• Review

    Confirmed: Watching “MythBusters” On Netflix Streaming Can Make You Be All Scientific.

    I am a member of the Netflix Stream Team and will be happily sharing monthly tips and stories about how my family uses Netflix on a regular basis. (Okay, that’s an understatement. I should say CONSTANTLY. We use Netflix CONSTANTLY.) As a member of the Stream Team I was provided with a Roku and a voucher to apply towards my Netflix account. March’s Netflix Theme for families is “Science Fair Greats”, and although my family is way beyond needing to go to the store at 10:00 p.m. because somebody forgot to let us know that they needed styrofoam balls and paint and posterboard and all of that other stuff, one…

  • Jim Has Mad Skillz

    SO Sick.

    I write a lot about how much I love my husband and how we make a great team. What you may not know is that there are certain areas in which we are total opposites. He hates social media, for example. That makes me laugh like crazy, considering the fact that social media is WHAT I DO during almost every waking moment of my life. (This is the part where I need to interrupt myself and tell you on behalf of Jim that his hatred of social media does not mean that he doesn’t respect what I do. He just hates social media. He is always very sweet to mention…

  • Confessions,  My Kid Has Mad Skillz

    Go West, Young Man! (Part 2)

    Last weekend D left his Wisconsin home to head out west with three friends on a trip he’s been talking about for nearly a year. To sum it up, they are driving all the way across the country to visit (and camp and hike in) a couple of different national parks. This is totally different from the last time he left for the western United States; that time it was a controlled summer of working for the Boy Scouts. This time? Pretty much flying by the seat of his pants. In the wild west. It took a while for Jim and me to warm up to the idea of this…

  • Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  Random Thoughts

    Old School Blogging: The Questions

    We bloggers who have been around for a while often reminisce about the good old days, when we had to blog uphill on foot, BOTH WAYS. Or something like that. Back in September I wrote about how I wanted to bring the Blogroll back because back in the day we all had Blogrolls and we all left comments and that’s how our communities were formed. (Oh, and ahem, my Blogroll is right HERE, in case you’re new here and want to discover some new blogs!) Another thing we did was write posts that answered a list of questions (and then usually tagged people to do the same, half of whom…

  • Best Thing Ever,  Blessings,  Favorite Things

    Buick Regal Baby, Or…Buick Regal, Baby!

    Back in November I attended an OnStar Immersion event in Detroit that was co-sponsored by Buick. I have worked with General Motors for a few years now, but was mostly driving Chevrolet and GMC vehicles* (loved every single one!). This was my first up close and personal look at Buick. That weekend I rode in a Buick LaCrosse and was even an accessory to (simulated) Grand Theft Auto of a Buick Enclave, but spent the most time riding shotgun in a Buick Regal. Before that weekend, the Buick brand was never on my radar much. I knew it was under the General Motors umbrella, of course, but that’s it. I…

  • Random Thoughts

    Game Show Car Work (Not Necessarily In That Order)

    I have been covering the BlogHer Twitter stream for Momo this week, who took spring break off so she could spend quality time with her kids without keeping one eyeball on her phone or her laptop at all times (seriously). Because I work with her AND because she is one of my closest friends, I am hyper-aware that she needs a vacation more than just about anybody in the world. Each time I cover for her when she takes personal time off, that point is hammered home even more thoroughly. Standing watch over a Twitter stream with 90,000+ followers to make sure questions are answered and potential problems are addressed…

  • Family Fun

    You Can’t Argue With My St. Patrick’s Day Logic.

    It’s St. Patrick’s Day, and I forgot to ask Jim to pick up cabbage to go with the corned beef (which I bought last week) when he did the grocery shopping on Saturday. I also forgot to ask J to pick up cabbage when he stopped on the way home from his girlfriend’s house to pick up the vanilla ice cream that I also forgot to ask Jim to pick up. I also forgot to pick up cabbage when I went out to pick up the egg rolls that Jim forgot (to go along with that night’s dinner of green curry chicken) AND that I forgot to ask J to…

  • Confessions,  Do I Really Want My Readers To Know This?,  I'm Apparently Old.,  UGH.

    Sometimes It’s Best To Let Other People Make The Decisions, No Matter The Outcome.

    I’m easily stressed. This is not news to most of you. It’s mostly because I’m a worrier. And a perfectionist. And…well, need I go on? When I find myself in the middle of a stress spiral as I am this week—for many reasons, all of which have been resolved/finished/taken care of—the part of my brain that normally makes decisions easily just…shuts down. “What do you want for dinner, Melisa?” “I don’t know. I can’t even think about that right now.” “Okay, do you want salad, or how about grilled chicken? Or burgers?” “I don’t know. I don’t care. You pick.” Like THAT. I am also a life-long nail biter, which…

  • I've Got Mad Skillz,  Jim Has Mad Skillz,  Too Funny To Ignore

    I Really Love Love.

    I am one of those people who uses the word “love” very freely. If you know me personally—or let’s face it, even just on Facebook—you might think I overuse the word. “I love this song.” “I love cookies.” Regardless of what others think, specifically those who believe that the word should not be dropped at the slightest little thing and instead saved for truly important things and people, I’m fine with how I am. I know in my head the true hierarchy of people and things that are the recipients of my feelings. Obviously I love my kids way more than I love steak. (Which says a lot because I…

  • Best Thing Ever,  Childhood Memories,  Friends

    It Was On Like Donkey Kong.

    It’s funny, Momo often says there’s nothing much to do in Columbus, but each time I’ve visited she’s taken me somewhere that is unique and so much fun. Last time it was to German Village. On Sunday she and her husband took me to lunch at a really cool place called Dirty Franks Hot Dog Palace. The menu was pretty spectacular: I’ve never seen that many varieties of hot dogs in one place, and they serve Vienna Beef dogs—made in Chicago—so I felt right at home. By the way, Momo and I each ordered a “Classy Lady” hot dog because OF COURSE. Anyway, the decor was pretty amazing, too. The…