Photoblog Wednesday

Nani, Kelly and Dave
Taken last night.

Kelly and I have a collection of photos of us mugging our parents! In 2010 when she visited, we got a shot of us mugging my Dad which was similar to a photo from 2002 with my Mom. Now we add her Dad to the gallery! I had said I wanted that photo after we did the shot with Pop in 2010 and now the collection is complete!

Kelly and her Dad are visiting for a few days before Kel’s next semester starts. We’re hoping to have lunch with Scotty tomorrow and of course, a coffee stop at Dunkin Donuts in Novi. They change the place, but who says you can’t go home? We do whenever we’re in town!



I occasionally like to combine regular features when I try out a new meme. Today, I’m trying out The Wednesday Hodge Podge, hosted by Joyce at This Side of the Pond. 7 questions to answer and one random thought. Simple enough and it’s one of my favorite blogging topics; my opinions! I’ve read Marti’s answers for a few weeks at Marti’s Musings and thought it sounded like a fun meme and since there isn’t a Meet Me On Monday right now, I thought trying out a new meme with be a good replacement this week!

1. Lake Superior University has once again banished a list of words/phrases they think should be banished from the Queen's English in 2012-

amazing, baby bump, shared sacrifice, occupy, blowback, man cave, the new normal, pet parent, win the future, ginormous, trickeration and thank you in advance.

Which of these words/phrases would you most like to see banished from everyday speech and why.

Well, out of the choices given, I’m not tired of any of them, really. I still do find a lot of amazing things in this world and I also fully accept that what’s amazing to me may not be so amazing to someone else and vice versa. It think shared sacrifice is the best way to get something less tasteful done because there are also shared rewards. I don't care about the political buzz word. When real people use it and mean it, it's productive. I think Occupy is the very beginning of a new and hopefully better political party in this country. I’m working on creating a man cave and a woman cave in our home. I think there needs to be both. I’ve really never heard of some of the phrases on the chopping block, I’m a proud cat-mom, married to a proud cat-dad, proud in a ginormous way. :P

I guess if I HAVE to pick one, it’d be “baby bump.” But only because I get tired of seeing photos of bare swelled tummies, nothing against the phrase. Call me a prude, but I don’t want to see bare pregnant bodies, bare fat bodies or bare muscle head bodies on general public things like blogs or billboards. Though I will admit that of the three, a pregnant body is the most beautiful because it’s natural. I find the muscles on top of muscles, even just “six-pack abs,” to be the least attractive because there is a conceit involved with baring that for all to see.

I’m tired of “it is what it is.” That phrase is a cop out for “there’s a problem but I’m too lazy to care if it ever gets fixed. I’M not gonna do it! But I do know it’s a problem.” Yuck!


2. Are you easily embarrassed?

Not really. I always worry about being in an embarrassing situation, but when they happen, I don’t get embarrassed. Maybe that’s because I worry about being embarrassed and it’s never as bad as I was afraid it could have been.


3. What is your go-to snack?

Organic carrots! I go insane when there aren’t carrots in the house and I prefer the full-size organic ones. There IS a difference!



(Back from getting a carrot – weak to the suggestion!)


4. Have you ever been to Washington DC? if not do you have any desire to go? What site/attraction would you most like to see in that city? If you have been what's your favorite site?

I was in Washington DC in 8th grade as a class trip. I have photos of a bunch of 8th grade kids goofing off and what I remember the most was that it was a trip on a plane with friends to another state without our parents. Really, that’s the coolest memory about it.

If I went back now, I’d really like to go to Starbucks and have coffee with the President and members of congress from both sides, including the congress members representing Ohio, to talk about healthcare. I think my ideas and their clout might have some powerful results. Even if my ideas aren’t fiscally realistic, they might spawn some other ideas that are better.



5. sit ups-planks-lunges-squats-which one do you hate the least?

Um, you said “souvlaki spanakopita pastitsio” what?


6. What's a small act of kindness someone did for you that you've never forgotten?

One day I was entering the bank. My walker was in the trunk. It’s usually in the back seat and getting it in and out is a science I’ve mastered, but not so much the trunk! I made my way to the back of the car and was wrestling with it, but not having great success getting it out. A man leaving the bank stopped and asked if he could help. I started to stubbornly say “no,” but smiled and accepted the help. He got the walker out of my trunk, checked to make sure that I had my keys before he closed it and went back with me to the door to the bank, holding them both open for me before he left to go to his own car. I always remember that time especially when I think about how much using the walker and wheelchair has shown me the best side of people time and time again.

When I think of that man in the bank parking lot, it always bring back the about 10-year-old girl who offered to help me with the door in the ladies room and stayed until she could hold the door open for me to leave the ladies room. If you take the time to see it, in spite of all the lesser people who make headlines, there are a lot of wonderful people in this world.


7. Have you ever been a blood donor?

When I was younger my blood pressure was always on the low side and honestly, I’d have to have juice and rest for 20 minutes after a blood-draw at the doctor’s office, so the thought was scary!

Now, after a year of so many blood draws last year, I think I might be able to do it, but I’m not sure if all the MS medications would taint my blood. I ought to find out. David gives platelets often.


8. Insert your own random thought here.

On becoming a woman.

As women, we emotionally try to keep little girls from crying. As a girl, you know when you’ve reached womanhood in another woman’s eyes because she starts doing things to make you cry on purpose. My nieces aren’t 18 yet, but I see them as women because I’m no longer just the cheerleader. Now I give them the mushy gifts that make them cry and I know I’ve done well when they do.

They've been emotionally women for a couple of years now!



Links:

Marti's Musings