Which of the Muppets would you most identify with?

Oh, how I loved the Muppets! Growing up I had long blonde hair down my back and I had a habit of flipping over my shoulder. I could also be a little bossy to my younger siblings - we never really fought and I wasn't mean, but I always tried to keep them in line and I was always the teacher when we played school. :) I guess that's why sometimes they called me Miss Piggy.

We used to have a huge outdoor fish pond with tons of huge goldfish. Also in the pond there were lots of frogs and tadpoles. My sister was the one that named all of them, but somewhere along the way I became the frog lover. Don't get me wrong, I don't have any as pets and I don't really want to touch them, but I think frogs are good luck. Maybe it's the whole 'kiss a the frog and he'll turn into a prince' fairytale. Kermit was such a calm, respectful little guy. He was a good, diplomatic friend, always trying to keep the peace - and he put with Miss Piggy's rants. (As an adult, I have to wonder if maybe Piggy is bi-polar).

Even as a kid I knew something was seriously wrong with Gonzo. That dude was just plain crazy!

Now we can't forget Fozzie Bear. He's warm & fuzzy, just wanting to make people laugh. Poor guy just couldn't catch a break. No matter how hard I try sometimes I feel like I just keep getting pelted by tomatoes too...

Reserved. Objective. Logical. Trustworthy. Random.

I don't know about the most popular toys when I was a kid, but I know the one toy I couldn't get enough of was the Sit-n-Spin. I remember mine was red, with Strawberry Shortcake stickers. I would spin that thing like crazy... sometimes I'd have it going so fast that I'd pick up off the ground on one side. I don't know why I loved it so much.

Honestly, I think they should make an adult version. Just think, it could be a new workout routine. You could really build up your upper body!

In my experience, the town of Manteo, NC has the most friendly people. This small, quaint town in the Outer Banks is a wonderful place to visit. Everywhere you go people are saying hello, helping you find something, offering suggestions of where to go for dinner, etc. I adore the movie theater in town. Every time we visit, we are greeted at the door and it feels like we're joining family for movie night at home. I love the laid-back, relaxed atmosphere and so does my husband. In fact, I have a hard time getting him to leave when our vacation is over.

When driving, you have to be careful when choosing music. Sometimes when I listen to Prodigy I catch myself speeding like crazy. Other times, I may be listening to something like Adele and I find that I'm so lost in the music I haven't been paying attention because I've driven right past my exit. Sometimes on a long stretch of highway I like to listen to songs that I like to sing (alone of course), and other times I listen to sappy songs that make me cry. Just make sure you choose the appropriate genre for your trip and your mood!~

Of course reading, writing and arithmetic are important, but there is one course that I think every single student should be required to pass before graduation high school... Banking & Credit 101. I've worked in the banking industry for about 12 years. There are certain situations that I see all the time.

1) They get their first credit card and go on shopping sprees. Some think they can just pay the minimum charge (not realizing how long it will take to pay it off) and others get so far in debt they can't do anything to get out of it.

2) They open a checking account and think they can use their debit card regardless if there is enough money in the account or not. Most of the time when I see charged off accounts, it's because of debit card purchases made when there weren't enough funds available.

Now, I hear complaints all the time that the problem is that banks charge too many fees, etc. And, I agree that a lot of banks do over charge... but, at the same time, the fees are disclosed and when you sign that signature card, you are saying that you agree to their terms. It is your responsibility to maintain the balance in the account and you are the one that should keep up with your spending. And you should know when your bank will charge you fees so that you can adjust your balance in your register. I'm willing to bet that 75% of people don't even keep a register. I don't necessarily write everything down, but I review my account online every few days, so I would know immediately if something was wrong. This is why the bank provides a bank statement every month. It's not for our benefit; it's for customers to reconcile with their records and notify the bank if there is a discrepancy.

I work in the fraud department and I'm amazed at how many of our customers call months and even years (yes, years) after a transaction has posted before they claim the transaction was fraudulent. Well people, banks have a limited amount of time to dispute or return an item. We have regulations and rules we have to follow as well.

I actually spoke with a customer recently who was complaining that her account was charged off. She didn't understand why we closed her account or why she should have to pay us anything. I explained to her that she continued to use her debit card when she no longer had funds in the account. Her account became overdrawn and eventually we closed it. Her response to me was "I know what I'll do... I'm just not going to pay it". Well honey, that's completely up to you, but you are only hurting yourself in the process. Good luck trying to get a bank to open an account for you.

I just wish there was a class that taught young people how important your banking history and credit is to your future. With a bad credit history, you could have difficulty buying a car or a house, even renting an apartment. On the other hand, having a good credit history could allow you save money on interest rates, etc. Unfortunately, a lot of parents either don't know how to maintain their own credit or don't take the time to teach their kids. And don't even get me started on the crazy lottery scams!

I enjoy chocolate and candy as much as the next person, but I could totally do without Easter candy. I'll eat strawberry licorice like twizzlers, but can't stand the black licorice or jelly beans. I'm not a fan of those Cadbury creme eggs and I despise those darn Peeps. Marshmallows coated in sugar, yuck!

Three things I wait in line for:

Bathroom - if I really, really had to go
Food - if I'm really, really hungry
Roller coaster - if it's really, really cool

"What's the most unexpected thing that's happened to you so far this year?"

Unexpectedly, I've relaxed! I don't seem to stress as much as I used to, or better yet, maybe I've finally learned to deal with stress. Although work is just as busy as it's always been, I don't feel as overwhelmed. At home, I've spent a lot of time purging - cleaning out closets & file cabinets, getting rid of lots of "stuff". It's a good feeling. In my relationships, I've learned to take things one day at a time. I no longer worry about what's wrong or what didn't go according to plan. Instead, I'm trying to appreciate the little things in life. I've tried to spend more time thinking about the people in my life that have made it better, the family & friends that I love.

God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, Courage to change the things I can, And wisdom to know the difference.

Now, let's just hope it continues for the rest of the year... and beyond.

What childhood lesson has always stuck with you? For me, I'd have to say "treat others the way you want to be treated" stands out. In today's world it has become rather easy for people to discriminate against people of a different race, gender, religion or sexuality. The great thing about living in a free country is that we have the freedom to believe whatever we want. But, that doesn't mean that you have the right to disrespect anyone that doesn't agree with your beliefs. And I'm so tired of people being mean to others because of the way they look, talk or dress. I'm sure everyone has been teased or discriminated against at some point in their life, so we all know how it makes you feel and how it just plain sucks. The bullying has got to stop. Kids are learning how to disrespect other by their parents and other adults words and actions. So begins a cycle of learned behavior that will continue to repeat itself until someone stops it. And as an adult I've also learned that if you allow someone to treat you badly then it will only continue. You teach others how to treat you by not speaking up and putting a stop to it. If you treat others the way you want to be treated and stand up for those who can't stand up for themselves, maybe the world will be a better place.

Plinky asked me to share a story about an encounter with a wild animal. Oh, there are so many to choose from - not! I don't really spend a lot of time out in the wild. I happen to like my little safe & secure corner of the world. However, there is one particular incident that comes to mind...

Several years ago my friend and I spent a lot of time following a local band from show to show. We were friends with the band members so we were "with the band" - I can prove it, my friend had the T-shirt. :-) Now, we weren't groupies because we were not, nor had we ever slept with any of the guys in the band. We just really had a good time going to the shows.

Anyway, this particular night we had a pretty long drive home and we were tired. I was driving and it had started raining; I was having some trouble seeing and ALL OF A SUDDEN... a very large four legged creature darted across the road and it scared the daylights out of me! I had to swerve to miss it! Now, this was a massive animal of some sort but my friend somehow didn't really see it. What?!? How could you not see that huge THING running across the road right in front of the car?

Needless to say, I was a little freaked out and she was like "what was it?" Don't ask me why, but the first thing that popped in my head was that it was a buffalo. Yes, you read that right. I said b-u-f-f-a-l-o. I know what you are thinking, and no, I had not been drinking. All I know is that it was huge and I just knew if I had hit it we would have been crushed. My friend busted out laughing. I knew the chances it was in fact a buffalo was pretty slim and since I have never seen a real live buffalo I couldn't be sure. Of course, it wasn't a buffalo! I had no idea why that came out, but it's kept us laughing for years.

A few days ago something jumped out in the road when my husband was driving. I wasn't paying attention because I was messing around with my iphone so I asked him what was and he simply replied "buffalo". Here we are more than 10 years later, and it still cracks me up.

If I could be on a game show, I would pick "Minute to Win it". You have 60 seconds to do some outrageous stunt with ordinary household items, like stacking baby blocks on top of a plastic plate balanced on your head. A lot of the games seem much easier than they really are... remember, you only have a minute. I'm really curious where in the world they come up with these games, I've only seen the same game played twice... makes me wonder if the creator is the same guy that first introduced beer pong. It kind of drives me crazy that the audience (and teammates) are constantly encouraging the player. I would need for everyone to be quiet so that I could concentrate - and god forbid don't count down the last ten seconds!

First of all, let me just say I. do. not. sing. When it comes to musical talent, I have absolutely none. I have a great appreciation for those that do. I love music and I am really good at playing the radio, CD or iPod. :) So, occasionally, I will catch myself singing in the car, the shower or around the house when no one is around. I don't know why certain songs just stick in my head and even if I don't really like the song, sometimes I will surprise myself by just belting out the lyrics. Two of these songs is Nothing Compares to You by Sinead O'Connor and Jolene by Dolly Parton. I'm not really a fan of either artist, but for some reason I like to sing these songs. It's crazy, I know.

Right now - absolutely! Sunday is supposed to be a day of rest. I know I should have gone to church this morning, but I really wanted to sleep in. Well, my dog has been barking like crazy for the last two hours... at nothing! Every time I get up to see what she sees there is nothing there! I'm guessing someone is trying to tell me that if I'd gone to church I would have had a much better morning...

Well, it depends. I'm not much of a talker; I hate to just hang on the phone if I have nothing more to say. So, I guess I prefer texting because I can say what I need to say and they can do the same with less of the small talk or silence. That being said, there are times when I prefer to talk over the phone, just to hear the voice on the other end. Depending on what the conversation is about and who is involved changes my preference. If it's a quick question I will probably just text, if it's more in depth discussion then I'm more likely to call. If I'm at work or in a loud environment I will text, but if I'm in the car driving I will call - using hands free. Of course, don't forget that it is crucial to actually see people and talk to them in person too!

This is a picture of all my nieces & nephew and their first trip to the Aquarium. It makes me smile to see them learn and experience all that the world has to offer :)

What Three Countries Would You Like to Visit?

Ireland - This is a top choice for both my husband & myself. I'm part Irish (the reddish hair & freckles give it away) but that's on my biological dad's side, I really don't have any contact with him/relatives. The lush, green countryside is breathtaking. I would thoroughly enjoy spending some time in a local pub, listening to some great Irish music and staying in an adorable little cottage or bed & breakfast.

Germany - Also a part of my heritage... my Nana is "straight-off-the-boat" German :) I would love to visit her homeland just to understand where she came from. Almost every year (for the last 10) we've attended the largest Oktoberfest in Helen, GA - the largest in the states - and we have a blast. The ultimate trip would be to attend the original Oktoberfest in Germany. Prost!

Italy - My husband is Italian and it's our favorite food! I think a trip to Italy would be so romantic... the wine, the food, the language... wonderful!

Of course, there are a ton of other places I would love to see...

A few that top the list... Japan, Australia, Belize, Dubai, India, Prague... I may never actually make it to any of these places, but that won't stop me from dreaming : ) A goal for 2011 is to start with interesting places right her in the states.

Through the years my tastes for candy has changed. My favorites used to be the tangy Smarties, SweetTarts & Spree. As a youngster I rarely ate chocolate. But later I craved milk chocolate (probably around the time I started puberty?). I couldn't pass up a Reese's peanut butter cup, Almond Joy, Mr. Goodbar or Hershey's with almonds.... I could go on and on...

In the past few years I've limited my chocolate intake to only every once in awhile and now I try to have more of the dark chocolate (which I never liked before). But, my all-time, hands down favorite candy is and always will be Lindt White Chocolate truffles... OH MY GOSH!! They melt in your mouth and it is pure heaven!

Oh boy, I've thought about this a lot! First of all, I'd pay off our debt. My husband and I have dreamed about designing our own house (if we ever had the money to do it) so that's what I'd do next. Nothing too lavish or outrageous, just perfectly designed to suit us.

I haven't been fortunate enough to do much traveling so next I'd like to take a trip to an island and a trip to Europe - Germany, Italy & Ireland would be my top choices.

Next, I'd want to pay it forward...

My mom has always sacrificed to give someone else what they needed (even if it wasn't really "needed"). After my siblings and I were adults she took in four children to keep them from being split up in foster care because social services was taking them from their home; the young mother was being charged with neglect. At the time they were 3, 2 and 13 months (two months later she also took in the newborn, 5 days old). At the time, the kids didn't have shoes, had never had a Christmas tree or a birthday party. Just having food in the house was a change for them.

Fast forward five years later and my mom has custody of the kids and you'd never guess that they were ever in need of anything. Mom has the biggest heart and I don't think she gets as much respect and appreciation as she deserves. I'd want to build her a bigger house and free her of all her debt. She's been putting "band-aids" on her old mini-van just to get by, so I'd buy her a new SUV too.

There are a few other friends & family I'd like to help too. And, of course I'd give a bunch to charities - specifically those that help with hunger, child abuse & neglect and domestic violence.

I actually like my job so I don't know that I'd quit right away, but then again it would be nice to just do volunteer & non-profit work. I wouldn't need a lot of money to live happily ever after, but it sure would be nice to have money put aside to be able to have dinner out or take trip when we wanted.

Good Food
Coupled with good friends, nourishes the body, mind & soul...

Laughter
Makes life more enjoyable and it helps with digestion!

Family
Can't be chosen but the bond can't be broken either

Books
Take a journey to another world without even leaving the couch.

Color
Affects moods and promotes creativity.

Office Supplies
Make work more fun and increases productivity!

Bella
Love is unconditional and she's always excited to see me.

Music
Speaks the words you're unable or unwilling to say aloud.

Butterflies
Prove with a little hope and determination you can become something beautiful

The most wasteful thing I do every day is mess with electronics. A typical day starts with the alarm clock on my cell phone going off. After my shower as I'm getting ready for my work, I may check Twitter or take a turn on Words with Friends on my iPhone. At work, I pop my phone into portable speakers and start Pandora radio. Most of my day is spent on the computer with dual monitors. And, for most of my phone calls I use a wireless headset. As I walk across the parking lot to my car after work, I'll check my phone again for a text message or email. Then I plug my iPod into the car stereo. When I get home, my husband has the HD LED flat screen TV on and sometimes we may watch a BluRay or stream a movie from Netflix. Occasionally, we may do some yoga or play a game on the Wii. Then jump on the computer to check Facebook, Plinky or post something to my Wordpress blog before going to bed. I could do without the tv and games sometimes, but a day does not go by that I don't I spend time playing on my phone or using the computer.

Waiting for My Real Life to Begin by Colin Hay

One of my all-time favorite songs. Just be patient, keep dreaming and eventually it will all come together and you'll be happy. :-)

On vacation last year, I tried alligator (it really does taste like chicken, just chewier). I occasionally eat octopus salad and eel when we go out for sushi. Bison burgers are much better than hamburger. And calamari is a must when eating out at an Italian restaurant. Since my family is German, Spätzle is normal, but it can look like brains...

One day I came home to a weird smell. In the kitchen I found a packet in some boiling water. I turned asked my roommate why he was boiling paper and string!?! He laughed and explained that it wasn't paper & string, it was a traditional Puerto Rican dish called "Pasteles". I tried it; it wasn't my cup of tea but it was a real treat for him.

What's weird to one person is completely normal to another.

I used to be very picky about the foods I would eat. As I've gotten older I've become more willing to try new things... Lebanese, sushi and Thai, oh my! By having an open mind, I've learned to enjoy the experience of trying new foods.

There are still several foods that I've tried and just don't like, but I continue to try them prepared different ways - your taste buds can change, you know? Even after my husband had me try raw oysters on a half shell (which I didn't like), every time we go to an oyster bar, I try one of his just in case one day my tastes change. Take sweet potatoes for example, I used to actually gag when trying to eat them - raw, cooked, fried, candied - it didn't matter. One day I found a recipe with mashed sweet potatoes as a side dish and I decided to give it a try. Before that, my hubby hated sweet potatoes too, but now we actually eat them all the time.

Don't turn up your nose until you know for sure you don't like it and continue to try it again sometime, otherwise you'll never know what you are missing. My goal now is to find recipes for new, healthy foods to make at home.

With a little hope and determination, you can be the beautiful butterfly!

It's 5am and she's struggling to open her eyes. Her little dog is being a pain in the butt, needing to go tinkle. She stumbles down the stairs to let her out. She tries to go back to sleep, but within an hour she's up again. That damn dog just wants to roam around outside. So, she starts some coffee and settles in on the couch, preparing to finish her book... it's going to be a long, lazy day!