an amazing day

hey all! today has been SUPER productive. there were so many awesome things that i had to make a list just to remember everything. so, here's my list.

- i got to sleep in. this is outstanding, since the last few days have included very little sleep and being awake before or around 6am. normally i don't prefer to sleep in, but today the 10:30 wake up was welcomed.

- i had a text message when i wandered downstairs that andria had sent me. she put a blues outfit on baby mark, put them on myspace, and entitled the folder "for janelle". then, being the awesome aunt that i am, i stole said pictures and put them on my myspace and facebook.

- instead of sportscenter, this morning i was greeted by a pittsburgh/notre dame ncaa ball game. and pittsburgh took that game. GO PITTSBURGH!

- i got to talk to my cousin beth as well. cool thing is we have decided to move in together this may. she has a house in the city and we're going to fix up the basement. cool thing is i can help her with the bills and owen, and i already know we're going to have so much fun. plus, i'm stoked about moving to the city. closer to a cool dude.

- i did like 6ish loads of laundry. i love clean laundry, and getting so many loads done was amazing.

- i enjoyed a beer and a nice long talk with my dad. something i do about every weekend. i also had somewhat of a really cool breakthrough with my mom. awesomely awesome.

- how 'bout them blues?!?!?!? chris mason with his first home win, and a shutout. two games down... both teams win... good standing for the 3rd game, my steeler superbowl tomorrow.

- i drank a LOT of coffee. i love coffee.

so far those are the cool things that have happened today. i'm really looking forward to tomorrow! sunday school and church, drop by the 'rents again, clean out the car, SUPERBOWL!!, and other fun things.

i still have to put away the 6ish loads of laundry and enjoy me some dinner. dinner will definitely be cereal since i got milk today as well. i also still have to write about three more blogs....

i'm off to end an amazing night.

but before i go, here's my little man supporting my blues.

holidays

just realized that in the last few days i've said "i hate valentines day" a few times.

this is not true. i really don't hate any day. but i think i should clarify what i mean when i said that. and we can take more than one holiday into consideration here: how about Christmas and valentines day?

here's the deal. during these holidays, people dig into debt to buy loved ones a really expensive Christmas present. nice gesture, i understand. but is that really what the holiday is about? i've been telling family members for years "seriously, presents is not what this day is about. so, please. i've got everything i need. don't get me anything." not to say i'm against presents. we all appreciate them. i'm saying that the important part is that everyone gets together and celebrates for the REAL reason. plus, handmade/thoughtful gifts = best gifts ever. always.

and, valentines day. every single couple goes out. expensive restaurant, expensive movie, probably some jewelry or expensive crap. worst part? some people expect this kind of behavior. are there that many shallow people in the world? for serious. i'm not saying that people shouldn't celebrate a good relationship. but to say that one day is THE day out of the year to do that? if i like someone, i'll tell them on everyday except v-day. (okay, not necessarily, but you guys get the point.)

the point is that everyday should be a day to celebrate everything you have, just because it's been given to you for one more day, right?

i won't say "don't have a good valentines day". i just think everyday is as good and as important as you make it.

that's it! have a wonderful friday!!

correction

so yesterday was a pretty eventful day. had a good morning, no class. get everything together for work and head out to the car to warm it up. things are looking good, and about 1:45 i head out for the stl drive. and i get stuck in the driveway. i'm not too worried, because, well, i just tend to not worry anymore.

anyway, as i'm rocking in the car and trying to get it to budge (i'm mid-street, end of driveway at this point in time), my neighbor lady friend comes out with four old strips of shingles, one to put under each of my tires to create traction. what a good idea! so i get my baby unstuck and go to give the shingles back, as well as to see if i can shovel her driveway for her or somthing. neighbor lady says "no thanks, dear, i don't need to drive anywhere, and i have plenty, keep them for next time". really cool. so i tell her what a blessing she's been and we talk for a bit about some things... intermixed was her much-used phrase "God is good". to which we both agree, of course. but this poor woman has a lot of stress in her life right now. refreshing to see her awesome attitude.

anywho, without going into detail (since i told my dad and christy yesterday, and that's enough for me), i have a...... hm..... cry on the way to work. need i point out that i really don't cry. i need damn good reason if i do. but this was weird in that it was a good cry. i mean, i was happy. with aligator tears. one of the coolest feelings ever. like i said, though, i'm not going into detail about what i was thinking about. i, however, will say that my ipod shuffle was also doing me justice.

so yesterday = awesome.

my correction is that i wrote a blog a bit back about having learned 2 lessons from my parents. i think i'd like to correct that statement and say that both of those are probably the same. read it again, you'll get it.

also, i should just start a music blog, right?? i know enough useless info about it, and it will be better than having the music page in the high school newspaper because: 1- no editing, and 2- i can't get called out if a profanity slips. bonus, ya'll.

hope everyone has a great day. sometimes really good ones hit ya when least expected.

misheard lyrics

today i am enjoying the beautiful snowfall and preparing to (hopefully) have an uneventful drive to work. as usual, i am enjoying some itunes. on shuffle.

shuffle is my favorite ipod feature. because some really embarassing or ridiculous song comes on, and it reminds me of many things. and today, a song came on and reminded me of andrea, so i may as well just go with that for a theme.

i own ONE pop CD. and i didn't buy it. roxanne burned it for me. but it makes me shake my butt and sing loudly. i am afraid to even say what it is. and while it's not necessarily critical to the entry.... i may as well just say it to satisfy.

timberlake's "justified".

yes, i'm thoroughly embarassed. wouldn't be the first time today.

anyway, this cd got a lot of play when it was first burned for me. for a while, i'd listen to it for car dancing purposes. then i'd play it to annoy alex, which worked for a short period of time until he admitted JT was "talented". hahaha. then i'd listen to it with the girls. because we liked it.

there's a line in one song (i cannot recall which) that says "the air is thick and smellin' right". best part of this line? andrea thinks he says "the air stick is smellin' right".

i love my friends and the silly things they say.

my thought for you for the day is to remind yourself of something dumb/funny/weird your friends/family have said... and remind THEM. could make someone's day a lot better.

here's a picture we should have sent to andrea as a christmas card or something. she's missing!

snow days

remember when you were a kid and there was snow in the weather forcast? it took way too painfully long, but eventually- they were calling a snow day. and that was the best feeling ever.

i really remember my snow days very well. (i also recall having a lot more energy on these days.... hm.....) of course, we all know that the best part of a snow day is not having to go to school. but, man, that snow is FUN to play in...

for those of you unaware, my parents and my maternal grandparents live right next door to each other. (at least for a few more months.) my grandpa used to farm on the land behind the two houses, but by the time my brother and i came around, the only things left were sheep and cows. it was a really large field and nice to run around in... but the best part? those ridiculously steep hills. and my uncle bill always wanted to sled.... and now you get where this is going.

i can recall many a time we've been sledding on those hills. when we were really tiny baby children, my grandma would always tell bill to keep us on the small hills. these were okay... but eventually i learned how to talk him into basically anything. (i really love my uncle, he's the absolute best!) next thing you know, we're at the top of THE steepest hill offered. there was a little bit of apprehension, but eventually we'd prepare for takeoff.

sledding was always fun. my favorite memories are those where bill and i would both be on the sled and we'd get a really good push off. we'd fly down that hill way faster than he had anticipated, and by the end we were heading straight for the fence at a rate that could have been suicidal, with both of us screaming at the top of our lungs, "BAIL! BAIL!". dude. that always puts a smile on my face.

anyway, today they called off classes at swic because of this glorious snow, and i love it. i've got to clean up this place a little, which is needed... but i wish i were out sledding on the hill. it was amazing. i hope everyone gets out and at least tries to enjoy this snowfall while it lasts.

an unrelated closing thought: why is pearl jam's "glorified G" NOT on the rearviewmirror greatest hits album? this really irks me.

this is bill and myself, and his oldest daughter sophia renee, who is my mini me. go figure.

happy monday!

as you all know, i'm always happy. but today i just feel especially awesome. woke up the best way possible, got a lot of things accomplished so far, and i've still got the majority of the day to go. cool.

and now i'm just hanging in the living room with itunes on shuffle. with my poor pets whom i am assuming missed their mom yesterday, because they will not leave me alone. it's always nice to be loved.

again, i have a busy day. so this is short. but a few things:
1- mondays aren't that bad people. they're just like every other day if you make them. so no more monday blues.
2- busy b, if you're reading this: i am so glad i could entertain you via text this morning. i meant every word i said. ha.
3- i hope roxanne is reading this, because all day i will be thinking of her, buckethead, and slash.

i'm out. have a lovely day!!!

happy birthday mom!

i don't have much time to blog, so i'll keep it short.

first things first, so i'm wishing my mom a happy birthday. next year is the important one!

i had a great time today doing what needed to be done and bugging my dad in the kitchen. i also saw a pretty sweet episode of cops in which they did a drug raid AND caught a boa constrictor. not as cool as the cops episode i blogged about on myspace, but still good. the best part of the day thus far is that i had an awesome dinner prepared by my dad. i love free steak dinner.

anywho, i'm off to tell beth stories and play trivia. enjoy what's left of the weekend!!

my bloody valentine, in 3D!

today i had a lady date with my friend carolyn. normally these dates are littered with fun quotes and entertaining activities. this day was no different.

sometimes we enjoy flying by the seat of our pants. in the past this has placed us at the shanti in soulard talking to an old man who teaches ballroom dance and receiving free blues tickets. (yes, you all read that correctly. i said free.) other times, we have ended up in the loop at rock 'n roll craft shows and having lunch at blueberry hill. either way, good times.

today, however, was planned. all week carolyn has been absolutely stoked about seeing my bloody valentine in 3D. i must say that the two of us, seperately, LOVE bad movies. but together, it's a whole new ballpark. there are stories and theories. there are repeat nights. (i cannot tell you how many times we have watched black sheep together.)

i really have no idea where to start concerning my bloody valentine. i will say that when the screen told us to put on the 3D glasses, the two of us gasped in excitement, to which carolyn leans over and says "we were the only ones making that noise". yes, we were. because they're cheap 3D glasses. no one is impressed but us. the upside of this is that both of us are easily amused. many good quotes came out of watching this horrible movie, such as "yeah, just take your shirt off and murder me". (thanks carolyn, that is just repeating in my head.) i would try to sum up the moral of the movie, but my theories are ridiculous and long, so i'll spare the details.

the next part of our day includes late lunch/early dinner at red lobster. hey, it's just what we do. a couple of frozen drinks and some crabcakes and i'm feeling pretty amazing. the company of the old couple next to us wasn't a bad thing either.

after that i instisted we hit up a good will. this is for a few reasons: 1- i like the good will. 2- there are super funny things at the good will if you look hard enough. this time, carolyn found an amazing wedding vail/hat (is that what you'd call it homeskillet?) and brought it to me to try on. this thing was hideous people.

our night ended with my raiding her itunes collection. as we speak i am importing some fun things into my own collection.

i hope everyone is enjoying some friend/family/loved ones time this weekend. it's cold out. go warm your heart up at least.

here's a picture of the ambush that carolyn endures at my place from special k.

fun stuff

so, today my sinuses are deciding they really don't like me. but i've never been one to let anything get me down, so i've just been taking it easy, enjoying the little time i have left before work. (because tonight is including a trip to wal-mart and excessive cleaning.)

thought i'd give you all who are feeling under the weather or just those who are bored some internet options to help relieve the boredom.

first site: www.bash.org. it's a collection of random IMs. funny stuff. you can click up at the top for the top 100 and 200 quotes on the site, or hit the >0 button as well, which will generate randomness. fun if you have time to waste. a shout out to chris ham (green) for the plug of this page.

second site: www.someecards.com. i'm currently obsessed with finding the most ridiculous ones to send to ben (which is gingerly returned). becky d received one, reading "i'm masturbating on the inside". so, there's a taste of what you're getting yourself into. a HUGE shout out to roxanne for sending me my first ecard from this site. (my dear, i cannot remember if the first one was the tommy lee one, or my birthday one.)

in conclusion: be safe and good. have fun and be blessed. and drive carefully! =)

thanks mom and dad!

i've been thinking a lot lately about two statements i was told a lot growing up, one from my mom and one from my dad. it's funny because looking back, both are so true, but at younger ages i didn't want to hear them, or just thought i could change them. now i actually realize that they were right. and i'm not even the least bit upset to admit it.

first lesson from dad:

"put it in someone else's hands."

of course, by "someone else" he means God. funny part is i always thought that if i tried harder, i could fix everything myself. no matter the issue. and i'd stress out when things didn't turn out my way. bottom line: there's already a plan. i cannot change it. i can, however, just embrace it. i've done that full force since the dui last february. i remember when all of it went down and i had to inform the 'rents. first thing dad says is "someone is trying to tell you something". boy, was He ever. due to this, i now pay a lot of attention to the signs around me and take them to heart. hey, someone has got to guide this girl.

second lesson from mom:

"everything happens for a reason."

remember when you were 16 and your first "real" relationship ended? i do! the world halfway stopped. or, stopped completely at times. and mom says "everything happens for a reason". what?! no! she's crazy and has NO IDEA what you're going through. (sidenote: rob, i obviously harvest no hard feelings. love you pal. whenever you want to fly me out to cali for a visit just let me know.) but, really, mom knew best. so now, when things end or change, and i get sad... i just remember that everything really does happen for a reason. a really good flippin' reason.

so, thanks to my mom and dad.

my mom and myself. we don't take many pictures together, but i found this one. she was eating something. and probably talking.
the 3 of us. and, of course, my dad can never take a normal picture.

this is my favorite family picture i have. my granny, my dad, and me. my dad was really trying to get his mom to hold a cigarette in this picture, but she wasn't down with that.

missed opportunities

today i get to write a blog while enjoying a nice itunes mix and having a huge cat try to eat my hair. i love my life. =)





so i was flipping through my ipod playlists and saw something that reminded me i had missed an opportunity. i totally forgot to make fall and/or winter jams, 2008 edition! man, that kind of sucks. i guess here shortly i'll be ready to begin compiling the tracks for spring/summer jams 2009! (we all know this collection always begins with some nelly.) so, if anyone has any suggestions, hit me up via email or text or, even better, come to my house and help me make them!





also, i guess it's time to fill the world in on the cherry pie video.





so.... i'm not sure when all of this gloriousness went down (roxanne would know much better than myself), but it WAS made in roxanne's back yard (where all horrible things happen) and it had to be at least a semi-warm day. for the life of me, i cannot remember who had access to a camcorder, but i have a feeling it had to be barnes. anyway, i guess i can just paint the picture:





barnes knows all of the words to cherry pie, which none of us are aware before the making of the film. roxanne and andrea were the camera ladies (i believe i remember a quote resembling "i am NOT going to be a part of this crap"), barnes was on center stage as the lead singer of warrant and rachel and i had the priviledge of being the "fly girls". the set up was hilarious. two camera people, the three of us on "stage" (the background was just the side of the house), and a super old cd player sitting on the bench serving as our music. (you get this so far, right? hideous.) i know the fly girls were wearing terrible hats and mardi gras beads. anyway, this video is crammed with background noise and terrible laughter.





wanna see this video?? well, you can't. you see, since the making of this video, it has mysteriously disappeared. okay, i take that back. it was witnessed a few times after its making. but since THEN it has disappeared. we all know who has it. BUT HE WON'T COUGH IT UP! i guess sometimes the best videos are left unseen.... okay, i totally don't believe that either. not having this video available is really depressing.





this video, however, is available.

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=6836598

i obvioiusly have no problem embarassing myself. this video was filmed by my good friend roma about 2 years ago around my birthday i believe. and, yes, that is michael jackson.

everyone have a lovely day! i always am. =)

what happened?

i was just thinking on my ride home from the stl this morning: what did i do before i bought my iPod?

i mean, really? i actually PLAYED my cds? i'm not sure i remember such things. those round disks looks as if they have been played... some many times... i just don't recall it.

that's it for today. really. i've got school and work today, followed by fun. i've also decided i like functioning on little to no sleep. i am just one lucky girl. = )

what a busy week!

first and foremost, i must say GO STEELERS!!! i do love my team! and a cards/steelers bowl ensures lots of smack talking between myself and a few others i know. it's going to be a pretty fun game this year.

this week is going to be a lot of fun for me. work tonight should be pretty easy. we only have about 20 cases, so i'm sure the evening crew will be cleaning up the disaster in the basement. this does give me an opportunity to go in early and maybe leave a little early as well, which is to my benefit. the spring semester starts tomorrow, which i'm not even a little worried about. three classes puts me at full-time, on top of work. the good thing is that my classes should be easy. for some reason, no matter what level of math one has passed, college algebra is a requirement. this is fine by me, because i've passed calculus. some semesters i really like blow off classes, this one included. also in the line-up is anatomy and physiology (again, i've got this one in the bag), and ethics. i've yet to take a philosophy class and i'm really looking forward to something new.

as a closing thought, i really didn't care who won the cards/eagles game (although i'm not a big mcnabb fan), but did anyone else see that awesomely amazing hail mary by warner?? i was seriously impressed.

have a lovely day!

short and sweet

today's entry will be quick due to the fact that i need to be getting ready to visit with my little monkey man (aka baby leezy).

first of all, i just want to say how blessed i am to have such wonderful friends in all of you, and so very happy to have friends who let me spoil the heck out of their baby child.

second of all, GO STEELERS!!!

woot.

your piece of brain food for the day is this:
http://www.nme.com/news/p-diddy/42133

i couldn't make this stuff up if i tried.

happy sunday!

awesomeness (sorry, benjamin, i'm stealing your blogging word)

as i watch carolyn turn on the fireplace via remote control and enjoy a homemade warm spiced wine:

this weekend is already spectacular. i woke up and visited my old fellow employees at anderson and spread all of my good life news to dad #2 (aka chuck wagner). i also informed him that courtney and i are running the st. louis half marathon in april, which i'd like to touch on.

i've been more conscious about getting outside and getting some good exercise when the weather permits. this has been going on the last 5 or 6 years, and it's really beneficial to my physical and emotional well being.  and i just want to say that i'm super excited to be running this in april. it's been something i've been wanting to do for a while now. 

today, so far, awesome. got all of my laundry done and now i'm visiting with chris and carolyn (aka c-lynching it. i know you're reading this homeskillet). 

tomorrow will be even better: seeing my little man in the morning and then watching a steeler win in the afternoon, followed by vh1 programming with rox. i'm happyface.  

i'll leave you with one of the best stories i have found in the past few days. i know a lot of people will enjoy.

http://www.nme.com/news/flight-of-the-conchords/42010

enjoy!!! 

awesome start to a weekend

this weekend is really going to be fun. i know it's only early friday afternoon, but i've already had a nice long conversation with dad. among other things, here's a little piece of the goodness:

me: yeah, i'm pretty sure i just want to get the laundry done tomorrow so i can really enjoy my steelers game on sunday.

dad: oh, are you taking about that game that the steelers are going to lose?

me: no, i'm referring to the one they're going to win.

dad: sorry, babe, but there's only one game. and it's a loss.

rivalry. hardcore. it's not like he's rooting for baltimore. he just wants to aggrevate me. which we both find funny.

added weekend bonus: roxanne's coming home for the weekend! finally i am able to watch love bus with her as opposed to texting the entire length of the episode.

i'm not even upset that i'll have to work late tonight. i am going to come home and get caught up on a bunch of things, then saturday the fun starts. i'm pretty excited.

my awesome dad. known for goofy faces, really stupid impromptu songs on the piano, amazing voices, polio survivor (he'd laugh so hard at my putting that), and the best 'stache ever. really.

radio play

it's an early night at work, so i guess i'll begin blogging while still here... and while we listen to collective soul's "shine", which is one of the best songs ever written.

today was super fun. (okay- every day is super fun.) i got to have coffee with my adopted daughter (aka good friend) wendy sue at sacred grounds, the best place for some really cheap great coffee. as we were playing random card games, we were both remarking on how much we were enjoying the music being played at the shop. then this conversation (which will embarass wendy but is pretty golden):

"this music is good! i wonder what station it's on?!"- me
"i don't know, but i'm sure it's a radio."- wendy

i love you wendy!

second radio reference: we were afraid my poor iPod receiver at work had bitten the dust. i was going to have a ceremony and courtney was going to have a fundraiser for a new speaker friend. alas, frustrated and saddened by my loss, i unplugged the device and shook the cord in the air... and it blinked on. when it wasn't plugged in. i have enough electricity in my body to power a small stereo. this is freaking awesome.

now for a question: since i obviously have superhero powers, what should my name be? and you are all not allowed to tell my secret in fear that i may be shipped to a far away island and hushed. especially since i'm having so much fun here. although i will say that if my secret gets out and i AM sent to an island, at least my other island prisoner friends will have someone to laugh with.

now for my REAL question: i am thinking i'd like to move to the city after the spring semester is over, and want everyone to clue me in on where to look and what neighborhoods would be fun... i'm super excited about this!








this picture really fits this post pretty perfectly:


me, taken the night before my birthday outside of 5th quarter on main in collinsville. i have no idea where the conversation had been headed before i decided to stand like a superhero in front of the hangout, but i was with the lynch's and becky d, so who knows really. i am, however, sure the conversation was funny.

it's only the beginning...

it occurred to me recently that i should have been doing this blogging thing for some time. as you all know, i'm extremely random. and i have a tendency to not hold my tongue. i always just tried to remember all of the funny things that had happened so that i could tell friends when we would get together (which, as known, never really works). then-bright idea- blog you idiot. so, here i sit, blog number one.

this one may be a tad bit long. but, really, i always have something crazy that happened or i thought of. or something that happened years ago that i just remembered. most of the time, i remember these things around 4am, when my friends are sleeping. not a great time for a "hey, remember when we did this?!?!?" phone call.

nonetheless- i know exactly where i'm going with this blog tonight. it will take some explanation, but the moral of the story- i was in PURE steve perry form.

you all know i love music, so there's really no explanation needed there. and to be truthful, love is not a strong enough word. i'd say i completely and totally feel music.

all of you also know that i'm a sterile processing tech at one of the best hospitals in the area. my job isn't exciting, but the benefits are great, it pays the bills, and help with school is always welcome. basically what i do is sit in a room within the OR department and wait for really expensive shiny metal to pop out of a washer. then i get to inspect it and set it up. this is the bottom line. like i said, uninteresting, although pretty important if you're the patient on the table.

anywho, my evening shift is amazing. we have fun. problem is, when i begin my shift, the day shift is still around. they're grouchy and unpleasant, and i am the exact opposite, so i just put some sweet delicious musical candy into my ears and try to make it to around 5 or 6pm. you see, that's when things get better. we have a stereo with an iPod hookup. hellllloooo perfection. i work on one end of the room, and a few others occupy the other, which has a radio that is always tuned to some station. (sidenote: the days ms. leona wants to listen to delilah are hell, but i love her anyway.) basically a few of the employees and myself are listening to my iPod, and courtney (i know you're reading this mrs. turner) regulates the radio on the other side. while i groove to my own tunes, sometimes a jam from the other area entices me.

case-in-point: someone who shall remain nameless does NOT like the gem that is kansas' "carry on my wayward son". but, me... when that song comes on across the way, my ipod stops. i sing at the top of my lungs and air drum and air guitar. i AM my own one man band. song ends, and i go back to what i was doing before. there are a few songs that just DO that to me.

i share my love of rockin' music with my serogate mother, a fellow employee named cynthia, who we all affectionately call by her last name, halliburton. (i know, what a cool name!!) she will listen to anything on my iPod, but particularly likes hendrix and CCR. any audible guitar solo triggers her air guitar, which is a thousand times better than mine. basically, she feels like an older sister, but treats me like a daughter. it's awesomely cool.

so, picture this:

tonight, i'm doing as i normally do, assembling sets and listening to STP or something kickin', and my eardrum is pulled to the other side of the room, where my serogate mom is working. this time, it wasn't the radio. it was courtney saying "hey janelle, your song's on!". there is only one song courtney pulls me to the other side of the room for: steve perry's "oh, sherrie". unfortuantely this golden tune is NOT on my iPod (i know, people), so i take advantage of listening to it.

i mosey on over to my mom, who also loves this song, and boom:

"YOU SHOULDA BEEN GONE!!!!!!"

yes. in unison. loud as all get out. and, knowing me, i assume you are all picturing me pumping my fist in the air and showing complete emotion on my face.

this is what life is all about. and i love it, more so these last few days then, well.... you get the picture.

more tomorrow. i'm off to groove.