August Blog Challenge Day 25

Today's challenge is to discuss my greatest fear. Now, I have a number of fears... Dieing alone Being put in charge Speaking in front of crowds Wearing horizontal stripes But my deep down fear has always been houses on fire. I worry that my own house is going to catch on fire, which is why I overly careful with candles and lighting the fireplace, which I've never done. I always make certain that the burners are turned off on the stove. I am diligent about unplugging hairdryers, curling irons, toasters, irons, etc. I have a new fear ever since I saw the book If Only I Could Talk in the suggestions list from Amazon.com The description is: Trapped in a house fire, Nelson is dying. If only he could open the door. Nelson whimpers his final goodbye to Rascal, his canine soul mate, their paws almost touching through the heavy glass that separates them.... And then I get weepy and can't read any more and so now I worry whenever I leave the house and Leo is in his crate, what would he think if I didn't come home and worse yet, what if he was trapped in this house and it was on fire. I would feel so horrible. So there you have it, my biggest fear is a house fire and the second would be anybody, or anything, being trapped in a fire...

Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors

I just finished the book Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors (A Duck & Cover Adventure) by Benjamin Wallace.

Oh My God...What a funny book!! I highly recommend this to anybody who needs a quick read. The Amazon.com description is:

The post-apocalyptic world isn't that bad. Sure, there are mutants. But, for the people of New Hope, daily life isn't so much a struggle of finding food or medicines as it is trying to find a new shortstop for their kickball team.  

This makes it difficult for a post-apocalyptic warrior to find work.  

Thankfully, an army full of killers is making its way to the peaceful town and plans to raze it to the ground. Only a fully trained post-apocalyptic-nomadic warrior can stop them.  

Two have offered their services. One is invited to help. The other is sent to roam the wasteland. Did the townspeople make the right decision? Will they be saved? Did they find a shortstop? What's with all the bears?  

Find out in Post-Apocalyptic Nomadic Warriors, a fast-paced action and adventure novel set in a horrific future that doesn't take itself too seriously. 

This really was a fast read and I enjoyed it immensely. I read it on my Kindle (I don't even know if there are printed copies of it). For the price, I give it two thumbs up (three if only I were a mutant). 

August Blog Challenge Day 24

Today's Challenge is to write a letter to my parents....

Dear Mom and Dad - 

Thank you. 

For all that you have given me. 

For all that you have done for me. 

For guiding me in becoming the person that I am today. 

For inspiring me. 

For challenging me. 

For picking me up and brushing me off when I have fallen. 

For answering my questions, even the crazy and off the wall ones. 

For asking me questions, so that I remember to come out of my shell. 

For worrying about me. 

For trusting me. 

For NOT trusting me, at times. 

For knowing "when I have learned my lesson". 

For knowing when I still needed more education. 

For being the best examples of humanity. 

For showing me what love is supposed to be and what true, eternal friendship looks like. 

For supporting me in any hair-brained scheme I may have and then for not saying "I told you so" when they perhaps failed. 

For pushing me when you knew that it was for my own good to keep me focused on what needed to be done and not quit 

For backing off when you understood that I was not necessarily on the right path for me and needed to quit. 

For not making me feel guilty when I do quit, or stupid when I change my mind. 

For tolerating me when I was going through my spoiled teen years. 

For sheltering me from some of the struggles and turmoil that the world around us experienced. 

For all the hugs and kisses. 

For the spankings and groundings. 

For limiting the television that was watched and introducing me to the magic of a book. 

For living in "the country" so that I could grow up being a kid with a great imagination. 

As I write this, I am getting teary-eyed thinking about how wonderful it has been to have you as my parents. True, there have been the rough patches where I struggled to either spread my wings when I wasn't quite ready to fly or when you were ready for me to leave the nest, but I was a little too comfortable snuggled into it. I sometimes wonder if our family is weird in that we aren't in constant contact with one another, and yet, I'm pretty happy with the state that our relationship is in. Even if we don't speak, I think about you and worry about you daily. 

I love you more than I can ever show you. 

Andrea

A Little Insight

Kim recently posted about an interesting site where you can go out and find out statistics on who shares your name. So, I had to go out and test this for myself. It is called HowManyofMe.Com. This is what I found out:

380,222 people in the US have the first name Andrea
It is statistically the 156th most popular name
9,941 people in the US have the last name Dodds
It is statistically the 3817th most popular last name
There are 12 people in the US named Andrea Dodds. Two of those people are in the same family. I am Andrea Dodds #1 and my cousin's wife is Andrea Dodds #2.

I also was in an introductory class for new members at my church where they told us about the site WWW.Beliefnet.com recently where you can find a quiz called the Belief-O-Matic. You answer a few multiple choice questions and the site will come back with where your belief system lies. It turns out that I am 100% Unitarian Universalist. This is a good thing since I've started going to and will probably join the church.

August Blog Challenge Day 23

Today's challenge is to post about something that I crave. I admit, I am a simple person when it comes to this:

Ice cream. I have been craving, and sadly succumbing to my craving, a lot lately. Most specifically, I have been craving Mint Chocolate Chip ice cream. Sadly, I have found that Blue Bell makes Mint Chocolate Chip Bars that if I purchase a box I will turn around and make myself full on sick from it. 

I have banned them from my fridge. And it is really, REALLY hard to not go and pick up a box just because. 

August Blog Challenge Day 22

Today's challenge is to explain what makes me different from everyone else....

I think that says it all!!

August Blog Challenge Day 21

Today's challenge is to post a picture of something that makes you happy. I'm pretty certain that you all know what that would be for me: And this is how happy he makes me in that I'm willing to show how messy the house is while I have him distracted with the television.... Mmmuwahh...that face makes me happy!!

August Blog Challenge Day 20

Today's challenge topic is to look into my crystal ball and try to determine what my future holds, where it will be, and what I would like it to be...

Since I'm working really hard on trying to keep a positive outlook I'm going to keep this upbeat as it is really a dream future. 

Long term - I'm going to be an artist and have my own studio and steady income from it. I will make quilts, both the comfy kind that are made for beds, and art quilts that would go on walls. I will have an Etsy store and my own website where people can go and order a specially made quilt for their own needs. I will also sell my ceramics (I have really high hopes for my ceramics classes that start shortly).  If there is a need for supplementary income, then I'll work as a technical writer or ad hoc editor. I'll also be wrapping up, if not publishing, my great American novel. 

Short term - My future finds me healthy and traveling with family. I'm planning some trips that are happening next Spring, that I'm very excited about. I will be living lard-ass free, exercising regularly, eating cleanly, breathing deeply, and generally living a happy life. 

Oh, and I want to live in a dome home in a really cool artist community....

August Blog Challenge Day 19

Today's challenge asks what my nicknames are, where I got them, what they mean, etc.

The only nickname I have, really, is ABBA

and I believe we have had enough explanation as to where this came from in the recent months.

I always wanted a nickname, though. I tried to get people to call me Andie for a while, but it never stuck.

I almost forgot that my brother in law does call me AL sometimes. This would be due to the fact that my initials are "A" and "L". It is also because at the time he was first introduced to our happy little family the Paul Simon's song "You Can Call Me Al" was a big hit.