Read For the Fourth
June 27th, 2011 @ 2:15 pm | Comments (0)
Filed: Uncategorized | Tags:
While perusing Facebook a few weeks ago, I read a status update from a sorority sister, K. He husband, J, was recently deployed and appreciated all the care packages he received from family and friends. But he wanted to do something for his fellow airmen who had yet to receive something from back home, especially since Independence Day is just around the corner. K recruited friends to volunteer to adopt a service person in her husband’s unit.
Included in her e-mail to us, among with the list of razors, socks, toothpaste and games, was information about a really cool program. United Through Reading collects gently used or new children’s books. Deployed parents are video taped reading the book aloud then the DVD and book are sent to the child so he or she can read along with his or her parent. How cool is that? I will be sending books and encourage you to check out the program, too. If you would like to send books directly to J’s unit, let me know and I will send you the information. Of course, if you would like to “adopt” a service person, I can get you information about that, too.
From J:
Another project that I am putting together here is asking for donations of gently used and/or new children’s books for ages 0-6 years, i.e., Thomas the Train, Mickey Mouse, Dora the Explorer, Curious George, Little Critters, etc. They have a program here that an airman can read a book and it is recorded via DVD and shipped with the book that has been read to their child. The problem is that that they do not have a lot of books for younger children and the time limit is 20 minutes per dvd. So some of the books that they do have will exceed the time limit when read. If anyone would like to send any books over here simply address them to me and I will be sure to get them into the program. Thank you for all help thus far with the care packages.
I’m also a brunette*
May 23rd, 2011 @ 6:29 pm | Comments (1)
Filed: Inappropriate things people say to me | Tags:
My new career is in the construction industry, which means I’m around a greater percentage of men than ever before. One thing i’ve learned over the past few months is men frequently state the obvious. Like, they see a red balloon and announce, “Huh! That balloon is red!” It’s fairly obvious, colorblindness aside, that the balloon is red but it must be said that the balloon is red.
As the new girl on the block, all the attention is now on me and so are the vocalized observations. The most frequent proclamation made about me is, “Wow! You’re tall! How tall are you?” (Other common observations: You have blue eyes./Your poor dad has four daughters and a farm?/You’re not married?!)
I’m tall but I’m not the Jolly Green Giant or Shaq. I’m farm raised. We’re tall when I grew up.
While reading the latest Entertainment Weekly over the weekend I found my problem’s solution. I’m going to change my name.
In the spirit of a rapper of which I just discovered, you can now call me PomJob the 5′10.5″. It acknowledges that I am aware of my height and answers that pesky “How tall ARE you?” question.
Do you think Royce da 5′9″ will make a comment about my height?
*Kind of. Darn premature gray.
Don’t read this on your lunch break
January 12th, 2011 @ 2:11 pm | Comments (1)
Filed: My glamourous life | Tags:
My family has evolved into Restaurant Eating Folks. We didn’t start out that way, we only used to go out to eat after church on Sundays, but over the years as the kids moved out my mom has developed an affection for dining out. Why cook and, worse, clean up when you can pay others to do it for you? We’re not lazy, we’re contributing to the economic recovery.
As such, my nephews are generally well-behaved in restaurants; they’ve had lots of experience.
Saturday evening’s dinner out at a seafood chain (who shall remain nameless and blameless) started off just fine, aside from one boy’s mad dash for the fire exit, the door of which proclaims in BIG RED LETTERS that an alarm will sound when opened, and another boy’s rapid ascent up an empty chair located below the BRIGHT RED fire alarm which enticed said boy.
The threat of civil penalties for tampering with lifesaving equipment that are not toys assuaged, we sat down for a lovely meal. Then boy one decides he has to go potty! And so does boy two. (What is it about dining out that induces bodily functions in children? If you ask if they have to go potty at home it’s all NOOOOOO! But there’s nothing more fun for a child than visiting a restaurant bathroom. Whee!) Being a good aunt, I voluntarily lead them back through the restaurant to the bathroom. Business is completed quickly and efficiently and we return to the table.
A few bites into our entrees, the boys decide they have to use the facilities again. I called nose-goes and their mother took her turn. Time passes. A LOT of time passes. We wonder what happened. That’s when our childhood friend Katie, a waitress at the restaurant, rushes to the table.
“Steph needs your mom right away. Something about throwing up or poop or something. I don’t know.”
Now, boy one has a very, very sensitive gag reflex, so we figured he was responsible. We were wrong.
As the merry, bladder-empty group opened the door to exit the restroom, a lady rushed in an VOMITED on nephew one. She said something about the food and proceeded to clean herself up. My sister cleaned the lady’s puke off of my nephew as best as she could then turned to leave. That’s when boy one slipped and fell back into the puke. He was covered in vomit. Meanwhile the lady stood at the sink and avoided eye contact.
The staff at the restaurant was wonderful - they helped clean up the nephew and gave us a generous discount on the food. They even gave the nephew two aprons to wear around his waist so he wouldn’t have to finish his meal pantsless, which was really his only option - his pants were covered. (He thought he was pretty cool stuff when he finally got back to the table. Which is good because we thought he would be embarrassed. Nope, he was all, “Look at me, guys!! Some lady threw up on me, then I fell in it. Haha!” Boys.)
Meanwhile, the vomiter quietly slipped out of the bathroom and returned to her table without saying a word to my sister or anyone at the restaurant who had to clean up her regurgitated dinner.
Moral of the story: when you throw up on a little kid, don’t be an asshole. Apologize.
(Postscript: Katie posted on Facebook the next day that she got a speeding ticket on the way to work. I couldn’t resist commenting that at least someone hadn’t thrown up on her. Who’s the asshole now?)
My Twilight
December 16th, 2010 @ 10:09 am | Comments (2)
Filed: Uncategorized | Tags:
Sometimes a book comes along that is so wonderfully written the reader can’t help but visualize the story as it unfolds. I’m not a particularly imaginative person but I could picture every train car, Big Top and costume while reading Water for Elephants. It was one of those books that made me think about it long after I turned the last page. I’m ridiculously excited for the upcoming movie version which stars Reese Witherspoon and Robert Pattinson - brilliant casting in my opinion. (You can have RPattz as the glittery, blood sucking Edward. He’s much hotter as Jacob.) It looks like everything I imagined and more.
Water for Elephants is the story of a veterinary student who, upon finding out he can’t afford his tuition, joins a traveling circus as the animal caretaker. He finds friendship, love and the battle of his life along the way. Author Sara Gruen thoroughly researched the circus lifestyle of the 1920s and did an excellent job of painting a picture of the camaraderie between the employees and animals and the abuse they suffered along the way. If you haven’t yet read the book, I highly recommend it. Anyone want to join me at the movie theater?
Sports Minded
December 15th, 2010 @ 5:33 pm | Comments (0)
Filed: Philly, Pomdering | Tags:
Philadelphians love cheesesteaks, drinking and sports, especially sports. According to my Facebook feed, other websites and the leads on all the major TV stations, the city is celebrating a Merry Cliffmas this month because of the surprise return of superstar pitcher Cliff Lee. Lee reportedly turned down a $150 million contract from the Yankees to return to Phillies, where he will earn $120 million over the next five years. He and his family fell in love with the city and the lifestyle and they decided they didn’t need the extra $30 million. And the crowd went wild.
Source: New York Daily News
Meanwhile, the same ecstatic fans were outraged when right fielder Jayson Werth followed the money to the Nationals, where he signed a $126 million seven year contract. The Nationals don’t have a stellar reputation and aren’t likely World Series bound in 2011. Phillies fans feel he sold out. The local Fox station posted this on Facebook:
FOX 29 If you care, Jayson Werth is having his official press conference in Washington at 1 pm. You can watch it on MLB.com.
Source: Getty/MLB
The beauty of Facebook is seeing the random thoughts of friends and acquaintances from across the country. Some are Phillies fans, some are Yankees fans, some are Nationals fans. And a lot of people have op-ined on this topic. I’m not an avid fan, but sports are hard to ignore in the home of the Phillies, Flyers and Eagles. As an observer, it’s interesting to see peoples’ reactions to sports deals.
Would you pass up $30 million for your happiness? Or would you join the highest bidder’s team?
And, how do you feel about Michael Vick’s first commercial endorsement since his brouhaha?
Infirm
December 8th, 2010 @ 9:28 pm | Comments (1)
Filed: My glamourous life, Ouchies | Tags:
My father is currently in the emergency room for an injury he sustained to his arm TEN days ago. He fell when the scaffolding he was trying to assemble started falling. Not knowing who was in the metal pole’s trajectory, he held on to keep it from falling on people no where near the fall zone, bending his elbow in a way God never intended and displacing his bicep near his triceps.
There are people who rush to the doctor for every sniffle and headache. We are not those people. In fact, it took my parents a week to decide maybe the ankle I “sprained” rollerskating wasn’t really sprained but rather fractured. Not because of neglect; they just think things will heal on their own.
Meanwhile, my sister is also in the hospital.
And so is my newest nephew, Peyton. Love!
Footies in Philly
December 6th, 2010 @ 1:11 pm | Comments (0)
Filed: Philly | Tags: Codes
My Codes spent a few days in Philly with me while his daddy hunted bear and mommy worked. After tuckering him out at the park and library, he fell asleep sitting up in my wooden dining room chair while waiting for me to make him lunch. Later, we changed into footie pajamas and snuggled on the couch. Yes, I own footie pajamas. (I may or may not own more than one pair. It’s not my fault.) I understand why people want these little people so much. My heart melted when he toddled over and wrapped his arms around my legs as I washed dishes. What a sweet boy!
