5 things I LOVE right now

The Cyber Sisters are back! I belong to a group of 10+ women that used to weekly blog on a topic chose by one, to keep us all rolling along on our blogs. It's a great way to get to know people and find out more about them.

The girls blogs can all be found on the side bar link to the right. (in just about 5 minutes after I post this blog post anyway...)

Our topic this week is "5 things we love right now". I think? We had a similar topic last year, but it was 5 things we love. I chose my things as something I loved that I've used in the past week. Something I absolutely love and has helped me through my week.

So, I held the sappy, "family and friends" category, because let's face it. Everyone loves their family and friends. And not to belittle those Cyber Sista's that have blogged that, you know I love you girls! But I wanted to share some things I love that would give you a bit of insight into me.

so, here they are in no particular order.


1. My new Bose Sound dock for my ipod. I LOVE this! David and Davida got this for me for Christmas and it really is the BEST. Good clear sound that fills the room and it has a nifty remote so I don't even have to get up and change the playlist. I have mine in my office on a hope chest, and when I'm cooking in the kitchen, it fills that room with tunes too.


2. JPG Magazine. I LOVE this concept and have really enjoyed subscribing to this. It an online magazine that is published every other month. The member decide what photos will be published. Very cool idea and concept and I'm constantly inspired by what's between the covers. Go and check it out see what you think.


3. My macbook. It's been a life saver for me since I've been pulling shifts at my store. I can check email, upload blog posts, read blogs. Surf the web, but mainly upload orders because my internet connection at the house SUCKS. LOL This little puppy is tiny, light weight, and wireless. Best thing about it? It's cool that it has everything my phone has and MORE so I can easily work from the store, and when I get home, there it is again.


4. My foof pad for my lap top is something I utterly ADORE. I hate carrying a big laptop bag and this little puppy will hold my macbook and look ultra cool to boot. You can order one yourself, right HERE.

5. I LOVE Friday Night Lights! A fellow DWFer turned me on to this when I was griping about missing my Grey's. You can download episodes or by the DVD, but I watch free online and let it run while I'm working on the main PC. Great show! Great cast and such a great game!


That does it for this week! I'll try and put all the Sista's on here tomorrow so you can see what 5 things they are in love with. They are a very cool bunch of girls.

ta ta

what I want to be when I grow up

CYBERSISTER's BLOG POST

What do I want to be when I grow up? What is your dream job?

I'm doing it.

Seriously.

Sometimes I have to pinch myself when I'm in places like Jamaica or Boston and realized my brain and camera (and mostly God) have gotten me there.

But seriously, I'm doing what I was created for. And it's the greatest happiness to know and breathe and feel that. (I seriously don't think he wanted me chained to my computer and I'm working on that part of the DREAM JOB. LOL)

I love being a photographer.

.

my favorite burger

I'm sitting at the GMC Service Center AGAIN, 3rd time in one week and am rethinking my decision to ever buy a new car. Yes, it's been nice riding in the lap of luxury, but geez...I'm not riding much lately! And at least never buy a new one again without extending the warranty out the WAZUU. I've spent $2000 on my car in the last week and all because the warranty went out at 75,000. YES. I drive my car, ALOT. But that's an entire different blog post. And since I'm tryin to be "bright and shiny" and not dwell on the fact that my precious car is quickly falling apart, I will instead CYBER BLOG this week.

What is your favorite burger?

Undoubtedly, not a home grown burger, but one from Chili's Bar and Grill.

Chipotle Bleu Cheese Bacon Burger
description from the menu,
spicy and smoky with chipotle pepper sauce, blue cheese crumbles, Applewood smoked bacon, lettuce and tomato. YUM!

I think I shall order one and don't they have curbside pickup?

inspiration

It's a CYBER sista topic and I so want to keep up with things this go around that I'm not gonna miss this!

TOPIC: Who in your life has inspired you or do you consider to be your hero? Tell us a little about this person(s).

Myrtle Laverne Helton

My maternal Grandmother, or Granny Helton to me. She is the most fabulous person I know. And the reason I'm a Christian, I'm sure.

She raised 4 girls along with my Papaw and has a slew of stories she can share about the Depressions, raising 4 girls, and living with my Papaw. She rode a train as a young bride and had absolutely nothing growing up.

I love my Granny for her love of the Lord and her strength as a woman. She lives by herself in Madera, CA and is legally blind, yet emails everyone in her family every day. She laughs all the time and can always find the Lord in every situation.

"We have always been a nation dedicated to God and now they have put Him out of every thing and we are going to experience things that other world countries have had. We just have to draw closer to God and not be afraid."
September 2007, in an email


The pictures below are of Granny and my mom and me in Las Vegas, NV. We were staying together during my cousin's wedding and we had such a great time laughing and enjoying each other.

I love you Granny!

5 Things I would Like to Do in My Lifetime

We are currenntly in San Antonio with the girls on our First EVER Family Vacation! You know the kind? There's no Holiday involved, we arent' traveling to visit anyone and no tournaments for sports of any kind. Just a regular vacation. Complete with little sleep, awful beds and just plain fun.

The girls are down swimming in the pool and I realized it was FRIDAY and I needed to blog my "cyber sisters" topic of the week.


5 Things I would Like to Do in My Lifetime

• photograph a wedding in Paris.

I don't know why, but this just seems like the ultimate wedding! A trip to Europe and photograph a bride and groom to boot! How cool is that? I've done weddings all over the US, even going to Boston in May, but Europe? It just seems too wild. Maybe?

• Remodel our home.

I love our house. I really do. But it's old, the windows are awful and it seriously needs some work. We have kept putting it off and off due to other money committments. Devin and I are supporting an artist friend and there's just no money to do the things we would like to do. Somedays, I don't think it will ever happen, but I've been visualizing it and really trying to believe it is possible and that someday, I will have windows that are good, a place to park my car, and carpet that my vacuum doesn't "brush" or eat. LOL Oh, and my own personal space in my bathroom. Oh, and a closet larger than a coat closet! LOL

• back pack through Europe

I have a plan to do this with Kalyn when she's older, after she graduates. Just her and me. (and do the same with Summer too.) But I would love to just have a backpack full of clean underwear and go travel Europe with a Rail Pass and not much else. We would just go where the train took us and see everything we want to see.

• debt

Pretty self explanatory. But we have some medical bills hanging over our heads right now and a few credit cards due to investments in Rick and me, photography wise. It's manageable, but it sure would be nice to know the money I make is free and ready for doing what we would love to do. (redo house)

• photos

This is a passion of mine and I'm a step closer to getting it done, but things are CRAZY at home photo wise, personally. Yep. It's a shame, but the pro in the family doesn't have an organizational system to her photos. I wish I did. Some day, I will. But my goal right now is to stay on top of printing what gets taken this year and putting them in photo albums. I went fully digital back almost 5 years ago and I have 1000's of personal photos stored on hard drives and DVD's. Ridiculous. This year, I started with Christmas and I'm printing personal photos out and sliding them into albums as I go. There is no storage in our old home, so I'm currently putting my albums on the floor of the dining room. No choice. But someday, I would like to have them organized. All of them!

That's 5 folks! I've taken a ton of photos while we've been here in San Antonio and I will share them soon! I'm currently on Kalyn's Ibook, so it will be just a bit.

ta ta

my favorite things

Kinda like Oprah, you know? My Cyber Sisters Blog topic of the week is "your 5 Favorite Things", so here they are in no order of importance. Remember, these are things, and only things. But they mean so much to me and my weekly life.

In 2004 I had a car wreck and ruined my earthly chance of wearing high heels. Yep. In Heaven, I'm Pamlea Lee Anderson in stilettos. LOL I loved wearing heels to weddings and clicking around and just plain enjoying the process of being a girl. Well, since the "leg problems", shoes have become a form of comfort and necessaity for walking. Flipflops can not be done long term in the day due to ankle trouble so in 2005 I found KEENS. I LOVE THEM! I've had this pair for 2 years now and I wear them almost everyday. They feel great, and yes they look like lesbian shoes, but hey, comfort. Remember? Comfort.

KEENS



My IPOD is another BIG weekley favorite of mine. And not only on the ipod itself, but on itunes. I spend an incredible amount of time on the computer, home alone, and itunes is my office. It is a wonderful place to listen and keep up with cool stuff in the world. AND the fact that it synchs with my pod is a double plus. My inlaws, David and Davida bought me mine for Christmas and I LOVE how I can put photos, TV shows, Grey's Weekley Podcast, etc.

APPLE



I use baby oil each and every time I step into the shower. I've done this since highschool and love the way my legs and body feel and just love the smell! It's a wonderful way to feel great and not that expensive either.


My computer or any techno stuff in general is a favorite thing for me. Seriously, since Atari and Intellivision of my youth, I've always been attracted to gadget things. I love them! And I'm on my computer and phone (8125 PDA/phone) all the time. I stay connected that way. I'm currently using a Dell computer and laptop with the girls having the cool ibooks, but not for long baby. I love everything apple! And if they designed a car, I'd buy it too.




Okay, the BIC Ultra Round Stick Grip is my other 5 favorite thing in my weekly world. I love this pen! I have since college. I write a bunch during the day and despite it leaking once in a while I buy these pens in bulk from Office Depot. Nope. Not Sams. They quit carrying the blue and it's the only one I love. Notice the Composition book beneath the pen? Very important. Do not carry spirals and you will tend to lose your notes and it develops those very annoying "snaky" things that come from tearing out sheets of paper. Compostion books from Target are da bomb! I carry one with me almost everywhere and use it to journal about my life, my loves, etc. I even journaled about my 5 Favorite Things in there. Seriously, ask Steph.

My TOP 5 Movies

I own a video store.

Before I fell in love with my camera, I fell in love with "the movies". In fact, we opened the store because I was was watching so many movies! I don't get to watch as many now, but gosh...I love to curl up on the couch with a good tear jerker.

Being a child of divorce, Dads like to make up for lost time by indulging you in Movie Day! Yep. When we would visit him in California, he would take us to movies all day on Saturday! I loved how we would sit through 2 - 3 movies in a day and then go home, get pizza and watch more movies on cable. Love that! That was so cool that where my Dad lived had cable. Back home in Okalhoma, nothing except antennea channels and not many of those at that!

So, keeping my dysfunctional American upbringing, you can deeply understand my first selection for my Top 5 Movies.

Benji (1974)

I LOVED this movie! I bet I watched it one summer so many times, I could recite the lines. WHAT LINES? The dog basically just ran and ran and ran. All around the town. All around the neighborhood. Knocked up another white puppy dog and had a litter of mutts. But he's a keeper! Cuz, he saves the kids from the bad guys and saves the DAY! And gets a home. I could so relate to this little puppy. LOVED this movie!

Dirty Dancing (1987)

Devin hated me watching this movie! Not so much because of the movie, but because this was before DVR and he would call from Texas while I was in school in OK and I would tell him I couldn't talk and it was usually because I was watching this movie! Oh, my gosh! Me and my college roommates probably watched this 60 times that summer! And it's so much fun raising girls and soon, not yet, I can get them hooked on this movie, too. There's a great you tube.com video of a couple that did this dance for their first dance at their wedding. CLICK HERE FOR THE LINK. So, there's no way I could have talked Devin into doing this, but if I could have....so cool.

Chasing Amy (1997)

I crave dialogue movies. CRAVE well written movies, and this is ONE. Anything written by Edward Burns is this way too, as well. It's NOT for those with homophobic tendencies, but then again, maybe it is? LOL

Steel Magnolias (1989)

I have to include this one. I fell in love with Julia Roberts in Mystic Pizza. Yep. Hook, line and sinker and when I saw Mystic I knew she would make it BIG. I already knew about her from reading the movie RAGS cuz I thought her brother was cute before he went down drug lane. And then, YUCH. But, this movie was perfect and is perfect for anytime you want to cry. Oh, my gosh!






Annelle: Sammy Wayne Desoto, what is this in my Frigidaire?
Sammy: Beer.
Annelle: I don't care what you do with your refrigerator, but you will not keep liquor in mine.
[dumps the beer out in the yard]
Sammy: Oh, Annelle, for Christ's sake!
Annelle: Who? Who did you say?
Sammy: Christ, Christ, Christ!
Annelle: Are you speaking of our Lord? Is that whose name you're taking in vain?
Sammy: That's the one.
Annelle: Well, I'm sorry, Sammy. But I am not about to spend the next fifty years of my life with someone I'm not gonna run into in the hereafter.
Sammy: Oh, Annelle, goddammit!
Annelle: I think we should pray.
Sammy: Oh, I'd rather eat dirt!

Shelby: Well, we went skinny dipping and we did things that frightened the fish.

Clairee Belcher: Well, you know what they say: if you don't have anything nice to say about anybody, come sit by me!

Ouiser Boudreaux: Yes, Annelle, I pray! Well, I do! There, I said it, I hope you're satisfied.
Annelle: I suspected this all along!
Ouiser Boudreaux: Oh! Well don't you expect me to come to one of your churches or one of those tent-revivals with all those Bible-beaters doin' God-only-knows-what! They'd probably make me eat a live chicken!
Annelle: Not on your first visit!
Clairee Belcher: Very good, Annelle! You've spoken like a true smart-ass!

Jerry Maguire (1996)

Anything by Cameron Crowe is a touch of the heart to me. I love his writing! LOVE it. He's also written the following:
Elizabethtown (sucked)
Vanilla Sky (sucked)
Almost Famous (awesome)
Singles (great!)
Say Anything (AWESOME!)
The Wild Life (great little sleeper hit!)
Fast Times at Ridgemont High (THE BEST EVER!)

Jerry Quotes:
Dorothy: On the surface, everything seems fine. I've got this great guy. And he loves my kid. And he sure does like me a lot. And I can't live like that. It's not the way I'm built.

Jerry Maguire: I will not rest until I have you holding a Coke, wearing your own shoe, playing a Sega game *featuring you*, while singing your own song in a new commercial, *starring you*, broadcast during the Superbowl, in a game that you are winning, and I will not *sleep* until that happens. I'll give you fifteen minutes to call me back.

Jerry Maguire: Have you ever gotten the feeling that you aren't completely embarassed yet, but you glimpse tomorrow's embarrassment?

Dorothy: I love him! I love him for the man he wants to be. And I love him for the man he almost is.

Now this one was hard for me to choose, mainly because of Tom and his behavior outside of the movies. The man is a FREAK. Or quickly turning into one, and that breaks my heart. I've loved him since "All the Right Moves" back durning highschool. So, it breaks my heart at how much he has changed weirdness wise, BUT the stars only add to the movies, they don't make them. To me, what makes a good movie is the writing along with the acting. So, a director is important, but the skeleton of a good movie is the script.

There! Done! Complete! Can 't believe I finally choked this thread out of my computer. I'm exhausted!

songs

I recently joined a blogging group that motivates us (like I need it...) to blog and basically share more of us in our blogs. Kind of like a picture into what we like and love. This may give readers and in my case, potential clients, a better picture of us. (please do not let the fact that I once liked Hootie and Blowfish interfere with you hiring me for your wedding. Please, I beg you!)

This week's topic is songs. Our top 5 songs we love and why.

This was hard for me because songs are all about emotion and how you are feeling at the time. I couldn't narrow it down to just 5 unless I approched this from a different way. I chose by the 5 times in my life and what stands out now. The links are to the songs online if you want to find them. I'm guessing many readers do not have Hootie in their itunes library.


Junior High Lights by Journey, I danced my first slow dance in 7th grade to this. With Joe Ogle I believe. I wrote down every singe lyric to all the journey songs and wailed along with Steve Perry. But everytime I hear this song, I get a little sad. It was such an innocent time in the world and in my life. Lots of pain between here and there, so the sadness is bittersweet.



High School Heaven, by Bryan Adams I LOVED this album! Van Halen's 1984 was another BIG one with me, too. But Heaven won out due to emotional outbursts all Senior
Girls have.





College Welcome to the Jungle enough said! Still one of my favs.





Early Marriage Only Wanna Be With You Lord, please don't strike me down for this one! What can I say....nothing but the video store and babies in my life, Devin brought home this CD and I fell in love with the Hootie and the Blowfish. Geez....




Now, The Fray, How to Save a Life. I LOVE this. Or anything by them really. It's such a great band, with such a great sound.





I listen to music now on XM Satellite on the computer and the Denalie. Flight 26 is a BIG fav. So, when a song from any of these times in my life comes on, it's so cool how music can take you there in an instant.

Here's to good times with good songs and good friends!