You Know You're Old When...

The Love Anthem of your youth plays on a TV commercial for laundry detergent. Berlin's "Take My Breath Away" from the movie Top Gun is the soundtrack while a man is shown sniffing clothes washed in Gain. Such is life.

This Tag's in the Bag, Ana!

OK, Ana of Thinking Cramps (check blogroll) had tagged me ages ago, and I promised her that this would be my first tag in 2009. So here goes:

My oldest memory: Waiting up for my parents to come home from a party, so I could complain to them about my leg hurting and they'd give me medicine and tuck me in between them. Bliss!

Ten years ago: Oh man. I was 24. First reporting job in Nowhere, Indiana. No desis in sight. Stressing about getting an H1 work visa, so I could continue working in the US and stay close to my then-boyfriend (now husband) who I'd see over the weekend. Stressing about living within my practically non-existent income. A burger in McDonald's was a once-a-week treat. The good old days. Maybe, maybe not.

My first thought this morning: Dang, is Rohan up already?

If you built a time capsule what would it contain: Dental floss. Someone would need it.

This year: Raina will go to kindergarten. Amazing.

14 years from now: Both my kids will be teenagers. Kill me now and get it over with!

Tagging: Nobody. Most folks get grumpy when I tag them. And those who don't have done this anyways. Cheers!

Got Game?

Pikey The Cat aka Non-Official Lucky Mascot of the Ohio State Football Team is gearing up for the big game tonight against USC...




As you can see here, she's attempting to escape the firm clasp of a determined little player to score the winning touchdown. Trounce the Trojans, Pikey, ummm, Buckeyes! Beanie or no Beanie, Sloopy will hang on...

Thankee, thankee!

Got this bling from Mamma Mia! Me A Mamma? (mammamiameamamma.blogspot.com). Thanks, Mamma Mia! I am not worthy, etc., but I am truly gratified! You know, I started this blog just for me. Although I'd been a reporter, I was so burnt out I couldn't write about stuff that mattered to me anymore. This blog was an attempt to regain my ability to put my thoughts down. But the true inspiration was Raina.

After her birth, there was just so much about her that I wanted to record. And that spurred me to sit before the computer and blog about Raising Raina. But once I started, it seemed that there was so much I wanted to say, after all. And this blog became more than notes for posterity. It became a journal.

When other folks began to read it and comment on it, I was amazed. This was so much more fun than merely a journal! My blog's now a kind of sharing of thoughts and life incidents with actual, real, live people! And I get to share in their lives too! Sounds an awful lot like friendship to me -- even though I've read that what people blog is not really who they are, that we just see the face they want to portray. Well, who's to say that what they portray is not who they really are? And how do we know who people really are, even when we do meet them face-to-face?

What I'm saying is, this works for me.

OK, now on to passing this wonderful award to some truly deserving folks. Because that's what the rules say. Got to pass it on to 7 more. Most of these folks have already received this award multiple times, but what the heck. Surely they don't get tired of hearing how brilliant their writing is? They are all on my blogroll.

1. Eve's Lungs. For her astute observations.

2. Dipali's Of This and That. For her thoughtful words which transform the everyday to the extraordinary.

3. Terri's Tails. For showing us the world through an ABCDog's humorous eyes.

4. Anamika's Thinking Cramps. For painting pictures through her words.

5, 6, 7, 8, 9. For Cee Kay and Choxbox, Mad Momma, Mystic and CrazyMumma for sharing their own wonderful experience of mommyhood -- including the zillion gaffes we make -- with honesty and humor.

All you ladies are so inspiring! Go forth and pass on the award to blogs that inspire you. The rules are below:

This award is for blogs whose content and/or design are brilliant as well as creative.
The purpose of the prize is to promote as many blogs as possible in the blogosphere.
1. When you receive the prize you must write a post showing it, together with the name of who has given it to you, and link them back
2. Choose a minimum of 7 blogs (or even more) that you find brilliant in their content or design.
3. Show their names and links and leave them a comment informing they were prized with ‘Brilliant Weblog’
4. Show a picture of those who awarded you and those you give the prize (optional).
5. And then we pass it on!

Huh?

Seen on the vanity license plate of a black BMW convertible driven by a gorgeous brunette on a balmy Southern California evening: "IMSMELY." ????