For My Single Friends

The other night, I was surfing the blogosphere, dropping as many EntreCards as possible before bedtime, when I came across a blogging addiction quiz on my blogosphere buddy Rebecca's Freaky Frugalite site (someone please remind me to add Freaky Frugalite and Rebecca's other sites to my Roxiticus Best Blogs directory in my spare time). I clicked on the link to the quiz, answered a few questions about my blogging habits, and I was so sleepy that I thought that in order to get my results, I had to join an online Dating Directory! As my loyal Roxiticus Desperate Housewives readers know, I have been happily married to Rex for more than ten years, and I'm sure he'd rather not have his hot young wife and mother of his two lovely daughters signed up for an online dating service. However, the automated system asked me to create a User ID and a profile... turns out that "Not Interested," "Not Interested At All," and "Not Interested At All Ever" were already taken, so I ended up as "Oh For Pete's Sake"! The whole experience was just a reminder of both the challenges and benefits that have been created for my single friends by advances over the past ten years in technology. I find that some of the most interesting stories I read on Other People's Blogs (OPB) via EntreCard and BlogExplosion come from single women and men telling their tales of blind dates and other dating adventures.

Happy 8th Birthday, London!

As London and Maddie were getting ready for bed last night, we talked about what Mommy and Daddy were doing eight years ago... it was Super Bowl Sunday, and we had spent the entire day at Lenox Hill Hospital, waiting for London... it took the rest of the night and lots of hours of labor, but when London arrived before noon the next day, we knew she was worth the wait.

Last year for "Incredible Kid Day" in London's first grade class, all of the parents were asked to take some time to reflect and think about why we feel our child is unique and truly incredible. Rex and I shared our thoughts with London by writing a special letter to her telling why we think she's incredible, and I thought it was worth a repeat performance tonight in honor of her 8th birthday.

London,

On the day you were born, I was filled with so much joy and love that I thought you couldn’t be much more incredible…but as you’ve grown up to be an almost second grader, I’ve discovered that you grow more incredible with each passing day, week, and year. London, you are INCREDIBLE!

Incredibly poised, a graceful ballerina, and an agile gymnast.
Natural tennis player with confident strokes, you can serve, rally and score!
Creative writer, artist and avid reader. This spring, we’ve already spent several beach days sitting together in our beach chairs on Mount Street Beach in Bay Head, New Jersey, plowing through our “page turners” together. It makes me so happy that you love to read… and write creative stories and illustrate your books and draw fabulous fashions. We’ll both remember and enjoy our beach reading days for a lifetime.
Role model and loving sister – On the day we brought your sister home from the hospital, you said “Maddie - OUT!” While I was worried that you were trying to get this new little person OUT of our house, it turned out that 13-month-old-you were expressing delight that your baby sister was finally “OUT” in the world…the two of you have been best friends ever since and the love you and Maddie share is just incredible.
Entrepreneur at the beach…the way you and Maddie have been painting and selling seashells down by the seashore for 25 cents each since Memorial Day 2007 is impressive. You and your sister have earned over $150 towards Webkinz and your college savings plan….not to mention the friends and “fan club” who come every weekend to paint with you and admire your beautiful painted shells.
Dedicated and enthusiastic student. Every day when you wake up, you still jump out of bed (OK, so you move a little slowly in the morning just like Mommy) ready to get on the bus with busdriver Dan and go to school in Mrs. Brown’s class. You work so hard at spelling and math and you really really love to sit up there in the Author’s Chair to share your journal and special creative writing projects with the class.
Investigator and Scientist: Daddy and I were so proud of you this year when you brought your lava lamp experiment to the MTES Science Fair. It was terrific that you learned about the project through your 4-H club, and wanted to share your hypothesis and results with your friends from school.
Band leader, singing Hannah Montana & High School Musical faves with the three Singin’ Van de Kamp Sisters.
Loyal friend to all your friends, old and new. You’ve kept in touch with your best buddy from our apartment in New York City, and when you get together it’s like you were just running up and down the halls of our West Village apartment building yesterday…chat chat chat! You also keep up your friendships from Westmont Montessori, and you’re a loyal friend to many new buddies from your kindergarten and first grade classes.
Even if you couldn’t do any of these things, London, I’d still find you to be an incredible kid. Just by being yourself, you fill my life and our home with happiness and love…and that’s pretty darn incredible.

Happy 8th Birthday, London... Mommy, Daddy & Maddie love you!

What Are You Doing for the Super Bowl This Year?

As the Super Bowl approaches, I've been reading a lot of hype around the blogosphere from fans of the two teams. I know that my blogosphere buddy SpicyBug will be cheering on her beloved Pittsburgh Steelers, and across the country Joe Cool will be rooting for his Arizona Cardinals. Over on Comcast.net's web site, sports fans are getting the latest sports news, videos, and scores, all the while shouting out their picks in the online forum.

In our family, Rex cares more about NFL football than London, Maddie, and I do, but we're always up for a party. Since London was born on Superbowl Monday (after our New York Giants went down 34 to 7 to the Baltimore Ravens), we consider it an important national holiday, which thankfully no longer interferes with London's birthday weekend now that Super Bowl has moved into February. So on Sunday, February 1st, 2009, we'll be looking for an invitation to a Super Bowl party in the neighborhood. Last year, we went to fellow Roxiticus Desperate Housewife Susan and Mike's house, and they showed us a good time and served a lot of great food. Susan made some amazing meatballs.... I can almost taste them now.

What are you doing for the Super Bowl this year?

Mommy, Can't We Just Skip February?

My younger daughter, Maddie, loves summer and the beach. For the past four or five years, we've gone to California (Laguna Beach, Disneyland, Santa Monica) to get away from the snow and cold of the Roxiticus Valley for ten days of sun, surf and sand, around Presidents' Day in February. This year, however, Rex's son Postboy is getting married to Mathgirl in Connecticut that weekend, so we're sticking around New Jersey. Maddie is very excited about London's birthday and her big party at NJPAC, but she's not so excited about the icy cold month of February that she has to get through before her own birthday in March. Does anyone have any suggestions for Maddie?

Who's Coming to Roxy's Oscar Party?

I often joke that the last movie Rex and I saw in the theatre was "Save the Last Dance" (Julia Stiles) in January 2001, two days before London was born. I had read in one of those parenting magazines that going to the movies was something to do when in labor, so I thought of it as a form of inducing labor... it actually worked! Nowadays, we don't even use our big screen HDTV to watch many DVDs beyond the Disney movies our kids like. If we've decided to leave the girls home with a babysitter, Rex and I would much rather head out to dinner with friends at one of the great local restaurants in the Bernardsville area and/or see a concert or event at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) or the Mayo Center (aka Morristown Community Theatre). That said, I still think it would be fun to host an Oscar party, either Live from the Roxiticus Valley, New Jersey, or right here with you in the blogosphere. So let's have your nominations... best movie, best actor, best actress. Then I'll put up some decorations around the house and the blog, and we'll all slip into our glamorous gowns and stylin' tuxedoes to party all night. After the Oscars, we can vote on best and worst dressed and best and worst acceptance speeches.

Music Monday Inauguration Edition: Roll With It by Steve Winwood

Back in college, where I studied television/radio/film as well as management and business, I always had an imaginary screenplay running through my head. There were plenty of times when Steve Winwood, particularly "Roll With It" and "Back in the High Life," provided the soundtrack. This week, my Music Monday Inauguration Edition theme, here at Roxiticus Best Blogs and over at Roxiticus Desperate Housewives, is change... and rolling with it.



When life is too much, roll with it, baby
Don't stop and lose your touch, oh no, baby
Hard times knocking on your door, I'll tell them you ain't there no more
Get on through it, roll with it, baby
Luck'll come and then slip away, you've gotta move, bring it back to stay

You just roll with it, baby, come on and just roll with it, baby
You and me, roll with it, baby, hang on and just roll with it, baby

The way that you love is good as money
I swear by stars above, sweet as honey
People think you're down and out, you show them what it's all about
You can make it, roll with it, baby
When this world turns it's back on you, hang in and do that sweet thing you do

You just roll with it, baby, you just roll with it, baby
Come on and just roll with it, baby, you and me, just roll with it, baby

Now there'll be a day you'll get there, baby, you'll hear the music play, you'll dance, baby
You'll leave bad times way behind, nothing but good times on your mind
You can do it, roll with it, baby
Then you'll see life will be so nice, it's just a step up to paradise
You just roll with it, baby, you just roll with it, baby
You and me, just roll with it, baby, come on and just roll with it, baby

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

London's Brownie leader is an entertaining e-mailer. She recently sent around one of her classic e-mails entitled "Stuff" in which she rambled on about a range of upcoming Girl Scout events in the Mendham Township and Morris County, New Jersey areas. One snipped reads: "On January 31st there will be a winter hike along Patriots Path in the boro to the mud bowl or pit (one dollar to anyone who can tell me what that is as I was to embarrassed to ask last night as I was the only township leader at the meeting). I will get more details to you as far as time etc when they are passed onto me." Since I consider myself something of an expert on all things Mendham, I laughed out loud, doubly embarrassed not to have a clue about the historic Mud Bowl... my guess would have involved college football on New Year's Day. I will note that none of the other Brownie moms have sent around an e-mail with an explanation of the Mud Bowl...

Meanwhile, our leader's follow up email told the girls in London's Brownie troop to get their Boots ready for walkin' on the winter hike and treasure hunt on Saturday, January 31st. For a change, my girls are prepared (though I think that's actually the Boy Scout motto). Our awesome nanny gave them matching snow boots for Christmas. The hike will be followed by a campfire with s’mores, hot chocolate, and a pine cone birdfeeder craft.

Music Monday: I Want Your Sex by George Michael

As I've mentioned over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives site, we were snowed in this weekend and used the time to play a family game of Scrabble by the fireplace, sled down the hill in our yard, and catch up on some work while rating songs on our iPod. "Freedom" by George Michael popped up, and we all gave it five stars for taking us back in time, but I picked George Michael's "I Want Your Sex" video to share with all of you as the Roxiticus Best Blogs Music Monday pick. This one is a great addition to Roxy's Winter Work Out mix.



There's things that you guess
And things that you know
There's boys you can trust
And girls that you don't
There's little things you hide
And little things that you show
Sometimes you think you're gonna get it
But you don't and that's just the way it goes

I swear i won't tease you
Won't tell you no lies
I don't need no bibte
Just look in my eyes
I've waited so long baby
Now that we're friends
Every man's got his patience
And here's where mine ends

I want your sex
I want you
I want your sex

It's playing on my mind
It's dancing on my soul
It's taken so much time
So why don't you just let me go
I'd really like to try
Oh i'd really love to know
When you tell me you're gonna regret it
Then i tell you that i love you but you still say no!

I swear i won't tease you
Won't tell you no lies
I don't need no bible
Just look in my eyes
I've waited so long baby
Out in the cold

I want your sex
I want your love
I want your.. Sex

It's natural
It's chemical (let's do it)
It's logical
Habitual (can we do it?)
It's sensual
But most of all...
Sex is something we should do
Sex is something for me and you

Sex is natural - sex is good
Not everybody does it
But everybody should
Sex is natural - sex is fun
Sex is best when it's... One on one
One on one

I'm not your father
I'm not your brother
Talk to your sister
I am a lover

C-c-c-c-come on

What's your definition of dirty baby
What do you consider pornography
Don't you know I love you till it hurts me baby
Don't you think it's time you had sex with me

What's your definition of dirty baby
What do you call pornography
Don't you know I love you till it hurts me baby
Don't you think it's time you had sex with me

Sex with me
Sex with me
Have sex with me

C-c-c-c-come on.

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.

Nip and Tuck for the New Year?

Over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives site, I've posted some of my New Year's Resolutions, which include Fitness Not Fatness in 2009 and a focus on better content as an alternative approach to driving traffic for all of my blogs. While I'd like to drop a few pounds and get down to my fighting weight of 130 to 135 pounds by the middle of the year, Rex and I are both quite happy with all of my existing body parts. However, for those of you in the United Kingdom who need a little extra help to Make Yourself Amazing in the New Year 2009, you may want to check out MYA cosmetic surgery, breast enhancement specialists who also offer a full range of surgical and non-surgical procedures.

I was fascinated to learn from the MYA web site that breasts are the focus of the top three cosmetic surgeries... Breast Enlargement (otherwise known as breast implants, breast enhancement, breast augmentation or, when speaking colloquially with my friend Lynette about some of our fellow Roxiticus Desperate Housewives, a "boob job") is number one, followed by Breast Uplift (raising and reshaping sagging breasts and nipples) and Breast Reduction (for those who've been blessed with a little too much). Other popular cosmetic surgeries include Liposuction, Eyelid Surgery, Face and Neck Lifts, a Tummy Tuck, or Rhinoplasty (Corrective Surgery for your nose).

Whether you need cosmetic surgery or just a New Year's fitness program, check out my Roxy's Resolutions Blogosphere Buddies Suppport Group over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives site, where a bunch of us are working together to make ourselves amazing in 2009. Good luck!

I Must Have Been Slightly Drunk...

Back on November 13th, I posted about a great new blog I found through EntreCard called Simply Drunk. Only one problem... I must have been simply or slightly drunk when I wrote about it, since as you can see from the logo, the web site is called Slightly Drunk, not simply drunk. Whatever the name, though, I have been laughing every time I visit. Self-described as a blog about life....discussing current events, everyday life and other useless or offensive topics over a few drinks. I particularly like the way Simply Drunk's posts are organized around song titles such as "Taxman," "Land Down Under," "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap," and "You Don't Bring Me Flowers."

Check it out with your favorite beverage in hand... and tell 'em Roxy sent you!

The Butter Bites Rock Out the New Year!

Over on my Roxiticus Desperate Housewives site, I know I've told my loyal readers all about London and Maddie's basement band (it's too cold for a garage band during the winter here in the Roxiticus Valley, New Jersey)... the Butter Bites. Last year Santa brought the girls a really nice keyboard, and this year he delivered a brand new shiny red drum set. CRP Music over in Rockaway, NJ, fixed London's guitar for the right price, and we've got the iPod and a microphone hooked up to a serious amp for vocals. The girls have been practicing their own original songs while I work out on the elliptical trainer in our basement gym, rocking out the New Year 2009 and preparing for their debut performance at our sixth annual Roxiticus Sunset Party in June.

Now all the girls need are some hip, cool t shirts for the band, like the one in the photo on the left. I wish "Rocking Out" was available in the Butter Bites' choice of pink or purple...London and Maddie are not so keen on grey or even green t-shirts, and I'll be happy if they make it to their teen years without discovering Goth. It would be lots of fun to outfit all twelve girl band members in matching fresh t shirts, or to find a few different ones with guitars, some with drums or drum sticks, maybe a keyboard or two, and of course a bass for Jason Buckley and his new Bass Nation blog.

Music Monday: Hot Legs

Another inspirational pick for Roxy's New Year's Workout Mix... here's a great version of Rod Stewart's "Hot Legs," featuring Joss Stone with Rod Stewart!



Who's that knocking on my door?
It's gotta be a quarter to four
Is it you again coming round for more?
Well you can love me tonight if you want
But in the morning make sure you're gone
I'm talkin' to you
Hot legs, wearing me out
Hot legs, you can scream and shout
Hot legs, are you still in school?
I love you honey

Gotta most persuasive tongue
You promise all kinds of fun
But what you don't understand
I'm a working man
Gonna need a shot of vitamin E
By the time you're finished with me
I'm talking to you
Hot legs, you're an alley cat
Hot legs, you scratch my back
Hot legs, bring your mother too
I love you honey

Imagine how my daddy felt
In your jet black suspender belt
Seventeen years old
He's touching sixty four

You got legs right up to your neck
You're making me a physical wreck
I'm talking to you
Hot legs, in your satin shoes
Hot legs, are you still in school
Hot legs, you're making me a fool
I love you honey

Hot legs, making your mark
Hot legs, keep my pencil sharp
Hot legs, keep your hands to yourself
I love you honey
Hot legs, you're wearing me out
Hot legs, you can scream and shout
Hot legs, you're still in school
I love you honey

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted.