Damn That Groundhog

When I saw Punxatawney Phil say six more weeks of winter, I wondered what his stats were. Even a hyper-sensitive weather rodent can't be right all the time. Well, he called this one on the money, because I'm watching snowflakes dust the ground. Yep, good old snow on March 30, more than a week into spring. Not heavy coverage that would shut the Ohio Valley down, but definitely enough to incite panic in a sunny southern state. Our vastly fluctuating weather isn't unheard of - this won't be the first year we've flirted with snow on Opening Day - but it's led to many headaches deciding if this is the weekend to mow the grass or break out the shovels. Whether we can chalk this one up to global climate change or just the nature of the Cincinnati weather beast, I'll be pretty damn happy when the temperature catches up with the calendar.

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Matthew 17:20

So Jesus said to them, “Because of your unbelief; for assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you." - Matthew 17:20 (New King James Version)

Whether you're religious or not, I think most people can agree the hardest part about having faith is having faith.  The most interesting aspect about this passage to me is the size of "a mustard seed."   Look at how big this is:

I know when I'm having a tough time, it's hard for me to muster up any amount of faith, even this small.  Maybe that's the point of the passage.  Any faith, even this big, is enough to move mountains.  Notice I said move mountains...not hope or wish they'll move, but to stand with confidence and say "move from here to there, and it will move."  How many times have you attempted something so risky, so out there, so off-the-wall, you figured there was no way possible you could do it?  And after digging into the depths of your soul, you decided to step out on faith, knowing it would be done.

Stepping out on faith...I think of it like being blindfolded and brought to the edge of a canyon.  You hope there's a bridge, but you don't know what - if anything- is actually there to support you.  Believing can be a gut-wrenching process.  Sometimes we try and fail; sometimes we succeed beyond our expectations.  It's all about finding that itty bitty seed of faith to allow us to try.

image from istockphoto

Every Good Hero Needs Theme Music

I'm sitting here watching The Five Heartbeats thinking about how every pivotal movie or TV moment has some equally dramatic music.  Wouldn't it be helpful to have that in real life?  Right before something is about to go down, the opening bars of Beethoven's 5th will start up.  Or maybe cue an uplifting classical piccolo-based tune when you get that good news you've been waiting for.  Just a little punctuation mark on whatever is occurring at that point in time.  I guess it could get a little chaotic if someone depressed is around someone upbeat.  And probably even confusing if you've got rapid adolescent mood swings happening.  Maybe for clarity, everyone can get a theme song.  Just a few bars that play when you enter/exit a room.  But that would make it hard to sneak in work late (or creep in/out of anywhere early)... Okay, I'm rambling, it's time for me to go to bed.  Maestro!  My theme music!

VC Who?

I'm not a huge basketball fan. March madness means nothing to me but missing a bunch of shows that usually come on the channels broadcasting the games. But, since I couldn't beat them, I joined in on the college bball craze and started watching. If I'd filled out a bracket, I'd never have pegged Virginia Commonwealth University to be in the final four, much less edge out Kansas to get there. I wanted them to win because in any sport, I root for the underdog. And to date nobody has been more of an underdog than them, blazing through their bracket to join a handful of #11 seeds in history to make it to where they are now. You've gotta love the five-foot-something Rodriguez and spectacular shooting Skeen, along with Coach Shaka Smart, who was probably the only guy who knew VCU was a threat before now. I don't know who will win, but people do know their name. VC who? VCU!

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Clean 'em up, move 'em out

I'm so tired I'm falling asleep as I write this. I got my Bob Vila on again today by laying some carpet tile while I did some much needed spring cleaning. Eight hours, two 30 gallon bags of trash, and a whole trunk load of stuff for Goodwill later, and I'm not quite finished. I'm close, so I guess close enough will have to be good enough for today. Until tomorrow...

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Hooray for DVR!

I love my DVR.  And not just DVR, but my whole fiber optics/Style channel/HGTV thing I've got happening.    You may be wondering why I'm just now getting DVR.  Well, let me provide a brief timeline so you understand:

• 2000 - got cable TV for the first time in my life
• 2003 - switched from cable to satellite
• 2011 - switched to fiber optics and got a free DVR

Since my transition to fiber optics, I've been on this HGTV & Style channel kick, which is interesting for me since I have never been an HGTV fan. This is the first time I've had the Style channel so I've been watching it faithfully.  Between the two, I've got a growing collection of Designed to Sell and Clean House saved on the DVR.  And today I just figured out I can record more than one program at once, so my down time will be spent catching up on double the design insanity I missed during the week.  I'm also fond of the pause and rewind on live tv - just in case I need to go back to see if these crazy people actually had a flystrip hanging from their kitchen ceiling (unfortunately, yes they did).  Honestly, I don't know why I waited so long.  Actually, I do.  I was being cheap.  But my extra 5 bucks a month is worth it - although, before this, I just cut down my TV time to make time for things I really needed to do.  Hmmmm...maybe laziness at my fingertips isn't such a great idea.  Until proven otherwise, I'll pretend it is and keep on watching.

Force of Habit

We all have them - bad habits, good habits, things we habitually do and don't even notice. I subscribe to a daily quote site and they dispense a kernel of wisdom every day. Some are corny, some are trite, some are pretty interesting, like the one that came today. This one was thought provoking and very true. What kind of habits do you keep?

I am your constant companion.
I am your greatest helper or heaviest burden.
I will push you onward or drag you down to failure.
I am completely at your command.
Half of the things you do you might as well turn over to me
and I will do them-quickly and correctly.
I am easily managed – you must be firm with me.
Show me exactly how you want something done
and after a few lessons, I will do it automatically.
I am the servant of great people, and alas of all failures as well.
Those who are failures, I have made failures.
I am not a machine though I work with the precision of a machine
plus the intelligence of a person.
You may run me for profit or run me for ruin -
it makes no difference to me.
Take me, train me, be firm with me and
I will place the world at your feet.
Be easy with me and I will destroy you.
Who am I?

I am Habit.

- Author Unknown

If you'd like to subscribe to get your daily quotes, check out Michelle DeAngelis on her mission to Get A Life That Doesn't Suck.

"Cause She's My Sister"

I was sitting here wondering what I would write about today when I saw this story come up on Yahoo!  Anyone who knows me can attest I'm not a crier, but it moved me to tears.  Wow.  I don't know who I should commend first - the little girl for her quick thinking and her pure love for her sister, or the bus driver for her knowledge of CPR and fast acting to save a life.  My husband and I take turns watching our kids walk to the bus stop every morning - I always knew it was the right thing to do, but this story really hit home as to why we do it faithfully.  All it took was a split second - one grab, one hit, one decision to perform CPR.  Life can change dramatically in an instant.  This girl will grow up without a kidney or a leg, but she'll grow up.  She and her sister will both live to see another day.  Their mother will get to enjoy every moment with them as long as she has them.  All thanks to the grace of God and a selfless snap decision.

If you haven't heard about this, here's the link to the Yahoo! printed version
Here's the video of the story and the family.


If you want to donate to the Anaiah Rucker fund, contact United Bank Madison.

Daylight Come and Me Wan' Go Home

In my case it's more like, "Daylight gone and me wan' go home."  Sometimes I work for 8+ hours and still wonder what in the world got done.  But in those times, I just keep going and try to occupy my mind.  Today, I thought about this song.

Here's the Harry Belafonte version (with Muppets!)

And the popular Beetlejuice version

And the bastardized Lil Wayne version (mixed with Harry Belafonte's original)

Don't Quit!

My high school Algebra teacher (who acted and looked like Oscar the Grouch) used to tell me this poem all the time when I'd be super confused and give up. I QUIT! I never did fully comprehend Algebra until I got a new teacher, but the poem did stick with me.

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road you're trudging seems all uphill
When the funds are low and the debts are high,
And you want to smile, but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit --
Rest if you must, but don't quit.

Life is strange with its twists and turns,
As every one of us sometimes learns,
And many a fellow turns about
When he might have won had he stuck it out.
Don't give up though the pace seems slow --
You may succeed with another blow.

Often the goal is nearer than
It seems to a fair and faltering man,
Often the struggler has given up
When he might have captured the victor's cup,
And he learned too late when night came down,
How close he was to the golden crown.

Success is failure turned inside out --
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you never can tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems afar,So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit, --
It's when things seem worst that you mustn't quit.

- Author Unknown

T.r.o.y.

Me and hubby have been reminiscing about when we were young(er) - crazy stuff we used to wear, weird hairstyles, trends set by entertainers. I have at least 3 albums full of pics that make me say, "what the heck was I thinking?" Ooooh and I won't even mention all the monstrosities captured in middle and high school yearbooks. But it was fun - no permanent damage, we were cool (maybe?), and we got to express ourselves in the best way we knew how. Fast forward to now...sagging skinny jeans, hoochie coochie short shorts, super tight everything, tats, strange hair colors (froot loops ain't got nothing on some of the weaves I've seen)...I have to wonder if we would've gotten away with it. My parents definitely would've killed me for the tats and the damn near draws shorts...or would they? My parents were far from laid back "friend" types. They made it crystal clear who ran things. But they may not have flipped out the way I imagine. I mean the tats would've drawn ire since they are permanent, but as long as I could cover them up they might have just maimed me instead of killed me. The shorts and super tight clothes I wouldn't dare wear around them; the multi-colored hair would've elicited "you're the one who has to walk around like that." I guess my point is kids will always wear/do stuff that we parents think looks nuts. But as history repeats itself, we have to remember we did that, too - and someone somewhere has pictures to prove it.

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Once in a Blue Moon

I just made a futile attempt to see the "super moon" in tonight's sky. According to USA Today and NASA, this is the largest perceived moon on Earth since 1993. I don't remember it back then, but I figured today it was worth a look. My moon was pretty hazy, since we've got thunderstorms rolling in. It didn't look much bigger than normal, but supposedly the best time to see it was right as it broke the horizon. Of course, USA Today had a great shot. Theirs was so close I thought I'd see E.T. and that annoying little boy on the bike fly past. But, because I'm one of the few people who don't live with professional photographers or have access to Steven Spielberg special effects, I had to settle for my fuzzy glare and my imagination. Click here for the link to the story and the image.

Gap give and get

I went to Old Navy today for some simultaneous shopping and support of a worthy cause. The Gap is running their "give and get" program, which donates 5% of your purchase to charity, while giving you 30% off in the process. Their printable card can be used in-store multiple times; the online code can only be used once. I found a bag full of items for just over $40.

If you're interested, try this link
http://tiny.cc/3863e

The deal ends tomorrow, so get your shop on!

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El Fútbol

Since St. Patrick's Day marks the big kickoff to March Madness (even though it already started), today's topic is sports. And what better sport to discuss than football? Or should I say fútbol. If you haven't heard the story, Chad "Ochocinco" Johnson is trying out for soccer. He supposedly has a decent shot, as he played for several years before he got into American football. He's been training with a soccer trainer and has a chance to make the Kansas City roster. Despite what pundits say about Chad's antics on and off the field, he's not only smart but versatile. So what if he has a few reality shows, flashy teeth & shoes, and likes to talk trash? He also has a high selling mobile phone app, several endorsements, and always seems to find a way to stay profitable in a volatile market. I love that you can't keep this enterprising brother down. NFL lockout? Chad found a way to turn life's lockouts into lemonade.

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Just Call Me Bob

I have this d.i.y. (do-it-yourself) problem - I think I'm Bob Vila. If you read some older blogs, you'll see I've installed a door, wall tile, and various other things around my house. Today's project is replacing the thermostat; I accidentally broke the old one that's been in our house probably since the 1980s. All the instructions say you can do it in 15 minutes or less. Actual installtion time so far is about a half an hour, as I had to stop to find the screwdrivers...then stop to find the hammer...then stop to write my blog. Hopefully, I'll finish tonight and be proud of myself (with perfectly controlled heat and air) in the morning. I'll keep you posted.

Update...
I had to extend wires, splice a few things together, and I didn't get shocked or burn my house down in the process! My heat is working great; the thermostat seems to be working well, and I have a renewed sense of capability. I'm not ready to hang my "Ms. Fix-It" shingle out, but I can tackle some other wiring projects I've been neglecting. I may write an eHow on this one...

Chili con Carne

It's time for a recipe on the Stew. Today's is Texas-style Chili by way of Cincinnati, OH. Here's how I make it.

1 lb. ground beef (can substitute ground turkey or ground chicken)
1 can dark red kidney beans
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
2 small cans tomato sauce (or one 16 oz jar)
1 packet chili powder
1/4 c. onion, chopped
1/4 c. green pepper, chopped
1/2 tbsp. basil
1 tbsp. Italian seasoning
3 tsp. sugar
seasoned salt
garlic powder
black pepper
cayenne pepper

In a large pot, cook ground beef, green peppers, and onions until done. Rinse and drain, then return to pot. Add chili powder, seasoned salt, black pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Add kidney beans, tomato sauce, and basil/Italian seasonings. Add can of tomato paste. Fill empty tomato paste can to 3/4 with water and add to pot. Stir until paste dissolves into mixture. Slowly add in sugar, tasting chili periodically to your desired level of sweet. Add cayenne pepper the same way, making sure it is your desired level of spice. Once you've reached the desired flavor, cover and let simmer on low for approx. 20 minutes. Stir again and serve. Refrigerate or freeze leftovers.

Makes 8 servings.

The Grand Redo

Do you ever think about your life and say, "if only I knew then what I know now..."
What if you did? What if everyone got one "do-over" - a chance to take the knowledge they have now and apply it to a critical point in their life? Would you use it?

Not sure what I mean? Here's an example. Let's take Keyshia Cole's mom. I was watching an episode of her show and she was telling her granddaughter how she'd gotten excellent grades, a college scholarship, a few degrees, and then made some bad decisions. In my world, she could rewind to that point and call for her redo. And then she could choose a new path, truly knowing back then what she knows now.

Imagine the possibilities. You're on meth, you can rewind to before you first picked up the pipe. You're stuck in a dead-end career, you can rewind to change your major. You liked that other house better? Rewind to before you signed the mortgage papers. The catch would be you only get one shot; after your redo you deal with what you've got. If you wanted to change the ugly perm you got in 7th grade and then end up on meth...you're out of redoes. Sorry.

Just a thought.

Losing...

My patience with this not-quite-teenage child living in my household. On my last nerve doesn't begin to describe the feeling. She's dancing on the nerve. Beating the nerve. Driving over the nerve, backing up, and driving over it again. We have a routine, she knows what she's supposed to do, yet I get blank stares when I ask why things aren't done. She loses stuff, she's moody, she's a normal, hormonal 11 year old. And I'll take this time to apologize to my parents for when I was a normal hormonal not-quite teenage child. I suppose it's the gift and the curse of every parent blessed enough to have them. So if you're a parent in my same boat, I wish you patience. We'll miss these days when they're grown...maybe.

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And a 1, and a 2...

I feel a song coming on...
To celebrate all of the March birthdays, I felt some Stevie Wonder was appropriate...

And to uplift my fellow Pisceans, a little Erykah Badu...

One for the hustlers...

And one to finish out the day.

Good Night!

God is Good

Yesterday I was blessed to turn 32 years young. Amid chaos, turmoil, and natural disasters, by the grace of God, I was chosen to see another year through. Think about that. With the earthquake & tsunami in Japan, fighting around the globe, and economic strife, here I sit -family, house, car, job - intact. And if you're reading this post, most likely you have somewhere to lay your head at night. If you're complaining about gas, you probably didn't have to get your car off the roof before you put $3.50 a gallon into it. We are so blessed to be able to see what's going on - yes, in some places people don't know electricity or the internet exists. Being alive is a gift. I'm not sure what year #32 will bring, but I thank God He let me see it start. God is good - ALL the time, and ALL the time, God is good!

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Fire and Ice

Today's blog was inspired by my hubby, who told me the new date of the end of the world has been updated to March 11, 2012 (which also happens to be my birthday).  I'm not a believer in that one, but it did make me think of this Robert Frost poem I've always liked.  

Fire and Ice

Some say the world will end in fire;

Some say in ice.

From what I've tasted of desire

I hold with those who favor fire.

But if it had to perish twice,

I think I know enough of hate

To say that for destruction ice

Is also great

And would suffice.

- Robert Frost

Facebook Forty-Day Fast

It's Ash Wednesday and although I've never practiced Lent before, I've been considering a fast.  But what to give up?  I thought about it and figured for me, the hardest thing would be my social networking - instant messengers, Facebook, Twitter, etc.  So, in honor of Lent, I'm cutting myself off from the IMs, the FB account, everything but the blog.  I'm not sure the exact rules, but I'll bend them to let me blog daily and post my blog via TweetDeck.  No reading posts, no checking my tags, no comments.  But this really sucks because my birthday is Friday...Maybe I'll bend the rules for Friday, too.  We'll see. 

Now I'm calling you out.  Can you give up Facebook for forty days?

I'm Done Bi-winning

I saw this on USA Today and thought thank God. Someone else who doesn't want to read every charlie sheen update like an rss feed. And not just anyone, someone who knows how to do something about it. I haven't downloaded it yet, but guarantee it'll be on my Google Chrome next time I fire it up. I'm done #winning, I won.
Getting tired of Charlie Sheen? Eradicate him from your browser - USATODAY.com

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The Lint Lady

I love CBS News Sunday Morning.  I'm enlightened every time I watch and this Sunday was no different.  There was a story on a woman I'll call "The Lint Lady," who made huge works of art out of dryer lint.  Yep, the same stuff I flick out of my pockets when I'm looking for money became her medium of choice.  The story didn't get into how she chose dryer lint, instead focusing on her massive rendition of Da Vinci's Last Supper.  The 14-foot long piece now hangs in Florida's Ripley's Believe It or Not Museum.  But I'm curious; just how does the same pile of lint I scrap from my dryer filter become a muse to someone else?  I suppose that just like beauty, art is in the eye of the beholder.

Wet Saws, Eyebrows, and Sports, Oh My!

Today's post is a shameless plug for my eHow articles.  If you're not familiar with eHow, it's a website that allows aspiring writers (like me) post content about what they know.  And in return, we earn a couple pennies for each click we get.  Check out some of my links!  Feel free to click on other people's content, too (every little bit helps).

Wet Saws

Eyebrows

Sports

If you're interested for writing for eHow, go to www.demandstudios.com.

Show-N-Tell

I'm always amazed when someone else tells me how I should do something when they're not doing it. These aren't people with a wealth of knowledge on the topic, they just figure your way is wrong. You know the type - quick to say, "you should really paint that wall in a 'w' style instead of up and down," but ain't picked up a brush in their lifetime. What makes your way superior? Better yet, why tinkle on my parade? If I'm making progress and it doesn't pose a threat to myself, others, or national security, let me do it my way. And if you can do it better, do it. Until then, I'll keep going because, in the words of my dad, "I can show you better than I can tell you."

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Ebb and Flow

"When you get into a tight place, and everything goes against you, till it seems as though you could not hold on a moment longer, never give up then - for that is just the place and time that the tide will turn."

- Harriet Beecher Stowe

I know I've had this recurring theme lately about living life and stepping outside of my comfort zone to make some progress.  Well, I subscribe to a daily quote site, and the one above was from earlier this week.  Coincidentally, a performer at the concert echoed the same sentiment; she said just when she was ready to quit, give up her dream, and move on to something more sensible, the door opened that led to her opportunity.  While we don't all aspire to be a Grammy award nominated singer, we all have dreams.  And sometimes we're in such a messed up financial/mental/physical/spiritual state we let those dreams die.  But it's those times we have to not just step but leap out on faith.  Human existence is full of people who leapt out on faith: think about personal computers, electricity, antibiotics, etc.  I know some people luck up on life-changing moments, but most of us toil, sweat, cry, and push to get to our blessings.  Life is about ebb and flow, the good and the bad.  We need the lows to appreciate the highs.  Next time you feel like you can't take any more, remember you're almost there.  The tide will turn.

Ledisi! Musiq! Kem! Me!

If you've been keeping up with my blog, you know I decided to treat myself with concert tickets to Kem's Intimacy tour.  If I had to sum it up in one word: Amazing.  Fantastic.  Entertaining.  Awesome.  Since I clearly can't use just one word, I decided to write a blog review.

Act 1:  Ledisi
The stage was set up for a full band: drums, keyboards, horns, etc.  And right in front, center stage, sat three lonely stools.  They'd dimmed the lights a bit, just enough to signal the opening act was starting.  Ledisi walked onstage with her whole band for the night: one background singer and one guitarist.  The three of them perched on those stools and proceeded to tear the show up.  Believe me when I say that woman can sing.  Not just sing, SANG (said with an old southern twang).  She needed no band.  I think the guitar player was there as decoration.  Her voice and melodic range should make every "singer" out now want to run and get lessons.  Her scats made Ms. Ella Fitzgerald proud; her tone and quality made me want to burn the Autotune and slap the person who made it.  She sounded better live than on her albums.  Now how many of today's artists can you say that about?  I can go on and on and on, but I only have so much room.

Act 2:  Musiq
Musiq Soulchild.  The catalyst for me buying the tickets.  I have all of his albums; I couldn't wait to see him live.  I should have.  He wasn't bad, but maybe since he came behind Ledisi, he just didn't move me.  He had a full band and played my favorites.  I sang along, but he did more riffing and running and screaming than he did singing.  His act provided the awkward moment of the night when he announced his band and let them play a short set while he disappeared offstage.  Maybe he had to pee or something, but it was odd.  Whatever the respite was, he was back in about 2 minutes so it didn't detract from his show too much.  Other than that, his backup singer that sang the female lead in a song first done by Mary J. Blige was unimpressive.  For his last song he did the single off his new album - that one was hot.  Maybe he should've stuck with the new songs instead of trying to solicit all the audience participation.  I love an interactive concert, but I came to hear YOU sing.  I can sing your stuff for free at home.  And this brings me to...

Act 3: Kem
I'll preface this by saying I'm not a Kem fan.  I don't have his albums, I've only heard his songs on the radio, and while his music is nice, it's not really my thing.  Knowing this was Kem's tour, the only reason I decided to go was because of Ledisi and Musiq.  I learned last night why he was the headliner.  He put on one hell of a show.  His set was filled with music from his whole repertoire, many of them from the new album he apparently has out that I haven't heard.  He sang his little heart out, counseled the crowd, had church onstage, and then did an encore when it was time for him to go.  All in all a very entertaining performer.  And to put the cherry on top, Ledisi came back out for a duet.  It was awesome.  But I think I said that already, didn't I?

As performances go, I'd rank them in this order:

1. Ledisi 
2. Kem
3. Musiq

If the tour is coming to a city near you, get tickets!  If you have to sell blood, hustle your stuff on Craigslist, take up a collection from your friends, or work overtime, it is SO worth it to go to this concert.    If you're not sure where they'll be next, check out the links below.

http://musicbykem.com/

http://www.ledisi.com/

http://musiqsoulchild.com/

Why waste time

I've been pretty busy this week, so here's yesterday's stew. I'll post today's tomorrow. Confused yet? ;)

Last night I sat in as a guest critic for an architectural drafting class. My job was to review students' final projects and make sure they followed the directions, did the research, and could explain why they did what they did. The class was moving along when this arrogant jerk got up and basically tried to half ass his way through his presentation. And when we asked him to explain why his project didn't meet the requirements or make sense, he made excuses, then told us we didn't know what we were talking about. I couldn't help but wonder why he was there. I mean, if you don't listen, you don't do work, you don't care, then why bother? College isn't for everyone. Orr maybe this program isn't for him. Either way, it was 45 minutes of my life his aimless, cocky ramblings robbed me of. So I asked him. "Why are you in school? Obviously, you already know everything, so why waste everyone's time?" The guy actually didn't have an answer for that one. Shocking.

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Uh oh

In honor of spring, I decided to change up my blog template. I'm not sure what I did wrong, but right after I did, my laptop internet went down. Now these could be completely unrelated, but in my mind I've inadvertently downloaded some sneaky virus out to keep me from using the net. It could be my signal, or some glitch, or just a fluke. Hopefully, my I'll be up and running again soon. Until then, I'll blog with my phone and keep my fingers crossed this is a temporary issue.

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