My friend Tami and I happened to run into each other at the Nisswa Jubilee parade Saturday. It was fun to see her and catch up. I was there covering the event for the paper while she was there with her two young daughters and other family members to watch the parade.
We started talking about Valentine's Day and our presents from our darling hubbies. She told me how Shane got her a new toilet seat for their bathroom - and a promise of dinner on Saturday night. No card, even.
I could totally relate.
For Valentine's Day I received a plastic jug of my very own motor oil from Nels for Valentine's Day. My Toyota has an oil-burning problem. Yep, I didn't get a card either. But I did get dinner out that night, just the two of us, at Sibley Station.
It just goes to show that some men have their own way of showing that they care. Tami and I are the fortunate ones to have found loving, but very practical life partners.
Did I happen to mention that for Christmas one year Nels got me a set of wooden cutting boards? And for my birthday two years ago I got my very own push lawnmower WITH a mulching bag attachment.
I don't care what Dr. Phil may say ... motor oil and toilet seats, that's true love, baby.
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
True Love = Motor oil and toilet seats
My friend Tami and I happened to run into each other at the Nisswa Jubilee parade Saturday. It was fun to see her and catch up. I was there covering the event for the paper while she was there with her two young daughters and other family members to watch the parade.
We started talking about Valentine's Day and our presents from our darling hubbies. She told me how Shane got her a new toilet seat for their bathroom - and a promise of dinner on Saturday night. No card, even.
I could totally relate.
For Valentine's Day I received a plastic jug of my very own motor oil from Nels for Valentine's Day. My Toyota has an oil-burning problem. Yep, I didn't get a card either. But I did get dinner out that night, just the two of us, at Sibley Station.
It just goes to show that some men have their own way of showing that they care. Tami and I are the fortunate ones to have found loving, but very practical life partners.
Did I happen to mention that for Christmas one year Nels got me a set of wooden cutting boards? And for my birthday two years ago I got my very own push lawnmower WITH a mulching bag attachment.
I don't care what Dr. Phil may say ... motor oil and toilet seats, that's true love, baby.
We started talking about Valentine's Day and our presents from our darling hubbies. She told me how Shane got her a new toilet seat for their bathroom - and a promise of dinner on Saturday night. No card, even.
I could totally relate.
For Valentine's Day I received a plastic jug of my very own motor oil from Nels for Valentine's Day. My Toyota has an oil-burning problem. Yep, I didn't get a card either. But I did get dinner out that night, just the two of us, at Sibley Station.
It just goes to show that some men have their own way of showing that they care. Tami and I are the fortunate ones to have found loving, but very practical life partners.
Did I happen to mention that for Christmas one year Nels got me a set of wooden cutting boards? And for my birthday two years ago I got my very own push lawnmower WITH a mulching bag attachment.
I don't care what Dr. Phil may say ... motor oil and toilet seats, that's true love, baby.
Saturday, February 17, 2007
Bragging rights
My hubby recently upgraded his Web site for his business, Maple Leaf Photography. It looks awesome! Check it out if you're interested.
Also, my brilliant daughter has been asked to apply for membership to the National Junior Honor Society. She has a 3.8 GPA or higher, which qualifies her to become a member. The next step is for her to submit an application and three letters of recommendation, which we're working on. I'm so excited for her. She is a natural volunteer and leader, much more than her mom. For example, she has volunteered to be a reader at the 8 a.m. church service and will lead the songs with another girl at the 10:30 a.m. service. So I'll be pulling a double feature on Sunday morning, attending both church services, along with teaching my little 3-year-olds during Sunday school.
I envision a nap in my future Sunday afternoon.
Anyway. I just had to brag about my talented family!
Also, my brilliant daughter has been asked to apply for membership to the National Junior Honor Society. She has a 3.8 GPA or higher, which qualifies her to become a member. The next step is for her to submit an application and three letters of recommendation, which we're working on. I'm so excited for her. She is a natural volunteer and leader, much more than her mom. For example, she has volunteered to be a reader at the 8 a.m. church service and will lead the songs with another girl at the 10:30 a.m. service. So I'll be pulling a double feature on Sunday morning, attending both church services, along with teaching my little 3-year-olds during Sunday school.
I envision a nap in my future Sunday afternoon.
Anyway. I just had to brag about my talented family!
Say it ain't so!
When you live in a metropolitan area, or even just a larger community, there are often things you take for granted that the rest of us who live in the sticks aren't as fortunate to have.
For example, 24-hour convenience stores, a Red Lobster, a Costco (never even been in one) or a youthful, growing church that contains more than pews filled with Q-tips, as my daughter refers to gray-haired old people.
So I was in mourning Thursday when I opened the Lake Country Echo and discovered that Sunset Cinema, the movie theater build a few years ago only FIVE minutes from our house has closed. So instead of a quick trip to go see a movie, now we have to travel 30 minutes again to go see the latest flick. So sad.
Our city recently got a Giovanni's Pizza, where Erika and I stopped in Friday night to pick up some food. They actually deliver. You should have seen the three of us (Nels included), giddy with anticipation a few weeks ago when we waited for our pizza to be delivered to OUR OWN HOME for the first time. Before the pizza arrived, I actually cleaned the living room to make sure our delivery person didn't think we were slobs.
I hope someone resurrects the movie theater, which is a nice beautiful facility. We'll make sure to be first in line to buy popcorn on opening night.
For example, 24-hour convenience stores, a Red Lobster, a Costco (never even been in one) or a youthful, growing church that contains more than pews filled with Q-tips, as my daughter refers to gray-haired old people.
So I was in mourning Thursday when I opened the Lake Country Echo and discovered that Sunset Cinema, the movie theater build a few years ago only FIVE minutes from our house has closed. So instead of a quick trip to go see a movie, now we have to travel 30 minutes again to go see the latest flick. So sad.
Our city recently got a Giovanni's Pizza, where Erika and I stopped in Friday night to pick up some food. They actually deliver. You should have seen the three of us (Nels included), giddy with anticipation a few weeks ago when we waited for our pizza to be delivered to OUR OWN HOME for the first time. Before the pizza arrived, I actually cleaned the living room to make sure our delivery person didn't think we were slobs.
I hope someone resurrects the movie theater, which is a nice beautiful facility. We'll make sure to be first in line to buy popcorn on opening night.
Monday, February 12, 2007
My "Don't ask, don't tell" policy
I think there are two types of people in this world, the people who notice your flaws but don't say anything and those who notice them but feel compelled to point them out to you.
I have a co-worker who always seems to point out when: I need my hair colored, I have a zit on my face, I have a salad dressing stain on my shirt from lunch or if for some reason (and no, I don't know why, nothing is wrong with me!) I look flushed or pale. It's really the strangest thing and I think she honestly thinks she's just making conversation or trying to be helpful. There is no obvious malicious intent there.
Here's an example. About a month ago I had a pimple near my neck. Not something I was too excited about but hey, I had my period. Whatever. Like I need to explain why I get zits. She asks me, in front of others in the newsroom, "What happened to your neck?" Here's the conversation that followed:
Me: "It's a zit."
Her: "Oh."
Here's another similar conversation:
Her: "You look really pale."
Me: "Ok. Not sure why."
End of conversation.
Here's one more:
Her: "Your face looks really red."
Me: "That's because I'm hot."
Her: "Oh."
End of conversation.
In sharp contrast, when someone at work (who is not a close friend) has some issues, like yellow armpit stains, a large zit on her face, a booger dangling from his nose, white deodorant on the sides of his sweater — stuff like that, I won't point it out. I notice it, I may snicker to myself or e-mail someone else so she can privately laugh with me, but rarely would I ever say anything.
Heck, I didn't even say anything when one of my bosses, who was eating peanuts, spewed a peanutty chunk onto my computer while he was talking to me. It was quite nasty but my lips were sealed. (Mainly to avoid getting struck with more debris, I guess.) I cleaned the mess off my computer with a tissue after he left my desk. That still grosses me out.
Although, when it involves something like lettuce in someone's teeth, it only seems polite to mention it. This fall my daughter and I were at church and chatting with a woman after Sunday School. It wasn't until we got to the car when Erika happened to mention that I have lipstick all over my front teeth AND that I had the lipstick all over my teeth when I was talking to people at church. She thought that was quite funny. I scrapped the lipstick from my teeth and admonished her for not helping her own mother out.
"C'mon, I birthed you," I told her.
She said she didn't want to interrupt me.
Fabulous.
So what type of person are you? Do you say something or have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy like I do? Is it just plain mean not to point out some of these things or is it much more polite to not say anything?
I'm not sure.
But if Heidi and DeLynn are reading this, I hope to God you let me know when I have lipstick on my teeth or eyeliner smeared under my eyes before I head out on an assignment.
I have a co-worker who always seems to point out when: I need my hair colored, I have a zit on my face, I have a salad dressing stain on my shirt from lunch or if for some reason (and no, I don't know why, nothing is wrong with me!) I look flushed or pale. It's really the strangest thing and I think she honestly thinks she's just making conversation or trying to be helpful. There is no obvious malicious intent there.
Here's an example. About a month ago I had a pimple near my neck. Not something I was too excited about but hey, I had my period. Whatever. Like I need to explain why I get zits. She asks me, in front of others in the newsroom, "What happened to your neck?" Here's the conversation that followed:
Me: "It's a zit."
Her: "Oh."
Here's another similar conversation:
Her: "You look really pale."
Me: "Ok. Not sure why."
End of conversation.
Here's one more:
Her: "Your face looks really red."
Me: "That's because I'm hot."
Her: "Oh."
End of conversation.
In sharp contrast, when someone at work (who is not a close friend) has some issues, like yellow armpit stains, a large zit on her face, a booger dangling from his nose, white deodorant on the sides of his sweater — stuff like that, I won't point it out. I notice it, I may snicker to myself or e-mail someone else so she can privately laugh with me, but rarely would I ever say anything.
Heck, I didn't even say anything when one of my bosses, who was eating peanuts, spewed a peanutty chunk onto my computer while he was talking to me. It was quite nasty but my lips were sealed. (Mainly to avoid getting struck with more debris, I guess.) I cleaned the mess off my computer with a tissue after he left my desk. That still grosses me out.
Although, when it involves something like lettuce in someone's teeth, it only seems polite to mention it. This fall my daughter and I were at church and chatting with a woman after Sunday School. It wasn't until we got to the car when Erika happened to mention that I have lipstick all over my front teeth AND that I had the lipstick all over my teeth when I was talking to people at church. She thought that was quite funny. I scrapped the lipstick from my teeth and admonished her for not helping her own mother out.
"C'mon, I birthed you," I told her.
She said she didn't want to interrupt me.
Fabulous.
So what type of person are you? Do you say something or have a "don't ask, don't tell" policy like I do? Is it just plain mean not to point out some of these things or is it much more polite to not say anything?
I'm not sure.
But if Heidi and DeLynn are reading this, I hope to God you let me know when I have lipstick on my teeth or eyeliner smeared under my eyes before I head out on an assignment.
Thursday, February 01, 2007
The strange pod people
When my alarm went off at 4:50 a.m. this morning I sat up, stunned, not comprehending why the heck it was going off so dang early.
Even more surprising than the fact that I was up so early, I shocked myself by hauling my butt out of bed and dragging myself and Erika to the YMCA by 5:45 a.m. to work out.
Today was the first day of our BodyWorks Fitness Challenge, a five-week challenge where you earn points by following certain guidelines, like drinking 48 ounces of water a day, eating six servings of veggies and fruits each day and exercising.
My team, called the Flab Four, made it a goal to work out together at the Y early this morning. I managed to talk Erika into coming with me, so we were the Flab Five. :)
It was amazing to see so many people working out at 6 a.m. Who are these people?, I asked myself as I looked around the fitness room, my face red as a ripe tomato and sweat dripping from my forehead. Nearly every machine was taken.
I'm not sure if I'll head to the YMCA at that ungodly hour on a regular basis, but Erika said she had fun this morning, meeting my friends and workout buddies for a heart-healthy workout together so we might do it again.
Who knows? Maybe someday we'll be like those strange pod people I saw today, running like gazelles on the treadmills instead of me looking like a big sweaty ape trying not to fall off the elipical machine while switching to a new song on my iPod. :)
Even more surprising than the fact that I was up so early, I shocked myself by hauling my butt out of bed and dragging myself and Erika to the YMCA by 5:45 a.m. to work out.
Today was the first day of our BodyWorks Fitness Challenge, a five-week challenge where you earn points by following certain guidelines, like drinking 48 ounces of water a day, eating six servings of veggies and fruits each day and exercising.
My team, called the Flab Four, made it a goal to work out together at the Y early this morning. I managed to talk Erika into coming with me, so we were the Flab Five. :)
It was amazing to see so many people working out at 6 a.m. Who are these people?, I asked myself as I looked around the fitness room, my face red as a ripe tomato and sweat dripping from my forehead. Nearly every machine was taken.
I'm not sure if I'll head to the YMCA at that ungodly hour on a regular basis, but Erika said she had fun this morning, meeting my friends and workout buddies for a heart-healthy workout together so we might do it again.
Who knows? Maybe someday we'll be like those strange pod people I saw today, running like gazelles on the treadmills instead of me looking like a big sweaty ape trying not to fall off the elipical machine while switching to a new song on my iPod. :)
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