Nicole's Friday Activities

Here is what was on my calendar:

Friday, November 20th: [no entries]

Nothing. I had nothing planned. So, today, I have done a combination of lounging, Facebooking, relaxing, laughing at my cat, going to Starbucks, and looking at things online.

I also slept in. However, I don't really like sleeping in anymore because it gets dark SO EARLY and I feel like there is no daylight left when I sleep in.

Additionally: I AM GOING TO THE SYTYCD TOUR TOMORROW.

Oh, HI JIM FAY

Today I went to a Love and Logic Conference in Shoreline. IT WAS AWESOME. It was awesome mostly because Jim Fay HIMSELF was teaching it. Sure, 75% of you probably have no idea who he is BUT I DO.

He's only like Mr. Love and Logic. Like the inventor of it. For me, it was like I was surprised because a CELEBRITY was at what I thought would be just a mediocre conference.

Oh, no, Jim Fay himself, there, teaching. Here is a high-quality photograph:

So that's microscopic Jim Fay with the white hair in the middle. And the lady who's head is right in front me of is Totally Crazy Lady.

Totally Crazy Lady was the only not-great thing about my day with Jim Fay. TCL seemed to think that the conference was actually a conversation between herself and Jim Fay, and constantly responded when he asked rhetorical questions. Super loud. Inappropriate. I was worried Jim Fay would look up and think it was US that was being socially inappropriate. It wasn't. It was TCL.

But besides that, the day was AWESOME. Thanks, Jason T and Amy McMur, my new friend. Our day was both lovely and logical. Nice.

A Pizza Box and Me

.... almost blew away to the Land of Oz walking into my house.

I was holding a pizza box and the wind caught us just right and WHOOSH. I stumbled backwards.

I could have DIED. I could have fallen backwards, hit my head on a

pumpkin, and passed out.

I am lucky to be alive. I will not take anything for granted anymore. My life flashed before my eyes in that wind gust.

I appreciate this Snuggie I am sitting in. You know who can't appreciate Snuggies? Dead people. People who die from big wind gusts.

So luckily, world, I lived. The pizza and I both survived, fully in tact.

G-mas and G-pas

I have a lot of grandparents. I am very lucky. That's the advantage to having young parents - you get grandparents longer. I believe I have a total of.... 7 living grandparents. And I get Christmas presents from all of them (except my mom's biological father, who I actually just met a few years ago and I don't actually know. I counted him in my total of 7 but he should really only be like a .5 because I don't think he knows my name.)

Also, I love my grandparents.

Also, when I was little my Grandma Margaret - I never called her Grandma Margaret, I just called her Grandma, but I have indicated her name here so you will know which Grandma I am talking about - my Grandma Margaret told me,

"Sometimes your grandfather snores so loud I have to make him go sleep out on the davenport."

Well, who even uses the word 'davenport'? I thought a davenport was a porch, and I thought my grandma was super mean to make him sleep on the porch just because he snored.

I thought this was true, I'm serious, until I was like 13. I was very relieved when I learned that 'davenport' meant 'couch' and not 'cold, windy porch.'

Ricky weighs 19 pounds

He's a little large compared to other cats, I'm told.

In other news, Blanket Pants. I like to wear blanket pants. If it was socially appropriate to wear blanket pants in public, I would do it.

Soooooo

Sometimes I want to blog and then I open up my blog page, but I can't remember what I wanted to write about. And occasionally, I then look thoughtfully around the room, trying to remember. Perhaps this went on for 2, or 3, or 90 seconds.

And in the midst of my innocent thinking...."WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" I turn and find Rachel Handysnacks (who you can imagine looking an awful lot like the Evil Stepmother from Cinderella) laughing at me.

"Uhh, I was THINKING."

::laughter from the Evil Stepmother::

So apparently, I need to NOTIFY Rachel before I start thinking or else she will make fun of me. Can't a girl just think about what she wants to blog and not be ridiculed?

Rachel, I will forgive you as soon as you do something weird so I can make fun of you back.

I am pretty good at being unemployed

I can really occupy my time. I am super-entertained by simple things. For example, imagining Ricky in a pair of pants. It's very funny. I could imagine that for like 2 hours.

Yes. Yes, this is appropriate

I HAVE WON AN AWARD. Ashley L.T., noted blogger and nationally-acclaimed blog award presenter, has nominated my blog as the best blog she has ever seen in her life, far outweighing her own blogging efforts.

I HUMBLY ACCEPT THIS AWARD AND ALL OF THE ESTEEM AND GRANDIOSITY THAT COME WITH IT.

The blog AWARD comes with a one-word quiz/survery thing that you're supposed to copy and paste (and answer) and then you're supposed to nominate others for the award and pass it on.

1. Where is your cell phone? Purse
2. Your hair? Fluffity
3. Your mother? MomDot
4. Your father? Two
5. Your favorite food? CoolRanchDoritos
6. Your dream last night? Hopping
7. Your favorite drink? Juice
8. Your dream/goal? Hugs
9. What room are you in? Living
10. Your hobby? Winning
11. Your fear? Needles
12. Where do you want to be in 6 years? NFL
13. Where were you last night? BiggestLoser
14. Something you aren't? SociallyAppropriate
15. Muffins? Meh.
16. Wish list item? Loveseat
17. Where did you grow up? P-Town
18. Last thing you did? Babysat
19. What are you wearing? RayofHopeTShirt
20. Your TV? Rachel's
21. Your pets? RMVBR
22. Your friends? Tall
23. Your life? Schmoodlie
24. Your mood? Sizzling
25. Missing someone? Mybrothers
26. Vehicle? SpeedyWheels
27. Something you're not wearing? 3-DGlasses
28. Your favorite store? Toys'R'Us
29. Your favorite color? Cerulean
30. When was the last time you laughed? BabysittingIsaac
31. Last time you cried? Saturday
32. Your best friend? IGotALottaBestFriends
33. One place that I go over and over? Facebook
34. One person who emails me regularly? BaronMiller
35. Favorite place to eat? Grandma's

So there it was. I am a champion.

A Sad Time

Hello, bloggy friends. I have been made aware that some of you (the crazier sorts) have been noticing and/or harrassing my family members about the fact that I have not been blogging lately.

Well, the truth is now being revealed. I did not blog for the past month because it was a Sad Time for this blogger.

I quit my job.

I quit my job at Rebound because it was no longer a healthy place for me to work. And it was very sad. I had to make the decision, and it was the right decision, but it was still very sad.

Here are some of the sad things that happened:

• One of the moms cried.
• One of the moms wrote me a card that started with "Thank you for being part of my family."
• One of the little boys said, "Why do you have to leave? You are the best at Flying Colors."
• One little boy, who has never hugged me in his life, gave me the saddest, most unexpected hug.

Here are some funny things that happened:

• When I announced it to the kids, many of them shouted, "NOOOOOOO!" like they were being attacked. It was a little dramatic.
• The kids had hilarious suggestions for what to do - they asked for a signed picture of me. Like a head shot. I am sad to say I didn't get around to signing photos. Another kid asked if I would "write them letters at least once a month." Like I was leaving the country.
• One little boy wrote me a goodbye card and on the front of it drew a gravestone with the words "RIP NICOLE."
• Quite a few of the kids brought me goodbye presents, aka crap from their houses. I received a pencil cushion, a jingle-bell bracelet, 5 fake ice cubes, a handful of weeds, and a small velvet pouch.

So, it was a sad few weeks for me, but I'm glad to say that I'm back in business. And I'm even gladder to say that with all my newfound free time, I will be able to blog even more often. So for all you nicoleissointeresting blog fanatics, I'm back!

Edited my Halloween Post

Dear friends and family,

Thanks to all you brilliant minds out there, I have edited the previous post and I hope it is more accurate. Please double-check for me.

Sincerely,

Nicole Raden
Halloween Enthusiast

Halloween Costumes from My Life

6 weeks old: Elephant

Ages 1,2, & 3: Pumpkin

Ages 4 & 5: Princess

Age 6: Cowgirl

Age 7: Hawaiian Hula Dancer

Age 8: Japanese woman

Age 9: Betty Rubble (from the Flintstones, my brothers as Barney and Bam-Bam)

Age 10: Seahawks Cheerleader

Age 11: Rag Doll

Age 12: Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz

Age 13: Clown

Age 14: Snow White

Age 15 - 19: Nothing that I can recall

Age 20: Fairy

Age 21: Fanta Girl

Age 22: Louse (a single lice)

Age 23: Carolyn Hann's Middle School Best Friend, Tiffany (punk)

Age 24: Rachel Handy, Roller Dancer

Age 25: TBA . . . .

Special Quote

FC Child, age 7, chonic liar: "Where did you get your skirt?

Me: "I think I got it at Old Navy."

FC Child: "Oh. I got a skirt at New Navy."

Thank You, Morgan

Morgan reminded me that I left out an important additional fainting out experience.

Sophomore year of college I woke up in the middle of the night with the flu. Puked in a punch bowl next to my bed. Filled the bowl entirely. I mean all the way to the top. So I HAD to get up and dump it out in the bathroom.

Unfortunately, I fainted while carrying the bowl. Of barf. And spilled the bowl of barf all over the floor in the hallway. And all over myself.

Thank Jesus for my roommate Becca Barber. She woke up and took care of everything. Because she is a saint. She carried me into the bathroom, WASHED THE FLOOR, changed my pajamas, got me medicine, and put me to bed. She then stayed awake and washed the rugs from the hallway and made sure that there was no barf left in between the boards of the super-old hardwood floor.

She actually deserves a trophy for doing all of that.

That may have been the worst possible moment to faint. Well, maybe tied with in the middle of a benefit at the Nightlight.

Other Times I Have Fainted

1) In fifth grade, I passed out when I jabbed a pencil into my hand.

2) I laid in the sun on Mothers Day circa 1998 and when I came inside, I sat on a bar stool to eat dinner. Then I passed out and fell off the bar stool onto the ground.

3) I passed out in the hallway of my dorm room 3 times in one night while I was trying to make my way to the bathroom. (KJW, do you remember that? When I came back into the room I made you take care of me.)

4) I fainted when I had a mole removed freshman year of college.

5) I fainted when I was with my friend Melissa in high school and she was getting her belly button pierced. The piercer man said I was the first person to pass out who was NOT getting something pierced.

6) I pass out every time I get a shot. or have blood drawn This encompasses probably 15-20 times.

7) I fainted right before I had my wisdom teeth removed. When I woke up, I thought they were hanging me from the ceiling and I screamed.

8) I fainted in junior high when I had food poisoning at my friend Halli's house. Also, when I fainted I was in the bathroom and I hit my head on the wall AND the toilet.

9) I passed out the other day at the Nightlight after I got a massage. (See previous post.)


Hm. I knew I've passed out a lot, but it just seems like more than I thought after typing that all out. Maybe I should start wearing a helmet.

Or maybe I could wear Ricky around my shoulders like a protective neck-wrap and his fat belly would protect my head from falls.

All good ideas.

So I Fainted at the Nightlight...

Yesterday there was a benefit at a bar called the Nightlight. It was a benefit for DVSAS. Very cool.

The benefit was organized as a "Beauty Bar" which meant that 10 different salons/masseuses/places like that things were there and giving 1 free service to anyone who paid the $10 donation cover fee.

Fun, fun, fun. Right? Wrong. Keep reading.

Carolyn, Jodi, and I all chose which service we wanted. I chose massage. We made our appointments for 10:15 and then went to get a drink. I had one Lemon Drop. Not even a shaker, just about 6 oz of a Lemon Drop.

Then it was time for our appointments. Lalala, I am paired with this masseuse named Amber and she was really good. It was the type of massage in a chair with a face-holder. Very nice.

I was all relaxed and happy, and then I suddenly started to feel weird. My hands got all clammy and I felt heavy. Then I lifted my head and said something to the effect of, "Uhmhmm, I don't feel good."

Blackness. Gone. Fainted. Fell right out of the chair. Onto the floor. In the middle of like 300 people.

I woke up right away and they helped move me to a less crowded area. I wanted to keep laying down. A man came who used to be an EMT and he asked me 20 million questions. Luckily, Carolyn was there and could let the people know that no, I did not have alcohol poisoning, I had only had one drink.

The EMT man asked the masseuse if she had been massaging my neck right before I fainted, which she had been. Apparently there is a "vagus nerve" in necks and if it is pressed on and someone has vasovagal syncope, it can cause fainting. Alcohol and stress could contribute to the likelihood of a fainting episode.

I went home and cried because I was so embarrassed. I also have felt pretty sick ever since that happened, like I usually do after I faint.

I have been fainting and nearly fainting more often lately.... Luckily I'm going to the doctor on Thursday.

I think I have vasovagal syncope.

Sometimes I Think I Might Just Put His Tail-less Butt Out on the Street

Last night, I was sleeping, zzz-zzz-zzz, just dreaming nice dreams. And then, I burst into wakefulness when I received an unpleasant SPLASH IN THE FACE.

Ricky the Cat had knocked over a cup of water ONTO MY FACE in the middle of the night.

I was mad. I'm talking mad.

Take a Chill Pill, World

It's like when take a break from blogging, you all don't know what to do with your online time. My complaint department has been overwhelmed with angry readers, wanting more, MORE, MORE!

"More blog entries!" you cry, "Please write more! We live and breathe your blog entries and we are all dying off without our daily supply!"

"Relax, you freaks," I reply calmly. "I was just watching SYTYCD and cleaning my house. I'm back now."

In other news, Ricky the cat misses Rachel Handysnacks and is super annoying about it. He stares at me all the time. ALL THE TIME.

Rachel, come back from Philadelphia. Philly is silly.

Yes......... I think I even did this one when I was in like 8th grade.....

DO YOU SNORE?: No. Okay, maybe sometimes. Only when I am sick.


LOVER OR A FIGHTER?: Christina Aguilera's FIGHTER, obviously.


WHAT'S YOUR WORST FEAR?: Needles. Losing Snowy. Having a never-ending stomach ache.


AS A KID, WERE YOU A LEGO BUILDER?: Only at my Grandma Jobe's house because she had 50 million legoes and it was impossible not to play with them.


WHAT DO YOU THINK OF "REALITY TV"?: It is awesome if it is in the form of The Biggest Loser, SYTYCD, or SuperNanny. I also think that it is awesome if it is my mom and dad on Trading Spaces. I think it is very, very dumb if it is in the form of "Tila Tequila's Chance at Love" or whatever it's called.


DO YOU CHEW ON YOUR STRAWS?: No.


WERE YOU A CUTE BABY?: Of course. I need to find a picture so you can all ogle over it.


HOW IS THE SINGLE LIFE FOR YOU?: Why is this survey assuming I am single? It was not listed under "Surveys forLoser Singles." I could have a boyfriend. That being said, my single life is PHENOMENAL. Obviously.


DO YOU SING IN THE SHOWER?: I do not shower silently ever.


HAVE YOU EVER BUNGEE JUMPED?: One time I did this thing in Las Vegas where I was all strapped into this harness thing and they raised me and my brother and Tyler Zaichkin very, very high in the air and dropped us and we screamed. That is similar to bungee jumping.


ANY SECRET TALENTS?: If I told you what they were, they wouldn't be secret.


WHAT'S YOUR IDEAL VACATION SPOT?: Disneyland. Or DisneyWorld.


HAVE YOU EATEN SUSHI?: Yes. Kelly made me eat it before. I didn't love it, but I could eat it again.


CAN YOU SING THE ALPHABET BACKWARDS?: Yes. When I forgot my clarinet everyday for a whole week in junior high, I was so bored during Band Class that I taught myself to say the alphabet backwards.

WHAT ARE YOU ALLERGIC TO?: Amoxicillan.

WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU SAID, "I LOVE YOU": 2 hours ago when Kyle Facebook chatted me something mean. That is how I respond when he says inappropriate things.

IS SANTA CLAUS REAL?: Absolutely. If I stopped believing in Santa, I wouldn't get a Santa gift every year.


ARE YOU AFRAID OF THE DARK?: Yes.


WHAT ARE YOU ADDICTED TO?: Buying books. Cool Ranch Doritos. SYTYCD. Farmville.


CRUNCHY OR CREAMY PEANUT BUTTER?: Crunchy.


HAVE YOU EVER RIDDEN IN AN AMBULANCE?: No. I always almost die and no one calls the ambulance.


HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BRUSHED YOUR TEETH TODAY?: Once.


WHEN'S THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED?: Last week when I was driving home from Puyallup, after driving home from Montana. Do you even know why I cried? Because I am a dork. I was crying because I had so much fun with my family and I was overwhelmed by how much I love them and how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family.


DO YOU LIKE YOUR LIFE?: Yes. Very much.


DO YOU PLAY ANY INSTRUMENTS?: Yes, half way on the following instruments: Piano, violin, clarinet, spoons. I own a guitar but Ron refuses to teach me.


IS A DOG A MAN'S BEST FRIEND?: No. Obese, tail-less cats are a man's best friend.


WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?: Ravioli with pesto and cherry tomatos.


And there you have it, friends. A survey of Nicole, straight out of the years when surveys were cool.

Today I was Interviewed

I like being interviewed. I just like when people ask me questions. Sometimes when I'm grumpy I have Carolyn ask me questions.

Maybe you think that's weird. So what? YOU'RE WEIRD. I'm just more open about my weirdness.

I was interviewed for Rebound for a promo video. I said some awesome stuff. I bet people will write $100,000 checks after they hear me talk about FC.

Oh, you know what I always secretly liked? Those stupid surveys that people sent around in high school that asked like 200 questions. Everyone hated them but I liked it when I got it.

I'll see if I can find one and then I'll post it for all of you to scour over.

The Real Footage of the Oprah Dance Party

I wish I was the girl in the front that was dancing by herself at the beginning. THIS IS THE MOST AWESOME.

I have a new best friend. Her name is Eloise Miller.

Here we are.

And there she is - 2 hours old. She kept sticking her tongue out at me. It was a funny joke between the two of us.

I want a dog

And Then Rachel and I Got Up And Danced

I was flipping through the channels and I stumbled upon THIS. (Note: This is just a personal video from some person, not the actual footage from the television.) (Also note: You can't understand how surprised Rachel and I were.) (Third note: the real footage is SO AWESOME.)

It's time

I am starting to accept that it's autumn. Mostly this is because there is the pumpkin spice latte.

Also, only 4 months until Christmas! I LOVE CHRISTMAS!

First Day of School

Today was the first day of school for Bellingham, and therefore the first day of school for Flying Colors Afterschool Care.

It was long.

But we survived.

I am too tired to give details so I will give a picture of some dogs in costumes:

A Terrible Occurance

Something terrible occurred in our home. I could not find a picture online that accurately represented what happened to me and Rachel this evening. So I had to draw one myself. Here it is:

A spider monster crawled into our living room.

Not a Single Person

I had a dream last night that I performed in the Ray of Hope Talent show and NO ONE CLAPPED.

I was super embarrassed when I woke up. Also, I was mad at Rachel because she was the one who suggested that I do the solo.

Oh, the best TV Show ever.

Learning and Living

Here are some facts, followed by a conclusion:

1. Yesterday was Rachel's first day of school. She is at this very moment working on her school work.
2. I am jealous of her school work.
3. Lately, I have been going to the library and checking out books on subjects like "behavior management" and "common syndromes in children" and "how to energize your employees."

Conclusion: I want to go back to school.

Where should I go?

Another Visual Treat for You