Question

Can I attribute a five month absence to writer's block?

McCommunication

My exact conversation with the guy working the drive-thru window last night at Mickey D's:

Him: Welcome to McDonald's. Would you like to try one of our Angus Third Pounder burgers?

Me: No, thank you. But could I please have two double cheeseburgers, two small french fries and a 10-piece order of chicken McNuggets? (It's important for me to mention that I was ordering for another person as well. I totally wouldn't eat TWO orders of fries.)

Him: Anything else?

Me: No, thank you.

Him: Do you know about our special deal on pumpkin items, like our pumpkin shake?

Me: Oh, no. Tell me about it.

Long pause.

Him: Well. It's....um....new....and it tastes like pumpkin?

Me: No.....like, what's the special? How much is it?

Him: Oh! You can get two pumpkin pies for a dollar.

Another long pause.

Me: Well, what about the shake?

Him: It's just a shake.

Me: Okay, give me the pies.

The moral of this story? I can be talked into almost anything if you confuse me enough.

In Good Company

Meet my stapler. Meet my tape dispenser. And say hello to their primary function at my workstation over the past few weeks: propping up my almost-empty bottle of Bath and Body Works hand lotion. I'll admit it. I have a little problem. I'm a toothpaste tube roller, a hairspray bottle tilter and apparently, a body lotion up-ender. I've just got to get the last drop.

Earlier this week, I was sitting at my desk when out of nowhere, the site of this odd trio made me smile. I leaned back in my chair and thought: you probably did this too, right? Or at least something similar. Raising kids and working full-time. Cooking dinner every night, no questions asked. And learning to stretch a dollar as far as it would go.

Virginia.

Betty.

Grandma.

Mom.

Not cheap. Not frugal. Not thrifty. Responsible.

If it's broken, try to fix it before you replace it.

Expect to earn it, not to have it given to you.

Needs? Those come first. Wants? Well, save your pennies and pay cash.

Live within your means.

Use well what you already have.

And if the grocery store accidentally charges you .17 cents for a foil baking sheet that should cost $1.17, go back and get as many as you can without looking suspicious. Oh, Grandma.

So this is it. It's unofficially official. I've arrived and made it a trio. And I finally get it. It's not about spending or saving. It's not even necessarily about money. It's about appreciation, resourcefulness, discipline and setting a good example for those little eyes watching.

Yup, I got all of that out of an almost empty bottle of lotion propped up by a stapler and a tape dispenser. Whatever it takes. I'm in good company.

This One's For April (And October)

April made a request and I need some feedback, so SN readers get another poll. Excited, aren't you? Well, you should be. It has to do with my most favorite time of the year: Halloween.

For as long as I can remember, I've loved the whole process of getting ready for Halloween. Decorating the house, putting together a costume, passing out candy. And of course, getting older and turning the Halloween corner. To haunted houses.

Haunted forests, prisons, cornfields, mazes, hydros (for real) and houses. I've done them all, and for the most part, I've loved them all. Every year, September finds me keeping my eyes and ears open for the latest, greatest haunts. This year was no different, and I was pumped to find a haunted house open this past Friday. I stood in line and took in the sights:

A dimly lit waiting area.

Scary and realistic creatures/monsters.

Fog.

Screams from inside the haunt.

And. . .

Teenagers. Lots and lots of teenagers. As I looked around at all of them I thought: "Impossible. I'm not this old." But to them, I might as well have been the creepy old lady taking the tickets. Except, of course, that the creepy old lady taking the tickets was actually a teenager in costume. Scary.

What does it all mean? Am I too old for haunted houses? Do I just not know when to retire? Am I the Brett Farve of Halloween?

My options are this: continue going and ignore the teenagers (and the stares), wait until I have a kid old enough to go but young enough to let me tag along or volunteer to work at a haunted house as the creepy old lady taking tickets. No costume required.

I'm interested to see what you think. Take my poll to the right and be honest. . .because. . .the shadow knows. . .

P.S. The poll is open until October 31, 2009 and I've allowed for multiple answers. Mostly because of option #4.

Don't You Just Hate It...

...when the wrong number calls your phone at 6 in the morning? Don't you also hate it when, as a result, you iron and lint-brush a pair of pants before realizing they're inside out?

Extra hour and half of sleep, I missed you too.

May Your Song Always Be Sung

Don't hate on me, but I've never been a huge Bob Dylan fan. So I was surprised when I found out that the lyrics from a Pepsi commercial featuring Will.I.Am come from an old Dylan song. Check out the longer version here (oh, and keep an eye out for the guy in the blue speedo. He's quite the dancer and certainly the star of the show. It's totally a viewing bonus.):



I love it when stuff like this happens because now I'll definitely do some Dylan research and see what else I've been missing. As for the lyrics below, I'm knocked out by the beauty of their simplicity. Makes me think of my four sweet nephews:

May God bless and keep you always
May your wishes all come true
May you always do for others
And let others do for you
May you build a ladder to the stars
And climb on every rung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May you grow up to be righteous,
May you grow up to be true,
May you always know the truth
And see the lights surrounding you.
May you always be courageous,
Stand upright and be strong,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

May your hands always be busy,
May your feet always be swift,
May you have a strong foundation
When the winds of changes shift.
May your heart always be joyful,
May your song always be sung,
May you stay forever young,
Forever young, forever young,
May you stay forever young.

August: The Most Pathetic Month Of All

Well, at least for me. 1 post? Pathetic! I have to admit though, the past month has been packed with activities, some fun, some sad, but nothing blog-worthy. So I'm going to finish out the rest of the month with a post a day. This is mostly a challenge to myself to see if I can come up with something significant for four consecutive days. After all, I caught myself taking pictures of a praying mantis earlier today. With my new iPhone. So consider this blog therapy.