Sky Diving Decision

Unfortunately, I just have too much going on in August to do the sky diving. I know, don't I sound so important? But seriously, I have like the next 8 weekends planned with different parties, trips, etc... So no jumping out of a plane for me, this time....

And, who voted you're crazy anyway, do whatever you want? It was Christie, wasn't it?

Sky Diving

I see that two people have voted, and they both said yes, and take me with you....

So who voted and who is coming with?

New Poll

There, I did it ahead of schedule. You have a new poll to vote in to the right. I really am trying to work this out for next month. Amber is arranging it and I am not sure what I have going on the day that she has it scheduled for.. But it would be exciting. Anyone else want to go?

Polls

I realize that I have gotten totally behind on the polls. I had intended to do one every week, and that lasted all of two weeks. Big shock, ey?

I will put it on my to do list for this weekend to come up with something at least semi-interesting.

In the meantime, the baby pool is sucking it up. There are only two people over there. Now I realize that Christie and Jenny are good with those odds, but come on!!! Where are my gamblers?

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Camera Update

After my first camera was mercilessly smashed to bits in a dimly lit bathroom in a tiny bar in Prague - Yah, sugar packet, ha! I purchased another camera. This was on April 22. I bought it on line from Best Buy and during the checkout process was given the option of purchasing the warranty for Accidental Damage. Considering the demise of the previous camera, I thought that this would be wise. It lasted for 2 years.

Well, here we are 3 months later, and that is the best $30 I have spent in a long time. I took the camera and accompanying pieces into Best Buy today, and the woman at customer service took me to the Geek Squad. They were quite impressed with the state of the poor camera. After having me sign it into their care, one of the geeks said, "That should be ready in 2-3 weeks..... that's if they can even fix it." He sounded doubtful.. So I confirmed, "What happens if they CAN'T fix it"... "It'll be replaced." Fantastic!!! Happy customer.

Oh, and here's another little aside on the camera epic... Last night I was hosting a Liv Fit (SXinney) Party at my house. I wanted to use Cory's camera, since mine is broken and all. Well of course his is not charged. I put it in the docking port by the computer, and no lights come on. Keep in mind this is more Cory's PC than mine and behind the desk is a jungle of cords that no sane person would risk putting an appendage into. So I call him at work.
"Hey honey, the light is not coming on. Don't I just plug it in...?

Cory: "Yes, but it might not be working...."

Me: "Ok, why? And what is my alternate course of action"

Cory: "I unplugged it all when we went to Prague. I plugged it back in but not all the way..."

Me: "......" there is nothing to say.

Cory: "Use the cord that plugs into it its right there"

Me: "Right where, there are LOTS of cords here"

Cory: "Its black with grayish, and its got another thing on it, then it plugs into the camera.."

I am getting very irritated at this point needless to say. This is not the only thing that I have to do. I start looking under all the crap that is accumulated up there and finally find it, as he is still going on and on trying to describe with all sorts of helpful words and phrases like, "you know, the thingy, gray, black, like the computer"

I finally find it, and do you want to know what he said to me.... Divorces happen over less than this.

He says....

Well if you'd quit breaking your cameras you wouldn't have to be using mine.....

Thought he was funny.

Thought he was real funny.

You know how they show dams or other large objects in movies when they are about to break. Its all quiet and then they explode.

Yah, it was kind of like that.

What the #$#@%$@$@$@$#!!!???????? I HAVE NOT BROKEN ONE #$@$# CAMERA!!! And correct me if I'm wrong but every one that has been broken has been by someone with a penis!!! AAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!

Of course, you can hear him trying to cover up the phone laughing his ass off on the other end. yah.

Time Flies

So I know that I am going to be put on some adoption blog hit list for this one, but I really feel like the wait time for the referral is flying by. I mean seriously, I looked at our ticker today, and it seems like just yesterday that the little elephant was barely even pulling away from the left side. Now he's about a third of the way across.

I know that most people have a seriously hard time with the wait and considering how impatient I am typically, you would think that I would be too. But nope!!! It feels like it is just moving right along to me. I think that a large part of this is the fact that I had set expectations going into this regarding a wait time. I notice that a lot of people move fairly quickly from the decision to adopt, then into the process. Whereas we have been talking about this for years, knowing that we wouldn't start until last fall, so I got a lot of the urgent "I want it to happen now" out of me I think and had been reading the adoption blogs for so long that I had a realistic expectation set.

Wow, sounds like I'm awfully proud of myself doesn't it? Didn't mean to. Just wanted to comment on how quick that little baby elephant is moving!!!

Memories - Stolen from Amber's Blog

1. As a comment on my blog, leave one memory that you and I had together. It doesn't matter if you knew me a little or a lot, anything you remember!

2. Next, re-post these instructions on your blog and see how many people leave a memory about you. It's actually pretty funny to see the responses. If you leave a memory about me, I'll assume you're playing the game and I'll come to your blog and leave one about you.



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What Tree Did you Fall From (Also Stolen from Amber)


I am a Hazelnut Tree:

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary ) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Find your birthday and then find your tree. This is cool and somewhat accurate. Then send it to your friends, including the one that sent it to you, so they can find out what tree you fell from, but do not forget to change the subject line to your tree. Find your tree below and see how accurate it is ....

Dec 23 to Jan 01
Apple Tree
Jan 01 to Jan 11
Fir Tree
Jan 12 to Jan 24
Elm Tree
Jan 25 to Feb 03
Cypress Tree
Feb 04 to Feb 08
Poplar Tree
Feb 09 to Feb 18
Cedar Tree
Feb 19 to Feb 28
Pine Tree
Mar 01 to Mar 10
Weeping Willow Tree
Mar 11 to Mar 20
Lime Tree
Mar 21 (only)
Oak Tree
Mar 22 to Mar 31
Hazelnut Tree
Apr 01 to Apr 10
Rowan Tree
Apr 11 to Apr 20
Maple Tree
Apr 21 to Apr 30
Walnut Tree
May 01 to May 14
Poplar Tree
May 15 to May 24
Chestnut Tree
May 25 to Jun 03
Ash Tree
Jun 04 to Jun 13
Hornbeam Tree
Jun 14 to Jun 23
Fig Tree
Jun 24 (only)
Birch Tree
Jun 25 to Jul 04
Apple Tree
Jul 05 to Jul 14
Fir Tree
Jul 15 to Jul 25
Elm Tree
Jul 26 to Aug 04
Cypress Tree
Aug 05 to Aug 13
Poplar Tree
Aug 14 to Aug 23
Cedar Tree
Aug 24 to Sep 01
Pine Tree
Sep 02 to Sep 12
Weeping Willow Tree
Sep 13 to Sep 22
Lime Tree
Sep 23 (only)
Olive Tree
Sep 24 to Oct 03
Hazelnut Tree
Oct 04 to Oct 13
Rowan Tree
Oct 14 to Oct 23
Maple Tree
Oct 24 to Nov 11
Walnut Tree
Nov 12 to Nov 21
Chestnut Tree
Nov 22 to Dec 01
Ash Tree
Dec 02 to Dec 11
Hornbeam Tree
Dec 12 to Dec 21
Fig Tree
Dec 22 (only)
Beech Tree

TREES (in alphabetical order)
Apple Tree (Love) -- quiet and shy at times, lots of charm, appeal, And attraction, pleasant attitude, flirtatious smile, adventurous, sensitive, loyal in love, wants to love and be loved, faithful and tender partner, very generous, many talents, loves children, needs affectionate partner.

Ash Tree (Ambition) -- extremely attractive, vivacious, impulsive, demanding, does not care for criticism, ambitious, intelligent, talented, likes to play with fate, can be very egotistic, reliable, restless lover, sometimes money rules over the heart, demands attention, needs love and much emotional support.

Beech Tree (Creative) -- has good taste, concerned about its looks, materialistic, good organization of life and career, economical, good leader, takes no unnecessary risks, reasonable, splendid lifetime companion, keen on keeping fit (diets, sports, etc.).

Birch Tree (Inspiration) -- vivacious, attractive, elegant, friendly, unpretentious, modest, does not like anything in excess, abhors the vulgar, loves life in nature and in calm, not very passionate, full of imagination, little ambition, creates a calm and content atmosphere.

Cedar Tree (Confidence ) -- of rare strength, knows how to adapt, Likes unexpected presents, of good health, not in the least shy, tends to look down on others, self-confident, a great speaker, determined, often impatient, likes to impress others, has many talents, industrious, healthy optimism, waits for the one true love, able to make quick decisions.

Chestnut Tree (Honesty) -- of unusual stature, impressive, well-developed sense of justice, fun to be around, a planner, born diplomat, can be irritated easily, sensitive of others feelings, hard worker, sometimes acts superior, feels not understood at times, fiercely family oriented, very loyal in love, physically fit.

Cypress Tree (Faithfulness) -- strong, muscular, adaptable, takes What life has to give but doesn't necessarily like it, strives to be content, optimistic, wants to be financially in dependent, wants love and affection, hates loneliness, passionate lover which cannot be satisfied, faithful, quick-tempered at times, can be unruly and careless, loves to gain knowledge, needs to be needed.

Elm Tree (Noble-mindedness ) -- pleasant shape, tasteful clothes, modest demands, tends not to forgive mistakes, cheerful, likes to lead but not to obey, honest and faithful partner, likes making decisions for others, noble-minded, generous, good sense of humor, practical..

Fig Tree (Sensibility ) -- very strong minded, a bit self-willed, honest, loyal, independent, hates contradiction or arguments, hard worker when wants to be, loves life and friends, enjoys children and animals, sexually oriented, great sense of humor, has artistic talent and great intelligence.

Fir tree (Mysterious ) -- extraordinary taste, handles stress well, loves anything beautiful, stubborn, tends to care for those close to them, hard to trust others, yet a social butterfly, likes idleness and laziness after long demanding hours at work, rather modest, talented, unselfish, many friends, very reliable.

Hazelnut Tree (Extraordinary ) -- charming, sense of humor, very demanding but can also be very understanding, knows how to make a lasting impression, active fighter for social causes and politics, popular, quite moody, sexually oriented, honest, a perfectionist, has a precise sense of judgment and expects complete fairness.

Hornbeam Tree (Good Taste) -- of cool beauty, cares for its looks and condition, good taste, is not egoistic, makes life as comfortable as possible, leads a reasonable and disciplined life, looks for kindness and acknowledgment in an emotional partner, dreams of unusual lovers, is seldom happy with its feelings, mistrusts most people, is never sure of its decisions, very conscientious.

Lime Tree (Doubt) - intelligent, hard working, accepts what life dishes out, but not before trying to change bad circumstances into good ones, hates fighting and stress, enjoys getaway vacations, may appear tough, but is actually soft and relenting, always willing to make sacrifices for family and friends, has many talents but not always enough time to use them, great leadership qualities, is jealous at times but extremely loyal.

Maple Tree (Independence of Mind ) -- no ordinary person, full of imagination and originality, shy and reserved, ambitious, proud, self-confident, hungers for new experiences, sometimes nervous, has many complexities, good memory, learns easily, complicated love life, wants to impress.

Oak Tree (Brave) -- robust nature, courageous, strong, unrelenting, independent, sensible, does not like change, keeps its feet on the ground, person of action.

Olive Tree (Wisdom) -- loves sun, warmth and kind feelings, reasonable, balanced, avoids aggression and violence, tolerant, cheerful, calm, well-developed sense of justice, sensitive, empathetic, free of jealousy, loves to read and the company of sophisticated people.

Pine Tree (Peacemaker) -- loves agreeable company, craves peace and harmony, loves to help others, active imagination, likes to write poetry, not fashion conscious, great compassion, friendly to all, falls strongly in love but will leave if betrayed or lied to, emotionally soft, low self-esteem, needs affection and reassurance.

Poplar Tree (Uncertainty) -- looks very decorative, talented, not very self-confident, extremely courageous if necessary, needs goodwill and pleasant surroundings, very choosy, often lonely, great animosity, great artistic nature, good organizer, tends to lean toward philosophy, reliable in any situation, takes partnership seriously.

Rowan Tree (Sensitivity) -- full of charm, cheerful, gifted without egoism, likes to draw attention, loves life, motion, unrest, and even complications, is both dependent and independent, good taste, artistic, passionate, emotional, good company, does not forgive.

Walnut Tree (Passion) -- unrelenting, strange and full of contrasts, often egotistic, very attractive, aggressive, noble, broad horizon, unexpected reactions, spontaneous, unlimited ambition, no flexibility, difficult and uncommon partner, not always liked but often admired, ingenious strategist, very jealous and passionate, no compromise.

Weeping Willow (Melancholy) - likes to be stress free, loves family life, full of hopes and dreams, attractive, very empathetic, loves anything beautiful, musically inclined, loves to travel to exotic places, restless, capricio= us, honest, can be influenced but is not easy to live with when pressured, sometimes demanding, good intuition, suffers in love until they find that one loyal, steadfast partner; loves to make others laugh.

Random Items

So first of all, tomorrow Cory and I are going to get the first of our immunizations. I say the first because I know that at least one or two of them have a series of shots. Soon I'll by immunized to yellow fever, Hepatitis A & B, Typhoid, Meningitis, Rabies, and a couple of other things.... And I can get that tetanus shot that I've NEVER had, and a flu shot probably - also something that I have never had. I'm not comfortable with having these "reduced strength" bugs injected into me. The shots themselves, I'm fine with. Needles don't bother me. But the rest of it, not so looking forward to it.

And while we are on the subject, I had a strange thought the other day while I was getting ready for work. While I'm going about my life like normal - going to work, throwing parties, going out to eat and to movies.... My little boy is already alive somewhere. When you really stop to think about it, isn't that just crazy. I know that other people who have adopted have had this thought, and many of them obsess over it, at least from some blogs I've read, but that was the first time that I actually internalized it, actually felt, I don't know what exactly. Sad, wishful, thoughtful.. I don't know. Anyway, if you do the math, and assume that we will most likely get a referral of a little boy over 18 months old, there is no way that he has not been born already. Then I started to think about what he is doing. Is he with his mother, or is she even alive still? Is he hungry like so many children in Ethiopia right now? If he is not with his parents then he is probably with an extended family member like a grandparent, who can barely take care of and feed themselves, and is torn by the knowledge that they may have to give up their grandchild. I can go on and on and let my imagination get the better of me, but there it is. Something to think about. Especially for anyone who is considering adoption. I know that there are children here in the US too, and I know that a lot of them are hungry, its hard for anyone in our positions - jobs, houses, cars, etc.. - to fully comprehend that, but just imagine the idea of 100,000's of thousands of children on the brink of death at any given moment.

Anyway, now that I've tried to depress everyone, let's move on to a completely different topic.

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Margarita Party

So, as a lot of you know, because you were here, we had our annual margarita party on Saturday night. Needless to say, the food provided by Allyson was AWESOME as always. There were copious amounts of alcohol consumed, and for some just mixer from what I hear (Hannie, I am so disappointed in you). Overall I think that everyone had a good time. Especially when Randy broke out the 100 yr old Grand Marnier - yes it was as good as it sounds. The shots were yummy and the margaritas he made with that and the Patron Platinum were to die for, or from. Haven't quite figured that one out yet. Our new (to us) neighbors from up the street, Jason and Amber, who moved to Utah from Fort Collins brought down their version of the Rio Margarita. Anyone from Colorado or who has spent any time there knows what this is. The Rio is a restaurant/bar in Ft. Collins and one in Denver, that has a 3 marg limit. Apparently they say that's how strong they are. Well I had at least 3 of those Saturday, numerous shots, and a few of Randy's margs, and let's just say when 5:30 am rolled around, I probably should have had a fork stuck in me hours ago.

So, without further ado, some pictures....



Here's Troy and Cory.... drinking, wow!



Andy didn't know what was on his pants, and frankly, I don't think
that I want to either.



Ta Da!!! Here's Jamie showing off Randy who brought the yummy Marnier!



A bunch of the girls together. l to r: Hannie, me, Jenny, Jamie, Amber and Jessica.


In Memoriam of the Red Kodak Camera April 2008 to July 12 2008. Rest in peace little buddy. You never had a chance in this house.

Second camera down this year and I am happy to say that I have not broken either one. I feel that's a valid point.

Tagged By Jenny

My lovely friend Jenny has tagged me. So if you are reading this and you are not her, consider yourself tagged!!!

1) Favorite book ............ and why you love it? This is a really tough one. I suppose it would be an encyclopedia. I mean other books are entertaining, but you can find so much information in an encyclopedia.

2) Longest relationship other than your spouse -- who and how long, plus any commentary you'd like to share? Mother - Since I was just a twinkle in her eye... hee heee

3) Favorite drunken memory? Isn't this a bit of an oxymoron? If I'm drunk, how am I supposed to remember? So many to choose from..... Getting pulled over for walking drunk down Grand with Jenny, shortly after Ryan the Cop had made me park my car is quite a stand out though...

4) Favorite pair of jeans - where'd you get 'em, how much, and add a picture of you in them... Okay, I just got a new computer so I don't have easy access to pics, but I LOVE my 1921's. I got my first pair for half off and I think that they were $80. They are so comfy and look really good.

5) Describe your favorite meal, or whatever meal you are craving? Indian sounds really good. Chicken Tikka Masala, Shrimp Saag or Palak Paneer, some garlic naan, and maybe some peshwari naan too..

6) What would you do on your dream date? Take a private jet to another country, Italy maybe, and be taken on a shopping spree then fed.

7) What would you do if you won $10 million in the lottery? Pay off any outstanding bills, take a trip to celebrate, put a million in savings, a high interest account and the rest - invest.

8) What is something that you regret not doing when you had the chance? Travelling right after college. I am so jealous of Jenny and Troy for doing that. We should have just applied for a bunch of credit cards and gone for it!!

9) What professional sport would you play if you could? Maybe tennis, since its not a team sport.

10) Who do you look up to, and why? I can't really think of anyone right off the bat. I respect, maybe even admire a lot of people, but look up to implies putting someone on a pedestal to me, and I don't want to do that to anyone.

Breaking Up

Can someone explain this phenomenon to me? Not breaking up like breaking up with a boyfriend or something. That I have no problem with... No, the breaking up with Blogger.

One of my favorite blogs to follow had their last post on June 1, saying goodbye. That they were "breaking up with blogger". By most of the comments that I saw, I determined that this is a regular thing, but I am baffled.

Is blogging like a relationship, does it eventually run its course? Or is it that people just get bored with it? This is my first experience with it and I am bummed. :( I keep checking back just in case they change their mind and come back. I feel like the girlfriend/boyfriend who just can't accept that its over. You know, like that guy in college you break up with and then he sleeps on your porch until you talk to him, or leaves 53 messages, or breaks into your friend's house looking for you and loses her cat....????? Okay, maybe not exactly like that, but you get the picture. (Possibly way too much of a picture of some of my college days too!)

HOW COULD I FORGET!!????

Porsche is sold!!! Yay!!!!!!!!!!!! That's all. (added later)