Cool List

Here are some cool things for this Friday:


1. When I got to work this morning a ziplock bag containing 5 Kit Kat’s and 1 Peanut M&M packet was lying on my desk. Probably from the candy fairy. ((Sigh)) Me likee the candy.

2. My friend James knows Snooki- here is the proof.

3. I think I lost 2 pounds while I was sick. They will probably show up again by this afternoon when I eat the candy, but I feel skinny now.

4. I don’t have anything do to this weekend.

5. I repotted some plants here at my office so I feel industrious.

Have a good weekend! Laters.

Here's A Good One

What is better than a good knock-knock joke as told to you by your 7-year-old? Not much, I’d say. It was the good one, you know the one where you say banana 50 times before you say “orange you glad I didn’t say banana?” I must confess that I was glad she didn’t say banana, but that’s just me. You might like it. As I am not feeling well, Sher has camped out in my bed to keep me company, armed with a bag of trail mix, (yes, honey those are coconut flakes on your side) a few knock-knock jokes, and a rap song that she learned at school about communities, she is all about making me feel better. I would say other than the fever and body aches, this is a pretty good night.


Knock-knock, who’s there?
Laters.
Laters who?
Just kidding, Laters.

Run For Cover

So, my dad and ambulance chasing, also known as, my dad versus the tornado. There are many stories that fall into this category, yes; there are many tornado encounters to choose from. Some involve driving over to a town hit by a twister to see how he can "help." Others involve lots of channel flipping between The Weather Channel and CNN so that he can professionally gauge the threat level. One particular story goes something like this, if one were to put it in outline format:
1. Tornado warning
2. Mom and us kids in closet
3. Dad not sure if the forecast and sirens are correct
4. He “needs” to watch the weather from the porch
5. Tornado lands right in front of house
6. Dad makes mad dive for cover
7. Bed is the nearest place for cover
8. Posterior of dad and bed frame fight for space
9. Laws of physics rule, i.e. matter cannot occupy the same space
10. Bed frame wins and dad is stuck half under the bed while the tornado passes
11. Mom laughs hysterically from closet
12. Family is safe
13. I have my first awareness that the Glenn posterior might cause difficulty in small spaces

Oh, and right now as I type this, sirens are whizzing by. My longing for a scanner is brought to a fever-pitch. I too like to "help" people. Laters.

Breaker, Breaker 1, 9

What I need, really need, is a police scanner. My grandma had one on her nightstand and she knew all the goings on of the whole town at her whimsy. Police dispatches and fire alarms were broadcast in beeps and static. Sometimes it was simply on; a low hum in the background and sometimes, when things were looking serious, she pulled up a chair and gave the radio her full attention. Her police scanner coupled with the fact that my grandpa drove a semi-truck with an awesome radio, could have had influence on my early career aspirations to be a truck driver. I guess I like me some CB radio.
Yesterday, the kids and I passed the scene of an accident. As is the Mullins tradition, we all closed our eyes (except me, of course, I was driving) and said a prayer that everyone would be ok and that God would help the person who was hurt. Following closely on the heels of the Mullins traditional prayer for safety, was the Glenn tradition to know exactly what happened. I wanted to know who was hurt, who was at fault, how many ambulances were called, you know all the necessary and pertinent information. This “need to know” has been faithfully modeled by my father who is probably the nosiest ambulance chaser ever, but that is a story for another day.
When we got home, I Googled the local news sites frantically; looking for some scrap of information, but nothing could be found. I had to read it in the paper this morning. Hence you see my urgent need for a scanner. Laters.

The Mullins Have Gone To The Dogs

I don't know if I've introduced you to the newest member of our family. This is Holly Berry, a close cousin to the actress, Halle, but she has less money. Sher got her for Christmas and I have to say that she might have been the most well-received gift I have ever given. Sher was ecstatic! Holly is settling in well with the family and she goes on her pee pad at least 30% of the time, sometimes with no prompting. She is a messy eater, and I sweep up a lot of dog food, but she is very cute and that makes up for it. Holly has also perfected what I call the "cobra strike." As you hold her, she appears very benign and passive, then without warning, she lunges up for a quick bite or lick on the chin. She is very fast, and my reflex jerk away is often not fast enough. I say "no-no" loudly to her, but she doesn't seem very sorry for her poor behavior. She has slept all night the past two nights so things are looking up for K and me. I had almost run out of dark circle eye cream to mask the sleepless nights. Now if we can reduce the accidental poops, I will be the one who is ecstatic. Laters.

Late For A Very Important Date

As a fellow commuter and I were commiserating this morning over the lateness of the trains and the amount of coldness we were experiencing while we waited, I thought of something funny. We tend to migrate and converse about the bad. I don’t remember ever striking up a conversation with a stranger by saying, “Hello, stranger! I would like to tell you about the perfectly pleasant day that I am having.” Usually shared misery that is the bond that glues strangers together.

This complete stranger and I struck up a conversation. He said, “Man, the trains are really late today.” And I agreed and we chatted for a while about the train that we normally take, which one we take if we are running late and how full the 7:57 usually is. We heard the announcement of “mechanical difficulty” around 8:20, and as we chatted, the 8:01 passed us by without stopping. It chugged right on past and left us standing in the cold, our breaths puffing out in clouds of steam. He was a jovial fellow and didn’t seem too worried. I, on the other hand, was a touch more peeved. My train is a local and they are less frequent. As was true in ancient days that all roads lead to Rome…….so all trains end up in Grand Central Terminal, which is where he wanted to be. Not so for Cos Cob, my humble stop. He told me that he had his laptop and planned to work on the train, so he was less concerned than me; presently laptop-less. As the next train pulled in (an express to GCT, I might add) he hopped on and we wished each other good days. I gave up on my hope for an on-time local and called K for a ride.
Today is not looking good so far, for me to have the perfectly pleasant day, but the next time I experience one, I plan to tell everyone, strangers and friends alike. Laters.

Going Out With Hottie

As I was telling a friend, I love Red Lobster with a deep and abiding love. More specifically, I love the cheesy biscuits. If they are fresh and hot, they are a taste bud explosion. And who doesn’t love watching banded-claw lobsters swimming in a tank of doom right before they eat? The Red Lobster fits perfectly with the Mullins creed of sit, eat, leave, and on to the next item on the agenda. I have asked K to on a date for Friday night and that is where I intend to take him, nothing but the best for my hubby. I will personally have the “Create Your Own Feast” 2 portion combo. Shrimp scampi and shrimp pasta with a Caesar salad, dressing on the side. Just like I always do. I am a girl who likes her routine. But wait, I forgot about current special where two people can eat for $29.99. Hmmm, I might have to forgo the routine for the price break. Laters.

Once In A Blue Moon

While walking this morning in the frigid air, I had a few moments to recollect. I thought to myself that 2009 was a pretty decent year, I learned a lot, mended a few fences, and grew into my own skin a little more than last year. I like the feeling.
I felt pretty satisfied when I closed my eyes after ringing in the New Year by watching a car fly over water on ESPN. This was a show my kids picked, not me, but I almost wet my pants when the driver made the leap safely. I suppose that the Mullins family New Year's eve tradition will be watching extreme stunts from our beds in a hotel room.
I also made a resolution to look around a little more, to be aware, to live in the present. I thought of how there was a blue moon in December, which is rare event. I thought about how someone watched the phases of the moon close enough to know that there were two full moons in one month, and how those only come around once in a while. I realized that I often tend to be so unaware that I would never say, “Oh, look, another full moon!” I would just be busy and preoccupied and look at the night sky and think, “Oh, the moon is out,” and never realize that I had missed an event that only happens every few years.
This will be a good year and I don’t want to miss anything. Laters.