Monday, Dumbday!

Today - in my haste to get out the door - I forgot to shut my bedroom window. When I got home this afternoon . . . it was FREEZING in my room. Seriously, it's probably about 30 degrees in here. My poor dogs are all huddled together under my feather blanket.

Today was definitely a MONDAY. And in the bad way! I got to work this a.m. only to find the place in complete disarray! It was incredibly irritating. I had to spend an hour doing the closers' job so that I could start mine. I think I kicked a garbage can across the room at some point. (This isn't the first time I've come to work and had to do a part of the closers' job. But this is the first I've had to do literally the ENTIRE thing.) Gah! It probably wouldn't have been so horrible if I had gotten adequate sleep, but that didn't happen either. Oh well. Tomorrow is Tuesday, and it will be better. Btw - Colin, if you ever read this . . . thanks for making work fun so that my day manages to get just a twinge better!

I started reading "Wuthering Heights". I can't believe I've never read it before. What's wrong with me? Anyway, it will be the first (official) book I have read on my Kindle. (I read "The Yellow Wallpaper" by Charlotte Perkins Gilman, but I don't know if I count that since it's approximately 100 pages (on my Kindle, anyway) and it took me about 20 mins to read from beginning to end. If you haven't read that, I'd recommend it. It's a fast read, and the symbolism in it is really fun to spot! But, I'm a big fan of symbolism, so . . . (It's about a woman who suffers from post-partum psychosis.)

Anyway, I guess our dear friends are coming over to watch some more Vampire Diaries (we haven't done that in a while) and they have requested to borrow the cord for my computer to hook the laptop up to the tv. We are on season 3 now, and we have to Hulu it. :) BTW -- Hulu Plus . . . NOT WORTH IT! Seriously, that was the most ridiculous 8 bucks I've ever spent. The program was still loaded with commercials (I swear there were actually even MORE commercials than on the regular Hulu), and they still didn't have the episodes I wanted. I would highly recommend NOT using Hulu Plus.

Mini Pins Are Getting Big!

My puppies are getting SO BIG! One of them leaves for her new home this Friday. She's my favorite, so she'll be the hardest to let go, but I'm sure she's going to a great new home! :)

Here are a couple of pics of her:

She's a total lap baby! (Don't mind my white legs! Ugh!)

I'll post some pics of the other puppies soon. :) In the meantime . . . here's a video of all of them!

Sunday, Funday!

I've had 4 people contact me this week about my SingSnap recordings claiming to be music producers/song-writers. I'm very flattered. Who knows if they are all legit, but it's still nice of them to bother flattering me. Haha. Unfortunately - I've been down that road before, and it didn't work out. Apparently, that wasn't what God had in store for me because, shortly after meeting and starting to work with a legitimate producer (he produced the Goo-Goo Dolls and his brothers produced Mariah Carey and Whitney Houston) I was diagnosed with my Thyroid Cancer, which sort of put a damper on things. ;)

This is the song that seemed to attract the most of these people (which is ironic, because it's not my personal favorite). The first note is a little sour. You'll have to get over it because I'm WAY too lazy to record the song all over for just a  few notes.



I have this outlandish (but maybe possible?) dream of publishing a book, having it become a movie, and then singing the title song, myself. Like I said: Outlandish. But if you're gonna dream, DREAM BIG! :)

My SingleMingle blog has also suddenly become very popular. I've been getting a lot of demands to post more. I'm considering it, but the circumstances surrounding it are . . . complicated. It's not exactly 100% my original idea. The writing is mine -- the idea isn't, so I don't want to step on my "partner's" toes by posting it without running it by her first. Unfortunately -- I haven't been able to reach her in a few weeks. Long story.

I know lately that I've been "bragging" about my "talents" a lot. It's not because I think I'm overly talented or special. In fact, it's just the opposite. I have a tough time admitting and embracing said talents. I'm supposed to start sharing them and "owning up" to them. So . . . this is me doing that. (By the way . . . that is just friendly advice from friends and family. Still, it's probably good advice.)

Have you all seen this?

Stare at the red dot for 30 seconds, then look away towards a flat/light surface and blink rapidly and repeatedly.

Most of you probably have seen it before. I'm a little "behind the times". That absolutely blows my mind! Is it just me, or does she look a lot like Beyonce?

I'm about finished with the third book of The Hunger Games (for the second time). It's taken me quite a while to knock these out this time around. But that's because I only get to read for about 15 mins right before bed each day. Which means I usually only get through a chapter or two each night.

I know I've said this like, a billion times before . . . but I really need summer to come back. It's not like I have the time or equipment to go skiing, so winter serves no purpose for me. I'm ready for the hiking and the boating and the SUN! I've still got, what? -- 6 more months of winter? Haha. (Almost, though.)

Have I mentioned I'm going to Florida in April? Technically it isn't set in stone yet, but I'm gonna make it happen! Especially if my classes start in the summer or fall. I wont' get another opportunity to go for a long time. Which reminds me -- I'm going back to ISU! Whoot! I'm going to major in Psychology and minor in English. Or something along those lines. What do you guys think? It's between Psychology and English/Creative Writing/Literature, Interior Decorating, or some sort of Art something-or-another. I keep getting encouraged to go into Law, but I don't really think that's what I want to do.

The past few days . . .

Okay - Perhaps I should feel ashamed of my little rant on my last post . . . but I don't. I really hate wood-burning stoves.

Aside from working like a mad-person all week, I have to say that it's been a pretty fantastic few days. And, actually, work is part of what has made it fun. I spent yesterday more-or-less goofing off and having water fights with my male co-workers. They may be taller than me, but I'm faster(ish). (Mostly that's because one of them has a bum leg.) ;)

Good times.

Speaking of male co-workers . . . One of them (gimpy, actually ^^^) is selling his 4 month old iPhone 4. I think he's asking $325 for it, which is a STEAL! It's in perfect condition. (I inspected it, myself). ;) If you are interested, shoot me an email and I can hook you up with his number. :)

I wish you could all see the look on my dog's face right now. She is staring at me with her neck stretched as far as she can stretch it. Her jowls are pulled downward and her eyes are huge. That's her "PLEASE TAKE ME OUTSIDE BEFORE IT GETS UGLY UP IN HERE!" look. :) I guess I better take my dogs out.

Wood Burning Stove . . . You Go To Hell.

Ugh. I have to leave for work in exactly 45 minutes, and it is the LAST thing I want to do. Mainly because I got NO sleep last night. I need to take a moment and vent.

I LOATHE, DETEST, and absolutely ABHOR wood burning stoves. I am convinced they are a curse straight from Lucifer, himself. I am so tired of nights spent feeling much like I imagine a piece of jerkey feels. I often times wake up literally SICK, with chest pains and dizzy spells from all the smoke I have inhaled over the course of the 3 or 4 hours I've been permitted (by the effing wood-burning stove) to sleep! GAH! (Heaven forbid we turn on the actual heat and use any MONEY! It's not like I'll likely be spending that money on lung cancer bills in the future since cancer isn't really something I need to worry about . . . Wait.)

It's going to be a rough day.

Yahoo Answers to my rescue!

I just posted on my "It's all a Bunch of Nonsense" blog. Check out the post if you want. ;)

Click Here to read my post "Yahoo Answers to my rescue!"

My 100th Post!

This here post marks the 100th time I've sat down at my computer to blog about basically nothing. I started blogging in mid October, and since then my blogs have gotten an accumulated 2524 hits. That averages out to 841.3 hits per month since I started. So . . .  I suppose I should say thank-you for reading! :)

Thank-you for reading! Haha.

Last night on my facebook page, I asked people what I should blog about in honor of my 100th post. Some of the responses I got were:

"Cat urine or pickles." (Thanks, Daniel. Always good suggestions. ;)

"The 100th anniversary of the Titanic sinking in April." (Also a good suggestion, but what is there to say, really. I wasn't there. :-/ I have, however, seen the movie. And loved it.

"The number 100." (Again - what is there to say really? If you live to be that number . . . that's pretty impressive . . . ? That's really all I've got.)

In my inbox it was suggested that I blog about my "many talents". I feel, however that I've already done that multiple times. I'm not sure what else I could add on here that you guys haven't seen before. You can find samples of my singing (check out my "Karaoke" page) and my drawings on this blog. I've added pictures of needlework on here (is that really a talent?) and You've all seen the pictures I did for Christmas and Halloween. You can also find samples of my creative writing abilities on my "singlemingle" blog. I suppose I could add this picture:

That's a picture of a painting I did. I'm not sure I've ever shared any of my paintings on my blog. I usually just share these:

Those are charcoal/pencil sketches I've done and then given away. :)

I suppose I could add some of the poetry I've published, too. Here goes:

December Winds

A simple skin’s caress

Reminds me how I am incomplete

Beauty and emotion go hand-in-hand to encompass

But can be swept away with a December wind

The electricity of a softer touch

Fades like the colors in winter

But in the heated moment

It both burns me with fire and soothes me with calm

Inevitably December’s wind blows

Cold and fierce

And all that once completed me

Is carried off to a distant and uncertain future

Or if you prefer the simpler poetry that rhymes: (Here's one I published when I was 17)

Our Sweet Story

If you only knew the effect you have

If you only had a clue

Of the feelings that I have inside

The ones meant just for you

You’d never leave my side again

You’d stay right here by me

We’d be together forever, babe

And what a pair we’d be

The people, they would stop and stare

They’d see it in our eyes

They’d envy every move we’d make

Cause there’d be no way to disguise

The love and dedication there

That freely we’d dare share

Wouldn’t matter the time or place

We simply wouldn’t care

You’d hold me, hug me, kiss me,  touch me

And I’d gladly play along

No jealous look or evil act

could ever end our song

We’d spend our time together, babe

Cause of precious memories

That only you and I could make

We’d be like the birds and the bees

Simply made to fit together

And never be apart

The love there would be so strong

It would take up my whole heart

And the funny thing about it is

This is how we are

We care about each other so damn much

No matter how near or far

No distance could ever break us up

Not as long as up above

The heavens are singing our sweet praise

And we continue to be in love

 Other than that, I don't really have any talents I can share on here. I mean, I have a talent for psychology and giving advice. I guess I could get some testimonials?? Hardly seems worth it. Oh! I'm fabulous at arguing! I could host some sort of debate! But that wouldn't be on my 100th blog post, would it? ;)

Nah, I think I'll stick with what I've done here.

And I'd just like to add one more "thank-you" for reading. I really do appreciate it. :)

Update on Min Pin Pups

My pups are getting so big! I've already got one sold. Only three left!

It's super fun to have pups around, but I always forget how much work it is! Ugh. Fortunately, they are still young enough that mama feeds them. Pretty soon that task will fall to me, too. But it's worth it. They sure are cute!

I'm asking $475/pup. They have their tails docked, dew claws removed and are CKC registered. A $50 non-refundable deposit holds the pup of your choosing until he/she is ready to be picked up around Feb. 6th. I still have 1 female and 2 males left. Pretty soon I'll get serious about advertising them and they'll go fast! If you think you may be interested, get in touch with me asap. :)

If you want more info, shoot me an email!

Camera Giveaway!

This is a pretty cool giveaway, so I want to share it with all of you! (And it doesn't hurt that by doing so, it increases my chances of winning, too.) ;)

Click Here for details and to enter!

I Sing "Only Exception"

Okay - I have to do one more blog about this SingSnap site, because I'm having a total hay-day with it! Here is another recording I did that I'd like to share with you. This time it won't tell you that the clip is no longer available to listen to. ;)

SingSnap

I discovered this fun little Karaoke site called SingSnap today (referred to me by a friend). So . . . I decided to test it out. It's kinda fun, and if you like karaoke, I'd recommend it. My only complaint is that - to me - it doesn't really sound like my voice. Does anyone else notice that? It sounds like I'm singing through my nose or something . . .
 I'll add a partial recording so you can see what I'm talking about. :) Ignore the part where my voice catches. I didn't feel like re-recording.




(****Okay -- When I very first listened to that song, the part where my voice catches annoyed me, but I left it anyway. Now that I've already published this post and viewed it again, that part down-right amuses me! Does anyone else think it's hilarious? I'm not sure why it all of a sudden struck my "tickle bone". Anyway . . .)
This morning was super fun! (And I am being mildly sarcastic.) I woke up, did my usual morning workout routine, but then instead of grabbing a proper breakfast, I downed a glass of my Queens of Green Fiberwise and took my vitamins. About 15 mins later, I was SO nauseous. That's what I get for taking vitamins on an empty stomach. I kinda thought that the Fiberwise would be enough, but apparently it wasn't. Lesson learned. :)

Also . . . I'm gonna throw some pics on here, just for fun!

My Heavenly Bed.

I have the most comfortable bed.

Seriously - it's awesome. I have a nice mattress, and one of those memory foam "toppers". I have four, giant feather pillows - two under my head and two at my side so I can cuddle up to them - and a feather comforter. Every night I climb into bed it's like climbing into a cloud. I love it!

The downside to all those feathers is: I often times walk around looking like a bird because - on occasion - a few of those loose feathers will stick to my clothes or hair, and I have to spend about 3 minutes each night "fluffing" my entire bed so that it's comfy. By morning it's all flat again.

Still . . . it's worth it. :)

I can't wait for summer to get here again and straighten me out. I do not do as well when I'm deprived of sunlight. My skin isn't as pretty and I definitely don't have the proper energy. Oddly enough -- I can never seem to fall asleep before 2 a.m.. It's driving me crazy!

But enough complaining. Time to go for a run and then do some more of the usual -- reading and writing! ;)

Meet Merik Dark.

A couple of days ago, my sisters and I watched some Ghost Hunters show (or something like that). If I'm being honest -- I hate that kind of stuff. That is one of the only things that really, really freaks me out. Not a fan of spirits, especially evil ones.

Anyway, this morning when I got to work, I found this image on the monitor.

It's really hard to see in this picture because the quality is so poor, but look at the picture on the top left.

If you could see it in person, you would see that it looks like a man hanging (more or less) from the ceiling. You can see his feet, legs, hands and head (but not so much in this picture). And what is with the eerie, foggy effect??

Thanks to the fact that I watched that show, I was particularly creeped out. Needless to say, my morning was not particularly fun. Especially since I got there and discovered this image before it was light outside. And I was all alone. For four hours.

The image stayed there all day, so we finally decided to name our little friend. His name is Merik Dark. And he's there to make sure we all work our hardest. I even put a sign up next to it that says so. (I'll have to get a picture of that to add sometime in the next couple of days, so check back.) ;)

Cheers to Muse and Florence!

My pups are getting older. They are 3 1/2 weeks old now and will be ready for their new homes soon. I need to get some pictures posted for those who may be interested in one. They are the cutest, fattest little things. :)

I have decided that I need some music suggestions. I love music, and I'm pretty familiar with all types, but I could definitely use more! If you know of any groups that you think I'd be interested in, leave a comment or email me. I'd appreciate it.

I am SUCH a fan of Florence + The Machine and Muse. Who isn't?? Here's a playlist of some of my favorite songs by them:

	Muse - Futurism .mp3
	Found at bee mp3 search engine

Let's Get Funky!

I am in a major funk with my sleeping habits, and it's really messing me up. I've gotten in the habit of not being able to fall asleep until sometime between midnight and 2 am, and then waking up between 5:30 and 6 am so I can get in my workout before work. You would think that, from the lack of sleep, I'd be able to fall asleep early, but I can't help but fall asleep at 5:30 pm for a nap on the dot every day. It doesn't matter what I'm doing. I even tried doing a good, solid workout during that time, but immediately afterwards, I had to lay down and then the zzz's happen. And it's making it impossible to fall back asleep at a decent time. Gah! I'd try caffeine to avoid my afternoon nap, but I don't drink caffeine - period - so that's not an option. How do I stay awake all afternoon so I can sleep at night?! Or maybe I should just try a sleep aid. Haha.

Speaking of drugs, I have to share this video in case any of you haven't seen it. It's long, but worth watching. It starts of fuzzy, but the picture gets clear a few minutes in. Enjoy!

A Hairy Situation.

I can't decide what to do about my hair. I've decided that I don't want to color it. It took me just under two years to grow it out long enough for me to be considered a "brunette" instead of a "blonde". And I like the brown color better. If I were to color it a darker brown, it would just fade into a red thanks to my red undertones.

What I can't decide is whether or not to cut it. Currently it falls to my tailbone. Having this long of hair has its perks and its disadvantages. For example:

Perk:

I get lots of compliments on it because it's rare to have such long AND healthy hair . . .

       Disadvantage:

It takes a VERY long time in the morning to get it to the point where it scores compliments . . .

Perk:

There are endless possibilities when it comes to hair-do's . . .

        Disadvantage:

 I go through conditioner like you wouldn't believe . . .

Perk:

People always want to play with it. It's like getting free head massages on a near-daily basis . . .

        Disadvantage:

It's always getting caught in doors - Car doors, house doors . . . doors in general . . .

Perk:

I never have to worry about a botched hair-cut. If they screw it up, I can afford to lose another inch or two on it . . .

         Disadvantage:

There aren't very many different hair-cut styles for hair this long . . .

This picture was taken last spring (almost a year ago), so it's grown out quite a bit more since then.

Random Stuff about a Couple of Celebrities!

Okay, I have to add a couple of celebrities to my "cute" list.

Brendan Hines

This guy is from that show I mentioned, Lie to Me. I think he's very sexy . . . especially in the show. :)

Jason Bateman

Yes . . . Jason Bateman. Mock me if you must, but I think this guy is absolutely gorgeous! I am 100% attracted to him in all of his movies. He's absolutely adorable!

Oh! Also . . . has everyone heard of Josh Hutcherson? He's just a kid . . . about 20 years old or so. He'll be playing Peeta Mellark in the Hunger Games movie. He's a cute kid, and very close to what I pictured Peeta to look like. I'm super stoked about that movie!

"Strange" Day

Today was kind of a strange day. It started off normal enough -- I got up early and went to work, but then it kind of got . . . strange. And "strange" isn't really even the right word for it.

First of all, we had to put the "family" dog, Bailey, down because her kidneys failed. I put "family" in quotes because I've had a hard time liking this dog ever since she brutally killed MY dog. Not one of my little Min Pins, but my dog I had since I was ten. She killed her last summer over table scraps. And I realize that that's just how things work in the "doggy kingdom" (Liz was very, very old), but hearing her screaming and seeing all the blood and pieces of flesh flying about while Bailey viciously tore into her has stuck with me pretty vividly. It's been hard for me to not hate her ever since. But still, I'm sad that she's gone, I guess. She was so sick these past few days that it was hard not to feel sorry for her.

Then we had company over and we watched "What Lies Beneath" -- which was super amusing because of how frightening it was to our guests with our surround sound. Or as my mother calls it: "Surround Around." (Drives me bonkers.)

Then I had some emotional flashbacks to Christmas break and this time it all made me sad. So, I've decided I'm not going to think about that guy anymore. Not right now, anyway. It's not doing me any good, so . . . on to the next thing.

I'm frustrated with myself for not having made more time to work on my book. I've barely touched it in the past few days. But, I have made time to do proper workouts, so I guess that's good.

Anyway, as you can see . . . my day wasn't actually "strange", but with all the weird emotions I have going on, that's the word that seems to fit best.

Tomorrow should be better. I have to get up super, super early  (I'm really wishing I wouldn't have gotten into the habit of staying up so late for the past few weeks) and drive to Idaho Falls. I'll be out there until around 2, I guess. Queens of Green is coming out with some new product and they'll be announcing it tomorrow, which is why I'm going out. I'm pretty excited to learn what it is.

Anyway, I guess it's time I try to sleep . . . Or try to work on my book. Either way, I need to be done with this post. ;)

In honor of Bailey:

1/1/07 - 1/6/12

RIP

Too Random for a Proper Title.

I think I pulled a muscle in my right side today. I'm not sure how. All I know for sure is that the muscle is pretty tender.

Awesome.

Remember how I said I was missing someone? Yeah. Still am. And it's really only getting worse. I mean . . . it's not unbearable, but I definitely think about him at least once a day. I guess that's what I get for spending so much time with him over Christmas break even when I knew I wasn't going to get to see him again for quite a while. Still . . . it was worth it.

It turns out I am hosting a Queens of Green party at my house on Saturday the 14th. If you live locally, I'd love to see you there! It'll be lots of fun and there will be free product! Can't beat that! ;)

Has anyone seen the television show, Lie to Me? I've discovered it on Netflix. I like it. Is it still on the air?

I started reading the Hunger Games again. I believe in a post I wrote a few weeks ago I mentioned not being able to read the same book twice and enjoy it. Well . . . that's not the case with this one. Whether it's because it's been so long since I've read it, and there's no movie to refresh my memory (quite yet), or it's just a good book (probably both), I don't know. I just know that I read half the book in under two hours last night. I'll definitely finish it before I fall asleep tonight.

Speaking of books . . . Mine has been neglected today. Time to get to it. ;)

It's going to be really hard to title this post . . .

Horoscopes for 2012

I am definitely missing someone tonight. A part of me hates that, but another part of me loves it.

I read a quote today that I really loved. It read: If you wonder where your heart truly is, see where your mind takes you when it wanders.

That is so true.

Anyway, so far the New Year is treating me well. I've gone back to work. Getting there was difficult, and I really didn't want to be there at first, but once I was there and performing my duties, I realized how great it feels to be back.

My time off was good, too, though. I completed another 100 pages in my book, and it's very nearly complete. I'm excited and nervous for it to be done. Maybe it'll be published someday soon. Who knows where this next year will take me. My horoscope for the year said good things. Haha. If only . . .

If you want to check out your horoscope for the year, click here.

If you're a fellow Leo, I'll save you some trouble. This is our horoscope taken from the same site:

Year 2012 Romantic

Leo is the sign of love, so you'll be pleased to know that Cupid won't be giving you the cold shoulder this year! With another round of eclipse patterns stirring up passions in your romance sector this spring, you'll be anything but starved for affection. If anything, you'll have the other extreme to contend with - too many alluring suitors vying for your attention. Choosing only one requires excluding others, and this has never been your strength. The new Moon solar eclipse in May in your house of love is just the tip of a very amorous iceberg to hit your world this year!\

Venus spends most of September in your chart, so mark that as your month of pure pleasure. This is the time of year when the goddess of beauty and love gets to shine through you most brightly. Love is especially in the air between May and December, while in November, sexy Mars activates your romance sector, making sure there's plenty of heat to take you through the colder months.

This October, Saturn enters Scorpio and moves into your chart's base camp. Over the next few years, you'll be asked to plant roots. If you're not already in a settling-down mode, you may certainly feel a push to deepen your commitment towards creating a solid home life. In any case, you'll be considering long-term stability and what your priorities are in terms of home and family. If you've managed to remain an eligible swinger, the cosmic taskmaster will force you to give up your wild days in favor of something more permanent and meaningful.

Year 2012 Career

You've got it going on this year, Leo, as Jupiter continues to reign over your career sector. If you had one shot and opportunity to seize everything you've ever wanted, would you not pounce on it? Well, now is your time! It's all about expanding your perception of what's possible in 2012. You were born for superstar status, and you know it. So what are you waiting for?

Pluto has taken up residence in your work sector for the long haul, so there's no new tale to tell on that front. However, it doesn't mean that the mighty presence of the god of the underworld should be taken lightly! The demands of Pluto are relentless. The need for constant change - and to shed anything that no longer serves you - are its minimum requirements. You're a constant work-in-progress, so don't get too comfortable or complacent if you want to remain in good standing. This year is about realizing your true potential.

Saturn will be leaving your communication sector in October, making all your business correspondence and networking tasks that much easier. You've learned important lessons about what to say (and what not to say) when it comes to expressing yourself with higher-ups. Now you can apply those lessons to every arena in your life by only using the words that are absolutely necessary to convey your truth. Finally, Mars will be spending an inordinate amount of time in your financial sector this year, forcibly putting you in business mode - like it or not. Think like a mogul and you'll be amazed at all the new money-making schemes you can manifest in 2012!

Queens of Green Promotion!

I'm super excited about the special promotion going on at Queens of Green this month! I'd like to host a party and offer more information about it! I'd also like to give you some samples! If you think you might be interested in attending, please leave me a comment or shoot me an email.

CortneyLee.2338@yahoo.com.

You've got nothing to lose by coming to hear about our amazing, life changing products, and no matter what you'll leave with some products I know you'll love. I don't sell anything. I won't be asking for your money. I simply spread the word (and the joy) about these amazing products I am so passionate about!

If you don't live locally, that's no problem! I can still get samples and information to you. As I've previously stated: You have absolutely NOTHING to lose!

Please visit my Queens of Green page for more information!