To Every ACTION There is an Equal and Opposite REACTION

Since I am no longer obliged to write about things chosen for me by a blog challenge, I will now write whatever the heck I want. 


This is what I am feeling like right now.


Have you seen the video of Kristen Bell when she meets a sloth? If you haven't, you can watch it here, because it is hilarious.

This poor girl and I suffer from the same thing, in that neither of us can control the depth of our reactions.

(Hers might be a little bit worse than mine. Possibly)


I suck at reacting. I tell this to my husband often to try and dissuade him from surprising me with anything. EVER. I hate surprises. Because I never react appropriately.


Here's how my levels go.


Level 1: I get a surprise and I was expecting it/knew about it/didn't really want it. I try to act like I was genuinely surprised and that I wanted it, but I'm not fooling anyone. My face is like an open book, and this one will leave the giver with a fake grin and hurt feelings because they think I didn't like their surprise. (Sometimes I didn't. I'm not the only person in the world who has received something they didn't really want.) (I'm trying really hard to justify myself here.)


Level 2: This is the rarest of the rare...I react normally. Like any other sane person would react, I show moderate excitement and genuine gratitude to whomever is bestowing a surprise on me.


Level 3: This is the reaction I have most often, and I find it quite humiliating. Allow me to demonstrate with an anecdote.


Hondo and I are dating. I am at work, but I am having a bit of an off day. I was feeling rather un-pretty, which can really ruin a girl's day. He, being the charming and caring man that he is, sends me flowers at work with a card that reads, "Daay-uuummm, you look good." I am called to the front desk because I have a "delivery." I casually walk up and ask what's up. They point to the flowers. I immediately spring tears (I don't even know who the flowers are from yet, mind you) and say, "These are for me? From who?" I look at the card and begin shaking.


Yes, that's right. Literally shaking, as if I have been outside in the cold for hours. I try to cover it by grabbing the vase and saying, "Oh, that's so nice," but I can't fool my friends and one says, "Are you shaking?", compounding my embarrassment by pointing out such a ridiculous over-reaction.


Seriously. Who shakes because they got flowers? FLOWERS! It wasn't like he sent me John Mayer in a cake.


There have been various instances in my life where an actual person surprising me with their presence has led to an uncanny ability to teleport across rooms and into that person's arms. Others in my path in these instances may or may not have been knocked to the ground, even the sick and the elderly. 


My reactions could be generally classified as "over-reactions." And even though everyone else may not care, or even think it's cute (these would not be the people laying prostrate on the floor), I care. I really find it embarrassing. And annoying.


It's hard being me.

Quirky and Weird are two very different things

Me: Knock knock.

You: Who's there?

Me: Impatient cow.

You: im...Me: MOOOO!






It's better in person.

It's hard to say what "quirk" I have because I think I'm normal. I do things every day so they aren't weird to me even if someone else might think they are weird.

For example, I tried to have a "foot fight" with Hondo on the floor the other day, only to find out that no one else knows what that is. You put your feet against each other (bottom to bottom) and on the count of 3 try to push the other person's legs so they are bent up by their face and they're squished, and your legs are straight. Apparently, it's a game the Mahan kids made up.

I had no idea we were so creative.

I texted Hondo and asked him "What should I put for a weird quirk? Of mine. In case that wasn't clear."

His response? "You have to keep the shower curtain closed."

Wow. I'm the most boring person ever.

He says "Quirks aren't supposed to be cool babe..."

I say, "But I'm cool. And popular."

You know what he said? Nothing. He laughed.

So I've decided that my best "quirk" is my ability to interrupt conversations, even the most intense argument or important thing ever, by changing the subject.

I don't mean to be rude, and I'm really not trying to divert the conversation (most of the time), but sometimes I have a thought and I remember I want to ask about something or tell a story or something and if I don't say it right then and there, I'll forget. So I do. Interrupt, I mean.

Sorry about that.

Mock Lasagna Casserole

This is real lasagna. If you try to make the recipe I'm sharing and it looks like this, you're doing it wrong. Even though this does look delicious. I might have real lasagna for dinner tonight.
Photo credit here

My favorite "if I was on death row and had a last meal this would be it" food.

1 package noodles--your choice. I like to use shells, but you could use any really. Probably not spaghetti.

Boil the noodles in lightly salted water until done. Drain.

Sausage--I like to use the sage or hot flavored kind. Not breakfast sausage, ground sausage.

Brown sausage with approx. 1 tbsp italian seasoning, 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1 tsp onion powder, and any other seasonings you like. I'll add more if I'm using ground beef instead of sausage, which you can do.

Drain the grease, and return to pan. Add 1 jar of spaghetti sauce (or if you're a better cook than me, make your own. But only if you're a better one. If you're worse than me, don't bother. Just use the pre-packaged stuff.)

Layer noodles, 1/2 container of cottage cheese, 1/2 bag of shredded cheddar cheese, then meat sauce. Twice.

Put in the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Gobble. I love this because it is one of the only foods I like to have when it's fresh, and when it's leftover. I hate leftovers. But with mock lasagna, it's delicious.

Say What You Need to Say

Bucket List:

Ride in a hot air balloon (this is the closest I will ever go to skydiving.)
Travel. Everywhere.
Own a piano
Become a yoga teacher
Live in another country
Adopt a baby
Learn how to swim



I'm not very adventurous. I'm not very brave. But that is ok. I'll still try to stretch my comfort level.