Bucket List Amendment

The 10th suggestion from Oprah's site is: My Favorite Failure. I have something for this one but I'm not sure that everyone who reads this blog is going to want to hear it. Let me just say that my favorite failure taught me that you should NEVER settle when it comes to relationships. NEVER.

That being said, I'll skip the details and move right on to the last suggestion.

Here's the final suggestion from Oprah's site that every woman should write down:

An Amendment to the Bucket List.

This is a hard one because, I don't have a bucket list.

There are things I'd like to do/see and I'd like to see them before I die because, let's face, after that I won't be seeing anything. But none of these is on a bucket list of things I 'must' do before that dreaded day arrives.

So, IF I had a bucket list, here are 10 things that would probably be on it:

1. Write a book or more AND have it/them published.
2. Live on the coast of Maine in a sweet little cottage.
3. Rescue all the animals in the world from wrong-doers.
4. Rescue all the children in the world from wrong-doers and hunger.
5. Simplify my life in possessions, deeds and people.
6. Visit Alaska.
7. Check out Vancouver.
8. Take beautiful photographs of everything.
9. See world peace.
10. Learn a foreign language.

I know that #s 3, 4 and 9 are a bit GINORMOUS and, in all likelihood, won't happen. But y'all know me and one thing I never lose is HOPE. So I included those on the list. :)

Do you have a bucket list? If so, what's on it?

My True Happiness

Here's the 9th suggestion from Oprah's site that every woman should write down:

My Perfect Happiness. 

It seems I've had little of this in my lifetime. I can remember perfect happiness every moment spent with my grandparents and holidays. I remember a perfect happiness with the birth of each of the four lovelies. And I'm perfectly happy spending time with Tucker in the here and now. But that special perfect happiness continues to evade me. Of course, hope is one thing I hold tight and close. I never give up. So... 

In my mind, my perfect happiness would involve that special someone and myself and a fall or winter spent (or both) in a cabin in the mountains. No cell phones. No computer. No television. 

Music? Yes. 

A roaring fire in the fireplace? Yes. 

A book of poetry? Several books, please.

A few bottles of wine or some Bailey's Irish Cream? Sure. 

A season of hiking, reading poetry to one another, holding hands, snuggling, talkingtalkingtalking, dancing in the moonlight, sharing our thoughts/dreams/fears/hopes...just time. 

Time spent together without interruptions. 

The mere thought makes me feel perfectly happy. 

And that's what you get with an old hopeless romantic.

What does your true happiness look like?.

OH, and I had to choose another winner for the NuNaturals giveaway as I never heard from winner #4. Our new #4 winner is our friend from Florida- Terri D!

Weekend List

Lists. I make them all the time. Because I think they'll help me remember stuff or keep me on a schedule or help me adjust to a new schedule. But they don't really. Not all the time. Nevertheless, I keep making the darn things.

My favorite list is Monday Listicles with Stasha at The Good Life. It's Monday and I have the day off so I have a minute to sit down and join in the fun this week!

10 Things to do During the Weekend:

1. During football season, plant yourself in front of the television and ENJOY.
2. When football season ends, sit and pout until August when preseason begins.
3. Take the pup down the nature trail to the marsh. Take the camera. 
4. If there's a wedding in the family, do wedding planning related stuff. Do it early in the mornings so you can be back home before the games start (college football on Saturdays you know). IF it's not football season, try to drag your depressed self up and don't worry about when you leave or come back.
5. Do the grocery shopping for the week And some of the cooking. WooHoo. What fun tasks.
6. If it's raining, do the dance of joy and watch some old movies, read a book, take a nap, play with the pup---anything that suits a rainy day.  
7. If it's snowing, I'm jealous and don't want to talk to you.
8. Take the pup over to the beach for a walk or run.
9. Write some blog posts. Work does tend to get in the way of this.
10. Go downtown Charleston and take pictures of the tourists. Which is way more fun than you might think. 

Ok, let's hear your weekend activities.

Linking to Monday Listicles!

Top 20 Things I Do Not Want to Hear in 2014

Because I'm sick of hearing about them. Because they're stupid. Because people are stupid if they think I believe a word of it. Or just because enough is, enough. I'd much rather hear how we've all banded together for the good of all. How cancer has been cured. How the big corporations care more about people than profit. Yeah, I'm living in a dream world. LOL

The top 20 things I do not want to hear about in 2014:

1. Celebrity babies (or celebrity anything for that matter). 
2. Dr. Oz's latest anything (because, let's face it, he's become totally commercial). 
3. Miley Freaking Cyrus (for obvious reasons).
4. Erectile dysfunction commercials (good grief). 
5. #Hashtag (#overkill #transcendedintoverbalconversations #stopthemadness).
6. Healthcare (too much talk and nobody knows anything). 
7. Candy Crush (what a waste of time). 
8. The latest, butthisonereallyworks, diet (because we all know WHAT to do, we just need to do it). 
9. There is no scientific evidence that GMOs are bad for you (because that's BS).
10. How to be happy/positive (seriously? We can't figure this out on our own?)
11. Bipartisan (talk about BS).
12. Rand Paul (moron. And I absolutely include that idiot, Sarah Palin in this category).
13. Selfies (so uninteresting. Oh, and NOT art.).
14. Things I MUST know (who says I MUST?).
15. Sexting (including the people who do it). 
16. Cancer (unless they tell me it has been eradicated from the face of the earth. I hate cancer.). 
17. New parent advice (follow your instincts people).
18. Snow storms (I'm not getting any and others are getting too much). 
19. Butt exercises (just get off of it).
20. Reversal of the aging process (if there was truly a way, we'd all still be young). 

Ok, y'all are up! What's on your list!

That's NOT for the Christmas Cards

What if we wrote what really happened during the year on our Christmas cards? How would yours look? Boring? Pitying? Funny? Sad?

I thought about it and ours would have been a mixture.

Things that I don't put on our Christmas cards:

1. Having a kid move back in after four years of living in an empty nest sucks.
2. I keep falling off the healthy lifestyle wagon and getting back on (see number 1 as it relates to Frostys and fries). 
3. There were a couple of falling outs in the family (because I am sick of selfish people).
4. I ran out of laundry detergent several times (see number one) 
5. Tucker got out of the gate because the husband left it open and I was panicked and then furious.
6. I continue to be quite unhappy with a relationship.
7. I continue to fail at completely organizing the office (see number 1).
8. Our garden was a failure, again.
9. The junk in the side yard remains in the side yard.
10. Promises continue to be made and broken.
11. My glasses and dishes keep disappearing (see number 1).
12. We take our shoes off when we come in the house. The area near the door has become a closet (see number 1).
13. If it wasn't for my job and friends, I would be surrounded by negativity (except for number 1).
14. I kept buying ice cream from Publix and, because it's organic, decided I could eat as much as I wanted. Straight from the cartons. 
15. The front porch is still being used as a storage area even though there is now a storage tent in the back yard. 
16. Every day when I come home from work, there are breakfast dishes and coffee grinds in the sink (see number 1).
17. Tucker will pee in the house when he's mad at me for leaving him. 
18. I bought a new mattress pad. 
19. The husband put these new lights in the bathroom so that I could see how dirty it is (see number 1) and how much I now hate the color. Must paint.
20. I have started throwing certain things away, one at a time, here and there, so that no one misses them. And I've learned to lie about it. Yes, there IS an evil side to me. And I like it.  

Nope. None of that goes in our cards. Just the happy. Just the smiles. Just the stuff that matters.

What are some things that don't make it into your Christmas cards? 

Quotable List of 10

It's Monday and time to join Stasha over at The Good Life for Monday Listicles!

Each week Stasha gives us a theme for our lists. This week, we our topic was 10 Best Movie Quotes.

 I have no idea how in the world I got this list down to a mere TEN because I could go on and on and on with this one. I just chose randomly from my long list. Some of them are cheesy but I like them anyway (see the one from Robin Hood); some are from movies our family can quote from beginning to end but I only chose one for the list (see Christmas Vacation); some of them make me want to get up and get all involved with the movie (like Scarface); and some are just classy as hell (like All About Eve and To Have and Have Not). 

All you have to do to join in with this week's list is click on the button!

Ten Best Movie Quotes:

1.  From To Have and Have Not: Slim Browning (played by Lauren Bacall):"You know you don't have to act with me, Steve. You don't have to say anything, and you don't have to do anything. Not a thing. Oh, maybe just whistle. You know how to whistle, don't you, Steve? You just put your lips together and... blow."
2. From Robin Hood, Prince of Thieves (you know, the cheesy Kevin Costner one): Marian: You came for me... You're alive... Robin Hood: I would die for you. CHEESY? Hell yes. LOVE IT ANYWAY? Hell yes.
3. From All About Eve: Margo Channing (played by Bette Davis): "Fasten your seatbelts. It's going to be a bumpy night."
4. From The Treasure of the Sierra Madre: Gold Hat (played by Alfonso Bedoya):  "Badges? We ain't got no badges! We don't need no badges! I don't have to show you any stinking badges!"
5. From A Streetcar Named Desire: Stanley Kowalski (played by Marlon Brando):  "Stella! Hey, Stella!" (also hilarious when Cam does this on Modern Family). 
6. From Scarface: Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino): "Say 'hello' to my little friend."
7. From Christmas Vacation (what can I say, my entire family could quote this movie by heart...every single line): Clark Griswold (played by Chevy Chase):  "You checked our shitters, honey?"
8. From Gone With The Wind (because, as a southerner, I would be remiss to leave it out): Scarlett O'Hara (played by Vivien Leigh):  "I can't think about that today. If I do, I'll go crazy. I'll think about that tomorrow."
9. From Dirty Harry (because it's Clint Eastwood, duh): Harry Callahan: "...you've got to ask yourself one question: Do I feel lucky? Well, do ya, punk?"
10. City Slickers: Mitch Robbins (played by Billy Crystal): "It doesn't happen. See, women need a reason to have sex., men just need a place."

Oh how I could go on! There are so many good ones out there. BUT, my list of the WORST movie lines EVER is long too. We should do that one week! Might be funny.

Ok, what's on your list of best movie lines? 

Autumnal Listicles

It's Monday and time to join Stasha over at The Good Life for Monday Listicles! Each week Stasha gives us a theme for our lists. This week, we have the 10 AUTUMN MUST HAVES theme. All you have to do to join the fun is click on the link or the button!

10 THINGS THAT MAKE AUTUMN, AUTUMN

1. Sweaters. When I have to put on a sweater because the temps are chilly outside, I know it's autumn. I'm not wearing sweaters right now. Because, so far, autumn has eluded us. 
2. Long pants. I love putting away my capris for long pants when the cool temps of autumn arrive! I'm still wearing carpis every single freaking day. Because, so far, autumn has eluded us.
3. The changing of the leaves. One of my most favorite sights to see are the stunning colors that come along with autumn. Everything's green here. Because there aren't that many trees in the area that change color...most of them were knocked down by hurricane Hugo in 1989. They never made a come back.  Which is a moot point because, so far, autumn has eluded us.
4. My big floppy socks. These are big socks that used to belong to the husband. I love flopping around in those things when the weather gets cool. I am still walking around barefooted. Because, so far, autumn has eluded us. 
5. My favorite holidays. I love Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas! As far as I'm concerned, we could get rid of every other holiday. The autumn holidays improve my mood greatly and it's nice that they come when the temps are cool. Of course, my anticipation is quite low right now as autumn has, so far, eluded us. 
6. Baking. I bake like crazy nearly every day in the cool of autumn. When the temps cool down in autumn, the oven heats the house up just right and the smell of the breads, cakes, cookies, etc...fill the house nicely and take me back to my childhood when I spent autumn days in the kitchen with my grandmother as she baked. I've only baked cookies so far because the oven heats the house up too much still because the temps are still in the mid to upper 80s because, so far, autumn has eluded us.
7. Football. Even though it starts at the end of summer and runs through the beginning of winter, football is an autumn sport. It also happens to be my favorite sport. And, even though autumn has eluded us so far this year, football is here! Of course, the Panthers pulling it together and winning some games has eluded us again this season...so far. 
8. Pumpkins! I love seeing pumpkins everywhere- in the stores and on people's porches. I even have some really pretty fake ones that I use to decorate inside. I haven't bought any real pumpkins this year because the temps are so warm I'm afraid they'll rot quickly and I haven't put out my inside ones either because it doesn't feel like autumn because, so far, autumn has eluded us.
9. Gas logs. I would love to turn on the gas logs in autumn. But we don't have gas logs. And we would put a fire in the fireplace, but I'm allergic to the smoke from the fire. It's all moot (again) anyway because it's too hot for a fire of any kind because, so far, autumn has eluded us.
10. Flannel! I love flannel- flannel sheets, flannel shirts, flannel jackets, flannel ANYTHING! If I brought out anything flannel right now, we'd sweat to death because it's so hot out still because, so far---AUTUMN HAS ELUDED US.

Happy Monday y'all! Hope you enjoyed the autumnal listicles today! Want more? Head on over to Stasha's and join in the fun! 

Music That Makes the List

Stasha, over at The Good Life, is at it again! She hosts Monday Listicles each week and today is no exception. This week, we have a MUSIC theme. I had to make TWO LISTS. One just wasn't going to cut it. All you have to do to join the fun is click on the link or the button!

Songs That/Artists Who Make Me Want to BARF or Slap the Person Standing Closest to Me

1.       Anything sung by Celine Dion. She makes my ears bleed.

2.       Anything sung by Barbara Streisand. She can sing a song I LOVE and turn me against that song.

3.       Hey Jude, Yesterday and Michelle. The only three Beatles songs I HATE.

4.       John Lennon’s Happy Christmas—the only Christmas song I HATE.

5.       Most disco music. Self explanatory.

6.       Anything sung by the Bee Gees! ARGH!!!

7.       Calendar Girl- This one makes me want to pull my hair out.

8.       It’s a Small World After All---Kill me.

9.       Anything by the Carpenters. Hurl.

10.   Anything by the Captain and Tennille. Definitely cause for BARFING.

If anyone ever wanted to torture me, just put me in a room and play these over and over and over. I would die from the pain. Want to make it faster? Put Celine Dion’s picture on the wall. Speedy quick? Show a Streisand movie.

Now, here’s one more list for y’all.

Songs I am Completely Embarrassed to have on My iPod for Working Out (But WTH? I’ve already let y’all know I’m reading the Fifty Shades trilolgy)

1.       Pump It, I Gotta Feeling and Boom Boom Pow (The Black Eyed Peas)

2.       On The Floor (Lopez)

3.       Just Dance (GaGa)

4.       Low; Club Can’t Handle Me (Flo Rida)

5.       I Like it (Enrique Iglesias)

6.       Party Rock Anthem (LMFAO)

7.       Get the Party Started (Pink)

8.       International Love (Pitbull)

9.       Shut Up and Let Me Go (The Ting Tings)

10.   Hot n Cold (Katy Perry) 

And now that I have completely humiliated myself, I will bid y’all adieu. I hope everyone has a fantastic week!

Old vs New

Stasha, over at The Good Life, hosts Monday Listicles each week and this week is no exception. It appears that she has bought a brand new car- well, minivan- and so her list this week is related to buying a new car.

My spin is just a bit different as we have NEVER bought a new car. Even when the lovelies were growing up and we had a minivan, it was used--or, new-to-us. Now that the lovelies are all grown up, I've been completely enjoying my 1987 Mercedes! That's it in the picture.


10 Reasons We Never Buy A New Car:

1. I much prefer a BMW or a Mercedes to any other car and who can afford one of those brand new? Not to mention that I'm not a fan of the newer models. I prefer the classic look of the older models.
2. I don't like the look of hardly any new cars.
3. The husband can handle the auto repairs himself if we have an older car. And I like not spending money on car repairs. He can even go to the junk yard to get parts! LOVE IT! It's like recycling!
4. The price they ask for new cars today is LUDICROUS. I wouldn't buy a new one if I was a millionaire. 
5. I don't care for all the bells and whistles in the new cars. They're unnecessary for me and seem to add to driver distraction. Which we don't need any more of around here.
6. Most are GAS HOGS.
7. Depreciation.
8. Factory defects.
9. Insurance is WAY higher on newer cars. And I hate insurance companies. And the taxes are higher too.
10. I feel safer in an older car- STEEL BABY!

Ok, it's your turn! Do you buy NEW, USED or OLD?

Have a fantastic Monday! 

 

10 Annoying As HELL Sounds

This list was inspired by Stasha at The Good Life who hosts Monday Listicles every week. I always forget to go over there and join in. Even though I get an email reminding me. This was from a couple of weeks ago and I just couldn't resist.

Ten Sounds that Make Me CRINGE!

1. S.N.O.R.I.N.G. and that could take up the first 5 slots all by itself.
2. Anything shrill. Like screaming and whining.
3. Smacking while eating.
4. Barney. I wouldn’t even let the lovelies listen to him while they were growing up. They still thank me. Profusely.
5. Operatic sopranos--especially when vibrato is involved. Like nails on a blackboard.
6. Nails on a blackboard.
7. Actors faking a southern or British accent. Really? No one would EVER believe they are from the south or England.
8. Celine Dion singing anything. Or talking.   
9. The popping of gum in someone’s mouth. A lady sitting behind us was doing this during DoodleBug’s senior band concert. I wanted to turn around and yank that gum out of her mouth and put it in her hair. 
10. The crumpling of paper. You know what I mean. Those people who are opening a bag of chips or throwing away something that they have to crumple up first? They crumple and crumple and crumple and crumple like they're just standing there doing that over and over and over with no goal in mind and it gets old, speedy quick!  

Ok, it's your turn! What's on your list of annoying as hell sounds? 

Top 10 Rules for Living Peacefully...With Me

Are y'all shocked that I have a list of rules that can make life easier for people around here? I didn't think so.

My list has changed somewhat since the lovelies all grew up and moved along. But, it isn't that bad. It isn't irrational. It isn't unfair. It never has been any of those things. And the rules aren't there to make anyone's life miserable. They are there to keep me from smacking the living daylights out of you make life easier and more pleasant for us all. 

My list is easy enough to adhere to. IF other people are paying attention, which they (apparently) are not doing.

Here are the top 10 ways to keep me from blowing my stack:

1. Don't use my hairbrush or my toothbrush AND if you knock it on the floor or something, LET ME KNOW. Seriously, this should not even HAVE to be on a list.
2. Don't use my pillow. It's mine, leave it alone. I am not a fan of having your drool on it.
3. Don't touch my camera, computer or phone without permission. Everyone's stuff gets broken or infected except mine. That's a red flag in my book.
4. If you SAY you're going to do something- freaking DO IT. Otherwise, you will be labeled a promise breaker.
5. Don't drink out of my glass/water bottle and don't eat from my fork/spoon. Self explanatory.
6. Don't use your fork/spoon to help yourself to another serving or to get olives out of the jar. Manners people, manners.
7. Don't forward me those stupid emails. Seriously, and everyone who does this is not getting my new email address.
8. Don't leave me a voice mail message- I will see that I missed your call and call you back ASAP. OR, you can text me. (This is down to just two people now- and the two of you need to stop leaving me voice messages!).
9. Do not bother me during football season (NFL AND college) and this DOES include preseason.Which starts this weekend. Take note.
10. Don't lie to me. About anything. EVER.

See? Those aren't so bad. As a matter of fact, some of them probably shouldn't have to be on a list because they should fall under common sense. 'Should' being the keyword there.

Now tell us, what's on your list of rules or pet peeves?

The Good and the Bad Concerning Birthdays

It's birthday week around our house. I may have mentioned in some previous posts that DoodleBug will turn 21 tomorrow. Stasha at The good life hosts a cute little hop called Monday Listicles and this week the list theme is BIRTHDAYS. With that in mind, I made a list of the good and bad concerning--BIRTHDAYS.

The Good:

• It's a birthday! We are born! We have arrived!
• There will be TONS of cake!
• There will be presents!
• Everyone is nice to us!
• IT'S a PAR-TAY!
• My parents are still having birthdays!
• There will be ice cream!
• There will be balloons!
• There might be a pinata!
• It will be recorded by dad on video.
• You get to wear silly hats.
• Someone tells you that they are very glad you were born.
• The smiles!
• The laughter!
• The nostalgia of birthdays past.

The Bad:

• We get old- fast. 
• Coming up with new, creative ideas for kids' birthday parties gets old- fast.
• Cleaning up after all those parties SUCKED.
• Our kids age at warp speed.
• Our kids grow up and move out on their own and we are faced not having them home to celebrate their birthdays.
• We are expected to mature in behavior as we mature in age.
• People don't always mature in behavior as they mature in age.
• That gray doesn't look as bad on men.
• Not everyone gets wiser as they get older.
• Figuring out the perfect gift.
• Keeping up with the dates.
• Getting the cards in the mail---on time.
• It takes several strong men and an aluminum baseball bat to open the damn pinata. Or a chain saw.
• It will be recorded by dad on video.
• You wear silly hats.
• The spills!
• The tummy aches.
• The nostalgia of birthdays past.

Stay tuned- tomorrow is all about DoodleBug's special day!

What's on your list of the good and bad about birthdays?

The 'Yes' List

We seem to live in a world of lists anymore.  There's the ever popular bucket lists and the to-do lists (included here is the honey-do list).  There are wishlists, checklists, playlists, grocery lists, summer reading lists and Santa's list.  There are lists that rank our favorite things and let's not forget about the S*** list.

I was reading skirt! magazine last night (I seriously love this publication--it's all about women, has great articles and short stories AND it's perfect to cut up after reading when I scrapbook for the lovelies).  Their theme for June's issue is Yes!  And on the front they ask, "What's on your YES! List?"  Good question...


My YES! List:

• YES!  I will walk for an hour every day (this one is kind of a cheat since I already do this--what can i say, I'm starting off easy).
• YES!  I'll stop procrastinating and use my time wisely (please try not to hurt yourselves falling out of your chairs laughing at this one).
• YES!  I'll get those two bedrooms painted THIS SUMMER (No, I really AM going to do this.  Really. I am.).
• YES!  I'll look for the blessings in my everyday routine (I'm sure there are some around here somewhere).
• YES!  I'll stop calling my life boring (and get off my fat behind to do things so that there's no reason to call my life boring).
• YES!  I'll write some fiction everyday even if it's only one paragraph (and even if it's the worst piece of fiction EVER written).
• YES!  I'll try to be more sensitive to the needs of others (I know. Stop laughing.).
• YES!  I'll try to stop calling people stupid even if they are (Nah.  That's just not going to happen.  How about I'll stop calling people stupid in a voice loud enough for them to hear me calling them stupid?).
• YES!  I'll re-cover those dining area chairs before all the foam padding falls out through the worn fabric that covers them now.   (Or else our butts will be sitting in holes).
• YES! I'll answer my phone even if it's a long-winded person I really don't want to talk to calling. (Hahahahahahahaha!).
• YES! I will not cry when Birdie heads off to Texas.  (If you believe that, I've got a bridge I'd like to sell you!).
• YES! I will say NO to gray hair. (That stuff looks fine on everyone but me).
• YES! I will get my blender back from Birdie and DoodleBug. (College students aren't the only ones who enjoy a frozen beverage with Tequila or Rum in them).
• YES!  I will stop my mind from wandering when someone else is talking.  (Even I am laughing at that one.)
• YES!  I will clean up my language. (Just as soon as people stop pissing me off making me angry).
• YES!  I will hold my tongue and lengthen my fuse.  (Hahahahahaha!)

Obviously, my YES! List needs work.  But it was fun trying make one! 

What's on your YES! List?