See.......SPAM sucks! What do they think?? That I am some kind of porn freak???
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the lake at my grandma's where we went fishing
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the road my grandma lived on in Sebastapol, CA
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my grandma's old barn - it has been torn down since this picture was taken
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Memories...

I remember when I was a kid, spending a month or so at a time at my grandmother's house in Sebastapol, CA. I loved it there. She had hundreds of acres of land that I could roam about on, and a private lake where I could fish all day long. The roads were lined with blackberry bushes and the orchards were full of fruit trees. The lake was full of fish...catfish, bass and bluegill, all hungry for worms and crawfish. The night was full of the sounds of owls and bullfrogs, and the occasional coyote. The land was full of giant redwood trees...trees so tall that when you looked up, you could hardly see the tops of them. The ground was full of redwood needles and pinecones, and lizards ran to and fro on the wooden fences, stopping to sun themselves occasionally, then running away as soon as I stepped toward them. My visits were full of happiness and the smell of apple pie baking in the oven. Nothing tasted better than my grandma's apple pie. Oh, it was delicious. She really knew how to cook. I never knew my real grandfather...he died before I was born. But I do remember Hank, my step grandfather. He used to take me fishing early in the morning before even the roosters were awake. He always had these bass magazines that had these charts in them, telling you when the fish would be biting. He really took them to heart. He was so patient with me. I even accidentally hooked him in the arm with a fishing lure once, and he never even flinched. I know that if that happened to me, I would have been screaming bloody murder ! I loved visiting my grandmother. She had an old mutt named Cooter who was such a cool dog, even if he did get sprayed by skunks a few times. A lot of my mom's relatives lived within a few miles of her house, so I was constantly seeing an aunt or uncle or cousin of some sort everyday. My cousins used to play baseball, and they would take me to watch their games. We even used to have dirt clod wars in the orchard, and even my cousin Bob, who was more of an uncle to me since he was old enough to be one, would join along. My other cousin, Ray, took me on a long horseback ride once, and I just though that was the best thing ever. Of course, I was so sore afterward, but it was worth it. We would have hay fights in the loft of the old barn and mud fights in the lake. I would go on picinics and to barbeques at my uncle Gump's house. He even taught me how to catch lizards. I had so much fun up there, and I miss it so much. But my grandmother died a few years ago, and my uncle Gump and cousin Ray are gone, too. But I am glad that my cousins bought her house. It would have not been the same if her house would have been sold to a stranger. Even though I am all grown up, I think if she were still alive, I would still be going up there every summer and fishing in the lake and catching lizards and eating blackberries off of the bushes. Just because you grow up, doesn't mean you have to give up the things you liked to do as a kid.

the awful truth is revealed, and then she cried
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PMS ... not just a myth

WARNING .......... for any men who may be reading this, you may not want to read any further. Graphic descriptions of periods, PMS, tampons and vaginas will be mentioned below. Read at your own risk. You have been warned.

PMS sucks.... my boobs are sore, I am on the verge of tears because I saw some little puppy on Animal Planet that had to be put to sleep, and I am starting to cramp. This just sucks. And I am not even due to start the actual "period" for a few days. You know what sucks even more, is that I am so "randy" all the time while I am all bleeding and crampy on my period. Isn't that just wrong? I mean, c'mon. Mother Nature is an evil bitch to make us women bleed for 5 days out of the month as it is, and then she has to go and make us all randy while we can't do anything about it??? How mean is that? Is that some kind of cruel joke? I mean, I don't do anything as it is, but hey, if I had a man, I would sure like to! lol. I guess that is why guys are glad we women have mouths and hands....lol.......must be nice to be a guy and to be able to get some any time they want, whether or not we are on our periods. Tampons and pads are so expensive, too. I mean, they know we NEED them, so of course they are gonna charge an arm and a leg for a box of them. If you do the tampons, you need pads too, cuz you can't wear the tampons at night. So you may as well just be a pad girl and forget about buying 2 different things, but I like tampons. They are less of a "leak" risk. I remember once upon a time in high school when I had a leak....more like a freakin flood! It was the most embarassing thing that ever happened to me. And I was wearing shorts. You can imagine how awful that was. Guys don't have to worry about that stuff. I mean, they do have to worry about wet dreams (but those happen at night in bed), and the occasional boner, but that is nothing compared to a leak! At least the boner calms down eventually and is no longer an issue. Leaks are not so easily remedied. They take a good laundry detergent to fix, and even then, sometimes, you can't fix em and you end up having to buy a new pair of shorts (or whatever you "leaked" on). Underwear are the worst leak victims though. I find it is best to wear black underwear for those days when bleeding is an issue. Right now, I don't have that problem, but in a few days, I will. I dread it every month. I think if men had to go through it every month, they would turn into blubbering fools just like we do - lol.

so true
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Joan: "Isn't it your job to let there be light?
God: "It's eveyone's"

~ From Joan of Arcadia

Flat tires suck!

I went out today to go to the store to get milk and bread, then went to El Pollo Loco for lunch (Pollo Bowls - mmmm), and then went to the post office to mail a package today...innocent enough. And all of those places were within a few miles of my house. So, of course, I was very suprised when I came out of the post office and found out that my right rear tire was flat....not just low on air, but flat to the ground. Thank goodness for cell phones, and even more thank goodness for my parents and brother who came down to the post office to help me (since I know nothing about changing a tire!!). They came down, and took the flat tire off and put that little "donut" tire on my car so I could drive to the tire shop. Luckily, it was just a nail in my tire that caused the flatness, so they fixed it for $10 and I was no worse for the wear. But it still sucked! lol. I realize that I need to learn how to change tires now - lol.

my desk at work - I am so organized - hehe
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Work it girl!!!

Congratulations Arlene....I knew you could do it.... you know what I am talking about - hehe

and here is a little friendly advice from me......

Funny Work Jokes

12 Valid Reasons Not To Come In To Work

1. I can't come in to work today because I'll be stalking my previous boss, who fired me for not showing up for work. OK?

2. When I got up this morning, I took two Ex-lax in addition to my Prozac. I can't get off the john, but I feel good about it.

3. My mother-in-law has come back as one of the Undead and we must track her to her coffin to drive a stake through her heart and give her eternal peace. One day should do it.

4. I can't come to work today because the EPA has determined that my house is completely surrounded by wetlands and I have to arrange for helicopter transportation.

5. If it is all the same to you I won't be coming in to work. The voices told me to clean all the guns today.

6. I have a rare case of 48-hour projectile leprosy, but I know we have that deadline to meet....

7. I am stuck in the blood pressure machine down at Tom Thumb.

8. Yes, I seem to have contracted some attention-deficit disorder and, hey, how about them Skins, huh? So, I won't be able to, yes, could I help you? No, no, I'll be sticking with Sprint, but thank you for calling.

9. Constipation has made me a walking time bomb.

10. I just found out that I was switched at birth. Legally, I shouldn't come to work knowing my employee records may now contain false information.

11. The psychiatrist said it was an excellent session. He even gave me this jaw restraint so I won't bite things when I am startled.

12. The dog ate my car keys. We're going to hitchhike to the vet.

Things you Would Love To Say But You Don't

1) I can see your point, but I still think you're full of shit.
2) I don't know what your problem is, but I'll bet it's hard to pronounce.
3) How about never? Is never good for you?
4) I see you've set aside this special time to humiliate yourself in public.
5) I'm really easy to get along with once you people learn to see it my way.
6) I'll try being nicer if you'll try being smarter.
7) I'm out of my mind, but feel free to leave a message.
8) I don't work here. I'm a consultant.
9) It sounds like English, but I can't understand a word you're saying.
10) Ahhh...I see the screw-up fairy has visited us again.
11) I like you. You remind me of when I was young and stupid.
12) You are validating my inherent mistrust of strangers.
13) I have plenty of talent and vision; I just don't give a damn.
14) I'm already visualizing the duct tape over your mouth.
15) I will always cherish the initial misconceptions I had about you.
16) Thank you. We're all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view.
17) The fact that no one understands you doesn't mean you're an artist.
18) Any connection between your reality and mine is purely coincidental.
19) What am I? Flypaper for freaks!?
20) I'm not being rude. You're just insignificant.
21) It's a thankless job, but I've got a lot of Karma to burn off.
22) Yes, I am an agent of Satan, but my duties are largely ceremonial.
23) And your crybaby whiny-assed opinion would be...?
24) Do I look like a people person?
25) This isn't an office. It's Hell with fluorescent lighting.
26) I started out with nothing & still have most of it left!
27) Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
28) If I throw a stick, will you leave?
29) Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.
30) Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed it.
31) I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
32) A cubicle is just a padded cell without a door.
33) Can I trade this job for what's behind door #1?
34) Chaos, panic, & disorder - my work here is done.
35) How do I set a laser printer to stun?
36) I thought I wanted a career, turns out I just wanted paychecks.
37) File that under "Never".

Speaker Phone Trick

Have you ever worked in an office where someone insisted upon listening to their voice mail using the speakerphone (at full volume, naturally). It can really begin to bother you after a while. There was a fellow in my office who was the ultimate offender.

I found a fairly easy fix for that, though. I have my wife call his desk when he's not there and leave a message like "Hi, this is Candy from 1-900-HOT-ASS. You haven't paid for the 'toys' we sent you, you naughty boy. You wouldn't want me to come over there and spank you, would you?"

It is the last time you hear that particular speakerphone, I can assure you.

HOW TO TELL IF YOU NEED A VACATION FROM WORK

1. When a coworker comes in a little too happy singing "good morning"
to everyone and you think, "Somebody needs to slap the sh*t out of
her"... You need a vacation.

2. When someone comes in and announces, "office meeting in 5 minutes," and
you think,"what the f*ck do they want now?"..... You need a vacation.

3. When your computer is mysteriously turned off and you want to say,
"which one of you sons of b*tches turned off my computer?"..... .You
need a vacation

4. When you and a coworker are discussing something and a 3rd person comes
in and says, "well at my last office...", and you want to throw a stapler
at him......You need a vacation.

5. When you hear a coworker call your name and the first thing that
crosses your mind is, "what the hell does this b*tch want now?"and you
try to hide underneath your desk.........You need a vacation.

6. When you are asked to stay late and help do someone else's work that
could have already been done if they had stayed off the damned
phone and the first thing that pops in your head is, "both of y'all can kiss my a*s!!".......You need a vacation.

7. When you're in the elevator and it stops to pick up someone who stood
for 5 minutes waiting for the darned thing only to go DOWN one floor, and
you say "that lazy bastard"..... You need a vacation.

8. When you take some vacation time and come back to find a mountain of
paperwork sitting on your desk because no one else would do it and you
think, "sorry a*s mother f*ckers"..... You need to take another vacation.

9. When you have ever thought about poisoning, choking, punching,
slapping, or flattening someone's tires that you work with...... You
need a vacation

10. If you avoid saying more than hello or how are you doing to someone
because you know it's going to lead to their life story ........ You
need a vacation.

"What is a friend? I will tell you… it is someone with whom

you dare to be yourself." ~ Frank Crane

I assure you that you are at the right place......

Yep.....I changed my blog template yet again...I like to keep everyone on their toes....hehe

SPAM - When will it end???

10 more reasons why I hate SPAM..... (email not the food, although I don't like that either)...


1) Get a free Viagara Trial....... no thanks ... I am a woman!
2) See hot chicks sucking on big d*cks..... ummm....no thank you. I have my own porn.
3) You're Still Smoking? ............ nope...never started.
4) You're pre approved for a platinum Mastercard.... ugh...no thanks!
5) Attention women! Custom designer shoes on sale! ..... great....another reason to spend more money. Also it is an incentive to get #4. I smell a conspiracy!
6) Need $500 USD now? Get it as soon as today! .... yeah and the interest rate is only 1000%.
7) Need a new phone and don't want to pay for it? .... ummm is this a trick question?
8) No more chalkboards. Switch to dry erase...... I don't even have a chalkboard to begin with.
9) Christy is nude.... well good for her. Tonite when I shower, I will be nude too. But you don't see me sending out a bulletin telling everyone that tho.
10) Your online education grant has been approved.....funny.... I wasn't aware I applied for one.

Crazy little thing called love

"Love is everything it's cracked up to be…It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. "~ Erica Jong



I was talking to a friend last nite about love, and he said that he didn't think love was worth all the pain and trouble it causes. You can imagine that I completely disagreed with him and told him that it, indeed, was worth fighting for. Just because something may cause you pain doesn't mean it doesn't deserve to be tried out or done. If that were the case, there would be no need for a Superbowl or a World Series...the lightbulb and airplane would never have been invented...there would be no policemen or firefighters...there would be no doctors or airline pilots... no babies would ever be born, and thus mankind would cease to exist. Some things really are worth fighting for and going through pain and suffering. Many things in life come easily or without a price to pay. But how often do you really remember those things? How often do you take those things for granted? I know most of the most memorable things in my life are the things I have done that have taken a toll on me, whether it be physically or emotionally. Graduating from college was one of those things. Sure it caused a lot of stress and I had to work my as* off to get through it, but I did it, and I am proud of myself for doing so. I don't really remember most of the easy classes, because I didn't have to work hard in them to get a good grade. It was the math classes and the music classes and the literature courses that really tested me, and those are the ones that I remember and are most proud of myself for completing and doing well in. Even the math classes that I didn't do so well in I really feel proud of myself for completing, because, for me, math is very difficult, and the fact that I didn't just give up and throw in the towel is a major accomplishment for me. The things in life that make you think or make you struggle to accomplish are the things that you can really look back on proudly, and being able to say "I did it."

Some people may think that love is not something difficult or could not consitute being called a major accomplishment, but those who say that are mistaken, or may have never been in love before. I have been in love, true love, once in my life. Ok, so you may be saying to yourself, "once...how can she possibly know anything about love?". Well, once is all it really takes to know a thing or two about love. I may not know everything there is to know about it, but I DO know, and I am absolutely sure, that love IS worth fighting for. I have had some bad relationships. I have seen the good, bad and the ugly (very ugly) sides of relationships. I have been with the abusive boyfriend...the thief...the cheater. I am not saying that those are things you should put up with. I am not saying that at all! If I would have been smarter at the time, I would not have ever put up with being physically and emotionally abused by someone who "supposedly" cared about me. But those are the lessons you learn, and nothing in life is learned without some sort of struggle. But, and this is a big but, true love, real love, IS worth fighting for. When you find that someone special who you can completely relate to, and talk to about just anything, and have a strong bond with and treats you like you deserve to be treated, you would of course try your best to keep that relationship going. You can't just give up because you have one lousy fight. If that were the case, EVERYONE would be single and miserable.

In my case, I did fight for love, but he didn't want to fight for me, and I accept that because I am not the kind of person who would force myself on anyone. I gave it my very best effort, but you can't MAKE someone love you. And the more you try to do that, the more you end up pushing people away. I would rather be friends with him than nothing, because he is a wonderful person. I just want someone to fight for me. Love is not a take, take sort of thing. It requires some giving too. You can't do everything yourself. If you could, there would be no need for maids or nannies, and the like...but I digress.

Love is a wonderful and beautiful thing. It is what inspires poets and artists, songwriters and authors. If it were so easily attainable, I don't think many people would strive so hard to work for it. It is a great motivator, this thing called love. It is the ulitmate reward of life.

"For one human being to love another, that is perhaps the most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate, the last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation." ~ Ranier Marie Rilke

Arlene and Art, sitting in a tree - he he he
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Just for Arlene. . .

Ok Arlene.......where are you? Ever since you and Art hooked up, you are never around anymore. . . hmmmm.... I wonder where you can be? he he.....maybe you have been frequenting the Vu lately looking for handcuffs and leather underwear - lol - just teasing... you know I luv ya! And to show you just how much luv I have for ya, here..... http://www.chocolatefantasies.com/ that is a super site for "fun" stuff .... he he. I have shopped there before...... I have no shame! lol. Now get out that credit card and hop to it!!!

Hannibal and Sunny Boy - my 2 koi fish (although you can really only see Hannibal here)
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"It takes a whole lot of people telling you that you can't do it to make you want to quit....but it takes only one person telling you that you can to make you keep trying."

Don't worry....be happy :)
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My very own inferiority complex

"No one can make you feel inferior without your consent." Eleanor Roosevelt said that. And it is true, when you come to think about it. So why is it that I always feel inferior? I wish I knew. There is always going to be someone out there who writes better than me, plays the guitar better than me, paints better than me, or articulates him or herself better than me. I know this, and I completely accept this. That is not the problem. The problem is that I go as far to think that EVERYONE is better at EVERYTHING than me. I really don't know why I think this way. I mean no one has ever really put me down for being an inferior person...well no one that I really needed to worry about (but that is a subject for a later entry). I just tend to take criticism better than I do compliments. I guess because if you get criticized for something, there is always an opportunity to try to make it better. With compliments, I get so shy and wonder if there is an ulterior motive involved in the giving of the compliment, or wonder if I am supposed to say something back besides, "Thank you." Most of the time, I can't even think of anything anyone could possibly compliment me on. Especially my looks. lol... I am not the prettiest of girls, nor am I thin by any means. Sometimes it bothers me to know that some people out there automatically assume I am lazy or stupid just because I don't have a body like a supermodel. To tell you the truth, part of me wishes that I could be beautiful, but then, naw....I would settle for average looking any day. But I would never resort to plastic surgery to make myself look different just to please somebody other than myself...never. I may feel inferior sometimes, but I still have my own mind and refuse to change myself just to please someone else. Compromise I can handle...but ultimatums don't fly well with me. Still, if I had the money, I would get a breast reduction for sure. Men just don't realize how much of a pain in the ass (or chest in this instance) those things are!!! I am VERY self conscious about my chest, and won't wear anything too clingy or bras that push up (lord knows I don't need push ups!!!). I don't want to draw any more attention to my chest than it already gets. I hate it so much that I even buy those minimizer bras in the hopes that my chest won't be too noticeable...but then, I doubt they would ever be able to make a bra that would shrink my boobs down to a normal size - if they have some out there, let me know!!

In college, every time I turned in a paper or an exam, I felt like I could have done better. Even if I got an A, I still felt like something was missing or could be improved on....well, except in math. I never did well at math, and that really bothered me, and still does. I can't understand why I can't get a handle on math. It really bothers me when I don't understand something. I always feel like I SHOULD understand EVERYTHING, which is probably why I used to always question my elementary school teachers on the stuff I didn't understand about religion (they must not have liked to not understand things themselves, because I always seemed to tick them off with my questions and got me into trouble with them- lol). I know that some people are naturally brilliant and can pick up on things just like that. I never wanted to be one of those people, but somewhere in the middle would be nice.

Now, I am not that way with my friends or anyone else. I am not critical of other people's work. In fact, usually I am the last person you want an opinion from because I am always so much in awe of other people's work that I can't criticize it. I will offer helpful advice when needed, but criticism, no way. If I could find a way to see the good in the things I do and in the person I am, I would be much happier. Maybe I should start treating myself the way I treat my friends...that might be a good start.

One reason why I won't be moving to Alabama - lol

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court (news - web sites) rejected on Tuesday a constitutional challenge to an Alabama law that makes it a crime to sell sex toys.

The high court refused to hear an appeal by a group of individuals who regularly use sexual devices and by two vendors who argued the case raised important issues about the scope of the constitutional right to sexual privacy.

The law prohibited the distribution of "any device designed or marketed as useful primarily for the stimulation of human genital organs." First-time violators can face a fine of up to $10,000 and as much as one year in jail.

The law, adopted in 1998, allowed the sale of ordinary vibrators and body massagers that are not designed or marketed primarily as sexual aids. It exempted sales of sexual devices "for a bona fide medical, scientific, educational, legislative, judicial or law enforcement purpose."
Georgia and Texas are the only other states that restrict the distribution of sexual devices, according to the court record in the case.

Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union (news - web sites), representing those who challenged the law, argued that private, consensual sexual conduct among adults is constitutionally protected and beyond the reach of government regulation.

They said the Supreme Court's decision in 2003 striking down a Texas sodomy law also created a fundamental, constitutional due process right to sexual privacy.

"The evidence shows that this case is not about novelty items, naughty toys or obscene matter. It is a case about human sexuality and extremely intimate acts," the attorneys said.

They said Alabama has never explained "why sales of performance enhancing drugs like Viagra, Cialis and Levitra and even ribbed condoms are not similarly prohibited."

The attorneys said the state did not contest the evidence that about 20 percent of all American women use a vibrator and at least 10 percent of sexually active adults use vibrators in their regular sex life.

A federal judge ruled against the state and found a constitutional "right to use sexual devices like ... vibrators, dildos, anal beads and artificial vaginas."

But a U.S. appeals court based in Atlanta upheld the law by a 2-1 vote.

The appeals court said it agreed with Alabama that the law exercised time-honored use of state police power to restrict the sale of sex. It rejected the ACLU's argument that the constitutional right to privacy covered the commercial sale of sex toys.

Alabama Attorney General Troy King opposed the ACLU's appeal.

"This case involves conduct that is both public and commercial -- the sale of sexual devices to the general public in commercial retail shopping centers" and at in-house Tupperware-style parties, he said.

King said the law respected "the distinction between public commercial conduct and purely private behavior." He said, "It ... stays out of people's bedrooms."

The justices rejected the appeal without any comment or recorded dissent.



(can you believe this crap....I mean they allow the sales of guns and stuff that can kill you, but not the sales of something for pleasure....what has this world come to? lol)

And now....deep thoughts...by Jack Handey

"I wish I would have a real tragic love affair and get so bummed out that I'd just quit my job and become a bum for a few years, because I was thinking about doing that anyway. "

"Love can sweep you off your feet and carry you along in a way you've never known before. But the ride always ends, and you end up feeling lonely and bitter. Wait. It's not love I'm describing. I'm thinking of a monorail."

"Laurie got offended that I used the word "puke." But to me, that's what her dinner tasted like."

"It takes a big man to cry, but it takes a bigger man to laugh at that man."

"I hope life isn't a big joke, because I don't get it."

When you are bored, you find things like this....

Kimberly is poisonous! Induce vomitting if ingested.

N POISON

Username:

From Go-Quiz.com

Am I cool or uncool? [CLICK] You are Cool! You're pretty cool! People look at you and think.. 'wow.. that person is cool!' Congratulations. Use your position wisely and teach the dorks below you a thing or two. There's nothing like recruiting a cool person. Cool quizzes at Go-Quiz.com

Who's got the answer?

I find it funny that there are soooooo many of those online tests out there. You know...the ones that ask you questions and process your answers to "reveal" all sorts of stuff about you. I took a quiz twice...to see what kind of girlfriend I am...once with my real answers and the next time with just made-up answers, answered without any thought at all. The first result was this....

Kim, you're a Steady Supporter Stand by your man — that's just something you naturally do. Once you've committed to a relationship, you are a constant companion who enjoys the comfort and stability that comes from being a couple. Not quick to judge, accuse, or think the worst, you have a lot of trust (in him and in yourself), and you rarely worry about where he is or who he's with.

The next result, the one with the made-up answers came out like this....

Kim, you're a Passionate Partner Love or lust? You probably don't ask that question too much — they're both important to a passionate soul like you. This doesn't mean that you play the field. You just love getting swept up in your emotions, and you want to keep desire alive in your long-term relationships.


It just goes to show you that no test is 100% perfect. These tests rely on the fact that you are answering truthfully, and gosh knows that not everyone does that. I could take some insanity test and just answer at random and be found to be insane based on a test. But, thes tests are fun nonetheless, and are just for entertainment purposes, much as horoscopes and the like are. Sometimes when I get especially bored, I will look on the internet for some test or quiz. I like the IQ tests because they make you think, but even those results can be unreliable, if you are a good enough guesser ;)

And the award goes to.....

I have come to the conclusion that there are entirely too many award shows out there. I came to this conclusion as I sat at the tv watching the TRL awards and they had an award for the best band that actually plays their own instruments (insert laugh here). What are they gonna come up with next? How about an award show for the best reality tv shows and people? Oh yeah...they have one of those already. Ok...how about an award show for the best commercials. Oh yeah...they have one of those already too. How about an award show for the worst movies? They have that already too. Ok, what about an award for the stupidest award show? Do they have one of those already? Well, if they don't, I am sure there is someone out there working up that concept right now.

we ate at La Famiglia - mmmmmmmm good food
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the brown building on the left hand side is Paul Revere's house - the cobblestone streets were cool, but hard to walk on at times - lol
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Boston's North End - we walked everywhere in the North End when we were there
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a pic of Boston Harbor - I took this from the solarium in the building where I stayed with Alicia and her grandparents - it was beautiful
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more dorkiness - lol
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me being a dork
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and I like to paint, too
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I like to draw cartoons too :)
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a more recent horse drawing - ok, so I like to draw horses - lol
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me and my teddy bear :)
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me and a bunch of us at our Christmas party many a year ago
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a view of Ponderosa Village near Lake Tahoe taken as we hiked down into the village from a hay wagon breakfast
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the view of Lake Tahoe as we were coming down a hiking trail - it was so beautiful there
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my mom, grandma and my brother on a cloudy day in Salinas, CA
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me in 8th grade at El Tejon's grad nite - further proof that I was a total dork!!
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The Supreme Scream at Knotts Berry Farm - would have NEVER ridden this had it not been for Veronica - lol
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Veronica - say cheese!!!
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Me and Leif (artfully created by Veronica's photo program thingy)
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Arlene at the gym reading a paper - hehe (caption provided by me of course - lol)
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me, Veronica and Tracy at Veronica's New Year's Party
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Alicia and Orlando
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Friends are the best

Friends are what make life a little easier to handle. They make the sun seem to shine a little brighter. They make the good days seem to last longer and the bad days seem to fly by. They are what make the world a better place, and you all the better of a person for having known them.

I have known my best friend Cyndi since I was about in 3rd grade. We were in Girl Scouts together. We have been through a lot together. I remember having sleepovers and riding bikes together...the times we put on our little productions of "Grease 2" for no one in particular....the gymnastics performances we would put on...swimming in the pool all day in the summer....building forts in the river bed...fighting over some silly thing or another that seemed so important to us at the time....scary bedtime stories and horror movies.....Stephen King books and the old Atari games we used to play....Girl Scout badges and day camp in the summer....and of course, the "haunted" deserted gas station that is now a Mc Donald's (by the way, I have been to the Mc Donald's and I have never witnessed any hauntings - lol). Those memories sure make me smile.

When I moved away in 7th grade, I was so sad to leave. I thought I would never see Cyndi again. But despite the distance, we stayed friends throughout it all. We wrote letters to each other, some phone calls when we could, and had a few get togethers over the years. We kind of lost touch for a while after high school, but now that we have found each other again, we have kept in touch, despite her busy life (mine is sadly not so busy - lol). I was her maid of honor at her wedding, and I tell you, I have never been so proud of anyone in my life as I was of her that day, and even more honored to be the one whe wanted there at her side on her special day. I hope someday to make her my maid of honor, IF that time ever comes (lol).

I have had quite a few good friends come into my life since then, and all of them hold a special place in my heart....Alicia, Arlene, Veronica, Leif, Tom....they are all wonderful and special people to me, and each one of them brings something new and exciting into my life. Arlene is goofy and more serious and always has something funny to say. Alicia is wild and crazy, and yet very sweet and truly cares about people. Veronica is funny, smart, considerate and makes me laugh. Leif is caring and dorky and honest, and all-around wonderful. And Tom is funny and sometimes strange, but strange in a good way - lol. Each and every one of my friends has shown a new side of the world to me, and exposed me to new and exciting things, things I probably would have never seen or done myself. Every one of my friends is a treasure to me, and I can't think of a better gift than their friendship.

I may not be rich as far as money goes, but I think I am rich in other ways. I have a lot of friends who make me feel loved and cared about, and I think that is better than money in every way.

Cyndi and I on her wedding day :)
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My best friend Cyndi and I when we were little Girl Scouts - lol
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My grandpa...my hero

I was only 4 years old when my grandfather died, yet I remember everything about him; the way he laughed, the way he pretended to be mad at me when I sat in "his" chair, the puzzles I "helped" him put together. I remember everything like it was yesterday. He was the only grandfather I knew, for my mother's father died before I was born. And since I was their first grandchild, boy was I spoiled!!! I remember visiting my grandparents when I was young, and sleeping on the floor in their room on a mattress and then waking up early for breakfast. I remember that my grandfather would always pretend to be asleep so I could go wake him up for breakfast. I remember playing with my grandpa's pipe cleaners, making them into various animal shapes and making up my own zoo, and how mad he got at me for using them all. Of course, he could never stay mad at me for long. I remember how he used to take me to the beach at Morro Bay, and walk out with me while I collected seashells, and taking me to the Atascadero Zoo to see all the animals. He was always so patient with me. And when we played hide-n-seek, he always pretended to not be able to find me. He gave me piggy back rides, and let me help him with his puzzles. He let me crawl all over him, even when he was getting sick. I didn't understand just how sick he was. I didn't even know what leukemia meant when I was a kid. All I knew is that my grandpa, who was once strong and big, was getting weaker everytime we visited. And before I knew it, he was in the hospital. The last memory I have of him was seeing him outside the window to his room. It was sunny outside, and I remember staning outside in the sun, waving to him, eating a chocolate bar. He waved back to me and smiled, and that was the last time I saw him. I was told that he went to heaven, and at the time, I didn't know what that meant. I just knew he wasn't going to be around anymore, and I always thought that he would come back someday. Of course, I know better now. But I still miss him. Even though I was so very young when he died, I could never forget about him...ever. He was my hero, and he still is.

my grandpa - Clyde Vondell Perkins - miss you!
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