Various thoughts...

My mind is going in a million different directions today, so I figured I'd share with you guys.  Come on, let's all sit in a circle and find one of those talking sticks you have to pass around for it to be your turn to talk.

I'm not going to write about the hooplah surrounding Casey Anthony, although I will say that I do think she is absolutely guilty of killing her child, and I'm very disappointed in the prosecution's inability to prove it beyond a reasonable doubt.   Just one of the many problems with the US Justice System... 

Yesterday we tore the walls out in my bathroom in preparation for the installation of my new whirlpool tub.  YAY! It should be in by this weekend, and you may never hear from me again...

School starts back on August 18th, and I'm taking Spanish 102, but it's been eight years since I took 101 so I'm freaking out about that a little bit.  I also planned to read both books on JFK's assassination written by my professor in preparation for that course, but I haven't gotten through the introduction of the first one yet. I'm not really worried about my class load since I'm taking my last English, Communications (giving speeches - being the center of attention and talking nonstop for five minutes should be a breeze for me),  Colonial American History - an elective, but it's with a professor I absolutely adore, so I'm excited - and Library Science.  This should be an interesting semester...

The last week of July I'm going to Panama City Beach for a week with my momma, grandparents, sister, cousin and my baby girls, so I really need to get some semblance of a tan by then...

I have yet to finish moving everything from our old house to our new house, and we have people coming to look at the old house this weekend, so I should really be over there packing stuff instead of blogging, but oh well...

Hubs asked me if he could buy a new computer since his gave out last month.  I made him a Honey-Do List of the little things that still need to be done around our new house and told him he could buy the computer once the list is completed.  He's grumpy at me now...

I've recently developed a liking to Britney Spears, which is strange for me, and I'm disappointed that I can't go to her concert in New Orleans next Friday night.  I refuse to pay $168/ticket when I know I'll have to sit through Nicki Minaj for a half-hour first.  No, thank you.

I have so many novels I wanted to read for fun this summer, but I've only read three and I know I should be reading school-related books in preparation for the fall semester.  I just can't get motivated. 

Renovating a house is exhausting after a while.  I do love being able to make it my own, though. 

Okay, now it's your turn.  What's on your mind?

I'm so glad I got married before Facebook took over the world

Seriously. 

I was just reading a post on a fellow blogger's site about going on dates, and how awkward it is to try and ignore someone when they can call your cell phone, text you, email you or make things uncomfortable for you online.  How true!

It's almost too easy to stalk somebody nowadays.  You can just Facebook stalk them, follow them on Twitter or put a trace on them - there's actual tracking apps for smart phones.  Creepy, right?    What happened to the good old days, when you rode around at night for hours with your friend, hoping to spot your love interest leaving work, or at their favorite bar, then followed them home and sat outside their house for hours?  Not that I did that, mind you.  I was usually the best bud who was dragged along for the stakeout and had to occasionally mumble words of encouragement like "I'm sure he just hasn't called you back because his phone died" or "No, I don't think he would be creeped out if he realized we were sitting outside his house at midnight."  I hated lying because I was quite sure whichever guy it was we were stalking would absolutely file a restraining order against my friend had they discovered us. 

When Hubs and I first started dating, Facebook was around but not yet the social monster it is now.  Myspace was popular, but neither of us spent a great deal of time online.  We managed to date for several months before the rest of the world knew about it.  Now, of course, I have around 600 photos on my Facebook and over 500 "friends" (mostly former classmates) who know basically every outing we go on, which movies I've seen recently and what I do in my free time. 

Sometimes I'm concerned with the amount of personal information shared on Facebook and other social sites.  Sure, we can set our privacy settings at the maximum levels, but we're still giving out a massive amount of info to everyone.

Apparently the new big thing in dating is the relationship status.  Changing your status from "single" to "in a relationship" is the cause of excessive stress and worry.  You don't want to change it too soon, because you might freak out the person you're dating.  However, if you don't change it soon enough, they may think you're dating other people.  I guess it's inappropriate to ask the person you're dating, "Hey, do you think we're at a point where we can change our Facebook statuses now?"  How ridiculous.  My dad has a Facebook and is married, and he decided to see what would happen if he changed his status from "Married" to "It's Complicated."  His page blew up.  Within a few hours every person on his friend list had either written on his wall, messaged him or called his phone.  Granted he only has 36 friends, but still.  Think of the possible damage that could be done to one's personal life. 

Because I have two teenage sisters and an eighteen-year-old cousin, I am Facebook friends with twenty or thirty other teenagers.  I read their posts and stay frustrated with them because they're so dramatic all the time.  They whine about everything.   "Mom won't let me go out tonight.  FML."  "Nothing good ever happens to me."  "I hate everyone."  "Life sucks."  Blah blah blahbety blah. 

What's worse, though, is the relationship drama that goes on.    Remember when you would be dating someone, and would find out he'd been seeing another girl?  Did you go online and write dirty messages so everyone could see she was a skank?  Oh no, indeed.  You went to where that hooker hung out, called her out and beat the mess out of her.  That's how drama was handled in my day.  Now these kids will call each other every name under the sun for hours on end, talking big and letting the entire world know all of their business.  However, let them see each other in public somewhere, and what do they do?  Walk right past each other, not saying a word.  Where's your big britches now, honey? 

Another beef I have with kids is that they have no idea what a serious relationship is.  Today they LOVE Brad, but tomorrow they hate him and LOVE John, and so on and so forth.  Let me give you a tip, kid:  If you LOVE one guy today, chances are you won't LOVE someone else tomorrow.  It's more of a lasting thing.  A few months, at least.  Oh and you can't date someone for a week and be in love with them.  You don't even know them! 

Okay, I think I've ranted on that enough. 

If Hubs and I ever divorce, I don't know what I'll do.  I don't think I could handle social dating.  It's too complicated and ridiculous.    Although I'm sure it will be easier to meet single dudes!

Chain Letters

It always happens in a similar fashion: I'm having a relatively good day. Work was good, the kids are being good, all is well in my world. I sign into my email, browse through the never-ending list of forwards, and I notice a message that gets my interest. "I'm pregnant" "Save this child's life" "URGENT!" Whatever the title, it's guaranteed to be one that will make me read. I scroll through the endless list of names that this email has previously been forwarded to, and finally I reach the message.

It generally starts out with the story of Bob, who had a picture-perfect life, dated the pretty girl, had a great job, blah blah blah, until he got an email that he was instructed to forward. Bob didn't bother to follow the instructions, and the next day, Bob lost his job. He caught his girlfriend cheating on him with his best friend. Then his house burnt down, and while fleeing the fire, Bob was attacked by a rabid dog, robbed of his clothes, and finally, run over by a semi. Poor Bob.

The email then goes on to instruct me that if I do not forward this message to however many people within however many minutes/hours, the same tragic fate will come my way. What the hell? You mean to tell me that if I don't send this email to 98 people in the next 5 minutes that I'm going to meet my maker in some similarly horrific-yet-hilarious manner? I don't even have 98 contacts. Not to mention that I've spent the last 3 minutes griping about how ridiculous this is, so now I'm down to 2 minutes.

Obviously, I am not going to forward this ridiculousness to any of my friends. I'm tempted to call up the idiotic friend who sent it to me in the first place. Are people really so stupid that they will repeat the pattern? Oh, I'm sure after first reading the email they had the same reaction I did. Then the wheels started turning in their brains. What if it's true? What if by some chance I DID die for not sending this to my friends? Didn't I see on the news the other night that there's been a handful of mysterious deaths recently? Is this email the reason? I saw Final Destination. I don't want to be sending death my way unnecessarily. On and on it goes, the imagination spinning wildly out of control until they've convinced themselves that they simply MUST forward the email, just in case.

This reminds me of when I was a child, and my friends told me that if I stood in front of a mirror and said "Bloody Mary" three times, that the actual Bloody Mary from history would come and kill me (NOTE: Never, in all my years of studying history, did I ever read about this Bloody Mary person).

Needless to say, this anger-inducing email went straight to my trash. So, it's now been about an hour since reading the threatening email. I'm still kicking. However, if this happens to be my last post, you'll know that I was kidnapped, tortured, dismembered and disposed of by Bloody Mary. Que sera, sera.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail....OR Jess in search of vintage stuff for her kitchen!

So we bought a house, and I now have a kitchen large enough to have an actual theme.  (Our old kitchen was like a linen closet, it was ridiculous.)  I'm into all things antique/vintage, so I made up my mind fairly quickly to go with that.  Deciding was the easy part.  Finding said items, however, another story entirely...

Luckily I have a grandmother who holds on to EVERYTHING she was ever given, and she recently decided to start thinning out her collection.  Win for Jess.   My mother also stopped in an antique shop whilst in Georgia recently and picked up a few items for me as well.

They gave me these cans (there was also an old tobacco can, but I put that one on top of my china cabinet)

and this awesome tiny washboard

They donated some vintage pasta containers, an old spice rack and a simple cookie jar circa 1960ish.  I also inherited a china cabinet from my great-grandmother, so Mom and Mawmaw immediately started searching for unique little teapots and the likes for my cabinet.  They're so great!

Then Hubs, wonderful man that he is, went to a yard sale and found this fabulous old wall phone for me!

So now that I've started a great - albeit small - collection, I'm on the hunt for more fantastic finds.  The stuff I'm looking for:

Blue Mason Jars

Great for soap dispensers!

More tins/canisters

I also want these (available on multiple websites), which are not actual vintage cans, but the advertisements are so cute, and my Mawmaw said these were real brands back in the day:

Bread tin

I also want some new stove burner covers, but have yet to find what I want.  Those are going to be tricky, I think. 

So basically I want anything and everything I can find. The other day I bought these salt & pepper shakers on Amazon: 

They're so stinking cute!

Hubs worries I'm getting carried away, and that pretty soon our house is going to look like one of those places visited by the American Picker guys (I LOVE that show!).  I'm afraid he might be right...

Silly Superstitions

A few days ago I was driving home with my cousin when we passed under a yellow traffic light.  She immediately kissed her thumb and touched the roof of the car.  I looked at her, befuddled.  She explained that you're supposed to do that every time you go under a yellow light for good luck.  I laughed and told her she was ridiculous.

I'm not afraid of Friday the 13th. I will walk under ladders and step on cracks without fear of breaking my mother's back. I don't freak out when a black cat crosses my path, either.  Most of these old superstitions seem just silly to me.  

Then there are funny superstitions, like a friend of mine who wears the same New Orleans Saints T-Shirt and cooks the same meal every time the Saints play ball because he's afraid it will bring the team bad luck if he doesn't.   Or my younger cousin, who, when his junior high basketball team was undefeated, wore the same underwear and socks every game for luck.   

I consider myself to be fairly level-headed, and when I said so to Hubs, he quickly brought it to my attention that I am, in fact, superstitious about a few things.  They're things that I've done for so long that I didn't even consider them unusual.  Apparently I'm right up there with the rest of the weirdos.

Knock on wood

It's true, whenever someone asks me how well my oldest daughter is doing with potty training, how my car is running, or how LSU is doing during football season (or any other similar question), if the response is a good one, I knock on the nearest piece of wood I can find, just in case.  Don't want to jinx it!

Bless you!

Growing up my sister, cousins and I always heard that if someone sneezed and you didn't say "God Bless You" an evil spirit would be able to possess them by going up their nose.    Of course I know now that it's simply a matter of courtesy.  As a kid, though, that scared the hell out of me.

Salt over your shoulder

The first time I ever heard of this was while watching Dumb & Dumber.  It piqued my curiosity and after questioning my grandpa I learned it was an actual superstition.  From then on I've always thrown salt over the shoulder after any spill. 

If the clasp on your necklace slides around to the front, kiss it.

I have no idea where this one originated, but my friends and I always kissed the clasp on our necklaces whenever they turned to the front because we were told it meant the person you liked was thinking about you, and by kissing it they would be yours.  Silly little superstition, but to this day still I kiss the clasp whenever I notice it in front, out of habit.    

Exessive tickling will give baby a stutter

I've heard this one my entire life.  Anytime someone would come visit with a new baby, there would always be one person who wanted to tickle the poor thing until it couldn't catch its breath, and either my grandmother, mother or aunt would sternly remind them, "Don't tickle that baby too much, you'll give him/her a stutter!"   I always thought it was a ridiculous superstition, but once my babies were born, I found myself asking people not to tickle them too much....just in case...



http://www.lemonsandbeans.com/

 Cabbage and black-eyed peas on New Year's Day

According to legend, eating cabbage and black-eyed peas on January 1st will grant you health and wealth. My family has never gone a New Year's Day without gathering at my grandmother's house to partake in this superstition.   I don't know why we stick to this one, because none of us have suddenly come into any money.  We have had good health in our family, though, so I guess it's worth eating once a year, just to be safe.   They should have made it something better though, like boiled crawfish and potato salad, don't you think?

These are the superstitions I can't help but keep.  Do you have any unusual superstitions?  I want to hear about them!

Our totally awesome (and educational) trip to D.C. - Day Three

Day Three

By the time day three rolled around, our feet hated us.  We only had one full day in D.C. left, though, so we knew we had to suck it up and soldier on. 

Hubs had been bugging me since we reserved the trip about going to Arlington National Cemetery.  I really wanted to see JFK's eternal flame in person, but I'm not too keen on cemeteries.  They just freak me out.  I had to remind myself that Hubs had gracefully let me drag him to every single place on my Must See List thus far, so I caved and agreed we could spend Sunday morning in Arlington. 

On the way there we got lost and ended up in a shady part of town, but luckily made the proper corrections to our outdated map and got back on track without Hubs getting too nervous.  He has a terrible sense of direction, and if he thinks we're even slightly lost he freaks out.  Such a city boy. 

Anyhoo, we finally made it to Arlington National Cemetery and were pleased to find not many others had arrived yet.  We grabbed a map and set out to explore.

The first thing that surprised me was the size of the place.  I don't know what I was expecting, but this was not it.  The property just went on and on, rows and rows of small white headstones that continued farther than we could see.   I was also surprised that I wasn't creeped out like I usually am in cemeteries.  This place was just breathtakingly beautiful.  I remember thinking how the families of the people buried there must be so pleased that their loved ones can rest in such a lovely place (this is not normal thoughts for Jess).   The grass was a brilliant, bright green, the trees were all full and lovely.  It was a simple kind of beauty.  

The second thing that surprised me was realizing this cemetery is basically on a mountain.  Some would call it a large hill, but I'm going with mountain.  We walked uphill for a really long time.  My calves and behind got a nice little workout there!  When we first entered the cemetery wesaw people getting on these little shuttle bus things and thought how silly it was to ride a bus through the place when you could walk and really enjoy it.  Ha.  It didn't take me long to realize those people on the bus were the smart ones.  We kept passing people huffing and puffing, and I had concerns about a few middle-aged men who looked like they were borderline cardiac arrest.  Nonetheless, everyone kept marching up the hill to the first stop: the Kennedy graves.

As I've said before, I'm fascinated with JFK, and being able to stand in front of his final resting place was one of the most memorable moments of my life.  It was strange to stand there, knowing what this man did for our country, and what he was trying to do for our country when his life was taken so suddenly, horribly.  It didn't seem right that this larger-than-life image I've had in my mind could be right there, just several feet below us.  That being said, the eternal flame was beautiful, and I love that Jackie and the two babies they lost were buried all together. 

I was surprised to learn that both Bobby and Ted Kennedy were also buried in the cemetery.  I vaguely remember seeing Ted's funeral on television a few years ago, but completely forgot he had been buried there near his brothers. 

From the Kennedy graves we walked uphill for another five minutes to the Arlington House.  Hubs was super-excited about this because it belonged to General Robert E. Lee.  I had not known the property was Lee's prior to his involvement with the Confederate army during the Civil War.  After Lee resigned from the Union Army to join the Confederates, the US government decided to make the property into a cemetery, ensuring Lee could not return to his home after the war. 

The original house remains at the top of the hill, amazingly providing a view of all of Washington.  It's breathtaking.  

The house is preserved as a tribute to Lee, and was undergoing a few restorations when we visited.  We were able to walk through the entire house, both floors, to see where Lee and his family lived. 

After touring Lee's home, we headed over to see the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier.  Right as we arrived they were about to begin the changing of the guards, so we stayed to watch.  It was amazing to be standing amongst upwards of 100 people, with no one making a sound.  We all watched in silence as they performed the ceremony, the only sounds being the click of the soldiers' heels and the buzz of cameras capturing this solemn exchange. 

We made our way back down to the welcome center, where I found a replica of the newspaper published the day Kennedy was killed, then headed back into Washington to spend the rest of the day cramming as much tourism as we could into our last day.

The Freer Museum of Art was on my list because it claimed to contain a huge collection of early civilization art, including a fabulous Egyptian early art exhibit.  Psh.  There were about four things in the entire museum that were Egyptian, and the rest was mostly Japanese paintings and utensils. 

From there we headed over to the Museum of Natural History, which was AWESOME.

That place was huge, and contained everything you could think of:  dinosaurs, mammals, aquatic life, monkeys, skulls (human and ape), bugs, reptiles and butterflies.  I think I may have enjoyed it a great deal more if my feet weren't screaming at me the entire time, but we still had a great time. 

Our last stop was the National Gallery of Art.  It was fabulous.  I loved this museum because it contained pieces I had just studied in my Art History course during the Spring semester.  It was pretty cool to be standing in front of pieces I had only previously seen in textbooks.  

We shuffled painfully back to our rental car, then drove to the hotel to spend our last night in D.C.  Our flight home on Monday went fairly quickly, and we were back home with our precious baby girls by that afternoon.    We had a wonderful time in Washington, and plan on going back with our daughters when they're a little older and can somewhat understand and appreciate the history and magnificence of our nation's capital. 

Hope you enjoyed your virtual trip to Washington with me! 

Our totally awesome (and educational) trip to D.C.: Day Two

I wanted to tell you guys ALL about our trip to D.C. in May, and I have a tendency to ramble, so I decided to break the trip down into posts by days.
Day Two: 

We woke up to a cool, drizzly morning.  Not to be deterred, we headed over to the Mall, where we checked out the Washington Monument again, this time not surrounded by dozens of tourists.  Most were doing indoor activities that morning, so we were basically alone on that hill.  It was excellent. 

 

Hubs ecstatic to be touching the Washington Monument.
 I loved seeing him get as excited about stuff as I was!


I was also thrilled to realize that if you're standing on the hill at the Monument, you can see the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson Memorial, the Capitol and the White House in all four directions.  Gotta love clever geographical placement. 

Despite our gradual soaking from the constant drizzle, we decided to go ahead and check out the Lincoln and Vietnam Memorials since there were no crowds to deal with.  (TIP:  Although it may look like it's not that far from one monument to another, it's actually a pretty good walk.  If you go, wear sneakers, not sandals.  I learned my lesson the hard way.)

I was super-excited about the Lincoln Memorial because I've always been fascinated with Honest Abe, his presidency and  assassination.  I've seen a thousand pictures of the momument, but to be standing in front of it is amazing.  It's a lot larger than I expected. 



See?  HUGE.

From Lincoln we walked to the Vietnam Memorial.  A sudden, somber mood fell over us as we walked along the wall of names.  I don't know if it was more eerie because we were the only ones there, or if the rain added to it, but I was so moved standing there looking at the thousands of names engraved in the wall.   Hubs suddenly stepped forward and placed his hand on the wall, and I had an urge to take a picture of it.  His father was in Vietnam, and I think an emotion he wasn't prepared for came over him. 

The drizzle finally let up, and the sun came out.  I was relieved because I had started to feel like a drowned rat.  My hair was stuck to my head, and my clothes were uncomfortably damp. 

We decided to start walking back to the Reagan Center, where we had parked our rental car, when suddenly I realized we were walking directly towards the White House.   I pulled Hubs excitedly toward the path that takes you right past the back side of the east wing, aka the most photographed portion of the White House.  People had started moving out on the streets, so we had to maneuver through a few tour groups and school field trips to get to the gate.  I had another "Ahhhh" moment as we stood in front of the home of our Presidents.  I'm such a nerd.

We had a scheduled tour of the White House for later in the afternoon, so we continued to the Reagan Center where we had lunch and hung out for a while to dry off.  We purchased two teeny tiny umbrellas for $10 each, just in case.

Our White House tour was fantabulous.  No pictures, of course.  Check in was surprisingly easy and quick, so we ended up going on our "self-guided" tour an hour earlier than our assigned time.  Basically they let you walk yourself through the entire first floor of the east wing.  There are armed guards in every room and throughout the hallways, but they were all super-friendly and answered questions and told funny stories about both President Obama and past presidents.  It was so amazing to be walking through the same rooms and hallways walked by Lincoln, Kennedy, and so many other historical giants.  It wasn't until after our tour that I realized that Hubs and I had stood in both places in Washington where JFK had laid in state.

We were standing in one of the larger rooms when Hubs nodded toward the hall and said, "Hey, that's the same rug from when Obama announced that Osama bin Laden had been killed."  I rolled my eyes and said, "Nuh-uh."  He insisted that he was right, and asked the guard standing nearby.  The guard grinned and said, "Yep, that's right.  If you stand right there in the doorway, you'll be standing in the exact same spot as President Obama when he made the announcement."  Well of course Hubs had to go stand there.  Wish I could have taken a picture of that.    

I was like a giddy child throughout the entire tour, but it was okay because everyone else on the tour was equally excited.  I mean really, how many of us everyday Joes can say they've walked through the White House?  Exactly.

After our White House tour we went to meet up with my uncle, his girlfriend and her children, who all live in Maryland and rode over to visit with us for a while.  I was thrilled because it had been over ten years since I'd seen him last.  We went to the Museum of American History and had a great time.  That museum is huge, and although we spent about three hours inside, I doubt we saw everything. 

From there we headed towards Chinatown to have dinner at this place my uncle insisted was the best Chinese food in D.C.  On the way we stopped in a place called the Old Post Office and rode a rickety old (terrifying) elevator up to the 18th floor of the clock tower, where we could see for 9 miles in every direction.  That was pretty cool.

We continued our walk to Chinatown, and passed Ford's Theatre (AAAHHHH), and the house across the street where Lincoln died.  Wish we could have gone inside!

My uncle was right about the restaurant.  It was great.  Uncle and Hubs decided to be brave and drink some Chinese beer.  I played it safe with warm tea. 

Hubs and Uncle with their Chinese beer.

After dinner Uncle, his girlfriend and the kids had to head home, so Hubs and I were left to find something to do.  We made it to Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum about an hour before they closed, so we decided to have some fun and pose with famous wax celebrities.

There were some really great historical figures, like Washington, Lincoln, General Lee, JFK and Jackie, etc, but we had more fun with the celebrities. 



Ah, George. 

 

Hubs getting naughty with Britney.

 Before calling it a night and heading back to the hotel, I made Hubs walk back to the White House with me to get a photo at night.  Glad we did that.  It's a beautiful building, but it's even more stunning lit up at night.

Check back tomorrow for Day Three, and the conclusion of our totally awesome and educational trip to D.C.!

Our totally awesome (and educational) trip to D.C.: Day One

May 12th was a fabulous day.  I took my last final for the Spring semester, then Hubs and I headed to Washington, D.C. for a few days of fun in our nation's capital. 

Day One:

We started our trip with a tour of the US Capitol.  To say I was overwhelmed to be standing in front of that building is an understatement.  The tour was fantastic, and we had a great guide who knew all kinds of fun little facts about the building and events that happened there. 

After our tour, we strolled through the underground tunnel that led us to the Library of Congress -another building that took my breath away.  It's stunning inside.  A wonderful exhibit in the library was Jefferson's book collection, which he sold to the government after most of the library's books were destroyed by fire during the War of 1812.  I stood in the middle of the collection, surrounded by many first print editions of books, and cried.  Hubs laughed at me for being so emotional over books, but he understood my appreciation for such a treasure. 

By the time we finished our Capitol tour and exploration of the Library of Congress it was afternoon.  We had lunch at a charming little deli half-hidden in an alleyway, then continued on to the National Archives and were thisclose to the Declaration of Independence, Articles of Confederation and US Constitution.  Unfortunately we couldn't take photographs inside.  I was bummed about that, but snuck a few with my iPhone despite Hubs insisting that I would be spending our vacation in prison if I didn't put the phone away.  Chicken. 


Super-secret Mission Impossible shot I got of the
Declaration of Independence with my iPhone.  Shh.

Next we wandered over to the Mall, where we checked out the Washington Monument and then the Air & Space Museum.  I didn't think I'd like it, but I was pleasantly surprised. 

Hubs having a wonderful time looking at a gazillion planes.

After all of that we were exhausted, so we caved and went back to the hotel around 7 to shower and go to bed. 

To be continued.....  (Check out Day Two tomorrow!)

Hidy-ho, neighbors

How's it going, y'all?  I've missed you guys a great deal, but don't blame me, blame the massive collection of MORONS employed by AT&T....

Seriously, if I knew where Mr. AT&T lived, I'd drive to his home, knock on the door and when he answered just punch him in the face.

Here's the situation:

Hubs and I bought our new home -YAY!- in mid-May after our trip to D.C. (I'll cover that later).   We immediately called AT&T to request a transfer of service from our previous address to the new house.  Seems simple enough, right?  Well, it would be if we were talking about any other company.  But no, we're talking about AT&T. 

Fast-forward to today (June 20) and we STILL do not have internet service at our new residence.  Oh, they shut off the service at the old place.  Sure, they sent a guy out to run the new dsl line and install a phone jack.  But did they push that tiny little button on a computer in their office to connect the internet to our home?  Of course not.  That small piece of service apparently takes a whole new order, three weeks of wait time and an act of Congress.  

Jess has not been a happy gal.  

I've yelled at approximately 14 different service people, all to no avail.   I think they probably have my account highlighted and posted all over the company with some warning about providing actual service.  "Do not provide quality service to this customer.  She called us morons."

Grr.  

So that's why I have not been able to check in with you, my most fantabulous blogging buds.  I miss you all terribly, and cannot wait to catch up with you guys.  It will take me forever to do it, but I'm determined!  

Anyhoo,  I'm leaving on Wednesday to join my Tennessee family in Destin for a few days.  My girls have not been to the beach yet, so I'm excited to see their reactions.  Soon I will update you guys on our new house (demolition, renovation and other fun stuff), as well as our trip to D.C. and any other interesting tidbits I can recall. 

Love, peace and chicken grease!

 

The part where I'm an idiot

First off:

HAPPY EASTER Y'ALL!

I know we all get hyped up on the bunny/candy/easter egg hooplah, but I'm also a Christian so I consider this one of the most important holidays of the year.  To me, it's the day Jesus rose from the dead after being crucified.  One of the most awesome events EVER.  So, if you're a person of faith, be sure to take a minute and think about what this day means to you. 

As for the idiot part....

So I've totally spazzed and been MIA for about a week and a half now.  I have an excuse though:  Hubs and I are in the process of buying a new house, so it's been a little crazy over here in Jess Land. 

Anyhoo, I took part in Project Save Jumble Mash on Friday and was honored to have a guest post, but I failed to share on here with you guys.  So, that's the part where I'm an idiot. 

You guys can still go over to JM's blog and check out my guest post here.  Also, read the other guest posts, and then keep reading until you get to Jumble's posts, because she ROCKS.  If you're not a follower, do so now.  Seriously.  If you don't, I won't be your friend anymore. 

A Blog Worth Reading

Hey guys.  I'm going to bail on the A-to-tha-Zizzle challenge, because - let's be honest - it was getting boring.  Also, I'm not one for challenges that last longer than a day or two.  My attention span is equal to that of a second grader.  So yes, I'm a quitter.  Proud of it. 

Anyhoo,  enough of that malarkey. 

I follow a few dozen blogs, about 10 or so of which I read on a daily basis.  Some are hilarious, some are nonsensical (like mine), some are about travel, family, jobs, music, movies or books, and then there are a few that touch on very real and important topics.  One such blog is Why Am I Not Surprised? by Changeseeker.

http://whyaminotsurprised.blogspot.com

This blog happens to be written by my sociology professor, and to say the woman is an eye opener is putting it mildly.  The very first day of class she told a room full of students about where she came from, who she is and why she became that way.  She has endured struggles in her life - two of which I don't know that I would be strong enough to endure were they to happen to me.  She overcame poverty, hardships, loss and discrimination to gain her education, her outlook on life and her absolutely wonderful opportunity to share with young students every day.   She is completely passionate about what she does, which nowadays is rare for a college professor.  On more than one occasion during a lecture she has provoked within me many strong emotions: shock, remorse, anger, shame and even a little bit of self-loathing once.  

Changeseeker is a supporter of many different causes, and her blog is reflective of that.  She's an excellent writer, and I highly suggest you go take a peek at her page and become a follower.  She may make you uncomfortable with truths you didn't want to know, but you'll be a better person because of her.  I know I am.

A-to-tha-Zizzle: J

Today I want to share with y'all not just a list of films that begin with the letter J.  Oh no, it goes much deeper than that.  J has brought us two of the most awesome, most fantabulous actors in the ENTIRE HISTORY OF FILM.  So that's who I'm talking about today.  You know 'em, you love 'em:

Johnny Depp and Jim Carrey

That's right.  The dudes who were cool before cool was cool.   (They're also on my Freebie List.  Just putting it out there in the universe....)

First up:  Mr. Depp

Rawr.

 

Johnny Depp has played an array of characters so convincingly that many wonder if he's not schizophrenic.  I say he's just THAT talented.   Costars have said that when he's filming a movie he becomes the character he's playing, and he stays in character both on set and off.  He eats, drinks, thinks and acts like that character until the film is complete.  I love that.
Just a few of his most awesome characters:

• Edward Scissorhands
• Ichabod Crane
• John Dillinger
• Sweeney Todd
• The Mad Hatter
• Willy Wonka
• Mort Rainey
• Sands
• George Jung
• Don Juan DeMarco
• Ed Wood
• Gilbert Grape
• Cry-Baby
• Captain Jack Sparrow

I don't care what the film is about, but if Mr. Depp is starring in it, I'm watching it.

The other most awesome dude ever:

Jim Carrey

From the first time I saw him, donning a leotard and makeup with his hair in pigtails on an episode of In Living Color, I knew this guy was special.   He can do drama, suspense and flat-out weird, but what Mr. Carrey does best is funny. 

Jim's list of fabulous roles:

• Ace Ventura
• The Riddler
• Truman Burbank
• Dick Harper
• Bruce Nolan
• The Grinch
• Fletcher Reed
• Stanley Ipkiss
• Lloyd Christmas
• Charlie Baileygates/Hank Evans
• The Cable Guy
• Walter Sparrow

Carrey does physical comedy like nobody's business, and I think my most favorite moments of his are the outtakes or random moments when he's just being himself.  He rocks my socks off.



Of course, I can't do J justice without giving an honorable mention to the most awesome J chick in the land:

Julia Roberts

I just love her!

Sorry to make this a short one, but I have an exam tomorrow (last one before finals - YAY!) so I've gotta hit the books.  Check ya later!

A-to-tha-Zizzle: HI

HI y'all!  When I decided to combine H and I, I thought it would be a breeze because there can't be THAT many films that start with the letters H and I that I absolutely love....I was wrong.  So, so wrong.  Just a few of the H films I love are:

Hairspray (original AND remake)

Young, large and sassy Tracy Turnblad just wants to dance on the Corny Collins show - oh and she's all for big hair and integration, too!

I love John Waters' version with Ricki Lake because it just rocks my socks off.  However, I also love Zac Efron and John Travolta, so the new version was pretty awesome too.  Both soundtracks are awesome!

Halloween

The scariest dude in the history of horror films, Michael Myers, walks around slowly tormenting and murding the young horny folks in town.  Poor Jamie Lee. 

Harry Potter (entire series)

Harry Potter lives with his awful aunt, uncle and cousin until one day he learns he is a wizard, and then it's off to the magical Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, where he meets a plethora of fabulous characters and faces crazy situations for the next six years. The novels were delightful and the films did not disappoint.  They all absolutely live up to the hype.

The Hand that Rocks the Cradle

Claire has just delivered a newborn baby after having pressed sexual harrassment charges against her OBGYN, who committed suicide after Claire's accusation encouraged dozens of other pregnant women to come forward as well.  Claire runs her own greenhouse and has another child, so she and her husband decide to hire a nanny.  Enter sweet, gentle Peyton.  Unfortunately for Claire and her family, Peyton didn't tell them that she's the widow of Claire's deceased doctor, and she's out for revenge...

The first thriller I ever saw in the theater.  My mom covered my eyes during the opening scenes.  Rebecca DeMornay plays crazy convincingly well. 

Heavyweights

LOVE this film about a bunch of overweight misfits all sent to a fat camp for the summer.  Very few people know Ben Stiller is in this one as the obsessive weight loss guru. 

The lovable Camp Hope is a place for young, overweight boys to spend a summer learning how to eat healthy and be active.  When Gerry arrives, however, he and his co-campers soon learn that the camp has been sold to psychotic fitness guy Tony Perkins, who wants to use the kids to make a weight loss video and start his empire.


 

History of the World, Part I

Ah, Mel Brooks, how do I love thee?  This is a comical review of the beginning of time onward through history.  Very entertaining, just don't use it as a resource for your history papers.

Hocus Pocus

One of my favorite Halloween films.  Bette Midler, Kathy Najimy and Sarah Jessica Parker as three witches trying to steal the souls of all the children in Salem before sunrise.  Fun!

Honey, I Shrunk the Kids

I used to wish my dad was an inventor so he could shrink me and my sister down to miniature size so we could go on an adventure like the Kowalskis.
 

Hook


Dustin Hoffman as Hook, Robin Williams as Peter Pan.  Peter Panning's kids are kidnapped by the awful Captain Hook, so he has to go to Neverland (with the help of Tink, played by Julia Roberts) and re-befriend the Lost Boys in order to get them back. 

 Awesomeness.  RU-FI-OOOOHHHHHHH!

The Hot Chick

Rob Schneider and Rachel McAdams trade places in this hilarious film.  Anna Faris is also stupidly charming, as she is in every movie.  Love it!

House Bunny




Anna Faris strikes again.  Clueless Shelly gets kicked out of the Playboy mansion when she turns 27, so she takes on the role of house mother for a flailing sorority of misfits.  She gives them makeovers and teaches them how to be hot.  Colin Hanks is adorable and lovable in this film, as is Emma Stone!


 And, of course, the lovely letter I:

Independence Day


Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum kick some serious alien booty in this film.  Adding to the awesome cast are Randy Quaid and Bill Pullman.

Now that's what I call a close encounter! 








In & Out



Beloved small town teacher (Kevin Kline) is happily engaged until a former student-turned-megastar thanks him at an awards show and "outs" him.  Shocked, he starts to wonder if he is, in fact, gay.  Another awesome cast, with Matt Dillon, Joan Cusack and Tom Selleck.








Interview with the Vampire

Brad Pitt plays melancholy vampire Louis hoping to share his tale with a dimwitted journalist (Christian Slater).  He tells of the vampire Lestat (Tom Cruise) turning him, and then later how they "saved" the young Claudia (Kirsten Dunst), only to have Lestat become a nightmare.  Antonio Banderas also has an appearance as a sexy, moody vampire Louis encounters in Paris.