Black Belt Scrapping

What's Up In Your Life?

A few weeks ago, my freshman roommate from college found me on Facebook. She transfered junior year to another university and after graduation, I pretty much lost contact with her. Well she found me again. It was hard to know where to start with the "what are you up to these days?" question.

How do you sum up 25 years of your life in 500 words? That's a challenge right there. Coincidently, that's this week's challenge on the Digi Dares blog. You're supposed to do a journaling-based layout that tells your reader what you're doing right now in your life. I thought the timing was great. Here's my layout:

This is a fun and easy one this week, so I hope you'll join in!  Check it out HERE.

It's nice to be doing some scrapping again. Here are some of my newest creations:

Hmmm...lots of blue there. I wonder why. Blue isn't normally one of my favorite colors.  

Shannon and I are going to do the Newtown 5K race tomorrow. We're going to do the walk/run thing. I hope I can make it, I just started doing yoga at yogahOMe this week and I'm super sore. I've lost all my flexibility since I retired from taekwondo this past spring and I want it back.  Ah, it takes pain to get back there again....feels really good though. So far I love it. We did a lot of yoga-based stretching and conditioning in taekwondo, so it's quite familiar. 

It's amazing how quickly you can fall OUT of shape, isn't it?  Why can't it be the other way around? I guess nothing worthwhile is easy, is it?

Have a great weekend and I'll see you on Monday!  I'll be taking my baby camera to the race, so I should get some interesting pictures (I hope!).

Don't Get Mad, Get Even!

Quick post this morning because I'm going into the office early. 

A good friend, and former airline employee sent me this the other day. I loved it. Evidently, this young musician wasn't getting anywhere with United Airlines and his damage claim, so he made a music video. Thanks to the power of the internet and viral marketing, they finally listened. 

I guess the moral of the story is don't underestimate the power of a cute guy with a nice voice, a video camera, and a few sombreros. Way to go Dave!

Be Nice to Nerds, You'll Work for One Someday

Way back when there was a big group of us girls who got together on quite a few Friday nights to eat or do some scrapbooking, or most likely, both. Times change, however. The store that we used to gather at has long gone out of business, and we've moved on to different jobs, different routines, and different things to do. Some of the ladies have moved, and one even passed away suddenly. 

Times change I suppose. Even scrapbooking itself isn't the rage that it used to be, and that's a shame, because no matter what the project is (whether it be a craft, or a book club, or whatever), getting friends together is always a good thing. It really doesn't matter why friends get together, it's just important that they do.

Well we had a little reunion over dinner on Friday night and it was such a fun time! Unfortunately, I remembered my camera about the time that I was too far from home to go back and get it, so there aren't any pics. Rats. 

But here's to Tina, and Ginger, and Karin, and Laura, and Angie, and Franceene...it was so fun to see all of you again and hear about what you've been up to! Next time we won't wait nearly as long. 

So what are you waiting for? Call your friends and make a date! 

We got Shannon dropped off at summer camp yesterday. I was telling friends last week that you know your kids are getting older when you're more jazzed about your house staying clean than the fact that you'll be childless for two weeks. It's going to be weird to not having her calling me at the office and not having her here after work.  Oh yeah, and she's been a huge help this summer, doing chores and keeping my flowers watered. I guess I need to step it up this week!

And finally....

It's Geek Day at ACME today. In the next 30 minutes, I have to figure out what to wear...you know, embrace my inner Catholic school girl plaid. Too bad I don't have any. I do have some birkenstocks and black socks, however. That's probably a good start. I wish I had some bad glasses to tape.

So fellow nerds, on this Monday, I leave you with an inspiring video from one of my all time favorite movies, Revenge of the Nerds. Nerds rule the world, baby. Nerds Rock. Embrace your inner Geek, that's what I'll be doing today.

At the Moment...

When stalking Lisa Russo's photo blog for more super fabulous photos (check her out people!), I found this today and thought I'd steal it!

Outside my window.....my pretty deck and patio. The birds and mosquitos are enjoying it today. And look, I have baby tomatoes on the way!

I am thinking.....I have a lot to do before Saturday.

I am thankful for....family and good health.

From the kitchen.....leftovers galore, we need to clear out the fridge!

I am wearing....my jammies, for a few more minutes

I am creating.....a new corporate logo for ACME

I am going....to the beach, SOON!

I am reading....The Thornbirds by Colleen McCullough

I am hoping....that Olive won't freak while we're gone

I am hearing....my TweetDeck chirping at me

Around the house....a fridge that needs cleaning and bags that need to be packed

One of my favorite things...Olive the Wonder Dog, of course!

Plans for the rest of the week....take more photos like this! Different state, but same ocean!

 

And speaking of great pics and great people, I'm hoping that we'll get to see Deb & Grant next week! I'm trying to talk them into coming down to the beach to hang with us for a day or so! Wahoo!

Bullet List

Here's the low down on a busy weekend. I'd love a day off to do NOTHING

(not that I'm complaining)

 

Community service day at ACME
hosted Stanley Cup hockey party and BBQ
salon visit
new LAX gear for S
orthodontia "graduation" photo for S
trimmed a tree
driving range and putt-putt golf
uploaded more photos to Flickr 
edited pics
last choir mass of the year
huge grocery shopping trip
graduation party
another hockey party
visited relatives in for a few days

watched a cheezy disaster movie

and 
the
usual
chores
and
laundry.
Looking
forward 
to 
a
lazy
day
some
day.

Oh yeah.

The Photo Blog.

It's Back.

Right Here.

Born and Raised in South Detroit....

Okay, back by popular request, I'll be getting the photo blog going again, without the pressure of doing it every. single. solitary. day. I know that every day is just not going to work out. I have put the link back in the left side bar ( <---------- over there, see it?) and will ramp it up again tomorrow with some photos of tonight's Red Wings Stanley Cup Victory Party (hopefully it's a victory party!) that we're hosting at our house.

I would sure love to be the photog who got to take a photo like this:

That was taken last year when we beat the Pittsburgh Penguins. Hopefully this year's team photo will be very similar. Today is a GOOD day to be in Detroit, and we all know that the good people in Detroit could sure use something to smile about these days!

I will actually have a few photo ops today, as it's also Community Service Day at ACME, and we're doing yardwork for some local senior citizens (little old ladies, to be more specific). I'm the team captain at my location and I'm also in charge of taking pics. I think we're going to need some music as well, and maybe some Journey is in order....

"just a city boy, born and raised in South Detroit...."

That's me baby! Born and raised in South Detroit! Don't Stop Belivin'.

Have a great weekend, and don't forget to come back and check the photo blog tomorrow afternoon!

American Idle

Tuesday night the sixth graders performed their annual Sixth Grade Play. This year's performance was "American Idle", which was a parody of American Idol, only the judges toured the country looking for America's Biggest Slacker. 

It was actually a bit controversial, as a handful of parents didn't like the theme. Evidently, they felt that such a theme was beneath their overachieving little darlings and didn't set a good example for the youth of today.  Give me a break. It's a parody, people!  I swear some people have nothing in the sense of humor department and have no ability whatsoever to poke fun at themselves in any way. 

Shannon scored one of the lead roles, as Handy Jackson....the slacker high school janitor judge. She did a great job, but she was afraid that people would think that she didn't know her lines, because so many of her lines included phrases like "Uhhhh......", "Yo Dawg....." and "Dude.......". Here she is with "Brian Seacrest" (who really did a great job as well!).

All of the kids did really great and pulled it together in the end, despite people not atttending rehearsals, illness, and all sorts of other problems. It was really funny. Some of the kids in her class have some real comedic and acting talent, for sure!

I'd include more photos, but I've been having trouble with the lovely little spinning color wheel on my Mac these days, and it's taking me forever to edit photos.  I guess I need to move some files around this weekend. The lighting was really rough in the auditorium too, so they're not the greatest. Oh well!

I can't believe (okay, I think I'm in total denial!) that there is only three days of school left. Yes, their last day is Monday, how weird is that? Shannon doesn't seem that excited about moving over from the elementary school to the junior high school, but I bet that will change once August rolls around. The way this year is flying by, it'll be time for school to start before you know it. 

So that's basically a wrap on grade school....not much more to do but attend the goodbye breakfast on Monday and then the kids turn into America's Biggest Slackers for about eleven weeks. I wish I could do that!

Paella Again and the Holiday Weekend Agenda

A few weeks ago, I posted about taking photos for my friends Carrie and Maria who have started their own authentic paella catering business.  Well, the website is up now, so please go and check it out!

Maria's Paella

Next Friday we'll be hosting our own dinner party featuring all of this yummy goodness. I hope the weather cooperates, it's going to be GREAT! It seems like everybody's social lives revolve around food at this time of year, doesn't it? Barbecues, graduation parties, etc.

Speaking of barbecues, we're having a BBQ at ACME today ~ we're all looking forward to that!

Busy and fun day today too. When I get home from the office (Friday is my early day), we're getting our carpets cleaned. I know that doesn't sound sexy or fun, but believe me when you have light colored carpet and a black dog, it's worth celebrating. Just sayin'.

Later in the day we're going to see our friend's son play in his final lacrosse game, then coming home to watch our Detroit Red Wings outwit, outplay, and outlast their Chicago Black Hawks.

The rest of the long holiday weekend will include powerwashing the deck and the outside windows, finishing up my planting and the last of the gardening (have a few pots to do, and need to feed the roses and tomatoes), singing on Sunday, and just hanging out and having fun with the family.

Do you have any fun plans for the holiday weekend?

Snoozing.......

ZZZZZZzzzzzzzz.........

Okay. This is how my evening went down last night. 

- at UC for our grad student's Capstone presentation
- home to watch hockey, which went into overtime (Wings win - yay!)
- caught the end of Dancing With the Stars Finale
- watched American Idol finale

I normally write my blog posts around 6am, but I'm sleeping in this morning (yeah, I'm writing this last night at about 11:15pm). You can understand, right?  Come next month, television and sports will be boring and I'll be writing here every day and (hopefully not) boring you to tears every day!

Did you watch American Idol last night? What about Dancing With the Stars? Are you happy that Shawn won? I am, she's a cutie and really stepped it up at the end when it counted.  And what about Idol? I love both guys, but I stick by my glam and glittery guyliner guy Adam to take it all.  What about you?

Will you hit the snooze bar for me?  Pretty Please?  

Monday Already!

Wow, where does the time go? It seemed like just a few minutes ago that it was Friday afternoon...in January!  

Sorry to have missed a few days last week, we were pretty darned busy with different things going on, and it just felt like a good time to take a few days off. How quickly I forgot how much taxi-driving I have to do with a kid on crutches (they're gone now, yay!).  Besides, I didn't get my photos edited from my trip to Salt Lake City. I still don't have them done. I really tried to work on them while watching the Red Wings hockey game yesterday, but I've come to the conclusion that there are just certain times where multitasking does not work, and while watching the NHL playoffs is one of them!

I do have a few done, however, and I'll give you a sneak peek. Keep in mind that I took my baby camera, so these were all done with a point-and-shoot. Overall, I am thrilled with them:

Being a choir geek and all, I think my all time favorite part of my trip was visiting the Mormon Tabernacle, where the world's best choir sings and rehearses. I'm still amazed that the choir members are for the most part composed of local residents, just like our choir. Amazing. 

A huge thanks and hug to April and Gwen for the sensational tour of downtown Salt Lake City and the drive into the foothills at night to look down upon the Salt Lake Valley. If only I had my tripod up there! They were great hostesses and tour guides and I know for sure that it's a place that I could move to, without question.  Maybe someday! I promise to get links to more pics up this week.

Last Wednesday was my birthday and we sure had a blast!  It was a rainy day, but it really didn't matter. ACME gives us a half day off for our birthdays, so I took the morning off (after staying up way too late to watch the Red Wings lose last Tuesday night in Anaheim), then had lunch with a friend, went to the office for a few hours, then to the Cyclones hockey game at night. It was fun to have so many family members and friends all attending. Sadly, all of our enthusiasm wasn't enough and the Clones lost that game and the next, and now their season is over. It was one of the most fun birthdays ever, so I want to thank everybody for their gifts and good wishes. I need to get thank yous out this week for sure!  

That's about it for now, I'm running late again, but I promise to be back every day this week. No hiding! Tomorrow I'll have another recipe, and later this week, I'll be adding my thoughts on yet another gardening season of frustration.

Happy Monday!