It's almost worth turning old!

So, I'm 42 today. As Kathy says, that's nearly old as dirt. We decided I was old as topsoil, if not actual dirt.

And, yes, I do have mixed feelings about turning older. On the one hand, it sure as heck beats the alternative. But, periodically I stop and think, "Dang, am I REALLY 42! That sounds OLD!!!!"

But, there are benefits to birthdays. Besides getting attention and phone calls and cards and whatnot, periodically one gets something that just makes them laugh.

Like this:



Now I love Ramses. He's a great mascot. But, I think we all have to admit, that the real Ramses does not exactly strike fear into opponents hearts. Perhaps it's the blue horns, perhaps it's because he spends football games nibbling on bushes. Dunno. But if you want fearsome, go for the student in the Ramses suit, not the real Ramses.

PARTICULARLY when the real Ramses has a birthday hat on his head! I'm not sure why this tickles me so much; I think it's probably because Ramses has the same expression that he has when he's nibbling the bushes, or riding on a float in a parade, or, well, ANYTIME I've ever seen him!

One could, I suppose, call it placid. Lobotomized is certainly another word. Whatever, the picture made me laugh, and that's a good thing!

Lawful? Really, me???

LOL! DUH!

I found a site with a (very long) survey; if you complete it, the nice webpage will tell you what D&D character you are.

So, of course, I took it!


I Am A: Lawful Neutral Elf Cleric (5th Level)


Ability Scores:

Strength-12

Dexterity-13

Constitution-12

Intelligence-16

Wisdom-15

Charisma-12


Alignment:
Lawful Neutral A lawful neutral character acts as law, tradition, or a personal code directs him. Order and organization are paramount to him. He may believe in personal order and live by a code or standard, or he may believe in order for all and favor a strong, organized government. Lawful neutral is the best alignment you can be because it means you are reliable and honorable without being a zealot. However, lawful neutral can be a dangerous alignment because it seeks to eliminate all freedom, choice, and diversity in society.


Race:
Elves are known for their poetry, song, and magical arts, but when danger threatens they show great skill with weapons and strategy. Elves can live to be over 700 years old and, by human standards, are slow to make friends and enemies, and even slower to forget them. Elves are slim and stand 4.5 to 5.5 feet tall. They have no facial or body hair, prefer comfortable clothes, and possess unearthly grace. Many others races find them hauntingly beautiful.


Class:
Clerics act as intermediaries between the earthly and the divine (or infernal) worlds. A good cleric helps those in need, while an evil cleric seeks to spread his patron's vision of evil across the world. All clerics can heal wounds and bring people back from the brink of death, and powerful clerics can even raise the dead. Likewise, all clerics have authority over undead creatures, and they can turn away or even destroy these creatures. Clerics are trained in the use of simple weapons, and can use all forms of armor and shields without penalty, since armor does not interfere with the casting of divine spells. In addition to his normal complement of spells, every cleric chooses to focus on two of his deity's domains. These domains grants the cleric special powers, and give him access to spells that he might otherwise never learn. A cleric's Wisdom score should be high, since this determines the maximum spell level that he can cast.


Find out What Kind of Dungeons and Dragons Character Would You Be?, courtesy of Easydamus (e-mail)




Yeah, pretty much sounds like me... :-)

Kinda sad

I went to the Hurricanes game tonight. It was pretty much a blowout; they were playing the Islanders, who are not particularly good this year.

At one point in the 3rd period, we realized that the 'Canes had SIGNIFICANTLY more shots on goal than the Islanders:

The truly scary thing is at this point the score was 8-0, 'Canes. So they not only had more shots on goal, they had as many GOALS as the Islanders had shots on goal.

Fun game!

Why, yes, thanks, we ARE that superstitious...

My son left for Florida this morning (OK, technically yesterday, since it's after midnight). He packed a bathing suit, some shorts, his sandals...

... And a dark green shirt of mine to sit on during the game tonight (by sitting on the color of the opposing team while wearing UNC gear, he is symbolically dominating them).

I got home from work today (yeah, yeah, yesterday), and was going to grill my dinner, but first needed to change into the T-shirt I'd worn on the second game of each tournament weekend (i.e. not first round, but second. Not Sweet Sixteen, but regional Championships. Not semifinals, but, you BET tonight). It was cold, though, so I nearly grabbed a long-sleeved white shirt to wear underneath...

...But then I remembered the last time I wore that combination was a certain football Game-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named (but it was played December 27th of 2008).

I started to grab my sneakers, because I still needed to walk the dog, and I wanted to take him on a long-ish walk...but I've worn my Keens with this T-shirt, so on they went!

Now, some people who are reading this will probably think I'm exagerating, or kidding. But the sports fans who are reading it, and certainly the Carolina fans, are nodding their heads knowingly. We are a community of superstitious fanatics. To paraphrase Woody, we go where we go and we do what we do; our rational minds are kinda sure that if we didn't, our team, our boys, would still win.

But the visceral, emotional core that makes us bleed Carolina Blue, that part will have none of it.

We eat the same foods, sit in the same positions, wear the same clothes.

And tonight, Oh! did it work!

Luckily, I apparently do not need to carry my traditions over from one championship game to another -- I can start with a clean slate each season and even from the regular season to the ACC tourney and the NCAAs (though, I'd been saving a pair of Carolina Blue underwear to wear for the ACC champs; I've not worn it since, and CERTAINLY not during a game). I've watche the 4 champinship games in my lifetime in 4 very different places, with very different people around me.

But you can bet, when they make it back again, no matter where I'm watching or who I'm with, I will be wearing and doing whatever got us (er, them) to that point.

(And, yes, I am superstitious enough that I waited to write and post this AFTER the game!)

GO HEELS!!!!

Oh, Clark...

Clark Kellogg is just an idiot. Here's a quote:

"They are the epitome of the spurtability team."

Clark. Seriously. Spurtability????

Poor Tucker

Tucker does NOT like it when I yell at the TV. It worries him, and he tries to climb in my lap.

My One Plate Wonder

OK, really two. But one of them doesn't count.

My kids are on Spring Break this week, in Florida with their Dad visiting their Grandparents. David's kids are also on Spring Break, with their Mom. David is in DC.

I was all alone for dinner.

So, I did what any self-respecting foodie does! Turned it into a challenge! OK, any self-respecting lazy foodie.

My challenge to myself was to cook myself a really nice, tasty dinner, without breaking my budget...and without dirtying my entire kitchen.

Enter the grill.

Now, grilling is not my thing. Perhaps it's the lack of a Y chromosome, perhaps it's because I had a person WITH a Y chromosome around for so long. Not sure, doesn't really matter. I am grill-challenged.

My main problem is the grill is VERY unforgiving. Turn the flame (yeah, I have a gas grill, sorry) up to high, food burns. Leave it on too long, food burns. Put it on the wrong rack, food burns.

My poor kids ate more charred dinners the past two summers as I was trying to refine my grilling skills.

Tonight, however, I got it. I went to my local Harris Teeter, and bought a zuccini, an ear of corn, and a couple of steaks (they only came in packages of two or more). Went home, lit the grill, gave Tucker a potty break, came back and got the corn on the grill, then rubbed the steaks. I let them sit for a bit while I took the trash out and prepped the zuccini, then they went on.

And here's the trick (for me, at least). SET THE FLIPPIN' TIMER!!!!!!

Yep, I need a timer to remind me to go flip/turn/look at/otherwise manipulate the food on my grill or I'll char it beyond all recognition. But I've learned this, now, and accept it about myself.

So, yeah, timer went off, steaks got flipped, zukes got put on, and timer got reset. A few minutes later, and dinner was done:

YUM

Total dirty dishes? Two plates (one to eat off of, one to bring the things in from the grill), two knives, a fork, and a wine glass.

Total cost? $6.68 (but, to be honest, I already had the wine.)

Yeah, Baby!!!!

Dinner with Tucker

We were all tired and lazy tonight. We'd had a reasonably busy day (Waffle Shop, Church, Lunch, errands, haircuts...), so at dinner time we were still washing clothes so that the kids could pack (they're going to Florida for Spring Break with their Dad)

I'm also keeping Tucker again because David is travelling the first part of this week. Tucker does not typically beg, but he DOES love people food. Especially chips. So, dinners in the living room are hard on him.

Tonight we had Armadillo Grill, and did eat in the living room. Poor Tuckie wanted a chip SO bad!

PLEASE can I have a chip???? PLEASE

Where's Buddy?

When we got home from Church...

I don't know why

But for some reason I have Bananarama's Cruel Summer going through my head.