Insomnia? Or genetically predisposed?

Gene explains why people are night owls

By monitoring when and how often the mice chose to run on an exercise wheel the team spotted a change in some of the animals normal rhythms.

Instead of following the typical 24 hour pattern, some of the mice had body clocks that stretched to up to a 27 hour day.

Closer study of the DNA from the mice then revealed that those on a 27-hour-cycle had the after hours version of the Fbxl3 gene, one of a large family that controls the breakdown of specific proteins within body cells.

IT ALL MAKES SENSE!!! I love the number 27 because I am on a 27 hour NIGHT OWL GENETIC CODE! Yay for Science.

Raise a glass!

Raising a glass to Merritt Estate

Merritt Estate Winery, a member of the Chautauqua-Lake Erie Wine Trail, was one of the New York state wineries to win a Gold medal at the recent San Diego International Wine Competition. The Forestville winery won gold for its non-vintage Bella Rosa wine.

Woo hoo! I enjoy this local winery very much.

1. Because it is in my hometown.

2. Because in college I was in love with a Jason Merritt (who was not the same Jason Merritt from this winery.) However both men have brothers named Mike. I always thought this was weird.

3. Because for my lil brother’s wedding a bunch of us chipped in and bought a barrel of wine for the new happy couple. Which gave the family two cases a year for three years and lots of wine to share.

4. Because this is the front runner spot for my future wedding someday.

5. Because I like the wine.

Once upon a time.

I was a wee lass with a babysitting job. Little Jimmy wanted to watch a movie, so we went through the VCR tapes to find one of his favorites. Little Jimmy pulled out a tape and told me “he couldn’t watch this one, this one is Mommy’s tape of me being born.” Um, yeah. Not watching that one. I pretty much knew before I even considered having children that a video camera in my private parts was utterly unacceptable. Especially if a baby being forced out and I am screaming bloddy murderous obscenities. Twas later that I heard about *epidural* and realized the screaming would be short lived, however the cameras would stay away forever. (Although today, I am once again reminded that the screaming of the birth continues for several sleepless months and my bipolar swing has swung completely back to the NO BABY mode. And I want to buy my new mama friends big bottles of wine (the ones who are not breast-feeding) and doula-type people to get up with their infants during the night.) Well, not everyone feels this way. In fact some people feel so strongly about informing the world on childbirth that they film a documentary of one of the most personal events in life. Hence the film, The Business of Being Born starring Ricki Lake in a bathtub giving birth. Read all about it here in Ricki’s Blog Interview at HuffPo.

The description of the film listed here does sound interesting. But I still don’t want to see it, see it. See it. I’ve heard enough though my dearest best friends. Seeing it on the big screen, not for me. I now offer up a funny little find, perfect for Mother’s Day, which I have already sent to a few new moms.

Hatched!: The Big Push from Pregnancy to Motherhood

Absoultely delightful, true to life and hysterical. And this is only coming from an Auntie Jen. Go buy this book for every mother you know. Now. I promise, you won’t be sorry. (Two weeks until Mother’sDay!)

A sexual FANTASY service without sex?

Why of course!

Palfrey, who ran the service by phone from her home in Sonoma County, Calif., is the only person charged. None of her male customers is named by the government.

“That’s very hypocritical,” she says. “Why aren’t these people under arrest? Why just me?”

Palfrey claims she ran a legal operation that offered sexual fantasy but not “illegal sex” of the kind described in the indictment.

This story is hot, hot, hot! Names! Names! Names!

Going the distance

999,999 miles!

I drove with Mark to Rochester on Sunday while he worked at the Planet because I wanted to be with him when he went over 100,000 miles on the truck. Oh yeah, and there is a huge B&N I love there too, so I read a lot. AND I didn’t want to miss our Sunday WaitWait hour together.

I carried a watermelon.

Dear GOD I loved this movie. I loved it so, very…much. Saw it several times in the movie theater and remember the first time when I saw Johnny driving away to “She’s Like The Wind” we stood up and said out loud, “No, don’t go!” And I had both of the records. And played them ALL THE TIME. And made up musicals to the songs. (Sorry, Lil Brother What memories. And now? Tomorrow night? I can re-live them on the BIG SCREEN!!! I am thinking about going in COSTUME. Keds and roll up denim jeans, perhaps?

Have the time of your life all over again! The original Dirty Dancing is celebrating its 20th Anniversary by returning to the big screen for two nights only – May 1st & 2nd at 7:30pm local. Don’t miss the original full-length movie PLUS exclusive never-before-seen footage and interviews with cast members and filmmakers that have kept the energy of Dirty Dancing alive for 20 years! In select movie theatres nationwide.

Are You the Ultimate Dirty Dancing fan?

Score: 73% (11 out of 15)

I was very close to getting two other questions right, but then I switched at the last minute. D’oh!

Don’t make fun of the obese DD sized jogger in training!

One of my co-workers sent out over email this workout plan “7 weeks from COUCH to RUNNING the Corporate Challenge!”

I made the mistake of sending it to Mark, who PRINTED it out. And today? Despite my grump and headache coming home from work, he made me do the first workout walk/run. I think he said the words “DO IT FOR CHARITY!” more than once. Damn him, knowing right where to prod me…(ahem)

“Get your swishy pants on NOW, woman!”

Somehow, I made it through alive. I’m not a jogger by any means but I have always secretly wanted to be. When I was young, I would listen to my walkman and walk up one row up grapes in the vineyard and jog down the other. This workout was sort of the same concept. Except I must have told Mark 100 times that he must hate me, I’m totally out of shape, I can’t do it and to go ahead without me.

Turns out he doesn’t hate me. I am totally out of shape, but I did do it (felt great after) and he didn’t even go ahead without me despite my turtle slow jogging speed. And after?

We did a little stretching together.

I need to make a trip to Fleet Feet up the street to get fitted for a real sneaker though, the ones I used today are exceedingly old and I have very flat feet and now a lovely blister on my right foot where the arch should be.

Posting this journey will keep me honest, allow me to spend Q.T with my love and “get me in baby making shape.” So in 5 years or so when I can run for 20 minutes at a time, I might be ready…somehow, while speaking this and jogging, Mark didn’t pass out.

My friends Kevin and Val are on the front page of the news. Awwww. Happy Sabres fans. And sexy bald man. For connected Sabres fans, there’s one team, one goal By Stephen T. Watson (of course!)

Git ‘er done.

Ick. Ick. Ick. Hick. Ick.

That girl can’t be 18. Where’s child protective services and the Imus patrol when you need them?

I feel like a twit…

I have friends that are woefully exhausted coping with the joys of being first time parents.

I have friends who are taking care of their sick mothers, and holding up their family while working full-time and pregnant with baby #2.

I have friends who have health problems, real ones, that seem to have no answers.

I have friends who are unhappy and/or unemployed and looking for employment.

I have friends who are very unhappy in their relationships.

And what do I whine about? Nothing. Wah, wah, wah. I’m busy and stressed and need a break. Yeah, don’t we all. Been putting the more personal posts up as password protected lately. Just cause I feel, well, I sometimes feel petty sharing my woes with the entire general public. Not to be exclusive, just to be…just to be a place for me to be…me. Email me for the password on a post and I’m likely to share, but I just don’t want it all out there, all the time.

Love you all.