12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 12

Who can forget Christmas Dinner at Denny's!

I would get excited every year to spend Christmas Dinner at Denny's restaurant for either some pancakes or a cheaply cooked steak. Mmmmmm

When I was a kid, my family was very poor.  We spent Christmas Day with our extended family and had a lunch with them all afternoon.  But when dinnertime came around, we didn't have the money (or kitchen) to cook a fancy Christmas dinner just for us.  So one Christmas my parents looked up the few restaurants in town that were open on Christmas.  We went to Denny's and ate out Christmas evening.  As a kid, I was totally stoked about getting to eat out and loved doing it every year.  I knew that when it was time to go, I could take one of my new toys to play with at the table.  I always got chocolate milk or a chocolate milkshake with my dinner. And I usually got pancakes, although in my older years I advanced to the T-bone steak and eggs :-)

Even when my family was more on their feet, I still begged to go to Denny's because it felt almost like a tradition.  I watched the scene change over the years.  The restaurant moved locations.  Every year the menu was different.  Every year the cook ran out of something and they had to take it off the menu.  Every year the staff got smaller and smaller, whcih made the food take longer and longer.  But we usually got nice people and would be glad to leave a big Christmas tip.

Even now that I'm 'all grown up' my husband and I still go.  We love going just to go and relax after a long day with family.  We usually invite people along, but most of them have other plans.  I can't imagine having Christmas and not going to Denny's that night.  If they ever left Tyler I would have to travel to Kilgore just to have christmas dinner!

This year I went with my husband and some of my family.  The waitress was not so great and the food took forever, and while I didn't get as much personal time with my family as I would have liked, it was nice that we were able to make it altogether because we never know when it will be the last time.  If Denny's were to move out of town....I'm pretty sure they wouldn't follow me to Kilgore just to eat there...

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 11

My Papaw always had the best Santa hats.  They usually had bells or special bands on it. His hats were always different in some way...and not the dinky dollar store Santa hats.

And I was always special enough to wear Papaw's hat...whichever one it was that year.  I'd run around the house in it and hide my toys in it.  Ilayed with the jingle bell on the end and played with any ribbons or strings attached to it.  Of course in order to wear it I had to behave, Papaw said.  I didn't care.  I was so proud that I was the one out of seven grandkids that got to wear the hat. 

When Papaw got sick he got a new Santa Hat with an adjustable band on the back and a fluffy white collar around the front.  He was the one to wear it that Christmas, although he did offer to me at the end of the day....since we both had bald heads.  He told me to hold onto it for now.

He died shortly after the New Year.  I keep his Santa Hat in my Christmas box, so that every year when I pull out the decorations, I pull it out too.  I haven't worn it since he died, but just know it's still in the box makes me feel a little better at Christmas time.  I know I should pass it on for someone else to enjoy, but I guess I'm too selfish to part with it and miss seeing it every year.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 10

I could so be Santa Claus.....if I hadn't lost those 15 pounds.... lol

But on Christmas morning, I was the one who got to pass out the presents on Christmas morning at my house and at my grandparents'.  I was the one that got to dig under the tree and identify each present and make sure it got to the right 'pile' for each person.  It was fun getting to see the different shaped presents and styles of wrapping of each present.  I usually tried to guess what it was and if I knew what was in the box or bag I would giggle to myself when I handed it to that person.  Almost like "Tee hee I know what it is!"

We had a lot of grandkids in my family, and I never knew why I was the one to always pass out the presents.  Maybe they wanted to put me to work.  Maybe they enjoyed seeing me run around like a weirdo and laugh to themselves about it.  Maybe no one else would do it.  For whatever reason, I loved it and loved being the center of attention while doing it.

But now that I'm older, I don't want to be.  Maybe I'm becoming a recluse in my old age, but I like sitting out of the spotlight.  I usually try to make the now grandkids do it, but then realize none of them can read very well or have a very long attention span.  Then Jeremy or me usually has to kick in and help them out in order to get the presents done before the end of Christmas.  lol

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 9

For a few years in a row, my family decided they wanted to film us opening presents with our family.  I found some old VHS tapes in a box from '95 to '97 that showed myself, my sister and my mom opening presents together and then shows where we would go to my grandparent's or aunt's house to open presents with our extended family.

The morning would start at my house and have about an hour of opening presents.  The camera was shaky and the cat or dog always got in the way.  You always heard the 'camera man's' voice talking from behind the lens.  The camera would fade out and would reappear at someone else's house and zoom around the room to see who all was there.  They would tape every person opening presents or any animals running around.  There were even a few shots of the food tables included.

The camera changed hands often so there was always a different view of things.  Even the kids took turns carrying it around and trying to film things.  It made for very interesting tapes and was always fun to look back on. 

I finally pulled out the ones I have and dusted them off to watch them again.  I'm in the process now of converting them over to DVD so I can keep them longer.  They are definitely something worth holding on to.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 8

Getting underwear.  Nuff said...

I remember as a kid you always got one of three presents each year - coloring books, underwear, or soap on a rope.

I don't know why it was my family's favorite thing to give but someone in the group always got underwear or soap on a rope when you got older.  It became so known that every Christmas when we gathered together, everyone kind of got the 'evil eye' look as if to silently ask which one of us was going to pen the underwear today.  With every present, someone in the background would yell "It's underwear!" in hopes that they were the ones opening it and not them.

The underwear and soaps varied every year with every person.  Some people got G-strings and some got old lady underwear.  Men were usually given floral scented soaps and women were given he-man cologne scents.  I'm not sure if we were backwards or just mislabeled the boxes...

I got the coloring books for a few years as a kid and even got the underwear one time when I was older.  They were old lady panties.  I think they were pink and green.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 7

The seventh thing at Christmas that's such a pain to me....

lol

I have been known to associate the holiday season with stressed out/go crazy wrapping parties.  I have even planned (in previous years) to take a few days off before Christmas because my family or friends will get together wrap everything we have and try to get it to the right place.

My favorite memories are the one's at my mom and step dad's house.  It was usually me going out there when Jeremy was working, but once I got there, I walked into a minefield of toys, appliances, gadgets and who knows what else.  If Mom didn't hand you a present to wrap, you randomly picked one out of the pile to wrap and tag.  The tables were a mess and we usually only had one pair of scissors or pens between the four of use.  When we ran out of scotch tape, someone usually pulled out the double sided or duct tape while someone else ran to the store.  In the background were the sound of either Christmas music or some holiday special on TV, along with my step brothers yelling at each other or my sister wondering what's for dinner.  Then someone yells that we're out of boxes or curses that they cut the wrapping paper too short.  Scraps of paper covered the floor and table and usually stuck to your shoes.

The past few years I haven't been able to join in on these parties since I've been working more.  And each year the group lessens by one or two people.  I'm told this year it is just my mom and step dad wrapping presents at their house, trying to recruit people to come out and join them.  If I wasn't sitting at work answering calls about anti-biotics I would gladly head out there just to be part of the madness that has seemed to become so comfortable to me.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 6

Who else puts their tree up the weekend after Thanksgiving?

Lol well my family sure did.  If it wasn't the very weekend after Thanksgiving then it was definitely the next one.  We never went more than a week into December without putting up our tree and having it fully decked out in ornaments, lights and that stringy tinsel crap that the cat would eat off of it.  Now that I'm older I admit it took me until 12/11 to get my tree up, while my sister had her tree up, decorated and with wrapped presents under it the day after Thanksgiving.  I realize I'm slipping.

As a kid I always loved decorating our Christmas tree.  I got excited to open the box of ornaments and unwrap the tissue paper from the ones that were breakable.  We always had a plastic tree, which I've always felt was a better choice.  Mom pulled the tree out of the closet and reshaped the branches so that it wouldn't look like a Charlie Brown Christmas tree.  The first thing we put on were the lights since they were the hardest to get right.  When we got ready for the ornaments, we always had to put the round gold and red ball ornaments on first, but the same colors couldn't be too close together.  Then came the odd ball ornaments; the ones with our names on them or the ones given to us by other family members.

As a kid most of our ornaments were either from the thrift store or were ornaments me or my sister had made at school.  Through the years we acquired more 'normal' ones, but kept most of the originals. My favorite one was this wooden ornament that was shaped like....I'm not even sure....a skinny bear or something and he was painted green.  He has two string on his head and his feet that made him to jumping jacks when you pulled them.  I loved it as a kid but through the years he kind of started to lose pieces of himself, like a foot or a hand or an eye.  He's on my tree today, still looks as pitiful as ever, and makes my husband why we still even have him.

Every year my mom would buy my sister and I a new ornament that was 'ours' on the tree.  It became like a scrapbook because we could look back every year and remember when we got each one.  When we grew up, we took most of the ornaments with us, and mine still make it onto my tree every year.

On top of the childhood ornaments, my husband and I still continue to buy each other an ornament to add to the tree.  It gets harder every year since I've bought most of the super heroes one and even one that sings the "I Want a Hippopotamus" song.  But it's fun to try every year and find new ones.  And when we pull out the box and start putting up the tree, I pick up every one and say something like "remember when we were ____ and bought this one..." or "Oh we got this one _____ ."  He then usually rolls his eyes and nods at me since he always knows where the ornaments came from.  It doesn't really stop me from doing it every year.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 5

As I'm getting ready to write the next post, I just finished sobbing over Look Who's Talking Now because at the end they manage to spend Christmas together after all. *sigh*

So another favorite Christmas memory are the cheesy Christmas specials that usually come on starting the week after Thanksgiving.  Sitcoms usually started airing their Christmas episodes and winter themed episodes.  I always looked forward to when ABC would air the Charlie Brown Christmas Special or How the Grinch Stole Christmas. They usually meant Christmas was right around the corner and other people had to admit it.

The Lifetime Network and ABC Family always played cheesy made-for-TV-movies that usually either had a happy ending or one of those sad ending that are supposed to make you feel happy.

Now that I'm older, I've started to make my own Christmas movie collection so I don't have to try and catch them somewhere else.  Movies like A Charlie Brown Christmas, The Santa Clause, I'll Be Home for Christmas, and even Home Alone 1 and 2.  I'm sure it's a bigger list but I can't think of them all right now.  Every time I pop one in the VCR or the DVD player, it always makes me feel like I'm home and that I should be wrapping or baking something.  The feeling that Christmas is here.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 4

On the fourth day of memories....

My parents divorced when I was young, so I spent my childhood splitting holidays and weekends.  For Christmas, I always spent Christmas Eve with my dad's side of the family and Christmas Day with my mom's side.  So as a child I grew accustomed to getting excited on Christmas Eve to get up and go to my grandmother's house and gather for lunch and presents.

We usually ate around lunch time since grandfather was normally asleep by 4pm.  Me and the cousins would run and play around the house and if we made too much noise, the grown ups would hand us a plastic bag and make up pick up pecans that had fallen off our grandparent's pecan trees.  They told us it would be fun, which was probably true until we were a few years older (I'm pretty sure that is the sole reason I hate pecans as an adult now).  When it was time to eat we always had a buffet of items such as pea salad, pinto beans, dressing and other items that I never touched.  Grandfather always said the blessing before carving the turkey and ham.  The kids would fill our plates and go to 'the kids table' and wait for the adults to finish eating.  Because once they finished eating, it was time for presents!

I spent many years growing up looking forward to this tradition.  Over the years we stopped picking up the pecans and brought more dishes to dinner, but it was always great to come back to their house, to the same kid's table and same living room with grandmother's 2 foot tree.

But after my grandfather passed away, the tradition kind of fell apart.  We didn't gather as much, and no one was made to pick up pecans.  Every Christmas Eve just became another day.

Now I'm a lot older, and I'm lucky if that side of my family even gathers together.  Everyone makes excuses, like dirty houses or busy schedules.  Some family members can't even control themselves long enough to make it through the day.  It's depressing really.  Now we're reduced to white elephant parties and cookie exchanges.  I'd give anything to feel the personal, family gatherings we used to have at the kids table on grandmother's patio or gathered around grandfather's broken old chair.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 3

Christmas time always reminds me of charity, in some form or fashion.

When I was younger, the schools always had charity event like can food drives, toy drives, teddy bear fundraisers, clothing donations and such.  I was always glad to participate when I could because it made me feel like I was helping and actually being a part of something.

I realize now that the one teddy bear I donated or 5 can goods I brought might have only been a drop in the bucket yo these organizations.  But now that I am older, I realize I am in a position to help more and can do more about it.  So Jeremy and I have started the 'tradition' of selecting angels off of our local Salvation Army Angel tree, which features local children and seniors that are poor or disabled and are in need this Christmas.  The first few years we started off with one or two senior citizens.  This year we managed to buy for five angels off the tree.   Jeremy says it needs to go up every year, but I told him maybe we should maintain for a while  lol

Along with the Angel Tree, we've also done charities such as donating toys to the Azleway Home in Tyler, PATH Food Drive sponsored by Brookshires, donated teddy bears to the local Chilsren's Advocacy Center, and have even helped local families found with various donations and toys.

I feel pooped after all the helping, and feel kind of bad that some of the money I spent on other people won't get to be spent on my friends and family (So I am sorry if you got a cheap gift this year but we were broke now!  lol).  But I realized it is something Jeremy and I get pumped for starting in October/November.  We keep an eye out for the angel Tree and start looking on Craigslist.  We get our newsletters from different organizations and mark our calendars for drive due dates.  This is one of my favorite Christmas memories that I get to improve on every year :-)

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 2

Day 2

My next Christmas memory is gathering at my Mamaw and Papaw's house on Christmas Eve to hear my Papaw read "The Night Before Christmas" to the grandkids.

Every Christmas Eve my mom's side of the family would gather for a sort of a pre-Christmas celebration after I visited my dad's side of the family earlier that day.  The kids would yell and play and possibly break something.  The adults gathered together and shared stories of how hard it was to buy that certain toy this year.  But by the end of the night and before everyone was ready to go home, Papaw pulled out his trusty old book and would read us the story of "The Night Before Christmas" to us in his scratchy, Santa Claus-sounding voice.  He'd take his time and show us the pictures, like he'd been doing this kind of thing his whole life.  When he was through all the grandkids packed up and went home to wait for Santa, just like Papaw had said.

When I was 12 he was diagnosed with cancer and was told he didn't have much longer to be with us.  His last Christmas was in 1999 and we all did our best to make it a special one.  Somehow Papaw had lost his special book of "The Night Before Christmas" and Mom and I traveled to over 6 stores to find a replacement.  That Christmas Eve night I was the only grandkid that had made it out there for a visit, since everyone else was coming in the morning.  Before I left that night, Papaw took the time to read me the story one last time.  I was cranky and wanted to go home, but Mom insisted I sit and read with him.  Weak from cancer and radiation, he took his time and expressed feeling in every page he read.  When he was through, he wrote a not inside the front cover and gave the book to me to keep.  I hugged him good-bye and Mom and I went home.  He made it through Christmas, but he passed away shortly after the new year.  I never forgave myself for acting like such a brat and almost missing the chance to hear him read to me one last time.

Now I have the same book he read to me from in my Christmas box.  Every year I look inside and read where he wrote, "Merry Christmas, Stina - Love Paw-Paw, Christmas 1999".  While Jeremy and I don't have any children to read the story to, we always pull the book out and go through the pages and I tell the story of how my Papaw used to read it to me every year.  I'm pretty sure he knows it all by heart now, but he still lets me tell it.

12 Days of Christmas Memories - Day 1

Ok I'm a little behind on starting these, but the idea just came to me the other day when I was rambling some Christmas story to Jeremy that I'm sure he's head the past 5 Christmases we've been together.  lol  So I thought I would share them other and let someone else hear them for a change :-)

Hopefully these will not be long and boring to you, but I'll do my best.

Day 1

Ok the first one that comes to mind is a Christmas when I was probably six or seven years old.  My Uncle Jimmy was living with us at the time and was helping out to play Santa with my Mom and step dad.  On Christmas Eve we always went out to my Papaw's house as kind of like a pre-Christmas family get together.  This usually gave my mom time to either finish buying our presents or wrapping them in the back room and stuffing them in the car while my Uncle Jimmy kept me and my sister occupied.

We were finally driving home one Christmas Eve and it was getting late so I wanted to hurry up and go to bed.  My grandparents lived about 20 minutes away, so it wasn't a long drive even though it felt like it.  I remember driving down a dark country road on the outskirts of town and I was going on about getting ready for Santa by leaving cookies and making sure the door was unlocked for him (I know right) when my Uncle Jimmy pointed out the car window and said "Look there Stina!  It's Santa's sleigh!  He's in Texas already!  Don't you hear the bells?"  I immediately turned to look out the window and saw, what I know as today, was a plane flying across the sky with blinking tail lights.

Ok, as a child, I was super excited that my Uncle Jimmy had pointed that out to me since I wasn't quite old enough to doubt him.  I even stopped talking just to try and hear the bells 30,000 feet above me.  Even though I did turn around and say "I didn't know Santa's sleigh had lights too!" like a dummy.  As an adult now, I have to laugh at myself and how gullible I was.  But I'll always remember how Uncle Jimmy made me feel that night and how he tried to make my Christmas better.

As an aunt now I always wonder if I could pass that one off on my nieces and nephews :-)

Big Fat Food Lover

Ok ok so I'm not so big and fat....much.....anymore...sometimes.

But I am a food lover.

I admit I get excited over food.  I love trying new things (within reason of course) and combining old stuff to make something even better.  I've always considered myself a foodie, but I never realized my enthusiasm for eating.

That is part of the reason I got to the size I was.  I loved to eat and didn't care what it was or when.  I ate when I felt like it (and even when I didn't!).  I never told myself 'no' or 'don't eat that'.  It was great.  It was hell.

I'm on my path to recovery and I've lost over 13 pounds while doing it.  I know it's not much to some people but it's a giant hurdle for me.  I'm on the greatest 'diet' in the world and have developed better eating habits, but I still LOVE food.  It finally sunk in tonight when I was discussing with a coworker about the new Blue Bell holiday ice cream flavors that were coming out soon.  I admit it.  I got excited and happy to talk about them and starting building anticipation about buying them soon.  Did I really get excited about ice cream?

Yes....I did.  And I got super excited about the Ghirardelli chocolate assortments that came out with this Christmas.  Except for the cacao kind, because that one is gross.

As stupid as it sounds, I love the taste of food.  It's not about what nutritional value I get from it or what it can do for my butt.  I love experiencing the taste of individual foods or different combinations.  The feel, the taste, texture or even how I feel when I'm eating it.  I mean, how can you really explain what a double cheese enchilada tastes like??  It is what it is.....or something like that.

MMMMM

So, I love food.  I even customized my own t-shirt that says I <3 food.  Nice.  But I guess there is nothing wrong with that.  Some people love to travel.  Others love to collect things.  Me?  I love to eat. And eat good stuff.   

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 30

A picture of someone you miss

 

Ok ok who did not see this one coming?  lol

I fell in love with Heath Ledger when I was a teenager, after his first big movie 10 Things I Hate About You.  I loved his character and swore that was the type of guy I wanted!  Of course I fell in love with more of his movies and have somewhat of a mini-collection going.  I was always excited to see some of the new roles he would do, whether he was the lead or a side character.  I always teased my husband that Heath Ledger would be the one man I would run off with if given the chance.  He doesn't take that very well...

So imagine my reaction when my friend texts me a few years ago and says "I'm sorry about Heath Ledger"...

What?  Why?

I swore up and down she was lying to me and was just trying to play a prank on me.  I was at work and was trying to look on the computer (a computer which had the internet blocked) and even tried getting a friend to look it up on their phone.  It wasn't for another hour that I found the story and knew she wasn't lying.  I was sad....very sad.

After he died I went on eBay and tried to find some memorabilia.  The one thing I've always wanted from him was a photograph and an autograph.  I've always heard he was great to fans and would always pose for photos and such.  I never got the chance :-(  I was in a bidding war for an autographed magazine spread he was in many years ago.  I finally did win ($200 later) only to have the auction recalled by eBay.  Damn.   

His last movie was The Dark Knight, which really surprised me and it was great to see another side of him.  I never knew him personally, but it still makes me miss him...

*sniffles*

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 29

A picture that can always make you smile

This is a picture from my wedding day.  The ceremony started at 3:00p, so our wedding party gathered that morning for the rehearsal and to do somewhat of a run-through...

Casi is the second bridesmaid from the right.  Yes.  The one with her hand raised.

To this day I do not know why she had her hand raised...as if she had some question to ask everyone?  The very next picture on the roll is of her scratching her head, as if she had forgotten the supposed question and was trying to remember it.

This pictures always makes me smile to see how goofy my friends can be together.  And this was one of the most stressful days of my life, so it was great to have them there beside me.

I know that these are the type of photos you pull out later in life and look back to remember the good times, and laugh at ourselves and ask the age old question "What were we thinking then?"  This one definitely goes in the memory books...

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 28

A picture of something you're afraid of

In reality, I'm scared of almost any type of storm for the fear of the kind of damage they can do.  But tornadoes probably scare me the most.

I grew up in a trailer park, and in the second grade they spent several lessons teaching about tornadoes and the destruction they can do.  So as a result, everytime it rained I took off in fear.  I had the TV on and looked for any kind of storm weather or the little flashing county map they display during the regualr shows.  If it was windy, I swore a tornado was coming.  I remember staying up late to watch the Weather Channel for hours on end to even see if there was a possibility a tornado could come.  I was paranoid, and living in the trailer didn't help.

There was only one time it started to rain and the news declared a severe thunderstorm warning. I was on alert but my mom convinced me to just go to sleep.  An hour or two later around midnight, I was waken up by loud banging noises and all the lights on in the house.  My mom and stepdad had the TV on, watching the weather.  My stepdad had the front door open, I guess trying to see the progress of the storm.  My mom looked at my sister and I and told us to grab some stuff and get in the car.  A tornado was getting close, and we had to leave.  We quickly got dressed and we took both cars up the road.  We drove in the direction away from the storm, only to face the tornado head on in the distance.  The roads were flooding as we tried to turn the car around to the oposite direction.  After what seemed like forever of driving, we arrived at a family member's house and we all huddled around the TV to watch the weather.  We seemed to have missed the storm, and things had started to calm down outside.  I finally fell asleep around 2 or 3am, still trying to watch the TV and the blinking warning that kept flashing.  My mom woke us up around 6am to drive back home.  Luckily, nothing was damaged at our trailer and it seemed the storm did miss us altogether.  I fell back asleep, only for my mom to wake me back up to go to school.  Ugh.

Since then I haven't had any other tornado encounters like that.  We've had the sirens go off in our town a few times, and everytime they do I grab the cat and settle into the hallway until the storm passes.  I try to get my husband to join me, but he's normally the one of the front porch trying to film the storm with his iPhone.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 27

A picture of yourself and a family member 

I know I stalled for a week there, but I must say things got a little crazy, and I got a little behind.  Bah

In case you can't tell, I'm the little blonde girl in the front, who is apparently being strangled by her big sister.  This photo also includes my Mamaw and Papaw, aunts, uncles and my cousins.  I'm not sure who was taking the photo...


This is one of the few photos I have of my family, besides my mom or Jeremy.  Apparently I don't take a lot of photos with people; usually I'm by myself walking around or trying to take pictures of other people.  But this photo was taken outside of a restaurant in my town where my family used to gather for our "mini reunions".  My uncles traveled a lot in the military, so when one of them who finally come into town we would always go to this same restaurant.  We did the same thing with other family events or reunions.  This could be the reason I am the size that I am today, since I always seem to connect family and friends with eating and foods.


Everyone in this photo is so far away now.  Some have moved away.  Some have passed on.  And some are just so distant I'm not even sure we live in the same town anymore.  Obviously I'm going to need more pictures with my family so I can still feel connected in some way.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 26

A picture of something that means a lot to you 

 

Obviously, my wonderfully fat and fluffy cat, Scrat, means a lot to me.

I come to realize this when I was going through my photos for this week's blog challenge.  Of course I thought of answers such as love, family, friends, work, money, my jewelry and so on.  But I noticed I have more pictures of my fat cat than anything else, which made me realize that he is in fact very special to me.

He was born in a litter of only 4 kittens and actually was the last one we could not get rid of.  Maybe that means he was meant to be with me...?  He really was a scrawny little thing with a big head for most of his younger years.  It wasn't until he got older that he got fat and lazy.

But I love how he "shows" me he loves me every time I see him.  When I'm gone to work, he sleeps on my side of the bed (when he's not with Jeremy).  When I come through the door he starts meowing at me (probably bitching and asking where have I been).  Sometimes he sits in the front window and waits for me there.  He follows me around the house when he thinks I'm going to feed him or getting ready for bed.  I mostly love how he curls up in my arms when we sleep at night, like a furry baby Huey.  He knows that's his spot, and he's not afraid to push Jeremy out of the way so he can snuggle in.

I still think of him as my child.  I fuss at him for biting or clawing or when he refuses to come in at night.  I punish or "ground" him from going out when he doesn't act right.  On the flip side I cuddle him when he's hurt and I play with him when he's feeling frisky.  He snuggles with me at night and misses me when I'm away.  And he fights with daddy (Jeremy).  

I've told Jeremy that the world will just come to a screeching halt the day he dies.  I'm not stupid and think he'll live forever, but I still like to think of the few more years he'll have with me.  A few more fat, furry years.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 25

A picture of your favorite day

As corny as it sounds, my favorite day is December 1st because that is when I can officially begin the Christmas season!

If you know me, you know that I am like an elf on crack at Christmas.  I always put my giant inflatable penguin in the front yard the first week of December and I load all of my Christmas song playlists to take with me wherever I go.  I find the cutest Christmas/Holiday cards to send (if we don't send a photo card).  When I was in school I wore bells on my shoes so I could jingle everywhere I went.

I try to start my Christmas shopping early, but the weekend after Thanksgiving is when the stores put out their Christmas displays, so I love to go in my spare time and see what kind of cute gifts or special deals I can find.  This is also the time my husband becomes real sneaky and tries to find ways to buy and hide my Christmas presents or wrap them while I'm in another room.  Any time a package arrives the other one is not allowed to touch it, just in case we might guess what it is by the box! 

Maybe one of my favorite things about getting to celebrate Christmas is the Angel Tree and the Azleway Children's Home Tree.  Every year at the first of December the Salvation Army Angel Tree has it's senior citizens and needy children "angels" that need help with Christmas donations.  My husband and I always choose a couple of senior citizens (as many as we can on our budget) and go shopping for them.  Of course it feels so rewarding because you know the gifts will be appreciated and they'll make someone smile.  We also donate to the Azleway Children's Home every year.  Sometimes we pick a child and buy their presents, but sometimes we just send a box of random presents and let the leaders at the center distribute them out as needed.  Needless to say, my husband and I start feeling pretty awesome by the time Christmas day comes around.  Is it selfish to do things for others just to know how great it feels?

I'm already getting excited about Christmas this year.  I've already started my shopping and I'm making more Christmas tree ornaments.  It's a 103 degrees outside right now, but it's already starting to feel like December to me!

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 24

A picture of something you wish you could change 

More than anything I wish I could change the way people hate each other.  No I'm not some hippie activist or some Miss America entrant who wishes for world peace.  But, damn it, I don't really see what the point of it all is.

I've posted before that prejudice = ignorance.  I feel the same way about hate.  I can't even comprehend why people would teach their children that it's ok to hate against others, for whatever reason.  You can't justify it to me and you will never convince me that it's harmless or "just how they were brought up".

What right do we have to pass judgement onto others?  If you stood next to this person in an empty room with no one else around, what part of you says you are the better person and deserve to hate against this person?  Even if you'd never met them before?  Probably based on something you heard from where ever?

Your thoughts and opinions are no the only ones on Earth.  There are billions of people on this planet, so why does that make you better than me, or anyone else?

Get over yourself and learn to at least get along.  Hate only breeds more hate, and hate leads to something even worse.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 23

A picture of your favorite book

It's pretty sad that this one took me forever to decide on this one.  I haven't read much since high school...kind of pathetic.  I have a ton of books on my shelves and some audiobooks loaded on my iPod, but I'm too lazy to go through them.

One of my most memorable books is Summer of My German Soldier that I read in high school.  Even though Casi decided to tell me the ending half way through, I still found it very good.  The story takes place in Arkansas during WWII.  Apparently there's a POW camp nearby and one of the german soliders escapes.  The lead girl is a sheltered teenager with an abusive father and finds the escaped soldier on the lamb.  She ends up hiding him in the garage apartment in her family's house.  They don't really fall in love, but there is a spark of something there.  As the book unravels, the soldier ends up running again and the girl never sees him again.  He gave her a gold ring before he left, and when her father sees it, him and the local sheriff freak out.  During her struggle to keep it all a secret, the shereiff reveals that he knew all about it, but told her the soldier was shot dead in another state.  The book ends with her going into depression and contemplating visiting the soldier's mother that lives in France, the only family he said he had left.  There is a sequel called Morning is a Long Time Coming where she does go to France and fall in love with a French guy there, and then it doesn't work out.  Go figure.  The book bombed.

I don't know why I liked this book so much, or why I even remembered to through all this time.  I read this book in high school, so I think the idea of hopeless love made me swoon.  I was also obsessed with any books about WWII and read a lot of them.  My older self really admired the idea of these two coming together, despite the fact of a war going on and that they are from two different countries.  It kind of gives you a twisted look at the panic-stricken people here in America and how they can go nuts during war propoganda.

It's a good read, but may seem kind of elementary at this age.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 22

A picture of something you wish you were better at

I got this from http://www.rachelwilkerson.com/, which has some really great articles on life and such.  Definitely check it out.

Honestly, I wish I was better at accepting compliments from others and accepting the good in myself.

I have a horrbile habit of brushing off anyone's compliments that come my way.  Don't get me wrong; I absolutley love hearing them, but then the little voice in me says something like "Pfft No big deal" or "They're just saying that because they have to."  I can never accept that their nice words are genuine or even sincere.  It always feels like a mean joke or a gag or something.

Growing up I received compliments from my family, mostly about my school work and artsy stuff.  While I was glad to get the attention and liked hearing their nice words, it always felt fake or somewhat forced.  Like the feeling of "well they're family, of COURSE they're going to say how great you are."  I never could separate the two or just to go with it.

In school I had teachers that complimented my grades or would show off my papers to the class or get invitations to receive some award or what not. While it felt good to bask in my own glory about it, this kind of attention often got me the stink eye from other classmates.  They would stare me down and look at me like I'd done something wrong.  Later they would make fun of me or treat me like I was now supposed to know everything now.  I then began to see that these kind of compliments and special attention was only making me feel worse than better.  I still did my best in my work, but instead of taking in my teachers' preaises, I would just try to hide in the background or hope that I could be included in a group rather than singled out.

Even now at work I've learned to ignore any praise given to me.  I used to feel proud about myself when I would do something good, but since I have friends in management people just say I'm being treated special and only got to where I am because of who I know.  Now, the praise seems forced.  I'll always believe there is some ulterior motive to things or that they are just saying nice things because they're my friends.  Ugh.

My poor husband has received the worst of this problem.  Everyday he tells me I'm beautiful or mentions how great I look.  I've recently started dieting and of course he says the time old phrase "You don't need to diet.  I love you the way you are."  I've learned to ignore these compliments so much through life that his words just roll off me.  It annoys the crap out of him, but I can't find ways to explain it. 

It's like the Wal-Mart greeters...they say hello and tell you to have a nice day, but they don't mean it!  They could care less if you have a great day but they'll damn sure say it because it's their job!

Luckily he bears with me and just keeps right on saying these things.  Everyone else will just have to deal because I don't know what I can do to better myself at this.  How do you change years worth of molding?

I can only leave you with a famous line from Pretty Woman...

Vivian: People put you down enough, you start to believe it.
Edward Lewis: I think you are a very bright, very special woman.
Vivian: The bad stuff is easier to believe. You ever notice that?

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 21

A picture of something you wish you could forget

Ok this picture is not a good representation...but it was still funny.

I wish I could instantly forget the mean things people say to me, whether its on purpose or not.  I have a tendency to hold on to these hateful words and store them inside of me so I can try to analyze them and pick them apart, which only makes me more obsessed.

You're ugly.  You have a big nose.  You're selfish.  You're a pig.  You're a bad person.  You're a bitch.  Your toes are weird.  You're built bad.  You're a wuss.  You're overbearing.  You're unhealthy. You're nagging.  You're a bad writer.  You're wishy-washy.  Your teeth are crooked.  You're lazy.  You're worthless.  You need help.

My husband and I fight plenty enough and he'll shout mean and hurtful things in the heat of anger.  I know he doesn't mean them and he of course always apologizes, but there's still this nagging part of me that holds onto his words and let them break me apart.

My friends and family often say things to each other to tease and joke.  But sometimes the pin needle goes too deep, and the damage is done.  But of course you can't say anything about it.  You go on like you're fine and cry about it later in your room alone.

I think it hurts most when coming from complete strangers.  I mean, they don't know me enough to really make a good judgement about me anyway, so it shouldn't get to me.  But then for the same reason it does.  I like to act tough and pretend mean things don't bother me, but they do.  I'm human.  I feel and I bleed.

My blogs are getting shorter and shorter.  I think it's because these topics are harder and therefore harder for me to find the words for them.  Bear with me and I'll have something good soon.

30 Week Blog Picture Challenge - Week 20

A picture of somewhere you'd like to travel

I don't know why but I have been on a huge kick about wanting to travel to Egypt.  Go Ahead Tours has a 12 days Nile River cruise that I am really looking into.  I want to go see the pyramids and the ancient ruins.  I don't think I'd be too fond of the heat, but hopefully the hotel has great air conditioning.

Maybe it's because of all the biblical movies I've seen lately or the lure of old Egyptian legends.  I really don't know but I want to go.  Not to mention it's amazing to see a land that has immense deserts, flowing rivers and abundant plant life all in one spot!

I've been to France twice and seen parts of Europe.  Although I want to see more of the world in many other countries, I know I can only start in one place at a time, so I guess I better assemble that road map now.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 19

A picture and a letter



Dear Papaw,

Straight out the gate I'll say that I miss you.  I feel like this family has fallen to pieces without you.  Everybody tiptoes around with big grins on their face and try to forget that it's just one more Easter/Fourth of July/Thanksgiving/Christmas without you.  It sucks, but they say life goes on.

I'm married now, but with no children.  We have a small house, but lots of debt.  Sure wish you were here to tell me how to enjoy the finer things in life and always rely on family that loves you.  I have very few pictures of you, which makes me kick myself for not taking more pictures while I could.  I have a small business, but it's not much right now.  I got a degree in junior college, but haven't put it to use yet.  Could you tell me the story again about how important education is and how to apply it in life?

I know you're watching over all of us.  Jeremy says you're even closer than I can imagine, but I guess I'm too stubborn to believe.  Is that why the dog barks in the middle of the night or the cat suddenly fluffs up?  Stop scaring Scrat.  He's my spirit guardian and I don't think he knows who you are yet.  Maybe if you rattle the food bowl in the dark he'll come around.  Are you up there laughing with Jeremy's mom?  I never got to meet her but I worry about what she would have thought about me if we ever did meet.  Try to make me look good to her and let her know I'm taking care of her little boy.

I have too many emotions to write a clear, level-headed letter right now.  I have things to I want to say and then some off the wall thought seems to type out instead. 

I can't say enough that I miss you and wish you were still with us.  I wish you could have seen your grandkids grow up (and even meet your great-grandkids).  I get excited when I hear Uncle Jimmy laugh because if I close my eyes hard enough I can almost believe it's you standing by the grill.  I haven't got a chance to try that on Uncle Mike yet.  Oh yeah and thanks for sending those dollar bills I found on the ground (they say angels send pennies but I know you send the big stuff).  I like to tell Jeremy that you've sent me money that day.

I'm sure I have more to say, but the sun is coming up, and I should say what I need to....if I only knew what that was.

As I'm writing this I can't tell what I am supposed to feel.  I smile when I think of our memories and the woobie of yours I have stashed away in the closet.  Of course I'm sad when I think about another summer without your grilled burgers or another Christmas without hearing you read The Night Before Christmas to me.  I'm sad in knowing that you never got to meet Jeremy or be there at mine and my sister's wedding.  But then again I'm angry at letting myself type this thing out between tears and sad songs that seem to keep playing on my iPod.  And, frankly, I'm angry that you are gone.  Damn it to hell that out of all of the people in the world and out of all of the shitty things to happen, you had to leave.  You had to be the one to go.  You couldn't have argued with God a little more? I don't care how anyone puts it.  I will never understand and I will never accept it.

I wish they had cell phones in Heaven so I could text you everyday.  I'm sure they have unlimited texts in Heaven too.

Love, Little Dingleberry

Miley, Another Breeder of Hate

I'm all for speaking their mind or sharing your opinions or whatever else people want to call it these days, but some idiots are betting off keeping their damn mouths shut.

I read an article about Miley Cyrus ranting that Urban Outfitters stole a line of jewelry from an Etsy seller, here.  This sounded like a good thing since no one wants to see independent artists get ripped off, even though it would probably be hard to prove in this case (the jewelry is very vague and not copyrighted).

But then this ignorant child decided to open her mouth even bigger with her main argument against the store being "Not only do they steal from artists but every time you give them money, you help finance a campaign against gay equality".

That's your argument about not stealing other people's artwork?
Ok dumbass you just lost all credability.

How can this so called role model preach to America, included the vulnerable youth that still seems to follow her, about hating against others and saying it's okay for them not to have rights too?  Why shouldn't we finance a company that is for giving all characters of life equality?  I guess in her eyes only some people are good enough to be treated like she is?  Well we allow you to spill your ignorant guts all over the media, and you get to have your free speech, but gay people are not up to your level?  Is that the message you are sending and airing out?

"IF WE ALLOW GAY MARRIAGE NEXT THING U KNOW PEOPLE WILL BE MARRYING GOLD FISH"

Are you comparing people to fish?  To animals? 
Seriously Miley?  Are you that stupid?  I'm going to have to say yes based on your career choices and the phrasing you just word-vomitted to the public.

Discrimination is nothing but another form of ignorance.  The bible supposedly has all these verses and scriptures against gays and gay marriage, but I'm pretty sure there is a whole testament (it's call the New one...) about how God created EVERYONE equal and that He LOVES EVERYONE the same.  Did America forget to preach that part which they preached about hellfire and damnation for those that are different.  I guess everyone is equal in God's eyes but not in ours so that doesn't matter.

Hey America!  Don't fall into this pit.  Stop hating those around you and stop telling others to hate with you.  Do not bring others into your misery of discrimination!  Stop focusing on what you hate about this world and get on with your life!

P.S. Go to hell, Miley.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 18

A picture of your biggest insecurity

No this is not my chin, but it is a good example since I Photoshop all of my chin pictures.

I have a double chin.  It's not a big one and not real noticable, but it's still there.  It's in my photos.  I feel it when I sleep.  I even feel it when I laugh.  I hate it.

I've now grown accustomed to looking up in photos or not take pictures of me smiling very big.  Every time I do it comes out.  I have so many great photos I want to share, but can't bear to show them to anyone.  The ones I really want to show, like from my wedding, I try to Photoshop it out.  Some of them I can't, which makes me want to stash those in the back somewhere.  When I worked for a photo company they taught us to have the person posing do the "turtle neck", in which you straighten your neck up and then jut your chin forward a little bit.  It's supposed to reduce the double chin and make it look leaner.  It doesn't work.  I know.

Maybe because it makes me feel fat, when I'm really not.  My doctor told me it was just some excess tissue that had built up, but that's not what it feels like.  It's like an abnormality or mutant growth that doesn't belong.

If you've read my blog you've seen where I posted about this before and possibly having surgery to get it fixed.  I'm already planning how I could finance something like that.  We have a local surgeon but I'm not sure about the payment plans.  It seems extreme, but I'd give my left arm to be rid of it and feel good about myself again and actually take a photo again.  Hell I'd give my second chin for something like that.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 17

A picture of something that has made an impact on your life recently

lol I know this is technically clipart, but it was pretty :-)

There's has been a lot of talk about losing weight in my family and even at work.  It seems I'm the only person not on some strange diet.  By no means do I think I am fat, or ugly, or even overweight.  Ok I am overweight but I can proudly say I'm proportioned pretty good.  But I've heard a lot of girls at work who are apart of this Weight Watchers program and have lost a lot of weight and continue to either lose the pounds or maintain the new weight they've reached.

I really got to thinking about myself and my futile attempts at being more healthy and losing weight/shaping up.  It doesn't help I thought about all this over a nacho cheese gordita and tacos.  But a few of my coworkers and I were thinking about joining and talked over all the different options of the program.  It was really just talk at the time because no one knew how to get started or even where to go. 

Then my employer popped up with a new promotion package they have partnered with Weight Watchers and is offering the 17 week weight loss course at a discount with employee program perks.

I really didn't have any excuses anymore.  A great deal had popped up in front of me and was offering me the chance to get my life back in order (food wise that is).  So myself and several of my coworkers have signed up and will start attending meetings in June.  I'm kind of excited, but also a little scared.  It's made me look at myself now and really think about what I really want from it.

I don't want to be 100 pounds.  I'm 154 at 5' 2" right now, which makes me think I can't go much further without going into the anorexic zone.  Frankly, if I could drop one pants size I would be as happy as a clam.  So now I'm re-evaluating what size I really want to be (realistically) and what I have to do to get there.  I'm not going to kill myself to get there because it will not be the end of the world if I don't reach it, but I can at least start walking that way. 

I am, however, totally scared of losing my boobs.  I was a B cup all through my teenage years and it wasn't until my early 20s did I finally hit my spurt and grew into a lovely C cup (and with the help of a push up bra).  Now I know if I lose the weight, the boobs will be the first thing to go :-(

So technically Weight Watchers has not changed my life yet, but it has impacted my life right now in that the opportunity has been brought to me and I am starting to rethink my own health and, sadly, imortality.  By the end of this Picture Challenge I can make an updated post as to how it went.

30 Week Picture Challenege - Week 16

A picture of someone who inspires you

Wow.  This picture was taken the day of my wedding.  Why does she look so unhappy?

Ok this one took a long time to figure out.  I can't really describe who 'inspires' me or who I can admire through life.  But I think i may have worked out something for this week...

One person in my life that inspires me is my Aunt Kristy.  Often teased as 'the Amazon' because she is a strong, hard working woman, who seems to fear nothing.  As a child she scared the crap out of me.  She was tough and firm when we were in trouble but was there to help when I got a splinter from the playing in the yard.  She had rules in the house and if you broke them, you were in trouble.  Big trouble.

She was/is a hard worker in whatever she does.  She sewed many of mine and my cousins' clothes.  She worked while putting herself through nursing school (she got her first test when she had to bandage up my chin that I busted sliding down her hallway).  When she wasn't working she was painting/crafting items to sell on the side.  Her hallways and living room were always filled with painted ceramics and crafted dolls ready to go out.

This is probably where I got my start in painting.  She started teaching me how to paint ceramics and often had extra pieces I could paint and take home with me.  Although I got some of my first sewing lessons in her house, it wasn't until years later that I got to expand them.

I admire my aunt because of the fact that she wasn't afraid to work and because she wasn't afraid to discipline.  We did not dare act the way some of these dumb ass kids do these days.  We didn't dare cross that line.  Even today she works full time and then finds time to continue to craft and run her own business.  Some say she's tough and we think she may have gone a little crazy, but I admire that.

I do not have any children of my own but I have several nieces and nephews.  When the oldest was born I swore I would be one of the best aunts ever, because I would be like her.  While some say that as a scary thought, I knew it meant I wouldn't take any crap off of anyone.  And the first time one of the children spit in my face, they wouldn't be coddled for 'expressing themselves' but would have their asses beat for showing such disrespect.

Go Aunt Kristy.

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 15

A picture of something you want to do before you die

I know I've been behind.  Being sick in May is totally throwing me off course...ugh.

As corny as it sounds, I want to make a sizable charitable contribution/donation before I die.  Right now I love doing things such as the local Salvation Army Angel Trees at Christmas or finding people on Craigslist that need something I can give (and no your son doesn't NEED that Xbox lady...)

But I want to do something big....and meaningful.  I feel kind of like a nobody when I turn in my items to the Salvation Army or meet up with a lady to drop off some Christmas items for her kids.  They say thank you and give me a smile, and then it's over.  I even followed up with a lady after Christmas through email to see how her kids liked everything and if they had a good Christmas.  She acted like it was a pain to reply or that it was no big deal.

I want to contribute to something that will let me help others while in return (selfishly) making myself feel great.  A genuine thank you would be nice, instead of judging the meager offerings I do have.  No I couldn't buy the kid a new bike but he did get clothes and some legos.  No she didn't get a new stereo but she did get some new shoes and an art kit.  Sorry?

My all time dream when I was younger (and still think about today) was to have desktop or even laptop computers donated to a hospital floor I once was a patient on in Dallas.  This floor is mainly isolation units, meaning children do not get to leave their rooms for any reason during or after treatment.  Sure they have a phone and TV, but what else is a kid to do?  My mom stayed with me and had brought our home computer (which was ancient even for its time), hooked it up and got it online.  We could email and IM  friends (this was before MySpace, Facebook or Twitter), I could play games online, shop online and even watch movies or listen to music.  But that privilege was only for me since no other patients had one.  My dream was to have enough money and resources to have a computer donated to every room for every patient to use during their stay there.  I wanted these kids to have some of the same 'online' advantages I had and not feel like a prisoner in their own room....forced to stare at the walls and the stupid exercise bike in the corner.

Of course, technology has changed and my guess is this isn't really needed anymore...which kind of kills the dream anyway. 

My current project (if I can ever get my butt moving) is a blanket campaign I'm code naming "From the Ashes" (I won't go into details about the name since I have a huge paranoia about someone stealing my ideas before I get to put them into play!).  When I was a patient the previous mentioned hospital, a group of ladies created several throw blankets by hand and donated them to the pediatric floor.  I remember the social worker coming around with several blankets in her hand and told me I could pick one.  I got to go through all of the blankets at my own pace and pick the one I wanted.  I remember it was a small, throw sized blanket with the Looney Tunes on it.

Anyways, if you visit TylerRoseCreations.etsy.com you can see I am a 'blanket artist' and art hobbyist.  I decided I wanted to do that too.  So I did some research and thought over what I would need to do.  I made lists and charts and plotted out different ideas for boys and girls of different ages.  I love going to the fabric store to scour different prints and possibilities, but my finances have forced me to put this project on the back burner for now.  I am proud to say I managed to buy 15 front pieces so far, but my all time goal is to make 30 blankets in all to donate, at least the first time.  I've bought for boys and girls and even look for gender-neutral prints and patterns.  I'm pretty anxious to get this project under way and am even a little giddy about taking them to the hospital when I'm done.

So check back with me at Christmas and see how that one is going ;-)

Anyways, I digress.  One day I'll make a difference.  I'll help someone and make a difference in their life and mine.  Maybe I'll get a second look at life and find ways to better people other than myself.  Perhaps I can look back on those kids who are in the shoes I once wore and say "I know" and give them a glimpse at a future.  That sounds like too much, doesn't it?

30 Week Picture Challenge - Week 14

A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without

Besides my family, I couldn't imagine my life without my husband Jeremy.

I met Jeremy in high school and shortly after I graduated we moved in together.  After that I built my life around him.  I woke up - he was there.  I went to bed and he was there (most of the time).  I went to work he told me good bye.  I came home and he was there.  I needed something - he would get it.  If I was happy - he was happy (sort of).  If I was upset - he was too.

You get the picture.

I base my life on mine and Jeremy's actions.  I ask his opinions on most of my decisions and include him in everything I do.  I can't imagine waking up one day and rolling over to find the other side of the bed not slept in.  What if he wasn't there when I packed my lunch in the morning?  What if he wasn't there when I wanted to text about my day?  What if he wasn't there while I laid in bed and watched Beavis and Butthead?

I used to have dreams where he left me for good or even died and I would wander around aimlessly because I had no idea what to do next.  I always fear my dreams would become real life if I ever did lose him.  What would I do with myself?  What would my days consist of?

I started crying just thinking about it so I will move on from there.  The final thought is that Jeremy is my rock.  He is my sanity, as well as my insanity sometimes.  My life would be empty without him.  I wouldn't have my other half and wouldn't get to feel the way he makes me feel every day for the rest of my life.  Yes my life would still have meaning and life would go on, but it would never be the same.  It would never feel the way it does now.

And that would be the real loss.

Don't be a Boob

Ok, as a cancer survivor, I am always up for new rallies and campaigns to promote cancer awareness.  Sometimes it's fun events.  Sometimes people hold tele-thons.  Sometimes people do things like car washes or sell candy bars.  You know...

But if I see one more campaign like "Save the Boobies", "Save the TA TAs", "I (heart) Boobies" or even "Feel your Boobs" - I swear I am going to scream.

I never thought women would think this kind of campaigning would raise awareness about breast cancer.  Seriously?  I read this article about breast cancer awarenss in Canada and thought I was going to lose my lunch. "A Nice Rack of Slogans" talks about the different campaigns and slogans that have been created to supposedly promote breast cancer awareness.  It even mentions a TV commercial that have woman in bikinis walking around showing off their boobs and then saying "If you like them then let's save them."

SAVE THEM FOR WHAT?  Save them for own health and wellness or save them so you can keep strutting around in that damn bikini and continuing to have men gawk at them.  I'd rather cut them off.

Campaigns with these dirty slogans are only making a mockery of the cause and create more negative media attention than positive.

Breast cancer awareness is good when used in the right sense.  The campaigns are supposed to promote prevention and self examinations and how to get treated if you do find out.  I could care less about "Saving my Ta Tas" if they were full of cancer. 

And don't get me started on some 12 year old who gets pissed off because she can't wear a "Save the Boobies" bracelet to school and has to get her teachers/parents/news crews involved.
First off - it's a school.  Everyone has rules.  Deal with it and get ready for real life
Secondly - you are not convincing me that she is wearing the bracelet to promote breast cancer awareness to her friends and classmates.  She's doing it to get a few giggles with her friends and show off to a bunch of guys.  And as soon as any authority pops in to shut it down, she claims it's for a good cause?

BAH!

You don't see people promoting testicular cancer with "Save the Balls" campaigns or "Check your Ass" slogans to raise awareness on colon cancer.  People will make excuses as to why this campaign is a good idea or give off the wall statistics as to how they may be working.  Don't get caught up in the hype.  Donate your money to actual cancer research instead of buying these retail trinkets whose head company only donates a small percentage of their profits.

Think with a brain.  Stop sexual-izing this awful disease and let's actually do something about it. 

Stop making it about saving boobs and make it more about saving lives.