Sunday Rewind and a Question of the Day

From April 2008, with a few additives from today...

My taste buds, they are a changin'

Funny how when you stop eating a whole lotta junk...you stop craving a whole lotta junk. And when you stop smoking, you really don't crave cigarettes all that much. And, you smell better.

And funny how good simple things taste. Mandarin oranges, for example. Mmmmm. That was like a little party in my mouth a few minutes ago.

I can't wait to hit my first 10 lb. mark. I'm thinking about buying myself something for every 10 I lose, but I don't know what that would be, because that would turn into a collection of sorts and I don't collect anything but damaged men evidently. LOL! Or maybe I should just do something nice for myself. Maybe a pedicure every time. Or a massage. Any ideas?

Day 6 - No cigs. Thought the weekend might be tough but it hasn't been bad. Friday night I'd have sacrificed a limb at one point for one, but I white knuckled through it. The rest of the weekend has been okay. It really is more breaking a habit than anything else...

Now, for my question of the day....

If you were to select a moment when you were convinced an angel was watching over you, when would it have been?

Husband Down!

A husband and wife are shopping in their local Wal-Mart.

The husband picks up a case of Budweiser and puts it in their cart.

'What do you think you're doing?' asks the wife.
'They're on sale, only $10 for 24 cans,' he replies.
'Put them back, we can't afford them,' demands the wife, and so they carry on shopping.

A few aisles further on along the woman picks up a $20 jar of face cream and puts it in the basket.

'What do you think you're doing?' asks the husband.
'It's my face cream. It makes me look beautiful,' replies the wife.

Her husband retorts: 'So does 24 cans of Budweiser and it's half the price.'

On the PA system: 'Cleanup needed on aisle 25, we have a husband down.'

TGIF....aka Thank God I'm Functioning

I don't have much time to post today so this will be fast....

1. Was out of the office all day yesterday being The Grinch Who Uninstalled Christmas. (We do Xmas decorating at client's houses and I ended up having to take one down yesterday) It was the biggest freaking tree, like 14', with at least 200 ornaments on it. Undecorating was literally an 8 hour job. A job which my back did NOT appreciate. Needless to say, I went right home, had a Vicodin/Muscle Relaxer cocktail and spend the evening on the couch with the heating pad.

2. Thanks for the support on my nonsmoking kick. I haven't had a cigarette since Monday night, when I smoked my last one during the final minute of the Buckeye game. I couldn't help it, the stress got to me! But it was the last one in the hidden pack in the freezer, so there are no cigs left in my house nor will I buy any more. I've quit smoking before, so I know I can do it again. I smoked from age 15 to 25, quit for 6 years and then started up again after Jordan was born. I quit again when he was about 8 and started learning about cigarettes in school and came home one day and told me I was doing drugs and needed to stop! So I did...for another 7 years. Then I started going through my divorce and picked up the smoking habit again, when I'd be awake at 4am, sitting on the front porch rocking and drinking coffee and wondering what hotel room my husband was shacked up in at the time. So, now that all that trauma is finally behind me, it's time to quit again.

3. That being said, I'm not going to swear I will never smoke again. I can guarantee you that some day, when I'm out with the girls and we've got our drink on, I'm going to want a cigarette. And I'm okay with that. One or two on the rare occasion I go out partying is acceptable. Daily smoking is not.

4. I laughed at the comments about cutting a straw to cigarette size. We used to do that to my Dad when he first went into the nursing home with Alzheimer's. He had smoked for something like 60 years at that point, and he was constantly asking for a cigarette, so we would cut straws that size and give him one, and he's smoke it just like it was the real thing. And bless his heart, he never realized it wasn't a cigarette.

5. I'm sorry I'm not keeping up with everyone's blog posts right now, this has been a crazy week for me. But I will catch up and comment this weekend, so bear with me!!!!

Gotta run, have a great Friday and for those of us in Ohio expecting 5-8" of snow tonight...be safe!!!!!!!!!

OK kids, I need your help. I mean it this time. No, really.

I'm gonna need you to keep me from going postal.

That's right...because I'm quitting smoking. and working on my health.

I figured if I put this out there for the whole freaking world to see, I'm less likely to fall back into the old habit because too many of you will catch me. I have family and friends who read this blog every day, and they'll be ratting my smoky ass out if they smell it on me, or see me sucking on a Camel Menthol Light. (sob...I'll miss you, old friend).

Thing is, I don't smoke that much. Hell, I don't smoke 2 packs a week. Do the math, that's about 5 cigarettes a day. During the week, I never have one until around 11am when Amanda and I go outside at work and have one, and then we usually do it again sometime after lunch, say 2'ish. Then I'll have one before I head home, say 6pm or so, and then maybe one or two in the evening. On weekends, it's virtually the same thing. The only time I smoke more is if I'm drinking. You know the two go hand in hand.

But 5 cigarettes a day is doing just as much damage as a pack a day.

Dammit, I watched my sister die, a painful, slow, horrible death brought on by a massive stroke. She was overweight (me too...check), smoked (check), drank (check, although I don't drink nearly to the extreme that she did), didn't exercise (check), had elevated cholesterol (check), and the only difference between us is that she had high blood pressure and I don't. Although mine is higher than it used to be, but "high" for me is 120/80 which is most people's norm. Hell, I was 9 months pregnant and had gained 70 lbs and my BP was still only 98/52. I've always had low BP.

Anyway...

I have a goal. Just one. And it's very simple.

I want to be alive, and healthy, for a very long time to come.

I want to see my son become a successful director. I want to love his wife and spoil my grandkids. I want to still be active and strong when I'm 80, not bedridden and in a nursing home.

My immediate family tree has people dying of cancer, heart disease, heart attacks, strokes, Alzheimer's, colon cancer, etc. With my lifestyle, I'm a prime candidate for every single one of these things.

And I don't wanna die like they have. I want to live.

So here's the deal. I won't bore you with this every day, I promise, but I ask that if you notice I'm not mentioning anything about how I'm doing with not smoking, eating better and exercising...CALL ME OUT ON IT.

Because trust me, I have the ability to dodge and evade down to a science! You would be amazed at what kinds of bad behaviors I can hide. I'm a regular Criss Angel with my sleight of hand techniques. (I suck at levitating though.)

It's actually kind of sad...I just read over this and thought to myself...do I really want to put this out there, and let all of my readers and blogging buddies watch me fail? Isn't that sad to think that I just automatically tell myself I won't be successful??? Boy, this girl needs work not only on her health, but her mental health as well!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

By the way, I've come up with my first plan to combat cigarette cravings! When I'm at home, and I find myself dying (literally) for a cigarette, I'm going to jump on the exercise bike and pedal until the craving goes away. I figure that's a win win situation...I'm NOT smoking, and I'm exercising all at once! Good idea, right? And to take that a step further, at work when I crave one, I'm going to take the stairs to the basement and back up here to the 2nd floor. Again...getting exercise instead of lung cancer.

I can do this. I know I can. And at the end of this year, when I have lost an Olsen a nice chunk of weight, and am exercising regularly and feeling pretty damn full of myself for looking hot at 48 years old...

I will pull a Kirstie Alley and post a picture of me in a bathing suit on here.

I'm not shitting you.

In fact, I'll go as far as saying I will post it REGARDLESS, so either we are all going to be high fiving me for how fucking fabulous I look at the end of the year...or we'll all be mortified and laughing hysterically at my bovine body in a bathing suit.

Only I would have the balls required to make a threat promise like this.

It's too late, I have gone insane. Especially since I just hit "Publish Post". I can't take this shit back now. Oy vey!

Welcome to Julie's Month-From-Hell

So yeah, January sucks for me. It's my job to get the prior year closed out and prepare everything for the accountants.

Which means I basically move into the office for about 30 days or until I get it all done.

I'm probably not going to be blogging every day unless I manage to do one at night, and I may be recycling a few from earlier last year when nobody knew me. Hey, they'll be new to you guys then, right?

Oh hey, guess what? My realtor boss has been forgetting for oh, a year now, to send me bills he's gotten on my behalf for dues from the various Realtor boards. Yesterday I finally got a bill for $1,500 that's due right away or I lose my license!!! AND, I forgot to mention that some stupid shield piece broke off of my car last week (underneath it) that I have to fix to the tune of $300. Oh and that followed having to replace my garage door opener for $275 and fix the garbage disposal at my rental property for $170 both two weeks before Christmas.

So my month-from hell started early this year.

I'm thinking that in order to raise money to pay off these bills, I'm going to sell my body. I only need $2,300 to cover these. I can do that, right? Granted, I may not get the $2,300 all in one shot for an hour with a babe like me, but I'm thinking I can get $1 twenty three hundred times right???????????????

Who said "wrong!"????????? I heard that!

Oh well...

By the way, today is, or would have been, my sister Linda's 59th birthday. Her husband would have gotten her yellow roses, so I want to make sure she gets them today...



And Happy Birthday as well to Captain Jimmy Buffet. (That's buffet as in food, not Buffet as in Jimmy the singer) I hope the disco ball on the boat is swirling madly, and you get plenty of food-as-fuel in yourself today!!!!! Make Phyl-Lease do something nice for you tonight. And by nice, I mean naked.

Best Wedding Dance Video Ever

Make sure you have your sound turned on. This is hysterical and when I get married again, I'm so doing it.

Thanks for yesterday....and an update as well.

I set an all time record in comments! Woohoo!!!!

I'm not sure if Vinnie is still speaking to me, but hopefully some of what all of us said will sink in to him. I really, really pray it does. Not only for him, but for his children as well.

I received an email last night from Vinnie's love interest. She was probably far more gracious than I'd have been if I'd read the things that were said about her on my blog! I'd have been a real bitch to me! haha

I will not detail what her email said other than to say I don't necessarily feel she and her husband are running a con on Vinnie. I'm not going to say for sure that they aren't, because frankly I have no way to confirm it one way or the other. But I do think it's probably just a really messed up emotional situation, and not a criminal one. However, I can tell you in all honesty that I didn't get any warm fuzzies from her either. No declarations of love, no explanation of her positive intentions towards him, no real indications of anything other than she was upset that he told details of her private life to a bunch of strangers. Basically all she really said about him is that he's a wonderful man and she's the last person who wants to see him get hurt. So, as far as I'm concerned, the jury is still out on her.

As you can imagine, I didn't hold back in my response to her, and told her in no uncertain terms that she and I have very different definitions of "cheating", and what acting in the best interests of our children is, and that she needs to clean up the mess she's in before somebody really gets hurt.

And the last thing I said to her is this:

I have made the decision to stay out of any conversations going forward about you, with Vinnie. He isn't going to listen anyway. 78 people commented today that he needs to walk away from this situation and the ONLY comment he grabbed on to was the one person who's affair ended in marriage. So he's a big boy, and he's on his own with this one. I wish you both luck, and hope that you find your way out of your marriage if that's really what you want, and I hope that he gets the love that he deserves. I just frankly don't believe it will be with you.

With that being said, after this post I will not be discussing Vinnie's love life any further. We gave him the advice he asked for. What he chooses to do with it from this point on is his business, and if he wants us to know, he'll write a post on his own blog about it. In fact, I hope he does, and I hope it's a happy ending to this story, because I will (for once!) be thrilled to say "I was wrong".

Now, let's go back to talking about my favorite subject....me. LOL

Please welcome to the Julie Show, today's special guest....

Vinnie!

Now, for a little back story. Vinnie has a situation in his life that I've been aware of for several months.

We do not see eye to eye on it, for reasons that will be verrrrrrrrrry obvious after you read his story!

Every time I offer my unsolicited advice in a really loud, in-your-face or as I call it, passionate manner discuss this situation with him, he always says to me "I know, I know, you're right".

Of course I'm right. Have you met me? LOL

So one day I said to him...you know, maybe you should do a guest blog and ask my readers and see if the majority agrees with me on this subject!

He foolishly bravely said yes.

Today, I am happy to finally present you with his writing. And I ask that you don't hold back in your comments on this post, as at the end of his part of this blog post, I will have my own flaming diatribe comments to make!

Without further ado...I give you Vinnie. Take it away, pal.

Julie has been asking me to do this for a while. I started a draft a month or so ago but it never was completed. One of my New Year’s resolutions was to write at least 30 minutes everyday. Julie used that to her benefit and suggested I use that resolution for this guest piece. So here I finally am.

I’m in a situation that I will just call unusual…

The end of June last summer I met a couple online (yes exactly for what you’re thinking). I chatted with the wife, we all met and then…

The following week I was invited to an overnight trip with their family to Vegas. The three us went to see a band and danced. On the dance floor she asked me what I was thinking. I said I was thinking how it easy it would be to fall for her but that it was a really bad idea. She agreed and asked if I could handle it and I said I could.

On the ride home I sat in the back with her cuddled up against me the whole time. That was the end of handling it. After that we were seeing each other as much as possible and two weeks later we said those words.

That’s the short story on how it happened.

I thought her husband and she were doing ok but it wasn’t quite what it seemed and in early October she asked for a divorce. Just after that happened her son and her daughter got into some stupid juvenile trouble. Because of that, a judge ordered that no major changes could take place in the kids lives until their probation is over.

Things slowed way down and it got much harder but none of the feelings changed. She’s trying not to rock the boat for the kids sake and at the same time I’m helping with the kids and some financially.

Julie thinks I should be running for the hills.

There’s a part of me that feels that way as well. I’ve been in love several times but I’ve never experienced anything like how I feel now. I could never walk away because of that and because I could never leave her in the state her life is in now. One thing I am is loyal and it just isn’t in me to leave and just let her go down in flames. Besides the fact that I don’t want to leave.

It would be easy to think she’s using me just by hearing what I’ve said but you can’t know that without knowing her. I know in her touch, I see in her eyes the pain that this situation is keeping us apart.

The connection we share is enormously strong. When we’re together it’s like there is nobody else. Nothing else matters at all. And when we’re “together” it has absolutely nothing to do about the sex, it’s being one… I know that sounds like a cheap romance novel but it’s true. I feel like I couldn’t breathe with out her.

Now I’m not a stupid person and I know love can make you do all kinds of crazy things. I’ve been there before. This is different. I’ve gone from cock eyed optimist to over the top pessimist and back to somewhere in between over the last 25 years. But no matter how I feel about life and the world around me at any given moment inside, sometimes buried much too deep, I still want that fairy tale.

I’m a realist but I also believe that the fairy tale is real and out there and I believe I have it right now. This is just the bad part of the story happening before the happy ending. The idea floats into my mind sometimes that I’m the biggest idiot on earth for believing this but if I don’t have faith in this then why bother with everything else?

Is it better to wait for what could be the utmost of happiness or let it go to move on? And I do wonder if by waiting I may be missing out on something else wonderful. And I’ll really put myself out there, by that something else I mean Julie…

I feel like there’s more to say and this may be just one big rambling, insane piece of gobbledygook but I’m going to leave it at this and whatever comments Julie adds. So let’s hear what you have to say. Be honest but at the same time keep your dreams in mind too.

OK...my turn. Don your crash helmets because we're in for a bumpy ride!

The essence of what I have said to Vinnie on numerous occasions is...

Are you fucking kidding me with this??????????

Are you crazy?

Do you honestly think a relationship that starts out as a THREESOME with some strange woman and her husband that you met on the Internet is going to turn into your Last Great Love?????????????? Sure, but ONLY if her husband freaking kills your ass! Then she might have indeed been the last love of your life!

(OK, I never said I was tactful.)

Everyone one of you who knows me, knows that my marriage ended because my husband cheated on me. So you know that this topic is one that I am very passionate about, and I cannot...and will not...EVER have sympathy for anybody who cheats on their spouse. There is no reason for it. If you are so unhappy in your marriage that you have to look outside it for happiness...THEN GET OUT OF IT FIRST.

I don't know this woman, nor do I ever want to. But if my husband had ever come to me and said "Hey, let's go find a guy on the Internet and have a threesome", I'd have recognized right away that our marriage was in deep shit trouble, and said "Hell to the NO" so fast his head would have spun around on his shoulders like a freaking top.

So don't tell me he "made" her do it, or this was the "first time". I don't buy it. And I have to ask a question here...you said "The following week I was invited to an overnight trip with their family to Vegas." Define "family" for me? If you are telling me that she and her husband took their boy toy (you!) AND THEIR KIDS to Vegas, I am going to flip the fuck out. Because how on earth you would explain to kids that the THREE of you are staying in one room together...and more importantly why any of you adults would subject kids to that situation...is more than my brain can handle. I pray you don't say her kids were involved, because I will fly to Arizona and kick some ass like you would not believe. Starting with yours.

The fact remains that you need to get out of their marriage now. You are in interloper into a place you do not belong. I don't care if you were invited in, you need to get the hell out. Whatever is happening between them, whether it's a divorce or not, is THEIR business, and you have no right to be in the middle of it. Come on, Vinnie...you have more respect for the institute of marriage than that. Would you want somebody insinuating himself into yours?

As for a judge telling her...no...ordering her to make no changes until probation is over...are you kidding me with this? Unless I saw the court order forbidding her from taking herself and her children out of what you tell me is a bad home situation, then I don't buy that AT ALL.

"Hey Judge, my kids are acting out and turning into juvenile delinquents because my husband is a jerk and makes our life at home a living hell and they can't stand being around him".

Aw, too bad, lady. You need to suck it up and keep yourself and those kids in that ugly home life and suffer it out. No getting a divorce and putting your kids in a more stable environment to keep them out of trouble!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm sorry, I just don't buy that at all.

So meanwhile, what we have here is a woman who tells you she wants to get a divorce, yet stays with her husband because a judge says she has to. Meanwhile, she continually dumps her kids on you to babysit, and you pay her bills and contribute financially to her household...yeah, the one that includes HER HUSBAND. And you tell me it's because she can't pay her bills and she needs your help. Which bears the question, who paid her bills before you came along?

Listen, I understand believing in the fairy tale. After all I've been through, I still believe that there is more than one chance to live happily ever after. But Vinnie, I don't think this is it. And I hate to see you wasting your life (and your time AND your finances) on this woman, waiting for her to leave her husband and do what, come and ride off into the sunset with you?

Why would you want to spend forever with a woman who cheats on her husband????????? Who has no respect for marriage, and no integrity when it comes to keeping her vows?

You said "When we’re together it’s like there is nobody else.". Well, I hate to tell you,pal, but there is somebody else, and he's showing no intention of getting a divorce and handing his wife over to you. He has no idea his marriage is in trouble, at least not to the extent she leads you to believe it is. Trust me on this one...my husband made a big show of telling his affair how we weren't compatible, he'd been wanting to divorce me for months, we never had sex, I was this horrible bitch who made his life a living hell...you know the drill. The same thing every person who is cheating tells the person they are cheating with. Because they will never be honest and say "Actually, (s)he is a great person, I'm just being a lowlife scum by cheating on someone I vowed to love for the rest of my life, and destroying everything we have".

Wow, I've rambled on longer than Vinnie's post, haven't I? Before you guys start thinking I could have toned this down a little, just know that I have said nothing here that I haven't already said to Vinnie on many occasions. He's known me long enough now to know that I don't sugarcoat anything, especially when it comes to this particular topic!!!!!

One last thing I have to address is this:

Is it better to wait for what could be the utmost of happiness or let it go to move on? And I do wonder if by waiting I may be missing out on something else wonderful. And I’ll really put myself out there, by that something else I mean Julie…

The short answer is...yes, it's better to move on. IF she really is this great love for you, then give her the room she needs to stand on her own two feet and walk out of her marriage because her marriage is over, and not because you want her to. If she's your last great love then you have (God willing) a lifetime to love her. But she has unfinished business to attend to, and at this juncture she doesn't seem to be highly motivated to finish it. If she really wanted out of her marriage, she'd get out of it. Period. She has you to fall back on, to help her take care of her kids and to support her financially and emotionally. She can petition the court to allow the judge to lift the "order" (yeah, I'm being very sarcastic with that!) to allow her to make positive changes in her children's lives. She could file for divorce on the grounds of extreme cruelty if she had to.

But she has to make those moves, and until then you should not be sitting back, miserable and in pain and watching life pass you by, waiting for her to do it. You may be waiting a very long time.

Lastly, I would be remiss if I did not say this to you....

Vinnie, you know that I think you are a wonderful man. You've become very dear to me this last few months. I count you among my blogging friends who I hope to meet this year! Yes, I believe that by waiting on her, you may be missing out on many wonderful things...but I'm not one of them. I am not a factor in this decision, nor do I want to be. (And should I be offended that I'm second choice behind somebody's cheating wife????) You and I have no idea if we'd even like each other in person...and I live 2,000 miles or more away from you. But most importantly, I don't want to be your consolation prize. If we ever had a relationship, it would be solely because we wanted to...not because somebody else didn't want to be with you.

On that note, I'm going to open this up to my readers. Don't let my diatribe sway your thoughts and feelings on the subject at hand. I'll post all comments, as I always do. Vinnie is aware that some may not be nice, and of course I don't expect you all to agree with my point of view either...

And please, don't be afraid to be a guest blogger for me in the future. I really won't rip everyone's head off like I did Vinnie's here! :::smooch::: Sorry, hon.

OK let's open up the phone lines and see what you all have to say. Go ahead, caller...

You don't want to miss Monday's post....

I have a guest blogger on Monday...Vinnie has *finally* written the blog I've been bugging the shit out of him to do asking for!

Now, whether he and I will still be friends after this remains to be seen...

But he is looking for your opinions on a situation in his life...so everybody get your asses here tomorrow and tell him what you think.

Because you *KNOW* I will.

Saturday Rewind

Since my blog tends to be pretty quiet on the weekends, I'm going to recycle my very first blog post from last April...enjoy!

So here I am....47.

Wow.

Why is it that I feel 37 mentally and 57 physically? Gee, maybe because I'm overweight, out of shape, still smoking on occasion, and refusing to set foot anywhere near a gym? Let's face it, if I'm going to be sweating and breathing hard, there better be nudity involved. I'm just sayin.

So I decided to start blogging. Jump on the wagon, so to speak. (Hey, that would qualify as exercise, right?) I was told today that I should start recording everything I eat..."if you bite it, write it". That way you are more cognizant of your food behaviors.

Food behaviors? I eat anything that doesn't move. How's that for a food behavior?

OK so back to the purpose of this blog. I just turned 47 a few weeks ago. Clearly, I'm not getting any younger. So if I plan on taking one last run at being "all that" (ok so I've never actually been "all that", but I'd like to, at least once before I die, hear someone say "You're too skinny!" without any sort of medical intervention being involved!)...anyway, I need to get that last run started.

The thing is, I *know* better. My best friend is a naturopathic doctor, for heaven's sake! She has tried for years to get me on the right track (not to mention, to save my life) and I've fought her every step of the way. Whining at the top of my lungs..."It's too "hard" to eat healthy and organic and natural. I don't "like" to exercise. Yes, I "know" I have no business eating meat or any other animal products with my history of colitis, and family history of colon cancer." I can lecture other people until the cows come home about the bad effects of dairy on your body! (pun intended) So it's not like I'm stupid, or clueless, and have gotten to this point in life by accident. My body is what it is because of my own negligence. Period. I got nobody to blame but me.

So I figured accountability is a good place to start. I don't know if anyone will ever read this, so I'm not sure who I'm being accountable to or what I'm really even accounting for. Am I going to post what I eat every day? Maybe. That should be good for a laugh. Am I going to post how lazy I am and how much time I log being hortizontal rather than vertical? Possibly.

I'm just starting slowly at the exercise thing. If I type enough, I should have really skinny fingers, right?

Well Hell

I had a good post to share and then it wouldn't show up right. Gotta work on my blog knowledge for 2009 so that I can figure out how to fix these kinds of issues!

Back at work today, I've been off since Christmas Eve and it's been nice. I'll get caught up on everyone's blogs today, and eventually get back here with a creative one of my own.

Or, I'll steal someone else's. That always works too.

Happy 2009!!!!

Where were you when the ball dropped?

And now for the first important announcement of 2009...I'm not going to stop doing Bachelor posts. Due to popular demand, I will continue blogging about the freaks who continue to attract themselves to me nice men I'm meeting online.

This is a short post today, so I will leave you with this thought as we start a brand new year....

"Resolve to make at least one person happy every day, and then in ten years, you may have made three thousand, six hundred and fifty persons happy, or brightened a small town by your contribution of the general fund enjoyment."

I wish you Health...
So you may enjoy each day in comfort.
I wish you the Love of friends and family...
And Peace within your heart.
I wish you the Beauty of nature...
That you may enjoy the work of God.
I wish you Wisdom to choose priorities...
For those things that matter really in life.
I wish you Generosity so you may share...
All good things that come to you.
I wish you Happiness and Joy...
And Blessings for the New year.
I wish you the best of everything...
That you do well deserve.
HAPPY NEW YEAR FRIENDS!

The Last Bachelor of 2008

I think his email says it all:

(((WOW)))(((WOW)))(((WOW))) Your a Hottie!! The feel of two sets of lips together in a glorious yet subtle union meeting for the first time. Touching lightly at first a mixture of light and soft, long and hard... First lips, then a meeting of tongues that lock in a magical dance to an imaginery beat. There is a passion to this dance,a passion shared between two locked sets of eyes and all of this contained at once inside ...just ...one kiss..........My name is Dan.

I have decided that I will make a New Year's resolution after all. And it's to stay off of Internet dating sites!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Year in Review...or....I'm bored on Tuesday so here you go.

Borrowed this from Simi's blog...I tried to be serious but you know that never works for me.

~ What did you do in 2008 that you'd never done before? Broke up with my ex? Oh wait. I've done that at least once a year since 2005. Let's see...oh I know...I started blogging! Woohoo!

~ Did you keep your new years' resolutions, and will you make more for next year? Yes, I resolve to stop making resolutions. I suck at them. They last about 20 minutes into the New Year. I always resolve to lose weight and start exercising, and by noon on New Year's Day I'm running to the kitchen for something with way more calories than necessary. This year, I figure if my resolution is to make no more resolutions, I'm good to go.

~ Did anyone close to you give birth? Like, physically close to me? No, I have not actually witnessed childbirth this year. But some of the young girls I know on the Nest have had babies this year. (Yeah so they are all in their 20's and 30's...it's not like they are teens...but to me they are young girls! You know who you are...stop laughing as you read this.)

~ Did anyone close to you die? Thankfully, no. Although I may have gleefully fantasized about the demise of certain former spouses people.

~ What countries did you spend time in this year? Um, I'm pretty sure I've been landlocked this year. My passport has nothing on it. I can, however, travel anywhere you would like to send me.

~ What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008? A booming real estate business so that I can pay off bills, prepare for helping Jordan with college, and add stamps to my passport. Oh, and I totally logged way too few miles doing the horizontal bop, so I'd be quite happy to have a dancing partner.

~ What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? Unfortunately I didn't have any dates, at least none worth mentioning. Oh wait, you mean a calendar date?

~ What was your biggest achievement of the year? Waking up every day. And not running over my ex with my car for all the stress and strife he's caused me this year alone.

~ What was your biggest failure? Not closing a house. Had 3 different contracts and none were able to get financed. Arrrrgh.

~ Did you suffer any serious injury or illness? My ego has been bruised a few times.

~ What was the best thing you bought? Q-tips? Hell, I don't know! Groceries? A male gigolo?

~ Whose behaviour merited celebration? My son. He was on the Honor Roll with three A's and a B the first 9 weeks, and this last 9 weeks of school (literally, his last...as he's done on January 14th) he will be again. If he pulls straight A's, I'll need resuscitated.

~ Whose behaviour made you appalled and/or depressed? Oh, I do NOT need to even answer this one. You've been reading my blog for months, if you can't figure this out then put your head up to the monitor right now so that I can slap some sense into it.

~ Where did most of your money go? Credit card bills. And Starbucks.

~ What did you get really, really, really excited about? If I have to think this hard about an answer to this question, then clearly I have not been really, really, really excited about anything this year.

~ What do you wish you'd done more of? Hot, sweaty, breathing hard, sexy, passionate, mind blowing porn sex Exercise.

~ What do you wish you'd done less of? Waste my time on the unchangeable. To quote my best friend Elizabeth...

You happened to choose a fellow who just plain is who he is, and won't ever change, and you made it your mission in life to make him into someone else. And when it didn't work, you turned it on yourself, like you had fallen short somewhere. It would be like me buying a dog, and then spending the next 7+ years trying to get it to act like a cat, and then feeling awful about myself and mistrusting every other dog on the planet because I couldn't turn this one into something that purrs instead of barks. So let that dog be the dog he was born to be and go find yourself another pet. Out of all the millions of men in this world, many of which who are very GOOD men.... stop letting this one insignificant petty little person define your entire being. There's a whole world out there full of really great things, and you'll never find them if you stay sitting on the couch wishing your dog were a cat. Accept that he's a dog and let him go piss in someone else's yard.

She wrote that to me in an email back in May, and it still makes me laugh out loud to this day.

~ Did you fall in love in 2008? No, but it's only Dec 30th. I have plenty of time. Actually, I fell OUT of love in 2008. Finnnnnnnnnnnallllyyyyyyyyyyyy.

~ How many one-night stands? I so wish I had a number to plug in here. Unfortunately, I'm not a one-nighter kind of gal. Now, if anyone's got a weekend they want to spend with me...

~ Do you hate anyone now that you didn't hate this time last year? I still "strongly dislike" the same woman I've "strongly disliked" since April of 2005. (I try not to hate anyone. That level of internal poison causes wrinkles that I can't afford to have!) That will never, ever, ever, ever, ever change.

~ What was the best book you read? The Last Lecture. When Randy Pausch died, I cried my eyes out. He was simply the best.

~ What did you want and not get? Botox. And Restylane. Hey, I'm being honest.

~ What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? Let's see, I was 47, and my ex was in Vegas so I was here by myself, and he completely forgot my birthday the entire day until he got off the plane at 5 minutes til midnight and texted me as I was driving to the airport to get him and said "Oh hey, Happy Birthday by the way". Yeah, thanks for remembering right as it's over. This was just the start of how far downhill we rapidly slid in 2008.

~ What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? Honestly, there are so many things. But they all start with ME, and until I get busy working on myself and building the satisfying life that I want and deserve, then here's where I'll be...stagnant and wishing my life was more satisfying.

~ What political issue stirred you the most? I found it amazing that America was able to get it's collective head out of it's ass and make Obama the President of the US... VERY VERY VERY exciting. (This was basically Simi's answer, I just agree and felt no need to change it!!!!)

~ Who did you miss? I miss my sister all the time. So many things I want to share with her. I want her to see Jordan and be as proud as I am. Life is just not the same without her.

~ Who was the best new person you met? My blogging buddies! I haven't "met" any of you yet, but this year I'm going to do everything I can to make that happen. Deb, Jill, Georgie, Vinnie, Darlene (Travel Girl), just to name a few. I feel like we've been buds forever. And Kathy, who I've "known" for a good 10 years now...I will be in Chicago at some point this year and you and me are hookin up, sister.

~ Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008. Happiness comes from within me, and another person isn't going to make me happy. But, I'm not looking for a good time. I'm looking for someone to share good times with.

~ What sums up this year? (a word, a quote...?) Meets, but does not exceed expectations!

Get the tissues out. Seriously.

So, for the first time ever, my son commented on one of my blog posts! Aptly enough, it was the one about his birthday....

And since it made me cry (I'm such a mom!) I thought I'd make you all cry as well!

Here you go...

A Son's Response.

Mother,
I just wanted to thank you for everything you have done for me over the past 18 years. You have always been there for me and done not just what was right but what was best for me. There is truly nothing i could ever do to repay you. I figured writing this would be a good start. I want to say sorry for any hardships i might have put you through. Its not that you weren't a good mother, I was just being stupid. But isn't that was the teenage years are for? Next i want to tell you how proud i really am that after all the shit life has thrown your way you have always come out strong. Even though i got my dads look and attitude i sure hope that i have the power to overcome things the way you have. You are without a doubt the strongest person that i know. I know that if Linda and Pappy where still here they would agree with me. You make me so proud to be able to call you my mother. I hope that you can look back in 20 or 30 years and realize how great of a mother you were. Because i know that when i look back on everything, i can see that i was truly blessed to have a mother like you.

I love you every much,
Jordan

Best.Kid.Ever.

Thanks, buddy. I love you too.

Now, if I can just get him to capitalize his "i's", my job will be complete.

18 years ago....at 9:07am...

I went from this:



To this:



In just a matter of minutes, my life changed drastically.

And in what seems like an equally short time, that little 9 lb bundle of joy has become this:



Where did all that time go? How is it possible that my baby is a grown man?

I was going to try to write a blog post today addressed to my son...you know, a letter to my child on his 18th birthday. But I started crying just thinking about it, so I figured I'd better not try it!

I don't need to tell you how proud I am of him. How much joy he brings to me. Every day that I have been blessed to be his mom has been the best day of my life, and I pray every single night that we get to live a long and happy life together. (Although not necessarily in the same house. LOL!)

I didn't exactly know what I was doing on that day in 1990. I was 29, and had obviously never had a baby 24 hours a day, 7 days a week before! But I guess I figured it out, because he has survived having me raise him! And he's an amazing young man, and someone I am devastatingly proud to call my son.

He was so funny last night, he went to a movie with his girlfriend and his best friend, and it got out a little after midnight, so Jordan figured he was officially 18 at that time, so they stopped at the gas station so he could buy cigars for him and his friend to smoke in the hot tub today! He goes up to the counter to pay for them, has his ID out and everything...and they don't even card him. He was so bummed!

I got him two videos that he wanted, and of course his impending tattoo, and am taking him and Steph out to Japanese Steak House for dinner. Not sure what else he has planned for his big day, but I'm sure it will be a good one for him. Do me a favor, if you have a second today, drop Jordan an email at jreeg4365@gmail.com and wish him a happy 18th birthday, will you?

And now...to my son....

I love you, bug. Thank you for being the best kid any mom could ever have. You are my love, and my life, and someday, I hope you have a child who brings you as much joy as you've given me.

Love, Mums.

Christmas photo fun with the Mac Book

Jordan got a new Mac Book for Christmas from the best Mom ever Santa, and we had fun using the photo thing to take pictures.

So here is Jordan and me Christmas morning, shortly after he opened his present. Yes, this is how frightening stunning I am first thing when I wake up. It's obvious, I've brought sexy back, especially with bed head and my glasses on.



(Note to self: Do not use that in personal ads if you want to actually ever meet a guy.)

So later in the evening, when the family was together I started making everyone get into the act...ok well I demonstrated how to do it first, of course. Clearly, I have Warhol issues:



Then my little mama got into the picture with me. My mom is 84 years old, and she was fascinated by the idea she could look at the screen and there was a camera built into there somewhere!!!



And then my two sisters joined the fun. I'm not drunk, I'm just going for the sexy, half opened eyes look. Riiiiiiight.



And then my niece Maggie and her boyfriend Brady jumped in:



Then Maggie and I had more fun with Warhol:



And last but not least, Mom & I went for the cartoon shot:



See, this is why I don't have a Mac Book. I'd sit around taking pictures all day. Yeah, I'm that vain bored. LOL

Merry Christmas, my friends.

I wish for you a joyous, delightful Christmas today. Thank you for being part of my world and making my life a whole lot brighter.

And now, I give you my favorite Christmas song, O Holy Night, as sung by Il Divo. I have a complete crush on the voice of Carlos Marin (who's the Spanish, Ricky Ricardo looking singer in this group!)....his baritone moves me in ways I cannot even tell you. He puts the other singers to shame. So listen carefully, and you will hear his remarkable voice (especially around the 3:49 second mark of this video, he hits a high note that makes my eyes glaze over!!!).

Merry Christmas, everyone.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

Sad news from up North...

Awwww, look what Crystal found!

Many thanks to Crystal (TropicalDreams) for this picture:



I love that you remembered my sister and her story, and sent it to me. It made my day, and I know somewhere Linda is laughing out loud at this right along with me.

Thanks again, doll. Merry Christmas!

Tis the season to be Julie....

Not a lot to write about, or time to do so, until after the holidays.

So I'm just going to post stuff that makes me laugh....

Here you go!