Capitalism. I weep for our future if those in power continue as they are going.

And finally, I leave you with my favorite quote, by a famous cultural anthropologist:

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed it's the only thing that ever has" --Margaret Mead

God bless us, and God Bless the United States of America.

T, who believes we can be better than we are

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It's not just a song, it's terror

I lost. Seriously, I ran, screaming from the room. But perhaps I should back up, since I am coming in in the middle of my story. I have this Thing "thing" here meaning: phobia with a capital AAAUGH!" I am so petrified by the thing I fear that its name must not be mentioned in our home. We refer only to this marauder as "the C word." Think: similar to the evil wizard in Harry Potter, "He who must not be named."

We have taken great steps to stay completely free of said invader. But we live in Southern California, and there are the rare times (last time was 4 years ago) when a wandering "C word" finds its way into an open door, squeezes under a screen... they are quite resourceful. To tell you how much I fear these loathsome things, you need to understand that I hate shoes. And it is very common for me to run out to the van to retrieve something without them on. But I do not do this after dark in the summer months. I am terrified that I may run into something I don't want to deal with. If I have to go outside, I wear closed-toe shoes, and I don't bring a flashlight. I run to the car, and run right back. It is similar when a kid has to go to the bathroom in the middle of the night. They high-tail it to the bathroom, go and then run like the wind and jump back into bed, eyes squinched shut against the darkness.

So, now that you understand the depth of my fear (I may at some later date go into exactly why I have such terror in the face of these monsters, but not today) I am ready to tell you my story. You will have to use your imagination, because though I usually provide pictures in my posts, there is no way that I am googling for pictures of the vile creatures! In any case, here we go.

Del Taco here sells egg burritos after 11 p.m. So J decided to go and get us a couple. Del Taco is just down the street, the kids were sleeping, no problem. I decided to take a shower while he was gone. After all, what is better than a cool shower after a really hot day? Perfect way to end my evening. Or so I thought. if you are keeping track, here is where you insert the ominous music.

Things started out fine. I started the water, took off my glasses (proves to be pivotal in my story) washed my hair, enjoyed my shower. Lather, rinse, repeat. I conditioned my hair, and soaped up with my shower gel. I was facing the showerhead and happened to notice there was some cobweb on the ceiling. Hmm, I will have to clean that up. Getting ready to rinse my hair now... and I saw the dark spot of cobweb/dirt just above the tile, just at the edge about the same height as the showerhead. There, in the corner, what is that? It is higher than I am, so I wouldn't really notice it very well. It was about 2 inches long or so... What is that? I leaned a little bit closer, because I couldn't make out detalis. Remember, I wear glasses. And.. it moved. And that's when it hit me what it was! .

Let me just tell you, I move fast! Lance Armstrong on his bicycle couldn't have beat me out of that bathroom. I didn't even stop to turn off the shower. I high-tailed it out of there, stopping long enough to grab a towel..

When J came home, he found me, in the middle of the kitchen, standing on the stepstool. Clad in only a towel, I was wet and dripping, conditioner still in my hair, and the remnants of soap drying on my skin. I was shaking and sobbing. I know, it sounds funny now. Last night, it really wasn't. Wonderful man that he is, he immobilized the beast with a shot of shaving gel. Then he was able to get rid of it..

Trust me, I know I have nothing to fear. I know it is completely irrational. I am a big person. It is a small bug. BUT. My biggest fear has been that I would be somewhere I felt helpless and would be confronted with "the C word." And last night, that happened. And to think, I had my back turned, rinsing my hair, and it was there, all that time!! Makes me want to throw up..

I have learned the following things from this experience:

1. make sure to check the shower stall thoroughly before I get in.

2. a can of shaving gel will now sit permanently in our shower.

3. I am damn fast, and could win a sprint if one of those was chasing me.

4. I married the right guy

And finally,

5. don't tell this story to your kids and expect them not to laugh at you.

I mean really, admit it, you are laughing at my expense too, right? I would be laughing if I was you. So, go ahead and laugh. Eventually, I might also snicker a tiny bit. If I am holding a can of shaving gel. Just in case.

T, who swears if I see another one, I am moving out

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What Do You Do When You are Bored?

You Take Internet Quizzes! What fun! Come on, you know you want to! Could this mean that my creative well hath runneth dry? I don't think so, but it's summer!

Arty Kid

Whether you were a drama freak or an emo poet, you definitely were expressive and unique. You're probably a little less weird these days - but even more talented!

Who Were You In High School?

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things. Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life. You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation. You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon. Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall. You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others. At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults. Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion. A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

You Are Dr. Pepper

You're very unique and funky, yet you still have a bit of traditionalism to you. People who like you think they have great taste... and they usually do. Your best soda match: Root Beer Stay away from: 7 Up

What Kind of Soda Are You?

You Are Chocolate Chip Ice Cream

You are kind, popular, and generous. You tend to be successful at anything you try. A social butterfly, you are great at entertaining a crowd. You are most compatible with strawberry ice cream.

What Flavor Ice Cream Are You?

Maroon 5 Shares Your Taste in Music

See their whole playlist here (iTunes required)

Which Musician (or Group) Shares Your Taste in Music?

You Should Be a Film Writer

You don't just create compelling stories, you see them as clearly as a movie in your mind. You have a knack for details and dialogue. You can really make a character come to life. Chances are, you enjoy creating all types of stories. The joy is in the storytelling. And nothing would please you more than millions of people seeing your story on the big screen!

What Type of Writer Should You Be?

People Envy Your Compassion

You have a kind heart and an unusual empathy for all living creatures. You tend to absorb others' happiness and pain. People envy your compassion, and more importantly, the connections it helps you build. And compassionate as you are, you feel for them.

What Do People Envy About You?

T, who needs to find something to inspire me to write

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Thursday 13- R U Bored?

13 "Boredom Buster" Web Sites that TLC has found (disclaimer: not everything on these sites is rated G...the sites are large and there might be things there that are not family-friendly) 1.The Lair of the Crab of Ineffable Wisdom This site is by the guy who did the Quizno's commercials...spongemonkeys rule! We like da mooooon 2. Atom Films Very cool short film site that has all sorts of genres available. Careful! You can waste a lot of time here! 3. Haiku-o-Matic Hey, who doesn't like do it yourself haiku?? 4.Stuff on My Cat Really. Stuff + Cats= Awesome! Very funny site, and no cats were harmed in the making of this site. 5. The Sith Sense Darth Vader can read your mind. Truly. You are not worthy. 6. South Park Studio Because you have to make a South Park likeness of yourself. You know you wanna. 7.Yacht Rock Ever wonder what happened to the Smoooooth Music? Me either, but this web series tells us. You need the Yacht Rock. Funny and Irreverent...but not child safe...language. 8.Puppy War Puppies..which one is cuter? What's better than a dog that you don't have to clean up after? Pits cute dogs against each other. Yay, competition! 9.Google Earth Google owns the world, it's useless to resist. Maps, via satellite. Hey, I think I can see my house from here! 10.Throw Bush Sorry for those that like him, but this is therapy! 11. Joppa Think: Monte Python meets Kids in the Hall...silly, funny, lots of word play, senseless and creative. 12. Songs To Wear Pants To This guy composes music according to requests...the weirder the better. His archives kick serious butt. 13. User Friendly Cartoon strip about geeks. And computers. Geek humor. I get it. Hah! Yes, it is too funny!

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T, who has a lot more sites and it was hard to choose

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Bloggers Check in but...

I have a return visitor to the Guest Room this week. Say hello to Sir Bacchus from <------Parenting Toys, up in my sidebar. Love to have him back, and thanks to all 12 people who wanted to rent! Keep trying...you'll eventually be here. And...we'll leave the light on for ya. (minus Tom Bodette, of course)

T, who readied the Executive Suite and got more of those little chocolates you love so much

You Can Scream Now

I have to get something off my chest. Something that is really bothering me. There is a trend that is just so...wrong. Thankfully, I live in Southern CA, so I don't see a lot of it. But it does happen. And when it does, I hear the Psycho music complete with Janet Leigh's scream in my head.

Men, for the love of all things holy, do not do this!

It is the anti-sexy. It's sick. It's wrong. Just. don't. do. it.

T, who thanks you on behalf of all women out there

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5 for 5 OR time to clean it all out, you screaming MEME

I'm cheating today. I am not feeling great, a bit down. So today you get a meme. Maybe later I will write that soul-searching post that I keep putting off. Maybe.

5 items in the fridge

1.Bing cherries

2.Muenster Cheese

3.rice/almond bread for JBear (have to refrigerate bread in the summer or it molds)

4. Newman's Own Balsamic Dressing

5. Hershey's Syrup

5 items in my closet

1. shoes

2. dresses I never, ever wear

3.memory box

4. old Sega Genesis game player

5. cat, probably (one of his favorite places to sleep)

5 items on my desk

1. tv remote (then I know where it is)

2. glass of water

3. stapler

4. roll of masking tape

5. assorted "art creations" by children

5 items in my van

1.CDs... currently: burned CD of praise songs, Dixie Chicks, WOW, Jimmy Buffett: Live in Hawaii

2. sand toys

3.blanket and chair for park day (at least once a week)

4. book: The Well-Trained Mind

5. fruit leathers

5 items in my purse

1. card for Jamba Juice, buy 5 get 6th free

2. digestive enzymes for JBear

3. nail glue

4. printout of walkthrough for JBear's Zelda game for his gameboy

5. sunscreen

As for tags...if you want to do this...consider youself tagged! I don't want to force anyone to do anything they don't want to do.

T, who promises better entries later this week

T13- No More Teachers, No More Books...

Today, I have a guest Thirteener, my daughter, JBug. She is chomping at the bit to tell you about her teacher, whom she really thought was unfair most of the year. (can't say I disagree with her). The teacher actually liked her, but JBug watched the treatment other kids received from her and just stewed.

13 Reasons that JBug Disliked Her Teacher 1. She was too strict. 2. She gave too much homework. 3. Her expectations were way too high. 4. She was a perfectionist and expected everyone else to be. 5. She picked on certain students and showcased others. 6. She assigned too many essays. 7. She made us run laps if we talked during the opening exercises of P.E. 8. She didn't let us go to lunch until we were dismissed which made us last in line and sometimes they ran out of food! COLD grilled cheese (because they are out of everything else) is not a good lunch! 9. She gave us "fun" projects that weren't fun at all! 10. She should have been a college teacher, her expectations were that high. 11. She expected us to be "scholars." (whatever happened to learning because you want to??) 12. She did fun activities like art and science while students were out for pull-out activities like band or drama. 13. During the End of Year party she excluded some students who hadn't finished a project. They had to sit out of the swimming and work on the project, missing most of the pool time. They had fifteen minutes to swim...out of 3 hours!

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T, who AGREES with most of JBug's reasons

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So NOT fair

The worst pain in the world is when your kid hurts emotionally and you can't do a damned thing about it. I can't make it easier to make friends, and I can't take away social anxiety and shyness. It sucks.

T, who would trade places and would love to give my almost-40 yr old confidence to my jr. high-er

Help! I'm Locked In!

Q: What do you get when you lock 70 jr. high students in a room all night long?

A: You get the JR. HIGH Overnighter at my church!

It was crazy! We started out at Disneyland (we had to catch up with the group, because JBug had her cast party for the play she did...it was also tonight. We went to the cast party then brought her and another friend to Disneyland.) We hung out at Disneyland (managed to ride the Train, Space Mountain, Star Tours and the Peter Pan Flight). Then I put the girls on the bus and it headed to Disney Ice. I followed in my car.

It was SO cold at the ice rink! But most of the kids were game, and played Broom Hockey. A couple of us huddled under blankets. We stayed until about 2:30, then they jumped back on the bus and we went back to the church

At that point, they entered the Fellowship Hall (which is a big building and there was blacklight and fluorescent paint everywhere. There were around 400 balloons all over the floor, and we sent those crazy kids in to pop them all! Some had green slips of paper to be redeemed for candy. Yeah, that's what they need! MORE sugar!

Afterwards, they played games all night: Glo Ball, played with a large ball and two goals on the wall. They had to play while crab-walking, wheel-barrowing and even rolling. It was a lot of fun to watch.

Another game they played was Defend Your Hood. Teams were given a stack of large cardboard pieces and 4 rolls of tape. They had to fashion a fort, and have nothing left over. Afterwards, a huge box of balls was dumped on to the playing field and each team tried to break down the other teams' forts. It was interesting, intense and made dodge ball look tame.

After the game, there was LOUD worship music. you haven't lived until you have have felt thumping bass through your chest at 6 in the morning we fed the kids some danishes and then, believe it or not, it was time to send them home! The time went really fast. I would do it again, it was a lot of fun. JBug and I came home and crashed at 7 a.m. I slept until 2 and she slept longer. But it took a full weekend for me to feel like I was rested. Like I said though, I would do it again. It was a heck of a lot of fun!

(it took me this long to recuperate from the trauma so that I could actually blog the experience!)

T, who might be young but not that young

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Dear John Letter to the Internet

Dear Internet,

Yes, I still love you. No, I haven't found anyone else. Yes, you still ignite my toes. It's just that, well, I've been busy. That little thing called Real Life gets in the way. No, I am not taking you for granted! I still really appreciate you, and know that you are there.

You know how it is: one thing after another. And before you know it, you are knee-deep in other pursuits, and aren't spending the time together that you once were. But we aren't drifting apart, O Internet, no we are not! I just count this time away from one another as time to let the heart grow fonder. The mere thought of you sends me rushing to my computer to post again. So, it was time well spent.

But, you know, dear, I do have a family. And while I love whiling away my hours in your company, sometimes they want to see me. Can you imagine? In any case, I was spending time with them. This doesn't cheapen our relationship; no one else can take your place.

But you have to understand: I am a married woman. I can't just fly off to exotic blogs when the mood takes me! I have responsibilities. I want you in my life, but I have to be realistic.

Oh, how can I resist the hold you have over me? Once again, I will be held sway by your siren song until the wee hours of the morning. Until, flushed and ashamed, I creep through my darkened house to find my bed. But this must be our secret. No one else can know. You can be discreet, can't you? I will see you soon.

T, who apologizes for not updating

13 Things My Dad Used To Say...

My husband, J, my father, and my brother

In honor of Father's Day...

13 Things TLC's Father Used to Say:

"I'm Gonna Learn Ya Somethin." This as he was being silly but really trying to teach me something he thought I didn't know

"If you're gonna dance, ya gotta pay the fiddler."this after my first hangover..it was a doozy

"Pull my finger." you don't want to know!

"There are two ways to do something, "Dad's way, and the right way." he was in the Army, enough said?

"Beware of the Barking Spiders."these came after you pulled his finger...

"A job worth doing is worth doing right." it took me years to allow myself to get past that. sometimes, 'good enough', is.

"What? Do you think I'm made of money?" always said jokingly. I then often got what I asked for, if it was reasonable

"if it ain't broke, don't fix it." AND "It's nothing that 100 monkeys and a wrench (or, he sometimes said hammer) wouldn't fix."

"If your friend jumped off a cliff, would you?"

Your word is your bond: it's all anyone knows about you. If you don't keep it, what does that tell them?" the greatest thing my father taught me was integrity. He is a great man, and his character is faultless. If he says he will do something, he does it, always. I learned that, too.

"I don't care what they're doing, they aren't my kids. You are, and you aren't gonna do it!"

"There are two ways to get up in the morning: some people roll over and say, "Oh, God, morning." Some wake up and say, "Oh, 'Morning God!" You have to get up, you might as well have a good attitude about it." I never did learn the art of getting up well..my father did it and still does"

We clashed a lot as I was growing up...that's why #13 was so important to me:

"I guess you turned out alright. I like who you have become."

And after he mellowed even more:

You gave me the greatest gift I ever got: my grandchildren." Guess he mellowed a bit in his grandpa years"

My father and my mother with their grandchildren Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, PLEASE leave comments. It’s easy, and fun!

T, who,owes much of who she is to her father

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And for my next trick, I will now tie myself in a knot

Someone new has checked into the Guest Room! AYCO, aka A Yoga Coffee Outlook has come to stay for a bit. She just got back from another trip, and there she is moving around again. I chose her because she mentions two of my favorite things in her blog title by name: Yoga and Coffee. But her actual posts have little to do with either! talk about blowing our minds, man... I have been reading her blog for a while now and just really enjoy it. Check it out, up there in its special little cubicle in my sidebar.

Don't mind us, we'll be in the back, practicing peaceful tree.

Namaste

Also go and visit Hot House Mama...she bid on my blog as well. Wish I kept an entire hotel instead of just one guest room.

T, who likes having guests

My Brain is a Scrambled Egg

JBear, just before he was headed to bed:

"Mama, what would you name me if I was a cat and you were a human?"

WHAT?! I have no idea, it's bedtime, just get there! Gah. What is with the esoteric questions at bedtime? Doesn't he know my brain doesn't work after 9 o' clock at night? It must rest from the onslaught of the day! I can take these questions when the sun is up, And we know there are so many of them! But at night, my brain shuts down. It's why I do my best blogging then!

T, who is NOT Carl Sagan, I don't have the Mysteries of the Universe

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We Now Interrupt the Previous Post...

Just checked and ...According to the PETA site, Bath & Body Works does not test on animals or use animal products in their lines. I can still smell like oranges and cucumber and melon! Wahoo!

T, who is glad that I checked!

I'm Gonna Wash That Brand Right Outta My Hair

So I am in the shower this morning when I reach for my Bath & Body works Mandarin Orange shower gel. Smells great, nice pick me up. yes I am going somewhere with this, and no it isn't that kind of a post! As I am lathering up, I read: This finished product is not tested on animals.

Just how stupid do they think consumers are? They can apparently use the individual ingredients for animal testing, but hey, there won't be any orange-smelling bunnies at the Bath and Body Works factory! Do people actually fall for this?? Who is concerned enough about animal testing to read the back of the bottle and then decide, oh, it's ok, they aren't giving the bunnies bubble baths?

Companies need to tell the truth. Bath and Body Works DOES engage in animal testing. Rather than try to sugarcoat it, and pretend they are something they are not, why not just be honest? I didn't buy the product, it was a gift. I am not sure I would buy it if I had known. I do try to use cruelty-free, but I am not as good about it as some.

If this concerns you, check out Caring Consumer for a list of companies that do and do not use animals to test. To find safe cosmetics and such in your area, try here: Skin Deep, Your Guide to Safer Beauty Products. I can tell you I use Aubrey Organics and love it!

So maybe it's just me, but now I will be thinking of a super-secret spa for animals where Bath & Body Works tests their products. Do you think they have teeny tiny white terry robes? How about avocado facials?

T, who is trying to be funny about a subject that just...isn't.

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Let's Play...Let's Shrink Your Head!

Once again, it's time for everybody's favorite gameshow, "Let's Shrink Your Head!" Tonight's contestant, Anne Coulter, author of the wonderful literary tome, "Godless: the Church of Liberalism." "I'm "Nudgen Winke. And now here's the host of "Let's Shrink Your Head, Ree Diculous."

"Thanks Nudgen. You all know how the game is played. The premise is basically similar to This is Your Life." We 'll get to know our contestant as we play. Tonight's contestant, Anne Coulter,is the author of the wonderful literary tome, "Godless: the Church of Liberalism. And of course, that title isn't designed to incite, now is it?"

"Thanks Ree! Glad to be here, though I don't I need my head shrunk. That's a liberal lie. The liberals are the problem! I call it the way I see it."

"Well, ha ha ha, Anne, that remains to be seen. For our folks at home: we are going to ask a series of questions, statements that Ms. Coulter has made. Or perhaps not. As we go through the statements, here is where the studio audience comes in: if you think the statement is over the top, crazy, what have you, just vote. For each vote, points are scored on our in-studio Crazyometer. At the end of the game, a score over 100 earns you a label of mentally deranged. So are we ready? Say it with me:

host and audience "Let's Shrink Your Head!"

"Alright Ms. Coulter, the first statement attributed to you is:

"Liberals hate America, they hate "flag-wavers," they hate abortion opponents, they hate all religions except Islam (post 9/11). Even Islamic terrorists don't hate America like liberals do. They don't have the energy. If they had that much energy, they'd have indoor plumbing by now."

"Did you say that?"

"Yes, I did but..."
"No but necessary... audience, time to vote."

"And the verdict on our Crazyometer is a 20. Hmmm, off to a slow start. I guess the audience feels that on the Conservative Scale, that one was mild. Alright, here we go, the next quote:"

“Liberal soccer moms are precisely as likely to receive anthrax in the mail as to develop a capacity for linear thinking.”

"oooh that's harsh, Ann. Now audience, stop booing. TIme to vote. What say you? Ok...audience gives you a 40 on that one, Ann. That gives you a score of 60 with 2 questions left."

Here we go the third quote:

““I love to engage in repartee with people who are stupider than I am.””

"Oh, I guess that limits you to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, right? No, perhaps not. Haha! I would bet you are talking to yourself in the mirror then, huh? No no, I joke. Ok audience, what say you? Vote now. And the audience gives you "15!" WOW that scored low! Perhaps the audience doesn't believe there are many more stupider than you? I see you sitting there with your mouth open, now, Ann, you'll get your turn! But in the interest of time, we need to go on to the 4th and final quote attibuted to you."

" These self-obsessed women seem genuinely unaware that 9-11 was an attack on our nation and acted like as if the terrorist attack only happened to them. They believe the entire country was required to marinate in their exquisite personal agony. Apparently, denouncing Bush was part of the closure process. "These broads are millionaires, lionized on TV and in articles about them, reveling in their status as celebrities and stalked by griefparrazies. I have never seen people enjoying their husband’s death so much."

"ooh, Ann, it's getting ugly...they're turning on you. Did you really say this? What possessed you to say something that you knew would alienate so many people? Wait, before you answer, let's let the audience vote. And the votes are in...you scored a whopping 90 on that one! Wow! That definitely puts you over the 100 points necessary for being certifiable. Grand Total 150! And now, you know the rules. Send in the judge!"

'

"Tell her what she's won, Nudgen!"

" That's right, Ann, you'd better wear your jacket, because where you're going, it is bound to get cold! Here are your Commitment Papers! No longer will you be allowed to roam free with your poison pen and evil intent to create controversy and get rich. You'll be spending the rest of your life against your will in the Washington D.C. Hospital for the Mentally Deranged! Oh you can still write your books, but no one will take you seriously, you have been declared mentally deficient. NO one will buy your books and you will die old and alone, you spiteful woman!"

"Well, folks,that's all the time we have for today, but remember if someone seems crazy, don't you get crazy, get them on "Let's Shrink Your Head! See you next time!"

T, who is literally nauseous and cannot imagine how that woman, so full of hate, looks at herself in the mirror

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