Let’s Hold Off on the Lithium

[by Chick] It’s been a great ride here at Chicken Fried Therapy but I think it’s time to let the curtain fall on this blog – at least for the time being. (What can I say, I’m like life after New Coke or Michael Jordan’s baseball career – always leaving the door cracked for a comeback.)

But those of you who have followed along for awhile know that I have another blog called FLY FISH CHICK and to be honest, it’s just been too difficult to maintain both.

For awhile I thought I could keep it all going by turning CFT into a group blog and I invited some girlfriends to co-author posts. That was a trip! They did great and it brought a new energy to the site. But understandably work, chickens, teenagers, and new babies took center stage and content dwindled.

I’ve often said between CFT and FLY FISH CHICK I have “my girl blog and my boy blog.” It’s become a crazymaker to juggle both and frankly I am feeling somewhat schizophrenic. I’m looking for one spot to share my stories and let it all hang out. So put the lithium away, I think one site is the panacea for my BBD (Blogging Bipolar Disorder.)

Besides, plenty of men have read CFT for years and gobs of women truly enjoy FLY FISH CHICK – some fish, some don’t! I do post about flyfishing over there, but I also post about food, music, style, travel, parenting – you name it. And since I am pulling it all under one roof, there will be more and more *me* stories mixed in with the fishing tales.

The categories are even separated out if you want to view the Fly Fish Stories and the Chick Stories separately.

So…I would like to invite each and everyone one of you to come on over to FLY FISH CHICK and enjoy all the same self-deprecating hilarity over there that you’ve enjoyed over here. Feel free to jump right in with comments, subscribe via RSS or email, pull up a chair, make yourself at home.

FLY FISH CHICK blog

FLY FISH CHICK Facebook page – Try it. You’ll LIKE it.

FLY FISH CHICK on Twitter – 3,168 followers can’t all be bored.

Many Thanks to each and everyone one of you who’ve read CFT, commented, subscribed, shared and cheered. Much love to you all…and I will see you over at FLY FISH CHICK!

XXOO ~Christine

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The Most Pinteresting Woman In The World

[by Chick] First it was blogging, then Facebook, followed by Twitter and Instagram. But now it seems Pinterest is the hot new social media sensation whereby I currently derive one hundred percent of my self-worth and daily fulfillment. And I’ve only been on it for two and a half days.

If you aren't familiar with Pinterest, it’s a website where you can “pin” pictures of anything and everything that tickles your fancy…clothes, food, art, home decor, exotic hotels, motivational signs, books, films, etc. You organize your pins onto themed boards to keep track. For those of us who used to work at advertising agencies we can safely claim it is reminiscent of a concept board or a pitch board and we don’t have to admit that we all really learned about this technique from Oprah who referred to it as an Image Board, a classic self help tool for hapless women of a certain age.

But I digress.

Oh my word Pinterest is more fun that I could have ever imagined! It’s like every fashion, home decor, travel magazine in the world all rolled up into one site. With a cookbook and some good looking art to boot. Now that pesky waiting list was a bit off-putting (I mean for heaven’s sake it’s social media, not a country club) but I patiently waited my turn to gain my Pinterest account.

Okay, that’s a lie, the minute I saw I was on the waiting list I emailed a friend toute suite and bluntly asked her to produce an invite for me. Well, all I can say is Pinterest is lucky to have me because I am a pinning fool, and as evidenced by the torrent of people already following me (four, including myself) I have impeccable taste.

It’s clear that I will never wear any of these gorgeous clothes, cook any of these delicious meals, or travel to any of these exotic destinations, because apparently I am now relegated to the life of a shut-in as I don’t want to miss any time I could be at home in my grungy workout clothes pinning things on my iPad.

I don’t always surf the Internet for hours on end, but when I do, I prefer Pinterest.

It’s true, Pinterest is nothing if not addictive. They are bound to develop a 12-step program at some point.

See you at the meetings. Until then, stay pinning my friends.

http://pinterest.com/flyfishchick/

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Very Superstitious

[By Legally Blonde]  Today is Friday the 13th, a day when adults who were scarred by watching the Friday the 13th movies at an impressionable age will be looking around every corner for Freddy Krueger. And superstitious individuals will be on edge all day waiting for bad things to happen, things that would never happen if it were instead Friday the 12th or 14th.


I have spent years trying to wean myself off all the superstitions I learned growing up. I’m sure most of you are familiar with certain of these -- step on a crack, break your mother’s back. Find a penny, pick it up, all day long you’ll have good luck. A black cat crossing your path is bad luck, but you can get rid of the bad luck if you make an X and spit three times. It’s bad luck to take salt and pepper directly from someone’s hand at the table, so make sure they put it on the table before your pick it up again. Spilling salt will result in seven years of bad luck, unless you throw the salt over your left shoulder with your right hand. Breaking a mirror will also result in seven years of bad luck, but I’m not sure what the cure is for that. You know that walking under a ladder brings bad luck, but did you know that driving under a moving train is good luck?

Opening an umbrella in the house will bring you bad luck, but the worst kind of luck will befall you if you do not exit the door that you entered. One night my parents went to a dinner party, entering the house through the front door. When the party was over and they were leaving, a torrential downpour had started and my parents didn’t have an umbrella. The host’s car was parked in the connected garage and he offered to drive my parents to their car parked down the street so they wouldn’t get wet. This would have meant leaving the house by the kitchen door, which my Mom refused to do. So she walked a block in the pouring rain and came back to get my Dad who was waiting for her in the dry garage.

Last year at one of my son’s baseball games, a little girl was sitting on the ground with her legs straight out in a crowded area. I was making my way to the dugout and so I stepped across her outstretched legs. The dad went crazy and made me go back over her legs and then walk entirely around her. The wife was apologetic, explaining her husband was just very superstitious. I complied with a smile but was baffled because I had never heard this superstition before. I called my Mom, who quickly exclaimed, “Well, she would have died!”

While I didn’t know this one, I do know a good many others: Sing before breakfast, cry before dinner, kiss an upturned hem for a new dress, don’t tell nightmares out loud or they’ll come true, put a penny on a knife if you give it as a gift or it will cut your love, get out of bed on the same side you get in, and my favorite one – if you put your underwear on inside out in the morning, you must wear it like that all day because it’s bad luck to switch it around.
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As Usual, My Resolutions Read More Like True Confessions

[by Chick] Like so many people starting a new year, I have a new batch of news years resolutions! Okay, who are we kidding? Many of them aren’t “new”, just repackaged and recycled with a regurgitated sense of hope that I just might achieve them. But really, this is my year, I swear.

Here are just twelve of my goals for two thousand twelve. Some we’ve seen before, some are new…

1. Dive deep into the colored jean trend by buying at least one new color each month. I don’t want to miss this. I’ve already got a head start with some pale pink ones I bought on sale last August, plus three pair this month alone: crimson for the national championship game (Roll Tide), navy because they fit super cute, and Carolina blue for basketball season (Go Heels).

2. Lose so much weight that family and friends start to worry about me. (I know, I know, we’ve seen this one before. Sigh.)

3. Run my first 5K. Actually I am sort of globbing on to Little Chick’s goal here. She set out to run her first 5K and so the Professor and I are training with her to run in the Joe Cain 5K in Mobile AL during Mardi Gras. Which will also be my first 5K and conveniently will work toward Goal #2. Stay tuned, maybe we can get a live webcam to follow us. I realize it probably won’t have the hype of the Boston Marathon but I am really hoping to get one of those mylar blankets at the end – you know, to up my ‘athletica’ cool factor.

4. Improve my hoop dancing skills. Yes, you read that correctly. And yes, this is a recycled, and thus far unmet, goal from both 2008 and 2010. I did buy two new hoops last year which was a modicum of progress. And actually attended one hooping “meetup” that I learned about from meetup.com. (Am I the only person you know who has attended an event on meetup.com?) But truly, this is it people. I have been scouring youtube videos on hooping. I have designed a new hooping playlist on itunes. I am going to wow you with my hooping skills this year.

Fee free to do an intervention when I go so far as to buy a pair of these furry hoop dancing boots (very popular with the hooping crowd apparently):

5. Become more high maintenance. I am so low maintenance with my appearance (read: lazy) and so I think I need more beauty processes in my daily life. I am the farthest thing from wakeup and makeup. Maybe that needs to change just a bit? Not sure what I am working into the repertoire, I am open to suggestions. Actually I’m not open to suggestions, scratch that. But clearly this goal requires more research on my part.

6. Sell so many copies of my book PADDLEFISH that I become a localebrity and am invited to dance in the Austin TX ‘Dancing With The Stars’ charity event.

7. Cook more. The Professor and I are about to do a kitchen remodel, my mother just bought me all new cookware for Christmas, so the pressure is on. More cooking from this chick. Plus it dovetails nicely with Goal #2. I just know that a TV in the new kitchen (hardwired to the Bravo channel) would lure me into the kitchen for hours on end to create culinary masterpieces but I don’t think that request made the cut in the remodel. Bummer. Anyhooo, still…cook more.

8. Eat more vegetables. (As you can see, pretty much all roads lead to Rome and Goal #2.) For the record, I am no longer counting a corndog as a vegetable.

9. Finally, once and for all, learn how to create and successfully load one of those damn little favicons.

10. Get more of my friends to follow me on Instagram. And I will load so many dazzling photos that Instagram features me on their “Popular” page and my twelve year old daughter will actually be impressed. (For those of you who don’t know, the Tweens have flocked to Instagram for their social media since they are just a hair too young for Facebook.) Here’s a recent Instagram post I did from the Music City Bowl:

11. Plan just the *perfect* birthday celebrations for The Professor and Little Chick, both of whom have marquis birthdays this year.

12. Get more sleep. Not terribly original but hey, it’s a classic. Plus I am confident it will help with Goals 1-11.

GOOD LUCK with your 2012 goals and HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!

XXOO

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She Was a Day Tripper

Due to circumstances beyond my control, I had to make a day trip to California on Tuesday. I was scheduled to give a presentation that afternoon in Monterey and had to get back for an important event on Wednesday afternoon. SO, my day started bright and early to get to the airport for my 8:25 flight. Only when I got to the airport at 7:30, I realized my flight was actually leaving at 8:05. I have the drive to the airport, parking, security and getting to the gate down like a science, so making the flight with 20 fewer minutes was definitely going to be a challenge.

Determined not to miss my flight, I took off running through the airport in my high heels with my briefcase and purse weighing down my left side. Thank goodness TSA and Delta are testing a new security procedure at the Atlanta airport – it allows frequent fliers to go through a special lane where you don’t have to take off your shoes or your jacket and don’t have to take your computer or toiletries out of your bag. So I pretty much breezed through security and then double-checked the monitors to confirm my departure gate. I couldn’t believe that it had been changed to E1 – for those not familiar with the Atlanta airport, this is about as far away as you can get – the last gate at the last terminal. The train ride to the E terminal lasted nearly 5 minutes, so I had to run up the escalator and all the way to my gate. They were making the final boarding call when I got there, sweating profusely, and made my way onto the flight and settled in for the 5 hour trip to San Francisco.

Once in San Francisco, I rented a car and started the 2 hour drive to Monterey. Having been rear-ended on the I-5 in Los Angeles by a movie trailer, I am fairly wary of CA highways, but I made it safely to the hotel where the conference was being held in Monterey. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast and the entire drive I kept thinking I would find somewhere to pull off and get some lunch, but I never found anything suitable. So I made a beeline for the restaurant, where I met my co-presenter and had a wonderful meal – arugula salad with lemon vinaigrette, perfectly grilled halibut over couscous, and three pieces of warm bread with olive oil. I was stuffed.

We gave our presentation, I did all the networking I needed to do and then got back in my car for the drive to the airport. The drive back to the airport seemed much longer than the drive earlier in the day and I struggled to find a good radio station with songs I could sing along with to help me stay awake. I was booked on the 11:30 pm flight, but got to the airport in time to change to the 10:00 – and I even had an aisle seat. I was able to sleep a little on the flight back and landed at 5:30 am, drove home and arrived just in time to wake the kids up and get them off to school. I did get a couple of hours sleep before heading to work to ensure I wouldn’t commit malpractice. So there you have it, a lot of traveling and less than 12 hours in California. And I sure hope I don’t have to day trip to the west coast again anytime soon!

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Crockpot Virgin

I have never used a crockpot – or any other off-brand slow cooker – in my entire life. Until last night. I can’t tell you how exciting it was to break into this strange new world of dump-n-dash cuisine. I love it! I started with a simple barbecue chicken “recipe”. Basically I just smothered chicken in Stubb’s BBQ sauce and went on my merry way.

I have to say…delish! The house smelled unbelievable and it was beyond easy. The drumsticks were better than the boneless chicken breasts, but all in all, a mighty success and a whole new world has opened up before my eyes.

In one swift move I have gone from Crockpot Virgin to Crockpot Crackpot.

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Top 3 Reasons I Am Dressing Like Mrs. Roper Lately

[by Chick] While 2011 has been a fantabulous fairytale year, it’s also been a little decadent, and the waistline is definitely reflecting that. Mou mous are the garment of choice these days. But knowledge is power and I think I have identified the three most fattening things in my life these days:

1. Being a newlywed. It’s just so dadgum fun, who has time for exercise and restrained eating? We cook and grill out and I am dazzling my new husband with my culinary talents. (Those of you who know me well can stop laughing and/or choking about now.) You see, no matter what my oldest friends and mother think, my husband actually believes I am a great cook.

Plus, as Magnolia wisely told me, gaining weight the first year of marriage is simply a rite of passage and I should just enjoy it.

2. Having a middle schooler. Little Chick has started middle school and I am a nervous wreck. Make that a nervous snacking wreck. It’s actually going quite well, but let me just say there are very few television shows that are appropriate for 6th grade girls. Disney is too young. Bravo too racy. The only thing we can find to watch together these days is the Food Network. Lots and lots of the Food Network. I swear, I think I have gained weight just watching all that good food. (Some might suggest it’s actually all the time sedentary on the couch watching the Food Network, not some mysterious tele-transmitted calories --  but you never know…)

3. Writing a book. That’s right, I have written my first soon-to-be-released book with a real live publisher. I have literally been at the computer since February and let me tell you, writing a book is fattening. All this time in the computer chair, no regular meals during the day, snacking between lightbulb moments at the computer screen. It’s packed on the lbs! I do in fact look like Mrs. Roper. Which makes me want to waddle on down to the Regal Beagle and down a box of wine.

But I am not getting down about the scales going up because I am so excited about the book. It’s called PADDLEFISH and it is my non-fiction account of training and racing in the 2010 Texas Water Safari, a 260-mile paddling race from central Texas to the Gulf Coast. As a complete paddling novice I trained for a year and completed this grueling race last summer. The book covers all the grit, hilarity and emotion of such an adventure from the point of view of this 40ish, longshot, homeroom mom.

I hope the Texans will enjoy the Texas history I weave in and out along the river race route. And really, what self-respecting Southerner doesn’t love a good river story?

Stay tuned for details about the release in October, but if you’d like to read a sneak peek chapter or learn a little more click here to this page on my Fly Fish Chick site.

more soon…xxoo

~Chick

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Roll out those Crazy, Lazy, Hazy Days of Summer...

Do remember the 1¢ record clubs of yesteryear? As a kid, I thought it was the deal of a lifetime and managed to get my hands on loads of music for a penny, including hits by The Muppets. While I was away at summer camp, my parents got calls and letters from a collection agency asking for full payment! Got into a bit of trouble upon homecoming...guess they weren't really charging a penny afterall. Lesson learned: read the fine print!

Well spring is here and it is time to refresh your "musical wallpaper", as DJ Lucy Wrubel puts it, and get ready to make some great summer memories complete with soundtrack. DJ Lucy launched her very own Mix-of-the-Month in January and let me tell you it is MUY fabulosa. Most of us don't make the time to refresh our playlists much less stay current on new music. Subscribe to Mix of the Month and take pleasure in drafting off of Lucy's super chic musical intel...you don't need to tell anyone how you became so instantly hip or why your house is now the funnest place to be.

DJ LUCY WRUBEL // MIX OF THE MONTH

Here are the details and learn from me:

READ THE FINE PRINT!

$140 for the subscription, follow the link to iTunes,

preview and purchase the music from iTunes.

Get that? $140 to subscribe to her exclusive lists, then pay again for the music on iTunes.

This is not cheap...but oh honey, you will totally get what you are paying for!

Trust me~ you will look forward to it every month and your psyche will be refreshed not to having to listen to the same old stuff.

New music is good for your health. And did I mention her bonus lists? Check out her site.

Full disclosure~ I am related to Lucy! This is a shameless family promotion.

I hope you read that.

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Fun in the Sun

The air is green with pollen and spring has sprung as evidenced by the freckles coming back to my young one's face. Over spring break I discovered these fabulous Supergoop Sunscreen wipes that kids can effectively apply themselves! It worked all day in the doubly dangerous rays reflecting off the snow while we were skiing.

I even used it myself! It is a thin, clear solution that did not cause break outs and I could easily apply my make-up on top of it. I just stocked up for the summer on Amazon~ these wipes are perfect to send to camp!

Better yet: "Supergoop! takes seriously its commitment to formulating without parabens, petrochemicals, fragrances, and phthalates to provide consumers with an environment- and body-friendly choice for everyday UV protection."

www.supergoop.com

And for those areas that burn no matter what, you'll be glad to know the Zinka we grew up with is still available in a rainbow array of colors! Kids and adults alike enjoy a little face paint!

www.zinka.com

OH! I almost forgot! Here's another fun find for summer~ these great hair ties/ bracelets. Found them on Etsy for a fraction of the price and best colors ever. Enjoy!

Handmade Tie Dye Hair Ties Headbands and Bracelets by ManeMessage

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You've Got Mail

[By: Legally Blonde] My Mom sent me a big envelope full of letters, cards and the like that she found this week in a drawer. It's odd that all of this was together in a drawer in an antique table in her living room. And it's also odd that it was such a motley assortment of greetings. And that they dated back to when I was in high school. Birthday cards from friends I haven't seen in 25 years. Letters from my dear grandmother Peggy. A beautiful letter from my Daddy on my high school graduation, which I read out loud to my boys and Skip and wasn't through the first sentence when I started crying delicious tears of love and gratitude. I also vowed at that moment to forever write letters to those I love to encapsulate the memories and provide something to cherish long after an event or a time has passed.

And apparently, I've always had a knack for writing letters to people I care about. For in the same packet of mementos with letters from Peggy and Daddy were letters that I had written (although apparently had the good sense not to send) to the ones I loved in high school - that's right - FAN MAIL. To Rob Lowe, his little brother Chad, Tom Cruise and Scott Baio. All of these letters were encased in an envelope similar to that above - marked with a special "confidential" stamp and including the words sure to make any celebrity open a piece of mail, "Not just another fan letter!" Because indeed Rob's letter was not just any other fan letter, it was far greater and went something like this:

"Rob - Hey! What's (arrow pointing up)? I live in Dallas and go to Highland Park High School. I've been a big fan of yours since the Outsiders. Can't wait til Saint Elmo's Fire and Youngblood come out! I've heard rumors that you're coming to SMU. Is this true? If it is, I'd love to meet you. My dad is a professor there. If you're not going to SMU, please consider!! Please write amd tell me what your plans are and send me a photo. Stay cool!"

I'm not really sure how I was able to get Rob Lowe's address, but I think it was from Teen Beat magazine. Apparently I wasn't as lucky with Scott Baio, because I addressed his c/o CBS-TV. My favorite aspect of his envelope, as Walkoff pointed out, was the heart that I drew for the dot in the "i" in his last name. My letter to Scott, was much shorter - I essentially told him that I hadn't missed an episode of "Charles in Charge," hoped he would consider movies soon, and that I "just wanted to write to you and tell you how much I love you!" Such sweet words.

I'm pretty sure that my greatest star love was Chad Lowe. I think I still have every episode of "Spencer" on Beta tape. So I will leave you with my very personal "not just another fan letter" to Chad: "Hey Chad! What's up? I am ecstatic (great word isn't it) over your new hopeful Broadway career. See, my sister and brother-in-law are actors in N.Y.C! He is the lead in 'Sunday in the Park with George.' My sister is writing a movie, but there's no telling when it will be out! But I'll write and tell you so you can audition for it! I am simply crushed because Spencer was cancelled. I've memorized every show! Are these lines familiar? [and then I quote about 6 scenes from the show, example: 'See ya' in school...I'll bring a dipstick or something.'] Well now that you know what a great fan I am, I'd like to know more about you! [and then I asked the questions that will really allow you to get to know someone] Who is your favorite actor/actress? (Mine is you!) What is your favorite group? What is your favorite movie? (Mine - Oxford Blues, Beverly Hills Cop, Trading Places, Class, Outsiders). Are you planning on doing a movie? If so, have try-outs in Dallas! In the meantime, keep in touch! And send a pic of you to the address below. Stay cool and sexy!"

I'm pretty sure there are more treasures hidden in the house where I grew up. I hope so - because tonight I laughed and I cried and I just enjoyed all of these memories that weave together to make up a small, and sometimes embarrassing, but always distinct, part of my whole life.

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Yo no comprendo

[by Legally Blonde] Apologies: Being that one of my many new year's resolutions was to post on CFT more regularly, I don't understand why it's more than halfway through January and I'm posting for the first time. Although one reason for my delay in tackling all of my resolutions was the winter lockdown 2011 that hit Atlanta last week. Multiple days of snow and ice rendering school closed for an entire week, almost all roads unpassable for two days, and me at home eating and watching movies (interspersed with the occasional sled ride and snow ball fight) until I finally made it in to work on Friday. So now I've started in full force on my resolutions and my legs ache today from early AM boot camp to prove it.

And Post: The family went to an Atlanta Hawks game between Christmas and New Year's. As you can see from this picture, Skip scored some really good seats. We were about 6 rows from the court and had a fun night in the Hawks 103-93 win. But during the entire game - during the scoring and dancing and the high-fiving Harry Hawk, the seats directly in front of me were empty, save for a small TV turned to a Spanish soap opera. That my friends, I still do not understand.

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New Mantras

New Year~ New Mantras

A friend just emailed me about this fantastic website that sells affordable art. Thank you artist Mike Monteiro for these fantastic take aways. Viva 2011!

20x200 | Affordable Art Prints | Limited Edition Prints and Photographs | Jen Bekman Projects

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I Don't Do Bows

[By Legally Blonde] You remember the old Windex commercial - the one where the housecleaner states very proudly "But I don't do windows!" Well I don't do bows. Over the years, this has become my birthday and holiday signature. I probably don't even need to put a To/From sticker on the package because when presents are opened everyone knows the one without the bow is from me. Don't get me wrong - I love beautiful packages and appreciate the loving care that goes into each and every bow on packages I may receive - but you'll never find one on a gift that I wrap.

I rationalize my non-bow presents by thinking that bows usually get mushed or cause the gift opener delay in opening their package. But I'm not anti-bow - I simply have a bow-making complex. My mom makes the most gorgeous bows. These aren't stick on bows or curling ribbon bows or the ones where you pull both ends of the ribbon and a bow pops out. Her bows are full and round with multiple loops and drape beautifully over each package. The ribbon may wrap straight across the box or diagonally on the corners, but it always meets up with a huge bow.

I used to watch her make bows and she would try to teach me, but I could never make a good bow. They just never came out looking pretty - it looked more like a bow that would have been on top of Charlie Brown's sad little Christmas tree before it gets all fixed up. I try every now and again, but my presents always end up without a bow. And I'm OK with that, as long as the presents from my mom have great big, gorgeous bows on top!

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Are You Brave Enough to Let Me See Your Peacock?

[by chick] Years ago when I was first out of college an older woman gave me her favorite appetizer recipe for parties. As she passed me the hand-written index card she puffed up proudly and added in a hushed tone, “I actually gave you all the ingredients for this recipe since you live in another town.”

Apparently she and her friends had an unspoken habit of seeming like good friends who share recipes, but they would notoriously leave out one ingredient for fear their friends would make the dish dishier and show them up. Wow.

I wish I could say I was nosing around for recipes these days. I don’t have time to make the one I’ve got, and I’m desperately trying to spend more time exercising than eating. So do you know what I need more than recipes? MUSIC!

I am sick to death of my workout playlist. I am desperate for new tunes to get me going on the treadmill. I ask and ask and ask and find it hard to believe my friends don’t have more suggestions to offer. I post on facebook begging for ideas. I send emails. I ask in phone conversations. The best I get are some vague suggestions of artists like “Have you tried Black Eyed Peas?”…or “Nelly’s good!”

What gives? I need actual song titles ladies! I need playlists. Not sweeping genre suggestions or artists.

Could it be that withholding workout songs is our generation’s way of “leaving out an ingredient” so a woman’s friends aren’t dishier dishes in their little black dress?

I am left to my own devices, begging my 11-year old and her friends for song ideas. Clearly not viewing me as competition they are actually pretty helpful. They have introduced me to Taio Cruz and Katy Perry. When I tire of those tracks I scour Pandora channels and the Genius feature on iTunes to find similar songs. One of these late night musical odysseys led me to a Katy Perry title that caught my eye: Are You Brave Enough To Let Me See Your Peacock?

Are you kidding me? That is a song title? Those are lyrics? That is vile! Unimaginative. Debased. But fine, I’ll take it. Download.

Then of course comes the questioning judgment of iTunes, “Are you sure you want to buy this song?”

Yes dammit! It’s 1am and I am a 40 year old woman buying a Katy Perry song about “peacocks” because I am that desperate to find anything that will inspire my fanny to get on the treadmill tomorrow. Or at least the next day, or maybe even the end of the week would be a success.

So what do you say ladies? Help a girl out?

Please please please share some blood-thumping, heart-pumping, rock-your-socks off songs for my super tired workout playlist. Don’t leave out the secret ingredient. Stand strong. Be bold. Share your tunes. Let us have a peek behind the curtain of your workout playlist. What’s the word thunderbird…are you brave enough to let me see your peacock?

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"No Use Crying Over Spilt Milk"

[By Legally Blonde] I've used this phrase a thousand times since I've had kids and I've always believed it. Just clean it up and get on with it. But does this old adage still ring true if:

• it's water instead of milk


• it's an adult spilling instead of kids


• in a courtroom instead of a kitchen


• all over counsel table


• AND the client


• with the judge presiding


• and an exclamation of "Heavens to Betsy" rings throughout the courtroom because the microphone is turned on?

Yes CFT readers, this happened to me last Tuesday! I'm happy to say that I did not cry - everyone actually laughed and it helped break the tension a bit, particularly when the two bailiffs came rushing out of their stands with rolls of paper towels! Apparently I am not the only attorney who prepares for all aspects of an oral argument except how to pour water out of courtroom pitchers without spilling.

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Fire Gene Who???

[By Magnolia]

To all of our loyal and longtime CFT fans...Do you remember my post about Sportsfan buying the rights to firegenechisic.com/? And remember how excited he was until he realized that he spelled Gene Chizik wrong!!!!!

At least I know now that even if Sportsfan had spelled it correctly, IT STILL WOULD BE WORTHLESS RIGHT NOW!! Congratulations to all of the Auburn Tigers or War Eagles or whatever you are on a job well done this year.

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One Reason I Like Basketball Season

[By Legally Blonde] Basketball is generally my least favorite sport that the boys play. Quite frankly, the games stress me out. It's too frenetic for me and has too much to do with luck in the elementary school years. And I really can't stand the squeaky noise the shoes make on the gym floor. But there is one reason that I really like basketball season - no equipment.

This is the sign on the inside of our front door, which says “STOP – Are you PREPARED?” It means – Stop and think whether you have everything you need for what you are about to do. We need this sign because Walkoff is unfortunately fairly notorious for not remembering where he put things and for not having everything he needs when he heads out the door for an activity. I can give numerous examples. More than once this year he’s gone to school without the homework he completed the night before because it never made it into his back pack. We’ve headed out for baseball games without his baseball bag or to football without his pads and helmet.

But his forgetfulness hit a pinnacle one weekend this fall. It was hot and sunny on Sunday afternoon, and he needed to buy a bottle of water during Lash’s baseball game. He had to hurry because he was helping to coach first base. So he ran to the concession stand and came back in record time. As he jumped over the fence to get back to the game, I noticed his hands were empty – he had paid for his water, put the change in the tip jar, and then left the water on the counter. And to top it all off, I don’t think he realized it until I pointed it out! Too bad the sign can’t follow him around.

Which brings me back to why I like basketball season – no equipment, no special gear – just shorts, a jersey and shoes. In other words, much less to forget and a much greater probability of being prepared.

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Crafty Candy House

My young one and I love to make candy houses each December. Generally we get a slew of gingerbread house kits and create a crazy little village. But this year we are going to a new level~ we bought the Creativity Kids recycled cardboard Dollhouse and are in the throws of creating the best candy house ever!

If this type of project is up your alley, here's our personal how-to:

1) Buy the house. Construct the house. Re-enforce with hot glue.

2) Buy candy decorations. Buy the icing that comes in the cheez-whiz style can for simple gluing. Buy losts of white but other colors too

3) In parts, combine the icing and candy to create your candy house collage!

I will update soon with photos of our progress! I shared this with you now in case you have Thanksgiving visitors and you need a group project/activity for all ages to take part in.

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I Wish I Were a Little Bar of Soap

[By Legally Blonde] Sometimes it really is the little things that make us feel good. Walkoff plays baseball and football. His white pants get covered with red Georgia clay, grass stains and mud. Last year I would throw his pants in the wash with double active detergent and they would get a little clean, but never white, and you could always see the big stains. But somehow all his teammates' pants would be spot white for the next game. I was convinced that they were spending their entire days soaking and washing pants while I was toiling away at the office. Either that or they were buying new pants for every game. Quite honestly, it made me feel like an inadequate mom. Of course Walkoff didn't care, but I did.

Then during summer baseball, I learned the dirty little secret - Fels Neptha. It is a MIRACLE soap. It must be what our ancestors used to clean clothes on wash boards. Rubbing it into clothes with warm water and soaking for even two minutes will tackle the toughest of stains. The labor is therapeutic and the results make me feel more than adequate - fabulous is more like it! So I highly recommend Fels-Neptha - a little bar of soap that's good for clothes and even better for you. Check out the before and after to see for yourself, then run and buy some.

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Fancy Pony Land

What's a contemporary city girl to wear when an invitation declares Western Wear? Call Fancy Pony Land of Marfa, Texas and invite them to create a custom costume that won't rankle your personal style sensibilities while obliging a Country & Western dress code.

Send in your favorite jeans and they will applique some leather guns on your pockets. I bought an inexpensive suede dress and they appliqued colorful leather feathers coming out of the pockets. If you can dream it, they can do it.

Their range includes custom wedding dresses (dreamy for an outdoor wedding!) and their patchwork "bandage" skirts are so contemporary you won't believe your eyes. Doesn't pretty much everyone need a custom western shirt in their repertoire? Check out www.fancyponyland.com for inspiration! They are fabulous now and but will be even better when they are vintage.

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