So much to tell, So little time

I went to Destin, FL a.k.a. Redneck Riviera for a long weekend with three other lovely young ladies. It was Mom's Gone Wild '08 and did we have fun! I'll have to show you my tattoos in the next post.

Also, my dear, sweet and oh so sophisticated first-born celebrated her 8th birthday yesterday.

Lastly, my friend Keetha wrote about associating different letters of the alphabet with a distinct personality. I see letters in a rainbow of colors and I always thought everybody did the same until a couple of years ago when I heard about a something called synesthesia on NPR. I found out that not everybody does this. We are a select group. Unfortunately, it is not related to advanced intelligence, it's just a neurological hiccup in the brain.

I have much to tell but I have to get to Jackson for a doctor's appointment. Later, Gator.

Gray Watched The Godfather Marathon All Weekend

Ciao Bellas. My name is Count Vito Maximo Montefiori but these children, they call me Gray Gray. Whatever. The girl above, she worship me, Naturally. She very smart, very, how you say, "adorable". I like her because she feed me treats and makes me little construction paper crowns with the words "King Gray Gray" neatly printed around it. The boy, he is crazy. I advise you to mind your own business when he around. He constantly torturing me, but one day I scratch him good


Here I am snuggled up next to my favorite person. She think I muy super handsome and like a little angel. At least that what she always be saying to me - like I don't already know this. Still, she very sweet like a little bowl of gelato.

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Perhaps,I get just a little shut-eye before making 3 a.m. patrol around the house then I jump on the people in the next room. Making the big man scream in the big bed is so very funny.


I am Gray Gray. You want I come to your house, si? I offer you protection, no? I make you offer , you no refuse. Capisce!

I think I could take more

20

Take the quiz by clicking on the link above. The test says I can whup up on 20 five-year-olds. See how you stack up against me. Remember 5-year-olds are animals (I know, I just went through a solid year of living with one!!!) They will attack without mercy and then when they think you have the upper hand, they'll cry or act like they're hurt, or refuse to play or the clincher, they'll tell you they hate you and your're not their best friend anymore. You may be tempted to give in but trust me,just when you think they have gone off to watch SpongeBob and everything's cool - WHAM - they will be all over you like a duck on a junebug. Show no pity or it will be your undoing!!!!!

Thanks, Sweetney.

Freakfest and Super Bowl 2008

I'm still slightly swollen from my wisdom teeth extraction or as I like to call it "Freakfest '08 but happily, I can go out in public without people gawking at my super large head and super small mouth. I would have been a great subject for The Learning Channel. They could put me on after "Life as a Primordial Dwarf Mother with One Arm".
I am one of those rare people who actually thinks going to the dentist is relaxing. I get in the chair, put one arm over my waist and perch one arm on the arm rest and then I become hypnotized by staring into the overhead light. I love that you get a new toothbrush and floss after it's all done because I'm easy that way. My open-arms policy concerning dentistry, plus, my fast recovery after two c-sections led me to believe that I would be on my feet in no time. I was duped and I now I'm wiser. Luckily, I have no more teeth to sacrifice to Dr. Hurt.

How about that Super Bowl? I was rooting for the Patriots just to be contrary to my husband's pick. Super Steve had money on the Giants and we all know how it ended. However, I was happy to see Eli get MVP. I feel so close to Eli since he was a quarterback at Ole Miss and I've been to some Ole Miss football games. We weren't enrolled in school at the same time but we have so much in common it's eerie.

Who thought the last night's Super Bowl ads were boring? Maybe the Super Bowl ads are officially over hyped? Thoughts?

IF you read this, I hope it's not too late...

Two years before....."You really need to get all four of your wisdom teeth removed," They said.

Three weeks before....
"Schedule it for a Thursday, that way, you'll have the weekend to take it easy and by Monday, you'll be good to go," They said.

After two years of hearing this rhetoric, I finally scheduled myself a harmless,little, old toof extraction at the oral surgeon's. I was to have four teeth removed by appropriately-named, Dr. Hurt. I heard the nurses snicker and sinister chords from a pipe organ resonate in the hall as I said that "Yes, Thursday, Jan. 24 would be fine for surgery."

Last week....
Before I closed my eyes, as the serum invaded my veins, I heard the doctor whisper to the nurse, "Tell Satan to come out of the closet. It's time to surgically implant him in the victim's mouth." I was paralyzed to run.I knew I had been duped by the Dental profession.

Jan. 24, 2008
The cruel hand of fate was dealt and my mouth auctioned to Beelezubub. Who will ever know the truth? Nobody will take me seriously. They say the drugs are making me talk out of my head. I plead to be understood. They must know that something evil has taken place in furthest recesses of my lower jaws but all I get is some jello and pureed soups. Ah more Vicoden...snzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Jan. 25, 2008
My head is three times the size it used to be. Everybody pretends it's not that bad but I can tell by their worried whispers that the experiment has gone dreadfully wrong. They keep feeding me the evil that is pudding and telling me that it's not that bad but I know I look like Eric Stoltz in "Mask". How will this all end? Hasn't Satan done enough? How much humiliation can one person endure?

January 31, 2008
The devil's grip has lessened on my jowls. My will is stronger than his but the sulpher-like smell of death still permeates my breath as a sign of his resistance to all my Lysterine. I will fight you, Lucifer!

Tune in to the rest of the saga....

Book of Answers.

I gave my friends The Book of Answers for Christmas. It's a handy little hardback book that promises to help with all of life's uncertainties and problems.
Here's what you do...Think of the question that's on your heart while holding the closed book on your lap or on a table. Take 10 - 15 seconds to concentrate on the question. Questions should be close-ended. Open the book when you sense the time is right and there, ladies and gentleman, is your answer.

Let's ask my copy of this little gem a few important questions...

Will I ever go to Italy? Doubt it.
Will I ever lose all this weight? Wait.
What am I waiting for? Should I wait until they legalize crack and use that as my diet aid? There is a substantial link to another situation.
What? Like, am I going to have to go to rehab if I take crack? Consider it an opportunity.
Will I meet famous people at my rehab? Respect the rules.
What if I forget to respect the rules seeing how I'm all strung out on crack. Will they kick me out? Make a list of why.
I don't want to make a list why I didn't respect the rules. Will Britney be my roommate? Get it in writing.
I don't know what the hell that means!! You can't count on anything Britney does even if you get it in writing. Will Britney get her act together in the next 6 months? Mishaps are highly probable.
You can say that again, Answer Book. Let's look at the presidential race. Will Hillary get the Democratic nomination? Remove your own obstacles.

Whoaa....slow down, chief, I don't have obstacles. I'm not even running. So, do you like Obama? It may be difficult but you may find value in it.
Don't toy with me, book. So back to my original question. Will I lose weight this year? Ask your father.
Leave my dad out of it. I give up. Will I get a new car this spring? Upgrade any way you can.
Does that mean I've got to sell crack to get my car? Listen more carefully; Then you will know.
What the hell??? Answer me, dammit! Is this going to be my best year ever? Try a more unlikely solution.
Wait...does that mean my year is going to be awful? I need to end on a positive note. Do you like McCain for the Republican nomination? No, cancel that...Will I receive a large sum of money by summer? It seems assured.

Wooo Hoo! Thanks Book of Answers! For a while there I was starting to think you were a gimmick; a fake. I thought you were just toying with me. Thanks for the good news.
If you have pressing matters that need resolving, please send me whatever is weighing on your mind and my book will guide you.

Calling All Molecules for Change

Why did I pick up Elizabeth Gilbert's book, Eat, Pray , Love? Why? Now I'm full of restlessness and jealously and unfocused energy. I am officially on the countdown to turning 40. This is the year, folks, and I desperately need some Oprah magical A-HA! moments. It's time to live my best life and blah, blah, blah. I want some challenges. I need to meet some new people. I need to travel. I need push myself a bit more to be a better person, mother, wife, and even a student.

The thing is that I have already set some goals. I'm already doing something out of my comfort zone (teaching) and I have signed up to try to be a bit better ( Weight Watchers, more church, looking inward, and praying). So why am I looking for new things to add to the old, new things?

That's just the way I've always been - whacked out on undiagnosed ADD.

Here are my challenges for 2008. Things I want to accomplish before turning 40 on December 13, 2008.

l. Lose 30 -40 pounds. I signed up for Weight Watchers two weeks ago. I'm down a whopping four pounds. I get all four of my wisdom teeth extracted this Thursday. The only good that will come of that is I will not be able to eat for a few days.

2. I am teaching again. I like it but I still don't know if I'm imparting any practical knowledge to my students. I would like to look into getting a master's degree in literature or creative writing. I will be looking into the possibilities.

3. Lisa Melton told me about a 5k run in Germantown. She is doing a half-marathon. I will try to finish 3 point something miles. Wish me luck.

4. I want to write / publish a book.

This is my plea to the universe: lose weight, more learning, physical fitness, write more and publish, be a better mother, wife, daughter. In fact, all of this list making is my way of trying to rearrange the fabric of the universe to help me make a better, more restful bed. I have decided it can't hurt to practice some new age philosophy along with good old-fashioned Presbyterianism. Any and all advice will be appreciated.