speed trapped!

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My friend Dana sent me a link to this article and told me it was my next blog topic. I guess I agreed with her, because here we are…

DETROIT – So you think junior is a little too lead-footed when he drives the family car? Starting next year, Ford Motor Co. will give you the power to do something about it.

The company will roll out a new feature on many 2010 models that can limit teen drivers to 80 mph, using a computer chip in the key.

Parents also have the option of programming the teen’s key to limit the audio system’s volume, and to sound continuous alerts if the driver doesn’t wear a seat belt.

I think this is brilliant. However, there is one tiny little flaw in this plan: What middle class person wants to buy their 16 year old kid a brand new car? And what upper class person is going to buy their kid a brand new FORD? LOL

Okay, wait a second, there’s another flaw…they’re limiting the speed to 80 mph because they felt that “lopping it off at exactly 70 mph was felt to be too limiting.” Yeah. We’d hate to limit those pesky teens to the speed limit, wouldn’t we?

Overall, I think it’s a good option to have. I had planned to give my kid my old ass Honda Civic when he turns 16. It will be 14 years old by then. It probably won’t be able to go past 70 by age default. Plus he’ll have to learn how to drive a 5 speed which I think all kids should learn.

What do you guys think? Is this the wave of the future? Is it a good idea or are we just making our kids be responsible without teaching them responsibilities?

soup for you!

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By popular twitter request, I am posting my so-easy-I-should-be-ashamed chicken vegetable soup recipe.

I make this in a crock pot but that’s only cuz I can ‘set it and forget it.’ Crock pot is not necessary to make this recipe.

I cook 6 chicken tenderloin strips in a skillet with olive oil and black pepper. Then I cut them into bite size pieces.

Combine chicken with these ingredients:

46 oz chicken broth (that’s 1 can and 1 32 oz carton)
Then I grab various cans of veggies from my pantry. This week I used:

2 cans Rotel
1 can green beans (drained)
1 can field peas drained and rinsed)
1 can golden corn in juice
1 can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1/2 bag baby carrots
1/2 purple onion diced
4 stalks cut celery

Cholula hot sauce to taste. I probably put 1 tbsp or so in it. I like it spicy.

It’s a spicy bucket of yum not to mention cheap and low calorie. Enjoy!

the fried extravaganza

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The Fried Twinkie tasted like a cream-filled funnel cake. I’d eat it again.
The ‘Pig Lickers’? (Chocolate covered bacon)
I took one bite and nearly threw up.
Rader and Fishdog had a different opinion. They liked it.

I couldn’t make myself try the Fried Dr. Pepper. But the beverages I did have, were fantastic.

and so was the company!

state of the fair…

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So the family and I are headed to the Arkansas State Fair today when the kids get out of school. I haven’t been to the fair in forever.

Get this, they’ve been talking all week about the new ‘on a stick’ foods available at this year’s fair.
Fried Dr. Pepper: estimated 820 Calories
Chocolate covered bacon (aka Pig Lickers) : 683 calories
And of course there are the standards:
Fried Twinkies: up to 700 calories depending on the size you order
Fried Snickers: 450 calories
Foot long corndogs (yum): 375 calories (winner!)
Why must we fry everything? Has anyone tried the Fried Soda/Choc covered bacon/Fried Twinks/or Fried Snickers? Can you tell me about it? (after the heart attack, I mean)

I’ll be honest, I’m tempted to try a Fried Twinkie. But I just don’t think I can do it. Why? Because I’m terrified I’ll like it and then where will I be? On a gurney being rushed into the ER with someone sitting on top of me breaking my ribs and blowing air into my lungs.

What do you guys think? Should I tempt fate and blow my diet by foraging into the fried food fabulousness of the fair? What do you think I should try?

global warming: a new theory

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I believe if scientists would study the 80s and early 90s they would find that the use of Rave Hairspray is ultimately responsible for the rapid depletion of the ozone layer.

What the hell were we thinking? Holy cow I used the shit out of some Rave 4x. Especially during my Hair Metal years. I had to compete with the boys in the band so it was big hair and bad makeup.

Dear Mother Earth,
Please forgive me.
Sincerely,
Mel

lady in goooooold

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Thank you, Colleen Gleason, for being the reason I can’t get that awful Chris de Burgh song out of my head.

I went to prom with a good friend. We tried dating once, but it just didn’t work. No chemistry. But we remained really good friends and I would hang out with him a lot.

There was a boy I really wanted to go to prom with, but by the time I worked up the nerve to ask him, he was already going with someone else. SC asked me the next day and I said okay. We were going with a group of friends so I knew it would be fun.

I don’t remember who drove, but I know it wasn’t SC, because we sat together in the backseat. That Lady in Red song came on the radio and SC pulled me close to him and started singing in my ear…only he changed the lyrics to match my dress.

“Lady in gooooooooooold, is dancing with me, cheek-to-cheek”

Ugh.

You know, I give SC credit for a well-intended move. But it backfired, big time. I had no romantic feelings for SC at all, but it was evident he wanted to test the boundaries of our friendship that night by ‘wooing’ me. (okay, wooing is just the most awful word. But seducing certainly doesn’t work here. We were in high school and there was no seducing going on in my world, let me tell ya. so wooing it is)

Anyway, Colleen posted about the top 10 songs she never wants to hear again…and Lady in Red was on her list. Yes, this is a good thing. However, I haven’t been able to get that song out of my head since yesterday, and now I’m thinking I need to pay Colleen a visit so I can smack her around.

Yes, I’m wearing black-lace, fingerless gloves. Yes, my dress is a gold bubble. Yes, my hair is poofy and I’m wearing tons of make up. You should’ve seen my shoes though. They were HOT.

It’s okay to admit that you miss the 80s. And for those of you too young to remember, it’s okay to wish you could’ve been a teenager then. (I still have those gloves…)

You know what would’ve made this even better? If I’d had my awesome Prelude back then…

Of course, that would also have been impossible since my awesome prelude is a 1990 model and I went to prom in 1987…but whatever.

some of my favorite things

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My bulletin board above my desk. You’ll see my Scotland mementos that my wee lad Grant sent me a couple of years ago. (He’s living in the states full time now…in Cincinnati and he’s loving it.)
This is a necklace that I made. I love it. I wear it a lot.


This is the Tshirt my college girlfriends/bridesmaids made for me to wear at my Bachelorette party 15.5 years ago.
Here’s a close-up. Yes, those are all pictures of me. No I’m not going to tell you what the ‘thought bubble’ says.
Every Thursday my girlfriends and I get together at Cheers and we’re waited on by Adolfo and we giggle and laugh. I love the laughing. Lately, I’ve needed a lot of laughter.
Ruby. Seriously, how could you not love that face?
This was my wedding present from Fishdog.

This was one of the first things Nemo made for me when he was taking pottery. I love my crocodile.
My Crackberry. If you don’t understand the love of the Crackberry…you don’t have one.

Rader’s laughter. Look familiar?


We’re sassy!

John Cleese:

melodramatic mélange

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To catch you up on the open house…

We are just going to ride out this bad economy storm and hope that maybe things will turn around in the spring. The good news is, we can write our losses off for the year, so that will help.

Something that cheered me up this weekend?
My friends Dana Belfry and Eden Bradley (pictured) thought of me while they were hanging out together. Hmmm, wonder what made them think of me?

I’m plowing onward and upward with LOVE SUX!SUCKS! (still not used to writing it that way) I’ve had a scene bouncing around in my head all weekend long that I can’t stop thinking about, so I think I’m going to write it today to see what happens. I am usually a very linear writer, but every once in a while a scene just needs to be written out of sequence. I’ll let you know how that ends up.

And finally, I’m blogging about music over at Fictionistas today. Click the banner below!

Fictionistas

SELL BABY SELL!

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I’m re-purposing the RNC’s favorite mantra of Drill Baby Drill and making it my own.

SELL BABY SELL.

After taking a weekend off, I’m now heading back to Oxford. Hopefully this will be the last ‘mow’ of the season. Am also hoping this will be the last trip forever, because we need to sell. Big time.

But you know that, so I’m not going to dwell on it anymore.

Sorry I wasn’t around yesterday, I was tweaking my latest proposal. I sent it off to Deidre last night and now I’m going to start focusing on finishing up LOVE SUX! SUCKS!

Yes, we’ve changed the title slightly of the follow up book to BITE ME! Personally, I preferred SUX! (I think it looks better than SUCKS!) but it’s not a big deal. I love the title and wanted to keep it, so really that’s what matters. I’ve gotten lucky to be able to keep both of my titles so far. I dread the day I’m told it has to change. I know that usually the change is for the better, but still, it will suck! <– see what I did there? I haz a clever.

I haven’t really had much to say in the political arena lately. Mainly because I don’t really have anything new to say. There was an article in the local paper yesterday about folks stealing yard signs. I know two other people who’ve had their Obama signs taken around here. I have heard that a few McCain signs have been taken, but I haven’t spoken to anyone personally who’s had their McPalin sign stolen.

That’s about it. Gotta get the young un to school and hit the road. I’ll try to tweet and keep y’all updated here if anything good happens.

Peace!

way to ruin a good walk, lady

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Yesterday Fishdog and I took the dogs for a walk. (btw, Fishdog blogged last night, pop over and check out his words of wisdom)

We have a nice, hilly neighborhood with lots of trees, so it’s a really great place to get some exercise in.

Ruby (the smug Pug) was so excited, she couldn’t contain herself. She loves a good walk. I didn’t think I was going to be able to keep up with her at first. She was straining against the leash, begging to run. I’m in no shape to run yet, so she just had to strain. Finally about 4 blocks into the walk, she chilled.

There is a field and a creek where we take the dogs so they can do their ‘walking’ business. Pete (the collie mix) is finicky about where he does his business. Even in the backyard, he’ll chose high grass or go behind a row of bushes. Pete likes his privacy.

Now we always carry doggy bags, just in case the dogs don’t take care of their business in the field area. I know I hate it when I find random piles in my yard and I make certain we don’t allow our animals to crap in our neighbors’ yards.

Which brings me to the rest of the story.

Fishdog and I were admiring a couple of yards on the street. Ruby sniffed around a culvert and decided that the ditch was the perfect place to pee. She peed, we moved on.

A door opened and I hear a lady’s voice “Hey!” It was a friendly voice. I turned around and smiled thinking maybe it was someone we knew. “Can I clean that up for you?” she asked.

What?

I was stunned. I said, “Um, no. She just peed. We have bags.” And we turned and walked away.

Can I tell you how much that pissed me off? Cuz it did. Royally.

I had already responded when I thought of a better comeback. (isn’t that always the way?) I should’ve said, “Sure. She peed a lot, so bring two sheets.” Fishdog suggested, “Nah. The leaves covered it up.”

I can’t believe she assumed I let my dog shit in her yard!

I guarantee you that after we walked on, she came outside and checked. Hah. Fishdog and I contemplated cleaning up our backyard last night and dumping the whole bag in hers…but that just wouldn’t be very neighborly. It sure would make me feel better though.