Okay, I’m going to keep this brief because I have been struggling with a touch of the insomnia for the last week or so and have vowed to go to bed early before my mind has time to go to that place where I end up playing Pathwords for forty-five minutes and flipping through the T.V. channels because I just know that as soon as I get in bed I won’t feel tired anymore and will stay up tossing and turning.
Which will absolutely come true because I allow myself to get totally psyched out about it and then I can’t sleep for all the worrying that I won’t be able to sleep.
I’m tired just thinking about all the effort that goes into being this neurotic.
But I’m serious about shutting it down early before my inner night owl comes out and decides it’s time to party. In fact, I met Gulley earlier for dinner and SET MY PHONE ALARM for 8:45 to make sure I’d be home by 9:00. I don’t know when I became so lame.
Maybe it was around the time I had to start taking Zantac on a daily basis.
The bottom line is I’m taking this opportunity to link to a few things that you might find interesting and/or informative. Basically, it’s a total 180 from my usual content.
1. My sweet, hilarious friend, Lisa McKay, has written a brand new book called “You Can Still Wear Cute Shoes”. Lisa is a preacher’s wife and the book focuses on all the challenges that face the fishbowl existence of being married to a minister and how to handle it all with humor, grace and some semblance of dignity.
There’s even a fun contest you can enter that includes the chance to win a $100 gift certificate to DSW shoes and a $125 gift certificate to spafinder.com.
2. Another friend of mine, Kat, has written an ebook called “Maximize Your Mornings” and you can download it free by clicking right here. It’s all about helping busy moms create an effective morning routine.
Maybe I’ll check into the whole “effective morning routine” thing just as soon as I get over my insomnia. Right now my morning routine consists of drinking enough caffeine to kill a horse.
3. Yesterday I finally went to HEB and had to buy so many groceries that a man in the parking lot offered to help me wheel them out to my car. I though he worked for HEB because he was wearing a red jacket, but he was just some random stranger who probably didn’t expect me to take him up on his offer. EMBARRASSING.
Anyway, I purposefully bought all the ingredients needed to make the Pioneer Woman’s Perfect Pound Cake and let me tell you that it lives up to the name. It’s also a very dense cake. I could hurl it through the window if I wanted to, but I won’t.
Oh, and I also made her Potatoes au Gratin last week and immediately renamed them Potatoes au Perfection. I couldn’t blog about it at the time because the blog was broken.
By the way, my hips will rue the day I discovered that potato recipe. RUE THE DAY.
4. I didn’t mention this yesterday because there was never a good segue way. (As if that’s ever stopped me.)
But while watching 24, I couldn’t help but notice that all the women seem to be having some hair issues. The blonde girl named Jenny or Dana or whatever keeps it all sleek and pulled over to the side no matter how much stress she’s under and Renee Walker had straight up crazy person hair. Sadly, I think Chloe O’Brien may have the best coiff of the bunch and that is a sad state of affairs.
Yet, YET, President Hassan has volume for days. He is in the midst of surviving an assassination plot and his hair is still holding up beautifully. I’ve never seen such bounce. Frankly, I’d like to know what kind of product he’s using to get that kind of lift.
And now I have to go to bed because I feel myself drifting towards my invincible night owl persona.
Seriously, I have to go.
And no playing Pathwords or just checking Twitter.
I’m going to bed.
Where I will sleep the sleep of angels.
I should go to bed, too! I have been wanting to make that Pound Cake- you will have to report back. I am no good in the kitchen, but I’m working on it! 🙂
-erika
funfinns.com
Speaking of hair and 24…does anyone else have issues with Pres. Hassan’s brother’s hair? I’m not sure if I’m jealous or if it’s just weird for me to see that hairstyle on a man.
I tried the potatoes this weekend and now have a new go-to potato recipe. They. Were. Awesome. (And we eat the heck out of her Crash Potatoes too.)
I’ve been reading your blog for a good while and all I could think today was, “this is brief?!” I hope you had a better round of sleep! =)
I sure hope you slept beautifully!
Thanks for posting the link Melanie! I hope you got all caught up on your sleep.
Tylenol PM!!! It is my closest friend.
I made that pound cake Saturday. And then another on Monday. My family loved it.
I thought about mentioning the silliness of Jenny/Dana’s hair always being pulled over to the side to my husband but decided against it. No need to have to explain it to him.
Hope you got a good nights sleep!
-FringeGirl
Equate sleep aid from Walmart, one little blue pill and I can sleep thru the night. It is a God send! It is Tylenol Pm w/ out the Tylenol, which I guess you shouldn’t take everynight due to the funky things it can do to your liver. Good luck, not sleeping is awful!
I feel ya’. Boy do I ever.
I’m usually the last one up waiting for an almost 17-year-old to make it in from work around 11 p.m.–seriously! SHE’S IN SCHOOL!) or just checking out people on facebook. ORRR flipping.
Even with Benadryl every single night, I still have many a night where I’m dosing rather late and subsequently, waking up very groggy and cranky.
Some mornings I can hardly function.
For example: I totally read …”before my inner THIGH owl comes out…”
So I sat puzzled wondering what in the world Big Mama meant by inner THIGH owl. After all, her site is usually family friendly. And then I just dismissed it because “that Big Mama is always sayin’ something crazy”.
Good thing I re-read it. This is the stuff of internet rumors.
NOT that I would be part of that.
Now, If you’ll excuse me, I need to go tank up on coffee.
That guy’s hair kept entertaining me too. That little meeting he had with the blond chick all I could do was think about why in the world she kept looking at him lovingly with all that hair. Maybe love really is blind?
So far we’ve made the cinnamon rolls, olive bread, and I made one of her desserts off the website called Simple Apple Tart-it’s the easiest dessert I’ve ever made and it looked like it came straight from La Madeilene. I don’t know how to spell that. Sorry.
ooo–thanks for the link to the “Maximize Your Mornings.” I need to read that! Clearly, I am not maximizing my morning, as I am sitting here commenting on my favorite blogs. :s
I’ve been struggling with going to bed too late and not wanting to wake up when the alarm goes off. I started a new Bible study (“No Other Gods”) this morning, and it was haaaaard to get up at 6:20ish to have time to study, make a mocha, etc. before my girls were up.
I guess for me, I enjoy the “nightlife.” 😉 And I don’t mean clubbing. After my kids are in bed, I can do whatever I want…read, watch my DVRd shows, look at blogs, try to see if my husband will stop watching The History Channel and talk, watch my DVRd shows, and watch my DVRd shows. 😉
I just added Cute Shoes to my amazon wish list. Please hear my heart screaming THANK YOU! to Lisa for writing this and you for telling me about it. My husband is halfway through Divinity School right now and I’m still trying to figure out why God didn’t ask my permission about this path in life. Looking forward to reading it 🙂
Omgoodness, you are so funny! I made some of the very same comments while watching 24! I even agree about Hassan and his brothers hair! And how come the blonde reporter looked so fresh and clean, she was in the middle of CTU with her life on the line and afterwards she appeared as if she had just done her makeup?? I love 24!
I had a hard time taking 24 seriously because of Pres. Hassans poofy hair do, it was so distracting.
Maybe you could Shred before bed. Thanks, by the way, for the Level 3 Pep Talk. I’m going to try it today.
And tonight? While you’re not sleeping? Please pray for me, that God won’t make me suffer for my vanity. I tried to whiten my teeth and had some kind of allergic reaction to the gel. I now have a fat upper lip. I’m going somewhere fun this weekend and REALLY want my regular lips back.
I just ordered Lisa’s book and I’m so excited to read it! A year ago my husband left his software designing job to go into full-time student ministry. Thanks for the link!
I said the very same thing about the Jenny/Dana hair thing. Told my husband as we watched how it just bothered me. Too much effort to keep it that way, especially in such a stressful environment. The only one without hair issues was the new CTU director, but then I couldn’t take him seriously because all I could think about was how far he’d come from “boiled shrimp, fried shrimp, shrimp kabobs…” with his buddy Forrest, Forrest Gump.
So, I don’t mean to promote your insomnia or anything, but I was wondering if you had checked out the app ‘Word With Friends’ on your phone? If you are addicted to Pathwords then you will be addicted to this game in no time flat. I have stayed up into the wee hours of the morning many times playing that game.
Ok, the hair thing was HILAEIOUS. That and asking for the non HEB help … which has happened to me more than once at Target … do you know how many people wear red shirts to Target?!?!
Anyway … I’m a “first time watcher” of 24. Started Sunday night after hearing you and Sophie go on about it. And I loved it but I had the same reaction to President Hassan’s hair. Mighty poufy.
I hate to tell you this and I’ll try to be gentle but it maybe time to cut-off caffeine after lunch. I never had any problems with drinking caffeine late at night until the past couple of years. Now I try to adhere to the ‘no caffeine after lunch’ rule…which is difficult for us Southerners between coffee and sweet tea but it may help you keep your sanity!
I have to say that I sleep like a rock, just not long enough. I can never manage to get to bed before midnight, and since my kids have to get up for school at 6:15…well you do the math. I guess I will sleep when my kids are grown.
My tiredness factor lead my brain to read, “ever since I started taking Zanax” (even though I know it is spelled Xanax and you wouldn’t mispell it being that you are a former pharmaceutical person). I thought that might explain the non-sleeping, but I guess Zantac is probably okay.
Have a restful day.
That whole sleep crazy…..is my nemesis too!
I cannot take it any longer. Everyday, I walk around with my eyeballs at half staff!
Tonight….it’s bed & sleep if it kills me!
Oh, for a night of sweet sleep. Why must we women suffer. First it’s crying babies, then sleepless tots, busy school schedules, wandering teenagers,and crazy night owl college students. Then just when we think we might get a full night of restful sleep… MENOPAUSE. Oh well, I am praying for a nice bed in heaven.
Oh my word! I thought the same thing about the hair…Hassan has got some height. Also, this is just my observation, but did you notice how Jack doesn’t bruise or swell like normal people when being punched in the face MULTIPLE times??? Must be using some good moisturizer…
Hey, thanks for that ebook link – I downloaded it right away.
Funny – I baked that pound cake on Monday and I thought I’d done something wrong. It is VERY dense. Nothing wrong with that, though!
I made those wonderful potatoes this past weeked and I am so happy (but my thighs are so sad)that I know about something so wonderful. That pound cake looks wonderful but I do not think I have that kind of will power. Hope you slept well.
Isn’t it funny with all the stuff going on on 24 we still make room to notice character’s HAIR???? lol I thought the same thing about Pres Hassan’s hair. Maybe rename him President Hair?? And I’m kind of crushing on Chole’s new hairstyle, but I could never pull off that color. *la sigh*
Every REAL woman knows, under that kind of stress we’d have our hair up in a ponytail by now.
Seriously.
You are so funny with your hair comments. I don’t watch 24, but now I want to at least see what these characters look like. And by the way, am I still allowed to read your blog if I’m not a 24 fan? LOL!
I relate to your neuroses if that helps.
You have a lot of authors as friends. How nice to know a guy who knows a guy that wrote a book. It makes me feel like I can trust it. Thanks! Lisa~
Immediately went and downloaded Kat’s ebook. I hope she knows what she’s talking about because, Lord knows, I need the help!!!
And night owls rock, in their own neurotic way, you know.
Have a good day!
Melanie,
Get thee a bottle of “Natural Calm”. It’s a powdered magnesium supplement for nighttime. Take it 30 min before bed and you’ll be resting peacefully in no time. 🙂
Tracy
President Hassan? Is he middle eastern? I haven’t watched the premiere yet, but I’m slightly disturbed since I tend to obsess over the Muslim conspiracy to take over the world, and the media conspiracy to desensitize us all to it. Seriously, I try to ignore my crazier thoughts, but if 24 is going to have “Prez Hassan” that’s going to make me think about it at least once a week. Hmph. And bad hair to boot? What are they thinking?
I’m really commenting to tell you that my favorite way to cook turnips is to dice them up and saute them with a bit of bacon grease, some ground cumin, salt/pepper and their own chopped greens. It is probably not the healthiest way, but I don’t go there since I am proud to be actually cooking and eating a vegetable that I never knew existed before last summer. Plus, the greens are supposed to have alot of iron. 🙂
Okay, your comments about 24 seriously cracked me up. I’m reading this at work [shhh…] and I just started laughing OUT LOUD in my office. So now my coworkers think I’m crazy. But at least I got a good laugh about President Hassan’s bounce. Thank you. Really.
I made PW potatoes au gratin last night – wonderful! She has never let me down – I’ve loved everything I’ve made of hers!!
So glad you discussed the hair issue on 24 as I totally agree with you…couldn’t help but notice all the points you brought up. Wonder if the network could give us answers b/c surely others across the country (world?) are making the same observations.
Oh no…you need sleep! I have your answer…these in a pant from Walmart http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=12555136
I am not a huge fan of the design..but OH MY WORD they are comfy! Check them out $9!!! I only wish I could wear them to the gym or out for errands! 😉 Happy Wednesday!
I too made the Pound Cake from Pioneer woman! I made it for my family to eat while the Cowboys creamed the Vikings! 🙁 Didn’t happen, but every one had a smile, cause that cake rocked!!! PS- I cured my 11th grade pre finals insomnia by talking about how much I loved to sleep CONSTANTLY!! Try it!!
Yep, the funky hair and other issues on 24 were nuts! Jenny/Dana’s hair drove me to distraction too, but not nearly as much as the fact that she was running around CTU in a black cocktail dress. Girlfriend is clearly confused about where she works.
About not sleeping….I can totally relate. I take something called Peaceful Sleep made by Tri-Vita (you order it off of their website). It’s natural and doesn’t leave you groggy the next day. Some of my fellow hardcore insomniac friends have tried it too and say they slept better than they have in years.
I think President Hassan chose that hair style so he could hide some weapons in it!
There’s enough room for some serious gun/knife action in there!
Sorry you are having insomnia. I’ve gone through that. If you can’t get to sleep, you might want to try a sleeping pill one night. I find I have to do that every once in a blue moon to break me out of the insomnia cycle. Seems to do the trick. I just can’t function if I don’t get sleep, so I completely sympathize.
Melanie, I have never commented before, but I LOVE your blog. You are stinkin’ hilarious, Woman!
I am a nurse and worked night shift for 5 years. I had A LOT of trouble sleeping and switching back and forth between sleeping during the day and sleeping during the night. I tried tons of sleep aids (Tylenol PM, Simply Sleep, etc.), but they all contained Diphenhydramine (Benadryl). They all made me groggy the next day.
Then I discovered Melatonin. It is wonderful! I buy mine at GNC, and I sleep like a baby. 🙂 Hope that helps!
I’m sure someone already mentioned it…but Tylenol PM helps me a lot. I only need to take one. It’s just enough to help get me to sleep and to stay there (which is really my sleep issue.)
Geez. I don’t have any friends who write books. Got one who writes a blog though. 😉 And for the record- anything you make out of the pioneer woman cookbook is guiness book good.
Hey. Long time reader, firt time “commenter.”
Just wanted to share with you that I have long enjoyed your blog. Our lives are very different, I think, however I have discovered that you write how I think. I just made this realization. Yay for me! and you!
I agree with you and others that anything P-Dub is sinfully delicious…
Keep doing what you’re doing, insomniac. But, I hope you get some sleep soon.
We are having similar issues over here with the whole sleep thing. And a nice little thing called Ambien has saved my life. FIND YOU SOME!!!!! 🙂
I second the Melatonin. Wonderful stuff. I also like Advil PM. However, if your child happens to wake you up in the night and need something, be prepared to be banging into the walls as you stagger down the hall. Melatonin is very natural, and causes no mid-night staggering nor morning sluggishness.
Blonde girl’s side do annoyed me for four hours! I may stop watching for that reason alone.
HAIR. hubby calls it televangelist hair.
SLEEP. good sex, it guarantees a good nites sleep every time, again, hubbys idea, but, what the heck, it is fun & it works!!
If that fails a big ole slice of pound cake with a glass of warm milk should bee enough carbs to put you to sleep!
I set my phone alarm every night for 9:30 to remind me to get ready to go to bed. It is 2:47 am as I’m writing this. It doesn’t work for me, but it does let me know how late it is getting…
as usual… love your stuff 🙂
Sweet Dreams when you get there!