Already blown

Good grief, three days in on NaBloPoMo and I've already blown it. I have no excuse, only that time got away from me yesterday and after all of the other things I did, I plain forgot to blog.

That's okay though. I'm still going to try my best to post as many days in November as possible. Baby steps, right?

On a happier note, I am happy to announce that the lovely Nissa won the earrings and paper giveaway. The random number generator told me that "50" was the magic number and low and behold...there she was. I took a desktop shot of the results from Saturday morning and I will be happy to send it to anyone who would like to see. Just email me from my profile.

Thank you again to everyone who entered this time. Most of you agree that there is so much talent out there between writers and crafter and finding new ones is part of the Bloggy giveaway excitement.

And if I haven't bored you to tears yet, please come back and see if I am making it through November and NaBloPoMo and say HI or just snicker at me and my floundering.

:O)

Needful things

A few posts ago, I was complaining about needing a new bra. I finally got one and it was a huge pain to find it. I didn't know my correct size and I didn't have the guts to have myself measured or fitted. But, this one seems to be holding everyone up just fine.

But now I need a new pillow. Dammit. This is worse, if you can believe it, than needing a new bra. I don't know if ANYONE else in the world has as much trouble with pillows as I do, but I can NEVER find a pillow that stays lofty without murdering the outer cartilage of my ears.

For a long time now, I've been accustomed to sleeping with 2 pillows so that I wouldn't have an aching neck. Being a side sleeper, my ears end up being pressure points and need to be cushioned.The kind of pillow arrangement that suits me best is to have a not-too-thick but moderately firm pillow on the bottom, and a lofty and super soft pillow on the top. That way, I have the height for my neck but my ears don't feel like burning embers either!

My problem isn't usually with the bottom pillow as much as it is with the top. If the pillow is soft enough, it's either far too thick or far too thin, and I've even tried making my own from the innards of those softies. It's a cumbersome task that winds up with the looking like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man just blew up all over the windows and the floors.

I realize this is probably a very lame rant. I know you're probably thinking that pillows are the least of ANYONE's worries. I agree. It should be that way. Lord how I WISH it were that way.

And as long as I'm wishing, I wish that my arse didn't look like the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man's either!

P.S. Check your email for a note from me to see if you're the winner of the giveaway! :O)

Tis better to give

Well hello there, nice to see you!

I had so much fun participating in the last Bloggy Giveaways Carnival that I knew I had to be part of the next one. And lucky for you, that starts TODAY!

I spent a lot of time during the last carnival entering giveaways for jewelry and handbags. Yes, I tried to get the megagroovy Visa gift cards and Target gift cards, but my true weakness is jewelry.

I love to collect beads and buttons and those rare occasions when I actually have time to be "crafty" - I can put together earrings and things that are pretty darn cute...if I do say so myself.

That's my PRIZE this time, two pairs of hand-made earrings and some really cute note paper with magnetic strips on the back for putting on your fridge or file cabinet.

Here's what the earrings look like:

Sorry for my "mad" photo skillz....HA!

The pair on the left have light amber glass beads on top of light aqua blue glass beads. They hang from a silver fish-hook wire.

The pair on the right are really fun. The top beads are metallic and have dimples of pink all over them. They remind me of what the New Year's Eve ball in Times Square is made from. I stuck a round clear crystal at the bottom to give them that "little something extra"!

Here is the pretty note paper:

They are put out by the company Blueink Studios and are quite lovely.

Last time, I had contestants tell me about their most favorite blogger or author. Reading the comments ended up being for me, the best part of the giveaway and because of that question, I'm now a faithful reader of several awesome writers!

This time, leave a comment and tell me what (aside from great prizes), your favorite part of participating in the Bloggy Giveaways Carnival has been in the past, or now. Remember, I'm not looking for "I won a $500 Coach purse and that really rocked" because...DUH! Tell me something you found out that you wouldn't have if you hadn't participated, or tell me about someone who entered your giveaway and maybe has become YOUR new, loyal reader.

Yeah, yeah....there's a little work involved, but it won't hurt too much. I promise!

This contest will end Friday, October 31st at 11:59 pm Pacific time. I will use a random number generator to pick the winning post number. Also, make SURE you leave your email address in the comments. On Saturday, November 1st, I will email the winner to get your mailing address. Once I've heard from the winner, I'll announce his/her name here.

Good luck to everyone!

Blister in the sun

So I guess having unrealistic expectations for myself is something I excel at. 30 days have screamed by and I have not even thought of venturing over here to post on this poor, lonely, dusty blog. sniffle

And then WHAT do I go and do just now? I sign up for 30 days of Naplobomo, that's what! I guess the fumes from the lavender & vanilla Airwick in the office lobby have been getting to me.

I've always said I'm a better blog reader than blog writer, and now I'm challenging myself to what, fail? Well, maybe I shouldn't look at it as failing per se, but dragging myself from behind the safety of non-blogging...and letting it all hang out. snicker

Okay, so maybe it won't ALL hang out, cause that would just be disgusting. But I do want to bring my Friendly Neighborhood butt back here every single day next month and write. It is certain to be crap and garbage, but at least I'll be writing - right?

"and I'm high as kite, I just might stop to check you out."

Twelve things

1. It's been 12 days since I last posted.
2. I cannot stay awake past 9:00 pm no matter how hard I try, which doesn't matter because I wake up at 5:00 am feeling like I never even went to sleep!
3. I've been craving an orange smoothie.
4. I need a new bra.
5. Is is me or does it seem like stores put out Halloween stuff earlier and earlier every year?
6. Grey's Anatomy starts Thursday and I can't Mcwait!
7. My left foot is just under a quarter of an inch longer than my right foot.
8. I collect beads. I really wish I had the talent to make things with them, but I can't resist their shiny, loveliness.
9. I rode in an elevator with Sammy Hagar once. He was eating Godiva chocolates and talking to some other dude. My best friend thought he was Ted Nugent.
10. I currently have Jackson Browne's "Running on empty" stuck in my head.
11. I bet you're glad that this list is nearly over.
12. I think I'm going to have another give-away next month. I will let you know!

Not forgotten

I would just like to ask you to please take a moment today, to remember the lives of those taken from their family and friends seven years ago, and also to thank those who fought so courageously and selflessly to save them. And for the lives of those who still fight on.

Hands by Jewel

If I could tell the world just one thing
It would be that we're all ok
And not to worry because worry is wasteful
and useless in times like these

I will not be made useless
I won't be idled with despair
I will gather myself around my faith
for light does the darkness most fear

My hands are small, I know,
but they're not yours they are my own
but they're not yours they are my own
and I am never broken

Poverty stole your golden shoes
but it didn't steal your laughter
And heartache came to visit me
but i knew it wasn't ever after

We will fight, not out of spite
for someone must stand up for what's right
cause where there's a man who has no voice
there ours shall go singing

In the end only kindness matters
In the end only kindness matters

I will get down on my knees and I will pray
I will get down on my knees and I will pray
I will get down on my knees and I will pray

My hands are small, I know,
but they're not yours they are my own
but they're not yours they are my own
and I am never broken

My hands are small, i know,
but they're not yours they are my own
but they're not yours they are my own
and I am never broken

We are never broken

We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's mind
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's heart
We are God's eyes
God's hands
God's eyes
God's hands
We are God's hands
God's hands
We are God's hands

Out from under a rock

The month of August pretty much swallowed me whole. Between new projects starting at work and trying to cram in a few fun weekends for Hoodie before 10th grade started...I just didn't have it in me to write.

Hoodie is my 15 year old son. This pseudonym comes from his undying affection for hooded sweatshirts. A girl's love of shoes and purses pales in comparison. Which is unfortunate for him because the armpit we live in is cold only about 6 weeks out of the entire year. Anyway, he's trying really hard to get back into his academic groove and I can empathize completely.

Hey, on a completely unrelated note...is it me or could Sarah Palin and Tina Fey pass for twins?

Politics aside....eerie, no?