Day # 8 (Something I Crave)

(NOTE: This is Day # 8 of my 30-day "Blog Challenge"...see post of August 31 for details!)

Now THIS is an EASY one!  Probably the EASIEST so far! 

Not that I don't crave lots of things... but two things do rise right to the top (like cream!), and between "naps" and "chocolate", well, chocolate is the CLEAR winner!

Oh maaaaaaaaan, I love chocolate.  Seriously.  As in, a nice piece of high-quality dark chocolate melting on my tongue really does just make me go, "mmmmmmmm".    Eyes roll back...and all is right with the world.  It definitely hits the HAPPY receptor in MY brain!

I think I may be a bit of a chocolate snob, though... I don't really like milk chocolate, and I don't really CRAVE cheap chocolate.  (Although in a true pinch, ANY chocolate WILL do!)  But give me some deep dark Lindt or Ghirardelli, Godiva or Nirvana... and I am in heaven.  Sweet, pure, cacao heaven.

And I'll take chocolate in ANY form.  Chocolate pudding?  Chocolate ice cream?  Chocolate brownies (the ooey-er, gooey-er they are THE BETTER!)?  Chocolate cookies?  Bring it all on baby, my serotonin level is waiting!

* OH, YUUUUM! *

Day # 7 (A Favorite Photo)

(NOTE:  This is Day # 7 of my 30-day "Blog Challenge"... 
see post of August 31 for details!)

A FAVORITE PHOTO...

There is such a cute story behind this picture.

Our daughter, Kendra, was 2, and in "in training" (potty training, that is!)    She has always had a bladder that we tease her must only be the size of a thimble, so during potty training, it was not unusual for her to wake up 3 or 4 times a night and call out to us, "Mooooooooommy!  Daaaaaaaaaaaaaddy!  I gotza go POTTY!" 

She wouldn't go alone (monsters, you know), so we would take turns getting up with her and accompanying her to the bathroom.  This one particular 2 a.m. was my husband's turn.  He got out of bed, sleepily calling to her, "Coming!" while I proceeded to roll over and go back to sleep.  I woke up about an hour later and noticed that he wasn't back in bed yet.  The clock now said 3 a.m.  I was perplexed and wondered what happened to him.  So I got up and stumbled to the bathroom, and this is what I saw!  I said to my sleeping daughter's still-patiently-waiting daddy, "Um, do you know she is asleep?!"  His groggy answer, "No, really?"   Yes --  really!!!

And do you believe that the camera was right there on the hamper, and I even had enough wherewithal (in my sleepy haze) to actually snap a picture --  and I am so glad I did, because I just LOVE this picture and the sweet memory behind it.

Day # 6 (A Fun Fact About Me)

(NOTE:  This is Day # 6 of my 30-day "Blog Challenge"... 
see post of August 31 for details!)

I WON FORTUNE, FAME AND GLORY,

BOUGHT MY STORY!

[And the fans go wild....]     

Yes, it's true!  I've been published in Reader's Digest.  

Wanna hear the "story"? (I'm afraid it is really going to DATE me... but...*sigh* ... here goes, anyway!)

OK... so do you remember the days when pictures were taken on 35mm cameras and the film cartridge had to be removed and developed???!  (To my 20-something readers, I'm sure it's [gasp!] unthinkable, but I swear it's true!)  

And sometimes the pictures would come back blurry or out of focus, or with eyes shut, or with fingers in front of the lens... (and *grrrrrr* you still had to PAY for those... but I digress... !)   It was frustrating, and if you took a lot of pictures (like we did), it could also get VERY expensive. 

Mail-order developing was quite a bit cheaper than taking the film to the local drug store, and they did a remarkably good job.  You sent your check and your film cartridge(s) out in these little pre-paid mailing envelopes and about 7-10 days later, you received your prints (and negatives) back in the mail.

At the time there was a hugely popular photo developing mail order company called "Clark Color Photo Labs", and they put their trademark bright yellow mailing envelopes everywhere -- you could find one in every Sunday paper, and in every issue of TV Guide, PEOPLE magazine, etc.   Because they were efficient, fast, and (fairly) cheap, I used them almost exclusively for developing our photos.

And like I said, there were A LOT of photos, mostly of our (adorable!) kids: our young son and our baby daughter.   One day something happened that just AMAZED ME, and on a lark, I wrote it up and sent it in to Reader's Digest.   And whatd'ya' know?!   It was accepted and published in the December 1989  issue (pg. 112 under "Life In These United States")  -- and I won $400!   (And that was pretty big money back then, lemme tell you!)

So here is my story, as it was printed in the magazine:

As proud parents and camera buffs, my husband and I take a lot of pictures of our 2-year old daughter.  Since her birth, we have been steady customers of a large mail-order company for film processing.  Imagine our surprise and delight one day when a package of pictures was delivered and on the inside envelope someone had hand-written: "Boy, she's getting big!" 

Toooooo funny, huh?!

(And yep, that was apparently my 15 minutes of fame!)

Day # 5 (A Favorite Quote)

(NOTE:  This is Day # 5 of my 30-day "Blog Challenge"... 
please see post of August 31 for details!)

"We tried that once, it didn't work out."
                                             --Jordan R, age 4
    
I love this quote!  It was spoken by a precocious 4 year old when she was invited to a sleep-over at her doting aunt's house.  Well, the fact of the matter was that just a few months before that, Jordan had attempted to spend the night with her aunt, but got terribly homesick and had to be taken home, sobbing and wailing, at 2 a.m.  Thus, when her aunt asked again, Jordan shook her head "no" and spoke the insightful quote above.

Out of the mouths of babes.  

So the next time you are tempted (OR when someone ASKS you) to say or do something that has been said or done before (with less-than-stellar-results), think of Miss Jordan and her famous quote.  It may just save a little bit of your sanity!


(Photo credit: here )
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Stay tuned...the challenge continues!
Tomorrow (Day # 6) -- will be a "fun fact"!   Hmmmm... ?!
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Day # 4 (A Favorite Book)

(This is Day # 4 of my 30-day Blog Challenge... please see post of August 31 for details!)

This one was actually pretty easy.  Again, like the movies post... there were LOTS of choices.  I love books, and I love reading all KINDS of books, and  I could probably list 100 favorites.  But if I have to narrow it down to only one,  that award would have to go to... Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes.

Here is the plot overview from Spark Notes:

Charlie Gordon, a mentally retarded thirty-two-year-old man, is chosen by a team of scientists to undergo an experimental surgery designed to boost his intelligence. Alice Kinnian, Charlie’s teacher at the Beekman College Center for Retarded Adults, has recommended Charlie for the experiment because of his exceptional eagerness to learn. The directors of the experiment, Dr. Strauss and Professor Nemur, ask Charlie to keep a journal. The entire narrative of Flowers for Algernon is composed of the “progress reports” that Charlie writes.

(Full synopsis is here )

I find this book so touching and so moving.  I first read it in high school for lit class, and I have re- read it every few years since.

If you have never read it, I truly recommend it.  You may find that you are never quite the same.

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Tomorrow, Day # 5 is "A Favorite Quote".  Then we are out of the "favorites" THANG for awhile!!!

Day # 3 (A Favorite TV Show)

(This is Day #3 of my 30-day Blog Challenge... see post of August 31 for details!)

Hmmmm... I had to think about this one awhile.

A favorite TV show?  Well, the problem is - I watch very little TV.  I *like* a couple of shows, of course... but a "favorite"?  Doesn't "favorite" imply that you watch it regularly?  Try to never miss an episode?  Rearrange plans to be home when it's on and record it if you absolutely can't be???!

Well, if that's the criteria, then I guess there's really only one show that could be considered my "favorite"...

*** drumroll, please.... ***

The Next Food Network Star!!!

Yes, I LOVE that show!  If you don't know what it is about, it's the "fiery, fierce and fun battle" between twelve finalists, all competing for "the ultimate dream job" -- their very own cooking show on the Food Network.   Hey, don't laugh, it's how Guy Fieri got started!!!

Anyway, I watch every episode obsessively each season.  Every Sunday night at 9pm for 11 weeks,  I remind my husband, "My show is on!  I love you, but LEAVE. ME. ALONE!"  I grab a quilt, a snack, a couple of cats and settle down for one hour of pure TV enjoyment.

Oh yeah, that's me... always livin' on the edge, huh??!!

OH, BTW, this season's winner was Aarti.  Her show is called "Aarti Party", and it's on Sundays at noon.   Aarti's focus is bringing the flavors of Indian cuisine into the home kitchen, and her food does look delicious.

And I like Aarti, but DANG!  I was rooting for Brad!!!  *sigh*

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Tomorrow, Day # 4, will be "Favorite Book". 
(Don't worry, we are almost out of the "favorites" thing... !)

Day # 2 (A Favorite Movie)

I told you that you might be surprised!  But wait...don't run away!  Please let me 'splain!!!    ;o)

I like movies and probably watch a fair amount of them, but I am admittedly NOT a true movie connoisseur or critic!  But I do enjoy movies of all genres, and there's a time and place (IMHO) for drama, adventure, action, suspense, romance, and comedies.  But since (for me, anyway), watching a movie is all about relaxing and kicking back, I do stay away from heavy-duty films and I never watch movies featuring horror, war, violence, or torture. 

So in thinking about this post and my "favorite movie", I thought of the MANY movies I have watched and enjoyed.  Some were absolutely top notch, thought-provoking, award winning films featuring superb plot lines and excellent acting along with breathtaking scenic views and amazing cinematography... and I thought, "Eh.... yeah, there was that..."

Buuuuuuut... if I am reeeeeally honest, I have to admit that one of my favorite movies of all time is the profoundly *stooooopid* but hilariously funny comedy from 1994, "Dumb and Dumber"  featuring Jim Carrey and Jeff Daniels as two down-and-outers on the adventure of a lifetime.  It is pure mindless entertainment at its finest, and it simply CRACKS. ME. UP.
 
So there you have it.  My dirty little secret!  Shhhh, don't tell anyone, OK?!

And if you have never seen Dumb and Dumber, here's a link to a famous scene:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-LtK_JERQMI


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(PS If you have NO idea what is going on here  ;-)   I am doing a 30-day blog challenge.  Please see post of August 31 for details!) 
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Coming up tomorrow... favorite TV show!