Mommy Life

Why yes, there IS a reason why I walked into church an hour late and carrying an unpainted balsa wood toy fire truck. Thanks for asking.

UO On the Rocks

This video right here very nearly justifies the existence of Lady Gaga.

Awesome Mad Skills

Okay, I have no idea what is driving this sudden spate of work-related clumsiness, but I've had SO MANY incidents in the past few weeks. Is it fatigue? Too many things on my plate? Something of both?

I was in the lab yesterday doing some trouble-shooting on one of my projects. I was sitting on a chair backward, with my arms resting on the seat back. The chair was one of those adjustable-type office chairs, and so the back was leaning with me as I leaned forward. Suddenly, the chair went toppling over, and there I was spilled all over the lab floor. Naturally, instead of rushing forward to assist me and ascertain that I was unharmed, the guys in the room just stood around and laughed. They are very accustomed to my klutziness, and since I usually just pick myself up, dust myself off, and start back into whatever I was doing before I stumbled (or fell over or bumped into something or dropped or spilled something, et cetera), I guess they figure I'm pretty much unbreakable (which, clearly, I am).

I'm more than ready for the weekend!

Fun times

I went out to the Big Bang Bar in Columbus tonight with Amy and Spencer. They encouraged me to take some time for myself and do something fun with friends.

Quote of the Day

Emma Caulfield on female comic book superheroes' costumes, and Wonder Woman's in particular: "There's no sense in making her look slutty. Unless she's a slut, and then that makes sense!"

See the entire clip of Crazy Sexy Geeks.

I have strange thoughts.

You know what would be totally awesome?

A Bollywood production of "As You Like It".

Even Madder Skills

Yesterday at work, I managed to walk into a partly-open door and hit my nose pretty hard. It hurt! I don't have noticeable swelling or a bruise, but it is still painful to touch the area. It doesn't hurt so much, though, that I am unable to see the humor in the situation. How I've managed to live through more than three decades without ever even breaking a bone is a complete mystery, right?!

Further Mad Skills

This afternoon, I managed to top (or bottom) myself: I cut my thumb on my umbrella! No, really!

Mad Skills

I still has dem!

So today at work, I was sitting at my desk discussing something with my boss. I had been hungry, so I'd popped a bag of microwave popcorn and had a bowl of it in my lap. Suddenly, popcorn went flying everywhere!
Cookie Boss: [staring at me in consternation] How did that even happen?!
Me: It's a gift.
Cookie Boss: But there was no reason! You didn't even move. It was like some quantum thing.
Me: How long have you been laughing at me for dropping things, spilling things, and tripping over my own feet? I've been here almost a year now. You should know that I have a high level of klutziness, even when the very law of physics countermand it.*

It's true. I am terminally clumsy (I blame my long limbs). And there really was no logical reason that my popcorn suddenly spilled all over me and the floor. It's just one of those constant things in my life, and I've come to accept it.

*Okay, I admit that I probably did not use the word countermand in a conversation, but I don't remember the exact wording, so I'm putting this as "close enough".

A moment nearly 11 years in the making

I paid off my student loans in one fell swoop!

I just sent the check to Sallie Mae and wanted to share the joy with the world.

Zoo Visit

Early March, and just warm enough that we could wear light jackets during the day.

Tackle-It Tuesday

I am not very good about updating here lately, and I am definitely not very good about keeping up with regular weekly things like Tackle-It Tuesday. Today, however, I'm counting some stuff toward this effort: Today I'm tackling the paying of bills and sending some money as donations and such.

Review of Friday Five: Did I do what I said I might?

• Stare out at the snow. YES!! Did this.
  
• Hope the snow stops falling so we can run errands tomorrow. YES!! Did this. And then ran those errands.
  
• Rest and get better. Started on this, but we both have a long way to go until we're all the way better.
  
• Craft with paper. Hmm, started to do it, but didn't get far.
  
• Watch Elmo with my Little Bug. YES, I definitely did this.
  

Quite Possibly Best Cupcakes Ever

Created by artist Alicia Traveria: Brain Slugs!

I wonder if she could do a matching Hypnotoad cake...

Friday Five: Things I Plan To Do This Weekend

• Stare out at the snow.
• Hope the snow stops falling so we can run errands tomorrow.
• Rest and get better.
• Craft with paper.
• Watch Elmo with my Little Bug.

Caption Contest Winner

Remember how we had the caption contest last month?

We had some great submissions, and I hereby declare the winner to be... The Real Deal from The Road to Valinor. Similar to the dead deer in the truck at McDonald's, your prize will be truly representative of life in central Ohio.


That's right, Mr. Real Deal! Official Ohio State University Buckeye Candy! Congratulations!

Send me your address via e-mail (your wife can hook you up with my contact info) and I'll send your prize through the postal mail.

The Question

The Question: Where have I been for the past few weeks?
The Answer: I have had the sickies, and so has the baby bug! I got a cold more than two weeks ago, and the cough and sore throat are persisting even now. My poor little bug got so sick that his sinuses got infected and overly congested and mucus starting seeping out of his eyes! Ew!! Right?! He is on antibiotics and well on the road to recovery.

I also just haven't felt inspired to blog, mostly because I just don't know how much to share or what would be interesting.

Sweet Eleanor

Some of my readers may know Wendy over at Fish Crackers. She has mentioned that she has a good friend whose 2-year-old daughter was recently diagnosed with cancer, has already had one operation and is now beginning chemo treatments. God is using Eleanor (the little cancer patient) to touch hearts and lives already, and you can read about her progress on her Caring Bridge site (posted with her parents' permission):
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/eleanorruthdickson


Wendy, who is very gifted in all areas crafty and creative, designed and knitted a chemo hat for little Eleanor, and is now making the pattern available to knitters everywhere.
It is only $5 (a real bargain for a knitting pattern), and all profits will go to the Dickson family to defray the cost of their many medical expenses that are not covered by insurance. In just the past few days, Wendy has already sold more than 100. The pattern is that good!

Read more information about the Sweet Eleanor pattern on Wendy's craft blog, and find ways to purchase it.

Or Buy It Now directly from this link to Ravelry.

I realize that many of my readers are not knitters. However, perhaps you know someone who does knit and would be happy to get a great pattern and reach out to a family (and a tiny little girl) going through a difficult time. Pass it along. Sweet Eleanor can go viral!

Now the Face of BCBG Max Azria in Their SS 2010 Campaign!

And as a glamorous supermodel, I can now become a jet setter and escape my life of daily toil...

Just kidding! When in Austin with Elizabeth and Sara, we went to the outlet mall and found the most amazing dress in the BCBG MA shop. I tried it on and Sara took these pictures.

Midnight blue, great lines, great price (designer dress under $100)... I didn't buy it because I really had no reason to own it. Maybe someday!

Great for dancing!Am I fierce?!?!

Elizabeth also modeled the dress and it was fantastic on her, but sadly, my pictures of her did not turn out as well. She looked gorgeous.

I'll LOL you into a false sense of security...

Despite my assertion that my awesome picture does not NEED a caption, it has received a few anyway.

From Frisbee Guy at work:

From me:

Got a better punchline in mind? Post it in the comments! Or post the captioned picture on your blog and put a link to it in the comments here. In fact, let's have a contest. The creator of the best and funniest caption will receive a small prize of some yet-undetermined nature (Picture of Nathan? Genuine buckeye artifact?). Have at it!