Fascinating...

I added some code to my site so that Google Analytics could tell me a bit about how many visits I get, where they come from, etc. Holy mackerel - there are a LOT of people reading and looking at my lil' old blog. And from countries like Egypt and Mongolia and Colombia! WHAT? In the last month, 1750 visits from 36 countries! I'm blown away.
HI THERE VISITORS!! It's flattering that you visit my site, and thank you so much for stopping by! *waving and grinning* Have a great day!

I Done Been TAGGED!

You know, I've read about this in photography blogs - but never did I imagine, even in this tiny little universe that someone would tag me! I'm so flattered... blush.

Elizabeth Pellette tagged me. She's amazing, and she found me through another blog I read (someone who's already been tagged, I'm sure). The rules. Ahem.

1. Link the person who tagged you. (check)

2. Mention the rules in your blog. (check)

3. Tell about 6 unspectacular quirks of yours. (6? That's it? I suppose I'll narrow it down.)

4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers by linking them. (will do)

5. Leave a comment on each of the tagged bloggers' blogs letting them know they've been tagged. (will do too.)

Quirks:

1. I'm awful about reading directions. I'm kind of a guy that way - I'd much rather figure things out myself. And then I get annoyed when I can't and I have to take the time to read the stupid directions.

2. I am a food pack rat. I love cooking, and I do cook what I buy - but often my eyes are bigger than our 3 stomachs (hubby, daughter & myself) and I end up with stuff that I would love to eat but there just aren't enough meals in the day. 

3. I'd happily leave the house with a cap on my unshowered head, but I'd never leave without a stitch of makeup on. Even just a little mascara and something for the circles under my eyes. And maybe a bit of blush.... 

4. I'm a bit of a video game junkie. I have a DS, a PS3, a PSP, and a Wii. Hubby bought them, but I admit. I definitely play more than he & Mia put together.

5. I used to read a lot - now I really don't anymore. I am an ADD kind of reader - magazines, websites, blogs, newspapers - not so much novels anymore, and that makes me sad. It's really not because I don't find it interesting or fun - my eyes start closing too soon and it takes me too long to finish a book.

6. I hate mayonnaise. Anyone who knows me, knows this about me. I'm phobic. Really. Can't smell it, can't touch it, and if it comes on my sandwich despite the fact that I ordered it without, I will either send it back or not eat it. **shudder, gag**

Gosh, six other bloggers. HERE WE GO:

Kassia, at Our Life is an Open Blog

Jen, at Sumeba Miyako

Edith, at SENIORITA MOMMY

Ayelet, at Ayelet Like It Is (HA! I will force you to post!)

Ernie, at Ernie Budo's Lab

and Pamela, at her UKreal blog

Sorry if you've been tagged before. Deal with it.

Photos coming OH so soon!

Ugh.

I wasn't going to blog about this but I figure I could maybe get some advice or helpful commiseration from readers, so chime in if you like. Mia had been scratching her head for a few days, and on Tuesday morning I found out why. She had lice. Ok. EW.

All I know about lice I learned from Linda Evangelista in elementary school. She had lice and she had hair down to her butt. After a while, she showed up with a chin-length bob. I now know why.

Thankfully, Mia didn't have a really horrendous case, however when I told her teacher about it via email on Tuesday morning when I decided she wasn't going to school, the nurse came to check the students. 2 other kids were sent home, and the teacher had it too. Then it was discovered in 3 or 4 other kindergarten classes, and a couple of other grades too. And then my friend told me she got a note home from her son's off-base preschool about it.

Long and grueling story as short as possible; got a rinse with the stuff in it that kills these buggers from the hospital pharmacy, did it, combed like mad, and nearly vomited several times. I bagged all of her stuffed animals in sealed bags not to be opened for two weeks. I threw away her pillow and washed ALL the clothing, towels, sheets, jackets, etc. in scalding hot water and dried for 50 minutes in the hot dryer.

The next day she went to school, the nurse checked her before she returned to class (good thing) and her teacher told me she had some nits (eggs) left. Nits are stuck to the strands of hair about 1/4" from the scalp. They're TEENY (1/2 of the head of a pin) and whitish/clear - read as "hard to see". The piece of crap plastic comb I got with the rinse does NOT remove the nits. My fingernails do. Still finding live bugs. ACK. Now I'm being told that this is a problem at the school (lots of kids have it) and I keep Mia home because the mamasans (Japanese women who clean the rooms at the school) aren't cleaning sufficiently and properly to eliminate a lice problem. I'll tell you right now - I'm NOT going through this again. My kid will sooner wear a swimming cap for the rest of the winter until this is over than I pick another nit.

Thursday; did the rinse again, still finding live bugs. Friday morning SERIOUSLY attacked her head. Have I mentioned how THRILLED I am that we cut her hair? That makes my job easier - but I kinda wish she were a boy because if this wasn't getting better I could consider shaving her head.

Today was a good day. She woke up and after breakfast I only found 3-5 eggs. Not bad. No live bugs. Exhaling - as there's a metal comb worth a crap on the way from my mother (THANK YOU) and a doctor friend who offered to get me a stronger shampoo to kill the bugs if they don't go away. Now I just have to get over the fear of sending her back to school because I don't feel that all the cleaning people and other parents are NEARLY as anal as I was about eradicating this! Also big thanks go out to Kaho - wonderful friend who speaks Japanese and helped me try to find a stronger shampoo & better comb at the pharmacy out in town. Everyone has been great, I'm so lucky.

So... it seems to be better on Mia's head now, thankfully, but the story is slightly to be continued.

In other news, because I was trapped inside dealing with this all week, I wanted to get OUT today (Saturday) and go to the Okinawa Prefecture Museum. (brand new - opened in November) It's raining and chilly - nothing new for the last six freaking weeks - and we drove down on great directions that we didn't follow properly and got all turned around; and by the time we figured it out it was 4pm and we bagged it. SIGH. Maybe tomorrow.

Lastly - the highlight of my week (considering the week I had, even something lame would be good, but it's not!). I went to Suwanee's photography reception today at the Foster Library and met a fan. Of little old me! What? I know! A fan of my photography & my blog! Talk about humbling - so HI there, K - and all your SAHM friends!! Please do comment sometime, I'd love it! I want to hear what you dig and what you don't - and what you want to read about or see that you aren't. I'm blown away that I've now met two prior strangers (once before at the commissary) who told me they know me because of my blog and photos. And that's to say nothing of the several comments I've received from other people I don't know who found me in a variety of ways.

Wow, minor MINOR celebrity status on Oki, but amazing and encouraging nonetheless! K - we will so get out and take some pictures, I'm down to help you practice and help you with some Elements when you upgrade! So great meeting you!

And a big hello and thanks SO much to anyone & everyone out there for reading and watching the adventures of lil' ol' me and my family - that's just such an added bonus to blogging. It was truly just to keep the friends & family back home aware of what's up out here, and I love doing it and it's taken a really interesting and fun direction now. Big fat warm fuzzies and love to you all.

Cry And Laugh

I prefer to be sad before happy so I end on a smile. Thanks [b]ecker, for my links of the day. I sure hope you're right about my Padres, because the Norv & the Chargers are breaking my heart.

This is sad.

This is hysterical.

And a quick HOORAY! The Office is back! It was great. 

Blog Addiction?

58%How Addicted to Blogging Are You?

I found this site through another blog today, and I'm happy to say that I didn't even pass this test. But maybe some of you will realize an addiction, so check it out. Fun & funny.

Whale Sharks! Blog!

My dive buddy from class went diving with whale sharks today (largest fish on the planet - about 7m long). I'm going to see if I can put a link to his pictures here:

http://share.shutterfly.com/action/pictures?a=67b0de21b35360304522&sid=8AatGLdu1cuHnw

If that doesn't work for you, whoever you are, email me so I can pull it. I'll be doing this soon despite the $115 pricetag - gotta save up for that experience before I go!

I also found an incredible local blog - http://okimama.wordpress.com/
HOLY COW wealth of information! Categorized beautifully with pictures, directions to places - wow, I am more than happy I found this only 6 weeks in!