Ten On Tuesday: People Turn Offs

I need to get back into this whole blogging thing so here goes!

10 Things That Turn You Off About People

1. Bad breath.....can't stand it. Don't come at me with breath that smells like you just ate the slop out of a pig trough.
2. Rude people....have a little decency. Say things in a nice way, even if you have the right to be ticked off and rude. That's how we southerners do it!
3. Posers.....I've known one very good one. Be real...don't try to be someone you're not. Trust me, I've tried it :-) It isn't a happy place to be!
4. Disregard for elderly people....I see so much of this by young people and it really lights my fire. These elderly people raised us and gave things up so that we might have a better life. If that isn't enough to change your behavior, remember that you'll be elderly one day. How do you want to be treated?
5. Control freaks.....I'm more of a team player. I like to see a bunch of hands working together to accomplish something. I can't stand the loud mouth who acts like they are the end all be all. Get over yourself!
6. Non-readers.....there is more to life than what is contained between the pages of People magazine. Pick up Jane Austen and give her a whirl....I guarantee you'll laugh yourself silly and learn a lot of great vocabulary!
7. English teachers who use bad grammar....that's all I'm going to say about this one. If you can't speak or use good English in writing, how can you possibly teach anyone else to use or speak it?
8. Medical professionals who smoke.....I'm not against smoking. It just bothers me for a doctor or nurse to preach to someone about kicking the habit when secretly they spend their breaks and the majority of their lunch time behind the building puffing on one :-)
9. Half-hearted efforts.....Give everything you've got or don't even attempt it. If you're not willing to pour all of yourself into something, you probably shouldn't do it.
10. Chewing with an mouth open.....if I'm not eating it, I certainly don't want to see it :-) Just sayin'!

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Ten On Tuesday: 10 Signs You're Getting Older

I could probably list a bunch but I'll stick with ten :-)

1. I get excited about reading the news online every morning.
2. By the end of the day, my knees are killing me from going up and down the stairs all day....and there are only about ten stairs.
3. I actually like to scrub the bathroom.
4. Cleaning out the refrigerator is my idea of a party!
5. I have no idea what a Pokemon is :-)
6. Gaining weight is EASY to do! When I was young, I could eat all day and not gain an ounce.
7. My idea of "going out" is a sit down meal and a trip to Walmart on Friday night.
8. I get heartburn. I swore that it didn't exist as a teenager because I never experienced it!
9. My kids have no idea what I'm talking about when I mention the Roger Rabbit or the Electric Slide.
10. The word stress has a permanent place in my life :-)

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Ten Ways To Make Your Life Better

My list is pretty simple. Since I have been working more on this lately, these are the things that come to mind right off:

1. Get rid of negative influences. Right now for me, this means getting rid of negative people in my life :-)
2. Pray more.
3. Read more.
4. Exercise regularly.
5. Eat properly.
6. Show more compassion.
7. Love more.
8. Die to self more.
9. Get priorities straight.
10. Enjoy life!

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Ten On Tuesday: Ways To Save Money

These are things that I am trying to incorporate in our house. Some of them we already do, others we are trying to do more often. I think with the economy the way it currently stands, we are all looking for ways to save money. I wish we would do it no matter what state the economy is in. Saving money is always a good idea :-)

1. Do not let the water run while brushing your teeth. This is a huge pet peeve of mine. Just stop it already...turn it off and only turn it on when you absolutely have to. I would hate to try and figure out how much water we waste because of this. I hate, hate, hate it!
2. Use energy efficient bulbs. I have to admit, I hate them in my fixtures. They are ugly and make me want to vomit. However, if it saves me money, I'm all over it.
3. Learn to bargain shop and join FreeCycle. I can't say enough about FreeCycle. I've given away things and obtained things this way. Instead of going out and purchasing a new sink, why not check FreeCycle to see if someone has one to give away? You can find really useful things this way. As for bargain shopping, if you really want to find a deal on something, you can. You just have to be patient and not give in to that "I want it now" mentality that we all have at one time or another.
4. Coupons ~ I can't say enough about this. A good friend at church turned me onto the Grocery Game and how to use coupons to my advantage. She also taught me how to shop at CVS, Walgreens, and Rite Aid and get free stuff. I have enough shampoo stockpiled to last me for at least a year. And I haven't purchased toilet paper or paper towels in at least six months. It takes a little bit of time and effort but is well worth it in the end. Plus, it's just fun!
5. Turn it off/Unplug it~ whether it's the tv, computer, or any other electronic device, shut it down when you'll be away.
6. Take advantage of the weather ~ Something I really hate to pay for is electricity to heat or cool our home. We use propane heat and it is expensive. It heats great but it's costly. So, I do not turn it on until someone in the house threatens my life. I tell them to put on extra layers. I go as long as I possibly can before turning the heat on. As for air conditioning, I only turn it on when I absolutely have to. I leave the windows and doors open in the spring as long as possible.
7. Use your hands ~ Learn to make your own bread...it's healthier, more gratifying, and costs less in the long run. Learn to craft gifts, cards, etc. Not only do people appreciate these more, it's cheaper than the alternative. There are endless things to make. Jams, jellies, salsa, cookie mixes, and drink mixes are wonderful ideas for this one.
8. Drink more water ~ Especially when you eat out. On average, purchasing soda in a restaurant runs $2 per person. We can save up to $8 a meal if we simply order water.....and we all need to drink more of it anyway!
9. Combine trips ~ Monday is our busiest day because I combine all my driving into that day. I get Logan to co-op classes, grocery shop, and get Caroline to piano lessons on this day because I can save gas. It makes Monday a long day but in the end it's worth it. I usually don't have to go out again until the end of the week, which is good for me because I love being at home.
10. Meal Planning ~ Planning a weekly menu has been a lifesaver for me. Not only does it make the week go smoother, it helps me save money. I do not find myself wandering through the aisles at the store. I make a list specifically around what my menu is that week and I stick to it. It really cuts down shopping time too!

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Ten On Tuesday: Band Edition

10 Bands/Artists that Remind You of High School

 

1. Guns N Roses ~ Patience was my favorite song.
2. Cinderella
3. Poison
4. Winger
5. Bon Jovi
6. Bryan Adams
7. Skid Row
8. Aerosmith
9. Def Leppard
10. Warrant

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Ten On Tuesday: Things That Scare/Freak Me Out

Most of these are things that freak me out rather than scare me.

In no particular order:

1. Serial killers/rapists/child molesters (scary)
2. Watching horror movies at night (freaks me out)
3. Our government (both)
4. Snakes and spiders ~ don't like them, don't want them around.....I don't care how small they are! (freaks me out)
5. The thought of drowning (scary)
6. Not being able to see what's in lake water or the ocean ~ it's probably good that I can't see what's down there but the thought of what's down there freaks me out!
7. Medical emergencies ~ I watched our youngest almost choke on hard candy when she was 3 or 4. I was also in my MIL's house while she was having a heart attack. I totally freeze and do not respond well. (scary)
8. Tight spaces (freaks me out)
9. Someone sneaking up behind me ~ especially if I'm listening to music or vacuuming. (freaks me out most of the time but sometimes the person scares the life out of me!)
10. People who do not close their mouths when they chew ~ totally gross and freaks me out!

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10 on Tuesday: Simple Things

10 Simple Things That Make You Happy

I think I'm a pretty simple person so this should be an easy one for me :-o)

1. Fresh flowers ~ for the past two years, I've grown my own very colorful zinnias. I love them. I cut them every couple of days and they are in my kitchen, bathroom, and living room.
2. Having pets ~ I could not imagine a home without pets...furry ones. We have a dog and four cats and it's hard to imagine not having them all. I'm also not sure how I'd sleep at night without one of our cats curled up in bed with us. How do people live without them?
3. Having supper guests~ Love it....love it....love it. The more the merrier!
4. Games ~ We really enjoy playing board games, as well as card games. In fact, we had a great Rook game going while we were at the beach. Some of our favorites are Rook, Phase 10, Pictionary, Scattergories, Scrabble (my fav), Tri-Bond, and Trivial Pursuit.
5. Gardening ~ Stress relief, exercise, and fresh veggies all in one!
6. A roaring fire ~ I absolutely love nothing more than building a fire in our fireplace in the cooler months. Sometimes I build one when it's not even that cold just because I love watching it.
7. Football ~ I am a total geek when it comes to sports. I love most sports and could watch them 24/7 if someone would bring me food and remind me to bathe. Seriously.....did any of you see the Cowboys/Eagles game last night? Was that exciting or what!!!
8. Crushed ice ~ One of these days I'll own a refrigerator that makes crushed ice. I love it. I'm convinced it makes soda taste better! Sonic has the perfect ice.
9. Batter dipped foods ~ onion rings, shrimp, chicken.......this list could go on forever. There's nothing better than batter dipped foods. Sure, it's not good for your health and cholesterol but seriously, have you ever eaten onion rings from The Varsity in Atlanta? If not, you have no idea what you're missing.
10. A good chick flick ~ Pride & Prejudice, Cranford, Emma.....you know, the good ole' sappy ones!

 

Ten On Tuesday ~ Ten Fav Movie Characters

These are ten of my favorites. I've got a million favorites though. It's hard to narrow them down to just ten!

1. Jason Bourne (The Bourne Trilogy)~ One of my favorite characters ever!
2. Batman ~ Michael Keaton and Christian Bale are my favs in this role.
3. Fitzwilliam Darcy (Pride & Prejudice) ~ He's almost the perfect man :-o)
4. Mr. Knightly (Emma) ~ I like him almost as much as Mr. Darcy.
5. Peter Parker (Spiderman) ~ He's sweet and innocent by day and courageous by night.
6. Ace Ventura: Pet Detective ~ So funny!
7. Michael Meyers ~ Still scares me to death! It's the mask.
8. Elizabeth Bennett (Pride & Prejudice) ~ Strong, smart, witty.....love this role.
9. 007 (Sean Connery) ~ The name's Bond.....James Bond.
10. Jane Eyre (from Jane Eyre)~ One of my favorite books and I love the movie just as much.

Who are your favorites? Check out more favorites at yanowhatimean.com. Enjoy!

Ten On Tuesday ~ Favorite Time Wasters

This list should be easy. I'm not sure that I like the tag that these are "time wasters" but these are things I love to do in my free time.

1. Read a book ~ Any time I have a spare minute, I love to take advantage of some reading time.
2. Watching my favorite movies ~ I've watched Sabrina, Pride & Prejudice, While You Were Sleeping, and Facing the Giants countless times.
3. The internet ~ I've recently got into online coupons and I'm totally addicted! I surf for all types of things and this is probably my favorite "time waster."
4. Menu planning ~ I love to sit down on Saturday or Sunday evening and play my menu for the week.
5. Bargain shopping ~ Love, love, love doing this.
6. Cleaning house ~ It's a sickness really.
7. Kitty watching ~ Trust me, we have five so I spend A LOT of time doing this!
8. Music ~ I love getting on YouTube and watching/listening to my favorites from the late 80s and early 90s.
9. Cooking for a crowd ~ I love having guests and really enjoy cooking large meals to feel them.
10. Dieting/Grocery shopping ~ I combine these two and you'd understand if you shopped with me. I've been known to stand in the aisles and figure up Weight Watchers points on much of what I buy. This is also a sickness! LOL!

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Ten On Tuesday ~ Movies I'm Excited To See

1. Prince Caspian
2. Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull
3. You Don't Mess With the Zohan
4. Made of Honor
5. Iron Man ~ Ok, I saw this one while we were in Savannah and I liked it pretty well.
6. The Incredible Hulk ~ I really like Edward Norton so I have to at least try this movie.
7. The Happening
8. Hancock
9. Journey To the Center of the Earth
10. The Dark Knight

These are ten of the movies I want to see that come out between now and end of July. I'm sure there will be others. Check out what others want to see here.

What do you want to see?

Ten On Tuesday ~ Tourists

10 Places You'd Take a Tourist to See in
Your Hometown

1. Rocky Mount Museum ~ I would love to link to their site but they have the worst, I mean THE WORST, time with keeping their site up.
2. Ridgewood BBQ
3. Elizabethton's Covered Bridge
4. Rhythm & Roots
5. The Paramount Theatre
6. My House ~ No one provides hospitality like us!
7. Barter Theater
8. Dixie BBQ
9. Roan Mountain State Park
10. Bristol Motor Speedway

The town we live in is rather small. Most of these places are in surrounding cities (except Rocky Mount which is right down the road) and attract many visitors who come to this area. I could live at Barter Theater. Rhythm & Roots is an annual music festival that is a must if you are in this area in mid-September. My BIL had a big hand in helping get performers for this. The BBQ places are two of the best I've ever eaten at. All are family owned and wonderful! Bristol Motor Speedway is just an awesome sight to see. Even if Nascar is not in town, it's cool to look at the track. It is the fastest half-mile track you know! If you're ever in my neck of the woods, these are the places I'll take you!

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Ten On Tuesday ~ Favorite Drinks

1. Diet Sunkist
2. Coke Zero
3. Diet A&W Root Beer in a frosted mug :-o)
4. Sutter Home White Zinfandel
5. Milk ~ I could drink a gallon a day!
6. Iced Coffee
7. Pumpkin Cappacino from Appco (it's seasonal)
8. Blue Hawaiian
9. Peach Tea from Pals
10. Apple Julep from The Applewood Farmhouse Restaurant in Pigeon Forge, TN

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Ten On Tuesday ~ Ten Things I Love

I think this one will be very easy for me. I love many things, as my blog name reflects. These are only a few of the many, but several of these are the most important things in life.

1. The Lord ~ Apart from His grace, I would be lost and wandering in this world. I am so glad that He chose me, loves me, and continues to refine me.
2. My husband ~ God sent the perfect man for me. We complement each other so well and we truly did become one when we married.
3. My children ~ I am convinced that I have the most wonderful children in the world. They are the apple of my eye.
4. My duty ~ As wife and mother, I am absolutely fulfilled. I love that God designed this role for women and I seek to glorify Him through it.
5. My extended family ~ I have the sweetest mom, the most wonderful in-laws, two awesome aunties (Kat and Z, I love ya!), many cousins, a beautiful (almost) 85 year old grandma, and the best church family in the world.
6. Our pets ~ All five kitties and our cuddly mini-schnauzer.
7. My friends ~ I have many and I cherish them all. Jenny happens to be the closest to me and we totally "get" each other. She gets more praise because of that! I have to say that I really have enjoyed making internet friends this past year or so. Y'all are great!
8. Good food ~ And lots of it! LOL! Mexican and Japanese are my favorite. Pizza is a food I could eat for every meal. I also really love chocolate chip cookie dough pop tarts. Since I started weight watchers a few weeks ago, all of this food is "off the table" until by goal is reached. Oddly enough, weight watchers recipes are really pretty good.
9. My MacBook ~ It's like an extra arm. I communicate mostly via email and chat because I detest phones. I bank, do lesson plans, keep records and recipes, and do odd jobs on it. Many women love their shoes or pocketbooks. Me, you'll find me hugging my Mac. That's how I roll!
10. Life ~ I love every minute of it. The only way it could be better would be if I could live it without sin.

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Ten Things To Do Instead of Watching TV

There are lots of things we can do instead of watching television. These are ten things that I'm most likely to do without tv.

1. Read ~ I've got several book challenges going and I try and use every second I can squeeze in to meet these goals.
2. Play a board game with the girls ~ Lately it's been Blink or Monopoly
3. Clean something ~ Yep, I'm sick that way!
4. Do laundry ~ When all else fails, I actually put up the laundry that I fold. I don't like to do it but I do it :-o)
5. Read blogs
6. Email/Chat with friends online
7. Browse recipes
8. Sleep
9. Listen to the radio ~ I used to love to listen to UT football games rather than watching. That was before John Ward retired!
10. Craft something ~ Right now I'm stitching on a quilt that Jenny made for a sweet little boy named Rhett. She doesn't have a picture up of it but when we get it finished, I'll bug her to post it!

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Ten On Tuesday ~ 10 Things That Were Better “Way Back When”

1. Tab ~ I used to love the stuff. Now, it makes me want to barf.
2. Sweet 'n' Low ~ Blah! Can't stand it now. Splenda is the way to go.
3. Gloria Vanderbilt jeans ~ Remember the swan logo?
4. Leg warmers ~ Were these ever really cool?
5. Michael Jackson ~ Two titles: "Beat It" and "Thriller" (Come on, you know he was cool!)
6. Family Feud ~ I liked it better years ago. The host was so much better than Drew Carey
7. Cool Ranch Doritos ~ I used to love them. Have my tastes matured or are they not as flavorful as they once were?
8. The Beatles ~ Ok, I never thought the Beatles were very good :-o)
9. Big hair ~ Please don't let it make a come back!
10. Pizza Hut pizza ~ It just doesn't taste as good as it used to. I hate those giant veggies they put on the pizzas now! Bring back diced veggies!

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Ten On Tuesday ~ New Year's Resolutions

Many people make resolutions and I usually think about them :-o) I have trouble keeping them but this year, I am determined to give it a whirl. I hope I'll be more accountable since I am posting the list for everyone to see. So, here are my resolutions for 2008.

1. Drop the twenty pounds I've been talking about for a year!
2. Exercise more.
3. Eat better. I need to cut the sugar and caffeine in my diet (which is basically all it consists of plus a bunch of carbs).
4. Get more sleep. Five hours is not nearly enough. And that's on a good night!
5. Read aloud with the girls more.
6. Be better organized. This especially needs to happen with our homeschool schedule. I need to be more efficient with our time.
7. Nag my husband less. I know he would appreciate this one.
8. Be more joyful. Sometimes I am not joyful when doing things. My kids see this and I fear they will copy my behavior. I want to be more joyful in all things because God has blessed me beyond measure and I need to express my gratitude through being a joyful wife and mother.
9. Spend more time in the kitchen with the kids. They are old enough to be making entire meals together. This would be a great blessing to both them and me. I have to worry less about them making a mess and more about them perfecting their skills.
10. Establish at least a few new family traditions. I'd like to work on special traditions for birthdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. We have traditions but I want to add to those by establishing a few new ones that are unique to our family.

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Ten On Tuesday ~ Best Games Edition

(Board games, video games, card games, etc.)

I couldn't pass this one up because we love games. We haven't played a lot lately since we've been busy with other things but in the summer, we usually try and play each Friday night with my BIL and his kids. It's a great way to spend a Friday night!

Here's a list of favorites:

1. Scattergories - I love this board game. It's great for quick thinking.
2. Pictionary - Who doesn't love this game! I am the worst drawer in the history of the game but somehow my wonderful hubby still manages to guess well!
3. Scrabble - I love this game. I've really love to have the deluxe version for Christmas.
4. Phase 10 - Wonderful card game that I've only played a few times. I love it though and it takes a long time to play a game if you have lots of people.
5. Imaginiff - Great for the kids but there needs to be plenty of players so that it doesn't get boring.
6. Rook - My FIL is a master at this game and I love playing it. I usually have him as a partner and since I'm not the greatest at this game, he gets to give me lots of pointers. He usually does this in a manner that makes me never want to partner with him! LOL! What can I say, he's passionate about this game!
7. Trivial Pursuit Genius Edition - I have always liked this game.
8. Fact or Crap - We got this game for Christmas a few years ago and I enjoy it. We've played it several times and just writing about it makes me want to get it out and play it.
9. Super Mario Bros. - I haven't played this since Nintendo first came out. My brother and I had it as kids and we loved playing it together.
10. Pac-Man (or Miss Pac-Man) - My most favorite video game in the whole world. I would love, love, love to have one of those old arcade versions in the house! I don't think I would ever get anything done!

**I'd like to give Donkey Kong honorable mention. I also loved it very much as a child. Also, Cranium is another of my favorite board games.

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Ten On Tuesday ~ Internet Site Addition

Ten Useful Internet Sites

1. Merriam Webster ~ We all forget how to spell a word sometimes :-O
2. Wikipedia ~ You can find anything here....it's great!
3. MSNBC ~ Great if you need a quick overview of worldwide news
4. Mapquest ~ I use this all the time
5. Christian Spotlight on Entertainment ~ Great for movie reviews
6. Google ~ Find anything with Google search
7. All Recipes ~ Great variety of recipes
8. Martha Stewart ~ Come on, you know you love her ideas!
9. Gmail ~ I'm convinced everyone should have a Gmail account for email
10. Vegsource ~ An invaluable resource for homeschoolers. Can find tons of new and used curriculum on their homeschooling swap boards!

For more TOT's, go here.

Ten On Tuesday

10 Television Shows You'd Like to Have (or Have already) on DVD

1. Lost ~ We used to have a couple of seasons but kept selling them to get the new seasons. We'll probably buy them all in the future.
2. House ~ I love this show. I didn't start watching it from the beginning so I'd love own them all.
3. Smallville ~ I like this show alot but I always miss it.
4. The Closer ~ I like Kyra's southern accent in the show. Hubby says she tries too hard and hates it.
5. Cold Case ~ What can I say? I love to solve things.
6. CSI ~ I like this show but again, I always miss it.
7. Who's Line Is It Anyway ~ Wayne Brady cracks me up! Plus, he has an amazing voice.
8. ER ~ I used to be a faithful watcher but then Lost came out. I have missed alot of episodes so I could catch up if I had the DVD's.
9. Dirty Jobs ~ This is a fun show and I love the guy who hosts it. He's funny in his own way.
10. Who's The Boss ~ I always loved this show growing up.

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Ten On Tuesday

Ten Things You've Been Putting Off

1. Cleaning the cobwebs out of the garage
2. Finishing the last coat of paint in the laundry room
4. Cleaning out the girls' closet
5. Cleaning out my silverware drawer...UGH!
6. Planting fall mums
7. Weeding the area where the fall mums will be planted! LOL!
8. Washing our vehicles
9. Painting all the trim in our house white. I started it but it's HARD to cover dark wood!
10. Drinking the amount of water I need each day! UGH!!

For more TOT's, go here.