2/23/08

Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind/ Bob Dylan- Most Of The Time




Happy Saturday! This Saturday's favorite movie moment is a video clip of the most romantic and heartbreaking scenes in the movie, Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, starring Jim Carrey and Kate Winslet, with Bob Dylan singing 'Most Of The Time' in the background.

If you haven't seen Eternal Sunshine Of The Spotless Mind, you should definitely rent it- it's one of those films everyone can relate too, I promise.

Have a happy, fun, dreamy, and if possible, romantic week-end - and remember: if romance is not in the picture right now, to have a happy, dreamy, and fun week-end anyway- because the way I see it, three out of four isn't bad- "Most of the Time" anyhow. :))

2/22/08

2/21/08

Nightmares Dominate Tuesday's Question



I know this frightening image goes against everything A Nice Place In The Sun stands for - what I mean is, this is supposed to be a cheer you up blog. But, I guess you can look at it is way- this will be one of the few times you will see such a ferocious critter on my blog, because I don't do mean. Furthermore, this frightful image does have a purpose, which is to illustrate how scary my visiting bloggers answers were to this weeks Tuesday's Question; Have You Ever Had A Reoccurring Dream?


The question asked Have You Ever Had A Reoccurring Dream?, but most of my readers reoccurring dreams were nightmares, hence, the scary picture. Although to be fair, not all of my readers reoccurring dreams were scary.

For instance, my good friend Sandee pointed out, and you'll notice when you read this post, that Robert at Observations from the back 40, has a nice reoccurring dream.

In addition, I Norris at Lit(erature) On Fire writes a touching story about her best dream, so they are not all terrifying, and the stories get gentler toward the end of the post.



So, with the exception of mine, here are my readers Reoccurring Dreams, or rather their answers to Tuesdays Question:

Have You Ever Had A Reoccurring Dream?


Here is mine:


My heart is pounding as I hold my son on a raft in the deepest part of the ocean at night. We are grateful for the light from the stars, which serve as our only compass in the middle of a vast sea miles from land. They twinkle like diamonds, reminding us we can see, even if we're too afraid to look in any direction. I can hear my son's voice, and the slap of the waves as they splash against the raft while it rocks miles above the the ocean floor.

I'm too scared to suck in enough air to talk to my son, whose face is ashen as he looks at me hoping he will read comfort in my face, so he can tell himself we're just on another boat ride, and we will return home safely. I fear I'm going to die from terror, because there is no land, no boats, no cell phone, nothing but the grace of almighty God to save us, then....

My boy falls off the side of the raft, into the deep water and away from my grasp- I feel frozen as I watch him slip into a sea of darkness leaving nothing behind but silence and the ripple of a small wave.

With one hand on the raft I dive as deep as I can and still hold onto safety, but I can't see him, until I let go of the life boat and dive deeper, praying I have enough air in my lungs to reach him.

The murky water is stinging my eyes, but I keep following him until I grab one foot, a foot that keeps slipping through my hands, but I keep grabbing and pulling until I pull him to the surface.

We're ahead now and burst through the top of the water, gulping air and treading around in circles looking for the life boat. However, when we spot it, the swim to it is another grateful accomplishment, or gift.

Then we rest, holding onto the side of the raft, turning around in circles listening to the water clap against the sides in the darkness, and again look toward the stars for navigation- when my little boy looks at me with water dripping from his eyelashes and says, "Mom, what are we going to do?"

I've had this dream three times, the last of which was about three weeks ago, and my son is now an adult. The first two times he was seven. It just terrifies me every time I dream it and I don't know why.

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Followed by my first comment from Sandee at Comedy Plus who wrote a terrific comment, even if it gave me daymares for a few days.


Sandee From Comedy Plus


Great question Ann. This is a reoccurring nightmare though.

When I was in my later teens I started dreaming about a horrific car accident that I had. I dreamed this same dream for about 3 years and I always woke up in a cold sweat and trying to scream, but nothing came out.

I was riding in a car in the passenger seat and a man was driving. In the back seat was a small boy. Unknown who either of these folks were, as I couldn't really see their faces.

I can see the accident about to happen and everything goes into slow motion. I brace myself for what is bound to happen and the last thing I see is glass exploding and the sound of twisted metal as we collide. The dream was exactly the same each and every time. One day I just didn't have this nightmare anymore.

Years later I had a son and relived the fear of this really playing itself out, but it never did. The nightmare was so vivid and horrific that I often dreaded going to sleep. I am thankful that it was just a nightmare.

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Followed by Robert at Observations From The Back 40's good dream



I have one with me and Ann Margaret in a hot tub of which I will keep the details to myself.....:))))


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Another nightmare from my good friend, Misty at My Dogs Keep Me Sane


That is a horrifying nightmare Ann - I'm so sorry you have to deal with that!

When I was young, I used to have a dream that someone would come in the window next to my bed in my bedroom. They would steal me away from my grandparents, and each time the dream would be different after that point, but each time, I was trying to find ways to escape and get back to my grandparents.

A couple of weeks ago, I had that dream again - and now, I'm 32 years old! However, I still woke up shaking and in a cold sweat



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"And the Dreaded house dream" Brrrr...scared me to death...


It's from my good and one of my favorite writers Dawn at Twisted Sister


The dreaded house dream...
I've been having it for years and each time the house is different but the theme is the same...EVIL.
I'm usually just trying to find my way out and there are lots of doors to choose from but evil lurks behind the doors and I am too afraid to open one... In the end I end up waking up in a panic and cold sweat.
And yes Ann, I know I'm nuts :)

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Next, I Norris writes about her best dream, which I found touching and kind. In addition, I would like to welcome her to Tuesday's Question.

I Norris at Lit(erature) On Fire



I know I've had recurring dreams, but I can't remember any of them now.

I did happen to have a really vivid dream lately that I'm going to call my best. In it I could fly. Rather than just seeing the view as if I was flying, I could really feel the wind and motion. I could feel the muscle sensations as my arms were flapping.

I flew to the top of a tree and sat and stared out over the top of a small town, not my own but one much more quaint. I was a teenager in it as was my husband, though we weren't married in the dream. I picked him up and we flew to this mountain on the bank of an island. I wanted to land several times in what I thought were beautiful spots, but each time he would complain.

When I woke up I told him about it and told him he should have been grateful that I was flying him around at all.

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Bluedreamer from Bluedreamers Top Five
(Which is another spooky one)


wow thats a great question i do have reoccurring dreams Ann
and up to know i keep on dreaming of it and i still don't know what my dreams wanted to tell me

everything was dark and quite and i am lying in the ground sleeping then i always heard a voice calling out my name in a soft voice
it was a voice of a kid

i woke up then look around of where the voice came from i run in the darkness with fear but still being curious

then i saw a light...and the kid ..the kid was kinda familiar with me although i cant see his face due to he's looking in the ground and i cant able to recognize it

then the kid suddenly stared at me i was so shocked that the kid was me when i was a child....i don't speak out something and still thinking of how is it happen

the kid wearing what i wear too and he don't stop crying
he walked to me and hug me then suddenly i cried too i don't know the reason but i felt too much sorrow when he hugged me

i really don't know why this dream keep on reoccurring
i consulted a physic about that and read a lot of "dream meanings book" but still i cant find the answer

dream sometimes want to tell us something
dream also warn us of a possible situation that will happen
but never ignore your dreams you must seek for a reason why you dream about it

let me give you a trivia gheeeh this is the first time to tell about this
this dream of mine is the reason why i called my self bluedreamer


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And My Sassy Mind

Nice question you got here. Sometimes, I get re-occurring dreams. It is like I thought the dream is familiar but I can't exactly recall when I dreamed it.. then after a couple of days, I just remember that my dream the other day was my dream last week. I don't know why things like that happen.. what do you think?


I didn't get a chance Sassy to answer your question in comments- But I know what you are talking about- it is sort of like a déjà vu feeling. I don't know what the deal is with dreams, except I suspect it is our sub-conscious way of keeping our mind and emotions occupied while we sleep.



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I would also like to welcome Chica to at I'm Just A Blogger Trapped Inside A Blog, to Tuesday's Question.


I've had the same dream my whole life, it varies every time though, but the place and concept of it all is the same. It's really just me being in some house, and whenever i open a door, I'm in another house or place, it's awful weird.

Thanks for visiting my blog, cool post. :)

And thank you Chica for visiting my blog and answering Tuesday's Question



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Well that's it folks, until the next Tuesdays Question. Now, I'm going to end this post with a comment from the same blogger who left the first comment- Sandee at Comedy Plus:



Well Ann, it looks like Robert is the only one with a really good dream. Why are we women having bad dreams? Strange. I don't like yours at all. It's even worse than mine. What a collection of nightmares. I hope you quit having this dream Ann. Okay? :)


If you want to read more from Sandee remember she is at Comedy Plus- she is too funny! Thank you everybody!


2/19/08

Tuesdays Question! Have you Ever Had A Reoccuring Dream?



Welcome to another Tuesday's Question: Have You Ever Had A Reoccurring Dream?

If the answer is no, then what is the best or worst dream you've ever had?

I can't wait to read your answers and don't forget your comments will be posted in a post tomorrow with a link back to your blog. It's my way of getting to know you better as well as spreading a little link love. In addition, I hope it will introduce you to each other, so don't forget to return tomorrow and read everyones comments, it's fun~

Here is my reoccurring dream:



My heart is pounding as I hold my son on a raft in the deepest part of the ocean at night. We are grateful for the light from the stars, which serve as our only compass in the middle of a vast sea miles from land. They twinkle like diamonds, reminding us we can see, even if we're too afraid to look in any direction. I can hear my son's voice, and the slap of the waves as they splash against the raft while it rocks miles above the the ocean floor.

I'm too scared to suck in enough air to talk to my son, whose face is ashen as he looks at me hoping he will read comfort in my face, so he can tell himself we're just on another boat ride, and we will return home safely. I fear I'm going to die from terror, because there is no land, no boats, no cell phone, nothing but the grace of almighty God to save us, then....

My boy falls off the side of the raft, into the deep water and away from my grasp- I feel frozen as I watch him slip into a sea of darkness leaving nothing behind but silence and the ripple of a small wave.

With one hand on the raft I dive as deep as I can and still hold onto safety, but I can't see him, until I let go of the life boat and dive deeper, praying I have enough air in my lungs to reach him.

The murky water is stinging my eyes, but I keep following him until I grab one foot, a foot that keeps slipping through my hands, but I keep grabbing and pulling until I pull him to the surface.

We're ahead now and burst through the top of the water, gulping air and treading around in circles looking for the life boat. However, when we spot it, the swim to it is another grateful accomplishment, or gift.

Then we rest, holding onto the side of the raft, turning around in circles listening to the water clap against the sides in the darkness, and again look toward the stars for navigation- when my little boy looks at me with water dripping from his eyelashes and says, "Mom, what are we going to do?"

I've had this dream three times, the last of which was about three weeks ago, and my son is now an adult. The first two times he was seven. It just terrifies me every time I dream it and I don't know why.

Have you ever had a reoccurring dream?

2/16/08

Saturdays Favorite Movie Moment : Tom Hanks and Robert Loggia in Big!



This Saturday's Favorite movie moment is from Tom Hanks 1988 blockbuster, Big, in which the star plays a thirteen year old boy transformed into an adult body by a magical gene machine at the State Fair.

This is my one of my favorite scenes, but the picture is fun, sweet, and hilarious from beginning to end- it's fabulous.

The Fifth Sentence On Page 123 Meme



Jamie at Duward Discussion tagged my great friend Sandee at Comedy Plus with the Fifth Sentence Book meme. Mary The Teach at Answers To The Questions tagged Jamie and titled the Meme the Book Meme whereas my sweet friend Sandee at Comedy Plus referred to it as the 123 Book Meme. So, I thought, I would come up with my own title as well so this meme is called the The Fifth Sentence On Page 123 meme, but it's all the same meme.

Thank you Sandee for always thinking of me! I enjoyed writing this meme because I love books, and the book I'm reading was right by me, so it was as easy as pie- that is, it was as easy as eating pie - not baking one, because it is not easy to bake a pie...

Anyway, all you have to do with this meme is find the book closest to you that has at least 123 pages, and...I don't know why I'm writing this- because here are the rules...


Here are the Rules:

1. Pick up the nearest book ( of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people & post a comment here once you post it to your blog, so I can come see.

The book I found is the one I'm presently reading entitled S Is For Silence, by Sue Grafton. After writing and publishing this post I noticed that Sandee at Comedy Plus and Dawn at Twisted Sister both added a plot summary about their books in their posts. Dawn also pointed out how this Meme is a good way to learn about what other bloggers are reading. Consequently, I learned something from my two great friends Sandee at Comedy Plus and Dawn at Twisted Sister again, who encouraged me to rise to the occasion. Therefore, I will write more about the book by my side, S Is For Silence. S Is For Silence is part of an alphabet mystery series written by Sue Grafton. The protagonist,(Kinsey) is a private investigator and each books title starts with a different letter in the alphabet. For example, the first book is entitled, A Is For Alibi, and the rest of the series titles will continue through the alphabet until she reaches the letter Z -

With each series title the plot moves through whatever case Kinsey is investigating, although what I love most is watching Kinsey's character develop along the way. It's as if Sue Grafton allows the reader to view more about Kinsey's character and personality in each title. You will love this series if you love books that focus on plot, character development, or just love a good mystery- all the ingredients are there.

The next three sentences after the fifth sentence on page 123 are:


"She put out her cigarette. "You have any change?"

"What for?" he asked, but he was already digging in his pants pocket, coming up with a handful of coins.



I tag:

Dawn at Twisted Sister
Misty at My Dogs Keep Me Sane
Robert at Observations from the Back 40
BMG at Soapbox Mom
Speedy at Speedcat Hollydale Page
Mel at Monday Morning Power

(Sorry, I pulled a Sandee and broke the rules a little- I added six) :0

2/14/08

My Readers Favorite Birthdays




My Readers gave sensational answers to Tuesday's Question this week! The answers are so good I'm not going to write much of an introduction except to express my heartfelt thanks to all who participated- all of you did a great job~


The first comment is from Sandee at Comedy Plus who (as most of us know) never plays by the rules and I'm glad, because this week, she treated us to not one, but two, of her favorite birthdays.





From Sandee at Comedy Plus

First, I'm sorry about Marie. Big hug.

What a great question Ann. I'm going to talk about two of my favortie birthdays. You know I never follow the rules Ann.

My first favorite birthday was my 30th birthday. I thought turning 30 was going to be tough and I guess because of that my significant other decided to do something very special. We went to San Francisco and got a room on the beach. I was told to dress very nicely because we were going someplace very special for dinner.

We headed toward the financial district and I was surprised that we ended up parking in the Bank of America building. We get on an elevator that went so fast that I thought I was going to throw up. Up to the 52nd floor to a place called the Carnelian Room. This is a five-star restaurant with views to die for. You even had to have a reservation for the bar. It was a magical evening with fine wines and heavenly food. Every need was attended to, and the views... There was even an attendant in the rest room who had the water warm for me to wash my hands and she handed me a real towel to dry with. Of course I tipped her. When we were leaving the maitre d' handed me a beautiful long stemmed red rose. All the ladies get one of these. It was a dreamy night out.

My second favorite birthday was my 40th. I was working at the Men's Jail and my lieutenant thought it would be funny to have my office painted black so he had my deputy come in and paint it at night for my arrival the next morning.

There was a black birthday cake, a shawl, cane, and a ton of other stuff that old people use. The entire squad room was full of people just waiting for me to open my office door.

Everyone sang happy birthday as I stood there in full dress uniform red as a beet. My lieutenant? I ended up marrying him 10 years later. Yes, my wonderful husband. I think I kind of loved him back then too. :)

February 12, 2008 6:12 PM
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Then Robert from Observations From The Back 40

The last one and the next one.. at my age everyone is a bonus...:))))))

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Followed by Dawn from Twisted Sister

Age 11. The one and only real birthday party I ever had... even if I did have to share it with my sister cause our birthdays were 10 days apart!


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The next comment really touched me, then I couldn't find the link to the blog.

Jacksonville Stained Glass, I'm so sorry you haven't been celebrating your birthday unless of course it's by choice. However, I also regret that I can't find a link to your blog. Tuesday's Question is a bloggers post, meaning I link back to the bloggers who participated when I post their comments or answers. So if you read this post, please let me know your url because I would love to add to this post. And thank you for participating~

Jacksonville Stained Glass wrote;

hmmm... Age 4. That was the only Birthday that I celebrated & invited some friends. And that was the last time we celebrated my birthday.

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My next participate is the writer of one of my favorite new blogs. If you haven't read Retarded Sushi yet, go and read it right after this post, it's great. (that is if you have time, I don't want to be bossy or anything)


Here is Pilotg2 from Retarded Sushi answer



My 27th birthday. Not just because it is the most recent, but my wife always tries to make it an exceptional birthday for me. I am one of those December babies and hate having a birthday arround christmas, but at least it is a week before as opposed to on the eve or the day of. But my biggest complaint is always not having my name on the cake, but this year she made absolutely certain that my name was on the cake. And we managed to stretch the celebration out over a week.

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O.K. That's all folks! And I hope everyone comes back next Tuesday (and bless all of you who always do, you know who you are) for another Tuesday's Question!

Have fun!

2/13/08

You Cannot Count On Anything Anymore


You cannot count on anything anymore- not even your horoscope. Now, I understand that typos are a problem these days, but there are some things you should be able to count on...like your horoscope...



For example, here is my astrology report for today- which by the way, I clicked on out of curiosity~


"Your mind is kind of stuck in the past, though it may not be such a bad thing. Nostalgia can be as good ass it is bad sometimes, so indulge yourself in a little stroll down memory lane."


What am I supposed to do with that? I don't understand what it means, let alone know what I'm supposed to do with my day. You cannot count on anything anymore...



Authors note: Stayed tuned today for readers comments to yesterdays Tuesday's Question.

2/12/08

What Year Was Your Favorite Birthday And Why ?

"I had more candles on my cake! Although, I guess that's not something to brag about though is it?- Well, never mind." :)

What year was your favorite birthday and why? First, let me apologize for posting Tuesday's Question so late in the day. My stepfathers mother, Marie, passed away yesterday so I spent today at the funeral home saying goodbye. Although, with the exception of today I've been running behind a lot lately, for no apparent reason and with no acceptable excuse for my tardiness. Plus, in case you haven't noticed this is the third Tuesday's Question I've posted late in the day in the last three weeks. I've just been in a quandary for some reason, but at least today I have a legitimate excuse for my tardiness.

I would have postponed Tuesday's Question and almost did, but Marie was not the type of person who would have approved of a postponement-people of her generation invented the attitude behind the expression, "the show must go on," in addition to having the ability to teach us lessons even after their death. Moreover, she would have been delighted to know that I returned from her funeral, and wrote a post about the celebration of life-

Therefore, today's Tuesday's Question is What Year Was Your Favorite Birthday and why?

But before you answer, I want to tell you something real quick- I wrote a post yesterday that will serve as the perfect example of how one person can change the attitude of another in just one day. The post I'm referring too, I was writing before we found out about Marie's passing. However it's interesting because I was feeling like the Old Maid in the deck of cards, because my birthday was Sunday, and all day I thought about the deck of Old Maid cards. I felt down yesterday because I have lived 30 something (O.K. forty something) years, and today I feel admiration for a woman because she lived 92 years.

Am I a wimp or what? I wasn't sure which post to post first, but I decided I had better post this one first, since today is Tuesday and the Old Maid post was supposed to be posted yesterday... However, when you read it after this post remember my attitude will have already reversed.

Alright, I'll stop babbling now so you can answer Tuesday or almost Wednesday's Question:

What Year Was Your Favorite Birthday And Why?

2/9/08

A Scene from Paper Moon Is Saturday's Favorite Movie Moment




This Saturday's Favorite Movie Moment debuted in 1973 and starred Ryan and Tatum O'Neal- Tatum who won an Oscar for the role.

I remember reading the book during class in Junior High, when we were told to read a chapter out of our textbook. I used to hide whatever novel I was reading inside my textbooks- I bet my teacher wondered why I never knew the material, because I read a lot of books that year.

Enjoy this scene, which is one of my favorites, and if you've never seen the movie or read the book, do both, it's a great story.

Happy Saturday!

2/6/08

Bloggers And Bloggets Worst And First Jobs


I thought this was the perfect image to use for how one feels on the worst job of their life- the calf representing the boss of course, with his wicked little controlling grin on his face.

There is nothing worse than an awful job, in fact a terrible job can make such a strong impression on you that you remember the "feelings" associated with the it more than the details of your job description.

And oh, what a powerful feeling it is, for instance this Tuesday's Question was a choice between two questions to answer, What Is The Worst Or First Job Your Ever Had? And although there were a lot of first job answers, the worst job comments were packed with the details on how the jobs made them feel...

Which proves the best advice my grandfather ever gave me and told me to never forget, and I'm sure you've probably heard before... I don't know the exact quote so I won't put it in quotations (I just wanted it to be clear that it is not an original thought, as if)

Anyway, what my granddad said was that people will forget many things about you, but they never forget how you make them feel. Therefore, it seems it's also true about events or experiences, which is odd because people also run from pain and toward pleasure, but we recall the pain in so much more detail. Anyway my intention on A Nice Place In The Sun is for people to leave the blog with a good feeling- you know how some movies or songs, blogs etc.. leave you with a good feeling? So my apologies if I stirred up yucky stuff memories, however, I can't promise I'll always think of happy questions... because I'm afraid my blog would become too sentimental, gushy and unreal. In addition, I 've learned so much about all of you by asking questions about life, especially the bloggers who regularly answer Tuesday's Question- who by the way are just amazing...

I think this weekly feature has been really exciting and I cannot believe how long it has been going on...Next time you have a chance (I'm working on a making it easier) glance through my labels and click on Tuesdays Question and Readers Comments. The responses are remarkable and if you read through them all you will learn so much about your fellow bloggers. I'm trying to think of ways I can shine more light on your past comments. I think I'm going to make a Tuesday's Question page when I can figure out how, but something, because again, you are very special and your comments full of everything that makes us human: laughter, fear, memories, crazy experiences, etc... I'm in awe of ya and will throw my hat in the air for you soon!

Now, it's time to get on with these great comments, right? Just click read more and remember each bloggers link to their blog is next to their comment:



The first comment is from a wonderful writer Jackie at The Painted Veil



Hi Ann,
Wow I didn't think I would make it in today.

We had some really bad stoprms move through and I had to shut down.

Well I have certainly had some doozies in job force that's for sure.

But, my very worst by far was when we first arrived in Maine.

I went to work for a very brief time as a telemarketer. And the sub-contractor I worked for had no ethics whatsoever.

All was fine the first thirty days while training at minimum wage.

But, then they transferred me over to pay based on the number of people I could talk into signing up for something that in the long run would only add to their phone bill and not save money.

The very first day I was transferred was the day I quit. The owner of this company had tons of people's personal information. This information was supplied to them by one of the world's largest telephone companies.

And, she would take this information and call into the phone company pretending to be the actual person so she could get their latest account information.

By having the person's latest account info. was most definitely a plus if you were going to sale them this plan.

Well, I absolutely refused to do this. Not only was it unethical, but, it is also a federal offense.

I may be blond, and a little numb sometimes but even I know that you don't mess around with the FCC.

So I simply got up and walked out.

The whole experience truly was a nightmare from the start. Telemarketing is a nightmare job and I simply am not tough skinned enough, or, unethical enough to ever have been successful.

That's it...not very funny I'm afraid. But, it is very true.
Hugs,
Jackie:)

February 5, 2008 2:32 PM

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And another wordsmith Robert at Observations From The Back 40

We truck drivers have a hard row to hoe...:)))..mine was a bricklayers helper..I carried bricks up that ladder so many times I was pooped by lunch..not one brick at a time either slats of them 12 to a slat..
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Next, is a newcomer to Tuesday's Question! Welcome

Retarded Sushi

First real job with a paycheck and w2's...the Boy Scout shop. My first and only experience in retail. At least the store was usually very empty leaving plenty of time to play hide the shirt clip thingies. And by shirt clip thingies those little plastic clips that were on the folded shirts. They had to be removed before hanging the shirts. I had a collection of arround 5 lbs of the little buggers and decided to start hiding them through out the store. I heard a few years after I left that they were still finding them.
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Next, the hilarious Paula From Six For Paula

Great question Ann. I love your stories. You and I seem to have led really interesting lives. :-)

The worst job I ever had was a temporary position as a giant Twinkie. I had to wear the Twinkie the Kid costume (complete with cowboy hat that seemed to be about ten feet high) and do promotional stuff at grocery stores. Kids punched me, Japanese tourists wanted their picture taken with me, and it was hot and stuffy.

Once, I ran into my best friends dad while wearing the big suit. The "mouth" portion of the costume was somewhere around my neck/chest area so I couldn't talk. I saw my friends Dad and started to move towards him waving my arms and shouting "Hey Mike!" He was horrified and ran ff. Later when he found out it had been me, he said he heard muffled scary sounds coming out of this giant Twinkie "guy" w who was moving erratically towards him. Needless to say, we had a big laugh.

-And hilarious post Paula!-
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Karen at I'm Just A Little Fish In A Big Pond misunderstood Tuesday's Question and wrote a post with her answer. (LOL) Which is a great post by the way about her first job, and here is the link:

My First Job

Thank you Karen~
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Next up, one of the Queens of Tuesday's Question, and my pal Sandee from Comedy Plus who writes the best comments and most hilarious posts on her own blog, Comedy Plus:


You and I had like jobs. I too was a waitress, bartender and deputy. I also raised my son for the most part alone. I'm proud of it too. Worst job. I really didn't have a worst job. I truly can say that I didn't hate one job that I have had. So, I'll narrow it down to not my favorite.

Working graveyard (11P - 7A) anywhere is not great fun. I've worked graves as a waitress and as a deputy/sergeant.

As a waitress you always got to deal with the drunks at two the in the morning. Of course I was sober and it really gave you a good look at how stupid and rude people could be. I didn't care for that much. Then an hour or two before your shift would end, all the morning people show up all wide awake and ready for their day. That really made me tired.

When you work in jails all the inmates are sleeping and it's tough to stay awake. There are also less staff during this shift which even makes it worse. Our bodies really don't like to be awake at night. Well, mine never did.

The toughest time about working graves is about four in the morning on. The sun is going to come up and you are even going to feel more tired. The winters were the worst. You went to work in the dark and came home in the dark. There just wasn't any day at all.

My son is now 37 years old and I'm retired with a very nice retirement. I wouldn't change a thing even if I could. Whatever I did kept a roof over our heads and food on the table. I'm very proud of that. :)

February 5, 2008 6:38 PM

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Jackie from The Painted Veil stopped back by and tagged me with the Smiling Through The Tough Times Meme Thank you Jackie and I think it's a great idea for a meme and you're right you will get to know the bloggers you tag better! LOL

Hello again Ann,
May I introduce you to a new game?

It's called tag and run for the hills:):):)LOL!!! I'm running now!!!

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The next comment came from Arti, and I'm sad because I cannot find the link to his blog. At first I didn't know what to think, but his blog is from blogger- it's just a private profile. Anyhow, thank you for your comment Arti and I'm sorry I couldn't give you a link back. If you leave me a message in comments however I will be glad to link back to your blog~



hi Ann
the first job of mine was worstest experience coz i didnt know any thing about the concept of the job. i join as a telecaller in a logistic compay(freight forwarding and custom clearences) where i called the exporter and importer of the city n ask him , Do they intrested in our servicees. but when they ask me about the rate ,flight ,or collect or paid shipment criteria i m unable to tell them coz i m new n short of knowledge. the thing i feel embraced when i called a importer n said "do u intrested in our services" and he replied , "mam first tell me who r u, ur company name n detail about ur company profile after that i sould tell u, oh!that moment..........

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Next is Jackie from The Painted Veil coming back to make a comment to Sandee, (LOL) which I love because that is exactly the way I've always envisioned Tuesday's Question to work- sort of like a weekly forum or party with blogging buddies around a question each week, so thank you Jackie for keeping this party going...(smile and hug)


Oh Sandee,
I have to agree with you about working the graveyard shift.

I too did that as a waitress and the drunks were always such a drag!!

I can't even begin to imagine working as a deputy and dealing with them!!



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And last, but most certainly not the least, another Queen of Tuesday's Question, great pal, and a blogger who can certainly turn a phrase, Dawn from Twisted Sister:


Ann... my worst job is the one I'd like to forget! I try not to think about it. My sister Ann and I had just moved and we needed jobs desperately and took the first available positions we could find... at a dry cleaners. Ann was told she would be working at the front counter and I was brought to the back of the building. It was like a sweat shop and I was given the job of washing the greasy coveralls belonging to the local garages. I couldn't believe it but decided to stick it out until I could find something better. The heat was unbearable and I worked alone with no one to talk to. After about a week I put in my notice and the owner wanted to know why I was quitting.. so I told him if I could work on the front counter in the AIR CONDITIONING I might stay.... HIS REPLY.... No your sister is PRETTIER THAN YOU!

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From Me~
I'm sorry but I have to say I can't believe what your boss said Dawn! That's horrible, and I can't even see how it could possibly even be true. I think it knew he was wrong to put someone to work under those kind of working conditions. Isn't the clinical term for that called transference or projection (From my pop psychology magazine reading) you know when someone transfers something onto you that really they feel about themselves? I'm sorry to go on like that it's just that his comment made me mad- mean people stink---!

From me again: Thanks for contributing to Tuesday's Question and have a super, fantastic, and every other adjective in the world week!


2/5/08

What Is The Worst Or First Job You Ever Had ?





When I looked through my archives of Tuesday's Questions this morning to make sure I didn't repeat a question, I noticed that a lot of my regular post titles are questions- I guess because I'm so inquisitive, (which is something you probably didn't already know about me.) Anyway, I thought I asked this question before but I haven't- what I did was write a post entitled My First Job At Chicken Coop, although it wasn't my worst job... and I never asked either question. So this week for Tuesday's Question you get to pick which one you would prefer to answer.

So you can tell us about your worst or first job experience, but remember I will post your comment tomorrow with a link back to your blog, so it will be published for the world to read. (Smile) Also tell your readers that you answered Tuesday's Question, and maybe they can meet a few more bloggers while they're reading your comment and vice versa. Also if you prefer I can link back to the post of your choice instead of your landing page- so please leave the url in my comments and I will be happy to post another link instead. Maybe you have a favorite post in archives that some of your readers missed or your new readers haven't read yet?

Tuesday's Question is my way of connecting and giving thanks to all of the great bloggers who have supported this weekly post and read A Nice Place In The Sun period! I want to say thank you, introduce you to each other, and let you get to know me better!

So I'm going to share one pretty funny post link about my first job at Chicken Coop, and another funny now - sometimes funny then- post about my worst job that I wrote today.

I couldn't stand many jobs over the years when I was a single parent which I'll touch on briefly, then it's your turn! Have fun-


The years after my divorce taking care of my son on my own were the best and hardest years of my life... My main objective everyday was how to manage keeping our heads above water, so you name the job, and I've done it, well...just about everything...

I did write but a writing career was out of the question in those days, with the exception of writing and selling ads for magazines; therefore I was a bartender, a waitress, a deputy, a public relations manager, a sheet rock hanger, a painter, and I even cleaned a few houses....but the absolute worst job of all was driving a meat truck.

At first, I thought the job was perfect, because I could pick my son up from school in the afternoon and continue working- although I didn't expect him to hide in the school bathroom due to his embarrassment of the truck, so that I had to get the janitor to go in the boys bathroom and drag him out while my refrigerator was running in the truck...nor did I plan on having to deal with his adamant refusal to sit on the seat where anyone could see him, preferring instead to sit below the seat where he could view the road fly by from a crack in the floorboard.

The truck was refrigerated so I had to keep it running so the meat wouldn't spoil, hence it ran in our driveway, in front of my son's school, while I went to teacher/ parent conferences and in the grocery store on my way home. My products only amenity was the fact that the meat was vacuum packed, although most of my customers bought some from me anyway either to get me off of their driveway or because they could see my son sitting on the floorboard doing his homework.

Oh how I hated that job, the only one I hated worse was the one I had next, which was selling potato chips on one of those giant potato chip trucks. Except I didn't last long on that one, not after I got the truck stuck in front of a local supermarket all day until it was too late to set up my "chip stand" a part of the job in which I will spare you the details. But, I still believe all work is honorable, and it fed, clothed and put a roof over my son's head- and also a floorboard under his feet- and a refrigerator truck full of meat...in fact come to think of it he would love that truck today...well no, on second thought he wouldn't, but we do laugh about it all the time...

O.K. Your turn~


2/4/08

Weird Things About Me




Drowsy Monkey">Drowsy Monkey tagged my good friend Dawn from Twisted Sister with the 7 weird things about me meme, and Dawn tagged me. I usually avoid the Weird Things About Me Meme's, because, who wants to admit weird things about themselves, especially if they happen to be neurotic? But in this case, I made an exception because, Dawn is my very good friend and has been since I began blogging, and I think that is enough of a reason to swallow my ego and do away with my dignity.

Therefore, here are seven weird things about me the first of which may frighten you from reading the rest, but we will see...

The first weird thing comes from a guilty conscious or at least it’s what my best friend from high school and I decided, since she does the same weird thing-

I'm going to try to articulate the first weird thing about me by giving a made up scenario as an example… So imagine this... While visiting a friend’s house out of town for a while, the friend comes to me her eyes wild with disbelief and says, “Someone took my grandmothers jewelry from my dresser, Ann! Can you believe that? Who would do a thing like that?"

My reaction would be: My eyes would avert away from her, resembling the expression of a bored monkey looking away with disinterest, and a finger in its mouth toward a more amusing event. In the meantime my neck would turn rosy, orange, or blue, but different colors, because when this is happening I actually feel what I think a heated crayon would feel like coloring my neck and face- with the words I am G-U-I-L-T-Y ! When in fact, I would never do something like that in a million billion trillion… years!

Actually, one of my best qualities is honestly especially in friendship, but in this type of situation I would still feel like I appeared guilty, and because I feel as if my expression is that of someone on the wrong side of the law, or the wrong side of everywhere, I think I look that way as well, but that is another meme and another story. My point being, that because I actually feel as if I am guilty, I give off the impression when stuff like this has happened, maybe not that exaggerated, but you get the drift. I am not as bad about it anymore, but my best friend still wrestles with it, and she is the only other person I know who has experienced the feeling. I used to worry that something really serious was going to happen one day and I was going to spend the rest of my life in jail for the for something I didn’t do. This neurosis did as I afore mentioned get better after I realized where it might have come from. I had a critical stepfather who always thought I was lying about everything, so go figure…

Now with the number one weird thing about me out of the way maybe you will believe the next six will be easier to swallow and keep reading….

2) I wear socks all the time, except if I’m on the beach or laying in the sun or in the bathtub…I even sleep in socks … I wore socks when my son was born even though the delivery nurse tried to take them off after she locked my legs in those stir-ups, but my husband put them back on and finally the Doctor told Hitler’s sister to let me wear them if I wanted too.

I have a box of keep sakes I brought home from the hospital that contains my sons baby bracelet , a Hershey bar his daddy gave me, (can you believe I saved that?) a bottle of wine, and of course, the socks I wore during his arrival into the world.

In addition, these socks were not just regular socks they were designer socks… I was not going to have my baby in plain white socks, no sir, these socks
had pastel pink, gray, and blue diamond shapes on them. My Doctor laughed throughout the delivery while my husband (a psychologist) tried to engage him in a conversation about what made people neurotic -no doubt afraid his child was going to inherit my penchant for socks.

O.K, let’s see what else I can think of that is weird about me, seven things Dawn? This is too HARD.



3) I laugh at the most inappropriate times and situations, which I know is a common weird thing to do, but I have the audacity to laugh or begin to smile while someone is telling me about something awful for the first time. I do not know if it is the shock of the expression on their face, or the deep emotional response expected from me, but I feel like running away and hiding behind a tree, where I can let out a huge laugh then return to the person say, “That’s really terrible news.”

4) I cannot eat in a restaurant if awful music is playing in the background. Even if the music is low, especially if it’s low, I cannot tolerate it and it takes me forever to order from the menu. Although it takes me forever to order from any menu anyway, the mission is impossible if the music is awful…you get the picture.

5) I can’t pee in a public bathroom if someone is in the stall next to me, and can hear my pee hit the water in the toilet…it just seems to personal… I don’t want them to witness the sound of my pee… “They just don’t know me like that” Isn’t that a song. I think it is, I heard the saying or the song somewhere, anyway I apologize to the artist who wrote it.

O.k. again number six, (I hope I have a blog after this) Lets see, hmmm Sometimes I blush for absolutely no reason when someone is talking to me, and it’s always a stranger and they always misunderstand my blushing for attraction- which wouldn't be terrible if I were attracted to them, but I never am! Then, the guilty face thing starts, followed by more blushing, and laughter, then I have to go to the bathroom- and it’s usually a public bathroom, and you can guess the rest.

7) I have to run the water in the bathroom sink when I brush my teeth…


I'm going to end this meme with Dawn's words and say "enough weirdness for one evening" (except she said the word "day") and tagged these two bloggers with The Seven Weird Things About me Meme:

Sandee at Comedy Plus
Misty at My Dogs Keep Me Sane

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For only they know
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