The Hunger Games

So, last July, my sister began harassing our entire family to read these books called "The Hunger Games."



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I refused. 

Just like I had refused to read anything with Harry or Potter in the title.

Just like I had refused to read anything about a vampire and a werewolf.

It's not that I don't like reading.  I love to read.  LOVE it. 

Where else can you be a Scottish maid that's been kidnapped by the Laird?

Or a London debutante getting ready for her first season?

Or a pioneer who marries her arch enemy just to go west?

I love to read.

I just don't have time to read.  Really.  I know it's lame but it's the truth. 

But the last book I read was "Baby Wise" about 5 years ago.

Regardless, last week when my entire family purchased their midnight tickets to the premiere of "The Hunger Games," I threw $10 in the pot...mainly because I missed the 3D midnight showing of "Star Wars I."

(Yes - I know...just say it, "NERD!")

But I went.

Without reading the books.

And I LOVED it.

(Now, some in the Christian circles are debating the movie itself.  I'm not here for that.  It's fiction people.  Get over it.)

I googled what happens in book 2 & 3.  (Told you , no time for reading.)

Besides the storyline, I was enthralled with the future of it.  The government.  The country.  What we had become.  I know it's all fiction, but you could see it possibly happening.  Maybe not the whole teenagers who fight to the death on tv, but the government telling you where and where you cannot go, what you can and cannot eat, what job you have, what you wear...  Get the point?

Sadly, I could see it happening.   And I love the end - sorta. 

It confirms that we can't rely on our government for everything.  We can't let them pay our bills, provide our food, even give us our healthcare.  (Wink, wink.)

If you haven't seen the movie, I would recommend it.  I wouldn't take kids, or probably even preteens.  The movie is kinda violent, but nothing that TBS would have to edit out.

Then do like me and google the next two books.

 Or buy your husband an iPad for his birthday and steal it for the first 2 days and actually read a book!

Bittersweet Freedom

So, tonight, our family became debt-free.  Entirely debt-free.  Including our mortgage.  As we talked about before, we sold our house.  We closed on it tonight.

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It was very bittersweet.  Partly because we literally made no money from the sale.  We had to bring a couple hundred dollars to closing.  (Which I'm not really complaining seeing how one person that I know who just sold their home had to bring almost $15,000 to closing.  What I'd give for the roaring mid-2000's...)

For the first time ever in my adult life, I have no payments.  We'll have rent, we'll have utilities, but nothing that can't be replaced.

I should feel like I've lost 50 pounds.  (Lol - I've actually lost 10 since January!!!)

But I'm kinda sad tonight.

I love this house.  It was our very first home.

Almost six years ago to the day, we got the keys to this house and moved in.  We spent the night even with no electricity.  The next night, I remember looking at the light on in my closet and thinking, "Wow."  The only place I've ever known to have a light in their closet was Peggy's condo at the beach...aka, my favorite place on earth.

It was where I interrupted my husband playing his Playstation to hand him a stick with two pink lines. 

9 months later we brought home Eli.  I'm not sure that Playstation has been played with since.

Then 18 months later, Morgan.

Then 18 months later, Hannah...hmmm...I'm noticing a pattern here.

I remember sitting in a tiny office at a job I hated, looking at the pictures with the online listing of this house, and planning exactly where I was going to put all my kitchen tools, gadgets, and plates.  I love this house.  And it kinda makes me very sad going to sleep tonight, in it, knowing that it's no longer mine.

I know it has to happen.  I have no doubt it was God's will.  I'm just very surprised at the sadness I have from it.

I love you house.  In case I never told you.  You were a great first home.  And part of my heart will always be here with you.

How to Sell a Product

So, a couple days ago, Forbes did its annual "Billionaires List."  All the names you'd expect were on there

Bill Gates
Warren Buffet
Oprah Winfrey

But then one person (who was on the cover of the magazine) was new this year.

Sara Blakely

GO READ THIS!

She is the youngest women on the billionaire list.  She created Spanx.  Most women out there know what Spanx are...men are probably scratching their heads.

I don't want to be a billionaire - well, I do, but know that probably won't happen.  But I just want like 20 minutes with this lady.

I want to ask her, "How did you make your first pair?  How did you sell it?  How did you get a manufacturer?..."

There is a lady who founded a purse/bag company.  (They will remain nameless though because I'm not a big fan of the bags.  As their prices have gone up, their quality has come down.)  While I'd like to give her an earful for the poor quality of the bag, I still want to know how she started. 

How do you go from idea to product?

How do you go from an employee to an employer?

How do you get clients?  You may be the best lawyer, doctor, whatever in town, but it doesn't matter if you can't get clients.

I want to talk to real entrepreneurs, business owners.  And not those stupid pyramid scheme companies.  Someone who started something from the ground up.

I could do something like that.  I just need an idea, some start up capital, a manufacturer, some clients...  Pretty much everything.

Let me know if you want to be an investor!

I'm Alive!!!

Let me tell you, it's been a rough couple of days.  It was touch and go there for a bit, but I think the worst is behind me.

After a lifetime of no allergic reations to ANYthing, I've had reactions to two separate drugs including serious breathing problems.

I ended up in the ER around midnight Tuesday.  This was my doctor:

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I'm not kidding.  I'm not quite 30 and this doctor had to be younger than me.  It was so scary.  But he was good and thorough.  And all ended up well.

In all of my downtime in bed, I been tweaking my house plans.  We are supposed to meet with our contractors this weekend


Floor 1



Floor 2

Now, it's not exactly perfect, but you get the idea.  I think I'm done.  I think I've tweaked it as much as I can tweak it.

I've never built a house before.  Some people swear I'll be annoyed with the fact my garage isn't right next to my kitchen.  Some people say I will want my bedroom with all the kids' rooms.  (Um...pretty sure that won't be the case.)

I've actually already sketched out my furniture layout.  I'm no decorator.  That was not one of my gifts.  Mr DDA already wants me to pick out paint swatches.  Aahh!!!  And I tell him, "Honey - we can pay people for that." 

Most of you follow my sister's blog and know that she has wicked interior design skills.  But she can't do a tax return to save her life.  (ok - well, maybe to save her life, but you get my point.)

This whole process terrifies me and excites me at the same time.  The one common denominator I hear from everyone that has built a house is, "It was the most stressful thing I've ever been through." 

But at least I have all you to vent to. 








I'm gonna need to find a therapist...