55 Fiction Friday! February 29, 2008

All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

*****

There was a blogger with block
Stress built with each tick of the clock
No matter her drive
She could not fifty-five
She thought to herself, “What a crock!”

This blogger fashioned a rhyme
Hoping it’d work for this time
Feeling immense shame
Hoping it isn’t lame
And that no one calls it a crime.


--There is a new post this week at I Paid For That--

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55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
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Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
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Random Thought #10 - MRIs

I once heard the experience of having an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) described as follows:


Take a metal ironing board minus its cover and put it down on the ground. Stretch out on it with a metal wastebasket on your head. Have someone beat on the wastebasket with a rubber mallet for at least 20 minutes while you stay completely still.


This is an excellent description.


A friend's husband is having this procedure done today. Please feel free to support him by having your own faux-MRI.

55 Fiction Friday! February 22, 2008

All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

*****
Her skin was bright and clear; her hair shiny and soft. The whole grains, lean meats, and boatloads of fruits and vegetables were healthy and aided in her weight loss.

She considered, happily, that she was going to save a fortune in future medical bills.

Unfortunately, she was spending that savings now on air fresheners.
*****

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It Ain't Easy Bein' Green

Over the course of the past few years, I’ve been making some greenish changes in my life (and not just the new blog color!). Along with the seemingly never-ending quest to eat less (making a smaller, leaner Ima), I’ve been trying to consume less in other ways. I want a smaller, leaner life. More balance, less excess. I’m making the move to a greener existence.

Food:
I’m buying less packaged foods. By focusing on the outer edges of the grocery store, I’m purchasing foods that have less packaging. I still hit the aisles because I do need some convenience items but I try to stay away from overly packaged goods. I’m buying in bulk when I can and when it makes sense. I’m fine-tuning my grocery shopping in an attempt to not throw away food because it’s spoiled. I could go on and on about my love of the FoodSaver for protecting food from spoilage and freezer burn but Duchess Jane has already covered that topic completely AND with pictures. I make stock from chicken, ham, and beef bones (shrimp is next!) along with peelings from my veggies. There are articles on easy stock making here and here. I’m buying some organic foods.

General shopping:
I’m purchasing less stuff. I’ve never been much of a shopper, so that helps. I use lists to keep me away from those impulse purchases. I try to only buy those things I need and/or love. My new peep-toe black pumps fall into both of those categories!

Gasoline Consumption:
I play a little game with myself since, admittedly, I drive one of those shame-inducing larger vehicles. I have a gauge that tells me what my current gas mileage is. Sure, it does the average, too, but by keeping my eye on the current number, I can see that gunning it makes it go down (duh) while a slow, steady pressure on the gas pedal has less of a bad effect on my mileage. It’s an ongoing contest with myself to see how high I can keep it. I try to figure out the shortest route to where I’m going and I combine trips as much as possible.

Electrical/Water Consumption:
I suck at this. I’m working on it. I leave the TV on when I’m going to sleep; although I do put it on sleep timer. I have a hard time remembering to turn the water off while I’m brushing my teeth but am working on that one, too. I’m slowly but surely replacing my light bulbs with these super-efficient, long lasting ones. They last for YEARS.

Existing Stuff:
I’m trying to give away much of the stuff I have in my home that I don’t need or love. If I feel “eh” about it, it’s going to end up at Hannah Home or Goodwill sometime soon. I’m not going all FlyLady about it (she scares me) but I’m trying to get rid of at least five things each weekday. MrWurdi’s son was talking last year about people who let their stuff own them. He’d been preparing to hike the Appalachian Trail and was, therefore, figuring his bare necessities so I suppose that had him pondering what he (we) really need. We end up accumulating so much stuff that we soon have to live in a bigger place or rent storage to keep up with all that stuff. We spend large quantities of our time maintaining and repairing our stuff. With all the time and money and effort we spend on our stuff, it ends up being our stuff owning us rather than us owning it. I will not be owned by my stuff.

Recycling:
We’re just getting started on this. Our local pick-up doesn’t have a large range of items they pick up for recycling but I suppose every little bit helps.

How Green Are You?
NPR has a neat, little quiz to help show you how green you are. The Consumer Consequences game asks questions about your lifestyle. While you play the game, it keeps up with how many planet "Earths" of natural resources it would take to sustain the 6.6 billion people on this one Earth - if everyone lived the way you do.


****************************************
I know I’m not going to live completely green. I drive an Avalanche and a ’77 Corvette (with a high performance engine). That’s not at all green. So, I make the changes I can and am willing to make. I also try to balance the “me stuff” by doing for others. Whether it’s raising funds for breast cancer research with Team GDT or donating goods or volunteering for a local clinic or goofing off, improving my vocabulary, and donating food to hungry people or just trying to help my family when I can, I try to make it all even out. Balance, not fanaticism about anything.

I’m always looking for ways I can be more green. Any ideas?

From Ima's Kitchen - The Best Carrot Cake EVER

A while back, Chef H aka Wormy, asked me to make a carrot cake for the birthday sillybration of one of our friends. I did what I usually do when asked to make something I haven't already made. I looked at about 50 recipes and came up with something that is a combination of most of them. I admit, I was nervous. The folks at this party know food. Hell, Chef H cooks for us on a regular basis and oh.my.god. can Wormy cook. I was told that this was The Best Carrot Cake EVER. It didn’t have a name prior to the party. That seems like a good one.

The Best Carrot Cake EVER
Ingredients
CAKE
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 3/4 cups sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup applesauce
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups grated carrots
1 (8 ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained

FROSTING
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese , softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner’s sugar

TOPPING
1 cup chopped pecans

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spray a 9x13 inch pan with canola oil.

Mix the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; then, make a well in the center and add sugar, oil, applesauce, eggs and vanilla. Mix these ingredients together with a wooden spoon until they’re smooth.

Don’t lick the spoon. That would be horrible. That would be awful. You’d hate it. It’s not good for you. If you choose to disregard my advice, get a fresh spoon for further stirring because… well, ewww…

Stir in the carrots and pineapple.

NOTE: You can add the chopped pecans here, too, but I prefer to put them on the top of the cake so the folks who don’t like nuts can easily avoid them. The freaks. Walnuts are also okay but could be bitter so why risk it? Also, if your nuts are bitter it might… um, nevermind. This is not the right place for a sexual innuendo, is it?

Pour the batter into the prepared 9x13 inch pan and bake for about 45 minutes.

Do not run your finger around the almost empty bowl and through the batter for another taste. Use a spatula. You get more batter that way.

Allow the cake to cool.

While the cake is cooling, cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth then add the confectioner’s sugar and beat until creamy. (Another bad place for a sexual innuendo.) Frost the cake, then sprinkle the pecans on top.

Again, if you’re going to conduct quality control to guarantee a good dessert for those lucky enough to get some of your cake, I recommend using a spatula.

I make a decorative edging with the nuts so there are a few pieces of cake that are completely nut free. You know, for those freaky people don’t want nuts because they’re already nuts because they don’t like nuts. Not that there’s anything wrong with that. I mean, who am I to judge? Nuts.

New Post!

There's a new post at I Paid For That.

Wormy (aka ChefH)has been riding me about some recipes so I'll try to get them posted here tonight.

I'm also feeling a bit green and that has nothing to do with my dinner.

55 Fiction Friday! February 15, 2008

All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

You Say 'Bitch' Like It's A Bad Thing
Meredith sang:

Bitch. Lover. Child. Mother. Sinner. Saint. Shameless.

Hell. Dream. Nothing in between.
All these characteristics have been admired.

“…take me as I am
this may mean you'll
have to be a stronger man.”

Bitch. Tease. A goddess, on my knees.
Trying to be there for hard times.

Sometimes just being yourself is hard.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
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Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

55 Fiction Friday! February 8, 2008

All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

Kidnap!
Strange creatures emerged from the glowing light. One had hooves for feet. Another creature resembled a wolf yet walked erect. While Jill watched in horror, they reached out, grabbing her lover. Seemingly drugged, he went with them. He joined them in their strange, colorful land only returning home for short visits.

Damn World of Warcraft.



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

55 Fiction Friday! February 1, 2008

All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

Untitled
The young woman strode into the library. Her golden hair shimmered brightly as she walked up to the counter and stated her need.

“I’d like a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake.”

Frowning at her, the librarian responded, “This is a library.”

Chastened, the blonde whispered, “I’d like a cheeseburger, fries and a chocolate shake.”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

From Ima's Kitchen - Split Pea Soup

I used to always take the shortcut of using the boxed or canned broths when I made soup. Then, I read two interesting and, sometimes contradictory, articles on making your own stock. The first one was Michael Ruhlman's and he proposed making it in the oven. It seemed like a much simpler method than simmering on the stove all day so I tried it with the turkey at Thanksgiving. I also read an article called "Stock Tips" by Janet Fletcher of the San Francisco Chronicle. Between the two articles, I came up with my own method - a mishmash of everything I'd read.

I L o v e H o m e m a d e S t o c k. It is completely worth the effort.

Just this week, I made ham stock with two ham bones I'd frozen a few weeks ago. I guess it would be more honest to say that I helped make it. MrWurdi stepped up and pitched in with this one. I've been working way too much and he picked up the slack, repeatedly, on the making of the ham stock.

Today, I wanted to make split pea soup so I consulted about forty recipes and came up with a recipe I could almost call my own. I probably need to give credit to those other forty but I couldn't tell you what ideas came from which cookbook, website, or recipe card so I'll just say, "Thanks, everyone!"

I would like to note, for the record, that I did not talk to Duchess Jane while making this soup and, so, managed to avoid scalding my face.

Here's what I did:

Ima Wurdibitsch's Split Pea Soup
Ingredients
1 Tbsp. canola oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 big handful of baby-cut carrots, cut into 1/4-inch dice***
1 pound dried split peas
About 3 quarts of ham stock
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup diced ham

Instructions
In a large heavy pan, saute onions and carrots in oil until they get a bit soft. Then, add the peas, stock, and bay leaves. Simmer, uncovered, stirring occasionally, for about three hours. When the peas get soft, run your immersion blender (finally got one!) through it a bit to let some of the peas thicken the soup. Add the diced ham and continue simmering and stirring, until the ham is heated through. Discard the bay leaves.

This recipe fits the criteria for the Weight Watcher's Core Plan.

Here's a picture of the finished soup. It's in a really small bowl so, for size reference the carrot pieces are about a quarter-inch big.



*** If you're not familiar with the baby-cut carrot conspiracy or the response from the World Carrot Museum, click the links!

Not Exactly a Standard 55 Fiction Friday - January 11, 2008

Blogging’s stale and posting’s slow
I’m lacking my inblogspiration
There’ll soon be an overhaul
Perhaps, worthy of an ovation.

Today I’m skipping the regular post
(My weekly Fifty-Five endeavor)
Maybe you’re uninterested in this
And muttered, disgusted, “Whatever.”

Onward, with unwavering resolve
I’m forcing this silly rhyme
It’s completely unresistable
To fifty-five one more time.


;-)

New look, new goals, new posts - coming soon!

55 Fiction Friday! January 4, 2008

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*****
*************

*****

**

*
It's the first 55 of the New Year!
The 55s from MrWurdi and I were written last week but never posted.
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******************
*****
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All the details on what 55 Fiction is and how to play are at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!

Roxie Rufus did!

Here's my 55 Fiction that I wrote last week and neglected to post:
Dr. Seuss Had It All Wrong

The hectic holiday time passed. Kids and grandkids returned to their homes. Turning to the love of my life, I took his hand in mine. Finally, we’re alone. Longingly looking into each other’s eyes, we realized – his knee was acting up and I was down in my back.

That’s how the Grinch really stole Christmas.


Without seeing mine first, MrGrinch wrote this last week:
Time Is Ever Fleeting

It has been forever since a good night sleep. And the stress has manifested itself in my mood and physical well-being. I walk with a limp and have seen disappointment in so many young eyes. Less money to give; it all seems painful. Growing old and missing the joy of Christmas past.

Christmas, Bah Humbug.


Despite the whining, we both really did have a great holiday. We stayed super busy with family and friends. I apologize for the lack of blogging. I haven't even read any blogs in weeks. That's changing. I have GOALS for the New Year.

We have a newcomer to 55 Fiction Friday - Roxie Rufus! She wrote several 55s. Unfortunately, I can't access them right now and will have to add them later so be sure to check back for them.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

55 Fiction Friday! December 21, 2007

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Still more excuses! I'll spare you the details and just say that I plan to be back to regular blogging soon. I, again, apologize for my lack of fresh content recently. I hope to add my 55 Fiction later today. For now, enjoy MrWurdi's contributions.
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It's time again for 55 Fiction Friday! All the details on what it is and how to play at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!


MrWurdi wrote TWO 55 Fictions this week:

Naughty or nice?

Christmas was always a time of wonder for little girls and boys. But as they grew older the gifts stopped being little children’s toys. They became more practical, useful and sometimes just needed, and in mature relationships, more secretive. Private rendezvous are often the best inspiration for gifts.

You been bad enough for adult toys?



Christmas Cheer for Mickey


Amazed at all the lights and quietly crawling under the tree. Tearing into gift after gift, eating and drinking what was left for Santa. Finally laying back taking it all in exhausted from mornings carousing.

Then the door burst open with screeching, smacked with a broom, running for freedom!

“Did you get it? Damn Mouse!”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
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55 Fiction Friday! December 14, 2007

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Excuses, excuses.
I apologize for my lack of fresh content recently. Insomnia, stress, insanely busy work weeks, and now a cold/sinus thing have been kicking my ass.
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It's time again for 55 Fiction Friday! All the details on what it is and how to play at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!


MrWurdi found his muse this week and provides THREE 55 Fictions:

'Tis the Season
Twas night of the Christmas party, and all through the house
nothing was stirring not even the spouse.

No clothing left hung in the closet with care,
Finally dressed but nothing matched her hair.

Husband has waited all smug in the ‘Benz,
with visions of being late yet again…

How New Year’s Resolutions are made.


Under Pressure
Cause sleep's such an old fashioned word
And sleep dares you to care
For people on the edge of the night
And sleep dares you to change our way
Of caring about ourselves
This is our last dance
This is our last dance
This is ourselves under pressure

Only sleeping can relieve… this pressure ZZZZzzzzzzz.

(Parody of “Under Pressure” by Queen, and David Bowie)


Insomnia
Drinking myself to sleep again, Insomnia
Flying high in golden skies, I'm flicking channels in my mind
Finding my utopia a different chapter in a book
Thinking back to younger days as I escape in Cooper's Break
It takes me back to 84 the future's knocking at my door
My brain, my poor brain

Insomnia

(Lyrics “Insomnia” by Feeder)


My 55 for the week:

Jingle What?
(sung to the tune of "Jingle Bells")
Dashing through the stores
Shopping lists in hand
Sweat flowing from my pores
It’s crowds I cannot stand.
Time is running out
Procrastinating’s wrong
Myself to blame, I whine and pout
Singing my silly songs.

Jingle bells, panic swells
I have too much to do
Wishing for simpler times
I’ll bet that you do, too

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

55 Fiction Friday! December 7, 2007

It's time again for 55 Fiction Friday! All the details on what it is and how to play at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!


MrWurdi's 55 for the week:

Wild Kingdom
Real fear struck when she realized she was alone. She made it to a damp cave away from the lions and tigers. She didn’t know how long she could hold out. Even the giraffes scared her now.

Luckily, Dad found her before the crocodile did.

That’s the last time she would ever play putt putt.


My 55 for the week:

Today
Who would have thought that anyone would have the audacity to challenge us, the United States of America, on our own soil? Prior to the attacks that morning in September, most people would have thought it impossible. Those people had forgotten what happened sixty-six years ago today, the day that supposedly would “live in infamy.”


**Please remember and honor those who serve our country in the US Armed Forces.**

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

55 Fiction Friday! November 30, 2007

It's time again for 55 Fiction Friday! All the details on what it is and how to play at the end of the post. Come on, you can do it!


MrWurdi's 55 for the week:

Love Story
In all of time and books of rhyme
A story is told of love unkind

Unkind for all who fail to know
How deep love can truly go

To love enough by worldly beliefs
May simply continue life’s grief

But to find them and give one’s due
Can be called “The Taming of the Shrew”


My 55 for the week:

Deep Thought
Hands lightly resting on her knees, she meditated. As the repeating single syllable of her mantra caused the corporeal world to begin drifting away, her mind put a picture of the spelled-out word before her.

As she contemplated her ultimate reality, she was distracted by a single thought.

“Do electricians use ‘ohm’ as their mantra?”


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
55 fiction is a very, very short story of exactly 55 words. It needs to have a character, conflict and resolution.

The Wikipedia article on 55 Fiction is here and some great examples are here.. You can also click on the 55 Fiction label below to see what Wordy Bitch and Wordy Bitch readers have done in the past.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Come play! Add your story to the comments or put it on your blog and I'll link to it. It's fun. You'll like it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The End Is Near...

Tomorrow marks the end of NaBloPoMo. It's been close a couple of times (like on Thanksgiving) but, assuming I'll be doing 55 Fiction Friday tomorrow, I did it. I feel like I've accomplished something but I don't know that I'll do it next year. At the very least, I'll do it differently. I may have to come up with a theme or something. It feels like I was really reaching on some days... I don't ever want to post something just for the sake of posting. Even if it's just for my own amusement, I want to have a reason when I post. That didn't happen every day this month.

Sinners Inc.

Meme.

One of The Urban Dictionary's definitions is:

an internet information generator, especially of random or contentless information

That works for this.

I saw this out there in the blogosphere today and thought it was different and random enough to be at least a little bit interesting. Besides, it was either this or a conversation I had with my ex-husband about scrambled eggs. I think you might be better off with this meme.

MEME Rules:
1. Put your MP3 player on shuffle
2. For each question, press the next button to get your answer.
3. You must write the name of the song no matter what. No cheating!

IF SOMEONE SAYS “IS THIS OKAY?” YOU SAY?
What's Simple Is True - Jewel

WHAT WOULD BEST DESCRIBE YOUR PERSONALITY?
Sex-O-Matic Venus Freak - Macy Gray (OMG! I nearly wet my pants when I saw this!)

WHAT DO YOU LIKE IN A GUY/GIRL?
Halo - Soil (um, based on the previous answer, I guess opposites attract??)

HOW DO YOU FEEL TODAY?
Get Gone - Fiona Apple

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE’S PURPOSE?
Sucker Train Blues - Velvet Revolver (yikes. That's depressing.)

WHAT IS YOUR MOTTO?
If It Makes You Happy - Sheryl Crow (too freakin' cool; so true)

WHAT DO YOUR FRIENDS THINK OF YOU?
Goody Two Shoes - Adam Ant (hahaha!! I doubt that!)

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR PARENTS?
Embrace - Korn

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT VERY OFTEN?
TNT - AC/DC

WHAT IS 2+2?
LoveStoned / I Think She Knows Interlude - Justin Timberlake

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR BEST FRIEND?
It's Been Awhile - Stained

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Beg For Me - Korn (oh, my!)

WHAT IS YOUR LIFE STORY?
Forgive Me - Godsmack

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
Dream a Little Dream of Me - The Mamas and the Papas (um, what if I'm already ~mostly~ grown up?)

WHAT DO YOU THINK WHEN YOU SEE THE PERSON YOU LIKE?
Control - Poe

WHAT DO YOUR PARENTS THINK OF YOU?
Crime For Crime - Ani DiFranco

WHAT WILL YOU DANCE TO AT YOUR WEDDING?
Time - Pink Floyd

WHAT WILL THEY PLAY AT YOUR FUNERAL?
When Worlds Collide - Powerman 5000

WHAT IS YOUR HOBBY/INTEREST?
They Can't Take That Away From Me - Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong

WHAT IS YOUR BIGGEST SECRET?
Tiny Daggers - INXS

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF YOUR FRIENDS?
Open Your Eyes - Staind

WHAT SHOULD YOU POST THIS AS?
Sinners Inc. - Rob Zombie


Some of these were just weird and some of these were so right they were really weird. Anyone else want to play?

Oh, and I'm thinking I have some really diverse musical interests.

Chantix Works But I Can't Take It Anymore

Around 7:30 this evening, it will have been a week since I last smoked.

Now, when I get that "I want a cigarette" feeling, I just take a deep breath (it helps) and tell myself, "I don't smoke." And I don't. I thought about not going to play pool (temptation and all) but I really don't think I'll have a problem with it. I do believe I have it beaten this time.

I still occasionally have that little voice suggesting how great a cigarette would be but I don't want to take Chantix any more or again. It worked and it got me over the initial physical and chemical addiction. It just made me feel so awful that I had to quit taking it. I didn't take it for the recommended full 12 weeks. I only took it for one week. And while I had to stop taking it, I believe it really helped me quit.

While I was seriously depressed when taking it, fortunately, I realized it was because of the medication. However, I can understand why they're attributing it to suicide risk in some people. Nausea was a minor problem but nothing I couldn’t live with. The vivid dreams were okay. They interfered with my sleep but I didn’t have nightmares. I just woke up quite a bit. The headaches were pretty bad. The lightheadedness, shortness of breath, chest pain and palpitations were too much. I told MrWurdi on the way home from playing pool last week that if I hadn't read the info sheet and known that these were side effects, I'd be demanding he take me to the emergency room. The effects didn't get unbearable until the dosage doubled (after the first week). I probably could have stopped taking it a little earlier. It works so well in getting you off the chemical addiction. It was nice getting past that part while still being able to smoke (even though I wasn't getting any pleasure from it).

I probably could have continued on the week one dosing but I didn't (and still don't) think I need it anymore. I'm done.

My evaluation of Chantix? It's a great drug that really works to help get you off the cigarettes - if you can stand to take it. I’m concerned that there’s not been enough research done on it and there are going to be some really bad findings (think Phen-fen and Vioxx) before it’s all said and done. I hope I’m wrong.

Namaste

I was reminded of this word and what it means earlier today and I wanted to share it with you.

"In India when we meet and part we often say,
'Namaste,' which means...
I honor the place in you where the entire universe resides,
I honor the place in you of love, of light, of truth, of peace.
I honor the place within you where if you are in that place in you
and I am in that place in me, there is only one of us. Namaste."

from Ram Dass, in Grist for the Mill