Save the Boobies!

 

 

It’s October again which means it’s time for Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It’s a cause that is dear to me because my grandmother struggled with the disease for many years.

Ree at Hotfessional is having a contest in honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Since it is a contest there are prizes, of course, but most importantly you can help her donate money to the Breast Cancer Research Foundation for each entry. Earn 1 entry by commenting. Earn 1 entry by linking to her post. 1+1 = $2 possible donation per person. Now $2 may not sound like much to most people, but it all adds up. She is going to donate up to $150 to BCRF!

So what are you waiting for? Get your boobies over there!

Thanks to Tuli for the info!

(17 + 23) x 3 = 70 + Bonus

 

70 years (and a few days) ago, there was a young woman celebrating her 17th birthday. And how did she celebrate her birthday? She got married! This young woman had been courted by a slightly older man for about 5 months in a somewhat long distance relationship (they lived 30 miles apart, which was pretty close to long distance back then). And on August 17, 1938, this young woman and her 23 year-old beau were married for the 1st time. They weren’t married in a church. Why? I don’t know. What I do know is that they were married in the minister’s home, and he was pretty darn nervous because it was the first wedding he had ever performed. (The minister was nervous, but I’m sure the young man was, too, though he’d probably not admit it.)

50 years later, she and her slightly older man were married again. In a church this time, with 3 of their 4 children present, as well as several of their grandchildren, and assorted friends and others.

70 years after their 1st wedding, though somewhat older, they were married for the 3rd time. And again in a church (though not in the same church as 20 years prior because they had recently left the church in which they had been members for almost 70 years to follow their dear minister after he was rudely ousted in a very un-Christian-like manner from said church. But I digress). They were surrounded by 2 of their children, 5 grandchildren, 5 great-grandchildren, assorted spouses/boyfriends/SOs, and members and guests of the (new) church. Their wedding was performed by the dear minister (who I can honestly say is one of the most decent people, and ministers, I’ve ever known – if I went to church I would go to his, even though it’s an hour away over some typically crappy WV roads) of whom they had grown so fond. He is so equally fond of them that he had some trouble getting through the ceremony.

The young woman and her man

When the, formerly young, man was asked why he decided to marry his bride he claimed, “Well I’d been walking to her house every day for about 5 months, and it was a pretty long walk. I thought ‘That’s enough of that, it’s time to bring her home.’” How’s that for romance?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Bonus!

This is the clearest, and closest, photo of me from the day. As far as I know. Although my propensity for avoiding pictures (begin taken of me) is legendary, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there is another one that has been hidden from me. They can bite me.

 

**I didn’t take these photos, but I tried to my best editing them.

***Not that my photog skills are immeasurably better.

ABCs of MNO

 

I’ve been procrastinating with this for awhile. I’ve seen it here and there and more recently, though I changed a couple.

I didn’t intend for these to be so long, but sometimes I just can’t shut myself up.

Accent: I don’t know what my accent is, probably less severe (not in a negative way) than the rest of my family. Sometime during my late grade school years I decided I didn’t want to have an accent. Why? Probably just to be different, maybe my way of rebelling against having to live with my mom after my parents divorced, or because sometimes people with southern accents are perceived to be “dumb hicks”? Who knows why I do the things I do? Not me. When I moved to California people asked me where I was from and would say, “But you don’t have an accent.” After I moved back to my home I think it has gradually come back somewhat, but it is probably more of a blend from the different places I’ve lived and from being around family and people with different accents.

Breakfast or no breakfast: Breakfast food? Yes. Eating at breakfast time? No. I generally don’t have time to eat until 3 or 4. On a good day.

Chore I don’t care for: Washing dishes (thankfully! I have a dishwasher) and folding my dad’s laundry

Dog or Cat: Allergic to both though we always had cats when I was a kid. As an adult I’ve had a chameleon, a gecko, and 2 iguanas.

Essential Electronics: My really old (relatively) computer that needs to either be upgraded or replaced. It is where I spend about 16 hours a day so I would lost without it.

Favorite Cologne: The only favorite I’ve had was a perfume that I had specially made. The company was purchased by a larger company and promptly dissolved.

Gold or Silver: Silver or white gold. I can’t wear yellow gold and I don’t really like the way it looks, especially on me.

Handbag I carry most often: Whatever. I change every couple of months. I don’t match my purse to anything else and don’t change it for different outfits. I’m picky so if I find one I like I hang on to it for awhile.

Insomnia: Always

Jobs I’ve had: In the past I’ve been an office clerk, advertising sales (a few different times), advertising manager, retail sales (very briefly), door-to-door sales (yuck), office manager, convenience store clerk, assistant manager, data entry, customer care rep, billing analyst, wedding photographer. One summer a group of friends and I cleaned houses. One of my landlords also owned a snack bar and I would help there on busy weekends and holidays. I worked in a video store for a little while in college, other than the freaky owner it was an interesting job. I’ve also temped in several different types of jobs. And I’ve never been fired from any of them. My current work is more enjoyable, especially since I am my own boss. Although I do a little freelance work 2-3 days a week.

Kids: Can’t have them

Living Arrangements: With my dear father, who is sometimes much like a toddler. He probably listens just as well.

Most Admirable Trait: I think it would be generosity

Naughtiest Childhood Behavior: I never got in trouble at school. Most of the time that I got in trouble at home was, as the oldest, getting the blame for the 2 little brats that were my younger siblings. I never cleaned my room though and I sassed my mom.

Overnight hospital stays: 2 – The first in 9th grade. I’m allergic to fresh-cut grass and it breaks me out like poison ivy, which I am also very allergic to. We were doing a gifted class project at school and we were filming by the river across the football field. The field had just been mown and there was no other way to get to the other side than straight across. If that wasn’t bad enough some of the guys started throwing clumps of grass, several of which were thrown at my face. The doctor was afraid that my airway would blister and close off so I got prescription Benadryl pumped into me for 2 days and nights. Fun!

The 2nd was for Bronchitis, Double Pneumonia, and dehydration at age 19. I was feeling fine and went to a meeting on a Sunday out of town. During the meeting I kept getting worse and didn’t think I would be able to drive home (about an hour away). The doctor at the ER wouldn’t do anything for 2 days until I could barely stay conscious. Another doctor finally admitted me to the hospital where I stayed from Tuesday until Friday. The phone system was out so I couldn’t get any calls. Several people tried to visit me but were told I was asleep, even though I rarely was. So many other things that made me even more miserable than I was just from being sick that I am thankful I haven’t had any more overnight stays since then.

Phobias: For most of my life I was absolutely terrified of dogs, but I’m not as much now. Everyone used to make fun of me about it. My grandfather had 2 dogs and my aunt tried to help, in her way, by having me shake one of the dog’s paws. I tried not to be afraid but he must have sensed it because he started growling. I turned to run but only got 1 step before he knocked me face down in the dirt (I was about 12 or 13 and small – he probably was about my size and weight). He bit a hole in my ear and his teeth stayed clamped to my ear the whole time, shaking my head, until my grandfather could get him away from me, and dug his claw in my back (I still have a hole there) and most the skin was gone from one of my shins. I thought for sure my ear was gone! I was afraid if I looked at the dog my ear would be hanging out of its mouth. Yeah, it really didn’t help my phobia much. I don’t have as much of a fear as I used to, although I haven’t been around large dogs for a long time. My mom told me a few years ago that when I was about 9 months old she and my father left me with my great-grandmother overnight while they went Christmas shopping out of town. Some other relative was there with a Chihuahua and it just stood and barked at me the whole time. If it were true that would explain my fear of dogs. And why I despise Chihuahuas (except for my sister’s). But my mom likes to make shit up.

Quote: Courage does not always roar. Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, “I will try again tomorrow.”
— Mary Anne Radmacher

Reason to Smile: My family together, my baby niece!

Siblings: Younger brother and younger sister

Time I wake up: whenever, depends on what I am working on that day. Ideally I would like to wake up at 11 a.m. everyday. Right now I get to sleep until then about 4 days a week. It’s the other days that are a problem.

Unusual Fact About Me: I attended 1st and 2nd grade at the same time.

Vegetable I Refuse to Eat: Tomatoes. I tell people I’m allergic because it’s much easier than trying to explain that I hate, hate, hate tomatoes. I have so many allergies (both food and other) that most people buy it. But I do feel guilty lying about it.

Worst Habit: Most people would probably say smoking, but I think my procrastination skills are far too honed.

X-rays: I think I had 2 or 3 for bronchitis or pneumonia or something when I was young. The day before one of my moves I thought I broke my foot but I just stove the top bone on my foot into the bone directly behind it.

Yummy Stuff: Nachos, cheese, sour cream, cream cheese, bell peppers (except green), cucumbers, pork, and probably a combination of many of those things. We have very little variety of restaurants in my area. I miss chorizo, Lamb Vindaloo, Chicken Tikka Masala (my dear brother brings this to me on occasion), anything with a peanut sauce.

The foods I am allergic to (real allergies, swear) are avocados and seafood – shrimp, crab, scallops for certain so I just stay away from all of it.

Zoo Animal I Like Most: Okapi They are such a beautiful and unique animal. I first saw them at the San Diego Wild Animal Park.

My (brief) Vacation – the end

 

When last I bored you I had spent the evening playing sucking at pool. I think I would have been better with alcohol.

I’m not really a big drinker. In fact, I haven’t had any alcohol in over 4-1/2 years. It would just be nice to have a drink more than once a half-decade. One of the reasons I don’t currently drink is because I’m always working. Another is that I live in a dry county. If you don’t know what that means, please take a look. In Tiny Town it means that if you go to the store to buy alcohol, your only choice is beer. Not even wine coolers. Although they do have a substitute that could probably be called a malt cooler. That’s basically a beer with fruit. Or a wine cooler made with beer. I have tried a few different kinds of beer and have actually only ever finished 1 can. I was pretty darn thirsty. The only thing beer-like that I could drink was Chimay Ale, which is actually known as a Trappist beer, even though I remember the label saying Ale. I don’t know the difference but I do know that I really liked it. In my CA days we used to frequent a Brewery that had several pool tables, but only served beer. This was the only thing I drank there. Eventually they started serving mixed drinks. They should have stuck to beer.

me=tangent line

We arrived back at the hotel about 1 a.m. and I slept for 5 hours, woke up, and slept for another hour until I couldn’t sleep anymore. Which was fine because I woke up to this:

looking left

 

and

looking right

and

across the river

 

Yes, that is a river. The hotel room itself was just OK, but the view was the highlight of my trip (other than the wedding, of course). Unless I was asleep, my time at the hotel was spent either on the balcony, or pacing back and forth to the balcony, or down on the patio area which was 1 story closer. You might be able to see in the photos that the hotel was right on the river, and I mean unless you wanted to stand in the foliage on the bank, you couldn’t walk between the hotel and the river.

That morning I spent a lot of time on the patio and coordinated the day with Brother via cell. I was watching them

I can't remember if they were fly fishing but there were a few fly fisherman out earlier that morning

 

and I looked at this

looks cool and refreshing?

 

I say, “I don’t think dad is… oh, snake”. Brother, “Snake? Where!?!”

little snake

So while I spent a lot of time enjoying the view, I also spent that time looking for more:

blurry snake

 

Blurry snakes! I had several other photos but these were the only 2 that looked like they included something that resembled a snake. My 7 year old digital camera doesn’t zoom a 1 to 2-story distance.

To finish the rest of the trip:

Morning: I walked for 2 hours while looking for a Smiley Face store (which hadn’t opened yet) and for a place to eat (all of which were either closed before 11 or had about a 1/2 hour wait time). Blisters. But had Silver Dollar pancakes. FYI: Much of Main Street Gatlinburg does not open before 11 a.m. on a Friday morning during June, especially if you want to eat or shop. But every little attraction is open and you will not pass one without someone begging you to come in and see their amazing shit.

Afternoon: Wedding. We weren’t allowed to take any photos inside or outside the chapel. Photos were taken before, during, and after the ceremony by the staff photographer. So you have to buy their photos, of course. The inside was nice and the outside was beautiful with a gazebo and stream. The ceremony was beautiful, of course. I’m an involuntary crier and was trying very hard not to cry about my baby brother getting married. Until he started getting choked up while saying his vows. I haven’t seen him cry in years so that’s when my eyes filled with tears. My baby niece (9 months old yesterday) was standing between my sister and I on the pew (both of us had 2 hands on her). My brother finished his vows and his bride was about to start hers. And that’s when baby niece farted. Very loud. But only loud enough that my sister and I could hear her. For the rest of the ceremony we could barely contain our laughter. Looking at each other or baby niece just made it more difficult. But it could have been worse. I had noticed while we were sitting there before the ceremony that sometimes when she passed gas she would then blow a raspberry with her lips. So it would go *fart* *raspberry*. If she had followed up that time I’m sure we would have had to leave. I did warn my brother later because there were 4 video cameras in the chapel and I’m our hysterics were caught on at least one of them.

After the ceremony there were more pictures inside and out and then we lined up and blew bubbles until we almost passed out.

Evening: The reception. Beautiful restaurant, especially outside. Very dark inside. I was the only one who took photos so I spent most of the time with that. I saw several people with alcohol but I was too busy to find out where they got their drinks. It took a half hour for the wait staff to take our orders and another hour to get our food. Mine was wrong (mine is always wrong) but I’m not complaining because I only had time to eat the baked potato anyway. And then they rushed us out about 20 minutes after we got our food.

Night: Dad, Sister and her 3 kids, and I went to Ripley’s Aquarium. Amazing. The best part for me was the tunnel, which seemed like 5 miles long, and was on a moving sidewalk. It reminded me of the underwater tunnel in JAWS, except the sharks weren’t that big. Thousands and thousands of fish. My 15-year-old nephew got lost on purpose and we spent half out time there trying to find him. Which was a waste of time because he had gone back to their hotel.

Final morning: Most of us that were leaving that day met with the newlyweds for breakfast. Sister and her kids spent the day at Dollywood. After breakfast we walked to the Smiley Face store, checked out and drove home.

Then I worked for the next 36 hours straight. Not really, but close. No alcohol but I was very glad they were married there and that I could attend. And that I could finally have a freaking day off.

My (brief) Vacation

Almost 2 weeks ago my Brother got married! Which is pretty exciting anyway, but for the first time in over 4-1/2 years I was able to have more than 24 hours work free! This also means that for the first time in almost exactly 4 years I was able to leave the house for more than 48 hours!

The drive took almost 7 hours, and thankfully I had to drive exactly 0 of those hours. I am the only one in the family who had not been to Gatlinburg. Dad, Brother, and Sister went about 20 years ago, but I did not for many reasons. One of them a big reason, which no one seems to remember but me. I may talk about that another time. That was the only family trip, in our entire history of family trips, that I did not participate. Of course in our family no one, but me, can remember more than 2 minutes in the past so several times a week I would be asked “Remember when we went to Gatlinburg and we…?” and I would say “No, for the 86,000 time I DO NOT remember because I DID NOT GO.” Or “I have been to 21 states but none of them were Tennessee”. On the drive down I was asked THAT question at least twice an hour (by that time it was mostly on purpose) until I finally said to my father “If you ask me THAT again I am going to punch you in the face”. We both laughed because we both knew that I wouldn’t punch him. I’ve never hit anyone in my life. (Except for the one time I hit my sister. I was 10 and she hit me first. Twice. And no way was I getting in trouble for her hitting me without getting one in myself.) But it felt really good to say it. And he quit asking. I’ll just say it was a freaking long-ass ride - I brought the portable DVD player and several miniseries for the drive down and back and got to see a total of 1 hour.

After we finally arrived at the hotel, (after getting briefly lost because the map in the guidebook was upside down), and checked in, we I coordinated with Brother to meet and have dinner (great pizza!). The bride-to-be and bridesmaids were staying in the future honeymoon cabin that night, while Brother and his 2 Best Men were staying in a separate cabin. Brother, Dad and I went to the bachelor cabin after dinner and played pool. It was a beautiful 3-story cabin with a jacuzzi, whirlpool, full kitchen, and a loft with a pool table. The Best Men arrived in town and joined us about 9 or so and we played pool until after midnight.

I LOVE pool. In direct proportion to my suckyness at playing pool. While I have played on much worse tables, the wear on this one did not help my game, or lack of. Plus 2 of the balls were missing, one of which was the cue ball. And of the 6 cues, only 3 had tips. Still not the worst table I’ve played.

The girls had gone shopping at Target so Brother asked them to pick up a ball set (AKA a set of balls) and they brought over a complete set with just about everything pool related. Then we started losing those balls. Brother and I took half the pool table apart and found all of the missing balls, including those from the original set.

Even though I am horribly bad at pool, I usually win more than half my games because the other player or team scratches on the 8. I’m like a jinx, but in a good way.

To be continued … (not because it’s particularly interesting, but because my Benadryl kicked in a little while ago)