It’s been a good while since I took a Sunday off from church. It is really easy to get I to a rhythm and not ever stop while working for a church and sometimes life just gets really really busy. Fortunately we were given the weekend off to take a break for a bit and come see the family. So we are takng advantage of it! I am trying to make the most of it and actually not work.

This not working thing proves to be difficult just because I don’t like to let my work email pile up, but I think I’m doing a good job. There have only been two instances that I can think of that I did something that was actually work related and they were both pretty brief. So tomorrow I am going to sleep in (for a Sunday that is) and then head to church to let someone else lead the music and not sorry at all about the sound or lights or words or ANYTHING! It’s gonna be sweet.

So if you have emailed me at work, I haven’t gotten your email. I will get back with you as soon as I am officially working again on Tuesday. If you are on the Road Crew or on my Media Team, I love you. You all are studs and can do all of it without me! Hope you all have a great Sunday and I will see you again very soon!

If you were born in Oklahoma, have lived in Oklahoma or anywhere in Big 12 country, you know that Bedlam Weekend is quite a big deal!  That is the weekend of Thanksgiving, which those of you who are paying attention realize is now (if you didn’t know that you should come out of the panic room you have been hiding in).  Today is the day that determines the bragging rights for the rest of the year (or if we are really being honest until the next big Bedlam game during basketball season).

This year’s game will feature a completely beat up Oklahoma Sooners team vs. an Oklahoma State Cowboys team fighting to hang on to their bid for a big BCS game.  The Sooners are 64 – 2 or something like that at home since 1999 and one of those two teams is the Cowboys.  The Sooners have looked like crap on the road this year, but have still killed teams at home.  The Cowboys are having their best season in a really long time and are looking to give the Sooners their third home loss in 10 years.  But, either way, it is always a good game and will be fun to watch (and yell at the TV).

Because of the preggo we have decided not to go to the game.  I’m sure standing for 4 hours wouldn’t be super fun with a belly and on top of that if there is any sitting it’s not like she can stand up quick enough to see what happened on the play anyway.  So we are going to be in Norman and watching the game with my brother before we meet up with my sister and brother-in-law and Lee & Wes Jackson for some dinner.  So, if you are looking for some good football tomorrow, turn on the Bedlam game at 9:30 AM PT and root for the Sooners!

Indeed, it has been quite a while since I last blogged. I finished all my assignments exactly one week ago and now I am busy relaxing. LOL.

About a month ago, I was up to my neck with assignments. It was literally a marathon of them! Every week, I had between two and three deadlines. The final week was the craziest: there were four major assignments due for submission. Naturally, for each one, I stayed up 48 hours to complete the essay. I did not eat and sleep well, so I lost quite a bit of weight. In any case, I have gained back all the weight lost the past week! :\ It was a hellish week. I am so glad that the semester has ended. But that also means that I have only half a year left in Melbourne before I am due to return home! I am not looking forward to that.

The past one week was pure relaxation. I slept and woke up whenever I felt like it without having to worry about deadlines. I finished watching one Korean drama and am halfway through a TVB drama. I hung out quite a bit with Friendly Babe, had dinner with her, Gorgeous Babe and Healthy Hunk a couple of times, and went shopping with her and Slim Babe. Speaking of which, for the first time in my life, I splurged on a branded blouse – which came with fantastic discounts. So, I am happy.

I will be flying home this Thursday. I intend to straighten and snip off my hair (it is getting too long and thus time-consuming to maintain), and go for a good massage and a manicure. I hope I will not shop much (though I am looking forward to shop again with Friendly Babe and Slim Babe). I intend to save all my money for my trip to New York and Mexico this Christmas and New Year 2010!

Yes! I will be flying to the Big Apple from 22 December 2009 to 10 January 2010. I hope to get some great bargains from the post-Christmas sales. The exchange rate should be pretty good now. Ah, so many things to do when I get home later this week.

I am not sure if I miss home, but I sure am glad to be going back for a short break and meeting up with the rest of the Babes. I have so much to tell them!

Advertisement for an advertising agency I saw in Uzbekistan.

Do they know what it means in English slang?

A friend was sending us to the Green Bazaar in his car when we got caught in a little traffic jam. We stick our heads out the windows and see that the jam is caused by a tram that has stopped in the middle of the junction.. Because the cables have come off the wires or whatever you call it.

As we watched, a guy climbed up onto the top of the tram and manually picked up the cables and attached them back.

Interesting.

Much has been said about the state of Dubai since its lightning speed of development almost ground to a halt, thanks to the global financial crisis. What, everyone is wondering, will come of Brand Dubai?

The Cool Hunter Platinum team has visited Dubai regularly over the last few years and on our most recent trip we asked ourselves the same question. Aside from the fact that Dubai was (and still is) trying to cram 100 years of development into less than two decades – the making of Dubai marks one of the most audacious and epic branding exercises undertaken in modern times. The task, to transform a Middle Eastern port into an ultra-modern global financial, business and cultural centre, has been attacked with gusto, to say the least, funded by incredibly deep local pockets. Like a new brand of soft drink, the marketers approached Dubai like a product and brought it to life.

The seemingly unending supply of money sparked an unspoken competition between developers and business leaders to create the most ostentatious – biggest, tallest, widest et al – of absolutely anything, not least the ’super’ buildings, created by international star-architects, all vying for ‘icon’ status. More than anything, this was the cornerstone of Brand Dubai. Which worked quite well for a while. And then the world changed. The bubble burst and everything that Dubai stood for – overt displays of wealth and conspicuous consumption fell dramatically out of vogue.

So where to now? We wondered, looking around at all of the unfinished skyscrapers on a recent trip.

Like a soft drink brand that has misjudged its market, Dubai needs a ‘re-brand’ to reposition itself – that much is certain. The world doesn’t like the flavor or texture of Dubai anymore, so R&D needs to go back to the drawing board.

Snapping at its heels are other centres in the region, such as Qatar, which appears to have learned from Dubai’s mistakes. It too has dizzyingly deep pockets but appears to be taking the path of relative restraint. Which, in a world still reeling from the GFC, is totally on-brand right now. - Laura Demasi

Via TheCoolHunter.com

The seasons are changing.  It’s that time of year again.  You know.  1000+ crazy caffeinated shoppers freaking out about the insane deals to the first 25 people.  Stores opening at ungodly hours of the morning.  Butterball makes their entire year’s worth of sales.  Radio stations have completely given in to the annoying Christmas music fad.  People think they need to bundle up even if it is in the 70’s outside.  You know.  Thanksgiving.  And at this time we finally do what we should be doing all year long.  We finally stop to say thanks for the insane amount of blessings that we have.  So in keeping with that trend, here are just some of the things that I am thankful for!

The Obvious Ones

• A God who actually cares about me and loves me even when I suck at life (which is often)
• My amazing wife who for some reason seems to love me and care for me (she’s pretty awesome)
• A healthy and growing baby girl who I am so ready to meet
• My family and their constant prayers and support
• My friends who love, support and put up with me

The At The Moment Ones

• Wireless internet so the blogging streak can continue
• An update for TweetDeck that allows me to keep up with friends and family in a better way
• Sports tape that is keeping my recently dislocated finger snug up against my ring finger
• Vacation

There you go.  That’s just a few of them!  Make sure you stop and think about all the things that you are thankful for and let them know it!

So I was out of town recently. Catching up with friends, and I also went to see my Aunt. The usual conversation about why I’m not married yet, she has three sisters who are also unmarried, they are a bit older than me. She got married to my Uncle when she was 30, and I know she was struggling at the time to find a partner, so in a way she does empathise with what we are going through.

After the usual volley:

Stop being fussy – Why? I have every right to be.

Just get on with it – It’s all or nothing for me.

Go back home – This is my home!

You need to settle – For happiness and nothing less.

She then said to me something that her friend had suggested her sisters do.

That I should think about having my eggs frozen…because you know if you don’t find somebody straightaway, then at least you have your good eggs to fall back on.

Hmmm.

Now. I want to have babies, I adore children. Perhaps I will have ten or one, or even none. And that’s cool with me, it really is. But to freeze my eggs? an insurance policy for my ovaries?

What about my Kismet? What is written for me? I know somebody who miscarried, and her response was ‘I didn’t want it anyway’, and then it took her ten years to fall pregnant. And my other friend, her brother and sister-in-law were childless for eighteen years, and were happily settled and were content with their lot, and then she fell pregnant. Nothing short of a miracle they said, and a complete shock to both of them.

Whatever is to be will be Inshallah.

I know it’s food for thought. I really want to work a basket pun into this somewhere, but I’m too tired.

If only the car looked THAT GOOD…

AMC Pacer. Need I say more?

Do I sense a trend here?

For those of us over the age of 35, the words bring up really bad memories of really bad cars from a really, really bad car maker.  From the late 60’s on it was just crappy car after crappy car. From the Javelin, to the Gremlin (my how appropriately named) through Matador and Hornet, it was the most horrid of line ups.

And somehow, they stayed in business.

Amongst my gear head buddies, we joked that AMC meant ‘Almost Motor Company’. We liked to say they did not manufacture cars so much as made bodies and adaptor plates. This was due to AMC sourcing drive train and accessory parts from the ‘Big 3′ and fitting them together. Thus, when opening the hood, one could be faced with a FOMOCO engine & starter, GM transmission & MOPAR ignition system.

And somehow, they stayed in business.

Then came 1978. Things were rough. The EPA forced AMC to recall EVERY 1976 model year sold in the US, including Jeeps, due to faulty emissions controls. By this point, even the much vaunted, and horribly overrated by that time, Jeep nameplate was not enough to keep AMC afloat. So, in an act of questionable sanity, the board of AMC agreed to a partnership with Renault.

Well. That will certainly make things better eh? Nothing like good old French engineering and manufacturing to save this old crow.  Just reach into that huge bin of well designed and built Renault cars and parts and pull a rabbit out of the hat. Should be a slam dunk.

Breaking News!

We have just received word that, in 1978, Renault has NO well engineered and built cars or parts in it’s lineup. It is currently the French equivalent of AMC!!

Nice!! This is gonna be great. Bring on the Alliance and the LeCar Yahoo!!

Then they gave us the Eagle. Otherwise known as an innovative drive train (AWD) in a Butt Ugly body. Cool!

Kind of on the same track

Things got progressively worse until AMC/Jeep was finally swallowed up by Chrysler (who just wanted Jeep) in 1987.

On to the subject of this issue of auto lunacy.

One of the oddest rides produced in America after WWII has to be the Pacer. In some ways it was very innovative, it was “small” and had a open and airy cabin. The problem was, to create the aforementioned open & airy cabin, Richard Teague seemingly decided a misshapen fish bowl was the best choice. He then chose the front third of a worn out loafer for the profile of the nose. As this came from the man who penned the Matador & Hornet, we will just say he will not be known for his artistic abilities.

A prime candidate for Cash for Clunkers?

The beauty seen above was found at our local home repair center which shall remain nameless but you would have to be an idiot not to recognize the colors eh?

So what is one to think of finding one of these in 2009? Does the driver wear bell bottoms? Listen to Donna Summer? And to top it off, it has been well taken care of?

A 'beauty' to behold?

I have to say, it is really not that much uglier than anything ever created by Lexus. It kind of has a Bean’s Slipper look to it. If not quite so comfortable.

But, how many cars have had such a storied advertising career?

I mean who in the 40 to 60 year old range does not remember Sandwich King? I mean Really..

If you bought one of these, boy were you smart….

Hmmm. Smart is not quite the word I am thinking of…

Now, as they say at the Daily Show, for your moment of Zen:

It's MINT!!! Like the pinstriping?

That’s right, you can own this thang!(?)

Be sure to tell them I sent you….

]]> http://lizardtales.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/things-to-do-updated/ Wed, 25 Nov 2009 22:55:10 +0000 lizzie http://lizardtales.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/things-to-do-updated/

Birthday Wishes for Aug 31st 2009

• Have a ice cream cake form Dairy Queen
• Get some money
• Get some cute clothing
• Have it sunny on my birthday
• do something fun

Diabetes

• have a A1c test score under 10
• have a A1c test score under 7
• have better control over with my blood sugar
• get a Medical I.D

Health

• do more exercising
• get a flatter stomach
• do more walking

Stuff

• keep my room a little cleaner
• keep my room cleaner
• go though all of my clothing
• get my license
• grow out my hair
• finish my knit scarf
• write more
• finish my book
• watch twilight- 08/07/09
• watch less tv
• surf less online
• fill up my ipod
• visit a another country
• work more on my scrapbook
• get a tattoo
• get leather boots
• wear more dress
• wear more skits
• wear socks

Tv

• watch all of gossip girl
• get gossip girl on DVD
• get supernatural on DVD
• get Stargate SG1 on DVD
• Watch all of 90210
• Get 90210 on DVD

Sa jeg forresten at suget begynner å dempes litt?
Jeg er akkurat like seksuelt frustrert, men jeg tenker iallefall ikke på det 24 timer i døgnet lenger. Bare 23, og det er jo en start

Almost forgot this existed.

Via NahRight.com

You know, it really takes a lot for me to hate something.  I like to think of myself as a commercial critic.  I like to look at them objectively and see if they make sense or are hitting me in the way they intended or if it makes me want to purchase from them.  There are always commercials that are annoying (Bud Light’s Jimmy Football) or don’t make me want to watch what they are promoting (ABC’s V), but they usually don’t make me want to do everything I can to bring them down.  It’s not even that I would actually do anything like that but, man, they really make me want to!

For me, Old Navy takes the cake.  Not in the good way.  More of in the way that you are about to dig into some really amazing dessert that Rachel Ray made for you and then Old Navy ran in and trashed the place, lit everything on fire, kicked your dog, spit on your wedding photo and stole the cake only to throw it on the floor.  I am almost absolutely positive (not 100% only because I don’t know what I may or may not have giggled at as a little kid) that there has never been an Old Navy commercial that has done any of the following:

• Entertain me
• Make me want to visit their store
• Make me want to spend money in their store
• Make me want to continue watching their commercial
• Do anything other than just straight tick me off

It’s true.  If they didn’t have sales that sucker my wife in, I would do everything possible to never EVER go in that store.  No I don’t want to spend $4 on a pair of crappy flip flops that I can buy at Walmart of half that.  No I don’t want some random goofy item of clothing that a talking mannequin is wearing.  From the very first Old Navy commercial that I can remember watching, I have wanted to break my TV.  And you would think that they would come up with something catchy or fun or cool or not completely annoying, but no.  They have just gotten worse and worse.  And don’t even get me started about EVER piece of clothing I have ever had from there shrinking or fitting awkwardly or writing your name on EVERYTHING.

Ok.  I’m done for now.  No more hating on the blog.  Just had to vent.  This will do…at least until the launching of my new website www.ihateoldnavycommercialsmorethanpassingkidneystones.com.  And yes Old Navy, I do want to run into your store and form tackle your entire mannequin display.

We think somewhere around 800 thoughts per minute but we never express them, what goes on the world with what goes on in our heads does not always match.

Have you ever talked to someone and in the meantime just browsing through your mind, picking up words she said and unwillingly unconsciously linking them with your own? It is a selfish but accessible.

Another week has flown by.  I swear.  These weeks just seem like they are so short.  Hmmm.  Well, anyway, with another week gone it is time to look ahead to what is coming up today!  We are starting off another week full of expectations.  I believe we should go into things expecting God to do great things.  If we follow Him and look to Him, He has a tendency to exceed anything I can come up with!  Here are just a few of the things I am expecting this week!

• Another Sunday means another chance to reach out to some new people and some that just need to hear again.  I believe God is going to use Kingsfield Church to work in several hearts today.
• We are jumping right into a new song from Carlos Whittaker today.  I can’t wait.  Jesus Saves is an awesome song!
• Today is a very busy day so I expect that my Sunday afternoon nap will be either cut short or cut out.  Bummer.
• My face is going to burn today when I sweat.  I forgot to put on aftershave last night.  Crap.
• We will be leaving on Wednesday to go to Oklahoma for Thanksgiving.  We are going to get to see so many faces that we don’t see very often from all over and get to go to LifeChurch.tv in person again!  That will be fun!  Plus they are throwing us our first baby shower ever!
• With the trip to Oklahoma, I will be taking a few days off!  Yea!  I don’t do that very often so I have to make it count!  I am gonna try to not work at all!  I will of course be blogging, but no work!  Doctor’s orders.

So there you go.  A few things that I am looking forward to this week.

It is amazing how rejuvenating and live bringing a completely lazy Saturday can be.  I love that I can lay on the couch (only getting up to use the restroom and get food) and it is sooooo good!  I have never read Chicken Noodle Soup For The Soul, but I’m pretty sure there has to be at least one if not two chapters dedicated specifically to taking one day and being lazy.

Today I am planning on hanging with the wife around the house.  There will be football.  There will be food.  There will be the occasional yelling at the TV (although the OU game is early in the morning so there is quite a debate going on in my head about whether or not to get up early on my free, lazy Saturday to watch it).  There will be Jack.  There will inevitably be a couple errands.  There will be no cleaning!  There will be no making the bed!  There will be relaxing!  I can’t wait.

What is your “lazy Saturday”?