Happy Anniversary To My Parents

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Happy 15th Anniversary Mom & Dad.

You guys sure make this being married thing look easy.

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Or just plain crazy.

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But mostly full of love.

 

 

 

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Hope you are having fun celebrating in Vegas.

Ps…I’ll try not to wreck the house while you are away.

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Posted in Family, Holidays | 15 Comments

Day One: Vacation

Its finally winter in New Jersey.

This is the first snow.

And this is me…still in bed.

Ah yes. This is going to be one fine vacation.

Posted in Life | 18 Comments

A Vacation?

Yes.

A Mother Fucking VACATION ya’ll.

All I have to do is endure TODAY in the office and I will have a glorious 6 days In. A. Row. for some actual VACATION time.

Yep.

I am finally taking time off from work to enjoy my life WITHOUT being sick. That is if I can make it through THE DAY without catching the germs, colds, and flu’s that everyone in my office is suffering from. I may have to borrow my fathers mask. I will do whatever it takes to survive the next 24 hours in order to protect my weak immune system, because I will not jeopardize my 6 days of freedom with a medical illness.

What am I going to do with 6 WHOLE days?

Sleep. Eat. Write. Write. Write.

Go to the gym.

Sleep. Eat. Watch the complete Season Two of Dexter On Demand.

Sleep. Eat. Blog. Blog. Blog.

Meet my girlfriends for lunch at the country club.

Sleep. Eat. Write. Write. Write. Blog. Blog. Blog.

I am hoping to have Chef Brookestone spend a day with me to go food shopping, and teach me how to cook the foods I can eat.

Sleep. Eat. Write. Write. Write. Blog. Blog. Blog.

(and maybe I will even get that long over due oil change.)

I am seriously going to live out the next 6 days the way I ‘imagine’ my life would be if I didn’t have a job. And I can’t wait to get busy LIVING.

Posted in Life | 35 Comments

A Conversation With My 11 Year Old Son.

Me: Hey Justin, I really think this new job your father has is going to be great for him. I think it’s a perfect fit…don’t you?

JCH: Not really.

Me: Oh, come on buddy. You need to have faith in your father, and believe, or have hope, or I don’t know…something grandma would say.

JCH: Um. Really? Well, my Grandma says, ‘Life’s a bitch and then you die’ so I don’t know who you are talking about.

Posted in Family, Humor, JCH quotes | 33 Comments

Happy 31st Birthday Broham

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I love my brother Adam so much. Growing up together, we were inseparable. Always together like peas and carrots. We were as close as any two siblings could be. (But not in that creepy Angelina Jolie and James Haven sort of way.)

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We invented our own secret language, we loved to spy on and torture our mother with incessant teasing and laughter. The best and happiest memories of my childhood are with my brother.

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As we have gotten older, of course it natural to have grown apart. But we will always have that unbreakable bond. I cannot find the words that are big enough to express just how PROUD I am of my brother and the MAN he has grown up to be.

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The loving husband,

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And the worlds greatest father

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Here’s to you little brother. You will forever be my Abercrombie.
Love Melbatoast.

Posted in Family | 10 Comments

My Daddy And A Desk Drawer

When Yet Another Household Item Goes Awry…

Will He Be Able To Fix The 50 Year Old Desk Drawer?

(Two hammers and 2598752365981.8  and attempts)

Lets Find Out:

* Video Is Here *

Difficulty Viewing Instructions:

1. The movie is GIANT and you will need to exercise a lot of patience while waiting for the video to load.

2. For the movie you will need a Quick Time Player installed on your computer. If you don’t have one, may I suggest that you download / install one. (If you don’t know how to, then you are probably also still using Internet Explorer, when you should be using Firefox, and that means I can’t help you).

3. Now, I can not state this enough, YouTube (and every other video hosting site) tend to destroy my movies. My files are HUGE, my effects are intense, so when they are compressed and downsized by these said video hosting sites, my “movies” end up looking like shit.

But, since some people (who shall remain nameless) still can’t figure out HOW TO OPEN My Mac Website, below are the LINKS for easy video accessibility for EVERYONE.

1. Click HERE (for the version: by MAC)

2. Click HERE (for the fastest downloading yet smallest version: by Virb)

3. Click HERE (for the blurry version: by YouTube)

Enjoy!

Seriously, who can stay “depressed” with that guy (my dad) hanging around?

* I am feeling SO MUCH better. *

Posted in Family, Humor | 23 Comments

Not Myself

As some of you may have noticed by the all too superficial posts as of late (and my lack of commenting) I have not been feeling ‘like myself’. Not that I am feeling like someone else, because who else would I be? [* wishing I was Selma Hayek *] But these days, I feel like the light inside of me is slowing being snuffed out.

Warning: Here is where I will [whine, bitch & moan] ramble on incoherently for the next few paragraphs.

Run. Save yourselves now.

*If are interested in LAUGHING, may I suggest clicking HERE. (Trust me. Its worth it.) 

I have been extremely tired, for no apparent reason. I cannot get out of bed in the morning. No, it’s not just because I abuse the snooze button, or because my bed is entirely too comfortable. Nor have I been going to bed at ungodly hours. But, on more than one occasion over the last few weeks, I literally have to argue with myself to GET UP AND FUNCTION. And then I can’t seem to WAKE UP or SNAP OUT OF IT all day.

I feel like everything is moving in slow motion.

My office has been in a perpetual state of down time. This is not the ‘busy season’ we anticipated. The hands on the clock seem to stand perfectly still, providing me: The Longest Days Ever. Even when my time is peppered with [stressful] fun-filled tasks outside my realm of capabilities, breaking up the monotony…I simply loathe being in an office. Any office.

I am sure that is a major contributing factor to the ‘I DON’T WANT TO DO THIS ANYMORE’ feeling. [However, I can’t think of anything else that I WANT to do which will realistically pay my bills.] The only thing that’s been a motivational factor to leave my house, battle traffic, and sit idle at a desk all day, is hanging on to the single thought, ‘I am going to work today for the health benefits’. [Taking a part time job, or cutting my hours in the office, to free up my life will not provide the same MUCH NEEDED benefits I currently have.]

Nevertheless, it is becoming increasingly difficult to do my job when I am so painfully uninspired. (And, bored.to.death.) I think? I am becoming unjustifiably resentful.

I will never be someone with the drive to climb a corporate ladder. I have absolutely no desire. I will never be one of those 60-80 hour work week types. And I don’t want to be. I am just not built that way.

There are certain people who Never Miss A Day Of Work, Come In Early, and Stay Late. That will never be me. (At least not while enduring my current profession.)

I used to care. A Lot. I even used to like my job. I took so much pride and glory in what I did. Now? Not.Even.A.Little.

It is not like anything has changed in my office. My job is still the same, the people are still the same, and I really do love who I work with and who I work for. In this day and age I am LUCKY to be employed…but I have no passion whatsoever for the insurance industry. Sorry.

As I sit at my desk, I catch myself daydreaming a lot. I’ve spent my days thinking about all of the OTHER THINGS I’d like to be doing instead of being chained to this cubical.

Imagining some other ‘fake’ life that I wish I had. I say ‘fake’ life because for some reason, I don’t think the life I want to have (or think I want to have) is close to reality based.

But, that’s why it’s called day dreaming.

No, I do not sit around dreaming about becoming the next lottery winner, or anything that grandiose, but I certainly think about a life that includes financial security.

I have also been daydreaming about the ‘perfect relationship’. Or at best ‘my version’ of the perfect relationship.

As lame, and trite, and as ancient as this may sound, I really do just want someone to Take Care Of Me. [yes, yes, in a perfect world, of course they have to really love me and I have to really love them, and all that jazz…blah blah blah. I have to be able to take care of myself – but, I have been doing that since I was 17. Quite frankly, I am done with that.]

But, Yes. I want one of those 1950’s husband types. Yanno? The kind that says, “No woman of mine will work.” Where can I find me one?

I would LOVE to be able to stay home. I don’t understand when people say, “Wont you get bored?’ Or, “That would drive me nuts.”

No. Way.

Not. Me.

I could spend The. Rest. Of. My. LIFE. … At Home.

I actually want to be just a little ‘Suzie homemaker-esq’. I already LOVE to clean. I’d love to learn how to cook. I already love to do the laundry; I could learn to love food shopping. Maybe I would take a writing course, or finally schedule all those Mac Classes. The freedom to have the time to take a nap, or read a book, or holy shit…WRITE MY BOOK, or even just go to the gym. I long for the days when I can meet my girlfriends for lunch at the country club.

* Like I said…I’ve been day dreaming.

When I look at my brothers and their wives, with their beautiful babies, they have a seemingly grand life. I know its VERY hard raising children, being married, and the stress that brings to the table. But, when I see the pictures of them – in all that family bliss – I get a little teary eyed. Some of those tears are because I am genuinely happy for them, but more so because I feel like I missed out.

My childhood was nothing like the ones my brothers are giving their children. And, I certainly did not provide that sort of life for my own son.

I am not guilt ridden over my failings as a parent. (at least not anymore) As it turns out, I have a pretty amazing son. All things considered, I have NO IDEA how he ended up as well adjusted and smart as he is.

Besides, I am too old to start having brand new babies. I am not interested in surrendering my soon to be freedom to a Newborn. I can’t even IMAGINE going back to the car seats, diapers, strollers, pacifiers, and midnight feedings…Oh Hell No.

On the other hand, if I didn’t start out as parent as early on in life as I did, or if things had just been a little different, I would have liked to try my hand at the sort of life my brothers are living.

I do know for certain that I would LOVE to be living the ‘Life Of Leisure’ my girlfriend Jennifer is currently experiencing.

(I must still be daydreaming.)

Oh well, that’s enough miserable drivel for one day.

I am going back to my desk to stare blankly into rating screens and day dream about being ‘rescued’ by the perfect man complete with the ideal life.

Maybe something wonderfully unexpected will happen soon.

I think I just really need a Vacation.

 

Posted in Life | 52 Comments

The Snooze Button

Why does the best sleep happen AFTER you hit snooze?

Posted in Life | 19 Comments

My Son (JCH) A School Paper

While NOTHING will ever beat this report, I still want to share the latest school project my son recently completed.

First, Justin had to find the same product made by two different brand names and then test them. He was going to compare Jiff Peanut Butter to Skippy Peanut Butter. However, when I stopped at CVS on my way home, they only carried one brand of peanut butter. I am way too lazy to drive to the grocery store (in the dark, and in the rain) in search of one jar of peanut butter. Nor would I stand in that mile long line for One Item. Not gunna happen.

Luckily for JCH, CVS carried two different brands of popcorn. Act II and Pop-Secret.

He conducted his research, compared ingredients, and pricing. That report was rather well done. (I wish I saved a copy of that.) The second portion of the ‘project’ was to write a letter to the company of the product he liked better.

(Too bad he wasn’t allowed to write a letter about the not-so-good popcorn, I have a feeling that would have been funnier.)

Anyway…here is the letter my son wrote to the Act II people. I happen to LOVE the last line.

Dear Sir Or Madam,

Hello my name is Justin. I would like to say that Act II popcorn is a fantastic product. I had compared your product to Pop-secret (one of your leading competitors) and your product was much better.


I would like for you to know that I will continue to eat your fabulous popcorn. I will also tell all of my friends the outcome of my test. Please don’t change a thing about ACT II. It is perfect. Please don’t do any of the “less butter” or “less fat” stuff that a lot of other companies are doing. Between you and me, that kind of stuff makes the popcorn taste terrible.

Thank you

Justin.
(Age 11)

 

Update:
I feel so badly for my son.  Not only has he been doing ALL of his homework, he’s had a great attitude in class and with the other students.  He is even going to be the announcer for the school talent show. Last night he came home with his weekly tests for me to sign…and even they were FANTASTIC, including two 100’s! Yeay!

Alas, the cable box in Justin’s room broke last night and after three hours on the phone with CableVision no one can FIX it until Saturday. It’s like the poor kid is being punished.

It’s as if he is ‘GROUNDED’ for a week without TV, and he didn’t even do anything wrong.

Posted in Family, JCH quotes, Life | 22 Comments

Just A Few Memes

Over the weekend, I finally got around to completing the following two memes.

Meme 1: 6 non-important things/habits/quirks- About Me

I was tagged by Roshan over on Awake & Dreaming to participate in the following meme:

The rules:
-Link to the person who tagged you.
-Post the rules on your blog.
-Share six non-important things/habits/quirks about yourself.
-Tag at least 3 people at the end of your post and link to their blogs.
-Let each person know they have been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

Okay here goes nothing.

1. I cannot sleep with my feet under the covers. My feet have to be OUTSIDE of the blankets. (No socks. No slippers. I can only sleep with Naked Feet.) But, my shoulders have to be tucked in. When I think about it, I have really strange sleeping requirements. Besides the blanket and pillows I MUST HAVE, I also have to sleep with a window open. Every. Night. (even in meat locker conditions).

2. When I am making videos, cropping or editing photos, or writing, I move my lips involuntarily in rapid succession.

3. I am addicted to straws & OCD hair twisting.

4. I cannot drive home from work with the radio on. I MUST have absolute silence.

5. No one can talk to me until after I have had my coffee & a cigarette in the morning. (even then its a bit risky.)

6. I talk to myself A LOT. Out Loud. At Work.

Meme 2: 7 Weird Things About Me

(Is there a conspiracy to completely embarrass me?)

I was tagged by Lee from Tar Heel Ramblings to participate.

Here are the rules:
Cite and link to your source (me), then enjoy writing about 7 Weird Things About Yourself, then tag some people & help spread the weirdness.

Without further ado, here are Seven Weird Things About Me:

1. I talk to myself. A lot. Out Loud. At Work. (Fortunately the people I work with are so used to it; they have learned how to tune me out completely. If I am asking a real question to SOMEONE ELSE in the office, it usually goes unanswered. They think I am just talking to myself. Unless I get up, and SHOUT to my co-workers no one even hears me anymore).

2. I like to pluck ingrown hairs out with tweezers no matter how painful it is.

3. I have to check my purse, coat pockets, and make sure the lights are turned off, 5 times (in.a.row.) every time before I can leave my house.

4. I always have a hair tie on my wrist.

5. I get a ‘Groucho Mark’ mustache on my upper lip if I spend too much time in the sun.

6. I use BURN VICTIM lotion on my face to erase the acne scars caused by the millions of Crohn’s medications I had to take.

7. 9 times out of 10, I am known as the girl in pajamas at any given party or event.

Posted in Friends, Links, Memes, Other Bloggers | 24 Comments