Before we get started, would you care to see William Shatner scared to death by a dancing ape creature? Thought so.

This was one of my favorite shows to watch when I was a little kid and I enjoy it even more now. Kevin and I have been going through the collections disc by disc on Netflix and I’ve gathered a pretty good group of favorites. Do you have any?

I can’t really say much about the episodes, because you know how The Twilight Zone goes. Lots of twists and revelations toward the end of an episode that would really ruin it if you knew ahead of time!

13. On Thursday We Leave For Home
Classic episode starring James Whitmore. There’s some religious commentary in this one and a really great story about a leader, change, and fear of the unknown.

12. Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?
Like aliens? This one is for you. It’s a bit of a mystery with a funny little twist at the end. Love it!

11. A Hundred Yards Over the Rim
This episode combines two of my favorite things — the Old West and time travel.

10. Two
In spite of the fact that I really, really don’t like Charles Bronson, this is a good one. It also stars Elizabeth Montgomery as they portray the last two humans left on earth.

9. An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge
Simply because it’s also one of my favorite stories by one of my favorite writers, Ambrose Bierce. Also, I think you can gain a lot of insight about LOST from this.

8. Little Girl Lost
Little girl falls through a portal to another dimension in her bedroom. What more do I need to say?

7. Nothing in the Dark
I love the premise here. An elderly woman thinks that Death is waiting outside her door. Only the man she thinks is Death is a young Robert Redford. And he delivers one of the best lines in the entire series — “You see. No shock. No engulfment. No tearing asunder. What you feared would come like an explosion is like a whisper. What you thought was the end is the beginning.”

6. Stopover in a Quiet Town
A couple wakes up and has no idea where they are. Looks like a pretty terrible bender, but just you wait…

5. The Obsolete Man
Such a good episode. Some commentary on socialism and what appears to be the direction Rod Serling may have assumed our country was going. In his closing monologue there is another wonderful quote — “Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, the dignity, the rights of man, that state is obsolete.”

4. It’s a Good Life
There’s just something about a crazy psychokinetic child that I can’t resist.

3. Nick of Time
There’s a creepy little fortune-telling machine in this one. And there’s William Shatner. One that I actually find chilling.

2. The Invaders
Little aliens! Cah-reeeep-y! I recommend watching all of this one. There is a signature crazy twist at the end.

1. The Hitch Hiker
This one really scares me a little bit. You know me and my fear of highway deviance (à la Breakdown). This fits the bill.

But I totally am not. I haven’t done a Thursday Thirteen in a really long time and I thought today was as good as any day to start again. And because you can’t really know me until you know what I like to eat. But if you are what you eat then what I am is cheap, greasy, and commonly found in truck stops and I’m having a really tough time coping with that.

I will admit that I had to turn to my college roommate, Heather, for some reminders about what I used to consume in the dorm. There’s truth to that whole thing about you diving into your comfort foods when you’re away from home. My first few years of college I don’t think I ate anything that didn’t have cheese on it. And I only consume white condiments, so…yeah. It wasn’t pretty.

Here we go!

1. Mashed potatoes topped with ranch dressing – Okay, this was a legitimate mistake the first time I did it. I think I assumed that because ranch dressing is white and peppery it was similar to country gravy. Wrong. BUT, this discovery should rank right up there with, you know, the “discovery” of “new worlds” that people had been living in for centuries.
2. Jalapeno Vienna Sausages – There’s no excuse. The jalapeno is impossible to find now. I haven’t had them since elementary school. I don’t know if they stopped making them ha! They didn’t. Found them on Amazon. Score!

   

3. Cream cheese – On anything. Like, umm…a spoon. Yeah, I really like cream cheese on a spoon. But I’ll take it on my cake. I’ll scoop it with a rake. I know it comes from a cow, but I’m not really sure how. It doesn’t matter to me, as long as you let me be. I really like cream cheese. Pass some, would you please?I’m not sure what just happened. I am, however, very ashamed of it.
4. Jalapeno Kettle Cooked Chips - I think this is how Heather and I bonded the first few weeks of college. There’s no telling how many bags of these things we ate. What I do remember is that very early on in our stay at Adams Tower, we spent an evening sharing a bag of these things and watching Son-In-Law. I knew I was going to be okay.
5. Fake cheese – You know what I’m talking about. That stuff in a can. And I’m not going to lie, the only reason I’ve gone to any sporting event ever in my life was for the nachos or hot dogs topped with this stuff.
6. Jack-in-the-Box Tacos – This is a new love of mine and I only first tried them last night. Bad in every way imaginable. First, they are processed (they arrive at the restaurant frozen with the meat already in the shell), then they are deep fried, and lastly they throw on a little cheese and lettuce. Be warned, I hear they can be pretty rough on the digestive system, but I turned out just fine! Ate them in the middle of a tornado outbreak and everything. (H/T to Jack of The Lost Podcast with Jay & Jack for mentioning how much he likes those things. I doubt I would have heard of them otherwise.)
7. Deviled Ham – This list may start revolving around processed mechanically separated chicken parts if I don’t watch it. Okay, so when I was a little kid I thought this stuff was fancy. We were at a church party and someone had made sandwiches with this stuff in the middle and they were cut into cute little shapes. I know this stuff has got to be what they sent back from the dog food factory, but I don’t care. It’s salty and fattening and I love it.
8. Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies – You could write songs about the things I would do for an Oatmeal Cream Pie. Again, we’re going back to childhood here. I can remember coming in after a long afternoon at my aunt’s pool in the summertime and grabbing one of these from the cabinet, sitting myself down in front of the TV, and enjoying mid-90s Nickelodeon cartoons. Mmm.
9. North Carolina Slaw Dogs – Okay, let me say that I have only had the pleasure of eating these things once in my life. I ordered it “all the way” (the way everyone else did) and while the slaw on top was a visual turn-off for me (despite being from Oklahoma, I have never, until recently, been a slaw-eater) I was pleasantly surprised at the depth of flavors in one of these hot dogs. Forgive me if I get the ingredients wrong (I’ve searched high and low online for a comprehensive list), but on mine I had a very red hot dog, chili, mustard, a dill pickle, and slaw. Maybe my husband can correct me later if I’m wrong. I’m sure it’s not good for you, but it’s so downright tasty I can’t resist. We’ll be visiting North Carolina again this summer and I can’t wait to get my hands on another one in Clinton.
10. McDonald’s Cheeseburger – It’s sort of a given and you may lose all respect for me — I don’t care. This is actually one of my favorite things to grab when I’m on the road. When I was little I would ask anyone who was eating with us if I could have the slices of pickle off of their own. In fact, I distinctly remember telling my mom that I was going to ask the people at the next table over if I could have theirs. She stopped me
11. Mayonaisse – Not really a food, just a condiment, but on here because 1) it’s totally bad, 2) if a person puts “lite” mayo on my sandwich it is going to have to be remade. Full fat is the only way I go with this stuff. And it’s low-carb!
12. You can guess this one. I went away to college and started consuming something that makes 18-year-olds the world over gain 15-25 lbs during their first year of school. You know it. Starts with a “b”… yup, the Burger King Chicken Caesar Club.

    

    No kidding, from about September of 2003 to May of 2004, I consumed one of these just about every other day. And honest — I didn’t gain a POUND that year. Don’t ask me how. Oh wait. Maybe it was hauling my tail end from Dale Hall to Sarkey’s in 10 minutes a few times each week. Yowza.

13. Quick Trip Egg Rolls – The first time I had one of these, okay, well, the only time was on a trip to Branson with Heather. We have a particular QT that we stop at on the east side of Tulsa and on this excursion we each grabbed a couple of these babies. We headed to the car and went on our merry way. Then I smelled something. I was this close to asking Heather if she had “uh-oh’d” (this is the only word we were ever allowed to use in my house; use your imagination) when I realized…it was the egg roll. I had already taken a bite and it was delicious! How could something so yummy smell like…doo-doo?

There you have it. There’s probably more, too, I just can’t think of them at the moment. Like I’ve said, it’s in my genes.

1. After the wedding people will start asking you if you’re pregnant. If you have family members that have been harassing you since you were 7, asking, “When’re you going to get married?” rest assured, they won’t be without ammo now that you are married. Nope. Now all you’ll get is the pregnancy question. Don’t you dare think you can suggest that you have “good news” or a “surprise” for any family members. That’s the first conclusion they’re going to jump to.

2. Suddenly, people will start treating you like an adult. It’s so weird. You may already be 30, employed, and well situated in life when you get married, but there’s something about having a ring on your finger that really convinces everyone that you’re settled firmly in Adultdom.

3. Paradoxically, others will assume you are still a child. And that you want their unsolicited advice.

4. The question, “How’s married life?” means different things to different people. You will need to become a skilled reader of body language and facial expressions. For instance, if the person asking is a sweet, elderly woman shaking your hand at church then you may feel free to beam and say, “Wonderful.” If the question is asked by a male and he punctuates it with a wink and a pair of waggling eyebrows, a simple smile and nod will suffice. Do not fuel the flame.

5. If you have family members who are easily offended you should write their “thank you” notes first. Not anything more to say about that.

6. Enjoy every relaxing minute of your honeymoon. Because when you get back and are thrust back into the day-to-day work thing again, it’s no fun. Your brain is still set on Honeymoon Mode (and may be for some time), but you have to go to work just like you did before the wedding. Sigh.

7. No wedding will ever compare to your own. Sure, grander ones will be put on and then seeing your children and grandchildren wed will be very special, but (at this point) I can’t imagine a wedding sparkling more, filling me with more excitement, or making me feel more like I was finally “home” than my own.

8. After about a month, everything about being married starts to feel like normal. I never would have imagined that part, but it’s true! (for us at least) So forget your fears that you’ll roll over in the middle of the night and wonder who’s there…you’ll know.

9. For the ladies…Boys eat a lot of food. Be prepared.

10. You will disagree and you will be okay. Even if you rarely disagreed before the wedding, something is likely to come up. You will get past it.

11. Go ahead and tell everyone you’ve had your first fight so they’ll stop asking. Next to the pregnancy one, this has got to be the most annoying question ever.

12. Attention, men. Ladies sometimes take a while in the bathroom. Wait. It literally takes you 5 minutes to get ready.

13. The first few months (years?) will be the time of your life. Enjoy.

♥ tomatoes still warm from the sun
♥ puppies splashing in pool
♥ the gentle buzz in the air at night
♥ how the sky seems so much bigger
♥ snowcones
♥ the farmer’s market
♥ fried squash
♥ a haircut for summer
♥ iced water with lemon wedges
♥ trips to the lake
♥ campfires
♥ a long time ‘til sunset
♥ watering plants in the early morning hours

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

It’s been a while. This planning a wedding thing takes up a lot of a girl’s time. On the up side, only 2 months, 4 weeks, and 1 day until our wedding!

Lately, all I have been doing is pushing through my to-do list of DIY things for the wedding. Right now we’re (me and yes, the prospective groom, Kevin) working on getting the invitations cut out and assembled. I designed them myself, printed them on handmade seaside papers, and now we’re trimming them up and attaching them to some sturdy “eggplant” colored cardstock. The invitations should be going on the first week of April.

Next on the list of things to do is to stamp out the “wish jars” on some cardstock. Guests will be asked to leave their wishes, hopes, and advice for us “in” the jars at the reception. I’m really looking forward to what you all will have to say!

Also, I have to find a guestbook I’m happy with. At this point I am thinking about just going to Hobby Lobby and buying the one that matches the flower girl baskets and ring pillow. I was going to go for a more creative idea, but now I’m kinda…eh. Whatev. Let’s get this show on the road.

Here’s a short list of things that I have left to do. I assure you I am forgetting some of them.

• Finish slideshow
• Make more sparkly garland
• Figure out order of ceremony
• Purchase cardstock for wish jars and programs
• Put together program & print
• Get Kevin’s ring engraved
• Purchase gifts for attendants
• Locate & purchase cylinder (tower) vases
• Purchase Mason jars

Whew. I’ll be back later today with some links for you to enjoy after your Sunday afternoon nap. Off to church!

—————

Have a nice nap? Good. I gardened.

• Obama: Your conscience means nothing to me
• The cutest measuring spoons I’ve ever seen
• LOST Cake by Ace of Cakes

This whole Google Flu Trends thing got me thinking.

Sometimes I feel a little more canine than human. Well, I guess it’s not necessarily that I feel more like another species, but it behave a little more like one whenever I am ill. How, you ask? Allow me to explain.

When I first started dating Kevin there was something that I had to make clear from the start. When I am sick I want to be alone. Much like a dog (or a cow or some kind of herd animal) I pull away from the crowd whenever I am feeling ill. Not sure if it’s nature’s way of keeping me from passing things on to others or if it’s the way that I am wired. It has nothing to do with vanity, as he saw me in PJ pants and a hoodie before we were even dating (remember that time you came over after I had put up my Christmas tree and we sat on opposite ends of the couch and talked for like 2 hours?). And when I am sick I have no problem going to Wal-mart or a drug store to pick up necessities (operative word) with my hair in a bun, wearing sweatpants and an XXL shirt I received for free my freshman year of college when I signed up for a credit card (that was never used, mind you). Or even in a jacket covered in muddy dog prints that I didn’t realize was covered in muddy dog prints until I was standing behind some blond co-eds in a self-checkout line who were dressed to the nines for their 1:30 pm class. So you see, vanity is not the issue. It could be more that sheer apathy is the problem, but I’ll move on.

In times of sickness, all I want to do is curl up on my couch or bed and be left alone to lick my wounds. Not literally, because that’s disgusting, but you understand what I’m saying. I need the quiet, the privacy, the lack of responsibility, and the rest that comes with being left on my own. This may come across sounding unappreciative of people who want to be helpful whenever someone is sick. I know, because I am one of those people (unless you have something really gross and “catchin’”—then I’ll see you around) who wants to make sure you have enough food, medicine, pillows, and cheesy movies to get you through your time of trouble. And I guess this makes me some sort of hypocrite. I do appreciate when someone wants to help, but I cannot explain to you how much better I feel being alone. Solitude is what I use to recharge. Even when someone asks me to describe my perfect weekend or something, my ideal always involves a bath, a book, and some cooking*—not because I don’t love other people (I do!), it’s just that when it comes to recuperating, that is The Ultimate.

What is your preferred mode of recovery when you’re sick?

*Though I feel pretty equally enthused about entertaining a small number of close friends in my home.

Ronnica posted a photo meme today and I thought I’d go ahead and play along. Looks fun!

• Go to your sixth picture folder, then pick your sixth picture.
• Pray that you remember the details.
• Tag 5 others, leave a comment to let them know they’ve been tagged.

Heather may kill me, but this is it:

That’s Heidi and Heather at Heather’s bachelorette party last January. Fun times

And I’m not going to tag anyone just because.

This week I am doing something a little different with my Thursday Thirteen. I hope you enjoy a little break from the lists!

A few weeks ago I visited my parents and captured a few shots of my mom’s cat, Katie. I say “Katie” just to give her a name. That’s what someone decided to call her, but it never stuck. Mostly she just gets called “Your Cat” and that’s because people only ever talk to my mom about her. So it’s always “Mom’s Cat.” Poor thing.

Well, I think this one is just begging for a LOLcat caption of some sort. So I am going to let you have it. The first thirteen captions I will post in order here this week, along with a link to your blog. The best (in my opinion) thirteen captions will be posted next week, along with a link to your blog. I’ll let the public vote on the funniest of the thirteen and I will present the winner (if he or she wants) with a prize. What will the prize be? Well, I’m thinking about picking out random items from around my house and mailing them to you. But you have to decide if you want to give your mailing address out to a total stranger so that she can mail you random items from her home. Because it could totally be a ball of fur that I scrape out of my Scoodle’s shedding coat.

1. “I want to be left alone!” – SJ Reidhead
2. “What?????? A camera! I love my picture taken.” – Michelle
3. “I’m too sexy for this camera. Yeah on the catwalk!” – Malcolm
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7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

Oh, you didn’t hear? I’m getting married!
Next year!
If you want, I can flaunt the things you can get your
Lizzy dear!

(English degree being of some use in my life after college — check.)

1. Mr. Coffee 4-Cup Programmable Coffeemaker CGX5 – I am sold on having a timer on my coffee maker.
2. KitchenAid Artisan Stand Mixer, Onyx Black – It’s not a wedding registry until you have a KitchenAid mixer on it.
3. Bodum Glass Teapot – There is something about being able to see the tea brewing in the pot. I think these things are gorgeous.
4. Molcajete = GUACAMOLE!
5. “Fiesta” Dinnerware in Scarlet – This stuff is so pretty. Planning on using it as our casual dining ware.
6. Cuisinart “SmartPower Duet” Chrome Blender/Food Processor – I need one that doesn’t leak out my Avocado Soup.
7. Glass Mixing Bowls, Set of 10 – Again, I just love the clear glass and being able to see what you’re making.
8. Zeroll Ice Cream Scoop – Have you seen these things in action? They are amazing. I will use it to scoop my low-carb ice cream
9. Shun Classic Kitchen Shears – Mine gave out a while back and I was trying to put off buying new ones, in anticipation of my wedding shower, but I just couldn’t. So I’m using cheapies again. I give them a couple of months, tops.
10. Glass Domed Cake Plate – Seeing a trend here? I like to be able to enjoy the beauty of the food I make.
11. Tarnow Trifle Bowl – And, umm…yeah. Again. I can’t think of a trifle though without thinking of the episode of Friends when Rachel makes one.
12. Williams-Sonoma Casual Pitcher – I’ll make lemonade in this puppy. Sugar-free, most likely. But lemonade, still.
13. Anniversary Bundt® Pan – Kevin! I’ll make you a Bundt!

1. We’re uneducated. As for myself and the person sitting next to me, this couldn’t be further from the truth.

2. We will connect you to the CEO, president, or some other person that has no desire to speak with you. We can, but you have got to be kidding.

3. We have all the answers at our fingertips. Most, but not all.

4. We have no other calls coming in and we can keep you on hold as long as you want to be there. Wrong again, bucko. Especially when there is only one receptionist here. Please just leave a message. PLEASE.

5. We can make the person you called for 5 minutes ago, who we told you had just stepped out to lunch and would be back in an hour, appear magically out of a snag in our No nonsense® knee highs. And then a second time out of our tightly wound bun when you call again 10 minutes later.

6. We are too lazy to transfer your call. I really need to file my nails now, you should call again later.

7. We are lying when we tell you that someone is in a meeting. And again when they are still in that meeting. It’s not like they are working or anything.

8. We are bimbos. See #1.

9. We were hired to be the eye-candy. I don’t know, this may be true.

10. We enjoy it when you ogle us from the other side of the front desk. Obviously, because we’re uneducated bimbos and eye-candy.

11. We are nosy. All the questions we’re asking you are just so that we can know everything about you. It’s not so we can do our jobs or anything like that.

12. We can control whether or not the person you want to speak with actually picks up the phone. Listen to me — if they don’t pick up the phone, they have let you go to voice mail. They do not want to talk to you right now. Please leave a message and they will get back to you as soon as…oh forget it. Whenever the boss walks by and they need to look busy.

13. We can totally give you the president’s cell phone number. What planet are you from? Oh, you’re a personal friend? Right, that’s why you hang up whenever we tell you we have no access to that number (that’s sitting right in front of us, but come on, we’d like to keep our jobs).