Happy New Year!

I want to raise my glass to the year that is and soon will be was 2005. It was a year filled with joy, laughter, sadness and hope. I'm so lucky to have so many wonderful people surrounding me who helped me be the best person I could be and help me through the rough patches, and there were some doosies this year. There's a lot to look forward to in 2006 and I'm ready for it. I've even finally gotten the first new pair of eyeglasses in 5 years so I'm starting with a whole new point of view.

So I raise my glass to you and offer a toast to the old year and all the possibilities of the new one. Happy New Year!

You know you have come of age when...?

When you beat your Mother in Scrabble. All I can say is whoo hoo! (This is a big deal by the way.)

The Story of MY Christmas Tree

There's something special about decorating a Christmas tree. I told my husband it was like looking at not only my and my family's history but our history as a couple. Since he came from a family where Christmas ornaments weren't personal and he had none of his own I started giving him an ornament as a gift every year. This year he will receive number 13.

See we don't have a tree strung with similar shiney baubles from a store. We have ornaments accumulated over the years. Many handmade or given to us as gifts from family and friends. And last year I received a box of ornaments from my Grandmother. It was filled with ornaments that hung on Grandma and Grandpa's Christmas tree. I think it is so cool to have these little bits of history.

Some of the memories that are hanging on my tree are:
The paper straw I colored and glittered all up representing the straw in the stable Jesus was born in. I think I was in late elementary school. It hung on a Jesse Tree in a church rectory.
The lollipop I made in 5th grade. We sold them as efforts towards the refurbishing of the Statue of Liberty. That's when I first really understood the meaning of an assembly line when we made hundreds and hundreds of them.
The soft stuffed ornaments my mom and Grandma made before my youngest sister was born so they could be put on the bottom of the tree for safety reasons. The ceramic painted ornaments Grandma made for each of us. I have mine and my brothers.
And 12 various ornaments given to my husband. Each of them special.

And because of these ornaments I find myself sitting in silence gazing at the tree. I found myself doing this a lot at my parents home too. Looking at the memories hanging on the tree.

Happy Birthday to Youuuu!!

Sending warm wishes up to my sister Laura who is celebrating her 29th birthday today. Hope your day is awesome!

A Pie Buffet

It was the pie buffet at my parents house this Thanksgiving. Two pumpkin and apple, a pecan and a cherry. All for 11 people. Oye. At one point I was thinking..who else can we give pie away to? But we had a nice day. Lots of wonderful food and family. Now onto tomorrow. Mom and me are shopping. This is the first time I've had the day after Thanksgiving off as a holiday from work in like 8 years. It's kinda nice. Hopefully I'll make a dent in the Christmas shopping. Oh, and anyone want some pie?

Walking Away From Cookies

When my boss put a platter full of sinful looking and smelling cookies in front of me this afternoon I wondered if this was a test. To see if I really meant the changes I am trying to make in my life. That the baby carrots I brought to work to snack on were the real deal or an excuse why I could have a cookie. I didn't have one. I walked the tray down the hall and dropped it in the break room. It was so hard. Saying no to a cookie took a lot from me. But so did the words that my doctor said to me..."heart disease." Those words were stronger than cookies.

I bought a work out DVD set this weekend. Walk Away the Pounds. I can't believe I did it. If I can tune out the annoyed chatter and the hard sell on the walk away the pounds weighted balls I think I can do this for a little bit. The main thing is to give me options so I don't burn out on one thing. I have a perriwinle blue outfit to fit into in February and a long life to live.

And I finished "This Much I Know to Be True." Awesome. A little tedious due to the lengeth I finished it. This time I'm reading something much shorter and easier, 3rd Degree by James Patterson. I'll be done by the end of the week. Then maybe I'll think about a holiday book.

One last thing. I am ticked at NBC. Medium is one of my favorite shows and I can't find a stupid TV Guide so I can watch the show in 3-D. I'm taping it and asking my mom to save hers so I can get the full effect. Why can't they put them in the Sunday paper? I can always find one of those.

Yoga, Pilates, Aerobics, Oh My!

You ever typed in workout videos into Google? You come back with so many bizzare things.

Such as the Bellydance Slimdown with twins Veena and Neena. Or Cadio Hip Hop, Spiritual Aerobics (done to gospel music), Country Line Dance aerobics or Cardio Salsa. There's something for everyone you would think. But where do you begin? I did find a cool web site http://www.collagevideo.com. You can search videos and even watch snippits. It's there that you see just how bad most of these videos are and they assume everyone can dance. You know you can still buy some of the classic Jane Fonda in her tights and leg warmers?

One funny sign I noticed at a neighborhood donut shop I passed by. The thing they wanted to advertise was the $1.99 day old donuts. It's always great to aspire to the best!

What Did I do to Myself?

I've been in a funk. I'm sure you can tell. I just haven't wanted to blog, or even get near the computer for the sake of blogging. It's not that I don't think "Gee, that would be funny on Sarah Says" or "Man, I gotta talk about that issue!" Because those conversations are going on in my head. I've always talked to myself. It's just I'm sitting in the other room and I talk myself out it.

Not tonight. This weekend was eye-opening. I really saw myself in reflective objects while out shopping with my family. All of it. The round face and neck. My protrouding stomach. My walk, or should I call it my shuffle? I look much older than 31. And probably act it too since I don't keep up as well as I could.

How did it happen? How did I get here? How didn't I stop somewhere in the middle and really see me? When I started outgrowing clothing, and then the fat-people clothing? And the fear that come along with it. Not just the fear I won't fit into the dress my for sister's wedding in February. But that my body will give out too soon. That I will never have children because of it. That I'm missing out on life.

How did it happen? More important..how do you fix this? Where do you begin?

Hot on Friday, Chilly on Tuesday

Whew.

I've been busy. First there was the chili cookoff last Friday. We didn't win, but I say we were robbed! The second place chili..no flavor. But it was held at church so I shouldn't malign the winners or non-winners I guess. My house smelled like chili for 3 days. I guess there are worse things for a house to smell like!

Then there was Hurricane Wilma. We were lucky we were spared again. I don't know how the Tampa area keeps dodging the bullet. We are so due. But I won't complain.

Because of Wilma I had storm duty at work which meant a few early morning hours..but that's about it.

And the weather. On Sunday it was muggy and hot and today? Mid-60's for a high. It's lovely! Opened the windows and yesterday even did some gardening.

Still reading This Much I Know is True by Wally Lamb..it's a long book. I'll get there. I don't read more than 300 pages into a book and not finish it.

I'm off to enjoy a rare evening at home with my husband since he works such crazy hours. He's even cooking, a rarer treat these days.

Till next time.

My Mouth, My Mouth, My Mouth is on Fire!

So I made my first attempt at making chili tonight, for a chili cook-off at church on Friday night. It was an adventure. Between my friend and my husband tasting it and we finally got it to not feel like your lips were being burned off and firey hot lava was going down your throat. In fact I think it's pretty good. And after a day of simmering in a crockpot, it should kick butt if I do say so myself. I don't know if I expect to win on our first outing...but it could happen. Onto table decorations. Have to win the judges over on all sides. Now, if only my mouth would stop burning!

Blog post. Check!

Whew. Where does the time go to? First it was Sept. and now it's Oct. My birthday came and went, but we don't want to talk about that and another anniversary of my brother's death, don't care to talk about that either.

I've read a few books. Noteably "Meena, Heroine of Afgahnistan" by Melody Ermachild Chavaz. Now I'm onto the gigantic "I Know this Much to be True" by Wally Lamb and a psychic mystery was tucked in between.

I went on my very first business trip to North Carolina last month and will return next week for a staff meeting. It is pretty cool. Getting to travel without paying a dime. Although I could have done without the massive thunderstorm that kept my return flight grounded for 2 1/2 hours and making a very late night for me. My boss left, and that's a good thing. I'm still there and it looks like another one will be on the way in.

In that month I was also published. Well kinda, no by-line. My company is a sponsor of a museum in Tallahassee and I wrote the featured article. I was very proud of myself.

So on to October. With it's witches, pumpkins and fall-like temperatures, oh I mean fall-like in other places in the country and tropical storms/hurricanes in Florida, and shorter days.

It's funny how I go through the day and think "gee that would be great on Sarah Says," but somehow I just don't get it here. I always say I will try to do better. And then I fail. And then my friend Aaron tells me he took Sarah Says off his favorites because I don't update this enough. (Okay, that hurt a little.) Man, the pressure to produce :-) So I'll keep trying. As my adoring fan (fans? may be too many) has asked me to get with it.

Goodnight.

You Know When..

You know when your relationship with your Mother is different than when you were a child is when you receive an e-mail titled this:

Benefits of SEX!

So She's Leaving..

So yesterday my boss announced she's resigned from the company and is leaving in two weeks.

Now for many people a boss leaving is a big reason to celebrate. Me, I'm not. I just was getting to know her and understand what she wants. Plus, I chose to work for her. Plus I'm hoping they don't consider my job to be expendable and for the new person to bring in a person of their choosing. Little freaked about that.

But at least it's a long weekend. More time for me to fixate on the realities of the corporate world.

What More is there to Say?

Sarah Says was taking a mini vacation. Trying to decide if this was a venture that I wanted to continue. I find myself coming home NOT wanting to get on a computer after spending more than 8 hours daily sitting in front of one, often working intensively. So I find myself just not even coming in the room where the computer sits.

I found myself wanting to comment on things in the past 2 weeks. Thinking about what I would say, the pictures I might include. But that was usually just as I sat in the car on the way home from work.

Then Hurricane Katrina hit. Even though I don't work in the news business anymore I find that I am still a news junky. Although I don't have time to read the wires at work I do read the paper and then come home, settle in and watch the horror unfolding in front of my eyes on the television. I'm numb to be honest. Kind of like after Sept. 11. The vast amounts of human suffering along the Gulf Coast is unfathomable. Yes New Orleans is important but those people just to the east, in Mississippi and Alabama that haven't shared in the spot light. Where entire towns have been wiped away. My heart is so sad. But I have decided to keep writing. For now at least. For now this is what I need to do.

Secret Life of Bees

This is one of the best books I've read in a long time and I highly recommend it. Her language skills are superb and her storytelling top notch. Some of the characters I loved so much I wanted to jump in the book and meet them.
The book is set in 1964 in South Carolina during the tumultuous racial integrations that were sweeping the country. In the midst of it all a young white girl finds herself in a home of three African American sisters named August, June and May who blur racial lines and show her true compassion and help her on her journey to healing after living with an incredibly abusive father and coming to terms with what happened to her mother who died when she was four. The bees are an literary tool used to tie the human experience together. I'm sad it's over because the time I spent reading it I found myself savoring it and drinking in the details. I can't wait to read another one of her novels. I now have really high expectations of this author now that I know what she is capable of.

Contimplating the Sky

Have you ever contimplated the sky?
How amazing it truly is? How the clouds can be light and fluffy, floating in the bright blue sky. Or dense and black and menacing during a storm. Or pink during a sunset, speckled with stars at night?
I know we are often so busy going about preoccupied with ourselves that we often don't sit back and see the beautiful things surrounding us. And let them fill us with wonder or peace so we can reflect on wonderful things.

Lifes Reality Checks

Growing up as a little girl I always imagined and believed that once you found that person you wanted to marry and had the big day it was smooth sailing in the relationship department. I mean you were in love and that's all you needed right?

I even had really good marital pre-counseling and none of it prepares you for just how hard being married is. It is a job in its self. You have to work to make it work, and even then sometimes it just doesn't because the other person doesn't want to do the work.

Something so little as actually listening and asking about how you are and really meaning it. When you know something is important to your spouse, making it important to you. And the little things. So many times it's the little things that can make all the difference in the world. A kiss, a hug, a card, remembering when you should. It all adds up.

Thought I Was Gonna Hurl

Today I attended media training with my department. We were practicing media interviews. Now this is the first time I had EVER been interviewed on camera, heck I'd never been interviewed, I was always the interviewer. It was horrific (thus the photo above with the vultures) and I seriously thought I was going to be sick. Going over what you are going to say in your head is the easy part. You can sound confident and cocky and you imagine your gonna rock.

And then your mouth opens. And the stuff coming out is not at all what you thought should be. And then there's this camera right in your face. But I did it. I got out of my comfort zone and I'm proud of that. I have new respect for PR people. Being able to keep it together on the fly, getting their message out and remembering lipstick should be a must for all ladies on camera, especially me.

Grave Markers

So how many of you out there have a folder on your computer called Grave Markers? As I was transferring files I started thinking that I might be a little strange for having one. See a few years back I got interested in my families genealogies. And through searching the Internet I found a distant cousin of my Mom's who had done extensive work on the Kinder side of my family (back to the 1600's). The next time I was in Ft. Wayne (my mom's hometown) I found myself in the cemetery with my Mom and Aunt Pat finding family graves. We found ones we knew about (like the one above which is my Mom's grandfather) and ones we didn't know were there, family members dating to the early 1900's.

There's something very grounding (sorry for the pun) about being in a cemetery, especially standing in front of graves of ancestors from many years gone by. I remember thinking I wonder what these people were like, what they looked like. It's also grounding because it's an ending that everyone faces and you can't hide from it in a cemetery.

So I don't think I'm that strange having a folder named Grave Markers, because really it's a family photo album of a sort.

So I Fibbed..No Big Deal

Ok, so in the previous post it said I was going to go and buy the new Harry Potter book and lend it to my mom because I was already in the middle of page-turner that I didn't want to interrupt. Well, that was the intention. But last Saturday after returning from buying the book at Target and sitting down on my couch where I only intended to glance through it and take a good look at the cover front and back (they are always good hints at what's to come) I cracked it and read the first page...and before I knew it I was 50 pages in. When my parents came home from vacation I told her she was going to have to wait a week...I was reading the book. I just finished it tonight. A little slower than my usual, but I realized I read the last one way too fast and don't remember as much as I thought I did. Note to self: go back and re-read the series before the final book!

So what do I think? It was great. And I love the new more grown-up Harry and that him and his buds are "snogging" or making out and finding more and more about who he is and what he needs to do. The death was sad, but I wasn't shocked, I think I knew who was going to die. The seventh book will be a departure from the rest and I can't wait to get my hands on it. So J.K., get writing would you?

Now back to my other book, Angels & Demons, I know the good part is about to start so there'll be more intense reading coming my way. I am always amazed how much books can suck you in. My husband thinks I'm nuts and even told me he's glad I'm done with the Potter book because he thinks I liked reading it more than spending time with him. Now that's not true, not mostly...
just kidding honey!

Happy Harry Potter Release Day!

Ok, I don't have a copy yet, I'm on my way out to Target where I hope to score a copy. I think I will have to let my Mom read it first because I am in the middle of a book right now and I don't want to stop mid-read. But I am excited and can't wait to get reading on this one. I know I'm 30, but this series has been a great read. I'm just so happy that so many kids are excited about reading. In a world with so many other distractions it's hard to get them to sit still and read anything, let along books in excess of 600 pages!

So Happy Harry Potter Release Day! Kids around the world are quiet reading!

Lucky, Lucky, Lucky

Well, there's some damage in the Tampa Bay area. A tornado touched down earlier this morning along the beaches and tree braches are down and some minor roof damage. But once again Tampa Bay has been really spared. I don't know how it happens, but I feel very blessed and lucky.

And it's so funny, I didn't realize that when I linked to NOAA that the image would continue to update. In a little more than a day, Dennis will be gone. Wonder what the picture will show then. But it is pretty cool.

Gulp!

So is there such thing as pre-tramtic stress disorder rather than just post? Reading the words 130 miles per hour and moving more easterly, causes my head to hurt and my stomach to get all in knots. And all the waiting, the news casts, forcasts and more waiting. I think I'm going to need some counseling if this keeps up!

Happy Birthday Grandma!

Wednesday is my Grandma's 80th birthday. I wish I could have been there to celebrate but the new job didn't allow for it.

I am very lucky to have had her for so long in my life and am looking forward to more memories.

Happy Birthday!

I'm Grateful to You.

Over the past four months I've been very blessed to have a certian friend who has stepped up to help me through a really tough patch in my life.

He has let me bend his ear for many hours and in the end only encouraged me. He came when I asked, even for the smallest and trivial things and never complained to me, never waivered.

So tonight I want to thank him again. You know who you are and you need to know ANY time you need a friend you know who you can call. Because your tab is very long with me.

Have a very safe trip tomorrow my friend.

Genius, pure genius

He's no madman!

So I went to the Dali Museum in St. Petersburg this weekend. I have lived in Pinellas County since I was 5 and this is the first time I had ever been there. What was I thinking?

In my head I had images of melting clocks and other shocking paintings. That is only one small part of Dali's repertoire. He painted stunning pieces, some vibrant in color, and others very subtle, all complex in detail and stunning in his mastery.

Some of his larger works which stood from ceiling to floor had me amazed. I know at times my mouth just hung open in wonder as to how one person could do such paintings.

So if you're in St. Petersburg, take time out and go see this museum, it will be worth your time and money to get to glimpse inside of the mind of a genius.

Summer Sure Is Something

Smile, It's Almost Summer

So what is about the eve of the Summer Solstice that makes me want to clean? I can't figure it out myself. First it started innocently with some light dusting and picking up and laundry. Next thing you know, I'm mopping the kitchen and bathroom floors, and enjoying it. Is it cosmic forces coming together at 2:40 something this morning that marks the beginning of summer that set me off? What has encouraged me to turn up the CD player and to gleefully clean my house on a Monday night? To breath deeply the orange-scented fumes of Mr. Clean as they cleanse the kitchen floors? I don't know what it was, but it had to be something not of this world. Because my house is now a little cleaner, brighter and I didn't mind it.

Happy Summer everyone. Get out there and enjoy the longer days. Enjoy whatever it is that brings you joy today. Even if it is mopping.

I'm waiting for the same thing to strike me in regards to pulling weeds. Never know what the great cosmic forces will have me doing next.

Do These Guys Ever Work?

Tribune Biz Team

So I get this picture e-mailed to me yesterday with the subject: See What You're Missing? and from another "If this doesn't make you home sick I don't know what will."

It's good to see they're taking the new guy in my job out and making him feel welcome AND having a good time while they are at it. As you can see there are reasons why I do miss those guys, they always knew how to have a good time, no matter how stupid/funny they looked.

Hats off to you the Business Staff & two Baylifers that came along for the fun. I do miss you, but a girl's gotta make a living too!

Weeds, Be Gone!

Ok, it's hot this week in Central Florida and dry. So every day I have to water the plants outside to make sure they don't die.

So why is it that they plants wilt and the weeds flourish? They look healthier than the day before when I didn't water them. And how do they grow so fast? I just don't get it. In addition, how is it possible that I mowed the lawn Saturday afternoon and it needs to be mowed again, like yesterday? This crazy Florida weather brings even crazier gardening!

I'm Not Scared..Maybe.

So what is about scary movies that people love and make them want to watch more of them? I just don't understand it. I caught myself watching a movie on Lifetime Movies that was a horror flick and I couldn't stop watching it. Something about tensing up while expecting something bad to happen and then the release when it does. And trying to figure out why something is happening and who is causing it. And that feeling afterwards that the movie left a creepy feeling with you that the bad guy could be lurking around the corner in your house.

Why do we do it? And since it's supernatural week on Lifetime if the movie catches my fancy tomorrow night again, I'll be asking that to myself again.

I'm Living in A Corporate World!

Whew!
Week one of working in the corporate world has come and gone. And what a week it was. I think I can get used to this kind of corporate culture. One where I get taken out to the Columbia Restaurant (swanky Spanish/Cuban restaurant) on the first night and had every thing paid for, even drinks and desert is I wanted it. And I already have 2 company shirts, which is helpful in building this new wardrobe.

But it is hard work. Being at work on time and there at 8 a.m., meetings, scheduled, re-scheduled and re-scheduled again (I do a lot of that), invoices and yes fans, I, Sarah, will be balancing the department BUDGET at the end of the year. Thank God an accounting rep is given to me, or I should fear the outcome. I don't balance the family checkbook, and there is a reason for it.

Did I mention a corp. credit card and a cell phone? Yes, all of those will soon be mine. Sounds pretty fancy...it's not, but it's a step up for me. Now I just have to turn my body's clock around and become used to getting up at 6:30...will that ever happen?

So Sarah Says has gone to the dark side...and I'm not looking back.

I'm still young at heart

So I took this dumb little Internet quiz and found out that my mental age is 29! I'm OK with this since I am 30. For some reason I was afraid I would be pegged at 50 or something, to go along with the ever increasing number of gray hairs I keep getting. Here's what the quiz said about me:

You Are 29 Years Old

29 Under 12: You are a kid at heart. You still have an optimistic life view - and you look at the world with awe. 13-19: You are a teenager at heart. You question authority and are still trying to find your place in this world. 20-29: You are a twentysomething at heart. You feel excited about what's to come... love, work, and new experiences. 30-39: You are a thirtysomething at heart. You've had a taste of success and true love, but you want more! 40+: You are a mature adult. You've been through most of the ups and downs of life already. Now you get to sit back and relax.

What Age Do You Act?

Fricken' Nervous!

Okay, so the new job starts tomorrow. I have orientation in the morning for 8-11:30, into work, more orientation and then DINNER with my new team, boss and her new boss! OYE! I haven't been this nervous, well in a long time or longer. I was actually pacing yesterday. PACING. I told a good friend it was lucky I had very little alcohol in my house because I would have been stinking drunk Saturday night just so I could shut my brain up. This is like actually a REAL job, one I'm going to have to work hard at. What the heck was I thinking? Say a little prayer for me this week, I'm surely going to need it!

My New Favorite Workout Name

I was flipping through the channels a few evenings ago and I came across this new workout: Yoga Booty Ballet. The name just cracked me up. It's a mix of yoga, "booty sculpting" and dance. You have to see the commercial at sometime, the moves are so funny. You can read about the program by clicking the link.

Beachbody Fitness, Nutrition, Diet and Weight Loss Programs, Products & Videos

I'm So Flattered

Yesterday was the last day for me at the Tampa Tribune. I'm still trying to wrap my head around all the nice things people did for me and said. Gave me a big head by the end. I mean wow. There was a dozen pink roses from the boss, a nice lunch, a $50 gift card to any Outback branded restaurant, a lovely bottle of wine, a page (more on that some other time) and more hugs than I may have ever had in 1 day. All over me leaving a job? There'll be photos later, once Skippy and Jeff from Side Salad fame gets them over to me.

Wow, it's over, and at the new job I'll have to really work hard...I'll miss those guys from the paper. Good co-workers are hard to come by. I'm just so flattered.

A Haiku for Everything

This is the Haiku Dave sent me at 5:30 this afternoon:

Oh Saddam Hussein:
I LOVE those tighty whiteys!
As Paris says: HOT!

Just proof that there is a Haiku for every reason and season.

On another note, quitting this job has been kinda surreal. I am really starting to appreciate the people I get the opportunity to work with. There are some real class acts, some not so, but mostly great. I will miss them and the banter that is associated working here. But on the flip side, 12 paid holidays and a nice pay raise. I'll just have to hang out with my friends on the weekend.

A Little Toilet Humor

Can this cause a shy bladder?

So I had to get a drug test for the new job. And there's this time frame they give you, three days from the day you receive the packet with your acceptance, so that day was Monday (I didn't count Monday, I didn't get it till like 7:30 at night because). So I tried Wed. to go, well the center had moved and I couldn't find it. So it was Thursday, I HAD to get the damn test.

So I got up and started drinking water, I had two enormous glasses. Off to the place by 9:30, that's when the testing could begin. In by 9:40, and it happened. My bladder was shy (or stressed, don't know which) but I couldn't fill the damn cup. Soon the lady is knocking on the door telling me my time is up. But I didn't have enough, barely any. So out I came with my pathetic offering. I would have to try again. There was a water fountain in the lobby. So I gulped, and gulped and gulped some more. For almost 10 minutes. With each mouth-full of water I thought of running water, babbling brooks, waterfalls. And then I drank some more. The old lady in the waiting room must have thought I was nuts, well she was looking at me that way. So at 10:10 I'm back in the bathroom. I BARELY make the line. Where all this water I have been drinking has gone to is beyond me.

Off to work I go and half way there, I have to pee. And for the rest of the day, I was running to the bathroom. Bladder wasn't shy there, obviously it feels comfortable there.

I've Resigned to Resign...

So, today I officially resigned from my position at the paper. I've been there for more than eight years and it was time. I'm going to work for a large Fortune 250 company in St. Petersburg. Not going to reveal it here for now. Being careful.

It was terrifying for me. I have never resigned a real job before. Besides, I like the people I work with, I just got tired of the job. But everyone was kind and many people are excited for me. So in celebration, a Haiku is in store!

Bye bye first real job
Hours of typing and of fun.
New one lights me up.

Can't Stop

Today Dave Simanoff and I decided we would write all messages in Haiku today. Here's some of his:

If you can't say it
in seventeen syllables,
it ain't worth saying!

Three poetry lines:
five, seven and five syllables.
Haiku forever!

Mullins did chuckle.
He says he likes your haiku
It hits close to home.

Miller time, you say?
If I look directly left
It is Mullins time.

So very boring
At four-twenty on Friday.
Where is the weekend?

Once you write Haiku
It's very hard to stop.
Haiku forever!
- Sarah

Soo Yummy

Mmmm..Peanut Butter Oreos!

The person at Nabisco who thought up Peanut Butter Double Stuff Oreos should be given a HUGE raise. What a genius and why did it take this dang long to come up with? I mean come one, peanut butter and chocolate just go together. Just thought I would put my two cents in. And by the way, they are SOOOOO yummy.

Go to http://www.nabiscoworld.com/oreo to read more about Oreos and take the personality quiz to see what kind of eater of Oreos you are...It said I am a twister...which is wrong, I believe you should just eat the cookie as it, then you get all the flavors together. But it is fun anyways.

My Pet Fat...Ew!

So you're trying to lose weight? This company will ship you a plastic blob shaped and colored to look like fat. You can get the 1 oz., 1 pound or 5 pound blob. I guess they figure when you look at the disguesting blob you won't be as hungry. Check out the link below.

My Pet Fat

Daily Bushism...

President Bush isn't exactly the wordsmith. Take a moment to read some of his gems at the link below. Here's a good example:

"We look forward to analyzing and working with legislation that will make—it would hope—put a free press's mind at ease that you're not being denied information you shouldn't see."
—Washington, D.C., April 14, 2005


Bushism of the Day By Jacob�Weisberg

High tech Pope

I just thought this was an interesting story. Pope Benedict now has an e-mail address. benedictxvi@vatican.va. So if you have a prayer request or just want to drop the guy a line it is simple as a few key strokes away. I guess Pope John Paul II was the first high tech Pope and was seen typing away on a laptop. It's good to see that trend continued.

You can read the story by clicking below.

Yahoo! News - Pope Benedict XVI Gets E-Mail Address

Why Do They Need Nipples?

Is this necessary?

So I was shopping this evening and I noticed in JcPenny that all the women mannequins had nipples. Why I'm not sure. Was it really cold in the store or is it just that mannequin manufactures need to throw more sex into the mix because sex sells? As if the overwhelming majority of clothing wasn't sexy enough, you have to sell it this way? I don't know why this bothered me so much today...maybe I'm a little older or maybe my morality has caught up with me. Either way, is there any place it's safe to go without being assaulted with sexual images such as this?

'HABEMUS PAPAM'

It's so interesting watching the annoucement of the news of the Catholic Church's new Pope, Pope Benedict XVI. First the smoke came and then the bells tolled for a long time. Soon St. Peter's Square was packed, I mean packed. They announced Cardinal Ratzinger of Germany and people screamed in jubilation. For a Catholic who has never experienced a Pope's election it is extraordinary to watch the ceremony and the excitement of people. He's got huge shoes to fill and many things to do. So a little prayer comes from me for him to have the wisdom and grace to do God's work. And remember Pope Benedict XVI, "Do not be afraid." Amen..

Cleaning at 1 a.m.?

Ok, so how many of you out there clean your house starting at 10:30 p.m.? Am I the only one? If you think I'm crazy, I must be a little. Because the past week my home has managed to explode in dirtiness and I don't hardly even seem to be home. Today my Aunt and Uncle are coming to visit and I don't want to think I'm a slob. So I dusted, threw crap away and swept the floor at 1 a.m. If I'd just learn the art of cleaning as you go along, these things might stop happening to me.

The World Grieves for One Man

Not Only the Eternal City, But a Packed One

They Are There for One Man

24 hours.
That's the amount of time some people faced waiting in lines to catch only a brief glimpse of the body of Pope John Paul II.
Pilgrims slept in the streets when the lines were closed over night, and sang and prayed in line. And once inside the Basilica, there was silence.
Reverance for the man whose death brought more than 1 million to pass him yesterday and another 2 today and tomorrow. A man who an estimated 2 to 3 million Polish country men and women boarded trains, planes and buses to pay their respects at his funeral Friday. A man where more than 200 heads of state, including Fidel Castro, will attend his funeral.
I am awe struck at the photos and video coming from the Vatican and around the world this week. Who knew one man could stir the world like he did?
While everyone didn't agree with what he said, I don't know any one who didn't respect him. One who stood up for his beliefs and took them to the world like few others evagelizing. Yes fellow Catholics, he was one of the great evangelizers of our time. He went to the corners of the world to tell of his love for God and made sure everyone from the rich to the poor heard his message.
I feel lucky to be alive at this time. To be a witness to the life of a great man. And to watch the millions who dropped what they were doing and went to Rome and the Vatican just for those few seconds to see the small man dressed in blood red vestments who changed the world.

Gone Home, Never Forgotten

A New Journey Begins

At approximately 9:37 p.m. Rome time Pope John Paul II died and went to be a peace.

It has been extrodinary to watch and listen to the media accounts surrounding his illness, decline and now death. More than a billion (yes, that's with a B) Catholics around the world have been offering prayers as well as people from all walks of faith. This was a a great man who had the admiration of many including myself. He held tight his beliefs and refused for others to corrupt it. He was loved by the young, and everyone who I have ever heard who had met him spoke the the energy, the passion the love they felt, even as his age and Parkinsons disease took hold of his body.

So today I am in mourning with the world but I am at peace because I know the Pope is now starting a new journey, a journey to be with his best Lord, and because of this it is also a joyous time. And in honor of a man who stood for peace I submit to you a Prayer for Peace from St. Francis of Assisi:

Lord, make me an instrument of Thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon; Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope; Where there is darkness, light;
Where there is sadness, joy.
Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled, as to console; to be understood, as to understand; to be loved, as to love; for it is in giving that we receive, it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

At Peace

Terri Shiavo died this morning at 9:05 a.m. in Pinellas Park. What a shame that even to her last moments her family and husband couldn't come together to be with her at the end. They couldn't even be in the same room when she died. And now there may be a fight over her funeral and burial arrangements. How horrible this is. That her family hate each other so that this poor woman was put in the middle of that hate and made the subject of it.

Be at peace Terri

An Easter Miracle!

So I came back from taking Friday off and low and behold, my neighbor, the great Randu, had completely cleaned his desk, minus the few crumbs and dust he left. I was speechless. Unfortunately he is not here today so I couldn't enquire what came over him. I guess if you wish and pray hard enough, anything can happen, even Randy's desk being clean.

Quote of the Day

"Nothing will work unless you do."
- Maya Angelou (poet/writer)

I am beginning to understand this more and more. Even if you are not working at a paying job, there is always "work" out there that needs to be done.

NakeDan - The Remix

Remember NakeDan the Handyman? Well it seems that press release I was making fun of made its way around the media circuit and has gotten the man LOTS of media play. Supposidly he is booked thru almost the end of next month and charges $130 an hour. If you want to read my papers take on the guy you can click below. The best is if you happen to live in the Tampa Bay area and you can pick up a copy of the paper, to see this woman leering at this naked guy is worth your 50 cents.

What Do You Say To A Naked Handyman?

A Little Rain Got Me Down? Nahhh!!

Reason #1

Reason #2

So it's been raining a little here in Central Florida, I just happy I don't have to ever deal with things like this above. My friend Aaron forwarded these photos, he says these are from coastal Mass. and resulted from a bad winter storm. Hey at least I don't need a blowtorch to get into my car here.

Mine Irish Eyes Are Smiling!

Happy St. Patrick's Day. According to the 2000 U.S. Census more than 34 million Americans claim Irish heritage. I am one of those. My mother's grandparents came from Limerick, Ireland, the O'Conners. My Mom talks about her grandfather O'Conner who wouldn't let you leave his home of St. Patricks Day without something green on to celebrate. My bloodline has taken many twists and turns and now includes German from Obergailbach (which is now France) and areas in Prussia, now Poland. And now I'm married to a first generation Hungarian-American.

But today it's all about the Irish. So wear your green and have some Irish brew. I'll be toasting my great-grandparents and thanking them for my grandmother who of course gave me my mother thus allowing me to be here, the mutt that I am.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Briefs Barers Force Stance Against Underpants

Will showing too much of your drawers be illegal in Florida? This legislator is trying. Check out this article, pretty funny! Also, this is one of the better headlines I've seen in a little while.

Briefs Barers Force Stance Against Underpants: From The Tampa Tribune

Briefs Barers Force Stance Against Underpants

Will showing too much of your drawers be illegal in Florida? This legislator is trying. Check out this article, pretty funny! Also, this is one of the better headlines I've seen in a little while.

Briefs Barers Force Stance Against Underpants: From The Tampa Tribune

Thank Goodness They Come Only Once a Year!

So yummy..

They got him. The cute neighborhood Girl Scout caught my husband and caught some of his money. He said he was guilted in to it. He saw the list and didn't want to be the neighbor who didn't buy any. And he didn't want to be the cheap neighbor by only buying one box. So six boxes of Girl Scout cookies showed up in my kitchen last week. Two Thin Mints, Two Dosidos and two Tagalongs (my favorite cookie of all time.)

Now all sense goes out the door when a box of Tagalongs sits in front of me. Something about the chocolate, peanut butter and cookie. It's hard to stop eating them. I am just so thankful that they aren't available in Publix because I know there I would be walking down the aisle and suddenly there would be two boxes in my cart.

Thank goodness they are only available once a year!

May the Starch Be With You!

Au Gratin, I am Your Father!

This is Hasbro's latest Mr. Potato Head, Darth Tater. It is coming out later this year to coincide with the next Star Wars movie. I know my bro-in-law Goo, (That's the nickname he has, he lives in Jacksonville, what do you want?) would LOVE this since he loves all things Star Wars.

For some reason all things Mr. Potato Head makes me smile and this one is no different. I have heard Mr. Potato had an exclusive interview with an editor at the paper I work at and the interview is coming soon. Will post the link when it's published.

What's next? Obi Wan Au Gratin? Princess Fish-fil-e-a? Big League Chewbaca? Thankfully I can't take credit for those above, Pat of Mr. Doodles Dog Fame and the famous Daily Dave came up with those. They are fun no less.

Moi, Paranoid? YES!

So I'm driving my husband's pride and joy today, his car. He's doing some maintenance on mine, thus I'm driving Nichole. Yes, that's the name he has bestowed on his 2000 Sebring. It's Nikki when "she's" acting bad. This is the first new car he ever owned so he has always pampered it. There's rubber mats on the floors (the carpet underneath is immaculate) and a high shine wax job on it. I always like being able to drive it. It's fun, fast, has a sun roof and a nice stereo.

BUT..and that's a big but, I am terrified something will happen to it on my dime. I double-check the mirrors when changing lanes and when I park I get out and walk around it to make sure there's plenty of room on all sides. Today I looked twice. I just can here hubby's voice in my head, watch out when you park, be gentle on the car handles, don't slam the door too hard, and don't pull up too far in the parking spot, esp. if there are curb stops, you could rip the nose right off.

Oye! Talk about car guilt!

Shut Yo' Mouth!

I know it sucks to be sick. I have been there and done it a lot. In fact the past few days I have been fighting a bug off myself. But what is with all the people who are hacking all around me who don't feel they need to cover their mouth when they cough? And you know if all you do is hack all day, why don't you just stay home because I am tired of hearing it.

Just throwing my two cents in...but I think it makes sense.

Funniest Tennis Story, Ever?

This story cracked me up. Any story that refers to a stalker as a "crazy-ass stalker (CAS)" and Anna Kournikova as Tennis Barbie has my vote. You can read the story by clicking below.
Kournikova Stalker Ordered to Stay Away

NakeDan the Handyman?

I got a press release today from NakeDan the Handyman, he also does Nude Notary. Here's some excerpts from the release...

Thought to be the first established business of its kind in the U.S., NakeDan is fulfilling an unmet need for above-board male nudity combined with quality repairs and flexible scheduling. Serving Florida’s west central coast with more than twenty years of experience, NakeDan is NOT an escort or exotic service and allows no physical contact or other activities to occur. Dan requires that clients sign a "hold harmless" agreement prior to beginning work and before undressing to whatever degree the client requests.

So click on the web site and see Dan... it's worth it!


NakeDan the Handyman

52 Years and Counting

Today hubby took some watch links out for an older woman. Her husband and her were so wonderful. Not only were they happy that someone took the time to do something like that for them but as a couple they were awesome. He said they had been married 52 years and counting and that it's not like today where people get married and then stopped just because it got a little uncomfortable. she said in their time when you got married it meant you were in it for the long haul and that you knew you would have to work through things.

He also gave hubby some good advice, you know she's the one in charge, I learned that a long time ago. :-)

Just wanted to share my little story. It made me feel good to know there are people out there sticking it out together and who are still giggly and lovey-dovey. I hope one day that's me and my hubby.

Please, step away from the chocolate!

Mmm...chocolate!

What not to watch when you are watching your diet? FoodTv's Chocolate Obsession weekend for Valentines Day. All day all they are talking about is chocolate, how to make yummy things, where to buy them, etc.

It's torture almost. Mostly it makes me want to go to the store and buy a big chocolate cake or brownies...oye, why do I keep watching, because I can't turn away!

Low Riding Pants A Crime?

Virginia just passed a law making it illegal to show your underpants in a "lewd or indecent manner."

Ok, so now the police in Virginia are the fashion police too? While I don't think it is appropriate to have your underwear sticking out for the world to see and it doesn't show a lot of respect for yourself, I don't think it needs to be legislated. Read the story below.

Yahoo! News - Va. Bill Sets Fine for Low-Riding Pants

What the .Ogg??

Ok, so I'm on Dave Simanoff's web site (see link at left) and tried this quizz. It says I'm an .ogg?? Too weird to hang out with?

http://www.bbspot.com/Images/News_Features/2004/10/file_extensions/ogg.jpg">
Which File Extension are You?

I LOVE Hallmark!

Addicted to Hallmark?

Ok, so did you ever think someone could have an addiction to a store like Hallmark? It's not too far fetched, really. They have wonderful things besides cards and stationary. Like cute stuffed animals, lovely photo albums, decorations, candles...Oye, on and on. I became a Gold Crown member last summer and have been buying all my greeting cards there pretty much because you earn points which in turn they give you a check, to of course spend more money at Hallmark. I also have become more enamored with greeting cards it seems. I love the hunt, looking for that perfect card. I love how they feel, I like to better cards with the heavier stock and how it feels in my hands. And I love that it's not e-mail..that it's reaching out to someone in a real way that they will touch and that they can easily save, tucked in a book or a drawer for years to come.

Hallmark has really done some ingenious promos to get ya buying more. Buy 1 get one, buy 3 get 100 extra bonus points, buy 3 and get a cute gift for a discount...it's a viscous cycle. Tonight I bought 3 cards and got my greeting card file for all of $6.95. I love it too. Something so old fashioned about it all. A longing for the time when people sat down and wrote to others more frequently.

So is it possible to be addicted to Hallmark? I guess so. I went to one of the larger Hallmark's in Pinellas county tonight and I was excited about it. So many things to look at, so many cards to read. I'm a Hallmark addict and I admit it. But there could be worse things to be addicted to than greeting cards and cute homey things...and it's not really a problem for me...I'll be just fine.

Washed that Gray Right Out of My Hair...

I gave in.

After looking at the little gray hairs, and the longer ones too taking up rent on my head and getting an e-mail from my Aunt Pat telling me that I was doomed to a life of gray hairs because not only did my mom gray early so did she, I colored my hair. Dark blond. It was nice to get up this morning and not to see those little hairs staring back at me. The spring was back in my step and all is a little better in my world.

Mr. President...

President Bush is across the river from my work right now. There is expected to be massive backups around the downtown river for the rest of the afternoon because of street closures. Ack..

"Taters" Anyone?

Ok, so this is truly one of the funniest stories I've read in a long time. It was so tongue-in-cheek. Take a minute to read it, it's worth it.

Archives: St. Petersburg Times

A Lifetime Achievement Award?

So is this the end for Leonardo DiCaprio? You would think so. He received a life time achievement award from the Santa Barbara International Film Festival. How does some one who is 30 get a lifetime achievement award? Just something that made me go hmmm today. Either that or the other real actors/actresses were busy that day and couldn't come to accept it.

Lifetime Achievement Award For Leonardo DiCaprio

Gray by 35, It Could Happen

It seems that my hair has decided it should be gray. Every day I get up and there seems to be another one staring back at me from the mirror. I don't know where they are coming from. I don't know why they are picking on me so. I'm only 30.

I wanted to stop coloring my hair. It's a pain and costly. But I don't think I can wait. I just can't let them win. Right now it's single strands. But soon, they will get lonely and more will move in, and soon, it'll be a whole neighborhood scaring away what's left of the blond and brown hairs.

Why was there no good hair color on sale this week? I can hear the blond hairs calling out to me...save us, before we go extinct!

Where's My Sleep, I Seem to Have Lost It!

Ok, it's officially 1:06 a.m. and I can't for the life of me sleep. And it sucks. I don't know how else to put it, it just sucks. I know I have shirked my blogging duties so I thought I would share that I am royally pissed that I can't sleep right now. Because in a few short hours I have to get up and work like every other friggin day. My body is exhausted but my mind won't shut the #(@! up. Pardon the bad symbols.

Argh!

I guess I'll go try the sleep thing again....really it's not overrated like some say, I actually like it, a lot.

I'll try to write more often...I know there's lots of stuff out there to make fun of including this I found from the New York Times earlier this week:

"By the mid-1960s, many obstetricians even believed that alcohol
could halt premature labor. As noted by Golden, now a medical historian at Rutgers University in Camden, N.J., when women arrived at the hospital in premature labor, they were often handed a vodka and orange juice or given alcohol intravenously."

Man, women these days are missing out. They were officially allowed to get drunk in the hospital back then. Imagine your doctor asking, "would you like that screwdriver on the rocks or straight up? Just a little thought, and at 1:14 a.m., you start to think about things like that in a different light than at normal people hours. (Ok, Laura, I know this is still early for you, but for me, this is LATE. And no Laura, I'm not an old fart!)

Night, I hope...

Another Reason to Miss Calvin...

Classic Calvin

Calvin and Hobbes was always a favorite cartoon of mine. I was reminded today when my Mom sent along some classic snowman-related cartoons to be via e-mail. Something about those strips that I love(d), the silliness, creativity, Calvin and his best friend (a stuffed tiger) having some great adventure.

Bill Watterson, if you're reading this, you were awesome. At least I'll have my books to take a look through whenever I get to missing my buddies Calvin and Hobbes.

Alton Brown and Sarah Says..

AB and Me!

Yesterday I was very lucky to attend a photo shoot at work where one of my favorite TV personalities was, Alton Brown. He's from the Food Network's Good Eats. He describes himself as a teacher more than a chef and that's OK with me because he's taught me a ton about cooking. When I get some extra coin I'm really tempted to buy his books I Just Here for the Food and I'm Just Here for More Food.

From what the food editor says he was very gracious and was a talker during the interview.

Once again you never know who'll you'll meet when you work at newspaper.

They've Got Male!

Congratulations to friends Dawn and Jarrad on the birth of their new son Joshua Robert who was born last Monday at 8 pounds 2 ounces. We are excited for you and can't wait to meet him!

An Desert Experience

Last night my Mom took me, hubby and Grandma out to the Olive Garden for dinner. It was a lovely evening. Pleasant food, good company and free desert.

Our lovely waitress, really she was very kind and apologetic, dropped an arm-full of dishes she had just taken away from the table behind us right behind my chair. I was lucky. Only a few spots of marinara sauce came spattering up on the back of my nice work blouse. The manager offered to pay for my shirt to be cleaned (she would have gotten off cheaper) but I declined. I really don't dry clean my clothing and the shirt was a lovely shirt from Targeyy (Target). I said I would clean it at home. So she offered free desert to all of us.

Chocolate lasagna and a chocolate mousse pie was our choices. The mousse pie was heavenly. Like a chocolate cloud.

After that people were joking that I would be tripping the waitress all the time to get the free desert.

Trumpa Bay?

The Donald announced yesterday that he would be building a 52-story condo tower in downtown Tampa. Trump Tower Tampa will have units starting at $700,000 all the way up to more than $6 million. Around these parts we are wondering who the heck will be moving into these posh digs? And why the heck did he choose Tampa? Has he ever spent more than a few hours in this town? Sure there's rich people, but why would they choose to live in a dead downtown rather than on real water (sorry the Hillsborough River in downtown doesn't qualify in my book) such as the Bay or the Gulf? And what the heck is there for people to do in the evenings?

Trump, I don't know about this venture. I almost want to tell you, "You're fired!"

Favorite Store Name at the Flea Market.

I wish I had my camera with me today. A new booth at the flea market had a great name. He sells antiques.

He decided to call his store:

"Dead Peoples Junk"

Christmas Ornaments Tell Stories

In remembrance of Tiger messing with the tree.

In remembrance of our first house.

Christmas trees are like scrapbooks. They tell a story. This is especially true in my family. While some families prefer monochromatic colors and a big box of same-looking balls, mine gives and receives than at Christmas regularly. Each one individual to the recipient(s) and each one with a story. Above are two of the ornaments we received this year. The top one I gave hubby. He spent a lot of time yelling at the cat trying to make him understand that he couldn't be playing with the ornaments and knocking them down. The second one my parents gave us in honor of owning our first house together this year. It's a cool one, you place a Christmas tree light bulb in the back and so when the lights go on, the windows and door light up looking like someone is home.

Others received include a calico engine of a train from my Grandmother (my Grandfather was a railroad engineer and this will remind me of him) and white beaded stars that my sister and my grandmother handmade for us. They are really cool.

I took them off the tree last night, I had hoped hubby would have taken the tree down today but it's still there, and enjoyed looking at them and remembering the stories. This is something I want to be able to do one day with my children if we are blessed with them. Pass on the stories and help make new ones.

When Are Your Officially Grown Up?

There's a very interesting article in the Wall Street Journal today. It talks about America's youth have been experiencing an extended childhood, with many American's believing adulthood really begins at 26 and not 18. Children are living longer and longer at home, relying more and more on their parents for not only advice but financial help and direction in their lives.
I thought this was all very interesting. I know many people , including myself who, found themselves at home after college. I don't know if it's the coddling effect mentioned in the story, but it is the expense. But to be honest, I think it's just that many people my age have become accustomed to a certain lifestyle and they don't want to suffer without since their parents never showed them that they had to. Ok Gen X and and millenials, it's time to grow up. Our parents did it, why the hell can't we?

Here's an excerpt:

Students from high-pressured, upscale households are more sheltered today than even five years ago, says Lisa Jacobson, founder of inspiring, a New York-based tutoring and test-preparation firm. Parents have been micromanaging these kids lives for so long that the kids often are unable to cope with disappointments and rejections. Parents have to let children develop life skills.

Ground them in reality: Young adults today often expect to have a lifestyle that equals the way their parents are living in middle age. "They should know that to get from A to Z, you've got to go through all the letters in the alphabet," Ms. Shaffer says.

Happy New Year From Jacksonville!

Happy New Year everyone! Hubby and I are spending a long weekend with sisters and their significant others and bro-in-law's brother and sig. other. We have a had a great time. There has been lots of food, drink and James Bond (I'll have to explain that one later.) The weather has been awesome, in the low 70's in the day and low 50's at night.

Hopefully your New Year has started as well as it has for us.

Happy New Years!