Teenagers!

Have you ever refereed a candy bar?  

I found myself recently refereeing a bar loaded with candy of all kinds:  Sweet, tangy, sour, chocolate...  What do they all have in common?  Lots of sugar...  Nothing like sending kids home with a sugar high!  The kids were ecstatic.  You should have heard the comments made.  They do their best to sweet talk you into giving them candy and more candy.  You'd think they never saw candy before.  Some of them had never seen a candy "bar" before.  I'd have to say that candy is always a hit with teenagers as well as people of all ages.  What's life without a little sweet nothing here and there?

Necessary Evil

Are you in dire straits?

This is a tough economy and people are getting laid off or fired and what to do?  Especially when you need money to pay the bills.  Unfortunately money is a necessary evil.  If you are at a crossroads in life, why not go back to school or do something you've always wanted to do.  The only thing stopping you is yourself.  Libraries offer many classes for free if you want to learn new computer skills.  Also recreation centers offer different classes like cooking, swimming, etc. at a reduced cost.  Think outside of the box!

If you've always had a hankering to travel then why not apply for jobs that give you room and board?  That way you can travel and see different parts of the country at a minimal cost.  You can work in exotic locations or sunny getaways.  There are jobs out there for caretakers.  Do your research.  Also, if you are over the age of fifty, there are many things you can do for free.  Why not take advantage of the freebies that life has to offer?  If you can retire early then why not do it?  There are lots of ideas around if you want to find things to do.  Like I said before, think outside the box!

Farmer's Market

Looking for something to do?

What better way to spend a morning than walking around a farmer's market?  I was at one this weekend and they are pretty fun to walk through.  There are ever so many samples to try from local vendors.  I think I tried at least three different brownies.  Plus there are so many varieties of honey and salsa to taste.  Yummy!  Great way to get a little exercise in and tempt your palate.

Fleet Week

Ahoy there sailor!

I have yet to make it to Fleet Week anywhere but I have always wanted to go.  The closest I've come to Fleet Week was in San Francisco one October.  The only thing being that I was in town for a wedding and so had different festivities to go to.  However weddings are always fun and it's always nice to see family that you haven't seen in so long.  Some members of my family and I went to Monterey for part of the week and I have to say that it is one of the prettiest spots in California.  I could just sit and watch the water for hours.

Why Dublin?

The land of golfers...

I only say this because since winning The President's Cup, you can see giant-sized golf balls all over the city of Dublin.  If you are familiar with Dublin, Ohio there is a corn field there that is made up of corn sculptures.  It's the neatest thing!  Not something you think you would encounter while simply driving around.

Design Columbus

Are you an architect?

Design Columbus is an annual expo which caters to architects, builders, designers, etc.  This year it was held at COSI.  Some of the featured speakers spoke about LEED and the redesigns for Bob Evans and Tansky Toyota.  This was an interesting expo and a first for me.  I had never been to one of these before.  I was able to sit in on some sessions and find out more about LEED and Feng Shui.  

Fashion by Mayhem

Not Mayhem as in insurance though...

I was talking to someone today who told me about Fashion by Mayhem.  It's about a four year-old girl who wears paper dresses that mimic the hottest fashions around.  This is one of the cutest sites that I have seen in a while.  You have got to check this out!  The paper fashions are so cute!

Life is a Mystery!

So who done it?   

Have you ever been to a mystery dinner theater?  I've been to a few.  I have to admit that some are more entertaining than others and recently I was at one hosted by The Murder Mystery Company.  What's unique about this theater troupe is that they really do their best in getting you involved with the production.  And what you do if you get roped in to be a part of the show actually makes the show pretty hilarious.  Kind of like being in a reality show of sorts.  I have to admit that having dinner with this gang makes for a festive and fun night.  So if you're in that sort of mood...  Why?  Because it was a dark and stormy night!  Actually not stormy...  just dark...

Lazy Saturdays!!!

Guess what today is?

You guessed it!  Another lazy Saturday!  Sometimes you just need days where you sleep in and catch up on things.  Zzzzzzz...  Like sleep!  But hopefully not like a bat!

Life is but a dream!

Or does reality bite?

Well some things bite!  Like bed bugs and spiders!  I watched the movie Heaven is for Real yesterday.  It's based on a real life story about a young boy, Colton Burpo, who has a near death experience and goes to heaven.  In heaven he meets Jesus, his sister, and his great-grandfather.  When he comes back to consciousness he knows things he shouldn't know.  Coincidentally, there is a girl in Lithuania who has painted Jesus.  This is the only picture of Jesus that Colton Burpo feels truly represents his reality.

Brain Freeze

Does this happen to you?  

Ow!  Ow!  Ow!  Being that it's so hot today, after I went walking with a friend, I went to a convenient store and bought an icee type of drink.  Ow!  That travels to your head very quickly!  Who knew it was going to get so warm so quickly.

So...  short walk, cold drink, brain freeze!

Very Warm!

So we freeze our tushies off this past winter and now...

it's so warm that it feels like summer!  Really?  Not to mention that Colorado has snow.  Sometimes the weather patterns make absolutely no sense whatsover!  Is there anywhere in the entire United States of America that has mild weather year round?  If so that's where I'm headed.  Just after I tie up loose ends here.  I know one thing, I can't take another winter like the one I just went through.  It was so cold!  Brrr...  Remember snow?  The warmer it gets, lets just think snow.  Until winter actually does come again and we high-tail it out of here.

Male Bashing...

So what is it that women do when men aren't around?  

Ahhh!!!  Well, I like men and have had many guy friends throughout my life but sometimes you just have to wonder.  I remember hearing a story when I was younger.  This one guy was telling us about his years in college.  He had to do laundry and threw all his clothes into the washer only to realize that it was broken because no water came out.  So he went and poured water into the machine only to realize later that it was the dryer. Yes!  The dryer!  Thankfully this guy had a sense of humor!  

Whole World

Are you a vegan or vegetarian?  

I met a friend of mine last night for dinner at Whole World.  It's a mom and pop vegetarian place.  Considering it is vegetarian and I love meat, I did enjoy what I ate there.  I had their quiche which was very good.  And their lemons bars are delicious!

If you like tofu, here is a great way to cook it.  Buy tofu, not the silken style, but the firm type and slice into thick steak-like squares:  Kind of like sticky note size.  Fry in a frying pan with some olive oil.  Sprinkle some salt and sesame seeds on them.  Cook till toasted on both sides.  This is a great way to eat tofu!

Also for you veggie lovers, there is a veggie lover site where you can meet other veggie lovers.

"We all live in a yellow submarine!"

Are you on the outside looking in or on the inside looking out?  

That's the odd thing about perspective.  Why is it that some people see the glass as half full and others as half empty?  I spent the day running errands and there was a time when a few errands took a couple of hours but it seems as you get older that things take a lot longer.  Is it because I'm older or because I'm getting slower?  This is what I call a turtle wax day!  I meant to work on something creative but the day just kind of ran away from me.

Lately I have to admit that I go bonkers when traffic is at a standstill.  People won't let you pull over and you have to wait and wait.  Argh!  Maybe I should go through British slang to pick up some good choice words to use?  After all, who doesn't like being verbally creative?  I have to admit though that the weather feels really good!  It would be ideal to just soak in sun all day but it's not quite that warm yet...

Fickle Weather

Sometimes you just need to take time to see a sunset!

CMA

Always lots to do on a Sunday!

I met with my writing group today and we went to Columbus Museum of Art to be inspired but instead there was a special event going on and the usually quiet museum was overrun by noisy children having fun!  I decided to just take pictures!  Take note of Back of Kelly!  It's a sculpture and if you were to look at him, you would think he was real.  He has hair and everything.  So life-like!

Murphy's Law

Do you ever have days where everything just seems to go wrong?

I call these Murphy's Law days!  I think I'm having a Murphy's Law week actually.  This week for some odd reason, traffic has been terrible.  It has taken two to three times the drive time to get anywhere.  You see bumper to bumper traffic and cars everywhere even when it's not rush hour.  Then I keep forgetting to take the stuff that I meant to take with me: paperwork, forms, etc.  It has gotten to the point that I feel like pulling out my hair.  However it seems it's not just me.  Other people I talk to are experiencing Murphy's Law in one form or another!  We ought to have a Murphy's Law Holiday so that we can just stay in bed with the covers over our ears! 

Photobomb

Jimmy Fallon & Cameron Diaz

This is a funny video about Jimmy Fallon and Cameron Diaz photobombing people on top of a New York City building.  What would you do if you and your family or friends were out getting pics taken and some celebrity just jumped into your shot?

In my lifetime I have walked past Fabio in Kaufmann's, had a picture taken with Arnold Schwarzenegger, and met Amy Tan.  I had a friend that was on the same airflight as Drew Carey, a boss that met Nicholas Cage, and a brother that went to college with Ashley Judd.  You just never know who you might run into.

Finals Week

Remember those?

I'm in the throes of it now.  I just need to get past this week and I will be done for this semester.  It is not easy juggling different parts of your life together.  Life is a jumble of puzzle pieces.  You just need to see how it all fits together.  Although some parts might go missing for a time.  And you might get lost as well!

There's been a lot going on in the news lately.  I was especially horrified to discover what collapsed in Baltimore, Maryland and about the flood in Philadelphia.  All these natural disasters make you stop and really think about how fortunate you are to go through a day and still come home intact.  You never know when something is going to happen just around the corner.