Melissa's Manic Musings

Good-bye to you my fabulous friends!

2010-05-07T20:20:00.000-07:00

It's been a lot of fun sharing my memories of the 80s and ranting about life in general, but life has gotten busy and my writing career needs to take more of a priority. (Gosh, sorry about that mile long sentence!) I didn't want to disappear into thin air without saying good-bye to all of you. I will still have my writing blog at www.findingthewritemoment.blogspot.com

Thanks again for reading my rants and leaving comments and making me laugh! It's been a totally awesome ride!!!

Big Wheels, Pound Puppies and Thunder Cats - oh my!

2010-04-23T07:44:00.000-07:00

Boomtown Rats - Up All Night

2010-04-16T06:51:00.000-07:00

Don't know why I kept singing this song all day. I never was a big Boomtown Rats fan. Here is the video for you. Come to think of it, my "80s taste" have changed over the years. I used to hate Tears for Fears but now I like them. Any bands that have changed for you?

Oh baby!

2010-04-07T12:29:00.001-07:00

I don't consider Adam Ant to be a guilty pleasure; he is just pure pleasure. This man has my vote for the most beautiuful man of the 1980s. Who would you vote for? I remember putting the stripe make-up on my face and wearing the "romantic" clothes. Is it wrong for a 40 year old woman to still swoon?

Guilty pleasures of the 80s - Hall and Oates

2010-03-31T06:52:00.000-07:00

Okay, I admit it; even when I was listening to punk rock I was still listening to Hall and Oates. I love these guys. When I went to youtube to get a video I had the hardest time picking one out because there is not one song I don't like. Admit it, you liked them too! My husband and I went to see them in concert a few years ago and they just blew us away. I came away from that concert with no voice. I sang every single song, even the new ones they played (I just made up words). Enjoy the video! More guilty pleasures from the 80s are coming soon.

Oh ho ho it's magic, you know...

2010-03-26T11:03:00.000-07:00

Sorry guys, I'm a sucker for this stuff. Don't tell me you won't be trying at least one of these tricks after you watch the video!

I've got a brand new pair of roller skates...

2010-03-21T14:31:00.000-07:00

Yep, I bought me some wheels this weekend and tested them out in the garage. It wasn't pretty, I admit, but I didn't fall and bust my butt. It was a lot of fun. I turned on our boom box out in the garage and skated around and around in circles. Honest, it was fun! My fellow 80s cohert, 80smom, and I have big plans this week to go skating out in the neighborhood armed with our 80s music (I wonder which one of us will carry the boom box on her shoulder). There will be a camera to document this occassion, mainly for insurance purposes for when we both have to go to the Emergency Room. I'm sure you'll see the pics on both our blogs.

so...does anyone know where I can get those cool pom poms to hang off my skate laces?

Eat Pray Love movie trailer

2010-03-20T17:18:00.001-07:00

I really hope this movie does this book justice. It is one of my favorites!

Weekend earworm

2010-03-12T10:51:00.000-08:00

What is it with all the kitty posts?

Sorry, I can't get this out of my head so I thought I'd share my misery with you. It is funny when my 6 year old walks around singing it.

Kittens for lunch

2010-03-04T08:27:00.000-08:00

You must watch this video!

Doesn't this make you want to go get that dog out of the pound?!

Flashback

2010-03-01T04:59:00.000-08:00

VH1 made me very happy this morning. I discovered a new video by La Roux and it is totally awesome, totally 80s. It's even a pretty darn catchy tune. Check it out and tell me what you think. She kinda has a David Bowie look going on. I am loving the white jacket with the color blocks - I would have have owned one of those in the 80s!

Ever had one of these days?

2010-02-18T08:23:00.000-08:00

Lead Singer of The Knack Dies

2010-02-15T11:36:00.000-08:00

Doug Fieger, leader singer of The Knack died Sunday. He was only 57 and had been battling cancer for years. (Wow, that is just way too young.) Even though the song "My Sharona" came out in 1979 I always think of them as an 80s band. They had other hits such as "Good Girls Don't" (my favorite!) but it was "My Sharona" that they'll be remembered for. There is just no better earworm to get stuck in your head! Sad loss for the 80s world.

Save Your Money!

2010-02-14T05:54:00.001-08:00

(I took of the trailer because it was driving me bonkers!)
Don't worry about me giving away the ending, I don't really remember it. I was thinking about what I was going to wear the next day, what I'd cook for dinner, and what housework I had to do. I had really high hopes for this movie. I mean, the trailer is great but the movie was a disappointment and a big yawn, to be honest with you. The wolfman makeup was disappointing (check out the two pics. 2010 Wolfman is just the old black and white wolfman on steriods)and the plot was so predictable. The cinematography was great, I'll give it that but come on, with Anthony Hopkins and Benicio del Torro you would think it would be awesome.

If you are looking for good werewolf movies I would suggest "Dog Soldiers" and any of "The Underworld" movies. But for the best it has to be the classic "American Werewolf in London".

80s Love and Breakup Songs

2010-02-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

Just in time for Valentines Day, youtuber BringBackTheEighties has put together a collection of love songs and break up songs. Corny story - my first love and I had our very first dance to "We Are the World". Our breakup song probably would have been "Carrie" by Europe. You have to admit that the 80s had some pretty great love songs and break up songs. Seriously, is there any sexier song than "More Than This" by Roxy Music?!

Critical Thinking - Were the 80s Really Better?

2010-01-31T11:36:00.000-08:00

As I read my book on Critical Thinking (yes, homework) I came across something that really made me stop and think. Upon reading a paragraph about “group pressure” I came across the statement, “There’s another kind of group influence that we have all fallen prey to: the pressure that comes from presuming that our own group is the best…” (The Power of Critical Thinking by Lewis Vaughn)
This got me thinking about how I’m always saying that I wished I lived in the 80s again. So to be fair I came up with a list of pros AND CONS of living in the 80s versus the present day. This is critical when you are trying to produce a non-biased argument. Can the 80squeen be non-biased about her beloved 8os? We’ll see.

Living in the 80s PROS:
The music
The fashion
Pop rocks
MTV didn’t suck
The sitcoms
Kids actually played OUTSIDE (kick the can and kickball were my favs)
Big hair
Adam Ant - the most beautiful man of the 80s
The sound of your mom hollering your name out the back door. If she yelled your last name too you were in big trouble.

Living in the 80s CONS
No iPods
No internet
Fear of Russia blasting us with a nuclear bomb
Use of Aqua Net put a hole in the ozone
Tiffany
The late 80s music
Having to square dance in P.E. class
You got spankings, there were no "time outs"

Living in the present day PROS
Big screen televisions
Hybrid cars
Recycling
Lady Gaga
HGTV

Living in the present day CONS
Reality shows
Fear of terrorist attacks
Fear of natural disasters
Kids staying inside ALL DAY to play video games
Having to text your friends instead of simply picking the phone up and calling them
Having P.E. class once a week

But see, this list is what you call subjective relativism which says the idea of truth depends on what someone believes. This means that you might love the music of the late 80s but I hate it so therefore it being a PRO is your truth and it being a CON is my truth. So can the statement “The 80s Were Way Better” be proven by an unbiased argument? Not by me and that… is the honest truth.

What is your 80s truths?

Solid Lame, I mean Gold

2010-01-21T07:13:00.000-08:00

I have a confession. I really, really wanted to be the black haired Solid Gold dancer. You know the one that reminds you of Joyce Dewitt? Anyway...

I found this video from 1980-81. I watched as the countdown got down to #2 and then WHAM, Dionne Warwick said "good bye". Okay SolidGold1980, you got me! I wonder what that song could be? (My guess is that it is The Rose by Bette Midler, I am dry heaving as I type this.) I did realize, and don't tell ANYBODY I said this, that these songs were pretty lame, don't you think? Maybe I shouldn't say "lame", I mean they are just mellow. A little too mellow for the 80s!

New Obsession of the Month

2010-01-18T08:35:00.000-08:00

This weekend, my husband and I, went to see the movie "Daybreakers". Both of us enjoyed it but felt it lacked something. The idea of the movie was a good one but there was something about it... I'm not sure if it was the ending that bothered me or just the lack of development in some areas. But enough of the movie, let's get to the real excitement. I have never been an Ehtan Hawke fan. I mean, I'll watch his movies but I wouldn't ever think "Ewwwww, Ethan Hawke". Well, now I do. There is something about him in this movie that gives me butterflies and makes me giggle like a schoolgirl. Just like the happiness I feel when I watch Kiefer Sutherland in "Lost Boys". I have a thang for bad boys with fangs I guess. My husband says he is going to buy himself a cape and fake teeth. WOHOO!

Back to school

2010-01-10T17:14:00.001-08:00

No, this isn’t a post about the great 80s movie starring Rodney Dangerfield. This is real life, baby. Yours truly is going back to school on Monday. It’s been so long since I’ve sat in the classroom; I’m excited and nervous at the same time. I think I’m more nervous about what my husband will be feeding the kids while I’m in class vs. if there is any cute guys in the class. Boy, it sucks to get old but be assured I will be wearing my converse and singing this song as I walk in those front doors.

Let's do the time warp again...at the mall

2009-12-29T12:40:00.001-08:00

I took my kids to the mall the other day to bum around and do some shopping. We were in all our pretzel and cheese glory, had fun in the arcade, bought some cool video games and then we went into a “young” clothes store. It was like a time warp to me. My teenage son (13) looked extremely uncomfortable being in there with his mom, my youngest was in awe over all the skulls. I was in search of a t-shirt and found the perfect one - David Bowie in “Labryinth”. I figured I’d take an extra large to be on the safe side, found my size and unfolded it to bask in the 80s glow. The extra large would not fit around one of my legs. I was heartbroken. The same way I am heartbroken when I go into department stores and want the clothes in the junior department instead of the “women’s” section. I hate the clothes for “my age”. Why can’t they make cool clothes for 40 year olds!? If you know of any – PLEASE TELL ME WHERE!!! (and please let me be able to get there via the internet because there is no stores around here!)

But I digress – let’s get back to the clothes store and the mortified look on my sons face when we find the Converse shoes on the shelf, the same ones I have on my 40year old feet. He just looked at me. What? Could mom possibly have an ounce of coolness in her? And then the wall of 80s ecstasy shone its neon lights on me. I walked over, in my cool Converse, and gazed at the fingerless gloves, neon and black rubber bracelets, belts and bracelets with studs, neon shoe laces, I mean just everything you could possibly find in a store in the 80s was there on that wall. I immediately began picking things up and realized something…where the hell would I wear this stuff? I would be one of those old people we used to laugh at in the mall. I have become “one of those”. Sigh….so I put the bracelets and gloves back and walked out with no Labryinth t-shirt and no rubber bracelets, only a sad heart and the knowledge that the 80s would have to stay in the 80s for me except on Halloween. It was fun taking the time warp back into the 80s again though and it brought a smile on my face when I remembered how much fun we had with our fashion and with our music. I wouldn’t trade those days for the world.

Ten minutes in heaven

2009-12-28T07:13:00.000-08:00

Okay, this is ten minutes of MTV commercials (with some other 80s gems thrown in). It's worth the ten minutes of your life. Go grab your cup of coffee and come back and watch. It will take you back to the good ol' days where MTV played videos and was cool. Thanks to EidSeimmoc for the video.

Merry Christmas Y'all

2009-12-24T06:03:00.001-08:00

Have a MOTLEY Christmas

2009-12-19T10:04:00.000-08:00

Okay everyone, I've done your Christmas shopping for you. This item is SURE to please any 80s lover on your list! Go check out Toxic Vision's shop on ETSY for more cool duds to wear. Can you picture the look on your kid's faces (and the teachers) when you show up to the PTA meetings in THIS? I would SO rock this if I wasn't 40 years old and in need of a diet.

Thanks ToxicVision!!

TOXIC VISION

Frost Bite

2009-12-13T20:48:00.000-08:00

The Breakfast Song

2009-12-03T06:44:00.000-08:00

At first when you watch this you are going to think "how stupid" but then you will find yourself saying "No mo' biscuits" and you can't get it out of your head. My husband and I stayed up LATE last night, giggling like 5 year olds, trying to come up with new breakfast food that the man didn't sing about. The two obvious ones are Cream of Wheat and Waffles. See what you can come up with and I'm telling you - you'll be singing this song later!

Happy Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T06:58:00.000-08:00

Hats off to Cy Curnin

2009-11-20T11:27:00.001-08:00

So I have something in common with Cy Curnin of The Fixx. We both design hats. Here is a link to his sight: http://www.cycurnin.com/?page_id=54
Now is my busy time and I am overwhelmed (and very happy) by the orders coming in from my ETSY store (check out the link to the right). I love, love, love knitting hats and I love coming up with new designs and color patterns. Just for giggles I am posting a picture of one of my recent hats and a little something for all (including me) The Fixx fans.

Just because I LOVE them!

2009-11-11T14:41:00.001-08:00

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas (gulp)

2009-11-06T10:45:00.000-08:00

Alright, I saw my first Christmas commercial on television the other day. This is WAY too soon to start, don't you think? I mean, I don't have my pumpkins and bats put away and I haven't even begun to think about making Thanksgiving dinner but yet they are forcing Christmas down my throat already. Well, I received this picture in an email titled "Creative Christmas Decorating on a Budget". I thought I would share it with you so it will give you plenty of time to plan for it.

I miss my product

2009-11-03T06:17:00.001-08:00

Am I the only one that misses the big hair of the 80s? I don't know, there was just something about all that hair that you could hide behind. You could have a really bad makeup day or be broken out with bags under your eyes and as long as you had good hair you still looked good. I used a lot of Aqua Net, L'oreal Gels and hairsprays and then when Aussie Sprunch Spray came out - ewwwwie! I got some serious height with that stuff.

I'm so tired of my flat hair so the other day I put in some mousse and it was like heaven. I could hear Duran Duran in the background and I felt for sure I would find some stirrup pants, a big, paisley shirt and some granny boots in my closet. Alas, it is 2009 and those are no more. My family looked at me like I was a nut case as I cooked their dinner with mile high hair. They are just not as cool as me...

Happy Halloween

2009-10-31T07:24:00.001-07:00

from my spooky, kooky family to yours.

Are you participating in NANOWRIMO?

2009-10-26T11:08:00.001-07:00

It’s that time of the year again. No, I’m not talking about time for witches, pumpkins and vampires. I’m talking about writing a novel. I participated in NANOWRIMO last year (National Novel Writing Month) and loved it. Not only did I get 50,000 words closer to a completed novel but I also learned some valuable lessons about writing.
1. Write every day.
2. Do not edit as I write.
3. I CAN write during the holidays.
4. I am a better writer if I use an outline, timeline or storyboard.
5. Writing makes me feel good.
6. I can write anywhere.
7. It’s okay to write something I don’t like in the end. I hated the novel I wrote last year BUT I sat my butt down and wrote something which is an accomplishment in itself. That novel will never see a publisher but it did spark my creativity and determination to write.

www.nanowrimo.org

Let me know if you are participating in Nanowrimo this year. My user name is 80squeen. Please feel free to put me on your buddy list. Now comes the hard part of deciding which novel idea to write this year.

More Halloween Laughs

2009-10-20T06:01:00.001-07:00

Do you believe in ghosts?

2009-10-15T04:46:00.000-07:00

RE-POST FROM LAST OCTOBER

The McRaven House

After attending a writer’s conference in Vicksburg, MS, my husband and I decided to take a tour of the McRaven house (also located in Vicksburg) It is known to be the most haunted house in Mississippi. The house was built in 1797 and withstood the pounding of cannonballs and the fighting and battles of the civil war. There is way too much information about this house and its history to post here so I’m going to post two websites for you to checkout for more information. It’s definitely worth looking into; it is such a fascinating story! At first, the ghost stories are what brought me there but after arriving it was the history of the place that captivated me. They had cannonballs that had been blasted into the house lying around, kitchen utensils and tools used in different time periods, furniture, pictures, children’s toys, clothing and much more. What struck all of us on the tour was how small the furniture was. The tour guide told us that people, back in those days, where much smaller than today. They must have been, the furniture was not much bigger than present day children’s furniture. They had tiny bathtubs which didn’t really matter since apparently they didn’t take baths for months at a time. The main ghost story was centered around Mary Elizabeth Howard, age 15, who died during childbirth. What was so interesting (and horrifying) is that many, many girls died during childbirth. Why? Corsets. The desire and expectations to have such a small waist forced young girls to wear corsets and thus caused their bones to calcify making it impossible for them to stretch during pregnancies and childbirth. Unbelievable! Those of you who’ve had kids know how much you stretch! Another tidbit the guide told us was that girls had but three options back then (about keeping a small waist): 1. To wear a corset and probably die in childbirth 2. To have the two bottom ribs removed (keeping in mind that you would receive no anesthesia and 3. Wear corsets and never marry so you won't die giving birth.

Here are some of the pictures I took inside of the house. (some pictures are not too clear since you are not allowed to use a flash inside the house) I strongly urge you, if you are in the area, to go check it out. It’s such a wonderful lesson in American history.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/McRaven_House
http://www.mcraventourhome.com/

Mary Howards bed where she died during childbirth. This is supposed to be the most haunted room in the house.

Cannonballs that were fired into the house. Can you see how tiny the books are?

Get ready for some halloween fun!

2009-10-07T08:26:00.001-07:00

Kanye strikes again!

2009-09-22T08:14:00.000-07:00

What television used to be

2009-09-21T13:02:00.000-07:00

My children are mortified that I have canceled our digital television and bought an antenna instead. Besides the fact that it is saving me a ton of money each month it also cuts the distraction of watching television all day. Gone are the days of 300 channels to choose from and hello to 7 local channels. Hello primetime sitcoms and goodbye Home and Garden television, Food Network and my beloved Chiller network. Hello more money for groceries! Hello more time to write although it’s been there all this time so I really should say good bye to an excuse.

My husband and I were telling our oldest son about what television used to be like. This was like the t.v. I had in my room as a kid. It was color, the screen was itty, bitty and there was NO remote control. Yes, I had to get my lazy butt up off the bed to change a channel. Remember turning the knobs to adjust the color??!! It was fine, I lived.

What are the televisions of tomorrow going to look like? Are they going to make the new, fancy flat screens look like dinosaurs? Is smell-o-vision in the distant future? I know some writing is in mine!

Generation X becomes a costume

2009-09-12T08:27:00.001-07:00

Since when has Generation X become a “costume”? I was in a chain party store browsing through the Halloween costumes and I came across a WHOLE SECTION of 80s costume stuff. I will admit that I picked up several items to buy and NOT for a costume…I kid you not. I put them back, don’t worry. What are some of the 80s items they were selling? Neon nail polish (yep, had that in my basket) some neon, new wave sunglasses (another item in my basket), some of the sunglasses with bars across them, piano tie, gel bracelets, neon jewelry, neon belt for the big shirts, lace, fingerless gloves and leg warmers. So I go to the internet and Google “80s costumes” and a whole slew of images appear on my computer screen. I am aghast and disgusted. Has Gen X become the new hippies? Isn’t that what everyone wore when we were kids at Halloween? 70s costumes? If my kids want to go as an 80s person I am going to scream! BUT, on the bright side I will be able to dress up in my beloved 80s fashion and not have everyone make fun of me for just one night of the year!

Have some love and a haircut for your weekend earworm

2009-09-11T06:39:00.000-07:00

New spider for Bowie

2009-09-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

CBS News reported that singer David Bowie had a large, yellow, hairy spider from Malaysia named after him.

A German spider specialist said he named the new species after Bowie — whose album The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars was a huge hit in 1972 — because he wanted to raise awareness about the discovery.

Peter Jaeger, who has found 200 new species of arachnids in a decade, says he's named it Heteropoda davidbowie. The species of spiders is endangered.

Adventure in the 80s

2009-09-03T11:09:00.000-07:00

Ok, all you 80s fans out there I just watched a movie that you will love (if you did not see it in the theaters). Adventureland. The movie is great and the soundtrack is even better. I mean, any soundtrack that contains a song by Judas Priest is a good soundtrack! This isn’t an over the top 80s movie. It does show some fashion and definitely music but it could take place in any time period and still be entertaining. What I noticed throughout the movie though was just how much fun the 80s were. The music had a lot to do with it…it was happy music. We did have an adventure in the 80s, didn’t we?

**special note - See if you recognized one of the beloved character of another GREAT 80s show, Freeks and Geeks, that ran on television for one season. If you haven't seen this show, this is a definite for your Netflix queue.

Did you notice the great cassette player?!

Never Say Never

2009-09-01T20:00:00.000-07:00

It's time for a good tune!

Our 4 year anniversary

2009-08-29T08:46:00.000-07:00

Four years ago today is the day that changed our lives forever. My family and I evacuated to a friends house in Pensacola, FL. (Thank you Jean and Ken!) We huddled around the t.v. and watched the devastating news about hurricane Katrina. I can not put into words (even though I should be able to) the feeling I had when I was finally allowed to go home and see just what the flood waters had done to my house; my house that had JUST been built and was not in a flood zone. I remember the stinch and the feeling that you were living a nightmare and hopefully would wake up soon. I remember waiting in line for water and food. I remember the horrible swarms of gnats and mosquitos. I remember the dead silence since there were no birds around to chirp or children to laugh out loud. I remember the mounds of my neighbor's personal belongings, furniture, appliances and memories littering the sides of the street. I remember the rage I felt as I sat on my porch and watched looters come and take things from those piles. Even though it was trash it was still painful to watch someone just take it. They would never know that the dresser they took was something that I got from my grandmother when she died. Nor would they know the table and chairs they were loading up in the back of their truck was the same table my family used to sit around and play cards on, eat our dinners and discuss how school had gone that day.

Today? Today we are almost back to normal. There are still signs of the storm and unfortunately I have grown numb to the sight. I am so grateful to all my friends and family who offered support during that time. I am proud of the way our community (and the MS Gulf Coast) lifted itself up by the boot straps and got things done. I am grateful to all the volunteers that came down and helped, it truely lifted our spirits. I am grateful to have witnessed such kindness from neighbors and strangers. It truely renewed my faith in the human heart.

What's wrong with this picture?

2009-08-26T10:11:00.000-07:00

Apparently these guys were hired to install concrete poles in the front of a sports bar so nobody would park there...

What superheroine are you?

2009-08-21T19:11:00.001-07:00

You Are Buffy the Vampire Slayer

"We saved the world. I say we have to party."

What Superheroine Are You?

I'm in an 80s kind of mood

2009-08-18T07:28:00.000-07:00

I want to go tease my hair up and plaster it in place with hairspray. I want to wear two tone, tighter than hell, jeans with a pair of jelly shoes and a flashdance shirt hanging off my shoulder. I want to carry a boom box and have a bag of pop rocks in my hand. I want to say "totally awesome" and drive a car with a cassette player in it.

Thanks to djmikemarvel for this totally awesome video. There, I said it, I feel better.

For John Hughes Fans

2009-08-07T23:06:00.000-07:00

I came across another blog that had a wonderful post on John Hughes the man whom defined the 80s for Generation X through his movies. I hope you take a minute to go read it.

We'll Know When We Get There

One of these things is not like the other...

2009-08-04T07:26:00.001-07:00

The other day my oldest son came up to me and asked if he could grill something on the Gary Coleman grill. I told him no and sat there knowing that something about what he said just didn't sound right. It took a while for it to click but when it did I had a great, big laugh. What's really sad is that he had no idea who Gary Coleman was or that he was an "actor". I must be getting old...whatchutalkingabout Willis?!

Awesome Wedding Entrance

2009-07-23T07:03:00.000-07:00

This is absolutely fantastic! WHY didn't I think of this for my wedding? I can't see me OR my husband being able to dance while sober though.

If I'm going back to school I'm taking this with me.

2009-07-12T17:36:00.000-07:00

How cool is this? I was just poking around on ETSY looking at all the 80s stuff and I came across this cool notebook. I remember having those paper book covers back in high school and I would plaster pics of my favorite bands and movie stars on the book covers and notebooks. Imagine my dismay when my teenage son comes home with a "Gangsta Bunny" doodled on his notebook. So NOT cool - I'd have made fun of him if we had gone to school together. My scribbles of I love Duran Duran, Rock with The Trick, Mrs. Rod Stewart and We're the Class of 86 - Coke and Rum make a good mix...oh I was so much cooler than him.

Go check out the store!

papermusedesigns

I can't stop singing this! I can't! HELP!

2009-07-05T18:57:00.001-07:00

So it's summer and I'm constantly humming my favorite summer songs of old. Here is the first one that pops in my head. Sorry if you can't get it out of your head either. At least we'll be singing it together.

29 Things I learned living in Mississippi

2009-07-01T08:03:00.000-07:00

1) A possum is a flat animal that sleeps in the middle of the road.

2) There are 5,000 types of snakes and 4,998 of them live in Mississippi .

3) There are 10,000 types of spiders, and all 10,000 of them live in Mississippi .

4) If it grows, it'll stick ya. If it crawls, it'll bite cha.

5) "Onced" and "Twiced" are words.

6) It is not a shopping cart, it's a buggy.

7) "Jaw-P?" means, "Did y'all go to the bathroom?"

8) People actually grow and eat okra.

9) "Fixinto" is one word.

10) There is no such thing as lunch. There is only dinner and then there is supper...

11) Iced tea is appropriate for all meals, and you start drinking it when you're two. We do like a little tea with our sugar.

12) Backwards and forwards means, "I know everythin' bout you."

13) The word "jeet" is actually a phrase meaning, "Did you eat?"

14) You don't have to wear a watch, because it doesn't matter what time it is. You work until you're done or it's too dark to see...

15) You don't PUSH buttons, you MASH em.

16) You measure distance in minutes.

17) You switch from heat to A/C in the same day.

18) All the festivals across the state are named after a fruit, vegetable, grain, insect or animal.

19) You know what a "Dawg" is.

20) You carry jumper cables in your car - for your own car.

21) You only own five spices: salt, pepper, Texas Pete , Tabasco and ketchup.

22) The local papers cover national and international news on one page, but require 6 pages for local gossip and high school football...

23) You think that the first day of deer season is a national holiday.

24) You find 100 degrees "a bit warm."

25) You know all four seasons: Almost summer, summer, still summer, and Christmas.

26) Going to Walmart is a favorite past time known as "goin' Walmartin" or "off to Wally World."

27) You describe the first cool snap (below 70 degrees) as good hog killin' weather.

28) Fried catfish is the other white meat.

29) We don't need no dang Driver's Ed...
If our mama says we can drive, we can drive dag-nabbit.

Add one more candle to the cake!

2009-06-28T12:22:00.000-07:00

Yes folks, today is my birthday. My 41st birthday and I couldn't be happier. So far I am really digging the 40s. Don't get me wrong, I still long for my 20 year old, youthful body - but only if I could have it to go along with all the knowledge, experience, fun and life lessons I have learned through the years. Plus, when you hit 40, you just don't give a crap what people think of you anymore and that is SO WORTH a few wrinkles, don't you think?

In honor of my birthday, I am posting the picture that my husband took of me last year. This is THE LAST picture of me when I was in my 30s. I am also reposting the very first post I wrote on my blog. Melissa's Manic Musings was inspired by my 40th birthday. Thanks for reading for a year - hopefully there will be more fun and memories ahead of us all!

I recently celebrated my 40th birthday. My husband took me on an “adult only” weekend getaway. We stayed in a posh hotel on the beach and the view was absolutely beautiful. We had a full day of fun in the sun, including some drinks and food at the hotel’s beach bar. So, as I anxiously waited on midnight to arrive, the magical hour when I was no longer a struggling woman in my 30s and became a distinguished 40 year old with her crap together, my tummy started gurgling. Then the gurgling turned into churning and the churning turned into…well you get the picture. I spent the very last hours of my 30s in a hotel bathroom revisiting my beach bar lunch AND I spent the first hours of my 40s in that same bathroom. (I can tell you how many tile make up that bathroom floor) Anyone who knows me and knows my stomach issues will find this very fitting for me and I have to admit, it’s pretty darn funny when I think about it now. My husband and I ended up leaving our wonderful weekend a whole day early and I had to cancel my dinner reservations at one of my favorite restaurants in the world. Imagine getting food poisoning on your birthday, it could only happen to me. All was not lost though. I got home to find my house decorated (by my OLDER sister and niece) with black balloons, ribbons and tombstones that read “40 isn’t old if you’re a tree”, “Here lies her youth” and so on. There was a cane by my front door too. (It will come in handy when I go to swat at the kids – they are getting much faster these days.) I found myself smiling as I read the signs and looking at all the black that covered everything in sight. Neighbors were driving by, slowing down and waving to me. (I bet they were laughing too) Imagine black balloons brightening my day, but they did. I was so upset that I had to come home early but those balloons and tombstones were just too funny. Did I forget to mention that my kids and husband got me a Wii? Weeeee! So alas, my friends, this begins the blog of the woman who spent her 40th birthday on the throne. Long live the queen!

Barbie sings the 80s praises

2009-06-19T21:10:00.000-07:00

All you 80s fans out there have to watch this video. It's really not that bad. Who knew that Barbie was so hip to the 80s. I might just have to go download this song on my iPod...the one thing I would absolutely miss if I was magically transported back into the 80s.

Smoking cigarettes and watching Captain Kangaroo

2009-06-17T20:22:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jason on Facebook I had to go find a Captain Kangaroo video. The ping pong balls, the moose, Mr. Green Jeans, the dancing bear...this show had it ALL!

...and in related news, enjoy this video of my beloved Statler Brothers. YES, I admit it, I love me some Statler Brothers!!

Out of the mouths of babes

2009-06-13T07:42:00.000-07:00

The other day, my family and I were riding down the street and doing what we usually do, reading the many signs alongside the road. We drove by Dairy Queen and read outloud, "Brownie Batter Blizzard!" My husband and I were licking our chops. Then from the backseat my youngest hollers out, "are you guys talking about a brown bastard lizard?" HA! We were laughing so hard after that we forgot about wanting the blizzard. Thanks Ben! You helped mommy stick to her diet.

Hey kid, who you calling a bastard?

Oh Might Isis - OMG!

2009-06-08T07:25:00.001-07:00

I can NOT believe I used to be absolutely GLUED to the television when this show came on every Saturday morning. Wonder Woman or the Bionic Woman could have kicked her butt!

Short Circuited

2009-06-05T07:01:00.000-07:00

VS.

Wall-E vs. Short Circuit - the battle rages on. Who is your favorite...ah, who cares. I just like the El Debarge song.

Life without cable

2009-06-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

I am trying an experiment in this household. The experiment? NO CABLE. GASP! This family has been without cable for a week and guess what? We are still alive. Yep, I didn’t think I could survive either. I have to say that although I miss my HGTV horribly, this isn’t as bad as I thought it would be. Even though it does take away my favorite programs (where are you my beloved Sci-Fi and Chiller stations!?) it has given this family a lot; a lot more time to play games, go outside, talk, peaceful dinners without the television blaring in the background, and time for each other. I usually need background noise with everything I do and naturally I would turn the television on but guess what I have re-discovered? The radio. Yes, I had totally forgotten about my beloved radio because the t.v. had taken over. Don’t get me wrong, we do pop in our movies and watch them but we watch them together. I think I have seen all the episodes of every single Scooby Doo movie and cartoon at least 20 times. I don’t know how long this experiment is going to last but it has been nice to rediscover some things that had gotten lost.

**special note: I caved in and got the cable back. Sigh…I miss the radio and I felt like a cheater when I got them to turn it back on.

The 80s song

2009-05-23T20:21:00.000-07:00

This is great. This will bring back some fond 80s memories for you.

Thanks to youtube user atg12312 for the video.

Land of the Lost through the ages

2009-05-17T18:08:00.000-07:00

The original from the 70s

The 1990s version

2009 Version

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-09T18:43:00.001-07:00

You Make Me Feel Like Dancin!

2009-05-06T12:27:00.000-07:00

I think I have danced with him before.

Ain't Gonna Bump No More

2009-04-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

Because of a conversation I got involved in on a recent Facebook page of a friend I can not get this song out of my mind. We were talking about doing the "bump" back in the day. There were several versions of the bump brought up but this is the one that sticks out in my mind. I can remember my mom and I standing by the stereo and doing the bump, her hips bumping against my ribs and my butt hitting her in her legs. We would end up bent over giggling too hard to go any further. Nowadays if I tried to do the bump I'd probably throw out my hip.

Crazy Calls

2009-04-21T06:37:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember this wonderful invention from the 80s? Yes, I had one and I STILL DO! It's in my box of dusty cassette tapes. Do they make cassette players anymore? My favorite of these was the rap. Wait for the beep, you gotta leave your name, you gotta leave your numba, wait for the beep, you gotta leave it at the beep. BEEP!

Another scary note: I also had the crazy call with the Star Trek theme.

Weekend Earworm

2009-04-17T11:04:00.000-07:00

I can remember going to this concert back in the 80s (remember this one Dana?). The Stray Cats really put on a great show. I hope my kids don't think I'm a freak when I'm going around all day singing this song.

Happy Easter Everyone

2009-04-11T17:07:00.001-07:00

The Family Guy is a gift for the 80s fans

2009-04-08T20:09:00.001-07:00

After reading a post from 80smom - see her blog link to the right - I realized why I am so addicted to The Family Guy. It has 80s references all through it. Take a look at this video. Thank you Seth MacFarlane. I'm sure he wore parachute pants back in the good ole days.

thank you ilovedogs999 for the video

Thanks for the Monday laugh, Mrs. Hughes

2009-04-06T08:14:00.000-07:00

This week I've gone to the dogs

2009-03-26T07:05:00.000-07:00

Okay everyone. I'm so sorry for all the videos but I'm still recovering from a family visit followed by the worst sinus/head cold ever made. In the meantime, here are some hilarious videos of a sleepwalking and sleepbarking dog. I thought my dogs were funny when their little paws moved while they were sleeping but this dog is HILARIOUS!

Mr. Spock has nothing on these kids!

2009-03-16T09:12:00.000-07:00

Well, this is just too wierd not to share.

Come on and admit it, you're trying to do that with your eyebrows now, aren't you?

I miss MAD TV!

2009-03-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

How I miss sitting on the couch with my husband, a cool refreshment in our hands, and laughing our butts off at MAD TV every Saturday night. Please someone, bring it back! I miss TANK, Kenny Rogers, STUART ("Look what I can do" is a legend in our house), Ms. Swan, 24 with Bobby Lee - I miss them all. sigh...

thanks to coastguard45 for the video

30 Random Songs

2009-03-05T07:05:00.000-08:00

I got tagged with a 30 Random Songs on Your iPod tag. I am going to only do 20 because I'm a rule breaker. Here is my list:

1. Centerfield by John Fogerty (I'm a sucker for baseball and it reminds me of when I played softball in 10th grade)
2. Tubthumping by Chumbawamba
3. You Sexy Thing by Hot Chocolate (I need inspiration on the treadmill)
4. Just Once by James Ingram
5. Bennie and the Jets by Elton John
6. Bitch by Meredith Brooks
7. Comin' Home Baby by Michael Buble
8. One Good Cup from Lifescapes Coffee Break CD
9. Virtual Insanity by Jamiroquai
10. Love's Got a Hold On Me by Cheap Trick
11. Rich Girl by Hall and Oates
12. I Wanna Be Your Lover by Prince (that reminds me - I had a dream about Prince last night. Wierd one but of course I wouldn't expect anything less from the purple one and myself.)
13. Night Fever by Bee Gees
14. One on One by Cheap Trick
15. You Don't Want Me Anymore by Steel Breeze (gonna be singing this song all day)
16. Do What You Do by Jermaine Jackson (Sorry, I love this song)
17. It's My Life by Talk Talk
18. Wicked Game by Chris Isaak
19. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah by Allan Sherman
20. Love at First Sight by Kylie Minogue

If you read through all this then consider yourself tagged. Let me know so I can go check out your list. I'm always on the lookout for tunes to put on my iPod.

It's Monday - time for another talking cat.

2009-03-02T08:55:00.000-08:00

This reminds me of me and my husband having a "discussion". I'll let you guess who is the orange cat and who is the black cat. Well...I'll give you a hint. My husband is real good at sitting there and saying "yes dear" like the smart man he is.

It’s Friday the 13th in my house!

2009-02-27T14:11:00.000-08:00

Ch ch ch ch ch ha ha ha ha ha…

My youngest son and I were goofing around karate fighting today. I was getting the best of him so he called a TIME OUT and told me he had to go get something out of his room. He came back with something hidden behind his back. When I got in my ready stance he whipped out a toy chain saw and proceeded to try to cut me into pieces. Gees, whatever happened to just playing Superfriends or cops and robbers?

Amazing Spray Paint Artist

2009-02-24T06:50:00.001-08:00

Check this video out by Janez Jevnikar. It's worth the watch. This is really amazing!

Spray Paint Art 1 - For more funny movies, click here

You can see more art and videos on his website www.sprej.com

My new masterpiece

2009-02-23T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here it is! The hat I've been working on for weeks. My hands and fingers are so sore from all the knitting. I might try this one again in another color pallet but I have been itching to start on another hat I imagined. And just in time, my book club is reading The Friday Night Knitting Club. I can't wait to get started on it, I'll let you know how it is. I'm still working on World War Z...somehow those two books just don't go together, do they? Zombies and knitting...hmmm, that might make an interesting book though. I'll have to do some thinking on that one.

The New Zoo Revue Coming Right at You!

2009-02-18T12:34:00.000-08:00

This show was on from 1972-1977 but it stayed around a little longer in reruns in my area. I think the reason why I hate this show so much (besides the fact that the hippo and the hippie dude freak me out) is that it was the only thing to watch. When I was a kid there was no CARTOON NETWORK or channels full of kid movies. We had two things, PBS and another local station who ran similar programming. If I was ever home sick the ONLY thing I had to watch were these two stations (this show was always on). The other stations had game shows and soap operas on them. It was almost bad enough to make me want to go to school.

Thanks to cringevision for the video

My first love...Matt Dillon (insert girly swoon here)

2009-02-13T18:48:00.000-08:00

I fell hard for this guy. Yes, this was my very first crush and you never forget your first. I found this great video on youtube that has a lot of his earlier pictures. I had a million Teen and Tiger Beats with him on the cover. (Do they still make those?) I have to admit though, he was a little scrawny when he was young. Oh well, he sure was pretty. Who remembers Little Darlings or Tex? sigh...

Thanks to asliaelttil for the video. You did a great job!

I Want My MTV...back

2009-02-12T07:58:00.000-08:00

thanks to robatsea2008 for the video

A fellow 80s music freak found this list of the first music videos aired on MTV’s first day, August 1, 1981 (thanks Angie). I had to go add some of these songs to my iPod. Be sure to check out the side note about April Wine and “Just Between You and Me”. It might be a trivial pursuit question.

"Video Killed the Radio Star" by Buggles - MTV Video
"You Better Run" by Pat Benatar - MTV Video
"She Won't Dance" by Rod Stewart - MTV Video (Contains use of the word "f**k" by Stewart [1]. A VH1 broadcast of the video posted on YouTube suggests the word was never edited from the video [2].)
"You Better You Bet" by The Who - MTV Video
"Little Suzi's on the Up" by Ph.D. - MTV Video
"We Don't Talk Anymore" by Cliff Richard - MTV Video
"Brass in Pocket" by The Pretenders - MTV Video
"Time Heals" by Todd Rundgren - MTV Video
"Take It On the Run" by REO Speedwagon - MTV Video
"Rockin' the Paradise" by Styx - MTV Video
"When Things Go Wrong" by Robin Lane and the Chartbusters- MTV Video
"History Never Repeats" by Split Enz - MTV Video
"Hold On Loosely" by 38 Special - MTV Video
"Just Between You and Me" by April Wine
"Sailing" by Rod Stewart - MTV Video
"Iron Maiden" by Iron Maiden
"Keep On Loving You" by REO Speedwagon
"Message of Love" by The Pretenders - MTV Video
"Mr. Briefcase" by Lee Ritenour - MTV Video
"Double Life" by The Cars - MTV Video
"In the Air Tonight" by Phil Collins - MTV Video
"Looking For Clues" by Robert Palmer - MTV Video
"Too Late" by Shoes
"Stop Draggin' My Heart Around" by Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers - MTV Video
"Surface Tension" by Rupert Hine
"One Step Ahead" by Split Enz
"Baker Street" by Gerry Rafferty
"I'm Gonna Follow You" by Pat Benatar
"Savannah Nights" by Tom Johnston
"Lucille" by Rockestra
"The Best of Times" by Styx - MTV Video
"Vengeance" by Carly Simon
"Wrathchild" by Iron Maiden
"I Wanna Be a Lifeguard" by Blotto
"Passion" by Rod Stewart - MTV Video
"Oliver's Army" by Elvis Costello - MTV Video
"Don't Let Him Go" by REO Speedwagon
"Remote Control/Illegal" by The Silencers
"Angel of the Morning" by Juice Newton
"Little Sister" by Rockpile with Robert Plant
"Hold On to the Night" by Bootcamp
"Dreaming" by Cliff Richard
"Is it You?" by Lee Ritenour
"Tusk" by Fleetwood Mac - MTV Video
"He Can't Love You" by Michael Stanley Band
"Tough Guys" by REO Speedwagon
"Rapture" by Blondie - MTV Video
"Don't Let Go the Coat" by The Who - MTV Video
"Ain't Love a Bitch" by Rod Stewart
"Talk of the Town" by The Pretenders - MTV Video
"Can't Happen Here" by Rainbow
"Thank You for Being a Friend" by Andrew Gold - MTV Video
"Bring It All Home" by Gerry Rafferty
"Sign of the Gypsy Queen" by April Wine
"The Man with the Child in His Eyes" by Kate Bush
"Ashes to Ashes" by David Bowie - MTV Video
"Just Between You and Me" by April Wine (was both the 14th and 57th video on MTV, making it the first video to be shown more than once)
"Rat Race" by The Specials
"Once in a Lifetime" by Talking Heads - MTV Music
"Victim" by Bootcamp
"Tonight's the Night" by Rod Stewart - MTV Video
"Cruel to Be Kind" by Nick Lowe

Ahhh...the good ole days.

Alice Cooper on The Muppet Show

2009-02-07T17:09:00.000-08:00

Here is my son's FAVORITE guest on The Muppet Show. Just like his mamma, the kid loves the macbre. Isn't it great that Alice Cooper was cool enough to be on The Muupets?

Thanks to royalslack for the video

He should have been a disco dancer

2009-02-03T07:45:00.000-08:00

My 5 year old son was born in the wrong era. He goes to school for 3 days a week so on one of his days off we have a movie and popcorn day. It’s a day we both look forward to. This week I rented one of the Muppet Show seasons. (Boy, did I love that show when I was a kid.) We both enjoyed watching the show together but what really struck me was the one show that he would actually get up and dance and sing along (if you can call humming and making up words singing) with the musical guest, Leo Sayer. I love his songs, sorry but I do! This show is like watching a time capsule. Do you remember all the guests they had on the show? I wonder what the 2009 version of The Muppet Show would be like. Kermit and Miss Piggy would probably be getting it on and Gonzo would be solving chicken murders. Until that day here’s a little taste of the good ole days. I hope you enjoy it – and don’t tell me you weren’t waiting for the bear to eat him!

Thanks to Bassilium for the video

All the live long day - a talking cat

2009-01-29T11:48:00.000-08:00

Sorry guys, but this video cracks me up. It's almost the weekend and I need a good laugh to get me through til friday. Watch this and laugh with me!

Thanks to pkwvermittlung for the video

Birdbaths, gnomes and chickens

2009-01-26T08:56:00.000-08:00

Last year I came across a website that gave a test to see what career would be best for me. At the time, my husband and I were on a “change our careers” kick and were looking at our options. I thought this test would help put me in the right direction. I mean, I’ve been a stay at home mom for five years now and I don’t want to get back into the graphic design field. I’ve had my own business, helped run another business for 12 years and I don’t want to work 60 plus hours a week again.

So I took the test and eagerly read the results. My excitement soon turned into giggles and then anger when I realized I just paid to learn that I should be a concrete sculptor or a poultry farmer. There were other jobs listed as well but these two stuck out like a sore thumb. After I told my husband the results of the career test he opted not to take it himself and then went out and bought me a bag of concrete. Maybe he expected me to make concrete roosters and chickens.

As I looked at our yard the other day I spotted a patch of weeds that desperately needs attention. Then the light bulb went off above my head. Aha, what that spot needs is a nice concrete sculpture. I thought a birdbath or water fountain with a naked merman in the middle would look nice and apparently I’m just the woman for the job! Now I’m off to google “how to make birdbaths”.

80s in 08

2009-01-24T10:01:00.001-08:00

Here is a great tune I found on youtube by a band called Mystery Jets. The song is Two Doors Down from the Album Twenty One released in 2008. This song and video could totally be ripped right out of the 80s.

Does the little house need febreeze?

2009-01-20T11:38:00.000-08:00

Okay, help me! I have seen this commercial over and over again and I KNOW I know who the grandma is. The other night it hit me, Mrs. Olsen! Is this Mrs. Olsen?

The Evolution of Dance Part 2

2009-01-20T05:28:00.000-08:00

Thanks to People Jam for the video

YEEEESSSSSS I AAAAAAM!

2009-01-14T14:50:00.001-08:00

Okay, I have found something so addicting I have to share it with you. It's the David Lee Roth Runnin' With the Devil Soundboard. You have to go check this out. I have made up the most hilarious songs with this AND it drives the people in the same room with me CRRRRAAAAZZZZZYYYYY!

DLR Runnin' With the Devil Soundboard

I MUST BE CRAZY!

2009-01-13T09:34:00.000-08:00

I started creating another blog called "Finding the Write Moment". I will let you know when I have it up and running. Right now, I'm scratching my head trying to figure out what I want it to look like. It's going to be about me being a mom and writing, the struggles, the triumphs, the procastinations, book reviews, ect.

Knit One, Save One

2009-01-11T18:16:00.000-08:00

Well here they are. My very first baby knit caps for the Save One Knit One - Survive to 5, the campaign to save lives of children under 5. I discovered this charity through another blog and fell in love with the idea. My mom and I went out this weekend and bought every kind of yarn , in every kind of color, you could imagine. These caps were fun to make and they turned out so darn cute! I’ve already had people asking to buy a cap or two. SURE, the more I sell the more yarn I can buy to make more for the charity, I say. My youngest son kept my very first one (it had a few holes in it) for his favorite night night bear (shown on the right). It feels good to be doing something that can help someone else, especially precious babies.
Here is the website (I'm sorry I can't get the link working)
http://www.savethechildren.org/programs/health/child-survival/survive-to-5/knit-one-save-one.html

David Bowie has seen me in my underwear…

2009-01-09T07:51:00.000-08:00

he really did but so did a thousand other concert goers. A friend and I got front row seats to his Sound and Vision tour in the early 90s. I was crushed up against the front rails, loving every minute of it, and the rails started to slide out so a part of the stage could slide out also. My hand was on the rail and got sliced as the rails slid together. I tried to suck it up but there was a lot of blood (I still have the scar) so I grabbed a security guard and he pulled me over the rail. Remember the teeny, tiny, skin tight spandex tank dresses that we all wore in the 90s? Well, I had one of those on and as the guard pulled me over the rail my dress came up showing David Bowie and all the other concert goers my undies! Yeah for me, I did get some cheers from the crowd, he he. My friend gave me the nickname “FLASH” and it stuck for years and years. I just thank the stars that I did not have on granny panties that night!
HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY DAVID BOWIE!

It's just a haircut, honest.

2009-01-06T19:48:00.000-08:00

I got a gift certificate, from my mom, to my hair salon for Christmas. I went in there ready for a change and boy, did I get one. I came out of there with short, dark hair and the coolest purple streaks you ever saw. It really is awesome and I love it.

So when I get home and show it off to my family my oldest son pipes up and says, "Mom, does this mean you're going through your mid-life crisis?"

Needless to say my son had a knot on his head from a good thump and my evil husband got a good laugh out of it. I just looked at my husband and hissed, "Next mid-life crisis I'm asking for a sports car!" (I would settle for a trip to the spa.)

Summer Breeze Makes Me Feel Fine

2009-01-05T06:28:00.000-08:00

Do you remember what it was like, back in the day, when you went to the store with your folks during the sweet, summer months? They would have the windows rolled down and you just HAD to put your hand out the window and roll it up and down like it was on a rollercoaster. The air smelled so fresh and it felt so good as it pummeled your face and whipped through your hair. In my opinion, nothing goes better with the wind blowing on your face than a great 70s song on the radio. (Oh no, now I’m not going to be able to keep the Captain and Tennille out of my head!)

Down here in the south the norm was to ride in the back of your daddy’s pickup truck to the convenience store. Sometimes he would put the tailgate down and you could ride on that with your legs swinging off the back of the tailgate and the family dog sitting right there beside you, his tongue hanging out, slobber flinging through the air. There was joy and wonder in you as you watched the concrete soar under your feet. Of course, dad never went too fast and none of us ever fell out. Oh, we jumped off for the thrill of it but that was our own fault.

Fast forward to the present - my son and I were driving to the store and I decided to take the back roads so we could enjoy the view instead of the miles of the boring, concrete interstate. It had turned out to be such a pretty day and some fresh air would feel nice so I turned the AC off and rolled down the windows. My son instantly threw his hand out the window and I immediately started picturing, in my strange, overactive brain, how his arm was going to get decapitated and I’d have to go find the bloody stump on the side of the road somewhere and put it in a bag of ice so it could get reattached. (Yes folks, that is the way my manic brain works.) I pinched myself and told my brain to stop thinking those thoughts. I had done the same thing a million times when I was a kid and I still have all my limbs attached. So I flung my hand out the window too and we both sat there and did the rollercoaster wave all the way to the store.

It’s amazing how I survived my childhood. Come to think of it, it’s amazing I’m surviving my children’s childhood. I’m considering putting my kids in bubbles and laying off the horror books for a while…nah.

I'm speechless

2009-01-04T20:20:00.000-08:00

thanks to smiling zebra for making me laugh! It was kittyriffic. By the way, if you click on the "click here" it just takes you to another one of her videos.

Hope everyone's New Year is getting off to a great start. The kids go back to school tomorrow, WOHOO, life is great!

Hello, my name is Melissa and I am a Twilight Zone addict.

2009-01-02T10:31:00.001-08:00

I confess! After watching a marathon of The Twilight Zone this New Years Eve, I have become HOOKED. I always watch it, yes, I am a Star Trek geek too, but this year was different. I don’t know if it’s just because I caught some shows that were extra, extra good or if it’s the fact that my five year old discussed a whole episode with me. Wow, what a conversation that was and how glad I was to have it with him (The Invaders).

One of my favorite episodes is “To Serve Man”. What a great concept and a great twist at the end. I was going to show you the youtube video of the ending but I didn’t want to give it away just in case you haven’t seen it. These shows hold up to the test of time. I now have the Twilight Zone boxed set on my list of things to buy in 2009 and if ever I need to freak out my youngest son I can just play the TZ theme song and he goes running to his room. BONUS!

I feel like fainting too!

2009-01-01T12:28:00.001-08:00

HAVE A WONDERFUL NEW YEAR!

2009-01-01T09:39:00.000-08:00

Resolutions Quiz

2008-12-29T08:14:00.000-08:00

Here is what blogthings think my resolutions should be. YAWN.

You Should Make 3 Resolutions

Lose Weight

Save Money

Get Fit

What Should You Resolve to Change Next Year?

Making the list

2008-12-28T08:06:00.001-08:00

I’m hard at work cleaning up after the Christmas festivities. After I throw away all the wrapping paper and the millions of annoying twist ties they put on toys these days, I must sit down and start on my New Years resolutions. (Recycling wrapping paper should be on there!) Yes, laugh if you must but I have been doing these since I can remember. Even in high school I would make a few each year. Only till recently have I been adamant about keeping my resolutions and as I get older, the more boring and predictable these resolutions become. You know the ones: lose weight, eat healthier, start exercising, (and for us writers, have something published, write everyday) blah blah blah. Yes, those will ONCE AGAIN be on my resolution list but I’m thinking there needs to be something crazy on there, don’t you? The craziest thing I’ve listed in years is to floss more often. I recently got my hair cut short, shorter than it’s ever been, dyed dark with purple streaks in it. I have to say, I LOVE it. I also dig the fact that my youngest son will come up to my hair and smell it thinking it should smell like grape. Stepping outside my comfort zone was awesome. So I’m off to ponder what I can do next year to step out of my comfort zone again, short of sky diving, that just will NOT happen.

Have a very 80s Christmas everyone!

2008-12-22T05:55:00.000-08:00