Author Archives: Just Call Me Mel

weekend wrap up…

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New movies watched:

DARK SHADOWS
THE CABIN IN THE WOODS

I absolutely adored both movies. They were each very funny and The Cabin in the Woods was absolutely fantastic! Well written (duh…it’s Joss Whedon), hysterical, campy and a little creepy.

Saturday, I spent the morning with my BFF from high school and her family, then we had lunch. Afterward, I made another VERY SUCCESSFUL Pinterest recipe It was melt-in-your-mouth fabulous.

This is what it looks like before it is done. Sorry I forgot to snap a pic of after…but trust me, it was pretty and delicious. El Jefe calls the crockpot the Magic Food Bowl. heh You put regular stuff in and a few hours later, magic happens and deliciousness comes out. Yep, that’s pretty much what happens.

Saturday night I delivered half of the roast, potatoes and greenbeans to my friends and hung out with Bit for a while. She dubbed me Princess Pink (even though she assigned yellow to me as my favorite color.) She was Princess Purple and she wore her sparkly shoes. We both had on tiaras and I was instructed that next time I come over, I have to wear my sparkly shoes, too. Terms I am happy to comply with.

Then it was movie time:

Sunday was sunny and beautiful and the perfect day for soccer. The final score was 1-1. There were some not so great calls and some parents who were not so great examples by yelling at the refs and calling for red cards every few minutes. And they wonder why their kids act like assholes on the field? Because their parents act like assholes on the sidelines…

And Sunday night, I enjoyed a trip down memory lane with Ian as I forced him to watch HEE HAW while we waited on Boardwalk Empire to start. Apparently he didn’t find HEE HAW nearly as funny as I did. Neither did El Jefe, who quickly left the scene for the safety of the bedroom. Humph.

There’s just no accounting for some people’s taste…or lack there of, huh?

Hope you guys had a great weekend. Mine was filled with love, laughter and some fantastic food…which means I’m all smiles today.

Happy Rack Day!

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The Governor declared today to be Happy Rack Day. Okay fine, it’s really called Go Pink Friday, but I think I like Happy Rack Day better. Anyway, save the ta tas, wear pink. So I am.

I’m also supporting my little piggies because my pink shirt is also a razorback shirt. And let’s face it, they can use all the support they can get right now…

Also, I’m sporting my new hair cut. Thank you, Katie for bringing back my bangs. I have missed them so! And I do love my Go Go Red!!

It’s gonna get cold and rainy this weekend. No me gusta. Yes, I love fall, but not cold, rainy fall!

Anyway, hope you guys have a great weekend. Don’t forget to check for lumps…and remember, it’s okay to ask for help. 🙂

a debate worth having

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Last night I had a couple of debates on my Facebook page. Let’s face it, the reality of any Presidential debate actually changing anyone’s mind is slim-to-none, so I decide we needed to have a real debate.

First up: Ryan Gosling or Ryan Reynolds?

This is a hard one for me. Both are amazingly easy on the eyes and cause spontaneous drooling. But Ryan Reynolds seems to have the sense of humor I require. However, Ryan Gosling has that brooding stoicism which I’m also a big fan of… for me, it’s a tie.

Gosling

Reynolds
Then to even things out I asked Jeri Ryan or (old school) Meg Ryan (before the butcher got a hold of her face.)

Jeri Ryan

Old School Meg Ryan
And finally, we had the great nerd debate: Captain James T. Kirk or Captain Jean-Luc Picard?
Kirk
Picard
Would you care to weigh in on this very important matter?

Your wish is my command.

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My birthday twin, Beth, has commanded that I write my weekend recap because she needs some brain candy.

Well, far be it from me to disappoint her.

Though I’m afraid this blog may be more brain fluff than brain candy. Would that make it brain cotton candy? That’s not a bad thing…

OK, first off on Friday, my cousin posted this picture of me to Facebook. HAH! This pic currently graces my mother’s hall wall. My friends say it looks just like me. I disagree. But here, you decide.

hehehehe. I was a cutie. Of course, I cut my bangs the day before this picture was taken, so mom had to take me for an emergency hair cut…that’s why my forehead looks giant. haha I wasn’t quite 3 years old here. And that puppy had seen many better days…

Saturday morning I drove Rader to meet the soccer carpool since his game was 3 hours away. BTW, I don’t like 8:00 on Saturday mornings. However, I decided I’d make the best of being vertical that early so I went to Two Rivers Bridge to walk…only to find out it was closed for a bike race. I decided to go to Pinnacle Mountain and walk the base trail. It was a beautiful cool overcast morning and perfect for a hike.

It was also perfect for the pterodactyl-sized mosquitoes to feed on me til I was too weak to move. They also tried to carry me off to their nest where they were gonna feed me to their young. Holy Crap I have never been swarmed like that before. Was crazy. I did hike 1.5 miles before I called it quits. I also got to see this really giant uprooted tree:

Then I returned to the Compound where El Jefe and I mowed and cleaned up after the last wreck in our yard. You know, where the dude took out my giant forsythia and left half of his front end in my front yard? Yeah, it was finally time to mow, so that shit had to go. I should have made him come back and clean it up. Jerk-wad.

I believe this may have been my last date with John Deere for the season…. I’m gonna miss his sweet rides.

Sunday I made another Pinterest recipe that turned out pretty good. They sure looked pretty and they were definitely tasty. They’ll make a great brunch item for the holidays I think.

They’re pretty much bacon-wrapped quiches. You make them in a muffin tin.

And finally, I spent yesterday hanging with Rader P.  I walked in the morning and then he and I watched a friend of his from Oxford play soccer. Her team won the tournament and ironically, her father works for the same company I used to work for when I lived there. Small world huh? Also check out my kid and how damn cute he is…

after the game, we went to the PartyHood where Robyn grilled us some burgers then we went to the GodFodda’s house and hung out until it was time to go to Rader’s game….It was a good afternoon and a great weekend. And with that, I leave you with this moment of zen.

My friend Bill hanging with Robyn’s three-legged cocker spaniel. Her name is Lovey but I call her Lambchop.

Hope your weekend was as awesome (and less tiring) as mine! Now let’s kick Monday in the ass and sparkle hard today!

Notes from the Universe

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Sometimes the Universe knows exactly what a girl needs to hear…

The sad part, Melissa, is that they told you it’s wrong to be selfish, tacky to be vain, vulgar to be sexy, and wasteful to be rich.

The happy part is that they were just making all that up.

Probably just jealous of all you might do, be, and have. And afraid of all they might not.

Uh-oh… one of them is in trouble now, gotta bolt!

    The Universe

Melissa, follow your heart and get your groove on because, no matter what anyone said, it’s never too late to have it all. 

Thanks Universe. I think I will take your suggestion and run with it.

I’ve reported on my weight loss and other stuff over at FCR today. Go check it out and celebrate with me!

Tonight, Rader P. (#66 in your programs, #1 in your hearts) is playing at Benton. Wonder Foot Power…ACTIVATE!

dein erster und letzter biss

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YOUR FIRST AND LAST BITE

That’s what the German version of BITE ME! is called. And check out the cover!

Hehehehehehe Yes, I’m a little giddy.

It went on sale this week…and if you read German or just want to have this fantastic version for yourself, you can order it online…

Kindle Edition

Direct from the Publisher

C’mon. You know this is cool stuff….

Speaking of cool stuff…

BITE ME! and LOVE SUCKS! are available on Kindle for $3.79 right now. Get thee over there and take advantage of these bargains!

In other news, I walked 4 miles last night with my pal Eric. (the same pal I walked the Half Marathon with a couple of years ago.) It was good to get out and enjoy the beautiful scenery. It’s where I find my spirit and peace. And I woke up this morning totally at peace.

Who wouldn’t find peace after spending an hour here?

weekend recap (Friday included)

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I took a vacation day Friday and enjoyed myself tremendously. Robyn and I walked 3.5 miles at the Big Dam(n) Bridge. And look what we saw:

Yes. that’s the remnants of a beautiful proposal on the river bank that you can see from the bridge. It made our walk just that much more awesome. Grand gestures are the most beautiful gestures of them all.

Robyn and I met up with the HoneyBadgers Friday afternoon for happy hour. The HoneyBadgers are a local running group that meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays before the crack of dawn. I may have to join them one day, just to say I did. Unfortunately, I’m not much of a morning person. But we’ll see…

Saturday was filled with a five-mile walk, lunch with El Jefe, Laura and da GodFodda at Cheers, then an awful Razorback game that I’d love to forget. I also made my homemade mac and cheese and stuffed crab shells. I’m not gonna lie, it was divine. As you can see, it was served on the finest of China.

I would love to claim that I made the stuffed crab shells as well, but in truth, Kroger seafood deli. $1.00 each. I put a pat of butter on the top and bake them at 350 til they are golden brown. DELISH.

The Mac and Cheese recipe I have makes a ton, so I volunteered to take a meal to Arkansas Children’s Hospital for my friends who’s daughter was diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma earlier this year. (Read about her here) Usually when I go up there, Bit is sound asleep…but this time she was  awake and full of sunshine. Check us out:

Isn’t she the most adorable little thing you’ve ever seen?

There was also soccer and some gumbo at da GodFodda’s house on Sunday. Check Rader P out:

And there ya have it folks. The important parts of my weekend in a nutshell. Did y’all have a good one? I hope it was as full of friendship and sunshine as mine was.

I love kids who take action

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12 Year-Old Jackson Ripley wrote Mitt Romney a letter. I think our country is gonna be all right if he’s a good example of his generation…

Dear Governor Romney,
I’d like to say congratulations on winning the republican nomination. But, I wish you stayed in Massachusetts. You’re plan for America isn’t what we need, and would hurt us more than it would help.

First, repealing Obama care and other health plans he’s put in place have helped families across America, including mine. I live in a middle class family, and two years ago my little sister; Kennedy was denied insurance because of her pre-existing condition. This was a huge emotional stress and financial burden on my entire family. Under Obama Care, insurance companies can no longer deny Kennedy and kids like her, the coverage they need and deserve. Because of Obama care my little sister was able to have the several surgeries she needed that helped save her life. Once the President was elected he put Obama Care into action, just like he promised and made it so that you could get insurance with pre-existing conditions. This has made a direct impact on my family. My family is with out a doubt better off now, than we were four years ago!

It is to my understanding that you stated that you were going to repeal Obama Care, including the part I have mentioned, which will take away the insurance we have and need for my sister Kennedy. Why do you think she doesn’t deserve health care? Also, when you were interviewed on “Meet the Press”, you stated that you would NOT repeal this part of Obama Care, but then your campaign backpedalled and on the “Tonight show with Jay Leno”, you said that you WOULD repeal this.

Also, you’re domestic plans (birth control, gay rights etc.) are horrible! Women should get to manage their own health, and if you wonder why you’re not appealing to many women voters, rethink your birth control and women’s’ rights plans. And people should be able to marry whom they want. We built this country so people could have freedom, and not have religious beliefs control them to that length. This country was in no way built on any religion, so we should not create laws that repress the American people in a religious way and hurt our most vulnerable.

Sincerely,
Jackson Ripley, age 12

FWIW, I wrote Mitt Romney a letter, too…but mine fails in comparison to his…