Disparate & Multifarious

Disparate: containing or made up of fundamentally different and often incongruous elements.

Multifarious: having or occurring in great variety.

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I made my son Spam for breakfast. No I wasn't punishing him, he likes it. I used to eat Spam growing up, so I usually have one piece after I fry it up. Just as I was about to put it in my mouth, I noticed somthing dark stuck to it. It was a little fried spider. Just when you think Spam can't get any grosser!

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Do you get those eyebrow hairs that are fine one day & then 4 inches long the next day, or is it just me?

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I posted a couple of days ago about my bipolar type 2. It was a big risk for me, but it felt right. I feel so blessed to have had 2 people contact me privately, sharing their story with me & letting me know that they understand.

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I have 2 internet friends who live only 5 miles apart! I met them in totally different ways & love them both to death. I'm gonna try to get them together. They could totally meet up & talk about how cool I am!

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Spam laced with spiders is a good diet method.

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Am I the only one who rolled my eyes when I saw Bob Greene, Oprah's diet guru, on TV explaining why we are fat? We eat too much food, much of that is crap food, & we don't move enough! There, I just saved you an hour, now you don't have to watch the show.

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Under the "Be Careful What You Wish For" category: Last month I was feeling bad for my son JD because he spent most of his time after school just hanging out here on the couch. He got his license a week ago Friday & I haven't seem him or my van since. Well except for when the van is out of gas, or he gets hungry!

Bathroom Update (Really Late)!

Way back in January I wrote a couple of posts about my husband & Dad re-doing our one & only bathroom. (I live with my husband, a 17 year-old boy & a 13 year-old boy, so I'll give you a minute to think about my having to share a bathroom with them.)

Anyway I posted here & here. The second one has the picture from the paint brochure showing what I was aiming for.

Well my DH worked his heart out & made me a beautiful bathroom.

This one shows the color best I think.



Pretty light fixture over the mirror & vanity.



Cupboard over the toilet. With this arrangement we have learned to always keep the lid of the toilet down. After having some tweezers & a toothbrush fall into the bowl that is.



A little wider shot. (Please ignore the mess. See above re: sharing bathroom with 3 men.)



I have a perfect fabric for the shower curtain. I bought it in a remnant bin about 2 years ago & I'm about 1 yard too short! My mother, the fabic queen is currently hunting for something to coordinate to add onto it.

Depression Hurts

I haven't really been doing anything but dealing with my depression lately, so I thought I would write about that. At least maybe I can educate a few folks in the world about the types of Bipolar disorder.

The first type of Bipolar disorder is the one which really makes sense with the term bipolar.

Here are some of the signs & symptoms (from the National Institute of Mental Health):

Bipolar disorder, also known as manic-depressive illness, is a brain disorder that causes unusual shifts in a person’s mood, energy, and ability to function. Different from the normal ups and downs that everyone goes through, the symptoms of bipolar disorder are severe. They can result in damaged relationships, poor job or school performance, and even suicide.

About 5.7 million American adults or about 2.6 percent of the population age 18 and older in any given year,1 have bipolar disorder. It is often not recognized as an illness, and people may suffer for years before it is properly diagnosed and treated. Like diabetes or heart disease, bipolar disorder is a long-term illness that must be carefully managed throughout a person’s life.

Bipolar disorder causes dramatic mood swings—from overly “high” and/or irritable to sad and hopeless, and then back again, often with periods of normal mood in between. Severe changes in energy and behavior go along with these changes in mood. The periods of highs and lows are called episodes of mania and depression.

Signs and symptoms of mania (or a manic episode) include:
Increased energy, activity, and restlessness
Excessively “high,” overly good, euphoric mood
Extreme irritability
Racing thoughts and talking very fast, jumping from one idea to another
Distractibility, can’t concentrate well
Little sleep needed
Unrealistic beliefs in one’s abilities and powers
Poor judgment
Spending sprees
A lasting period of behavior that is different from usual
Increased sexual drive
Abuse of drugs, particularly cocaine, alcohol, and sleeping medications
Provocative, intrusive, or aggressive behavior
Denial that anything is wrong

A manic episode is diagnosed if elevated mood occurs with three or more of the other symptoms most of the day, nearly every day, for 1 week or longer. If the mood is irritable, four additional symptoms must be present.

Signs and symptoms of depression (or a depressive episode) include:
Lasting sad, anxious, or empty mood
Feelings of hopelessness or pessimism
Feelings of guilt, worthlessness, or helplessness
Loss of interest or pleasure in activities once enjoyed, including sex
Decreased energy, a feeling of fatigue or of being “slowed down”
Difficulty concentrating, remembering, making decisions
Restlessness or irritability
Sleeping too much, or can’t sleep
Change in appetite and/or unintended weight loss or gain
Chronic pain or other persistent bodily symptoms that are not caused by physical illness or injury
Thoughts of death or suicide, or suicide attempts

A depressive episode is diagnosed if five or more of these symptoms last most of the day, nearly every day, for a period of 2 weeks or longer.

Bipolar type 2, which is what I suffer from, means you don't have the manic, or "up" times. It's just kind of a continual depressive episode, with very occasional break. If I got to choose, I would pick Bipolar type 1 because at least sometimes you feel fantastic. People with Bipolar type 1 can often achieve dynamic things during their manic phases.

Anxiety disorders are very common with people who are bipolar. I suffer from Social Anxiety disorder as well.

This has a huge impact on the people around me. My children see me down most all of the time. My husband works 60 hours a week & has to do much of the work around the house & take care of me. My parents just don't get it. They really think I should just "suck it up." It's just that they don't get it. I tried to relate bipolar to diabetes, but they think diabetes is a "real disease" and bipolar is just feeling sad.

I'm really not sure why I'm sharing this. Maybe so people will see mental illness as an illness, just like any other. A few more prayers sent my way never hurt. I'm not looking for pity or sympathy (or nasty comments, please), I'm just putting my life out there. Maybe it just helps to write about it.

I'm currently seeing a new therapist which will allow me to see a new Psychiatrist, who will hopefully find a drug combination that works with my brain chemistry.

If you're still reading this really long post, thanks. I have found wonderful friends in the blogging community, & the support I have received helps & means a lot to me.

And He's Off

I am currently sitting here sobbing as I type. My JD got his real license today & just left, ON HIS OWN, to go & visit some of his friends.

I know it's in God's hands, but I am so petrified. I cannot explain to you the feeling of having him pull out of the driveway, on his own, for the first time.

He's a good driver. This just puts a finer point on the fact that he's moving farther away from me every day.

Just say a little prayer that he will make it home safely & that I won't have a full blown break down in the meantime!

Flip Flop Find

Welcome Flip Flop Friends! Make yourself comfortable & have fun!

Feel free to stop by my devotional blog Devotional Daze, My schnauzer Oskar's blog The Daily Oskar, or my reading list at Mimi's Year In Books.

Once Bitten

Alright, so I've caved to peer pressure & started reading Twilight. The boys weren't really interested & I wasn't interested enough to buy them for myself, but sometime last year Jack got the first 2 books from someone. He read the first one & never started the second. I don't think teen boys are their target audience.

Now I really got into the book. I read about half of it last night. Then I was stopped dead in my tracks. He sparkles?? WTF kind of vampire sparkles! I get that they are romanticizing for the little tween girls & housewives, but this made me close the book last night & go to sleep. I'm sure I was muttering disgustedly in my sleep about sparkling.

Interview With A Vampire had pretty vampires & even more homoerotic subtext than even Anne Rice intended, still I didn't see Brad or Tom Sparkle.

I've decided to try to overlook the sparkly part & continue reading, just don't tell Nosferatu, OK?

Big Sparkly Diamond Earrings!!

You can win them.

Scary Mommy is giving away an amazing pair of diamond earrings, worth over $1,000!

Some cruddy FeedBurner mess up cost her all 700 of her subscribers! So pop over, give her some subscriber lovin' & tell her Screaming Mimi sent you!

If I don't win, hopefully at least one of my Michigan bloggy friends will win so I can swing by & borrow them sometime!

Musical Monday

We have been all Beatles, all the time here lately. First JD "discovered" them about a month ago, during our road trip to NC. Now the trickle down theory has let his little brother Jack find them also.

Jack asked me yesterday, "How did I go 13 years without the Beatles? They're totally epic!"

I agree, they're epic. I love this version of The Long & Winding Road. It was released in May of 1970 & was one of the last songs they recorded. Since John left the band in September of 69 & they "officially" announced the breakup in April 1970.

The Beatles recorded "The Long and Winding Road" in January 1969, the day after the group's final performance on the roof of their Apple headquarters. This video features Billy Preson (the fifth Beatle) on the organ and a long shot of Yoko Ono in the middle of the video.



For more Musical Monday visit Diane or Jori.

My Sunshine

(This was scheduled to post at 3/14/09 @ 7:14 am. Blogger obviously was asleep then, so I'll post it a day late!)

This is John David. My nickname for him is & always has been Sunshine because when he would wake up at night I would sing him to sleep with You Are My Sunshine.

Today my Sunshine is 17 years old. I am proud of the young man he is & the man that he is becoming, but I honestly can't figure out how it's been 17 years & how my baby to to be 6 ft. tall.

I get weepy sentimental on both of my boys birthdays, but with him being this old, I'm starting to measure my time with him, here, with this house as the center of his world. I don't just love this kid, I really like him & just thinking of him leaving the nest breaks my heart. So I will try to enjoy all the time I have with him & overlook the fact that he is a large, often annoying, teenage boy!

Winner!

The winner of my Spring Fling giveaway is Sandy from The Adams Family!

Sandy wins a 3 month membership to http://www.jumpstart.com/.

I hope to be working with JumpStart again in the future, so check back for more!

The State Of Michigan Would Like To Apologize

The people who run Detroit are crazy. How embarassing to be from a state where the mayor of our most (in)famous city is a huge pimp-daddy, affair-having, text-messaging crook.

As if that's not bad enough we've got batshit crazy Martha Reeve from the Detroit city council complaining about the free concert Jay Leno is giving here. Being batshit crazy is a requirement to be on the Detroit city council apparently. Just a couple of days ago we had another esteemed member of the council break into a loud & off-key version of "Onward Christian Soldiers" when nobody would listen to her. Now I'm all for a good hymn, but maybe these clowns could actually concentrate on something like saving the fricking city, instead of singing!

Anycrazy, Jay announced that he was coming to "Detroit" to put on a free concert for the unemployed. In case you haven't heard Michigan is kinda screwed due to the whole auto industry collapsing thing. Jay's folks called the people at the Palace of Auburn Hills about his free concert. The Palace agrees to donate the venue & parking for free. They contact Pepsi who agrees to provide free beverages & snacks. Leno said the whole thing was arranged in about 45 minutes. Awesome!

Now Ms. Reeves in calling Jay on the carpet because he is coming to Auburn Hills instead of Detroit. Auburn Hills is part of what is called the metro-Detroit area. And seeing as the Detroit Pistons play at the Palace it's really not that much of a stretch.

Martha Reeves is also upset becasue she wants to go to the concert, but can't since it's only for the unemployed. Hopefully she will do us all a favor & quit, so that she can go to the concert.

There are tons of hard-working amazing people in Michigan & some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. 99.9% of us in the state are embarassed by the craptastic headlines we continue to make. We need to blast all of these people out of office & pray the city of Detroit actually gets some leadership that will focus on helping the people & the failing industries, instead of lining their pockets, breaking the law & making headlines for being nutjobs!

At Least The Sun Is Shining

This morning I woke up to cat puke in the kitchen (Chloe) & cat PEE on my favorite jammy pants (Moe).

Why do I keep these creatures in my house again?

Check It Out!

My super cool friend Diane at Good Mourning Glory is giving away tons of awesome goodies. Stop by & enter before midnight on Friday the 13th. (That is SO Diane!)

While you're there make sure & look around her site. She has a perspective that may not be mainstream, but that's part of what makes her so cool.

Spring Fling

I am totally overwhelmed & amazed at the goodies offered today at the SITS Spring Fling.

Over 300 prizes by individual bloggers, there's still time to get in on the fun, so hop over there now!

JumpStart Giveaway!

Let me start by saying that I have been asked to review products before & turned them down because they weren't products that I felt really good about.

Jump Start is different. I absolutely love this whole online community. I was familiar with Jump Start to begin with. My sons schools used to offer sets of books and computer games that my kids loved.

When Sonia contacted me to see if I wanted to host a Jump Start giveaway I jumped at the chance. I've been saving it for the SITS Spring Fling, but any commenter can enter.

When you start on the Jump Start site you get to make your Jumpee. It’s kind of like making a Mii in the Wii game, but the options are more fun! You can even have skin that’s spotted like a cow! I personally made my Jumpee to have a kitty cat face, yellow hair & daisy flip flops.

A short tutorial shows you how to move your Jumpee around. I have to say I was pretty impressed with the graphics. My 4 year old tester was really into the colors.

The goal here is to collect Jumpstars by completing adventures. We are introduced to some of the characters like CJ Frog, who is an adventurer & Hops the rabbit who is an inventor.

CJ like to hang out at the movie house & we watched a couple of movies. T’s favorite was watching 4 Little Monkeys jumping on the bed. Well, she was watching & dancing to it. I preferred the Old McDonald video. Yes, I know I’m 41, but the farm animals were just so cute!

We did have a little trouble getting to the games, because everywhere you look you can plant a flower or decorate your environment. After a ride down the spiral slide, we went to Pet Land and adopted a monkey named Max.

We painted some pictures and then moved on to the town square for some grocery shopping.

Once T went home I hunted around the Fun For Parents section. The JumpStart Times has some great articles. I especially liked the one called “The Great Homeschool Debate.” Not only did it point out great points to think about when considering which to choose, it even had links to other sites for additional information.

JumpStart Art allows you to send character cards online & even download jumpstart wallpaper.

With membership to JumpStart you can also download 4 other games, for ages 3-5, 4-6, 5-7, & 6-8. They will be integrated into the website eventually, but having full access to them now is fantastic if you have different age groups.

I cannot stress enough that this is an online safe environment. You can also plant your kid in front of this & have zero guilt. Their learning, even when they don't realize it.

I will tell you in all seriousness that I have even gone on to Jump Start and just played when no kid testers were here!

Now here's the good news for you. Sonia has offered to give away a 3 month Jump Start membership to one Screaming Mimi Reader.

All you have to do is leave a comment & you will be entered in a drawing to win. Following me will earn you a second entry, just leave me a second comment telling me that you're a follower.

Cut off is midnight Thursday 3/12, eastern standard time & the good old random generator will pick the winner. If I can't contact you through a blog, please make sure I have a way to contact you. Good Luck

The entrance to Storyland.

Designing your house.

Annie's Song

I've said in the past that my musical interests give my husband whiplash. When Chris & I were planning our wedding, we knew what we wanted. Outside, in a park. People barefoot & in shorts. Homemade fried chicken & cupcakes. I walked down a path to the gazebo where Chris waited for me, my boys escorted me.

When we were planning the wedding I told Chris that I wanted to play a John Denver song as I walked to him in the gazebo. The reaction was instant & negative.

At this point I will say that I absolutely adore John Denver & his early death was heartbreaking. Once Chris heard this song, Annie's Song, he agreed that it was perfect.

I've already said that I think that Lovesong by The Cure is one of the best lovesongs ever. Annie's Song by John Denver ranks just as high up there for me.

I couldn't find a good video of him singing the version that I like, but just listen to the words...

For more Musical Monday visit Diane, or Jori.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

"It's A Sunshine Day"

For some unknown reason this got stuck in my head while I was in the shower this morning. I thought it would be perfect for Flashback Friday!

Here's the other one, Keep On Movin'. Love the outfits!

Check out Too Much Information for more Flashback Friday!

Me Via Flikr

C over at Polka Dots & Pansies did this yesterday & I thought I'd play along.

a. Type your answer to each of the questions below into Flickr Search.

b. Using only the first page, pick an image.

c. Select the size of boxes as 3 by 4. Copy and paste each of the URLs for the images into fd’s mosaic maker.



Use these questions in each URL box!!!
1. What is your first name? Pam
2. What is your favorite food? pizza
3. What high school did you go to? Waterford Kettering
4. What is your favorite color? yellow
5. Who is your celebrity crush? Johnny Depp
6. Favorite drink? cold water
7. Dream vacation? secluded island
8. Favorite dessert? creme brule
9. What you want to be when you grow up? an actress princess
10. What do you love most in life? my family
11. One Word to describe you? loyal
12. Where do you live? Michigan

Play along if you want & leave me a link so I can see what you look like!

Flickr asked that I paste this in here to recognize the people who actually took these pictures, so here it is.

1. Dad & Pam, 2. Pinocchio's Pizza farm, 3. WKHS 1962 classmates, 4. Contact line, 5. +[ Johnny Depp: drop dead gorgeous ]+, 6. water droplets in the shower - o.k. bokeh, 7. Untitled, 8. Creme Brule, 9. I loved the movies of Esther Williams, 10. Snowmen family in TX, 11. We did it? Barack Obama won? Yay! Yes We Did!, 12. Late October on Lake Michigan

Go Ahead, Show Off!

Auds over at Barking Mad is giving away a $250.00 Target gift card. All that is required is tooting your own horn! Seriously, to enter to win this gift card Auds wants to see our 5 favorite posts from our own blogs.

Without further ado or adieu (computer search says both are correct) here are 5 of my favorite posts.

Purple Cartoon Areolae

I May Have To Change Grocery Stores, But I Still Have My Panties

Dear Sasha Fierce

Men...

When I'm Hopped Up On Goofballs, I Steal

Check out my personal faves & then hop over & see who else is playing!

A Great Contest & A Great Project

Tiffany from The R Family Diaries and The Secret is in the Sauce is giving away 2 $100.00 Target gift cards. She has been chosen by Pepperidge Farm to be among the faculty of Fishful Thinking. According to Tiffany, "Fishful thinking is an initiative that offeres parents tools to foster optimism in kids."

I actually have tears. The focus on optimism is my favorite thing. I have a son who is 17 & one who is 13 & sometimes it's hard for them to feel optimistic about things.

My 17 year old has not been able to find a job. All of the positions here in Michigan that teens would normally fill are filled by unemployed auto workers, etc.

Graduating high school doesn't mean a whole lot. You graduate high school, so you can get into a good college & get a degree, but he knows plenty of kids who have that degree & still have no job.

Our kids need optimism & as a parent I am stretched thin to continue to make them feel optimistic, when I'm running low myself.

To find out more about Fishful thinking and to enter the contest to win one of 2 $100.00 click here.

Musical Monday

My friends Diane & Jori host Musical Monday & after missing a couple of weeks, I'm glad to be back in the swing of things.

This week, The Cure, probably my favorite band ever, singing Love Song, probably the best lovesong ever. This isn't the video I wanted, you're not allowed to embed the orginal music video for the song. If you're interested you can find it here.

OK, you know what? I'm gonna give you a twofer. I just can't post this without posting the other contender for best lovesong ever, Just Like Heaven. Original video here.

Sigh. Guess what I'm gonna be listening to for the rest of the day!

Simply Delicious Sundays & Books

I participate in Simply Delicious Sunday, which is hosted by Tamy at 3 Sides Of Crazy. My entries are located unter the cooking tab at the top of the blog. Even if you don't care about my recipes, check out Tamy's blog. She's got some of the best recipes on the web!

Also, my books feature at the top of the blog has been broken out into it's own blog. Mimi's year in books. I think it will be easier than trying to keep them all in one big post. If you care you can find it here: http://mimisyearinbooks.blogspot.com/.