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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Book Review: The Submission

http://jacketupload.macmillanusa.com/jackets/high_res/jpgs/9781250007575.jpg

I read The Submission by Amy Waldman last week and it was great. It was great in that well written, extraordinary characters, well developed story, a bit of a mental mystery, and a use of the 9/11 tragedy without just ripping the reader's heart out.

The story begins with a jury of people- mostly artists, a political appointee, and a surviving family member of 9/11- working together to select from an anonymous selection of submissions for a design for a 9/11 memorial. After the jury chooses a design called The Garden, the artist is revealed only to be a Muslim American.

The story then unfolds as individuals on the jury struggle with what it means to them to have picked a Muslim to design a memorial to the biggest tragedy in America, and the argument of what Islam means. Then the story unfolds in America, and the outrage of the people in the country, in NYC, the families of victims... what does this mean?

I was literally spellbound as this story came alive on the page. The characters: Claire, wife of a victim; Mohammad, the winner; Paul the tired political appointee; the Governor with higher political ambitions; the desperate female reporter; and the Bangladeshi immigrant woman whose husband worked in the Towers but was an illegal and therefore never "honored".

Events of 9/11 were replayed from the perspective of these characters but without seeming fanatical or without using it as a ploy tugging on my emotional heart strings. It was real, it was hard, it was intense.

And the conclusion drawn by the characters, the author, the country....left me questioning and wondering.

Excellent read.

Mags

Friday, June 29, 2012

Got itchy feet again


Back to the Wild West?????
Mags

Thursday, June 28, 2012

I wish.......





I'm really sick of the 90 and 100 degree temps here....

Mags

Wednesday, June 27, 2012

Game playin' pet peeve

I play Scrabble. I'm an English teacher/ bibliophile/ librarian/ lover of words (logophile). This maybe doesn't make me the "right" sort of Scrabble player. I don't have a cut throat instinct to win. In anything, really. I like winning arguments and games, like anyone else, but winning isn't everything to me, especially in Scrabble.

I love to make awesome words. I like to make big words. I like creative words. I like to make the $20 words when I can. I like an opponent who can make awesome words, big words, creative words, the $20 words, too. I'm happy to lose at Scrabble if a person I play with is making awesome words. I don't care if I get my ass kicked in the word play world if someone figures out how to use all their letters, for example. I'm impressed when I have a fellow wordsmith as a Scrabble buddy.

I don't got after the triple word spots or double letter spots just for the points. Oh, if I can make a terrific word on a spot that garners me some massive points, I will do that, but if I can make a 16 point words that's awesome and uses lots of letters verses a 3 letter word that will get me 30 points, I usually go for the awesome words. I also like to make big words to use lots of my letters and to try and open lots of spots to play. I try to never take 3 or 4 good places to play and ruin it with a stupid, low point 3 letter word that closes those up to other play. Have I ever played in a spot that screws up the board for other words? Oh yeah. Have I made crappy, low point, short words? Oh yeah. But if I'm doing that, it's usually because I have crappy letters and am backed into a spelling corner, thus creating the Scrabble players nightmare. I've even been known to toss my crummy letters back and draw new ones and forfeit my turn in the process rather than just play crap.

And frankly, I like to play with people who play like me. I realize that's pretty unrealistic but it's a nice thought.

Also, I just want to add that I often win Scrabble when I play this way. It sounds like I would probably lose often, but surprisingly, no I don't. I win. A lot.

I hate playing Scrabble with people who do nothing but want to win and will win at any cost. I hate that player who plays "one" just because it's a triple word. Ooooooooooo 9 whole points! wow, that's 'greaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat' (yes note the sarcasm her)e, when their letters and the board would let them play, say, for example, opponent, but it wasn't on that triple.

Mac plays for points. I won't play with him anymore. I should say he plays for points while simultaneously taunting me for screwing up the "good" spots on the board. This irks me.

I've been playing "words with friends" online. This is a game that available thru Facebook as well as Android and iPhone as an app. (I play Android, not Facebook). It's basically Scrabble 9I'm guessing there was a copyright issue with calling it by Scrabble). I play with random strangers, fellow Twitterers, and real people I know. So far I've been finding it fun and awesome (except when it updated itself the other day, I've lost the ability to chat. The chat feature no longer works. If people send me a chat, I can't see them. No idea why.)

One random stranger, though, has been now "declined" from my 'words with friends' play. I've played about 7 games with this person and they beat me every time. I don't care that I was beat every time. What I hate is how s/he plays, using every high spot spot and making crummy little words and tying up good spots to play. Or by sticking an "s" on the end of a word. Or an "ed" and not making any other word from it, just adding the letter. I can forgive that once or twice but this person has done it consistently, every single game we've played. And s/he consistently looks for high point spots with small words that don't really garner lots of points. Yes, this person has beat me, but usually by very few points. So I decline to play with him/her. This player keeps sending me game requests and I keep declining.

So if you want to play with me, I just wanted you to know what you're dealing with. Some say OCD, some say picky and this my even earn me an eye roll but hey, it's how I spell.

Mags

Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Thinking inking

I think I want another tattoo and am giving serious thought to getting one.

My current tattoo is on my outer right ankle so the new tattoo has to be on the left side of my body, in the upper half of my body.

I also need to find a good spot that's not going to be stretch marked and that's also not visible in the work place. I really wanted to put it on the back of my neck but with my new short haircut, I don't think that's a good locale.

I honestly think I'm going to have it on my left shoulder, on my back.

And this is what I want:


or...

I want a Celtic cross. And I want to add some purple color. I also just it to be about 3 to 4 inches. I haven't made the leap yet but am seriously thinking about it. Maybe before the end of the summer!

Mags

Monday, June 25, 2012

Diet week 8

I'm tempted to step on the scale. It's calling me like a siren's song but I'm afraid. I don't want to be bummed if I didn't lose anything. I liked that I went weeks and weeks and weeks before I hopped on and then saw a HUGE loss. I liked that rush. I won't see a loss like that in one week but I'm so tempted to see if my body is losing still. I know that sounds silly but I can't help it!

I'm telling myself to stay off because I'm bloated (sorry for the TMI!).

I'm not going to weigh in until July 3 so I can eat cookout food.

And I'm gearing up for an elephant ear. Or part of one, anyway.

Oh, I did do yoga last week with a bunch of girls (students) after school on the library floor to a video. After they helped untwist me once, we collapsed into giggles! I was fine that day and felt good. The next day I felt REALLY good. The third day my yoga parts hurt. I hurt where I didn't know I could hurt. Da---ang!

So, I did get some exercise in, more than wandering a mall and looking for shoes, anyway.

I'm still doing shakes and still liking it. I feel good. I'm not nearly as hungry and obsessed with food like I was in the beginning. I'm not dreaming of food anymore.

Though here's a funny I mentioned in an earlier post. I dreamed of bacon (I thought) and woke up to find Mac frying bacon at 4 sometime am in the MORNING. So I don't know if I was dreaming of frying bacon or if the smelled made me think I was.... Oh well!

All the heat we're having and the drought and the triple digit temps has really made me not so hungry, which is nice too. I've figured out that it really can be too hot to eat, believe it or not!

Anyway, onward with another week!

Yay diet!

Mag

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Random thoughts on a hot Sunday

I've done 9.5 loads of laundry. Please refer to me as Queen of the Landry. And I thank the wonderful clothesline because I couldn't have done it without it.

I love love love the Almond Berry Chicken salad at Wendy's- minus the almonds. Super yummy!

One great thing about all the heat we're having is that I don't feel like eating which makes dieting easier. Too hot to eat is real. Ugh.

I love my new haircut!!!! I'm going to have to get it trimmed in a week though, to stay on top of making sure it doesn't grow out weird. My hair has already grown in two weeks. I love my super short do!!!!

I'm not super happy with my new glasses, however. I've been 3 times to get the ear pieces adjusted and it still hurts and rubs. Grrrr! I'll keep going back and trying to get it right because I love the frames. And I really love being able to see!

I'm still obsessed with games on my Android. I now play Draw Something, Scramble with Friends, and Words with friends. If any of you want to play with me, drop me a comment or an email!!!! I suck at drawsomething but I sure do like it!

If you want to read a funny Maggie cooking disaster, go here!

Mac has lost more than 100 pounds in about a year and I am so proud of him. And jealous.

I'm reading The Submission- excellent book! I'd like to stay home from work tomorrow and keep on reading--- but I won't. I have some dedication to the library.

And speaking of library, we're getting a shipment of new books in tomorrow- about 50 and I just adore new books!!!!!!

MagsLink

Saturday, June 23, 2012

Dragging butt

This title is not a description of what's happening to by own ass due to my diet (yet!) but a cliched way of saying I'm a wee bit tired.

I woke up this morning at 4:41am dreaming about bacon and having to pee. Imagine my surprise to find Mac frying a pound of bacon when I hit the bottom of the stairs.

Then I couldn't go back to sleep because I knew I had to wake up at 5:30am. Yes, on a Saturday. I- the Queen of the NOT MORNINGS- had to wake up to shower, dress and do the hair (all 4 minutes that can now take!) because I had to photograph a morning wedding in a town about 90 minutes away.

So I did do all that.

Then I went to work my second shift job as a weekend receptionist until 10 pm tonight.

Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Mags

Friday, June 22, 2012

When it rains, it pours... worcestershire sauce

Lesson 1 learned: fiber bars and apple sauce are a deadly. Do not eat them in combination unless you mean business. And yes, I mean that sort of "business".

Lesson 2 learned: Worcestershire sauce stains everything. And I mean everything.

Lesson 3 learned: Do not attempt to cook 3 new recipes all on the same night

Lesson 4 learned: do not wear socks on tile floor after polishing with 409 cleanser and a Swiffer Wet jet, unless you like possible broken bones and have good health insurance. Yeah, go ahead and live on the edge.

Lesson 5 learned: When making homemade friend rice, crack the egg and cook it in the pan completely BEFORE YOU ADD RICE. I'm just sayin'!

The following is a true story because not even I could make this shit up.

This might be TMI and I don't usually talk bathroom but it's a vital part of this story. A few days ago I had not been able to "use the bathroom" other than to pee, for about 3 days so I ate a Fiber One bar. And didn't seem to get any results so about 3 hours later I had applesauce. Just remember that part. Sorry for the "bathroom TMI."

Later that evening, I decide to fix dinner. I want to make a low calorie BBQ sauce and I wanted to try my hand at a low calorie fried rice. And since Daddy-O is doing the shake diet as well, I thought I would experiment with the shake powder since he was a little tired of shakes so I decided to make mashed sweet potatoes using the shake powder as a base and then integrate some other stuff to make it also low calorie. All three new things on one night for the same meal. What the hell was I thinking?

So I'm cooking along; I have a pan on every burner, the oven going, the microwave... and I'm not really following a recipe, just tossing in a bit of this and that, here and there. And as I go to put away the Worcestershire sauce I miss the shelf and the bottle plummets to the kitchen floor. Where it does not break even though it's glass. No, instead, it bounces, jarring the cap off the top and then rolls about 6 feet across the floor, creating a 6 foot long swath of Worcestershire sauce path.

I finally grab the renegade bottle and survey the white linoleum floor and panic. I grab all the dishrags and throw them on the floor and start sopping. I turn the facet on and sop and rinse. It smells something awful. And then I try and sop and clean and finally give up and scream, "dAAAAAAAAAA-AAAAAAAAd come stir shit!" Dad comes in the kitchen and takes one look at the floor and doesn't say a word. He just stirs stuff.

I continue sopping and rinsing when I suddenly have to use the bathroom. The apple sauce and Fiber Bar decide to do their jobs. I take a 10 minute time out to facilitate myself in the facilities. I return to the kitchen and finish cleaning. I finally get it all off the floor which is now sticky- a is the cabinet, the inside of a cabinet door and the side of the fridge. I start wiping the floor, as well as the other surfaces, with 409 and a clean rag.

Finally I can take back over the cooking but I can't get the smell out of my nose. It just FEELS like the Worcestershire sauce is still there, when it's obviously not. Daddy-O and I are dishing stuff up, putting dishes in the sink, filling glasses, when I slip on the floor and about fall flat on my face. Thankfully, I didn't and neither did the carton of eggs I was holding. (Cause of death would've been suicide by cooking disaster)

Finally, finally, finally, after one more trip to the damn bathroom, we sit down to eat. And the fried rice is terrible. It was one of those things that the first bite was unsure, the second bite was okay and then suddenly the third bite was the real thing which caused much gagging and hacking out of the ickiness of it all. I find out later that I was supposed to cook the egg completely before adding my veggie rice mixture. I want to point out right now that the recipe I had glanced at online earlier that day didn't say to do that. I'm pretty sure it didn't, anyway.

Mashed sweet potato was pretty good and the BBQ sauce was STRAIGHT ON! But the smell of Worcestershire wouldn't go away, and even Daddy-O could smell it. I finally relaxed and crossed my legs to notice dried rivets of brown, streaked up and down my shins and calves of my lily white Irish skin! It was the reverse Michael Jackson!!! Ack!

No wonder we kept smelling it. During the splash down and clean up, it apparently splashed ON me. And this stuff stains, people! I'm not kidding! That sentence could be written "this stuff stains people" because it does. I washed my legs with hot soapy water and scrubbed until I was a pinkish, brown streaked pale white, then I rubbed my legs with lotion. I smelled like Japanese Cherry Blossom but not the way that Bath and Body works intended!

Lessons learned. Crickets, take my wisdom and don't try to learn these on your own. You've been warned.

She who is back to plain pale legs now,
Mags

Thursday, June 21, 2012

My new motto

I don't care if these are Gandhi's words modified or are cliched but it's my new life motto:

"Be the change you wish to see in the world."

I'm working on several plans to do just this. Stay tuned.

Mags

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

A not so funny thing happened on the way to the cemetery

My dad has a cousin who died about a year ago. She was young, in her 40s, and she died of cancer. Daddy-O and I are "distant" cousins of sorts to this family. Apparently there was some bad blood between her and her immediate family, which her widower has sorta spilled over to ALL of us in the family.

So almost a year has passed and she's finally got a headstone and her ashes are buried. She buried where her mom is, and where a bunch of our family has been laid to rest. Daddy-O and I went to the cemetery to see, and since she's buried where my grandparents are at (Daddy-O's folks) we thought we could just do a check on the family.

We find her plot and she has a lovely headstone, and is buried just a few feet away from my grandparents and from her mom. BUT........ her mom's headstone was gone. Yup, gone. As in, no longer there, just the slab but no marker. Weird, right?

Daddy- O and I brainstormed possible ideas: vandalism, weather, new stone, more engraving, weird tombstone thief cum hoarder... various possibilities. But we didn't know the headstone would be missing so it was a little worrisome. We figured there was some logical explanation but we just weren't sure what that might be.

Daddy-O emailed some cousins to see if anyone had a clue. We didn't want to email the family and freak them completely out if they were clueless to the whereabouts of said stone.

I, often being of that Nancy Drew ilk, decided to just call the sexton and see if he/she knew anything. WELL! Did she ever! I just want to give advise to everyone- apparently there isn't any of family of the dead and sexton confidentiality rule, no dead person HIPPA stuff because she gave me an earful.

She said the headstone was removed by my dead aunt's husband and we to not be returned until the daughter was buried. The sexton gossip queen implied that it was because the new widower might do damage to his dead mother-in-law's grave marker because of all the ill family will. Holy beejeezus!

This is NOT some wacko group of rednecks. These are well educated, well moneied people who wouldn't stoop to such things. This isn't a Hatfields and McCoy's fight. Ugh, what a mess.

An interesting story, but certainly a sad mess, really. I bet everyone that this would matter too is rolling over in their collective graves, marked or not.

Mags

Tuesday, June 19, 2012

Weird Job Interveiw

I interviewed for a job at work the other day. That sounds weird I know, but the residential program has a new program and I was approached and asked if I might be interested in hearing about a job. I said sure and went before a committee who basically seemed like they were trying to sell me on the position.

I'm not sure how I feel about it. I don't want to take a job just because of money or insurance, which sounds really weird since I've been bitching about money and insurance for years. BUT I LOVE my current job and it makes me so happy! I don't know if I want to take a job that, while it will be a pay boost (though I don't know how much yet) and have benefits, it's also going to about quadruple my stress level and I will be on call for periods of 24 hours at a time- a lot.

I also had an awkward and uncomfortable discussion with the CEO about "personal responsibility" and "spirituality" and "emotional maturity" and I didn't really like it. That's sent up lots of red flags, and I'm seriously thinking of taking my name off their list because of that little talk. This is a very political position and it will be working and living in a fish bowl for a year. There are people who want the new program to fail and other who want it to succeed and I just am not sure any of that suites me very well.

No one's offered me the job, yet, however, so I'm not counting any chickens before hatching.

What I really wish is that the person who is going to operate a new school program would take another job anywhere else, and then I could run the school and afford to get my last 2 classes for my certification. My prayers are "please let Mr. Person- Who -Is -Going- To -Run- The -School get another job so I can run the school".

Or maybe I'll just stay here as the librarian.

Mags

Monday, June 18, 2012

Diet Week 7

I finally weighed myself. I wasn't going to do it but I couldn't help it. Everything was fitting better and people keep saying "Oh you lost so much weight" or "you look so thin!" that I couldn't stand it any more so I got on the scale.

Drum roll please.....................

I've lost 19 pounds! Yay!!!!! I'll take that! So only 71 more pounds to go to be at my goal!

Mags

Sunday, June 17, 2012

Vroom- vroom!

I've decided, right or wrong, that I'm going to buy a car and let Mac use it. Please note I said "use" not give.

My theory is this: if I get a reliable used car, pay 3 months of insurance on it, and then give him gas money, and he's only allowed to drive it for job searching, then maybe he'll get a job. And then he can take over the gas and insurance payments.

I told him this, and said I would do it for the months and if he didn't have a job at the end of three months, then I was taking the keys, cancelling the insurance and, basically, throwing him out of the house.

I even found a cool car: a red 4 door Pontiac Grand Prix- Mac's favorite car and in my price range. It was for sale for all over 24 hours and when he and I went for a test drive, it was sold. Mac and I were equally super bummed. I talked to the guy and he fixes up cars and is pretty popular around this area and he said when he got another car in my price range he'd give me a call. Mac's decided it will "never happen" and he just wants to give up.

What a butthead!

Still looking for a reliable vehicle,
Mags

Saturday, June 16, 2012

And I got a little haircut....

Before:


After (and yes, I am wearing my glam glasses!)



Sill Me, just with a MUCH shorter do!
Mags

Friday, June 15, 2012

Out with the old and in with the new!

I got new glasses today! and yes, they have lineless bifocals. But they sure are cute, or at least I think so!

Old:


New:

New from the side:


Still,
Mags!

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Random... really random

Why is Kristen Stewart on the cover of every magazine this month? And why is she making the same face in every picture?

I hate it when I forget to shut my wireless off on my Nook and the battery is run down.

Laundry is a never ending battle that I keep fighting.

The clothesline is the best invention EVER!

Why do some people sing in opera voices on church hymns? If they had a nice voice, that's be okay, but really... ick-o sometimes..

My car wouldn't start so Daddy-O brought me to work. Turns out the CD player tried to re-set itself, even when the car is off, thus running down the battery. On the positive side, with a dead battery, the CD player is reset...

I own 1 pair of shorts. Shhhh, don't tell people. I'm a surprised as you are. As a dedicated capri wearer, this is a new experience for me. I haven't worn shorts since 1999!

I miss bread and cheese. And bbq sauce. Diets suck.

Mags

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

Pissed at Starbucks

I'm pretty mad at Starbucks right now.

Since I started this diet I've been trying to come up with a new favorite drink that doesn't have a bajillion calories like my Venti Peppermint Mochas.

I went to a Starbucks and they had sugar free peppermint and sugar free chocolate so the barista experimented. It wasn't bad. But not all Starbucks have the sugar free peppermint nor chocolate. it's pretty inconsistent and that's frustrating.

So I then I thought I'd get something different. I went to a Starbucks at a mall and told the barista my dilemma. She made me a sugar free vanilla cold drink with coffee, skinny, blended thing and it was really good. She said the only calories in the whole thing was the milk. Okay!

I couldn't remember what it was called so I took a picture of the cup and when I was at another Starbucks, I showed that barista the picture. As he and I chatted he informed me if really did have sugar in it but half the amount of regular frappuccino powder. Huh? I told him what she said he said she was wrong; really, though, he thought I was wrong because he said Starbucks employees wouldn't say that.

WTF?!?

I was pissed. I count ever single calorie that goes in my body and I spend lots of time on restaurant web sites analyzing nutrition values. And he insinuates I'm stupid? I was pissed.

Then he proceeded to make my drink and it tasted like crap.

I drop A LOT of money at Starbucks on a regular basis. I have a gold card with my damn name on it. I continue to patronize them and believing they'll help me find something that tastes good. But this guy just rubbed me the wrong way and made a crappy drink on top of it.

I took the picture to another Starbucks- in a different city even- and the barista there made it the same way as the mall girl and said she was right.

I went back to the other Starbucks with the mean guy; he wasn't there of course. I showed the picture to another barista at that store and HE said it was wrong and made me a crappy drink, AND SLAMMED MY CUP DOWN. Oh yes he did.

I was nice. I was polite. I was respectful. I didn't yell or anything. I got bad customer service and a crappy product. I am NOT going back to that Starbucks. I don't deserve the treatment I received- no one does. This is why people think Starbucks sucks. And for $5.24 per drink, I don't have to tolerate it. And at this point, unless I get an iced tea, I won't be going to any Starbucks until someone can give me a real, honest answer about the beverage I get, and improve customer service. I've been going there for more than 10 years. I drove 3 freaking hours one way when I lived in the Wild West to get Starbucks. I am so saddened by the repeated inconsistencies and rude customer service.

I. am. not. impressed. anymore.

Disgruntled Starbucks customer,
Mags

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Change the world

Do you ever feel like you're being called to do something but you're not sure what? I wish God would send me a text or an email, or even a phone call...

But you know what? I know I need to change the world. Screw just changing my corner- why can't I change the world? Whoever told me along the way that I couldn't deserves to be kicked. And I need to be kicked for believing it.

The world better watch out; I'm back.

Be the change you want to see in the world,
Mags

Monday, June 11, 2012

Diet Week 6

No I still haven't stepped on the scale. I just don't want to know. I do know this... I am losing weight. The new pants I bought 6 weeks ago are fitting much much looser, even baggy in some spots. The dress I bought the same day is a little big and I don't need to even wear Spanx with it. My face looks thinner. My bras are too big. My waist is VISIBLY thinner. I've always had a thin waist and it is smaller- lots. I just don't want to see what the scale says. I feel like I lost more than what I have, I think.

Yesterday I put on a pair of pants that zip and snap and also have a draw string. I didn't have to unzip nor unsnap them to get them on and off AND I couldn't cinch the drawstring tight enough to keep them on. The crotch was almost to my knees. These are HUGE! I'm keeping these pants forever. I never want to be that size again. When I think I might cheat or go off my diet, I'm going to put them on. These will be a symbol of me getting thin.

And in honor of the weight coming off, tomorrow I'm getting new glasses, and a hair cut and color. yeah... make over time. Like I told Daddy-O, a make over is cheaper than moving to a new locale- it's good change.

New look for me!
Mags

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Teacher whine

All along I've said it doesn't matter if we don't have the summers off at our school. We went to year around classes and this is the first summer we've gone. I've been a big proponent at school, in public and even here on my blog about why this isn't a big deal and teachers should get over it, and just adjust like the rest of the working world who don't get a paid 3 month break.

Okay- I am wrong. I am so wrong. I hate that i have to get up in the mornings and go to work when my teacher friends can stay home and play. I hate it. I want to stay home and play! Oh yeah, I know I always worked in the summers but I knew I had the option to MOT work if I didn't want to. It sucks! I was wrong wrong wrong!
Maybe it's mental for me? My body is programmed to have time off and now that I don't I find it hard to get up in the morning and hard to sleep at night. I dread going to work. I don't necessarily dread my job but I dread the getting up and going through the motions.
I want to stay home and play. I'd craft and quilt and read read read!
Drat, I want my summers off, unlike the rest of the non- teaching world. Blah me!

Mags

Saturday, June 9, 2012

More GF time!

Today Curly and I went to rummage sales!!!! This is awesome in many regards but the biggest is because I got to spend time with Curly, just her and me, which I never get to do because my schedule is nuts!

We talked and laughed a lot. And we found some completely awesome bargains!

And a completely awesome strawberry/ chicken salad thingy from Wendy's!

I love Curly- it was a great day!!!

Mags

Friday, June 8, 2012

Addictions

I'm addicted to games on my phone. I play "Words with Friends" (a form of Scrabble) and "draw Something". I play all the time.

I also Tweet. A lot.

I track my bank balance on my phone, as well as my weight loss and my calorie intake. And my period.

And I keep track of my Starbucks account on my phone.

I check movie times and locations daily.

I have my phone at church because I have a Bible app.

I listen to music, too, so my phone is an ipod of sorts. I check my mail on 3 accounts here. I have my address book on my phone.

Oh yeah, I also text and call people.

Is there a group for me?

"Hi! I'm Maggie and I'm an Android user."

Thursday, June 7, 2012

Girlfriend time, and a movie

Yay girlfriend time! I had a super time today with Lilith- we saw a movie (Snow White and the Huntsman, which was okay. The special effects were freaking awesome as were the costumes and make up!), had dinner, shopped and gabbed. I love being able to see her! And I better get my fix because my kick-ass friend got into nursing school, starting in the fall so come August to December, I won't have time to see her smiling face because she'll be learning how to medically save the world!

What a great day!

Mags

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Sometimes life isn't fair and that's not fair

The system sucks. Court with Girl did NOT go well today and it's our stupid governor's fault.

The governor in our state hates kids. He's cut money for education, Independent living programs, residential programs, foster care, after school programs, school lunch programs and day care.

He's an asshole.

Maggie

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Slow down, ya move to fast

Sometimes God is talking. No I'm not crazy. And I don't mean with words. But sometimes I rush and rush and rush and never slow down and I think God decides to make a point and says "slow down". For example...

I was about 5 minutes late when I left the house for work the other day and I was in a hurry. Five minutes isn't a huge deal but I get a little anxious when I'm late. And in a bit of a hurry.

At the end of my street when I left the drive way, I needed to make a left turn but couldn't due to train traffic. I waited and waited and finally had to make a right and go a long block around, which led me into a construction zone. I had to stop and wait for the flagger.

Then I proceeded through downtown where I was stopped by every single light, which all turned red one car before me.

As I was waiting to make a right turn into the parking lot to get coffee (yes, I know I was late but I had to have coffee or it would be ugly) I was stopped. Apparently about 3 cars in front of me was a huge pick up truck pulling a trailer that was making a left and didn't get far enough over so no one could go around him on the right, thus blocking both the turn and go straight lanes.

I finally get in line with cup of coffee in hand and there is only one lady in front of me. Who is paying in pennies and slowly and methodically counting them out one at a time.

I then proceed over the bridge, get stopped by another light and have to sit through it twice because the car in front of me decides to make a left and there's an accident in the right lane and I can't go anywhere.

So go about 1 mile and get behind a school bus. Yes, a school bus, which stops 6 times before it turns and I have to stop behind it 6 times, too, of course. I finally can reach the speed limit, turn and go another mile. I'm less than 1 mile from work. I can see the school. I'm almost home free.... but NO! I'm headed east and a school bus is headed west. And stops to get kids so I have to stop.

I stop at a stop sign to turn onto our campus and I'm actually the 4th car at the 4 way stop so I have to wait my turn. I go about 100 yards and am behind yet another bus. Which stops to get the students who are staff members' kids.

And then I can pull into the school parking lot.

I got the point from God about the time I left from getting coffee. I slowed down. I decided late was late and there was nothing I could do about it. I just flipped on the radio and sang along. I rolled down the window. It was all good. I didn't NEED the other reminders to slow down. He really drove His point home. I was just about in hysterical laughter by the time I got to work.

I reminded myself all day to just slow down and take all that is dealt to me just one step at a time. Doesn't mean I won't be hurrying other times but this was certainly a loud, huge HINT!

Slow down,
Mags

Monday, June 4, 2012

Diet, week 5

I decided to not weigh in this week. It's not because I don't think I lost weight but I don't want to see what the scale says.

I haven't been cheating or anything either. I just don't want to be discouraged because the scale isn't showing pounds when I know I'm losing. I'm losing inches. My bras are bigger (why is THAT always the first place I lose my weight? There are so many other places that could stand it other than my boobs!) and I have a couple pairs of pants that are baggy where they haven't been before. I have a dress and a skirt I couldn't wear for two years that I put on and they fit. The dress needs Spanx but the skirt doesn't. The sleeves on a t-shirt are a little bigger than they were last week. So I'm seeing a lose in clothes and feeling it, too.

It's just so discouraging to see the numbers on the scale show 1 or 2 pounds at a time. I think I might weigh in every few weeks so the numbers are a little bigger. And if I feel it in inches then I know the scale shouldn't matter but it does. It's psychological, of course, but I can't seem to get my mind over that matter.

So I can say "I'm losing!"

Mags

Sunday, June 3, 2012

If this were the case, then please, arrest me!

*** Edit*** I had a cartoon image here an nothing else but I was getting comment that no one could see the image; hence, the explanation. I have no idea why I can't get the image to show here- I can see it. Weird.

Basically, it was a cartoon picture of a woman, drinking coffee, and saying to another woman in a conspiring tone, "So then they handcuffed me and said 'Anything you say can and will be used against you' so I said 'Johnny Depp.'"

I thought that was awesome!

Saturday, June 2, 2012

I didn't mean to forget to post!




Happy Belated Birthday to my adorable nephew Fab Finn!!!!!!!!!!!!



What a cutie, little man!


Auntie Mags is so sorry she forgot to post this!



Friday, June 1, 2012

Sameness

Has anyone experienced a point in life where it feels like everything is the same? I feel like that's where I am.

I don't feel like I have any good stories to tell these days because of the sameness of my routine. I thought by being in teaching I would always have a good story but right now, I've go nothing. Our kids are being the same kids they always are.

My personal life is the same. I see the same people and go the same places and do the same thing.

Things are the same at home with Daddy-O and Mac. I'm still dieting.

My hobbies are the same and I'm still in the same financial situation. I have no big, fun events coming up: no trips nor schooling nor any big purchases, life alternating stuff.

We went to year around school so I don't even have a change in the summer schedule to give me that extra little "oooumph".

I'm in a routine and maybe a rut. I'm not sure if it's a rut. How can I tell if it's a rut or a routine?

And I'm not saying this is a bad thing nor, however, am I saying it's good either.

Just a lot of sameness...

Mags