Dear So & So: I'm so mad I'm gonna scream

It's time to play along with Kat over at 3 Bedroom Bungalow!  I'm late to the party and I've only got one letter but it's a doozy today.




Dear Psycho B*tch Landlady,

I appreciate you've got a lot to manage with this house (haha) and you want no part of it but I have to take extreme exception to you today. Of all the things that you've snidely said about my kids over the last 8 months today's was certaintly the topper.  Let's review:

1. Asking me dead serious not once but twice if my kids were going to wreck your house.
2. Asking my MIL the exact same question when I was out of the room.
3. Upon us letting you know we were moving out early (and still continuing to pay the rent regardless) you mentioned that unlike your last Good Tenants you'd have to repaint because we've had kids in there after all.
4. Today you sent your realtor to the house so you could get it listed. But you told him to use the old photo's becasue 'you didn't know what the house would look like'.

For your 411 since you didn't come over with the realtor I cleaned. The f-in place is practically immaculate and I even rearranged our stuff just to make your house look better for pictures. I even made my son (who spent yesterday home sick) clean all his trains that take him hours to put together just so your pictures would look better. Then you chose not to take them.

Well, all I can say is the gloves are coming off and I'm not going to be nice the next time you slam my kids (who are damn angels thank you and haven't put a single scratch on this house).

May God or whoever have mercy on the poor souls who are stupid enough to rent this place next. They're gonna need it with you.

I can't wait to be shot of you you miserable lout.

Most kind regards,
The Woman Who Is So Happy To be Moving Away From You

Thank you to Kat for allowing us to vent our letters. I love Fridays lady, and it's all thanks to you.

The Wish Stealers: Book Review and Giveaway

Today I'm doing a review of the young adult book Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas which is published by Aladdin.  I decided since this book was geared towards 8-12 year olds, that Thor and I would read it together.  Our decision on the book was unanimous: we really, really liked it.

The story begins with Griffin Penshine, a rather sweet girl who believes in making wishes.  She wishes for all sorts of things to come true like for her mom to have a baby girl and for her new school to smell like chocolate chip cookies.  But one day in an dusty shop an old woman gives her a mysterious gift of eleven pennies.  What Griffin comes to realize is that each penny she now owns was once a wish that was stolen. 

The only way to undo the stolen wishes is to try to return the wishes to someone else.  Until Griffin can return the pennies all her own wishes become the opposite of what she wished for.  Griffin must figure how to return the stolen wishes in order to make her own wishes come true.  But can she make it happen before it's too late?

This story is full of creative fun and imagination.  The idea that throwing a penny into a fountain to make a wish come true is easy for children to relate to.  Griffin's own wishes seem to pale in comparision when she comes face to face with the enormity of what not returning the stolen wishes could mean for her own family.  Her character is believable and genuine as she deals with the idea that she must undo wrongs done in the past.  She learns a lot about what really matters to her, family and friends and what really doesn't, being popular and selfish. 

Another detail that made this book so believable was that it features an actual charity aimed at collecting pennies.  Pennies for the Planet is a charity that collects pennies to save conservation lands.  In the book Wish Stealers Griffin teams up with her science partner Garrett to create a fundraiser for Pennies for the Planet.  You can join in by clicking the link to learn more about starting a fundraiser in your area to collect pennies to help save the planet. Everyone has some spare change and even a little bit can make a big difference!

Thor and I really enjoyed the book.  As he says "It was really, really good."  The book is available for sale now at retailers.  As an extra bonus I'm going to give away five copies and all you have to do is tell me that you'd like to win one in the comments.  The giveaway will end Tuesday at 11:59 pm eastern time.  Good luck!

Have you ever thrown a  penny in a fountain and made a wish?  Did your wish come true?

Random Tuesday Thoughts: A Birthday and the Un-Ending Cold

Commentary after I set the kids dinner plates in front of them.

Thor: You make chicken nuggets a lot.
Me: Would you rather eat chicken?
Thor: NO!
Me: Then don't complain.

Told him who's boss didn't I?

There's only one way to survive Tuesdays and that's by following the fugly purple button over to Keely's place - The UnMom.  If you aren't doing it, you're likely dead.

Last week I didn't put out the recycling or the trash because Monday was a holiday.  I figured the regular Tuesday pick-up would be Wednesday.  Guess which trucks still came on Tuesday and guess who's bins are overflowing?

Five weeks, five itty bitty weeks and it's so long PA and hello KY.  That is if everything goes to plan and nothing goes haywire and everyone simply does what they are supposed to do.  Really, what could possibly go wrong right?  Right.

Chick has a great cold.  I mean like the type where she sneezes and you scream and run for the tissues kind of cold.  Since she tends to wake herself all night long normally and I really can't in good health ignore her all night like I normally do, I put the old pack n play at the foot of my bed.  {She's like the worldest smallest 3 1/2 year old.}  She still fit and we both got some sleep.

I love it when my MIL babysits.  I open the kids drawers when I get back and find all kinds of things they didn't previously own.

Adult footie pajamas.  You know you want some.

It's CP's birthday today.  If I had enough candles I'd light his cake on fire for him.  Happy Birthday Dear.

 I'm bound to pay for mentioning that later but oh well.

Toyota Recall for Sticking Gas Pedal.  There's currently no fix.  Guess who just bought a Camry??

I have a cold.  I'm not entirely sure if it's a new one or just a continuation of the old one I had.  Really, how do you tell the difference when the little buggers are just waiting in the wings to jump out and yell SURPRISE!!  Either way I'd like to Just Take Two of something and move on already.

You are all super smart.  We did pick house number three.  Negotiations were short and they even threw in the front loading washer and dryer I was eyeing up in their laundry room.  Sweet!  I'll post interior pictures at some point as requested.  It's purrty though.  The funniest thing I saw (and forgot to take a picture of) was the '{my town name} Y'All' sign painted on the watertower of my new town.  Ya gotta love the South!

Bob Evans Knife and Fork Bob-B-Q Pulled Pork Sandwich on Mashed Potatoes.  Mmmmmm  hmmmmm!  Nothing says love like that sandwich.

And nothing says love like Random Tuesdays.  So spread the joy people and be Random.  Visit Keely for all the Random that Tuesdays can handle.

A Suburban Girls Southern Diary: Part Two - House Hunting

When I posted Part One of ASGSD, Gina at My Own Brand of Crazy suggested I do a whole House Hunters show just like on HGTV.  You have to know how much I heart House Hunters.  At night unless one of four shows is on, the tv is tuned to HGTV.

So Gina, today's post is for you.

First let me introduce you to my Realtor God with a Blackberry.  His name is Mike.  He rocks.  When I say He Rocks, I really, really mean it.  You want to know anything about N Ky? He's your man.  You want a handyman, a banker, an insurance agent, a school supervisor, a good place to eat, a good place to shop (hello! GAP Clearance warehouse - $.49 jeans!); you don't even have to ask.  He tells you.  I think we easily put 300 miles on his car in the two days (and I mean from 9 am to 6 pm for two solid days) that we were with him.  He knows everyone (and I do mean everyone).  And everyone knows Mike.  If you ever find yourself moving outside Cincinnati let me know.  I'll hook you up with My Mike.

One of the greatest things other than actually showing us houses was that he asked us questions.  Important, probing questions that helped identify what we actually wanted.  Even when we didn't know what we wanted.  Oh yes, he's just that good. 

Here are the top three houses we've identified as clear winners.  See if you can pick the one we made an offer on (and hopefully the one will be lugging all our crap stuff into.  I can't wait to see a moving truck tackle the driveway.)




House Choice Number One. 4 bed, 3 bath home with open concept kitchen and family room and one room finished basement.  Sloping backyard (or as they call it, Kentucky Flat).  Three car tandem garage (CP's most favorite part). Downsides: sloping yard isn't really useable for the kids and price is high.  Good: One year old, beautifully painted and would need no work.



House Choice Number Two: 4 bed, 4 baths with formal living and dining rooms plus a seperate study.  Granite kitchen with gourmet island (my favorite part), 3 car turned garage (CP's favorite part), huge family room and kitchen with a fully finished basement with media room built ins.  Downsides: It's a lot of space, more than we need and there are two flag lots behind the house (meaning a driveway alongside this one with two houses built in back whose front yards would face the backyard) so privacy is very limited.  Resell (cause let's be realistic) would be harder.  Good: Gourmet kitchen, very nicely decorated with designer paint and touches, beautiful neighborhood, largest house and lot we've seen.



House Choice Number Three: 4 bed, 3 bath on a cul-de-sac street in a new development. 3 years old with large open concept family room/kitchen across the rear of the house.  Good size bedrooms, large finished basement, open catwalk upstairs and wonderful master suite.  Fenced level yard backing to wooded space/field with a large patio.  Downsides: One house on the street is still under construction so there will be noise and the road that runs near the back of the street will be widening to three lanes in the next two years.  Good: Very open floorplan with lots of space and light, great kitchen with upgraded stainless steel appliances, nice dark hardwood floor and very nice level yard.  Curb appeal a bonus.

Can you guess which house we picked?  Vote in the comments. I'll tell you tomorrow what we picked.

The one thing I can say about Kentucky as a negative (as witnessed while waiting for my delayed flight back home to Philly) is the attitude of some people about East Coasters.  I was listening to the gate attendant talking with two people (who were from Philly) discussing the "terribly rude people" in that "dirty city".  I wanted to jump up from the floor and set them straight in a very friendly, un-rude way.  I didn't but it did make me wonder what perception people will have of us when we move.  I didn't see a lot ethnic groups represented (though Toyota has a large facility in the area so some Japanese business men and women have a presence).  That will be a bit of a challange to find Chinese New Year celebrations for Chick's heritage.

Do you live in a culturally diverse area?  Have you moved to a new place and found your welcome wagon a little less than welcoming?  How did you deal with it?

A Suburban Girls Southern Diary: Part One

In case anyone is interested in some...interesting reading.  I'm featured over at SciFi Dad's blog today - Tales From the Dad Side.  Feel free to click and please make sure to defend my reputation.  I have no doubt he's bound to say something....I'm off on a whirlwind thirty home tour.  Thus I am unable to stop by myself and tell it like it really is. 

I've decided to take an honest look at life in Kentucky and my first impressions.  So far, I'm incredibly impressed.  The people have been unbelievably friendly.  So friendly that at first I didn't know how to react.  For instance take the picture below as an example.  When we reached our room at the hotel tonight (upgraded to a suite for free by the Guest Relations Queen CP met during his stay here last week), I found this and a note addressed to me welcoming me to the Holiday Inn.

Nice, n'est pas?

We were also greeted (by name no less) as we walked into the lobby by the hotel's general manager.  Nice.

One of the amazing things about being here besides the friendly people and the general air of being in a place that is warm and inviting, was a sense of being...home.  It is not unlike where I grew up with rolling hills and open spaces.  It's the polar opposite of where we live now - a noisy, crowded, congested suburban sprawl.  It's refreshing and slightly hard to believe.  In this half day I've already realized that moving here will be someting of an alternate reality.  We've driven through neighborhoods very much gawk worthy on the way to homes that are still very-much-out-of-the-price-range, except they aren't.  It's a bit unsettling to know that the houses our realtor (who knows very well what we've been pre-approved for in a mortgage) is showing us some of these homes.  The fairy tale princess image comes into my mind and I wonder if I also get fairy mice to do the cleaning. 

Thus far we've seen a lot of cherry cabinets and quartz kitchens and hardwood floors and imposing brick fronts and a step-down master bedroom and my all-time favorite, the traditional Southern front porch.  And we've only been inside four homes so far.  I'm already completely lost on which house is which with still an entire day with the realtor to go.

After making the rounds driving the communities we stopped for some chili (brown chili, eh, nothing like my tomato based chili so I'm sticking with homemade) and headed out to drive through another neighborhood.  Of course we found even more to like that weren't even on the realtor list of things we are going to see tomorrow.

The choices are daunting.

In the end I am very excited to be here and this is maybe part of the reason why.  We went to an Irish pub for dinner (bangers and mash, not extactly like the real Bangers and Mash of Ireland, which I've eaten in Ireland, but a close second - Claddagh Pub for those in the area).  As we headed down to Cincinnati to find the restaurant we came across a view of the city.  When we reached the restaurant we found it along the Ohio river and I captured this view of the city with my phone.

This is grainy and dark but the view itself through my eyes was amazing.  Despite all my jokes, those previous and those forthcoming about this Southern State, I think I'm going to easily find myself calling it home.

And it's only day one.

Stay tuned for A Suburban Girls Southern Diary: Part Two...

There's a cheetah in my house: Random Tuesday Thoughts

It's time for Tuesday again after the nice holiday break yesterday.  If it's Tuesday you should all know what that means.  Head over to Keely's place at The UnMom and plug in.

There's this little girl wearing the equivalent of a cheetah outfit making shadow puppets on the wall behind the couch. I'm pleased she can amuse herself so easily.

She also didn't nap yesterday.  It's like living with a preschooler on crack when that happens.

I lost my ipod yesterday.  We took CP to the airport in his car (because his car actually had gas in it) and I really wanted to find it so I would have something to listen to on the way home.  I was stuck with no ipod, no cd's, just crappy radio stations.  It's no wonder people get in car accidents trying to sort through the mess to find something to listen to. 

I did find the ipod when we got home though.  It was on my desk.  Under a baggie of M&M's.  Doesn't everyone keep their ipod under some M&M's?

My desk is an ongoing, often written about disaster.  It's really out of control.  I need some of those inbox paper sorter thingies and maybe some magazine holder thingies.  I'm sure there are official names for these things but I am preferring  to say "thingies".

What does a convection oven do versus a regular oven?  Our current house has both and I have no idea what the difference is.
We picked out our top six houses to see on Thursday and sent them to the realtor.  Even though the majority of them have been on market on average of 100 days I am completely freaked out that THE ONE will be snatched up in the next two days before I can see it.  I would love to hide a certain Most Favorite House of All from all eyes until I get to make the winning offer. It's painted all MY colors (deep red kitchen, super cute striped kids bedrooms, golden yellow family room - they even have the same color couch as we do).  At least the top four are all ones of equal wonderfulness so if I was forced to pick another one I could.  But I would rather not.

I've decided that moving to Kentucky will be great.  Especially since I discovered they have chili everywhere.  And not just chili, but my favorite kind of chili, Cincinnati Chili.  I joked with my husband that I just became an even cheaper date.

We got a new tv over Christmas, one of those flat screen, new fangled things.  It's awesome.  I don't even have to wear my glasses to watch tv anymore.  My favorite movies to watch on it so far have been Harry Potter, Star Wars and Horton Hears A Who.

I picked up a copy of The Fountainhead from the library because SciFi Dad forced me to  begged me said it was a good book.  It actually is.  I'd love to know who else has read it.  I find myself, thus far, identifying with Roark.  I haven't decided if that's good or bad yet.  I'll have to keep reading.

If you've got a bunch of random thoughts, feel free to share and then go and see The UnMom.  Because if anyone's Random, it's Keely.

DeLurking Day and an Intriguing Question

Thank you to SciFi Dad who alerted me to this great event called DeLurking Day.  This Cactus Guy might have started this (I have no idea) but it sounded like a pretty good idea to me.  I know my Club Member number (up there on the right) has quite a few lurkers.  So today is THE DAY to come out and say hello.

I've found good blogs (like SciFi's) from reading comments at other sites.  You may leave a comment that's interesting and that might lead to someone clicking over to your site.  This could be a good chance to increase your own readership lurkers!
Remember I've got Scarlet Fever so a whole lotta delurking would really cheer me up....scarlet fever can kill you know*

To keep it interesting I have a question that has been in the back of my mind for some time.  There's a term from the urban dictionary (or whatever) that when I first saw it some time ago I, admittedly, did not know what it meant.  When I found out, I was actually pretty insulted by it.

M I L F  {If you're like me and need to know, you can find it here Urban Dictionary}

Imagine the scene if you will.  You come home from work and are seated around the dinner table and little Johnny sets down his hotdog to tell you something interesting he heard on the playground.

You: Yes Johnny what is it?
Johnny: Fred said his dad said you were a MILF.  What's a MILF mommy?

{Dad turns the color of a beet, mom faints at the table and little Susie starts singing MILF at the top of her lungs.}

What parent wouldn't love to have that conversation?

I may be one of the few who finds this term not at all complimentary.  I could very well be the only person who would not want to be called a MILF. So I'm asking all of you who lurk and those who don't lurk to see what you think. MILF - Offensive or Not? If you want to de-lurk under an assumed name to answer the question feel free, anonymous comments are allowed.


*okay so I'm not really dying, I just feel like I am.

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Turns out I'm not Dye(ing)

It's Tuesday.  Random Tuesday. If you like Random, then you'll like Keely, so go over to The UnMom and check it out.

Well, last weeks thrilling tale of a rash has come to a conclusion.  No it's not gone by any means and it still itches like I want to tear my skin off.  But I did see my doctor and she's come up with a possible diagnosis. Are you ready?

Scarlet Fever

I didn't know anyone other than kids could get that.  Awesome.  She asked if I had a sore throat (no more than usual after spending a weekend breaking up fights) and if I was overly tired (no more than usual since Chick has returned to not sleep through the night).  Do I have a fever?  How would I know, the house is so dang cold I'm wearing a coat inside.  I can't turn up the heat, not that it would make a difference (remember this is the house from hell), because our PECO bill (that would be heat/electric and whatnot) was $365 last month.  Are you freaking kidding me?

Sadly I am not.  I keep the house at a balmy 69 degrees, which means I was wearing two layers before we got the bill.  Now that I'm onto wearing my coat around the house since the thermostat went down to 68, I really can't go any lower.  Even my kids are complaining it's cold in here.  For the first minute or two the heat is on?  It blows out cold air.  Can I please tell you how happy I am that we are moving in March?

In my scarlet fever haze I deleted 5,146 emails from my inbox.  That's just one of my email accounts and actually not the one that I use for this blog.  I had stuff in there from 3/08.  I know tomorrow or next week I'm going to need something I deleted.  Cause karma's got my number.

Next week I'm hopping on a baby plane out to Kentucky (in my head when I type that I get all Southern) for three days of no-kids bliss to go look at houses with CP (who is pretty much already living there).  I am excited.  I love house shopping.  I've also had the recent experience of not having my kids overnight and let me just say, I loved it.  I love my kids, but I loved not having them for a night. 

Obviously I'm not doing a lot of blog surfing with the whole scarlet fever thing preferring to lie around and whine but if you're looking for more Random go and see Keely at The UnMom.

Dear So and So, Letters from the Great Mind

It's time for Dear So and So with Kat over at 3 Bedroom Bungalow.  These letters let us say what we really mean without getting arrested.  Want to join in?  Go see Kat and link up.

                                                                     ***

Dear Santa,

I know this may be a little early but if I could make a request?  I love, love, love the glitter nail polish you gave me.  Oddly it matched my Christmas outfit since I wore a pink sweater.  I felt all glam and everything.  One tiny note though?  I've tried taking it off.  Three times with polish remover, soap and the scrub brush from the kitchen sink.

My fingers are still sparkly.  Somehow when I meet with Thor's teacher next week, Sparkly doesn't exactly project the image I was going for.  So next year, no sparkles k?

Smooches,
Sparklin' For Life

                                                                  ***

Dear People Who Employ CP,

Thank you for giving CP such a kick ass job.  It's about time dontcha think?  I mean, he's pretty much done everything you've asked and moved us all over the damn place.  So thank you for finally giving him the recognition he deserved.

For a moment there we were floating awfully close to that unemployment line.  Don't ever jerk him around like that again, okay?  Cause that pisses me off.  I then I in turn make his life hell  get really freaked out.

Thanks from the fam!
Happy to Move to the Southern Jungle

                                                                       ***

Dear State of Kentucky DMV,

Maybe this should be addressed to the courthouse?  Because I heard that's where I go if I want a license.  I also heard rumors that I need to recite the alphabet backwards and go through the alphabet naming NASCAR drivers. 

Is that really true?

Many thanks and kind regards,
Not Married to My First Cousin and I Promise To Install That Gunrack

                                                                             ***

Dear Chick,

I love you like it's going out of style little one.  But if you don't start doing your 'business' on the potty I'm going to lose my mind.  I may also have words with your teacher at school.  Getting Potty Training Awareness pamphlets every week where they insist I treat you like a dog isn't really helpful.

It brings out choice words daddy says I'm not allowed to use.

Love you little Nutter Butter!
Mama

                                                                          ***

Do you want to see more Dear So and So?  Then go see Kat and read up.



The Motherhood Muse Literary Magazine is now available!
Visit www.themotherhoodmuse.com to order your e-copy today!

The Items of Old

This year for Christmas Santa brought me some of favorite treats from my childhood, Red Hots and Lemonheads.  I used to eat these things by the gallon.  I started thinking back to the dark ages when I was young and all the things I used to like.

Does anyone remember Cinnamon Gummy Bears?  Do they even make those anymore?

May 1987

If my sister and I escaped the homestead and were allowed to wander, we usually ended up at the Little Store (as we called it) near home buying up Sixlets and Necco Wafers and Whatchamacallit's.  I know they still make Necco Wafers but I have no idea about the others.

April 1990

I don't only miss candy creations, but a lot of other things as well.  I miss the days when the most exciting form of entertainment was making 'houses' out of leaves in the fall.  We would each make our line of leaves marking off our little rooms dividing the bedroom from the living room.  Back in the old days we went snow skiing in the winter and spent lazy days on the lake in the summer; water skiing, tubing, swimming.

August 1995

It seemed so much simpler.  There were no cell phones, the music player of choice was a walkman and I'm actually not even sure if the internet existed.  Today my kids know all about Blackberry and computers and Wii.  If they need information for school they look it up.  Not in an encyclopedia the way I did at their age, they just jump on the internet and it's at their fingertips in seconds.

Does anyone remember the card catalog?  The one you had to actually be tested on in school before you were allowed to check out a library book?

Maybe it was my post on the E-Reader this week that has made me all nostalgic, I don't know.  I'm even nostalgic for 90's music these days like Red Hot Chili Peppers and Counting Crows.  Maybe it's just that in this particular time of life, the hustle and bustle of picking up a household again and moving, I'm wishing for a slower pace to life and something to look back on.

January 2010

Are you ever nostalgic for certain things from childhood?  What do you miss the most?
                                                             
                                                                 ~~~~~~~~~~~

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Raise your hand if you want to be a diagnostician

It's a witty title but I'm also in need of a diagnosis without the $20 copay or the $350 bill for a doctor saying f-all if I know what that is.  Let me back up a minute...

Every since I was a wee one, I've had freaky skin.  It's icy pale (no, I'm not a vampire unless being cold pretty much 24/7 is the only qualifier but thanks for asking).  I'm also allergic to detergents (such as Tide, ERA, Sun, etc.), body soaps, lotions, blush make-up, bubble bath and the funnest one of all Latex.  I'm a veritable dermatologists dream.  I am the reason they can afford a weekend home.

So yesterday, when I was minding my own business taking a shower, I discovered this awesome rash.  My stomach is full of itty bitty (itchy) red bumps.  Oh yes, this is fun!  I was tempted to give the kids markers and let them have a connect the dots race to keep them occupied (and you know, so they wouldn't fight) but common sense prevailed.  I only spent twenty minutes going what. the. heck. is. that. in the mirror.  I even made CP look at it.

The only 'newish' thing that I have eaten/done/touched/worn/bathed in would be attending a meeting at Thor's school and regularly taking my medication for my thyroid.  I knew there was something off about those pills.  These are oblong and purple; my other ones were white and round.  Side effects include: nausea, anxiety, flushing, mood swings, muscle weakness, hair loss, sleeplessness, stomach cramps, tiredness and vomiting.

But then again so do kids, moving to Kentucky and wii.

I don't know.  Maybe you'll show up here and I haven't posted in more than three point five days.  If that's the case, you'll know I've died.

*this post was inspired by my rash and Gina's awesome post the other day about self-diagnosis.
*bolded sysmptoms are ones I also currently have. Joy. I suppose I shouldn't try that Take-meds-every-other-day-or-three-days method in order to avoid going to the doctor for a refill and being stuck with a needle.


The Motherhood Muse Literary Magazine is now available!
Visit www.themotherhoodmuse.com to order your e-copy today!

Random Tuesday Thoughts: Guess the Moving Truck's Location

It's Random Tuesday.  The first Random Tuesday of the new year.  Yippeee!  Party like it's 2010.  Go visit Keely for more of the revelry.  It's super duper easy - The UnMom.

My first Random of the new year is this.  Mummer's Parade.  Seriously?  WTH that it is All Day Long.  I've lived here ten years (well I've been here for 6 months, this time anyway) and I still don't get it.  Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  I'm on board with that (though I don't think I've ever watched it).  A couple hours comatose in front of the tube.  No problem.  But all day?  Yeah, I'm not feeling the Mummer's Love.

Like the title suggests, SHOCKO!  We're moving!  I know you were all surprised because it's not like we can stay in the same place more than one year.  I am going to give you clues and see how many of you can figure out the where though.

• Population as of 2000 - 2,893  WTH am I going to do in a town that small?
• This town is located on the edge of a major city (thank goodness) and you can drive to two other states in only 20 minutes
• The major city's airport is actually located in this state though the major city itself is not.
• Abraham Lincoln was born in this state
• It is the 15th state, entered statehood in 1792
• We are moving South and West of our current location in Philadelphia

Leave your guesses in the comments (try not to cheat).  You won't win anything but you'll look cool for knowing obscure facts.

Did you know that if you have a Starbucks card (thanks Mom and Dad!) you can register it at Starbucks.com/rewards and on your b-day you get a free drink? Pfft.  A free drink, I know.  Boring.  BUT you get two hours of FREE wi-fi every time you buy a drink.  Score.  I can go and buy a latte with my card (which is refillable, umm the card not the latte) and then spend two hours doing whatever on the internet from the store.  Yea for caffiene lovers everywhere!

I'm really not this chipper.  I'm still reeling from the idea I'm moving to MYSTERY STATE.  You would be too if you knew where we are going.

I don't know when I'm moving.  Depends if Crazy Landlady (whom much has been written about in this here blog) will let us leave early.  If not we go back to Single Parenthood for me and Commuting for CP.  Thankfully, it's only an hour long flight.  On a little plane.  I think I'd rather drive the 8.57 hours with two kids and no dvd entertainment system.  (Guess what I want for my kids birthday's this year?)

My MIL had a New Years Day family thing at her house.  SIL lives there and has a wii.  Have you ever watched other adults you're related to by marriage playing wii?  It is So Much Fun.  Talk about competitive!  Geesh Uncle G!  It's only bowling.  Nah, it was great fun and I loved watching everyone.  Surprisingly, it was a really relaxing time too.

While playing Hide the Stormtrooper with CP, I rounded up all Chick's dwarfs (from Snow White and the 7 Dwarfs) and tied them together with thread and had the Stormtrooper holding them hostage. I even went so far as to place a sign on them that said Rebel Scum.  CP found them and then untied them and lined them up with a note that said Stop Whistling While You Work.  Ha.  I have to say thank you to Stefan from the Stormtrooper a Day project because he's given me some inspiration.

If you've got Random to spew then head over to Keely's where she may not make a living from Random, but hey, she's funny.  The Un Mom.



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I'm just joining the hoopla

Before we launch into the first Monday of the New Year, some housekeeping.  Sherri is the winner of the rechargable wine opener!  Yea for a self proclaimed wino!

Thank you to everyone who stopped by Fiction 500 on Friday to read my story.  You all get Gold Stars for following directions!

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So it seems the book world has gone to hell in a handbasket and books are going the way of records.  That is to say extinct.  What's going to make them extinct?  Why these little ditties (or so they say anyway).

Amazon's Kindle starting at $259:

And not to be outdone here is Sony's Reader Digital Book: They range from $199 for the Pocket Edition to $399 for the Daily Edition (medium price version pictured)

I don't know if I could see myself using either of these to read a book.  While I admit, they are not as bad as I thought (though I have only seen the Sony version) I just don't know if they are for me.  The screen is not glaring like a computer, which was my intial hesitation in accepting them as the next big thing.  It's softer and does actually look like a printed book page rather than a web page.  You can get any title and they say the prices will come down (just like anything else) once the popularity grows.  Remember how much iPods were when they first came out?

Here are my reservations though.

I love books.  I buy books (or borrow) them faster than I can read them.  I have at least four if not seven books on my shelves that I haven't even cracked open yet.  I'm the type of person that if I like a book, I'll read it over and over again.  If you borrow a book from me, be warned I'm going to want it back.  That's another reason the Lending Library of BMA has some very tight rules.  I like my books and I treat them like my children.

I don't see myself getting all cozied up in bed with a piece of metal and plastic to read Anna Karenina (a book that I love).  That is not the kind of book where anything but the real bound paper will suffice.  I like the feel of the pages as they turn, the sound they make, the weight of the book.  I'm a bookie.  You can't have the same kind of relationship with a Kindle or Reader that you can have with an actual bound book.

This leads me to wonder if what the so called experts in publishing are saying could possibly be true.  That Brick and Mortar Book Stores are going to be the Dinosaurs of the past.  Are all the articles I've been reading (and there are too many to list but I put some at the end of the post) indicitive of what the future is really going to hold?  E-Books already have some significant bearing in the publishing world.  So E-Readers are rumored to follow.

If that happens, and I really, really hope it doesn't, then you'll find me at Whatever Chain bookstore when they have their sell off.  I'll be the one weeping over my overfilled basket of books.

What do you think about this E-Reader business?  Do you see yourself owning one?  If you have one, give me your honest opinion.

Links to E-Reader Articles:

Publishers Hold Back E-Books (from WSJ)
E-Book Sales Surpass Paper (Yahoo)
Will You Ever Buy E-Books? (Survey from Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent)
The Top Ten Myths about E-Books (Nathan Bransford - Literary Agent)
You Want to Borrow an E-Book (NYTimes)
Reshaping Reading (Kristin Nelson - Literary Agent, Devoted Kindle user)

Let's start the new year with a story

I'm starting the New Year with a little piece of fiction over at Fiction Five Hundred, a little story site started by Badass Geek.  The idea is to tell a story with no more than 500 words.  It's a great way to jump start your mind if you have writers block or need to kill an afternoon.

The date of my story appearing was an ironic choice because it too takes place over the New Year.  New Year's Eve in fact. I've taken that short little bit and created a whole long work in progress, maybe in the future I'll share some more.

Until then, it may not be rainbows and kittens, but I still hope you like it.  Don't be shy, click on over and tell me what you think.  Then read all the other wonderful stories.  Maybe you'll even want to contribute a little something of your own.  That's allowed too.