I Knew Them When...

On my way to work this morning, I heard a clip of Mario Lopez on Ellen Degeneres’ talk show. He shared with Ellen and her audience that his first kiss happened when he was 10 years old and an actor on the show, Kids Incorporated.

I knew he was on that show – I watched it faithfully during a “we have cable” phase of my childhood. What I didn’t know is that Kids Inc. featured several other now-famous entertainers, including the Black Eyed Peas’ own Fergie – also known as Stacy, Mario’s first kiss.

Did you watch this show? I loved it for the singing and dancing, and if I remember correctly (and Mario’s interview says I do), there was even a little pre-teen romance going on. You know I loved that. Some things just don’t change.

In addition to Mario Lopez (who, you have to admit, is easy on the eyes, even if he is a jerkface) and Fergie (who, thanks to her annoying songs as a soloist, really gets on my nerves), Kids Inc. also starred Martika (of Toy Soldiers fame) and Jennifer Love Hewitt.

What lost or forgotten shows did you watch as a kid? (Popular and well-remembered shows like Diff’rent Strokes and Punky Brewster don’t count here!) Did any of them star actors that are now better known for other shows, movies or musical performances?

Stick It. Stick It Good.

(Alternative Title: An Olympic Trip Down Memory Lane)

The Little Gymnast was one of my favorite books when I was younger. I read it several times, imagining what it would be like to be young Anda, a talented gymnast whose parents didn't have enough money to continue her lessons. (Don't worry - there was a scholarship.)

Later, of course, I would know exactly how that felt, when my parents could no longer afford to pay for my dance lessons. Well, except for the part about being talented. I've got rhythm, but I don't really think I would have been a SYTYCD contender.

I did take gymnastics when I was 4 - before I read this book a dozen times. The girl who lived across the street was a cheerleader, and she taught us how to do cartwheels and backbends in her parents' basement. Every time I hear Toni Basil, I think of those lessons.

Of course, I was quick to abandon my gymnast dreams when my parents said the next summer, "You can play t-ball or take more gymnastics lessons. It's one of the other." So, T-ball it was.

But two years ago when I volunteered to do some PR for Dragon Gymnastics (home to 2004 Olympic gymnasts, Terin Humphrey and Courtney McCool) and the 2006 US Classic, I was reminded of my young love for gymnastics. I loved being a part of the world of vaults and mats and chalk and beams, if even for a brief time and behind the scenes. What those girls do is amazing!

And yes, Chelley, I will give Iowa props for sending Shawn Johnson to the 2008 Olympics. I was rooting for Kansas City's own Ivana Hong, but Shawn was amazing in China. And I know she did Iowa proud!

I think I'm addicted to this game.

I don't know what's wrong with me. But these matches keep occurring to me. And I can't just keep them to myself. I mean, that is why I have a blog, right? So here are a few more celebrity lookalikes.

These three aren't identical. I know that. But they do have a similar look. Surely I'm not the only one to see that. Right? Hello?

• Joely Fisher
• Kate Walsh
• Amy Davidson

I also think Matt Damon and Mark Wahlberg have a similar look. As do Winona Ryder and Keira Knightley. Not enough to add links or pics, though.

And here's one more. For the record, I don't think all people of any race look alike. But I thought these guys were the same person for a while. My mistake! (And thanks to Mariah Carey for showing me I was wrong.)

• Nick Cannon
• Wesley Jonathan

And You Thought I Was Bad

Speaking of me being emotional (see previous post), I ran across this essay today. It's a well-written piece by a woman who cries a lot. As in, maybe even more than me. I liked what she had to say about crying:

It is a sign that I crave understanding,
that I feel frustrated by my own shortcomings,
that I have an uncommon devotion
to worst-case scenarios and sadness
because, more than anything,
it is a sign that I am a drama queen.

Anyone else identify with that? Or is it just me?

Cool Story

For a story that will renew your faith in mankind, check out my friend Amber's blog. Maybe I'm emotional (maybe?), but it almost (almost!) made me a little teary-eyed.

Mainly I thought it was awesome how God has continued to confirm her (and her husband's) choice to move all the way across the country for jobs and ministry. (I say "ministry" because they are professors, and I know they'll be ministering to their students throughout their careers!) Cool stuff.

This one's for the LA-DIES!

Alternative title: Baby Mama, a movie review

Smitty and I rented Baby Mama last weekend. Overall, it was pretty funny but nothing special. I love Tina Fey on 30 Rock, so I appreciate her sense of humor. And I had no idea how many other famous people were in this movie! Greg Kinnear, Sigourney Weaver, Steve Martin, the woman from ER who I always think is this woman from Doc Hollywood. I think there were others, but I don't remember off the top of my head.

The movie had several cringe-inducing – but funny – moments that had me saying, out loud, "Oh no. Oh noooo...." And Steve Martin was pretty darned funny as Tina Fey's loony boss. And of course, I loved it when Tina Fey's character's favorite song was Lady in Red. (Is this video stalkerish or what?)

I will say, though, that the way the movie ended was predictable. I liked it, don't get me wrong, but I saw it coming from a mile away (despite the twist early on in the movie).

And worst of all? No bloopers on the DVD!

Other than that, it was pretty good. For a buck at Redbox, I say go for it.

What I Have in Common with Nacho Libre

No, it's not the fact that I also look smashing in a turquoise sweater and white pants. And no, I'm not a Mexican wrestler in disguise. But I do love my stretchy pants.

When you are a man, sometimes you

wear stretchy pants in your room.

It's for fun. (Nacho Libre, 2006)

When I was about six months pregnant, my mom and I went to Macy's to look for a pair of pants for me. I'd been wearing mostly regular clothes, but even my biggest clothes weren't fitting anymore. While I was busy looking for a pair of khaki pants for work, my mom checked out the clearance rack.

That's where she found them. My stretchy pants.

The first great thing about these pants is that they only cost $11. The second great thing is that they are black, so they match every single one of my old t-shirts. The third and most important great thing about these pants is that they are stretchy. Oh, so stretchy. Granted, they are a size that I will never admit to wearing (and don't you try to look at the tag!). And I probably shouldn't be wearing something I could fit into at my most pregnant. And in general, they aren't the most flattering piece of clothing I've ever worn.

Just to clarify - the picture above is an example of black stretchy pants. But these aren't the pants. And that's not me in the picture. But anyway, I love my black stretchy pants. Honestly, I would wear them every day if I could. I wish I would have bought more than one pair. I love them.

I realize that makes me a prime candidate for What Not to Wear. But as I mentioned (on Chelley's blog maybe?), I'd very much like the chance to be humiliated in exchange for a makeover and new wardrobe. Just wait to nominate me until I've lost weight, will you?

Until then, I need to wear my stretchy pants in my room. (Or on the couch.) It's for fun!

**By the way, when I did a search for a picture, I found that I'm not the only person who feels this way!**

I blame it on the M&Ms.

My weight-loss success was short-lived. I had a gain this week, and it's no mystery why. I ate an enormous amount of M&Ms (bought for Photobaby's upcoming birthday party). And, okay, I ate two delicious cake donuts for breakfast on Friday. But mainly, it was the M&Ms. Evil candy-coated pieces of chocolate, they are.

[Turns out, I’m not the only one to believe M&Ms are evil. Check this out. Or this one. Or this one here.]

All joking aside, I really am down about this. I have been trying to lose weight for longer than I haven’t. I can remember trying to diet and exercise when I was 14! Yet, I’ve never really gained control over this struggle. Sure, I was thinner back then, but I wasn’t healthy. And now, I’m neither thin nor healthy!

You’d think I would be motivated. First of all, my health was seriously endangered last year at the end of my pregnancy. And even though the doctor said it wasn’t my fault, she also said being at a healthy weight and eating right could possibly prevent it from happening again, should we have another baby in the future. This should be big motivation, right?

Plus, I’ve passed every limit I set on myself, from “I’ll never have back fat” to “I’ll never shop at Lane Bryant” to “I’ll never weigh more than 200 lbs. again!” Each time, I prove myself wrong. I prove that no, I can’t do this. I can’t make the right choice, do the right thing, be a better person.

And how can I expect to conquer this problem? I mean, even Paul said, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do.” And if Paul had trouble, well, this mere mortal is doomed. Doomed!

Then again, maybe it’s not futile. (And perhaps I get a bit emotional and dramatic about this topic.) After all, Paul also said, “I can do everything through him who gives me strength.” And not to mention this: “I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

So if Paul didn’t give up, I guess I shouldn’t either. Even if I gained half a pound. It’s a new week, and I’m back on the point-counting wagon. I know Weight Watchers is a good program that works. And I remember that I am capable of following the program and losing weight. And I’m praying that this week is the one where I start moving forward. Pressing on toward the goal. Again.

That one time I tried something new...

I love recipes. I subscribe to Kraft’s food and family, I read The Pioneer Woman Cooks every day (or every day she posts), and I watch 30 Minute Meals on the days I get home early enough and Photobaby isn’t cranky. I even take notes at my Weight Watchers meetings and write down their healthy recipes. And I put all the recipes I find – online, in magazines, on TV or wherever – in an binder formerly known as a photo album.

A binder that sits in my pantry, next to my handful of cookbooks and unopened except for the occasions I pull it out to double check the ingredients or quantities in the recipes I’ve used a hundred times.

See, I have a few dishes that I can cook well. Lasagna, cheesy potatoes, broccoli and rice casserole, chocolate éclair dessert, baked mostaciolli, tortilla rolls. I can also make a mean pan of brownies from the store-brand box mix, but that’s another story. The problem – aside from the calorie and point count of those dishes – is that I don’t venture out. I save new recipes, but I don’t try them. I want to. But I don’t.

And that is why I’m so excited to tell you that not only did I try a new recipe, but I even altered it to make it better/to avoid making another trip to the store.

Last fall, after Photobaby came home from the hospital, several friends brought us meals. My friend Katie, who now lives in Virginia, actually had her mother-in-law bring us dinner one night! Because she knows how much our family loves cheese (I blame my dairy addiction on a childhood allergy that required a sad diet without pizza or tacos or anything dairy.), she asked her mom-in-law to make one of their family favorites, chicken spaghetti.

I don’t actually know the name of the dish, but “chicken spaghetti” is what Pioneer Woman called it on her site, although her recipe didn’t seem exactly the same as the one we had last fall. But it looked close enough, so I thought I’d try it. After all, even Mark liked the dish – and he’s a picky eater (and to be honest, one of the reasons I don’t often try new things)!

Since I think I’m making a short story long here, I’ll cut to the chase. I changed the ingredients to fit what I already had on hand, and ended up with a dish that if not exactly like what Katie’s mother-in-law makes, is pretty darn close. And we loved it! Loved it a little too much, actually, since we both had second helpings! (Surely this doesn’t have anything to do with my 1-pound weight gain two days later at my WW weigh-in??)

So without further ado (oh, how I love my ado), here’s MY new recipe:

Southwestern Chicken Spaghetti

4 chicken breasts, chopped
3 cups dry spaghetti, broken into 2-inch pieces
1 can chicken broth
1 can cream of mushroom soup
3 cups grated cheddar cheese
¼ cup diced onion
1 can Rotel
Chili powder
Garlic powder

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Cook the chicken in a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. Season with chili powder and garlic powder. Boil the spaghetti in the broth and some water, then drain. Combine chicken, spaghetti, soup, 2 cups of cheese, onion and Rotel. Pour into casserole dish, sprinkle with remaining cheese, and bake for 30 minutes.

Next time, I’ll probably add a little more chicken, chopped more finely, a bit more spaghetti and another can of soup. Plus, I’ll cook the onion with the chicken – I prefer my casserole onions not to crunch, thank you very much. And I’ll have to use a bigger pan and feed more people…or, more probable, I’ll divide into two dishes and freeze one for later.

And that, my friends, is the story of that one time when I actually cooked something new.

More Sites for the Word Nerds

For no particular reason, and in no particular order, here are some additional grammar-type blogs for those of us grammar-type folks. I used to think I was big on grammar. Turns out, I'm really not. Not in comparison to these people!

• The “Blog” of “Unnecessary” Quotation Marks - I deem this one HI-larious. And even better, check out the post from Chelley's home town.
• Grammar Blog: I Get Gerund - This one gets double points from me for writing about bad grammar on annoying children's clothing.
• Motivated Grammar - Personally, I believe in hyphenating "e-mail," but apparently it's up for debate. Tell that to the Associated Press!
• Language is the People’s: Dispatches from a Grammar Wars Foot Soldier - As someone who has worked as a Quality Control Manager, I can appreciate this guy's passion for grammar. (According to his bio, he is a quality assurance technician.) And he's got a manifesto! For grammar! And he recently made some observations about Canada, so that's for Kimberly.
• Everything Language and Grammar - These people are serious. They mean business. And they've written a book called...wait for it...Literally, the Best Language Book Ever: Annoying Words and Abused Phrases You Should Never Use Again. Ha!

Somehow, reading books seems to have gotten a bad rap.*

Do you know about Goodreads? Basically, it’s a social network for book geeks, created by the founder of Tickle. Or, in their words, “Goodreads' mission is to improve the process of reading and learning throughout the world.”

Once you sign up for an account (a super fast and easy process), you just look up your favorite (or least favorite) books and authors. You can then rank them and add a review if you’re so inclined. Then, you can see if any of your book geek friends are members. Just like in Facebook, you can search your e-mail address book and then request access to your friends’ profiles.

A couple months ago, Amy told me about this site during a Cool Chat when we got onto the topic of good books. (I still haven’t read any Joel Rosenberg yet, Amy, but I’ve got one of his books on reserve at the library!) Then a co-worker mentioned it last week. So, finally, a couple days ago I decided to dive in.

In case you’re wondering, “dive in” basically means that I wracked my brain to think of every book I’ve ever read. And I then proceeded to rank it 4 or 5 stars (4=I really liked it! 5=It was amazing!).

No time to write reviews. Must add more books to my total. Must remember more authors. Must have largest total in history of Goodreads!

*sigh*

As so often happens, I became a tad bit obsessive. As a result, I haven’t really used this program to its fullest potential, instead focusing on acquisition. You know, quantity not quality. This is the very reason why I must limit my time on Facebook. Left to my own devices and tendencies, I would be looking up and friending every single person I’ve ever met. Not because I really want to be in touch with all those people. Nope. Just to get more “friends.”

In my defense, I really have read a lot of books. And if I remember the book or the author, it’s most likely because I truly did like or even love them. But now that I’ve gotten this first rush out of my system, I will try to be a bit more thoughtful about my rankings. I might even get around to writing a review.

(Or, I might not. It’s hard to say. See, I decided a couple months ago that I should start a second blog to chronicle my efforts to become an editor. I would share with you all the steps, successes, failures, education, etc. Just to keep a record of it, really. And part of it was going to include reviews of books I’m currently reading. I might still do it. Who knows? It could become my newest obsession!)

* Quote from the Goodreads website.

Confession Time

Hi. My name is Photoqueen, and I read a lot of blogs. So many, in fact, that I’ve had to start using Google Reader (thanks to my friend, Amber, for mentioning this great service!).

I know this does not really come as a surprise, considering how many of my posts revolve around other people’s blogs. But I’ll tell you, I do have some good reasons for reading blogs. First of all, it’s fun. Oh, good reasons. Right. Okay, well, it’s often research. Occasionally for work and often for my quest to become an editor. Researching the publishing industry has led me to some great sites. As has my journey to becoming a better home-maker, complete with clean floors and home-cooked meals.

And that brings me to my point (after only two paragraphs, eh?). One of my very favorite sites is called Confessions of a Pioneer Woman. It’s written by a mom/wife/cook/photographer/blogger who lives on a ranch in Oklahoma. She has a huge blog following, and it’s no wonder. I was originally drawn in by her yummy recipes and stayed for her amazing photography (and tips).

But as I’ve continued to read about her and her life, I’ve been impressed by her love for her family. She just puts it right out there, unashamed, for everyone to see. And in the comments of one of her recent posts, one reader mentioned that this is the very reason why she loves reading this blog. She said it’s refreshing to hear a woman speak lovingly about her husband and lift him up, instead of tear him down. That was really encouraging and a little convicting to me, all at the same time.

So, today I’m wondering:

• What do you hope readers gain from your blog?
• Is there a blog or site you visit that is particularly inspiring or encouraging?

Good news!

I joined Weight Watchers two months ago. But last week, I finally started following the program for real. And I hit my first mini-goal - lost 5 lbs. Five down, 70 to go. I know it sounds like a lot, but that's my WW goal. I can do it this time.

This is going to be legen...(wait for it)...dary!

As I have mentioned before, I really enjoy the TV show, How I Met Your Mother. (Although, I just searched my site for mentions and realize that I mistakenly left it off my list of TV shows I love!) For me, it’s a show that makes me feel like I’m watching a bunch of my friends. Like Ed, another one of my favorite (though no longer on air) shows, HIMYM has characters that seem real to me. Not that I think they are real (I may love TV, but I haven’t truly lost my grip on reality!), but if they were real people, they would be the kind of people I’d want as my friends.

So it should come as no surprise to me that some of the phrases used on HIMYM have started to creep into my own vocabulary. After all, when Ed was on the air, my husband and I started pronouncing lettuce “leh-TOOS,” thanks to a running gag on that show. And even today, we’ll say it, primarily during otherwise boring grocery store trips.

It turns out that I’m not the only person to adopt television phrases, specifically ones from HIMYM, as my own. This article lists the phrases the show has introduced to us, including “Legendary,” “slap bet,” and “Suit up!”

Are there phrases you use that originated with a TV show or movie? I’m sure there are tons – share your favorites!

Our washing machine overflowed again and flooded the garage floor. Again.

Product Review: Western Bagel Alternative Bagels™

As of today, I have paid for three months of Weight Watchers…and have lost a total of 2.4 pounds. This is not good. Fortunately, WW’s fall campaign, Lose for Good, has inspired me to renew my dedication to losing weight and improving my health.

Lose for Good is a national campaign promising that for every pound lost with WW between September 7 and October 18, WW will donate the equivalent of one pound of food to someone who needs it. In addition, local offices are collecting food for local hunger relief programs. The meeting I attend will be donating food to Harvesters.

As part of my new and improved attitude toward eating healthy and losing weight, I bought some new bagels. I’d read about 1-point bagels several times, but had never gotten around to buying any. After all, they’re more expensive and only sold at Hy-Vee (while I normally buy most my groceries at Walmart). But this week…this week, I’m being healthy. So, new bagels it is.
Western Bagel Alternative Bagels™ are very good. I got the Sweet Wheat variety, and they’re quite yummy. Sweet and wheaty. The bagel is definitely smaller than the ones I like to buy at Einstein Brothers (check out their site – it’s a really good one). But it tastes good, and when I add my fake cream cheese, it’s a pretty good breakfast. And thanks to the extra fiber in the bagel, it lasts longer than a bowl of my favorite, not-as-healthy-as-it-seems cereal.

Princess Rant #1

Before I had my daughter, I would chuckle at sarcastic or even rude baby clothes. Then I would think – or sometimes say to my husband – “I will never let my kid wear something like that.” Now that I have a child to clothe, I have to admit that it’s been tempting on occasion. When I saw the onesie at Walmart that said, “Teething bites,” well, not only did I have to agree, but I wanted to wear that shirt myself!

But while some of these shirts (hats, onesies, etc.) are cute and funny, I still don’t think rude statements are appropriate for children to wear. (I imagine this will ensure at least one fight with a teenager down the road – don’t even get me started on the appalling phrases I see teens wearing these days! Hmm…"these days"…how old am I?)

The princess trend is also annoying to me, for reasons I will expound on later, so clothing that combines sarcasm and princess attitude is just too much. Too. Much.

You know me as Photo...

...but sometimes I go by other names, too.

Disclaimer: I was not a fan of Beverly Hills 90210. And I'm not promoting the new version, either.

However, I know that if I'd watched the original series, I would have loved it. I didn’t watch it because at the time, my family only had one TV. And I was not allowed to watch that kind of "garbage." (In case you’re wondering, I was also not allowed to watch The Simpsons. That one, I’m okay with, as even now, I think that show is pointless and annoying.)

Anyway, back to my point. (What was it again?) Last week, the much-buzzed-about revival of 90210 premiered. I caught the second half, partly because nothing else was on and partly because I was curious. And partly because I loved Jennie Garth in What I Like About You. (Chalk that one up to things I secretly love!)

It was okay. Turns out, I would have been offended if I’d seen the first half, but since I didn’t, I thought it was okay. But that's a topic for another post. Because my point after all this rambling is this: how did my names get on this show?! My whole life, I’ve thought I had a weird (or unique, as I’ve come to see it) middle name. Occasionally – no, rarely – I’d see another girl with that name. But now, here it is, on the CW! One of the characters is named Adrianna.

And then. And THEN! I found out the next day, when I was reading reviews of the show (and learned about the icky scene in the first half), that one of the main characters is played by an actress named Annalynne. That’s Photobaby’s name! Spelled differently, but still, I really kind of thought I’d made that name up myself! And there it was, on the CW!

Okay, so this isn’t really a big deal. But it is kind of interesting. Two of my family’s uncommon names in one show. Huh.

Do you have any unique names in your family? Do you like unique names or hate them? After a lifetime of being embarrassed by my “weird” middle name but also aware of how irritating it can be to have the same name as five other girls in your class, I really stressed out about giving Photobaby a unique but not weird name. I think I did okay, but only time will tell. Check back with me when she's 12...

Where Were You?

I was driving to my temp job, running late as I often do, when I heard the news.

On the morning of September 11, 2001, I was in my car trying to beat traffic on my way to the Pitch office. Pitch is an alternative newspaper, and I was temping in their accounting office. My duties including fun projects like filing and answering the phone, but it was a week of guaranteed pay, something my recent-graduate bank account needed desperately.

The radio station I was listening to must have had a TV nearby, because they began talking about the first tower being hit immediately. At first, I wasn’t concerned or even interested. It seems crazy to think about that now, but the truth is, I didn’t realize it was such a big deal. Quickly, I realized this was not a “normal” accident and that something bad was happening.

Now my heart was pounding, and not just because I was late for work.

I told myself to calm down. After all, I was going to the best possible place – a newspaper office. Surely, if anyone would know what was happening, they would.

But when I got to the office – yes, a few minutes late – nobody had heard. And when I tried to tell the people in the accounting office, they didn’t understand the seriousness of the situation. I even suggested that we turn on a radio, but they didn’t.

I realized then how silly I’d been, thinking of this as a regular newspaper office. I wasn’t at a major daily; I was in the accounting office of an opinion paper.

They finally realized what was going on and did turn on the radio. As we heard about the second tower and the Pentagon, I sat on the floor of the office and filed, numb and scared. A few people started crying and called relatives or friends who lived in New York and DC. One girl found out that her cousin had missed the train and therefore, was late to work. He was supposed to be in one of the Towers, but he wasn’t.

As I covered the receptionist desk over lunch, I sat glued to the radio. I looked online for news, but back then, the information highway was just a four-lane, you know? I listened to the radio news announcers tell us what the President was doing, and I wondered why they would share that information with the whole world.

And I sat there, wondering if I should ask my temporary co-workers if they’d like to pray. Sure, I didn’t know them and they worked for a newspaper that has very different values than I do. But maybe today would be what it took for them to turn to God. And maybe I could be the one to show them the way!

Um, yeah. I was too scared to suggest anything like that. After all, they had already rejected my original idea to turn on the radio. How could I even think about asking them to pray?

So I didn’t. I prayed, of course. But I didn’t take that opportunity to talk about serious things with these people I would know for just five days.

That’s where I was when the world stopped turning. Where were you?

Home Sweet Home

Have you ever seen the old movie, The Money Pit? Some days…no, some weeks…I feel like I’m living that movie.

A few weeks ago, our air conditioner broke. The HVAC guys wanted to basically gut our house and do $6500 worth of work. We just got a new blower for the A/C instead, for about 1/4 of the cost. Of course, 1/4 of that amount is still a pretty hefty chunk of our savings!

Shortly after we got that problem taken care of, our washing machine overflowed. Thankfully, our washer and dryer are located in the garage. That’s not normally convenient, but when it overflows (this was not the first time for us), it is. Anyway, so we had the plumber come out last week and snake our pipes. It mostly solved the laundry issue and completely fixed our bathroom sink that hadn’t been draining, but the bathtub still has some issues. But I am starting to get caught up on laundry and last night, I even washed and dried the mats that had gotten soaked during the garage flood.

And then last night, after I’d gone to bed and Mark had gotten home from work, I was abruptly woken up by him saying, “We’ve got big trouble.” That couldn’t be good, right?

No, it wasn’t good.

Apparently, he’d been sitting in the living room when he heard a GUSH! The best we could tell, at 11:30 at night, is that our water heater was spewing water into our crawl space. He went outside and looked into the crawl space and sure enough, it was full of water. (Side note: Our A/C and heater are in the crawl space, so they don’t work and sometimes break when the crawl space gets flooded. Found that out on one of the coldest days of winter a couple years ago.) So, he got out our sump pump, realized he needed a different hose to hook it up, went to Walmart to buy the hose, hooked it up and finally went to bed around 2 a.m.

He’s called the plumber today and they’re supposed to come out and see what the problem is. We probably need a new water heater, and I’m just hoping that we don’t have water damage in the walls or anything.

The good news, Mark tells me, is that we might be able to get a different type of water heater that would allow us to knock out a wall in our bathroom and make it bigger.

Right. Another project. That’s the good news?

Finding the Cure for Cancer

This Friday, September 12, my family will be walking as a team in Kansas City's Light the Night Walk for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

The organization is close to my heart for several reasons. One, I worked there and know firsthand the good work they do. Not only do they raise money for research, trying to find a cure and put an end to blood cancers (leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma), but they also provide outstanding patient services at the local level to those living with blood cancers, including financial aid, support groups and educational programs.

The second reason I walk in Light the Night is that my grandpa died of leukemia 15 years ago, and sadly, the stats haven't changed much since then. Despite the good work that the Society has done, hundreds of thousands of people are still diagnosed with blood cancers every year. Treatment and understanding of the diseases have improved, but still, every 10 minutes, someone dies from a blood cancer.

Light the Night is a nationwide fundraising event that celebrates and commemorates lives touched by cancer. Participants walk along a 2-3 mile course while carrying illuminated balloons – white for survivors, red for supporters and gold for teams walking in memory of a loved one.

My hope – and the hope of everyone who walks in Light the Night – is that someday, we will no longer have a reason for this event. If you’d like to join the fight against blood cancers, you can donate to my team here. Every dollar counts – so a BIG THANK YOU to anyone who can help!

Two Thumbs Up

Smart People – I never saw a promo for this movie in theater, but I saw a commercial for it being out on DVD. So when Smitty and I decided to rent a movie on Friday night, this was my choice. (She’d already seen Nim’s Island, and we agreed that for various reasons, What Happens in Vegas would be just too terrible to watch.)

Overall, it was good. There was some weirdness between an adult character and a child character that I could have done without. And it definitely took the slow and steady wins the race attitude. I wouldn’t quite say “plodding,” but fast-paced it was not. However, we laughed a lot during the movie, even though it focused on serious topics (a family of “smart people” trying to learn how to live again after losing their mother).

I will say that I worry a bit about Ellen Page. Her character in this movie was not much different, personality-wise, as her character in Juno. You all know how much I loved Juno, so that’s not a criticism. I just hope she doesn’t get stuck playing only one type of character. Have you all seen her in any other movies?

21 – I liked this one a lot. My husband had told me about this story a long time ago; apparently there’s a book about it and I think he saw something on ESPN. I wasn’t overly enthused about this; we were disappointed with Lucky You, another gambling movie we saw a while back, and I was afraid 21 would be similar.

I’m happy to say I was wrong. This movie was really good. It didn’t drag out the actual gambling scenes (like they did in the last James Bond movie), and it didn’t go overboard with the slick editing and plot reveals (like they do – a bit – in the Oceans 11 movies). And the thing I most appreciated – the characters didn’t behave like they belonged in trashy CW shows. Sure, the characters started enjoying the money they were making, and they made some bad choices. But they didn’t act ridiculous – instead, I think they acted just like kids their age would act if they suddenly found themselves “printing money.”

And on top of all that, there really is a good moral to the story about losing yourself and your priorities by associating with the wrong people and placing value on the wrong things.

I could say more, but I don’t want to give away anything for those of you who want to watch it. I’ll just say, in response to a question asked in the movie: yes, 21, you dazzled me.

Aruba, Jamaica, Ooohh, I Wanna Take Ya...

Being responsible is not always the fun thing to do.

I realize that’s an obvious statement, but it needed to be said. I want to celebrate my 30th birthday and our 10th anniversary by going to an all-inclusive resort in Jamaica. Is that asking too much?

Okay, so maybe it is. At least, it is when you have too much debt and want to someday (soon?) buy a bigger house and have more kids. And when you want to travel to another city to take weekend classes to change your career. And when you're trying to be a better steward of all that God has blessed you with.

[Insert heavy, dramatic, unnecessary sigh here.]

So, instead, I’m looking at San Diego. There’s still a beach. And lots of fun things to do. And oh yeah, it would cost about $1000 less than Jamaica! Has anyone else been to San Diego before?

I have an update on the woman whose car broke down in front of us in the drive-thru lane…

It turns out…she works with my husband!! Is that not too crazy?!

He thought he recognized her as the new security guard at work. So he finally asked her yesterday and sure enough, it was her. He said she wasn’t apologetic or embarrassed. Nope, she just said she’d been having a bad day, her stupid car breaks down when it overheats, and oh yeah, she had three screaming kids in the car with her.

Three children.

For the record, we heard screaming, but it was coming out of her mouth.

The weirdest part – to me – is that my husband was wearing his work uniform when he approached her car to help. Sure, he’s one of many who wear that uniform, but it’s odd that she didn’t even notice. Or if she did notice, she didn’t even consider that she might be screaming profanity at a co-worker. Or if she did consider that, she didn’t care.

The whole thing makes me think of a song that always makes me smile anyway. And now, I think it’s the only response I have to this situation. I’ll just sing what I think: “How bizarre!”

Finally – a step forward in my journey to becoming an editor. I’m going to Nashville next month to visit some friends, and I’ve been hoping to set up an informational interview with someone at one of the four Christian publishing houses there. I e-mailed someone at my first choice, Thomas Nelson, but never heard back. (Boo!) Then I read that my previous fourth choice, Abingdon Press, is developing a new fiction line. (Yay!) So, I contacted the editor in charge of that new department. And what do you know, but that woman e-mailed me back right away!

Unfortunately, she says she became an editor 30 years ago, so she wouldn’t be the best person to give me advice.

BUT, she told me about an online course that other editors have taken. AND, she referred me to a freelance company that might be able to help me get started in the industry. (BIG yay!!)

So, this goes back to my comments about a goal without a plan just being a wish. I’m trying to move forward and have a plan and actually DO this thing. But, it’s a slow process. And, I won’t deny, really scary. But, I’ve taken a step.

Next goal: sign up for that online course and contact the freelance company!