My brother is not one for warm comfort. He wants to be there for you, but isn't into....you know...hugs. He tends to stand there awkwardly for a moment and then offers to buy me food. Recently though he has found a way to use modern technology to comfort not only me but anyone that is in his phone.

Let me start at the beginning.

One day Diana was in the basement, known as Frank's room. She was playing with some pretend friends when she suddenly stopped, took out a cell phone, looked at it, smiled, and put it away. This of course intrigued Frank.
"What was that Diana?"
"A text."
"...okay....what did it say?"
"Call Moxie."
He found this brilliant.
Now whenever I am having a bad day I know that at some point I will be receiving a text from the basement .

CALL MOXIE

The best part is it has grown. Dan will text it to me, Frank uses it at awkward moments with our parents, and we have created new mood lifting texts.

*BAZINGA
*BALLS
*I'M ON A HORSE
and our newest one
*PUKE PUNCH
(huge high five if you can tell where I got that from)

And now that you have read this post know that if I have your phone number and you are having a bad day I'll be sending you a "Call Moxie" text.

Feel free to do the same.

As you all know I have a strong opinion on LGBT rights (maybe too strong sometimes). One of the things I have noticed is that when some people hear you are "pro-gay" they instantly place you in some sort of political box.

"Pro-gay=tree hugger"
"Pro-gay=anti-war"
"Pro-gay=pro-choice"
The list goes on and on....

Well I'm sick of it.

I created a facebook group that helps to illustrate how truly diverse LGBT right supporters are. Example;




Do you believe in LGBT Equality? Then join the group, post your stats, post your own pictures and show the country how unique you are!

Sorry I've been distant, I still haven't gotten a personal computer.
But I have gotten an idea.
I am going to do a social media project for LGBT equality.
Don't worry, it doesn't involve money.
If you are interested in being a part of the first stage email me at;

mominreallife@gmail.com

For those of you that have already offered your help, thank you.
Seriously.
Your eagerness is the fuel that keeps me going.

So this past Sunday was Dan and I's 10 year first date anniversary.
It fell on the Super Bowl.
It fell on Meat Fare (the last day the Orthodox community can have meat till Easter).
We both knew how this day had to be celebrated.

MEATY DIP and GREEK BEER!!!!

I had planned on cuddling with him after the game but then a problem popped it's horrible head into the picture. Around halftime my brain started to yell at me. By the time the Saints were marching their way to a win (SPOILER ALERT) I was completely incapacitated by the worst migraine I had ever had.

"Rachel? You okay?"

"erotiugjnsrituj"

"Huh?"

"vsegibnsdf"

"Migraine?"

"agareg"

"Okay, let me take care of you."

From that point Dan walked me into my dark room, brought me water, medicine, massaged my neck and back, worked on my pressure points, and offered to sleep on the couch so that I would have the entire bed to myself.
It was one of the sweetest anniversary moments we've had. Anyone can give you flowers, cards, a dinner date. It's special when your significant other stops watching the biggest game of the year to take care of you, knowing that you are just going to fall into a drugged stupor afterwards.

No nooky, no nothing.

This morning Dan took Diana to school for me, left me his laptop, and called multiple times to check in on me. He went above and beyond the extra yard.

I'm blessed in ways I will never comprehend.

I love you Dan.

Please excuse;
1) My suddenly becoming a crazy person with my eyes
2) My needy cat
3)My losing my train of thought. I filmed this moments before I got hit by a MASSIVE migraine. That's why I couldn't reshoot it either.



Feel free to leave some congrats for Erin here or over at her blog!

P.S. After watching this, head over to my Wapsi Girl feature!!! I can't tell you how THRILLED I am to be a Wapsi Girll. Give me a little love ;)

I love hotel sheets because they are always clean, a blank canvas waiting for you to wrap your day into. When I woke up that morning I curled up in these sheets and was able to smell him. There was no hint of dog/cat/laundry detergent, just him and us from last night.
The curtains were closed, hiding reality from us. I rolled over to look at him and caught him watching me. I smiled a shy smile.
"What?" he asked.
"I love you," I breathed out.
"You're beautiful," he whispered back.
I wasn't that morning and I knew it, but I also knew that he believed it. I snuggled into his arms, breathing in the safety. For a while we lay there, ignoring the world. I memorized little parts of him. My fingers traced his ear lobe, my lips brushed his eye lids, my cheek felt the warmth of his chest. I felt him smell my hair and oh so softly kiss the top of my head.
Time stood still.
Eventually housekeeping knocked on our door, unlocked it, and broke the spell. She asked when we were leaving and I wanted to scream Never! but instead I said "Soon".
Slowly we got dressed and prepared ourselves for the weeks that lay ahead. Our work schedules meant that we would hardly see each other for a while. But that's why we had this night. So that when I was dealing with a difficult customer or when he worked his 2nd 12 hour day we would be able to look back at this night and smile.
And remember what it was like when we made the world stand still.

Over the past year it was brought to my attention that there was a blog designer out there that was basically scamming bloggers out of money. Some of her victims finally started talking to each other and they realized that if they teamed up they might have better luck getting some results. I offered to help them spread the word. Today I will post one of their stories and links to the rest as I get them. If you want to help them out then please repost, tweet, or link to either this post or their posts. If you posted a story about this send me the link and I'll post it here!
We are a community and need to look out for each other.

Its February 1st, and I have declared it blog scam awareness day. You may wonder why I so bluntly call out the name of Jessica Sanderson Bailey, truly a sin in the bloggersphere. I am sad to say that it has come to this and no other way.
Firstly I ASK YOU ALL, TO PLEASE: re post or re-link this post on your blog, I want it spread everywhere. It is important that as many people in our little blogger world gets this message.

2 years ago in April 2008 I noticed how some of the blogs I frequently follow had gotten a custom design on their blog. I was directed to this pink and cute delicious little site that specialized in blog design. The owner ran a blog called the tattooed mama, or mamabearjess. She customized blog designs to your liking. I thought since many had gotten such great results it should be trustworthy. So I made my inquiry.
Sure enough the tattooed mama was delighted to work with my design and asked me to pay 125 dollars for the services. *Looking back now I can see how I could have handled this better*
Then it started.
First she said she would put me on a schedule and get back to me about designs and stuff. In a week I got my design schedule, mine was scheduled August 2008, a bit long but hey she was doing this by herself. I was a bit worried of all the people who had signed up with her, and how she possibly could finish it. So I waited.
One month passed and nothing, so I write a mail.
She responds ’will most likely begin within the next few weeks“. Excusing herself that she has lots to do. Sending out this mail With a Schedule of what she is currently doing *click to enlarge*


I send a new email in August, reply:
Hi Michele, Your project began on August 20th and will be completed over the next few days! Will be sending over some snapshots asap.
In December after NOTHING I am really pissed so I send another mail, she replies.
Thank you for taking the time to send us an e-mail! We appreciate it greatly. Although we don't have a set schedule here at Delicious Design Studio, we do check our e-mail quite often. Since I am a work at home mom, the best way to reach me is through e-mail... although I am open to phone conversations on request! If I don't respond to your e-mail right away, please understand that this is the busiest time of the year for me. I may not get to all the e-mails, but I will sure try! :)
What can I do?? Now ONE WHOLE FUCKING YEAR PASSES, and all I get is the same automatic response, so I send out a stern letter. She says Hi Michele - I am sorry to hear that this is the 5th time you've e-mailed me! Has it been from this address?! I am sorry that I did not receive it. I will check my spam! :( I totally understand where you are coming from and I am sorry that I had not received your e-mails. I got this one however, so that's a start. Your design is scheduled to launch coming up in the next week. I would be happy to confirm a date with you to go over your mockups and get your design launched. Please let me know.
In September I email her about the mockups and this is my reply Thank you for the e-mail. You can catch me in the office Tuesday - Thursday evenings. Even when I'm away, I try to check my e-mail often and reply as quickly as possible. If you feel I've skipped over your e-mail, just send me a friendly little reminder. Have a great day and talk soon.
She then Writes back and says All projects will be done within Deceber 2010. After 5 MORE emails I write and say I want my money back NOW. After asking for the tenth time she replies with
Thank you for the e-mail! I have been out due to a number of uncontrolled events and personal issues in the family. All projects are in progress and are scheduled to be completed in a short amount of time. I can't thank you enough for your patience and understanding and know I am working as hard and as fast as I can to get these projects completed in a timely manner. Being as though I am not working as a web designer anymore, certain projects have been taking a little longer than expected. Please bare with me. <3
I now realize I have been scammed, and after posting a forum on 20sb so many other came out with exact same story. I want my money back and I want her to face the consequences of what she has done to so many people. I do not live in the US so I cant get a lawyer or file anything, but hopefully we can all do something together if we all raise our voice. Maybe someone out there can do something to help, This is a serious matter, we are talking about a woman taking money from us bloggers who most of us don't have 125 dollars to throw away. (or more as some have paid up to 200)
It needs to be stopped, it needs to be be put right. No one seems to be able to catch her and get a hold of her. All we want is our money back and for her stop doing this to others.
If you were affected by this scam you can fill out a form here http://macgeekgrl.com/?page_id=261
Jessica's yelp page is here http://www.yelp.com/biz/jessica-bailey-sarasota
Now Jessica sold her company dds to a nice man who is now suffering deeply by this scam, I want you to know that DDS is now a in good hands and run by a man who wants a little business. He has nothing to do with this. PLEASE I ask you to put some light on this subject, so please spread the word as much as you can through your blog, twitter, anyway you can help us I am highly thankful for. Here is also the link to the 20sb forum
http://www.20sb.net/forum/topics/blog-scam-please-repost

Here are other posts about this sad situation;
Tattoos & Cupcakes

Hope Dies Last

Just discovered a blog dedicated to this issue

Delicious Design Studio-Not

Here is a formal complaint on Complaint Board