Becky's Greatest Hits Vol. II

Cuteness from Tumblr

Dear Company Computer Watch Guy:   Sometimes when I'm having a bad day, I will waste the last part of my day looking at pictures of dogs and puppies on Google.  Particularly, Golden Retrievers.   I also watch the following videos on YouTube: ~dog and puppies scampering ~puppies cavorting with babies ~babies laughing at nothing that's really funny ~soldier welcome-home videos (but only if I feel strong enough not to cry)   Now you know all my secrets.  Please don't judge or discipline too harshly.   B.H.

I'm sorry.  But does anyone else think this is pretty much a match made in Canadian douche heaven?  Maybe that's what this guy is saying here in the pic and why good ole Chad is giving him the stink eye.  No?  That's not what's happening?  Sorry, my bad.

I often wonder if I could love Tom any more than I do.  And then he goes and does this .  And I realize with deep emotion, I really can! My favorite line of the piece: "Ryan claims that he likes Rage's sound, but not the lyrics. Well, I don't care for Paul Ryan's sound or his lyrics." E-Roc and I had a discussion about how you could listen to something and like it and still not really agree with it.  Like how you could like the sound of some hip-hop but not approve of the mysoginy.  (That is sadly the best example I have a the moment.)  However, I don't think you could "like" the sound of Rage without letting some the politics seep in.  At least a little.  That would be like saying all those Indigo Girls concerts didn't make me at all empathetic to the LGBT community.  C'mon now. When it comes to Rage, and I know what I'm talking about here, you either believe in it or you don't.  If you don't get it or only like th

This time of year always get me oh so nostalgic.   Even though this article here is basically the what-to-pack for dummies version for new freshmen, I still got a kick of thinking about my old school days when I read it.    I don't have a teenager or a "typical" kid, so I don't always know what the yungins are into these days.  However, I think I can say pretty authoritatively that they've got way more stuff than when I was in school.    I remember when I first talked on the phone to my lottery-pick roommate of my freshmen year, and we agreed that we would both bring blue comforters (style of our choice) and she would bring the TV.  Her parents were letting her bring her car, but mine were not (can you imagine, kids?) so at least I would have a ride when I needed it.  I was bringing a phone that we could share (again.....sounds like olden times, I know) and we would pretty much figure out the rest when we got there.   And did we ever. My plucky roommate

Yesterday we received E-Roc's highly dreaded anticipated hospital bill.  It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.  But let's just say a 3 night hospital stay costs waaaaay more than the nicest of hotels I've had the luxury to enjoy. And since I have insurance through my place of employment (which I gratefully added him to after we wed and just mere weeks before his health scare took place) we only have to pay a very small fraction of the total cost of the bill.  And as for that total amount, may I just add, it was about 2/3 of the cost of our home. Now let's consider that for a second. E-Roc and I very much lower middle class.  Working class.  Whatever, you'd like to call it.  Imagine if we didn't have that insurance coverage.  We just got a bill that is only slightly less than what we owe on our house.  How would anyone ever be expected to manage that? And here's something else regarding the cost of procedures.  As for the labs and expertise

Gabby Douglas Holley Mangold Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh-Jennings Missy Franklin Lashinda Demus Womens Gymnastics Team Lolo Jones Destinee Hooker

I don't know if you'd call it heartless or clueless, but this woman here had a great time dancing all over the grave of a beloved author last week. Even Huff came out to tell her she was a dumbass.   As a bit of a writer myself, I've thought a lot about how my writing is defined by the various parts of me, motherhood being only one of many.   And I could wax on about it philosophically here, but who cares really?  Maeve died.   And when I heard, it was like losing an old friend.   Rest well, Dear Maeve.  Whatever any critic or writer ever said doesn't matter so much to me.  The fact is, you brought me comfort, entertainment and joy.  And for that, you will forever have a place in my book-loving heart.

God Bless. Maybe it is just everything E-Roc and I have been through these past few weeks, but the crying gymnasts are just killing us! I totally get why gymnasts cry, maybe even more so than the other athletes, and I don't fault them at all......I am just getting to where I can't watch it. Scenario 1: Sometime last week in the Becky/E-Roc household: E-Roc      "I just can't watch these gymnastics anymore.  Cuz the little girls are gonna fall.  And then they        cry.  And it just makes me feel bad.  I mean, they are just little girls, after all."  Scenario 2: Last night: Becky       I am watching the vault competition, somewhat on the sly, based on E-Roc's previous statement.       I actually spring up in bed when the Canadian girl falls and then have to fight back my own tears       when the American girl has a big mess-up.   We just can't do it anymore, Olympic Gymnasts!  Bring on the Track and Field and Beach Volleyball!

The Olympic Games always make me feel good.  They offer some kind of pure hope and belief in some very basic principles in life: good hard work and its payoff, cooperation and respect among people of differing beliefs, and simple fun and competition in all its reward.  After the last few weeks of stress, it has been a welcome distraction and something E-Roc and I look forward to every night. All of the human interest stories are great too.  I have especially been on the look-out for Holley Mangold , after I saw her story on MTV's True Life.  Of course, Missy Franklin and Allison Shmitt are interesting and sweet.  And then there's this chica here, who should at least get a medal for speaking da truf! http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/olympics-fourth-place-medal/teenage-olympic-weightlifter-zoe-smith-vs-her-internet-112630959--oly.html My favorite line in the piece:   "Apparently we're 'weird' for not constantly eating crap, binge drinking regularly and we