It's my birthday and I'll buy if I want to....

Ahhh....I am in love with Amazon's used book sellers. I got a bunch of books I have been wanting but unable to justify buying for myself this week at rock bottom prices from used sellers. Even with the $3.99 shiping, I still made out like a bandit. Woohoo!

I also thought I might mention some of my favorite authors....hint hint family members. ;)

Sherrilyn Kenyon - I have every one of her hunter novels. Drem hunter, dark hunter, were hunter. You name it, I have read it....at least twice....

MaryJanice Davidson - I love her Betsy novels. They're so irreverent! The take on Vampires is fun and interesting. I also love her royal series, and wish she would write another one. The other serieses are hit or miss.

Charlaine Harris - Are we noticing a trend here? I LOVE the Sookie Stackhouse novels. They are pretty different from the show True Blood, so be warned. I like the books infinitely better. They're more thoughtful and more realistic, I think. I like Charlaine Harris' work so much, I just bought the first books in her other series in that lot. Looking forward to reading them!

Jayne Ann Krentz - Ok, I think as far as mystery is concerned, she still has a lot to learn, but Ms. Krentz ALWAYS delivers on the romance. I love her books, writen under all of her pseudonyms: Jayne Castle, Amanda Quick, and even some old ones as Stephanie James.

I love to read. I should do it more often, but life keeps catching up on me.

Oh, the "Grown-up" perspective

So, I swore I wasn't going to go all "mommy blogger" on this blog, but hey, I AM a mommy, so every once in a while you're going to have to deal with it.

The kids were off for "winter break" last week. We were supposed tog o on a cruise for the vacation to avoid cabin fever, but my son got sick the Thursday before we were supposed to leave, and we had to cancel. He got better Tuesday, and my daughter only got sick for the weekend, so I had ALL WEEK with them at home.

All they wanted to do was watch TV and play computer games. Well that wasn't going to happen. Subsequently, all I heard all week was "I'm SOOOOO BORED! This is Boring, MOMMY!" while the husband tried to finish up his book and I tried to entertain them.

Fate was also working against me, because every time I planned on takign them out, something happened to prevent it. All we did was go to the park a few times.

Today, they're back in school. They woke up sad. They whined about going back to school. You would think, being "sooooo bored" at home, they would welcome school, but you'd be wrong.

They got put ontp the bus at 8:10. 8:15, the hubby and I were sitting down with our morning tea and watching the combine discussion on NFL Network. We looked at each otehr and smiled. We still haven't said anything. We're both reveling in the SILENCE.

Ah the great wonders of school. How my perspective has changed on breaks since I became a grown up. STINKY mid-week breaks! Thank goodness I have a business at home, otehrwise, all of my work vacation time would be taken up by random school vacations. My hat is off to all of you parents with no one at home who must take off to watch kiddos. I salute you!

Ok, I actually have to get some of the work that I didn't get done all last week done!!

Enjoy the Silence!! (I love Depeche Mode!)

No Cruise for You!

My poor little guy came home sick from school yesterday. At first we thought it was a stomach bug, but now we're pretty sure it is the flu.

We were supposed to go on a cruise leaving tomorrow, so I am now learning all of the steps of cancelling a cruise and filling out an insurance claim.

I feel like the hand of fate took a page from a Seinfeld episode:

NO CRUISE FOR YOU!!

I feel bad for my son. He is so upset that he feels like our not going on the cruise is his fault for getting sick. But it isn't. It's the FLU's Fault. These things just happen. I have told him this over and over, and I am now scrambling to fingure out things to dow hile they're home from school next week on winter break.

Long hair

I am growing my hair out to donate. For anyone that knows me "in real life" they know what a challenge this is. I am a short hair kinda gal. Ironically, I decided about a week after SHAVING MY HEAD again to grow my hair out for donation.

I made this decision and commitment over a year and a half ago. You need 10 inches minimum to donate your hair. I am at a 6" ponytail. It is rough. I am NOT used to having hair. What am I supposed to do with all of this? I did cave a little and cut some bangs. I need some hair in my face.

I cannot tell you how many times I have almost just said "screw it!" and chopped all of this hair off. It gets in my face when I work, it catches in my jacket zippers, it is ANNOYING. How do women have long hair all the time??

Ok, I'm done whining....FOR NOW! I need to go get a ponytail holder and get some work done.

Bummed about my Nails

My nails haven't been "marbled" in months. It makes me sad. Ever since Dh stopped working, I haven't been going to get my nails done, so no fancy designs. Also, I have really ramped up the jewelry making, adn it tears the heck out of my nails, so I have been keeping them really short.

I don't know why, but this is just bumming me out today.

"The Best Job in the World"

In case you didn't read about it on Yahoo, or some other streaming news outlet, Tourism Queensland (in Australia) is in the middle of searching for applicants to what has to be one of the best jobs EVER! They are looking for an Island caretaker on Hamilton Island in the great barrier Reef!! Wow!!

The requirements are that you should possess:
-Good interpersonal skills
-good written and verbal English skills
-an adventurous attitude
-A willingness to try new things
-A passion for the outdoors
good swimming skills and enthusiasm for snorkelling and/or diving
-ability to engage with others
-At least one year's relevant experience

I am SO trying for this job. Of course, I probably have a snowball's chance in H-E-double-hockey-sticks, but why not try? It sounds AWESOME! check it out at www.islandreefjob.com

I'm sure some unwritten requirements, since you would be required to be on television and in the media a lot are "be gorgeous and/or built", of which, I am neither, but that's OK! I am adventurous, and I bring one thing that they probably won't see from many others to the equation: I have ADORABLE children, who want me to try for this job! They want to live in the Great Barrier Reef, and see the fish and beach, and go adventuring. They are even already planning my application video essay.....of course, it will be closely based on iCarly, if they have anything to do with it....

I'm still trying to figure out what constitutes "relevant experience"..... I have blogging experience (duh), I have vacationing experience, I have snorkeling experience, I have outdoors adventure experience, I even jumped off of a bridge because everyone else was doing it once!

I'll keep you updated on my progress!

Weight loss accountability

Two years ago, I lost 20 lbs, gained 5 back, and had, up until this past September maintained that weight. It was heavier than I wanted to be, but I was happy I was maintaining at a weight I was more comfortable with. Then, this year, I managed to gain 5 lbs in 4 months. Ouch!

So, this year, I broke down and made the dreaded "lose weight" resolution again. My ACTUAL resolution is: "lose a pound a week, every week, until I reach a weight I am happy with, then maintain forever, or until I decide I actually want to be lighter."

I am back on my "diet that's not a diet". It's based on the book, "the Skinny", and worked REALLY WELL for me last time. It's basically an "eat whatever you want, but not too much of it" moderation diet.

This is my accountability. I am posting here, so I keep it up.

Starting weight: 1/6/09 - 185.6
Weight last Week: 1/6/09 - 185.6
Current weight: 1/13/09 - 184.4
Goal reached? Yes
Total Difference: 1.2 lbs

So far so good.....