Seen at the mall:

I am crazy.

Plain and simple.

"Why?", you ask.

I'll tell you.

4 a.m.: awakened to Dustin shouting, "F*CK!!! I'm late!!!" He was supposed to be in Hecker to meet his mom & shop w/ her. I couldn't go back to sleep, so after laying there for a bit, I said "F*ck it" and got up.

4:15 a.m.: left the apartment - after throwing on jeans, a sweatshirt, and ballcap.

4:20 a.m.: entered the mall parking lot. Crowded, but managed to get a spot only about 7 rows back from Penney's.

5:30 a.m.: left the mall. Shopping bags in hand. Aubrie's started...more for Dustin...

5:35 a.m.: realized Target didn't open until 6. Refused to stand in line wrapped around the building. Left scene of the madness.

5:45 a.m.: realized World Market didn't open until 7. Refused to stand outside in the cold (no line -yet) for over an hour. Looked at Toys 'R' Us next door...decided THAT stop could wait. Left scene of the emptiness.

5:55 a.m.: again uttered the infamous phrase, "F*ck it". Parked at Target and got in line...which by that time was to the BACK of the building.

6:35 a.m.: left Target. Shopping bags in hand. Aubrie's done...my new PJ pants look SUPER comfy...Amanda's started...

6:45 a.m.: again with the phrase. Got in line at World Market. Only 10 people deep at the time.

7:25 a.m.: left World Market. Extremely happy with my free monkey ornament. Itty bitty I figured they needed it more than me, so I'd step on the brake, give them a wave and a smile, and be on my own way.

8:00 a.m.: arrived home, showered, watched news, ate bagel.

9:00 a.m.: picked up mom at the house. Already on my 3rd soda of the day...This is going to get rough.

10:00 a.m.: left grandma's in the van - mom, me, Aunt Patty, and grandma.

(Time started running together shortly after that...)

Hit the mall in Fairview Heights, Pier One, then McD's for lunch. Nobody but me seemed to be in a shopping-y mood. Hit Jan's Hallmark in Belleville, then the craft show at the fairgrounds.

Pizza, hot wing dip, and other snacks at grandma's. Wii time for the family - too entertaining. Dustin and I left close to 10 p.m.

(BTW, I impressed even myself bright and early this morning when I found myself...*gulp*...chipper. I did not ONCE engage in any act of road rage, even though people were driving like complete MORONS at 4 a.m. I just figured they needed it more than I did, and I wasn't in a super hurry to get anywhere. I smiled and waved. I chatted people up in lines and wished everyone a great day. The END of my day / afternoon / evening was a slightly different story, but we won't go into that. :-)

Preparation

TUESDAY:
Pork chop and potatoes au gratin for dinner? Check.
Bathroom, bedroom, kitchen, and living room cleaned? Check.
Laundry washed, dried, folded, and hung? Check.
(With MUCHO thanks and love to the husband for all the help.)

WEDNESDAY:
Pumpkin praline cake mixed and baked? Check.
Buffalo / hot wing dip prepared? Check. (And taste tested, just to be sure.)
Dishes washed, dried, and put away? Check.
Black Friday shopping list ready to go? Check.
Time to relax and quit finding stuff to clean / bake / cook / prepare??? BIG. FAT. CHECK.

This stuff is like CRACK!

Buffalo / Hot Wing Dip

2 - 8oz bricks of cream cheese
1 cup ranch dressing (I use Hidden Valley)
2 cups cooked, shredded chicken (I use Swanson chicken in a can)
1 1/2 cups shredded mild cheddar cheese
1/2 cup hot sauce (or more, if you LOVE hotness - I use Shop n Save brand, LOL)

Mix it all together
Dump it in a crock pot on high
Stir pretty often, until it's a gooey, orangey-pink mess
Serve with tortilla chips

This weekend...

I was diggin':

--the St. Louis International Film Fest (SLIFF) at the Tivoli
--the use of local locations (old St. Charles, the Loop, Downtown St. Louis, etc.) AND actors in the movie “Shadowland”
--meeting the director, producer, and another star from the film
--seeing my dear friend’s name & face up on the big screen
--seeing his brother’s name & face up on the big screen…including a nice tribute at the end

--JC Penney’s door buster sales…and $15 off coupon
--a long, pleasant phone chat with a wonderful friend
--Saturday night Happy Hour specials at karaoke
--cheering on my friends and their singing talents
--dancing on chairs
--leftover hot wings at 2 a.m.

--another phone chat with a long distance friend
--spending the afternoon with my grandma
--contributing part of my profit to a good cause
--spending a relaxing evening with my husband and brother

NKOTB Rocks my SOCKS!!!

(Third time's a charm in posting this, eh? Thank God for copy & paste - I have different readers at different venues...gotta make sure I cover all my bases, ha ha)

I think it's safe to say that most of you have realized just how crazy fan in love I am with New Kids on the Block...all over again...15 or so years after I ORIGINALLY fell in love with them.

And I think it's also safe to say that most of you know I went to the concert Monday night at Scottrade...I went in with low expectations, to be perfectly honest, and was blown away. I mean, let's face it, these guys aren't spring chickens anymore, now are they? I was NOT disappointed, as they moved, danced, and sang their lungs out like they were still in their teens.

Meaning that I, too, moved, danced, sang my lungs out, and SCREAMED (oh good LORD did I scream...) like I was 12 again.

Found a great blog article on the RFT's website that pretty accurately sums up the entire show. I tend to either get too long winded when I write reviews, or I can't get the right words to describe things...and get writer's block...or leave stuff out...it's a viscious cycle, really.

Anywho. Check it out if you're interested - it's pretty entertaining. (Not to mention the picture slideshows that are included!)

NKOTB concert review from the Riverfront Times

Thanks to Becker for pointing this out

Michael Jackson vs. Alien Ant Farm (Smooth Criminal remix)

Accuse me of trying to wax poetic, but...

...On November 4, 2008, I witnessed history.

America elected its first ever African American president. Barack Obama won in a landslide - 349 electoral votes to John McCain's 162.

I, for one, am proud that people in this country voted for a man (quoting Dr. King here), "not because of the color of his skin, but because of the content of his character".

It was so neat, while watching his numbers climb, to look at the TV and say, “However small of a part I played, I VOTED for that man. MY VOTE COUNTED. I helped choose the next leader of our country.” How cool is it that we live in a country where that is possible?!?!

I believe that President Obama can, and will, lead this country confidently;
that, under his leadership, our country will change for the better.
It may be a slow, long, and grueling road, but I have faith that it will happen.

I believe that he represents the middle class family - more than any other president I have witnessed in my lifetime;
that he is really pulling for us.
I'm not expecting to become a millionaire, but I have faith that everything within his power will be done to lift us out of the economic crisis we are currently in.

I believe that he will roll up his sleeves, in turn inspiring us Americans to do the same;
that he will dig in and "get his hands dirty", so to speak, to FIX what is / has been going wrong.
He may not be able to work miracles, but at least he will be taking an active role to improve our country as a whole.

Barack Obama inspires me.
To have HOPE for my future, and my unborn childrens' futures...
To want CHANGE...and to know that change IS possible...
And to believe in PROGRESS. I am more proud now than I ever have been to be an American.

(The entire transcript of his Presidential Acceptance speech can be found here if you are interested.)

VOTE

Today. Do it.

I did, and I thank God that we live in a country where we have a right to vote for who will be "in charge" for at least 4 years.

No longer will the ads stuff my mailbox to overflowing. The annoying ads showing smiling candidates helping elderly people, or cradling babies. Stop sending me that crap. (Is there a "no political ads mail list"???) I live in an apartment. With an ittybitty mailbox. Those ads - which probably cost wayyy too much money to simply go into the recycle bin - create less room in the already small mailbox, thereby making my other mail smooshed. Yes, smooshed. The political ads come out in one piece, yet a sweet card I received from an old castmate came out crinkled. NOT cool.

I'm not shy about telling people who I vote / voted for; however, I won't ram it down anyone's throats. I don't get into political discussions, period. Mostly because I hate politics, secondly because I figure, "Why bother?" If people ask why I voted a certain way on an issue, or why I voted for a particular candidate, all I answer is, "Because it was MY choice."

I really dislike the signs. A shiny sign on stakes, stuck in your front lawn, is NOT going to sway my vote. Nor is it going to make me look at you any differently if your vote differs from my own. Or look at you any better if your vote is the same as mine.

(Although, on that note, I did see a cool sign driving home down Ballas - it was a picture of Alaska and it read, "Alaskans for Obama". ha ha)

Anywho. There are my rants for the day.

My polling place this year was different than last because they have FINALLY gotten ALL of my information correct. It only took 3 1/2 years of me continually telling them, "My last name is not T--------- anymore; it is B-------. And THIS is my CORRECT address." So my polling place is now in the condo complex around the corner...in the pool clubhouse. Interesting, but hey, whatever works!

Exercise your right as an American. VOTE. For whomever you feel is the best candidate.