Who's afraid of the big, bad wolf?

I’m not but I do have a “sort of” phobia.

According to the dictionary, the definition of a phobia is a “persistent, abnormal, and irrational fear of a specific thing or situation that compels one to avoid it, despite the awareness and reassurance that it is not dangerous.”  The word phobia is from the Greek “phobos” meaning “fear.”  Did you know all that?  I’m all about educating my readers!!

I have a mild version of Astraphobia.  I’m afraid of thunder and lightning.

While I’m not a psychiatrist, I won’t call it a true phobia because I don’t become so terrified that I can’t function.  But, I do some of the things that are considered symptoms of Astraphobia.  If it's an overnight storm I hide under the covers.  During daytime storms, I close the blinds and attempt to block out sounds of the storm (at home and at work).  Deep in my mind, I know I’m going to be fine but I am still afraid terrified.  I won't look out a window during a storm if I can avoid it because I do NOT want to see that lightening.  I've been on an airplane during a storm.  That was awful.  I actually felt like crying. 

When I was a little kid, if there was a storm my Mom had to come and sleep with me.  I was too afraid to be by myself.  She’d cram herself into my twin bed and stay with me until she was sure I fell back asleep.  If I couldn’t fall asleep she’d stay until it was over.  That poor woman.  I’m not sure how she managed to get up and go to work on the days after that happened.

I’m not so scared that I avoid going outside during storms but I’d rather not.  I do freak out when I’m driving and see a large flash of lightening.  I don’t want to see that!

Now you have more information about me than you needed wanted.  Just promise you won’t make fun of me.  That’d be mean.  You might cause me to develop Anthopophobia.

Bah humbug!

Can I say that for Valentine's Day?

This is not a "holiday" that we observe.  It's a day of love but shouldn't every day be about love?  I love Angry and he loves me.  Do we need to honor that more today?  I think not.  Our plans include going to the gym tonight after work and having tacos for dinner after that (to use up some leftover hamburger).  Good enough.

According the the History Channel website:

"The Catholic Church recognizes at least three different saints named Valentine or Valentinus, all of whom were martyred. One legend contends that Valentine was a priest who served during the third century in Rome. When Emperor Claudius II decided that single men made better soldiers than those with wives and families, he outlawed marriage for young men. Valentine, realizing the injustice of the decree, defied Claudius and continued to perform marriages for young lovers in secret. When Valentine's actions were discovered, Claudius ordered that he be put to death."

Wow!  That's a sad story.  Sort of a bummer for today.

They also say:

"Other stories suggest that Valentine may have been killed for attempting to help Christians escape harsh Roman prisons, where they were often beaten and tortured. According to one legend, an imprisoned Valentine actually sent the first "valentine" greeting himself after he fell in love with a young girl--possibly his jailor's daughter--who visited him during his confinement. Before his death, it is alleged that he wrote her a letter signed "From your Valentine," an expression that is still in use today. Although the truth behind the Valentine legends is murky, the stories all emphasize his appeal as a sympathetic, heroic and--most importantly--romantic figure. By the Middle Ages, perhaps thanks to this reputation, Valentine would become one of the most popular saints in England and France."

That one's at least a little sweet to read.  A love story.

If you are interested and want to read more, visit their site.

That same site also says that "approximately 150 million Valentine's Day cards are exchanged annually."  Not in my house.

For those of you that do celebrate, Happy Valentine's Day to you!  I hope that you and your love have a great day.  And for my female readers, I hope you get some nice jewelry today. 

For those like us who don't really care, have a beer or something when you get home from work!!

Who'd I marry? Barney Rubble?

I've been married to Angry for 20 years.

I just recently noticed something about him.

When he starts laughing hard at something that's really funny, he sounds just like Barney Rubble from the Flintstones.

Click here to listen to Barney (or, if you're at my house, Angry).

Angry's a much better dress than Barney (but I do think his feet are just as big!).

Angry's not blonde either.

After all these years, I'm not sure how I didn't notice this before. 

I think we'd all agree that there are things we'd like to change about our spouses/partners/loved ones.

This is NOT one of them.  I think it's cute!

I'm addicted!

Hi, my name is Liz and I have a problem.  I need I’m addicted to social networking.

Did you read “1984” with Big Brother?  I’ve become Big Brother in reverse.

I’m a member of:  Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Foursquare, Flickr, Blogger (that's obvious since you are here reading about me!), and probably some I don’t remember signing up for. 

I check into places I’m visiting.  I text.  I blog.  I post pictures for the world to view.  I Tweet.  I Facebook my every move (well, not every move but most of them).  If someone wants to find me “keep an eye on" me (that means you, Government), I’m right out there helping them.

The problem is, I can’t stop.  I mean, who really cares about the gibberish I say on Twitter or Facebook?  Who cares what shops, restaurants, or businesses I’m visiting right now?  Who really cares what jokes I like or what products I use?  Who needs to see pictures of my cat?  No one!  While these things are certainly not important, they are FUN!  I enjoy using the applications and find them entertaining.  I actually get my news on Twitter much faster than I could ever get it on the radio or TV (or heaven forbid, a newspaper).  I. Just. Can't. Stay. Away.

To make things even more interesting, I’m actually in an all-out war on Foursquare right now. 

Angry and I visit a local restaurant and hang out in the bar.  Some weeks we are there three or four times.  We go often enough that we are Facebook friends with many of the employees there.  But, just so you don't think we are alcoholics, most weeks we only visit once. Honest!

When you check into a place enough on Foursquare, you become the mayor.  I’ve been mayor at this place for a long time.  There is a guy on Foursquare that keeps “stealing” my mayorship.  I looked him up on my phone’s app and he is mayor of 80 some places along one boulevard.  He must ride the bus and check in to every place it passes.  He’s mayor at a couple car part stores, at several nail salons, at a bakery, at two veterinarian offices, at two daycares, and at several car dealerships just to name a few.  He obviously cheats.  We know that he’s never been to “our” restaurant and I'm sure he isn't visiting two different vets or several different nail salons (how many manicures and pedicures can one guy get?). 

When he took my mayorship the first time, I was ticked off (don’t judge; I'll admit I’m a little crazy).  I don’t have any problems losing my mayorship to people that actually visit the place but I will NOT to someone who’s never been there!  It’s been a seesaw for a while.  I get my mayorship back and then he steals it robs me again.

Now I’ve become a cheater!  Damn, I’m as bad as this guy.  I sometimes check in at “my place” two times a day!  Angry has checked into a donut shop and stole this guy's mayorship even though we don’t go there.  And, I’ve asked my friends to check into various places that he’s currently mayor just to steal those from him as well.  Game on sucka!!

I guess he doesn’t know who he’s dealing with!!  Mwahahahaha . . .