I was pretty sure, up until around the age of 10, I was going to be an astronaut. That dream died when I realized I would need to be a math and science genius to have a shot. I was decent at math and science...but nowhere near genius, hehe.
Through my teenage years, I alternated between wanting to be a journalist, writer or an actress. I only said journalist because I thought it sounded cool. I really did want to be a writer but long ago came to terms with the fact that I will never get past the "great idea" stage. The rest of it: the research, the actual writing, editing.....just way too much work. Actress? Well, to my way of thinking, life is nothing but one big act so I am definitely living that dream.
I would never have believed I would end up doing what I do....designing pageant dresses. It works for me though. It’s a combination of art, math and even a bit of science. AND best part, it’s totally ok to be a designer and be more than a little eccentric. It’s even sort of expected. Which is good...since I am...eccentric, that is.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
Did you ever even come close to your childhood dreams?
How many times have your dreams changed?
What are you doing now?.
Friday, April 18, 2008
My Toad: Future Movie Director 3.20.08
Toad: Mom, I am making a film. Fatty is in it. Do you want to see?
Me: Sure. (looking at computer screen and not really paying attention to her)
Bubba comes in.
Bubba: Mom Poo
I see you in the dark room
with an X on the window
and a lock on your face
Now I see you standing beside your grave.
Toad: What do you think Mom? I directed it. (I think she meant she made up the words.)
Me: Thats pretty interesting. Do you want me dead or something?
Toad: (laughing) Oh, Mom, it’s just a film.
Me: Bubba? Did you put on some of my make-up?
Fatty: Yes, just a little bit though.
Toad: Now she thinks she looks like a pumpkin.
Me: Why?
Toad: Because your make-up made her face look kind of orange.
Me: oh...oh...
Toad: Make-up people! Make-up people! (then mumbling to herself) She just can’t be in my film looking like a pumpkin.
Toad and Fatty run off into the bathroom.
Edit: As I was re-reading this I realized it might be a little confusing for someone who did not know that "Bubba" and "Fatty " are the same person.
(AKA Marielena
Me: Sure. (looking at computer screen and not really paying attention to her)
Bubba comes in.
Bubba: Mom Poo
I see you in the dark room
with an X on the window
and a lock on your face
Now I see you standing beside your grave.
Toad: What do you think Mom? I directed it. (I think she meant she made up the words.)
Me: Thats pretty interesting. Do you want me dead or something?
Toad: (laughing) Oh, Mom, it’s just a film.
Me: Bubba? Did you put on some of my make-up?
Fatty: Yes, just a little bit though.
Toad: Now she thinks she looks like a pumpkin.
Me: Why?
Toad: Because your make-up made her face look kind of orange.
Me: oh...oh...
Toad: Make-up people! Make-up people! (then mumbling to herself) She just can’t be in my film looking like a pumpkin.
Toad and Fatty run off into the bathroom.
Edit: As I was re-reading this I realized it might be a little confusing for someone who did not know that "Bubba" and "Fatty " are the same person.
(AKA Marielena
What Happened in Vegas 3.16.08
Late last Summer I took a trip to Las Vegas for a Fabric/Clothing Show Convention. I decided I would arrive early in the morning and leave late that night.
I am not one that is bothered by traveling alone. In fact, I enjoy it. However, earlier that Spring, I went to Las Vegas alone. I decided I didn’t want to pay $300 for a hotel room so I stayed up all night waiting for my plane to leave at 6 a.m. Let me just say, some freaky things go on in Las Vegas between 2 - 4 a.m. in the morning. I think it was made worse by the fact that I was alone.
One young fellow, who looked to be no more than 19 years old, asked me to go up to his room and smoke some pot with him and his friends and another fellow that would not leave me alone kept trying to talk to me and following me around. I tried to be polite but after a 1/2 hour of him telling me how rich he was (yeah right) that he had a private jet and he would take me where ever I wanted to go, I finally ditched him. I seriously think that guy was some sort of serial killer and I still get a chill just thinking about it. This was all just the tip of the iceberg too. There were several other things that I won’t mention here because some younger children read this blog.
For this next trip to Vegas, I booked a late flight home the same night, so I wouldn’t have to spend the night. I had just arrived in Vegas and was taking the Shuttle Bus over to the convention when this Little Asian Dude sat down in the chair across the aisle. He tried to make eye contact and talk to me but I gave him my half smile that says "leave me the heck alone" more than "nice, to meet you," (anyone who knows me knows that particular smile of mine, hehe) and hoped that by not looking his way again he would leave me alone.
Well, at the next stop the person sitting by me got off and the Asian Dude slid over next to me. Oh great. He tapped me on the shoulder. I glanced over but didn’t really look him in the face. He was handing me his card. I took it, said thank you, and just put it in my purse without looking at it. He turned forward and I could tell he was irritated. Right at that second, something clicked and I remembered reading Business Etiquette 101 on the internet one time. It said it was extremely rude, in Asian cultures, not to read a business card that was handed to you. I also remembered that it was polite to hold it with both hands while reading it and that the longer you read, the more respect you were showing.
So, dang, guess what stupid mistake I made next? I took the card back out of my purse, held it with both hands and read the whole thing. Well, apparently, I read it a little too long and showed a little too much respect.....if you know what I mean.
After that he would not leave me alone. He told me what hotel he was headed to. He told me all about how he was a movie producer and he was here doing a documentary on gambling. He told me where he lived and all about his life. He told me what he wanted out of life. And seriously, this was in the space of about 10 minutes. Well, no problem, his hotel was one of the first on the route so I could just be polite and he would be gone in a minute or two. His hotel came, a few people got off...he stayed on. Oh crap....
To Be Continued....
I am not one that is bothered by traveling alone. In fact, I enjoy it. However, earlier that Spring, I went to Las Vegas alone. I decided I didn’t want to pay $300 for a hotel room so I stayed up all night waiting for my plane to leave at 6 a.m. Let me just say, some freaky things go on in Las Vegas between 2 - 4 a.m. in the morning. I think it was made worse by the fact that I was alone.
One young fellow, who looked to be no more than 19 years old, asked me to go up to his room and smoke some pot with him and his friends and another fellow that would not leave me alone kept trying to talk to me and following me around. I tried to be polite but after a 1/2 hour of him telling me how rich he was (yeah right) that he had a private jet and he would take me where ever I wanted to go, I finally ditched him. I seriously think that guy was some sort of serial killer and I still get a chill just thinking about it. This was all just the tip of the iceberg too. There were several other things that I won’t mention here because some younger children read this blog.
For this next trip to Vegas, I booked a late flight home the same night, so I wouldn’t have to spend the night. I had just arrived in Vegas and was taking the Shuttle Bus over to the convention when this Little Asian Dude sat down in the chair across the aisle. He tried to make eye contact and talk to me but I gave him my half smile that says "leave me the heck alone" more than "nice, to meet you," (anyone who knows me knows that particular smile of mine, hehe) and hoped that by not looking his way again he would leave me alone.
Well, at the next stop the person sitting by me got off and the Asian Dude slid over next to me. Oh great. He tapped me on the shoulder. I glanced over but didn’t really look him in the face. He was handing me his card. I took it, said thank you, and just put it in my purse without looking at it. He turned forward and I could tell he was irritated. Right at that second, something clicked and I remembered reading Business Etiquette 101 on the internet one time. It said it was extremely rude, in Asian cultures, not to read a business card that was handed to you. I also remembered that it was polite to hold it with both hands while reading it and that the longer you read, the more respect you were showing.
So, dang, guess what stupid mistake I made next? I took the card back out of my purse, held it with both hands and read the whole thing. Well, apparently, I read it a little too long and showed a little too much respect.....if you know what I mean.
After that he would not leave me alone. He told me what hotel he was headed to. He told me all about how he was a movie producer and he was here doing a documentary on gambling. He told me where he lived and all about his life. He told me what he wanted out of life. And seriously, this was in the space of about 10 minutes. Well, no problem, his hotel was one of the first on the route so I could just be polite and he would be gone in a minute or two. His hotel came, a few people got off...he stayed on. Oh crap....
To Be Continued....
Life Lessons With Toad and Fatty3.14.08
Overheard Today:
Bubba: Toad, do you like boys?
Toad: No, I just think they are cute.
Bubba: Who do you think is cute?
Toad: Well, ***** is cute. He is shy so he acts mean and aggressive to me. That means he likes me.
Bubba: Really?
Toad: Yeah.
____________________________________________________________________________
Later:
Bubba: Who is your favorite president?
Toad: George Washington.
Bubba: Well, my favorite president is George Clooney.
Toad: Don’t you mean George Bush?
Bubba: No, George Clooney.
____________________________________________________________________________
Still Later:
Toad: Bubba, who do you think is the smartest person in the world, your mom or your dad?
Bubba: Hmmm, I would have to go with my Dad.
Me: What! Why?
Bubba: Well, you see Mom, sometimes you put the remote in the freezer and the milk in the cupboard.
Toad: Yeah, Mom. You do lots of funny things. But don’t worry, we love you like that.
____________________________________________________________________________k
They were really on a roll today because then I heard this:
Toad: Bubba, who do you think is going to die first. Mom or Dad?
Bubba: Mom.
Toad: No, she isn’t! Dad is older. (Actually, I am older but they can go ahead and think that)
Bubba: Yeah, but Mom’s face looks old. (WHAT!!!!, Thanks a lot Bubba, lol)
Bubba: Toad, do you like boys?
Toad: No, I just think they are cute.
Bubba: Who do you think is cute?
Toad: Well, ***** is cute. He is shy so he acts mean and aggressive to me. That means he likes me.
Bubba: Really?
Toad: Yeah.
____________________________________________________________________________
Later:
Bubba: Who is your favorite president?
Toad: George Washington.
Bubba: Well, my favorite president is George Clooney.
Toad: Don’t you mean George Bush?
Bubba: No, George Clooney.
____________________________________________________________________________
Still Later:
Toad: Bubba, who do you think is the smartest person in the world, your mom or your dad?
Bubba: Hmmm, I would have to go with my Dad.
Me: What! Why?
Bubba: Well, you see Mom, sometimes you put the remote in the freezer and the milk in the cupboard.
Toad: Yeah, Mom. You do lots of funny things. But don’t worry, we love you like that.
____________________________________________________________________________k
They were really on a roll today because then I heard this:
Toad: Bubba, who do you think is going to die first. Mom or Dad?
Bubba: Mom.
Toad: No, she isn’t! Dad is older. (Actually, I am older but they can go ahead and think that)
Bubba: Yeah, but Mom’s face looks old. (WHAT!!!!, Thanks a lot Bubba, lol)
Free. Fun. Memorable 3.13.08
Been thinking about my grandfather again lately. Thinking about how much fun we had with him. Fun that was mostly free. Free fun...usually turns out to be the very best kind. The most remembered kind.
playing in the creek...
playing around in that old abandoned house and trying not to fall through the rotten upstairs floorboards....
messing with the chipmunks and gophers....
slingshot contests....
eating strawberries and carrots out of the garden...
sleeping in the hammock on the back porch then getting scared and coming inside...
finding leaches and trying to make them suck our blood....
fighting with my cousins...
making up with my cousins...
thinking we could make wine by crushing blackberries inside a coke bottle and letting it ferment...
toasting bread on top of the keroscene lantern and getting sick from it...
playing in the fire and NOT getting in trouble for it....
camping way, way WAY up Anderson Creek....
stopping at Hot Springs not for fun but to actually bathe, lol....
and all the stories at bedtime....so many stories Grandpa had....
I was thinking about this stuff when I let my kids jump off the roof into the snow this Winter. Hehe. That is something they will always remember..."the winter the snow was so deep that mom let us jump off the roof." I mentioned that to my Grandma the other day and she told me a story about when they would actually ride their sleds off the roof of their houses. Now THAT sounds like FUN! That would have been so do-able this year. Can't believe we didn't think of it.
Currently the kids have the staircase lined with two twin mattresses. It makes an amazing slide. It's impossible to slide down and not smile, lol. Last night Tate was "surfing" down it on a pillow. So Toad got the idea to get one of my mannequins and ride the mannequin down. I think my favorite was when Toad, Bubba and Luke got inside a tent and then rode down the mattresses inside the tent. Now that was funny.
What about you? What have you done that was free yet totally memorable?
playing in the creek...
playing around in that old abandoned house and trying not to fall through the rotten upstairs floorboards....
messing with the chipmunks and gophers....
slingshot contests....
eating strawberries and carrots out of the garden...
sleeping in the hammock on the back porch then getting scared and coming inside...
finding leaches and trying to make them suck our blood....
fighting with my cousins...
making up with my cousins...
thinking we could make wine by crushing blackberries inside a coke bottle and letting it ferment...
toasting bread on top of the keroscene lantern and getting sick from it...
playing in the fire and NOT getting in trouble for it....
camping way, way WAY up Anderson Creek....
stopping at Hot Springs not for fun but to actually bathe, lol....
and all the stories at bedtime....so many stories Grandpa had....
I was thinking about this stuff when I let my kids jump off the roof into the snow this Winter. Hehe. That is something they will always remember..."the winter the snow was so deep that mom let us jump off the roof." I mentioned that to my Grandma the other day and she told me a story about when they would actually ride their sleds off the roof of their houses. Now THAT sounds like FUN! That would have been so do-able this year. Can't believe we didn't think of it.
Currently the kids have the staircase lined with two twin mattresses. It makes an amazing slide. It's impossible to slide down and not smile, lol. Last night Tate was "surfing" down it on a pillow. So Toad got the idea to get one of my mannequins and ride the mannequin down. I think my favorite was when Toad, Bubba and Luke got inside a tent and then rode down the mattresses inside the tent. Now that was funny.
What about you? What have you done that was free yet totally memorable?
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Freakin' Fabulous
Snow is coming down like crazy. School was shut down yesterday. Kids were loving it. My two oldest are in school. Used to homeschool them, but now I am just homeschooling my youngest. They will start public school in a few more years.
Anyway, I have had several people (that I hardly know) randomly come by and plow my driveway just when I needed it. How freakin' awesome is that? They never came in, never asked for thanks, or money, or nothing. There are some good people in the world, huh?
The woodstove is keeping the house moderately warm. I would really like to crank up the wood furnace in the garage but I am afraid I do not have enough wood to last the Winter if I do that.
I am a bit afraid that my chimney is starting to plug up. The wood I am burning is not as dry as it should be. I heard there was something I could throw in the fire when it is burning hot that will clean the soot out of the chimney. I wonder if Home Depot would be a place to look for something like that? Or maybe just the local hardware store?
Later, my lovelies.
Anyway, I have had several people (that I hardly know) randomly come by and plow my driveway just when I needed it. How freakin' awesome is that? They never came in, never asked for thanks, or money, or nothing. There are some good people in the world, huh?
The woodstove is keeping the house moderately warm. I would really like to crank up the wood furnace in the garage but I am afraid I do not have enough wood to last the Winter if I do that.
I am a bit afraid that my chimney is starting to plug up. The wood I am burning is not as dry as it should be. I heard there was something I could throw in the fire when it is burning hot that will clean the soot out of the chimney. I wonder if Home Depot would be a place to look for something like that? Or maybe just the local hardware store?
Later, my lovelies.
Sunday, January 6, 2008
I have done it again for the 67 bajillionth time.
I hate it when I do this. Procrastinate. I have an order going out tomorrow. It MUST go out tomorrow. It was ordered 6 weeks ago. I haven't even started on it. Well, except for in my head.
I still have time; still have time to finish it even right now and not be up all night. Just get up and go do it. But I won't. I will start it about 3 this afternoon and I will end up finishing it about 4 in the morning. Because that's the way I roll. Damn. Damn. Damn.
Pray the machine doesn't break. Or I don't run out of some important component. I would be screwed. Completely screwed! Maybe I will just take inventory this morning and double check that I have everything I need. Then I can make a run into town if there is anything else I might need. (Read: Figure out ways to procrastinate further.)
Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I still have time; still have time to finish it even right now and not be up all night. Just get up and go do it. But I won't. I will start it about 3 this afternoon and I will end up finishing it about 4 in the morning. Because that's the way I roll. Damn. Damn. Damn.
Pray the machine doesn't break. Or I don't run out of some important component. I would be screwed. Completely screwed! Maybe I will just take inventory this morning and double check that I have everything I need. Then I can make a run into town if there is anything else I might need. (Read: Figure out ways to procrastinate further.)
Argh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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