Merry Christmas!

• I'm not sick.
• Both my grandparents were home and somewhat healthy.
• Most of the gifts I gave seemed well-received.
• I received many things that were on my wishlist.
• I performed a Christmas Miracle (Thanks to Elmo and his countdown) on my Mother's office space.
• I will perform another post-Christmas Miracle on my friend's house tomorrow.
• I get to see lights tomorrow with my favorite Bostonian.
• I am in a damn good mood right now, even though I want to shoot my roommates, again.

Merry Christmas, my dears!

*Shakes Head*

Sigh.

I'm still sick. My kids have pink eye now (please don't let me get pink eye, please don't let me get pink eye, please don't let me get pink eye).

I'm going to go turn my humidifier on now and hope for the best.

Smooch smooch.

Guess What

I'm Sick. Again. I love my kids. I really do. I just don't like their germs and the sinus inflammation that has been so unwelcomely showing up with every minor congestion lately.

But I did see the most lovely set of lights last week at the Mormon Temple:





My cell phone pictures don't do them justice. If you are in the DC area before the New Year... go see them! And listen to the lovely musical numbers they are hosting! And if you are anything like me, think how lovely all the nice smiling LDS folk are... and then run because you are scared they may want to talk Church to you. Tis the season for recruiting, you know.

I plan on whisking my dearest R around to all the holiday lights this year, as she seems to be having a crappy time up in snowy Beantown.

I'm going to do some wrapping and go to bed. Woohoo! Party time! In bed by 10pm!!!

Kevin N Seth

I just saw this and had a sudden desire to see Kevin Smith and Seth Rogan make out (and then make out with me). Ah, The HeteroManLove.

Mujer Perezosa de Lenguaje*

I finished The Alchemist in Spanish. This is a major accomplishment (pause for applause). Now I feel like I have to read more in Spanish, because my comprehension is booming and if I don't read more and talk more... I'll lose it! It's been really helpful having to find a latino coworker to interpret after I had to give the English version of the book back. But- challenging. Oh so challenging. Because people want to talk to me now. In Spanish. Whoa. By the way, I feel really rusty on the ASL. My deafies at the restaurant haven't been in and I don't have any other way of practicing. Maybe I'll watch youtube signing vids. Hm. I'm also going to start watching my favorite movies with Spanish dubbing. That's how Paulo learned English!

I really wanted to be finished with shopping this weekend, but it seems as though people have hard lists. Where I can't just go online and have it delivered to my house and stay the big lazy sloth that I have become on my days off.

Which leads me to believe that I have to start working more. I had off today and rather than going to the eastern shore or running around or even just hanging out with my friends, I laid in bed. All day. I read a little bit. I slept a lot. The good (ok, not really good) thing is that by sleeping all day, I didn't eat a lot of crap that I would feel bad about later. The bad thing is that when I sleep a lot, I tend to get dehydrated and then the headache appears and then I'm no good for another 12 or so hours. No headache today- I actually got out of bed *just* before that happened. But wasting the entire day is a little discouraging. I mean, I could have done laundry or something. Nope. I have 3 more pairs of underwear left. Hehe.

*Lazy Lady of Language (although I am 60% sure my grammar is off)

100 Things

1. Jamie Lynn is my name, JamieLynnLynn is a nickname derived from Jamie the Lynn Lynn.
2. The only person that calls me Jamie the Lynn Lynn is my paternal grandmother, Mom Mom.
3. Almost everyone on my father's side of the family calls me Jamie Lynn or J-Lynn, as my father's cousin is nicknamed Jamie.
   
4. James seems to be a family thing: my dad is nicknamed Jim, my brother is James (aka Jim Jim).
   
5. I was almost Harvey James the III. Heh.
6. Both my sister and my mom's names end in "nna."
7. I had 5 great grandparents until I was 9 years old. (I'm almost positive that I was born with 5, but am not sure about my maternal grandfather's mother. Mom... help?)
   
8. My last great grandparent just died in June 2007 when I was 29 years old.
9. I look a lot like my mom, and a little like my dad. Fair skin and long face from him, dark features from her.
10. My eyes came from the Mailman. Mom has hazel eyes, Dad has blue eyes (bro: hazel, sis: brown- weird, no?)
    
11. I got my temper and hardheadedness from both of them, equally.
12. Both of my grandmothers were seamstresses by trade at some point in their lives. I can fix things (ie. shorten hems), but am not so good at the making my own clothes thing.
13. Something inside me is nagging me to try to sew anyway.
14. I can knit scarves. And potholders. And anything that doesn't need more than simple stitches.
15. I can embroider if I have a nice easy pattern.
16. I learned to crochet when I was 10 yo, I may be able to do it under duress.
17. I'm not very crafty.
18. I am however, excellent with young 'ems.
19. I have 6 5 wards that I deal with on a semi-regular basis.
20. I have 3 other kids that belong to friends/family that I adore.
21. I have 6 more kids on the way from those friends/family in the next 5-7 months.
    
22. 3 is my favorite number.
23. Blue is my favorite color, but I look best in pink or dark blue/purple.
24. I have visited 9 10 countries outside of the US: Germany, France, UK/Scotland, Belgium, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Brazil, Greece, Switzerland (I've traveled through Monaco and Iceland) and Canada.
25. I have a travel addiction.
    
26. I've stayed in 16 states in the US (not including those I've driven/ridden through- another 9).
27. I've never been to Canada , Mexico, or the Midwestern US (all states between Nevada and Tennessee) .
    
28. I would love to take a cross-country road trip in the next 2-3 years. Done!
29. I want to visit every country in the world before I die (including the taboo ones that I can not/should not go to as a caucasian-female-US citizen).
30. I've been in two serious relationships (lasting a year or more) in the 11 years I've been an adult.
    
31. I've been in 5-7 semi-serious relationships (lasting one month or more).
32. I've been on too many first dates to count, Thanks to Match.
33. Best first date ever: A Grateful Dead Concert. Two men in their 50s sitting in the row in front of us passed us a joint.
    
34. Outcome of that date: He pissed me off 20 minutes into date #2 by ordering my food for me, and left his phone in my car in what I assumed to be a ploy to "come over" after our date. Ha. The phone was left in my mailbox and he should be 'grateful' I didn't throw it out the window on my way home.
    
35. Worst first date ever: Dinner and movie in which date tried to give me a massage in the movie after I spent all of dinner trying to make awkward conversation. He sealed his fate by slobbering on my cheek when I tried to be nice and give him a hug goodnight. He owned a gun (deal-breaker!!!! Alarm Alarm Alarm!) and I could blame the lack of love connection on that. He later said of me avoiding his calls: "You wouldn't be avoiding me if I were of a different demographic!" Uh, Mr Slobbering Awkward Gun-nut: Yes I Would and Yes I Have.
    
36. I've had my breast unwelcomed-ly fondled in a public place on a 2nd date that was only going so-so.
37. I move pretty fast when I am into someone.
38. I've been in four weddings.
39. I don't think I am getting married.
40. I don't think men, stereotypically, are monogamous as a gender.
41. I would like to be proven wrong in my lifetime.
    
42. I would never take part in a three-way with a girl and a guy because I don't believe there is a man alive that deserves the attention of two women at once.
    
43. I still fall weekly for all kinds of different men, normally those that are attached and are Big NoNo's.
44. I would marry Jamie Oliver (Dude, I Would be Jamie Oliver!!!!!) or Colin Firth or James McAvoy in a heartbeat. Notice that they are all three taken. And from the UK.
45. I adore Ralph Fiennes and Gary Oldman. More than likely taken. Also from the UK.
    
46. I like Jon Stewart a whole lot too. Taken. Good 'ol American Boy!
47. I love the beach. I love the sound of crashing waves and the smell of salt water. In the summer, I love the warmth of the sun and in the winter, I love the briskness of the spray.
48. I love the way my heart flutters right before an airplane takes off.
    
49. I volunteer for a great organization called Food and Friends. I also have an urge to go visit the geriatric crowd at the nursing home located a block away.
50. The only big thing I've ever won was when I was 8 years old. The contest was for Space Camp the movie and no, I didn't win the grand prize of a week pretending to be an astronaut in Alabama (omg- currently it only costs $450 to go for 3 days as an adult). I did however win one of the 3rd place prizes: Astronaut Food! Space Ice Cream, Space Peas, etc. Mmm.
    
51. I can't stand hearing Christmas music before Thanksgiving or after January 30. I can, however, listen to The Nutcracker until my ears bleed. I could listen to it anytime during the year, but waiting to listen to it after Thanksgiving is like a saving a wonderful thing until the last moment...
    
52. Like how I always eat a sandwich from the bottom up, because the top crust is the most delicious part. And pizza, crust last there too.
    
53. I go through stages where I am an addict for video games. Mostly the beast can be tamed by 40 or 50 hours of something online, such as this site. I did spend 3 months locked in my room playing The Sims. True story. Well. Kinda true.
54. I only send Christmas cards out every 3-4 years. 2007 happens to be one of those years. Wee!
55. I love Peter Parker. Not the actor, but the exceedingly geeky character that has a good heart.
56. I could watch Spiderman 2 over and over and over again (and The Lady Eve, Life is Beautiful, and any disney film). Especially where MJ is delivering her lines and she hesitates when she sees Peter mouth "Hi" to her. If I were the Grinch, my heart would have grown 3 sizes just then.
57. I like the Grinch a lot too. I should go get a battery for my Grinch watch.
    
58. I am kind of a mean person if I don't like/know you. I'm working on that.
59. Except for the crappy new servers at our restaurant. If you don't last more than 3 months, I can't waste my time learning your name. Tis the b'ness, so sorry.
60. When I handwrite letters, I tend to BOLD and underline ALOT to get my point across. When I blog, I YELL IN CAPS!!!!
    
61. I've been trying for 10 years to get a BSN. I started at Chesapeake College when I was 19, went to WMC for a year, and have spent 7 years at Monkey College.
    
62. I can't seem to get into nursing school.
    
63. So, I am retaking 3-4 classes in the next 2 semesters to raise my GPA high enough so someone will decide to educate me.
    
64. If that plan doesn't work, I have a backup plan- marry some random dude in the UK and have another country educate me.
    
65. I ALWAYS have a backup plan (SHOUT SHOUT).
66. I am seriously considering moving to the western side of the US: Hawaii, California, Oregon, Washington, or Utah.
    
67. At least once a month, I develop insomnia. I guess I have too much in my brain sometimes.
    
68. I've kept a very random dream journal that I write in about two or three times a year. There is some WEIRD SHIT in there (SHOUT SHOUT). I wish I wrote in it more often, but I forget I have it and lose dreams after a couple minutes.
69. I do have an incredibly weird recurring dream that only happens when I am babysitting Em. If I nap on the couch when he is napping, I end up dreaming that I can't wake up. It's frustrating because in my dreams, I know people are walking around in the house, or that Em is up... but I can't move or even open my eyes. I wake up automatically if he does cry or if there's a noise in reality.
    
70. I've had a similar dream a couple times in my own bed: I am crossing in the middle of a street and I can't move and I am going to get hit by a car, or am walking with the wind blowing so hard against me that I can't go forward. Hm. Wonder where that feeling comes from? (See #61)
71. My deal breaker for serious dating is that I will never allow a gun in my house. No guns. In my house. I don't care if you're a cop.
    
72. I do like venison and I don't mind terribly if someone likes to hunt occasionally. But your gun will never ever stay in my house ever.
    
73. My favorite song ever is either Led Zeppelin's The Rover or Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5. I can't decide right now. Please don't make me.
    
74. I like all types of music and most people are amazed by the variety that I listen to. Depending on my mood, I can go from listening to rap to rock to country to classical to latin to reggae to opera in a matter of minutes.
    
75. I have a thing for soccer player calves and pianist hands.
    
76. I am a Feminist. Loud and Proud.
    
77. I am Pro-choice.
    
78. I am a Liberal and a Pacifist.
79. I am very much for acknowledging and legalizing LBGT unions, especially marriage.
80. I have a hard time with religion intermingling with politics. I don't think a politician's religion should play into their politics, because Christians are not the only people with morals (although they would like to think they are).
81. I am proud of the way my parents brought me up and am glad they didn't shove religion down my throat. I learned about many different religions on my own through friends and interesting classes, and I know that this has made me a more tolerant person (even if I was born in a racist conservative rural town).
    
82. I'm also quite conservative in the way I handle money and the way my country handles their (my) money.
    
83. This has been an ongoing battle for me, since I am without health insurance and would like to have low cost medical care available to myself and others (especially children and the elderly). But I would like this accomplished by reforms in the insurance industry, rather than just a huge hike in my taxes.
    
84. I have really interesting conversations with my regular bar customers about politics. Especially one old drunk brit expat who is not only a libertarian, but a Bush lover as well. Somehow, we get along nicely even after our heated disagreements. (He says that Global Warming is a myth because of ONE article he read in the Times. Sigh.)
    
85. I love warm bubble baths.
86. I don't have a bathtub. So I substitute hot showers in place of the warm bubble baths. Not too shabby.
87. I love tea. Hot black tea (PG Tips are the best!) with cream and sugar is the one thing that can make me happy and keep me going for hours.
88. While in Greece, I also found a love of semi-sweet Frappes. And Greek coffee. And white wine. And olives.
    
89. I don't eat a lot of red meat. I went 4-5 years in middle/high school not eating anything but poultry and seafood. I did it again from May to Sept and eat it sparingly now. It hurts my belly. A lot.
90. I am somewhat Earth conscious. I recycle. I take my own bags into stores. I pick up trash when I can. However- I drive everywhere. I'm trying to break the habit, but Gosh it's hard. Damn this American-bred love of driving the open road.
91. I love driving, by the way. Crazy long road trips are the best. Furthest I've driven in a car: DC to Miami. That's far. 1069 miles and about 16 hours far.
    
92. Furthest I've ridden in a car: The mohave desert of CA to eastern shore of MD. About 2626 miles. My parents, my grandmother, an 8 yo Jamie, a 3 year old Jim Jim, a cat, a dog, an isuzu trooper, and a moving truck. (Of course, this is an 8 yo's memory. Correct and add where needed, mum) 4576 was my Mileage for my Cross Country trip from DC to Seattle. 10 Days. Woot Woot!
93. I love taking pictures. I should take a class to learn how to take better pictures. Maybe I should finish one thing at a time (see #62).
94. I love doing donuts in empty parking lots on fresh ice.
95. I hate housework in general, but I get in a mood once every 3 weeks or so to do a massive clean. Things smell better then. And I like clean clothes a lot too.
    
96. I smoke cigarettes once every two weeks or so when I'm around 2 particular people. Disgusting. But oh the head rush. Ironically, I refuse to date someone who smokes. Kissing smokers? Ugh- it's like kissing an ashtray.
    
97. I really like Bass beer. A lot.
98. I really like red wine. White is ok with dinner, but I will always drink red if there's just me and my long day involved.
99. James Dean, Nina Simone, Isabella Rossellini, and Barbara Stanwyck are all stunning and I adore them each for their random beauty.
    
100. This took about 7 days to complete.

Snow!

I love first snows. I love driving with the other crazies and doing tricks in a parking lot by myself.

I don't love cold hands (on me) all that much. And I don't really love cleaning off my car (4 times today).

I do love how beautiful and pristine and peaceful a nice fresh blanket of snow looks on the world.


All's right in the world right now.

Go Now!

Cbs.com has My So Called Life online. Go now. Go. Go!

And then go read the recaps.

Favorite lines of Pilot?

"You want to have sex with him." Angela demurs, "Who?" "'Who?'" repeats Rayanne, "Jordan! Catalano? Come on, I'm not going to tell anyone, just admit it." Angela leans in and admits, "I just like how he's always leaning. Against stuff. He leans great. Either sex or a conversation -- ideally both."

A little later:

Rickie says, "Don't you love how he leans?"

I lovvvvvvvvvve how he leaned. But not now. He's weird and he yelled at a hobbit. Bad Jordan.