I love bunnies. Don’t you?
I’m heading out to Oxford with the family. First time I’ve been back in 5 months. Can’t wait to see everyone and do some yard work at the house I love, but no longer live in.
Y’all have a great weekend and tell the Easter Bunny hi for me.
Tonight’s Play List
Love Me or Leave Me by Rooney
Ruby by Kaiser Chiefs
Muddy Ground by The Charlatans UK
Frying Pan Eyes by Golden Smog
Think Twice by Eve 6
Deep by Nickelback
Deny by Default
Gotta Get Away by The Offspring
Yeah, I’m mixing it up tonight…trying to get out of a funk. I hate it when I’m feeling pouty and negative. One of my biggest goals this year was to cut as much negativity out of my life and focus on only the good. Focus on people and thoughts that uplift my spirit.
Sometimes it’s damn hard to be a cheerleader. And I don’t mean a rah-rah girl in the sense that I’m chipper all the time. I just mean it’s hard not to dwell on those ugly feelings when down. And something happened today that really brought me down. But I’m better now. Promise.
So, I cranked up the tunes and started dancing around the house. I totally looked like a fool, but by the 3rd song, I was feeling 100% better.
Then I cracked open the bottle of Cakebread Sauvignon Blanc that I had planned to 
have for Valentine’s Night with Fishdog, but he won’t be home now until Friday night, so I decided it would go to much better use tonight. Sorry Fishdog. You missed out. Maybe we’ll have another bottle after my next sale to celebrate. (or would that be salebrate?) For V-day, my mom and I are taking the boys to Cheeburger, Cheeburger–their fave burger place. I am going to fast all day so I can eat my yummy guacamole burger with chipotle sauce and Tobasco. Oh my. My mouth just watered.
Sadly, I no longer get the appeal of Valentine’s day. I guess I’ve become a cynic in my old age. Who knew? I write romantic stories but poo-poo V-day. I’m a walking enigma.
You know what my problem with V-day is? The lack of planning. Men and women alike feel compelled to get their loved one something and so they just run out and grab whatever they think will work. Last minute flowers from Kroger, the last Whitman’s sampler from Walgreens, the Air Supply music card…(oh wait, I totally wanted that card). If you’re gonna do V-day, do it right. Surprise him or her and plan for it. (what a concept) Don’t do like the rest of the idiots I saw shopping at Walgreens tonight. I would rather get a single tulip on a random Tuesday than last minute flowers from the grocery store on Valentine’s Day. And I would love, just once, to be surprised.
And you can surprise me on any day…not just V-day.
So, there’s your unsolicited Valentine’s Day advice from a woman who used to love all holidays. Now if you’ll excuse me, Buckcherry’s Crazy Bitch is playing now, and I must dance.
I think this is the most underrated holiday ever.
So, I’ve decided today should be a day off of work if you are 10 lbs overweight or more. Now I know 10 lbs doesn’t make you fat, but frankly, I’m trying to include as many people as I can in this holiday. I figure all women will be able to celebrate because, let’s face it, we all think we’re fat. Whether we are or not. Okay, and let’s be real, if you’re not 10 lbs overweight (we hate you) but you vow to devote your holiday to gaining weight, then you can celebrate as well. Everybody wins!
Think of the possibilities! I mean, FAT TUESDAY! A whole day devoted to gluttony. And sloth. A holiday for 2 of the seven deadly sins. Seriously, it doesn’t get any better than that. Don’t just save this day for good Catholics…share the gluttony with the world!
Maybe we should petition the government to add Fat Tuesday to our list of Federal holidays. All of those in favor, say AYE!
Christmas:
New Year:
Wow. I couldn’t have asked for a better day. (other than someone doing the cooking for me… but then, if that had happened, would it have been as good? I think not.) We had 20 people at our house. 20! And it was a lovely day.
4 of the 20 were vegetarians, so I fixed some vegetable soup and some stuffed butternut squash. (which was, by far, my fave thing on the menu.) 
We also had some vegetarian stuffing (made by my momma and it was YUMMY) and some vegetable soup, salad, and rice.
Not to mention the usuals.
Kagan and his lovely wife brought 2 million pies. Okay, so really it was only 6 but seriously, it coulda been 2 million. Here’s what’s left over.
I cooked a turkey and a ham. Here’s what’s left over.
Mmmmm turkey parts for good stock….
Mmmmm Turkey and ham for good sandwiches.
You’ve been a father for 12 years.
Wow.
Who’d a thunk it?
Fishdog–my favorite animal–bred for its skills in fathering.
897
Rader and Ian–Too Cool for School.
We went to a Birds of Prey show where we met various hunters of the sky! They flew in an out of the crowd, sometimes brushing our shoulders, heads, or faces with their feathers. It was amazing!
This is Kaia. She’s a red-winged hawk
This is Juniper. She’s a Great Horned Owl who never learned to hoot. She sqwaks like a Jay. She was found as a baby by a woman who tried to raise her. Juniper cannot be released into the wild because she doesn’t know she’s an owl. She has never hunted and doesn’t realize she’s supposed to be nocturnal.
Isn’t he amazing?
We went to the butterfly conservatory at the resort. It was truly amazing watching butterflies emerge from cocoons and having all these beautiful different species flying around and landing on our heads, pants, arms, etc. 
Rader and Ian–Too Cool for School.
We went to a Birds of Prey show where we met various hunters of the sky! They flew in an out of the crowd, sometimes brushing our shoulders, heads, or faces with their feathers. It was amazing!
This is Kaia. She’s a red-winged hawk
This is Juniper. She’s a Great Horned Owl who never learned to hoot. She sqwaks like a Jay. She was found as a baby by a woman who tried to raise her. Juniper cannot be released into the wild because she doesn’t know she’s an owl. She has never hunted and doesn’t realize she’s supposed to be nocturnal.
Isn’t he amazing?
<–Opens up to this?
We went to the butterfly conservatory at the resort. It was truly amazing watching butterflies emerge from cocoons and having all these beautiful different species flying around and landing on our heads, pants, arms, etc.
Okay, I’m forcing myself to move on from the image of my son becoming a pavement pancake, so I thought I’d talk about something I love.
Something that will probably have some folks wanting to skewer me for blasphemy.
But it’s my blog, so Humph.
I love the commercializaiton of Christmas. I touched on this a bit in one of my comments on Michele’s blog, but I thought I’d give this a little more air time on my blog.
Sometimes I wish I was more like my friend Gina who is trying to get people back to the spirit of giving by blogging about different charities and encouraging folks to remember what the holiday is truly about.
But you know what? The holiday isn’t just about giving to me. I give year ’round. It isn’t about religion to me. Sure Christmas is the cherry on top for christian religions, but what about the other religions who don’t celebrate Christ? They are still inundated with Christmas…so why shouldn’t they enjoy the time, too?
Growing up, Christmas was about the lights, the sounds, the colors, the music, the candy, cookies, food, gifts and being with family. And when you celebrate Christmas as a secular/commericalized holiday, then EVERYONE can be a part of it. I LOVE THAT. Part of my love for the glitz and glam of today’s Christmas probably stems from having grown up in Little Rock where part of our yearly tradition was going by The Osborne Home. (You won’t believe your eyes when you click that link)
Christmas is what you make of it. I have several Jewish friends who celebrate the holiday and make it about family and friends. I have Atheist friends who do the same. And I love it. I love that once a year, almost the entire world is spending time with friends and family… and that wouldn’t be true if it weren’t for the commericialization of Christmas.
Now, do I think the stores should put up Christmas decor next to the Halloween costumes? No. But I do see commercialization as a positive thing. It’s not about how much you spend or how much you go to the mall–it’s about having a fun and sparkly holiday with your families.
So, bring on the fake snow and the 20 foot blow up Santas. Show me the rainbow lights on the houses and the Santa Stops Here signs. Commercialize me, baby!
So, we had our office party Thursday night.
Heavy appetizers, cash bar, free soft drinks, and a band.
The band was okay. Last year’s was better. For some reason, this year they thought it was a good idea to start off slowly–Kenny G. slowly.
Gimme a break.
So, we sat through an hour of that crap and when people started leaving the band got a clue. So they livened it up a bit by putting me in a time machine and catapulting me back to 1990 with the Electric Slide. (yes, I know, technically it took me back circa ’76, but I didn’t actually start doing the Electric Slide until I started bar hopping. Work with me.)
The party was fun, once we got it going. I have to say, it’s a sad state of affairs when the accounting group is the life of the party. Here I am with my friend (and, technically, my boss and her hubby and my hubby.
Happily Ever After.
The End.
Bitchin' Fiction: Musings by author Melissa McKenzie / Melissa Francis 