BAGGED AND TAGGED!

Well, I have a story to tell you! I was just going along, and blogging my own business, when Mary the Food Floozie went and tagged me out. You heard me right. She went and tagged me out. Apparently, Leanne tagged her out with 19 questions, which she answered thoughtfully, and even managed to incorporate some youtube action. Normally, I am all over that. I don't know how I let this post get by me with no youtube action (I am mentally doing some head scratching right now, but trying to move past this salient point). Anyway, back to the topic at hand... she tagged me out. She answered the questions and then tagged four people to answer the same 19 questions. I was one of the four. Yep, I am one of her people. We are tight. Buds. Peeps. Pals. Sistas. Okay, I have worked that as much as I am going to for now. I might come back to it again later. Or not. So, here are the 19 questions and my educated, insightful responses.


1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?

Definitely members of the family. Our dogs are getting older and I worry about it. No one can even talk about the passing of our family dog when I was growing up without a total breakdown. That involves tons of tissue and brings on a sinus headache on top of my pre-existing migraine. Yeah, people who love dogs as much as I do probably shouldn't adopt them knowing that I will probably outlive them. Probably.


2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?

Well, this is going to be a reoccurring theme, I think. (I read the questions already.) My website is going to take off, which means people are going to respond like crazy to my email with doctor/medical information. When I get better I will take it to the next level and register it as a non-profit organization. Someone will offer to do a fundraiser and the dominoes will start to fall into place to kick off Phase 2: Forging Hope Houses. HGTV will agree to put it in their fall line-up and the fundraising race will be on. The race we will win, by the way. So, sometime in the next three years or so 24 houses will be coming to cities or towns near you. Assisting people in their journey from illness to wellness. Forging Hope Houses. Moving from a dream to a reality.


3. what is the one thing most hated by you?

Negativity (if I have to pick just one ~ all the other bad stuff blows off of it).


4. what would you do with a billion dollars?

I would Launch Phase 2 all by myself. I would convince HGTV to put it on the fall line-up, still fundraise, get celebrities to support it (people love their celebs), and pull approx 10 individuals or families off of the streets in 24 cities and put them in a house. 10 people who were misdiagnosed or undiagnosed to the point that they became so sick that they lost their job, their health insurance, and finally their house. You can't even apply for SSDI without an address. 10 people (some with, and some without families) will get a home. Three meals a day. A driver to get them to their medical appts. An address so that they can apply for SSDI. Their kids can go to school. Their spouse, if they have one, can apply for work. They can pay rent when their SSDI comes in (% appropriate), their dr bills, and put money back into savings, so that they can have something for a downpayment on car/home when they are well. The goal is to assist them on their journey from illness to wellness. Forging Hope House is The Assist in giving them their life back. Sick person walks in and well person walks out who can go back to work, or at least, have SSDI and be able to manage their life.


5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?

Laughing, singing, reading some of your blogs! Watching YouTube. I am a YouTube junkie. Oh, and MM. If you don't know what that means.... well, you haven't been reading this blog regular enough!


6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?

This reminds me of a blog I wrote about the "curse" I feel like I was dealt back in college. I had to choose my freshman year whether I would marry someone who I loved more or who loved me more. Either way, it was lose/lose. You loved him more than he loved you and you knew it. Or he loved you more than you loved him, and you knew it. Horrible choice. All of this after my terrible epic fail in Music Theory Class. It was one epic fail after another. Anyway, I reflected on this blog that I felt like it set up my whole life and all of my relationships. Destined to be in one relationship after another that was out of balance. And it was like I sensed it that day of my freshman year in college. Destiny weighing down on me just waiting to spite me in future years. Egads. BOTH ARE HORRIBLE. I have lived on both ends of this scale and they both SUCK MONKEY BALLS. I choose to never live this way ever again. How is that for you fate? Never again!!!!! Suck that. In other words, there is no blessing in either of those choices... if I wasn't clear enough.


7. what is your bedtime routine?

Well, I watch my soaps on weekdays on soapnet (to wind down) at least most of the time. Sometimes GH winds me up, but most of the time it winds me down. And I putz around on facebook while I am doing this. I have watched these shows for 20+ years... yeah, I am that old. So, I can multi-task and not miss anything. Every now and then something is so riveting that I have to just sit and stare, but most of the time I can do my facebook crap and and watch/listen to my soaps at the same time. Then, it is fill my water, brush teeth, pee (did you really need all of this info?), and then my nightly prayers. Then, I lie there. Sometimes I sleep. Usually I lie in bed and listen to my migraine until about 1am before I drift off. I think I have covered everything.


8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?

Currently in a relationship....hahahahahaha


9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?

I am trying to come up with something you'd believe, but you all know it is Marshall Mathers. After he pulled out his box of notepads on 60 Minutes, I am now riveted by how he takes an idea and runs with it. Does it start with a word? A phrase? Does he pull it off one of those notepads or it is something that just leaps into his mind? Does he pull the whole thing together in like 30 minutes or is it something that torments him for days? I know that sometimes an idea will grab hold of me and practically write itself. It comes out fast and furious. And, other times, it is like scraping the bottom of a very empty barrel. Painful. I suspect it is a mixture of both. Yeah, I admit I would love to be a fly on that wall. Well, not really a fly. Flies are gross. You know what I mean.


10. what kinds of books do you read?

Here lately I haven't been reading much of anything. The last books I read were some YA books I bought for H-girl. I vetted them to see if she might like them. I liked them, but that means nada. Normally, I read women's fiction. I will also read stuff on non-traditional health (shocking, I know). But, I also like James Patterson, particularly the Alex Cross series. And I have already gone on about how awesome Janet Evanovich is, so I won't bore you anymore with that. I am a recent Charlaine Harris fan. I was gobbling up the Sookie Stackhouse series until I realized I would hit the end in a couple of books, so I quit. I wanted to have something to savor. So, I haven't been doing much reading lately... except for you folks. Oh, yeah, and I keep reading Peter Drucker's book on managing a non-profit over and over and over again. Can we say obsessed?


11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?

Managing a very successful non-profit organization.


12. what’s your fear?

That I will allow my fear to cloud my judgement. Anything is possible, so long as you know that it is possible. It is when you stop knowing it that it stops being possible.


13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?

I don't give a rat's butt about outer space. I have a mission on this planet.


14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?

Money is irrelevant. People, I am on a mission to save the freaking world.


15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?

Well, before I can save the freaking world, I take my pain medication for my killer migraines. And then I claw my way to the bathroom.


16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?

Magic wand. Appear.


17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?

My name means "of shining fame." I can live with that.


18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?

I have tried to do that. Learned that I don't have that superpower.


19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?

My friend, Mary, is pretty smart. She went with salad, so that she could go with all kinds of salad. Chicken salad, tuna salad, etc. I think I am going to be a copycat and go with that, too. I couldn't live on just ONE thing for six months. Seriously. One thing? I am already down to a size 4 peeps. You put me on one food item and I might just die. And I can't die now. I have BIG PLANS and I am not going out because I was so stupid I only ate one thing for six months. So, there you go!


Now, I have to pick four people to tag out. I am basing this decision on a couple of factors. I know that some of you just don't "do" these sorts of things. So, not getting tagged doesn't mean I don't love you. It just means I know you. And some of you need some love right now, and that is what this is ~ some tagging love. And there are others of you who I think will provide very funny answers to these questions. You can decide where you fall in my decision-making process. In any event, I look forward to reading your answers to these questions. You have been tagged...

Carol the Gardener

That One Girl at What Was I Saying Again?

JJ The Disconnected Writer

Purple Cow at Letters to Imaginary Friends (to get your new blog going!)

To make this easier, here are the 19 questions for you:

1. if you have pets, do you see them as merely animals, or are they members of your family?
2. if you can have a dream to come true, what would it be?
3. what is the one thing most hated by you?
4. what would you do with a billion dollars?
5. what helps to pull you out of a bad mood?
6. which is more blessed, loving someone or being loved by someone?
7. what is your bedtime routine?
8. if you are currently in a relationship, how did you meet your partner?
9. if you could watch a creative person in the act of the creative process, who would it be?
10. what kinds of books do you read?
11. how would you see yourself in ten years time?
12. what’s your fear?
13. would you give up all junk food for the rest of your life for the opportunity to visit outer space?
14. would you rather be single and rich or married, but poor?
15. what’s the first thing you do when you wake up?
16. if you could change one thing about your spouse/partner what would it be?
17. if you could pick a new name for yourself, what would it be?
18. would you forgive and forget no matter how horrible a thing that special someone has done?
19. if you could only eat one thing for the next 6 months, what would it be?


image found at www.weheartit.com

DAY 9: DEAR SOMEONE YOU'D LIKE TO MEET

Dear Program Director at HGTV,

I hope that I am sending this letter to the right person. If not, would you please arrange a meeting between me, and whoever makes the decisions about programming at HGTV. That is the person that I would like to meet, and have a very important conversation with about a new show for your station. As it stands, I am going to go with my gut and believe that person is you.

It hasn't happened yet, but in the not-so-distant future, I am going to have a website that exists for the sole purpose of helping people all over this country find doctors who 1) listen, 2) don't just treat symptoms, but get to the root of the problem, and 3) think outside the box. Once this site becomes extensive enough, meaning we have found doctors all over the US in every specialty imaginable, we are going to be ready to take it to the next level, and that is when I am going to be ringing your phone. Of course, before that I am going be doing extensive praying, and sending up a rocket of desire into the universe that you will simply take my call. I think you will.

The website is amazing and it will help so many people. I know you will be impressed when you see it. There will all kinds of letters from people who have been helped. However, it isn't enough. We have to do more. When people hit the bottom, they fall through the floor. I was lucky when I fell through the floor, because I had parents who caught me. Not everyone has that. Those people become homeless. Very sick and homeless. We have to do more. And that is why I am calling you. You have shows about helping people fix their houses, decorate their houses, and generate income by making portions of their houses into rental properties. Let's build houses for people who have fallen through the floor. It's time to start really making a difference, but I need your help.

You see I have this plan to build houses all over the country for people who have fallen through the floor. And I know that you will like this idea, because it will be like nothing you've ever done. I will do my part to help you in this endeavor. I know this means that I am going to end up fundraising like crazy. That is okay. I have faith that it will work out. People who have been helped will hold out their hand, offer help in return, and the money will come in. If I can help with the money to buy the land, can you do the rest? I am willing to work with you on this to make it a show that people will watch. Once we get these houses up and running, we will have to hire people to work round the clock. We will have to pay for maid service and we will need to pay someone to drive these people to all of their doctor appointments. There will be monthly utility bills for each house every month. There will be repairs. The expense will be ongoing and I plan to build houses all over. Some states may have as many as 30 houses in them before this is done, depending on the size of the state, and the need that exists there. And I want to do all of this with you.

So, I am willing to listen to whatever ideas you have on making this show of ours a success, because it is all about the people. I imagine that you have figured out that I really don't think small. It is all or nothing with me. If you're going to help, then you might as well go the distance, and help as many people as you possibly can. I think that after our first season, we could make the show an hour, instead of a half hour, and use the last twenty minutes to revisit the houses we put up first season. That way the people could meet the people who live there, work there, and see exactly how the houses work. The idea is to take sick people, get them well, help them to save money (because they should be on SSD if they are that sick), help them find work, and then help them get an apartment or a house. Get them well and get them working. In the third season, we could even check on some people who have actually gotten that far. We could run footage from when they were sick, and then show them at work. If people aren't crying at the end of every single one of our shows, we aren't doing it right. I feel myself getting teary just thinking about it.

I hope that you are now as excited about this show as I am. I hope that you are even more excited about all of the good that we are going to do. It is because of that feeling in your heart that you will say "yes" to my proposal, even if other folks at the network think it's a lousy idea. We will prove them wrong. Before the first season is even over, we will be the top-rated show on your network. It's a beautiful day when love and compassion come out on top.

I look forward to working with you.

All Best,
Robin


image pilfered from Miss Angie at My So-Called Chaos

CAN WE PRETEND?

I have posted before about my insomnia. Nothing new there. Well... I think that I mentioned that one of the things that I have recently tried is cutting the TV down to "3" (volume) and changing the channel to HGTV. That would be Home Garden Television for those of you not in the know. My mom loves that channel. It has been fairly effective at knocking me out. At that time of night, they usually run back to back episodes of HOUSE HUNTERS. If I can focus in on the show, and shut out my mental craziness, I will often nod off.


Well, I had a particularly bad night earlier this week. I was up until REALLY LATE. So, that meant that I didn't wake up until REALLY LATE. If I am not up by noon, my mom is knocking on my door. She has this fear that I might accidentally overdose myself in the middle of the night. It is actually a valid fear. When you have a rager of a migraine, you can forget what meds you have taken and how much. I used to scare myself sometimes when I lived alone. Hence, the notepad and the need to write this crap down. However, when you aren't thinking clearly sometimes you forget to write it down. It's a crazy circle. Anyway, at noon she knocks on my door to check if I am alive. Sometimes she waits until 12:30. Whatever.

I think that this particular day it was more like 12:30 and I was alive. I felt terrible, but I was breathing. Terrible migraine. But still here. HGTV was still running on my TV. I took my pain meds, grabbed a granola bar out of the nightstand, ate it in bed, and waited. A half hour later, the world looked much more promising. And then the most amazing thing happened. You aren't going to believe this sh*t. Actually, this isn't going to have quite the same impact because I haven't complained on here about HGTV the way I have in the "real world." BORING is the word that I trumpet the most loudly and frequently.

INCOME PROPERTY came on. Scott McGillivray comes in and assesses someone's house (at their request), if they have extra space that they want to turn into a rental, and he (and his team) does the renovation. I turned the volume up to "9" and was transfixed. Start to finish. Was the renovation cool? Absolutely. Did I learn a lot? Oh yeah. Was Scott so hot he set my television on fire? Definitely. You are thinking very loudly, Purple Cow. I know I am having a mid-life meltdown. Let me enjoy it.



I've discovered that INCOME PROPERTY comes on weekdays at 1:00 pm and weekends at 11:30am, so I have to plan accordingly. Well, today, after INCOME PROPERTY, I got sucked into two episodes of DESIGNED TO SELL, and there were NO hot men in sight. That was an entire hour of just digging the whole remodeling crap. Uh oh. My mom's favorite show on HGTV is HOLMES ON HOMES. He is not a hottie, but he is handy. They ran several ads for his show while I was glued to the TV today and they started to look good. The show... not the guy.



I am pretty sure it's official. I am turning into my mother. Pretty soon we will be hanging out in the living room together on Sunday nights waiting for HOLMES ON HOMES to come on and discussing things like plumbing. And that wasn't sexual innuendo ~ I mean plumbing, as in for reals. And fixtures. Heaven help me.

Now that doesn't mean I am not going to ogle Scott on INCOME PROPERTY for thirty minutes every day. You bet your sweet your a**, I will definitely be doing that. People, I have to ogle something! And he is HANDY. He knows how to use a hammer, wrench, and all of those other manly tools. Right Guy was HANDY. He was/is a mechanic. Yeah, I like a man who knows his way around a shop and knows what to do with his hands. Unfortunately, I am fairly certain my chances of re-jumpstarting my relationship with Right Guy are only slightly better than my chances with Scott. And that is nil, because Scott is newly married. Right Guy slept through his plane and he missed it.



Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now. Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now.

And it seems like yesterday it was just a dream, but those days are gone, they're just memories. And it seems like yesterday it was just a dream, but those days are gone.

Cuz he never risked shit he hopes and he wished it, but it didn’t fall in his lap so he ain’t even here he pretends that…
Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now. Can we pretend that airplanes in the night sky are like shooting stars? I could really use a wish right now, wish right now, wish right now.