Neighborly Love?

I couldn't decide on which site I wanted this rant to go on, but then I decided, since it is a rant, than GHE is perfect!


I am obsessed with CNN.com and check it constantly-so today as I'm doing my daily peruse of the site, I come across an article in D.C. regarding a woman who was charged with murdering her 4 children. Of course this caught my attention, being a mommy-to-be or actually just being a human being.


Long article short, this woman basically tortured her children by not feeding them and keeping them locked up in their rooms. She was also living with the rotting bodies for 7 months before they were discovered. First, that's sick-in-the-head stuff, but secondly, and although it didn't mention how long this woman had lived in the house, but a house full of kids, you don't think that a neighbor or someone would notice that the children were being tortured or locked up? No neighbors came forward, until an "icky" smell was coming from the house. I mean, a 16 year old lived there and although they couldn't determine if the stab wounds were self-inflicted, this mother never gave her children medical attention, including medicine, so the coroners couldn't really determine exactly what these children died of, other than neglect.It brings me to my question of how well do you know your neighbors?

I know my neighbors a little too well-when I first moved in there, I could hear them and their late night activities and to this day I still do. Now, I'm not close to my neighbors at all (thank goodness), however, I see them so often, that I would know if there was something going on. It seems like we live in a society that has either become so corrupt that we no longer trust or we no longer care to know others, especially ones that live in close proximity to us. Which raises another point: what happened to all the neighborly love?

Again, I don't know my neighbors, wouldn't want to borrow a cup of sugar from them, but I at least know, their names, how many people in their house and if there was any funny business. Although the good book says: Love Thy Neighbor, maybe we can all do our part to at least acknowledge that they're there and perhaps prevent anymore of child neglect and mistaken identity (Black Professor Incident Anyone) and make this world a better place for all.

Oops....didn't mean to be so positive there, I mean-get real people, stop being lazy and protect the innocent-it's every Americans God give right!

Happy Blogging!

California...There's A Problem

I'm not sure if you've heard, but CNN has reported that a 69 year-old mother of 3-year old twins, just passed away. That sounds newsworthy to me as well-but here's where it's getting under my skin.

This woman received in vitro from a California-based doctor. According to the report, she lied about her age and said she was 55. I'm sorry, but why on earth would you allow a woman over the age of 50, no, even 45 for that matter, get in vitro?! We all know that once a woman passes 35, there are multiple complications that can happen and it becomes a health risk to both the mother and the unborn child. I'm not saying that women in their 40's can't have healthy babies, I mean look at all the celebrities, but this woman lied and said she was 55!!!!! What is the cut-off age?

Her life didn't allow her to have children sooner than her ripe age of 66 (which is how old she really was when the in vitro took place) and since her mother lived to be 101, she figured her odds would be good. I'm sorry, but this woman basically sounds like the Octo Mom, but in a completely different (yet similar) stage of denial.

Me being a mother-to-be myself, this sickens and saddens me. Without a doubt, I'm sure this woman was a lovely mother and God Bless (and God Rest) her for being able to go through the entire pregnancy, especially with twins and then birth, but I'm sorry, you had no right to bring children into this world at your age.

She was diagnosed with a tumor around the time of the children's birth-anyone can develop a tumor at any age, but let's be honest, it's more likely to occur in elder people. So again I ask? What made this woman and worst yet, the doctor think that a woman of her age should have in vitro and why did she needs to come to California from Spain? Probably because California chases the dollar, forget morals.

Which brings me to the Octo Mom-really? Why didn't the facility where she got in vitro multiple times refuse her business? Oh, because in vitro is a very lucrative business and who cares about the autistic, neglected, special needs children that come into this heinous world and are born to a woman who can't take care of one of them, let alone the whole lot of them, right?

Here's another point-a single woman has to go through hoops, interviews, scrutiny in order to adopt a child, but any single woman can get in vitro?! How does this make sense?

I'm leaving you with this quote, from one of the greatest movies: Parenthood
Keanu Reeves character says: "You know, Mrs. Buckman, you need a license to buy a dog, to drive a car - hell, you even need a license to catch a fish. But they'll let any butt-reaming asshole be a father." Or in this case, a mother.

Happy Blogging.

Mr. Not So Political

I'm not one who follows politics, but what is going on lately? Can there be any more sex scandals, especially amongst these right-wingers or should I say right-swingers! Really? You push and push about God and religion and good old family values, but last time I checked, having an affair wasn't religious or family-oriented.

I did find entertainment in this recent quiz on Time.com-http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1908849,00.html


I'm not here to discuss each and individual scandals, because that would take too long and be one very long blog-intriguing I'm sure, but not worth my typing skills. So instead, check out nerve.com and their list of America's Top 10 Political Sex Scandals.

Here are my Top 3 from the list:

1.Congressman Bob Barr of Georgia-not only did he introduce the Defense of Marriage Act, but then he introduced his tongue to a stripper, while licking whipping cream off of her. Stay Classy Bob.

2. Former President of the National Association of Evangelicals, Ted Haggard-I saw the documentary, Jesus Camp and this fella was on there, promoting and talking up the youth to stay in the church and reject the evils of this world. Apparently, he couldn't reject his meth addiction or getting plowed by his supplier, whom is also a male prostitute. Love thy neighbor.

And lucky number 3 is Mark Foley-Republican from Florida-Another outstanding citizen who just so happen to enjoy the sanctity of sending perverse text messages to his 16-year old male congressional page. Oh, not to mention that he so kindly introduced legislation targeting online sexual predators. Thanks Mark, that's one for the books...or the list at least.

I'm catching on to a theme here...I mean don't most authors/writers say that you write what you know-so Congressman are just writing legislation's that they have experience in...interesting and thought-provoking.

My advice-let women run the country. I mean look how great things turned out for Mary Kay Letourneau :)













Happy Blogging.

Getting Bigger and Wider and More Swollen

It wasn't too long ago that I wrote about some joys of pregnancy and although there are still joys, the inner GHE is here...at last.

Let's start at the bottom, mainly because they are super swollen and are starting to hurt. It also has me wondering if my mother was right, that it has to do with diet, but I'm definitely not eating the additional 500 calories I'm supposed to and my veggie and fruit intake has doubled since I became with child. Plus, I walk 6 days a week, so how can my feet become so swollen and the circulation in my legs are getting worse as well. I'm thinking it might be my body not knowing how to adjust and not so much my diet, but whatever will ease the pain, I'll do it.

Look, a lot of the books say that rubbing Coco Butter on you won't prevent stretch marks, but I'll tell you, I haven't seen (a new) one stretch mark yet and trust me, I've popped! Oh and my face has decided that we're going through puberty for the first time, so hello breakouts. Because I don't feel unsexy already, what with my swollen feet, varicose veins, enlarged mid-section and back aches that won't stop, let's top it off with giving me zits too-thanks hormones!

So, where was I? Oh yeah, at the beginning...my feet have become so swollen, that I've stopped wearing flip flops and started wearing sneakers in hopes that like the Geisha, I can shrink or in this case stop my feet from growing. It's not as painful as it sounds, but it is getting a little more difficult to bend over to tie my shoes.

Moving up, my thighs and hips have also expanded in order to make room for the growing baby, I swear pregnant women have to be the most unselfish, masochistic people on this planet. You take the good with the bad, and there you have the facts of pregnancy!

Going back to the legs, I must say with all the walking I'm doing, my backside has never been more round or firm-I normally don't have that great of a booty, but I'm putting Beyonce or Rhianna to shame and the "beau" is loving it as well.

Now, the mid-section, I know, it's going to get big and I'm not actually complaining about this, but let me tell you, running/jogging with extra belly room, is really a weird feeling. Even my dog did a double take.

My arms have also gotten bigger, which I'm thinking has more to do with water retention than anything else, but apparently it's extremely common-I mean there is no body part that is safe from pregnancy, everything is effected, one way or the other.

Lastly, my face-not only is it getting round, but it's getting full of acne! Given, I never had breakouts before and yes having 2 zits is considered a breakout to me, I'm sorry, I'm just one of those girls who freaks when they're normally clear skin isn't exactly clear.

All in all, I basically feel like this:

I have no idea whose body this is anymore, apparently it belongs to the little boy growing inside of me. Typical right? A man has got me all confused and uncomfortable.

WOW! Thanks GHE for that fabulous venting session, I feel almost like myself again.

Happy Blogging!

Family Ties & Growing Pains

WOW! Where to start...how about at the beginning of this whole ordeal.

Long story short, my brother and his wife went to an out of state wedding (her brother's) for 4 days, leaving their 2 kids behind. Unfortunately, my parents couldn't watch them for the first 2 days and since my other brother has 3 kids of his own, I'm sure they didn't want to burden them with watching their kids. So naturally, they turn to the aunt who doesn't have a child (well, it's in my womb) and who can just go ahead and take one of her PTO days to watch a 3 & 1 yr old.

Of course I said yes to watching the kids and their dog, because he's my brother and that's what families do-however, previous to this, and very tragically my sister in-law had a major injury that put her out of commission for about 10 weeks. The kids were shipped around to different houses and their schedule was thrown off, etc. I get that, kids need a schedule-they don't always adjust well to change, yada, yada. However, the financial standings of my brother and his wife are on him and I'm sorry if their kids are the ones who suffer the consequences.

Another long story short-they moved from a large house to a condo (still a very nice size, a lot larger than mine) and they don't always have money to do things, but guess what-it was your choice to not have your wife work. I don't want to work either-I don't want to have this baby and then a short 8 weeks later, leave it to go back to work, but guess what? YOU HAVE TO! It's called REALITY! Anyway, I digress...

My 3 yr old niece was basically out of control-she wasn't feeling too well (I cleaned up more poop and throw-up in 3 days, than in my entire life!), but her temper tantrums were simply out of control. On top of that-she would make a mess and when I asked her to clean it up, she would yell No.
Hmmm....ok, then you are going in timeout. NO! Hmmm....a defiant toddler, strange-not really, but one who appears to have less than desirable discipline. Usually when the word timeout is spoken, the kid will back off-knowing how not fun timeout can be...yeah, apparently she doesn't. My other nieces and nephews do and another point, when a 5 yr old doesn't want to play with said 3 yr old because "she cries too much and doesn't know how to share" then something needs to be said.

That's exactly what I did-I sent my brother an email, letting him know that his daughter was a little less than demonic and being 4 months pregnant with my first, probably wasn't an ideal situation for me, considering I am exhausted and dealing with an unruly toddler (that isn't mine) does not make for a good weekend. However, his rebuttal of me constantly judging him and my other brother about their choices, but the fact that I'm having a baby out of wedlock is ok, was bringing up things that didn't even apply.

First, my opinions only come from stories, comments or opinions I hear from them- I could care less what goes on between their marriages and their families-as long as they're happy, it's none of my business. However, when I have to co-sign on your car lease because you don't have any credit, than it does become my place to say something-especially since my credit is on the line and I want to buy a house for my growing family. Now, as far as my having a baby out of wedlock with my fiance whom I haven't known for too long, sure, this isn't an ideal timeline, but guess what? I'm happy and that's all that should matter. Plus, the family loves him, the kids love him and he loves them back. I'm not stupid-I know who I get involved with, plus my brother and him have a total bromance going on, so what is there to complain about?

Not to mention that I have been there for both of my brothers and their families constantly over the last 5 years. Whenever they need their kids watched or pet sitting or need to use my garage to store their stuff in, I've been there-but the moment I have a horrible weekend, because your kid doesn't know discipline, all of the sudden it's, let's point the fingers at each other game.

Fine. Enough said-good luck finding last minute babysitters for your kids and pets and oh, get your crap out of my garage! It's been there for almost a year!

Happy Blogging.

Bills, Bills, Boys

As I'm getting ready to make room for the baby-it forced me to clean out boxes and boxes of years of stuff I never knew I had.

However, the one thing that I did know I had were bills, more specifically-cell phone bills. Let me ask you this: Why is it that cell phone bills layout EVERY detail-who you called, who called you, how long, etc. As I was skimming through I noticed numbers had started to trail off...not having them in my phone currently, it made me think-HOLY COW! This is my dating timeline!

Area codes ranging from 760 to 858 to 619, numbers that followed that IMMEDIATELY brought up memories of lost and well forgotten men of my past. First the numbers were quite frequent, then moving in to, every 2 hours or so, which lasted anywhere from a few days to a few months and then BOOM! No more number. Isn't that how it usually goes though? No more of the number popping back up trying to get back together-when you date in your 20's, that's just it-you date. Good dates, turn into relationships and some relationships work and others don't. But hardly, do you play the back and forth game and if you do-take it from me who did that for 9 years, it's not going to last.

So back to the bills-the bills can tell more about your life, then any other piece of mail-they tell when you have money, when you don't. When you own something, or owe something :) Life can be determined on bills and I though having over 10 diaries (yes, I found them all) was going to tell the story of my life. Maybe instead of leaving my journals (diaries, depending on how old you were when you wrote in them), I'll just leave my kids a scrapbook of bills!

Maybe by the time my kids are old, bills will be obsolete! Ahhh...here's to dreaming.

Happy Blogging!

Another One? Seriously

Ok, so I told you to stay tuned for Return of the Toolbox and I do have another version, but with a different toolbox-from like a million years ago.

Strap in, this one is hysterically sad and lame.

This had to have been a over a year ago and my family is rather religious and I am not-haven't been of their faith since I was about 13 from what I can remember. Anyway, mothers are mothers and they worry, so my mother has been trying to get me back into my childhood religion. Naturally, she believes if I find a man from that religion, that presto-changeo, I will go back to the church (obviously, she doesn't know me).

On with the matchmaking...my mother told me about this guy, who was a few years older than me, great job, smart, comes from a good family, etc. My brother told me he was into UFC fighting and actually co-owned a gym with a UFC fighter. Cool, totally sounds like a guy I could get along with-plus, he wasn't too religious, which was even more of perk (for me at least). By the way, can we make mention that no one has said ANYTHING about how he looks-I'm not saying I'm shallow, but let's be honest, first attraction is usually the physical one.

Apparently, my mother went ahead and gave him my number-I wasn't as upset as I thought I would be, I mean this was at a time when I moved back from the east coast and got out of a horrendous relationship-so, I was game for anything.

Before I head into the gym at 8:30 AM, I get a call, from this guy-conversation was ok, nothing to really write about and we never really discussed going out on an actual date. Conversation ended fine and I went to church that following Sunday to check him out. I of course, wore a cute new baby doll dress, some heels and was feeling good...until...

Ok, so I'm a girl, I can be catty, but I'm going to the high road here and just say, that there isn't much to say when it came to his looks. Also, when we met in person, he was socially awkward and all together somewhat of a mess. Long story short-nothing came of it and we left it at that.

Fast forward to yesterday (over a year later), I get a random text from an 801 number (this is Utah), all the text said was "I'm in SD." Now, thanks to Facebook, I've reconnected to with some old friends and one happens to live in Utah and mentioned that he was coming to town, so my response to the text was, "Is this Bob?" *Not his real name.* "No close though, this is Steve." OK, how is Bob and Steve close? Anyway, it ended being him and I have no idea why he contacted me, but it was bittersweet to tell him that I was engaged and moving on with my life.

There is a new Matthew McConaughey moving coming out about his ex's coming back, all I can say, is that they must have been reading this blog to get the idea, because apparently, mine are coming back with a vengeance. Even the ones that were never my ex :)

Stay tuned to see what other ghosts decide to come back to haunt me.

Mommy Dearest

First let me preface by saying, that although I do love my mother so very much (I mean, she did bring me into this world), I still don't think she has a right to say and act a certain way. We're all human beings whom can control our tongues, are we not? (Well some of us may not).

Wednesday night-me and my man have HUGE news to report, so we drive over to my parents house, to tell them that they will be grandparents for the 6th time (this is our first, I have 2 older brothers, so you can close your mouth now. Yeah right, like I would have 6 kids!). My mother is not home at this time, so naturally being excited first-time parents, we immediately tell my father.
Me: "Dad, we're going to have a Cubican baby" (that's Cuban-me + Mexican-my man).
Dad: "Oh wow! That's so cool. My baby is having a baby!"
This is an example of a natural reaction from a loving parent, wouldn't you say?

So, we hand him the picture and he's asking us questions and just loving this moment. Then, in walked Mommy Dearest.
Now, we knew that selling her would be a more difficult story-after all me and my man are not married, but are engaged and planning on getting married. That should be enough-I mean come on, do you really need a piece of paper?

Me: "Hey mom, so how was work."
Mom: "Good."
Me: "So, how would you feel about sharing a birthday with a grandchild."
Mom: "Well, I don't have a grandchild born in November."
Me: "Well, you might now."
Mom: "Wow (not enthusiastic), I thought you might be pregnant."
Me: "Really? Why is that?"
Mom: "Because of all of your sinus infections, same thing happened to me."
So far so good, no anxiety attack, no screaming, no cursing us to hell.
Mom: "Well you better watch what you eat and don't get fat. I've noticed you've been eating more carbs lately."
My man: "I'm sorry, but I'd rather not have an underweight child, thanks."

I mean...how do I respond to that? Oh, yeah this was how.
About an hour later.

Me: "Mom, you know I love you, but what you said was not appropriate and to be honest with you, you're sick in the head."
Mom: "Oh, you're just being sensitive."

Hmmm....well if I was being sensitive, could it have anything to do with the fact that my body has more hormones than a Junior Varsity football team? Or maybe it's because I am her only girl and the baby and although I wasn't expecting open arms, being a little supportive would have been nice.

Me: "Well, I'm sorry if you think I'm being sensitive, but you're being insensitive and I think you have some things going on that you may want to seek professional help for. Have a good night."

A few days later she confessed to my brother that maybe what she said wasn't a good idea. BRILLIANT!

Anyway, all is better, because she has other things to occupy her for a while. Can't wait until I start showing, then she can really lay into me for "looking fat".

Oh mommy dearest...PS if I ever become like her, I think I'll just check myself into the ward right now :)

Happy Reading. Happy Living. Happy Loving.

TOOLBOX:Friday the 13th-The Dater Who Wouldn't Die

Please refer to back blogs, such as "Owl in Iron Clad Panties" or "Return of the Toolbox"-because this entry is the 3rd in this series or sequel-you think the Godfather or Star Wars was good-nothing compares to this ending (hopefully, the ending).

As I was hiking with my man and my dog, I came back to the car to a very long, drawn out voice message from a toolbox from the past (or at least that's where I hoped he would have stayed). Within the first few seconds of his 5 minute message, my jaw dropped open-creating a stir with my man. "What? Who is it? What's going on?" Concerned as he was, I decided to play back the message and give us both 5 minutes of nonstop laughter.

Message:

"Hi Bree, it's Dick (name has been changed, to save him face, if he still has one). I was looking at my calendar and it is exactly one year ago today that I met you. I saw you across at the JBar (which I will never go back to) and as this Cuban spicy woman was shooting down my every word, I thought she could be my potential wife. I even wrote it down in my calendar."

It goes on to say that he was waiting for my "Anniversary call", but figured it would not come. Then continued to say a lot of things I ignored and then said something about my current relationship. "I hope you and your boyfriend are doing well...or maybe I don't". LOSER!

Anyway, to continue with the entertainment, I texted him back (God no, I'm not going to call him) and we continued on the same what I find entertaining path.

Long, yet somewhat more entertaining story short-it ended with me telling him that I found true love and him asking me if I thought we would ever get married and asking me if he could contact me to "plead his case". I'm not sure what was meant by that-but alas, and just like his MO-I have not heard since and I think it goes without saying, although I never do...Good Riddance to Toolboxes!

Seriously, is there going to be another Friday the 13th? TOOLBOX vs. DOUCHE BAG In Space :) Stay tuned to find out.

Half Empty Cup O Joe

I read the other day that Starbucks is closing 300 locations, meaning 6,000 people (350 of which come from their Corporate offices) are losing their jobs, so what does this mean for the consumer? Well, I think it's pretty apparent that since they're closing locations, people have finally realized that paying $5 for a cup of coffee is truly, RIDICULOUS!

Yes, call me a hypocrite, because to say I've never had Starbucks is obviously a lie, but to say that I have Starbucks maybe once a month, isn't. I do so enjoy their Caramel Lite Fraps, but to continuously pay $4-$5 for it, put a Venti-sized strain on the wallet.

Plus, they sell their not-so-delicious coffee at any major Supermarket, so buckle down and buy a $10 coffee-maker at Target, hit the Supermarket, buy the dark roast, practically burnt black coffee in the nice Starbucks package and try saving a few hundred dollars a month on making your own at home.

It took me, oh I would say about 4 years to realize the financial benefits of making coffee at home, plus you get to add your own little yummy treats-my favorite is Cinnamon.

Anyway, learn from my mistake-save money, drink more (coffee from home).

Sorry Starbucks-although I do still love your Caramel Frap Lites!

The Return of the Toolbox

Tis the Season, apparently, for toolboxes and douche bags to make a comeback, full force!
Wait.
Not a comeback, they just keep COMING BACK!

I'm thinking that I should send the link to this blog and our sister blog "is your glass half full?"-so they can see that not only do I make fun of you, but I also deleted you out of my phone. Better yet, maybe I should send the TB/DB a copy via email or sign them up as our #1 FAN! Either way, someone needs to get the MEMO.

There I was enjoying my drive home from work on a random Tuesday, when the infamous "text alert" rang over my Rilo Kiley CD. Hmmm...I wonder who it could be...I don't recognize the number (because I had deleted a week ago), then the message.

Oh Heaven help me!
It was him. His text was dripping with sexual innuendo as they always do-because being a gentleman is extremely difficult for him, I'm assuming.
I quip back with a very basic, not inviting you in reply.
Oh, good another one-still covered in the same innuendo. YUCK!
Time to stop it-so I make fun of him, or what I call it: "Just bringing people back down to earth." It's more of a service than an insult when you think about it.

Somewhat of a long-short story, even shorter...I have not heard from said Toolbox...MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

Can't wait for another month to go by to receive yet another unwanted message.
Too bad there isn’t a toll free number you can call to get your number on a "Don't Call" list for your exes. Kind of like the Government does with Telemarketers.

**Friendly reminder, to call to get your cell on the “Don’t Call” List…888-382-1222***
Unless of course you need someone to talk to, then the Telemarketers are REALLY good listeners :)