And luckily I had my camera, and I was at a stop light! How random is that?!

Most of you know that we love the TV show, The Office. Steve Carrell is by far one of the funniest actors! And of course who wouldn’t love the Jim and Dwight pranks, and the Jim and Pam story. However, unlike most Office fans, when I heard the news that there was going to be an Office spin off, I cringed.

Obviously I think that taking someone away from the main show is going to be a loss to what makes the show funny in the first place. The Office is all about the interaction between the varied personalities, so having one of those missing is just not going to be as good. And then there is the whole spin off thing. Most spin offs don’t work. I can’t think of any spin off show that has been a hit (hello, Joey!). You know that saying, if it’s not broke don’t fix it… apparently people who are in charge of TV shows need to learn that phrase.

So, it shall be interesting to see who and what the spin off is going to be. There are rumors that it may be Bob Vance, or even Toby. But I want to go on record as saying I think it will be a big mistake (let’s hope I am proven wrong).

My good friend Richard is doing the Harmons MS Bike Tour to raise money for the National MS Society. This is a great cause, one that my family has supported for years (we usually do the MS Walk, or donate). Sadly a lot of members of my family live with MS, a very painful and debilitating disease which currently has no cure.

So, if you would like to support my friend in his efforts please click here and learn more about the bike tour and why he is doing what he is doing. It’s a great cause, and he is going to bike 100 miles, so I think he deserves to reach his fund raising goal!

Favorite 80s fun, the MIX TAPE!

Remember how cool it was to make and receive mix tapes from your friends? Oh my gosh I loved to make tapes for people, and of course, if a boy actually took time to make you a tape… well, send me over the moon! Mix tapes were such a part of growing up in the 80s. I remember one time my friend and I thought it would be fun to make a radio show mix tape, with songs and of course, our witty banter. It was so funny to listen to (or at least we thought it was). I’m sure neither one of us would have been a popular DJ with our silly humor and jokes about prunes for “get up and go”. But it was fun anyway!

So, in honor of the great tradition that is a MIX TAPE, I created one on iTunes featuring some of my favorites from the 80s. Man, I could have added so many more songs! I hope you enjoy (and if you are feeling generous, I am always one to happily receive mix tapes, on CD now, but the feeling is the same).

*cute mix tape graphic was found here*

By now I had hoped to be down 4 pounds. Not only am I not down, I am actually up higher than when I started. I keep reminding myself that muscle weighs more than fat, but I am not so sure it’s muscle. I am hopeful that it is, but seeing as nothing is fitting better, it may be that I am gaining the wrong kind of weight.

Is it wrong to blame it on my hubby? I never had a weight problem until after marriage… so it must be him, right? Of course I am joking (well, partly, I really never did gain weight until after a few years of being hitched). But there is something to be said for the eating habits of others influencing your own for good or bad.

It is hard when the person you share your life with has different ideas about food. For example, I like to eat only when I am hungry but that would mean that my husband and I would likely never eat together as I am not hungry that often. Another difference is that I thrive on a mainly vegetarian diet. It makes me happy both body and soul. My husband on the other hand thrives on meat to be happy body and soul. You can see how this would be a problem for cooking meals every night, because who wants to prepare 2 separate dinners each night. And coming up with meal ideas that can be both is tough, there’s only so many recipes where adding in meat later really works well.

However, I think a lot of my problem is due to stress. I have read a lot of articles about how chronic stress can affect your weight (here is a good overview), and lets just say that there has been a lot of stress in the past 4 years of our 6 year marriage. With my dad having 3 strokes, my husband also almost dying from bleeding ulcers, and the loss of a beloved pet, all within 4 years, it’s no wonder I may be having trouble from cortisol.

So, in keeping with my no complaint promise I must now offer a solution! Now that the weather is getting nice (fingers crossed) I am going to add daily walks outdoors back into my workout plan. Daily walks in the sunshine, and nightly hoop dance fun, should burn calories and reduce the effects of stress. I am also going to make a list of every meal that I can cook that can easily be made with meat added last (things like tacos, pastas, etc). Hopefully this will all work together so I can reach my goal.

My mom is so amazing. She has taken on a lot these past 4 years taking care of my dad after his strokes, which I know wouldn’t be easy. And no matter what goes on, she always remains sweet and funny. She also had a lot of fun adventures raising me (I can only imagine what she must have thought sometimes when I brought home strange and unusual pets, and boys). She is my best and dearest friend, and I am glad there is a day to celebrate moms and what they do for us.

And Happy Mothers’ Day to all my friends too! So many of you are moms, which is amazing because we aren’t old enough for that (right?). You amaze me! And of course a big wish to my mother in law as well! Hurray for mothers!

One of my 101 list items is getting all my old film transfered to my computer. It’s been such a fun trip down memory lane, these photos are just some of many fun examples of the great times that I had with my friends before life took us in new directions and different cities. Not a day goes by that I don’t wish we all lived on the same street, but looking back on these photos and remembering the fun times makes me so happy!

Making new friends as an adult seems a bit harder than when I was younger. Everyone is busy with their lives (and boy oh boy, married life is sure busy), and the opportunities to meet people just aren’t the same. That is why I treasure my dear friends, and the fun times we had while we were footloose and fancy free. Thank goodness for those times, and thank goodness for good friends.

“What is a friend? I will tell you…it is someone with whom
you dare to be yourself.”
- Frank Crane

This little stuffed dog was a gift from the neighbors, they thought it looked like Baby and I have to admit, they were right!

The sun is especially welcome right now because it seems like we have had an unusually cold spring. Yesterday was raining and gloomy, and after a long gloomy winter it’s just too much to have to wait for that glorious Vitamin D!

I feel badly for my hubby, he is stuck working all day in an office with no windows. He often misses out on all the fun weather that happens, both the sun and the storms. Hopefully his next job will come with a view, but until then he is left out of the fun.

There are still some plants that need to get in the ground, and hopefully after this weekend we will be safe to plant annuals as well (the usual last frost comes no later than Mother’s Day in our area). But mostly I hope the sun keeps shining so it can beat the winter blues into submission. I really do think I am affected by the lack of sunlight, because I sure do feel like doing a happy dance once the sun comes out!

1. Spanish.
2. How to make my own picture frames.
3. PHP.
4. JavaScript.
5. How to read crochet directions and actually have it work.
6. How to make my own sewing patterns.
7. How to change my car’s oil.
8. Final Cut Pro.
9. How to make tortillas from scratch.
10. How to do a “float up” with my hoop.
11. Rappelling (it’s been a long time).
12. How to build a deck/patio.
13. Print making.

What do you want to learn to do?