Giveaway Thursday and Two Apologies

I have to apologize twice today. They'll be at the end of the post.

Check out these giveaways quickly- they all end this weekend.

Little Gray Pixel has a giveaway for a beautiful "Bird on a Wire" photo print. Very talented! Love the blog. Hurry- this one ends February 28th.

The Muddy Moose is giving away 2 gorgeous baskets of homemade soaps, lotions and massage oils. I'm ordering her beer soap. I'm intrigued!

All Together Beautiful is giving away a 10 0z. bag of Newman's Own French Roast Coffee, and a 4 pack of Newman's Own ginger mints. Yum!

Robyn's Online World is giving away Banana Nut Cheerios! I love Cheerios! She's throwing in bowls, a loaf pan and a fruit holder/basket too!

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls is giving away 2 sets of note cards from Purple Lemon Designs. These are really pretty.

So I have to apologize for posting my Giveaway Thursdays on Friday. I got a call from my dad around 10:00 Thursday morning. Mom was asking for me. When I say asking, I mean she wrote down that she "WANT SUS" and dad asked her if she "wanted Susan". She shook her head yes, and he asked again, and she shook again. When he told her I was at work, and could she wait until tonight, she shook her head again. So he called me, and I left work early to go see her.

I posted about mom here. Since that post, she's become bedridden, and hasn't had any nourishment except for a few sips of water. Her tumors have grown so large that they're disfiguring her jaw. The nurse suggested I go over to see her every day, since she's entered the last stage of dying. When I go, I stroke her arms, legs and feet, because the contact soothes her. I say goodbye to her, not knowing if that will be the last time.

My second apology is to anyone I offended with my Wordless Wednesday post. I didn't tag the sign, just took a picture of this random sign in my neighborhood on a street where I don't even see children- heavy or otherwise. It wasn't meant to offend. MR and I crack up everytime we see it- I had to post it. So I'll apologize, but really- lighten up.

Wordless Wednesday. So bad, but so funny.

Bear it and Grin.

Remember my Resolutions post? That rambling nonsense where I bravely put forth all that I would do for the coming year 2009? Here it is, the end of February, and I've decided to take stock on the situation. What have I accomplished in the last two months?

Have I been a duck and let things roll off my back? Have I stopped caring about how stupid people are, and stopped letting them get to me? Umm, no. Okay, I think I still have to work on that one a little. I still gripe and complain about work-related issues to my co-workers and MR. I still get ticked off at people on the bus. I'll make an effort to fix this.

Have I looked around at my surroundings and try to see the pretty? I think yes to this one. I've been more appreciative of my surroundings. I've become alert, and right now register colors more than anything. In my bleak, dreary world, I see pretty colors. It's a start.

Reslolution 3 has seen me bringing my own breakfast, lunch and tea to work. I've made my own granola (still a work in progress, but not bad) and saved about $5 a box. I've been taking the bus and train everyday. I did use the LIRR when Zombiegirl and her friend Suzie came into the city to deliver Girl Scout cookies. And I used it today. But I've had good reasons to. I've sold stuff on Etsy and Ebay, making it possible to feed my weird passion for fabric. I will start going to the gym. I feel good about this resolution.

Resolution 4- I need to take off my sneakers. I'm doing it right now, okay? And I'm going to put on makeup, even if it is 11:30 am already. This would be so much easier if my office wasn't so cold...

Here comes Resolution 5. This is where I said 2009 would be about getting me and the family to healthcare. Well, so far I've had a mammogram in January, and MR and I just started at the dentist. Dr. Harutunian is great- she's non-judgemental and not a sadist. We both needed periodontal work (me more than him) and right now I'm sitting here with ropes of hard antibiotic goo between my teeth. And aching after all the novocaine. But once this procedure is done, I can get my front crown replaced, implants for my missing back teeth, my braces on and my teeth bleached. Watch how many pictures I take then! With me actually in them! Next on the list, after I've paid for most of the dental work is an acupuncturist and dermatologist. I'll make them March's priority.

I'll check back on this subject in another two months. I have to go and pick out goo.

Giveaway Thursday

Yes- that was Spencer in my Wordless Wednesday post. And yes, those were my Uggz.

Now for some great giveaways. I love these websites! They always have unique and awesome giveaways.

Bloggy Giveaways is giving away seven pairs of "All Yours" undies from From*me Tees. I love their t-shirts. Think MR would wear one?

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls is giving away an adorable first period kit from Dot Girl. Since most of my friends have girls, this would be a great giveaway to enter!

Mudpies and Maryjanes is giving away a Keurig Platinum Brewer. I will bring this to work if I win!

Also on Mand M, there is a giveaway for a Baggu reusable bag. Ooh. Look at the colors. You could use one of these Baggus, or go to my etsy shop and buy a reusable bag. I don't have pretty colors, though. Just skulls. I like Baggu.

Ebay Selling Coach is giving away a $25 Shell Gas Card good for gas, or anything in their mart.

Why don't I ever win anything???

Wordless Wednesday

Shtraighten up!

Over the course of this past weekend I've had a chance to chat with numerous people, listening to a few people speak. I've been to the dentist, church, visited with mom, went to the movies, talked with friends- different spots where I've come in contact with lots of different people. I've been noticing the way people speak, and the phrases they're using, and frankly it's ridiculous. So here's a rant...

Straight, street, strike, strenuous. Say them out loud. Did you say shtraight, shtreet, shtrike, shtrenous? If you did, do you realize there is no SH in any of these words? Do people other than New Yorkers pronounce this way?

Bottle, butter, better. Say them out loud. Did you put ANY sound in the middle representing the double "t?" I can't even spell how the person I ran into this weekend pronounced these words. They totally eliminated the double "t", and produced a "back of the throat" kind of spasm of a sound. I know this pronunciation is not unique to this person because my parents pronounce it that way too. Even the typical NY way- "boddle" and "budda" is bedda than eliminating the middle sound completely. Must be a Queens thing?

Three, threat, thrash. Say them out loud. Did you forget that there is a TH sound in the beginning of these words? Makes it confusing when one says " I saw him trashing around on the ground," when one means "I saw him THRASHING around on the ground." I KNOW this is a New Yawk way of speaking.

Truck, Train, Trade. Say them out loud. Did you say "Chruck, Chrain, Chrade?" It's a slight mis-pronunciation, but one that might cause the listener to think you're uneducated. And that's not the case in the people I heard these from! They ARE educated people. Is it laziness?

What is coming up this Saturday? February 14th? What? How did you pronounce it? If you said "Valentime's Day" you're not getting a card from me. Hallmark spells it with an "N". It's not TIME for a VALENTINE! Get it right. You sound stoopid. Likewise LIBERRY. No such word.

"Not for nothing..." (or, more commonly, "Not f'nothin'...") What exactly does this phrase mean? Supposedly, it means "for a good reason", but the way I hear people use it- it's almost like a an announcement that what is going to be said is very important. More important than anything I have to say. Chances are if you said this phrase nothing is that important.

"It is what it is..." If I hear one more person say this I'm going to scream. What a dismissive phrase! I find it's said mostly when one wants to end the conversation. It's funny- I can track the usage of this phrase around my office. One of the contractors started saying it, then the Project Manager who deals with him started saying it, then our receptionist started saying it, now one of the temps says it. I like Urban Dictionary's 3rd definition of this phrase- "Used often in the business world, this incredibly versatile phrase can be literally translated as 'F*ck it.'" What, don't want to over think what we're talking about? Don't dismiss me, damn it! UD's 5th definition sums up what I feel when I hear this phrase-" What incredibly vapid, stupid and unoriginal people say when they cannot construct a proper thought, retort or sentence." Amen.

Lol! OMG! And other spoken text-speak nonsense... It's funny the first few times you use it. When you start to use it to replace real English- not so funny.

I'm not saying that I speak perfect English. I'm well read, but often mispronounce words that I've only seen in print. Correct me, please. I don't want to sound like an idiot.

Don't forget these giveaways! You still have a few more days to enter.

Giveaway Thursday

I'm going to try to find giveaways on Thursday, since alot of the blogs use the weekend as their deadlines. I stress the "try!"

Mudpies and Mary Janes is giving away a Glade Sense & Spray. I love the flameless candles!

Bloggy Giveaways has a giveaway for a Double Heart Tag Sterling Silver Bracelet from Bracelents.com.

Frugal Mommy of 2 Girls is giving away a Love Bottle! A plastic alternative to carry around your water.

Comfort Joy Designs has an adorable Carolyn's Kitchen apron! Housework was NEVER so sexy!

Frugal Rhode Island Mama is posting a $10 Gift Card Giveaway to CVS!

If you comment on any of these giveaways, let me know! Leave a comment here.

Wordless Wednesday- why they almost didn't make it to school...

Picture removed to protect the innocent.