Tru Blood

I have this facination with vampires.  Twilight really got me into it... and I can't stop reading the books or watching shows about them! Tru Blood is a terrible show... very innapporpriate... but Oh! So good!

Anyway, I had a dream that I think may have been slightly inspired by the show, but I will get to that at that point in the dream.

::::Dream::::
I was directing members of the Dream Project on how to build something.  Not sure what, but because I was 8 months pregnant, I couldn't help lift anything.

Payslie decided to throw a little tantrum inside my stomach.  She kicked, punched, and if we could hear her, we would have heard screaming as well!  She was thrashing around so much that I could see her feet, legs, and hands imprinted on my stomach.  At one point, she threw her face out so hard that I could even see the shape of her face through my skin!

I decided to call my doctor.  No way was I going to have a child that threw tantrums like this in the real world! She told me that I could take Payslie out and give her a talking to.  She said that this would give me a chance to dicipline her before she was actually born :)

So I took her out.  She sat in my lap as I told her exactly how a little girl was supposed to behave.

Then, as per doctors orders, I began to lick her all over to get her wet enough to slide her back in.

What??? Gross!

However, in my dream, it was completely normal :) This was the part that I thought related back to TruBlood when Bill has to lick Sookies wounds in order to heal her.

Anyways, back to the dream...

I started to put her back in but she wouldn't budge.  She was behaving of course, but she wouldn't fit... I freaked.  I called my doctor panicking that I had taken her out and left her out too long and now she wasn't going to finish developing.  She said not to worry because she was 8 months, so she would be fine.

So I got to keep my Payslie!

Reality Check

Because I had a huge reality check last night, I thought it would be a good start to RESTARTING my blog.

I used my blog for a school assignment last quarter which is why I haven't posted anything personal on here in awhile.

However, I am going to try to keep you all updated with what's going on in my life from now on! (this is a very very hard thing to accomplish for me... if you have read previous posts, I have made this statement a couple times now!)

Monday.
This was my first day off of work.  I had my 24 week check up and everything looked great besides the massive weight gain. I gained 10 lbs in a month... mind you, they did not take into account if I had gone to the bathroom that day yet (gross I know... but it can add a couple lbs right?).  My blood pressure was completely normal though, so they said not to worry just to be careful for the next few months :) 

Then they measured Payslie and figured out where my weight went... using the measuring tape on my belly, she was measuring at 26 weeks! 2 weeks ahead... so she must have had a major growth spurt! Boy am I in trouble if she keeps this up!

The rest of the day, I did laundry and picked up the house.  I started to have a lot of lower back pain to the point where I kept having to sit down and put my feet up.  This continued until bedtime and a little into the next day.

On Tuesday, instead of back pain, I had nausea.  This is a normal symptom of pregnancy, but I havent had a day of morning sickness!  I drank lots of water and made sure I wasn't hungry, but I couldn't get rid of it.

By 5:30, I was in the dressing room at Ross and felt liquid get squeezed out.  I won't go into detail, but it was enough to make me concerned and it happend a couple times so i called my doctor.  They ended up sending me into labor and delivery to double check that I wasn't leaking amniotic fluid or going into labor!

They hooked me up to the doppler and watched everything.  According to the tests, it wasn't amniotic fluid so I was safe to go home.  However, I am supposed to keep an eye on everything and if it happens again, head straight back :)

Payslie was so active at the hospital!  I felt as if she was moving around more then she usually does... maybe it's because of the pressure of the doppler?  The midwife kept making comments on how the scan showed the maturity of a 30 week baby and not a 24 week baby :)  That she is an overacheiver and it's no wonder I have been feeling her move since 13 weeks.

Yay for passing on our genes!  So far, Payslie is just like her mommy and daddy :)  Be ready world!

Crowdsourcing "F"

Following the railroad track with her eyes, she searched for any type of movement.  When she could see no further, she decided to slowly push herself up to look through the grass. The only sound that could be heard was the wind, and the slow but stressed breathing of her "troops". 

Scanning the surrounding area, she noticed in the distance behind them, a dark feature standing in the trees.  She knew it couldn't have been a zombie.  If it had, the zombie would have attacked them by now.

Motioning to her troops to crawl off the tracks, she slowly stood up waving to the shadow.
"Hey!  You in the trees!"  The shadow inched further into the trees, but she heard a response.  Was that the same voice she heard earlier high up in the tree informing them about a corn field?

Ted Talks

I have to say, that while most of the visuals were entertaining and kept my mind from wandering, I felt that they also added some confusion.  There were a couple parts that were moving so quickly that I didn't understand completely what was going on.  I had to pause the video a couple times and rewind so I could better understand his point.

However, I also felt that the visuals provided a great way to explain what he was talking about.  I tried to listen to the video while working on something else but couldn't understand what was going on; I had to keep my eyes on the screen.

I wasn't in class last week to be able to draw parallels, but from what I have read from other blogs I can see the connection.  I never put much thought into how I read a comic, on screen or on paper, I just naturally did it.  However, it makes sense how it can be confusing without direction and what it could take to make a comic easily understandable, or easily read, on a computer.

I can draw connections from today's class and Scott's speech.  He spoke about blind faith and how scientists or inventors have a lot of trouble promoting ideas when there isn't proof it will actually work.  I had to promote my dumb product first today, and feel I got to experience that first-hand.  I have never promoted a product and had no idea what I was supposed to do.  Because I went first, I couldn't even watch other people to get an idea of how to present.

Run, Lola, Run

Remember the choose your own adventure books?  I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THOSE!  They were my favorite to read as a child and the movie reminded me of those books.  I actually was considering getting a couple for the kids I nanny so that they may experience them before I saw the movie.

It was interesting how they made a movie into that format.  It seemed a lot like the choose your own adventure books, but at the same time it was very similar to any video game.  I have only played one RPG, Zelda the Twilight Princess, but my husband has played many.   You choose your own path and do what you want to do, but if you screw up, you have to start over or back track and fix everything.  He has started playing with the game guides so that he doesn't have to start over and can follow the game step-by-step.

The movie also made me think of my own life in a personal way.  What situations have we created just by the way that we have reacted?  Could it be my fault that someone isn't happy today?  Could I have made another person's day by smiling and saying hi... and later instead of committing suicide they decided to live?  That's a pretty deep thing to think about, but at the same time, the movie was also implying this thought.  Each time she interacted with another person, their future was shown and each time the story changed, their future changed.

How can we live our lives in hopes to touch others in a way that helps and not hinders them?

DICE Video Response

I was amazed at most of the views that Schell had regarding online games.  However, I wasn't surprised :)  I nanny for 4 children in 2nd and 3rd grade and they are all addicted to ClubPenguin, Webkins, an online wizard game, and many other online games.  They are constantly asking their parents for money to buy the latest equipment for their characters.  It saddens me that times have changed so drastically from when I was a kid.  Children have their own computers and choose to play those instead of go outside!  I am constantly trying to pull them off the computer so we can go play at a park or something else entertaining.. but they always beg to get to the next level.


Schell mentioned that one day things will become unified, such as the iphone.  I can see where people would argue against this, but at the same time, I completely believe it.  Our world is becoming a computerized world.  We don't even talk face to face anymore, but rather communicate through text or chat rooms.  Shopping is even turning into online shopping and eventually we may not even have outside malls.  Not that this has anything to do with unified products, but we are a changing world and will do what it takes to make things easier.  Haven't there already been game companies that have joined together in the past?  How is that not believable that we could have just one game console in the future?


He spoke a lot about earning points for things that we do.  I laughed about this thought, but know we are headed in that direction.  Prizes/points motivate people to do things and it could be used to make this world a "better" place.  I'm not sure that this would work for everyone, but at least everyone would brush their teeth?!?  One thing that concerns me is that when we continue to receive prizes for what we do, we learn to not do something without gain.  If you give a child a piece of candy every time they go use the potty, they will expect that candy for years and will throw tantrums if they don't get it.  I am afraid that if we give points for everything we do, people will stop doing things out of the goodness of their heart.  Does that make sense?


I thought the video was hilarious.  It made me think of what our world is becoming and where we are headed... not sure if I really want to be a part of the game that we are all going to play :)

Day 6

Whatever Tickles your fancy...
Well... considering it's been a couple days since I have blogged... I can write about a whole lot!  A lot has happened in the last couple days... some that I can't go into detail about... but life is definitely changing once again!  Just keep us in  your prayers :)

Day 5

Favorite quote.
I know I didn't post yesterday, so I will be doing two.  It's really hard for me to think of quotes... I have a short term memory I think haha.  But I really like the quote that my friend used during her 25 days of blogging:

"Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and go do it. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive." -Howard Thurman

I have also always loved the quote, "never quit smiling because you don't know who's watching" or something like that.

 If I think of more, I will post them as comments :)

Day 4

Favorite book.
This stinks.  I have a hard time thinking of things on the spot... I knew this one was coming up too so I tried to figure out what my favorite book was before typing this with no such luck.  I have favorites from when I was a kid!  I loved the Beverly Cleary books, babysitters club, and the American Girl books :)  (the originals...)  And than in Jr. High, I like the book Andrew.  It was about a ghost or something... very interesting.  But as soon as I got into high school, my nights of sitting in the bathroom reading until 4 a.m. stopped because of my busy schedule.  I wish I could go back to those times where I actually had the time to read a book for hours for pleasure!

If I had to pick a favorite book right now, it would be The Historian, and the Twilight series because those are the ones I have read most recently.

Craigslist adds :)

I just copied and pasted the article, but here is the website:)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstopics/howaboutthat/6157363/20-most-bizarre-Craigslist-adverts-of-all-time.html

20 most bizarre Craigslist adverts of all time

Craigslist, the anarchic classifieds website, has developed a reputation for hosting some of the oddest adverts on the internet.

Drunken clowns, Pope hats and spaghetti bathers are just a few of the things traded on Craigslist

Earlier this year the website agreed to drop its "erotic services" section over claims that it promoted pornography, but otherwise the unmoderated, anything-goes ethos on which its success was built continues.


Below we present a selection of some of the most bizarre adverts, requests and personals listed on the site - from the elderly woman looking for a lodger to live in her bathroom, to the man selling 1,300 Pope hats.

While some were undoubtedly posted as pranks, they still reflect the spirit of a website that proudly keeps itself open to all internet life.

1) Ralph Nader chair
"Yes, that's right. Ralph Nader, perennial Green Party candidate for the U.S. presidency MAY have sat in this very chair! It was used in his Washington, DC campaign headquarters until I purchased it on Craiglist several months ago. It has a nice red, commie upholstery and a sleek black plastic backing. The wheels don't function well, but that is a small price to pay for state control of the means of production."

2) I want some orange juice 
"I'll give you $2 + cost if you'll deliver me some orange juice with receipt. I'm too lazy to get it myself. I live right by University Drive in Elon. Thank you."

3) Seeking adult drunk clown for 30th birthday party
"We need an Adult Drunk Clown who is good at getting drunk and stupid. No need to do any clown tricks, just hang out and drink a shit load. We will be hopping around to different bars and want a clown to tag a long and drink heavely. He doesn't even need to socialize with anyone, just drink."

4) Duck mask
"Full head rubber mask, old, has discoloration on white feather part from age, storage. Hey I got it on my big head, so it works that way."

5) Woman to sit in my bath tub full of noodles, wearing a bathing suit
"I will pay you $1 to sit in my bathtub full of noodles while you wear a one piece bathing suit. I will not be home, nor will anyone else while you do this. I will leave the key for you, and you will sit at your leisure. DO NOT bring any sauce. I will season the pasta after I return home prior to dinner."

6) Wanted: Pony
"My kid is having a birthday coming up soon, and there'll be a lot of children around, so I figured I'd better get a pony. If you do have a pony you could sell, please contact me, and then immediately start putting barbeque sauce in it's bedding or add some Lawry's to it's salt lick - I like to marinade it early and long, so that the flavor is at it's peak by the time I take possession."

7) I have a huge bathroom 
"I am a female in my mid 60's and I am looking for a room mate. Times are tight and I need some extra money. I am willing to rent out my bathroom in my 1 bedroom east village home. My bathroom is large. You can easily put a twin air mattress in there. I only ask that when I need to use the bathroom, you or your air mattress are not in it. I do ask that when you are in the apartment, you confine yourself to the bathroom. I do not feel comfortable with a stranger walking around my living room. This might change as I get to know you better."

8) Pope hats
"Because of this terrible economy, I'm having to shut down my business. I have OVER 1300 Pope hats (replicas) that I REALLY need to get rid of. The pope hats came from China and are a little too small for most adult heads and are also irritating to the skin, so you would need to have long hair or wear a smaller hat underneath (just like the REAL POPE). Dogs do not like to wear these pope hats, but maybe a large cat or maybe a nice dog would wear one."

9) Need someone to hide easter eggs in my apartment when im not home
"I need someone to hide easter eggs in my apt when i am not there ! They are small and filled with candy! I would like to find them myself on sunday! I am willing to pay! Serious inquiries only!"

10) Free couch, if you can bend time and/or space 
"I have a free couch for anyone who can get it back out of my room. It's a comfy couch, cool stripe velvet in great shape, impossibly uncomfortable sleeper, but otherwise easily worth $50-75 bucks in Craigslist land. So why am I listing in for free? Because I am pretty sure it is physically impossible to remove this thing from my second story bedroom down the narrow hallway, down the narrower staircase and out the front door of my little Victorian duplex."

11) I took your purse and felt a connection 
"Tuesday night around 11:30. On 53rd btw 1st and 2nd. You came out of the subway and I followed you. You looked over your shoulder, saw me and started walking faster. I ran up, grabbed your arm, took your purse and ran away. I've done many a snatch-and-grab but no one has ever stuck in my mind like you. There was a quick moment when our eyes met that I felt something strong. I think you felt it too. If I wasn't so shy (or so committing a crime) I would have asked your name. I, of course, later got your name from your drivers license. So Jennifer if you'd like to get together for a drink sometime get back to me."

12) Looking for bridesmaids
"So, my fiancee and I are getting married in June. He has 8 groomsmen lined up and I only have one bridesmaid. So, I need some girls who are attractive and around my age to stand up in my wedding. You can be single or taken. It doesn't matter....you just have to be hot. But, not hotter then me. Email me for more information. The wedding will be in Madison and you won't have to pay for a thing."

13) Do you have a small, incontinent dog? 
"Or perhaps you work for a small dog rescue of some sort. Either way, I have a package of small doggy diapers. I don't want to throw them out coz they are pretty expensive. (as someone with a small, incontnent dog would already know). Please don't try to put them on a cat. It won't work. Trust me."

14) My teeth 
"I left my Dentures in your Silverado last night. I gave you my number but did not get yours. Please call me asap. I need my teeth. We met in the parking lot of Margarita Jones. Get back to me asap please. Thank you."

15) Disgruntled American seeks Canadian for political asylum, maybe more 
"Are you a lonely, possibly desperate Canadian woman aged 18-50? Tired of trying to find a good man among your flannel clad, Labatt's drinking, moose hunting country men? Willing to take in an American who is fed up with his country? Then I'm the guy for you! Maybe you're a bit overweight or suffer from "Lifelong Ugly Duckling" syndrome. I don't care."

16) Autographed copy of Plato's Republic
"1st edition of The Republic signed by its author. There is of course a reasonable amount of wear and tear, (light highlighting and underlining, dog-eared pages, back cover missing, etc.), but it is in overall good condition considering its age."

17) Ferocious attack kitten 
"This destructive kitty has been trained as a proud warrior and will fiercely defend your house, even against you. Has a very soft and furry belly, like a teddy bear - however he will bite your face if you try to touch it. For the love of God, someone please take this thing out of my house."

18) Free - international ketchup packet collection
"This is a collection of ketchup packets from around the world. approximately 25 countries are represented here, including japan, finland, estonia, greenland, brazil, and portugal. none of the packets have been opened and they are labeled with their home country. Collection comes in decorative box with ducks on it."

19) Personal texting assistant
"I get 40 - 50 texts an hour, I cant handle my workload plus texting responsibilities. My phone gets too full and needs deleted every couple hours. This is a full time position and you must be where ever I am at, because my phone is always with me. Serious inquiries only."

20) 300 stuffed penguins
"I'm going through a pretty weird time in my life right now--having just gone through a break-up and graduated college and temporarily living in my parents' house before I move out for good in in the fall, though I remain unemployed because my philosophy degree is at *such* a premium--and sifting through my room (which has become a strange amalgam of my adolescence and burgeoning adulthood), it's been brought to my attention that I probably won't "catch a man" or have anyone believe I'm about to turn 23 with 300 penguins and a bunch of purple furniture around, that looking at my current room one might think some sort of 13-year-old with developmental issues is living here.

Day 3

I know it's not day 3 yet... but tomorrow is Valentines day.  I am sure Jonathan would not be too happy if I got online to blog tomorrow :) haha

Favorite TV Program
Let's see... when I was a kid: Boy Meets World, Lizzie Maguire, and Recess
Now: Biggest Loser, Bachelor, American Idol, and My all time favorite: Glee!

Day 2

Favorite Movie:

I have a couple :)  
Enchanted-- Jonathan and I danced to So Close for our first dance at our wedding. This song was playing at the ball when they were dancing!
Beaches-- It's an oldie with Bette Midler.  I absolutely love it!  If you haven't seen it, you should.
P.S. I love you-- So cute!  I laughed/Cried every other scene!

So, as you can see so far, I love cheesy, sappy movies :)  Typical girl!

Day 1

So one of my dear friends has been blogging about 25 random things; one random thing each day. I figured I would follow suite since I have failed to keep up on blogging :)

1. Favorite Song

I have a couple: Apologize by Timberland, Love Story by Taylor Swift (though it's getting cheesy), and I have recently fallen in love with Take a Bow by Rhianna but sung by Rachel from Glee :) Those are the only ones I can think of... I can't ever remember things!