Hairy Necklace Eater

Sara and her mom were making necklaces for Evie at the kitchen table with all the different bags of beads sitting around. Shortly after, Evie was eating a snack and she saw Anna eat some conversation hearts.  The next day when she saw the bag of conversation hearts sitting on the table she yelled accusingly, “Anna eating necklaces!”

Later that day she was combing my hair.  She was combing the back and she started going lower and lower until she slipped the comb under my shirt and said, “Daddy back hair!”

25 random things

Okay, I got tagged on this dumb thing on Facebook.  I wasn’t inclined to do it, since there are well over 25 random things about me here on my blog, but Sara’s constant nagging finally got to me.  Some of these are stolen from my 8 things from about 8 months ago.

1) The first time I ever flew in an airplane was when I was a senior in college.  I was actually flying to Philly for my job interview!

2) I taught myself how to play the guitar.  I’ve been playing for about 7 years (not counting when I half-heartedly tried to teach myself in college)

3) I played the clarinet in my tiny school band from like 4th grade to 6th grade or thereabouts.

4) I was a green belt in Tae Kwon Do.

5) In going with the “skills you didn’t know I had” theme, I was in the fencing club in college. I only did it for about one year and I never participated in any tournaments, but I did own my own foil and everything.

6) When I was in about middle school, a couple of friends used to come over after school. We would use my bow to shoot arrows straight up in the air and then lay on the ground and see how close to us the arrows could fall to see whose nerve would break first.

7) When I was little I had this blanket that I took everywhere, and I liked to chew on it. My mom couldn’t get me to forget about them so whenever she washed them she would rip off a piece until they got so small I kind of had to give them up. My mom is mean!

8 ) Speaking of my mom being mean, when I was learning to drive my mom told me that she heard somewhere that if you see a box or a bag in the road you shouldn’t hit it because sometimes that’s how people get rid of unwanted kittens. Whaaaa?!? Why would you tell someone that!?! So now I have a pathological need to avoid any bag or box in the road even if I saw it just blow in and it couldn’t possibly contain kittens. But I just can’t risk it! Imagine the carnage!

9) When I was little I was blond. Like really, really blond! This lasted until I was like middle school.

10) I have been continuously employed since I was 15.  I actually had a paper route for about 3 years before that, but I gave it to my sister and took a little break before starting at Subway.

11) When people used to ask me where I was from, I would always say, “Originally Wisconsin, but I grew up in Indiana.” Actually, though, we moved from Wisconsin when I was 6 so it is kind of random to mention it. I always felt a connection with Wisconsin though since we went back frequently to visit my large extended family.

12) I actually was accepted to college in Communication for a degree in film studies.  I transfered into Computer Science before I started school though. I wanted to go into special effects.

13) I really wanted to go to Notre Dame and only applied to Purdue as a backup. I actually got accepted to Notre Dame (of which I am proud) but it was too expensive for me to go. Good thing I went to Purdue though, since I met Sara.

14) I have been accused of being obsessed with pirates and zombies.

15) Every time Sara goes out of town, I make myself ham and (fried) noodles.

16) When I’m sleeping, I *have* to pull the sheet up to my neck (for vampire protection! j/k). If it is hot, sometimes I will have my entire body out of the sheet with a little tendril across my neck.

17) I had my ear pierced.  Twice.  I used to wear a ring in the lower one and a stud in the top one.

18 ) The second time I got my ear pierced, my dad and I went together (although he was only getting his pierced for the first time).

19) When I was little I got my little brother and sister to give me their money so I could put it in my “bank” and charged them for the privilege of keeping their money safe.  Then I didn’t mention it again until later when I gloated that the charges equaled the amount of money they had given me.  My mom made me give them back their money, even though I revealed the contracts I’d made them sign before hand.

20) When I was about 5 I started a rock selling business.  The rocks were priced between $0.05 and $1. I remember one of the more expensive ones was priced that way because I thought it looked like a hamburger.  My only customers were my mom and dad and I think my mom still has some of the rocks.

21) One time I was supposed to be babysitting my little brother.  My best friend and I built a fort for him and set a timer and told him not to come out until it went off.  Then we walked to the comic book store and bought comic books. In a fit of guilt we bought a comic book for him. When he asked where we got the comic books from, we told him a man had lost his dog out front and he gave us the comic books as a reward for helping him find his dog.

22) When I was in middle school I played Dungeons and Dragons.  My mom thought that meant I was a satan worshiper and she contacted our priest.

23) I used to take a blank piece of paper and draw roads all over it, crossing over and under each other and looping all around. I thought they were the bee’s knees. I made a sign for my desk at school proclaiming I could create one of these masterpieces for any interested party for the low, low price of $0.05.  I think I even had one customer!

24) I like musicals and my favorite it Jesus Christ Superstar. I used to listen to it over and over again. When I was really little my aunt took me to the store and I sang, “You’re a fool Jesus Christ!” and she said, “Oh no no no Shane! We don’t say that!” I can only imagine what she thought my parents were teaching me. 

25) When I was little I though the word magician was pronounced “maj-ik-an”.  Like a combination of the words “magic” and “can” (not so crazy when you think of it like that!).  I also thought the chocolate/vanilla/strawberry ice cream was Napoleon ice cream.

Movie

On Saturday, Sara and I went to see a movie in the theater.  It was the first time we have gone to the theater since Evie was born (she will be a year and a half tomorrow).  The two things I really noticed were 1) the smell of popcorn. It was delicious smelling!! 2) the volume.  So loud!! Since we only watch T.V. after she is in bed we hardly have them above 12 or so.  The theater just felt like it was destroying my ears. 

We saw Slumdog Millionaire.  It was pretty good. The idea behind it was really the best part in my opinion.  I liked it, but at the same time, if you only see one movie in a theater every two years or so, it almost could never be good enough to be worth it!

Still, we both enjoyed it. It was nice to have a “date”.

Bacon Bar

For my birthday, Anna got me a chocolate / bacon bar.

I have blogged many times about all manner of sweet things involving bacon, however, I have never actually tried any of them. So this was actually a first! As I have stated, I don’t really like to mix sweet and salty things, so I was a little nervous about this. It was actually pretty good though! Well, three out of five people didn’t like it much. I wouldn’t want to eat it all the time, it was definitely a novelty item, but it was pretty good. It was pretty dark chocolate, which I normally don’t like, but it worked perfectly with this. It smelled like bacon and had little bacon pieces. It is hard to describe exactly what it tasted like…kind of like bacon and chocolate.  That being said, it was nothing like I expected.

So, in summary, give it a try! It was worth it.  But don’t buy a case of it!

Instructions

Instructions

by Neil Gaiman

 

Touch the wooden gate in the wall you never saw before.
Say “please” before you open the latch,
go through,
walk down the path.
A red metal imp hangs from the green-painted front door,
as a knocker,
do not touch it; it will bite your fingers.
Walk through the house. Take nothing. Eat nothing.
However, if any creature tells you that it hungers, feed it.
If it tells you that it is dirty, clean it.
If it cries to you that it hurts,
if you can,
ease its pain.

From the back garden you will be able to see the wild wood.
The deep well you walk past leads to Winter’s realm;
there is another land at the bottom of it.
If you turn around here,
you can walk back, safely;
you will lose no face. I will think no less of you.

Once through the garden you will be in the wood.
The trees are old. Eyes peer from the under-growth.
Beneath a twisted oak sits an old woman.
She may ask for something;
give it to her.
She will point the way to the castle.
Inside it are three princesses.
Do not trust the youngest. Walk on.
In the clearing beyond the castle the twelve months sit about a fire,
warming their feet, exchanging tales.
They may do favors for you, if you are polite.
You may pick strawberries in December’s frost.
Trust the wolves, but do not tell them where you are going.
The river can be crossed by the ferry. The ferry-man will take you.
(The answer to his question is this:
If he hands the oar to his passenger, he will be free to leave the boat.
Only tell him this from a safe distance.)

If an eagle gives you a feather, keep it safe.
Remember: that giants sleep too soundly;
that witches are often betrayed by their appetites;
dragons have one soft spot, somewhere, always;
hearts can be well-hidden,
and you betray them with your tongue.

Do not be jealous of your sister.
Know that diamonds and roses are as uncomfortable when they tumble from one’s lips as toads and frogs:
colder, too, and sharper, and they cut.

Remember your name.
Do not lose hope — what you seek will be found.
Trust ghosts. Trust those that you have helped to help you in their turn.
Trust dreams.
Trust your heart, and trust your story.
When you come back, return the way you came.
Favors will be returned, debts will be repaid.
Do not forget your manners.
Do not look back.
Ride the wise eagle (you shall not fall).
Ride the silver fish (you will not drown).
Ride the grey wolf (hold tightly to his fur).

There is a worm at the heart of the tower; that is why it will not stand.

When you reach the little house, the place your journey started,
you will recognize it, although it will seem much smaller than you remember.
Walk up the path, and through the garden gate you never saw before but once.
And then go home. Or make a home.
And rest.