Greetings from Canadia!

I get to go home today, cannot wait! I always feel so isolated when I come up here, because I can't use my cell phone. Plus it's freaking cold! I've been sick this week, but thanks to a Canadian miracle drug (ColdFX) I seem to be getting better.thefridayfive 1. How far back can you trace your family tree?Personally, to my great-grandparents. But my mom's gone farther back than that, so if I asked I'm sure I could go farther back.2. What is the most interesting (or strange) thing you've heard about one of your relatives?My great-aunt on my mom's side was on the Johnny Carson show playing bones (it's a hillbilly thing). I have never seen proof of this, but my mom has told this story for years.3. How do you feel about legacy names like John Henry Smith IV or naming children after other relatives?I think naming someone in honor of someone, yet not exactly like them, is better. It gives a sense of tradition while maintaining uniqueness. For example, I am named for my dad's Aunt Janie - Beth Janelle. If I ever have a daughter (highly unlikely), I would like to name her Rose, after my best friend and her family - it's their last name.4. Would you consider yourself and/or your family to be traditional?Fairly traditional, yeah. I guess it depends on your definition, but we do have traditions. I like it, it gives a sense of continuity.5. What is one tradition you have passed on to your children and/or plan to pass on to them?Again, not planning on it, but if I did, it would be the importance of getting together with your family regularly. My dad's family gets together four times a year, and I think that's been the cornerstone of my family life.fridayfiver 1. American football: good times or couldn't care less?Couldn't care less. I don't mind to watch it on tv if someone else wants to, and I know the rules, but that's about it.2. Do you have a favorite sports team?Nope. I'm genetically required to root for the St. Louis Cardinals, but other than that, I don't get into it.3. What's your favorite junk food?Hmm... nachos.4. Are football players paid too much?Yes5. Who do you think will win this year's Superbowl?I don't know, who's playing?

Question Time

So who uses Vonage? Or any other VOIP provider? What do you like, what do you hate, what's annoying?

God is Not a Four-Letter Word

On my flight today to Seattle, the in-flight movie was The Queen. I was happy, because I had wanted to see it but hadn't made it while it was in the theater. I thought it was quite good, except for one bizarre moment with a deer, and really enjoyed it.Except apparently Delta thinks the word God is a curse word. They bleeped it out every time. I find this quite upsetting, because no matter what your faith or lack there of, God is not a curse word. Neither is Buddha, or Allah, or Zeus, or any other deity. I don't think anyone would have been irreparably damaged by hearing the phrase 'for God and country' in this movie, considering it's a tenant of the monarchy of Great Britain. I don't get it. That Delta would waste time and money on such an unnecessary exercise.

Wasting time...

Oh, yeah, I went to a Christian college :DGacked from juweldomYou know the Bible 88%!

Addiction

For some people, it's heroin. Alcohol. Sex. Gambling.For me, it's craft stores. I should so not be allowed inside Michael's without supervision.

This week's fridayfiver

1. What did you eat yesterday? Um. Oatmeal, a Lean Cuisine meal, and a salad from Willy's Mexican Grill.2. Are you more likely to yell or give the silent treatment? Give the silent treatment, although really it's not what it sounds like. I learned how to fight from being around my mom, because she's the only person in my family who yells. And she fights dirty. So when I get mad, the first things that come to my mind are really horrible things to say, things that I don't mean but are designed to deliver maximum hurt in a minimum amount of time. I don't want to be that person, so it's better to hold it in, let myself calm down a bit, and then deal with it more constructively.3. Who did you last grieve? A woman who would completely understand why I need to edit this question. For whom did I last grieve? That would be my grandmother, who taught me how to read.4. What feels good today? It's 9:30 in the morning, it's too early for things to feel that great. :) Seriously though, I managed to install the NAS drive last night all on my own on my work computer. I had to create it as a network place before I could map the drive to see the files and the instructions so did NOT mention that as an option, so I feel quite clever for figuring it out.5. Friday fill in: Thank you ___ for ___. Thank you all for always taking the time to comment and let me know you care about the things that are happening in my life.And now I must go work out, for I have been a lazy bum this week. Later on, there will likely be updates from the car dealership - try to contain your excitement.

Previously on Beth's Journal*...

*I've been watching Grey's Anatomy all dayWhen last we left off, I was having a bad week at work, but I'd bought a house.Over the weekend, I spent four and a half hours with a home inspector having him show me every single thing that's wrong with my new house. Ugh, talk about depressing! The major thing is that the house needs a new roof. I thought this would cost about $8K. I spend the rest of the weekend talking about this, making everyone around me wish I had multiple conversation topics.Sunday, I talk to my dad. He says the majority of the stuff on the list, he can fix. So now my parents are coming to visit the first week of March, and I am going to learn how to caulk. It's all very exciting. My friend Hazel gave me a roofing contractor recommendation and the estimate? $3,400!!!! Color me relieved :D So I am trying to get the seller to pay part of it, but I ain't holding my breath.The rest of my days are filled with exciting things like appraisals and home insurance quotes, so I won't bore you with that. The hardest thing is keeping myself from buying things for the house, but I am NOT JINXING my closing.

thefridayfive

1. favorite cereal and why?Hmm. Mostly I eat Special K for diet purposes, but my favorite cereal is Cocoa Pebbles, cuz they turn the milk to chocolate milk. Yup, I'm 3.2. what is the best thing about summer?Hot summer nights and lightning bugs.3. would you rather have a slurpee or a milkshake?Milkshake. 4. If you could be a member of any band/musical group, past or present, what band would it be and why?Oh, god. I don't know. The Dandy Warhols. Because I think they probably have a fucking good time, no matter what they're doing. 5. Who is your idol? What are they famous for? I don't think I have an idol right now. Usually there's some celebrity that I have a huge crush on and am idolizing, but right now I'm pretty well based in reality - I'm too busy living my life to be hung up on anyone right now, which I think is a good thing. Previous crushes have included Eddie Izzard, John Cusack, Jon from New Kids on the Block, and, uh. Rick Springfield. (in my defense, I was five.)

Erf.

Have completely wasted the morning doing work-type things (what was I thinking?!) and now do not have time to work out before Scott home. We are going out to lunch so I need to get myself in gear... and out of my pyjamas. Now I will just have to convince myself that I can still work out this afternoon, even though I'll have already taken a shower. Even though it seems incredibly inefficient to take two showers in one day.Yup, I've got issues.