My name is...Gross throat noise? Lego Maniac? Slimey Goo?

Promted from MamaKat's Writer's Workshop, I will go with this prompt...What’s in YOUR name? What does it mean? Why was it given to you? etc..

I was named after my father. John. He goes by Jack, when he was a young boy he went by Jackie.

So along came me, and I was named, you guessed it. Jacqueline. Jacqueline Susanne to be formal. I of coarse go by Jacki. Nope didn't forget the 'e' there, a few days after I was born my dad wanted to take the 'e' off my name, to banish me from ever having those cool pens, tooth brushes, pencil cases, ornaments, you name it with the "right" spelling of my name on it.

I thought it was cool to be a Jacki, a different Jacki. The no "e" Jacki.

Growing up I hated Jack as a nickname. It was only called to my by a few people, people like uncles that you really couldn't go into detail about how much it bugged you, but then it got to be more of an exclusive club. And I took it as more of a nickname from those people.

Sure 98% of the people who know me call me Jacki, Jacqueline is reserved for when I am deep shit, by my parents when I was young, and even sometimes Spagehtti has called me that.

My real nick name? It was given to me by my sister. Back when she was learning my name, instead of Jacki, she would say Gacki, (nothing to do with her speach issue now. She was able to speak clearly as a kid) it stuck.

(love this shot of my dad, Jack (Carrots) and my sister, Susie (Frances) laughing at him)

Gacki. Sounds like a noise you make in your throat.

But my sister called me that, so did my parents, a few of my close cousins, and only a few of my closest friends.

(One of my closest friends D. Pimpster Mudd got married, you may notice me, but note on the left is Maternal Mirth.

 Don't know her? Her blog is fanfuckingtastic, when she gets around to it)

But we don't stop with Gacki. Because I was young when I was called that. So we shorted it to Gack. (and I mean WE as in NOT me) Gack is SUCH a noice you can make with your throat! Eww!
But my dad liked to sing the Lego song with my name in it, cuz I love Lego's and all (Gack, Gack, she's a Lego Maniac! Glad you can't hear me singing that right now.) And Nickelodion came out with "Gack" a gross putty thing to play with also.

So somewhere between a throat noise, a girl who loves boys toys, and gross putty. I was pretty original.

And so after having the nickname for about 30 years now, it's still with me. Lots of people ask, and I love to tell them, you have to know me to use it.

As for my middle name. Susanne. Well my mom didn't want to be left out. She is Susan. Queen Susan. And Frances, well she is Susie, formally Susanne Frances.

So there you have it. Jack and Sue had Jacki and Susie. I didn't think it was weird till Spaghetti pointed it out. I think it's cute. So there. Hmrph.

Life Motto

Over at Mama Kat's she's got her promts up for the Writer's Workshop. Here's mine!



What is one of your life mottoes?

"Don't take life to seriously. No one get's out alive anyway."

My motto is that. To NOT be serious, to NOT be all grown up and stuffy, to NOT act my age.

I am a 31 year old who laughs, ALOT. I cry when I need to, I don't hold back hugs, I have lost WAY to many loved ones to tell them I love them another day.

I play with my children, and I clean house later. I lay in the grass and watch the clouds go by. I plant gardens and enjoy the little things in life.

I take naps. I dane to music when ever I can, I read SARK (and so should you) I love to grab a Shel Silverstein book (try Runny Babbit) for a smile.

I have an art room. It's purple and lime green. I often sit in there with my two cats (they have been banished there) and a cup of coffee. Just enjoying.

I talk to my dogs. Alot. Even before I was a SAHM looking for a mere conversation. I love to take the time with my animals.

I need to be inspired to do things. I read ALOT of fun magazines.

I take LOTS of pictures. Of everything. Everyday. Flowers, snails, you name it. Then I scrapbook it.

I scrapbook with LOTS of journaling. I want my story told. At least for my kids to have.

I think age is just a number. Who cares if I'm 31 or 21? The only thing I miss is my 21 year old body. That would be nice again. But we will save that for the big 2010 list of to do's.

I think kids are amazing. I like to watch them with out them knowing. I try to remember being a kid. my imagination running at full speed. Drawing, playing, inventing. I remember eating, playing, and sleeping as a kid. I want my kids to do the same.

I guess my motto is to life my life to the fullest, not to take shit off anyone, to just enjoy the moment I'm in, make the best of the situation, no matter how shitty it is. I TRY to be a optomistic person, it's hard with little or no money, but such is life.

So enjoy. Laugh. Create. Cry. Dance. And just be.

I accept your challenge!

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Mamma Kat's Writers Workshop. Summer 7 (plus 1)

I stopped by my friend, Kristin's blog, The Way It Is, and saw that it was time to do a Mama Kat has these fun Writer's Workshop prompts, SO I choose...

5.)List your 7 most favorite summer items!

Here you go!


#1. My garden! Of coarse I can not find a picture of my garden, but I do grow sweet green peppers, tomatoes, and green beans. I grow strawberry plants, but the strawberries are strictly for the over populating bunnies that eat them (shakes fist in air, cursing bunnies) and then they venture to the inside of the fence to deal with the wrath of my two big boxers! (nothing like doing dog poo patrol/dead bunny patrol) ANYWHO, my garden is one of my favorite summer things!

I also have been taking any and ALL plants my mom has to give me!

#2. My mom's garden! Not even a portion of her lovely garden. This is her "office" section. You should click on it, check out the blue wine bottles (upside down) I could do a picture post just on her yard. I LOVE to go bare foot through here. She has SO many birds, little yellow finches, and the hummingbirds will buzz right by you! Not to mention her and my sister had to shoo a baby deer out of the yard too! One of my happy places!

#3. Spending time with Spaghetti! I love to spend just me and him time. It's always fun, we took a spur of the moment trip up to Milwaukee Fest in Wisconsin (a few hour drive) to see Banjo play with Kate & Kacey (they were on CMT's "Can you duet" last season... 4th place?)

And here is my neighbor's 80th birthday party (both husband and wife turn 40 this year, so they made a big 80th birthday out of it) Lets just say the kids were away. I went barefoot, with my bottle of Sangria Boones Farm and had a blast!

#4. Pride Parade! This is our 3rd year, and as always there is the Jackson Street L train picture. Aerial and myself, attend this parade with my cousin and his partner. We have SUCH a great time, it's a day for the two of us, and a day with me and my cousin. It wouldn't be summer with out the Chicago Pride Parade!

#5. Our pool. No this is not our pool. Again I have seemed to be less organized with some of my more random pictures... either way we have a smaller, above ground pool. A 30th birthday present from my IL's Mc. (last year) It's very nice, and well, shit. It's a pool in my own back yard. What else do I need to say?!?


#6. Spending time with family. Well we do this all year, but Father's Day and the 4th were both celebrated at our house. And was great to be around both Spaghetti's family and mine.

(Weaky and Great Grampa)

Spaghetti's Aunt Nancy, and Queen (my mommy!)

Cuz and Banjo at the Summerfest...

#7. My Birthday!! Hello! I love my birthday! So July is one of my favorite months!

#8. I needed to add one more thing to my summer list... Conventional! I am a Stampin' Up! demonstrator (we sell rubber stamps, inks, papers, and accessories for card making and scrapboking) and once a year we all get together for two days of fun! (here I am last year with my upline Connie)


Be sure to head over to Mamma Kat's (follow link above) and check out the Writers Workshop! And don't forget to leave me comment love! (you silly lurkers you!)

Writer's Workshop Flu Shot, Da Bulls, Evil people and my sister Frances.

Over at Mama's Losin' It, she has a Writers Workshop, and I have been meaning to do them, you should go over there, check them out, do one yourself!

So she gave us some prompts to pick from, I chose to do a few. I will not be doing #1, I don't watch American Idol (well the auditions and the last show. :-D) and I don't sing well.

I will however do #2. which was...

2.) Take a picture of yourself right this minute without primping and explain to us why it is you have not washed your hair today.

Here you go. Me with 2 day old make-up on, and in my p.j.'s. Now it is only 8:05 am, I usually don't do my hair and make-up everyday, since I stay home with the kids. I haven't showered since Thursday, because I have the flu. Yesterday I only had the strength to get up and vomit. So a shower is on my agenda for the day. Sorry to frighten you this early in your day. I will hopefully make up for it with a less frightening picture of myself

eh, still kinda scary, but better.

The #3 prompt was about the NBA All Star Game and I haven't followed Basketball since the Bulls were kicking ass in the 90's. Moving on.

#4 prompt was a good one, I am always looking for a way to punish people in my head. It was...

4.) What's your number one pet peeve? Develop a punishment for anyone caught in the act.

Wow. My number one pet peeve? Just one? Hmmmm... I don't like slow drivers on the highway in the far left lane... no, there has to be worse... how about the door to door sales people that wake a napping house hold... that's a good one, but I am sure there is worse...

Ah yes. Now I know. Trying to explain this is hard... um, you know when your around a group of people, and there is that one person, or group of people that just flat out ignore you. Or blow you off constantly? The one's with the whole "I can't deal with you" attitude?

I loathe those people. There is a family member (no I will not name names) but every time I have seen this person, I am ignored. It must be both me and Spaghetti because this person blows us both off. Talks with EVERYONE else around us. But ignores us. Spaghetti and I are close to everyone in this persons immediate family, cept that one douche bag.

Sure I'm really friendly and I talk to anyone, but if you don't like me, couldn't you just say what your deal is? I guess not everyone rolls like that? I just can NOT stand when people ignore me. And to ignore Spaghetti too? WTF?

My punishment for you? That you are absolutely embarrassed in front of your family, for every time you ignore us. (which would be alot) Thanks to Mama Kat for letting me vent that one out.

And last but not least I did the #5 prompt to...

5.) Write about something mean you did to a sibling growing up.

All right Frances, I am sure you have a list somewhere... these are just a few of the mean things I did (and we are NOT counting the time I ran you over with my bike, grinding fresh blacktop into your knees, it's not my fault you threw yourself in front of my bike!)

• The time I told you I hated you. (Queen mom made me write "I love Frances" 10 times. Doesn't sound to bad? I was just learning to write, and I had that 3 lined paper, the one with the dotted line in the center. 10x's was ALOT)


• The time I cut off your She Ra dolls head off (it was an eraser that you loved to play with, in the shape of a SheRa doll. I think it went along with the "I hate you day")


• When you were just a baby. And I took one of your poopy diapers, and smeared it all over you and the crib. (tisk tisk)


• When I would ALWAYS give you the toy I never wanted, and the house I never wanted. (I don't share well)

Again thanks to Mama Kat, I will try to play along more often. These were good.