JCK88 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Ok, so a few months back I was feeling tired from a flare-up of Sjogrens and spent some time at the computer, knocking around the web. Came across an essay contest on the Edy's ice cream web site--entered it. Just yesterday, I found out I was one of their 1500 nationwide grand-prize winners! LOL I'm allergic to milk, but in a month, I will be getting a shipment of ice cream enough to feed 100 people, along with a huge box of party supplies and paper goods to go with it. LOL LOL I was delighted. However, my husband is upset at me. He's actualy MAD that I entered this and didn't tell him. (I had forgotten all about it and don't even remember what I said in the little essay) The prize is for a block party--where you invite your neighborhood over for ice cream. I guess I was tired and a little lonely the day I entered it and it sounded nice, the entire neighborhood chowing down on free ice cream. But now...with my husband saying. "WHERE are you going to keep that stuff when they deliver it???" and "This is going to be a whole lot of work and clean up...why don't you refuse..." I feel bad. But the truth is, I used to have a high profile job that I loved and I used to get a lot of attention for my writing. I don't do it anymore and I guess to fill in the empty space I have been doing silly things like posting reviews, entering essay contests and posting my heart out at this site. I'm tired, so I am home more. I'm more isolated. In truth, I'm feeling lonely for gal pals sometimes. (despite doing gardening and crafts and being busy...and bringing the cat to the nursing home regularly, and ...all that stuff that goes with being mom of a teen, etc etc...I don't have a lot of friends in this town) So it hit me hard that dh is negative about this...I feel SO bad about it, like I did something wrong and should refuse the prize or something, but I really, really would like to throw a huge ice cream party. I kind of need it, you know? I guess I just had to tell someone. I wish I could just ask y'all over for the ice cream. That would solve things, wouldn't it, LOL I'm actually thinknig of just chucking the neighborhood party and giving the ice cream to the nursing home for their annual carnival day, which is the same weekend the stuff will be delivered to me. What would you do? Link to comment
Becca_Anne Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I'd have the party and enjoy it and let DH sulk and not eat ice cream LOL You should have fun and ask the neighbors over for something once in awhile. As for storage, how many containers are you looking at? Could you ask some of your neighbors to help you store it until the event? Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 Becca-Anne, I think if I threw the party anyway, he'd be just fine..he'd grumble but he'd be okay. I am looking at a dozen 1.75-quart containers.. plus a bunch of ice cream bars and they give you coupons for more cartons, and coupons for frozen doggy treats, LOL I did not know those existed. (I have a neighbor who has a dog grooming place and nine German Shepherds..so she will get those) YEAH Becca.. I'm gonna have this party if I have to rent a freezer for the weekend. Although I will ask neighbors first if they can put some cartons in their freezers. The dog lady has a couple of chest freezers. Thanks for the encouragement...and the hug.. I needed it! Link to comment
Dee Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 I agree with Becca...a party would be such fun. Go for it!!! Link to comment
HappyCamper45 Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 First let me say congradulations. Way to go...Wish I lived closer. Could use a friend here as well. Share your excitement with others. Then (meany) smack your husband for not sharing your excitement. How dare him steal your thunder. He had no right to do that. Don't get sad. Smack that boy. Oh and don't let winning a contest cost you money...Your neighbors would be honored to help store the ice cream until the party. People always want to help. Give them a chance. JM2cents. I do love men, just not selfish ones. I good smack will always straighten them out. Lay the guilt on. Link to comment
Granny Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 First off congratulations! I don't think hubby is really upset, just a first reaction of how much work is involved in hosting that many guest. Oh well! By all means you should accept the prize and enjoy it. Wow! This is exciting to get all that ice cream including plates, party supplies etc. for block party!! If you can manage it at all then go for it!! I bet the neighbors will help out with storage and cleanup afterwards, which will lighten the load for you and DH. What a wonderful opportunity to meet new people and make friends!! Another option if 100 is just too overwhelming is to host 50 people and give the other half to nursing home for their event. P.S. I don't even want to know how much chocolate ice cream you're getting. Will only make me feel worse I'm too far away to come to the party. Link to comment
ANewMe Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Debbie...I like your style!! You go girl!!! I agree...that is awesome and he should be proud. I'd plan that party as pretty as you please and tell him he was NOT invited until he had an attitude adjustment. Maybe it was intimidating to him??? Who knows with men. Now, on a different note. Have you thought of working from home as a freelance writer or technical writer? Melissa Link to comment
Jeepers Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Congratulations on your "major award" At least it wasn't a leg lamp! I agree with what HappyCamper said. Have the party. I'll bet your hubby has the best time of anyone there and will bask in the glory of giving a free neighborhood party. He was probably just caught off guard. Link to comment
Stephanie Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 That's so cool!!! How about a banana split! Man I wish we were closer, I'd bring the whole crew and take care of a large portion of that for you. don't you imagine they'll bring you a refrigerated truck or something the day of the party. They're not going to expect you to have storage for that. It will be great!! Take pictures and share!! Link to comment
HSmom Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Quote: cur·mudg·eon (kr-mjn) n. An ill-tempered person full of resentment and stubborn notions. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [Origin unknown.] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- cur·mudgeon·ly adj. cur·mudgeon·ry n. The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition copyright ©2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Updated in 2003. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. I'm married to one too. Just have the party and have fun. He'll be okay. And congratulations!!! Link to comment
Aint2nuts Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Hugs. I still think it is funny as heck. I personally wish you had won a nice bed and breakfast someplace in New Hampshire that I could vacation at. LOL LOL LOL Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 LOL... HsMom--you're right. I knew he was a curmudgeon when I married him. You're right. I'm doing this. Melissa-- I have done freelance stuff from home before. Most of my markets are kind of dried up right now because of budget crunches at magazines. They are mainly using staffers. I am struggling with Sjogren's Syndrome now which has, among its symptoms, debilitating fatigue and when flare ups happen--a thing they politely call "cognitive difficulties" which means basically that you are so tired you can't think straight. But I should be more aggressive in finding some writing stuff to do, you're right. HappyCamper--you're right about not spending money on this party. It's going to be simple, tables, chairs, ice cream, and neighbors. I'm not able to spend money on big deals, but I will I think blow up some balloons and put them around and tie huge ribbons on the trees. I have some old rolls of wide craft ribbon in a burnt orange that would do nicely. Angela--I considered entering an essay contest for a house way up in Maine--but it only had two bedrooms and you need three:) Prayed2bamom--Banana splits! You just reminded me that I could put out toppings for the ice cream. I canned waaaay too much strawberry and blueberry syrup last year and this would be a good way to use up some of it! (I wish you and the crew could come, too.) Debbie, Naw, I won't smack him. He already realized I felt bad and is saying he will get his fiddle out and play for the party. Since he once got paid $300 to play at the town's Strawberry festival for two hours, I think that's a good apology!! LOL Granny, You're right. He might not have been upset, just overwhelmed at the logistics. They deliver the ice cream several days before the party. It's just 12 cartons and a box of bars--so no, they don't have a truck load of it. I am going to clean out my freezer starting now--we will eat the stuff in it over the next month. I won't buy anything that needs freezing. My fridge is a side by side and has no icemaker so it has a lot of room in it, which is why I never got a chest freezer. And then if my neighbors store a few cartons, it should work. I finally feel better today about all of this. Thanks everyone. You're da best! Really, really which I could have a Mrs. S party! Hugs Link to comment
Melissa Posted June 19, 2008 Share Posted June 19, 2008 Enjoy your party! I'm sure you've heard of it, but there are some folks who write for Associated Content. Maybe that would give you a place to send your stuff. http://www.associatedcontent.com/ Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 Thanks Melissa. Associated content won't fit the bill. They essentially will pay $20 for an article. They want nearly free content for their web pages. Most professional writers with a specialty won't go near them. I'll get back to do doing what I do best--writing about these three topics: health, contamination control and military and aerospace electronics. There it still a slim market out there for freelancers from some of the trade press and they pay a dollar a word or more, which makes it worth it. I'll have to think about "content providing." It's probably the wave of the future because I think print magazines will go away, so maybe doing some of it isn't a bad idea. Link to comment
Ambergris Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Too much blueberry syrup? Are we both speaking English here? Link to comment
sassenach Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 LOL, this thread made me laugh. Have fun with your party. I have fibro and have had fatigue and the sjogrens too. Lupus is in remission. I am managing everything but the fatigue alot better and working on that and destressing. Good luck. Writing is like art, if you don't do it, you go nuts. I am not published yet, but its my best avenue for both fulfillment and creativity and it can put bread on the table later on if I continue to do it. So don't just stop writing, it is impossible! Link to comment
Cricket Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 Okay, so by the time I got here, the party was planned and the DH had come around and is going to entertain at the festivites. So that only leaves one question... where is the essay??? Please, Judy??? Link to comment
HappyCamper45 Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 I'd love to see that essay too...Please Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Arby!!! Someone else with Sjogrens??? I haven't met anyone else who has it! I love your kitty avatar. Adorable. Keep writing..you'll get published if you just persist. Hugs Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Oh boy....Here is the kicker about the essay. I don't have it. I wrote it in a couple of minutes, and checked it for word count, cut and pasted it onto the entry and never kept a copy!!!! I have been frantically hunting in the computer to find out if I said anything about my neighborhood I shouldn't have, LOL I promise, I will ask them email me a copy of my entry and then I will post it. It is just a short thing, about 350 words if I remember right...it might even have been 150..I can't remember THAT either. Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 20, 2008 Author Share Posted June 20, 2008 Yeah...Ambergris..I DID can way too much last year, we are still eating it:) And strawberry season is here and blueberry soon to follow so I'm going to wipe out last year's batch with toppings for ice cream. Everyone, thanks again for helping me feel excited about my silly prize again...!!! Link to comment
Crazy4Canning Posted June 20, 2008 Share Posted June 20, 2008 JCK88, Wahoo - a party! Congrats on the writing and good for you! :banana2: :jumping2: Too bad I live across the nation, I LOVE LOVE LOVE putting together things and bringing people out of the woodwork. Free ice cream is a sure magnet! I'd be jumping up and down too - my husband would have done the same thing - ARE YOU CRAZY?!?! YOU DID WHAT?!?!?! I'd just laugh myself silly and have the party anyway. With all the kids in my neighborhood, I'd get the name change I've been wanting - no more "Red-headed-cat-lady", now "Nice ice cream lady"! Have fun! Link to comment
JCK88 Posted June 21, 2008 Author Share Posted June 21, 2008 Yes...Ambergris, yes. I actually DID can too much syrup. It's time to start picking strawberries this year and I still have some syrup and jam from LAST season. I confess. Under the influence and warm encouragement from Mrs S and particulary posts from Mt. Rider and Westie, I canned like a fiend last season, more then I have have in my entire life--and I'm over 50 so that says something, LOL I like to can enough for a year--but got carried away. It will be great on the ice cream!! And I'm already planning my 2--8 strawberry jam fest for next week. Link to comment
Ambergris Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 >Still trying to imagine "too much blueberry syrup" Link to comment
Aint2nuts Posted June 21, 2008 Share Posted June 21, 2008 Originally Posted By: JCK88 Angela--I considered entering an essay contest for a house way up in Maine--but it only had two bedrooms and you need three:) LOL Judy, Ricky could sleep in the living room or den. (aren't I mean?) I need to start looking for things like that. Link to comment
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