PARTY GIRL!

I love to plan parties! If I had known in college that it was an actual job for which you can be hired, then "Bash By Brownstone" would be a swinging operation! Though I believe that doors to job opportunities never completely close, things do change when you have children. For the moment, it is totally satisfying to create awesome parties for Tornado and Twister...and anyone else that will allow me to have input for their parties! The planning, the decorating, the coordinating, the partying...I love all of it!

For this Seventh Edition Thursday Thirteen list, I'm sharing with you the themes of some of my best work!

Thirteen Parties I've Planned! Raggedy Ann and Andy The Jungle Princesses and Knights A 50's Drive-In and Diner Backyard Water Park Summer Bash Peter Pan: An Evening at the Theatre The 70's Spa Retreat Hawaiian Luau Campout Wizard of Oz Christmas Bachelorette Party: Viva Las Vegas!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Last week, a LOT of you left comments and emails wanting to know how I met Billy Idol. That story will be coming soon! I will also blog (in a separate post, of course) about the party listed above that receives the most attention in the comments!

Thursday Thirteen Participants

1. Jeanine 2. Jennifer

3. pussreboots 4. Lilibeth

5. Nicole 6. Cindy Swanson

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

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PARTY GIRL!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/i-love-to-plan-parties-if-i-had-known.html

"TWO-FER" FOR TUESDAY!

I was recently tagged...twice! Being able to make a great little word play for the title inspired me to answer both tags in one post.

Of course, it wasn't hard for me because I generally have "a lot of ideas ~ extraordinary ideas" for that matter. With my "unique brilliance" and "sharp-mindedness" combined with "determination" and "high abilities", I know that my "forward thinking" must be so "difficult for you to fathom". I just have that special gift of "thinking differently from others".

Oh, yes...I am THAT GOOD, people.
But...the other shoe always has to drop...right?

I'm going to be "brave" here, and share with you what I'm wearing on that other foot...
Do not give this "homely" girl any props. I "hardly become angry unless provoked", but I simply "do not appreciate praises". Beware if you want to offer me a compliment because my reaction might be "unpredictable". "I'm really not able to control my emotions" (which tend to be "deep, just like my love"), and I can be a bit "stubborn and hard hearted". This personality flaw makes me "uncertain in relationships", but that's OK because I really "love to be alone", which works well for someone who is "secretive". Watch out, though, because secretive or not, I really "know how to dig out YOUR secrets". I can be "inquisitive" like that. I have an "if there is a will, there is a way" kind of attitude. I'm "patient, determined, and I never give up" ~ "always thinking, always motivating myself" to get to the bottom of YOU. After all, I do have a "fine and strong clairvoyance".

HOWEVER...
You really shouldn't fear because being true to the nature of a "romantic", I'm "trustworthy, honest, and a great secret-keeper". This is probably because I'm "generous", and I'm also a "less talkative" sort of girl, even though some might say that I'm "dynamic in personality, amiable, and even high-spirited".

And for the record...
I may be "homely", but I'm also "hardworking" and "well-built and tough".
Just like a Ford truck.

Dette at Dance of Motherhood tagged me for the "Twelve Months of Personality" meme. Below is my birth month. See if it didn't just hit the nail on the head...

NOVEMBER: Has a lot of ideas. Difficult to fathom. Thinks forward. Unique and brilliant. Extraordinary ideas. Sharp thinking. Fine and strong clairvoyance. Dynamic in personality. Secretive. Inquisitive. Knows how to dig secrets. Always thinking. Less talkative but amiable. Can become good doctors.Brave and generous. Patient. Stubborn and hard-hearted. If there is a will, there is a way. Determined. Never give up. Hardly becomes angry unless provoked. Loves to be alone. Thinks differently from others. Sharp-minded. Motivates oneself. Does not appreciate praises. High-spirited. Well-built and tough. Deep love and emotions. Romantic. Uncertain in relationships. Homely. Hardworking. High abilities. Trustworthy. Honest and keeps secrets. Not able to control emotions. Unpredictable.

TAGGING RULES:

1. Mention the person who tagged you, and create a link back to them.
2. Copy and paste the traits for all the twelve months, OR feel free to use the link provided here.
3. Pick your month of birth.
4. Highlight the traits that apply to you.
5. Tag 12 people, and let them know by visiting their blogs and leaving them a comment.***
6. Let the person who tagged you know when your post is available to view!

And now I'm tagging twelve people that I've either never tagged, or haven't tagged in a long while...

1. Susan at West Of Mars -- the Meet and Greet
   
2. Mercedes at Mercedes' World
   
3. Nicole at The Journey Begins With One Step
   
4. Jenn at Texas Wife and Mom
   
5. Jill at Perfectly Parks
   
6. Rosheeda at Ride-or-Die
   
7. Dyane at A Family In Transition
   
8. Vicki at The Brady Bunch
   
9. Jennifer at Threadbare Gypsy Soul
   
10. Skelty at Bloggy McBloggerson
    
11. Jamie at The Life Of Molly And Sarah
    
12. Jen at Wade's World
    

***I've been sick all day and am unfortunately still suffering from insomnia. I'd love to comment for the tags now, but it's just not happening tonight, folks! So...if you see this before I leave a comment letting you know that you've been tagged, then my humble and sincere apologies. It will be a bit before that can be completed!

And since I promised "two-fer" one...

I was also tagged by e-Mom at Chrysalis for the "What Punctuation Mark Are You?" quiz. Following are the results:

You Are A Comma

You are open minded and extremely optimistic. You enjoy almost all facets of life. You can find the good in almost anything. You keep yourself busy with tons of friends, activities, and interests. You find it hard to turn down an opportunity, even if you are pressed for time. Your friends find you fascinating, charming, and easy to talk to. (But with so many competing interests, your friends do feel like you hardly have time for them.) You excel in: Inspiring people You get along best with: The Question Mark

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

There were no instructions to tag anyone on this one, so I'm tagging anybody that wants to play. If you do decide to join in the fun, come back here and leave a comment, so I can go see what kind of punctuation mark defines YOU!

Thanks for reading all the way to the bottom of this post! I'd like to think my friends would mostly agree with the comma traits, and that they'll vouch for me that the whole first part of this post was written with great sarcasm and wit.

Because of course you must know by now...I have unique brilliance and a sharp mind. :)

"TWO-FER" FOR TUESDAY!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/two-fer-for-tuesday.html

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF TWO BABES AND A BABE

Ten days ago, Jayne at The Clock Is Ticking tagged me for the "Seven Random Things" meme. I think memes can be fun because they tell you a lot about the person. However...before "meeting" Jayne, I had already participated in this same meme; and currently, I am working on a "100 Things About Me" list to honor the 100th post tradition. (Don't hold your breath, though ~ it is much harder than you'd think. It might take all year to complete!) Considering these two facts, it might be just a bit redundant for me to list seven random things about myself. Trust me, I am not that interesting! (Even though y'all are all secretly wondering how on earth I met Billy Idol!)

To keep things interesting, I went to the ones that know and love me best. I asked Tornado, Twister, and Mr. Brownstone to make a random list of random things about me. Of course, one or two items receive a quick and definitive VETO...by me. There are still some things a girl has to keep secret!

Without further adieu, here are "Seven Random Things About Mrs. Brownstone...by 'The Rest of the Brownstones' aka 'Two Babes and a Babe'!"

1. "Sometimes you bust out dancing. Well, not sometimes ~ you actually do it a LOT! You shake your bootie, and your dancing is bad!"
   
   ~ Tornado
   
   
2. "Sometimes when you're in the car, you just bust out singing. You take a breath every few words, but you are a really, REALLY good singer!"
   
   ~ Twister
   
   
3. "It takes you a really long time to pick out clothes when we're shopping. Like when we went to Target to buy food the other day, we were there for three hours. We spent two of those hours shopping for your one shirt."
   
   ~ Tornado
   
   
4. "You get freaked out when people talk about 'Nightmare on Elm Street'. One time we were driving in the car, and we passed by Elm Street; and we were all teasing you about it. We said, 'Hey, Dad bought a house on Elm Street!' All of us were laughing, and you said, 'That's not EVEN funny!'"
   
   ~ Tornado
   
   
5. "Every time you get a new pair of sunglasses you break them or lose them. You always keep 'em on your head."
   
   ~ Twister
   
   
6. "Your deodorant smells like coconut. I like it. It smells yummy!"
   
   ~ Twister
   
   
7. "You don't like black cats crossing in front of you're while driving. You're a 'scaredy'."
   
   ~ Mr. Brownstone
   

In the spirit of carrying on this meme, here are the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules in your blog entry.
3. Share 7 random, or weird, facts about yourself.
4. Tag 7 random people at the end of the post, linking to them.
5. Leave a comment on their blog so that they know they’ve been tagged. ***
   

So...in "random" order, I am tagging some people that I've never tagged before for a meme, who are all new friends from "Ten Things Tuesday", and who left comments for me on Tuesday! (Thanks, y'all!) They are as follows:

1. Nikki at The Hill-Billies
   
2. Terry at Mzzterry
   
3. Shana at Easton and Lexi
   
4. Amanda at Livin' On Tulsa Time
   
5. Chandra at View From My Window
   
6. Danna at Ramsey Five
   
7. Michelle at Being A Star

Y'all are now "It"! (Or what that be "Its"?) I am looking forward to finding out more about y'all! I need to toss in the disclaimer here, however, that meme participation is optional and strictly voluntary. If it's not your thing, there is no pressure! And really, I was just supposed to tag seven people, but if anyone else would like to play along, please come leave a comment here letting me know that you joined in the fun!

***We're walking out the door to a party, so if you see this before I leave a comment letting you know that you've been tagged, then my humble and sincere apologies. It will be a bit before that can be completed!

OUT OF THE MOUTHS OF TWO BABES AND A BABE

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/out-of-mouths-of-two-babes-and-babe.html

ONE SHEEP...TWO SHEEP...THREE SHEEP...

If you are a regular commenter on this blog, then you might have noticed that it has taken me a bit longer to respond to you this past week. Normally, I like to respond to people as soon as possible, but your kind words have really piled up in the "in box" since last week, and for that I apologize.

Please know that it is not that I don't value what you have to say. And it is certainly not that I do not enjoy visiting your blogs...because I do ~ immensely. There are so many bright, funny people in this crazy little bloggy world! And for those of you that have literally been with me since the beginning, I can assure you that it is not another lung obstruction!

Any and all delays in blogging and comment returns are caused by my little friend. Her name is "Insomnia". Have you met her? She can be a bit pesky. She often comes to visit uninvited. She also hangs around long after you've asked her to leave. She jumps into the middle of any given situation, insisting to be a part of it...whether you want her there or not.

Oh, yes, little Insomnia. She barged in for a visit two weeks ago when Twister was ill with a severe earache. It was partly my fault. I invited her in for coffee that first night, needing to be awake to hold the heating pad on Twister's ear. We had a nice visit. I welcomed her in with open arms since I could not invite over her sister "Sleep". Sleep doesn't care for coffee anyway. The second night, I really wanted Insomnia to leave; but with Twister still in pain, I didn't force her. She was trying to be so helpful...I didn't want to hurt her feelings...BIG mistake. She doesn't really understand the concept of boundaries ~ she's an "open door policy" kind of girl. She has been hanging around for TWO weeks!! I've asked her to leave. I've BEGGED her to leave. I've even tried to FORCE her to leave. Yet, she's brought a suitcase or two with her. I'm beginning to seriously question our friendship.

And for the record, she and her sister Sleep must not get along because Sleep leaves the room the minute Insomnia pokes in her head.

Needless to say, I have acquired some sleep debt. Not. Fun. It is taking more time to catch up than it did to fall behind in the first place. According to Wikipedia, "The National Sleep Foundation in the United States maintains that eight to nine hours of sleep for adult humans is optimal and that sufficient sleep benefits alertness, memory and problem solving, and overall health, as well as reducing the risk of accidents." It also says that "cognitive performance declines with fewer than eight hours of sleep."

So there you have it. My cognitive performance has declined. My alert level is down. I cannot problem solve and have poor memory about the most basic things. My health is declining, and I'm at risk of an accident. YIKES! These are not good things. Insomnia is really not turning out to be as good of a friend as I thought.

Now that you know what is NOT working-for-me, you can only assume what would be...what should be...working-for-me. If I could just get the pesky sister out the door!

For some really great tips on sleep, click HERE. These folks have made a really great list of thirty-three secrets to a good night's sleep. Some of them are obvious ~ like avoid caffeine ~ and some of them not so obvious ~ like learn how to use the Emotional Freedom Technique. (I had not heard of it either!)

Sleep...






and every other day, too!

To see what is working for other people, be sure and visit Shannon over at Rocks In My Dryer. Her Works-For-Me Wednesday carnival...well, it rocks!

ONE SHEEP...TWO SHEEP...THREE SHEEP...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/04/one-sheeptwo-sheepthree-sheep.html

WELCOME BACK, BROWNSTONE!

Please sing out loud and proud to the tune of "Welcome Back", the memorable "Welcome Back, Kotter" theme song written and performed by John Sebastian.

Welcome back...

Obstructed lungs were what kept me gone.

Welcome back...

To that same old place I once blogged for fun.

Well, the numbers have all changed since I wasn't around;

But my thoughts have remained, and I'm writing them down.

Who'd have thought they'd lead ya...

Who'd have thought they'd lead ya...

Back here where I need ya?

Back here where I need ya?

Yeah, you emailed me a lot 'cause you'd bookmarked the spot

Welcome back!

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Welcome back...

I always knew I could spot a friend.

Welcome back...

And I fret when I think how you must have been

'Cause I know what a mystery that I left in.

Was there something that made you come back again?

What could ever lead ya...

What could ever lead ya...

Back here where I need ya?

Back here where I need ya?

Yeah, you emailed me a lot when I vanished from this spot ~

Welcome back!

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.

If you are too young to remember the tune of "Welcome Back", please do not rub it in too gleefully. If you are too young to have even heard of "Welcome Back, Kotter"...well, then you are definitely younger than me, and you missed out on a pre-Grease John Travolta, so I feel sorry for you!

Seriously...
If you are a repeat visitor, an avid reader, or an old friend, then "WELCOME BACK" to my blog! Thank you for your patience and for managing to find your way back here after my long absence. Was it "Just My Imagination", or did some of you actually miss me? I sincerely appreciate the comments and emails from those of you wondering where I was and if anything had happened. You truly were like a burst of "Sunshine On My Shoulders".

My absence began due to an asthma-related illness. (Just ask Lurch-Lady...first she said, "'Lean On Me'", and then she made me go to the doctor. "That's What Friends Are For", right?) It was a "Nasty" couple of months for the old lungs, but I finally had to "Pick Up The Pieces", pull myself together, and say, "I Will Survive".

Never one for missed "Opportunities", I wished on a "Lucky Star", and then asked "Mr. Brownstone", "'Wouldn't It Be Good' if we could just get away from "Our House" and "Relax"?' And Dear Readers..."Against All Odds" or not, "Don't Stop Believin'" because "It Ain't Over 'Til It's Over"! To my great delight, "Mr. Brownstone" said, "'Say, Say, Say', that's not a bad idea. I've been thinking that maybe we could go "Walking On Sunshine" and say "'Hey, Mickey'" while visiting Disney World." So...off we flew to Orlando. It was definitely a "Thriller" vacation, and I surely had the "Time Of My Life"!

If you are a new visitor, then quite simply "WELCOME"!!! I hope that you will "Never Say Goodbye". Please choose instead to return "Time After Time", and "Take On Me" in your blog reading! It just wouldn't be the same around here "Without You".

"Time For Me To Fly"...I've got two forces of nature to wrangle in for bedtime, which is a process that at times causes my head to spin "Round And Round"! Come 9:00 pm, I am usually ready to "Enjoy The Silence".

Now that we are "Reunited", look for another post soon because I am "Into The Groove" again, and it's time to get back to "The Way We Were". So..."Get Ready"! It's gonna be a "Madhouse" around here! Let's "Jump", "Shout", and "Rock The Casbah"! "Let's Go Crazy" and party like it's "1999"! After all, "Girls Just Want To Have Fun"!

And since the theme here today is obviously "Songs from the 70's and 80's"...please, by all means, "Express Yourself"! I love comments!

"Best of My Love" ~
~ Mrs. Brownstone

WELCOME BACK, BROWNSTONE!

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2008/02/welcome-back-brownstone.html

I WEAR MY SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT...

Literally.

I just got home from watching a Sam Anderson gig. (It was really awesome, by the way!) While brushing my teeth a few minutes ago, what do I see in the mirror propped right on top of my head? Sunglasses! Yes, that's right...sunglasses...at night.

I'm not quite sure when sunglasses became an accessory for me, but lately I've found myself wearing them in the most peculiar places and at the most peculiar times. I apparently wore them all evening, and we didn't even leave the house to see Sam until after dark. I also find myself wearing them in church, at the movie theater, and even once during a yoga class with M4Mom and Rhino's Real Total Package. (I noticed them after the first few minutes when they dropped from my head during some weird pose.)

The worst offense, though? Well...that would definitely be when my hair just wasn't cooperating. I was - for some reason - possessed to grab the sunglasses just to push the ornery hair back from my face! To make matters even worse??? It was raining outside. Somehow I convinced myself that it was just. sunny. enough. to require the use of those stupid sunglasses.

They are not sophisticated.
They are not trendy.
They aren't even that cute!

Tim Gunn...please come to my rescue!

**If you haven't checked out the link for Sam in my sidebar, you TOTALLY should do it right now! Or...you can just click on any of the three times I've listed his name in this post, or you can even click right here. I promise it will be worth your time to take a listen!

I WEAR MY SUNGLASSES AT NIGHT...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/i-wear-my-sunglasses-at-night.html

WHEN A COMPASS LEADS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION...

You need a new compass.

Normally I do not like to forward things that come to me by way of email... However, I could not with good conscience NOT pass the following information along to as many people as possible.

I received the same basic email from two separate people yesterday and then received the same one again today. The emails were regarding a movie that is scheduled for theater release on December 7, 2007. Mr. Brownstone, Tornado, Twister, and I had seen a preview for "The Golden Compass", starring Nicole Kidman, Daniel Craig, and the voice of Freddie Highmore, among others, and it looked pretty good. I remember turning to the kids and saying, "We may have to see that over the holidays. It looks like it might be good."

The trailer is very deceiving.

The Brownstone Family will NOT be viewing this movie in the theater, on cable, from a rental service, or otherwise, nor will we EVER read the book series, "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman, upon which the film is based.

I encourage each of you to visit HERE to what Snopes has to say about this movie, and I further encourage you to make the choice to boycott the movie and the books. These works are propaganda from an unbeliever. The ploy is to keep the first movie, "The Golden Compass", mild in the hopes that parents will take their children to see it, and in turn, the kids will love it so much they will want to buy the books. The thought of any child reading this series is unsettling as they are about children killing God. And just so you are aware...the first book in the series is available to purchase in some Scholastic book order forms.

I actually went to Mr. Pullman's website to read his personal views. He is indeed an athiest, at best an agnostic. (I will not provide a link for his website as I do not want to send any visitors his way.) I also searched for interviews with him and found THIS. The following is an excerpt:

In Pullman's trilogy, Lyra is the new-age Eve, and Will is the modern-day Adam. God is a wizened spent force of an "Authority". And "The Fall" is to be celebrated as the defining moment of mankind, rather than the source of all worldly evil. Little wonder that His Dark Materials has been denounced by some religious zealots.

Pullman, though, expected more. "I've been surprised by how little criticism I've got. Harry Potter's been taking all the flak. I'm a great fan of J.K. Rowling, but the people - mainly from America's Bible Belt - who complain that Harry Potter promotes Satanism or witchcraft obviously haven't got enough in their lives. Meanwhile, I've been flying under the radar, saying things that are far more subversive than anything poor old Harry has said. My books are about killing God."

Please note his final two sentences. I agree with one of my dear friends in saying that this is not something we can just sit back and ignore! Mr. Pullman and New Line Cinema may have the right to free speech but SO DO WE!

Please pray that this movie and these books will not taint the heart, mind, or spirit of any child, or any adult for that matter. As believers in God, we have the opportunity to make a statement by not supporting works such as these.

WHEN A COMPASS LEADS IN THE WRONG DIRECTION...

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/when-compass-leads-in-wrong-direction.html

WHY USE ONE WORD WHEN YOU CAN USE A SONG?

This seems to be widely circulating Bloggityville right now, but I saw Anita Renfroe perform "Momsense" live at the Women of Faith "Amazing Freedom" Conference in my area and have been singing it ever since!

I hope it makes you smile as much as it still makes me smile!

If you have not been to a Women of Faith Conference, GO!!! It is such a wonderful, encouraging, uplifting, humbling experience to sit amidst so many other Christian women, all while participating in some awesome praise and worship time and listening to some amazing and dynamic speakers! I've gone with girlfriends for the past five years, and it never gets old. It also is a great time of fellowship and bonding with my friends!

Hope to see you there in 2008 for the "Infinite Grace" Conference!!!

WHY USE ONE WORD WHEN YOU CAN USE A SONG?

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/why-use-one-word-when-you-can-use.html

TINY DANCER

OK, y'all! This is the craziest thing I've ever seen! Please go here, and then come back and tell me what direction she is turning when YOU look at her.

This is a test to determine if you are left-brained, or right-brained. I personally can only see this tiny dancer spinning in one direction. I'm curious to see if anyone reading this blog can guess correctly as to which way she turns for me. If you'd like to give it a whirl (Ha! Get it??? Whirl!) If you'd like to give it a whirl, please comment on this entry!

Listed below are various functions of left-brained people versus those of right-brained people. They are listed in many places on the world wide web. I do not take any credit whatsoever for compiling this list, but it would be impossible to list all of the sites that contain it! As I am not sure where the test originated, please go here if you are more curious to find out that particular piece of information.

LEFT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

• uses logic
• detail oriented
• facts rule
• words and language
• present and past
• math and science
• can comprehend
• knowing
• acknowledges
• order/pattern perception
• knows object name
• reality based
• forms strategies
• practical
• safe

RIGHT BRAIN FUNCTIONS

• uses feeling
• "big picture" oriented
• imagination rules
• symbols and images
• present and future
• philosophy & religion
• can "get it" (i.e. meaning)
• believes
• appreciates
• spatial perception
• knows object function
• fantasy based
• presents possibilities
• impetuous
• risk taking

Now, go take the test and come back here to report your findings! If the dancer spins counter-clockwise, then you are left-brained. If she spins clockwise, then you are right-brained. Be sure and add your two cents about what you think is my "brainedness"!!! The use of that word right there ought to tell you something!

TINY DANCER

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/tiny-dancer.html

HEADLINES

My good friend Jenn, or "Lurch-Lady" as I like to call her, was recently tagged over at texas wife and mom. (Jenn, we really need to discuss your de-capitalization of TEXAS!) She participated by listing seven random thoughts as they randomly popped into her head. Once tagged, it seems to be customary to tag others to participate in the fun. I mean, Lurch-Lady was tagged by her friend Reagan from Mississippi, who was tagged by 24Crayons from Virginia, who was tagged by Kate, tagged by Zombieslayer, tagged by Beach Bum from South Carolina, tagged by Mike from Michigan, tagged by Meggie from Australia, tagged by Leanne from Australia, tagged by Nicolette from Netherlands, tagged by Tracy from Norway, tagged by Hege - also from Norway and with a bilingual blog to boot, who was tagged THREE times:

• by Monica from Norway, tagged by Kristen from Norway, tagged by Petunia from Norway, who was tagged twice,
  
• by Marianne from Norway, where the trail went cold on September 23, (Monica, Kristen, Petunia, and Marianne all had completely foreign language blogs! Check out Monica's blog just for kicks. Bet you can't read it either!)
• and by Hobbygasa from Gjovik, Norway (FINALLY, a bilingual blog!), tagged by Tina from Dixon, Kentucky, tagged by Carol from Las Vegas, Nevada, where the trail went cold on September 19.
  
• by Sylvia from Norway, who was also tagged three times!
• by Frokenij from Norway, tagged by Mrs. Darcy from Norway, tagged by Sina from Norway, (both completely foreign language blogs), tagged by Hobbygasa from Norway (same as above), tagged by Tina from Dixon, Kentucky (same as above), tagged by Carol from Las Vegas, Nevada, where the trail went cold on September 19 (same as above).
• by Ninne, tagged by Lilje, who was tagged twice,
• by Sina from Norway, same as above
  
• and by Kristin from Norway, same as above
• and by BIM-HD, where the trail went cold.
  
• AND by Merete, from Norway and a foreign language blog, which made it difficult to find the meme and it's origin and date because no 1-7 numbers were visible as they were on the other foreign language blogs.

(And yes...I DID take the time required to investigate how long this meme has been going and where it originated. I'm kind of a nerd when it comes to stuff like that! And Y'ALL - let me tell you, those Norwegian women can knit! I was amazed by all the pictures of the beautiful things they have created! AND...may I just ask you the question...do you find it completely incredible that this little meme has traveled AT LEAST from the United States, to Australia, to Netherlands, to Norway, and back to the United States between September 19 and today, and it has been bounced around ~ sometimes more than once ~ between AT LEAST twenty-seven people, not including the off-shoots of every OTHER person these people tagged? Me either!)

Silly Lurch-Lady!
SHE, apparently, had OTHER ideas... Instead, she wrote:

"Okay, I'm tagging..........no one, I could hardly find time to do this one myself!! I'm off to get the kids and myself dressed to go to Ladies Bible class and hopefully enjoy a fun lunch with all of my great girlfriends from church!! If you want to do the tag, be my guest!!! :)"

Of course, I called and harassed her after she didn't tag ANYONE! Being one of those "great girlfriends", I personally felt that I had the right to give her a hard time about not tagging ME! As a new blogger, I don't really get tagged ~ ever! (I was once tagged by Jenn BEFORE I started blogging publicly!) Lurch-Lady really needed to help a "great girlfriend" out with a tag opportunity, especially considering that I've been at a loss for words this past week. I told her that I would be happy to participate, but she had to actually tag me first. ~ no vague references about being her guest but a real black, white, and true tag. In other words, I basically called her and said, "ME! ME! Pick me for the meme!"

So, yesterday I made the headlines in her blog:

"Okay, Jill, you are it!"

That was the title of her latest post. Obviously, the harassment (as well as the shameless begging) worked! I have officially been tagged to list seven random thoughts as they randomly pop into my head. It was interesting to see how this meme evolved over it's traveling course. In the oldest link I could track, there were rules:

1. Link to your tagger and post rules.
   
2. Share 7 facts about yourself, some random and some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of post and list their names.
4. Let them know they were tagged by a comment on their blog.

On that note, here are some of MY headlines, or the random lines of thought that are running through my head...

1. With the exceptions of Rhino's Real Total Package, M4Mom, and Lurch-Lady, people reading this meme have NO IDEA how extremely difficult it is for me to sort out only seven of the seven hundred random thoughts that will run through my mind while typing this. Seriously! Mr. Brownstone told me I need to be tested for ADD. Mr. Brownstone never takes lightly anything for which he will have to shell out money. He is also not of fan of "labels" or of taking medication unless you truly need antibiotics for something. He must be serious about my short attention span if he's mentioning it.
2. I wonder if ADD is what causes my little problem with chewing gum. Can you get bored while chewing gum? Is it possible to forget why you put it in your mouth in the first place? It is for me. I am thirty-something years old and cannot chew a piece of gum without swallowing it. Seriously ~ Can.not.do.it. This is why I do not chew gum very often. Sometimes I swallow it before the flavor is even gone! Sometimes I swallow it while saying to myself, "Do not swallow your gum. Chew your gum. Do not swallow your gum. Chew your gum." I know ~ gum-swallowing is immature, and it makes me a little weird; but it's a struggle. The really weird thing...I didn't start this nasty little habit until adulthood. It just came out of the blue, and unfortunately, it seems to be an unbreakable habit.
3. I have at least five loads of laundry to do right now, and that does not include all the bed linens, or the towels, or what I will find lurking under the bed and in the corners of Tornado's room. It also does not include the two loads that I have already done that still need to be folded. Laundry is my nemesis. Really, it should be such a simple task, but it is my least favorite task. If I can ever get caught up, it will be simple because right now, I have to do at least one load every day just so the loads do not multiply. Laundry, you better hope we never meet in a dark alley. Your grime will be mine.
4. The background noise of the crowd at televised football games really gets on my nerves. That kind of white noise gives me a headache. The air conditioner noise gives me a headache, too. There is a battle over the thermostat between Mr. Brownstone and myself. I do get chilly but could live with the cooler temperature. It's really the noise I don't like, and I do not like to feel the air blowing either. (I just sneaked in there and bumped the temperature up a couple of degrees so it will quit blowing right now.) I also do not like to feel or hear the air blowing in the car. I could listen to the crickets call, or the frogs croak, or the birds chirp, or the rain, or the thunder, or the rushing water all day long. Please, though, never lock me in a room with crowd noise, or an overactive air conditioner! I'd be crazy by the time you released me.
5. I really miss my kids right now because they are at my parents' house for the night. I'm happy that they get to be around all of their grandparents so often, though. We are lucky like that. I love my family so much. It's such a great feeling to have such a great relationship with our parents and siblings. I don't know what I would do without my parents or the other Things. It's also a bonus because it's free babysitting whenever we need it. It's fun for all of them, and it's nice to have an occasional date with Mr. Brownstone. Mr. Brownstone still has it! I'm not always good about letting him know it, but he still makes my stomach flutter. He is very cute to look at and very funny to boot. Our kids are inside/outside beautiful! They are also very sweet and funny. Tornado is a master prank caller and is quite the teacher for Twister in the art of prank calling as well. Twister pranked called our messages three times today. The first one said, "Hi, this is Rochelle, Buddy's mom, and we would like for Tornado um tuuuh come over at 2 am in the morning tomorrow... well not at 2 am. Two am in the afternoon... after school and we would like Tornado to spend the night. Well, no. Tomorrow after school... the next day, um Monday? Wait, I messed up on my ...." CLICK! Now that, my friends, is a QUALITY prank call. Twister also called earlier this week and left a message that informed me my shirt was ready to pick up from "The Shirt Store" for one thousand and one dollars. When Tornado calls, it is a whole different ballgame. I have to say...Tornado has prank calling skillz, and that is "skillz" with a Z!
   
6. I am not sure if my friends know that I can play the saxophone. I used to be pretty good ~ you know...skillz with a Z. They were not hard to play, but my favorite songs to play were songs from before my time: "Brandy", "Smoke On The Water", and "Horse". I really think I could still play them if I could get my hands on a saxophone.
   
7. I have the best friends...ever! We have not all known each other our whole lives. Some of them I haven't even known for a year, and I haven't known ANY of them for more than two years. We just all came together at the right time, and we just fit. I feel like I have known them forever, and it's a great feeling. There is no doubt in my mind whatsoever that any single one of them would drop what they were doing at any given moment to come to our aid, and we would do the same for them. I can't imagine not talking to them several times a week. We are so happy where we are...living this full life!

Well, there's seven or more random and weird facts about me. I tag Chrystal, Jenni, Liza, Julie, Rosheeda, and then of course "Rhino's Real Total Package" and "M4Mom" - y'all can post your answers in the comment section here. Please play! I would love for ANYONE that reads this blog semi-regularly to also feel free to participate if you'd like. Please leave a comment for me in the comments section, if you decide to play along, so I can go read your answers! And if you are a brand new reader...YOU CAN PLAY, TOO! The more the merrier!

And Lurch-Lady...thank you so much for helping me find words again!

HEADLINES

http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/headlines.html

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Thank you so much to all of you that have still been dropping by here daily only to find that I haven't really blogged about anything in a week. I wish that I could adequately express how much the support I've received in this foray into the world of blogging means to me.

It's encouraging to see that new people seem to find this little blog each day...that some actually stick around long enough to read my thoughts and view multiple pages...that sometimes people comment...that people offer up prayers on my behalf...and sometimes...people even come back for a second, third, or fourth visit! Wow!!! It truly does mean a lot to me. It gives me a sense of camaraderie...of loyalty...of pride... And it is also humbling.

Currently, I feel a small amount of guilt that I have not been able to write...to muse...to ramble.
I really wish that I could give you a GREAT read right now.
I wish that I could simply give you a good read right now.
I'd even settle for "just a read".
Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday...I was on a roll. Then...my mind just went blank. Granted, it has been a busy time.

• We went to a lake over the weekend for a mini-retreat with friends from church.
• I got to visit my grandma.
• The kids had a school holiday.
• I worked.
• There was Ladies' Bible Class.
• I cleaned house, did laundry, and grocery shopped.
• We had dinner with friends.
• There were numerous activities for the kids, not to mention homework.
• And on and on and on...such is the life of a mom. (Busy...yet glorious!)

But...I've been home, too. I've come to this computer almost every night. I've logged into this blog almost every night. And every night...I just sit here. The words will not come. There are so many things about which I could write, so many things about which I want to write, but the words will not come. Some remain hidden in my heart, not ready to surface just yet, while others are simply locked inside my mind in a whirlwind. (My thought process is always a whirlwind. It always has been. I go from one thought to the other with a speed that never ceases to amaze the man I have loved since 1992.)

So, please...accept my apologies if you've been disappointed from the blankness of the past week. And please...keep visiting! The words will come. The words about the friendships my family has made ~ friendships that words could not even begin to adequately describe...the words about my grandma, her joyful spirit, and her latest test results...the words about Ladies' Bible Class...the words about my children...the words about my husband...

The words will come.

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http://xboxwife.blogspot.com/2007/10/fill-in-blank.html