06.08.09
So much to do
Wish I had more time to do all the stuff that needs to get done. Not to mention I also need money, that I don’t have, for some of it. There are no races for the next month at work so I was thinking I should take some time off so I can finally get things done around here. The only down side is I won’t be making any money, but I can make what I have in my checking account stretch.
I have quite a few things I want to do around here and the only way to get them done is if I do not have any ‘outside’ worries. First thing I need to do is some big time cleaning. Thanks to being sick for 2 weeks, and no one else doing anything, it’s kind of a disaster that I haven’t been able to tame yet. I would also like to get the garage clean, that has been neglected for awhile. And an annoying problem, the house seems to get ants. Dealt with it last year simply by spraying Max Defense (I think that is what it’s called) and putting out some ant traps. So that will be what I do after I get the house clean. Next up is my bathroom shower. I need to get tile for it because where the shower head is there is water damage, not sure why previous owners did not put tile up there, it only makes sense. Lots of stuff around the yard…There are other things I need to do as well, I don’t even think I can remember them all.
To summarize:
Clean the house (which includes getting rid of mold).
Defend home against bugs.
Put tile in bathroom shower.
Get the garage cleaned and organized (not a priority).
Finish pulling the weeds out from around the yard.
Stain the deck.
Fix a hole in the wall.
Ken will be taking a week off at the end of June so I hope to have a lot of stuff done by then so we don’t have to worry about those annoyances. During his week off I hope to do some stuff together as a family with him and Amanda. Like going to a movie and maybe the zoo or a museum (not sure which). And of course we will do things like play Rock Band and World of Warcraft together. I want that week to be ‘easy’ and I don’t want any problems around the house to worry about during that time!
A break from work will be nice. It can be kind of depressing there. I think it’s because I am used to working with a lot of people and having all kinds of personalities around and music and craziness.
Guess that’s it for now.
06.06.09
Geez
Why do people insist on annoying me? Seriously, is it a vibe I give off or something? (venting ahead)
My parents have finally backed off, so much so that it weirds me out. lol But Kens friend Charity (who I posted about recently) never backs off and never gets the message about us being busy. And the one time we are not busy, like last night, we finally had time for a “Geek Date” which I said on status updates on the social networks I use and that got her to leave me a comment, “So are you going to come over and hang out?? That would be awesome!! What about tomorrow night?? Jess is hanging!! It could be awesome!!! We miss you guys like whoa!!!!” Umm…Why the hell would I go over there to hang out and listen to all their drama and be uncomfortable when I just want to relax, be geeky and spend some time with my boyfriend? And as far as today goes, I have things around the house I need to get done (the things I say that I can never get done)…I have different priorities, get used to it already!
And the next annoyance. Kens mom. OK here is what happened…Some weeks back his grandma asked us if we would go to this family get together and I said we would (because I thought we would) problem is I forgot when she said it was, didn’t think much of it because I thought we would get reminded of it and also be given a time to be there. Well they are busy so I guess they forgot to remind us and give us a time. So today we are doing our thing, yard work, house work and so on and of course we are feeling all icky, achy and exhausted when suddenly Kens mom called, actually turned out to be one of his little sisters, and for once Ken actually answered the phone. She was asking if we were going and saying they wanted to see him blah, blah. So he was all, “yeah, yeah. we’ll be there. It’s going to take a bit though” (cause we had to shower and stuff). But with all the freaking out of “That’s today?!” and running around like an idiot…I got a migraine…Shocker, I know. Finally I was like, “Forget this. I can’t go.” Which was fine with him because he didn’t want to go anyway and none of us were in the mood after all the stuff we had been doing (and still had left to do).
That is not where it stops. Nope. Shortly after the first phone call we heard his cell phone ring, it was his moms number so he chose not to answer it. She left a voice mail acting all freaked out, “You guys are the only ones not here! the food is almost all done! Hurry up!” I told him he should call to let them know the situation, he opted to send his grandmother a text message which told them that we were doing yard work and needed showers and we had not been aware that the get together was today so we just could not make it. Then some time after that his phone rings again, this time his grandmothers number, I was about to tell him to just answer it, but he decided not to. And it turned out to be his mother. Calling from his grandmothers phone? This time she is all, “Who cares if you are sweaty….” Umm…we do! “…We are going to play volley ball and we need you! So come over!” and stuff like that. WTF? Does she not know her own son? Play volley ball? In what alternate reality? Was that supposed to make him want to go? Amanda would have played but the only way I would have is if we were hanging out with a small group of people that I felt COMFORTABLE around. Though the fact that I was tired and hot would have also kept me from playing, just not in the mood.
And I find it weird that no one told us his mom and sisters would be there. To be honest his mother makes me uncomfortable, she even makes her own son feel uncomfortable. He has no clue how to act around her and his three little sisters drive him insane with all their climbing on him, stealing and hiding his things and acting pretty much like loud, annoying little brats. They are a perfect example of why I do not like most kids. I like his grandparents and am fine around them, even if I am quiet (just how I have always been) I am even fine around his Aunt who I am not too crazy about (to put simply; she is pushy) but when it comes to his mom, well…I have to admit I really do not want to be around her. It’s not that I hate her, she just makes me seriously uncomfortable with her constant questions, chatter about math, education, running, heath stuff and criticism of Ken. I also know she is analyzing me, and to top it all off she has no sense of humor. And like her sister, she is pushy.
I try not to be anti-social, but people like Charity and Kens mom, pushy over-whelming people, just make me want to hide away from everyone.
06.01.09
I joined twitter over 2 years ago and at the time was like, “What the hell is the point in this? I just don’t get it.” Didn’t really use it, maybe tweeted once or twice then forgot about it for over a year and only went back to it when I found out that Felicia Day and Wil Wheaton were on it. I have to say I am amazed at how popular twitter has become, back when I first joined I thought it was going no where. Shows how much I know.
One of the great things about celebrities being on twitter is you get to see them as real people. I’m not a big celebrity follower though or at least I don’t follow most big names. And back when I started following Felcia I believe she had only a few thousand followers. Speaking of her, I realized recently that I mostly follow Whedonverse people and some Star Trek TNG cast. I love it when they post their personal photos, like the one I posted on here before of Alyson Hannigan with Alexis Denisof and baby Satyana (So Cute). She has also posted a photo of her new hair cut (Felica is also in the pic). Stuff like that makes me smile. Guess I am easy.
And speaking of people from Buffy, and pics that make me smile, Adam Busch posted this photo on twitter…
If you are a Buffy fan then you know who all three of these people are. Amber Benson, Adam and Tom Lenk. They had all gone out to lunch one day and followers on twitter got to see this spiffy photo as a result. 
Other Whedonverse people I follow are; Nathan Fillion , Jewel Staite, Eliza Dushku, Dichen Lachman, Miracle Laurie, Clare Kramer
OK so I am sleepy and need to stop posting this blog because I forget what I wanted to talk about originally. Something like, “Join twitter. All the cool kids are doing it!” 
05.31.09
Celebrity Look-Alikes
I do things like this when I am bored, and I haven’t done one of these in ages! So I went to myheritage.com and had one done using a photo I snapped of myself a few months back (when I was up late one night).
I remember when I used to do these a few years ago one of the people I always got was Kristin Kreuk (Smallville) and a lot of the time I would get Audrey Tautou (The Da Vinci Code). As usual I got a few lovely Asian women, I don’t know who they are but I do know they are not the same ones I would get before. I remember getting BoA (singer) and there was this one other Japanese woman who always came up so eventually I had looked her up and found out that she was a porn star LOL!
As far as what I get told in real life: Ever since I was a kid in the the early 80’s I have been told that I look like Valerie Bertinelli and have been hearing that for ages. Also lot of people do think I look somewhat Asian, which is cool because you know guys think Asian chicks are hot
05.29.09
Where I come from…
we do not leave our car doors unlocked, like ever. Sometimes not even when you are in the car and driving. Seriously.
we never leave a car window open unless in the car and even then you close them real fast when you are about to drive through certain neighborhoods.
we call ice cream sprinkles “jimmies”.
fluffernutters are a staple of childhood. And you make them with Marshmallow FLUFF, not creme!
there were a ton of stores and places to eat in walking distance.
I had a bus stop right around the corner from my house, so I could easily get to the places I couldn’t walk to.
6 inches of snow is considered a dusting.
there are at least 24 Dunkin Donuts within 15 minutes of your house. I actually had 2 that were only 5 minutes away.
you would often find a packie right near those Dunkin Donuts (at least in my city). Don’t know what a “packie” is, do you? (see below)
we call liquor stores “packies”.
In Indy…
People often leave car doors unlocked and windows open, even in store parking lots! WTF?!?
I got a weird look at the ice cream place when I asked for jimmies once. (I wasn’t aware no one else called them that lol)
My boyfriend was deprived of that simple childhood pleasure that is a fluffernutter. I have since introduced him to them and he likes them! Also found out that fluffernutters originated in New England (though have since made their way around the country and in some cases world. Yay fluffernutters!)
There is nothing in walking distance. Nada.
The nearest bus stop is 1/2 an hour away, which would have been OK except that there are no sidewalks and sometimes no pavement at all (unless I want to walk in traffic). Makes me sad.
They announce that 2″ of snow is expected and schools get closed, people do panic ’stock piling’ shopping and when it falls people suddenly can’t drive and cause accidents and even pile ups like crazy. Pathetic.
I think I have seen only 1 Dunkin Donuts. So weird.
I compiled this because since I moved I often find myself saying things that start with “Where I come from….” Some of the things on this list I got from online lists, but they are things that anyone back home can tell you and stuff I often say.
I will probably add more to this as more things happen, or as I remember them.
05.15.09
Pushy, stupid people need to die.
Yeah, I’m a little harsh. Oh well. 
OK so this girl, who I actually barely know, always asks me and Ken to hang out. Well we don’t hang out for a couple of reasons…
1. We don’t have the time. He has been working a lot lately at his regular job (even weekends), which has been stressing him out so he really wants to start working independently. And to take those steps he has recently updated his website portfolio, is working on some awesome wordpress themes, working on a website for someone and has been networking with other designers …Which means hanging at The Bean Cup where a group of them meet up, usually once a week. And as for me, even though I only work 3 days a week (which still takes a lot out of me) I also have a lot to do around the house; cleaning, laundry, cooking, lawn work (weeding, etc…Ken mows the lawn though), teaching/helping Amanda with school work, taking care of everyone (Myself, Ken, Amanda and the dog) and small things that crop up around the house (little fix ups and such).
2. We just don’t like to hang out like they do. They like to go to bars and dance clubs drinking all night until the wee hours of the morning. We like to get together with gamers and geeks and do our geeky things. Play World of Warcraft all night, go to Borders sit at their cafe and read some magazines, hang out at the comic book store socializing with people like us, hang out at home with Amanda playing Rock Band or watching a movie together while having pizza, or we all go out to the movies together and grab a bite to eat. Granted there was a time we did stuff like hang out at bars, but that was when we were single and just wanted to hang out with people, so you end up going with the flow (even if you hate the scene). We just have different priorities now and are happy that we found each other to share those things with.
To put it simply; we are busy, worn out and just like different things than they do. I have tried to tell her this over and over again but she just does not seem to get it. Which tells me that she is too self absorbed to care…And she is simply just plain annoying. Here is the most recent example of her antics:
She recently asked, more than once, if me and Ken could hang out this coming Saturday for her exes birthday party. Each time I explained all the things to her that I wrote above (in #1) and also told her that recently we were barely able to celebrate my own daughters birthday the way we wanted to because of his job…He had worked late the day of her b’day, a Friday, and then had to work the next day and I was feeling sick that day so I had to put off going to the movies with her. Yet this girl thinks I will make time to celebrate her ex boyfriends b’day? He is someone who she is always fighting with and then add alcohol to the mix and you get even more drama. Though she is always full of drama even with out him around or the help of alcohol (which is another reason against hanging out in that circle). Oh, and what I also find amusing is that at one point recently he was suing her for custody of their kid (he got tired of her saying she was going to sue him). Now here she is throwing a party for him…Okay…What the hell is wrong with these people?
And here is the thing…Even if at some point they simply wanted to hang out and, let’s say, play rock band and grab a pizza we still would not want to do it. Why? Because of all the drama, we don’t want to deal with it.
And this weekend is another busy one. After he works all day at his job, this Friday, he has to work a race later on that evening then go away over night to work an out of town race the next morning. Something tells me that later on Saturday he will not be up for going to a drunken birthday party with people he can barely stand, silly him. And I will be spending Friday and Saturday pretty busy myself with some major Spring cleaning (needs to get done, ASAP) and some yard work. Saturday (once Ken is home) will more than likely be spent in front of the TV watching Buffy and Angel DVDs. Sunday I hope to have some family time, I’ll make a pizza then maybe we can all play some Rock Band!
05.07.09
Star Trek!
We have a geek date tonight! After Ken gets out of work we are heading out to get something to eat at Skyline Chili then we’ll hang out at the comic book store for a bit, make a pit stop at home then it will be off to see the new Star Trek movie! Can’t wait to see it!
Other things going on:
I happened to get out of work early today, which is good because I would have been bored, but bad because I lose some money. *sigh*
Had a migraine that lasted for a week, got really bad and I had to miss 2 (out of only 3) days of work that week.
Amandas hair cut came out looking pretty cute, though I was unable to do any actual style to it. *sigh*
The robins seemed to have abandoned the nest, that usually means the eggs were infertile. 
That is about it, can’t think of anything else. *shrug*
04.27.09
Amanda stuff
Amanda has asked me to cut her hair “short”. Not sure why all of a sudden because I thought she was happy to finally have her hair grow out long again. There was a time, about 6 years ago, when she first got alopecia and the Doctor said it would be a good idea to cut her hair shorter so that some of the weight would be taken off of it because the heavy hair was not helping the hair loss problem. So anyway back at that time she had asked me to cut it like Sailor Mercury’s hair, so this time I have been searching the net for anime inspired hair styles for her. Hopefully I can cut her hair into a really cute shoulder length ‘anime’ style. So later on I will get to that task, and hopefully she will let me take a photo of her new hair style. I was glad when she asked me to cut it though because her hair has been looking kind of, drab, I guess you could say. It just kind of hangs there and does not flatter her, and she never really does anything with it. So maybe I can make it look really cute, where she won’t have to do much and it won’t be a lot of hassle to manage it.
Other stuff…
Amanda’s birthday went good. She loves her iPod nano, of course. And after we got back from eating at Culvers we all hung out a little just watching some TV. Also as part of her b’day her and I were supposed to go to the movies (”17 Again”) but I have been sick all weekend with a migraine so we will go later, after the hair cut. So we are looking forward to the movies later! And I am sure Ken will be happy to get some peace and quiet and get some work done, not that he ever complains but I am kind of a pain in the butt always teasing him. It’s fun, I can’t help it!
Oh, and we are going to buy her a new computer. The one she has been using finally died. Just a cheap one, nothing fancy. She really only uses it to get online and stuff. It’s an expense we really can’t afford but we’ll figure it out. And we just spent $140 on that iPod. *sigh*
04.24.09
Robins!
July 4th of last year me, Ken and Amanda (and Ares, of course) were on our patio having a little cookout and as we were sitting at the deck set eating and joking around I happened to look over to where the back porch light is, which is right outside the door…And what did I happen to see? A nest and four little baby bird heads poking out waiting for some food. It was so darn cute, but I felt bad that we were keeping mommy and daddy robin from feeding the babies and since we were pretty much done we packed it up and went inside.
Here is one of the photos from last years nest, this was taken maybe a day or two before they left the nest…
Robins - July 2008
Well anyway, the robins are back again this year! The weird part is that a week or two ago we noticed some robins hanging around our patio. And on at least two occasions, that we witnessed anyway, one of them would stand right at our backdoor (a sliding glass door) and seemed to be looking in (even tapped the door with it’s beak one of those times) while the other stood on the banister of the patio. Then just a few days ago, the 20th, we saw the nest on our back porch light (yet again!), took a photo and saw that one egg had already been laid! So this year we are going to document by taking a photo every day! Seems they are stopping at three this year. It will be fun watching the whole precess this year. Last year we only saw about a week of it, I have no clue how we did not notice the nest before then since it takes 2 weeks for the eggs to hatch the I think another 2 weeks before the babies are ready to leave the nest. At least this year we get to hang out with the robins for awhile longer.
Robins Eggs - April 2009
04.18.09
Amandas Birthday Plans
My daughters 17th birthday is coming up on Friday, the 24th. For starters I am going to make her a chocolate cake, which is her favorite. We got her an iPod nano and will also give her $30 in a card. Oh, and the card was this really cute one I found that had a kitty dressed as a frog! lol So anyways, after Ken gets out of work on Friday we will give her the gift then we are going out to eat at Culvers. I already know what I want to eat, a Grilled Ruben Melt and maybe get a root beer. Very yummy. Then Saturday night Amanda and I will go to the movies to see 17 Again, Ken gets left out because it’s not one he wants to see . He’ll be happy just staying home to get some work done on his website.
And something I thought was pretty cool…Amanda got a surprise gift about a week ago when a package came in the mail for her, it had a figure in it. She has her Amazon wishlist on a site she frequents and evidently one of her friends on there bought her a birthday present. How nice! She was really surprised and happy about that.
