A little of this and a little of that

This is going to be a strange post because I have a couple things on my mind that I just need to get off my chest and throw out into cyberspace.

First, how strange is it that the people in the South are SO religious that they close restaurants on Wednesday nights for church, but are open on Sunday?

Could you possibly be on your way to hell?

Second, the Jackson family. Okay I have seen more about Tito and La Toya and all the other Jackson siblings in these past few weeks since Michael died than I ever did the ENTIRE time he was living - is it me - or are they capitalizing on his death a little too much?

Speaking of Michael Jackson's death - I never was fully convinced that Michael was a child molester. Granted, I thought he was strange and given the option, I would never let my child stay the night at his place, but I honestly never believed he really did it. But does anyone remember the media circus that revolved around Jackson BEFORE his death? He was the weird "Jacko" who walked out in face masks and dangled babies from balconies. They abused him for YEARS like they did Brittany Spears when she went all psycho, shaved her head and hit that car with the umbrella. Movies made fun of him, musical groups made fun of him, TV made fun of him and suddenly he dies and his music is being played on every radio station, in every store, in every mall, all across America - people who called him a molester are suddenly mourning his passing like he was the best friend they ever had. Can we say guilty conscience?

Ted Kennedy. I'm sorry - I know the man just passed, and I know that he had a stellar career as a Senator and should be remembered as such. However, I am becoming increasingly nauseated by these articles that are dismissing his involvement in the death of Mary Jo Kopechne as a "mistake" that cost him the presidency. This is the death of a 28 year old woman we are talking about!!! A woman, who by police accounts, was probably alive for 25 minutes after the car went in the water - yet Kennedy walked past two houses, went to his hotel, called his lawyer, talked to his cousins about the accident and waited to make a police report the following morning, AFTER her body was found - in a car that had the scratch marks on the upholstery proving that she was still alive while Kennedy swam to safety and left her there to drown. He said he tried to save her life and was too frantic to call the police, okay fair enough - but his cousins knew what happened - why didn't anyone call for help? I am willing to look past this part of Ted Kennedy's history for the sake of being respectful towards the deceased - besides, he will face his judgement soon enough, as we all will. The stone in my shoe with this whole entire episode, however, is that it is being reported as the "irresponsibility" that cost him the presidency. I think it's disgusting to minimize and dismiss the death of this young woman as the "bump in the road" of his political career. But that's just me.

On a more positive note - I saw Julie and Julia last night with the girls and it was, in the words of James Lipton, "a DELIGHT". I have never been more inspired to be a better cook in my entire life....even when I burned steak so badly that I almost had to break out the fire extinguisher.

By the way - I am sorry this post was a little heated - I must be hormonal or something.

The Basket Lady finally came!

Okay, so we've been here, what two months? When we moved in I was told by several people that a lady comes by EVERY new person's house with a basket full of free stuff - coupons for free hair cuts, free facials, half off car treatments...you name it's in there. Well, she never came by my house - I was beginning to take it a little personally. (Actually I thought she was an urban legend...or in this case a rural legend)

Totally random: But did you know "Johnny Lee Miller is a hot piece still?"

But today, in the midst of cooking dinner VERY quickly for Erick because he had a priesthood meeting to go to - she came!! I got tons of stuff and she was VERY VERY nice until a certain point in our conversation about getting settled:

Basket Lady: Do you need help finding a place to worship?

Me: Oh, no - we're all set, thanks!

Basket Lady: May I ask which church you chose to worship with?

Me: We're LDS - so we're right there off of Cobbs Ford Road

Basket Lady: *tight lips* Uh huh *looks away and puts fingers to her mouth*

I think it's so hilarious and weird that people ask you about where you worship as soon as they meet you - I mean, I guess it was the basket lady's job to make sure we could find a good church - but still it's just a little strange to me. I giggle about it all the time - especially when I catch their reaction - it makes me want to pull out a pass along card or hand them a Book of Mormon to freak them out even more. ; ) I love it!!

Incidentally my chicken got a little overcooked because of her visit - but hey, I got free stuff!!! Isn't that what we're all about these days?? ; )

Stranger Danger!!

Does anyone remember the Safety Kids? My mom was a Brite music fanatic so I was raised on the cautious warblings of those "protect yourself" toons. (Ha! Toons/Tunes!) I loved the Safety kids - I still do, in fact. (Erick likes to make fun of me when I sing "Designer Genes" in the shower.)

I LOVE the Safety Kids!!!

My sister told me the other day that I was too guarded because I told her that talking to a complete stranger on the phone once and then letting them crash at your place for the weekend while they were in town, probably wasn't the safest thing to do. Hello - I saw Taken and if you ask me, those girls were stupid...especially the blonde chick.

Anyway - the thing that has got me freaked out here in Alabama is everyone is all about your business. I get it, they're friendly. But for a Yankee like me who grew up on Unsolved Mysteries, America's Most Wanted and other such terrifying TV shows, it's a little unnerving when say, the President of the Prattville Choir parks outside your neighborhood at 6:45 AM hoping to catch you on your way to work....AND sat out there for fifteen minutes waiting for you to do so. Why? Because he wanted to invite you to a party and he misplaced your phone number and address. Okay. Fine. But even though he is nice old man, I'm a little concerned that we're possibly being stalked. Okay, maybe not. But still - if my mother ever found out, you can bet that she would be calling me every fifteen minutes to make sure I WASN'T being stalked.

So is it good or bad to be a little paranoid? I don't know - but I do know that I sleep much easier at night with my alarm system and the knowledge that my husband is currently being trained to fight like Liam Nieson in Taken - so Ermin - WATCH OUT!