Oprah's finally over, as well as Country Idol

Ok, despite my boycott, I do have the finale turned on this evening in the background.  Mostly because there's nothing else on, and secondly, because Chris is not home yet and if I hop in bed and fall asleep he'll surely wake me.  Thirdly, I've started to cough.  A dry, croupy cough. Rather incessantly, since, oh...7:30pm or 8:00?  I can't figure out if it's the 'cold' that was coming on/affecting me end of last week/weekend (which, btw, I thought was practically gone by today), or, if it's just from the smoke (weekly Mummy night/visit at Mom's tonight -despite her refraining from lighting one til after I left).  It's exhausting and my chest hurts.  Blah!

So yeah, enough of my complaining.  A few points, for old times sake:
- so it's now a showdown between the 'best' country performer.  I could care less which one of them takes the crown, or sequined cowboy hat, as it were.  They're both talented (the majority of the top 10 were), just, not my thang, I guess.
-I do enjoy the finale shows, as they are chalk-full of stars joining the Idols on their songs.  I missed the start, and really just started paying attention now, and there's only about a half hour left, but I've come to realize that...
-I really do heart Tom Jones.
-I really, really don't like Beyonce. At all. Not even a little bit. Nope.
-Carrie's legs are phenomenal.  I'm like, lusting after her legs.  I wish I had her legs.  I think I might serve myself up a bowl of ice cream to soothe my wounded self for knowing just how far from her legs that my legs actually are. Plus, it oughta help my throat, right?
-I'm glad I didn't spend money on the U2 tickets for the Magnetic 360 Tour; I just don't like them enough.  Who was the guy singing with them, anyway? (yeah, I really stopped watching after my boycott).
-I enjoy Steve Tyler a lot, and I think he's been a fair & decent judge. The best quote of the season (told to me by my mama, as quoted by Steve: "...so we'll f*&k the duck and see what comes out" - if anyone knows which contestant he was referring to, feel free to comment).
-Scotty can part his hair on the side as severely as he wants to, but he'll still look like the MAD guy.
-The "Idol" song SUCKED - I know he was heavily emotional, (licking at the streamers like they were snowflakes was a little much though), but man...out of tune much?

That is all :)

quote Tuesday

I found the following quote from W. Brett Wilson's newsfeed.  I think this is a quote that we can all benefit from:

‎"Do not judge and you will never be mistaken." - Jean Jacques Rousseau

The "list"

My head is POUNDING, so I've taken to the horizontal position with my cozy throw, the cat, and the laptop.  I'm coveting silence as Chris practices the electric guitar.  Even the sound of the dryer is pushing me over the edge.  Yeah, after celebrating the fact that I've been healthy all winter while people around me came down with various ailments, I guess I've succumbed to something.  I can feel the fullness in my right ear and it's snaking down my throat and choking me.  It's as pleasant as it sounds. Needless to say, it's been a rather lazy long weekend.  I need a distraction.  You need a post.  Herein, I give you the "list".

What's the "list", you say?  Well it's that small grouping of celebrity people that you would whisk yourself away with for a night of hot, steaminess.  You all have one.  If you say you don't, you're bold-face lying!  When you're done agreeing with my choices, feel free to comment to tell me all about your own.  Here they are (in no particular order):


Jon Bon Jovi

I've always loved Bon Jovi.  I have always been a sucker for piercing blue eyes and a nice smile. Add an amazingly generous spirit and good nature to drop-dead gorgeous looks, and you have my Bon Bon.  I've fallen madly in love with this man over, and over, and over again.


Matthew McConaughey

There's just something sexy about him.  His smile; his dimples; his chest; his accent.  He's just well, awesome.  And, he gets my mojo workin'.

Wentworth Miller

He's a recent discovery, but I'm all-out lusting over this one.  He's the hot Michael Schofield on Prison Break, and he's been the topic of mannny a daydream since the short time between now and us discovering this little gem of a tv-show.  I heart Wentworth. *heart*.  I've gone so far as to Wiki him.  We're quite similar, actually.  Both Geminis, born only 3 days apart, and we both have our Bachelor degree in English.  It's like we're soul-mates or something, hmm?  He's just freaking hot, hot, hot, HOT!  I will be so sad when we finish watching Prison Break. I'm going to have to start watching the seasons over again.  What's that?  You don't watch Prison Break?  FOR SHAME -- get thee to Netflix and tune in....NOW!


John Stamos

When I was a little girl, I watched General Hospital with Mom.  I remember Blackie.  I remember thinking he was cute.  I knew the cute Uncle Jessie was played by the same actor, and I was thrilled when he earned a part on ER several years later.  Who'd have guessed a better haircut would make the guy 10 times cuter?  It could have been the lack of Bob Saget, too.  Regardless, he's a cutie patootie, fo' sho!

Shemar Moore

He was on a soap opera I didn't watch. He's on Criminal Minds now, which I don't watch.  But I still know who he is.  He's one of the hottest individuals I've laid eyes on, and has been on my "list" for a long, long time. Pretty. SO, so pretty.


Jesse Williams

Speaking of pretty, this little hottie has just waltzed his way onto my list after landing a part on Grey's last season.  Those eyes.  That smile.  Have you seen the scenes with no shirt on? Yum.  Dr. Avery makes my Thursday nights a lot better!

Eric Dane

 No "list" is complete without mentioning dear McSteamy.  Quite simply, he's friggin' hot. 

The list is complete.  The house is now quiet.  I think I'm going to hunker down under this blanket and see what movies I can find on Netflix, possibly starring someone from my beloved "list".  Hope you are all enjoying your weekend :)

in the words of Dr. Phil....

Euuuuughhhhhhhhhhh.......

Bleeecccchh.......

(I started this post on Sunday night. I had to draft it until I had a free moment to finish it). 

Tonight was book club night.  I get together with a great group of ladies and we gather together to eat and watch the movie of the book that was assigned for our group to read.  The first meeting during the movie we shared munchies - some candy and chips/salsa.  What started as munchies has now spread ino a full out 4 course potluck meal (appetizer, main meal and 2 desserts (at least)).  I usually eat light, you know, in preparation of the gluttony that is to follow. Today was no exception.  Regardless, I stuffed enough into my pie hole to feed a small starving country...and I have the belly ache to prove it now.

Will this feeling be sufficient to force me (finally) to get back on that broken wagon and start to look at my health and get some improvements started?  So far, we've gotten together for the past 4 months with 4 different books/movie dates.  So, yeah, perhaps not.  If only I could bottle that feeling - and release it in regular intervals.  I'd probably find some pill for that though, wouldn't I?

I saw this precious Dr. Phil poster in my FB feed, and it seems to fit this post.  I also love how Blogger kept updating the post as I sat here, composing, and the cursor kept popping up right under the picture so I kept constantly seeing the 'flash' of YOU'RE FAT!  Even Blogger is trying to tell me it's time to make a change.

quote tuesday

Yep, still raining.  There might be some sunshine tomorrow. Apparently.  

It's quote Tuesday!  Here's one to ponder:                                                 

"Your presence is a present to the world. You're truly one of a kind. Your life can be what you want it to be. Take the days one at a time. Count your blessings, not your troubles. You'll make it through whatever comes along. Within you are many answers. Have courage. Be Strong. Wish upon a star, and don't forget....how very special you are."

Oh Mr. Sun...

...where the eff ARE YOU?  This is our miserable forecast for the next 5 days.  And, it is a carbon copy of what? The last 10 or so? 

It's so depressing.  I have to thank whatever individual for his/her photoshop skills for taking something so dreary and trying to find a smile.  Read carefully:

 

So do you think all this rain is just readying us for a super, sunny awesome June???  I hope so.  I have a week's vacation coming up, and I sure don't wanna see an extended forecast like this.*

Stay dry, everyone.  Happy Friday!

*Truth be told, every year I have worked at my present job, I've booked a week off in early June (as close to the summer as I could book, being so low on the totem pole).  Every.single.year. it poured rain the entire week.  I can still hope for it, though, right?  Mother Nature is one fickle bitch, though, ain't she?

customer service, part 2

Maybe it's because I've worked in the "customer service" industry all of my working life...  Maybe it's because I pride myself on providing a good customer service experience, that I have grown to expect it back in return... Here's a story...

A number of weeks ago, Chris received a tag from the post office in the mail re: a parcel for me that required a signature for delivery.  As the tag indicated, he went to the post office before the office closed to pick it up.  It was a Friday afternoon, approximately 10 minutes to 5.  The office closed at 5:00.  He waited his turn in line behind another customer who had a number of parcels to send in the mail.  Spying the tag for the parcel in Chris' hand, the post office clerk advised if he was only there to get a parcel, she could pop back to get it for him.  She checked with her current customer to see if it was ok if she left her for a moment to do so, and the customer agreed without hesistation.  So far, pretty good customer service, no?

The postal clerk goes back to where the parcels are stored, and soon returns, the parcel in her hand, and a grimace on her face, "I'm sorry, I can't give this to you now.  It requires a signature, and we close at 5pm. You'll have to come back for it".

Chris: "But the parcel is right in your hand".

Clerk: "I'm sorry, sir; I'm in the middle of helping this customer, and we close at 5".

Chris: "But I entered this location before 5; you have my parcel in your hand".

Clerk: "I'm sorry" (with very little apology in her tone).

Meanwhile, the other customer who was being assisted looks extremely uncomfortable.  Chris, still in shock that the clerk couldn't interrupt the job she was doing to take the thirty seconds it would take to enter the code on the box and have him scribble his John Hancock.  I mean, really....she could easily have said the parcel wasn't in his name, and she'd only release it to the addressee, that would have been swallowable.... She obviously had a hot date and needed to skat out of there at 5:00hrs 01 secs.  UNREAL.  I dunno where she learned her service ettiquette, but when I was being taught the ways of the customer service world, I was taught to clear the queue, or clear the store before the shift ended.  NOT push the customer out the door as your shift ended on the time clock and you didn't have 'time' to help his/her concern.

quote tuesday

...it's still raining.  I thought about searching out a sunshiney-blow-rainbows-out-yer-arse type quote, but that wouldn't be Amber-appropriate at all, so I decided on one that should make you think (err...pardon the pun):

"The third-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the majority. The second-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking with the minority. The first-rate mind is only happy when it is thinking."  ~ A. A. Milne

Today's task:  Stay first-rate, people ;)

Now it's your turn - write your own on your own blog, or send me something in the comments :)  Happy Tuesday!

rainy day monday and a weekend tally

Monday again.  And it's been raining all day.  I guess if it's going to rain, it may as well be a Monday, though, right?   I thought we had enough "April showers" though already.

Sooo, oh, hai!  Thanks for still tuning in despite a slackadaisy turnaround in the postings...I swear when I started the whole 'quote Tuesday' thing I had not intended on just weekly updates with just a quote.  For someone who feels she doesn't have much of a 'social life' it seems life has been busy!  I worked the night shift last week, so there wasn't much on the go other than the standard work, eat, tv, sleep, repeat (about as blog-worthy as it sounds).  Saturday morning, Chris was up at the crack of crow p!ss and made sure I was up just after that.  We hit the road at about 7am and headed to the mainland.  Our original intent of the trip was a visit to see Sue before she was packed up in her three transfer trucks and back to where she hailed from.  Of course, the two of us being the procrastinators that we are, we left it til the very last minute (the last day being May 8) .  Before we made it as far as Halifax, we had to stop in Truro to visit Chris' nannie.  It being Mothers Day weekend, when we arrived, she also had a full house - with Chris' parents and his Uncle Terry & Aunt Judy.  So we had a nice visit and fueled up on home cookin' before we hit the road to Hali. 

Sue was neat.  Actually, I sorta thought she'd be bigger.  Perhaps, being that she was in 'strike' position, down low, this did something to the perception?  Had there been room to stand her up tall, she might have appeared to be more intimidating. *shrug*.  Perhaps I'm just grappling with the memory of a 7-year-old me when we visited the "Dinosaur" museum in Ottawa.   Perhaps I just need something other than an assortment of aged bones to excite me.  Perhaps heading to Halifax on very little sleep, while PMS'ing, and then having to stand outside in a line-up to see said aged bones were a bad combination.  Yeah, I was a little underwhelmed.  Chris was like a kid though, and squealed with delight. So one of us had fun ;).

After the museum, we stopped into David's Tea, where I picked up a few delicious blends I can't wait to try, and then we hit Jack Astor's with the Moshers!  The food was delicious, and the company was even more appealing.  Thanks for the laughs, Moshers!  We miss you so much!  With extremely full bellies, we hit the road and were on moose patrol (well, I suppose I wasn't much help.  Every time Chris made a comment, "Oh there's eyes in the ditch", I'd awake from my stupor.  For the record, there was nary a moose sighting).  It was 11:30 before we drove back into the hood and we collapsed into bed soon after.  It was a whirlwind trip, certainly do-able as a day trip, but it is pretty tiring.

Yesterday, Chris made supper for the mommas.  Unfortunately, my momma bailed at the last minute, so we're going the celebrate her on Wednesday night during our weekly "Mummy & me" night.  Chris' mom & dad seemed to have a good time, despite there being a few less people than expected.  Thanks for all your hard work preparing supper, Chris!! *muah!*  Wishing all of the mommas in my readership much love.  Hope you all had a chance to celebrate 'you' with your close family and friends! xoxo.  What did you do? Tell me all about it!

quote tuesday

Wow, is it really Tuesday all over again? 

Today's quote was easy.  I borrowed it again, from a FB status.  Several on my friendship list had this posted actually.  In light of some recent events, it really speaks volumes, to me:

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Osama bin Laden was killed.  An eye for an eye?  Sure, the man was responsible for unspeakable grief and suffering.  But will this end the horror?  Of course not. Will the man's counterparts not declare justice, or revenge on the people responsible for the act?  Of course they will.  As Obama and the rest celebrate the victory, I sure hope they tighten up the security.

Families are like fudge - mostly sweet with a few nuts*

Even after I knew the Easter Bunny wasn't 'real' I still enjoyed a good Easter egg hunt.  The years my older brother was home to help hide the eggs were the best.  He'd find the most inconspicuous places and hideaways that oftentimes, a lone egg would be found months and months beyond it's "prime" time (I probably still ate them anyway, truth be told).  So yeah, even though my younger brother and I insisted that there still be an egg hunt long after it was socially acceptable, it meant that Easter was a whoollllle lot more fun than it would be after the hunts ceased.

2002 marked a sad, sad Easter season for the family - with Dad succumbing to the cancer just days after Easter Sunday.  The last Easter card I have purchased was one for him...where I had feebly signed it, "please get well", knowing it was a futile wish.  Since then, the coming of Easter has brought up sadness to me, to the point where I don't want to celebrate (admittedly, for selfish reasons; I've never been overly religious).  This year, Easter did fall a lot later than normal, and it was a few weeks after the anniversary, but, I still felt melancholy. 

My brother and sister-in-law had travelled to the Island to visit, and Easter Sunday fell in their vacation interval.  I spent the better part of the weekend at Mom's, surrounded by my craaazy family.  Easter Sunday we dined on leftover hamburger/macaroni goulash, not baked ham or turkey with all the trimmings.  If one was to spy on our living room through a looking glass you'd see a litany of crazy, spotted with a bit of lunacy, raunch, and silly thrown in for good measure. I'm sure we are the fixins of a real good sitcom :P.  Despite the silly, there's a whole lotta love...and I'm glad that I could spend a 'sad occasion' in the throes of craziness and family. 

I hope you all celebrated a good Easter weekend, and had your own mix of silly, fun, and the love of family, too.

*Author unknown - and the quote seemed to depict our crazy clan to a "T".