Sunday, September 27, 2009

Oh, what did I ever do without you?

Can someone please tell me what we ever did without the Crackberry Blackberry?

I've had mine for over a year and I'm completely, totally, 100% addicted to it! When I go into another room, it goes. If I have to get something out of the car, its in my pocket. If I'm driving, its between my legs - on vibrate, of course! :) If I'm sitting on the sofa watching Baby DJ play, the damn thing is right beside me.

I can remember when I had to always have a quarter or two in my pocket in case I needed to call my mom at home or at work. When I turned 16 and got my first job, she bought me a pager because I took to the bus to work (as a grocery store cashier) after school. Still had to have change to call her back on the pay phone, though. I was 18 years old and out on my own before I actually got get a cell phone because my mom simply refused to buy me one. At first I was mad, but got over it because I didn't have anyone to call except her; but once I did get a cell phone, it was all over. I was the only one of my friends to have a job, cell phone, AND my own apartment. I was cool stuff.

These days I'm addicted to my Blackberry, as is everyone else I know, and THAT'S why it's so affectionately known as the Crackberry. Seriously, its as addicting as that nasty, crippling white stuff! Or so I've heard...lol In the words of the ever-so-fabulous Whitney Houston, "Crack is wack." and I agree.

Anyway...as I sit here typing this, my phone is to the right of my keyboard and I pick it up every single time the red light blinks because that means I have a new email or text message. Pathetic? Yeah, it really is. If I'm at the computer, why won't I just my check email from it? I have no idea. Why can't I go one doggone day without my Blackberry? Why do I use it's GPS navigation when I know exactly where I'm going? Why do I pick it up every 90 seconds or so just to see if anything is new? Why do I check my friends' Facebook stats and update my own from it if I'm at home? Why? Why? Why? I don't know. Its sad and everyone with a Blackberry knows it is. They're just like me, ya know. Addicted.

What the heck did we do before cell phones? Hmmm....we visited family and friends, talked to them in person. We wrote letters to keep in touch. We focused on actually working at the office or on the sales floor. We gave a damn about our lives and those of others on the road (Texting-while-driving is a serious problem, and is an act I DO NOT condone!). We simply had more important things to do and valued the people around us.


~ShamelessMomma

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

There ARE still good people around!

The front-page AOL report titled, "Late Fundraiser Keeps Student in College" really touched my heart. 22-year-old Demorris Davis is now a Senior at Western Carolina University thanks to Western Baptist Church campus minister, Jason Speier.

Jason found out that Demorris was being forced to leave college if he couldn't come up with $5,100 in 24 hours due to a financial aid mix-up. The minister reached out to his Facebook friends for help in coming up with the money, and people did just that! Friends and strangers alike made PayPal donations and called the Financial Aid Office directly. $5 here, $100 there.


People ask me all the time why I choose to donate to the organizations that I do or volunteer my time and talents for perfect strangers...well, THIS is why. That $20 donation could be sending someone to college, feeding a hungry baby, funding a woman's mammogram. Those few hours could help someone choose life over death, put a roof over a homeless family's head, help someone pass a test, or simply brighten up a person's day.

You just never know what you're doing for someone. It isn't a "hand out, its a hand UP." And that's exactly what most people need. I urge you all to take the time to do three good deeds a day - be it reaching something off the top shelf, making up the $2 difference for someone short on grocery money, holding the door open for a woman pushing a stroller, offering a standing person your seat, dropping your loose change into a fundraiser jar, etc. Every little bit helps and, believe it or not, people really do believe in Karma and/or want to "pay it forward." Try it, you'll feel good about yourself and better about the world we live in.

Reminds me of a song we used to sing in church growing up that said, "Give and it will come back to you/Good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over/Give and it will come back to you/When you give, give to the Lord..."


~ShamelessMomma

Monday, September 14, 2009

On the subject of BACKING THE "F" OFF...Kanye, Taylor Swift & Beyonce at the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards

Okay so most of you probably caught last night's show, the 2009 MTV Video Music Awards, and you were probably just appalled as I when Taylor Swift won "Best Female Video" and went up to accept her Moonman...that is until that arrogant SOB Kanye West rushed the stage...

Really, Kanye? I mean, really? She's a 19-year-old girl getting her much-deserved recognition and you just waltz right on in and take that away from her. And to say BEYONCE should have won...are you freakin kidding me right now??!! Beyonce. The woman (and fellow Texan) whose video consisted of prancing around on a gray background in a leotard, tights and stilettos. Yeah. The right woman won the award, gorgeous little Taylor Swift. She sings her ASS off!

I'm not much of a Beyonce fan, but she definitely earned her brownie points in my book for being so unselfish (for the first time in a long time).

Next, though...you can't help but believe in the back of your mind that the whole thing was staged. My husband immediately said it was fake. If you think about it, MTV is all about the staged drama...remember Bruno's bare ass in Eminem's face at the 2009 MTV Movie Awards? No? Here ya go:



Oh! How about this one:



Oh wait, that was just Amy being...well...Amy. Not an MTV stunt per se, BUT I have reserved the right to blame them for allowing her to be on live television like that. Damn enablers. Anyway...

You all get the point. Quite a bit that happens at MTV events are completely, 100% totally staged, but I really have to wonder if the same holds true regarding last night's show. I mean, Taylor looked genuinely stunned and humiliated, Beyonce was obviously caught off guard, and there wasn't a laugh in the room. So I don't know. Many of us were completely shocked to see that unfold, but just as many called MTV's bluff. What do you think?

In summary:
Kanye, grow up. You are NOT making your momma proud right now!
Shame on you, MTV.
Good for you, Bey (although I'm still not a fan, sorry).
CONGRATULATIONS, Taylor! You deserve all the recognition coming your way!

~ShamelessMomma

Sunday, September 13, 2009

SHAMELESS REVIEW (unsolicited): Little Tikes PopTunes Music Mixer


While on a recent trip to DC, my husband met a friend's family and discovered the BEST kids' toy around! We call it a turntable, but Little Tikes likes to call it a PopTunes Music Mixer. You get two unique sound effects per song, can slow down and speed up each song, and the turntable actually lets him scratch! How cool is that?!

The toy is meant more for toddlers, but my nine-month-old absolutely ADORES it! He fully understands how it works, remembering which buttons play his new favorite songs and he takes it everywhere he goes. Everywhere!


It plays:
Oye Como Va by Santana
ABC by the Jackson 5
I'm So In Love With You by Sean Paul
Free Your Mind by En Vogue
Whoomp! (There It Is) by Tag Team (remember them? lol)

I absolutely love how it keeps my baby entertained while getting him learning and moving. Music is a big part of our lives and looks like it'll play just as big a role in our son's life as well. This cool little toy is definitely worth checking out!

I'll now call him Baby DJ when I blog.

DISCLAIMER: This is a personal opinion and observation of my son's experience with this toy. I am in no way being compensated for this review!

Friday, September 11, 2009

Dear Mother-in-Law, BACK OFF!

Okay so my husband's mother and grandmother live about 40 minutes northeast of us and they see our son once a week. That's not so bad, is it? I figure most grandparents only see their grands about once a month or so ,some even longer, so they're lucky at weekly. Anyway...

During this particular visit last Sunday (which ended on a little bit of a lighter note), things went awry when I sat down to eat. My son was in his high chair right beside me and was hungry, too, so I was feeding him Lasagna in Meat Sauce (Gerber 3rd Foods), one of his favorites. Now this is no big deal to me, I'm completely used to eating at the same time he does; in fact, it keeps him from begging for my food! Everything was good until...my DMIL walked over with a plate of smashed carrots and potatoes and started feeding him AT THE SAME TIME! "Excuse me! Are you serious right now?" was all I could think. My feelings were hurt AND I was pissed!

I mean, seriously, I am this kid's mother yet she just walked on over and started feeding him. And she said nothing. No "Would you like me to help?" or even "Here, let me do that so you can eat." Either would have been fine, but she said absolutely nothing; instead, she proceeded to just laugh and smile and play with him. REALLY??? *If I could insert smileys here, they'd have steam coming out of the ears!*

***PAUSE*** At this point I'm getting upset all over again so I'm going to take a minute...Okay, I'm better now.

I sat there steamed for just a moment...then I put his spoon down onto my plate and put the lid back onto his lasagna. Next I sat there with an angry look on my face for just a second more. And THEN I stood up...walked past her...threw his food away...walked past her again...dumped my food into the trash...walked past her again...poured out my glass of water...and, yes, walked past her one more time...to push my chair in, grab my purse and walk into the living room...to sit on the sofa and pout (damn near crying). It took everything in me to not yell, "What the hell are you doing? I KNOW you see me feeding my son!"The only reason I didn't say anything to her is because my husband doesn't even stand up to her so I didn't want to come off as the bitchy, hateful daughter-in-law/wife.

My husband, who was already in the living room watching tv, asked what was wrong. All I could do was look at him. He rolled his eyes and said quietly, "If you're gonna act like this then you should have stayed at home." WHAT?! I'M THE BAD PERSON?? YOU ALREADY KNOW I "HATE" COMING OVER HERE!! In order to keep my cool and tell him what happened at the same time, I sent him the following text message: "It hurt my feelings for me to be in the middle of feeding when your mom came and just started feeding him something else. It was like I didn't even exist." He proceeded to roll his eyes and say I was being silly. I hated him at that moment.

By the end of the night we were all laughing and talking again, but she never acknowledged what she did to me. I was still upset, but made the most of the visit. If I had said anything it would have come out all wrong. Because this happened, I won't be going back to visit.

Am I so wrong for the way I felt? I mean, I was both hurt and upset that someone would do such a thing. Not even my own mom would do some sh!t like that. It made me feel as if my parenting simply weren't enough, like she figures she knows what's best for MY son. What do you think? Did I handle it properly? I don't think I'm being unreasonable here.

~ShamelessMomma

Don't Judge Me

Okay look, I'm a good mom great mom. My son is WELL taken care of, gets lots of love and wants for absolutely nothing. My issue, then? I just don't feel like I was born with that loving, motherly instinct that so many women brag about. There's only so much I can take from anyone, baby included.

I'm guilty of letting Baby DJ (9 months old) cry when I know nothing is wrong, BUT this happens only AFTER I've tried feeding, soothing and giving him "lots of lovin." So I let him cry a time or two...is that so bad? Heck no! Here's why it can be good: this afternoon we were hanging out in the living room after he had carrots and Welch's White Grape Juice (his favorite!) when he threw a temper tantrum. I mean arms flailing, couldn't stand up, tears out the wazoo...just plain unhappy! Being supermom, I pick him up, offer him juice, apply some Orajel to his gums (damn those cutting teeth!), sing to him, and sit on the floor to play with toys with him. Did any of that work? Heck no, so I just moved over to the couch and watched him cry. After about 7 minutes I laid him on my chest exactly as I did when he was first born (pictured at right)...and what do ya know? He fell asleep instantly. That's my little monster.

When I'm having an "ugly day" I let Moose A. Moose (y'all know Moose...aka the face of Noggin) entertain him. Its happened to many of you, I'm sure: no matter what you do, the day just isn't going to go right. We live in Texas so its HOTTER THAN HOT most days, which means a long walk around White Rock Lake or hitting Katy Trail (check them out, by the way http://katytraildallas.blogspot.com/) is simply out of the question, though there are some exceptions. Don't get me wrong, I love getting out with Baby DJ, but its just impossible some days...especially when its blazing hot and he's fussy!

Then there are the times that I put him in the car and just drive. Nothing to do, nowhere to be, just driving so that I don't have to talk to him all day for yet another day. Seriously, there's only so much a momma can take.

Lastly...sometimes I blame Baby DJ for the 20-lb weight gain. I know, I know...how dare I do such a thing?! Yeah, well, I know that the rest of you just KNOW that if you didn't have kids then those size 8 jeans would still fit! Yeah I said it.

At first I felt guilty for these things (and TONS more), but a quick phone call to my mom and she assured me that most mothers feel and do exactly what I do, they just don't admit it. Hell, she's the one who suggested it in the first place. So there.

~ShamelessMomma

Thursday, September 10, 2009

Ellen DeGeneres replaces Paula Abdul on Idol

Video of the Day: An Announcement from Ellen - The Ellen DeGeneres Show

I love Ellen, don't get me wrong, but...Does it bother anyone else that Ellen DeGeneres has no musical experience? I mean, Paula Abdul has been in the industry since before I was born!

I just shake my head and wish Paula the best.

~ShamelessMomma