I survived the weekend

Well, I survived the weekend... now I need a real vacation. I actually looked forward to coming back to work at one point - and for those of you who know me, that tells you just how rough the three day weekend really was. We did manage to have some fun in between everything though.

Saturday we caught X-Men 3, which I LOVED. Wolverine is so hot. :) Plus, the movie was just plain good. Monday we celebrated my nephew's 21st birthday. UGH, that makes me sound really old, but in reality, I was only 8 when he was born. He laughed when I told him he makes me sound old and then had the audacity to tell me, "Well, you ARE pushing 30!" To which I responded, "HEY, I'm not pushing 30. Nudging maybe, but definitely not PUSHING. Don't age me too fast!"

I also caught a really terrific show Monday morning. I rarely watch talk shows, mostly because they're crap. Some are good, but then when am I home to watch them? Anyway, I caught The Montel Williams Show Monday, and they were focusing on kids with amazing talents. It was so incredible.

The first girl was Brittany Maeir. She's 16 and a piano virtuoso. Born 4 months premature, she suffers from blindness, autism and some other mental handicaps. Music however is her gift and passion. She composes her own music and now has a CD available to purchase from Barnes and Noble. She's fantastic and so inspiring.

Among the other guests, was Akiane, an 11 year old art and poetry prodigy. At the age of 4 she was drawing incredible portraits and sharing with her parents the dreams and visions of God, Jesus and paradise that she was receiving regularly. Her experiences changed her athiest parents beliefs. They're all Christians now. Her paintings are incredible. I've added her to my links on the sidebar if you want to read more about her.



















Another amazing little girl, Adora Svitack, is seven and has published her first book of short stories called "Flying Fingers". She's a voracios reader and writer (puts me to shame) and has an amazing gift. Her blog link is in the sidebar as well.



There were so many other too. It was so inspiring and it made me want to work harder at improving my own gifts and talents. I may never reach those same heights of grandeur, but it was a good reminder of what I've always said. Everyone has gifts, and it's our RESPONSIBILITY to discover them and use them to serve our Savior.

A.

Warning: Ugly Feet Below

Well, I've told you all about my gimpy foot. I thought I'd show you how the bruising has improved. I can actually walk almost normal now. I know, I've got Flintstone feet (and I'm in a bad need of a pedi) but they are colorful. I compared bruises with my nephew. He sprained his ankle more severely a few weeks back. His bruises looked three times as bad initially but they're nearly gone now.

I'm sorry if this is Too Much Information for ya'll, but I did warn you.

Enjoy your holiday and be careful! (That's as much a warning for me...)

A.

Just another day in paradise...

Well, things haven't slowed down much around here. We're finally nearing a three day weekend - unfortunately it seems we'll still be doing round the clock care for my aunt. I hate to make it sound like we don't love her, cuz we do. I was just REALLY needing this three day weekend. Oh, well. At least my foot is healing. It's still all purple-y looking but I can walk better.

Since I was at Aunt Mabel's until late last night, I had to stay up later to see the American Idol results show. Which, by the way, was a lot of fun to watch. Bucky's voice has improved, he must be taking lessons. And we got to hear Chris again. His performance with LIVE was very cool. In my heart of hearts I'm still sad that he didn't win, but if he couldn't, at least Taylor got it. All I can say is, "Soul Patrol, Soul Patrol, Soul Patrol!" Now all y'all hurry up and get in a recording studio. I need albums from Chris, Elliot, Taylor, Bucky, Ace, Katharine and Kellie.

It's hard to believe that summer is nearly here and all my fav shows are going off air. I guess that gives me more time to write... . Ha! As if. I keep telling myself that if I could just get rid of this, I'd have more time for that. Ain't happenin'. Every time I find a spare minute, something else comes up. (READ Family Responsibilities) Eh, I guess I can't blame it all on that. But there are days I envy my fellow writers who get to stay home. I know their lives are hectic too, but it seems like they at least have a head start on their dreams.

I was thinking this morning that what I need is a Sugar Daddy. Or at least a well-to-do man that doesn't care what I look like, to marry me and let me stay home and write while he supports me. That's pure fantasy though, because in reality I'm too much of a romantic to actually marry someone for his money. I'm that sappy romance reader that really and truly believes that love conquers all. That we could be dirt poor and happy as long as we had True Love. And that in a nutshell, is why I'm still single. Guys have dreams too and if a guy has to live on love alone, he'd better be sure that he can stand the package it comes in too.

Oh well, who wants happily ever after anyway?

A.

Bad Luck

Well, my week started off with a bang - and it was the sound of me hitting the floor. My sister and I and our mom have been caring for my great Aunt because her housemate went in for hip replacement surgery. She needs 24/7 care, so we've been going in shifts. My second shift was Saturday evening through Sunday noon. Things went well until Sunday morning during breakfast. I must have been sitting in an odd position at the table, because my left foot kind of fell asleep. I didn't notice it though until I went to walk around the table to get her dishes. My foot just kind of rolled over and folded up. Down I went to my knees. Once I got feeling back in my foot I was able to walk fairly well. I went and put my shoes on to keep the swelling down and finished my shift. When I got home later and took my shoe off, I found that my foot was black and green and it swelled pretty quickly. Doctor says I just dislocated the bones, so mostly I'm just hobbling around like a gimp and popping Advil like candy. Today was my first full day back at work.

I'll tell you though, I think I must have sprained my brain too. Sunday night I was watching Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and bawling more than normal. Angel was at our Aunts, so I called her cell phone to talk to her about the show. The first time I dialed, the phone rang once and then I realized I had dialed my cell phone number instead. Since her number is just one off from mine, it's easy to do. I hung up and redialed. It rang like six times before the answering message came on. After I'd waited through that, I left this long message about the show.
Five hours later as I'm getting ready to go to bed, I hear my cell phone beeping. I figure it's just that missed call when I'd mis-dialed, but when I look at the display it says I have voice mail. SO, I dial it and listen.

It was my message to Angel. I had redialed MY OWN cell phone number. Listened to my OWN FRICKIN' ANSWERING MACHINE and then left this long message about the show. Talk about dumb!

To top off my weekend, my car broke down twice and I got a stye and my eyelid swelled so I can't really wear much makeup. I look like a freak. One droopy eye, and a funky limp. Plus, without make-up I look like I could be a stand in for Casper the ghost. I went in to the bathroom at lunch time and scared myself with my reflection.

Thankfully, I'm getting the car fixed tonight and since I'm no help to my Aunt as a gimp, I'm off tonight.

We did get to go see 'Just My Luck' this week-end. Very cute. Girly but very cute. I think I'll have to buy that one.

Hmm, maybe that's my problem. I've traded luck with someone... .

A.

Farewell Syd

If you can't tell by my Avatar, this is my tribute to Alias - the best spy show ever on t.v. Monday night will wrap the series once and for all, and Rimbaldi's end game will finally be known. We hope. After five years and more wigs than I can count, we've seen Syd and the rest of the SD-6/CIA/APO traips all over the globe to gather his inventions and clues. They'd better finally figure it out.

Sydney Bristow has got to be one of the most tortured souls ever. She found her mother and lost her mother more times than anyone should ever have to experience. She found and lost her half sister. For that matter, she seems to find and yet lose everyone. Even Vaughn. Thank goodness she seems to have gotten him back for good. Despite her torturous life, she's so kick-butt, strong and determined, you can't help but feel like one day she's gonna come out on top for good. If anyone could save the whole world from terrorism, it would by Syd, right?

This last season has been quite the rollercoaster ride with re-appearances of everyone, which is very cool. I loved having Will (Bradley Cooper) back on the show. And I don't care if he's a bad guy or not, I love Sark. Julian Sark (David Anders) has got to be one of the sexiest, can't-help-but-love-him-even-when-he's-being-evil, bad boys ever written. And who can't love Kevin Weisman as Marshall? He's absolutely adorable. Gotta love a sweet geek.

It's so sad to say good-bye. I can only hope that this talented cast soon finds new shows.

Don't forget to see the season finale Monday night.
A.

Flypaper Brains

My brain is like fly paper this morning. Every pesky little song that flies in my ear gets stuck.

First it was the Kia commercial on the radio when I was getting into the shower. I hate those Kia jingles, they ALWAYS get stuck in my head and they're CHEESY. Of course once the water was running I couldn't hear the radio anymore, so I had to come up with a new song to get rid of 'Anderson Kia, You'll save today...' So I picked Chris Rice's Cartoon song. 'I was thinkin' the other day, what if cartoons got saved. They'd be singing praise in a whole new way.' By the time I'd gone through all the cartoons I could remember, the Kia song was gone. Of course, I spent the rest of the morning singing, 'Fred and Wilma Flintstone... Yaba-Daba-llujah' and 'The Jetsons' dog named Astro... Rararujah' and 'All those little blue guys... Lalalalalalalalalalalujah'.

By the time I got to work, I'd moved past that one and I thought I was safe. Then one of my office mates started talking about a customer named Margie, which made me think about my old foster sister Maggie (Don't ask why, I really don't know.) Then thinking about Maggie made me think of Rod Stewart which made me start singing 'Wake up Maggie, I think I've got something to say to you.' From there I started thinking about how I'm really not a big Rod Stewart fan and the next thing I know I'm singing 'If you like my body, and you think I'm sexy, come on baby let me know.' I don't even like that song. It drives me nuts. So now I'm a little on guard, worrying what I'm gonna get stuck in my head next.

One thing I know that won't get stuck in my head is Elliot Yamin's new single... cuz he's gone. So sad. Oh well.

Horrible, isn't it? That's the most enthusiasm I can muster for the show, now that Chris Daughtry is gone. I'm still rooting for Taylor, but I'm not pumping my fist when I holler "Soul Patrol". I just don't have it in me.

'If you like my body, and you think I'm sexy....'

Dadburnit, here I go again!
A.

Livin' La Vida Loca

Oh my goodness, life has been crazy lately. Let's see... Friday night I started designing a web page for my sister's jewelry sales. Saturday am I babysat my 3 yr old niece and cleaned house. She's so cute. We 'did her make-up', curled her hair, put on lotion and perfume, and picked out jewelry. She's very girly. At noon my two sisters joined us and we met up with our childhood friend Kim to have lunch and celebrate her birthday. When we were done with our girls only outing, Angel and I went back to my place to work on her website some more.

I designed a blog page for her too, and that had me up until 4 am. It's mostly for her to show off her designs and gush about how much she loves the art. You can see her work at www.AngelsCreativeDesign.blogspot.com. The site looks simple, but for me - a greenhorn- it took a lot of hours and a crash course in HTML and CSS to get it done. In fact I didn't finish it completely until Sunday evening when I came back home from celebrating Mother's day at my parents house.

Last night we celebrated my niece's ninth birthday, so I didn't get home until late. But now that I know what I'm doing a little more, I wanted to play with my blog. The picture of the lantern on the header is one I took with my new digital last night in my parent's back yard. Gotta love the new digital camera. It rocks. It also sucks. Sucks the life right out of my batteries in three hours flat. I'm gonna have to invest in some rechargables.

I think I get to stay home tonight, which is a good thing because Jack is beginning to feel abandoned. Poor dog. I still need to finish the actual web page for Angel's jewelry and set up a shopping cart, etc. That page will be on our joint family website, www.TheErwins.com. Which I need to completely overhaul. It's been a while. I'm not sure when I'm gonna have a chance to get to it, but it desperately needs to be done.

To top it off, I have twenty critiques I need to finish for my two writer's crit groups. I'm not exagerating either, I counted. If I don't hurry up and get some done they're going to start vilifying and reviling me in their novels.

I have to watch Idol tonight though, despite some loss of enthusiasm with Chris' departure. I just don't know who I want to win now, but I've got to see the season through, I've invested too much in it to stop now.

See you on the flip side,

A.

Idol Stupidity

Well, so much for my predictions. My only explanation for the travesty that was Chris' demise, is that somewhere the universe got thrown off kilter. His loss makes no sense and I'm not the only one to think so. The boy was robbed. I've got friends up in arms and threatening to boycott the show. I've debated it, but have decided to see it through. Taylor and Elliot are both talented, we'll see what craziness transpires next. But really...

America, were you even listening to Kat? I agree she has a great voice, but after that performance she should have gone home.

Okay. I'm done. I've cried my tears and ranted with my co-workers and friends.

So long Chris. Hurry up and get signed, would ya? I've gotta have a little of you in my CD player soon.

A.

My New Music Video

Well, after a lot of frustration with an inferior software program, I've finally completed my latest 'project'. I've made a music video of sorts for our first single, 'Free to Fly'. My apologies in advance, it's a bigger file than I anticipated, so be patient. It will download. I hope you all enjoy it.

A.

A Life Fully Lived

I am so sleepy today. Jack kept waking me up last night. Every time the thunder would boom, he'd yelp. After the first big rumble he came and sat next to the bed, laid his head next to mine and stared at me with those big blue eyes. I had to scratch his ears and reassure him that I wouldn't let that mean 'ol thunder get him. He'd settle down in a ball in the floor until the next big boom. Then, up he'd pop with a yelp, looking for more ear scratching and reassurance.

He's not usually so disturbed by thunderstorms, but I had the window open so it seemed much louder than normal. I could have shut the window, but then I would have been hot. So, it was really a no win sitch.

It hasn't helped that I've been pushing the envelope as a night owl lately. I'm usually up until midnight or one, but there have been a few 2 and 3 am'ers. Thing is I get so busy with work and other things, that I don't get to settle in and work on stuff I want to do until late. And I hate to complain about it, cuz it's all stuff I enjoy doing. But, for example, last week I only had one evening when I had no company. I had to help my nephew with an English paper one night, scanned pics and printed them for my BFF another. One night I scrapped with Aim and her little girl, another I had friends over for dinner.

So it's not like I'm not having fun, it just doesn't leave me much time for other stuff. Like writing, Reading and Research. I've got to find a way to carve out more time. My preference would be to give up the day job cuz, hey, that's 40 hours a week gained. But my bills demand I find another soloution. I could give up sleep all together, but that only works for a few weeks and then I just crash. Besides, I like my sleep.

Saturday we hung out with Eric and Lindz again. We went to see Mission: Impossible III. It was awesome. Tom Cruise - not my favorite person. Especially after the whole "Oprah-gate" incident. But Tom Cruise as Ethan Hunt? Incredible. He certainly uses that gung-ho energy of his, to go all out in this movie. I'd even venture to say it was better than M:I 1 or M:I 2.

Sunday we spent the day visiting my brother and his fiance. He's such a goof. Especially with his fiance. The two of them are so cute together. They crack me up.

I did get some housework done Saturday, but not enough. I did a little laundry last night, but tonight is American Idol, so I doubt I'll get much more done. I usually have company when I watch. Oh, well.

What would life be if it wasn't life fully lived, right?
A.

Idol Musings

I know I was not the only one surprised to see Elliot in the bottom two last night. As much as I love Katherine McPhee’s voice, I anticipated seeing her with Paris in the bottom two - based on her struggle with her first song. I am so glad to see that Elliot squeaked through and that Paris is finally going home.

Paris has a huge fan base, and with good reason. She’s a great performer. I’m not overly fond of her vocal styling, but that’s a personal preference. The girl definitely has pipes and I know she won’t have any trouble breaking into the genre of her choice. I wish her all the best.

Now, on to the final four. How do you decide who you want to go home next? Elliot, Katharine, Taylor and Chris are all amazing and have their own unique styles. I love Taylor’s enthusiasm and zany dance moves. He makes me smile and laugh and he’s got a fantastic voice. Kat’s got the voice I wish I’d been born with. (She’s got the looks I wish I’d been born with too, but that’s a whole other blog.) Elliot is smooth and sweet and endearing. He makes singing seem effortless. And Chris? Chris could sing anything and I’d be a puddle off goo. Sure, he’s good looking, but it’s the voice that does it. He has an amazing voice. He too makes it all seem effortless. Any of them could win.

I guess my choice would be that the three guys end up in the final three and that Chris wins it all, but the race is so close now. I’m not sure that there is any way to tell how it all will end. For now I supposed we’ll just say farewell to Paris and wait on the edge of our seats for the next episode.

Adieu,
A.

Tribut to 9/11

Saturday we went to see the new movie United 93. I wasn't really sure what to expect. I know there has been some hullaballoo about it being to soon, or that it was just sensationalizing someone's tragedy. But after seeing it I can say that it wasn't sensational in that sense.

I think the oddest part of watching the movie for me was that somehow it felt like I was watching one of my own life events on screen, even though I knew none of those involved. I've seen a lot of 'true stories' on screen, but I never identified with any of them like I did United 93. I can only guess that most people that see the movie will identify with it as well. How could you watch it and not remember where you were when you heard that a plane had crashed into the tower? Or watching every news cast to see what would happen next, sure that we were on the brink of an invasion of some kind. Despite the fact that the movie focused on that one plane and those that died with it, in reality it's event that all of America feels like they lived.

I'm glad they chose that part of the story to tell first, because it gives us hope in our strength as a people. Rather than focus solely on the terrorism, they lauded the real hero's and that made the movie worth watching - the event worth re-living.

The most impressive part of the experience though, was the audience's response. As the movie ended with the plane crash and the screen fades to black there wasn't a sound in the theater. Every one filed out of the room in silence. You could feel the somberness. It was a sign of pure respect for those that were brave enough to stand up.

Go see it - and be sure to pack your tissues.

A.