Mind Blow February 2013

This may come as a shock to many of you, but I'm pretty dorky. And my boyfriend, well, he's not exactly the manliest of librarians (ok, well maybe he is...). We like dancing in public, skipping on the streets in spring and can't mention the word bacon without bursting into the hula song. Well tonight my nerdy mind was blown and it needed recording.  Begin scene:

Katie is in the middle of a facebook shout-out to her brother in law, who was thoroughly traumatized over the holidays by her (and her boyfriend's) love of Too Cute! - the best show ever on animal planet...or the world.
Katie: Which Parry Gripp song should we post? Baby bunny or baby monkey?
TJ: Baby monkey....no, baby bunny.
Katie posts with glee after the two watch and dance to several videos.
Katie (hesitantly): Is it ok if I really actually like his songs, like sincerely? Like I like the tune and his voice and the style and the silly words and if they were longer or he made a record I would actually listen to them?
TJ: That's perfectly alright - I really like them too!
Katie: OK good cause I really like him.
Katie thinks to herself: Hrm, I wonder what he looks like or who he is. To wikipedia!!
Upon which she discovers...

Wikipedia:
Parry Gripp (born September 22, 1967)[1] is a singer-songwriter as well as lead vocalist and guitarist for the pop punk band Nerf Herder.

Nerf Herder?!?!? For those that don't know, Nerf Herder was (is?) one of my favorite nerd-punk bands from the 90's, who I've learned still make occasion albums and apparently did the theme song to Buffy. So I guess I totally have listened to several albums by Parry Gripp already, and enjoyed his voice, the style and the silly words.

Mind blown.

End scene. Queue music video I didn't remember existed:
Is this what you wanted, Sammy Hagar?

(and not at all known classics like Golf Shirt)
Ok, really done now.
Happy day.

Challenge 1 - Report!

As many of you may or may not remember (or care?), I've decided to attempt a 2013 challenge or multiple 2-3 week challenges. My first challenge - flossing. Nothing real earth shattering here. I went years and years without having any cavities - all the way into college. But lately, not so good. I even went (accidentally mind you) three years in college without going to a dentist. I just kind of forgot about it. And big surprise, since then I've been getting more cavities.

At first, it didn't really matter to me. It was "just one - not such a big deal". Then it was "Just two - most people have had loads by now. I'm really just catching up to where I should be." Then it was three, four. I don't know how many altogether. All small and non-problematic, except that I *used* to be someone that had never had a cavity. Ever.  I still remember being in the dentist office, 10yo, going for my fluoride treatments (which i loved because my dentist had cinnamon flavor), and seeing a sign hanging up on the wall: "You don't have to floss all your teeth...." - this is good, I don't have to floss!! - "...just the ones you want to keep!" - Damnit! Fooled by a clever rhyme again.

None of it really mattered, until I started having to pay for it, that is. In that past, my dental insurance was pretty OK. Nothing amazing, but good. These little cavities didn't really hit the wallet too hard. But this last one - I paid 134 out of $184. Not ok!! Apparently my insurance thinks I should get silver filings on my back teeth and that white ones are too much of a splurge. I went against every cheap natural instinct of mine in order to not "ruin" my "white" smile. It was a rude awakening.

So flossing seemed like the natural first challenge. Overall, I think I flossed about 75% of the days - sometimes I was just too lazy. Did I learn anything amazing? No, probably not. But I did learn that its really not at all that bad to freaking floss. And if I don't want to spend $200 on cavities to appease my laziness, I should just floss and not be such a lazy butt! My gums are still a little sore each time, and my permanent retainer is still a pain (working on that - need to call orthodontist), but I'm getting used to it. And it's not nearly such a daunting task. Who really wants to floss?

Well, this lady minds it a little less nowadays. I've postponed my 6mo. dentist appointment to see if it makes a difference. Last time, some of my gums were still "irritated" - hoping for better next time! So I guess I don't have to floss all my teeth - but I do have to floss for the monies I want to keep.

Four months later....

And I definitely have not been blogging, eh? Boooooo. I'm thinking that should change for 2013. I'm thinking 26 x 2-week challenges, with updates. Some of them probably won't be that awe-inspiring, but I'm constantly wishing I was improving X-Y-Z about myself - so I should finally get my butt off the couch. Lovely, "easy" things, such as:

• floss!;
• read more (magazines don't count);
• make friends for realz;
• use random items in the freezer/pantry;
• attempt morning workouts;
• save money;
• learn to sew for real; 
• study some engineering things;
• watch less tv;
• buy something on QVC;
• learn how to take good pictures; and
• finish my in-progress craft projects.

So that's it! I'll be updating as I go and accepting suggestions and challenges. I'd like to be excellent to myself in 2013. And....

Party on dudes!!!