Of Course I Hear Voices: I Own Parrots

When I was in high school, we were always looking for a place to eat that was on our budget and was just a fun place to be. I had been going to Tony Packo's with my family, but when it was my money and with my friends it took on a whole new life. Tony Packo's is a Hungarian Restaurant on the East side of Toledo. While admittedly that neighborhood isn't exactly the place people flock to...or that Toledo is exactly a tourist attraction, if you are in the area this is well worth the stop. The food is great. It tastes great and it is all filling. You can get a Hot Dog Combo (one packo's dog, bowl of soup or chilli, and a side...my personal favorite is the paprikas) for under $10. This will fill up most normal people. I don't even like regular hot dogs, but the Tony Packo's dogs, sauce and cheese just make me happy. If you want to split an appetizer, I recommend the deep fried pickles. Tony Packo's has great pickle mixes.Normally deep fried pickles aren'...

There are few things in this world that really turn me off. People who can't seem to use common sense and those who can't be bothered to read make the list. However, there is one thing that offends me more than all the others. Lack of Personal Responsibilty If you make a mistake, do something wrong, hurt a person or some other thing that has negative consequences: Take responsibility for it. One thing that will always turn me off is when people refuse to or just seem oblivious to the consequences they create. Be a grown up. Take responsibility. If you made a choice that has hurt someone, then be sensitive to that hurt.

Life takes some interesting twists and turns. I am where I am today because of the choices I have made and the circumstances that I have encountered. Some of the situations were positive situations that have encouraged me and helped me move forward. Others have been disappointments I have dealt with and used to help me grow. There have even been negative situations that have torn me down. However, I am choosing to learn from them and take steps to never let them happen again. My life is not awful, but I know that I want more. I know that this is just a temporary stop in my life. I am going to enjoy the stop and deal with the happiness and the heartache as it comes. I am also looking forward to the moment when I know the next step is here and this time nothing is going to stop me from moving on.

Dear Sprint— We have been doing business for six years now. Now we had our differences while I was still part of that family plan, but the past four years have been pretty good. I have had good luck with your phones. I have not had any major issues with your customer service. I really do love your Simply Everything Plan. It has saved me money and worry about my texting and data charges. I even have had success with your cell coverage. Really, I have no major complaints in this area. Here is where things get hinky. My two year contract was up in March. I had hoped that by the time my contract ended you guys would have at least one of the new Blackberry phones. However, that was wishful thinking. You have been so obsessed with the Palm Pre launch, that you have totally ignored your Blackberry customers. I want the Curve 8900…you do not have it nor do you know if or when you will get it. I know that when my 2 year contract was fulfilled, I was now eligible to get a new phone just like I ...

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My life on the weekends Sent from my BlackBerry® smartphone with SprintSpeed

Plinky asked me to craft an excuse. I think this is an interesting take. It isn't geared to anyone...it is just my usual default excuse with a twist What is there to explain? Whether you are my friend, boyfriend or acquaintance, I'm an upfront person. You know exactly what you were getting into with me. I work full time, run a business and then work another part time job. What you see is what you get. I will be honest with you as long as you are honest with me. Really my eyes tell you exactly what I am thinking every time. Really, it isn't that hard to understand. If I ignore you or don't text you back there are four reasons: 1) I'm busy. There are days I am going non-stop from 6 am-3am. 2) You broke one of the rules. Again, I am very straight forward and clear about my boundaries. Once you have hurt me or betrayed my trust it is hard to win it back. 3) Maybe I just need some down time...yeah it occasionally happens 4) I'm sleeping...and seriously if you are ...

I've always thought that each person has a "life soundtrack." We have songs that identify us, we relate to, and are a true back drop to our lives. Some songs are constant anthems. Other songs come and go as we transition through the stages of our life. I have my constant Benchmark Songs: Nine Days—Absolutely Guster -- Either Way Jessica Andrews – Who I Am Both songs are ones I will always be happy to put on repeat until the birds can sing along. These songs are me at the core. No matter what is going on with me, these are real indicators of my true self. Then there are the other songs. These are the ones that can change daily, weekly, by the minute…you get the picture. They are more reflective of the things that come and go. They are the pain, love, joy, loss, laughter, and all your other emotions. They are the song...

A little Earth Day Humor: Okay, back when I was at Eastern Michigan University, I began to think that perhaps the squirrels had a sinister plot to take over the campus. These little menaces had to be up to something. These guys didn't move for humans. You moved for them. They would hide under garbage cans and attack your feet as you passed by. There was one little guy that lived in the courtyard of my building. I didn't sleep very well at night, so I would try to catch up on sleep during the day. He would wait until I was just about to fall asleep, and then he would run back and forth along the window sill making all kinds of noise. I figure if they could organize a campaign of terror on a college campus, running the world should be well within their reach. Beware of the squirrels...

Well this is a tough one. I would probably spend most of it new clothes. I would mostly buy work clothes for my full time job. I need to update my look at work at bit, and this would give me that opportunity. I would probably also pick up a few items just for fun. Maybe a new pair of jeans and some fun shirts. I'm not overly trendy, but I like having clothes that look good and make me feel like a normal person. Sometimes I forget what that is like. I so rarely get treated like a girl I get bogged down by how much that feeling hurts. Dressing cute helps me overcome some of that. If there was anything left, I would buy Beaker, Batty and Abby a bigger cage. Plus I'd through in some new toys for good measure for all the fids.

Dogs and cats do not talk back. Birds do. Don't be fooled, that parakeet *will* steal that carrot off your plate Birds are like kids. As soon as you get on your phone, it is time to be loud and obnoxious Not only can they spit their food at you when they are mad or want attention, they also have amazing aim. While your cockatiel may be three times bigger than your parakeet, the cockatiel will rarely stand up for itself. Yes, parakeets are little bullies that oppress bigger parrots. Even at 19 years old, cockatiels can still become needy and scream like a little girl when you leave the room. Don't buy uber expensive toys. All toys will eventually be destroyed…it is only a matter of time. Each of your birds will have a different personality…enjoy the diversity Addendum to #9: Birds also have their own personal music tastes. I am lucky all 6 of mine like Guster and The Cure…and for some reason my singing. Yeah…television shows and movies are the same. We cannot watch JAWS or and ...

I'm not one of those elitist travel writers. I am not going to tell you that the touristy things are inherently bad. However, I am a huge fan of getting off the beaten track. I love enjoying some of the things the locals treasure. In each of my favorite cities, I have a list of places I have to go. Here are my must sees for San Francisco: Borderlands Bookstore: Mission Delores and my obsession with the movie Vertigo brought me to the Mission. Now that was fabulous…it really was. Still, it this little gem that brings me back every time. It is a great store with the best Sci-fi, horror, fantasy, etc. selection. I love the atmosphere and the staff is awesome. Plus, they have Ripley Here is more about Ripley from the store website. Ripley is a sphinx cat…yeah she's hairless. Admittedly, she scared me a bit the first time I went into the store. I didn't see her until I was at the checkout…and then she moved. The next time I was there, she curled up in my lap and I had to ha...

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That is Abby on the food dish. She's lost a few grams, but we are still in process.

And who said lunch time was boring?

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I love a good party. However, there are some deal breakers. I can handle bad music, movies and other minor indiscretions. There are things that remind me of that scene in "Better Off Dead" where Lane is trying to get rid of the stalker paperboy. I'll come up with just about anything to get out of there. They run out of your beverage of choice..early This one is pretty obvious... The high school drama starts I'm not sure why adults must revert back to being sixteen again. It wasn't flattering when we were teenagers. It certainly isn't attractive now. When the drama hits it usually a good idea to duck out. If you can't leave, try to stay clear of the drama as much as possible. If you eventually find yourself being put in to the drama, pretend to sleep or just ignore it. They break out the board games I know many fair minded people love games, but I hate them. Actually, I was bored the other night and one girl's solution was to ask our h...

With season finales upon us, we venture into the summer television season. The summer season used to be a virtual wasteland of reruns, made for TV movies and other not so fun moments. Admittedly, network television doesn't do much better in this area now. Although, my Scrubs addiction we sparked by watching reruns over the summer, it isn't the same. Yes some network channels try new programming. However, in most cases I'm just not interested. Cable programming is usually what gets attention from my DVR. What shows get your attention in the off season? What shows tend to get your attention? Will you watch television at all? In a time where I know I would rather enjoy being outside and being with my friends, I know I am pretty selective. Even if it is something I record and "watch" while I work, I want to be sure it is worth my time.   This off season I will be recording: My Boys: Because I am constantly having moments where I am relating to PJ….like the better par...

If wanted to enjoy the perfect spring day can only think of a few places I would want to be. Even with my allergies I would give anything a for few hours in my favorite places. One of these places is Huntington Park in San Francisco. I love Huntington Park. There is just something about a few hours here. It is a beautiful little park in the heart of the city. A huge mansion once stood on the spot, it was destroyed in the Earthquake and Fire. The land was given to the city, and it has been a park ever since. I love it because it is such a peaceful place. The park is lined with beautiful trees and flowers. It has fabulous fountains and breathtaking views of the city. The park is surrounded by great buildings like the Flood Mansion, Grace Cathedral, and the Fairmount Hotel. You can watch the California Cable Car line roll by. Even when the fog rolls in it is probably one of my favorite places to be.

I'm not proud to admit it, but I have become one of those to do list people. I pack by lists. I plan my day by lists. Most days my lists are constantly growing and changing, so flexibility does still exist. I just like being able to see what lies ahead. When a new development comes into play, my list adapts to it. I get that some people just don't get it, but it is what works best for me. My mind is constantly going. I'm not claiming to be ADD or anything like that. Some of it is the learned behavior from the fast paced editing on Sesame Street and MTV. Another issue is my fiction writing. My mind is always darting off to explore an idea. My mind keeps jumping from thought to thought in an unorganized manner. I would never get anything done at that rate. I do have a decent memory, but having it even just typed helps.   Lists not only keep me focused, they also give me a sense of accomplishment. As I take items off the list, I have a much better standing of where I stand. I...