How to Not Sell A House

Since we listed our house for sale nearly a year ago and successfully sold it in under 6 months in this crappy economy; some deluded part of me believes that I would be an awesome real estate agent. Not that I want to be one. No offense. But since the market stinks right now, its not exactly the "opportunity" I am looking for.

However, I just visited a new blog that has verified the fact that there are a LOT of really REALLY bad real estate agents out there and I could help steer people away from them?

Check it out: LovelyListing.com

Click on the actual listing so that you can see how awesomely bad each one is. Fantastic. This is why the real estate market is crap.

Sew A Needle Pulling Thread

My mom just sent me this YouTube video which is awesome because 1) The Sound of Music happens to be my favorite musical of all time
2) Matt's entire family knows every line of The Sound of Music as well.
3) Need proof? On a trip to Europe-Matt's parents drove for 2 days to go visit Salzburg and see the the pagoda where Leisel and Rolf dance "I Am 16 going on 17". Seriously.
4) Next week TC Roberson (Where I am a YL Leader) is showing The Sound of Music and I can not be more excited.
5) I started watching this and got chills. That's proof of a good YouTube video people.

Disney Watching the Bottom Line

I just watched this YouTube clip that shows how Disney movies used the same cells in multiple movies to build scenes.

Not just the same ideas-BUT THE SAME SERIES of drawings and renderings. It is unbelievable.

My mind is blown particularly wide because well...I have been watching an inordinate amount of Disney movies lately and I am feeling a bit gipped right now by Mister Walt Disney.

Harumph.

Time to Change the Deo

Click on the Link. You'll be glad you did.

List of the Day

The Toughest Sorority

I just got back from an Alumni Soccer Game at USC and it was quite the experience.

I haven't been back in a few years, thanks to having babies and what-not. But I got to go this year due to the Blizzard of Crooked Creek.

I went and had a great time. It was really fun to see the current team play. It was great to be back at the Graveyard and to remember all of my days playing on the old field. And it was great to go out afterward with a few friends from the team and laugh and remember good things about playing together.

I called Matt after we left our time together and started to rehash and told him just how fun and "easy" it was to play soccer and be me finally. After all these years. I just stared crying. I couldn't figure out why except for this.

I never emotionally really dealt with how hard it really was to play soccer in college. I never had the time to. I know wah wah wah.
But it was the hardest time in my life and very few people-except for those that I played soccer with and those that I lived with really know how hard it was. I tried really hard to bear it alone. And I think that after all of these years, I am bearing the scars of that.

To give you a little picture of a day, here's a snapshot:
9:00 breakfast and classes-until 1pm
1:30-2:30 training room to get treatment and evaluated/judged by trainers to know if you have done what they have been telling you do. i.e.: determines if you are going to get yelled at by coach
2:30-3: locker room to get ready for practice
3-5: practice/torture. This could be fun. But you are going to get yelled at by coaches, trainers, teammates for the entire time. You will disappoint everyone-including your mother everytime you miss a shot, a tackle or a sprint that you are supposed to make. It calls into question if you are going to get your scholarship, if coach thinks your are good enough, if your parents are going to be disappointed in you, did everyone on the team notice that, can you make it up next time? When you a realize it and say something like "Sh$#" then you have disappointed God and then everyone on the team judges you. Good times for two hours.
5:30-6:30: weight training. This is especially fun when you are lifting weights next to people that are getting ready for the NFL combine or the Olympics. You basically feel like a weak little cheerleader in your sweet little Title9 sport. All the while getting yelled at by your weight trainer for not being serious enough.
6:30-7:30: Team meeting for Young Life. Obviously you are late and letting the team and God down again. You haven't eaten since you grabbed lunch in the middle of Psych 305. So you try to eat while planning club or having campaigners. You stink because you haven't showered and you have some bag of ice wrapped on a part of your body. You haven't processed one part of your day yet.
8pm: Study Hall. You better not be late because if you are late the whole team will have to run for your lateness and since you didn't eat with the team because you are Jesus person...it will be even worse for you. So don't be late. But then three freshman are late by three minute. Three times three equals six laps on the track at 6am. Tomorrow. That's where you will be. You spend the next two hours trying not to hate them and instead studying Russian vocab because it was a good idea to take Russian while playing college soccer. Once more, you have disappointed God because you have failed and you hate them. No really. You do. And your Coach.

10pm: Out of study hall. Everyone is heading to a party. But not me. It's just not a great place for me to go tonight-or any night. Are they worried about going to the track at 6am? Nope. Me? YES.
Awesome.

Can't wait to play soccer! This scholarship is totally worth it!

Looking back it was. But that day right there-was truthfully everyday for four years. Without a break. Without much variation except for when we had games. Which were wonderful. 20 games a season. Awesome.

There is nothing-NOTHING like scoring a goal wearing your teams jersey on your field. I wouldn't trade it. But there were days when the locker room was nearly unbearable. When study hall was awful. When I did not want to board the bus for an away game because of who else was going and how hard it was going to be and how it made me feel on the inside. Like I was never good enough.

So no doubt, I never processed or dealt with it. I was floating through from one thing to next just trying to survive without getting in trouble, all day long. That was my goal. Just don't get in trouble today. Socially, athletically, academically, theologically. And I would FAIL FAIL FAIL. But if I focused on all the failures, I would be a wreck! So, I would see one or two and try to handle those then move on. It was an impossible task.

So I cried today. From being sad that I really wanted to fit in with my teammates to being awesome on the soccer field. I wanted it all to go great at college. And I LOVED COLLEGE. Which is so bizarre given how hard it was. But I really did. I just had to compartmentalize what was hard and move on.




Today, I am 31 and a mom to two kids. For some reason, it was fun. I felt finally like I could let it go and know that I am good enough. I did it. I weathered the storm. I can wear the jersey for the rest of my life and know that I did it. But every day was hard. I can't say that enough.

But today...today was just fun. I laughed and played and stunk up that field because there was no pressure to be awesome or anything. I could just be who I am. I was comfortable with that. Finally.

Breaking News

Crooked Creek is snowed in.
Which means my husband who was supposed to fly home tomorrow, is hopefully going to get home on Sunday. 11:30 PM on Sunday that is.

Awesome. 20 something inches of snow in 24 hours will do that.
So, I am just chilling in Columbia, SC at his parents house until the weather in Colorado lets up.

Lucy has decided that this is going to be the week when she throws a fit and cries for hours on end if things don't go exactly her way.

So that's awesome to hear about 20 inches of fresh pow-pow to shred on top of the mountain bro. Awesome. Bro.

This is the kind of advice I'm looking for on Biggest Loser

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Pollen Counts Are High

It's pollen season again and that can only mean one thing. Feeling like crap.

Only not for me.
When I was pregant...two springs in a row; I had to come up with some other solution to allergy medicine because you can't take any. (Reason #404 to not get pregnant again) and I discovered the Neti Pot.

Well, a pharmacy version of the Neti Pot.
What is a Neti Pot?
You mix uniodized salt with lukewarm water and you pour it into your sinus and out the other side of your nostril comes whatever is clogging you up.

In short. It is a disgusting miracle.
Even the New York Times says so.

See: New York Times
If you are pregnant, or an allergy sufferer; I would suggest giving this method a try this season. I have had almost no problems in two years since I started using a Neti Pot/FreshAire methodology mostly because it washes out all pollen from my sinus before I go to bed. It is amazing. Amazingly disgusting. Seriously, you can't do this around other people. But you do feel like a million bucks when you are done.

Give it a whirl. If it doesn't work, I will refund you the $3.33 it might cost you to try it.

PS: that ain't my picture.

Schizo Ipod

I just reviewed my last 20 itunes purchases and there is a distinct possibility that I am going mad.

Come on Get Higher: Matt Nathanson
Just Dance: Lady Gaga
Go On Say It: Blind Pilot
The Story I Heard: Blind Pilot
Oviedo: Blind Pilot
One Red Thread: Blind Pilot
Running Down A Dream: Tom Petty
Work It: Missy Elliot
My Prerogitive: Bobby Brown
Single Ladies (Put A Ring On it): Beyonce
Hot N Cold: Katy Perry
Are You Gonna Go My Way: Lenny Kravitz
Viva La Vida: Cold Play
Forever: Chris Brown
Keep Breathing: Ingrid Michaelson
Tell It to My Heart: Taylor Dayne
What's Up: 4 Non Blondes
Walking In Memphis: Marc Cohn
My Boo: Ghostown DJ's
Alive and Kicking: Simple Minds

As well as the entire Yo Gabba Gabba soundtrack which I figured didn't really count, since I don't really listen to it. Except for the Ting Tings song and the Family song. But besides that...it's for the children.

But really, take a look at this list.
I heard Blind Pilot on NPR and I loved them so I downloaded a few tracks and have not regretted it. They are great. But from Tom Petty to Missy Elliot to Bobby Brown to Taylor Dayne back to Ghostown DJ's, Marc Cohn and finish it off with Simple Minds? I might need a MRI.

Seriously?

Seriously. Watch this.

Susan Boyle Sings on Britain's Got Talent 2009 Episode 1 @ Yahoo! Video

Doesn't it just make you feel all warm and gooey inside?

Thanks Ben.