What I've Been Reading Lately

I just starting reading The Emperor of all Maladies.  

Ever since reading the Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks my interested has been piqued in health related books.  As I've been reading this book, I've found so many different things fascinating.   Learning of how historical care practices from doctors, who with the best of intentions, but lack of knowledge was really horrific and macabre for the patients.  There really is a fine line between human trials and human experiments that was probably crossed with the best intentions.  

I have to confess, I really know nothing about cancer, with so many different types of cancer, I really didn't know what cancer really was.  I'm so ignorant, I didn't even know that oncology was until I started reading this book.  And I guess that makes be lucky  but I'm retiscent to talk about all the things I've been reading, because I've seen how hard it is for families when I family member has cancer.  So I will leave you with one thing I found interesting.

One interesting thing

When the humoral theory was proposed, with the different fluids of the body (black bile, phlegm, yellow bile, and blood), the only disease that was attributed to black bile was cancer and depression.  I wonder if its because the symptoms of either manifest in a variety of different ways, or that people often look fine on the outside, but are well aware of their "condition" on the inside.  Or that those closest to a person with depression and cancer are also affected by the disease.  

 I'm also reading an interesting article that explores the correlation between your gut microbiota and your metabolism.  This kind of article is a little outside my field of knowledge, but its still pretty interesting, and so far I can grasp what it's saying without googling any of the big words.  

The article is talking about how the gut microbial community has more microorganisms that in the body by "two orders of magnitude".  In my mind I have a tiny universe of microorganisms living inside my gut helping my body with biochemical and metabolic stuff.  Kinda like the locker in Men In Black that holds an entire universe:

 

~b~

RANDOM!! A pictorial account of my recent wanderings and whereabouts as documented by my iPhone.

I'm pretty sure I promised a blog post days ago.  Here it is.

I had a last minute invite to see Keith and Renee, an opening act to bluessmyths at Lydias.  The music was so good that I ended up staying a lot later than I planned on.

bluessmyth at Lydia's

Sometimes when I'm at the bar at the end of the night, I wonder if the guys see me like this:

I suspect the the occurrence of good conversations will be inversely proportional to smartphone use.  

I planned a nice meal to eat with my son and then he stood me up!  I couldn't find anyone to come over at the last minute, but I made it anyway.  Eating alone sucks.

Quinoa Stuffed Red Peppers, Chicken with Butter and Chives and Garlic Bread.

I took this picture over a month ago.  I had a last minute supper invite and I'm glad I went.  I felt like it was the holidays with everyone crowded at the table.  We ate delicious food and even had dessert.  Good food is even better when it is shared.  

A variety of Ice Cream Toppings.  

~b~

Dreams. I am Mother. Groceries. And Other Random Thoughts

Lately my dreams have featured background music.  Last night it was Martin Sexton.  It was definitely a great way to wake up.  I won't bore you or confuse you with the details of my dream, but it included some biblical imagery.  Sorta.  Instead of the lion and the lamb, it was the wolf and the gopher.

Here is what's been going on the last few days in my world:

This is my son and I.  He calls me Mother.  As in: Mother drives me to school in the morning.  Or, Mother is sitting on the couch with me watching TV.  (He was talking with my mom).  I feel so regal when he calls me Mother.

I'm pretty sure I promised him I wouldn't share this photo, but I love how happy he looks.

Yesterday we ate lunch together and he told me that one of the EA's was going to start a club.

"Oh really?"  I said,  "is it going to be a Manchester club?"

"Kinda" my son replied.  "It's going to be a hairy chest club".

"How is that anything to do with Manchester?"  I asked him.

"You know"  he said: "Man-Chest-Hair".

Ha!


Yesterday I went to Costco and they made a big deal of running over and getting some boxes to pack my items.  This is how they pack my stuff:

Box 1: Lotion, Cheese, Spinach.  Box 2: Meat, Creamer, Butter.

Then this morning I stopped at Sobeys and when I got home I unpacked a bag.  It contained one litre of milk and one can of tomato soup.

Must be the new trend in groceries.

I'd better stop this post, or I'll have nothing to write about tomorrow.

~b~

Friday Randoms

Three good shows that only lasted 2 seasons:

• Dead Like Me

• Pushing Daisy's

• Flight of the Conchords

Forever Ago I Got My Haircut:

As I bonus I got my hair curled (my stylist felt sorry for me because I wasn't feeling to great). I loved my curly hair!

Twitter

I've been trying to cut back on the amount of online reading I do because I'm convinced its promoting my short attention span and hindering a lack of deep thought. And then Steve Jobs resigned. I'm sick of being the last to hear breaking news. So I finally joined twitter. You can follow me @BeckySchurman, or even better, tell me your username so I can follow you.


My Son

One benefit of having a teenager that is taller than me is that he can now reach up high to places I can't reach. Sweet. He can also carry in more groceries into the apartment than me. The years of cooking him meals is finally paying off.

One drawback to having a teenage son is that he'll say things to me like: "I'll bring my fan in and waft it all over the place" (He is talking about wafting the smell of his stinky socks all over the apartment). Eww.


Binary Solo

I bought leisure passes this weekend for my son and I. It ended up costing $101.10. I'm pretty sure I remarked: Ooooh, binary numbers, to the cashier. I blame the end of this song for my dorky remark:

Have a great weekend!

~b~

Friday Night Randoms

Lately I've been so busy hanging out with friends and enjoying the wonderful summer evenings that I haven't been been spending time thinking or writing.  So my brain is demanding some form of creative output and yet my mind is busy planning out next week camping trip.

My thinking is getting all jumbled up and I'm easily distracted.  I get songs getting stuck in my head.  I start making grocery lists and packing lists.  I imagine dragonfly farms in greenhouses manned by little children in safari hats.  And I try to create any type of order by categorizing things into lists.

I sound crazy.  I'm definitely ready for some time at the lake.

I hope to write some posts that have a bit of substance to them, but until then, in order to satiate my brain for the next few days, here is another list of randoms:


This would have been my favorite RUN (ONE)43 picture, had I not been focusing on the landscape in the background:

Semi racing, a new Saskatchewan sport.  

This one looks like an imminent disaster is about to happen.  And I just realized the horizon is all crooked.  

Look out for the van!!!!

My co-worker made a comment about my sexy butt this week.  I'm definitely going to be biking again in next year's RUN (ONE)43 ultra-marathon if I keep getting comments like that one!!


This morning my friend sent me a text before I was too coherent to read.  I thought it was about hot dogs and a policeman.  But it was actually about a hot policeman and a canine dog.  As she was looking out her window this morning she saw some punk kid running out of her garage.

When she told me that she opened the window and yelled:  Hey, you little fucker.  All I could imagine was her standing in her kitchen in an old house coat, with curlers in her hair, and a cigarette dangling from her mouth.  (Just to let you know, she doesn't look like that, my imagination just gets a little carried away sometimes all the time).


Ever since I heard Massey and the Fergusons played at Taste of Saskatchewan this weekend.  I can't get a certain song out of my head.  It's pretty much the same line.  Over.  And over.  And over again.  Please help.  Even so, I definitely enjoyed listening to a great show and might even "like" on Facebook.


For those of you who don't know me well, I am a huge introvert.  A friend posted this link on facebook a while ago on myths about introverts.  I couldn't agree more.


I'm heading up to see grandmere and grandpere this weekend.  I haven't seen them in a while, so I'm looking forward to the visit.  They've been married for over 70 years and I used to hope to have a marriage like theirs.  She's the excitable, energetic one, he's the solid quiet one.  They also aren't french.


My attention span seems to be getting shorter and shorter.  Perhaps I should be on twitter.


~b~

Eleven Randoms for Seven/Eleven

One

Lately when I've been coming home to a hot house, I remark to my son:  Boy, I'm hot . . . visually speaking . . .  

He has yet to respond.  hee hee hee

Two

I had big plans this summer to visit my brother in Mexico City, but a few unexpected expenses put a kibosh in those plans.  You really didn't need to know that I am now not going to Mexico City, I just wanted to write a sentence with the word kibosh in it.

Three

The back of my car has golf clubs, a life jacket, tennis rackets, and a bicycle pump.  We are definitely enjoying this warm season.  Also, I am too lazy to bring it all into the apartment.

Four

Over the July long weekend I read The Help by Kathryn Stockett and Emmanuels Veins by Ted Dekker.  I forgot how nice it is to spend a hot summer day getting lost inside a good story.  I also kept sneaking into the trailer to read more chapters of the book I was reading and would keep reading until I would hear people wonder where I had gone too.

Five

This is Gracie.  She lives on a farm near Cut Knife.  She is a cow who thinks she is a dog.  I guess that makes her a Dog-Cow.

Gracie the Dog-Cow from Cut Knife

Six

I love reading.  I just bought:  Room (Emma Donoghue), The Selected Works of T.S. Spivet (Reif Larson), Imperfect Birds (Anne Lamott) and the latest Inked Magazine, just because Ami James is in it.  I can't wait to get reading!


Seven

I'm a sucker for guys with tattoos.

Eight

I don't know if I blogged about it last year, but RUN 143 is happening this week.  It's an ultra-marathon that is raising money and awareness for adoption and the 143 million orphans in this world.  This year it is from North Battleford to Saskatoon   I'll try and blog about this more this week.

Nine

My son told me that he has a rhyming phrase that describes me:  Your loud and your proud. . .  at least I think your proud.

I'm not too sure how to take this.

Ten

Every time we drive over the Broadway Bridge towards home, we wave to my friends who happen to live in an apartment overlooking the Victoria Bridge.  I don't even think they could see us if they looked out their window, but we always send happy thoughts their way.  We once had a bicyclist turn to look over his shoulder to see what we were waving at.  Ha!

Eleven

This is my 250th blog post.  Pretty profound and insightful, hey?


~b~

Mothers Day

One year I took my son on a trip to Edmonton for his 7th or 8th birthday.  After checking into the hotel, the first stop on our itinerary was a trip to the Science Centre.  We had only been there for an hour or so when he ended up breaking his arm.  Ironically, he broke his arm while running at the human body exhibit.  

The rest of the day was spent at the first aid station, then a mediclinic, and finally to the ER at the childrens hospital. He ended up have surgery to get a pin in his arm so our entire trip was spent at the Stollery Children's Hospital.  

All I can remember is the 6+ hour wait in the emergency room where I had to rig up a "bed" for him using two chairs which faced each other.  Apparently, all he remembers is a comment I must have made to one of the doctors.  

Roses are red.  Violets are blue.  You are my mother and I love you.  Happy Mothers day.
Your going to buy me a game cause you almost risked my life at edmonton cause you thought I was a whimp when I broke my arm.

Being a single mother, I never get a gift for mothers day, so this year I decided to change that.  I sent my son along with his mentor to the mall with some money and a few specific suggestions.  When I picked him up I could see that he had a Body Shop bag and I told him that if he would like a nice gift bag to please let me know, as I had a few saved.

While its nice getting a gift on Mothers Day, it is more important for me to teach my son how to be thoughtful and give a gift.  My favorite part of the day was the huge smile on his face when he brought out my gift.  My second favorite part of the day was his garbage bag gift bag that he had made.

In case your wondering, he bought me Almond and Shea Body Butters, a Starbucks gift card, and Mumford & Sons- Sigh No More.


~b~

The Best Part of My Day(s)

I've been having a rough few weeks, so I decided this week to name one thing that was the best part of my day.  This is what it was this week:


Sunday
Taking my bike out for the first time this year.  Loved it.  


Monday
My shower.  I had a really emotionally draining day, but my shower at the end of the day seemed to wash everything away.  Plus, I was shiny and clean.  Actually just clean, not really shiny.  


Tuesday
Getting tickets to see the musical Wicked, with really great seats: 1st row, second balcony.  I'm definitely looking forward to a night out with a group of fun ladies.


Wednesday
Green Grass.  The first thing I noticed when I left the house in the morning was how green the grass looked after the storm.  It turned out to be a rough day for me, so I'm glad I picked this days "best part" so early in the day.


Thursday
Getting Kings of Leon tickets.  I'm so so excited to go to this concert.  I could go on.  But I won't.  Except maybe to say that I love Kings of Leon.  So so excited.  


Friday
It's Friday, what could be better than that?  Also, that my friend phoned me just before work to have a quick chat and wish me a Happy Friday.  We have been phoning each other to wish each other a happy friday for over 3 years now, I love it.


What was the best part of your day?


~b~

Incredulous . . .

Is how I felt when I took this picture:

False Alarm


Almost every evening around suppertime I hear the faint urgent beeping of a fire alarm going off in small staccato bursts.  It gives me a small smile, for some reason, to know that someone on our floor has burnt their supper - again.


Last weekend I came home after spending a nice evening out enjoying a good conversation and eating steak paired with a nice Melbec.  I was looking forward to enjoying the apartment to myself when I heard the fire alarm going off.  With no smell of smoke and no activity in the hallway I ignored the endless droning sound that conveyed no sense of urgency.  That is, until I heard the building manager running down the hallway banging on apartment doors and yelling: EVERYBODY OUT!!  


So I did what any sensible adult would do: I grabbed a backpack and filled it with my prized possessions.  Which happened to be my Nikon d90 with lenses, and my MacBook Pro.  I glanced at the Xbox 360 and hoped it would perish in the fire.  I pictured it melted into a puddle on the floor.  I also decided to wear my black spring jacket - it looked better with my outfit.  A vain mistake I would soon regret.  


I headed outside and milled around the doors of the building trying to find out what had happened.  A small baby was crying.  He was only wrapped in a small blanket, so I suggested he and his mother join me in my car to keep warm.  The nights events were pretty anti-climatic after that.  I watched steam billowing out of the vents of the laundry room and people in apartment units who peered curiously out at us.  The fire department never showed up and we were eventually allowed back into the building.  I went to sleep in my clothes, just in case.  Color coordinated, of course.


Crazy Lady Steals Fire Extinguisher? or The Story Behind My Wall Post


This week I went to see a specialist at RUH with my son.  We ended up having to park in the exorbitantly priced parkade.  We took our time leaving, looking at photos of Saskatoon on the walls of the walkway and getting out of the way of the train when it honked its tiny horn at us.  We soon desended down the stairs and made our way to the pay station with our parking ticket.  A lady was in front of us.  As we reached the bottom and took our place in the queue, I watched as the lady in front of us noticed the fire extinguisher located in a box on the wall across from us.  Walking over to the fire extinguisher, she first tested the handle to see if the door would open.  It did.  So she proceeded to slowly open the door and tentively touch the extinguisher.  She then took if out from its case, eyed the extinguisher up and down, even testing out its weight.  It must have been to her satisfaction because she proceeded to rejoin the queue, right in front of me.  


I couldn't believe my eyes, so I decided to take a picture.  She noticed that I had my phone out and decided to put the fire extinguisher back.  My son was so embarrassed that I would take a picture and I could hear him muttering in protest behind me.  Later, when I asked him why he would care what a stranger (and a would be thief) would think I me taking a picture, he angrily retorted:  She's obviously ill, Mom.  I definitely can't disagree with his statement.  I decided to phone RUH, so they could check that they still have a fire extinguisher, but I can't help but wonder what else she has in that big black backpack of hers.


~b~

Birthdays

For anyone who gets to know me well they will probably realize that my dorkiness and lameness is proportional to my mood and energy.  They also probably know that I like to celebrate birthdays with cakes and cards.


On Thursday (March 31st) I thought I'd celebrate the birthdays of two people.  I also wanted to eat cake and visit with my friends that evening.  


So even though Robert Bunsen (the chemist behind the Bunsen burner) has been dead for many many years, and my brother is in Mexico City right now, I thought I could still celebrate their birthdays.

Check out the accompanying video:

I don't know what I liked more about this video: that I yelled at my friend to SING, that they actually start to sing, that I "zoom" into my brothers name for visual interest, or that it ends with the one candle being blown out.  


I've decided to start the reminders for my birthday early this year:  June 1st is in less than 2 months!  


I'm debating whether I should send out special reminder cards again.


~b~

Tattoos

I met a friend for lunch at Amigos on Friday and had the most amazing lunch I've had in a while. 

We ate Black Tiger Shrimp with Peppers and Onions in a Zippy Santa Fe Sauce with Coconut Rice and BBQ Black Beans.  YUM!!!

While we were there I mentioned that I thought it was time to get another tattoo.  I would love to get a tattoo on my wrist, but I wasn't sure I want to commit to getting a tattoo in spot that can't be covered up.  My friend thought it was a great idea and told me if I went to ROP that afternoon, she would buy me a coffee.  I was excited by the impulsivity of the whole idea and decided I would grab a ride home to change my jacket before stopping in at ROP.

I've know my friend for 23 years and as I was at home getting, I remembered the time we had a sleep over and she convinced me to stick my head through the railing and tie me up with a bunch of rope.  I think we were re-enacting a Houdini stunt of some sort.  Anyway, I just remember being tied up with my head stuck through the railing and I think I may have ended up crying.

I decided to not get a tattoo that afternoon.

On Sunday at church, my favorite little person showed me her stickers that were all over her arms and legs.  She then proceeded to transfer them onto my arm one by one.  

Each sticker was placed on an empty spot on my arm, and smoothed down so they remained stuck.  It took a painfully long time to complete this process, but I couldn't say no to such a cute face.

And now I know what I would look like if I ever decide to get a full sleeve. 

Those smiley faces are definitely me.  What do you think?

~b~

A List . . .

After a week of getting sick and a week of being sick and a week and a half of getting over being sick.  I'm back!  I haven't felt this good in a very long while and what better way to spend my new found energy than writing a blog post in my favorite category:  random.

Here is A List . . .

A quote . . .

It's not ugly. . . but it's not beautiful.  It's simply  . . . benign.

-Aaron, after installing a ceiling fan and commenting on it's appearance.

I love that the ceiling fan was described as benign.  I think if said fan had feelings, they would probably be hurt.  

A nom de plume . . .

Virginia Chesterfield

Should I ever publish a children's novel this name makes the top of my list of nom de plumes.  I love the unconventional pairing of this Southern name with a large piece of furniture.  Kudos to my friend Kimball for phoning me and sharing his 2 cents on the nom de plume matter.  

A website . . .

Rock and Roll Bride

Quite frankly the idea of a traditional wedding in all its formalities and conventions scares me.  This website isn't just about tattooed brides, but features eclectic styles, DIY's, and loads of vintage in weddings that showcase personality and unconventional beauty rather than over-commercialization .  
disclaimer:  I love this site for its photographs and especially the event details and NOT because I am single and obsessed with marriage . . . although . . . I've always wanted a mad hatter wedding cake and if I can ever find a special someone who let's me get my way, I'm in!



An iPhone photo . . .

A Beckman pH meter, made in the 1940's.  I found this relic in the front office at work.  It's so vintage.  




A song . . .

Last Will and Testament - Propagandi

I love the first part of this song that is just instrumental.



A FACEBOOK STATUS!! (and resulting comments) . . .

Status:  JUST TWEETED FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!! (yesterday)
Comment: that is disgusting
Reply:  lol what??

I don't know what I love more.  The exuberant announcement in all caps, the meek amendment that it was actually yesterday that the aforementioned tweet occurred, or the resulting confusion in the comments.  




~b~

Movember

I'm lovin all the attempts at recreating the Tom Selleck and Ron Burgundy looks this month.  

It's taken me a while, but I've finally grown a stache:

To support all my Mo Bros in raising funds and awareness for prostate cancer I've joined the Mo Munro team as a Mo Sista.

While all the attempts at growing a mustache this month may be pretty funny, a diagnosis of prostate cancer definitely isn't.

Please consisder supporting men's health and those affected by prostate cancer by donating to me or my team HERE.

 ~b~

Townhouses and Daydreams

One of the things I love is houses.  There is so many things I love about houses, I love looking at floor plans and furniture layouts.  I love perusing decorating magazines and looking at decor, art and of course organizational tools.  I love all the little details it takes to complete a space: from the type of carpet, to the layout of the kitchen (definitely an important one for me), to the door knobs and the windows.  What I love about houses is looking at a space and imagining all the possibilities.

A very good friend of mine has been managing a housing project in Saskatoon.  The whole time she has been working on this project I have been adamant that I was NOT interested in buying a townhouse, merely because I was not a gated community-cookie cutter-suburbanite kind of person.  I love my Broadway, with the trees and the shops and the crazy ladies who take their cats our for walks on leashes and I want to live as close as I possibly can.

This weekend my friend took me over to show me how things were coming along on her project.

I got the see the sports court that can be used as a tennis court and basketball court in the summer and can be flooded with water in the winter for skating.  I got to see the amazing Clubhouse with the clay tiled roof.  The Clubhouse has a fitness studio on one side and a place for entertaining on the other side.  It has a wine bar, a stage to play Wii or karaoke, a poker table and seating all around.  In the center is a double-sided fireplace.  In my mind, I embellished the room by adding a Christmas party complete with a roaring fire, Christmas music and decorations, and friends drinking wine.  Everyone was laughing and having a good time.

We stopped by the townhouses and I checked out the show home.  It had an open floor plan with the kitchen at the back.  I started imagining cooking for a houseful of guests, eating appetizers at the island, playing games at the dining room table and finishing the night with some coffee and good conversations in the living room.  I could see the long kitchen island filled chocolate chip cookies that were cooling on racks with the smell of freshly baked cookies filling the room.

I went upstairs to look at the bedrooms and found a little nook at the top of the stairs that held a desk.  I saw my laptop and books filling that nook.  It was the perfect little spot to start writing my hilarious McCall Smith type novel that would most definitely be published.

One townhouse had a basement that is currently being developed.  It had a laundry room, full bath, a bedroom, and an entertainment room, it would be the perfect space for my son to live.  I imagined a big screen TV where my husband and friends could watch the game.  (In my daydreams, I like to insert handsome husbands in).  I neglected to dream up some couches and chairs, so the guys were just kinda milling around, drinking beer and watching the game, all the while standing in a room with unfinished concrete floors and bare drywall.

Here is a picture of the townhouse that I took with my iPhone:

Little Tuscany

I love the curvy swervy rails and the super cute window boxes.  I love the stonework and the cute little shutters, I love the fine details of the cedar on the gables and best of all, I love that my friend has managed this huge project.

I was immensely surprised that I loved so many different aspects of these townhouses:  from the layout inside, the amazing Clubhouse, and all the little details in the finishings.  I forgot how much I hate the cookie cutter suburbanite lifestyle and I just wanted to go to the bank and talk about financing.

Even if I don't, Little Tuscany is one beautiful community.  I'm definitely proud of my friend for managing such a huge housing project and I love seeing her project coming to fruition.

~b~

I recommend . . .

I recommend that when you want to have a mini celebration.



And spend $15 on cupcakes from the fabulous Cupcake Conspiracy.



That you don't let your teenage son carry them into the house:

Here's another view:

So, so sad.

~b~

The War of the Worlds

I've been reading in the evenings to my son in hopes of continuing his interest in reading.  We are reading The War of the Worlds by H.G Wells that is a short, inexpensive book that is filled with alien machines, fighting and destruction.  It seemed like a good first choice to start reading together.  In the evenings we all hang out on my bed, I read out loud while my son listens (I think) and lovingly bothers Max the dog.  

So far, we have read about the initial Martian arrival and have followed the panic filled flight from the ensuing destruction.  I have been stumbling over the pronounciations of the English towns such as Chobham, Woking, Horsell, and Chertsey, but we have now finally reached the easily pronounable city of London.

The latest chapter that we are reading has shown London's reaction to the impeding disaster: from a blissful, sleepy ignorance to increasing panic with church bells ring in the middle of the night and policemen banging on every door, waking up sleeping residents and urging flight.  I'm finding the style that the book is written in is hard to read out loud and towards the end of the chapters my throat is dry and my jaw is sore from speaking and I start hoping to get to the end of the chapter because I don't want to read out loud any more.


I was about to finish the chapter when I read this:

My brother heard footsteps running to and fro in the rooms, and up and down stairs behind him.  His landlady came to the door, loosely wrapped in dressing gown and shawl.  Her husband followed ejaculating.


?????

!!!!!

??!!!???!!

As much as I wanted to speed onto the next sentence, my mind prevented me.  What!!!  Did I just read what I think I read???  Could That Word possibly mean something else when it was written in 1898??  Could her husband have simply burst out the the room loudly yelling and gesticulating wildly???  What??!!!


Loosely wrapped dressing gown and shawl pretty much contextualized the whole scene in my mind and I just hoped my son was too busy bothering the dog to be paying any attention to what I was reading.  I thought I had gotten away without some sort of explanation and could continue reading, and then my son said:

What??


Thankfully there was only one last sentence left and I quickly concluded the evenings read.  The next book we read will definitely be a more well known book, like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlottes Web, or even Dr. Suess.   ANY book without the word ejaculating I will gladly read.  

~b~

About Me

I just added an About Me page and decided to add some of my favorite random posts.

As I was selecting posts at random, I realized that sometime since now and last year I've lost my humor.  Or oddness.

Humor or oddness, I'm not sure which I had, or which I've lost, and I'm definitely not sure where "it" went exactly.

Nevertheless, here is my random selection of posts I included that show that I was once humorous (or odd) at one point in time:


Hairstyles of the Big and Brawny

I got a little carried away on my trip to Mount Rushmore and I took a gadzillion pictures of the buffalo there.  After uploading my pictures I began to notice an uncanny resemblance to Dave Navarro:

 

I also love that if you google "hairstyles with less volume" you will eventually find a link to this post.  Ha!


Blackened Chicken on Delicious Pizza Dough

After buying my Nikon d90 I found myself doing strange things like running outside with my blackened chicken to capture the last rays of the day.  I'm awful at remembering to put recipes up, but when I do I guarantee they will be good.

Something in Your Teeth

I added this to feature my handsome, but daft dog-child Max. He's much better at posing than my cameraphobe teenager.  

I May Be a Little Weird . . .

This post definitely highlights my weirdness and oddness, and I may have crossed the line in sharing too much, but if your curious check it out.

VD

Find out my ideal BF and my ode to my special someone that I posted on FB on valentines day.

Confessions of a Beckarazzi

I'm not sure what got into me that day at the co-op, as I stalked little old ladies (LOD's) in the produce section, but you can read all about it.

Boys!

This has got to be one of the most embarressing things that has ever happened to me at church, or as a mother.  Read this post to partake in my embarrassement.

Check out my About Me page and have a great weekend!

~b~

The League of Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenters

My friend assembled a League of Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenters this weekend to work on some reno's.  Like most projects, it started with replacing the stairs to the deck, which led to the discovery of water damage to the side of the house.

We spent the day removing the deck and replacing the damage to the house.  Being the sole woman on the Extraordinary Gentleman Carpenter Crew, I helped out by prying and hammering and displaying my extraordinary first aid skills when someone stepped on a nail.

I guess, if I could sum up this weekend's reno project, I'd have to say:  It's all fun and games until someone steps on a nail.

~b~

In The Moments

I think Sunday August 29th was the best day in August.  But it didn't start that way.  I really hate to admit this, but I had a cry that morning.  And not just a stray tear that starts by welling up in my eyes and then spills over, rolling down my cheek.  It was an ugly deluge of tears and sobs that left me exhausted, red-eyed, and with a throbbing headache.  I was tempted to stay at home that morning from church in fear of sobbing through the entire service but I went, and aside from a few sad faces and a cracked voice during worship, I soon started to feel better.  

It turns out my cathartic cry was just what was needed because when I went to bed that night I could hardly fall asleep, I was that happy.

And I thought about why my day would have been such a good day.  The cold crisp air and hot cup of  coffee in the morning was a perfect combination, but that wasn't why I was so happy.  My clean kitchen floors, my organized spice drawer, and my afternoon nap did make my day more enjoyable, but that wasn't why I was so happy.  The anticipation of a busy fall schedule is something I am definitely looking forward to, but that wasn't way I was so happy.

And I realized that my entire day was filled with people that I wanted to see.  I spent some time visiting with family and old friends.  I chatted with new friends who I am just starting to get to know and I had the chance to catch up with people I haven't seen all summer.  My day was filled visiting, laughing and enjoying life, in the moment.

In the moment sharing dreams of the future.  In the moment with jazz hands and a sabers dance rendition at Sunday's brunch.  In the moment watching babies smile.  In the moment getting to know people better. In the moment planning a grand kitchen design.  In the moment singing happy birthday at a surprise party.  In the moment watching people talk and laugh together.

As I fell asleep that night, I thought of each and every person I saw that day and I was thankful to have them in the moments of my day.

~b~

6 Randoms

1. Shingles

 I helped shingle a playhouse at the beginning of summer and discovered that I'm a mean, lean shingling queen.


2.  Victoria Awake

At the end of April I helped organize an artistic night featuring photography, video and music.

Victoria Awake played some tunes for us.

3.  Babies. 

 I think there's something in the water.  Babies are being born left and right.  I made a diaper cake for the last baby shower I went to. 

4.  Cookies

I wandered into the organic section in Superstore and found this:

Pomegranate Flavored Bran Wafers.  

5.  Fruit.

I signed up to bring food one Sunday morning.

I thought the fruit would offset the calories in the cinnamon buns I brought.


6.  Giddy Up

I was asked to photograph a cowboy themed staff party.  I discovered that I love wearing a cowboy hat and that it is very fun to watch adults play tug o' war.

~b~