tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14719781880342678502024-02-20T01:21:37.029-08:00And That's Life...Movie reviews, poetry, short fiction and comments on life.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-28506400260543170882012-06-20T10:08:00.000-07:002012-06-20T10:14:04.338-07:00Biggest Loser Update<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8_rx5B-PgVk/T-H0-czwdwI/AAAAAAAAApc/wPBLP_uXoSE/s1600/thebiggestloser.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="308" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8_rx5B-PgVk/T-H0-czwdwI/AAAAAAAAApc/wPBLP_uXoSE/s320/thebiggestloser.gif" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">To be honest, I have not been dieting the way I should. I've been keeping track of numbers in my head, having too many "treats" and I have not been weighing in every week. In fact, I've been avoiding the scale like my dog avoids squirrels, wide eyed and edging slowly away so I can't be attacked. This should technically be the Wednesday of Week 23 but my blog entries definitely don't reflect that. So, what happened? Life happened. My back has been suffering, I ended my semester of school with a lot of stress and I'm facing even more stress in the next few weeks but the fact remains that I slacked. One problem I have always faced is being able to balance healthy eating with the stress of life. When life gets rough, I reach for a chocolate bar or a bag of chips and I avoid the scale. While I haven't been completely off the wagon, I have been lazy. It turns out that stress has been high for my mother and sister the past few months as well so we have decided to extend our "Biggest Loser" bet. We will be weighing in at the beginning of July, when I visit, and declaring a winner for the first half of the year. However, we will also be weighing in when we see each other in December as well. So, while someone will "win" in July, we will still be working toward healthier lives and toward a winner for December. That said, I do have numbers to report and they aren't bad. I was terrified to step on the scale and was pleasantly surprised. I know I could have done better if I had been watching my eating better but I have accepted that and I have decided to be happy with the loss I achieved. I also realized today that I weighed in once before this without reporting it. So here are the numbers:</span><br />
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<b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In: 6.6 pounds</span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Weight Lost Since Last Blog: 8.4 pounds</span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Total Weigh Lost: 26.4 pounds</span></b><br />
<b><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Total Weight Percentage Lost: 12.89%</span></b><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLvQ5c80Imw/T-H3EZCBtRI/AAAAAAAAApk/cbVEeMJi3Hc/s1600/funny-scale.gif" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OLvQ5c80Imw/T-H3EZCBtRI/AAAAAAAAApk/cbVEeMJi3Hc/s1600/funny-scale.gif" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">No crying this time! :)</span></td></tr>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">This puts me a little past halfway toward my goal of 50 pounds lost. My only problem is that I know I have lost weight but I don't seem to be noticing it like I feel I should. I don't feel much smaller and I don't think I look much smaller. Maybe this is because I see myself in the mirror every day. I think it also has to do with my inability to exercise because of my back problems. I guess I will know if I look any different when I see my family next Friday. This makes me want to compliment everyone I know who has lost weight because I know they have been working hard. So, if you know someone on a diet, try to take notice and compliment them on their hard work. This can really motivate a person to keep going. I hope to recognize my own loss soon. I am proud of the numbers and hope to physically see the results soon. This is the smallest I have been since before my car accident so I am going to be proud of my progress. I hope you all have a great week and I look forward to reporting the results of the first half of the Biggest Loser Family Edition at the beginning of July!</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Thanks for the pictures:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><a href="http://www.miracleskinnydrops.com/2010/11/26/cheated-on-your-hcg-diet/">http://www.miracleskinnydrops.com/2010/11/26/cheated-on-your-hcg-diet/</a>
</span><br />
<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;"><a href="http://www.thebiggestloser.info/">http://www.thebiggestloser.info/</a>
</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><br /></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-31254089464225226522012-05-21T13:58:00.000-07:002012-05-22T09:13:10.191-07:00Dark Shadows Movie Review<br />
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfj6YrogkFQ/T7qqghyX2SI/AAAAAAAAApQ/aus2pPhGYIU/s1600/darkshadows.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mfj6YrogkFQ/T7qqghyX2SI/AAAAAAAAApQ/aus2pPhGYIU/s1600/darkshadows.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Sadly, <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1077368/">this movie</a> can be summed up in one sentence: Tim
Burton failed! Wow, it feels bad to say it but it is true. We could also add:
Johnny Depp failed! To state it simply and obviously, I was very disappointed in this film.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The previews made this look like another
funny, quirky movie from Burton and Depp and it certainly starts that way. The
movie begins with a voice-over narrative that introduces Depp’s character
Barnabus Collins, a member of the rich Collins family that has founded his town
and rules with love and power. However,
Barnabus attracts the love of the wrong person when the house maid falls
in love with him and he sleeps with her but denies his love for her. He screwed
over the wrong person; the maid is in fact a witch and curses Barnabus into a
vampire. He is then trapped in a coffin
and buried, only to be released by accident two centuries later. When Barnabus
returns to the world, it is the 1970’s and he must help his decedents reclaim
their company and fortune. This is all fine and well except the plot goes
downhill fast after this. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Depp is humorous as usual and the movie mixes a nice
dark atmosphere and humor as a Burton film always does…that is until about the
thirty minute mark. The plot quickly unravels and I was shocked that a film
with such a horrible plot managed to be made! I haven’t seen a plot fall apart
like this in a long time and I never expected it to come from Burton and Depp,
who I usually love. I have tried to figure out why this movie disappointed me
so much. Yes, the plot stunk…I mean really stunk, as in my 13 year old nephew
could write a much better one. But what else was it? The acting was good for
the crappy script they were given, weird but good, and the soundtrack was fun.
Yup, it must have purely been the plot. OH and the fact that this film screamed
horribly of being only a paycheck maker! I thought most of these actors could
afford to pass on a film like this but apparently they all just needed a quick
check to pass their time until their next good film. Really, Johnny Depp? You
are worth millions! Really Michelle Pfeiffer? You’re an icon! I’ll give a pass
to the lesser known names because I’m sure they needed money, but really Tim
Burton and Helena Bonham Carter? You’re like the Hollywood It Couple for weird
money-making movies. You could have scrapped this project before it made it to
the screens and stole my money and two hours of my life. Heck, it wasn't even
two hours. You could have used an extra fifteen minutes to make it two hours
and possibly explain away some of the discrepancies that were THROWN at the
audience randomly at the end. Considering
this movie was based on the TV show that ran from 1966-1971, you would think
they could covered the plot a little better or just thrown out what really wasn’t
needed. You know it’s a bad sign when the audience is laughing, not because the
movie is funny but because it was ridiculous!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #45818e; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I could write for hours on how
disappointed I was by this film but instead I’ll leave it at that. I’m still
working on redoing my rating system so I’ll just say, if I had to, I’d give this film a 2 out of 5 stars with the two stars only being earned by the first 30
minutes, some funny lines and a hilarious sex scene. I sure hope Burton’s <i>Frankenweenie</i> will be much better than this monstrosity. I’m hoping the much needed time he
neglected to give this film was given to his next film. In the future, it would
do him well to actually flesh out the plot and treat his audiences like they
are just a wee bit smarter than a cantaloupe. I don’t like plot points being
told to me at the end of a movie rather than being shown to me throughout the film, especially when
the plot points do nothing for the plot. This was such a sad experience for me…I
think I need to go watch Sleepy Hallow and Nightmare Before Christmas to
recover! </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-79628899136724714822012-05-07T14:47:00.003-07:002012-05-07T14:59:20.175-07:00Ebook Release: "Whole Again"<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_x0VjAFhbY/T6hChEkz6uI/AAAAAAAAAoo/xULd0wT6b8k/s1600/Whole_Again_Cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-y_x0VjAFhbY/T6hChEkz6uI/AAAAAAAAAoo/xULd0wT6b8k/s400/Whole_Again_Cover.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">After a long hiatus, my third short story, "Whole Again," is now available for purchase from<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Whole-Again-ebook/dp/B00811V7GQ/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1336427550&sr=8-4"> Amazon</a>. It can be read on Kindle or on the Kindle app for iPads, PCs and MACs. Thank you to <a href="http://steponthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-i-write.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FUvwKh+%28A+Single+Step%29">Kortnee</a> for all her hard work editing and to Neil Wells for my awesome cover! Thank you also to my wonderful support system for always pushing me forward. After a long semester, I needed to get back to my writing. Bill, mom, dad, Sarah, Kristin, Gabe, Kortnee, you are a few of these wonderful people and I can't tell you how much it means to have you behind me. (These are just a few, there are more. Sorry if your name isn't listed.) Thank you also to my followers on here, twitter and facebook for the ongoing support. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Story Description: <span class="Apple-style-span">(Short Story) </span><span style="line-height: 14px;">Claire quit doing drugs before she got pregnant but it would </span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">take strength of character and the support of her family to break out of the abusive </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">relationship that got her started on drugs in the first place. A recovering addict, Claire shares </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">her story of destruction, abuse and redemption.</span></div>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; color: blue; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Hope you enjoy! Comments and reviews on Amazon are always appreciated!</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-30423544390091670942012-05-06T14:49:00.001-07:002012-05-06T14:49:47.052-07:00"The Avengers" Movie Review<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It took adjustments and pain medicine to get me to this movie but I made it: <i>that's</i> how much I wanted to see it! I have now been in bed for two days because of the pain from sitting that long and I don't regret it: <i>that's</i> how awesome it was!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Anyone who knows me, knows that I love my superheroes! It's going to be a great Spring/Summer for superhero movies and <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0848228/">The Avengers</a> kicked it off. What a great way to end my semester of hell and start a summer of recovery! <span style="text-align: left;">I have so many things to say about this movie that, if I said all of them, you would probably be reading the longest blog ever. SO, I'll TRY to keep it short. </span></span></div>
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<a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRQdp-wwZhQ/T6a3Vbnl8qI/AAAAAAAAAmA/s7URk03KFoU/s1600/theavengers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="400" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aRQdp-wwZhQ/T6a3Vbnl8qI/AAAAAAAAAmA/s7URk03KFoU/s400/theavengers.jpg" width="270" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><u>The Avengers</u> brings together Iron Man, Thor, Captain America, Hulk, Black Widow and Hawkeye as a team of super humans who must save the world from Loki (Thor's adopted brother) and his other worldly army. I won't say much about the plot because a.) you should see it and b.) it's a lot to type out while trying not to give too much away. I will say that S.H.I.E.L.D, led by Nick Fury, must bring together the "Avengers Initiative" to battle a force that is simply too much for one superhero and the heroes are less than willing until something happens that makes them all ban together.</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">This movie is so full of amazing actors and superhero splendor that the movie theater is sure to be full of nerdgasms! Robert Downey Jr. is back as Iron Man; Chris Evans has been unthawed as Captain America; Chris Hemsworth has returned from Asgard as Thor and the audience is given a deeper look at Hawkeye, Jeremy Renner, and Black Widow, Scarlett Johansson, the only two heroes who are 100% human and the only two who haven't had their own movies. Oh wait, did I forget someone? No, I purposefully left out The Hulk because he deserves his own paragraph as I have voted him "Best Recast!"</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Mark Ruffalo joins the team as Bruce Banner/The Hulk, a role previously done on film by Eric Bana and Edward Norton (let's put aside the television portrayals). Anyone who watched the 2003 <u>Hulk</u> was probably as appalled as I was...I like Eric Bana a lot but wow, that movie was horrible. So, when the movie was redone in 2008 with Edward Norton I was excited! I love me some Edward Norton and <u>The Incredible Hulk</u> was far superior to the 2003 film. When I heard that Edward Norton would not be in <u>The Avengers</u>, I was worried... that is until I heard Mark Ruffalo was the recast. I love me some Edward Norton but I have always found Mark Ruffalo to be a great actor so I was excited to see what he could do. I. Am. Impressed! I even hate calling Mark Ruffalo a recast because he did such an amazing job. So, from now on, we shall only refer to Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk, no more recast! He owned the role and made it his own. If you can't see how excited I am, I dare you to track down my best friend, ask her how much I LOVE Edward Norton and then realize that, if I'm this excited about Edward Norton being replaced then, wow, Mark Ruffalo must have been amazing. Yes, yes he was! I could probably devote a whole blog to how impressed I am with Ruffalo but, don't worry, I won't.</span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yl7Zl7HRmSU/T6bPULmgSjI/AAAAAAAAAmM/JPw3O5EV3gg/s1600/hulk1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yl7Zl7HRmSU/T6bPULmgSjI/AAAAAAAAAmM/JPw3O5EV3gg/s320/hulk1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"I AM BETTER THAN EDWARD NORTON!"<br />"We believe you!"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYR08fnj8DI/T6bPVSHH20I/AAAAAAAAAmU/sfPyzocIZ0k/s1600/hulk2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="174" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fYR08fnj8DI/T6bPVSHH20I/AAAAAAAAAmU/sfPyzocIZ0k/s320/hulk2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"You believe me?"<br />"YES! We promise, we know you are awesome!"</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B5DqsfBpcPQ/T6bPWdoAmYI/AAAAAAAAAmc/SJvGImoNo8Q/s1600/hulkbanner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="175" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-B5DqsfBpcPQ/T6bPWdoAmYI/AAAAAAAAAmc/SJvGImoNo8Q/s320/hulkbanner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">"Oh, well, then....I guess I am ok...Hulk smash!"</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">There are many things that impressed me with this film. I loved the humor that was weaved in throughout the film. After those years with the "bad" Batman films, (yes I know I am mixing DC and Marvel but stick with me here), I didn't know how much room would be allowed for humor in superhero movies out of sheer fear that they would tank. I must make it clear, I am one of those weirdos who enjoys the "crappy" Batman movies even though I know how ridiculous they are, but I also know how filmmakers fear repeating the days associated with George Clooney's nipple suit. That said, </span><u style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Avengers</u><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> was hilarious, but not in the quirky Batman-nipple-suit ways. I'm talking about witty humor that sticks with you even days after the film. I've witnessed this humor throughout </span><u style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Iron Man</u><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and sprinkled in </span><u style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thor</u><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> and </span><u style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Captain America</u><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> but I haven't laughed this often during a superhero movie </span><i style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">since</i><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> the days of the 90's Batman films and, trust me, that was usually not good laughter. </span><u style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Avengers</u><span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"> managed to be action packed and hard hitting while still being light and humorous which I attribute to the fact that this film captured the human side of the heroes and mixed it well with their hero sides. I have to say that I think it is Robert Downey Jr. and Mark Ruffalo who ignite the humor as they have amazing friendship chemistry on screen. All I can say is: Awesome!</span></div>
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I also have to point out that the plot was extremely well done in this movie. I was never left thinking, <i>really? I'm supposed to believe that?</i> The script was well-crafted and thought out. There are even nods to World War II, Captain America's day, in creative ways that had this history minor going, "YES! If they hadn't added that, I would have been pissed!" Also, the action kicked off almost right away because there wasn't exposition weighing down the beginning :::cough Green Lantern cough::: This is most likely because the exposition has been covered in the previous movies but it was nice to see a movie where the history was mixed in, instead of being thrown at the audience in long monologues or introduction scenes :::hack Green Lantern hack::: ....sorry, I must be getting a cold.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Alongside the all-star cast, hello Samuel L. Jackson, you awesome man, and the great portrayal of Loki by Tom Hiddleston, you creepy badass you, there are some great moments in this film where I got to go, "Hey it's (insert celebrity name here)." Of course, the whole room got excited when Stan Lee made his appearance, I repeat, nerdgasm, but I was equally excited when I saw Harry Dean Stanton appear. It was also great to see all of the movies come together with the supporting cast, not just the heroes, from those films. I was pleased to see Professor Selvig from Thor, Stellan Skarsgard, play a pretty big role in the film and it was great to see Pepper Potts from the Iron Man films, Gwyneth Paltrow, make her appearance. Even though Natalie Portman couldn't make an appearance as Jane Foster, she was mentioned. I appreciated this because it reminded the audience that all of these heroes have separate lives and films but come together when one superhero just simply isn't enough. AND I'm always happy to see Agent Coulson, Clark Gregg, as he brings a lighter side to some scenes and adds depth to others. Simply put, this film is layered with great acting.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #38761d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I do have two complaints but neither has to do with this film directly. These are simply comments to help me vent. ONE, seriously people, have you not learned to stay put for the extra scenes at the end of the movie? These are the scenes that give you a small glimpse of the next films so SIT DOWN and enjoy them! While I'm mentioning it, one of the special scenes might be a bit confusing unless you are a super-duper-comic nerd (that's a compliment) so, after you see the movie, go look up spoiler explanations like <a href="http://collider.com/avengers-ending-explained/164058/">this one</a>. Anyhoo, please watch the scenes so you aren't confused or hurry out of the theater so I am not distracted by your stupidity. Some people will never learn. Sigh. And TWO, really cinema people, you put the Batman and Spiderman trailers in the middle of the previews and then threw Prometheus and Frankenweenie (adorable but really?) in at the end? Talk about poor management, you should end with the kick ass trailers but oh well, at least those are my only two complaints, right?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #274e13; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-89527061616138531532012-04-24T19:53:00.000-07:002012-04-24T19:53:38.910-07:00Children's Books on Friendship<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(*Spoiler Alert* Some book endings are revealed in this post)</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">There are many children’s books on friendship.
Some are about making friends, some are about losing friends and some are about
the diversity found in friendship. There are books in every genre and every
form on this subject. From picture books to chapter books, from fantasy to
historical fiction, there are many books on friendship that are available for
children. Here are some that I love, divided into the age groups of ages 1-7
and 8 and up.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ages 1-7</span></span><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F07MGd1GPEs/T5dhIKnjvrI/AAAAAAAAAlc/pqH1HXzawqo/s1600/doyou.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="254" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-F07MGd1GPEs/T5dhIKnjvrI/AAAAAAAAAlc/pqH1HXzawqo/s320/doyou.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: purple;">Do You Want to Be My Friend<br />by Eric Carle</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Eric Carle is one of
the best known names in children’s literature. His book <i>Do You Want to Be My Friend? </i>follows a mouse on his journey to find
friends. He asks many animals to be his friend but each animal responds with, “No”
until the mouse finally finds another mouse to be his friend. This is a book
with few words but with brilliant pictures that let young children expand on
the story with their own imagination. <i>Do
You Want to Be My Friend?</i> is a great book to use to spark a child’s
emotional intelligence about friendship. (Ages 1-3)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DI0zLQ5q-Iw/T5dhhMiTLjI/AAAAAAAAAlk/3BmWBKCq0bw/s1600/WillI.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DI0zLQ5q-Iw/T5dhhMiTLjI/AAAAAAAAAlk/3BmWBKCq0bw/s1600/WillI.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><i>Will I Have a Friend?</i><br />by Miriam Cohen</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Will
I Have a Friend?</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by Miriam Cohen, addresses a common
fear in children: the fear that they will never make friends. When Jim starts
his first day of school, he asks his father if he will make friends. Though his
father assures him that he will, Jim is still nervous. Jim doesn’t have much
luck finding a friend until after nap time when he meets Paul and they bond
over playing with the truck Paul brought to school. Soon, all the kids see them
having fun and they want to play as well. This book speaks directly to the
anxiety children feel on their first day of school and can be used to help calm
those fears. (Ages 4-6)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other Books on
Friendship for Ages 1-7:</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; font-style: italic; line-height: 200%;">Flip
and Flop</span></span><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Dawn Apperley (Ages 3-6)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Friendship Wish</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Elisa Kleven (Ages 4-7)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">How
to Lose All Your Friends</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Nancy Carlson (Ages 4-6)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">A
Rainbow of Friends</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by P.K. Hallinan (Ages 4-7)</span></span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Ages 8 and Up</span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4z_OrZOJLTo/T5dinok1ArI/AAAAAAAAAls/vSZ0RycDxnQ/s1600/fortoday.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-4z_OrZOJLTo/T5dinok1ArI/AAAAAAAAAls/vSZ0RycDxnQ/s320/fortoday.jpg" width="212" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i><span style="color: purple;">A Friendship for Today<br />by Patricia McKissack</span></i></td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><i>A
Friendship for Today</i></span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by Patricia McKissack is about
Rosemary, an African American girl who is starting sixth grade in a new,
integrated school. She is fine with the idea until her best friend, J.J., comes
down with polio and ends up missing a year of school to recover. Rosemary is
tormented by white children until she bonds with one of her tormenters, Grace,
over an injured cat. Grace and Rosemary then learn to put aside their
differences and learn they have more in common than they could have imagined.
This is a great book for promoting diversity in friendship. (Ages 9-12)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lx-f9q5XqM0/T5djBBuObII/AAAAAAAAAl0/bdd18oxIknE/s1600/charlotte.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lx-f9q5XqM0/T5djBBuObII/AAAAAAAAAl0/bdd18oxIknE/s320/charlotte.JPG" width="215" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: purple;"><i>Charlotte's Web</i><br />by E.B. White</span></td></tr>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Charlotte’s
Web</span></span></i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">,
by E.B. White, is the ultimate friendship tale. Wilbur is born the runt in the Arable’s
litter of pigs. Mr. Arable plans to kill the pig but his daughter, Fern, begs
him to spare the pig. He relents and
Fern is allowed to raise the pig until he is too big for the house and must be
moved to the Zuckerman’s farm. Still Fern visits Wilbur daily until she finds
an interest in boys. Wilbur is heartbroken whenever Fern is not around but soon
finds new friends on the farm and the best friend in Charlotte, a spider. Soon
Wilbur finds out that he is going to die and become the Zuckerman’s dinner but
Charlotte makes it her life’s mission to save Wilbur’s life. Charlotte spins
webs with messages to convince the Zuckermans to spare Wilbur and Wilbur’s life
is saved but Charlotte’s life has neared its end and Wilbur must say goodbye.
This book shows children the power of friendship and also introduces them to
the reality that all life ends. Their moral intelligence will be sparked as
they realize that friendships can end because friends drift apart, like with
Fern, or because of the death of a friend, as with Charlotte. There is hope,
however, as the book ends with Wilbur befriending Charlotte’s children and this
shows children that, even though they might lose friends, there will always be
new opportunities for friendship. (Ages 8-12)</span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Other Books on
Friendship for Ages 8 and Up:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="line-height: 200%; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">All
Alone in the Universe</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Lynne Rae Perkins (Ages 10+)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Doctor
Proctor’s Fart Powder</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Jo Nesbo (Ages 8-12)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Ellen
Tebbits</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Beverly Cleary (Ages 8-10)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Friendship Doll</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> by Kirby Larson (Ages 9-12)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">My
Last Best Friend</span></i><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;">
by Julie Bowe (Ages 8-10)</span></li>
<li><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">·<span style="font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal;">
</span></span><i><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">The
Secret Language of Girls</span></i></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"> by Frances O’Roark Dowell (Ages
8-12)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"></span></span><br />
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<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">
There are so many
wonderful books to choose from when focusing on friendship in children’s books.
What are some of your favorite children’s books about friendship?</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%; text-indent: -0.25in;"> </span></span><br />
<div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div>
<span style="color: purple; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: blue; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-86446776950211132432012-04-15T22:21:00.001-07:002012-04-17T10:37:01.901-07:00Time Speeds Along<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tHtZgnbJ3rs/T42qFqDFklI/AAAAAAAAAlU/SFGxI_uAjCg/s1600/Butterfly+Charmbr.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tHtZgnbJ3rs/T42qFqDFklI/AAAAAAAAAlU/SFGxI_uAjCg/s320/Butterfly+Charmbr.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #20124d;">This year seems to be speeding along. Honestly, it's going faster than I would like. I feel like it should be February at the latest, not April. The other day I stopped and realized what month it was and then a pain slowly hit my heart as I realized it was almost the middle of April and after April comes May. Of course I've always known that May comes after April but it's like that month is sneaking up on me before I can stop it. </span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">I hate the month of May. It's one time of the year that I dread completely. If I could skip from April to June, I would, simply to avoid the pain that May brings. You see, two of my favorite people in the whole world died in May. For years, May seemed like a cursed month for my family. I don't really believe in curses but that's the feeling we have felt. It seems like we all hold our breath through May and hope and pray that we make it to June without any more losses. It's not just the losses, it seems that bad things happen to us in May, but it's the losses that make it the worst. We lost both my grandma and my aunt on my father's side in May. They were years apart but the anniversaries are days apart and that makes it even more difficult.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">I have a strong faith so I know these two are in a better place and it's been years since I lost them but these were two people that had a large impact on my life. My grandma was a sweet woman with a heart of gold. She used to bake cookies and one of my favorite memories is her greeting us, after traveling to see her, while stirring a pot full of sloppy joe meat. Keep in mind, we arrived at her house at around 2 a.m. but she insisted that we must be hungry. This memory will bring a smile to my face for the rest of my life. My grandma wasn't terribly young when she passed but it still seemed way too soon for us. Some of my favorite memories are in her house and I still drive by her house every time I visit my relatives. I think this creeps out the current owners, since I pass the house a few times and usually stop and stare for just a moment, but I still do it. I just look at the door and for a second I see her smiling face opening it to let us all in. I can still hear her voice in my head and see her eyes...my eyes. I got my eyes from my grandma and they are apparently a rare shade of blue (I say apparently because after looking at them in the mirror for 25 years they seem pretty ordinary to me but people point them out frequently). I don't love my eyes because they are out of the ordinary, I love them because they were hers and I am one of the only family members to have them. Somehow this makes me feel closer to her even though she's gone.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">My aunt was taken way too soon. Because of a freak accident we lost her and her beautiful smile. I don't think I'll ever understand why she had to be taken so early but I know she is dancing with the angels. This woman meant the world to me. Due to circumstances that shouldn't be discussed here, I only had one godparent growing up...most people have two. After my uncle became the only godparent I had, she "adopted" me as her goddaughter. She never <i>had</i> to do this but she did and she loved it. I'm the only August birthday with two sisters in December so my aunt would send all our birthday presents at once, so I wouldn't feel left out. She also started a charm bracelet for me and when she died I refused to ever add another charm. After her death, my cousin found a graduation charm in my aunt's belongings. She had bought it a whole year early to make sure I had it. It's the only charm I've added since her death and only because my uncle insisted. I remember crying while I added it. I cry every time I think about how she had put it aside for me. She was such a special woman with a great soul. I remember she used to call to talk to my mom but would spend hours talking to me if mom wasn't home. She always had time for me. She always made me feel special. In reality, she was probably one of the most special people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">I have many fond memories of these two people who have left a never-fading mark on my heart. It has been years since I lost them but it feel likes yesterday whenever May comes around. There will be moments throughout the year that I think of them and smile and know they are watching but I think of them even more as May approaches and it still brings pain to my heart and tears to my eyes. Just yesterday I was listening to a song I've heard a thousand times and it brought tears to my eyes because suddenly it made me think of them, though it never had before.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">Of course, good things have happened in May. I graduated in May, was confirmed in May and I have birthdays to celebrate in May. Still, I dread the month of May. I often wish something <i>really</i> great would happen to take the focus off of the pain of this month. I could use something like that this year. I could use something wonderful in the month of May. So, here's hoping that May speeds along or that something wonderful happens. I love my grandma and my aunt and I carry them in my heart. If I can be just half as amazing as they were then I am in good shape. I wish all the people in my life had been able to meet them because they were beautiful souls.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">I've met many people who have rough months and rough days. I hope that you all are comforted by your memories like I am. Here's to a good year and, hopefully, a good May.</span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #20124d;">This poem always comes to mind when I think of them:</span><br />
<br />
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
If tears could build a stairway<br />
and thoughts a memory lane<br />
I'd walk right up to heaven<br />
and bring you home again<br />
No Farewell words were spoken<br />
No time to say good-bye<br />
You were gone before I knew it<br />
And only God knows why.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
My heart's still active in sadness<br />
And secret tears still flow<br />
What it meant to lose you<br />
No one can ever know.<br />
But now I know you want us<br />
To mourn for you no more<br />
To remember all the happy times<br />
Life still has much in store.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
Since you'll never be forgotten<br />
I pledge to you today<br />
A hallowed place within my heart<br />
Is where you'll always stay.</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
God knows why, with chilling touch,<br />
Death gathers those we love so much,<br />
And what now seems so strange and dim,<br />
Will all be clear, when we meet Him.<br />
I Knew you for a Moment</div>
<div style="background-color: white; color: #555555; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 19px; margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-top: 0.4em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">
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Source: <a href="http://www.funeral-poems.net/funeral-poem/if-tears-could-build-stairway" style="background-color: transparent;">http://www.funeral-poems.net/funeral-poem/if-tears-could-build-stairway</a></div>
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<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-9340040596770693632012-04-10T15:35:00.000-07:002012-04-10T15:36:19.467-07:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 8<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zQYOnfgyEZ4/T4Szwj5wOMI/AAAAAAAAAlE/xRwSioXfAYA/s1600/diet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-zQYOnfgyEZ4/T4Szwj5wOMI/AAAAAAAAAlE/xRwSioXfAYA/s320/diet.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Technically this should read Week 12 but if I wanted to be even more accurate then the title of this post would be "Getting Back on the Bike." I think it was my mother who used to tell me that when you fall off the bike you have to climb back on. Well, I fell off the bike big time. In fact, I fell off the bike, tumbled down a hill through brambles and landed in a ditch full of water where I then continued to lay face down in the water as I wallowed in self-pity. What does all of this mean? Eh, probably more to me than to you. It's not that I fell off the wagon with my diet as much as I fell off the face of the earth for a little while there.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I had some family problems and then a few more were added and then a few more until I felt like a million bricks were piled on already heavy shoulders and I broke. I think the final straw was being told by one of my favorite cousins that she no longer wanted to talk to me because she thought she was a toxic influence on my life. To say I broke down would be putting it mildly. I cried for hours and I rolled up into a ball and tried to disappear...I don't have the power to disappear so this couldn't last long. Thanks to a wonderful boyfriend, a great best friend and a comforting mom and a few others, I came out of my ball a little bit. After battling depression for 2 weeks, I am finally starting to feel normal again. I managed to make it through life relatively fine but anyone who knew me couldn't be fooled. They've managed to pull me out of my rut and I am very thankful for them.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />But wait, that accounts for 2 missing weeks, not 4. Well, before my little breakdown I was battling mother nature as it happened on two weigh-in days so I refused to weigh-in. That should account for the rest of my time where I went missing. I've decided to forget these past 4 weeks and focus on the future. I was doing fine on my diet until depression hit. Then the bad eating started. There were days where I barely ate and then there were days where I looked at my boyfriend and said , "I want a burger and fries" with a look on my face that said if he commented on my choice in food then he was risking a breakdown. So I had my burger, I had my fries, I had some chocolate and then I had some more. I had forgotten how closely tied my emotions are to my eating habits. As an emotional eater for years, this shouldn't have surprised me but it did. I thought I had gained control but I guess when you break down you lose control over many things, eating included. I even forgot how depression affected my writing. This is the first time I've been able to write in a month and it feels great! I'm glad to be back to my old self.</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So there is my sad little shpeel for the day. However, I AM BACK! Watch out world, here I come! I'm still in the competition with my mother and sister and I'm determined to make next week have even better numbers. Yes, I have numbers. It may be a month late but I have numbers. I stepped on the scale this morning, scared but knowing I needed to conquer my fears. </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's what I found:<br /><b>Weight Lost Since Last Weigh-In:</b> 2.2 pounds<br /><b>Total Weight Lost:</b> 17.6 pounds<br /><b>Total Weight Percentage Lost: </b>8.6%</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />I was happy to find I had lost weight. I'll be honest, I was terrified and expected a large gain in weight. However, 2.2 pounds in a month is not enough for me so next week will be better! I'm determined. I have my life and my emotions under control and now it's time to get my weight under control as well. Thank you to everyone who helped me find my way back. </span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">To everyone else dieting right now, keep up the good work! I plan on it being a great week!</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAFLSIhvPgc/T4S05E-ghKI/AAAAAAAAAlM/croVqAPjQmw/s1600/backontrack.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="132" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pAFLSIhvPgc/T4S05E-ghKI/AAAAAAAAAlM/croVqAPjQmw/s320/backontrack.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<br />
Thanks for the pictures:<br />
<a href="http://vintagelawrence.com/teaching/getting-back-on-track/">http://vintagelawrence.com/teaching/getting-back-on-track/</a>
<br />
<a href="http://loseweight-safe.com/diets/what-is-a-balanced-diet/">http://loseweight-safe.com/diets/what-is-a-balanced-diet/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-15995219957632052642012-03-06T11:03:00.000-08:002012-03-06T11:03:15.412-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 7It seems impossible to say that another week has already passed but it has. Sorry this post is a day late but I've been bed-ridden and in pain for a few days. I did manage to weigh in this morning so I have numbers to post. I also have good news! I've reached the point in my diet where I can proudly say, I am seeing results! I put on my jeans the other day and they were very loose and baggy. I'm now at that unfortunate stage where my fat jeans are too loose and my skinny jeans are still a little too tight but I am loving this stage because it means I have been successful! I can't wait until the day when I can say that my skinny jeans are now my fat jeans!<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JbSGsnHJQ2c/T1ZYg_ETyGI/AAAAAAAAAkw/3Bd8hdn1Vck/s1600/weight+loss.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JbSGsnHJQ2c/T1ZYg_ETyGI/AAAAAAAAAkw/3Bd8hdn1Vck/s1600/weight+loss.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Not this skinny yet but the pants are loose :)</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
I've also reached that happy point where people are noticing my weight loss! I received a few compliments this week and was told that you could tell I have lost weight. For those of you who know people on a diet, we find it very encouraging when people notice all our hard work. If you know someone on a diet, try to take notice of their changes because it makes them want to work even harder. If you see them every day it may be a bit difficult to tell at times but try to take notice. I know I always want to work harder toward my goal when people notice because I have the mindset that if it's not apparent I lost weight then why should I try? If you don't believe me when I say the compliments are important to us, look here's an <a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=87891&sc=3053">article</a> to back me up that was written by a Weight Watchers user.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E_xI6DaGLKA/T1ZbLk6TfwI/AAAAAAAAAk4/4bziXnIuRLw/s1600/compliments_n_lg.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-E_xI6DaGLKA/T1ZbLk6TfwI/AAAAAAAAAk4/4bziXnIuRLw/s1600/compliments_n_lg.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, after saying all of that, here are my numbers for the week. They aren't as good as last week but it is a loss and I am celebrating each and every loss. Some weeks will be better than others. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Weight Lost this Week: 1.1 pounds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Total Weight Lost: 15.4 pounds</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Total Weight Percentage Lost: 7.5%</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So I've officially broken the 15 pound mark! I'm very excited. This means I have less than 35 pounds left to lose. I set my goal for an even 50 pounds and I am well on my way. My goal is not to be a tiny little thing. I like my curves but I need to get rid of my extra weight so my goal is to be a size 8. I'm on my way! How's your diet going? Feel free to share tips and comments below! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have been promised that I will be able to update on the competition in next week's post. We will see where I stand. I know I am ahead of mom but she has been consistently losing weight each week and I am very proud of her! My sister has promised to weigh in next week so we will see if I am winning or need to pick up the pace. I hope to be able to exercise soon but we'll wait for my back to allow for that. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Have a great week! And good luck to everyone on a diet! </div><br />
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Pictures courtesy of: <a href="http://www.clipartclipart.com/free_clipart_images/a_cartoon_woman_holding_the_waistline_of_her_pants_to_show_weight_loss_from_her_new_years_resolution_0515-1012-1716-4853.html">http://www.clipartclipart.com/free_clipart_images/a_cartoon_woman_holding_the_waistline_of_her_pants_to_show_weight_loss_from_her_new_years_resolution_0515-1012-1716-4853.html</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=87891&sc=3053">http://www.weightwatchers.com/util/art/index_art.aspx?tabnum=1&art_id=87891&sc=3053</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-25014398954844929502012-02-27T10:39:00.000-08:002012-02-27T10:39:31.684-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 6<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk0XfERT7o/T0vJ685hrFI/AAAAAAAAAko/qhV-G66JMbI/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bQk0XfERT7o/T0vJ685hrFI/AAAAAAAAAko/qhV-G66JMbI/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">And so ends another week of weight loss. I wish I had some pictures to share of meals that have been made but I seem to have forgotten to do that this week. Instead, I will share some thoughts on the week.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In the past, I have always had trouble when going to restaurants when I am trying to eat healthy. It used to be that if you sat me in a booth and handed me a menu, I would cave and order anything greasy, yummy and a side of fries. Instead, </span><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I have found myself examining calories, looking for protein and weighing all possible options before ordering. I've settled on salads and healthy wraps instead of chicken fingers and fries. I'm very proud of myself because this has always been something I struggled with.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I think the reason I've stayed strong this time is because I have an even bigger goal in mind aside from weight loss. Yes, I want to lose weight, but I also want to get my back as healthy as I can. The constant pain seems to work as a good reminder why I am doing this. Oh, and there is that competition in the family...that helps too. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I've began following Weight Watchers, using their handy point calculator online. We've still been substituting in a lot of gluten-free foods, because they don't leave that heavy feeling after eating like some other foods do. I'm still taking the bee pollen and raspberry ketones and I feel great. I've been able to cut my portions down quite a bit and I'm seeing the results.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Here's where I stand:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight Lost this Week: 4.4 pounds</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Total Weight Lost: 14.3 pounds</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Weight Percentage Lost: 6.98%</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don't know if I am leading the family competition because I haven't gotten my sister's weight for the week yet. I know I am ahead of my mom and that is good enough for now. I'm very proud of my 4.4 pounds and I look forward to another great week! How's your diet going? Feel free to comment below. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-34520222587834435582012-02-20T20:20:00.001-08:002012-02-24T07:36:05.922-08:00P.P.M.R- Positively Positive Movie Review- This Means War**Spoiler alert. This time I can't keep myself from putting in a few things you might not want to know...mainly because they annoyed me. I wouldn't read this unless you have already seen this movie or you don't care about a spoiler.**<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bH2oGgqpIfY/T0MPnyxv1PI/AAAAAAAAAkM/ujNcgHQWZ9E/s1600/thismeanswar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bH2oGgqpIfY/T0MPnyxv1PI/AAAAAAAAAkM/ujNcgHQWZ9E/s1600/thismeanswar.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1596350/">This Means War</a> is the new romantic comedy/action film starring Reese Witherspoon, Tom Hardy and Chris Pine. The premise is simple: two best friends, who are also spies, fall for the same girl and vie for the girl's heart, all while trying to thwart the other one's attempts and catch an international criminal at the same time. Sounds exciting right? It was! There was plenty of humor, lots of great romantic parts and a nice blend of action!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I have to say, I have never found Tom Hardy attractive until this movie. Now, I understand ladies, now I understand. He plays Tuck, the sweet, good guy with the heart of gold who is simply looking for love to balance his ever-chaotic life with the CIA. He is the guy that says the sweet things and means them. He's the nice guy (and the British accent definitely helps him out). He is also a divorced father who is simply adorable with his son. He will make ladies go "awww." </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Chris Pine plays his best friend, FDR, who is almost the exact opposite of Tuck. He's the ladies man who is always on a different conquest. You know, the kind of conquests that end with the girl waking up alone and him walking with a spring in his step into work. He's the bachelor and the bad boy type.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reese Witherspoon plays Lauren. Lauren is a workaholic, who keeps running into her happily engaged ex who cheated on her. With the encouragement of her friend, the great Chelsea Handler as Trish, she decides to try dating again. Trish signs her up for an online dating site and this is how she meets Tuck. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, after a wonderful meeting with Tuck, where they are both relieved that the other isn't an ax murderer from the internet, Lauren heads off and is convinced that online dating isn't so bad. This is when she meets FDR, who has been waiting nearby just in case Tuck was on a date with a psychopath. FDR is cocky and treats her like yet another conquest. She rejects him but he decides to chase her.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is where we get the love triangle of the movie. The guys find out that they are dating the same girl but she is unaware that they know each other and, with the encouragement of her wacky friend, decides to date them both to see which one works out.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here's were I am going to sway from my usual movie review. I am trying to be positive, because that's my thing, so hopefully you can read sarcasm. However, as I said above, I will most likely spoil the ending for you. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Everyone knows that romantic comedies are full of cliches and plot points that throw characters together. That is fine. We are used to this and we have accepted it. In fact, we just love cliches. The point of a romantic comedy is usually watching the journey of how the characters get together, because you know they will. But here we are dealing with a love triangle. In romantic comedies this usually means that there is a clear front-runner and you know they will end up together. Unless there is a tragic twist, cough "My Best Friend's Wedding" cough, you are left happily knowing the two people who belonged together ended up together.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But let's throw in another romantic comedy cliche and we have a problem. Here it is: the story of the ladies man who is against love until he meets the perfect girl and she melts his heart and makes him realize that love is worth a shot. As a girl, we all love watching the bad boy make his miraculous change that makes us believe that we too can change men so that they will suddenly be great, when a day before they met us, they were scum.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Do you see the problem yet? Let me make it clear. Tuck is the good guy that deserves to win. FDR is the player who suddenly finds himself in love for the first time. Now, who wins? I think you can guess by now. However, I have more.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I knew who would win almost instantly. Although both couples shared excellent moments of love and tenderness, it was apparent to me who would win Lauren's heart. I wasn't happy when I realized this and I hoped I was wrong. Nope, I've written too many plot twists to be wrong about this one. With a few chosen added romantic comedy cliches (yup, there are more), the bad choice becomes an option. I think you can figure the rest out from here. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, let's move on to what I loved, because I don't think I have stayed true to the positive mood that I meant to have with this review. Eh, you win some, you lose some. I feel this might be more of a rant than a review but it is what it is. I promise to be a good girl next time.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I loved the humor. I loved the action scenes and how they managed to tie them into the romantic comedy without seeming forced. I loved the acting. I loved Chelsea Handler, but I always do. I loved Tom Hardy, especially his bad-ass moments (won't ruin this, go look for them).This movie had a great cast and it kept my interest the entire time. I definitely will purchase this movie. It was <i>that</i> good. Even though I was disappointed with the ending, I will still buy it. Don't worry, both men end up happy, just not in the way I wanted. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I may have sounded a bit bitter so my rating may surprise you. Remember, no sugar is good and lots of sugar is bad (in case you forgot the rating system since I have not been as positive as intended).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Movie Rating: 1 spoonful. We needed a little sugar coating.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmh5aGSYY6c/T0MavSydgMI/AAAAAAAAAkc/6S7ZElMLJmo/s1600/1spoonfuls.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mmh5aGSYY6c/T0MavSydgMI/AAAAAAAAAkc/6S7ZElMLJmo/s1600/1spoonfuls.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-73361749672546852782012-02-20T19:02:00.001-08:002012-02-24T07:34:55.629-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 5<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Gx5jKbcPtQ/T0MItpbwW-I/AAAAAAAAAkE/f_bQcwWePlM/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6Gx5jKbcPtQ/T0MItpbwW-I/AAAAAAAAAkE/f_bQcwWePlM/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">So ends another week of weight loss. I didn't update last week for one simple reason that I will state quickly, simply because men don't like this topic. To put it simply, mother nature visited and when mother nature visits it makes women weigh heavier. That said, I always weigh about 3-5 pounds more during this week so I decided to bypass the pain of looking at the scale. Ok men, it's safe to read again. ;)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Now, on to happier subjects. Ever since my initial weight loss of 8.8 pounds I have seemed to be in a sort of slump. I have never plateaued so early in a diet but it happened. I am proud to say I am off of that plateau, though I feel next week will be much better than this one. I started taking a Raspberry Ketone supplement, as suggested by Dr. Oz. I also started taking a supplement that is made from bee pollen, green tea and other natural herbs. I don't normally believe in pills for help in weight loss but these are both natural and I needed help off my slump. I am loving the bee pollen pills especially. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I had been having this problem where I felt hungry all the time. It's been ridiculous because I know I am not hungry, know I shouldn't need to eat, yet I felt hungry and needed to eat. Maybe it was boredom, but it was not possible that I was still hungry because I was eating sufficiently. This is where the bee pollen pills have been helping. I've only been using them for 3 days now but I already feel the difference. Before buying these pills I researched the effects of bee pollen and apparently it is supposed to help curb hunger, increase energy, help with stress and allergies. I'm not sure about all of that yet but it has definitely helped with the hunger part! I'm already cutting portion sizes and not feeling the need to snack constantly.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I've also been finding nice alternatives to the foods I love and crave. I have been craving chips and fries...hmm, salty, greasy goodness. Well, I bought some Special K cracker chips and I love them! They are 110 calories for 27 chips. I don't need 27 chips (I usually do about half a serving) but that makes for a great substitute to my calorie filled fries. I've also been craving chocolate and I love the FiberOne brownies! They are 90 calories and they help get the chocolate monkey off my back. Before someone asks, no, I'm not being paid to endorse these items, I'm simply suggesting them to help my fellow dieters. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BXmRpqqIKok/T0MHzX7vAKI/AAAAAAAAAj0/6N3U2EksDQo/s1600/fiberone.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BXmRpqqIKok/T0MHzX7vAKI/AAAAAAAAAj0/6N3U2EksDQo/s1600/fiberone.png" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Mmmm....chocolate!</span></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6zscOD9SIZU/T0MH4KEUV7I/AAAAAAAAAj8/W4OBRmYT9JM/s1600/crackerchips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="262" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6zscOD9SIZU/T0MH4KEUV7I/AAAAAAAAAj8/W4OBRmYT9JM/s320/crackerchips.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I actually like these as much as chips!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">I will admit that I cheated a little this week. I like to call these treats. Though a friend of mine once pointed out that treats are for dogs, I believe they are important. First, if you don't treat yourself occasionally then you will feel restricted and crave those foods more and more until you fall off the wagon. This can also lead to binge eating. So we went to Buffalo Wild Wings and I had my boneless wings, but I didn't have fries. I also got a bar of dark chocolate this week (for reasons obvious to my female readers). Dark chocolate is better for you than milk chocolate so I guess it was an alright substitute. That's enough treats for a while. Without these treats, I probably would have lost more but this week is a new week and I plan on it being a great week for weight loss!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That said. Here are the numbers:</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Weight lost this week: 0.4 pounds</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Total weight loss: 9.9 pounds</span><br />
<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Percentage of weight lost to date: 4.85%</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">That 0.4 may not seem like much to most people but to me it says that I am losing again and I will take that happily. I spent a couple hours thinking about how if I had just lost 0.1 more pound I would be at an even 10 pounds but then I realized I was just happy to be losing weight again after my plateau. So, this week will be better! I still can't do a lot of exercising but I am walking more and this will have to do for now. I'm feeling positive and I can't wait to see the results for next week! From what I know, I am still in the lead for the competition. However, my sister has yet to send me her weight for this week so we will see. How is everyone else doing? Please leave comments about success, questions or recipes below! Have a great week!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-85917454168166940852012-02-07T17:00:00.000-08:002012-02-07T17:00:44.160-08:00Growing Up-Friend Weeding!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qPdlhq2xQaM/TzHIxUD1kQI/AAAAAAAAAjk/ShVJE8knrLI/s1600/growup.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qPdlhq2xQaM/TzHIxUD1kQI/AAAAAAAAAjk/ShVJE8knrLI/s1600/growup.gif" /></a></div><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a subject I've been wanting to talk about for a while but haven't known what direction to go with it until now. Growing up is a part of my life, we all know that and we all accept it...well, most of us anyway. It doesn't mean you suddenly stop being fun or become a person nobody recognizes, it simply means you change, you evolve and you become the person you were destined to be. The subject of growing up is a very broad term so, for this post, I'm going to narrow it down further. This will be about growing up and how it affects your relationships with friends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In high school, it seemed like your friendships were either rock solid (besties) or you fought every other day. This was just something you accepted since you were a hormonal little piss-ant who was just trying to get by. Then you entered college and things became more real. There really <i>is</i> life after high school; all those after-school specials were telling the truth. This is when you kept the closer friends from high school and made new college friends. It also may be the time that you grew apart, a time you regret later on.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now you're out of college, or close to it, and things are changing even more. The first few years of college were fun and full of parties and silly adventures. Now you are coming into your own and people are changing and so are you. It's not a bad thing, it's just true. HERE is the point were I am at. I graduated from college in 2009 and took a look at my life and went, "What did I do?!" I had very few friends, somewhat because of some control issues from one friend and also because I pulled away from others. I was also lost in my life. It was time to grow up and figure everything out.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Well, for me, things didn't work quite like that. I was in a car accident, bed-ridden and BAM suddenly I was growing up in a way that I never imagined. I was learning to live with pain, learning that life isn't planned carefully like I want it to be and, very important here, learning how to tell who my real friends are. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When you're lying in bed, unable to move even enough to hold up a phone, you feel pretty lost. I had friends who stopped trying to talk to me. I had friends who were suddenly shocked that I couldn't listen to their every problem and fix it. I had friends who were angry because I wasn't there to be a therapist and baby-sitter. BUT I also had friends who made sure they got online on facebook to talk to me because I could balance a laptop on my stomach while I laid down. I had friends who texted me daily to make sure I was alright. I also had friends that eventually dragged me out of the house when I was able again. These are my true friends.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since my accident I have done a lot of "weeding" when it comes to friendships. Having your life put on hold for a while makes you view things differently. I'm sure if you asked anyone who has ever had a life-threatening or life-altering ordeal occur in their live they would say they started to see the world differently. I suddenly had no time for people to use me and no time for people who didn't have time for me. </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ranMxTMXrw0/TzG_0CbfpqI/AAAAAAAAAjc/vT_-khhblHo/s1600/weeding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ranMxTMXrw0/TzG_0CbfpqI/AAAAAAAAAjc/vT_-khhblHo/s1600/weeding.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Oh, multiple meanings for this picture...</td></tr>
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</span></div><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here's were I get to my point (finally right?) I've been told by people that I've changed, some say for the better and some say for the worst. I know I've changed but this is called growing. I have also guarded my heart for quite a long time. Some people have looked at my friend "weeding" as me being cold-hearted and unforgiving. If they knew the whole story, they would know that really this is me being driven to my final straw by many people who used me, abused me and only called when they needed something. These are people I had forgiven time and again and they never changed. Those aren't friends, they are tumors in the body of life and they must be removed. What people fail to notice is that I am no longer friends with these people but I've also forgiven them and moved on to cleanse my soul as well as my heart. I'm not perfect by any means but I am a good friend and I try to give as much as I take and I don't think it's ridiculous to expect the same in return.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In my time since my accident I've also taken a look at friends that I lost touch with along the way, for one reason or another. People have asked why I'm talking to them again and, frankly, it's none of their business but I'll say why. These people either approached me and apologized or one of us approached the other simply because it'd been a long time. You see, another part of growing up is getting over things. I'll never be friends with some people again because they were weeded out with a strong purpose but some people were young and stupid and deserve another chance. Part of growing up is deciding which friendships are worth fighting for, which are worth mending and which are lost causes.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, why did I feel the need to right this all down? I know some people close to me who have recently done some friend weeding or need to and I thought it might help to know that they aren't alone. Hold on tightly to the people who treat you right and don't give a second thought to those who never gave you a first thought. I love all of my friends dearly and I can't imagine my life without you!</span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzvPDuINdSA/TzG994KB8WI/AAAAAAAAAjM/JMM81jdYKXc/s1600/calvinhobbs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="243" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UzvPDuINdSA/TzG994KB8WI/AAAAAAAAAjM/JMM81jdYKXc/s320/calvinhobbs.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yes they are, Calvin, but well worth the search!</td></tr>
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Pics thanks to:</span><br />
<a href="http://forthefirstime.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/the-terrible-dis-ease-of-loneliness/">http://forthefirstime.wordpress.com/2009/09/24/the-terrible-dis-ease-of-loneliness/</a> <br />
<a href="http://alphabetworld.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/true-friends-are-hard-to-come-by/">http://alphabetworld.wordpress.com/2011/11/29/true-friends-are-hard-to-come-by/</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/weeding_out.asp">http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/w/weeding_out.asp</a> <br />
<a href="http://ambertriniere.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/growing-up/">http://ambertriniere.wordpress.com/2011/05/21/growing-up/</a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-67597048483337980882012-02-06T18:20:00.000-08:002012-02-06T19:42:12.800-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 3<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It seems impossible that another week has already gone by but it has. I mentioned that I threw my back out last Monday night. Well, I'm still in bed. I'm a bit better but I can't stand or sit for too long. This has NOT helped my weight loss. It hasn't really hurt it either but it did me no favors. Last week, I mentioned that I thought my Wii was broken but I reconfigured it and it seems to be working again. This was after I bought what I shall now refer to as "the devil scale." I weighed on it and, after calling my mom and her repeatedly assuring me that there was no way I could gain 20 pounds in a day, I have decided to take it back to the store. Now, this was a cheaper scale so maybe that had something to do with it. Either way, I'll stick with my Wii as long as it works. This should help reduce my tears for the week. (Looking the scale up now it has really mixed reviews). </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vp86q31lF5U/TzCF1pBTk8I/AAAAAAAAAi8/-RhYj7XMPwY/s1600/scale.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-vp86q31lF5U/TzCF1pBTk8I/AAAAAAAAAi8/-RhYj7XMPwY/s1600/scale.JPG" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's the scale that called me fat mommy! Get him!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So weight lost since last weigh-in: 0</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You read that right, 0! Now, I am happy I didn't gain weight after spending a week in bed but I am not happy to say that my weight didn't go down. I have been making homemade meals, using gluten-free products, drinking a TON of water and I haven't had candy or soda in 3 weeks. There has to be something wrong right? I am guessing it's my lack of exercise. When you can't move, you can't exercise (DUH!) I'll but cutting down on portions a bit more but I have also decided to do something I normally don't approve of because of some of the dangerous products: I've looked into supplements. Don't worry, I'm not taking harmful, damaging pills. I have ordered Raspberry Ketone pills, which <a href="http://www.doctoroz.com/videos/5-fat-busters-5-body-types?page=2#copy">Dr. Oz</a> recently said helps burn fat. I've also looked into Bee Pollen pills (you read that right) which are supposed to help curb hunger and increase energy. They are also supposed to help with stress, anxiety and allergies. I've been doing a lot of reading on them and I hope they help. Once I can move again I will be going on walks and hopefully we kick this weight loss into gear.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Even though I as sidelined for most of the week I did manage to make one meal (otherwise Bill did the cooking). I got this recipe from <a href="http://www.pinterest.com/">Pinterest </a> and did some tweaking. Here's a link to the <a href="http://formamas.blogspot.com/2011/08/pizza-casserole.html">original blog</a>. While propping myself up on my cane, I decided to make a Pizza Casserole or, as Bill calls it, Pizza Ziti! I changed her recipe to fit our dietary needs which meant gluten-free pasta, extra lean meat and a few other things. We also tried organic Mozzarella cheese for this one and it turned out pretty good and the tomato sauce in this recipe is great for the heart! You'll look at the picture and think it looks bad for you but, if made correctly, it makes a great meal! </span><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8feH6jE9Kg/TzCKCfyaqvI/AAAAAAAAAjE/kjHMAZiEUI4/s1600/pizzacasserole.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r8feH6jE9Kg/TzCKCfyaqvI/AAAAAAAAAjE/kjHMAZiEUI4/s320/pizzacasserole.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yummm!</span></td></tr>
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My best friend <a href="http://networkedblogs.com/tDMbv">Kortnee</a> has decided to start her own weight loss adventure and I'm very proud and happy for her. My support system seems to be growing quickly! I even have co-workers dieting now. It's nice to know that there will be someone to go to when all I want to do is scream, "I miss candy!"</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Kortnee's goal is to slim down before an awards ceremony in the Summer. Mine is to take weight off my back and look good in a bridesmaids dress (cliche, I know, but true.) I also just want to like looking at pictures of me. Kortnee has even made these cool jars to keep track of weight lost and weight to go. Check them out <a href="http://networkedblogs.com/tDMbv">here</a>. I plan on making some of those for visual inspiration! </span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Before I check out for the night I should mention the contest! Mom has lost another pound and I'm so proud of her! I think that puts her at a 3.58% weight loss so far which means she is catching up to me. Sarah has yet to check in today...ahem, that's a hint, my dear sister. Since I didn't gain or lose I am still at a 8.8 pound weight loss. So we will see how this goes and hope for more great results!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #0c343d; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">So, here's to another week. I hope this one yields better results! Please share recipes or comments in the comment box. And beware of the devil scale! I now fully understand why people say to stick to the same scale! </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-10223780903817073532012-02-03T18:17:00.000-08:002012-02-03T18:18:20.538-08:00Sparkly Retail Death- Reformatted and Re-released!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gbK2mI2cNGQ/TyyUjIPiMnI/AAAAAAAAAi0/X9a0Hif_oKs/s1600/SparklyRetailDeathCover+(1).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="background-color: #b6d7a8; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gbK2mI2cNGQ/TyyUjIPiMnI/AAAAAAAAAi0/X9a0Hif_oKs/s320/SparklyRetailDeathCover+(1).jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">So, a few weeks ago I put my short story <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sparkly-Retail-Death-ebook/dp/B006OUN5B6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1328317768&sr=8-1">"Sparky Retail Death"</a> on a free promotion on Amazon as part of my KDP Select agreement that I signed with Amazon. I was happily watching the sales go up and watched my story climb the free charts (making it to number 32 on the short story list) before I got some startling news. Someone had reviewed my story! (This was not the startling part). He'd given me five stars and I was giddy as I began to read...then my heart plummeted. Part of the review said, "There were some typos, but I easily looked the other way as this story was good from start to finish." Typos!? Typos? Where? What? How? I am not one of those people who uploads a story without a second thought. No, I edit my stories, re-edit them and then I send them on to an EDITOR who continues to edit my story.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">I understand a few things get lost in the mix. Heck, I have read some of my favorite authors' books and noticed a typo here and there, but how were there enough typos in my story to have it mentioned in a review? I quickly bought a copy of my story and opened it and my heart went straight into the pit of my stomach. The formatting was a disaster! Somewhere between my finished copy and the uploaded finished copy on Amazon there had been a horrible mistake. All the apostrophes had turned into quotes. My story looked like a piece straight out of the nightmares of editing in college. Back in those classes you would always get a piece that made you wonder, "why did this person become a writing major?" Anyone who has had to edit one of these stories knows what I am talking about.</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: #b6d7a8; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Well, me being me, I started to panic. It didn't matter that this reviewer had ended his review with "Jill B. Zimmerman, please keep writing!" All I saw were the typos (formatting errors). Over 200 copies of my story had already been purchased and the number was rising. I quickly took it off of the free promotion and began trying to find a way to fix my formatting. After about 2 hours of frustration, I gave up and e-mailed Amazon. They were great! It took a while but they told me how to fix the problem and now my story is back up and, as far as I can tell, error free. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">So, long story short, I may not have gotten a new story up yet (soon, I promise) but my other stories are available for purchase once again. Tomorrow I will begin a two day free promotion for "Sparkly Retail Death" and anyone who already purchased the error-filled copy can hopefully re-download it. If not, leave me a comment on here and I will find a way to rectify the situation.</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">Thank you for your patience and happy reading!</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="background-color: #b6d7a8;">~Jill B Zimmerman~</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-10792865690204532982012-01-31T12:42:00.000-08:002012-01-31T12:42:29.839-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 2So, if it's any indication to how my week is starting, this is a day late. However, at least I made time to do it. The past week went really well for Bill and I. We are still going mostly gluten-free with lower carb tendencies. We are also drinking a lot of water and it's been over two weeks since either of us had soda or candy. I'm proud of our progress! Alas, I can't say how proud or what our progress is. Why? Well, my Wii board has decided to malfunction and isn't weighing properly. So, I need to buy a scale before I can report back on here. I will do that soon but I am currently in bed because my back went out again. So, for now, this will have to be a good enough update. We are sticking with the plan and I think we will have great numbers to report soon. Mom lost a pound and a half and Sarah lost a pound so we will see if I am behind them or in front of them in the contest soon. Until then, I will be resting. I hope everyone is having a great week and that everyone on diets are doing well and watching the weight fall off!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BAOGIxcqBKg/TyhR6qXNThI/AAAAAAAAAis/Dd5mLDVPn2c/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-BAOGIxcqBKg/TyhR6qXNThI/AAAAAAAAAis/Dd5mLDVPn2c/s1600/biggest+loser.jpg" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-64687275434179552292012-01-23T15:30:00.000-08:002012-01-23T15:31:17.704-08:00Biggest Loser: End of Week 1<div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Week 1 of my diet ended this morning when I weighed myself. It's been a good week and an interesting one. We've been figuring out how to adjust to gluten-free foods and I'm happy to report that it hasn't been that difficult. Everything we have tried has turned out quite tasty and leaves us feeling a lot less heavy after we eat. We are not 100% gluten-free but we are very close. Everything we buy now is gluten-free except for our FiberOne bars and our Kashi cereal and, once the gluten-type products are gone, we will be purchasing the gluten-free counterparts of things like Ketchup. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Our breakfasts have consisted of fruit and yogurt smoothies or Kashi cereal. We mostly snack at lunch or I've had a small spinach salad. Peanuts and light popcorn are now our favorite snacks. We are eating a lot better and it's only been one week!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Our dinners have been a fun experience! I've really been having fun cooking and we've come up with some great meals. It's funny, I thought I'd miss the ease of going through a fast-food drive-thru or cooking up random crap but I'm having fun cooking. One thing I must note for anyone wanting to try gluten-free cooking: not all gluten-free brands are the same! This may seem like a "duh" comment but we tried two different types of noodles. One was delicious and tasted great. The brand was Quinoa, I highly suggest it. The other brand I forgot the name of but the noodles were smooshy and stuck together. I wish I had written down the brand name but just be warned, they vary greatly! Here are some pictures of our culinary masterpieces!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2FE-KrVnUU/Txym0e770PI/AAAAAAAAAh8/X_Hau7xHhKU/s1600/diet2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-v2FE-KrVnUU/Txym0e770PI/AAAAAAAAAh8/X_Hau7xHhKU/s320/diet2.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">My General Tso's Chicken on gluten-free brown rice </span></div><div style="font-size: medium; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">was almost gluten-free (the sauce had a little in it).</span></div></td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vkhQBxaS7mI/Txynz0abVqI/AAAAAAAAAic/oOkkFB2uong/s1600/diet3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vkhQBxaS7mI/Txynz0abVqI/AAAAAAAAAic/oOkkFB2uong/s320/diet3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bill's Spicy Chicken Alfredo was delicious. We didn't like those<br />
noodles but it still tasted great!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>I wish I had taken a picture of the Mac and Cheese. That had to have been the best mac I've had in a long time. The recipe was in Elizabeth Hasselbeck's "Deliciously G-Free" cookbook so I don't feel right sharing the recipe but anyone with access to the book should try it. It was excellent!<br />
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We also had fun grilling up some burgers on our new George Foreman grill that we got for Christmas! (Thanks mom and dad!) We bought low-carb buns and had cheeseburgers. This wasn't gluten-free but it was low-carb and we are trying to do less carbs as well. They do make gluten-free buns but I haven't had a chance to get them yet. They are on my "to try" list.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FDsFquITwVQ/TxypQmxbqQI/AAAAAAAAAik/jN_ZVz_2Y38/s1600/diet1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FDsFquITwVQ/TxypQmxbqQI/AAAAAAAAAik/jN_ZVz_2Y38/s320/diet1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay grill!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Now we are getting ready for Week 2 and I'm looking forward to cooking and eating even better. I'm happy to say that we both lost weight this week!<br />
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</div><div>Bill lost 8 pounds!</div><div>I lost 8.8 pounds! (Yes, very specific, thank you Wii!)</div><div><br />
</div><div>We are making great progress! If I have done my calculations right, and I think I have, this puts me at a 4.32% weight loss. My mom and sister both lost great amounts (4 and 6 respectively) but so far I'm in the lead for our contest. It's a 6 month contest so I have to keep it going in order to win. It's still any woman's game but I'm invigorated by my first week's success! On to week 2!<br />
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I still can't do much with exercise, because of my back, but I hope to work my way up. Have any comments on eating better or any great recipes? Leave a comment below! Here's to another great week!<br />
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</div></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-43324558563914051562012-01-15T12:32:00.000-08:002012-01-15T12:40:33.987-08:00Biggest Loser: Family Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QT9hacQ1ayE/TxM3ok7P1AI/AAAAAAAAAhw/5dSWqDQVtlE/s1600/the-biggest-loser.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QT9hacQ1ayE/TxM3ok7P1AI/AAAAAAAAAhw/5dSWqDQVtlE/s1600/the-biggest-loser.gif" /></span></a></div><span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">A few weeks ago, I told my mom that I wanted to lose weight. It will be better for my back, better for my health in general and, let's face it, I hate how I look in pictures these days. She presented me with an option, a challenge, so that I wouldn't have to go after this goal alone. She and my oldest sister, Sarah, are going to start their own version of the <a href="http://www.nbc.com/the-biggest-loser/">The Biggest Loser</a> with me. The competition begins tomorrow and will go until June, around the time that my family is coming to visit me in New York. Each of us gets to choose our own diet and work-out routines because we have different lifestyles and bodies (for example, I can't work out much because of my back so my diet will be very important while I work my strength up). We will weigh in using our Wiis to keep track of each other. I have been ordered to take a picture of my weigh-in on my phone so they know I am not lying...I have ordered the same in return. At the end of the competition, the person with the greatest weight loss percentage wins. We decided to go with percentage because we are all different heights, weights, etc. The winner of the challenge will get $100 from each person to go shopping. So the incentive to win has four sides: to lose weight, to be beat them, to win money and to not have to pay money. It's on!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I told Bill about our challenge and he told his mother and they are now in their own competition, though theirs will be based on pounds lost and a bit different. This excites me! I knew he'd be willing to diet with me because he has told me he wants to eat better but now he has the incentive to win. Like me, he doesn't like to lose. So I now have a support system in my house and we are ready!</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So what is our diet plan? Well, one of my doctors told me a while back that carbs aren't the best for my back because they cause inflammation in the body. I've also noticed that carbs make me feel heavier and that Bill seems to have some problems digesting gluten-filled foods. The day before I left Colorado to return home, I watched <a href="http://theview.abc.go.com/">"The View"</a> with mom and Elizabeth was showcasing gluten-free foods from her new book. I was surprised. The foods looked so, so normal! They looked edible yet they were supposed to be better for me. So I purchased Elizabeth Hasselbeck's book <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Deliciously-G-Free-Flavorful-Believe-Gluten-Free/dp/0345529383/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1326658319&sr=8-1">"Deliciously G-Free"</a> and I've been reading it since it arrived. I'm not saying we are going to go 100% gluten-free. We are going to start using some of these recipes instead of our heavier gluten-filled ones and we are going to be looking at a lot of gluten-free foods. We are also going to to be going low-carb, high protein and adding in fruits and vegetables. Basically, we are eating healthier. This is more of a lifestyle change than a diet because I don't want to "end" the diet and go back and gain my weight back. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As for exercise...well, I can't exercise with my back so I am hoping I will slowly build up on my walking time and add in light weights and work my way up. That's pretty much all I can do. Bill is going to take advantage of the campus gym and also start running again. We have a good plan set up and I am excited to see it in motion.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, the challenge begins tomorrow. I let Bill have what I call "last meals" before we started. This means we ate at some of our favorite places because we won't be seeing them for a long time and we won't be seeing them nearly as much as we used to. They will now be treats and treated as such. Our last treat will be going to <a href="http://allamericanhamburger.us/">All American Burger</a> tonight (if you haven't heard of this place, it's like the mecca of hamburger happiness in Long Island...so yummy but so horrible for you). Tomorrow, the diet begins. I'll be doing weekly updates on our progress. This will be added incentive because I will not only have my family holding me to this but anyone who read this blog. For the sake of my own pride, I won't be putting my weight on this, only the weight lost. Maybe at the end I'll feel brave but until then this will have to do. I'll update on our progress and hopefully find some yummy, good-for-you meals to share.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I guess that's it. Wish us luck!</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-6758723430703141302012-01-13T19:45:00.000-08:002012-01-13T20:12:21.977-08:00Tebow: The Answer to a Broncos Fan's Prayers?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue; margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i6J5oug7QoI/TxD4N4WU_3I/AAAAAAAAAhA/Uroig6Rhg6Q/s1600/tim_tebow__broncos.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i6J5oug7QoI/TxD4N4WU_3I/AAAAAAAAAhA/Uroig6Rhg6Q/s320/tim_tebow__broncos.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="color: blue;">Alright, before anyone accuses me of jumping on a bandwagon I want to make a few things very clear. I was happy when we drafted Tim Tebow, I DIDN'T buy his jersey until after I saw him play and I waited not-so-patiently for Kyle Orton to get the boot. Now that we can put this aside, I'll answer the question posed in the title of this blog post: Yes, Tim Tebow is our answer. I don't care if you are Christian or not, this isn't a religious posting, though I am a Christian. If it makes you feel happier inside, pretend the question was "Is Tim Tebow the hope for the Broncos' future?" Happy? OK, good, that's another thing to mark off the list of sensitive subjects and now we can get down to the matter at hand, Tim Tebow.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMGeoXbxFi0/TxD4XgeQ9uI/AAAAAAAAAhI/P3dwYW7tMOg/s1600/tim-tebow-broncos-draft.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MMGeoXbxFi0/TxD4XgeQ9uI/AAAAAAAAAhI/P3dwYW7tMOg/s320/tim-tebow-broncos-draft.jpg" width="266" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">What a happy draft day it was for me!</span></div><span style="color: blue;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">I have spent every day that I work with my male co-workers defending Tebow. "He can't throw," "He's a college quarterback," "He's a running back." I've heard all of these comments and I don't care. Tebow doesn't make the calls so it's not really up to him to make the decision to throw all the time. Give the kid a break. The entire week leading up to the Pittsburgh game was full of news commentators and sports critics saying that Denver didn't have a chance of winning. Well, we won! I honestly think that Tebow thrives off of being doubted. Did you see how ampted up that boy was? It was like he drank 20 Red Bulls and went skipping around the field with enthusiasm. That's what I like to see! The only thing missing for me was him waving sparklers in a frenzied manner. He wants to win and prove himself! The poor guy has been fighting to prove himself all season. If he won it was a fluke or a 4th quarter miracle. It can't just be a win, it has to be a win that is up for debate but let's look at the facts. Tebow went 7-4 after replacing Orton. Yeah, Orton was 1-4. The Broncos ended up 8-8 and won the AFC West. I'm not saying this is a rock-star record but it got the Broncos into our first playoff game since 2005. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BbHbS1_mFDY/TxD4kS2hqJI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/6YFgF2yqZms/s1600/tebowsteelers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BbHbS1_mFDY/TxD4kS2hqJI/AAAAAAAAAhQ/6YFgF2yqZms/s320/tebowsteelers.jpg" width="258" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">See how amped he was?!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">Where's the sparklers Tim?</span></div><span style="color: blue;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">It's been a long, lonely road for Broncos fans these past few years. I'm not saying we were the saddest team in the NFL but we got close. Then we got Tebow. If anything, this gave fans hope. Then us fans waited...and waited....AND WAITED until we finally got to see what he could do. Now, we are in the playoffs and we took down the Steelers. Still, they doubt him. If you look at his stats, I understand a little bit. His career completion percentage is a 47.3% which is pretty meager no matter how you try to paint it. However, he threw for 316 yards in the game against the Steelers and it finally felt like they were letting him do his job, whereas it's felt like they have been restraining him for quite some time. I'd also like to point out that someone has to CATCH the ball, not just throw it. Let's take a look at the whole offense when we have problems, including the play calling, not just the quarterback. </span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hduuW3eyvGE/TxD5Huu6BrI/AAAAAAAAAhY/J4hPLRqBASg/s1600/BroncosSteelers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hduuW3eyvGE/TxD5Huu6BrI/AAAAAAAAAhY/J4hPLRqBASg/s320/BroncosSteelers.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">"See? This is what happens when you</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;">believe I can win!"</span></div><span style="color: blue;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">So tomorrow the Broncos face the Patriots and, once again, Tim Tebow will be called into question by millions. Well, for this Bronco fan, all I have to say is that he already proved himself to me. I hope they win but my support of Tebow isn't contingent on it. Whatever happens, I hope in the off-season that they take Tim aside and work with him because I see a lot of potential in him. This is our future, Broncos fans, don't screw it up by doubting him over and over. Remember our hero John Elway? He went 4-6 his first year with a completion percentage of 47.5% (and, side note, the highest his completion percentage ever got in a season was a 63%). He needed time and so does Tebow. Give him the time and let's see what an amazing quarterback he can be. Go Broncos! Let's kick some Patriot butt!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4mlbGn0ems/TxD5obioJRI/AAAAAAAAAhg/_cs5GfVGsRA/s1600/GOBRONCOS.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="color: blue;"><img border="0" height="147" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4mlbGn0ems/TxD5obioJRI/AAAAAAAAAhg/_cs5GfVGsRA/s400/GOBRONCOS.png" width="400" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: blue;"><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">My helpful references:</span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElwaJo00.htm">http://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/E/ElwaJo00.htm</a> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13200/tim-tebow">http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/_/id/13200/tim-tebow</a> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13200/tim-tebow">http://espn.go.com/nfl/player/stats/_/id/13200/tim-tebow</a> </span><br />
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<span style="color: blue;">Pictures: </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.nflpassers.com/its-official-tim-tebow-is-the-new-broncos-starter/">http://www.nflpassers.com/its-official-tim-tebow-is-the-new-broncos-starter/</a> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://behindblondiepark.com/2010/08/30/tim-tebow-causing-a-buzz-in-denver/">http://behindblondiepark.com/2010/08/30/tim-tebow-causing-a-buzz-in-denver/</a> </span><br />
<span style="color: blue;"><a href="http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120109/SPORTS/201090310/Tebow-Broncos-stun-Steelers-by-scoring-first-play-overtime">http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20120109/SPORTS/201090310/Tebow-Broncos-stun-Steelers-by-scoring-first-play-overtime</a> </span><br />
<a href="http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Broncos_Tim_Tebow_stun_Steelers_in_OT.html"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.northjersey.com/sports/Broncos_Tim_Tebow_stun_Steelers_in_OT.html</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.myspace.com/thepigdaddy"><span style="color: blue;">http://www.myspace.com/thepigdaddy</span></a>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-65966508923438739802011-12-30T18:51:00.000-08:002011-12-30T18:51:06.106-08:00Goals NOT Resolutions<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2At2t7PW0Ic/Tv535uZagEI/AAAAAAAAAgg/uHBoeaz2pNE/s1600/The-Road-to-Change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-2At2t7PW0Ic/Tv535uZagEI/AAAAAAAAAgg/uHBoeaz2pNE/s320/The-Road-to-Change.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I've never done New Year's Resolutions. I don't like them because I know if I make them I will just break them. New Year's Resolutions to me are like assigned reading lists: no matter how much I want to read the book on the list, it's required now so I really don't want to read it. The same thing goes for "resolutions," once they are put on paper I don't want to do them. Even if I wanted to lose twenty pounds or exercise more or whatever, it's now on a list and that takes away some of the appeal. I've always decided to make goals for myself instead but still I don't always follow through. Well, my friend <a href="http://steponthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/12/goals-for-new-year.html?showComment=1325295876861#c2041746074966436245">Kortnee</a> has inspired me to write down my goals because of her latest blog. So, call me a copycat (and then I'll call you five years old) but here's my list of goals. I figure if I write them down (or type them up) then I can be held responsible for them. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here we go:</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">1.) I am going to finish editing and adding to my novel from NaNoWriMo (<i>ReWitched). </i></span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">2.) I am going to submit my novel to at least 4 publishers.</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">3.) I am going to finish one short story a month and put it up for sale on Kindle. At the end of the year, I am going to compile the stories into an anthology and add a new story and put it up for sale. (This one may look ripped from Kortnee's list but we made the goal together so it works.)</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">4.) I am going to start seeing the chiropractor at least once a month. You see, I have been putting off my visits, saying that we could use the money for something else. It's true, the bills add up but so does my pain. So, I am going to start making sure I go frequently to keep my back in shape. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">5.) Bill and I already decided to start eating better. I am going to add to this and say I am going to cut down my portion sizes. I have a bridesmaids dress to fit in for November. More importantly, my back needs less weight to make it feel better. My goal is 30 pounds or 2 dress sizes (not sure which will come first).</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">6.) I am going to finish my novel <i>Everything You Want</i>, a novel I have been working on for YEARS and have in my head and need to transcribe to paper. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7.) I am going to do my back stretches before bed at least four times a week. I am thinking Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday so that I have a break in between. </span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8.) I am going to read at least one book for pleasure a month. This is huge when you have a large pile of assigned reading...have I mentioned I hate assigned reading?</span><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Alright, I think that's enough goals for one post. I wouldn't want to overwhelm myself. Thank you Kortnee for giving me the added kick I needed to put these down. I am thinking I will do blogs to follow my progress on my weight loss. I will also keep everyone updated on my writing. Until then, I hope everyone has a safe and happy New Year! In 2011, I made great strides to being the person I want to be. I moved, I enrolled in graduate school and I did something very important to my health: I let go of a lot of resentment that I was holding in for a few people. I stopped letting them have control over me. So that was 2011, I hope 2012 leads to even more growth. Here's to 2012 being a great year!</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sregAPNs0Sk/Tv54YGHbLII/AAAAAAAAAg4/Xy7qFI7z5-I/s1600/jonesbeach.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="241" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-sregAPNs0Sk/Tv54YGHbLII/AAAAAAAAAg4/Xy7qFI7z5-I/s320/jonesbeach.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Oh and I am going to the beach more...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">That's not a goal, it's a reality. :)</span></div><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I love quotes so here are some quotes to push you toward whatever goals you want to accomplish this next year. Feel free to share your goals in the comment box (I always love to hear other people's goals).</span><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"You can decide right now that negative experiences from your past will not predict your future."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Terri Cole-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"When it comes to the future, there are three kinds of people: those who let it happen, those who make it happen, and those who wonder what happened."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-John M. Richardson, Jr.-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"Losers live in the past. Winners learn from the past and enjoy working in the present toward the future."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Denis Waitley-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"The important thing is this: to be ready at any moment to sacrifice what you are for what you could become."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Charles Dickens-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"It takes a deep commitment to change and an even deeper commitment to grow."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Ralph Ellison-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"No one is in control of your happiness but you; therefore, you have the power to change anything about yourself or your life that you want to change."</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">-Barbara de Angelis-</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STs9g-VhtXA/Tv54Az1UrcI/AAAAAAAAAgs/mYa88uUvxRc/s1600/change.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-STs9g-VhtXA/Tv54Az1UrcI/AAAAAAAAAgs/mYa88uUvxRc/s320/change.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="color: #351c75; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Thanks to these sites for the pictures:</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.maurilioamorim.com/2011/08/becoming-a-change-agent/">http://www.maurilioamorim.com/2011/08/becoming-a-change-agent/</a> </div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/archives/2011/04/1_it_is_not_the.shtml">http://www.ideachampions.com/weblogs/archives/2011/04/1_it_is_not_the.shtml</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://jonesbeach.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=100058">http://jonesbeach.com/index.php?option=com_wrapper&view=wrapper&Itemid=100058</a>)</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-33970859464404093762011-12-26T20:27:00.000-08:002011-12-26T20:27:13.898-08:00Books as ArtI've always considered literature to be works of art. Now, artists are taking this idea to a whole new level. Artist <a href="http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/24/carved-book-sculptures_n_1168837.html?ir=Books#s572184&title=Dans_La_Cit">Guy Laramee</a> carves books into sculptures and make amazing 3D landscapes. Here are some pictures of his work from his duo series <a href="http://www.guylaramee.com/index.php?/previous-projects/the-great-wall/">The Great Wall</a> and <a href="http://www.guylaramee.com/index.php?/biblios/text-1/">Biblios</a>:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uq_ibdvQ8OY/TvlFqY6f-FI/AAAAAAAAAfs/Hah1jZFxPnk/s1600/book1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="232" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-uq_ibdvQ8OY/TvlFqY6f-FI/AAAAAAAAAfs/Hah1jZFxPnk/s320/book1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n31Tb29Pebo/TvlFtjiw40I/AAAAAAAAAf8/9fRqIscHiYE/s1600/book2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-n31Tb29Pebo/TvlFtjiw40I/AAAAAAAAAf8/9fRqIscHiYE/s320/book2.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AP-izz-V_24/TvlGDmHtUjI/AAAAAAAAAgI/F64Wt15Cyn0/s1600/book4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AP-izz-V_24/TvlGDmHtUjI/AAAAAAAAAgI/F64Wt15Cyn0/s320/book4.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now, the art lover in me is seeing these pieces and marveling at how beautiful they are and wondering how Laramee created them. However, the book lover and author in me is going, "What did you do to those books!?" This especially happened when I saw the sculpture that said "rare books" in the description, meaning rare books were used. Take a look:</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vjK0FsdjEic/TvlHnCazMSI/AAAAAAAAAgU/lRucY4sXUio/s1600/book5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vjK0FsdjEic/TvlHnCazMSI/AAAAAAAAAgU/lRucY4sXUio/s1600/book5.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These are really cool but I don't think I could tear apart a book. The nerd is me is screaming right now. What do you think? </div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-15530160997762478442011-12-23T07:24:00.000-08:002011-12-23T07:26:21.465-08:00My New Addiction: Once Upon A Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqT4V66Zeik/TvOpi5dJPPI/AAAAAAAAAew/IBY-TEB0p4I/s1600/once-upon-a-time-.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="221" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aqT4V66Zeik/TvOpi5dJPPI/AAAAAAAAAew/IBY-TEB0p4I/s320/once-upon-a-time-.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><a href="http://beta.abc.go.com/shows/once-upon-a-time">Once Upon a Time</a> is ABC's new Fall show that airs on Sundays at 8/7 central. I don't have cable yet (haven't gotten it since the move) so I was really disappointed that I would have to miss this show since I'd been looking forward to it since I saw the preview for it in the summer. Luckily, I recently found that ABC has all of the episodes on their website. I had thought they only did this for the reality shows but I am so happy that they are putting these up because now I can catch up. I started watching the shows two days ago and am already almost caught up. In fact, I have one show left until I have to wait for new episodes like the rest of the world. The reason I caught up so quick is that this show is purely awesome!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I am a huge fan of fairy tales. I studied the works of Grimms, Hans Christian Andersen and more in college and I always love a good modern twist on the classics. Here I must emphasize the word <i>good</i>. A <i>good</i> twist pays tribute to the classic while creating a new entity. <i>Once Upon a Time</i> does this! I was excited yet skeptical when I saw the previews, now I am sold. The story centers on the idea that the Wicked Witch, in her revenge against Snow White, put a curse over the entire realm of fairy tales that sent them into a realm where there are no happy endings, aka the modern world we live in. This sent all of the characters to a place called Storybrooke, Maine. The only hope of breaking this curse comes in the form of Snow White and Prince Charming's daughter, Emma, who was sent to this realm magically before the curse hit. Now all of the characters are trapped in this small town with no memory of their former lives unless Emma can break the curse. She isn't aware of where she came from either and is less than convinced when she is told this tale from her long lost 10-year-old son (given up for adoption) who has tracked her down to break the curse. He found out about the curse in his fairy tale book and, though everyone tries to convince him it is just a story, he is determined to free the characters from the realm. Are you still with me? I promise it's not as confusing as it sounds. Once you start watching, you pick up what you are meant to know and are slowly given the rest of the information.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lTzMK6klzs/TvOrpKjEKtI/AAAAAAAAAe8/I2CrYVI822U/s1600/Once_Upon_a_Time_the+hope.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8lTzMK6klzs/TvOrpKjEKtI/AAAAAAAAAe8/I2CrYVI822U/s320/Once_Upon_a_Time_the+hope.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">(Emma)</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The show transitions from the fairy tale land and to present time Storybrooke seamlessly and each realms' stories mirror the other's. Also backing up this show is a great cast. Ginnifer Goodwin plays Snow White and what's great is that Snow White isn't an ordinary damsel in distress, she pretty much kicks butt! Jennifer Morrison plays Emma, the one who is the hope for the characters even if she doesn't want to be. Lana Parrilla plays the Wicked Queen and does a great job of portraying evil but an evil that you know has more to it than just the stereotypical bad-guy personality. Robert Carlyle plays Mr. Gold, aka Rumpelstiltskin, and he is convincingly creepy and crazy yet humorous to the point that you want more. There are so many good portrayals in this show that I could go on and on. I will mention one more though. Jared Gilmore plays Henry, Emma's 10-year-old son that she gave up for adoption at birth, and that young boy does an amazing job! He keeps up with the adult actors around him and is adorable.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">The show is from two of the writers from <i>LOST</i>, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">Adam Horowitz and Edward Kitsi. I never watched <i>LOST</i> but that show managed to last for a long time so I am hoping <i>Once Upon a Time</i> lasts for a while. It's already been renewed for the rest of the season, new episodes begin in January, so I am hoping it stays around for at least a few years because the lighthearted humor mixed with some serious points creates a nice blend that I like to watch. If you like fairy tales, you should like this. Don't get too busy examining them to see if they match up (although, so far, I am finding a lot of similarities), just enjoy the show...I know I am!</span></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYeRRXtCyzM/TvOyGzsX0SI/AAAAAAAAAfI/XHHry2058dw/s1600/evilqueen.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tYeRRXtCyzM/TvOyGzsX0SI/AAAAAAAAAfI/XHHry2058dw/s320/evilqueen.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Evil Queen</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uN-aVWSD_UE/TvOyJ0GZWFI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/_xO9QlRSDd4/s1600/mrgold.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uN-aVWSD_UE/TvOyJ0GZWFI/AAAAAAAAAfQ/_xO9QlRSDd4/s320/mrgold.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Mr. Gold</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUlolKxQAI8/TvOyN2qgAWI/AAAAAAAAAfg/bzY2kaqUEpM/s1600/henry.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-QUlolKxQAI8/TvOyN2qgAWI/AAAAAAAAAfg/bzY2kaqUEpM/s320/henry.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Henry</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QldXdNpgTb0/TvOyMbmBNpI/AAAAAAAAAfY/EPcd8RZu33Y/s1600/snowwhite.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="179" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QldXdNpgTb0/TvOyMbmBNpI/AAAAAAAAAfY/EPcd8RZu33Y/s320/snowwhite.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: #ead1dc; color: #4c1130; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Snow White</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, Century, Times, serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-4730582391975660182011-12-22T13:37:00.000-08:002011-12-22T13:37:41.342-08:00Ebook Release: "Sparkly Retail Death"My second short story, "Sparkly Retail Death," is now available for purchase from<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Sparkly-Retail-Death-ebook/dp/B006OUN5B6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1324556761&sr=8-1"> Amazon</a>. It can be read on Kindle or on the Kindle app for iPads, PCs and MACs. Thank you to <a href="http://steponthejourney.blogspot.com/2011/12/why-i-write.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+blogspot%2FUvwKh+%28A+Single+Step%29">Kortnee</a> for all her hard work editing and to Neil Wells for my awesome cover! Thank you also to my wonderful support system for pushing me forward with your encouragement. Bill, mom, dad, Sarah, Gabe, Kortnee, you are a few of these wonderful people and I can't tell you how much it means to have you behind me. (These are just a few, there are more. Sorry if your name isn't listed.) Thank you also to my followers on here, twitter and facebook for the ongoing support.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-22p86xnakik/TvOi2qU4y4I/AAAAAAAAAeY/7mkhuLGHRmE/s1600/sparklyretaildeathkindle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-22p86xnakik/TvOi2qU4y4I/AAAAAAAAAeY/7mkhuLGHRmE/s1600/sparklyretaildeathkindle.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Story Description: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">(Short Story) Jeff has been working as a manager in a retail store for the past two years. Every day is a struggle as he works with rude customers and dim-witted employees. There is finally hope for him when he receives a call to interview for his dream job but, when he is faced with a night of working with his two worst employees, this hope might prove to have arrived too late.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: verdana, arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;">Hope you enjoy!</span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-68997278491086564812011-12-18T22:06:00.000-08:002011-12-18T22:19:23.698-08:00Tales From an Insomniac<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AbcO1_z3PQ8/Tu7UJJ-4I7I/AAAAAAAAAeE/Txo1O25xia0/s1600/insomnia2.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AbcO1_z3PQ8/Tu7UJJ-4I7I/AAAAAAAAAeE/Txo1O25xia0/s1600/insomnia2.gif" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Once again sleep has decided it doesn't like me. I don't know what I ever did to sleep. I was faithful to it, I even took naps often! I enjoyed sleeping in, rolled up nice and warm in my comforter. Sleep and I had a great relationship. Then something happened...sleep left me and ran far, far away. Well, if you want to get technical about it, I was in a car accident and was cursed with Stress-Induced Insomnia.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For a while this meant that I wouldn't get to sleep until about four or five in the morning and I'd often only sleep a few hours due to pain. Slowly the lack of sleep built up against me until I was becoming a bit of a mental nutter butter. This is when I was put on sleep meds...ones that didn't work. I tried a bunch of over the counter medicines that didn't work and was then introduced to Ambien. Ambien worked, it knocked me out cold but it also didn't allow me to wake up very well. I was a zombie for half of the day and, if I had to be up by a certain time, it was worthless because of how incoherent I was. I started refusing to take it so that I could make it to appointments on time which then led back to, you guessed it: NOT SLEEPING. This is when one of my doctors suggested Melatonin, a natural sleep medicine. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Melatonin worked. I would drift slowly off to sleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling mostly refreshed. The only problem was I had to make sure I got a good eight hours of sleep in so that I wouldn't have troubles waking up. I used the Melatonin long enough to ease my sleeping pattern into a more normal time of going to sleep around midnight...still not normal, but better. It seems I am now stuck in this pattern as I now don't usually take my Melatonin. I got tired of calculating when I would have to be up and now I just suck it up and sleep when I can.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I know I need to start taking my Melatonin again but I hate set bedtimes. I also hate pills of all kinds and I tend to get a lot done in the middle of the night. Tonight I wrapped presents and a few weeks ago I decided to randomly clean the bathroom. My wonderful boyfriend sometimes wakes up surprised because he didn't hear me do things (like clean the bathroom). Anyway, I sit here again missing sleep. I love sleep. Sleep just doesn't seem to love me anymore. I was the child who could sleep through a tornado and fall asleep within minutes. I can still sleep through a storm, it's getting me to sleep that's the issue. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Now I sit here thinking that I should just take a pill...but then I might not wake up early enough to finish my to-do list. Maybe I'll just start taking them again tomorrow and suffer one more night. I accept that the insomnia is partially my fault now but I don't feel like correcting it tonight, not when I've gotten so much done.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">*In my midnight wanderings I found some fun stuff. There's a comic below and <a href="http://rialiseimc.wordpress.com/2009/08/11/top-10-poems-about-insomnia/">here</a> is a website that lists poems about insomnia. Some of them are kind of funny, some are a bit depressing so read with care.*</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M796dV3XAR8/Tu7SoZcFOwI/AAAAAAAAAd8/xGbbx8lG5Io/s1600/counting+sheep.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img border="0" height="202" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-M796dV3XAR8/Tu7SoZcFOwI/AAAAAAAAAd8/xGbbx8lG5Io/s320/counting+sheep.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">(Thanks <a href="http://paulettedharris09.blogspot.com/2009/10/counting-sheep.html">Paulette</a> for the cartoon.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Click it to enlarge it.)</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #274e13; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And if anyone is curious <a href="http://www.insomniacurestreatment.com/">this</a> is a site on Insomnia cures and treatments...I may be reading some of this. </span></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-23041702381286131422011-12-16T18:05:00.000-08:002011-12-16T18:18:07.669-08:00The Life of a Former Boy-Bander: Nsync Edition<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBMNiwQI51w/Tuv4bvnzrjI/AAAAAAAAAd0/mFplY0y2R7A/s1600/nsync.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mBMNiwQI51w/Tuv4bvnzrjI/AAAAAAAAAd0/mFplY0y2R7A/s1600/nsync.jpg" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was in the car on my way home the other day and an old Christmas song from Nsync came on. I admit, I still know the words and can still decipher which one of them is singing...sad eh? This got me thinking though, whatever happened to all the boy bands? Obviously they broke up but I mean, what happened to the members? More importantly, why do I care? I don't know but I'm curious so I'm going to find out where these guys went. We all know that the Backstreet Boys and the New Kids on the Block tried to resurrect their singing careers and bring back their boy bands. To this, a lot of us went "WHY!?" but there were some happy fans out there so I won't criticize...well, not <i>too</i> much. So, what happened to Nsync?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In 2002, they broke millions of girls' hearts when they decided to take a "break." Every girl knows what the words "we need a break" means in a relationship but fans kept hope alive while Justin Timberlake and JC Chasez started their solo albums. That hope was killed when the official website shut down in 2006 and the hope was further stamped on in 2007 when Lance Bass said it was official. Uh duh, they didn't make a CD for four years and Timberlake's career was on fire, of course it was over, but for those few delusional fans with hope it was really <i>really</i> over. Before anyone asks, I lost interest long before this having put my Nsync CDs aside when I started High School (I still listened a bit I will admit but it was then that I became a closet Nsync fan). So where did these guys go? Let's take a look.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>The easiest one to track down is, of course, Justin Timberlake.</b></span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DjLeObLY0y0/TulP0RzAXPI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6JKq4lQ3Dus/s1600/justintimberlake+young.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DjLeObLY0y0/TulP0RzAXPI/AAAAAAAAAbw/6JKq4lQ3Dus/s1600/justintimberlake+young.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Yup, that's little Justin when Nsync first started out. He was 14 when the group began. He and Chasez provided the lead vocals for the group so it isn't surprising that in 2002 he released his solo album <i>Justified</i>. After proving he could sell over 10 million copies world-wide on his own there was no looking back. He released <i>Future Sex/Love Sounds</i> in 2006. After selling another 10 million copies of this CD and multiple Grammy nominations, including Album of the Year, Justin decided to take a break from recording to focusing on his acting. His films have included <i>Black Snake Moan</i>, <i>Shrek the Third</i>, <i>Friends with Benefits, Bad Teacher</i> and the Academy Award Nominated movie <i>The Social Network. </i>He has also become a frequent host/guest star on Saturday Night Live and won the Emmy for "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Comedy Series" in both 2009 and 2011 for his appearances on the show. He also formed "<a href="http://www.looktothestars.org/charity/90-the-justin-timberlake-foundation">The Justin Timberlake Foundation</a>" which promotes music education in the schools. To say that Timberlake made a name for himself outside of Nsync would be an understatement. He has made sure that people know he is more than choreographed dance moves and spiffy costumes. He is also more than the boy we once knew as the one who wore matching denim outfits with Britney Spears...yeah, I <i>had</i> to remember that moment. He has been dating Jessica Biel for a long time now and dresses much better than he did since that horrible moment. For this we can be grateful. My props go out to the man for making a name for himself when he could have rode the Nsync fame until they vanished into obscurity.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C6bDl0X1twc/TulV5xZDmqI/AAAAAAAAAb4/tRV65hgEdbw/s1600/Britney-Spears-Justin-Timberlake-Red-Carpet.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-C6bDl0X1twc/TulV5xZDmqI/AAAAAAAAAb4/tRV65hgEdbw/s320/Britney-Spears-Justin-Timberlake-Red-Carpet.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh boy, it's worse than you remember isn't it?</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Thanks<a href="http://www.ivillage.com/worst-dressed-britney-spears-justin-timberlake-denim-outfits/1-b-73869"> iVillage</a> for the flashback!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FjjbXfwheng/TulWVkevjUI/AAAAAAAAAcA/jKbSif-ebb4/s1600/j_timberlake1_300_400.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FjjbXfwheng/TulWVkevjUI/AAAAAAAAAcA/jKbSif-ebb4/s320/j_timberlake1_300_400.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Almost 32 years old now, the boy now</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">dresses better. I am glad he is doing so well!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Next up: Lance Bass!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rH1gi6Gx5tw/TulYJplsVLI/AAAAAAAAAcI/PmSf4UYfF1k/s1600/lancebass.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rH1gi6Gx5tw/TulYJplsVLI/AAAAAAAAAcI/PmSf4UYfF1k/s320/lancebass.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Remember Lance? Of course you do! He was the quiet, sweet guy in the group that stole many girl's hearts with his deep voice and gentle disposition. What happened to Lance? Well, in 2002 he tried to pursue his dream of being an astronaut and went through cosmonaut training. He planned on attending the Soyuz space capsule but sponsors pulled out and he was denied a seat on the voyage. In 2006, Bass came out to People Magazine with the declaration of "I'm Gay!" To some, this came as a shock. Afterall, he dated Danielle Fishel (Topanga on <i>Boy Meets World</i>) and locked lips with Emmanuel Chriqui in their movie <i>On the Line. </i>For the rest of us it was a "yup, saw that coming" moment. Either way, the boy is gay and he is out. I think the teenage Lance fan in many women cried when they read that magazine. Anyway, Bass hasn't been nearly as prominent as his friend Justin but he appeared on Dancing With the Stars in season 7 and placed third with his partner Lacey Schwimmer. He has also done a few small roles in a handful of movies and tv series but no starring roles since his teen-targeted movie <i>On the Line</i> in 2001. He has been very involved in charities however. The Lance Bass Foundation helps children of low-income families with health needs and he launched "uBid for Hurricane Relief" to help victims of Hurricane Katrina. He also appeared on <i>Extreme Makeover: Home Edition</i> and donated money to a camp for disabled Russian children. He also released a memoir in 2007 titled <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Out-Sync-Memoir-Lance-Bass/dp/1416947884">"Out of Sync"</a> in which he addresses his sexuality and his life as a member of Nsync which was a big step for the normally quiet Nsyncer.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ctgIIfw38I/TuldsGVBEoI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/w_oQKGu5tMk/s1600/lanceastronaut.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ctgIIfw38I/TuldsGVBEoI/AAAAAAAAAcQ/w_oQKGu5tMk/s320/lanceastronaut.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Poor Lance may never see space.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMK8c_DgYEE/TulhpL1B18I/AAAAAAAAAcY/zji3vP7c4ME/s1600/lance.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UMK8c_DgYEE/TulhpL1B18I/AAAAAAAAAcY/zji3vP7c4ME/s320/lance.jpg" width="230" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lance is now 32 and stepping out</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">into the spotlight a bit more.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Joey!</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4MjBw5zdqk/TuljDWZ_slI/AAAAAAAAAcg/VjM8vlTuDKE/s1600/joey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-B4MjBw5zdqk/TuljDWZ_slI/AAAAAAAAAcg/VjM8vlTuDKE/s320/joey.jpg" width="230" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Oh boy, remember how often that boy changed his hair colors? Blond tips, red hair, PICK A COLOR MAN! But still we loved him. He was the goofy one and teenage girls loved it. After the break-up, Joey went on to act in a few movies, most notably <i>My Big Fat Greek Wedding. </i>Other than this, and a few titles most of us didn't see, we didn't see a lot of Joey from about 2003-2007 on screen. However, he was on stage in the plays <i>Rent </i> and <i>Little Shop of Horrors </i>from 2002-2004. In 2007, Joey became a contestant on season 4 of Dancing With the Stars (yup, he paved the way for Lance). He was paired with Kym Johnson and took second place to which I still say, "He was robbed!" but thus is life. Dancing seemed to reignite Joey's on-screen career. He went on to host <i>The Singing Bee, </i>guest starred on some TV shows, made a handful of TV Movies and, as of 2010, he is the announcer on <i>The Family Feud.</i> Putting aside from show business, it is nice to note Joey has had a full family life since Nsync. In 2004, he married long-time girlfriend Kelly Baldwin and they have two little girls, Briahna (age 10) and Kloey (almost 2). It looks like Joey has found a nice balance between a family life and a career. Joey will be 35 in January.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-olLiDuF23VQ/TuvjNfH0ECI/AAAAAAAAAc0/ZTBqje2UWzM/s1600/joey-fatone-02-300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-olLiDuF23VQ/TuvjNfH0ECI/AAAAAAAAAc0/ZTBqje2UWzM/s320/joey-fatone-02-300.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">What a cute family!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1i_12B1kTM/TuvkfvY4dVI/AAAAAAAAAc8/JmrOM4vejag/s1600/joey+%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-N1i_12B1kTM/TuvkfvY4dVI/AAAAAAAAAc8/JmrOM4vejag/s320/joey+%25281%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I still haven't seen anyone</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">top his Jive!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Chris Kirkpatrick, where have you been?</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__fSUEzJfoY/TuvmKzZJJtI/AAAAAAAAAdE/UJ3Yw8N3L-4/s1600/chriskirkpatrick.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-__fSUEzJfoY/TuvmKzZJJtI/AAAAAAAAAdE/UJ3Yw8N3L-4/s1600/chriskirkpatrick.png" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Who could forget those horrible, HORRIBLE braids? I thought they were horrible even when I was 12 and thought this group was awesome. Don't worry, the braids have disappeared but unfortunately for Chris the photos and memories of that terrible fashion choice live on....anyway, Chris was the member of Nsync that was accredited with forming the group. He was also the oldest member and is one of the harder ones to track down. He didn't launch a movie career but he did do a voice for <i>The Fairly OddParents</i> cartoon. Remember popstar Chip Skylark on the show? Yup, that was Chris. Other than this, we didn't see much of Chris until 2007 when Chris appeared on the VH1 reality series <i>Mission Man Band. </i>Yeah, you read that right: Man Band. The premise of the show was to take four former boy banders, put them together in a house for a month and see if they could create music and a stage presence that would wow people into loving pop bands again. (Jeff Timmons from 98 degrees, Rich Cronin from LFO (may he rest in peace) and Bryan Abrams from Color Me Badd were also on the show). In January of 2007 the band performed at an Orlando Magic basketball game where they were booed off the court...I guess we know how well the Man Band idea was accepted. Chris was part of another reality music show in 2008 when he appeared on the second season of CMT's <i>Gone Country</i>. The idea of this show is to guide celebrities into a new career path of country music with the help of Big and Rich's John Rich. Chris didn't win but Rich said that he had one of the strongest songs of the season, and a possible chart topper, with "That'll Get Ya By." It also appears that Chris was part of a band called Nigels 11. There is a website dedicated to the band and a MySpace page but the MySpace page hasn't been updated since 2009 and the main website hasn't been updated since early 2010, with no tour dates listed, so I think it is safe to say that Nigels 11 is no more. There isn't much information on Chris besides this. He doesn't appear to be married and still seems to be trying to catch another taste of the fame he had with Nsync. I never watched <i>Mission Man Band</i> but I remember a friend of mine commenting on how much of a douche Chris seemed to be...I might go look at old episodes to see if it's true.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mLuTQIEHDw8/TuvtinT_v9I/AAAAAAAAAdM/TMlsF_Ad8e8/s1600/chris.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mLuTQIEHDw8/TuvtinT_v9I/AAAAAAAAAdM/TMlsF_Ad8e8/s320/chris.jpg" width="214" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Chris is now 40.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DmmzWTsmWV4/Tuvtwp41M2I/AAAAAAAAAdU/N73ACFkg4RM/s1600/chris_kirkpatric.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DmmzWTsmWV4/Tuvtwp41M2I/AAAAAAAAAdU/N73ACFkg4RM/s320/chris_kirkpatric.jpg" width="212" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>And Finally: JC Chasez</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWzA7oG1My4/TuvuwxJU9gI/AAAAAAAAAdc/QUDK72Db64Q/s1600/jc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="273" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NWzA7oG1My4/TuvuwxJU9gI/AAAAAAAAAdc/QUDK72Db64Q/s320/jc.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I was a young JC fan once upon a time. When JC and Justin decided they wanted to pursue solo careers in 2002, I hoped that I would enjoy their CDs...I admit that I didn't buy either of their cds though I listened a little on the radio. In 2004 JC released <i>Schizophrenic </i>and the only sales information I can find say that he sold around 170,000 copies...not quite the millions that Timberlake sold. Chasez was also dropped from the 2004 Pro Bowl's half-time performance due to Timberlake's Super Bowl "wardrobe malfunction" with Janet Jackson. The NFL feared that lyrics from Chasez's song "Some Girls Dance with Women" were too sexual and they were headed toward a terrible repeat. JC began work on a second album, <i>The Story of Kate, </i>but that was never released due to his separation from Jive records. Don't feel too bad for him though. He has gone on to write songs for David Achuleta, Backstreet Boys (yup, the former "enermy"), Girls Aloud and more. He has also been a judge on <i>America's Best Dance Crew </i>since 2008. He has also guest starred on a few TV shows and done a few movies with his most recent one, <i>Red Sky</i>, being in post-production. No plot has been released on IMDB at this time for <i>Red Sky</i>. As for JC's personal life. He's not married, no kids and has recently been battling rumors that he is gay. He claims to be straight and single so there isn't much to know about that. </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cDqFyeDe5fk/Tuv1p-FkAQI/AAAAAAAAAdk/6wSLxJdVnz8/s1600/jcschizt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-cDqFyeDe5fk/Tuv1p-FkAQI/AAAAAAAAAdk/6wSLxJdVnz8/s1600/jcschizt.jpg" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">His hair sure was Schizophrenic</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">in this picture...</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezzeow_hE5c/Tuv1zUYtIyI/AAAAAAAAAds/XtIwg7vDhE4/s1600/jc-chasez.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Ezzeow_hE5c/Tuv1zUYtIyI/AAAAAAAAAds/XtIwg7vDhE4/s320/jc-chasez.jpg" width="256" /></span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">JC is 35 now.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">So, there you have it. That's what happened to the members of Nsync. Justin kept being a superstar while the others settled into different forms of fame. JC and Joey seem to be living comfortably, Chris is struggling to find another band and Lance has finally begun appearing in public more. Well, that settles the questions that popped into my head...and all because I heard a song on the radio. This launched me into detective mode. Maybe I'll do this again soon with 98 degrees or another boy band that has been lost through the years. Until then, I hope you enjoyed!</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/wKj92352UAE?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The song that started this post.</span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">(And yes, that's Gary Coleman as Santa's elf)</span></div><br />
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</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">Thanks to these websites for their help with information and pictures:</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.people.com/people/justin_timberlake"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://www.people.com/people/justin_timberlake</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.williamsbayschools.org/hs/departments/business/images/web/own/2011/nsync/biography.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://www.williamsbayschools.org/hs/departments/business/images/web/own/2011/nsync/biography.html</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.sportshollywood.com/askbass.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://www.sportshollywood.com/askbass.html</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-03-07-lance-bass_N.htm"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://www.usatoday.com/life/books/news/2007-03-07-lance-bass_N.htm</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2007/10/16/joey-fatone-and-2/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://celebritybabies.people.com/2007/10/16/joey-fatone-and-2/</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/07/02/joey-fatone-on-starting-over-with-baby-kloey/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">http://celebritybabies.people.com/2010/07/02/joey-fatone-on-starting-over-with-baby-kloey/</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.imdb.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">www.imdb.com</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.nigels11.com/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #20124d;">www.nigels11.com</span></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1471978188034267850.post-42643934875791045172011-12-14T20:04:00.000-08:002011-12-14T20:04:33.308-08:00Starbucks is Getting Me Through Higher EducationTonight I headed to my last class of my first semester of Grad School. On the way I stopped at the campus <a href="http://www.starbucks.com/">Starbucks</a>, got a Venti Gingerbread Frappuccino and merrily went on my way. It was then that I realized this has become a ritual for me this semester. I went to my Wednesday class with a Starbucks in hand. Why? Because my professor was very, <i>very</i> boring! He's a nice man but wow, monotone voice anyone?! After thinking about it, I realized my intake of coffee has gone up quite a bit this semester as compared to my life before I went back to school.<br />
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Here I must note that coffee does not affect me like it does normal people. I don't get caffeine rushes and it doesn't keep me up at night. I drink coffee for the flavor and for the warmth (because I am ALWAYS cold). My mom is a 2 pot a day coffee drinker and is the same way. She and I both can have large cups of coffee right before bed and sleep like babies.<br />
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So why does coffee make a difference in my school life? I've come to the conclusion that coffee gives me something to do while my professor talks. I sip on my drink and pretend to listen, I enjoy the flavor and it somehow magically transforms the professor into a tolerable man. But I also realized today that I have relied on coffee for much of my adult life.<br />
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I've been drinking coffee since I was about 10 years old and I am living proof that it didn't stunt my growth as I am 5'6 but hey maybe I should have been 6 foot ;) I drank coffee during my late night cram sessions for high school and depended on it even heavier for my undergraduate years in college. The Starbucks was my first stop before my early morning classes. Once again though, it didn't wake me up with the caffeine, the heat woke me up.<br />
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I even drink coffee when I have a good teacher. I don't drink as often with a good teacher but when I feel the need to have further concentration or warmth. After I graduated college I still drank coffee but not nearly as often. I had maybe a cup or two a day and I was satisfied. I also began drinking more coffee brewed at home. For some reason I would grab a Starbucks instead of making a fresh pot and taking it with me. Why? Laziness? I don't really know. There was something about Starbucks that said, "Ah, you deserve this cup of joy during your long class" that a normal cup of coffee didn't.<br />
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Now I make a pot of coffee AND grab Starbucks on most school days. I lost my travel mug...no idea how but I did and so my traveling coffee has been purchased. Either way, Starbucks and coffee in general have fueled my education. But, if not for the awakening powers, why does my coffee intake pick back up when I am in school? I have come to two conclusions: 1.) Coffee comforts me like the security blanket of adulthood. 2.) It provides something to mess with while my teachers speak. This is the only probably causes I can come up with but if anyone cares to add, I would gladly appreciate the comments.<br />
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I also drink coffee when I write but this is purely a coffee pot dependency and I drink about 3 times as much. Does sipping my cup of deliciousness make me think clearer? Why do these two tasks call for two different forms of the same thing? I think it's because the coffee in my house is here and I don't have to leave my computer for long to grab it while I write. Either way, I thank coffee for propelling me forward.<br />
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So given that Starbucks has fueled my education, don't you think they could make it cheaper? I think the price has raised since my undergraduate degree by at least a dollar and Grad or Undergrad, money doesn't grow on trees! (The price could also be a reason why I am brewing so much lately) Wouldn't it be nice if Starbucks had a student discount? I don't see that happening but next semester you will probably see me in the campus Starbucks once again!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-faZX0A-QMgo/TulxhcZo5TI/AAAAAAAAAco/I4kdeXJ-3Pg/s1600/frapp.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-faZX0A-QMgo/TulxhcZo5TI/AAAAAAAAAco/I4kdeXJ-3Pg/s320/frapp.jpg" width="268" /></a></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09697770378868866790noreply@blogger.com0