Hopelessly Devoted to the Hodgepodge

Another Wednesday, and the beginning of a new month. Hello August! According to Blogger, this is my 500th post! Where does the time go?

A big thanks to our gracious hostess, Joyce for hosting our little get-together called the Wednesday Hodgepodge. Be sure to click over to check out her answers, and visit the others who are here for the party.

1. I'm joining my daughter1 in the 101 in 1001 challenge. Essentially you create a list of 101 things you hope to do or accomplish in the next 1001 days. What's one thing you'd put on your list?

This question was written by our hostess, Joyce, and she's the one joining her daughter1 in the challenge. I have seen her daughter's list, and it is quite impressive. I, on the other hand, have a little trouble with lists. I am more of the 'do the task then put it on your list' kind of person. Terrible, I know. Maybe I will get some great ideas from the others participating in the Hodgepodge today. Then. I will. Make. A list. :)

2. How many remote controls do you have in your house? What's one item in your home you wish could be operated by remote control?

Well, we have three TVs, so three I guess. Or do you count the garage door opener? Do I have to count the ones at our lake house? And I think we have one for the fan.... Oh bother! I am not too adept at using the remote control anyway, especially the one for the satellite dish. Often, I text my son when the game is about to start and say, "what channel?" He knows what I mean, and sends me the channel number. And how about searching for the remote when it has been 'misplaced' in the couch cushions, under the coffee table, or inadvertently carried to the bathroom or some such place? It sometimes seems easier to do it the old fashioned way. Trouble is, today's TVs don't even make the buttons clearly visible. I do remember when the kids were little and their 'remote' was a large walking stick that Andrew had found and carved his initials into. They could sit on the couch and press the buttons on the TV with the stick.
What do I wish could be operated by remote control? The air conditioning at the lake house. It would be great to have the place all cooled down by the time we open the door. I even heard there's an app for that!

3. What does having it all mean to you? Is it attainable?

This question made me remember the Raffi song (anybody else remember Raffi?) called All I Really Need.

When the kids were little, we had Raffi tapes, Raffi videos, and even went to a Raffi concert. I think for a while, Jonathan wanted to be Raffi. My guess is that they could all remember the words to many of his songs. Maybe even this one:

All I Really Need is a Song in my Heart
Food in my belly and love in my Family
All I Really Need is a Song in my Heart
And love in my family

And I need the rain to fall
And I need the sun to shine
To give life to the seeds we sow
To give the food we need to grow, grow

And I need some clean water for drinking (Drinking)
And I need some clean air for breathing (Breathing)
So that I can grow up strong and take my place where I belong

 All I Really Need is a Song in my Heart
Food in my belly and love in my Family
All I Really Need is a Song in my Heart
And love in my family

All I Really Need by dcelano

The song seems simple enough, and true. If I have my faith and my family, I do have it all. We have a sign in our house like this one:

True that.

4. What's your favorite movie soundtrack?

I considered several Disney films as my answer (who doesn't love a Disney soundtrack?), but then settled on the classic, Grease. I sang along with it through college, with kids I babysat for, and with my own kids. I think there was a time most young girls wanted to be Olivia Newton-John. I know I did. 

Hopelessly devoted to you...

5. Describe the best view you've seen from a rooftop.

The rooftop view that first came to mind when I read the question was the one from top of the Omni Royal Orleans Hotel in New Orleans. It was beautiful at night, with St. Louis Cathedral and the lights of the French Quarter glowing in the night sky.

 Looking the other direction, toward the bridge and the business district.

The rooftop pool is nice too. A beautiful view in a magical city. And I might as well throw in a 'Who Dat' while I'm at it. :)

6. What's your least favorite thing about summer?

The end of it. :(

7. Our weekly Hodgepodge falls on the first day of August. In ten words or less sum up your July.

Hot. Dry. Lake. Fireworks. Family. Entertaining. Anniversary. Friends. And hot.

8. Insert your own random thought here. 

If you like to use Instagram on your phone, you need to know about StickyGram. It's a neat little printing service that makes magnets from Instagram images. They come in sheets of 9, and tear apart to make 9 individual magnets. So cute and so easy. They recently had a 'buy 2 get 1 free' deal, which I took advantage of as shown below. The magnets in my photo are not yet torn apart. They are a great way to enjoy your phone photos, and they're easy to slip into an envelope to share with others. And don't worry, the folks at Instagram and StickyGram have no idea who I am. I just wanted to share a fun idea with fellow phone photo friends. :)

I do find that I am beginning to rely on my camera phone more and more since it's so convenient. My big camera is just so hard to fit into my pocket! I can also make magnets from photos that have been sent to me via email or text. Such a fun world we live in these days! Say cheese!