I just realized that its been 6 weeks since I last blogged. Holy shit, 6 weeks! In that time, I got a new(er) car and a new computer (thank you tax money!!) have been on “staycation” with my entire family and didnt kill any of them, and discovered World of Warcraft. Needless to say, I’ve become absorbed in that. James has played for over a year, and was really into it. It caused also of friction between us. He finally wore me down and asked me to try it out. I liked it so much that I got an account and we play regularly. And we’ve been getting along very well. I suppose it gives us something to do together that we both like. I’m glad that there isn’t so much tension between us right now.
The boys are getting huge, once I get away from WoW long enough, I’ll download them and share.
For now though, I’m back to my game, I have to get my fishing and cooking up. If you need me you can find me on the Cairne server on the horde side! Until then….
So instead of doing what I should be doing - which is moving my old washer out of the house and washing the nasty ass floor that hasn’t seen water or soap in a long time - I’m on Facebook. Seriously, I think I love Facebook. It started out as something to connect with my family. I hate MySuck with a passion, and this seemed like a good alternative. I think it was Florida Sister that invited me. Then I started to find people from my dad’s family. My maiden name is so unusual that if I find someone with that last name, there is no doubt that we are related somehow. When my dad was alive, he didn’t keep in touch with alot of the members of HIS father’s family. I believe that my grandparents nasty divorce had alot to do with that, not to mention that people just didn’t get divorced in the 40’s and 50’s. So its been interesting to make those family connections.
THEN, I started connecting with people that I had went to school with. I had already connected with some them via MySuck, and we added each other. And then there were more people that I went to school with that I ran across. There are alot of them that I went to GRADE school with. (We never went to middle or jr. high school, it was a K-8 school.) It’s been interesting to see how their lives have gone in the 20 plus years since we’ve last seen each other, to see their children. Wow, just WOW.
There’s the cancer survivor that I became friends with in the 4th grade when she moved to our area. She mentioned spending the night at my house and my mother pretty much letting us do whatever we wanted. My mom was the permissive mom and while I think that she let us get away with alot, there were things that she had no idea about. I was a sneaky bitch in my youth. OK, some things never change. But she’s a survivor and has 2 wonderful children to boot.
There’s the boy who I happen to share a birthday with. He’s 3 minutes older than me. We had combined birthday parties for a few years also. I bought him his first condoms and stuck them into a card for him. (Hurrah for safer sex!) He has 2 lovely children now, the oldest is the spitting image of him. He’s a cop now too. I wonder if he thinks of all of the drinking parties that we had as kids when he’s busting kids doing the exact same thing now.
There’s another boy that I would have classified as a nerd in grade and high school. He ran an underground newspaper in high school. I remember people passing it around one of my classes Junior year (before I left school formally) and I thought that it was very brave and also clever. He has 4 children which means that he got REALLY busy. Some woman found that nerdyness very sexy. It reminds me of the Revenge of the Nerds series - there’s going to be a hot girl that thinks a nerd is sexy as hell and ulitmately, Nerds do rule the world. (See Bill Gates and Steve Jobs, ya’ll. It’s true.)
There’s also the boy that I swore was the paste eater in school. I believe that we were in school from kindergarten through 8th grade. I was mean to him sometimes. I remember this because I got in trouble when his mom called my mom because of some mean thing I did. I wasn’t much older than 8. I was a shithead when I was a kid. He’s married now with 2 kids too. Does paste eating run in the family, I wonder? (See, I’m still an asshole.)
Then the groups of people that joined a group that got started for the grade school that I went to. Getting a brief glimpse into their current lives. Some of these are people that went to school with Local and Boston Sisters too. Its been interesting to say the least.
Then there’s me. The one with a bazillion bad kids and is the permissive mom. Oh Jeesus Cripes on a cracker - I have become my mother. I don’t have a career per se, unless you can call waitressing a career. I can’t imagine being as old as Flo from Al’s diner and waiting tables still. Maybe when I grow up, I’ll have a career. (Remember that I’ll be 35 this year, I’m thinking that I might qualify as grown up now. Bad news for that grown up career ya’ll.) And all of the crazy shit that I’ve done as a child, I still do in one form or another now. I think I’m mentally stunted at 14.
The internet is an amazing place people. It’s the great time waster of my life anyways. Finding out what the people that I grew up with and seeing what they’ve been up to has been an amazing experience. It’s also jogged my memory of events that I thought that I forgot. I was friends with all different kinds of people, but I though I never REALLY fit in to any particular group. Yes, I’ve always been an odd duck, but I think that most of you know that already. Facebook has given me an interesting prespective on my life, then and now. Some things (and people) stay the same, and sometimes they change, but at the core of it - people never REALLY change, they just get older.
Rules: Once you’ve been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it’s because I want to know more about you.
(To do this, go to “notes” under tabs on your profile page, paste these instructions in the body of the note, type your 25 random things, tag 25 people (in the right hand corner of the app) then click publish.)
I have 4 sons. The first 3 are from my first marriage, the youngest is mine with James and is his only biological child.
I am done having children. When people ask me if I want to try for a girl, I look at them like they are insane, because really? FIVE kids? Um, no. Not to mention, I’m so used to looking at boy parts, what in the hell would I DO with a girl.
I have had a daughter. She died when she was 2 days old. I was 17 at the time and living in Arizona.
I grew up in Berwyn, Illinois. I left for good when I was 19.
I haven’t been back to Chicagoland in 5 years. I have no desire to go back either. Even for the Bears.
I have lived in Berwyn, Illinois; Tucson, Arizona; Cicero, Illinois; a short stay outside of Minneapolis, Minnesota; Clayton, Georgia; Memphis, TN and now Southaven, Mississippi. I have moved more times than I care to count.
My favorite and most easiest way to move is using trash bags. I wish that I still could do that when I have to move again.
I have been to 38 different states. I have also been to Mexico and Canada.
I have RENTED the house that I live in currently for 10 years. When I think of what I have paid in rent over the past 10 years, I am sick because I could have BOUGHT this house. Hell any house – but I was stupid and didn’t buy when I had the chance to. Now my credit is all messed to hell so it doesn’t matter.
I met James on Yahoo Personals. The first time he contacted me, I shot him down because I was seeing someone else. When he saw that I was back active on the site, he contacted me again. I figured anyone that was that persistent should get a shot. We’ve been together ever since.
James and I are complete opposites. This isn’t a bad thing per se, but it does keep life interesting.
I was raised Catholic. I’m not anything now. I’m not saying that I don’t believe in a higher power, but I don’t subscribe to a specific religion. There have been to many bad things that people have done in the name of their “religion,” Christianity included.
I work in a casino, but hate to gamble. I can’t see me working my ass off and then giving it BACK to the company I work for. I work too damn hard for my money.
I hate people who come up with excuses not to tip. Seriously, don’t be an ass about it, just don’t tip. Just remember, you’re in a casino and the Karma Gods WILL get you.
When I go out, I usually tip at LEAST 25%. If something is wrong, I talk to the manager, but I still tip. You’d be amazed at how much the server DOESN’T have control over.
I still talk to the 2 best friends that I have from my school days. One, Colleen, I have known since I was in 7th grade (23 years for those of you counting.) The other, Molly, since freshman year of high school (21 years.)
I have smoked for 23 years. This is more that HALF of my life. I want to quit, but don’t know if I can.
I’m addicted to Mountain Dew. It used to be Pepsi, but I have found Mt. Dew to be the nectar of the Gods. I also like coffee, but it has to have vanilla creamer or be a vanilla latte.
My alcohol of choice is bourbon. It used to be tequila. Brown liquor is Satan in large quantities. Don’t ask, just trust me.
I play Second Life. That might make me a geek, but I don’t care. At least there, I am hot!
I also blog. I talk about just about everything that goes on in my life. I do it because I like to hear myself talk. And no one is safe from me talking about them LOL.
I am the oldest of 5 children. I have 3 sisters and 1 brother. I also have 2 nephews and 2 nieces.
If I were to win the lottery - after buying the requisite home, new cars and helping out the family - I’d buy a tour bus, hire a driver, nanny/teacher and travel the United States with my kids (and James) for at least a year.
But before I did this, I’d go back to work for a few days. I’d tell everyone, from management to my coworkers to the guests EXACTLY what I thought of them. I guarantee you, security would have to escort me out once I was done. Hell, I’d be able to afford the bail and the attorney to get me out of jail.
I’ve never been arrested as an adult. I was arrested once when I was 13 for underage drinking at a friend’s house though. I got to ride in the paddy wagon. I didn’t get put in a cell though.
I’m not tagging anyone, because I hate these things. So do it if you want to.
My First Blogger Internets friend, Aunt Becky, had a little girl yesterday. This newest resident to this rock we call Earth has a fluid filled cyst on the back of her head. Today, she had to have an MRI and is now on the way to the NICU for observation. Say a prayer, send some mojo, thoughts, hell do a “please be nothing dance” if you are so inclined. Stop by Becky’s place and offer her some encouragement and love. Please, for me?
If you were a fly on the wall in my house yesterday morning at around 10:45 am CST, you would have seen a family with 4 boys sitting on the couch, all together and quiet, watching history being made. Yes, I chose to keep my boys home to watch the inauguration. I suppose I should clarify that even if McCain/Palin won, I would have done the exact same thing. Either way, we were witnesses to history. More than anything, when they remember this day, I want them to remember that we were together.
We started to watch about an hour before the actual swearing in, but it gave us the opportunity to see former and current leaders of our country and talk about who they were. It was like a live American History lesson. Eleven and I did most of the talking, with Six, Five and Two playing in the background. For Eleven, it was seeing the real people that he has only read about in his Social Studies book. We watched Former Presidents Carter, Bush Sr., and Clinton make their way in to see Barack Obama take the oath of office that they did once upon a time. We talked about the Supreme Court justices and their role in the government, and the checks and balances system of the 3 branches of government - Executive, Legislative and Judicial. At one point, Eleven said, “Mom, we haven’t talked about all of this stuff in Social Studies yet.” Glad to know that my tax dollars are at work, heh. Then again, I LOVE American History, history of all kinds actually. If I didn’t have that little issue of not liking kids that aren’t mine, I would have made a great history teacher.
By the Grace of Bob, as Joe Biden was taking the Vice Presidental oath, all of the boys settled down and became silent, even Two. Once President Obama took the oath (side note: smooth moves there Justice Roberts. Next time, please bring along the oath on a piece of paper, you overachiever ), I quietly told my boys, that they would remember this moment for the rest of their lives. Much like when people remember where they were when they heard about 9/11 (I was in a CK’s Coffee Shop parking lot for the record) or when the Challenger Space Shuttle blew up (6th grade Reading class) or for my parents generation, when JFK was shot. It’s just something that you will never forget, a defining moment of a generation.
We live in an area of the country that is still to this day, very racially charged. When you live just south of Memphis and North of the Mississippi Delta, sadly, you can’t get away from it. Unfortunately, even if you don’t want it to be, its there.
Barack Obama said in his speech, “We are shaped by every language and culture, drawn from every end of this Earth; and because we have tasted the bitter swill of civil war and segregation, and emerged from that dark chapter stronger and more united, we cannot help but believe that the old hatreds shall someday pass; that the lines of tribe shall soon dissolve; that as the world grows smaller, our common humanity shall reveal itself; and that America must play its role in ushering in a new era of peace.” (emphasis is mine) I believe that this is so true, especially with my children’s generation. On Monday night, when I asked the boys WHY the inauguration was so historical, Eleven responded with, “Because we are swearing in the 44th president.” He didn’t even see the color of Barack Obama’s skin, just that he was going to be sworn in as the 44th president. THAT my friends was the message of Dr. King.
“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
My children are the generation that is making that dream come true my friends. They are the ones that are letting the seeds of old hatreds die. That gives me hope for the future. And I get to be apart of it. How awesome is that?
Is it wrong to keep my kids home from school tomorrow to watch the inauguration? I know that some schools are letting the students watch it, but I haven’t heard anything from our school. I don’t want them to miss a historical moment. I’ve also got Dr’s notes for all of them for tomorrow (don’t ask peeps, I’ve got a great therapist.)
How was everyone’s New Year? My turned out alright, I made it home at 11:59 and 30 seconds and was able to ring in the new year with my family. I still have a job, but that’s another post in itself.
OK The game - Let’s make up some catagories that I can use because honestly, the list is getting way too long over there on the left hand side (for those of you that are reading this at the actual blog, and not LJ.) and I rather be able to use just a handful of categories for my posts.
Happy New Year to all of you! I’ll be celebrating the same way that I did last year - working. Which is to say that I won’t be celebrating. Instead I’ll be dispensing alcoholic beverages to the new years partiers. Have one for me, willya? And please don’t drink and drive.
My 2008 recap is this - it sucked. Don’t let the door hit you in the ass on the way out 2008.
Here’s to a much better new year. A fresh start in 2009 for all of us!
This is the only picture that we have of the 6 of us since Two was born in 2006. One of these days we will get our butts to get some real pictures made. But for now, I’ll take this
Two and Five. They both had such a blast tearing into the gifts that Santa left them. (Note the lovely artwork that they have left on my walls.) Six with his Game Boy Micro. Santa scored big this year at GameStop with their used electronics. He even made sure to insure them. Santa is a smart cookie. Eleven with one of his DS games. He liked everything that he got this year. In fact, he’s upstairs now building the Magnetix Roller Coaster he got.
I’ve got some aspiring rockstars in my house. I Santa is pretty darned awesome, if I say so myself. He went to GameStop and got this Christmas Eve afternoon. It was a total impulse purchase, but my his only one of the season.
All of the kids love Guitar Hero. Two LOVES the drums and all of the other boys are really talented on the guitar. I’m going to have to get another guitar and one of them is going to HAVE to learn how to play the drums. Then they can all play together. Since James and I seem to be the only ones that know most of the words to the songs, we were the delegated Lead Singers. Yeah, we suck LOL.
All in all, it was a very nice holiday. Everyone was happy with their presents. Christmas Eve with my family was good. No one got maimed or bled, so in my eyes it was a success.
), I quietly told my boys, that they would remember this moment for the rest of their lives. Much like when people remember where they were when they heard about 9/11 (I was in a CK’s Coffee Shop parking lot for the record) or when the Challenger Space Shuttle blew up (6th grade Reading class) or for my parents generation, when JFK was shot. It’s just something that you will never forget, a defining moment of a generation.
This is the only picture that we have of the 6 of us since Two was born in 2006. One of these days we will get our butts to get some real pictures made. But for now, I’ll take this 
Six with his Game Boy Micro. Santa scored big this year at GameStop with their used electronics. He even made sure to insure them. Santa is a smart cookie.
Eleven with one of his DS games. He liked everything that he got this year. In fact, he’s upstairs now building the Magnetix Roller Coaster he got.
