Inspired!

I am still having fun being my own personal day-trader, though I must admit, I don't know what I am doing... at all. Luckily, I have two (2) consultants which I confer with often, but pay nothing. Thank you Cody and Wes! I adore you both!

Today, I decided to purchase Nintendo stock. I do not own anything Nintendo (though I did purchase a DSI at Christmas time for a small parentless child named Blake, for which Jackie made fun of me, I think mostly because I said "well, the kid doesn't have parents, so he probably doesn't have a TV, at least he should have a Nintendo that he can play by himself with at least five games). Mainly I don't own anything Nintendo because, first, I don't have much time to play with anything Nintendo. And second, because if I had a Wii, I would somehow make time to play it and I don't sleep enough as it is.

So, the reason I purchased the NTDOY stock is mainly because it reminds me of my nieces and nephews. Over Christmas Haley, Jacob, Izzy and I all bonded over Mariokart. Haley (8) and Jacob (6) were WAY better than me, but I totally kicked Izzy's butt. She's 4. So, like most activities I try, I must be at least as proficient as a 5-year-old. So, that's encouraging, right?!? Actually, I was all over the place with Mariokart... I'd get 12th place and then 1st place (beating Jacob 2x out of like 100). Nonetheless, I was stoked with my progress.

Also, my brother-in-law Ryan posted this as his Facebook status last week. "We take the kids into a bowling alley for the first time and our 3-year-old says "look, they're playing Wii!" Aaaahhhhh, how cute and disturbing all at the same time.

Plus, the NTDOY stock was down 5%, so it seemed like a smart investment.

So, Jacob, Haley, Izzy, Christian and Sarah-Jane, this stock was purchased in honor of you crazy kids. It's my shout out to you folks! If I win, I'll buy you all new game! And, Chloe, Livvy and Ethan - I am looking into Webkins stock! (I guess, I should add my sister Kimberly and my sister-in-law Julie to the list of honorees for the Webkins stock, since both admitted to me that they purchased their own Webkins "because the games are really good." And, in deed they are. Jules, I tried to use your login, but I forgot the passcode... the "Smooth moves" game was calling my name! I miss that cat telling me how fantastic I am!)

Phoneless... Phoneless... like the... (Just kidding).

I have not had a phone since Saturday.

What I miss more than the ability to make and receive calls is the clock function on my phone.

I have not had any clue what time it is for the better part of 5 days!

Not that knowing the time really impacted my life much, being as I have always have been a tardy person. But, I kind of like having an excuse for my tardiness these days. I just keeping walking in with that I-didn't-do-anything-wrong-did-I face. And, actually, to my shock and awe I was early for an appointment the other day.

Though being without a phone just brings about a whole other barrage of questions which usual involve me looking and feeling like an electronic maladroit (which is very close to the truth, but I don't want to keep admitting it).

I just went on the best date ever!

Read about it here:

http://brinkerhoffbulletin.blogspot.com/2010/01/crazy-city.html

It's going to be a great year! I can just tell!

Brinkerhoff Bulletin

For those of you who follow my blog and know my family, you might want to read this blog as well: www.brinkerhoffbulletin.blogspot.com

Kimberly started it. This is a blog from and about our family, which probably will not interest anyone but our family, but nonetheless... check it out, if you're interested.

Christmas in Texas, New Years in NYC!

This post is mainly for my family, but for anyone who wants to read along, feel free.

I spent Christmas with my family in Texas. It was COLD. In the 20s most of the time. And, all of you who know me, know how much I HATE cold weather. But, I got to spend time with my parents and the Jones family (Kimberly and Matthew's family). I really missed the Millers (Jennica and Ryan's family) who moved to Utah in November.

Please ignore the fact that I look mostly asleep or like I am on a heavy sedative in this photo.

After Texas, I moved on to New York, to hang out in Times Square with some friends, and to hang out with the other Brinkerhoff nieces and nephew (Adam and Julie's family).

We had to wait in corrals for over 8 hours. Wow, it was cold. I couldn't feel my feet for at least the last 5 hours. But, it was worth it. My brother Adam called and mocked me as I was on my way into the city. "I just want you to know that it's supposed to rain and then snow and then rain and snow, but at least you can say you were in Times Square the night a couple dozen people froze to death!"

Times Square. Diz, Marie, Amy, Lisa and our new Hong Konganese friends (Yes... I know that's not what they are called, I know they are actually Chinese).

We wore these hats all day. I think this photo was taken around noon. People mocked us most of the day, but we thought we were the life of the party... and I am pretty sure we were.

Rootbeer float night!

Princess Sadie.

We went to get our nails done. This was Izzy's first time at the nail salon. Most of the time she looked miserable, when I wanted to photograph her misery, she smiled her prettiest smile.

Izzy wanted to represent every holiday she could, and so she did.

I had a wonderful time. I sure do love my family!

I dreamed a dream...

Ever since I was in the 8th grade I dreamed of REALLY playing the stock market, not just faking it for a school project.

And, even when I was a 14-year-old twerp, I knew exactly which stock I would purchase first...

Drum Roll Please....

Coca-cola!

Are any of you surprised?!? Here's to making back some of the bazillions of dollars I have surely given to The Coca-Cola company over the past few decades, ever since I could wrap my hands around a diet coke can... well, practically.

Today is a BIG day. I feel like a grown-up! And, I am marking something else off the bucket list!

I now play the stock market! So what if I have no idea what I am doing. I haven't had much of a clue my entire life. And, I seem to have gotten by just fine! Ignorance is bliss... so they say. My life has been extremely blissful, as you can imagine.

And, well... while in the past few years I have invested exactly $0 in the casinos in Vegas, somehow, with the help of my prettiest smile (and maybe my legs), I have walked out with $2,400. Thank you kindly dirty old men!

Let's hope the NYSE likes my prettiest smile!

Spectrum

At any given point in time, I am in some various stage of all of the following ativities:

- dieting (or some self-imposed restriction thereof)

- buying something

- trying not to buy something

- training for something

- planning some sort of party or get-together

- putting together a proposal (or a lot of them)

- procrastinating

- looking for a place that sells diet coke

- cleaning/organizing something

- not saying no to anything

- racking my brain for the long list of people I owe a phone call to, but still haven't found time to call back

- missing my family

- forgetting something important

- trying to make the world a better place

- trying to find my talents (or talent, I'd be happy with just one)

- sleep deprevation.

I am currently reaching the upper end of the dsyfunctional spectrum for most of these duties, especially the last one.

"They worked it out!"

Last night we saw Avatar, in 3D.

Which was really crazy and spectacular!

And, which started really really late... (ok, it was like 9:45 or something... but, that's late for an old chic like me).

And, which was a REALLY long Dances with the Wolves but in Space type film.

Two hours in I HAD to pee. So, I left for a few minutes. When I came back I asked John what I missed. "They worked it out" was his reply.

I was too tired to ask any additional questions. Somehow I felt sufficiently filled in.

I am SO beyond tired. Today, I have an Avatar hangover... and a bit of a headache.

"Bulgie-smuggler"

Last night I met a guy from Sydney, Australia.

He invited me to come visit him.

He has a boat. And, he said in his very Aussie accent, that he would take me around the harbor in his boat wearing a "bulgie-smuggler", which is apparently Australian for "Speedo."

I am not going to lie. I might go. I need a vacation. And, Australia doesn't sound half bad.

When I go... I go BIG!

New Year's Resolutions!

I have 2!

1. Get my car registered. My registration expired in November. I am too lazy to renew it. But, I do drive slower and I hardly ever talk on the cell phone OR text when I drive, so that's good, I guess.

2. Return "Duplicity". I have Blockbuster On-line. It costs $13 per month. Back in September I rented "Duplicity", that means I cost me $52. And, I have only watched half of it.

This year, I decided to go for goals I MAY actually be able to accomplish.