The TutuGirl over at Headstands in Tutus tagged me for a meme. One that I haven’t seen before. Which is all kinds of cool because I broke Hotfessional* last night while trying to upgrade to Wordpress 2.6.2 and now my WYSIWYG editor isn’t very WYSI anymore.

Seriously. All of those nice little “This is how you do that stupid” buttons at the top are gone. Which means I’m writing this in HTML. Straight, oh mah holy hell, how do you do that again? HTML.

Now that you’re all sufficiently impressed (you are, right?), here’s the meme.

List 5 current addictions and then tag 2 people
Well, that’s easy enough I think.

1. My black yoga pants - Excellent for sitting in the air conditioning or when we dare to open the windows. They go with everything and keep the backs of my thighs from sticking to my faux-leather desk chair.
2. Crest Whitening Expressions Cinnamon Rush toothpaste - Like eating dentist-approved Hot Tamales.
3. Garden Fresh Hummus - especially the Spicy Cilantro & Jalapeno flavor. On tortilla chips.
4. Crocheting - The rhythm is fairly mindless, but soothing. I love the softness of the yarn after a day banging away at a hard keyboard. When I’m finished, I’ve made something beautiful (well, to me) and warm.
5. Running - I know! You just fell over didn’t you??? I hate every second while I’m actually doing it, but about an hour after I finish, I’m ready to go do it again. I hate getting up at 6 a.m. so that we can get back in time for Shortman to take the car to school (the truck uses too much gas). I hate when Mr. Hot tells me that 3 years ago (when we were racing regularly), we were running 9 1/2 minute miles and now we’re averaging 12 1/2. But we’re out there every morning and I can tell that I have less bulges where I shouldn’t be bulging. I guess it’s worth the 38 minutes.

I’m tagging RC at Rambling Along… and Amanda over at The Wink.

**** lalalalalalalalalalalala ****

In completely unrelated news, I’ve stopped the treatments with my Dermatologist. No more cortisone shots into my head. No more monthly visits for pokes. No more coming home and collapsing for an hour until the drugs start working.

Which, obviously, kinda sucks donkey cock because the only reason we’re stopping is…it’s not working. And for the level of pain that I have endured getting the damn injections, I should have long flow-y locks growing out of my own head, not out of a fake latex cap. So, since I’m running out of Shortman’s leftover Vicodin, we decided yesterday to not pursue treatment any further.

I swear the doctor was crying when she hugged me. “I’m so sorry I couldn’t help you.” I promised her that I would be alright - and that she’d be the first to know if anything started growing back.

I’m okay with the decision. I’m surprised that I’m okay with the decision, but I really am. She’s going to add my name to the University of Michigan research study list so that if their Medical School does any future testing on possible treatments, I’ll get to be included. Maybe someday, I’ll be able to give you my own Ivy news.

**** lalalalalalalalalalalala ****

—- And now, since I have to go update all of my plugins to see if that fixes my editor problem, I’m going to hit publish on this. (Well, that, and I heard a wine cork pop downstairs!) —-

*Of course, my host, Rob over at ScorpWeb Solutions fixed it all up while I was passed out sleeping last night. I’ll pimp Rob’s services anytime. He’s wonderfully patient and reasonable and responsive. Hell, I even pay the Canadian exchange rate to do business with him.

I think I’ve kinda kept to my blogolution to NOT do more than one meme per month. Except for those really long freakin’ months. Or the ones that I call “The Meme that’s not a meme” (I should have named them “Posts in Meme’s Clothing”, but category creativity is obviously beyond my talents).

But annnnnywaaayyyyyy. I’m back at work today. Back in my office overlooking the front yard (Oh, look! There’s the mailman - and he put a package! in my mailbox!). I’ve been watching for The Wife and The Husband to see if I can tell you anything new, but no, nothing newly weird … except for the fact that TOMORROW is Trash Day, but The Husband came and carried out the trash cans today. She’s apparently far too pure to dirty her dainty hands. Or to cut the grass. In fact, I’ve never seen her do anything outside except wheel that beer cooler out of the garage to her car.

I know. It would help if I got to the point of this post, right?

Anonymous Boxer tagged me. The question is:

Name 8 things you want to do before you die.

I’ve been going over this since she hit me with it (Anonymous Boxer hit me! Get it? Snort.) - and I think I’ve finally come up with eight.

1. Live in a foreign country.
2. Learn to speak a second language well enough to live in that foreign country. (Okay, maybe that’s cheating and 2. should be 1a, but it effectively prevents me from moving to Canada and claiming victory for 1.)
3. Travel across the United States by train. (No, not by car because I would undoubtedly experience far too much road rage to enjoy it. I’m NOT a happy car passenger, either.)
4. Have a garden that will feed me (and Mr. Hot) for 365 days - fresh in-season, canned/frozen (done by me!) the rest of the year.
5. Teach someone a skill that they can use to make a living.
6. Learn to play the fiddle. (NOT the violin, the fiddle. Yes, I know they’re the same instrument, but they’re completely different styles!)
7. Read War and Peace.
8. Mentor a young girl with Alopecia Areata - help her become comfortable with herself and confident with others.

By the way, #7 was originally, “Teach 24 that walking around the house while brushing your teeth is a disgusting and gross habit.”, but I figured that maybe it’s only gross and disgusting to me, so I changed it. But, really, y’all?!? The sound skeeves me out.

And now, I’m supposed to tag eight others. I know, I usually break this rule to hell and back, but I love AB, and since she didn’t break the rule, I’m not going to either!

• Dizzy Ms. Lizzy
• Jessicalogic @ Days Go By
• Minnesota Matron
• Not Just Barbra
• witchypoo @ psychicgeek
• Who Made This Mess?’s Lela
• Ali’s Meanderings
• Swishy

—- Geez y’all. Thinking who to tag took WAY longer than making my list. If you do decide to participate, let me know, okay?  I’d love to read the answers. —-

I’m working on that stupid-ass flowchart again (even though I thought I had a tiny reprieve while someone decided if five = five or if five, does indeed, equal ten), so I am stealing this meme from Mrs. Squirrel.

Teh Rulz:

1. Pick up the nearest book
2. Open to page 123
3. Find the 5th sentence
4. Post the next three sentences
5. Tag five people, and acknowledge who tagged you

Well, hm. The nearest book happens to be that one over there on my sidebar, because I’m mailing Krissa the copy I have here for participating in my little give-away. I’m also sending one to TxPoppet AND one to Shelly. Because they helped me pimp “You’re Not the Only One” - the book that helps WarChild. (Yes, you counted right. I bought 1 for me and 3 for others. That means I’ve contributed to WarChild 4 times! See how shiny my halo is?!)

Annnnnyway.

Then, I was checking to see if I could, legally, post 3 sentences without incurring the wrath of Phillip Copland who wrote the post on page 123. And I can’t. Not without his previously written approval. (In writing!) So, I’m going to pass on that one because, y’know, I want to get this post written today. (By the way, that’s not just Phillip’s rule. So don’t go blaming Phillip. I bet he would have granted permission, but he’s in the U.K. and it’s 9:00 p.m. there right now, and he may be asleep. Or in a pub. But not checking email.)

Annnnnnywwwwayyyy.

So, I’m going to pick another book.

I sit in the window seat, with the newspaper in my lap. We are about halfway through the crossword. My attention has drifted.

From “The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger. This book is also sitting nice and close because it’s time for me to re-read it.

Now, that last rule? I can’t do part of it. Because no one tagged me. And because I don’t like doing things partway, I’m not going to tag anyone either. BUT! if you haven’t done this one yet, feel free.

—- Because we all have those days when moving boxes around on a flowchart absorbs every brain cell that the husband/children/pets/parents and vodka haven’t managed to kill yet. —-

Some sort of update thing today, eh? And a meme that’s been floating around. And some other random shit. Will that work for you? Good, because that’s all I got.

• First up, Happy Birthday witchypoo! Go say hi to her and wish her many happy returns, eh?
• Go over here and cast your vote for the Rack. (Pssst. #27… they look hot don’t they?)
• See that button over on my sidebar that says “Verve”? Click on it or click here. Go exploring! I bet you can find some old friends and make some new ones.
• It’s actually hot here today. Hot and muggy and sticky and oh mah holy hell - thank goodness. Finally. My bare feet are grateful.  Mr. Hot turned on the air conditioner!  In June!
• If you’re interested in winning a copy of “I Will Not Be Broken” by Jerry White, come over to Hot Reviews Books. I’m going to have random.org pick a winner tomorrow @ Noon, Eastern time.
• I did NOT crawl over to the neighbors to measure property lines last night. I told Mr. Hot to “Stop looking at the driveway already, they’re going to suspect something!” And besides, I know he cuts grass past that spot anyway, so if they complain, I’m just going to tell them it’s payment for years of cutting grass. Ha ha, so there!
• One more day of school, then two half-days next week for Shortman. He’s already prepared us for his Chemistry grade. Sigh. I don’t need to say anymore, do I? Okay thanks.
• 24 is on his way to another interview. Again, I don’t need to say an… Thanks. Again. Sigh.

And now, here’s the meme that’s been making the rounds. Personally, I stole it from Badger, and you can feel free to steal it from me(me).

The usual shitte -

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.
b. Using only the first page, pick an image.
c. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.

The Questions:

1. What is your first name? Ree (There were several pictures of Pioneer Woman on the first page, but I went with a different choice)
2. What is your favorite food? Right now, Spinach Salad. The picture also shows salmon. Yum.
3. What high school did you go to? Canton High (Michigan, not Ohio or Georgia)
4. What is your favorite color? Pine Green
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Cate Blanchett. I also want her to play me in the Hot Affair story.
6. Favorite drink? Expensive champagne. Which is why I usually stick with mid-shelf vodka.
7. Dream vacation? Prague
8. Favorite dessert? Banana Pudding (I know. It’s not even chocolate)
9. What you want to be when you grow up? A math teacher. Yes, I know on this one, too. Shush.
10. What do you love most in life? My son and his father.
11. One Word to describe you. Compassionate (Snort. Hush!!! I am. usually. when people aren’t asshats).
12. Your flickr name. Hotfessional. I swear. This is what came up - the graphic representation of the code on this here, my very own site. Well, that’s original if nothing else, right?

—- Ooooh, and I almost forgot. I’m “on vacation” next week. Which is a hella misnomer, because not going anyplace. I will, however, be getting ready for the garage sale. So far, my contribution to getting ready has been agreeing to let my car stay OUT of the garage and sorting through about 300 cross stitch charts. —-

That Grateful Guy, who just started a new blog, tagged me. So I’m it.

First, we must go ahead and play by the rules:

1. The rules of the game get posted at the beginning.
2. Each player answers the questions about themselves.
3. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5-6 people and posts their names, then goes to their blogs and leaves them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Yea, you know I suck at doing this, so I’m not even going to pretend.
4. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.************

1) What was I doing 10 years ago?

10 years ago? 1998? Wow. I was just getting ready to turn 35. I had been diagnosed and was fighting my first bout with this. Mr. Hot, Shortman and I were living in a “garden-level” (dark-ass basement) two-bedroom apartment and wondering how in the world we were going to afford child support, rent, and y’know, food, if I lost my job after our buyout by a much larger bank based in Chicago. Mr. Hot had taken an early retirement to be a stay at home dad in 1996 and we were pretty much broke.

It was, all in all, a pretty crappy year. (Bald and on the verge of possibly losing my job…..hmmmm, it’s deja-fuckin’-vu. )

2) What are five things on your to-do list for today?

1. Plant seeds.
2. Weed around the Wiegela bushes.
3. Call Mom.
4. Help Mr. Hot scrub the glider/swing for the backyard.
5. Give myself a pedicure to make my toes pretty for spring. ( it’s a half-assed job, but I can’t do half-a-checkmark.)

3) What snacks do I enjoy?

Almonds. Vodka. (Shush, it does count as a snack!). The yummy banana bread I made yesterday. Vodka. Mr. Hot’s earlobe. Dark chocolate. Limeade (with vodka.) Wine. Tortilla chips and homemade guacamole. Cheese.

4) Things I would do if I were a billionaire?

Buy Shortman and 24 their own house and a Nanny to keep an eye on them so Mr. Hot and I could go live on a beach by ourselves and run around naked all the time. Set up a foundation that provides scholarships for young women getting into technology fields. Visit the major cities of Europe. Retire and spend my days reading and writing.

5) Three Bad Habits

1. Smoking my three cigarettes/day (yes, dammit, I do have to add that qualification every time I admit I smoke),
2. not putting my clothes away after Mr. Hot washes and folds them (I know, you’re jealous, I don’t even know how to work the stupid machine, hee.),
3. and swearing (besides my tag line up there, “fuck a duck” is one of my very favorite phrases, and I call 90% of the other drivers on the road “shithead” at any given time, just because I like to. “Dickhead” is another good one.)

6) 5 places I have lived…

1. Town 1 in Wayne County, Michigan
2. Town 2 in Wayne County, Michigan
3. East Lansing, Michigan
4. St. Albans, WV
5. Huntington, WV

7) 5 Jobs I have had

1. Katie and Tommy’s babysitter
2. Brigid and Erin’s babysitter (Katie and Tommy’s cousins)
3. Mucker of horse stalls at a daycamp (didn’t get paid, but I got to ride)
4. Scrubber of stainless steel animal cages (a.k.a. Veterinary Assistant)
5. Poopy the Puppy’s protector (from the noisy trucks going down the road)

Six EightSeven suckers, er people I want to know more about…

Nah, sorry….I can’t do it. But, if you want to steal this, go ahead….and let me know in the comments and I’ll link back to you here.

—- Did you know that having your laptop on your bare, sunburned thighs hurts like a mo ‘fo? —-