A peach is a peach, a prune is a prune...

...I really need to trust my ideas.........va-va-......voom

Alright, I never claimed to be a poet *plfeet*. So my "peach" was a hit.  Well I think it was...she told me she loved it so I feel like it was a success.  Since its given I can say what it was...it was a homemade tutu.  I made it with light green, light purple, light pink and white tulle and BRIGHT skinny coordinating ribbon.  It looked fairy-esc, which is totally me! I love girly things but like I said before I am not all pink ribbons and bows and I don't think that should by any means be forced on lil ones. 

Where did this come from you may be wondering.  Well a friend of mine posted this video about GoldieBlox.  I LOVED it.  I mean just absolutely adored it because it shows girls doing engineering type building "experiments".  Something I do agree we do not encourage our young ladies to do enough.  What irritated me is my friends caption for the video.  It said something along the lines of stop buying everything pink for little girls.  My question is, why blame pink? 

I am certainly not a huge fan of pink...I never have been, I am more of a purple/blue kind of girl.  But just because a girl is girly doesn't mean she can't be interested in science or engineering.  I mean GoldieBlox stuff is actually mostly light pink, yellow and purple, stereotypical girl colors. So her comment pisses me off.  It's not the color, its the message. When I was five I got my first "kiddie" microscope, a few years later I got a much nicer one and I freaking loved it.  I caught and released critters, played (hard) outside, built with Legos and created domino rally runs.  All considered "boy" activities.  But I also wore frilly outfits (mom made), had baby dolls and took dancing.  My point is I was very girly by most standards yet I am and always will be a science nerd.  I love science, I love science fiction, I love knowing how things are made and how inventors come up with their ideas. 

What I am trying to say is people/parents need to stop blaming everyone else for creating future women.  Ladies and gents, it is YOUR job to encourage your daughter.  Just because it is something boyish doesn't mean a girl cannot play with it.  Expose your daughters to science/engineering and see if she likes it.  If she doesn't that is okay, it is not everyone's cup of tea.  Yes, I know there is a stereotype that females can't or aren't qualified enough for those types of jobs/futures but that stereotype is there because of us.  Because our society at some point decided women were inferior in intelligence.  We all know this isn't true but its up to YOU to mold the next generation.  My mom NEVER discouraged me from being me, if anything she encouraged me to be different.  If I showed interest in something she let me explore it, if I got bored with it we moved on...if I showed more interest I got more exposure to it.  And no I did not come from a family with money so I wasn't able to just do whatever I wanted but she was always very supportive. And yes people tried to put me in a "girly" box.  For birthdays I would get things like "girl talk", pink everything, barbies and baby alive type toys.  I liked that stuff enough but I remember one year a boy in my class gave me a bug/critter catch and release kit and it was my favorite thing.  He clearly understood me and we were best buds, till he went to another school :(.

In other news, this goes for boys too!  Stereotypes go both ways!!!!!  I know a boy playing with dolls is a big no no in our society but what is the big freaking deal???  Kids should be allowed to like whatever they want without parents being afraid it might "turn them gay".  I played with trucks, he-man and GI-Joe...it didn't change the outcome of who I am.  Come on people, it is 2013, we all should know by now playing with barbies wont make a boy like other boys just like playing with trucks wont make a girl like other girls.  You can beat "masculine" things into your boys all you want...but if they are going to be gay, they are going to be gay, deal with it and quit creating more flipping stereotypes!  With that said not all homosexual men are "girly" and not all lesbians are "boyish", staaaaahp it right now! 

Back to the subject matter, quit trying to force kids into your ideals.  If your daughter likes pink princesses that is okay, if she likes frogs & snails & puppy dog tails, that is okay too.  If your son likes trucks and superheros that is okay, if he is full of sugar & spice & everything nice that's okay too.  Forcing boys & girls into boxes of what boys/girls should be just enlarges the gender gap.  We are supposed to be moving forward, becoming more accepting not acting like just because one has or does not have a penis/vagina makes a difference in what they are capable of accomplishing. 

Rant over, NOLA Gurl out :P

Lemons, lemons everywhere...

...then suddenly a peach, whoop whoop

Okay maybe peach isn't the best choice since I don't really like peaches but its something better than a lemon and I always hear southerners say "aren't you just a peach" as a compliment so it must be a good fruit!  Well usually its a compliment...sometimes its pure sarcasm but you get the picture. 

So what are the lemons, while they aren't terrible lemons they are utterly frustrating!  They are work and regular life related and they are preventing me from going out of town for a special event.  Its been insane, I clear one thing up and something else pops up.  Like the issue that originally was preventing me from going got postponed.  Then I got subpoenaed to appear in court, crap!  Today I got word that, that was resolved, whoooo hooooo...then I found out about a new complication which requires me to stay in town, waaaaahhhhh. I've accepted that there is just no way to make this work. 

So where did the peach come from, well ya see I feel extraordinarily guilty about not going, so it got my creative juices flowing and I think I came up with something awesome.  Well I think its awesome...I hope I am right in this assumption.  I would have done something meaningful even if I was going but I went a little over the top, whoops.  It's a baby shower for one of my oldest and best-est friends.  Since I plan on being well known to this new bundle of joy I feel like I need to start spoiling her NOW!  I can't say exactly what I am doing, in case she is reading this but I think she'll appreciate it, mom...not baby...hello, baby can't read yet...well baby will probably appreciate it later...like when she is more self aware...oh and born.

I just hope my peach doesn't turn into a prune.  Well I think a prune is bad, some people would love a prune but for the sake of this conversation its bad.  Like I hope I am not totally off with this...but I really don't think I am.  She's having a baby girl...a princess...she should have girly stuff, right?  But not all pink and bows...something else that's more NOLA Gurl-esq.  Ugh, the uncertainty!  I will feel awful if I make her cry...but if its because she is happy that's okay, right?  right?  My note to her has silliness in it (it wouldn't be me if I didn't try to make her laugh) along with a lot of love so I think it will be great.  Why am I second guessing the peach...I should embrace the peach...love the peach...become the peach...alright maybe not that extreme and wow that just sounds dirty...maybe a peach wasn't the best choice.  I gotta go...fingers crossed that she likes it :)

What the hell is an inkling and how do people get them?!?

Okay, okay I may already know what the actual definition of an inkling is but I only ever hear it from people over 60 y.o.a., mainly from my AMAZING grandma.  So by most definitions it means a slight hint or indication.  I mean I guess I get "inklings" about different things but I never use this word so when I hear it applied to me it makes me giggle.  I know I am weird, we have already established that. 

I've heard this term at various stages in my life, either applied to situations involving me or someone I am close to.  For some reason even though I know what it means whenever I hear it I picture a fancy ink pen with a smaller (baby) version of itself (an inkling...ya get it?!).  Stop laughing...okay laugh it up, because it makes me smile too.  Then I start to wonder where I can obtain one of these adorable inklings and I end up smiling like a fool and people stare at me like I need to be medicated. 

Where did this come from, you may ask?  Well the other night I went to hang out with my fam for Halloween.  I helped the g-ma hand out candy and had kids young and old tell me how awesome my costume was.  Yes, I am an adult and I was in a costume, I love Halloween, don't judge!   And I was informing all the older ones around me what all the kiddies were dressed as because they had no clue.  One of my favs was this adorable little girl, maybe 7 or 8 dressed as a witch, with green face and a broom.  My cousin was like are you from Wicked???  I said are you Elphaba???  And she said yes and her sister was dressed as Glinda and I was done.  I was like everybody go home, this adorable little girl wins Halloween!  Wow talk about getting off topic. 

Back to my story about inklings (hehehehe).  I poured a cup of daiquiri but didn't drink much.  I wasn't feeling 100%, as in I think I was starting to get sick (which I am sick now so yuck!).  Then later in the night I drank a lot of Iced Tea.  The next day I was going to pick up lunch and my cousin texted me.  She said "g-ma, thinks you're pregnant...she has an "inkling", hahaha".  I was in McAllister's waiting for food and did the stupid smile thing when I read inkling...I think the waitress thought I was mental.  What makes this even more strange is we are kinda trying.  Like not officially counting and taking temps but we aren't preventing.  So then I was like holy shit g-ma is psychic.  Not that I think I am preggo, I am just not well at the moment...like fever and everything.  But now I am like, what if I am...what if she just sensed something different about me...she had an inkling...how the hell does that work???  What kind of sorcery is this?!?

So now I feel like I need to go on a quest to find a baby fancy pen so that I can have my very own "inkling" and then maybe I'll be able to be psychic too!

I think my fever took my weirdness to a whole new level today...time for me to sign off.  

Sometimes I wonder if I'm just weird...

...okay I know I am in fact a bit odd but that is besides the point :)

I've seen the below quote/meme online numerous times and I just have to say something. 

"If she's mad, kiss her"

I might be alone on this but this "advice" makes me laugh, like manically, every time I see it.  Because that will 100% not work with me.  All I have to say is if I am mad and you try to kiss me I will bite you or punch you...depends on the level of anger, ha!  Hello, that is just common sense... I am mad...why would you kiss me?!?  I get it...its a way to distract her from her anger.  That way she gets over it and melts into you. But let this be a warning that not all girls will fall for this.  So if you do this and get kicked in the nuts, well that's your own damn fault!

My husband would never do that...he knows if I'm being goofy and he covers my mouth I am going to lick him. God only knows what I will do if I'm pissed off and he kisses me! It would be a bloody mess...quite possibly in the literal sense. 

Instead he will more than likely try to make me laugh or leave the room until the anger flares out.  Not that I get that angry very often but things have been known to happen...its best to just leave me be.

Alrighty, random thought completed...NOLAgurl out.

My creative genius is so underappreciated...

Here is what happened.  I am at work, not wanting to start anything new because I was waiting for a conference call to start.  While waiting I read a story...it was about a dog...and I CRIED!  Like ugly silent sobbing at my desk.  Of course what happens when you are crying...you wipe your tears.  And if you are me...you wipe your tears on your sleeves because that's how you roll.  So I was trying to calm my stupid emotions when I glanced down at my sleeve and started laughing hysterically.  I am talking borderline manic with a touch of giddy school girl.  You see on my sleeve was a perfect little illustration.  No fooling, my tears made ART!

"In my sadness my tear art made me laugh"

Do you see it?!?!?!  You see it!  I know you do, quit lying to yourself!  I was so excited I had to share with someone so I, of course, texted my hubs.  Here is how the conversation went:

Me: "So I read something that made me sad...I think my tears created art" *insert pic above*
Hubs: "What did you read?"
Me: "Story about a dog.  But you are missing the point...my tears created art ;) hahaha"
Hubs: "I don't see it."
Me: *huffing/frustrated emoticon* "There's a silhouette of a person on the right...maybe a young girl...and something that looks like a giraffe/antelope leaping off of its rockers...like a rocking horse come to life...I should write a story!"
Hubs: "You have a great imagination"
Me: "Are you mocking me?"
Hubs: "No...I guess I see it...."

So either I am crazy or extremely imaginative.  I am leaning towards the latter.  I also think I should write a short story about a young girl who wishes everyday she could have her very own horse and one day her wish is granted when her beat up old hand me down rocking horse leaps off its rockers and becomes a beautiful stallion. 

Hmmm my story needs a little more work but I think you get the basic idea.

I guess Bullies never truely grow up. . .

Okay I am not being bullied in the traditional sense.  But I am getting really tired of having to defend myself.  I am different, that is NO secret.  I have my own style that doesn't always fit with the norm.  I follow trends I like and I mix traditional with trendy.  I have an unconventional personality.  I usually make comments or jokes that not all people will get or maybe not all find funny.  I'm not being super nerd, its just how my brain works.  Its me...its always been me, I am over 30, this is not a new development!  But I have no problem making friends and most people like me so I must be doing something right.

I am saying this because today someone whom I see daily just tried to make me feel like ass for one of my trendy choices.  This is not a new occurrence, she knocks my "style" and personality regularly.  Okay yes I work in a professional environment and must dress accordingly.  But I use some flexibilities to express my style with accessories.  A newer trend re-surfacing is bow ties.  Well I am a girl and while I could wear a bow tie if I wanted, it would look kinda silly with my dress.  Instead I found this SUPER cute blue bow bracelet.  Its a little big for my arm but I have itty bitty wrists so pretty much anything on my arm looks ginormous.  I personally think its adorable and have been complemented by strangers in public so yea whatever. 

Yes, I know its different but I like it, so :P.   Here is how the conversation went down.  We were discussing something and I was talking with my hands (as usual) and she stopped me mid-sentence.  She said "what is THAT on your arm?"  I said um, its a bow.  She said "well why are you wearing it?"  I said well its a bracelet.  She said "yea but WHY?  I saw it yesterday and thought it was weird".  I replied, its just a bracelet, I thought it was cute.  She said "well its not, its weird and it looks silly.  I guess whatever".  And she walked out.  Proceeded to walked to another person and talk extremely loud  and both of them laughed wildly.  Can I say for sure it was about me...no, but the timing is just screaming they are being mean girls. 

Wow...really?  So just because its not your style its not kosher?  Its a flipping bow bracelet, I didn't walk in with blue hair, shaved on one side and a lip ring.  In a professional environment I can see how THAT may incite criticism but really a blue freaking bow bracelet?!?  And she keeps harping on it.  Like if she annoys me enough about it, I'll take it off.  Seriously, I don't look like I'm going to the club or anything.  I have on a maxi skirt, dress top, heels and well this. 

Its not that big of a deal I know but its not the only thing just the one the pushed me over the edge a bit.  I am regularly criticized for not blending with the norm by nearly everyone around me...well except a couple friends and my husband.  My family now seems to find my determination to be an individual  acceptable.  It defines me, ha.  I am not a sheep, I do not say Baaaah :P.  I am my own person and if I want to wear a bow on my wrist, bright nail polish, whatever, whats the big deal...?  Does it break dress code standards...?  If so, okay I guess I'll stop wearing it but I really don't see how that would be a dress code infraction.  Someone else around here comes to work in t-shirts, jeans and tennis shoes daily maybe go harp on them a bit. 

Like I said, not your bullying in the traditional sense but its habitual badgering for me to change who I am and while they are minor personality traits they are me and I don't want them to go away!  

I am surrounded by uninformed crazy!

There is this notion that religious people don't believe in science.  Or that all religious people are taught to blindly embrace fiction and snub science.  I don't understand this.  I have NEVER understood this.

I was raised Catholic.  I spent 13 years in Catholic schools.  There was never a point where my teachings on Religion directly interfered with my Scientific learning.  They were two separate classes...ALWAYS.  We learned about the Bible, Jesus and such...then we learned about Darwin, Newton and the Periodic table.  Yes there were some conflicting subjects but my teachers managed it just fine.  There was not a day where my teacher said "this is the theory of Evolution but its wrong, we believe 3,000 years ago God made Adam and Eve...Suck it Darwin". We were taught both and left to make up our mind what to believe for the most part.

Maybe this isn't how it is in all Catholic schools but I have a lot of friends that went to various schools and we all seem to have been taught the same things.  Maybe its a regional thing... whatever.  The religion piece was more of a moral base and the Science was to prepare us for the future.  We were left to fill in the rest ourselves with life experiences, etc. 

If you want to be a religious extremist and take every word of the bible seriously its not because you were brainwashed in Catholic Schools...its more likely you were brainwashed by your parents.  Actually most of the people I grew up with are some of the most open minded and accepting people I know...ya know why?  Because we were taught God loves everyone...yea they made comments about sins, etc.  i.e. homosexuality being wrong - which it is NOT...I am Catholic...see how I made my own choice in what to believe.  If you have 1/2 a brain you know what is right and what is wrong, there is this moral compass thing ingrained in our DNA, well in some of us.  As in persecution of ANYONE regardless of what your religion says is WRONG!  Yes there are those that hide behind the bible but they don't represent me...they don't represent most Catholics.  They my friend are a bunch of cowards who are too scared to admit they are wrong so they use God as their argument.  I have news for them...God doesn't like it when you do that!

Okay with ALL that said I am just sick and tired of hearing how "catholic schools" teach children unrealistic or unscientific things.  I went to a bloody Catholic school...I LOVE science.  In fact in High School I was recognized in a National Publication by one of my teachers for excelling in Physics.  So please explain to me how I was taught something Unscientific.  I mean do you really think that learning about Jesus hindered my ability to have a scientific mind?  I am informed and educated...that is what was and is important. 

I am ranting because I keep hearing about how this "voucher" program is bad because it allows public school students to be "enslaved" by the unscientific teachings of the catholic school system, solidifying the creation of a new generation of brainwashed bigots.  All I could think was, "What in the ever loving F**k are you talking about?!" I mean seriously?!?  The voucher program is incredibly flawed (that is a whole other rant) but it was created (or so I have been lead to believe) because our public school system sucks butt in many areas.  Its the opportunity for a struggling family to send their child to a Catholic School...a PRIVATE school which in this state means a significantly better education in most cases. 

Open your eyes please.  The voucher program wouldn't exist if there wasn't some need for it.  Hell private education wouldn't be as necessary if our school system got their heads out of their asses and realized the future of our country is suffering educationally.  Don't bash Catholic Schools because they teach religion side by side with Science.  Bash the public school system for failing our children.  I know not all public schools are bad and I know not all public school students are being stripped of a proper education.  I just know where I am from the public school system in a joke in a majority of areas. 

Okay rant over.