UPDATE: Current CNN Headline on Twitter

cnnbrk-U.S. apologizes for infecting Guatemalans with STDs in 1940s. http://on.cnn.com/aKYzyE 16 minutes ago via web

That's the news I'm talking about! Shht.

Take a Walk Down the Street with Me...

This past week I've seen two different clips from season 41 of Sesame Street. And I'm unsure of how I exactly feel about what's going on down the street. Katy Perry ended up on the cutting room floor or rather the rest of her outfit. The other clip "TrueMud" has bounced around the web like wildfire and I thought it at the time it was almost genius. But, now I'm wondering if it really was.

I enjoy parodies as much as the next person, but Sesame Street is stretching it with a HBO TV show parody. You really think the same people subscribing to HBO channels still flip to PBS for the occasionally Antiques Roadshow? Much less tune in to Sesame Street for their children to watch? I don't think so. However, there they were: Sookie, Bill, Sam, Maryann, LaFayette, Arlene, Tara and even Sheriff Bud Dearborne puppets on the set following a opening title sequence for TrueMud. (Way dirtier than the opening of TrueBlood)

I'm not being a grouch, but I was raised on the "Street" watching it religiously as a child, but now it doesn't hold a special place in my heart anymore. As a parent to two boys, I've turned my back on where I was raised and my boys don't watch anything on PBS. They've both seen the few Sesame Street DVDs we've got, but nothing that's been produced in the last 8 years. One morning, I was checking FB on my blackberry before getting out of bed (yeah, my desktop is just for pure blogging now) and came across a WONDERFUL memory of Sesame Street. A friend had posted a link on how crayons were made. I watched it and remembered mornings filled with Super Grover and Mr. Hooper's store. Ayden, my youngest had crawled into bed with me and from the tiny 2x3 inch screen on the BB we were engrossed in awe. "Again, I watch crayons again! " Ayden said and we did.

Ahh memories, sweet memories! Where is the Teeny Little Super Guy and the vintage crayon making videos today on Sesame Street? Where's John-John and Grover counting backwards? Where's Snuffy, Bob and the Twiddle Bugs? Is there a Fix-It Shop on Sesame Street anymore or has it been replaced with a Starbucks or Walgreen's like every other street-corner in America?

So, while I loved Sesame Street and the Muppets growing up, I'm wondering the effect of media will have on our children today. Maybe I'm getting old, (shudder the thought) but why are we so focused on celebrities as opposed to world news or things going right here in America, not just the Jersey Shore. Just two days ago, I received a small 2 sentence tweet on Twitter about four Fort Hood Soldiers committing suicide and I had to type in the search box on CNN to pull up the headline, because everyone was more worried over President Jimmy Carter's case of the BG's (bubbleguts). And what is today's headlines? Oh, they're now focused on questioning JonBenet's brother. WTF? This happened in 1996, 14 years ago this Christmas. Now, I do feel bad about her death, but reopening this case won't bring back that little girl. How about focusing on our current situations at hand? Not Kat Perry's cleavage popping out on Sesame Street or Michelle Obama and Nick Jonas teaming up for fitness. Don't bother yourself with childhood obesity Michelle. It's the childhood brainwashing, name-brand icons and celebrities being implanted in their heads we need to worry about. I'm wondering what the world (or America in this case) is coming to.

Randomness, Again At Its Best……

I recently had an email come through my inbox from the Army entitled “Afghan Wars”. This was the only mental image I could produce at the time. Does anyone else call crocheted blankets "Afghans" or is it just people from the South? And then I thought this picture sent to me was hilarious as well.

Twitter Update- Alright, so I’m completely lost on how the Twitter thing works, but I thoroughly enjoy reading and seeing randomness at its best. I’ve been tweeting for about 3 weeks, okay that’s a lie. I’ve been “reading” tweets and retweets. My personal belief is that Twitter is a fancy way to cyber-stalk famous people and celebrities from a distance that safely harbors you from being slapped with a restraining order or sitting outside their Hollywood home with binoculars around your neck. You know where they are and what they’re doing or how they’re feeling, eating, etc. without all the time consuming legwork of stalking. Plus, this gives the advantage for one to "follow" many people, not just one or two and this is widely accepted by everyone in America who tweets. Scary thought, but oh well.
I have unfollowed @JimCantore (of the Weather Channel). This crap with #Igor and his incessant ramblings on tornados in #Kansas and other weather mumbo-jumbo, frankly I don’t give a damn. However, the tweets of the voice-sexy @mikeroweworks (Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs) have now filled my twitter page. Ahhh, I can just imagine him doing a voice-over on his tweets to his followers, all 29,326 of us. And my favorite twit-pic of the week.

@mikeroweworks In a jelly bean factory. Quite possibly my favorite homage to Safety Third. Ever. http://twitpic.com/2oihjh

Other honorable mentions of tweeters that I follow are: @celiarivenbark (NC humorist/writer) who hasn’t tweeted since September 09. However, her last tweet was epic and I kept her because of that. @BenFolds (NC native in the music industry) and by gosh keeping him on here forever because of the YouTube clip from a live performance on “Chatroulette” (check it out) at a Charlotte Concert. Again, Bobby you made that concert rock and you too Bam on the can. Yes, this clip was downloaded to my iPod for my in flight entertainment to Texas last April. And last but not least @brettcbailey (renowned social networker in a smallish portion of NC) 95% of his content on Twitter is RT (re-tweets) but still an essential person to follow for your daily laugh or for your need to know info on college sports or NFL football, which I skip over these tweets and read the more pressing issues facing the world today; like some these:
RT@PeterGriffinn I type like this, #becauseimagangsta. yuuhh typ3 lyk3 diz bcuz ur @n id10t.

True. U no? Pardon the interjection of a personal tangent, but bear with me, this is my blog. Or my personal favorite shortened txt word that my husband uses constantly,"caws" not cause. Aggravating, but apparently it's the most time efficient shortcut txt word for our soldiers in the U.S. Army who communicate via BB messenger to find out what time final formation is or to tell their wife they can't talk long "caws tim is short" which translates to "cause time is short". Really? I thought you were saying we can't talk long because your 6 foot father Tim is now short. Okay on to more sweet tweets...

RT@alyankovic On second thought, it actually might behoove you to fear the Reaper a little bit. #rockretractions (I need more Cowbell!)
@brettcbailey I wish Tucker max would come out and punch Chelsea handler right in the ovary. #vma (I wish the same too!)
So, my life is a little bit funnier each day thanks to all the tweeters I follow. It's kind of like those brown bag specials, you never know what you’re going to find inside or read in this case. Happy tweeting for you peeps that do and find me if you can. I'm on to google a video of @mikeroweworks playing a piano and singing at the tannery and download it to my iPod. Maybe, just maybe, Ben and Mike could meet up on day on Chatroulette. Ahh...that would be awesome. :D

Getting Some Chinese Wookie and Fook You Too!

*Warning-The following blog post is non-typical blogging material for me, which may in fact become quite typical for me in the future. Having said that-cover your virgin eyes if you wish not to read the following.*

So, today has been interesting to say the least and some of my conversations on FB have been, how do you say? Slightly suggestive?
Perhaps.
Earlier today I went to the dentist and after sitting next to the lady wearing High Karate, I knew my day would be anything but average. Gagging..I get called back to the room and after a close call with a dental tool (the pointy one with the crooked bend in it) to my left eye, leaving me with my first impressions of the dental assistant and my teeth. Well just read my post.
Me-Just about threw up on a girl named Brett while she was making my impressions. Good impression, huh?
Michelle-That sucks.. Hope it wasn’t smelly & chunky! ~ was that inappropriate?
Me- Very inappropriate, but VERY funny. :D
Glenda-Please tell me you didn't have tuna for lunch :)!

Glenda, I’m afraid not. No tuna, just a hearty bowl of Buffalo Chicken Chili, which was delicious. So that brings me to my afternoon quest for my Cheerwine Fanatic Cousin by marriage-Brynlie. Sad part is she’s from Utah and living on the post-apocalyptic campus of Central Wyoming College and has to get her Cheerwine fix on her visits to the Carolinas. Poor child. So, I’m out “shopping” for Brynlie and getting her some things to “Cheer” her “Wine”y A$$ up out in Wyoming and thus led to an interesting Facebook topic (of course on my behalf).

Bennie and her only love in this world.

So, I married into the best undiscovered family members the other side of the Mississippi. I’ve been married to Clay for going on 8 years and without FB I’d never get to “chat” or catch-up with family that seem so far away. Let’s just say, I am truly blessed to be related to these folks. Now, I have no idea who belongs to who over in Utah; except Punk had her daughter Angie and a few more, Angie begot Ammy & Brynlie and a few more and I’m related by marriage because Punk’s sister Vetis, had Tim and a few others and Tim begot Clay and Rebekah and I married Clay. (Pardon the lack of a family tree diagram) Now maybe it sounds a bit like the book of Genesis, but I believe this is how it went.
Ammy & Brynlie are now two of my favorite people to follow on FB with constant fighting and outward displays of affection that goes on and on and on between the two of them. Many wall-to-wall posts between Ammy & Brynlie have peeked my curiosity of Silver Balls and Chinese Wookie, which lead me to this discussion.

Me- Just had the following conversation-Ok, let me get this straight-no Chinese Wookie but maybe some Fook You.
Me- And for you perverts out there, I was talking with my cousins in Utah about Chinese restaurants.
Lori -lol
Brynlie -I would press like, but it bugs the snot out of you. So instead I will just say I like this. "I like this." (Reading this made my day, someone is actually reading this blog.)
Ammy -We're so awesome lol
Me- Shh. Or everyone will want to be your friend too.

This was derived from the original question to Brynlie …..

Me-What the heck is Chinese Wookie? It's been bothering me for 2 days. I'm thinking a Chewbacca of Chinese ancestry.
Ammy-Nikki, China Wookie is what we call a restaurant here in town called China Wok. The joke is that they make their food out of whatever cats or rodents they find that morning
Brynlie-nasty-ness I tell you, nasty-ness!
Me- Ah. I love some Chinese food. Maybe when I make my pilgrimage to Utah I will venture out for Chinese Wookie!
Brynlie-no, you won't. We would take you to PF Chang's. Not China Wookie.
Ammy-Don't do it! There's a better place I call Fook You because I can't remember the name lol
Ammy-Or PF Chang's, that's muy bueno
Me-Ah classy! Forgive me but what is cwc? Central Wyoming College? Oh wrap it in a Wal-Mart bag! That's how my bestie does it. The blog link is on my info page. Howtoturnanaveragedayintoandadventure.com (I think) Brynlie and I were having a side conversation via inbox and I threw in my reply here.
Brynlie-PF Chang's is the best thing to happen to Chinese food since the invention of the fortune cookie. (which was invented in California) go figure.
Brynlie -Central Wyoming College. You got it. I will send the boys some too. sizes?? (side note-I’ll inbox you those sizes)
Ammy -This little snippet of useless trivia brought to you by Brynlie! Nothing is classy out here, they don't deserve sweet names
Me -I know I read that somewhere. Ok, let me get this straight-no Chinese Wookie but maybe some Fook You. (another side note-I read this in Uncle John’s Bathroom Reader. Guessing my cousins have copies in all of their facilities back home in Utah. No judging-I have a copy in mine.)
Brynlie -first off, Ammy you were watching that documentary with me about Chinese immigrants during the gold rush. Second, Nikki- Fook You is disgusting as well. Might as well chew on rat bung holes. PF's all the way.
Ammy -Ha-ha that's what you eat at the Wookie! I could go for some PF, hurry home I'm hungry now!
Brynlie - Home? I am at home. my home. you know the one where my sister ISN'T tanning the leather sofa and sucking the love out of my mom.

And this continued until the two of them took it over to their own wall and left my wall all alone. Thank goodness for crazy family members without them you'd have nothing to read. Ha.

HELP ME!! It's the worst case of writers block!!

Okay, so I've slacked off. Not a single new post since July....scary I know. But, I've got a serious case of writer's block. Looking for inspiration, I joined.... (drum roll please) **TWITTER!**

Yeah, I know, scary! My Mom set-up one and I just couldn't bare the thought of her being more technologically advanced than me. So, I one up-ed her. I ordered last night's dinner via my crackberry and then joined Twitter. Okay,so will this help with writer's block...IDK, but it's worth a shot. So, I need to get on the ball and begin blogging again...if I have any followers left. Oh and I got an award from Jelly in late July!

Here it is all shiny, now that I've dusted it off.

I just received an award from my good friend Jelly (Kelly)

I am suppose to share 7 things about myself.

Well......

1. It bothers the snot out of me for people to constantly like ALL my status updates on FB. Yeah, I know, it's there for you to read, but come on.

*I like this!* Give me a break!

2. Unlike Kelly, I throw my children in the Wal-mart buggy, never wiping it down. It's called survival of the fittest!

3. I'm addicted to Sirius in the Jeep and Pandora on my crackberry. I love listening to The Doors, The Who, Pink Floyd, Jay-Z, 3!Oh!3, Ben Folds, David Bowie, Led Zeppelin, Usher, Lady Gaga, No Doubt and lots more!

4. I decided that after my birthday this year I will be 29 FOREVER!

5. Speeding tickets-only 2 in 13 years ...(pats self on the back)

6. I play video games everyday. Even if my boys aren't here. :D

7. If I don't have pockets in my pants, my crackberry gets stuck in my bra-left side, the same place the ipod gets put when I run. TMI-but, now you know.

More Random than Kelly's....Thanks! Now to pass this on to some lucky bloggers!

Total Eclipse of the Heart-Broken

So, I went Friday night to see the third installment of “The Twilight Saga-Eclipse”. Disappointment from every angle on this movie; hence the post I made on FB after seeing it.

Nikki -Yes you're hearing this correct: I'm so done with sparkly vampires.
Friday at 11:28pm via Facebook for BlackBerry
View Feedback (10)

Sammi likes this.
Julie-WTH? Say it isn't so!!
Amber-what? did you hit your head when you fell? haha
Jake-Yeah, until the next one comes out.
Beverly-???
Amber-or Jacob fan?
Beverly-The movie was somewhat scattered and editing was terrible..jumped around a lot and I guess since I read the book it did leave some things to wonder....but it was okay.....
Kelly-It's all lies Nikki....I'll pretend u didn't say it!
Stacy-shut your mouth when you talking crazy like that lol
Sammi-likes this!! im not a fan of either, but Jacob is way hotter lol

Yes, I did fall down the stairs in the dark at the theater during the previews; sad enough I couldn’t claim that I was texting and walking when this occurred. Let’s backtrack the evening to 2 hours before the movie and before I had several delicious Strawberry Frescos at Olive Garden with dinner. It was a girl’s night out and this happens very rarely for me. I was taking full advantage of the designated driver and a night out on the town with my sister-in-law and cousin. Here's the DD, Rebekah below.

I was really pumped about this movie and excited to see it. We got our tickets and waited in line until we were directed towards the theater where we would be seeing “Eclipse”. Maybe since I was intoxicated and would view the movie through non-Twilight-crazed eyes, I was more aware of how awfully painful of a movie this was. However, nothing prepared me for this tragedy of epic proportions set before me.
Let’s start with Kristen Stewart.
I recently endured an Indie film from 2004 staring Stewart entitled “Speak”. I should have known I was in trouble after realizing that it was on Lifetime. Painful as this movie was, Stewart’s acting abilities have not improved much at all. She, however, did the whole lip-biting thing through the movie and I sometimes wonder that someone was hired to look for someone that had the exact mannerisms and looked like Bella in the Twilight novels. BAM! Here you go….it’s Kristen Stewart. She looks close enough to the way that Bella is described in the novels and is about to chew a hole through her lip. Never mind the fact that she can’t act, “Twilight” was a low-budget film and a possible box-office flop when it began production. Let’s use her and save money by putting Ashley Greene in as a secondary character. Now that girl has charisma when on-screen. (Don’t even get me on a rant about how much better of an actress Greene is than Stewart.) So, Stewart’s performance as Bella for the THIRD time was just like she did in the first one, but worse. To me, it seemed as if she had to be “carried” by each actor and actress in just about every single scene. Robert Pattinson’s character suffered because they were in about 95% of the movie together. And what the heck was the deal where Stewart didn’t even react when Taylor Lautner threw the wrench in that one scene? A better leading female would help carry the story. *cough* Greene. *cough* Enough with her, for now.
My complaint with Pattinson was the 24/7 look of constipation on his face. It was noticeable in the first 2 films, but this one looked like he was about to drop a deuce at any moment. Could have been due to Stewart’s acting, which is a good possibility. I also had a problem with the story of the 3rd wife, in the book (yes, I read them all) the tribe’s stories take up about six chapters and they condense it down to about 7 minutes in the movie. Why tell the tribe’s story about the 3rd wife and not bring it full circle at the end? Now, for those who haven’t read the book it might have not seemed like a big deal, but it was a pivotal point in the book.
On to cinematography; there’s so much to say, but to sum it up-AWFUL. I took two years of film appreciation in college and while I am no expert in this field, but this movie should never make any list for best picture. The whole film appeared rough; like pieces picked up off the editing room floor and put together. Even the timeline in the movie was off, especially during the end. Alice sees the Volturi coming in a vision and gives the Cullen clan 10 minutes before their arrival. Here comes Dakota Fanning and her entourage strolling through the woods and meeting them within 30 seconds. WTH?
There wasn’t many pro’s I saw with the film other than the classic line of “Does he ever wear a shirt?” and that’s one thing that helped me get through this movie. Cinematography wise they did do an excellent job with the Cullen clan and the Pack running through the woods chasing Victoria and the battle scene at the end. Good supporting actors and actress, notable mentions to Billy Burke (Charlie), Nikki Reed (Rosalie), Xavier Samuel (Riley), Sarah Clarke (Renee) and of course Ashley Greene (Alice) helped this movie move in some direction, no thanks to Constipation Pattinson and Lip-biter Stewart.
With my two cent not put in, I must agree that most any book or novel turned movie will have disappointment, but not to epic proportions. Now, we must all remember that the target audience for the entire “Twilight Saga” is for 14-16 year old girls, it’s not really meant for any other crowd or age group. And with that, I can’t be too harsh with all the problems that I have graciously pointed out, but it’s out there on the table now.

Lesson learned-don’t drink and Twilight, it’s no fun for anyone!

So, I'm following a dream....

Wish me luck everyone. I'm following a dream. I just submitted a piece of mine to a new online military magazine as a contributor. It'll be nice to do something I enjoy. Crossing my fingers! :)

Here it is!

Military life is hard and so is the life of a military spouse. There is no clear cut instruction book to go with it and a lot you have to find out on your own. Whether it’s from books, fellow military spouses, friends, family or turning to your religion, you’ll seek answers from them all. This lifestyle might have not been what you envisioned once your spouse signed on the dotted line or maybe you’re a little late in the game and now are married to someone who was already enlisted. It’s hard being a military spouse and there’s no hiding it.
It might all seem like glitz and glamour when you see the stickers on the backs of mini-vans and SUV’s “Proud Army Wife” or all the hype associated with military, like you’re automatically initiated into a really cool club with a discount card and crazy good insurance. But, let me warn you….it’s not. Military life is an adventure, one that you might not be ready for. Especially if you are used to know the: who, what, when and where ahead of time. The military moves on its own time and that’s just lesson number one.