What a weekend I had! I went on what I'm calling the Good Auntie Tour. I was the last minute stand in for chauffeuring my niece Justine, The Little Swiss Miss queen, in the Waverly Jingle Bell Festival. What an adventure that was! Of course no new adventure escapes my propensity to observe those around me. And of course, there is no stopping me from sharing those observations with my reading posse. So here are just a few of the more important pieces of advice and insights that you will need to know if you are ever called upon to chauffeur your loved ones in a parade!
1. Things you should know before you say yes to the parade! ONE: Always consult the atlas before you say yes. I know Waverly sounds like a quaint little town and it makes you want to visit it. However, if it's quaint then it is probably close to the state lines!! We had no idea how far it would be! TWO: Always check the OSU football schedule before you say yes. Be sure to have a game plan in place for getting up-to-date scores and news.
2. Trust your instincts: The GPS isn't always right! I had already planned our route, but I let GPS Amber convinced me that she knew best. Well, it may have been 30 miles shorter, but it was at least 25 minutes longer! Let's say I took a different way home!
3. Party Planning: This is important to know! If you are going to host a luncheon for queens and princesses who are dressed in gowns that cost more than my monthly electric bill, then serving pasta in any form is not a good idea! The horror on the mothers' faces was priceless. There were sashes flying everywhere so that they weren't destroyed by tomato stains!!!!
4. You never know who might be in the parade: You know the saying that it's a small world. Well, it really is. As I was getting my car in the parade line I noticed the car behind me had Coshocton County plates. I'm always on the lookout for fellow Coshoctonians that I might know! As the driver walked past me, I thought he looked familiar. You know me....so I yell, "Hey, I think I know you." The gentleman stopped and looked at me. He wasn't sure if he did know me or was I some maniac stage mom! Turns out I was right! It was a fellow 1980 Ridgewood graduate. His daughter was the Canal Days queen. Talk about a small world. But wait! It gets even smaller. As we were sitting in line waiting for the parade to begin, we had another close encounter. We were parked on a residential street. The owner of the house we were parked in front of came up to let us know his daughter lived in Sugarcreek at one time. Turns out my sister-in-law Valerie bought her house when she and her family moved to Dayton! (Cue the Twilight Zone music!) Rick says I could go to the moon and still run into someone I know!!!
5. Caution: Before you get in line for the 2 hour parade: ONE: Always, always go to the bathroom first! TWO: Always, always make sure you have a full tank of gas! THREE: While at the gas station filling up, be sure to purchase plenty of snacks! You never know when you will be served pasta for lunch only to have them run out before you get any!!!
6: Memories: Even though I kid around about the adventure, it was a day I'll never forget. I got to spend a whole day with my niece Justine and my sister-in-law Valerie. With my schedule that doesn't happen very often. I also got to experience something new. Who knew how the whole queen system worked? I also got to be surrounded by all kinds of glitz, glamour, and all things glittery! Even this tomboy has a girly side that needs to be feed every now and then! Priceless!
Make Every Day Count....
Denise
Sunday, November 20, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Oh no! Please tell me she didn't just go there!
If you are a regular reader, you know that I pretty much say what's on my mind, and I am not afraid to share my life experiences. Today is no different. So sit back because I'm going to go there! Yep, I'm going to dive into the dreaded rite of passage known as menopause. So, if you are offended by or embarrassed to talk about hot flashes, hair growth, weight gain, menstrual periods, mood swings, night sweats and all things hormonal, I would highly suggest that you hit the escape key right now!! This isn't for the faint of heart. To my husband, I apologize right now. I know you are sitting there reading this and wishing I would just shut the hell up! I am going to once again embarrass you with my big, uncensored mouth.
Turning 50 is bad enough. So, why does it have to be accompanied by menopause I ask you?!?!? The only logical reason I can come up with is I'm being punished for all of the evils I committed and got away with as a teenager. I just can't imagine there being any other good reason for this to happen now. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the idea of no longer having periods. What woman doesn't? But what I don't like is the way Mother Nature plays with me. I read that once a woman has missed 12 consecutive periods, she has completed menopause. This is a cruel, cruel statistic! I started counting them and was getting excited when I hit 3 months. I thought I was well on the road to freedom. Then Mother Nature reared her ugly head and hit me with them again. So, I find myself playing the 'Will I or Won't I' game each month. Perhaps I can convert it to a new Wii game and get rich! After all there is a Wii game for everything else!
Then there is the whole facial hair annoyance. I mean every time I look in the mirror I hear one of the three little pigs chanting 'not by the hair of my chiny, chin, chin!' I no longer pluck my eyebrows because I spend every moment plucking the dark, coarse hairs on my chin and neck. I swear sometimes I have more hair on my face than some of the teenage boys I teach! I remember laughing my butt off at Mrs. Hughes's comedy act about menopause. (Fellow menopausal women be sure to you tube her if you've never heard her routine.) She has a spiel about looking like her dad with her 'beard'. I now have a completely different understanding of what she meant. When I look in the mirror every morning and see these offending hairs, I am perplexed. I feel like an ugly duckling. I mean let's face it. I see pictures of Julia Roberts and Julianne Moore and think 'why can't I age more gracefully?' Of course if I had their money, I would probably pay a lot of moola to hide Mother Nature's wear and tear!
I just keep telling myself that this too will pass.
More than anything I think the hot flashes and night sweats are the worst. Let's take a look at the hot flashes first. I started having them intermittently about 3 years ago. When I had my first one, I really thought I was dying. I had no idea what was happening to me. I remember just dropping my packages in the middle of a quilt shop and running outside in the 25 degree weather. I wasn't sure what I was going to do first: puke or pass out!!! I remember telling my gynecologist about it and she said I was too young for a hot flash! Really? Now when I have them and there is a witness, I have them sign an affidavit saying I did in fact suffer from one! And then there is the whole dressing for the weather. It has gotten colder here in Ohio, so I went through the closet only to find sweaters. That isn't going to work. I ended up going shopping for long sleeved shirts and camis. Got to be able to strip when the flash occurs. I sure as hell wish I could have a hot flash when I need one. You know when it's 10 degrees outside and the wind is blowing and all you want is to be warm! But no! I guess it doesn't work that way. Of course, I could be rich if I could figure out how to conjure one up on command. To my dear, dear friends who have been subjected to my striptease, I apologize. I want you to know that I truly appreciate the fact that you let me sit in your presence wearing only my cami and bare, fat arms showing. It is a true testament to our friendship. Just know I would/will do the same thing for you.
Last week Rick and I had to change sides of the bed. I have to have the fan blowing on me all night long and the only outlet was on his side of the bed. He was always complaining about being cold. Sometimes, he would shut my fan off when he came to bed. After all I'm asleep and he thinks I won't notice. Well, let me tell you I know when he did it. I would start having my recurring dream about running naked through a snowstorm. Then I would wake up with sweat running down my back. I stumble out of bed and turn it back on. I will say that switching sides has helped immensely. I can have it on all night long. I put a couple of quilts on his side of the bed. So far, it seems to be working.
For those of you experiencing the 'joys' of menopause, you know what I'm talking about. No matter what our friends or mothers tell us to prepare us for the "change of life", we just can't be prepared for that first hot flash or night sweat. And that first one is rather traumatic. You just don't understand what is going on. But the great thing about it is that it gives us the opportunity to bond with our mothers, sisters, and friends at a whole new level. Of course, you have to be willing to talk about it. I say don't be ashamed to speak up and out. We all will experience it at one time or another, and we can learn valuable information from the sister hood of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and all things hormonal.
Make Every Day Count.....
Denise
Turning 50 is bad enough. So, why does it have to be accompanied by menopause I ask you?!?!? The only logical reason I can come up with is I'm being punished for all of the evils I committed and got away with as a teenager. I just can't imagine there being any other good reason for this to happen now. Don't get me wrong, I welcome the idea of no longer having periods. What woman doesn't? But what I don't like is the way Mother Nature plays with me. I read that once a woman has missed 12 consecutive periods, she has completed menopause. This is a cruel, cruel statistic! I started counting them and was getting excited when I hit 3 months. I thought I was well on the road to freedom. Then Mother Nature reared her ugly head and hit me with them again. So, I find myself playing the 'Will I or Won't I' game each month. Perhaps I can convert it to a new Wii game and get rich! After all there is a Wii game for everything else!
Then there is the whole facial hair annoyance. I mean every time I look in the mirror I hear one of the three little pigs chanting 'not by the hair of my chiny, chin, chin!' I no longer pluck my eyebrows because I spend every moment plucking the dark, coarse hairs on my chin and neck. I swear sometimes I have more hair on my face than some of the teenage boys I teach! I remember laughing my butt off at Mrs. Hughes's comedy act about menopause. (Fellow menopausal women be sure to you tube her if you've never heard her routine.) She has a spiel about looking like her dad with her 'beard'. I now have a completely different understanding of what she meant. When I look in the mirror every morning and see these offending hairs, I am perplexed. I feel like an ugly duckling. I mean let's face it. I see pictures of Julia Roberts and Julianne Moore and think 'why can't I age more gracefully?' Of course if I had their money, I would probably pay a lot of moola to hide Mother Nature's wear and tear!
I just keep telling myself that this too will pass.
More than anything I think the hot flashes and night sweats are the worst. Let's take a look at the hot flashes first. I started having them intermittently about 3 years ago. When I had my first one, I really thought I was dying. I had no idea what was happening to me. I remember just dropping my packages in the middle of a quilt shop and running outside in the 25 degree weather. I wasn't sure what I was going to do first: puke or pass out!!! I remember telling my gynecologist about it and she said I was too young for a hot flash! Really? Now when I have them and there is a witness, I have them sign an affidavit saying I did in fact suffer from one! And then there is the whole dressing for the weather. It has gotten colder here in Ohio, so I went through the closet only to find sweaters. That isn't going to work. I ended up going shopping for long sleeved shirts and camis. Got to be able to strip when the flash occurs. I sure as hell wish I could have a hot flash when I need one. You know when it's 10 degrees outside and the wind is blowing and all you want is to be warm! But no! I guess it doesn't work that way. Of course, I could be rich if I could figure out how to conjure one up on command. To my dear, dear friends who have been subjected to my striptease, I apologize. I want you to know that I truly appreciate the fact that you let me sit in your presence wearing only my cami and bare, fat arms showing. It is a true testament to our friendship. Just know I would/will do the same thing for you.
Last week Rick and I had to change sides of the bed. I have to have the fan blowing on me all night long and the only outlet was on his side of the bed. He was always complaining about being cold. Sometimes, he would shut my fan off when he came to bed. After all I'm asleep and he thinks I won't notice. Well, let me tell you I know when he did it. I would start having my recurring dream about running naked through a snowstorm. Then I would wake up with sweat running down my back. I stumble out of bed and turn it back on. I will say that switching sides has helped immensely. I can have it on all night long. I put a couple of quilts on his side of the bed. So far, it seems to be working.
For those of you experiencing the 'joys' of menopause, you know what I'm talking about. No matter what our friends or mothers tell us to prepare us for the "change of life", we just can't be prepared for that first hot flash or night sweat. And that first one is rather traumatic. You just don't understand what is going on. But the great thing about it is that it gives us the opportunity to bond with our mothers, sisters, and friends at a whole new level. Of course, you have to be willing to talk about it. I say don't be ashamed to speak up and out. We all will experience it at one time or another, and we can learn valuable information from the sister hood of hot flashes, night sweats, mood swings and all things hormonal.
Make Every Day Count.....
Denise
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Knocking On The Door
In six months I will celebrate my 50th birthday. As I've stated before, I am embracing it! Given my youth, I am proud to be alive so I can sit atop of the hill and look down on the youngsters. What I'm not embracing so much is the knock on my door by those who want to make it come sooner than April 30, 2012.
While I'm not a technology expert, I'm pretty sure there is some secret society out there that uses some supercomputer to alert all of the 'over the hill' businesses that you are 6 months away from your 50th birthday! In the last few weeks I have received several types of mail aimed at the 50+ crowd. Three weeks ago I started getting emails from seniorpeoplemeet.com. First of all, I am not yet 50 nor am I single! Secondly, how the heck did they get my email address? I'm pretty sure I didn't sign up for it!!! It's comparable to the armed forces sending you all kinds of literature when you turn 18. I guess it is some kind of rite of passage to remind you of the impending event. Psst: Just in case the people from seniorpeoplemeet are reading, this I want you to know that I will celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary in December. Therefore, you can stop bombarding my inbox with your advertisements. I'm automatically deleting them!
Then today, I got my first piece of junk mail from AARP. I knew it was coming. I remember making fun of Rick 4 years ago when it started coming for him. He didn't find as much humor in it as I did. So of course today, when I asked if there was any mail, he was quick to personally deliver to me my envelope. He was smiling ear-to-ear. I think he was hoping for a meltdown or hissy fit. Instead I just laughed and immediately took to my blog to write about it. Of course, I was slightly annoyed with the waste of trees it took to produced the darn thing. Luckily, I recycle. So it went directly into the recycle bin in the kitchen.
I'm a realist, so I know that this is only the beginning of the 'hahaha you're turning 50' onslaught. It's okay with me. I say bring it on. I'm not going to freak out or go into a deep depression about it. Instead I will find the humor in it and laugh at myself. I will also use the opportunity to share my thoughts with you, my faith readers. I will be the trailblazer for embracing middle age. So, go ahead and knock on my door all of you over the hill businesses. I will open it wide, let you in, hear your pitch, and then toss you into the recycling bin! I will have the last laugh.
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
While I'm not a technology expert, I'm pretty sure there is some secret society out there that uses some supercomputer to alert all of the 'over the hill' businesses that you are 6 months away from your 50th birthday! In the last few weeks I have received several types of mail aimed at the 50+ crowd. Three weeks ago I started getting emails from seniorpeoplemeet.com. First of all, I am not yet 50 nor am I single! Secondly, how the heck did they get my email address? I'm pretty sure I didn't sign up for it!!! It's comparable to the armed forces sending you all kinds of literature when you turn 18. I guess it is some kind of rite of passage to remind you of the impending event. Psst: Just in case the people from seniorpeoplemeet are reading, this I want you to know that I will celebrating my 25th wedding anniversary in December. Therefore, you can stop bombarding my inbox with your advertisements. I'm automatically deleting them!
Then today, I got my first piece of junk mail from AARP. I knew it was coming. I remember making fun of Rick 4 years ago when it started coming for him. He didn't find as much humor in it as I did. So of course today, when I asked if there was any mail, he was quick to personally deliver to me my envelope. He was smiling ear-to-ear. I think he was hoping for a meltdown or hissy fit. Instead I just laughed and immediately took to my blog to write about it. Of course, I was slightly annoyed with the waste of trees it took to produced the darn thing. Luckily, I recycle. So it went directly into the recycle bin in the kitchen.
I'm a realist, so I know that this is only the beginning of the 'hahaha you're turning 50' onslaught. It's okay with me. I say bring it on. I'm not going to freak out or go into a deep depression about it. Instead I will find the humor in it and laugh at myself. I will also use the opportunity to share my thoughts with you, my faith readers. I will be the trailblazer for embracing middle age. So, go ahead and knock on my door all of you over the hill businesses. I will open it wide, let you in, hear your pitch, and then toss you into the recycling bin! I will have the last laugh.
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
Sunday, October 2, 2011
Dont' Judge
I have a huge character flaw. I know it's hard to believe, but I do. Now if you ask Rick I'm sure he will be more than happy to list all of my faults. For this post, we will just concentrate on just one. So here it is....I am competitive to a fault, and, therefore, a sore loser! Unfortunately, I've been this way for as long as I can remember. I like to blame it on the fact that I have 6 brothers. Boys are naturally competitive, right? That may be, but that's not really the reason here. I'm the second oldest and was the leader of the pack, not the little sister trying to do what my brothers were doing. I have no one to blame for my competitiveness but myself.
Want proof? Let's take my Wii for example. I love to play what I call 'basement tennis'. I have plenty of room to move around down there. It always starts out a nice easy game, but then my competitive spirit starts to take over. I literally move around the entire room. I have this special behind the back move that I use to the my opponents right side! And serving...oh my gosh! I attack it like I can actually serve up an ace every time. By the end of the game I have sweat rolling down my back. Honest to goodness, you would think I was playing the 3rd set tiebreaker against Serena Williams in the French Open the way I act. More than once, I have had to put ice on my right shoulder when I was done!!! And you know the little conversation boxes with all of the !?!?!?!?!?!?! that appear on the screen when you lose a point? Well, I can guarantee you that I am actually saying out loud what my Mii is thinking!
My competitiveness knows no boundaries. I am the same way when I play board games and cards as well. At our high school the SADD club sponsors a couple of community game nights a year. They provide all kinds of games, snacks, drinks, and pizza and they invite the students to come in and play games for an evening. I never miss one because I love to play games! While attending one night, I was introduced to Catch Phrase. I fell in love with it. We had a group of 6 players. I had the vice principal and a future National Honor Society (HNS) member on my team. We were playing against the vice principal's wife and two current National Honor Society members. As with anything I compete in, it starts out nice and ends with me getting out of control. It was a close game and I started running my mouth. I actually told my future NHS student if he we lost I was going to throw out his membership application! Don't judge....I so know it was wrong. Luckily every one knew I was kidding. We ended up losing the game, but he still got into NHS. To this day we laugh about it.
As with any thing, there are few situations where my desire to win is a plus. I have been the district Operation Feed coordinator for the last 5 years. The Licking County Food Pantry sponsors a 'friendly' competition between the school districts. I preface friendly because we all know now that I see it as a way to win! At stake is traveling trophies and bragging rights. Well, for the last 5 years the high school has won! The elementary has won for the last 3 years and the middle school for last 2 years. Imagine my pride as this huge accomplishment. I love seeing those trophies sitting in the respective buildings for a year. Now I'm not so jaded by desire to win that I don't see the big picture here. The ultimate winner is the food pantry. In these economic times, more and more families are using the local food banks. It is satisfying to know that my competitiveness helps motivate the Licking Valley community to do such good work for such a worthy cause.
I acknowledge that I have a huge character flaw when it comes to winning. I truly do try to curb my competitiveness, but it's not always possible. When I reflect over the last 49 years, I see the only difference between my youth and adulthood is that I now know all of the curse words and how to use them properly! Like I said, don't judge!
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
Want proof? Let's take my Wii for example. I love to play what I call 'basement tennis'. I have plenty of room to move around down there. It always starts out a nice easy game, but then my competitive spirit starts to take over. I literally move around the entire room. I have this special behind the back move that I use to the my opponents right side! And serving...oh my gosh! I attack it like I can actually serve up an ace every time. By the end of the game I have sweat rolling down my back. Honest to goodness, you would think I was playing the 3rd set tiebreaker against Serena Williams in the French Open the way I act. More than once, I have had to put ice on my right shoulder when I was done!!! And you know the little conversation boxes with all of the !?!?!?!?!?!?! that appear on the screen when you lose a point? Well, I can guarantee you that I am actually saying out loud what my Mii is thinking!
My competitiveness knows no boundaries. I am the same way when I play board games and cards as well. At our high school the SADD club sponsors a couple of community game nights a year. They provide all kinds of games, snacks, drinks, and pizza and they invite the students to come in and play games for an evening. I never miss one because I love to play games! While attending one night, I was introduced to Catch Phrase. I fell in love with it. We had a group of 6 players. I had the vice principal and a future National Honor Society (HNS) member on my team. We were playing against the vice principal's wife and two current National Honor Society members. As with anything I compete in, it starts out nice and ends with me getting out of control. It was a close game and I started running my mouth. I actually told my future NHS student if he we lost I was going to throw out his membership application! Don't judge....I so know it was wrong. Luckily every one knew I was kidding. We ended up losing the game, but he still got into NHS. To this day we laugh about it.
As with any thing, there are few situations where my desire to win is a plus. I have been the district Operation Feed coordinator for the last 5 years. The Licking County Food Pantry sponsors a 'friendly' competition between the school districts. I preface friendly because we all know now that I see it as a way to win! At stake is traveling trophies and bragging rights. Well, for the last 5 years the high school has won! The elementary has won for the last 3 years and the middle school for last 2 years. Imagine my pride as this huge accomplishment. I love seeing those trophies sitting in the respective buildings for a year. Now I'm not so jaded by desire to win that I don't see the big picture here. The ultimate winner is the food pantry. In these economic times, more and more families are using the local food banks. It is satisfying to know that my competitiveness helps motivate the Licking Valley community to do such good work for such a worthy cause.
I acknowledge that I have a huge character flaw when it comes to winning. I truly do try to curb my competitiveness, but it's not always possible. When I reflect over the last 49 years, I see the only difference between my youth and adulthood is that I now know all of the curse words and how to use them properly! Like I said, don't judge!
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
Sunday, September 25, 2011
Observations from The Shoe
My sister and I went to the Ohio State vs. Colorado football game yesterday. It was truly game day perfection. Why? Well for one, the weather was fantastic. It was sunny and 65 degrees! Two, the Bucks won the game. It wasn't a pretty win, but a win is a win, right?! Three, we got to go to the Skull Session. Why do they call it that? It's a pep rally! And four, the crazies were running rampant! Let's face it. There are 105,000 people packed into a stadium, and if you stick out, wow! The running joke all day was 'oh, that's going to make the blog!' So here are a few of my random thoughts about the day.
1. As we hoofed 5 miles across the campus to St. John's Arena, we had the opportunity to critique OSU fashion on our fellow hikers. After all my sister is the fashionista in the family! Not sure why, but is it really necessary to wear stilettos to a game? And not attractive ones at that! In my opinion, the purpose of shoes is for comfort and not to be used as an accessory to advertise the fact that you are wearing an outfit that is 3 sizes too small for you!
2. My sister and I went to our first skull session. It is really pretty cool. It is a pep rally of sorts. The football team and coaches come and say a few words to the 5000+ fans assembled in St. John's Arena. Well, when I say a few words, that is exactly what I mean. It was all done and over within 60 seconds. My expectations and the reality of the event were two different things. I guess I thought there were be some rebel rousing, inspiring speeches. I thought Coach Fickell and the team captain would send the crowd into a frenzy with their heart felt words. Instead it was a drive by meeting. I mean we blinked and they were gone! I didn't even have time to find the hometown boy in the group!
3. At the beginning of the skull session, they usually have the opposing band play first. Colorado didn't bring their band, so there was a local high school band who played. They were actually very good and kept people entertained while we all waited for the main attraction. I give props to the Lake High School Blue Streak Marching Band from Uniontown, Ohio. It has to be intimidating being the warm up band for TBDBITL. I would think it would be like being the opening act for Aerosmith!!! Scary! So congrats to the Blue Streaks for rocking the house!
4. After the skull session we had some time to kill so we walked around the grounds. We got to giggling when we came across a group of about 10 men in their 70s/80s. They were all sitting on a concrete retaining wall outside of the Shoe. They all had their smart phones out and were texting/facebooking/googling! We found this hysterical because our mom is always on us about our generation and our cell phone use. LOL...guess it's not just our generation after all! Mom says they were all probably talking to their bookies!
5. Then there was the OSU Salahis. Do you remember the couple who crashed the White House dinner? Well, the Shoe had some party crashers as well. We had a couple who kept moving their seats every time the rightful owners would show up to claim their seats. Now our seats were good, but not so good that it warranted seat crashers! To be honest though, they were a nice couple. They really did have tickets and were just too nice to boot the real squatters out of their seats! But we had a good laugh watching them move from row to row!
6. Of course, I got to sit beside the drunk, chatty girls. They showed up after the opening kick off reeking of booze. Of course, they weren't done drinking! Oh no, these girls had an arsenal of travel size bottles of rum stuffed in their purses! Not sure how they got these past the purse checkers!!! Then they didn't watch a single second of the game. They both were texting and talking on their phones the entire time. (They were lucky that Hurricane Judy wasn't there for her texting lecture!!! LOL) As if I were Kirk Herbstreit, they kept asking me for commentary on the game. Thank goodness they left at half time! Of course I'm thinking, these chicks must have some dough. Who else would pay $70 for a ticket and not see one single play of the game!??!?!?!
7. The following observation is one of those it's sad, but funny situations. Throughout the game, there were advertisements on the jumbo tron on how to treat OSU players. It would give a situation and you had to decide if it is acceptable or not under NCAA rules. So, the next time you see Bobby Buckeye at a restaurant and he is celebrating being named the Big Ten player of week, please do not offer to pay for his meal. It would be considered an infraction under the NCAA rules!!!!! It's sad that they have to do it, but then again, if you have 105,000 people in attendance, what better way to educate the community?
8. Remember a post a long time ago about the drunk guy at the Blue Jacket Hockey game who yelled about not giving up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Well we had another attention grabbing fool in our section yesterday. This guy played the role of the ref. He would get up and make the calls before the refs did. He also included hand gestures and other everything. 80% of the time he was wrong!!!! Not to mention he was also stone cold sober!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing like standing out in a crowd of 105,00 people! I guess he wants to become the next Neutron Man!
9. Thankfully there were the OSU traditions that can still bring a tear to my eye: Script Ohio, dotting the i, the wave, O-H-I-O, the Buckeye Bounce, AC/DC music, Brutus, singing Carmen Ohio, Hang on Sloopy, TBDBITL, players coming out of the tunnel, and winning games. It is an experience that I never get tired of!
10. Ticket: $70, Parking $15, New shirt: $35, Concession Stand: $25, Spending time with my sister and making some great memories: Priceless! Go Bucks!!!
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
1. As we hoofed 5 miles across the campus to St. John's Arena, we had the opportunity to critique OSU fashion on our fellow hikers. After all my sister is the fashionista in the family! Not sure why, but is it really necessary to wear stilettos to a game? And not attractive ones at that! In my opinion, the purpose of shoes is for comfort and not to be used as an accessory to advertise the fact that you are wearing an outfit that is 3 sizes too small for you!
2. My sister and I went to our first skull session. It is really pretty cool. It is a pep rally of sorts. The football team and coaches come and say a few words to the 5000+ fans assembled in St. John's Arena. Well, when I say a few words, that is exactly what I mean. It was all done and over within 60 seconds. My expectations and the reality of the event were two different things. I guess I thought there were be some rebel rousing, inspiring speeches. I thought Coach Fickell and the team captain would send the crowd into a frenzy with their heart felt words. Instead it was a drive by meeting. I mean we blinked and they were gone! I didn't even have time to find the hometown boy in the group!
3. At the beginning of the skull session, they usually have the opposing band play first. Colorado didn't bring their band, so there was a local high school band who played. They were actually very good and kept people entertained while we all waited for the main attraction. I give props to the Lake High School Blue Streak Marching Band from Uniontown, Ohio. It has to be intimidating being the warm up band for TBDBITL. I would think it would be like being the opening act for Aerosmith!!! Scary! So congrats to the Blue Streaks for rocking the house!
4. After the skull session we had some time to kill so we walked around the grounds. We got to giggling when we came across a group of about 10 men in their 70s/80s. They were all sitting on a concrete retaining wall outside of the Shoe. They all had their smart phones out and were texting/facebooking/googling! We found this hysterical because our mom is always on us about our generation and our cell phone use. LOL...guess it's not just our generation after all! Mom says they were all probably talking to their bookies!
5. Then there was the OSU Salahis. Do you remember the couple who crashed the White House dinner? Well, the Shoe had some party crashers as well. We had a couple who kept moving their seats every time the rightful owners would show up to claim their seats. Now our seats were good, but not so good that it warranted seat crashers! To be honest though, they were a nice couple. They really did have tickets and were just too nice to boot the real squatters out of their seats! But we had a good laugh watching them move from row to row!
6. Of course, I got to sit beside the drunk, chatty girls. They showed up after the opening kick off reeking of booze. Of course, they weren't done drinking! Oh no, these girls had an arsenal of travel size bottles of rum stuffed in their purses! Not sure how they got these past the purse checkers!!! Then they didn't watch a single second of the game. They both were texting and talking on their phones the entire time. (They were lucky that Hurricane Judy wasn't there for her texting lecture!!! LOL) As if I were Kirk Herbstreit, they kept asking me for commentary on the game. Thank goodness they left at half time! Of course I'm thinking, these chicks must have some dough. Who else would pay $70 for a ticket and not see one single play of the game!??!?!?!
7. The following observation is one of those it's sad, but funny situations. Throughout the game, there were advertisements on the jumbo tron on how to treat OSU players. It would give a situation and you had to decide if it is acceptable or not under NCAA rules. So, the next time you see Bobby Buckeye at a restaurant and he is celebrating being named the Big Ten player of week, please do not offer to pay for his meal. It would be considered an infraction under the NCAA rules!!!!! It's sad that they have to do it, but then again, if you have 105,000 people in attendance, what better way to educate the community?
8. Remember a post a long time ago about the drunk guy at the Blue Jacket Hockey game who yelled about not giving up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor? Well we had another attention grabbing fool in our section yesterday. This guy played the role of the ref. He would get up and make the calls before the refs did. He also included hand gestures and other everything. 80% of the time he was wrong!!!! Not to mention he was also stone cold sober!!!!!!!!!!! Nothing like standing out in a crowd of 105,00 people! I guess he wants to become the next Neutron Man!
9. Thankfully there were the OSU traditions that can still bring a tear to my eye: Script Ohio, dotting the i, the wave, O-H-I-O, the Buckeye Bounce, AC/DC music, Brutus, singing Carmen Ohio, Hang on Sloopy, TBDBITL, players coming out of the tunnel, and winning games. It is an experience that I never get tired of!
10. Ticket: $70, Parking $15, New shirt: $35, Concession Stand: $25, Spending time with my sister and making some great memories: Priceless! Go Bucks!!!
Make Every Day Count...
Denise
Friday, September 23, 2011
Old Time Rock and Roll
It is always amazing to me how a simple song on the radio can transport me back to another time and place. Today is no exception. As I sit in the waiting room of the car dealership, my mind is taking me back to the Kat Blues dance floor in Coshocton, Ohio. Playing on the radio is the song Centerfield by John Fogerty. Every time I hear that song, I think of my friend Debb and our exuberant dance moves on the dance floor. We loved that song! So, it got me thinking about other songs that will send me back in time, and I thought I would share them with you. I mean what else am I going to do while I wait on my car to get done! So here are a few my favorite song induced memories....
1. Kung Fu Fighting: This song always takes me back to the 6th grade dance at Fresno Elementary. All of my little girlfriends and I line danced to it. Of course, it wasn't called line dancing then! We were so progressive forward for our ages! It also reminds me of my first kiss and subsequent mono!
2. Joy to the World by Three Dog Night: This was the very first song that I learned all of the words to! I thought I was a gangster because I would scream 'son of a gun' REALLY loud! I thought I was cursing and, therefore, a badass!
3. American Pie by Don Mclean: It reminds me of my parents' divorce. I think it's because it had such a melancholic mood. And it was about saying goodbye, and I guess I was saying good bye to the family unit that we once had.
4. Anything from the Best of Bread: It reminds me of my dad. It was his first foray into teenage angst. Even though he had three sisters, he wasn't prepared for the hormonal roller coaster of his 13 year old daughter! Then of course, I didn't help matters when I realized it was driving him crazy! What else was I to do but play it even more!
5. The soundtrack to Grease: My girlfriends and I spent hours cruising Main Street in Coshocton on Saturday nights. We cranked up our 8-tracks and sang along loudly! Yes, I said 8-track! It never got old! To this day I can't listen to Summer Nights without singing it at the top of my lungs!
6. Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band: I remember my friend Kris and I dancing on her couch to the song. Her dad came home and busted us! I still remember him saying, "Hershberger, get out! For some reason every time Kris and I got into trouble, he always assumed it was my fault!! If only he knew how much trouble I kept her out of!!!
7. The Stroke by Billy Squier: Takes me back to sophomore year at Bowling Green State University. My roommate Ellie and I played that album until it became warped and wouldn't play any longer. There is a good possibility that someone on our hall may have tampered with the album. The screams to quit playing it were strong!
8. Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd: I remember the high school office played music during our lunch periods. Every time we heard Another Brick in the Wall, every one beat their fists on the table and screamed the lyrics. After all we thought we didn't need an education!!!!!
9. My Wish by Rascal Flatts: I think this is the most beautifully written song in the history of song writing. While it doesn't have any special meaning right now, but it will to others someday. I want it played at my funeral. (No, I'm not sick and/or dying!) It's just that I believe every lyric of that song. I want to leave it as my final love letter to everyone who has meant anything to me in my life.
10. On the Boardwalk by The Drifters: It is a beach staple and we all know how I love the beach! Whenever I hear it, I am transported to sand and sun. I can feel the sun. I can hear the waves breaking the beach. I can taste the pina cola. I can see the shells. I can smell the saltwater. Heaven on earth.
11. Anything by the Michael Stanley Band: I hated that band! I went to BGSU aka Little Cleveland. It was so called because 80% of the population was from Cleveland. Now I loved my Cleveland friends, but they are so obnoxious about they things they are passionate about. The ARE passionate about MSB! So much so that it was annoying! If you know a Cleveland Browns fan, you know what I'm talking about!
These are only 11 of a gazillion songs that can transport me to another time and place. Some of them are good memories and some not so good. But they are songs that help shape me to be who I am and brought me to this point in my life....good and bad!!! What songs are special to you? What songs take you to that place of long ago? Let me know...
"My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold "---Rascal Flatts
Denise
1. Kung Fu Fighting: This song always takes me back to the 6th grade dance at Fresno Elementary. All of my little girlfriends and I line danced to it. Of course, it wasn't called line dancing then! We were so progressive forward for our ages! It also reminds me of my first kiss and subsequent mono!
2. Joy to the World by Three Dog Night: This was the very first song that I learned all of the words to! I thought I was a gangster because I would scream 'son of a gun' REALLY loud! I thought I was cursing and, therefore, a badass!
3. American Pie by Don Mclean: It reminds me of my parents' divorce. I think it's because it had such a melancholic mood. And it was about saying goodbye, and I guess I was saying good bye to the family unit that we once had.
4. Anything from the Best of Bread: It reminds me of my dad. It was his first foray into teenage angst. Even though he had three sisters, he wasn't prepared for the hormonal roller coaster of his 13 year old daughter! Then of course, I didn't help matters when I realized it was driving him crazy! What else was I to do but play it even more!
5. The soundtrack to Grease: My girlfriends and I spent hours cruising Main Street in Coshocton on Saturday nights. We cranked up our 8-tracks and sang along loudly! Yes, I said 8-track! It never got old! To this day I can't listen to Summer Nights without singing it at the top of my lungs!
6. Jungle Love by Steve Miller Band: I remember my friend Kris and I dancing on her couch to the song. Her dad came home and busted us! I still remember him saying, "Hershberger, get out! For some reason every time Kris and I got into trouble, he always assumed it was my fault!! If only he knew how much trouble I kept her out of!!!
7. The Stroke by Billy Squier: Takes me back to sophomore year at Bowling Green State University. My roommate Ellie and I played that album until it became warped and wouldn't play any longer. There is a good possibility that someone on our hall may have tampered with the album. The screams to quit playing it were strong!
8. Another Brick in the Wall by Pink Floyd: I remember the high school office played music during our lunch periods. Every time we heard Another Brick in the Wall, every one beat their fists on the table and screamed the lyrics. After all we thought we didn't need an education!!!!!
9. My Wish by Rascal Flatts: I think this is the most beautifully written song in the history of song writing. While it doesn't have any special meaning right now, but it will to others someday. I want it played at my funeral. (No, I'm not sick and/or dying!) It's just that I believe every lyric of that song. I want to leave it as my final love letter to everyone who has meant anything to me in my life.
10. On the Boardwalk by The Drifters: It is a beach staple and we all know how I love the beach! Whenever I hear it, I am transported to sand and sun. I can feel the sun. I can hear the waves breaking the beach. I can taste the pina cola. I can see the shells. I can smell the saltwater. Heaven on earth.
11. Anything by the Michael Stanley Band: I hated that band! I went to BGSU aka Little Cleveland. It was so called because 80% of the population was from Cleveland. Now I loved my Cleveland friends, but they are so obnoxious about they things they are passionate about. The ARE passionate about MSB! So much so that it was annoying! If you know a Cleveland Browns fan, you know what I'm talking about!
These are only 11 of a gazillion songs that can transport me to another time and place. Some of them are good memories and some not so good. But they are songs that help shape me to be who I am and brought me to this point in my life....good and bad!!! What songs are special to you? What songs take you to that place of long ago? Let me know...
"My wish for you
Is that this life becomes all that you want it to
Your dreams stay big, your worries stay small
You never need to carry more than you can hold "---Rascal Flatts
Denise
Friday, August 26, 2011
Good Night Sweet Stormy
This week we lost one of our beloved dogs, Stormy. If you are a pet owner, you know how they become a part of the family. When you lose one, you grieve just like you would if it were a child. As all of your know, our dogs are our children.
Stormy came into our lives at a very important time. We had lost our first dog, Freeway. We were devastated and vowed that we would never have another pet because the pain of losing her was too great. However, the silence in our house turned out to be deafening. Unbeknownst to me, Rick began trolling the dog pound looking for another dog. On one of his trips he found Stormy and fell in love with her. He immediately came home and told me to get in the truck. I asked where we were going, but he wouldn't tell me. When he turned onto Route 13, I knew where we were going. I said, "Rick, we agreed no more animals." He just kept driving. Next thing I knew I had an 8 week old black fur ball with a spotted tongue licking my face. It was love at first sight.
Over the next 10 years, she brought us so much joy and at times, some grief. When we first got her, it turned out that she was sick with an intestinal virus. We spent many days nursing her back to health. Then of course this winter we had to face that fact that she had a tumor on her liver as well as having arthritis. We spent many nights worrying over her of late. Of course there were many sleepless nights because of her fear of storms. She would cry, pace and pant every time there was thunder and lightening. A little ironic wouldn't you say when you consider her name was Stormy! She also had an annoying habit of eating poop! Yuck!!! Why do dogs do that?
The good times, though, far outweighed the bad times. Stormy brought laughter and love back into our hearts after losing Freeway. She in no way replaced Freeway, but she did help us fill the void. As a pup she was exhausting. She would play ball for hours! She had a way of picking it up and dropping it at our feet when she wanted to play. And she was persistent. We finally learned to just throw the damn ball vs. trying to ignore her. Then she went through her squeaky toy period. Stormy loved her squeaky, and Rick hated it. In fact, I bought a bunch of them and kept them in the cupboard. Stormy would play with that toy until it fell apart! I loved annoying Rick, so I was able to replace it immediately! Then there was her love for Sophie. Well, at first there wasn't so much love, but Sophie grew on Stormy. They became the best of friends. They chased bunnies and kitties together. They dug up the yard searching for moles. They would wrestle and chase each other around the house. They would also tag team each other until they got whatever food that was left on the counter down. The last snack they shared was an entire angel food cake!
Stormy was also very stubborn. She knew how to get what she wanted. We had a few battles over the years about who was in control. Our last battle was over the new couch. I didn't want her on it, and she didn't care. I did every thing I could think of to keep her off of it. I tried to barricade her in the kitchen, but she always found a way around it. When I realized that wasn't going to work, I started barricade the couch. That didn't work either!! In the end we compromised. She agreed to stay off of it when I was home, and I agreed to cover the couch with a sheet when I wasn't home. As I sit here now looking at that couch, I would give anything to see it covered in black hair.
As hard as it is, we know that Stormy is in a better place. She is no longer suffering from the cancer and arthritis. As my friend Cheryl said, "Stormy is now in heaven jumping on all of the couches". Thanks to Todd Burpo's book, 'Heaven is For Real', I know that there really are animals in heaven. It makes us happy to know that Stormy and Freeway are chasing balls and jumping on furniture under God's watchful eye.
So to our Stormy, we say farewell. We want to thank you for all of the love you gave us the last 10 years. You always greeted us at the door with such gusto! It didn't matter if we were gone 5 minutes or 5 days. The greeting was always the same. We want to thank you for coming into our lives when we were at our lowest. You helped us heal our hearts and you showed us how to love again. You licked away our tears when we were sad. You made us smile with your antics. You were the best.
As Dr. Williamson said in her card, "Life is ephemeral, but love is eternal." You may be gone, but you will never be forgotten. You will live in our hearts forever.
Make Every Day Count....
Dad, Mom and Sophie
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