Economic Conundrum

All this talk of a bank crisis, Wall Street panic, economic meltdown, Chicken Little "sky is falling" media buzz has got me thinking about my future financial plans. I need your help - FAST!

Since both of our vehicles have been paid off, I have been anticipating the release of the 2010 Camaro convertible (the coupe version will be released in early 2009). I had plans to trade in my car to get The Offspring a new ride in late 2009 (16th birthday) - something like a VW Bug. Or to better suit her personality, an old VW van - HA! At any rate, at the same time, as a little present for me...I was going to get the convertible. Now, before you all start thinking I'm going through a mid-life crisis, here is my logic:

1. How many times have you seen OLD folks in a convertible, and thought, "Those people are SO NOT HOT ENOUGH to be deserving of that car?"

2. I have worked hard. I deserve this car.

3. I would look darn good in this car.

4. As a little girl, I didn't have pictures of boys on my walls. (Okay, maybe one requisite photo of Shaun Cassidy.) I had pictures of cars. Concept cars, exotic cars, classic cars...I went to car auctions with my dad. Who better would appreciate this hot car?

5. I want to get this car before I'm so old that some teenager shouts at me in disgust, "That chick is SO NOT HOT ENOUGH to be deserving of that car."

6. I want an investment I can control. Who will maintain the car? Me. Not some lame board of directors or a CEO who will take the car on some boat to Switzerland to fraternize with his mistress. I WILL ADORE THE CAR.

7. I can't think of a seventh reason. Except I really, really, really, really, really (are you getting this internet?) WANT THIS CAR.

Okay. Time to talk some logic and sense into me. Or not.

Oh, wait, I did think of a seventh reason: I TOTALLY did NOT spend $5,000 per seat for the OPTION of buying season tickets for the Dallas Cowboys at their new stadium. So, I'm making sound financial decisions, right?

Let me hear from you.

Fun Monday in the Closet

It's another Fun Monday, and this time RDH Mom and Cassie are hosting. They wanted to see the INSIDE of our closets, and we were NOT allowed to tidy them up before we took photos! I was honest, and did not clean my closet. I could have just shown you this first photo. Since we have only lived in our new home for seven months, I haven't had too much time to clutter things up:Not bad, huh? Look at those top shelves...nothing there! And room on the floor for me to actually walk into my walk-in closet. Lots of room for pants, too.

But that's not being totally honest. To be TOTALLY honest and reveal the true nature of my closet, I must show you this:Yup - there is a pile of clothes there. One small pile is stuff that needs to go to the dry cleaners. The other piles are clothes that I hastily stuffed into clear bags and moved. There is lingerie mixed with t-shirts and sweatshirts and who knows what else in those bags. Bags which are partially hidden by some cardboard and tissue paper that was stuffed into a shirt I bought. You notice how I just tossed that into the closet - in a heap? Sigh. I know better.

Now go check out all the other Fun Monday participants who are bound to be much better organized than I am!

Fun Monday Sportage

Thank you for your patience with my Fun Monday posting delay! Heather is our hostess, and she wanted to know what sports teams we are rabid for! Of course, it doesn't take much to guess that I am a RABID FOOTBALL fan. Besides, I designed the floor plan of our living area so that the kitchen would be in direct line with where I put the Samsung Plasma HDTV (official television of the NFL). That way, Roger will be able to eat home-cooked meals between September and the Super Bowl. For once.

Teams? Well, I grew up in Texas - and many Sundays my father and I would travel to the Astrodome to watch Earl Campbell and the Houston Oilers play football. I love football. I am insane about football. And even though Roger jokes that it's kinda strange that a "manly" sport has all these terms such as "wide receiver," "tight end," and those celebratory pats on the behind...I am inclined to see football as an intensely physical battle - one that tests the athleticism of man in ways no other sport can! Players flip in the air, land hard on the ground, twist, turn, get pummelled - can you remember the last time you fell and hit the ground? Hurt for days, didn't it? Imagine doing it over and over, for a few hours. While big heavy guys land on you.
My current favorite team is the Dallas Cowboys. Now, don't get me wrong - I'm not a fan of Tony Romo. In fact, during most games, I curse him at least once. But since Arkansas does not have an official professional team (don't get me started on the Arkansas Razorbacks), the Cowboys are the next best option. And since running back Felix Jones (pictured) is so HOT right now - well, all the more reason to cheer them on!

I still love Peyton Manning and the Colts - and I enjoyed watching little brother Eli win last year's Super Bowl. I still carry the torch for my alma mater, the Texas Aggies (don't get me started on them, either). However, there is one team I will always hate - the Pittsburgh Steelers. They used to always beat the Houston Oilers when I was a kid, and I just can't forgive and forget.

I love all sports, but football is my thing. One of my friends commented that when the season starts, she knows she won't be able to communicate with me properly until February. Oh, and another reason this post was late? I was busy watching the Cowboys play the Packers last night, and just couldn't tear myself away!

Now go check out the other participants!

Fun Monday Hoarders

It's another Fun Monday! And this time, our hostess is Rayne at Crunchy Bits. She wanted to know what "stuff we hang on to that un-enlightened people might, possibly, consider junk."

Since moving into our new home, I have seriously been keeping JUNK to a minimum. We "had" a junk drawer, and after six months of living in our house, it has been cleaned completely out. NO JUNK. However, I DID get something at the new house that has caused me to hoard in a whole new way: DVR.

It's great to be able to go about my business, knowing that my favorite shows will be stored up, ready for me, whenever I need to watch. For instance, "The Daily Show with Jon Stewart:"I think I have about five episodes saved that I still haven't watched. And some saved that I want to watch again. He makes me LAUGH...and for an example of the kind of humor I enjoy, see the post below this one.

I also have seven episodes of Cesar Milan's "Dog Whisperer" saved up. They are an hour long, and I have SO MUCH TO LEARN from Cesar. I have to save certain episodes so that I can totally perfect his "ssshhhtt" sound and how to poke my dog in the neck effectively, like the pack leader I know myself to be.My latest addiction is HBO's new series, "True Blood." I have watched the premiere episode twice, and the latest episode is still waiting for me. Just be warned, it's NOT for the faint of heart. HA!I also love "Weeds." I have to save these episodes, b/c some of the humor gets missed the first time around. Tiny little quips that I don't quite catch the first time. Last week's episode was cutting back and forth so quickly between two simultaneous scenarios that I got a little lost, so I'll have to rewatch it before tonight's episode. Not only that, there was rare full-frontal male nudity scene last week that...well...it's just so RARE...and...nevermind.Lastly, I'm glad in this time of political upheaveal, Bill Maher has returned. I have to save his shows, b/c oftentimes his guests will speak over one another. I have to go back and try to focus on one panelist at a time. Last week the guests were Salman Rushdie, Janeane Garofalo, Paul Begala, Roseanne Barr and John Fund. Not a shy group.So, there you have it. My collection!

Now, go check out what our other Fun Mondayers are hoarding!

Hypocrisy?

Okay, I TRY not to get political on this blog, but this was just too poignant not to share. It's not so much a commentary on the presidential candidates themselves, but more of a honest look at how some in the media tend to "flip flop," depending on the party of the candidate of which they speak.

If you don't watch ANYTHING about politics this season, you really don't want to miss THIS:
Somehow, it would be more amusing, if it wasn't so terribly true...

It Only Happens Once

You may be wondering why I've been such a bad blogger lately. Or maybe you don't care. Besides being swamped at work, I think it's my age.

You see, I hit a milestone last Friday. The Big 4-0. Normally, I'm not a numbers girl, but this one? This one is kinda different. It means a new bracket.

I did have a fabulous party - and received fabulous gifts. I could tell the story, but I think the pictures do a better job.

First, no one seemed to care that I was brandishing a knife:And at the beginning of the evening, some of my guests were very well-behaved. Even after I put the knife down.I was feeling very loved, as more and more of my friends showed up, showering me with gifts and hugs.I should have suspected this good behavior wouldn't last...I mean, see that look of mischief on Roger's face? And I do believe he is tugging on Lucas' ear in this photo.

And then...what the heck are they doing in the background here? I think they started the melee...ruining a GREAT group shot! Kids.Oh, and let's not forget that there were girlz chasing me around, trying to spank me. So, I just decided to stand there and take it.

At one point, we were all singing in the music studio...I wish I could say that I was being serenaded, but I think I was doing a lot of the singing myself.Then again, the singing might have been due to the Goldschlager. I was pouring shots and accidentally spilled some on my VERY clean counter. Well, it would be a sin to waste it, right? Am I right?Something tells me the Goldshlager and the Hpnotiq led to the guests' descent into wild revelry.All in all, it was a great night/morning. I think I crawled into bed at 3AM. And guess what? NO HANGOVER in the morning. I was a responsible (if old) drinker.

Another year older, but not necessarily any wiser.

It's Fair Time Again!

I didn't participate in Fun Monday this week - in fact, I wasn't sure if Fun Monday happened due to the holiday. However, I had a FUN weekend at the local county fair. I rode all the carnival rides until my neck was severely injured and my shoulders bruised from being suspended upside-down for long periods of time. Good times.

Once again, The Offspring entered photographs in the youth section. Here is her blue-ribbon winning entry for the color portrait section:What is amazing is that she took this photo of herself...with a digital camera built into her videocamera. Imagine what she could do with a super-duper camera!

This photo of our cat won third place in the black and white animal photo category:Her computerized self-portrait won second place in the computer photography category:And here is the blue ribbon winner for the black and white portrait category:I think she did pretty well this year! And for the first time, she entered a poem in the fair. I didn't know better and just brought a sheet of paper with her poem typed on it. All the other poems were framed for display. Oh well, I guess display didn't matter, because her poem (featured below), won first place!

Not Like Most Girls

Every girl wants a fairy-tale relationship.
Every girl wants the tall, dark, handsome boy.
Every girl wants a boy who brings her tons of flowers every anniversary.

Every girl wants a boy who is at her side at all times.
Every girl wants that special guy.
She always wants him around - always wants to know where he is.

Well I’m totally NOT one of those girls.

I want a boy who trips when he sees me.
I want a boy who forgets.
I want a boy who slips and tells me something I shouldn’t know.

I want a boy who can make fun of me.
I want a boy who can get in trouble.
I want a boy who has all these flaws, but I don’t see them.

I want a boy to love me.
That’s all.

I want a boy who is loyal.
Forget fairytales.
I want a real relationship.

Love isn’t a fake romance.
It’s a real life story.

Yes, I'm a proud mom, indeed.