Icy Roads

Advisories were on the weather report today for freezing ice. I went outside early this morning to take Maggie outside and boy, it was icy, just like they predicted. I decided to stay home today and off the slick roads.

Our newspaper didn't get delivered today, as the deliverer was unable to drive on our icy roads at our apartment complex. She said that they were out at 4 a.m. delivering newspapers and it took until 3 p.m. to finish, as some of the side roads were very slick and the car wouldn't go back and forth on the ice.

That is the reason why I hate this time of the year. I hate the cloudiness, cold, ice, and snow. I was so hoping to be living in a warm climate by this winter, but plans got changed. I am convinced that I have seasonal depression this time of the year, with the lack of sunshine.

During the summer, I am constantly busy doing things and rarely home. In the winter, I tend to hibernate in the house. I have been home 2 days and sick and tired of just sitting around. I am playing on pogo.com and learning how to play Yahtzee quite well, as well as typing up old diaries. It is quite amuzing to read what I wrote back in the day. I have been working on this project off and on for a few years. My goal is to have it all in one big book. I have been writing in journals since I was 10 years old so that is around 24 years of journals to scan or type up. What a job.

Well, I must go and type up my accomplishments from 2008, as well as my goals for 2009.

Barnes N Noble

Barnes & Noble is becoming my new hangout joint. I enjoy getting a drink at Starbucks, then grabbing a book and sitting in the overstuffed chairs. It is a great way to get out and people watch, while check out some interesting books or magazines.

I don't like to hang outside in the winter, as you all know.  I am a total indoor person when the cold comes.

I got a kick out of this book I was reading today about College Humor. Some of the advice is way out there and then some of it brought back memories at Western Michigan University.

Now, I am about to type up my old diary entries. I have been writing in journals since I was 10 yrs old. My goal is to get it all into one big book. It is quite funny to read about experiences over the years and see how I thought at that time. Things that were a big deal back then would not be that big of a deal to me now.
I guess that must mean I am growing old.

New Years 2009

Bill & Hillary Clinton pushed the button for the ball to go down in New York City. This year, they have a new ball that is supposed to be energy efficient. It cost millions of dollars. It was quite pretty, too.
I enjoy just staying home and watching the ball drop, instead of going to parties and risking my life on the roads with stupid, drunk drivers.

My mom and I had dinner at Garfield's Restaurant on New Years Eve. It just opened a month ago in the Lakes Mall. My mom enjoyed her Bourbon Shrimp and I had quesadillas. We thought the prices were pretty high, though, for a restaurant in the mall. She didn't like her half cooked vegetables and tried to substitute, but they said they would have to charge for substitutions, so she wasn't too happy about that. The manager came around to see how things were and she mentioned that. He said they want suggestions, so they can give them to the corporate manager.

This weekend, I am going to write out my accomplishments for 2008. My mom started having us do that a few years ago, and it is nice to see the positive things we did in the past year, instead of dwelling on the negatives.

We went to see my aunt Charlene's new room in her basement with her new big screen TV. She decorated it very nice. She has cute movie posters on the walls. I told her to tell everyone that it is her 'movie theater room'.
We got a big screen TV about a month ago and really like it.

Had ice cream at Cold Stone Creamery which was delicious.

Hoping everyone has a happy and healthy new year.

Money

I just balanced my checkbook. I couldn't figure why I was off by 21 cents. Then, I figured it out. What a relief! I hope that 2009 brings a lot less stress financially for me. I literally live paycheck to paycheck, as I am still paying off old debts. Hoping to have them paid off in 2 yrs, along with my car.

My mom is getting me interested more in the financial stuff in the books and such. I am hoping to be able to put more in savings this year, as I have been struggling for the past 4 years trying to clean up past mistakes. Glad, though, that I am learning this at a young age.

Sometimes I miss my extra paychecks at my 2nd job at Younkers, but then, I also spent money there, as I saw things I wanted. That is probably not a place to work, if you like clothes shopping. lol

So, wish me luck that things will get better for me, so I can be in better shape to move out of Michigan.

Calvary Bible Church

Now that Christmas has passed, I decided to go to a different church today. I went to Calvary Bible Church in Fruitport. I was going there about 3 years ago, so thought I would go back. Bill Rudd is the pastor there.

Back in 2002, I was in a bible study through Calvary on Sunday nights, until I started working my 2nd job, where it got to be too difficult to go.

Finding a church home is difficult, especially when you are in your 30s, single, with no children. Some churches have mom groups, which I would not be comfortable in. Some have high school youth groups, which is too young for me, and then some have singles groups for those 50 and older. So, I am left in the middle, wondering where to go to find people like myself.

Christmas Cookie Decorating 2008

Brittanie, her friend, Maria, and I went to Beth's house for our annual cookie decorating. It had been 2 years since we last did it as we both were so busy. Last year, I was working at Younkers alot of hours. Anyway, I will always remember Gracie's cookies she decorated when she was a kid. She would put on gobs of frosting and sprinkles and make a double decker cookie. Bekky is 10 and Gracie will be 9. Brittanie is now 12. It is amazing how fast kids grow up.

Maggie came along, too. She enjoyed playing with the girls.
She was tired out, though, when she got home.

Christmas Story Movie - 25th Anniversary Convention in Cleveland

 

Christmas Story 25th Anniversary Convention: Cleveland, Ohio

We left for Cleveland, Ohio on Friday, November 28, 2008. We stayed at George and Marianne’s Thursday night and picked up my mom’s college friend, Maryann Poczik, in Ann Arbor and left for Cleveland.

We stayed at the Renaissance Hotel right in the Public Square in downtown Cleveland. The first event we went to was to meet the stars of the movie, “A Christmas Story”. They had a long table up with each star sitting behind it. We got to meet “Miss Shields”, “Randy”, the two bullies, the guy who delivered the lamp, “Flick”, and the two elves at Higbee’s Department store. I only bought 1 photo which was of Ian Petrello, who played “Randy” in the movie. It was $20 so I only picked one photo.

We took the trolley over to the Christmas Story House, as well as the museum. It was a cold day and there was a long line at the house, so we decided to do that on Saturday. But, we did go through the museum where they have several photos from the movie, Ralphie’s jacket, Randy’s snowsuit, as well as some of their toys they received on Christmas.

The museum gift shop was crowded. We took a look at everything but thought we might wait to buy anything until later.

We took the trolley back to the hotel. Then, we went to a viewing of the movie. I love that movie. I watch it every Christmas. It continues on TNT for 24 hrs on Christmas Day.

We had dinner at the Hard Rock Café which was in the Tower City mall that was attached to our hotel. We all enjoyed our cheeseburgers, which were really good. I haven’t had that good of a cheeseburger at the Hard Rock Café.

From 9-11, we went to the cocktail gala at the hotel and got to have our photo taken with each of the actors from the movie. We learned a lot from the guy who delivered the lamp in the movie. He lives down the street from the Christmas Story house. He helped out on the set with watching the boys, as well as being the gopher.

This was a great opportunity to talk with the actors/actresses from the movie.

Saturday, November 29th:

We got up early in the morning so we could be at the Christmas Story house around 10 a.m. We got on the 2nd trolley ride there. It was neat to be able to go in the house. They guy who bought the house, bought the house over the internet. It was selling for $90,000. He put a bid in for $150,000 and asked for the bidding to stop. He spent about $250,000 getting the house to look like the house in the movie. When he bought it, it had been remodeled with grey siding and new windows. So, began to change that. Before buying the house, he made some of the leg lamps and sold about 1,800.

The house was officially opened in 2006. The actors from the movie came out for the grand opening. The owner has a little apartment on the 3rd floor that he stays in when he comes to town. He lives in San Diego, CA.

We found out that the school teacher in the movie was 8 months pregnant in real life when she filmed that movie.

We found out from the lady elf that they haven’t received residuals from the movie in the past 15 years.

The shorter bully is now a hair stylist and has a son who was there.

We drove out to the Chinese restaurant, Pearl of the Orient, in one of the suburbs. When we got to the door, it said it wasn’t open at lunch on Saturdays and Sundays. We couldn’t believe that the official Chinese restaurant of the Christmas Story would be closed on the weekends, especially this weekend.

The actual restaurant is located in Toronto, which is also the city where much of the movie was filmed.

They had a costume contest at the festival

Mom, MaryAnn, and I went shopping at Jones New York and each got matching blazers. So, we had our picture taken together with our matching jackets. It was so funny.

There was a beautiful Christmas parade in front of the hotel. They lit up a big Christmas tree and shot off fireworks.

The public square was all decorated beautifully.

Then, we went to the screening of Bob Clark’s world. They want to get it into the movie theater, as a tribute to Bob Clark. He was the writer and producer of “A Christmas Story”.

Overall, the trip has been quite fascinating and I have learned quite a bit.