Phone Me

 Terminally Curious here with a question. 

What’s your cell number?

Twenty years ago, that question would have prompted the answer, “I’ve never been in jail.”  Today, only an unprepared time traveler wouldn’t know what you meant.

Most of the people I know have cell phones, but a bunch have don’t have landlines. Why bother? You don’t really need one these days.   

My mom, who died in 1991, had portable or car phones back as far as the eighties. Thinking back, though, I’m not sure they were cells. The first I remember being roughly the size of a WWII walkie-talkie. One came as part of her car. Another was called a bag phone and lived in a pouch large enough to carry a pair of shoes.

My first cell phone was a Motorola, and DH gave it to me in ‘92 or ‘93. I remember feeling as if I was on a really long leash since I no longer had that gone-to-Tulsa-alone time.

Today our phones are hand-held Walmarts. Just as when Walmart comes to town, many independants go out of  business, cells make much of our “stuff” unnecessary. Maps, GPS, cameras, grandma’s flip pics, books and weight loss programs are all at your finger tips. When you have a cell, you need little else. Oh. You can make calls on them, too.  

Have you thought about Superman in today’s world? He’d be in big trouble since cells have put pay phones and booths out to pasture.

The best and worst thing about cells are often their ringtones. Here’s my current fav:

Twisted Sister Meg has a different song for each of her twisted sisters and other people in her life. I got to choose my own, and while Meg’s not crazy about it, I love it.

Who could resist? “She’s mighty mighty! Letin’ it all hang out.” (No, my measurements aren’t 36-24-36 as the song says, but I can dream.) 

My cousin has a ring tone that sounds like an emergency vehicle. When his phone rings, someone usually runs to a window to see the excitement. I’m NOT a fan of that one, but he never misses a call.

Did your DH look like this talking on his first portable phone?

What’s your favorite thing about phones these days?

Defining Moment

Twisted Princess is guest blogging this morning!  Thanks, Amy!!! 

 

“I guess we’re adults … the question is, when did that happen, and how do we make it stop?”

 

So, who knows who said that? Come on guys….if you know anything about me you could make a good guess. (Well, I guess you would have to know who this is to really make that connection.) The quote is from my favorite TV show Grey’s Anatomy, said by Dr. Meredith Grey.

 

When you hear this quote, do you think about when you first became an adult? Now, if you ask my mom, she will probably tell you that I started becoming an adult around 5 or 6. Living on a ranch, my parents had responsibilities that they had to do and they often had to stay out “late” (by late I mean 6:30-7). So, if I wanted to eat, I learned how to feed myself (granted, it was just cereal…but hey…you gotta start somewhere!). I was always the good child, did my homework on time, played sports, and tried to be the perfect daughter.

 

Now, if you were to ask me when I thought I started to become an adult, I would say the first phase was when I 13. This was when I made probably the hardest decision of my life. I chose which parent I wanted to live with. As you can probably tell, I moved to Texas with my mother. Leaving everything I ever knew behind, and looking ahead to start a new life. Looking back, this was the best decision I had ever made. Everyone needs to make a fresh start every now and then. I was drowning, and then became alive again.

 

I have pretty much been living on my own for the past 6 years. And over those years, I have supported myself (minus paying for school) entirely. Earned my first degree before turning 21, and now at 24 (almost 25) working on my second bachelor’s. Learned how to really cook (OK, I don’t know how to cook everything, but I am learning). I went to Australia, didn’t know anyone when I got on the plane, and made some amazing friends.

 

As my mother will tell you, I am my father’s daughter. I am so stubborn! I think I am right, even when I am wrong, and I may admit that I am wrong, but deep down, still think I am right. But part of being an adult is knowing when to ask for help. And I have reached a point where I am having to ask my mom, the rock who I go to when I have a problem, for help. In the past, I always thought that admitting you can’t always do something by yourself is a weakness. I thought that by having to ask for help, I would be losing my independence, something that makes me who I am. But I have learned, that it takes an even stronger person to ask for help. I guess I am finally growing again into that full fledged adult role that I have been trying to achieve since I was thirteen. In a year and a half, I will be out of school for a bit. Working in an ER here in the Metroplex, and being someone who people can look up to. I will make a difference in the world. Just you watch.

 

Even though Dr. Grey asked how to make it stop, I don’t want it to stop. I am enjoying growing into an adult.

 

What was your defining moment when you turned into an adult?

 

Thoughts. Got One!

1. I think part of a best friend or sister’s job (twisted or otherwise) should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you’re wrong. I hate that. 

3. I totally take back all those times I didn’t want to nap when I was younger.

4. There is great need for a sarcasm font.

5. How are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? Draw me pictures.

6. Was learning cursive really necessary? And why weren’t some people taught to read it?

7. Map Quest really needs to start their directions on #5. I’m pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.

8. Obituaries would be a lot more interesting if they told you how the person died. Now it’s like reading a murder mystery with the ending left out.

9. I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of curious about something.

10. Bad decisions make good stories. ‘Nuff said.

11. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren’t going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.

12. Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after Blue Ray? I don’t want to have to restart my collection…again.

13. I’m always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my 100 page manuscript that I swear I did not make any changes to.

14. “Do not machine wash or tumble dry” means I will never wash this — ever.

15. I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Damn it!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What’d you do after I didn’t answer? Drop the phone and run away?

16. I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.

17. I keep some people’s phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.

18. My 4-year old son asked me in the car once, “Mom, what would happen if you ran over a ninja?” How do I respond to that?

19. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

20. I disagree with Kay Jewelers. I would bet on any given Friday or Saturday night more kisses begin with Miller Lites than Kay.

Twisted Critters

Twisted Sister Meg here:

Living at Twisted Creek Ranch is seldom dull, not with the critters we have. The Always Angry Aracuana hen beats up our cats. She’s on hiatus from egg laying until warmer weather–or maybe she just doesn’t feel like a chicken anymore since she dines on Meow Mix. She sleeps around with the two guineas.   

The cats, another mother-daughter duo, are afraid of the chicken yet will jump on any of our 4 dogs. Boomer and Carly are close to being 100 pounders, yet cower in their paws by these diminutive felines. When I used to ride Gambler, the cats would follow us into the pasture–trail cats.  I can understand scaring up a few field mice, but we have pterodactyl size hawks that cruise the friendly skies. 

I never set out to have 4 or 3 dogs, but life happens. Carly is our grande dame, her chocolate muzzle almost white. She’s sweet, slowed by age, and if there is water anywhere, she will be in it–except for a bath. Being part Lab and Chesapeake Bay Retriever, she has an oily coat that attracts dirt faster than Pig Pen. She’s been the best kid dog I’ve ever owned. Patient and loving no matter what.

Chloe is a fawn colored Doberman with creepy gold eyes. She can never get enough loving. No guest is immune from her nosing a hand onto her head. While talking to TS Susan yesterday, Chloe launched from one couch to the other with a perfect four paw landing on my stomach. Chloe is the leader of the pack, and who is behind most of the destruction both in the house and outside. No blanket is safe.   

Rocky probably should have been named Lucky. He arrived on our property having been tossed from a vehicle along with his litter mates into our creek, about 30 feet below the road when dry. Then he survived the night where feral hogs and coyotes roam, water moccasins swim and owls hunt. We hadn’t planned on keeping any of  ’the boys’ but Rocky wormed his way in our hearts. At 2 months old, he was bitten by a snake and almost died.  There are few tricks Rocky can’t do–especially if it is stealing food after we’ve gone to bed. He should have been a ’sniffer’ dog–that good Terrier breeding. Everybody loves Rocky and he returns it.

Finally, Boomer–Boomer Sooner, the black Lab/Shar Pei–wakes in a new world after every nap. Big, scary, doesn’t like strangers, his bark is deep and loud, but he squeals like a 4-year-old. He’s not the sharpest dog in our pack. Since Rocky can play dead when told ‘bang!’ I thought it would be fun to teach Boomer how to fetch. Whether he brings the newspaper, mail or Don’s socks, someone better give him his cookie, dammit, or else he’ll run around the living room taunting us before shredding whatever he wasn’t rewarded for.  He does have his good points…I don’t have to get up to get the remote. 

I can’t imagine my life without my twisted critters, who wants dull and boring!

When Your Mojo Goes

What does a writer (or any artist) do when life goes south on her?

Whether it’s a divorce, a death, a job that wasn’t wanted but because of circumstances must be taken, a child, a sun that quit shining, an illness, a new member of the family, a depression, surgery or an accident–life interferes. Our reactions are often shock, anger and then, many times, retreat.

Finding the nearest cave, we tunnel inside and pull the walls in after us. Lick our wounds and await healing. Or, sometimes, hope for extinction.  

And, sometimes that works. Just being left alone is the answer to healing, regrouping and starting all over again. Other times, not so much.

Sometimes, we need to fill the well. What we have, call it muse, mojo, imagination or that certain something that gives us our stories and our will to write, has gone dry. How do you fix it?

Take some time for yourself. Have a pedi and, if necessary, a mani. Get a massage. Go by yourself to a movie. Go to a museum, an aquarium. Buy a new book, a new CD. 

Visit a friend you haven’t seen in a while and relive old times, go out to lunch, to an open house, on a trip, find a new restaurant or tea room.

Be silly. Have fun. Do something you haven’t done since before you were married. For just a little while, be good to yourself.

In other words, enjoy being alone. Get to know YOU again. Finding out who you are will reacquaint you with your mojo, muse, imagination. And the new experience could give you something to write about.

Just saying.

Sherlock

Although I grew up with parents who loved movies and I went to the movies most weekends with my high school boyfriend, I don’t see nearly as many these days. At least until they’re on TV.

In fact, I’m rarely one of the first to see a movie. And, as usual, I wasn’t this time. But at least this time I saw the movie before it was on PPV and DVD and even preschoolers were discussing it.

Robert Downey, Jr. is Sherlock Holmes and Jude Law, Dr. Watson. Talk about a yummy pair! If for no other reason, the scenery is a great reason to watch this movie. But it’s more than eye candy. It’s a good story, complicated, yet logical enough to keep DH’s attention and moves fast enough to keep mine. (I only slept through a little part in the middle–a great recommendation for any movie.) 

Sherlock doesn’t sport the hat he always had in the Basil Rathbone movies. In fact, he changed hats often during this flick. A bow to Basil? Could be. Or maybe it was a string to pull us to the next in the Sherlock/Watson movies. 

  Cute picture, huh? Sherlock has a vulnerable side in this movie. A good thing, too. A perfect hero puts me off.

Here’s Sherlock with his love interest (Rachel McAdams) –a woman on the wrong side of the law. I’ve never read any of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s work, so I don’t know if Mr. Holmes actually had a woman in his life. It only made the tale better, though.

BTW: All the pictures are from IMDB.com. You can learn a lot more about the movie over there.

I read on Facebook or Twitter where someone (I can’t remember who) was unable to get past something modern in the movie. Maybe it was responses to things that happened; I can’t remember.

I missed all that and just enjoyed the heck out of the film. The one thing I noticed was the heroine wearing trousers at the end. I doubt that happened during that time period, but I must say, if I’d been alive then, it would have happened ALL THE TIME! 

There is a reference to witchcraft in the movie and we even see Sherlock making a pentagram. Please don’t let it stop you from watching. It isn’t there to push the case for witchcraft. In fact, just the opposite. Holmes uses it to solve the crimes, figure who the next target will be and, in the end, proves that witchcraft does not work.

Robert Downey, Jr. also has a new Iron Man movie (#2) coming out, and one following that (#3). I’m looking forward to them both! 

So, have you seen any new movies you’d like to recommend?

More Random Thoughts

Twisted Sister Meg here:

Happy New Year!!   It’s 01/01/10    How weird/amazing/scary is that? 

For those who check the blog, The Sisters thank you very much. While today is the start of a new year, my mind hasn’t quite caught up so I thought I’d list more of my random thoughts. (My favorite random saying:   The sh*t flew at random, but Random ducked. All right….maybe it is a bit funnier after a few of your favorite beverages, or that you know the entire poem. But then what would I have to entertain you with after a few.) 

I love/hate decorating my house, and putting up the Christmas stuff won’t be so bad this year as I didn’t get much out. But I can’t not put something else out. Too early for Valentine stuff, and even though red is one of my favorite colors, too long is too much. I picked some wacky placemats that I will use. The great thing about them is that new plastic smell. At the store, I got several stares from women as I inhaled until I got a buzz. Fortunately, Amy was there to bring me back to my senses.    She wasn’t so sure after I bought 8 of them, then 8 more of another kind. Silly girl, the dogs need placemats too!

Be it a dish, a box, a book that I need/want, it will be at the bottom of the stack.

Why can’t chocolate and pecan pie have zero calories?

Why is it that the less time I have the better the TV shows are?

If company arrives at 6, are they really wanting dinner?

The cleaner the house, the muddier the dogs.

The later I am, the heavier the traffic.

When the best song comes on the radio someone will want to talk.

Why can’t laundry stay done? Or my nails? Or my hair?

Never underestimate the stupidity of others. Or random acts of kindness.

The telephone will ring at the most inopportune time.

Why can’t I think of zinger comebacks when I need them?

Big dogs can cover a multitude of sins.

Any random thoughts you care to share with me?

I LOVED STAR TREK!

Believe me, this is NOT a spoiler.

I saw ST last night, and I have to tell you it was wonderful!

Why did I like it? I’m not sure, but I think it’s because it felt like an old western. Set in the future, of course.

Remember the shows where the kid starts out getting in all kinds of trouble, until push comes to shove and he has to decide if he’ll live for good or evil? Then he lets his inner hero shine?

That’s this movie.

The bad guy comes to town, kidnaps Nelly (Captain Pike) and ties her to the railroad track. The train is coming! How will she ever be saved?

Just when all looks lost and our hero is about to bite the big one, get squashed by the train and die with Nelly, the Enterprize charges out of the dust, cuts the bad guys off at the pass and saves the day. 

And I’m cheering in my seat!

Because I watched it at home, I didn’t have any popcorn. I didn’t need it, though. The eye candy was wonderful.

Several questions from the original series were answered. Questions I didn’t even know I had. We got to meet the young crew and learn how they became such good friends. (At least in that reality.)

Are you wondering if it was good enough to watch again? You betcha!

How about a sequel? Just let me know when and where.

So . . . am I the last person on the planet to catch this flick? Did you get as much enjoyment from it as I did or do you believe they should have left the series and its many movies and spin offs alone?

That’s Life on the Ranch

Twisted Sister Meg here:

Sometimes living on a ranch is no fun. It is NOT fun to feed critters in the cold/cold and rain/cold and snow/cold and mud. Choose one…I had all three yesterday. If you’re a diva about nails…ha! You are not cut out for ranch life unless you have hired help. I’m picturing Hoss Cartwright. (For those tadpoles or city slickers who don’t catch the BONANZA reference….sigh) Psst: Sam Elliot, Tom Selleck or Kevin Costner can all come give me a hand.

Yesterday was a hard. Before dawn I’d loaded the fireplace with wood as well as the cute wrought iron log holder. Come on, people, I live outside of Dallas. It is NOT supposed to be THAT cold here. After feeding the dogs, I noticed that Shakira (one of our 4 cows) was quite a bit thinner and out by the pond mooing. Not that I could hear her exactly, but the puffs  of hot air visible was a good clue. I knew she had calved, but no calf. 

Donning my insulated coveralls over jeans and a hoodie, I crammed my feet into Don’s boots, slipped on gloves and a knit hat, then tramped into the pasture. The sound of crunching icy grass is not good and neither is sinking into water up to my ankles. What? In the summer there are cracks so deep that gallon milk jugs disappear.

I took Chloe the Dobe, who is zipping around the giant fire ant mounds just grateful to be out of the house. I’d like to be back by the fire! I’ve found one of the best ways to find a hidden calf is to take a dog. If the dog gets near, mama cow will either protect the calf or be distracted by the dog so that I can find the baby.

Neither worked. Shakira led me to the creek behind the pond and continued to bawl. Chloe and I checked the creek, then walked the fence line with Shakira trotting ahead of us. For this cow, not normal behavior. I still couldn’t find anything, and being cold, I went to warm up.

But Shakira’s unrelenting cries forced me to go out again to search for the calf. This time without the dog, I went back to the creek. I found a bit more evidence that the calf had been born close by, had been alive and now was gone. While probing the creek, I–uh–stepped where I shouldn’t have. First one of Don’s boots became firmly stuck in the mud while I continued up the bank. Went back to get it and the other one got sucked in the black gumbo of the creek. Trying to remove that boot, I fell into the creek.

Now you can guess how happy I am at this point–shoeless and in manure filled water with a big half Longhorn/Hereford upset cow watching me. I didn’t really feel the cold, only sadness. Picking up the boots, I have a choice to cross the creek in 3 foot of water or walk through the cockleburs. I know the creek well enough that if I can’t see the bottom, then I’m not going stepping in–especially in my NEW Christmas socks that Amy gave me. 

As I go around the pond, my attention is drawn by movement in the pasture next to ours. A coyote, at 11 am, is circling our neighbors calves. This is one big mangy beast. When I yell, it starts coming toward me. I’m not afraid, just pissed. I have 4 horses, a bull and an angry mama cow between me and it so I’m not in any danger. But it makes me wonder if coyotes are to blame for the missing calf.

I love animals. I understand the circle of life.  It still hurts to lose a critter.

Today’s THE Day

I’m Goal Starting.

As I mentioned before, I’m getting ready to do my yearly goal setting and I just found out I really need calendars and stickers to do it. One calendar for my desk, one for my purse. Check this out. And since I’m taking Cheryl St. John’s January class, I’d better get cracking. I already have the board thingy I’m planning to post my goals on so they’ll be in my face and on my wall all year long.

So what goals, you ask?

1- Learn more about photography.

2- Improve my writing quality and quantity. (The big goal that’ll have to be broken in to many parts.)

3- Get in shape

4- Get organized. (Another many part goal, but probably not as many as the writing one.)

Those are really broad strokes, and I’ll be more specific later.

What’s your best goal setting tip and how good are you at meeting your goals?