7 Random Things

Ok, Lisa tagged me for my 7 random things. I loved reading Lisa's things and learned quite a bit about her since the days where we knew nearly everything about each other. Now I have to actually think of 7 things and hope I know 7 people to tag that haven't already been tagged, I'll do what I can.

1) I have a box at my dad's house full of notes, letters and mementos from my childhood. I haven't been through it in ages but I know its there right next to the suitcase that has my Barbie and all of her things in it. When Kim married Dan I copied all the notes she wrote me in high school that said she hopes she marries Dan Hatch and put them in the photo album I made them. I think that was the last time I went through that box.

2) This may not be news to some of you, but I HATE when people don't put their shopping carts away! You just pushed the damn thing all through the store and full of stuff mind you, but you can't walk 25 yards to put it in the cart round up so that the wind doesn't blow it into my truck while I am inside shopping? Come on! Combat laziness and put your carts away, if you don't I wish wild winds ramming your car with all the carts in the Wal-Mart parking lot next time you go shopping!

3) I was only in kindergarten for 6 weeks. My September birthday fell just 2 days after the cutoff and I had to wait a year to start. So, I was 6. After 5 weeks of asking my mom how much longer I was going to have to count bears and trecking down to the 1st grade hall everyday to attend the highest level reading group in a 1st grade class as a kindergartener, my mom decided to have a talk with the principal. They put me in 1st grade. So ha, I skipped kindergarten! Funny thing many of my friends ended up only being just days older than me. Kim 10 days older and Lisa only 6 days and Tawni she was 7 days younger, how'd she get in? Either way, sorry you girls had to do kindergarten without me!

4) I don't like to read. Pictures, yes please give me pictures. After #3 your probably thinking...she loves to read and she's good at it. Well, its the comprehension part I have a hard time with. Finding something interesting is the deal. If you can write something that keeps my attention then you must be a good writer, or at least have a topic that rocks. I do like writing though so go figure. I hate having to comprehend something that is boring. So, I just turn my brain off. Its a talent really, I think. Actually I have a terrible short term memory when it comes to recalling information so reading is pretty much just a waste of my time cause I rarely remember half of it anyway.

5) Photography, I've always liked taking and having pictures but not as much as I do today. Photography is my little 'hobby on the side.' I think I may quite possibly be addicted to photography blogs. I love contemporary portraits of weddings, couples, seniors, babies, families. You know, pictures taken in places where you really would never think of taking pictures and then they just turn out amazing. If I find a blog I like I get obssessed with waiting for new pictures. I just love, love, love seeing other photograpers' work and what they can capture. Reminds me how beautiful everything is and can be. Sometimes all it takes is the right light and just the right angle, so if something doesn't appear good to you at first, keep that in mind.

6) I am OCD, I am sure of it. I can't stand it if my house is messy. Everything has its place. I will stay up til all hours of the night if things aren't just the way I like them before I go to bed. Ok, well...unless of course I've fallen asleep on the couch watching TV again. If I lay down on the couch to watch TV its pretty much a given that I will fall asleep. Then I am pretty much rendered useless and it takes all I have to even get pajamas on and get in my bed. But once I get to cleaning (and its usually at night) its over, no one can keep up with me or stop me and I'm on the cleaning rampage. I can't quit. I can always find something else that needs to be cleaned or put away its re-damn-diculous. What is even scarier is that Benny is just like me when it comes to cleaning...I know and I love it about him, just one of the many reasons we get along so well and part of why I love him!

7) I really don't like talking on the phone. I do it if I have to or if I have something to say, but I'm not really big on just calling to chat or see how you are doing. E-mail...now I love e-mail, its the greatest invention ever. You can call me if you want to come over and chat or you want to meet me for lunch to chat, but really, I don't want to just sit and chat on the phone. Mostly cause I get too distracted by things I'd really rather be doing and I will do other things while on the phone with you if it starts to get too lengthy. So just keep it short and sweet on the phone and drop on in for a visit anytime or shoot me an e-mail for heavens sake!

Ok, Lisa there are my 7 things! Hope you all learned something new about me. Ok, I tag just 5 ...Sarah, Robin, Jessica, Candie and Roberta. Can't wait to see what your 7 are!

My VIAO

That's my VIAO over there to the right. On Sunday, Albert came and took my VIAO away... oh my poor laptop. As technolgy gets newer, faster and better everyday my once high tech cutting edge Sony VIAO is quickly becoming a dinosaur. The once light 7 pound VIAO has had to make way for the newer, sleeker, faster, models. I hate to let it go. Its been such a great tool for me and has been there for oh so many photos, resumes, cover letters, emails...you name it.

Albert is the computer guy, in case you hadn't figured that out. I'm going to say that no news is good news at this point. I am actually rather scared to hear back from Albert. He's either going to tell me that it cannot be fixed or its going to cost me more than what its worth. I know Albert is not the 'bad guy' in all of this but man...that crazy computer it just makes me want to scream. After all of the applications I've given to it and all of the interesting information I have shared with it over the years, and this is how it repays me. It literally will link to the internet but won't display it on the screen. The little icon and the pop up messenger tells me that I am connected but then I click on the little blue 'e' and nothing...'The page you have selected cannot be displayed.' Yeah, well you aren't displaying pages I don't even want to see, you, crazy VIAO are not displaying anything!

If anyone has any computer smarts or if this has happened to you before, please let me know if you have any ideas how to resolve this. I would welcome any thoughts or ideas even though I think I've exhausted so many of them already. Hopefully Albert will be me and the VIAO's savior!

The Library

Ok, so I know its been a week or so since my last post and yes I am quite possibly a huge slacker but hey...sometimes it just works out that way. So this post includes a photo that is not my own, I know, I know, so unlike me the gal who is always taking pictures. I have good reason for this. I am currently at the new Kennewick Library on Union, so the picture is one I found on the web of the library. I've been wanting to check out the new building but wasn't sure if I could get a card here since I do live in Pasco. Well, things change. Yep, it is now Mid Columbia Libraries and there is a whole list of local libraries that they gave me that us in the Tri Cities can go to. Once you have a card for one you can go to any of them, even Connell! Its such a different process now. As a kid we always went to the old Kennewick Library of course, you know the one across from Kennewick High School and next to Keewaydin Park.

I remember the smell of that library, the smell of most libraries. They just have that distinct musty paper smell. I remember the little plastic boxes that had cards and black pens in them at the desk. Those are what you used when checking out books. At the Kennewick Library you didn't get a library card. You just filled out one of those little cream colored cards with the green lines and letters each time you went there. Then the librarian would hold each book under the counter and it made a kind of dull clunking noise. Still not sure what that was for because I don't think they had electronic sensors back then. I still liked to hear that noise though, it made it seem like it was all official that I was checking out books.

When you entered and left the library there were these silver arm bars that you had to push and walk through. Kinda similar to ones you'd see at an amusement park gate. I always thought that was so cool that I got to go through them. For whatever reason I was easily amused sometimes as a kid.

I did notice today upon walking into the new library that the musty paper smell isn't quite as strong. Its there but not like it was in the old library. And computers have replaced the old card catalogs and microfiche machines. Do you remember those?!?! That was fun sometimes to get those plastic laminate strips with the newspapers on them. I wonder where those all are now? Some landfill somewhere probably. You even checkout your own books now. Seriously, its just a bar code on your card and a bar code on the book and you're outta there.

So, I guess more importantly...why other than to check out the new building am I sitting here at the library on the internet? Well, my computer at home isn't working right and I was told yesterday at work that because of the economy they may only have work for me for another couple of weeks. In that case since my internet is down I am here checking out my options. I have a few great leads and have acted on them, but am still open to suggestions or if anyone has any thing they know of, by all means help a sister out!

Handsome Lil' Devil

Every mother says their child is cute. Benny's mom is no exception. She kept telling me how adorable Benny was as a little boy. I just had to say, of course, I am sure he was...that was until she brought out the picture box! Quite seriously, and I may be a little biased but oh my gosh how absolutley adorable is he? I posted the Halloween picture of me on my last blog so I thought it only fair to show you all what a handsome lil' Devil Benny was. This I believe was either his kindergarten or 1st grade picture and I just hope if we have kids someday they will be just as adorable as him.

Holly Hobbie and Laura Ingalls

I was going to post this on Friday but got busy and didn't have the opportunity. Plus this weekend was extremely busy and I don't even think I turned my computer on once. Anyway, in the spirit of Halloween, I wanted to post this picture of myself from Halloween in 1979. Yep, that is me. I loved Holly Hobbie and could've passed for Laura Ingalls, as I adored her. For whatever reason even being the tomboy that I was, I loved long dresses as a kid. I think cause they made me feel pretty.

Benny sees pictures of me as a little girl and swears I was the prettiest little girl ever. Yeah, I guess I was kinda cute. Wasn't such a cute newborn though. Yikes...I'm surprised my parents didn't send me back after seeing my first photo from the hospital. Guess that's true unconditional love for ya. Sorry, I'm absolutley not going to post that photo.

I don't really remember too many specifics about Halloween, its never really been one of my favorites. I do remember my parents taking us to family and friends' houses to trick or treat until I was in middle school. Then I just went with my friends in their neighborhoods since I didn't really have a neighborhood. I even won 3rd place in a middle school dress up contest for my Minnie Mouse costume. I made the skirt myself. (Those middle school Home Ec skills came in handy) I don't mind dressing up and actually enjoy it now and then, but I have to be in that mood. If only I had a big girl dress like this and a bonnett...