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I broke up with my former hairstylist today…she just doesn’t know it yet. I’d grown increasingly frustrated with the job she was doing and the corners she was cutting, so I made an appointment at a high end place near work. Holy shit, what a difference. Scalp massage? Back massage? Arm and hand massage while I have a hot towel on my head with a conditioning treatment? And all of that for the same price I’ve been paying my regular stylist all along.

I was so happy, I tipped the new stylist 35%! Now, if she’s just come over to my house 3 or 4 times a week and do my hair for me, I’d be set for life.

Two important things should be noted about tomorrow:

1. It’s my birthday, and I will be twenty-thirteen.

2. I am going to be on a local morning show to talk about sponsored blogging and Izea! It’s the second time I’ll have ever been on TV. My television debut was at the ripe old age of 4 on Romper Room. I’ll actually be on the very same TV channel (WFLA – Channel 8 in Tampa) tomorrow morning on the Daytime show. The show airs from 10am until 11am, and I’m scheduled to go on around 9:30, so set your DVR’s!

*Edited to add: I just returned from taping my segment – it will air on THURSDAY, not today as I thought.

My friend Amy is finally blogging again, and one of the first things she did was tag me for this Crazy 8′s meme.

8 Things I’m Passionate About

1. My family, as dysfunctional as we are!
2. My three children
3. Getting my bachelor’s degree
4. Laughing daily, and having a sense of humor
5. Reading and learning new things
6. Being an advocate for my children
7. Being the best me I can be
8. Protecting people who can’t protect themselves

8 Things I Want to Do Before I Die

1. Visit every state in America (I’m seen 33 out of 50)
2. Show my children Europe
3. Graduate from college
4. See my children happy, healthy, and in love
5. Spoil grandbabies
6. Work with children who have been abused
7. Cry at the weddings of my children and grandchildren
8. Be loved until my last day here

8 Things I Say Often

1. Word up. (Don’t laugh – it’s something my husband and I do on the phone)
2. Babe?
3. I love you!
4. How was school today?
5. Whatever.
6. What the f***?
7. Lola is my little poopie girl…she’s my lil punkin’ pie!
8. Yo!

8 Books I’ve Read Recently

1. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell
2. Escape by Carolyn Jessop
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
4. Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
6. The Gathering by Anne Enright
7. The Kite Runner by by Khaled Hosseini
8. The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory

8 Songs I Could Listen to Over and Over

1. The River by Bruce Springsteen
2. Godspeed (Sweet Dreams) by the Dixie Chicks
3. Stronger by Kanye West
4. Ave Maria, sung by anyone who can properly sing it
5. Jesus Was An Only Son by Bruce Springstreen
6. How Soon Is Now by Morrissey
7. True Companion by Marc Cohn
8. Running to Stand Still by US

8 Things That Attract Me to My Best Friends

1. A sense of humor
2. Intelligence
3. A love of things I like: board games, reality TV, shopping, travel
4. An independent spirit
5. Someone who can tell when I’m being sarcastic
6. Loyalty
7. A sense of adventure
8. Fun seeking

8 People I Think Should Do Crazy 8s

1. Alli
2. Ang
3. Cheryl
4. Frenchie
5. Matthew
6. Retta
7. Deb
8. Angie

This middle name meme jumped out at me when I saw it on Amy’s blog – I love my middle name, so I had to play.

The Rules:

1. You have to post these rules before you give the facts.

2. Players, you must list one fact that is somehow relevant to your life for each letter of your middle name. If you don’t have a middle name, use the middle name you would have liked to have had.

3. When you are tagged you need to write your own blog post containing your own middle name game facts.

4. At the end of your blog post, you need to choose one person for each letter of your middle name to tag. Don’t forget to leave them a comment telling them they’re tagged, and to read your blog.

My middle name is Catherine.

C – My first and last name begin with C, so I’m C-Cubed. C to the 3rd power. Me to the Three.

A – Is for Ass, and mine is sweet.

T – 13 begins with T, and it’s my favorite number.

H – Hot is what it is here in Florida.

E – E is the first letter of my 2nd child’s middle name, which is Erin.

R – is for right handed, which I am not. But 2 of my kids are!

I – I love ice cream, but I don’t eat as much as I used to.

N – Nice, that’s what I am. Just plain nice! (Disagree, and I’ll kick your ass)

E – is for egghead – I’m kind of a geek.

I’m tagging you, you, and you.

I saw this Starbucks quiz on Amy’s blog and had to do it. See, I’m not a coffee drinker, at all. When I go to Starbucks, I order a Grande Black Iced Tea with sugar, no lemon. What does that say about me?

High Maintenance: You pride yourself on being assertive and direct; everyone else thinks you’re bossy and arrogant. You’re constantly running your mouth about topics that only you would find interesting. Your capacity for wasting other people’s time is limitless. Your friends find you intolerable, that’s why they’re plotting to kill you.

Also drinks: Water. Bottled, chilled, with four ice cubes, a twist of lemon, in a crystal glass.

Can also be found at: Trendy martini bars

Cheryl tagged me for a one word meme. It’s taking just about all the energy I have at 9:30 in the morning! You can only answer each question with one word, and I’m tagging Lisa the Hippie Spelunker and Alli from Always Alli

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse

2. Relationship? Content

3. Your hair? Cut

4. Work? Busy

5. Your sister? Blogging

6. Your favorite thing? Kids

7. Your dream last night? Driving

8. Your favorite drink? Coke

9. Your dream car? Ghia

10. The room you’re in? Cubicle

11. Your shoes? Black

12. Your fears? Death

13. What do you want to be in 10 years? Happy

14. Who did you hang out with this weekend? Family

15. What are you not good at? Math

16. Muffin? Blueberry

17. One of your wish list items? Europe

18. Where you grew up? Florida

19. Last thing you did? Type

20. What are you wearing? Khakis

21. What aren’t you wearing? Socks

22. Your pet? Loved

23. Your computer? New

24. Your life? Fun

25. Your mood? Tired

26. Missing? Sleep

27. What are you thinking about right now? Chipotle

28. Your car? Blue

29. Your kitchen? Homey

30. Your summer? Relaxing

31. Your favorite color? Red

32. Last time you laughed? Morning

33. Last time you cried? Huh?

34. School? Unfinished

35. Love? Yes

Less than an hour to go til my 31st birthday! Technically, I won’t be 31 until 7:50 tomorrow night, because that’s the time stamped on my birth certificate. We’re having a party with friends on Saturday night, and tonight my friends surprised me with cake, and my mom is taking me to lunch tomorrow. While I’m busy whooping it up, amuse yourself with my birthday countdown from 2006, which contains plenty of pictures of me in my days of youth.

I saw this over at Whatever I Feel Like, and decided it would be fun:

What were you doing?

20 years ago (May 1987)
Age? 10
Were you in school? Yes, 5th grade.
Where did you work? I did homework.
Where did you live? Tarpon Springs, FL
What were your regular haunts? My best friends house – she lived next door to me.
Did you wear glasses? Yes
Who was your best friend? Melissa Sparks
How many tattoos did you have? None
How many piercings did you have? A hole in each ear
What did you drive? A bike.
Had you been to a real party yet? No.
Heart broken yet? Not even close.
Status on the market? Um…I was 10.

10 years ago (May 1997)
Age? 20
Were you in school? I was attending college in between popping out kids.
Where did you work? I was a stay at home mom.
Where did you live? New Port Richey, FL
What were your regular haunts? My house! (God, was I the most boring 20 year old ever?)
Did you wear glasses? No, contacts.
Who was your best friend? I didn’t have one.
How many tattoos did you have? None.
How many piercings did you have? 3 in my left ear, 2 in my right.
What did you drive? A 1995 Dodge Neon.
Had you been to a real party yet? Hell, yeah.
Heart broken yet? Sho’ nuff.

5 Years Ago (May 2002)
Age? 25
Were you in school? No.
Where did you work? A crappy part time job.
Where did you live? Tarpon Springs, FL
What were your regular haunts? Various places with my husband.
Did you wear glasses? Sometimes.
Who were your best friends? Kristin & Jim
How many tattoos did you have? Nada.
How many piercings did you have? Still 5, but I didn’t use 3.
What did you drive? My first minivan – a Ford.
Had you been to a real party yet? A few times.
Heart broken yet? Yes.
Status on the market? Married.

As of today (May 2007)
Age? 30
Are you in school? No.
Where do you work? A big company that does stuff.
Where do you live? Near-ish Tampa, FL
What are your regular haunts? My house, my office, my kids schools.
Do you wear glasses? Everyday
Who is your best friend? Jim
Do you talk to your old friends? The ones that haven’t moved away…yes
Do you have a crush? No.
How many tattoos do you have? None.
How many piercings do you have? Still the same 5.
What do you drive? A Ford Explorer
Have you been to a real party yet? Now I throw kids birthday parties…
Heart broken yet? Been there, done that.
Status on the market? Married!
Besides ones of the pet variety, any dependents? 3 of ‘em.