My Wild Card

A Day Without Shoes

While I can't literally go a day without shoes, I found the following information on a Tom's Shoes intern's blog.  It's really astonishing...

"TOMS is not just a shoe company; TOMS is a movement, an advocate for change. We want to raise awareness for the MILLIONS of children around the world who go every day without the luxury of something as simple as shoes.

Why Shoes?
Fact #1: In some developing nations, many children must walk for miles to school, clean water, and to seek medical help
Fact #2: Cuts and sores on feet can lead to infection
Fact #3: Often, children cannot attend school barefoot
Fact #4: In Ethiopia, approximately one million people are suffering from Podoconiosis, a debilitating and disfiguring disease caused by walking barefoot in volcanic soil
Fact #5: Podoconiosis is 100% preventable with basic foot hygiene and wearing shoes

April 8th is not about selling shoes. It is a day of recognition, of awareness, for those children who are hindered on a daily basis because they do not have something as simple as a pair of shoes. Get involved in something bigger than yourself."

What will you do to be the change...?

Done!

House...SOLD!! More later...

Now what?

So we're selling our house. More specifically, we're selling our 'extra' house that my husband's mother lives in. No, we're not kicking her out on the streets...it's just too much house for her now.

We should have known we were in for it when, after three weeks on the market, we received a full-price offer. Woohoo!

Not so much. Since then it's been one thing after another...crazy, unnecessary things the buyer wants (which we begrudingly agree to), easy fixes that turn-out to be anything but, and the constant feeling that the other shoe hasn't yet dropped.  Knew it was way too easy.

Add that to the every-growing list of kids' activities, the fact that this is the busiest time of year for my husband, and the staggering, terror-inducing knowledge that my husband's mother still has not found a place to live with five days to go, and I'm pretty much a basket-case.

Long story short, I'll be holding my breath until next Thursday when we're supposed to close. Maybe by Friday I'll lose the harried-I'm-on-the-verge-of-losing-it look in my eyes and get back to my normal, slightly-flustered-mom look.

A girl can dream...

Well, I'm back. Seems like I have all of these ideas, and no where to put them. So, here I am.

Ramblings

I am totally blocked.  In the car, at the kids' lessons, the grocery store, everywhere but at my computer, I am blocked.  Not a word comes to mind of the stories streaming through my head.  So the solution is to write about being completely blocked. I have characters (no, not 'voices' people!) with lives that are begging to be put on paper, but I can't get them out.

I have never been one to pre-write, write and then rewrite.  I edit extensively in my head. This hasn't been a problem before, so it's a little scary now.  Maybe it's because of the urgency I feel in selling this work. These economic times aren't exactly comforting.  I just don't know.  What I do know is that I can't get what I want on paper right now, so I'll just write anything to try to get something going.

Let's start with Rachel Maddow.  Just saw her on The View and she was so smart and funny...not to mention the fact that she knows her politics. Genius.  Of course, she didn't call out President Obama and challenge him to a debate like Limbaugh recently did.  So maybe she doesn't know what she's doing?

Who the hell does he think he is?  And people think he's right? Seriously! I'm sure if GW would have been challenged to a debate by a radio host he totally would have done it.  How do so many people follow this idiot??

Facebook, or, the reason my house is still not clean...

So my husband's brother and family moved to Germany.  "Get on Facebook," brother-in-law says.  It's easier to stay in touch.  After spending the past two days making fun of my husband for creating an account, searching for friends, and setting up his pictures, I decide to create an account.  Just for the fun of it.

Fast-forward to now, five hours and countless key strokes later.  I am obsessively checking my account, trying to find the perfect pics to add, and counting up the number of people that have approved me as a friend.  (Not that it matters, but I already have more friends than hubby...HA!)  In the many years since I've graduated high school I've thought about people I went to school with, but have I bothered to look them up?  Not a chance.  Now, because of the ease of access, I want to contact everyone...well, almost.  Who really wants to catch up with the kid who kept dead rodents in his pocket, seriously?!

I'm hoping to get over it by the end of the weekend...maybe there's a group I can join for this??

Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention - Yahoo! News

Attacks, praise stretch truth at GOP convention - Yahoo! News.

As a, I'd like to think, well-educated adult, I know that politicians change their minds and stretch the truth.  I can't understand, however, how blatant lies and bullshit one-liners can raise a woman out of relative obscurity into what the Republicans claim is the next savior of our country.  Really???

I can throw out insults with the best of them, am a PTA executive board member, and have three kids.  Guess I won't be surprised when Rick Perry comes to my door and asks me to run for Govenor of Texas in his place. 

It's scary that people believe whatever they are spoon-fed for the sake of staying with their party.  Even more scary is the fact that the Republicans were worried that people would vote for Obama just because of his race, but are counting on people to vote for McCain/Palin because of having a woman on the ticket.  Give me a break.

At least they helped my decision an easy one.  On the fence before the VP announcements, I am proud and ready to vote for Obama/Biden.

Why I haven't posted...

MaNiC MoMMy ... <br>THeRe'S a MeTHoD To HeR MaNiC.

It's been THAT long since I've posted, and this blog post says it all.  Nothing exciting has been going on, despite the fact that my kids aren't in school at the moment.  I guess no drama is good--but boring.

So I spend my days looking for adult interaction.  My husband has got to be annoyed to death with my frequent calls with inane questions and/or comments. 

Example:

me:  Hey, Babe.  Did you know that no one went to A-Rod's after-All-Star game party?

him:  Huh?  Ummm...what??  Sorry, trying to get a TON of things done here.  Can I call you back??

me:  (totally irritated that he isn't interested in talking to me)  whatever!

me, after hanging up the phone:  Like he doesn't care about A-Rod...uh-huh.

Come to think of it.  If I keep calling him with stupid bs all day, I won't be able to use my, "I DO TOO work all day long at home."  arguement.  Hmmmm.....

My new bff...

jennsylvania.

For those of you who haven't read a Jen Lancaster memoir--shame!  She is hilarious and snarky, honest and way too forthcoming.  I heart her...and I got to meet her at a book signing last week.  You know how when you meet someone they don't always live up to expectations??  (Just as my friend who finds dates online!)  She exceeded mine.  I left with a goofy grin and a desire to give her one half of a best friends forever necklace!  Total girl crush.

Anyway--find copies of her books and read them.  Read them now!!  Bitter is the New Black; Bright Lights, Big Ass and, the newest, Such a Pretty Fat.  You will totally thank me for it!!

Atticus...What a man (albeit fictional)

I just watched To Kill A Mockingbird for the millionth time.  And for the millionth time, I cried--a lot.  I cried when Reverend Sikes said to Scout, "Miss Jean Louise, stand up.  Your father's passing."  Oh my gosh, the respect and admiration that was apparent in those lines kills me.  And I cried seeing Jem's face as the verdict was read.  It was like he was stabbed in the chest.  His innocence gone.  Then I cried when Boo's face softened as Scout smiled at him.  "Hey Boo."  and when Atticus said, "Jean Louise this is Mr. Arthur Radley.  I believe he already knows you."  And later when Sheriff Tate says, "I may not be much Mr. Finch, but I'm the sheriff of this town and Bob Ewell fell on his knife."  And when Atticus said, "Arthur, thank you for my children."  Oh, that movie kills me.  Not as much as the book, though.  I'm off to read it...again...