Briefly Speaking!

Today will be a short post I think. I've posted longer posts lately I think so it's time to mix things up a bit anyway so you readers whoever you are - LOL - don't get to tired of reading my long stuff. Also, I am in a hurry. I am already about 15 minutes late leaving the house to visit a good friend. So I guess that makes me the bad friend. LOL.

I signed in to FB briefly looking for a little inspiration on what to write (as well as to check messages) and found that I had 2 messages and 5(!) new friend requests. Aren't I popular.

That brings me to todays mini topic of sorts - popularity and my pursuit of blogging.

I talked about a "Kevin Contest" before and that is still on the backburner. Today I want to talk about another contest of sorts. More of a bet I have. I am hoping my loyal first blog readers can help me.

As of very recently I have 10 followers. Back when I had 6 or 8 I made a bet with a friend that I could get 75 (a compromise between her 100 and my 50) followers by the one year anniversary of my blog. This would be January 6th, 2011.

I've been doing good so far so I probably sound like a shoo-in to win but I'm not being to over-confident. After all, most things like this start off faster than they end as you get your friends on board in the beginning. That is why I have come to you dear friends and followers with this appeal.

I have a few strategy ideas for getting more followers but here is one you can help me with. I figure that if every follower I have suggested to 2 of their friends that they become followers (just tell them I'm funny - lie if you have to. LOL) that will give me 20 more. Of course if you can think of more than 2 people that's even better.

So where is the contest? Well since everybody likes a contest I thought I'd attach one to inspire you to try getting me 2 or more followers each. Since I don't use paypal and the winning from my bet are small anyway (a $20 lunch!) I am making this contest for bragging rights only. ie: I will post the full name of the winner on the blog and say some really nice things about them. LOL

So, admittedly not the best prize but a prize nonetheless. Hope you all get on board as I can use all the help I can get. Oh, and you have to tell me if a friend signs up as otherwise I wouldn't know it was your friend. Well, bye for now. Wish me luck.

Carmen

Cholesterol & Lifelong Friends

I was talking to a number of friends [the actual number is 2 - LOL - since I only have so many :) ] and mulling over blog content ideas for todays scheduled post and funny (to me!) things happened. As in coincidences, I guess.

First, lets get the title idea out of the way. I was talking to 1 friend and she pointed out that we had been friends for about 5 years. A long time, I think, even though at 40 (or so) if I were a real people person I could say I have 20 year and even 35 year friends. Well, I guess in the strictest sense I do but I am not really counting them as they are more past friends, ie. friends that never officially stopped being friends but that I am not/have not been in touch with in a direct/constant sense for a long time.

Anyway, this friend of 5 solid years had reminded me of that very fact which got me mentioning to her that I wanted to be able to say (like my 83 year old mom) in the future that I had a 50 year friend (which I remembered because this lady friend of my mom's came over for Christmas Eve dinner this just past Christmas was just that). My friend then pointed out (innocently enough, I think - LOL) that that would make me 90. Well 90ish. Her point presumably being the likelihood of me living to approximately 90! (She is about 10 -15 years younger than me and delights in ribbing me about her always going to be younger than me - as in she'll say something about my "advanced age" and I'll say you'll get there too at which point she'll point out that I'll still be older! - LOL).

Well, that brings us to the french fries (ie. the cholesterol of the title). When she said that would make me 90 I didn't immediately absolutely get her unstated point that I'd be pretty old considering the way (or lack thereof) I take care of myself. The first thing that came out of my mouth was yeah, I plan to be around at 90. Then, within seconds when I realized the unstated point about "me" (the italics aren't working - LOL) actually making it to 90 I said well maybe not as I liked my fries so we agreed on trying for friends of 25 years! LOL. A compromise between cholesterol and lifelong friends (or of fries and friends - LOL)!

Ok, so the title out of the way, that brings us to the coincidences or somesuch. I was talking to the other friend I mentioned and she told me a story about a acquaintance of hers who tells excruiatingly long hyper-detailed stories that drive her nuts.

How this came up I am not sure. It was not because of anything I said. I swear. LOL. The funny part was that I told this other friend (#2 to keep things straight) that the friend I first mentioned (hence #1 - the french fry story friend) often says (as I'm sure you are starting to notice if you hadn't already with all the brackets and hyphens I use to tell stories) that my stories can be somewhat convoluted, with much extraneous detail. I told friend #2 that friend #1 should hear her story just the way she told it because the way she told it (complete with a hilariously funny impersonation of this acquiantance) that friend #1 would never again accuse me of however friend #2 called her acquaintances stories. I will again use the words excruiatingly long hyper-detailed, although she called it something else.

This explanation of it is probably convincing no one that I am not the same. LOL. You would just have to hear the impersonation for yourselves. Then you truely would agree! It was like, so over-the-top it wasn't (well actually it was, e-x-t-r-e-m-e-l-y) funny.

Well, to continue (cause I haven't actually, if anyone is still following, gotten to a coincidence or such) I talked to friend #1 shortly after and told her a story (about a transvestite who screams leave Britney (Spears) alone at length in silly but hilarious, melodramatic detail on YouTube - which is a whole other story - LOL) and she told me that I was confusing her. So I told her about friend #2's story about the acquaintance and she clarified that she didn't say I confused her - just that she was confused by the story (!). I kinda thought it was the same thing but she says different and who am I to disagree since her version makes me look better. LOL. Anyway, the coincidence was it coming up twice in a very short time period.

The 2nd coincidence (cause I said it plural) I can't remember now cause it took me so long to write the previous up - LOL. If it comes back to me, I'll be sure to pass it on in a subsequent post as I'm sure it was a delightful story! LOL. All of my stories are. :)

Well, it is extremely late now as I get to this point as I started quite late and got nicely distracted with both a long and fruitful actual reality conversation with my new roommate and am now talking online to a guy from Turkey or trying to as much as language problems will let us (which is also another story for another time) so I will finish this up here and now. See you in two days.

Carmen

What Was I Thinking! / This Is My 10th Post!!

Well hello all. Some exciting news (well to me anyway - LOL) right off the top. I just got through joining imdb.com Finally my application or whatever went through. It's been months of the system is down messages. Frankly, I didn't expect to be successful. I guess things happen when you least expect it. All is not perfect though.

In order to post/comment and give/get pm's you need to do something extra to your account that involves either a credit card (no way even if I had one!) or your cell phone number to authenticate your account further. Then they text you a code that you type in and ta-da. Well, it didn't quite get ta-done. No text came. The box came up to type the code in but no code came.

It took forever to get on the system in the first place so maybe this is a "momentary" glitch as well.

Now on to the title of this post. What was I thinking when I posted on Saturday that I was posting for the first time in 4 days. It was 3 days! LOL. Math never was my best subject :) However, I think I can say with certainty that this is my 10th post!

Also, I must say I'm not thrilled about the title of the last post. Not at all elegant and possibly downright tacky, but it is or was what it is or was.

Back to imdb now, assuming I have any regular readers and that if I do that they are willing to post comments - what do you think my first postings on imdb should be about. They can be about movies or the stars in them. Who are some of your favorites. Longer comments are ok too.

Now that I'm almost home-free in the system to actually post I'm not so sure what I want to post about. LOL. So any help will be appreciated! And know that no question is too inane for imdb. LOL. Are they gay, who do they resemble, what are their best/worst parts & or co-stars. Rumors, rumors, rumors. It's all good!

Then there are the movies, tv shows (as well) themselves. In fact, no show is seemingly without fans. For instance, (and I know this will make me look like a showbiz factoid geek) but I was trying to remember the name of a show about a lottery guy and a tax man that was on in likely the mid 80's. But I didn't know the name of the show or the stars. Now imdb is pretty good about letting you punch in a lesser known (or practically unknown) show or actor/actress and give a result. However, I didn't even know that.

Then, weeks later (today in fact) I decided to look up the 80's child/teen star Corey Feldman (of the 2 Coreys fame) and when I was looking through his "filmography" (tv shows too) it listed an 80's tv show named - surprise, surprise - Lottery! (yes the exclamation mark is a part of the title). Sure, enough when I checked it out that was the one I was thinking of. The show only lasted one season, but is apparently remembered by a handful of others too. LOL. Sadly, the cuter of the 2 guys in the show if I remember correctly (no pic of him by his name) has been inactive for about 15 years. WTF. LOL.

Feldman, btw, was actually nominated (I was going to say won until I double checked - always double check [LOL]) for a Young Artist Award for this guest appearance, as well as for one for The Love Boat the year before.

Speaking of the Young Artist Award, the actress who played Priscilla Presley's daughter on Dallas - Shalane McCall was also nominated for one and won for one of these same awards for Dallas. I mention this since I was on the subject of this award and it tied the two together and brings me to my next piece of celebrity gossip/tidbits. Apparently McCall was a young beauty queen ala Jon-Benet Ramsay although obviously less tragic. She had won over 100 titles apparently before her first and last role in tv/movies in Dallas.

It's quite fascinating (well to me anyway) that she was nominated (and won) an award for acting in her first (and ultimately as I stated, last) role and did so well with the beauty pageant thing yet she got herself legally emancipated from her parents and married at 17 only to take a job as a librarian! and quit acting altogether.

Another interesting piece of info on this actress is that at 15 when on Dallas they got a 24 year old (!) Brad Pitt (!) to play her boyfriend. They supposedly became "lovers" (see her newsdesk section) in real life. Now perhaps she turned 16 when they got together in real life, but otherwise does this not make it statutory rape? Just asking. Maybe she got emancipated first and that might make a difference.

Well, enough geeky questions and answers to questions you never asked. I shall bid adieu till Wednesday methinks. Bye for now.

Carmen

A Little Something On Dead Celebrities - As Promised.

The title may not be the most tasteful but it gets the point across. This next posting will be about celebrities, or movie stars if you will, who have died recently.

On Wednesday, the last day I posted before today, I had meant to make a small mention of Brittany Murphy, as it was exactly 1 month since she died. It either didn't really fit or I forgot so I will do so today. Actually, maybe it is better I am doing this today as then I can kill 2 (actually 3) birds with one stone. This is because I found out today that the 50's era actress Jean Simmons died yesterday. That makes 3 actresses/movie stars in approximately one month. The first being the 40's era actress Jennifer Jones 2 or 3 days before Brittany Murphy.

So lets start at the beginning. I found out about Brittany Murphy first. This was about 2 days after she died. I went to the imdb (Internet Movie Database) to check out her filmography and message board. Then I left for my mom's place for the Christmas holidays on the same day - Dec 22nd. After coming back on Jan 3rd I was back on the boards. I was about to say that I found out about Jennifer Jones on the Brittany Murphy board but truth be told, I now realize I don't remember if that was it or if it was elsewhere but I do know that I found out via a BM link as the exact way I found out JJ was dead was that somebody said that BM's death overshadowed JJ's the way Michael Jackson's did Farrah Fawcett's. As for Jean Simmons, that I heard a brief snippet about on tv as I was passing the living room. Didn't even catch the part where they tell you how old she was. Found that out later on the internet.

So RIP Brittany Murphy 32, Jennifer Jones 90, and Jean Simmons 80.

Check out their imdb sites - especially their message boards where the fans (and sadly foes) will be out posting. And maybe rent a movie of theirs in their honour. My pick for Brittany Murphy would be The Ramen Girl, 8 Mile, & Riding in Cars with Boys. For Jennifer Jones it's Song of Bernadette, Duel in the Sun or Portrait of Jennie and for Jean Simmons it is Elmer Gantry, Guys & Dolls or Hamlet.

Anyway, that's all for me today. Bye for now.

Carmen

WARNING: This post may be considered ABUSIVE. LOL.

Hey everybody. Things are looking up in my blog world, I guess. Two things of note on that score. First, I have a 5th follower. Yay. And second, has to do with the title of this post. Today when I told a friend about my blog and he said he would add a link to my blog from his FB page, he tried and then told me that apparently, he couldn't add it as FB was telling him that it was flagged as an abusive site. Sheesh. Do something to add a little traffic generating controversy and see where it gets you. LOL.

By the way, check out post number four if you're interested in what all the fuss is/was about if you haven't seen it already.

Anyway, I was kind of bummed about that as I was trying for more not less visitors so I really didn't want it so that friends (and myself) couldn't post links. Luckily, I told my sad story to anyone who would listen in the chat feature and one of them (who is a follower here - yay) said he would try again for me. Luckily, it worked. Another friend, this time a lady, tried too and it worked for her also. So I'll have to tell my friend Sid, who originally told me this news, that he should try again.

On to other news, again it has been 4 days since my last post. I went to my mother's house on Thursday and didn't get to the library on Friday to post something. At this precise moment I am not sure whether to post two separate postings today or just one extra long one. The idea was to post twice when I have neglected posting but this first post will probably be pretty sparse.

I guess I can separate the two and post a second posting about movie stars like planned and add a little extra to this one by telling you that SOCIAL NETWORKING REALLY DOES WORK!

You see when I was on FB today, just before coming here to post, as mentioned above I was also talking to another girl/lady on my friends list who happens to be a "random". That is someone I don't actually know in real life. Since we both live in Edmonton, she suggested today that we meet for the first time to see a movie next week. So in a weeks time I should have another "actual reality" friend. And I have FB to thank. So I forgive you, FB, for the abusive flag (especially since it seems to be gone now). Notice how it's easy to forgive when the problem gets solved. LOL.

Anyway, see you at the next post if you are interested in dead celebrities and the little factoids about them.

Carmen

Today Is A New Day

So, first off some sad news. I can't be too specific because I am kind of under a gag order of sorts but I am not allowed to blog about 1 of my friends (I only have a few so it makes a difference - LOL). I am not even allowed to use initials. Oh well, I guess some people are afraid of too much limelight. LOL.

Next up, the phone (my cell) just rang with an odd ringtone - the kind that tells you it's a restricted (unidentified) number. Turns out it was my callback from my friend Kevin. He just moved out into a new place at the beginning of the month and I was waiting for him to call with his number. But because, he called at like 6:15 pm I told him to call back on my home phone since my cell isn't free minutes till 9:00 pm! So I'm waiting for what seems to be an eternity when he finally calls back. Note to self: Get number then hang up, just in case. LOL. Anyway, all's well that ends well. Well enough anyway. Which brings me to ...

... the "Kevin Contest". I promised to get back to my readers (if any of you actually exist here in the Edmonton area! - LOL) about this potential contest after vetting it with the man himself. Heres the idea -- My friend Kevin looks a teeny bit like the newest thing to hit Hollywood - drumroll please! - Bradley Cooper. A pudgier, not quite as good looking Bradley Cooper, but Bradley Cooper none the less. (Which is why I have taken to calling Bradley Cooper HOLLYWOOD KEVIN - LOL)

Well, the idea was, since Kevin is not seeing anyone right now and everyone loves a movie star - so maybe everyone would like a lookalike, I could generate traffic to my site with a WIN A DATE WITH KEVIN contest. You will note that I ended that last sentence with the word contest not capitalized. Sadly, the contest is on hold. It's a good news, bad news type of thing. The good news is that he didn't flat out say no! - LOL - he just kinda laughed a little. The bad news is we are at the strictly maybe stage.

Needless to say, he wanted the right to pick through the pile of would be contestants - which I said was not a problem as I kind of expected that. Also, I suggested we could establish some guidelines such as only Goth girls apply - LOL. That is just an example. So far no one has been excluded. Including guys! (Just kidding, Kevin). So anyway, the best I can do now is keep the idea fresh in his mind and keep y'all posted.

Carmen

... Well, Everyone Poops!

... Hello again, people. Well other than the hopefully soon to be upcoming "Kevin Contest" this is an attempt to "match" the JLH post of 4 days ago.

Allow me to explain a bit. As I use the internet quite a bit since getting my laptop this last Aug. I spend quite a bit of time on sites like You Tube.

It was while there that I found a TRAILER for a new SPIKE JONZE "movie" called (you guessed it) "Everyone Poops". Sadly, it is just a joke trailer and no movie will be forthcoming...

... but it is kinda amusing to think somebody thought of this. Check out the actress in the beginning of the clip that rues that they (the parents) have taught the daughter EVERYTHING and still she doesn't get it. LOL.

Just one last thing before I sign off for today. I promise I did not type in poop - it just showed up with all the other celeb based things that they picked for me. I PROMISE. LOL. Really. Well, anyways,

Bye for now. See you in two (hopefully!).

Carmen

How To Top My Last Post ...

It's been 4 days now and the truth is I have no idea how to top my previous post. I will say though that that is not the reason for not writing on Saturday (2 days ago). I was at my mom's so the only computer was at the library and she said it was windy out so I didn't bother leaving the house!

I do have a bit of an idea for a contest though. I have seen on other blogs that some do periodic contests. That will have to wait a bit until I can post a picture (and I need to get the picture first. LOL). This contest might have a chance of toping the JLH post. I don't know how my friend Kevin will react though as the idea involves him quite directly. LOL.

Have talked to a number of FB friends who have pretty much all been very positive about my new blog. I guess that's why you call them friends! LOL. Seriously though I hope they are serious about liking it, it being funny, etc. as that is my only hope of attracting "randoms" from the "blogosphere". Sadly, I seem to be stuck at 4 "followers". I love them though! :)

Speaking of friends, I have a friend who I had once referred to online on FB in a note (one of only two I have posted) as my "copy and paste friend". She didn't want to be mentioned online. Sissy! She didn't even like being referred to that way. So when I mentioned having a blog she told me she didn't want to be on it. I reserve the right to refuse this request on the basis that it is stupid! LOL.

I mean, who doesn't love to be mentioned. Deep down I'm sure it was a backhanded way of getting mentioned. So I will do my bit by obliging BOTH requests AT THE SAME TIME. Wonder how I am going to manage that? Actually, no super powers are involved. LOL. I will just be telling y'all that her name rhymes with Schmenya Schmoleac. LOL.

Oh, and I have to give her credit for the last thing I will post in this particular message. She was the one who suggested that if I don't get around to posting every 2 days as I am trying to make a habit that I could do TWO posts for one day! GENIUS. That is why there are three little dots at the end of the title of this post and three little dots at the beginning of the next post's title...

... to be continued.

Carmen

Jennifer Love Hewitt's Vagina!

Yes, you read that correctly. I was surfing the web yesterday and I came across quite possibly the dumbest interview with a celebrity ever. JLH was on the George Lopez show and got talking (at about the 2:45 minute mark) about bedazzling her vagina! LOL. Or as she put it vagaziling her precious lady. Apparently it looks like a disco ball down there. And its done (one assumes rather tastefully :) in pink swartzowski (sic) crystals. Lopez didn't seem fazed by this and even got down on his knees to (well God only knows why) praise her creativity. He did say something like "who says there is anything wrong with disco".

Sorry folks, I'm not good about links and/or copying and pasting so you will just have to look for it yourself. This is too weird for me to make up. Besides it's not even April Fools Day! Anyway, if you find this clip, have a good laugh. I can't say I was ever a fan of hers, although I have seen Ghost Whisperer a few times and it isn't that bad. Obviously, someone was looking for cheap publicity. Not unlike myself, passing this tidbit on. Well you do what you need to do to get traffic. LOL. So we'll see what happens. 1,000,000 hits here I come.

Speaking of celebrities, I was adding to my blog list again yesterday (I didn't check where I left off though but I added quite a few) and I came across my first celebrity blog. In actuality, I was adding blogs left, right and center but was also on imdb in another window and came across a posting by an imdb'er about the soap actress Christie Clark (Carrie from Days of Our Lives) having posted her news about her pregnancy (2 year old news!) on her (then new) blog. If your like me and have to know all the latest celebrity stuff check it out at http://christiemclark.blogspot.com/ and don't forget the m!

I quite honestly don't know how I'm going to top this earth shatteringly important celebrity news with news of my humble existence (I was going to mention that we actually ate potatoes - I love potatoes - for a change instead of the endless rice that I must eat on a regular basis) so I will continue this particular post with the celebrity gossip I have picked up in the last few days.

Apparently, the Dexter guy (I don't watch this as I don't really have an interest in serial murderers as heroes) has cancer. But apparently it was caught early. Good luck to him.

Also, one of the former Bachelor stars Bob Guiney is getting a divorce from his wife who is/was the soap opera actress Rebecca Budig. Consensus on the yahoo board is that she was too good for him. Sad really. They made it for 5 years!

Anyway, that's it for today people. See you in about two days.

Carmen

YAY! I'm So Excited.

Today is my third kick at the blog can. Nothing to special to report I don't think, but I have nevertheless been extremely excited waiting for my chance to blog again. As anyone who has read my previous post knows I plan to post every second day.

First of all, a bit of crowing! On the day of my second (s/h/b third) post - Jan 10th - it was my fourth day and by the end of it I had four followers. Yes! Thank you FB (That is where they all came from). I talked it up to some FB friends in the chat mode and most of the few I specifically talked to came through.

I also posted my new status as a blogger in both FB and Twitter (not that I use Twitter that much). When I log in to both after making this post I intend to see if the results are as astounding as I hope. LOL.

On to other things - one of my new followers, AS, asked me on FB "how do you get mentioned on your blog?" Well, first let me tell you, I LOVED this question. It made me feel like the superstar that my niece Larissa told me I never was (LOL) - see Jan 10th post. Now let me give you the short answer - JUST ASK. Again, I loved this question. Ah, to have fans, I mean followers. LOL.

Between postings, while I was anxiously awaiting the next posting opportunity, I took to adding blogs to follow using the Next Blog button. As of Jan 10th I had 75 and as of today I stopped at exactly 100. Now to check them out in more depth.

That is probably my next project - mentioning a different blog I have visited in subsequent posts (not all but some!). There are a lot of blogs - as I said before I already am following 100 and it didn't take long to do that. Some of them pop up with way to much frequency though and you can get caught in a Next Blog "loop". The trick to breaking the loop is to go back to your dashboard and then scroll to the bottom and hit buzz then start anew with the Next Blog button and hope for the best. Usually it works.

Of my 100 blogs that I am following there are a few categories they seem to be falling into (from just the briefest of checks). There are blogs about blogging (LOL). Especially about how to make money blogging! Note to self: gotta read those blogs. Also, there seems to be alot of crafting blogs (surprised me) and photographic blogs (didn't surprise me). Oh and cooking blogs. Lots of cooking blogs. Um. Now if only I could find the nest of movie blogs!

Well, that's it for now. See you in roughly two days.

Carmen

The First Post Was Not The Last Word - LOL.

Today, I signed back in to my wonderous new baby - my blob, er blog - to write the followup to my epic first post. This time it will be the opposite of the first post. I come back with just 2 basic things to report.

First, I went to a birthday party at my niece Laura's for her oldest son James and told everyone about my blog - I was so excited! Mostly, they couldn't give a shit! Oh well, their loss. LOL.

Second, I came back to the distinct pleasure of having my first follower. It is not exactly a "random". It is my Spanish Facebook friend FJ. I told him about my new blog when I saw him/he saw me on FB just after starting it and he was eager to see my baby I am happy to report.

Well, that's all for today except to let my soon to be enormous list of followers (LOL) know that I had/have plans to post every other day approximately but missed posting on the 8th. Since it was the first opportunity for a second post I don't know how this bodes for my plans but we'll see.

Carmen

PS. Another PS this time too. I said last time that I'd explain C.A.T.Stuff. Well, it's pretty basic too. My initials just happen to be C.A.T. (just like one of my two older sisters!). So it's my stuff.

First Post - Just Getting Started

Call me shallow, but I just re-signed up today after signing up and then not remembering it. LOL. Chickening out last time by signing up apparently but not creating the blog start, for only one reason. The shallow part.

But back to that in a bit. I should say that I signed up and didn't create anything last time because perhaps..., hell, because I really had nothing to say. Or just nothing I was willing to say at the time. Again back to that in a second.

First, lets rehash my shallowness. I signed in because it seemed like that was the only way to see content on another person's blog. Now that wouldn't be so bad but for the fact that the blog I wanted to see wasn't a certain blogger I had heard of - it was a certain bit of specific content.

Shameless celebrity trainwreck following! I signed up to watch the full version of the "Mariah Carey Drunk At Film Fest" footage. What kind of person am I? Well, actually that question brings me back to the second thing I said I'd get back to... That is my reason for not wanting to originally post.

Lets begin at the beginning...

I am a recently unemployed, single, 40'ish year old female who is completely tech unsavvy.

I joined Twitter about a year ago (at the end of this month I think) and still don't really get it. Have made probably 50 - 75 tweets and am followed by exactly 2 - 3 people I really know and 50 "people" total - most of whom are marketing something I think. I still have no idea now they found me. They are also the people I so-called follow. Along with a few celebrities and politicians and groups. M15 in Britian too I think (LOL) 10 Downing St for sure. The ST:TNG's Wil Wheaton and Former Clinton VP Al Gore. These were people & groups that randomly showed themselves when I signed up and looked somewhat interesting or at least recognizable.

I joined Facebook the previous September about a month before my 40 birthday. This was with the goal of getting 40 or so friends before that 40th birthday in a bit less than 40 days. LOL. Didn't quite succeed with that first goal. But did find a lot of people I went looking for and after I had discovered the "joy of randoms" I set a goal of 1000 "friends" that I later amended to a more reasonable goal of 500 "friends" which I have actually surpassed by about 25 - 50 or so. I understand Facebook a little better than Twitter but still don't get the point of all the app's. The games mostly seem dumb (although I got bribed with a free lunch - seriously! - into playing Farmville and actually kind of liked it for a while). I still have by far the smallest farm of all my "neighbors" though, of course. Mostly I use the chat feature and do quizes and check out profiles like the cyberstalker I am. LOL..

I was also diagnosed as "mildly" (paranoid) schizophrenic! That's the part that I was debating sharing.

However, since it determined my living arrangements after leaving my parents home at an absurdly old age (about 5 years ago when I got my late life diagnosis after a relatively brief nutcase period) it sort of seems like the kind of thing that would be the proverbial 300 pound baby pink elephant to try and dance around otherwise.

I live in a group home with 5 other ladies all with various "defects". I think we are all considered mentally ill or at least of impaired reasoning. I knew the illnesses/accidents that caused all my original roommates to be here but as they have left for one reason or another (death, worsening conditions, transitioning, politics etc) I have not been especially privy to my new roommates conditions. So far my roommates have all been fairly good. Knock on wood it stays that way. Because another change is underfoot. A roommate just left a few days after Christmas 2009.

As far as hobbies go I am pretty boring. I basically am a couch potato. I "hate" sports and exercising and "love" eating unhealthily and sedentary pursuits like reading and watching movies.

I used to be a huge old movie fan and have seen many films from the 30's to 50's but now that I actually have TCM and don't have to pay to rent them, like during a previous spell of unemployment when I watched the bulk of them, I now seem to prefer to watch recent releases of in theatre movies (always want what you don't have) which I will have to limit do to budget constraints! LOL. I am unemployed after all.

I guess now is as good a time as any to discuss that. My work history is sporadic at best because I never finished high school - I have a Grade 10 education, had confidence issues and of course was a psychiatric case just waiting to be diagnosed! I have worked as a clerk cashier, a telephone representative and, for a brief time, did clerical work, although not at the level I had planned/paid to train for - ie. did low level miscellaneous clerical work rather than the secretarial work I was supposed to. That's what happens when you take the short-cut sped up courses at private (read expensive, non-provincial) schools and have the aforementioned confidence problems. Oh well, for a mere $5000 dollars give or take (about 20 years ago!) I learned to type relatively fast. Or so I've been told. By non-typers. Well worth it! LOL.

Well I guess this is enough/more than enough information for a first go round. Next post will probably be a listing of movies &/or books of some sort, a little about my family (not much till I find out how they are with my newfound blogging - they are for the most part leery of the internet and probably with some good reason), and the daily goings on, such as they are, in "Vegetable House". Oh and my job hunting experiences in this new year and how that goes - maybe even a bit about favorite jobs or aspects of my jobs. Anyway bye for now and welcome to C.A.T.Stuff (which I guess also could use a little explaining - I'll do that next post and you can also get a hint now by looking at the end of the info in my header under the blog title. It's not that big a mystery).

Carmen

P.S In setting this up I never did get the Mariah Carey video. Everything else on the guy's blog seems accessible but that. LOL. Figures. So I've just let the genie out of the bottle for nothing except, what exactly is it called... curiousity. The question is - will it kill the "C.A.T."?