One of my girlfriends just reminded me of how I talk to other drivers while I drive…
Well, doesn't everyone?
I mean, how else will the goofball in the other lane know that they are supposed to stay in their lane and not weave into you? Or the aggressive driver know that he is going to kill us all if he doesn't slow down?
I mean, really! They NEED me.

Today, I was driving to work, chatting away with my carpool buddy (thank God for someone to talk to at 6AM or else I'd be sleep-driving!) Anyway, we're talking about how to solve all the world's problems and I realize I'm in the wrong lane for the tollbooth.
So, as I'm trying to merge across 5 lanes of traffic (Yes, I was REALLY in the wrong lane) nobody will let me over! What is up, people? I just need to get over, not cause an accident!
I am amazed at this. Why is it that people seem to view the stretch of the road they are driving on as THEIRS and are so unwilling to cede any territory? Do they realize that this "territory" is literally disappearing under their tires as they drive? Or that it is being claimed by someone in front of and behind them as well?

When did we lose our manners when we drive?

Now, driving is a competitive sport where the one to reach the "finish" wins and everyone else is a loser. And, we all know we don't want to be the loser. So, we race along the highway, fighting for every inch of space and pushing slower drivers out of our way.
Driving has become about achieving a goal – getting somewhere as fast as possible.
It makes me want to stop and take a minute to remember by-gone days when families would go for Sunday drives… driving just for the sake of driving. No destination or purpose in mind… I remember many Sundays being spent with my families along back roads and country lanes, gazing out at pastures of cows and fields of cotton and wondering where the next stop would be and what we'd see. Alas, those days are gone.
Now, my kids think Sunday drives are "boring" and want to know if they can take their Game Boys or watch a movie on the DVD in the car. I know that this is partly my fault, because these distractions are a blessing when we're on a long road trip, but I want my girls to learn to appreciate the leisurely Sunday drive as well.
And.. I want to teach my girls about having manners when you drive. I always remind myself that one car length is not going to make a noticeable difference in my commute time; one more person in front of me will not, most likely, make that much difference in when I arrive at the office. I gracefully let people merge, yielding my "territory" and being content to get there when I get there….
….at least that's what I tell myself.

Last night, I indulged in one of my new favorite treats – a Frappucino from Starbucks. (Thanks Jaz for the new indulgence! I’m hooked)

What a sweet, decadent treat to have… and with the added bonus of about 3 hours of turbo-charging for no additional cost! After drinking my dessert at 8:00 last night, I found my brain engaged for hours… and hours… and hours.

Until almost 2 AM to be exact! Which got me thinking…

Why is it that we indulge in these sweet addictions?

I mean, I am just fine if I don’t have a Starbucks for weeks at a time, but once I have one, the cravings set in and I find it hard to drive by without pulling in for a “fix.” And it’s not just Starbucks… I’m sure you have other addictions as well.

In college, mine was a Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen. (I’m seeing a trend here…) I used to have those for lunch on the days I needed my fix.

Another “sweet” addiction of mine is watching television. I mean, really, how many hours can I waste watching things that add no value to my life and contribute little to nothing to my intellectual development? But there I am, glued to the Bachelorette, watching and waiting to see who she will choose. I guess it’s fascinating to watch other people’s lives (fictional or not) but lately I have been trying hard to break this addiction.

Turning the TV off (or never turning it on!) and reading a book, working on a project, or just hanging out with my hubby. Who would’ve thought?!?

Addictions…. they make us feel good for a while…. they fill a void with their sugary goodness, but like any candy bar, they are gone all too soon, leaving us with that longing for more. The hunger that never seems to be satisfied.

Hmmm…. Starbuck’s anyone?

Mary Beth has finally bid adieu to the training wheels on her bike… she spent most of the July 4th weekend practicing her new skills and now races around the cul-de-sac outside our driveway like an Indy driver. We are so proud of her for trying something new and she is loving the new freedom that comes when you get your "wheels."

This year, we had a "STAYcation" as opposed to a vacation. We stayed in, or rather, around town instead of heading off on an adventure elsewhere. Mom came up to visit and we had some mini-trips to various places within an hour or two's drive from home.

First up: Cabbage Patch, Cleveland, Georgia.
The girls had a great time watching a baby being "born" and were fascinated at the concept of a baby coming from a cabbage patch! Although they had been there once before, apparently they'd forgotten about it and the experience was new all over again for them. We spent a great deal of time in the gift shop and went home the proud new parents of twin girls (for Angelina) and a baby girl (for Mary Beth). Ironically, Mary Beth's new daughter shares Angelina's real birthday, and Angelina's twins' birthdate is one day prior to Mary Beth's. How weird is that?!?

On the way home from Cleveland, we made a stop at Vogel State Park, where the girls had a dip in the lake. They stared at Mom and I in disbelief as we told them it was perfectly fine to "swim" in their clothes. After making sure we weren't joking, they dove right in and had a blast.

Tuesday was a "rest day" and we treated ourselves to pedicures and manicures. The girls went to Sweet & Sassy, a salon dedicated to pampering Little Girls and Mom and I made a trip that evening to our own nail salon.

Wednesday, Rob took off work and the five of us headed to Chattanooga, to our favorite hangout, the Chattanooga Aquarium. Since we're members, we go pretty frequently, but Mom has never been, so we treated her to a tour of the aquariums' exibits. The girls loved showing her around and we had so much fun. One highlight was the butterfly exhibit… which is always interesting. Angelina was afraid the butterflies would bite her, and Mary Beth was trying her hardest to get one to land on her. We managed to find two who decided we must be good traveling companions. One perched on Mom's shirt for a long time and the other on Mary Beth's hands. Angelina was brave enough to let one on her hand, but not for more than a second. She laughed that it tickled, but had NO interest in a repeat visit when Mary Beth offered to share her "rider" with her sister. Thursday and Friday were spent hanging out at home and doing some belated spring cleaning.

This weekend, we're resting and getting geared up for next week. More to come… bike riding adventures and swimming fun.

Last night, I indulged in one of my new favorite treats – a Frappucino from Starbucks. (Thanks Jaz for the new indulgence! I'm hooked)
What a sweet, decadent treat to have… and with the added bonus of about 3 hours of turbo-charging for no additional cost! After drinking my dessert at 8:00 last night, I found my brain engaged for hours… and hours… and hours.
Until almost 2 AM to be exact! Which got me thinking…
Why is it that we indulge in these sweet addictions?
I mean, I am just fine if I don't have a Starbucks for weeks at a time, but once I have one, the cravings set in and I find it hard to drive by without pulling in for a "fix." And it's not just Starbucks… I'm sure you have other addictions as well.
In college, mine was a Peanut Buster Parfait from Dairy Queen. (I'm seeing a trend here…) I used to have those for lunch on the days I needed my fix.
Another "sweet" addiction of mine is watching television. I mean, really, how many hours can I waste watching things that add no value to my life and contribute little to nothing to my intellectual development? But there I am, glued to the Bachelorette, watching and waiting to see who she will choose. I guess it's fascinating to watch other people's lives (fictional or not) but lately I have been trying hard to break this addiction.
Turning the TV off (or never turning it on!) and reading a book, working on a project, or just hanging out with my hubby. Who would've thought?!?
Addictions…. they make us feel good for a while…. they fill a void with their sugary goodness, but like any candy bar, they are gone all too soon, leaving us with that longing for more. The hunger that never seems to be satisfied.
Hmmm…. Starbuck's anyone?

For those of us in the Atlanta metro area rainstorms are an opportunity to raise our voices in praise and thanksgiving. This "100 Year Drought" we are suffering through has me watching every drop of water that we use in our house. As I brush my teeth, I'm thinking about just how much water we all waste if we let the water run as we brush. As I wash clothes, I'm trying to cram as much into my washing machine to get the most use of that run of water as possible. We are waiting to run the dishwasher until it's bursting at the seams with dirty dishes (and using paper plates more often than not)

But…

The one conservation thing I can't do… I just simply CANNOT handle… is the non-flushing. The local radio stations have started this campaign, "If it's yellow, leave it mellow; if it's brown, flush it down." I am not even going to touch on the eeewwww factor of just the little slogan. But, I just can't get over this whole concept… don't flush!?! Are you serious?!?!?

That's one of the beauties of modernization (besides air conditioning, which I can't survive without) We don't have to deal with that "stuff" being left around. It's supposed to be gone when you are done! I am just so grossed out by the whole concept. LEAVE IT? ICK! How unclean it would feel to walk into a bathroom and see yellow water just as you are preparing to do your "business."

let's face it…

We all pretend like the only people who use the "potty" that we frequent is ourself. If you start to think about how many other people used it, you'd just get too creeped out. But to walk in and find something someone left behind? Just to save a few gallons of water?

NO THANK YOU!

I'll skip a shower a week, go without in some other ways… but I will not stop flushing… that's just yuk.

I listen to books on tape while I make my painstaking way down GA400 each morning. As I listened to the “book du jour” this morning, the author said something that caught my attention… He said that most of the people we work with are merely mediocre at what they do. He said to look for those who show a glimmer of excellence. Those are the people whom you want to nurture; protect from the bureaucracy and hypocricy of the workplace. Foster their growth and give them opportunities to shine. For it is this minority… the few who glimmer with excellence, who really get the work done.
I thought to myself, “How true is that?” And, I’m sure we all think we are the ones who glimmer with excellence in our workplaces, but if you really think about it, you know who those people are…. the ones who everyone looks to in a time of crisis – who GETS IT DONE when things go wrong.
Who are you? One of the mediocre… coming to work, punching a clock, doing your “time” and going home? Or do you glimmer?
For me… it depends on the day. I’d like to think I’m a glimmer-er. But, in reality, there are many days when I am not. Some days, I do just come to work and “punch the clock” until I’m freed from my prison and can race home to my family.
I wonder what the workplace would be like if we all tried to glimmer….

I listen to books on tape while I make my painstaking way down GA400 each morning. As I listened to the "book du jour" this morning, the author said something that caught my attention… He said that most of the people we work with are merely mediocre at what they do. He said to look for those who show a glimmer of excellence. Those are the people whom you want to nurture; protect from the bureaucracy and hypocricy of the workplace. Foster their growth and give them opportunities to shine. For it is this minority… the few who glimmer with excellence, who really get the work done.
I thought to myself, "How true is that?" And, I'm sure we all think we are the ones who glimmer with excellence in our workplaces, but if you really think about it, you know who those people are…. the ones who everyone looks to in a time of crisis – who GETS IT DONE when things go wrong.
Who are you? One of the mediocre… coming to work, punching a clock, doing your "time" and going home? Or do you glimmer?
For me… it depends on the day. I'd like to think I'm a glimmer-er. But, in reality, there are many days when I am not. Some days, I do just come to work and "punch the clock" until I'm freed from my prison and can race home to my family.
I wonder what the workplace would be like if we all tried to glimmer….