Torn! X-Mas Catalog Number 2!
It’s a Christmas catalog. But it’s the NFL Christmas catalog.
I want to say this one came the next day after the Target one. We were all pretty excited for this one. Including me. I think I even vocalized an “oooh” or two. Being the proud owner of three NFL Reebok Women’s Premier Jersey’s, I am loving the fact that I now get a catalog mailed to me for easy shopping reminders.Well, it was technically mailed to the BF, but since it’s the same address…what’s yours is mine right?? I was going through quite a football phase the last two years. It probably had a lot to do with the extreme stress I was feeling with nursing school. I needed something to focus on other than failing out. Which of course, if you’ve been reading this website for any length of time, you know that I did not. I am an RN, even if I don’t have a job to prove it. Anyway, the point is, I kind of lost my manic devotion to football this season, as I underestimated how much more intense the feeling of failure would be when I couldn’t find a job right away. Football is not helping this time. It’s not diverting like it used too. Probably because even though I’m still in school, my class is Wednesday and there is no football anywhere near that day to distract me from my homework. I do that all on my own now. So it’s not like much has changed. Again, if you read this site, even occasionally, you know that I spend all day chasing after jobs and all night wasting study time goofing around here or just watching TV. It’s sad really. I got to take someone to the doctor last week and I had a long opportunity to read that never ending book by Denis Leary. I was hoping to finish it so I could finally post about it and be done. Seeing as I originally talked about it 2 years ago. Anyway, you would think I could just take an hour out of one afternoon and finish the stupid thing already. It’s embarrassingly easy to read, with fairly large type and lots of short, double-spaced sentences. It even has pictures in the middle! I’m not kidding when I say I could have read that book in a few hours many years ago, but my brain has altered its core function so that it is now only able to concentrate in short, random bursts. Like firecrackers. Not even. More like snap pops, those things you throw on the ground that make a popping noise. My brain kind of bubbles gently rather than erupting violently anymore. See? I just typed an entire paragraph in a direction that nobody saw coming. Not even me.
Let me see. Scroll back up. Re-read. Pick up original topic. I don’t even know what my original topic was going to be! I guess it was about the catalog. It’s football. I still want another jersey to add to my collection. My sister says they are quite flattering and very fashionable. I know she is being sarcastic, but it gives my mom something to buy for me. Actually this year, I might need a new stethoscope and some work shoes so I may go with that instead. (hint hint Rita) The other thing about the catalog is that they have the Green Bay Packers featured on the front. SuperBowl champs you know. 8 and Zero at this posting time. With my favorite player in the NFL right now, Clay Matthews. Number 52. He’s the jersey I got for my birthday. It’s so pretty and green. Really brings out the color in my eyes too. I included the Green Bay thing because, 1, Clay Matthews really is my fav right now. 2, they are undefeated. And 3, I wanted to talk about football in some post, so it looks like this is it! My original favorite, and very first jersey, was Peyton Manning, of the Indianapolis Colts, who I still love, but sadly has been injured this year and is unable to play. His past winning SuperBowl team is now Zero and 9. It’s painful to watch and the news is always saying how bad Peyton wants to come back, and how he keeps trying to find ways to play, but I just want to call and tell him it’s just not worth it. He could be paralyzed with one wrong hit and no football game or amount of money is worth that risk. I feel so strongly you would think that we were actually friends. We’re not. Or that I at least knew him or his family. I don’t. Or that I knew someone that knew him or was friends on Facebook. Nope. This is probably how the “casually following” type person begins the “dedicated stalker” journey to crazy. My last contribution to this football paragraph is to say that my third jersey is an Eli Manning. It was really the second one I got, but third in this list. Eli is Peyton’s little brother and quarterback of the NY Giants. Interesting that I have both brothers. One step closer to the evening news!
Ok last thing. Well, two last things. I just typed another whole paragraph NOT on the subject I wanted too. And it was almost as long. This will be it for the night. I was going to try and read while I keep watch on my daughter, who is pretty sick tonight, but I can’t concentrate with the worry. I think I better try to sleep. We will be going to the doctor in the morning so it’s a good thing I didn’t finish that book today because now I can bring it with me tomorrow when I take her.
The very last thing is, that I noticed the NFL Shop catalog also threw out the word “holiday.” It’s an epidemic.
Holidays to all and to all a goodnight!
Because Christmas will be starting promptly at…..NOW!
NEVER underestimate the power of the TOY catalog for Christmas! Even if your kids are teenagers now. Even if they are 6 feet tall. Even if they begrudgingly dress up for Halloween and complain that trick-or-treating is lame, but still go out there and then eat so much candy that they are sick the next morning. Even if they barely let you take a picture of them in said costumes. These children are powerless against the allure of the magical and colorful, red-ringed, fake wreath of holiday, dunt, dunt, dunnnn, TOYS!! No child can resist. Mine could care less about anything other than video or audio products, but they still like to look. They get all excited and starry-eyed. It’s sick. And truthfully, I think parents like to look too. What else would you have to talk about with the other desperate parents just before you shoot yourself in the head after the second hour of potentially paralyzing, soul killing fun at the Monkey Joe’s or Extreme Trampoline?? Yeah yeah….I signed the waiver…it’s my own damn fault.
The only negative comment I have on the greed of Christmas commerce being shoved down our throats two months early, and the fake anxious panic Target is trying to instill in parents everywhere by deadlining all these “great deals” by November 23, (not even Thanksgiving yet!), when they damn well know everybody who missed these first great deals will be flocking to their stores the Friday after for even better deals, is that their catalog is UGLY!! U-G-L-Y! You make your momma cry! You’re ugly!! Seriously. My picture is pretty true to life. And I tried to get it against a nice, dark background to make it look better. It’s not even a true white cover to give the red something to really “pop” against. It’s this sick, creamy, off-white, dingy pearl color. And speaking of the red, it’s too red. Like, dark red. It makes the green look like lime and not Christmas tree. I am NOT a fan of red and green together. Especially Christmas red and green. But if you’re going to print and mail the first toy catalog of the season you should make the cover bright and cheerful, and not some half assed attempt that looks like it got thrown together on somebody’s lunch break the day before Halloween. Not to mention the failure to use toys from this year. Buzz, Lightning McQueen, Elmo, Barbie, Rubik’s Cube, Etch-a-Sketch, Yahtzee?!?–thank goodness Hollywood cooperates every year with Christmas sales and releases another installment of the same movie so companies can use the same toys with new packaging.
That seemed kind of rough and harsh. I like Christmas actually. It always feel like something good is about to happen. But I kind of like my Christmas to wait until after Thanksgiving before it shows up and carol’s me to death. It doesn’t feel very special when it’s been going on for weeks and weeks and weeks. I also like Target. They do have good deals and they have had much better catalogs. It’s all about eye appeal. Luckily kids don’t care. The clever market research team probably told them not to bother with a fancy look because this is the catalog the kids are just going to flip and tear. Mine did.
All this rainy day, gloomy evening, dark-at-4:30 ranting post (Weather update! That’s for my newest official reader/cousin Linda. Shout out!) has made me thirsty! And since it is dark now, it must be nighttime, and that earlier talk of lime reminded me that I have Corona in the fridge. (That is some “chain of reference” for my other cuz Lorraine. Holler!) And just for the hell of it…Go Sox! (For my sissy, not forgotten, you were the first after all, and next year of course, ’cause baseball season is over. Woop! woop!) Later.
Quick extra note, without comment: The front cover does not say “Christmas” or reference “Santa” specifically. It does on the inside though. Holiday is all you get for now.
Neverending Halloween will be ending shortly.
Don’t be fooled by those fake pumpkins. But they look so real! This is the last of the pictures I took in the same area as the bench. So I guess I can declare Halloween and the rest of the Holy Days over for another year.
Also, it would seem I have picked up a few more fans in the last few days. It’s a peculiar medium, and a strange way to communicate with the outside world. It’s usually just me, alone, typing whatever pops into my head, and then putting it out there, never really knowing where it will land. Sometimes you get lucky, like these last few days, and I know some one is connecting with something I’ve written, but usually it just floats. That’s ok too because I write it for me anyway. I know it can’t possibly be just my family generating so many “hits”, there aren’t that many of us. So to everyone out there that keeps checking in, whether you comment, or like me, or just read and move on…
THANK YOU!!!
I should go do something weekend-like now. It’s pretty nice out for November in the Midwest. And my jaw is only hurting a little bit now. Teaser. Updates coming later! Everyone to the outdoors!
Just a little devil before bed
Just a quick last post before I go to bed. I cannot stay up again until 3:30. I need sleep so I don’t kill myself driving my friend to the airport tomorrow.And more importantly when I’m driving myself home all alone.
We saw this altered car tag on the road somewhere last week and now here it is. I like this picture better than that cartoon witch and I wanted to leave my website with some good karma tonight. That way if anyone happens to click on my front page they’ll see a fairly cool image and think I’m all hip and stuff. And then the person who clicked it gets to be hip too just by association. It’s a public service I provide for free. Coolness for everyone!
I think I’m harboring a fairly nasty ear and sinus infection that has spread into my left jaw. It’s mainly at the joint and hurts mostly when I chew. Thank goodness I can still open my big mouth and jabber the words away. Although I have to say it feels best when I just shut up. I am even considering a trip to the doctor but I’m holding judgement until morning. Besides it’s really a great way to drop a few of those unwanted pounds. Liquids and soft foods create the least amount of stress to my mandible. (Ding ding. Twenty dolla’ word up in this house. Holler.) I am hungry though. That pain med I took is probably kicking in and I need some rest.
May your glass be always full, and may your roof be always strong over your head, and may you be in heaven half an hour before the devil knows your dead. ~Irish toast
That was a little extra for all the ones who stay out way too late. Sleep sweet and good dreams.
Stevie’s Joke of the Day! Leftover Halloween edition!
This Halloween board goes along with the Halloween Bench that I had posted a few days ago. It’s a whole big thing, and it’s perfect for Stevie’s Joke of the Day!
How far did the witch fly?
Ghost to ghost.
You are welcome!
November 3. Or as I will be calling it: Leftover Halloween!
I still have lots of pictures and relevant things to say about the last three days. It can’t be over already! Look at that very cool picture! I took that with my CAMERA phone. Sometimes I still cannot get over how good technology has become. Wait until you see this picture of a snake we found. The pictures are so clear, it’s like you can see into his soul!
But this is a good picture for today. This is pretty much what it looks like outside right now. I guess we are lucky no more. Autumn seems to have arrived, all damp and bone chilling. I will not complain though, because the last few days have been beautiful and it is supposed to stay in the 50’s for the next week or two. That means I do not have to turn the furnace on yet! I try every year to see how long I can wait. It’s usually until the kids complain they are freezing, and actually cry tears. It sounds worse than it is. Usually the temp in the house is about 58 or 56. That’s not really even all that cold considering the air temps. It just seems cold when it’s in a house. There is a debate on what the record is. I think it may be Nov. 4 or Nov. 20th or so, around my daughter’s birthday. The BF thinks we might have made it all the way into December. I don’t know about that. It gets cold very fast around here, so that seems unlikely. But for the new record this year, we are easily at November 3. Go nature!
Final shot, as promised. It is very late and the dead have returned to their rest for another year.
I don’t know if I built it up too much, but I like it. I like the idea of this small altar with the skulls and flowers all around and the candles that will burn into the night.
Picture this altar, meticulously and carefully arranged upon a stone slab in a crowded graveyard in a burnt-orange town or sand-blown village. Children are laughing and playing amongst the dusty tombstones. Families are sharing food and drinks while gentle breezes skip, soft and dry, touching lightly and lifting easy over warm and blushing skin, the way it does when you are far out in the desert. As darkness falls, the dusky air gets cooler and the little ones gather and tuck in closer as night takes hold. Final words are said and prayers are whispered too low to hear, eyes and hands search and fold, clutching at the skyline, but the time has come to say goodbye. The dead are left to lay, quiet and peaceful, resting again, with their own. They remain as bodies below our feet, yet spirits within our hearts and minds. While the flames of our steadfast watch silently burn, deepest night arrives. Black and still, it covers and comforts even the most restless soul and it seems intrusive to stay. When dawn lifts her weary head to herald in a bright new day, the magic will be gone, hidden amongst the wilted flowers and broken candy shells. In the glare of unforgiving sunlight, the altar is just a colorful reminder of what we remember and why. We feel lucky and joyful to be alive. We pay our respects but save a bit for ourselves. We must now carry the honor of living for those who cannot. Time belongs to us again and we have a job to keep.
(Dia de los muertos by Pristine Cartera-Turkus)
God pours life into death and death into life without a drop being spilled. ~Author Unknown
Sugar Skulls and Marigolds
Frustrated!! That darn paper took 5 hours! From first word typed to printed and e-mailed to the teacher. I do not know why I put so much effort into things that I could probably get away with doing half-assed. But it was six pages of fun and thankfully it’s done. (That rhymed!)
I am also a little irritated that the picture of my sugar skulls and the marigolds is all grainy and computer-y looking. That’s the best I could get from taking the picture with my phone camera directly off the computer screen. It looked better when it was smaller in my photo files. You can still get the idea though. And that should encourage you to go out and find something better! Blah..I know. More homework. Do we have to do everything for ourselves?!? Geez. If you go the site above, they might have a whole gallery of new artwork dedicated to the Day of the Dead. I didn’t have time to check totally. Let me know.
Below is an altar picture to give you an idea of just how lavish and detailed this celebration can be. This particular website is worth clicking on even after today. It covers a lot more than just this holiday. I know some of you out there will really like what they have there. Trust.
I have one more picture that I will post later. It’s really more fitting for after the sun goes down. It will give my website that sense of seriousness and solemn gravity mixed with a measure of mystery and the feeling that something supernatural is about to happen. Suspense! Until nightfall then.
Feliz Dia de los Muertos
(kitchenandresidentialdesign.com)
I only gave myself fifteen minutes to post this including picture search and photo gallery. I have three minutes left. Then I HAVE to do that cursed paper for Soc. class so I can leave this house. It’s supposed to be unseasonably warm and then rain. I cannot stay inside all day!
Since I have nothing of my own picture-wise or artsy to show for you, I looked on the internet and took pictures with my phone camera of some things I thought were kind of cool. Credits are below each picture.
If you want more more info about Dia de los Muertos, and you have some free time, you can read my post from yesterday, just below this one, or take a quick look around the airwaves. You can start with the sites I posted and go from there. It really is an interesting holiday and there is a lot of good info from serious to extreme. It may be my new favorite and I am none of the cultures that usually celebrate this day. But you can judge for yourself.
Ok that’s it. Time’s up. There is another pic below to make things even. Lots of artwork is based around this holiday. These are two of the mediums. Go look for more. The range is so broad and there is so much out there, I guarantee you will find something that appeals to you. Later.
just shy of pretty 
Blog Cred
November 4, 2011 at 3:39 pm (Day to Day, Holiday, Shameless Self Promotion, Updates) (Comments, Costumes, Halloween, Pumpkins, Self Promotion, Website)
Isn’t that a terrible word combination?? It sounds like a disease or a fancy cheese. Anyway, I can thank my sissy for helping me construct postings with more depth and attention to detail. She was confused by some of the things that are written and why, and it did occur to me that my last post could seem cryptic and confusing. If you go back and read, at least the last four days, Oct. 31 to the present, AND read the comments, you will be all caught up and in the know. While you are there, in the comment section, click that “like” button too, please!! It’s right there under my words—THAT’S what gives me all the “blog cred”–like street cred, but in the blogging world–yea yea I know, I never used to care either. And I feel ya’ if you don’t want to read posts AND comments too. I know I never do. Especially if there are like 50 of them. Luckily for you, there’s usually only 1 or 2, and they are in really short sentences. My reply’s are usually what take the longest to read. They are like mini-posts within the big posts. I do love to write! At any rate….Just do it!
I couldn’t think of what other picture to use for this, so I just put up pumpkins. Kid designed and cut. It’s awesome because I literally, do not have to do anything anymore by way of participation in this Halloween process. Nothing! They can carry and move them, draw them, cut them, gut them, and design and finish them. They can even use fire to light them. They said I could post their costume pic too, so that’s below.
As you can see, they look less than thrilled at having to stand there. Lately if they get that close it’s because they want to punch each other. I guilted them though with the whole, “it’s probably the last Halloween costume picture I’ll ever get with you two” spiel. It worked. Sort of. If you look close at the bottom left corner you can see my finger in the view. I had to take these pictures quick because they refused to pose and this is the best, and only, pic I got with both of them in frame. Teenagers are fun!
I have to go comment some more on my newest comments. And again, thank you all for reading!! I found money on the street today so I am about to update that little category. Hold on to your Friday, cause we are on a roll!
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