Ponderings From the Crazy American

Lynn rambles on about life in the UK, being married to the silliest Englishman she knows :D, and life in general!

Thursday, January 30, 2003

Hi all!! Well, it appears that my tag-board finally decided to start working correctly yesterday afternoon. I know that you could all see it the whole time, but it wouldn't work here for some reason. Anyway, its back now.

I've got great news! I'VE GOT A TEMPORARY JOB!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOOOOOO-HOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! So, starting Monday, for the next 2 weeks, I'm going to be filling in for one of the girls whose gone on holiday/vacation at a Graphic Design Equipment company. Yay!!! I'll get my first paycheck on Valentine's Day So, although Rich and I still won't be able to go away for the weekend, we're going out for a fancy meal Yay!!!

Also, I have another job interview tomorrow afternoon for a permanent job, so wish me luck!! That's about all of my news. Hope you all have a wonderful evening!! Ooooh, btw, I'm going to try to tidy my blog up a bit over the weekend, so if you pop by and it looks out of whack, just ignore it. It'll soon (hopefully) be looking better!! Bye 4 now!!

Tuesday, January 28, 2003

Well, aparently I can't use tag-board anymore. So tomorrow I'll be taking it down. If you want to leave me a message, please use my comments or my zonk board, because I can't see my tag-board (or anyone else's for that matter or even the website!!). Its really irritating, but I've done everything I know to do.

Anyway, here are the Tuesday This-or-That.

1. Kleenex or tissue?

Kleenex. Don't know why...that's just what I've always called it.

2. Soda or pop (or tonic or whatever)?

Coke or Coca-cola. It doesn't matter if its Pepsi or whatever....its still Coke. Don't argue with me! Its Coke

3. A sandwich on a long roll: sub or hero (or hoagie or grinder, etc)?

Sub

4. Glasses or spectacles?

Glasses (spectaclEEs, lol)

5. TV or television (or boob-tube, or telly, for our friends across the pond)?

TV or telly....depends on what kind of mood I'm in!

6. Movie or film?

Movie

7. Sofa or couch?

Couch

8. Stove or range?

Stove

9. Remote control or clicker?

Either remote control or channel changer.....never heard it called clicker.

10. Supermarket or grocery store?

Grocery Store


That's all folks!!

Monday, January 27, 2003

Hmmmm....so, nothing seems to be wrong with tag-board except for me (thanks Sonia for letting me know). Does anyone else have any idea why I'm getting this message: Forbidden
You don't have permission to access to this document on this server. ??? As far as I know, I haven't done anything wrong....but I can't access tag-board at anyone's site. So, if you have tag-board, I can't tag you. Anyone care to email tag-board for me and let them know....see what's wrong?? Just let me know!!
I'm on my way out to meet Rich to go grocery shopping, but I just wanted to know if anyone else was getting a Forbidden message on tag board or if its just me? Let me know and have a great day!!

Saturday, January 25, 2003

Ooooh, here are the Friday Five. Yes, I know its not Friday, but here they are anyway

1. What is one thing you don't like about your body?

My stomach. 'Nough said

2. What are two things you love about your body?

My legs and my eyes. I really like my eyes...I think they're my best feature. And, not to sound conceited, but even I have to admit (and you really don't know how hard I am on myself about my looks!) I have really good legs

3. What are three things you want to change about your home?

Ooooooh, I want to paint the walls or put up wallpaper in most of the rooms; I want to change the carpet (cos I don't like the carpet we have), and I'd like some new furniture for the living room. I hate the couch and chair that came with this house when we rented it. They're really horrible!!! We probably will redo the wall-paper in at least a couple of the rooms (Isabel helped take some down, lol), but the rest I'll just have to deal with!

4. What are four books you want to read this year?

Oooooh, good question Hmmm....well, definitely Harry Potter and the Order of the Pheonix (due out June 21 in the UK!!) and Daddy's Little Girl by Marry Higgins Clark.....possibly Night Watch by Terry Prachett and High Fidelity by Nick Hornby. Lots of others as well!!

5. What are five promises you have kept to yourself?

Oh, gosh....what a hard question! Um....well, I promised myself I would be brave about coming back to the UK after being home and I did that okay. I promised myself I would find a job and I'm looking very hard. I promised myself I would try to lose weight and I've started eating better and am going to join Weight Watchers. I promised myself I would work harder on learning to draw graphics and I recently opened my very own graphics shop. And I promised myself I wouldn't miss any episode of Friends this season and so far I'm doing pretty good

And there you go!! Now off to send my sister an email with things I'd like in a care package. There are some things I want from the US that I miss desperately in the UK. I know I could probably order them online, but I'd rather my sister sent them, lol!!! Have a wonderful day!!
Well, its Saturday again Rich is working again today (Boo!!!), but at least that'll give me some time to work on his Valentine's page and tidy up my blog some! I think I'm going to move all of my blinkies to my adoptions site. That way, my page will look tidier, lol!

My back is hurting soooooooo badly today I'm not sure what I've done to it, but it really doesn't feel good at all! May have to lie down later and rest it a bit.

We're supposed to go with Rich's Dad and step-mother to a Snow Man Drive tonight. I really have no idea what a Snow Man Drive is, but we said okay anyway, so there you go I'll let you all know what a Snow Man Drive is later.

To answer all the questions about how Chicago was....it was amazing!!! I really enjoyed the movie and would definitely recommend it to everyone!! Its filmed really well and the music numbers are great Okay....back later (maybe)!! Bye 4 now!!

Wednesday, January 22, 2003

Okay....those of you who've had problems applying for my graphics site will be glad to know that I've now fixed the application form for Starry Eyed Graphics! (Thanks Christina for that tip!) Now, you should be able to apply to join, whether you use Outlook Express or not. I hope all of you will decide to become members!! Thanks bunches to those who've already applied

Well, I'm off to watch Sex and the City and then off to bed!! Have a wonderful evening!!!
Well, I got tired of tag-board always being down, so I added a Zonk Board to my page as well. Not sure how the colors will look....I may have to update that, but at least its there now!!! So......post some messages for me folks!!

And go check out my new graphics site!!!
Ooops, forgot to mention that I found that quiz on Michelle's blog.

I found this one as Sasoozie's blog.

You're%20Betty%20Boop!
Who 's Your Inner Sexy Cartoon Chick ?

brought to you by Quizilla
Woo-hoo!!! My graphics site is finally open My new site is called Starry Eyed Graphics. It requires free registration, but that's to prevent graphic abuse. I hope you'll all stop by and visit!!! I'll be adding graphics as often as I can.

In other news, lol, I phoned my friend Christina on Monday afternoon We had a nice chat!! I'm really glad that I'm close enough to some of my online pals in the UK to actually phone them!

Not much else has been going on.....just continuing the job hunt. Oh, and Rich and I are probably going to sign up to Weight Watchers tonight When we do that, I'll start a little counter thing with how much weight we've lost! Have a great evening everyone!! Off now to blog hop.....

Tuesday, January 21, 2003

Here is the Tuesday This-or-That

1. Super Bowl or World Series?

World Series!!! Sorry to all you football fans out there, but I hate(!!!) football However, I love baseball almost as much as I hate football....which is a lot lol!

2. Winter or summer?

Hmmm.....I'm more of a spring girl myself, but if I have to choose between summer and winter....it would probably be summer (as long as I'm in England, lol).

3. Look up numbers in the phone book, or call directory assistance?

Oh, directory assistance! I'm too lazy to be bothered with phone books, lol!

4. Mashed potatoes or French fries?

Oh, do I have to choose?!?! Okay....I'm choosing both. Nope, don't argue with me....just put both on my plate, thank you very much

5. Hand-code your website, or use an editor (such as Front Page)?

Hand-code. I never could get the hand of those editor things, so I just decided to teach myself HTML. Its so much easier that way!

6. Freeway or winding country road?

Country roads. I just like the scenery Although I have to admit, if I'm in a hurry...watch out freeway!!

7. Star Wars or Star Trek?

Star Wars! I like Star Wars, but I just think Star Trek is rather silly. (Okay, so I know we're comparing a program with Vulcans and Wookies and I'm saying the Wookie is less silly, but at least he's cute and cuddly!!!)

8. Disney or Warner Brothers cartoons?

Hands down, no questions asked...Disney!!!!! Beats Warner Brothers any day of the week. And I do like Warner Brothers.....just not as much as Disney, hehehe!

9. When it feels chilly in the house: crank up the heat or put on a sweater?

Crank up the heat. I don't really like long sleaved shirts. They make me itch!

10. CBS or PBS?

CBS. I like some shows on PBS, but its just NOT CBS.

And there you have it


Monday, January 20, 2003

Good morning everyone Sorry I haven't been around for the last few days. I just thought I needed a bit of a break from blogging. I've also been working on drawing some more graphics for my website. Soon, I promise!! I'll have it open soon!

Well, Thursday when Rich got home, he could tell I was feeling a bit blue.......so that evening, he took me to McDonald's and bought me a Happy Meal (yes, I know I was complaining about my weight, but it was a sweet gesture all the same) and then took me to see the opening night of Chicago!!! I just have the sweetest husband in the world

Not much happened Friday, and on Saturday we had a power cut, so I couldn't get on the computer much on Saturday. I rearranged our living room and did some housecleaning when the power came back on. So, just really a housework day, lol! Then yesterday, I spent most of the day drawing. So, all in all, an uneventful weekend. Hope everyone else had a wonderful weekend!! I'm going to try to make my rounds today to all of my reads, so I'll see you there

Thursday, January 16, 2003

I am very upset today I got a letter today from the Solicitor's office I had an interview at last week and they were "sorry to inform me that I had been unsuccessful in my interview". I just feel so useless!!! I really need to find a job, but I don't feel like I'll ever find one

On a slightly happier note, I also had my interview today for my National Insurance number and hopefully I'll have that sometime in the next 12 weeks. That's a lond time, but at least its some sort of progress.

I'm just feeling awful, though, about not being able to find a job and I'm feeling low about my weight. I really really need to shed a few pounds. I walk everyday though to meet Rich for lunch (a little over a mile each day) and I don't eat that much (only once during the day....when I meet Rich....and moderately at night) but still I can't seem to lose any weight. Its not helping that I'm so depressed lately either I just wish things would start going better!

Again on a slightly happier note....I hope to be able to unveil my new graphics site in a couple of days!! I am at least a little excited about that. I've been working very hard on making these graphics, so I hope you'll all like them Until later....have a great day!!
(Cont'd from previous post.....grrrrr.....blogger angers me!!!)

31. Disney or Warner Bros? Disney
32. Favorite Fast Food Restaurant? Dairy Queen....oh, how I miss the DQ!!
33. When was your last hospital stay? About 10 years ago
34. What color is your bedroom carpet? Grey
35 How many times did you fail your drivers test? 0
36. Who was the last person you got an e-mail from? Brandi Clements
37. Do you sing in the shower? Always
38. Which single store would you choose to max out your credit card? Bath and Body Works
39. What do you do most often when you get bored? Play on the computer
40. Name the person that you are friends with who lives the farthest away: Well, Dayna, Michelle, Brenny, and Jayne S. all live in Australia and Amy lives in New Zealand....but I have lots of friends, so I'm not sure who's fartherest away
41. Bedtime: Whenever Rich and I get there
42. Who will respond to this e-mail the quickest? Not sure
43. The person you sent this e-mail to that is least likely to respond: Most of the people I sent this to, lol
44. Favorite TV show: Friends
45. Last person you went out to dinner with: Rich
46. Ford or Chevy? Ford
47. Time when you finished this e-mail: 10:51 AM
48. Mary Ann or Ginger: Ginger
Hehehe...a friend of mine sent me this cute email, so I thought I'd share it. I get loads of these and don't usually do them, but I thought I'd give it a go today!!

Subject: THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF: Lynn Hall


1. What time is it: 10:35 AM
2. Name as it appears on your birth certificate: Vickie Lynn McEachin (on my b/c anyway)
3. Nickname(s) Punkin, Turkey, Doodlebug, Moochie
4. Parent's name: Gene and Lucille McEachin
5. Number of candles that appeared on your last birthday cake: 24
6. Date that you regularly blow them out: November 22
7. Pets: In England, a dog named Isabel....In GA, a dog named Sissy, a dog named Chessie and a cat named Flurry
8. Hair Color: Reddish-Brown
9. Piercings: Ears and Tongue
10. Eye color: Blue
11. How much do you love your job? Job, what job??? Someone finally hired me??!!!!???
12. Hometown: Hazlehurst, GA, USA
13. Current residence: Wakefield, England
14. Favorite Food: Pizza
15. Been to Africa? No
16. Been toilet papering? Yes...hehehe, Grant's Car
17. Have you loved someone so much it made you cry? Yes
18. Have you ever been in a car accident? Yes
19. Croutons or bacon bits? Bacon Bits
20. Sprite or 7UP? Sprite
21. Favorite Movie? A Walk to Remember
2.2 Favorite day(s) of the week: Friday
23. Favorite word or phrase: Not sure
24. Favorite Toothpaste: Mentadent
25. Favorite Restaurant: The Olive Garden
26. Favorite flowers: Carnations
27. Favorite drink: Coca-Cola!!
28. Favorite sport to watch: baseball
29. Preferred type of ice cream: Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
30. Favorite Sesame Street Character: Elmo


(GRRRRR.....it won't publish it all!!.....go to next post)

Tuesday, January 14, 2003

I'm trying to change my blog backgrounds and graphics to get it ready for Valentine's Day, but I seem to be having some problems. All the backgrounds and new graphics were drawn by me, so if you'd like to use them, please email me. If the template doesn't look correct, I'll have to fix it tomorrow. Rich and I are off to the cinema in a bit, so have a wonderful evening everyone!!!!!
(Cont'd from previous post.......grrrr, again.........maybe I should write a complaint?.....not that they'd read it)

After we finished our phone call, I made some dinner for Rich and I and then we went off for quiz night We're in the quiz league, but this was only the 2nd quiz I had done with the team. So, you could imagine my happiness when the first round was "American Presidents and US Politics"!!! I knew the answers to all but one of the questions that round. I actually had a very good night last night, getting most of my questions correct!!

When we left there, we got a ride home from Rich's friend, Jeff and his wife Pat. Along the way, we started talking about singing and I sang a bit for them. Then, Jeff proposed that I join his band!!! I was totally shocked and very happy So, next time I see him, we're going to set up a time for Rich and I to go round and let me practice with them!!

All in all, it was a really good day Oooh, also had a couple of calls from the Employment Agencies!! They're supposed to call me back today and hopefully I'll have some more interviews!! I'm keeping my fingers crossed anyway I'm going to try to work my way round to all of my daily reads today!! If for some reason I miss yours today, I'll be round tomorrow!! Have a great day!!
TODAY IN HISTORY:

January 14, 1784 - The United States ratified a peace treaty with England ending the Revolutionary War.

FACT OF THE DAY:

The fingerprints of koala bears are virtually indistinguishable from those of humans, so much so that they could be confused at a crime scene.


Grrrrr.....I had written another long post and copy and saved it.....then blogger ate it and my computer decided to shut down on me!!!!!!!! ARGHHHHHH!!!!

Okay, so what I was saying was about how good my day was yesterday I woke up yesterday morning and came downstairs to iron Rich's clothes for work. When I had finished that, I came back upstairs. Well, as Rich was going out the door, he picked up the mail, which had already run (which is unusual, as it usually only runs after 9:30 am). Guess what had come? My new copy of Paint Shop Pro 7!!!! So, I spent a good portion of the day yesterday playing on it

When I finally decided to come downstairs, I gave my friend Gem a ring We had a lovely long chat and it was really special because, although we've known one another for quiet some time, this was the first time we had actually spoken properly!! It was really nice to talk to a friend (Thank you Gem for a wonderful chat!! )

(Cont'd in next post......grrrrrrr.....why does blogger do this?)

Saturday, January 11, 2003

Rich is at work today. I hate it when he works on weekends, but I know that he gets paid overtime when he works on Saturdays and I know its a help. I just miss him and want to spend time with him. Anyway, he gets off at 2, so that's not so bad. We're going to an ice cream shop this afternoon to have chocolate sundays Yum!! Then we're going to take Isabel for a long walk in the park and then, tonight, we're going round to Rich's Dad's house. We're having a meal with them tonight

I've decided to make Rich a special Valentine's page on our website as part of his Valentine's gift. I want to adopt some cute things for him and make a few little things. I just want to show him how much I love him! So, if anyone knows any really good adoption sites, please let me know what they are!!

Thanks so much to everyone for your encouraging words. I know I'll be feeling better soon. I'm not real sure what's been wrong with me except that I'm feeling a bit lonely when Rich is at work and wanting to be out, but with no where to go. I hope I find a job soon so that I can go and do that. Isabel is lovely and sweet and great company, but its hard to carry on a conversation with her, lol....she's just too quiet! LOL....anyway....guess I'm gonna go and surf the net a bit....got to get a shower soon....it's nearly 11:30 am and I'm still in my P.J.'s!!! Back later!!

Friday, January 10, 2003

Hello again!! Well, I think the interview went well today I'm supposed to know something next week, whether or not I'll go on to the next interview. Everyone keep your fingers crossed for me!! I hope it all goes okay. I really really need a job!!!!! LOL

Just to let you know....I'm taking Dayna's suggestion and starting a list of the things I do and don't like about the UK. It'll take me a few days to get them all together, but I'll defnitely let you know when I've got them.

I'm really sorry I haven't been posting much lately. I've just felt really down the last week and just not into being online. Hopefully next week will be better! I'll try to post more next week and also get back to doing the trivia!! Have a great weekend everyone!!!!!

Thursday, January 09, 2003

Hi all!! Okay...let's see....well, today I've taken my demo tape by the radio station!!! Hopefully I'll hear from them sometime in the next week or so!! Keep your fingers crossed for me I'm almost ready for my interview tomorrow! The outfit I've planned to wear needs a button re-sewed onto it, so I'll need to do that tonight. But otherwise, I'm ready to go!

I also bought a magazine today called Mind, Body, Spirit. Gem had mentioned it in her blog the other day, so I thought I would check it out. I had to look in 5 newsagents to find it though, so it must be pretty popular!! I'm really excited about it Not much other news.....guess I'll be back tomorrow!!

Have a great evening!!

Wednesday, January 08, 2003

Oooh, and to answer Dayna and Gem's questions about what Rich and I are planning to do for Valentine's Day......we're hoping to be able to go away for the weekend. We had thought about going to London, but we think now that we'll probably go to York, so that we can take our puppy with us We just want to do something that's just us, but away from Wakefield. We'll probably have a meal out somewhere and just take in all the sites.....touristy stuff, lol . So, that's our plans, depending on me finding a job!
Happy Wednesday As I said yesterday, I had a big post all typed up and it just disappeared when I tried to post it. Basically all I was saying was that I have a job interview at a Solicitor's (Lawyer's) Office on Friday morning!!! Hopefully all will go well with that. Also, I had done the Tuesday This-or-That, but I just don't feel like doing it again. Sorry I've been quiet the last day or so.....just not feeling chatty. Maybe tomorrow will be better!! Bye 4 now!