Saturday 9: Greased Lightnin'

Time for another Saturday 9, ladies and gents! Grease is the time, is the place, is the motion. Grease is the way we are feelin'...

1) Greased Lightnin' was the name of a car. Have you ever given your car a name? Let's see... The Bexmobile, mostly, and Stupid Car whenever it made me angry.

2) Could your vehicle use a trip to the car wash this weekend? Oh yes. Poor thing needs cleaning like crazy.

3) This song is from the soundtrack of the movie Grease, the biggest money-making movie musical of all time. Have you ever seen it? Oh man, yes. Mom never has been the biggest fan of live-action musicals (despite her unending love for Disney's animated musicals) so I failed too see Grease until I was about fifteen. I watched it with some friends of mine at a sleepover. I thought the guys were jerks and Sandy was lame for changing herself to be with Danny. Too bad I didn't have that kind of profound clarity in my own dating life until much much later.

4) John Travolta's astrological sign is Aquarius. What's yours? Same! I adore John Travolta.

5)  In addition to being John Travolta's birthplace, Englewood, New Jersey, played a significant role in telecommunications history. In 1951, Englewood's mayor made the first-ever direct dial long-distance call in the United States. Now it's your turn. Tell us something about your birthplace.  Um, let's see. The general area in which I live is home to the birthplaces of both W.C. Handy and  Helen Keller. John Paul White of The Civil Wars lives here -- he and Joy actually record fairly frequently at Fame Studios in Muscle Shoals. Billy Reid is also based in our downtown area.

W.C. Handy, Father of the Blues

Helen Keller, one miraculous lady.

John Paul White, insanely talented musician -- and more importantly, a sweet Southern gentleman.

6) Travolta is an excellent dancer. How are you on the dance floor? I avoid the dance floor. Problem solved! Ha!

7) Grease is an upbeat musical about the students of Rydell High. Another Travolta movie is Carrie, which features the worst prom night imaginable. Grease or Carrie -- which is closer to your high school experience? Those are two extremes, aren't they? I've suppressed most of my high school experience. It wasn't a horrible experience, I just hated teenagers even when I was a teenager. I'm pretty sure I counted down the days three years before I graduated (at least).

8) What was your best subject in high school? What was your worst? English and literature! I delighted in writing papers for grades; I edited and helped other classmates on papers and literature analysis assignments. I shall always be a book geek. Worst subject, hands-down, was algebra. My brain can't math.

This is the most accurate representation ever of my academic career.

9) Sam made good use of the bus ride to school, using that time to complete her homework. What do you remember about getting to or from school? Dad would take us to school in the mornings -- we were lucky because we rarely ever had to ride the bus...

Mother's Day 2013

Happy Mother’s Day, Mom.

Thank you for everything you've done for me.

Thank you for teaching me that happiness lies in people, not in possessions.

Thank you for making sure I understood what Christmas is really about.

Thank you for laughing, crying, grumbling, and raging with me.
Thank you for always always always lending an ear and a shoulder.
Thank you for being honest, patient, and kind.
Thank you for celebrating individuality and encouraging me to be my own person.

Thank you for loving me when individuality gave way to purple hair dye stains in the bathtub.
Thank you for showing me that anything worth doing is worth doing right.

Thank you for shuffling me to and from work before I had a car.
Thank you for all of the home-cooked meals.

Thank you for a hundred boxes of Crayola crayons and hours of coloring.
Thank you for mediating countless arguments.
Thank you for being patient when I was so trying in high school.
Thank you for singing along with the Disney songs.
Thank you for replacing Freds in the middle of the night.
Thank you for protecting me.
Thank you for encouraging my insatiable appetite for books and words.

Thank you for allowing me to decorate and personalize my room.
Thank you for showing me that there are always good people in the world.
Thank you for keeping me in check.
Thank you for giving me faith.
Thank you for taking care of me, of Jessica, of Dad, and of everyone around you.

Thank you for living by example instead of by words.

I love you more.
Rebecca Ruth

Sunday Stealing: The Unlucky Thirteen

The Unlucky Thirteen

1. On average, how long does it take you to get ready for work/school/a day or night out? Just about no time (~30 minutes from getting in shower to going out the door) for work, since I wear mostly tees, jeans, and no makeup during the week. When I'm going out on date night with hubs or something, though, I'd add another fifteen minutes or so onto that because I'm probably wearing makeup and spending more than thirty seconds on my hair. Makeup takes forever when one has horrible vision.

2. If you could ask your favorite author one question about the book(s) they wrote, what would it be? I can't pick a favorite author; my head might explode.

3. What do you think is the hardest thing about growing up? There are a lot of tough things about growing up -- losing innocence, grasping mortality, killing your own spiders, paying bills, being unable to punch people who annoy you because your punishment would be more severe than a time-out...

4. Who would you rather switch places with for a day: your favorite celebrity, or your favorite fictional character? Fictional characters, I suppose. If you're going to swap with someone, go all out and pick whatever world you desire.

5. Who would you rather have point out a flaw that you weren't aware you had: a close personal friend, or a total stranger? Negativity is easier to handle when it comes from a stranger. That's why customer comments at work never really faze me; They roll off me like water off a duck's back.

 6. Do you get jealous easily? If so, what sorts of qualities or characteristics in other people are you most likely to be jealous of? I don't really get jealous, but I do envy qualities sometimes. I wish I could be kinder, funnier, more talented, better looking, more interesting, less neurotic. But don't we all? I'd much rather be someone like me instead of someone who thinks they have no room for improvement. You know the ones -- the ones who masquerade under the guise of "I am who I am and screw you if you don't like it" instead of bothering to learn courtesy and adhere to social niceties.

7. Which version of yourself would you rather have a conversation with: the one from ten years ago, or the one you turn into ten years from now? The one I will be ten years from now, so that perhaps she can give me some words of wisdom. If I spoke to the ten-years-ago me, I'd just want to slap some sense into her head.

8. Were you ever bullied in any way as a child? If so, how has it shaped you today? I never paid enough attention to other kids for it to matter. I vaguely remember being mocked because I sat on the gym floor and read a book on all three days of cheerleader camp (please keep in mind that my mom DID NOT force me to do that kind of stuff -- my best friend's mom paid for both my best friend and I to attend, and I simply wasn't interested but Mom didn't want to seem ungrateful) and then I was teased in fourth grade because I had BOOBS, but I was never bullied like kids today seem to be. Are kids getting meaner or are parents getting lazier? Both? Nature/Nurture and all that.

9. What is one fear you would like to overcome? Foot-touches. I can't let anyone touch my feet because it freaks me out, and I've had that aversion my entire life. I'm missing out on some seriously awesome (I'm sure) foot rubs and pedicure opportunities, not to mention that foot tattoo I've always wanted.

10. What is one food you haven't tried yet that you would like to? I don't know; I can't really keep up! Hubs is the chef; when we watch "Iron Chef" or Anthony Bourdain anything, several foods that are foreign to me pique my interest.

11. Is it easier to forgive someone for the wrong they've done you or to seek forgiveness from someone that you've wronged in any way? It's easier to forgive than ask for forgiveness, at least for me. My forgiveness, however, does not imply forgetfulness. I won't hold grudges, but I will keep people at arm's length once they've exhausted their chances.

 12. Let’s go random: What did you do for New Year’s Eve for the turn of the millennium? Giggling at people who thought Y2K was A Serious Thing.

13. What else around here have you noticed? Uhm... I've noticed that I need another Diet Coke, so adios!

Saturday 9: I Don't Want to Talk About It

Time for another Crazy Sam Saturday 9, kiddos!

1) Crazy Sam is beyond sick of all things Kardashian! What's a topic you're just tired of and don't want to talk about anymore? I have a (really terrible) tendency to avoid the news most of the time, so I don't overexpose myself enough to most things to be sick of talking about them. I am sort of sick of hearing about gun control, though. Have your own views and respect others' views ... and shut up.

2) Rod Stewart has been recording for more than 40 years. Do you have any of his music on your iPod/mp3 player? Hell to the yeah! "Every Picture Tells a Story" is one of my faves.

3) Rod Stewart is known for his coif. How much time do you spend on your hair each morning? Not even 15 minutes. If I want curls, I get out of the shower, towel dry, and mousse the crap out of it to keep it from frizzing, and if I want straight hair, I get out of the shower, put on makeup while my hair dries itself in that little twisty-turban thing all women know how to do, and then blow-dry it while straightening.

4) Rod's first child, a daughter, will turn 50 this year. His most recent child, also a daughter, is 2. How close in age are your children? If you don't have any children, how close in age are you and your siblings? If you don't have children OR siblings, well, tell us what's immediately to your left as you respond to this meme. If you don't have anything to your left ... Oh, hell, I give up! HA! You okay there, Crazy Sam? My younger sister and I are five years apart. She'll be 24 in May.

5) Which do you prefer -- french toast or pancakes? Why do you make my head explode? French toast. Most of the time. Maybe pancakes. But mostly French Toast. But but but. BOTH OF THEM.

6) When was the last time you lost your cool? It takes a ridiculous amount of pressure for me to lose my cool when I'm angry. I believe it was several years ago because my brother-in-law was being a dick.

7) Crazy Sam once had a pet hamster she named Bart. Have you ever cared for a hamster or a gerbil? My sister had a Teddy Bear Hamster when we were younger. I don't even remember what its name was, now. He was adorable. They really are all fluff.

8) Are you ticklish? Horribly so. My feet cannot ever ever ever ever ever be touched, ever. I freak out. No pedicures for me. :c

9) Ouch! You have a headache! What's your go-to remedy? The 800mg Ibuprofen prescription I have for cramps. If that fails, Excedrin Migraine, because that stuff is amazing.

I'm just a little black rain cloud.

A list of random things that have made me cry about my father's death (months later):

• A Glidden paint store hat
• The selling of his Barracuda
• The new Star Trek trailer
• American Pickers
• Adopting Vera
• A sunset
• Little Debbie Cakes (Oatmeal Pies = His favorite)
• Painting Mom's living room
• Having paint-speckled forearms after painting at Mom's
• Resaving his last voice mail on my phone
• Coffee
• My apartment
• Father's Day 2013
• The thought of having children
• Chipping a piece off of my bookcase that he'd painted for me while I was moving it
• Recommending his chiropractor, who was his best friend, to a friend
• His work building full of tools and boxes
• Grilling hamburgers
• My wedding anniversary
• Hugging my father-in-law
• Seeing a bunny hop across Mom's lawn
• Removing him from my emergency contacts on my work profile
• The photo I had set for his contact photo in my phone showing up when Mom called me because she'd changed her profile photo on Facebook.
• Driving his truck to the shop to be worked on
• Ensure
• Not remembering the last time I bought a battery for my car
• The first warm day of the year

...and, for some reason, today. Just because.