tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34273767190441786492024-03-13T15:51:35.119-07:00The Brighter WriterThe Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.comBlogger244125truetag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-70056122712382976952019-02-28T06:31:00.001-08:002019-03-03T06:45:08.230-08:00On My Honor, I Will Try<br />
After taking a lengthy beat in my tempo, I'm back in front of the computer again. It's been years. I feel like John Waters' mustache: bare and unclear as to what I'm doing here.<br />
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It's crazy how the keys clacking away under my fingers are like a familiar, messy tsunami of creativity and doubt. Although it has yet to be seen if the relevance of this blog has run it course, I'll give it a go anyway.<br />
Relevancy Schmelevancy.<br />
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A lot of my train cars have disconnected and ran off the track over the last few years. I've gone through a divorce and now understand why we call it <i>going through</i> a divorce. Once you're out the other side, it's easy to turn around and look back to see it was much like a tunnel. Or a war. Depending on how it goes.<br />
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My daughter is now a 9-year-old energy hoarding little darling. She's a 3rd grader head-over-heels for Amelia Earhart, Dumbo, Taylor Swift and black sweat pants. She chews on her hair so much it looks like I cut a big random chunk of it right in the front. I didn't. She plays Roblox on her phone, makes Tik Tok videos, posts to her own Instagram account, and complains about hating Base Camp in the mornings. We stay up having long talks about the future. We sing Home On The Range together with our best, loud cowgirl voices when there is no one around. Even though she's this mind blowing version of a tiny teenager, we're still very much in love. She turned me into an instant feminist.<br />
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I'm back in my house having taken a year and a half leave of absence following my divorce. Now that it's just me driving this crazy train, I'm sure I'll have plenty of projects to somehow turn this house into my own.<br />
I've come to the conclusion that I just need to do <i>something</i>. It doesn't have to be at a level ten. As long as I'm moving, even at a level one, I'm better than I am staying at a zero. Being at a zero is like a personal stale mate.<br />
so.<br />
This is my one.<br />
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-12060639107724415552014-10-30T11:15:00.002-07:002014-10-30T11:24:36.606-07:00Rich Uncle Pennybags<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
I had to come up with a last minute costume idea on a very cheap budget this year. Normally I'm a planner and I've got everything picked out months ahead of time. </div>
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This year, not so much. </div>
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I needed something easy but original and with essentials generic enough that I could pick them up at the local holiday stop and shop. </div>
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Rich Uncle Pennybags, also known as the Monopoly Banker Guy, was perfect.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwWLUv20XA-RV8CsGgq-T-m-1XaBj6UOoah6-EQxHkwI_ULXV9lljadF5YPzikzOxXegxDGRRk2rPOASHrUAq-B3FsoIcNlu3Ty98JbIl5QSOAWygIkWKAfVXJgFuCCAgq4DBVoxHSrs9/s1600/monopolyblog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rich Uncle Pennybags, The Monopoly Banker Guy costume www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com last minute halloween costumes on a budget" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHwWLUv20XA-RV8CsGgq-T-m-1XaBj6UOoah6-EQxHkwI_ULXV9lljadF5YPzikzOxXegxDGRRk2rPOASHrUAq-B3FsoIcNlu3Ty98JbIl5QSOAWygIkWKAfVXJgFuCCAgq4DBVoxHSrs9/s1600/monopolyblog.jpg" height="640" title="Rich Uncle Pennybags, The Monopoly Banker Guy costume www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com last minute halloween costumes on a budget" width="494" /></a></div>
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I already had the vest which came with my White Rabbit costume from a few years back, the hat I picked up for around $10, the bow tie $3, the cane $5 and the mustache was $8. </div>
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Most mustaches come with a strip of adhesive but 20 minutes of wear and the sticky will start to loose its gusto. Without the mustache this particular costume is kapoot, so it is well worth it to invest in a small bottle of Spirit Gum adhesive for additional $7 including the remover. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ76rRRt5hZHHuqCX37A52Na5Dq8ZYouK_LhluKyyh3vQSVm2sp3jEUGCiYwUWKiOf8ZLj9jGtV3S7OePXUA2sDr9KkV5za1xmneYopRvkKjSX0tK-Qqz8rpYacXWeC2YDF2QyGanEKmYX/s1600/0073341083002_500X500.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Spirit Gum adhesive www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZ76rRRt5hZHHuqCX37A52Na5Dq8ZYouK_LhluKyyh3vQSVm2sp3jEUGCiYwUWKiOf8ZLj9jGtV3S7OePXUA2sDr9KkV5za1xmneYopRvkKjSX0tK-Qqz8rpYacXWeC2YDF2QyGanEKmYX/s1600/0073341083002_500X500.jpg" height="400" title="Spirit Gum adhesive www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Good luck with the costume parties and be responsible out there! </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqORv2PVvpSoDVFGu2ScQ_UuM95C2XAYBkduALFA-JfcikD1JrIugKYh1rRO7_zIElqBjdOy5d6i9ZPb9eS6KZmcqzuD45LGSY2KNPsC6OQtMfe0jwa9jfVLrFMxMH7YvfFJ41vjUYZXdt/s1600/RichUnclePennyBags.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rich Uncle Pennybags, The Monopoly Banker Guy costume www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqORv2PVvpSoDVFGu2ScQ_UuM95C2XAYBkduALFA-JfcikD1JrIugKYh1rRO7_zIElqBjdOy5d6i9ZPb9eS6KZmcqzuD45LGSY2KNPsC6OQtMfe0jwa9jfVLrFMxMH7YvfFJ41vjUYZXdt/s1600/RichUnclePennyBags.jpg" height="400" title="Rich Uncle Pennybags, The Monopoly Banker Guy costume www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-29518627170613886872014-10-08T15:51:00.000-07:002014-10-10T16:46:26.604-07:00Twin Peaks: See You In 25 Years<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">About a week and a half ago, David Lynch posted a very exciting and cryptic tweet directly in a style that only David Lynch would do. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvx3psilUI_6joLWRLcCqG9rCdR8C-XY9Z5fDxeEPwvZjiiaHBGpE1ZlpKj2sohAFsEbWR9PdCRyhKM2Y7XK7D-k6MXBYrEON6R94-4d7oS0H-Rlp4bg1TmeoIrzo7pBFOvZxrlhV8OHs/s1600/david-lynch-mark-frost-tweet.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBvx3psilUI_6joLWRLcCqG9rCdR8C-XY9Z5fDxeEPwvZjiiaHBGpE1ZlpKj2sohAFsEbWR9PdCRyhKM2Y7XK7D-k6MXBYrEON6R94-4d7oS0H-Rlp4bg1TmeoIrzo7pBFOvZxrlhV8OHs/s1600/david-lynch-mark-frost-tweet.png" height="153" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Those of us who have been riding along in the Twin Peaks band wagon the last few decades started getting a little hysterical.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit; line-height: 22px;">And then...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 22px;">A few days later, I see this little 60 second YouTube video pop up on the Internet:</span></span><br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/nNHsA4WIFvc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
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Oh. My. God. </div>
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You guys.</div>
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Showtime is bringing back the television show Twin Peaks for a limited 9 episode 3rd season.</div>
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I am so excited I could shit a mouse. </div>
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My skin has goosebumps so hard I look like bubble wrap. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfRrQ6wCFWcXD-VzaMVTw9k2Zv0cb8FOzgcy8qf2Y-LeQd3kSJGzVeBnNIT4U_pWTgE13k7CMkqEKdeIxonPRk6tB1-Yb3i7HjkpFwak6F8hJkz47A_-cOitkSy7GsBZ234lLh3SPBIqo/s1600/laura_palmer_4958_645x.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Twin Peaks Laura Palmer I'll see you again in 25 years #damngoodcoffee www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkfRrQ6wCFWcXD-VzaMVTw9k2Zv0cb8FOzgcy8qf2Y-LeQd3kSJGzVeBnNIT4U_pWTgE13k7CMkqEKdeIxonPRk6tB1-Yb3i7HjkpFwak6F8hJkz47A_-cOitkSy7GsBZ234lLh3SPBIqo/s1600/laura_palmer_4958_645x.jpg" height="300" title="Twin Peaks Laura Palmer I'll see you again in 25 years #damngoodcoffee www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Well, grab yourself a cup of damn good coffee, a piece of huckleberry pie, and maybe even a double stacked jelly donut because we're approaching the quarter century mark. </div>
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When I was 20 years old, I rented the first season of Twin Peaks on VHS from our local video store. <span style="text-align: center;">At the time I didn't know a lot about director David Lynch except that he was a genius and that he and Mark Frost had managed to create a show which totally disorientated me and consumed me to the core. It was creepy, it was entrancing, it was curious and hypnotizing. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTLC6Vosdxxlmee3n89ps97O5tuWX-6bB2inj8IxtQ3UAoTrkoGaM68t-WK_ny8kWghp0C9bYGzQ71otZT-ne6RiN1NmaELMTodJOeHOtCTY6RoGRBOe9LEOE_KRH9HRdMKwZvhYiu_Wj/s1600/tumblr_ncy76nQdtG1r87tiqo1_500.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Giant "It's happening again" Twin Peaks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuTLC6Vosdxxlmee3n89ps97O5tuWX-6bB2inj8IxtQ3UAoTrkoGaM68t-WK_ny8kWghp0C9bYGzQ71otZT-ne6RiN1NmaELMTodJOeHOtCTY6RoGRBOe9LEOE_KRH9HRdMKwZvhYiu_Wj/s1600/tumblr_ncy76nQdtG1r87tiqo1_500.gif" height="223" title="The Giant "It's happening again" Twin Peaks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Twin Peaks was totally <i>uncommercial</i> which is what made me fall so completely in love with it. The characters were authentic, fresh and so very peculiar. The Man From Another Place, The One Armed Man, Killer BOB, Special Agent Dale Cooper... they all left me in a state of spellbound captivation and I wasn't the only one who felt that way. Twin Peaks was nominated for 18 Emmy awards, 4 Golden Globes, and 2 Grammys. In 200<span style="font-family: inherit;">4 and 2007, it was ranked numbers 20 and 24 on TV Guide's Top Cult Shows Ever and in 2002, it was labeled as one of the "Top 50 Television Programs of All Time." In 2007, Time Magazine positioned the show on their list of the "100 Best TV Shows of All-Time."</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">My husband and I are currently in the middle of revisiting this series on Netflix. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yesjIwGI7k_ormeNcrtreYq7Doruld3BFcMNcMVbNF56BNYbGDpiN4qAyJvQyuSKuEDGUUGGwF-xs_7jjFZHR5Z-qFMD6pXc-N19AxPJg9mQhh52h-w4kyMwL8701F-f2PESxMkpa40T/s1600/Twin_Peaks_Drinking_Game.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Twin Peaks drinking game www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #damngoodcoffee" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_yesjIwGI7k_ormeNcrtreYq7Doruld3BFcMNcMVbNF56BNYbGDpiN4qAyJvQyuSKuEDGUUGGwF-xs_7jjFZHR5Z-qFMD6pXc-N19AxPJg9mQhh52h-w4kyMwL8701F-f2PESxMkpa40T/s1600/Twin_Peaks_Drinking_Game.jpg" height="216" title="Twin Peaks drinking game www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #damngoodcoffee" width="400" /></a></div>
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If you're planning on doing the same for the very first time, prepare yourself for a wild ride. These episodes are fabulous and groundbreaking entertainment which rocked the world back in their glory days. Truly a gift for all of us cult loving weirdos. </div>
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<i>I. </i></div>
<i>Cannot.</i><br />
<i>Wait.</i><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7g2GqZMpqlPO0B8YWSZuib7gFLW1hhy-IjJm97p2RUdDVY_TMVryKO8XsTsueI5WsXt4IoBD6cM7b95-XF-w2d2bngy-TFxkEADdjp45JcAp4OTg2OQLNWxBxAzKrQUi5KQoaBp_1fVh/s1600/enhanced-buzz-5066-1365463875-12.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="One day, my log will have something to say about this #loglady #damngoodcoffee #twinpeaks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7g2GqZMpqlPO0B8YWSZuib7gFLW1hhy-IjJm97p2RUdDVY_TMVryKO8XsTsueI5WsXt4IoBD6cM7b95-XF-w2d2bngy-TFxkEADdjp45JcAp4OTg2OQLNWxBxAzKrQUi5KQoaBp_1fVh/s1600/enhanced-buzz-5066-1365463875-12.jpg" height="287" title="One day, my log will have something to say about this #loglady #damngoodcoffee #twinpeaks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
<i><br /></i>The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-37788352692838033962014-10-08T09:12:00.000-07:002014-10-08T18:25:40.712-07:00Crimson Tide<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I've spoken before about the World's most tragic and magnificent love story playing out high in the sky above our heads.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">The Sun and the Moon,</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">constantly chasing one another around and around, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">year after year, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">century after century.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">But every once in a great while, </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">they finall</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">y catch up. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">They have such a brief moment to hug, to hold one essential kiss as the entire universe slows down to watch.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">And just like that, it's over.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Not by their own accord, but because a force greater than their own says it must be so.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">They grip tight as long as they can until the pull is so great they have to let go.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">And the chase continues.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Until the next time.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Last night we had a total lunar eclipse in the sign of Aries while the sun is in Libra. These two are <i>polar opposites</i>. They agree on <i><b>nothing</b></i>. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">What does this mean? </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">Wake up calls, restlessness, rebellion. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">We crave movement. We're about freedom. We react rather than respond. We're all on fire and w</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">e're acting out of our shadow side. </span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">For me personally, I'm anxious. I spend my nights dealing with the lashing out of my own mind. Too much emotional turbulence. Soon enough, we'll return to cruising altitude and the captain will take off the "fasten seat belt" sign. I just have to wait it out with my peanuts and my spilt soda. </span></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">In the meantime,</span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">I shop.</span></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Tahoma, Helvetica, FreeSans, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px; line-height: 20px;">This week at our favorite thrift store, I found the score of a lifetime. </span></span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeErZ8o8Jq5sH87JiLbHmWE6F38cARJ7ZClcvZulCPNVL8WA6CEF889nLrGqMR8gW-I6cdGXoswjtbEuQcFzdbwDNRCrJ3oCidmolLl6WGegnpFIQOr2nqS1SjRJs8yFupk46Wtrgad5JH/s640/blogger-image-1811340096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jason telescope #325 www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeErZ8o8Jq5sH87JiLbHmWE6F38cARJ7ZClcvZulCPNVL8WA6CEF889nLrGqMR8gW-I6cdGXoswjtbEuQcFzdbwDNRCrJ3oCidmolLl6WGegnpFIQOr2nqS1SjRJs8yFupk46Wtrgad5JH/s640/blogger-image-1811340096.jpg" title="Jason telescope #325 www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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This is a 1967 Jason brand telescope and I'm in love. </div>
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Junk? </div>
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Maybe. </div>
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But there is a moon eclipse in Aries which I'd love to see up close.</div>
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So I bought it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj479eL3IUrmR3Pyy6focMDe-XvjD_QDF33bXtCbr3725AXU5Who3Uos0AU9nJeM8BcLAzQ01fzEZsvcZFqKS0tKF7a8xprhOT64t7QC_oLlVRwkk6wmFlzRiN4Kwi7gPg8krKBxGNRJRd8/s640/blogger-image-664743861.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jason telescope #325 www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj479eL3IUrmR3Pyy6focMDe-XvjD_QDF33bXtCbr3725AXU5Who3Uos0AU9nJeM8BcLAzQ01fzEZsvcZFqKS0tKF7a8xprhOT64t7QC_oLlVRwkk6wmFlzRiN4Kwi7gPg8krKBxGNRJRd8/s640/blogger-image-664743861.jpg" title="Jason telescope #325 www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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Sometimes you stumble on unpredicted things that you would normally never expect to go together but for whatever reason they just fit in the most beautiful harmony. </div>
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Like a Snapple bottle into a Pringles can.</div>
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This telescope fits like that in <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2014/09/office-space.html">my new space room</a>. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cdE8_deVnd8hv_FoBLlGsfGLAIB1BD3CtF6u2h4rTP4mIFa-CVqfShN7CfJO_1nYqdpwRBloxwduJJqy3vD4jP90EKxQcpk1ELk-vcFusAKL0_vTTNrSrh_ORga3bUwk5pDUQpE8wSnG/s640/blogger-image-490760077.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_cdE8_deVnd8hv_FoBLlGsfGLAIB1BD3CtF6u2h4rTP4mIFa-CVqfShN7CfJO_1nYqdpwRBloxwduJJqy3vD4jP90EKxQcpk1ELk-vcFusAKL0_vTTNrSrh_ORga3bUwk5pDUQpE8wSnG/s640/blogger-image-490760077.jpg" title="You are my sun, my moon, and all of my stars www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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As of this morning, the full moon is slowly starting his 2 week final decent to becoming new again. So for all you fellow transients out there,<br />
take a deep breath.<br />
The nomadic noise is going to start smoothing itself out soon enough and your mayday calls will get answered.<br />
Don't be afraid to get up and walk around a little. You're welcome to come say hello to me while we taxi towards the gate. I'll be sitting back in coach with my headphones on typing away on my Macbook Pro. Feel free to tap me on the shoulder, I'd love to hear from you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_UlWkIlCbYnbzh6HVTQW67Bo0UfEvsYaSu9ZdXpQfTFL4kLeb9ps0OuF-OMYLWPETrmdz6OT4iKMV8-ZQR7GqZJwviWQuppA6POiaZa4vmS-tW3aT6CzmlCmt2qA6hrY7PrsMueb5edh/s640/blogger-image-1209783177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Krista Fuller - The Brighter Writer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhf_UlWkIlCbYnbzh6HVTQW67Bo0UfEvsYaSu9ZdXpQfTFL4kLeb9ps0OuF-OMYLWPETrmdz6OT4iKMV8-ZQR7GqZJwviWQuppA6POiaZa4vmS-tW3aT6CzmlCmt2qA6hrY7PrsMueb5edh/s400/blogger-image-1209783177.jpg" title="Krista Fuller - The Brighter Writer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-70554060821777039522014-09-23T09:46:00.002-07:002014-10-07T19:41:17.111-07:00Office Space<span style="font-family: inherit;">Today is the fall </span>equinox<span style="font-family: inherit;">. </span><br />
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It's time to align.<br />
To coordinate.<br />
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I haven't published anything since the 4th of July.<br />
I went all summer swinging from my hands beneath the tight rope, confusing it for a trapeze.<br />
It's time to climb on top, position my feet, and walk to the other side.<br />
Balance, balance, balance.<br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">The tail end of my last writing cycle was explosive and motivating and since then everything in my brain has turned into murky waters. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">It's sort of the way I would see an old New Orleanian swamp: still mystic, still ready to cause some Creole voodoo, still dusted with very slow banjo music, still creeping with gators, but very hushed and on pause. Just cruising along in my little boat I suppose, checking out the water logged tombs, keeping quiet, sipping on my moonshine. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">We are currently in the dark of the moon which feels unsettlingly pacific considering this is the summer of the "Super Moon" and the last 3 months have been nothing but hype and over exposure. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">I'll tell ya, that last full moon was a doozy. It was the best I could do to try and get out of its way.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Lately, I've been finally piecing together the last of my home office. </span>I knew I wanted it to be a place where I would feel comfortable and productive and above all else, inspired. What I ultimately envisioned was the Denver Planetarium but obviously, my one smallish room wasn't enough to hold the cosmic crown, so I had to make some alterations.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEk2gs0JEjhrH6-mHuzka0KpmKDj3gbCgB9yEv9bxcNpgWR3KN8SvttNIXHuCc6hBzhIhkb5uy3Q5BWw5elV9no7MY7a9J9587CN_95_0C-I1B3Jp9Y2eall_K67AzBM2SkKsvtu8_jEDO/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEk2gs0JEjhrH6-mHuzka0KpmKDj3gbCgB9yEv9bxcNpgWR3KN8SvttNIXHuCc6hBzhIhkb5uy3Q5BWw5elV9no7MY7a9J9587CN_95_0C-I1B3Jp9Y2eall_K67AzBM2SkKsvtu8_jEDO/s1600/IMG_0984.JPG" height="300" title="www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Originally, this area was the same crematorium grey as the rest of the house. I wanted an infinite blue color for the walls and in the end went with Regatta Bay #550F-6 by Behr. I will tell you, this particular project was the biggest bitch of our house. The HBIC, the loft, the hub of the top floor, the queen of interaction, the heart of connection. You can't get to any of the upstairs rooms without passing through her space which is kind of cool but essentially that just means painters-taping <i>6 doorways</i> worth of trim and let me tell you, that sucks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPBi2JNBVxLssP3STLYJ9qxgwmEH8FQ7fXlPTJebaQ5zl28Kg_37Vn8Q-3TIDcUBMWQlC45ft-m0S3GI5iS5LT7loov65LCP8ctxmZGPTpDMc4t4GbURfAEh6se_Xaz0JNc3ll-wzoVOp/s1600/Regatta+Bay.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPPBi2JNBVxLssP3STLYJ9qxgwmEH8FQ7fXlPTJebaQ5zl28Kg_37Vn8Q-3TIDcUBMWQlC45ft-m0S3GI5iS5LT7loov65LCP8ctxmZGPTpDMc4t4GbURfAEh6se_Xaz0JNc3ll-wzoVOp/s1600/Regatta+Bay.jpg" height="400" title=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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The ace, as always, is playing dress up. Starting a room out with a clean slate makes things much easier to envision and create. This particular territory had galactic gleam built right into it's walls. I could sense it. Kalynn has made me some pretty sweet lunar masterpieces over the last couple of years and they have been waiting patiently in my filing cabinet for their chance to go on stage.<br />
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Although I don't feel the need to document every sample of her budding artistic expression, I do want to get back in to my writing groove and the only thing I feel compelled to write about at the moment is where I've been spending the most time. It seems fitting to show some of the brush strokes that have spattered my proverbial canvas.<br />
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This little waxing crescent was cut from a paper plate and covered in tin foil. The stars are a yellow construction paper soaked in glitter glue and the blue ribbon was taken off an old piece of Cabbage Patch clothing. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBKTWoBvF5tquTJtbhsCynxh-60M6WbvZn0TsI9XE7jcH2EOTDZXBUv4QsqWAybnQmt4Zf2Fp-aq9B8zLPw4p_sF-IC4iUsSDjKInAcvYTVwTUdVoBITmYks6NcvEwK1U9QdyfYyMtvz8/s640/blogger-image--2081512413.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kids moon craft, aluminum foil covered paper plate, yellow construction paper cut out stars, and string. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyBKTWoBvF5tquTJtbhsCynxh-60M6WbvZn0TsI9XE7jcH2EOTDZXBUv4QsqWAybnQmt4Zf2Fp-aq9B8zLPw4p_sF-IC4iUsSDjKInAcvYTVwTUdVoBITmYks6NcvEwK1U9QdyfYyMtvz8/s640/blogger-image--2081512413.jpg" title="kids moon craft, aluminum foil covered paper plate, yellow construction paper cut out stars, and string. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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I was constructed my very own rocket ship this summer by my little aspiring astronaut. She says once she gets to the moon, she'll buy herself some space clothes so she fits in with the aliens. Space house slippers are on the top of her list. She says "there must be a store around there somewhere..."<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMYAb1BzsZT0o8BNb5AbtJU-OOz0PRKB-gYAe25gKvNQ81KP8tdo0nMZQWLNgbZISMBLSvO2QZJ0CIPFt3WDuTWBBL8SV4OHVMCWQvHDQeCe4guHj50Klcvrasoasvd-PdbGkGQ0LI-9Y/s640/blogger-image-732212456.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="kids rocket and moon craft www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihMYAb1BzsZT0o8BNb5AbtJU-OOz0PRKB-gYAe25gKvNQ81KP8tdo0nMZQWLNgbZISMBLSvO2QZJ0CIPFt3WDuTWBBL8SV4OHVMCWQvHDQeCe4guHj50Klcvrasoasvd-PdbGkGQ0LI-9Y/s640/blogger-image-732212456.jpg" title="kids rocket and moon craft www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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Ok, so the desk.</div>
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This monumental piece of furniture where I sit and write stories, where I pay my bills, where I piece together home videos, where I edit all of your beautiful wedding clips, where I house my photography and craft ideas, the external hard drive of my brain, my desk! </div>
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Oh, how I love the square chair shape of my ass after having been sitting for hours talking to you guys.</div>
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This tiny little corner of my house feels just like I'm a baby being swaddled in the literary cloth of modern technology. </div>
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Yes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwE4UkFMpGC3ibevCtoJE1EKK-tRlhRStQJtnrRBe654JXRzNfQxNxkpDgZIalkYYRZp00sEBnIhuD4yze_sRChOt5EmAMbko4a-aaFwRYk0MC0N2EC4LwONrYrcrSH2jLptst1hbRQB4f/s640/blogger-image--577370436.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwE4UkFMpGC3ibevCtoJE1EKK-tRlhRStQJtnrRBe654JXRzNfQxNxkpDgZIalkYYRZp00sEBnIhuD4yze_sRChOt5EmAMbko4a-aaFwRYk0MC0N2EC4LwONrYrcrSH2jLptst1hbRQB4f/s640/blogger-image--577370436.jpg" title=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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And as I sit and stare at my 4 computer screens, my framed family photos, and my adorable little mouse pad, I turn my head to the left and see one of my very favorite pieces of art of all time... a celestial bloom drawn by <a href="http://www.warrenmcelwain.com/obituary/BJ-Backman">BJ</a>. </div>
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This world lost BJ on November 5th, 2010. It was a Friday. When I got the call, the sky was completely black. Kind of like it is right now. Not even a cheshire cat grin above us. I swear the illumination of the entire universe dimmed.<br />
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Of all the art I saved from him over the years, this is my absolute favorite.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4A63brwDL4cSMIXMbkBba9riei0JJ_OCjbPXsPllPgmc4RqCu7JBmhgG-I8y4Zb5Y69j42yt6hoK8ttWe5GUsTCS1kZjhDpcZj_rkcQC3Ttk4xfnB5Jh6QebGb-2UMpMNCnnHAB-5Wcl/s1600/IMG_2820.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Moon art, Celestial Bloom by William BJ Backman www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl4A63brwDL4cSMIXMbkBba9riei0JJ_OCjbPXsPllPgmc4RqCu7JBmhgG-I8y4Zb5Y69j42yt6hoK8ttWe5GUsTCS1kZjhDpcZj_rkcQC3Ttk4xfnB5Jh6QebGb-2UMpMNCnnHAB-5Wcl/s1600/IMG_2820.jpg" height="400" title="Moon art, Celestial Bloom by William BJ Backman www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now.</div>
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However enchanting I believe my room to be in the evenings when the dimmer switch dips low, the sound of summer rain permeates the deafening air, and flickering candle light makes dancing shadows across floor, </div>
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the ever alert sunshine comes barreling through morning after morning. </div>
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My office stands tall, does an immediate and intense 'about-face' on its crisp black dress shoes, and selflessly makes way for Sponge-Bob Squarepants, over sized Legos and the daily My Little Pony parade. </div>
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Thus, the circle of life is complete.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8iclS0d-ZArMl3TqHm3nhQ_E_1agX7ZT9pwIahwaqkZbZQXkBPSLT75FuwZPEQe90VXU3PSqPUD_McqxTWxw6MMh0SEUKROPB-Kr4c7prHx5ELyPX5KiHLdpXE54o8gk1W3IZd7IvLlW/s640/blogger-image-472854345.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjM8iclS0d-ZArMl3TqHm3nhQ_E_1agX7ZT9pwIahwaqkZbZQXkBPSLT75FuwZPEQe90VXU3PSqPUD_McqxTWxw6MMh0SEUKROPB-Kr4c7prHx5ELyPX5KiHLdpXE54o8gk1W3IZd7IvLlW/s400/blogger-image-472854345.jpg" title=" Behr - Regatta Bay #550f-6 Home Office Space www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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So this is where I've been lately. In case you were wondering.<br />
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I wish you all a smooth transition from Summer to Autumn. Try to remember during this time of acrobatic swaying, not to take anything too serious on one side or the other.<br />
It's all about balance.<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">"I hope that the greens, purples, and oranges of your swirls stay bright and don’t ever get too sour. Such things ruin perfectly good paintings." - BJ Backman 1978-2010</span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #141823; line-height: 20px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><i><b>Want to hear more from me? Follow me on instagram!<a href="http://www.instagram.com/thebrighterwriter"> @thebrighterwriter</a></b></i></span></span><br />
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-341462417671511912014-07-04T13:51:00.001-07:002014-07-04T14:09:56.994-07:00Tickled Pink<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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While perusing our local furniture store a few months back, I was startled to turn a corner and run right into this Victoria's Secret shopping bag display wall.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWlssw4uV46lEFKjNorIWp05CeQfn9O-cYoJX8Y-G-uJXmxNBqhfm66LqirKqp5NaKa-GLjeajWZMD58TCU-mW2johc75JgHWz2QzoFMHn1ivh2tO0nxuDE1yrepj7Xt2htb67t9DbTa9/s1600/IMG_1484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="light pink and dark pink two-toned girl's bedroom wall paint www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWlssw4uV46lEFKjNorIWp05CeQfn9O-cYoJX8Y-G-uJXmxNBqhfm66LqirKqp5NaKa-GLjeajWZMD58TCU-mW2johc75JgHWz2QzoFMHn1ivh2tO0nxuDE1yrepj7Xt2htb67t9DbTa9/s1600/IMG_1484.JPG" height="300" title="light pink and dark pink two-toned girl's bedroom wall paint www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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"How <i>adorable!</i>," I thought.<br>
"Kalynn would <i>love</i> this for her room and it would be <i>so simple!</i>," I said to myself.<br>
"I could knock that out in a couple hours <i>tops</i>!" I said to my husband.<br>
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Away my cocky self went to the home improvement store and I showed my picture to the paint man while ordering in my most matter-of-fact voice: </div>
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"I need two cans of pink paint please. The first needs to be a shade lighter than the color of ham, closer to the most intimate cavern of a queen conch shell. The second needs to be like a dirty stripper, stiletto heels, ripped fishnet stocking, Friday night sort of pink." </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9D5VjUju7GqAbWEJSJ4q45V1HROTOvO2ZmuMcZzmsLTcmyyq7aP1AgitXNcOAQn4uh1Qxu67HurJ3isaSywAbQFtU0kXLx1Lxrx8F3Je2461I6-CwfibuEHG0_872WyM67Y1IujlCneW/s640/blogger-image-1988392593.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Before and After: Pewter Mug to Ballet Pink paint girl's bedroom makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR9D5VjUju7GqAbWEJSJ4q45V1HROTOvO2ZmuMcZzmsLTcmyyq7aP1AgitXNcOAQn4uh1Qxu67HurJ3isaSywAbQFtU0kXLx1Lxrx8F3Je2461I6-CwfibuEHG0_872WyM67Y1IujlCneW/s400/blogger-image-1988392593.jpg" title="Before and After: Pewter Mug to Ballet Pink paint girl's bedroom makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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This was the very first room to paint in our very first house and I wanted to do the whole thing without my husband's help because this was a <i>girl's</i> room which reasoned that the <i>girls</i> should do the painting. </div>
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I popped opened the can with the enthusiasm of champagne on New Years Eve. I had my rollers, I had my tray, I had my tarp, I had my hyped up daughter with her own miniature version of a brush and we were ready to disco. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dbsYG7nx-JmUXWII1w_QHYC6yuWjBoMw5-JcVZWebhTEMQZWnv6PN7W2PxNwtcjQBKu3v7ngglbXkMschq22ywyE6f0aL2wZ6Z29Z22ev82Y2LbepI_KaQq9ienbvodxy1GgPNHvhgGB/s640/blogger-image-525693361.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Before and After: Pewter Mug to Ballet Pink paint girl's bedroom makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7dbsYG7nx-JmUXWII1w_QHYC6yuWjBoMw5-JcVZWebhTEMQZWnv6PN7W2PxNwtcjQBKu3v7ngglbXkMschq22ywyE6f0aL2wZ6Z29Z22ev82Y2LbepI_KaQq9ienbvodxy1GgPNHvhgGB/s400/blogger-image-525693361.jpg" title="Before and After: Pewter Mug to Ballet Pink paint girl's bedroom makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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As we approached the half hour mark, I noticed I was missing my tiny doppelgänger with whom I was collaborating, so I poked my head out into the loft and found this display of pure slothfulness. Vivacity for paint was out and in its place was a new allegiance to the latest Sophia The First episode.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MSnIA768Z3OQdFRBKRHifm0gpi4ufu2QV9nh_DWi-OIqY1w2vImwKx41DKKaHtDhYKRL_YKS98wa5H82ElbawZWYpqbn3Eu_VNc3pFXXqbULDGyfeVfFsawOw_iRK1d6kliJ8aFVZmeY/s640/blogger-image--941898866.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Lazy Princess www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="399" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg3MSnIA768Z3OQdFRBKRHifm0gpi4ufu2QV9nh_DWi-OIqY1w2vImwKx41DKKaHtDhYKRL_YKS98wa5H82ElbawZWYpqbn3Eu_VNc3pFXXqbULDGyfeVfFsawOw_iRK1d6kliJ8aFVZmeY/s400/blogger-image--941898866.jpg" title="The Lazy Princess www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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It was clear I was on my own.</div>
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2 days and a mere half wall of taped trim later, I was apologetically and soulfully begging my husband for help. My carpal tunnel couldn't handle my 80's Pandora station any longer than my brain could take more paint fumes. Administering perfect vertical lines on a textured wall frustrated me more than my 3rd failed Algebra class in college. </div>
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I was in tears, I was drunk, and I was donezo.</div>
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I quit.</div>
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With Jason to the rescue, I happily tootled off to work while he finished up the closet, the trim and the insides of the window sill. </div>
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I never even made it to the Stripper Pink, just left her hanging upside down on the pole. </div>
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Eh, such is life. </div>
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As a result of too much wine and too little patience, Kalynn now has a blinding monotone bedroom the color of a newborn naked mole rat. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgmiMCGIM-kvj6FObrB1WpDqIFq06K_fMvihi_gXJ_2nQo3gHdUBSxffgaj-8qx0IrmDftCHohTrSbhu_pdgW3k3Ya29FykK0QCFI4Y6CO5TG-K4di5tkwlhgJZP3wwyxcPLsGe7AYvw/s640/blogger-image-485670954.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNjgmiMCGIM-kvj6FObrB1WpDqIFq06K_fMvihi_gXJ_2nQo3gHdUBSxffgaj-8qx0IrmDftCHohTrSbhu_pdgW3k3Ya29FykK0QCFI4Y6CO5TG-K4di5tkwlhgJZP3wwyxcPLsGe7AYvw/s400/blogger-image-485670954.jpg" title="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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I think the room looks like a royal dream. Jason says it looks like a little girl exploded in here.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidK-LSVGbE6_7C2bIz9qzxQ_XbemJNVpS7RGpIfcPPPspDUxPAg2gTDtHtVG257bbKbiBY5xR7iXo9wWYup_TWrkaXl02-NiYbLQprOE_fod2mj4ZQ-MuFWISNSLREzQgnSk2C7Rh3hS3/s640/blogger-image-408008396.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little girl's bedroom ballet barre www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #DIY" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhidK-LSVGbE6_7C2bIz9qzxQ_XbemJNVpS7RGpIfcPPPspDUxPAg2gTDtHtVG257bbKbiBY5xR7iXo9wWYup_TWrkaXl02-NiYbLQprOE_fod2mj4ZQ-MuFWISNSLREzQgnSk2C7Rh3hS3/s400/blogger-image-408008396.jpg" title="Little girl's bedroom ballet barre www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #DIY" width="300"></a></div>
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She's beyond thrilled with the results and she's the one who has to live in it so I suppose that's all that matters. </div>
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I'm pleased with the way her ballet barre turned out considering it and the mirror were both scores from our local Habitat For Humanity store. She's taken up such a love of dance this year, I know it'll be something she'll continue to pursue. Every time she outgrows a pair of slippers, I'll hang them. It'll be our version of her growth chart. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tx4a6oLBSp8SqTt_vJ_mQGJqInReB7aI52Xb8f6mvPC6-C65NBzxBzdGsHx4qmicZznqHand2__2J8OoEVoMpz7bX9yKKBNA8C_IffYojMCbCTKA-ibeTJNNCbj6p21ahMCmBzKmVyIk/s640/blogger-image-1753436561.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little girl's bedroom ballet barre www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #DIY" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1tx4a6oLBSp8SqTt_vJ_mQGJqInReB7aI52Xb8f6mvPC6-C65NBzxBzdGsHx4qmicZznqHand2__2J8OoEVoMpz7bX9yKKBNA8C_IffYojMCbCTKA-ibeTJNNCbj6p21ahMCmBzKmVyIk/s400/blogger-image-1753436561.jpg" title="Little girl's bedroom ballet barre www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #DIY" width="300"></a></div>
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Jason moved the closet organizer, which was originally in <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2014/05/be-our-guest.html">the guest room</a>, and we somehow managed to hang all 23,000 of her dress up princess costumes and tutus. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO9Eh7G3jLItn-D0FV_epJakhfthr9Wyu2m-Lax7j_z1cCpFA1s0UExy6iHCCg5nWe-2PpgROB-ORWdpLkow3fXyGRff3zL2uyxU1H8cWFLeNJ_EbsS-_0wkich-4uLvXihgagIIwra89/s640/blogger-image-1184140865.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAO9Eh7G3jLItn-D0FV_epJakhfthr9Wyu2m-Lax7j_z1cCpFA1s0UExy6iHCCg5nWe-2PpgROB-ORWdpLkow3fXyGRff3zL2uyxU1H8cWFLeNJ_EbsS-_0wkich-4uLvXihgagIIwra89/s400/blogger-image-1184140865.jpg" title="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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Her Josef Original <i>Through The Years</i> figurines have a new shelf to set up occupancy and show themselves off as the collection grows one doll larger each birthday. </div>
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<br><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NldTrWqAqqwOvDh-FPhX7zWnIcPmhxtWEKqGe_576x3Kw6T3NIgOMX4eEVJNTBlXDQxrUj6_3kXZkr04c07PRSQ7u_yMMzCN8oWdaTGBy0aTjRYsICEhsKwHNV_qabe_MeQS7aPeTCCW/s640/blogger-image-1654436001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9NldTrWqAqqwOvDh-FPhX7zWnIcPmhxtWEKqGe_576x3Kw6T3NIgOMX4eEVJNTBlXDQxrUj6_3kXZkr04c07PRSQ7u_yMMzCN8oWdaTGBy0aTjRYsICEhsKwHNV_qabe_MeQS7aPeTCCW/s400/blogger-image-1654436001.jpg" title="Little girl's pink ballet and princess bedroom www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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Now that Kalynn had been rewarded with a room fit for all the majestic tea parties her budding heart could desire, it was time to attend to our much more furry, 4 legged daughter.</div>
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Like many houses with a set of stairs, we enjoy a small curious storage space underneath.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz609H7Ly7uh2i_MQ1zovyux0HL1W4OkdlGBUVdFAZmRA-cQg6X2cOCKfeSaOFcEmTQpHqvMi6MYzmhjXVPn1uJPvMxbpvu2Qevcnjoym613TL4xc0K-FnogLpgvNb40beCPKX25E4F6Ll/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Under the stairs dog house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz609H7Ly7uh2i_MQ1zovyux0HL1W4OkdlGBUVdFAZmRA-cQg6X2cOCKfeSaOFcEmTQpHqvMi6MYzmhjXVPn1uJPvMxbpvu2Qevcnjoym613TL4xc0K-FnogLpgvNb40beCPKX25E4F6Ll/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" height="300" title="Under the stairs dog house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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As it turns out, our "storage" is really the opening to a 4 foot crawl space complete with built in descending ladder. </div>
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It creeps me out. </div>
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I don't want storage bins where spiders could potentially be setting up a Dexter-type laboratory and waiting for me to fall asleep. I'm afraid I will go to grab a box of Halloween ornaments and a million hatched mass murderers will jump on my face and eat me alive. Are there realistically more spiders in the garage where all the storage bins ended up? Probably. Is my fear of an under-the-stair, spider-run slaughter house logical? Nuh uh. But, it is what it is. </div>
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So we had this unused space. The trap door was covered with a piece of wood and there was a roll of surplus carpet in the garage which Jason cut and laid on the floor. I used the remainder of the pink paint to cover the patchy dry walls. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwQJuvZPjWWhAQZ9RcHansP4gElEPdbXTwvDCxCbTlTTHfazU0EEdk0y_VtPb1sUmFncQC8vsX69U0AgiCVBnQ4KeL-yPr_6Tp4-mRB0Hz6uqsLX2XIOHGiezw3o3eDH5b8vq2oEtwIku/s1600/IMG_1578.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="how to make a DIY under the stairs dog house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGwQJuvZPjWWhAQZ9RcHansP4gElEPdbXTwvDCxCbTlTTHfazU0EEdk0y_VtPb1sUmFncQC8vsX69U0AgiCVBnQ4KeL-yPr_6Tp4-mRB0Hz6uqsLX2XIOHGiezw3o3eDH5b8vq2oEtwIku/s1600/IMG_1578.jpg" height="400" title="How to make an under the stairs dog house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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Once we put Guacamole's bed and basket of play pigs inside, she quickly staked claim to the room and we knew it was a match. </div>
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After a new welcome mat and valance, she had herself a puppy house. </div>
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Her name plate has since been added so the spiders know who's territory this is.</div>
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I've taken the liberty of hanging Molsey her very own sexy fireman which she can now gaze at with her one non-blind eye. No good bachelorette pad is complete without a little smut, you know. </div>
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Now that both of our girls had the bedrooms they've always dreamed of, it was time to start working on our own. </div>
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But more on that next time.<br>
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(For now, find me on Instagram! TheBrighterWriter)</div>
The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-16145369897206714902014-07-02T09:48:00.000-07:002019-06-23T12:16:33.730-07:00Ink A Bink A Bottle Of Ink<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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We go together like rama lama lama ka dinga da dinga dong. Together forever like fricks and fracks, Franny and Zooey, In-n-Out, Bill and Ted, Limbaugh and Percocet, ass and Kardashians, Garfield and pizza, Harold and Maude, hippies and patchouli, warm cookies and cold milk, pestles and mortars.</div>
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You guys are catching my drift. Presumably.</div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">These are the exceptional godparents to our tiny Sassy Pants. On her 3rd birthday she was gifted a book of temporary "tardoos" and ever since she's been strutting around preschool like the bad ass, inked up, queen bee that she is. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Now that she's ripened to the age of 4 and a half, my husband and I have decided she needs to start pulling some of her own weight around here. After all, 34 pounds takes a week's worth of pay to feed. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">She has designated chores like feeding the pup, dusting the tables, making her bed, re-roofing the house, re-wiring the dimmer switches, paving the driveway, and tiling the kitchen floors. These things earn her about $5 a week which she immediately tosses into her treasure box for safe keeping. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Last month she earned enough to buy herself the much sought after Barbie Pearl Princess dress (which rocked high fashion runways around the world) and this month she has her eyes on its matching scooter counterpart. </span></div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Once one gets that taste of success, one often finds it difficult to go back.</span></div>
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<b>Enter</b>- The Traditional Summer Lemonade Stand:</div>
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Yeah, no.</div>
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If you're going to do a stand, then do something <i>amazing</i>. </div>
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Go big or get outta here.</div>
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There are lemonade booths on every corner of every suburb around America as we speak. But my kiddo is a savvy trend setter, a think-outside-the-box entrepreneur, and a fashion icon. She looks other kids in the face and laughs at their mediocrity due to her badassness. She never cries, she eats broken glass for breakfast and she knows how to work the system. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsaLj070ZRDhDtwNAYhJrbf5brJ1NyJhociA5mbqieCCK6prm5RjRe6-Fv-v19ZqVSCH48WZNzrig7ioTcHlV5S-S4SsgOaDIkTZVCQIB5FqtiaJtxNp8i0tHFF9wJGzLww1eqeT58ty2/s640/blogger-image-412818775.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Make a kid's temporary tattoo parlor booth and lemonade stand to earn extra cash for the Summer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijsaLj070ZRDhDtwNAYhJrbf5brJ1NyJhociA5mbqieCCK6prm5RjRe6-Fv-v19ZqVSCH48WZNzrig7ioTcHlV5S-S4SsgOaDIkTZVCQIB5FqtiaJtxNp8i0tHFF9wJGzLww1eqeT58ty2/s400/blogger-image-412818775.jpg" title="Make a kid's temporary tattoo parlor booth and lemonade stand to earn extra cash for the Summer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Look at her game face. </div>
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Stern yet fair, approachable, and totally relevant. </div>
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"Keep your eyes on the prize," she says.</div>
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"They won't come to me?" She says. </div>
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"That's fine. I will go to them," she says.</div>
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The girl waved down every passing car and eventually had a waiting line down the street. Motorcyclists pulled over, couples came from their houses, kids ran over from the neighborhood park. Our security was breaking up fights, people were bowled over to get to the front, elbows were thrown, punches were bountiful. It was an anarchy situation behind the red rope. </div>
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She made $14 in 45 minutes. </div>
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"That's enough for now," she says. "Maybe I'll come back out tomorrow when I need cash for that My Little Pony I've been eyeballing."</div>
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She's so cool.<br />
<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-50061326785810262432014-06-23T17:44:00.002-07:002014-07-01T08:27:27.927-07:00The Backyardigans<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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<u style="font-style: italic;">Ode To The Back Yard</u>, by Krista Fuller 2014<br>
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Roses red, veggies are green</div>
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Your small army of assorted Elvis garden gnomes make you ever serene.</div>
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~The End</div>
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When Jason and I bought this house, I knew the backyard had potential to be the botanical escape which I had been longing to feel. Our buried treasure hidden under 2 feet of snow refused to reveal what kind of magic we were working with, but I knew whatever it was would be fantastic.</div>
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(And it always will be if you go in with this sort of attitude, mind you.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7IZ8ZvIU-g1X9ibEXhYFjlAlhGN-Ba1Jy-Lq4M3EHj2w2S9h29w8w0tYCWB0gQrOeQ3aPt5CJhPUhoDgSc8rG_KVnPR82eqawq9PhofHNZkysKQdy46H4PWbTbv4NH6_vRnWS88DCZra/s640/blogger-image-1530002826.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV7IZ8ZvIU-g1X9ibEXhYFjlAlhGN-Ba1Jy-Lq4M3EHj2w2S9h29w8w0tYCWB0gQrOeQ3aPt5CJhPUhoDgSc8rG_KVnPR82eqawq9PhofHNZkysKQdy46H4PWbTbv4NH6_vRnWS88DCZra/s400/blogger-image-1530002826.jpg" title="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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After the snow surrendered, we were left with a crispy blanket of dormant grass and a tree resembling Keith Richards. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM2gBu1BLwK4BjQfcvw9ks7d0h668zyYNGIjuDd9dU-b2ZGhxnuOa_aRzJ0afhTCcxSpXU-NPSeK1aNkUbr6x1GDoWzJ8xuax2e91fNWvLN72YUFkbpoDZURERt-yzZ9mkgSkqfpF2xi7/s640/blogger-image--1078312675.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkM2gBu1BLwK4BjQfcvw9ks7d0h668zyYNGIjuDd9dU-b2ZGhxnuOa_aRzJ0afhTCcxSpXU-NPSeK1aNkUbr6x1GDoWzJ8xuax2e91fNWvLN72YUFkbpoDZURERt-yzZ9mkgSkqfpF2xi7/s400/blogger-image--1078312675.jpg" title="BEFORE AND AFTER: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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And then one day...</div>
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From Keith Richards to Richard Simmons!</div>
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Half dead and snorting his father's cremated ashes suddenly transformed into glitter shorts and deep thigh lunges! Oh Huzzah! Any shyness was thrown out the proverbial window as he opened his trench coat to reveal all the strength and beauty hiding under his knickers!</div>
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Albeit, a trip to the groomer never hurt anybody.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhIfK-Ffm_YOWD5zlHMjoC-9RsGP3ohMYIQgnJlhtSgYEjDCiaQv0OgECNUZT8QiIvvphBhJsbdJy4ERUu-c5gv4SaGeDdFtWhbYhBEHHqVwUnDJ_93bvk77R1_JiRaqbgO3c-A0wpSSp/s640/blogger-image--214840148.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwhIfK-Ffm_YOWD5zlHMjoC-9RsGP3ohMYIQgnJlhtSgYEjDCiaQv0OgECNUZT8QiIvvphBhJsbdJy4ERUu-c5gv4SaGeDdFtWhbYhBEHHqVwUnDJ_93bvk77R1_JiRaqbgO3c-A0wpSSp/s400/blogger-image--214840148.jpg" title="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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Those little sucker plants at his trunk were rooted so deep, it took 3 days of chopping, cutting and axing to get down to the nitty gritty of things. We hijacked his winter coat and all of his modesty, but we got the job done. </div>
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("Well, <i>hello</i> there neighbors! Charmed, I'm sure!" *<i>blush blush</i>*)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZuA-DuhAojNefn48MqGQ4E-zybQd0H-Pxk1PD1f-9eoQxkG_1ryLOJbY5B-yKnxPus1P1ZkEwRAOfllBc4FzZMzK8wg4JrHoK9aQnrZA7esQ6AwRczZXvKz02GqXiZFepJT4okmwMeRy/s640/blogger-image-38085446.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFZuA-DuhAojNefn48MqGQ4E-zybQd0H-Pxk1PD1f-9eoQxkG_1ryLOJbY5B-yKnxPus1P1ZkEwRAOfllBc4FzZMzK8wg4JrHoK9aQnrZA7esQ6AwRczZXvKz02GqXiZFepJT4okmwMeRy/s400/blogger-image-38085446.jpg" title="BEFORE: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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Nowadays, our little tree is renting out his trunk to make a home to our personal fairy. </div>
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It has recently become clear to Kalynn that her teeth will soon begin to sporadically fall out, and she'll be rewarded in coins as soon as this happens. </div>
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Her logical 4-year-old brain has come to the conclusion that in order for the tooth fairy to not accidentally forget where she lives, she should probably just set up camp for the next year and wait patiently in the back yard. Just in case. </div>
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So we've made her a place to get comfy. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyjSTFxQSmy4P25ROactpf4frkfhGaAJ77q4ly5DLBSQ_Cpazajvt0jnkoQBu7Vb_kjFnObyXUqLiCfMo4lobMr2PlgFuFiaOCjohCK_xoyCx0_yMDiEoiLFEnk-6R-I6HaCwPSi_uXi_/s640/blogger-image--1183313411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fairy garden pathway with birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHyjSTFxQSmy4P25ROactpf4frkfhGaAJ77q4ly5DLBSQ_Cpazajvt0jnkoQBu7Vb_kjFnObyXUqLiCfMo4lobMr2PlgFuFiaOCjohCK_xoyCx0_yMDiEoiLFEnk-6R-I6HaCwPSi_uXi_/s400/blogger-image--1183313411.jpg" title="fairy garden pathway with birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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Our tooth fairy has stepping stones leading around back under the wooden arch to her own miniature picnic table where she can enjoy lemonade and tarts. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEdcfhgf-C5qgmhbQmO0jmriVRyGV271mjXgmktwh1g-L7jkBRMpGHaqPLiPlN4ZgK9Jf49yh39KRIQPCrJULfZXG5Bpwfc2eruJm1dGY0IgNOamstVJUBYWqxfV6ALldmsbkVUw_I22_/s640/blogger-image--1075125228.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHEdcfhgf-C5qgmhbQmO0jmriVRyGV271mjXgmktwh1g-L7jkBRMpGHaqPLiPlN4ZgK9Jf49yh39KRIQPCrJULfZXG5Bpwfc2eruJm1dGY0IgNOamstVJUBYWqxfV6ALldmsbkVUw_I22_/s400/blogger-image--1075125228.jpg" title="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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Continuing to the other side of the tree, she can cross the bridge as to not get her teeny slippers wet in the enchanted river. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoLrBxGPwBz1T7MpsMTNiTtVCv5_d88rgjO8XpZ2w6mADEPXrLs6EoBlM7JOYvKKHc4azkHAsiV-w4QLmUDMNGFd7SvbI_RWypVndVYftKFcBefvwLvlbBKduehkwzs19zPui2TL-QfVJ/s640/blogger-image-1888867872.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvoLrBxGPwBz1T7MpsMTNiTtVCv5_d88rgjO8XpZ2w6mADEPXrLs6EoBlM7JOYvKKHc4azkHAsiV-w4QLmUDMNGFd7SvbI_RWypVndVYftKFcBefvwLvlbBKduehkwzs19zPui2TL-QfVJ/s400/blogger-image-1888867872.jpg" title="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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And finally on the other side of her secret swimming hole, she has her very own raised garden bed, complete with itty bitty scare crow and planting tools. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioxJ9MUqDr_0b7HIwDeEeYMVnp6LDXJsoTfHsew9TqOo8uz8U5oY37Csrjtg59PpQQci1X2DSxT0ZNYy3iblWdaoQKs8M3D6Y-g82nRfn9WVGbnoAWt9FTkU-3alY74-sLcTvisPx26_z/s640/blogger-image--219815107.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjioxJ9MUqDr_0b7HIwDeEeYMVnp6LDXJsoTfHsew9TqOo8uz8U5oY37Csrjtg59PpQQci1X2DSxT0ZNYy3iblWdaoQKs8M3D6Y-g82nRfn9WVGbnoAWt9FTkU-3alY74-sLcTvisPx26_z/s640/blogger-image--219815107.jpg" title="fairy garden with pathway, fencing, birdhouse, swimming hole, picnic table, bridge, and raised garden bed www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com"></a></div>
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Moving along, on the opposite side yard we had this turd of an eyesore. The space conceivably had the undeveloped promise of a budding future if given the right creativity and appreciation, it just needed to be tapped into. </div>
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The previous owners left us all this composite "better board" planking in a heap on the side of the house. My dad and my husband figured they would try the theory of resurrecting Sleeping Beauty with true love's kiss. </div>
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She's alive!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWePSPvCUCiCilZk6r7Cg6z9VehvM00pCVR5Lvwd4MyXKARUSjRhtJicve8OZmYWDObEaGYbLCcnpT6DqL-_9aHXdfbaqeUk0WdBxhbKAjIfND3wZx3ERv6Xai7DH2sJ-wBnGUZbx95XoG/s640/blogger-image-1983641752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE side yard deck renovation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWePSPvCUCiCilZk6r7Cg6z9VehvM00pCVR5Lvwd4MyXKARUSjRhtJicve8OZmYWDObEaGYbLCcnpT6DqL-_9aHXdfbaqeUk0WdBxhbKAjIfND3wZx3ERv6Xai7DH2sJ-wBnGUZbx95XoG/s640/blogger-image-1983641752.jpg" title="BEFORE side yard deck renovation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com"></a></div>
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A good strong power wash, a couple strands of clear bulbs, a "borrowed" glass table from my boss at the bar, a few plants and decorations, we have ourselves the perfect summer hang out spot!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXIBLtGFhmuxryNw-VsF2cVFwH9rMgbPRG_v9IFN1f4SwSqjEy4K2ZKZ-xiWx8aCx_l_ZwJhLxB0-iIsZtBsQU_GLMTTYISURDXjd4_nWnAk8T9Y9nLPzEzTLqTYPRkROzwugm274waeL/s640/blogger-image--1769354314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE AND AFTER side yard deck renovation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjwXIBLtGFhmuxryNw-VsF2cVFwH9rMgbPRG_v9IFN1f4SwSqjEy4K2ZKZ-xiWx8aCx_l_ZwJhLxB0-iIsZtBsQU_GLMTTYISURDXjd4_nWnAk8T9Y9nLPzEzTLqTYPRkROzwugm274waeL/s400/blogger-image--1769354314.jpg" title="BEFORE AND AFTER side yard deck renovation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300"></a></div>
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I'm so in love with this space! Imagine a cold carafe of margaritas on a hot evening with Billie Holiday quietly playing in the background to the beat of the Summer crickets... </div>
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It is quite possibly the most romantic place on earth. </div>
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And all it cost us was a box of deck screws from the local hardware store. Even better. </div>
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Looking out from our newly crafted deck was the <i>other </i>corner. </div>
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You guys, do you remember the scene in the movie Pet Sematary where Rachel tells a story about being traumatized by her sister Zelda whom they hid away in a back room because she was super sick and creepy looking and she ended up choking on her own tongue and dying? Yes well, if the pretty little fairy garden corner of our house is Rachel, this other sister corner would be Zelda. </div>
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There was a very sad and skinny willow tree surrounded with weeds being roped down to a metal pole presumably for strength, and a rectangular square of abandoned dirt where a swing set or play ground used to set. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUXowkR8b-dN3SSfnE36TgZINUfJq8bCVObyX87k-kRu6SS0Ja9WPU6VL0cIRh2W4k_XbSZPSAKj-QWZXCXDUNNqosssOb-puIKcrSxiv8t6Nd75tkG-TSc3NQ5GORpwLkh0tHN03TiO/s640/blogger-image-462614429.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="BEFORE AND AFTER: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjPUXowkR8b-dN3SSfnE36TgZINUfJq8bCVObyX87k-kRu6SS0Ja9WPU6VL0cIRh2W4k_XbSZPSAKj-QWZXCXDUNNqosssOb-puIKcrSxiv8t6Nd75tkG-TSc3NQ5GORpwLkh0tHN03TiO/s640/blogger-image-462614429.jpg" title="BEFORE AND AFTER: backyard makeover www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com"></a></div>
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Now here is the issue: this was supposed to be my outside movie theater spot. </div>
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<i>This is something I've dreamed of and wished upon a star for!</i> </div>
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I needed this to heal and repair quickly!</div>
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Unfortunately, some new sod would do the trick but it was going to take a little time. </div>
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About 6 weeks ago we watered and waited, watered and waited, watered and waited. </div>
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Eventually, after unpacking its bags and making itself at home, it was like the sod had always been there. No ugly hemming stitches, no seams, no scars. The sister had been miraculously mended, her tongue reapplied, a makeover on TLC's What Not To Wear, and she was ready to come out of the Shame Room. </div>
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It was time to plan our first outside family movie night.</div>
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We had BBQ spare ribs, we had coleslaw, we had blankets, pillows, popcorn, micobrews... </div>
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And then we had this:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb4UPe415iFYlODI0PgLfBc0BvPNAF95F5_HqmwRdhPmtWriH3pUwQsyhz_uFUGrXLRKNi1WfyNyUrW03qYMYuO45E5WzndpUkKwrNKrnC_3JKjWok53T-jyE5ZJtV26bC_H5gBIJCzth/s640/blogger-image-1278829300.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Colorado Rain Storm www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #rainstorm #Colorado" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxb4UPe415iFYlODI0PgLfBc0BvPNAF95F5_HqmwRdhPmtWriH3pUwQsyhz_uFUGrXLRKNi1WfyNyUrW03qYMYuO45E5WzndpUkKwrNKrnC_3JKjWok53T-jyE5ZJtV26bC_H5gBIJCzth/s400/blogger-image-1278829300.jpg" title="Colorado Rain Storm www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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I was as sad as a Twinkie who had lost its package mate. I felt all alone in the world. My cinema dream had run off to join the circus and I was going to have to watch re-runs of Friends to keep myself entertained. </div>
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Ho hum...</div>
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But then! There was a loud boom of thunder and a giant gust of wind and we watched in awe as the storm passed right over our heads hurrying along like it was late for a party. With the new bright sky starting to make its way over, it was time to set up for our own!</div>
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Bring on the projector and the lawn chairs and the sleeping bags and the booze! It was time to watch Barbie: The Pearl Princess!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o-cLXfZRFFjHJXTcc55f9ey-CzUv1VvXYL9F8ecp3QrWtpGeQ_tv-9HU0mHlrCnyOPXKfiTqjIgrb-hBf9TX9JPdqf5tV2Kp7-CjCWsTm3udfAAtG9qHitnGpbUirJRm9OgXEbGrcb6X/s640/blogger-image--513648168.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-o-cLXfZRFFjHJXTcc55f9ey-CzUv1VvXYL9F8ecp3QrWtpGeQ_tv-9HU0mHlrCnyOPXKfiTqjIgrb-hBf9TX9JPdqf5tV2Kp7-CjCWsTm3udfAAtG9qHitnGpbUirJRm9OgXEbGrcb6X/s1600/blogger-image--513648168.jpg" title="Movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com"></a></div>
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(Never mind our unfinished flagstone patio.)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6YXGRVpyXh_lWphAb6NMY2a_fFSfMX-1ihmDduLDGcZPo711jCihXZAbYkrc8kwecIsgFFdpkOEQSuNTifc-xj-i9J_l_LmDMm0kPNYXUc4O6wfFN32gEg7QYa5TarMSu_gcqBgQ0WIZ/s640/blogger-image--712618773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgo6YXGRVpyXh_lWphAb6NMY2a_fFSfMX-1ihmDduLDGcZPo711jCihXZAbYkrc8kwecIsgFFdpkOEQSuNTifc-xj-i9J_l_LmDMm0kPNYXUc4O6wfFN32gEg7QYa5TarMSu_gcqBgQ0WIZ/s400/blogger-image--712618773.jpg" title="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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With our treated willow tree full and happy, our green grass freshly mowed, and faith restored in miracles, it was time to start the show!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh05Ey4nNgR_SNeqagOHX16NcgTHn925xgAj-9o47C2oMcWzyWDUOlva-2ub55xRDI-eJaknDG4PlWtubcG2mER3q90WYyve83y1b2uE1qVHcB2s8dJLCs0F2BOBqihBWlbVYFYCpnVrjt/s640/blogger-image-1981069373.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgh05Ey4nNgR_SNeqagOHX16NcgTHn925xgAj-9o47C2oMcWzyWDUOlva-2ub55xRDI-eJaknDG4PlWtubcG2mER3q90WYyve83y1b2uE1qVHcB2s8dJLCs0F2BOBqihBWlbVYFYCpnVrjt/s400/blogger-image-1981069373.jpg" title="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400"></a></div>
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Kalynn had saved her allowance for weeks in order to purchase the matching mermaid dress that went along with the movie. Once she realized she could do her ballet routine and watch her own shadows whenever a song came on, the evening pretty much went down as the coolest night in the history of the world. </div>
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We stayed up for a second showing of Summer School after we put Kalynn to bed and I'm pretty sure I caught some of the neighbors sneaking peeks from their upstairs windows. I mean, who wouldn't? Mark Harmon is the coolest actor <i>ever</i>.<br>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ55O_AhCbERIt-CFG3k1Mny3XaPX8uGtdMk46PX7UtobhwgXbSNpifzC7T7p6HdRbdvjOiebe5n8DfMhCF1ARkDoQskKxU8tpmdou45zYTocXIhyphenhyphenkbLwqaYu9FTyNMqhSXiBzTTpsrG6/s640/blogger-image--937319174.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEQ55O_AhCbERIt-CFG3k1Mny3XaPX8uGtdMk46PX7UtobhwgXbSNpifzC7T7p6HdRbdvjOiebe5n8DfMhCF1ARkDoQskKxU8tpmdou45zYTocXIhyphenhyphenkbLwqaYu9FTyNMqhSXiBzTTpsrG6/s1600/blogger-image--937319174.jpg" title="Summer movie night in the back yard! Fun for kids and romantic for date nights! Easy set up projectors are on sale everywhere for the summer! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com"></a></div>
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All in all, this has been one of the most productive Summers our family has ever had. Between swimming lessons, summer camps, work, day trips, picnics, and renovating, it's a shock I still find time to drink as much as I do! </div>
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(just kidding)</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-68891396730888538362014-06-21T07:20:00.000-07:002014-06-24T11:47:06.617-07:00Solstice Season<h5 style="border: 0px; font-weight: normal; margin: 15px 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; text-align: start; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;">This gorgeous Northern Hemisphere of ours is on its way to Summer camp. </span></span></h5>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;">Our </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">little</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">fraction</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> of Earth has its </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">duffle</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> bag packed, trail mix has been made with extra M&M's, clean underwear is in tow. He's checking his cell phone for the time as to not be tardy. Excitement is beginning to brew about adventures just around the corner and he's already thinking of what to write in the first few postcards to the Moon. </span></span><span style="font-weight: normal;">Correspondence</span><span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="font-weight: normal;"> is important, you know. </span></span></span></span></h5>
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<span style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: inherit; font-size: small;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">I wonder how many tales about solstices and equinoxes have been told around the campfire. I wonder if Ritual and </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Celebration</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> take turns storytelling of ancient sites, </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Algonquin</span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> farmers, and cultural astronomers. </span></span></span></h5>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Midsummer is an very animated time around my house. Days are longer than nights and focus shifts ever so slightly more to the Sun. Our garden is growing, our sprinkler is chasing Kalynn around the yard, our tequila shots are going down a bit smoother, our grill is working overtime with half the pay and not a peep of complaint. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">It is sad to me that we're pretty much an indoor culture at this point. Our connection to the sky is fleeting. If we aren't farmers interested in growth and harvest seasons or neo-paganists or new age revolutionists, there is a </span>noticeable<span style="font-family: inherit;"> decline in astrological significance. I happen to be none of these things but my desire for a cosmic relationship is stronger than the lust of a 19 year old boy. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">I need it to get through my days. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">There can be a special </span>spirituality<span style="font-family: inherit;"> in celestial mechanics. It's a </span>baffling<span style="font-family: inherit;"> scientific mix of mathematics, </span>history<span style="font-family: inherit;"> and </span>humbleness<span style="font-family: inherit;">. It feels so good to be a part of something so massive. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">So, for us anyway, we'll be celebrating the first day of Summer outside. </span></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); border: 0px; margin: 0px; outline: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">We'll be soaking up the season and having tea in a magical fortress with Cabbage Patch Kids and tons of purple pillows. Because what better way to say hello to Summer than with a pile of purple pillows? I mean, really...</span></span></span></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-1456313615468509672014-06-11T18:35:00.000-07:002014-06-21T08:02:17.677-07:00Waxing and WaningWith another very welcomed full moon coming up on Friday, my loving Luna has been running through my mind all week. Some people feel a bit off when the moon is so saturated with this sort of bright energy but I tend to tap into our connection. I feel this moon is pregnant with the universal knowledge of love and harvest and the concept of enjoying all you've worked hard for. Appreciation. Reaping what you sow.<br />
June is the month of the Strawberry full moon according to the Algonquin tribes who have since taken responsibility for the naming of our lunar orbiting. This month is recognized for these tribes finally being able to pluck all the ripe strawberries from their swollen vines and enjoy the cool fruits under the heat of the sun. Sort of a humble pat on the back, a mid-way treat, a cigarette break, a pause, a beat in your tempo, a deep breath, a moment to close your eyes, lean your head back, wipe the sweat and just stand there for a while.<br />
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So, Karma. In a nutshell.<br />
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If you plant, if you work, if you water, if you gather... You'll receive the sweet taste of a fruity victory. If you don't, well...<br />
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What goes around comes around.<br />
Repercussions are always there to remind you of the things you did or didn't do. Don't ever be fooled into thinking there isn't a cosmic cause and effect counterbalance. <i>There is</i>. It's a boomerang coming back at you with force 3 times harder than that of your throw, or if you're lucky, it's a nectarous little basket filled with the plump juicy berries you've been sheltering, feeding and cultivating to make your relaxation all the more fulfilling.<br />
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You are the captain of your own ship, as they say. Or farmer of your own field I suppose in this analogy.<br />
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So anyway, last month we planted our own row of strawberries in the garden. When we got them on sale from the local nursery they were weak, limp, and looked as though they were on their way to Hospice.<br />
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Regardless of their unfortunate demeanor, (looking like a wimpy pile of Lindsey Lohans who were damaged with daddy issues) we planted them anyway and in the warmth of the sun with fresh water to drink and Billy Joel serenading "Downeaster Alexa" on his piano from around the corner's iPod doc, our strawberries slowly began to perk up. </div>
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Here we are a month later, and although our greenery hasn't started baring fruit yet, they have doubled in size and happiness. (As have our onions, squash, carrots, bell peppers, eggplant and <i>of course</i> beets) Quite a difference from the photo above taken from the same angle. Even the second raised bed which started as tiny seedlings are popping their heads up to take notice of the nice weather we've been having.<br />
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The moral of this story? Patience, love, and hard work.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbeNUbdhBU9j8gUIXvWbR0NOFyrp_lJIN9j0AKHJ5-XLkI_qyDBf6VKZskc2OJYjOTCC6Nunkbsl_MJnGkjhyphenhyphenFdRiFG2wmHw4ny7I5g-FqJKCXEJUbARt5iLNv9tm9nTG87AY1Si86G5f/s640/blogger-image-1788213541.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="strawberry plants www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzbeNUbdhBU9j8gUIXvWbR0NOFyrp_lJIN9j0AKHJ5-XLkI_qyDBf6VKZskc2OJYjOTCC6Nunkbsl_MJnGkjhyphenhyphenFdRiFG2wmHw4ny7I5g-FqJKCXEJUbARt5iLNv9tm9nTG87AY1Si86G5f/s1600/blogger-image-1788213541.jpg" title="strawberry plants www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">“Should you fail to pilot your own ship, </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">don't be surprised at what inappropriate port you find yourself docked.” </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px; text-align: start;">-Tom Robbins, <i>Jitterbug Perfume</i></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k0JEN6zPVgXRkiflQ3gTAv_ZBBpe9WuVPzdQ8Bcr1zK8MC2pOpxsHk5vaYjXqU6ppa-TRNnEl-Z15-miDjXtS8URItHqNhSb62yVPAFkI182b-9jupH9snGfwOi6WPxkosuOFnOaNhL7/s640/blogger-image--1134351503.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Summer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8k0JEN6zPVgXRkiflQ3gTAv_ZBBpe9WuVPzdQ8Bcr1zK8MC2pOpxsHk5vaYjXqU6ppa-TRNnEl-Z15-miDjXtS8URItHqNhSb62yVPAFkI182b-9jupH9snGfwOi6WPxkosuOFnOaNhL7/s400/blogger-image--1134351503.jpg" title="Summer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-30209807514287070332014-06-06T11:23:00.000-07:002014-06-06T14:01:50.641-07:00Captain Krista's Counter Culture<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Have you ever seen those clunker cars where the hood or passenger side door is a different color than the rest of the car's body? </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had the culinary equivalent. </span><br />
<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">We had a clunker kitchen. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The walls were that unfortunate color of hammered down concrete which was bad enough, but in addition the counter tops were the color of Yoda. </span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Not like a bright, young and energetic Yoda. </span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">More like a hungover Yoda who had woken up after just 2 1/2 hours of sleep to find he had rolled over a dirty diaper and was now snuggled up to a big girl with breath smelling of kitty litter. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PCtYzVNEV6gz63bhbGpM_QTZun0CaIMTT60VIqOVfGbj_vVNwIsbMydYRnI3RqIqTvQyv8DmtUm3SunnUwlLmCzyhxtBA6uV2v_z0LD4c1FfaNadc70t00gn4S5sVnJOS_jm5rs0dVxX/s1600/61_725190_3_1389037705.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_PCtYzVNEV6gz63bhbGpM_QTZun0CaIMTT60VIqOVfGbj_vVNwIsbMydYRnI3RqIqTvQyv8DmtUm3SunnUwlLmCzyhxtBA6uV2v_z0LD4c1FfaNadc70t00gn4S5sVnJOS_jm5rs0dVxX/s1600/61_725190_3_1389037705.jpg" height="271" title="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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On the opposite wall there was a lovely laminate counter top sprinkled with multiple shades of tan. It was a beautiful mix of armadillo, peanut shells, pine cone, Indian tee-pee and Tara Reid. I couldn't understand why the previous owners would have replaced one and not the other. But for whatever reason, they didn't. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAPWUMAe8hOynnQjwv0NllFx9be3PVtWsiKB7t-NejOfygnvMPjAwT704NTOUfOjyGvg3wV0wMYJJqt0XsXTnsZHNx0Iw7ueyOdDXHqxPH7PC7-H8p9gP0TVcdmyFIhAA9seUqnAQ6IzP/s640/blogger-image--1503936351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wilsonart Laminate Terra Roca 4837-53 kitchen counter remodel www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFAPWUMAe8hOynnQjwv0NllFx9be3PVtWsiKB7t-NejOfygnvMPjAwT704NTOUfOjyGvg3wV0wMYJJqt0XsXTnsZHNx0Iw7ueyOdDXHqxPH7PC7-H8p9gP0TVcdmyFIhAA9seUqnAQ6IzP/s400/blogger-image--1503936351.jpg" title="Wilsonart Laminate Terra Roca 4837-53 kitchen counter remodel www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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When we bought the house, replacing the mismatched counter tops was on code red urgency. So much so that in one of our counteroffers to purchasing this quaint little palace, we put in writing that the sellers must disclose to us the place where these new counters were acquired so that we could get the avocado ones out of here as soon as humanly possible. </div>
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Turns out; Home Depot. </div>
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Easy enough. </div>
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Now to tend to these horrific walls. </div>
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Again.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUv9-jAB9_Av7tQ4h7bgu0C_UZkVJSF3fisgFchEs8NKrs7COlstDo4BB6ixMYPMQ9Z-F52ace-v_BXsnvOICyFakVEflYM0BWaFoo_zrJtSdJAxcoYIBaK696IovDk2r9EYB15NwxU2s/s640/blogger-image--9210071.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJUv9-jAB9_Av7tQ4h7bgu0C_UZkVJSF3fisgFchEs8NKrs7COlstDo4BB6ixMYPMQ9Z-F52ace-v_BXsnvOICyFakVEflYM0BWaFoo_zrJtSdJAxcoYIBaK696IovDk2r9EYB15NwxU2s/s400/blogger-image--9210071.jpg" title="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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I was wanting a creamy pastel sort of pale teal color for the paint but none of the color swatches were really what I was going for. Our living room lamps were however that particular shade so I marched one of them into Home Depot and they were able to color match. Technology is amazing. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"></span>I know these pictures aren't the best given that they were taken on a cell phone (latest and greatest iPhone or not, an actual camera always does more justice), but my point isn't really the colors as much as the change. Just notice the very drastic shift from the dark side of the moon to the silver lining. My entire mood was lifted like wallets in the streets of Paris with each brush stroke.<br />
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Ok, so putting a stop to the discrepancy of the counter tops was a process. </div>
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The lady at our local Home Depot was a horrible person with a disastrous personality and to say we didn't hit it off very well would have been an enormous understatement. </div>
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Now, I know nothing about home renovation.</div>
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I make this no secret.</div>
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I've never owned a home, I've never replaced counter tops, I don't even know when the last time I stepped foot in a home improvement store would have been. </div>
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However, I'm not an idiot.</div>
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I was trying to get through the ordering process just as unscathed as this road-kill of a customer service representative. Turns out, some people have a rough time playing well with others so I ended up telling her to have a nice afternoon (that isn't what I told her) and I went to the other side of town and visited with Fort Collins' other Home Depot. </div>
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This new woman was extraordinary. She explained all the steps, how everything would go down and in what order. We matched the laminate, we chose the back splash wall, we decided on the waterfall trim and that was all there was to it. A week after we had a guy from the tile and stone company come to our house to measure, it took 2 1/2 weeks for fabrication, and a week after that it was installed. </div>
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Easy Peasy.</div>
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We skipped paying the extra cash and took our old tops and sink off ourselves. By ourselves I mean Jason and our friend Grant and absolutely nothing involving myself personally unless you count snapping pictures. </div>
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8VKmnYnI0Kya84JYC9n-ZbcNkSy2ZRJx5hLNKUcgpvSLDzPrr0r9D2F0Rtzg4X8WVHmdBpgiS3U7gHt7tm1LPbAFf9d6kq8lxZiBSWTJXCdN9Alb7xupvX3mGQ7WUSkVCClpVr6q62Wl/s640/blogger-image--1738079299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhW8VKmnYnI0Kya84JYC9n-ZbcNkSy2ZRJx5hLNKUcgpvSLDzPrr0r9D2F0Rtzg4X8WVHmdBpgiS3U7gHt7tm1LPbAFf9d6kq8lxZiBSWTJXCdN9Alb7xupvX3mGQ7WUSkVCClpVr6q62Wl/s400/blogger-image--1738079299.jpg" title="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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The newbies were installed the following day in under an hour. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0HIao-0qa5lwDb1syic1VK209y8KnEtCvGMf7ynbaMZ34etK90E7qAGD_E-I7QjB4v0yNgJ9rB7lDx2yIegJpFTvRJqEfU7xGLVRE1iRPyAZz1OGUjeL1GnWNErFRc-JUxbN3rgXCiQ-/s640/blogger-image-1785758663.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Wilsonart Laminate Terra Roca 4837-53 kitchen counter remodel www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd0HIao-0qa5lwDb1syic1VK209y8KnEtCvGMf7ynbaMZ34etK90E7qAGD_E-I7QjB4v0yNgJ9rB7lDx2yIegJpFTvRJqEfU7xGLVRE1iRPyAZz1OGUjeL1GnWNErFRc-JUxbN3rgXCiQ-/s400/blogger-image-1785758663.jpg" title="Wilsonart Laminate Terra Roca 4837-53 kitchen counter remodel www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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This next picture is the one that absolutely kills me. I was just flipping though the pictures from a post a few weeks back called <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2014/04/50-shades-of-pewter-mug.html">50 Shades of Pewter Mug</a> and standing from the same point of view the place is <i>so dark</i>! I just can't even believe how much brighter the whole house looks with just a few coats of lighter paint on the walls. If I have any advice for anyone looking to spruce their place up on a budget, just grab of couple of rollers and a head over to your nearest home improvement store (<i>NOT</i> the Home Depot on the corner of Lemay and Mulberry in Fort Collins, Colorado). It's the biggest bang for your buck for sure. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBHoyNcqEhbZrqVVqctMBlWh9B96WS1Jqup2rR2csTKQQQeWJ-TDfjnKBKb3yiWY44QUDZx0rQtovSaffDMDHayNiypFR4gW23-bCRkynRrWHwK2UK4aWhMQd00qGbuIU48mWOfxbGqEO/s640/blogger-image-2079933351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFBHoyNcqEhbZrqVVqctMBlWh9B96WS1Jqup2rR2csTKQQQeWJ-TDfjnKBKb3yiWY44QUDZx0rQtovSaffDMDHayNiypFR4gW23-bCRkynRrWHwK2UK4aWhMQd00qGbuIU48mWOfxbGqEO/s400/blogger-image-2079933351.jpg" title="Kitchen Countertop remodel before and after photos www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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With order restored in the kitchen area and a brightness breathing life back into our little cave, I feel much more at ease with posting some summer recipes in the near future. </div>
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However, for now I'm going to do nothing but sit. It's been 2 months of remodeling and I need a bit of a break. I've been sick all week with a hellacious head cold and there is an Adirondack chair, a brand new Tom Robbins book, and a glass of iced tea in the back yard screaming my name. </div>
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Have a great weekend!</span><br />
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<span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FHJztuTuGYR4IbLrJhRaikkMdFJ95vvEomW6DF6B_rlvEqHrC7F3v2iVKxTCkttHUtW9GbR1ct8bbunlCAxkCxyIR-vwKjil7QCTPoYfUfM8Is1qQEuXaw6gn9wC1ZW99I8fkx0SB1gk/s640/blogger-image--646391016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Saint Paul defined faith as "a belief in things unseen." Well, I believe in unseen things. Don't you? Love. Electricity. Flatulence. -Tom Robbins, Tibetan Peach Pie www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_FHJztuTuGYR4IbLrJhRaikkMdFJ95vvEomW6DF6B_rlvEqHrC7F3v2iVKxTCkttHUtW9GbR1ct8bbunlCAxkCxyIR-vwKjil7QCTPoYfUfM8Is1qQEuXaw6gn9wC1ZW99I8fkx0SB1gk/s400/blogger-image--646391016.jpg" title="Saint Paul defined faith as "a belief in things unseen." Well, I believe in unseen things. Don't you? Love. Electricity. Flatulence. -Tom Robbins, Tibetan Peach Pie www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></span></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-82805760860896311942014-06-02T23:03:00.002-07:002014-06-06T11:50:09.999-07:00Tommy Rotten: The Man Who Changed My MoonYou guys.<br />
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I waited 4 hours at the Tattered Cover Bookstore tonight to meet the most influential literary icon of my life.<br />
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As the clock drew closer to that 7 PM hour and I had been holding my espresso saturated self and my coveted 3rd row center aisle seat, I had to just get up and pee. It was like 6:53 PM and I figured if I ran back super fast and left my books on my chair to mark my territory, I could safely make it back in time for Tom Robbins to come strolling down the walkway and into my obsessive little world.<br />
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So I'm hauling ass around the corner doing the middle aged lady speed walk and I run right into the guy.<br />
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Like, I'm face to face. <br />
With Tom Robbins.<br />
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The Universe purposely pushed on my bladder right at that exact moment so that it could align our paths. Tom Robbins is standing directly in front of me and I have this amazing opportunity to let him know how much he's changed my views about everything in the goddamn world and how much I love him and all I can squeak out is "Oh my god, you almost gave me a heart attack!"<br />
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Sunglasses. Of course. He was wearing shades, a striped jacket, neon shoes and a half smile. Yeah, we shared a smile. It was bliss. Not exactly how I was hoping our first meeting would go, but bliss nonetheless.<br />
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I'm sure he thought so as well.<br />
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He didn't return any actual words, but I'm almost 100% positive he fell in love a little bit.<br />
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So anyway, he read a few chapters from his new book Tibetan Peach Pie and I waited in line afterwards admiring his comic book socks and tried to ignore all the rest of the groupies. It was one of the most magical nights of my life. He eventually signed my tore up copy of Still Life With Woodpecker and I <i>did</i> get to express to him how much he changed my life.<br />
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(I'm even almost positive he heard me)<br />
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I'm telling you, it was a harmonic, star struck, promenade of a dream evening. Total perfection.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSElIEzyHjAzw91i2NJvFkVi8J9i7PNcxubVNWoiGdigt40wJtcnYD7_UsOo-h73v2fpl6HCVdYK3BrH2ft6KmwGshTRFHsa4-4D29K7mqFTVjjjE-Ut1jXUW65U9nGp6n59CWWtCkwr5/s640/blogger-image--558745292.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzSElIEzyHjAzw91i2NJvFkVi8J9i7PNcxubVNWoiGdigt40wJtcnYD7_UsOo-h73v2fpl6HCVdYK3BrH2ft6KmwGshTRFHsa4-4D29K7mqFTVjjjE-Ut1jXUW65U9nGp6n59CWWtCkwr5/s1600/blogger-image--558745292.jpg" title="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Now, with this new experience under my belt, I have taken this from it:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(I've said it before and I'll say it again)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit;">W</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">hen I can't see the moon I feel a bit lost. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">An invisible moon is an invisible me, I feel. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">When things around me are chaotic and temporal, it's calming to me to be able to look up and see my constant.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">I feel connected.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">The Moon is my crush. I wait <i>all day</i> for its visit. But he takes forever to get ready for a date. </span><span style="font-family: inherit;">Like the world revolves around him or something. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;" /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Right now, Mr Moon is coming back from invisibility and I feel that <i>even a sliver is reassuring. </i></span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">New moons are a sort of blank page. It's a chance to think of exactly what it is I want to be drawing into my life. Preparation for the next cycle. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"></span><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0); font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">It's a powerful opportunity to trust in the darkness no matter how uncomfortable and uncertain. </span><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;">It is a great reminder to have faith.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span>
</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">Because after all, according to the man himse</span>lf:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="background-color: white; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;">“There are essential and inessential insanities. The later are solar in character, the former are linked to the moon.”</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #181818; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtmxAy8bBBb7hGP_Q1dkSu4Hm2GHR0j1QN_J4AIjBxNeWEKBSTvBxSG1xP7nnnibzXue0lz1-xfApo6FmGhfJkQx-ASxS1gdEHwaySoftrsmd0Atntl0uoTj_jB0GF_vGzOJAcme5iais/s640/blogger-image-2020015187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhtmxAy8bBBb7hGP_Q1dkSu4Hm2GHR0j1QN_J4AIjBxNeWEKBSTvBxSG1xP7nnnibzXue0lz1-xfApo6FmGhfJkQx-ASxS1gdEHwaySoftrsmd0Atntl0uoTj_jB0GF_vGzOJAcme5iais/s640/blogger-image-2020015187.jpg" title="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinyxl3MFosSBsgeqNwlarf6zruAgJ2hrd3TaRMf3HRWpEAEmF0Ifhgfqv6M1_kbLDVMD11NCsibzjR-7059srlgidmp5XCaD79kUCP0kXx0N_8PLMyF5dm4G7hgJM19X7Qip7CoAfwz5Xm/s640/blogger-image-1037369907.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie #Stilllifewithwoodpecker" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinyxl3MFosSBsgeqNwlarf6zruAgJ2hrd3TaRMf3HRWpEAEmF0Ifhgfqv6M1_kbLDVMD11NCsibzjR-7059srlgidmp5XCaD79kUCP0kXx0N_8PLMyF5dm4G7hgJM19X7Qip7CoAfwz5Xm/s400/blogger-image-1037369907.jpg" title="Tom Robbins book signing tour for Tibetan Peach Pie at the Tattered Cover Bookstore in Littleton, Colorado just outside of Denver www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie #Stilllifewithwoodpecker" width="400" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpmxUUorFfCaKmuWWAefCfvk3pWyZXRv82Tqw-9-XfrN_GQePSsiviqx6hDAZZv3AYBuqTzL3upGki0R66eGl5LBnDYHiUIyNjzaz9BNieLTKpZrhaVpT1FE5dRCPDPFa9w9LVWURVKS0/s640/blogger-image--1556641370.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=""A pileated woodpecker is still a pileated woodpecker no matter if it roosts with the ducks." -Tom Robbins, Tibetan Peach Pie www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" border="0" height="218" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEpmxUUorFfCaKmuWWAefCfvk3pWyZXRv82Tqw-9-XfrN_GQePSsiviqx6hDAZZv3AYBuqTzL3upGki0R66eGl5LBnDYHiUIyNjzaz9BNieLTKpZrhaVpT1FE5dRCPDPFa9w9LVWURVKS0/s400/blogger-image--1556641370.jpg" title=""A pileated woodpecker is still a pileated woodpecker no matter if it roosts with the ducks." -Tom Robbins, Tibetan Peach Pie www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #tomrobbins #tibetanpeachpie" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: inherit; font-size: 15px; line-height: 20.790000915527344px;"><br /></span>The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-67857332979766138802014-05-15T09:35:00.001-07:002014-06-24T12:12:53.101-07:0020 Sure Swift Ways To Piss Off Your Local Friendly BartenderIt's a tricky concept to work with people instead of product.<br />
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There are a lot of personalities out there and unfortunately not all of them are smart nor socially in tune. As a bartender, I see occasional looks from 9-to-5ers who think this sort of people pleasing job is just <i>so easy</i>. I deal with people who see anyone in the service industry as sad drink slingers here to accommodate their buzz. Lets make no mistake here: deep down, I live for this. There is nothing I would personally like to do for a living more than have a social life which also happens to pay my bills. I feel very blessed. I love the freedom my ass feels whenever I stand up and it hasn't physically gown into the square shape of a cubicle chair. However, I have also found my niche far far away from novice shot takers and now prefer to be the barrel monkey at a more seasoned cabana where I take care of practiced pros who rarely make amateur faux paus.<br />
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But with that being said, there are always those few...<br />
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My husband and I went out for beers last night to visit a friend of ours who works security at a tavern downtown. As fun as it is to get out of the house and stretch our livers a bit, it absolutely reminded me how happy I am that I don't mix drinks for a gaggle of drunken college kids anymore. Sure, the money is fantastic, but the toll it takes on the temper and the irritation gauge is enough to hang up my shaker for a while.<br />
While my husband sat and watched all the handlebar mustaches come and go, my eyes were fixed on the interaction between the 3 guys lobbing bottles and the unforgiving line which wrapped around the entire bar. I could see, time and time again, the universal pet peeves which were unfolding right in front of my eyes.<br />
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It's a world wide formula which bartenders around the globe have had to deal with since the dawn of time:<br />
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Unaware and overly saturated patrons<br />
+ Busy bartender in overly populated tavern<br />
= The perfect cocktail of broken bar etiquette.<br />
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Now, I feel it's my civic duty to post these bete noirs to help clear the air and put an end to any confusion as to what is acceptable pub behavior and what isn't. So in no particular order, let's commence the lesson.<br />
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1.<b> Being indecisive</b> (also known as "just make me whatever you want!" or "mix me something fruity, your choice!") I have a bar which the fire department would shut down for being hundreds of people over capacity, and you've been waiting in line for 20 minutes for your turn to secure a delicious cold beverage but you seriously don't know what you want to drink? Get out of here.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmuhaWu5hd0Q8hAPg-95EHlG9sFMOLV-RSJ7n_bddbPlIMUrLx1wYXygJrxvgZrtUceKhdOZfVc5hyHwPz0GT_LG9zy_8VuBxPxCEiYrfIBdVcK9v5GnXmYvqoH211h-ztUw7hKHHZRjG/s1600/o52tqa.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="What should I have to drink? The indecisive orderer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbmuhaWu5hd0Q8hAPg-95EHlG9sFMOLV-RSJ7n_bddbPlIMUrLx1wYXygJrxvgZrtUceKhdOZfVc5hyHwPz0GT_LG9zy_8VuBxPxCEiYrfIBdVcK9v5GnXmYvqoH211h-ztUw7hKHHZRjG/s1600/o52tqa.jpg" height="400" title="What should I have to drink? The indecisive orderer www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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2. <b>Trying to throw stuff into the trash can and missing</b>. I don't know if you think you're Michael Jordan, but I have news for you, you aren't Michael Jordan. You're especially not Michael Jordan after 5 Washington Apples and 3 IPA's. As you try and then fail over and over in an attempt to convince yourself otherwise, I am collecting a small army of crinkled up cocktail napkins which I will have to clean up at 2AM after an already exhausting shift. Please just get up and place your trash in the can like everyone else. Thanks.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-WwDlAF6Xoa9sghEvxavoodXypXZL5l7kFDuynTAKzvzwstRcZXMFs6URXe-n0oCYdobtxBXbjC4QA7wEtCEFCwk9cJwRuqNih31GtEnAW25uY0E8U20O-mf_-MeyTpDsoys3iyw68Hv/s1600/trash.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#2 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Trying to throw stuff into the trash can and missing www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhv-WwDlAF6Xoa9sghEvxavoodXypXZL5l7kFDuynTAKzvzwstRcZXMFs6URXe-n0oCYdobtxBXbjC4QA7wEtCEFCwk9cJwRuqNih31GtEnAW25uY0E8U20O-mf_-MeyTpDsoys3iyw68Hv/s1600/trash.jpg" height="400" title="#2 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Trying to throw stuff into the trash can and missing www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="266" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: center;">3. On the heals of this;<b> Frisbee tossing coasters</b>. When you launch a coaster across the bar room, and you come inches away from hitting me in the forehead, sometimes even succeeding, you aren't being funny or flirty or anything other than an asshole asking for weak drinks and an irritated bartender. </span><br />
<span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span><span style="text-align: center;">4. <b>Tipping in me in a pile of dimes, pennies, and nickles</b>? Are you a homeless person who really doesn't even have the money to be at a bar in the first place? Take that shit to Coin Star. Come on. </span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRQwk7Gmw3KByNzaDQUNq_iILQ_Kr5-32HphCbNP_gSUBdF1iKXGSooKu7BBG1kVOYEYR96uFr1IkeEmTX1vZNe8R8jq0NZUTulK0E-5ANglzrdGrY-ffLtFkUFAKvHt5gp_3YX0r8xTB/s1600/coins.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#4. (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Tipping in a pile of change www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjoRQwk7Gmw3KByNzaDQUNq_iILQ_Kr5-32HphCbNP_gSUBdF1iKXGSooKu7BBG1kVOYEYR96uFr1IkeEmTX1vZNe8R8jq0NZUTulK0E-5ANglzrdGrY-ffLtFkUFAKvHt5gp_3YX0r8xTB/s1600/coins.jpg" height="299" title="#4. (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Tipping in a pile of change www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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5. <b>Making a mess</b> (ie; ripping off beer labels, tearing up coasters) I understand that you're nervous or sexually frustrated or bored or whatever but my job is not to be your personal janitor. Knock it off. Are you building a nest?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnJqZq0S36fzl6GrAQRXTfDUZ6WHY6qN10v3WfCDSTck81dObobahtWp2iZRiedViZKUB7-ETEFc4rd5OibLgsa3njmH4bwjYq0ae90syb76n4fLEaeiCFmau0XsrhUHsema0KDPz_xUF/s1600/5knb7c.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#5. (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Making a mess ie; ripping beer labels and tearing up coasters www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifnJqZq0S36fzl6GrAQRXTfDUZ6WHY6qN10v3WfCDSTck81dObobahtWp2iZRiedViZKUB7-ETEFc4rd5OibLgsa3njmH4bwjYq0ae90syb76n4fLEaeiCFmau0XsrhUHsema0KDPz_xUF/s1600/5knb7c.jpg" height="318" title="#5. (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Making a mess ie; ripping beer labels and tearing up coasters www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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6. <b>Opening and closing a tab</b>. This is also along the lines of being indecisive. If there is any chance at all that you may stay and have another round, leave your tab open. It is a pain in the ass to wait for my dial-up credit card machine to close you out 3 separate times at $4.50 a pop. And while we're on the subject, quit ordering your drinks one at a time. Please place your <i>entire</i> order for<i> everyone</i> at your table <i>all at the same time</i>. If you think that by the time I'm back with a tray full of shots you'll be ready for another beer, just order it prior. Don't make me come back 4 times for 4 drinks. I hate you.<br />
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7. <b>Asking for free or stronger drinks</b>. I know more about liquor portions than you do and my job is more important than you getting your buzz on. "Don't be shy" or "more whiskey than coke" or "light on the ice" isn't a sneaky way of getting more alcohol in your cocktail. All that does is make you sound cheap and get you weaker drinks. If you want a double, just ask for a double. Chances are, if you're a regular that I'm fond of, I would have probably hooked it up anyway had you not said anything but now, not so much.<br />
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8. <b>Complaining about your tab being higher than you think it is</b>. Listen to me, you're drunk and I'm sober. While admittedly there have been occasional flub ups, generally speaking I can recall what you've had to drink much better than you can. I remember that the baker's dozen Fireball shots which you bought for the table of hot chicks behind you did in fact really happen. I'm not trying to pad your tab, ok? Just pay your damn bill and quit arguing with me. Aint nobody got time for that.<br />
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9. <b>Can you turn this song up</b>? No I can't. Your decibel sensitivity is broken. I already turned it up for Phil Collin's drum solo in <i>In The Air Tonight</i> per your request. I turned it up again when your girlfriend played Brittney Spears' <i>Work Bitch</i> on the jukebox. So when I see a line of barstools filled with customers who are having to scream over each other just so that you can play a cranked up air guitar to <i>Freebird</i>, I'm drawing the line. (And just because you've discovered the button in the back of the box where you can manually do it yourself doesn't mean you have that privilege. I will cut you.)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllRDjBTEWWdTzhXZXxGVEzoh3ApCKnudFUdt06Ta8XpQVFrWyD2cnDxETKoKbItOkhwb6g0z6KSx6N3UJzi1V9KY06DtG-ju9rxW-p9PtEa0yMYpmSMW4gq6YPOJVaM8_PPJ1cZuO2Yea/s1600/airguitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#9 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Keep asking to turn this song up www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhllRDjBTEWWdTzhXZXxGVEzoh3ApCKnudFUdt06Ta8XpQVFrWyD2cnDxETKoKbItOkhwb6g0z6KSx6N3UJzi1V9KY06DtG-ju9rxW-p9PtEa0yMYpmSMW4gq6YPOJVaM8_PPJ1cZuO2Yea/s1600/airguitar.jpg" height="300" title="#9 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Keep asking to turn this song up www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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10. <b>Interrupting when I'm talking to another customer</b>. Whatever you're going to say isn't as important as you think it is. Don't be a dick.<br />
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11. <b>Using hand signals or yelling at me to get a drink, </b>especially<b> </b>when I'm crazy busy, isn't going to get you a drink any faster. I'm taking inventory of everyone standing at the bar whether you think I see you or not, I know you're there. I have a certain order in my head of which drink orders to take while I go to the other end of the bar to get beer for a different group across the room. When you yell at me, snap at me, clap at me or wave your arms around like a kindergartner who knows the answer in class, you're not only messing up my order of operation, but you're making yourself look like an impatient and arrogant patron. Also, holding your empty beer bottle in the air until I come over with a new one is the grown up equivalent of a toddler holding their breath. Calm yourself. Seriously. I'll get to you, I promise. I'm moving as fast as you assholes will let me go.<br />
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12. <b>Don't try to ask me an alcohol related question just to one-up me on your knowledge of alcohol</b>. While a good bartender welcomes the knowledge of learning a new mixed drink or shooter, you also don't need to try and make me look stupid in order to make yourself look more alcoholically educated. Doing so is just going to make you look like a pretentious douche. No, I've never heard of a drink called Underwater Orangutan Piss and that doesn't make you better than me. So shut it.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms10GuAaa827-RwyeILOGAq5RgM-O9jMjRcj1Oh6NGic1caUvA5VS5-EM9Q4rdlX8Db9lSLLvwXSLv9-9kTMnLzj1AuZhSkZa6WuinZpTXcpLRuQvWpDB137GKGvqUwqO880fMhtPCRoO/s1600/2aabl3k.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Oh, you're a bartender too? Fascinating. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjms10GuAaa827-RwyeILOGAq5RgM-O9jMjRcj1Oh6NGic1caUvA5VS5-EM9Q4rdlX8Db9lSLLvwXSLv9-9kTMnLzj1AuZhSkZa6WuinZpTXcpLRuQvWpDB137GKGvqUwqO880fMhtPCRoO/s1600/2aabl3k.jpg" height="400" title="Oh, you're a bartender too? Fascinating. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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13. <b>Overstaying your welcome</b>. The bar is closing. You and the two shit-tanked guys at the end of the bar talking about your high school prom memories are the only 3 people left. If you're thinking to yourself "Oh, she won't mind if we hang out for one more beer because we're buddies!" You're wrong. Being nice to you is our job and we'll tell you it's cool but really we want to get the hell out of there and go home just as much (if not more) than everyone else who is approaching the end of their work day. If I'm turning lights on, pulling the bar mats and sticking the garnish tray into the walk-in cooler, it's time to go home. Don't make me stand there continuously checking my watch, yawning and flipping off the TVs while you go on and on. Just go home already and let e do the same. I'm begging you.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l3jeDzn7ptn1zFFjfeoofUAb5xR6HAlkmwA4ruqM9FSzu7cZUXDwr3PuQtKTeB6SvZUbBcg63MQdgA42cfNSrTtAI8tOcqeOgjZGdKGLxpKx_FpoLc-sRWa941a6pMjQ83kRqOEZN0mL/s1600/closed-fl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#13 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Overstaying your welcome when it's time to close the bar www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1l3jeDzn7ptn1zFFjfeoofUAb5xR6HAlkmwA4ruqM9FSzu7cZUXDwr3PuQtKTeB6SvZUbBcg63MQdgA42cfNSrTtAI8tOcqeOgjZGdKGLxpKx_FpoLc-sRWa941a6pMjQ83kRqOEZN0mL/s1600/closed-fl.jpg" height="172" title="#13 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Overstaying your welcome when it's time to close the bar www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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14. <b>Drinking and driving</b>. It's 2014. We all know how much of a bad idea it is to drink and drive. Don't get wasted and then wave your keys in front of me so that I know you're going to drive home. I am way too busy to tackle you to the ground and talk you out of a bad decision. I'm not your mom. Drink responsibly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8acRx4H2LaL4ILYAp9xV3_LboS9-RiowDULNZwJowcXjoG7h4Yp93dcVeCYWVdklBMYt-ssy0atXqN2WqpDKkASul9k_sVRH632uaOqI-_QfdwBdtuQTLaasZXE14hhWHn3GCX2IiBbg/s1600/drinkanddrive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#14 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Drinking and Driving www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD8acRx4H2LaL4ILYAp9xV3_LboS9-RiowDULNZwJowcXjoG7h4Yp93dcVeCYWVdklBMYt-ssy0atXqN2WqpDKkASul9k_sVRH632uaOqI-_QfdwBdtuQTLaasZXE14hhWHn3GCX2IiBbg/s1600/drinkanddrive.jpg" height="265" title="#14 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Drinking and Driving www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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15. <b>Walking out with a drink</b>. You know as well as I do it's against the law to take a glass filled with alcohol beyond the doors of a tavern. Yes, you're welcome to go sit on the patio and smoke your cigarettes or whatever, but if you cross that rope, you're not only jeopardizing my position but also the liquor license of the actual business itself. This isn't a liquor store. We don't have to-go cups for your Sex On The Beach. Sorry.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89mP6o0U23dbVT1d4Rfd5w0kDgwYp5R1zwcBMoYoboaq4LPYdcRlfbNw6fIsjVR33s8zAtc7WYf2WOTJlkj116dvURTlQBS4wgviRsD3Jn5-mDnmLvjkXzLj8Eok-A-UeBrn6WlXjzS0Z/s1600/I-had-to-admire-the-stami-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="#15 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Walking out with a drink www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj89mP6o0U23dbVT1d4Rfd5w0kDgwYp5R1zwcBMoYoboaq4LPYdcRlfbNw6fIsjVR33s8zAtc7WYf2WOTJlkj116dvURTlQBS4wgviRsD3Jn5-mDnmLvjkXzLj8Eok-A-UeBrn6WlXjzS0Z/s1600/I-had-to-admire-the-stami-001.jpg" height="266" title="#15 (21 Ways To Piss Off Your Bartender) Walking out with a drink www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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16. <b>Trying to have a long conversation when I'm busy</b>. I would love to watch your home video of the hilarious thing your cat did this afternoon or have a long chit chat about your brother who just got put in jail for the 7th time, but right now it's the middle of happy hour and I have to make 16 blended margaritas and muddle 8 different flavors of mojito. Please stop talking.<br />
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17. <b>Taking fruit out of the garnish tray</b>. Your hands are dirty. Even if they aren't, I don't know that. My hands, on the other hand, have been clean and sanitized over 10 times in the last 5 minutes from washing a million bar glasses so because I'm the one with the bartending job, I'll be the only one to stick my fingers in the olives. I don't care if garlic stuffed ones are your favorite. Hands off buddy. That's gross. <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoQhkEMqA1g3-Az7XTulN3tvKISnDKxeuPelb4xHZ9z1Rq8sq1twyij1mbZ4E1zfnC5NjkBDfuauCqK-n2eOWyoBopSsoSGR1HwnkLQCnKNNmkEsNbrSrd6Wmzgxf0Roo8u4zkmae2DY4/s1600/214y4c8.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="(21 ways to piss off your bartender) #17, taking fruit out of the garnish tray www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNoQhkEMqA1g3-Az7XTulN3tvKISnDKxeuPelb4xHZ9z1Rq8sq1twyij1mbZ4E1zfnC5NjkBDfuauCqK-n2eOWyoBopSsoSGR1HwnkLQCnKNNmkEsNbrSrd6Wmzgxf0Roo8u4zkmae2DY4/s1600/214y4c8.jpg" height="298" title="(21 ways to piss off your bartender) #17, taking fruit out of the garnish tray www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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18.<b> Complaining about being carded</b>. <i>It's my job to card you</i>. Be happy you still look young and not a million years old. Take it as a compliment and shut the hell up about being carded. I'm 33 years old and look like I'm about 16 so every goddamn day I hear "are you even old enough to be serving me" at least once and even though it's like nails on a chalkboard, I don't bitch about it. Get over it and just have it already out and waiting to hand to me already. You should know the routine already at this point and by arguing with me it just makes you seem younger.<br />
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19. <b>Throwing up!!!</b> It's one thing to go out and have a good time, but know when to say enough is enough. This is the ultimate no-no. There is <i>nothing</i> worse than cleaning up someone else's used Jagermeister. <i>Please, please, please</i> just don't. </div>
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Now, to put a halt to any backlash before it has the chance to ensue, of course I'm not talking about any of <i>my</i> regulars. You guys are my friends and most of you are competent and well rounded patrons who know better. I'm talking about the Chad's and Christy's who stop in on a Friday night on their way to Old Town.<br />
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I have no idea who made this video but whoever it is, they're a genius.<br />
Ladies and gentlemen, I leave you with a typical day at my office:</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-69534077225995298152014-05-05T19:51:00.004-07:002014-05-05T19:59:21.286-07:00Be Our GuestSo, our third bedroom (also known as the Monkey Room)(also also known as Grant's Tomb) sits on the opposite side of the loft and is very very small.<br />
It's hard to capture the room's exact shade of avocado green because it changes depending on where the sun hits, but trust me when I say that it was very green.<br />
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Like, an Al Gore-ish hue.<br />
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It's the only room in the whole house which wasn't the same Eeyore's-Ass-Grey like all the rest. You could see it coming as you turned the corner...<br />
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Prior to our buying the property, this room must have been a child's jungle themed bedroom or something. There were monkeys and crayon doodles spangled all over the walls and the closet organizer could only hold the outfits of a munchkin. </div>
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Note the banana light switch...</div>
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There is a tiny alcove in the corner but it's sort of a strange shape and not big enough to put a normal sized dresser.<br />
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<span style="text-align: start;">My goal for this guest room was to provide someplace welcoming and comfortable without feeling cramped and dungeon-like. When <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2014/04/50-shades-of-pewter-mug.html">we finished with the living room</a>, it astounded me how a single coat of paint brightened the entire space. We knew that the dark green was the first thing to go and down stairs there happened to be a full can of Cumberland Fog from Behr Premium Plus paint line. When I popped off the lid, I knew we had a winner. </span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWIuROObmtaDbVzVjMEtdvoZ4W7vjYnLBdgosWdJx-Nbpq2Ycsvq2QeaII12OydZNQYBMzcxJcPJeZGsP_jL3HdAY2Qv4ZlcsXTLDCSdTlQe93SCyzq1MNAknE-vkVJF6lg-R8H9-D-ki/s1600/Cumberland+Fog.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="10 Guest Room Essentials www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrWIuROObmtaDbVzVjMEtdvoZ4W7vjYnLBdgosWdJx-Nbpq2Ycsvq2QeaII12OydZNQYBMzcxJcPJeZGsP_jL3HdAY2Qv4ZlcsXTLDCSdTlQe93SCyzq1MNAknE-vkVJF6lg-R8H9-D-ki/s1600/Cumberland+Fog.jpg" height="400" title="Behr 560E-2 Cumberland Fog paint for the guest room www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Everything about the shade was exactly what I was looking for. Friendly, breezy, light and mellow. It took two coats, even with primer mixed in, but we eventually conquered the jungle. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: start;">Better Homes and Gardens makes a great little blue and tan patterned bedspread which matched perfectly and tied the whole thing together. </span></div>
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The only thing really left to do was to create the final cozy ingredients and find some people to come visit!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b2IOLMPOqEuz6MPz1dK1l7DS57sFBAys2ohq2gIyopr5dnwKItYci96LFZVSi6HjEGuz6SLOiLpjyLM0tKz6QTvBOBslzMb8FmSb0CbU4ZIKCFsGJuWc_FieWhyO745v8F3-pppnI3pT/s640/blogger-image-779695560.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5b2IOLMPOqEuz6MPz1dK1l7DS57sFBAys2ohq2gIyopr5dnwKItYci96LFZVSi6HjEGuz6SLOiLpjyLM0tKz6QTvBOBslzMb8FmSb0CbU4ZIKCFsGJuWc_FieWhyO745v8F3-pppnI3pT/s400/blogger-image-779695560.jpg" title="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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You guys, I've traveled a lot. </div>
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A. Lot.</div>
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I've stayed in countless hotels, motels, hostels, and guest rooms. I've crashed on numerous couches, floors and even a couple recliners. I've slept in cars, tents, airplanes and trains. </div>
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I've gathered some great ideas on things I wish I had (and a few copy cat ideas which I found absolutely <i>genius</i>) over the years and I have finally acquired a spot to put them all in use.</div>
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So in no particular order: here is a list of my top 10 guest room essentials. </div>
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(I use the term essentials very loosely)</div>
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1. An alarm clock. This is sort of a no-brainer. I'm aware that everyone has one on their cell phones, but it never hurts to have a back up. It's important for people to not miss their flights and/or shuttles. Plus, you know, people like to know the time from time to time. </div>
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2. Post your <span style="background-color: white;">Wi-Fi</span> password. Save your guests some cash off their data plan. It's the polite thing to do. </div>
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3. A guest journal. Every hostel and bed/breakfast I've stayed in has had one of these things for travelers to jot down their vacation experiences and I think it's super interesting to read other people's thoughts. Yes, I'm aware it will be my mom and maybe a couple of friends here and there who <i>mainly</i> use this space, but regardless, it'll be a great keepsake years down the road to go back and remember different trips from different people. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUW0KgmWw4R3t5aTWgzkq18yUCi5xoG5z3b4P5qyWAwKcSlhHrj3o9QhRhiq6kiKTa5QQABpvcJYd4fqViEkfhDokL7hia-nCE681NihOMkd3PU0Ch9plYkScTudTqpjIfS_nSvcW-ayd6/s640/blogger-image--2095567683.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUW0KgmWw4R3t5aTWgzkq18yUCi5xoG5z3b4P5qyWAwKcSlhHrj3o9QhRhiq6kiKTa5QQABpvcJYd4fqViEkfhDokL7hia-nCE681NihOMkd3PU0Ch9plYkScTudTqpjIfS_nSvcW-ayd6/s400/blogger-image--2095567683.jpg" title="post your Wi-Fi password in your guestroom to save your guest some cash on their data! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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4. A map of the area. Let your visitors get familiar with where you/they are. </div>
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5. Reading materials. Don't have a library stacked with novels, I mean, people aren't going to be spending copious amounts of time here. Keep it light with magazines or novelty books. Because I'm just vain enough to think people want to look at me on vacation all over the world and because my guest room is travel themed, this is where I display all my Shutterfly vacation and scrap books. I also have the best of Calvin and Hobbs, Where's Waldo, The Good Citizen Handbook, The History of Rock and Roll, and The Book Of Strange Trivia. Everyone likes something fun to flip through as they're falling asleep. </div>
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6. Spare blankets. We took out the closet organizer and moved it to Kalynn's bedroom which gave us plenty of space for a dresser. We keep our spare blankets in the bottom two drawers. There is nothing worse than waking up cold in the middle of the night to ruin a good night's sleep. The key here is to keep your guests comfortable and everyone's level of warmth is different. </div>
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7. Coffee, tea and snacks. Here's the deal: my mom wakes up at like 4am and I don't. If she wants coffee at 4am, she should be able to have some without having to leave the privacy of her own room (or waking up everyone else in the house). Personally, I don't like to see or speak to anyone until I've had at least one cup of Joe. I wake up, I go downstairs, I pour my coffee, I turn around and go right back upstairs. My husband and my daughter know it's best for everyone's safety to just leave me alone until my veins have been tapped and I get my fix. </div>
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I'm also an awful insomniac and a little chamomile tea before bed is nice for relaxation. For both of these reasons, I want the option readily available for my guests without them having to ask. </div>
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As for the snacks, it's just nice to munch sometimes. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSrTEs9WM1F5Sewysl-kINDtCvhmNJZCxH-lqcGNtWEqHgZ7Ao_kmohXjCowqrCCGhX8cVIC4xIvKuefpSH2exBP_USBaZxtFH37TwLDKnCdU4AIC27u-s5AK6vf2f4_pX8Uj3WeEt6yM/s640/blogger-image-1392656426.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrSrTEs9WM1F5Sewysl-kINDtCvhmNJZCxH-lqcGNtWEqHgZ7Ao_kmohXjCowqrCCGhX8cVIC4xIvKuefpSH2exBP_USBaZxtFH37TwLDKnCdU4AIC27u-s5AK6vf2f4_pX8Uj3WeEt6yM/s400/blogger-image-1392656426.jpg" title="Have a snack/coffee/tea bar in your guest room www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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8. A sample jar. People forget things all the time like toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and face soap. Sometimes I have people decide to spend the night unexpectedly and they didn't come prepared. For this reason, I've thrown all my hotel shampoos, airplane bottles, left over dentist visit samples, and cosmetic counter giveaways into one functional jar. There's a little something for everyone.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsKZlIraWWJlwUnqKaQN0CSS3_foKsh6vbvjUFNYO6c1biD8y0hqqGC0pV6pOzUlJNvZJbdP1koRFsqPdVXppGYs0vixwdvjQ3f7EAi2wUdWsGMqp018j7nvTd53NfITAx8sbGYvMmZpO/s640/blogger-image--994068884.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglsKZlIraWWJlwUnqKaQN0CSS3_foKsh6vbvjUFNYO6c1biD8y0hqqGC0pV6pOzUlJNvZJbdP1koRFsqPdVXppGYs0vixwdvjQ3f7EAi2wUdWsGMqp018j7nvTd53NfITAx8sbGYvMmZpO/s400/blogger-image--994068884.jpg" title="throw all of your samples, hotel shampoos and dentist visit toothbrush samples into a jar for your guest room in case your visitors forget any essentials www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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9. A luggage rack. That funny little alcove was a perfect spot for a luggage rack. These are inexpensive to pick up and always come in handy for the person who is living out of their suitcase. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDH74wXao6gkFtDHPtVu4Tu68pdaji_iOJuOcKOKc_7qEng2oXB3cj71ApQvrQe4kQYFjBHclvqRdEsLe9NHuP-GfXGar8JGyI3DfcXSvS94UX3owx8smbP7H0XOKJmVDilsuau86R1zUX/s640/blogger-image-1520943851.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDH74wXao6gkFtDHPtVu4Tu68pdaji_iOJuOcKOKc_7qEng2oXB3cj71ApQvrQe4kQYFjBHclvqRdEsLe9NHuP-GfXGar8JGyI3DfcXSvS94UX3owx8smbP7H0XOKJmVDilsuau86R1zUX/s400/blogger-image-1520943851.jpg" title="A luggage rack for your guest room www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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10. Spare keys. "You are now free to roam around the cabin... without getting locked out." If they want to go for a walk while I'm at work or use the car, go for it.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h54VWsVVB0Ugu7_WaTj4mLVlwYVseDPzwX2MbXXjY-v1iR8aM5WeuRnO0dLLxztth98MscRmabQxbuu18PUzqbrLrako7n5zJ1wZ9fYPyOs6HZ5PvEJ_Ru6ac5esi_hVyqUyF45anQfz/s640/blogger-image-1713857518.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4h54VWsVVB0Ugu7_WaTj4mLVlwYVseDPzwX2MbXXjY-v1iR8aM5WeuRnO0dLLxztth98MscRmabQxbuu18PUzqbrLrako7n5zJ1wZ9fYPyOs6HZ5PvEJ_Ru6ac5esi_hVyqUyF45anQfz/s400/blogger-image-1713857518.jpg" title="put a set of spare keys in your guest room for visitors to feel more free coming and going. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a> </div>
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So that's it! I'm a firm believer that house plants can change the identity of a room and once all the painting and remodeling is finished they are top of my list. But for now, our quaint little room will serve its purpose and house whoever needs a place to crash. So, if you're ever in the neighborhood...!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLE8V4VcrRcx1Z-zbpJQRCsJW2z7rOZNIlLS3tlaLUttRhDRp57xd2S9SgS-rrMfkZkBqaHrUJyIueIrto8S-caFZoVhSwXxDuOa1sFIFe5yS28UfS-5AO2RptLstuO1gCr3CE7mlTq-H/s640/blogger-image--1275551752.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZLE8V4VcrRcx1Z-zbpJQRCsJW2z7rOZNIlLS3tlaLUttRhDRp57xd2S9SgS-rrMfkZkBqaHrUJyIueIrto8S-caFZoVhSwXxDuOa1sFIFe5yS28UfS-5AO2RptLstuO1gCr3CE7mlTq-H/s400/blogger-image--1275551752.jpg" title="Top 10 Guest Room Essentials for a cozy welcome www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Before and afters of the loft, the master bedroom, the princess room and the kitchen coming soon!</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-81108966958026810212014-04-23T09:01:00.004-07:002014-04-25T06:47:27.129-07:00Our Anniversary TraditionsEver heard the saying that everyone is born knowing all the lyrics to the Beatles instinctively? Like, as humans those lyrics are just automatically passed down through the fetus along with all the amniotic stuff.<br />
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This is one of two facts I know for sure.<br />
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The second fact I know for sure is that one of the best things about being a flight attendant (presumably) is that you can fart whenever you want and the purring of the engine will drown out the purring of your ass. However, this is way off point.<br />
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Not that I really had a point.<br />
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Anyway...<br />
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The last few days have been spent in my new back yard listening to Paul McCartney with my little girl (and she somehow knows all the words) as she plays with her My Little Ponies while I pull weeds, sip on tea, and plan out this Summer's garden. We've grilled out every night, thrown the bocce balls around, our doggie has been lounging in the sun and we've started to bust out the sun block.<br />
It has been one of the most relaxing weeks ever.<br />
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Jason and I had our 3rd wedding anniversary and it has finally been enough years to be able to appreciate our little yearly customs.<br />
On our 1st anniversary, everything was still so new and although it was exciting to plan out what we wanted to do every year as our official traditions, we really had no idea how fun it would be in the future as we celebrated each additional year of not killing each other.<br />
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It's an equation really:<br />
one more year down + zero murders = champagne toast<br />
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Choosing our anniversary traditions was a really big deal to us. We wanted to pick things to do every year that would be fun and revitalizing for our marriage and I think we've got a great list. The best, to be exact.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_l-vb6gObkqYh0lEGaA_ZQWUrjH1EFnKXQN2M6iTyuU4uvYYwbgUrdA368Vf1dtdlaXNkzW06_-oYgP7ZAgM8B10IZ5xJdzMiAVcwKFUO6zv-qCz8MNxEdnxRizsUgJNBlDhKeTD_pi1A/s640/blogger-image-1026987433.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_l-vb6gObkqYh0lEGaA_ZQWUrjH1EFnKXQN2M6iTyuU4uvYYwbgUrdA368Vf1dtdlaXNkzW06_-oYgP7ZAgM8B10IZ5xJdzMiAVcwKFUO6zv-qCz8MNxEdnxRizsUgJNBlDhKeTD_pi1A/s400/blogger-image-1026987433.jpg" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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We have our fancy million dollar champagne flutes which we splurged on for the wedding and we get them down once a year from their velvet box and fill them up with cheap champagne.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrgtkCvXsBwukN-zo1eGda-S42fHkFfNMtQgtMWQr0dQZF0_hQfJp4RAB38LgPNR6WMNETgEveMOA5d85X95X_fLQZVZ3aPJoYaUxgZzFCL6sM2SxzzvIvGKBlUD_V2a0LISc2E4NVfHm/s1600/IMG_6697.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Things Remembered Park Avenue Champagne Flute set - A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivrgtkCvXsBwukN-zo1eGda-S42fHkFfNMtQgtMWQr0dQZF0_hQfJp4RAB38LgPNR6WMNETgEveMOA5d85X95X_fLQZVZ3aPJoYaUxgZzFCL6sM2SxzzvIvGKBlUD_V2a0LISc2E4NVfHm/s1600/IMG_6697.jpg" height="266" title="Things Remembered Park Avenue Champagne Flute set - A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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They have our names and wedding date etched in the glass cups which beautifully sit on alabaster stone and Australian crystal studded stems. They're absolutely gorgeous and I'm really happy we made the choice to include them in our annual celebration. We don't make a big speech or anything, mainly we sit on the porch and shoot the shit and get buzzed off of Andre's Brut $4.99 special. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_zSrEaPO-i8PPfcgbDk9KbiEtPE9lbj4DtdlFa9hk3s_6nBJwJ_tUqyvVimVMagWMM7FKRout7b-mpjz50tP8lfpu71U1KY5kcM5zHKRjz7xgdkEkUcW8gTXlPu43jgBPIjtbM7EYFRT/s1600/IMG_6698+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Save your champagne flutes from your wedding to bring out every year on your anniversary for a toast www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #anniversarytradition" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH_zSrEaPO-i8PPfcgbDk9KbiEtPE9lbj4DtdlFa9hk3s_6nBJwJ_tUqyvVimVMagWMM7FKRout7b-mpjz50tP8lfpu71U1KY5kcM5zHKRjz7xgdkEkUcW8gTXlPu43jgBPIjtbM7EYFRT/s1600/IMG_6698+2.jpg" height="266" title="Save your champagne flutes from your wedding to bring out every year on your anniversary for a toast www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #anniversarytradition" width="400" /></a></div>
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We also run by our local bakery and pick up some sort of pie (or cheesecake or whatever) and we use our matching cutlery to cut the cake. We bought them as a set with the flutes, and trust me that once you're in one or two glasses of bubbly, a piece of cake sounds pretty damn good. </div>
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Our particular flute and utensil set are the Park Avenue line from Things Remebered. Totally worth the money if you're careful with them. I actually shattered one of the glasses last week when I was washing them and forking out the money for an emergency expedited replacement wasn't so fun. </div>
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So, you know, try to not do that. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupm3rpcP_S6H_wV_7pdTxyULZ8IeVn7EjzkWgLOpaeJxjom0U-n9w9ySmX0DdkSOguxN5MUyF9Zz5gAUQJOXJ_ee7bhyq9oKVLyXu8DXqBhVNgtdxpSaNEEOJ48cmNZgX8t8b31koXIOu/s1600/526448_4005068601509_530785627_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiupm3rpcP_S6H_wV_7pdTxyULZ8IeVn7EjzkWgLOpaeJxjom0U-n9w9ySmX0DdkSOguxN5MUyF9Zz5gAUQJOXJ_ee7bhyq9oKVLyXu8DXqBhVNgtdxpSaNEEOJ48cmNZgX8t8b31koXIOu/s1600/526448_4005068601509_530785627_n.jpg" height="266" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeK0K-WZiidse6i0sjBiasOc5c77epPYUFhF7k076bi-zpWoxKzlhJnEn-jaVhELgcDozlZ_Q6K-QkqrXtK8B-ki31t19Ue9lYRFIZb2-HM6W48Is_rIMApvnMW9uS243OE_UfmWmhOHjX/s1600/IMG_0425+3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Things Remembered Park Avenue Cake Cutting set - Save your champagne flutes from your wedding to bring out every year on your anniversary for a toast www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #anniversarytradition" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeK0K-WZiidse6i0sjBiasOc5c77epPYUFhF7k076bi-zpWoxKzlhJnEn-jaVhELgcDozlZ_Q6K-QkqrXtK8B-ki31t19Ue9lYRFIZb2-HM6W48Is_rIMApvnMW9uS243OE_UfmWmhOHjX/s1600/IMG_0425+3.jpg" height="400" title="Things Remembered Park Avenue Cake Cutting set - Save your champagne flutes from your wedding to bring out every year on your anniversary for a toast www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com #anniversarytradition" width="266" /></a></div>
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Once I'm all liquored up, I spend some time going through <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2014/04/our-anniversary-traditions.html">my wedding boxes</a> while we watch the DVD of our wedding and our Honeymoon.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLwkTLG2SXPshKbGgFiGu9TvkQPm02k4ON59jr90huCP54pMN4SBg6_aWvobUqCoMGuOcOXtBICr6sklu3ji123xmTjG1p9DIfBRX3KBj0aF4zXupRIT59WmL-TG8BKvSb7Wb4vFl26BD/s1600/IMG_5682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrLwkTLG2SXPshKbGgFiGu9TvkQPm02k4ON59jr90huCP54pMN4SBg6_aWvobUqCoMGuOcOXtBICr6sklu3ji123xmTjG1p9DIfBRX3KBj0aF4zXupRIT59WmL-TG8BKvSb7Wb4vFl26BD/s1600/IMG_5682.JPG" height="298" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Now, lets talk about the clothing. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhACQLgP7GR8cGtAylzrZ9ge4p14zew5Y42ykBzXmU6yI1vftqpw0lNKn6ZfB-CZqyGv_p_Keuu6tvx4EOaeUslSfZGymSs7KAOOZkcfKlj9PuQcywgbO89kE4oG4CshSWr3Vr0molI3B/s1600/399406_4005111522582_1774809744_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="matching bridesmaids jackets for an evening wedding reception www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRhACQLgP7GR8cGtAylzrZ9ge4p14zew5Y42ykBzXmU6yI1vftqpw0lNKn6ZfB-CZqyGv_p_Keuu6tvx4EOaeUslSfZGymSs7KAOOZkcfKlj9PuQcywgbO89kE4oG4CshSWr3Vr0molI3B/s1600/399406_4005111522582_1774809744_n.jpg" height="266" title="matching bridesmaids jackets for an evening wedding reception www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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Ladies: the dress and veil and shoes and hair and everything else that went along with that magic day was probably one of the most beautiful occasions of your adult life. </div>
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You've heard <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2012/04/my-wedding-dress.html">my wedding dress story</a>, but my veil was something I picked out and fell madly in love with. It's a cream lace embedded with crushed Swarovky crystals and it was pretty much love at first site. I found her at a little boutique in Laguna Beach and knew from the moment we met that she was meant to be mine. </div>
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There was absolutely no way in hell that I was going to wear this veil once and be done with it. </div>
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When <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2012/03/our-engagement.html">Jason and I got engaged</a> in upstate New York, we were visiting his parents and that was the same trip I learned that his mother gets her veil down every year and wears it around on their anniversary. This was seriously one of the most brilliant things I had ever heard in my entire life. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoqLj31Y2_WT9qrdBdH87kyHVQ8eIKn9zmsdjAq6gdkiGzOI2RDiTL6FW6n_G6Gs0J75yE4zLuhlLiquCjYZSYyK2OXlUrGUWa_1uMEZTY4P6HHPomumXJMwq0w2B7LM5-y_ptqSdKZiT/s1600/318800_4004984039395_57385297_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxoqLj31Y2_WT9qrdBdH87kyHVQ8eIKn9zmsdjAq6gdkiGzOI2RDiTL6FW6n_G6Gs0J75yE4zLuhlLiquCjYZSYyK2OXlUrGUWa_1uMEZTY4P6HHPomumXJMwq0w2B7LM5-y_ptqSdKZiT/s1600/318800_4004984039395_57385297_n.jpg" height="400" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="266" /></a></div>
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So no matter what we're doing that day, for instance if I happen to be chilling out on a tree swing high up in the Rocky Mountains, I wear my veil. If I'm going to the grocery store, I wear my veil. If we're going out to dinner, I wear my veil. You get the idea. </div>
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My bridesmaids and I all had matching black hoodies for the reception. Theirs said "Bridesmaids" and mine obviously said "Bride" and I rock that around town also. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7Zl8YOj-LU-tBz9IbWlgKWYgVR9UWJVWfBc4QNN24ZeuclsxGzAZmmwB9muNHOOqjCLkvsKesZ4UdK64mS0op0xLIHo7ILIhQQ_npxVXDdmYun3dk81qKdeTcC3CQ8Ic5SiRY6foJw-I/s1600/IMG_4558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj-7Zl8YOj-LU-tBz9IbWlgKWYgVR9UWJVWfBc4QNN24ZeuclsxGzAZmmwB9muNHOOqjCLkvsKesZ4UdK64mS0op0xLIHo7ILIhQQ_npxVXDdmYun3dk81qKdeTcC3CQ8Ic5SiRY6foJw-I/s1600/IMG_4558.JPG" height="400" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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This year's anniversary, we bummed around our new house. I folded laundry in my jeans and house slippers, and I wore my veil the whole day. I saved my white "Bride" tank top which I wore when I was getting my makeup and hair done the morning of my wedding. If it's warm enough, I'll throw it on. This is the first year I've been able to wear the tank strictly because April in Southern California is drastically different from April in Northern Colorado.<br />
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(You can feel my excitement, yeah?)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaVw9QN6IezIo1Xv30YDko1b9c7L7SUxnv1QFfhtvxWRlo_KmweAWckVSnZ46ThM2aDdIQKP7hMwKnEHe-Vexq6YknNExP2Mw2NNWjZ3S7tfKznMwTYAdG7jnt3dhMTlay1ZW0k1DdMDl/s640/blogger-image-223175969.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxaVw9QN6IezIo1Xv30YDko1b9c7L7SUxnv1QFfhtvxWRlo_KmweAWckVSnZ46ThM2aDdIQKP7hMwKnEHe-Vexq6YknNExP2Mw2NNWjZ3S7tfKznMwTYAdG7jnt3dhMTlay1ZW0k1DdMDl/s400/blogger-image-223175969.jpg" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Our final tradition and one I'm the most fond of is our annual anniversary photo:</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYXctA7r2BB8ReJUn-d6V5ccwueWKC5pvknjsV9jXsy8U3fugPP9d0948xCqCoQN_F2lhF68g_d_MLuCjBOuZ_KWSqmBPT25M3FkE1hOwKIxDSvbJopeQYArxY-KKY2shlTE8V8NtZ-xp/s1600/IMG_0394+6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlYXctA7r2BB8ReJUn-d6V5ccwueWKC5pvknjsV9jXsy8U3fugPP9d0948xCqCoQN_F2lhF68g_d_MLuCjBOuZ_KWSqmBPT25M3FkE1hOwKIxDSvbJopeQYArxY-KKY2shlTE8V8NtZ-xp/s1600/IMG_0394+6.jpg" height="400" title="A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="266" /></a></div>
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Every year, we take a photo holding the photo from the year prior. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgom9Bfum77DIkdG5myqiGMmx8hzHM_rqtRLQrw4IT4v5feKBGrsHP4iZsBvR508zSHVC93kKOqaXbz2amF9THvSgnL2C19GjuEtuR197ZQ96Qg1BLiuJUjcg6ZTaOi-wlFaPkHmMjYb7/s1600/IMG_6360.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSgom9Bfum77DIkdG5myqiGMmx8hzHM_rqtRLQrw4IT4v5feKBGrsHP4iZsBvR508zSHVC93kKOqaXbz2amF9THvSgnL2C19GjuEtuR197ZQ96Qg1BLiuJUjcg6ZTaOi-wlFaPkHmMjYb7/s1600/IMG_6360.JPG" height="298" title="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Eventually the original will be too tiny to see...</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6wLyBjjwaLwRGfPlOPHMBtV9MGJ3tPeJ3iOQniqH9tQ8LhUq3d3sS_a1jWfjimtWGZc_g_H-BN-8LOTWwOxgXVCCqGHgiXwpyd9lHeasMuVXnKoQA7Uol4oB-SkTKJK7pYrAqJRI-ajt/s1600/IMG_3046.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ6wLyBjjwaLwRGfPlOPHMBtV9MGJ3tPeJ3iOQniqH9tQ8LhUq3d3sS_a1jWfjimtWGZc_g_H-BN-8LOTWwOxgXVCCqGHgiXwpyd9lHeasMuVXnKoQA7Uol4oB-SkTKJK7pYrAqJRI-ajt/s1600/IMG_3046.jpg" height="300" title="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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This year, our 4-year-old daughter took the picture with my cell phone so it's super blurry and crooked which is possibly why I love it the best!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHZLXE6d_bUSmK6-vTD4OgtdiMZaJ_5PMeTWeJDtM2ENQG3joVA-uL7CI4QkyFcD8RJ9_D2GGs-li4vx22KbpGCfZxRfG2pCnLacs0NfGhITA3ZoghWZTgcOND1i4oMJEUvGUyVGeeiug/s640/blogger-image--429219153.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="336" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivHZLXE6d_bUSmK6-vTD4OgtdiMZaJ_5PMeTWeJDtM2ENQG3joVA-uL7CI4QkyFcD8RJ9_D2GGs-li4vx22KbpGCfZxRfG2pCnLacs0NfGhITA3ZoghWZTgcOND1i4oMJEUvGUyVGeeiug/s400/blogger-image--429219153.jpg" title="Take a photo every year holding the photo from the prior year! A great list of the best wedding anniversary traditions, the last tradition is my favorite!! www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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So whatever you choose to make your traditions, make them outstanding ones. You'll be doing them for a loooong time! Don't be boring, have fun, and cheers to a long and happy marriage!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7pB8zTvnCZs4Fj_9TFyY6lHzX-ASSHFTKTMiwlCZStzgrugVWKlPyg3_BeLsp62oF93g0Ra3HBPm2q2HyApNhptY_3JUncwjTyilT0fva1JP-Q_26WbLOTp8OfA5Iff2-6d7pYRHZjA8/s640/blogger-image-2061085596.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="a list of the best anniversary traditions www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="280" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhj7pB8zTvnCZs4Fj_9TFyY6lHzX-ASSHFTKTMiwlCZStzgrugVWKlPyg3_BeLsp62oF93g0Ra3HBPm2q2HyApNhptY_3JUncwjTyilT0fva1JP-Q_26WbLOTp8OfA5Iff2-6d7pYRHZjA8/s400/blogger-image-2061085596.jpg" title="a list of the best anniversary traditions www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-71034101883005656662014-04-14T08:04:00.003-07:002014-04-14T08:04:57.181-07:0050 Shades Of Pewter MugWell, it's 4AM and with the majority of things starting to settle down in my life, apparently my brain isn't one of them because I'm wide awake writing to all of you.<br />
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A new house and a new job are starting to feel more like home and less like I'm painfully out of my element.<br />
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<i>Finally.</i><br />
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I'm getting to know and genuinely like my co-workers which is a welcomed change from having so much time off to sit around and worry about whether or not I was going to ever get to that level of comfort again.<br />
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The house is coming along.<br />
We're <i>still</i> painting.<br />
In the beginning, I was so excited to roll out that very first stroke on the wall but by the time the first room was finished I can assure you I was <i>over it</i>. Going from a grey to a light tan takes <i>multiple</i> coats even with primer included in the paint and the novelty of it wears off by the end of the first trim taping. <br />
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This Pewter Mug color was on every wall in the house.<br />
Like, every wall.<br />
While I can appreciate grey as much as the next guy, this much of it can certainly sour a mood.<br />
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It was like looking at Eeyore's ass everywhere I turned.<br />
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I've had enough.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV731PPiNq7WEoQ329v05me1OeOLmW6B1p6GpDljtHaJJCdD0qyzDtQ8aPq6HRtBtCnPuEy83dL4gMEZ8suLAIEBmyd1lVJ2lQYHx7mS5AltQC1o45BYY0ZAuOBMIkfn6u5RY6K6D8cYTH/s640/blogger-image--1685716449.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV731PPiNq7WEoQ329v05me1OeOLmW6B1p6GpDljtHaJJCdD0qyzDtQ8aPq6HRtBtCnPuEy83dL4gMEZ8suLAIEBmyd1lVJ2lQYHx7mS5AltQC1o45BYY0ZAuOBMIkfn6u5RY6K6D8cYTH/s400/blogger-image--1685716449.jpg" title="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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My entire life I've gone with blacks, whites and greys. My couches were black leather, my picture frames were noirs and silvers, my side tables were slates. I'm ready to branch out a bit and add some color to my repertoire. Had I gotten a hold of this house 10 years ago, I would have loved the cloudy day fog / morgue look. However today, especially because we're buying this house in the dawn of spring time, I need a little light in my life!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPtvpLPVWEvEZiP3LzPKacQQ7FcON-4SRZyuh6fGadpeCVjn4H1knIf0nayg_8vD3Hkw24oyoBB4Y5IHUMmRydfs8OClPVdaDsEpoN9Q422McNMAqXND-DfZEqpNG1_1E_o7qJF-0MvDT/s640/blogger-image-1164167734.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPtvpLPVWEvEZiP3LzPKacQQ7FcON-4SRZyuh6fGadpeCVjn4H1knIf0nayg_8vD3Hkw24oyoBB4Y5IHUMmRydfs8OClPVdaDsEpoN9Q422McNMAqXND-DfZEqpNG1_1E_o7qJF-0MvDT/s400/blogger-image-1164167734.jpg" title="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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You can see how the dark paint sucked out all of our natural light and made the ceilings feel low. This living room is such a great open space but it just felt so much like a cave. I spent time looking around on multiple websites and I found many homes where they could make this color work, but for us it just wasn't going to. </div>
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We didn't buy a monstrosity of a home. We bought a quaint, 3 bedroom house with the perfect amount of space for our little family, and it seemed like the houses that could pull this color off had giant vaulted ceilings and picture windows as tall as magic beanstalks. Either that or they used it in a more appropriate room such as a bathroom or bedroom, which we ended up doing in the long run as well. </div>
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You remember a couple weeks back when I posted this picture prior to our furniture arriving and our coffee cups being unpacked. We were still in patio furniture and camping cooler mode.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgek0_vmBj21edq_6qIJ2rPmbSWpzg-ch4HwGmZdVeL8VxMoGy54t1DF_a3HT-eGR2zrykr0f4LnxmOipMYNluhrHUtgRwlr6jcBbUQmaWYX1992m_YzAm8VyUQDmARgmHxo3G5IR1o5D8O/s640/blogger-image-1623503652.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgek0_vmBj21edq_6qIJ2rPmbSWpzg-ch4HwGmZdVeL8VxMoGy54t1DF_a3HT-eGR2zrykr0f4LnxmOipMYNluhrHUtgRwlr6jcBbUQmaWYX1992m_YzAm8VyUQDmARgmHxo3G5IR1o5D8O/s400/blogger-image-1623503652.jpg" title="Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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The carpal tunnel loving process has been seemingly endless and has caused the casualties of multiple cases of beer. So many outlets to unscrew, so much trim to tape off, so many trays to trip over, spills to wipe up, ladders to constantly relocate... </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomjHEg4IgkJOjvOCAro6eNdF2wNnuwVSMGz7DD1aKYJV7pTJUNQE947oesChmrxrvPLzQ432Gc9AOB0RXakDv9vrlLaHjVC5455HzJMTlUzBwWSxqhXYXUckc0_RHCs1XL6M5Y0CBjo9J/s640/blogger-image--999022921.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="from Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 to Valspar Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjomjHEg4IgkJOjvOCAro6eNdF2wNnuwVSMGz7DD1aKYJV7pTJUNQE947oesChmrxrvPLzQ432Gc9AOB0RXakDv9vrlLaHjVC5455HzJMTlUzBwWSxqhXYXUckc0_RHCs1XL6M5Y0CBjo9J/s400/blogger-image--999022921.jpg" title="from Behr - Pewter Mug 770E-3 to Valspar Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYENndz_y13Aj-XWpZSPdBJoqm0RXAY3xWKm3AOs1pR5fgjyGbIu2XgoCEXjtQ9XPwk7h4-SGMf0lhHJc8uguUolIFF7kIV7rehZokKgybYzNlx6ZdEWPqkJgjQMq92YivsmqKx4WmDDWc/s640/blogger-image--1715510732.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Valspar Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYENndz_y13Aj-XWpZSPdBJoqm0RXAY3xWKm3AOs1pR5fgjyGbIu2XgoCEXjtQ9XPwk7h4-SGMf0lhHJc8uguUolIFF7kIV7rehZokKgybYzNlx6ZdEWPqkJgjQMq92YivsmqKx4WmDDWc/s400/blogger-image--1715510732.jpg" title="Valspar Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="300" /></a></div>
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However in the end, I'm beyond satisfied with the outcome. Once the walls were dry, the furniture was delivered, and the Venitian blinds were put back up, it started to look much more like what I had in my head. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyqt2a031E_sJB6PV8nHax1ZKW10RjlXW2Uiv3pUxWCRJp-baTYkcSoVFMCNT-ukC31nRl4f4IjTTKKDdVCj9lZvO5ys9rosB-M3K2iaoxavo1j-xaJAOqQH8HVttaWzvMxdTvigwfbdS/s640/blogger-image-796172057.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtyqt2a031E_sJB6PV8nHax1ZKW10RjlXW2Uiv3pUxWCRJp-baTYkcSoVFMCNT-ukC31nRl4f4IjTTKKDdVCj9lZvO5ys9rosB-M3K2iaoxavo1j-xaJAOqQH8HVttaWzvMxdTvigwfbdS/s400/blogger-image-796172057.jpg" title="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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Obviously, the place could use a bit of personality, maybe an area rug, some art, photos, that sort of thing. But you get the idea. For now all we have is an early morning 4-year-old who refuses to look at the camera. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUndNRgeALq_BmMUuUzihV_5yflVPo4wyVSUihdrjJtn2NUyw26glTY5r1Hl1Wp3rbKom64IvCPjPNSQRtmsAhFE5oIZ1B75V6uwgqzgeo6cugBSmFKe_FD8v4gCnraHVO43w4xTo7pQ24/s640/blogger-image-1240869131.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUndNRgeALq_BmMUuUzihV_5yflVPo4wyVSUihdrjJtn2NUyw26glTY5r1Hl1Wp3rbKom64IvCPjPNSQRtmsAhFE5oIZ1B75V6uwgqzgeo6cugBSmFKe_FD8v4gCnraHVO43w4xTo7pQ24/s400/blogger-image-1240869131.jpg" title="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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There is a very distinct line where we stopped at the kitchen wall. That's a project to be tackled later in the Spring or maybe even early Summer when we decide on colors and counter tops.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RLCluHI-b2HVgqW6H8Oc115Hl-RJ6wl7jstdBVLiutrJCXuvdGPiIWE93VelPub2CPCZKodLPnT_9l7GUQyS-Pa68CjHG-Xc75tg61Wi6CnN0iTerXLYXeqmcY3JHFD5Md3p6Nvdn6Mm/s640/blogger-image-481485047.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-RLCluHI-b2HVgqW6H8Oc115Hl-RJ6wl7jstdBVLiutrJCXuvdGPiIWE93VelPub2CPCZKodLPnT_9l7GUQyS-Pa68CjHG-Xc75tg61Wi6CnN0iTerXLYXeqmcY3JHFD5Md3p6Nvdn6Mm/s400/blogger-image-481485047.jpg" title="Valspar - Trotting CL 2673W interior paint color www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com " width="400" /></a></div>
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Project after project is slowly approaching and we're tackling them as financially steady as we can. One down, one million more to go!</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-42679319881440244452014-03-31T06:00:00.000-07:002014-03-31T07:19:44.826-07:00Sold!<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
So we finally did it. </div>
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All the financial struggles, the saving, the searching, the excitement, the disappointment...</div>
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It all finally came to a fantastic conclusion. </div>
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We found our house. </div>
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And we spent 10 million years signing paperwork. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXZBpmEL7yR62PEdNfCr3w_NYxJI0xqSyFMoJ9X7hLd_WhggmPeaba1uhwCKr1JR5YkVqD_QkIzZYZe2IqVd5Mvuvtb5cnYPOyIoCBHEkARppTiQB44AiUKiDUPqWIXPrV3LU97-Dc2Uk/s640/blogger-image-1231205437.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjlXZBpmEL7yR62PEdNfCr3w_NYxJI0xqSyFMoJ9X7hLd_WhggmPeaba1uhwCKr1JR5YkVqD_QkIzZYZe2IqVd5Mvuvtb5cnYPOyIoCBHEkARppTiQB44AiUKiDUPqWIXPrV3LU97-Dc2Uk/s400/blogger-image-1231205437.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtI2x5na81bJi2OUGSw8-vGk0Px7jr0IG_JCtkhNXRzY83YWd7wriys1bqO94tVD-KsCtPewYkfVSZlhZcDIoOBnRd6BDUxf-e1PZDVJCm2C3J-0tTJzBcnn1XnBdN_Hco_NzTfUVDE8na/s640/blogger-image-568661557.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtI2x5na81bJi2OUGSw8-vGk0Px7jr0IG_JCtkhNXRzY83YWd7wriys1bqO94tVD-KsCtPewYkfVSZlhZcDIoOBnRd6BDUxf-e1PZDVJCm2C3J-0tTJzBcnn1XnBdN_Hco_NzTfUVDE8na/s320/blogger-image-568661557.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="240" /></a></div>
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My realtor, Mary, said in all the years she's been doing this as her job, she's never ever had clients bring champagne to a closing. This truly boggles my mind. I mean, who <i>doesn't</i> bring champagne to a closing? It's our first house! This is a big deal! This is cause for celebration and not at all a true sign that we're total alcoholics and any accuse to day drink would be fine with us!</div>
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I will give a few words of advice now that we've gone through it and lived to tell the tale:</div>
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1: Try to not let the stress get too bad, chill out, and really enjoy this day. Bring champagne, relax, laugh and high five each other when you finish the last signature. </div>
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2: Take a million pictures.</div>
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3: Make sure to ask your realtor to bring a "sold" sign when you do your final walkthrough the day of closing. There are 3 days that will go down in my personal history as monumental game changers and they are the day I married Jason, the day my daughter was born, and the day I bought my first house. This is a picture we will always cherish and I'm so thankful we got a snap shot of it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bXCRsqsidXvFye76McdN7zID_wqlcKn3AYe8T33-TJG9DbT7JFvhwkOqitw4Sj5HRtGhIm_Urt6HjoUZ4yEBBzWLBIyR9SNfmd5rZxgY1LdvTliz6UTsHExvIrhTMPYX0BNYKJSd_4kE/s640/blogger-image-1239803773.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9bXCRsqsidXvFye76McdN7zID_wqlcKn3AYe8T33-TJG9DbT7JFvhwkOqitw4Sj5HRtGhIm_Urt6HjoUZ4yEBBzWLBIyR9SNfmd5rZxgY1LdvTliz6UTsHExvIrhTMPYX0BNYKJSd_4kE/s400/blogger-image-1239803773.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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And seriously, if I was a neighbor peeping through my mini-blinds to check out what was moving in next door to me, this would be exactly the kind of thing I would want to see. Anyone who moves in a life sized R2D2 on a jogging stroller must be the best new neighbors ever. (In my opinion)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zA5UFcAabM5ZgNZ74PkERH3iCRbpRPUM-pr0uFD9kSPr5MM1liScMSdcxetVsGqJpd7BYzRbfIlq3G9JtJpjYE1LLzToFmGojONttJH1E4WORKh8_gG4MaFJtIvFoJY_SuJhrYBPusbt/s640/blogger-image-883552893.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-zA5UFcAabM5ZgNZ74PkERH3iCRbpRPUM-pr0uFD9kSPr5MM1liScMSdcxetVsGqJpd7BYzRbfIlq3G9JtJpjYE1LLzToFmGojONttJH1E4WORKh8_gG4MaFJtIvFoJY_SuJhrYBPusbt/s400/blogger-image-883552893.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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So although our walls are still the creepy grey color of a dead body, we're eating off an Igloo cooler for a dining room table, I can't find the box of coffee cups so I'm drinking out of wine glasses, and the furniture hasn't been delivered so we're sitting on patio chairs... </div>
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We're in!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG64rXPUS6hQYZizLJ_vz0UB84oqAo7wuy88STPefXaskqRoSmlUOKsPFqCCsFcMXiuGRlktGCJLhq0byuPV6qsBkvXeiq0-wDHqJ4dTcjVuf3q_eGBWO4seNV5sLWTfK4MFAoMds-8BA/s640/blogger-image--1098054839.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnG64rXPUS6hQYZizLJ_vz0UB84oqAo7wuy88STPefXaskqRoSmlUOKsPFqCCsFcMXiuGRlktGCJLhq0byuPV6qsBkvXeiq0-wDHqJ4dTcjVuf3q_eGBWO4seNV5sLWTfK4MFAoMds-8BA/s400/blogger-image--1098054839.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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This is my view for the next few weeks, but at least it's a view of progress and we couldn't be happier about it. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvJ6tBA4GGBx0Bex0ih7VpCrwAGmLvKf7LOLgBhb-irn0LcgYsh7htMHFfDuXtwNfSv_sRJ_DwbgwlBpfN6ZOIM4ZzYsr5yRqPcet0j5xcXkx8hek-yLnH8Gqs68s1G3Rct8-LC7mvIAO/s640/blogger-image--508171491.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxvJ6tBA4GGBx0Bex0ih7VpCrwAGmLvKf7LOLgBhb-irn0LcgYsh7htMHFfDuXtwNfSv_sRJ_DwbgwlBpfN6ZOIM4ZzYsr5yRqPcet0j5xcXkx8hek-yLnH8Gqs68s1G3Rct8-LC7mvIAO/s400/blogger-image--508171491.jpg" title="Tips on closing day when buying your first house www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Thank you for all the well wishes and I'll keep you updated on all the progression!</div>
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Homeownership! Whaaaahooooo!</div>
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(high five)</div>
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-52307654269043668522014-03-20T07:44:00.002-07:002014-03-20T07:44:28.371-07:00The Magnet Mission<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
The 22 Spanish mission churches of California are very near and dear to my heart. Not because I'm religious or into period architecture or fountain designs or anything like that. Mostly because many years ago, I got drunk and put it on my bucket list to collect a magnet from every one of them. </div>
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Now it's become a personal challenge. </div>
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Plus,</div>
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I think they're pretty buildings.</div>
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So the previous visit to California we stayed mainly down in Orange County, however this time was predominantly up in LA. It was pretty much a straight shot from my mom's house to the San Fernando Rey De Espana Mission and from there it was only another hour up to the Mission Buenaventura. </div>
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The San Fernando Rey De Espana mission is by far the coolest in pop culture history for a couple of reasons. For one, it's the burial place of Bob Hope and his family which I had no idea when randomly stumbling on his tomb in the back gardens. (It's also the burial place of Ritchie Valens and Fred from I Love Lucy!)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDg277htL889w7w7APJWoVi4Na5dDGDEfQbxuCx6HlaxqPwIgLfx3w3pZ8vrcVTzqDgrnDEe_2dcwWZpOSaiyGCXSzPu3u3EEtYW3CiGXxkro6txeyQezjCTckRHpzEHrKcy0G8CMqenUX/s1600/IMG_1949.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDg277htL889w7w7APJWoVi4Na5dDGDEfQbxuCx6HlaxqPwIgLfx3w3pZ8vrcVTzqDgrnDEe_2dcwWZpOSaiyGCXSzPu3u3EEtYW3CiGXxkro6txeyQezjCTckRHpzEHrKcy0G8CMqenUX/s1600/IMG_1949.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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For two, this mission is where they filmed the scenes from the Alamo in Pee Wee's Big Adventure! Now, we all know how I feel about the Pee Wee movies so this made the two hours in the car the best two hours of the trip. I've officially seen the same Alamo as the same person who rode in a car with Large Marge. My life is pretty much validated at this point. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnk2gZeOzG8sk095A2A-osgYLX6GzCiXW7ECNVMwhB5MgrRoDFdNL_kH7XY1o5R4tCRNhXw6HsMyijbV9w_BFjaXUrSJWA7hPY388cJxGka7fqnRJhaj7VUqjPRlAN32rB55Q86LrKdmv/s1600/IMG_1941.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGnk2gZeOzG8sk095A2A-osgYLX6GzCiXW7ECNVMwhB5MgrRoDFdNL_kH7XY1o5R4tCRNhXw6HsMyijbV9w_BFjaXUrSJWA7hPY388cJxGka7fqnRJhaj7VUqjPRlAN32rB55Q86LrKdmv/s1600/IMG_1941.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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Next stop was a quick 45 minute to drive up the 101 to Ventura. Upon pulling into the parking spot, you can see immediately how much smaller and non secluded this second mission was. We put 20 minutes in the parking meter and didn't even use 5 of them. There were homeless people everywhere and the lady working the counter had a unnecessary attitude that made me want to kick her ass. Plus their magnet selection sucked. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAWwEBqW4xDoAC9Z3bV5zyGAWDKpqpNRODhfkKullVaDdQWb2zASA9YM7G5tnZG64-b9-w34XyhapmUkgJu0jHQxo_0rWa0Pl3ZvRKWUvZiCbxPXe4rRLlcVNhzn73tsDpbee4JqT0OtA/s1600/IMG_1965.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAWwEBqW4xDoAC9Z3bV5zyGAWDKpqpNRODhfkKullVaDdQWb2zASA9YM7G5tnZG64-b9-w34XyhapmUkgJu0jHQxo_0rWa0Pl3ZvRKWUvZiCbxPXe4rRLlcVNhzn73tsDpbee4JqT0OtA/s1600/IMG_1965.JPG" height="300" width="400" /></a></div>
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After a pit stop for milk shakes and burgers at my beloved In-N-Out, we headed back down to Long Beach and it was really just a perfect palm tree day hanging out with my mom and my baby girl. </div>
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So I'm on magnet 9 out of 22, not too shabby! Looks like a trip to Northern California is in order to finish up the collection! Anyone want to put me up for a week?</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-21575665962902690932014-03-18T19:32:00.001-07:002014-03-18T19:32:36.709-07:00Abalone Cove Tide PoolsStepping out of the airport and into Los Angeles is like Dorothy opening the door of her tornado tossed house to the colorful world of Oz.<br />
It's a <i>completely</i> different planet.<br />
I hopped into my old pickup, flipped on the radio and the very first thing I hear is a commercial about "treating yourself" to body improvement.<br />
<br />
<i><b>Buy a new boob get the second one for free!</b></i><br />
<i><b>Use the plastic from your Starbucks cup as an implant for your ass!</b></i><br />
<i><b>No lips? No problem! We'll tattoo them on for 20 low monthly payments of $99.99!</b></i><br />
<br />
It's so different from au natuale hippyville Fort Collins where people are more interested in getting stoned than making themselves look like they're perma-smiled and on Ecstasy.<br />
<br />
It had been a minute since my last visit so it took me a bit to readjust to the same things that I never even used to notice.<br />
Like, for example, every single corner has a kid with a surf board in their arms. I forget how prevalent the surfing community is in all the little towns, and although I'm not a surfer, it was refreshing to be reminded for some reason. <br />
<br />
Anyway, since I wasn't quite feeling 100% yet, we decided to drive up through San Pedro and go wander around the Abalone Cove tide pools. It's the perfect thing to do if you're on vacation and you feel like shit but you still want to be out in the sunshine and keep your 4 year old busy and entertained.<br />
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So,<br />
you know,<br />
if you're ever in that same predicament...<br />
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We had an absolute perfect and crisp view of Catalina Island. </div>
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There happened to be a surf contest going on that day, with swells higher than they had been in over 30 years, so there were a ton of people in the water and a ton of people up on the shore cheering them on.</div>
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It takes some energy to get up over the rocks, but once you've made it you'll find the hike was completely worth it. Even if you felt like you might lose your lunch and the world is spinning and you have a fever. Still worth the hike.<br />
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Our timing probably could have been a bit better had we gotten out of bed early enough to catch low tide, but there were still tons of star fish, crabs, sand dollars and sea anemones for our viewing pleasure. </div>
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We had perfect weather, clear water, and a live sporting event to check out so other than my constant nausea, I really had no complaints. </div>
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All in all, aside from teetering on the edge of fatality from this awful flu, I'd say day two was a success. I had to postpone my trip down to Orange County for fear of passing along my near death experience to my BFF, but we reunited later in the week and all was well in the world. </div>
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The following day we headed over to a couple of missions that I hadn't seen before but more on that later in the week. </div>
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I hope everyone had a happy and safe Saint Patrick's Day!</div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-62611885925146146632014-03-08T09:45:00.003-08:002014-03-08T09:56:07.447-08:00It's Always Sunny In CaliforniaSo vacationing isn't as relaxing as I had originally hoped.<br />
<br />
Kalynn came home sick from school last week with the flu. I thought my mommy super powers would have kicked in at this point but apparently even the super-est of matriarchs aren't excluded from the super-est of barf attacks.<br />
<br />
We were driving to Denver International Airport when it started to really hit me.<br />
<br />
I was doing ok even after checking our baggage, but the tram ride (anyone who knows the Denver airport knows what I'm talking about here) from drop off to Terminal C made me terminally sea-sick.<br />
I spent 45 minutes kneeling on the airport bathroom floor tossing my cookies while my precious kiddo sat and played the iPad with the patience of a saint.<br />
<br />
"I still love you, Mommy. I'll take care of you."<br />
<br />
I was so afraid I was going to miss our boarding call but equally afraid to leave the toilet so my thinking was going to need to be quick, proficient, and sly.<br />
<br />
And then it dawned on me that when I was pregnant with Kalynn flying to New York, they let me pre-board because pregnancy is considered a temporary disability. So I whipped up some tears (which wasn't hard to do) and explained that my "morning sickness" was really kicking in and that I needed to be boarded as quickly as possible to insure my closeness to the bathrooms.<br />
<br />
Now.<br />
I know that lying about a pregnancy to get myself into or out of a situation isn't the morally correct thing to do here. I'm also aware that by doing something like this I'm exploiting all the generosity that people have for pregnancy all over the globe.<br />
<br />
However.<br />
<br />
I've never felt so shitty or thrown up so many times in my entire life.<br />
(and I'm even including <i>the hangover of 2011</i> so you can <i>trust me </i>when I say it was <i>bad</i>)<br />
<br />
So they sat me and my daughter in the front row, gave me 4 barf bags, 2 trash bags, ginger ale, and vanilla wafers.<br />
<br />
Sometimes you have to do what you have to do.<br />
<br />
I made it through the flight, but not out of baggage claim before my sickness reared it's ugly little head and reminded me that I needed to get back to my mom's house as quickly as possible.<br />
<br />
So far, it's been a day and a half and I'm starting to finally feel a little better. We've hit up In-N-Out Burger and Sunset Beach but that's about it. I've been posted up in bed the remainder of the time and plan on doing exactly that for the rest of today.<br />
<br />
We have the next 2 days with Disneyland written all over it so this ass kicker better move along as quickly as it has arrived...<br />
<br />
I'll keep you posted.<br />
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-28378102708321765042014-03-04T12:16:00.000-08:002014-03-04T12:49:05.895-08:00National Pancake Day<div class="separator" style="clear: both;">
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Shrove Tuesday is a day observed by millions of Christians around the world. It's the Tuesday right before Ash Wednesday when people indulge in richer, fattier foods and celebrate in over the top ways to get ready for their 40 days of Lent. Shrove Tuesday, Mardi Gras, Fat Tuesday, Carnival whatever you want to call it, it all boils down to the philosophy of "Live it up before you let it go." In Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, Ireland and New Zealand the day is also known as "Pancake Day" and it is as common a custom to eat pancakes just as it is in America to eat Turkey on Thanksgiving. </div>
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It's just what you do. </div>
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So in the spirit of tradition (because I'm not personally a religious person), I whipped up my own original recipe for the very best pancakes on the planet. They turned out so ridiculously delicious, I figured I'd share. After all, I haven't posted a recipe on this blog since the day after Halloween. </div>
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It's about that time. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4TkkCOoc7NTYNKEswYwci9qROSdzZqe5oVE0VJP4IpVzi07F1J0O8nbn8vc1t_wLMeLy4hGQLl8pzXQAP4HH2qKWUsHQrZOsdrbMDUOR96RaX799dHWhSpsLY2Pi6XphQAGaQ1Q1ov96/s640/blogger-image--473133831.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Ultimate Cinnamon and Buttermilk Pancakes (in the spirit of National Pancake Day) www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhs4TkkCOoc7NTYNKEswYwci9qROSdzZqe5oVE0VJP4IpVzi07F1J0O8nbn8vc1t_wLMeLy4hGQLl8pzXQAP4HH2qKWUsHQrZOsdrbMDUOR96RaX799dHWhSpsLY2Pi6XphQAGaQ1Q1ov96/s400/blogger-image--473133831.jpg" title="The Ultimate Cinnamon and Buttermilk Pancakes (in the spirit of National Pancake Day) www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 cup flour</div>
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1 TBS sugar</div>
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1 tsp. cinnamon</div>
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1 tsp. baking powder</div>
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1/2 tsp. baking soda</div>
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1/2 tsp. salt</div>
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1 large egg</div>
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1 TBS vegetable oil</div>
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1 tsp. pure vanilla extract </div>
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1 1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk</div>
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Directions:</div>
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In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk to combine. </div>
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In large glass measure, add 1 1/2 cups low fat buttermilk, egg, oil, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. </div>
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Add the wet ingredients into the center of the dry and whisk to combine. If the batter seems to thick, add more buttermilk until it is pouring consistency. Set aside.</div>
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Heat griddle/skillet which has been lightly oiled with either the canola/butter mixture or sprayed with cooking spray to med-high. </div>
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When griddle/skillet is hot enough, stir the batter and pour by 1/4 cup to form pancakes. Cook until the edges begin to look dry and small bubbles form on the batter surface. Flip and cook on the other side for a minute or so, until pancake is done. </div>
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Remove to platter in warm oven, and repeat with remainder of batter. </div>
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And off the subject of pancakes, we've got an under the weather kiddo yet again. She's sick, but still smiling which warms my heart more than pancakes ever could. So send some quick recovering love our way if you think about it and Happy Mardi Gras everyone!</div>
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-81062736226151705592014-03-01T14:44:00.001-08:002014-03-01T14:44:50.367-08:00Full Steam AheadEvery morning I make myself a latte in my espresso machine.<br />
I put the water in and I wait for the pressure to build so it can steam my milk. Right before that release happens, everything gets <i>so loud</i> and there is nowhere for that pressure to go except out.<br />
And then everything just stops.<br />
Things are just so still.<br />
<br />
So for me, where I am in my life right now, it's like the steam just came out.<br />
<br />
Everything has just stopped and it's so so quiet around here.<br />
<br />
This last few weeks has been complete mayhem with the shut down of my work, the stress of buying our first house, vacation planning, and all three of us being sick.<br />
Then yesterday, I got a phone call from our lender saying that she finally has everything that she needs for our loan. There is no more paperwork to send or forms to sign until we close on the 25th. It was also my final shift at work. The beer companies came and picked up all their left overs, the regulars came and had their final cocktails, and I finished my final close-out paperwork. California is only 5 days away but the major plans have already been planned, outfits have already been packed, airplane busy bag ideas have already been taken care of...<br />
<br />
So that's it for now,<br />
<br />
I guess?<br />
Right?<br />
<br />
I woke up this morning and I don't have anything pressing to get done. It's snowing outside so Jason is off work, it's Saturday so Kalynn is home from school, and none of us have anything to do.<br />
<br />
<i>It is the most bizarre feeling I think I've ever had in my life. </i><br />
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I suppose I'll start packing up the house, maybe work on some new recipes, drink a lot of wine and just hang out for a while.<br />
Sounds terrible, right?<br />
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Most people would kill to have a month break but for whatever reason I feel completely lost and in a full on panic.<br />
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So.<br />
To sum up:<br />
expect a few of these random posts from me this month.<br />
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Because I don't have anything better to do.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_xpTUbMjnPFhSRxqRsxLpeOiI15pCd99QOiNNLqQS90NjCOYkuCZ5U28XfbWYqFDuLB5v6M4XI08gmP_l4lvAJhWPCPerGJZaj0LFi_iTIlWRpSIWxBy203eyC_S5n2y9Spu1wzPzWG-/s1600/pour_yourself_a-17797.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=""Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together." Elizabeth Taylor www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi_xpTUbMjnPFhSRxqRsxLpeOiI15pCd99QOiNNLqQS90NjCOYkuCZ5U28XfbWYqFDuLB5v6M4XI08gmP_l4lvAJhWPCPerGJZaj0LFi_iTIlWRpSIWxBy203eyC_S5n2y9Spu1wzPzWG-/s1600/pour_yourself_a-17797.jpg" height="147" title=""Pour yourself a drink, put on some lipstick, and pull yourself together." Elizabeth Taylor www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-47320122763516776582014-02-20T09:01:00.002-08:002014-02-20T10:50:29.346-08:00Contents Under PressureHere's the thing about pressure: it will either make you thrive or implode. Either way you'll get a definite ending.<br />
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We've bought a house and a car within 1 week of each other. The house and all the stress that comes along with closing the deal is enough to drive someone a little bonkers anyway, but I've also thrown in a new stick shift which I have no idea how to drive and I've spent the last week screaming at my clutch and honking my horn at myself.<br />
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That same week, my employers sold our company and now we're gearing up for a remodel and will be shut down for 3 weeks. My daughter is sick with bronchitis, my dog is going blind, my husband needs a hair cut, and I could use a cocktail.<br />
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In addition, California is now only a rock's skip away! In two short weeks, Kalynn and I will be flying over our little world of beautiful hectnicity (hecticness? Are these words?) to escape for a week of sunshine and total lack of responsibility. The week of our return, we'll be closing on our new house and starting our own little version of the American dream, followed by our 3rd marriage anniversary, Jason's 35th birthday, an amazing Mother's Day weekend with my mom complete with a show by one of my very favorite bands The Dandy Warhols, and then straight to a book signing by soul mate of an author Tom Robbins at a bookstore which was a visiting place on <a href="http://thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com/2012/05/colorado-bucket-list-part-2.html">my Colorado Bucket List</a> from a few months back.<br />
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I mean, Jesus Christ.<br />
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I need to redirect some of this pressure.<br />
My dear Luna has filled up and is deflating once again drawing a close to the 3rd quarter and moving along into the 4th.<br />
I often take my cue from the Moon.<br />
In football, as I've learned working in a sports bar the last year and a half, the 4th quarter isn't much of a time for slacking. The 4th quarter is a time to gather your shit and make sure you leave no room for things to creep up behind you. It's an important time to be alert and on your A game.<br />
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Which is why it makes no since that tonight I'm planning on grabbing a 6 pack of good beer and drowning in my couch watching the new Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.<br />
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So in conclusion, I have no cute craft or recipe or photo shoot or advice. I just wanted to throw a tiny little update out here to explain why I've been on a brief Rocky Mountain Hiatus.<br />
(Did you see what I did there?)<br />
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Love to all,<br />
-Krista<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkeoPTVP_w4ZSABWhp4mJJwHbR_2pwdvj5u7RspJ0il_xnTFCRFwEed266s06cHKML4abY4hpNVVLxLo-QPVRmY-AAKs-sFmHUahWM1fsVf1rntUtByowjw7jvPV5moosqZ9fmLBi4mls/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Chicks and Sticks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxkeoPTVP_w4ZSABWhp4mJJwHbR_2pwdvj5u7RspJ0il_xnTFCRFwEed266s06cHKML4abY4hpNVVLxLo-QPVRmY-AAKs-sFmHUahWM1fsVf1rntUtByowjw7jvPV5moosqZ9fmLBi4mls/s1600/photo+(3).JPG" height="640" title="Chicks and Sticks www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="419" /></a></div>
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-29497555420025873542014-01-12T19:47:00.002-08:002014-01-12T19:54:09.594-08:00Kalynn's 4th Birthday<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
Well, aside from the minor<i> </i>concussion<i> </i>my child received falling backward off of a picnic table, smacking her head on the table behind it before smacking it again on the tile from which it bounced off, she had a pretty good birthday. </div>
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For the last 6 months, I had been planning out Kalynn's perfect ballerina party in detail. Ballet has become a special part of her weekly routine, so when I originally asked her what she wanted for this year's party, it was tutus and toe shoes all the way. </div>
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When she switched it up on me last month and let me know that she was now a rock star (duh), I had some fast plans to secure. </div>
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Ok, so rock star party. Ok. I can totally do this with 3 weeks notice.</div>
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My mom always reminds me that you can only eat an elephant one bite at a time. So with this in mind, my first bite needed to be the invitations.</div>
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I had done some looking around on the internet but I didn't see any invites worth ordering so I opted to just make my own from scratch on Photoshop. I went with the ticket stub idea and used a picture I had taken of her goofing around a few weekends prior. They turned out super cute:</div>
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"<b>Kalynn Fuller's Fab 4 World Tour</b>"</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN1mbNonOTZ9M70wmEEVj5gZXrFGdWNqBStm_U17lV-bxLYUuqZ84rNukbEoTXRvWwvQIooqu8TN7xqHh2XQxznbm-jreEhNjcKR99ssDJis9fOE-EFDigz29GxwennvDZCXFHTrWoCcl/s1600/Kalynn4invitation.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star ticket birthday party invitation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="172" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgHN1mbNonOTZ9M70wmEEVj5gZXrFGdWNqBStm_U17lV-bxLYUuqZ84rNukbEoTXRvWwvQIooqu8TN7xqHh2XQxznbm-jreEhNjcKR99ssDJis9fOE-EFDigz29GxwennvDZCXFHTrWoCcl/s400/Kalynn4invitation.jpg" title="Rock star ticket birthday party invitation www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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I made some tie dye cupcakes with little guitar toppers which also doubled as party favor necklaces. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAntY5_g5tiQL096zujSUg1-jYcga2eweFXJHu6Lo6i6wYHCVxopV2y-bPF0l4DrZFBiZ_wypSfOLTwvEqZsOGmkaPeJoLliqmFf7ISW1FiQbRktd78S0NNs8KwnIFepWnWjbMq0jumtpr/s1600/image+(2).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star guitar cupcakes and birthday party decorations www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAntY5_g5tiQL096zujSUg1-jYcga2eweFXJHu6Lo6i6wYHCVxopV2y-bPF0l4DrZFBiZ_wypSfOLTwvEqZsOGmkaPeJoLliqmFf7ISW1FiQbRktd78S0NNs8KwnIFepWnWjbMq0jumtpr/s400/image+(2).jpeg" title="Rock star guitar cupcakes and birthday party decorations www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Speaking of, instead of party favor bags, each of the kids had "swag bags" filled with rock star essentials: Sun glasses, Pop Rocks, temporary tattoos, glitter bangle bracelets, gloves with musical notes on them, and working spring operated microphones. Blue for the two boys, pink and purple for the 5 girls. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOWltS88q6MhsDq4L_Ztxc_1QtiNvDNhYg_K3eSjzL1XkRxmgLbjKFxZF1uA_4T_iTbwRaqfWQ8tmZ81uUU0lVNvJmyqAuv_kPrEnq72bUICuBnLJea0hyphenhyphenJgdmrqRvEhv7rkyKTxXrZet/s1600/image+(3).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt=""Swag Bag" Party Favor Bags for a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpOWltS88q6MhsDq4L_Ztxc_1QtiNvDNhYg_K3eSjzL1XkRxmgLbjKFxZF1uA_4T_iTbwRaqfWQ8tmZ81uUU0lVNvJmyqAuv_kPrEnq72bUICuBnLJea0hyphenhyphenJgdmrqRvEhv7rkyKTxXrZet/s400/image+(3).jpeg" title=""Swag Bag" Party Favor Bags for a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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I covered the "Pop" part of all the Pop Rocks with each kid's name. As much as I tried to give myself an A for Effort, I suck at drawing bubble letters. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Kiu7t1Omka3ghD2hDLJc53iwSkBTiKxVOdY0zzZQtOaktJRJ7MSG7WlTJVchh_-kY-QJIlh9DJAVVGumMSOd9YtjM5f5U661gjegv5QtMlYgzFqKw-sIGL_L6_pLE3yzaQ4iGycAlpn6/s640/blogger-image-708454664.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Pop Rocks with each child's name for party favors at a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1Kiu7t1Omka3ghD2hDLJc53iwSkBTiKxVOdY0zzZQtOaktJRJ7MSG7WlTJVchh_-kY-QJIlh9DJAVVGumMSOd9YtjM5f5U661gjegv5QtMlYgzFqKw-sIGL_L6_pLE3yzaQ4iGycAlpn6/s1600/blogger-image-708454664.jpg" title="Pop Rocks with each child's name for party favors at a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" /></a></div>
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I printed up some "rock star refuel" labels for the water bottles. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zXeL0ufa5wvfJ72_kVZLxP81VP9LekVLOQf2oXEY8-8xnzQLcWxhctOaY95vSL7k7xEOlz7cR1ecJihA-jJyPxudTTQcxVzoEfVZEEwMHSmlDvswC5JG-i4IT-FS0giY2D0gfwktYI7O/s1600/image+(4).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star refuel water bottles for a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi9zXeL0ufa5wvfJ72_kVZLxP81VP9LekVLOQf2oXEY8-8xnzQLcWxhctOaY95vSL7k7xEOlz7cR1ecJihA-jJyPxudTTQcxVzoEfVZEEwMHSmlDvswC5JG-i4IT-FS0giY2D0gfwktYI7O/s400/image+(4).jpeg" title="Rock star refuel water bottles for a rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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And what is a rock star party without an Artist Of The Year award for the rock star of honor?</div>
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(Super easy to make with an ancient Luscious Jackson CD, some construction paper, some Photoshop magic and an old frame)</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9FYTl3pRwhAWpywFdakkcg9GU_pG04UbZBwApyTNXU9e-9dBSehQFmcprKfRUDWwNKIshiHyiQDeidF-JOKPTDA0xhsXDgr0YQ1Ow4AH_GZ6fYvHMofWr0e0rfM-lqVV-aR_5QxGBp4c/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Billboard Hot 100 award for decoration at a rock star birthday party. Use an old CD and frame. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="397" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiQ9FYTl3pRwhAWpywFdakkcg9GU_pG04UbZBwApyTNXU9e-9dBSehQFmcprKfRUDWwNKIshiHyiQDeidF-JOKPTDA0xhsXDgr0YQ1Ow4AH_GZ6fYvHMofWr0e0rfM-lqVV-aR_5QxGBp4c/s400/photo.JPG" title="Billboard Hot 100 award for decoration at a rock star birthday party. Use an old CD and frame. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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Tons of sugar, tons of children, tons of fun. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlub74swDVoQazkHTUOghO8tihsEBWWiRAFOX7Jbe4BKvj2ACU0cY1vvwSsmC962792TGfKUui0zXXL9hkBBRFHOFqZjpEDu2yUfTJRZ6DeBUI1xuQQEPel2TRFVXO_eVQ3WzVMqF5Op7/s1600/photo+1.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star birthday party decorations www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGlub74swDVoQazkHTUOghO8tihsEBWWiRAFOX7Jbe4BKvj2ACU0cY1vvwSsmC962792TGfKUui0zXXL9hkBBRFHOFqZjpEDu2yUfTJRZ6DeBUI1xuQQEPel2TRFVXO_eVQ3WzVMqF5Op7/s400/photo+1.JPG" title="Rock star birthday party decorations www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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She came away with some great loot!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6wz-8GEGkHjCIpjwpo_hSLNZyQO6Dv3UhmD3KPXLVcYqdNn4uA2kZ9cGdUhw7V4wY4eBjjHPqoSOY22ngrRTsNpZLS036KvOQmRCDS5vQOwWhUkPGrA2TSOzw-ewR5_rpey-HsHbkCH6/s1600/image+(6).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhd6wz-8GEGkHjCIpjwpo_hSLNZyQO6Dv3UhmD3KPXLVcYqdNn4uA2kZ9cGdUhw7V4wY4eBjjHPqoSOY22ngrRTsNpZLS036KvOQmRCDS5vQOwWhUkPGrA2TSOzw-ewR5_rpey-HsHbkCH6/s400/image+(6).jpeg" title="Rock star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="400" /></a></div>
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We rented out the party room at a bounce house called Jumpin' in Loveland and the place really impressed me. They were clean, they were organized, they were on top of everything <i>and</i> the place didn't smell like pee which is always a plus when you're dealing with toddler friendly entertainment spots. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AhOWlqYQUjJfhJ37E_vmChiAulupnW5ZGSZovORgdoubqxzZ8vV85MHW8N7UGtKM_gMzUeiuIzIxYLaOiMyWE6jyL4DiwWV-7urb_XIrwp5jogH3cZ4j6tEhT14WtZOyxiSvLtuEXdBd/s1600/photo+2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jumpin', Fort Collins Colorado Rock Star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0AhOWlqYQUjJfhJ37E_vmChiAulupnW5ZGSZovORgdoubqxzZ8vV85MHW8N7UGtKM_gMzUeiuIzIxYLaOiMyWE6jyL4DiwWV-7urb_XIrwp5jogH3cZ4j6tEhT14WtZOyxiSvLtuEXdBd/s400/photo+2.JPG" title="Jumpin', Fort Collins Colorado Rock Star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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6 total bouncing stations including oversized slides and inflated obstacle courses. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYLQGe-pZeqL0lo_75wTiWnelAtymUhgClDtI1RmdNb44UDgbyBYNL0ZkmED1f9m3N4FiE5PvmyTwEECDBzR0dOc1ADQg0-cNCx8zHuNee2p3ibgCn2TnHbIVFkZKWtphRhd8a93Dhn9z/s1600/photo+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Jumpin', Fort Collins Colorado Rock Star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkYLQGe-pZeqL0lo_75wTiWnelAtymUhgClDtI1RmdNb44UDgbyBYNL0ZkmED1f9m3N4FiE5PvmyTwEECDBzR0dOc1ADQg0-cNCx8zHuNee2p3ibgCn2TnHbIVFkZKWtphRhd8a93Dhn9z/s400/photo+3.JPG" title="Jumpin', Fort Collins Colorado Rock Star birthday party www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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I cried when I put her to bed for the final time the night before as her tiny 3-year-old self, and I cried when I put her to bed just now with the excitement for our 4th year together. </div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oCDHcv3RLX68aIlNiWo3-Jxe5bb6QirE-XVXO8jbYctzb-ppeMdAkidqnhN5QPWd32BABIfPylJRbkOMdyNCwVeiyFxL9hqiSRirCIqOb1Z25FxDhGxPz1AxXWwUtG6S2YI4OWC3tkKR/s1600/image+(8).jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Rock star birthday party outfit www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6oCDHcv3RLX68aIlNiWo3-Jxe5bb6QirE-XVXO8jbYctzb-ppeMdAkidqnhN5QPWd32BABIfPylJRbkOMdyNCwVeiyFxL9hqiSRirCIqOb1Z25FxDhGxPz1AxXWwUtG6S2YI4OWC3tkKR/s400/image+(8).jpeg" title="Rock star birthday party outfit www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="300" /></a></div>
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Every year she grows more into this amazing little person that I fall head over heals for. The words that come from her mouth make me laugh, make me think, make me appreciate things in a way that I've never known and I don't know where I would be in life without her. </div>
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She is and always will be my sunshine.</div>
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Happy Birthday to my 4 year old baby girl and thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us!</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn1qCLNJKrY2YnYQ4auJwUsyogl8xCCS_SVx_zvHuaOEdoQ5w_ckma7OSB7DtsqCjK-X0oUuukfuSZdqy-D5c76fZhTkYPNLpr6ejZ-gvGfgQJ2apMINymxT4AuVeuxnfkp7-IMERXdac/s1600/EPSON031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="birthday questionaire so you can always look back on the things your child loved. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifn1qCLNJKrY2YnYQ4auJwUsyogl8xCCS_SVx_zvHuaOEdoQ5w_ckma7OSB7DtsqCjK-X0oUuukfuSZdqy-D5c76fZhTkYPNLpr6ejZ-gvGfgQJ2apMINymxT4AuVeuxnfkp7-IMERXdac/s400/EPSON031.JPG" title="birthday questionaire so you can always look back on the things your child loved. www.thebrighterwriter.blogspot.com" width="290" /></a></div>
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For those who weren't able to make it to round one, not to fret! The after party in California will be just around the corner so get ready!</div>
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I hope everyone had a great and safe new year! Welcome to 2014!</div>
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<br />The Brighter Writerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00557358149699447319noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3427376719044178649.post-50675483582903233282013-12-12T07:31:00.000-08:002014-06-24T12:03:40.186-07:00Bah Humbug<div>
The snow is starting to fall, the temperature has dropped into negative digits, the sky looks like elephant skin and there are Salvation Army bell ringers stationed at every store.<br />
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It's that time of year again.<br />
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When it's this cold outside, everything freezes.<br />
Personal motivation included.<br />
I can't seem to want to do anything besides hide inside an electric blanket and my own head.<br />
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Alas, there is chili to be crock-potted, goodies to be baked, blogs to be written, and so I must get out of bed, peel myself away from the fire place, and continue on this lovely little path of mine.<br />
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But since we all spent last month thinking about all the things we were thankful for, and also because this is the season of making a list and checking it twice...<br />
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Here's a little random list of things I'm not so thankful for (AKA: Things I hate).<br />
You know, to even the score between November and December.<br />
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1.The bells above gas station doors.<br />
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2. The special effect that makes babies or animals talk on TV. </div>
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3. Mustard.</div>
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4. Raw onions.</div>
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5. Birkenstalk sandals.</div>
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6. Being breathed on </div>
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7. Being told to calm down or chill out.</div>
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8. Mornings without immediate access to coffee</div>
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9. The majority of gum commercials</div>
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10. The Wiggles</div>
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11. Being cold</div>
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12. Pumping gas</div>
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13. Having to follow someone in their car but they drive too fast like an asshole and I end up loosing them.</div>
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14. Every kind of music my husband likes. </div>
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15. Stubbing my pinky toe.</div>
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16. My dog's diesel fuel farts</div>
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17. Hangovers.</div>
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18. The fact that nobody ever wants to play Monopoly.</div>
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19. Getting stood up.</div>
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20. Having to do other people's jobs for them because they're lazy or just stupid. </div>
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21. When 2 things are on at the same time, like a TV and a radio together (my head will explode)</div>
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22. Clapping in the car. </div>
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23. Whistling.<br />
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So now you all know my likes and dislikes just a little bit better! (It's important to know things like this about your bloggers.)<br />
Well, on that note, I hope everybody's heaters are running up to par and do try to stay warm out there!<br />
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This cold front is a doozy!<br />
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