Before and After

This is what I carried my camera in before. (out of laziness and because it was handed down with the camera)

And this is what I carry my camera in now, thanks to an early birthday present from Lolly.

Much better, no?! Thanks Lolly! I love it. I no longer have to worry about people thinking I have a drinking problem whenever my camera is in my handbag.

Can not wait

For November 13. One because it's my birthday and two for this, by the makers of Love Actually, because I love music as it use to be.

Who Will I Be Tomorrow

I watched Nights In Rodanthe last weekend. Thank goodness I knew the ending or I would have been a sobbing mess. Diane Lane's character talks about how when you get married and have children at some point you give up who you are and become who you think you should be. I think there is so much truth in that statement. In the movie that hasn't really worked well for her. Richard Gere's character tells her to stop being who she thinks she should be and be what she wants to be, or something to that effect. I think that takes her by surprise. That she has a choice.

All this is very timely for me, in that November is my birthday month. I always find that I seem to re-evaluate and take stock of the what, where, why, and what's next in my life during this month. This really has me wondering have I lost part of me. I think so. Not on purpose. I use to be funnier. I use to be clever. Now I am caught up in the mundane. I hope to spend the next year working on getting rid of those things about me that bog me down and invite in more of things that bring me joy.

Oh I also tend to go on spending sprees in November. I have a sneaky suspicion that may be directly related to the exercise of taking stock of my life...

Table Topics Tuesday

which food would you choose to be calorie-free?

SUGAR!

what would you choose

Dia de los Muertos

The Day of the Dead which has its roots in the Aztec and indigenous cultures of Mexico, is celebrated in Mexico and in Latino communities across North America on Nov. 1 and Nov. 2, coinciding with the Roman Catholic holidays of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day.

On Día de los Muertos, people remember and honor their deceased loved ones by preparing altars for them and decorating the altars with food and valued possessions of the departed. The focus is more on the celebration of the lives of the departed loved ones rather than on their death.

There is a Mexican saying that we die three deaths: the first when our bodies die, the second when our bodies are lowered into the earth out of sight, and the third when our loved ones forget us.

I'd like to use today as a reminder to slow down, remember, and be blessed for all those who are waiting for me on the other side.

All Saints Day

The Feast of All Saints is a holy day of the Church honoring all saints, known and unknown. This is much like the American holidays Veterans Day and Presidents Day, where many people are honored on one day. While we have information about many saints, and we honor them on specific days, there are many unknown or unsung saints, who may have been forgotten, or never been specifically honored. On All Saints Day, we celebrate these saints of the Lord, and ask for their prayers and intercessions.

All Saints Day is a Holy Day of Obligation for Catholics. As luck would have it, it falls on a Sunday this year. We'll already be in church.

All Hallows Eve

Points to Ponder

Is it just me or do you think it's wrong for a middle age white man to use the word "da" for "the", even if it is in written form?

Yo, dude you live in Alpharetta not Compton.


Call me hyper critical but it drives me crazy.

Morning Humor

Driving Lolly to school this morning we pulled up behind a car with this bumper sticker

To which Lolly said "Well, hello my friends". I laughed so hard I thought I was going to wet my pants.

Table Topic Tuesday

does size matter?

depends on what we're talking about...diamonds, heck ya!

what matters in size to you? keep it clean ladies =)

My Next Life

Listening to my MP3 player work is sparking some creativity. I might just have to give this a try if I come back as another person. Might be easier than M-F 7-4. Just sayin...

sorry for the Kayne, just enjoy Jamie, he's the best part anyway.

Counting Sheep

My running injury is causing pain in more than my leg. I started phyiscal therapy on Friday because I am still in pain and dragging my left leg behind me when I walk. My doctor said if I ever wanted to run again I needed physical therapy. The physical therapist said no running for 4-6 week, no exercise at all for now, and do not sleep on your left side or your right side if you can help it.

As chance would have it, I am a left side sleeper. Does anyone sleep on their back? I am finding it near impossible. If I manage to get to sleep, I wake up after an hour or so. I am having to insert a little right side sleeping to save my family's sanity.

Pray for us. Lack of sleep and no exercise isn't going to pretty at The House of Fowler. I think Mister has begun planning an out of town escape...

When Smart Girls Lose Their Minds

Becasue we visited here, Ghirardelli Square, while we were in San Francisco

I just polished off one of these. You know, the big size bars. Not your average small bar.Because isn't that what any smart girl would do, who is injured and can't exercise for well who knows how long? Yeah, probably not.

and I am not too proud to tell you that if I had another one, I'd probably polish it off too. Seriously, it's that good.

Race Recap - I Ran Like An Injured Girl

I forget why I don't like big races until we start and then remember, crap the crowd. I think it was something like mile 4 before the masses started to thin out and you weren't running into people. It's so hard for me to get a good pace going.

Pre-race, my 13 mile runs came in at just under 2:15. Not fast but with walk breaks I was happy with that. For the race I was hoping to beat 2:30 with the crowd and the hills. At mile 7, when I pulled a thigh muscle I was just praying to finish. Pain for 6.1 miles. I was disappointed because I wasn't tired and I was handling the hills well but the pain, ugh. I finished in 2:58:39. Under 3 hours, injured,well I can't be disappointed in that. Pain and all I enjoyed every single minute.

I think Nike did a great job with the race. I was disappointed with most of the race merchandise. Note to Nike - Not everyone has a long, thin torso and wide shoulders. Some of us are a little shorter and thicker, just saying.

I was told I would be hooked on the race and want to run it again. But I wasn't, could be the pain talking. It would be nice to have a pain free do-over. If I ran it again, I would want to be part of the Team in Training because that was where the excitement was on race day.

Probably wasn't wise to keep running but I came for the necklace and I wasn't leaving without it. I am still hobbling today but it's a small price to pay to say I finished.

Oh and Note to Self - if you run it again don't spend 6 hours walking around sight seeing the day before, just saying, might not have been a good idea.

Ready Set Go

Heading to the start line. Going to enjoy every mile.
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Mobile Blogging

Test. Test.

Note to self: get a laptop!

--------------------------
Sent using my BlackBerry

Quoted

Imagine my surprise as I was reading through the current blog posts in my blogger reading list, clicked on Savvy Working Gal's post on A follow up: "How to break out of a slump" and see myself quoted.

Does that count as my 15 minutes of fame? I hope not, because I'd like my bout of fame to include cash and prizes.

Table Topic Tuesday

would you prefer money for a housekeeper, chef, masseuse, chauffer, or secretary?

A housekeeper. End of story.

which would you choose?

Count Down

On Friday I will be boarding a plane to here

to run 13.1 miles for something that comes in one of these.

I just hope my thigh/hip muscle will stop aching in time. I some how pulled/injured myself after my taper run yesterday. I can't decide if I need to keep moving to loosen it up or stay seated to let it heal. I have 4days to figure it out.

Intervention Needed

I spent the majority of my Saturday sitting in front of computer working on my farm. By majority, I mean at least 8 hours or more.

Mister, says I can't stand it, that I have to have change all the time or I get bored.

I just think I have farm issues. If something doesn't happen soon, I may spend the majority of my Sunday here too. It's a work in progress.

Freaks of the Week

Busy week. The Nobel Committee. Barack Obama wins the nobel peace prize. Don't get me wrong, while he wasn't my choice I hope he can accomplish some great things but really didn't they jump the gun? Did I miss something? Has the Nobel become a marketing award?

Freak of the Week

Levi Johnston to strip for Playgirl Seriously, who's advising this kid. I hope he has the goods to back this stuff up. Seriously, when will people learn that some times your fifteen minutes of fame is going to reap havoc on your future.

Table Topic Tuesday

what did you learn from your family about money?

that it doesn't grow on trees. haha, ok I thought that was funny. I did hear that a lot. I don't think I was taught to be irresponsible with money but that's kind of how I ended up. The last couple years have been spent trying to get on the right path.

what did you learn?

Letter to Kroger

Dear Kroger,

Why must you make your bags so big when clearly you only fill half the bag. Do me a favor, save the material that your bags are made of and use smaller bags. Or, do like the rest of the companies and don't make your bags see through so I can't see that your playing games with size and price.

Oh, and give me the option of having a receipt printed if I want one. If I am just getting chips and pop and paying cash, I don't want one. And save me the useless advertisements that look like coupons with my receipt.

P.S. I normally love you but you caught me on a crabby day.

Freaks of the Week

On the drive home yesterday, I am 99.9% sure I heard on the radio that Congress voted for a salary increase for themselves. Seriously, what nerve. And the powers that be wonder why we have no faith in the governement. Could they really be that stupid, that disconnected, that full of themselves?

Listen up Congress. You know what I got at my last performance review? Zip. Zero. And I did a good job. I have the ranking/rating to prove it. But you know, times are hard so nobody got a raises. Nobody asked me, I didn't get to vote on whether I wanted to forego a raise. UGH!!!! Congress giving themselves a raise is just wrong.

New Day, New Outlook

Love me some Mary J. Always reminds me of my sister. I see a resemblence internally and externally. My sister thinks I am crazy.

Don't Try This At Home

Using Double Stuff Oreos to fill a void or fix a problem. I tried fill

Work boredom

The fact that I will need to spend another $100, I think that makes $650 now spent, for a new post-flood appraisal for our refi ( which is sure to go into to the record book as the longest refi in the history of mortgages 3 months and counting), even though we had no flood damamge.

My time being monopolized by drama seeking mother in the car rider lane.

A co-worker who doesn't think it's important to clue me in on something that's been done even though we are suppose to be a "partnership", once again.

Middle school drama

A house that's never clean, laudry that's never finished

dinner that was ruined

and that's just the short list. It didn't work. Is 5:00pm to early to go to bed so I can get up and try again tomorrow?

Table Topics Tuesday

what book are you reading right now?

Actually I am reading a few

Creating The Accountable Organization ( A practical guide to improve performance execution) by Mark Samuel - Snore. Required work reading. I know what you're thinking Accountable Organization is an oxymoron right?

Beneath A Silent Moon by Tracy Grant

Who Were The Beatles by Geoff Edgers. Lolly's book that I am reading for inspiration for posts on my Beatles Blog

Next up on my list is Trust Agents by Chris Brogan.

What are you reading?