If you are wondering where I am, well, I am still here…I’m just “technology free” this week. My computer bit the dust over the weekend and is hopefully being fixed as we speak. Why can’t they make the damn things more reliable? And why does it feel like I have lost a limb when my computer is gone?

So, I am just reading books, watching lots of bad TV, and doing some spring cleaning (my fridge looks fab). Hopefully I will be back to my unproductive, online self very soon.

Thought all you non-Texans might like a little taste of what I like to call the “ROW-DEH–OOOOO.” (Or Rodeo, to those Texans who take it seriously) In case you didn’t know, Houston has the largest Row-deh–oooo in the world…and it lasts almost a month, which makes getting around on my side of town quite hellish. Enjoy.

These 6′ tall boots are all around the rodeo complex, painted in different themes.

This is my daughter in a petting zoo, checking out a very large, and totally indifferent, pig.

The pig races. Need I say more?

Read it and weep. This makes me very happy…now I won’t feel so bad when I correct people. Because I am the Queen of Grammar. It’s my job.

If it makes you feel better, I only got an 80% on the “do you deserve your high school diploma?” quiz. Whoops.

Although Oprah has been on my nerves lately, not that long ago she had a show about doing things to make yourself proud. She suggested making a list every day, but since I don’t do too many earth-shattering things, there would be a lot of blank pages in that journal and it wouldn’t make me proud to waste paper.

But it is an honorable idea, so every once in a while I stop and make sure I am actually doing stuff to make me feel proud. Here’s my most recent list. Try not to be too overwhelmed by my goodness.

– I have “rescued” three dogs in the past month. They were just neighborhood dogs who escaped somehow, but I did pick them all up and keep them in my backyard until their owners came home. There was Pita (a cute little Dachshund), Tank (a Schnauzer with a very girly haircut) and Max (a German Shorthaired Pointer who JUMPS fences, even escaping from my backyard…clever dog).

– I headed up the MOMs Club fundraising committee this year (despite not really “digging” MOMs Club very much) and helped to gather donations and toys for kids in a foster home community. Here’s a picture of about half the stuff we gathered.

– I reported a litterbug. Cause you all know the deal…DON’T MESS WITH TEXAS! This guy had trash flying out of his truck bed all the way down the highway. But don’t worry, all they do is send him a letter and a trash bag. www.dontmesswithtexas.org

– I have been smiling brightly and looking every person I come across in the eye since December 1st. I am calling it Project Happy Holidays (Whether You Like it or Not) 2006. I’ll tell you all more about it later.

So what have you done to make you feel proud?

Lately, I’ve been trying my best to lose the rest of the baby weight (yes, I know the “baby” is 15 months old…shut your pie hole! ), so I hired a trainer to kick my ass once a week and I’ve been eating as healthy as possible most of the time.

My husband (a.k.a. the Food Nazi) had me convinced that frozen diet dinners are evil, but lately they have been touting “no preservatives,” so I’ve been keeping a few around for those days when I need something fast. I was enjoying a yummy Garlic Chicken pizza when I picked up the box and saw the following.

I guess you don’t need preservatives when something is only 14.1% REAL! EEEK!

I will never admit that the Food Nazi was right, but I won’t be eating any more Lean Cuisine Garlic Chicken Pizza that’s for sure!

Yesterday, I had the incredible pleasure of going to a luncheon featuring Helen Thomas. At 86 years old, she is quick-witted, smart, opinionated, and inspiring. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Helen_Thomas)

Not only is she a legend in journalism, she was a trailblazer for the women’s rights movement. When asked about that, she said “I was just one angry woman…part of a mob.”

Helen and me!

Here are a few tidbits I wrote down:

– When Fidel Castro was asked the difference between U.S. democracy and his democracy, he said “I don’t have to answer questions from Helen Thomas.”

– When asked about “leaks,” Helen said “leaks are absolutely necessary. I salute all whistler blowers.”

– Asked about the best presidents, Helen spoke on the achievements of JFK and LBJ. “That’s two Democrats, now let’s take two Republicans,” the moderator said. “WHY?” she said.

So a BIG shout out to my friend Stasa, who invited me to this fabulous event. As a former high school newspaper editor and journalism major, it was a real honor to meet Helen Thomas. She rocks.

P.S. The moderator made a major faux pas when he mentioned that Helen was a guest on “The Daily Show with Stephen Cobert.” EEEK! My poor Jon got dissed.

If so, then I guess I’m just waiting for that last thing to drop.

BT #1 – Remember last week when I was out buying you guys a Banana Republic? Well, 10 minutes after I took those photos my car completely froze. I couldn’t get it to move an inch. (Picture me out in the pouring rain pushing my car out of the middle of the street. Fun.) Even though it was pretty annoying, the guy at the dealership went on and on about how unusual it was for that to happen (the front differential was toast…whatever that means), so I felt pretty special and wasn’t going to give it a second thought until….

BT #2 – Sunday afternoon. I was chasing Anabella around the house (she’s 15 months old, so it was a trot at best) and suddenly I felt a “pop” in my leg. Ever heard of “tennis leg?” Yeah, me either. (Basically it’s an injury to my Achilles tendon where it connects to the calf muscle.) I got a big lecture on stretching more before I work out…blah blah blah…and now I have to sit around and wait for it to heal. Hooray.

Still, I’m in a pretty good mood…worse things could happen (and still might). But it’s definitely got me wondering what might be next. Afterall, it is Halloween…..BOO!

So what do you think BT#3 will be?