Susiej

No way to make it,

on time, to school everyday.

See, we have BIG plans.

As caped crusaders,

we’ve got our costumes to wear,

plus, there’s crime to fight.

We’re up at seven,

ready, serious, for play

Still, not enough time.

Tears at 11,

time for lunch,

and real clothes too,

still, play makes us late.

We are getting later, and later everyday. Breaks my heart to break up their playtime. You can read more Haiku Friday’s here.

On another note, I know that most of my readers are non-bloggers. Alltop is a new “magazine rack-style” blog reader that I love because of its elegant simplicity. Bloggers, and especially non-bloggers who love to read blogs, will appreciate this uncluttered blog reader. Alltop is the latest brain child of Guy Kawaski, ( who I’m pretty sure loves Guinness cake, by the way) Will Mayall, and Kathryn Henkensa. The website launched on March 11, 2008. This team also created Truemors. I found Alltop through Twitter, a great way to spread news fast.

Alltop has over 46 (and growing) categories, and its clean design made for easy browsing. And yep, I’m included, go see me under Moms.

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Filed under: Laugh, Life, blog, haiku by SusieJ - 20 Comments →

These really make me laugh, although I know I should probably take these more seriously. I wish phone numbers or email addresses were attached to visitors IP addresses. Then, I could kindly direct them to more appropriate places for help.

1. Like this poor soul who wants to know if ice cold soda (nice try) can really burn calories. So google sends them here. (See number 12 for more on this weight-loss themed search.)
2. And what kind of guys asks, How to hypnotize my wife. Lucky for his wife, google sent him to my post about giving your wife belly dance lessons. Now she can hypnotize him. Isn’t google just so clever?
3. Optimism seems to be a recurring theme among my google searchers. No where is this more evident that in the brave soul who actually typed, How to make a great sleepover awesome, and soon quickly learned that there are actually 13 reasons not to host a sleepover. I do hope they made other plans, and did something simple and shorter, and took the kids to a movie instead. When I go to sleep at night, I like to think that I at least spared some fellow-human being the trauma of a good sleepover.
4. This one has me puzzled. A person actually typed in the google search bar: skunk biological clock. This confused even google, as yes, it was a skunk, and yes, I do have a new biological clock. Any takes on what they were searching for can be left in the comments. I’m puzzled. Maybe they were breeding skunks? Thank goodness, someone did search this exact phrase: “how to get rid of skunk smell from being run over by your car.” I don’t know anything about smell that runs over by your car, but I hope they got a good laugh about the whole thing.
5. What are the chances that someone else would actually have an “opossum sleeping in their garage too? ” I wish this person would have commented. We could have bonded… we have so much in common.
6. Another person wants to know “how to make a person dream about someone.” Desperate measures lead her to how to make a dream come true. Later that same day, someone else typed, “I saw my dead mother.” Odd, don’t you think, that the person went to the computer with that information?
7. I know those neti pots can really get complicated… you know, mixing the salt water, getting the water temperature just right, and then actually tilting your head parallel and holding it parallel while your pour the salt water up your nostril. But what really did go wrong when the person on the other end of the computer typed, things that can go wrong using a Neti Pot? I shudder to think of the horror the befell the pour soul.
8. One search always amazes me, not because it’s a weird search or anything, but because this search is so popular, and so constant. No matter what month it is, or how far we are away from Christmas, a few people, mostly from Europe, pop in with this search: “Scientific proof that Santa Exists.” What’s up? Are scientists actively working on this? The answer is obvious… I’ve outlined it all here in black and white. There is no need to spend more of our precious resources on solving this question.
9. There were the kids who flooded google with this search in December, Where does my Mom hide my presents. Here, I gave away all the answers as kids across the world began looking under their beds. At least the dust bunnies were cleared out before Christmas morning. I admit, I am a little ashamed of myself for giving away all the secrets. I thought I was trying to help.
10. I wonder if this was the same kid who misspelled this search, “How ot kiss.” Of course, I explained it all.
11. Who would even want “an adult Pinocchio costume?” Get a grip. Pinocchio is a kid. Try Geppetto.
12. This hopeful searcher asks google simply, How can I burn calories without even knowing it? Could be the same guy who typed, how to cook meat bloody red. While another searcher, gets straight to the point and wants to know, is sex the best way to burn calories? Is this the same as burning calories without even knowing it?
13. The whole search string ended when someone typed, “What do you wear under yoga pants?

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Filed under: Laugh, Life, Thursday 13, blog by SusieJ - 34 Comments →

The talented, and beautiful, Tracey Clark tagged me for the me me me meme, and the Links Around the World theme from Green Eyed Mama.

So, inspired by Sweetney’s Self-Portrait Truthiness, which are strikingly beautiful. I love these REAL photos; some are quite funny. I decided to post my own, first-thing-in the morning-before tea, no makeup, no hair-fixing shot. So this is me at the lake, right after I rolled out of bed, not ready for morning to hit, but wanting to dash out the door to play in the snow with the boys. Because at the lake, there’s never any need for make-up anyway. And, this is truly, the way I look most days, with barely time to comb the hair. So, I wear a lot of hats. (Unable to load to add wordpress blog to flickr… anyone solved this one?)

I used the self-timer, but I haven’t figured out how to keep the photo from getting out of focus. So blurry, and truthful this is.

Keeping with the meme, here are 7 things about me.

1. I’m skeptical of medicine and drugs. So, I gave birth the second and third times without pain meds. The first and fourth times, I had a c-section. I was grateful for the drugs.
2. I once saw the band U2 (yes, you SHOULD be so jealous) at a small concert hall with about 500 people. This was in 1980.
3. Still trying to find a way to cope with the witching hours. Around 3:30 in the afternoon, the boys are home from school, starving, yet they want nothing I offer, cranky, can’t wait to tease each other, nerves are frayed… it’s hard for me. Frankly, I think I’m bored with the whole scene. It’s exhausting, and I’d rather be having fun.
4. Terrified of flying. Terrified of driving. Yet, I do it… sometimes white-knuckled. Might have something to do with the scene of a plane crash in a field I witnesses when I was small, after the event. Everything was gone except the scraps of metal, yet the scene was devastating. And, then, there was that fatal car crash of a cousin when I was younger.
5. I once hung out with Dave Thomas (former owner of Wendy’s and Donny Osmond) at an event my client was sponsoring. The Osmond’s and the Thomas’ are old friends. Yet, I have never been a Donny Osmond fan. He was married at the time, but he did ask me what I was doing after the show. Still, not a fan.
6. I have Reiki Level One. (Google it.)
7. If I’ve lost something, I can usually tell myself to dream about where it is, and eventually, I’ll have a dream and I’ll know where it is. I love it when this happens when I’ve lost my keys… and there they are… in my dream, in a place I would never think of to look.

Tracey also tagged these lovely ladies, Melody (Slurping Life), Melody A. (the Hip Momma’s Journal), Jessica (Moving Pictures), Sarah-Ji (shutterbug mama).

If you’re reading this, consider yourself tagged. No, you don’t have to post the photo, but I dare you. Still, I’d love to know 7 things about you. Once you do it, let me know, and I’ll add your name to the list of links below.

So here are the rules:

This is called “Links Around the World.” The instructions for this one are:
1. Place your link at the end of the list. If you have more than 1 blog, feel free to add them all here!
2. After placing your blog’s address, you must tag 5 or more bloggers that are not yet on the list, this is to keep the ball rolling. (Please remember to let the bloggers know they’ve been tagged!)

All you have to do is copy this entire list in your post, and the links are automatically created.

The Strategist Notebook ~ Link Addiction ~ Ardour of the Heart ~ When Life Becomes a Book ~ The Malaysian Life ~ Yogatta.com ~ What goes under the sun ~ Roshidan’s Cyber Station ~ Sasha says ~ Arts of Physics ~ And the legend lives ~ My View, My Life ~ A Simple Life ~ Juliana RW ~ Mom Knows Everything ~ Beth & Cory’s Mom ~ A Mind Forever Voyaging~ enjoying the ride ~ Jennifer’s thoughts ~ Mom of 3 Girls ~ Amanda ~ Don’t Make Me Get The Flying Monkeys ~ ExPat Mom ~ Just Jessie ~ Wilson Six ~Krisitn ~ Nuttier Than You ~ Shonnte ~ Summer’s Nook ~ Laura Williams Musings ~ Sher ~ Shanda ~ Seven QTPies ~ Mel ~ Skittles ~ Lady Banana ~ Momhood Moments ~ Business Mars ~ A Simple life ~ moms….. check nyo ~ Mommy’s Little Corner ~ Pampered ~ HappyHeart ~ Make Every Day Your Lucky Day ~ Thumbelina Creations ~ Ivonnardona’s Creations ~ Jewellery Craft ~ A Bead a Day~ Useless Ramblings ~Candid Yammering ~ Green Eyed Mama ~SusieJ, Slurping Life, the Hip Momma’s Journal, Moving Pictures, shutterbug mama, Shelly at This Eclectic Life.

For Love Thursday

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Filed under: Life, best shot, blog, memories by SusieJ - 22 Comments →

I grew up in a sleepy little town, and when my Mom wasn’t sewing, or crocheting, she was reading. Mesmerized, she was, as my Dad watched TV, and she had her head buried in a book. Completely oblivious to the scenes on the television, and my Dad’s laughter at the punch lines.

When I was old enough and ready, she took me down to the local fire-station, which also housed our town library, and introduced me to the librarian. From there, I was directed to the Nancy Drew section, and The Secret of the Clock was placed in my hands. These were my Mom’s favorite books when she was a growing up, and they soon became mine too.

I soon learned about my Mom’s peculiar habit: She would read the last page of the book, and then decide if she wanted to read the rest of the book! “But then, you know who did it, and the story is ruined!” But to her, the fun was in watching how the author strung the characters, the plot and the mystery all together.

I have never once, in my life, read the last page of a book first. I earn the right to read the last page of the book. Still, my Mom and I shared a vast passion of mystery books, even though I often had to remind her that, I did not want to know the ending. From Nancy Drew, I jumped to artsy mysterious, like Griffin & Sabine: The Complete Postcards.

When I traveled, there was a time when I always had a Lillian Jackson Braun Cat Mystery audio book in the car. Mr. Quilleran was quite comforting to listen to while driving. Then, I found the Kinsey Millhone Mysteries, and my Mom read them as fast as they were published. “I wonder what she’ll write for “X”,” we would say.

Have you read Blue Jelly: Love Lost and the Lessons of Canning? I love that book, and no, it isn’t a mystery.

When MotherPie asked about the books I read, I immediately thought of how much time I do spend reading picture books right now, and how much I adore picture books. Some make me cry, some make me laugh, and I’m so grateful I’ve had 12 years to have someone to read them to. Favorites? My Lucky Day, Blue Bowl Down: An Appalachian Rhyme, The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, and of course the narcoleptic, Little Red Riding Hood. Actually, I can think of 100 more of them to list right here… but I won’t. I have never liked Dr. Seuss, but, my boys do, so I’ve read more than I care to remember of Dr. Seuss. Oh, and how I love Clay Boy.

As a Mother, I have read more self-help, parenting and Zen books than I care to mention. My favorites are The First Six Months, and Setting Limits. Theology, interests me too, as parenting has led me to pray more than I have every found necessary before. I would put Heart’s Code in that category, as it focuses on the interweaving of mind, body and spirit — which I think of as just one word now.

I wish my Mom were here to see that publishers send me books to review. She would have been proud. But, MotherPie, I wish they would send me more cookbooks, as I read them as if they were novels. I am fascinated by the science of food.

Over the past few years I’ve been able to sneak in a few grown-up gems, like Mr. Pip, and The Kite Runner.

I am behind in my reading what new and hot, as I am just now starting, for the first time the The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency (Book 1). This, is an amazing and wonderful book, that I am delighted — so delighted to read. Next on my agenda is that The Liar’s Diary, which I won from the always insightful, Magpie Musings. Next, MotherPie’s suggestion of Rain of Gold by Victor Villasenor. And, just like my Mom, I am always recommending books to my friends… this is one of the reasons I started to blog. I wanted a way to keep all of my recommendations in order.

Still, my Mom made such an impression on me by introducing me to Nancy Drew, that, even though I have boys, I couldn’t resist the temptation to introduce them to the female sleuth. Now, we read a chapter from Nancy Drew at night at the lake. This is the biggest piece of myself I can give to my kids from my past.

What do you do with your kids that you did as a kid? PBN wants to know, as they’re announcing the new Highlight’s For Children publication for ages 2-6, High Five.

And speaking of reading, I learned from reading William Allen’s book, Walking Distance, about the beautiful sound of corn growing in the summer. It’s a “Midwestern thing.” So, I will be joining a fun bunch of bloggers over at Midwest Parents. More to come.

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Filed under: Life, blog, read, reviews by SusieJ - 12 Comments →

We’re having a blizzard, making it very difficult to entertain in this nippy, blustery weather. But I do have a batch of marshmallows brewing, and artisan bread that I can whip up in five minutes. 

My mission is to show people how they can transform their lives, simply by changing their perception about the small things in life. Finding a simply extraordinary way to do a mundane task, is a great place to start. Sometimes, an extraordinary way to see the world, reveals our strongest point of power, to keep us freshly inspired to face the new challenges that are inevitably set before us.

And, sometimes the biggest hurdle we have for the day is in learning how to fight a cold!

In addition to our four boys, who love each other a lot, my husband and I host an Elf that visits us from time to time, and there is always a superhero somewhere around my house. We make lots of snowflakes. And, I like to throw crazy dinner parties, when I’m not doing lots of yoga. I hope to plant a garden this year, as I am very concerned about the environment, but I’m not sure if we should plant it here, or at our lake house. For now, I’m just hoping we can all stay sane, and that we will savor the time we have to be bundled up together, as snow keeps falling on our already 12 inches.

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One of my new blogging habits is to jump on these memes and awards, acknowledge them as soon as they happen, pass them on and be done with it.

In my early blogging days, when I got awards, I didn’t want to brag about them… now I know they are just blogging business, just accept and move on.

However, by far, my biggest problem comes when it’s time for me to type that line that says, and I am passing this award to …… (fill in the blank)…. because, let’s face it: Anyone who bears their innermost thoughts and secrets on the blogsphere, for the world to learn from deserves an award.

Wait a second while I check my reader…. hang on…. loading.. OK. I have 316 blogs in my reader. No, I do not read them every day, and GASP, some days I read none! But all of those blogs are there because I really admire them for some reason or another; they’ve struck a chord that resonates with me. Many of them have never heard of me. (See, I’m a lurker too!)

So, when it comes to passing on the award, I avoid the whole risky business of ticking off some great blogger out there, just because I didn’t pick them. So, I rarely, rarely announce my awards. Yet, then the award lurks around in my subconscious in my links, and I feel guilty about not even acknowledging the person who passed on the award to me in the first place….

Then, yesterday (see how timely I am now?!), Arizaphale bestowed me the Excellent Blogger Award, because I am an inspiring read by a gifted Mom writer with many excellent photos, recipes, regular features. I love to read Arizaphale, not just because she’s in Australia, and she’s in sweltering heat while we’re shivering — but because she’s not afraid to take one side of an issue and carry it though in her writing.So, who to pass this award to? According to the rules, I can pass this on to ten bloggers. Yet, the challenge is to whittle down 316 blogs to ten. Here goes.

Charlotte, a proud citizen of South Africa, now living in Germany is an eloquent, thinking writer. Her posts incite conversation every time. In my book, this gift maker her a glowing blogger.

Leslie is a master of savoring snippets of her day, to share them on her blog with witty writing, showing you how deep and caring is her heart. Definitely — this one goes to her.

Bill, my friend, is an amazing writer, with depth. His topics cover impeachment, parenting from the Father’s perspective, art, baking and philosophy.

(un)Relaxeddad — what can I say. A Dad of two now, who writes, almost everyday about matters of his heart, as he realizes the most profound event in his life is becoming a father. However, he also fills us with controversial posts, about organic food, political actions — and great recommendations for good tunes.

Melody’s blog is called Slurping Life, and every time I run across the title of her blog, I am reminded to stay open and absorb every drop of this wonderful life. Then, I read what she’s written, look at her photographs… just take a look.

Amy?! Are you the new SouleMama? You need to start working on that book!

MotherPie is a blog that feeds me with post after post of history, culture, art and media. Then, she makes me stop and think. Definitely a woman I’d like to have tea with in the morning.

Crank Mama never takes her self too seriously. Sometimes after I write one of my sloppy, tear-jerking posts about Motherhood and life, and I zip on over to Crank Mama and realize I need a reality check. Thanks for the laughs.

Absolutely Beautiful Things inspires me on blah days, just like The Angry Chicken

And another one here who writes from the heart, so eloquently, Bub and Pie.

The Whole Self, was one of the first blogs I ever read, and I still consider to be one of the best.

Next, playful Leslie nominated me for Best Parenting Blog in the Bloggers Choice Awards. Leslie, it’s great to feel appreciated, and thank you much.

(If you want to vote for me, just click the button, and then email every person you know and tell them to vote for me, and have them tell two friends…)

Will the best parenting blog win? Probably not… there are many, many blogs nominated… The winner is based on votes, not content. Parents with blogs are too busy raising their children and writing about them, leaving little time to go out and rake in the publicity needed to turn out the votes needed to blast the ballot box.

Tomorrow morning, I am going through some very, very necessary blog maintenance. As in a Wordpress upgrade. This time, since I mess this up every single time, I’m handing the reins over to Keith at Diverse Technology Solutions. So, if things look a little funny tomorrow… just maintenance. If you want to know the truth, I am frightened and scared… it’s risky business. But in the blogsphere, I’ve learned, nothing is truly lost.

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I was lurking through My little Drummer Boys on my google reader, and found this interesting post about the RSSHuger. The concept sounds great, as it will automatically send you to blogs that write about topics that interest you. They’re looking for 250,000 free blogs signed up, and they haven’t quite met their goal. Now’s the chance to jump in. There’s a review process before you’re accepted, and I’m totally curious about new blogs out there

I think I’ll RSS Hugger. Sometimes I am “locked into my google reader,” unaware of what I’m missing out in the live blogsphere. I’m still learning how this works. . Anyone else using RSSHugger?

By the way, RSS (Rich Site Summary) is a format that lets you read blogs in one place. More info can be found at WhatisRSS.com RSSHugger is a unique website that aims to bring bloggers and readers together by giving bloggers a way to promote their blogs, and building backlinks.

This is the site’s ambitious goal:

My goal was originally to get 50,000 blogs signed up with a $10 joiners fee, but due to the fact that I want to support all of the great bloggers, even those who cannot afford $10, I changed this goal to sign up 250,000 free blogs within the first year of operation. With over 112 million registered blogs, with about 175,000 new ones per day, I feel this goal is possible. The money will be used to pay off college expenses, to invest in my other internet startup companies, sponsor like-minded business folk, and continue to support Kiva, who support entrepreneurs in the developing world.

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The first thing I like to do on Friday after Thanksgiving is to clear the decks of the orange and browns of Thanksgiving and usher in the beautiful bright colors of Christmas as soon as possible. I have a ritual for this — I make cookie dough. I didn’t say I make cookies — I just make the dough, and then I store the dough in my freezer.

Once it’s there, it’s so easy to pull out a ball of dough and roll them out for cookies whenever the Christmas Elf mood strikes us — with half of the mess that baking cookies traditionally requires. I see the whole cookie baking process, with kids in the house, as a step by step process. Baby steps; break things down.

I’ve been tagged by Angie, and Motherwise for some memes. First, I will do that seven weird random things meme. Angie’s will take some time.

1. I wear socks to bed every night. Even in the summer. If I get cold, then I spend the rest of the night getting up to pee. So, I just wear socks, and everyone gets some zzzs.
2. After my Mom died, I kept checking my e-mail — I just had this feeling that she had some lost e-mail left out in the cybersphere that didn’t make it to me yet. And that e-mail would just explain EVERYTHING. It has yet to arrive. OK, Mama Milton, I’m sticking with the weird here too.
3. When I do get up to pee at 2 a.m., I have deep dark thoughts. They frighten me. Does anyone else out there have those? I’d like to have a discussion about them on the blogsphere — get them all out in the open while it’s daylight. Because, during the day, these deep dark thoughts don’t look so deep and dark. And then, maybe, at 2 a.m. I could just read what we said during the day –instead of bugging you with a phone call at 2 a.m. — and I wouldn’t be so frightened.
4. I’m a very good at the piano. I won contests and stuff.
5. I have a passion for design and architecture magazines. I drool over Metropolitan Home, Better Homes and Gardens (did they just fold or something), and I have a subscription to Architectural Digest. But, I can’t figure out where to put the sofa, or hang a picture. But I like the pretty pictures in the magazines.
6. I used to be an avid gardner — before kids. I knew the names of plants, just by looking at it’s leaves. I knew when to plant it, when it would flower, the best time to prune it, and where it originated from (it’s habitat). What is more fascinating, to me, is that I never formally studied this. I just watched a few shows on TV, visited a lot of garden stores, and started gardening. But, when I had kids, I found it very difficult to focus on the plants and hear what they were trying to “say” as I weeded. I got so frustrated that I just walked away from my shovel, took off my gloves and never looked back. Surprisingly, I don’t miss gardening — but I still remember everything about the plants. It was a language I seemed to have learned.
7. I feel like cooking everything in site today. Mainly, because I just want to eat everything in site today. I’m taking advantage of it and baking like a fiend — Chex Mix, Marshmallows, Gingerbread — because I may not have this muse later on this month when I really need it.

Who to tag? Patios, Crunchy Domestic Housewife, Zena, BusyMom (no, you’re not the worst) Jenny, Painted Maypole, Slouching Mom and my fun single girl-friend Garnet have already been tagged. Leslie and Aussie Mum did the 8 meme, which I am staying far away from. The Wink, Melinda Zook, Sabbatical from Sanctity, Kiwi Countdown, Damama, Whoisgoingtotellyou and therapydoc. are tagged, So, who can I tag? For sure, Amy, Janey, Melody, Louann, Sassafras (how have you been lately?) and Mountain Mama. Maybe Gift of Green could do 7 green things about her, besides freezing her bum.

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Filed under: Life, blog, holidays, try this by SusieJ - 12 Comments →

Now that it is NaBloPoMo, National Blog Posting Month, it has become apparent to me how precious little time I do have to write. This is a strange observation; I normally have always followed one of the golden rules of blogging; post everyday, without effort. Sometimes I had to refrain myself from posting twice a day, as my stories just seemed to flow out uncontrollably.

I recently learned that a blog needs a chance to breathe. Posting everyday can also wear out your readers.

To me, the act of writing is breathing; it relieves stress. When I don’t write, I feel like I’m being suffocated. So, I naturally signed up for NaBloPoMo. I believed it would bring an awareness to the practice I had already incorporated into my daily life.

I should have known myself better. There is something about being “told” to do something that makes me rebel. This resistance is sneaky. I barely know it’s there, until I’m already acting on it — I wish I could stop from doing the exact opposite thing that I’m supposed to do. I can’t help myself.

For example, today, we took our little kindergartner to school, and the afternoon stretched out in front of us. How easily I could have put him in front of a DVD today, just this one time, so that I could get caught up on my posts. Because, suddenly, I feel like I am behind in writing. TV is a last resort — I don’t use it for blogging — it doesn’t feel right to me.

I did not like hearing NaBloPoMo’s little voice in my head telling me to plug him into a DVD. So, I didn&#