sweetisu

Today’s post marks the 300th post since I started blogging, coinciding with the last day of this year’s Nablopomo. How cool is that! (the song “I’m too sexy for..” suddenly starts in my head)

And I have completed the challenge, again. Hooray!

In these previous 299 posts contain lots of sad events and recordings, because that’s when I feel most vulnerable and need a place to make sense of it all, or at least to write it down so my head won’t burst spontaneously. There are also lots of happy posts as well but somehow I tend to have so much fun until I forget to write them down here. I’ll definitely try harder to capture the happy moments in bytes simply because I don’t want to forget about them when I’m 80 years old. I want my kids and grandkids to read what silly things I wrote, and what was mom/grandma like… Maybe by then there will be some new technology that allows one to read books and blogs or journals or whatever simply by wearing a pair of “glasses” and scroll by pushing a small tiny remote button/controller.

In the last 3+ years I have made lots of wonderful friends via sweetisu.com. I may not know what you look like, or how tall you are, or how you like your coffee, but I know your heart is good and your soul is beautiful. I’m so glad you’ve decided to hang out here time and again. Thank you!

Wow. Only one more day of Nablopomo left. What am I going to do??? I still have so much to say! I’ll be going through Nablo withdrawal!

Seriously though, this has been a fun month. I heart Eden for starting this last year, and I still heart her. Because of this Nablo thing, I’ve met so many cool people I wouldn’t have otherwise! And I’ve learned a lot about myself, and those around me, and those in the Internet. Thank you Eden!

Although I have so much to say, I’m not going to continue this daily blogging, maybe more like every other day?? We’ll see, no promises though.

There are discussion threads on whether not commenting on posts is rude and bad netiquette behavior.

My personal take on it is, it is absolutely impossible to comment on every post that I read. I wouldn’t even have time to blink if I commented on everything I read. Or ya’ll would get only a one-word comment from me. I try to comment as much as I can, but sometimes I’m just not in the right frame of mind, or there’s not enough time to write a decent comment, or I had nothing to say regarding the post. That said, if I comment on someone’s blog multiple times and don’t see any response or acknowledgment whatsoever, or reciprocating comments in my own blog, then it is more likely I will stop reading it sooner or later. The exception to that is if the blog is extremely high traffic and I’m just a nobody to them.

When I get comments, if I have the time or I feel I should respond to it, I do so by replying via email. It is easier for me, and faster as my email client is much faster than a web hosting site with so many requirements (name, email address, URL, captcha, moderation etc). In my opinion, it is also easier and better for the commenter, as they wouldn’t have to keep checking the post for possible replies/updates in the comment section. Certainly one can RSS to most comments now, but I don’t want to fill up the RSS reader just to check for that.

I hardly engage in the comment sections, aside from using it to leave comments. Occasionally I do scroll back to see what others have said, but don’t check it much at all. It’s not intentional if I missed your replies in the comment sections of blogs other than my own. Sorry!

I got tagged by the pretty Goofy Andie. I spent some time reading back in the archives… lots of weird things and weird writing.

*** INSTRUCTIONS: ***
1. Post 5 links to 5 of your previously written posts. The posts have to relate to the 5 key words given below.
2. Tag 5 other friends to do this meme. Try to tag at least 2 new acquaintances (if not, your current blog buddies will do) so that you get to know them each a little bit better.
3. Don’t forget to read the archived post and leave comments.
************************

Link 1 is a little bit of FAMILY: How about a little something about a growing new family member?

Link 2 is a little bit of FRIEND: Amie, after she found out she’s having a girl!

Link 3 is a little bit of YOURSELF: Wow I talk about myself a lot. How do I limit to just one link… Here are two that I wrote during last year’s Nablopomo: Part I and Part II.

Link 4 should be YOUR LOVE: How we met.

Link 5 can be ANYTHING YOU LIKE: Dos & Don’ts that I wrote nearly 2 years ago. Cancer, baby that I linked in that post has since passed away. She was 33 (if I remembered right).

As far as tagging others… who to tag?! I’m going to leave this open to everyone again. If you do wanna play along, let me know when you’re done so I can go read

Can’t read the highlighted section? Here’s a bigger version. So these are not just any dots, these glow in the dark! Woo!

Updated: Wall Street Journal also mentioned this.

This post is all about our son Seb, who is a couple of months short of 4.5 years old.

Last week when I made oatmeal for breakfast, he protested and said, “Mama, I don’t want to eat oatmeal. It looks like poop.”

* * *

A song for your enjoyment. Sung to the tunes of… I have no idea what the official song title is. He was eating apples at the time, and started being silly:

“Apple apple what do you see?
I see a booboo* looking at me.
Booboo booboo what do you see?
I see a poopie** looking at me.
Poopie poopie what do you see?
I see a deedoo* looking at me.
Deedoo deedoo what do you see?
I see a peep looking at me.”

I’m not sure if he knows the actual meaning of peep, or if that’s just a coincidental word that he thinks rhymes. He LOVES rhyming; they have been doing a lot of that at preschool.

Speaking of rhyming… we were in the van (yes I have a van, and I love driving it), when he blurted out “truck… duck… muck… puck…” Luckily he didn’t say the F word.

* He likes to make up silly, funny, nonsense words. Oh may you always find humor in life and be happy.
** The boy is obsessed with potty mouth words, and thinks these types of words are absolutely hilarious. I suppose it is normal for his age?!

We decided in February this year to sell our first home, move across the state line, and start our business. That seemed simple enough, but selling a house in a down market while you’re still living in it, with two children under 4 who also live there, is definitely not a walk in the park.

When people go look at houses, they want to see it like houses would appear on magazines. With all the pretty pillows arranged, the towels all folded in the bathroom, beds made, no laundry baskets laying around, no toys anywhere except in a hidden basket or nicely showcased on the coffee table, dishes must be washed and put away, driveways shoveled, floors dusted and or vacuumed, mirrors windexed, (and on the list goes). And they want to see it 15 minutes after they make the call to you / your real estate agent.

How is that possible with TWO kids who normally act like tornadoes tearing through things?! It’s not. That’s how. During the day we practically lived at the library or the mall or the park weather permitted and the kids nap in the car, so that the house doesn’t get messed up just in case someone decides to come see it. But it gets old after a while, and the kids get cranky and tired of not having any of their favorite things out.

For the whole 6 weeks that the house was on the market, we were on a roller coaster ride of emotions. Did they like the house? Why did these people come for a second showing but didn’t make an offer, any offer? No one called for showings again? What are they saying about our house? What can we do to get them to come back? It was worth it at the end though. We were fortunate and we got out of there just in time. And things all fell into the right places with time.

I don’t particularly miss the house. But I do miss having hardwood floorings, a super sized nice deck, and the private yard. It has an 1 acre yard, right smack in the middle of suburbia. It was a beautiful house. We have so many memories there as a family, good and bad. I was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s less than a week after we moved our boxes in there. Both of our kids were born and we endured so many sleepless nights walking up and down the hall. Our family visits and gatherings. We humans are the only species who carry and treasure our memories in the way we do.

Look at the house. Wouldn’t you have fallen in love too?

However, I do like living in a newer house too. The maintenance cost is lower, the insulation and electrical work is much better, and the bathrooms/bedrooms are more updated to suit today’s lifestyle. I LOVE the new code requirement for electrical outlets - there’s one everywhere I need it - I haven’t needed to use any extension cords!

Do you prefer old style homes, with charm and character, and likely lots privacy and land? Or do you prefer newer homes with all the modern updates?

How was your Thanksgiving? Good I hope, and didn’t burn the turkey like I did. Did you pull out your big pants afterwards so you can lounge more comfortably? Me? I just wore the fat pants the whole time so I wouldn’t have to change’em.
Anyway. I thought you might enjoy another meme. I think it was Sandy who tagged me, eons ago, and I’m only now getting to it.

So I’ve done the Crazy 8. Now half of that…

4 Places I’ve lived:
* Canton, China
* Davenport, Iowa
* Chattanooga, Tennessee
* Eden Prairie, Minnesota

4 Jobs I’ve had:
* Waitress/Cook/Cashier/Whatever else my family’s business demanded (now closed)
* R&D Intern
* Lab Assistant
* Process Engineer

4 Jobs I wish I had
* One where I get to taste all kinds of foods, like a food critic (problem is, I won’t be able to try some of the more squeamish things..)
* One where I make all the final decisions
* One where I have assistant galore to delegate tasks to
* One where I get 2 months off every year, like my French and Swedish friends, and 18 months of fully paid maternity leave

4 places I’ve holidayed: (my favorites. Notice they are all on the warmer side, little or no snow)
* Vancouver, BC, Canada
* San Francisco, California
* Tempe/Phoenix, Arizona
* Yosemite, California

4 Favorite foods:
* Sushi
* Dimsum
* Seafood
* Pea Tips (real Chinese restaurants will have this)

4 Places I’d rather be:
This is hard. I’d go anywhere as long as my husband and our kids are with us. Bonus if the place has internet, running water / indoor plumbing, warm and lots of sunshine, fabulous food. I don’t ask for too much
4 Bloggers I like to pass this meme onto:
Just 4??? I’m tagging everyone who reads this. I challenge you!

I’m embarrassed to say that, after more than 3 years of blogging, I’ve gotten off my lazy butt gotten over my intimidated self and finally putting up a blogroll. Hey these gadgets can be scary/daunting like programming a VCR or VOD. So I’ve started it already, but I have so many more to add. And with Nablopomo, I can’t remember all the cool sites I’ve visited and commented on, and all the profiles I’ve read.

Please leave a comment and your blog URL and I’ll be sure to give some linky love. There’s enough for everybody so no pushing or shoving, ok?

We’re having a big Black Friday sale at KangarooBoo. For today only, take 20% off of your entire purchase!

Go to KangarooBoo.com for more details.

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