Another show to add to my DVR list

I have a super long list of shows to watch, and I was trying not to add any more.  But then I'd be watching Dancing with the Stars and get distracted by my crossword puzzle, and I'd look up, and it would be the beginning of Castle.  And the 2 minutes I saw before the recording ended were pretty dang good.  So now Castle has been added to my list. 

Let me tell you what I like about Castle:  Nathan Fillion.  He's a GENIUS!  He has a million different facial expressions.  He doesn't even need to say anything and you can laugh for hours.  And then he does say something and it makes it even better.  I love him.  He's the best.  I also love the detectives on the show, of course, and the cases are exciting and interesting.  But mostly I just love the Castle character.  Great show. 

Some firsts I've experienced lately:

1.  I made a tutu.  I have 2 boys.  There's just no opportunity for me to make tutus and fairy princess dresses and things that are sparkly.  But I signed up a while back to play my flute for a church activity, and I decided to play "Flight of the Bumblebee."  I had a little nudge from my friend to dress up like a bumblebee with a tutu.  So I made a tutu.  I forgot to have someone take a picture, but eventually I'm sure there will be another opportunity to wear it and have someone take a picture of me. 

2.  I had my first public barfing incident with one of my kids.  It was bound to happen.  I'm just glad my friend and her mom happened to be with me at McDonalds when Tyler ralphed all over the Play Place.  I stood there in shock next to Tyler, while other moms around us rushed their kids away from the mess.  My friend found the mop guy and her mom handed me a pile of napkins.  It was gross.  For everyone.

3.  I was a PTA mom and helped with the school carnival.  I'm starting to feel my 33 years more and more as I become more involved with school stuff.  I am a card-carrying member of the PTA.  It's a little surreal.  But kind of fun (although I keep hearing that I won't do anything after I'm done with my first kid).  I plan on helping again next year, and when I do, I'm wearing a tutu.

So, not that many firsts, but it felt like a momentous week.  I plan on making tutus for the rest of my Halloween costumes, unless I happen to end up with a girl someday.  Someone's got to be girly around here.

Annoyed

This blog is called Rac's Random Rants.  Well, I need to get something off my chest.  So here's a true rant.  Blogger stinks.  Yes, I am ranting about Blogger while using Blogger. 

I have a family blog, and the number one reason I have that blog is so my parents can ooh and aah over my children and make flattering comments about them.  And for some strange and really annoying reason, Blogger has started up a lovely spam filter for comments.  There is a cute little inbox on my blog settings for published comments, and another one for spam comments.  What's wrong with a spam filter?  Nothing, unless the only thing it filters is my mom's comments.  And the only reason I even know she's making these wonderful comments is because every time someone makes a comment, I get it in an email.  Her kind words about my children don't even make it into the spam inbox, which means I can't mark her comments as "not spam", which means her comments continue to show up in my gmail inbox, but are otherwise lost in cyberspace.  I would love to just turn off the spam filter and not have to worry about people's comments getting tossed like a dirty diaper, but after spending the last 45 minutes clicking on everything I possibly could, I had no success. I am super annoyed.  I have no control over my blog anymore.  ARGH.  Thanks.  I feel a tiny bit better.

An Admission

So...I know in the past I've posted about how I really don't get texting and the whole cell phone deal.  I thought it was such a weird and lame trend, and I felt like it was something I'd never EVER get into.  It's time for me to confess.  I have had my smart phone for about 5 months now, and I feel like I can't live without it.  I LOVE TEXTING!!!  There.  I said it.  Let me tell you why I love it so much. 

1.  No need to interrupt someone's busy day with a phone call they can't answer right then.  I'm a bit chatty, and I tend to waste people's time when I call because I like to talk.  Instead, a quick little text for when they have a sec to glance at their phone.  Easy peasy. 

2.  My kids have a tendency to raise the decibel level the second I pick up the phone.  It is impossible to make phone calls, especially the kind that include pertinent information.  Reading the info is so much better.

3.  I have a QWERTY keyboard on my phone, which eliminates the hitting the key a million times for each letter problem.  It would take me about an hour to text one sentence.  ANNOYING.  Not a problem anymore. 

And that is why now I get what those kids are all excited about.  But one thing.  I don't use those abbreviations.  For one thing, I can't remember what they are.  Also, I think a lot of them are kind of lame.  LOL. 

A Bit of Happiness

Fresh cut flowers from my garden (and a few wild sunflowers from a field) make me happy.

Going on bikes rides with my boys in tow makes me happy.

A new season of Vampire Diaries makes me happy.

Life is good.

The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay, by Susanne Collins

Because I know not everyone has had a chance to read this trilogy, I am not going to go into great detail, nor will I give away the end to any of the three books.  But I want to jot down my impressions of the series before they completely escape my brain.  Before I tell you what I think, here's the main idea behind the books:  America has been destroyed, and in its place is a nation that is divided into 13 districts and is ruled by The Capitol.  After an uprising from one of the districts, The Capitol has instigated a yearly reminder that The Government has supreme control of the nation in the form of what is called The Hunger Games.  All children from age 12 to 18 are eligible to be chosen to participate in a competition in which a boy and a girl from each district fights to the death.  It is brutal, violent, and cruel.  The books follow the story of one of the participants, and the effects the games have on her and those around her.  I am not going to say more, because if you've read it you already know the story, and if you haven't, I don't want to ruin it for you.  I think best in lists, so here are my basic reactions and thoughts in list form:

1.  I spent the entire first book angry.  The book is written in first person, allowing you to see into the mind of one of the victims of The Capitol's cruel treatment.  Collins' writing engages you and brings you into the world she's created so successfully that you find yourself wanting to fight The Capitol and everything they stand for.  You feel deeply for each of the characters, and want to jump in and save them from the cruelty they are sure to face.  And these feelings carry you through the second and third novels as well. 

2.  I love fluff books.  Anyone could tell you that if they've seen my bookshelves.  But it was good to read young adult fiction that had some depth to it.  Every night after I read, I found myself thinking over what I'd read.  There's not a lot to think about when you're reading about vampires or a 14-year-old British girl who's obsessed with kissing (which is part of the appeal), so my rusty brain was happy to be put into use as I read these books.  I think I will be rereading them in a month or two, just so I can process them again.  They address topics such as grief, war, compassion, and humanity. 

3.  One word for Mockingjay.  Wow. 

I seldom spend the cash on hardback books that I haven't read yet, but these books were all the rage, and I figured they were a safe bet.  I am so glad I invested in them, because I will be reading them again and again, and if you haven't tried them yet, let me know and you can get in line for my copies. 

Saving the world again, puppets, and super techno girl

Let's just get to it.

I finished watching the entire series of Buffy the Vampire Slayer.  You know I like lists, so here's what I loved about the series:
1.  It was really funny.  That Joss Whedon has one crazy sense of humor.  For example, the episode "Once More, With Feeling."  Imagine a demon who can make people burst into song and dance any time, and also burst into flames when they can't stop dancing.  I've heard this episode referred to as "Buffy the Musical."  It is hilarious.  Another illustration of Joss Whedon's wacky sense of humor is "Hush," in which creepy evil floating guys suck the sound out of Sunnydale, which makes the whole episode silent, until Buffy screams and one of the best endings to an episode occurs. 
2.  Spike, also known as William the Bloody.  There is just something about a vampire with peroxide hair and a long leather jacket who has a chip in his head that prevents him from harming humans that is very appealing.  I don't know if it's that he tries so hard to be bad, when hes really kind of a nerd, or if it's that he is desperately in love with Buffy and tries so hard not to show it.  He's funny, interesting, and a little sexy. 

What I didn't love about the series:
1.  The smut factor.  Ick.
2.  The whole Willow/Tara drama.  I got tired of all that.  Read into it what you will. 
3.  Faith.  She was obnoxious.  And slutty.  And annoying.

Moving on.  I also finished watching Angel, and I have a few things to say about it. 
1.  I could have skipped the whole Cordelia/Connor what-have-you.  It was gross.  Connor looked like he was 14 years old.  And Cordelia looked like his mother.  Ick.
2.  The puppet episode:  Best. Episode. Ever.  So funny.  You can skip the rest of the series if you want, but you really should watch that one.
3.  I heart David Boreanez. 

And now, I have an announcement to make.  Tim and I have moved forward into the world of technology.  After 6 years of having our sad little low-tech tracfones, we have finally entered into the world of contracts and smartphones.  Here's my new baby:

Isn't it pretty?  It has a real keyboard (like I want to push a number 3 times to get one letter), GPS, wireless, 3G, a fancy calendar, all the scriptures and manuals for church, etc.  My favorite is that I can do Sodoku and crossword puzzles on it.  Plus I can add my songs on there and use them as ring tones.  If you have a request for the one assigned to you, now's the time to do it.  I swore I was never going to be a cell phone person, but I totally am.  I love it!  All that's left to do now is buy a cute cover for it!

That's it for now.  Peace out.