A nasty streak of stifling hot and unbearably humid weather has just broken. In its place came a rare and fine thing- the kind of day stuck deep in the recesses of my mind from childhood memories. Somehow, enduring the unpleasantness made savoring the change all the better. The air has an almost sweet quality about it and gently caresses my skin as the breeze passes over me. It does not oppress or push me down as the sweltering mugginess did. I feel light and nearly buoyant in this fresh new day.

Major miracles occured this morning in my household. My son went to take a shower (without being told- miracle #1.) He called down the stairs to me, "I'd better get my towel before I get in." Miracle #2! Normally he'd get out of the shower and realize he didn't have a towel. His linen closet is across the hallway from his bathroom. He'd stand there for a bit, dripping rivers of water down his back, perhaps hoping to drip dry and thereby avoiding the inevitable "Mooooom, I need a towelllll!" 

Stalking is defined as "a course of conduct directed at a specific person that involves repeated visual or physical proximity, nonconsensual communication, or verbal, written or implied threats or a combination thereof, that would cause a reasonable person to fear." Stalking is a crime in all 50 states and the Federal Government.

• 1 out of every 12 women will be stalked during her lifetime
• 81% of women who were stalked by a current or former husband or cohabiting partner were also physically assaulted and 31% were also sexually assaulted by that partner.
• 77% of female victims were stalked by someone they knew. 59% of female victims were stalked by an intimate partner.
• Average duration of stalking reported was 1.8 years; however if stalking involved intimate partners, average duration increased to 2.2 years.
• Top three reasons victims thought the stalking ended: victim relocated, stalker got a new love interest, and police warned stalker.
• According to a study conducted, 67% of stalking victims reported their situation to the police, 70% changed their usual behavior, 36% moved, 11% purchased a gun, and 11% obtained a protection order.
• Victims reported that their stalkers abused alcohol in 57.8% of cases

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, numerous high-profile cases involving celebrities began to catch the attention of the media and public policy leaders. Only then did such behavior begin to be described as "stalking." Since then, stalking has become a common subject in the popular media. With the advent of blockbuster films -- such as Fatal Attraction, Cape Fear, and Sleeping with the Enemy -- and its coverage by the news media, "stalking" has become a household word.

I can breathe a sigh of relief this afternoon. Something very wonderful and positive in my life is now complete...something I've been looking forward to for quite some time. This day ranks right up there with the day my much-anticipated divorce was final. It's like the weight of the world has been lifted off my shoulders. The clouds have parted and I see the sun. Now it's time to celebrate! Even though my verbal style has been compared to Bill Clinton's (blech- but it was meant as a compliment) and I've been wrongfully accused of being PC (double blech!) I'm still having one of the greatest weeks in I don't know how long. All my peeps and the pup are back at home and I'm surrounded by those whom I love and love me right back- verbal skills in overdrive and all. However, I'm woefully maligned by those who don't know me, but think they do. I know I'm a hard person to know and I suppose I like it that way. I save the best only for those with whom I wish to share it. From POTUS Speaks: Finding the Words that Defined the Clinton Presidency He does note that Clinton likes to talk and is good at it, which is not news, but Waldman (Who Robbed America?) goes on to discuss how Clinton used his verbal skills to create a "bully pulpit," employing presidential speeches as a means to change public opinion and push public policy and to institute other changes Waldman finds both numerous and significant.

I got a call last night from my first- er-from an old friend from college days. We'd lost touch and I hadn't seen her in about 10 years. We had been neighbors and friends back in school and we'd both moved to Indianapolis with our respective husbands and kids. Our children were mere babies when we first met. My son was only 4 the last time I had seen her and now he's almost 14. The funny thing is, all of the kids look totally different. I wouldn't recognize her son and daughter if I passed them on the street, but she and her husband look pretty much the same. We decided to get together for lunch and catch up on old times (Magianno's, of course!) The odd thing was, they said I look the same as I did 10 years ago. Actually, they said I looked better than I did 10 years ago. Most likely, that's true. I'm in a much better "place" than I was a decade ago. I may be older, but I think I'm more "me" now than I was then. I'm more comfortable in my own skin and know who I am. I think that there's a certain confidence and poise comes with wisdom and just living life. I'll take that over crows feet and sagging any day! I'm sure that will come too, just not yet I hope. It was great to reminisce. I haven't had the chance to visit with anyone from my past like that. I enjoyed telling stories about the kids when they were little. We recalled a visit to Fort Myers beach when my son wouldn't stop eating the sand. Of course, he's mortified to hear such things. I'll have to dig out the photos that go along with these stories too.

Found this over at Sweet Memes. Obviously, Cat and I must be snark sisters separated at birth. Of course, both of my "real life" sisters are even snarkier (is that a word?) than I am. Be afraid, be very afraid.

You're Totally Sarcastic

You sarcastic? Never! You're as sweet as a baby bunny. Seriously, though, you have a sharp tongue - and you aren't afraid to use it. And if people are too wimpy to deal with your attitutde, then too bad. So sad.

You scored as R&B. Yeah, I think Stevie Wonder classifies as R&B, but I don't really listen to it so...yeah. Its pretty good music. R&B 70% Jazz 55% Rock/Hard Rock 50% Alternative Rock 50% Pop-Rock 40% Metal 35% Classical 35% Indie Rock 35% Pop 35% Punk Rock 30% Latin 20% Techno 20% Rap/Hip-Hop 15% Music That Suits You created with QuizFarm.com

Well, I don't listen to R&B all that much either. Hmmm...Interesting. My music taste is eclectic to say the least.

This is my super-secret lock box. It is the only thing I keep under my bed. If I told you what was in here, I'd have to kill you. Don't worry, it isn't my fat stack of cash or jewels.

Your Wish

This photo does not do it justice, but this is the aforementioned big-ass "orgy tub" (called such as it looks big enough for 3-not that I know in practice, this is in theory only!)

It is a dream come true, as I am a bathroom freak. I walked into this bathroom when I was looking for a house and knew this was the one for me. SOLD!

Stuff Under your sink

I give you the underneath of my bathroom sink. Well, one of the sides anyhow. My side! This perfectly illustrates my fascination for hair products, deoderant and contact lens cases. Sick, I know.

1. Since you're not a kid anymore, do you miss having a Summer Vacation? Why/why not? I miss having the summer off very much. There's just something about those long sunny days that beckons to me. I crave the sunshine and the freedom afforded to me in my youth. 2. What did 'Summer Vacation' mean to you as a kid? What was a typical summer like? The seemingly endless expanse of time that lay in front of me was like nothing I've seen since then. Hours of reading, splashing in the pool, an endless supply of popsicles, boat rides in the river, riding bikes with friends for hours, playing games with the neighbor kids until dark. 3. Did your family ever take trips together in the summer, or some other sort of summer tradition? We took trips together every summer. Car trips mostly. Oh joy! I think I was usually stuck in the back seat between my older sister and older brother. They hated each other and would pick back and forth over me. Bonus Question for Comments: When you were a kid, what was the *best* thing about summer? Why? The best thing about summer was being able to be outside all day long. Some days I would stay out the entire day, only returning for meals and darkness. My parents had one rule- be home by dark. I swore that it got dark at home before the rest of the neighborhood as we had a thick covering of huge trees.

Onesome: Cooked to?-- Okay, the easy one: if you're having grilled meat (steak/hamburger) this weekend, how would you like it cooked? No red meat for me! Twosome: Medium-- to large? ...too large? What do you think of the big ol' plasma screen HDTVs available now? I mean, would you if you could? No, I wouldn't want an enormous TV- I just don't watch enough of it to justify such a thing. I am fearing my main TV is on the way out, so I may be getting a HDTV sooner versus later. Threesome: Rare-- Footage: one of the major news services recently announced they would make archived news coverage available for personal purchase on DVD. Is there any one piece/segment/area of old news (or new) you'd like to have on your bookshelf to view "whenever"? I cannot think of a single thing I'd want to view over and over again. I was a Headline News/CNN junkie back during Operation Desert Storm. Now, I get my news from a variety of sources, including NPR and online.

I spend all day in an air-conditioned office. I've become a big Yankee wuss and can't take the heat as well as I could in the past. I lived in Hawaii- there was never a break from heat and humidity. However, there was an important aspect that living here is missing- water. I can bear just about anything if I have the ocean nearby. No such luck here in Indianapolis. We don't even have a decent river or lake, in my opinion. Nonetheless, here I am- and here's your little view of Indy this week.

Stolen from Cat.

You scored as Islam. Your beliefs are most similar to those of Islam. Do more research on Islam and possibly consider taking the shahadah and officially becoming a Muslim, if you aren't already. Despite the actions of some - who go against the teachings of Islam - Islam is a religion of peace; the word "islam" means "peace through submission to God." "Muslim" means "one who submits to God." Islam is the third of the three Abrahamic faiths, and it shares much with Judaism in Christianity; its differences are the acceptance of Muhammad as the last and final prophet, and the oneness of God - in other words, that Jesus, though he was a revered prophet, was not in fact God, and only one God exists. Apparently the Taliban could not read (though their name means "students"), because the Qur'an states that men and women are equal as believers, and that all believers should be educated and seek knowledge. Modesty in dress and behavior is required in Islam for both men and women to preserve the values of society and move the emphasis from superificial appearance to intelligence, knowledge, and God. Islam 71% Buddhism 63% Christianity 38% Paganism 38% agnosticism 38% Satanism 33% Judaism 33% Hinduism 29% atheism 29% Which religion is the right one for you? (new version) created with QuizFarm.com

Hmmm...I'm at a loss here. I don't know much about Islam or Buddhism. I have no idea why I would score 33% on Satanism. That is ridiculous! Not a chance in Hell (bad pun intended) would I be a Satanist. I was raised a Methodist and now, well, I'm my own combination.

I enjoyed the clean lines of the new entry to the Indianapolis Museum of Art when I visited earlier this week. Even though it was hotter than Hades out there, I took the time to shoot a few pictures.

The semi-disturbing little gnome guy in my backyard.

Sometimes, you look at love the wrong way and all you see is the "1."

(¯`'•.¸(¯`'•.¸A Lizzie Quizzie!¸.•'´¯)¸.• 1. On a scale from 1-10, how do you like the new TMI blog? Be honest. Any suggestions? I think it's a 10! Nice, clean layout and I love the new graphics. 2. Does your city have any special festivals? Do you go? My city has many festivals. Middle Eastern Festival, Italian Festival, Russian Festival, Freedom Fest, Vintage Food and Wine Festival (my personal favorite!) 3. Have you ever had an elephant ear? A very long time ago. 4. How much water do you drink a day? Around 6 glasses. More if you count the water in the iced tea. 5. Did you enjoy school? Do you miss it? I enjoyed it, but I don't miss it. 6. How many different homes/apartments have you lived in during your lifetime? 13 7. Do you ever burn your own mixes? On occasion. I mainly use my iPod though. 8. Digital or 35mm? Digital, all the way. 9. What's the best thing that could happen to you today? Oh, isn't anything possible on any given day? ;-) That being said, most likely nothing I'm willing to write about here. 10. "Oh where, oh where has my little ____________ gone?" :) mind, coffee cup... I could go on and on!

Have you ever... 1. had sex with someone ten years older or younger than you? Actually, yes. 2. drawn from a nude model? No, I've never taken an art class. 3. had sex at a company Christmas party? AT the party? No way. 4. had a blind date? Yes...well, sort of... 5. slept with a teacher? No. Certainly not a teacher of my own. Ewww! Bonus (as in optional): had sex with someone within an hour of meeting them? Not a chance.

What comes to mind when you think of the following colors? RED: Love, Passion, Blood, Prosperity, Power BLUE: Water, Sky, Melancholy GREEN: Earth, Environment, Kermit, Ireland, Jealousy, Inexperienced YELLOW: Sunshine, Hope, Caution, Coward PURPLE: Royalty PINK: Feminine ORANGE: Pumpkins, Autumn, Vitamin C BLACK: Mourning, Bad Guys WHITE: Weddings, Purity, Doctors

Questions for Week Number Twenty-Six: If one thing were to happen right now that would be the most damaging to your confidence, what would it be? I can't think of much that I couldn't shake off with a bit of time and serious introspection. However, I'd never been fired from a job, so I think that would be distressing. On a Friday night, where would someone most likely find you? Perhaps at a movie, out for a nice dinner and/or drinks or maybe crashed at home after a long week. It depends on if my son is at home or not. He's a bit of a home-body, so if he's around we'd most likely be found at home taking in a video or playing a game.

Where do you go to feel better about yourself? It could be a place that makes you feel peaceful and whole... or a place where the people around you are so dysfunctional that you no longer feel quite so psychotic. Where is that place? What is it about the location that pleases you? My first choice is home. Preferably, reclined in my hammock with a book in hand and a cold drink within reach. Cold drink... I love the sound of that... Would y'all like a cold drink? It just sounds so friendly and welcoming. But I digress... I've always wanted a hammock between two leafy trees- it's the symbol of utmost relaxation to me. Reading has always been a sublime form of escape for me. With a turn of a page I can be transported to any place, any time. What else in the world has such power? As far as naming a place where the people around me are so dysfunctional that it makes me feel better- well I can think of no better place than the DMV or the BMV or whatever it's called here. The damn license branch! Why is it that every time I go in there, no matter where in the country I live, it's filled with the dregs of the Earth? When do the normal people go to get new plates or a driver's license? My place of work comes in a close second in this category. Hey, we put the "fun" back in dysfunctional!

-Longest relationship: 1o years -Shortest relationship: A few months -How many people have you broken up with? Somewhere in the neighborhood of 5 -How many times have you truly been in love? Just once -How many significant others have told you they loved you? 5 -Have you ever thought that you were going to marry the person you were with? No. -Have you ever loved someone so much that it hurt? No. -Have you ever made a significant other cry? Oh yeah. -Have you ever cried over a significant other? Yes. -Are you happier single or in a relationship? Relationship. -Have you ever cheated on a significant other? Yes -Have you ever been cheated on? Yes -What is your favorite thing about the opposite sex? Nothing. -What is the best part of being in a relationship? Having someone to share my life with. -What is the worst part of being in a relationship? Compromise- I can be terribly independent. -Worst relationship? It's a toss-up... -Have you ever had your heart broken? No. -Have you ever broken someone's heart? Yes. -Do you talk to any of your exes? Only the one with whom I share a son. -What is your ideal significant other? Honestly, what is ideal? -Do you believe that you are a good significant other? Most of the time, yes. -Have you dated people who were not good to you? Yes. -Have you been in an abusive relationship? Yes. -Have you ever had sex with someone just so that they would stay with you? Absolutely not. -Have you ever had sexual fantasies about one of your exes? Not a chance. -Have you dated someone older then you?. Most certainly. -Younger? Yes. -What is one thing that all of your exes had in common??? Not a thing. -Say who is the most attractive ex that you have ever dated? Obviously I no longer find them attractive, as they are my exes. -Do you regret anything that you have done with a significant other? Absolutely, but nothing can be done about that now. Live and learn. -Do you believe everyone deserves a second chance? Yes, I am too forgiving. -Believe in love at first sight? Yes. -Ever dated two people at once? Sort of... -Ever been given a promise ring? Yes. -Do you want to get married? No. -Do you have something to say to any of your exes? No. I wouldn't waste my time or energy saying anything. -Ever stolen someone's boyfriend or girlfriend? Yes. -Do you believe in true love? Yes.

In hindsight, what particular class in school do you wish you would have paid more attention to or taken more seriously? Most likely geometry class. I've lost almost all knowledge I gleaned from that class. I suppose it's because I don't use it often, but when I need it, it would be great to have it handy in my head! If your tastebuds could be altered so that the taste of any one food would be dramatically intensified whenever you ate it, what food would you choose? Right now I'd have to answer a ripe, fresh-from-the-tree peach. It's so hot out today that it sounds wonderful and refreshing. If you were an entry in the dictionary, under which word would people find you? Textbook-Good? Ha ha! No, I think complex is more appropriate. Manic Monday

In honor of my third coffee pot in the last two years....What am I doing wrong with these things? I gave up my Cuisinart Grind and Brew in favor of a new Krups. Let's see how long that lasts...

Reckless Addict You're 45% Caffeine-Addict!

Ridiculous! I'll be the first to admit that a little caffeine can help you be more alert and more productive, but how productive can you be if half of your day is spent in the bathroom? You've got a caffeine problem. How about giving it a bit of a rest for awhile? At the very least you should be cutting back.

This test tracked 1 variable. How the score compared to the other people's:

Higher than 59% on Caffeine

Link: The Caffeine Addiction Test written by ocuser on Ok Cupid

Grub-ology: What is your salad dressing of choice? Puccini's buttermilk herb What is your favorite fast food restaurant? none What is your favorite sit down restaurant? If we go by frequency of attendence- Magianno's. On average, what size tip do you leave at a restaurant? 20% or more if they took care of me. What food could you eat every day for two weeks and not get sick of? cereal Name three foods you detest above all others. Pickles, pickes and pickles. What is your favorite dish to order in a Chinese restaurant? orange beef What are your pizza toppings of choice? mushrooms, artichokes, peppers What do you like to put on your toast? My mom's homemade strawberry jam. What is your favorite type of gum? Altoids Tech-ology: Number of contacts in your cell phone? 23 Number of contacts in your e-mail address book? About 35 What is your wallpaper on your computer? A photo of a fleur de lis I took. What is your screensaver on your computer? A flickr screensaver of my photos. Are there naked pictures saved on your computer? Nope. How many land line phones do you have in your house? 10 with 2 separate phone lines. How many televisions are in your house? 4 What kitchen appliance do you use the least? I hate the George Foreman Grill. What is the format of the radio station you listen to the most? Probably 80's/ How many sex toys do you own that require batteries? 2 Bi-ology: What do you consider to be your best physical attribute? My smile. Are you right handed or left handed? Right, mainly. Do you like your smile? Yes I do. Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Yes. Do you prefer to read when you go to the bathroom? No. Which of your five senses do you think is keenest? My sense of smell. When was the last time you had a cavity? About 5 days ago. What is the heaviest item you lift regularly? I don't know- 40 pound bags of water softener salt. Have you ever been knocked unconscious? No. Misc-ology: If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? Yes I would, even though it would be a difficult thing to know. If you could change your first name, what would you change it to? \I like my first name. However, I hated my last name as a kid. I used to joke that I got married just to have a new last name. How do you express your artistic side? Writing and photography. What color do you look best in? Black or red. How long do you think you could last in a medium security prison? Not long. Have you ever swallowed a non-food item by mistake? Yes. If we weren’t bound by society’s conventions, do you have a relative you would make a pass at? No way. How often do you go to church?Not in the last 2 years or so. Have you ever saved someone’s life? No. Has someone ever saved yours? In a way, yes. Dare-ology: Would you walk naked for a half mile down a public street for $100,000?It depends on the street, but probably yes. Would you kiss a member of the same sex for $100? Well, yeah! I'd be a rich woman. Would you have sex with a member of the same sex for $10,000? I could quit my day job with that one. Would you allow one of your little fingers to be cut off for $200,000? No, I've very fond of my hands thank you. Would you never blog again for $50,000? Sure. Would you pose naked in a magazine for $250,000? No. Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Yes. Would you, without fear of punishment, take a human life for $1,000,000? Not a chance. Well, whose life? Just kidding! Would you shave your head and get your entire body waxed for $5,000? No. Would you give up watching television for a year for $25,000? Yes.

~Word Power~ By the way.... Do you know any new words? No? Okay, here’s what you do. Take the first letter of your last name. Get out your dictionary and look up a word that starts with that letter. (For instance if your last name is Smith, look under the S’s.) The word you choose has to be one that you have never heard of. Share it with us and don’t forget to include the definition. If you are really adventuresome, use it in a sentence. I think I'll use my first name instead-"L" Here's a word I saw on the menu this morning at breakfast at Ruth's Keystone Cafe. lefse-A round flatbread of Norwegian origin, traditionally made of a potato-based dough and baked on a griddle.

Free association is described as a "psychonanalytic procedure in which a person is encouraged to give free rein to his or her thoughts and feelings, verbalizing whatever comes into the mind without monitoring its content." Over time, this technique is supposed to help bring forth repressed thoughts and feelings that the person can then work through to gain a better sense of self. That's an admirable goal, but for the purposes of this excercise, we're just hoping to have a little fun with the technique. Each week I'll post ten words to which you can respond to with the first thing that comes to mind.

1. Video :: DVD
2. Fantasy :: Island
3. Homework :: Assignment Notebook
4. Crush :: Orange
5. Late :: Night
6. Husband :: Ex!
7. Soccer :: Goal
8. Wine :: Cork
9. Before :: Sunrise
10. Romantic :: Dinner