Hopefully it won't happen to me

I am re-watching We Are Marshall. What a great but sad story. Maybe it's my mood today - but during the plane crash, I started thinking about the ways I don't want to die. Sure, I've had these thoughts many times before, but now as I am getting a little older these are things I think about more often. It probably does not help that I am an avid reader where some books have very unusual deaths.

So, how don't I want to die? Drowning, suffocating, being stabbed/shot, slowly eaten by an animal, beaten, car accident (unless it is quick). I also don't want to be too old - I fear getting older, I don't want Alzheimer's or have to deal with all those health problems because let's face it, I am not a health nut now, if I make it to 80, I'll be miserable. Sure dying young isn't good so I'd prefer a quick death right about the age where I become a burden to others.

According to the CDC, the average life expectancy is 77.7 years leading causes of death in the US are:

• Heart Disease (631,636)
• Cancer
• Stroke
• Chronic Lower Respiratory Diseases
• Accidents
• Diabetes
• Alzheimer's
• Influenza/Pneumonia
• Nephritis
• Septicemia (34,234)

And according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics, as you get older, the less likely you will be a victim of a violent crime, so at least I have that going for me.

Back to the CDC, looking at the cause of death for white women from 2002-2006 in my current age bracket, the "unintentional injury" is interesting, MV traffic ranks #1, followed by poison, fire, drowning, suffocation, fall, etc. http://webappa.cdc.gov/sasweb/ncipc/leadcaus10.html

So, logically, the next question would be would I want to know when I am going to die? No, I don't think I would. Sure, if you knew you would make it appoint to do what you want to do before it happens. But, knowing me, I would just think about that day all the time perhaps be too depressed to do anything, especially if it was sooner than I would have liked. As much as it would be great to live each day like the last day...that is too hard to do when you still have work and obligations. Just a reminder to make more time for the things you really enjoy.

For fun, check out http://www.waystodie.350.com/ for 350 bizarre ways to die

http://bjs.ojp.usdoj.gov/index.cfm

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/deaths.htm

Me a sore loser? Yeah, sometimes.

Man was I upset last night. And for no real reason that affects my life. I entered into the March Madness bracket with only two friends with only dinner at steak. I was doing OK...until last night. I went from first place....to last place after today's game. All my final fours are out. How do I have the right to be mad? I didn't play the game. Everyone likes to win. And sure, I can be competitive. I don't let the nieces & nephews win all the time anymore because they are getting older. They need to learn these lessons early so it doesn't torment them when they get older.

But the good news is, when I woke up this morning, my slight disappointment was gone. And I might, just might, finish watching the games to root against my friends. If they are going to beat me, it better be just by a tad then by a landslide.

beneficiary smishiary

I was filling out some papers to transfer my Roth IRA from one agent to another (long story), so 99% of the paperwork is complete...but that 1% is troubling me...who is my beneficiary? Well, I have none. The joys of being single. I don't have a significant other, no child, I can't put my parents because hopefully by the time comes for that to cash out...my parents won't be around [not that I as wishing for their demise, but parents should not outlive their children - in an ideal world]. So, who does that leave? I have three sisters - how to pick which one gets that responsibility?

March MADness

I am definitely not a sports type in fact I am athletically challenged. My only 'real' attempt at sports was CYO basketball in middle school. I actually would like to think I was even OK at it...but I was too nervous to try out for JV in the 9th grade (although I probably would have made it). While asserting blame on someone else is the easy way out, I have to wonder if my gym teachers are partially to blame. We played ping pong my WHOLE junior & senior year of high school and just volley ball in the 10th grade. Certainly we could have done more.

Anyway, that being said, I LOVE March Madness. And it is not because I know all the college basketball teams and players. Oh No. I love the competition and rooting against who my friends want to win. Sure the games are a lot of fun to watch - especially really close ones. This year was the first year I filled out a bracket- which made me root not just for anytime, but my predetermined teams (and ZERO research went into picking...which made my bracket, as others would say 'interesting').

I am going MAD. First it started off getting hot & sweaty while my team & my friends teams are in a dead heat...I think I am going to hyperventillate...But it gets worse - I can't stop thinking about it. I am having nightmares (and waking up in the middle of the night) about the teams I selected & loosing & needing to know the scores & my place in the running at all times. Now, your thinking...I must be in a huge bracket with lots at steak. OH NO! there are 3 of us with a dinner up for grabs, but gosh darnet - I WANT TO WIN. I am currently tied for second :(

Vanity Sizing

A lady and man meet. They have an instant connection. Maybe the fall in love at first site, maybe they are friends for months before they realize they want more. Either way, my question is….you like someone but then on that fateful night when you start to remove your clothes, you do not like what you see underneath – what do you do? All those fairytales don’t say what happens when the princess finds out prince charming is not well equipped, or that he is horrible in bed. Do they stay together or do they call it quits?

I keep finding I am shallower than I thought I was. And you know what…YES penis size does matter for me. If I can’t tell if a guy is hard or not because his pecker is so small, I am not turned on, I am repulsed. And it is even worse, when you see that tiny thing for the first time and he is like “not bad huh?” and you look at it and think….that is the smallest thing I’ve ever seen, but you nod your head and say ‘yup’. Another thought is the issue of, having a small penis and knowing how to use it versus a larger one that doesn’t quite satisfy you. I guess the answer is obvious, but would you even feel it? I don’t see how either of those would work.

So this brings me to my dilemma. I had been trying to not get naked with a guy right away, but to wait a month or so, to make sure we have enough in common or whatever it is…basically to reassure myself I am not a whore. But then over this time period, you develop feelings for someone…as small as they might be, now what do I do? Do I just suck it up and try to figure it out? Do I cringe every time I see it? Or do I move on to the next prospect?

Lesson Learned Yet???

Staying with my word about trying to blog more often...here it goes, as I wait to get together with a few friends for March Madness.

How many times does it take to learn a lesson?
Me, clearly not enough. So, I had a business trip to Chicago, I asked around, none of my friends wanted to go - so eventually the Ex said he would go. He claimed a trip like this is what we needed to move past our issues (mind you we've been broken up for 3 1/2 years. LOL) and get reacquainted with one another. I was excited, but skeptical. He purchased his flight - and sent me an email confirmation and then proceeded to not speak to me for 3 weeks. As my trip neared, I had a feeling I'd be going solo and quickly asked if anyone else wanted to get away last minute. The day before I was to leave he messages me saying it isn't a good idea. No other explanations, although he did deny being married, getting married or having a baby that weekend.

So for the twelfth time, I told him I was done, that was his last chance. Of course he didn't believe that because I've been "hooked" (from HIMYM - being strung along by one person who wants something more - Season 5 Epsiode 16).

Have I learned my lesson? I don't think so. BUT because we haven't been speaking it doesn't bother me as much. Well, not that day, I cried like our breakup was brand new. AND as if I couldn't be anymore childish or irrational, I told a guy I'm friends with (7 dates in 13 months) that I'd go to Mexico with him. AGHHH - I've never been away like that with a guy - the trip is booked, I can't get out of that one anymore. So NO my lesson was NOT learned...again.

Me - a Kreativ Blogger??? Thanks!

Wow, what an honor to receive this award from McGriddle Pants! I decided to start a blog after reading her blog because I too had so much to say. But then, life got busy and not in a great kind of way. I will use this to remind myself that I have some great things to share with everyone...I need to make more time out to do so.

Coupons Coupons

As you know, I enjoy grocery shopping and I am broke...but I haven't clipped coupons in years. It wasn't the time factor of doing it, it was more the most of the coupons were for processed foods or for supplies I never used. I figured by not clipping coupons I might eat better, not quite sure since I weigh more now than I did 8 years ago. But that aside, today I was reading the CNN headlines and it brought me to an article about The Krazy Coupon Lady which I ended up spending about an hour on the site and downloading the coupon bar and printing about 30 coupons. Sure some of them are for processed foods (I'll give those to my sisters with kids) but some were for games (monopoly, connect four) and some even for yogurt. I figured I'd give it a shot. The coupons after all are free. The Krazy Coupon Lady also provides examples for the week using local circulars and the coupons available to save money...too bad those supermarkets aren't near me...so I have to figure out when the best time to use coupons against the circular to save the most money.

I love reading but I can't support my habit by buying all the books, since I can go through over 40 a year. I don't understand why more people don't use their local libraries, my library card is the most used card on my key chain. Not only can you go into the library and browse the shelves, but you can order the books online. For those of you that are computer savvy or don't understand the dewy decimal system, holding books online is a no brainer. I am lucky that I live in a populated area that gets along well with our fellow towns in the county - that our libraries are all part of one...so there may be times the books are sent from our neighbors town and I pick up from my 'home' location. Not only can you do this with books, but with DVDs...I even cancelled my netflix subscription when I realized that I can get it from the library for free. So while I don't understand why more people don't utilize this town service, I am happy that I our wait lists aren't too long.

Eggplant & Spinach

Took out a little red wine and started to prepare meals for the week. Since I live alone, cooking economically with a variety could be hard. I bought an eggplant today. I used the one eggplant and made three dishes, to help with eggplant boredom. Baked eggplant and spinach parmesan, eggplant and spinach gluten free penne, and grilled eggplant and cheese panini. In addition to the eggplant, Ill be making chicken and roasted peppers and mozzarella, but the chicken has defrosted yet. All three dishes (3 servings each of the parmesan and pasta dishes, 1 of the panini) totalled about $9.71 - with extra spinach and mozzarella to be used later.

Hmm, better planning, and i could have saved $80 at the grocery store today buying items I'm not eating this week....I really need to get better at things like this to stop wasting food.

I love grocery shopping

I love going grocery shopping. Something about it is so relaxing. I must admit however, that I was a much better grocery shopper years ago, cutting coupons, planning ahead...now I have a general idea what I might want to eat this week and end up spending more money. Today, I took my time going up and down almost every isle, and was very impressed with the diversity of foods that is now stocked on the shelves. A while back I tried a gluten-free diet, and it was very difficult to find snack foods, desserts, etc, but today I saw gluten free cake mix! Additionally the amount of organic foods and ethnic foods has increased so much in the last year. I know I get tired of eating the same thing over and over, and it is so great to look down the isles and say, hmm - that sounds good! Today I picked up organic peanut butter, organic black bean & corn salsa, and a box of 'fancy' wheat thins. I hope the grocery store's awareness for healthy good for you foods becomes the norm and helps all of us Americans eat better by weening off of the high sugar and processed foods. I am not a health food nut by any means, and have had a constant struggle with weight in the last 10 years, but I hope that having healthier foods that doesn't require a separate visit to another store will help!

Stop Whining

I am tired of hearing the backlash of the NYC MTA service cuts. New York Citiers have been accustomed to the subways running every few minutes and having multiple subways and buses on similar routes. For those of us that live in the suburbs, we memorize our trains timetable, because our service runs on a schedule every 30 minutes. I don't think most New York Citiers will even realize if a few subways are cut, sure some trains will be more crowded, but if the MTA does it right, perhaps the off peak times will be where the cuts will come from. The transportation costs of traveling within the city limits are so small, that I don't think there is a basis for people to complain.