Well fans, we're off to Florida Saturday morning. To assure that my sister-in-law & others are sufficiently blogged during our time away, Ive left you all with a question of the day for every day that im out.

Once we get back Thursday night, Ill be buried in Class Reunion to-dos...but rest assured, they'll be PLENTY solid updates and good pictures for the last week of august.

I must interject here with a bit of a side story. I dont know how it got brought up, but I was telling my boss today about the story of when I was in college and I really needed to come home for the weekend but my CAR WOULD NOT START! It wouldnt even turn over! I cant even remember what was so important, but I BEGGED my parents to come and get me (about 2.5 hours ONE WAY to athens) So they came, sat with me while we called a tow truck, the guy comes out and goes to put my car in neutral to tow it, and notices that I had not put the car in park...just took the keys out in a hurry after parking. OOOPS. I take back the Friday question of the day from last week...Im definitely dumber. Sorry mom.

My camera got really sick after I dropped it a few weeks ago but its been feeling better. Some of the settings were off in the last week...I have no idea how it happened...so I did a little button mashing the other day and I think Ive got it fixed! So hopefully Ill have some good pics from florida, too.

Enjoy the questions. And try to play along like good boys and girls and dont answer those questions till that DAY!!! (Aileen, keep everyone in line while Im away!!) :)

SO WITHOUT FURTHER ADO....your questions are posted below...ENJOY!!!

THURSDAY 8/24/06 QUESTION OF THE DAY

(I realize some of you will be aging yourselves...)

What was the first Record, 8-Track, Tape, or CD you purchased with your very own money??
(I picked up this Rob Base Tape at K-Mart shortly after attending Amy Franz's graduation party back in the day...I must have been in Junior high. Those high school kids were jamming to it in the street & it was the coolest song I had ever heard. Still love it. All I wanted to do was get to high school and listen to rap.)

WEDNESDAY 8/23/06 QUESTION OF THE DAY!!

Different Strokes, Perfect Strangers, Growing Pains, Family Ties, Alf, Wonder Years, Cosby Show, Night Court, Cheers...to name a few...

In your opinion, what was the best sitcom from the 80's?

TUESDAY 8/22/06 QUESTION OF THE DAY

(OOPS...BEFORE WE GET TO THAT..)

HAPPY 50TH BIRTHDAY MOM! SORRY IM NOT THERE TO CELEBRATE!

This question is dedicated to my mom...we're always saying, "You can take the girl out of East Dayton, but you cant take the East Dayton out of the girl."

WHAT'S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT EAST DAYTON GIRLS?

MONDAY 8/21/06 QUESTION OF THE DAY!!!

WHAT CELEBRITY ARE YOU ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY SICK OF???

You're more than welcome to list more than one, but make sure you let me know who's the absolute worst...as you can see...Ms. PH tops my list...

FRIDAY 8/18 QUESTION OF THE DAY!!!

Gifted Athletes? Or Circus Freaks?

Yes, Stacy, Im going to beat this horse again. I must leave you all for vacation, but Im leaving you all five posts of questions that you can comment with each other in my stead. So there it is...

Is cheerleading a sport? Tell us how you really feel.

Schniebers make the big move to suburbia!

Sorry...that picture is kinda dark...it was dark out side. Went over to Stacy & Casey's new place to check it out and pick up the keys to her parents Florida condo we're staying at next week. Unfortunately, our timing couldn't have been worse and we were recruited to play on Team Schnieber's Varsity movers. Thats about it. I camoflauged myself my taking too long to carry things that were too light. Its a talent. Maybe that means I was only on the JV Team. Thats ok. The house is awesome, and I dont plan on going back until all the painting is done. Sorry...other than laundry, thats about all we've been doing this week.

TEAM SCHNIEBER VARSITY MOVERS:

Merle, Bret, J-Mac, Matt, Dwight & John - Kneeling: Me, Stace, Casey, Troy, & Mike

IM NEVER DRINKING AGAIN

Dana Sintell (Josh) & I share a special moment

Well folks, if you ever had the pleasure of sharing a beer with me, cherish the memory. After last nights phenominal bender, its going to be awhile (IF EVER) that I drink again.

Yesterday was the two-show performance of the Rubi Girls for my fundraiser. Ive never seen them before so I was pumped. Got there around 2 (for the 4p show) and started with a margarita and I was double fisting all night. The Shows were AMAZING and they raised enough money to really help with all the medical bills collecting dust next to my computer.

Here's the group after the show. The fact that im standing is an accomplishment in and of itself:

Now let me just go down the laundry list of memories that I recall....some of them I just recalled five minutes ago. Of course they are in no particular order so Ill just start with the one thats bothering me the most right now, because I just remembered it.

1 - My dad used to play softball with a guy named Greg and a guy named Joe. Now Greg and Joe really dont look at all alike. Joe Martin's mother was friends with Agnes Nixon who created All My Children. For those of you who know the show, Joe Martin is the namesake of Dr. Joe Martin, a longtime character on the show. Im a big AMC fan so I always make a big deal of it. When Greg walked in, I was all, "HEY! ITS DR. JOE!" But whats bad is that a slip like that can go forgiven, but when saturated in alcohol, I found myself actually making a big deal about how excited I was that Dr. Joe!! (I have to type it like that because I was screaming the whole time) I was at the bar telling everyone about Dr. Joe. He just kept looking at me and laughling. I hope he didnt make a donation because I certainly didnt deserve it. Greg. I know who you are, and I love you just as much as I do Dr. Joe.

2 -During the first show, one of the Rubi Girls did a number to a song that I used to LOVE when I was in Jr. High/High School. Its by Dee Lite and its called "I had a dream I was falling through a hole in the ozone layer" (seriously) So after the 4 oclock show I was just RAVING about how much I loved that song and he/she was all, "You can come up on stage with me and sing it next time" and I was all, "Uhhhh, I dont know, Id have to be pretty sauced by the seven O'clock show to do that." Well guess what:
And yes, thats me DOUBLE FISTING with one hand so I can hold the mike. I had two beers at all times from about 2p-10p, and had a few shots along the way. It was wrong on so many levels.

3- I forgot (until John reminded me at dinner tonight) that I whispered a "too much information" story to Josh while we were sitting out on the back porch after the last show. John said I was trying to whisper it but whispering is a skill lost on a drunken dumbass apparently. Josh, if you're out there, Can we forget that ever happened? Im sure it seemed funny at the time, but now Im kind of petrified to see you.

4 - John also informed me that I bought two beers and walked away from the bar forgetting the $12 in change that was sitting there. He left a tip and put the rest back.

5 - When the show was over they pulled me up on stage and we were all dancing and I got all emotional and started BAWLING on stage. I was happy and honored so wasted that I couldnt control my emotions and just started crying. Ang pulled me off stage to the dressing room where she sat me down and later informed me that one of the guys started changing right next to me and I went into a drunken daze staring at his weiner. But I dont remember that so I guess it didnt happen.

6 - Josh's falsie fell out of her dress during one of the numbers & she threw it up in the air and pulled out her shirt and caught it in her bra. Monkey See, Monkey Do.

I guess to sum up the evening, or what I can recall of it, I was mostly embarassed about getting up on stage and acting like I was Britney Spears on tour but now Im way more embarassed about calling Greg Dr. Joe all frigging night. That is unless I remember what God Awful story I told Josh on the porch. I think John knows but he wont tell me becuase I already want to crawl into a hole!!

For those of you who were there, Thank you so much. I was touched by all the support. And please please please let me apologize for my other personality, Drunky McDoublefist, as she knows not what she does.

FRIDAY QUESTION OF THE DAY

(If enough of you respond to this I might have to make a regular thing)

So, today after my last checkup for awhile with Romer, mom and I went to PANERA!!! First Watch was too busy. As we were getting ready to leave I noticed I didnt have my keys. I sent mom out to the car ahead of me because she gets around like a 95 year old woman these days so I gave her a head start while I bussed the table.

I kept checking my bag, but no keys. When I walked out the door she was standing there at the passenger side door. "I DONT HAVE MY KEYS!" I screamed, to which she only responded by pointing in the window, giggling. Ok whatever. I go up to the car and check the doors on my side and they're locked too.

We had to run over to Fairmont for some errands so I said "Lets just take you're car and we'll call the cops to jimmy it open on our way back"...so we run over to Fairmont real quick, head back, and the cop is waiting. Hes trying to work the lock with the slim jim but suprisingly it wasnt working (I dont have power locks) so he pulls out the big wedgie and slides his little pole through the crack he made (OH! that sounded EROTIC!)......and hes trying to pull the lock inside my door.

Well, the saturn locks you have to PUSH to unlock so he really didnt have the leverage to pull that off. Im sitting down, mom is looking in on the other side trying to explain the lock to him (she thought he had to pull it) so I got up and was standing next to her, looking in, trying to direct the cop. Shes standing in front of the passenger side front door and im standing in front of the back door.

Just because it was there, I grabbed the back door handle and gave it a pull. IT OPENED.

So pam sat there staring at my keys for five minutes and didnt at least try to open the two doors on HER side!!

So I got all pissed and she was laughling the whole time (which actually hurts her side) so I was kind of mad that she was laughling about it but I also knew that it hurt so that made me less mad.

So the question of the day is:

Who's dumber? Me for (sort of) locking my keys in my car? or Pam for not even trying to open her door? Please comment on this.

HAVE A GREAT WEEKEND!!

PEOPLE!

My sister in law, Aileen, is REALLY not in stable condition. Does anyone read the comments on these things?
Aileen was making sarcastic posts about how she was falling ill due to my recent post-neglect…but now she’s fine. That’s all I was referring
To when I said that she was in stable condition…and Meredith is not my sister in law yet for those of you who kept asking me what happened to Meredith.
All is well!!

Pam Fortener wraps up a 30-Year Softball Career, Just 2 weeks shy of her 50th Birthday, with a BANG! (and a bruise....and a pulled hamstring....)

Well, now we're all caught up. My sister in law should be in stable condition and all is right in the world. Today I was one of the featured speakers at the Making Strides kickoff breakfast in Dayton. About 400 or so corporate sponsors, walkers, surviors, etc. (It was a pretty cool experience but I wont post about that till I have some pictures later..)

Since we had to check in at 7-fricking-thirty in the morning, I of course spent the night at the folks place and got up to Dayton early enough to catch my mom's last softball game with the once Tank's, now Phone Booth Lounge women's softball team. 30 years, Injury-free, just 2 weeks shy of her 50th birthday and what am I doing in the last inning?? Take a look:

Thats right folks, the man upstairs has quite the sense of humor doesnt he? All I remember seeing my mom up to bat, looking away, hearing about 40 people give a collective "Ohhhhhh" and look up to see a cloud of dust. When the dust settled, my brother Nick (who was coaching 1st base) was hovered over her. I missed it but apparently she took quite the tumble. She says her leg gave out, others say she tripped on the chalk line, but I think tripping over first base just sounds funnier so thats the story Im sticking with.

When she got up she felt a little sick, and some of the girls on the other team said she looked like she hit her head so they just called the paramedics to be safe. She could hardly walk and when they finally moved her off the field behind home plate, and there were eight people all hovering around her asking her if she felt ok, she was trying to disperse the crowd and caught my eye and mouthed to me, "I have to FART!" and of course I just started laughing. Then she really had me laughing when she added she had "Kwamps Wheel Bad"....

(Funny side story: Once when my brother was like four, he went over to the neighbors house and informed them that "My mom has kwamps wheel bad"...they still bring it up to this day, and is aways one way to make yourself smile when you're enduring back breaking cramps. Seriously, just say it to yourself: "I have kwamps wheel bad" Its genius.)

Anyhoo - here's mom with her boys when we arrived at the hospital:


She was finally released around 10, she has a bruised rib or two and a pulled hammy. She and dad went out for a beer...THATS ALL SHE WANTED TO DO!!!...picked up her vicodin and they were home by eleven. She's still having a hard time getting around and walks like a cute little old lady. When she and dad were walking through the parking garage this morning holding hands, it was so cute, like a glimpse into the future!! But other than that, she'll probably be just a little achy for a few weeks.

OFF TO THE LAKE!

August 5-6

I love to tell you some awesome funny story from our trip to the lake, but again, I had my VERY LAST chemo injection (Ill stay on the pills for however long) on Friday and was absolutely WIPED OUT all weekend! All I wanted to do was sleep! We made trips out to the swimming hole (pictured above) by the island off Sassafras Point, came back and slept some more. Hit up the Tilton Hilton - awesome. Nice part of the trip? Got to take our new truck out for its first road trip..(And last as far as Im concerned..Im not even going to TELL YOU what we bent over and paid for to fill the tank..but with out further ado our "new" Silverado!:

This chemo is kinda driving me nuts! Sometimes Im full steam ahead after chemo and sometimes Im a total slug.

The Xeloda im on is giving me some wacky side effects...Hand and Foot Syndrome (NO, NOT Foot and Mouth Disease!!!) Basically my hands kind of look like I pulled a hot pan out of the oven...red, blistery fingertips, peeling skin, and that little flap of skin between my thumb and index finger is kinda red and swollen and tender. They say its because sometimes the chemo "Leaks"? through the blood vessels and it commonly happens in the hand/foot extremities...dont ask me why, it just does. I guess theres worse things - I could be puking all over the place so Im not too upset about it.

sorry - thats my lake post.

Congrats to Ryan (Pony) & Lisa Frentzel!

August 4th - 2006

Yes folks, Pony finally made an honest woman out of Lisa! The two exchanged vows at Ault Park (by the rugby touch fields....half a mile from Haps....coincidence? I think not.) and then had their reception at the 21st Century Theater in Madison...Very nice! Lucky for me, we were driving up to the lake that night after the reception, so I had my own personal designated driver! And yes people, Im wearing the same outfit I wore last week. Ok? I dont have a very impressive wardrobe and its comfy, and I can wear it and get away without wearing a bra. Or at least thats what I thought..

Im telling KJ how much I really liked this top because I could "get away" with going bra-less and she was all, "Um actually, you really can tell that you're missing a breast." Whatever KJ! Actually, I cherish her honesty, because I frequently tell people that its great that Im an A-cup becuase "people really cant tell" that im short a boob, and they nod and smile. Kristen is the only person who ever (and always) gives me a funny look like, "Who in Gods name are you trying to fool? I could SWIM in your chest cavity" I dont care. Call me a hippie. Its liberating and I get sick and tired of that Mrs. Doubtfire looking bra anyway.

Here's the gang - Jill, E-Beth, Kat, Casey, Eva, Toby, Tony, Misti & Heather. Kelts, Hounds, Cicninnati AND Dayton womens rugby (sniff, sniff)....ALL well represented!

For those of you who havent had the honor of seeing a Kelt bride off into the wonderful world of married life, heres what to expect: All the ruggers getting down on one knee to sing, "Let me call you Sweetheart". Its absolutely the cutest thing you've ever seen, and brims with irony, because most expect the "Crazy drunken ruggers" to be singing the Rugby Queen Song (Ya Ho, Ya Ho, Ya Ho), The S&M Man, or Alouette... go figure. These guys have class. About twice a year at weddings. Here they are, singing to the lovely bride!!

There's really nothing funnier than a fake sleeping picture. Looks like Stacy & J-Mac are ready to go nite-nite!!

Well, if you dont know already...I NEVER HAVE CASH, so dont mug me. The problem? We're getting ready to leave and John asks me if I have $2 for the valet guys...and....Aunt Helen dont kill me....I reached for that Sacred $2 bill we get every once in awhile at Christmas. Why do we get it? I know it has sentimental value and honest to God my brother almost broke down in a crying rage once becuase I mentioned spending the bill. Its a gift from Great Grandpa Rado, as if he KNEW that I suck at saving money and a sentimental two dollar bill was the only way to keep me from spending all my money.

So I go back to reluctanly pull the $2 bill from my purse, make some comment under my breath (but loud enough for Pauly to hear) about how I REALLY didnt want to use this $2 bill...He INSISTED on giving me two dollars and to put the $2 bill BACK in my purse (like how I worked that out? Ill buy you a pint ok?) - Luckly John was there to capture the moment:

So post your comment here: How do YOU feel about the two dollar bill? Im so curious.

THE TRAIN TRIP!!!

Well, this was actually a week ago. Geez...I dont write for a week and feels like a YEAR! So first let me state that my camera was still on the fritz - I sort of downplayed how hard my camera hit the ground and also the fact that when I said I dropped my camera AND my beer, I actually meant that I DROPPED THEM AT THE SAME TIME, breaking my camera WHILE splilling beer on it. So its just been what I like to call "sick" sometimes its in a good mood and will Cooperate and sometimes it just wants to sit there and make me suffer for getting sticky beer all over it, jamming the switches and locking up the lens cover from time to time. WHATEVER!! IM SORRY OK?? IM DOING MY BEST!!

Sorry...the only reason Im coming clean about the camera was that I was so pissed that I didnt get more shots of the train trip- It was awesome.

Here's Vicky, my boss's wife, (and part-time co-worker during my stint at the Este warehouse) hanging out in the Vista Dome while we waited to leave McCullough Yard.


I arrived at McCullough Yard in Norwood around 730 - John helped me find the right train and we took a little tour of the cars before we left.

We spent most of the evening hanging out in the dome, having some snacks, just hanging out and relaxing... Brian asked me if I wanted to ride in the engine from the yard to the Amtrak station and I ended up riding it with his daughter Katie. It was very hot, and very slow, but when am I going to have that opportunity again?

By the time we headed out, it was after midnight, and when we were almost to the Amtrak station, they stopped us - either freight cars moving or they were holding us till the Amtrak train got there - for two hours. Katie and I hopped out of the engine and headed back to our roomettes.

The roomettes on the sleeper car were pretty sweet. Just a tiny little room with a seat and plenty of leg room, a sink that pulls out of the wall, a mirror and plenty of storage room. you have to pop out into the hallway to pull the bed down from the wall, and when you pull it down, it fills up the entire room. Its a really cool way to travel! I took this picture when I was lying down getting ready to go to sleep. you kind of get the idea:


So I fell asleep around one when they stopped us, woke back up for a few minutes when we started moving towards the Amtrak station, slept through the hook up to Amtrak and woke up going about 80 just outside of Indy around 7 ish. I got up, got dressed, made my way back up to the dome seating area where there were a few people already up, and had breakfast served five min after I sat down - A Western Omelette, Fruit, Toast & Potatoes.

The ride up to Chicago doesnt offer much for scenery...a lot of Rural Indiana plight to look down on while you ride in the lap of luxury. It was cool though to pass through intersections and watch all the people stopped at the tracks as you pass by. Its nice to be on the other side for once!

We arrived at Chicago's Union Station in Downtown around one, rented a car from the Hertz IN the train station and made the trip right back to Cincinnati with the CRC's Public Relations guy and a WVXU reporter who both also just took the one way leg for experience.

So I never actually breathed outdoor Chicago air, and saw the skyline in my rearview mirror for about three seconds and that was it! It was a great time though! Great food and a really unique experience. If you're interested in some of the trips coming up and have disposable income to burn, this is a really fun way to travel.

OK, OK - when I get home from work today, I PROMISE to fulfull all your blog desires...theres a lot to share so schedule a little time in your day to read this...its gonna be about 5 consecutive posts...I PROMISE!!!

:)

I KNOW!!! I SUCK!!

I had a bit of an incident with my camera during the girls nite out...dropped my camera while wating to leave, (did I drop a beer on it too? Perhaps...) and its been ill ever since. The bad news? I think I broke it pretty good. The good news? Its tempramental and sometimes will come on and work...When I get home from work tonight Ill have LOTS of pics for you!

The Train Ride, Pony & Lisa's wedding, Indian lake shots....lots to update... Sorry about the neglect...