Commercials, Cowards, Chickens and Chuckles!

Okay I'm going to try to stay short and sweet on Commercials:

I still think that last years' Darth Vader - Volkswagen was the best Superbowl commercial that I can remember.  A few of yesterdays were creative, in that they combined companies or causes.  The Budweiser with the rescued dog was cute.  G.E. and Budweiser...  and this one was not only a "combo" commercial as far as companies go - it was clearly a political commercial as far as job growth.  And of course the real whammy as far as political and inspirational was Clints' Commercial - aka Detroit, Chrysler.  Personally I loved it.  I read a tweet last night that someone posted that the "movie" with Clint Eastwood, where he saves the economy looks sweet - that was funny!  And lastly, worthy of note is the dog/Doritos "You didn't see nuthin'" commercial.  Cute.

I didn't see the M&M one until this morning and it is cute.  But this one we saw after the Superbowl - well, how come it wasn't on DURING the game.  It totally would have gotten votes!

The grasshopper covers the ants eyes... reminds everyone before the ride starts to have gone to the restroom.  It's classic and cute.  So enjoy.

Regarding Cowards:

Just as the Superbowl was starting a tweet came across with news of a house explosion in Graham, Washington that killed Josh Powell and his two sons.  If there's ever news about Susan Powell - I have followed it, always in the hopes that it landed that creep who took his 2 & 4 year old sons "camping" in a below zero snow storm two years ago, in jail for her disappearance.  So after likely killing her, and apparently taking in recreational child porn with his dad (now in jail), he apparently decided that since he was going down - so were his kids.  Effing freakin' COWARD.  I suppose "effing" and "freakin" both stand for the same thing - but it's warranted enough.  I read something that makes me believe his dad (the creep in jail) may know something about it - and if that's the case - it wouldn't hurt my feelings if they went ahead and did him in FOR Josh.  Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.  This just pisses me off.  And what an extraordinarily awful thing to have been the case worker/advocate that was taking the kids for their visit.  My heart goes out to her... I can't even imagine her anguish and feelings of responsibility in this.  Awful.  Awful, awful, awful.

Regarding Chickens:

This is not about live animals - but rather Rubber Chickens.  Or... ONE Rubber Chicken.  The annual battle for "Chuck" is on Wednesday night, and like his blue-eyed, older brother before him, Zach Attack is a "cheer boy".  He'll be tossing girls in the air, waving signs, have a crazy hair cut and leading the Ferris crowd in activities, cheers and whatever else they do during the games!  I'm really torn as we get to this - because we've been taking the boys to Rubber Chicken since Jeffrey was 2 - which means that Ryan and Zach weren't even born yet.  There's not a year we've missed.  And this is it.  Sure I could go next year, but while I'm not looking forward to empty nest time - I am looking forward to "done with high school" time.  So I'm leaving work early tomorrow to make sure we get to take in the entire girls game, between games (which is when they do the "routines" now) and the boys game.  I don't much care who wins the game, or "Chuck" for that matter - I just want him to have fun and enjoy this "event!"  So proud of him.  Did I mention that he pulled a 4.0 first semester?  Doin' good...  

And saved almost the best for last...  Chuckles.  We all need them.  So once upon a time I used to take pictures of Jeff driving practically every time we went somewhere.  No... not to the store or christmas shopping - but on road trips or out to get Christmas trees, pumpkins, vacations, on vacations in rental cars.  I even made a small photo album of these pictures for my sister one year because we got such a kick out of the face he would make knowing I was taking his picture.  Then these phones came out and I quit taking as many pictures - which bums me out and I guess should probably be my resolution next year.  (I've taken on my fair share this year.) But I took this video of him in Cabo last year and it just makes everyone laugh!  It is P.G. - and suitable for all eyes... even though at first it may not appear so!  

Foiled on Superbowl Sunday!!!

So we did this remodel a year and a half ago - (shout out to Corey Condron of Condron Homes - and gang - we love our house! http://condronhomes.com/) and I did a really good job spending money on it.  Once we had the new cabinets - it wasn't as if we could put the 15 year old plates with the "no way does that match" blue trim in the new plate rack - thus, new plates, etc.  You get where I'm going with this.  The office, kitchen, dining room, outer breezeway that's now inside, deck, stairs, living room, upstairs bathroom and downstairs TV room were all *touched* by the remodel.  Heck, so was the garage I guess.  

Jeff really let me do my thing as I picked out granite, sinks, backsplash, carpet, flooring, hardware... you name it - on my own.  The one thing he demanded was his decision - and I mean it - demanded...  was the upstairs TV and the downstairs TV room.  Well technology anyhow.  I was still the brains/decorater/main $$ spender for the new couches.  Duh!  He picked out the same TV that my parents have (probably "had" - as they blow through new technology and electronics faster than you can spell "wingardium leviosa".  If you don't know "Harry Potter" then just nevermind).  He ordered a "screen" for the basement that really isn't a "screen" in technical terms, but it's mounted and it's something like 7 feet wide by 4 1/2 feet tall.  He had a sound system put in and had all of the "stuff" hooked up to it all.  Xbox, DVD player, Comcast box...  So for a year it's been the boys "game room".  When they're all home or the older college boys are home for break and are just chillin - it's not uncommon to hear lots of swear words whilst people die on "Modern Warfare" or "Halo" or whatever shoot-em-up, kill em game is most popular at the time.

The dad is always asking me if I want to go down and watch a movie or a game if the boys aren't around or they just haven't yet taken up "residence" in that room.  I usually respond with a "Nah... I like it up here."  And he's usually dejected.  He's soooo proud of that room.  

So a few weeks ago for the NFC Title game I agreed to watch the game downstairs.  

And I liked it.

And then a few days later we watched a movie down there.

And I liked it... again.

Now we usually go to a Superbowl party or two and if we don't go to one, we're hosting one.  I knew if we invited people over this year - that being upstairs and in the kitchen area is just "easier" and going somewhere meant getting stuff all prepared and I was easily talking myself out of either.  Secretly - between me and my keyboard here - it's because I wanted to watch the game downstairs on the big screen!  And so it was set.  And I was SURE that Zach would be going to the same friends house who have hosted Superbowl most years that I can remember.  So we were going to have that room all to ourselves... with our three pups and I was going to get ONE pizza from Famous Eds and it was going to be a most excellent, relaxed Superbowl - EVER.

And then at 11:30pm last night - Zach called to tell us that the people that always have the SB party are in fact, NOT having one this year - that they were electing to do as I was anticipating doing and that was all swell.  I thought.  For about 2 seconds more it was fine.  And then he said it: "So if it's alright, I'm going to have the guys to our house and we'll watch it downstairs."

MOTY "Huh.  Come again?"

BUT - it's okay.  Really.  Why?  Because this is the LAST Superbowl where I GET to have a house full of amazing, full of life, polite, fun boys (and girls - shrug?).  

Which brings it all back to how sucky it is to know my youngest is graduating from high school and leaving my "nest" in mere months.  

With that said - GO GIANTS!  

Superbowl Commercial Time!!

We're a day away from one of THE main events of television - the Superbowl Commercials.  Yes, I just capitalized "commercials" because they are really - their own event, title, show with an impressive number of people that watch "the game" solely for the commercials. 

After this one last year though - I don't even think the Matthew Broderick "Bueller" spin off can compete...

This should win the Oscar of Commercial Land this year...  seriously... best commercial ever.  Though the E-Trade baby getting punished by "the establishment" for riding the dog is right up there too.  Remember when they used to be kinda creepy?  

<shrug>

Until tomorrow.   

By the way - I'm rooting for Eli and the Giants.  Period.  I love Tom Brady's collegiate and road to NFL story - it's the way it should be in a time when players quit their teams when they lose their starting spots and go somewhere where they don't have to earn the spot they've just taken from someone else.  He stuck with it, he worked hard and he earned respect and showed amazing character while doing it.  That being said - he has 3 Superbowl wins already AND it totally bummed me out when he up and left his pregnant girlfriend, Bridget Moynahan several years ago in favor of some uber model named Gisele.  Lame.  

In fact, the Superbowl shouldn't be won by SuperLame - ever.  The end.  

Besides, the Manning brothers make the best commercials - can you imagine the ones that could be made if Eli and his team win?  That would be awesome.

On another note - Is pulling out the new carry on luggage and washing my summer clothes this weekend - too premature for a trip that's not for several weeks?  Dang if this sunshine isn't giving me spring fever.  And I know better... this is only February in Spokane.  It can snow here up until June 10th.  True story - happened just a few years ago.  I'm doing my part though - I pulled down ALL of the snowmen decorations off the top of the cabinets today, crammed them into the "Christmas" closet today and pulled out the 3 valentines decorations I own.  I'm "willing" warmth.  Or maybe I'm willing candy hearts, but either way - it beats snowmen!

Cue the Imperial March...

Susan G. Komen for the Cure... Wise Choice

Glad they changed their minds.  Sounds like the organization might want to take a closer look into Karen Handels' appointment/hiring and her political intentions with regards to the decision to cut funding to Planned Parenthood.

Fortunately it backfired on her - I looked at a picture of her this morning and choosing to believe the article I was reading, didn't like her from the start.  

What's mind blowing is that the relationship between Planned Parenthood and the Susan G. Komen Cure is a grant to help aide in mammogram screenings - NOT abortion or birth control.  So regardless of ones' stance on either of those things - breast cancer isn't a correlation.  

Stupid stupid woman.

Stupid.

And that's all I have to say about that.

                                            ~ Forrest Gump

Actually - I am short on words today.  I worked late - making me feel as though I had worked well into Friday and am just ready for Friday to be over.  I'm hungry and like my kids usually say "There's nothing good to eat in this house."  I just ordered some kickass checks and I don't know why.  I mean - it is rare that we write a check - but I got the damn mailer and I couldn't resist.  

Stupid woman.  Stupid waste of $20 after all of the fonts, EZ something or other, mailing... yada yada.  Stupid.  Dumb.

But now all of the relatives are getting checks for special occasions cos' these are just super cool.

So... only a little stupid.

I gotta ease on outta here now... Bye Bye!

Bring It On Punxsutawney Phil!

It has been reported that Punxsutawney Phil, or P.P. - as I'd like to refer to him today, crawled out of his space, saw his shadow which means, somehow, that we *get* to enjoy 6 more weeks of winter.

I have a few thoughts on this:

1) Why did Mother Nature forego her rights to rule the weather on "Groundhogs' Day" and possibly the 6 weeks that follow?  How come no one questions this?  When will there be a movie made about the very day that it "all went down" between Lady Weather Maker and some rodent that's lived for way more years than any rodent should?  I mean - something had to happen to make us all hold our breaths on this day, early in the morning, every year.  Right?

2) Why are humans so eager to jump on the Groundhog Express and believe that a groundhog dictates, on one day, every year, WHAT we should expect in the coming weeks?  A longer winter or... not.  And usually - it's 6 more precious weeks of cold n' sh*t.  And when I say cold - that applies to everywhere because even the people in Arizona, Texas, Florida will wear jackets when it's 74.  Here in The Can... we'll be wearing sports bras and dental floss in 74 degree weather - but, you get what I'm saying.  Winter is winter - no matter where you are.  Of course, winter in Alaska likely has to be the worst place ever. It's O'Dark Thirty all day and night long.  Add butt-cold on top of that and it's gotta be comparable to life in the underworld.  In my opinion anyhow.  With Arizona blood - Alaska is definitely on my "NEVER....  EVER... on my bucket list" of things to do, places to go.  

3) Next up:  If a Groundhog has his own day - where he predicts the weather and all of the people of the world await his "word"...  why don't more rodents, animals, insects have their own day?  What about "Black Widow Day" - you know, the day that if the widow catches a fly in her web, it dictates that all of the wives in the world can take all of the money out of their fly's, I mean husbands' wallet. Anytime, any day, for the next 6 weeks.  Or "Sloth Day"?  If the sloth moves at all in an hours time - anyone with an X-Box in their house doesn't have to go to work the next day?  I think there's potential for a lot of animals to have their own day.  I guess they just have to have a war with a supernatural being to bring it to fruition.  <shrug>

Speaking of sloths - if you haven't seen this - Jeff showed it to me on Wednesday and while I don't love Kristen Bell, I do love Dax Shepard - so I watched.  And it totally made me love Kristen Bell.  And I do still love Dax Shepard too!  Enjoy!

Ellen is hysterical too.  

The Calendar Says December

It's trying to be like December outside with this wet snow falling, but thankfully NOT accumulating.  And my calendar on the wall in my office still SAYS "December".  It's kind of a chore to take it off the wall and flip it (not really) so I've looked at it often and thought I should change it - but when that idea easily escapes me, I then resort to squinting really really really small so that I can make out the dates on the January 2012 or November 2011 spots.  But... now that January is over and the December month doesn't "preview" February 2012 - I'll probably have to really make myself change it.

Orrrrr not.  I can always flip to "Calendar" on my comcast email and find the dates I need THERE!

That's kind of bitchin'.  

Kind of.

In all actuality, I will change the calendar - maybe after bunco tonight.  I certainly can't get up and change it now, for fear I lose my train of thought.  Which was what?

Oh right - The calendar says December.

Anyhow - spring break plans are done, but there's that little Vegas vacation that the dad and I have to get in each year.  This year WILL be different than last.  It will.  There will not be another one of these afternoons.  (And no, he doesn't know I'm putting it up here right now.  Does it matter, only 9 people are going to see it anyhow?!?!)  :)

Can you see the clock?  It was 5:31pm.  Out until the following morning...  <sigh>

So tonight I'll get the calendar down and thumb through it so that we can find the right weekend and I'll hang up February - though, if I'm thinking right - I should put up March because then I can super squint back to February and ahead to April!  Yah... that's the ticket!

Viva Las Vegas... coming in 2012!