SueWorks

Hot Cocoa

It's rather warm in Southern California and I'm enjoying a nice cup of hot chocolate.  When you phone the SwissMiss information line, one of their first few options includes the answer to the question, "How much caffeine is in hot cocoa?"  I was surprised, as this was my very question and had settled myself in for a long hold time.  Picture me, holding my phone with one hand as I continued to type, with one hand.  I didn't have my hands free headset and it's very uncomfortable to balance the phone between your ear and the tip of your shoulder.  I imagined I would be on hold as the customer service rep looked through his or her online resources, sticky notes about the monitor, and asked the person next to him or her.  Then I thought I'd probably have to give my address and wait for a nutritional guide.  Lots of food type places promise updated nutritional guides but that is merely a ruse to convince you to buy the double cheesy, rich "healthy" fried chicken "lite" surprise.  See, I was born on a Wednesday but it wasn't today!

The nice, modulated voice of SwissMiss help line international provided the information I needed.  Her soft, plain, Midwest tones were heard as my five fingers attempted to do the work of 10 on the keyboard.  Obviously, SwissMiss has the pulse of its customer's needs.  I wish I could recall the other top five selections, I'm sure they included information I could have used and may need to procure in the future.  Well, I'll just have another excuse to contact the good people at SwissMiss Info Central.

Oh, by the way, did you want to know the answer?

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SwissMiss is 99.9% free of caffeine, naturally!

Revisiting Spikey

In a short week, we will be traveling.  Miss Spikey and her sister Dotsy will be at home.  Their Auntie Pia is babysitting, along with their other sister Rosey.  I'm sure Spikey is mad already.  There's been an upsurge of activity as we prepare for a 16 day vacation that she surely has noticed.  She's sitting on my lap now.  In fact, I'm twisted about oddly and unable to use any of the ergonomic features of my home office.  The kitty gets in the way.

Darned Web Avoidance

I basically ignored my email this weekend.  Around 6:30 on Sunday evening I glanced at my bills pending, and called it good.  It was very lo-tech this weekend.  And now I will be paying. 

For instance, I missed out on 1,000 free online STAR points.  I listen to Star 98.7 and, from time to time, I actually hear their word of the day.  I use that word to earn points that can be redeemed for marvelous gifts and exciting chances.  Yes, I have won nothing so far!  But hope it does spring eternal. 

There were some good things to come from a lo-tech long weekend.  I think I've lost weight.  My slacks today were a bit spacious.  I re-read Harry Potter #4 and started #5.  I looked at my beads.  I thought about my knitting.  Briefly, I considered my Christmas card list.

Now it's the real week and I need to get focused.  Oh lordy, please help me survive!

Happy Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving is my favorite holiday.  The reasons are because:

1. It's one day.  Christmas is technically one day.  One day that involves months of preparation and days of clean up, and money.
2. It involves food.  Need I say more!?!
3. The food is the tastiest there is.  While a porterhouse will always be my very favorite of meals, turkey and all the trimmings are just an incredible taste explosion waiting to happen.
4. The day is about family and being happy.  Lots of other holidays promise this same goal.  Though I can recall some pretty horrible holiday memories.  See, my dad gets antsy with people around.  He's like a long tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs.  If you can imagine screeching from a 5'10" man, that's what some of our holidays have sounded like.  Pumpkin seems to enjoy those days the best.
5. Gifts are absent from the day.  I take this one back.  There is only one gift, the gift of You!  Your time and your laughter!
6. Pumpkin and I got married on this day.  Actually we got married on the Saturday after Thanksgiving four years ago.  This year it's on the day proper.  All of the people I wanted to spend time with came for the long weekend.  It was very nice.  Especially the Pumpkin and wedding parts.

Happy Anniversary Sweetie!  Where's the ribbon?

Career Planning

It is horrible that you have to decide what you want to be when you grow up when you're about 9.  A lot of things change between 9 and 19.  Then the world shifts between 19 and 29.  And when you're older, lots older, you are left with a choice that was made by a child.   

I have heard that you have about five careers in a lifetime.  I'm on my third career now.  I'm wondering what the next two will be.  I don't think my old college tests that indicated a strong preference for forest ranging are still valid.  It seems that lots of people are suited for forest ranging.  Does that mean that it is very easy or that all people yearn to commune with trees?  I can't imagine the born and bred Manhattanites are closet rangers.  Though there are lots of trees in Central Park.

My mom was a secretary, then a stay at home mom (shortest career,) then nurse and now nurse educator.  My dad had only one career.  He didn't like it very much when he was living through it.  Though I think he does miss it now in retirement.  And well, my sister and husband have dabbled in almost everything. 

Do you think I should be in the gate business?  There is a gate business you know.  They have an club and everything, the American Fence Association.  It's more than just chain link!

The Movie of My Life

The Movie Of Your Life Is A Black Comedy

In your life, things are so twisted that you just have to laugh.  You may end up insane, but you'll have fun on the way to the asylum.

Your best movie matches: Being John Malkovich, The Royal Tenenbaums, American Psycho

Your Life Was a Movie, What Genre Would It Be?

Let's all thank the Psycho Bunny!

Viva Las Vegas

Sue and extended family were in Sin City this weekend.  Here is Pumpkin in a candid self portrait.

He's still working on his technique.

   

His sister was visiting from Alaska and celebrating 10 years of wedded bliss.

And there were more revelers, most notable is my mother's backside.  I'm absent altogether. 

From left:  SIL's best friend, BIL by marriage, SIL, my mother as described above (she'll probably shoot daggers at me), son of SIL, and Pumpkin's mother.  Pumpkin was, of course, behind the lens.

When I get good at Photoshop I'll plant a fern behind Mom's derriere.  Mom, are you listening?

Beautiful Children

I'm sure that all parents know their children are beautiful.  But let's face it, some kids are more beautiful than others.  Do you tell your children that they are the most beautiful children in the world?  And you do you think they are?

I was watching Spanglish, I won't mention the story line too much, but there is some conflict due to a very beautiful, high achieving though mentally-disturbed mother and her pre-adolescent daughter.  Read:  Braces, freckles, and chubbiness.

There was a very beautiful person I went to high school with.  She loved everything about herself.  Her face was exquisite, her eyes were more intriguing and violet than Liz Taylor's, and she had a very decent body.  I think that her parents really didn't care too much about what she did or where she went.  I wonder what happened to her.  Just a very random thought.

On My Mind

What's on my mind is my weight.  How can I ever leave a lifetime of plus size living? 

It's the big rage.  Tyra Banks was chubby for three dates!  I heard something on the local news about an undercover ops with a would-be anchor.  Fat-hating is the last accepted form of discrimination.  I happen to be a member of the impacted group.  Oh, I also have bad skin. 

Right now I'm feeling like I should put a bag over my head to match the sack-like clothing I'm expected to wear.  It's not the greatest of Sue Days.

I've been under a lot pressure and it will only get worse as the months progress.  I have a long weekend to look forward to, and a longer vacation next month.  So I will take every day one second at a time and I will survive.

Setting the Record Straight

You have to read yesterday's post to give this one perspective.

I do not walk around in a cloud of toxic fumes.  Yesterday I was feeling bloated and overall stuffed.  There was no reason for it, none that I could think of anyway.  And I wanted to share, and scare, my readers.

Someone I know (protecting names to save the guilty) has incredibly little gas.  So I've been researching what is normal.  And of course, there are standards in this area.  The experts say that 14 to 23 times is normal, not 15 to 20, but 14 to 23.  I'm going to bookmark this site for future reference.

When we were growing up we weren't allowed to say F*RT.  Each time you said it you had to put a quarter in the "falafel."  It was not a Middle Eastern sandwich but a bank.  See, you couldn't call it a f*rt bank because each time you said the word you'd have to say, "put your cash in the f-bank," and you'd put two quarters in.  It made sense at the time.  I think we actually went out to dinner a few times on the falafel proceeds.

Any way, all cultures, all ages pass gas, 14-23 times daily, except of course this one person I know.  I suspect when this person passes from this world, there will be a major explosion releasing all the gas that is being pent up.