He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not, He Loves Me....

Valentine's Day is approaching and I have mixed emotions on this "holiday." Personally I view Valentine's Day for those that are simply dating. Once you're in a committed relationship, marriage, etc I find it juvenile to have to have a day to say "i love you." Don't get me started on the women who throw big tantrums when they don't get flowers, candy or whatever on this day. YOU. ARE. PATHETIC. I would much rather have flowers given to me on a day where I least expect it and the prices are not quadrupled and HUCK doesn't have to reach into the kids college funds to pay for it.

Saint Valentine was eventually imprisoned, beaten, stoned, and beheaded. They don't tell you that on the cards.

I just needed to get that out of the way. Also, NEVER ASK A WOMAN TO MARRY YOU ON VALENTINE'S DAY! Do you realize you have set the bar for each and every Valentine's Day from that point forward? Who could live with that kind of pressure? I would succumb to stabbing a pen in my eye just trying to think of ways to top it year after painful year.

AnyWho, I am WAY. OFF. TRACK once again. The point to this post was to give you some fun ideas for Valentine's Day and instead I think I have created suicidal thoughts and mayhem. Sorry.

Here's a gift guide to give your husband, wife, significant other, friend with benefits, that person who folds your clothes, or delivers your pizza. Whatever. If you feel the need to get a gift or want a gift, pay attention. And BTW, I couldn't find the Rent George Clooney For a Lifetime, so I came up with these ideas instead....

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1. Blame Canada For Nickelback...$16.99

2. Cougar Hunter...$20

3. Brad Pitt For Mayor - Organic Tee...$22

4. Flower and Rhinestone Ring...$22.50

5. Oval Stone Ring...$24

6. Faceted Crystal/Jet Bangles...$58

7. Tiffany's For Men Cologne...$75

The next items take a bit more of your Martha Stewart to come out. Just a tad of creativity with a TON of good returns...

1. Grab a basket and head to your nearest Target, Bath & Body Works, TJ Maxx, Marshall's or any other store that may carry bath products. Grab a colorful sponge and try to keep the color theme going from there while you grab sugar scrub, body butter, shower gel, soap, and bubble bath. If you're guy looks at you when he opens this as if you've lost your mind and after you reassure him you are NOT bringing a third party into the relationship, tell him it is to be shared by the both of you either in the shower or bath. His choice. If he still has doubts, tell him to call Huck, he'll explain the benefits. This is fun for under $40 and lasts a very long time.

2. Make a coupon book. Add whatever it is you want and are willing to do for your significant other. Remember it is YOU doing the chores, so watch out what you put in there. Start with simple gestures as taking out the trash, cleaning the car, mowing the lawn, dinner for a week,, etc. Then take it up a notch or 10. I think you get the picture. If you still need ideas, email me. ;) Easily made for under $5.

3. Make a CD with love songs on it. Add some of the songs that remind you of special times. Here's a few to include:

• This Year's Love by David Gray
• Bless The Broken Road by Rascal Flats
• Love In An Elevator by Aerosmith
• Must Have Done Something Right by Relient K
• You Are The One by We Are Pilots
• Something In the Way She Moves by James Taylor
• At Last by Etta James
• The Way You Look Tonight by Tony Bennett
• Love Lockdown by Kanye West
• Open Arms by Journey
• Remember When by Alan Jackson
• Sex On Fire by Kings of Leon
• Stolen by Dashboard Confessional

This is a good start and under $10.

3. Did you write your own wedding vows? Have a favorite poem or saying? Print it on pretty paper that matches the colors where you went to display it and frame it. You can get the paper at any Michael's in the scrapbooking section and then walk on over to the frames and pick one up. Simple and less than $20.

4. Same scrapbooking paper store, pick up an 8X10 canvas, some modge podge, and then print some pictures. Cover the 8X10 canvas with the paper covering all sides except the back. Arrange and glue pictures on the paper. Add whatever trinkets, memorabilia, saying, etc and modge podge the hell out of it. Wait until it dries and cover any spots that aren't glossy and voila! Instant artwork. Turn it over and add some sweet sentiments. $15.

5. Got a coffee or tea lover? Grab 2 mugs and some small bags of coffee beans or tea boxes, some cookies and wrap it up.

6. Book lover? Go to your nearest bookstore and get a couple of books by a favorite author. There are a lot of books on sale at Barnes and Noble or Half-Price Books that I couldn't resist. You could always splurge and get them or me a Kindle, I won't mind. :)

So there you have just a few ideas. This is what I came up with 3 days before the big day. What do you expect? It's better than me saying here's $50 bucks, go buy yourself something nice.

T

Quote Of The Day

"The first step to getting what you want out of life is this: Decide what you want."

~Ben Stein



Welcome to 2010. A new year, a new decade, a new you. Never stop until you get what you want.

T

Goodbye 2009

"Maybe that's just growing up. When you're young, you tell yourself things like 'Well, if it didn't work out, it wasn't meant to be' as if that actually meant something just because it sounds like it does. I think you can say something like that so blithely because you expect to stumble onto something else just as wonderful just around the next bend in the road. But people are rare perfect unique things and just because everyone really does live a life full of farewells doesn't mean you shouldn't at least realize what it really means to say goodbye to something that meant everything. Just because you WILL survive and get over it doesn't mean you should let it go."

-Adam Duritz

Happy New Year from me to you. Make this decade better than the last. Go and leave your mark, make it a good one.

T

It's All Fun & Games 'Til....

I love games. I get into trouble for being on the computer or my phone for playing games. I love the type of games that make me think. I could spend hours upon hours playing Sudoku and often do. Don't get me started on the Facebook games, you know the word one, the brain one, and the geography one. Someone last year got me a collection of "brain games" to go onto my computer. It's the lamest thing Microsoft has ever "invented." One of the games is trying to spot all of the differences between the 2 pictures. OK, Can I tell you how much of a whiz I am at that game? I started at a young age while sitting in the doctor's office reading the "Highlights" magazine. That's when I became master of that there domain. This software is so lame that I can tell you that I get more excitement from the "spot the difference" in People Magazine that I pick up weekly. Now, I'm not the geeky gamer, and that's not a cut down to the nerd herd. I figured my kids are well on their way to becoming gamers. A bunch of us went to play Laser Tag for Jake's birthday and I can tell you that out of the 13 of us that went, my 8 year old ended up with the high score. Guess who I am going to pick to be on my team when we are at war? Get that kid a real gun for Christmas! E, if you're reading this, act surprised on Christmas Day. xoxo

Anyway, we had a team get together at one of our colleagues house to celebrate the holidays. We, of course, had the white elephant gift exchange. Everyone was talking about how you want to be number 1 so that way you get to pick your gift and take someone else's when someone picks yours, etc. We all know how this is played. It's usually high excitement even though I usually get stuck with something lame. This year was no exception. Guess who drew #1? That's right, ME!!!! I was so excited to pick and someone steal my gift so I could pick again. Repeat 3 times. Nope. I picked a gift that I thought I would like and get to keep. It was wrapped all pretty in metallic blue paper and had an "Ernies Games" ribbon on it. A new GAME FOR ME! I unwrap it, it's quiet, all eyes are on my gift to see if it's something they want to steal. It's some game called Fluxx. I think it's one of those games like Scene-It where you have the original then you have a million "themed" versions. I guess Fluxx is supposed to be pretty fun.....except MY version. My version is called Stoner Fluxx. That's right, the toking kind. This is the prude side of me that has never touched an illegal substance in my life. And for all of those that want to comment how it's legal in certain locations or for medicinal reasons, I can still tell you that that's great for those that need it or live in those locations, but I still haven't touched it and have no desire because I am 36...and have a life. So there I sit holding my game practically begging for someone to take it. I successfully got to bring it home with me. I'm thinking I can regift it for next year and indiscriminately hide it so no one knows who brought it. I'm hoping it's a church function too. That's my idea anyway. Apparently Huck has a better one when I walked in and saw him trying to open it! WTH??? He said he wanted to read what the cards say on them. I'm all, You can see the 4 examples they have nicely referenced on the back, you don't need to revisit your baking days. And he's all, Regifter!!! I think I'm pretty witty and have a great sense of humor, but I think something like this screams "Hey come look at my meth lab I built in my bathroom, bring your extra sudafed!" Just sayin'.

December Playlist Explained

Because I feel I have to, so suck it. It was hard to come up with Holiday music believe it or not. I didn't want to but someone insisted that since it was December the playlist had to be Christmas-y. Most Christmas music makes me want to put a gun to my head very similar to the reaction I get when I hear the Wiggles or any other children's music. We all know that music plays a big part in our lives whether we want it to or not. We may share a special song with someone, music can take us back to a certain point in our lives. I can tell you that Tears For Fears will take me right back to Fort Worth Christian (shout out) and Jr high without a moments hesitation. Ahh, the memories. Anywho...This playlist took me half of the month of November to think about and decide. Even since I have posted, there are a couple of songs that I forgot to add, but it's just a reminder of how much my A.D.D. takes over my life and I just don't get everything done. Some of the music is obvious as to why I chose it, others for fun or extremely meaningful. Here we go.....

Santa Baby-This is the equivalent to I Saw Mama Kissing Santa Clause in my book. Kinda that naughty but nice song. Maybe it's just the thoughts that conjure up in my head and for that Santa won't visit me this year.

Mary, Did You Know-Yes, it says Clay Aiken. I'm not a groupie, but I can admit to the boy having pipes. This was not a song that I ever would have paid much attention to had it not been for this rendition, so there.

Kay Thompson's Jingle Bells-Because the original Jingle Bells is just plain 'ole boring. When I hear this song, it makes musical theater come to mind and all of the cheesy smiles and choreography that goes along with it. I am sure Justin Carrier has my back on this one.

Last Christmas-Because I can and 7th grade was just yesterday.

Better Days-Most people hear this song and do not realize it's a Christmas song. You have to listen to the words, oh! and pay attention. I find myself belting out the chorus and drumming my fingers. This song makes my dreams of becoming a rockstar reality...in the shower.

It's The Most Wonderful Tine of the Year-Your mom and your grandma love this song too, so shut your face and appreciate the good works of Andy Williams. This song oozes Christmas. I swear this song was probably playing as George runs through Bedford Falls in the snow as he realizes Clarence and God have let him live in It's A Wonderful Life.

White Christmas-There's something dreamy about Bing Crosby's voice...It's kind of like George Clooney's...grrrr.

Good Morning Blues-Ella James is awesome. This is a fun song I gotta shake my groove thang to. It's not your normal Christmas go-to song, so I like it even more.

Linus & Lucy-Because I can't get enough of the Charlie Brown Christmas Specials and this song is no exception...it's actually the song that plays when my friends log in to IM.

Where Are You Christmas-Faith Hill is the essence of sexy and sophistication. Two things I strive to be. This song is from Dr. Seuss's How The Grinch Stole Christmas. I didn't like Jim Carey's version, but I do love this song.

I'll Be Home For Christmas-Vanessa Whitwell is a beautiful friend of mine. We went through the Miss Texas Pageant System together a couple of times. She parted this world too soon on April 2008 at the age of 34. I miss her more than anyone will ever know. Her version of this song is beyond greatness, so much in fact that the radio stations in Dallas play this version over the normal ones. I stop what I am doing every time I hear it. Unfortunately it is not on iTunes. I can send it to you if you want it, just email me. It's awesome.

It's Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas/Pine Cones And Holly Berries-The Osmonds....Yes, I said the Osmonds. Don't think you can deny that you once had a crush on Donny or Marie. I was devastated the day Donny announced he was engaged. Yeah, I was the most devastated 6 year old out there. My dad was the CFO for the Osmonds for a few years so don't think I didn't sit in their dressing rooms (when they weren't around, of course) and think I was hot stuff. The Donny & Marie Show was a hot Variety Show and thus was the beginning of me becoming a studio brat. I ran around and met more movie stars than most people do in their lifetime. I was never star struck until the day that I met my idol, Greg Evigan from the show, BJ and the Bear. Yeah, I hid my face behind my dad's leg the day I ran into him in the hallway as he was guest starring on the show. My dad proceeded to tell him I was his biggest fan and never missed his not-appropriate-for kids show. I about died while standing there, hidden, and wanted the 1 minute 30 second exchange to end before I burst into tears or melted right there into a big blob with ponytails on the floor. As I left the studio that day I was informed I had a package in the Green Room which was actually painted blue. Greg had left me a dozen roses for being his biggest fan. Did I mention he is 20 years my senior? I had high hopes as a 6 year old....and my extreme shyness got me my introduction into the pageant system thanks to my mother. Eventually the Osmonds became like family and I never knew the difference.

All I Want For Christmas Is You-I am not a Mariah Carey fan, but this song just vomits candy canes and gumballs, IMHO. It's sweeter than Paula Deen's Apple Pie. I just had to add it because I love Paula Deen.

Baby, It's Cold Outside-This is the version from the movie, Elf. Most people think that Will Ferrell is singing it, but he just lip syncs, Zooey Deschanel, however, does. I like it A LOT. (Said like Lloyd Christmas from Dumb & Dumber)

Christmas, Don't Be Late-Alvin & The Chipmunks are so annoying, but I can remember laying on my brothers top bunk in his room, playing this record over and over and over until we were silly. I have no idea how my mother tolerated this being played 100 times in a day. I may ask her about potential earplugs or medication back in the day. It was the 70's.

The Christmas Song-Need I say more? Nat King Cole is cool kids cool. It's the essence of every part of Christmas...just like Andy and Bing.

So this was my list for December. Most of these songs bring back some sort of memory for me. Believe it or not, this was a lot harder to put together than I thought it would be...Someone asked me why I didn't put Run DMC's Christmas in Hollis on my playlist. The playlist has to have some sort of taste. AMIRITE?

T

Fight Like Hell

Do It While You Can

One day a woman's husband died, and on that clear, cold morning, in the warmth of their bedroom, the wife was struck with the pain of learning that sometimes there isn't "anymore."

No more hugs, no more special moments to celebrate together, no more phone calls just to chat, no more "just one minute."

Sometimes, what we care about the most gets all used up and goes away, never to return before we can say good-bye, say "I love you."So while we have it, it's best we love it, care for it, fix it when it's broken and heal it when it's sick.

This is true for marriage .....And old cars And children with bad report cards, and dogs with bad hips, and aging parents and grandparents.

We keep them because they are worth it, because we are worth it. Some things we keep -- like a best friend who moved away or a sister-in-law after divorce. There are just some things that make us happy, no matter what.Life is important, like people we know who are special.. And so, we keep them close!

Suppose one morning you never wake up, do all your friends know you love them?

I was thinking...I could die today, tomorrow or next week, and I wondered if I had any wounds needing to be healed, friendships that needed rekindling or three words needing to be said.

Let every one of your friends know you love them. Even if you think they don't love you back, you would be amazed at what those three little words and a smile can do.

Live today to the fullest because tomorrow is not promised.

from Live Passionately

FALL

There's something about my favorite season. The colors seem to magically change over night and the smell of Fall is in the air. Starbucks brings out the Pumpkin Spice that I get a shot into my white mocha with one sweet 'n low, because if you're gonna die, you might as well go into diabetic shock first. I can't get enough of the fall foliage in the Pac NW. Texas doesn't get colors like this. For some reason the leaves go from green to dark gold then brown in, I swear, a week. I've traveled to New York in the Fall a few years ago...8 to be exact and was struck by the beauty of what surrounded me 1 month after tragedy struck our Nation. I had no idea that there was a competition between the West and East coast for the most beautiful foliage. I don't know about you, but this time of the year also puts my soul at rest. I feel a little more relaxed, a little more patient. Perhaps its my soul gearing up for the hibernation of winter, better yet, it's probably the Xanax that's doing it.

It's Only The Beginning

NOTE: Originally posted August 1, 2008 at 10:45 AM

Welcome to my blog. So technically this is just a "space" for me to let out my daily thoughts and feelings on the latest "gossip" on how to take control of your life. This is a collaborative project through my girlfriends backed by me. I like to write creatively so I will interject with some of that also. Ideas and thoughts are appreciated at anytime!!! Enjoy! Let me start by telling you a little about me:

First and foremost, I’m from Texas. While I may look like just an ordinary girl, I’m actually quite the opposite. Instead of playing with dolls and having tea parties, I grew up playing football in the yard with my 2 older brothers and all of the other boys in the neighborhood…where were all of the girls???? I focused on sports like softball, swimming, volleyball, and cheerleading. I can pretty much talk most sports with the guys...even though "I'm a chic." It's quite impressive. The more intense and challenging an activity is the more I like it. I’m always up for trying something new and I’m never afraid of failure. To finally get things right you have to be able to get things wrong…a lot. Believe me, I know this all too well lately! Now, here are some random facts…just in case you were wondering:

• I'm a die hard Cowboys fan and, no, Terrell Owens is not too sensitive.
• Chick Fil A breakfast burritos are the greatest cure after a long night.
• Chips and salsa can actually be a meal.
• Sonic Happy Hour was the greatest idea EVER!
• I owe so much of who I am to my kids.
• My friends will agree that I tend to be blunt, and that sarcasm is my second language.
• I trust too easily.
• Smiling and laughing come easily to me.
• I love college football over professional football. I think players in college play because they love the sport not for the love of the money.
• If you’re feeling down the answer is always chocolate...ok...and alcohol, they're foolproof.
• Music is my favorite escape. It’s associated with so many memories and it allows me to put situations in perspective.

So, to sum up all that I’ve shared, I’m very fortunate with the life I lead. I look forward to learning as much as possible from those I come into contact everyday…
Bear with me since this is new to me and I’m only beginning. I have a lot to express….Enjoy!

T

I'm Back!!!

A lot of you have asked where my blog went and why I haven't picked it back up to continue writing. I've been busy, which is, by far, the worst excuse ever. All I can say is that I missed it. I am going to re-post a lot of my old blogs so be patient. It will catch a lot of the new readers up to date as far as what has transpired in the past 12 months of my life. Fun Times. I look forward to continue to write. I'm open to all sorts of thoughts and ideas so feel free to ping me. Some days I will just write what is on my mind and probably yours, it's just that I'm the one who actually says it. :)

This was originally a blog titled "A Good Girl's Guide to Being Bad." It wasn't that I was condoning people to do bad things or act inappropriately. We are all adults and therefore, can make grown up decisions. I share some deep dark secrets that I am not proud of, but hope someone can relate and not have to go through some of the same things I have. I also am not afraid to speak my mind. If you don't like what you read, then stop reading.

I have had women tell me that they completely relate to some of my writings and have bettered their relationships to some of my thoughts and ideas.

I would also like to point out that some of my writings are completely fiction...Just something to write and you to read. Thanks for stopping by.

T