i almost have no words

clearly a school whose basketball uniforms involve argyle doesn't lack confidence, 

but this ad says more than i ever could.

if you want to get in badly enough, maybe you could make up some classes you didn't take, or turn in some essays that somebody else wrote. 

i hear they get down like that in chapel hill.

 okay, maybe that last bit was uncalled for.
but this ad is a bit much, tarheel lover or not.

y'all, i'm sick of thinkin

i mean, honestly, i hate it.

but, i have a really hard time turning it off.

i am tired of thinking about:

what my blood sugar is right now.

is it on the way up?

is it on the way down?

i took insulin an hour ago and still haven't eaten anything because the insulin hasn't kicked in yet - why?

what day of "the month" is it?

am i ovulating?

if i did ovulate, where did the egg go?

should i have had that caffeine?

should i have had that beer?

why are all these things such a big deal now, when back in the day people did these things, not even knowing they were bad, and we seem to have more mental, emotional, and developmental problems in children now?

how do people accidentally get pregnant?

is my analyzation more stressful than caffeine and alcohol?

how come the curl in my hair came back and then left again?

why do some become obsessed with church and then start judging people even more than before they knew as much about Jesus?

how come i used to want to blog all the time, and now, not so much?

do i miss teaching? mehh.

what is going to happen to nita nikon in the long run?

should i trust those people in new york who have her?

why do people choose to spend almost every day of the week with someone who drives them nuts and causes them to cuss?

how come people who can't even stand to be alone with their kids have them, and i don't?

why do i whine so much?

how do other people keep on keepin' on when shit gets hard?

why do i cry every time i go to church (and have done so for years)?

how can people pansy ass pussies be mean to animals? 

why do people like/hate someone because they are or are not a specified race, when in fact, they are biracial?

and on that note, why do people only focus on the details that support their argument, and ignore all the ones that don't?

why do people randomly use apostrophes, like they are optional, or just for decoration?

why do i enjoy ignoring capital letters?

why doesn't my pump have an alarm to let me know when it's completely out of insulin?

some people - men especially, it seems, have the ability to just stop thinking.

i would love to be like that.

it's what God says we should do. 

stop analyzing, and instead pray and trust.

i am a lot better than i used to be.

do you analyze?

did you find a cure for it?

how did you turn it off?

belle/country/redneck/yankee

what do these things mean to y'all?

awhile back, i was asking friends' opinions on this on facebook.

i got a good bit of feedback, from southerners and yankees alike. the more i read, the more i realized:
people are people, and we are all different. no two people are exactly alike, even if you are from the same region of the country.

sure, there are certain characteristics that are stereotypical to a certain region, but can we use them to define people?

i was born and raised in NC. i have also lived in VA and SC. to me, lynchburg was not as 'southern' as NC and SC - the food, the accents, the pace of life, etc. some people loved my accent. some people made fun of it. did i think people in lynchburg were from another planet? no.

i do not consider myself to be a 'belle'.
i rarely wear dresses.
i hate heels.
i was not in a sorority.
i wear nail polish maybe twice a year.
it will be a rare ass occasion when my children are in outfits that are comprised of bows, smocking, and knee socks.
i love sweet tea, but that shit is loaded with sugar and i'm diabetic.
i wore pearls once - on my wedding day (although i do have a pearl ring from andrew that i love.)
do i have a "real" southern accent? yes. am i ashamed of it? no.

to stereotype the whole south and say that everyone in it is the same, is simply stupid. (it's stupid to do this for people from any region.) there are plenty of southern people who are pricks, just like there are pricks up north.

while the southern stereotype means always minding your manners, for some southerners that means minding their manners to your face and talking shit about you behind your back. some southerners find it very difficult to stand up for themselves or for something they believe in. some southerners gossip like hell behind your back, because they don't feel comfortable just saying it. just voicing their opinion.

i am very proud of the southern women that i grew up around. they were not the prissy kind. we didn't have little tea parties and wear dresses. most of their hands were dirty and callused, and they were often overworked and under appreciated. they drank and used cuss words and didn't care if the people at the baptist church were talkin shit about them.

but, i'm sure many "yankee" or "midwestern" or whatever region of women could say the same. they are just as proud of their heritage as i am of my 'southern upbringing'.

i'm glad i was born and raised in the south.
the end.
i'm sure everybody's proud of where they're from. people move. people come back. whatever.

just be yourself, people.
if you are a southern belle, be a southern belle.
if you have a potty mouth and drink beer and happen to be southern, but not a belle, fine, be that.
if you grew up in philadelphia, and are a wino who hates sports. whatever. be that.

just be you.

i'm sick of these cliques and shit in blog world. grow up. this is not high school.
just write your shit. hit publish. people who like it will read it. if they don't they either won't read it or they'll leave you immature ass comments. who gives a shit?

write anyway.
if you want to be a priss and wear dresses and keep your nails painted and write about your reunion with your sorority sisters, do it.
if you want to ride four wheelers and wear perfume at the same time, good for you, do it.
if you want to move south from michigan and discover that you actually like sweet tea, who gives a shit? drink it!

just be you.
and let everybody else be them.
and if you don't like it, don't hang out with them, and don't read their blog.
know that some people won't like you. some people will leave snarky comments. not everyone will agree.
oh effin' well.

no matter where you're from ...

ain't nobody got tiiiiime.

y'all know people who get somethin' stuck in their craw, and they can't don't want to get it out?

nope, they would rather rehash that shit as many times as people will listen, bout to blow a gasket every time they talk about it. it's like they gotta gnaw on it, spit it out, add some flavorin' to it, put it back in their mouth and chew the hell out of it some more.

well, that's just it, i ain't listenin' to it again and again. i will just tell you what i think one time, and then i'm done. i will leave or quit answerin' the phone.

i do not understand it. is life not annoying/stressful enough without you wanting to dwell on somethin' silly as hell that ain't even somethin' worth bein' pissed off over anyway? it just gets your blood pressure up everytime you talk about it and makes me want to stay away from your ass.

let. it. goooooooooooooooooo. for. the. love.

stop making the rest of us suffer.

 oh yes, i did.

and while we're on the topic of makin' yourself look like an ass, how bout the white woman at the airport who congratulated Big Boi on "the win"? like i said before, racism shows your ignorance. regardless of who he really voted for, it's still funny, and how can you not love Big Boi? As soon as I hear his voice, I get this little jam in my head:

   

today's post brought to you by people who do stupid shit to piss me off.

oh, and i'm guest posting today over at allie's. and, it's not a rant. ;)

don't be that girl at the shower.

okay.

first of all, i am not here to start a riot, but i feel like this happens super frequently, and it just doesn't make sense to me.

let's think about this rationally.

when you are invited to a baby shower, you are there to give the parents stuff they NEED. 

likely, this is their first child, which means they have no idea what they are doing.

they have registered for things they NEED. 

we all know that some people are afflicted by an overwhelming urge to buy a frilly gift for a girl, or an equally feminine crispy starched blue outfit for a boy, and no doubt, your generosity will be appreciated.

however - if you must buy some cutesy outfit, why not consider purchasing a gift from the registry as well?

i cannot tell you how many friends i know that have had showers and are left with so many things missing from the registry, but so many clothes that the child will literally not be able to wear them all, short of having three wardrobe changes a day.

this makes no sense to me.

and the gifts that are bought off the registry are of course, the ones without receipts.
6 pink outfits that look just like these 6 pink outfits from so-and-so with no receipt.
 so you know where they end up?
goodwill.
not because the parents are asses.
but because the kid cannot wear it all before they outgrow it or they have 3 of the same outfit.

if you want to buy clothes, fine.

but - 

* buy something off the registry to go with it
* always give a gift receipt

* buy a larger size - the baby will not be in 0-3 mos. forever. why not give the parents clothes to cover the first year instead of only the first three months? the kid cannot wear all that stuff before it outgrows it.

* consider the fact that this is 2012, soon to be 2013, and female children will not be emotionally scarred if they are not wearing pink every. single. day.
likewise, if you dress a boy in a button down with some pink on it, it does not mean he's gonna end up in therapy. who made this pink/blue shiz up anyway?

* consider the baby. are you buying something that will itch/irritate/cause the baby to scream?

while the outfits below are cutesy-pooh ... there is a such thing as too much pink.

looks like somebody hosed homegirl's closet down with pepto.
and outfits with words ... 

the items below are still sweet but not pinktastic.

who's it going to hurt?

especially when the parents themselves are not a fan of pink 24-7 and bows that can pick up a satellite signal from 98187195198 miles away.

i think GAP gets it. 

look!

cute!

neutrals!

no drowning in pink.

so,

if you like pink, fine.

i'm jus' sayin'.

think beyond the first few months.

think about what the parents want/need.

and think about the fact that it's gross to dress in the same damn color every single day of your life.

perhaps i seem like i have no soul, with my lack of love for pink and all,

but seriously, this is a thing.

it's just that no one wants to seem ungrateful by saying it.

 

 

 

on having babies

* this post inspired by this one ... her whole blog is awesome, check it out, and also by conversations i've had with numerous friends lately

babies - isn't it an interesting topic? or is it a taboo one?

for so long, i wanted to have a baby, but i never blogged about it, or told anyone i wasn't close to. why? i'm not really sure. i basically think that i didn't want to hear everyone's opinions about EVERYTHING - when to have em, how many to have, which gyno to trust, which hospital to deliver in, whether or not to have an epidural, HOW to get pregnant. seriously, all you people out there givin unsolicited "advice", STFU. really.
then, i sort of went the opposite extreme, and told everyone i had surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. i guess the point is, you can't really hide from people's "advice" .. you just learn to tell them you don't care to hear their opinions. it wasn't something i wanted to deal with in secret. i felt better after sharing. others aren't so open. to each her own.

then there's the IF ... some people don't want kids - and other people make them feel like something is wrong with them for feeling that way. well, is it any of your damn business? nope.

some people got in laws with the nerve to tell you that they don't think you should have anymore because the one you have is enough. EXCUSE ME?!

then there's people in your own damn family holding a grudge because they don't like the baby's name, or you didn't name him after so-and-so, or you took somebody else's advice over theirs. GET OVER YOURSELF!

sometimes, one spouse is ready, and the other is not, and the one who's not is considered selfish. WELL guess what? NOBODY SHOULD HAVE KIDS BECAUSE SOMEBODY ELSE TOLD THEM IT WAS TIME. i mean, who the hell do they think is gonna raise these younguns? if you wanna tell somebody when and how to get pregnant, then you better be willin to raise their kids and pay for that shit too.

then - there's when the kid is actually here ... co-sleeping, crib-sleeping, crying it out, nursing vs. bottle feeding, cloth diapers or disposable, Montessori or whatever you call people who just do whatever, or mamas who choose to stay home instead of work, or mamas who choose to work instead of stay home ... regardless, if the parents want your help or opinion, they will ask.

or, while we're on that topic, how bout people tellin you when it's time to get married? when it's time to have your second child?

whatever happened to the art of mindin your own damn business? Seriously.

i was talking with a friend the other day about how things are different when you are grown. especially when you are married. as a child, your parents and your family were your guides. they taught you everything you know, whether directly or indirectly. but, as an adult, you have to put your own marriage and family first, and do what you think is best, whether his mama or your mama or your maw-maw or whoever likes it or not. 

to all the people in my life who have supported without judgment or unsolicited advice, thanks. this is why i still like you. 

that is all for right this second.

 

a video and some Polo

1) How friggin hilarious is this?

After awhile, you feel like the dog is trying to get the kid to understand how annoying she is, like, "Pleassssssse, for the loooooooove, zip it!"

2) Last night, hubs & I were looking for clothes for his Christmas list and came across these shug pies on the Polo website, and I just wanted to share.
That is all.

* I kinda like the blonde, aviator-sportin Ken doll.

  pre-bleached, for your convenience







Let's all get our horseback ride on, take a quick ski trip, hit the beach, do some patchwork quilting then call it a day.  

another example of too much gov't involvement

I IN NO WAY intend to make light of what people suffered in Nazi Germany. 
I DO NOT think there is ANYTHING remotely funny about that.  
Hitler was one sick sonofabitch and may he burn.

With that said, I did not make this video, and I did not choose the people in it.

But - I am choosing to show it because if you are a teacher, especially a teacher who is responsible for test scores, you can relate to the dialogue very well.This video pretty much tells the story of a teacher's very important relationship with some damn test scores.
The far-removed-never-been-responsible-for-teaching-kids-a-day-in-my-life-or-even-been-in-a-school-since-1959 politicians who are coming up with these "solutions" are a joke.

Thankfully, I never worked for anyone this whack, but I definitely have friends who did and still do.

Testing is everything!!

And even if your principal doesn't personally think so, his or her boss is riding their ass so they will ride their teachers' asses.
Social studies? Pshh.
The arts? Pshh.
Writing? Please.
The child is going through a divorce at home?
Daddy has just been deployed?
Grandma died?
The student didn't have supper last night or breakfast this morning?
Who cares!?! Better meet those goals!!
As long as you can do math, read, and bullshit your way through a science test, then whoooooo cares if you know nothing about history or the government or anything going on around you??
Not my personal opinion, and not the opinion of my previous employer, THANK GOD, but sadly, it is the message the government is sending with their adding on more and more pressure and shit for teachers to do while taking NOTHING off of their plates.

Remember the kids?

Anyone?

Is this thing on? 

seriously. shut up, for God's sake

Y'all.

It's said and done. We got Obama for four more years. Did I vote for him? Nope.
But guess what? This is America, and we are far more fortunate in this country than are many, many others in other places around the world. Regardless of who you voted for, acting like children and bashing people and showing your ASS is not going *forward*.

This was not a damn popularity contest. Some of y'all act like this was the Super Bowl and your team didn't make it, or some pageant your kid didn't win. Or, on the same note, those of you actin like a fool because yours did win, like you personally had a whole lot to do with it, either way. Do you know how ridiculous you look talking shit to people on facebook and ending friendships over a man you will never even meet, and who doesn't even know you exist?!

As I've said before, although Obama wasn't my pick, the president alone only has so much power anyway. There are places in the world where people are lucky to have enough food for the day. Where women are beaten and raped on a regular basis. Where children are sold into slavery. Where you can get your throat cut for speaking out against the government.

We pay taxes. Maybe they are too high in your opinion. But we have freedom. And we have access to resources to make sure we are taken care of. We live in a country full of spoiled ass people who are never satisfied. Nothing is ever enough. You won't die because somebody turned you away at the emergency room because you didn't have the money to pay for it.

I think it's ironic that we put all this pressure on the government to fix everything, or we blame them for everything, when the real problem is that grown ass people are actin like younguns. The real problems with this country start at home with this sense of entitlement and gimme, gimme, gimme.

Grow up people. Seriously. If things are so damn bad then move. Some people just want somethin to bitch and whine about. And, if they got no reason to whine, then they wanna stir up some drama and then act all innocent when people are pissed. Get over yourself. God is the one ultimately in control anyway. Yep, I said it. And I believe it. And if y'all really trusted God you wouldn't be in such a tizzy because Romney didn't win. All politicians make stupid decisions. Just like you and me. Either trust in God, trust Obama, or trust yourself and get the hell out of America. EVERYBODY is tired of hearing your shit.

~ Sincerely, every damn body breathing

voting and thinking. together. at the same time.

 you should buy this shirt

What if it was impossible to vote based on race?
Or because you think the republican vice presidential candidate is wayyyyy hotter than the current one?
Or because you think so-and-so's wife would be a better first lady? {WTH does this even mean, y'all? Really? Who gives a shit what she is doin?}
What if people actually realized how little power the president has, considering the majority parties that are in congress at a given time?
What if people didn't vote for the president based on looks and his physical appearance?
What if we didn't treat the presidential election like an episode of The Real Housewives of WhoGivesAShit?

People {sometimes for dumb ass reasons} pick a candidate, and then vow to support him no matter what he does or says, and no matter how little you actually know about him. People will side with their candidate to the death, just like they would if they were their favorite sports team. It's like once they pick one, they can never change, for fear of being shunned by their village.

And you wanna believe their shit. You really do.
"He's gone do this. He's gone do that." I mean, come on, people. They all said they gone do somethin magical while they're in there, right? Right?!?!
Except they don't because they can't. They only have so much power without the support of the rest of our government. THANK GOD FOR CHECKS AND BALANCES, although I think no politicians are truly to be trusted. 

 Imagine this:
What if there was no campaigning at all? What if we couldn't see the candidates' faces? 
Didn't know their wives, or their kids?
What if you went in, and voted instead on a list of issues and how you feel about those issues, and the way the president was chosen was based on the majority of people feeling the same way about the issues as that particular candidate?
And when the president was actually elected, that's the first time you ever saw his face?
I bet a lot of people would be pissed at themselves for who they unknowingly voted for. ;)

Some voters have done their research and they truly know what they're voting for. But, their vote is still somewhat influenced by their perception of the candidate. Romney is white and Obama appears to look black. Romney's wife has raised what five boys? Obama's wife is doing a great job talking to kids about vegetables. What does this shit have to do with anything?

I was just thinking about how the American people and their reasons for voting are scarier than either of the candidates because we are obsessed with celebrity and picking a side. People on facebook arguing like idiots and unfriending people because of the political candidate that they support - not even because of their political views, most of the time.

How many people even know what Republican views are and what Democratic views are? An alarmingly low number, I'd say.

To all of you who have carefully thought about your vote, the country thanks you. In my opinion, ALL politicians are ultimately about their own rise to power. The question to me when voting is, which candidate's sketchy schemes will at least attempt to accomplish what I want accomplished while they are getting their back scratched on their power trip? That, and I try to vote biblically. Some candidates say whatever the majority wants to hear. And he can change his mind on a day to day basis. Other candidates stand for something that might piss some people off, but oh well. I hate a brown noser.

I can thank God today that He is ultimately running the show, and not either of the presidential candidates. I'm also thankful that our country isn't in as bad a shape as so many others. We have a lot to be grateful for, and it ain't because the president did any of it all by himself.

With all that said, I am going to vote for what I believe to be the lesser of two evils.

Peace out, Americans.

FACEBOOK: If you no likey, delete your account!

First off, today's post was inspired by the lovely Whitney at I Wore Yoga Pants to Work. You see, she is a Twitter kinda girl, and is supa fed up with Facebook, so she wrote a post called 10 reasons why Facebook sucks {my favorite on her list is #9}. While I personally love me some Facebook, I do totally get where she's coming from with her list of FB annoyances. So, duh, it is wise for her to delete her account because she finds that shit to be crampin her style. And now, she is soul-cleansed and free and happy. Go Whitney!

So, while I do love some Facebook, it needs to be said:

IF YOU WANT TO BITCH ALL DAY AND NIGHT ABOUT SHIT PEOPLE DO AND SAY ON FACEBOOK, YOU EITHER GONE HAVE TO DEAL WITH IT  ... OR ... wait for it ... YOU CAN DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT. 
K, SHUGS?

{Again, I do strongly suggest you go check out her post, because it is true, and hilarious.}

In addition to her awesome list, I would like to add the following:

11. CREEPERS - some of y'all are sneaky, puss ass stalkers. Straight up. I don't mean lookin through people's pictures stalkers. Pictures are there to look at, and if people didn't want "non-friends" seein their biz-nass, then they could just change their settings. 

I'm talkin about y'all people on Facebook day and night, never sayin a worrrrd, but tellin everythang you read to everybody you know, like you gettin paid to be a spy - except that shit is ON THE INTERNET.
Or, you wanna casually mention to somebody somethin you stalked on their page, but didn't actually comment on or acknowledge ON Facebook while you were creepin. 

We all know y'all are out there.

And here's somethin that'll blow your mind: 

People put shit on facebook because they don't give a damn who sees or knows it.

See how that works? Take a minute to think about it.

Ready to go on?

Okay.

BUT - again, if you want to stay on Facebook, this is the shiz you sign up for.

So, if you hate it when people check in every ten minutes, or post pictures of their baby and everything they do every ten seconds, or tell people what they ate for lunch, or post political shit {my favorite}, or any of the other things Whitney described ... you can unsubscribe from them, or if you got really big balls, unfriend them ... OR .... here it comes again ... YOU CAN DELETE YOUR DAMN ACCOUNT.

TA-DA! See? It's eassssssy.

But, NOBODY IS MAKING YOU READ IT. 

Do we now all understand how the internet works?

Remember, you can always just say no {like Ms. Whitney, duh!}

And, just for fun, here is some Someecards/Facebook love.

And so, there you have it friends.
That's what Facebook is, a dumping ground - to tell people about your life, your relationships, your kids, your lunch, your asthma, your new coffee table, your anniversary, your toenail fungus, whatever the hell you want to tell people.

I mean, what is considered "proper" Facebook posting anyway, you know?
Regardless of what it is, the person who posted it will think it's beyond thrilling, and somebody else will think, "Who gives a shit?"

Luckily, you have a way out.

PS - TOTALLY off topic: Did anybody hear Roy Williams say "mixed marriage" on ESPNU's ACC Media Day Special last night when what he meant was "house divided"? Poor shug.

I leave you with this final image of the lovelies in Chapel Hill doin' their thang.
 Enjoy your day!

***

why do models pose like this?

I love this outfit.

And her hair.

And I wish my legs looked like that.

But ... 

what IS she looking at? 
 

why do chicks stare down at the ground when modeling clothes? i mean, she seems to have a gorgeous face, right? i don't get it.

in other news, my gnarlfest bruise is getting lighter, and everyday, my belly is slightly less protruded and toddler-looking. i keep waiting for it to get flat as a pancake, but then i remember, my stomach was far from bein a pancake before the surgery. more like a bundt cake. bummer. 
oh, and i now have not one, not two, but THREE fever blisters to go with.
I. LOOK. SMOKIN. HOT.
and i feel it too.

ugh.

off to get my walk on now.

happy tuesday shugpies.

stop blaming politicians for your shit

i know i already posted today. about peace and quiet.
but, to follow up, here's my two cents about the world today and people treating politicians like magicians who can swoop in and fix lazy people, know it alls, and kids who need their asses whooped. 

as i've said before, election year is one of my least favorite things on earth.
and, the main reason i hate it is ignorant voters. i don't mean that as an insult. i mean it literally - people who vote with no knowledge of who/what they're voting for.

and, i rarely get into the "party" thing. i am registered unaffiliated. but i do tend to lean more one way than the other. i try to vote based on the main issues and the candidate, and not by party. because to vote by party alone is simply stupid. period.

but, here's the bigger problem, friends: this may come as a shock to some of you, but it's not the current president, or any of the past ones. it's the world today, and the way we raise our kids, and teach our students. what we teach them to expect, and what we expect of them.

we live in a world where we shelter children from reality, and break our necks and rearrange our whole lives to cater to their schedules, and i mean, sports, clubs, parties, shit they don't even want to do half the time, and protecting their psyche. we give stickers for showing up. everyone makes the team. teachers aren't "allowed" to give anything lower than a 60 - even when 75% of the students in 8th grade cannot do 4th grade math. why are they in 8th grade in the first place, you might ask? good question. no accountability. no consequences. then, when they don't graduate high school, we will use tax money to fund their lives. and feed their babies. but don't worry, they will still have smartphones and ipads and whatever is the latest.

i don't disagree with "government programs". i disagree with a government who creates these programs and then does not monitor them, so that the vast majority of people on the programs are in fact, lazy.
some people are truly in need. but they get lost in the mix. and how can some judge in a social security disability hearing know the difference? people abuse the system because the government has allowed them to.

when kids get money for just breathing, what does that teach? when they get straight As because their mother did their homework all through high school, what does that teach? what do they learn when their mother drives hours and hours from home to come clean their college apartment for them?

do you know that there are teams that children play on where they don't keep score? wtf? i forgot. everyone is a winner.

does self esteem come from lying to a child? or from letting them fail, so that when they do succeed, they can take pride in that success? what does a child learn when there is never a consequence for any of their actions? they learn that somebody (the government?) will always pick up the pieces and bail them out of whatever it is.

just sayin.
and, nope, i don't have kids. but i have taught in rural middle class areas, in suburban upper class areas, and in high needs areas. and i know that teaching is not the same. handing kids grades, and rewards for bad choices does not help children in need either. it handicaps them. they are not grateful for your sympathy, nor do they respond to it. they deserve to be able to be self sufficient like anyone else. these are human beings, not needy animals.  i am sure teaching is nowhere near as challenging as parenting. duh. maybe i'll eat my words one day. if the Lord blesses us with children, i feel confident they will be like those hell raisers on talladega nights. but guess what? they gone get their ass tore up. yep. true story. and they won't ever be confused about who's the grown up and who's the kid.

i'm just sick to death of people blaming politicians for all their problems. get the fuck over yourself. the government is shysty as hell, no doubt - regardless of who is in office.  if this is news to you, bless your heart, shug.

democrats trip me out. not all - but a lot of them are all about "helping the underdog" while they would not be caught dead in a million years associating with such "underdogs". it's just cool to chit chat about how they are being all humanitarian and shit while they are boozing it up and pretending they are still in their sorority or fraternity while their kids are at home with the nanny.

and some republicans are tore up with some craziness too. the world coming to an end? the government coming to beat our doors down to take back our weapons?

maybe so. when that shit happens, you can find me havin a cold red bridge on my back deck. because in the end, the good Lord above is the only one who has any idea what any of us need.

do the country a favor. whoop your kid's ass. stop counting to 25. follow through on your threats. ground your kid for bad grades. stop blaming their teacher. all you are doing is making it really hard for her to not hate your kid because his mama or daddy is a total ass wipe.

fixing the world starts at home. not in the white house.

once again, someecards totally brought it. thanks.

dear haters,

Normally my "Dear ______" posts are a list of sorts, but today's is pretty simple, but equally valid I think.

So, without further ado,

Dear People Who Have a Quick Mouth and All the Answers to All the World's Problems:

Heard this on Pandora and thought of you.

And whether you like country or not.

Or whether you like Luke Bryan or not. 

I think you should have a listen.

Because it's so easy for us all to judge. 

{Myself included.}

But you never know what battles God has chosen for others to fight.

And maybe next time you want to judge, you should ask yourself, "Would you want to trade places?"

If you really think that people fighting addiction, who have lost their job, their family, their friends, their self-respect, and their kids, or people who are begging for money on the side of the road day after day in the heat and cold and rain while being talked shit to by people like you are simply lazy, and don't want a "normal" life, then I think it's pretty damn safe to say you really don't know jack.

Love, 

Shug in Boots

linked up today

It is O . . . . K! Really.

it's ok ...

+ that hubs and I have been on a "Biggest Loser" challenge for over a month and he's lost 6 pounds and I weigh exactly the same. Down to a tenth of a f**kin pound. Really, it's okay.

+ that I have been eating shit tons of these Veggie Medley sticks. (see previous comment about lack of weight loss)

+ that I have one of these half and half cocktails daily. This means I'm having two soft drinks, but only one of which has caffeine. Progress, people. Progress. At least that counts as some kind of a healthy improvement, right? Right.

+ that I am so damn over summer and beyond ready for fall. I'm SICK of mosquitos and SICK of sweatin. The summertime humidity and funk that we get around here is for Davises who have some sort of body temperature regulation problem and finally think it's "warm and comfy".

+ to wear somethin like this to an NC Stizzle game - including a not red shirt. Anj acts like this is the anti-Christ. But I get sick of wearin the same "college apparel" over and over.

wolfpack tailgate by shuginboots

I will not, however, wear stripper heels or a dress barely long enough to cover my ass cheeks. Where are these hoes' mamas/aunts/grandmas? It is a football game, shugs!

+ that I HATE water, and force myself to drink it and keep track of how much water I've had that day so I can feel guilty that I haven't had enough make sure I've had enough by the time my head hits the pillowcase.

+ that I don't watch Honey Boo Boo or any of the Bachelor/Bachelorettes or any of the Real Housewives of BFE, or give a flyin shit what the Kardashians are doing. I hardly ever turn the TV on. It doesn't get turned on until Anj comes home. {Insert lewd joke.}

+ that I don't like to throw out hubs' old raggedy v-neck Hanes t-shirts because Mama like to sleep in em, y'all. I will dig through all the new, thick ones to find an old, thin, raggedy ass one. Com-furt.

+ that the tone of my posts is greatly impacted by what time of the month it is.

+ for somebody who is diabetic as hell to be drankin on some sweet tea at a family reunion. Special occasions call for special rules, no?

+ {and convenient} that there are no dry counties in SC. However, it is weird how the alcohol sales on Sunday depend on what county/city limits you are in. #confusion. You know people be tryin to drink beer and watch the race or the Panthers game.

And just for good measure, here's some shit that is NOT OK

= that in SC, they make you put your weight on your license. Umm, wtf? Annnnd, they are good for 10 years. ........... I'm here to tell y'all, people's weight is GONE CHANGE over the course of 10 years. And there ain't even a scale. You just "tell them" what your weight is. Shit is wrong, and people gone lie anyway!

= for facebook to be givin me "poke" suggestions. Who sits around thinkin, "Hey, I ain't poked that guy I knew in middle school in a long, long time. Lemme do that now."

= for a doctor to look at me all cray because I want a copy of my own damn medical records. Don't look at me like that, playa. You make enough damn money. Now throw that shit on the copier and I'll be on my way.

= to order Diet Coke and the waiter not warn you that shit is really Diet Pepsi.

= for businesses to require a minimum purchase on credit cards. Pretty sure that shit is against y'all's contract with the credit card company.

Check out Brunch with Amber and A Complete Waste of Makeup for more ...

a black cat, the dmv and beverages at 3pm on a wednesday

sometimes, i'm blogging, or editing photos, and i see something in my peripheral vision ... a dash of black just creepin by.

y'all know the sight of a black cat makes me uneasy. remember that time i was drivin anj's truck and had a run in with such a cat? or the nightmares?

however - this particular cat is part of a litter that was born somewhere close by, and he/she {?} comes by to visit frequently and lay out in the sun, or shade, depending on how hot it is.

maybe God is showing me that He made the cat, and the cat knows nothing about these superstitions, and that i'm bein a little cray.

poor thing is quite neurotic though. he heard a squirrel, so he froze himself stiff, staring at him, and then  he pounced.

he was too slow. so, he sat and stared up the tree at the squirrel.

every time he heard any noise, he'd jerk his head around.

maybe he is superstitious and skiddish too.

i need to think of a name for him. 

because i name things.

even things that aren't really mine and that i don't feed.

hell, they don't even have to be living.

my car, my insulin pump, you know.

PARDON THE INTERRUPTION. 

I had already scheduled this lovely post about this black cat for today and all, but then, I spent a hellish 4 hours ridin all over the flippin county. once to the tax office, twice to the bank, THREE TIMES to the dmv, and a phone call to the insurance company to fax some shit to the dmv which turned out to be of no use at all.

OH. MY. WORRRRRRRRRRRRRD. 
I could feel my shit about to pop off into a damn stroke.

let me just say this:
anything with the government WILL. BE. EFFED. UP.

PERIOD.
You can take that shit to the bank.
It is goin. to. be.

generally, they don't follow their own damn rules.
and, people at the insurance company don't listen and follow directions
NO. MATTER. HOW. PLAINLY. AND. SLOWLY. YOU. SPEAK. INTO. THE. PHONE.


but, here I am. tags, license and all.

after today's out of this world reDONKuLOUSnesssssss,

I can at least be glad I don't have to get my damn car inspected anymore.

And, SC DMV, thank you for at least putting tags, license, title, all that shit in ONE PLACE.

sincerely,

whichever name I feel like goin by today. 

take your pick.

What the hayulll, China?

Maybe some of y'all are totally on board with the {somewhat stereotypical, hopefully?} Chinese parenting style of "let's teach kids that nothing less than perfection is accepted, that an A- is for wusses, and that hell yes you will play the damn piano until your fingers bleed!"

But, some people in charge over there have some serious control freak, overcompensation-for-somethin issues.

Just in case  Communist control on family size, or China lying about chicks' ages to get them into the Olympics,

(just look at them!!
do they look 16?!)
  --------------------->








isn't enough reason to know China is off their rocker, you need to have a look at this shiz:

Chinese Diver Wins Gold, Is Finally Told That Her Mother Has Cancer And Her Grandparents Died A Year Ago

{Below are some highlights}

Wu Minxia ... became the first woman in history to win three consecutive Olympic golds. Sustained success like that comes at a price --- in Wu's case, a life entirely devoted to training, cut off from the outside world...

After her gold, Wu's father admitted to the Shanghai Morning Post that he had been hiding some bad news from her: both her grandparents had died over a year ago, and her mother had battled breast cancer for eight years...

 Now 26, Wu began attending daily diving camp at six years old. At 16, she left home to live in a government-sponsored training facility, where she rarely saw her family, didn't attend school—didn't do anything but dive, all day, over and over again for this last decade...

 Her parents only kept up with her life by following her Weibo account, the Chinese equivalent of Twitter...

 Her parents even traveled to London to watch her compete at the Olympics, but either chose not to or weren't allowed to meet her until after she competed. The extent of their correspondence: a text message to let her know they had arrived safely...

What the hayulll, China?

I'll take Bush, Obama, Romney - whoever's shit anyday.

Bless y'all's hearts.

I will say this - LOVE the acupuncture! Shit has changed my life! 

xo

don't vote.

greetings, friends. y'all know how much i love election year. {insert giant "psych".} but, i feel the overwhelming urge to clarify why, because it's not my opposition of certain candidates or political parties. nope. it's voters' ignorance and the childlike bickering that seems inevitable {amongst the candidates and the voters} when it comes to politics. and, election year just brings all that shiz to the surface.

please take a moment to use the brain God gave you and consider the following:

 why are you voting?

a) my mama was a democrat

b) my daddy was a republican 

c) he is white 

d) he is black 

e) i hate who is currently in office, so i'ma vote for the other guy. 

f) she is a woman 

g) oprah said so 

h) they promised me some shit that no one could possibly give me 

i) i know what the candidate stands for, and his or her previous accomplishments/records as well as what they claim to try to achieve while in office closely follow my own beliefs and i have faith in this candidate regardless of what political party they are affiliated with

there is only one correct answer here, shugs. seriously. this person will be in office for at least 4 years. please think about what you are doing.

DO NOT listen to shit that your friends or campaign ads say about a candidate. guess what? you can't believe half the shit you hear. do some research.

if you don't know shit about the candidates, or are right down the middle and cannot decide how to vote, please do the whole country a favor, and DON'T VOTE AT ALL.

this public service announcement has been brought to you by shug in boots.

thank you and have a superb day.

there are no words.

For the first time, perhaps ever, I don't quite know what to say.

You know he'll end up at Carolina.
;)

age.

Isn't it funny how one day a year, you {and everybody else} really focus on your "age", even though, really, you are only one day older than you were yesterday?

I just turned 29. I've been sad. Not really because I am "old". I mean, yes, I'd love to be thinner, with less responsibility and carefree and all that. But, really, I think it's more just an assessment of where I am now and what I have {or have not} accomplished. And it's easy to compare your own life to others'. Then, I immediately feel guilt for being sad at all. Every day is a blessing and a gift.

I got to thinking about the idea of "age" and how it has a negative connotation. Do we accept the idea of  "age" and other people's ideas of what should have been accomplished by certain ages?

I'm such and such age, I should own a house. I get this, but tend to disagree. I think you should own a house if you are in love with where you live. Why do people buy something that equals debt if their primary reason is pressure? Or for that matter, the whole I should be married. I should have kids. Whatever it is, are we truly ready for these things, {and if you are, that's fine}, or do we just feel like we should because ya mama or ya grandpa or society says so? Who gives a shit what people say?

Work. Ugh. Life is too short to hate work everyday. I've been there. Had jobs I loathed and had jobs I loved. Now I'm in a transition place, and trying hard to trust the gifts that God gave me, and knowing that He has never let me go without, and I seriously doubt He's going to start today.

Looks. I feel fat. And not tan. But, I have been working hard to pay better attention to my health. For the last few years, I have really tried to understand my body more. To make healthier choices. I don't count calories. Or fat grams. I refuse to be a slave to food. F*** that. BUT - acupuncture has changed my life. My diabetes is better than it has been in over a decade. I am sleeping better. I feel better. I'll take that over being skinny any day. People who obsessively talk about working out GET. ON. MY. DAMN. NERVES. I am willing to bet, I am not alone on this. Just sayin. I mean, good for you, shug, you work out. Lots of people do. Hell, like I said, I'd love to be skinnier, and I'm trying to be conscious, but dude, STFU about your body image.

I'm learning that life doesn't just happen to you. You have to go after things. Sometimes those things seem scary as hell. But if you look at your life in reverse, most of the shit you wished for would have been a disaster. Sometimes, you may be the only one who things a decision is the right one. But guess what, sugarlump? You are the only one living in your life. And the naysayers {though they may truly want what's best for you} aren't going to be the one who are affected by your decision. You are.

So, to me, age is just a number. Some people die at 15. Some live in misery into their 90's.

I'll end today's post with a quote from my great Uncle Herman:

90% of the things you worry about ain't gone happen. The other 10%, you can't do nothin about em. So, there ain't no point in worryin. 

Smart man.

Now - y'all wish me luck. I'm off to Home Depot to get stuff to attempt to make this magical fabric covered jewelry display thingy I saw in Southern Living. I will post about it if it doesn't turn out totally busted.