Best of 2005...Sara Style

This is my version of the BEST OF...just like all the magazines! However, my list has no scientific evidence to base its opinions. Just my simple version of the truth in 2005. As for 2006, I look forward to a new year with excitement for my new job to begin in August, several trips to the midwest being planned, and turning 30.

Best Albums of 2005
Another Run Around the Sun by Ben Taylor
Catching Tales by Jamie Cullum
Plans by Death Cab for Cutie
Get Behind Me Satan by The White Stripes

Best Trip of 2005
Cross Country Trip To PhiladelphiaEven though it has been quite an adjustment for me, I know that we are lucky to have so much opportunity. It was exciting to travel together and start something completely new together. There are so many people who wish they could make a fresh start and we did. Granted, we didn't really need a fresh start, but I can say that it has been good for us.
Runner Up: Midwest Airline Trip to Iowa...Remember the warm baked cookies?!

Best New Toy of 2005
My Smart Lime Green Mini iPod I love it. I love it. I love it. It makes me happy when nothing else can. Not simply because it is lime green and very smart, but because it is all mine. It carries all of my music. Most of the music means something to me. It reminds me of people and places of importance. My time on airplanes has greatly improved since purchasing my ipod.

Best Secret Skill of 2005
Amazing alphabetizing and Shelving Skills Actually, I am sure many people could do this job. However, I would like to say that I get great joy out of alphabetizing and shelving DVDs. There is something about finding just enough space for the movie. Making the shelves look nice and having an empty cart to roll to the back of the store. It is sort of like a game to me. And I am always the winner.

Best Movies of 2005 That I Haven't Seen
Usually, I have seen many movies that I can place into this category, but this year, I haven't been to the theater much. So, this is the list of movies that I still need to see and might place them in this category.
Good Night, Good Luck
Brokeback Mountain
Narnia
Walk the Line

Best Feats of Strength of 2005
Five PRAXIS Exams Finally completed, the PRAXIS exams have been the thorn in my ass for months. I have passed them with flying colors and can't wait until I have that allusive Pennsylvania Teaching License in my hand.
RUNNER UP: Going two weeks without internet in August when we first moved here.

Just Say No

See this? This right here is the last time you will see me eating McDonalds until 2007.

I have made a promise to myself to not touch the stuff in the year 2006. There are many reasons for such a bold committment. First, I want to acknowledge that Wes, a high school pal, told me that he had not had McDonalds in 2005 when I saw him at the high school reunion. Wow. I was impressed with his abstinence from the golden arches. It didn't occur to me until Tim and I started discussing what we could change in order to be healthier human beings. I said, "We should stop eating at McDonalds." Tim was not interested in this venture, but I recalled Wes and his decision to not eat McDonalds in 2005. Right then and there in the airport, I declared 2006 a McDonalds free year!

In nine months, I will be thirty years old. I would like to be as healthy as I possibly can be. This means so much more than a weight thing. This means that I will drink eight glasses of water a day. This means that I will do my yoga to help with my chronic hip and joint issues. This means that I will walk on my treadmill five days a week. This means I will go to bed at a reasonable time rather than stay up late to do nothing important. This means...no McDonalds.

You might be asking, "Why McDonalds? You could just go to Burger King." Actually, I couldn't. In my neighborhood, we only have a McDonalds. It is not one of those places that have fast food joint after joint. So, if I take this one thing out of the equation, it is not even an option for me.

Our Memphis Christmas

We've returned from another Christmas with our family. In the past five years of marriage, no Christmas is ever the same. 2005 is no exception. With all of the tradition, we've been lucky enough to experience new events to make each Christmas stand out from the others. Christmas 2005 was the Christmas when we went to Joe and Ellie's house for the first time. Joe, Tim's brother, and Ellie, his wife, were the perfect hosts. From beginning to end, they kept our stomachs full of delicious treats and savory meals. We played lots of Scrabble, Trivia, and watched lots of football. Tim's parents were there too so it was some great family time.

Along with the traditional Christmas activities, we experienced Memphis sites. The Peabody Hotel allowed us to see just how frenzied a group of people can get over five little ducks and a pond. If you know about the Peabody Ducks, then you know how these little ducks live in the beautiful hotel and make their enterance every morning on a red carpet and into the duck fountain for guests and tourists to enjoy. It was at the Peabody Hotel that I think I discovered my first "stiff drink"...you know the type...the type that JR Ewing might have poured after a hard day of digging for oil. I had no idea what I was ordering and I thought I would take a risk. Turns out that I enjoyed a scotch and soda. I drank it and felt quite warm afterward.


Since Memphis is the home of The Blues, we had dinner at BB King's restraurant on Beale Street. Ribs! Ribs! Ribs! And Sides! Everyone enjoyed the ribs with exception to Tim. I didn't want him to miss out on the experience so I shared some of my ribs with him after he finished his enormous pulled pork sandwich. Unfortunately, there wasn't live music that evening at the club, but they were playing one of my favorites, Al Green, during dinner. I am looking forward to the next trip to Joe and Ellie's!

Casino

I went to a casino in Tunica, Mississippi yesterday. Casinos are a funny thing. No matter where you are...Las Vegas, Minnesota, or Tunica, the minute you step inside those doors, they are all the same. I always feel a little guilty when I go to casino. I feel like an enabler to the addicts like I am saying, "What you do is okay because I am doing it too". I try to stick to the penny and nickel machines since I accept long before I enter the casino that I am not there to win money, but rather loose my money.

The kind of gambling that I do at the casino takes no skill or thought, just a way to waste time until Tim comes and finds me and tells me that he has lost at the Blackjack table.

I am not offended or turned off by casinos or gamblings. I find them facinating in all their gawdiness and misplaced hope. Where else can you go where smoking is so revered that they place ashtrays in the restroom stalls? They bring you free drinks. They make the slot machines sound charming with their bells and rings in order for you to have no idea if your machine is winning or not.

It seems that I might be a bad gambler since I never win, but I think that make me a good gambler because I rarely return. They won the battle, but I won the war.

Customer Cream of the Crop

I wouldn't want to think of myself as a close-minded person that pigeon holes people into labels or cliches, but sometimes I simply cannot help myself. When a person works in the retail world at this time of the year, she gets to not only participate in this madness, but also observe. Little do these frantic shoppers know that they are being used to amuse me when I am knee deep in DVDs. For those of you who have little experience in the retail heaven, let me educate on the breeds of folks that seem to come to my store. For those of you who live and breath the retail hell, you can relate and probably add to this list.

The Zombie-She is like a deer in the headlights, but instead of headlights, it is a display of DVD television box sets. Who can blame her. TV box sets are so much more demanding on a last minute shopper's psyche. She had no idea that she would have to choose between seasons! One to Ten for Friends! Should I buy season One or Two of Arrested Development? Oh My GOD! Felicity! THEY ALL LOOK THE SAME! How is she supposed to know which season her teenage daughter wants to own more than anything else this Christmas. This is when I step in to break the zombie trance to offer my wisdom and suggestions in all things television.

The Rumpmaster-This is the customer who not only uses her hands to gather items that cannot be lived without, but elbows, feet, and headbutts if the need arises. Even though she thinks she is being smooth without anyone taking notice, she tries to make her way to the nearest Borders employee using nothing less than her big rump. Yes, the rump can make for a nice wedge between people when there is crap to buy. When this much body is involved in the shopping experience, those books and DVDs are bound to fall to the ground. Now, who is going to help this customer if she just finished wedging herself to the front of the line. Be careful with this strategy!

The MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE WORLD-He is under some holiday delusion that he is allowed to wait until there are only two shopping days left and he should be allowed to treat everyone around him like garbage. He lets the Borders employees know he is there by saying, "Um. Um. Excuse Me! Can I get some help????" when there is obviously three people ahead of him. Sometimes, this person mistakes what normal people who were not raised by wolves know as appropriate social cues. Like, "Who was next in line?" He takes as, "Well, I am very important and I waited too long and now I WANT HELP WHEN I WANT IT! I don't care who was next. I AM NEXT!" Then, it boggles his mind when he is completely ignored for the three people in front of him.

The Hard-To-Please-She is not happy. Never. No matter what cartwheel you try to attempt in the middle of the bookstore. You gather her book, but she wants it in hardcover. (Sigh). You get her the calendar she wants, but the boxes are too small. (Sigh). You bring her the CD that she has requested, but she wants two and that is the last one. (Sigh). You show her the nice selection of datebooks and she goes after the one that is a little worn and it is the last one and you can't find one in the back. She huffs and says, "Well, I guess this will have to do." (Sigh). Then, it is time to check out and the line is too long. She turns to you and says, "Why is the line so long?" I have to fight every instinct to scream, "Well, if you didn't wait until the day before Christmas, you might not have to wait in this line and you have been happy with what you are choosing to purchase!!!!!!!" Oh, and of course, she doesn't thank you for your help.

The VERY Rare Beast called NICE CUSTOMER- He says 'thank you'. He says 'Happy Holidays'. He says 'It must be hard to work during the holidays here.' He is happy when I bring him the book that he requested. I want to hug him and ask him back to my apartment to have supper with Tim and me and become our new best friend. But instead, I go out of my way to get him everything on his list even if it means calling three more Borders stores because he is nice. And that makes the difference.

Advice

Note to self...

Don't start watching the television show LOST a day before you leave for a plane ride. It can be disturbing.

Sad Music Can Make You Sad

My ipod is a clever little machine. I clipped the ipod to my beltloop and started washing the dishes this morning. This was a distraction for me since I had spent the morning stewing and dwelling and thinking...three things that I am quite good at over the last four months. The dishes seemed like a good way to let me think about soap, suds, dishes, and drying rather than other stuff that seems to creep into my mind every so often.

It started off with some much needed upbeat pop music. A little Hall and Oates can go a long way for my psyche. I was enjoying "Private Eyes" and then, the clever ipod started a string of dreary, downer songs. It is my own fault. Along with my penchant for 80's Pop and 70's disco, I am a huge fan of the singer/songwriter who usually write songs with sad lyrics. So, here I am...washing dishes, trying not to think about things in a negative way, and the damn ipod won't go a long with the plan.

I searched for a playlist that would be appropriate for some mindless dishwashing and all I found were playlists created for friendship, inspiration, and Christmas. Even though Christmas is lovely, it just wouldn't do this morning.

So, I decided that this was my ipod's way to teach me a lesson. If I wanted upbeat, positive music, I would have to fill up the ipod with such choices. Sounds like a metaphor for life, huh?

My New Job

Okay, this big surprise is not a surprise to many of you because I have already told you.

After months away from my favorite profession, I was offered and I accepted a teaching position at a private school here. I will be teaching Kindergarten for the first time in my teaching career. This is a huge professional challenge. Some people look at Kindergarten like it is easy and should be all naps and playtime. I agree with some of that...the playtime thing. I think Kindergarten should be fun and social, yet I feel like I have the responsibility to make these children's first learning experience positive, healthy, and enjoyable everyday.

To prepare for this big change in teaching environments, I am doing a lot of research. I have been reading two books, but want to continue after that. I am attending a Kindergarten conference in March. I have begun planning my themes and units so that I have meaningful songs, poems, and learning activities.

So, that is my big news.

Stochastic...A Fancy Word for RANDOM

These are the random thoughts for the day...

Tomorrow, I start the last three days of work until I have five whole days off. Do you know the last time I had five whole days off? Well, it wasn't that long ago actually. It was WAY back in August when I just finished up three whole months off of work. In the next three days, I will deal with frantic holiday shoppers who have waited to the last minute for gift buying. I will also run into a few buyers who I will be able to find their items and they will be so appreciative...they might even hug me or the adult high-five. We'll see.

I did something really, REALLY embarrassing today. Too embarrassing to blog about. All I can say is that I am embarrassed and glad I am leaving the state for a few days.

I have been going through a bit of a dry spell when it comes to emails. On Saturday and part of Sunday, I didn't receive a single email. This is amazing since I am an email fanatic. I write lots of emails and love to receive them, but I think people are busy. Maybe this is it. Maybe this is how it is going to be. I have been through the allotted four months of adjustment and people are cutting me off.

Tonight, I will find out who THE CARVER is on Nip/Tuck. Oh, Man. I am so excited.

I have big news to announce on the blog, but not tonight. Another night. My show is almost on.

PS....It is not a HUGE announcement...most of you already know...just the strangers and a few others do not know. :)

A Holiday Rant

Has anyone else heard about this so-called "War on Christmas"? This might just be the most ridiculous media driven hype that I have heard in a long time. A few political pundits are so concerned that people are saying Happy Holidays rather than Merry Christmas.

What are they so worried about? First of all, Christmas is not the only holiday in the month of December so it is a good choice to use the term Happy Holidays. If you are so inclined to throw Christmas around in your vernacular, say Merry Christmas. I am 99% sure that no one is going to jump down your throat for this friendly gesture. For example, I was greeted several times in October with "Happy New Year". Of course, it wasn't the new year for me, but it was for many of my students' parents whose families celebrate Rosh Hashanah. I enjoyed receiving such kind words and I am pretty sure most people will agree. Secondly, it is a nice thing to say to someone. When else in the year do we greet anyone with anything than mundane phrases as "How are you?" or "Hello". I find it refreshing that we have permission to wish people "Happy Holidays". "Happy Holidays" is as good as "Merry Christmas", "Happy Hanukkah", or "Blessed Kwanzaa". It covers all that you want to say to someone.

People and the media are getting after retailers for taking the Christmas out of Christmas. The American Family Association is all up in arms with retailers who did not include the words "Christmas" in their advertisements this season. Who do they think they are!!! Do they think Christians have a monopoly on the family idea?! Terrible. They have this idea that they have been oppressed Christians for two hundred years in this country and they aren't going to take it anymore. I think it might be the other way around.

I love Christmas. It is one of my favorite times of the year. I am a big fan of all things Christmas, but I am not so self-absorbed to assume that everyone else loves it too. Or for that matter, celebrates Christmas. This should not be a time of year where we point out differences and throw around well-hidden bigotry. It should be a time where you celebrate Christmas/Hanukkah/Kwanzaa/Whatever You Choose with your family and be thankful. I think more people should say "Happy Holidays" to each other.

It Doesn't Hurt to Ask

Dear Santa,
I know that I haven't written in a long time and I know that the last time I did write, I included a lovely drawing of your house at the North Pole, but I have decided to draft a letter letting you know how good I have been this year.

I have been a patient girl. When I wanted to lay on the horn at drivers who don't seem to use traffic common sense, I simple cussed under my breath and cursed their vehicle. My patience has shown at my job when people have mistaken me for their personal shopper when I am a mere movie and CD shelver. They insist that I take their list that is about fifteen items long, run around the store and gather these items while they sit and have a leisurely read at the magazine counter.

I have been flexible. I understand that life is different now than a year ago. I know that my life has taken a different road than that of elementary school teacher. I have looked on the bright side of things and taken it all with a glance at the past and a stare at the future and asked myself, "What else can I do?" So, I find myself in a new job with new people and it is all very good for me. And I know that.

I have been friendly. I have reached out to new friends. I have reached out to old friends. I have maintained friendships and relationships with my family. I smile often and laugh liberally.

All that being said, Santa, it is time to get down to it. For Christmas, I would like...

- A refridgerator that dispenses Diet Coke rather than water.
- To stumble upon cheap airline tickets to visit friends and family.
- My friends and family to stumble upong cheap airline tickets to come and visit me.
- A proper scrapbooking store to open in my neighborhood.
- Health, happiness, and world peace to all.

All that sounds quite reasonable.

Long-Term Hair Plan

I know there will be several people that disagree with this decision, but I have to keep it real.

Starting today, I am beginning a long-term hair plan. I know what it will take. I also have the option to go back to the shorty-doo that I have sported for a good five years off and on. I have tried this plan in the past, about two years ago when I made a wager over a Miller Light and a quick clink of the glass.

Eventually, my hair gets to a point that it is unmanageable. When I say "unmanageable", I mean bumpy, yet straight. How is this possible? Great question. Well, I have terribly thick hair that people with thin hair say, "Oh, you have such nice, thick hair" but when you want to get through the awkward stages of a long-term hair plan, it can be the kiss of death.

I recently looked at a picture of me when I was in the throws of one such long-term hair plan. I had it pulled back with the age old hair tool, the navy blue bandana. Maybe...just maybe this was cool in 1995, but not in 2005. I need to learn to manage this hair in all of it's unwieldy stages. SO, once I get to a point where I need more than a hair dryer and some decent product, I will need to be diligent. Tireless.

Shopper VS. Seller

I have a whole new appreciation for the person on the other side of the cash register this Christmas season. Until this year, all my jobs besides teaching elementary school have been in the food/restraurant industry or some cushy university job. I had no idea the pressure and stress that could be placed on a person who's sole purpose is to provide the customer with that one and only special gift for their loved ones. I find myself doing things that I normally do not do.

I run to find that Bette Midler CD. I panic when I see that Sound of Music is sold out...again. I convince customers to buy the extended version of Lord of the Rings because it is completely worth it...or so my husband says.

However, with all these new retail experiences, I am also experiencing the oh-so-ugly side of Christmas shopping. In my small experience, I believe it is a 20:80 ratio. Twenty percent of customers are kind, thankful, and courteous during their shopping experience. Eighty percent are rude, abusive, and down right mean. I can understand that some retail workers are unpleasent too, yet when faced with a smiling and helpful worker, I would like to believe that a customer would behave the same.

BE PATIENT. Just because I work in a bookstore doesn't mean that I know EVERY SINGLE TITLE EVER WRITTEN. Last night as I was assisting another customer, a woman came up to me with the hope that I would be able to assist her with her 'quick question'. As I was bending down searching for a title in the stacks, she said to me, "I just have a quick question. Where is the book titled blah blah blah?" I had no idea and wouldn't have an idea until I was able to get to a computer to look the title up. However, that did not keep that customer from rolling her eyes at me and showing me her added disgust by sighing a deep and annoyed sigh.

BE PATIENT. Do people believe that they will be the only person holiday shopping when they leave their house on a Saturday afternoon? You would think so by their reactions to the other customers. I was helping a woman using the computer to look up the titles that she was looking for. As I did this, one customer kept walking around me, adjusting her body so she would appear larger. This was an attempt to get my attention because she needed help too. I noticed this and said, "I'll be with you right after I assist this customer". That acknowledgement did nothing to ease the customer's mind because she started to creep into me until she was hovering about three inches from my side. She was invading my space. She was either very curious about the other customer's books, really into me, or frantic that I would forget her.

BE NICE. Just because I make eye contact with you doesn't mean that I can help you at that moment. I was assisting another customer and answering some questions and I glanced at another customer who was waiting for me. As soon as I made eye contact, he took that his sign that it was his turn. I couldn't stop helping the first customer simply because the man was tired of waiting. So, I informed him that I could help him after I was finished addressing the other customer's questions. Roll of the eyes. Stomp of the foot. Finally, I was able to help him, but he wanted something that we were sold out of. As I suggested a few of his options, he kept interrupting me and bossing me around. "Call another store. Give me the phone. Go check the back." I was being very patient, but he kept bossing me around in a very, very rude way.

I can imagine that someone might leave a comment talking about incompetent retail workers and that is why they become rude or frustrated, but I am nice and have a clue so what are the excuses for this behavior? I have never behaved this way. But then again, I wasn't raised by wolves.

Pop Quiz

I created a quiz last November, but I thought I would try again. I have made the questions pretty easy to build your Sara SELF-ESTEEM. Good luck.

PS...You will have to leave an email address to take this quiz but you won't receive SPAM from it.

Take my Quiz on QuizYourFriends.com!

Wisdom Vs. Wisdom

Tim gave me quite a compliment today.

"If our neighborhood had an ice and snow scraping contest, I would put my money on my wife."

I felt some pride in his words. He is right. I would clean house on all of the men and women in this neighborhood. Most men take pride in the jobs their wives hold, the great roasted chicken recipe they make on Sundays, or the great shape in which they keep their bodies. However, Tim appreciates that I have not just an ounce, but pounds and pounds of common sense. He often says things like, "Man, I am glad you are not crazy," after watching some television show.

My stock was raised this afternoon as we returned from the grocery store to find quite a sight in front of our apartment. We are surrounded by intelligent graduate and law students from several of the private colleges and universities in our area. We can tell which school they attend by the conspicuous labels we see in their back windows that shout, "Hey, look at me...I go to a private college that is elite and special and completely overpriced!". However, no matter how smart and well-read a person is, nothing can take the place of innate logic.

A woman who fit the mold of graduate/law student was attempting to scrape her car. It had about a half a foot of snow on it. I might not have noticed had she not been using a huge metal shovel to do the scrapping. Now, any mentally sound midwesterner or life-long northeasterner would recognize the absurdity in this action. First, she was doing obvious damage to the beautiful slate-gray Volkswagon Passat that her wealthy father had bought her before he signed her tuition check. Can you imagine the scratches to not only the paint, but also the windows?

I said to Tim, "Should I help her? Should I give her advice?" He only said that I might get cussed out or she might accept it. I decided that I would let the young woman handle it. She continued to use a squeegy type device to scrape at her windows. Little did she know that just turning the car on and cranking up the defrost would aid in her quest, yet that did not occur to her.

So, here she is attempting to break the ice on her windshield with the end of the shovel. She eventually made her way into the car to go on her journey. All I can hope is that it took her to the nearest hardware store where she purchased a proper scraper and car brush.

Snow Day

I am not trying to sound North Dakota hearty, but I cannot believe we had a snow day! All the school districts are closed today. I woke up and looked out the window and saw about six to eight inches of thick, wet snow on the ground. That is a lot of snow, no one can argue with that. The timing of the snow was also a reason for the snow day. It snowed from 4 AM to 9 AM...right in time for a pleasent commute, right?

All this being said, I am not in Iowa or North Dakota where people have the attitude of 'it's fine'. If you can see some road or the hand in front of your face, you're going to school. Also, we don't have the small, tiny roads to plow. We build our roads big and spacious so there is room for busses, snowplows, cars, trucks, semis. We all drive on the ice in peace.

How To Be a Good Friend

I have the greatest friends. I have had some of my friends since I was thirteen years old. Some, I have had for only a few months, but I dig them all. You know, not everyone is a good friend. It takes skills. Some people come by these skills naturally and some acquire them because a connection is made and a friendship develops. I think I am a good friend, but I can do a better job. Here are some goals and advice to us all. I will try not to be too preachy. And...a few pictures of my friends.

Shout of the day...FRIENDS!

Give. Not an easy task. People are eithers givers or they are takers. We don't want to admit to ourselves that we are takers, but we can all fit into that category a few times. I hope that I am more of a giver than a taker. I give my ear when a friend needs a listener. I give a cookie if they need a snack. I give them a call if they need me. Some people would call me a sucker for being a giver and not always being given to, but no one ends up at the end of their lives and say to their loved ones, "Man, I wish I would have taken more from the ones that I love."

Maintain. It seems that making friends is easy. It is the maintaining of relationship that is difficult. Before you know it, they can wither and that person no longer knows everything in your life. They have no idea about your family, job, or passions. You hear from them on birthdays and Christmas. And all you feel in your heart is that bittersweet pang that is telling you, "I wish I still knew her/him. I wish she/he was part of my life. She/He brought something special to my life." I think this is the hardest piece of friendship because we all get busy, but it yields everything you put into it.

Laugh. I want friends that make me laugh. We can laugh at old stories, people, ourselves, movies, and ideas. We can consider ourselves the most clever people that we have ever met. Our cheeks can hurt after talking to one another because we smiled too much...is that possible? I want to laugh about the time when you fell asleep with a McDonald's hamburger in your hand because you had too much to drink that night. I want to laugh at the stories you tell about your crazy and quirky childhood. I want to laugh about how you used to drive a Camero.

Connect. I don't think it has ever been easier than right at this moment to connect. With email, cell phones, and text messages, a friend can connect with a friend in a short but thoughtful way. Doesn't it feel good to get a phone call, email, or note? After you read this blog, send an email to a friend that you want to let know that you are thinking of them tonight.

Listen. Not only to the words being said, but the words that are left unsaid. Sometimes friends want to just be with a friend without all the talk. Sometimes they just need someone to listen to their problems, adventures, or ideas without always making about the other friend. There are moments in life where friends are strong and there are moments in life where friends are weak. Just be whatever that friend needs you to be.

Rules I Live By

We all have this internal conversation with ourselves that help us get through each day. This voice inside us tells us the dos and don'ts of this life. I know a few people who live by a stricter set of rules than myself, but here are a few of my standard rules.

Rule #1
I never watch a movie that I already know the ending. For example, I have never seen Titanic , Pearl Harbor, Miracle, or The Passion because they are all based on true events. Yes, I know the directors and writer have spruced up the script with love stories and emotional moments, but basically, I know the ending. The boat sinks.

Rule #2
I do everything in my power to avoid Barbra Streisand. The worst song is "Jingle Bells". Have you heard it? It is terrible. I know some people adore her, so I usually just keep my thoughts to myself, but it is rule if I have control over the radio. I have few others on that list...Gloria Estefan, Def Leppard, and Mariah Carey.

Rule #3
I never make my bed. The only exception is when I am staying at someone else's house as a guest so I can appear as though I am a neat and tidy person.

Rule #4
I like chocolate, hot fudge, or caramel on my ice cream desserts. I detest fruit on my ice cream. It's not natural...it messes with the perfect consistancy that is created by the chocolate and ice cream mix. Also, I never get sprinkles because they do nothing for the flavor of the ice cream treat. Nuts are a different story.

Rule #5
As Jerry Seinfeld once said, "I get my coffee on the outside." Me too. I own a coffee maker, but I only break it out when my parents visit or I have guests that enjoy coffee. On all other occasions where I need coffee, I find the local coffee shop or convience store.

Rule #6
When given the choice on how I would like my Diet Coke, this is the ranking...Fountain Pop, Cold Can from Machine, Cold Can From Refridgerator, Cold Bottle from Store, Cold Bottle from Refridgerator. I know...I am a very comlex person.

Rule #7
It is perfectly acceptable to revolve your day around snacks. If you want to have a complete meal-free day, just have snacks.

Challenge Revisited

I am trying this again...there was trouble in bloggerland yesterday. Things just didn't seem to be working.

This is a picture with 75 bands symbolically shown. It is pretty interesting. I found 35 bands on my own. Use the link to view the photo in a larger format and you can get a better look. If you find a band, leave a comment and share it. But don't be too greedy and list a ton, just a few.

I'll start...Radiohead.

Sidewalk Chicken

Remember that scene in the movie Footloose when they are playing "Chicken" with the tractors and at the end a few of the actors yell, "Yee-Haw"? Okay. Now, replace the tractors with designer handbags and sidewalks and replace the "yee-haws" with an air of bother.

I think you now have an appreciation for the game of chicken that I play when I go shopping. Why is it that I am always the one to step aside or move so that there is room for us all on the sidewalks outside the shops? I don't recall this being an issue when I lived in ND or Iowa because I always shopped in large malls with lots of room. Here, I can be found shopping at the shops that have beautiful window displays with very narrow sidewalks to view such windows. Yet, when I walk down the sidewalk with Tim at my side and we see another pair approaching us, we like to predict if we will move of if they will move. It is always up to me to play CHICKEN because Tim will always move aside...such a gentleman. He likes to say things like, "Doesn't look good" or "I think you are going to lose this one, Sara." And, he is usually right.

These women and MEN! Rarely step aside. I am not sure why. I know why I move. I move because it is polite. I move because it is awkward not to move. I move because there is not enough room for everyone to walk side by side...that would leave four across and there is not room. We counted how many people stood strong with this game of CHICKEN. TEN! Ten out of eleven did not move to the side. I give them plenty of time to step aside. When we are playing the game, I wait until the very last minute to move to give them plenty of opportunities to step aside.

Amazing.

We've All Been There

10. Having to think long and hard about beverage choice. You can't drink milk because it will only make the phloem worse. You don't want to drink Diet Coke because it has no soothing qualities to it when you feel as though your throat has been ripped to shreds. Because your throat is ripped to shreds, the orange juice burns. Hot tea makes your mouth very dry. It leaves with water.

9. At some point, your teeth turn red from too many wild cherry menthol cough drops. I guess it isn't too bad. Now your teeth match the red in your eyes that has been caused by lack of sleep and that terrible dryness.

8. Something is terribly wrong when you prefer the smell of Vicks Vapor Rub to anything else in the world. You crave it only because your right nasal cavity is no longer functioning.

7. You find yourself holding onto your ear like you are an infant, but no matter how much pressure you place on that ear, it still hurts.

6. Every pair of pants that you pull out of the laundry hamper has a minimum of three tissues in the pockets. You are left feeling disgusted with yourself because you were too delirious to throw away the used ones...gross.

5. You find yourself wandering your apartment at 3 AM longing to find a sleeping spot that will allow for proper clearing of the right nostril, but also allow you to assume some horizontal position. It usually ends up being on the couch with two pillows propped up behind you and a small throw blanket as coverage. All this usually results in a terrible night's sleep.

4. You are sick but not that sick. You must go on living your life, going to work, doing errands, and all that comes with the life of a 29 year-old woman.

3. You have no interest in looking nice. Why look nice when you feel so terrible. So, you end up wearing an old, gray sweatshirt over a comfy, yet far beyond its prime shirt. Forget any cute shoes! It will be sneakers until this right nostril clears up.

2. Even though you want to eat that yummy looking snack, why bother...you can't taste it.

1. The sneezes. They come at a rate of four in minute which leaves you frozen, waiting for the next sneeze...looking ridiculous to everyone around you and at the conclusion of this display of nasal explosions, you are left with three used tissues in your pocket...gross.