Yes, it is official: Jon Gosselin and Kate Gosselin are finally DIVORCED and their sham of a marriage is legally over.  The kids and Kate get to keep the house TLC gave them, and Jon gets to keep on being a douchebag, so all is well in the universe.  Anyone see Jon’s latest stunt?  He stood on the side of the highway to allow TMZ to film him saying he can’t say anything on camera.  Way to go Jon, way to go! 

All I care about is that the papers are signed, and these two idiots are divorced! 

Kate and Jon couldn’t have given me a better birthday present.  Kate and Jon Gosselin, I thank you from the bottom of my heart.  Perhaps on this day next year I can read all about Kate Plus 8 getting cancelled.

I almost pooped my pants this morning when I got a phone call asking me to audition to be in a movie tomorrow as a featured extra!  Ok, the pay was only going to be $80, but I was going for the adventure and the chance to meet the dude pictured below on the left.  The best part was that the director had “hand picked me” out of “hundreds of extras” to be cast as the ex-wife of a “major movie star.” 

And I was going to be feautured on the movie poster.  Just look at who else was going to be in the movie.  Sigh.  I was going to be the coolest step-mom ever if I met someone from “The Office.” 

I’m a huge movie fan, former movie theatre manager and projectionist, so my inner geek was doing cartwheels today.  I have been having a streak of bad luck, and I thought today was the day when it was all going to change.  Whaw-waaay ….

To find out what went wrong, and why I came “this close” to becoming famous, please watch my video.  It’s a little lame and I come off dorky because I kept forgetting where the camera is on my new laptop.  Still, friends and blog friends will enjoy a glimpse of Beatrice.  Although, hubby made fun of me for filming in in my new cupcake pj’s.  Too bad, I am a dork, and who cares.  Enjoy!

Don’t wait, enter the Christmas/December Holiday Photo Contest now! 

From December 15th until noon on December 23rd, email me your best Christmas/December Holiday photo.  The best photo (Or photos, if there are just too many to pick one) will be displayed on my blog with your name and blog link (Or Flickr or Facebook or whatever social networking site you want me to link to) by midnight on Christmas Day. 

You can send me funny holiday pictures, cute kid holiday pictures, adorable animal pictures, scenic holiday pictures or even holiday decor pictures, but no naughty pictures, please. 

Contest rules:

• One entry per person, and you have to be the photographer and owner of the picture you submit.
• JPEG format only.
• Email entry must include your name and link.  If you do not include a link, I won’t be able to share it.  
• No “naughty” entries, please. 
• If you are listed as a winner, I’d appreciate a link back to my blog to help you brag and to help me get new readers! 
• Anyone who links to this contest blog post via Twitter, Facebook, or their own blog, etc. before December 23rd and sends me a copy of their link via the comment section below will get ”extra consideration” when I make my final judgment for the winning/winning photographs. 

Some of you may remember that tiny little book The Nanny Diaries which became a runaway sensation that sold over 2 million copies and became a major motion picture staring Scarlett Johansson and Laura Linney.  The same book that garnered praise such as “a national phenomenon” (Newsweek), “impossible to put down” (Vogue), and “diabolically funny” (New York Times).  If you were a fan then, you will be delighted to hear that Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Krauss have written the sequel, Nanny Returns, and it’s due to hit bookshelves today, December 15th.

Nan returns to the Upper East Side of Manhattan twelve years after we left her after her meltdown via nanny cam.  She married ”Harvard Hottie” and traveled the world with him while he was working with the UN.  Nan was tired of traveling from county to country, so she convinces Ryan to move back to New York so they can begin their life together in a more normal way.  They settle on Harlem, and as soon as I read that, I knew they were in for some trouble.  My first problem with this book is that as soon as Ryan mentions he is ready for kids, Nan is suddenly backpedaling and is not sure she is ready to be his baby momma.  As a former Nanny, I’d think she’d be chomping at the bit after living in huts in Africa.  She is not ready because she is starting her own consulting business and trying to get their pit of a house in order. 

The next issue I have with Nan’s character consistency.  One minute she is terrified to go into Ryan’s parents apartment at 721 Park, the same building as the X’s, but literally the next minute she is ready to jump back into Grayer X’s life.  He’s 16 and in trouble, with a little brother named Stilton in tow.  Why would Nan be ready to do this, especially after traveling the world and growing older and wiser?  Even worse, the situation she has at her new consulting job is horrid and I don’t understand why she’s stand for all of this.  Before I know it Nan suddenly turns back into “Nanny” and her life becomes all about the X’s, Ryan has gone MIA, and Nanny loses her way again, and nearly loses much more than that.   

I am not saying that I hated or even disliked this book, but I had a few problems with it.  I know sequels can be tricky, but I expect growth from my characters and I didn’t find Nan to have much of it in this book.  Twelve years is a long time for a woman to basically remain the same.  I loved Nanny in The Nanny Diaries, but I didn’t love her as much in this book.  While the writers Emma and Nicole do a great job talking about fashion and cultural references (Hello, they even mention Fight Club in this book!), their brightest moments are when they examined the ways in which the rich Upper East Siders are truly poorer than the staff they employ.  I really wish they did a better job writing Nan.  My heart was a little broken when I finished the book, but I still liked it and would recommend it to anyone who was a babysitter (like me) or was a nanny; anyone who loves fashion and/or New York, or anyone who just enjoys a novel with struggle and hardship. 

 

Need a last-minute Christmas gift?  You can buy the book here.

Check out Emma and Nicole’s website here.

I was so damn happy to receive my copy of the new Norah Jones CD The Fall this past week!  I really enjoyed listening to it, not only because it was so good, but also because I haven’t listened to any new CD’s in about two years.  I love music and own around 2,000 CD’s but ever since I realized I was going to lose my job, I’ve cut back on buying music which totally sucks.

I’ve been a fan of Norah’s since her first CD Come Away With Me broke.  I love a girl who can write her own songs, play her own instruments, and sing, just call me old fashioned.  If you remember, she earned five Grammys for that album.  Not too shabby for a new artist, right?  Plus her daddy (Ravi Shanker) was BFF’s with my beloved George Harrison, and any friend of his is a friend of mine.  Also, Ms. Jones got great news on December 11th when she was named Billboard’s 60th Artist of the Decade.  I like her music and especially her fourth album because it is so peaceful, but yet powerful and relaxing all at once.  My favorite new song on her disk is You’ve Ruined Me.  Here are the lyrics:

You’ve ruined me now
But I liked it
But I’m ruined
Do you have a plan
‘Cause I’m in your hands

You’ve ruined me now
Though I liked it
Now, I’m ruined
I had no choice
When I heard your voice

I know you said
“Can’t be misled”
Now I’m the one
Whose face is red

You’ve ruined me now
Though I liked it
Now, I’m ruined your chocolate eyes
Like buttons of lies

You’ve ruined me now
Though I liked it
Now, I’m ruined
I’m trying to part
With what’s in my heart

You’ve ruined me and how
I thought I liked it
But I’m ruined
My whole world’s now
Turned upside down

I heard me say,
“I’m going away”
But now I write
You everyday

You heard me say
“I’m going away”
But I’m on the floor
Outside your door

You’ve ruined me now
You’ve ruined me now

You’ve ruined me now
But I liked it
But I’m ruined
Do you have a plan
‘Cause I’m in your hands

The Fall

1. Chasing Pirates (Norah Jones)
2. Even Though (Norah Jones/Jesse Harris)
3. Light As a Feather (Norah Jones/Ryan Adams)
4. Young Blood (Norah Jones/Mike Martin)
5. I Wouldn’t Need You (Norah Jones)
6. Waiting (Norah Jones)
7. It’s Gonna Be (Norah Jones)
8. You’ve Ruined Me (Norah Jones)
9. Back To Manhattan (Norah Jones)
10. Stuck (Norah Jones/Will Sheff)
11. December (Norah Jones)
12. Tell Yer Mama (Norah Jones/Jesse Harris/Richard Julian)
13. Man Of The Hour (Norah Jones)

I’m surprised I don’t hear her music featured on TV shows.  I think anything from this album would be perfect for a show from either Gossip Girl or The Good Wife.  She doesn’t appeal to just one age group, which is what all musicians should strive for.  Everyone keeps referring to this album as her “break-up album” since it is her first album after her longterm relationship with her bassist Lee Alexander, but I personally think of The Fall as smokey and sweet, like a great rib dinner.  You can never get too full from devouring it.

I feel this is the perfect Christmas gift for either a friend or loved one.  Ms. Jones shines on this album, and you hear much more of her guitar playing than her pounding away on piano.  The Fall is full of humor, love and playfulness as well as seriousness and heartbreak.  On Man of the Hour Jones playfully sings the following:

But I can’t choose between a vegan and a pothead

So I chose you

Because you’re sweet

And you give me lots of lovin’

And you eat meat.

To buy the new Norah Jones CD The Fall, just click here.
 
Or, if you just want to buy singles on iTunes, such as her first single Chasing Pirates click here.
 
Norah’s upcoming TV appearances:
December 15 – NBC – Tonight Show w/ Conan O’Brien

December 16 – ABC – Jimmy Kimmel

December 21 – E! – Chelsea Lately
 
To visit Norah’s official website, click here.

The new SpongeBob SquarePants DVD just came out this past week and it has over 300 hours of fun.  The DVD includes a 2-disc set that features 24 Spongy Stories as well as the SpongeBob history song.  I’ve had a ball watching it with the kids over the past few days, as we are all fans of the ‘Bob.

My favorite episodes (I try to sleep in on Saturday mornings & don’t catch every show) include Krabby Road

Spongicus

And, Gone

Here is a quick episode recap to help convince you to fall in love and buy this DVD.

Disc 1:

• Spongicus - Plankton turns the Chum Bucket into a realistic replica of the Colosseum, complete with a man-eating lionfish!  So silly I could have died. 
• Suction Cup Symphony – Squidward’s inspiration for his musical entry in the Bikini Bottom Symphony Orchestra competition…SpongeBob and Patrick!
• House Fancy – Jealous that Squilliam’s on House Fancy, Squidward lures the show’s producers to his fancier house. Desperate to make his home presentable, Squidward lets SpongeBob help.
• Krabby Road - Plankton forms a band that includes SpongeBob, hoping SpongeBob will write a song revealing the Krabby Patty ingredients.  Being a huge music fan helped me to fall in love with this episode.
• Penny Foolish – Mr. Krabs thinks he sees SpongeBob pick up a penny from the ground – a penny that should be HIS!
• Nautical Novice – Before a class trip to the Nautical Museum, SpongeBob memorizes the entire history of boating. Isn’t that reason enough for Mrs. Puff to give him his license?
• Not Normal – SpongeBob becomes “normal.” And boy, is it boring!
• Gone – It’s the strangest thing. SpongeBob’s awakened to find everyone in Bikini Bottom is gone!
• SpongeBob SquarePants vs. The Big One – Swept out to sea by a giant wave, SpongeBob and pals must learn to surf, or be stranded on a remote island forever!
• A Life in a Day – SpongeBob and Patrick add adventure to their dull lives by “livin’ like Larry.” And boy does it hurt! 
• Sun Bleached – SpongeBob and Patrick can’t attend the biggest party on Goo Lagoon because they aren’t tan…yet!
• Giant Squidward – Squidward’s Kelp Grow garden spray makes everything it touches HUGE!
• No Nose Knows – Patrick returns from the surgeon with a nose and experiences the smell of stink.
• Patty Caper – SpongeBob and Patrick are on the case when the Krabby Patty secret ingredient goes missing!

 Disc 2:

• Plankton’s Regular – Plankton has his first regular customer, but Mr. Krabs wants him at the Krusty Krab!
• To SquarePants or Not to SquarePants – Can it be?! SpongeBob’s shrunk his last pair of square pants, only to find no store has any others! And without his square pants, will anyone recognize him?
• Squid’s Visit – Squidward says he wouldn’t leave the comfort of his home to visit SpongeBob. So SpongeBob redecorates the pineapple to look just like Squiddy’s place!
• The Splinter – When SpongeBob gets a stubborn splinter, Squidward threatens him with being…sent home!
• Slide Whistle Stooges – Patrick and SpongeBob use their new slide whistles to add sound effects to Squidward’s every move!
• Boating Buddies – To regain his impeccable driving record, Squidward has to attend boating school…with SpongeBob!
• The Krabby Kronicle – Mr. Krabs creates a tabloid with SpongeBob as ace reporter. While SpongeBob wants to write the truth, Mr. Krabs wants “wild and juicy” – true or not! 
• The Slumber Party – Pearl asks Mr. Krabs to leave the house so he doesn’t ruin her party. To keep an eye on things, Mr. Krabs sends SpongeBob to crash the bash!
• Grooming Gary – SpongeBob gives Gary a makeover to compete in a pet show, and Gary can’t stand the primping. As it turns out, neither can any of the competition.
• Truth or Square - On the Krusty Krabs’ Eleventy Seventh anniversary, the entire crew finds themselves locked in the restaurant’s freezer! It’s going to be a really cold trip down memory lane. Featuring hilarious never-before-seen flashbacks!

To visit the Official SpongBob Website click here.
 
To purchase this DVD for Christmas, just click here.

Which list are you on?  The Naughty List or The Nice List?  My sweet cat Beatrice is on The Nice List for sure.  Just look at her here, what a little angel.

Today Santa told me that I was on The Nice List, since I had spent the day volunteering to photograph children for charity.  Since I already got my combo Birthday and Christmas Gift (Yep, I have a birthday the same week as Christmas) I believed him, as I had gotten a very nice new laptop.  When the first picture the elf took of us didn’t turn out and I had to go back up on his knee I told him you don’t want me sitting back up on your lap again, I’m too much woman for you.  He chuckled and told me no, I like it, so now I’m thinking Santa himself is on The Naughty List. 

The Girl from the Ghetto

Will you be watching Sunday December 13th @ 10:00 pm?  I know I will be!!!

My favorite dysfunctional tv family is back on E! for another season of Keeping Up With The Kardashians so turn on E! tomorrow, Sunday, December 13th at 10pm for the one hour season premiere.  If you come back and post a comment after my show review later that night and the next day, you may be a lucky winner of a Kardashian poster.  I’ll post more details with my show review.

Will Scott and Kourtney make it?  Just who is Scott fighting with during that promo?  Why does Khloe, Kris and Kim hate Scott so much?  Will Kim be able to handle that her sisters are moving forward and becoming a wife and mother?  Will her and Reggie get back together and get engaged?  Just how much is Lamar Odom willing to spend on Khloe’s dream house?   

Watch the special sneak peek, just in case that first trailer wasn’t enough.

According to E!, Kendra Wilkinson from The Girl’s Next Door and Kendra has given birth to baby Hank.  He weighed in a 9 pounds, 5 ounces.  I just hope the baby doesn’t have her laugh.

You go, girl!

Hard to believe she just moved out of the Playboy Mansion this past April, married Hank Sr. in June and now she is already a mother.  Reality tv moves so fast.  It was just Sunday night when I saw her pickle and ice cream baby shower.  Yes, I’m sad to admit I watched this season of The Girl’s Next Door.  But I miss my old girls, and one of them was usually on. 

A long time ago (in a galaxy far, far away) I started collecting magnets from my travels.  I went with magnets mainly because they are the cheapest thing in the gift store, except for post cards, and I collect those too.  Here is my collection.  I wish I was smart enough to collect Christmas Ornaments like my friend does.  She has the coolest tree every year and I’m so jealous of it.  Does anyone else out there collect magnets?

Here are my local and international travel magnets.  The picture doesn’t do justice to my bah relief Paris magnets, darn it!

 

These are my “nature” magnets.

And, the Superheros.  Sadly, we don’t have Spider Man.  Why not?

Who can guess where this picture was taken? 

Also, you have to name the sculpture and the artist.  I’m making it tough, sorry.  Winner gets to go to The Henry Ford with me for free, but we must go by the end of the year.  First person who comments with the correct location, artist, and sculpture name wins.  Good luck.

Seriously, does anyone have Common Sense anymore? 

None of us are perfect, and we all have our sad little moments of being idiots from time to time.  Still, I think we all could benefit from reading this book.  There is a reason it was written way back in 1776.  Human nature is still the same.  I see and hear things in my life, on the nightly news, on E!, in the papers, in the blogs, on Facebook, on the phone, and especially on Bravo TV (Still, I can’t get enough of those Housewives of Orange County) that disturb me on so many levels.  What do you readers think?  What have you seen that illustrates why this book needs to be mandatory reading for all of us? 

Recently, my friend Doraz gave me this lovely award.  I try, I really try.  Thank you so much Doraz, I’m honored to receive it.  And, I’d like to honor the following bloggers who represent their own unique styles of blogging by passing this award along to them as well, as I enjoy their blogs dearly whenever I get a chance to read them.

• Writebrite, who mixes cool hobbies, life struggles, and yucky health stuff. 
• TV Snark, who carried on the Gosselin torch when I gave up on carrying it.
• Hockeychic, an old friend and great blogger who talks about everything.
• Bingo, who corners the market on book chat and giveaways.
• Teeni, who not only creates the coolest things and writes about them, but who is also a great blog friend to all who know her.
• Jen 512, who has handled an international crisis very well and still manages to entertain us, despite now living in a foreign country.
• Loving the Tasmanian Devil, who writes beautifully about life raising children (and a husband) with Aspergers.

Fellow bloggers, please feel free to pass along this award to those you feel are deserving.  Thank you for entertaining me, and Doraz, thank you for thinking of me!

 

First, let me put you in the mood with this song that inspired this blog post.

Does anyone else out there wish that life could be a little bit more easier?  I know I do.  I’m trying to be positive in my life.  I can’t manage it every day, but I try.  At least last night I got home from a very nice charity event that I volunteered to work to help sick kids, which always puts my own problems into perspective.  I just keep telling myself hey, at least you lost some weight girl, be happy about that!

 

 

I’ve had the busiest month I’ve had in a long, long time.  I’ve been dealing with all sorts of problems and issues, such as spending over six hours writing letters and making phone calls to Mayo Clinic, my insurance company, a national patient advocate group, and my old employer  in the hopes that SOMEONE will correct the large bill Mayo sent to me in error.  Even though I have the proof my insurance paid for my tests, they won’t stop billing me and is has been going on since May.  I’m so tired of going back and forth with them, so please keep your fingers crossed for me. 

 

 

At least I also got something fun, a new king bedroom set.  I haven’t ever slept this good, and hubby and I couldn’t be happier.  I got the best deal in the world, and I should hope so, as I had been looking for a new king bed for over two years.  The only unhappy person is Beatrice, who is having a hard time jumping up on the bed due to her extra-large size and short legs.  Poor Bea.

 

Then, there was the three hours I spent contacting various individuals in government and media because we unemployed citizens of Michigan have to put resumes online at a certain website, and all of a sudden I am getting spammed like crazy for job adds, training, etc.  So, people are accessing my personal information that I’m forced to give out, and it pisses me off.  I haven’t heard back from anyone yet, but when I do I’ll let you know.  I really don’t want people doing this to me,  as I already get over fifty spam emails a day from this blog email account.  I get hundreds of emails a day and now all these extra spam emails have put me over the edge. 

 

 

I have been busy with shopping and can proudly say that I am officially done with my Christmas shopping and every present has been wrapped since Monday afternoon.  I have been doing most of my shopping online for years now, and I’ll never be one of those Black Friday lady shoppers who goes out to Kohl’s at 5 am.  The online deals rock, and my best deal was 65% off of my entire Arbonne order … I just had to order at 2 am to get her Black Friday deal.  I’m not usually a fancy face product person, heck, I still use Cover Girl powder, but because of my evil Rosacea I have to use the RE9 product line which is expensive, so 65% off was a miracle and I’m so appreciative of her doing that for her customers.

 

 

I’ve also been doing a lot of volunteer work and just this week I went shopping for toys for needy kids, worked the charity event last night, as well as stuffed about a thousand envelopes for ten hours at home within twenty-four hours.   Next Saturday I get to be the photographer (For free, but still, it is one step closer to my dream of having my own photography business) for a charity Christmas Party.  I also worked at the school library today, and the librarian let me decorate for Christmas, which is always fun. 

 

And, moving on to the crappy health stuff:

 

My right eye is getting smaller.  I’ve noticed it since Christmas of last year, but I just wrote it off to me being paranoid about one more heath thing.  I went to the eye doctor about five weeks ago because my floaters were getting worse, and all of a sudden I can’t see things from the right side, which causes me to get into near car accidents and near cart crashes at the grocery store.  My eye doctor noticed it, sent me to an eye surgeon, who thought it was probably due to Graves Disease.  My Endocrinologist redid all of my tests, and it isn’t Graves, which means it is either eye nerve damage due to my connective tissue disease and/or Dysautonomia, or it is a brain tumor.  I’m leaning towards the Dysautonomia related nerve damage.  Good times. 

 

 

On top of all of this new and weird little things are happening, such as a ton of hair fell out as well as a lot of my eyelashes.  The worse thing is that my toes, feet and hands are numb all of the time and they are freezing cold all of the time, too.  It is so painful and I have been wearing buddies on my hands and feet, warming them up in the microwave every hour.  I had been dreading to go back to doctors because it is so darn costly and draining.  Just look at these bald pictures.  My mom is honestly BALD, so when this started happening, I freaked out.  I’m almost 39, way too young to be wearing a darn weave.

 

 

I thought this was from stress, but now I am not so sure.

 

 

I went to four doctors in two weeks, all referred from the first doctor I saw.  I had failed my field of vision tests IN BOTH EYES last week, so now I have to go back to the eye doctor Wednesday and god knows what is going to happen.  I have no idea if I’m going to lose my license or what.  All I know is that since last March every few weeks or so I have periods that span for two or three weeks where I suddenly can’t read or write, everything gets very blurry, and I get bad headaches that my migraine medicine can’t cure. 

 

Notice the difference with and without makeup.  If I ever was on Survivor, mascara would be my one luxury item.

 

 

The worst of it is that my Endocrinologist TOLD me to go back to see a Neurologist, and she refered me to a new Neurologist because my old one’s secretary cried when she was asked to send my medical records to my Cardiologist.  Seriously.  I can’t deal with their drama, so I am done with that office.  So, I go to the new one.  This new idiot Neurologist read my records after dicking around with her drug rep for twenty minutes, and then comes into the exam room, asks me two questions, and tells me I have Bipolar Disorder within three minutes of walking in the door.  SERIOUSLY.  She thinks it is because I can’t sleep and have headaches.  I’d usually laugh something like this off but I was furious, and when I get mad, I cry.  I argued with her for another half hour, and she refused to listen, because she saw in my medical history that my mom has it.  She did admit by the end of my appointment that I may not have it because I wasn’t talking fast like a normal bipolar does.  She refused to prescribe me the only drug that ever helped me with nerve pain, Lyrica.  She didn’t give me a script for my new weird headaches and chalked them up to migraines, even though I told her my migraine medication hasn’t worked, and that I rarely have migraines anymore since I don’t have a uterus anymore (Even though, yes, I still have a period WITHOUT HAVING A UTERUS.  Did you know 20% of woman without one still can have periods?  I am pissed about this, too.)  She completely ignored my new nerve symptoms even though Mayo and another local doctor proved and provided proof that I already have Dsyautonomia, Polyneuropathy and Small Distal Neuropathy.  She only gave me a five minute mini neuro exam and didn’t even bother to look or touch my cold and numb feet, and simply sent me on my way w/Cymbalta.  Since her drug rep for it was just there and I had overheard their entire conversation, I can only assume she was more concerned about helping him out over helping me.  I am beyond pissed off and wonder how does my supposed “bipolar”give me numb feet and shrink my eye and cause me to lose my vision?  I am so pissed off, not only because this visit will cost me like $70, but because she was so overwhelmed by my medical chart that she chose to write me off as crazy rather than help me.  Never has anyone told me that I had this, and my mental health professional bff who has known me for eighteen years and lived with me told me in no way is she right or could she even possibly make that diagnosis so quickly.  WTF is wrong with this doctor? 

 

So, while I’m trying to feel fine and be positive and undergo more eye tests, I may be a little MIA in blog world again.  As soon as I can I’ll be visiting your blogs, and I hope you all are doing ok.

For those of you who have been wondering where I have been in blog world, I’m here at home, just busy and stressed out like crazy.  I’ve been working on blog posts, but haven’t been able to post any in the past week or so.  Five minutes ago my eye doctor’s office called and they told me I got abnormal results for my peripheral vision field tests for both my eyes, so I have to go back to his office on Wednesday to “reevaluate” what is going on.  My dad  and both his parents were legally blind.  I figure this is happening to me because of the rare genetic disease Mayo Clinic told me I “probably” have, a connective tissue condition involving the loss of collagen in my body, which is the root of all of my health issues.  I am praying to god I won’t lose my vision, or my driver’s license.  Keep you posted … 

But, at least I’ve been doing some fun things, volunteering and visiting with old friends over the holiday.  Just last night I went to a fancy charity club event where I volunteered as an auction girl.  For someone who has been in pj’s for the past two months, this was THRILLING to put on a dress and make my hair big.  I love, love, love this new dress, which I got for $33 on overstock.com.  Don’t hate.

Ever since losing my job as a civil servant two months ago, I have been feeling busier than ever.  Perhaps it is all of the extra time spent looking for employment, or the extra volunteer work I’m doing.  (I volunteer at my son’s school in the library and with a non-profit that helps sick and dying children.)  I thought it would be interesting for myself (and hopefully you) if I laid out my last twenty-four hours to prove whether or not I am really busier. 

• 11 pm - Uploaded soundtrack songs to my iTunes.
• Midnight – More of the same, and had a ball doing it, too.
• 1 am – Read personal emails, and a few of my blog emails, too.  Almost blogged.
• 2 am – Read most of book Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife.
• 3 am – Watched Erin Brockovich, and still loved it!
• 4 am – Googled lead poisoning & environmental toxins after hearing another person from high school died from my toxic hometown.  Around forty of my classmates have died, and many more of our parents have died as well.  Very crazy, and it made me a little crazy thinking about it, too.  RIP Steve.
• 5 am – Slept.
• 6 am – Slept.
• 7 am – Slept.
• 8 am – Slept.
• 9 am – Slept.
• 10 am – Slept.
• 11 am – Slept.  I slept for the past three days and it has been fantastic!
• Noon – Finished Christmas shopping this lovely Cyber Monday.  Got a year subscription to EW Magazine for 95% off, just $10.  I’m in HEAVEN.
• 1 pm – Read and responded to more personal and blog emails.
• 2 pm - Job search.  Didn’t even find a single job I could apply to.
• 3 pm – Wrote and published blog post.  Went on Facebook for two minutes and got into trouble for forgetting to return my friend E’s call from Friday.  Sorry girl!
• 4 pm – Showered, made dinner and hubby’s lunch. 
• 5 pm – Ate dinner, visited and chatted with hubby.
• 6 pm – Photo editing.  I have an entire year’s worth of photos to upload and print, and I’m almost done.
• 7 pm – Went to The Big Bright Light Show.  Got annoyed at all the slow people, but enjoyed my free piece of wedding cake.  Found a used book store and took shelter.
• 8 pm – Found a first edition Augusten Burroughs book in pristine conditions.  Left and then later came back for it.  I had seen the same book online for over $100, and you’d be amazed to hear I got it for under $14.  I am so geeked right now.  god, how I wish I was employed.  Came home, ate brownie, teased hubby, and caught the end of House.  Poor Wilson …
• 9 pm - Watched Gossip Girl and caught up on blog comments and emails.  I hate seeing holiday shows after the holiday has past … why didn’t they run it last Monday?  So annoyed, this episode bugged me.  So sick of the Tripp story line. 
• 10 pm – Caught up on the last forty-five minutes of House, and was shocked to find out that you can catch Transverse Myelitis from a cold sore.  WTF?  My friend has this rare disease and she has been paralyzed from the chest down for several years now.  I also wrote this blog post during this time.  Afterwards I’ll catch up on reading blogs.

So, my obvious question, does it sound like I’m busier than ever?  I think so … but what do you think?  What have you done in the past 24 hours?

This is a photograph of the actual wall built to separate the blacks from whites. It is located in the Eight Mile/Wyoming neighborhood, and it separates the blacks of Detroit from the whites of the surrounding suburbs. The wall runs between Mendota and Birwood Streets from Eight Mile to Pembroke.

The Way I Am by Eminem was a very interesting book, and it wasn’t only because we both grew up near the now-famous 8 Mile.    I enjoyed it because it was the story of a person who always had a rough life, who never had a break, and who fought hard to make his own dreams come true.  The Way I Am is the perfect modern-day white trash Cinderella story, and having grown up near the same area as Eminem makes it just that much better for me. 

Marshall Bruce Mathers III aka Eminem aka Slim Shady was a success straight out of the gate; I can remember listening to his music with awe back when MTV still played videos.  I was fascinated by him, and I think so was everyone else, too.  Well, my 70-year-old Italian godfather even likes Eminem and we had quite the family conversation about Eminem’s talent at my grandmother’s funeral a few years back.  Rolling Stone has dubbed Eminem “the biggest rapper in history” and I agree with them wholeheartedly.  No other rapper I have ever listened to can move me with his lyrics the way Eminem does.

Back to the autobiography – I loved the way Eminem used both his images and his words on every page of this autobiography to tell his story, because I feel Eminem’s life story is as much about his image as it is about his words and experiences.  I have the paperback version of this book and it reminds me of a really cool and modern high school yearbook.  There are so many images of original lyric sheets, personal polaroids, and images from concerts and events that were a part of Eminem’s road to success.  For a moment there I thought I saw myself in one of the concert photos as I had seen Eminem at his show of all shows, the July 2003 appearance at Ford Field in Detroit along with D12, Obie Trice and the fabulous 50 Cent.  Loved that show, it was general admission, and I was within an arms reach of 50 Cent.

Just take a look at the Eminem back in his glory days, with that wonderful dirtbag sex appeal he had.  That bleach blonde hair, that black wife beater, and that attitude you can see from a mile away. 

You all remember the crazy relationship he had with Kim – here they are at their first wedding.

And their short-spanned 2006 second marriage. 

Not only does the book tell a little more about Eminem’s relationship with Kim, Eminem talks about his own childhood, as well as his life as a parent to all three of Kim’s daughters as well.  I was excited to learn more about his relationship with Kim since it was so famously dysfunctional.  I’d see Kim and his daughter around town from time to time and wonder what it must be like to be them, having people stare at them and bother them constantly.  My friend saw them at Outback once and seriously people came up to the table every five minutes.  I know how I want peace when I eat a steak, and can’t imagine how invasive that must have been.  I felt bad because Kim came into my work once and their daughter Hailie was around eight years old, and had the bitchiest look I’ve ever seen on a child’s face, probably because she could tell all of my co-workers were staring at her and her mom.  So sad.  

I love Eminem because he is talented, raw, and emotional.  A rare quality you see in our current world of musicians. This book is true to his voice, and it was quite interesting to read about his story to fame, and his subsequent troubles with the law, Kim, and everyone else.  Any fan of Eminem’s would love this book, and I’m thinking any fan of the underdog would love it as well.  Go buy it, and you can get the paperback copy for under $16 today.  It is so worth it.

 

To visit Eminem’s website, go here. 

To purchase his book The Way I Am on Cyber Monday, go here.

My favorite “fun” Eminem song which always reminds me of my trip to Puerto Rico.

And my all time favorite Eminem song, which always takes my breath away.

Another reason to buy this book: I also enjoyed learning new things about Eminem, such as he worked at Little Caesars with Proof and that Eminem used to design and paint hip hop clothing with puffy paint.  The kid had a lot of ambition.  But, my favorite thing to read in this book was that the director of 8 Mile tells people that he came up with the name of the movie, which Eminem disputes and says that he came up with it himself, which I know must be true. 

No one outside of Detroit understands the term 8 Mile like we do, so I’m going to include a mini history lesson here as well.   

 

I never even knew this wall existed until just a few years ago, and I feel foolish even admitting it, but I wonder how many people in this area have also never heard of it.  Here is a mini history of the wall:  Black residents of Detroit moved into the vacant area near Eight Mile and Wyoming after WWII.  It was a rural area at the time.  In 1940, a developer sought to build homes for middle-income whites in a nearby area.  Sadly, the Federal Housing Administration’s (FHA) policies of that era didn’t allow them to approve home loans in racially mixed areas.  So, to secure FHA approval, the developer put up a wall six feet high, one foot in width and one-half mile in length to clearly separte the white and black areas.  His wall led FHA to approve loans for his project.  I can not believe that this wall still exists, and that I never learned about it until I was in college, even though I lived right by it for many years!

8 Mile today still stretches 27 miles and is lined with strip malls and strip clubs.  The first one I ever saw was called The Booby Trap, and my mom took me by it when I was like 8 years old.  She was giving me a history lesson in her own dysfunctional way I suppose.

The latest SpongeBob DVD Truth or Square arrived in the mail a few days ago and I was happy to watch it with my family this weekend.  We all loved it, as we are all huge fans of the show.  I love SpongeBob; he’s goofy and a silly soul who just loves to have fun.  After watching the Truth or Square DVD, I’d recommend this to anyone who is in need of a great DVD this holiday season.  Don’t forget Black Friday is this weekend …

I think the episode that got the most laughs in our house was Truth or Square, the extended version.   Not only did it have a gazillion celebrities in it, including Tina Fey, Will Ferrell, Triumph the Comic Dog, Robin Williams, and Pink singing her heart out about having scurvy, but it had SpongeBob’s first Krabby Patty experience, when he was in his mother’s belly, yanking on the umbilical cord and she was sending down a patty to feed him.  This episode was the eleventy seventh (No typo) anniversary of The Krusty Krab, and Patchy the Pirate pulled out all the stops.  I enjoyed hearing all the alternative versions of the evolution of SBSP, they were singing theme songs for everyone and I liked Patrick Seastar’s song the best: “Who lives like a barnacle under the sea?  Pa-trick Sea-star!” 

Krusty Krushers

 

 This was my second favorite episode, as Mr. Krabs had convinced SpongeBob and Patrick to become wrestlers in order to win a million dollar prize.  They wrestling scenes were hilarious, and Pig Patty and Short Order Boy are getting pulverized under Pig Patty throws in the buns of steel move.  Of course, I won’t mention whether or not they win the million dollar prize.   

Choir Boys

We ran out of time for Choir Boys, but if it involves music, I know I’m going to love it.  We will be watching this episode during Thanksgiving break.  The kids had already seen it, but I hadn’t and they tell me it is pretty funny.  Just looking at this picture makes me giggle in anticipation.

Porous Pockets

SpongeBob and Patrick find a “volleyball” inside of a screaming clam, and a very excited appraiser spots them on the beach with their giant pearl.  They earn a small fortune, and spend their money on gum and simple this at first.  Then SpongeBob meets the wrong people, and he loses his fortune.  This was a great lesson for the kids, as we see SpongeBob get taken advantage of by his so-called new friends who wanted him to give them money just because they realized he was way too generous.  Side note, my boy told us how he had a dream a few weeks ago that he found a buried treasure and became rich and never had to do homework again.  In his dream he was teasing his older sister since he was rich and then he felt guilty in his dream, so he bought her the New Moon movie, weeks before it was even released in theatres. 

My eleven year old recommends you buy this DVD because ” it is very creative and funny.”  He also recommends watching Truth or Square the extended version over and over because “there are a lot of details and this episode includes a lot of scenes that weren’t on tv; you can see things you haven’t seen the first, third, or even the eleventh time you have watched it before.”   I find that to be very solid advice coming from my SBSP expert.  If he’s happily watching this episode for the eleventh time, you know you will be getting something that will be watched over and over again. 

For all the latest news on SpongeBob, visit the official webpage here:

Listen to the eleven year old and buy your own copy of the new DVD by clicking here:

Here is a first look at the new Carrie Bradshaw book. This time around, she is in high school. MG, did I just die and go to heaven? Me already likey.

Who:  Candace Bushnell.

What: The Sex and The City Prequel, The Carrie Diaries Part 1.

When: April 27th, 2009.

Where: Booksellers everywhere.

Why: Because Candace Bushnell loves Carrie Bradshaw just as much as the rest of us do, and maybe it is also just a tiny bit too coincidental that the SATC 2 Movie the following month.  Regardless, I don’t friggin care.

The Carrie Diaries are being published and marketed for teens ages 14 & up.  Can you see young Carrie in her fabulous 80s high school clothes?  The music, the merchandise, the tv show?  How much do you bet woman in their twenties, thirties, and forties will be in line right behind those 14 year olds?  My god, I CAN NOT WAIT!  Random House and Ms. Bushnell, all I can say is Genius!

Ever since I saw the film “The World According to Garp” at age eleven I have wondered to myself what exactly did John Irving survive in his past?  I have waited patiently for nearly thirty years to find out.  I haven’t ever read a single thing about John Irving’s personal life; because figuring out exactly what happened to him to make him the type of writer he is has been a huge puzzle for me that I must figure out on my own.  Being a survivor of a horrific childhood myself, I knew Mr. Irving must have suffered even more than I had, as his stories are so twisted and dark.

With “Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel” I think I have finally figured out the puzzle of Mr. Irving.  While “A Prayer for Owen Meany” will always remain my favorite book of his, Twisted River is a close second. For whatever reason, I’ve convinced myself that this book is the true story of his life, or the true life story of someone very close to him, perhaps his own grandfather.  If it isn’t, then call me a fool, but please realize that whether this novel is a memoir or not, “Last Night in Twisted River” remains a brilliant story of father and son and grandson, and the fifty year long friendship they have with a mysterious logger.  Danny Angel, the protagonist of Twisted River is a writer in this novel and his own writing career mirrors the career of John Irving, and we read about Danny attending the Iowa Writers Workshop during the same time frame as Mr. Irving actually did.  Danny was even taught by John’s own most famous teacher Kurt Vonnegut.  I have always wondered why Mr. Irving writes about the subjects he has always written about, such as widows, Canada, wrestling, motherless and fatherless children, left hands, bears, and even abortion and all of these subjects get a curious mention in his latest book. 

Twisted River is the kind of Charles Dickensesque type of story Mr. Irving has written before, and this time around he manages to capture the small New Hampshire logging town of Twisted River beautifully, beginning with the drowning of a young boy named Angel and the failure of the mysterious Mr. Ketcham to catch him before he was lost under the logs forever.  Dominic and his son Daniel (Danny Angel) are friends with the logger Mr. Ketcham, and certain terrible events cause them to go on the run together over and over again throughout their lives leaving loved ones and good Italian restaurants behind.  What I find most fascinating about this book is that Daniel grows up to be a famous writer and has a long successful career before he settles down to write Twisted River, the very novel we as readers have been reading the entire time.     

Last Night in Twisted River: A Novel is defiantly the best book I’ve read in 2009.  I stayed up until 5:15 am to finish it.  I’ve spent more than evening staying up all night reading this book, as well as many other of Mr. Irving’s books.  I once worked an eight hour shift, drove a twelve hour road trip, visited and drank with a friend all night long, then sat down and finished The Hotel New Hampshire in one sitting after all of this and finished in time for my friend to catch me still awake after having one of the longest thirty days in my life.  John Irving is just that good of a writer.  All I can tell you is that Twisted River is fabulous and you need to go buy this book immediately to find out for yourself just how good it truly is. I promise you will be lost in a world like none other.  If you have already purchased it for yourself, then go buy it for a friend, because books make the best Christmas gifts.  A story like this stays with someone forever, while that sweater may only last two or three seasons.

John Irving’s Work

• Setting Free the Bears – 1968
• The Water-Method Man – 1972
• The 158-Pound Marriage – 1974
• The World According to Garp – 1978
• The Hotel New Hampshire – 1981
• The Cider House Rules – 1985
• A Prayer for Owen Meany – 1989
• Trying to Save Piggy Sneed - 1993
• A Son of the Circus – 1994
• The Imaginary Girlfriend - 1996  
• A Widow for One Year – 1998
• My Movie Business - 1999
• The Cider House Rules: A Screenplay – 1999 (Academy-Award winning screenplay)
• The Fourth Hand – 2001
• A Sound Like Someone Trying Not to Make a Sound – 2004
• Until I Find You – 2005
• Last Night in Twisted River – 2009

 

John Irving’s website can be found here.   

You can purchase Twisted River here. 

And see John talk about his latest book below.