Your Opinion, Please....

Is a binder pencil pouch "gender specific"?

More specifically, are they only for girls or only for boys or are they for both?

Is it too masculine for a girl? Is it not manly enough for a boy? Is it completely neutral? Does it depend on what age the boy/girl is?

{This is the topic of true debate in our home - YOU can help settle it!}

Your Opinion, Please...

To Decorate or Not to Decorate?

That is the question.

With our home being up For Sale, I'm troubled about this Christmas decorating thing.

My original aversion to decorating was that I'd put it all up, have to take it all down if we sold before Christmas, and then put it all back up in our new home, then take it all down again after the New Year. BUT, that is no longer an issue at this point since we won't have to move out before Christmas - the turn around just takes longer than 16 days now.

BUT, we still have to show our home - to any interested buyer - at any time. Which means it has to be "staged." Which kind of means it's not fully OUR HOME - we're catering to what's attractive to others.

So, there's a couple of schools of thought with decorating for Christmas when the house is on the market.

I keep going back and forth with this dilemma. THUS, I open it up to my readers (all 3 of you! :))

1) Prospective Buyers might think it's "CUTE." Like it feels like Home. Warm. Welcoming. Festive. They might even imagine their OWN decorations in those very spots.

OR

2) All the decorations just make our home look CLUTTERED.

CLUTTER = SMALL

CLUTTER = CLAUSTROPHOBIC

CLUTTER = MESSY

CLUTTER = UNKEMPT

CLUTTER = UNSETTLING

CLUTTER = DISTURBING

CLUTTER = PSYCHOLOGICALLY UNSOUND HOMEOWNERS (Think: that "Hoarders" T.V. show that everyone talks about/is disgusted by.)

I had a goal of "40 bags in 40 days" - which was literally filling up trash bags - throwing out or giving away "stuff" in our home that we didn't need, we didn't use, and we didn't LOVE. I quit counting after 24 bags, but after this big effort, I hate to bring back more stuff again, ya know?

And I KNOW that many of YOU are turned off by clutter. Remember when I blogged about this? Most of your comments were not about being horrified by the sheer NUMBER of bottles of cologne my husband had, but by the the fact that he had them all out on the bathroom counter!!!

On the flip side, there's the possibility that "THEY" might think we're Scrooges, or something, if our Christmas decorating is lacking, and will wonder what other crazy things have gone on in this house! (It's TRUE! I have these thoughts when I look at houses myself!)

But, we have to live our life, too, right?

But, anyone who has sold a house while living in it, knows that your life is NOT really your own during this time anyway.

So, which line of thinking do you follow?

Or is your opinion something else entirely?

*******

Of course, if it's more "traffic" (literally) I'm trying to get to come see our home, I could use Christmas decorating to my advantage and do it like this, I guess....

Your Opinion, Please...

What would you do?

Scenario: You're given a per diam, in cash, beforehand, by the company to use while on a business trip to cover food, entertainment, transportation, tips, incidentals, etc.

Would you use it all, do whatever suits your fancy, eat wherever/whatever you please, take the "upgrades," enjoying the liberty of "free money."

OR

Would you use it sparingly, still weighing carefully what everything costs so as NOT to blow it all, because whatever cash amount is left over at the end of the trip is YOURS to pocket [back in real life.]

*This is a real life scenario we're in right now. Can you guess which one I would do and which one Matt would do? :)

Your Opinion, Please...

If you see a married man & a woman who you know
[and you also know they aren't married to each other]
out at a restaurant together, what should you do?

Should you say something right there?

Should you say something later?

Should you keep your mouth shut?

Or WHAT?!?

(Hypothetically speaking, of course!)

Your Opinion, Please...

Hypothetically speaking...

What kind of wedding gift do you buy the Boss' child?

Do you go with one on the more expensive side, so it will show good taste, appreciation and respect (READ "brown nosing")? But then that may give the message that you are "well off" and are managing FINE at the current paycheck.

OR

Do you just buy a "normal" gift and risk appearing "average?" Or unimportant, ungrateful, tacky?

OR

Do you [strategically] go with something on the lower end, so it may [hopefully] cause the Boss to consider your financial situation...which, in turn, should produce thoughts of the necessity of a raise?

All just hypothetically speaking, of course.

Your Opinion, Please...

Which is Worse?

Let me tell you a story first...

On Saturday night, Matt & I went out and we were sitting at a light at the intersection of State St. and 4500 South in Murray. I heard a "Bang! Bang!" sound and I looked up ahead (it was dark) and saw a figure running across a gas station parking lot. Matt asked, "What was that?" I didn't know, but, to me, it kind of sounded like a car had run over something - the first "Bang!" being the front wheels and the second "Bang!" being the rear wheels running over it. While we were still waiting at the light, we heard another "Bang! Bang!" sound and Matt said, "I think it's gun shots!" I looked again to the gas station where I'd seen movement and this time I noticed a Police car with it's lights on pulled over on the side of the road. And I thought, "Oh my word, you may be right! Now what?" By this time, our light changed to green and as we start moving forward, we hear another "Bang! Bang!" sound. We also notice more Police cars in the back of the Chevron parking lot (which confirmed Matt's suspicion of gun fire.) We were turning right on State St. and other cars were driving around, too, coming from all directions of that intersection. We really had no choice but to keep on driving like we were - no where else to go. We then saw Policemen "standing on guard" (w/ weapons, I think) around that parking lot. I lost count of the "Bang! Bang!" sounds after that.

I tell Matt, "Hurry, drive past FAST!"

Matt says to me, "Get DOWN! If we get caught in the cross-fire, we don't need both of us dead!" as he helps force me down in my seat.

And then I thought, "Hey! Why does he have to get shot? I couldn't handle that! We would all be miserable without him! I don't want to be a widow at age 38. With five children. And a Mortgage. And husband-less (redundant w/ "widow" I know!) Maybe it should be me!"

And then I think, "Or should it? If it was me, wonder if he re-married the Wicked Stepmother? Or... IS THAT ME? No, I guess the more accurate term would be the 'Wicked Real-Mother!' Or wonder if he re-married a perfect woman - in EVERY way, one who didn't ruin all the height genes in the family, one who does home-canning, one who remembers everything, one who is not a dental liability, one sweet, little HOTTIE?...and after a while my children would start to say to her, 'You're soo much better than our old mother!' And then in time I was forgotten by them all together?!?"

All that in the 1.2 seconds it took us to get out of there -- unscathed!

So, here's where your opinion comes in...

Mother or Father? Who should get shot?

(not US specifically, just hypothetically speaking! Although, some of you may want one of us "voted off!") ;)

**We searched the Internet later for the News of what happened -- NADA! I just couldn't believe it was happening with all those cars around!**

Your Opinion, Please...

How many bottles of cologne are sufficient for ONE person to have?

One? Three? Ten TOPS?

And related to that...how long is cologne good for? It must have an "expiration date," right? OR at least a time period when it loses it's savor.

Why am I asking this? I'm married to an ADDICT! Plain and Simple. A very good smelling one (most the time) might I add. And I've tried to hold an "intervention" with him. Several, in fact. At the first "intervention," I just tried ordering, "Choose Two!" while waving my arm over his vast numbers of bottles. That went over like a load of bricks.

Another "intervention" I tried to be LOGICAL and ask, "Do you NEED them all?" (Of course not) "Do you USE them all?" (How can he) "Do you LOVE them all?" (apparently) And then stated he should get rid of all the ones that DON'T fit into one of the previously mentioned categories. The next day I noticed that two of his bottles were now on Ryan's bathroom counter! What? #1 What caused him to believe that my 7th Grade son has permission to wear cologne already? and #2 What caused him to believe that Ryan would want his "cast offs?" and #3 "Get rid of" means OUT OF OUR HOME by way of the D.I. or the garbage!

On a most recent "intervention," I pulled out the BIG GUNS! After he had put on one of his colognes, I said, "What is that? That makes you smell like a Grandpa!" And do you know what he said? "Grandpa? What do you mean by 'Grandpa'? What kind of 'Grandpa'?" I could tell he was thinking that if it was ONLY our kid's Grandpa (his Dad) that I was referring to, then that wasn't too bad and he was going to disregard me. I informed him I meant like Grandpa Fowers! MY Grandpa who died 4 yrs. ago, who was never terribly 'stylish,' and who was born in 1916! Does he really want to smell like a 92 1/2 yr. old Grandpa? Now that one DID get him thinking! (At least he made no rebuttal, but I think that cologne is still in his possession.)

Why is it such a big deal? Besides the cost of cologne?

Because they are ALL on my bathroom counter! In my opinion, bathroom counters are not for "stuff." AND they collect dust like crazy. I have to constantly clean them.

See?

So, how many exactly does Matt have? Seventeen! Yep, 1-7. Full-size bottles of cologne - that's not even counting all the little samples he's also collected and has dumped in drawers.

The kinds? I don't even know MOST of them:

1. mediterraneo/Antonio Banderas
2. mX's Homme/Karen Low Paris
3. Curve
4. Weekend/Burberry London
5. Essential/Lacoste
6. Black/Kenneth Cole
7. Very Sexy FOR HIM/Victoria's Secret (I do admit, I gave him this one - Does this make me a "Co-Dependant?" It was innocent - I did not fully realize I was feeding his addiction!)
8. ETERNITY for men/Calvin Klein
9. UNBOUND for men
10. Romance/Ralph Lauren
11. HUGO - Dark Blue/Hugo Boss
12. Lucky You
13. Polo Sport/Ralph Lauren
14. Reaction/Kenneth Cole
15. Drakkar Noir/Guy Laroche Paris
16. Just Me for men by Paris Hilton
17. ck one/Calvin Klein

**If any of these colognes are "SOO Yesteryear" please clue him in!**

He just can't resist buying more no matter how many bottles he already has! I'm surprised he doesn't have any duplicates - It'd be so easy to forget - how can he possibly give the proper loving care to each one with so many?! From my personal experience, a bottle could last about 3 years. IF he doesn't buy anymore, he has a big enough supply to last him 'til he's 88 1/2 yrs. old! (And then his "Grandpa cologne" will fit right in!! haha!) I find myself throwing away all advertisements for cologne before he even sees them AND deleting all emails from Fragrancenet.com (we're on their list - my next move will be to "unsubscribe.") Oh my word! I'm just like the Alcoholics' wife who dumps the booze down the drain, as if that will make him stop. :)

If you're not in agreement with me yet on this...let me give you a better picture of what the addiction looks like...

The other day, I was cleaning up my bathroom counter and I bumped one of the bottles and it fell into the sink with a LOUD racket - but did not break (dang!)

Then I got an idea! An awful idea!

THE GRINCH GOT A WONDERFUL, AWFUL IDEA!

"Oh, Chil-dren...(remember we produce "destructive geniuses")... how would you like to play in Mommy's bathroom?" :)

Your Opinion, Please...

With Halloween just ONE WEEK away, here's one for y'all....

HOW OLD DO YOU THINK KIDS SHOULD BE WHEN THEY STOP TRICK OR TREATING?

We've all had some kids come to our house before and thought to ourself, "Aren't you too big to be doing this!" (Or am I the only one?) So, I know that "big kids" probably shouldn't trick or treat anymore, but I don't want THAT answer, I want to KNOW, "what age is a "big kid?" I know it's all about the CANDY, CANDY, CANDY!! (At least it is for ME) thus these "big kids" were still doing it!
"Why do you care?" you wonder. (this subject is being heavily debated these days amongst Ryan, Matt, & myself!) "Harmless!" "What's the big deal?" you say. Well, let me tell you....I still remember one Halloween as a young girl trick or treating with my pillow case and had been working hard all evening for my LOOT. And then, this mean "Big Kid" came running full speed behind me and SNATCHED my pillow case right out of my hand before I even knew he was there and took off with it! ALL THAT TIME & WORK down the drain!! I seriously was so sad to lose all my candy - I was the child who counted down the days until Halloween and got GIDDY thinking about all the candy - some kids do that with their Birthday or Christmas - not me - it was Halloween. (We did NOT have candy in my house growing up!)

Well, this story from long ago does have a happy ending. From out of NO WHERE, my family's Home Teacher, Max Fillmore, came driving up on those "Big Kids" and scolded/yelled at them out his window about their rotten behavior and commanded them to, "STOP!" He then got out of his car and yanked the "stolen goods" back from them, told them to "get outta here," and returned the pillow case to a traumatized, yet VERY GRATEFUL little girl (Me!) Now, THAT'S what I call a "Good Home Teacher!" To this day, he is STILL one of my heroes!! :) After that, we cut our evening short because I was "spooked" - DANG! I only filled my pillow case halfway instead of completely full as had been my plan at the time!

ANYWHOO...Give me a number - What age?!

Your Opinion, Please...

How long do you think it should take a woman to "return to normal" after having a baby?
I'm not only talking about her body - we all know that never happens. I'm mostly wondering about all the other stuff. Like how long do Moms get the "pass" on not functioning at full speed (like your memory, your ability to accomplish much, thinking clearly AND quickly, expectations to move beyond "survival mode" & do other things, not spilling nail polish on a brand new skirt the first time she wears it, etc, etc.)

I really DO want your honest opinion, but just so you know...if any of you say "6 weeks" like the workplace does, you are my new worst enemy. On the other hand, if you say a number that is greater than the age of my baby, YOU ARE MY NEW BEST FRIEND!! :)

Your Opinion, Please...

If you forgot to leave a tip, would you go back to the restaurant and pay? If so, what's the time frame it should be done in? Would it depend on how far away you got before you remembered? Or on how good/bad the service was? Are there etiquette laws about this?
This happened to me! Our family ate at Doug & Emmys the other day and Matt asked me to take care of the bill while he went out early to the car with the girls. Those of you who know this place, know it's a "hole in the wall" where you pay at the front counter - they don't bring you a bill back to the table after running your card. So, I went up to the cash register and she gave me a copy and asked me to sign it - I did and then left. It wasn't until that night when all of a sudden, I remembered, I didn't write a tip on the receipt copy. I'm so not used to paying the bill that I was just on "automatic pilot" and signed the credit card receipt just as if I were shopping at a retail store or something. (still out of it) I don't even know the waitress' name - she was wearing a yellow shirt that day, younger than I, dk. brown hair ...how would I even explain who the tip was for if I go back? This is embarrassing!