The next birthday I remember was either my 23rd or 24th. It is only the birthday cake and song part that I will share, cuz its all I remember. It was at my moms place in Bellevue. My sister, Brother-in-law, My eldest niece (who was only 2 or 3) My Fiance and his brother, and of course my mom, were all there. The cake was brought out and they all started singing happy birthday. My niece was seated to my right and of course she was anxious to help with the candles.
Chorus complete, time to blow them out. I bent over the cake and my hair ignited. I shook my head then flapped at the flaming locks with both of my hands. Everyone in the room stood there and laughed!!! Hellllloooo ... I am on fire here!?!? These were the days when Americas funniest videos was just starting out. Of course NO ONE was taping it. I am sure I would have won the $10K. Nothing funnier than someones hair being on fire. Actually, my niece wasnt laughing ... her poor little eyebrows were singed.
Will work for Prada
Shannons Seattle
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
birthdays past - part 2
When I was 13 my mom got remarried and I had to move to Bellevue. To celebrate my 14th birthday I still invited friends from my old school, Sylvester jr High. I know there were others, but I can only remember Sara Hall and Leslie Rueschenberg being there. I cant even remember if my best friend, Kris, was there ... or Rikke for that matter! My Sister was a cheerleader at Highline highschool and she had a basketball game to perform at. My mom and Step-dad went to the game and left us girls .
Perhaps this is when I should have changed names to "protect the innocent" but let's face it ... it was -- Oh dear lord -- over 30 years ago. I think people can get over it or forgive us.
I decided it would be a great idea to have a few drinks. I went to the bar upstairs and grabbed the seagrams and a bottle of vodka. I had some seven up and knew, from watching my grandma, that seagrams and seven was a good mix. I made drinks for all of us. I made stouffers pepperoni pizza and drank ... and drank ... and drank. I remember at one point Leslie was grossed out at the taste of Seagrams and I handed her a glass of what I thought was water ... but it was vodka. She took a big ole gulp of it and almost gagged! I was such a great influence on people. Poor Leslie was such a GOOD girl. I must say, in addition to Alcohol, however -- I was responsible for getting her into modeling. She was (and still is) a natural beauty. When we were in seventh grade I was taking modeling courses. I always encouraged her to get into it ... and she did!
Anyway, I woke up the next morning alone in a sleeping bag in my room. I went upstairs to find my friends and all of them were pretty darn quiet! It seems that I blacked out. My Mom got home to find my friends mouths opened but lack of words. I have NO idea what occurred or what my friends did ... none of us ever spoke of it afterwords! My mother has told the story on multiple occassions. To say that she arrived home to find me out of my mind. She said she threw me in the shower and watched me try to climb the walls to get out, screaming throughout the whole thing. Yep, this was a memorable birthday -- although I dont remember much. All I know is that to this day I DO NOT drink brown liquor OR eat stouffers pizza. In fact, I get queasy just thinking about the smell of seagrams. Yeuk!!!
The next birthday I remember is my 16th. I had my first "real" boyfriend ... if you know what I mean ... His name was Denny Jay DeRosia. He brought me live planted pink flowers and a little stuffed animal. We drove in his white and orange ford Pinto to Black Angus in Bellevue for lunch and I am pretty sure we went to a movie afterwards. Black Angus is actually what I remember about the birthday the most. Honestly, I cant remember if we got stoned before going or not ... all I remember is getting lost inside the restaurant! It was so hysterically funny then ... and now, thinking about it. EVERYONE who has been to a black angus restaurant knows that it is a pitch black little maze. All of the tables are dark and private. I totally loved Black Angus. Such a red-neck restaurant really. Anyway, when we got up to leave Denny was leading the way. He kept going in circles and I started laughing. I mean seriously, it is so dark in those restaurants they should give miners hats with lights on them or lit batons He was not as amused as I was and it sort of put a damper on the rest of the date ... but I will still remember it as one of my favorite or at least more memorable birthdays.
Perhaps this is when I should have changed names to "protect the innocent" but let's face it ... it was -- Oh dear lord -- over 30 years ago. I think people can get over it or forgive us.
I decided it would be a great idea to have a few drinks. I went to the bar upstairs and grabbed the seagrams and a bottle of vodka. I had some seven up and knew, from watching my grandma, that seagrams and seven was a good mix. I made drinks for all of us. I made stouffers pepperoni pizza and drank ... and drank ... and drank. I remember at one point Leslie was grossed out at the taste of Seagrams and I handed her a glass of what I thought was water ... but it was vodka. She took a big ole gulp of it and almost gagged! I was such a great influence on people. Poor Leslie was such a GOOD girl. I must say, in addition to Alcohol, however -- I was responsible for getting her into modeling. She was (and still is) a natural beauty. When we were in seventh grade I was taking modeling courses. I always encouraged her to get into it ... and she did!
Anyway, I woke up the next morning alone in a sleeping bag in my room. I went upstairs to find my friends and all of them were pretty darn quiet! It seems that I blacked out. My Mom got home to find my friends mouths opened but lack of words. I have NO idea what occurred or what my friends did ... none of us ever spoke of it afterwords! My mother has told the story on multiple occassions. To say that she arrived home to find me out of my mind. She said she threw me in the shower and watched me try to climb the walls to get out, screaming throughout the whole thing. Yep, this was a memorable birthday -- although I dont remember much. All I know is that to this day I DO NOT drink brown liquor OR eat stouffers pizza. In fact, I get queasy just thinking about the smell of seagrams. Yeuk!!!
The next birthday I remember is my 16th. I had my first "real" boyfriend ... if you know what I mean ... His name was Denny Jay DeRosia. He brought me live planted pink flowers and a little stuffed animal. We drove in his white and orange ford Pinto to Black Angus in Bellevue for lunch and I am pretty sure we went to a movie afterwards. Black Angus is actually what I remember about the birthday the most. Honestly, I cant remember if we got stoned before going or not ... all I remember is getting lost inside the restaurant! It was so hysterically funny then ... and now, thinking about it. EVERYONE who has been to a black angus restaurant knows that it is a pitch black little maze. All of the tables are dark and private. I totally loved Black Angus. Such a red-neck restaurant really. Anyway, when we got up to leave Denny was leading the way. He kept going in circles and I started laughing. I mean seriously, it is so dark in those restaurants they should give miners hats with lights on them or lit batons He was not as amused as I was and it sort of put a damper on the rest of the date ... but I will still remember it as one of my favorite or at least more memorable birthdays.
Memories of Birthdays Past - part 1
Because I waited until the day after I turned 45, I can now include it in my memories of birthdays past. For the last year, I was certain I wouldnt make it to my 45th birthday. Ikept thinking the astrologist I saw at the age of 15 must have been wrong when he said I would live to the age of 88. I thought, maybe I am only going to live half as long! I waited the entire year to die at the age of 44. Of course, the year I turned 38 I thought maybe he got the numbers mixed up and read the 3 as an 8 ... and that I was going to die THEN! My ex husband called me "Mrs Gloom and Doom." I suppose he was right. My next mile stone to worry about is 58. 5's can be mis-read as 8's as well...
In the meantime, lets take a look at some of my prior birthdays. I wish I could remember more of them.
The photo of me here is from my 45th. I only weigh 120 ... and my boobs look like they weigh that much in this picture!
The day before my 45th birthday was quite eventful. My mom drove herself to work after being ill all weekend. She called me to say that she was going to take a cab to the doctor. I couldnt take her but I told her I could pick her up and asked her to keep me informed. About a half an hour later I tried to reach her to let her know I COULD take her ... but she had apparently already left her office ... and she wasnt answering her cel phone. Both one of her friends and I tried to locate her for the next several hours. We gave up and went to have a drink at the Royal Arms on Capital hill. At ten minutes after 5PM, my mom called. I could barely understand what she was saying ... she sounded completely drunk. She wasn't. I drove to her doctors office, which is apparently where she was for the last 5 hours. I had tried to call Dr Smiths office twice and both times I was placed on hold for more than 5 minutes and then disconnected. I parked my car in the pac-med parking garage and proceeded to the 3rd floor. When the elevator doors opened there were no signs of life other than one woman entering the other bank of elevators. She kindly asked if I were looking for someone/something and then said that ALL of the offices were closed but I could try to get into one of the back doors down the hall. I went down a long corridor, turned right and went down another corridor, tried door handles and knocked ... to no good.
Cursing, I turned back around and started back toward the elevators. After rounding the corner, there she was ... my mom, "wall-walking" down the long vacant hallway. The first thing she said to me was "I need to get some paper towels."
I will write more on this little adventure some other time ... but the excitement didnt stop there.
Again, this was the day before my 45th. Also on that day, I took a header, or really a butt-er whilst walking down a hill to my car. I totally slipped and landed on my arm ... and ass. The day OF my birthday I was in massive pain, total body pain. I got a massage, which I think made matters worse and a manicure and pedicure. I picked the kids up from school and we went out for dinner at the Icon grill. This birthday felt particularly significant for some reason. I was emotional and teary all day long. I FELT old all day and I spent most of the day thinking about what had happened the day before AND my past birthdays and the people I spent them with.
This is going to be a really LONG post if I dont separate some of them. My next "birthdays" post will be about my 14th birthday ... fun and drinking in Bellevue!
Excuse me Mom, but you are wrong
Okay, I have to write a quick note here prior to my birthdays blog to, as my mother would say, "set the record straight" ... because I am tired of my mom accusing me of writing nothing but bad things about her on my blog(s.) Last night at my birthday dinner (which my mother treated Flynn, Shelby and I to at Icon) I mentioned I was eager to get home and write about birthdays past. My mom was quick to say "are you going to write something nasty about me again?" A few times now she has said she doesnt like reading my blogs because I always say bad things about her in them. I have defended her every time telling her that it simply isnt true! First of all, under this blog, "shannons seattle" I have not EVER written ANYTHING about my mom ... at all. Good Bad or indifferent.
You can search every blog I've written and there isnt any mention. The only other blog I have is called "living with mom." I have written ONE time and the only thing I said was that it was not easy living with her. It is a factual statement ... it wasnt mean. It's not easy living with ANYONE!
Apparently she has not read any of my blogs but the first one ... written under the other blog living with mom ... and apparently she is oversensitive. I LOVE YOU MOM. I am sorry you have such strong feelings about that ONE thing I said about it not being easy to live with you. I am very grateful to be able to live with you, regardless of how much fun or torture it can be ... for either of us. But please, stop telling me that I am writing nasty things about you. Perhaps you are more offended that I have not written anything specifically "Nice" about you?
My blogs are for sharing my feelings, beliefs, and memories. As I originally wrote, I was concerned that some peoples feelings may be hurt and/or others would get mad at me. I like to write and I have the right ... Just as everyone that reads my blog has the right to write a response/comment.
So ... that being said, I am now going to re-visit birthdays ... starting with the most recent ... which does include my mom!
You can search every blog I've written and there isnt any mention. The only other blog I have is called "living with mom." I have written ONE time and the only thing I said was that it was not easy living with her. It is a factual statement ... it wasnt mean. It's not easy living with ANYONE!
Apparently she has not read any of my blogs but the first one ... written under the other blog living with mom ... and apparently she is oversensitive. I LOVE YOU MOM. I am sorry you have such strong feelings about that ONE thing I said about it not being easy to live with you. I am very grateful to be able to live with you, regardless of how much fun or torture it can be ... for either of us. But please, stop telling me that I am writing nasty things about you. Perhaps you are more offended that I have not written anything specifically "Nice" about you?
My blogs are for sharing my feelings, beliefs, and memories. As I originally wrote, I was concerned that some peoples feelings may be hurt and/or others would get mad at me. I like to write and I have the right ... Just as everyone that reads my blog has the right to write a response/comment.
So ... that being said, I am now going to re-visit birthdays ... starting with the most recent ... which does include my mom!
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
On this the day of my birth ... I shall reminisce about my past birthdays. Goodness no, not all of them. I can only actually remember about 5 or 6 clearly enough to talk about. GEEEZ louise, 45 years old today. I can NOT believe it. I think about when my mom was 45 and I was sure I'd never be as old as her.
Well, here I am. And ... here I go! I need to go get a latte with my 24 year old niece before I can continue. Hold your breath and sit tight for an exciting birthday blast from my past (s?)
It shall be special -- well, at least for me. It should also make a few of you chuckle or gasp, so get ready!
Monday, April 11, 2011
Time flies WAY too fast. Cant believe it's been so long since I posted a blog. Ah, well ... kids were on spring break and I was world traveling. Canada DOES count as world travel, right? I am thinking of moving to Canada because I am growing more and more "un-fond" of my current country of residence.
Two weeks ago I was at Bell-Square with my kids and my iPhone was stolen. You would THINK that if someone found my phone at a "mall" in Bellevue that it would be turned in. Well, as it turns out there are low-lifes in Bellevue too. Actually its the "Bellevue Collection," its no longer Bell-Square and it certainly isnt a mall! Gracious no ... Yeah, whatever ... all it collected FROM me was my iPhone.
I sat on a bench directly above the guest services area -- ya know, in the center of the MALL by the clock. I dished out some cash to the kids and set my phone down next to me. I proceeded to be a pin-head and leave the phone sitting there. We walked to Auntie Annes for a pretzel and WHAM ... some jerkoff had picked up my phone and turned it off.
I reported it immediately ... but of course, nothing could be done. Bell-Square has video surveillance but for some STUPID reason, their cameras are mounted IN the ceiling and all that they could pick up was a picture of the pole NEXT to the bench where I was sitting.
I also immediately went to AT&T and the Apple store. AT&T was very helpful and shut down the ability to use the sim card in the iPhone ... and they gave me a new sim card to use. What WASNT helpful was that they informed me that I had to wait until May 20th before I could purchase another iPhone without "penalty." They tried to lighten the blow by allowing me to upgrade to the 4G thirty days early -- which means I can actually upgrade on the 20th of this month. It ends up saving me $400 ... so I guess I will PAINFULLY wait another 9 days.
In the meantime, I am suffering with my daughters old Pantech Matrix. It likes to turn off without cause and I can't seem to figure out how to send text messages or retrieve voice mail.
I've almost hurled the thing about a dozen times. I was brought back down to earth by someone telling me he didnt have a cel phone at all ... so I guess I should suck it up.
Once again, I am reminded of a few things. I am reminded that I shouldnt keep all of my information on a "device." My Mac was stolen a little over a year ago and ALL of my pictures, the startings of three books and all of my personal information were on it ... LOST forever. I vowed not to let that happen again. Well, Dorkwad here did it again. All of my passwords, pictures and contacts were on my iPhone. Yes, I back it up (on my MAC!) but it doesnt protect me from the asshole that stole it. He (she?) already tried to get into my bank account -- jokes on them I closed that account over six months ago -- and Lord only knows what ELSE they've tried to get into.
Unfortunately, it reminds me that there are bad people out there. I used to believe that people were generally "good" but those feelings are fading ... and fast. While my iPhone being stolen isnt cause for anarchy, it is just another thorn in my side.
It reminds me that I need to be thankful for what I DO have.
I seriously have the best two kids on the planet ... and NOTHING that is taken away from me could take THEM away from me. I have a place to live, a cute doggie and ... a pretty darn great family.
While I am still contemplating moving Canada ... because they are just so darn friendly up there, eh ... wherever I am ... I will always have WHAT I GOT!
Two weeks ago I was at Bell-Square with my kids and my iPhone was stolen. You would THINK that if someone found my phone at a "mall" in Bellevue that it would be turned in. Well, as it turns out there are low-lifes in Bellevue too. Actually its the "Bellevue Collection," its no longer Bell-Square and it certainly isnt a mall! Gracious no ... Yeah, whatever ... all it collected FROM me was my iPhone.
I sat on a bench directly above the guest services area -- ya know, in the center of the MALL by the clock. I dished out some cash to the kids and set my phone down next to me. I proceeded to be a pin-head and leave the phone sitting there. We walked to Auntie Annes for a pretzel and WHAM ... some jerkoff had picked up my phone and turned it off.
I reported it immediately ... but of course, nothing could be done. Bell-Square has video surveillance but for some STUPID reason, their cameras are mounted IN the ceiling and all that they could pick up was a picture of the pole NEXT to the bench where I was sitting.
I also immediately went to AT&T and the Apple store. AT&T was very helpful and shut down the ability to use the sim card in the iPhone ... and they gave me a new sim card to use. What WASNT helpful was that they informed me that I had to wait until May 20th before I could purchase another iPhone without "penalty." They tried to lighten the blow by allowing me to upgrade to the 4G thirty days early -- which means I can actually upgrade on the 20th of this month. It ends up saving me $400 ... so I guess I will PAINFULLY wait another 9 days.
In the meantime, I am suffering with my daughters old Pantech Matrix. It likes to turn off without cause and I can't seem to figure out how to send text messages or retrieve voice mail.
I've almost hurled the thing about a dozen times. I was brought back down to earth by someone telling me he didnt have a cel phone at all ... so I guess I should suck it up.
Once again, I am reminded of a few things. I am reminded that I shouldnt keep all of my information on a "device." My Mac was stolen a little over a year ago and ALL of my pictures, the startings of three books and all of my personal information were on it ... LOST forever. I vowed not to let that happen again. Well, Dorkwad here did it again. All of my passwords, pictures and contacts were on my iPhone. Yes, I back it up (on my MAC!) but it doesnt protect me from the asshole that stole it. He (she?) already tried to get into my bank account -- jokes on them I closed that account over six months ago -- and Lord only knows what ELSE they've tried to get into.
Unfortunately, it reminds me that there are bad people out there. I used to believe that people were generally "good" but those feelings are fading ... and fast. While my iPhone being stolen isnt cause for anarchy, it is just another thorn in my side.
It reminds me that I need to be thankful for what I DO have.
I seriously have the best two kids on the planet ... and NOTHING that is taken away from me could take THEM away from me. I have a place to live, a cute doggie and ... a pretty darn great family.
While I am still contemplating moving Canada ... because they are just so darn friendly up there, eh ... wherever I am ... I will always have WHAT I GOT!
Thursday, March 3, 2011
GAS PRICES!!! What the HECK is up with the freaking United States of America??? Oil companies have been #1 in profits for how many years??? FOREVER??? I am sick and tired of the United states letting oil companies get away with gouging its citizens. The price of gas has gone up a ridiculous amount ... and for what reason? The conflict in Libya? WHAT THE F@%?!
Libya isnt even one of the top 15 countries that supplies oil to the United States. In fact, CANADA is our number one supplier, EH?? Mexico is the #2 supplier, Que??? WHAT ON EARTH is our problem? Why does our government let these oil companies blast their prices out of this world because of trouble in Libya? It happens every time ANY of our oil suppliers experiences conflict. I'll tell you why ... because our government makes money from it. The people dont ... the government does. "Land of the free" my ass. It's total bullshit. Land of the rich and getting richer and the poor getting poorer. In a time where oil companies should be GIVING away gas, they turn around and instead screw us over. I'M SICK OF IT!!!! WHY dont any news sources discuss and REALLY make an issue about the oil companies? Why hasnt ANYONE mentioned the FACT that we get barely ANY oil from Libya and there is NO excuse for the price hike at the pumps ... and for those homeowners that use oil for their heat source.
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