Lost in Place

I, like so many others, was taught "If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything." Now granted, I, like so many others, rarely live it. However, when it gets to a point where you find you have no interest to say anything to anyone because you're just swimming in a pool of uncontrollable absurdity and all you can do is bitch about it, maybe it's time to shut up. When you get to the point you find no joy or motivation or interest in anything, when you've reached your limit of optimism and hope and it's all dashed leaving nothing but bitter anger and hate, maybe it's time to take a break from feeling like you have to care and just take care of yourself. So much shit has hit the fan and continues to hit the fan that I really believe I have reached my breaking point. So. My point. I know posting here is sporadic on a good day but... it's been exceptionally worse lately and I will cite my absolute inability to see much to care about sharing or discussing as the reason. So along those lines, I am going to be taking an official break for a little while. Until I can get my head above water, my feet back underneath me, dig myself out of this enormous hole, find other clichés to hurl at you, or at least find some light at the end of this very long tunnel, I'll be quiet. I won't say silent because maybe once in a while I'll throw something out there. I know I don't have a lot of readers, mostly family checking in on the kid and the PSS bunch reading those topics, so it's obviously not a huge deal. I'm just letting those few of you who do read know. I'm sure I'll collect things to post and will definitely catch-up on all of the PSS topics but I just need to be MIA for a little while. Officially. So I don't feel guilty about not getting something new up, or finding the cute pictures to share, or whatever. I'll be back. Sooner probably than later. I just need to clean out some cobwebs in my brain.

Posted by Kim at 1:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I think I threw this question out there just so I could go on and on about my new favorite show on television. And that show would be Top Gear. I know! Who'd have ever guessed - me? a car show? No way! Well, I'm here to tell you, oh, yes, WAY. Probably just because I have a bit of a crush on Richard Hammond. (Of course that would be the reason, it couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact that I've laughed so hard while watching it that I've cried or that they had David Tennant as a guest or that they do some really stupid amazing things with moving vehicles.)

As for my answer... When I dream, I tend to dream BIG. And I mean REALLY big. If it's a dream, why the hell not go all out, right?

Let's talk fast, sexy, absolutely-nothing-subtle-about-it-whatsoever, sleek, did I mention fast? Or sexy? I did? Well let's make sure it's completely clear. Fast. Sexy. Okay, we can move on then.

First up is the Bugatti Veyron. On first thought, you know, it really is incredibly ugly. But there is something so very sexy and simply mean-looking about this car. And I love it.

If you're going to see these cars, you need to see what they can do. Plain and simple. (Youtube has disabled embedding for the videos, but I promise, they're so very worth it.)

Next is the Ferrari F430. Simply (no, there's nothing "simple" about it) sleek and sexy.

Then the Maserati Quattroporte. Look! Sleek and sexy and a family car! What? It has 4 doors!

The McLaren F1 was my very first "dream car." I loved this car long before I even met my husband (the only reason I know a Ford from a Chevy or a Ferrari from a Porsche (okay, that's a slight exaggeration but I think you get the idea)). This was the first car I saw and thought, "Holy WOW! That's beautiful!"

No, not all of my "dream cars" cost more than the GNP of some countries. There is the Chrysler Crossfire. It's pretty down to earth and yet still sleek and a little sexy.

And there's Eleanor. A 1967 Shelby GT500. Mmmmm... yeah.

And, last, but not least. There's this:

Oh? Why, yes. That *is* my car. Of all the cars out there, in the "real world," (meaning: the world in which a real human could actually AFFORD the car) this is the one I would want to own. And I do. And I love it just as much as I thought I would. Even a year later. Even on days when I think, "I really don't need this car. It can't be *that* great," I see one driving by me and think, "WOW! I really like that car!" Then realize that's what I'm driving and all is right in the world.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go hang my head in shame. I am not a car person. I'm not... I'M NOT! I swear!

Crap.

Posted by Kim at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not really sure what look she's going for here. One thing is for certain, this kid has a style all her own.

Day care is closed for the week so we spent the day hanging out, doing errands, and watching movies. She's getting more and more interested in the whole "dress up" thing. Soon enough, I'm sure, we'll need the big trunk with all the fancy dresses and shoes and accessories just to keep her out of my stuff happy.

Posted by Kim at 1:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My brother-in-law is donating his kidney today. Not to another family member, not to a long-time friend, not even to a friend of a friend but to his employee whom he'd known maybe 2 or 3 months before making this decision. Sure, most people roll their eyes or don't care about something like this, "it's no big deal. So?" I think it goes without saying that to the young boy's family, it *is* a very big deal. Someone is saving the life of their child/sibling. That's pretty cool.

I don't see this at all as what the donor gets out of it, I know a lot of people look at it only that way. I see it from the recipient's end of it. What he or she gains from it. In some cases, it can be something small, in others it can mean life.

I never considered being an organ donor, it always freaked me out. In high school, a friend of mine died in a climbing accident and his organs were donated. That started me thinking about it but still not "caring" about it. A few years ago, my brother needed corneal transplants. Unlike some donations, someone had to die for my bother to keep his sight. That freaked me out. But because of that, the next time I renewed my driver's license (which was only a month or two later), I checked the organ donor box for the first time.

It's a very personal matter, that goes without saying. Something I would hope people didn't jump in to or out of lightly. I know my brother-in-law didn't and I admire him for his decision. I know there is a family out there who will be forever grateful for him and the choice he made.

Posted by Kim at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

20 years ago...
1. In love with all things dark and dramatic
2. Sneaking out with my friends all over town at all hours of the night (Madeleine, when you're old enough to read this, that was a lie. I NEVER did such things)
3. Spent the summer getting continuously grounded

10 years ago...
1. Working as a call center rep and absolutely hating every minute of it
2. Still trying the school thing
3. Wondering where decisions I was making were going to lead me

5 years ago...
1. Buying our first "nice" car
2. Buying our first house
3. Living just a few blocks from my sister (that was awesome!)

3 years ago...
1. Getting pregnant
2. Being afraid of having a baby so far away from any support system
3. Making an amazing friend who became my support system

1 year ago...
1. Content in my job
2. Waiting for my house to sell
3. Getting antsy to move back to Utah because of a new niece

So far this year...
1. Changed jobs
2. Am still waiting for my house to sell
3. Had no idea how much I loved my life as it was 'til it got infinitely worse

Yesterday...
1. I spent 5 hours commuting
2. Whined about my house not selling
3. Got a total kick out of my two-year old falling asleep hugging my phone

Today...
1. Have eaten way too much
2. Spent way too much time in stopped traffic this morning. And I haven't even gone the other direction yet.
3. Whined about my house not selling

Tommorrow...
1. Back to spending way too much time in traffic
2. Another day of work
3. Will whine about my house not selling

Next year...
1. My house better have sold!
2. Will hopefully be in a different location
3. Will be a more kind, complete, patient, good, loving, caring, nurturing, wonderful person because #1 and #2 will have happened.

Posted by Kim at 1:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tell us about at least 1 religion, other than your own, you respect and why.

I don't respect "religions." What I do respect are the people in religions who love it and live it for the spirit of it instead of those people who use it as an excuse to look down on and judge others. (Same goes for those who aren't a religion but do the same thing to those who are) Being respectful and love thy neighbor and do unto others is going to get a whole lot more converts than being an arrogant, self-righteous, holier than thou ass no matter what religion you follow. But (in the words of Dennis Miller) that's just my opinion, I could be wrong...

Posted by Kim at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Then promptly freaked out because she was all dirty after jumping up and down in the mud puddles. Go figure.

Posted by Kim at 5:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

We got a bit off schedule. Instead of going a week without a question, a "filler" question was thrown out for us. Following on the coattails of Shane's last question...

If you were going to cheat, with what celebrity/famous person (ONLY) would it be?

So that would be Duchonvy (lay off the jokes already! I'm traumatized here! He's not perfect? What *is* this world coming to? I maybe don't want to know!), Grohl, Boreanaz, Tennant for the Davids. And Diesel for the Vin.

Posted by Kim at 12:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

We were very productive and had all sorts of fun over the long weekend last weekend. It's amazing all the things you can do in a couple of days when you actually get a full couple of days to do them. It got me seriously itching for more. Which is bad. Very, very bad. But I still thought I would share some of the fun stuff we did over the weekend.

First, I love me some shrinky dinks. I have always loved this stuff. And I never get to use it. But since I am one of those nutjobs who HATES writing on things because it too often looks tacky, I was able to use it to claim Miss M's backpack as hers. I had high hopes for what I had wanted it to do. But alas, I was too big a cheapskate to buy the right colors of ink pads for one small project. So it didn't turn out exactly as planned. Still cute though.

Next, I finally got around to painting the other box I bought. The last one turned out so cute I just wanted to do another. I decided this one would be for her hair things. I had the perfect little flowery idea in my head. I found some transfers at Michaels that were *SO* cute in the package. Not so cute on the box. I finished it, took one look at it and HATED it. Immediately. And immensely. But it will serve it's purpose for now. It will be on the bathroom counter where I am sure it will get soaked a many number of times and will need to be replaced down the road anyway.

Then, I had a card swap due this week so I spent some time working on that. Coming up with cards for "simple & masculine" as the theme was not an easy task. The only cards I've ever made for men were Father's Day cards for my dad or birthday cards for my brothers in which case a tree, a fish, some random deer-ish animal would suffice. Other than that, it's all Hallmark for me. In truth, I'm glad I did it since I will get a variety of cards back of the same theme and I should be set for a while. (And yes, it was just an excuse to use more shrinky dinks!)

After that, cookies were made. It's been a long time since I've made cookies. A long time since I've cooked anything actually since I don't get home until bedtime. I forget how much I enjoy it. I'm not much of a "cook" but (I think) I can bake pretty well. If I have a recipe, of course, so that's certainly not saying I am some great baker. I wish! The cookies turned out a little cakier than I would have liked and were very, very sweet. It was a new recipe, not one I am sure I would use again. Either way, a homemade chocolate chip cookie is yummmmmy. So I've eaten way more than my fair share. Luckily I was able to pawn some off on friends, too.

It really was a nice weekend. It seems the more time I have to do things I *want* to do, the more time I want to be able to do them. And I've gotta tell yah, I love spending time being crafty and creative and productive. I just so rarely get the chance to do it anymore. This weekend was a very welcomed escape into that for me.

Posted by Kim at 3:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Apparently, we do. I had to go full-blown school supply shopping this year. With a provided list even!*

She's TWO!

Her day care started their preschool program yesterday. For five hours each day they do "school" stuff, with an official teacher and everything. I was lucky enough to get to pick her up yesterday and got to talk with the day care ladies a bit. It sounds like it's not much different from their normal routines, just a little more structured and disciplined. They made ABC books yesterday. Miss M loved it and had a ball. So... Great!

But did I mention she's only TWO?

*Yes, she did pick out those folders and that back pack. All by herself. I tried to talk her in to other things, but nope, she knew what she wanted and was already completely disinterested in my opinion. At two.

Posted by Kim at 3:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)