a couple of ideas

You know, I often feel like I have writer's block.  Like I feel this pressure to come up with something interesting and cool and fun to write every day, and then I just blank.  So when I see something somewhat interesting, or have an idea that I think is worthy of a post, I usually make a note of it.

Except if I'm in the shower when I think about it.  In which case I have to repeat the idea over and over in my mind until I rinse off and get out and can actually get it written down.  Because besides chronic writer's block, I have this brain block thing where I forget a thought that I want to remember almost immediately.

Anyway, here are a few things that could make a decent blog post if you're drawing a blank.

1.  Share some things that make you less than perfect.

2.  Write a top ten list of the celebrity crushes you had as a teen.

3.  Trying too hard.  Write on this topic.

4.  Write about the last time you got angry.

5.  Write about some of the things you'd like to see before you die.

6.  Write some tips for a new mom.

7.  Write about some funny things your child has said/done - something worthy of a baby book entry.

8.  Think of a fork in the road.  Write about how your life would be different if you followed the path not taken.

9.  Write about some of your pet-peeves.

10. Write a list of some of your favorite things, and include links to where you can get them.

So there you go.  A couple of OK ideas.  You can thank me with a frozen drink with whipped cream and a cherry on top.

Apparently I am lame. And a shitty fairy to boot.

So I got to spend the weekend with my sisters and their families.  I love going to visit my sister Jen in CT -- regardless of what it is we do, it always makes me happy, and we always have fun.   When they first moved there, we thought the ride was no big deal and we would get together all of the time, but eventually, it just became harder to make it happen and we really only get together every other month or so. 


Anyway, we went for my BIL John's 40th birthday.  Initially he was going to host a week long celebration in honor of himself.  I believe golfing, bull riding and gymnastics were supposed to be involved.  Then he threw my niece (his daughter) her high school graduation party, and figured there was no way that he could top it.  Why set yourself up for a half-assed party, you know?

John of all people could never handle the thought of people driving away from his get-together saying to themselves, "Cool party, but it wasn't as great as KK's."

My niece KK had a traveling bathroom at her graduation party.  Not to be confused with a Porto-Potty, because let me tell you, the traveling bathroom was a real bathroom.  On wheels.  It had a ladies and men's room.  There was a sink.  It was really cool.  In fact, I could go so far as to suggest that it was one of the highlights of the party for the little kids.

It could have something to do with the fact that there was a lot of gum in the bathroom though.  Like for good breath.  Because I guess when you are finished going to the bathroom, you need to have fresh breath?

I would have to say that the highlight of John's KK's graduation party for me (besides the video montage of Kasey's life), was the Slurpy Machine.  And also the insane food.  John hired a guy for the food of course... it was the best party food EVER.  It was like a BBQ pit on wheels (there were a lot of things on wheels). There were beef and chicken skewers and lobster rolls and ribs and salads.  Smashed potatoes!  Yum.  John has a guy for everything.  They have a pool guy, a lawn mower guy, a bug spray guy, a landscaper guy, a Christmas light putter-upper guy...  I want a guy.

So getting to the point of this post, apparently I am lame.  One of the big topics of John's birthday extravaganza weekend was my blogging.  Those jerks all think that it's dumb to blog and to read blogs.  They are all, "Who has time for that?"  Or, "Oh right Jessee does, because she doesn't work."  or "You should get a job because blogging is boring."

I know they all think I am lame in general, but to call out my love of blogging?  Eff that.  We're throwing down.  I love blogging!  Those bullies.  Those jerks.  Those jerky bullies.

We were going to go to Szechuan and I was going to get sushi because I love sushi, but my niece Abby was throwing up so we had to do bar food take out instead.  My order sucked, but in all honesty, I was full from a weekend of eating like a fool, so I didn't care one bit.  We also got a chance to watch my nephew Julian play soccer and see Kasey, who is home for the first time from college.  We got to go watch my BIL John play soccer in his men's league where everyone screams at each other and they always almost fight.  The ref was so annoyed and he was really fresh to everyone.  There was this guy on the team that looked like my Grampy he was so old, but he was really really good.  Then we got to heckle John because he totally missed a goal.  Then John whined like a girl when we got home because his groin hurt.  Then my sister Indi had to massage his butt because his butt muscles hurt too.  I told him he was gross.  Everyone agreed.  But Indi still massaged him like it was her job.

Ty got to ride the Harley all weekend and he was so cute.  John barely got to ride the Indian bike, but he bought a sort-of feminine leather vest to wear when he rides the Indian -- we all told him it wasn't exactly his best look.  However, somehow Ty was able to rock the vest.

We played Bananagrams and I was having a rough run.  I only won a few games.  It was the table I think.  Yeah.  The table was definitely very slippery.  Ali and I got in a big fight because I played the word shat (as in, "she shat herself yesterday") and she said it wasn't a word.  I disagreed wholeheartedly and we yelled at each other for a bit and it was very heated.  Jenney agreed with me and Indi agreed with Ali, so we never really came to a conclusion.  I still consider it a win.  It was in the dictionary online and it said it was slang.  Slang works for me.

Also, Brookie lost her FIRST TOOTH and was so cute.  She asked me if the tooth fairy would come to Aunt Jenney's and I said I wasn't sure (just had to cover my butt if I forgot).  So I was so great and I remembered.  Ali forced me to only leave her a dollar so I wouldn't set myself up for having to leave lots of money for the lost teeth of the future.  Then Brooke woke up in the morning and was all like, "Really?  This is it?"  and I said "Yes! The Tooth Fairy came!"  and she was like, "No Mom, tell me the truth, did you do this?"  and I was like, "What do you mean?  Why?"  and she was all like, "Well I heard the tooth fairy leaves five bucks and sugarless gum for the first tooth." 

And I was ashamed that I was a shitty fairy, because apparently things have changed since Megan lost her teeth, so I pretended that I didn't want her to be sad that the fairy wouldn't find her at Aunt Jenney's and told her that we'll leave it under her pillow at home.  Luckily she accepted that excuse. 

It really was a great weekend.  I wish those guys lived closer to home.

OMG This took me ALL day!

I am happy to report that I have finally made some updates to my blog!

Yay!

Whoa.  As simple and fail proof as the tutorials that I followed were, it took me ALL DAY (well, every last bit of 6 hours and 36 minutes) to accomplish just a couple of neat changes.  I still have a few things to tweak here and there, but overall I am pretty happy with the results!

If you have any interest in making some changes to your blog, check out the totally awesome blogger tutorials on http://www.kevinandamanda.com/ and http://www.thecutestblogontheblock.com.

Those sites totally rock and definitely made me feel all html-ish and computer savvy-ish.

so what exactly is the protocol?

I love reading the comments that people leave for me, and I don't get enough comments where it is actually overwhelming to respond to them individually.  So someone fill me in, please.  WHAT IS THE PROTOCOL on responding to comments?

Do I respond individually?  Do I do that on my original comment thing, or do I re-comment you on your blog?  Do people even ever come back to see if you responded to their comment?  Do I respond in an email?

I don't mean to sound all crazy, but I don't want to be rude!  I want to respond, and even though I have been doing this for a bit, I really don't know all of the blog rules.  Or any of them, if you want the truth.

Once, when I first started blogging,  I deleted a mean comment from a mean lady who was just . . . mean.  But I only deleted it because I didn't know how to answer her and I hated the thought of leaving it out there without being able to defend myself.  Well, I still don't know the right way to respond, so what if someone is mean to me again?

So, I am asking for your collective opinions.  Anyone? anybody home? mcfly?