It's Friday

Live large. Dream big. Be Fearless.

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This really just happened

You know the part in The Matrix where Morpheus takes Neo and confronts him with the truth about life and the matrix and Neo freaks out and can't breathe and blows chunks? Yeah well, the same thing kind of happened to me just now (minus the puking). See below:

Post by Anne Rice.

and this:

"Prince Lestat" in the world of the blogs: "The Fearless Scribe" weighs in. "Anne, Lestat, and Me." Thanks to... http://t.co/HGKC33kAzF
— Anne Rice (@AnneRiceAuthor) March 26, 2014

Can you believe it?? I know!! The Very Best Author in the entire world gave me a shout out. I am thankful, honored, and so very happy.

A home for my unpublished writing

Where do rejected articles and stories go? Probably the trash. Where do my rejected articles and stories go? On my blog, to die a slow, painful death. With that fabulous thought in mind I've decided to start posting pieces that I wrote in years past, shopped around, but had no takers (in other words was rejected). This first one I wrote way back when I was working for a company in New Jersey.

                Tattooed Women Need Not Apply

Tattoos have come a long way from the days of being seen on the skins of outlaw bikers, sailors, and criminals. These days everyone from high school kids, grandmothers, corporate executives and celebrities ink their bodies. Getting a tattoo has become trendy and fashionable. But for every person who proudly marks their body with colorful, permanent images, there are those who still frown upon them. The stigma related to having a tattoo remains and could be the difference between landing a job and being shown the door. It happened to a young woman I once interviewed.

Janie came in to meet with me one spring morning when my company was in need of a receptionist.  Her resume was impressive and showed no spelling or grammatical errors, which usually put me off.  Her past experience included being a receptionist for a veterinarian office. She sounded pleasant enough on the phone when I called to schedule our appointment. Nice speaking voice and polite.  So far, so good, I thought.

The morning of her interview was warm and sunny but still required a light jacket.  Janie was dressed in neat office attire topped by a nice denim jacket. I met her out front and led her to our conference room in back that doubled as a break room. We discussed the usual job interview topics. If she was nervous it didn’t show; she answered my questions easily. I liked her. But I needed her to meet my boss, the owner of the company. He was the deciding factor.

I had her wait while I went to get him. After making introductions, he sat quiet for a moment across from her and studied her resume. Then he began asking her the same routine questions.

“It says here you were a receptionist for a veterinarian office. Tell me about that.”

“I answered a multi line phone and made appointments. I transferred calls to the proper person and I took information and processed it into the computer,” Janie answered.

“Why did you leave?”

“I went back to school at nights and the hours weren’t flexible for me.”

“What are you studying?”

“Forensic Science.”

It was going very well. I felt certain this was a done deal and we had found our new receptionist.  Then, the other shoe dropped.

“What does that tattoo on your right hand stand for?” asked my boss.

Janie looked down at her hand as if someone had pricked it with a pin and instinctively started covering it with the sleeve of her jacket. I looked over at her. I was stunned. I had not noticed her tattoo of three blue stars in the area of her index and thumb fingers. I think I was as embarrassed as she was.

“I got it when I was younger,” Janie started to explain. “It stands for omnipotence. I plan to get it removed when I have some more money.”

“The impulsiveness of youth,” my boss said in a smug manner. “At least you recognize you made an error in judgment and plan to rectify it.”

 

Silence.

 “Alright, well I have no other questions,” my boss said as he rose from his chair.

Then he thanked her for coming in and said we had other candidates still to see before a decision could be made. He left the room and I walked her out. I returned to his office already knowing his thoughts and decision regarding Janie.

“So,” he began. “What was your impression?”

“She definitely has the qualifications for the job,” I replied, hoping that would change his already made up mind.

“Yes, there’s no doubt about that. But, I don’t think we want that element here.”

 I sat silent in the chair opposite from him as he continued.

“I don’t care much for people with tattoos, even though she regrets getting it and plans to have it removed.”

                       

I stayed sitting and added nothing to the conversation. I could not believe I was hearing such discrimination in this day and age. He looked at me curiously.

“What are your thoughts on tattoos?” he asked.

“Don’t ask and I won’t tell,” I replied. I looked down at my lap to where my own tattoo had been permanently inked a few weeks earlier.

“Let’s get back to finding a suitable candidate for the position,” he said.

I nodded and went back to my desk where a pile of resumes lay on top. 

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This is a true story, except for the woman's name which wasn't Janie. In fact I can't remember her name and now it's going to drive me crazy. Maybe it was Julie. Then again I don't think it started with a "J" at all. Maybe it was a "D" name like, Diana. Or maybe it was Sara?

Be yourself and be fearless

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I say be yourself and be fearless. Doing those two things makes you perfect; makes you, you. Being the best version of yourself that you know how to be can in itself be a fearless act.

An (almost) year anniversary review of the OmniPod

For those of you who don’t have diabetes or don’t have children with diabetes, please feel free to skip this post.

We’re coming up on a year since my son, Christopher, went on the OmniPod insulin pump and I thought I would write a review about it.

Quick background: Chris is 10 and was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes nearly three years ago. Prior to the pump he would have to get daily injections of insulin after every meal he ate.

The decision to go on an insulin pump was a no-brainer. Wearing a small device on your body versus multiple invasive injections? Yes, please! The choice of which pump to use was just as easy.

It goes back to when we first met a representative from Insulet, the makers of the OmniPod. He showed Chris the device and demonstrated the ease of use. That’s all it took. He wanted one. I preferred this pump because it’s tubeless and we wouldn’t have to worry about the tubing getting caught on something and possibly ripping the canula out. Ouch!

You will need approval by your child’s endocrinologist to go on a pump and approval from your insurance carrier first.

The OmniPod insulin pump is a great piece of medical technology. It’s small and lightweight and goes virtually un-noticed by others when worn under clothing. 

OmniPod insulin pump - the pod attaches to the body.

What insulin pump? That’s muscle from working out!

The accompanying Personal Diabetes Manager (PDM) (which doubles as a meter to check blood sugar) also manages valuable information like basal rate, carb count, and the amount of insulin to give. With the push of a few buttons it delivers your insulin via the small pod attached to your body discreetly all while looking like a small hand-held device. Little Man works it like a cell phone pro. 

PDM (with fingerprint smudges)

My only small complaint is that the adhesive could be stickier. I’m not talking super glue tight but enough for active, sweating boys in the summer. To combat this issue we sometimes apply a liquid adhesive or use a tape dressing.

One of the best things about the OmniPod is that the pod, itself, is waterproof and can be worn in the shower or pool (perfect for us pool-worthy peeps living in the desert). The PDM, not so much.

So far, we’ve been very happy with the OmniPod. It’s given Chris more control over his diabetes and lessened the hassle that comes with all the necessary equipment needed to manage this disease.

If you would like more information about the OmniPod, go to their site - https://www.myomnipod.com/. Also, check out their blog, Suite D at http://suited.myomnipod.com/. It has advice, personal stories, and it’s where all the cool people (and fellow pod wearers) hang out and talk diabetes shop like, Olympic skier, Kris Freeman, and snowboarder, Sean Busby, to drop a few names.

Be fearless in every thing you do

We won't discuss how long it took me to design this week's fearless quote below. Let's just say I was fearless (and made liberal use of some choice curse words).

For this week's Fearless Friday:

Be fearless, be brave in every single thing you do. Whatever you've got going on, whether it's good or bad, doesn't matter. Face it. Take a breath. And be fearless.

You want to write that book? Do it. Run a marathon? Go for it. Travel half way across the world and learn to surf? Hang ten. Maybe your intentions are smaller in scale like learning to knit or, dying your hair? Go get 'em! But be fearless.

I know what you're thinking. (You want a glazed donut from Dunkin, right? No? Seriously?) This is easy for me to preach. But every time I blog I try to do it without fear. People might show up and read what I wrote. They might not. Maybe they'll like it and maybe they won't. See where I'm going with this?

Do your thing. But be fearless in every thing you do. Now let's get some donuts cuz I think we earned them.

Anne, Lestat, and Me

Today I found out that my most favorite-est author in the whole wide world has a new book coming out featuring the cooliest character ever to be written. And yes, coolest was deliberately spelled with an "i". I'm talking about Anne Rice and the October publication of a new Lestat book, called "Prince Lestat". Go, read about it here if you haven't already heard; I'll wait.

I told Bill and he said "Oh yeah?" in that I'm excited for you because I know how much this means to you way but it really sounds like a response to me telling him I bought pickles on sale. This from a guy who counted down the days until the new Halo game came out for X box.

Anyway, I once met Anne at a book signing when she came to the Barnes & Noble in my little NJ town. I went straight from work to the book store and was the 7th person on line. It was 3:30 and she was due around 6:00. As anyone who knows me knows, I'm not one for waiting and I'm not big on lines either but for something like this I can certainly muster up the patience. So I grabbed some carpet and got comfortable, which included me chatting up the people around me.

Anne was gracious and kind. She smiled as she signed books, posed for pictures, and even chatted a bit. Nothing how you'd expect the queen of vampire novels to be. When it was my turn I asked her to make it out to: Sandy and my son, Christopher.

Anne: That's my son's name.
Me: I know. Mine is only 2 months old so I'm going to put this away for him until he's old enough to read it.
Anne: How wonderful.

The book is still stored away for now. I'm waiting until Chris is a little older. I might let him watch (edited versions) of Kill Bill but I still think Anne Rice is a bit inappropriate for a 10-year old. I was at least 13 when I first read "Flowers in the Attic".

I've been a fan of Ms. Rice since the early 90s when Cindy, one of my college roomies, introduced me to the Vampire Chronicles. "You should read this series about a bad boy vampire." she said. With such a selling point, how could I refuse? So I went to the local library and took out "The Vampire Lestat". (Yes, I read them out of order, but in my defense this is how roomie referred the series to me.) "Start with Lestat's book first. It's kinda his reply to the first book, which is more about Louis." she said. Several days and 560 pages later I was hooked. I immediately took out "Interview With the Vampire". And I haven't stopped reading her books since. Thanks, Cindy, for starting me on the path to blood-sucking bliss with the Vampire Chronicles! And thanks, Anne, for writing such great literary entertainment!







  

Face your fears

What does it mean to be fearless?

Everyone has their own definition. To me, being fearless means grabbing your fear by the throat and slapping it across the face. (Perhaps I watch too many super hero movies?) But I admit, that's sometimes easier said than done. Sometimes simply making the decision to face your fears is a brave act all its own. At the very least it's a fearless step in the right direction.

Still, I think a large majority equate being fearless with doing something outrageous and possibly dangerous like jumping off a cliff in your undies. (Unless this is your way of facing your fear of heights or your fear of being seen publicly in your unmentionables, then go for it.)

Being fearless doesn't have to be a grandiose act, it should be about overcoming what scares you most. Maybe this means finally taking swimming lessons to conquer your fear of water. Maybe it means having the courage to walk away from someone or something that is no longer healthy for you. Or it could mean donning your cape and tights as you head your neighborhood crime watch because who said being fearless couldn't be fun?


I like the quote below because of the simple, yet strong message it conveys.

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Let me break it down with a movie reference. (yes, I know but please bear with me.) You can choose to be safe and sit in the corner, like Baby. Or you can get up in front of everyone and dance with Johnny. Face your fears, but above all, be fearless in your actions.
Now, where'd I put my cape?

What's in my purse: The boring edition

I came across a post (or 2, or 5) where women tell what's currently in their purse. Sounds like fun! A cute, little peek into a woman's world via her pocketbook. Oh but, I rarely carry one with me anymore. And even then, it's very un-interesting.

Some ladies carry their make-up, a fashionable cell phone case, a neat pack of tissues, and a trendy, little wallet, among other stylish purse-worthy things. *shrugs* Not me. But that wasn't always the case.

Years ago my handbag resembled a mini suitcase that carried my pertinents, and some extra things I thought I might need at any given moment. 5 pens? In case I lose one, lend one out, and the other three don't work. Datebook? So I know where I need to be at any given time. (Was that doctor appointment at 2 or 2:30?) Stamps? Because one never knows when a postcard or letter might need to be sent. A tee shirt for when a change of clothes is needed? Yep. Gum. Lip balm. Hairbrush. Yes, yes, and yes. Kitchen sink? It was all there. Except for the kitchen sink. That was in my other bag.

These days I have a mini cell phone case that holds my license, cash, and a few cards in addition to my phone. It's quick and easy and fits in my pocket. If I'm sans pockets (or the wardrobe precludes it) there's a handy strap that fits on my wrist. This is all well and good if I'm only running to the store or for a quick outing.

A purse comes into play when I'm going on somewhere that requires more than my handy-dandy little wristlet can take. This is especially the case if Chris is with me and we need to take his small diabetes pack with us. 

So what's in my purse?

Cellphone (in it's nifty case)
Lip balm
Hair tie and mini hair clip
Wads of tissues (unused of course! )
Sunglasses
Keys

That's it? Yeah, sorry to disappoint.

That's it. Perhaps I should write a post about what isn't in my purse but maybe should be? (Kitchen sink, I'm lookin' at you)

Fearless Friday

I've been thinking of doing a weekly theme. Ya know, something like that Facebook wackiness called, "Throwback Thursday" or the less inspirational but no less delicious, "Taco Tuesday".  The obvious answer inside my head was, "Are you insane?" This requires commitment. And forethought. So naturally, I'm going to forge ahead with Fearless Friday. Considering my blog's name it makes sense, right?

Every Friday, (or more reasonably in my case, whatever Fridays I  remember to do this) I'll post something with regards to being fearless. It might be an inspirational quote or message. It might be me sharing something new I tried. I might even write about someone I came across who did something fearless.

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For my inaugural Fearless Friday post I'll share something fearless I recently did: I submitted a couple blog posts to Blogher's Voices of the Year (VOTY). I'm trying to put myself and my writing out there a lot more. This is a big thing for me. I'm very critical of my work. No, seriously, I am. The fact that people even show up here to read what I have to say astounds me. I've also been pitching companies to offer my copy-writing services. And now there's Fearless Fridays.

Tame? Maybe. But no less fearless for someone with anxiety to offer themselves up to possible rejection and criticism. Perhaps I'm not fearless but crazy instead. Maybe I should re-name this effort Crazy Friday?

I welcome you to share your fearlessness. Let's be brave together. And pizza for all!

He speaks in movie quotes and I couldn't be prouder

Saturday we were at an all day event presented by JDRF. Chris hung out in the 'Kids Zone' while Bill and I sat in on some presentations and seminars. On the way home we asked Chris what he did in Kids Zone. Without missing a beat he replied, "I drank, I fought, I made my ancestors proud." I don't know about his ancestors but that answer sure made me proud. Yes, he's my kid.

 

Vampires and the MOB: Signs I saw around town

In my medical travels these past couple weeks, I ran across the following signs. The first one was written and displayed by the phlebotomist where I had to get blood work done. I sat down, looked up, and giggled when I saw it because I always refer to these professionals as such. I asked him if his name was Jason, just to make sure, and he said yes. I did not ask him the other thing.
In case it's hard to read, the sign says: "Hi my name is Jason and I'll be your Vampire."

Truth in advertising?

 

At the endocrinologist with Chris, I saw this sign in the parking lot. Naturally my mind read this in the literal sense and not as an acronym for Medical Office Building. Should I park here when I want to hear them make me an offer I can't refuse?

Apparently organized crime has so many visitors it needs its own parking lot.

Top 10 most viewed blog posts

I had to look up a couple of past posts and I came upon one post that had a crazy amount of page views. And then I thought, why not do a list (not another list!) of my Top 10 most viewed blog posts of all time. It would appear that cartoons and bad things that happen to me are quite popular. This makes me both smile and cock my head in a confused manner.

I've linked back to the original post for those who want to go back and read it. Also, feel free to laugh at my expense (again), my family does so all the time. Hey, I'll make popcorn!


Frosty, the Miser Brothers, Kris Kringle and other Christmas 'toons (602 page views) I think people just like the pictures I posted.

Vicious malware almost ate my computer  (151 page views) Almost, but not quite.

Attack of the killer mutant snow goons (135 page views) Calvin and Hobbes pics!

Verizon almost got me killed (126 page views) I averted disaster once again.

Love makes it all worth it (98 page views) The joys of motherhood!

Strong emotions (87 page views) A sad look at diabetes.

Anxiety and panic (84 page views) Some seriousness I shared.

A little Halloweenie (74 page views) Halloween!

Attitude of gratitude (73 page views) Sometimes I forget there's much to be thankful for.

Cough, cough, sniffle (61 page views) Just a little illin'.


It's an eclectic mix with Christmas cartoons leading the pack in popularity. I fear for those who find themselves at my blog after chasing the Christmas cartoons here. Then again, maybe they come for the Christmas cartoons and stay for the crazy. Did I write 'crazy'? I meant Chocolate. 

Here's to laughter on Valentine's Day

Flower store all sold out of roses? Card store filled with cheesy left overs? Have no fear!  It's not too late to give your sweetheart something special for Valentine's Day, especially if she has a good sense of humor. If you're stuck for an idea, how about penning a nice old-fashioned love letter.  Here's an oldie but goodie from the movie "Who Framed Roger Rabbit" for inspiration:

Wishing you love, chocolate, and laughter this Valentine's Day!

How a 90s movie inspired my Fictional Hollywood Bucket List

Saturday night I was watching You've Got Mail. You know, the movie where Meg Ryan's character (Kathleen Kelly) and Tom Hanks' character (Joe Fox) email each other and fall in love? Anyway, Kathleen Kelly owns this charming little book store called, 'The Shop Around the Corner', and it prompted me to submit a job application online to Barnes and Noble, even though B and N is more like Joe Fox's chain bookstore Fox Books and less like the quaint little Shop. Doesn't matter, I romanticized the whole thing in my head because books are books and I was feeling nostalgic, and so I applied.

Who knows if I will get the job. Or if they will even consider me enough to actually call me in for an interview.  Why would you like to work for us? Because I was watching "You've Got Mail" one night and thought it would be so much fun to work in a book store. And also I like to read. I don't think the interviewer would be amused. In fact, I bet my application would be placed in the 'Do Not Hire. Ever' list.

Besides, I'd rather work for Kathleen Kelly. And then I got to thinking of other fantastical things I'd like to do that could never happen because they're fiction and therefore don't exist. And thus was born my Fictional Hollywood Bucket List.

Now, bear with me. Yes, I am one of those people who make lists. There's the To-Do if I have a lot I'd like to accomplish during a specific period of time. A Christmas List so that I know what I still need to buy for people, and what I already have because there are a bunch of bags and boxes hidden all over and a list is just easier for quick referral. And of course a Bucket List of things I could accomplish if timing and money weren't an issue. I've been keeping a Reading List since 2010 of every book I've read during the year. It serves no purpose except to determine my reading habits. I have one dating back to 2001 but it's currently stuck on my desk top PC which is broken and will remain so until available funds come into being.

So, now back to my Fictional Hollywood Bucket List. I do realize this may not be a new concept, in fact I'm sure I read somewhere about Bucket Lists of Pretend Places that people would like to visit like, Narnia, The Shire, and Hogwarts. Mine isn't so much about places as it is about people I want to hang with and things I'd like to do. I can't post it here because so far I only have 4 things on it. What can I say, the whole idea for this post came to me late Saturday night as I was trying to fall asleep, so I consider it a work in progress.

In addition to working at 'The Shop Around the Corner', I would like to dress up in pearls and a tiara and drink coffee while eating a pastry in front of Tiffany's windows with Holly Golightly. [from Breakfast at Tiffany's]

I also want to...

...go back in time with Marty and the Doc in the DeLorean. [from Back to the Future]
...dance on stage with Danny Kaye at the Pine Tree Ski Lodge. [from White Christmas]

Anyone else have a similar list? Share, please.

Diabetes and the Olympics

I've been watching the Winter Olympics. But before they officially began, Chris and I watched the opening ceremonies. He thought it was cool to see all the athletes walk in representing their country. And he enjoyed the dancing, the theatrics, and the lighting of the flame.

But, the coolest thing was finding out that one of the athletes representing the USA, Kris Freeman, is a type 1 diabetic. He also wears the very same insulin pump that my Christopher wears, the Omnipod.

Chris knows that diabetes doesn't stop him from doing anything. He can play dodgeball, ride his scooter, and crack jokes at the dinner table with his old mom, same as any other kid. He just needs to check his blood sugar before meals and dose himself with insulin after.

He's no different from other kids. Diabetes does not limit what he can do or what he can achieve. He's been told this since his diagnosis and many times since then. But seeing this Olympic athlete compete in cross country skiing is a nice reminder. It reinforces what he knows to be true, even if in times of great frustration due to serious highs or scary lows, he may not always believe it.

So this year, we will be watching this fellow type 1, and cheering him on. Because every young type 1 needs something, or in this case, someone with the same auto-immune disease, to believe in.

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How about those resolutions?

So how much fun was that blog hop? It was like a great big blog playdate (a blogdate?). I'm still making my way down the list of blogs to pop in and say 'ello! The Fearless Scribe got some new followers and many people visited. Thank you all, it means so much. *sniff*  I'll refrain from launching into my Academy Award winning speech where I'm cut off by the music as I tearfully thank my favorite high school teacher for her encouragement and for believing in me and my writing. 

In other news, it's February and typically at this point most people have abandoned their New Year's Resolutions. I made no such resolutions so I'm doing better than most. For example, I haven't made an effort to get in better shape but since I didn't make a resolution proclaiming better fitness in the New Year I'm not disappointing myself. See? Why put such pressure on myself?

Instead I've been doing little beneficial things for my health. Like, I recently gave up soda, specifically Pepsi, and oddly enough I don't miss it. Pretty shocking considering I was a die-hard cola drinker. These days I drink ice tea. Of course I'm probably negating the health benefits because the tea is unsweetened and I add my own sugar, but I'd like to think I'm doing something good for myself. If I'm not, don't tell me, let me live in my sugary tea pretend world.

Also, I've been going to bed earlier than I used to. I actually started doing this at the end of last year and I've been pretty good at continuing it. This doesn't mean I'm in bed and asleep at some responsible time like 10 pm but I'd like to think that being in bed before midnight counts for something.

How's your resolutions coming along?

Guess who's co-hosting the Collective Blog Hop?

Uh oh, guess what day it is? Guess what day it is? Huh? Anybody? No, it's not hump day and I'm not a camel, sillies. It's Blog Hop Day! Welcome and thanks for popping in to my blog where this month I'm co-hosting the Collective Blog Hop!! Wooooot! So go mix and mingle and don't forget to check out the fabulous blogs of my other co-hosts.

Welcome to THE monthly blog hop party! Every 1st Monday of the month, link up all of your social media and blogging accounts with us. If you're looking for your blogging tribe, this is it!
*NEW this month: have an Etsy shop? Link it up with this month's Collective!

These guidelines are in place so that we can all have a successful experience with The Collective. Please do your best to abide by each one, there are only 2:
1. Follow the host and co-host's blogs: (first links in each list) If you leave a comment letting us know that you did and what method you are following with, we'll return the favor :) We greatly appreciate each and every one that does.
Your co-hosts this week are:
Sandy from The Fearless Scribe
Bekah from Matters of Merrymaking Autumn from Honeycomb & Co.
Interested in co-hosting? Send an email to peacoatsnplaid(at)gmail(dot)com
2. Get social: This hop is about creating community. Looking for your own blogging tribe? This is it. Visit as many blogs as you can and make sure you say hello!
The following are optional yet encouraged (they only help us all in the long run):
Grab a button: Using the code provided in the box, display the Collective button on your sidebar or wherever you list your link ups. The more people that do this, the more help there'll be to keep the popularity of the hop going.

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Spread the word about The Collective via social media: Pin, Tweet, post about it on Facebook, whatever you can do to help spread the word about The Collective and what it has done for your blog is awesome! Let's get social :)

An InLinkz Link-up

You are beautiful

A few months ago I was at the library because of course I was.  We won't discuss how the security guard knows me by sight or that the kind woman who stacks the dvd's on the shelves lets me look through the piles of movies on her cart before anyone else. Suffice it to say I'm there quite often. But that's not what this post is about.

As I was looking through a book I was going to borrow, a piece of paper that I first mistook for a note or receipt slipped out and fell on the floor. It was a small, pink square kind of like a post-it with scribble on it. This is that note:

 

I apologize for the blurriness of it. If you can't read it, it says: Stop! You are BEAUTIFUL. Okay, keep reading.

I paused for a moment and smiled. I thought about keeping this little note and maybe putting it some place where I can look at it when I need to smile. But then I took another book and placed the note inside so that someone else might find it and be reminded that they are beautiful, too. 

Sometimes compliments come at an unexpected moment, perhaps when you need them most. And sometimes you find a sweet note penned by a complete stranger in a library.

Self Promotion at its shameless best

I'm shamelessly promoting some stuff I recently made that you can buy in my store.  Go ahead and click on them to check 'em out.

This address book with an interesting title


For jelly bean hoarders


These I made a while ago and figured they were worth a mention:

A coffee mug to keep people from talking to you first thing in the morning (Pic is of Fifi, may she rest in peace)

Risque t-shirt for a good cause  (Yes, that is my finger. And my blood drop.)

My feel-good movies

You ever get to feeling a little down and you watch that one movie that lifts your spirits? Or maybe you're home on a Saturday night and everyone else in the house is otherwise occupied so you turn to that  one movie that's like a faithful, old friend?

For me, such movies make me smile and take me to a happy place not unlike sitting in a comfy easy chair, sipping a cup of something hot in my favorite coffee house. Or, sipping booze in a cheap, paper cup on my couch in the dark. Whatever.

The following are my go-to movies for an instant smile:


Sixteen Candles - Classic 80s movie. It's got crude humor, romance, and a character named Long Duck Dong. Need I say more?
The Holiday - Oh, to be able to switch houses with someone (and not worry about being robbed) and fall in love with someone handsome like Jude Law or funny like Jack Black.
Legally Blonde - Like, so much fun! And slightly motivational, too. 
Ocean's 11 (the re-make) - One-liners, gags, and in the end everyone goes home a happy millionaire. Except me. I live here. And I'm broke.
Coneheads - Pure funny.
Back To The Future (any of the 3) - Marty McFly, the Doc, and a DeLorean time machine.
Grease - Great music, attitude, and guys in leather driving cool cars. 
When Harry Met Sally - You'll laugh. You'll cry. You'll laugh again.



What's your feel-good movie?

Be Fearless

Too often we let fear dictate our lives. I know I'm guilty of this. Fear of failure. Fear of the unknown. Fear is a the great de-motivator. It makes us feel complacent with where we are, daring not to risk going further lest we upset some great cosmic balance. It's a lie. The sooner this is realized the better. Overcoming whatever monster stands in your way can be freeing. It's less about being brave and more about taking charge.

I re-named my blog The Fearless Scribe with the intention to write without fear. Sure there may be fluff posts, and humor among the serious but every post I write is real. It is my truth written without fear.

So if you're contemplating some big decision, or major change, or encountering a scary situation look it in the eyes and don't back down because on the other side of fear lies Freedom. I'll even hold your hand and we can be fearless together.

Greetings readers from around the world

So for the pure hell of it and because I like to cause myself more confusion than should be allowed I poked around and checked my blog stats. Numbers and such and blah blah blah. And I came upon this and thought I would extend a personal "Hello!" to those reading from other countries. This is the number of page views from around the world for this past week. Or maybe it's just some elaborate hack from someone sitting in a basement in Podunk, Idaho who is re-routing my page views to make me "Think"  that I'm being read in Malaysia. Pretty crafty there my techie-genius friend.

*The (translated) hellos in blue are from me.

Page views by Countries

Entry                         Page views

United States                 97 Hello fellow countrymen!

France                           45 Bon Jour readers!

Malaysia                       10 Hai Malaysian Peeps!

Netherlands                    5 Hallo all!

Brazil                               3 Ola to you!

Germany                         3 Guten Tag mein readers!

Italy                                 2 Ciao dudes!

Poland                             2 Czesc!

United Arab Emirates       1 Ahlan!

Canada                            1 Hello, eh! Or, Bon Jour, eh!

How Charlotte's Web and a Wimpy Kid got my son to read more

I love to read. I think I might have mentioned it here a few (thousand) times. My son, not so much. In fact, I might have blogged about that once, too. But that was then.

These days Chris reads. Not as much as I do but still, he reads. And his reading skills at school have improved a lot. This makes me so happy. Like, throwing flowers in the air and singing happy. Okay, maybe more like, Dude, High-five happy.

How did this happen? Well, at first I tried the traditional way of getting him into reading by choosing books based on what he was interested in. He liked Ninjago and Super Heroes so I got books about these characters. Here's how that turned out: The pictures were a big hit, but the books themselves were a Fail.

So then I started taking out some Classic Children's books from the library. Stories like Charlotte's Web, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, and The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Every night at bedtime I  would set aside 20 minutes to read to him which amounted to either a chapter or a few pages. Sometimes he would read to me but mostly I read to him. And something magical happened. He loved them. We're talking, full-on attention, "What do you think will happen next?" and "One more chapter, please?"

I also noticed that his book choices from the school's library changed drastically as well, from easy-to-read with lots of pictures to actual books. Then came the day he brought home Diary Of A Wimpy Kid.  This was a real game changer because not only did he like the books but he looked forward to each one in the series AND he sat down by himself to read. While we waited for each new Wimpy Kid book to come out I googled books that were similar and found the Big Nate series by Lincoln Peirce. This too became a favorite because like Wimpy Kid, it featured a young boy about my son's age who loved baseball and playing with his friends and wasn't a fan of school and homework. Finally! A merging of things he could relate to in a book!

We both look forward to this night-time ritual and spending time together. I even do different voices of each character because I'm a goofball mom like that. Chris loves when I do that. In fact, one night when I wasn't feeling well, Bill stepped in for me and assumed the role of reader. Chris later said that while he appreciated the effort it just wasn't the same: As he put it, "Dad did it wrong."  No, I did not sit there with a self-satisfied look when he said that. Yes, I am lying.

Of course, reading still loses out to video games and Minecraft. And I only read on school nights. But, I'm grateful that he has begun a love for books. And most importantly that I get to be there to share in that love.

Silly signs

I was bored, and online, which in itself is a bad combo, yeah well. So I decided to google 'Silly signs' because they amuse me. I'll share a few worthy ones with ya.


Because spelling out BANANA was much too difficult...

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They say when selling a house certain disclosures are required. Um, this might be too much...

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This explains why I'm not a die-hard coffee drinker...

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Five minutes later, edited to add: Bottle of rocks also missing, just yell.

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Yet another reason why diabetes sucks

You've never really experienced true helplessness until you have looked into the eyes of a frightened Type 1 diabetic child with an unexplained and scarily high blood glucose reading.

But you have to be the Mom, the strong one. You have to hold his hand and reassure him that "No, you're not going to die" and "Everything will be fine" and that "You didn't do anything wrong; it's not your fault" when what you really want to do is cry and scream and curse at The Powers That Be, The Fates, God, and Whoever Else is in Charge. Because it's not fair. It's not fair that someone so young and so innocent must bear such a burden.

I may appear strong for my son, but he is far braver than I ever could be.

Welcome 2014!

Another new year is upon us. What's that Oprah saying that everyone's quoting? Another year to get it right? Well, I'm gonna try.

I read in a few places that some people have a word for the year, like Happy or Motivate and then they try to live the year out according to that word. I tried to find a word but it's hard. Just one word that sums up how I want to honor my life during the year? Can't be done. As a reader and writer I love many words. And then there's the matter of me liking that one word enough. I mean, what if by March I get bored. Or what if life has taken a few detours and it doesn't align with that word I chose? Do I get to change it? Well I started out the year feeling all Inspirational but here it is, Spring, and I'm still a sarcastic-glass-half-empty Schmuck. I'm changing my word to Meh. See what I mean?

I thought about what I wanted to achieve during this year. I would like to walk with more Grace. Be more Mindful. Inspire and Create. Live fully. Love completely. Embrace good health. Be at Peace with myself.

So my search for one word for the year has yielded eight. That's a tall order especially for someone like me with a short attention span who easily gets frustrated. I can only hope for the best.

During the holiday season a friend spoke of an incident in which she encountered an angry woman, who she reasoned had lost all hope. (This is the Reader's Digest version because the actual story is a bit more involved.) My friend's words of wisdom hit me like a mental brick. And that's when I knew my word for 2014 would be Hope.

Renewed hope. Hope for the future. Hope to achieve the goals of those eight words. Without hope, all else is lost. So here's to a happy, healthy New Year. And to Hope. 

Some New Year's funnies for ya.

Since much of New Year's focuses on making resolutions to better yourself in the new year I figured I would post a few funnies that make light of this.
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Instead of big, lifestyle changing resolutions maybe I'll make smaller, more manageable ones like, how short to cut my hair.

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This sums it up pretty well...

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This made me laugh harder than it should have.

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Yep....

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Seasonal inspiration from TV commercials

I'm a big sap these days with all the sentimental holiday ads on TV.  Sure certain Christmas movies get me all choked up. For example, "The Family Man" is one. The scene at the end where Nicholas Cage's character confronts Tea Leoni's character in the airport, and before he can finish saying "We have a house in Jersey" I'm grabbing a tissue and dabbing my eyes. Yeah, I know.

Maybe you've seen that Apple commercial called, "Misunderstood"? It's where the young teen is shown being all introverted with his cell phone while his entire family is having all sorts of holiday fun. Then, the twist at the end. He was only quietly filming everything to make a memorable video which he shares with everyone on Christmas morning. The family gets emotional. Grandma wipes away a tear. Mom gets all weepy. And...I need a kleenex.

Then, there's the Kohl's commercial, "Christmas Surprise". A couple enters an apartment and decorates it complete with tree, stockings hung by the fireplace, and other little holiday touches. Then you see an elderly woman enter the apartment building and the couple runs across the hall to their own apartment where they quietly peek from behind their door as the woman opens her door and sees her place all decked out for Christmas. Sniff, sniff.

The holidays can be a stressful time with all the rushing, shopping, and wrapping that even the sweetest of Bob Cratchits can become a seasonal Grinch. So, thanks to both of these companies for reminding us that family and kindness are what's important, especially at this time of year. 

A post of Christmas Past

I know this is cheating, but, I'm re-running a post from two years ago. Because, I have nothing new to say (which I admit is sad) and because it's a favorite of mine. Also, it's a running gag in my family again, this year. So we're either doing a lot of deja vu-ing or we're just plain boring. I go with the latter. Anyway, enjoy!

Here's to not getting the shaft this Christmas

There are a few presents under my tree. I had to wrap them and place them there because of Cousin Eddie. I'll explain. One of my family's favorite Christmas movies is "Christmas Vacation." If you haven't seen it then this post will make no sense to you. If you have seen the movie, carry on.

Well, Little Man bought a few token gifts for family at his school's Holiday Boutique. A few days later he put them in their little gift bags and placed them under the tree. Then everyday he would check to see if any more presents were there. My dad (in jest) referenced the Chevy Chase holiday movie and said "Maybe we're all getting the shaft this Christmas." Little Man asked him what that meant and my dad explained.

Excerpt from the movie:
Clark: "And if you believe in him, and you believe in your mom, and you believe in your... your dad, and if you've been good all year round, Santa Clause is going to bring you something."
Ruby Sue: "Sometimes I think all that Santa crap's just bull. If he was so real, how come we didn't get squat last year? We didn't do nothing wrong, and we still got the shaft."


Little Man seemed a bit concerned and said "I was very good this year. I hope I don't get the shaft." Then my mom told me my dad felt bad and that I should hurry up and put some things under the tree to reassure Little Man that he was getting presents for Christmas.

Thanks, dad.

And thanks, Cousin Eddie, for not getting a job (in 7 years!) and buying your kids Christmas presents so that they wouldn't get the shaft, thereby making it possible for my dad to tell my kid about your Christmas fail and making me wrap presents and put them under my tree earlier than usual.

Let's talk underwear

Last night I watched the Victoria's Secret annual Fashion Show. And in between looking at all the pretty lingerie and hoping no one fell on the runway I declared that I would not be eating again. Ever. And then I proceeded to go have some cheetos. Because well, cheetos!


Tonight while surfing channels as I kill time until the Duck Dynasty Christmas Special I came upon a K Mart commercial for  Joe Boxer (link). I heard about this commercial being called a bit controversial. A bunch of guys in boxers shaking their hips to We Wish You A Merry Christmas like one would ring jingle bells. Am I the only one who thought this commercial was cute? It didn't offend me at all. I wonder what that means?

These things make mine the hap-hap-happiest Christmas since Bing Crosby tap-danced with Danny effin Kaye

There are certain traditions that I uphold every year for Christmas. much to the amusement (or misery depending on how you look at it) to my husband. These simple little repeated customs make me happy. And that's a good thing. So, in the spirit of the season, I'm going to share a few of the things I look forward to every Christmas without fail.

It doesn't matter how old I get, watching A Charlie Brown Christmas is a must. And Chris watches it with me which makes it even better. By that same token I watch Christmas Vacation every year as well. At least several times during the season. I know it by heart but that doesn't matter because it never gets old. Is it wrong that my kid loves this movie as much as I do?

Hearing the Waitresses sing Christmas Wrapping is a must. Sure some people love traditional songs like White Christmas or Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire and I enjoy them, too, but this song is just fun. And maybe I love it because it's non-traditional to others. Here, give it a listen.

Ever since moving out here we started the tradition of going to the Bellagio hotel & casino to see their conservatory all decorated in a Christmas theme with tons of flowers. They change the look for each holiday/season but the Christmas one is truly beautiful. It's a monster tourist trap but I endure the mobs of people (thank you for paying our taxes!) because I love it. For the first two years here we had Chris pose among some of the displays and used the pic for our annual Christmas card.

A few days before Christmas we drive around and look at the lights and decorations on people's houses. We play music and drive aimlessly throughout the neighborhood, which admittedly looks very stalkerish or at the very least like we're casing out the joint for future burglary but so far no one has called Metro to report us so we'll continue with it this year.

All these things mean Christmas to me. Without them the holiday would be like poorly lit Christmas lights. Clark, the little lights aren't twinkling.