NOPE

So this is how I know I’m getting old.  Back in the good old days of the early 00’s I was (somewhat) of a dare devil.  I swang off rope swings into the local reservoir, went on every ride there was at amusement parks and fairs, and I rode on my friend’s motorcycle…one time…I think we almost got up to 30 mph before I threatened that I would jump off. Haha  This morning while I was running on the treadmill I saw an ad for the newest ride hitting our local Six Flags and I almost threw up.  I literally said out loud “NOPE”.  Other people at the gym looked at me.  I didn’t even mean to say it out loud, but I couldn’t help it. It was definitely NOPE-worthy.

The ride is twofold.  There is the Zumanjaro Drop of Doom which is built within the Kinga Ka Coaster. So the Kinga Ka Coaster is the tallest coaster in the US at over 450 feet.  You go from 0 to 128 mph in 3.5 seconds.  No thanks.  I prefer to keep my speed around 80, while fully encased in metal.   Then there is the Zumanjaro Drop of Doom.  Sorry, am I the only one that doesn’t want to go on something called the Drop of Doom??  It’s like the Tower of Terror, which I have actually been on, but over twice the size.  Yes, twice the size! At over 400 feet you’re more than twice the height of Lady Liberty only to plummet back to earth, hopefully without dying.  Oh, and while you’re dropping at almost 100mph you have a roller coaster coming directly at you.  Sounds like a heart attack in a seatbelt if you ask me! NOPE.

On The Run from the “Blue-Car-Gangster”

I’ve always had a very active imagination, and not just when I’m awake.  It’s when I’m sleeping that most of the craziest things happen.  The cool thing about my dreams is that many times the people in my dreams are people that I know.  Most of the time they are my friends, but sometimes just an acquaintance.  At any rate, I recognize them.  Last night was no different.  It was one hell of a night.  In fact, even though I got a solid 9 hours of sleep, I’m feeling a bit exhausted from all the stress and travel that happened overnight!

It all started when I was with my friend Liz and her friend Erin and Erin’s son Justin (don’t be confused – so in this car is Liz, me (erin), another Erin and her son Justin).  Anyways we go to Big Y and there is this gangster guy there in this very noticeable robin’s egg blue and white car.   Well he starts saying something to us, at which point Erin lashes out.  Things got a little heated, so we decide its probably best to get the heck out of there.  This gangster guy chases us for a little while, but then he’s out of sight, and therefore out of mind.

We all go along with our daily business, but then about a week later we find out that Erin and Justin have been missing for days.  Of course Liz and I are the only ones that know of the blue-car-gangster, but obviously we know that he is the one who must have abducted Erin and Justin and naturally we were next.  I mean that only makes sense, right?  So what else were we supposed to do but go “on the run”?

So we hop in Liz’s car and of course we immediately have a run in with blue-car-gangster, but we somehow avoid him and are now dipping through town trying to think of where we should go or what we should do to get away from this psycho.  We decided the best thing to do would be to get on the highway and drive to VT.  Why Vermont?  Well we were convinced that blue-car-gangster had our car bugged, but as soon as we got as far as Vermont it would no longer be traceable.

So there we are driving on the highway, trying to get away from blue-car-gangster, but suddenly just about half of the cars on the crowded highway are light blue and white, and we can’t figure out which one has the villain in it.  It’s at this point that I realize I was supposed to waitress that night, but obviously I couldn’t take the risk of being in one place for that long.  So, I called down to the restaurant where I worked and talked to the bartender, who basically laughed at me and instructed me to drive to the nearest police station if I was really that concerned.  I was that concerned, but was also terrified that if we stopped the blue-car-gangster would get us before we could walk into the police station or even on our way out.   So we just stuck with our original plan to get to VT.

Once we got to Vermont, we went to my apartment.  Of course, my everyday apartment just happened to be in Vermont, why wouldn’t it be?  Unfortunately, this is where the dream kind of abruptly ends.  I know, I’m just as sad about this as you are, but I had already snoozed my alarm about 7 times so if I didn’t actually get out of bed then, it wasn’t going to happen.  Hopefully this is a “to be continued…”  Maybe if I read this right before I go to bed tonight I’ll find out what happens!  Does Erin and Justin get rescued?  Does the blue-car-ganster get caught?  Are me and Liz safe up in Vermont?

Mobile Manners

In this day and age cell phones have become almost part of a person’s body.  I can say I’m guilty of this in many ways.  I almost always have my phone on my body, whether its connected to my hand or ear or in my back pocket.  On a rare occasion I will leave it in my purse, but even then its on.  Unless it is out of battery it’s on.  How horribly sad is that?  Why is it that I, like most other people I know, feel that I’m so important that I need to be accessible 24 hours a day, 7 days a week regardless as to if I’m at work, out for a run, sleeping, or the worst of them all – at a social engagement with other people.  Though I will admit that sometimes I think it’s necessary, for instance if you are waiting for people to meet up with you and you’re expecting a call or text for directions, but 9 times out of 1o this is not the case.  It’s sooo important to know when to put the phone down, but I can guarantee that you all know “that guy” that just can’t catch the clue.

Personally, one of my biggest pet peeves in the world (seriously – I think it is so incredibly rude that it actually makes me want to rip my hair out) is when you’re hanging out with someone, especially when you’re one-on-one, and they can’t seem to take their phone out of their hand.  Why do you keep checking your phone?  Are you waiting to hear if you got approved for the heart transplant or if your doctoral dissertation got approved?  Probably not.  For example, you meet a friend out for dinner and they put their phone on the table at the restaurant.  Are you waiting for a call? Are you trying to talk to someone?  Last time I checked you made plans with me,  so if you really find it necessary to check Facebook, Instagram, Four Square, Twitter, your text messages, or whatever the hell else you are doing on your phone, please just let me know.  I’d rather actually eat alone, than basically eat alone anyways waiting for you to look up from your phone and, you know, engage in actual conversation with the actual person who is sitting across the table from you.

Psychologists who conducted the experiments at Essex University believe mobile phones automatically trigger thoughts about wider social networks, reducing the level of empathy and understanding in face-to-face conversations.  I can 100% agree with this.  Based upon my own personal experiences, even just seeing that phone out of the table triggers an immediate feeling of annoyance and makes me feel like the person across the table from you thinks you’re “ok”, but not great enough to give you their full attention.  It honestly has affected some of my relationships and as a result I choose not to hang out with those people unless I can mentally prepare myself for their blatant rudeness.   Just some food for thought.  I’m sure I’m not the only person who feels this way, so next time you’re out with a friend or two keep in mind who you’d really like to hang out with – your friend or your phone – the choice is yours.

 

Utilize YOUR Rights!

2012 is an exciting year!  We will  get to elect or re-elect the president of the United States!  I know most Americans will follow the election, but for those of you who haven’t been following, take a moment or two and look below at the two main candidates’ stances on some of the most important issues that the new president will have to deal with.  It is SO VERY IMPORTANT for every eligible American to understand the issues going on in our country and to utilize your right to choose.  I’m not writing this post because I want to put my own personal opinions on anyone, but rather to give the raw facts and allow you to create your own opinion.

Details	Barack Obama	Mitt Romney
Website	BarackObama.com	MittRomney.com
Party	Democrat	Republican
Running Mate	Joe Biden	Paul Ryan
Religion	Protestant	Mormon
Background	Politics, Law & Acadamia	Politics & Business
Age	50	64
Education	B.A. Political Science, Columbia University J.D. Harvard Law School	B.A. Brigham Young University J.D. Harvard Law School M.B.A. Harvard Law School
Spouse	Michelle Obama	Ann Romney
Number of Children	2	5
Economic Issues: Unemployment	Help businesses access capital in rural areas to expand jobs/training and double exports to foster job creation.	Make American Businesses competitive by opening markets abroad for American goods/services.
Economic: Social Security	Protect and strengthen Social Security and guarantee basic benefits.	Encourage individuals to create private accounts.
Economic Issues: Tax Reform	Povide tax cuts for the middle class and working Americans.	Expand tax deductions to those who buy their own healthcare to encourage individuals to purchase their own health insurance.
Economic Issues: National Budget Plan	Set clear rules for financial marketplace to protect American families from manipulation.	Return fiscal power to states and their people.
Patient Protection & Affordable Care Act	Uphold Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. (click here for an easier-to-understand wikipedia explanation)	Repeal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act.
Same-Sex Marriage	Approve	Ban
Abortion	Pro-Choice	Pro-Life
Death Penalty	No Stance	Allow
Sex-Education in Schools	Against Abstinence Only Education	Supports Abstinence Only Education
Marijuana	Legalize	Outlaw
Stem Cell Research	Supports Stem Cell Research	Against Stem Cell Research
Foreign Affairs: Oil	Set stricter standards for exploration to avoid spills. Explore domestic oil for US energy option. Eliminate fossil fuel subsidies.	Ensure Energy independence for America through oil drilling, biofuel, and nuclear power. Support subsidies for corn-based ethanol for domestic energy production.
Foreign Affairs: National Defense	Rebalance defense capabilities for 21st century. Strengthen military partnerships and alliances.	Modernize air/naval forces, weapon systems, and equipment including nuclear weapons. Grow the number of troops and ensure that funds go to their needs and care. Halt efforts to cut military budget.
Foreign Affairs: US role in the world	Work with multilateral organizations and allies to achieve objectives.	Build a foreign policy that announces American exceptionalism.
Foreign Affairs: Afghanistan	Withdraw troops within the next 2 years.	Bring troops home according to orders of US generals.
Foreign Affairs: China	Encourage cooperation on economy and trade. Expand consultations on the end of non-proliferation.	Increase regulations on Chinese businesses involved in US/China trading. Condemn China’s one-child policy.
Domestic Issues: Healthcare	Ban insurance company discrimination of patients by preexisting condition. Lower health car costs and guarantee more choice.	Repeal Obama’s healthcare plan. Initiate market-based reforms that empower states and individuals to cover their own health care costs.
Domestic Issues: Immigration	Increase border security Uphold the DREAM Act.	Oppose resident collect tuition and driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants. Eliminate chain reaction to families immigrating to join their family member who is a citizen.
Domestic Issues: Environment	Establish clean energy standards for securing America’s energy sources. Innovate new clean energy possibilities.	Oppose EPA regulation of greenhouse cases.

Remember, every single vote matters, and no one person should have any more pull than another.  We live in a wonderful country that allows each of us to put in our two cents in the form of a ballot, so take advantage of it!

Modern Furniture

I get about a million emails for random things and today I came across this email for some modern furniture that made me realize how much I HATE modern furniture.  I hate modern furniture almost as much as I hate abstract art.  Call me crazy, but I just prefer things that make sense.  Below I’m going to show you exactly what I mean:

Modern Pink Couch

In addition to how obviously hideous this couch is, how impractical is it?  Seriously…what do you do on this couch?  can you lean on the back parts of it? I don’t know.

Hard Living Room Chairs.

Do these chairs seriously look comfortable to anyone that isn’t part of the Jetsons? Unless you have a robot maid named Rosie, or you are seriously trying to deter your friends from wanting to come over to your house again, these chairs do not belong in your house.

Weird Couch

I’m assuming this is a couch…but honestly, I have no idea.  Is it a couch?  Is it a jungle gym or some sort?  I don’t know.  What I DO know is that this monstrosity would NEVER come through the doors of my home.

 

 

Cell Phone

Just a little thought for the day:  I’m not trying to be a jerk here, but I really don’t understand the messages I see on Facebook that say “lost my cell phone, so if I don’t get back to you right away, that’s why”, or “Cell phone went swimming – I’m out of commission til further notice”.  or anything along those lines.  To  keep this short and sweet, I’ll just list my reasons why I think this is dumb:

1. How many people are actually calling you in one day that people are going to be legitimately concerned if you don’t return their call in an hour?  I mean I’d say I’m liked an average amount but still, that being said, not counting calls from my boyfriend (if I’m lucky), most of the time I spend on my phone is perusing the internet and responding to emails….which brings me to my next point –

2. Since you’re posting this message on Facebook, you OBVIOUSLY have access to the internet, sooooo instead of making yourself feel important and telling the whole world that you’re phone is out of commission for a while just in case the whole world wants to get in touch with you, why don’t you just email the 2 or 3 people who would actually notice and call it a day.  I hope that this doesn’t come as a shock, but about 97-99% of the people who read that message probably weren’t planning on contacting you.

3. Furthermore, don’t people understand that you can retrieve your voice mails from ANY phone?  This is not a joke, you really can, and if you honestly don’t know how to do that, here’s the secret:  Step 1:  pick up a phone, any phone will work, land line, cell phone, pay phone, whatever.  Step 2:  dial your cell phone number. Step 3: when your voice mail picks up, press “#”.  Step 4: punch in your password.  voila – problem solved.  Now you can keep in contact with your fan base and no one will worry their pretty little heads over your phone debacle.

4.  What’s with the “lost all my contacts, send me your number” post on Facebook.  I hate to have to be the one to announce this, but its 2012.  Don’t people have their info backed up on a computer somewhere?  I mean I, for one, know the phone numbers of about 95% of my friends and family by heart.  I don’t expect everyone to be that awesome, but I would expect people, especially tech-savvy 20-somethings, to have enough common sense to back up their life.

5. This is the real kicker for this whole situation, if you ask me.  People make this dramatic post on Facebook like they are going to be in a 3rd world country for a year or something.  Let’s face it:  for most of us, cell phones are our everything:  our phone, our calendar, our email device, our gps, our internet, our alarm clock, address book, camera, game counsel, and the list goes on and on…I think it’s pretty safe to say that even if the phone is lost, shattered or stolen, the longest you will be without it is 3 days or less.  I think it may even be impossible to live without a phone for longer than that amount of time.

So I guess at the end of the day what I’m trying to say is a couple of things:  Pull.It.Together.  Back your shit up and stop acting like the whole world is concerned that your phone isn’t working.  Contact your mom (and possibly your significant other) and let them know, but don’t worry about everyone else because at the end of the day, your mom/significant other is probably the one(s) who will have even noticed that you haven’t called or texted them all day, and even they, probably wont care.

Finding Peace in Yoga

  I have been doing p90x and since the yoga x is painfully boring I decided to go to my Bikram yoga joint this morning and it was amazing.  I haven’t been in a while, and it was like meeting up with an old friend.  When I walked through the door, there was a new teacher standing at the table who I had never met before.  Her name was Mahara and she had a “gypsie” look about her.  She was older, wearing a sheer skirt over her costume, had orange curly frizzy hair held together by a bedazzled “claw” clip, and dark eye liner and rose pink lipstick.  I’ll be honest, I was a bit skeptical of her at first, but once she started the class I felt completely at ease.  Unlike many other Bikram instructors, she mixed in some stories with the commands, and focused us on finding peace and serenity in our practice.  I found her methods very relaxing and before I knew it I had a song playing in my head that I haven’t heard or thought about in years:  Let The Be Peace On Earth, which goes a little something like this (and this is from memory, so don’t kill me if it’s a bit off…it’s still the jist).

Let there be peace on earth,

And let it begin with me.

Let there be peace on earth,

The peace that was meant to be.

With God as our Father,

Brothers all are we,

Let me walk with my brothers,

In perfect harmony.

It kept playing over and over again in my head, and along with the words that Mahara was saying, it got me thinking.  If you don’t believe in god, or are not religious, you can take that one simple word out of this song and still completely adhere the message to your daily life.  Today try to do something, even if its something very small to lessen the burden of someone else.  This could be holding the door for someone coming behind you, listening to someone without checking your phone while they are talking, or letting something merge into your lane even though they waited until the last minute.  Although you may forget you even took the 2 seconds out of your life to do it, little things like these could make a huge difference in person’s life, you have no idea what battle they are fighting.

Update from JT Farm

If you’ve been following along throughout the Spring, you probably have noticed I have a borderline obsession with the sheep on my street.  I can’t help it!  They are so darn cute and cuddly, and though I have tried to get out of my car on more than one occasion to get a closer look, they always run away.  There is a new development on JT Farms, though.  The sheep are now gone and there a lots of goats.  Regular sized goats, baby goats, and one big fat one that seems to always escape the enclosure and gets to the other side where the grass is really greener.  He doesn’t seem to want to run away…he only appears to want to have the choice pick of grass instead of eating off the hay pile like the rest of them.

Anyways, I noticed the other day one of the big goats giving one of the little goats a lesson.  It looked like the animal version of  “Billy Goats 101 for Dummies”.  Basically what happened is that the little nugget goat went up on his back legs and the big goat would put her head down and the little goat would slam down to head butt her.  The pair repeated this sequence about 3 times before they realized they were being watched-once they realized they had an audience they got stage fright.  I sincerely think a lesson was being taught.  Check out how cute these little babes are!

This is what goats do during the day…lucky little bastards.

Now, as for where all the cutesy little lambs went…I’m not sure.  I’m going to pretend that they were not included as inventory in the “Lamb, Beef, and Eggs for Sale”.  Who knows, maybe they are just getting their wool sheered off…it is pretty hot out there to be wearing a wool sweater for crying out loud!  I will await their return!  I do miss the sheep, but I can also appreciate that the goats aren’t as skittish…in fact, by the way they posed so regally for my photo shoot, I think they downright liked me!

My Love Affair with Instagram

I’m sure the rest of the world is way ahead of me (as usual) when it comes to instagrams, but I’m still trying to keep up.  At first, I thought it was kind of annoying…not because people were sharing random pictures from their kid in a cute dress to their dog taking a nap, but more because I thought all of the different washes and borders were cool and I  had no clue where or how they were doing it.  I felt so left out.  Then, I finally figured out that I could simply download the free app to my phone…yea I know, it took me WAYYYY to look to figure this out.  What can I say.  I started fooling around with it, editing old pictures I had, taking new ones and before I knew it, I had a whole stack of cool “new” old pictures.

Then yesterday something happened.  A friend of mine “liked” one of my instagram pictures.  Whaaa??  How did she “like” it?  Where did she see it?  You can imagine my continued surprise…and embarrassment, when I realized that many of my friends were “following” me on instagram. I had no clue you could do this…so yea…all of those self-portraits I took to get the one good one (where I dont look any less weird than normal, but it was the best I could do)….yea my “followers” must have seen all of those and thought “OMGGGG why is she taking so many pictures of herself?” Like I think when I see a friend’s photo album on Facebook entitled “me”.

I totally felt like “Big Brother” was watching me, and although I should have known this was how it works, of course, as usual, I was missing a piece of key information.  How embarrassing.  But, anyways, now that I know what is going on with all of this, feel free to jump on the bandwagon and see all the silly pics I thought no one but me could see…my username is mackadoo3314

Bed Bath and Beyond

Nearly Natural Large Phalaenopsis Silk Flower Arrangement

Oh man.  Bed Bath and Beyond you slay me.  No really.  It’s like the best and the worst place both at the same time.  I wish I could just go into that store and get the food scale that I wanted, but no.  No, that is not possible.  How can you go into the store for a scale and leave with anything less than a food scale, boot shapers, cedar hangers, a Fresh Brew Travel Latte Mug, and of course a Nearly Natural Large Phalaenopsis Silk Flower Arrangement.  Oh, you don’t know what a Nearly Natural Large Phalaenopsis Silk Flower Arrangement is?  Neither did I until I saw it…and immediately realized I couldn’t live without it (see picture).  It’s just one of those stores that have all the cool gadgets that you never knew you needed until you see them.  It’s almost stressful to go in there.  Even though you know before you go in that you are probably going to get distracted, you still go in with the best intentions.  Anyone that leaves that store with ONLY what they went in for, I truly give props to because you are a better (wo)man than I…