Don't Forget

Tomorrow is the Third Annual PB Contest!

The Contest: If you would like to participate, the first part of the contest will start tomorrow at 9am (Eastern Time). I will post five questions. The first person to submit the correct answers in the comment section of tomorrow's post will be the winner for that set. The second set of questions will be posted at 1pm, the third set at 5pm, and the last set at midnight. I staggered the times so that everyone in all times zones would have an opportunity to play. A fifth "surprise" set will pop up sometime between 5 and midnight, so check back often.

Da Rules: In the circumstance that no one gets all the answers right, the person with the most correct answers will win. If for some reason you cannot comment on the blog (Blogger has been known to screw up) you can submit your answers to my email. You cannot win more than once. Cheating, if you are clever enough to find a way, IS allowed. There is only one right answer to each question. But feel free to argue a point. I love a good debate. Winners will be announced as they come.

Prize:
1. (Will involve you emailing me your mailing address) A mixed goody bag.
OR
2. Because it was so popular the first two years, a personal post. Which means I will dedicate an entire post to you and things that make me think of you

Have fun!

Arabella Day!

Two years ago, during the first PB Contest, a blogger by the name of Arabella chose a post dedication as her prize. She was so appreciative that afterward, I joked that I would make it into a yearly holiday. And I did. I don't express often enough just how much you all mean to me. It's not that it matters so little, but rather that it gets lost in the comings and goings of normal life. But you do. You matter. You're like the family that I got to choose.

So today, in celebration of your fellow bloggers, leave a comment about the person who wrote before you. The next person will leave a comment about you and on it goes. You can comment as many times as you like until I close comments down at 3pm tomorrow afternoon (Eastern time). I will be sure to cap off the list personally so that no one gets left out. So, what are you waiting for? It's not hard! I've even included some examples below. Have fun!

Examples:
"Alien has mad photographing skills."
"Jay knows how to bring on the funny."
"Tequila Mockingbird has great tits."

Weekly Words Challenge 45!

The words for this week were Temporary and Permanent.

How did you interpret them?

Temporary

(Washed Out Sandcastle)


(Footprints)

Permanent




(Random Pictures)

Sea Turtle Nest


Shells/Sand


Hoop's Seatbelt Solution
The night we got back from Tennessee, the AC on my brand new car broke. Since we're too poor to fix it right now, Hoop has agreed to drive the hotbox on wheels for awhile. The only thing he really minds about my car is the annoying seatbelt alarm that goes off every two minutes if you don't buckle up. I went to get into the passenger side of my car this weekend and saw this. I don't know what I'm going to do with that boy.



The words for next week are:
High
and
Low

If you haven't joined the fun yet, go here for details. Don't forget, we also have a Flickr group now for easy shareability. Plus, you get to find out the new words at least an hour earlier. Happy snapping!

Daily Etsy Pick:
Pity Party Banner
Jelly Bean Machine
Food Character Lunch Bag

WTF Etsy?:
Don't Look Aunt Pearl In The Eyes
Chopped Baby Box
Custom Doll 4 U (I love the description!)

It Writes Itself

Overheard in the Dollar Store:
Old Woman 1: You finding everything OK?
Old Woman 2: Well, yes. But, I can't find a price tag on any of this stuff!
Old Woman 1: That's because it's all a dollar.
Old Woman 2: Are you sure?
Old Woman 1: That's what it says on the sign.

Overheard in the Dollar Store 2:
Woman In Line: Char! Oh my Gawd, girl! How you doin'?
Obviously Char: Fine, fine.
Woman In Line: Whatcha doin' here?
Obviously Char: Buying a T.V. dinner.

Overheard in the Dollar Store 3:
Little Girl: Mom. Mom. Mom!
Woman: What?!
Little Girl: Can I get a constipation book?
Woman: CoMPOSItion book?
Little Girl: Yeah.
Woman: They're up front.

Hoop Quote Of The Day:
"Can we open a 'Dolla Stow'?"

Happy Hoopla 2!

(The 2nd anniversary of the day Hoop discovered this blog)

May I present to you...

THE HOOP INTERVIEW!

Also known as a really long and pointless Hoop conversation. Although I'm 99.9% sure there are no small children that read this blog, I would like to point out that this post has some mature content in it. So, flee little ones! Quick, before I corrupt your innocence! Are they gone? Good. Enjoy!

Hoop: How many questions are there?
Tink: I don't know. I'm writing them as I go.
Hoop: This should be interesting...

1. Would you say that you're a boob man, a butt man, or a leg man?
Hoop: Didn't you ask me that one last year?
Tink: I don't think so.
Hoop: Ass man.

2. What's your least favorite movie?
Hoop: What's the last shitty movie that we saw?
Tink: Um, The Happening.
Hoop: Yeah, put me down for that one.

3. If you could magically get any three items in the world, what would they be?
Hoop: Every card that I've ever wanted to collect.
Tink: You do realize what a nerd that makes you sound like, right?
Hoop: Every video game I've ever wanted.
Tink: You mean to tell me that if you could have ANY three things in the world, you would choose cards and video games for the first two?
Hoop: I already have everything that I want. What else is there?
Tink: Oh I don't know, what about a sweet car?
Hoop: Sure.
Tink: *Sigh*

4. Where do you see yourself in a year?
Hoop: King of the world.
Tink: Pfft. You would. No, seriously.
Hoop: In a ditch-
Tink: Hoooooop.
Hoop: -sleeping... in a box.

5. Which are scarier, vampires or wolverines?
Hoop: What? Why would I be scared of a wolverine?
Tink: Oops. I meant werewolf.
Hoop: A werewolf.
Tink: *Scoff*

6. Which is better, Pepsi or Coke?
Hoop: Pepsi.
Tink: Dr. Pepper or Mr. Pibb?
Hoop: Pibb.
Tink: Costumes or lingerie?
Hoop: Lingerie.

7. Would you rather live in a mansion in Iowa or a shack in Hawaii?
Hoop: The mansion.
Tink: But, it's in IOWA.
Hoop: So? I'd just fly to Hawaii whenever I wanted.

8. Would you rather lose a pinkie or have Ebay shut down FOR-EV-ER?
Hoop: Lose a pinkie.
Tink: That was a quick answer.
Hoop: I'm just kidding. There'd be another Ebay eventually. It would be stupid to lose a pinkie over nothing.
Tink: True.

9. If you were a cartoon, which character would you be?
Hoop: Elmer Fudd.
Tink: Great.
Hoop: Why don't you ask me what superpower I'd like to have?
Tink: I think I asked you that last year.
Hoop: So?

10. If you could have one superpower, what would it be?
Hoop: Ah-would-be-um, what do you call it? Invincible! And I could fly.
Tink: That's TWO superpowers.
Hoop: Superman has both.
Tink: That's because Superman has more than one super power.
Hoop: Don't tell me what I can't have.

11. What's the best T.V. show of all time?
Hoop: The Office.
Tink: Really? More than Chuck?
Hoop: Does Chuck come on next Monday?
Tink: *Sigh* No... again. Chuck doesn't come on until this fall.
Hoop: Oh. Then, no.

12. In your opinion, what is the most annoying habit someone can have?
Hoop: Breathing loudly through their nose when they talk.

13. Would you ever have plastic surgery done on your body (for purely pleasurable purposes)?
Hoop: Nah. Unless you wanted me to get a penis enlargement.
Tink: You want me to put that down as your answer?
Hoop: Hey, it's your interview!
Tink: Actually, it's yours. But oh-kay.

14. If you could live anywhere in the world for a year, where would it be?
Hoop: Canada... or Hawaii... or Australia.
Tink: Wow, babe. Those are three totally different places.

15. This is called "2 Truths and a Lie". You have to share three things about yourself, two true and one false. Then the blogosphere has to guess which is which.
Hoop: Do they have to be interesting facts?
Tink: I guess not.
Hoop: I have three balls. No, that's too obvious. I have no gallbladder. I have no life insurance. I love Mustangs.

16. Would you ever go on a reality show?
Hoop: YES.
Tink: What if you would have no idea what the show was about until you were on it?
Hoop: YES.

17. Is there anything that you've never told me before that you would like to tell me now?
Hoop: I have three balls.
Tink: I think I would know if that were true.
Hoop: I used to be a woman.
Tink: Moving on.

18. Is there something about me that you've always wanted to know but have never asked?
Hoop: Have you ever done another girl?
Tink: How would I DO another girl?
Hoop: What do you mean?
Tink: I mean, I don't have the necessary equipment to DO a girl.
Hoop: *Sigh* Have you ever touched the flesh of another girl in an sexual manner?
Tink: No.
Hoop: *Grumbles* Fine.

19. What's your favorite cuss word?
Hoop: Fuck. No, douche-bag. Wait, is douche-bag a cuss word?
Tink: Can you say it in church?

20. Would you ever kiss a dude for $10,000?
Hoop: ...
Tink: Hello?
Hoop: Yeah.
Tink: What? You would kiss a dude?
Hoop: For $10,000? Definitely.
Tink: Wow. I- Wow.

21. What was your favorite toy as a kid?
Hoop: A vibrator.
Tink: Wha- NO.
Hoop: Transformers.
Tink: Thank you.
Hoop: Is that it?
Tink: Isn't that enough? !

Look for the top 5 Hoop conversations in the post below...

Hoopla Continued...

Tink's Top Five Hoop Conversations Since Last Hoopla:

5. January 4th
Tink: I love you.
Hoop: I love you more.
Tink: No you don't. I love YOU more.
Hoop: That's impossible.
Tink: Nuh-uh. I measured it while you were sleeping.
Hoop: *Blink*
Tink: Your love. I measured your love while you were sleeping.
Hoop: Whoa.
Tink: Yeah, that came out wrong.
(While spooning on the couch)
Hoop: *Whispers*
Tink: No you don't.
Hoop: How did you hear that?!
Tink: You were whispering into my ear.
Hoop: Oh yeah.
Tink: Dork.

4. September 9th
Hoop: Do you think the dentist will let me take my wisdom teeth home?
Tink: I don't see why not. Just let them know before they put you under.
Hoop: That would be awesome.
Tink: What're going to do with them?
Hoop: I don't know.
Tink: Maybe the tooth fairy will come.
Hoop: Or maybe I could put them in a statue!

3. October 17th
Hoop: I'm going to take a power nap so I can study later.
Tink: OK.
Hoop: Wake me up at 9:30.
(An hour later)
Tink: Bay-be.
Hoop: Wha?
Tink: You told me to wake you up at 9:30.
Hoop: *Mumbles* OK.
(30 minutes later as I'm changing for bed)
Tink: Bay-be.
Hoop: Wha?
Tink: It's 10 o'clock. I tried to wake you up at 9:30.
Hoop: And you did.
Tink: Then why are you still sleeping?
Hoop: Because every time I wake up you have less clothes on.

2. September 19th
Tink: Did you shake the rug for me?
Hoop: Like a baby.

1. September 7th
Hoop: Quit tickling me!
Tink: Or what?
Hoop: Or um... I'll kill you.
Tink: Kill me and you get NOTHING.
Hoop: That's what you think. I took a life insurance policy out on you.
Tink: You can't do that! We're not even married.
Hoop: Yes I can. There's this thing called "insurable interest." If your death is going to effect the way I live, I can take a policy out on you.
Tink: So you're saying I could take a policy out on anyone?
Hoop: If you can prove insurable interest.
Tink: So I could take a policy out on our waitress?
Hoop: I don't think her death would effect your quality of life.
Tink: What if she dies before she can bring us our food?
Hoop: You're going to insure her for the cost of a hamburger?
Tink: Maybe I'm really really hungry.

Have a great weekend Homebloys!

Movie Junkies

The Dark Knight
I'm not sure this was the right time for Hoop and I to see this movie. Although it was brilliantly filmed and written, it was DARK. Think "The Crow" dark. But don't let that stop you from seeing it. I guarantee it will have you cringing, gasping, laughing, and wanting to quote it later. "You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain." Hoop and I gave this movie four out of five sporks.

Hellboy 2: The Golden Army
The movie was entertaining. I don't feel like we wasted our money; but I don't think we'll be buying it on DVD either. The plot was loose at best, and downright unengaging at its worst. What saved the film was the excellent effects and eye candy. Those golden robots were bad ass. On a separate note, did anyone else think the voice of Abe Sapien sounded like David Pierce from "Frasier"? Yeah, um, me neither. Hoop and I gave this movie three out of five sporks.

Hancock
A lot of people have complained that the storyline of this movie wasn't what they thought it would be. Oh wah. Personally, I like the little twist they threw in. I like that's it not just another superhero movie. I'm telling you this because it's NOT a spoiler. It's a suggestion. If you leave your expectations behind, you're going to enjoy this movie just fine. Oof a rhyme. Hoop and I gave this movie three out of five sporks.

Wall-E
Let me just start by saying that I'm bias. I heart Wall-E in a big way. I liked him even before I saw the movie. I do impressions of his voice. I almost bought a pack of Wall-E stickers yesterday because I'm a 25 year old kid. I gave this movie five out of five sporks. Hoop, on the other hand, only gave it three out of five. He DID like the way they portrayed humans though. I heard him chuckle more than a few times. So maybe we should change his vote to four. Three and a half?

Get Smart
Hoop doesn't technically know that I saw this movie. He thought my Mom and I were going to see "Sex In The City". But we got there late and this movie had the next showing. I didn't exactly complain. I'd really wanted to see this one anyway. I grew up on "Get Smart" reruns. I was not disappointed. Steve Carell plays an excellent Maxwell Smart. I like that he added his own edge to the character and that Max wasn't as dumb as he'd been on the TV series. Anne Hathaway was hot. The age difference between the two wasn't as creepy as I thought it would be. Overall, it was a really cute and funny movie. Go see it with a date. Four out of five sporks.

P.S. Tune in tomorrow for the anniversary of the day Hoop discovered this blog!

Weekly Words Challenge 44!

The words for this week (and last) were Sign and Graffiti.

How did you interpret them?

Sign
Saturday, Hoop and I drove up on a slow moving minivan with a bumper sticker that said, "I STILL Support Bush". To which I replied (via window sign)-


A cute note on the door of a down town shop-


Graffiti

Hoop and I drove all around our town looking for graffiti and found NONE! We saw a bunch of places where they'd covered it up, some fresh looking. I know I should be happy about this. No graffiti is a good thing, right? Oddly, it just made me blue. Where's the creativity? I swear we live in Stepford.

(Random Picture)

Pink Tree Flowers


The words for next week are:
Temporary
and
Permanent

If you haven't joined the fun yet, go here for details. Don't forget, we also have a Flickr group now for easy shareability. Plus, you get to find out the new words at least an hour earlier. Happy snapping!

Daily Etsy Pick:
Meet The Sporks Decal
Silkscreened Votives
Vampixie (I love the description)

WTF Etsy?:
Boys Will Be Blockheads
Trailer Trash Meat Tray
Cross-Stitch Pimply Faced Teen (Thanks Katie!)

My Secret Stash

I'm feeling generous today. ;)

Book Closeouts-
I get itchy palms every time I hear Barnes and Nobles is having a sale. So imagine my reaction when I clicked on this site and saw that most of the books were 50-70% off! The catch, they're all older titles. But for people who read a lot or have kids, the publish date shouldn't matter. Check it out, they have "Peter Pan" for $2.49.

Ped Shed-
Get your pet's flea and Heartguard medication without the hassle of going to the vet! Most of the time you can get it for less, too. It's legal because it ships from Australia. My family and I have been using this site's services for years without complaint.

Endless-
They may not have the best prices, but they offer pictures of almost any brand you can imagine, from every angle and in all colors. I like to check out the product here before purchasing it elsewhere. And if you DO decide to buy from this site, they offer free overnight delivery!

Shortcuts / Eversave
Free grocery coupons!

P.S. The poem Chris' military buddy claimed to have written when he was in the 8th grade was none other than "The Dash" by Linda Ellis, quite possibly the most infamous Internet poem EVER.

A Sporkful Of Sugar

Daily Hoop Conversation:
(On the plane)
Tink: Is this seat taken?
Business Woman: No.
Tink: Mind if I-?
BW: Go right ahead.
Tink: Thanks! I promise I don't bite.
Hoop: But she DOES lie a little bit.

Hoop Quote Of The Day:
(While passing an "Adam & Eve" adult store)
We should open a gay version and call it "Adam & Steve"!

Around The Water Cooler:
Receptionist: That applicant was jumpier than a one-legged cricket!
Tink: Did you really just say that?
Receptionist: What, you've never heard that before?
Tink: Nope, and now that I have, I think I need to move.

Random Conversation:
Funeral Speaker: And now I would like to read a poem that I wrote in 8th grade...
Family Friend: Who is this schmuck?
Tink: One of Chris' military buddies. He didn't really write that poem. I've gotten that same one in an email at least ten times.
Family Friend: Oh my God, I have too! Should we stop him?
Tink: At a funeral? I think that would probably be against etiquette.
Family Friend: It might break the tension.
Tink: True.
Family Friend: You get his legs.

Moving On

It still feels surreal.

If I concentrate on other things, I can almost pretend it didn't happen.

Almost.

Of all the dangerous things Chris was involved in... I mean, he was going to Iraq next spring. We just never expected something to happen to him 45 minutes from home. I guess you never know. Hoop and I were finishing up a serious conversation when we got the phone call. I'll never forget that moment, not as long as I live. We had just decided to start doing certain things that would make our lives easier; we'd agreed on setting a few wheels into motion. In a second it all seemed so unimportant. Who cared about commutes or crappy jobs? Who cared about wedding deadlines and plans for the weekend? Chris was dead.

I can still feel the pit, somewhere between my ribs, where the pain flared up when I heard those words. It was like someone had poked a hole in me. I wanted to run from it, but it was attached to me. Every time I looked at Hoop, touched him or thought of him, the hole ached. He was in so much pain and there was nothing I could do. No comfort was big enough. No promise worthy enough. My own hurt was like nothing I'd ever experienced before, and to think that it dwarfed in comparison to whatever he was feeling... I'd do anything to ensure he never felt that kind of pain again.

The funeral was beautiful. Chris' entire platoon showed up and then gave him an honorary gun salute. The only florist in town ran out of flowers and plants trying to meet the demand for all the condolences people were trying to send. Hoop and Bob took the shovels from the gravediggers in the end and refused to let anyone else bury our dearest friend. I think Chris would have been touched... and amused. The casket was blue with pink sparkles and adorned with gigantic crosses. Bleh. We sat in the pew discussing all the ways we wished we could fix it. Like maybe painting it black with a couple of large guns on top.

For those interested, the articles on the accident can be found here and here. He was on the phone when it happened. The poor girl he was talking to will probably need extensive therapy. But fortunately, it appears that he died on impact and felt no pain. It was also a blessing that his 4-year old son had gone home four days earlier with Hoop's other brother, who had also been visiting. We're currently petitioning for custody of him. In fact, Hoop and I can think of nothing else that would make us happier. I really think we could give him a good life. But the subject isn't being discussed just yet. So say a prayer, OK?

Thanks to everyone who commented, emailed, and offered love/support/donations. I can't express to you how much that meant to us! Hoop and I read and reread every one of them. No donations are necessary though. Chris had some life insurance policies and Hoop's Dad has assured us that the little guy will be well provided for. That said, I'm going to try and not discuss the subject on here anymore. It was difficult enough coming back, not knowing what to say or where to begin. I need a break. I need the laughter of friends. So forgive me if I just try to carry on, at least until the hole closes some.

The 3rd Annual PB Contest was supposed to start tomorrow. Since I'm a bit behind, it has been postponed until August 1st. The Anniversary of the day Hoop discovered my blog is on July 25th. Arabella Day is on July 30th. The WWC has been extended one more week. I'll have my submissions and the new words posted next Tuesday, July 22nd. Thank you all for your patience. I'll make sure the goodies for the contest are extra good this year. Like maybe photo-cards and mixed CDs good. Ohhh yeahhh.

So, what did I miss in your world? Tell me something good.

It's Just Not Fair

Nash (Chris), Hoop's brother, died in a fatal car crash yesterday evening on the way home from our house. He was only 24. To say that we'll miss him is such a sad understatement. Chris was a really remarkable guy. He was funny and sweet, not a bad bone in his body. He was a single parent of a four year old little boy. He was Hoop's best friend. Chris had an interview with the sheriff's' department on a Monday, a life long dream almost to fruition. He was almost there. We were all so proud of him.

It's just not fair...

I don't know when I'll be back on. But know that you're in my thoughts and please keep Hoop's family in yours.

Much Love,
Tink

Bon voyage, June

June Hit Statistics:
1. The top referrers were Alien and Krista.
2. The most used search term was, "potato berries."
3. The most mature search term was, "butt flu."
4. The most bizarre search term was, "he did not have the friendly."
5. My favorite search term was "spork him Batman."
6. The highest hit post (204) was on June 4th, the day I got quoted on Blogtations.

30 Quirks For 30 Days:
1. I don't mind motorcycles... unless they're Harleys.
2. No one buys a Harley to go fast. They buy a Harley to drive 10 miles under the speed limit, taking up both lanes, during rush hour traffic.
3. They might as well buy a really fancy moped.
4. If it were acceptable, I would never wear shoes.
5. I love making sound effects. My new favorite is Wall-E's voice.
6. For me, falling in love with a book is remarkably similar to falling in love with a person.
7. In the beginning, it's impossible to eat or sleep with any frequency. My attention is focused almost to the point of infatuation.
8. I get my heart broken by books too. With a human, you can always hope for more. At the very least, you could Google them later to see what they're up to.
9. With books, it's done when it's done, regardless if you're ready. You'll never know what happened next. You'll never see those characters again.
10. I once stopped reading a book two chapters to the end because I knew the main character was going to die.
11. It was about Cleopatra. Silly, huh? I mean, I KNEW she was going to die from the beginning. But by the end of the book (900 pages later), I couldn't bear to read about her dying. I loved her too much.
12. I hate friendly competition.
13. The only time I like to compete is when something important is at stake.
14. Hoop's family is the exact opposite. They show that they love someone by making them look like an ass. Usually the game is poker. But they'll settle for Risk, putt-putt, horseshoes, video games, and hunting Easter eggs too.
15. My only defense is to lose faster. :)
16. At work, I'll only fix something if someone complains about it three times in six months. I call it my "Rule To Keep From Going Crazy".
17. I have 698 songs on my IPod.
18. I don't own any clothes that are yellow.
19. Sometimes I get scared that nothing remarkable is ever going to happen to me.
20. I love to air dry after a hot shower.
21. Nothing makes me fall asleep faster than a violent storm.
22. It makes me sad that no one from my family asks if I'm going to college anymore.
23. Sadder still, I've even stopped hoping that I will.
24. When I'm really bored, I like to type in random urls to see what kind of information they pull up.
25. When I was little my paternal Grandfather owned a goat named Billy. Billy liked to drink beer with my Grandpa on Sunday evenings.
26. One time Billy got a little too drunk and ended up in the pool.
27. My Grandpa, not knowing that goats could swim, tried to jump in after him. There was a scuffle and Grandpa got hurt.
28. That was the end of the beer drinking Billy goat. The family joke was that Grandpa sold him to the first person that could get him out.
29. But I never found out for sure.
30. Some days I love having an old house. I'm always finding "treasures" in the yard.
*31. Yesterday I found a little toy boat, half buried in the dirt behind the Buttonwood bush.
*32. Before that it was a tiny red car beneath the shed and a plastic dinosaur in the brush beside the fence.
*33. It makes me think back to the day we moved away from Indiana. I was eleven. I left a note in the corner of the basement that said, "Hi. I hope you love this house as much as we did."

Weekly Words Challenge 43!

The words for this week were Age and Beauty.

How did you interpret them?

What's my age again?

Please tell me that you think these look dirty too.

I find beauty in small things...



I rescued this little guy when he was still a caterpillar. After relocating him away from the path of our lawnmower, I came back the next morning to find that he had "turned".

(Random Pictures)


Any guesses what I did this weekend?


Bet you didn't see that one coming.


Big smiles!

The words for next week are:
Sign
and
Graffiti

If you haven't joined the fun yet, go here for details. Don't forget, we also have a Flickr group now for easy shareability. Plus, you get to find out the new words at least an hour earlier. Happy snapping!

Daily Etsy Pick:
Splash Bowl
Mr. Casual Placemat
Gift Bottle (From Milkman's Baby Attire)

WTF Etsy?:
Studded Sputnik Cork Ring
T.P.
Oil Whore Sticker (For Other Cars)

Ugh

Work is holding me hostage today.

You all are on your own until tomorrow.

Unless, of course, you want to break me out.

That would be freakin' awesome.

The End Of A Love Affair

I'm breaking up with Yahoo Answers.

I posted my question on their site this morning and they shut me down!

Pfft, as if I needed more votes anyway. I think it's pretty clear who's going to win. But, what can I say? I'm a poll whore. Secretly, I just wanted to see how many strangers I could drag (willingly) into my wedding madness. Five minutes after I'd posted the question, someone came and flagged me (TWICE) for inappropriate contest / spam. So then Yahoo yanked my legitimate question off the site and docked me twenty points. Twenty points! Srsly?

The point system really pisses me off anyway. The whole thing reeks of a 10th grade popularity contest. You get two measly points every time you answer a question, ten points on the off chance you get voted for best answer, and minus five points if you dare to ask a question. Then, people get to judge you on how much they liked your answers. It doesn't have to make sense either. Sometimes people will give a thumbs down to a perfectly good answer just because it isn't what they wanted to hear.

"I'll just email the administrator," I thought at first. "They'll sort this out for me." But really, it's hard to rationalize a situation like this when there are questions on the site like, "My fiance's father called me a 'WOLF BREASTED VAGINA' what does that mean?" Surely that's more offensive than, "What color invitations should I get?" After a couple of hours the administrator-bot finally emailed me back. Enclosed was a copy of the site policy and a manufactured apology. But they weren't going to retract the action. Asshats.

I shouldn't care. I really shouldn't. But it's the principle of the thing!

The Cleaning Lady's Daughter:

The little girl's name is Amelia. I feel better for knowing it, somehow.

I came in to work yesterday and was immediately disappointed that there wasn't a note on my desk. I had been sure that there would be that day. After double checking the cabinet and both shelves, I came back to the desk and wheeled out my chair. There is was, folded neatly on the seat. I opened the page and a smaller one fell out. The smaller one was from the girl, Amelia. She wrote:

Thank you so so much for my paper pad. Ive been felling real sad because my brother had to go back to Washington so Ive been sad for the last day. Thank you so much I will use it everyday and all the time. THANK YOU!! Love, Amelia.

The bigger note was from her Mom. It read:

Thank you for the nice note. I knew Amelia was leaving notes on ---'s desk, however I didn't know she was leaving them on yours as well. Amelia had been coming with me for the past few weeks and was feeling sad because her stepbrother moved back to Washington. However, she shouldn't have been leaving notes on people's desks. Anyways, that was very sweet of you to give her sticky notes. Thank you so much.

I have a feeling I won't be getting notes anymore.

But it was fun while it lasted.

You Have The Power

"What power?" "The power of voodoo." "Who do?" "You do!"

(Great. Now I have the Labyrinth stuck in my head.)

I'd originally decided to get my wedding invitations through Etsy. I'm all into handcrafted shit right now. So after much deliberation, and then even more waiting, I finally got my sample invitations in the mail. Wouldn't you know it, they suck. I am SO glad I didn't order a whole bunch of them! The first thing I noticed was that the ink was smeared in spots, KEY spots, like around our names. Where the ink wasn't smeared it was filled in poorly. Portions of the design were outlined in white where it should be black.

Then I saw the envelopes; they were strip-and-seal. Strip-and-seals are OK for normal use, great even, but they look tacky when used for something as formal as a wedding invitations. I just don't get it. If you were sending someone samples of something, wouldn't you make sure they were perfect? Even if you crapped on the rest of them, the initial ones should look good, right? I've realized that this is probably how the whole wedding planning thing is going to go for me. I'm going to screw it up before I get it right.

I chose the wrong wedding venue, but then I got it right. By the way, I finally got the check! That baby is going in the bank TODAY. I chose the wrong florist, but now I'm going to get it right. We requested she send a sample (again with the samples) of the color rose I was interested in. That was a month ago. No rose. No call. I phoned her two weeks ago and she couldn't even place who I was. Then she assured me that she'd get it and would call me by the end of the week. What's the chance of me getting two deposits back?

I chose the wrong invitations, but now you're going to help me get it right. What's that, you say? You heard me. I think it's time for yet another poll! Hoop and I have picked out the invitation we like best (a mix of my modern taste with his traditional) but we can't decide on the color. So we decided to have a poll and go with whatever color gets the most votes. There are four to choose from, and don't worry about matching it with anything else. We've decided not to go crazy making everything into a theme.

The choices are:

MIDORI

CHARCOAL

CHOCOLATE

ORANGE


VOTE HERE!

The poll will end on Sunday at midnight.

You can check on the results here.

Tomorrow: Updates on the story of the cleaning lady's daughter!
Friday: Pickled Beef will be closed for the holiday.
Monday: Good-bye Month

Weekly Words Challenge 42!

The words for this week were Raw and Finished.

How did you interpret them?

Beach Rednecks In The Raw


Now It's Finished



On The Note:

Dear Cleaning Lady,
I wish I knew your name. Please give this small gift to your daughter. Although she apparently caused some mischief in my coworker's office, she only left me cute little notes. The mystery of those notes kept me entertained for days. They added a temporary amusement to what is normally a rather boring day. I'm sure you can relate. So thank her for me, and thank you too for all that you do.


It's a package of Tinkerbell sticky notes I found at the mall yesterday for $2.99! Tell me that's not kismet. The package was gone when I came in this morning.

(Random Pictures)

Raindrops


The words for next week are:
Age
and
Beauty

If you haven't joined the fun yet, go here for details. Don't forget, we also have a Flickr group now for easy shareability. Plus, you get to find out the new words at least an hour earlier. Happy snapping!

Daily Etsy Pick:
Jellyfish Pocket Mirror
Kick Ass T-Shirt
Butterfly House

WTF Etsy?:
Rabid Hare Rattle
Where Do Rainbows Come From?
Unibrow Kidney