Religion Flowchart

My old priest posted this on Facebook and it made me smile. I think it offends all except for maintstream Christians that somehow get a free pass. That's a tremendous error on the creator's part because there is ample material to get those guys too. Catholicism with the statues, the incense, the scapulars, and Mary everywhere has enough material for a flow chart of it's own.

Literal version videos

I just discovered these on you-tube - "literal version" videos. There were dozens to view and some were just awful. These four were (in my opinion) the top - the creme de la creme of the literal version video art form. And, of these four, the first one - Bonnie Tyler's Total Eclipse of the Heart is the best - it is most funny because the video itself is so outlandish. And yet...we watched it on MTV without question, probably thought it was high art. Enjoy!

For anyone who liked The Thorn Birds...

I haven't actually read The Thorn Birds, but I've heard enough to figure out there's a hot priest...so you oughta like this, a diet Coke ad that never played in the states....

I spent the night with another man...

It was David Sedaris! I had such a good time getting together with Tiffany for an evening with David Sedaris. I've read two of his books When You Are Engulfed in Flames and Me Talk Pretty One Day and loved them both. Tiffany is an equally ardent fan. Lucky Tiffany lives outside of Atlanta where things like this happen. Me, I live on the coast of South Carolina where nothing much happens unless you really like golf. I drove to Atlanta to meet Tiffany and the five hour trip was almost the perfect length to relisten to When You Are Engulfed in Flames - I got through 6 of the 8 CD's. I expected when we heard him read, that he would be reading essays from it since that is his most recent book. I was surprised and delighted to discover that he had entirely new material to share with us. The first essay had me a little worried - it was more political then anything of his that I have read and I thought, "Oh no, I didn't come to be lectured, I want to have fun!" But it quickly got better. I had another "uh-oh" moment later when he said, "Are there any Catholic girls here?". Tiffany and I looked at each other mouthing, "oh shit" and he did proceed with some irreverent material. It was the kind of joke that non-Catholics make and usually truly don't understand how offensive it is. We must not have been the only Catholics in the row as I heard a lady one seat over remark to her husband, "Oh yeah, he's going straight to hell for that one." As soon as she giggled, Tiffany was planning her trip to confession. Since confession for me is more of a semi-annual event, I let the little sins like this slide and just pony up to the big ones. Lusting after David Sedaris will make my list, giggling at an irreverent joke won't.

I still have two of his other books on my wish list - Holidays on Ice and Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim. My wish list takes forever to materialize since I have this frugal streak that wants to acquire all my books for a quarter at thrift sales. But considering that I just drove ten hours and spent close to a hundred dollars on a pair of tickets, maybe I should go check and see if there are used copies on Amazon that I could buy! In the meantime, I found this series of youtube videos from a commencement address he gave. I've only listened to part of the first two questions but it made me laugh enough to know I want to hear the rest. So I decided to post them here and then whenever I want a David fix, I can just click here instead of having to search youtube.

So with warnings about language and content and every other way he might offend, I present David Sedaris.....

#100

Just had to commemorate this little milestone...100 posts....woohoo! Wish I had some cute "100" meme to include but all the ones I have seen are pretty daunting. 100 things is a lot to think about!



And, just because I haven't put it out there for awhile...I'm on game #999,026 on Freecell. I keep thinking I'm so close to the 999,000 rollover mark that I will wait and post then, but it seems like I will never get there - darn Facebook.

Favorite Movies A-Z

Chloe posted this on T-Net and it looked like fun. I'm going to complete it as a stream of consciousness - first movie that comes to mind (that I like, of course) but I reserve the right to go back and refine later!   A - Alladin B - the Bourne series C - Cape Fear D - Devil Wears Prada E - EDTv F - Few Good Men, Field of Dreams, and Four Weddings and a Funeral (because I feel Al Pacino, Kevin Costner, and Hugh Grant all need representation!) G - Gladiator H - Hairspray I - Indiana Jones J - Juno K- Kiss the Girls L - Legally Blonde M - Miss Congeniality N - Nine Months O - Officer and a Gentleman P - Professional Q - Quantam of Solace ( I know this and I haven't even seen it yet) R - Remember the Titans S - Sleepless in Seattle T -  Top Gun U - Urban Cowboy V -  Valley Girl W - We Are Marshall X - (haven't seen any and none appeal to me) Y - You've Got Mail Z - (haven't seen any and none appeal to me)

Breakfast with Tiffany

What a great morning. My dear friend, who in the spirit of online anonymity shall now be known as Tiffany, came for breakfast. So, of course, I cooked and I cleaned, and I cooked and I cleaned and it was worth every moment of effort. The menu was sausage-egg breakfast casserole this recipe except that I used all regular milk - no evaporated milk, pineapple angel food cake no recipe for this, just sliced a store bought angel food cake and filled with a mixture of cream cheese, sugar, cool whip, and crushed pineapple - turned out great, and an Entemann's raspberry danish.



The activities were Apples to Apples and Pictureka. Apples to Apples has been a staple at Bookworm's church youth group for awhile but our whole family didn't get in on it until we vacationed with our extended family and the aunt brought it. There is a junior game that would eliminate the occasional racy entry/cuss word but when we bought it for our family we stuck with the grown up version. It's a lot more fun just to have to edit a little bit than to not have the grown up humor that makes it a good time for the adults to play too. When you have the multi-generational game going some of the cultural references are lost on the kids they just don't know who, what, or where but you can look across the table at the other adults and have a little moment. Pictureka came to me courtesy of a blog I follow: Parental Approval.

We polished off the morning out in the yard shooting a BB gun at targets stapled to trees. The Red Ryder BB gun was a gift last Christmas for Tween. Tiffany and I share a love of the movie A Christmas Story so there were many repetitions of "You'll put your eye out." between fits of giggling. Good food, fun games, and weapons - what a perfect morning.

A Game for the Idle

A Game for the Idle, picked up from the Happy Catholic. Because, you know, that despite having mountains of things to do (that was an allusion to laundry!), I remain idle.

Bold anything that you have done.

1. Started your own blog
Here you are!
2. Slept under the stars
Courtesy of the Boy Scouts of America.
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/Disney World
I've been to both. My family lived in both California and Florida when I was young. We took our children to Disney World last year and had a wonderful time.
8. Climbed a mountain
I was lucky enough to chaperon our parish high school youth trip hiking the Camino de Santiago. My preconceived notion of Spain was that it was flat - I was wrong! We climbed lots and lots of mountains.
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
My high school graduation present was a European tour with the high school French Club.It was a fifty countries in twenty days kind of event! I wish I could do it again now as an adult although I probably wouldn't have the stamina.
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
I'm going to assume that we are using the term "art" loosely and will include crafty things here like scrapbooking and cross-stitching.
15. Adopted a child
I almost bolded this one - we have a child we sponsor through Catholic Charities but I think the intent here is a full adoption.
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
That high school tour again - it started with a layover on New York!
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
High school tour.
20. Slept on an overnight train
At one point during our three years in Maine, I was so desperate to escape to the south, that I bought a 30 day rail pass and embarked on a train trip to visit the East Coast relatives. That experience is a post all of it's own waiting to be written.
21. Had a pillow fight
I've had real ones in my younger days; now I'm having virtual ones on Facebook!
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
Do this ALL the time. Luckily the definition of sick is fairly broad and there's a little box on the leave slip that I can check about appointments for family members. I figure that covers almost anything I need to do. Some would say "field trip", I say "appointment" for a tour.
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
One of my favorite memories growing up in Florida was watching the sun drop down into the water at the end of each day. The Gulf makes for a very dramatic sunset.
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
My 40th birthday present to myself was a cruise with a girlfriend who was also turning 40. It was great and I can't believe I haven't done another one yet.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
That would be Norway and, no, I've never been.
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied (in general)
We should be satisfied. In today's consumer culture there always seems to be something more that we want to have but in reality, we have plenty and for that I am very thankful.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
High school tour ...again!
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
And the tour...again!
41. Sung karaoke
Just a few times but both quite memorable. Once Bonnie Raitt while out with Ex_Marine and a girlfriend (same girlfriend I cruised with in #32). Had too may drinks, thought I could sing, and then fell in the parking lot and ripped a hole in the knee of my pants. Other time was with a group of old friends at a reunion... no drink this time as I was quite pregnant..hence no ripped clothing either!
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
Too many times to count - love the coast.
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
Dang...that high school tour really helped me out here.
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
Mixed memories here. Too much pressure too soon as a young teenager but now, great fun here in my small town with my kids and their friends.
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
And eaten.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
Sometimes they tempt me now that they have displays in the grocery stores.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
Unfortunately yes. Worst one...in college, I bounced a check for a kids meal at Burger King. That $2.00 meal probably cost me $22.00!
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
My mother saved my "Little People", my kids played with them, and I bet their kids will play with them too!
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
A few times.
71. Eaten caviar
If I get organized, I'll post the caviar dip recipe that I like. Don't hold your breath!
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
Bookworm and I were treated to a weekend in New York by her grandparents. Times Square and everything else was amazing. I didn't think I would like it very much considering how much I love the slow pace of a small town but I loved it. Wish I could afford to go back!
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
Steak-N-Shake at age 15.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
Just guess...
77. Broken a bone
Two fingers of my right hand.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
With a boy who was showing off.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
I wish!
82. Bought a brand new car
Stupidly...yes...more than once. I know it goes against all the financial advisers but financial restraint has never been a strong suit of mine or Ex-Marine's. .
83. Walked in Jerusalem
Another wish.
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
You now I assume yes, but can't really remember a specific instance. But I am sure I have - my wedding announcement if nothing else!
85. Read the entire Bible
Hanging my head in shame.
86. Visited the White House
I think I was in about the fifth grade with my family. It's been awhile!
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
well, when you go crabbing, you bring them home alive and the cooking kills them so I guess that will count!
88. Had chickenpox
Yes, as a child. Bookworm had them at age one. Boys had the shot so I guess they'll never experience that.
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
I started one with girlfriends but we petered out after a few months. I do book challenges online - kind of the same idea?
93. Lost a loved one
All of my grandparents have passed away.
94. Had a baby
Yes...yes....yes.
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
More than one. It's my lifeline with these three busy children!
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Read an entire book in one day
Many times - I'm a book slut.

Waste of Time status report

I can barely type because my hand is stiff from clicking....999,400!

And, of course, I'm at over 20,000 on Facebook's Word challenge.

Is my laundry done? No.

Why I have no book review...

I'm down to game #999,799.

The Knitting Song

I don't knit and I'm not a country music fan but this just amuses me endlessly....here, you should watch it with me!

FeeCell Status report

I'm down to 999,938...my eyes hurt! And maybe I have a little carpal tunnel thing going on.

Free Cell, 7 down, 999,993 to go

I go through online gaming jags. It's a way to avoid laundry and work and all the rest of my responsibilities! I've gone through Spider Solitaire, Zuma, and the Bubbles game. Now, I'm playing Free Cell. There are 1,000,000 different hands of cards that can be dealt. I started at 1,000,00 and so far, I've played and won 7 games. So..7 down, 999,993 to go. I'll keep you posted!

How many five year olds can you take in a fight?

This made me laugh! And the fact that it is sponsored by an online dating service makes me laugh harder. Do you have dating parameters that have to do with how many five year olds you could take out?

10

Created by OnePlusYou - Online Dating

I finally did it.

A few posts ago (here)I promised to add my favorite Mormon humor blog to my blog list. Well, I finally did it. You're welcome.