Posts by beckyeas

Last year we bought the kids a computer, so we'll probably spend less this year than last.  At least I hope we will!

Best gift I've ever given--my husband is a Legos nut, and years ago I found him this very Lego phone where the keys were like the square pieces and the surface was made of Lego bumps, so you could build things while you talked on the phone.

Best gift I've ever gotten--an airline ticket to go visit my very best friend, who moved halfway across the country.

OK.  Not a sex-capade, but a funny penis story.

My son (then 2) was very allergic to mosquito bites, and got one right on the tip of his penis.  Have you ever seen what happens to a penis when you get a mosquito bite?  It swelled up--and out--until the poor lil guy was shaped like a doorknob!  Really!

Now, not having a penis myself, I had no idea what was happening to my son.  I was afraid it was a spider bite or something, so I took him to the doctor.  She pulled down his underwear, did a double take, and said, "Whoa."  And then she gave me some awesome advice--"try to get him to leave it alone."  Yeah, right.  What guy of any age could leave THAT alone?

Is there room at the bar for me?

I'll take a Tanqueray gin on the rocks with a twist of lime.  And since it's after noon on a Friday, make mine a double.  Here are my carkeys.  I'm a real lightweight.

Now, could someone please find some Eagles tunes on the karaoke?  My workday is essentially done and I feel like singing!

Oooh, I understand just how annoying that is!  I get them, too.

I've had great luck with POTASSIUM SUPPLEMENTS.  You can get them at the health food store or probably anywhere that sells vitamin supplements.  Potassium is important for smooth muscle movement.  Just take them for a couple of days, and it'll go away. 

Good luck!

I'll be going as an exasperated mother trailing behind two kids as they trick or treat. It's not much of a costume, I know, but it's what I've got.

At least the weather is going to be great here in the Midwest--upper 50's by evening.  Just perfect!

Bad breath and belching

B.O. and farting

Scratching privates

Nose/ear hair

Unibrow

That'll do.

If I use the pet/street method, my name would be Snoopy Clark.  How un-stripperish can you get????

More advice that might sound silly but really works--

1. Don't do the interview in your pjs.  You'll sound as sloppy and casual as you look.  Some people even say dress like you're getting interviewed in person, which may be a bit much, but definitely look nice.

2. Stand up.  Even walk around.  It'll keep your energy up and burn off a bit of nervousness.

Not silly advice:

3.  Remember that, while you don't want to come off as over the top, you do want to make sure that your energy and enthusiasm come through over the phone.  Without the information gained through nonverbal cues (smiling, head nodding, body posture) it can be difficult for both you and the search committee to know how interested the other party is.  So don't feel silly explicitly telling them, "This opportunity sounds really exciting" or "I'm really interested in this position." 

4.  At the end of the interview, do not hesitate to ask them what the next steps are and when you should hear from them again. Search committees have a timeline in mind, but they may forget to share it with you, and knowing (for example) that it'll be a week before they can move on with the search can save you an agonizing week of waiting.  It also shows that you're really interested in the position.

Good luck!

It seems to me that guys like Guy #1 are so into that type of woman that they end up marrying one.  And they're the guy that you look at ten years later and think, why on earth did he marry her?  He could have had any girl and he chose her?  So, tough as it may be, I agree with the others who say to stay his friend, maybe give him a bit of advice, but don't look for a relationship with him.

And Guy #2?  I've dated a number of quiet guys, and I strongly suggest that you give it a shot.  Not to stereotype, but once they know that you like them, quiet guys can often be very attentive, and very loyal.  They don't make a lot of friends, so they're very close to the people they do consider friends.  Definitely worth the effort.

Good luck!

So beyond the awesome shoulders, hot eyes, and great butt---

He's really smart.  When I'm with him, I get to think about interesting and important things, and when I talk, he really listens to what I have to say.  And I know he's listening, because he asks such careful, thoughtful questions back.  (That is so hot, by the way!)

And he's really passionate about things that I also care about, like taking care of those who are less fortunate, and making sure all kids have access to high-quality education and healthcare, and trying to leave the world in a better place than it is now.

And he reads.  And listens to great music.  And when he looks at me, something in me resonates like someone plucked a harp string.  Hummmmmm.

I also have combination skin, so maybe what I use will work. 

I use a product that I get from a dermatologist called NeoStrata.  (It's not a prescription; anyone could go in and buy it.)  It's a gel-type product that you massage into wet skin then rinse off with water.  It leaves my face feeling very soft, never dry.  And my skin looks wonderful.  I use it morning and evening.

And as a frame of reference, it's also what the dermatologist has my 10-year-old daughter using, because it's Ph balanced and apparently pretty gentle.  She loves it, too!

Love "This American Life" and "Car Talk."  Another good one is NPR's "Driveway Moments."  For when I'm feeling less cultured, I like the TV Guide podcast--they're funny and it requires not very many brain cells. 

Love that!  I hadn't seen it, either, and we watch Discovery a fair amount (the kids love Mythbusters and Dirty Jobs).

I love my job! 

I get to get up every day and "fight the good fight" to help make sure that kids from underpriviledged backgrounds are prepared to go to college, and children of migrant workers understand what their educational opportunities are, and that teachers are better prepared to teach students whose first language is not English.

I kind of wandered into my job.  When I finished my last degree, my academic advisor hired me to work with him, and it's been the best thing I've ever done.

The advice I give to people is that you never know what skills you're gaining right now that will serve you in the future.  A computer program, event planning, project organization--you're learning things that could be just what you need to get the next, right job.

Good luck!

One Word Challenge
You can only use one word...Not as easy as you may think.

1. Yourself: Optimistic
2. Your significant other: Kind
3. Your hair?: Sunny
4. Your mother?:  Warm
5. Your father?: Supportive
6. Your favorite item: SHOES
7. Your dream last night: vague
8. Your favorite drink: wine
9. Your dream car: efficient

10. The room you are in: office
12. Your fear: loneliness
13. What you want to be in 10 years: fulfilled
14. Who you hung out with last night?: family
15. What you're not?: brave
16. Muffins: tempting
17: One of your wish list items: tennies
18: Time: afternoon
19. The last thing you did: email
20. What you are wearing: cute
21. Your favorite weather: Spring
22. Your favorite book: beautiful
23. The last thing you ate: spicy!
24. Your life: active
25. Your mood: bored
26. Your body: satisfied
27. Who are you thinking about right now? friend
29. What are you doing at the moment?: avoiding
30. Your summer: challenging
31. Best part of your life: relationships