Archive for the Just Another Mary Monday Category

From Tragedy to Triumph

On April 6, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

So, this is it. Tonight’s the night that the Wisconsin Badgers face off against the Duke Blue Devils, deciding which college team wins the title of NCAA 2015 Champions. For me, the biggest tragedy of this season’s March Madness was the game on March 26th where my beloved Tar Heels were knocked out of the running by the Badgers. I had pool league that night, and the TV was turned to the game just for me – I yelled so much at that screen, I think I scared some of the patrons away! Win

Unfortunate Air Show Disasters

On March 30, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

I love jets. Always have. Growing up I had F-14 Tomcat, F-16 Falcon, and F/A-18 Hornet model airplanes flying from my bedroom ceiling. It was like watching my own miniature air show each day. Although I dreamed of being a fighter pilot when I grew up, it turns out that I work in a different mode of transportation. I love the logistics industry, but there is still a part of me that would give anything to be going Mach 1 in a brand new F-22 Raptor (the jet that is now replacing the F-16

Dribbling Down the Runway

On March 23, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

When you’re from North Carolina, you expect everyone to go a little crazy when March Madness hits. Just in case you’re not a basketball fan, March Madness refers to the NCAA college basketball tournament, which runs through the month of March. For basketball fans, March Madness is like the Super Bowl, the World Series, and Christmas combined. In other words: a really big deal. Needless to say, when I moved to Alabama from North Carolina in 2008, I was in for a huge wake up call. No one cared about basketball- they were too

Lord of the Class Rings

On March 16, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

In 1988, when I got my class ring, I splurged on a 10-carat gold band, which ran me about $300.00. It was a lot of money back then, but it was worth it. I loved high school, I wanted something to commemorate it, and let’s be honest – I’ll take any excuse to buy something shiny, sparkly, and made of gold! So when my boys brought home their class ring catalog last week, I told myself that I would spoil them a little. After all, I know how important a class ring can be,

It Don’t Matter If It’s Black or White

On March 9, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

What has happened to us? I mean, really? First, we were glued to our computer screens watching the llama drama: a pair of llamas – one black, one white – escaped from an Arizona petting zoo at a care facility and darted in and out of traffic in Phoenix, Arizona, leading police on a wild alpaca chase Then, the Internet lost its collective mind over a dress. If you didn’t see it, a woman posted a picture of a dress the mother-of-the-bride wore to her daughter’s wedding. To some, the dress appeared to be

Missing My Monopoly Money

On March 2, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

A few weeks ago I decided to play a game of Monopoly with my friends and family. It was my first time playing in several years, and most of my memories involved trying to get out of jail-preferably for free. So you can imagine my surprise when we opened the game and instead of wads of paper bills, I was handed a miniature debit card. After all the progress I’ve made on my credit card debt this year, I wasn’t sure if I should laugh or cry. After I got over my shock, I

Keeping Up with Kanye

On February 23, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

Last night the 87th Academy Awards took place at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood. While I wasn’t strutting down the red carpet, I did catch the show from the best seat in the house – my couch. Watching the Oscars is a yearly tradition in my home. We treat it less like an awards show and more like a football game. I root for my favorite films, hoping they’ll get the recognition they deserve. This year, I was pulling for American Sniper to win Best Picture (as much as I liked 50 Shades of

50 Shades of Mary

On February 16, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

I’m not afraid to admit it: I love the 50 Shades of Grey series. Yes, many people roll their eyes and complain the books are badly written, but half those people are secretly reading them, too. They must be, considering the series has sold over 100 million copies worldwide, been translated into 52 languages, and set a record in the UK as the fastest selling paperback of all time. In other words: I’m not the only one buying them, reading them, and watching them. That’s right-50 Shades of Grey is now a movie, and

Sleeping on the Job

On February 9, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

In my house, the rules are pretty simple. At least that’s what I thought until my youngest son, Timothy, proved otherwise. My kids are only allowed to play video games Friday through Sunday-school days are off limits! And every night, Tim heads to bed at 9PM on the dot. He’s allowed to watch TV in his room for a half an hour, and then it’s lights out at 9:30. Simple, right? I thought so too… During the holidays, I’ll admit-I started relaxing some of our house rules. I let the kids play video games

Snowballs, Avalanches, and Tsunamis

On February 2, 2015 / Just Another Mary Monday

Last week, those of you in the Northeast had your share of snowballs, but since the New Year, I’ve been focused on a snowball of a different kind. You see, this year, I vowed that 2015 would be the year I paid off all my credit cards. I’m embarrassed to admit that in the past I’ve been one of those people who gets suckered into that in-store marketing when the sales associates asks: “Would you like to save 20% on your purchase?” I open a store card and the next thing you know: “Mary