Fill in the Blank Friday #19

Oops... guess who forgot her Friday post?!?!  I fix it, I fix it!
Actually, I wasn't staying up late to wait on them to post on Thurs night, then Friday I was occupado!  Yay for lazy Saturdays!

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1. My first memory is probably feeding the cows with my great uncle, John.  Sometimes, my cousin and I would get in the back of the truck and push the haybales off the back.  Sometimes, John would put the truck in 1st gear and we'd get to drive.  We were little when we were driving the truck around the field.  As in.. under the age of preschool.  That's how you know you grew up in the middle of nowhere.  

2. My first love was   probably Jordan Allen.  I'm not really sure if he knew I liked him, we were in some elementary school grade together and I used to go over to his house and play sometimes.  The next year his family moved and I never saw him again.  /shrug.  

3. My very first favorite color was   neon pink and/or neon green.  I had a pair of socks in each color that I would wear.  The cool socks that you pull up your calf then have to fold back down to your ankle (people still wear those?).  I wore them with EVERYTHING.  They matched NOTHING.  

4. The first time I really felt like a "grown-up" was when   I got to college and was out late and realized that I didn't have to "report to" anyone or be home by a certain time.  Now, I feel "grown-up" when I realize that I love the sound of crickets outside my window and the smell of fall as the leaves fall from the trees.  That the bills will get paid and I'm in charge.  

5. The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is   move as quietly as possible not to rouse Phil, because once Phil is awake, I usually guilt myself into getting up to let him out.. even though he sometimes lets me sleep in till 9am.  

6. The first CD (cassette tape, record, etc...) I ever bought was   The Space Jam Soundtrack.  The first tape I owned was Jean Osborne's "What If God Was One of Us?" single.  I don't even remember the song on the other side because it never got played.  

7. My first car was   a 1997 Honda Civic, which Teh Dad named, The Silver Struck (he accidentally put this on a card once) Streak (due to my speeding habits).  Teh Granny purchased Teh Kaar (my name for my car) as a graduation present for me after I'd been driving Teh Mom's F-150 to school.  The same F-150 that I could barely push the clutch to the floor with the seat all the way up because I'm so short.  Teh Mom passed me one day and said, "You looked really cute driving the truck.  Although, I could barely see you."  EXACTLY NOT what I want people thinking...  I drove Teh Kaar for almost 10 years.  It went to Raleigh with me for college, it went to VA Beach with me for Navy training, it went to GTMO with me (where I promptly blacked out the windows making driving at night EXTREMELY dangerous), and it's last adventure with me was in Bahrain (where the tint had to be removed).  Teh Kaar stayed in Bahrain with Jaseem who almost/kinda ripped me off due to a language issue.  Teh Kaar and I had some good times.  Yurtle has definitely filled the hole in my heart very well though.. 

A workout story...

Right after getting Phil out the door:  I have to pee.
3 minutes into run:  I really have to pee.
4 minutes into run:  No, really REALLY have to pee.
6 minutes into run:  I wonder if the neighbors would notice a lady squatting in the woods?
7 minutes into run:  There isn't enough woods here to shield me from eyes.
8 minutes into run:  Maybe I could go deeper into the woods?  But what if I end up like Addison from Grey's with poison ivy on my va-jay-jay?  No going into the woods.
10 minutes into run:  I should just turn around and go home to pee.
10.5 minutes into run:  If I go home, I won't finish my workout.
12 minutes into run:  You didn't go very far.  You should keep going.
12.5 minutes into run:  I HAVE TO PEE, SLAVE DRIVER!
13 minutes into run:  I wonder if I stopped at some random person's house if they would let me use their bathroom?  I wonder if they'd hold Phil for me...
15 minutes into run:  It's going to trickle down my leg at any moment now.
16 minutes into run:  Ughh, rein it in Phil, we're walking.  No more jiggle of the bladder.
19 minutes into walk:  If I jog I'll get home faster.
21 minutes into run:  No pit stops for marking Phil, I got my own business to do!
23 minutes into run:  Who's good idea was this?  Why has there been so much pee today?
25 minutes into run:  Omg, why do I have to live upstairs?
26 minutes after leaving home:  Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.  Sweet release.

In other news, how about this delightful fall weather?!?

It's TWINS!

And they were delicious!

This is all from one jumbo egg.

A blog about bloggin.

Gentle Readers,

Do you know Brittany?  Well, I do.  She writes at Delightfully Awkward Brit and we met on 20sb.  I'm no longer really new to blogging, but I'm new to networking within the blog community.  Something I've never done before is a guest post though.  Brittany asked for some guest posts for her blog and I'm all like, ME, ME! PICK ME!  PICK ME!!!  MEEEEEEEE!!!!! HERE!  HERE!!  MEEE, ME!!!  (all that is 100% accurate almost, it went down in my head like that though, for sure).

Well, due to my over eagerness she was willing to let me do a guest post.  It has been posted!

Check it out:
Teh Megan guest posts on Delightfully Awkward Brit!

Celebrating the arrival of autumn

WINTER IS COMING!!!  No, seriously.  Officially, autumn arrived at 10:46am on Saturday.  The significant, life altering temperature drop of 2012 occurred this week.  Which was also not-ironically synchronized with a heavy sigh of relief from me.  Summer really sucks the life out of me.  I lay around lifeless wishing that stepping outside didn't mean that I would require a shower or at least a change of underwear... swamp ass is just ick.

To celebrate, this weekend was packed with activities!

Recap:
Erin brought Kody and Moe (her 2 greyhounds) over at 0630 Friday morning.  She also delivered a Pumpkin Spice Latte.  That's definitely sufficient repayment for dog-sitting.  Moe has stayed with me before, but I was warned that Kody could be a bit crazy, was "broken" (broken as in, he likes the furniture), and is a snuggler.  He made sure to prove all those points to me, in order.

Friday included a burger burn at work, which equates to free lunch for E5 and below.  Sometimes, it pays to be low on the totem pole!  But usually it looks like this:

Someone at NAVCENT once made this better, I wish I had that one.

Friday also included a little drama that put a tinge of Negative Nancy on some of my weekend, but I tried to be the adult and suck it up and move on.  I'm not so good at the last part of that.  Anyyyyways.  Friday evening included a run with ALL THREE DOGS (holy moly) and a broccoli cheddar bread bowl from Panera because I was tired of eating leftovers.  Dessert was smores over the campfire on the beach!

Moe was helping me clean my plate from breakfast.

Kody was le tired after almost a mile jog.

So tired he was cooling his tongue on the floor!

Moe and Kody getting situated.

Thanks Moe, that's exactly how that looked when I left!  

"I knows, you're welcomes!" - Moe

Due to some dinner feeding logistics, Phil got in-room service Friday night.
He ate his entire meal laying down and when he was done he flopped over and glared at me to remove his bowl.
SPOILED.

Every spot shall be covered in greyhound!

A perfect night for a fire!

Graham cracker + marshmellow + Mr. Goodbar/Reese's Cup = Exotic Smores = NOMNOMNOM!!!

"Its mah bedtime.  Dis a gud place to snuggle yous?" - Kody

Saturday was a lazy day.  Kody ensured that I was properly snuggled all night, but he also ensured that he gave me kisses at 0515, used his voice as my personal alarm clock around 0600, and expended his Tigger-like qualities on my bed around 0700.  I finally succumbed to his will around 0720 and took all the beasties on a walk in the woods.  I don't know who said that 2 dogs is as much work as one, but... I don't feel like that is true.  3 dogs is a CRAZY extra amount of work.. and 2 dogs was definitely extra work.  I did learn this time around that all dog leashes on one wrist is easier than trying to keep them separate, but that didn't stop the three of them from all going in different directions when they smelled the most perfect bush that needed to be marked.  My favorite pee time was when they all peed in the exact same spot.  By 0830, Kody was peacefully snuggled up against me on the couch.  I tried to pay him back for my morning torture session, but he didn't really seem phased.  I gave up and decided I needed a nap by 0900.  Kody apparently felt like he needed to make up for his antics by back spooning with me (meaning we slept back to back).  Around 11 I had to physically move him so I could get out of the bed.  Not that I couldn't get out of the other side, just that.. well, I have habits.

"Yous haz enouf rooms?  Cause dis whole corner and da side is mines.  Sweets dreams." - Kody

My pumpkin bagel with cheesecake cream cheese....
that I had to literally take from Kody's mouth (pre-cream cheese)...

Morning nap spooning.

After a few episodes of Weeds and a short chat with Teh Bear, I decided I would give the pups their beef knuckles.  I had picked up 2 extra for Kody and Moe since they seemed to love the bones that I had laying around the apartment from Joey and Phil.  The bones were a definite hit until someone snapped at someone else and everyone had to be separated for a few minutes.  Eventually, it was time to get ready to go to a cookout for a birthday celebration for Teh Korean.  I brought Moe and Phil with me to the celebration, where they were out drooled by Max the English Mastiff.  After the cookout, I got lazy and decided not to go to the fire on the beach, where I apparently missed out on a coworker proposing to his now-fiance.  It's probably for the best since I really don't need anything else to kick my Wedding Fever in it's sore spot.  The dogs and I spent the evening watching Weeds and being generally boring.  It was pretty nice.

NOMNOMNOMS!

Sunday morning was another delightful walk in the woods with the dogs all pulling my leash arm in different directions.  After a little bit of scolding, the pups decided that they could smell/mark more if I wasn't having to stop to untangle them every few seconds, so we were able to march on.  While I was at church (and any other time I left the apt), the visiting dogs serenaded the neighbors.  I picked up a Pumpkin Spice Latte after church and stopped at the Commissary to pick up some things, then came home to talk to Teh Bear for a little bit before meeting my Coast Guard friends (there were legitimately more Coasties in the group I was with than Navy people twice this weekend, it felt bizarre) at the St. Mary's County Fair.

I hadn't been to a fair since middle school.  Not even the North Carolina State Fair when I was in Raleigh, which is apparently an awesome fair.  I watched a few tractor pulls (really, what is the point of that?),  sampled a fried Snickers bar and signed up for so many free giveaways!  I also saw Teh Singing Cat Lady and Teh Guitar Playing Podcaster.  Teh Singing Cat Lady had entered photos into the competition and she won 2nd place and 3rd place on 2 of her 5 photos!  YAY!  I did look closely at one category that I would have entered and saw a 2nd place that shouldn't have been a winner in any way and a 3rd place that should have been a first.  I'm not sure the criteria or the subjectivity that the photos were judged/based on, but that particular category made me doubt the subjectivity for sure.

It was a little hot, but ooey-gooey-melted Snickers wrapped in breading and fried is really delicious... FYI

Then....  I'm almost embarrassed to admit this on a public forum...  but I watched pig racing.  Which was followed up by a duck race.  I can't even make this up.  The part of me that thought NASCAR was cool when I was little was outdone by my adult redneck decisions.  My soul is still weeping.  Teh Responsible Coast Guardian was selected to be a cheer-dude during one of the pig races, which definitely made the St. Mary's Fair awesome.  In other news, Greyhound racing definitely is faster, although not nearly as ridiculous.

We are still trying to figure out what "down back" means.  A google search came back with no definitive results, and if its not on google, it's not a thing....  except in S. MD... apparently.
Learn to use prepositions people!

Apparently, pig racing is a popular thing?

The Responsible Coast Guardian cheering on the piggies during the 2nd race!

3rd pig race.

The duck race.

Just FYI, pigs are apparently motivated to race by getting an Oreo in their pen after they win.  The faster they get to the pen, the more Oreo they get... said the lady with the mullet and the microphone.

Best quote of the day goes to Teh Responsible Coast Guardian after the crowd "awww"-ed when the baby pigs came out for the 3rd race:
"THERE IS NO AWWW-ING!  We are in a competition people!"

After the races we all headed home.  Erin came over to pick up Moe and Kody and I was able to clean up the toys and dog bones that the dogs had redecorated with.  After a week of saying I was going to make it, I finally made Taco Soup.. still too much chicken!  Nonetheless, there were no complaints from The Responsible Coast Guardian who came over for dinner while his wife (nickname to come) stood us up for a haircut!  Since I'm awesome, I sent him home with a bowl of soup for her.  After a few episodes of Weeds, it was time for Teh Phil and I to call the first weekend of autumn a wrap!

I feel like this post should be followed up with a photo of fall foliage, but I don't have any current ones!  I shall remedy this.  But I will give you an old fall photo to make up for my shortcoming..

From last fall when Teh Bear and I visited Historic St. Mary's City.
YAY FALL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fill in the Blank Friday #18

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1. Something I am very proud of is   my college degree and my navy career.  Sometimes it really is a battle to just make it through the days, sometimes its really a lot of fun and can even been rewarding... for both things.. :)

2. My favorite thing about myself is   that I'm fairly eccentric and it's ok.  Or maybe I just think I'm eccentric?  

3. My favorite color for fall is   maroon and/or golden yellow.  I just can't pick one.  

4. Something I've been learning lately is   I'm actually a good person.  I didn't believe that for a long time..  and sometimes, things I've done don't show that, but overall.. I am a good person.  

5. A book I am reading now/have read recently is   Storm of Swords by George R. R. Martin.  I feel like I'm going to be reading the Song of Ice and Fire series for the rest of my life... seriously, can we just wrap this up already buddy?  I might die before you do!  

6. My favorite Pandora Station is ... well I have a secret for you, I don't really listen to Pandora.  We're not supposed to stream music on Navy computers because it takes up bandwidth from more important (non-morale based) things.  Admission:  I've been breaking this rule this week (for the first time since I arrived in Bahrain) because slacker radio has been loading.  Pandora won't load though.  My favorite slacker station is the Alternative Hits, or at least its the one that makes me NEED to hit next the least...  

7. This weekend I will   hang out with the THREE puppers!  I have Kody, Moe, and Phil (of course) this weekend because I'm dog sitting for a friend.  I'm hoping Phil's recent bad behavior doesn't spread.  There is also a fire on the beach planned for this evening and a cookout sometime this weekend somewhere.  Church on Sunday and relaxin' between all that.. or during all that...  :)

Ways my parents scarred me... FOR LIFE.. 2

Last time we talked about Teh Dad scarring me for life by making me self-conscious about my slurping when I eat cereal...  This time I figured we'd have a Teh Mom round.

Honestly, this was much more difficult for me that ways Teh Dad scarred me.  Which is strange really, cause we were with Teh Mom more (I mean, if you're counting minutes.. and considering Teh Dad is a workaholic).  Or maybe it was the fact that all the ways I could think of Teh Mom scarring me weren't really laughable.  Which was slightly unfortunate.   But I found something that my Gentle Readers will appreciate, hopefully.

Teh Mom was a seasonal decorate-er.  I mean, this isn't a rare thing for women to be, but sometimes Teh Mom took it to the extreme... and by sometimes I mean, she's currently trying to control her Christmas obsession, but I'm not so sure how that's workin' out for her.  Let me explain.

Circa 2-4th grade?
Wee Teh Megan is really a cutie.

We always had seasonal decorations.  We didn't really do New Year decorations, as our Christmas decorations were semi-permanent (which I'll explain more in a bit).  February was filled with birthday decorations (for me) and maybe some hearts.  March included a cake for Teh Dad and at least a reminder to wear green on St. Patrick's Day.  Palm Sunday every year meant a replacement to the palm crosses that were on the walls.  There was a palm cross for each daughter at least.  In the dining room, one wall was photos of Teh Sister and one wall was photos of me.  Easter held ceramic rabbits, easter baskets for Teh Sister and I filled with all the best goodies (Disney movies>candy).  We didn't really have spring decorations or summer decorations.  We celebrated 4th of July by going to see fireworks usually.

But the big deals started once school started in the fall.  Fall brought card stock leaves on the walls and doors, leafy candle rings, carved pumpkins (which was probably more for Teh Sister and I), a glass pumpkin to hold our Halloween candy in, and ghost figurines.. since fall typically morphed into Halloween.  Halloween was cleared to make way for a few cornucopias which didn't last very long since Christmas decorations were the biggest deal of all.  Half of my closet was devoted to Christmas decorations.  The tree, the ornaments, the lights, the Christmas scene, the nativities..  The most serious decorating business was for Christmas.  Every year.  It was pretty much tradition.

Teh Sister and I were pretty big on helping decorate for Christmas until we got older and realized how much work it was to actually decorate the tree and hang the signs and set up the Christmas scene and ensure that each room had it's proper nativity set, that I had my construction paper solider that I'd made in elementary school and Teh Sister had her Christmas art craft, both displayed proudly on our bedroom doors.  We all had our own personal ornament that only we were allowed to hang, those were saved for last and put up at the top of the tree, all the other ornaments could be placed anywhere, by anyone.

Teh Sister and I wrestling with our Brazilian exchange student,
well after Christmas had passed.  That sign was up ALL year long.
Circa 1998ish.
PS, those white overalls didn't pass the Fashion Police Inspection.

The motivation to take down the Christmas decorations after New Year's was extremely low.  Pretty sure that one year the motivation to take down the Christmas decorations was so we could have my birthday party in February...  One year, we left up the Merry Christmas sign for the entire year.  We forgot about it when we packed away the decorations.  Randomly, Teh Mom would think about it and say she should put it away.  By August, we'd decided that it was a permanent decoration that year.  People would come in and comment on our Merry Christmas sign and we'd tell them we were preparing for December already.  We're serious in the Christmas decorating business, yo.

One year, while I was in college, Teh Mom added so many lights to the tree (she really loves the lights the mostest), that it heated up the room to an actual 5°F warmer than the rest of the house.  No jk.  Of all the Christmas decorations, the tree is foundation of all the other Christmas decorations.  It's not Christmas without a tree.

In what way did this scar me though?  It's still not Christmas unless there's a tree.  Period.  I don't have to have my Merry Christmas sign, I don't have to have lights on the porch or the lit tree on the roof (yes we were that family).  But, I have to have a Christmas tree.

Teh Friends have learned this.  I had a Cmas tree in GTMO (despite no room in my shack room), I had my tree and presents set up in Bahrain, where it took over my entire bar area.  When my stuff was in the no-man's land that is US Customs, I had to improvise, so I made a ornament bar to hang in the window.  Shoulda Been a Cowgirl received a care package from me right before she left Bahrain with her personal Christmas tree since she said that she wasn't decorating for Cmas because she was leaving shortly after.  I told her I'd fix that for her.  I did:

I fixed it!  (Shoulda Been a Cowgirl's photo, stolen from FB)
Tree, lights, ornaments.. THE WORKS!

I won't say I have a Christmas tree problem.. but I might have a Christmas tree problem.  I'm blaming Teh Mom this round.  Teh Mom scarred me for life with her decorating habits.  Luckily, this habit doesn't make me self-conscious every time I eat particular food.  No no, instead, I must share this eagerness with the world.  /creepysmile.

PS.  98 days till Christmas.  Just sayin.

Things that make me go, "WTF?"

Helpful hint found on Pinterest (of course):

**Use an egg membrane to stop severe bleeding.**

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Caption:
A tip from your favorite nurse
(that’d be me)
Always have eggs in your fridge
You just never know when someone will split their head open
Or cut their finger while cooking
And so on
See that membrane there?
While the blood is gushing - hold pressure and crack open an egg
Peel that there membrane off and put it on the wound (continue holding pressure)
The membrane will harden and keep the wound closed until you can get to the ER for stitches
If you even need them that is
Nature: 1, Band aids: 0
You’re welcome.

My thoughts:
Are you freaking kidding me?  One second, let me crack open this egg and easily peel away the egg membrane while my body part is GUSHING blood (probably my pointer on my dominant hand.. no big deal).. so much so that I need to go to the ER and get stitches.  WTF?

The internet makes me want to /wrist sometimes.. seriously.

Fill in the Blank Friday #17

It's been an unmotivated week after all the excitement last week.  Hooyah weekend!

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1. Right now the weather where I live is   guilting me into running for longer distances because its sooooo GORGEOUS!!!  It's just perfect summer weather.  Note I didn't say just perfect... that is because PERFECT weather is when it's snowing outside.  

2. The best piece of advice I've been given is   recently: someone else's emergency isn't necessarily your problem.    I'm really bad about letting other's people's emergencies become my own which gets me extremely stressed out.   A long time ago: If you want something done "right" you have to do it yourself.  It took me a long time to realize that I have ridiculously high standards..  about practically everything.  

3. My most favorite person in all the world is   uhh..?  I don't really like this question.  It makes me feel obligated to say my significant other.  Like isn't that a standard default answer unless you have kids?  I mean, I lub Teh Bear, but sometimes he's not my favorite person..  just like I wouldn't expect to be his all the time.  

4. If I were to have a "mission statement" for my life, it would be   YOLO!  I kid, I kid.  Seriously, who even says that in real life?  My mission statement in life would revolve around fairness.  I believe that generally people are good until they have proven otherwise.  I believe that hurting someone with intention can never be made up for.  I believe you should treat people the way you want to be treated, even if they have proven that they will never treat you as good as you do them.  Also, "I am committed to excellence and the fair treatment of all."  bahahaha, couldn't help throwing a little bit of the Sailor's Creed in there.  It was just too perfect.  

5. My most favorite item in my closet is   my purple sweater hoodie thingy.  I'm not actually sure it has a title, but I got it from Kohl's.  Actually, this is my 2nd one.  The first one, the front pocket was coming off because the stitching was bad, so I bought a new one and returned the one (that'd I'd only worn once) that was messed up.  Sadly, it's definitely a fall/winter piece.  

6. The best cure for a bad day is   singing.  LOUD SINGING.  Preferrably to something completely stupid like Call Me, Maybe (Carly Rae Jempson) or Tik Tok (Ke$ha) or I'm Glad You Came (The Wanted)..  Loud singing in the car while at red lights is definitely optimum.  

7. Today is   Friday.  A good day.  The weather outside is a bit warm considering the past few days, but its still beautiful outside enough to warrant at least 1 mile with Teh Phil-boy.  Also, tonight will be socializing and either playing Mexican Dominoes or some singy-game.  I might even cook dinner.  We'll see.

Becoming a Colored Person - photos.

Photos from The Color Run in Washington DC - September 9th, 2012.

The wordy recap of the weekend.

Me with the "Start Dude"

Me skipping towards Teh Parents

Miss Reflective, Danielle, Teh Megan

We decided to put our numbers on our backs so we could get properly colored.

The Color Ninjas!

This lady was holding the wave boundary.  She was very tricky.

They were DJing and throwing free stuffs to us and generally getting us amped up.

Before heading into my first color zone.

After the 1st color zone - red.

Easiest way to get me lost?  Tack a -95 on the end of any road name that I need to take while I'm driving in DC.

After the 2nd color station - yellow!

Going into the orange color zone.

And after the orange color zone.

Coming up to the final color zone - blue.

I twirled through the blue zone... :)

Almost to the end!

I found Teh Parents!

WOOO!!! COLOR RUN!!!!!

The end!!!  I look like I got barely colored at all, but you can definitely see the sweat marks.

Standing at the finish line giving high fives and waiting for the others.

Miss Reflective finishes!

Danielle finishes!

The color "after party"

The cloud of color from a color toss.

After my first few color tosses.

YEAH!

Chevy was a sponsor, but this car was pretty awesome.

Colored Runners!

We had to get a photo with both sides of the sign since it was cool.

Beware!

Re-finishing the race!

I made it!!!

Not sure who this crazy person is, but they were obviously having a blast as well.

Me with 2 of the orange zone volunteers...
I've now seen that Smurfs have cousins.. They are orange and yellow and red!

Wooo!

Me trying to open my color packet.

Miss Reflective said that she had people rolling on the ground to get more color.  I said that my butt needed more color!

Best photo bomb of the run!

Teh Wind Jammas!

Another color toss.

All the packets.  We were forming a conga line, so you could actually see the ground!

Danielle exploded her color packet in my face, in my mouth, up my nose.. EVERYWHERE.

Miss Reflective got a little color as well.

:D

This girl had perfect colors!
We also saw a girl in her wedding dress.

We did it!

Trying to get a jump photo.

Again.

The final try.
The dude who had 2 DSLRs , one with a huge telegraphic lens was a fail.  :(

My "tan line" and orange spot.

The final product.

Danielle's final product.

I Color Ran!!!!!

Most people had left by this point, but this was the parking lot where the after party was.

Teh Stepmom said my lips were green, so I wiped them off, but this part didn't come off.
Teh Bear said he didn't want these kisses.

After wiping my face off a bit.

Miss Reflective's rainbow eyebrow.

It was a B.E.A.U.T.iful day!

Seriously.  Photos like this make photoshop irrelevant. 

The Krispy Kreme that killed my hopes.

Doughnuts that I should have gotten.. Instead I got the ones below.. FAIL.

Even Teh Dad got some color!  Some kids were playing with the color and he got some! 

Hulk Boobies!