Blackberry Love

I just realized that I have never talked about the love of my life. Nope not my kids. They have a different kind of love from me. That love is called "I gotta love 'em no matter what". No this would be my Blackberry Curve. It is in the most fantabolous color, purple, which is my favorite color.



I got the phone in February of this year. It is my first smart phone and I absolutely love it! I'd consider an iPhone, but I hate AT&T so opted for this one on sprint. I have never looked back! I must say that smart phones are awesome and are seriously fun to play with. Oh yeah and of course you can talk on them. But I have to say that for me social networking is probably the reason I got the phone. I am happy and I will never look at a standard cell phone again.

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Working on my Music List for NaNoWriMo

I love music. I love listening to whats on the radio, but I love when I personally find a new artist, at least new to me. I am an avid viewer of Castle, an interesting TV show on Monday nights. It stars one of my favorite actors, Nathon Fillion from the Joss Whedon universe (Buffy season 7, Firefly/Serenity). I actually came to the show late in its first season, but have been watching every episode since. So last night, when Beckett (the female lead character) took a bubble bath the most amazing song came on.

At that point I went into scooby-doo mode and looked online for that song. I found it and then listened to the album and instantly fell in love. The girl is named MoZella. She is from Detroit and what amazed me about her is that she is such a soulful singer. She is what you would call blue-eyed soul. I can only describe her as a mix of Joss Stone, Adele, and Duffy and yet she is something different. The album the song is featured on is called I Will and came out 2006, and the album sounds brand new to me, and not the obvious cookie cutter sound that is so prevalent on the top 40 radio. The song is called Can't Stop, and this album will be going on my music list for NaNoWriMo. It is just awesome!



I also have one other album I found from a TV show. I am also an avid viewer of Dollhouse, and yes this too is another Joss Whedon awesome show. Well last season they featured the most amazing song towards the end of an episode and I will I admit I rewinded that song so many times. The artist called Sia and again searched for it online and instantly fell in love with her. Her sound is totally Unique to me, but she can only be descibed as a bit of Duffy mixed with a bit of Amy Winehouse yet her own sound. The song is called "I Go To Sleep".



And one other album on the growing list is Muse, the Black Holes album and their new one The Resistance. The song that made me uber excited for the album is called "Uprising". I first heard them 2 years ago, the song "Knights of Cyndonia". The one thing I've loved about them is their sound which is a mix of Queen and ELO-Electric Light Orchestra. Yeah I am kinda a music nerd, not a huge one, but enough of one, to know what I like! Also cuz I am sci-fi lover this new song is in the promo for the revamped V on ABC. I saw the pilot at Comic this past summer and I can tell you it is gonna be AWESOME!





Ok this is part of my writing music list. Have you any music you listen to that just does it for you?

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Having the sex talk with your kids

This is one of those topics that some parents seem to dread. Not me. Why? Well because when I was in elementary school, I was totally clueless, until the 6th grade where the teacher took on the role of parent for one week and taught us all the basics of our bodies and what the male and female body parts were.

That’s nice and all but I wish my parents had the guts to tell me themselves. It was an awkward time for me and as kids do, we all laughed at the words. The whole thing was funny. Especially as the films had to be at least ten years old.

Fast forward to the future. I had the talk with my kids. I refused for them to have wrong information, or learn it from other kids. So I asked my boys point blank one day where do babies come from. Now I asked this question while I was driving us home from work and school. And I thought it was a good place, you know all together in one place. FYI don’t ever talk your kids about sex ed in the car. Why?

Well the answers they gave me made me laugh so hard I almost ran us off the road. So not a good place to have the talk. Here is what they told me. They said that babies come from a girls butt. After I controlled my laughter to a titter, I had to ask where they got that idea. Well since girls sit down to pee, the only logical conclusion was her butt as they thought that is where a girl peed from. More laughter and tears were streaming at this point.

So I explained that a girl has two holes down there, one to pee the other to poop. And then I explained the process of how a baby comes out of the hole, and the look on their faces told it all. Girls were icky to the 10th power.

Of course we have had more conversations on the sex talk and as they grew older, I incorporated words as to what the body parts are called and all that good stuff. The only talk I was leery of having: why they took such long showers? Did have it, but it was hard to explain that part and quite awkard all around, lol but I’d still rather tell them about that then talk to girl about her period. I don’t envy any parent that task.

The purpose of this is that it is best to have the talk with your kids before other influences come in to play. It is better that they have the right knowledge than some of the idiotic things kids come up with. Thanks for stopping by and don’t be afraid!

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Memory Triggers

I saw a red Delorean this morning on the freeway on my way to work. On the back of the car was this contraption that had me wondering what the “heck is that”?

As I got closer to the vehicle I saw that it was that blender contraption just like in the movie Back to the Future! Then I started thinking about the movie that came out in 1985 and how at 14 years old, I saw that movie countless times, because like every body was in love with Michael J. Fox.

Then as I was going down memory lane, I realized that there were no red Deloreans (at least not factory color). Then upon further inspection of said memory, the car itself became funny to me. Why? Because in 1985, that was our version of a futuristic car and yet it is in no way a reflection of what is out there today.

The purpose of this post, is that everyday there is something out there that will trigger a memory from the past, and this straight took me down a path of fun time memories for me. Being 14 with no cares in the world, except what was happening at school. I was in the ninth grade and I had my first boyfriend, Michael Jackson was singing "Beat It" and everyone was doing the "Thriller" dance.

This was a time of awesome clothing (I am so lying right here!), and awesome phrases. Cheesy movies and even more awesome the video games that were supposed to be the it games! All in all this was a fun little memory for me and if I ever forget it, I can always go online and watch How were the 80's on VH-1, cuz frankly, it seems people can't leave the decade alone!

Thanks for stopping by!

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Take this blog...and love it!

I've been trying to figure this blogging thing out and I think I have it. I've been blogging since March this year, and it has taken me this past week, to understand how to get traffic to my site. I can tell you this, it takes a lot of friggen work!

But I can say that efforts are beginning to pay off. Glad people are stopping by to see what I'm all about.

The name of the blog Zesty Nachos is all about my life's little moments, and it was my son' s idea. I was trying to figure out a creative name for my site that also was about me. So Zesty as in a zest for life and Nachos, cuz everybody loves Nachos (at least I think that is true!)

So far the attention I am getting is uber awesome and I hope to reciprocate on other blogs as well. Showing love is an equal opportunity, that I am just beginning to understand! Happy Blogging ya'll!

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Cooking...Basic Skill Set #1

Why is it that young females these days don’t seem to have the basic cooking skills for when they leave the nest?

It is a conundrum to say the least. I use for example one radio dj of a popular morning radio show in San Diego. She has learned to cook somewhat now, but when she first came to the station, she basically didn’t have cooking skills, except to microwave stuff... WTFH?

Now this is something I didn’t understand. Maybe it was cultural? But it couldn’t be as her ethnicity should have guaranteed cooking skills. I was in shock over this. As she was in her 20’s I thought it was an awful tragedy. How can a female not know how to cook?

Now this is not about being that kind of woman who wants to set women’s rights back to the dark ages, but shouldn’t a woman learn this as a basic skill set?

Because of this, and I know there are probably more females like that out in the world, I’ve taken it upon myself to make sure my boys know how to cook. My oldest is quite skilled and I advised he should go to cooking school as he just a natural affinity for food, but that is not happening.

My youngest is learning though he is mostly a microwave cook at this moment.

But as I’m writing this, I’ve realized this should be a basic skill set for anybody after leaving the nest. And parents should be teaching this right along with teaching their kids right from wrong as well as to be a productive citizen.

Ramen noodles be damned! When my son is away in college he will be the guy who can cook up a complete meal and then some. And that is one skill I am glad to have taught him, especially as his efforts are damn good!

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Friends...How many of Us Have Them?

I can say the I honestly only have two best friends. While I am a people person and love to yack it up, I find that people just don't get me. My two best buds do and that is why I call them friends.

I have quite a few aquaintences both online and in the real world, like I said I am a people person. These are people I talk to, who I might even hang out with, but for the most part I don't trust people easily to come into my inner circle. I speak from personal experience.

In high school I had many friends and one girl in particular was a best friend. I knew her since kindergarten, though she moved away. I saw her again in junior high school and we basically picked up the friendship as if there was no time lost.

Well after high school, we still hung out, but I became pregnant at 19, and after I had my oldest I got my own apartment. Because her mom still treated her like she twelve, I offered her to let her move in with me, to pay half of everything.

Well she stayed with me a month. At first it was all good, until she started inviting her boyfriend and his friends to always be at the apt. They ate up everything and was using my phone like it was theirs. Then she got stupid and started buying her own food and such. She refused to pay the phone bill and by the end of the month, we hated each other.

Suffice it to say I never made that mistake again. Hell I won't even move in with my sister because one of us would be dead.

In hindsight though, me and the ex-best friend should have had a plan. I have not seen nor spoken to her since then and I don't regret it.

And this is why I only have two best friends. And that is how it will probably stay, unless I can find another person out there who can get my ways.

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Cat Sentinel

I've always wondered why cats just sit and stare, especially from windows. I was walking to my car this morning and I saw this cat just staring at me. I wonder why they do that? Frankly they give me the creeps. All stalking their prey, like mini jungle cats.

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Disturbing Behaviour...Could this really happen?

I am watching the movie from 1998 about a small town in Maine, where the adults are experimenting on the teenage population. These kids turn into some creepy stepford wives and the funny thing is all of the normal teenage angst that was suppressed has this weird side-effect that makes the kids become raging psychotics. This usually happens when they feel sexual attraction.

Now in the real world would this be possible? And why would it be ok for a parent to do that their child? I mean hell we were all teenagers once with all the feelings that comes with it, so why suppress it?

I know this is a movie, but I so believe that parents would do that, for the greater good. So yeah I freak out over movies that could be real.

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Depression...Not Just a State of Mind

Depression is no joke. It affects people differently and there are many methods to combat it from pills to therapy. I suffer from depression. I hate it, but I also refuse to take pills. When my middle son passed away in 1993, I lost it. I went to a therapist, who actually did not listen to me. It was so not like the movies, where you sit on the proverbial couch and talk about your feelings. Nope it was a standard doctor’s office with him behind a desk and me in front of him in a regular chair. He asked me what was wrong. I tried to tell him. Took ten minutes, if that and then he prescribed Prozac. That was it. No follow up, no couch, nothing. I took the prescription and for those who have taken these pills it takes a good four weeks before you even feel yourself evening out. Well I didn’t take the pills that time. I felt it was a waste of my time. And it was.

Then I had a break down in 2002. Not related to my son’s death, but just an overload of everything up to that point. I had to take a leave of absence from work and go see a doctor. Not a therapist or psychologist, nope just my regular family practice doctor. Got to love Kaiser. She listened to what I was going through and this is when I first learned about my depression. She prescribed, you guessed it, Prozac. As a side note, why are doctors so damn quick to offer pills as a solution?

Anyway this time I took the pills. These started working within three weeks, and I can honestly say I was evened out. I took these pills for about two or three months before I stopped. Why? Well I started having a weird side effect, and seriously thinking about it now maybe I was just going a little crazy who knows. Well my head started to feel as if it was swelling up, and I can say that is not a cool feeling. Hard to describe but it felt almost like my brain was expanding, like something slithering around my head. I know it sounds loony, but that is the best I can come up with. So I stop taking the pills and a few months later the expanding brain syndrome stopped.

Now I go through moments of being depressed, but I’ve learned to cope with it by doing some things I found that work for me. I write, I karaoke, I listen to music, I watch movies. Sometimes I don’t know it is upon me until I start to yell at my kids or I am short with people. That is not just my signal for PMS but also my gauge that something is up. I don’t tell many people about this side of me. Those who know me only see that happy girl who always has something to say. Me putting this out, I am ok with that. I am not an overly complex person, but I do have my problems. But don’t we all?

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Writing Full Time...I Wish!

I have been writing pretty much everyday since March 2009. I finally realize that this is what I seriously love to do. I want to write more and actually get paid more for it, but short of writing that novel, I am in a bind.

I feel that something is holding me back from the longer novel length story that has been itching to get out of me, yet the short writing exercises I’ve been able to do in the last couple of weeks have been truly rewarding.

I wish I can get paid to write short articles on a much bigger scale than I do now. I get paid a penny a page view, and I average about $50 a month. Not bad, but I wish it was more, enough for me to do this on a continuous basis. Meaning full time.

One person recently stated that I should look to get into the synopsis writing business. I tried to go online to check out rates and how I can get started but I was not able to find anything concrete. I know there is a job out there like that, because there are books out there that have brief summaries on the back. I know I can do that. Hell I do that in my articles which currently number at 105 articles to date.

I guess I’ll bide my time and wait. For now I am enjoying the benefits of free books to read and the exposure that my writing is getting. I only wish more people would read this blog. I have so much to say. =D

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Office Politics

I've been frustrated all week. I just need to let out some serious steam because work has been hell. My company was once a small family owned company that took care of its employees and did fun things like decorate cubicles for teammates birthdays, take off early on the day before holidays, company parties, that sort of thing. Well it got bought out by a big corporation. The problem is the small company is among other small companies and has to ask for permission small things if it is not within budget.

Why I'm frustrated is that there are not enough people in my department to answer phone calls which means that a lot of calls are coming thru but only so many people can answer it, which in turn frustrate customers who in turn frustrate people who anwer the phone! Not a happy time.

So I've been frustrated cuz there seems no end in sight. I like the company cuz some of the family members still work there and they are wonderful, yet with the small company swallowed up by the big fish it makes it hard to get out of bed. Just saying.

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New Blog Template

Finding a new blog template has been hard. I could not find anything in my favorite color, purple, unless it was super girly or pastel. Sorry that is not me. For this blog I wanted something that would allow me to be me and I found this Sunset template. Saw another blogger with it and I had to have it.

Until I can find the right kind of purple, this one will do for now. Maybe it will inspire me to keep it updated.

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Michael Jackson Memorial

I just watched it on rerun on VH-1 and I seriously was touched. I can't believe there is now a world without Michael Jackson. All of these people that came on the stage to speak or sing, who knew MJ or had met him, you could see how he truly touched people. He was a great humanitarian, a giver, and yet the only thing people want to remember him by is the negative things.

When he passed last week, I was on twitter, when the news came through that he was in the hospital. It was a surreal moment for me. Here I was an average fan, not in the fan club, no memobrilia what so ever, and never been to concert. I haven't thought about MJ not even in passing unless a song of his came on the radio.

But as soon as I saw that he was in the hospital, I felt outside myself and teared up. And then I remembered all of the moments in my life when he was important to me, which was mostly junior high or the Thriller years. I had a glove, both the Beat it and Thriller Jacket, and I knew every song that came on the radio. I was there when Billie Jean was first broadcast on MTV. These are the things I remembered in that first few minutes of finding out the news. None of the bad, negative things, but how he touched my life.

When it was announced hours later that he died, I was devastated and again I teared up. When it was time to leave from work, on all radio stations they played MJ songs and I had tears all the way home.

Looking at the memorial today, it brought home again that we are in a world without MJ to grace us with his presence. The memorial was tasteful, classy and I cried when those people like Brooke Shields spoke on what MJ meant to her. I cried when Usher broke down a little and I really cried when Paris Jackson spoke but a few, yet powerful sentences.

It was a beautiful service, and I truly feel like we as a people, and this is all colors, have lost a truly blessed man who believed in equality.

Thank you Michael, for the music, your compassion and above all else your child-like innocence. God bless you on your journey.

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Writer Suffrage

I think I realize why my writing has suffered. I am looking for encouragement from family members and yesterday (06/28/09), I had an epiphany: it ain’t gonna happen!

I’ve been writing or writing down story ideas since High School. I had quite a collection of ideas and short snippets, that if you were to ask me now what they were, I seriously couldn’t tell you.

Well when I was 18 I had an opportunity to go to Virginia and I went. Now I was a bit of a pack, still am. When I came back home after two months, I found out to my absolute horror, my mother threw out all of my writing. I was so angry!

She seriously took it upon herself to “clean” my room. What it actually was roomicide! I think I hated my mother at that moment, for not believing in my dreams. I have not thought about this incident for in like forever, but it just came back to me.

But the reason for the epiphany is that I had a funny idea for a story I was working out in my head, when I told my boys’ about it (very enthusiastically too) they both shot me down quicker than anything.

Some of their commentary?

“Wow that sucks.” “Nobodies gonna read that.” “Its better we say this than complete strangers.”

I was so hurt! I was excited and they shot me down. And that is when I realized I let my family get into my head and let my writing suffer. But no more. I want to cry at the wasted years.

While I’ve done most of my writing while I went school for an English major from 2003-2006, I still just kind of was waiting for someone to say “good girl”, “you can do it”, “we believe in you.” Guess what?

I believe in me.

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Twilight: Is Fighting Words to Some

My son, my 18 year old son, pissed me off a little bit the other day. See I am a tiny bit obsessed with Stephanie Meyer’s Twilight Books as well as the movie. I say a tiny bit, because I do not talk about it everyday, but I do sleep with Edward Cullen. You know the Edward blanket from Hot Topic? I see that blanket with his big ‘ol face on it and I smile. I also own several Twilight items that I am proud to display. From shoestrings to band-aids to an Edward watch.

But as I was saying, my son ticked me off. I believe he was reading some forum and someone happened to mention how stupid it was that the vampires in Stephanie Meyer’s book sparkle. He looked up from his lap top and asked me straight face, is that true. As I was ready to launch into my Twilight fever voice, he proceeded to laugh his ass off. Then as he saw the look on my face tells me that is the stupidest thing he ever heard of. Well as I tried to explain that it was her take on vampires, he absolutely refused to hear anymore on the subject.

Am I the only one in this world who has a child/husband/boyfriend (male) who just not get this phenomenon? I even told him before he opened his mouth to bash something to actually look at it himself. He refused of course. I swear for his punishment I want to tie him and force the movie on him. But that would Twilight abuse huh? Well he is an adult so I can’t go to jail, right?

I guess I need people like him to stop basing their opinions from other people’s opinion that still may or may not have read or seen the movie. At least my 14 year old wanted to see what it was all about before he made a decision, which he didn’t like it. That’s fine.

Granted this is all about opinions and such, but am I wrong in thinking that in order to be taken seriously shouldn’t a person have at least read or watched Twilight? Or is it me being a mom with boys instead of girls?

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Blast from the Past ya'll! 1980's Style

In no particular order, here are some of the cartoons I remember from my childhood! Looking at this list (and these are the ones I seriously remember!!) I was a tom boy. While there are a few girl cartoons, most of these were “boy” type cartoons! And at the time of the Robotech/Voltron cartoons, I had no idea what anime was. I just thought they were super cool massive robots that were just really cool to watch.

I wonder what all of these ‘toons say about me, the person I am today? Are they any ‘Toonologist in the house? I need to be analyzed stat! Another reason I think why I was so into the sci-fi cartoons, was when I was younger I wanted to be an astronaut or an anthropologist. I still am interested in both, but I was ready to go there. I think with the line up here my love for the future and space travel really shows through! Comments are welcome!

Beverly Hills Teens This one is so random! I saw this and instant memory! Loved this one, though I could not always find it on tv.

BraveStarr Had to watch this!! It was from the people who did He-Man and She-Ra!! Though it didn’t last long this was a good show.

Captain N: Game Master What can I say? LOVED this one as well. My brother had a Nintendo which came with Duck Hunt!! And while I was not into video games per se, I’d devoured the ‘toons religiously that came out!

Dragon's Lair Now this is one arcade game I played at Chucky E Cheeses! Though I loved the cartoon better! FYI-Don Bluth was at Comic Con last year (2008) and he totally signed my Dragon’s Lair comic book! Totally STOKED!!

Dungeons and Dragons It’s funny. A lot of these ‘toons were based on role playing or video games but I never really got into that. I just loved the cartoons. This one was soo cool. CBS on Saturday morning cartoons.

Galaxy High Now here is one that I can’t believe didn’t last longer. I believe it came on NBC? Now they have the whole series on DVD. I will have to get this one. This one was about a human kid who ended up in a high school in space and of course the aliens bully him. AWESOME show!

Ghostbusters filmation This one was not the real ghostbusters, but I thoroughly enjoyed it!

G.I. Joe Now, this toon. I remember I was in junior high school, and everyday I would hurry home to watch this most awesome show!! “Now you know, and knowing is half the battle” Still to this day say that phrase!

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Just wow on this one! I even own the movie with Dolph Lundgren! I mean the awesome powers!

Inspector Gadget I This one was cool. lol I mean you have this bumbling idiot with all of these gadgets yet his niece and dog were the true heroes. AWESOME show. And I loved the opening song for this one!

Jayce and the Wheeled Warriors Another sci-fi one in space.

Jem What can I say? This little cartoon ROCKED! It was about girls, some Synergy, and two musical groups who really sang their butts off! I still am waiting for a cd to come out! Side note: Barbie and the Rockets came out. Each doll had a cassette tape. Just telling you they sucked and sorry were not as cool! LAME

Kidd Video Serious, this was just a cool way to include videos into cartoons. Side note: didn’t have MTV so was mostly watching Friday Night Videos, so this was an extra special treat. Plus the original music was kick ass! Master Blaster in the Flipside!!

Pac-Man Another video game cartoon. I played this at the arcade. Though Ms. Pac-Man kicked major booty!

Rainbow Brite This one was soo cool!

Real Ghostbusters Now here was the real one and this one was true to the movie. Wish they bring this one back!

Robotech My first Giant Robot cartoon that was Japanese based. Did not realized it was Anime, but I loved the fact that they were in space and loved the look of it. Still love Anime, though it used to be called Japanimation. Dang as I write this I feel so old.

Schoolhouse Rock Speaks for itself. 3 is the magic number. Conjunction junction. I’m just a bill. I could keep going, but you get the picture!

She-Ra: Princess of Power He-Man’s sister and twin! Loved her though He-Man and his villains were better, this was a complete copy.

Smurfs How could I not include this awesome show! With like only one female. Hmm How come we never questioned this when we younger? lol

Snorks The Smurfs cousins, well at least that is what I used to think! Aquatic life never looked so neat! And all before Spongebob Squarepants!

Strawberry Shortcake How could I not include this! Have a berry good day! Had a doll that smelled like strawberries. And the relaunch? How dare they!! and they gave her short hair? Thank god for dvd's of the original!

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Loved those crazy turtles with their renaissance names!

Thundarr the Barbarian The intro to this cartoon! Just had serious flashbacks:

The year 1994: From out of space comes a runaway 
planet, hurtling between the Earth and the Moon, 
unleashing cosmic destruction. Man's civilization is 
cast in ruin. 

Two thousand years later, Earth is reborn... 

A strange new world rises from the old: a world of 
savagery, super science, and sorcery. But one man 
bursts his bonds to fight for justice! With his companions 
Ookla the Mok and Princess Ariel, he pits his strength, 
his courage, and his fabulous Sunsword against the 
forces of evil. 

He is Thundarr, the Barbarian!   

ThunderCats Loved this one!

Transformers The original was and still is the best! Thank god the movie follows this one and not say Beast Wars!

Turbo Teen How many people remember this one? A boy who turned into a car? Yeah this littel show ROCKED!

Voltron, Defender of the Universe Voltron had two shows, same situations but two different robots, one on a planet one in space! Classic!

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My son, the adult

My life, is at a turning point. My son graduates high school tomorrow (06/04/09). He will officialy be an adult, and I feel like I am dying inside. Maybe it is mommy blues who knows. I am having memories from the day he was born, to his first steps, to his first video game console. I am getting a bit weepy but that is my prerogative. This is just a short blurb on how I am feeling.

Here are some pictures of my boy from him at 1 week old to pretty much now. Enjoy.

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