Sherri's (Never A Dull Moment) World

Just Get Up & Dance

This new song by Steven Tyler just makes me want to dance:

 

I don't care if it is in my car, on my headphones, or just listening to it on a radio.... I just want to break out in song and dance along with it. Don't you???

Even the lyrics are FUN:

"I can hear it coming out of people's cars this summer"
- Steven Tyler
Lyrics :
Something cool went down,
As I was walking with a friend of mine, and I,
I still remember,
How she was smelling like the summer time, and,

And ooh... how it changed my mind,
Changed everything, about that,
Kind of girl,

It feels so good, loving you, yeah...
It's so good, the way you do the do...
It feels so good, and I need Oxygen,
Little bit of heaven doin' 24-7 again...
Yeah, again and again...

Like I was sayin',
My little cupid was real super freak, by the,
Time that I came down,
I'll get locked up in a room for a week,

And ooh... how she changed my mind,
Changed everything, about this,
Crazy world,

It feels so good, loving you, yeah...
It's so good, the way you do the do...
It feels so good, yeah and by the way,
Little bit of heaven 24-7 times a day...

A long hair ,

A double dare,
And I swear,
Little bit will do you some good...

Say where,
I'm goin' there,
And I swear
Can't get enough of you... hu, yeah, yeah...

(harmonica solo)

Ma bonsoir,
Excuse moi,
Ya ooh la la,
It's doing to me good... yeah, yeah, yeah...

(stop)

Uh yeee, It feels so good, loving you, yeah...
It's so good, the way you do the do...
It feels so good, yeah I need Oxygen,
Little bit of heaven doin' 24-7 ahhh...

It feels so good, loving you, yeah...
It's so good, the way you do the do...
It feels so good, lovin' you,
It feels so good, making love to you...
Uh, yeah.... uh eeee... uh yeah...

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah... yeah, yeah...

 

 

Right Now...

Right now...

1) I am reading the book, "The Beauty of Different" by Karen Walrond:

 

It is one woman's perspective on meeting interesting people that have stories to tell and are each very beautiful in their own unique way. I love that. True beauty is not on the surface, but rather what is INSIDE. I know a lot of truly beautiful people.

2) I am still a GLEEK for "Glee Club":

 

The latest episode had the Glee Club preparing for a alcohol prevention school assembly while they experimented with the "juice" on the side. I shouldn't have been laughing BUT it was sooooo funny with uptight Rachel throwing a party and those Glee kids facing hangovers the next day. Seriously. Those Glee kids just want to "fit in". High school is so painful.

3) I am knitting a scarf.... for me:

I can't wait to wear it before winter is over... with a T-shirt and jeans.

 4) I just ordered this book on animal behavior from Barnes & Noble.com:

 

I already know that contrary to popular belief-- chickens are SMART (at least, Rodgers chicks are!). I have heard that mice and rats giggle when tickled, but at such a high pitch that we can't hear them. I know that many bird species sing, whales sing, why not bats too??  I can't wait to read more!

5) I am in love with these new oatmeal dark chocolate chip cookies by Kashi:

 

Mmmmmmmm..... delicious!

6) Bill & I are laughing over Season 1 of "Modern Family":

 

We have caught random episodes here and there that were sooooooo funny that we asked ourselves,
"WHY aren't we watching this ALL THE TIME????" So we decided to start it from the beginning. It is TOTALLY worth it.... I can't wait for the episode where Cam and Gloria go out for dinner to get to know each other better (as extended family members). Gloria chooses a Mexi restaurant and Cam insists on ordering the same thing as Gloria-- Enchilada Diablo. The dish is soooo hot that he is sweating profusely, protests that he is "just fine", until he sees the waiter walking by with a water pitcher. He grabs the pitcher to pour it in his mouth and exclaims, "Please save me! My mouth is like THE SUN!" (insert hysterical laughter here)

7) I am counting down until this movie arrives at the movie theater:

 

Woo Hoo! Even Bill wants to see it! (That means we ARE going.)

8) I heard this song on the radio this week and it totally took me back to the '80s:

 

Yes, that's right. It plays in the "Sixteen Candles" movie near the end, when Jake finally finds Samantha and wishes her a proper Happy Birthday in his parent's house (that is totally trashed from the party held the night before). Oh how  I LOVE '80s music! This song is by the Thompson Twins.

9) I have a new puppet for my biologist toy collection:

It is a snail and it is so cute!

10) We woke up to 5+ inches of snow today:

And it is STILL snowing.... I love that.

I Think I Like It...

Do you ever get a song stuck in your head??? Most of you will nod "yes"...

I saw this cute little video clip for a new scrapbook product that will be in stores this spring-- they are fun little books, called "SMASH" journals, and you can add ANYTHING to them:

 

So the first song I thought of after watching that video was Enrique Iglesias' hit "I Like It":

 

And now I can't get it out of my head..... I want a SMASH journal and Baby, I LIKE IT!

"The Fighter" - Movie Review

Me & Marky Mark Wahlberg go waaaaaaaay back.

 
I met him while he was part of this cool '80s band:

I LOVED to dance to this song:

 

The band broke up. And then he started to appear in movies. This was one of my favorites in the '90s:

 
He kept appearing and disappearing. We watched him in "The Italian Job", "Four Brothers", "Three Kings", "The Happening" and "Planet of the Apes". He had a terrific role in this movie:

 
In "The Departed", his character played out the most satisfying ending to a movie EVER.

He reappeared in "We Own The Night" and "Shooter":

 
Then, to make sure that I did not forget about him-- he showed up in "Date Night" and "The Other Guys". 

Now he is the talk of the town in Hollywood. Bill watched his interview on "60 Minutes" and I watched his latest interview on "Ellen":

 
He is promoting his new movie, "The Fighter":

Which I talked Bill into seeing today:

 
What did we think about it??? WE LOVED IT. The acting was SUPERB. The storyline was engaging. This is not "Rocky"-- it is based on the true story of another boxer and his brother. And we were totally satisfied and WOWED by Mark Wahlberg's performance. I give it a  hard-to-get 9.5 on the Rodgers movie rating scale. Right now it is my SECOND favorite movie of 2010, behind "Inception" (which I just bumped up to a total 10). Why? Because even though I hate boxing, I would pay to see it all over again. The Golden Globes have nominated Mark for "Best Actor", his movie for "Best Picture", and his cast for many "Best Supporting Actor/Actress" categories. They deserve it.

You ROCK, Mark Wahlberg!!!

Home Is Where Your Mama Is...

One Christmas, I made each of the kids their own mini-scrapbook with the theme "What I Love About You".  I found a rubber stamp that I used for the last page in each book, along with a family photo, that read "Home Is Where Your Mama Is". I used that rubber stamp again when the boys went off to college and then again, when each of them went off to war in Iraq. I pulled it out again when Natasha left for college. And I reinforced that statement a couple of years ago when I found magnets with the same saying-- and sent them to each, wherever they were.

When Natasha came home for Thanksgiving, she reminded me of that sentiment and told me what it meant to her.  Her boyfriend was at her house keeping her company while she packed her bag for the weekend. He asked her when exactly she was going to be back home. She corrected him and said that her little rental house in Pullman is where she lives--- but HOME IS WHERE HER MAMA IS and that is the best place in the world to be. I loved that.

So I picked her up from the train station on Thanksgiving Day:

 

It made me so happy to see her smiling face:

 
We went home.  In no time at all, she became her father's daughter. I don't know who started it... maybe a poke or a "dead-leg" in the kitchen, but all of a sudden Natasha began to look like she was up to something:

 
And it turned into this:

 
Trust me. Though Bill is built like a grizzly bear, he has trained Natasha how to defend herself (or to start fights) (which she does with Bill) (once again-- I did NOT see who started this!). Though Bill is probably giving Natasha a painful pressure point, it looks like she went in for the nipple-twist:

 
There is usually kicking and screaming involved (Natasha).... sometimes funny faces and groaning (if Natasha gets Bill in 'the family jewels'). They laugh, they cry and then it is over:

 
Another thing that Natasha does when she comes home is.... she sleeps:

 

Jeremiah did not do this. But Nick and Natasha do. When they come home, they just relax and they catch up on sleep. They look happy. I'd like to think it is because they feel safe, they feel loved and they know they have nothing to worry about when they are HOME (where their mama is).

Natasha made sure to re-accquaint herself with Toddler Elijah (and to prove that Aunties are fun):

 
We had a family dinner at our favorite place:

And then *POOF!* it was time to say good-bye to Natasha. And collect hugs from her favorite sister-in-law:

 
And her brother:

 
And drive back to the train station, which was now decorated for Christmas:

 

We waited with her. Then we gave her our hugs good-bye... until January:

 

 
When I was outside of the train station, I texted her "u r beautiful-- I miss u already".  Before I could hit <send>, she sent me a text that read  "I am so glad I came HOME. I miss u mama".

And I shed a few little tears ... as we headed HOME:

 

This song is for you, Sissy [Katy Perry- "Firework"]:

 

Five Things I Love...

on Friday! Here are a few of my favorite things today:

1) Starbuck's Peppermint Brownie-- it's back! It is my favorite Starbucks treat during the holiday season.

 
2) The new throw pillows that I bought at Pier One Imports... they are sooooo pretty in my living room:

 
and

 
3) Pink's new song called "Raise Your Glass".  I have always been a Pink fan and I particularly love her new song, coming out on her greatest hits CD this month. This song makes me want to car-dance and raise my own glass in gratitude for all of the great things in my life:

 

4) A new AMC TV mini-series called "The Walking Dead".  It is about a small-town deputy sheriff in a society afflicted with zombies, searching for his family and any other survivors. As I have said before, THE RODGERS LOVE ZOMBIES and it is totally worth staying up to watch at 10 p.m. on Sunday nights. However, I woke up exhausted Monday morning after last Sunday's episode.  In my dreams, I was fighting off zombies and trying to get from town to town without being eaten. Maybe this week, I should just use my DVR and watch the episode during daylight hours?

 

5) My new favorite TV commerical is this. I don't know who this guy is, but he just cracks me up while he is driving his new Hyundai Sonata Turbo car. Bill has a Sonata and he doesn't make these faces when I am with him.... Hmmmmm. Maybe it is because he doesn't have the Turbo model? Or is he just holding back and driving the speed limit???  

Five Favorites on Friday

I know, I know. I have been gone for awhile. (sigh!) But I am back! And I have a bunch of stories to share from adventures in August! I thought it would be nice just to begin ANYWHERE rather than stress over telling my tales in chronological order. Why not begin with  a short list for consideration?

Here are five things on my mind today:

1) "The Pen Story" is my new favorite video on YouTube. It is a masterpiece of stop-motion photography that begins and ends with a family photo. Within 3+ minutes, a life unfolds before your eyes!

 

2) Bruno Mars "Just the Way You Are"-- what a lovely, lovely song about a man who adores a woman just the way she is. Bruno has collaborated with some hip-hop artists (ex. "Nothin' On You" with B.O.B.) and has a voice that makes my heart happy.  He is a young artist to watch out for!

 

 

3) Chocolate Chip Seastars-- What?! I am not talking about chocolate chips. I am referring to a  tropical seastar (NOT a starfish) species that has a bumpy texture that resembles chocolate chips. I went to the local pet store this week to get a light bulb for my aquarium and couldn't resist looking at the specimens for sale in the tanks. I wish I had a saltwater aquarium-- if I did, I would have bought one of these cuties! My inner marine biologist was giggling at the helpful hint sticker on the tank that said: "Be careful of your aquarium community when adding this species." [Note: they are cute, but will eat a lot of your other pets!]

 

4) Carrie Underwood has a new song called "Mama's Song". While it is to be expected that every father worries about his baby girl growing up-- so does her mother. This song is about a daughter telling her mother that she has found a man that truly loves her, that is truly good. It made me tear up thinking about how much I worry about Natasha and wish for her all the most wonderful things in her adult life. I want Natasha to be happy and to find herself a very good man.

 
5) Last, but not least, is the delicious Milky Way Midnight. I have loved this candy bar from afar for a few years. Why afar? Because if I ate them all the time, I would gain 10 lbs.!  They are a melt-in-your-mouth combination of dark chocolate, caramel and marshmallow. I treated myself to one yesterday and I savored every bite. Yum!

 

So what is on YOUR mind today???

10 Things I Love Right Now...

1. The intoxicating smell of honeysuckle in my front yard...

2. Babysitting Baby Elijah... he is 8 months old now!

 
 3. Running my car through the carwash...

4. Treating myself to a summer pedicure (No, it isn't black nail polish-- it is metallic green!):

5. I cracked yesterday and bought my new favorite cookie, these delicious fudge drop shortbread rounds made fresh in Safeway's bakery (mmmmmmmmm!):

6. I have a new piece of art hanging in my kitchen :)...

 
7. Bill has been packing my lunch for me this summer-- he fills this cute container with cheese & crackers, makes me a mystery juice in my thermos and adds a delicious dessert (this time, Godiva dark chocolate pearls). Yes, he is THE MAN!

8.  I planted stargazer lily bulbs last summer and this year they are HUGE!

 

9. Bill & I are both on our computers right now, and we have a rerun of "The Office" on in the background. It is the episode when Pam & Jim get married. I LOVE this episode!!

10. And at the end of this episode, the cast replicates that famous wedding party shown on YouTube that danced into the church with this song playing....It makes me happy whenever I hear Chris Brown's "Forever".

Life is good! :)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

Five Things

Here are 5 things on my mind right now:

1) Nick played this song for me in N. Carolina, "Nothin' On You" by B.o.B., featuring Bruno Mars. I not only LOVE the song, the video is just as sweet.

 

2) Movie trailers for "Inception" are showing and I can hardly wait to see it!

3) Summer usually means reruns of our favorite shows on television. However, Wipeout! is back on and that means new obstacle courses, quirky contestants, and more fun with the big red balls ...

4) This  ["BP Spills Coffee"] is the funniest thing I have seen on YouTube lately. You should watch it!

5) When Bill & I travel, there is a good chance I will have time to read fiction. I read two books during our trip to N.C. and this is the one I finished first:

I give it a solid "B".

What is on YOUR mind???
 

10 Things I Love Right Now...

It is time for a new Sherri's Top Ten List!  Are you ready?

1) It may be spring but there is still a chill in the air. I have been warming up in the morning with a Starbucks Vanilla Chai Latte (I hate coffee) (extra hot so it will last for awhile) and a molasses cookie. YUM!

 

2) Did you know that we are only a week away from Disney's new movie, "Oceans"???? I can hardly wait!

3) Natasha made a music CD for me to listen to on my way home last weekend. I think this British pop/punk singer is pretty fabulous. Her name is Lily Allen and I have been humming one of her tunes all week... Her lyrics are clever and sassy and her accent is adorable.

4) This song was also on Natasha's music mix and I recognized it immediately:

"Be OK" by Ingrid Michaelson. After surviving a week like this, I know that I will also "Be OK"!

5) My sweet chicken, Chickita, is back on the egg-train! 

She took two months off from egg-laying duty due to molting. Why?? Birds often "molt", or replace feathers, once a year and when that is happening-- it is too energy-expensive to lay eggs and regrow feathers at the same time. Chickita's eggs are unique-- she is the only chicken in my group that lays lovely, lovely green eggs.

We LOVE Chickita's green eggs!

6) OMG! The TV show, "Glee" is back! Hooray!!! Their new episode aired this week without missing a beat from where they left off with this musical-high-school-drama:

 

The cheerleader coach, Sue Sylvester, is still as mean as ever as she is back to take down her nemesis, the Glee Club.  I am already looking forward to next week as they are doing a Madonna-theme!

7) I can't help but smile every time I see this commercial for Amazon Kindle.  The stop-motion animation is fabulous down to the minute details...

 

8) I had a craving for Swedish (gummy) fish yesterday. I stopped at the store, bought a bag, and even incorporated them into my Biology 100 exam today!

At the beginning of the hour, I passed out the exams and then had each student take a gummy fish from my bag. I used it as a "prop" for Question #5 that read, "Examine the object Sherri has given you. If this were REAL, which kingdom would it belong in?"  I haven't graded exams yet, but I seriously hope every student got this particular question RIGHT. ha! [Answer: Kingdom Animalia]

9) Another one of my favorite TV shows is about to climax. Project Runway (Season 7) is now down to their final three fashion designers to compete during Fashion Week in Bryant Park. I was rooting for different designers along the way... My new favorite is Seth Aaron Henderson from Vancouver, WA. He is slightly eccentric in personality, dresses like a preppy punk rocker, loves vinyl and lots of zippers. Would I wear his clothes? No, not me. BUT... he is very, very creative and innovative in all of his endeavors. His clothing is meticulously made. He is a family man and loves his wife & kids. I like that he is willing to take risks. 

Underneath his spiky, black-dyed hair, tattoos and black fingernail polish-- he is very grounded. He is confident without back-stabbing his fellow fashion designers. Good luck, Seth Aaron!

9) I am soooooo relieved. I am finished lecturing on chemical compounds:

[This is NH3; also known as ammonia.] On Monday, I can begin a new set of lectures on CELLS:

10) College exams don't have to be all work and no play. I had a chemistry professor many years ago that always put a cartoon on the last page of his exams. Though I struggled with that course (my "ah-haaaa!" moment for Chemistry happened a year or two later), he always made me feel better on the last page. When I became a professor-- I adopted his practice. Here is a classic "The Far Side" cartoon by Gary Larson that usually shows up once in my exam pages:

 

Happy Friday!

OOPS! (You will still love this...)

Okay, so my link didn't work to see that fabulous marching band video.

Try this or visit YouTube. Search for "Ok go this too shall pass". It will give you almost 4 minutes of this amazing marching band!

You will love this!

In post-Super Bowl spirit, who can resist a really good marching band??? I know I can't.

You really should check this out! [keep your eye out for "green people"]

10 Things I Love Right Now...

Here are 10 random things that I love right now:

1. Fresh veggies from our garden-- right now we are eating both cherry and supergirl tomatoes and I just found a handful of green beans last night!

2. "Big Brother" on CBS-- this is a guilty pleasure/reality TV show that Natasha & I watch every summer. Thirteen people begin living in a Hollywood set "house" without any outside connections for ten weeks. They have competitions for food and luxuries, for head of household and must eliminate one player from the game each week. Our favorite players are Jeff and Jordan and OMG! There has been so much drama in the last few episodes!

3. Chicken feathers-- they are soooo soft and lovely. [explanation coming soon...]

4. Celebrity scrapbookers' blogs-- my favorite blog to read this summer is by Karen Russell. Her photography is amazing, candid, and fun. She writes the best stories about herself & her family. You can find her blog at: karenrussell.typepad.com

5. Favorite music CD (at the moment)-- "The Black-Eyed Peas:  The E.N.D.".  I just love that "Boom Boom POW" and "Tonight's Gonna Be a Good Night".

6. Starbucks treat-- the new marshmallow dream bar. It is basically a rice krispy bar w/ marshmallows, only it is LOADED with soft marshmallows. Come to think of it... I love most anything with marshmallows.

7. Whenever Bill plays with Shadow-- Bill treats Shadow like he is a young pup, instead of an old pup. It makes me laugh every time.

8. The smell of honeysuckle when you walk by it at night.... heavenly.

9.  A new box of Crayola crayons-- so many beautiful colors, so many names. Crayons represent "back to school" time. Crayons represent art in the most simple and elementary form. Crayons represent choices and I LOVE choices...

10. Summer-- I love everything about summer. I love the sunshine and the heat. I love wearing flipflops whenever I am at home. I love cotton sheets on our bed. I love flowers blooming in succession from week to week. I love seeing dragonflies circling around the yard.  I adore summer.