Shaking Off The Dust

It's been a year since I last wrote. A year. Wow---that's hard to believe. I don't know what happened really. Did the short bursts of Facebook become the new tempo? I don't even read any blogs anymore; rarely even check to see if someone ELSE has anything new to say. Seems like I'm not the only one who fell off the blog wagon. And I may not really be getting back on. We'll have to see.

But since it's been a year, I figure it's safe to assume that no one will even see or notice this little spell of thinking out loud. So many things on my mind but mostly, lately, has been this: what am I going to be when I grow up?

I've been very restless, wanting to DO something. I'm an incredible time-waster and I can just see me slowly wasting the next 20 years because I'm not doing anything in particular. Laundry and cleaning and driving kids to sports requires only so much mental capacity...the rest of what I might have is BORED TO DEATH. I need to DO something.

I could be magnanimous and volunteer and do for the good of others. That would likely be the highest road to take. I don't feel myself drawn that direction, sad as that may be. I want a job, I want to be challenged, I want to think/figure out/work on something. I don't know what tho!!! I'm totally untrained to do ANYTHING. Pitiful really.

SO. I've come back again to that elephant that was in the room for soooo long: court reporting. I thought I'd settled that I'm done with it. But I don't think so. I don't think it's done with me. It's overwhelming, the thought of trying to do that again, get back on that horse. Overwhelming. And yet somehow a little exciting. And definitely familiar.

So that's where I'm at. Do I? or don't I? Where do I even start to figure that first part out???

Yum

My latest favorite food invention:

one side of a whole-wheat sandwich thin, toasted (you can buy these anywhere now. Love 'em)

a thin layer of creamy peanut butter

a slight drizzle of honey

a layer of sunflower seeds.

YUUUMMMM. I suppose it possibly sounds weird and unappetizing. It really isn't. Promise. (unless you hate sunflower seeds or something and then I guess I can't help you.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to my first baby

Can't believe my oldest child, my first child, is no longer a teenager! Twenty years old today. In so many ways, it seems like a long long ago time when he was little and we navigated through those early days. But in so many other ways, the time has flown and all of those years are gone now in just a blink.

It's a whole new round of experiences. I'm hoping they'll be the roaring 20s for you---you've turned into a fine young man.

Balloon Boy Attic Boy Pretending Boy

It's always disappointing when you find out you've been duped. I refer to Balloon Boy, as he's referred to....but like Bill Maher said, maybe he should be called Attic Boy. But then the sheriff even said---who knows where he was. He could've been down the street on a swing in the park.

It's rather pathetic on so many levels, but to me the worst two are:

1) you've just taught your kids (probably not for the first time if this is the kind of thing you do) that you can just make up stories and lie to people if it's for something you really want. I suppose the parents presented it like a fun pretend thing, knowing the kids would likely not understand the serious level of police involvement, etc. But it's still a little heartening to realize that even in the midst of that, a little 6 yr old still spilled the beans of truth, even when he wasn't realizing it.

2) without any thought for the inconvenience and maybe even disaster it wrought for others, you decided to pull your stunt. Because flights were grounded during the time they were chasing the balloon, people likely missed important meetings, important events---things that they can never go back and do or get again. I can only imagine how enraged some of them must be to find out it was all over nothing?? A prank? A ploy? A hoax? Maybe someone missed a career-changing meeting, a grandmother's funeral, a wedding..... Oh, I bet the blood is boiling for some, and I kinda hope these parents get lambasted by a few of these folks who were directly impacted by the whole farce. Maybe it'll make the Heenes pause before they try something else stupid. Maybe....but likely not. The pursuit of fame can make some people lose all common sense and, apparently, integrity.

Does This Mean I'm Old?

I cannot figure out why Justin Bieber is such a big deal. He can't sing---sometimes he's hardly able to carry the questionable tune he's singing, half of the song is mechanical sounding, there's nothing original about it....I don't get it. Oh, the girls scream his name and ooh and aah...seriously?? This is considered amazing music? He's rocketed to stardom now based on these songs? Wow. The bar is pretty low, and I must be getting pretty old.

FAREWELL (to the King of Pop and the Queen of Hair)

searching, but nothing so far

Is there anyone on the planet right now more irresponsible than Glenn Beck and his ridiculous War Room?