Miscellaneous: DWC - Driving While Celling

Three years ago, New York instituted a ban on driving with a cellphone on your ear. WARNING personal opinion here...I completely agree with a ban. I already hate driving. Driving around people who can't see the signs and go the wrong way on one way streets, ramps, and parking lot entrances scare me. Worse, driving around people who feel their next sip of Starbucks, their bite of breakfast, or their lipstick application is more important than two hands on the wheel scare me. Worst, drunk drivers scare me. So when I hear statistics citing that people on their cell phones are as dangerous as drunk drivers, I feel the need to get my dander up.

Maybe seeing some of these cars and reading the stories behind them will get your dander up too. Similar laws against Driving While Celling have been put in place in New Jersey, Connecticut, and Washington, D.C. Several other states are considering the same action. It is a shame now to hear the news from New York about its uselessness. And makes me wonder if the new law effective July 2 in California would do any good especially since the fine is $20.

I'm not the only one wondering. Others have suggested making cell free zones in which the cell signal is blocked when traveling on certain roads, raising the fine, or even making insurance companies refuse to cover damages caused by cell phone use. I have a friend (who may be really mad at me for saying this, but she knows I love her) who loves to talk. She is such a people person that she NEEDS to be looking at your face when she talks. Her driving scares me, and thank goodness I haven't been in a car with her in a LONG time. I cringe when I know she's driving while celling.

I know a lot of people feel that they drive just fine while distracted by phones, food, and personal hygiene. Some feel that having their computer on while driving is okay. Some even feel cell phones are being singled out unfairly.

But I think overall some people have lost that little bit of common sense in their rush to do more and do it faster than everyone else. And children learn by our example.

Men: LL Cool J

LL Cool J

Name: LL Cool J (James Todd Smith III)
Best Known For: Hip Hop Rapper
Year of Birth: 1968
Status: Married (Simone Johnson)
Height: 6’1”
Fun Fact: To friends and family he’s known as Todd.

Let’s start with the not so obvious. I do enjoy some of his music and have for a while. Catchy tunes! I’ve always thought the “Ladies Love Cool James” and the pant leg up from the ‘80’s was corny. He’s been in various movies. I’m bummed and happy that he has been married a long time and has four children.

LL Cool J's Grin

The obvious? The guy has a rockin’ bod – especially for forty years old. I don’t particularly like his “I’m sexy” face. His genuine smile from the picture here makes him cuter than heck. I liked looking at him in the movie Deliver Us From Eva. He…




…sorry got caught up looking at the picture. Did I say he had a great body? I did? Then it deserves to be said twice.

Clean!

The house is a disaster area. I can't stand it. There was bound to be a showdown sooner or later. One of my goals before the end of June was to clean the house. I mean take everything out, hose it down, and put it back together again..."better than it was before. Better, faster, stronger." Can you hear the bionics effects?

Kidding. Seriously though, I'd like to enjoy the clean house for a short time. Especially before the rush of life in the fall brings the first signs of bionic rejection. Sad thing is I had so many plans and now I'm so overwhelmed I don't know where to begin. And it's July already. Wish me luck.

Weight update...Plus half a pound - ugh!
Book Update...Starting June 12th, 21 books read = 7017 pages

Chocolate: Oreos

The first ingredient is sugar.
One serving contains 7 grams of fat...
and 160 calories.
A serving size is three.

Are you kidding me? Who eats just three?
The Oreo, my absolute favorite cookie to eat with milk (especially since I can't drink milk on its own.) Sometimes I'm a twist-n-lick. I twist the top off, take a few licks, and then stick them back together. Other times I twist and eat the one that didn't get the frosting first. Most of the time though, I just take a bite and take a good swig of milk. It's like a mouthful of Oreo shake.

When I was younger (after the whole Hydrox issue), I used to twist off several, eat all the non-frosted ones, and make my own double stufs. On rare occasions, I still do. Anybody analyzing the creme like I do would know that the "stuf" formula or consistency is NOT the same. I can't enjoy a double stuf. I've tried the "Uh-oh Oreo" better known as the Golden Chocolate Creme Oreo, the Golden Oreo, the Cakesters, Mini-Oreos, Milk Chocolate Oreo, 100 Calorie Pack, and Double Delights (all three). Nothing has stuck with me like the original. The Oreo cereal came close.

Yes, I do have a package right next to the computer. No, I didn't eat them all in one sitting...this time. I'm not that fond of the Snack 'n Seal packaging, but it's what's inside that counts, eh? How do you eat your Oreo?

Books: World of Language

If I were a teacher, artist, and writer, I would someday hope to create books such as those made by Ruth Heller. She has written more than 25 coloring books filled with designs from abstract to tropical fish to ancient Egypt. She's also written a few series children's books - one about nature, another about animal camouflage, and another about the parts of speech. That's right, the parts of speech.

Don't you remember diagraming sentences? If you don't then you're either too old or too young, either way there was some teacher trying to teach you about nouns, adverbs, or prepositions. If you didn't learn them or if you have children of your own, then buy her books. Each one focuses on a part of speech in a colorful, fun, and informative way.


I have all but one, shown above, and love reading her rhymes and looking at her artwork just as much as A & M.

Book Update...Starting June 12th, 14 books read = 4,641 pages & one in progress. I'm behind!

TV: Design Star

Okay, I must not be a really good designer. HGTV is one of my favorite places to direct the remote. Besides a bunch of other shows, I enjoy Design Star. This is the third year that HGTV has selected a group of people who want do be designers and make them jump through hoops to get their own show.

Those hoops include designing their living space, designing a fake space with supplies from places like the Dollar Store, and designing actual homes of people in need of a spruced up place. When all is said and done, I always have my favorites.

In Season One I liked Temple, Vanessa, and David (who churned out awesome rooms and was ultimately the winner.) In Season Two I favored Will, Robb, and Todd. Later Kim really grew on me and she won. Todd's designs all seemed to have a surfer theme and, sorry, Robb was beyond arrogant. (BTW, the links lead to video and before/after pics.)

So this season, I can't wait until the individual room episode. That's usually when I see the style of each designer. But the episode in which they design their space just aired and I really liked the colors of Jerome's room. Guess who got the boot? Again, I say I must not be a good designer. I had to agree, though, that the room appeared rather sparse and not well laid out. I still think someone else should have gone first.

HGTV fan? Check out Design Star.

Miscellaneous: Heat Happy

B's sister-in-law is crafty too, and has sent away all of her children after high school graduation with quilts. She dutifully sends the squares out and has friends and family decorate them. As crafty as I am, I was on overload with an empty square. Where would I start?

B's mom supplied the solution in iron-on transfer sheets. Yes, I'm aware iron-on has been available for quite some time now. However, I try to limit how many crafts I get involved in. We don't have enough room as it is for my collection of stuff. So anyway the squares turned out pretty good. Now I'm an iron-on hottie.

I made a t-shirt last week and fixed a pair of M's jeans. They turned out cute! What should I iron-on next?

Weight Update...Minus 2 pounds