Jami Has Been Tagged!

EDW tagged me with this meme, and since I am thereby honor-bound to complete it . . . . Four places I go over and over again: - MOPS: meetings, Moms' Nights Out, you name it - Church - Giant Eagle (our grocery store) - to the fridge Four people who mail me regularly: - Lori - My mom - Stephe (who actually sent me this same meme recently!) - Heidi from MOPS - gotta find out about those Moms' Night Out Four of my favorite places to eat, (apart from home) - Quaker Steak and Lube - Dave and Busters - Eat'N'Park - Anywhere someone brings me food that I didn't cook and don't have to clean up after Four places I'd rather be now: - On a cruise to anywhere warm - At an all-inclusive resort on a nice beach - At the Penguins' game with a beer, pretzel and nachos - Moms' Night Out - really, they're that fun Four favorite TV shows: - The Simpsons! Of course. Not like I'm a total Simpsons geek, but do YOU know Millhouse's middle name? I do. - Psych - hilarious and filled with 80s music. What could be better? - Ugly Betty - soapy, but also smart and with great heart. - the Office - funny and wrong every week Four movies I could watch over and over again: - Serenity (only after you've seen Firefly, though!) - Snakes on a Plane. Seriously, I love this movie. It has it all. - Grosse Point Blank - you have to love this heartwarming tale of a hired killer. - I, Robot - because it's got Will Smith and a great warning. And I choose to add to this meme, after doing the second to last one: Four Shows You Wish They Hadn't Cancelled - Pushing Daisies - a clever, new premise, great actors, hilarity, occasional singing, and great cliffhangers. Oh, and solving murders. Why wouldn't this smart, fun show be cancelled? - Futurama - as evidenced by the three movies released since cancellation, they still had stories to tell - Firefly - Great writing, great acting, great ideas - no advertising, played out of order, gee, wonder why it didn't do well. - Arrested Development - a great push was made for this, too little, too late. This show was so wrongly funny it makes the Office look like Matlock. I don't really have anyone to tag, so I just randomly tag whoever wants to do it. If you don't have a blog, feel free to answer in the comments here. And EDW, you gotta do the last one.

Jami Admits When Wrong

Not long ago, I posted this about the apparent lack of costumed superheroes in our society. Clearly, my research department dropped the ball on this one. Here is the link to the World Superhero Registry. It's a registry of, in their own words, "Real Life Superheroes". You can also shop and get Hero Support on this site. I had been woefully unaware of this resource. There seem to be no heroes listed in my area, the closest one being Cincinnati. Also, I am interested that almost everyone lists their notoriety as "Medium". Not sure how one judges that. Just saying. So. There you have it. Consider the post corrected. And sleep better, knowing these fine folks have your back. If you live in their area.

Jami Fits Wii

The Wii Fit - video games meet the gym. I couldn't wait to get it out of the box, a couch potato getting jazzed about exercising? Could it be the answer to America's fatty-bo-batty problem? Well, we'll have to see about this one. Smart as the Fit is, it doesn't follow me around and slap the cookies out of my hand before they reach my mouth. Yet. If you don't know, the Fit looks like a scale without numbers, a nice white rectangle you stand on, called a balance board. You put the game in the console and your Mii (avatar) does what you do. Fit weighs you, tells you your weight, BMI and "Mii Age" which is calculated by your actual age, BMI and how well you do on a couple tests. Note: if your three-year-old grabs you from behind and yanks you off the balance board during your balance test, it will skyrocket your "Mii Age." There is yoga, which I'm assuming you've heard of. There's aerobic activities, such as jogging, step aerobics and hilariously silly Hula Hooping, which doesn't seem like it's a work out until you suddenly realize you're breathing hard and sweating. They have balance games designed to improve your chances of not falling on your face regularly and strength training which involves isometric style exercises with your own personal trainer. I chose the guy, I don't need some skinny chick telling me what to do. So today I hop on it (not literally) the second time. I run through the body check and - I haven't lost any weight! My BMI is the same! I didn't improve my Mii Age. In one whole day. Ah, I am disappointed. This is so me. What do you mean I exercised two whole days in a row and didn't even lose a pound? How could that be? Just because I ate 5 or 8 cookies and every leftover I could get my hands on? That doesn't seem right. I exercised twice!! TWICE!!! Sigh. This is pretty typical of my attitude toward new challenges. Oooh, this is fun. Why am I not better at it immediately? I WANT to be better. I practiced it yesterday. I should be a super-star by now. Don't worry, I'm not giving up. As ridiculously over-optimistic as I always am starting new things, I am also not a quitter. Heck, at my last job, they FIRED me and I still kept coming to work until the company hired me back (and subsequently went out of business, but I don't think that's my fault. Entirely.) I swam a boat race dragging my boat which had sunk because I don't quit. Sometimes, perhaps, quitting is a good thing. But not now. J-Mii (my Mii's name) is going to get skinny again (they fatten up your Mii after they weigh you!) and I will catch each one of those hoops they throw at you. I will master the skiing. I will unlock new and better yoga poses. And I'll keep you posted. Gotta go, Eddie's asleep so I can finally work on my balance.

Jami Survived Christmas

Actually, I have to say that overall it was a great Christmas. We got to spend time with both families. I volunteered at my church's Christmas dinner, with my parents, as we've done for years. I sang at the Christmas Eve service without fainting and even felt like it went well. I got the Wii Fit which I am loving and will probably blog about. Eddie got a basketball hoop (already up in the playroom) which he's been totally into. He also got lots of Thomas stuff (always exciting) and tons of puzzles, so he's been in three-year-old heaven. He went rollerskating for the first time on Saturday when the weather was unseasonably gorgeous. The Steelers won. On the downside, the Husband injured his back, which led to a leg problem, also. He's on the mend, thank goodness. I'm in the midst of a cold that can't seem to decide if it's getting better or worse. And so we reach almost the end of another year. Shall I wax philosophical about what we've done, or not done, or undone? Probably not. But I may yet. Stay tuned.

Jami Drops By, Again

Another week gone and no posts from me. Ah, my dear friends, I do apologize. Since the first week of November I feel like I've been stuck in a hamster ball heading down that crooked road in San Fransisco. You know the one. And if you don't, Google it. I told the Husband that we aren't accepting any invitations for January for anything. I might not even get out of bed until my first MOPS meeting. I need the world to pause for a minute, so I can catch my breath. Here I am deliberately ignoring a pile of gifts begging to be wrapped because I haven't read my friends' blogs in a week or so. EDW and Patrick both posted about their fav Christmas songs. It's a hard one for me, because I do love me some good Christmas music. Shocking as it is for me to disagree with the always cool EDW, I have to admit to despising Santa Baby. Ugh, ick and blah. Pouty selfish harlot sexily implores Santa to give her ridiculously large gifts? Nope. Can't deal. Winter Wonderland - again, no. Too insipid to even get into. I love the classic Christmas Carols. I love them sung in 3 or 4 part harmony, or just with a guitar. Point of Grace does an incredible version of O Holy Night. Third Day has a great Do You Hear What I Hear? Here is a link to "This Christmas" a song, by Toby Mac that I can't listen to without getting teary. And it's not even slow. In a fit of insanity, I decided to sing Breath of Heaven on Christmas Eve. It's a great song, and I found a version low enough for this alto to hit all the notes. I'm so nervous about it I'm considering pulling the fire alarm before my part so that everyone runs out of the church before I start singing. I only tell you this because I assume most of you are either family/friends who will be there anyway or live too far away to decide to pop in and watch me sing an entire song with my eyes closed so that I can pretend you're not there. What was I thinking??? Sigh.

Jami, Jami, Where are you??

Ah, that is the question I seem to be asking and being asked. Nine days since I posted, not good. EDW wrote in a post something about 'in her last post, Jami wrote . . .' and I thought - it won't be my last, honest . . though it does sometimes seem that way. November was a long, busy month, the kind of month where my calender had something on it almost every single day, plus work, plus the holiday and oh, yeah, I'm a mommy and a wife and occasionally I like to sleep. So I get in front of the computer, all intent on blogging and I answer emails and I do work and I open up the blog when POOF! the brain shuts down. 'Oh,' it says, 'this is optional? I'm outtie.' So let's see. Eddie's now sleeping on his bunkbed like a big boy. He calls it a Monk Bed, which cracks me up. He's almost done with his first semester of school. Thanksgiving was great. Family, friends, food. All good. Doula certification is progressing. Learned today: Cocaine is bad for pregnant women. Actually I've stuffed my poor old, old brain with far too much good knowledge and it's starting to drip out my ears - tiny sentences being pushed out by the new ones . . . sigh. The Husband injured his back and was out of commission for a few days, still recovering a bit. He's old, but I love him, so what are you going to do? And, a brief funny note: today I picked Eddie up at school and his teenage "teacher" said "he had an accident in his pants, so I put them in a plastic bag in his backpack, because I didn't know if you want to wash them or throw them out or whatever." Hmm, if I threw out everything he'd peed in or on, we'd have nothing left but the TV and dog. Peace out!

Jami Meant to Write This Last Week

I had this idea of posting all the things I'm thankful for, and even started writing it, but you could probably guess it. Family, friends, a potential for a great new job, home, etc. Good stuff, no doubt, but same-old-same-old. So here are a few shout outs to people that I should have thanked and probably don't do it enough. I'm going to leave off my immediate family, even though I am immensely grateful to all of them, but it's both too personal and too obvious. In no particular order . . . MOPS Mommies - Thanks for saving my sanity when I think I can't survive another minute. I can't tell you how it changed my outlook when you told me that I am not just fine, I am cool and funny. When you let me cry and everyone had a story about doing the same thing, when you gave me a chance to reach out to other mommies and just because I really needed friends right then. Aerie - Thanks for helping me put together the bunk beds, most recently, but also for being a friend I can do stuff with and forget that I'm old and someone's mom. EDW - Thanks for being the person I called when I had a total moment of losing it this summer, and being the "yeah, you're totally right!" person I needed, even if I wasn't. I love chatting with you, though we don't get to often enough. You're proof that you don't need to be in the same state to be a great friend. Friends Who Stay in Touch - Stephe, Charlie, Lori, Kris, Anne, Monica, and Cheryl, especially. Thanks for keeping it going! We might not get to get together as often as we'd like but at least we email, call and send pics around. It's important to me to have you in my life, even if it's not for tea twice a week. My Church Family - Thanks for being more than the other people in the pews. You're one of the reasons that I know that you don't have to be biologically related to someone to be their family. I strive to give back to you as much as you've given to me. Lauren - Thanks for starting the youth group back up, sticking with it even though the kids are, uh, not what we'd expected and for reminding me how much I love that ministry, especially when I'm not in charge. You, Aerie and Giovanna are my proof to myself that I have done at least something of value with my life. My neighbors - Thanks for being people that I enjoy talking to. Thanks for loving Eddie and for inviting us to fun events. In an increasingly non-personal world, it means a lot to me to have people I like and talk to living around us. Everyone who makes a fuss over Eddie - Thanks for verifying my belief that my son is extra-special, adorable, intelligent, witty and charming. This especially goes to: Kim and Jen, the staff at the Library, Pam at the Bank, the other "teachers" at preschool, and my parents' and grandparents' friends. Not that you could help but adore him, but I do appreciate it.

Jami Doesn't Get It

There are plenty of sayings and idioms that make sense to me, but many remain mysteries, even to a brilliant woman like me. For example, I have often heard that a particular food is "So good you'll slap your mama." Why on earth would I slap my mother just because some food is delicious? Wouldn't I be more likely to share it with her? "So good you'll take some home to your mama." The whole thing of doing something to me and calling me something else. You know, (verb) my (noun) and call me a(n) (noun). The one I've heard most often is "slap my butt and call me Susan." What does that mean?? I know several Susans and if you slap their butts, you will probably get punched in the nose. How about "Punch my nose and call me a Susan-slapper." The one about buttering my buns and call me a (variety of bread options go here) at least makes sense in that context, but really, how does that express your surprise? I just don't get it. My favorite comes from my college radio station. We had a liner which said "(station name) where we be kickin' butt and cookin' chickens". I have no idea what that means. No one had any idea what that means, including the person who recorded it. No one ever took credit for writing it. Be we all loved it and aired it all the time. Probably due to the high concentration of Comedy K's (for more on this topic see the Simpsons, Neil Simon, Star Trek TNG). Just sayin'.