Oh brother! I just looked outside and there's snow on the ground. March 31, and fresh snow on the ground. Sheesh! That just makes this Monday morning SOOO wonderful.

Last week a problem arose at work that pointed out (again) the folly of putting too much of one's self into the job. I'll blog more about it later when I have time, but it has made this Monday a little more dreadful than usual.

On the other hand, (and there always seems to be another hand), we're taking inventory today, and that means I get to spend the morning surrounded by good-looking construction types. (And note to self--remember to blog about the decency of blue-collar men real soon, too, eh?)

So, happy Monday to you all. (Not all cultures start their work week on Monday...maybe I'll pretend I'm one of them today, hehe.)

Oh, and check out blogshares. Jennifer is one of the sharp traders!

EDIT: Darn, inventories are taken. Drool is being wiped up. (It's even worse in warm weather, when they're wearing their shorts.) Network computer is down, so now we're trying to find filing and stuff to do while we're waiting for it to come back.

Please please please please...we're down by five at the half. (This would be the Michigan State/Texas game in the NCAA basketball championship.) Altogether now:

Go Green!!

Edit: Well, it's over for another year. And hey, three weeks ago we weren't even sure we'd be in the tournament!!

What was your first kiss like?

Take a trip down memory lane to your innocence. Do you remember your first kiss? Was it electric or static, mind blowing or no big deal? What was his or her name? How did the kiss come about?

My first kiss was in 4th grade. His name was Philip, and it was on Valentines Day. He gave me a bracelet. In 7th grade his folks built a new home. They got to name the street. "Shirley Street". Honest. I still smile when I drive by that neighborhood. I lost track of him after high school.

Michigan State is in the "Elite Eight" of the NCAA basketball tourney, and we'll be playing tonight. Unfortunately, there was some over-boisterousness Friday night after our win...why do we always have trouble with these things?

Unconscious Mutterings.

1. Smell :: Good
   
2. Caramel :: Sticky
   
3. Parallel :: Park
   
4. Miami :: Beach
   
5. Sleep :: Dream
   
6. Double :: Twin
   
7. Kiss :: Sweet
   
8. History :: Changing
   
9. Vodka:: Russian
   
10. Click:: Mouse
    

Save for use in the sidebar later:

Blog Trashed by Mandarin

Now Scott organizes his links in a most unusual way. They are either Strawberry, Lemon, or Grape. I'm a grape. I like that. Think I'll visit the other grapes.

Speaking of grapes, my friend in Egypt just sent me two bottles of wine. Mmmm. Now I'll have to make a nice meal to go with them!

Brother Jeeem is leaving the building, and the state, and the country. Yep, it has to be true, because he's selling his books. And I know how precious those are to him.

Books. Reading. Habits of bloggers. I'm working through The Artist's Way. I just got to Reading Deprivation Week. What to do, what to do. Does blogging count as reading? Isn't that more like talking with friends? Help me out here, please. Leah and Lynn, you both read the book. Kathryn? Help!!!!

Cybertoad has sweet pencams posted!

BlogStock. Okay, I'm trying to understand it. I just bought shares in Unconscious Mutterings and SusanJayne. Hmmm.

Well, I must get going, the day is moving right along. Y'all have a sweet Saturday!

Right-click and take this sorry girl. Link back to the site you took it from. Leave a message in the comments if you use it so we can all see where it goes.

We got ours from Mandarin Design, who borrowed it from somebody else, who borrowed it from another blog. And I stole meg's words, too. Sorry!

Michigan State up by 5 over Maryland at half-time. Gulp. Coach Izzo isn't very happy, says we need to score more. Altogether now, please???

Go GREEN!

Edit at 12:46 a.m. Saturday. They pulled it off, barely, but they did it. 60-58. Michigan State is going to the Elite Eight!

We publish a monthly newsletter at my workplace. One of the features is the question of the month. This month it was that good old standby: What was the most important invention of the 20th Century. Some interesting results...what would you have said?

Sleep.

Thunder rolling in the distance. We haven't had a good old thunderstorm yet this spring...so yet another step down spring's road!

Well drat, Susan! I took a little nap after I got home so I could stay up late and watch Duke beat Kansas in the NCAA Sweet Sixteen. Only trouble is, they didn't! Next year we'll get our match-up. Yes.

For all Michigan State Spartan fans (and all my wonderful blog buddies who put up with my green obsession) tomorrow night is our night. So, all together now:

Go Green

I was in a mood when I left work today (yep, we have days when we are a VERY dysfunctional work family). I knew if I came home I'd go to bed crying, so...I took myself out to eat at Apple Jade, a lovely little Chinese restaurant that works well if you're dining alone.

I requested Governor's Chicken as I usually do. The waitress brought it quickly, and I asked for chopsticks. When she brought them, I noticed the family of three at the table next to me watching. Ut-oh.

The dad turned and said, "I've always wanted to try those. Would you mind showing me how?"

His wife said, "Now she'll probably be too self-conscious." (yep yep yep)

But it pleased me that he wanted to know and so I gave him a dumb-ass lesson. And he ate his meal with them! And I was out of my bad mood when I left. (But I'm looking for those new and rewarding opportunities...oh yes I am!!!)

Oh cool! If you're missing socks, Bryn suggests you look here.

Trading Spaces Behind the Scenes: Including Decorating Tips and Tricks. Okay, I admit...Ty rules. And I like Doug the best of the designers...so shoot me!

Still cold up here in Michigan. 25F/-4C.

Survivor is tonight. Any guesses for bootee? I would think maybe Alex, but most of the folks in the office think Robb.

And yep, we're trying to distract ourselves. The War and the Economic Situation weigh heavily. But we can't spend all our energy worrying about things we can't control.

Leah and Kathryn are making art. Yum. Lynn is waiting for job news, and we're waiting right along with her.

And then there's Robin. Robin is battling (and battle is the appropriate word) hepatitis C. One of the men I work with recently underwent the interferon treatment for HepC. Robin can't do that due to her blood count, but read her efforts to find alternate treatments and enjoy her amazing spunk.

The Wednesday Wonder this week was WWW--World Wide War. We were to chose a war and research it, on the basis that:
War is an unfortunate component to human existence. It evokes strong responses and ambivalence. The goal here is to move away from political stances and arguments and learn about the personal, real aspects of a specific historical event.

I chose the War of 1812, but I need an extension, Kathryn! I have two timeline sites I'm working from to get initial dates (www.warof1812ca/1812events.html and www.semo.net.suburb/dlswoff/1812.html), but there's so much more out there...and I've just read Bryn's WW, which just happened to be War of 1812 from the Canadian perspective. Fascinating!

Kathryn also linked to this:






Which Rainbow Brite kid are you? By Growing.

and she got the link from leah, who is being arty this week!

Tuesday This-or-That.

1. Poetry or prose? Prose
2. Funky modern art or the older, "classic" variety? Classic
3. Sculptures or paintings? Paintings
4. Theatre: exuberant musical or serious drama? Exuberant Musical
5. Ballet or modern dance? Ballet
6. Movies: major studio or indie? Both
7. Authors: Shakespeare or Dr. Seuss? Shakespeare
8. TV: PBS or A&E? PBS
9. Music: Beethoven or Beatles? Beethoven
10. Thought-provoking question of the week: You are a contributing member of your favorite art museum, and visit on a regular basis. They announce a new, temporary special exhibit by an artist surrounded by controversy...this person's work and/or political views offend you. Do you stop supporting the museum, or just stay away during the time the exhibit is there? Probably just stay away during the exhibit.

Charity Tuesday
On the last Tuesday of each month our office has "Charity Day". We pay to dress with a theme in mind (this month it's baseball) and two members of the staff bring stuff for a bake sale. Each month we save the money raised until we hit $150.00. At that time, we contribute the money to a local charity, and start the fund over again with another charity in mind.

We have seven installers who have been on lay-off since January. Maybe we're going to have to start taking care of our own. *sigh*

Kauan ulos, mies! That would be Finnish, and check out Scott's EdgeCurve for the meaning.

More spring: John has crocus. And Amit has lavendar! *grin*

And LillyAnne has an interesting take on the Oscars.

Uhoh. I can't figure out what this is over at WittBits.

Spring comes slowly in Michigan.
I've been reading about Kathryn's gardening purchases and birdbath making, and seeing the visuals on meg's garden and Cybertoad's garden. Jennifer has been tempting spring with some of last year's spring pics, though I see today she has some current ones again.. It's a little too cool for gardens up here in Michigan yet (well, mebbe not, mebbe I should take a page from meg's garden), but thank heavens for the pussy willows. They are apoppin'!

Oh, and regarding #8 on the Unconscious Mutterings: September 23 is Checkers Day. Checkers was Nixon's dog, and figured in a speech made on September 23, 1952. And while I was alive that year...I don't remember the speech. Really. *grin*

Yes! "Lose Yourself" won the Oscar for Original Song!

oh wow...Michigan State is going to the Sweet Sixteen! YAY!

Fingers, toes, and everything else crossed. Michigan State is up by 10 at the half in their NCAA game against Florida. Altogether now:

Go Green!

Thank you so very much!

Oh yeah! Steve's writing again. I like!

Unconscious Mutterings

1. 501 :: Jeans
   
2. Xs and Os :: Love
   
3. Remote :: Cabin
   
4. Declaration :: of love, of Independence
   
5. Whale :: Jonah
   
6. Glitter :: Confetti
   
7. Floss :: Teeth
   
8. Checkers :: Nixon
   
9. Vegas:: Las
   
10. Hill:: Capitol
    

Words, Terms and Labels.
My brother J.R. had Cerebral Palsy. He used crutches to get around and special hand controls in his car to drive. He attended Michigan State University back in the early seventies, before all the disability laws had been enacted. There weren't curb cuts, there weren't accessible restrooms, and buildings weren't ramped. He became involved in the Office of Programs for Handicapper Students. The language choice always fascinated me: handicapper. The connotation of a jaunty person looking at the risks of life's race, sizing them up, and then going for the long shot hit close to how I perceived J.R.

Well, J.R. passed away in 1988 (NOT of CP) and I lost touch with Michigan State's Handicapper office. As I searched the web for the "handicapper" term, I found that the Office's name had changed to MSU Resource Center for Persons with Disabilities. Nice name, and I understand why...but J.R. will always be a "handicapper" in my mind.

Rainbow

Oh, and do go visit meg's impossible garden.

Looking up spinsters links. Ah, here's the bitterbarrenspinsters. And here's the Spinster Librarian.

An article in today's newspaper has started me on this. It is an article about medieval women forming networks with gossip and notes and cites the work of Maryanne Kowaleski of Fordham University. One of the stories she considered is that of Magota Spynster who was an unmarried washerwoman and who got in legal troubles in 1387 because she called a rich woman some nasty names. Is that where we got the word Spinster?

Well, perhaps not.

From Bartleby:

NOUN: 1. A woman who has remained single beyond the conventional age for marrying. 2. A single woman. 3. A person whose occupation is spinning.
ETYMOLOGY: Middle English spinnestere, female spinner of thread : spinnen, to spin; see spin + -estere, -ster, -ster.

Okay, Susan sends us to the Starbucks Oracle.

Behold the Oracle's wisdom:

Personality type: Clueless

You don't go to Starbucks much; when you do you just tag along with other people since you have nothing better to do. You would like to order a Tazo Chai Crème but don't know how to pronounce it. Most people who drink hot chocolate are strippers.

Also drinks: Wine coolers
Can also be found at: The mall

Now that's probably as close to accurate as any other on-line test I've taken lately. *GRIN*

Friday Five a day late. (I need a jump-start here.)

1. If you had the chance to meet someone you've never met, from the past or present, who would it be?Leonardo DaVinci

2. If you had to live in a different century, past or future, which would it be? 19th Century

3. If you had to move anywhere else on Earth, where would it be? Choteau, Montana (whoa! It's 15 degrees warmer there than it is here!)

4. If you had to be a fictional character, who would it be? Jo March Edit:This is cool. In looking for Jo March links, I found this interesting West Wing fanfiction site.
5. If you had to live with having someone else's face as your own for the rest of your life, whose would it be? Demi Moore

Another The Other Side -- This one from a journalist in Kurdistan.

Look and you will find it -- what is unsought will go undetected.
~~Sophocles

Where's George is a site where you can register bills and then track where they end up. This past week I've received not one but two bills inscribed with the site. The first bill had traveled about 250 miles in 19 months. It had been submitted in fresh condition and I received it in quite used condition. I'm now on my way to check on the second bill.

Okay, this one has traveled 64 miles in 120 days. It was beat-up back then and it's beat-up now.

Glad to see little Gonzaga did well in the NCAA tournament. We like them.

Our thoughts and prayers are with those involved in the war and with those waiting here at home.

Sirens going off in Baghdad per CBS TV. President on at 10:15 p.m.

Weblogs.com isn't getting all the pings (at least mine, which are supposed to be automatic through blogger.pro). Anyway, the pingsite is here. Thanks, Susan, for passing that info on several months ago.

Rituals
The Wednesday Wonder this week was entitled "A Toast to Life" and involves a discovery into the ceremony associated with drinking. Once again I'm stuck when it comes to a project on rituals. It appears I have none.

ritual noun [C][U]
a set of fixed actions and sometimes words performed regularly, especially as part of a ceremony:

I suspect that this is my rebellion in life. There was great personal upheaval in my twenties, and the rituals I had grown up with (and there were many) were not comforting or protective. Therefore, I tossed them all out. A wee bit of overkill, perhaps.

If you were going to give me one of your personal rituals, what would it be? Thanks! And thank you, Kathryn, for making me look for answers to questions I had not yet asked myself.

I missed my monthly attempt at shooting the full moon. She has a beautiful shot here.

Drat. Kathryn got to be the ladybuy.


Yippee, you are a bee. You work hard to help those
you love, but have a tendency to stab those you
don't pretty hard in the back.

Tuesday This or That
1. Cold frosty ski slopes or warm sandy beach? Warm Sandy Beach
2. Chevy or Ford? Chevy! I'm from the heartland
3. Mac or PC? PC
4. Dial-up or high speed internet access? Dial-up
5. Small *family-only* wedding or large 200+ guest wedding? Uhhm. In my dreams
6. Would you rather be the bridesmaid or the bride? (if you are a guy, substitute best man or groom) Must be bridesmaide, as I've been one four times, never a bride.
7. AC/DC or ABBA? ABBA
8. Roses or daisies? Roses
9. Trashy romance novels or classic literature? Both
10. NEW! Thought-provoking question of the week...If you had to choose one...would you rather be blind or deaf? Why? I would hope that I would keep a positive spirit no matter which one happened.

instauration (in-sto-RAY-shuhn) noun

1. Renewal; renovation; restoration.

Yesterday's word from wordsmith.org.

Holes.
One of the joys of spending time with the nieces and nephews is catching up on what is "in" with the kids. Ten-year-old niece delights in words and books and she has been reading the children's book HOLES to us when we come to visit. Disney has made it into a movie, which will be released April 18. According to 10-year-old niece, "You HAVE to see this movie." (Or buy the book. She loves it.)

There's a story of sorts that goes with the pic, but as usual, I'm late. Y'all have a wonderful day. I'm expecting my "mahvelous" mood to last for about, oh, another 85 minutes *grin*.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Hmmm. LillyAnne introduces "BlogStreet". I haven't quite figured it out, but it's interesting! Lynn is now here.

Dismal elk picture

One of the things I look forward to on a visit "up north" is my brother Grizzl's and my early morning jaunt out into the Pigeon River area to look for elk. Michigan's elk herd was non-existent at the turn of the century. In 1918 seven Rocky Mountain elk were introduced in the Pigeon River area. This was enough to set things back in motion, and the herd at one time numbered about 1500. Limited hunting is now allowed, and the herd is between 800-850.

It's been a couple of years since we've been able to spot any of the critters out in the Pigeon River game area. The trip is always interesting, but we were a little worried we had lost our spotting touch. The good news on this trip is that we did spot them. The bad news is that they were on the other side of an "elk" fence...so it looks like they're in a ding-dong zoo. *sigh* The good news is that we probably saw 20-25 all told.

Wow! We came home to 68F weather here tonight. Susan, I guess I didn't know what I was talking about the other day...things do sometimes warm up very fast around here, I guess. (Speaking of warm-up...have we all signed up for our March Madness bracket?)

The main order of the weekend was to see the fifteen-year-old niece in her school play. She was darn good (you knew I would say that) but she had kept us in the dark about the nature of her role and we were very surprised...she was one of the villains! The musical was Annie Warbucks, so if you've seen it you know which character she plays.

It was amazing to see my sweet, pretty, missionary-outreach niece be...evil! (And she did it so well, hmmm.) And I realized how lucky I was to be included in my big extra-size extended family. Yes.

Unconscious Mutterings.

1. Amy :: Irving
   
2. Equipment :: Furnaces
   
3. Trust :: Obey
   
4. Clown :: Around
   
5. Banana :: Slip
   
6. Grass :: Green
   
7. Shot :: Glass
   
8. Screech :: Witch
   
9. Car:: Wreck
   
10. Bridge:: Over Troubled Waters
    

I'm back, and I'm responsible for the single entry on this page. Sorry about that! I have pictures to post, and was clearing room...and then didn't get it finished. My apologies for the confusion it caused.

We found elk! (But pictures are blurry. *sigh*)

Ok doke...we're heading north, above the 45th parallel, gonna get recharged in that different electro-magnetic field. Gonna chase elk, enjoy friends, and see what we can see. Be well, my friends!

Red:
Aren't you the romantic? Life is poetic. If you
don't already, write poetry, you're good at it.


What color do you see the world in?
brought to you by Quizilla

meg is making me hungry...and it's the middle of the night. Stay away from the cold pizza, Shirl. Think fruits instead.

PLUM

Trust

**big sigh of pleasure**
Tomorrow is my first planned vacation day of the year. Wow...I had forgotten that great sense of relaxation that hits when you leave work on Thursday night and know you won't be back until...Monday! YAY!

Yikes! It's Survivor night. And Blogger let me in for a minute. I'm figuring Matthew for bootee...anyone else?

oh, thanks, Kathryn!

And sometimes miracles do happen. Good outcome on the Elizabeth Smart case.

meg sure has a strange scene outside her window. Any ideas for captions?

It must have been cold this winter. Even Lake Superior is 90% frozen.

Tag art sites: here, here, and here.

Hiding out this Morning
Normally I blow off colds and keep on working, but I'm babying this one just a little. This weekend is special: Fifteen-year-old niece has a lead in her school's musical, and I must be able to sit through it without coughing and sneezing. I mean, she kisses a BOY in the play. She's a beautiful young girl, but quite shy, so this is a first. I'm not sure what has me more curious...her reaction or her dad's! Anyway, I'm a baby with this cold.

I miss him on snowy cold evenings, when I'd turn to him and say, "I'm cold" and he'd smile that slow, seldom smile and say "good, I am too" and he'd nudge me toward the bedroom and we'd meet on the bed, naked, and he'd be my cover, and he'd warm me not once, but twice, and sometimes three times.

And after, spooning, him praising my pumpkin butt, and his long artistic hands with their gentle stroking....

I miss him on cold snowy evenings

Of course, spring is coming...the season of new.

The Wednesday Wonder for this week was "Spring Cleaning". I dived into my miscellaneous drawers in the kitchen, finding things like rosin (for my violin, which I haven't played in a year-and-a-half, I think I need to practice, eh?), used batteries (somedays I feel like my life is a used battery), new batteries (aha, there are ways to refresh), words (you know, the magnetic type that you put on the refrigerator, but also a reminder of how important words are to me), and, best of all, finding not one but TWO keys to happiness. How lucky can one person get?

Interesting article in the newspaper today by Michael Liedtke, Associated Press on "Blogging ahead, one site at a time". Links are for www.blogger.com, www.alwayson-network.com, www.dieselpoint.com, www.bloggerproject.com, and ragingcow link noted earlier. He also points posts names three blogs that are part of the ragingcow experiment. They are here, here, and here.

oh, and on a different note: rageboy awoke. Mmmm.

BELIEVE

ACHOO!

Maybe 20px was a little too big.

Okay, now I'm REALLY mad!
I have made it until March 10 without a cold, and NOW the signs of one start showing up. Dagnabit! Went to bed early last night with a bottle of Nyquil...I refuse to be succumb to this sucker! Dang!

Hooters Air is now off the ground. Yes. Really. Link via Aspirations to Sweetness.

Haven't done a Monday Mission in awhile, and so...

1. What is the most boring project you have ever had to ? Type kitchen orders piece by piece back in the 70's.

2. If you could be anyone or anything you wish, who or what would you want to be? Why?
-by Caroline I would like to be a housewife back in the 50's. June Cleever to be specific. Because I'm in a cranky mood today.

3. What is one thing you refuse to ever put in your mouth?Brussell Sprouts!!

4.If you could film a documentary about yourself and have yourself followed for 1 day, what would that day look like? And why?
-by ZhiWen eeyoops! Boring, if it was a regular work day.

5. What is the longest distance you have ever traveled to meet someone for the first time (blind date, blogger meet-up, etc). Was it worth the trip? 120 miles, and definitely worth the trip

6. What do people usually assume about you that isn't true? That I'm logical

7. What are you craving for lunch today?
- by Shawn Oh, I was so bad today. Had a Schlotsky's Barbecue Chicken pizza...me bad!

Well, this weekend didn't turn out at all like I planned. Ate out Friday night, which was a big mistake as something wasn't right and I was sick immediately afterwards. No fun racing home with tummy troubles, and then zonking out for the next few hours. Once that happened, my cycle was all off. I woke up at 2-3 and of course surfed the net. *sigh*

Anyway, the stomach was still pretty unsettled Saturday. That's the bad, but the good was that I had been inspired by the Wednesday Wonder to do spring cleaning. Tada! The drawers and bottom cupboards and the cabinet over the stove are all done! Thanks, Kathryn! Report to come tomorrow night. (I'm hoping to hit a few more areas yet.)

By the time I felt well enough to venture out into the world, the weather had turned on me again. It had started raining. One of those weird hybrid rains: big fat plops of part water part slush. I really didn't feel like driving to the University and walking to the library or doing the oil-changing thing so...I went to a movie!

Now, Bringing Down the House is probably in very poor taste...but it had a lot of laughs and a lot of Steve Martin physical type fun. And I've found a new hero...yay, Queen Latifah!

Of course, when the movie was over I discovered the rain had turned to freeze, so that made driving to the grocery and then home a bit exciting, but we survived.

Yesterday was a quiet day. Mom has bronchitis, so I took her a bunch of fruit, tissues and sunflower seeds. Gotta think spring somehow!

And today it's back to work. I'm tired of work. Not just my work, but work work. I need a sabbatical. I need a six-month vacation. I need a .... oh, well, let's not go there.

Later, gators!

Just heard Clinton-Dole (next week to be Dole-Clinton. I like the idea that they are presenting civil debate. In the morning I often wake up to Ted Kennedy and John McCain squaring off.

Ilana is okay, but she knows people with losses in the latest terrorist attack in Israel. Apparently the #37 bus was an oft-ridden bus. Our thoughts are with you, Ilana.

In the meantime, the time of our lives, all we have is intuition and stories to try to make sense of the world, to provide some sort of vision of where we're at and where we may be headed. But that's not so bad. As a species, it's all we've ever had.
~~Christopher Locke, Gonzo Marketing, p. 8 of the paperback version.

Pariah has inaugurated the Saturday Slant. This week's topic is: What is your favorite personal ritual?
So many of you have posted on personal rituals and I have discovered a weird point: I have none. I have holiday rituals, but I really don't have personal ones. I'm evaluating my life to see where I can put some in to play, but right now, I just move through life like a baby bull in the china shop...crash, bang, full-steam ahead, oops.

Note: Pariah also has an excellent review of DareDevil here.

Bryn asks for women we admire. I submit Anna Mae Aquash.

It's time for Unconscious Mutterings:

1. Guilt :: Innocence
   
2. Pearl :: my nickname, "Girl with a ...
   
3. First :: last
   
4. Work :: hard, play
   
5. Record :: player (which dates me)
   
6. Drunk :: skunk, wine
   
7. Sexy :: smile
   
8. DMV :: department of motor vehicles
   
9. Stapler:: finger, Wayne
   
10. Toy:: boy
    

Kathryn's Wednesday Wonder this week is timely: Spring Cleaning. I have needed a push in this area and I have MUCH to accomplish, so expect a bunch of postings on this.

I just finished the first "junk" drawer. Some things that were excavated: rosin for my violin, a pair of my grandmother's antique glasses, numerous used batteries, some fresh batteries, a recipe, a deck of "Scruples" cards, and a little brown envelope that has "Your Key to Happiness" printed on it.

The recipe is for Strawberry Cream Cheese Pie:

1 package (10 oz) BIRDS EYE strawberries Halved in Syrup, thawed
2 packages (8 ounces each) PHILADELPHIA BRAND Cream Cheese
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups COOL WHIP non-Dairy Whipped Topping, thawed
1 prepared chocolate flavor crumb crust (6 ounces)

*Drain strawberries: reserving 14/ cup liquid.
*Beat cream cheese, reserved liquid, thawed strawberries, sugar adn vanilla until smooth.
*Fold in whipped topping. Spoon into crust.
*Refrigerate several hours or overnight.

Garnish with strawberry halves and kiwi slices.

Mmmmm. I work with a lady whose sister develops recipes for Kraft. Wow. What a job!

Want to try a Scruples question? Your 18-year-old finally introduces you to the person he/she has been dating for several months. The person is 36 years old. Do you express opposition?

Okay, onto the next drawer.

Edit: 11:55 a.m. The next drawer yielded words, words, words. Anyone need some?

Check out this picture of "Menage a Trois" at Days Come and Days Go. Nice catch!

Now I'm checking out "Short Things".

This just might be the night to "Ask Michael Bolton".

Planetary Tilt?
It's been an obnoxious week. The computers at work have been down. Sickness is running through the family. Everyone is edgy. I smoke less than a pack of cigarettes a year. I smoked three ciggies this week.

One of our service techs got a call. "I dreamed my humidifier wasn't working...do you think you should check it?" huh???

I forgot to wear my bra today.

Dee at work has a theory. Her theory is that with all the students down south on spring break, the planet has tilted just a tad. You know, Florida is heavier and Michigan lighter. (Where do southern students go for spring break???) Things should be fine come Monday, when everyone is in their proper places.

Hey, works for me.

Once again, my blog twin Bryn and I are both:


test yourself at fontlover.com!

And it's the Friday Five.

1. What was the last song you heard? "Lose Yourself"

2. What were the last two movies you saw? Of Gods and Generals and DareDevil

3. What were the last three things you purchased? mustard, marshmallow and gas

4. What four things do you need to do this weekend? Get the oil changed in the car. Go to the MSU library. Get haircut. Drive through the cemetery again.

5. Who are the last five people you talked to? Mom, Rich, Mike, Darla, Diane

Surprised by Joy.
I was driving through Eastlawn cemetery last night. Made the last turn, and there were deer crossing in front of me. Seven of them, going down into a little hollow. And then they just stayed there, watching me. Until another car drove up behind my car. What darn fool would be driving around in a cemetery on a snowy evening? The knucklehead! I had sort of left my car in the middle of the road, running, so I had to discontinue the picture-taking. But I was so thankful for this moment of grace.

Michael Don Juan DeMarco III aka meg posted an "outside my window" type picture a few days ago. I decided to take an "outside my work" picture. Those are the stacks that provide power to our fair city.

We had about six inches of snow yesterday: just enough to slow things down (and cancel all schools) but not enough to have a snow day at work. Dee at work reminds me that we can have these storms right up until the middle of April. Yep...the joys of Michigan weather.

Kathryn has the perfect Wednesday Wonder up for me...spring cleaning! We're going on a treasure hunt here, kiddies! Some people have a miscellaneous drawer...I have a miscellaneous apartment. This should be fodder for at least a dozen blog posts. Thanks, Kathryn! Bryn and Leah have wonderful postings on last week's Wonder on Grace. Wow!

Oh good! Mz posted the "full picture" of her partial object. I'd never seen one of those, Marge!

Susan remembers high school activism days. Great memory, Susan!

And a warm welcome to LillyAnne!

I opened my Newsweek tonight: this article on Marketing: Flogging on a Blog, of course caught my eye. It's about Dr. Pepper using bloggers as pitch people for their new product, Raging Cow. Hmm.

ooh! we've got snow. But I don't think there's enough to keep work from opening. Drat!

Survivor bootee choice, anyone? I'm thinking perhaps Joanna.

This looks interesting.

Meryl likes today's date: March 4th. March 4th. An action date. March forth.
Lynn has a new addy and a new look...warms me up every time I stop by, Lynn! We spent last weekend following Lynn around blogworld, but she's lit now.
Kathryn and Leah have been cross-blogging about commitment to action, making changes, following dreams. I want to thank both of them for sharing....they've been very inspiring!
Are we supposed to keep saying oulipo, meg?

Tuesday This or That:

1. Soup or salad? Salad
2. Hot or cold sandwiches? Cold
3. White or whole wheat bread (or rye, etc)? Multi-Grain
4. Pack a lunch for work/school, or buy it? 1/2 and 1/2
5. If you eat out...fast-food chain, or mom & pop type place? Mom & pop
6. Tuna or chicken salad? Chicken
7. Cheese: Swiss or cheddar (or American, etc)? Cheddar
8. Mustard or mayo? Mustard
9. Sandwiches: wrap/pita pocket, or regular bread/roll? Regular
10. Sweet stuff: cookie/cake or fresh fruit? Fresh fruit

The Olden Days.
I recently re-established contact with an old high-school friend via email. I last saw him at his wedding thirty *gulp* years ago. (He has since divorced.)
It's tricky to fit now and then together. It's difficult to remember what I was like at 21...and what parts of that person are still with me. It's challenging to get old business out of the way and open onto new business. And of course all of this is possible because of...good old email. Bridging time and space.

Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you've imagined. As you simplify your life, the laws of the universe will be simpler.

~~Henry David Thoreau

Umm. Yikes. It's -4 degrees F out. Winter is still very much with us.
Yesterday's nap was perfection: making a nest on the bed in a ray of sunlight. Mmmm. The only thing better is a nest on the sand of the beach at Lake Michigan, relaxing to the sound of the waves as they caress the shore.

Oops. It's Monday morning. Get to work, Shirl!

Taking a new step, uttering a new word is what people fear most.
~~Fyodor Dostoyevski

Saw it at Bryn's first, then at Kathryn's. I think it keys on only one question...the next to the last one. hmmm.

I am the Ideal Lover Most people have dreams in their youth that get shattered or worn down with age. They find themselves disappointed by people, events, reality, which cannot match their youthful ideals. Ideal Lovers thrive on people's broken dreams which become lifelong fantasies. You long for romance? Adventure? Lofty spiritual communion? The Ideal Lover reflects your fantasy. He or she is an artist creating the illusion you require. In a world of disenchantment and baseness, there is limitliess seductive power in following the path of the Ideal Lover. Symbol: The Portrait Painter. Under his eye, all of your physical imperfections disappear. He brings out noble qualities in you, frames you in a myth, makes you godlike, immortalises you. For his ability to create such fantasies, he is rewarded with great power.

What Type of Seducer are You?
created by polite_society

Daredevil.
I saw Daredevil about a week ago. I wasn't familiar with the storyline so had no pre-conceived ideas about how it should be. (My comic book reading basically stuck with Superman and an occasional Batman or Green Hornet. Or was it Green Lantern? It's been awhile.)

My initial thoughts on viewing the film were positive. The "wounded hero" concept always resonates well.

I just found out by accident that Michigan State University has the largest comic book collection in the world. Guess where I'm headed next Saturday?

Wonderful images in this gallery.

I can't figure out what Mz has here. Can you?

Questions not to ask in the middle of the night: redux
Is there anything you believe in that is worth dying for? in defense of loved ones, for religious beliefs...still musing here.
How much should we be willing to "give up" for love? Still musing here, but I love Leah's answer.
Who do you trust? My sister.
What was that thump? I dunno...it's the middle of the night!
What should I scan for my next header? well, at least I completed ONE question!
Does joy really come in the morning? if there's been weeping during the night. Bryn says in the gloaming, but I usually have anxiety attacks at twilight. (Somewhere I read that's a symptom of Alzheimers...uhoh.)
Do be or don't be? Do be's would be proactive while don't be's would be reactive. I think. And I'm too reactive.

Have you ordered your Paczki? We have. Just another made-in-Michigan event.

Unconscious Mutterings

I say .….….…… and you think .….….…… ?

1. Towel :: dry
   
2. Ohio:: State
   
3. Coke :: Pepsi
   
4. Vacation :: Montana
   
5. Pumpkin :: Pie
   
6. Embarrassing :Moment:
   
7. Plastic :: Paper
   
8. Tight :: Fit
   
9. Camera:: Window
   
10. String:: Bean
    

oops! that would be a BIG oops up there in the header...going to change it RIGHT NOW!!!!

More Harbingers of Spring.

Home Shows. We have several up here in late winter/early spring. People are getting cabin fever, want to get out, to fix up. The HVAC company I work for will be displaying at this one this weekend. I'll be there, from 2-5. Yay Spring!

Questions not to ask in the middle of the night:
Is there anything you believe in that is worth dying for?
How much should we be willing to "give up" for love?
Who do you trust?
What was that thump?
What should I scan for my next header?
Does joy really come in the morning?
Do be or don't be?
(I's a losing it.)