(Anyone remember Mime Time on Animaniacs? This title made me think of it.)

I was tagged by Mommy off the Record a few days back to list 15 things I hate. At first I thought this would be a breeze, and then I realized that hate really is a strong word, and it’s tough for me to assign hate to 15 things. Still, I did it. My list:

15 Things I Hate:

1. People who think that stay at home moms do nothing all day long. (I’m not even a SAHM, but I know there’s no way they do nothing all day!)

2. Those who think they clearly have to be somewhere faster than you, and cut you off in traffic without so much as a turn signal.

3. Writing a long e-mail to someone, only to have the electricity blip and erase everything I had written.

4. Waking up in the morning 5 minutes before the alarm goes off – not enough time to go back to sleep, but you still miss those 5 minutes.

5. Changing my daughter’s diaper because it had been on for awhile, and then not 10 minutes later smelling the tell-tale scent of a poopy diaper.

6. Animal and child abusers – I’m convinced there is an extra special nasty place in hell for these people.

7. Having to go to the bathroom really, really bad, sitting down, and then realizing there is no toilet paper.

8. Men (especially mechanics, car salesmen, and computer repair guys) who treat me like a child just because I’m female. Sorry guys, I understand financing, basic mechanics, and I can work on computers.

9. Mail that looks very important, with phrases like “Regarding your account” or “Your payment is due” written on them, which turn out to be nothing more than junk mail solicitations for credit cards or loans.

10. Being invited to a gathering by a friend, where I know no one else there except the friend, and then being abandoned by said friend at the gathering.

11. Being yelled at by someone who isn’t angry with me, but rather redirecting their anger to me.

12. People who are negative all the freakin’ time. Isn’t there any sunshine in your pathetic world? Come on, be thankful for something!

13. Street corner evangelists who yell that I’m going to hell, and then tell me I need to repent. Uh, buddy? You know nothing about me. And yelling insults at me is no way to make me see your point of view.

14. Cat vomit in the middle of the night. Or anytime, really. Even worse when I don’t see it and step in it. Ugh.

15. The inevitable traffic jam that happens the one time you’re running late.

Seeing how this meme has already been around the internet a few times, I’ll simply say that if you’d like to do this one, consider yourself tagged.

I’m feeling a bit like Sally Field right now. Only without the 80’s hair and makeup.

It’s been an awesome week here at A Mommy Story. First, I was given a Perfect Post award for June 06, thanks to the nomination by J’s Mommy of Another Mommy Moment. It was my bloggy equivalent to a Pulitzer. People are reading! And they think I’m worth telling others about!

Next, Her Bad Mother bestowed upon me one of her premier PIMP awards. The letters stand for: Prima Inter Mater Pares (First Among Mother Equals). That’s Latin, folks – you know it’s a classy award when it’s in Latin.

And now? This afternoon I received this:

Dude, how much cooler can this week get?

I wanted to say thank you to those who voted for me. If you look in my high school yearbook, you can bet I was never voted most likely to be anything involving the words “crazy” or “hip”. So it feels good to know I’ve broken out of my shell a little, put together some words that have attracted others to read me (and for me to find them and read their words), and carved out my own little corner of the blogosphere. Or you could just be here for the cute Cordy pictures. That’s OK, too.

Yeah, she’s learning who you’re really here to see: me.

I spent a good deal of this weekend as a Gamer Widow. For those who are uninitiated into the world of gaming, it means my husband spend a lot of time playing RPGs (role playing games), CCGs (collectible card games) and all other sorts of games at the Origins Gaming Convention. Origins is an annual gaming convention held right here in Columbus, and it draws people from all parts of the country to come partake in all things game related.

You’ll find your typical Magic: The Gathering players, your Warhammer miniatures players, your Pokemon card game players (generally under 15), and your LARP’ers (live action role playing – usually in fancy goth costumes). You’ll also see more mainstream folks who play in Monopoly and Scrabble tournaments.

This is probably the #1 geek gathering in Ohio. Now, I’ll admit my provisional geek status – I like going to the convention to try out new games, meet up with friends, and shop. But I’m not a hardcore gamer – I generally don’t pay a lot of attention to complicated game mechanics, and if the game requires me to know more than 6 or 7 rules, I’m too confused to play.

Mostly, I like to people watch, because this place guarantees there is some good people watching to be had. Some of the people you might meet:

The standard gamer – the slightly overweight 20-something probably still living in his parents’ basement, with his case of Mountain Dew, his backpack of gaming books, and his dice bag hanging off his belt. Shy around women, and lacks in social skills. He will never get a date until he stops trying to tell women about his awesome Level 15 mage elf character.

The Vampire LARP’er – If male, tall, lanky, dressed all in black. Probably has his hair dyed black. He’s goth and he wants you to know it. If female, dressed in a black and red leather corset, black miniskirt or see-thru long skirt, heavy makeup and black leather boots that go to mid-thigh. Boobs must be prominently displayed – this is how she distracts her opponents. Sometimes sporting fairy wings as well.

The junior player – These are the geeks in training. Generally under 12, dressed in jean shorts, Pokemon t-shirt, and ballcap, with a backpack larger than they are filled with Pokemon cards.

The hardcore CCG player – This guy has been on the Magic: The Gathering international tour of champions and actually made money from playing his game. He can always be spotted by the rolling suitcase that is with him at all times. It contains all of his best Magic cards, and he will never take his hand off of the suitcase. If you get too close, he will nervously position himself between you and the suitcase – after all, others have been mugged for their Magic cards, and he’s prepared to fight you to the death if need be.

Historical wargame player – Dressed in camo, of course, usually sporting a military haircut. Don’t speak to these people unless you are prepared for an hour and half explanation about why their miniature army is better than the person they just played, because they went the extra step to paint their miniatures in a researched shade of blue that is historically accurate. They will try to convince you that if they had been there, they could have won Custer’s Last Stand with their tactics.

The Cosplay gamer – Primarily female, these gamers like to show up in costume. These people have a high need for others to notice them, and they do it through outrageous costumes or, for the women at least, prominent display of boobs. The costumes may or may not have any resemblance to a real character from geekdom. You’ll see not only boys walking around in Starfleet uniforms, but also lots of fairies, superheroines, and Stormtroopers.

This is only a small sampling of the people you will see at these types of conventions. Oh, there’s cross-breeding going on as well, too, which always complicates the Field Guide to Geeks.

It was a fun weekend, but I’m glad it’s coming to an end. I will now have my husband back for a little while – after all, the GenCon gaming convention is only 38 days away in Indianapolis.

PS – Celebrity sighting of the weekend: William Hung! No geek convention would be complete without the ultimate geek, I guess. She bangs!

I’ll admit, I’m shocked. And honored. And blushing. I certainly wasn’t expecting to find I’d been awarded a Perfect Post award when I checked my e-mail this morning.

J’s Mommy over at Another Mommy Moment was kind enough to bestow this lovely award on me for my 30th birthday post.

What J’s Mommy may not realize is that she just got my Perfect Timing award. (OK, so there is no such award, but if there was, she’d be the first recipient.) Just yesterday I was talking with someone about my writing, and I mentioned that I can, at times, be very insecure about my writing. I sometimes agonize over a single paragraph, feeling like my writing is dull, repetitive, or uninspiring. I’ve been floundering over why I bother to write.

After all, my life isn’t that exciting – why would anyone want to read it? I am often stunned by the phenomena of mommy blogs and how they have spread like fire. Mommy blogs are often dismissed by other “real” writers as being nothing but fluff and vanity writing. But if that’s the case, why do these blogs get so much attention?

I think it’s because motherhood is difficult, confusing, and there is no how-to book to show us what to do. Oh wait, there is, but would you really trust it? There are two good methods for learning to be a parent: trial by fire, and stories from your peers. While trial by fire is essentially parenting on a runaway train, and you learn a lot by doing that, peer advice is that extra bit that gives you some idea of what’s coming around the bend, so you at least have a few tools in your back pocket to prepare.

Think about it – how often do you ask for or take advice from a friend who has already gone through a situation you are about to go through? While it’s doubtful that you will have the exact same experience, there is a high chance some of it will be the same.

Mommy blogs are like a global circle of friends offering advice and sharing their stories. We learn what works, what doesn’t work, and what should never, ever, be done again. I’ve learned from other moms, and I think others have benefited from my experience as well.

So thank you, J’s Mommy, for my Perfect Post award. You’ve helped renew my faith in my writing, and reaffirmed for me that people are reading, and they are hopefully leaving with a new idea, a new smile for the day, or a new thought to ponder.