Karen West Thinks Out Loud

Let's try to tidy up our email inboxes...

2008-05-06T17:15:00.003-04:00

Everyday I delete several emails from people I like. And some from people I love. Why? It ain't cuz I don't like 'em anymore. It's cuz they done forwarded me some of them email hoaxes and chain letters that's been floating around the internet since before Al Gore invented it.

Word to the wise. If ya read an email that gets yer britches in a twist, chances are...it ain't real.

As a rule of thumb, I ALWAYS use snopes, urban legends and/or hoax-slayer to check the validity of an email forward that is touted as truth. MOST of the time I'll find that the contents of the email is nothing more than crap and I will email the person who sent the forward with a link to the real story. It's my way of trying to tidy up our email inboxes. If we ALL would do the same thing, we might be able to make a small but significant difference.

Here are a few examples for ya. Click on the links to get the real stories:

Radio Stations Declined To Play Diamond Rio's "In God We Trust" Because Of It's Subject Matter.

Missing Child Evan Trembley

Cancer Info From Johns Hopkins Hoax Email

If you have a friend that keeps sending you that dusty old crap you've seen a million times, you have my permission to send him a link to this blog, cuz I have a message for him:

Ya BIG DUMMY!

Hope this helps you out. Heck, I hope it helps ME out!

I need to go back to deletin' now.

Love ya!

They're here! They're HERE!

2008-04-22T13:31:00.002-04:00

The bird eggs in my husband's motorcycle helmet have HATCHED!!!!! FIVE baby birds! AWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! I want to take a pic of them, but momma bird looks like she could whoop my butt 9 ways to Sunday. And my husband ain't getting near it. Momma bird laid down the law to him too. So we're still trying to find somebody brave enough to get the picture without disturbing the nest.

My best friend Tammy. Yeah. That's the ticket. If I promise to make her a big pan of rice pudding, she'll defy death. So, I'll give her a call this afternoon.

Momma bird may end up putting Tammy in traction, but we'll have a pic the next time I post.

Oh mah gawd! Tidy Cats!

2008-04-16T18:16:00.004-04:00

The new Tidy Cat's commercial is hilarious! The one with the woman who talks baby talk to her three little felines and they are trying to figure out what the heck she is saying? That one? Have ya seen it? No? Here ya go:

Ya know? I had to wonder. What is my cat Sharkbait thinking whenever one of us starts acting the fool? So...just for fun, my daughter Gabby and I tried this little experiment:

Okay, so it was embellished a bit. I'm sure if this was for real, we'd need a 10 second delay for Sharkbait. She'd probably make Ron White blush.

That was my fun for today. Until next time.

(No cats were harmed physically in the making of this video. However, she may need therapy now.)

How you know your bike has been in the garage too long!

2008-04-13T12:07:00.005-04:00

Well, spring has sprung. Unfortunately, my husband and I have had way too many rainy days to take the Harleys out for a spin. Plus, whenever there has been a good day thrown in the mix, one of us is at the job.

Anyhoo, here it is a beautiful Sunday. We're both off, and my best friend and her husband are ready to ride too.

My husband has pulled both of the bikes out of the garage to give them a nice little cleaning.

It's going to be a good day, right?

Well, just one small little hitch....

My husband grabbed his helmet and got a little surprise....

That's right ladies and gentlemen...a bird had set up housekeeping! And she's expecting too!

That's his FAVORITE HELMET!!!!!

What to do, WHAT TO DO! Well I told him he couldn't disturb the little family so he'll just have to wear another helmet.

Sad face.

"Well, you can't just kick her out, honey!"

He gave me that look like he was smellin' bad cheese. "It wouldn't be so funny if it were YOUR helmet."

"Nope." I said. That's why I keep MINE in the house!

Doofus.

I'll let you know when the babies are born.

TAGGED! You learn something new everyday.

2008-04-05T22:39:00.010-04:00

Today I checked my favorite messageboard "Gumbo Ya-Ya" to see if I had any shout outs. I don't usually get a whole lot of them, but today I got one from one of my favoritest posters "Cabana Boy."

He said, "I have tagged your blog for a meme. This is new stuff for me, so feel free to ignore it if you wish... but thought you ought to know so it isn't a surprise."

Well, the first thing I thought when I saw the word "tagged" was, "Tagged? What's that mean? Did I do something wrong? Did I write something obscene or something???" So I read through my thoughts again and saw that I had indeed written something obscene. "Wheatgrass juice!" That's right. The stuff that the Backstreet Boys claim is good for you. Then I thought, "Oh...mah...gawd! I'm going to blogger hell for that."

Seriously, I didn't know what being "tagged for a meme" meant and I wasn't going to come right out and ask Cabana because I didn't want him to think I was a dork. So I looked it up. It's actually something GOOD. Whew. I dodged a bullet.

So, in short, being tagged for a meme means: somebody likes your blog. COOL!

So it's my turn to tag those I blogs I love!

And here's how we say thank you for the honor:

1. Link back to the person who tagged you.
2. Post these rules on your blog.
3. Share six unimportant things about yourself.
4. Tag six random people at the end of your entry.

Well, I've done the first two already...so here's the unimportant stuffs about me:

1. I'm a packrat when it comes to memories. I save little things that remind me of good times. Like a receipt, a letter, a card, etc. And I put them in pretty little boxes. If I have a particularly sad day, I pull a box out of the closet and look through all of the memories.

2. Every time I color my hair, it comes out some shade of red. Doesn't matter what color I use. Doesn't matter if I strip it and start from scratch...it's always some shade of red. It's my destiny to be a redhead.

3. I'm addicted to Tru-TV. (formerly Court TV). Love Forensic Files, The Investigators, and the Case Files of Dale Hinman.

4. I can't even go to the bathroom without all of the pets following me! Seriously. They're spoiled rotten. They think I'm going to go somewhere without them.

5. If I knew he could win, I'd vote for Earl Hickey for President.

6. The big question going through my mind right now is this: "What the heck happened to Victoria Principal's face???"

Now, it's time to tag my faves!

DixiePeach She brings up some notalgia that triggers some happy thoughts!
Midlife Ramblings, Sanity Optional I can identify!
Adventures of the Coconuter He has been places I've only dreamed of going.
Because I Said So! The funniest mommy blog I ever read in my life!
Olga, The Traveling Bra Very uplifting.
Thoughts From The Corner Office My boss. He hasn't written much, but he's got good stuff! I look forward to his new posts. I know, I know...y'all think I'm kissin' butt. Normally, that would be true...but since he's my boss and has known me for years, the old kissin' butt thing don't work with him. Anyway, I have to give him even more kudos because his blog doesn't have any typos. You should read his memos, though. Those are murder!

So, there are my 6 for good readin'!

Thank you for the honor Cabanaboy I enjoy your Michael stories! Keep 'em comin'!

Stuffs

2008-04-02T13:13:00.004-04:00

First of all, I want to go on record and say that I am glad that stupid April Fool's Day is OVER. I got punked twice. Was caught off guard both times...and was very busy both times so I was not prepared. Anyhoo, next year, I'm going into seclusion for a day!

I feel better now.

Now...Trace Adkins on Celebrity Apprentice. Even though Piers won (because he raised more money), Trace was the most entertaining on the finale in my opinion. And maaaaaaaaaaaan, was he calm with those Backstreet Boys. If I were in his shoes, I would have handled them a LOT differently. "Wheatgrass juice? To clean you out? HERE, drink this prune juice and LIKE it, k? Nobody gets special treatment around here!" You can tell I'm somebody's mom. LOL.

And black nail polish? I would have just gone through my make-up basket and offered them a pretty pink. "Here...wear this and LIKE it. Nobody gets special treatment, 'round here...ya hear?"

And then I'd take away their computers and Ipods and TV privileges. Okay, they are not my kids...but like what Trace says, "They still callin' themselves BOYS?" Yeah, they'd be grounded.

Here's the best highlight from the finale. I just had to include it here. TRACE, YOU ROCK!

Root for Trace TONIGHT!!!!!

2008-03-27T13:18:00.003-04:00

Check out the two hour finale of "Celebrity Apprentice" tonight on NBC starting at 8 pm. It's down to the final two! Our cowboy Trace Atkins and Simon Cowell wannabe Piers Morgan!

The winner will receive a $250,000 check for his favorite charity.

Trace's charity is FAAN (Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network).

The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) was established in 1991. FAAN's membership now stands at close to 30,000 worldwide and includes families, dietitians, nurses, physicians, school staff, and representatives from government agencies and the food and pharmaceutical industries. FAAN serves as the communication link between the allergic patient and others. The Food Allergy & Anaphylaxis Network (FAAN) is the largest charity in the U.S. dedicated to helping and advocating for the 12 million Americans with food allergy. Trace's 6-year old daughter had a severe, life-threatening reaction to peanut butter when she was just 9 months old, an experience Trace called "terrifying." FAAN has played an instrumental role in the lives of families like Trace's and thousands more across the US.

GO TRACE!!!!!

Pics from my vacation to Ocracoke Island, NC!

2008-03-27T10:45:00.027-04:00

Granted, they're kinda crummy cuz I forgot my REAL camera and used my camera phone. But my camera-phone pics aren't near as stinky as John Shomby's. Here's yer proof right here! At least you can make out what I was attempting to capture! Anyhoo, here ya go!

From our visit to the Blackbeard Museum. The wax big dummy is almost handsome like Johnny Depp's Capt. Jack Sparrow. Unfortunately, that can't be said for the real Blackbeard. All accounts say that he was a yukky stinky smelly kind of guy and folks often begged him to bathe if he was gonna hang out on the island. But he wouldn't. Would take away from his pirate mystique, ya know. He probably stunk so bad that folks willingly handed over their booty just to get the boy to move upwind. And we hear that his breath could kill seagrass forever. Too bad there weren't Tic-Tacs in those days. ARRRRRRRRRRRG!!! Yeah, okay...moving on.

Here are some beautiful pics of the marina just before a big thunderstorm was supposed to roll through. BIG emphasis on the word "supposed", okay? The wind kicked up, the sky looked threatening and we ran like mad women back to the room before we could get our hair wet. And all we got were two drops. All that exercise for nothing??? What a tease.

If you look closely, you can see the lighthouse at sunset. This was the view from our deck. Actually, it was MUCH closer and prettier than the pic shows. But once again, ahhh the woes of a camera-phone. Still, my pic doesn't suck like John Shomby's.

My daughter Laura asked why I kept taking pictures of this cat. I told her I've been coming to Ocracoke for over 10 years and I have enough pics of that danged lighthouse. So, meet Zack the Ocracat. Legend says that the first Ocracat came over on Blackbeard's pirate ship and all of the cats who run free on the island are decendents of that cat.
Anyhow, Zack "works" at the hotel where we stayed. He is "Guest Greeter" as you can see here. He may be pirate cat decendent, but his breath ain't kickin' like Blackbeard's.

This is my daughter Laura trying on a sweet hat at "The Pirate's Chest." I think she looks fabulous in it and I don't know why she wouldn't let me buy it for her. Oh well, just for THAT, I'm going to tell you a funny story about her.
This happened on the day we were coming back from Ocracoke. Anyway, we were in line waiting for the next ferry. Laura decided to take a potty break before the ferry arrived. As she got out of the car, she quickly realized that she had forgotten to WEAR HER BELT because when she stood up, her pants dropped to her knees and there she stood, wearing a pair of red boxer shorts with hearts all over them. The lady behind us laughed so hard, I thought she was gonna fall out of her van. Of course I had to call my best friend to share this little gem!!! Too bad I didn't have the camera-phone ready to roll when this happened because you KNOW I would have posted it.

Laura now thinks that maybe she should have let mom buy her that goofy hat.

Need Creative Ideas!

2008-03-17T10:51:00.017-04:00

I need Easter basket help. You see, the Easter Bunny does NOT visit anybody over the age of 15, so I am stuck with the grueling job of doing HIS job for my daughters. (Wish I liked rabbit stew.) Last year, I was a very boring Easter Bunny. (And I've spent months after easter picking up that plastic green grass off the floor and furniture.) So I need help. This Saturday, I'm going out to buy things for my daughters easter baskets and I need creative ideas. Your help COULD win you a $100 gift card from K-Mart. (read rules at end of this blog.)

Keep in mind that I have OLDER children. 21, 19 and 16. And they swear they still believe in the Easter Bunny. (And Santa and the tooth fairy...blah, blah, blah. They'll say anything to keep getting presents. They're just like their momma!)

Can you help me come up with some creative ideas?

Here is a little bit about each girl:

Laura (21): Doesn't wear make-up (she's just a pretty girl. I don't think any of my girls need make-up...but two of them wear it.) Occasionally, she will wear a clear lip gloss. She doesn't wear jewelry either. She loves Harry Potter, she loves to read, PERIOD. She's a Monty Python and Johnny Depp fan. She adores striped knee socks and sandals (worn together) and t-shirts with funny sayings on them. She also draws. Mostly anime and she is extremely talented.

Allie (19): Loves to wear make-up. The more, the better. Wears her hair up most of the time. Listens to all types of music, mostly rock, but likes Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift. She likes big earrings...and a lot of bling. Loves funny looking bedroom slippers and pajamas...and scary movies. She's a "Sun Chip" addict.

Gabby (16): Wears make-up sometimes. She has to be in a mood. Loves hoodie sweatshirts, jeans and funky shoes...but has been known to wear dress up in pink occasionally (for her Aunt Ginni.) Is addicted to her I-Pod. She also loves fun jewelry. Mostly chunky big jewelry. Is an avid reader of teen fantasy books. Along the same lines as Harry Potter.

All THREE of them love those little marshmallow PEEPS. (Not to EAT...those things are just GROSS! And they have a shelf-life of FOREVER.) They dress them up and take pictures for their myspace pages.

All three are chocoholics like mom. Laura and Allie like the Cadbury eggs. (That commercial sold them years ago.) Gabby loves "Robin Eggs." We've still got 10 year old jellybeans. They will eat "Jelly Bellies" but jellybeans are reserved for decorating "Peeps." (They say regular jellybeans are yukky too.)

Okay, so there you go. Some clues about my daughters. I need some great creative ideas to put in the Easter baskets. I want the girls to either say "I've got the coolest mom in the world" or I want them to laugh themselves silly! (We love to laugh). I will take all 5 emails out with me on Saturday, March 22nd and do my shopping!

Send your creative ideas to karen@eagle97.com with a phone number where you can be reached. I will choose one in the 12 o'clock hour today through Friday. The one I choose will win a $100 gift card from K-Mart! Send your entries now to karen@eagle97.com. (contest open to Hampton Roads and surrounding areas only. Must be 18 or over. See contest rules at www.eagle97.com)

Thanks in advance for your help!

Note: I will be on vacation from 3/19 thru 3/25. I will still have access to my email and will still choose one during this contest week. Amanda Meadows will be sitting in for me during my vacation and I will be calling her with the winner of the day!

Edited 3/27/08

Congratulations to all of our winners this week!!!! Keep listening for more cool contests like this one on 97-3 The Eagle!!!!

BIG DUMMIES! GRRRRR....

2008-03-14T10:41:00.004-04:00

I'm gonna let it all hang out here. I'm annoyed and pretty darn hot about this.

The past two days, I have taken a little detour from my long roadtrip to the studio to treat myself to a Starbucks Venti Skinny Vanilla Latte. I took Harpersville Road going past Peninsula Catholic High School as the route to my nearest drive-thru Starbucks. What has happened to me in the past two days should NEVER HAPPEN...EVER! At the time of my commute, the speed limits near schools are dropped to 25 mph. (if the big dummies I am about to refer to are reading this, THAT means SLOW THE HECK DOWN! PRECIOUS CARGO ARRIVING AT SCHOOL! C'mon Flashing lights, the whole nine yards....get a clue!) Speed limit on Harpersville's two lane road is 35 anyway. I was going about 38, maybe 40 in the 35. And for TWO MORNINGS IN A ROW, SOME idiot was in a big hurry to get NOWHERE. Rode my bumper down that two lane road. When the speed limit dropped in the school zone, I dropped to 25. STILL had that somebody riding my bumper...I mean SO CLOSE, I could get a back massage!!!! I was seriously afraid that if I had to stop, my car would get totaled by the moron behind me. Yesterday it was a small Honda, today it was an older blue truck. What part of SCHOOL ZONE did they not get??? To top it off, that is only one of THREE school zones on that small stretch of road.

Once they saw a chance, both of these idiots managed to cross a double yellow line and squealed tires to get around me. STILL in the school zone! Did I mention yellow lights flashing...signs everywhere???? I've got a daughter in school myself. I don't care if the person riding my bumper does NOT have children...the law applies to EVERYONE! I can only pray that they were caught before the next school zone.

I am SO MAD I could spit nails!!!! And if this makes you angry too, feel free to post a comment on this blog entry. I'm not a cop so I can't do anything about it on the road...but I can sure make an example out of them here.

Okay...Guess who else is a "Hannah Montana" fan...

2008-03-13T11:22:00.001-04:00

Of course my daughter Gabby is. But this is ridiculous.

The family dog. I'm mortified.

Thank you so much!

2008-03-13T10:24:00.003-04:00

Thank you for all of your prayers for my daughter. Her thyroid medication has been adjusted and she seems to be doing okay. Her doctor plans to release her from the hospital today, but will be doing frequent follow-ups to make sure the medication is working as it should.

During the three days that Laura was in the hospital, my family, friends and I have come together to help care for her nearly 3 year old daughter (my sweet grandbaby) Jade. She has been so much fun, but I do have to admit, I almost forgot what it was like to care for a little one! They are so BUSY BUSY! Which kept ME busy-busy! Jade's a very happy little one and loves to giggle. With the worry we've been through in the last few days, Jade's little giggles were a big blessing.

Jade is visiting with my crazy friend Tammy today...and Tammy has three cats! Well, Jade LOVES cats! Right now, she is having so much fun with cat toys that it's easy to figure out what to get her for her 3rd birthday next month! Rubber mice and cat tunnels! Nana gets off cheap this year! LOL!

Prayers needed...

2008-03-12T11:09:00.002-04:00

My daughter Laura is in the hospital right now and we're unsure when she is coming home. She is 21 years old...was diagnosed with thyroid disease when she was 14. She has been on medication since her diagnosis, however, she has had serious problems lately. Please send your prayers for my daughter's recovery. It's a very rough road for us right now.

Thank you so much.

Martina In Concert on WHRO!

2008-03-11T12:04:00.003-04:00

Tomorrow night at 8 pm as part of WHRO's fundraiser, they will be broadcasting Great Performances “Martina McBride: Live in Concert.” Between 8 and 10, I will be co-hosting the fundraiser and during the concert, WHRO will be offering some great Martina incentives including concert tickets to her show October 5 at the Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach Amphitheater. (Tickets for her VB concert will not be on sale until later in the year.)

Pledge your allegiance. Support Public Television! Join me tomorrow night (Wednesday March 12th) for Great Performances, Martina McBride: Live In Concert on WHRO channel 15...at 8 pm.

From WHRO and 97-3 The Eagle!!!!

Yep, sometimes "embracing change" is for the birds!

2008-03-11T11:09:00.007-04:00

Well, it seems that I'm not the only one with a grievance with "new chair." As of today, "new chair" officially sucks.

In the years I've known Jennifer Lewis, she has never ever complained about anything. Not even Jimmy Ray. That, my friends, is NERVES OF STEEL. I envy her sometime.

But today, Jen spoke her peace about "new chair." It ain't happening, no way...no how.
And you know how serious she is about it? She would rather sit in THIS chair! And she is. That's right. Sweet, precious Jennifer would rather sit in a beat up, taped up, falling apart at the seams, piece of crapola before she would ever consider sitting in "new chair" again.

Pretty sad, huh?

But alas, "new chair" is still in the studio and according to engineering, it must stay there. (Maaaaaaaaan, what did Jen do to reap such crummy Karma???)

Anyway, we have decided that we would give "new chair" to Jimmy Ray as a gift when he returns from his vacation. He doesn't read my blog...so don't nobody say nuthin', k? Just let him think we're thinking about him. Thank y'all!

"Embrace change."

2008-03-10T10:51:00.007-04:00

"Embrace change." That's a phrase I have heard time and time again. To me, "embrace change" means "Something's gonna happen and you probably ain't gonna like it, so suck it up and get over yourself." I haven't met too many people who don't cringe at the thought of "change." Some do well, others don't. For the most part, I do well with change. Not without kicking and screaming, but I do eventually adapt.

BUT...today, I'm going to kick and scream about a "change" I'm not willing to make!

Well, we had a very comfortable chair in the Eagle studio. A little old...it's been here for about 7 years, but nonetheless, very comfortable and still looked good.

Well, this morning, "old faithful" was NOT in the studio and replaced by a brand new chair.

I hate new chair. It's hard. It hurts my butt. I don't wanna embrace new chair. I wanna toss it. But I sit in it hoping I may come to love new chair. After an hour, I realized why Jombi stood up for his show this morning. It didn't get any better. My backside fell asleep and I had a heck of a time waking it up. I looked pretty ridiculous to passerbys.

So, I did what I had to do without causing a major catastrophe. I complained to our engineering department. Assistant Engineer John said old chair had a broken wheel and he just fixed it. Minutes later, he brought it back in the studio and now I'm sitting comfortably again.

New chair is still in the studio, though. Apparently it's JEN'S new chair. Sure hope she can "embrace change."

Rules For Grieving: Thank you Ya-Ya sisters.

2008-02-27T10:43:00.014-05:00

My heart has been particularly heavy the last few days. I've been thinking and praying for the parents of the two Menchville High School Students who lost their lives in a tragic car accident last weekend...and the parents of the two who are continuing to fight for their lives. As a parent myself, I'm crushed when my children are sick or have injured themselves. I could not help but feel a deep pain in my heart upon hearing of this story.

As one who has not lost children, but has lost SEVERAL family members in 2005, I am not a stranger to the grieving process. Even three years later, I still grieve. And through my own pain, I have also witnessed the pain that my former mother-in-law
(and best friend in the whole world) and my grandmother endure with the loss of their children. My grandmother has lost THREE of her four children (including my mother) and even though all three of my grandmother's children have died 28 years or more ago, it doesn't mean she should be through talking it out or having "moments." It's her right. I enjoy offering my ear to both of these precious women because through their memories, I am able to find peace myself.

I have found with some people in my life, it is hard for them to believe that we are not "over it" yet. I have learned quite a few valuable lessons during my own grieving process and from others who are learning to live again as well. The biggest lesson I learned is that we will NEVER get "over it." We will get through the best we can, but inevidably, our lives are changed forever.

There was a quote from the piece "The Mourner's Bill of Rights" posted on Gumbo Ya-Ya just a few days ago on a thread called "Rules of Grieving." Gumbo Girls Discuss Grieving. Those of us who posted on that thread agreed wholeheartedly that there are NO rules.

I managed to find the whole piece by Alan D. Wolfelt, Ph.D. and have posted it below. I'm surprised that I never knew anything about this piece until an excerpt was posted by my friends. Anyway, I hope it will help others find even a morsel of hope as it is helping me.

The Mourner's Bill of Rights

As a bereaved person, you have certain rights that others must not take away from you. In fact, it is the very upholding of these rights that makes healing possible.

1. You have the right to experience your own unique grief. No one else will grieve in exactly the same way you do. Don't allow others to tell you what you should or should not be feeling.

2. You have the right to talk about your grief. Talking about your grief will help you heal. Seek out others who will allow you to talk as much as you want, as often as you want, about your grief.

3. You have the right to feel a multitude of emotions. Confusion, disorientation, fear, guilt and relief are just a few of the emotions you might feel as part of your grief journey. Know that there is no such thing as a "wrong" emotion. Accept all your feelings and find listeners who will do the same.

4. You have the right to be tolerant of your physical and emotional limits. Your feelings of loss and sadness will probably leave you feeling fatigued. Respect what your body and mind are telling you. Get daily rest. Eat balanced meals. And don't allow others to push you into things you don't feel ready to do.

5. You have the right to experience grief "attacks." Sometimes, out of nowhere, a powerful surge of grief may overcome you. This can be frightening, but is normal and natural. Find someone who understands and will let you talk it out.

6. You have the right to make use of ritual. The funeral ritual provides you with the support of caring people. More important, it supportively sees you off on your painful but necessary grief journey. Later rituals such as lighting a candle for the person who died, can also be healing touchstones. If others tell you that rituals such as these are silly or unnecessary, don't listen.

7. You have the right to embrace your spirituality. If faith is a part of your life, express it in ways that seem appropriate to you. Allow yourself to be around people who understand and support your religious beliefs. If you feel angry at God, find someone to talk with who won't be critical of your feelings of hurt and abandonment.

8. You have the right to search for meaning. You may find yourself asking "Why did he or she die? Why this way? Why now?" Some of your questions may have answers, but some may not. And watch out for the cliched responses some people may give you. Comments like, "It was God's will" or "Think what you have to be thankful for" are not helpful, and you do not have to accept them.

9. You have the right to treasure your memories. Memories are one of the best legacies that exist after the death of someone loved. You will always remember. Instead of ignoring your memories, find creative ways to embrace them. Write them down.

10. You have the right to move toward your grief and heal. Reconciling your grief will not happen quickly. Remember grief is a process not an event. Be patient and tolerant with yourself and avoid people who are impatient and intolerant with you. Neither you nor those around you must forget that the death of someone loved changes your life forever.

Things I'm looking forward to.

2008-02-20T21:12:00.002-05:00

I have found that the best way to make it through a particularly rough day is to look at my list of things I am looking forward to in the next few days, weeks or month. (You need to actually make a list of things that are feasible. Within your reach. And once you've made that list, set dates, make plans and follow through.) I look at this list often since it seems that my household "honey-do" list is getting LOOOOOOOOOONGER. When I look at my "cool" list, my "honey-do" list doesn't seem to suck so badly! I consider it my rewards for good behavior. LOL.

So, here is my "cool" list:

1. March Vacation in the Outer Banks with all the girlfriends!

2. April Pink Tie Gala for Susan G. Komen For The Cure. (I got a COOL NEW DRESS for the event!)

3. Mother's Day Dinner with my Grandmother.

4. Todd Stadium Relay For Life!

5. Opening night of the movie "Nights In Rodanthe" with Diane Lane, Richard Gere and Chris Meloni!!! (June 6th)

6. July family vacation in the Outer Banks!

7. BUSCH GARDENS!!!!!!! WOOT!!!!!

8. Riding my motorcycle to the Blue Ridge Mountains this season!

9. Walking at the Race For The Cure at the Virginia Beach Oceanfront!

10. Releasing my new book to benefit Susan G. Komen For The Cure.

My "honey-do" list is available by request only if y'all are willing to take on all those chores.

A woman's response to her husband's SI swimsuit issue....

2008-02-19T12:30:00.004-05:00

GAH-GAH!

Homina-homina-homina!

Ahhh-OOOOOO-gah!

Bow-chicka-wow-wow!

Aye-yie-yie-yie-yie-yie!

Whew.

Need chocolate now.

Hopes & Dreams, Plans & Goals

2008-02-15T10:50:00.000-05:00

Meet my friend Tammy:

She is cute. She is sweet. She is funny. And sometimes she doesn't have the sense God gave a gnat, but I love her anyway.

Last week, she and I were discussing things we would like to do within the next two years. Something we've always wanted to do. I told her that my goals are to go to Mackinac Island where my favorite movie (Somewhere In Time) was filmed...and to take my youngest daughter to Germany so she can finally meet the family she has always heard about.

I asked Tammy what she'd like to accomplish within the next two years. She said she wanted to learn a foreign language. I thought that was very admirable! I'm thinking travel and she's thinking deeper than that.

So I says, "Which language would you like to learn?"

She says, "I'd like to learn to speak Australian."

(crickets)

She says, "They have a really cool accent!"

(crickets)

I had to think about whether I should tell her or not. I really didn't want to break her heart considering she thought long and hard about her two year goal. But I gave in.

"They speak English, you idiot."

Did I mention I love her anyway?

Painting your home tips from Karen

2008-02-14T10:16:00.000-05:00

None of these tips were ever covered by Heloise or Bob Villa and I honestly think it is information we all need when we're beautifying our homes on a budget. Print out these tips and keep them handy before your next painting project. You're welcome.

1. It's never a good idea to let the pets watch you while you're painting. Sure, they enjoy your company...but they also want to help. Case in point, Sharkbait the cat felt there was a bit too much paint on one section of the bathroom moulding and decided she would lighten it up a bit by constanting rubbing up against that section until the excess was no longer on the moulding...but on her fur. And Tucker the dog showed me that he has a built in paint brush. His long Golden Retriever tail. I'm grateful for the help, but when painting a small room, it should be a one person project in order to keep brush stroke consistency.

2. Never paint your window sill when it's raining buckets outside. It doesn't matter that's it's indoor painting you are doing. It takes forever to dry and the condensation from the window may cause your sill to drip and streak...causing you to add more paint to cover up the streaks until you are up to 8 coats of a losing battle. Foul language generally follows this practice and that's not good for the pets.

3. Have a little patience. Never hang the brand new white curtains on the window that has just been painted with 8 coats of green paint even though it has been 30 minutes and the paint is supposed to dry in 20.

4. Never let your husband get away with calling you "Earl Scheib." Next time, give him the paintbrush and quietly go to your room and watch Lifetime movies.

Monday Blues....

2008-02-11T14:05:00.000-05:00

I'm WEARING blue. I ain't got the blues. I'm perfectly happy that I have another Monday on this earth. Therefore, I never complain about Mondays.

I DO complain about other stuff though. Like my husband killing a good ghost story with "logic" and my dog passing gas all night while I'm trying to sleep...but I'm grateful that I have another breath to complain with. I was blessed with another day to enjoy family and friends. And I am grateful to God that he has blessed me with the patience to get over petty stuff quickly.

Life ain't always beautiful...but it's a beautiful ride.

Todays blog posting is dedicated to the memory of Ginni Michek and Claus McKenney. Thank you for teaching me what's really important.

Killjoys!

2008-02-08T13:16:00.000-05:00

Dang. My friend Tammy and I thought we had a cool ghost story to tell our grandchildren in the future...until our engineer husbands spoiled the party! Grrrr.

Last night over dinner, Tammy and I discussed the mysterious falling pictures with our husbands. My husband, God love him, explained that he had hung a calendar above the picture the day before and apparently it fell, hit the picture and that's why it hit the floor. Then he explains that he hung that calendar with SCOTCH TAPE! Whutthe? SCOTCH TAPE? A heavy calendar on a plaster textured wall? I'm thinking "Oh Gawd tell me he didn't. I feel a 'big dummy' coming on." I just assumed he understood the law of gravity! I mean, even Tammy and I get THAT one! And we can't find our cars in a parking lot with only one car!

Then Tammy's husband chimed in. Her pic was hung with an eyelet screw and was coming out of the wall anyway. That's why HERS hit the floor. Who hung that pic in the first place? Her husband.

So there's no more cool ghost story. No one to blame stuff on. And even worse, Tammy and I have to hide the all the scotch tape and eyelet screws. Otherwise, we're gonna have crap falling off the walls all the time.

Creepy!!!!!!

2008-02-07T11:13:00.000-05:00

My kids have been telling me for years that our house is haunted. Yeah, I've heard weird stuff going on but I just chalk it up as squirrels re-enacting "Fiddler On The Roof." I told them if the house is REALLY haunted, it wouldn't kill Mr. Ghost if he could do the dishes and a load of laundry every now and then. Otherwise, he would just be a freeloader. Everybody has to do their share, knowwhutimsayin?

Well, this morning as I was getting dressed for work, I heard a crash. I went downstairs and blamed Sharkbait the cat for getting into trouble, but she looked up all blurry eyed from her favorite chair. Apparently, she had been sleeping. I searched through the house. Finally, I saw the problem. In the "man" room, a picture that my husband had hung YEARS ago had fallen off the wall. It was on the floor leaning against the wall like somebody placed it there. The nail still in the wall. This pic hasn't been moved in 6 years, man. It just fell off the wall for no reason. Okay, I let it go and left for work.

My friend Tammy called me and told me that the same thing happened to her last night. A pic that had been hanging on her wall for over 4 years! And it's not damaged either!

If I were a superstitious soul, I'd be duct taping my butt to a well grounded chair with a year's supply of Cheetos and Dr. Pepper by my side.

But, I'm not superstitious. And I ain't hanging that danged picture back up. If Mr. Ghost doesn't like it, he can just replace it himself. I'll have to send him over to Tammy's house too since he seems to be freeloading in both places now. Maybe we should make up a chore list?

Brillo pads and dish detergent under the sink, Mr. Ghost. Get to work!

Edited to add: My daughter Laura reminded me that the Ghost has a name. It's Bob. I'm not sure if the kids named him or if that's his name, but yeah.

I was also reminded by a loyal listener via email that I need to apologize to Sharkbait the Cat. I did. With a half a canister of cat treats. I think we're good now.

DOG CAM!!!!!

2008-02-02T01:29:00.001-05:00