SickPea

I have a nasty cold. It all started Christmas Day with a that really horrible sore throat. I'm at the nasal congestion and fatigue part. I would probably be feeling a lot better today if not for the really loud music some people in my building thought the rest of us wanted to listen to until 4:00 in the morning. So I had maybe 3 hours of sleep last night. I just woke up from a two hour nap so I'm feeling much better than I was this morning. I'm tired though. I still can't upload pictures but I wanted to share with you what MrPea got me for Christmas. Best gifts ever!

Peace be with Thee Internets

I had a cute picture for you my peeps but our computer has been hijacked by something really funky and my camera cannot upload. I couldn't let the day pass without wishing the Happiest of Holidays to everyone in the Blogosphere. To those who don't celebrate, have a beautiful and relaxing day.

Peace, Love, Happiness!

Hell on Earth is a shopping center in December

MrPea and I don't usually do gifts because we shop together often. Plus, he is the sort of guy who, if he wants it, he bought it already so that makes it so difficult to shop for him. This year we decided to do gifts. I am the sort of person who is usually finished Christmas shopping before December even rolls in but this year, economics forced me to wait until this week. I can't tell you where I went because MrPea likes ruining surprises for himself. I can't even tell you about the miracle wrapping techniques I had to use so that he wouldn't be able to shake, inspect, put his ear next to and figure out what. Yes, I had to sabotage for the sake of Christmas.

Oh. How the hell can anyone even think of shopping this time of year? There are some people out there who love all this. I am not one of them. I usually do not step foot in any retail store from mid November until February.


I actually stood in line behind someone who I just SAW park a $70,000.00 vehicle argue with a poor, tired looking cashier over 48cents. According to his calculation, his amount due should have been 48cents less than the cash register's figure. Honestly, I wanted to reach into my pocket and just give him the 48cents he was bitching about. I totally get it that economic times are tough-- MrPea and I have been cutting back on just about everything and I've been on pins and nails every time his company announces job cuts. OK I'm there. But this guy wasn't using a,"I'm sorry, I think there must have been a mistake," kind of tone. It was more of a,"You f-ing stupid ass people need to correct this extra 48cents otherwise I'll enjoy ruining everyone else's shopping experience...." outburst. The worst thing about it was, he was with his kid, who will likely grow up to be just as rude and entitled as his father. Happy Holidays....

The cashier kindly told him he'll have to take it up with customer service and I swear she is my new hero because there was a HUGE line at customer service. Just as someone who used to work in retail, and suffered through a Holiday season, I always cringe when I hear people say,"The customer is always right." No, my dear, the customer is not always right. Sometimes the customer is an assh@##. I didn't bother to see if he took it up with customer service but I did giggle with the cashier over it. Poor girl, I bet he wasn't even the worst of them. You know who 'they' are. You've probably been encountering 'them' just as much as I have.

What the hell happens to us at Christmas? Are we a bunch of vultures? Just a social critique but the only good thing that I hope will come out of our collective belt tightening this season is that maybe people will realize how ridiculously overboard they have been going as far as gift buying. Look, I'm no Scrooge, I LOVE buying gifts for my nephews but I still don't get why people spend thousands+ of dollars on their kids, tell them some strange man drops down the chimney to give them all these things for free and then wonder why their kids start acting all entitled and materialistic when they are too old to believe in Santa Claus. Don't jump down my throat, people with kids, I know-I know, I don't have any so I can't really say anything. But I'd rather raise my hypothetical kids to believe that 'mommy and daddy work really hard so I should be thankful for these wonderful gifts they bought me' than the above method. Mind you, this does not mean I would ruin Santa Claus for them. Of course Santa will come down our chimney, just not with 1000s of dollars worth of free stuff for being "good". I'm not delusional, I have 6 nephews ok? There's no such thing as a kid who's '$3000.00 at Toys-R-Us' good. I used to work for a Child Care Center in a neighborhood who will not be feeling the economic pain the rest of us are, and I can tell you right now, every single one of those children had some kind of behavioral problem. Because their parents were either the "I want to be my kid's best friend" types or the "buy everything the kid wants so he'll shut up" type. Or "they are being raised by their nannies and spend about 5 minutes per day with their kids so they use money to alleviate their guilt" type. And once in a while I'd run into the "I'm an unapologetic jerk and I want my kid to grow up to be just like me" type, like I did today.

Oh I'm in a bad mood today aren't I? Am I picking on kids? I can't be, I love children. I wish I had 10 of them I do. No, I'm picking on parents.

Well after all my lecturing about wasteful spending, my sister sent me this:

And it sounded like a reasonable request.

I finished only 5 dollars over budget for MrPea and have one more gift to get at Tar-jay. Oh help me if I have to spend more than 5 minutes in another store until all this is over.....

More More More

That's it for a little while though. I need a break. My eyes need a rest. At least I have something to post as I am still blahgged out lately.




These are nothing to get excited about but I thought they looked interesting. A nice patterned piece of crab shell, a broken whelk and the one on the bottom is very common-I forgot the name. But it looks pretty hanging in the sun so it was the only one I kept.

More teeth.

The find of the day was this reddish one. Second time I found a red tooth.

A stingray barb and really worn down tiger shark tooth.

I did make friends with an old guy who found a blue starfish but I was too shy to ask if I could take a picture. I also met some people from out of town who asked for some tips. Normally I don't give out tips to tourists as I am stingy and want all the shark teeth for myself. I usually just say smile and play stupid and say," I don't really understand how to find them myself, I just stare at the ground until I see one." But they were Floridians and I was feeling generous. It is Christmas after all.... they even came up to me later all triumphant with a small bull shark tooth and gave it to me.

Do not adjust your screen,just another day in the fog

It really was that foggy. Scary Scoobie Doo episode foggy. Edgar Allen Poe foggy. You know what I mean. Ooh and it was fun.

My find was nothing to brag about....


But I did have fun scaring myself as the fog got worse and worse. I sat on a dead palmetto eating chocolate covered graham crackers and pretended this man in dark clothes was a Psychoman coming to get me. Passing by, he looked at me funny, um, I don't know probably because I was giggling like a campfire kid listening to a scary story at a girl scout trip.

Most sane people would have packed up and went home because after about an hour you could barely see at all unless you were crouching on the ground to take pictures, er, which was what I was doing.

I always think to myself, it's a good thing only a handful of people come to this beach because I'm pretty sure I must look like a complete fool to anyone who happens to see a girl laughing by herself and skipping around in the foam.
At the same time do I care whether anyone sees me walking around in foam? No. And why should I? Everyone should, at least once walk around in algae foam grossing themselves out in the fog. Just cuz they're wearing flip flops and they can.



The fog was so bad that any hair sticking out of my hood was dripping wet and my nose was running.

At last look before I dragged myself back to my bike to go home, I could hardly see the ocean anymore.

Call me crazy, but there's just something magical about a scary fog.

Not bad at all

The ocean's been kind of rough lately. I couldn't get out the the beach until today when low tide is too late in the day for me to really find the good stuff. Today's find was not as I had hoped but here's the thing: It's December and I'm on the beach wearing flipflops, do you think I'm going to even think about complaining? And anyway, as you can see, I did ok for a mid-tide , foamy trek.

The best ones were these, that bigger one being a Great White. I did end up finding a small handful more than this after my apple juice break (when I took these pictures) but I was too lazy to take more pix and anyway, ya'll get the point.

These tiny ones are kind of interesting because they have a redddish color to them that my camera didn't capture well but take my word for it. When I saw them wet on the sand, they were a red-orangey color.

It had been thick-foggy all day and just before I left at 4, the sun came out for a peak and this shrimp boat sort of appeared out of no where. I thought, if I squint my eyes, it could pass for a pirate ship but alas, Johnny Depp did not show up. Oh well.

Peanut is still king of the snow

Even though it doesn't snow here. Yesterday was Peanut's 11th birthday so I wanted to post this picture of him in Canada. As I've said before, we got him on Valentine's Day at a pig farm in Slidell, Louisiana. I almost didn't take him home because when I picked him up he was so wiggly and noncompliant unlike his wiry haired sister, who, I was 5 seconds away from putting in my backpack and running off with after we had already paid for our new disobedient, new shoe eating puppy. He sort of chose MrPea, even though today he has an "I love you/I'm ignoring you unless you have food or something I need," attitude towards the both of us(but especially MrPea). He doesn't listen. He'll run out the door if you leave it open. He steals unattended food. He likes destroying crumpled up paper. He enjoys dismembering and disemboweling his toys. He likes to hunt lizards in a creepy, stalkerish manner. He also begs shamelessly and sticks his face in everyone's food. But still, we'll keep him around a little while. He's our old man of the house.....


I have nothing interesting to post as nothing interesting has happened lately. Well, no, there are a couple noninteresting but noteworthy things I can tell you peeps.

-Two days ago I was wearing a short skirt and teeshirt. This morning our temperature was 43. How the hell is that possible?

-Last week MrPea talked me into buying some really highheeled snakeskin(faux,mind you) peep toe shoes. I'm loathe to admit that I loveth them. But my goal was to find warm shoes. I did not accomplish this goal because I hated everything else in that store that looked remotely warmish. And there they were beckoning me. But I've decided to return them. I already feel jealous of whoever's going to buy them. I feel like I need to take a picture of them before I bring them back. Is that sick or what?

Sorry that's all I have for you guys as I'm all blahhged out. Give me something to blog about peeps. Ask me something, I'll tell you. As it is, life is blissfully quiet right now and I find myself in hibernation mode with the drop in temperature. No shark teeth either, the wind is damp and cold. Maybe next week.

Feedback Please!!

I'm not so sure I'm crazy about the new look over here but I needed a change. Please give me some feedback guys and let me know if it shows up well or if I should lose all these colors and get with a more simple palette. Even if I don't hear from any of you peeps, I might just change it all up anyway. I am keeping my header no matter what. I'm just not so sure about keeping a template that forces me to have the same color for my header and post font.

Tuesday Confession

I have been eating chocolate covered popcorn nonstop for 5 days now. Yesterday I ran an extra half mile just so I could eat a bigger chunk of chocolate covered popcorn when I got home. I hate sweets but I do this every winter with the chocolate. Why?


Last week I had a Doctor appointment. I got bullied into agreeing to having a body scan this January. Well I wasn't really bullied, she just told me that this would be a yearly thing until every body scan in a row for 3 years showed up clean. This means I could possibly have another radioiodine situation which depresses me just thinking about because of how badly it was all coordinated last year. I talked with her about how angry I still was about all the scheduling problems, the no return my phone calls, the letting me know about my appointment the day before, making appointments without asking me first, me being off my meds for 6 weeks instead of the 2 that I was promised which resulted in my being extremely and unnecessarily ill and sore for a month and a half, etc etc. She said she'll give me her cell phone number so that if this happens I can reach her directly but I have a feeling it will all be the same story. Everyone gets treated this way by their healthcare providers when we have a for-profit-system so I don't see why I would get any better treatment just because I'm bitching about it now. Plus even she knows it's a possibility otherwise, why would she try to make me feel better by giving me her number. I have a feeling it won't come to that though. I mean, I've had radiation twice. Most people with my problem only need it once. I'm preparing for the worst though because my tumor was the size of a friggin banana. That way I won't be disappointed if they still find some left over cancer cells. I told her I wanted to get it all done ASAP so I could get it over with. She said January, which I'm wondering if it really means February since that's when it all went down last time. If you were around back then, you'll remember I snuck in an old phone so I could post. What I didn't post was that they were working on the fire alarm system and it was going off every hour from 11pm until 6am. The food was puke on a plate and my view was a brick roof. I took so many showers and drank so much damn water, forcing myself to pee as much as I could(that brings your radioactive level to safer levels so you can go home), that's why I got out of there in 24 hours. I'm doing it in a different hospital this time. I wish you guys could have seen my room when I left. They tape paper on the floor and everything in the room except the bed and in the bathroom they use latex to cover anything that might be touched except for the shower. The water facets look like they are giving you the bird because they used latex gloves. It was a primary election day so I decided to write Barack! all over everything in the room. Every nurse that came in said," bay- rack? what's that honey?" At around 2am when I gave up on getting any sleep because the effing alarms were going off, I started writing stupid stuff like,"Help me help me. They told me I was a mental patient...I just thought I was Elvis...they are keeping me against my will. Can I have some Cheerios please?"Anyway, at least I'll be left alone until after Christmas....


BTW Did anyone watch Charlie Brown last night?

(I hate)Shopping for winter clothes

I've been busy lately. Instead of posting like a good blogstress, I have been at the mall looking for warm clothes to wear until Spring. I loathe winter clothes. I've already told ya'll this. I hate long sleeves, they make me feel like I'm in jail. I hate tights, they itch. I hate hats, I'm vain about my hair. I hate gloves, they make my hands sweat. I hate scarves, it feels like a noose. I hate jackets, they are heavy and once you get to your destination you have to drag it around all over the damn place. And most of all I hate pants. Yes, even jeans, the staple must have in every person's wardrobe. But the biggest of my many reasons I hate shopping for jeans/pants can be seen here:

Looks like a nice little outfit right? Navy cardigan, nice fitting jeans.....

Until you scroll down. I'm not a big fan of paying for new jeans and then having to pay even more to get them tailored.

I did end up getting the cardigan but not the jeans. I hate cardigans too but, like I said, I'm not going through another winter feeling like slouchy smurf. I heard about another store nearby that does free alterations. I'll probably go there this weekend.

I'm still looking for the shoes. I might get these for walking just cuz' I'm beginning to feel like a girl Jerry Sienfeld in my old Nikes. I'm just not crazy about the price so let me know if you guys see anything similar for less. I'm also still looking for some boots that don't make my legs look like two stumps.....

Birds and dead things from yesterday's beach trip

Don't be crabby about the winter.......

This Horseshoe Crab is dead by the way.(He's probably crabby about the winter)I was a little scared of him because he was pretty big until I realized he wasn't alive. Not that there's any reason to fear these guys, I've already told you all, I'm afraid of everything.



This dead thing, I'm not quite sure what it is. I tried to put it back in the water just in case it was still alive but stuck. But no, dead too. I'll have to look it up in my field guide to figure out what to call it so until then, we'll just call it the squishy dead thing.

There were a lot of birds. This probably looks like parent birds with their chicks but they are actually 2 different species. Both of which I don't know the names because I'm too lazy to look for my field guide but they are pretty common shore birds.

Sing along with me, Bob Marley lovers: Rise up this morning....smile with the rising sun...three little birds...each by my doorstep....singing sweet songs... of melodies pure and true...sayin', "this is my message to you--oo--oo.....Don't worry...about a thing...cuz every little thing.....'s gonna be alright..."

Pelicans always amaze me when they fly so close to the water like this.

This was actually taken by accident while I was adjusting my camera but I liked it. I can't wait to get a better camera so I can start taking some better pictures.

Notice my shadow appears to be wearing jeans and a thick sweater so don't get too jealous, those of you who live in winter wonderland---it wasn't that warm. (But then again, it wasn't that cold either so, ok, go ahead and get jealous if you want to)

I could not end this post without showing of my modest find. I didn't find the pocketfulls I usually do in the summer but I was happy with the few I did. That hooked shaped one in the middle is from a baby Tiger Shark and I'm always excited to find one of those since I've only ever found a few. And the one in the crowd that's shaped like a perfect triangle is from a Great White, I think. I always pick up white or pink scallop shells to glue to picture frames. Scallop picture frames make good gifts.....Martha's not the only one who knows how to make stuff.

Tuesday Confession

Two weeks on a row! So remember, I told you guys about my difficulty in letting go of my little "injustice" grudges ? Well I have some more. One of which I'll share with you for today's cleansing of my sins.


-I'm still irritated with my 6th grade teacher for giving me a B for my Science Project instead of an A. Mind you I was 11 years old. I made an Electromagnet machine and my experiment was to find out what kind of materials would make the best electromagnets. I even made a compass with a needle and some cork as an extra little side experiment. I made about 3 or 4 little electromagnets using a large nail, various wires, electric tape and these little mini-jumper cable looking thingies(ok it was over 20 years ago so you can't expect me to remember the exact names for everything so just use your imagination.) My hypothesis was that the tiniest wire would create the most energy and make the strongest magnet and pick up the heaviest pieces of metal when hooked up to the machine. My experiment was damn success because I proved my hypothesis and was able to recreate my experiment for my class when we did our presentations. So I should have received an A not a B. You know what my jerk of a teacher said was the reason he knocked my grade down? BECAUSE THE BOX I USED FOR THE ELECTROMAGNET MACHINE WAS AN OLD BROWN TACKLE BOX. He said if I had used something more "pleasing to the eye" my grade would have been a perfect score. Can you tell how pissed off I still am about this? Especially now that I am older because I feel like going back in time to scream at that jerk teacher of mine,"I'm f-ing 11 ok? I made a damn Electromagnet and you give me a B, but you give the idiot who made a stupid person proof hurricane machine with a MOUNTAIN DEW BOTTLE an A!" Jerk. (not to offend anyone who made any hurricane machines, I was just pointing out that it was a Mountain Dew bottle with the wrapper still on. Even though I do think my creation was superior to a hurricane machine....) I don't even know any 11 year olds who actually know what an electromagnet is. Sorry I could only use what was available to me and by the way, isn't that usually how great discoveries get made? I guess I just didn't have access to thousands of dollars like the rest of average 6th graders in the free world do. I'm sure if I had known how to boil ore and cast my own beautiful metal "pleasing to the eye" box I would have received an A and gone on to MIT to become the greatest scientist on the face of the planet. But no. I'm using my 11 year old resentment to entertain the blogosphere instead. Enjoy at my expense internets.

-So I've just realised that's not really a confession. It's a rant. Well I can't help it. I'm still mad about it. Breathe-breathe. Ok I'm ready to confess something else: I once dyed my hair blond ya'll. A few years ago when I was living in Hawaii, I had just gotten over a really bad all over skin allergy and was feeling quite depressed and vulnerable about my looks. I made an appointment for a cut and high light. The stylist suggested an all over make over and I was such a depressed little mouse I said yes. No it did not make me feel better. It looked horrible and I realised, I don't like blond hair on me. But I spent so much money to get it done, I felt like I had to get my money's worth so I kept it for 2 months until the roots got so bad I had no choice but to dye it back to my natural beloved brunette. I told myself it would be a social experiment. Here's two things I noticed about being blond: Men look at you in a dirtier way when you're blond and are obvious about their dirty thoughts. Like you should just put up with it or something. And 2, if you're not a natural blonde you have to wear a lot of makeup if you don't want to look tired and worn out all the time.

And since we're on the topic I really disdain so called "blond jokes." It gives a certain kind of gal an excuse to pretend to be dumb when they are so clearly not. I really disdain women(and men) who do that. Dumb and cute have never been on the same plane in my book. My Grandma once gave me some really good advice: Never pretend to be dumber than you are just to attract a man. The only kind of man you'll atrract by playing dumb is a dumb man.

Help me internets with my superficial(yet important) stuff

-I've been invited to a party given by leaders of the club I joined when I started volunteering for the Democratic Party in my town. The invite says they'll have all the Holiday main dishes and cocktails but to bring a side dish or appetizer. Everything I make is too 'involved' and takes forever. If I have to make a fussy dish, I'll end up not going and these people are my new friends so I want to go. What could I bring that doesn't take too long to make or that I could buy that won't get wasted? I hate cooking otherwise I wouldn't care.


-Um. Yeah. The whole winter clothes shortage is still a problem. Besides my jogging shoes, there's not one pair of shoes in my closet that cover my toes. Every year I tell myself, "This year I'll buy a couple cute outfits that are warm." And every year I end up dressing like Slouchy Smurf. Old raggedy jeans, raggedy tee shirt, old ugly ratty jacket and canvass shoes with my piglet socks. Well guess what. Even that uniform is no longer. The canvass shoes have been thrown out the piglet socks had a hole and I can't look at one more raggedy tee shirt if I want to hold on to my sanity. Ok I still have the jeans-one can never go wrong with jeans I know this. I even have one outfit I could wear and not be embarrassed to be seen in but I don't have the shoes. I can't exactly wear a pretty wool skirt, tights and cashmere sweater with my Asics running shoes. I'm sure I have something strappy and cute I could put on my feet but I'm so sensitive to the cold now. I can't be wearing high heeled strappy sandals when it 40 degrees outside. I would love a cute pair of suede boots but dammit when you're 4'11", boots just look so weird. Like you're a little kid playing dress up in a tall girl's shoes. So, if you guys see anything......I should mention I hate pointy toed shoes, and platform stripper shoes. Oh and I need a new jacket too. So if you see one, send me a link. (I hate the puffy, down blanket looking ones. Love corduroy) I wouldn't be asking for help if I didn't live on Florida you guys. There's no winter clothes here. MrPea is no help either because when I complain to him and ask for his help, he just laughs at me and asks me why I even want to bother when we'll only be cold for a few weeks anyway. Well I refuse to spend another couple months feeling like I shop at the Hobo The Clown store. That's why.


-Should I dye my hair? I usually do in the winter because my hair gets so much sun in the summers. The natural highlights the sun creates looks good in the summer but in the winter when my hair grows out it's natural dark brown, my ends start to look brassy and orangey. I just hate having to pay 90 bucks for something I could do myself for 10. Ok actually I just answered my own question. But the other 2.

Tuesday Confession

I hardly ever do this. But it's only because I'm perfect so I have nothing to confess. You guys know this. Right?


Well I have only a couple really boring confessions to make. But, you know it's Tuesday and that's what Tuesday is for.

1. Today I made broccoli, yellow squash and zucchini for my lunch. Er, I should say I burnt broccoli, yellow squash and zucchini for my lunch. Anyone who's ever burnt this trio of veggies or at least broccoli already knows the wonderful aroma that never goes away. Not even after hours of burning a pumpkin spice candle from World Market. Nope, still stanks(the better, more pungent version of the word stinks. Feel free to steal it and add to your own vocabulary. You're welcome). So now my house smells like garbage soup. And pumpkin spice. Great.


2. Sometimes, when I'm too lazy to dig out and lace up my own sneakers, I use MrPea's to take Peanut downstairs to pee hoping no one will happen to walk by and see me. His feet are twice the size of mine so it's easier to just step into them and head out to door for a few seconds. Guess who was seen in really big shoes and laughed at by some of my neighbor's grandkids? Yep.

Monday Meme

I got this from a blog I delightfully found by accident. Thank you Curious Cat for giving me something to blog on a Monday......


1) What book has most touched your soul?

-I read so dern much I can't really say this book or that book touches my soul. I was lucky enough to have had teachers in elementary school who read to us a lot and I'm sure that's what sparked my love of reading. When I was in the 3rd grade my family moved and I was in a new school. The county happened to be having some kind of book reading contest and our teacher was reading a Ramona book to the class at the end of each day that we were "good." I participated in the book contest and enjoyed listening to my teacher read to us and that was when I started reading books on my own. My dad even took me to get my own library card and I remember being really happy about it. So that's the best answer I can come up with.

2) How do you think being a teenager today is different from when you were a teenager?

-In some ways it's easier and some ways harder. Easier because today they have a lot more access to information. Harder because, well, they have a lot more access to information. But I'm going to say it's about the same only like I said, they have internet, ipods, and gas is more expensive.

3) If you found out for sure there was no afterlife at all, would you change how you live your life?

-I would probably get really depressed. If all this beauty and ugly were for nothing is a question I ask myself often. No afterlife, the thought makes me very sad and frankly scared. I am not one of those people who don't fear the thought of completely disappearing, losing all thought and existence. What would the point in living be then? I can't really say I would change the way I live my life but I would live it with a fear and sadness without hope that I can't fathom. So I don't really know how to answer this question.


4) What is the biggest regret of your life so far?

-That's easy. I never finished college and I don't have any children. Well the children thing is not as big a regret because I can still have one given me being healthy enough to carry one and if not, there are other ways of becoming a mother. But the school thing. Yeah, what a waste really. But even then, this is also something I could change eventually.

5) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
Oh moose. No it does not make me think of Sarah Palin.....nor any of the pictures I saw of her smiling over the dead body of a big beautiful moose. Honestly it doesn't. (Plus I eat meat, so I have no place to judge. It's just for some reason I have a soft spot for moose. )

I think of Canada. When I was in Canada(for that COLD LONG NEVERENDING WINTER), I wanted very badly to see a moose. My in laws offered to drive me to the zoo to see one. But I said it didn't count. I have to see one in the wild. I walked my dog all over the place hoping to see a moose. Never saw one. I did see a bunny though. Maybe next time.






Feel free to tag yourself, anyone. These things are always useful for those of us who get blogger's block.

When did Autumn get here without warning me? And why?

Yesterday I was wearing a miniskirt. Today, I'm miserable in jeans and a sweater. Sigh.....


My efforts to look for shark teeth have been thwarted twice over. Well I did find a few but none to really brag about. For one, rough seas left a layer of sand covering the usual patches of shells where I like to look and with the 69 degree water there's no chance of me wading. And now it's just too damn windy cold and will remain cold for at least a couple weeks or until Spring if Old Man Winter is grouchy this year. Damn this weather. Damn. Damn.

I know, I know, I'm the winter grinch. While all you sweater and mitten lovers are getting all excited and digging out your beloved long johns, I'm getting ready for my two to three month long grump fest. But again, I have to say I'm not going to complain too much because, well, hello, I live in Florida! So I have come up with a few things to cheer myself up with.

1. I just went to the beach 2 days ago. Wearing shorts.

2. Friday night at 7:55, MrPea and I ran out to our balcony to watch the sky for the space shuttle launch. This was the 6th one I've been able to watch right from my home. Mind you, during the day all you can really see is smoke and a burst of bright orange. But the night launches. Oh my the night launches, ya'll! Flashes of green surrounded by a bright halo and you can usually hear applause and cheers from anyone else who happened to have come out to watch our space shuttle fly into space. There's nothing like it and I saw it right from my own patio. Said a prayer for our astronauts.

3. I'm still on the decaf. Ok I strayed a little a couple weeks ago because I really needed the energy for canvassing BUT that was it. No caffiene for me.

4. My jeans still fit me.

5. Colder weather means I need new shoes. Which gives me just the excuse I need to go shoe shopping.

That's all I could come up with today. Hopefully I can come up with a few more by Thanksgiving. Have any good news? Leave me some.....

Happy Veterans Day

Hope everyone's having a good week.

We did it!

We turned Florida blue! We elected "that one!"

America's new first family.


I'm so proud to have been a part of it all. To have been part of such a positive and inclusive campaign for change!

Barrack Obama is our nation's first Biracial President. And as someone who is also biracial, I have felt a personal connection and drive to elect someone, not who I want to have a beer with, or who's "like me", but someone first and foremost qualified AND knows what it's like to be me. Someone who looks out not just for their own, but will look out for all of us. It is my belief and hope that we have elected(no pun intended again) that one. In my conversations with fellow children who are products of mixed marriages, the topic that comes up so often is our sometimes feeling of invisibility. We can either be one or the other ethnicity, not both. I have always felt like an American and have always loved my country with the devotion of a veteran's daughter who pretty much grew up on a military base. But always within a culture that tells you to check the box, are you white or Asian? You can't be both. I always felt like I was never enough of one or the other for either culture. I sometimes describe myself as a chameleon,fitting in everywhere and no where, but doing my best to create my own identity while at the same time embracing and celebrating both parts of myself. And identity is something that many biracial kids in my generation still struggle with. I could never be white enough to be considered white or Asian enough to be considered Asian; living in a "check the box" culture. We begin to feel invisible sometimes because up until maybe a few years ago, there was no "box" for people like us. I've heard the word Hapa, used to describe people like me with mixed Asian backgrounds, someone even wrote a book featuring us a few years back. I picked up that book and saw my face on every page. In 2004 I watched a self described,"skinny kid with a funny name," speak to America and something in my heart burst. I was not only, no longer invisible, but I was now a "skinny kid with a funny name" too. Living in such a red state and having had the words "unAmerican" pressed upon people like me with unapologetic liberal leanings, listening to this unknown state senator speak about America and Americans with inclusion as the defining message, I felt like someone had given my beloved flag back to me when Karl Rove-ian divisive politics tried to take it away from me and bully me. So while we're celebrating America's first African American President, many of us "hapas" feel some small ownership in celebrating a bi-ethnic President who struggled with identity in a similar way we did. We are happy for our African American brothers and sisters, and we can celebrate ourselves as well. Because an African American President named Barack Hussein Obama can possibly open the doors for us too. I cried like one of my own had won last night. Because he is one of our own in a really special way that all of us who are of mixed heritage can claim.


And by the way I just want to call it- I told everyone I knew after that beautiful 2004 key note speech that someday he was going to be president. Most people said,"WHOOO? What the hell kind of name is that, sounds weird!" And now anyone who remembers me saying that are eating their words. So I just had to brag about that too and rub it in- oh I love being right. :O)


I canvassed til an hour before the polls closed last night. I felt like I contributed to my country just by participating. I said to myself, whatever the outcome, I will never have to say that I didn't do my best so if my party doesn't win, I would at least not have any regrets. When I attended my first meeting back in June and heard our county coordinator talk numbers and say that we could really turn Florida blue, I thought,"Yeah right. Ok." But I hoped. And we did! And I was part of it! So tonight at our party I want to relish in that. But I look forward to working with my new found blue friends in finding some small ways to be purple because everyone who I spoke with when I phonebanked and canvassed: Republican, Democrat, Green, Independents said the same thing. That they were sick and tired of the divided atmosphere we're living in.

I was there

I don't need to tell anyone who doesn't live under a rock what day today is. I have been canvassing my behind off and you don't need to guess for whom. Yesterday I got maybe 3 hours of sleep and didn't think I was going to be able to do it one more day. I thought maybe if I'm so exhausted, I'll just phone bank for an hour until I'm tired. But after attending a rally with thousands of people giving positive vibes to each other, praying together, dancing together, and singing our National Anthem together, then hearing one of the best pep talks I could have ever been given, I was on a high energy for the rest of the day and was able to muster the power to keep the wheels turning. You can see from this picture what a great view I got to have and how close my position was from the podium.

As he worked the stage when it was over I yelled out as loud as I could, "Senator show me your handsome face!" Whether or not he heard, I don't know but everyone around started laughing and all hands went in the air holding cameras. So this was the only photo I got with him smiling and of course as ya'll can see the person in front of me was definitely taller than 4'11".

I'm going out again to canvass right now and make sure everyone who hasn't voted yet gets to the polls today. To the very last minute I'll be walking.

Everyone who hasn't voted yet please get out to the polls and vote. Whoever you support. It is such a privilege to be able to make our voices heard in this country that we shouldn't take for granted. Stand in line, bring a chair and some snacks, make friends with your fellow voters, do whatever you need to do. Just get there and VOTE!!!


My favorite lines from his stump rally speech has always been this one.

Little Pea and Jolly Green Giant

Yesterday I showed up at my team leader's house expecting to canvass. She told me I was the only who wanted to and everyone else wanted to phone bank. I said, "I'll stick around and make calls with you guys in case anyone else shows up that I can convince to come with me because I don't like and won't canvass alone. I was by myself yesterday and I didn't feel safe." A man sitting on the couch looked up and said, "If you need a partner, I suppose I can go with you." Then he stood up. And he was frikin' 6'9", OK? Yeah. I'm 4'11". Obviously I felt safe. What a sight we were walking through our town. People opened their doors when we knocked and for a second just looked at us like we were from the circus or some kind of Halloween comedy group. But it made it easier for us to talk to people because they seemed to want to know how in the world we even knew each other. So if anyone happened to look out their windows yesterday and noticed a freakishly tall man walking around with a freakishly small woman carrying a clipboard and waving to people, that was us.

I know I brag all the time about my freakish strength that enables me to pick up my tall 6'2" husband and carry him around for a few minutes. No way in hell I could have picked up this guy. Not even on steroids.

Today I am exhausted from all my canvassing and need a big rest. I feel guilty about it as it is crunch time but I'm dead tired in my bones. I feel like I've walked a million miles. I'll be back on the trail tomorrow, so again guys, if I knock on your door, be nice. Offer me some Gatorade. Or some painkillers. Whatever.

Busy Bee Random

-Yesterday I accomplished the impossible. I convinced a Republican to vote for Obama. Yes you read that correctly. I even drove him to early vote. I also convinced him to vote no on amendment 2 which discriminates against gay couples (and actually would negatively affect more heterosexual couples who live together and common law couples than gays so I'm not sure how it even got on the ballot). Can you guys believe it? Uh Huh. You're welcome.


-We're looking for a new apartment. There's nothing wrong with this one except for the fact that I'm getting sick of walking up and down several flights of stairs with groceries and/or a dog. Plus electricity costs a damn fortune up here. It's also drafty and with winter creeping in, I'm not in the mood to freeze my behind off again. We're in no hurry though and we're both very specific about what we're looking for. I need lots of windows, a kitchen with plenty of counter space, and my own walk in closet. Mr.Pea requires a fire place, tile floors instead of carpet, and a big porch. We both agree we want a lower price too but that goes without saying. We might end up in a 1/1 if it's nice enough. This idea uneases me a bit as I've hinted at you guys before about my loathe to share a bathroom with him and especially a closet. If my marriage unfolds after we move into a 1/1, you guys will know why.


-I went for coffee with my nephew and we passed by my very first apartment. It was in a first floor of an old house that honestly was 37 steps(I counted) from the beach. The place was drafty, salty, made scary 'old house' noises at night, and the hot water didn't work if someone else in the building was using the outdoor shower but oh how I loved that apartment. The guy who had lived there before painted the walls a soft pale aqua and I remember my gauzy curtains billowing every evening. I had shells all over the place(but no shark teeth as that beach doesn't produce any) and books galore. I rode my bike to work on the beach when the tide was low and drank tea every night on the front porch to the sound of my bamboo windchimes. I was also a hop, skip, and a jump from my favorite coffee shop (which is still there even though Starbucks moved nearby a couple years ago) and a couple skips more from the library. (My dad was particularly pleased about the police station located one block away in case any psychomen tried anything funny with his daughter.) I can't comment on any of the resteraunts since I was too damn poor to eat at any of them. I never had any money. I didn't have a car. My fridge was always sparse, my phone was always being shut off and I was always by myself(because did I mention that I never had any money? Oh yeah I already did. Well I'll just say it again anyway, I was always broke!). But I remember being so happy in that cozy little apartment and wanting to live there for the rest of my life. I'm not sure why but it makes me happy to see that who ever resides there now, kept my sun sticker in the window and happy face I painted on the mail box.

-My allergies are driving me insane. I don't get stuffy nose. I get the bloody-murder-painful sore throat and ears. It's the worst in the mornings when the air is dry. Zyrtec sort of works. Only sort of though.

-My endocrinologist had her baby. The one who told me I couldn't have kids until she said it was ok. I know already told you guys about this but I'm feeling particularly jealous so I though I should mention it again. Anyway her office called me today and said I needed to get some blood drawn this week and suggested I get a flu shot just in case I end up having more cancer crap to do. I'll get the flu shot but if they suggest I need radioiodine again I'm going to say hell no. Which really means can I just put it off a few more months because I was enjoying not having to see them.


I haven't been leaving comments lately, I know. I've been busy and lazy- can you say that in a sentence and still make sense? Ya'll know what I mean. Anyway, you'll see me soon and more often, I promise.

I'm feel like tattle-telling

Because someone needs to hear about this and there was no one around to whom I could bitch about it.

There are very little things I despise in this world more than pollution. I realize some pollution can't be avoided. But when I see people leave their garbage all over MY beach and flick their cigarettes out the car window(I mean, we're only driving GASOLINE-FILLED vehicles) I make sure to give them the evil eye, if they happen to be looking my way. Last week the wind was blowing a ton of seaweed from the Sargasso Sea and with it all the crap people must be throwing off their boats or dumping on their beaches. Nasty people.

I first encountered this bottle.


At first I got excited because maybe there's a message in it....maybe I was wrong. Upon closer inspection I notice it said Havana Club on it. Does this mean it floated here all the way from Cuba? Is there such a drink that can be bought here in the US called Havana Club? I just want to pretend the answer is no because at least then this is pollution I can maybe get excited about.







More bottles with no messages inside.....

Someone's big gulp.


And the cherry on top was this nasty shoe. I did not find it's mate.

If you see the people who did this, you tell them I'm not very happy with them right now because I hate cleaning up after people.