My New Favorite

I have been a fan of Strawberry Yogurt Burst Cheerios ever since they hit the scene...

But they are now taking a close second to what might become my FAVORITE cereal of all time...

CHOCOLATE CHEERIOS!!!!

Seriously, how can you go wrong? Whole grain goodness AND chocolate!!! Maybe I should try mixing the two...then it would be like eating chocolate covered strawberries with fiber!!! I'm in love!!! Hmm, maybe instead of the Special K diet, I will try the Cheerios diet because frankly, there isn't a flavor of Cheerios I don't like.

Mostly Because I Can't Stand the Picture I Posted Yesterday

I started going to a new dentist about a year ago. So far I like the office. Staff is nice and the dentist isn’t creepy like my previous one. I went in for a cleaning earlier today and I walked away thinking “hmm” about two things that happened while I was there.

First, the dentist told me I had a tooth that had a small cavity that he “recommended I fix” but it’s up to me. I have never had a dentist really give me an option. It was like he was trying to sell me some sort of extended warranty. “We recommend you purchase our warranty, but it’s completely up to you.” Normally the dentist says “you have a cavity and we need to schedule a time for you to come back in and get it fixed.” I am of course sitting in the chair thinking “I have no expertise in this area, so you just need to tell me what to do.” Strange. Since I have just recently changed dental insurance, I’m waiting to find out what the waiting period is before I schedule anything. What I also find strange is that it is in a front tooth. I’ve never had a cavity there before. Hmm.

The other “Hmmm” moment is almost more of a “What the Heck” moment. Because I have new insurance I needed to give them that information. The girl in the office looks at me and says “is this your husband’s insurance?” And not in a fact finding kind of way, but in an assumption kind of way. I think its interesting people always assume I’m married. People always assume I have kids. I’m not offended by it really, but just think it’s odd the assumptions people make.

EWWWW

Maybe it's because I have my degree in advertising and spent countless hours sitting through classes analyzing what is good and bad about an ad...or maybe I'm just opinionated about this kind of stuff, but here is just another ad that frankly CREEPS ME OUT!!!!

Let's just say it is a real testament to how bothered I am by the image on this ad to be putting it on my blog because this image really gives me the heeby jeebies!!! What is worse is that Slacker runs this banner ad ALL THE TIME! All I can really say is that this is disturbing!!!

Someone Needs to Hire A Better Ad Designer

This ad was the banner ad when I pulled up my online email account this morning.


Anyone but me think it odd that they chose the picture of this old man to advertise their program? Does he LOOK like he wants to go back to school? Does he even look like he could get a job after he went back to school that would pay him MORE than $45,000 a year? I'm not even sure Wal-Mart would hire him as a greeter. Can you image that face saying "Welcome to Wal-Mart?" That face would probably even send the most desperate old lady at the retirement center running in the other direction.

Classes USA...maybe you're on a tight budget and you couldn't afford acceptable clip art, but Microsoft Clip Art Gallery is free and ANYTHING on there would be better than using the picture of Great Uncle Charlie that your mom emailed you.

Hair Brush Update

I ventured out at lunch yesterday and bought a new hair brush. Since they no longer make my hair brush (what were they thinking discontinuing a classic!) I had to find something that I thought would work in a similar fashion. After one day, it gets a B. It seems to work okay on the drying front, BUT as I discovered last night, when my hair is dry it causes much static. Frustrating!!! My only hope is that summer is on its way and maybe this won't be an issue once summer gets here AND maybe by next winter I will have found a better replacement.

Sad Day

It was a sad day in my home yesterday...my favorite hair brush broke. At first I thought I had easily had this brush for 8 years, but when I look back at it, I'm thinking I have possibly had it closer to 14 years!!! This hair brush has seen me through good dates and bad dates; boyfriends and break ups; good hair cuts and even helped me to survive some bad ones. This hair brush got me through my 20's and has helped me to survive the jump into my 30's. I've tried to change hair brushes over the years, but I've always come back to my old reliable.

I know, I know...it was time to let it go. I even know there are some that think my holding on to things for a long time is because I don't like change. Actually, that's not it at all. When it comes to purses, wallets, shoes, etc. it's because I'm really picky about these things and it can take a long time for me to find a suitable replacement. And when it comes to things like alarm clocks, head bands, or hair brushes it becomes more of an iconic thing for me. I like being able to look at something and say "wow, I've had this ___ # of years and it still works." So few things last long anymore, so I like it when I possess something that has withstood the test of time.

So Ulta, hear I come! You just better have a hair brush that can meet my high expectations! FYI, I've had my pick since I was in high school and the head band I use to wash my face since I was in Jr. High.

Tulip Watch 2010

Tulip Watch 2010 has begun. I have tried planting tulips every year for the last 9 years. Only once have they come up and bloomed. I even tried daffodils once, and even though they came up every year, I only got one bloom ever. Tulips are not supposed to be this hard. Matter of fact, my mom digs hers up all the time trying to keep them from growing in a particular area of her yard…but they always come back. I on the other hand am lucky if they make it more than 2 inches above the ground. BUT this may just be my year!

Last fall my mom and I dug up tulips in her back yard and brought them home and started a flower bed around my bird bath since grass really wasn’t growing there anyway. Well, last weekend I was looking out the window and much to my surprise there were at least ten tulips starting to peak their heads through the soil. Seriously, you would have thought someone just gave me $1000 I was so excited!

Now I just have to hope that 1) the mole and the squirrels leave them alone; 2) the weather doesn’t hinder their growth (I’m told it shouldn’t, but that has not been my experience in the past); and 3) the landscapers don’t mow over or weed eat them (which is why flowerbed border is an impending purchase for me).

So here we go. The first picture of what I hope will be a beautiful tulip garden come spring.

All those little green spots...those are tulips!!!

Close up shot to prove it.

Now I need to think of other things to plant in that garden so it doesn’t look like a weedy mess when the tulips are gone. Thinking creeping flocks.

Cruel Dream

I had this wonderful dream last night that I was dating Jim Clancy (you know Melinda’s husband on Ghost Whisperer) and he was being super sweet and making me feel super special and I think he was about to propose…just as my alarm went off. For a girl who has been struggling with the reality of my reality lately, this was just down right the CRUELEST thing my subconscious could have done to me. You’re supposed to wake up and say “oh good, that was just a dream” not “oh crap! It was just a dream.”

Could It Be?

Could it be? Is it possible that my neighbors are moving out? Is it too good to be true? Could I finally get some peace and quiet? If the U-Haul in their driveway last night and the fact that they kept me up until 2 a.m. doing what sounded like throwing furniture down the stairs is any indication...I think they might be moving. No more piano. No more tomato plants in front of my house. No more weird stuff in jars on my front walk. No more blue "ziplock bag" looking things attached to their front door. Oh wait...one less topic for my blog. I'll survive. Hopefully if I'm getting new neighbors, they'll be more like my first ones (who gave me the awsome mirror in my living room) and not worse than the current ones.

Pathetic Attempt

Yes, my blog has become too often neglected these days. What can I say, there is nothing to write about. Attic is currently pest free. Car is running (knock on wood…I’m almost afraid to say it out loud). It’s too cold to do any home renovations right now. Dating (or lack there of) and work are not acceptable topics of conversation. And my opinions in most cases are better kept to myself. And my birthday…well we’re not going to go there. So sadly, you are left with this pathetic attempt at saying I’ve updated my blog.