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| Thirteen Tips on How to Write a Really Bad Novel - Part Two |
More really valuable tips from this site. Number 13 is especially important to WriMos. 
1. Nothing beats a catch phrase! I call Snoogity Bottom.
2. Brothers are always very different and they always argue about everything. Never portray brothers who are similar and get along unless they are twins (except if one is an evil twin). If they are twins they must finish each other’s sentences and no one should be able to tell them apart.
3. Sisters must always steal each other’s boyfriends. Additionally, one sister must be outgoing and the other must be quiet and serious. This makes no difference to the boyfriend though, he’ll gladly dump either for the other.
4. Don’t start your novel with an interesting event. Take a few dozen pages to explain everything that would lead up to that interesting event. The reader will gladly hang around until you get to the point.
5. Don’t make your secondary characters interesting. It will just detract from the main characters. Lesser characters don’t need reasons for their actions. They are just there to keep the plot moving.
6. If the plot seems to slow down, give someone a gun or a knife and kill off one of those secondary characters you don’t care about anyway.
7. If you want to write a serious novel, make sure the main character is jaded and has lost interest in life. This anti-hero must view all other people as phonies, fakes or idiots. The character should experiment with drugs and sex. At some point the character should watch someone die or at least be assaulted. At no point should the anti-hero feel any real pleasure. Happy endings are strictly prohibited.
8. Writing a mystery? Make sure the clues are really obvious or really obscure. Either way, your hero will be the only person who can piece these things together. At some point they must accuse the wrong person and be ridiculed for it. In the end though, they should deliver a speech that explains exactly how everything happened.
9. If you are writing about sports, make it clear that sports always provide important life lessons. Make sure the novel has one obsessive and one downtrodden coach.
10. Character conversations should always be used to explain what is happening and how people are feeling. It is perfectly natural to have a character explain to his office mate (whose brother is a bank president) that he used to be a safe cracker, but now he just wants to go straight.
11. Don’t forget to use italics when you want to emphasize something.
12. At the end of the book, you must have the main character reach an important and life-changing epiphany. Make that epiphany really obvious. Don’t worry about why they had one, just make sure they had it so the reader knows the book is ending.
13. Editing is just a waste of time. Spell check it and move on.
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| Thirteen Tips on How to Write a Really Bad Novel - Part One |
I happened to “stumble upon” this site and simply could not resist sharing these tips with you. Writers, are you paying attention? 
1. Make sure you’ve got a lot of similar names too. Donald, Donna, Dina, Dana and Danny just feel right together.
2. Explain everything. When your character is angry, just say that she’s angry. There’s no point in trying to show that through her actions when you can just tell that to your reader.
3. Explain everything. When your character is angry, just say that she’s angry. There’s no point in trying to show that through her actions when you can just tell that to your reader.
4. Fill your book with coincidences, especially towards the end. Nothing beats having the exciting climax occur because the hero bumped into the villain in a small-town cafe when they both had a craving for peach-filled semi-sweet chocolate pie. Did you mention that both characters love the exact same pie? Now would be a good time.
5. Don’t let your character’s established traits get in the way of a good plot twist. Just because your hero is a priest who preaches non-violence (We’ll call him Father Angeltoe) doesn’t mean he can’t be an expert marksman with an itchy trigger finger.
6. Use lots of technical jargon. Don’t worry about whether your reader will understand it, or whether you understand it. Just stick it in. It will make your characters sound smarter.
7. If you are writing a historical novel, don’t sweat accuracy. The reader won’t care. Go ahead and have Napoleon invent the automatic rifle. Who could say he didn’t?
8. If you are writing fantasy literature, make sure your magical animals have never been thought of before. Try a talking armadillo. No, forget the talking armadillo. I want that one for myself.
9. Make sure to add …A Novel to the end of your title. You don’t want people to forget what they are reading.
10. Pile on the adjectives and adverbs. Why have a woman speak when you can have her whisper breathlessly in her lustful, wind-swept voice?
11. Don’t feel as if anything has to happen. Plots are optional. Two people sitting in a room staring at each other is great material, as long as it is handled with plenty of adjectives and adverbs (see tip ten).
12. Exclamation points! Exclamation points! Exclamation points!
13. Don’t sweat the order of the action. If the big football game needs to occur just after the prom, then that is when it should be.
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Thirteen Stranger Than Fiction Truths
I have a thing for strange news stories. What can I say? They’re great material for stories. |
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This makes my 92nd TT.
1. Teacher Accused in Garter Incident Quits
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — A high school teacher has resigned during the middle of an investigation in which he allegedly used his teeth to remove the garter of a student during the prom….
2. Teen Dials Wrong Number, Gets Arrested
GULFPORT, Fla. (AP) — Investigators arrested a 14-year-old boy who apparently dialed a really, really wrong number. Authorities said the boy offered to sell drugs to the person on the other end, who happened to be a police detective….
3. Man Fails High School Exams 39 Times
JAIPUR, India (AP) — A 73-year-old man who failed his 10th grade high school exams for the 39th time vowed Friday to try again next year in the hopes that an education will improve his job and marriage prospects….
4. Doctors Find 6 Sewing Needles in Baby
BEIJING (AP) — Doctors in southern China were planning to perform surgery on a 1-year-old boy whose parents took him to a hospital because he had been unusually fussy and learned he had six sewing needles in his body, newspapers reported Monday….
5. Petite Woman Downs 26 Franks in 12 Min.
NORFOLK, Va. (AP) — Juliet Lee, a 107-pound salon manager from Maryland, demolished the competition in the 5th Annual Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest by downing 26 franks and buns in 12 minutes….
6. Denver ‘Panty Burglar’ Faces Charges
DENVER (AP) — A 34-year-old man was charged Monday with breaking into several homes in northwest Denver and stealing women’s undergarments and other personal items….
7. N.Z. Couple Can’t Name Their Son ‘4real’
WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — New Zealand authorities have blocked a couple’s bid to officially name their new son “4real,” saying numerals are not allowed….
8. Turtle Causes Parkway Wreck, Then Dies
UPPER TOWNSHIP, N.J. (AP) — Why did the turtle cross the road? We’ll never know, but it sure caused one heck of an accident. A woman who swerved to avoid hitting the reptile as it crawled across the northbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway Tuesday afternoon lost control of her car, crashed through a guardrail and tumbled down an embankment before the car flipped over onto its roof….
9. Ugly Fish Is Seen As Aphrodisiac
LOS ANGELES (AP) — The hagfish is a bottom feeder so repulsive it had a cameo on TV’s “Fear Factor.” It slimes its enemies, has rows of teeth on its tongue, and feeds on the innards of rotting fish by penetrating any orifice. But cooked and served on a plate, it is considered an aphrodisiac in South Korea….
10. Man Aims to Break World Treadmill Record
NEW YORK (AP) — Ultramarathoner Dean Karnazes will attempt to break the world record by running more than 153.76 miles in 24 hours on a treadmill in Times Square….
11. Man Accused of Taking Skull for Ashtray
FITCHBURG, Mass. (AP) — Police say a gravedigger stole body parts - including a skull and a thigh bone - from a broken casket at a church cemetery and took them home to make an ashtray….
12. Warehouse Fire Claims Ton of Marijuana
EDINBURG, Texas (AP) — Firefighters who spent half an hour fighting a blaze in which 2,000 pounds of marijuana went up in smoke breathed so much of it that they would have failed a drug test, a fire chief said….
13. Feces Parking Ticket Proves Costly
AUSTIN, Minn. (AP) — A man has been ordered to pay nearly $3,000 to the woman who became seriously ill in April after opening a parking ticket envelope in which he had placed dog feces….
Which news story did you find the strangest or most disturbing?
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Win a 2008 Baby Blues desk calendar - read this post for details.
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| Thirteen Pictorial Moments from this Past Week |
(Click on pictures to enlarge)
1. 
MK practicing his saxophone.
2. 
The hubs, putting all of his books back into his bookcase after our new (replacement) carpet had been installed.
3. 
GD’s school STARTS at 7:50. So the hubs takes him to school so I don’t have to break my neck (and speed limits) to get MK to school on time. SOMEONE looks too tired to drive. Hhmm … maybe I should just break my neck and take both boys to school. lol
4. 
The boys, eating breakfast and trying to wake up before school. Hhmm, SOMEONE looks grouchy.
5. 
GD is a serious kid. He doesn’t talk much (he says he doesn’t have anything to say) and he doesn’t smile very much (he says there’s nothing to smile about). So, I make it a mission to MAKE him smile. I know I drive him nuts. I LOVE to drive that kid nuts.
6. 
The hubs spent a good portion of his weekend putting in landscaping lights. He put a spot light on each of our six rock columns and it looks AWESOME!
7. 
Ah, the infamous painting the bathroom a sickly mushroom color episode. We’ve decided to keep the color. Let’s hope I can find some decent accents to offset that off-the-wall color. (Or I suppose, it in this case it’s ON-THE-WALL).
8. 
The hubs is putting our new bamboo shades up. If you look carefully, you can see our new bamboo shower curtain. Do you notice a pattern here? The last three pictures? Of the hubs working his tail-end off? Yeah, I worked the man to death this past weekend. lol
9. 
My candy corn vampire man. I think he was so tired from doing so much around the house this past weekend he sort of, um, freaked out on me. I turned around and there he was with candy corn stuck to his teeth. What’s the first thing I do? Take a picture and post it for the world to see. lol
10. 
For those just tuning in, MK made jazz band. This made him so confident that he decided to make a recording and audition for honors band. Cross your fingers for him!
11. 
The boys do this every day after school. They sit down at the kitchen computer, watch funny YouTube videos and eat a snack. Ah, to be young and carefree once again. (Note to self: CLEAN THE CABINETS YOU PIG!)
12. 
Yes, I finally broke down and bought the new Post Secrets book. I’m desperate to steal ideas for my NaNoWriMo project. And folks? This book is OOZING with ideas.
13. 
I’m brainstorming for NaNoWriMo. And I’m embarrassed to say … it hasn’t helped much. *blush* Sshh … I must go back to thinking now.
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| Moods from the Past Thirteen Days |
Ever wonder why I pick those little mood icons you see in my sidebar? I actually put a lot of thought into what mood I post on any given day - and there’s usually a reason behind it. These are the reasons for my moods for the past 13 days. (Weekends count as one day).
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1. 
Loser: Mood for October 4th
There are times when I don’t feel like I’m contributing enough, financially, to the family. I hate the feeling that I’m mooching off the hubs and even though he’s absolutely great about being okay with me working from home, there are times when I know he feels like I’m taking advantage of him. This feeling usually happens when business is slow and I’m too lazy to get off my butt and get some things done around the house. He confronts me, I get mad, then I calm down and admit he’s right and then I feel like a total and complete loser because I’m not keeping up my end of the bargain.
2. 
Sexy: Mood for October 5th
I haven’t been eating very much lately. I usually have a cup of coffee and two granola bars for breakfast, a soft pretzel and water for lunch and then a small dinner. I don’t know, I just haven’t been hungry enough to eat anything more substantial. This may sound good on the surface, and I’m certainly skinner than I used to be, but I’m tired all the freaking time. And yes, I’m exercising. And yes, I’m taking my vitamins/iron. I really think it’s because I haven’t been eating properly. So, which is more important, eating and having energy to do things? Or not eating, looking skinny and enjoying the hot looks my husband sends my way.
I’m opting for the hot looks. 
3. 
Sweaty: Mood for October 6th/7th
The carpet people came and put in our replacement carpet yesterday. Yay! For those of you that don’t know, we had new carpet put in all our bedrooms, hallway and family room. Only, the family room carpet was flawed – instead of having nice, straight Berber lines, it was concaved. The carpet guy noticed it and let Home Depot know about it. They were great about ordering a replacement carpet and they installed it yesterday. We’re very happy. But now, I have the pleasure (*koff*) of putting the house back together again. Having carpet installed is like moving, only worse because you can’t really move your stuff out, you just have to move it out of the way. In the process of putting everything back, we’re gotten rid of a lot of junk, which we gave to the Christian Foundation. I was hot and sweaty the entire weekend.
4. 
Javalicious: Mood for October 8th
I’m excited; it’s a caffeinated sort of day. I always look forward to the days I can drink coffee in the afternoons, which works out to be every other day. I drink a cup every morning, and then alternate when I drink coffee in the afternoons – I have to or I get these killer caffeine withdrawal headaches on days I don’t have my required intake. I’ll need coffee today. I have the very big task of going through our pictures and finding the crème-de-la-crème to blow up and put in the numerous frames I bought for this very thing. I plan on lining our family rooms walls with family pictures and my goal was to have it done before Thanksgiving. Given I need to pick the pictures, scan them, upload them to Flickr and then request they be blown up to 5x7’s, I need to get that started TODAY or I’ll never get done in time before Thanksgiving. Thank God for coffee – I’m just saying.
5. 
Stuffed UP: Mood for October 9th
I woke up at 3:00 this morning gasping for air. I couldn’t breathe out of my right nostril. At all. It was completely clogged. And the left nostril? Picture breathing through a straw. I’m not a mouth breather, unless I don’t have a choice, like today. And when I’m forced to breathe out of my mouth, I get cranky. Why? Because my throat dries out, my voice gets thick and low and I sound like this woman. Only not as smoky. I have had sinus problems my entire life. My mom tells me I come by it naturally – she has very small nasal passages and has trouble as well. Considering this is Fall, and I appear to be allergic to ragweed, it starts out as allergies and then graduates into a head cold. Hey, as long as it doesn’t slide into a sinus infection, I’m happy. Now wasn’t this fun?! Talking about my sinuses?? The things you learn when you visit me …
6. 
Vulnerable: Mood for October 10th
Things are quiet on the business front. I’m between projects right now, which gives me a perfect excuse to get my professional site back up and running. I’ve also been toying with the idea of giving this blog a fresh new look. The problem? I can’t seem to decide on a design. This wishy-washiness is causing me to feel vulnerable and wide open to criticism. It doesn’t help that I’m still feeling icky and just not mentally ready to handle life.
7. 
Content: Mood for October 11th
I feel so much better today; in fact, it’s safe to say I feel 100%. I can breathe again and my throat isn’t sore anymore. Things are good. The hubs and I are REALLY getting along well; the boys are both doing really well in school. My house is looking pretty good and though I still have some work to do, I feel confident everything will fall into place for the Thanksgiving dinner. I’ve been reading over past NaNoWriMo projects and that has gotten me in the mood to start planning for this year’s project. I feel content and comfortable – if only every day could be like this.
8. 
Bloated: Mood for October 12th
Geez Louise, where did this water weight gain come from? I feel like one of those hot air balloons from the Thanksgiving parade. I’m simply bobbing along, minding my own business, trying to breathe because my jeans are too tight and my fingers look like cucumbers – flesh-colored cucumbers mind you. I know it’s getting close to THAT TIME, but I shouldn’t be THIS bloated … oh wait. I had soup for lunch. Was it the salt intake? Whatever it is, I’m a waddling penguin today. Bleh.
9. 
Fabulous: Mood for October 13th / 14th
I’m feeling fab-U-lous today darling. It’s going to be a busy weekend. The boys and I are drove to Mount Vernon today for the Apple Butter Makin’ Days. There was food, entertainment and of course, booths upon booths of crafts. The boys were actually okay going, which sort of surprised me. I mean, boys plus crafts usually equals cranky but I think they were looking forward to getting out of the house and enjoying this great weather. We were all fine for the first hour, but then it all started to look alike and we were getting tired of walking around and our petals definitely drooped from the unexpected heat. My mom, however, was full of energy and was only getting started. It was a good thing we took two cars because we didn’t want to stay as long as she did (she closed the place down). Sunday, the hubs and I went shopping. We’re redoing our front bathroom and we’ve decided to do a beach theme. We’re painting next weekend. It’s been like this for six years and truly needs a redo.
10. 
Whatever: Mood for October 15th
I’m not in a good mood, I’m not in a bad mood, I’m not even in a blah mood. I’m just in a whatever happens happens sort of mood. (I actually posted an audio entry on this emotion if you’re interested). I have all of my emails caught up and am now working on making backups for another school that has requested some structural changes. I’ll upload those changes later (so I don’t freak school personnel or parents out) and make it ten times better. Have I mentioned I love my job? No? Where have you been? The weather is pretty blah today – cloudy, cool and on the verge of rain. Perhaps the weather is affecting my mood. Does the weather affect your mood?
11. 
Hungry: Mood for October 16th
This mood is nothing new. I’m always hungry - always. However, I rarely do anything about it. Most of the time, I can handle it. But there are those times when I’ve had lunch with the hubs, and then I eat dinner, and I’m pleasantly stuffed, and my stomach has stretched out so that by the time the next day rolls around, my stomach is growling because I’m not filling the stretched out parts. It’s a never ending cycle. But I suffer through it, my stomach shrinks once again and I’m no longer hungry, well ravenous, that is. Being female = being hungry. It’s just a fact of life. *sigh*
12. 
In the Dark: Mood for October 17th
The only thing I can think about right now, is what the heck I’m going to write about next month for NaNoWriMo. I’ve been reading Will Write For Shoes: How To Write a Chick-Lit Novel by Cathy Yardley and I’m really liking what I’ve been reading so far. Ms. Yardley has a way of just telling it like it is - she really doesn’t mince words and I appreciate her honesty about the genre. And something else that I really like - the genre is about so much more than just a bunch of 20-something party girls looking for that perfect soul mate while dodging the evil boss in NYC. (That premise is SO OVER!). I would like to write something more along the lines of what’s deemed “Mommy Lit” which deals “specifically with the problems that women with children deal with” or “Lady Lit or Hen Lit” which deals with “older children moving home, late pregnancy, or menopause, as well as age-appropriate takes on the usual themes such as dating … or finding one’s life purpose.” These sound more up my alley and something I can relate a bit more to. At any rate, I’ve had my head in the clouds these past days trying to work something out and I can see what I want, I’m just pulling my way through the fog to actually grasp the entire concept. And I’m alllllllmost there. Stick around, I’ll be posting excerpts from my project next month and hopefully, it’ll be good enough to entertain you. Hopefully.
13. 
Inspired: Mood for October 18th
By jove, I think I’ve got it. (See mood for October 17th).
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The Photo Contest! - Theme: Fall - Prize: Busybodies item OR a $20 gift certficiate to Amazon.com!
Why yes, I AM obsessed with NaNoWriMo. Why do you ask?
Are you sick of hearing about it yet? Too bad. 
1. It’s fun.
2. It’s a challenge.
3. You give yourself permission to write.
4. You give yourself permission to write crap.
5. You prove to yourself you can write 50,000 words.
6. You prove to yourself you can write anywhere, anytime.
7. You realize that every excuse you’ve ever had for not writing is really just a cop-out to not try.
8. You get a nifty participant icon.
9. You earn an even better WINNER icon when it’s all over.
10. You look at the 175 pages YOU WROTE.
11. You impress your family and friends.
12. You meet some awesome people through the NaNoWriMo forums.
13. You walk away from the experience with YOUR VERY OWN NOVEL!
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| Thirteen Parenting Mistakes |
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Found these tips here.
This makes my 88th Thursday Thirteen.
1. Inadequate Supervision
“Children get away with so much in contemporary society,” says Robert Billingham, professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Indiana University, and the father of four. “It’s a tragedy that there just isn’t the parental supervision there used to be.”
So how do you know if your child is being adequately supervised? “If your child is in daycare, make frequent, unannounced visits. If supervision is lacking, find another daycare,” says Billingham. For older children, in most states the legal age that children can be left by themselves is 13, and most experts agree that the time of day when most kids get into trouble is the after-school/before-parents-get-home-from-work window. How to avoid? Hire a sitter or rearrange your work schedule. The bottom line: make sure someone is watching those kids.
2. Failing To Listen
“Many parents are in too much of a hurry to slow down and really listen to what their child has to say,” says Charles Fay, Ph.D., a nationally certified school psychologist. For example, say little Billy comes home with a black eye. A parent’s natural tendency may be to jump right in and demand to know who hit little Billy, when the reality may be that a ball smacked him in the eye, or maybe Billy started a fight. The fact is, parents don’t know what’s really going on until their child tells them.
For very young children, a good way to find out what’s on their minds is to watch them play, says Dr. Fay. Give them some dolls and just sit back and watch. “It takes a little time, but it’s one of the most powerful tools a parent has for understanding what their child’s life is like when the parents are not around.”
3. Short-sighted Parenting
“I tell parents to raise their 2-year-old not to be a successful toddler, but to be a successful adult,” says Billingham. This means parents have to let their children make mistakes, have to let them learn from mistakes and have to let them encounter situations parents would rather protect them from. “When children face bullies, for example, there is a tendency for parents to rush in. But at some point this 7-year-old will be 30 and will have a boss who is a bully, so the child has to learn for himself how to cope.” This doesn’t mean that parents can’t help, but becoming too involved can also be a mistake, says Billingham. “Help the child solve his problems, but don’t solve them for him.”
4. Over Scheduling
“Many parents today seem to be going 100 miles an hour with their hair on fire,” says Judy Haire, co-founder of Liberty Christian School in Texas, mother of two and grandmother of five. “Kids need down time, time to be bored, because that’s when their creativity kicks in.”
Instead of giving kids time to play in a relaxed, unstructured way, many parents rush their children around from activity to activity, and this can create stress and anxiety in both parents and kids. “I suggest that parents give each child one or two extracurricular activities, max, and that parents make sure that children have several hours each week that are left completely unscheduled. Just make sure they don’t fill those hours with TV!” says Haire.
5. Arguing in Front of Children
Parents arguing in front of their children is a very damaging behavior, according to Sara B. Miller, Ph.D., a psychiatrist in Wayne, Pa., who specializes in marriage and family issues. “When a couple argues in front of young children, especially boys, the end result is often an extremely insensitive man who cannot relate to women in a healthy way,” says Miller.
Parents should save heated discussions for times when the kids aren’t around. That’s not to say that kids should never see parents disagree; it’s healthy for kids to see Mom and Dad have a difference of opinion, then work it out. But subjecting children to parents’ arguing can make them insecure and fearful. “Use common sense,” says Miller.
6. Inconsistency
You’ve seen it in the supermarket a thousand times: a mom in the checkout line tells her child he cannot have candy. The child begins to whine, then beg, getting louder and louder, until the mom finally caves in and buys the candy. Kid: 1, Mom: 0.
“Children need to feel that their parents are in control,” says Lisa Balch, a graphic designer and mother of two. “When a parent gives in after having said no, then the child learns that whining and begging are very effective tools for negotiation. I hear parents complain all the time about their children whining, but in many cases the parents are reinforcing the very behavior they would like to change.”
7. Ignoring Your Intuition
“I think that in many cases people are too trusting, both of their children and of the people their children spend time with,” says Haire. “It’s easier to just go with the flow and ignore that still small voice when it tells you that something isn’t quite right. I’ve learned, through the years, that parents should pay attention to that intuition.”
8. Too Much TV
According to the Neilsen Media Research, the average American child ages 2-11 watches 3 hours and 22 minutes of television per day. The average number of minutes per week that parents spend in meaningful conversation with their children? 38.5. Astoundingly, 25 percent of children ages 2-5 have a television in their bedroom, and over half (52 percent) of kids ages 5-17 have a television in their bedroom.
9. Out-of-Control Materialism
“Kids today have way too much stuff,” says Lois Hodgson, mother of four and grandmother of six. There’s nothing wrong with toys and gadgets and exotic vacations, but it seems that in many cases what the children really want is quality time with their parents, says Hodgson. “When my children were young I made it a point to sit down with them after school and hear about their day, every day. Some of the neighborhood kids used to come, too–they just wanted an adult to listen to them.”
10. Neglecting Your Spouse
“All too often I see parents who have made their children the center of their relationship,” says Haire. “They lose sight of who they are as a couple, and once the kids are gone there isn’t much left between them.” The remedy? “Spend some time together alone every day–even 10 minutes at the end of the day. And make sure the kids know that this time is important and is not to be interrupted.”
11. Not Having Rules or Setting Limits
You may think that you are doing your kids a favor by letting them do whatever they want, but most younger children find it especially hard to live without any limits. Having rules, setting limits, consistent routines, and offering limited choices will help your child know and expect what is coming throughout the day.
12. Being Inconsistent
Few things can harm your children more than an inconsistent parenting style. If you are sometimes very strict, but give in other times or simply don’t seem to care what your kids are doing, they will have a very hard time knowing what is expected of them and how to act.
13. Having Unrealistic Expectations
If you have unrealistic expectations of what your kids should be doing, you can actually create problems. This often happens when parents get frustrated or impatient with a 2 1/2 year old who still isn’t interested in potty training, a 6 year old who is wetting the bed, or a moody teenager. So make sure that your expectations match what your kids are developmentally able or expected to be doing.
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| Thirteen Words I Learned This Week |
Maybe I should have titled this entry: Words that Make me Feel Smart.
1. diablerie • \dee-AH-bluh-ree\ • noun
: black magic : sorcery
: a representation in words or pictures of black magic or of dealings with the devil b : demon lore
: mischievous conduct or manner
Example Sentence:
“Gekic can be a dazzling pianist full of diablerie when he’s in the mood….” (James Roos, The Miami Herald, March 24, 2002)
2. boondoggle • \BOON-dah-gul\ • noun
: a braided cord worn by Boy Scouts as a neckerchief slide, hatband, or ornament
: a wasteful or impractical project or activity often involving graft
Example Sentence:
The editorial claims that the new multimillion-dollar sports complex is a boondoggle and a frivolous waste of tax dollars.
3. rococo • \ruh-KOH-koh\ • adjective
: of or relating to an artistic style especially of the 18th century characterized by fanciful curved asymmetrical forms and elaborate ornamentation
: excessively ornate or intricate
Example Sentence:
“While the lobby appears almost rococo, rooms are a study in spare, clean elegance. . ..” (Jeff Morgan, Wine Spectator, October 15, 1996)
4. milieu • \meel-YUR\ • noun
: the physical or social setting in which something occurs or develops : environment
Example Sentence:
The quiet suburban neighborhood was within walking distance of the elementary school and provided the perfect milieu for raising a family.
5. ablution • \uh-BLOO-shun\ • noun
: a the washing of one’s body or part of it (as in a religious rite) b plural : the act or action of bathing
2 plural, British : a building housing bathing and toilet facilities on a military base
Example Sentence:
The river that flowed past the campsite had a secluded nook where we could take care of our ablutions in privacy.
6. sidereal • \sye-DEER-ee-ul\ • adjective
*1 : of or relating to stars or constellations
2 : measured by the apparent motion of the stars
Example Sentence:
Few astronomers have witnessed the sidereal phenomenon of a supernova.
7. augur • \AW-gur\ • verb
1 : to foretell especially from omens
*2 : to give promise of : presage
Example Sentence:
California’s unusually cold winter does not augur well for the citrus crop.
8. panoply • \PAN-uh-plee\ • noun
1 : a full suit of armor
2 : something forming a protective covering
*3 : a magnificent or impressive array
Example Sentence:
Jeff’s house was furnished with a panoply of up-to-date home entertainment devices.
9. corrigendum • \kor-uh-JEN-dum\ • noun
: an error in a printed work discovered after printing and shown with its correction on a separate sheet
Example Sentence:
Not only was the document itself full of errors, but the corrigenda included with it had mistakes as well!
10. inveigh • \in-VAY\ • verb
: to protest or complain bitterly or vehemently : rail
Example Sentence:
The senator inveighed against the new FDA regulations, claiming they allow loopholes for manufacturers.
11. bucolic • \byoo-KAH-lik\ • adjective
1 : of or relating to shepherds or herdsmen : pastoral
*2 : relating to or typical of rural life
Example Sentence:
While sitting in rush hour traffic, Cecilia often daydreamed about living in a little house in a quiet, bucolic setting.
12. interstice • \in-TER-stus\ • noun
*1 : space that intervenes between things; especially : one between closely spaced things
2 : short space of time between events
Example Sentence:
Paula found a bundle of love letters tucked in an interstice in the wall, where they must have been hidden by one of the house’s former occupants.
13. whammy • \WAM-ee\ • noun
1 a : a supernatural power bringing bad luck b : a magic curse or spell : jinx, hex
*2 : a potent force or attack; specifically : a paralyzing or lethal blow
Example Sentence:
“The nation’s working poor have been hit by another whammy,” said the senator, referring to a recent tax hike.
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Thirteen Stranger Than Fiction Truths
I have a thing for strange news stories and these folks, are pretty strange. |
This makes my 86th TT.
1. Man in Deep Doo-Doo Over Ticket Protest
AUSTIN, Minn. (AP) — An man who allegedly included dog feces along with his payment for a parking ticket has been charged with disorderly conduct. The 22-year-old man was charged with the misdemeanor May 11 in a criminal complaint filed in Mower County District Court….
2. Police: Uncle Bit Boy to Teach a Lesson
BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (AP) — A man was charged with assault for allegedly biting his 3-year-old nephew all over his body to teach the toddler that biting people is wrong, police said….
3. Neb. Mom Ticketed in Toilet Paper Caper
LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Police ticketed a 39-year-old woman this week after she allegedly drove seven kids to a teacher’s home to toilet paper it….
4. Woman Allegedly Bites Son-In-Law’s Ear
ROGERS, Ark. (AP) — A woman was charged with second-degree domestic battery after biting off part of her new son-in-law’s ear….
5. Cops: Ice Cream Truck Sold ‘Pot-Sicles’
MISSION, Texas (AP) — Police say the jingle of this ice cream truck meant pot-sickles. Police say elementary school students tipped them off to an ice cream truck driver who was apparently selling $5 and $10 bags of marijuana from the truck. Most customers were in the third, fourth, and fifth grades….
6. Texas Police Seek Coffee-Tossing Robber
DALLAS (AP) — A coffee-throwing robber who hurls hot java at cashiers is wanted for at least seven North Texas robberies, police said Thursday….
7. Gardening Family Finds ‘Time Capsule’
MANTON, Mich. (AP) — It wasn’t buried treasure, but a boy working in his grandmother’s garden pulled from the ground a wooden box that contained a Chrysler emblem, a tealight candle and newspapers from 1952, among other items….
8. 2,000 Gather for Amsterdam Nude Photo
AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) — Dozens of women posed naked on their bicycles on a bridge over one of Amsterdam’s historic canals Sunday - a unique sight even in a city famed for its relaxed attitude toward nudity and sex….
9. To Stave Off Obesity, Let’s Dance
BEIJING (AP) — Dance classes soon will be mandatory for Chinese elementary and secondary students because of worries about increased obesity, state media reported Tuesday….
10. Blackout Leaves Coaster Riders Dangling
HOT SPRINGS, Ark. (AP) — A dozen riders on a roller coaster spent half an hour hanging upside down - 150 feet above the ground - after a power outage shut down the attraction….
11. Scores of Bicyclists Go Nude in U.K.
BRIGHTON, England (AP) — With strategically placed helmets and slogans painted on bare skin, scores of people shed their clothes and rode through this seaside resort on their bicycles Saturday to promote cycling as an environmentally friendly mode of transport….
12. Police Nab Robber Who Stole Lettuce
GRAND CHUTE, Wis. (AP) — One robber’s list of things to steal included whiskey, a thermometer and lettuce….
13. Pa. Paramedics Save Ducklings From Drain
WEST LAWN, Pa. (AP) — Real estate agent Liliana Gomez told sales manager Larry Kitchen about a duck she saw peering down a storm drain on her way to work at GMAC Real Estate Premier Network in Wyomissing, and the two drove back to look….
Which news story did you find the strangest or most disturbing?
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1. sinspire
(v): to compel one to be creatively wicked
2. sprog
(v): to go faster than a jog but slower than a sprint
3. furgle
(v): to feel in a pocket or purse for a small object such as a coin or key
4. hoyle
(n): the point at which a genius transcends our reality and becomes a madman
5. onionate
(v): to overwhelm with post-dining breath
6. smushables
(n): the groceries that must be packed at the top of the bag or separately to avoid being mangled by the time you get home
7. pregreening
(v): the tendency to creep forward while waiting for a red light to change
8. wurfing
(v): the act of surfing the Internet at work and rationalizing that it is for work purposes
9. wibble
(n): a trembling of the lower lip just shy of actually crying
10. knitpicker
(n): a person who selects your knitted sweaters. Beware the Christmas knitpicker or the put-the-family-in-the-same-sweater-for-the-photo knitpicker.
11. ESPN-onage
(n): secretly viewing an all-sports network when your wife leaves the room
12. polkadodge
(n): the pseudo dance when two people attempt to pass each other, each moving in the same direction
13. whinese
(n): a language spoken by children or spouses on long road trips
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| Thirteen “C” Words that Describe my Life |
Scrolling through my life, one letter at a time.
By the way, this makes my 84th TT.
1. Cautious -
Considering I’m constantly thinking ahead and planning everything down to the last “what if,” I’d say I’m a pretty cautious person. I don’t like to take risks and I like to know what’s going to happen so I can mentally prepare myself for the outcome. I’m physically cautious but I won’t walk on eggshells. I’m cautious with people - I get very uncomfortable if anyone gets too close.
2. Catty -
Even though we make fun of females and all of their hormones, it is indeed a real issue we have to deal with on a monthly basis. And trust me when I say, I can be one of the cattiest, and nastiest people you’ve ever known when my hormones start raging. However, no matter how crummy I’m feeling, I will never go out of my way to be catty to people. I wasn’t brought up to treat people that way. However, if you provoke me, all bets are off.
3. Censor -
Unfortunately, I have a sailor mouth. And if it wasn’t for my family being my physical censor, there’s no telling how bad it might get. I find myself going through spurts where all I do is run my mouth and it’s embarrassing when my kids are the ones telling me to clean it up and “stop cussing mom.” *blush* Aside from my mouth, I don’t believe in censoring ourselves - we have earned the right to think for ourselves and the moment we stop exercising that right and allow people/government to censor our lives, we’ll lose control of those freedoms.
4. Challenge -
I like challenges. I like tackling challenges. As long as I don’t have people breathing down my neck or any sort of deadline, I love trying to figure out problems through trial and error. I view life as a constant challenge that must be tamed and enjoyed.
5. Charismatic -
I’ve been told I’m charismatic and I suppose, on some level I can be. Though I’m not a big people person, I can be what someone wants me to be pretty easily. I’ve always been a take charge sort of personality and haven’t been, nor will ever be, happy to simply follow someone. I would be one of those annoying people who challenge everything. (See? That challenge word again).
6. Cheap -
If you’ve been reading this blog for any length of time, then you KNOW the answer to this one. There is hardly a blog entry that doesn’t include the word cheap somewhere. I believe in stretching your dollar as far as it will possibly go and will forego a lot of creature comforts if I think there’s a better deal out there or if it would be more prudent to put that money into some sort of moneymaking account. As a result of this cheap gene, we are debt free (this includes our house though we did just finance my new Vibe. But we’ll tighten our belts and pay it off early simply because, that’s the type of people we are).
7. Choice -
I believe everyone has a choice in every situation in life. Sometimes the choices are easy, sometimes they are incredibly hard, sometimes they are consciously made, sometimes they are unconsciously made, but everything comes down to choice. There’s no way we can know if we’re making the right choices, all we can do is make the best of the choices we make. Choices are important and can be incredibly hard, but it really all boils down to having the courage to make that choice.
8. Christian -
I’m a Christian and proud of it. I was saved in 1977 and I’m absolutely sure I’ll be one of the people Christ takes back with him when he comes back for us. There is no doubt in my mind that I will have eternal life. I don’t belong to any religion; I am a child of God and have devoted my life, and the lives of my family, to studying God’s word and living the abundant life.
9. Clever -
I am not a smart person. I’ve never been that great of a student and any good grades I’ve received in my academic career have been through a lot of sweat and tears. I do have a lot of common sense though and I suppose that can make me appear clever at times. But seriously? I’m an airhead and an idiot. There are times I can’t believe I’ve opened my mouth and said some of the stupid things I’ve said.
10. Coffee -
A must have. I’ve grown to like coffee. I’ve grown to rely on coffee. I drink a cup every morning while I go through my morning computer routine and I alternate days I drink coffee in the afternoons. I have to, I get hooked and then get those terrible caffeine withdrawal headaches when I cut back. If it weren’t for those headaches, I’d drink coffee all day, every day.
11. Conservative -
Though I hesitate to label myself as a Republican (for I don’t agree with everything they stand for and actually agree with some of the things the Democrats stand for), I would say I’m a conservative soul. As mentioned, I believe in the bible, don’t agree with homosexuality, believe woman should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies and believe people who commit murder deserve the death penalty. I believe children should be spanked (note I said spanked, not beaten), and think organized religion is more interested in power and money as opposed to educating their congregation. I believe people should work for what they want and not expect the government to hand them things for free. Are there any more politically incorrect issues I can address? 
12. Confrontational -
See number 11.
13. Cynical -
I am a very cynical person. I tend to be sarcastic in a humorous and sneaky way so that people aren’t quite sure if I’m being serious or just pulling their legs. I like to keep people guessing because the minute people “get” me is the minute I become boring, and bored.
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| Thirteen Things about My Mr. Right, Part Two |
1. How would you describe your relationship?
Seasoned - with just the right amount of spices.
2. Do you have a shirt of his that you sleep in?
I don’t sleep in his clothes, but I certainly wear them. (Not the pants. But I could if I wanted to. Need I remind you? Me Amazon woman).
3. Do you like the way he smells?
Absolutely. He sort of has a woodsy smell about him, tinged with a slight sweetness.
4. Sing?
Let’s hope not. He’s a much better musician than he is a singer. (Sorry honey).
5. What bothers you the most about him?
The fact the man doesn’t know how to relax. He was brought up with a mom on the go-go-go, so when we first got together, the man used to exhaust me with his energy. However, I’ve worked on him over the years and I’m happy to report, that he now balances his life quite nicely between work and play.
Now … if we could do something about that annoying neatness factor …
6. Does he have a temper?
No. Thank God. There is no way we would have survived all of these years if he had. I have enough temper for both of us. Trust me. However, when he loses his temper, and he has on a few occasions over the years, even I hide because it’s pretty fierce when unleashed.
7. Are you happy to be with him?
Well, that’s kind of a silly question, don’t you think? What am I supposed to say, no? After I’ve devoted two whole posts to him? Of course I’m happy to be with him. He spoils me rotten. And he’s all mine.
8. Does he embarrass you in public?
No. He’s a very conservative and quiet man and goes out of his way to blend into the crowd and/or get along with everyone. Never.
Now me on the other hand …
9. Does he have any piercings?
Newp. Though I do think it’d be kind of cool to get one ear pierced. What do you say, honey?
10. Any tattoos?
Ew, no. Thank God.
11. Does he have any scars that you know of?
Not that I know of. And I’m sure I would have noticed them by now. *evil grin*
12. Is he a party dude or stay at home?
Stay at home. Hands down.
Though I don’t know. Now that he’s in a band and will be playing some nightclubs, that might change. 
13. Is he outgoing or shy?
Both and neither. He can be outgoing, around the right people. And he can be pretty shy, like around my parents. He’s one of those people that everyone likes and seeks for advice. He truly does get along with everyone.
Now me on the other hand … is anyone else noticing a pattern here? Hhmm…
Honey - here’s to growing old together. 
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| Thirteen Things about My Mr. Right, Part One |
1. How long have you been together (married)?
♥ 17 wonderful years! ♥
2. How long did you know each other before you got together?
We lived together for two years before we got married. And regardless of people’s opinions, we will advise our boys to do the same before committing to a life partner. I firmly believe living together is just one of the reasons we’re still together today.
3. What physical features attracted you to him first?
His smile. The man has a sexy smile. And twinkly eyes. I love it when his eyes light up and sparkle. (They do that when he talks about his music).
4. Eye color:
Hazel. They are green around the pupil and lined with brown edges.
5. Hair color:
He used to be white-blonde. It seems to turn darker the older he gets. I used to describe him as a dirty blonde, but now it’s almost more a light brown. (Or is that what dirty blonde is??)
6. Hair style:
Wavy. And this drives him nuts. He hates his wavy hair and straightens it every morning before he goes to work. He keeps it pretty short because of the waves. He would love to grow it out long, but of course, that’s not acceptable accountant attire.
7. Normal outfit:
The man was MADE to wear suits. He looks absolutely sexy in a tie. However, he hates wearing ties (and no longer has a job that requires a tie everyday, thank God), so now he wears a button-down shirt and slacks to work. Even without the tie, he looks damn fine. On the weekends, he wears cargo shorts and t-shirts, or in the winter, jeans and sweatshirts. He’s not a fancy man - he prefers simple, low-key clothing. And he abhors anything that fits too tight.
8. How did you meet?
We both worked at the same bank as tellers. He worked the drive-thru, I worked the lobby. I used to find excuses to go back to the drive-thru so that I could flirt with him.
9. What was your first date like?
Our first date only happened because I lost a bet with him. It was in December 1987 and the company Christmas party was coming up. He wanted me to go with him and I said no. (I was playing it safe due to other issues). In fact, I hadn’t planned on going to the party at all. I was a new employee (had only been there since September) and I was shy and … well, anti-social. In order to get me to go, he bet me that he would balance to the penny that night after work. Considering the boy never balanced to the penny, I laughingly agreed thinking there was no way he would do it and I would be safe.
He balanced to the penny.
We went to the party, had a few drinks and absolutely became joined at the hip from that point on. It wasn’t until years later that I learned he had lied to me. He hadn’t really balanced to the penny after all.
10. Do your parents like him?
My parents think he’s awesome. He’s a smart, motivated, nice person and they couldn’t have asked for a better life partner for me.
At least, that’s what they tell me to my face. 
11. Do his parents like you?
His parents love me. In fact, he jokingly says they like me better than they like him. In fact, I’m asking my mother-in-law to help me with some home decorating tips because I think she has excellent taste and my husband trusts her opinion. How many daughters-in-law can say THAT?
12. Do you trust him?
Absolutely. I’m very secure in his feelings for me and I know, without a shadow of a doubt, he would never intentionally hurt me. (Unless I completely and totally pissed him. But that’s another story. Intrigued?) 
13. Would you share a toothbrush with him?
Are you kidding me? What DON’T I share with the man? 
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Thirteen Stranger Than Fiction Truths
Attention writers! Need a story idea? Look no further. |
This makes my 81st TT!
1. Student Tries to Make Roadkill Pretty
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) — For the past several weeks, drivers near Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville have been noticing odd things about some of the roadkill on the sides of the area’s highways….
2. Serial Socks Snatcher in Trouble Again
BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) — James Dowdy has admitted his hankering for women’s hosiery has been his undoing, earning him three stints in prison and repeated scoldings from judges over the years. So police say it’s no surprise the 36-year-old man is knee deep in trouble again because of his lust for leggings….
3. Misdiagnosed Man Seeks Compensation
LONDON (AP) — A man who said he spent his life savings after being told he had months to live is seeking compensation after doctors conceded they had got the diagnosis wrong….
4. Pub Told to Change Tricky Bathroom Signs
DESTIN, Fla. (AP) — Confusing signs on the bathroom doors at McGuire’s Irish Pub have played jokes on customers for years, sending women to the men’s room and vice versa….
5. Panty-Clad Man Tries Robbery With Lighter
INWOOD, W.Va. (AP) — A thief covered his face with a pair of blue women’s underwear and used a pistol-shaped cigarette lighter in a botched robbery of a convenience store, police said. “I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried,” State Police Sgt. T.C. Kearns told The Journal in Martinsburg….
6. Dressed Up Dead Fawn Left Near Theater
TACOMA, Wash. (AP) — The police log entry said it all: “Deceased fawn was dressed up like an infant and abandoned at the Pantages” Theater. Why would anyone dress up a dead newborn deer, lay it in a basket and leave it outside an ornate downtown landmark?…
7. Armless, One-Legged Driver Leads Chase
NEW PORT RICHEY, Fla. (AP) — Authorities were led on a high speed vehicle chase by an armless, one-legged man, and they said this wasn’t the first time the 40-year-old eluded police….
8. Wal-Mart Shoplifters Hold Signs of Crime
ATTALLA, Ala. (AP) — Wal-Mart doesn’t want thieves on its property, including two convicted shoplifters ordered by a judge to stand outside with signs reading “I am a thief, I stole from Wal-Mart.”…
9. Dog Nurses Tiger Triplets at China Zoo
BEIJING (AP) — It’s a dog’s life for three newborn tiger triplets in eastern China. The cubs, whom officials at the Jinan Paomaling Wild Animal World in Shandong province are so far just calling “One,” “Two” and “Three,” have been nursed by a dog since they were rejected by their tiger mother shortly after birth, said Paomaling manager Chen Yucai….
10. Pair Who Hatched Bomb Threat Get Prison
JACKSON, Mo. (AP) — The idea seemed a long shot at best: One man would call police and accuse his friend of carrying a bomb in hopes the arresting officer would rough up the suspect enough to support a lawsuit….
11. Woman Pleads Guilty in Drive-Up Robbery
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Evonne D. Maurice apparently wanted to get away in style. The 22-year-old pleaded guilty Wednesday in federal court to trying to rob a bank at a drive-up window while traveling in a hired limousine….
12. Orangutan Undergoes Cataract Surgery
KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — An orangutan is expected to have improved vision after successfully undergoing cataract surgery Wednesday, the world’s first ever such operation on a great ape, a wildlife official said….
13. Boy Gets Trash Duty for Roughhousing
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — A woman whose son was suspended from school for roughhousing with a teacher punished the boy by making him wear a sign while he picked up litter on a city street….
Which news story did you find the strangest or most disturbing?
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Attention shutterbugs! It’s time for another photo contest! The theme is back-to-school. Check here for rules. Winner receives either BusyBodies merchandise ($20 value), or a $20 Amazon.com gift certificate. All you have to do is post a picture - how easy is that?
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| Thirteen Lone Facts About Me |
1. One thing I have never done in front of an adult?
Fart. (No, seriously. I have a “thing” about flatulence. I won’t even do it front of my family. I go to the restroom. More info than you wanted to know? *wink*)
2. One thing I used to be able to do but have lost the ability to.
Sit cross-legged and then get up off the floor. I have to hold on to something now and my knees crack so loudly the neighbor beagle howls in protest.
3. One food I cannot live without.
Bread. I’m a bread whore. Seriously.
4. One book I think is a classic.
Pride and Prejudice. LOVE me some Jane Austen.
5. One thing I wish I had more control over.
My temper. I swear I should have been a red head.
6. One thing I dislike about myself.
My temper. Wait. Can I use that answer twice? Too bad, I’m using it.
7. One thing that I like about myself.
My eyes. They are the color of topaz. (Or poo. But I prefer topaz. )
8. One vehicle I wished I owned one day.
Something hot and sexy that will make me look (and act) twenty years younger. It must be a deep purple though. I look great in purple.
9. One profession I have no respect for.
Defense attorneys. I’m sorry, but HOW can you live with yourself??
10. One holiday I could live without.
Christmas. Because we would not have everlasting life without our Lord and savior.
11. One piece of clothing I cannot live without.
Stretchy jeans. Ladies, do we love the stretchy denim or what??
12. One thing I am afraid of.
Losing my husband - either to death or an affair.
13. One thing I am happy to have.
This blog. I love posting random acts of silliness, like this entry for example.
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| Thirteen Ways to Get Rid of Annoying Telemarketers |
1. If they want to loan you money, tell them you just filed for bankruptcy and you could sure use some money.
2. If they start out with, “How are you today?” say, “Why do you want to know?” Alternately, you can tell them, “I’m so glad you asked, because no one these days seems to care, and I have all these problems; my arthritis is acting up, my eyelashes are sore, my dog just died…”
3. If they say they’re John Doe from XYZ Company, ask them to spell their name. Then ask them to spell the company name. Then ask them where it is located. Continue asking them personal questions or questions about their company for as long as necessary.
4. Cry out in surprise,”Judy! Is that you? Judy, how have you been?” Hopefully, this will give Judy a few brief moments of terror as she tries to figure out where in the world she could know you from.
5. Say “No”, over and over. Be sure to vary the sound of each one, and keep a rhythmic tempo, even as they are trying to speak. This is most fun if you can do it until they hang up.
6. If MCI calls trying to get you to sign up for the Family and Friends Plan, reply, in as SINISTER a voice as you can, “I don’t have any friends… would you be my friend?”
7. If the company cleans rugs, respond: “Can you get out blood? Can you get out GOAT blood? How about HUMAN blood?
8. After the Telemarketer gives their spiel, ask him/her to marry you. When they get all flustered, tell them that you could not just give your credit card number to a complete stranger.
9. Tell the Telemarketer you are busy at the moment and ask him/her if he/she will give you his/her HOME phone number so you can call him/her back. When the Telemarketer explains that telemarketers cannot give out their HOME numbers you say “I guess you don’t want anyone bothering you at home, right?” The Telemarketer will agree and you say, “Now you know how I feel!” Hang up.
10.Ask them to repeat everything they say, several times.
11.Tell them it is dinner time, BUT ask if they would please hold. Put them on your speaker phone while you continue to eat at your leisure. Smack your food loudly and continue with your dinner conversation.
12. Insist that the caller is really your buddy Leon, playing a joke. “Come on Leon, cut it out! Seriously, Leon, how’s your momma?”
13. Tell them to talk VERY SLOWLY, because you want to write EVERY WORD down.
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August 6th I’m hosting the Carnival of Family Life. Want to submit an article about your family? Need more info? Click here.
I picked these questions up at Michele’s blog.
1. What music would you recommend to me?
Wow. That’s a hard question to answer. It’s like trying to recommend a book, or a piece of art to someone. Music is so subjective - it really depends on the person and what kind of mood that person is in at any given moment. So, with that in mind:
Angry/Hurt/Bitter: Nickelback, Evanescence, Bon Jovi, even some old ACDC or Metallica would do in a pinch. (Hint: have a pillow to punch when you listen to these guys. It really IS theraputic!)
Mellow/Stressed: Dido, Enya, Jem
Contemplative: Hoobstank, Keith Urban (Hey, he’s new country and hot, bite me ).
Inspired: Barlow Girl
Naughty/Sexy/Nasty: Gwen Stefani, Pink
2. What do you think about books being banned? Should it ever happen? What would be a reason to ban a book?
Books should never be banned. We start banning books, then the censorship issue develops a crack and before long, we have government making decisions, and living our lives for us. Everyone has a choice - choose not to read offensive material. I believe children should be taught about all issues (age-appropriate subjects, of course). The more you make something secretive and mysterious, the more children, and people, want to know about it. You might as well educate children/people correctly to begin with before misinformation and experimentation happens. And yes, I have talked to my children about everything: sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll.
3. Would you spend an entire day skipping everywhere you go instead of walking normally in exchange for a month’s free groceries?
LOL. I love this question because it’s just so out there. Yes, I think I would skip everywhere for one day in order to save about $500 dollars in groceries. It would be fun and totally worth seeing the look on people’s faces.
4. As a form of punishment children are sometimes deprived of something they cherish or a favorite activity. If you were going to be punished in this way as an adult, for a time period of one month, what item or activity would you least like to lose?
Can I use reverse psychology here? If so, then I would totally want my Internet taken away from me. I hate the Internet. It’s a waste of time and energy. I mean, think of the time I’ve wasted surfing blogs and visiting various websites? I could totally live without the Internet for one month. Totally.
Now TV, or cleaning house? That would be different. I’d totally die if I lost one of those things. *winkwinknudgenudge*
5. What is the strangest thing on your desk right now?
Considering I’m the most normal 50% logical - 50% creative brained person out there, I’d have to say nothing. Now the most interesting? The Five Love Languages of Teenagers by Gary Chapman. Interesting reading and proving helpful, quite frankly.
6. What five things are in your medicine cabinet?
1. Lactose Intolerant stuff (It doesn’t seem to be working. I see a trip to a gastrologist in my near future. I know, that’s not a real word, but I’m too lazy to look up the correct term right now).
2. Pamprin - My husband makes sure I have a steady supply of that on hand.
3. Afrin nose spray - helps with my sinus pressure.
4. Excedrin Migraine - For those head-splitting migraines I get on occasion.
5. Multi-vitamin for, um, mature women. *sigh*
7. What is your nationality/heritage/culture/background….and do you embrace it?
Pennsilvania Dutch/Irish on my mom’s side and Cherokee/German on my dad’s side. (Yes, I had to ask my mother, lol)
I’m very proud of my family and background. I think it’s especially cool that I have some Indian blood in me.
8. What color are your current bedsheets?
Actually, they’re a creamy/black plaid color. Our bedroom is very masculine looking. Blacks and browns. I’d love to do something a little more feminine but whenever I suggest something, the hubs’ face gets all pasty and he looks like a deer in headlights so I’ve learned to drop the subject - for now.
9. Approximately how many cookbooks do you own and which one is your favorite?
Fourteen - yes, I counted. They consist of:
Pampered Chef - two
Chinese - one
Dieter’s / Light-weight - three
Crockpot - two
Betty Crocker - two
BBQ - one
Campbell’s Soup - one
My sister-in-law’s church - one
My son’s school - one
The ones we use the most? My sister-in-law’s church one (GREAT recipes), a crockpot one, Chinese, and Dieters one.
10. Do you believe in the supernatural?
I believe in devil spirits, which manifest supernatural events. I do not believe in ghosts, aliens, or Big Foot.
11. What is the scariest movie you have ever seen?
Nightmare on Elm Street. That movie absolutely, positively freaked the poo out of me. There’s something so creepy about being sucked into your dream world.
12. Are you hoping for lots of grandchildren in your life?
Absolutely. In fact, I tell my boys that all the time. And I always preface it by saying, “When you’ve been married for a few years, of course.” I’d love to have about six. That’s not too much to ask, is it? Three kids per boy? *grin*
13. Do you agree that telling children “little white-lies” are dangerous? Is it wrong to motivate children to dream big? Is there any situation where “little white-lies” is acceptable?
Wow, that’s a loaded question. I don’t think this issue is so cut and dried and there are certainly no fast answers, all I can tell you is what I know and have done with our children.
We have trained our boys to always look at both sides of an issue. “How would you feel if …” We’ve talked about these type of situations a lot over the years and I feel like they have developed into kind and thoughtful human beings as a result. And I always use situations that arise as learning tools for the boys. We talk about things. “Mom, why did you tell her the food was good, when it wasn’t?” Because if you can avoid hurting people’s feelings, just for the sake of making them, or yourself, feel better, then do it.
There’s such a fine line between telling the truth and devastating someone, or telling a white lie and allowing that person to continue feeling good about themselves. And of course, it depends on the situation. If, in the example above, the person was entering a food contest, or was trying to make cooking his/her career, then of course, tell him/her the truth so the cook could make the food better. But if the food was sub-par and perhaps just a bit burnt around the edges, or you wouldn’t have cooked it quite like that, then where’s the harm in allowing someone to feel that sense of self-satisfaction?
Do I think it’s wrong to teach kids to dream big? Absolutely not. But, as with anything, it must be done in moderation. If your expectations are too high, then that puts too much pressure on the child. But if you’re expectations are too low, then the child doesn’t learn to push him/herself. We always try to teach our boys to try their best - to really give it a good try and more than once. Ultimately, it’s up to them whether they want to pursue their goals, but it’s important to at least try and always do their best.
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We’re helping children get hooked on books!
Visit Write Stuff July 28th for 24 straight hours of blogging for First Book! Please help give children from low-income families the opportunity to read and own their first new books. Sponsor Write Stuff today! (Donation site requires a $5.00 minimum donation. Money is not due until after July 28th!!)
This TT is dedicated to thirteen bloggers who have committed to blogging 24 hours July 28th for their favorite charities. If you haven’t heard about Blogathon 2007 by now, go here. If you would like to see a complete listing of all the bloggers participating in the Blogathon, go here.
In a nutshell, Blogathon is about bloggers posting a fresh entry every 30 minutes for 24 straight hours for a charity of their choice. I thought it would be fun to participate with the Write Stuff writers this year - we’re blogging in shifts. Want to know who’s blogging when? Check this out.
The blogs listed below are just 13 I picked at random based on their charities. These are charities I would have picked in addition to First Book. I know ya’ll are pressed for time (Thursdays are always a mad rush to click as many TTer’s as possible), but when things slow down, would you mind coming back and clicking on a few bloggers/charities? And if you feel so inclined, how about supporting one or two? (Like Write Stuff for instance!) It’s a worthy cause and something bloggers can do to give back to the community. Thanks for visiting and Happy TT!
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| Thirteen Blogs Participating in Blogathon 2007 |
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Blog
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Charity
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(1) 
Write Stuff
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Blogging for:
First Book
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(2) 
Beach life
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Blogging for:
Hair for Hope (Children Cancer Foundation) |
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(3) 
Snarky Pants
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Blogging for:
Chemo Angels |
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(4) 
Dayngrous Discourse
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Blogging for:
Freedom From Hunger |
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Thirteen Stranger Than Fiction Truths
Attention writers! Need a story idea? Look no further. |
This makes my 76th TT!
1. Ohio Judge Frees Man After Bible Quiz
CINCINNATI (AP) — A man arrested on Wednesday for allegedly trying to use a stolen credit card at a drugstore got a break from a judge after passing a sort of Bible quiz….
2. Alleged Robber Leaves His AK-47 Receipt
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Sheriff’s deputies tracked down a suspect in an armed robbery with a receipt he left at the scene of the crime, authorities said….
3. N.D. Senior Goes to Prom in Tractor
NEW ROCKFORD, N.D. (AP) — Forget taking a limousine to the prom. One high school senior drove his date in a 1992 green John Deere 8760 tractor….
4. Ohio Church Noise Bothers Neighbors
MASSILLON, Ohio (AP) — Is it worship? Or disturbing the peace?…
5. Inmates Take Swipe at Toilet Paper Cuts
HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — Toilet paper is becoming a sought after commodity at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility after officials began limiting inmates to one roll at a time to trim costs….
6. Police Find Alleged Home Burglar Asleep
MISSOULA, Mont. (AP) — A man suspected of burglarizing a home was arrested after police found him asleep in the basement. Iam D. Wright was lying on the floor early Thursday next to a black bag filled with items that belonged to the homeowners, including stereo equipment, a backpack and a wallet, police said….
7. Toddler Calls 911 After Mother Collapses
FAIRBANKS, Alaska (AP) — A toddler knew to call 911 when his mother collapsed and lost consciousness, thanks to a children’s book his grandmother had sent several months earlier….
8. 3,500 Lbs. of Bat Guano Found in Attic
BALLSTON SPA, N.Y. (AP) — An upstate New York couple didn’t think a few bats in the attic were much of a problem when they were buying a house last summer….
9. Teacher Accused of Selling Kid’s Jacket
HILLSBORO, Ore. (AP) — A Hillsboro mother found her daughter’s missing winter coat on eBay, and now a teacher at the girl’s elementary school faces charges of theft and computer crimes…
10. Kids Tuned to ‘Handy Manny’ Get Porn
MIDDLETOWN, N.J. (AP) — Children here got more than they bargained for when they tuned in to “Handy Manny” on the Disney Channel this week - hard-core pornography….
11. Wis. Man’s Car Stolen Twice in One Day
STEVENS POINT, Wis. (AP) — A Stevens Point man thought he was lucky to recover his car after it was stolen - until it was stolen again later that day….
12. Brazil Nixes Online Ad for Sale of Wife
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) — The government has ordered an Internet auction site to remove an advertisement in which a Brazilian man offered to sell his wife for about $50….
13. Teacher Makes 7-Year-Old Hit Himself
MANCHESTER, Mo. (AP) — A music teacher who twice ordered a seven-year-old pupil to hit himself in the head with drum mallets will not return to the Parkway School District next year….
Which news story did you find the strangest or most disturbing?
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| Thirteen Sounds I Hear While Walking |
When is the last time you stopped and listened?
This is what I hear when I go walking without my iPod:
1. Click-click-click of the pedometer
2. Sprinkle of water on someone’s lawn
3. Distant (and not so distant) bark of a dog
4. My labored breathing patterns
5. Scuff of sole against pavement
6. Hiss of passing tires
7. Boom-boom of someone’s car stereo
8. Shouts of glee from small children
9. The scratchy cough from the old man sitting on his front porch
10.Toenails scratching the sidewalk of a squirrel scrambling to get out of my way
11. Whir of a lawnmower
12. Chirping birds
13. Passing driver’s cell phone conversation
What do you hear right now?
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Yeah, this is all I’ve got - I’ve been doing TT WAY too long.
1. On my walls I have pictures of the rooms on the second floor, so I never have to go upstairs.
2. I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
3. When I woke up this morning my girlfriend asked me, “Did you sleep good?” I said “No, I made a few mistakes.”
4. I lost a button hole today.
5. If you were going to shoot a mime, would you use a silencer?
6. Right now I’m having amnesia and deja vu at the same time. I think I’ve forgotten this before.
7. I spilled Spot Remover on my dog. Now he’s gone.
8. Why is the alphabet in that order? Is it because of that song?
9. I bought some dehydrated water, but I don’t know what to add to it.
10. Last night I stayed up late playing poker with Tarot cards. I got a full house and four people died.
11. Someone sent me a postcard picture of the earth. On the back it said, “Wish you were here.”
12. I almost had a psychic girlfriend but she left me before we met.
13. What’s another word for Thesaurus?
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| Thirteen Traits of a Good Writer |
This makes my 73rd TT.
1) a passion for words
I’ve had a passion for words for as long as I can remember. There’s something infinitely satisfying about stringing a bunch of random words/phrases/thoughts together and making something interesting out of it.
2) a deep interest in people
I love to people watch. I’m more interested in what they don’t say as opposed to what they actually say. Pay attention to people’s expressions and body language - it’s a whole new dialect.
3) a desire to communicate to others
Though I don’t actively go out and communicate with people, I do have a deep desire to get my message out there. It’s just that I choose writing as my medium to do so.
4) be inquisitive
I’m curious about everything, but mainly about what makes a relationship work. What exactly are the components that bring two people together? What kind of glue keeps them together? The answer is different for everyone and THAT is what fascinates me.
5) commitment to writing yet detached enough to critique it objectively
Since blogging (almost three years now), I’ve made a commitment to write to the best of my ability - at all times. Because of this self-imposed mission, I’ve noticed a marked improvement in my thought process and both my written, and oral, communication skills. Blogging has molded and shaped me into a better writer. And if anyone is willing to objectively critique my own work, it’s me. I’m my own worst critic - trust me.
6) a willingness to revise
Absolutely. I write it, forget about it, return to it later and revise the crap out of it. Is it better? I can only hope so.
7) alert to details
Details are what MAKE a good story even better.
8) disciplined to write every day
Again, blogging has trained me to write every day. True, everything I write is not necessarily geared toward publication, but the mere act of blogging, writing down my thoughts, reviewing books and just being my goofy self has taught me more about myself, and my writing style, than anything, or anybody, ever has.
9) ability/willingness to take criticism and/or objections
Writers MUST take their audiences into account when they write. However, writers MUST learn when to call it quits, go with their guts and stay true to the story.
10) a grasp of the basics of English mechanics and grammar
Absolutely essential. Writers MUST know semantics or their stories will be rejected - both by the publishers AND by the readers.
11. willing to explore “what if” scenarios
It’s what makes great stories. Get in the habit of asking yourself “what if.” I can almost guarantee you’ll be surprised by the answer.
12. willing to cater to an over-active imagination
You’re a writer; you’re different. Accept and embrace that knowledge because it’s what makes you stand out and write good stories.
13. willing to break standard guidelines in order to stand out from the crowd and dazzle the reader.
You know the old adage? “You must first know the rules before you can break them?&rdq
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Thirteen Stranger Than Fiction Truths
Haven’t had time to catch up on the (strange) news? No worries, I’m here to help. |
This makes my 72nd TT!
1. Online Searches Change Dating Dynamic
CHICAGO (AP) — Dating used to be largely a matter of spending time with a love interest, discovering the good, the bad and the ugly in person. If you were lucky, friends helped fill in some of the blanks. These days, the Internet - and the ability to check people out before they ever meet up - has forever changed the rules. For better or worse, “googling” your date has become standard practice….
2. Woman: Bowel Caused Alleged Shoplifting
CAPE CORAL, Fla. (AP) — A woman arrested for shoplifting has blamed the crime on irritable bowel syndrome, authorities said. Helen Gallo, 61, of Clearwater, was arrested Sunday after allegedly shoplifting from a Cape Coral grocery store, The Daily Breeze of Cape Coral reported….
3. Police: Bank Robbery Suspect Ran Errands
NORTON SHORES, Mich. (AP) — A suspected bank robber took a cab to and from an afternoon heist and rounded out his day running errands, including visiting an elementary school, before being caught, police said….
4. Man Arrested in Feces-Filled Home
OCALA, Fla. (AP) — A man living in a home with a layer of animal feces between 2 and 3 inches deep and as many as 300 cats, both alive and dead, was arrested Friday, authorities said….
5. N.C. Clerk Wins $200,000 by Mistake
CONOVER, N.C. (AP) — A store clerk’s slip-up at the cash register has paid off big time. Wayburn Allen on Tuesday accidentally rang up two duplicate Powerball tickets for a customer in this western North Carolina town. At the end of the day, after she was unable to sell the second ticket, Allen paid for it herself….
6. Driver Crashes Into Pa. Police House
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — A drunken driver veered onto a sidewalk and crashed into a police station, knocking bricks loose from the building, police said….
7. Mom, Daughter Give Birth Within Minutes
MANSFIELD, Ohio (AP) — They may be uncle and nephew, but two newborns may feel more like brothers after being born just minutes apart….
8. Man Gets 5,000 Calls for YouTube Posting
SOUTHBRIDGE, Mass. (AP) — Ryan Fitzgerald is unemployed, lives with his father and has a little bit of time on his hands….
9. Teen Pockets $25,000 in Texting Contest
NEW YORK (AP) — OMG! Thirteen-year-old Morgan Pozgar, of Claysburg, Pa., was crowned LG National Texting champion on Saturday after she typed “supercalifragilisticexpialidocious” from “Mary Poppins” in 15 seconds….
10. Police: Girl Stops Out of Control Van
PERU, Ind. (AP) — An 11-year-old girl stopped a van that went out of control when her diabetic mother became ill, police said….
11. Shoe Fits Driver After Alleged Crash
HOLIDAY, Fla. (AP) — A Cinderella story it isn’t. There is a mysterious shoe and a fitting to find its rightful owner. There’s even a wedding. But, at least for the shoe’s alleged owner, there is no happily ever after….
12. Judge, Prosecutor Face Heat Over Affair
CASTLE ROCK, Colo. (AP) — A judge and a prosecutor face disciplinary hearings after admitting to having sex in the judge’s chambers and being together in shower facilities at the Douglas County courthouse….
13. Woman Sneaks Into Prison for Sex
BALTIMORE (AP) — A woman pleaded guilty to using a false ID badge to enter a corrections facility while posing as an attorney so she could have sex with an inmate, state prosecutors said….
Which news story did you find the strangest or most disturbing?
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 Don’t miss the upcoming photo contest June 8th! YOU could win a $20 gift certificate to Amazon.com!
I picked these questions up at Michele’s blog.
1. What gift to yourself have you purchased recently?
Well, this is embarrassing. My most recent purchase for me was … um … two bras. *blush* Remember, I’m el-cheapo and I quite literally wear bras to the point where A. the straps break or B. the underwire works itself loose and starts poking me in the boob. So, I bit the bullet, went to Kohl’s and bought some bras that actually fit. I have to tell ya, it’s a relief to be wearing bras that aren’t using my boob as a shish-ka-bob.
And yes, I consider buying bras a gift to myself - do you know how expensive bras are?!
2. Have you ever sweet-talked your way out of a speeding or parking ticket?
No, but I have certainly tried. I got pulled over twice, in the same school zone, during my first week training at the bank. I was all dolled up, I batted my eyelashes, but the guy wouldn’t be swayed.
Then, one time, I rolled through a stop sign, in front of a cop. I had a head start on him and I confess, I tried to outrun him by dodging into side streets. But I soon came to my senses and stopped. I didn’t even try to sweet talk myself out of that one because I think he knew I was making a break for it.
The last time I was pulled over, I was late picking the kids up from school and ran a red light - in front of another cop - and he stopped me in front of the school building. (Talk about EMBARRASSING). I tried using my kids as an excuse, you know, I didn’t want to mentally scar them by being late and make them think I had abandoned them, but alas, no dice.
3. What thing (event, occasion, planned outing, etc.) are you most looking forward to this month?
I’ll answer this for the month of June: End of school (June 7th) and Father’s Day. I can’t wait to give hubby his present. *mysterious smile*
4. What did you have for breakfast?
A cup of coffee and a chewy granola bar (I’m HOOKED on these things). I’m not a big breakfast person and rarely have an appetite before 10:00 a.m.
5. What was the subject of the last photograph that you took?
My oldest son playing the bass guitar with my husband. This instrument seems to appeal to GD and we couldn’t be more thrilled. Though he often gets impatient with the fact that he can’t immediately play like a pro (!), we’re happy that he’s taking an interest in something OTHER than video games. Yay!
6. Better Homes and Gardens just showed up at your door, what are they there for?
To do a piece on what NOT to do with your home.
7. Do you still print photos or only keep digital copies now?
Digital copies. The hubs gave me a digital picture frame for Mother’s Day, so now I’m working on filling an SD card of my favorite photos. We do have a photo printer (and this thing is AWESOME!) but we rarely use it unless the kids need pictures for one of their school projects or a family member wants a copy of something. It only prints 4x6’s though, so if we need bigger prints, we order through them through Yahoo (which I highly recommend! They’re cheap and fast).
8. How many energy saving lightbulbs do you have in your home right now?
All our lightbulbs are energy saving; we don’t buy regular lightbulbs anymore. And yes, they really do last longer.
9. What would you put in a time capsule to be opened in 50 years?
An iPod Shuffle or Nano. Why? Because who knows what sort of digital music contraption we’ll have in 50 years. My money is on something even more cool and different. I mean heck, my iPod Mini is already obsolete!
10. Who haven’t you seen in a very long time that would thrill you to see?
Debbie, my best friend from high school. She’s currently stationed in Japan with her Navy husband and four kids. I haven’t seen her since high school but we periodically email back and forth. Debbie, if you’re reading this, COME TO MISSOURI AND VISIT!
11. How many times have you moved in your life?
I lived in a trailer until I was seven years old. Then my family moved into a house on the north side of town.
I moved out after I graduated from high school - that’s two. It was a four-plex - a house that had been divided up into four apartments. I lived in the attic portion and there was this REALLY creepy dude who lived downstairs and kept unusual tabs on me. *shudder*
He creeped me out so much that I then moved into an apartment by myself on the other side of town, but I was so lonely that I soon hooked up with some girls from work.
Me and three other girls from work all moved into a two bedroom apartment on the “happening” side of town. We had an absolute BLAST together , that was definitely my “party-hardy” time period - for about a year. And then things started to get a little weird and we started being catty and bitchy to each other so we all parted ways.
One of the girls from above and I moved into another apartment and lived together for about, oh, two years maybe? But then she met her husband and another girl from work moved in with me, but I soon found out she was stealing from me. This was also the time period I met the hubs and before either of us discussed it, he had gradually moved in with me and the girl gradually moved out, so that whole period seems sort of fused together.
The hubs and I lived together for two years before getting married and moving into a rental house. Our oldest son was six months old when we moved out of the rental house and into the house we’re currently in.
So, overall? I’ve moved seven times in my lifetime.
12. Have you ever done online dating?
No, but I’ve flirted in chat rooms before. (And no, you can’t hear about that story - it’s long, drawn out and ugly. Intrigued? lol)
13. When was the last time you smiled at a stranger?
At Best Buy when the kids and I were out buying the hubs his Father’s Day gift. Shh. (Yes, we’re ahead of the game because I was afraid this particular gift would be sold out before THE day). The cashier was so friendly that I couldn’t help but smile at her.
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| Thirteen Things I Like, and Dislike, About Warm Weather |
LIKES
1. Sweetness in the air - can’t you just smell the moist, earthy aroma of a fresh season?
2. Swimming - the boys and I practically live at the swimming pool
3. Camping - we love “roughing” it ( HA HA, taking a microwave, TV and toaster is roughing it, right??)
4. Bike Riding - our bike trails aren’t the best but the city is working on them. We love riding to the lake and having picnics.
5. Picnics - most times our picnics consist of grabbing some fast food and eating at the lake. lol
6. More daylight hours - it’s so much less depressing to get up when the sun is shining.
DISLIKES
7. Bugs - specifically June bugs. I can deal with bees - stay out of their way, I can deal with mosquitoes - put on some bug spray, but June bugs?? I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been dinged up side the head when I’m out walking by those things. Stupid bugs …
8. Swimsuits - Even skinny people don’t look that great in swimsuits. Can’t they make lycra t-shirts and shorts? (Actually, I think I’m going to try one of these or one of these numbers this year. The older I get, the more self-conscious I get about showing anything in my crotch area. lol Besides, I hang out in this kind of stuff so why not swim in it, right?)
9. Humidity - Missouri has the worst (okay, not the worst, but it ranks right up there) humidity. We don’t even bother fixing/curling our hair down here because as soon as we step outside, it goes all frizzy and/or flat. Grr…. I HATE summer pictures. lol
10. Allergies - spring is the worst. MK gets them so bad that it turns into asthma if I’m not careful. I had to take him to the clinic for a breathing treatment a few months ago - spring equals stress in our household.
11. Wearing less, more revealing clothes - I have granny arms and a thick waist. (But I am starting to see some semblance of an hourglass figure again. )
12. Severe Thunderstorms - I love soft, gentle rains, I hate the kind of storms that are so loud you have to cover your ears - indoors!
13. Having to shave more often - *sigh* whoever deemed hairless women sexy should be horse whipped.
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*LOL* I love it. I’ve read a lot of books that are guilty with #5. Well, the book does become more interesting because of them. Haha!
Hmm, well I’ve definitely read some books that utilized those ‘tips’, LOL! Great list!
Woooooooohooooo!
That was as much fun as part one!
Happy TT’ing!
*snicker* Too funny!
These are classic!! Great list.