Tuesday Thoughts: A Week Later

So here we are, one week after Election Day 2016 (aka: The End of Days).

Am I still angry about the outcome?
Yep.
Am I still posting political stuff on Facebook and Twitter?
Yep. (And I'll get to that more in a bit)

But, here's the thing: in the midst of my anger and (yes, really) despair about what happened last week I am finding resolve and positive thoughts. Do I still think we, as a country, are headed down a path that is equal parts terrifying and uncharted? Damn right. But I am convinced that there is a huge group of folks out there who are willing to fight back.

And for my part I'm involved in another campaign for 2017 and that is likely just the start of my part of the fight.

I'm also trying to remain positive and do things that make me happy.

Like, decorating for Christmas.
On November 14.

Yes, really.

Last night Kevin said "we should decorate" and the girls were really excited about it ... so who was I to say no? [I did say 'no' to Walt the Elf on the Shelf coming back. It's way too soon for that nonsense].

And to be honest sitting next to the tree last night, sipping a cuppa tea, was very relaxing. It was happiness in the midst of impending darkness.

So yeah.
I decorated for Christmas.
On November 14.
Deal with it.

Which brings me to my other thought for today. I've seen several people posting on FB about how THEY THINK we should all stop posting about politics and how we should "unlike" sites like MSNBC, Vox, The Daily Kos, etc. Basically telling people that they're tired of hearing about it and therefore we should all shut up.

Well guess what?
That's not going to happen any time soon on my FB page.
So, if you're tired of seeing political posts you best unfollow or unfriend me now.

Because in case you aren't aware there is a revolution starting and that means this is NOT the time to sit back and shut up.

This is the time to speak up, speak out, be heard, and let those who think they're going to silence entire religions or groups of people know that we will not be silent. I will continue to speak up and speak out because that is MY right. And if we stop speaking up and speaking out then THEY win. Again. And that is not OK.

So there you have it.
I decorated for Christmas
And I'm going to keep posting political stuff.
Because I can.
;)

Happy Tuesday.

Christmas Trees

Yes. I am decorating for Christmas.

TONIGHT.

No. I don't give a damn if you like it or approve of it.

That's all. 

Back to My Regularly Scheduled Program

So I know it's ONLY December 15 (yeah, only) but I'm already making a New Year's resolution - I need to blog more.

I go to bed each night with all these bloggy ideas running through my head but since my JOB that pays me REAL MONEY is all about the writing of many, many words every day the last thing I think about at the end of the day is this blog. (I'm sorry blog. It's not you, it's me.)

So I'll try to do better next year. Hell, maybe I'll even do the NaBloPoMo in January where I write a post every single day. We'll see how I feel on January 1.

Anyway....

Here's what's happening in my fishbowl lately.

First, I have to say this: I am so sick and freaking tired of people who are assholes about food allergies.

There.
I said it.

And I'll say it again, this time with feeling:
Stop being an asshole when it comes to food allergies.

Don't tell me that I need to "step it up" and bring my own food to school events. Because if there's one thing food allergy parents do EVERY SINGLE DAY it's step up. We spend our days worrying about our kids and what they're eating and what their friends are eating at the lunchroom table and if we're going to get THAT CALL from the school telling us our kid is having an allergic reaction.

So don't freaking tell me to step up. And don't tell me that the note sent to all the room moms at school with a "safe snack" list isn't relevant to you because your kid doesn't have a classmate with food allergies. It's called food allergy education you cold-hearted dimwit so maybe you need to educate yourself on just how serious (and deadly) food allergies are because I guarantee one of these years your kid WILL have a classmate with food allergies and if you're educated you won't seem like such an asshole.

And when I post something on my Facebook page about peanut butter and how I think it should be banned in classrooms with peanut allergy kids, don't tell me I'm wrong. Because you know what? I'm not wrong. I'm 1000% right and it isn't something that is up for debate. Your kid won't die if they don't eat peanut butter but my kid could die if she does. So shut the hell up already.

[Wow. I feel like a million times better right about now. I guess I needed that mini-rant.]

Next, today was one of those days where I wasn't sure how things were going to end up.

See, I got a phone call last week telling me that my annual mammogram had "differences" when compared to last year's scan and I needed to come back for a second diagnostic mammogram. Not the phone call any woman wants to hear if I'm being totally honest.

And so I spent the better part of the past week wondering what the hell was going on. And I will admit I did a few self exams in the process just to make sure I didn't feel anything weird. I Googled "follow-up mammogram" and "second mammogram" and various other search terms. I WedMD'd it. (I also just made WedMD a verb but whatever). And I tried to keep telling myself to stop worrying so much already.

Today was my "diagnostic screening." I took my mom with me.

After sitting in a tiny little nook wearing only a pink "cape" and my jeans for nearly 30 minutes, I was finally called into a screening room. (While I'm on the subject...let's talk about this pink cape. Seriously people. Can you give a girl a little dignity please? "Take off everything from the waist up and put on this pink cape that ONLY ties at the neck and flies open at the slightest movement so that you have to cross your arms in front of you lest you flash the next person who walks by." Yeah. So totally awesome. They could at least toss us Mardi Gras beads as they walk by.)

Anyway....I had an awesome tech (is that what they're called?) doing the screening. She explained what they were looking for (HELLO??? Why can't they tell you that when they call you???? Would have saved a lot of anxiety!!) and she even showed me the two scans so I could compare them.

Long story short: calcifications were the issue and they were microscopic (and actually had to be magnified in the scans). And from last week to this week a few of them even seemed to disappear. The radiologist said I need to come back in six months for another mammogram but that it wasn't anything to worry about.

Huge. Exhale. Here.

So my takeaway is this: get your mammogram ladies. NOW.

And that my friend is what's happening in my fishbowl right now. Only 10 more days 'til Christmas and for the first time in forever I'm not feeling totally overwhelmed or stressed about the holiday. I'm sure that will change soon.

Elf on the Shelf Returns

So, Walt is back.

Walt would be our Elf on the Shelf. The bane of my holidays. The elf sized thorn in my side.

You get the idea.

I don't like the elf. He only exists to taunt me and challenge me to remember to move his freaky little self every night. Because you know, I don't have enough things to remember. Now I have to remember to move the elf and keep the magic alive.

Blah. Blah. Blah.

Look, I'm not a Grinch.
Really.

But I honestly want to punch someone in the face every year when Walt returns. Specifically the genius who thought a $30 creepy elf was a good idea for keeping kids in check during the holidays. I was doing just fine on my own up until a few years ago thankyouverymuch.

But no. Everyone (OK, not everyone...but a lot of unfortunate souls) have been dragged into this whole Elf on the Shelf debacle.

There are Pinterest boards dedicated to "fun and creative" things to do with/for your elf.

No.
Make it stop.

I consider it a win when I remember to move the damn thing before the kids wake up in the morning. There's no way in hell that I'm going to add powdered sugar, mini marshmallows, or toilet paper crafts into the mix.

Our elf is very, very boring. You can normally find him hanging off the 7-foot-tall Eiffel Tower in our living room, or sitting in a bowl in the dining room, or lounging on a wreath in the bathroom. That's about it. Sometimes we get crazy and he hangs in a stocking all day.

Last week the husband forgot to move the elf and the kids were dismayed to find him still in the bathroom, still sitting on a wreath, still creepy. So I made the executive decision to MOVE THE ELF DURING THE DAY. And when the kids were outside I moved Walt to another room.

Let's just say the kids were freaked out. "HOW CAN WALT MOVE DURING THE DAY??!?!?!"

Kids, I have no idea. Maybe he has his days and nights mixed up.

Thankfully the elf has corrected that problem. Then the other day we had the brilliant idea to have Walt deliver a Lego Advent calendar to the kids.

Now they want more gifts from Walt. "Dear Walt - Do you think you can bring us another present?"

Um, not likely.

Emma wrote Walt a note last night asking if he knew "Diamond" - the Elf that has taken up residence in her 2nd grade classroom.

"Walt" responded that he "doesn't know Diamond" but he "has seen her at Santa's Workshop." As I re-read that sentence this morning I realized that I had inadvertently turned Diamond into a stripper Elf on the Shelf who works at a strip club named 'Santa's Workshop.' Oops.

It's funny if you think about it.

The kids have drafted yet another letter to Walt with more questions. I think perhaps Walt might show up with his arm in a sling tomorrow morning so that he can't write any more notes.

On the bright side, I only have to remember to move the stupid little elf for three more weeks.

Merry Christmas to You!

Wishing you all a very

Merry Christmas.

Elf on the Shelf Returns (Alternate title: How I Fail Elf on the Shelf Each Year)

Friends, the elf has returned.
Walt the Elf is back, ready to "watch" the kids and "report" back to Santa.

That's right. It's Elf on the Shelf time. Also known as "the four weeks of time during which I regularly jump out of bed at midnight - or 5 a.m. - and think: CRAP! I FORGOT TO MOVE THAT STUPID ELF!" 

Yeah.
I really really dislike that elf.

You might remember last year when I blogged about my regular Elf on the Shelf failures. I'm not fairing much better this year.

The girls decided to read the "Elf on a Shelf" book Saturday night so that Walt could return from the North Pole (also known as the top shelf in my closet). I'll admit a small part of my soul died when I pulled Walt out from behind a pair of shoes I haven't worn in years. I really don't like Walt.

Look, I'm sure he's a good - although spectacularly creepy looking - elf. I just wish he could stay in one spot from now until Christmas Eve when I can throw him back in the Target bag in my closet. Because quite honestly, I never remember to move him anyway.

[It should be noted at this point that Olivia, who will be 10 in January, was the "elf instigator" this year. Which means she still believes in Santa. Which means I don't have to have THE TALK this year. This is the ONLY silver lining in the land of creepy elves right now.]

Back to Walt.

Saturday night I remembered to free him after the girls went to bed. I had zero motivation to do something "creative" with Walt. So I had him hang from the doors of my china cabinet. The girls had left him a note asking him to "not make a mess" - which really makes my job easier. This means I don't have to set up the whole "elf making a mess in the kitchen" scene.

Then on Sunday my girls inform me that Walt "moved" during the day. I know that this really means my darling husband found him on the floor and not remembering which cabinet door he had been on, simply hung him on the other door. This also means I had to quick make up a story about how Walt's arms probably got tired and he needed to move.

Note to self: Tell husband if elf falls to his death, just put him back in the same spot.

Sunday night I was all snug in my warm flannel sheets when I saw my sister's Facebook status that their elf was returning.

CRAP.
I forgot to move the elf.

I get out of bed, find the elf, and place him near some Christmas decorations in the family room. I made sure he was at "dog level" hoping that one of our old and slightly blind dogs would find him and eat him.

It didn't work.

Monday night....I go upstairs, ready for bed. Climb in bed.
CRAP. Stupid elf.

So I quietly "yell" downstairs and tell the husband to "move something" (code for "elf" in case little ears are listening). He hangs the elf from another cupboard door in the family room.

Yes, that's right. I have failed Elf on the Shelf on two out of the last three nights. I suck at this. The odds are never in my favor when it comes to the elf. And forget the whole "let's get really creative and have the elf hanging out in Barbie's dream house while plotting to take over the rest of the toys" scenario. It's not going to happen.

It will be a miracle if I remember to move the elf every night. Adding creativity to the mix is just a recipe for elf disaster.

Merry Christmas!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Stocking Holders from Sterling Pear - a review and giveaway

And the stockings were hung....on the staircase this year. Not the most festive - or decorative - place for our Christmas stockings. But that's where they were simply because I was afraid our kitten (being the little troublemaker that she is) would see them hanging on our bookcase and try to pull them down. And in turn would also pull down the very heavy stocking holders we normally use.

Last year one of those stocking holders fell off the bookcase and actually chipped our wood floor. I didn't want to think what it might do to a 7-month-old cat with too much time on her paws. So, our sad little stockings were hanging on the staircase railing with those little adhesive hooks. How festive.

And then, I found Sterling Pear and the different options they have for hanging stockings from mantles (and bookcases!). My holiday decorating was saved (and safe!).

Say you have little ones running or crawling around the house - or in our case, if you have curious pets that have a tendency to pull things off the mantle or bookcase. And say you really want to hang your Christmas stockings by the fireplace but you're worried little hands will pull them - and the heavy stocking holders - down, risking a serious injury. What's the solution?

The stocking holders from Sterling Pear come in three designs - Mantle Clips, Candy Cane, and Stocking Scrolls.

Mantle Clips

The Mantle Clips come in several different styles and metal (pewter, brass, bronze, brushed nickle just to name a few). I ordered the brushed nickle clips and was so excited when they arrived yesterday. I picked the Mantle Clips because the description said they would work on mantels and bookcases - and since we don't have a mantle, but do have a bookcase it seemed like a good choice. And it was. My Christmas stockings have been hanging on the bookcase since yesterday. The clips grab the top of the bookcase and stay in place thanks to rubber grippers.

Candy Cane holders

The Candy Cane holders are described as: ...very light-weight and are angled in such a way that they hold the stocking securely to the mantel. Works well with most mantels, including those with intricate moulding. Will not scratch the mantel and will not leave any marks on the surface.

And I have to say they are super cute and made me wish I had a lovely mantle over our fireplace! They would look adorable in my red family room!  
 

Stocking Scroll

The Stocking Scrolls come in pewter, silver, antique brass, brushed nickle, oil-rubbed bronze, and antique holly and are equally as lovely. The website description includes:

• Great alternative for especially thick or ornate mantles
• Holds up to 10 lbs.
• Ornate and functional stocking holder
• Clear "gripper" pad helps hold it in place while protecting mantle surface

And so my dear readers, since it IS the holidays and I want to spread some magic I have a contest for you!

One lucky reader will one a set of stocking hangers of their choice! That's right. You get to choose from the Mantle Clips, Candy Canes, or Stocking Scrolls.

Entering the contest is easy. You must leave a comment on this post telling me which style of stocking hanger you like (please include your email address in your comment). Then, you MUST use the Rafflecopter entry form to enter the contest. If you do not use the Rafflecopter form your entry will not be counted. (If you can't see the Rafflecopter form, please click on the headline of this blog to see just this blog!)The contest will close on December 8, 2012 at midnight. Winner will be notified via email. Winner will get to choose a set of stocking hangers from Sterling Pear (either Mantle Clips, Candy Canes or Stocking Scrolls).

And because I really want you to have a happy holiday season...if you want to shop over at Sterling Pear here's a 15% off coupon code to use (good until January 31, 20120:  AVFMF113

[Disclaimer: I was provided with a set of Mantle Clips from Sterling Pear. No other compensation was provided. All opinions are mine.]

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Monday musings

So it's Thanksgiving Week...and while I know I have work to do during the next few days, my brain is longing for the "vacation" that is Thursday and Friday.

As much as I love all things social media and the like, I really think I'm going to try and unplug (for the most part) on Thursday and Friday. Granted, my family's turkey day antics will undoubtedly result in a few tweets and/or Facebook posts, but lately I've felt permanently tethered to this damn laptop and...I. Need. A. Break.

In other news....

I might have mentioned here that I'm sort of a big huge Twilight fan. I'm #TeamEdward and I've read all the books (a few times). And yeah, I get it. It's not the best literature and Bella is annoyingly clingy and rather week (as female lit characters go, she's no Katniss Everdeen). But whatever. I don't really care. It's fiction people. Move on.

Last Thursday night my sister and I joined some friends for the Breaking Dawn 1 & 2 "double feature." Oh my Edward. It was so much fun. And (NO SPOILERS!) I'm just going to say, BD2 was the BEST film in the series. The end? Yeah. Left. Me. Breathless. And that's all I'm going to say about that. Except for this: I think it's quite possible that I'm now #TeamGarrett. (Twilighters will understand this).

And since it is Thanksgiving week, we decided to decorate the house for Christmas. Yeah, I get it. I'm as bad as the department stores, right? Why can't Thanksgiving have it's own week without all the holiday crap? I'll tell you why. Because for the last decade we've always put up the Christmas decorations before Thanksgiving. And they come down a day or two after Christmas. It's how things are done around here. (And please, no lectures on the whole "must keep the Christmas tree up until after the new year for the whole 12 days of Christmas." It's just not gonna happen.).

And really, I noticed a lot of people getting their yards "holiday ready" this weekend...so I'm OK with the yard looking like Christmas is tomorrow. I also noticed some yards still "wearing" their Election Day decor - yard signs. Seriously people. It's time to take down the yard signs. The election is over. If your person didn't win, keeping the sign up isn't going to change the outcome. It's time to move on.

So with that....when do you decorate for the holidays? Before turkey day? And when do you "undecorate"?

Merry Christmas 2011

Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!

(Photo Credit: Ashely Photography)

The first ever Bah Humbug Awards. You really don't want to win this.

OK. I have three days until Christmas...so I can still be feeling a bit cranky and Scrooge-like and I'm going to vent and get this stuff off my chest and then I'll be all merry and tinsel.

I'm going to award a few VERY deserving people my first ever "Bah Humbug Awards" - trust me, you don't want to win this. 

My first Bah Humbug "award" goes to people who choose to ignore my daughter's peanut allergy (or any child's food allergy if we're getting all technical about it).

Today was Olivia's "holiday" party in her class. I put "holiday" in quotes, because we all know we can't have a "winter" holiday party that celebrates all the winter festivities, for fear of not being 110% politically correct and offending someone. So, Liv's party celebrated ALL the holidays throughout the year. (Still shaking my head at this one). Her teacher sent home a note that said each child was to bring in a "traditional" holiday food for ANY holiday, and OH BY THE WAY there are kids with peanut and soy allergies in the classroom so please plan accordingly.

Me, being the responsible mom of a child with serious food allergies, I sent in tortilla chips and salsa. Easy enough. No peanuts, soy, sesame, etc.  (We didn't have any "no gluten" warnings, and I'm not even sure if there is gluten in chips and salsa). Other foods sent in included meatballs, sugar cookies, Hershey kisses and Jell-O cake. Oh, and then we had Buckeyes (peanut butter and chocolate), PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES, and an apple pie with a crumb topping made with, you guessed it, peanut butter.

Sure, there were "warning labels" by the offending food stating that they contained peanuts and soy, but c'mon people. How difficult is it to just NOT bring food like that?

The peanut butter/apple pie mom even said to me "well I knew we had kids with peanut allergies in this class, but it was late and I didn't feel like looking for another non-peanut recipe so I guess those kids will just have to skip my pie. Oh well."

Imagine how stupid she felt when I looked her in the eye and said "Yeah, my kid is the one with the peanut allergy. Guess it's a good thing she doesn't like apple pie." [What I really was thinking was "you stupid, irresponsible, b*tch..what if my kid couldn't even be around peanuts? Would you be so blasé about it then?]

And my next Bah Humbug "award" goes to the employers who keep rejecting me in such wonderfully unprofessional and incredibly stupid ways.

First there was the institute of "higher education" who went as far as to call my references, but only because I was ONE of the "finalists" and they hired the other finalist, telling me via email how "lucky" they were to have so many "talented" candidates. Whatevs.

Then, there was the school administrator at another interview who said "you're very impressive on paper but even more impressive in person and we WILL be in touch soon." He lied. They were never "in touch" again, unless you count the GROUP rejection letter that was emailed out by the school receptionist on the administrator's behalf. Yeah. I said group rejection letter. It mentioned "all of you" in every sentence. All of you were talented. All of you were impressive. Oh, and all of you suck so you aren't getting the job. [OK, it didn't say that last part, but it was implied.]

And then, there was the rejection I received today. On the phone. Three days before Christmas. This school [wow..I'm sensing a trend here...no more schools for me] invited me out THREE FREAKING TIMES for interviews and a tour of the school (!!!!) and then they decided to COMBINE TWO JOBS into one, thereby eliminating the position I was interviewing for. The position I really would have loved. The position that I "interviewed excellently for" and "was highly considered for" ... the position that they gave to a MAN.

Are. You. Freaking. Kidding. Me. ??????

I'm just not sure what to do anymore in this whole job search circus.

Here's the thing. NO. I do NOT wish I had kept my job within the fifth level of Hell. I am still happy that I made the decision to leave the organization and their cookies and badges behind. I do no regret telling that bully exactly what I thought of her, and while we're on the subject I hope she has a miserable Christmas and drinks bad egg nog.

But this job search thing SUCKS. It sucks a lot. I'm a talented gal (if I do say so myself) and damn it all I can't understand why I can't find a job. (I mean other than the whole economy being in the toilet thing). I'm pissed off. I'm frustrated. I'm angry. I'm feeling like a failure professionally and that totally sucks.

So where do I go from here? Frankly I have no freaking clue. The job market in Toledo is craptastic. Maybe I start looking for a job out of this city. Out of this state. A friend of mine suggested that perhaps this last rejection means 2012 is the year for me to FOLLOW MY DREAMS AND PASSIONS. Maybe she's right. What is my passion? Writing and social media. Now I just need to figure out where it's leading me and take that route.

And with that...I move on.

To Christmas with my family and too much food (and maybe even too much wine). And then on to 2012. And damn it all, it better be a good year. "12" is my lucky number, so if the gods and karma are listening...make it a good one for me, OK?

Merry Christmas to all.
And to all a good night.

A very 'social media' Christmas

Merry Christmas!

(Here's the link to the YouTube page)

If this doesn't put you in the holiday spirit....

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas!

Five question Friday

So fun!

1. Do you open presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas day?
We let the girls open one gift on Christmas Eve (usually from their grandma who lives out of town). Then the rest is opened in a flurry of paper and ribbon on Christmas morning.

2. What is your favorite Christmas cookie or candy?
Favorite cookie - my mom's peanut butter kisses. Hands down. They're super simple (peanut butter, sugar, and eggs with a Hershey kiss on top).

3. What's the worse Christmas gift you've ever received?
Well, I didn't "technically" receive this - my husband did - but the worst gift ever has to be the diabetes blood sugar monitor he was given last year. By his mother. And for the record, my husband doesn't have diabetes. It was a 'precautionary gift' from his mother. "Just in case" he ever wanted to check his blood sugar. Yes, I'm quite serious. [Oh, and you can't return a gift like this. Believe me, we tried.]

4. Christmas song that you love?
O Holy Night. Silent Night.
Both make me cry.

5. How many trees do you put up?
One. And a half.
We put up the "real" tree in our living room - complete with oodles of Disney ornaments. Then, the girls put up a Disney Princess "mini tree" in our family room. It's pink. And has princess ornaments. Naturally.

Thanks to Mama of All Trades for sharing this...and to My Little Life for the original link.

Join in the holiday fun!