Red is my color afterall...

Well, I was going to wait until tomorrow to post this, but I can't contain my excitement. On Sunday, I had my first film audition ever....Let me backtrack a bit. I recently decided to get a hobby because, aside from work, I just stayed at home and got lazy. Acting has always been something I wanted to try, so I joined the Houston Film Industry to see if I could be a part of some local, short films on the weekends. Through the organization, I receive invites to casting calls and heard about one on Sunday for a feature-length film called Shut Your Blog Off that only films on Saturdays and Sundays, which is perfect. I mustered up the courage to go and felt it went well. I had my lines memorized pretty quickly, and the person I read with was very laid back and made me feel at ease. That was such a relief because I was sooo nervous going into it.

This morning I got an email from the producer/director asking if we could meet this evening to talk about the film. We met at Cafe Express in Uptown Park and went over the film's plot and direction. Mid way through he tells me that he wants to offer the female lead to me. I am still stunned. I just can't believe I got the part!! I wanted it really bad but didn't expect to get a lead part on my first audition. I am super excited to get started, which is good because the plan is to begin filming this Saturday. After the film is totally complete, post-production and such, there will be a screening where the public can come view the film in an actual movie theater. I am going to be seen on the big screen!!!! I'm freaking out here! This is so awesome and amazing and surreal.

If you want to check out the film go to http://www.shutyourblogoff.com/. You can get a quick summary there. My part will be a reporter named Rene who is new to the news station's staff, as is the movie's male lead reporter. Tough she is welcomed, he is treated as an outcast, and when he discovers a good news story--a healthcare scandal--he is met with ridicule from everyone else on the team...except Rene. Rene is the only one who believes him and helps him when he decides to investigate the story on his own. It's got a lot of great aspects in it, like comedy, suspense, drama and intrigue. I'm very excited to be working on it and just so thankful to have this opportunity.

I will keep everyone up to date as filimg gets rolling, and when it's time for the Houston premiere, you're all invited!

How can there be self-help “groups”?

For some weird reason I got to thinking about the stupid things that come out of people's mouth, which led to the pondering of the stupid questions people ask, and that gave way to a line of thought about rhetorical questions...There are some funny and thoughtful ones out there. That was my one line of thought. So to the Internet I went, where I pulled together a short list of the rhetorical questions that made me laugh. 

(From www.InnocentEnglish.com)

1. Why is it that when someone tells you that there are billions of stars in the universe, you believe them. But if they tell you there is wet paint somewhere you have to touch it?

2. If 4 out of 5 people suffer from diarrhea does that mean the fifth one enjoys it?

3. How do they get the deer to cross at that yellow road sign?

4. What was the best thing before sliced bread?

5. If deaf people go to court is it still called a hearing>?

6. If you choke a smurf, what color will it turn?

(From www.Englishforums.com)

7. Why is it called alcoholics anonymous when the first thing you do is stand up and say 
"Hi, my name's Bob. I'm an alcoholic"?

8. Why do toasters always have a setting on them which burns your toast to a 
horrible crisp that no one would eat?

9. If quizzes are quizzical, what are tests? (Haha!)

What's in a name?

Courtesy of Ashpash...

1. Witness Protection Name (mother’s & father’s middle names)
Mom has no middle name, so we'll use her nickname. NetteNette Ray. You might be a redneck if...

2. Nascar Name (first name of your mother’s dad & father’s dad)
Tilden Raymond

3. Star Wars Name (the first 2 letters of your last name & first 4 letters of your first name)
Stsara. What the...?

4. Detective Name (favorite color & favorite animal)
Purple Monkey. That sounds like a freaky bedroom move. "Yeah man, I gave here the purple monkey and she went bananas."

5. Soap Opera Name (middle name & city where you live)
Michelle Houston. Whitney's sister.

6. Superhero Name (2nd favorite color & favorite alcoholic drink, optionally add “The” to the beginning)
The Green Apple Martini

7. Fly Name (first 2 letters of first name & last 2 letters of your last name)
Sabs. Kinda like Babs but not.

8. Gangsta Name (favorite ice cream flavor & favorite cookie)
Peppermint Oatmeal, dawg. Don't hate.

9. Rock Star Name (current pet’s name & current street name)
I have 3 current pets, so I can be Lola Shearn, Dax Shearn or Harley Shearn. That's my whole band. Two brothers and their sister.

10. Porn Name (first pet’s name & street you grew up on)
Lola Tamarach...not so porno-ish

You're so skinny, I can save you from drowning by tossing you a Cheerio!

Whoo hoo! Good...no great news, everyone! Yesterday I was able to stick two arms down my pants without unbuttoning them!! (How many times can a girl say that without getting a weird look?) That's how loose my clothes are getting. Pretty cool feeling, I might add. 

(FYI, that's not me...yet) My body has completely adjusted to taking in less, and in fact, it's now hard for me to eat everything I am supposed to eat each day. I get full fast and don't want to eat anymore. Fullness never stopped me before, which is why I am on a weight loss plan, but now I look at food different. 

Before it was like, "Yum! Eating this chocolate cake is like taking little bites of Heaven, and even though my pants are busting at the seams, I'm going to finish it," but now that it's a piece of chicken, it's like, "Hmm, I'm full and this chicken ain't anything special, so I'm calling it quits." I don't live to eat but eat to live. Eating is now just something I do to get in my nutrients and stay healthy, not a hobby that I partake in when I'm bored or upset. Everyone mark this day on your calendar. I am no longer a food addict. I'm still going to my FLA meetings (Food Lovers Anonymous) and will continue with my 12 steps (that's 12 stair steps, by the way), but it's safe to say that I am cured.

It will be new clothes shopping time before long...too bad I'm broke from joining the QWLC. I'm not complaining, though. I would rather be broke with loose pants than bankin' with tight pants. 

That's not me either...just want to clear that up. So, progress is being made, and it's pretty awesome to know that I'm on the right track. Maybe I'll get that lady to join QWLC. I mean, look at her face. It just screams, "HELP ME!" Or maybe it says, "Oh no! This tight waist band isn't doing any favors for the cupcakes, burritos and queso I just ate. Uh oh! Turtle head. The bathroom's near by, right?"

Oh, so the belt is supposed to come together in the front!

Well, it has been a full 4 days since my last post...well, I don't count weekends, so 2 days since my last post. You doing OK? Oh, good. Whew! Sweat off the brow. I would feel immensely guilty had I made you stay glued to your computer awaiting my post, the stench of hopeless abandonment seeping from your pores, dark circles under your eyes marking the days you've gone without sleep, a homemade toilet resting by your feet so that you didn't risk missing my blog while you ran to the bathroom. Had that happened, I would have felt bad and solely responsible...actually, that's a lie. I probably would have scheduled a talk with you so that we could discuss a new life path for you to follow. But since everyone's OK, lets move on...

I am on day 7 of my new diet, and things are going well. I see the scale drop more and more with each daily weigh in, and that's always exciting. My pants are fitting lose, and I feel more energized. Whoo hoo! I am getting plenty of food on my current plan, which is a relief because I always worry that strict diets will leave me feeling hungry. Not the case with this one--it's Quick Weight Loss Center, by the way. I eat several times throughout the day, and I get everything from starches, fruits, veggies, protein, dairy and even fat. Yes, that's right. I not only get some fat on this diet, I am required to have it. Granted it's only 1 tbsp of butter or mayo, but hey, when I get to smear that butter on my toast everyday I am reminded that God loves me and wants to protect me from the torture that is a life without butter.

I am SUPPOSED to go to the clinic to weigh in everyday for 2 weeks and then 3x a week after that, but I just go when I have the time. I mean, it's close to my work so M-F is convenient, but I'm not driving over there on  Saturday for a 5 min. visit. Sorry. Plus, I have a feeling they roll their eyes at me when I leave because I have voiced my opinion about the prices of their products. I have refused to buy them because they are all optional. They do not hinder the program in any way, so why would I spend all that extra money for something I don't have to have? Example. They want you to take EFAs like Omega 3, 6 & 9. I'm agree, that's good for you to take. Their bottle cost $40, while the bottle I got from Target cost me $10. One packet of their salad dressing is like $11, while I got a whole bottle of lite dressing at Randalls for $3. See my point? So I would bet that I am that rare client that puts up a resistance and doesn't just go along with everything they suggest, and who wants to be the consultant to handle THAT lady? I can't believe I have become THAT lady. When I worked for an oral surgeon I used to hate dealing with stubborn patients who didn't listen to me, and now I've become one. Oh well, what can you do?

So other than the jacked up cost of their products, I am liking the overall program and would recommend it if you're wanting to shed some pounds but know you can't count on yourself to keep the will power strong. There's something about having other people hold you accountable that motivates you, ya know? Knowing that I have to go in there and have someone else weigh me and check my food journal makes me want to follow the rules and show them I can do this. Sure I have weak moments filled with temptation, but it's how I react in those moments that matters. The other day I wanted an oatmeal raisin cookie soooo bad, but did I have one? No! And last night I watched Adam eat a Hershey's bar without any desire to have a piece myself. No that's progress, people. This could very well be the program that sticks. 

Well, it's time for my Strawberry Kiwi smoothie (QWLC supplement). Got to get that mid morning snack in before lunch. Cheers!

Order's Up!

Well, I broke my goal to blog every weekday for a month...I'm so ashamed of myself. But in my defense, I had a good reason not to blog yesterday. I was at the hospital from about 8:30 am to 4:00 pm . In the labor and delivery ward, no less. Yes, I was 9 months pregnant and had no idea. I went into the hospital with stomach pains, and what do you know? Baby! NOT!! I really was in labor and delivery but with my Cousin, Carrie. I was dubbed videographer for the day, and quite frankly, I suck at it. Mark that profession off the list. Carrie was induced yesterday morning, and I was invited to be a witness to the miracle of life. I am honored that she would include me such a milestone. Upon arrival we (myself, Carrie, husband Jason and friend Dee) began putting in our orders to the universe. What does that mean, you ask? I will share the knowledge with you...

It became popular in my family as a result of my mother. She read this book called The Secret that explains how powerful a thought can be, that we make our reality based on what we think. So in essence, if there is something you want in life you simply think about it as if you know it's going to happen. You picture yourself getting that promotion, you see yourself living in that new house you want, you visualize yourself winning that award. And by doing that, you make your thoughts a reality. No, this isn't a cult or a religion. It's simply a way to start thinking more positively. If you think positive, positive things will happen. Point blank. Now somewhere in the book it talks about placing your oder with the universe, which is basically saying what you want outloud as if it is a statement of truth. And it has to be in positive terms. So not, "I hope this plane doesn't crash," but, "We are going to land safely in Colorado." It's positive (land safely), and it's stated as a fact.

Meanwhile, back at the hospital, we are placing our orders for the time of delivery. We say, "baby will be here at noon." Noon came and went. "Baby will be here at 1:00." That was a no go. That's when I said that we should call my mom because she's the one with the power (mainly because she has actually read the book, while we just place orders like we know what we're doing). I ask her to place an order for the delivery time. At this point it's a little after 1:00, and Carrie is just 4cm. My mom places her order as 2:22pm. The doctor doesn't think it will happen. Well, in about 15 min. Carries goes from 4cm to 10cm and feels the pressure to push. Nurses come, doctor comes, and baby Max is born at 2:22pm on the dot. Can you believe that?! Everyone in the room was freaked out by that. The nurse proclaimed that she is buying that book for sure. Even my mom herself couldn't believe it. 

So from now on, when I want something in life, not like a new outfit but a life goal, then I'm calling in the artillery--my mom--and having her place my order. Apparently she has the right touch. She and the universe are in cahoots, best buds it seems. That's a cool person to know. 

And on the baby note, Max is perfect, just precious. Carrie is amazing! She made the process look so easy. I mean, 1 and 1/2 pushes, and there he is. I was so expecting to be traumatized and grossed out, but I wasn't at all. I was like, "I can do that."...Until the nurse told me that it's not always like that. Damn! No babies on the agenda anytime soon, though, so no worries for now.

Here he is, ladies and gents! Mr. Maxwell (Max) Chris Kolter. Isn't he a doll?

Detox!

Today is day one of my three day detox. I am getting my body prepared to start consuming different foods, foods that are good for me, not just the ones that taste like heaven and are filled with calories. This also means that today is a funeral of sorts, for I must lay to rest all those brownies, cheeseburgers, pizzas, donuts and cake. I bid you a bitter sweet farewell, my fat-filled companions. You will be missed...especially come tomorrow when I'm going through withdraw, when I'm curled up in the corner of my room foaming at the mouth and pleading with someone to give me just one bite of chocolate cake, just one bite.

My instructions are to eat 2 eggs for breakfast, which is cool because who doesn't love a good egg? You know I do, just read my "Don't Egg Me On" post. Then I am to snack on half an orange. Cool. I like oranges. And I am to have as much meat (protein) and raw green veggies as I can take. I can't use any salt on these foods nor any condiments, and those who know me will testify that I could swim in some ketchup. So I went to the store and bought broccoli, celery, cucumbers, salad and enough chicken to last me 3 days. The big hunk of meat consumption is going to be what I potentially cringe from because although I enjoy a nice steak or piece of grilled chicken, I am a fruit and veggie person. So bring on the celery and cucumbers...not too stoked about all the chicken. However, it's just 3 days, and I can tolerate anything for 3 days...except maybe stupid people. I can't tolerate them for 5 minutes.

Because I forgot to buy oranges last night, I went to Randalls on my lunch break and grabbed a few...along with a rotisserie chicken because I don't have any chicken made yet. I am allowed to eat rotisserie chicken as long as I remove the skin, which just so happens to be my favorite part. But, I did as I was supposed to and removed all the juicy, flavor-enriched skin. My dogs were happy about it, though. I then chopped up a cucumber and that was my side dish. Nothing like skinless chicken and a cucumber to satisfy your appetite. She knows how I feel.

I usually follow my lunch with something sweet, like a chai tea or a cookie...but not today...or tomorrow...or the next day. I'm gonna stick this out, though, because if nothing can motivate someone to shed a few pounds, paying a lot of money to do will. Since I had to pay for this program I am going by the book. Nothing would piss me off more than to dish out the cash and get nothing in return. 

So, here I am...with a headache from carb withdraw, reminding myself that this will be over after Friday. Phase 2 starts on Saturday, and though I'm sure it wont be all chips, bread and pasta, it will be better than this.

Keep It Clear

OK, so I'm trying to drink lots more water throughout the day to keep me hydrated, curve hunger, be healthy, etc. I've been doing pretty well so far...well, I'm only on day 2 so I better be doing good. If I'd screwed up already we'd know that I have some major follow through issues, which hey, I probably do. (Sarah did not continue her stupid "workout" last night!) Who the hell said that? I don't appreciate people jumping on my computer and telling all 5 of my readers about my failures. Back off! OK? So anyway, I've been keeping my glass full...and my bladder. And how to know if I'm on the right path is by looking at the color of my pee. The clearer the better. If you're peeing a yellow highlighter, my friend, than you are in need of some H2O. If your pee looks like a fresh spring, then thumbs up! 

Now, I've never really assessed all the various pee colors...must have missed that chart in elementary school...so I'm going to make my own. I hope to inspire you to drink the right amount of water a day, and so I want to provide you with the right tools to do so. Here's your pee chart: (Ha! Like a pie chart, only I don't think of Key Lime or Boston Cream when I say it)

Highlighter Yellow: Damn, G! You better get your ass to the nearest water well and drink it dry

Post-It Note Yellow: Tisk, tisk! You are overdue for some serious hydration.

Smokers Teeth Yellow: Not bad, but let's take it to the next level.

Baby Blanket Pastel Yellow: Doing good, my friend. Just a glass or so more.

Transparent: Celebrate good times come on! And don't try and hold it anymore, not worth it.

Crystal Clear: You are a fresh Colorado spring. Revel in it!

It's a 6 step program, but yes, you can skip levels. It is possible to go from Highlighter to Smokers Teeth in one day, but don't feel like you're a loser if you stick with the chart level by level. We all move at different paces in life, and we can't all have the best pee color.

Now, if you want some other cool tips on how to take in more water, check out this site:

http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/health/9-tips-how-to-drink-more-water-441417/

You'll be surprised at how much better you feel if you stay hydrated...and you'll notice things about your bathroom that you never did before. After you go into the same place 15 times in an hour, you tend have more chances to analyze it. Like, "Wow! I didn't know someone wrote a 'your mamma's so fat' joke in tiny letters on the wall...Ha! I'll have to use that one." That sort of thing. So, take care and keep it clear!

1 Crunch, 2 Crunch, 3 Crunch...Oh, Cake!

With each step I take in my colorful, summery wedges, I am reminded of my little Sunday morning "workout." I have to use quotations because I doubt that what I did would be considered an actual workout, but because it will makes me feel better to call it that, I will. Somewhere along the course of my life I went from Ms. Super Active to Ms. Sits On Her Ass, and I can't figure out how that transition came about. It's pretty sucky, though, so I decided that Sunday was a good day to get out of my habit of being inactive. Jesus wasn't the only one experiencing a resurrection this Easter.

I began with a basic Pilates DVD that I managed to find and dust off. About 1/3 of the way through I said to myself, "The hell with this shit! I'm doing something else." My tolerance levelf for things that irritate me is amazing. All 4 years of high school I was on the dance team--The Sterling Stars--and we started everyday off by stretching. So, I decided that I would start my newfound empowerment with some stretches, reverting back to what we did in dance class. I quickly learned how pathetically out of shape I've become. There were stretches that I used to do that displayed all kinds of flexibility, like the splits. The only thing I split now are my pants. In my younger years, I used to be able to sit down with my legs at a wide V and lean completely over, touching my head to the floor. Sunday, I was lucky to get 1/4 of the way to the floor. It was pitiful! After some self esteem-lowering stretches I did some basic moves, like jumping jacks, squats, crunches, calf lifts and weights. Now, when I say weights, I mean that I took one of Adam's 25 lbs barbells and lifted it with both hands. One rep of 20. Pretty impressive. 

Today I am feeling the wrath of my new go-getter attitude. My calves and arms are so sore, and I have to ask myself, "Was it worth it?" I know I have to do it for more than one day, but patience is not a virtue I have. I want results now! Is that too much to ask? Is it too much to ask for donuts and chocolate to make one lose weight rather than gain it? I'm just saying. Just throwing out some food for thought. Now that's an expression that I can get behind. Food for thought. Hey, I need to think up good ideas all the time. That's all I'm saying. I only scarf down kolaches and cake because it's vital that I come up with new ideas. It has nothing to do with how freakin' good that crap tastes.

So here we are at the end of the day, and I am left contemplating whether or not to continue my wussy workout this evening. The problem is finding something that's fun, and in no way is sweating, panting and wishing I was dead fun. Maybe that's just me. A colleague of mine introduced an idea that she herself has tried. Whether or not she carried through with it is null and void. She suggested going to Half Priced Books and getting a really old workout tape from like the 80s and working out to that. For some reason most people get captivated watching stupid TV shows or late night infommercials. There's just something about bad acting and lame gimmicks that gets me. So, the idea is that if I get an old workout video I will be so intrigued to watch those big-haired, leotard wearing ladies jump around that, in laughing at them, I might actually get up and join in. That way I can do one of my favorite hobbies (making fun of people) and burn calories at the same time. It's a win-win!

Well, it's that time. Got to go home and start dinner. Will it be fried chicken with a side of cheesecake and fudge brownies or a four cheese pizza complimented by a three-layer chocolate cake with ice cream? Now why I can't lose weight just baffles me.

Don't Egg Me On!

I am sitting here, twirling my gum around my finger waiting for something profound to hit me so that I can blog about it....I got nothin'. The pressure to write something deep or clever or funny is a lot more intense now that I know there are two people who have my blog saved to their favorites...and when I say two PEOPLE, I mean my mom and dad. But still, knowing that they can so easily click a button and pull up my blog makes me conscious of my desire to create a post that is worth a read....I tried going off on a tangent in hopes that while rambling a good blog idea would hit me. Not so much.

I keep replaying my weekend in my head to see if there was a life experience that I want to share, but all my experiences were pretty mundane. I mean, I got a TV. Who hasn't done that? And nothing exciting happened while we were getting it, so any chance of an interesting blog post from that adventure is dead. I also went shopping this weekend, and while that was tantalizing for me, it would do nothing but bore you. And then there was Easter at my aunt's. No family dramas unfolded....although we probably had more deviled eggs present than the rest of the neighborhood combined. 

See, my family, we LOVES us some deviled eggs. And rightfully so because we make some damn good ones. There were around 10 deviled egg eaters present and accounted for this Easter. Let's say the average person, and note that I say average, which my family is not, gets 4 deviled eggs each as a nice snack before the main meal. And take into account that there are other snacks as well. That would mean that 40 deviled eggs would suffice. (I know, I'm quick on that math) But oh no! 40 deviled eggs ain't nothin' for my family. You see, we had just under 100 deviled eggs in total. I made 72 of them and my aunt made another 24. A normal family would think, "Wow! That's way too many," but as I mentioned, we aren't a normal family. In about a 2 hour span we were able to down all but about 15 eggs. That's something that I can't help but be amazed and astounded by. This Easter has set the bar for 2010. C'mon fam, lets see how many we can hork down next year!...Oh, the noble goals we set for ourselves. 

A Nose Isn't Just For Picking...Or so I'm told

So everyday I get queries from Help A Reporter Out or HARO, and I read through them to see if any of my clients can be a resource for one of the reporters. Yesterday I came across two queries I found interesting...and by interesting I mean bizarre. One was called 'Smelling On the Job.' Now, at first I thought this reporter was looking for people who stunk, and I wondered who would come forward and proclaim, "Umm yes, I stink. I don't shower or use deodorant. Write about me!" Then once I scrolled down to read the details I discovered that the reporter wants people whose sense of smell is vital to their job...so she wants to talk to rescue dogs? So I got to thinking about what jobs do require a keene sense of smell...and I'm still thinking. Maybe a chef. I mean, they use their sense of taste a lot, and taste is connected to smell. That's the best I could come up with. I'm curious as to what this reporter expected to get in terms of responses. "Hi. I'm a stay at home mom, and I depend on my nose to tell me when my toddlers shat himself." 

I also saw a query for trail mix ingredients. Now that caught my eye because it has to do with food, and to remix a popular Salt 'n Pepa song--What's my weakness? Food! Ok, then. Apparently this blogger has a page all about different trail mix recipes for people who need a snack on the go or want something to add to their kid's lunch. And what I got from the query is that anything can be trail mix if you simply say, "This is my trail mix." I thought that was perfect. I will get a bowl and throw in Hershey Kisses, Whoopers, Milk Duds and M & Ms and call that trail mix. When people see me shoveling it into my mouth and look at me with eyes that say, "Fat ass," I'll say, "Oh no, this is my trail mix, so it's OK." I'm sure that reporter wanted healthy ingredients like raisins, peanuts, dried papaya and such, but I think my trail mix recipe is much more exciting. Don't be surprised if you see it on your grocer's shelf soon. I'm on the phone with the patent company right now. Wait. They want a name for the product? Ummm...lets go with 'On the Trail to Cellulite' mix. It will be a hit!

Calling on Sacrates & Aristotle

Lets get philosophical for a moment....Man, my college Human Situation teacher would be shocked to hear those words come from me. But I digress. I was just thinking about phrases and sayings that people use, and one in particular hit a cord with me and made the wheels start turning, as they say. The phrase in question is: ignorance is bliss or what you don't know can't hurt you. We've all heard it and, I'm sure, used it, but have we ever analyzed it? Normally I'd answer that with, "Umm, hell no I haven't analyzed it! Why would I do that?" And because most people would agree, I will unravel the expression for you. Ignorance can be bliss only if you don't know that what you don't know would help you if you knew it. (I know, so reread the sentence and try again) Example. Say you have a trig test, and once you get started you realize that you don't know the formula to answer the questions. Are you happy? No. You're gonna fail. So in that case, ignorance (you not knowing the formula) was not bliss, and the reason is wasn't bliss is because you knew that what you didn't know (the formula) would have helped you should you have known it. Now lets say that your having a good self esteem day, hair's looking good, outfit is smockin', but what you don't know is that there is an awkward stain on the back of your pants. Maybe you sat in mud or on someone's gum. Regardless of what it is or how it got there, you are ignorant to its existence, so your upbeat self confidence is unaffected, you're happy...but only because you don't know that stain is there and you don't know that you don't know that. Should you discover the stain later on, then we're back to ignorance not being bliss because the knowledge of the stain would shatter your self esteem, and you would replay you're whole day trying to think of the people that saw it--not blissful.

There are all kinds of expressions that, if you stop to think about what you just said, are kind of crazy. Take 'eat shit and grin' for example. Really? Could one ever eat shit and then grin about it? I know I couldn't. Did someone hawk a big loogie one day and then say, "Damn! That looks just like my sister's dog," and hence we have 'spittin' image.' Or how about 'a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush'? What the hell does that even mean? I just think it's funny how we've grown up with these kinds of sayings and never think about what they mean or how they even got started. Know what? After everything I hear I'm going to start saying, "well, piss on a log and the snake eats the rabbit," and see if it catches on : ) I have no idea what it means, but meaning doesn't matter.

Well, that was my attempt at being philosophical. It only proves that I am in PR for a reason and why I'm not following the footsteps of Sacrates.

A Vital Piece of Advice: Procrastinate Now!

If you've ever watched Ellen Degeneres' standup you know that her comedy is not only HILARIOUS but provides a life lesson. One of my favorite Ellen life lessons (learned from her Here and Now tour) is that we should procrastinate now, before it's too late. I love that because if you think about it, it makes perfect sense. We are always in such a rush, trying to get everything done as quickly as possible. Why? Because our ultimate goal everyday is to save up as much time as we can to do nothing. We want to be able to do nothing at all. So to do that, we run around like crazy people doing this and that and taking energy shots so we can work faster. Well Ellen makes the point that we aren't guaranteed that extra chunk of time later on, which is why we need to use it now...by procrastinating. So take this advice to heart and go forth and do nothing.

Top 10 Reasons to Procrastinate

This is me!

Well, since this is my first blog I guess I should start out as any first-time meeting should, with an introduction. My name is Sarah, common, but I like it. There was a period of time when I was 8 that I insisted on being called Sady because my great grandmother (also named Sarah) went by that name. Needless to day it didn't stick, so Sarah it is. I have a degree in journalism and have been working in public relations for almost 5 years. I will venture to say that writing/pr is in my genes as one of my aunts is a writer/editor and the other a PR superwoman. And to think that I started college intent on med school. Ha!

I absolutely LOVE reading and writing. Curling up with a good book is one of my favorite things to do. I like all kinds of books: mystery/suspense, crime, history, etc. I discovered a used bookstore in my neighborhood that I've fallen in love with. It's called Kaboom. They have tons of really great books. Writing has been a passion of my since as long as I can remember, and I hope to write my own book someday. What said book will be about, that I don't know yet, but I am confident that it will come to me in due time. I don't know what it is about holding a pencil over a blank sheet of paper that makes me feel like anything is possible. Knowing that at any time something amazing could suddenly drain from my head, down my arm and out the end of that pencil is so exciting.

I am an animal lover with a particular love for dogs, having 3 myself: Rhodesian Ridgeback (Lola), Yorkie (Dax) and a Poodle-mix (Harley). I like to call Harley a Dalmoodle (Poodle+Dalmation), and you can see why when you look at his coat. Those 3 crazy dogs are my babies. They are spoiled rotten, and I admit it proudly : )

I was born in Baytown but reside in Houston, where most of my family is as well. My family is my world, and I must confess that I believe myself to have the best family ever. I also cherish my friends and so look forward to those evenings spent drinking wine and traveling down Memory Lane. I love the trips I take with my college friends because no matter how carefully we plan out every detail something goes wrong, and it makes for the best stories later on...if you are one of the trip participants then you know what I mean : )

Well, that's me in a nutshell. I hope you're not too bored. Be forewarned, though, I am not a CSI or a daredevil or a celebrity, so don't expect gory death scene details or a play by play of a cliff jumping experiment or juicy gossip about the Twilight cast because I got nothing there...What you read is what you get.

Sarah