Words of Wisdom

Editors note: I found it!

I searched and searched but couldn't find the picture I had--a comic--of three lizards looking down below, as one was holding onto a rope tied to their lizard buddy's tail that had fallen off. The comic reads "Why lizards should never bungee jump" hahha. The comic went perfectly with my mom's true story from a few days ago.

She was putting on her seat belt and I guess, kind of tucked in the back of her shirt because it felt like the shirt was bunching up or something. So later, when she went to use the bathroom and slid her pants down, a dead lizard dropped to the floor. She muffled a scream! removed the lizard and then went on to do her thing. It was missing it's tail. When she turned to flush, she discovered the tail, delicately resting on the toilet seat. (I think it had a little rope tied around the tip--see it wasn't my mom's fault!)

Besides all that... for the next few daze I will not be around. I will miss you and check on you in the evenings, but while I'm away I thought you could help offer your finest words of wisdom right here at KOOL DAZE!

Leave just one wise phrase per comment.

Come back and provide more wisdom if you've had another stroke of brilliance and think you can top what's already been given.

Isn't She Darling?

Caleigh is modelling her new hair cut (done by none other karenkool) and her fake nails (done by herself).

I'm heading into a very busy week. The Parent Teacher Organization is hosting an Estate Sale with all these amazing items that have been donated by Cora and Peter Weiss (google her and you'll see what kind of people they are). They wanted to donate all these things to the PTO so we could raise money for our students to do some international travels, etc. Isn't that awesome? So I am donating precious summertime to help man this sale. Set-up begins tomorrow and Thursday. The sale will go from Friday through Sunday. Needless to say, I won't be around much for the next five daze. Have fun without me.

There will (hopefully) be a post tomorrow that you all can participate in, so be watching.

Oh the Humidity...

OK! Seriously, I do not mind the humidity, especially because I have the beach and the pool to relieve myself from the oppressive, sweltering heat (which isn't all that bad, anyway). But the humidity does wonders for my piano! The technician won't even come out to tune during this season, because in a couple of weeks the notes that have gone way out will have made their way back, fairly close to their proper pitches. I really don't want to spend $100 to have to do it again in three weeks. So, I wait patiently. I kind of avoid playing the piano or teaching on it during these highly moisturized daze.

But between you and me, Timiquae is driving me to the brink of insanity! He's the sweetest boy; a neighbor who is visiting from Georgia for the summer and is here EVERY SINGLE DAY from morning until evening. But I'd like a break sometimes. LIKE NOW!! My boys aren't even here most of the time, and he still comes... and stays. He basically hangs out with me (I'm growing weary).

So, what does he do to entertain himself? Well, he swims. He goes to the beach with us. He tries to be helpful, but I kind of ignore him. The rest of the time he tinkers around on the piano. I think it's his favorite thing. He especially enjoys playing OCTAVES using the lower and middle registers--THE LOWER REGISTER IS THE ONE THAT IS HORRIBLY OUT OF TUNE--and he just tortures the hell out of me with my very own piano!!! I almost want to grab an ax out of the garage and run into the family room and start chopping the piano into pieces. AGHHHH!!!

Piano teacher goes insane and chops her grand piano into firewood. A few fingers were lost in the rage! ~Newsday

I just handed him some beginner piano books in hopes to keep him occupied in the middle register. If he plays anymore of those damn octaves, though, I swear I'm gonna snap! I do have my own tuning equipment. Maybe I will tidy up some of the extreme pitch problems, so at least I don't kill anybody or destroy a valuable instrument.

Need I Say More?

~ Thursday was a great night of laughter and good times over at a friends. It was quite the riot!

~ Had a near knock-down-drag-out last night with my oldest boy, but it's ok now.

~ Wore a bathing suit that caused some very white areas of skin to be burned, even though I was wearing sunscreen. Ouch!

~ Couldn't sleep last night.

~ Having a family beach party tomorrow evening, which will hopefully be fun.

~ It's grocery day and the staples are completely out (and I don't mean the little attachers that go in a stapler). People are complaining! Half-n-half is OUT!!!

~ I had no real computer time yesterday and have company so do not fear; I'm not going away for good. Just hang tight--and don't be so co-dependent on my blog posts! ;-P

~ I'm exhausted and have nothing much to say. Ciao! Have a good weekend! Blessings and good cheer. Amen and amen!

I think I figured it out

This fox raccoon was definitely the sound outside our window the other morning. I guess that means Terry was right and my POP was right, although, I couldn't find a fox sound bite and I have never in my life heard of a "fox raccoon." In fact, I just googled it and I don't believe there is any such thing. There is, however a raccoon fox which lives in regions of South America. (Once again--someone's exotic pet).

I know this raccoon sound all too well from camping. They join right in with you for the entire evening's adventure of trying to sleep.

We have plenty of these chipmunks hanging around the woodpile. I would have thought this sound was a kaddydid or frog or something (is that how you spell kaddydid?) .

Here's a better chipmunk sound.
ok that was Alvin

This one was interesting. The sugarglider (squirrel).

These hyennas sound very much like teenage boys after they've had several red bulls!

Here is a soundbite of Terry while he's sleeping.

And this is ME after being woken up from my sleep for no good reason! and then again here.

Sound effects are courtesy of Partners in Rhyme

Story Add-on...

It was 4:23 AM when her eyes flew open from a sound sleep. She was disoriented at first, maybe from having a bit too much Sangria with the other Parent Teacher Organization buddies earlier in the evening. But hearing the water running upstairs she could only wonder, "Why the hell someone was taking a shower at this time of night?!"

Climbing the stairs to investigate, the boys claimed they had come home around 1:30 from work but were staying up all night to catch the 6:30 AM train. "If we go to sleep now we'll NEVER wake up at 6. We just have to stay up until then, " insures the older son.

"Whatever!" She says, and slinks back down to her own bed as the head begins to pound.

Lying there in bed, trying to "not wake up! not wake up! just act like it was a dream," she hears the strangest... bird call?? from outside the window in the back yard. Her husband hears it too. He asks, "What IS that? A raccoon?" She still thinks it some strange bird, but it sounds like it's from the Amazon or somewhere very different then this northeastern part of the USA. And, it was VERY annoying. "It's a monkey!!" she thought. "What the hell would a monkey be doing in our yard? Someone lost their exotic pet into our back yard?''

She tries to decide, "Should I just put the fan on to drown out the sound... or... should I grab a flashlight and investigate? It's four frikkin forty-five in the morning!!!"

Just for fun...

You definitely should watch some of these clips --especially the sleep disorders one.

And Now... what you've all been waiting for

The Winner of this lovely, mint, U.S. $2 bill that I've had since I delivered newspapers at the fledgling age of 12... the job I hated the most, but was thoroughly intrigued when I recieved one of the earliest printed $2 bills as part of my meager earnings, in which I've held onto for all these 28 18 years... (good bye my faithful friend) [sniff sniff]

as well as the recipient of one of the most exciting DVDs, derived from one of the most incredible TV shows of ALL TIME... I give you BATMAN the movie, HOLY SPECIAL EDITION BATMAN!


And the FIRST and SECOND PLACE WINNER is....
Heather
from Whatever!
with the lovely, affectionately re-captioned "3rd child salute" (27 pts)and the amazing capture of Milo's quandry
"Oh dear God, this is who is responsible for my upbringing?" (19 pts)


THIRD PLACE goes to

Heidi Jo from Heidi Jo What Do You Know

with the fondly re-captioned "Human Canvas" (16 pts)

Honorable Mention goes to

Andrea from EnjoyNLife

with the thoughtfully re-captioned "Blue Beer DAZE" (8 pts)

I want to thank all the other contestants for their lively participation: Becstar, Ginger, Turtle (who must be in the gutter somewhere), Michelle F., Chelle, Adrienne, and Mitch . Mitch is here too.

Give them all a round of applause!!

What Do You Get...

when you cross a yacht:

with an overconfident skateboarder?

You get a couple of really PISSED OFF people! Allow me to share some background.

My boys work hard and make lots and lots of money in the summer. Hey, we live in the Hamptons, a place where the owners of Yachts and mansions travel to for their little weekend getaways.

(yes, that's a helicopter on top of that small boat)

My boys don't know the meaning of SAVING their money for future daze, when they will want to buy a car and go to college etc. They must have toys. They must have them NOW! They buy skateboards, and scooters and wave boards and street runners and snowboards and dirt bikes and pocket bikes and mountain bikes and long boards and inline skates and whatever else is out there. And then their moocher friends all ask to borrow these toys so they can travel as a pack all over town.

The other day, Hubie (pronounced who-bee), was skateboarding with one of Luke's rather expensive boards. He was boarding on Long Wharf, where all these amazing yachts are docked for the summer. Luke was riding alongside on his bike when Hubie fell off the board and sent it flying. The skateboard literally crashed into the side of one of those luxury yachts and continued its flight by dropping into the deep water below--gone forever. (Hubie can't swim, hence the floaties lol). So, needless to say, the yacht boys were yelling at Him, telling him he was going to have to pay for the damage (yea right) and threatening him by taking his phone number--but Luke was telling him, "Forget them! You are paying ME for my frikkin skateboard!!" Ay yi yi.

Hubie works at Kmart... NOT the highest paying job.

Don't forget to vote for your three favorite photos from the contest that's been going on. See the former post and vote in the comment box!

And the Submissions Are...

Here's where you come in. Pick your top three choices: 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and list them in the comment box. Don't forget to factor in how well the pictures communicate the idea of being put through the (w)ringer. (Give extra kudos for creativity).

OK--I gotta go. Enjoy!

Don't Forget...

like I did momentarily! Get your pictures in for the photo contest because TODAY is the deadline!!! I have about 15 submissions so far. I know a few of your are still wanting to enter {eHEM} SOHAILAH! So, let's get it into gear people. Good luck.

G.S.A., Re-gifting, Love Languages, Etc.

It's a great hat, don't cha think? My brother gave it to BJ for his b-day!

G.S.A.? Yes, G.S.A.--Gift Selection Anxiety. I didn't check the urban dictionary on this one either. So ZUBA? Does it mean anything else that we should know about??? It's actually another term I made up myself, just now. I was trying to come up with a word that describes what comes over me when I know I need to get a gift for someone. Christmas, of course, is the worst, but that's several months away still.

No... I never know what gifts to get for people!! Seriously! It gives me a level of anxiety that I'm not comfortable with, but at least it's not a paralyzing fear or anything. I don't even need medication for it. It's just a mild case, thank the good Lord. Actually, I just purchased a great gift yesterday for one of my daughters' friends. I was rather pleased with myself. But I hate shopping. I like giving gifts, but there is nothing about it that brings me great joy. I love to receive gifts, but even that isn't something I live or die for. What is the deal about gifts?? Or should I say, what is MY PROBLEM??

Sometimes I feel like certain people have an expectation... and because I tend to be quite perceptive about things, the expectation brings to me pressure and is a total killjoy. I really hate shopping for those certain people! HATE IT! They probably don't even have an expectation when getting something from me. Those people probably know that I'm a re-gifter! "It's from Karen? Oh... heh... ok. I'll just open it later." Not much of an expectation there! (No, it's not really like that. I don't think...)

Anyway, as for me, I usually never have an expectation about what I think people should give, do for, buy for, or say to me. I'm easy that way. I'd rather just live and let live. I'm easy to surprise; easy to delight; easy to humor. I like the gifts I receive, mostly. Although, Mom, just so you know... I don't ever wear loose fitting polyester pants with an elastic waistband, EVER... even if they are marked down from $75 to $50 to $20 to $2.99. You can go ahead and keep those for yourself. Enjoy! ;-)

More than the whole gift thing, what I value most is having true connections with people; getting on the same level even for a few moments of conversation; spontaneously having a good heart to heart chat; laughing to tears about something ridiculously funny.

I've heard several of my friends over the years talk about this thing called their 'Love Language' which came from a book or something. I've had many conversations where a person has pointed out their particular love language; one being words of affirmation, another one was giving and receiving gifts. Then there was the love language of giving and receiving affection. Some people really need to be touched and hugged. I can't remember if there are any other categories. Is sentimentality one? I know that some people are deeply sentimental and if you join in with them they truly feel loved. I think verbal communication may be one too.

I appreciate and enjoy all of these things, but I am definitely NOT sentimental. I really don't need presents to feel loved, and don't want someone to need me to give them gifts to make them happy. GSA, remember? I am not a deeply affectionate person, although I do show affection when I feel like it. I can use affirmation from time to time, especially when I'm in unfamiliar territory (like my tennis game today) but I'm self-confident for the most part, and have a realistic mindset about most things. I can trust that someone loves me without needing continuous reassurance. If any of these categories were to be named my "official" love language it would be... communication. I want to be heard and understood, and I generally feel compelled to be a good listener to others. That, my friends, is my gift of choice--to actively listen to others. It definitely overrides, for me, any of the other mentioned ways of communicating love to those around me. It's not to say that I don't make valiant efforts to show love in those other ways, but I usually feel as though I'm not being myself as much when I use those other means.

So, why do I feel badly when I come home empty handed, say from a vacation? Like for turtle... who always wants a souvenir, but never gets one from me? What is it that causes me to shy away when I perceive some kind of passive aggression from a friend who is obviously needing reassurance i.e. fishing for a compliment? (:-P) I could just go ahead and give the affirmation, but it makes me feel manipulated and thus turns my gift into an obligation. What about when people whine and whine to be put on my blogroll? They go and change their URL address and then expect me to go update my blogroll with their new address??? GEEEZ!!! Blogroll Shmogroll!! Who really cares about that?

Really though, kidding aside, I am who I am. My experiences have in many ways shaped the way I live my life today, whether good or bad. But I'm comfortable with myself. I still have lots of changes needed, but that's ok.

By the way, I am terrible about sending thank you notes, Christmas cards, birthday cards and other holidays to long-distance family and friends, and about returning phone calls, and updating my blogroll. So shoot me!

The Toothfairy Screw Up

"Not another tooth fairy story," you say! Give me a break. This is my final child to lose her first tooth. And furthermore, it's the ONLY tooth fairy story I have to tell, because I don't remember ever getting into that whole thing with the kids--EVER! I'm just a meany!!

But Caleigh is a persistent one!! She is the drama girl, always going around getting everyone's attention. Over the past three weeks she has been announcing how many "loose tooths" she has. It started with one loose tooth. You heard her say it over and over again. (Very annoying--not cute!) The next day it was "two loose tooths," and then three... and four... and five... etc. until she had "thirteen loose tooths!" It started to become funny after a while and less annoying, because around the 5th loose tooth she exited the annoying stage and entered the clever stage. I guess her comic timing kicked in. (Way to go, girl).

Just before our youth group pool party yesterday was when Caleigh so excitedly and unexpectedly lost her first tooth. This was amazing for her. It probably had something to do with the HUGE wad of gum she was chewing and continued to chew even after the tooth came out. But she was excited. She showed every single person at the party--at least twice or maybe three times. Here's one of their self-made party games:

I tried to capture them entering the water, but only got the splash!

So... anyway, after Caleigh heard just about everyone say something about the toothfairy, there was No WAY I'd be getting out of this one. That tooth was going under her pillow for some treasure in return... although... she accidentally fell asleep in my bed and forgot all about the tooth which she left on the kitchen counter in her little baggie. Hmmm... what to do, what to do? After she was placed in her own bed, I decided to write a little note that said "Dear Caleigh, Very nice tooth! [insert toothless smiling girl, an arrow pointing to a single tooth, and terribly drawn picture of a fairy] Love, the toothfairy." I placed the note and a dollar bill--the same one she already got from someone else (hahaha)--under her pillow.

Before she came into my room this morning I heard here saying, "I can't find my money!" Then she came in my room, and we had this little conversation:

Caleigh: I forgot to put my tooth under my pillow last night.

Me, in my very sleepy, annoyed voice: Go check under your pillow anyway. Maybe the tooth fairy saw your tooth in the kitchen and put something under your pillow anyway.

Caleigh, wandering over to my dresser: My tooth is RIGHT HERE!

[She then runs to check under her pillow...]

Caleigh: [excitedly] The tooth fairy gave me a dollar!

Me: [still from bed with my eyes closed] Was there a note?

Caleigh: No! [but runs back to check] There's a note!

She brings it to me and I read it aloud.

Caleigh: The toothfairy knows MY NAME????

[She runs out of the room grabbing her tooth off my dresser, and from the hallway I hear her announce to the girls about the dollar she got from the toothfairy.]

Then I hear: I'm putting my tooth under my pillow for tonight.

Ay yi yi!!!

No, I Don't Love Seagulls

I went with a new template. WOOHOO!!! (I'm playing around with the font colors because I finally have a white background to give me more room for creative expression--AND I wanna be more like Heidi Jo although she now changed her template to brown).

So, why this template? It's not that I love the gulls. We actually call them dump chickens around here. Oh, if I still lived in the next town over, I'd have taken a picture of them all lined up on the rail at the dump. They scavenge from just beneath a sign saying NO LOITERING! NO GARBAGE PICKING! but I'd have to pay $5 just to take that picture now, since I don't have a permit anymore for that recycling center. No! I don't love seagulls. They actually took off with the kids' sandwiches at the beach the other day. We all went down to the water to swim and they carelessly left their food out on the towels... exposed! DUH!! You can't expect those scavengers to refrain--not with THAT kind of tempation. I chased them off, flapping my arms and using my expert gull screech. I wrapped the heroes back up and put them in the zippered cooler. I failed to mention about the gull germs to the kids' until after they finished 'em off. (Nah--I told them).

Later, Nate decided to lay quietly in the sand with chips all around him and on his back. He wanted to get a seagull close enough to grab him by the leg or something. This is Nate's favorite thing--TEASING! At one point he was completely surrounded by about 7 of them. They never knew the danger they were in. Basically, they were all afraid of each other and the beating (or should I say, BEAKING) they'd get if the other one caught them stealing the chip first.

Did I ever mention that I was part of an association called The Society of the Preservation of the Rights of Gulls (SPROG)? We were a serious group, people!!! We wrote letters to the newspapers and held fund raisers and even posted little round stickers in our car windows. (Ok, so it was all in fun and games. But I don't remember a time that I had more laughs. My truly funny friends all moved away--WAAAHHHHHHH!!). Editors note: I am speaking specifically of the friends who used to live in my immediate locale who no longer live here--it's not a slam on my blogger friends... or turtle.

So, the template is in honor of my former association of the SPROG! Long live SPROG!

Now Piping Plover on the other hand... TASTES LIKE CHICKEN!

There's Still Time to Enter!!

Example:

" Ok... it is hotter than h*ll up here, and I don't think I can breath! Why, Mitch? Why'd you make me clean out my own attic? WHY???"

I have four entries so far. The competition can only get hotter!! Send in your "Put Through the Ringer" photo entries to karenkool@optonline.net by Wednesday 7/18. The judging will begin on Thursday 10:00 AM Eastern Standard Time (or sometime thereafter). Anyone can enter. See former post for rules and other info. Good luck to all!

It's CONTEST TIME again!!

I'm in the mood for another contest! WOOHOO!!! Is Michelle F. ready for a little competition??

Hmmm I wonder if any of you will want to enter this one. First, let me mention that I'm working on the prize. I am considering sending the winning contestant an authentic U.S. $2 bill AND a used DVD-- BATMAN: The Movie, Holy Special Edition. Both of these items could be worth some money one day!! Especially if I autograph them.

And it shall be named, A Kool Daze original: Put Through the Ringer Photo Contest!

This contest will be much like the self-portrait contest; related posts can be viewed by clicking here.

What to enter--a picture, preferably of yourself, or of someone you've personally caught on film, that depicts a "put through the ringer" appearance i.e. rising after a long night of non-sleep, an annoyed look that comes quite naturally upon screaming at kids for 24 hours straight, the surprise photo taken at the end of a 2000 mile trek in a car without stopping, the lovely after-camping pic, a photo after a long night at the bar, etc.

How to enter--email your photos (max of three) in jpeg format to karenkool@optonline.net Include your name, email address, and mailing address. And give each photo a caption or description.

More points gained--when the photo evokes an emotion from it's viewers; when the photo is actually of the contestant (makes it more personal to the community); when the caption or description is entertaining, witty, or revealing; with originality. Am I forgetting something? Oh yea...


Send photos in by--WEDNESDAY NIGHT 7/18 (I extended the date) Don't procrastinate this time, you slackers and thus miss your opportunity for fame and fortune! You know who you are!!

Editor's insert of a few examples:
They took away my shady yard and put in a frikkin pool! Did I mention that I'm not allowed to swim in it. Damn humans!

I can't take another episode of Bob the Builder! But I can't stop watching...

One more wise crack out of that kids and I'm gonna explode on someone!

You wanna do WHAT?! yea riiiight!

Ahhh Beach Daze...

The ocean has been a little rough for the average swimmer, but we've been hittin' the surf anyway. YEA BABY!!! As this little heat wave has crept in, it's made the beach a delightful place to be, with the ocean mist and cooler temps. (Today we had intense fog--which is common in the summer, but it seems like my Aussie friends get "the fog" in their colder winter season. Just thought I'd throw that in for a bit of interest). Anyhoo--

Yesterday, I came home from the beach to a loud thumping of garbage rap being played out at the pool side. YES! MY POOL SIDE!!! Luke and his friends set up his makeshift system, and were having a good ol' time. It was so annoying. I had to keep going out to the iPod to forward to the next song due to the language... or content... or just plain non-musical crap! It was either change the song or kill myself! Check it out:
He has conveniently removed the bass knob to simply keep it cranked all the way to the right--kind of like a "do not touch" sign--while keeping the treble, and mid gains way to the left. This creates an amazing amount of distortion and... thumping! [insert serious smirk]--you know, the kind of noise you hear from those fancy drug dealer cars crusing down the street with the black tinted windows and spinners on the rims. It does NOT even fall into the category of music in this musician's book!!! (I know a few blogging friends, if not most who would also want to kill themselves rather then be tortured by this pool side set up, as well).

Just for an example of the thump factor, Luke's drink was making it's way off the back of the amp! I hope we don't become known as the neighborhood menace! Yea! But I have to admit that it was a fun day.

Things to Never Say to a Cop!

1. I can't reach my license unless you hold my beer. (Although it would probably be OK in Texas )

2. Sorry, Officer, I didn't realize my radar detector wasn't plugged in.

3. Aren't you the guy from the Village People?

4. Hey, you must've been doin' about 125 mph to keep up with me. Good job!

5. Are you Andy or Barney?

6. I thought you had to be in relatively good physical condition to be a police officer.

7 . You're not gonna check the trunk, are you?

8. I pay your salary!

9. Gee, Officer! That's terrific. The last officer only gave me a warning, too!

10. Do you know why you pulled me over? Okay, just so one of us does.

11. I was trying to keep up with traffic. Yes, I know there are no other cars around. That's how far ahead of me they are.

12. When the Officer says "Gee Your eyes look red, have you been drinking?" You probably shouldn't respond with,"Gee Officer your eyes look glazed, have you been eating doughnuts?"

Isn't it Great?!

This pool is not an "L" it's actually a "J". See? Look over to the right, beyond the pool. Can you see the fence? Nope! That's because it's electric I mean... invisible. I love it! See the green grass between the house and the pool? Lush, isn't it! It's outdoor carpet. Not cheap either--geez! But it keeps down the sand factor (only a wee bit). I wish the dog knew how to wipe his feet before coming in the house.

It's so quiet at my house right now [listening to the birds chirping and feeling the breeze blow through]. The boys are sleeping after several daze of long work hours. I'm so thankful that they have a serious work ethic. I guess the money they make is motivation enough. (You wouldn't believe how much my boys bring home a night at only 14 and 16 years of age). The girls are off with their friends at tennis camp. I guess my kids run with the high falootin' crowd. It pays It's a blessing to have friends who own the clubs and greenhouses around here. I had to throw that in for those who know religious speak.

I want to go do my laps in the pool while things are quiet. But can I say this... did you know that breast stoke isn't called that for nothin'?? OMG!!! I woke up yesterday morning in a complete quandry with a frightening thought. "Why does my chest feel this way?? Where am I? Do I have a newborn that I've forgotten about??" My chest was like yowwwee! It totally reminded me of those former childbearing daze! Sorry. TMI! Anyway, I think I'm better now and ready for some more workout torture! Aren't you all so impressed???

People... Interesting People...

these Manhattanites! According to locals such as myself, Mahattanites are wealthy people who reside in Manhattan, but summer or weekend in the Hamptons. Some of them even own houses like the one pictured above (Taken by Mitchell Stout who is bound to become a Manhattanite himself). Whether they own a mansions or rent some other home, they usually all drive expensive SUVs, wear expensive and fashionable clothes, and always look amazing! PICTURE PERFECT! like celebrities... ready at all times to be photographed for a magazine.

Take for instance, the woman I saw this morning (I forgot the camera again--doh!), surely a Manhattanite or possibly a guest of a regular Manhattanite. She was sitting outside the deli, chatting away on her cell phone. After several minutes she grabbed her bike--which was the old fashioned kind with the high seat and handle bars, looped her expensive pocketbook on the one handle bar and stood with her bike, in the deli driveway continuing her phone chat a bit longer. I noticed that she was wearing--I kid you not--high heel shoes and considerably dressy clothes. Coming up behind her on this bike, I saw a young man I would guess to be a local "illegal" riding a bike that probably belongs to a sibbling way smaller then himself. He had his coffee in one hand and a bag of breakfast food looped on the handle bar of the other. He was wobbling along with his overgrown size, trying not to crash into her. He waited for a few minutes, thinking she was going to pull out, but finally went around her when he realized she was "parked" in the no standing zone. The lady eventually ended her call and pedaled on down the road in her heels. Neither of the two bikers looked very confident about their bike riding skills. Lord Jesus, help us.

Yesterday afternoon, I went to a party where one of the women present was a published author--also a Manhattanite. Her book is about whole foods and how to live a vegan lifestyle, or something like that. She was gorgeous as was her husband and two small children. (Another photo op waiting to happen). Anyway, my daughter was out with the hosts of the party and this particular family the night before, doing her "mother's helper" thing and mentioned how the woman actually brought uncooked food to the restaurant for the chef to make--EXTREMELY PARTICULAR!! I think I heard the word "embarassing" mentioned. Everyone ate the whole food except her own kids, which I thought was rather humorous. And to top it off, at this party yesterday, I was helping set out the spread of food when the little boy of the Manhattan author mom went right for the Ripples potato chips. He took the entire bowl to enjoy all by himself, plopping down on the deck to quietly munch away. Baaahhh!

I just found out that my blog is very very bad and no one should be here reading it unless they are 17 and older. I expect to see some ID (preferably a credit card). This rating was determined based on the presence of the following words:

crack (10x) knife (5x) death (2x) dangerous (1x)

You can go ahead and have your blog rated as well. It's always good to inform your audience of the possible content they may be facing. That is why I've decided to let you know the status of Kool Daze. I think I'll put the NC-17 rating over in the sidebar (although I don't want to attract any nasty spammers. Could that happen?) Oh, I'll take my chances... for the benefit of all of you!

Tag! I'm it.

Thanks (a lot) zuba. JK about the sarcasm. I wouldn't do this if I didn't want to.

The rules are the same basic ones. Players start with eight random facts/habits about themselves. People who are tagged need to write their own blog about their eight things and post these rules. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose eight people to get tagged and list their names.

I've been tagged before and couldn't even come up with the random facts back then--ohhh the pressure. I had to answer solicited questions in the comment box.

So, this time I'm gonna give you random... and it's gonna be 8!

1. As I ride around on my daily "taxi routes " (bussing my own teens and kids around town) there isn't a day that goes by that I don't say to myself "Agh, I wish I had my camera with me!" If I'd just remember to bring it along I might even stop and capture something AMAZING. It's not even that I am any kind of real photographer, but I feel like its in me somewhere.

2. I can remember in Kindergarten having a crush on one little boy named Stephen Wygle (although I may have made that last name up). One time I chased him around the reading carpet. We were both crawling, probably because we were supposed to be finding our seats for reading time, and when I got close enough I kissed him... on the rear! BAH!

3. In my growing up years, my family relocated every couple of years. One thing I remember always being a part of my summer fun was spending time at the country club or community pool--probably everyday (except for when we lived near the ocean). So, I learned all kinds of dives and flips and splashing tricks off the diving board (and can still do them ALL) AND I learned all the swimming strokes and flip turns etc. I could probably beat most of YOU in a race any day!! (if it's a short race... otherwise I'll probably die from exhaustion).

4. The last four of my six children were born at home! My mom was the acting midwife along with my husband, and the two times I actually hired a midwife they didn't even make it to the birth in time.

5. The nickname, KOOL, is something I came up with myself!!! You can read about it here. Some people thought it was my last name for a while--hahaha!

6. I like to have fun--that's nothing new! I am a low maintenance type of person and don't need a lot from the people around me. I tend to be a giver, actually. But also... every once-in-a-while I need a little time from my friends, to be able to unload things that run deeper on the inside. If that doesn't happen, I become irritable and frustrated. I feel that sometimes it takes waving some big flag for the people closest to me to see when I need extra attention. But I'm also old enough now to realize that everyone is busy and I can't expect friends and family to read my mind.

7. I was a gymnast in highschool. I made second best all-around on the team my second year. My best apparatus was the vault and next the uneven bars. The balance beam was the hardest for me, although I did learn to do a back handspring on the beam. I loved doing the floor exercise, but I wasn't a seriously flexible person. Gaining flexibility required lots and lots of work everyday. Twice during competition, someone set the uneven bars wrong and when I was in the middle of my routine I crashed my hip bones into the bars (well one time it was hips the other time it was thighs). I wasn't good enough to finish the routine with the humiliation factor and pain!

8. And the most incredulous truth... I haven't been to the beach YET this summer! My mother must be sorely disappointed.

I now tag Jen , Brian , Rebecca , Dave or Haven , Gayla , Sohailah , Chelle , Mark

The Birthday Boy!

It's Terry's birthday today!!! Woohoo!

(Sorry all you Yankee fans) He wants Mets TV, so he can watch the Mets games on the computer rather than listening via AM radio. Hey, it's cheaper than upping our basic cable package (with a mere 12 channels)!

What else can we do for BJ on his special day?

At least He did get a Mets hat that he liked, finally. Check out what he was wearing... [GASP]

I love gettin' older with my man.

Photography by Mitchell Stout of clever[art]

Where is the Sleep?

I've been searching for this post on and off for a few weeks. It was written after Christmas, describing my experience with satin sheets--a gift (the kind I would get to benefit from as well) I had given Terry. I was reminded of the post as I lay sleepless on my bed AGAIN! I'm sure some of the sleep evasion is directly related to Nate's work schedule and worrying feeling concerned about him until I know that he's home at 2:00 AM! but maybe it has to do with other things...

I'm in a whole new bedroom. I don't miss my old bedroom. It was large! It had two sizeable closets, one for Terry and one for me. The two closets were NOT walk-in, but the kind with the sliding doors. They were useful, but only for stuffing more junk in them i.e. shoes, sweaters and old clothes that truly needed to go to the drop box rather than to a hanger (and I don't even shop! I get "hand-me-down deliveries" from a relative who has a sister who SHOPS like mad, and goes to those expensive stores like Coach and Sax 5th Ave). Anyhoo...

Luke is doing fine in our old bedroom. He even cleans it often [eyes fall out of head with surprise]! Nah, I like our new bedroom. I like being on the ground level. I like that there is much less traffic i.e. teenage boys constantly traipsing through the middle of my house. I like my green walls. I like my small closet that is shared with Terry. It's very organized and there isn't any room for excess junk. I like that Terry hung the pictures and shelf I was wanting up on the walls (even if he did drill about 10 holes before finding a stud). My only problem is that I haven't slept well since we've moved into the green room!

The first couple of weeks, I slept ok, but whenever I awoke in the morning, it would take me a good 2 or 3 minutes to figure out where the heck I was. It was frightening! I don't know what that was all about, but it happened while I was in Indiana too. Now, I can't seem to get to sleep. Or if I do, I wake up after a few hours and lay there in a daze. Yes, Terry periodically snores which wakes me. No, I don't drink coffee at night. No, I don't feel stressed. Although...

Last night it was POURING rain! And I couldn't stop thinking that the pool was going to overflow, you know how everything gets magnified in your head when you're in the sleep mode. But this was not a completely unfounded fear. Two nights before that, when I had gotten up in the middle of the night, I heard the water running somewhere and realized that someone had accidentally left the hose on with the water running into the POOL! The water level ended up about one inch away from the top (thus my concern about the 12 hours of heavy rain we've had).

Lastly, do you think, with our bedroom switch and having the bed turned in the opposite direction, this could be the problem? When we were upstairs the headboard was facing north. Now it's facing south. Could that be throwing me off?? Shall I put my head to the footboard? Does anyone have any theories?

What the H*ll Does THAT Mean?

Just check the urban dictionary and you can find out! This post is a "must read"! You don't want to be caught looking like a dork. Here are some examples of words you may need to know.

stripsy
The post-drunken, post-tipsy state at which the removal of clothing begins.

Brian: Jen, where's your shirt?
Jen: I don't know; last night I got a little stripsy...

askhole
1. Someone who asks many stupid, pointless, obnoxious questions.

God! Jimmy is such an askhole. He won't stop asking me about my favorite teletubby and im about to smash him in the grill, kid.

2. A university student who wastes class time by asking for answers to questions that only he/she doesn't understand; thus annoying the crap out of his/her classmates.

Dude, I can't believe that we're paying to listen to that askhole all friggin class.

LQTM
"Laughing quietly to myself." A more accurate representation of the human response to funny things seen on the interweb. When people type "lol", rarely are they laughing aloud for the whole world to hear, but merely smiling and laughing quietly to themselves.

Kool Daze posts cause me to LQTM.

testiculate
To move one's hands and arms expressively while talking crap.

As he got more and more drunk, he was not only loud, he was testiculating wildly.

BOBFOC
Body Off Baywatch, Face Off Crimewatch. A person who possesses a killer body but has a face that only a mother could love.

Check out that bobfoc!

Meh
Indifference; to be used when one simply does not care.

A: What do you want for dinner?
B: Meh.

pac-manning
To drive right on the dotted white lane divider, which gives the same effect as Pac-Man eating dots.

"Dude, quit pac-manning, you're gonna hit that car!"

check your vitals
To check your email, myspace, facebook, blog, and/or any daily essential websites.
Check your vitals.

Get off the computer, whore. I need to check my vitals.

Hey, wanna go get something to eat?
Sure, but lemme finish checkin' my vitals first.

break your crayons
Make you very upset or sad, or ruin your whole day.

"Dude, don't worry about him, he's just tryin' to break your crayons. Just let it slide."

I pity the fool
In Mr. T-glish, a rhetoric comment equivalent to the English "I'd best not find out who it was."

I pity the fool who scratched my car.

Crack a rim
To act foolishly or recklessly with a vehicle, usually under the influence of one or more mind altering substances, to the point of damaging the vehicle.

Shortly after drinking at home, Kyle and Jared couldn't even make it out of the neighborhood without cracking a rim.

BiPodding
Sharing a single set of headphones attached to one iPod. One person holds the iPod and takes the left earbud, the other takes the right earbud. Can be performed while moving.

They biPodded down the street; Jane had the left ear-piece, Sarah the right

pre-pull
The act of pulling the car door handle at the moment the driver unlocks the door, rendering the attempt fruitless, and resulting in minor frustration and/or embarrassment.

"Could you unlock it again dude? I pre-pulled."

cruiser spooning
The act of parking two police cruisers with the driver's sides adjacent so that the officers can converse through the open windows

"Better slow down, the po-po are cruiser spooning in the parking lot ahead"

VIP
The act of riding in the back seat of a car when the front passenger seat is available.

Tommy: "Do you want to sit up front?"
Tony C: "No, it's cool. I'm gonna ride VIP."

retro shopping
To compare prices for an item after you've already purchased it.

Jim couldn't resist buying that 2001 Harley as soon as he saw it. After a little retro shopping, he was thrilled to realize he also got a great deal on it.

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I hope this helped! You're welcome.

The Journey

I found a very different meme today that I wanted to do. There are questions and then my answers are in italics. As much as some of you hate the "m" word, here goes:

So you're walking along in a forest. What season is it? It's a warm spring day and I'm walking somewhere in the mountains. I'm mostly NOT being affected by allergies. It's a hiking trail that has some points that are quite rugged and challenging, but others that are well worn and easy. It's very scenic.

After a while, you come to a wall. What kind of wall is it? (height, material, shape, etc..) It's a rock wall crafted by hand with mud mortar. It was built maybe decades ago. It's fallen down in places, but at it's full height, stands about three feet high. I can't see the end of it, but I can see over it very easily.

What do you do about it? I make up stories in my head, as I pass through the open areas, about the pioneer family who built the wall to show their property line. I walk on top of the wall a little bit--like a balance beam. And then I take pictures for future blogging material.

Further in the forest, you happen upon a cup. Describe the cup. This cup is plastic and pink with a sippy top on it. It has a cute little picture on the side as well as two handles. It's faded and I figure it's from the 70s or maybe earlier (because I have no idea when plastic baby cups were invented).

What do you do with it (if anything)? I don't do anything with it. I consider bringing it home. Maybe it's worth something, but then I say nah. I'm not much of a collector. But I figure on my way back through I may just take it along. Who knows?

Next you spot a knife. Describe the knife. It's a swiss army knife, but a simple one. It's largest blade is big enough to wittle some branches to a point for a good marshmallow stick, and it's definitely handy. I think there may be a little nail file and an even smaller blade or screw driver. Some kid must have dropped it and is probably disappointed about his loss.

What do you do with it (if anything)? I put it in my pocket, because we all know that the kid will never know where he lost his knife, and it will come in handy along my way.

Next you come across a body of water. What type of body of water is it? It's a bubbling brook, running mostly shallow around smooth rocks. Sometimes there are some drops in the stream that create small waterfalls and deeper pools. It makes divine music. I love the water. There are trees fallen across it along the way as the path follows it up the mountain to a larger pool of water and, of course, to a gorgeous waterfall.

What do you do about it? I cross the brook whenever I see rocks or a tree that I can cross on, It's fun and adventurous. I cool my barefeet in the water and make my way to the waterfall even though the climb there is very difficult at times. By the time I make it to to high point, which is only the bottom of the fall (there's much farther I can climb), it is hot and I strip down to my bathing suit (which I am always wearing--just in case) and go for a refreshing swim with the mist of the falls in my face.

Finally, the path you seemed to have made for yourself looks like it ends at a cave. What do you think of it? The cave is behind the falls and there is a ledge that I can get too and sit on. So I go and sit on the ledge behind the crashing water. I quiet myself. I reminds me of the secret place I used to go to (in my imagination) to meet with God... just to talk and to listen. The cave isn't a place I've been to in a long long time. That was a place I had created to escape to when I needed to get away from everyone--to hide... to scream... to cry... and grieve about my life. It's funny, I don't feel that way at all anymore! The need to hide has left. I'm not afraid to go in the cave, but I have no desire to. I must be summer now!

The End~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The meaning of the questions (pasted only after I answered the questions):

The journey through the forest represents your life. Ah HAH!

The way you feel about the season you picked represents the way you feel about life. If it's winter in your story and you love winter, you are enjoying your life. Interesting. I like spring, although it's not my favorite season. Some of it is absolutely wonderful and some of it is very challenging.

The wall represents your problems in life. The height, material, and shape is your view of your problems' surmountability. Yup! The problems runs along on farther then the eye can see, and are mostly man-made with mud mortor (haha) and yet I can see right over them.

What you do about it is how you face your problems. HAHAHA that's so true--I take pictures and blog!

The cup means your friends. My friends are faded, cute and babyish, but old-fashioned??

What you do with it is you feel about them or how you treat them. Hmmm yea, I guess. I'm not clingy and possessive. I don't always take my friends along with all my adventures, but sometimes I do.

The knife is your view of marriage. Simple, yet satisfying!

What you do with it is how you feel about it. Well, I'm glad I didn't leave it behind!!

The body of water is your view of sex. Was it a large ocean of opportunity? Was it a dirty puddle? Did you jump in? Did you drink it up? Did you pass it by? No wonder why I love the water... the bubbling brook with all kinds of interesting crossings and waterfalls and pools. Yup! That totally works for me. :-D

The cave is your view of death. If you went in, you are not afraid of death. Afterlife would better describe my view and God is totally in my picture. I can say that there was a time in my life when I wanted to live in the cave, because I was a mess. I am not there anymore and that is a good thing.

It was an interesting meme.

It Was Fun!

Barry insisted on making Luke's cake! (note the one ear-ed iPod)
I guess Luke turned five. (He gets his braces off today).

Sadly enough, I have no pictures from earlier in the day, during the main party time. And I couldn't convince my brothers to join in a wicked game of volleyball either! They were scared of gettin' whooped by their little sister. That's what it was! But here are the kids... little guys aren't they? haOnce the majority of party attenders left, we had to be full-time on duty with the kids remaining. They had lots of soda, smores and then it was time for the HYPER SWIM!

Any question as to where Terry's loyalties lie regarding baseball? (I just had th throw that in).

I'll have to work on my posting creativity--but don't have any great expectation from me for the summer!