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Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Top 10 Things About Election Day (Yesterday)

10. Election day is suburban people watching at it's finest.

9. Judges - Mr. & Mrs. B - Republicans. They are a married senior couple. They are grandparents and talk about their children and grandchildren a lot. Did I say a lot?

8. Judge - Mrs. H. - Democrat - Age late 40's early 50's, about to become a grandmother for the first time.

7. WAG Dude - Republican, senior, grandparent, Walgreens part time employee (hence the WAG reference) and former war hero. Constantly telling war stories and vacation stories. Did I say constantly? (One would think he was a key stockholder in Walgreens.) Besides the war stories and vacation stories the only other thing he talks about is Walgreens. Ok, I should cut him some slack this time. He did give me 2 WAG Friends & Family Discount Coupons. I guess that should just about cover his debt to me for all the WAG talk yesterday.

6. Me - Well you know me and you can clearly see I am the youngest judge at this precinct and I am clearly the odd one out.

5. The Republican Committeeman for our precinct regaled us with the story of his run in with our Mayor. Apparently our Mayor didn't like the mass mailing said committeeman did and proceeded to have his minions do a mass mailing with personal attacks on the committeeman's family. Said committeeman is now plotting his revenge for the upcoming Mayoral election .......... 2 years away. Way to escalate the situation!

4. WAG Dude whistles. Have I ever said how much I hate random whistling?

3. Election day is "Catch Up On Village Gossip Day". I found out that the guy 2 streets over from us that Anastasia and I buy used golf balls (henceforth referred to as "Golf Ball Dude") from was arrested for allegedly killing a guy in September 2008. Apparently he went to a local business, had words with the employees, went home, got a gun, went back to the business and when he was told to leave by an employee (because of his extreme drunkenness) the Golf Ball Dude shot him in the chest, killing him. Mrs. B is bff's with the victim's mother. Whoa!

2. Voter Turnout betting. Each election day, the 5 judges in the precinct I work at bet a buck on how many voters will turn out. All day long (and believe me the days are very long, 5am to 8pm, and they feel even longer when turnout is low) all day long we amuse ourselves with the voter turnout bet. Last night was extremely close. We do the "Price Is Right" method (closest without going over.) WAG Dude kept teasing Mrs. H. because at one point she needed 4 more voters to win. Then 3. Then 2. Then 1. Then the we closed the polls...she lost!

1. I won! Again! My first couple of elections I wildly guessed numbers. Now I have a system. This time I won by 1 voter! Woo Hoo! Victory is sweet! Ok, I shouldn't get so excited, it's only $5 bucks. But that is $4 bucks more than I started with! I plan on investing my booty in lottery tickets. I'm hoping the MegaMillions rolled over Tuesday night.

**I wrote this quite early this morning.
I think I may not have been very clear.
I did not run for office.
(
Sorry peeps, that would have been really cool though.)
I won our the voter turnout bet amongst the judges in the precinct where I volunteer.
Yeah, I celebrate the little things.**

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Monday, April 6, 2009

This And That

What the freak is with this weather? No basketball after school today. Here in the Chicagoland area we got snow late Sunday.

Blagojevich went to Disney World when he knew his indictment was going to be announced. What was he thinking? “I’m about to be indicted…I’m going to Disney World?

Patti Blagojevich got money from Rezko for sham real estate deals yet the Feds haven’t indicted her because they are trying to determine if she knew the purpose of those sham contracts was to filter money to her husband for favors. Seriously?

Oprah’s topic was Moms today. One of the people interviewed is the author of Dooce.com and claimed that her blog became so popular that her husband was able to quit his job and they now earn over $40,000 PER MONTH from advertising revenue from the site. I've looked at the site, and I'm not even seeing that many ads. How is this possible? I don’t even earn enough in a month to buy a candy bar!

Tuesday is Election Day in some areas in Chicagoland. Local elections. Which means that the turnout will be practically nil. In our area the elections are for posts like Parks Commissioner, School Board, Clerk, Assessor, Supervisor, Trustee, etc. My fellow Election Judges and I are going to be twiddling our thumbs all day. I've been stockpiling magazines that have been coming in the mail. I think I have 5. I hope that is enough. It should be a fun day of people watching. (I mean, even the other judges provide plenty of entertainment if you ask me.) I'm hoping to get at least 1 blog post out of it. Lol!
If you have voting Tuesday, do as we do in Chicago...
Vote early and vote often.
Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Sunday, April 5, 2009

BLOG AWARDS LIST

Thank you to everyone who has sent me an award. I appreciate it so much!

06/13/09 From Stephany @ Soulful Sepulcher.

06/03/09 From Vicki @ Reading At The Beach


04/10/09 From Cardiogirl @ Cardiogirl for my Roasted Peeps Post.
07/14/09 From Cardiogirl @ Cardiogirl for my Monologue Memory Comment.

04/08/09 From Staci @ Just Bloggled

04/01/09 From JD @ I Do Things

03/27/09 From Rick @ Blazing Hot Blogs

03/23/09 From John @ Gay Dads In Munchkin Land

03/06/09 From Jo @ Life's Perfect Pictures

02/28/09 From Liza @ Mommy's Little Corner

02/02/09 From Harriet @ I Am Harriet
03/13/09 From JT Lock @ The Frugal Housewife

01/19/09 From tack @ I Am KCAT

01/15/09 From Mira @ My Barefoot Journey

12/29/08 From Jodi @ Jodi's Journey

12/25/08 From Harriet @ I Am Harriet

12/24/08 From Rose @ All About Cakes
05/17/09 From Beth @ Bartering Basics and Living Life on Less
06/04/09 From Chris @ Inspirational Insights

12/23/08 From Lisa C. @ Mommying On The Fly
12/26/08 From Jean @ The Skinny Queen
12/18/08 From Liza @ A Simple Life
02/11/09 From Louise @ English Opinion

11/21/08 From Patricia @ Communication Exchange

11/21/08 From Patricia @ Communication Exchange
02/11/09 From Amy @ All About Bipolar
02/15/09 From Garden Gnome @ Mom's Cafe Home Cooking

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

CONTEST SPONSORS WANTED

I am having a contest to officially introduce my new blog, Lola's Victory Garden. I am seeking sponsors for the contest.

If you are an Entrecard member please consider donating Entrecard Credits in exchange for being a sponsor of this contest. If you are leaving Entrecard, this is the perfect opportunity to donate a portion of your Entrecard Credits and have your link appear on my blog for the duration of the contest. Your donated credits must be transferred to the winner within 2 days of the official announcement of the winners of the contest. Winners will be posted on Lola's Victory Garden and I will email you a reminder with the winner(s) details. If you are giving away more than 1,000 EC, email me and we can discuss options on how to transfer those credits to the winner(s).

You may become a sponsor by donating a free 125x125 ad on your blog for 1 month. You as the sponsor will be solely responsible for delivery of this offer.

If you have some other product, item or offer, please submit your idea. If approved, you will be a sponsor of the contest. You as the sponsor will be solely responsible for the delivery of the product, item or offer.
All sponsor blogs must be in English. I'm sorry, but that is the only language I can read and I am unable to decipher blogs or emails that are not in English.

All sponsors blogs will have your blog's name and link included with a brief description of your blog. This will run on the contest post the duration of the contest. This information will also be included in the post of the Winners at the end of the contest.

If you are interested in becoming a sponsor of this contest, please email me at sponsorlola@yahoo.com and leave me a comment by April 20, 2009. The contest post will be published after that date.

I will be updating this post periodically to include those blogs who have already committed to sponsoring this contest. Please be sure to stop by and visit these sponsors. The following blogs are sponsoring this contest:

Guilty Pleasures Donation: 3,000 EC. The things you enjoy in your life: little secrets of cuisine, a sparkle of glam, a dash of culture. It’s about you and your hidden desires, about the bazaar of human pleasures, seen as more or less guilty.

Answers Without, Answers Within Donation: 1000 EC. Exploring answers from oracle cards, paht chee analysis, meditative yoga, and more!

A Malaysian Abroad Donation: 1000 EC. Join a Malaysian/Swiss mutt in Chicago as she observes, compares and celebrates the similarities and differences between Malaysia, Switzerland, the USA and more!

Things About Computer Donation: 2000 EC. Computer tips, Latest Tech News, Software News.

All Blog Contest Donation: 500 EC. Listings of Blog Contests. Win Cash and Prizes.

Symphony Of Love Donation: 125x125 ad space for 1 month. Symphony of Love is created to share with you the Positive Power and Wisdom in love quotes. This is a collection of some of the best love quotes, love stories, love poems, lyrics of love songs, romantic tips and more.

Subjective Soup Donation: 500 EC credits. A personal diary blog--a hearty mix of daily experiences, thoughts, and feelings, seasoned with just a hint of attitude.

Communication Exchange Donation: 500 EC credits. An education blog. A place where students, teachers, or anyone may discuss any communication-related topic

One At A Time - A Busy Mom's Life Donation: 1000 EC credits. One at a time. A busy Mom's life.
Everything PLUS the Kitchen Sink Donation: 1000 EC credits. Home. Health. Beauty.
Babette's Definitely MAYBE! Donation: 1000 EC credits.

Just Keep Trying Donation: 1,000 EC. Contest listings.

Thoughts And Obsessions Donation: 1,000 EC. I am Mys. I write about a lot of things. I talk to you about my passions, thoughts and obsessions. I write about books I've read, shows I watch, blog contests that caught my interest and sites that I find interesting.

Gewgaw Writings Donation:. A one month ad in her PR 4 blog.

Dad To Two Donation: 500 EC. All the joys of being a dad - times two.

A Mom's Box Of Crayons Donation: $15 dollars in Avon products. Come enjoy a day and a life with me as I tell you about my life, my experiences, my kids, and the things I sell. Valery's Avon site.

A Changing Life Donation: 750 EC. I travelled as a child, when my father worked in Africa. I travelled (trailed?) as a spouse, when my husband worked in Europe. I've travelled as a tourist when all else fails. Nowadays we spend most of our time either in France or in England.

In This Life Of Ours Donation: 1308 EC. A Family's ventures to be free. Living our life according to the constitution and God. They contradict each other however, pursuing the balance to the correct pathway somehow.

In My Kitchen Donation: 125x125 ad for a month PR3. My family's favorite homemade food.

My Vegetables Garden Donation: 125x125 ad for a month PR2. Join me at my garden, see my 12 feet tall corn and 2 feet gourd. Also giving tips and "how to" about gardening.

Girls Are Made Of Sugar And Spice Donation: 125x125 ad for a month PR1. Talks about everything and mostly about my campaign against socialism, one world order, tyranny, fiat money, taxation and conservation of our constitution. The rights to bear arms, to home school, the sovereignty.

Everything Has A Reason Donation: 1308 EC. My stochasticity thoughts astir indefinite areas I fancy.

Life According to Me Donation: 2,000 EC and 125x125 ad for 2 weeks on PR3.

Learn To Earn Money On The Net Donation: 500 EC. 'Learn How To Make Money On the Internet with Abdulrehman Agha. Join me as I teach how a 15 year old is making money on the internet.' I'm looking forward to hearing from you.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

The Birthday

So I drop my daughter off at the bowling alley for "the" event. My daughter had told me that they were probably going to have dinner with her brother after the event, so hint, hint, I would have to drop off my son at the restaurant. Well thank goodness I didn't make my son sit around for that phone call because...it never came!

Anastasia and I took our son to the driving range, where he actually did quite well for not picking up a club since the fall. Anastasia however, completely rocked the range. I got her a Nike Sumo 5000 driver for Christmas. (A slightly used one, cause those puppies go for $499 new, not at all my price range.) If you are a golfer, you need to get one of these because she could not make a bad shot. Every shot was straight on and the distance was amazing. She's a good golfer, but this club is going to make her smokin' hot!

Afterward I encouraged our son to call a friend and make plans for the rest of the afternoon and evening. Thankfully his best buddy invited him over to play video games otherwise the poor kid would have sat home waiting for that call to go to dinner that didn't come.

My daughter called me at 6pm (while I was in the middle of grocery shopping) to come get her asap. Well, ok, I guess I'm done shopping. I went to pick her up and her 4 gift bags chocked full of loot, plus leftover cake. Needless to say when our son saw all the loot he was jealous. (My son did not get near anywhere that much loot from his dad for his birthday in December.) I was jealous too. I can't compete with that when the jackass loser is not paying child support and reimbursing me for the children's expenses as he is supposed to. I was angry. Our son got all moody and uncooperative. If there is any consolation, we will likely have to return the clothing he and his girlfriend bought. He never buys the correct size.

You know when your partner knows you like the back of her hand when she insists that you buy "Twilight" the movie and you tell her no, you're going to buy the cargo shorts our daughter wanted that she didn't get from her Aunt, some golf stuff, and a teen magazine. Anastasia kept insisting I just get the movie. No, that's not how I roll. I saw our daughter when she opened my sister's gift and she was disappointed because she wanted those shorts for golf this summer. I couldn't afford to buy what I planned on, plus the movie. Anastasia still insisted, then went off to her caregiver gig, while I went to shop. I bought what I said I was going to. Anastasia came home with...you guessed it, "Twilight" the movie. I asked her what if I bought one and she gave me 'the look'. She knew I wasn't going to buy the movie. Lol!

Oh, and can I say how much the Jewel Osco Bakery '4 way' cakes rock? It is a regular size cake consisting of 4 big slices of 4 different kinds of cake. Simply white, chocolate chocolate, German Chocolate and carrot cake. Everyone gets what they want, everyone is happy and best of all, Mom doesn't have to bake.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Saturday, April 4, 2009

Happy 16th Birthday to My Daughter!

Happy Birthday!
My daughter is 16 years old today. I'll be shopping for her birthday present while she has a party in Orland Park with her father and a few of her girlfriends. Probably something golf related. She can't wait to try out the new clubs Anastasia and I got her for Christmas. I hope her father actually shows up and doesn't disappoint her, or embarrass her. (Both are always a possibility.)

Of my two kids, my son is definitely the more mischievous one. See Happy Birthday To My Baby!. Although I do believe my daughter was the instigator in the Water Sports incident. She had to be, because of the two, she was the only one who could reach to turn on the faucet. that, and she was enjoying it too much.

My daughter is going to be finishing up the PHP (Partial Hospitalization Program) on Wednesday and since Spring Break starts on Monday, her teacher and I agreed it would be better to have her resume classes at the therapeutic school after spring break. That way she has time to get back to her old schedule, which requires her to awake much earlier. Her doctor with the PHP has reduced her medication again, beginning last night. This has me very nervous because she will be spending her entire birthday with her father.

No word on when she will come home today, so we will likely celebrate here tomorrow.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Lola's Diner Comment Contest Winner

Lola's Diner won 6th Place in the Comment Contest!
Considering I think I only left 4 comments, that's pretty lucky.
Cash would have came in handy, but EC credits spend pretty good too.
Not familiar with Blognet Blog Awards?
Click on their banner and check it out.

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Thursday, April 2, 2009

If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays - Childhood Memories

Come join me for If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! We'll be taking time out to share some memories. We'll Blog Back Time with possible ways to right past wrongs or about how times have changed. We'll share childhood memories, school/work memories, family and friend memories.

Today's topic is: Childhood Memories

I grew up in a southeast suburb of Milwaukee, WI. Like many young families in the 60's, my parents bought a ranch in a new subdivision. My sister and I had plenty of friends our own age.

We were really close to 3 families on the block. In the summers we were thick as thieves. We rode our bicycles all day long.
This was just like my first bicycle, a Schwinn Hornet. Mine was black and white. They made these from 1951 to 1958. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say mine was one of the earlier models. My Father got it used and I was mortified because all the other kids on the block got brand new bikes. Theirs were shiny new, 1970's models. Not works of art like this Schwinn. I had no appreciation whatsoever. If I still had that bicycle it would be worth thousands of dollars.
What I really wanted was one of these. The highly coveted Schwinn Sting-Ray. The boy next door had a brand new one and he would not let anyone else ride it. Ever.

During Summer Break we got up early, had breakfast, rode until lunchtime, came home for lunch and then we were back out until dinner time. We rode around the neighborhood and through the fields behind our grade school. We rode our bicycles to the bowling alley and back several times a day just for something to do. When we got really bold, we started riding on 27th street (Hwy 41) and rode to the Southgate Mall and back. Our parents didn't have a clue where we went. The only time they did know was when someone slipped and said that we were planning on heading to Southridge Mall which was 5 miles away. We were told that was too far, which was kind of silly, since our trips to Southgate Mall were 4.5 miles away.

In the winter there was a pond that froze over in that field. We convinced my parents that we needed ice skates and they got us used ones. We'd disappear for hours in that field skating on that pond.

Now it's your turn. Please post your Childhood Memory on your blog. Then come back to Lola's Diner and leave the actual post link here. Please grab the html code for If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! Badge HERE. Please note these links are STRICTLY for If I Could Blog Back Time Thursdays! participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

Don’t forget to visit the other participants! It’s a great way to make new bloggy friends!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Hey Peeps! The Top Commenter Contest Is On For April!

In April I will continue to leave positive comments at many of the blogs I visit.
I will again be rewarding my top commenters in April.
So let the comments begin!


Lola's Diner
©2008-2009

Wednesday, April 1, 2009

Top Commenter Winners Announced!

WINNERS ANNOUNCED!
I am pleased to announce the winners of my March Top Commenter Contest.
Drumroll please...

1st Place Harriet @ I Am Harriet winner of 750 Entrecard Credits.
2nd Place John @ Gay Dads In Munchkin Land winner of 500 Entrecard Credits.
3rd Place Jen @ Redhead Ranting winner of 250 Entrecard Credits.

Congratulations to the winners. The Entrecard Credits have been transferred before this post.

Thank you to everyone who participated!

I LIKE THIS CONTEST SO MUCH I'LL BE REPEATING IT IN APRIL! WOO HOO!
LET THE COMMENTS BEGIN!

Lola's Diner
©2008-2009
 
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