A Radio Moment!

I did an interview a while back. While I finish this confounded Recipe Book (I'll tell you more about that later) please enjoy this from Erin Campbell and Water Through the Word.

I tried to imbed the really cool ad they did...but I can't and I've spent over an hour fiddling with this...I need to be finishing the cookbook...I will be whining a LOT about this later!

I'm So Grateful for Opportunities Like This Even If They Are A Bit Stressful and Then Trying to Upload It Onto My Blog Makes Me Crazy at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

The Binary-Codz

My daughter purchased “Rock Band 2” several days ago. We finally set it up tonight. There were several reasons for the delay, one of which was that it’s nearly Christmas and I was considering commandeering it for a Christmas gift for her. My husband felt that this was not a good idea because Christmas is about surprises and she already knew that she had this so it couldn’t be a Christmas gift. (OK…That explains some of the scary gifts I’ve received during the past 25 years, although I’ve loved every one of them!) I didn’t have the heart to tell him that she’d been helping me pick out her own gifts since she was four. However, the real “bug in the ointment” as it were, was that she had paid for it. All by herself. With birthday money she’d received in June. Being an astute reader you probably thought, “Hey, if she already paid for it, and you are keeping it from her, then you are stealing.” You’re wrong, and if you keep that up you’ll lose your “astute reader” status…I didn’t steal it. I was…um … protecting it while it became acclimated to our house… atmosphere…because we live on a hill….

The other glaring reason that I did not want to open the Rock Band Monster is that…you may have experienced this yourself…upon careful observation (I mean here that Meghan pointed it out to me) I came to realize that it has three instruments and thus the immediate opportunity to humiliate up to three people at a time. Not to beg the issue too much; Meghan is an only child. If you do the math, that means two more “instruments” would need “filling” by “someone.” The “someone” that instantly came to mind as I stood in Sam’s looking at the box, is well over 40, never played any of the potential “instruments,” and is terminally Caucasian, which here means that each molecule making up this person’s body has a crucial bit of DNA that not only doesn’t provide rhythm but actually sucks up anything that might seem like rhythm and ejects it from the body—by force, if necessary. And, honestly, there are days when I feel really sorry for Kevin because of it. OK…I’m just kidding in that Kevin’s not the only rhythmically-challenged middle-aged person in the house. But I color my hair, so you can’t tell.

So, last night, sure enough, I was coerced into “participating.” She named us the "Binary-Codz." I got the mic because Meghan wanted to be a guitar hero and Kevin was a guy which somehow meant he was best qualified to play drums. I will not give you the gory (and I use this word with kindness and accuracy here) details, but let it be said that my nephew was “listening in” on Megh’s headset as I wailed away on “Spirit In the Sky” and his only comment was, “Who is that…singing?”

Just wait until we get “Jesus, Take the Wheel” at: marjoybryan@gmail.com

GRRRRR! I Have Two Vicious Deadlines

And my co-op "friends" keep reminding me how many days before Christmas ("How Many Days Before Christmas" here means they take great joy in viciously keeping track of how fast said days are evaporating! But just know that I'm NOT going to display a banner that says painful things like "Did you know there's only 38 days before Christmas and you're not ready" before you had enough Diet Coke with which to cope with such stressful news. Personally, I use Diet Coke to deal with many of life's stressful announcements like, "I have to go out of town," and "It's Monday," and "It's morning." Another "stress" is the people who have been living in my basement have, in the last several days, moved out, which, for some inexplicable reason immediately caused the upstairs of my house to totally blow out ("blow out" here means laundry bombs bursting, dog hair regeneration experiments gone bad, and spontaneously generated dirty dishes randomly appearing all over the kitchen) and I can't clean it yet because I have two gnarly deadlines and Christmas is barreling down at me (I realize this, as previously mentioned because of my helpful "pals"!

So...I must give you some other curiosities so as to fill your cranium void with useless information until I have a moment (hopefully in a few days) do accomplish the task personally.

First:

The Ebay Find of the Day:



It started at $500. It sold for $226,521.

Read about it here.

Second:

The Question of the Day...



Is this real or is it Photoshop?

Check out the National Geographic (Motto: We Said It So It Must Be True) article here:

And finally:

Keep Track of How Old The Internet Is.

Serving Me Up a Boatload of Blogging Junk Food...You Don't Have To Thank Me at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

The Holidays Already?

HAPPY STINKIN' EVERYTHING!

Now get off my lawn!

I'm Not Getting Older, I'm Just Getting Crabbier at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

It's History Time

But Will It Help Megh Pass History? at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Just In Time For Caturday!

Here's the reason your printer no longer works:



No Wonder My Cat Looks Like She Needs Valium at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

PLEASE HELP ME!

As you are most likely aware, Kevin can't decide whether to stay clean shaven or grow his beard back. Please go here and Vote. This is NOT a democracy so feel free to vote often. Daily, if you think it will help.

This is almost worse than that other little election we just had. I say this because my sweet husband is driving me crazy asking me if he looks younger without it. What can I say? After over a decade of face fuzz, it's taking me a while to get used to it...and besides, I thought men were more secure in their male genderness to worry about such a thing as gray hair whether on the face or elsewhere.

To assist you, let me show you what the blog in question looks like...



Don't be shy, it's my sanity at stake!

It'll Be Over in a Couple Weeks, Won't It? at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

For My Art Students

Mr. Picasso Head

Now you can Waste! Time! AND Be! Creative! If you're lucky, you can even call it "school."

You can see my latest attempt by looking up "mjoy."

I Am A Virtual Artist, Fer Sure at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Ever Feel...

that that "time of the month" is the only time when you can really be yourself?

Me, too.



Disagree with me and die at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

The Next World Dictator?

If so, I welcome our new adorable overlord at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

I Have Nothing Clever To Say Tonight

Instead, I'm offering some Seasonal Entertainment in the way of:

1) Punkin Carving (So I'm late, It's still fun.)

and

2) Christmas Cookie Decorating(So I'm Early. Geesh you can never please some people!)

Me, I couldn't help stabbing the gourd (in a creative, non-violent manner, of course)at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Humanity Is Doomed!

It's a Skunk! It's a Squirrel! It's a Skunquirrel!

OMG...It's stench that can climb!

What Will Be Next...I Shudder to imagine, but send your ideas to: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com or leave a comment! We'll make it a Brave! New! World!

I WANT ME ONE OF THESE!

Check this out! A new phone! BETTER THAN THE iPhone!

You need to check out ALL the options on this little beauty!

It's called a Pomegranate phone.

I'm calling it POMporn at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

It's Physics! It's A Game!

It's The Assembler and it's addictingly maddening.

Why must I be as virtually clumsy as I am in real life at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Voting Goes To The Dogs

Literally.

I mean it.

Click here, and rejoice.

Yes, Rabbit Hash is in Kentucky, Thanks for Asking at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Cake Mix Cookies

To aid in Election Recovery, I offer this simple recipe given to me by the Cook Family. (Thanks, ya'll!)

Easy to make and inexpensive,they taste like birthday cake (especially the vanilla ones)!

Cake Mix Cookies

1 cake mix
2 eggs
1/2 C veggie oil

Combine ingredients and mix well. You can add other ingredients like nuts, raisins, chocolate chips, sprinkles. Drop teaspoons of dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet, spacing two inches apart. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 to 10 minutes.

YUM!

DID YOU VOTE YET?

With one election over, we can now focus on this one.

It's not too late.

I, For One Am Voting Early and Often at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

You Want Me To Do it WHEN?

I voted. At 6 am. I did not intend to vote before God got up. My plan was to gently awaken at 8, do my usual “routine,” and saunter in around 10 am, after the morning rush, vote, then possibly traipse to Starbucks for a celebratory Chai Tea Latte, Venti.

But. No. At 5:45 Kevin’s alarm goes off and he says, “Wake up! We’ll beat the rush and vote when the polls open.” I tried to convince him that the polls would be packed by people stopping by on their way to work and that the really sane people wait until later. But it probably came out “ashgniw ssdfo iucnw ef vlksdf. Pot sdf b dsfsdfg ummmmsmmmgrrrrrumph” because, let’s be frank, I was delirious.

However, I did my wifely duty and got out of bed to accompany my husband, as I have at least one other time that I can remember, to vote. I wanted to stay in my jammies in protest. But I didn’t. I wanted to grab a diet coke as I stumbled out the door. I didn’t. Looking back I should have stayed in my jammies, got a diet coke, AND my pillow, a folding chair and my laptop…

As I predicted, the polls were packed. “Packed” in this instance means that out of the 17,000 people currently living in Spencer County, Kentucky, over half wanted to vote before 7 am.

You don’t need a play-by-play but let me just say it took over an hour to complete the entire process. Without a diet coke. I don’t think I can stress this enough.

My sister just called. She lives in Washington, D.C. It took her a total of 15 minutes to vote, counting the 10 minutes in travel time there and back. Either 10 am is the “sweetspot” for voting nirvana, or the citizens of D.C. are anti-American scum. That’s all I’m saying.

I'm thrilled to have the privilege to participate in my country but I would have liked to have been awake

Glad I Voted. Even More Glad That God’s In Charge at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

"Punkin" Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

By Popular Demand!

"Punkin" Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 C sugar
1 1/2 C butter (I'm sure margarine would work, too)
1 can (16 oz) pumpkin
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (I use heaping)
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp allspice (I've used clove in a pinch)
4 C flour
raisins, nuts, or chocolate chips

Cream together sugar and butter.
Add pumpkin, eggs, vanilla. Beat well.
Add each dry ingredient and stir.
Drop onto greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes.

VOTE FOR MY HUSBAND'S HAIR!

While in Romania, Kev shaved off his goatee. He now wants people to VOTE whether his shaven-ness makes him look old.

Click Here.

Feel free to stretch your Freedom of Speech till it squeals at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

They Are Here! They Are Here!

Let me put to rest one of looming concerns of the trip back: The camera is fine. Got here without a hiccup. Oh and the people got home safe as well.

I greeted them at the gate…they all looked a little road weary. And rightly so…they’d been awake for nearly 24 hours and in the air well over half of that. Kev lost his goatee on the trip…I had seen pictures but it was a shock to see him in real life. Changes his whole appearance…after a decade of scruff…I have to get used to it.

Everyone split at the gate…Richie caught a ride with Cassie and Tyler (who arrived in a suit and with roses! We all decided that it was adorable…I showered, I want you to know…and I had punkin chocolate chip cookies waiting at home…so I felt like I should have gotten a few points for that.)

At home I looked at 5,000 pictures and watched the unpacking process. I started to hear all of the stories…I tell them to you later.

They were in bed by 11:30. I asked Megh what she learned on the trip. She said… “Communication is the key to everything…and just because you speak the same language doesn’t mean you understand what you are hearing. It was bad communication that got the camera in the wrong place…and we were in America! But in Romania, we had to take extra time to make sure we understood what people were saying to us…It’ll make filming there a special challenge.”

“The film thing I learned was that scouting for locations doesn’t mean looking for places to actually film at. It’s often looking for styles and feelings, and then we figure out how we can take all of those things and make a place or change a place into the best place for that scene. It’s a lot more complicated than I realized, but it makes a lot of sense.”

Wow. School was in session the whole time.

I’ll post the Punkin Chocolate Chip cookie recipe hopefully tonight.

Off to Hug My Fam Again at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

The Challenge of Re-Entry

It’s started again…spouse has been gone for a while. Other spouse carries on fine. First spouse prepares to come home. Irritability strikes.

I hesitate to even mention this. I’m afraid you’ll think I’m a bad person. Maybe I’m showing the level of dysfunctionality in my own personality and/or relationship. I think I’m afraid that, perhaps…deep down, we’re really, unlike Kev’s assertions to the contrary, the only ones who struggle with a family member’s “re-entry” home.

I sure hope not. I hope you are as wacko as me…The more I think about it, it’s your duty, really. I’m sure it says something in the Bible about it…about all being wacko…or is it concerning sanity: “no, not one”?

Anyway…I’m tired of the stress and upheaval upon Kev’s arrival. So I’m going to try something new: I’ve been told about a simple marriage prayer. You can find it here. You’ll have to scroll down and click on the woman holding the card to make it legible. I just started today…but maybe this will center me better…

I think I must have expectations…maybe of how I should be treated or what Kev should do because I’m so wonderful to stay behind. Or maybe I want him to instantly help me because my “holding down the fort” skills quit at electrical, automotive, and plumbing crisii. Or maybe it’s just that I get into a rhythm… my personality really likes patterns and regularity. And when Kevin Bryan shows up… it’s like I’m sent into a flexibility earthquake that keeps me on my toes and guessing. Certainly being flexible is a wonderful thing…but once my nice little schedule gets into a groove it’s irksome to get it out again. And worse of all: maybe my expectations are completely “reasonable” to me…but totally unreasonable to everyone else on the planet and thus I suffer from irritability at the cellular level. (That smacks of a “victim mentality,” doesn’t it? Hmmmm… Cellular Irritability… I need to remember that…)

Well there you go…my confession for you on this beautiful Saturday. The team should be arriving in Minneapolis any minute. You might want to pray for them as they head into the final stretch…I’d love a prayer or two so I can make their homecoming The! Best! Evah!

I’m Also Making Punkin Chocolate Chip Cookies To Hedge My Bet at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com

Post-Halloween Diversion

James Kuhn is one Freaky dude. He paints his face. I mean, like, in a manner that could be called "stunning."

Check him out yourself here.

Glad My Hobby Is Sewing at: marcyjoybryan@gmail.com