Who's Gonna Sell Me My OxiClean Now?

The first time I saw, or rather heard him, I thought he was the most annoying person on earth. No matter what I watched on TV, he would always show up, blah, blah blahing in that loud, irritating voice! But after a while, the voice became familiar and I would actually stop and listen to what the guy was selling. And one day I decided to buy what he was pitching. OxiClean has become a regular part of my laundry routine. And Billy Mays became a familiar face that made me smile, then wince, every time I saw him on TV with a new product - in spite of the fact that his pitch style and loud voice drives me crazy.

Now he's gone. And I'm just a tiny bit sad! I know...bigger TV celebrities died this week, but for some reason they didn't affect me like Billy did. While I liked Michael Jackson's music a little, I was never a huge fan. And I remember watching Charlie's Angels, but Farrah Fawcett was just some cute girl with cute hair to me. And Ed McMahon never brought me a giant check from Publisher's Clearinghouse, so I had crossed him off my list of likable celebrities a long time ago.

Billy Mays was around on a daily basis, in my face, always with something new. He COMMANDED me to stop and listen, even when I didn't want to. And I actually bought something I like because of his forceful, yet funny selling style. I wonder if he talked like that all the time, like even at dinner. "HONEY! PASS ME THE POTATOES THAT WERE COOKED IN THE NEW AND IMPROVED HOT POTATO COOKER, PLEASE!"

Even my kids knew who he was. When I told my husband that Billy Mays died, Big Brother immediately launched into the "Hi! I'm Billy Mays!" thing. And Little Man started listing all the products Billy Mays has pitched throughout the last few years. I know...somewhere in that little tribute to him by my kids is a sad statement about how much they watch TV. I guess all I'm saying is, love or hate the guy, he did his job and became a memorable face on TV.

I'm really sad for his family that he died so suddenly. And a little sad for me...now I have to choose a new pitch guy. Do I go with that english guy who sells the Magic Bullet and says the word "nachos" with a short "a" sound instead of the preferred short "o" pronunciation? Or the Sham-Wow guy with his non-chalant, tell it like it is, you're an idiot if you don't buy this, "this thing sells itself" attitude? Either way...these guys have some big shoes to fill.

R.I.P. Billy Mays. I hope you get a good gig in Heaven. Maybe you can sell that GOOP stuff to all the politicians who have passed on so they can wash their hands of all the crap they pulled while they were in office.

Here are a few fun Billy Mays sites you can check out to help you through the grieving process:

You Can Be "The Mays"

Billy Mays Pie Chart

A few funny videos:

The Community Fort/Clubhouse

Community clubhouse/fort that all the boys in the neighborhood work on every day:

(Yes, it's just a big hole they dug in the desert just west of my house.)

Some current members of the community club:

Neighborhood resident seeking membership in community club:

Not picture of actual snake in our hole, but very accurate representation...I was too afraid to take a picture of the actual snake in the hole, as it was very aggressive, so I ran home like a baby with the two boys in tow.)

Current members now contemplating resignation from community club:

I'm Back

It's amazing what a couple of days away from the computer can do to improve a person's psyche! I'm ready to start blogging again, but I have come to the conclusion that I need to make some changes to the blog. Which I already knew, I guess, because I have been talking about it for awhile now.

When I started the blog, I started it as a way to chronical my family's life and as a place where I could write. Because I love to write. Somewhere I kind of got lost. I was asked to review a few things, then a few more things and pretty soon I felt like my blog was becoming a review blog and not a ME blog! So...because I love doing both, I will continue to do both, but I will keep them very separate. From now on, I will only do reviews and giveaways on my review page. So if you wanna win stuff, you HAVE to visit the review page. I will have a little spot in one of the columns listing the giveaways to remind you to stop by the review page and enter the contests. How's that sound?

I haven't posted in a while about life in general because life in general has been throwing me lots of curves lately. Some good, some not so good. And I turned 45 last week. I am on my way to being middle aged. This is a weird place to be. I thought I would be farther along in my accomplishments by now. I don't feel like I have been very successful in a lot of areas. And I'm starting to get wrinkles. Along with the fact that I am still really overweight and struggling to get in shape, which I have struggled with since I was like 10 years old. So turning 45 was kind of hard. I'm not where I want to be in my life. Physically, mentally or temporally.

But some good things have come from my thinking about my age. I realized that I am not yet too old to change some of my issues. I still have time to lose weight and get healthy. I can still accomplish some of my goals, if I'll actually get my butt in gear and quit moping around the house. The wrinkle issue is a bit harder, but cosmetics have come a long, long way and there is LOTS of wrinkle filling collagen stuff out there that I can use to feel a bit younger. Or I can stay fat, that's been a pretty good wrinkle filler so far!

Really, the best thing that has come out of my turning 45 is that the big event really pushed me to sit down and think about what I want the next phase of my life to be like. Taking inventory isn't always fun and I can tell you my inventory came with a lot of personal revelations about my weaknesses and issues, but it helped me recognize where I tend to get stuck. I came out of the last few weeks with a renewed sense of purpose. I feel more comfortable in my own skin...except for the flabby, saggy skin that is appearing from my attempts to lose weight. I am SOOOO not comfortable with that skin.

But I am comfortable with a lot more of myself than I used to be. I am comfortable with the fact that I still have a lot of living to do. I am comfortable with the fact that I don't have to let the past define who I am. I am comfortable with the fact that who I am may change a little once in awhile as I grow and progress and become a wiser individual. I am amazingly comfortable with my belief system and my morals and values. I know who I am in those areas. I don't have to stop and think anymore about those things.

And I know now that I can be happy if I choose to be. I am comfortable knowing that I can leave my unhappiness behind now. It has served whatever purpose it was here to serve and I am free to let it go and move on with my life. I am comfortable seeking joy. I'm not sure how good I'll be at seeking joy and leaving unhappiness behind, but I'm gonna give it a try.

Hope you'll stick around while I work out the details. You guys give me strength to get through it all.

I Am Suffering from Technology Burnout!

It has been awhile since I posted. Almost a whole week. I am suffereing from severe computer/internet burnout. I used to wake up, take the kids to school, come home and immediately boot up the computer to check emails and start paying bills, writing blogposts, researching... whatever it was that needed to be done via the internet and my computer. One day a few weeks ago I realized I had no desire to get on the computer that morning. I KNOW! SCARY!!!

But I forced myself to do it. Then I had an even scarier revelation...I did not enjoy my time that day on the comuter. It felt like work. I have NEVER felt like writing my blog or checking my emails was work. EVER.

When it happened again the next day, and the day after that, I realized that I am in a bad place, technologically and mentally speaking. Or rather, typing. Because really, that's the problem isn't it? Sometimes we just need to talk. Typing and texting is great and has it's place, but speaking is just as important to our emotional well-being. I am tired of typing and reading. I want to speak and listen and if I'm going to read? I want to feel the pages as I turn them and smell the ink and mess up the stupid book jacket thing while I try to figure out what to do with it while I'm reading my book!

So I've been absent the last few days. And I might be absent here for a few more days. I've typed so much in the last six months that I have worn some of the letters off of my husband's laptop keyboard. He doesn't know how to type, so it's messing him up. "Where the freak is the N on this thing?" And why are there 2 C's on my keyboard!?" (There aren't 2 C's - one of the C's is a partially rubbed off O). See? My computer/internet obsession is even taking it's toll on the rest of my family. Laundry piling up, dinner getting later and later every night...you know the drill, right?

So I'm doing my own intervention. I need to get my head straight. I need to feel human again, and not robotic or computerized. I need to get back in touch with my family. Maybe reconnect with my kids. Even if it means my Facebook Farm Town goes unharvested. Yeah...it's that serious, folks.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

A few years ago - before he had an opinion or an attitude!

Circus Ticket Winners!

Okay! This is the LAST announcement for contest winners, the Boymom Blogoversary Giveaway Bash is officially OVER! Whew! I'm pooped!

Anyway...here's the winner, as chosen by Random.org:

4 - Kuefer's Most Memorable Moments

So it was a great party and I really enjoyed myself! Brought back some memories of past posts and I made some new friends. Thank you so much to everyone who stopped by, I hope you'll check in once in awhile when you have a moment. And now...back to our regularly scheduled blogging.

Go Go Pets Winners

Little Man announces the winners:

Go Go Pets Engineers are Wicked Cool Dudes

Okay...don't you just love it when people and companies do the right thing for their consumers? I KNOW! ME TOO! It's such a rarity these days that when a company does step up to fix a problem, it's almost shocking. Like..."Really? You're actually gonna take care of my issue without a huge fight?!"

Well, that happened to me today. I KNOW! How great is that? And I didn't even have to ask for the help. The company actually took the time to track me down! I KNOW!!! And because Cepia, LLC was so awesome? I have to share it. Because I want people to know that good companies with good people working for them still exist. I want my readers to know that they can have confidence in Cepia toys, because their engineers actually listen to what consumers say about their products and the issues that come with them. And then - get this - the engineers actually go and fix the issue. I KNOW!! HOW FREAKING AMAZING IS THAT?!!

So here's the whole story...we recieved a Go Go Pets Hamster to review, along with the little Adventure Trail thing for the Hamsters, which included a little ball that you put them in that they roll around the house. Well, if you read my review (which you could do NOW), you would already know that the ball thing kept coming apart, which was frustrating, so I Super Glued it, which left ugly little Super Glue marks everywhere, but it worked.

Today I got this email:

Mrs. Boymom,

We noticed your post regarding the Hamsters and saw that you were having trouble with the Adventure Ball. That was a clever solution to use super glue.

We have lengthened the locking posts on the Adventure Ball to address any problems with the ball popping apart and I would love to know how this ball compares to the one you have now.

If you are interested in checking it out, I could ship one to you. I would just need a shipping address.

Thanks,
(Wicked Cool Engineer Dude who loves to address Consumer Concerns)

That's not his real name, of course, but I think that is what I will call him from now on. And I was clever for using Super Glue, wasn't I? And how fun is it that he addressed me as Mrs. Boymom?!! I think I'm gonna officially change my name to that now! And how lame is it that all my vernacular for really great stuff is total 90's? Ima hafta up my game when it comes to killa phat slang! Or something like that.

Anyway...So why I am so excited about this? It took me a minute to figure it out too. It's because it is really refreshing to find a company who actually holds itself accountable for its products! I guess I can be somewhat negative as a comsumer...remember - I'm still working on overcoming the glass half empty thing. It's just that we all work hard for our money and when it is spent on junk that falls apart and the company who sells it doesn't wanna make it right? Well, it stinks! And seriously, how many of us have had our fill of those kind of cruddy experiences with toy manufacturers that could care less about a disappointed kid and a consumer's wasted money?

Cepia has restored a bit of my faith! Wicked Cool Engineer Dude took the initiative to address my problem. That never happens. At least not to me.

So yeah...I'm shocked and excited and grateful and happy to share my Cepia LLC experience with other moms and dads. I hope you will consider their products (like Go Go Pets Hamsters)when you are looking for new play items for your kids. Tell 'em Boymom sent you. They won't know what that means and you won't get anything for free. But it made me feel really cool to say that just now. Like maybe it could mean something to someone...someday.

UPDATE!!!
I received the new Adventure Ball last week and after initial assembly and numerous tests, the new ball is holding up extremely well, without the use of Super Glue! Wicked Cool Engineer Dude (and his wicked cool associates) did a good job with the changes they made to the design. The ball holds together well and even managed a quick trip on the treadmill. I also noticed the improved version came with a little stabilizer thing that attaches to the hamster to help it keep from tipping over while it's rolling the ball all over the house. The stabilizer thing worked pretty well and eliminated all but the occasional tip over. I want to thank Cepia for taking the time to listen to their consumers and make adjustments to products to ensure that their customers are getting their money's worth!

Drycleaners Secret and Walmart Card Winners!!

We have winners today, people!!

Drycleaners Secret giveaway:

3 - Roxy

5 - ellison

Walmart Card Winner!!

4 - Birdie

I will be contacting all of you to get shipping information! Thanks for playing and feel free to let me know what you would like to see on my blog going forward! More contests? Less contests and more of my lunatic raving? What!? I would love some feedback!

Win 4 Tickets to Ringling Bros Circus - Phoenix Only!!

The Boymom Blogoversary Giveaway Bash continues!

Phoenix Residents (or anyone willing to drive to Phoenix) can enter to win Circus Tickets!

It seems like life at Boymom's house quite often feels like a circus, particularly right now, as we slog through the last week of school. It's. Pure. TORTURE!

I am realizing now that our extended year school calendar comes with some drawbacks. Three weeks for Christmas Break is nice. Until now. When it's June. And we are still in school. Two weeks each for Spring and Fall Breaks seemed really cool and fun. Until now. When it's 105 degrees. And we are still in school! I am seriously starting to think about homeschooling. Because it's June. And it's hot. And we are still in school.

Last year at this time we were celebrating Little Man's graduation from Kindergarten. This year we have no momentous occasions to celebrate with the end of the school year, except the fact that there will be no school for a few months!

We have lots of stuff planned this summer, providing the finances will allow for it all. And we want to share some of our fun with our readers, so we are giving away a Family 4-pack of tickets to the Ringling Brothers Barnum and Bailey "Zing Zang Zoom" Circus on June 24th, here in Phoenix! My family will be attending, so maybe we can hook up with the winners!

If you want to win, leave me a comment! This contest is open to Phoenix Residents Only until June 5th at Midnight. Winner will be announced June 6th!