Letdown

As per usual we have another hectic morning. I never cease to be disappointed in myself when I glance at the clock in the dash of my car as I pull out of the garage.

Late again.

My only explanation is that we travel through a time warp tunnel as we walk from the house to the garage. I lose ten minutes in those fifteen steps. We arrive at Strawberry's school and get hit by the buttery scent of popcorn.

Popcorn day.

Why don't they include this information on the monthly calendar that they hand out? There must be a reason I have it on my fridge next to my children's artwork, photos and worthless lottery tickets.

I reach into my jacket pocket to give Strawberry my change. I am hoping for fifty cents but I only feel crumpled tissues. My other jacket has the coins that I need. My purse is left behind in the car. Strawberry's big round eyes look up to me with heartbreak. She knows that her mom can't provide the goods. I had given her change a while back so in a last ditch attempt we go through her jacket pockets. There we discover a handful of pebbles and one penny.

I'm sorry.

Her body droops and she slowly inches towards her classroom defeated. Her sadness weighs me down. While it's only popcorn, it feels like overwhelming disappointment all because of me.

The person that she depends on.

Pure Beef Dessert

If strawberry and banana flavored, all beef jello doesn't make you want to become a vegetarian, then I don't know.

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On Rarity and Pretty Pop

This weekend I took the girls to wander around a department store so that Colin could spend some time working in our garage on yet another busted car CD player. I found the advertised frying pan that was sixty six percent off and then headed to the DVD section to look for the least mind numbing children's show that we could watch forty thousand times consecutively. It turned out that the only thing that peaked their interest were My Little Pony movies. I hightailed it to the toy section with promises to expand their collection so I wouldn't have to suffer through the saccharin escapades that include evil songs from the dark side. I've had "My Little Pony, Is full of baloney" stuck in my head for days now.

Pony from something blue on Vimeo.
Why not fill up your pretty head with a little song?

I try not to buy toys and treats every time we leave the house in fear of raising Veruca Salt. We have warned them that if they get everything that they want, the squirrels will determine that they are bad nuts and toss them aside. There is nothing like installing a bit of fear of small, wild animals to keep your children in line. That didn't prevent Strawberry from having a mini meltdown deciding which pony she wanted to add to her collection.

I am thankful that I am not made of money because I have a hard time not buying everything that they fancy. I have a habit of stockpiling toys for gifts. I put many items in closets for future celebrations and pat myself on the back that my daughters will have more values than the Hilton sisters. Before Christmas, Strawberry spied a play veterinarian kit in our basement. This was how it came to be the present she gave to her little sister.

Somehow Buttercup has decided that these medicals tools are actually for being a tattoo artist. She has given me dozens of imaginary tattoos which is a hundred percent more than I currently have. Mamatulip asked me back in November if I had any tattoos when I was looking for content for NaBloPoMo. Obviously I am easily distracted. This mild diversion reminds me that the Ring Toss was a gift from my mother-in-law.

I did go to a tattoo parlor last year with some ideas and talked to an artist but I never went back in to get inked. I don't know if it's because I am not sure exactly what I want on my body. (Forever… which is a mighty long time.) Plus I am not sure about placement. There is not an area of my body that I necessarily want to draw attention to. I remain a blank canvass for my daughters to practice creating sleeves of many a multicoloured prancing Pegasus and dancing unicorn.

Under Covers

There is so much
that is right in the world,
But there is too much that is wrong.
I need to search for beauty
To lose myself in song.
I am adequately grateful
for the things within my reach
Yet I'm caught up
in longing for more.
While an abundance
could bring brief smiles,
I think this heavy blanket
would still be hard to shake.

Artwork

The reason I have a hard time letting go of the compact disc is because I am a visual person. I love artwork! While this goes against the don't judge a book by its cover idea, I have been known to go into record stores and snatch up some new artists based on CD covers. We have fallen in love with some cool bands because of the method to my madness.

When I saw this witty post by Ewe Are Here, I knew this was going to be a fun diversion!

By looking at the artwork below, which of these four CD's would you choose for your listening pleasure?

Original photo by スロ

I imagine Gurla Mandhata would have a heavy melodic rock sound. They would gain their popularity by touring with the Deftones, Incubus and Tool.

Original photo by emverdonk

Vernonia is a mainstream singer/songwriter type artist. The lead singer is a favourite with the ladies especially after their sexy video is featured in high rotation.

Original photo by moominsean

This is a punk rock album but RSAM would top the charts twice. The first would be with their anthem hit and of course their second single would be a ballad.

Original photo by flowers for Brei

They launched their career on MySpace with over a million plays of their first single before they even signed a record deal. (I can't believe how much this one turned out to look like American Thighs.)

This was so much fun that I am passing it on. Don Mills Diva, Motherbumper, Jenny The Bloggess and my guy over at Pop Rocks - you are it! By all means, please go on and join the fun. Let me know if you do, as I would love to see your creation.

The meme rules **:

1. The first title on this page is the name of your band.

2. The last four words of the very last quote is the title of your album. Click the "New Random Quotations" button for more.

3. The third picture on this page will be your album cover. You then take the photo and add your band name and the album title to it, then post your picture. Please don't forget to give credit.

** This is rock and roll. Rules are made to be broken!

Expanding Our Family

It is babies, babies and more babies in 2008. Our family is growing!

Our Jewel Cichlids are doing all the breeding in our house but that is not the case for mothergoosemouse. Her virtual baby shower is happening today!

As we both have two daughters, our lives have probably resembled each others, a mix of pink and purple ponies and princesses. Julie will soon have something baby blue, the adoration of a beautiful boy.

The only real advice that I can offer to you on your third child is don't eat your small fry. I have been watching our fish gobble up many of their babies. It seems their offspring make a nice snack. To say that I find this disturbing is an understatement.

Soon your daughters can help dress up their little brother in cute outfits. They will share their hilarious humour. Your home is sure to be filled with laughter and love and that is the best kind of home that there is!

Timeless Fun

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Fly Like An Eagle

I hide in bloglines

when it is delurking day.

Is it safe to surf?

But next time around

I promise to leave my mark

With just: "I was here!"

I can't spare a square

I am stuck in deadline hell

Time keeps on slippin...

With 131 feeds and 111 subscriptions, I am very likely reading your blog. It's a case of too much reading and not enough commenting. I will work on this. Pinky swear. If only I could buy time. I can't bring myself to unsubscribe to anyone. Do you edit your reading list regulary? Mine keep growing and growing probably until my head explodes.

The Cup is Half Empty

You know what sucks? Well besides the obvious things like disease, poverty, global warming and war. It sucks when you are a blogger with nothing to say. I feel the pressure to get something new up in bluedom because what will the three people that visit think if I go this long with nothing? But I have nothing. I am officially wasting your time, which is precious, and I really like you and I don't want to bore you with run on sentences about zilch. You'd think November would have taught me a few tricks.

Of course there is always unbloggable drama. That would be the hazards of telling other people's stories. It could be that I focus on their commotion so that I don't have to concentrate on my own. Looking at their mess distracts me from reflecting inward.

So all in all, I'm a disaster with no funny antidotes on life.

However I did throw away all the junk that was cluttering my kitchen table.

It's sad that I have to take the Christmas tree down tonight when it's Ukrainian Christmas. (Not that I actually celebrate it other than stuffing myself full of perogies.) The last day for tree pick up is tomorrow. Oh, woe is me.

The Last Moments of 2007

A couple hours before midnight the girls in their pj's and mommy with her Strongbow, decided to delay bedtime by practicing our New Year's countdown on video. The girls ran to our front door, sang songs and used their outside voices!

Last Moments of 2007 from something blue on Vimeo.

I would have posted this last year night but I've been having technical difficulties. That was after I smashed my head into the ceiling. Nothing like starting off the new year with a mild concussion. Just so you don't think I was demonstrating the incorrect method of head banging, I was actually leaning over the banister to give some clothes to go into the wash and when I went back up the stairs I saw stars.

Making it to the other side of midnight was a challenge. I fell asleep after reading three stories to Strawberry but Colin came to check on me. Being truly geeky, I uploaded photos while I created the video and twittered. Oh yes, I wrote Happy New Year at the stroke of midnight before kissing the husband. I'm not exactly in his good books.

Speaking of books, that is my 70% realistic resolution for the year. I am going to spend more time reading the novels that have been collecting dust around here.

Happy New Year friends! I wish you health, happiness, success, contentment and overflowing buckets of love in 2008...