Sing Like Nobody's Listening...

...And you wanna make 'em wanna hafta make 'em listen!  La-la-LAAAAAAAAAAAH!

Hiya, Big People! 

Hey, you know that saying about how you oughtta dance as though nobody's watchin' and sing like nobody's listenin'?  I think it's all about livin' your life without caring what anydarnbodyelse things about whatchya do.

Thing of it is, I think it's most brave and beneficial to sing as though nobody's listening WHILE people are, in fact, listening. 

That's like sayin' "I accept who I am, and you're gonna accept who I am, too!  How the heck right about THAT?!" 

That right there is confidence, Friends!

It takes a little practice to get there, though.  Maybe start out pretendin' nobody's watching or listening, and then just throw abandon to the wind and be yourself, once you're good and comfortable. 

You know I just love ya, Big People!  You keep on bein' you!  I'll see ya tomorrow!  Muah!

Restaurants Are Where It's At!

You know it's a classy joint when they have buckets of peanuts on the table!

Hiya, Friends! Happy Wednesday to you!

Well, ya know, I'm a kid who likes the finer things in life, and one of the finer things in life is eatin' in restaurants.  I like lots of different restaurants for different reasons. 

For instance, I like the Red Lobster because they have lobsters in a tank in the waiting area for me to make friends with!  But I like Red Robin because they give me a balloon on the way out of the restaurant.  And of course, my heart is always at the Texas Hot in Downtown Wellsville!

But the restaurant that stands out in my mind right now is Texas Roadhouse.  I must have a thing with Texas.  But this reason's because they have buckets of peanuts right on the table that you can eat while you're waiting for your food.

Truth be told, I could sit there eatin' peanuts the whole time!  They're so good!

Friends, I'll tell ya what.  No meal at home is as wonderful and magical as eatin' a meal in a restaurant.  If you give me the choice between eatin' at home and going to a restaurant, I'm on my way out the door in a heartbeat!  Restaurants are where it's at!

Hey.  I'll see ya tomorrow.  I love ya lots, Big People!  Muah!

National Ice Cream Month!

Chocolate, Strawberry, or Panda Paws; When it comes to ice cream, I love 'em all!

Hiya, Big People!  Happy Tuesday to you!

Did you even know, Friends, that July is National Ice Cream Month?  Well, it is.  And if you'll let me be completely honest, if I have a choice between a free Slurpee from 7-Eleven or ice cream, I'm pretty much gonna pick ice cream, even if I hafta pay for it.

Askin' me to pick which flavor of ice cream is my favorite is like asking me to choose which wildflower I love best in the field: I have definite favorites, but overall, I like 'em all!

It just depends on what I'm in the mood for.  For a milkshake, nothing beats Strawberry or Chocolate.  There's a new flavor out from Perry's that's called "One Buffalo," and it has all kindsa wonderful things in it, including fudge swirls, sponge candy, and pretzels!  It's like a meal suspended in vanilla ice cream!  Panda Paws, Black Cherry, Butter Pecan...  They're all just wonderful, Friends!

And this is the month we celebrate ice cream together, as a Nation. 

I love ya, Friends!  Celebrate National Ice Cream Month!  Celebrate the daylights out of it!  It's the patriotic thing to do!  I'll see ya tomorrow!  Muah!

It's Neither Here Nor There To Me!

I'm gonna celebrate Free Slurpee Day by enjoying a homemade cherry cola sno-cone.

Hiya, Big People!  Hey.  Did you even know that in addition to being Monday, today is Free Slurpee Day at participating 7-11 stores?  Because it's 7/11.  Isn't that clever?!

To be honest with ya, Free Slurpee Day is neither here nor there to me.  I've never had a Slurpee.  While I wouldn't turn down a free one, I'm okay not having one. And I checked, and it's quite a drive to the nearest 7-11.  Something tells me it isn't worth an hour's drive just for a free Slurpee.

You know what would be worth an hour's drive?  Donut Dude Donuts.  Even if ya have to pay for 'em. Or...the hot bar at Wegmans.  I love that food.  You know it's gonna be good when it's $8.95 a pound!

But I'll probably just celebrate Free Slurpee Day with a homemade sno-cone with cherry cola syrup poured over-top. I like those.  And I won't hafta get all gussied up and in my carseat to enjoy it. 

This sounds like a solid plan, if I say so myself!  I love ya lots, Big People, and I'll see ya tomorrow!  Muah!

Zoe Blake, FanGirl!

Friends, can you believe it?!  Daniel Tiger and O the Owl!

Hiya, Friends! 

Well, if you've been following along for a little while, you'll know that I am a fan of Daniel Tiger and his whole neighborhood.  Daniel and his friends teach me valuable life lessons with every new episode, but the most valuable life lesson I learn from each episode is to be myself.

You see, Daniel Tiger is kind of an everykid kinda character.  Daniel doesn't always wanna pick up his toys.  Daniel sometimes has to be encouraged to try new foods.  Sometimes he needs to be reassured that his grownups will come back for him.  He's a protagonist that doesn't always have all the answers.

I like that!  It makes him easy for a Little Kid like me to relate to!

His pal O the Owl is a Rule Follower, and he also likes quiet pastimes.  Big on the rules.  Very, very big.  And he loves books, which is great, because his uncle X the Owl is the librarian in the Neighborhood of Make Believe!  Sometimes, though, conflicts between O and the other Neighborhood children ensue, because they DON'T follow all the rules.  They get on O's nerves, and sometimes O gets on their nerves.  Also, O the Owl does not like carrots, because their crunching is too loud.

Miss Elaina is just a bundle of exuberance.  I think I can relate most of all to Miss Elaina.  I, too, am exuberant, which means sparkly and fun.  However, sometimes Miss Elaina's exuberance wears thin on those around her.  I can relate to that, too.  There are times when Miss Elaina needs her space as well, though.  She also does not like tomatoes, because they're too squirty for her.  She REALLY didn't like Mom Tiger's Veggie Spaghetti, so she got to eat plain spaghetti with salad on the side.

Prince Wednesday is Prince Tuesday's younger brother.  Prince Wednesday is a good-hearted little nerd, honestly, Friends.  Kind of like O, but different, too.  Prince Wednesday's thing is he collects rocks.  I bet if the Neighborhood had a chapter of the Moss and Lichen Appreciation Club, Prince Wednesday would be president.  Every so often, I harbor a crush on Prince Wednesday, but if you tell him, Friends, I will deny it. 

Katerina Kitty-Cat likes to dance, but she can be a little spoiled.  I don't know what this is like at all.  When I spazz out because Miss Elaina picked the triangle when I wanted to pick the triangle, it's totally different than when Katerina spazzed out for the same reason.  Katerina is also quite nurturing.  When the Neighborhood Kids play house, Katerina is always the Mommy.

Even though the neighborhood kids can all get on each other's nerves, they each retain their own distinct personalities.  They learn how to live and work and play together, despite them each being their own selves. 

That's what I love about each and every one of 'em!

And I got to meet them all in Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood at the Pittsburgh Children's Museum!  I got to sort letters in the Post Office, and play musical instruments at Music Man Stan's.  I got to work on a clock in the Clock Factory.  I got to hang out in Daniel Tiger's own living room!  And I got to play with Trolley!

If you think I geeked out, you bet I did! 

I am a FanGirl, after all! 

I'm your fan, too, Friends!  I love ya lots, and I'll see ya tomorrow!  Muah!

My Swimmin' Ool!

There's no "P" in my "Ool," and I've been advised to keep it that way!

Hiya, Big People!  Hey, did you even know it's Saturday?!

Well, it totally is, and I could not be more thrilled.  Saturday is a special day of the week, since it only occurs once in every seven-day segment of time, unlike Monday, which sometimes rears its head two or three of the days in a seven-day segment of time. 

So anyways, we got out my Ool yesterday.  I was under the impression that it was a "pool," not an Ool, but Daddy set me straight on that. 

Because there is no "P" in a swimming Ool, and I've been advised to keep it that way.  I think my folks really mean it this time, too, Friends.  So I will do my best.

But you know what?  The water in the Ool comes straight outta the outside hose, and that water's COLD!  I didn't do anything, though!  I played in that Ool until my lips were blue and chattery yesterday, and then came inside to go to the Poilet.

Hahahahaha!

I'll see ya tomorrow, Friends!  I love ya lots!  Muah!

"S" Is For Swimmin'!

My arms are in the shape of an S for Swimming!

Hiya, Big People!  Happy Friday to you, Friends!

Well, ya know,if there's one thing I love to do in the summer, it's swim.  It's as though summer and swimming were made for each other.  They both start with the letter S!

I'm hoping to do some swimming in my inflatable swimming pool this summer.  It isn't my mushroom swimming pool, which you might remember.  I outgrew that swimming pool and have since found a creative, non-pool-related use for it.

Nope, Friends, I have moved the heck right on up to a larger inflatable swimming pool! I got to swim in my new pool once last year, on my birthday, but I sure hope I get to swim in it a lot more this year!

So, Friends, let's all think of the wonderful letter "S" and how sweet swimming is in the summer!

I love ya lots, Friends!  I'll see ya tomorrow!  Muah!