This Means Something

Did you ever have one of those flashbacks where you think you remember something that happened, but then you're no longer sure if it really happened or not? I have this memory from Kindergarten and now I'm not sure if it actually happened or if it's just a dream I remember. Either way, it's a super cute story even if it's not true.

Mrs. Trowbridge's Kindergarten class, 1979

I was wearing one of my favorite shirts. My hair was in two long pigtail braids. My shirt had a print on it that resembled lined notebook paper. Printed on the shirt was a recipe for chocolate chip cookies. Mrs. Trowbridge asked me to volunteer in the front of the class and we proceeded to follow the instructions on my shirt, put the ingredients together, and then bake cookies for the whole class. I was a human recipe book. I remember feeling very special that day, like I was a big helper. I think it was a lesson about following instructions — something very important for kids to do.

I don't know if this happened or not, but I have been able to recall this story for some time. It's the kind of story I'll probably still know how to tell when I have dementia. So, to whoever my future handlers are, I'm sorry if I tell you this story over and over, but please have fun with it and bake some cookies for yourself!

WWDC 2016 Reactions With Mike & Dave On The For Mac Eyes Only Podcast

Mike Potter graciously invited me on his show with Dave Ginsburg to discuss WWDC 2016 announcements live. It was a really fun discussion and I had a great time. I felt like a golf announcer at certain moments! There was lots to see and talk about during the keynote. I may gotten just a little too excited about new emoji. Tap or click the play button in this player to listen to the show.


Check out Mike's show notes here: http://www.formaceyesonly.com/2016/06/13/for-mac-eyes-only-reaction-time-apples-wwdc-2016-keynote/

Click Podcast Audio Link to For Mac Eyes Only Show Number 339 to listen to the audio podcast and consider subscribing to the show.

Encouragement

This is beautiful to me and I wanted to share it here.

original link: https://media.giphy.com/media/l396JXjKtDsgQSbjG/giphy.gif

I'd also like to wish a very

Happy 10th Birthday

to my Nephew, Christian!

Ten years, already! It seems like just yesterday when your Mom and I were comparing bellies on a Skype video call. We were so excited for your arrival! Love ya, buddy!

Evening, Javelina!

All this time living in Arizona, I have never seen Javelina up close, until now. I was leaving a client’s home Thursday night and it was around 7:45 pm. I was accelerating up a small hill when I had to hit the hooks as they were just congregating in the middle of the road! They scurried up the side of the road and continued their little meeting and I just had to stop the car and marvel at them. It was really hard to photograph what I was seeing with just my iPhone. It didn’t help that I was kinda of scared that they might charge me or that a car could come up behind me at any time. Instinct told me I should not get out of the car, but I admit I was very tempted! I decided they were a safe enough distance away from my car, so I took a deep breath, picked up my iPhone with one hand while rolling down my electric window and keeping my finger on that window button, my left foot on the clutch, right on the break, paused the podcast I was playing, brought up the camera, enabled the flash while trying to reach up with my thumb to tap the screen in an attempt at focusing on the peccary then snapped 2 photos. The super bright flash from my LED flash startled them and they began scurrying away. The photos I captured were pitch black and I was disappointed that I couldn’t capture the moment. I rolled up my window, put the phone back in my dash, engaged in first gear and slowly drove off in amazement of having witnessed these nocturnal animals. I was glad I got to see them with my own eyes.

While organizing my photos for this evening, I decided instead of discarding these back blobs that I’d try and edit them in iPhoto. It turns out I was able to get something out of one of them and as you can see here, you can almost make out the shapes of the Javelina. You can make out 3 or 4 of them in the shadows.

This is what I absolutely love about smartphone photography: the thrill of the moment. Your heart beats in your chest and you feel alive in the moment.

So many times I feel guilty because I am always snapping photos of every little thing. “Melissa, how can you be present in the moment when you’re always behind the camera?” Well, maybe everyone’s way of being present is just not the same. I felt very much alive trying to capture this moment. Not only was I present then, but I can recall that moment now any time I like and feel a sense of pride. Is this not being present in the moment?

Siri Still Has A Sense of Humor

Either Siri still has a sense of humor or she's just been trained by many a parent who use her to play the "Bad Cop" in setting a timer for Time Out. By the looks of it, she's capable of assisting even Jeffrey's Mother.

Who remembers this (one of my all-time favorites) comedy skit by Bill Cosby?

Household Critters

Living in the southwest, it's not uncommon to find different types of critters inside your house. Geckos commonly show up at our front door, on top of it or scurry out from under a chair. They're quite cute and less troublesome than mice or other bugs I experienced out east.

Last night was a bit different because we discovered a snake for the first time! The boys and I could barely contain our excitement over observing this little creature that crawled into our home.

Here is my Flickr photo set of some various shots I took and these are my favorites.

Curious Keagan

Wrapped Around My Finger

Perssssssspective

99 Pennies for Your Thoughts?

This young man was diagnosed with bone cancer and died just this past Monday at the age of 18. Before he died, he recorded this song as a way to say goodbye to his family and friends. It's now number 1 on iTunes. If you buy this uplifting (tear-jerking) song, the proceeds go to cancer research.

Shed a tear, spend a buck, then maybe one day cancer won't suck.

Clouds - Single Zach Sobiech Pop           2167 Ratings

My New Love Affair With Lentils

If This All Works Out, I Rock

Drat! Foiled Again by the Elusive Tri-Wing Screwdriver!

Touch

Interpretation

Wait Your Turn

My Turn

Enlightened 2

Enlightened 1

Watering Hole

The Bird Is Back

Update!

The Blue Bird has been found. One of his classmates discovered it on the floor in the classroom and it appears to have fallen off of his lunchbag.

Lucian is very happy to have his little birdie back!

I Declare Today is Wash Your Entire Living Room Day

I'm having an Easy Care Extra Heavy Gentle Fast Cold Rinse kind of a day.
First I awoke to Lucian exclaiming, "Mommy! Keagan just peed on the floor right there in front of the gate!"

Sure enough, there was a diaper-less little cherub running around the living room, asking for more water for his sippy cup.

I used the last of the carpet cleaner to clean up the mess. Went into the bathroom and stepped in a puddle on the floor. I assume it was also pee.

When did we get a puppy?

Got the kids cleaned up, dressed and off to school to drop off Lucian at Kindergarten. My only saving grace this morning so far was not encountering any asshole morning parent drivers. Ah, but the day is still young and there's always afternoon pick up.

Then I got busy refilling all that needed to be refilled throughout the house while Keagan quietly played in the living room.

Wait. Quietly? Well that's a red flag that something is amiss now isn't it?

And now we come to...

Exhibit A

Evidently, Keagan thinks our carpet needs more flavor so he decided to raid our spice rack and dump sprinkle cinnamon and —I'm gonna guess— Italian seasoning — onto the carpet. And the chairs. And the throws. (I know they're called throws but because you throw them on a piece of furniture, not the floor.)

Exhibit B

Do you see the footprints in the cinnamon?

This is precisely why we have crap furniture covered up with slip covers and decorative throws.

Right now my entire living room is in the washing machine preparing for the rinse cycle.

I have yet to vacuum the floor because I have yet to eat breakfast. It's already 11:30 am — or it's only 11:30 am — the glass is neither half empty or half full around here because it's usually been spilled out onto the floor.

The floor can wait and I need a freakin nap while Dr. Destructo is napping.

Why bother getting mad when I can just get even?

There are some things in life that make me incredibly happy. One of those things is making someone else laugh or giggle uncontrollably. Humor is a true gift that keeps on giving. I live to crack people up till they shed a tear or snort their beverage out their nose. It's been done to me so I like giving back when I can :)