I am going back to Cali!

Welcome to the latest meeting of the blog addicts anonymous.

Old business: A few of you have asked about how the family is going. Well, good actually, last week was rough but I think I may have turned a corner. I'm hoping to post here soon about all that. The kids are doing great. I'll
post some new pics of them soon.

New business: I realize my last two entries weren't exactly earth shattering. However I have noticed only a few comments, since I have had a few problems on other people's spaces trying to leave comments, I am wondering if you are having problems here. If you are, please email me at bugladynora-at-yahoo.com or visit me on blogger
(whitehotmagik.blogspot.com). Hey if you are reading this you are obviously on blogger. Thanks for visiting and please leave a comment. Yes I am a comment whore, I don't even have the spam thing turned on, I'd be happy to get a spam comment, any comment!

Thank you for attending the meeting, now on the the fun social part of the evening.

I am so excited tomorrow we are headed to California. We are headed out to see my sister and family at Camp Pendelton for my neice's first birthday. My parents are taking the boys and I, plus my nephew, Wyatt, 2.5 yrs. (He's too cute he calls me Aunt Noah.) Nonie and Padre (aka Breakfast to Z) think they are quite prepared and have purchased a DVD player with two screens for our viewing pleasure.

Besides hoping for a safe trip, I am hoping that we don't end up stuck in traffic for three hours like we did on the first trip out. The plan is to stay in Maricopa, AZ tomorrow night. I wish we would push on to get there and drive as far as we can stand tomorrow so we can hit San Diego as early as possible. Maybe I can whisper this to Dad and see if he has a plan.

We are going to the Wild Animal Park on Monday. Max looves animals. That wasn't a typo, that kids screams in delight and ooh ooh ooh oohs at anything on TV and loves dogs and kittys. Wyatt (YY for short) is not so fond of animals. He loves tractors, especially John Deer, give him a tractor catalog and he is happy. Animals he's not so sure about. For instance my parents have some horses, YY doesn't want to have anything to do with those "cows" as he calls them. Imagine his horror at the movie Cars. His review: "Tractors not Cows!" I hope he doesn't hate it. My mom (Nonie) has had both her knees replaced the last two years and I hope that she fits in the stoller we rent. I don't think she'll let us get the wheelchair. (Probably afraid we would play with it.)

I also can't wait for the beach. This desert girl has a fascination with all that water. I have my outfit planned complete with matching watershoes. I hope someone doesn't mistake me for a beached whale and try to roll me out to sea.

Tonight the hubby took us to dinner since the drought of no money has ended. He got his first paycheck of the school year today. Somehow we always are stretching too far at the end of the summer since we get July and Augusts paychecks all at once in June. He let me pick, and he made a few suggestions to ge me started on the decison process when I stalled. Red Lobster or Andele's? I pick Andele's so that I can get some extra chile in me before we leave. The choice? Always Tacos Al Carbon. Muy Sabrosa!Grilled meat, fresh tiny corn tortillas, guacamole, beans, limes squeezed over everything and of course the salsa bar. The salsa verde was hot and very great. Only drawback, no margarita or cervaza for me tonight. We ate way too much. In case you are wondering, it is a local joint. I'll be glad to take you there, once we get back, from Cali. (Did I mention I was excited?)

So even though I am full of papas, I am still wired at 9:30 p.m. because as Z put, in the morning we are going to Califormia. (also not a typo) Wooohooo!

Confessions

Editor's note: This is embarassing to me. (Has anyone else noticed that bare ass is in that word?) I actually wrote this a few weeks ago and have had it sitting my drafts. I have considered deleting it. However since yesterday was this person's blogaversary and I know she loves attention, I am taking the plunge and letting you into my sad world.

I have a confession to make, I am beginning to think I am obsessed.

When it comes to blogging, I have an idol, a role model if you will, that seems to be the epitome of blogging coolness. She has launched her own blog, with it's own fancy matching url. Someday I also hope to be worthy of my own url. She's that girl that everybody wants to be friends with and practically hop up and down every time I get an email or comment from her. My dream is to someday hang out with her in person even though I'd pale in comparison, you know like the ugly friend with the pretty girl at the bar. Obviously I have a complex.

While filling out my Dr. Phil Relationship Rescue workbook, he tells me to pick out three people (they can be celebrities it says) and list 5 things about them you admire. This person comes to mind. I decided she qualified as a celebrity because people have 1) smelled her hair at the DMV, 2) shrieked in excitement upon meeting her in person and 3) her hair is far too perfect in her picture for normal people. These are things I listed:

• Super cool exploradora
• Beautiful (Again how does she get those curls to behave for photos??? Mine won't!)
• Writes well (I have never found a grammer mistake, perhaps because I have attended public school in NM, but still.)
• Well developed sense of humor (She has a PhD in smart ass. I am working on mine.)
• Strong and driven
• Wicked Smart
  
• Fun
  
• Fashionable (I am severely fashion challenged, it's pitiful.)

Often upon reading her entries I think

• I wish I had done that
• Maybe I should try that (or not)
• Maybe I can train my husband like that, since she refused to clone him for us.
  
• Maybe I can raise cool kids too, even though in the beginning I worry I suck, she claims she did to.
  
• Teaching sounds better every day (Noble profession, plus I'd get my summers off. --- I just ducked to miss whatever she just threw at me!)
• I will never sit on a hotel bed without throwing the comforter in the floor again. In fact, I will see the glow in the dark ass prints all over it.
• If I drink more coffee, perhaps I can be more like her.
  
• I should read/watch that.
• *note to self* don't wear overall shorts anymore and don't get that mullet you have been thinking about.

The point is Miss Mocha, I hope that someday I can attend a BlogHer convention and be licked by you as well, and have the autographed picture to prove it!

To all the blogs I've wrote before...

I am officially a blogging addict.

This blog is basically a mirror of my MSN blog that I have had for almost a year. MSN is not always very user friendly and I am out looking for greener webpages, but of course I don't want to give up my MSN blogging buddies. I also want those so disenfrachised with MSN like *cough* Mocha to come visit me here.

I have also set up an additional blog regarding my marriage. Since this is often a bummer of a subject I am trying to keepy it segregated for the eyes of only those interested in that kind of baloney. I do think blogs about unpleasant events can have a positive impact. Alicia knows that, she and I have talked about how her entry about a relationship helped me take the stand I needed in mine. (Not that our situations were identical mind you.) To that end I have set up my "marriage blog" in two spots. One is in Wordpress and the other is at Bloglines.

Then I keep a MySpace account for keeping up with those high school people. I only post there choice bits from this blog that seem appropriate. You can always add me if you want to be in my top 8888. Yes I do have that may friends. *Alright, maybe I am exaggerating, I just wanted to look cool.*

The Green Meanie

Some people say I have a bad reputation for being mean.

I think they are crazy of course.

My husband found a shirt for me that reads "I am not mean, you are just a sissy."

This implies I am trying to be mean. I am not trying, really. I think it's just my ugly mug intimidates people, I guess I need to learn to smile more, I am not a mean ogre, really.

I do have certain expectations and admit to being overzealous in the past. Now I think I'm reasonably cool, but like anyone I have my moments.

They still don't believe me.

Cases in point.

I had a coworker that had the same birthday, we joked we were twins, I was training her to take my place and my friends started calling her the Anti-Nora. When I inquired why, my friend replied well you know she is going to be doing your job, you are twins, and she is the nice one. This was my friend? At least she tells it like it is I guess. ; )

I had a guy who claims to be an vietnam veteran and former convict tell me I was too mean and that he couldn't handle me. Mind you he gets along famously with everyone else. (not! So again, not my fault)

My boss has been known to put people that aren't good workers under my supervision, with the intent of me either making them work or running them off. Why? Am I that bad?

Today my reputation was proved deserved. (At least to them.)

I like to hire college kids to work part time on my crew. For the most part this has worked out well for me. Last week I hired a girl who had referral from a former professor, she seemed alright, although possibly a little flighty. I hired her. I did intend to take a little more time with her and not throw her out with my guys, I thought they might be mean. While I am used to being the only girl about, many aren't. Typically we start people out on the not as nice jobs, not as punishment, but because if they aren't willing to pull weeds or carry a backpack to spray, they probably won't work out. Not everyone appreciates working outside in hot weather, with bugs and mud.

Today was her first day, she left after half an hour, before we even started using the backpack, and she cried. I swear I didn't do anything, she just said she didn't think she was suited for the job after all. No one believes it wasn't me, they say I ran her off. Not true, Not true, I tell you!

Around work, my reputation grows, however undeservedly, and this is what I tell them: 'I am not mean, she was just a sissy!"