Icy Awesomeness!

Jason was very sweet and came and got me during the middle of Icepocalypse 2010 on Friday afternoon and brought me back home tonight. Without going into why, I haven't been feeling very well and wanted to spend the weekend with him; he's such an awesome guy and I'm so very lucky!

Anyhoo, after Tess and I got home and she had dinner, I opened my back door to let her out and found this:




This was taken from my back porch. I could see some even bigger icicles and ice formations on the corner of my house, but I didn't feel like killing myself on the steps and trying to slide under these, just for a pic or two. When it's light out tomorrow, perhaps I'll be able to get a better pic from the porch!

Priorities, People!

A week ago tonight, I had one of those nights when I just flat could not sleep. Around 2:30 am, I crawled out of bed and headed for the living room, thinking that I'd watch a little TV and try to fall asleep in the recliner.

I had just turned on the TV and was starting to drift off when I heard the dreaded tones of the Emergency Management System. After being advised that "An emergency had been declared in your area; turn to channel 7 for more information.", I flipped to channel 7 to learn that an Amber Alert had been issued.

I didn't get a ton of information from channel 7, so I flipped to some local news stations. Nothing. I grabbed my laptop and started looking for information and finally, on the last station page I looked at, I found a little more information. A little girl, age 8, was presumed to have been kidnapped by her ex-stepfather, who was wanted in connection with killing the little girl's mother earlier in the day. They gave the information about the girl, the suspect, and the vehicle he was thought to be driving, but not much else. I had a very hard time going back to sleep, as I was thinking about this poor girl and was hoping she'd be okay.

Sickly, it wasn't until several hours later before ANY of the other local news stations or the Daily Oklahoman had any information on their websites. Sure, there aren't a ton of people who were up at that time and could be on the lookout for these people, but there definitely were some. And, yes, I know, for a fact, that each of these media outlets have people on staff around the clock, so this information *could* have been posted.

Fast forward two days and no one has seen neither hide nor hair of the suspect or little girl. Is it still front and center in the media and on the electronic billboards on Oklahoma highways? Nope. So what's front and center? The damned impending ice/snow storm. If you can even find mention of the Amber Alert and this missing child, it's deeply imbedded within the media. Instead, we're focusing on the potential bad weather.

I think that we, as a society, and ESPECIALLY our media, need to re-adjust our priorities. We've all been through ice/snow storms before. We all know what to do and there's no reason to panic. Instead, we should be focusing on what we need to do to find this little girl and bring peace to her father. I'm infuriated that we'd rather focus on potential bad weather (that's truly not putting lives at danger outright -- like a tornado or hurricane) instead of a young, innocent life.

So, I'm doing my part. Here the information on the Amber Alert and missing child:

Victim is a Aja Johnson, White Female, 8-year-old, 4 feet, 65 pounds, Brown hair, brown eyes - very thin build. Victim is very slender -- no clothing description. Suspect is Lester Hobbs, White Male, 47-year-old, 5 feet 9 inches, 180 pounds -- no clothing description. Suspect is driving a white 1992 Toyota Paseo Oklahoma license Plate number 577BPW. The back window has been replaced with a piece of sheet metal. Suspect is also wanted in connection with the homicide of the victim's mother and should be considered armed and dangerous.

Any information contact:
COMANCHE County Sheriff's Office
580-353-4280 or 877-652-6237 or 911

No matter where you live, please keep your eyes open for this little girl and this suspect.

Customer Service FAIL!

Recently, I’ve begun a redecorating project at home. For a quite some time now, I’ve been on the hunt for decent black photo frames, but have yet to find any that both look good and are affordable. Today, while hunting for frames over my lunch break, I experienced some tremendous customer service.

First, I hit up Hobby Lobby, as I’d learned that their frames are on sale this week. Not a problem – run over there, grab the ten or so frames I need, swipe the debit card, and head back to work. Much easier said than done – they didn’t have anything that I really wanted – at least, not enough of them.

So, as I’m leaving Hobby Lobby, I remember that someone told me that Michael’s had frames on sale last week, too. Awesome! They frequently run their sales for two weeks, so I thought I might have a chance there. Plus, they tend to have at least a slightly better selection. So, I called them to double check, as I didn’t have enough time to stop. My conversation went something like this:

Michael’s employee: “Michael’s in Midwest City. How can I help you?”

Me: “Yes, I was wondering if you can tell me if you have photo frames on sale this week.”

Michael’s employee: “What?”

Me: “Could you tell me if your frames are on sale this week?”

Michael’s employee: “Oh. Yeah…I don’t know.”

Me: “Is there any way that you could…”

CLICK.

He hung up on me. Seriously! Not only was he rude and unable to answer my question, but he slammed the phone down in my ear. He. Hung. Up. On. Me.

I guess I’ll either be purchasing my frames from Hobby Lobby or else I’ll be looking other places! I do know this: I won’t be back to the Michael’s here in MWC, which is a crying shame for them, because I tend to spend a decent amount of money there. Customer service FAIL!

Princess for a Day

I love to dress up. There’s just something about putting on a gorgeous dress, fabulous heels, and the perfect accessories (which, of course, include lots of jewelry!). Yes, I know that if you look at me on any given day, you probably wouldn’t know that I enjoy dressing up, but I really do. When you look good, you feel good, which makes life seem so much easier.

I’ve always loved dressing up and, when I was younger, looked forward to my high school’s annual semi-formal Christmas dance and prom. Even then, while I didn’t have the world’s high self-esteem (still don’t, but that’s not for here), I felt like a princess when I had my hair and make-up done and slipped into my clothes. For that one, magical moment, I was, at least in my mind, beautiful.

Today, I want each and every girl to feel as beautiful as I felt on those nights so many years ago. But sadly, many girls will miss out on the chance to don a pretty dress and the perfect accessories because their families simply can’t afford the added expense. In this economy, when things already are incredibly tough, these young women probably already are used to missing out on many things. They shouldn’t have to miss out on their prom, too.

That’s why I’m volunteering for an organization called Princess for a Day. It’s a group of dedicated women who have, for the past several years, gathered together to provide formal gowns, shoes, and accessories so that all young girls can afford to attend their proms.

We’re currently accepting donations of any gently used formals that young girls might wear to prom today – no, I’m not donating my old prom dresses, as they are wayyyy out of style! We also are accepting shoes and all other accessories – jewelry, handbags, etc. If you have anything you’d like to donate, please let me know and I’d be more than happy to take it off your hands – even used bridesmaid dresses (the non-hideous ones!) would work nicely.

Please help me turn the young women of OKC into Princesses for a Day!

A Baked Potato!

Okay...I'm gonna admit up front that this post is probably, okay definitely, a little mean-spirited, but it just begs to be written.

As some of you probably know, I was sucked into the, ahem, interesting realm of the Miss America pageant world when I first began my professional career. I was drawn in, silently kicking and screaming, because my first boss had strong ties with the Miss Kansas pageant and it was in my best interests to be involved. So, I shut my mouth, pasted on a smile, and volunteered in the ways that she asked. It didn't hurt me, so I sucked it up and stuck it out.

I learned a lot about the pageant world. Honestly, not all of the young women involved in the system fulfill the stereotypical pageant girl mold -- goofy, dingy, blonde, and devout wishers of world peace. Sure, plenty of them do, but I also learned that there are some who are incredibly conniving and bitchy and others who are intelligent, kind, and genuine. But, I digress...

Once I moved up the ladder in my career, I figured I was done with pageants, and, for the most part, I've remained removed from them (although I've been asked to judge since and was supposed to, until something came up and I couldn't).

Something I saw online this morning caught my attention and sucked me right back in to the pageant world. What caught my attention? A link to a webpage that features recipes submitted by this year's Miss America contestants. I skimmed through them, stopping to read a few that sounded either good or horrifyingly awful. I was three-quarters of the way through the page when one caught my eye: Miss North Dakota had submitted a recipe entitled, "Baked Potato."

Seriously? A baked potato? I had to click on it, and as I waited on it to load, I desperately hoped that it was a recipe that would feature a new, unique, and innovative way to prepare a baked potato. Was it? Nope. It literally was a recipe on how to bake a potato. Wow. I was speechless. Doesn't nearly everyone over the age of ten know how to bake a potato? Is a recipe really necessary?

I'm thinking that, perhaps, this year's Miss North Dakota fits the sterotypical pageant girl mold -- not the most sparkly rhinestone in the tiara. No matter, though -- I still wish her the best in all that she does and, if being Miss America is her life goal, then I hope she achieves it.

The First Ten

I'm a little more than two weeks in to my new health and weightloss regime and I'm proud to say that I'm already down ten pounds!

If you look at me, chances are that you're not going to be able to tell yet -- at least not truly. I haven't lost it all from one place on my body; rather, I've lost a little bit from several places -- my face, my back, my stomach, and even some in my legs.

My current short-term goal is to stay on Phase 1 of this diet (meat, vegetables, and dairy) until the end of January. Typically, you don't stay on it for more than two weeks, but when you have this much weight to lose, you can stay on it for up to 30 days at a time. Since I've lost an average of five pounds a week, my goal is to lose a total of 20 by January 31.

The carb cravings have significantly lessened and it doesn't seem to be impacting my mood as much any more, which definitely is a good thing! I feel better -- have more energy, feel less lethargic throughout the day, and already can tell a difference in my overall health.

Oh -- and I also have decided that I'm going to reward myself for each ten pounds lost. My first reward? A pedicure tonight after work. Yes, I get pedis pretty frequently in the summer, but rarely, if ever, get them in the winter, so this was a definite treat for me. I'm not sure about my next reward. Someone suggested a massage, but I've never had one and am not a fan of people I don't know massaging me. Hmmm...maybe a new purse instead. Anyone have any other suggestions?

If You Can't Say Anything Nice...

Since news first broke of the massive earthquake that struck Haiti yesterday, I've been essentially glued to the news footage. As far as I can tell, I know no one who lives in or was visiting Haiti (although I did have a Haitian stalker in college), but I'm still checking the news for updates rather obsessively.

Why? I guess it's probably because I'm just heartsick for the entire country. What they're suffering is essentially incomprehensible to most of us. Yes, we've faced countless natural disasters (Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Greensburg tornado, etc.) and even disasters created by terrorists (9-11), but we've never faced anything like this earthquake. I think that part of the incomprehensability goes back to the fact that Haiti is a relatively impoverished and poor country. What they face on a normal day is more than most of us can comprehend.

I've got to admit that I'm extremely pleased that it seems like most other countries are rallying and doing what they can to help. President Obama has promised our assistance, France already has troops in place, China is sending troops, and the UN has activated disaster relief. The American Red Cross and even Wyclef Jean have set up programs for texting to make donations and even those of us who have very little are giving what we can.

And then you have Pat Robertson. Ah, yes...wonderful, insightful, loving, and caring Pat Robinson, the evangelical broadcaster from hell. Robertson, who just couldn't keep his idiotic mouth shut. Robertson, who now has promised to send help, but not until after he declared that Haiti is "cursed" by a "pact with the devil", which is what caused this earthquake. Wha??? I'm so very sure that everyone impacted by this horrendous tragedy needed to hear that, Mr. Robertson. I'm sure that makes them sleep better at night -- in the streets because they have no homes, suffering from gaping wounds because they have no hospitals, searching fruitlessly for loved ones who most likely perished. Yep, I'm sure that's going to comfort them during this time of sorry and tragedy.

There's one thing I know, Mr. Robertson: my mama always told me that if I couldn't say anything nice, I shouldn't say anything at all. And, you know what? She's right. You need to shut your big, fat mouth and, instead of condemning those who are currently suffering a fate that's tantamount to hell, do something good for mankind. Help them. Or if you can't truly be a help, then just shut the hell up and leave them, and all of us, alone.

A Bowl Full of Awesome!

I love soup. I especially love soup on cold winter nights. And I love that soup even more if it's simple to make and can be dumped in my Crock Pot to cook all day and await my arrival after a long day at the office.

Last night, while purchasing supplies to make a giant pot of chili, I was struck by inspiration, and decided to make a Crock Pot full of ham and beans instead. I've made this recipe before, but have always cooked it on the stove -- never in the Crock Pot. Never again will I waste my time making it on the stove -- it's now destined for the Crock Pot file.

So, without further ado, here's my recipe for the most amazing ham and beans to ever grace the face of this planet:

Ingredients:

1 pound dried Great Northern Beans
6-8 slices of bacon
half a small white onion, diced
3 cups ham, cubed (I usually just buy a ham steak and cube it up myself)
1-2 ham hocks for flavoring (can also use ham bone)
3 cans chicken broth (I was a can short, so substituted two cups of bouillon)
1 tablespoon onion powder
1.5 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried parsley
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
salt to taste

Rinse beans and place in large stock pot, covered with 6-8 cups of water. Bring to rapid boil for two minutes; cover pan and remove. Let beans sit for 1 hour and then drain and rinse.

Chop bacon into small pieces (like the size you find in baked beans) and saute bacon and onion in large skillet. Remove bacon and saute ham in same skillet until browned. When brown, drain ham.

Combine all items in large Crock Pot. Set Crock Pot on low and let cook for approximately 8 hours.

A couple of notes: I don't add much salt until after it's cooked, as the combination of the natural salt in the bacon, ham, and broth is pretty much enough for me. You also don't HAVE to use the ham hocks or ham bone, but it adds a ton more flavor if you do.

If you're not low carbing it like me, serve with cornbread. If you are low carbing it, well, the soup's great on its own!

Enjoy! And watch for more soup recipes to come...

The Surreal Becomes Real

Yesterday morning, I awoke to the radio news warning of a fatality accident on the northwest side of the city; all motorists were being advised to avoid the area. I gave a sad, fleeting thought to the realization that someone had lost his or her life and then jumped in the shower, as I was running later than I had planned and needed to get to work.

This morning, the radio news announced that it was a "mom" who had died in the accident and her tween son had been injured and was in the hospital.

Tonight, I read an article identifying the victim and her son. Apparently, several years ago, her father was a pretty well known local television personality. The article mentioned that she was a freelance writer and avid blogger. They gave her personal blog address and something pulled at me to click on the link. Since then, I've pored over her blog, with tears of sadness streaming down my face, over a life lost...a life I never knew that has been made so much more real because of her blog.

She was a single mom to her son, who suffers from several different physical disabilities. In an entry from about a year ago, she talks about what would happen to him if something happened to her; both of her parents are deceased and her son's father is not part of his life. She's apparently got at least one brother, but they are not close. One thing was clear throughout her entire blog -- her son was her life and she was, most very likely, his life to him. Like most of us, she was far from perfect. She didn't hide that fact. She just simply loved her son and went without herself so that she could provide for him.

I didn't know this woman, so it doesn't make a ton of sense that I feel such a sense of sorrow and grief at her death. Actually, it does. She was a fellow human who loved and was loved. As is proven by the way that I quickly brushed off her death when I heard about it yesterday morning, we have become almost robotic when hearing about the loss of life. I know that's probably somewhat of a defense mechanism so that we're not overwhelmed with grief on a daily or hourly basis. But sometimes, I wonder if we should stop and think a little more about death...or rather, about the lives that have been lived.

As sad as I am to think about her poor son being, as she termed, an orphan, and to think that she'll never see what he does in his future, I'm very glad that I clicked on the link to her blog.

Thank you, Lisa Powell, for reminding me that every life is important and that every life is worth honoring, remembering, and celebrating. I hope that you're free from the chronic pain you experienced and that you're in a happier and safer place. Maybe someday I'll meet you in some form and be able to tell you how you have changed my perspective.

(#)*!&(#@!*)_(%$_#*@!_)*$!!!!!!

Wow. I remember carb withdrawal from two and a half years ago when I last started this diet, but OMG I don't remember it being this bad. I remember being really crabby the first day, extremely emotional (read: cried at everything) the second, and kind of depressed the third, but this time, it's much worse.

Yesterday was day one. It wasn't at all bad -- had the cravings and was continually hungry, as is expected with the withdrawal, but wasn't crabby. I was so excited because I thought the crabbiness had bypassed me this time. Um, yeah...not so much.

Today is day two. I woke up this morning pissed off at the entire world and things haven't gotten much better. I'm really fighting it, but it's like a demon has taken possession of my body and won't let go. And then I made the mistake of going grocery shopping. Big mistake. I'm hoping that the caffeine I just had and the nuts I'm getting ready to eat will help; I think they will. Then, I'm planning on taking a nap.

Tomorrow is day three. Since today has been pretty nasty for me, mood-wise, I'm hoping that tomorrow will be easier. Happily, I know that this is just withdrawal and the symptoms will go away soon.

I wonder the carb withdrawal symptoms I'm experiencing are similar to the nicotine withdrawal that Jason has experienced when he's quit smoking before. I can say that I now have a lot more sympathy for him than before, because this is just miserable.

So, the upshot of it all is that if you see me in the next few days and I'm bitchy or crying or otherwise not my normal Meggish self, it's due to carb withdrawal. Hopefully it'll let up very quickly and lead to a happier and thinner Meg!

Day 1

Let me begin by stating the obvious: it's a new year!

I'm not normally a fan of making new year's resolutions because, for the most part, I don't think people stick to them. Historically, I haven't -- it's been more of a rarity for me to actually follow through with mine, than it is for me to achieve mine.

This year, however, is a little different. I'm actually making a couple of resolutions and I'm planning to make at least one of them stick! I want both to stick, but I also know me and know that both will be a challenge.

So, the first is to lose weight. I'm hopping back on the South Beach Diet train today. I've actually been mentally ready to get back on my diet for a few days, but decided that I'd start today, just so I had plenty of time to get the rest of the junk food cravings and consumption out of the way. This is the resolution that I KNOW I can make happen. It's worked for me before and I've just got to be strong enough to make it work again.

The second, is my resolution to quit letting people walk all over me and dictate how and what I'm doing in my life. I'm usually pretty good about marching to the beat of my own drummer and being content, but recently, I've had a few too many occasions when someone has dictated what I'm to do. And, unwilling to make too many waves, I've just fallen in line and done what was "expected" of me, even though it wasn't what I necessarily wanted. No more. I'm not out to make waves or enemies or trouble, but I've got to resolve to stand up for myself and quit letting people walk all over me. This is the resolution that I'm relatively sure will be more difficult for me.

So, there you have it in a nutshell: I'm going to become a better me in 2010...a healthier me...a happier me. Wish me luck! For now, I'm off to find some carbless food for breakfast. Guess I should have gotten groceries yesterday!