No matter what she tells you..she was NOT born in the wagon of a travelling show!

Behold.

 It's my Mother!

Though she may appear deceptively cute and sweet, beware!

Her favorite shows are about murder, she's angry because she is short and can't reach things, and she once told me "the rules are different for moms"

 

My mom is the most charismatic person I have ever met.

 She is charming and kind and funny.

She makes people feel both cared about and empowered.

 Whenever I introduce her to someone new, I still get that little kid feeling, like "do you see? It's my mom! I told you that she was cool!" 

Ma, thanks for everything. 

Happy Birthday

Your favorite child and baby,

Lori Ann

Well in body, though considerably rumpled in spirit

You know, if there is one thing that this blog is missing, it's more of my opinions.

Many of you may be paralyzed by indecision in your every day lives, wondering "What would Lori think about this?"

Well, prepare to be liberated my little pork chops..you are about to experience

LORI'S HIGHLY EDUCATED, INFORMED,  AND SUPER IMPORTANT OPINIONS ON STUFF

Here we go...

1 The Economy: I wish the government ran their finances like I did.

Then things would be great in this country.

 Because we'd spend all of our money on pointless craft projects and wonder exactly what this whole 'retirement planning' crap is even really about.

2. Rap Music: It degrades women and glamorizes violence, drugs, and an irresponsible life style.

 And let me assure you of this..you will NEVER catch me listening to Snoop or Eminem in my Ford Focus, singing along, feeling really bad ass.

 Nope.

That's not me, so just keep driving, ok?

Gosh.

3. The Jersey Shore craze: Listen, I lived on the REAL Jersey shore for 5 years.

 The over priced car insurance, no self serve gas, dead hermit shell crabs, and dirty bay water.

 And the obnoxious french Canadian  tourists.

When will these things be featured on the show?

 There was only one hot tub in the Villas (the town I lived in) and it belonged to my Chemistry teacher.

 One night he found some random man in it. 

4. Gay Marriage: I support marriage of all kinds.

 Mainly because my favorite form of entertainment is wedding related reality TV.

Cakes, dresses, and wedding planning.

 All of it.

 So, whatever we have to do to create twice as much of that programming, I have to get behind it.

 In an ideal world, I think any two people should be able to get together in some kind of union.

 And NO, I am not just saying this because I'd like to get my hands on my cousin, Gregory Francis. 

Wow..we've covered a lot of ground here.

 Next weeks topics will include: tupperware, pretentious facebook status updates, war, and therapy for pets. 

You're Welcome.

Lori Ann

Too bad Acey ain't in charge no more

The parking lot next to my drivers side door- don't be fooled, it's not slush..it's pure ice

Ice is my winter nemesis.
 (and it's twin is humidity- my summer nemesis)

 11 years ago today (I think), I fell on the ice on my way to work
.

It was 330 am in Rexburg Idaho.

I broke my leg in two places. 

I can still hear the sound of the bones breaking (it sounded like a pencil snapping) in my head.

Now, I have a complete fear of ice.

Which just about matches my apartment complex's complete apathy concerning ice removal.

And so the games begin..me versus the ice

(Don't tell anyone, but my money's on the ice!)

Lori Ann

How convenient for you..and the clock

Ok, people.

 It's Friday night.

After talking myself out of going to bed at 8 pm, I decided to spice up my night by watching the entire second season of Say Yes to the Dress on netflix.

Yeah, I guess I am kind of a party animal.

Anyway, I spent most of my day in

 MOTIVATIONAL INTERVIEWING

 training.

This is the therapeutic technique that employs a lot of reflective listening, etc..

It sounds something like this:

 client  "I don't want to be in therapy, you can't help me"

Me: "It sounds to me like you feel alone in what you are going through, and you are wondering if therapy will be able to help you"

Pretty sweet, right?

Be on the look out for me to utilize this technique on you at

ANY. GIVEN. MOMENT. 

Lori Ann

This one gang kept wanting me to join because I'm pretty good with a bow staff.

Years ago, I read an article in Readers Digest that changed my life. 

The basic premise of the article was the author's quest to use movie/ song quotes in every day conversation. 

Not just willy- nilly. 

Anyone can toss out a random "Your mom goes to college" or "The force is strong with this one" type quotes. 

The author was talking about obscure, strange quotes used IN THE CONTEXT of the conversation. 

Not as random asides. 

From the moment I read that article, I began a quest of my own.

 During this quest I have used many, many quotes in every day conversation, some notable ones being:

"I am hot, sticky, sweet from my head to my feet"

"I don't know where I am going, and only God knows where I've been"

"What are you doing here? Well, I can see that you are serving drinks!"

"You used up all the glue on purpose!"

"Because he's holding a thermal detonator!"

and my personal favorite:

"The details of my life are quite inconsequential.... Very well, where do I begin? My father was a relentlessly self-improving boulangerie owner from Belgium with low-grade narcolepsy and a penchant for buggery. My mother was a 15-year-old French prostitute named Chloe with webbed feet. My father would womanize; he would drink. He would make outrageous claims like he invented the question mark. Sometimes, he would accuse chestnuts of being lazy. The sort of general malaise that only the genius possess and the insane lament... My childhood was typical: summers in Rangoon... luge lessons... In the spring, we'd make meat helmets.."

I don't know if your daily conversations need to be spiced up.

 I get bored with the same old chit chat.

Anyway, some of you might think this is a stupid idea. 

To those people I say: You are clearly jealous..and seriously, don't be jealous that I've been chatting online with babes all day. 

Besides, we both know that I'm training to be a cage fighter.

Lori Ann

Random Thoughts: The Pre-Blizzard, on Nyquil, Sunday Evening Edition

Ok,

I am SO angry.

 I have dedicated the BEST YEARS OF MY LIFE to cheering for the Philadelphia Eagles and, as of the 3rd quarter, it looks like they are throwing another season down the drain.

AHHHH!! 

Anyway, on with the randomness:

1. I bought a pork roast, because I am feeling experimental with my cooking.
 (and because I only have a mini crock pot, and the beef roasts were all too big)

 You DO put pork roast in the crock pot, right?

2. We are preparing for snow here. I have my candles, blankets, hot chocolate, and stack of books to read.

 And the pork roast.

Can't forget about that.

3. I have been sick all week.
 (my sister Erin told me that I am perpetually ill and she even called me "sickly", which is FALSE!)

Anyway, I called my mom to tell her about my illness and she responded by shrieking "Lori Hinsdale, you are to take the prescribed amount of medication..P-R-E-S-C-R-I-B-E-D amount!"

She spelled prescribed like 6 times.

 It was funny.

 Maybe it was so funny because I had just taken a dose and a half of NyQuil.

4. I was talking about my blog in a meeting at work last week.

 My boss told me again to "be careful".

 Fear not, dear readers, I will not be silenced, not even by the omnipotent puppet masters of North Eastern North Carolina Community Support Agency Middle Management! (NENCCSAMM for short)

5. I know my love of Taylor Swift has driven a wedge between me and some of my blogging friends.

I'm sorry..nothing stands between me and my top 40 pop music.

 I love love love her new album "Speak Now" and especially her song "Dear John".

 Probably because it's everything I've ever wanted to say to John Mayer.

 Maybe she intercepted some of the anonymous fan mail I sent him.

Lori Ann

You are a bad penguin!

Two amazing things happened to me today. 

One, I was pulled over making a phone call when I saw this SERIOUSLY hot boy.

 So..I felt like it was the right call to go ahead and creepily take a picture of him.

You're Welcome.

This picture does not do him justice!

 Two, my Hispanic clients made me pozole.

 Anyone that has eaten real Mexican food should be salivating at this point.

I've been off my mission too long though, as I couldn't make myself finish the huge bowl they served me.

I hope they weren't offended!

Sin chile, por el amor de Dios! 

It has already been an amazing 2011 and it's only the 7th!

Lori Ann