Play this game. Do it now.
I had a fantastic idea. I doubt it would ever happen, but it’s a genius idea nonetheless. Imagine it’s voting day. You show up to the polls eager to vote for your favorite candidate. However, there aren’t any names on the ballot! Instead, you have to answer 11 thought-provoking questions about hot topics and rate how important each topic is to you. Then the computer system votes for the candidate according to your opinions on issues rather than nominees. Can you imagine? So, maybe my idea won’t ever happen. But what you CAN do is play the Candidate Match Game. I just played, and let me tell you… my top 3 were not who I thought they would be. One was, but the other two? Well, I nearly fell out of my chair. Click on the link, take a few minutes to play the game, and then come back to this post. You don’t have to say who your top 3 were unless you really want to, but I’d love to know this: Were you surprised by your results? (If most people are surprised by their results, it makes me wonder how many people cast uninformed votes at the polls.)
P.S. – On your results page, you can un-check the box to avoid candidates who have dropped out from appearing in your results.
Honest Mistake, Ma’am
Several years ago (2007?) when we had only three kids, we needed to stop by Publix to get a few things. The grocery list wasn’t long enough to justify the entire family going in. So, I pulled our silver Honda Odyssey up into the fire lane and let Andy run in while I stayed with the children. I wasn’t really paying attention. After several minutes, Andy jumped back into our van, laughing, and urged me to quickly drive away. I asked what was so funny. Apparently, two silver Honda Odysseys were parked in the fire lane. With grocery bags in hand, he opened the passenger side door and sat down, then looked up at the woman sitting in the driver’s seat who was clearly not his wife. She stared at him, eyes wide, and simply said, “Uh-uh.” Embarrassed, he jumped right back out of the wrong van and shut the door, hearing the doors immediately lock behind him. I can only imagine what that poor lady was thinking.
The Cool Kids
Andy and I met Stuart and Hope in the fall of 1999. We were all living in Jacksonville, Florida. As luck or divine intervention would have it, we ended up in the same Sunday school class at our church of 4,000 members. They moved back home to Alabama (which I always pronounce the way Forrest Gump did) in December 2003, and we moved back home to [the greater metropolitan area of] Destin in May 2004. Since then, they’ve visited us twice per year. It’s easy to see why the 4-hour drive is worth the effort. (1) We’re fun to be around. Duh. (2) Destin! I mean, obviously. (3) It’s practically a free vacation, since I feed them. They only really need to pay for gasoline.
Our family has visited them… wait, let me count… zero times. Why? Because (1) we suck, (2) we always seem to have a dang baby, which makes traveling not as fun as you might imagine, and (3) if they’re coming to Destin, anyway, why would I drag my whining, crying kids to the middle of Alabama?
We adore Stuart, Hope, and their daughter Bri. We are thankful for their long-lasting friendship, which gets even better through the years. I sincerely hope these biannual trips last a lifetime.
Cat Update
Rainy has lived with our family for three weeks now. The kids love her, I love her, and Andy talks “baby goo goo ga ga” to her, so I’m guessing he also loves her. As you know, we’re attempting to toilet train her, even though she spent the first 2.5 years of her life using a litter box. It supposedly takes 4-8 weeks to toilet train a cat, and we’re only on week 3. We had the tray next to the toilet for the first two weeks, then moved it on top of the toilet for the last week. So far, she’s only peed in the tray – no accidents. She pooped in the tray when it was on the floor, but once we moved it on top of the toilet, she pooped next to the toilet instead. I’m guessing she doesn’t like the way the plastic “gives” when she’s pushing out her tootsie rolls, and I’m well aware you want to know this information. Alas, we’re only on week 3, so I’ve forgiven her for the accidents. SHE WILL GET THIS. I just know it.
Blasphemy?
I don’t really read books. I have the ability, but I lack the time and therefore the motivation. Perhaps when my kids are older and less needy, reading books will become a greater priority. As of now, reading doesn’t rank on my Top 20 Things I Need To Accomplish Today list.
However, there’s been so much discussion about the Twilight books/movies over the past few years, I finally said to myself, “Wow, Twilight is so popular. I guess I should go ahead and read the books so I can be in the loop. After all, how else will I know if I’m Team Edward or Team Jacob?”
Of course, this meant I would have to read a lot in order to catch up. So, I watched the movies instead. I borrowed the DVDs from a friend and spent three days in a row catching up before watching Breaking Dawn in the theater. I’ll admit that the story line drew me in, but the movies weren’t that fantastic.
“Oh, the books are SO much better! You HAVE to read them!” I heard this from countless friends. So, I borrowed all the books from a friend. I found Twilight to be so painfully boring and shallow, that I could only get through the first half of it before giving up. I asked my friend to give me the major points of each book so that I could skip books two and three. At that point, I just wanted to read Breaking Dawn so that I knew how it all ended before the final movie comes out in November (?) 2012.
You guys, I’ve been trying to read Breaking Dawn since the beginning of January. I’m still on page 618 (of 754). I just cannot get into it. I’m sure this sounds like blasphemy to many of you. Am I the only one who feels this way? I like the general story idea, but it’s just not well executed. I honestly don’t give a crap about a single character in any of the books. I feel nothing for them, not even for the baby with the weirdest name ever who can’t keep her little hand off everyone’s face.
I really wanted to like the Twilight series. So, what’s the deal? What am I missing? Is it because I’m not an avid reader?
A Little Public Service Announcement
Yesterday my friend CJ posted the following statement as his facebook status:
“The status updates which attempt to paint ALL republicans or ALL democrats as anything are lame. ALL democrats aren’t evil. ALL republicans aren’t evil. Every cross-section of EVERYONE contains excellent examples of the best and the worst of humanity. Please engage us with civil conversation instead of emotionally charged babble about why YOU’RE right and THEY’RE wrong. These things are important.”
My two cents: If you want people to listen to you, be known by what you’re for, not what you’re against. You’ll never convince someone you’re right by telling them that they’re wrong.
Because I can. That’s why.
It’s no secret that Crab Island is one of my favorite places on the planet. Yesterday morning I had to make a quick trip to Fort Walton Beach. As I drove over Crab Island, its glowing water seduced me. On my way back to Destin, I gave into temptation and spontaneously decided to pull over. Because touching is better than just seeing, amen? Of course, “redneck beach” isn’t exactly the same as Crab Island, but without access to a boat, it was good enough for me.
Heaven on earth!
I didn’t have any towels with me, so of course Josiah ran straight to the water.
Jonah was like, “Mama, Siah’s in the water!” He’s always concerned about the well-being of others.
I told Jonah it was okay that Josiah was getting wet. I asked him if he wanted to get in the water, too. He said, “No. Don’t want to.” I wasn’t surprised.
It was so beautiful! I wished I had my swimsuit. And towels. And a shower to rinse off. I’m OCD like that, you know. So, I just admired the beautiful water from a distance. (Is it just me, or did that line instantly make you think of this? Oh, now that song is stuck in your head? Oh, I’m sorry. Really I am.)
Josiah was all up in that business. Honey badger don’t care.
Honestly, tell me a place in the continental United States with prettier water. Oh, you can’t think of one? That’s right. I’m a sucker for beautiful water and beautiful sunsets. Destin is clearly winning in both categories.
After he was wet, Josiah tested my OCD even more by burying himself in sand. OMG. This beach access doesn’t have showers, remember? And I didn’t have a shop vac with me, either. {shudders}
I could tell Jonah was equally bothered by the messiness of the situation. Bless his tender heart.
After awhile, we were hungry. I took non-dirty Jonah and very dirty Josiah home, and I gave myself 10 points for being spontaneous and another 10 points for allowing that much sand to cover Josiah’s body.
