feliz birthdayo

It is Irene's 4th birthday today.  

So far she is still cute so that is good.  

I suspect that one of these birthday we will wake up to realize she is all arms and legs and very klutzy like her mom.  

But for now she is still cute---so we celebrate.

turkey with a side of nuts

Just in case you were all in doubt about the level to which we have twisted our children....
I offer you Anthony's homemade thanksgiving day card...

So have a happy Thancksgiving and remember to be thanck full because you never know what is lurking right behind you.

my hero

I read on a blog somewhere (can't give credit--don't remember which, sorry) where the woman asked her husband which actress he found more attractive: Jennifer Aniston or Angelina Jolie. She hoped he would choose girl next door Aniston as opposed to husband stealer Jolie and sure enough he did.

Sweet, huh?

I thought it would be a brilliant idea to ask my own husband---not that I need any extra proof of his marital perfection---but I asked any way.

"Who do you prefer...Aniston or Jolie?"

His answer....?

"Can't I have both?"

Ahhhh...be still my beating heart.

....and yes...those were the most unattractive
pictures I could find of the ladies in question.

...he does, after all, read this blog...

Hi Edgard.

...he he he.

ummmmm....

Soooo it might be fairly obvious at this point that NaBloPoMo is a bust. See, Mrs. Smith? I told you I wouldn't last until the 15th. Never underestimate my powers of failure, for I will always reach new heights....or would that be extraordinary lows?

bwaaa haa haa

By the way, does anyone happen to have the correct spelling for an evil laugh?

...but I think, looking back on it...I am impressed I made it as far as I did even if some posts barely counted. I mean...I like to look at the glass as being half full...even if the water is putrid.

the bean crop

I am taking the opportunity to show off the kiddos in their Halloween costumes because they rarely look this cute on a daily basis. *sigh*

As you can see Anthony is taking his roll as knight, and protector of princess Irene, very seriously. Well--he started taking it more seriously after I told him to stop slaying his sister with his sword. Irene was protecting herself of course, but it was still disconcerting to see such a sweet princess cold cocking a knight...

After that little interlude, we went to our church's harvest party and the kids had too much candy--and it instantly put them to sleep like sugar always does...

er wait...?

The reality was that after they got home they bounced around like mexican jumping beans---not as high as daddy though, because they are only half mexican but still enough to drive us both crazy.

I hope you all had a great Halloween and I hope you are %100 more ready than I am for the upcoming holidays.

ooops

I think I might be a little too last minute with some of these nablopomo posts...

9 months of rain!

See my water rats?

When you live in rainy Oregon where you get nine months of rain...you just have to make do.

I remember my days as a puddle jumper.

Those were the best times to play.

Heck with those boring sunny days...

film cheese

Do you have a favorite cheesy movie...? When I say cheesy movie, I mean so dorky you don't like to admit to people that you like it. It probably is one that you watched as a child before you had the ability to discern bad acting, terrible special effects, impossible 1960's hairstyles, etc.

I personally have two...
The first is Journey to the Center of the Earth (1959). I think the acting is good in this movie but the special effects are laughable by todays standards. A really good part, though is the score by Bernard Herrmann---this guy lends an ominous tone to any movie. But the embarrassing fact is, that when I used to watch it as a child, I had a huge crush on Pat Boone. Yes I said Pat Boone....but this Pat Boone not that Pat Boone. When I grew up I developed a (still-going) crush on James Mason....maturity has its advantages.

My second movie is Jason and the Argonauts (1963). The acting is touch and go, but the special effects---done by Ray Harryhausen and the score, again by our old friend Bernard, are just really great. I dare you to watch the part with Talos and not get creeped out, and the skeleton army is fun....the rest of the time you can laugh at me. I didn't develop any crushes on anyone in this movie...I think it has something to do with all of the heavily bearded men. I like goatees...but the full beard is a bit much for me. And while we are on the subject of hair...this movie reminds me of the time that my mom kept me home in the 5th grade to perm my hair. What can I say? It was the 80's. But now this movie and that chemical smell of burning hair are linked together in one truly fond memory.

So now, your turn...out with it!

What is your favorite movie(s) from childhood that is uber-nerdy now?

The nerdier the better.

mother dearest is to blame

My newest addiction is my mother's fault...she sent me the link to the Pirates of the Caribbean online game. I have to say, I enjoyed the movies tolerably well...and I am not wholly unaware of national talk like a pirate day...

...but, all in all, pirates aren't my thing.

Wellllll... weren't my thing.

Now....I am Rachel Bluemorrigan---captain of my own ships...a light sloop named Scarlet Rogue, and a galleon, the Red Queen.

I am also a sometimes crew member on other people's ships as well as skillful with the sword and pistol.

....also, I'm a complete nerd.

what the heck....

Why not!

my mature readers

I have to say that I was impressed how mature you guys were about my last post. I know some of you personally (and the rest internetally) so I know that you all run the gamut, politically speaking, and that all of you believe in the power of voting. Yet not one of you stooped to any low blows. I am proud of you guys seriously.
A little update on the guy that sent me those emails...

I wrote him the following email:

Hi Xxxx,
I hope everything is going well with you.
I was wondering if you might remove me from getting the forwarded emails? Thanks so much and a pleasant rest of the week to you.
Rachel Xxxxxx


This was his response:

Wow. I am sorry. I have a friend named Rachel Xxxxxxxx that asked me to forward some of these emails. I hope they did not offend you. I don’t even remember who you are.


I am sure that was supposed to make me feel better. ha.... ha.... ha....
I just have to say shame on you Rachel Xxxxxxxx, whoever you are, for requesting those emails... you give the rest of us Rachels a bad name...cheesy pun intended.

new mow knee uh

So after a fun few hours in the hospital and multiple attempts at x-rays on a child who only stands on her tiptoes....we got a diagnosis. Irene has pneumonia! What do you mean this sounds familiar???


You would think that I might take pity on her at a time like this and wouldn't make her talk or sing songs since she has lost her voice, right?
And now enjoy a song from Irene (starring pneumonia):

Just a friendly little hint...you might need to turn the volume UP!!!

idiom

 


Well I thought homeschool was going okay, but this morning Anthony asked me what language Archibald, from veggie tales, speaks. 

When I told him english, he said 

"eng...what?"
   
As Anthony's teacher....should I be worried?

seriously!

I am not sure....
but I may have a slight problem with procrastination and follow through....

.

no hay problemo

So I am doing this whole homeschool thing and I am really thinking... what's the big deal???

This is so easy.

I don't get all the stress and complaining that I am hearing from other homeschool moms.

This is a piece of cake!

So I'll let you know how day two goes.

idiot's guide to teaching

I am now embarking on year two of irrevocably ruining my son's academic career. 
Otherwise known as: 

Rachel does homeschool. 

The program that I am doing consists of classes three days a week with an actual teacher with actual brains. He is taking creative writing, beginning piano, and beginning drawing. I am not sure...but we may be a little heavy on the creative side. 

For academics, we are doing a curriculum called Calvert. I just received the box today and this thing has everything---down to the very pencils....so I guess I could have saved that $0.99 at Walmart. But my favorite thing is that there is a guide that tells me what everything is for.

Thank goodness. 

I hope it has pictures...

...and an instructional dvd...

....and a real live teacher. 

The great thing is that all of this is for free because we are getting the Calvert through an online academy that is a fully accredited public school. A public school without the evil influence of "the man". I don't know what means but it sounded good. Honestly my reasons for homeschooling are multi-layered, one of which is that I want to be very involved in my children's education. I know all the typical reasons that people are not fans of homeschool...the biggest one being the social aspect. I have thought about this and I have plenty of activities that he does to keep him social---adding up to pretty much 5 times a week for social activities. I defy anyone to find any lack there. I also plan to be very well rounded...I want him to learn so much and I want it to include so much more than being at a table with a book! I am just so excited...!!!

I am probably sounding like a nerd. 

Oh well...nothing I can do about that. 

I'm a nerd.

extraordinary procrastination: beyond the call of duty

Seriously....don't you love how I say I am going to do something (i.e. my last post) and then I just disappear for nearly 2 weeks? It seems like whenever I tell myself I need to do something, I end up doing everything else but that particular thing. I think I am going through my teenage rebellion---15 years late. I skipped it the first time around. I didn't have any of the fun that all the normal teens have... You know...

...alcohol poisoning, girls gone wild, teen pregnancy... I just really had no fun at all. So now the revolt from my sheltered teen years is coming out by rebelling against myself.

You are welcome mom and dad.

I do fully intend to write that book list. I just wished I would have realized that there was actual work involved before I opened my trap.

Oh well.

And speaking of work...my name is being passed around at my husband's workplace for my mad skillz as a web designer. I guess better that than having it passed around for other reasons. Although I think we should all be proud of our talents wherever they may lie...no pun intended.

Without giving away any major information I ended up getting a call from someone that wants me to design a sign for his storefront in our local mall. I have already submitted the design to him and now we are emailing back and forth to fine tune it. Imagine...if he accepts the final design...my sign will be seen by millions of shoppers, punk teenagers and snot nosed whiny kids.

Ahhh, sweet success.

But before success I need to do the actual work. And I am afraid procrastination is not an option as he has a deadline tomorrow...luckily I also happen to be a procrastinator who likes to get things done in the 11th hour.

pointless... for now

I wanted to draw your attention to my navigational tabs below my header. I have added a new tab entitled reading list. If you click on it now, you will be taken to a page that says "this page coming soon" and then goes on to use an immature amount of exclamation points---so really this is just a page of little to no information. Why am I telling you? Because I was asked a very long time ago, by a couple of people to make a recommended reading list. And because I will be adding the information very soon...promise--either the next few hours, or at the latest tonight while all of the normal people sleep.

AAAAAaaaaaaahhhhhhhh...........

First I was having a problem connecting to the Internet (which is grievous in itself)...so I went to reset my modem and check on things at our main computer. I reset it with no luck so I got the phone and called my Internet provider. In the meantime I decided to restart it once more. Of course, the time I decide to call for help also happens to be the time that it starts to work again. So I got off the phone and went back to what I was doing (writing a post)....and when I looked down at the keys... that is when I discovered that my computer was covered in water!!!!

da da da

I don't want to name names...they will keep their protection of anonymity...I will protect the guilty..I shan't point a finger at the criminal.

Serious heart attack time.

This is my lifeline....
I know you are not supposed to have favorites but my laptop is my favorite child---no contest!

I feel a bulleted list coming on:

My Laptop Never...

• talks back to me
• wants me to taste food it thinks is disgusting
• leaves its dirty socks stashed everywhere (not limited to the kitchen table)
  
• asks to share my food
• huffs and puffs at me when I ask it to do something (okay sometimes it will do this...but it is so cute when it is rebellious)
• begs for food and water after a beating and prolonged confinement (just kidding...don't freak out...I would never do that to my laptop)

well, on that note, that is all I have for now. And besides, I best be ending this post before I get any twisteder..or before I run out of words and start inventorating them.

cReAtIvE bUg

In addition to keeping you highly entertained with my wit--and maybe a tiny smidgen of sarcasm--I also enjoy playing around with a little HTML, and other web design related stuff. I don't claim to be any great hand at it, or to have any non-pilfered technical knowledge---I pretty much just started experimenting with my blog template one day and when it was successful...I was hooked!

If you have any questions or want me to create something, you just need to ask. I really love to do it and everything is a learning experience for me.

sotsublehcar (at) gmail (dot) com

And now on to the show and tell (what little there is so far).

Not including the many incarnations of three day blog my first foray into designing aspects of someone else's site, was for Michelle over at brown eyed girl.

I designed her header for her and had a lot of fun doing and since she also loves photography, I was able to use her own pictures for nearly the whole thing. I like the fact that it makes it more personal.

The second thing that I did for her blog was

a cute little footer. Now this is where the pilfering I mentioned before, comes into play. I saw this idea first on MamaGeek's blog and thought it was so neat.

The opportunity to work on my second site came from Jeff Tovsen, owner of Tone Deaf Guitars. He needed a website, so I fibbed and said I could build it...

Hence,

www.tonedeafguitars.com was born.

I really am ridiculously proud of my first official website. And the great thing, is that Jeff hired me on to maintain the site---so the first thing I did when I found out that he was sucker enough to keep me around, was to create a title for myself. So I am now the IT manager at Tone Deaf Guitars. Now the only thing that I need are business cards. Did you hear that Jeff? I want nice shiny ones...okay? Thanks.

So what is next? Well, I am working on a website for a local comedian/entertainer, and also a little template tweaking for a couple different blogfriends. As soon as I have more finished products I will add them here so check back periodically. And don't forget, if you see what you like and are interested in having me work on something for you, simply ask.

~This is a new section that I am adding to my blog pages. You can find it under "creative bug" in my navigational tabs. I will update whenever I add more work.~

nine

In honor of our ninth wedding anniversary, I am going to list 9 things that I love about my husband.

1. I love his laugh and smile.  It is contagious.  To hear him laugh, you instantly have to start laughing too.  
2. I love that we have the same twisted sense of humor.
3. I love that we both feel the same way about what we want for our children
4. I love he provides for me.  And that I can trust him in that.
5. I love his strong work ethic and that he is respected for it by others, as well.
6. I love, and am proud of his musical talent.
7.  I love when he takes the kids out of the house to give me break and focuses solely on them the whole time---I love the memories that he is giving them.
   
8. I love his culture and the goodness and richness that it brings to our life.
9. I love when we met, how special he made me feel everyday---I love the memories that he gave me from that time.

Feliz Aniversario

it's all in the perspective, my dear.

So what do you do on a Saturday, home alone with the kids, with nothing but a cellphone camera and some imagination?

You take some pictures.....
...send them to your husband, and make him think that you plunked down his hard earned money on some unneeded and expensive new toy for the children.

It is at this point, around the third frantic interrogation text message, that you can start laughing...and I don't mean your everyday laughter... this is where you can pull out the evil villainous laughter you have been practicing since 5th grade. Go ahead....you've earned it.

what do you think it is?

Apparently there is something about me that is so irresistible that women want to give me flowers.

Thank you Michelle.

On the other hand, there also seems to be something so resistible about me, that no men seem to find the urge to bring me any.

Hmmm...

Must investigate this...

phlegmatically yours

Today is the big day for my x-ray. Of course, the hope is that the gray, cotton-candy looking substance, which unceremoniously invaded my lungs, has taken it's leave of me. Honestly, without going into too much detail, I really haven't been as "productive" as I think I should in getting rid of this gunk. I don't really know what is next, though. I took a strong three day antibiotic that stays in my system for ten days---I am only on my sixth day, so I suppose I should try to be patient for the remaining 4 days. It is just hard knowing that there is a foreign invader in my body. In the past I have taken kindly to foreign invaders...I ended up marrying the last one I came in contact with. Of course Edgard doesn't make me all phlegmy so that could be why he is still around. This current invader is a little less pleasant. Although, having pneumonia garners me more sympathy than being married to Edgard does---so I guess that is sort of a bonus. Other than that I would have to say that having Edgard is better than having pneumonia.

pneumonia and me

I have been trying to think of the good parts of pneumonia, and the only thing I could come up with was, that the best thing about pneumonia is not having it at all.

Too late.

One really nice thing that has come out of it was this beautiful and romantic bouquet.

Thanks Mom.

The other thing that is admittedly nice is guilt-free computer time. Who is going to guilt a sickly woman with a potentially fatal infection, right? Besides when would they ask me to give up my laptop...between the paroxysms of coughing or all the choking?

This has been interesting, though. I have found that with a little help from my mom willpower and more help from Edgard some ingenuity, you can pretty much parent completely from the comfort of your soggy week old sheets. Just a note: the sheets in the picture are not the previously discussed week old soggy sheets but a brand new set that Edgard put on when I called him from the doctor's office to tell him of my pneumonia.

Hey...
I could add that to the list of reasons to have pneumonia.---that it will make your husband change the sheets! But, I guarantee that if you have a black set of sheets, no matter how deeply hidden in your linen closet, he will most assuredly dig those particular ones out and use them. Bye bye blue toile sheets, hello shroud-like manly ones. By the way, love the sheets honey, thanks...you know I am only teasing, right? Please change them again sometime.

some little bug is going to find you sometime.

I was trying to figure out which part of my thrilling Dr.'s visit I should tell you about.

Maybe the part where every time I had to use the elevator---6 times---I ended up being trapped in there with someone who smelled badly...really badly. And as if that weren't punishment enough, they always got off before I did and there I was... left in in this funky elevator looking highly embarrassed and very guilty. I obviously could have skipped the shower and no one would have been any the wiser.

Then there was the part where I saw John Travolta's character from Love Song for Bobby Long in the waiting room. Well at about age 35 but he looked about as healthy as Bobby Long.

Or there was the fun moment after being jabbed and x-rayed and the waiting....
all the flipping waiting...
I was told that, after being in bed since Saturday, I was going to get the bonus of five more days of bed rest. Yipee! I truly hope the sarcasm hits you right between the eyes in that last exclamation. It is one thing to dream about being able to stay in bed when you are well, but quite another to actually have to when you feel like crud. But no worries...I have my survival methods.


But I think that the main thing that I would like to tell you about my visit today is how I got to find out I have pneumonia. But am I feeling sorry for myself? No Siree! Besides, wasn't it Kin Hubbard who said:

“A true lady or gentleman remains at home with a grouch same as if they had pneumonia”

I don't really know what it means but I dare you to find a quote on Pneumonia while you are miserable in bed with a fever and hacking cough!

no secret rendezvous for this hot mama

I am sick...please feel sorry for me. I have a temperature of a 103. I've been reduced to a cheesy foreigner song.

image by opk

...we are all working parents...

So I have really been thinking a lot about the whole working mother/stay at home mother "feud."

Just lately I have taken a part time job as an administrative assistant. It is a two days a week job that is supposed to last through the summer. My mother babysits half the time and the teenage sister of my boss babysits the other. What has gotten me aggravated though, are all the well-intentioned people that are saying "oh, it is so good for you to get away from your children." I probably wouldn't get quite as annoyed if they were saying that it is good for me to get out into adult interaction...
this is very true...
....but they always, without fail, say: "away from my children." I know I am a bit biased, but my kids are really great and I don't have any desire to get away from them. Whenever I need a break, my husband will stay with them or even takes them out so I can have the house to myself (where I usually indulge in wild house cleaning sessions...what can I say...I'm an animal) or they go with Grandma, or my closest friend, Susie. They are not lacking for time away from me---nor I from them. I have also heard that they need to learn their independence. True. Don't worry, though, I have thought of that, as well. The transition to having a babysitter thrust into their lives while I work was so smooth they didn't even miss me.

I have been getting the impression, as I have always, that people really do not believe that to stay home with my kids was a choice for me. A choice that I am well aware that I am lucky to have. I wasn't forced into it by my macho Mexican husband. Yes....I was asked that as well. This was my choice, supported by my husband, and a lot of thought went into it. I thought about the social aspect, the independence and every other thing that I could think of that would affect the kids, as well as my relationship with my husband.

I also know that there are plenty of mothers who are working and wish they could stay home...and many more who are working and wouldn't want it any other way. My own mother worked while I was growing up. I just wish we could all see, and accept that we have made choices which are relevant to ourselves and our own situations and stop downgrading these choices in others.

Another friend of mine, who works outside the home full time, is very happy with her decision and I am definitely in awe over that---so many things to juggle. I respect her choice to do this---it isn't the choice for me but nevertheless I respect it. But not too far back she asked me "so what do you do all day?" I found myself being taken aback because it was the first time I had actually been asked this oft-clichéd question. I remember trying to mumble out a list of everything that I did in a day...a sort of schedule...but who can honestly do that? Every single day presents different challenges...something new. The next day, when I thought about it...I wished I would have said "everything that you pay your daycare provider to do, plus anything you do when you get home, as well as all the mother guilt and worry." But what can I say, being a stay at home mom has melted my brain from lack of use. Honestly, though, I do wish we could all just respect everyone's choices and try our hardest not to say anything stupid.

So what about you? Are you a working mom, a stay at mom (or dad) who has had to field thoughtless, insensitive, ignorant questions or statements about your chosen way to parent? How did you respond...or wish you had responded?

my questions--your answers--and another question...

• What attracts you to the blogs that you like?

John says:
Insightful commentary, informed author, a topic I am already interested in, and (if you promise not to tell my wife this) if it is written by a beautiful woman that certainly helps. Hey, it is something that catches my eye and gets my attention.

Groovybabe says:
…subject matter, writing ability, visual look... that’s initially...

Mamacita Chilena says:
For me the blog either has to be a subject I'm interested in, or if it's not a subject that interests me, it needs to be very well written, and usually funny.

• What keeps you coming back?

John says:
Consistent posts, high quality, some humor.

Groovybabe says:
interesting content and interaction (someone who comments on my journal as well as me on theirs)

Ten Pound Club says:
Writing style is important. I also need to feel a connection. I enjoy seeing pictures. And I love your sense of humor--a huge draw!

• What detracts from one?

John says:
No consistency in posting!

Groovybabe says:
bad layout, cramped layout, lack of updates, someone who doesnt comment on mine...

• What makes you decide you don't like a particular blog?

John says:
Boring, a topic I am not interested in, author who doesn't seem committed to keeping up their blog.

Groovybabe says:
it is different each time. Sometimes I think if someone gets heaps of comments all the time, they probably wont be interested in me... if they don’t update I lose interest too.

On the other hand, Mamacita Chilena says:
Consistency isn't a factor for me since I have blogs on my Google reader. If they update I see it, if they don't, I don't lose any time checking.

Which brings me to another question for all of you who find yourself at three day blog more than once. How do you find your way back? Do you subscribe in a feed aggregator such as Google reader, bloglines or another? Or do you have me bookmarked in your favorites? Leave me a comment and let me know...and hey...if you haven't already...subscribe to me.

interrogation

So I have a question, or two, for all of you. It concerns bloggers and non-bloggers alike.

• What attracts you to the blogs that you like?

• What keeps you coming back?

• What detracts from one?

• What makes you decide you don't like a particular blog?

Each question that I am asking pertains to content, appearance and any other aspects of blogs.
So speak up, comment...be heard.
I am very interested to know.
If you have been reading and you have never commented...then consider this your big chance.
I would love to hear from you.

hot diggity blog

Update Below

The whole blogging phenomenon is quite fascinating and the reasons for having one is varied. I have met so many people and been invited into so many lives and in turn invited others in. I have learned much in the past year and still have immeasurably more to learn.

On a side note, I did design the blog header and footer for a friend/blogger so by all means check it out Link update: http://browneyedgirl30.blogspot.com and be sure and leave her a comment telling her how lucky she is to have a friend like me....hee hee...oh man, I crack me up.

When I asked why you all blogged---I got the answers that I think are pretty typical reasons for everyone yet each and every blog is as unique as a

fingerprint.

And by the way.... about my mom reading my blog. She only reads it when I ask "mom, did you read my blog?" Then she scrambles to get caught up.

Even worse is my husband...he only reads because he fears retribution.

My best friend reads it for entertainment...not the entertainment I am striving for here at three day blog...

...more the, my best friend Rachel is a complete nerd, type of entertainment.

If you missed it---here are the comments from my last blog post--your own personal reasons:

tenpounds said...

That's a good question. It will be interesting to read what others have to say. I blog to have a place to put my thoughts--and to have the good fortune of meeting you!

Shane Vander Hart said...

I blog to share my thoughts on life, culture, news, politics, and theology. I think everybody is entitled to my opinion! I also enjoy the interaction when people comment. It helps me to be better read as well.

Mamacita Chilena said...

hmm, I used to blog to get things off my chest. Then when I realized other people were actually reading, sometimes I would blog to start interesting discussions or to try and see if other people were going through similar experiences. I guess my main motivations vary, depending on the day.

LikeAstaR said...

wait... your mom reads your blog? Wish mine did. Just kidding, she occasionally drops by. I started to blog to maintain relationships with family that lives far away, it has morphed into a more social network.. like you said.. no matter how "nerdy!"

Gustogirl said...

Pretty much the same reason you do, except I wish my mom would read my blog. If she does, she is a silent reader because she never comments.

Felicia said...

Yep, all that stuff you said is true. I like to keep a record of good things that happen so that the bad stuff fades away :)

what is the point?

...so then I asked myself..."what is the point of blogging?"
"Nothing."
I answer myself, you see.
Just like a real honest to goodness crazy person.

Nope...no point to blogging, except for the creative outlet, coupled with the satisfaction of seeing some proof that our nerdly existence is accepted...even if it's only by other nerdly bloggers like ourselves.
...you know...that reach out and touch someone, happy feeling that all of us social networkers get when someone "gets" us.
We haven't had that kind of acceptance since---well...since mom started reading our blogs on day one.
And that feeling, my friends, is what keeps us going.

Leave me a comment and tell me what is your main motivation?

Why do you blog...?

blog designing fool

UPDATE: (I need to do a huge shout out to Amanda Fazani at Blogger Buster---because without her tutorials I would not have been able to do this. You can definitely find template tutorials on the web but they are not always clear or updated. With Blogger Buster, everything you need is in one spot and very easy to understand. However, if you are more interested in the social side of blogging rather than the technical---then I think playgroupsarenoplaceforchildren is a great place to start. Jennifer has some great ideas, backed by experience, along with useful links, all in a neat concise little series)
End of update.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
So I have finally unveiled my new blog (re)design.
What do you think?
If you are having trouble remembering exactly what it looked like before... here is a screenshot, taken shortly before I started fiddling with it.

You may have to click on it to get a better look.

go ahead
click...
...you know you have to

cure
ee
os
it
tee


hee hee hee


Some of the new features are--
a custom header, as well as, less useless garbage information in the sidebar plus I now have tabs that you can click on to navigate---which is what helped me declutter my sidebar. Less noticeable, but no less important, I have widened the post section, sidebar section, and wrapper to fit a standard computer screen. Classic blogger templates tended to be a little on the narrow side so that people with most size monitors would have no trouble seeing all of our precious, bloggy goodness. But now that we are all getting on board with the no computers manufactured before 1996, bandwagon, we can all afford to loosen up the belt buckle and let it all hang out---
so to speak...
---not literally...please.


Just a note: I use Firefox as my browser (I highly recommend it) and everything seems to be fine. After checking internet explorer (I highly recommend running, not walking, away from IE) everything seems to be visible there, as well. If you use another browser or system and find that you are not seeing three day blog in all of it's glory...please let me know what you use, along with the problem you are having, and I will try to fix it. I want my frighteningly pointless blog to be accessible to everyone---regardless of race, creed, or computer preference.

So now it is up to you to tell me, good or bad, what you think of the redesign. I am open to all comments, opinions, suggestions, and especially compliments. I don't even require them to be sincere...I take what I can get and I like it!
But honestly folks...I really am open to the opinions and suggestions...I am very interested in what visually appeals to the typical blog reader. What am I doing wrong...or right...or could do a bit better. If you don't speak up now then you will be stuck looking at this blog design for at least a year---or five minutes...

however long it takes to change my mind...

can you say procrastination?

So you in case you are wondering where I am and why the heck I am not here working on and contributing to my blog. I am very busy doing important things like taking this quiz:


Created by OnePlusYou

april fools??!?

After going through major blog withdrawal, I have decided that the comeback from my "bloggatical from sogging," as shauna calls it, will be sooner rather than later. Just as soon as I wrap my mind around some of these HTML codes and redesign the blog, I will be back to annoy you all further ....

~thanks to all the comments of support...and keep them coming...it gives me something to read while I muddle the design of my blog~

signing off....for now

It has been wonderful and fun, but for the time being, and with a heavy heart, I am taking a blog sabbatical.
Would that be a bloggatical?
Or a sablogital?
Whatever it is, I will miss you and I hope you will miss me and welcome me back with open arms if and when I return.

everyday is mother's day here at three day blog

Since I missed a good opportunity to post on Mother's day....I will inflict a post on you now. This didn't happen on Mother's day but it is about my mother.
I know...
I don't even make sense to myself.

The other day my mother and I were having a deep, earth changing conversation when it suddenly turned to poetry.
I won't say that my mom changed the subject to poetry so that she could share her own poems but when she said "hey, let's talk about poetry...want to hear mine?"
...the conversation naturally drifted there.
I was a bit hesitant to listen, so I tried to hint as gently as I could with: "mom please don't read me any of your poetry...you know I hate that crap."
My mom, who always tried to teach me perseverance, replied "you are my daughter so you have to listen to it...in fact if you don't, I may just read you some of my short stories as well."
So as she started in on the first poem I tried to be a gracious listener.
I really and truly tried.
I am just a terrible person though.
The more emotionally distraught the poems were, the more they made me laugh. These were written in complete desolation of mind and spirit...they were hilarious.
I still say she asked for it, though.
I warned her.
I noticed there where some recurrent themes that showed up many times in her work such as: emptiness, heartbreak, vacant souls, mirrors---both unbroken and shattered, lost sanity. Oh the heartbreak of a soul shattering loss of sanity.
Well... you get the idea. But just in case you don't, I would like to give you a sample.

I would die for you. Perhaps I already have. Slowly selling parts of my soul, the pain is unbearable. I am in ecstasy. I am in hell.

It goes on from there but I was laughing so hard at the first two lines that I couldn't breathe.
Let this be a warning to anyone who may want to share their poetry with me. Unless you are Edgar Allen Poe, I kindly say to you: shove it.
I tell you, my poor mom...she has to put up with a lot (with me being normal and all...hee hee...just kidding mom.) I ended up embellishing the poem a bit for her and even had her chuckling to herself about it.
Here is the first part of the poem once again but with my additions.
I personally think it lends something to it.

I would die for you. Perhaps I already have. wait.... let me check... nope... still here.

Anyway to make a short story long she doesn't really share her poetry with me anymore.
Sometimes Moms can be weird that way.

gemelos

Is it just me, or does my son resemble
Gilbert Gottfried?

Siqueiros, Orozco, Tamayo and Anthony

My son Anthony, it turns out, is a genius. It is always comfortable to have at least one of these in the family.
And since it very apparently wasn't going to be me---I am glad that one of my children is.
I have for you exhibit A:


At first glance it appears to be the typical scrawl of an average 6 year old.

Not so, though. Take a second look and the genius of it gradually comes into focus.
First you have the main part of the picture which shows a painter--as evidenced by the objects I have pointed out.


Here I have circled the easel as to draw your attention to the fact the painter is at work on a self portrait.

In this other circle, which is rather difficult to see, there is a second painter painting his own self portrait. Now he is dealing with the subject of infinity... I know, right?


And if you notice on this last circle...all this genius can be had for a mere one dollar!


I bet you were thinking he wouldn't charge me, his own mother. But if you know Anthony then you already know he made me pay.
I think it might be because he loves sumbuty els.