09 Monday Apr 2012
Posted in Til Death O.o
27 Friday Jan 2012
Posted in Comics!, Faradiddle!, Image Attack!, Til Death O.o
Being married to Batman is amazing, even if he does like to wear my snowman pajama bottoms around the house. Work it Randy! (scuse the seriously crappy cell phone photo)
01 Thursday Dec 2011
Posted in Faradiddle!, Image Attack!, LMAO
Tags
Number 2 jokes are always funny! Especially if they are on the back of a dump truck filled with poo. I realize it’s not the best thing, taking a picture of the truck in front of you with your phone while your driving (we were stopped at a light, sheesh!), but it’s to good not to… really!
27 Sunday Nov 2011
Posted in Faradiddle!, Image Attack!
I don’t know if it’s appropriate to laugh or not… I mean Really? Randy picked these up thinking they are hilarious. Sometimes as a Christian it’s hard to be married to an Atheist, and then there is the fact I want to laugh to. I gave in, I don’t think God would mind, I mean come on! The tag lines are enough to send me into peals.
17 Monday Oct 2011
Posted in Faradiddle!, Image Attack!, The Boob Tube
Words can not express the awesomeness of this photo and how much it cracks me up. RAWR! Or should it be HOWL!? Oh Joe Manganiello, you are the perfect Alcide. (sighs)
16 Sunday Oct 2011
Posted in Image Attack!, WTFRIG?
Tags
Saw this car today when I went to Book Alley. This is the front but the side said: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation.”
Can we file this one under creepy? Maybe I’m just a hippie Christian who’s beliefs are too liberal, but I’ll stick to reading the @DalaiLama‘s tweets.
08 Saturday Oct 2011
Tags
animal man, aquaman, batgirl, Batman, batwoman, birds of prey, catwoman, dc comics, green lantern, i vampire, justice league, justice league dark, red hood and the outlaws, resurection man, reviews, superboy, supergirl, superman, teen titans, the flash, the new 52, voodoo, wonder woman
I’ve been following The New 52 for a while, from first glimpses of new costumes to leaks of the re-boot stories themselves. Though I think I was mostly excited that I could get back into some of my old reading habits without having to catch up on back-issues. This is the perfect chance for DC to bring in new readers and old readers like myself who haven’t picked up a comic in about 10 years, don’t waste it DC!
So I spent quite a bit of time dwindling down my new read list, mostly in an attempt not to bankrupt myself, and out of all 52 new comics, these are the ones I decided to pick-up. Here is my weigh-in!
This is a review so obviously…SPOILERS AHEAD!
Week 1:
Action Comics #1 (Written by Grant Morrison | Art by Rags Morales)
Alright boys, what’s going on here? Someone’s going to be sticking their nose in the corner if they don’t get a hold of this unruly Superman, and right now, I mean it! Seriously though, I felt like I should be scolding Clark the entire time I read this, it’s like the mom just came out of me and wanted to shake my finger. What are you doing?! You can’t do that! What would Ma and Pa Kent think! (Sigh)
Once I got over the fact that Superman wasn’t going to be his oh so overgrown boy scout self I did love this and I’m excited to see where it leads. I totally get that pain and bad decisions bring growth and I think eventually Supes will return to being that beacon for justice and light by always taking the high road, but until then I guess I can handle this more devil may care attitude.
Will I read it again? Bring it on!
Issue #2 Update: Even better this week than last, Lex Luthor is such a sick puppy. Hooked.
Animal Man #1 (Written by Jeff Lemire | Art by Travel Foreman)
This is completely new territory for me, so know I’m coming on this train with no previous experience with Animal Man. First off, I loved the interview style start. I also love that the man has a understanding wife but she’s not afraid to tell it like it is, also the man has kids! I LOVE this! I did find his powers a bit confusing at first, I think there may have been something lost in translation from words to art, but only at first, I got it after a while. I’m sure old readers got it right off the bat though. Don’t forget us newbies writers, we do exist! Overall I was pleased with the tone of this comic, like I said I’m a newb to this one but I will definitely be giving this a fair trial.
Will I read it again? I think a fair chance of 4-5 issues is warranted here.
Issue #2 Update: Still loving the story, definitely sticking with it, but I have to admit the art is sort of a buzzkill for me sometimes.
Batgirl #1 (Written by Gail Simone | Art by Adrian Syaf)
I dunno, there was something about this that just made me forget about it the second I put it down. I have no prior attachment to Oracle so it’s not the loss of that character, though It does sound more interesting that what we have in this offering. It’s hard to put my finger on what I didn’t like here, maybe it’s the massive difference between the happy smiling Batgirl on the cover to the one on the inside.
She looks so young and carefree when you look at her on the cover and on the inside she has lots of baggage. I’d say she almost comes off as depressed but maybe it’s just all the inner dialog trying to get the back story over with, I don’t know, and yeah I get that she’s recovering from a major injury so there are issues to overcome. I related to that part actually more than anything, having a sister who was wheelchair bound for over a year and having to learn to walk again after a horrible car accident. Maybe it’s that, knowing what she used to be a diverse and interesting character unlike any before except maybe the well known Professor X or the fairly new Soldier Zero, and now she’s just sort of the status quo.
I did like that she showed fear at the end, so we have room for growth there as well, I dunno, I just don’t know if I HAVE to see that growth like I do with Victor Stone of JL or the Superman of Action Comics.
Will I read it again? I’m going to give this till #3 and we will see.
Issue #2 Update: Whoa! Way way WAY better than last week, I’m officially in if they keep this up!
Justice League #1 (Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Jim Lee)
This is the Justice league, so I had pretty high expectations for it, and for me it didn’t disappoint at all. I loved green Lantern’s pestering of Batman, and yeah maybe it felt a little fanservice’y, but over all it gave me the same kind of familiar warm feeling that Indiana Jones 3 did. Laughs that only a familiar character can give you, like seeing family you haven’t talked to in years so you have lots of good stories to tell. I also loved Victor Stone’s intro, we see a little angst with his father, and even though we only see it through his own one sided conversation with a voice mail recorder you can still get that this is an obvious conflicting relationship that shapes him. I also love that it’s bringing in a younger element to the more seasoned team, lots of growth coming I imagine. The fact that I felt both comedy and angst coming from the same issue and it didn’t feel awkward to me when it shifted is a huge plus, I watch and read way to many things that don’t do this well at all, but you sort of roll with it, so it was nice for it to flow like it did.
Will I read it again? Absolutely, though honestly I think the writer would have to eff up pretty bad to pry me off of Justice league.
Week 2:
Batwoman #1 (Written by J.H. Williams III and W. Haden Blackman | Art by J.H. Williams III)
Holy crap! First off the first page had me gagging for more, the art in this hits my creepy & whimsical button, which is a rather large button that I have. It’s gorgeous! I spent more time looking at this comic that I did at any of the other’s that I read. (even that mess of a book called Catwoman #1 didn’t get this much attention with it’s eye opener last scene.)
Now that’s that is out of the way, this was my second reading of a woman superhero in the new 52 and my thoughts can’t be any more opposite than what I though of Batgirl. This was awesome from front to back cover. I will say that if the art wasn’t so amazing I probably would have scoffed at the ghost plot a little more but it looked so phenomenal that I’ll roll with it with no complaint.
Kate has problem’s, big ones, and she’s having some major trust issues with her father and even Bette, but she comes off still to me as a strong woman who is working through it. I almost loved every minute of this, I say almost because my one gripe was the amount of women powerhouses going on here. Being a woman I appreciate strong female roles, I do, and right now it’s ok, it’s not overkill…yet.
First off we have Kate and Bette, then we have Detective Sawyer, Batwoman’s got to have a love interest right? But then we have Agent Chase, and I’m starting to feel a bit like this could become a bit unrealistic, we have to have some male power roles going on besides Commissioner Gordon and Batman, after all we don’t want this to turn into that horrifying episode of Star trek TNG called Angel One do we? (shudders)
Will I read it again? A BIG hell to the yes!
Issue #2 Update: A lot of plot moving and some romance, still into it, still GORJUSS!
Green Lantern #1 (Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Doug Mahnke)
I’m a major newbie to Green Lantern, especially Hal, this is the Green Lantern my brother grew up with, not me. In fact everytime I see something from the new movie or about this comic I mourn the loss of the only Green Lantern I’ve ever known, John Stewart from the Justice League cartoon series. My brother and I have mini debates on which one is more awesome lol but that’s a different story altogether.
The comic starts off with Sinestro (the purple Vincent Price of the DCU), being chained by the Guardians. I know jack about Sinestro, only that he’s the big baddie of the GLU, so seeing him up close right off was something I liked, especially since he was being offered another chance at being a GL. Wait, what?
Moving on, I also like that the first time we see Hal he’s down and out wading thru past due bills and being harassed for rent money. Who can’t relate to that at some point or another? After that is one blunder after another set up in a comedic ways, I chuckled a fair few times. It seems Hal just doesn’t get it, especially when it comes to Carol. Come on Hal, get a clue, or some better luck.
Will I read it again? I think so, if my budget starts to feel the strain he might get the boot though.
Issue #2 Update: Holy crap! Can I just say I LOVE Sinestro? What did I say about better luck Hal? Looks like Sinestro is trying to school you on your skillz. The wait will be a long one for issue #3, much improved over last week.
Resurrection Man #1 (Written by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning | Art by Fernando Dagnino)
Another new one for me so I wasn’t sure what to expect at all, but this is a seriously interesting concept. He awakens form the dead, a new power, a new compulsion to do something yet he’s not sure what. I like this as it’s a fun ride, a true ride along in a sense that you figure things out the same time he does, there are no secrets from the two of us, only mysteries to unravel and I’m excited to see where the next one goes. Since every time he resurrects he has a new power and “mission” this could endlessly go on and has massive potential.
Will I read it again? Absolutely.
Issue #2 Update: I know when I have an important heart to heart with my girls we love strip down in our undies and lay on top of guns, knives and bullets too! *eyeroll* Still on this one despite the cheesecake.
Superboy #1 (Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by R.B. Silva)
Yes, a big yes, here. We start out in the NOWHERE lab where we find Superboy, in vat of amniotic fluid no less, where he creepily watches the team that observes him. They watch him, he watches them. It sort of is made even creepier that they are discussing terminating and dissecting him for his lack of brain activity, even though he knows exactly what’s going on. (shudders)
“Red”, Superboys favorite team member argues for his sake, saying that for all they know this is how his brain activity works seeing as he’s a half alien half human hybrid, and as Superboy put’s it, she’s right, and when they start the termination sequence he flips out and escapes until “Red” calms him down.
Later we see Superboy in school and doing what everyday normal boys from Kansas do, they go to school like good little boys and then walk a pretty girl home. At first I was like HUH? Really? But then we see a mind shattering scene where Superboy walks right past a burning house with people screaming help, a truly creepy scene. What is he doing? He should be saving her! It’s like his moral center isn’t there and he just doesn’t realize that it’s wrong to abandon the woman to a horrible death. I’m interested to see how this aspect plays out as well. I’ve really only seen Superboy as a rebelling brat that does what he does because he knows it’s right but he’s still gunna give lip about it to his leaders, this Superboy is strangely devoid of some pretty damn essential right and wrong viewpoints.
Later we find out that this is all a virtual reality, and what’s more Superboy KNOWS it too. How cool is that? You watch me, I’ll watch you and we will play this game of cat and mouse, but in reality it’s the lab techs that are the lab rats just as much as Superboy, as he’s studying them too. Brilliant! I’m definitely interested to see what happens next, what will he do when he is exposed to real people and real life conditions. Is his reaction to the burning building a fake out too? Does he not save the burning people because he knows it’s VR, or is he truly messed up inside and will have to learn those rights and wrongs? We will see.
Will I read it again? High up on my list of definitely.
Issue #2 Update: Still excellent.
Week 3:
Batman #1 (Written by Scott Snyder | Art by Greg Capullo)
What’s happening?! Why is he there with him! This is soooo wrong! All reactions from me on this new start from Batman. Truly captivating from beginning to end in it’s confusion and fake-outs to its jaw-dropping ending. We even got to see some old baddies in an Arkham prison riot which left me wanting to see more, loved it! There really isn’t much more I want to say because even though I warned about spoilers in these reviews, you really should not cheat yourself our of the initial reaction you would have if you didn’t know what’s going to happen.
Will I read it again? Duh!
Birds of Prey #1 (Written by Duane Swierczysnki | Art by Jesus Saiz)
From beginning to end this book was filled with lines that had me chuckling.
“As much as I’d like to believe that there’s a covert ops team run by a bunch of supercriminal hotties, I still need this tiny little thing journalist like to call…FACTS!” ~Mr. Keen
“A church. It had to be a church, like I’m not already damned as it is.” ~ Starling
Also front to back action, this had a good pace to it that wasn’t even interrupted by the heart to heart between Barbara and Dinah. I really liked this one, take notes writers of Catwoman and Red Hood…THIS IS HOW YOUR WRITE GOOD SUPERHERO’S THAT ARE ALSO WOMEN!
Will I read it again? Another hell yes!
Catwoman #1 (Written by Judd Winick | Art by Guillem March)
Wow, just wow. What is going on here? Ok maybe I had a bad experience reading this one, this is the only comic I read on my Droid and it of course had the moving motion from frame to frame which I think is a mistake with this comic. Half the time the body of catwoman was so freakishly contorted that I didn’t know what the hell I was looking at in the frame. Oh that’s…no…what IS that. Oh! That’s her ass!
Really guys? Come on! Overall the story itself had me a bit bored, but what was the killer for me was the frienemy sex between her and Batman. I’ve no problem with Batman and Catwoman getting it on, in fact that’s a bit hot! I do however have a problem with him first trying to shove her away and in the end only giving in because she wouldn’t stop, that’s not hot or sexy to me, it’s embarrassing. It’s a drunken Friday night that most men and woman want to forget about, it’s not complex or well thought out, it just is. Granted I’m willing to give on lots of number 1′s, because there will be growth, and there will be mistakes, but this was just kinda gross. And for the record, I don’t believe that Batman would risk his identity like that over and over again for some sloppy sex that he protested in the first place. Ewww.
Despite the storyline I think this could have maybe even gained a few points with a different artist. Heads up, a WOMAN can’t move that way, even if she’s Catwoman.
Will I read it again? No. Not even to see the morning after that is sure to be a freakshow.
Red Hood and the Outlaws #1 (Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by Kenneth Rocafort)
I was excited about this because I knew the writer was the same that gave us Superboy, which was complex and my cup of tea. This comic starts off running and the way Red Hood busts Roy out of prison is not only exciting to watch but funny as well when you realize the priest is Red Hood. Their banter is one I look forward to over the course of it’s run. I was a quarter through the read and I agreed that this comic was just like Roy Harper says “Red Hood is my kind of crazy”. That is until Starfire makes her debut.
Can I just ask…what the hell? I just don’t understand this at all. Did I really just see that? Why are the boys in a jeep talking about Starfire in a disgusting manner tiny off in the distance of the panel while we get a close-up of her backside? What’s with the weird flipping of her hair on the beach? Why are they on a beach at all? And why is she standing like that? This was all bad enough but then Starfire actually started talking. Good God.
Starfire is one of my favorite characters, she’s something I grew up on, shes something my KID’s grew up on when we all watched Teen Titans cartoon as a family. This rendering of her is completely baffling to me. How am I supposed to share this comic with anyone or recommend it to my twin daughters in a few years? This is exactly why people scoff at comics, you think your writing a sexually liberated woman but really all you did was confirm the stigma of men just overlooking bad writing to look at underdressed women. Come on! Seriously, how would YOU feel if someone re-wrote James T. Kirk into a pussy or made Batman into a pretentious douche bag, oh and while were doing that, lets have them wear next to nothing! It’s more than a little infuriating.
And was I the only one who noticed the difference between they way Jason treats Kori and Essence. I can’t imagine Jason would ever try to “bag” Essence for the sake of a simple tumble, seems to me he treats her with respect and cares for her since he does her a favor when asked. I get that alot of the way Kori is being treated is the way she present’s herself, she put herself out there, literally, but shouldn’t Jason and Roy be trying to redirect her from that way of acting, not taking advantage of it, especially since they know she wasn’t like that before. I want them to have her back, not screw her over. Ugg!
Other than this awkward intro to a beloved character of mine the comic is fine, and unlike with Catwoman I’m willing to give this more of a chance, but I swear if we don’t see some kind growth of Starefire becoming more than an emotionless sex robot into a real character within 5 books I’m dropping this.
Will I read it again? You get 5 books to change my mind Lobdell.
Supergirl #1 (Written by Michael Green and Mike Johnson | Art by Mahmud Asrar)
Spectacular. You could feel her confusion and panic as she tried to grapple onto some kind of semblance of her old life, to figure out what was going on. She’s scared, just like any teenager in that situation should be, or any adult for that matter. I loved the last scene the most, it left me wanting more but didn’t make me feel like the cliffie was forced, plus superman is all time fav of mine so I was thrilled that like Superboy and Superman Action Comics, the Superworld is still intact and fairing well.
While we’re at it let me give props to the artist for drawing a woman how a woman should be drawn. She moves like a real girl, stands like a real girl, and at the same time she’s still a girl and is sexy in her own right (Thank God her costume is age appropriate for her). We get it, we don’t need to be browbeaten with it and it’s doesn’t need to be shoved in our faces, bravo.
Will I read it again? 100% Yes.
Wonder Woman #1 (Written by Brian Azzarello | Art by Cliff Chiang)
This is such a detour from Wonder Woman of old that I don’t know about it yet. I liked it, really liked it in fact. I think the problem here is me not the comic. I’m holding onto my old vision and origin of WW here and I know it, but I’m on board 100% with the re-write, I don’t think it’s a mistake by any means. I absolutely love anything to do with Greek mythology and this has potential like whoa. Just give me time to re-adjust my thinking, I’ll come around as long as the writing and art maintains.
Will I read it again? Definitely.
Week 4:
Aquaman #1 (Written by Geoff Johns | Art by Ivan Reis)
I Loved Justice League and I definitely liked Green Lantern, so it stood a good chance since Geoff Johns was also writing this one, I’d like it. I was wrong, I LOVED it. The fact that Aquaman pokes fun at it’s self for the exact reason I never read it before was what did it for me. I always dismissed Aquaman as a sort of hokey character with no potential and less than superpowers. I think I watched the CW’s Aquaman Pilot and laughed and the goofiness but other than that, I only saw him in Justice League on Cartoon Network, which was cool by the way, loved him there. I think the jokes weren’t too much at all. The awkwardness of the character endears him to me, he so big and strong but yet in the human world he is a fish out of water, literally, and he’s under-appreciated. I enjoyed the flashbacks of him with his father which just further deepens his story and also liked the romantic ending with his lady Mera. Nothing to complain about here from me.
Will I read it again? There is no way I could help myself.
The Flash #1 (Written by Francis Manapul and Brian Buccellato | Art by Francis Manapul)
Yet another comic I never read as a comic. I only experienced the Flash as Wally West through Justice League on CN. I loved his carefree and goofy character on JL so maybe this is why Barry’s character in this Flash falls so flat to me, really I have no complaint on the story or the art, just he seem so…I dunno. Yeah yeah, I know this is a re-boot and a different Flash but he soooooo serious here. I’m not as much of a downer on it as my husband though, he’s cut the Flash from his reading list completely but I think I’ll keep trying a bit longer on this one. Just like with Wonder Woman I need to get used to it, not shun it.
Will I read it again? Ima give it two or three go rounds.
I, Vampire #1 (Written by Joshua Hale Fialkov | Art by Andrea Sorrentino)
Wow, so I found it compelling, when I wasn’t confused, which wasn’t very often honestly. I get that were not meant to know everything but, so lost was I that I almost set this down half way through, and I NEVER do that. Also can we get a different color for the dialog boxes please? Who’s speaking? What’s going on? Are they wolves now, I thought they were vampires? Wait, huh? Geez, this is too complex for me to remember what’s going on four weeks later when the next issue arrives, add to that that I’m used to quicker releases from the manga I read and this just becomes too much. There is too much I want to read and watch for me to spend time re-reading the back issues to remember what’s going on in the current, which is what would happen if I read this.
Will I read it again? Not right now, but I am interested enough to read it when it comes out in a collection.
Justice League Dark #1 (Written by Peter Milligan | Art by Mikel Janin)
Oh goodness, I don’t know where to start. This was one I’d like to love because of all the supernatural goodness and magic, it just falls short in so many places. First of all the story is a bit convoluted due to all that’s going on (not as bas ad I, Vampire but close), but what made it worse for me is the dialog, oh lord the dialog is just bad in some places. Some of it was so hokey it sent me into peels of laughter that had my Husband asking me what was so funny. I had to chuckle at Superman exclaiming about “Filthy Flying Teeth!”, but then when Cyborg said “Old crooked witches’ teeth hurting Superman. That’s all wrong!” oh I lost it, I cracked up like I myself was insane.
Will I read it again? It’s not that I’m not interested I am, it’s just needs to be pulled together in a more cohesive way or else they’re gunna lose me quick, like I said there is so much else to read and watch. I’ll give it one more chance to grab me.
Superman #1 (Written by George Perez | Art by George Perez and Jesus Merino)
The long awaited Superman issue is here, the one I looked forward to the most, and inevitably, the one that let me down the most.
You know that scene in Star Trek TNG Generations where they destroyed the Enterprise D in the first 45 minutes of the movie? Remember that feeling? That’s the exact feeling I had reading this. You destroyed it! Destroyed the number one icon, the safe haven that held Lois Lane, Clark Kent and Jimmy and Perry. You blew it to God Damn pieces and then you replaced it with a building with no character and no interest whatsoever, and this is just the beginning, it’s only what’s wrong with the Daily Planet BUILDING!
This is the most text heavy comic I have read in so many years I can’t even remember. We do not need you to narrate the blow by blow thank you. We don’t want to see Lois Lane head up a TV news station begging Clark to join her, I agree with Clark on that one! And yes I get it, print is dying, whatever. We like to tweet and Facebook our news from our phones and read Pulse and Flipboard for our fixes, that’s how I get our news as well, but this is SUPERMAN! I don’t except a reality where Lois and Clark are not a newspaper reporter TEAM and I certainly don’t accept a reality where Lois and Clark are so far separated they have no reason to speak anymore unless Louis is covering superman. Oh and one last thing, I could do without the Harry Potterish glasses gracing Clark’s face, that just looks wrong, in fact I think we can bar round glasses from any other character ever. EPIC FAIL!
Will I read it again? No. Just no.
Teen Titans #1 (Written by Scott Lobdell | Art by Brett Booth)
Another one written by Lobdell I looked forward too because of Superboy, and the fact that it’s Teen Titans was a big yay for me, but this one came off as a bit average. I could do with or with out it. If I’m bored it’s there. If I’m busy it’s forgotten. I also feel like the art here is lacking, Cassie’s body is odd in some points and I know a lot of comic art is exaggerated, but if her thigh is twice as big as her head it just looks off and I don’t notice the dialog, I notice her being off proportion.
Will I read it again? I’ll follow the buzz and see where it goes, and maybe later when it’s a collection I’ll pick it back up.
Voodoo #1 (Written by Ron Marz | Art by Sami Basri)
The art in this is soooo pretty but it can’t negate the fact that they took yet again another female character and put her in a T & A situation. I’m willing to bite though, so I purchased it. The problem I have with this issue is we don’t see Voodoo’s struggle of why she’s a stripper, or even any of the stripper way of life. What brings her there? How does she handle it? What about the other girls? THAT to me would have been interesting and meaningful, HELL it would have been better if she LIKED being a stripper and that’s why she held the job.
We see none of that though, in fact she up and quits at the end of the first issue so I ask what the hell is the point of putting her there in the first place? Come on guys give me a break here, at least TRY to come up with a convincing cover story to hide the fact you just were really wanting to see hot chicks in a comic book strip. What a pathetic effort.
This coupled with the fact that when she went all alien she looked like a rejected character mock-up of Cell from Dragon ball Z, and we have yet another comic book with great potential that fails for me. It’s not even the story overall, it’s that you ruin it by adding the needless element of the seedy strip club. Added nothing to the story or the character at all. Pointless. I found Agent Fallon way more interesting and kick-ass than I did Voodoo, and guess what, she didn’t have to take her clothes off. GASP!
Will I read it again? Probably not. I’ll monitor it and see where it goes, but this effort is mildly insulting at best and just shameful at worst.
Well that be all folks, I’m entertaining the notion of picking up Justice League International and Batman and Robin plus a few others now that I have some drops, but we shall see, I have lot’s of K-drama’s to catch up on as well!
06 Thursday Oct 2011
Posted in 5 things
Number 1: Bring on the boys…
Whether I’m watching TV, reading a novel or comic a book I’m rooting for the bromance. Every. Single. Time. I can’t help it, I like a story where people have to overcome and things don’t fall right into place. I even find myself hoping for bromance where bromance doesn’t exist. For example let’s take Ginny and Harry from Harry Potter. God that pairing is so boring, I don’t care how good Ginny is at throwing a bat bogey hex, she’s BORING! Wouldn’t it have been much more interesting with, oh I don’t know say Draco. ;) And just for reference, my Husband agrees with me!
Disclaimer: I absolutely have not EVER read a Drarry bromance fanfiction story. NEVER! (coughs with shifty eyes)
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Number 2: I’m a romance novel closet case.
I love romance and I read contemporary romance all the time, my fav is british humor but I also have other interest. This is my deepest darkest secret, so prepare yourself. I read trashy historical romance novels. There I said it, let me hyperventilate properly for moment…ok…I’m ok…wait…no…just a moment more. Seriously I can’t help it, they are crazy addicting! Give me a forced marriage plot any day of the week or a woman kidnapped by pirates with stockholm syndrom and I’ll swoon. (I just said swoon) Whatever I love it, and I bet you do too, your just hiding it!
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Number 3: The Man of Steel, my own personal Doomsday.
Even though I claim Superman to be my favorite comic book superhero he actually hasn’t been my fav in years. It’s just I have this problem in the form of a glaring S shield tattoo from my youth when he was number one and well, let’s just say I’ll say he’s my number one till I DIE! I still love Supes, don’t get me wrong, it’s just I’ve sort of moved on from my teenage ideals of the great boy scout. My Husband however has maintained his favorite since childhood, the dark and allusive Batman. I think there is some crush happening somewhere there.
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Number 4: The greatest scheme of them all…MLM.
I hate, I mean absolutely loath MLM schemes. I’m one of those people that if a 60 year old woman walks up to me to sell something, I cringe on the inside, but if you hand me a Scentsy catalog or an Avon book I’ll buy from you. I can’t help this either, lone woman, out to make a living and even though you have nothing I want, I’ll buy your crap. I support you! Do your best! Only you can make it happen! Yada Yada! I’m a sucker, my Husband finds this very amusing until he opens the closet and a mountain of tarts and cosmetics fall out and buries him alive.
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Number 5: I don’t appreciate art, well abstract art anyway.
My husband is an artist, we will get that out of the way right now. I love him for it, I respect him for it, his drawings are amazing, but despite this respect for his artful eye if he takes me to a museum with abstract paintings, I’m bored out of my Goddamn mind by 5 minutes in. I like and enjoy almost any other kind of art, but abstract paintings? Drool is more interesting to me, at least I can laugh at that. Oh i’ll oohh and ahhh while I’m in the museum, I’ll nod my head in an agreeing manner like I know what I’m talking about, and I’ll go and support my Husband while he visits a showing he has been excited to see. But as soon as I get back in the car the facade is coming off and my Husband is laughing because he thinks that it’s an amusing way to torture me. I’m lucky not many artist tours come thru and show this type of art at our local museums, maybe once a year I have to endure. Hera give me strength!
17 Saturday Sep 2011
Posted in Everyday Life, Faradiddle!, Mom 2 Brats!
Tags
candy shop, cooking, errands, pit stop, spice shop, the farm
When I was unpacking my kitchen after the move, I notcied several of my spices were either super low or out of date. Tired of paying high prices for sub-par spices from the grocery store, I set out to do some research to see if Tulsa has a special spice store, and guess what, we do!
It’s called Spiceology and is located in The Farm Shopping Center. Randy and I loved this store! It has everything you can NEVER find at the grocers and their prices are incredibly reasonable. I bought about 8 different spices and also decided to by a grilling rub made by them called Sooner Magic. We grilled some chicken with it last night and it’s yummy! We will definiately be back.
They have gift cards so were thinking of getting some for our family for Christmas, or what a great gift for a couple that has just moved into a new home or even newly weds!
We had fun walking around The Farm, we popped in a all natural handmade bath store called Theraganics and purchased some handmade soap and addiction of mine, then the kids dragged us in a handmade candy shop called The Candy House and they proceeded, ok ok I proceeded to buy all their salt water taffy in the store. After that we went to the pet store and the kids got a fish, but more on that later!
Excuse the crappy mobile phone photos, just some shots of us and our day!
16 Friday Sep 2011
Posted in Everyday Life
Tags
I guess I should start at the beginning. I grew up on a golf course in my Grandparent’s home, it was me, my Mother, my grandparents and my siblings, we all lived in the house together and it was awesome having so much family around, I loved every second of it. I loved having my Grandmother home with us during the day while my Mom and Grandpa would go to work in their business suits, coming home after 5. It really was a pretty ideal childhood.
The house itself was great, there was hardly anything around but the golf course and later some restaurants that popped up in town, the worst thing that would happen would be that our windows would be busted from a stray golf ball, but we had storm windows so all in all it was fine.
Later when I grew older I ended up coming back to live in my parent’s house when I discovered I was pregnant with twins, at that point it was obvious to me that my then Husband was not the man I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. (though he’s a good man, it was just not for us, we are much better off where we are now) So I packed up and moved back home from the little apartment we had. After they were born I stayed, my Grandmother’s health started to decline so I sort of took over the day to day house care, my mom was not the domestic type God bless her, plus she still worked and my Grandpa, well he can cook about 4 casseroles and fry an egg and a piece of bacon and thats about it!
So I took care of the house and worked a 9 to 5 job, and life went on. In 2002 I started dating Randy and we married fairly quickly later that same year, we just knew we wanted to be together, even only after a few months of dating. We married when the twins were 2 years old and we decided that is would be best for him to just live with us in my family’s home. I just could not imagine leaving the house with my Grandma in poor health and needing so much assistance with normal everyday things and my Mother and Grandfather being elderly as well, so we stayed and we were happy.
During all this a casino was built on the front nine of the golf course, it was fairly small and didn’t really bother us, but then other things started to pop up, the most annoying of which was the Taco Bell / KFC that was built practically in my back yard! I could actually hear the drive through intercom from my upstairs bedroom, it was that close!
After awhile the casino grew, and grew and then blew up to be the Hard “friggin” Rock Casino and Hotel, which Randy and I dubbed Biffs, can you imagine? Our small town now plays host to a Hard Rock establishment, and a big one at that. The picture below was take from my back yard, you can see how close it was.
At this point in 2008 my Grandmother health too a turn for the worst and she passed away, it was a hard time because she raised me and I spent a lot of time with her. All my memories are of that house and her always being there since I lived in that house from the age of 2. Even though I was and still am severely attached to the house we knew we wanted to move away from the casino. So Randy and I set out to search for a house we could move our family into. It was a challenge because together we have four children, and of course we were bringing my Mother and Grandfather with us, so we were looking for a fairly larger home.
While we were looking for a new house we new we wanted to put our old house on the market. The house had of course been paid for for years and my Mom wanted to pay off all her and my Grandfather’s debt and save the rest for their retirement with the money from the sale, it was a good plan we thought. So we started to put on a new roof, new flooring, new countertops, all new paint, pretty much the works so the house would be nice and up to date to sell. Then the worst thing possible happened, the builders working on our home ran off with the job half done, but before the did, they managed to steal about 18,000.00 dollars from my family, which not only broke our hearts, but stopped out plans to move in it’s tracks.
The man not only ran off but sold his company first to an unsuspecting older gentleman, so when we called to see what was to be done about the house and the theft he was a wreck. So many people were left in the lurch and now he was financially responsible for the mess since when you buy a company, you buy it’s liabilities as well. Some of my friends think were stupid, but I just couldn’t hold that poor man responsible. He had been taken to the cleaners as much as we had. True maybe he should have done more homework on what he was buying, but I couldn’t poor more salt on his wounds so we let it go, filed a police report for the missing man that actually took the money and of course, nothing ever came of it.
So all plans to move now at a halt Randy and I had to quickly think how to get money to at least finish our roof, another 7000.00 to hire a new company to fix the old roof and also fix the damage done while the roof was half leaking and damaged from the old workers.
It was that bad, they left everything in a partially done state. Most of the new doors hadn’t even been hung so rooms were open, the roof was leaking, the baseboards left off, tiling half finished, they left all their tools and crap in our garage. It was a nightmare. We managed to get the new roof on and that was it, our money was all gone, we had no money to put down on a new house and my Mother and Grandfather being retired at the ages of 65 and 89 of course had no large amount of money set aside to help us either, not that we would have asked.
In the meantime Randy and I fixed things here and there and it was better, totally livable after a while, livable as in I didn’t want to rip some runaway builders head off every time I rounded a corner in my house.
So we lived in a half fixed house for 2 years. Lesson learned people, don’t trust ANYONE, even if you have a contract, like we did, and even if the company had insurance, like they did, we were still taken advantage of because we paid money before the job was done. DON’T EVER PAY BEFORE THE JOB IS DONE. Just some advice from me to you. ;)
Let’s fast forward to 2010, Randy and I still don’t have the savings we want for a house downpayment and the situation surrounding our home is starting to become very bleak. The neighborhood from the proximity to the casino is deteriorating fast. Twice the neighborhood has been graffitied. My neighbors, RV’s, cars and homes were all tagged, of course with very bad language you would never want to have your kids see let alone have to explain. Luckily ours wasn’t, maybe they felt sorry for the state of our house lol. ;)
Then the bums showed up. Now I’m a fairly compassionate person, I understand sometimes life kicks you in the ass, trust me I get it, but when we find a homeless man sleeping in your neighbors yard and your neighbor is the freaking chief of police, Randy and I new we had to get the hell out of there.
We started looking around and keeping our options open, and then the most unimaginable thing happened. My Mother passed away suddenly in November of 2010 and again our world crashed and came to a halt. She had been ill and had needed surgery, everything was fine and the surgery went well, but her surgical scar had trouble healing, so we hired a few nurses come out twice a week to check and clean the area making sure it was healing properly. It was, she was on the mend and becoming mobile again, she was actually baking and learning to cook which we all thought was so funny because my Mom was not one to cook while we grew up, she would make us Micky Mouse shaped pancakes and thats about it, the cooking always went to my Grandmother who homemade everything from fried chicken to the pickles we put on our burgers. I guess in retirement my Mom tried it again and found she actually enjoyed making cakes, cookies and breads, and my kids loved helping her.
She was healing tremendously and then one morning she didn’t wake up as early as usual, it was probably about 10 in the morning but I wasn’t worried because it was Saturday and sometimes she would sleep in. My older brother Mike happened to be staying with us and he had checked on her and knew something was wrong. He ran upstairs into my room and and grabbed me, he was so upset and talking so loud I couldn’t understand what he was saying, but I didn’t need to, I knew instantly by his face and demeanor it was Mom.
I ran into her room and called the ambulance while I tried to wake her. They instructed me on giving CPR so I shouted instructions while my brother tried to revive her, but we both new it was too late. When the ambulance arrived it was obvious she had passed away in the night. Now we know she had a heart attack but at the time we all were just so numb from astonishment. Even her home health care nurses were completely taken aback because of how much better she was doing. One of her nurses burst into tears on the phone and I tried to comfort her and thank her for the care she gave my Mom, but she was so upset. When she calmed down she asked how my kids were taking it and how I was doing, these ladies were really great and I still am surprised to this day how much care and patience they have, I could never do their job. My Mom will definitely be missed, I miss her horribly, we all miss her, it’s just not the same with her not being here to tease us or to gripe at me and my sister for bickering or scold my brother to have more patience.
Like with anything we got through it somehow spring and summer came. My kids, especially my older 12 year old twins played with their friend’s in the neighborhood more and more and I let them walk 2-3 houses down to visit since they now had cell phones. That all stopped abruptly one day over the summer when a man driving semi truck called out to my girls and their friends and told them to come over and talk to him. Truckers would park in Taco Bell / KFC’s parking lot to grab some food and then get back on the road, we saw it all the time everyday so nothing new there.
My twins and another girl from the neighborhood were visting a friend 2 houses down from my house. It was the girls grandparent’s house as she was visting. I actually grew up with the girls mother, I have known these people for years and had stayed the night in that house myself as a child. All the girls were outside in the backyard playing when the man walked up the the girl’s and started talking to them through the fence asking them to come over and talk to him, and would they like to come and play.
All four girls imediatly ran into the house and told the Grandma. She called the police and her husband went outside and chased the man off. The man went back to his truck, grabbed a reflector and came back over to the Grandpa and used it to punch him repeatedly. The cops came and arrested the man, I was called and my kids were hysterical and had to give statements. It was the absolute last straw.
Not prepared to buy a house, but being in a hurry to move Randy and I set out a search to rent a house for a year while we made more permanent plans. We looked all over, mostly in the town where the university that he works for is located. Eventually my Mother-in-law told us of a a house two doors down from her that had been on the market because the owners were elderly and they moved closer to town for health reason’s. The house was older, which we loved. I can’t stand new construction, all those houses look the same and they are just blah, we like older homes with character. We were immediately excited to hear of the house but weary, we wern’t ready to buy, especially on the spot like that, but my mother-in-law being the brave person she is, pulled some Sherlock Holmes style investigation and found the number to the owner’s son and asked if he would consider renting for a year or so while we considered to purchase and boom, we had an appointment to view the house the next day.
The house itself is in the country, very rural. Nothing but other settled homeowners and cows and horses. Very different from what I’m used to. I’m used to being in the middle of the city and hearing sirens and noise all night, not cows mooing in the distance. ;) The house is made of old red rock and was built mid 70′s. I sort of shuddered when MIL said she remembered the living room having wood paneling. Er, really, paneling you say? But we agreed to look and so we came. I remember my first thoughts were omg the living room is HUGE, it’s the full width of the house! It has this amazing rock fireplace on the full width of one wall at the bottom and indeed, it did have wood walls.
Before you run screaming, the walls are really gorgeous and I actually like it, its that really nice tongue and groove solid wood, not the fake “woodish” paneling you always see. You should have heard the sigh of relief I gave. Even though the wood is amazing and rustic it would look soooo nice painted or even pickled, my Husband vetoed it pretty quickly but I’ll work on him, I’ll have it pickled or painted in no time if we decide to purchase this house. ;)
The house overall had been nicely updated in the last 3 years while on the market, new carpet and tile flooring, new ceilings to get rid of that popcorn stuff, a new roof and new paint throughout. Really the only thing needing to be ripped out it the countertops which aren’t even horrible, just not our tastes. We were definitely impressed and we were ready to make the big move instantly, all 5 miles of it, into the open wide country.
So we went home and mulled it over for a week and a half and on the 6th of august we signed a contract to rent for one year while we think on whether to buy the house or not. It’s been about a month and a week now and so far I love it. The yard is massive, font and back so it’s quite a bit of mowing but it’s so peaceful out here. Every night we take walks with the kids and it’s nice the kids have their Grandparent’s just two houses down.
My Grandpa loves it. He can sit in the back yard or front and he doesn’t have to hear the Taco Bell intercom or deal with major roads being right there and making noise. He can see and hear the birds and work in the yard and then come in for his afternoon nap. All in all I think we made the right decision even though it’s scary to be renting at our age with a large family. We feel Renting here is better than staying where our children aren’t safe and living where we weren’t happy anymore. I had to get over the fact that the house now is not the home of my youth, it’s been taken over by the town and while I’m sad to move, I still will always have my memories of a better time in my childhood home.
Randy and I are seriously thinking we want to stay here in the new house. We always said when we buy a home we want it to be the home we stay in and grow old in because we are done having children, we don’t need to grow into any bigger homes later one. I can see us living our lives here and being happy for many many years to come.
