I Do Not Have the Taste Buds of a College Student Anymore

Last night Tom had to work.  I was being lazy (surprise surprise) and didn't feel like making myself anything special for dinner.  I looked in the fridge and the pantry and didn't see anything that looked good.  I lowered my standards and looked again and found tucked waaay back in the back of the pantry a box of Tuna Helper.  The last time I remember buying Tuna Helper was in Virginia, so we've honestly probably had it since then.  I decided it was time to part ways with the Tuna Helper and whipped it up.

Now I remember in college thinking any kind of "Helper" meal was fancy and delish.  Last night however, I realized it is neither of those things.  The Tuna Helper literally looked like the crap I was blowing out my nose a few weeks ago.  The taste??? Bland and Blander.  I tried to doctor it up with some spices but then it just became a mess of garlic salt and chili pepper.  And no, I don't know why I thought chili pepper would help.  It was an act of desperation.

As I was gagging down my dinner I started thinking about other food items I used to love, but now think are gross.

•  Spaghetti-O's - Used to be a special day when we got Spaghetti-O's.  Now, they taste like ketchup with soggy noodles and dog food.
• Hershey's plain chocolate - Used to be the best chocolate.  Now, unless smashed between graham crackers and roasted marshmallows, smells like feet.
• Pizza Rolls - Used to be the best snack after school.  Now, as stated yesterday, taste like poison.
• Campbell's Chicken Noodle Soup (or any canned soup for that matter) - Used to warm my soul, now tastes like chemicals and salt.
• Powdered Parmesan Cheese (you know the kind in the green container) - Used to cover my pizza slices in it, now tastes like shredded up paper.

Not all food items from my childhood / college life are on the bad list.  Ramen, Oatmeal Cream Pies, and Fruit Snacks will always be my friend :)

Is this normal???  Does anyone else have foods they used to love and now can't stand?  Does this taste thing correlate to money?  Like because Tuna Helper was all I could afford I thought it was delicious, but now because I can buy food that is not on the 10 for $10 list it is gross?  HELP!!!


XO XO,
MUCUS (i mean tuna helper) EATER

Random Tuesday

Randomness #1:

Last night I went to the grocery store.  There were a series of ads where you checkout.

Apparently Addie got a modeling gig I was unaware of :)  Seriously though, doesn't that look just like Addie who is in the right picture???  I told my Dad she was available for his next advertising campaign.  Ha!

Randomness #2:

I woke up this morning with three bruises on my leg.  I have no idea how I got them.

Randomness #3:

 Have you ever ridden in a limo with all the lights on???  It's like sitting in a hot tub without the jets on...awkward.  AND, why is it whenever the jets go off the naked people are always the first to jump out to turn them back on?  Seriously people, let the clothed people take care of it...we don't mind.

Randomness #4:

 We very rarely have ice cream in the house, but when we do I try to buy frozen yogurt or at least the low fat stuff.  I usually get cookie dough (obviously) or cookies & cream.  The other day I accidentally bought real cookie dough ice cream.  DID YOU KNOW THEY PUT WAAAAAY MORE BIG CHUNKS OF COOKIE DOUGH IN THE REAL STUFF?!?!?!?!?!?!?  I feel like I've been totally ripped off.  I thought I was just buying the low fat ice cream part not low fat mix-in's.  So, basically I am saying I want low fat vanilla ice cream with full fat, big chunks of cookie dough.  Does that diminish the purpose of low fat ice cream???

Randomness #5:

Tom tried to teach me how to use the snow blower.  I felt like it went really well.  He felt like it went really not well.  We still have some lessons ahead of us.

XO XO,

My Dog is a Model

A Lesson From Bambi

*I've been debating whether or not to say anything...I don't like conflict or confrontation.*

We all remember the cute little deer named Bambi who stole our hearts in the animated movie.  There is a specific scene in that movie where a little bunny named Thumper tries to teach Bambi words.  He teaches him the words bird and flower.  As Bambi gets more confident in using his words he accidentally calls a skunk flower.  Thumper laughs at Bambi, but is quickly reprimanded by his mother who asks him, "what did your father teach you this morning?"  And Thumper replies, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

I believe we all need to take a moment to remember the lesson little Thumper taught us.  It seems like lately people are forgetting how hurtful words can be, or how ignorant they can sound if they speak before they think.

I first want to say I am not pointing fingers at any specific people or using this post as a way to confront people without actually confronting them (there is a term for this but I can't think of what it is).  Believe me, I've confronted people already.  I second want to say I often do not think before I speak and am sorry if this has caused you any hurt.  I know I eat my words a lot, and sound ignorant a lot and I am working on it.  Thirdly and lastly I want to say that yes, I would much rather hear the truth from someone rather than something nice.  For example, I would much rather hear "Molly your house smells like dog" so I can fix it rather than people saying my house smells good but really they are holding their breath.  Get it???

Ok, so the reason for all of this.

Since the announcement of Duke people keep asking about our living / moving / my job / etc. situations and to be honest we haven't even talked about it.  Before match day we talked about many, many, many different scenarios.  Would we sell our house, would we rent our house, would Tom move and I stay, would we both go, and the list went on and on.  We never made any decisions, but kind of felt like since the fellowship is only a year I might stay and Tom might go.  Many factors go into this decision (that hasn't been made yet) one of which is the dogs.

Because the fellowship is only a year we obviously wouldn't purchase a new home, but instead try and rent an apartment or house.  Many Most rental places do not allow you to have dogs.  If they do it is like one dog under 50 pounds if that, so having 2 dogs over 50 pounds puts us at a huge disadvantage.

Lately, as I've explained our situation I've gotten a wide variety of responses / opinions.  Most ranging from, "Wow I don't know if I could be away from my husband for a year!" to "He'll be super busy anyway you might as well stay."  Those kinds of responses are great.  The responses like, "Why don't you just take your dogs back to the shelter you got them from, then your problems will be solved" and "Can't you just kennel your dogs for the year" are not great.  Seriously people?!?!?  You obviously do NOT know Tom or I very well to suggest something like that.

First of all, we rescued both of our dogs from Shelters.  They both had been abused and still show signs of it when scared.  We've worked really hard to get them where they are today, and honestly they are a part of our family.  They've learned to trust and love us, and we've learned to trust and love them.  I can't imagine taking a shower and not having Rocky laying on the bath mat next to me, or Addie licking my hand in the morning after she hears me press snooze one to many times.

Yes I know I bitch and moan about them, and yes they drive me crazy half the time, but so does Tom and I wouldn't send him back to the shelter just to make my life easier.  I love him and I love them and getting rid of them is NOT an option.

Opinions and honesty are appreciated when helpful and realistic but let's all remember, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."  Because hearing "get rid of your dogs" makes me sad and is not nice.

And really, who could get rid of these sweet babies???

Yes I realize they are dogs and not humans, but I believe they have feelings just like we do.  I could never let them down after all this and send them back to a Shelter or Kennel for that matter.

XO XO,

Rocky and Addie's Mom

P.S. please remember this is ONE factor in a bucket of many that will determine what Tom and I feel is best for OUR marriage, and OUR situation.  Thank you to those of you who have been supportive and have listened, Tom and I both really appreciate it.

Live! It's Last Candidate Standing: TV and political reality merge?

I found this and had to share...Perfect for today.
*Disclaimer: I am in no way trying to portray my political beliefs or push politics on any of you, my beloved readers.  I simply thought this was funny and love reality TV.*

Excerpt written by James N. Watkins

The people I cheer for on reality TV never win.  But at least it got me thinking that perhaps national elections should be staged as reality TV shows: The Amazing Political Race, Keeping Up with the Kandidates (way more interesting than the Kardashians), Conservative Eye for the Liberal Guy, Dancing with the Issues, or Survivor: Electoral College.  And the best part?  It would run only from September through November "sweeps" each election year!  And on the season finale...

"Live from the nation's capital, it's The Last Candidate Standing.  Thirteen weeks!  Ten candidates!  But tonight, just one president elect!"

Yep, let's put all the wannabe candidates for president in that Big Brother house in Hollywood - and then lock and bolt the doors until the September before the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  There would be some real advantages to elections conducted as reality TV.

We'd have to listen to their political pontifications for only on hour, one night a week for 13 weeks!  Enduring the past year of constant campaigning was nearly enough to make me escape to a remote island where I would survive by eating Madagascar hissing cockroaches.

For each episode, candidates would have to successfully perform tasks to stay in the running: balancing a checkbook, finding a job for a homeless stock trader, and negotiating a win-win settlement in a messy divorce case.  If they can't perform these tasks, what business do they have with the federal budget, the job market, and keeping Iran from nuking the free world?

Candidates, of course, would have to answer the requisite trivia questions:
1. What is the capital of Libya?
     a.) Tripoli
     b.) Tripwire
     c.) Trytophan

2. The best way to stimulate the economy is:
    a.) tax cuts for the poor
    b.) tax cuts for the rich
    c.) amphetamines for everyone

3. Your stand on same-sex marriage?
     a.) I'm for it
     b.) I'm against it
     c.) I can go either way (wink)

Next would come the immunity challenges.  After living off the government payroll and enjoying political perks, maybe a dose of The Real World would be the best thing for presidential candidates.  How about giving them each a $1,500 Social Security check and make them find decent housing, medical insurance, and an affordable cell phone plan.  Let's see them live on ramen noodles and off-brand macaroni and cheese.  The possibilities are endless!

The weekly tribal council would whittle the number down to one Republican, one Democrat, and one Independent "wild card".  Those who can "out wit, out play, and out last" would go on to the two-hour finale on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November.  Voters at home would text REP, DEM, or IND, call 1-800-VOTE-NOW or login at lastcandidatestanding.com.

Then again, the people I want to win reality shows never do, which just goes to prove:

• TV reality shows are not really "reality."
• Political campaigns are not really "reality."

James N. Watkins is a humorist and author and contributor to 24 books and over 2,000 articles on social and spiritual issues.

I am slowly going crazy 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 switch. Crazy going slowly am I 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 switch.

Certain things are really driving me crazy lately, and guess what?!? Since you choose to read this blog you get to hear about those things.
1. The stupid tv antenna box (digital converter box)
Yes, we are poor and don't have cable.  We have those stupid digital converter boxes.  (And no I don't want to hear your sob story about how your DVR is full and you have to delete something.)  They actually work ok, but the stupid remotes drive me crazy.  When you push channel up the volume changes.  When you type numbers the channel goes down one.  We'd be better off with this...

No remote necessary!

 2. People trying too hard
As much as I love Pinterest, I have to say it is giving people fashion ideas / confidence that they otherwise would not have.  Now, I am the first to admit that I LOVE fashion and LOVE trying new things and have probably had many failed attempts at trying new fashion ideas, but if you are a jeans and cardigan type girl and all of a sudden you are trying every new fashion statement you see on Pinterest that is completely different from what you normally wear, you're trying too hard.

Just because it's on Pinterest doesn't mean its a good idea!

 Keep it simple people.  There is nothing wrong with the classics.

3. Our squeaky bed
We finally broke down and bought a nice bed frame (headboard and side rails and foot board) last November.  We really like it, however it is really squeaky.  Anytime you roll over it squeaks and it is driving me crazy.
4. Dog Hair EVERYWHERE
Seriously...I could vacuum everyday all day and there would still be dog hair on the floor!
5. Spiders
Why are there spiders everywhere!  I keep killing them and vacuuming up their cobwebs and they still appear everywhere!

Ok that's all my complaining for today!

Just Sayin' Saturday

I hate when it is raining outside and people are watering their yard...Just sayin'

Just Sayin' Friday

I hate when I walk in the bathroom and can smell that the air freshner has just been sprayed.  I know EXACTLY what the person right before me was doing...yuck!

*Update: After I wrote this post I was sharing it with some of my friends who all agreed it was disgusting, but then we coined the term linen turd!  It certainly isn't clean linen if you're covering up a turd! HAHA!