wow...

...so it's been a busy month! I know i've been away a while, but haven't gone too far. I was busy party planning! I had a big 30th Birthday Bash with my cousin 40-year old cougar. What a night! There were between 250 and 300 people at the party and it was one of the best nights ever. We danced all night and just had a great time! I thank all those who came...thanks for making our night so much fun!

Aside from that I helped plan Alexa's CD Release Party. That was also very successful and we just couldn't be happier. Her CD is out now so get your copy!! It's called "Edge of Gone" and check out her facebook page for a list of locations: http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Alexa-dEntremont/154353834623657

In other news, a friend of mine sent me this article and I couldn't help but laugh. Some people are just dumb....no other word that I can use...just dumb. You'll see what I mean lol :
http://news.techeye.net/internet/woman-says-3d-porno-made-her-pregnant

Survivor...

...so I've been watching Survivor since the beginning. Over the last few seasons, I've noticed a trend. It's the trend of the Blue Safari Shirt! The host, Jeff Probst, is constantly wearing the same shirt...every show, every event, everything. Take note of the blue shirt...you'd think they could afford a variety of colors, styles, etc.

"Blueeeeee, BlueeeeeeeEEEeeeeee.." - LeAnn Rimes

Halloween treats...

...so is there a need to have a holiday devoted to Candy Consumption? Those little chocolate bars are the death of me. We all....ADMIT IT!!!....take one, then just cause it's little we take the second and that sometimes leads to the third, etc...

Not only that, I feel the need to eat them quickly. LIke, shove 3 in one after the other as if it makes any difference on the calorie count! Like, what the heck? Yup, take one then unwrap the other two as quick as I can and inhale them. I dont know if I do this so nobody seems me...or i'm trying to trick my body into thinking I only ate one cause I only opened my mouth once...I don't know. It's kinda ridiculous!

I also ate a mini bag of cheesies. I actually justified it to myself by telling Hubby that there was only 100 Calories in the whole bag! HAHAHA Yup, and actually that's no lie...the thing I left out was the fact that there was 9 grams of fat in that same 100 Calories...oops!!

Sadly, my thighs know the truth...

ALEXA CD RELEASE...

Hope to see you all there! We have a great band and you'll get to hear every track on the album - LIVE!!

"Love and Marriage..." ...

...So Kim Kardashian is getting a divorce after 72 days. It's funny cause I honestly thought maybe she liked him. Apparently not but it worked out in her favor anyways. This year, so far, she's made $65 million. Guess the wedding talk, wedding prep, the actual wedding, the TV specials regarding the wedding, etc... worked well for her wallet! I bet she'll still profit from the divorce by selling her story to every tabloid known to mankind. This will drag on forever.

She's being mocked by everyone so I think she's been facing a harsh reality over the last few days. No one in the media is feeling bad for her...actually she's the butt of every joke (no pun intended lol )

According to reports, there was a pre-nup. On the show they talked a lot about this pre-nup and Kim acted like she didn't want one as it was true love. Apparently that was all an act as you can't be soooooo in love one day and divorced 72 later.

These celebrities are ruining what marriage is all about. It's a shame cause there are people in this world who actually do get married for love. Oh well, gives us something to talk about.

You wait...she'll be in the hospital in no time because she's sooooo devastated and doesn't eat or something ridiculous. I'm calling it now :)

"...go together like a horse and carriage"

Website...

...so as some of you know, I've been real busy helping Alexa get her career off the ground. It's been a HUGE project and I have put everything I have into this with her. She's like one of my own so I would do anything to see her succeed. There are lots of things involved with getting a CD off the ground - who knew?

You might surprised but it's many hours in the studio, many hours of listening and fine tuning things, a website needs to be perfect, the CD Packaging needs to be perfect, the cover photo needs to mesh with the vibe of the CD, the rights to the songs needs to applied for, the CD Release needs to be planned, the CD's need to be ordered, the band needs to get organized...then is radio promotion, Gigs to promote the album, a trip to Nashville in the New Year....the list goes on.

It's a lot of work so anytime you can get some help from a pro in each of those areas, it's a huge weight lifted from your shoulders. When we started talking about the website - the stress began. How do we do this? Who do we call? Do we have to code out a site? How do you buy a domain name? What the hell is a domain name? LOL...as you can see we were pretty novice at this.

I called Register.com...afterall it's down the road from my office and I know tons of people there...good starting point. I have to say, Register.com is the most organized, helpful, amazing organization i've ever had to deal with. You do get moved on from person to person but each person knows exactly what part of the process you are at and the flow continues like clockwork. It's not like when you call a company and they pass you on and you have to start all over again. You get moved to the next person when you're done with the first. I never repeated myself once. By talking to them in a series of phone calls they set up a proof. Then you review and keep doing that till it's done. After every call you get an email notifying you of what part of the process you are at and what's to be expected the next time. It's the easiest thing ever. I know absolutely nothing about websites and I ended up creating this:
www.musicbyalexa.com

Check it out! I'm real proud of the way it turned out! They helped with write-ups, layout, font, picture placing, all the different tab ideas...EVERYTHING! You have to pay a monthly user fee and it's so worth it cause when you need something changed or added you can just fire off an email and within 3 days it's done! Easy, Easy, EAAAAASY!

Register.com: You guys really do amazing work! Thanks :)

Extreme Couponing...

...so I watched the above show last night. I had seen it before but really got into last night as it must have been a marathon or something. These people are nuts, in a good way! They spend about 40 hrs per week clipping coupons, researching grocery sales and organizing their stock piles. One lady went to the store and 9 hrs later she bought over $1100 worth of stuff for $8.00. It's crazy!! She had a big trailer to lug the stuff back home.

Keep in mind that our grocery stores don't have the same promotions as the US stores so it wouldn't be as easy to do here...but could still be effective. This one lady had a bunch of coupons for cereal. It didn't specify the size so she bought the mini cereal boxes. Her coupon was for 50 cents off and the cereal was on sale for 25 cents per box. The store doubled the coupons so on each box she made 50 cents! She bought 1200 boxes and MADE herself $300! It's nuts!!! She used that to buy things she didnt have coupons for like fruit and veggies.

It's totally addicting and amazing. I dreamt of groceries and food all fricken night....and woke up starving....ugh....

Rosie...

...so Rosie O'Donnell is back on TV. She started up again last week on the Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN) at the 8 PM slot. I've been watching and I gotta say, I kinda like it. Rosie always made me laugh cause she's so loud, opinionated, raw, sometimes annoying...sorta like me I guess lol! She starts the show with a bit of stand-up and audience interaction then moves on to a couple guests and ends with a game of some kind.

I find her interviews are very interesting cause of her little stories and comments in between. It's like she's talking to them in their living rooms and nothing is off limits. She rolls with it...I like that. Kinda mindless interviews, nothing too intense like Oprah's show. The one thing that does annoy me is the voice of the announcer lady. She has a high-pitched, fake, annoying speaking voice...makes me cringe. Sorta like a high-pitched Fran Drescher.

Watch it and tell me what you think! I can see it wouldn't be for everyone as her type of humor consists of her making fun of herself and everyone....but makes me laugh! Let's face it people, in our culture we all make fun of ourselves and everyone else...Rosie just does it publicly!

"It's the Rosie Show..." - Rosie Theme

Apple...

...so Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple has died at the age of 56. He'd been fighting Cancer for a number of years and just couldn't win the battle. Steve Jobs has a pretty amazing story...a school drop out, started Apple in the garage of his parents house, failed and started over again a million times and was always second to Bill Gates until he developed the ipod, ipad and itunes. Since then he's been the leader in the industry. It's extremely sad and it makes you think about your life and those around you. We all want to have more money and have a more meaningful life. We think that if we had that, life would be perfect. He had all that plus lived a very healthy lifestyle and here we are today talking about his death at such a young age. It's just a reminder that we have to live for today, be happy with our lives and not strive for what others have...live YOUR life and live it to the best YOU can.

"I've seen fire and I've seen rain..." - James Taylor

Sale of Clearwater??...

...so I read in the paper that a firm in NB is looking to takeover Clearwater. Clearwater is the largest seafood export company in the Province. Many of the lobsters that are caught around here go from the buyer to Clearwater then out around the world. According to the article in the Chronicle Herald today, they are worth over $70 Million...wowza! It's hard to understand in the article but the jist of it is that this new firm wants to buy many of the shares at a higher than market price. Due to some corporate restructuring done by Clearwater founders, John Risley and Colin MacDonald, if this new firm did what they wanted to they would own the majority of the company. I'm not sure how this will all play out, but it appears to me like these two firms don't like each other and are going to fight.

What does that mean for our Lobster Fisherman? Well, I would think it could be a problem because if someone pays top dollar to buy a company then they need to see some hefty profits to recoup they're money and then make a return. The only way to do that is to pay less for things and have a higher mark-up to the consumer. The gap between the two prices is a profit...hummmm....I don't know. On the flipside, a new company might want to come in and make a good name for themselves and build a strong rapport with the people. Let's face it, they'll make money. Companies that are dead in the water aren't the ones being bought. Too big of a risk.

The more they argue the more we'll read about it...could be interesting!

(http://thechronicleherald.ca/Business/1266508.html)

Taxi...

...so there's an unemployment problem in Yarmouth - that's a fact. Do you know what another fact is? There are next to no cabs in Yarmouth. Saturday night, Hubby and I went out with some friends are were gonna do the right thing and cab home. We waited an hour and a half and still no cab. I called over 8 numbers, reached two drivers and one said "i'll be right there" 3 times (cause I kept calling as time went on) and the other said "it'll be 20 minutes" after I said I was going to Plymouth. In the end, one of my friends had to drive some of us home, leaving hubby and Colgate Smile behind to roam the streets in search of a cab....then had to turn around and go get them as they STILL couldn't get a cab! I got home at 2:30 AM and Hubby was after 3:30!!! Not acceptable...NOT ACCEPTABLE!! Why doesn't the folks who are looking for work drive a cab? Are the rules too strict? What's the deal? It's no wonder people drink and drive...other than that you may have to stay on the street! I was so mad. I'm very thankful for my lovely friend who really didn't have to go out of her way to make sure we got home. Two of us had kids with sitters so we HAD to get home and she was very sympathetic to that and it's much appreciated. I was in panic mode by 2 AM...sooooo frustrating.

Nova Scotia Music Week will be in Yarmouth in early November. They better get some more cabs or there will be a lot of people walking the streets....or drunk at the wheel.

"Taxi Cab, Taxi cab at the light....won't you take me on a ride?" - Bruce Springsteen

I can't help it...

...so i'm still lovin' the AutoCorrect website. I would post the real funny ones but many are offensive and inappropriate. Here's two that are ok to make the blog:

Funnies...

...so I found a website that posts how Auto Correct on phones can sometimes be bad. Here's a few I found totally hilarious:



The website is : http://damnyouautocorrect.com/

New Car...

...so I have a new car. Buying vehicles gives me severe anxiety because I hate spending money and I know buying a car is a bad investment in many ways. I've had my car for over 7 yrs and it has served me well. It's still in great shape interior-wise, but it needs some mechanic work done now. I know that it'll cost a bunch and where I have kids I'm nervous about an old car and it breaking down. All that to say today I replaced my 2004 Hyundai Elantra with a 2012 Hyundai Elantra. I just love this car! It's the shnazziest cheap, small car with the most bells and whistles. Mine has bluetooth built in, heated front seats, XM built in, an Eco button that basically dumbs down the vehicle to make it more gas efficient when just driving around, super sporty looking....just really all around awesome car! I will say, Matt MacCarron was my salesman and he's actually the owner's son and was SUPER! I have dealt with many people and I was so pleased with him. He didn't make me feel like I was wasting his time if I wasn't gonna buy one that day. He wasn't pushy at all. He explained all the cool features that he knew i'd like. He didn't make me feel like I had to rush out so he could try to snag another customer. All around real great. I guess he made me feel like it was about me and not about him. I like that! If you go in, ask for Matt and tell him Lise sent ya. He'll be happy to see you and I know you'll like the prices :)

"I've got a fast car..." - Tracy Chapman

Going Country...

...so i've been getting into country music again. Here's some picks for ya:

Jake Owen - Barefoot Blue Jean Night : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRh-vBOS-dU&ob=av2e

Keith Urban - Somebody Like You: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AgpOGLXVHKk&ob=av2e

Rascall Flatts - I Won't Let Go: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4fqPcnuVPR8

Lady Antebellum - Just A Kiss: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_yTphvyiPU&ob=av2n

Taylor Swift - Story of Us: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Gr6tbcvkPA

Sugarland - Stay :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPG1n1B0Ydw&feature=fvwrel

Oh and did you know Travis Tritt is coming to the Mariner Center this fall? Here's one of my favorite songs he's ever done - Tell Me I Was Dreaming...and the video is just heartbreaking: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0vzCYPJxoiE

Hide and Seek...

...so this morning I was in my youngest boy's room getting his dressed and my oldest walks in and says "Hi Mommy!". I say Hi and he climbs up on my youngests bed and gets under the covers. He then yells "Mom, come find me!!" To that I answer "Blake, I just saw you come in and know that you're under the blankets silly!" He then says "No you don't, I'm hiding really good so you can't find me!!" I start laughing and explain that we're now having a conversation about his crappy hiding spot through a blanket so CLEARLY I know where he is. He laughs and gets out from under the covers and says "Well Mom, next time no cheating!!"

hahaha..I guess he didn't understand our conversation at all :)

Party...

...so the party is planned! I'll be having it at the West Pubnico Golf Course on November 19th! It's a co-party with my first cousin and dear friend Karen.

I'm so excited and i'm glad to see many of my friends and family will be attending! I've had lots of emails from people who live away that appreciate the heads up so far in advance so they can make plans to come and arrange their schedules.

YAY!!

"we were shinning like lighters in the dark in the middle of a rock show..." - Jake Owen

Party Planning....

...so i'm planning my very own 30th Birthday Bash in November. I'm a little bummed about turning 30 so I figured the best way to make it a happy time rather than a sad time is to live it up and party with all the people I know! Now here comes the big debate...where should I have it?

Wedgeport or Pubnico?

I'm definitely having it at a hall because I don't want the mess and I don't want any of the liability. I like the Pubnico Golf Course cause people can go outside under the covered deck part and smoke, get air and still drink regardless of the weather. One fear I have is that no one will come. It'll be the week or so before fishing starts so it'll be a good time to let loose. I also want to have a donation box at the door for a charity/non profit org near and dear to my heart. I don't need a gift or cards so rather than spend $5 on a card put it in the donation box!

I'm still in the starting fazes of my party planning so i'll keep you posted. Right now i'm leaning towards Pubnico cause most of my family is there...and my friends from Town, Plymouth, Wedgeport can all drive to Pubnico no problem. Humm.....gotta think about it some more.

"Let's get this party started..." -BEP

ok I do care...

...so apparently Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith are getting a divorce. For some reason I seem to care about this. I always thought they were right happy and had quite the life. I guess this is just one more example of how fame and fortune don't always lead to true happiness.

"Summer Summer Summertime..." - Will Smith

KK....

...so Kim Kardashian is married. Why do we care so much? Maybe none of you do, but I can tell you that many are obsessed with the whole thing. Here's some info for you:

It's reported that she'll make nearly $25 Million on this wedding! Isn't that ridiculous?!! Yup, she's going to have a two hour special that you know most of us will watch at least 5 minutes of it. She got half the stuff for free just cause many people wanted their brands to be at the wedding. It's crazy....no wonder she got married! Wouldn't you?

"In your wedding dress...to have and to hold..." - Matt Nathanson

Music...

...so this Wednesday will be Alexa and I's last gig at the Red Cap for a while. She is moving to University in a couple weeks and that makes me real sad. She has been like a daughter so having her leave gives me a bit of anxiety. My kids really love her too so she will certainly be missed seeing that she spents a lot of time at our house.

On a positive note, we'll be doing some recording this Thursday and Friday with Mr. Tim Feswick again! We're going to be working on finishing her debut CD and have hopes to have it out in the Fall. Tim has been working real hard on getting songs for the CD and has pulled out all the stops. We have inked some deals with a Company in Nashville and are going to use 5 of their songs. It's super exciting and what's even more exciting is the songwritters.....Rick Springfield is one of them!! He's the guy who sing "Jesse's Girl" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hiaKiqIsi2s) Also another is a guy by the name of Edward Schwartz. He wrote the famous song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" for Pat Benetar! We couldn't be more excited and have plans to go to Nashville in the new year to promote the CD and meet some important people. You never know.....sky is the limit really!!

"How can I find a woman like that..." - Rick Springfield

Day Surgery...

...so I had to get a minor procedure done at Day Surgery last week. I was a tad nervous as I had never been there and didn't really know what to expect. Well...it's quite the process. I felt like I was going to be incarcerated for Life. So you get in there and a nurse explains whatever procedure you're getting done and asks a bunch of questions. She then takes you to a bathroom and you need to put on a Johnny shirt, housecoat, booties and hair net thing...NOTHING ELSE so it's pretty drafty and hanging low ;)

Once you get in the new sexy pale green/pale blue attire you must put all your belongings in a drawstring bag that says "Belongings of _______". You then place this bag in a locker in the waiting room with everyone else that have the same outfit as you. this is challenging if you're trying to keep your boobs up with your arm and bending over too far would be a problem. There are men, women and kids all there with you. Glad I didn't have dentures cause you need to take those out too and carry a cup of teeth around as well as your boobs.

Anyways, so you wait here till a nurse comes and it's kinda like herding cattle. Call them and they all come to the next spot. I was taken to another waiting area where I have to listen to all the goings on in the other OR's. I was quite nervous and I waited here for about 45 minutes. It kind of made it worse but I was trying to suck it up. The worst part was while I was sitting there the garbage guy came by holding bags and bags of OR garbage. The bags were pretty see through so there was loads of blood, tubes and yucky stuff. This made me super nauseated. There was even some blood dripping from one bag on the floor and no one cleaned it up and I just felt ill.

After a little while a nurse came and she was super nice. She explained everything and just made me feel so much better. She brought me to the OR and helped the other nurses get ready and keep me company. One of the nurses even came over and rubbed my arm to comfort me as she knew I was quite worked up. The whole thing didn't take long and after it was all done I was walked back to the first waiting room with all the "waiting cattle", got my belongings, changed back to my normal clothes and off I went.

The whole process is just real uncomfortable. I wish that garbage guy would have put the bags in a bin rather than carry them....yuck....but the entire OR staff are amazing so I guess I can't complain. It's done....for now...till I go again in September. At least now I know what to expect and so do y'all....good luck!

Blog...

...so I finally figured out how to view my blog stats and it's pretty interesting! Lots of people have viewed my blog over the years and surprisingly it has been viewed all over the world! That's super crazy...and awesome. So here's a shout out to my peeps in Iraq, Germany, United Kingdom, Latvia, Australia, China and everywhere else you may be right now!

"Around the world...around the world..." - Daft Punk

Dr...

...so yesterday I had to go see the gyno for women things. I've known this Dr for a long time so i'm totally comfortable going there and saying what I need to say. When I had my bloodclots, he was my Dr so I would never go to anyone else as I feel like he helped save my life. ANYWAYS...I get there and don't you suppose he has a Student Dr there with him. This student was super good looking! He was somewhere around my age, tall, buff, smart looking glasses on, dark hair all messed up perfectly with gel...super attractive! So, now i'm nervous and embarassed, but I thought well it's no big deal, talk about your woman things and get out. Well, my Dr decided that today was the day for a Pap Test. Lovely...really freakin lovely.

We get in the exam room and I have my Dr at the "area", the Nurse at one side and Dr. Hottie on my other side. I look up at Dr. Hottie and he looks at me...then looks down....oh god...he's looking at my whoo whoo...OH MY GOD...AWKWARD!! I know it shouldn't be awkward and it was probably awkward for him too but now I have three people looking at IT and one of them is super ubber good looking. I don't know...it makes a difference. Now, my hubby claims he would want a good looking nurse if he was in a similar scenario...apparently he's more proud than I am of my body. I think all Dr's should be older and not good looking. It would make life a heck of a lot easier.

So now that part is done and I have to go back in his office to discuss some other things. So here I am, starring at Dr. Hottie and his smile while we discuss my you know what. Lovely...freakin lovely. So my Dr starts filling out some papers and there's dead air. I get nervous and start talking to Dr. Hottie, afterall, what the hell am I supposed to do? He just saw my whoo whoo...gotta say something! First thing I say is "Sooo...this is a fun day, eh?!" Oh God, that was a dumb start to a conversation....I WANT TO AVOID TALKING ABOUT WHOO WHOO'S AND I JUST GOT HIM THINKING ABOUT THEM AGAIN!!! He talked for a bit and then I started bragging up the town of Ydot and get him laughing and smiling. It was less awkward then. By the time I got out of there we were almost BFF's! He even shook my hand on the way out.

When I get out in the waiting room, it's full of other women waiting for their turn. One lady looks at me and asks who that other guy is in the office. I tell her and I see all of their faces drop.....hahahaha...I guess I wasn't the only one feeling this way!

"....the best thing about being a woman..." - Shania Twain

History Of Rap...

....so Jimmy Falon and Justin Timberlake are at it again:

http://www.latenightwithjimmyfallon.com/blogs/2011/07/history-of-rap-part-2-with-justin-timberlake/

some more etiquette?...

...so I've been asked a bunch what I think about Weddings, Showers for whatever, birthdays, etc.

Here's what I think....and really, what do I know?

Baby Showers: I think that if someone is having their first baby shower then you spend between $30-$50 depending on how close you are. For a second shower or third shower you should spend much less...so from $15 to $25. I think it's nice to buy a new mom a little gift when she's in the hospital but that should only be about $10-$15. I wouldn't think you'd need to go overboard, especially if you went to the baby shower.

Weddings: I think if you're invited to the entire wedding you must buy a gift. I would spend between $35 and $60 depending on how close I am. If I've been invited to a Wedding Shower prior to the Wedding then I'd use my price range and break it up between the two. If you are simply invited to the wedding dance I wouldn't buy a gift. This, to me, is the Happy Couple's way of inviting those they simply couldn't invite to the whole thing so you going doesn't mean you owe them anything. They just wanted you to come and have fun with them.

If you spent a lot of money to go to the wedding, i.e.: Down South, out of province, at a resort, etc... I think you're wedding gift should be cheaper than had you not done that. Spending $2000 to go to a wedding then coming back and spending another $50 + on a gift isn't necessary in my opinion. It was nice that you took lots of time and expense to go with the Happy Couple...you don't have to go broke by doing so.

Birthdays: These are really for children. Buy for them....as for adults, no gifts are necessary. I intend on having my own Birthday Party this year as I'm turning the big 30. I don't want gifts...I just want people to come to my party and have a good time with me! I assume most people feel the same way. I also don't need cards...a phone call, facebook message, email, text, etc is sufficient. I just like knowing people think about me on my special day.

Stagette/Stag Parties: If you chose to go on one of these expect to spend money. If you do not want to spend money then don't go. There is often gas, hotel, food, activities and drinking costs associated with these so decide wisely. It's not a time to skimp..,pay your share IMMEDIATELY. You know ahead of time that you will be going so if you owe money to someone then pay them before the activities are done (before you drive home). If you do not have cash, most people accept cheques so I vote you do that. Cheques are good cause you can give the exact amount you owe...no change necessary. Waiting to pay at a later date frustrates everyone and if you can't afford to go then don't. No one will be mad and frankly, you don't have to give a reason as to why you won't be attending. Also, this event is for the Bride and Groom so they should get a money break. Most of the time the Bridal Party pays a bit more than the guests. Don't be afraid to ask $5 from everyone attending to help with costs...no one will argue....but make sure that the entire Bridal Party spends the same amount. I wouldn't say it's fair for some to spend more than others. Nowadays people do this anyways, but it's still something worth mentioning.

Housewarmings: I usually spend $25-$50 depending on how close I am. If this event occurs near their Wedding, I would vote that a Wedding Shower is not necessary....seems to me a Housewarming and a Wedding Shower would be the same thing. Call it one event and move on.

So these are just my thoughts....what are yours?

"What made you say that..." - Shania Twain

Really??...

...so remember Rod Blagojevich? He's the guy with the really poofy bangs that's been on every TV show known to mankind for the last 2 years proclaiming he's innocent of trying to sell Barack Obama's Senate Seat. The ones you may remember was "Celebrity Apprentice" and she was on "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here". They've been on every talk show and kept saying he was innocent even though they had wiretaps on his phone and have him on record saying incriminating things. Anyways, after 2 years he was convicted! I never thought he'd actually get convicted...not sure why....guess i've seen him out and about too much going on and on about how he was framed that I never actually thought he did do exactly what he was being accused of. Well, now he faces up to 300 years in Jail so apparently they had enough evidence to prove it was true....here's the article and there's a video of him so if you're still not sure who Rod is, you'll see in a sec....really bad hair! lol

http://thechronicleherald.ca/World/1250752.html

Alexa...

...so as many of you know, Alexa is quite the superstar when it comes to singing! Wowza, she's got some pipes and she just seems to be getting better. I have the priveledge of working with her and this summer we're really kicking it into high gear to get her career started. We went to Liverpool a few weeks ago and she recorded 3 new original songs with the amazing Tim Feswick (http://feswick.com/). What a great time and now Alexa has gained another fan...Tim!

Since then we've been working on getting some new song writters on board and have decided that it's best if she finishes a full length CD. YAY...I know...exciting or what?!!! We hope to work on this throughout the summer as she's only 6 songs away from finishing. Also, she should be releasing her next single sometime in July....gonna be great!

As things progress, i'll keep ya posted. We've had some great headway lately so i'm hopeful that something will spark real soon. It's just a matter of having the right person hear her sing. She's phenomenal...and in the studio she's nearly flawless...it's crazy. Anyways, she's become like a daughter to me so I want nothing more than to see her succeed! I'm very happy I get a front seat along the way and someday when she's on a big stage somewhere oversees, she'll have the Newell Family right there to support her :)

Check out her facebook page and please tell your friends! The more "Like's" the better it is for exposure so she could use all the help she can get. Let's get those "Likes" up!!! http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Alexa-dEntremont/154353834623657

She also has a site on the Music Nova Scotia Website....check it out! Her first single is on there so have a listen....you may hear a familiar voice as the back up singer ;) www.musicnovascotia.ca/alexa

"...and you're scared...and you hold yourself tight..." - Alexa d'Entremont

Bachelorette...

...so I watch the above dumb show. It's kinda like a guilty pleasure but this year I'm not diggin' it at all. Ashley, the Bachelorette, is driving me nuts. She was warned about one of the guys before the show started and what does she do....falls for him in the first minute they meet. He then spends 3 shows telling the cameras how he doesn't like her, he's just stringing her along and he's not even attracted to her. He is a douche and all of the world knows that now but the freakin Bachelorette! ANNOYING! He decides to leave the show so he tell her he's leaving cause of his daughter rather than tell her he doesn't even like her and it's all a sham. He "put on the best performance of my life". He said that...crazy! Anyways, she cries and when he left he basically told her that he may be back for her...that their relationship will have to wait and see. Now she's holding on to false hope. The host, Chris Harrison, claims he cares for the bachelorette and all he wants if for her to find love. Well if that was the case then show her the tapes of the douche!! She has been 3 shows without him and all she does is cry and whine over losing the douchebag. She can't move forward with the other guys cause douchebag left her with some hope he'd come back when really he is laughing at home on the couch with his douchebag friends.

Next week he does come back as she cant get over him. In the previews it shows that she tells the other guys that douchebag is back and they get majorly angry with her for lying to them. I don't blame them...she's basically cheating on them by being so involved with douchebag.

Anyways...none of this will make sense if you don't watch the show so I apologize. It's just annoying cause I have been sitting through hours and hours of her crying over a douchebag and no one on the show will show her what he was really saying. I find that totally wrong and it's really lame tv. I know the show is lame tv to begin with but now it's ubber lame tv. I think I might stop watching. I'm annoyed.

She's gonna feel like a moron when she watches this show....total moron.

"Some say love...it is a river..." - Bette Middler

Hello!!...

...so it's been a while, eh? I guess my life is getting busier and busier all the time so finding time for myself has been real difficult these days. I'm back though...not disapearing...no worries!

Saturday night we were a gang celebrating Nursemaid's 30th Birthday. We discussed many topics and the one that got me all heated was facebook. There should be facebook etiquette. I've said it before and i'll say it again...think before you type people!!! I'm probably guilty too but some people are OVERBOARD!!!! One thing that has been a tad annoying to me these days is the discussion surrounding the weather. Ok...we get it...I have eyes...it's raining all the time. I didnt really need to read 57 status messages advising me that it's been raining and that you hate rain...and that you got wet in the rain...and that your clothes won't dry cause it's raining...and that your kids are annoyed with the rain.....NEWSFLASH PEOPLE: WE ALL FEEL THE SAME WAY SO STOP REMINDING US WE'RE MISERABLE IN THE RAIN!! Let's not write about the obvious anymore.

The other thing is the need to tell your spouse that you love them on their wall. Ok, seriously? Can't you turn to your left/right and say that to them to their face? I'm here to tell ya that just cause you broadcast your love on facebook doesn't mean you love or are loved more than anyone else. Here's a little lesson on love: true love does not need to be spoken...it is simply felt. It's ok to wish a happy birthday to your spouse (although a card and a kiss would probably work best) and on mothers/fathers day it would be ok to say something nice. OTherwise, save it for home...bedroom....car...anywhere. The only exception would be if your spouse is away for long periods of time. That is ok. Saying something like "I can't wait to see you at supper" to someone who lives with you is a tad ridiculous...in my opinion.

Next is complaining about your job. Alrighty, if I had an employee that constantly complained about going to work or being at work I would fire them. Also, I love teachers. Most of my family and friends are teachers and I WOULDN'T WANT THEIR JOB. Having said that, there are duties that go along with teaching that i'm sure aren't fun. Hearing about all the work you have to do and how stressful it is one week before you have a two month break in the sun is slightly annoying. Having a countdown to summer is ok....but not ok if the countdown started over 40 days ago. As a parent, I don't want to hear that my childs teacher hates teaching. Luckily for me, my oldest childs teacher is great and never complains. I see others aren't so lucky. A little note to teachers....in early August I don't want to hear how depressed you are that summer is coming to an end and that school is starting up again. We are all bummed summer will be winding down...30 days before it actually does end is a tad early to start complaining that your time off will end. Enjoy life...enjoy the last 4 WEEKS OF VACATION. Enjoy! Everyone has a right to be happy to have a vacation and i'm not saying that teachers should not be glad...you should be ecstatic! I just think people go overboard. I know some of my awesome teacher friends feel the same way so i'm just stating the obvious. Same rules apply to other professions. Everyone has a "busy season" and it's nice when it's over. Just can the complaining for weeks and weeks. Fishing is many people's source of income. I'm glad that fishing starts up and do not feel bad when hubby needs to go fishing. It's his job...they don't go work everyday...and it's only for 6 months. No use complaining that he's busy fishing during December. If we want to eat in January then he'd better go fishing....but that's just me. If hubby fished for a month at a time and didn't come home I would totally be bummed. I don't blame the wives for being lonely. I can handle status' about missing their spouses then...not everyday, mind you...but sometimes is fine.

Those are my thoughts for today. Like I said before, we are all guily at times...it's ok...and really, what do I know? lol!

"everybody's workin' for the weekend!"

Tanning...

...so it is now illegal for anyone under the age of 19 to go in a Tanning Bed. Hopefully all the girls that were gearing up for Prom got their tans in yesterday.

Article: http://www.thevanguard.ca/News/2011-05-31/article-2548855/Tanning-bed-use-restricted-in-NS/1

Lessons...

...so it's finally the month of June! I've been telling people for years that Plymouth is the best place to live cause there's no June bugs...well was I ever wrong. I think all my Pubnico family and Friends have drug them over and the other night there was about 10 of them around my door. YUCK!!! Go away June bugs...go back to Pubnico....get hit by the windmills....go anywhere but at my house! I can't stand them.

Learned a few lessons over the last week:

Lesson 1: Do not buckle your seat belt as you drive away. Buckle immediately cause the RCMP will stop you and tell you that's illegal.

Lesson 2: Do not hang up your cellphone as you're pulling out of a parking lot as that is also illegal. The RCMP will stop you and let you know that doing so is also unacceptable.

Lesson 3: The seat belt and the cellphone fines include cash and points against your drivers licence.

Lesson 4: Familiarize yourself with the Vehicle Permit and the Insurance Information cause searching frantically and passing an RCMP stuff from 2008 will just annoy him/her.

Lesson 5: Thank your lucky stars that sometimes the RCMP officer wants you to learn some lessons rather than take away your licence.....

Lessons Learned!

"...thank you consequence...Thank you Thank you silence..." - Alanis Morrisette

SNL...

....LOOOOOOVE the SNL clips and this one is no exception!! Enjoy LOL!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KY4LNBcQFrA

Popcorn...

...so I was eating popcorn the other day and surprise, surprise - popcorn gets stuck in my teeth. It happens nearly every time I eat some so I spend the rest of the evening on a mission impossible - WHERE IS THAT DARN KERNEL?! I can feel it with my tongue and it feels massive....then the minute I try to get it with my finger I can't figure out what tooth it's stuck in. I feel around again with my tongue and there it is, this gigantic kernel....use my finger and it disappears! I then use my tongue to count my teeth starting from the last one and it's the third one....use my finger and can't figure out what side of the third one. Am I the only one with the disappearing kernels?? lol....I hope not cause I look mighty ridiculous with my finger jammed in my mouth for hours on end. I want one of those little round dentist mirrors...that would help!

"do do dooooooo....do do dooooooo...do do...da da, duh duh, da da, duh duh..." - my attempt at typing out the Mission Impossible Theme song ;)

Marriage...

...so the Governator is in hot water and getting a divorce. Apparently Maria found out about the now 10 yr old love child he had with his housekeeper....hello deal breaker?! It's one thing to slip up and something happen and then deal with it then but it's another to keep it secret for 10yrs!!! geesh!

Here's a happy story...one of the best marriage proposals i've ever seen:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnVAE91E7kM&feature=share

"...going to the chapel of love."

NIGHT ONE...

...so SARMU went so well...it was sooooooo awesome! I'm beyond proud and so excited for the kids. There was lots of smiles, a few WELL DESERVED Standing ovations and lots of tears of joy. HOpe to see you tonight or tomorrow night...you won't regret it!

"Someday, i'll be...bigger than a big old city..." - Taylor Swift

SARMU!!!!....

....so SARMU is this weekend people!!! For those who have no clue what it is, it's a music concert put on by some high school students of Drumlin Heights and Par En Bas High School's. The kids work really, really hard to put on very professional show and this year I can say that the show is fantastic! There's a song for everyone....all genres, all tempos....all awesome.

When: May 8th, 9th, 10th
Where: Par-En-Bas School Gym (in Tusket)
Time: 7 PM (doors open at 6:30 PM)
Cost: $8 per person
See ya there!!!!

Some links to some past performances:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGkqhVO4BsM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUJyKQD0MeY&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bu1kgngr1vs&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6gOQVKJ8r1s&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mL6kka_O2EE&feature=related

Monday!!!....

...so hello people! My family and I have been sick for the last two weeks so it's kept me from writting to all of you. I think we're on the mend now so bring on summer baby!

This morning I heard some good news...Osama Bin Laden is dead. YAY! It's very odd to be so happy to hear of someone's death, but I think nearly everyone is the world is smiling this morning.

I gotta show you this clip of President Obama. He spoke at the Correspondents Dinner and he did a heck of a job....best presidential speach ever....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k8TwRmX6zs4&feature=feedf

Enjoy!

Busy...

...so I guess you don't realize how musy you are till you check the date on your last blog post! Sorry folks!

I wonder....how do you get deoderant off your hands? Seems like when you get some on there you taste it no matter how much you wash your hands (clearly I eat a lot with my hands...it's called not enough time to use utensils). If its that hard to get off then how does it come off so good from your armpits? See here's what happened...I ran out of deoderant. Well actually, there's still some there but it's clicked up all the way so the pad thing pops out and you can't use it. Well i'm too cheap to throw it out while there's still some on there so I use my fingers and hold that little pad and smear under my arms till it's down to the plastic. You can get another few days out of it if you use my technique...and yes I know this is ridiculous...so I've been doing that. Problem is the darn deoderant is like super glued to my hands now and I can't get the smell off. I go to eat an orange and all I taste is Secret Shear Dry, Baby Powder Scent....ugh...anyone have any tips?

If your tip is to throw it out and buy a new one then think of something else....hubby already offered that advice! LOL

"Smells like teen spirit..." - Kurt Cobaine

Smoothies....

...so today I get in the Timmies Drive-Thru and decide i'm going to try the new Smoothie. As i'm sitting there I remember someone telling me the McDonald ones are better so I get out of the line and drive to McD's. I wait in that line up and when I get to the order box I ask for my Smoothie. She answers: "Sorry hun, but the machine is being cleaned. It gets cleaned from 2-3 every Tuesday." ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!! The one day I decide to try the damn smoothie is the exact day and time they clean the machine. I just drove from the Tim's line to this one and now I still don't have a smoothie. What luck! So now i'm stuck in the Drive-Thru and when I get to her window I say "i'm the girl with no smoothie!" SHe laughed....and apologized again. Since I still have to wait for the cars ahead of me to get their food and drive out I tell the girl that i'm gonna get one at Tim's. She says: "Well, just so you know, ours are rumored to be better" Yes lady, I know...that's the reason i'm here trying to get one but it doesn't help me now seeing that the smoothie machine is temporarily out of order! Geesh! Since i'm clearly thirsty for a Smoothie I drive BACK to Timmie's, get in their Drive-Thru and order the fricken smoothie. It was good but it was definitely the most expensive and time consuming Smoothie Expedition known to man.

So lesson for today folks...NO SMOOTHIES AT MCDONALD'S FROM 2-3 on TUESDAYS!

"Don't worry, Be Happy" - Bobby McFerrin

Chords....

...so I often say that Taylor Swift songs have the same chords, just in different orders. Well this guy shows a bunch of songs over the years with the same chords...love it! Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4ALd-Top2A&feature=feedu

New Beer??....

...so Rudder's Restaurant and Brew Pub in Yarmouth has a new beer. Did you hear about it yet? Well its called "Pompey Dick". Ok...seriously? Its apparently the name of the first boat that came to Yarmouth or something but why didn't they think of something else? I can just picture a bunch of drunks...."Hey, can I have another Dick?" "I'll have a Dick, make it large" "I love the new Dick here." "What you recomend goes with my Dick?" hhahahahaha Should I continue??? And what do the waitresses write on their note pads....Lg Pompey or Lg Dick?

"Don't want no short "short" man..." - 20Fingers

Monday...

...so today is Monday and I just got settled in with a cup of coffee at my desk. Thought I'd say Hi to all y'all!!

Let's talk about stuff this morning...

First, the Concert Scandal in HRM. From what I understand, apparently there were back-office deals with folks in the HRM Council office and the promotions company that put on these large concerts in HRM. There was money given to the promotional company...call it a loan with no interest or any security...to make sure these events took place. According to some reports, over $2 Million was given out but then the promotional company went belly up and left the taxpayers on the hook for nearly $400,000 that didn't get paid back. This all happened, ALLEGEDLY, with the Mayor knowing about it. Now people are ticked because none of this was approved...it just happened behind the scenes. You can't just go giving money to people whenever you feel like it...remember folks, it's our tax money so we want to make sure that it goes to the appropriate places. That's why we elect responsible people to make decisions on our behalf. Well some of our "responsible elected officials" weren't so responsible. Now here's the Monday Morning kicker...Kid Rock's management is now suing the fine government folks in HRM for their loss. Kid Rock was scheduled to come for a large venue this past summer the night before the Black Eyed Peas but was cancelled due to low ticket sales. They're wondering why no money was advanced to them to keep the show going like there was for the other shows. I guess it's a legitimate complaint. Basically now this opens up a HUGE can of worms and some folks in HRM are asking for the Mayor's resignation along with some other elected officials. It's a scandal...I'm not surprised...these elected offices seem to be one leak away from a scandal anyways. Soon enough we'll be on to the next one.

Now let's talk about another important issue...the issue of the Seedless Watermelon! My Hubby bought a Seedless Watermelon the other day. How do I know it's seedless, you ask! Well peeps, there's a large white sticker on the side that tells me it's a SEEDLESS WATERMELON. I decide to have a slice last night and what do you think I find inside? Yup...Seeds! Lots and lots of black seeds. They're smaller than the average watermelon seed, but still spittable so I was quite disappointed. Now my mindless snack becomes a maze...gotta be careful where I cut so I don't get a big bite of seeds! I was a tad annoyed....and I feel like it's totally false advertising. Keep this in mind folks...the Seedless Watermelon's at Sobeys in Ydot should be called the Smaller Seeded Watermelon.

Well my coffee is in getting cold so I better get going for now....talk to ya later!

"cowboy baby...with the top let back and sunshine shining..." - Kid Rock

HEYYYY!!!!....

...so I haven't forgotten about all of you. I hope you haven't forgotten about me!! I've been super busy and haven't been able to find much time to do anything these days. I will be away for the better part of this week, but will be back at 'er next week with more consistent posting....promise!

Last night I watched the Bachelor Finale. It's totally lame TV, but I can't help but watch. I was totally emotionally invested in the show and had picked the girl I thought was better suited for him. It's quite sad that I feel the need to think up of reasons why he should marry someone cause really...who cares? I don't know this guy...all I know is that he's wayyyy too in tune with his feelings and a tad too sappy for my liking....why do I care that he picks Emily? I know i'm not alone and can remember way back in my University days when I watched the first Bachelorette and was screaming at the TV wondering why Trista hadn't picked Charlie. Sad....and even more sad that I still watch and my behavior towards the show hasn't changed!

Now let's talk a bit about the "After the Rose" show. I only watched the first 10 minutes then hit the hay but I spent most of those minutes laughing at the host, Chris Harrison's hair!! OH MY GOSH...did you see the poof of hair he had...looked like he hadn't had a haircut in months. My Farty COusin reminded me that my children looked like that up until this week when I finally decided to cut their hair. lol....yes they had Afros! Well Mr. Harrison's stylist surely did a crappy job last cause his do was super distracting!

I think this is the year of vacation. It seems as though everyone and their dog is going somewhere warm and sunny or has already been. It's great for tourism in those places but not so much around here. The exchange rate is good so I guess it is worth it to go to the States at this time. It's hard to believe that if you book your trip in US funds, it'll end up cheaper than in Canadian Funds! Pretty cool. Either way, looks like most people are coming out of the economic downturn quite nicely...either that or they're all going shack-whacky and need to get out hehehe! Good for them...boo for me....there's always next year I guess!

"...I don't know why you say goodbye, I say Hello!..." - Beatles

TV Theme Songs...

...so I love TV Theme songs and I found this clip on YouTube of this guy who did a medley of them. Very enjoyable - Very Talented!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8i7u3fl-hP8

"...I'll be there for you cause you're there for me too..." - Friends Theme

RRRrrrroooll up the Rim!!!!...

...so it's that time of year again!!! I stopped in this morning for my fresh cup of Tim's and lost on my first cup - surprise, surprise! You can play online this year for a chance to win a Tim's card: http://www.rolluptherimtowin.com/en/fun.php?showcontest

I lost on that too .... guess I'm just a loser today :(

teeth...

...so my Farty Cousin is big into this all natural and organic stuff. I find it kind of funny cause I feel like it's good to be healthy but now she's obsessed about switching everything in her house. The other night we were playing cards and I brought some apples and dip. Seeing that it was healthy she dug right in but one crunch of the apple and she was in pain. She could barely chew her apple slice as her teeth were so sensitive and sore. I asked her what the problem was...let's face it, apples aren't that hard to eat! She told me that she stopped using her sensodyne toothpaste as it wasn't good for you and switched to an all natural toothpaste. She told me it tasted gross, but at least it was good for your body. Riiiiiight....so good for your body that it'll prevent you from eating! Awesome! Great strategy there Miss Farty Pants LOL I think I almost fell over from laughing so hard. She agreed it was a tad ridiculous and said she'd use her sensodyne again...only every once and a while. I hope she does cause by ridding her body from all the "toxins" in her old toothpaste, she'll be stuck eating mushy healthy foods like anything made by Chef Boyardee!! hehehehe

She also gave up on the Organic Deodorant. Surprise, Surprise people.....rubbing a rock on your armpits doesn't stop you from sweating or smelling....glad I know that now ;)

Oh my Farty Cousin....you will now bring great joy and laughter in my life just like my Granola Friend has over the years!

Love ya xoxo

"I'm addicted to you but I know that you're toxic!" - Britney Spears

Schools...

...so we keep hearing about the budget cuts in the school system. $17 million plus is a lot of money which means lots of things will have to change. I, personally, don't want to see teachers lose their jobs and larger classrooms aren't the answer either. No one wins there. Today I read an article in the Chronicle Herald (http://thechronicleherald.ca/NovaScotia/1226795.html) regarding a school in Riverport who has 8 STUDENTS!!! 8! I can hardly believe it...8 kids. Basically there's 6 families that have kids in that school. Apparently there's a new school being built in Lunenburg so some of the small schools will be closed and moving into the new school when it's all built. This school has had declining enrollment and I guess this year many kids moved to another school leaving 8 kids. Now there's talk of closing the school before the new one is built....ya think? Why on earth didn't they do it in September? This, to me, is a huge waste of money. Think about the power, heat, food, staff....just for 8 kids...unless there's something I'm missing here I think the decision to close the school should have been made by the school board months ago. It definitely shouldn't be up to the parents. Who wouldn't want their child to be in a class where the teacher can spend all of their time with a couple kids? It's ridiculous.

I know that being a teacher has it's perks and drawbacks - like any job. I don't understand all the inservices. Why can't there be a few in the summertime when teachers are off. I'm not saying the entire summer cause yes, i'd want a break too, but even one or two. Also, why not make the inservices in the schools so that no mileage needs to be paid out along with hotel and meal costs? That would save money. Everyone wants a free hotel room, but if it saves a teacher wouldn't it make more sense to try to cut those back as much as possible?

Also, I know people need to be involved with the Union. Why all the weekday meetings? That means a substitute needs to come in to replace that teacher and then the hotel/meals/mileage thing happens again. That's a lot of money. WHy would the union want the teachers to leave the classroom? Saturday is a lovely day for a meeting. That would atleast cut the substitute fee.

I don't know. A lot of this stuff I know nothing about so please don't take offence if you're a teacher. My father was a teacher and I think they are SUPER, UBBER important, that's why I think there has to be other ways to save money rather than cutting teaching positions.

A start would be closing a school with 8 kids...geesh!

"...school's out for summer" - Alice Cooper

Potlucks...

...so getting back to my earlier potluck post, I've had a number of emails with people's idea of the proper etiquette.

*Bring something you know people will like.
*Bring enough to feed a large number of people...so not just 6 chicken wings for a crowd of 25.
*Arrive on time!!!!!!!! (meals have been prepared to be served right away...coming 30 mins late means you don't eat or simply don't need to come)
*Host usually provides utensils, paper plates, cups and napkins along with their dish. The host will likely have something to drink like water and pop. BYOB - ALWAYS!
*Fruit Trays and Veggie Trays are something you bring IN ADDITION TO your dish...it's not a substitute for bringing a meal item.
*Bring your own serving utensil to compliment your dish as well as a pot holder.
*Try not to bring something too runny so that it takes over your entire plate. A blog reader suggested using divided plates...good idea!
*do not bring something that needs to be cooked at the hosts house. You can re-heat or keep warm...but not cook.
* Help the host clean up.
*Bring home your leftovers unless the host would like them
*Be real thankful and acknowlege every guests hard work :)

Superbowl....

...so yesterday was the big day! I think it's the day most men wait for all year...it's more exciting than Christmas to them. I, on the other hand, would like to be there live, but as for sitting down for hours to watch the Superbowl - nahhh...just let me know when the Half Time show is on and that's about it.

This year they had the Black Eyed Peas with Usher and an appearance by Slash. I gotta say...wasn't really feeling the love. Fergie is a prime example of someone being famous cause they're pretty, not cause of their talent. I'm not a fan of her singing and I found her performance mediocre last night. I think I could have found 10 people in Yarmouth County that would have done a better job. I guess I expected more from someone who's been so successful. Will.I.Am is pretty good and he does make real cool beats to dance too...i'll give them that, but wasn't impressed with the whole thing. Slash is a great guitarist, but mixed with Fergie's vocals = not really good music.

All in all...it wasn't good so let's forget about it.

"Where is the love?" - BEP

Yet again...

...so there's another Priest being charged with sexual assault and other things stemming from quite a number of years ago. There are 40 charges as of now and he has been arrested. This time he's alive and will need to face these charges head on as opposed to many of the other cases where the accused had already passed away. Here's the article in the Yarmouth Vanguard today : http://www.thevanguard.ca/News/2011-01-24/article-2166200/40-sexual-assault-charges-laid/1

It's sad....I can't stress enough how sad this is. I know many people wonder why it takes someone so long to admit someone sexually abused them. We need to remember that this is a hard thing to admit and it seems like it's even harder to admit when the victim is male. There is a level of shame that goes along this this and I think that society has come a long way and that's why finally these people can come forward and not feel all that shame and guilt. I'm glad that we've reached this place. Unfortunately it seems like the Catholic Church is getting hit pretty hard these days with lots of allegations. It happens everywhere but I guess these stories are heavy in the news because it appears like many within the church structure knew what was going on and turned a blind eye to the matter. That was also part of the culture at the time, but should still be investigated as well. It's not right. Our kids need to feel safe. We need to protect them. Each and every one of us has an obligation to report anything we find suspicious...this can also be done anonymously and if the matter needs to go to court, only then will you be asked to reveal your identity. (**This is what i've been told in the past) I feel that if the matter was taken all the way to court then it would be important to come forward as clearly there are major red flags and likely your observations weren't totally incorrect - or at least gave you a valid reason for your concern.

I feel bad for the victims here and there is a publication ban on their identities. I'm glad they came forward, as hard as it is...and they do not need to be put through hell in the press so it's fine that they're identities are kept private. That's not important here...getting justice is important. WHen you read the article you'll see that this former priest moved from job to job ALL having major contact with children. It's sad...it's sad for everyone....and it's sad for others that haven't come forward yet and are reading these articles...

Oh Happy Day...

...so I think people were happy this morning to see the sun shining! As I drove into work I noticed that the drivers going by were mostly all singing as they were driving! hehehe...it was pretty funny cause I turned on the radio and noticed that most were singing along to the song on the radio. Do you sing when you drive? I sure do...I don't just sing, I belt it out baby! This morning the people driving by me probably thought I was yelling at someone in the backseat cause I was just belting out the harmony to "Bed of Roses" by Bon Jovi. I always stop singing when i'm stopped in traffic or in a drive-thru and really i'm not sure why. I don't look any more ridiculous then I did while I was moving forward. I guess I fear seeing someone I know but that's kinda ridiculous too cause anyone who knows me can assume I sing all the time. I think we should all sing today in the car...why not? It's gonna be nasty tomorrow so let's smile with the sunshine and have a little fun :)

"I wanna lay you down in a bed of roses..." - Bon Jovi

Seaweed...

...so I was at the Women's Expo on Saturday and ended up discussing all Natural and Organic Products with an Esthetician. She sells Seaflora (www.sea-flora.com) products which is a "Wild Organic Seaweed Skincare" line. She gave me a sample of their moisturizer which has the following product description:

" Our lush blend of seaweed, floral extracts and organic oils gently strengthen collagen leaving skin soft, healthy and buoyant. Can be used morning and night."

Alright...so let's talk about this Organic stuff. I understand that years ago there weren't as much "junk" in anything we consumed or touched. Now things have evolved and we're supposed to be getting smarter and smarter, yet it seems like with all this technology and research we are being told to go back to the olden days. Know what I mean? This moisturizer is made with Seaweed....did people actually put Seaweed on their faces back in the day? How does one know that Seaweed is healthier than other things? Many natural things are dangerous to our bodies...some drugs being one. Can you overdose on Seaweed? Can you have a Seaweed Allergy? I don't know any of these answers but why does it seem like we're crazy if we don't use this Organic Stuff. It's five times the prices yet has five times less ingredients....that, to me, doesn't make sense. If Organic or all Natural Products are better for us then why can't there be some savings?

I have tried the moisturizer and it does make my face feel good. I don't like the smell of the product as it smells like i'm slathering old sea water all over my face. I'm the type of person who only feels like a woman when I smell nice....so this product doesn't give me the "i'm sexy today" feeling. If it's so awesome then why couldn't I go grab a piece of seaweed, slap it in a food processor, add water and put in a container? If it's THAT all natural then I would assume that I could find all of it's ingredients right in my own community? Where do they find their Seaweed? The ones down by the shore around here are often attached to a piece of garbage or submerged in poluted waters. Is that better than a cream that was cleaned and used some kind of other metals and minerals? Humm?? Makes me wonder. Apparently the product is edible but i'm not sure who on earth would want to put that icky smell in their mouth...either way if you decided you were hungry in the morning you could have a lick.

Oh boy this cracked me up...

...so a friend of mine posted this video on her facebook and i'm so glad I watched it! It's a video produced by the BBC and they did animal voiceovers. Enjoy!

http://www.wimp.com/animalvoiceovers

"...Billie Jean is not my lover..."- Michael Jackson

Clothes...

...so today was weigh in day. Oh...forgot to mention I started Weight Watchers last week so today was week one weight in. I knew I had lost so that was exciting but I wasn't sure how much. I decided to get on my scale before hitting the shower this morning and was pleased with the new number! After my shower I got all spiffied up for work and thought "gee, i'd better weigh myself again to see what damage my clothes made." GOOD THING I FRIGGEN DID...I weighed 4 LBS more with my work clothes!!!! Oh dear lord, I thought I was going to have a panic attack. My husband laughed at me cause now I was in a frantic mess trying to find a lighter outfit to wear....heaven forbid I go there and not lose weight due to my heavy dress pants!! No way I was going to let that happen. After much searching I found a shirt and yoga pants that were only 2 lbs heavier...not the 4 lbs like my early outfit.

I get ready to get weighed....make sure I peed, took off my shoes, coat and anything that would weigh any amount and get on the scale. I lost 3.6 lbs...success! I was pleased...hoped for more but I guess weighing in nude is frowned upon in front of the glass windows at the Superstore...so i'll take it!

Next week I will surely be wearing the same outfit and never again will I attempt to wear my dress pants...NEVER! I need all the help I can get :)

Relief...i'm so relieved and thrilled that I might just indulge tonight...just a little....Kraft Diner here I come :P Ya I know that defeats the purpose but I've been craving so now I have a week to be good before I hit the scales again...judge me if you want...I don't care....and I can assure you my Kraft Dinner is gonna be darn good! Hehehehe

"I'm fat, i'm fat...I know it..." - Weird Al

Hometown Proud...

...so Dept of Enviro released a real nice video of Pubnico and the Wind Farm. Check it out...lots of familiar faces! http://www.gov.ns.ca/energy/media/videos/display.asp?vID=18

The Gobstopper...

...so yesterday hubby and I bought some "Wonka Everlasting Gobstoppers". I think it's a bit of false advertising on Willie Wonka's part. They last about as long as it takes to reach my teeth then CRACK, SMOOSH, CHEW...gone! Seems to me an everlasting gobstopper should be un-crunchable until you lick away a few layers and it gets thinner. These ones are so soft that I barely have to put pressure and they crack apart so I feel like the title does not describe the product whatsoever. Well....unless I have a Hercules Jaw and Alligator Teeth...is it just me? Buy a package and see for yourself. oh and I normally don't like any candy that are green or yellow as I feel Lime and Lemon should not even be included as flavors for anything as it's totally gross...but so ya know, the green gobstoppers are green apple and not lime so the only icky ones are the yellow ones in the whole package. :)

Tell me lies...tell me sweet little lies..." - Fleetwood Mac

CUBA SALE....

...so there's a sale for all those looking to go to Cuba. Check it out as it starts today at 11:00 AM!!! http://www.aircanadavacations.com/en/ideas/activities/suggestions/recommendations/promotions/4-hour-Rush-Sale-/18366;jsessionid=9C82C422B428713AE75B4F19B29E65A5.cls02

"Put the lime in the coconut..." -Harry Nilsson

Hotels...

...so I never just call a hotel and make a reservation anymore. There are faaaaaar cheaper ways to go about it nowadays.

One of them is www.priceline.com. You can bid for your hotel room and if your bid is accepted, they'll let you know the name of the hotel. If you stick to 3.5 or 4 star you'll be fine. I've booked through them for Halifax and got the Westin, Delta Halifax and Marriot....all for under $100. You place your bid then they add taxes and fees and let you know what it works out to. As an example, you bid $55...it works out to about $70 AMERICAN. The adjustment to Canadian funds will happen on your credit card so when the dollar is near par the difference is very little. There are limitations to how many times you can try within a 24 hour time frame....let me know if you need help and I can help guide you. It works, so don't be afraid to try.

Another site is www.hotwire.com. There you pick what price you want to pay and once booked they'll let you know the hotel name. I've never tried this one but I know people who have and say it works great.

The last option I try is http://pacrimfriendsandfamily.com/. There aren't always rooms available but I am going to Halifax this weekend and used this site. I booked the Radisson for $99 plus tax so it works out to about $116....not too shabby considering the regular rate is over $140/night! You can actually cancel this one if you decided not to go where the other sites don't allow you to cancel...once you book you pay immediately and get no refunds.

"I'm at the hotel, motel, holday innnnn..." - Chingy

2012 World Juniors...

...so the big Gold Medal Game is tonight....Canada Vs Russia!! If you were interested in getting tickets for next years tournament in Calgary, you can enter a draw for advanced tickets up until midnight tonight (mountain time). See website for more details: http://www.hockeycanada.ca/index.php/ci_id/151670/la_id/1.htm

Good Luck...and GO CANADA GO!!

Why do we care?...

Picture found online: http://www.styleite.com/media/royal-engagement-photos/

...so Prince William and Kate Middleton are getting married in April. I am happy they're happy, but really, why do I care about all the wedding details. It's definitely gonna be extravagant and we'll all be able to watch it on TV as it happens....so why all the articles regarding the details. There won't be any secrets...again, we'll be able to watch it. All this hooplah is kinda funny. In case you do care, here's an article with some newly released details...oooooo....Ahhhhhh....(http://thechronicleherald.ca/Front/9019258.html)

"Going to the chapel and we're...goooonnna get maaaaaried!" - Dixie Chicks (just so yhou know, this song was written waaaay before the Dixie Chicks came out with it, but it was made more popular by them )

Oh this is funny...

...so Jimmy Kimmel posted had this video on his show. It's called "Josh Groban sings Kanye West tweets"....hilarious! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Axzxe1a78E&feature=player_embedded

"Let's have a toast for the douchebags..." - Kanye West