Wordpress Takes Over the World - Readership Down

I just read my pal Tim's readership is down on Tennessee Redneck in King Harald's Court (and Pookie) so checked my stats too. My new blog at Wordpress seems to be suffering as well (or maybe it's just that fewer people are suffering from reading me since I've made the switch). So I clicked on my Google Reader which I've learned to depend on and found that I hadn't updated it for Tim's new wordpress site. I'm wondering if that's what's going on here, too.

So if you haven't updated your reader, consider this a friendly reminder. Or if you don't want to, that's okay too. But I hope you do. Thank you very much.

Here's my new blog at wordpress.

Resistance is Futile

I waited and waited to convert to Word Press so that all my old posts and comments could be moved from the NEW blogger. The not-so-evil genius Lynnster contacted me and said she could make it so! So I'm the newest to be assimilated. Come visit me over here and read all about how our very own honorary citizen of MIDDLE TENNESSEE earned her wrinkles! Oh, and please change your links!

My Sweet Valentine's Gift

For Valentine's Day, the husband and I have hired a handyman to come in and strip the hideous kitchen wallpaper. Woot! He is also going to repair the walls and prep it for paint, then we'll prime and paint as our own do-it-yourself project. I'm stoked! I'll need to do some before and after pictures.

We've cleared the countertops, the tops of the cabinets (and in fact have a load of stuff in the dishwasher now on the "china" cycle), and have taken clocks, calendars, and other assorted items off the walls. We're ready!

I picked up a goofball card for my husband and am giving him a Nacho Libre pen. It'll go with his Homer Simpson bottle opener ("Mmmmm.... beer.... yes! oh yes!"). We're so romantic. I truly find that new sitcom to be hilarious, though it's filled with predictable dialogue, etc. Ummm... Rules of Engagement? We're definitely the Puddy couple.

Meanwhile, I want to wish all my pals in computer land a very happy, romantic, fun, loving, or not-lonely Valentine's Day!

This One is For the Squirrel Queen

My brother emailed this. I hope I put the link from whence it originally came. If no, here is the link where he picked it up.



It is a better Tuesday as I'm not green and dizzy today. It's also "award" day at work. I'll get my plaque for what was formerly known as the "million dollar club." It's interesting - you have to sell $2 million in real estate to make it because each transaction has a seller agent and a buyer agent, so you only get credit for half of one transaction (unless you sell both sides).

Last year was my first year in that not-so-exclusive club. I also picked up the People's Choice award (aka "Whale Done") in which the other agents vote for who has been the most helpful, best attitude, etc. So that was fun. My only disappointment was I never picked up the "Rookie of the Year" although the agents who been given it said it's been bad luck for them. So maybe in the bigger picture, that's a good thing. The best news is that the two agents who are up for it are really spectacular people. I'll be disappointed for the one that doesn't get it, but ecstatic for the one who does! And then there's always next year!

Okay... I'm done preening. In other news, the husband has finally agreed to allow the teenager to meet her boyfriend after a year of Internet and telephone dating. I'll be going along, as will his mother. The problem is that he's three years older than her. If she was 20, that wouldn't be a big deal. But she's 16 and still in high school. He's 19 and in college. At this point, it is a big deal. I'm just relieved that she's not sneaking around behind our backs to meet him. Sunday is the day. Wish us luck! Anyone from the Cookeville area who can tell us a great place to meet?

A Very Cool Clock

My cousin sent this link to one of the coolest clocks I've ever seen. Enjoy!

The Cyber Clock

Woe is Me

I think I have what Meg's had. I woke up at 5:30 a.m. drenched in sweat and ran to the bathroom. Subsequently, I've canceled all appointments for today. I am going to TRY to make it to the Home Buying Made Easy Seminar I'm putting on with four other agents, a couple of lenders, etc. since I'm supposed to be moderating. But it doesn't look good at this point.

Excuse me, I have to grab my bucket.

On Politics

I want to see Al Gore run for president with Barack Obama as his running mate for VP. I think that would be one of the most kick ass things ever. I'm one of the seemingly rare people who like Hillary Rodham Clinton, but I just don't see her taking the White House. More Gore. More Gore. More Gore. Heh.

Put On Your Dancing Shoes

Roxanne! Loved it. Loved. It. Bummed about The Grascals, though. If I coulda, I woulda voted for them. But you apparently must have some iota of musical talent to do so. And I guess I'm definitely a part of the biased left-wing conspiracy because I was thrilled to see the Dixie Chicks win! Yes, I'm sure politics played a big part but after they were shunned (and still are), I say hooray for them.

Have you seen the "Fab Faux" ... Will Lee's (base player from David Letterman's show) band that covers Beatles songs? They are fab. Will has actually long been one of my favorite musicians on the Letterman show.

Update: I also just finished watching tonight's "Extras" on HBO. I don't know which show makes me more uncomfortable watching it: Extras or Curb Your Enthusiasm. Watching while Andy watched people reviewing his horrible show, then him ruining the play with the critic frantically taking notes made me cringe watching. I know it's all made up, but it truly is genius because I have a real empathy for his character.

I Have a Dryer, Too

Special note to Shauna - I'm happy to offer my dryer (and washer) if you're still looking for one to use. We have free entertainment here. Two dogs who love people to visit. One grumpy, ancient cat who gets jealous when anyone sits on her couch... unless you pet her poor scrawny body. One grumpy, ancient mother-in-law who delights in telling everyone what an awful housekeeper her daughter-in-law is, what an awful cook her daughter-in-law is, and what a gadabout her useless, probably-a-whore daughter-in-law is. It's fun, I promise!

My great news this week: I have finally found someone to take down the wallpaper in the kitchen and repair the surfaces where the drywall was coming down at a very affordable price. I'm so thrilled! He's coming Wednesday. It's a good thing he's giving me some time to clean off my counters and the tops of my cabinets because the MiL has given up. At least that's what she told the handy-man, "I give up! I can't keep that counter cleared and she* sure doesn't! So I throw my hands up!" (*pointed her finger at me when she said "she"). Nice. We won't even go into her comparing me to "that old thang" she used to be married to and despises with all her heart.

Did I tell you we just hit our 12 year anniversary of the MiL living with us? Do I sound a little frantic? I'm sorry. I really am grateful that the MiL has been there to help us with childcare, laundry, and cooking, I really am. Really. I am. She does have her redeeming qualities. But holy crap. 12 years. 12 LONG years. I think Kathy T. needs a break.

I think Kathy T. will be heading to The Mothership for a certain someone's birthday party this this afternoon. I'm bringing the kids so you get to meet the spawn.

Host Families Needed

My company is sponsoring Up with People, an organization that offers young adults the opportunity to experience the different people, countries and cultures of the world firsthand while connecting with local communities in a meaningful and impactful way. From across the world, about 50 young adults ranging in age from 18 to 29 are coming to Smyrna and Nashville March 12-19 and will be working at the Wherry Housing on Weakly Lane. We desperately need host families to give them a place to stay, provide meals, and drive to the worksite.

Two Up with People concerts will also be held and host families will receive free tickets. If you are interested in hosting please contact Kathy Tyson at 491-2161 or Butch Roth at 477-8483. Please help - maybe your own children or you will be inspired to be a part of this international phenomenon.

Times They are a'Changing

The talented Lynnster is working on a little project for yours truly. I'll be making the switch in the next few days to the rising star of blogging: Word Press. I think the powers that be at WP need to design and give the woman a special award for single-handedly luring converting so many disgruntled beta bloggers to their web community. In any case, when my new blog is up, I have a special first post waiting (besides the "this is your first post drivel" that automatically appears that I may delete anyway).

In other news, I've been hard at work planning a Home Buyer Seminar with other agents in my office. If anyone is interested, there is no charge and no sales (the public libraries at which we're meeting have prohibited this). We can't even say "Call us when you're ready to buy" because that constitutes a sales pitch. We can say "Please feel welcome to call if you have any questions." Just loads of information about buying. The seminars are Monday, February 12 at 6:30 p.m. at the Smyrna Public Library and Saturday, February 17 at 10:30 a.m. at the LaVergne Public Library.

Girl Scout cookies are being unloaded from the cookie depot on Saturday (the 17th), so I'll be ready to deliver that next week. It's not to late to get cookies from me, Malia or Busy Mom! I'm excited about the new sugar free brownie cookies, but I'm sure they'll be loaded with carbs... must investigate.

Well I started a rant on Snickers and wife beating that I deleted because after rambling, I saw I had no cohesive, thought-provoking point to make. So I'll leave you with this instead as I get ready to sail to Word Press:

Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. - Mark Twain

Bloggers Writing About Bloggers

Sarcastro just cracks me up. His comment about the shirt he wants to get for the baby knocked me over. He really isn't as bad as everyone says he is. Hahaha... I love that joke.

I love that joke unless it's not a joke. It actually happened to me in real life once, though, and was a most unpleasant experience. I worked for about two months in radio ad sales at a po-dunk FM station in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. Elizabethtown was most definitely NOT as romantic as the movie with that hunky Orlando Bloom portrayed it to be. I worked my tail off, put miles and miles on my car pitching the station to area businesses, got yelled at by people who already had bad experiences thanks to that lousy station, and was backstabbed by my fellow sales staff.

I was barely scratching out a living. I'd buy chicken legs at the grocery because they were so cheap and would boil two for dinner every night. Boiled chicken legs and canned green beans or canned corn. The real kick was that because I accepted that job first (right out of college), I felt a misguided sense of loyalty so turned down another offer at the public television station in Evansville so I wouldn't let the FM station down. Well it sure let me down.

But back to the whole Sarcastro tie-in. As I was packing my desk to leave that hell-hole (and by the way the jack ass general manager-owner still owes me a paycheck for $200, the cheap bastard), the local village ... um... mentally challenged man ... was there talking to another salesperson. He asked the salesman who I was, then exclaimed, "Well she's not ugly at all like you said she was!" I really hated that place. It was the most horrible place I've worked, but not the most horrible boss. That's another story altogether.

Now back to the bloggers again (and sorry this is so disjointed). I really enjoyed seeing everyone today and got to sit down and talk with two ladies for my wrinkle series. It will be a toss-up who to write about first, but I plan to do both in the coming week. AND several other fine people have agreed to a sit down. This will be fun.

Robot Dreams and Dragon Tales

Following Newscoma's nod on Nashville is Talking to Cuppa Powell's little featurette, I am:

I am: Isaac Asimov One of the most prolific writers in history, on any imaginable subject. Cared little for art but created lasting and memorable tales.

Which science fiction writer are you?

I'll take me some Isaac! My favorite sci-fi author, however, is and may always be Anne McCaffrey (Dragonriders of Pern series). I've really been enjoying Andre Norton's books, as well, and actually have the very last book she signed before she passed away in Murfreesboro -- has it been two years now?

Okay, I have to start getting ready for the big blow-out. Woot! Have pen and paper and will travel.

Never Say Never

Please trot over to my good friend Mandi's NEW BLOG! We're sitting here today trying not to eat another bowl of ice cream and had the bright idea of setting up her blog. It's called "Never Say Never" because she's learned that anytime she does say that, the opposite occurs.

You may recall Mandi is one of my friends who I featured in the "Wrinkle" series. She is also the angry pregnant woman I talked about using the "mouse" cartoon. She's much calmer now that she's 22 weeks along. (Especially when you feed her ice cream.)

So please go say hello, bookmark her, or blogroll her. She's good people. I promise.

Oh... footnote. I set her up on Word Press as I generally like jumping on bandwagons.

More Snow Pictures

You didn't ask for them, but you get them anyway. Because I have nothing else.

The girls.



The birdbath.



The yard with the girls heading out for their walk.



The youngest girl falling after she tried to see if she could slide on snow.



Snow is good.

What a Difference a Day Makes

Yesterday's snow (my reaction was much like Ginger's "WTF?" comment in my previous post then gales of laughter at school being canceled when the roads were absolutely clear):



Today's snow:



My reaction today:



Dogs reaction:



"Uh...duh huh... what's that cold? Let me back in!"

So no school today. Yippee! But it begs the question: why is it when you HAVE to get up and get the kids ready I can barely keep my eyes open, but when I don't have to I bounce right out of bed? Yesterday, the same thing. Woke right up and pounced on the day.

I'm feeling like Lynnster today... volunteering to work on some projects for other people. I have a kick-ass buyer book and my pal Susie has one too that she loaned me. So I updated mine using her fantastic information, then I'm building copies for another couple of agents who work out of our Franklin office.

And speaking of Lynnster, has anyone said lately how wonderful she is? That girl! I can't wait to meet her on Saturday at the Sarcastro baby shower! I'm so glad he and his wife are bringing another little life into this world because it's another fantastic reason to gather with friends. (Oops, is this bloggers blogging about other bloggers?) (hahahahaha) I think I'm bringing paper and pen to try to catch a few people for the wrinkles because I want to write 70 more of them this year and have only done ONE. Ugh. I'm behind! But I'll get caught up.