If

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or, being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or, being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise;

If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with triumph and disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with wornout tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breath a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on";

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings - nor lose the common touch;
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you;
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run -
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And - which is more - you'll be a Man my son!

--Rudyard Kipling

For some reason I found this poem more poignant in my life right now than any other I have read. Now granted, I don't want to be a man, however I think the meaning is the same. It's about being steadfast and an adult.

From my perspective, it encompasses all the things that I'm dealing with right now: relationships, co-workers, perseverance, and in some odd way the upcoming election.

May this little tidbit leave you with something to chew on and digest today. God bless.

Race for the Cure

There is one annual event that never ceases to amaze me: Race for the Cure.

I have been participating in Race for the Cure for 7 years now and my best estimate is that I've participated in about 10 of them from Los Angeles to Temecula and everywhere in between. I used to participate in them with my sorority sisters from Theta Omega of Zeta Tau Alpha, and after I graduated I started participating in them with two of my best friends: Cristina and Denise. Every year I wear a placard that tells people that I walk in celebration of my Grandmother. I am grateful that I don't have to wear any placards that say "In Memory Of..."

At one of my first Race for the Cure events at the Rose Bowl, I was participating as a volunteer at the Zeta Tau Alpha booth. At this booth, we supplied safety pins, markers, and placard bibs that said "I walk in memory of _________" (if you've lost someone to breast cancer or "I walk in celebration of ________" (if someone you know is a survivor). It was at this booth that I experienced something that I will never forget.

A man came up to the booth and picked up three bibs that said "I walk in memory of _________" and three markers. It was then that I saw the other two people with him: a young boy about 7 or 8 years old and a little girl that couldn't have been over 4. I kept it together as I began to watch them write. First I saw the toddler girl scribble something on the paper but I couldn't really read it. Next I looked at the boy and was able to discern that he had written "mommy" and finally I looked at the man's card which simply read "my wife."

It took everything in my not to burst into tears, but as the tears came into my eyes I started to look around. I looked at the thousands of people being affected by cancer. I looked at the sea of pink shirts that the breast cancer survivors wear every year. I saw the mass of white shirts of the participants. That's when I saw her. She called herself "the angel of hope" and a smile beamed from her face.

She wore a floor length pink satin prom dress and pink feather wings that had a span of at least three feet. On top of her bald head was a cropped hot pink wig (like the kind Britney Spears wore when she lost her mind). As if her prom dress and Nike's weren't striking enough, she had collected every pin and ribbon she could get her hands on over the years and placed them all over the pink satin. She was a walking beacon of hope, covering herself in support from head to toe. And what was covering her back and most of her skirt? Our placards. Many said "I walk in memory of _________" but the majority said "I walk in celebration of ______________." She is still my angel of hope.

I haven't seen any of those people again, but every year I see someone new.

I see women in pink wigs on their head.
I see women with pink hats on their head.
I see women with pink bandanas on their head.
I see women with no hair on their head.
I see dogs in pink tee shirts.
I see female survivors.
I see male survivors.
I see old survivors.
I see young survivors.
I see mothers.
I see daughters.
I see sisters.
I see friends.

Breast cancer, whether you want to admit it or not, is right next to you. If it hasn't found you or your loved one yet, consider yourself blessed. Your opportunities are everywhere to make a difference, and I encourage you to donate.

Susan G. Komen
Dove Chocolate
M&M's
Nike
New Balance
Sutter Home
Yoplait
and even the NFL

This is just a short list of organizations and companies that have products or ways for you to help with breast cancer awareness and research.

So thank you to everyone that came today, whether you walked with Team Ta-Ta's or you just volunteered or walked alone. You've made a difference.

Team Ta-Ta's 2008

Los Angeles County Fair

Well everyone! Long time no blog!

I wanted to let you know that tomorrow, Saturday, September 20th, I will be off to the LA County Fair for my fourth trip this year. I have to say that I am a bit of a fair addict and when it comes around, I simply cannot get enough.

Trip one was on opening day where I ran over solo after work. It was only $1 if you got in before 5pm, however La Verne police department ensured that I did not arrive before the cut off time by placing a sobriety and license check point about half a mile from the fair entrance. This meant that a usual 20 minute trip from Monrovia to the Fairplex turned into a 90 minute ordeal. Nevertheless, I arrived at the fair safely and met up with Mike and Chris after I saw my scrapbook pages on display. No ribbons this year, but you better believe that I'm out for something come 2009!

Trip two was last friday when I took a mental health day from work and Ms. Amanda Bailey and I headed over for 7 hours of sheer enjoyment. I have to say, because it was Amanda's first time I tried to cram way too much into the day. There was beer, then fried food, then barbeque, followed by shopping around the CalSpa area, a visit to the infamous Budweiser horses, a trip to the flower display, and of course the first race of the day at the famous race track. After that we headed over for some highly enjoyable beer tasting and we even bet on some horses! I've never bet on horse before, and I can probably say it'll be my last time also. I'm no good. I tried picking by odds, names, colors of their numbers...it doesn't matter. Then we topped off the day to a trip to see the Winter Wonderland and the classic Vespa booth, a quick trip to see the farm animals and we were off to rest our weary little heads!

Last night was my third trip, and although it was brief it was still a lot of fun. Don't forget, it's only $5 after 5pm on Wednesdays and Thursdays. Mike and I headed over for some food, a couple of beers and I finally got to taste some wines that I've been dying to try! Well unfortunately my "5 hour energy" drink wore off and Mike had to drive me home before I fell asleep on a bench by the Avalon!

Well I'm headed back tomorrow for some more fun and to see the great twenty-something year old, Ms. Jessica Simpson, perform. I even went out and bought her album so I would know some of the songs. It's too bad I don't think Dolly Parton will be there tomorrow to perform with her. I've never seen Dolly live and I think I would scream like a 13 year old at a Jonas Brothers concert.

So if you haven't yet gone, go. If you've only been once, go again. If you've been more than me, then tell me what your favorite part is.

Race for the Cure, Team Ta-Ta's

So you guys may or may not know this, but my best friends and I have been doing the Temecula Race for the Cure for three years now becuase we all have someone in our family that is a breast cancer survivor. I personally race every year in celebration of my amazing grandmother and breast cancer, Mrs. Luella Mae.

This year, we made a team! If you would like to walk with us, please click on the link below and follow the instructions once you've selected the "Join Our Team" button.

The cost is only $27 to run or walk the 5K, and we've set our team goal of $1000. It would really mean a lot to me if you would all be there, and if you can't join us, donations can be made by following the link below also!

Thanks so much and I hope I see you on October 19th for the Race for the Cure at the Temecula Promenade!

Team Ta-Ta's

Have you smelled your city lately?

Now honestly, I don't think I've ever heard this question asked before, but I'm posing it to everyone out there: Have you smelled your city lately?

It's summer, and in Los Angeles county that usually means school is out and people are out and about during the day in their cars. I know I certainly used to be. I would get in, flip the dial to "MAX A/C" and drive begrudgingly to wherever I was headed thinking about how much this trip was costing me in gas money. I would get there as soon as possible and re-circulate my cold air through my Mustang to keep the hot air out and the cool air in.

Well I've got a new trick, and it keeps me much happier. Since purchasing a 2008 Vespa and rididng it to work and around town, I've discovered something amazing: Monrovia, Duarte, and Bradbury have the most amazing scents!

I'm not even making this up people. The truth is that on a simple ride to work where I used to go straight from point A (home) to point B (work), I now meander through the streets of Duarte, Monrovia, and Bradbury looking for new things to smell as I putter past them. Now there are things I am not fond of like garbage trucks or street sweepers (ick!), but most of the time I can pick out a few key scents on my little journey that make it enjoyable.

Here's some things to look for:
1. The smell of a person watering their lawn. I know this may seem boring, but it has such a distinct and fragrant smell that I have to slow as I pass any sprinklers. It reminds me of the first day of cheer camp.
2. Horse stables. Now some smell better than others (believe me!) but there is a farm in Bradbury called the Irish Rose Farm and it has an amazing smell of cut hay and freshly brushed ponies that is absolutely delightful.
3. Blooming gardens. Sometimes I can pick out stuff like roses, fresia, magnolia, etc., but most days it is just the simple beauty of driving past a wonderfully stocked garden and inhaling the delightful aroma of the inhabitant's hard work.
4. BBQ's. I smell people BBQ'ing on my way home a lot lately. It keeps me grounded and reminds me that we live in Southern California, where BBQ's are second nature and just becuase Labor Day is around the corner does NOT mean that we have to stop BBQ'ing because our weather doesn't get bad!
5. Bakeries. I love passing by a couple of the small bakeries on Myrtle avenue in the morning. I can honestly smell the goodness that everyone gets to enjoy all day long. If I really want a treat I can drive by Bloomfield Bakery on Foothill Blvd. on the days that they make cinnamon buns. That smells sinful!
6. The weather. I know this sounds odd, but the cities smell completely different in the morning hours than they do at noon and again at dusk. In the morning on my way to coffee or work, I find the smell dew-like and sweet. Cooling and soothing. Around lunch time when I step out, I find that the heat has a created a crisp smell of fresh air in Monrovia and I love putting up Myrtle with all of it's trees to clean my air and keep my lungs in working order. The evening is honestly my least favorite time of day, drivers are anxious to get home and the streets smell more like car exhaust and oil. I find this part of the day to be grueling and less enjoyable than any other. I'm still looking for a good smell in the afternoon and evening time other than the BBQ's and cookouts in the housing areas.

So to all of you air conditioning addicts out there, turn off your A/C today and roll down your windows on your ride home or to work. Take side streets. Drive through housing tracks. Take the long road. It may seem kind of inane at first, but it's really therapeutic if you give a chance and just breathe.

Prima's Maiden Voyage

So, Prima made her first solo maiden voyage today. At 8am we left the
house and my smile was ear to ear as I made my first stop at the bottom
of the hill. Then it was off to the west past a couple of duarte
parks. My city has never smelled so good, or maybe it has but I've
never been so exposed to smell it.

From there we took a northern detour through the city of Bradbury. Over a couple of very large speedbumps (Prima handled them gracefully and with style, I however did not) before we approached our first stop light together. We don't weigh
enough to trip the sensor, but thankfully there were some pedestrians
there who tapped the crossing button and away we went! (Author's note: Never in my life have I not weighed enough to do anything, and it's kind of a good feeling, even though it seems rather frustrating.)

Then it was through the housing tracks of old Monrovia where Prima
would give a gleeful little glug when we passed a historic home that
had a beautiful driveway and garage. she has her own way of asking for
a nice house someday... Hey! A bike can dream!

And now we rest at a lovely little coffee shop in old town Monrovia.
She'll be so sad when I put her kickstand up and go into the lab
today..but you and I both know that there's always lunch! ;-)

Update: Prima is sitting very lonely outside next to a Prius hybrid, however I think I saw her stick her tongue out at it twice when she was muttering something about "75 miles per gallong bi-atch!" She is soaking up the California sun and enjoying all of the attention of the MWH, Sun Microsystems, and CalTrans employees as they walk by and stare.

I got PHISHED

This happened to me recently, and I'd like everyone I know to be protected!

Fraud, Phishing and Financial Misdeeds: ATM Machines That Clone Your Card

Shoemaker Wedding Photo Remix

Stacy's Wedding Flower Photos

So I've been playing around in Photoshop Elements 6.0 and I really like what I've been doing!

Stacy's wedding flowers were absolutely gorgeous and I couldn't help but take some shots of them. I started with the original below and then after each on is the modifications:

View from above:











View from the side:

Total Inspiration

So I was putting around today and got inspired to finally hang those frames I bought from Ikea in Mike's room at his new house. But the frames are boring. So then I started looking into ways to spice them up. I stumbled onto a website called DIYbride and found this great project using rub on transfers on glass vases!




Okay so what I'm thinking is that I'll use that same idea and spruce up these boring Ikea picture frames with some rub on transfers, so that Mike's little photo collage will be decorative, but still masculine. No ribbons, buttons, lace, or ooey-gooey love notes. Just a guy's wall.

Thoughts? Comments? Ideas? Suggestions?

Back to School...

It's back to school for me today! Don't worry, it's nothing too crazy. Just a little Motorcycle Safety Course at Mt. SAC.

I hope I don't die on the practice bikes though! Mike & I will be there from 5pm until 10pm tonight, though. Then we have to go back on Saturday and Sunday from 7am until noon.

I'm not sure how Mike's going to do with 7am class time. You'd better keep him in your prayers. I'm gonna buy him a Monster, or maybe 10.

My New Baby...

I just want everyone to meet my new baby, her name is "Prima" and she is named that because she is Vespa's replica of the "Primavera" from the 1960's. (Think of the movie "Roman Holdiay")

Prima is a white Vespa S150 (150cc bike) with a top case added. She gets amazing gas mileage and $10 will fill this puppy up so that her gas tank is overflowing! Be jealous...

I will have my license after I complete the motorcycle safety course at the end of July, and then you will see me buzzing all around town!

I'm home!!!

From Ensenada!

It was a crazy weekend, but I had a lot of fun and got a lot of scrapbooking done.

Best of all, I was able to spend some much needed time with my mom.

Enjoy!

"The Other Boleyn Girl"

Okay so I feel like ranting again, but this time against the social backdrop of the movie "The Other Boleyn Girl."

Here is my rant, because of King Henry VII actions...this means that Mary's bastard son (unnamed in the movie, but I think his name was Henry Carey) and Anne's biological daughter (the infamous Queen Elizabeth) were not only cousins but also siblings.

I find this amazing that the royal family was such a tangled mess of lies, deciet, adultery, and scandal.

Oh yah, and after all of the bitching and moaning that Henry VII and his skirting around with all of those women and never getting a proper male heir to the throne, historians believe it was his fault because evidence suggests he had syphillis!!!

Mexico Scrapbook

Okay so I've been working on a 20 page book from my cruise to Mexico. I'm almost done, only one more layout to go! But I have a favorite: The day we went to Acapulco to see the cliff divers. Dad and Mike got such great pictures (I have to admit mine weren't the best). And Gramma even took a picture with the Cliff Divers (I have to admit they kind of creeped me out).

So here it is: My 2-page Acapulco Cliff Divers layout. Feel free to let me know what you think.

All Cardstock is by Bazzill, the brads come from We-R-Memory Keepers, the ribbon tape is by Heidi Swapp, and the font for the title is FIESTA by QuicKutz for the Revolution tool. I believe the layout idea came partially from Becky Higgins, but I made some changes.

National Scrapbook Day

Okay, so I know that I'm a bit far behind, but I wanted you all to see what I've been working on the past couple of months. I thought it'd be perfect to start out with the two "award-winning" projects I did back on May 3rd at the Scrap N Yap National Scrapbook Day celebration. We spent 12 hours scrapping (and yapping!) at a local restaraunt & pumping out some might fine designs.

The first challenge they gave us was to creat our name tags. They gave us a little envelope full of goodies & we had to use everything in the envelope and whatever else we'd brought to make a lanyard style name tag. I'm proud to say that I won a QuicKutz set of dies for my design!

Supplied for my design was a black piece of cardstock, a white ribbon, a large pink foam flower, a small lime foam flower and a small piece of brown cardboard to hold it all together (on the back). I added my own touch with some turquoise twine, a pink ghost flower by Heidi Swapp, a pink star brad by Queen & Co., generic staples, and pink ghost letters by Heidi Swapp. The white gel pen was borrowed from Elizabeth Tuch and I have no idea what brand or even color it was.

Our next challenge was to take their supplies again and add whatever else we'd like and make a single page design. I had a picture I'd been dying to use, so I thought this was the perfect opportunity. There was a floral patterned strip, a solid Bazzill cardstock, a strip of ribbon, and a chipboard "O." As you can see, my design was "A Face Only a Mother Could Love" and I used the "O" for the O in Love. Mr. Beans' 8x10 was a perfect portrait for this! It was the floral patterned paper that I had the most fun with though! I embellished it and made it shiny and 3D by adding strips of transparencies (the kind you use on a projector in school) and green brads that I'd been holding onto for something fun like this!

In addition to the patterned paper, cardstock, chipboard "O" and piece of orange ribbon that I had to use, I added on brads by Provo Crafts, chipboard letters by Basic Grey, a piece of ribbon tape by Heidi Swapp as well as painting and finally adding Glossy Accents over it for an extra added shine.

Well I hope you enjoy these two projects. I look forward to posting a lot more once I pick my favorites. I can't wait for the Scrapbook Cruise to Ensenada that I'm taking on June 27th! Look for even more projects after I come back from that!

75 Things Every Man Should Be Capable Of

1. Give advice that matters in one sentence.

2. Tell if someone is lying.

3. Take a photo. Fill the frame.

4. Score a baseball game.

5. Name a book that matters. (The Catcher in the Rye does not matter. Not really. You gotta read.)

6. Know at least one musical group as well as is possible.

7. Cook meat somewhere other than the grill.

8. Not monopolize the conversation.

9. Write a letter.

10. Buy a suit.

11. Swim three different strokes. Doggie paddle doesn't count.

12. Show respect without being a suck-up. (Respect the following, in this order: age, experience, record, reputation.)

13. Throw a punch. Close enough, but not too close. Swing with your shoulders, not your arm. Long punches rarely land squarely. So forget the roundhouse. You don't have a haymaker. Follow through; don't pop and pull back. The length you give the punch should come in the form of extension after the point of contact.

14. Chop down a tree. Know your escape path. When the tree starts to fall, use it.

15. Calculate square footage. Width times length.

16. Tie a bow tie.

17. Make one drink, in large batches, very well.

18. Speak a foreign language. Pas beaucoup. Mais faites un effort.

19. Approach a woman out of his league.

20. Sew a button.

21. Argue with a European without getting xenophobic or insulting soccer.

22. Give a woman an orgasm so that he doesn't have to ask after it. Otherwise, ask after it.

23. Be loyal.

24. Know his poison, without standing there, pondering like a dope.

25. Drive an eightpenny nail into a treated two-by-four without thinking about it. Use a contractor's hammer. Swing hard and loose, like a tennis serve.

26. Cast a fishing rod without shrieking or sighing or otherwise admitting defeat.

27. Play gin with an old guy.

28. Play go fish with a kid.

29. Understand quantum physics well enough that he can accept that a quarter might, at some point, pass straight through the table when dropped.

30. Feign interest.

31. Make a bed.

32. Describe a glass of wine in one sentence without using the terms nutty, fruity, oaky, finish, or kick.

33. Hit a jump shot in pool.

34. Dress a wound.

35. Jump-start a car. Change a flat tire. Change the oil.

36. Make three different bets at a craps table.

37. Shuffle a deck of cards.

38. Tell a joke.

39. Know when to split his cards in blackjack. (Aces. Eights. Always.)

40. Speak to an eight-year-old so he will hear.

41. Speak to a waiter so he will hear.

42. Talk to a dog so it will hear.

43. Install: a disposal, an electronic thermostat, or a lighting fixture without asking for help.

44. Ask for help.

45. Break another man's grip on his wrist.

46. Tell a woman's dress size.

47. Recite one poem from memory.

48. Remove a stain. (Blot. Always blot.)

49. Say no.

50. Fry an egg sunny-side up.

51. Build a campfire.

52. Step into a job no one wants to do.

53. Sometimes, kick some ass.

54. Break up a fight.

55. Point to the north at any time. .

56. Create a play-list in which ten seemingly random songs provide a secret message to one person.

57. Explain what a light-year is.

58. Avoid boredom.

59. Write a thank-you note.

60. Be brand loyal to at least one product.

61. Cook bacon.

62. Hold a baby.

63. Deliver a eulogy.

64. Know that Christopher Columbus was a son of a bitch.

65-67. Throw a baseball over-hand with some snap. Throw a football with a tight spiral. Shoot a 12-foot jump shot reliably.

68. Find his way out of the woods if lost.

69. Tie a knot.

70. Shake hands.

71. Iron a shirt.

72. Stock an emergency bag for the car.

73. Caress a woman's neck. (Back of your fingers, in a slow fan.)

74. Know some birds.

75. Negotiate a better price.

GISMODO inspired me

Okay so I must admit, there is a tech website called http://www.gizmodo.com/ that has caught my eye because their catch phrase is "So much in love with shiny new toys, it's unnatural. " This cracks me up. I'm in love with shiny new toys also, only sometimes the ones that gizmodo gets to yammer on about are pretty expensive compared to mine.



Well anyways, on the front page today was a picture of some dude's man purse and all of its tech-toys inside. Well I was inspired. This dude had a macbook, a digital camera, a smart phone, an iPod, blah blah blah. Well the list went on and on and on. I have some pretty cool stuff in my purse too! Well here's the point to my yaddah yaddah: I'm a great candidate for the "what's in your purse game."



Okay ready, set, go!



Let's start of with the purse itself: it's coach. Duh. Any self respecting twenty something has a nice bag, and if you aren't crazy enough to go out and spend thousands then you are smart enough to walk your butt into Nordstrom and fork out a couple of hundred for a gorgeous leather Coach bag. Teeny boppers carry pink and white Dooney & Burke (too young for me), my mom has a killer brown Dooney & Burke (too old for me), and I carry...well I carry Coach.

On a side note, the size of the Coach purse that I carry inspires many onlookers to call it the "Mary Poppins" bag. I don't take offense because when they need something they come running to me and I probably have it in the gorgeous bag that they just mocked.



Now the contents: varied.



There is always my smart phone. Right now I'm rocking the Treo755 for Sprint. It may seem a bit like a brick at first, but this little blue block of heaven is my life. My calendar. My memos. My address book. My internet connection when I'm on the go. I'm hooked. Call me a "treonaut" or whatever you will, but I doubt I will ever own a "crackberry" or an "IpaidtoomuchPHONE." I like the Palm interface, and as much as I complain about talking to Sprint Customer Care, I'll never switch carriers.



Next is a journal. Right now it's a simple blue leather bound book that I grabbed from Target or such. It started way back as a food journal. It's since been abandoned and I keep it in there for thoughts, great tunes I just heard, and just all out funny pieces of information I pick up throughout the day. I have a horrible memory and it just helps me remember the good stuff in life. If life is a cupcake, only the icing makes it into the journal.



Now for the every popular iPod: it's blue (like everything else in my purse so far) and is constantly befriended by a great armband that I picked up at the Apple store a long time ago. It carries all the favorites plus any new downloads that I'm testing out to see if I like or not. Recently added are new stuff from my two favorite boys: Gavin DeGraw and Jason Mraz. I'm really liking the new duet called "Lucky" by Colbie Calait and Jason Mraz! But it doesn't stop there. I have this eclectic love of tunes that includes everything from the pop-centric ABBA all the way to the groovy and unshaven ZZ Top. I also keep some comedy sketches from Margaret Cho, Robin Williams, and of course, Dane Cook on there. You never know when you are going to need to laugh.



Okay now we've dispensed with the obvious, what else is in there you ask? How about a MAC make-up bag that is bursting at the seams with fun things such as Maybelline mascara (you know the one ladies) and about 3 MAC lipglass tubes? Oh that's not all. Scattered throughout the bag are an assortment of lip goodies: a mini Rocket Balm (for upstairs and downstairs), some Burt's Bees, those click-able lip glosses by Stila, etc.. I'm a lip gunk whore.

Then there's the HP R927. My camera. It's just about obsolete, but believe me it's been a good little piece of equipment. 8 megapixels. 2 memory cards in case of emergency. A battery that lasts just about 1 hour less than you need it to. At least it has the "slimming" feature that I can push to edit my photos before I even transfer them onto my computer and attack them with Photoshop. Hah. Take that!



Now besides my keys, that's pretty much it. There's random slips of paper, gum, gum, gum and more gum, floss, listerine strips and then pens for writing nots. But we can't forget the matching Coach wallet (of course) that is jam packed with gift cards, membership cards, ID's, school ID cards, debit cards, etc..

So here's the run down: I love tech stuff. I love blue. I try to keep organized, but I'm in a bit of a shamble every once in a while. So think about it. What does your purse say about your life?

Star is Shiny, She Distracts Me

http://omg.yahoo.com/star-jones-responds-to-barbara-walters-memoir/news/8874?nc

Okay so I hit up Yahoo everyday for the latest little bits and blurbs about what's going on around our country. Rarely do they have much worldwide news. I hit up the Entertainment section today and what did I see? STAR JONES IS YAPPING AGAIN!

Now I have always dislike Star Jones for multiple reasons, but my favorite reason to dislike her is now apparent: she is publicly attacking Barbara Walters.

Now everyone makes mistakes in my opinion, but admitting to fault is part of humility in my eyes. Barbara Walters has recently written a book, and in this book she outlines her career as well as a time in her life where she had an affair with a powerful man. Admission of fault. This is a big deal to me. She also outlines how she changed broadcasting and reporting forever and conducted some of the greatest interviews of our time. Does anyone care about that? No, they are just interested in the affair part. Well so is Star Jones!

Star Jones had the nerve to say that Barbara Walters is in the "sunset" of her career. Well that's a pretty hefty comment considering that Star Jones' career last a brief 15 to 20 minutes and there was no sunset. Someone simply turned out the light. In my opinion, Barbara Walters turned out the light and I am damn proud that she did. She then said that she shouldn't have humiliated that man and his family. Hah! That man embarassed his own family, Barbara Walters is doing that family a favor: they now know (without a doubt) that this man is an adulterer.

For those of you that remember, Barbara decided not to renew Ms. Jones' contract on The View a few years back. The following was what I saw when I looked at the situation:

1. Star was obese, then Star was svelte really fast. Almost too fast. Apparently Star is mad that Barbara wouldn't let her talk about her gastric bypass surgery. You know what? Good. I think that the more surgeries celebrities have, the more danger the public is in of thinking "oh that looks easy, I will do that too!" Thank you Carnie Wilson for showing the procedure and the fact that you can, indeed, gain the weight back!
2. Star was married in a highly publicized and extravagant wedding during her time on The View. A wedding that she paid for through shameless plugs during The View's televised broadcasts. You know what? Pound sand you spoiled brat! It's amazing to me that Barbara didn't send you packing after that! That show helped pay for a gawdy wedding for a marriage that didn't even last?

So in conclusion, I would like Star Jones to go back to being a lawyer (because apparently that's what she originally did) and continue shoving food into her mouth (like she used to do) so that I don't have to listen to her try to complain about Barbara Walters writing a book for publicity. Star Jones is just as much of a publicity whore, if not more. Now she is simply trying to ride the coattails of Barbara Walters' book. Go back to Larry King, I certainly don't want to hear your voice anymore.

Welcome!

Welcome!

So I should probably explain the title of the blog first: Shiny Things Distract Me. I chose this for two reasons: (1) my namesake was taken and (2) simply the thought of something glimmering or shimmering can drag me away from legitimate work for hours.

List of shiny things that have distracted me lately:
1. My new TV/DVD that I got for my birthday. So what if it didn't get installed for a month? I'm happy. It's bright and shiny...it works for the purpose of this blog!
2. These yummy looking embellishments that I picked up from Making Memories. They are pastel brads absolutely covered in glitter. They look like little candies that go on ice cream sundays!
3. New Sugar Coated paper from Doodle Bug. I picked it up at the Scrap N Yap last week and I have been dying for a chance to use them! Think of an entire 12 by 12 piece of bright paper that is just jam packed with glitter! The best part is that you can cut it and use it for die cuts and the glitter stays on no matter what!
4. My new bottle of Glossy Accents. It's like a clear puff paint that you can put on anything for a scrapbook page. My favorite use so far is to paint a chipboard piece with a bright paint and then throw that Glossy Accents over it. The chipboard is so shiny that it just pops out the page like magic!
5. Puff paint. I've revisited it today to make a costume for Mike's lip sync on Friday night. I forgot how much fun it is!

So welcome to my blog. I have no idea how much I will be using this, but it should be fun and useful at some point!