You Like Me...Right Now, You Really Like Me!

Wow! And to think I was just going to drone on about how we spent yet another night at the ER. Apparently Princess was feeling left out - and upon returning from her dad's house on Sunday, was taken immediately to the hospital because of some really nasty hives. I had her seen at the doctor a week prior, when the same rash invaded her little body seemingly out of the blue. So counting our upcoming visit today (with the oldest 'beast), we have been at the hospital a whopping FOUR times in the last week...and that doesn't even count doctor appointments. See? I told you!

So we're on to much bigger - and way better - things!

I woke up this morning to a wonderful series of comments - and from two of my favorite people/sites, too. Don't you love it when that happens??

The first, from Sited and Blogged (which happens to be a blog I read almost every day...sometimes getting so involved in reading that I forget to "drop" my EC!). It seems the Goddesses that run S&B thought highly of yesterday's Entrecard post:

Just wanted to let you know that we are featuring this wonderful post on Sited and Blogged tomorrow.

YAY! They are rewarding me with their sidebar button:
How cool is that? I feel honored and would like to give them a big shout out - if you haven't been to their blog yet, what are you waiting for? You can check them out here.

The second really cool thing that happened?? I was given the "Queen of Alll Things Awe-Summm!!!" Award by none other than Paige, of Lenox Knits fame. (Super spectacular blog, BTW - check it out!)

While I'm trying to get up from bowing to Paige, here are the rules:

* List 7 things that make you Awe-Summ and then pass the award on to 7 bloggers you love.
Hmmm...I have to list 7?? Wait...maybe that should read, I have to stop at 7?? lol That sounds much more royal, don't you think?
1. I am awe-summm at mixed media art. Even if I don't put enough of it on my blog.
2. I am awe-summm at making jewelry. Look at some of the Woot Loot I've offered.
3. I am awe-summm at collecting things. Just look at my house. Ok, don't. Please.
4. I am an awe-summm Mom. This one came from the oldest 'beast, if you can believe that?!
5. I am awe-summm at thinking on my feet. I don't know where it comes from (and I can't believe I'm admitting this to the entire world), but I am good at BSing. If there were a BS contest, I could win. Whether that is good or bad, that's how it is.
6. I am awe-summm at maintaining disorganization. In my mind - and my surroundings. (Does that mean I'm awe-summm at multi-tasking, also?)
7. I am awe-summm at procrastination. I think. Let me get back to you on that.

And I'm passing the award - along with the glorious crown and scepter - to these fantastic bloggers. These are all women I truly admire and respect. Try to pay them a visit - you be royally rewarded! In no particular order...
1. Aileen, writer of Aileen's Musings
2. Lotta, over at Mom-O-Matic - who has recently announced she will close her blog 09.01. Waaahhhh!!
3. Duni, who presides over the adorable Lovely Purses.
4. The Chainmaille Goddess over at You've Got Maille
5. Lesley Riley - the Royalty of all things fabric and transfers!
6. Lisa, the talented force behind Alterity Art
7. Miriam, the silver seductress at Silver Sachet
* Make sure to tag your recipients and let them know they have won! Done.

* Also link back to the Queen that tagged you. This one is very easy...click on any of the links to Lenox Knits above, or if you're really lazy, just click here.

I hope you took your time reading them...and visit Paige and the blogs I have bestowed the award upon - because I'm still trying to get up. This Queen ain't as young as I used to be!

Thank you, Paige (Lenox Knits) and Sited and Blogged, for making my Tuesday totally terrific!

And now...it's off to the hospital...AGAIN.

And a note about the You Tube video this post links to (click on the title post - or here - to see it)...re-watching it, so many years later, why has Sally Field failed to live this line down? It isn't as awful as I remember it to be...what do you think?

Entrecard Creativity

Feel free to copy or share this information on your blog or site -
just please link to The Queen Speaks if you do. I appreciate it!

I've been meaning to post this, but life has gotten in the way. Since I meant to post it last week and couldn't, let me share my vast wisdom with you all. I even made a picture for your enjoyment.

When visiting sites or blogs, it can be confusing with all these new policies whether the ad is "paid" or not. Tired of not knowing which ads would lead me to another interesting blog - and which ads would just lead me, I figured out how to tell them apart. I haven't seen this posted on any other blog, so I'm guessing it isn't common knowledge. Prepare to be amazed...

So you're clicking along, dropping on all your favorite blogs. (Seeing how drastically my own drop rate has bottomed out, I'm assuming most Entrecarders - myself included - are only visiting their faves - and not working their heinies off for 300 drops every day.) Right after you drop, hover your mouse over the picture (or ad portion) on the widget. Then glance down at your status bar.
~ Your status bar is the bar across the bottom of your screen, between your Internet window and your bottom toolbar.
~ If you can't see your status bar (and are using Firefox), go to the top of your screen, click "view", then see if there is a check mark next to "status bar". If not, click on "status bar" and you will see it pop up at the bottom of your Internet window. If it is checked and you just can't see the status bar, click on "status bar" to remove the check mark - and look to see what disappears. Now click on "view" again, then click on "status bar" again, and watch for it to come back. If you use IE, you're on your own. Sorry.

And here is the visual I made.

In the example above, you can see the ad is a paid ad. Just look at the end of the status bar. In the example below, the end of the status bar says "entrecard", so you know it's been paid for with credits.

Click on either picture to enlarge it.

If you are boycotting paid ads, and/or want to support those who run (and buy) ads with their hard earned credits, click on the ads that show up as "entrecard" at the end of your status bar. You will be happily transported to another Entrecard site or blog that paid for the ad with credits. What a great way to show you support those sites and blogs!

And this concludes the Public Service Announcement/Entrecard Lesson for the day. Enjoy!

xx

Today is my DILMM. Now Do You Understand?

Do you have a DILMM?

For years, April 26th has been my least favorite day of the year, excluding holidays. It isn't fair, I suppose - April 26th seems innocuous enough. Most people would choose to hate April 15th much more...but not me.

April 26th is a day I'm not sure if I should celebrate or curse - which is why I have despised it for the last 10 or so years. I know I'm supposed to celebrate December 31 - and believe me, I do. Even if it doesn't seem like it on the outside, I'm having my own internal party, I promise. (December 31st just happens to be the date my divorce was final.) But what about April 26th?

It was April 26, 2007 that I got married. Conflicting as it is, that date ranks in the top 5 of the days in my life when I've had the most fun. My friends had a blast. It still ranks very highly as one of the best weddings any of us has ever been to. Call it the premarriage jitters which led us to sneak out the back of the church and down the little bottles of Cuervo the gal at the liquor store gave us. Or maybe it was just the way all the people involved got along so well, and just meshed. (How often does that happen to a group of 20 or so? Especially when the ages of the group members spans at least 25 years? And at a wedding. no less?) Or maybe it was that everyone knew I had poured my heart and soul into the event (not to mention every single penny he and I had, including the money we got for temporarily pawning his truck!), and they were not about to cross the Queen on her wedding day? (Ok, that one makes me laugh - since I'm so not a diva...and I didn't become the Queen until several years later, when my daughter was born and instantly sanctioned "Princess".) Or maybe it's just that I have some really fantastic friends. Maybe it was a combination of all those things. Whatever the reason(s), it was a fantastic day.

However, it was still the day I got married. Which makes it a day of sincere regret and remorse. I won't go into any of the messy details, but I will tell you that after being together for several years - 1 1/2 of those as a married couple - my then-husband decided he...um...swung a different way. Nothing at all wrong with being gay...but definitely a problem when you're a man and you marry a woman who has two kids. I may get spanked on this, but it becomes wrong in my eyes when the person knows they are gay before they make a marital commitment to someone of the opposite sex...who already has two kids. There was another reason for our divorce - but truly, I will spare you.

So. We're twelve years out of this thing (which frankly, I can't believe!!) - and I'm still not sure how to "treat" April 26. For the last ten years I have loathed this date...but that all seems sort of silly now. My ex no longer peppers my conversations - or my thoughts. We have both moved on - which is good - and I really don't ever want to see him again. So why hold this date hostage with such disdain?

No one tells you how you're supposed to feel about dates like this. To my knowledge, there isn't even a Hallmark card for the occasion. (I could make one for them. lol) It isn't discussed by anyone - but millions of people have dates like this in their history...and there is no way I am the only one who feels funny about the date. I have no idea what it would be called...I only know it's bound to make life easier for tons of people. For the sake of argument, let's call it DILMM. (Day I Lost My Mind) Naming it would be helpful for lots of reasons. For example:

You walk into work one day and notice your co-worker is down. You don't know this person real well but are friendly with them.
"Hey Sally, what's wrong? You seem down." "Hi Barb. It's my DILMM today." "Oh, Sally, I can so understand. Can I do anything?"

Or, imagine this scenario:

Bbbrrrriiinnnggg
Hello? Hey Patti! What's up girl? Hey Sarah, not much. How are you? Great! Do you have plans on Friday? Umm none that I can think of. Why? What's up? It's my DILMM and I want to party - let's go out! Right on, girl! My DILMM is in 2 weeks - we'll celebrate both of them! Very cool!

See what I mean?

So I have made up my mind that I have punished April 26th long enough. It's no fun to be down or have hate/anger in your heart...I'm going to celebrate April 26th from now on. After all, it's officially the DILMM!

What do you think...would you celebrate or despise your DILMM?

Stay tuned for tomorrow's post: Entrecard Creativity

A Week in Review...Just for You

I'm sorry for not dropping or replying -
I promise to get back at it as soon as
my problems stop multiplying!

This has been the longest week
and I need some therapy.
My state's health system is single-handedly
being supported by only me.

You may have noticed
I have not been around -
And it isn't because
I've been polishing my crown.

I knew we were facing
a full week of craziness
with appointments, school
and just life business

But I had no idea, really
how exhausted I could get
between the absurd schedule
and my sleep deficit

You heard from me Monday
which was my last day of sanity
before the week took off
and knocked the wind out of me.
(Sanity, as used in this case, refers to my schedule. Don't worry. I'm not crazy enough to use it to refer to my mental status.)

So Monday was pretty normal
or as normal as it can be
in this queen's noisy castle
which houses 3 wild banshees.

Tuesday started with a loud alarm blare
at an hour so early it should be a sin
People were actually out and about (and functioning!)
when we arrived for our 7:10 check in.

We spent that day at one
hospital for over five whole hours
while the oldest 'beast ate breakfast
that was full of nuclear power!

Each hour there was an x-ray
of my son's glowing belly -
they were viewing the placement of
the toast, eggs, and jelly.

When they had all their pictures
and we were (finally) free to go
We had to bust a move and boogie
since the morning moved so slow.

It was off to do my errands
and run all around town
Before it was my turn
to rock the hospital gown.

I was so burned out
by the time that we got home
All I could do one thing
and that was sit upon my throne.
(I don't mean the "throne" found in most commoner's homes.)

Wednesday, again began with a jolt
I rushed the 'beasts out the door
I was to check in at another hospital
at 11 o'clock - on the third floor.

My doctor had scheduled me
for what's called a myelogram
because my leg keeps swelling up
like I'm Elephant Woman*.
* WARNING: The picture in the link is really disturbing. If you can't stomach images of gross disfigurements, please don't look. Also, my leg doesn't look like that...I'm just making a point. lol)

(This is not so good
on the dating scene -
it isn't so attractive
if know what I mean.)

Before I go on any further
I should probably explain
exactly what is making
the royal family so lame.

The oldest beast of mine
has a really bad gut
every morning without fail
the kid throws up.

This has been the case
for several long years
but he refused a doctor
I suppose out of fear.

Then I told you about
my grossly swollen leg
I just want to make sure
I don't have the plague.

So for the last few weeks
we've had doctor appointments galore
I don't think it's possible
we could have had any more.

I hope the short explanation
I gave you here
helps to make
all this craziness clear.

Ok. So Wednesday was full
of nurses, needles and x-rays,
and of thoughts of me
getting up and running away.
(The lackluster, openbacked gown
convinced me to stay.)

After a day of injections and contrast
slid deep into my spine
"I wanna go home!"
was all I could whine.

I'll admit I silenced my whining
and did not complain a lot -
you'd have done the same
with a doc that flippin' hot!

It was onto the next phase in my fun
a ride on the bed of the CT scanner.
I was glad to be alone and almost done
because I had all but lost my bedside manner.

Wheeling me back down
to the safety of recovery
Every time I moved
it all but killed me.

I declined all the pain meds offered
trying to be brave, tough and strong.
"Why didn't someone examine my head?"
I wondered before too long.

My aunt drove me home
and I hobbled - slowly - up to my bed
and so began 24 hours of
keeping my body as flat as my head.

Thursday rolls around
and I wake up to discover
my uvula is totally huge -
it's swollen as a mother!

Why can't I swallow?
OMG What's the deal?
I can hardly breathe
Are you kidding - is this for real??

Then I realize it must be
a reaction to the contrast dye
so I push the panic down
to a level a little less than the sky.

Wait...Die? DIE? Did someone say die?
I thought the releases were just formality
I thought those were...just...
for protection - you know, a legality.

It was then I chose to roll over
and felt a painful ZING! everywhere
"I will be in bed all day!"
The Queen did loudly declare.

I called the hospital about my uvula
and they confirmed it was a reaction
so I laid back down and settled in
for a day lacking any action.

This brings us to Friday
which, sadly, was just like Thursday
except for the swollen uvula
and I could sit up all the way.

Oh - on Friday afternoon
I did go out for a bit
it was so exciting -
how could I forget?

I went to the medical supply store
to get something special, just for me...
I got to buy compression stockings
they are beige and go up to my knee!

Now I know that's exciting
and you wish you were so cool
but unless you have Elephant Woman leg
you will only get to drool.

And this sums up my week
and why I haven't been here
I'm sorry for the absence -
now someone please pass me a beer.

Even tho it's true
that I really don't drink
I think I've earned one or two this week -
what do you all think?

(And to think this very next week
I get to repeat the same routine
going between two hospitals...
I think I'll need caffeine.)

xx

Make It a Great Day - I Love You!

We have lived in the Littleton, Colorado area for about 16 years - and I very clearly remember where I was and what I was doing exactly 10 years ago today.

It is hard to believe it's been that long since the Columbine massacre. April 20, 1999. That one day changed many lives...it ended the lives of 12 students and a teacher far too soon*. Altered the lives of an additional 23 students who were injured. Damaged the families of the 26 people injured or killed. Impacted a community - a country. And forever changed the way Colorado schools operate - and most probably the way schools all across the nation function. I don't know that anyone could foresee how the tragedy at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999 would impact an entire generation of kids...kids who were doing what millions of kids in the US do every day.

When you send your kids off to school in the morning, you don't think something so incredibly unspeakable can happen. Trust me, no one in this great community thought anything like this was possible. It never crossed the minds of local parents just how helpless we all are when our children leave our care. Even to go some where as safe and benign as school. We know the people our kids go to school with. We expect our children to return safely to us at the end of the day. We do this day after day, without giving it a single thought.

That is exactly the feeling and sense of security we, as parents, had the morning of April 20, 1999. No one had any inkling of the horrific disaster awaiting the kids of Columbine High School that day. No one could foretell how the destinies of so many would be irrevocably changed - or how the innocence of our most precious possessions would be lost forever. It was scary enough to be less than a mile from Columbine that day...I cannot imagine how it must felt to have actually been on the campus.

Please take a few minutes today to say a prayer for the lives tragically affected - and families totally shattered - ten years ago today. Please spend just a minute sending positive vibes and well wishes to those directly affected by the inexplicable violence that occurred at Columbine High School exactly ten years ago. Today cannot be an easy day for the families directly involved - I'm sure we are all aware of how anniversaries can bring up strong memories. And these families have been through more than most of us can imagine. They definitely deserve a few moments of strength, peace, and comfort.

Also, take an extra minute to hug your kids. They make look at you like you're nuts (if you have teenagers, you're used to it!), but you can never love on your kiddos enough. Make a conscious effort to send them off with warmth and love in the mornings. I know that's harder some mornings than others - but try to make it a habit. Even though my kids were young when the Columbine massacre occurred - one son in kindergarten and one son in preschool - I promised myself I would never send them out into the world without knowing how much I love them. No matter how chaotic, crazy, or outright disastrous our morning has been, I never let my kids get out of the house without a hug, a kiss (or a pat on the back, in my teenage son's case), and an "Make it an absolutely wonderful, fantastic, amazing, and incredible day today! I'll be thinking of you - I LOVE YOU!!" from me. I tell them those exact words every single time they leave for school in the morning. Even if I was ranting and raving two minutes before. I don't want them to leave without knowing I love them - and I will not send them out into the world without those words being the last words they hear from me.

If you don't end your mornings (or any time you are heading in different directions) like we do, try it. It definitely makes for a better day...for everyone. You just never know what the great big world has planned for them that day. I hope to God it won't ever be something as tragic as Columbine - but even if it's something like no one wanting to sit with them at lunch or they didn't do well on their math test, they will remember the last words you said to them. And that reminds them you are in their corner and love them no matter what. I wish my mom had practiced this when I was a kid.

Who knows? Maybe doing that can prevent a future Columbine-like tragedy...and all our kids deserve that. Oh - and just in case no one told you this morning,

MAKE IT AN ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL, FANTASTIC, AMAZING, AND INCREDIBLE DAY! I'LL BE THINKING OF YOU - AND I LOVE YOU!! xx

(*This does not include the lives of the two lives of the gun-toting boys who also died.)