Make It Pop...

Don't Stop
Make it Pop
DJ blown my speakers out
Tonight I'ma fight
Till we see the sunlight
Tick tock on the clock
But the party don't stop
No oh, oh oo whoa oo whoa oh
Oh oo whoa oo whoa oh

Once it stops snowing and I can get on the road, I'm putting the Dizzy in the Vizzy and enjoying the last day of 2009!

2010...

Some levels of support can’t be outsourced/subcontracted. You just need to return to what is in your core.

I know that this means that I’ll miss out on a bunch of hijinks, but I have to do what is right for me and what will get me back to where I should be.

I can’t do it by myself – I have been trying to and failing – I need my family.

It has taken a lot for me to admit this – mainly to myself since everyone around me knew that things were not going well.

So, bring on 2010 - I welcome your changes and what the future holds!

Tick Tock...

I was counting down to a deadline – one that I figured that I would be numb about because of everything that happened that led to this point.....

I continuously get the calls of “Why does doing the right thing seem SO wrong?”.....I can’t ignore it.

I’m just waiting for it to pass by so we can get to the next phase.

You made your choice - leave me out of it.

Squishes...

I'm amazed by the people that I have in my life that I will admit things to - before I admit them to myself.

We just click.

Opinions are given and no feelings are hurt.

There are too many reasons to list as to why I hold onto them tightly……even though they remind me of other things.

Even weirder is that they know when to call – when I need them – yet I have no idea that that was what I needed at the time…..thankfully they helped me get the ball rolling on what I need to do.

Merry Chris-Moo!

Easier Said Than Done...

I’m trying very hard not to feel like I failed as an adult.

I have ducked the wave a few times but I know that it is coming back for me.

There are decisions to make and I am not a fan of any of the options.

I really want to get to the point where I am looking back at this time and knowing that it was all for a goal - a purpose - instead of just wasting time.....

You Belong To Me....

I do love this song…even if Mary Higgins Clark made it into a stalker killer thing…

See the pyramids around the Nile
Watch the sunrise from a tropic isle
Just remember darling all the while
You belong to me

See the marketplace in old Angier
Send me photographs and souvenirs
Just remember when a dream appears
You belong to me

And I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too

Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me

Oh I'll be so alone without you
Maybe you'll be lonesome too

Fly the ocean in a silver plane
See the jungle when it's wet with rain
Just remember till you're home again
You belong to me

Why 'Scene-It' is a blast....

Scene It – X-box version – choose the one option that is not the name for Santa....


Herr Christmas Meister


LOL.....

The First Husband...

I walked into the mall yesterday afternoon feeling very festive…..it was replaced with a wave of flashbacks……

My only thought was “I need a cup of coffee for this to be complete”….round the corner and there’s a Keurig coffee sampling event…..thank you universe….obviously I was meant to indulge this trail that my brain was taking…..

So I took my coffee and the good memories just flowed…..even when approached by carties and their crazy sales pitches….

Funny how time eclipses all the bad and aggravating things…it was an incredible property that needed to perform up to some ridiculous expectations….at a time when I was willing to put all my time and energy into it. But my priorities changed as life moved on……

The end was like a draining break up…..does this flash make me ready to jump back in on a smaller scale?

Ante Up....

Merry Ho Ho....

Saturday – day of a Holiday Party……here’s what I learned….

When I say “Tell me ALL about your trip!”, I will talk for the next 45 minutes. (yes, you read that right – I asked a question and then didn’t let her answer)

If I go shopping with you, you will use coupons damnit! (actually it was a receptive coupon audience)

On the same shopping trip, make sure that the woman next to you is not admiring the cake that you are making fun of. (cupcakes in the shape of a “J” – “what a beautiful wreath!”)

We know some very skilled cheese and cracker arrangers.

I have some very talented and creative friends – this makes for awesome presents!!

Ears and headpieces are always fun!

Squirrel!

I can only share a limited number of pictures from the evening BECAUSE when when I am innocently asked for my camera, the pictures are not that innocent!

Some people will call to send their regrets even if they are puking

The poang chair is not my friend - it interferes with my ability to get to the chips and dip.

And for some reason, I found this SNL skit to be funny even days later:
Ding-dong! Hello! You got a new doorbell.
Ding-dong! Come inside my house. Hello.
Knock knock. Who’s there? Doorbell. Ding-dong.
Bonjour. Uh la la. Ding-dong.
Hello! Wine and cheese. Ding-dong.
Ding-dong! I’m getting married today. Hello.
Honk-honk. Your doorbell. Ding-dong! Car.
Ding-dong! Router. Netflix. What?
Ding-dong! Woof! Bears.
Jingle bells, jingle bells. Answer your door.
Ding-dong! Happy birthday, Jesus.
Ding-dong! Hanukkah House.
Goodbye. I need to read my magazine.
Ding-dong! Bing-Boom. Okay. He-hey. What?

12 Daze of Christmas...

One of my favorites...even with the barfing...(I love the random singing of the Battle Hymn of the Republic!)

To The Pain....

Completely random thought of the day....

How can a current love/lust interest listen to a band’s song knowing that it was written about the ex that broke his heart?

And does she realize that someday there will be a song about her?

Think about Layla, Angie, Every Rose Has it’s Thorn, etc.

And when that song becomes popular, the artist then sings it again and again.

Do they become numb to the pain that inspired the song?

Does it re-open the wound every time that sing it?

I'm thinking that they have to touch upon the pain because you can feel the emotion in the song.....

The S.A.D. That Is Evil...

S.A.D. as in Seasonal Affective Disorder

The weather never really affected me until I moved up to New England. Now some of the gray days are just SOOOOOO miserable and gray……they completely derail me and suck out any motivation that I have.

Meanwhile you get a bright and sunny day and VOILA! I am ready to put a new roof on a house.

I find that when I visit Florida I smile more – not only due to the people, but the sun. (Chalk that up to another reason why I visit so much!)

Accents...

Days later, I'm still laughing....Peter and PETA....

Stillness...

There is nothing like the stillness that a snowfall brings.

I had to stand in my parking lot for a bit when I got home late last night and just enjoy it.

A Bit of Sugar...

Turns out that I know a famous cat - Cukurs (means sugar)!!

Read about his adventures Here

See the rest of his LOL captions Here


moar funny pictures

Leftover Gobleh, Gobleh....

I had completely forgotten that these pictures were on my camera!

Some of the Thanksgiving fun.

Walk in to find this bottle of port on the table















As one can guess, M-O-M was not amused to come out of the kitchen and find the turkey representing a part of the King Arthur story.















Just a different perspective....

I

Holiday Lights...

see more Epic Fails

Tearing Us Apart...

My mom actually introduced me to this song! (as in - until 2 days ago, I had no idea this song existed!) And I have had it on repeat ever since.....along with the head shaking thought of "Phil Collins played drums for Clapton?!??! "

Gobble, Gobble...

Chalk it up to "I spoke too soon" – we all went to bed late the night before Turkey Day – mainly due to the “what’s been going on with you” chats. The entire house was peacefully asleep and then the phone rang very early in the morning….the only one awake was the turkey and a bleary eyed M-O-M. We went from calm to rage and chaos within five minutes. One person's lack of disclosing a “minor” detail because they were trying not to be a nuisance caused such a commotion. It was resolved within half an hour but not without waking everyone up and uttering our famous “You’re ruining (insert whatever event is being celebrated here)!!!!” line at least five times.

I am very happy that I still have both of my parents in my life - so many of my friends don't. But sometimes, you just have to yell “AUGH!”

The day ended up being fun and I stopped to appreciate the little things - like the bowl of olives that no one eats when they sit down to dinner but that are grazed on all day long as you walk past the table. It’s actually rather amusing – you find yourself making excuses so that you have to walk past so you can grab an olive….and never more than one at a time!

Beep, Beep!

Ever notice that no matter where I am, I have a tendency to want to be somewhere else? I want to do everything, experience everything and enjoy myself. I have my priorities, but there are so many things going on to choose from! I know what it is - I don't want to miss out on anything.

Last night I got to sit and paint ceramics with some friends - something that I normally would not be able to do on a Tuesday night since I live so far away from them. Yet, it was something that I wanted to do ever since I found out that this group does it. (again, check out what I said in paragraph one)

I was originally supposed to do another whiplash tour in order to play taxi to part of my family, but the fates decided that after sitting in traffic for a few mind numbing hours last night, I was free of that duty today.

And why did I sit in traffic yesterday? The answer is simple - it's my mailman's fault. He's always at my place between a certain time and I wanted to take the movies that I knew were coming that day with me.....I sat and waited instead of heading out....I waited as long as I could........but he never showed......the end result was the traffic....

It was so bad that I was tempted to start drinking the wine that I had in the car......we weren't moving so how illegal could it be?

New Moon...

I knew that I would enjoy the next movie in the Twilight franchise, but they did such a great job with this one! Actually, it felt like a reunion with the characters.

Much better than the first movie - all the characters emote more and the CGI wolves are amazing!! Even when the first one skulked out of the woods, all full of growls and bared teeth, I could not resist saying “Puppy!!”

I loved the tattoo concept for the wolf pack, the Volturi were just menacing – all they had to do was sit there is stoney silence and the appearance of Carlisle’s car made me tear up just as it did in the book.

Oh, Jacob - I know that Taylor isn’t 18 yet, but HOT DAMN! The entire theatre erupted when he took off his shirt the first time. He worked hard to get that body - it is amazing....ah, to be young again....(he actually is more jacked than Edward)

I also walked out of the movie just wanting to hug Jacob – Taylor captured the pain that his character feels so well!!

And darling, darling Edward - how can you continue to look so dashing even as you break Bella's heart (and ours too?) Your tortured soul was shown so well…..

I can’t wait to see the movie again!

Parallels....

Silly, silly Universe....

I ask you for clarity.....

And you give me the extreme from both sides, so there is no clear choice.....

Leaving me exactly where I was before......

Mini Adventure....

I had a mini adventure yesterday – it was planned out, but it had the feeling of hopping in the car and just driving – the sun was shining and I did not have a strict agenda – just some things that I wanted to do.

The used book store that I have mentioned before was having an anniversary sale. I have been reading a lot of magazines lately but I want/need to switch back to books – I have a bunch waiting for me now! (including the bio of Dog the Bounty Hunter and Michael Flately - come on – for $1.50 each, I could not say no!)

The area’s nearest Sonic was there so I had my cherry limeade fix as well. Freaky thing was that as the car hop (on roller skates!) handed it to me, “Don’t Stop Believing” came on the parking lot’s speakers….yeah…that song is still stalking me.

And there was the required stop at the former Danvers Mental Asylum since I was in the area - that building just takes my breathe away. The rent to live in those apartments is ridiculous but if I had the money, I probably would move there.

Hey...Isn't That.....

I know that this is exactly what actors hate to hear/try to avoid in their careers, but it weirds me out when I have seen them for years as one character on a TV show and then they go onto another long running TV show.

And I am one of those people that will watch a TV show or movie and then try to figure out where I know the actor from....

Alan Rickman will always be the Sheriff of Nottingham even though I do enjoy him as Snape.

Jenson Ackles will be the guy from Days of Our Lives, not Alec from Dark Angel or whoever he is on Supernatural.

Danny from Without a Trace showed up on CSI Miami recently.

The redhead from Eight is Enough showed up on CSI Miami.

Jerry from Boston Legal is now a coroner on CSI Miami.

(wait a minute….the majority seems to be going to Miami…..Is it a sign that I need to go to Miami!?!?!)

And then there are the actors that you have seen in one powerful role and you can’t see them any other way.

Lawrence Fishburne will always be Morpheus and Morpheus does not belong on CSI behaving as a mild mannered CSI/college professor.

Gary Sinese is Lieutenant Dan, not the CSI NY guy.

Anothony LaPaglia will be the gun-waving lunatic from Mixed Nuts, instead of the Jack in Without a Trace.

Christian Slater will be the guy from Heathers and Pump Up the Volume, not a cop with split personalities.

And Hugo Weaving….despite his stint as Elrond in LOTR could not get away from Agent Smith…..complete with people in theatres ending his lines with “Mr. Anderson”…as in “Cast it into the fire! Destroy it!….Mr. Anderson” and “Remember, Remember, the Fifth of November…Mr. Anderson” (I swear, it was not me that did it!)

Journeying the Journey....

I give up.

I can't avoid the song.

It is stalking me.

I will embrace it.

Plus Rock of Ages and Glee have given me a new way to enjoy it.....well, that and an incident at someone's wedding last November....

Don't Stop Believin'.....

Extended Dealsmithing High....

*Gasp* I am in awe of today’s deals…..

Remember the Toys R Us gift card that I got yesterday? I spent it at Babies R Us on majorly clearanced items so I can give a plethora of onesies to my friend that just had a baby. Throw in some baby wipes that I got a great deal on and it’s a pretty decent gift!

The cashier was actually admiring my deal at the register and then his eyes bugged out of his head when I told him how I got the gift card. Tee-hee! Yeah, I don't pay full price, there’s no need to.

And then I hit Bath & Body Works - armed with a coupon and a dealsmithing mindset. Antibacterial soap - usually retails for $5, sometimes goes on sale for 3 for $10.....This week it's 4 for $10. And I had a $10 off your $30 purchase coupon.

Bought myself 12 soaps - each cost about $1.67 before tax. (OOP was about $22). They are never that cheap!! And yes, I have a use for them, I didn’t just frivolously buy that many soaps.

Twilight Timeline...

I have friends that are not Twilight fans, but they don't bash the series every chance they get....then there are the others....this post is not for the latter…

From ‘Twilight’ to Real Life: This Year in Vampire History
What was going on in the world when the vamp milestones were occurring.

c. 300 B.C.: Aro, Caius, Marcus, and their wives form the Volturi.
• Elsewhere that same year: 300 B.C. was part of the classical era — Alexander the Great of Greece spent much of the years in that time conquering other nations and spreading Greek culture East. Philosophers Aristotle and Plato spent time teaching and cultivating knowledge.
c. 1640: Carlisle Cullen born in London.
• King Charles I ruled England.
• Aug. 9: 41 Spanish delegates to Japan at Nagasaki are beheaded.
c. 1163: Carlisle changed into a vampire.
• By now, King Charles II ruled England.
• March 24: King Charles II of England issues the Charter of Carolina, establishing the Province of Carolina and dividing it between eight Lords Proprietors.
c. 1720: Carlisle finds civilized vampires in Italy.
• Jonathan Swift begins writing Gulliver’s travels.
1843: Jasper Whitlock born in Texas.
• May 22: Around 1,000 pioneers start out from Elm Grove, Mo. on in a wagon train on the Oregon trail, headed for the American Northwest.
• Dec. 19: Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol is first published.
• The world’s first commercial Christmas cards are printed by Sir Henry Cole in London.
• Edgar Allan Poe’s short story “The Tell-Tale Heart” released.
1895: Esme Anne Platt born in Columbus, Ohio.
• Sept. 3:The first professional American football game is played, in Latrobe, Penn., with the Latrobe YMCA team beating the Jeannette Athletic Club 12-0.
• Feb. 14: Oscar Wilde’s last play The Importance of Being Earnest premieres in London.
• Dec. 28: Auguste and Louis Lumière show the first moving picture film in Paris.
1901: On June 20, Edward Anthony Masen born in Chicago to Edward and Elizabeth Masen; Most likely in this year, Mary Alice Brandon born in Biloxi, Mississippi.
• The world celebrates the beginning of the 20th century.
• Jan. 28: Baseball’s American League declares itself a Major League.
• Aug. 30: Hubert Cecil Booth patents an electric vacuum cleaner.
• New Zealand inventor Ernest Godward invents the spiral hairpin, changing women’s hair forever!
• Dec. 12: Guglielmo Marconi receives the first trans-Atlantic radio signal in Newfoundland, Canada, Morse code for the letter “S.”
1911: Carlisle helps Esme’s broken leg — she’s just 16 — and most likely moves to Chicago soon after.
• March 25: The Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire in NYC kills 146.
• Oct: 24: Orville Wright flies for 9 minutes and 45 seconds in a glider, setting a new world record that stands for 10 years.
1915: Rosalie Lillian Hale born in Rochester, N.Y.; Emmett McCarty born in Tennessee.
• January: Typhoid Mary infects 25 people while working as a cook at a NYC hospital, and is placed in quarantine for life.
• Feb. 12: The first stone of the Lincoln Memorial is put into place in D.C.
• May 6: Babe Ruth hits his first career home run off of Jack Warhop. Too bad he never saw vampires play baseball!
• The first stop sign appears in Detroit.
1918: Carlisle works as a physician in Chicago; The Spanish Influenza Epidemic claims the life of Edward’s parents in September. Carlisle saves Edward and he begins his life as a vampire.
• March 4: The first confirmed case of the Spanish flu appears at Camp Fuston, Kan., where a soldier becomes ill.
• March 19: The U.S. Congress establishes time zones and daylight saving time starts on March 31.
• Sept. 11: The Boston Red Sox defeat the Chicago Cubs for the 1918 World Series championship, their last World Series win until 2004.
• Nov. 11: World War I ends, the armistice becomes official at 11:11.
Around 1920. Alice changed into a vampire by a worker at the mental asylum.
• Jan. 9: Thousands witness “The Human Fly” George Polley climb the New York Woolworth Building. He gets to the 30th floor and is arrested.
• Jan. 16: Prohibition begins, banning alcoholic beverages in the U.S. Doesn’t affect vampires.
• Aug. 26: The Nineteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution is passed, giving women the right to vote.
1921: Esme’s baby dies and she tries to commit suicide. Carlisle finds her and saves her. They fall in love and are married.
• Aug. 5: Harold Arlin announces the Pirates-Phillies game from Forbes Field over Westinghouse KDKA, in Pittsburgh, in the first radio broadcast of baseball.
• Sept. 7: The first Miss America pageant begins in Atlantic City , and a day later, Margaret Gorman, 16, is crowned the winner. Somewhere, Rosalie was probably jealous at age 6.
1933: Rosalie becomes engaged to Royce King. She is beaten and abused by him and his friends and left for dead. Carlisle Cullen finds her and changes her into a vampire.
• Jan. 5: Workers begin building the Golden Gate Bridge begins in San Francisco Bay.
• Feb. 10: The first singing telegram is introduced in NYC.
• March 12: President Franklin Delano Roosevelt addresses the nation, which is suffering through the Great Depression, in the first of his “Fireside Chats.”
• March 23: Adolf Hitler is named dictator of Germany.
• July 6: The first Major League Baseball All-Star Game is played at Comiskey Park in Chicago.
1935: Emmett found by Rosalie after a bear attack. She brings him to Carlisle and he is changed into a vampire.
• Jan. 11: Amelia Earhart becomes the first person to fly solo from Hawaii to California.
• May 30: Babe Ruth appears in his last game, playing for the Boston Braves in Philadelphia against the Phillies.
• June 12: Louisiana’s Senator Huey Long makes the longest speech on Senate record at 15.5 hours.
• Nov. 5: Parker Brothers releases the board game Monopoly.
1936: Carlisle and family move to the area south of Forks called Hoquiam and make the treaty to stay off the Quileute land.
• March 1: Construction of Hoover Dam is completed.
• Aug. 3: African-American athlete Jesse Owens wins the 100-meter dash at the Berlin Olympics.
1950: Alice and Jasper (who found each other in 1948) find Carlisle and join his family.
• Jan. 17: During the Great Brinks Robbery, 11 thieves steal over $2 million from an armored car in Boston.
• Aug. 5: Florence Chadwick swims across the English Channel in 13 hours, 22 minutes.
• Oct. 11: The Federal Communications Commission issues the first license to broadcast television in color to CBS.
• Nov. 25: A winter storm in the northeastern U.S. brings 30-50 inches of snow and kills 323 people.
1987: On Sept. 13, Isabella Swan is born to Renee and Charlie Swan in Forks, Wash.
• Jan. 3: Aretha Franklin is the first woman inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
• March 19: Televangelist Jim Bakker, head of PTL Ministries in North Carolina, resigns after admitting an affair with church secretary Jessica Hahn.
• April 19: The Simpsons cartoon first appears on The Tracy Ullman Show.
• Aug. 31: Michael Jackson releases his third solo album, Bad.
• Oct. 14-16: Baby Jessica McClure captivates then nation after falling into a well in Midland, Texas, and is ultimately rescued.
2003: The Cullen family arrive in Forks.
• May 1: President George W. Bush lands on USS Abraham Lincoln, a U.S. aircraft carrier, and gives a speech announcing the end of major combat in the 2003 Invasion of Iraq. A banner on display behind him declares “Mission Accomplished.”
• June 4: Martha Stewart and her broker get in trouble with the law and are accused of insider trading. Martha subsequently resigns as chairperson and chief executive officer of Martha Stewart Living.
• Dec. 13: Saddam Hussein is captured in Tikrit.
2005: On Jan. 17, Bella Swan moves to Forks. The rest is history!

http://www.okmagazine.com/2009/11/from-twilight-to-real-life-this-year-in-vampire-history/

The Deal Game...

Victory is mine! I looted, I pillaged, I plundered!!!

I got board games for 56 cents each!! YAY!!

I was the hero to a few moms - I got the guy with the big ladder because we needed one more game to complete the deal. And I pulled the "I see you in line without a rebate form, here take one" chat too.

The games were $3.99 each.
If you spent over $25 you got a $10 Toys R Us gift card – this week only.
And then all the games shown above had a $2 rebate through Hasbro.

Resulting in seven games totaling $3.93 before tax.

56 cents per game!

My receipt also proudly proclaimed “You saved $53”!

Return to Boondock....

I have been a fan for years.

The sequel definitely will not disappoint a true fan....

Think, Think, Think...

I am prowling for inspiration. Besides the fact that my life goals seem to have gone missing, I have a request from my brother. After making the "you always come up with great ideas since you look at life differently than I do” statement, he asked me to think of a few ideas to aid in his newest business venture. I am flattered and we have had discussions like this before, but now I am racking my brain trying to find a good idea for him.

I know that I should leave it alone and the idea will come to me - like the idea to spike the mulled cider with Cinnamon Schnapps a week ago. The beverage needed kick but I didn't know what to add…....I focus on doing my hair and VOILA! - the idea pops into my head.

If this idea works, I may have the solution to my geographical debate.....I could eventually become a snowbird! (for those not familiar with the term, it means that I would live in the North for the nice weather and then bail to the South when the cold weather kicks in)

Jam On It...

I couldn't not go....I happen to be home, there was some subtle encouragement that fun would be had if I showed up.....and I was set to pay off the bet that I lost.

I want to have fun.....I don't mind doing stuff for others as long as I get to have fun to balance out the adult stuff!

Mind Reading Church...

On my most recent trip to Florida, I attended a service at my friend’s church. This church seems to be able to read my mind and provide inspiration without getting into “Bible beating”. The sermons somehow always end up tying back to conversations that I have had while down there and are ridiculously relevant to what I have going on in my life. (even to the degree of using the statements that I have made) It’s freaky. I now plan my visits around being able to attend at least one service while down there.

On this most recent trip, I walked in and the program that they handed me said “Discover (Little Sunshine’s name)” – this was the day after I met her…….

And the sermon consisted of how we hand over the remote control of our emotions to others and let them control our reactions.

My knee jerk reaction the other day was to tweet that my feelings had been hurt and then go on about how I felt like I was being punished for having a life to take care of and that others were being rewarded for overstepping boundaries.

But I didn’t.

I stopped and thought of the remote control idea. It’s true, I can’t control what others do, but I can control how I let it affect me. (Plus someone’s unsolicited comment a few weeks ago kept my lashing out in check – it reminded me that I am doing the right thing.)

Have Some Rope....

It’s been said that if you give someone enough rope, they will hang themselves.

Still waiting.......

You have come SO very close several times – I have been supportive and listened and consoled, but the pattern seems to continue.....

I am done, done, done....beyond done.....

Whirl, Whirl, Whirl...

Hey look, I'm a whirling dervish! I’m an adult! GAH!!

In the space of a day, I went from chauffer to nurse to housekeeper to counselor to chef to….I forget the rest….

Wait a minute….I was a M-O-M!!!

Over the past few days, I have helped my Dad get set up so that he is ok to be home alone….. Getting stuff set up when someone is loopy on pain meds is always a fun time...

“FOCUS!!....I'm not yelling at you, you're just not listening....no, that is not the answer to what I asked...”

Spending time in a retirement community is also a nice way to remind you why some people should live in those communities and not drive.

I did manage to squeeze in some other things – like being elected the president of my Latvian women’s organization. It is one of a handful that still operates – they are still important to the culture, but not as much as they used to be (when the country was occupied by Commies). I will see what I can do to boost membership…trolling events for minions…or (as was pointed out by one of my friends) I will be looking for “vixens” – a spin off from the word for “pledge”.

One the day of my election, I went from a very formal event to a Halloween party – dressed as a fully corseted and masked dominatrix. (there are some very fun pictures from that night but they are not for public consumption) One of my favorites pictures is a candid that a friend took while we were touching up our lipstick in a mirror – focused on the task and unaware that we were being photographed.

I’m happy to be home…..even though I know that I will be off and running once I regroup…..

Versus...

"You should've been gone....knowing how I made you feel..."

The brain says one thing....

"And I should've been gone...After all your words of steel..."

The heart says another thing....

So you invite the distraction while the two do battle....

Sidelined...

I was getting stuff done!

Closets were cleaned out!

Files were purged!

Homework was given!

A fun weekend was planned!!

And then it hit me....the flu.....

Blech.

I tried to get up and my body told me that I could go F-myself.

I spent most of the next 48 hours in bed.

*kicks flu in the shin*

Beep, Beep...

I found it interesting so I had to share!

The following is a list of some automobiles named after people:

Aston Martin (Lionel Martin)
Audi (August Horch, Latin translation of Horch)
Cadillac (Antoine Laumet de La Mothe, sieur de Cadillac, founder of Detroit)
Chevrolet (Louis Chevrolet)
Chrysler (Walter Chrysler)
Daimler (Gottlieb Daimler)
Ferrari (Enzo Ferrari)
Ford (Henry Ford)
Honda (Soichiro Honda)
Lamborghini (Ferruccio Lamborghini)
Maserati (Maserati brothers)
Mercedes (Emil Jellinek's daughter Mercedes)
Opel (Adam Opel)
Peugeot (Armand Peugeot)
Porsche (Ferdinand Porsche)
Rolls-Royce (Charles Stewart Rolls and Frederick Henry Royce)
Toyota (Sakichi Toyoda).

Info came from Reference.com

Sandy Fun...

Not everyone understands the connection….sometimes I just have to go and spend time with them to know that everything will be ok….

Nothing too weird happened this time – no requests to sketch my feet at the library….I really thought that I was being Punk’d that day….

I met some new little monkeys…..and one giraffe - one of them did not want to be called a monkey!!!!!!!! (I use that many exclamation points to show the emphasis of the dislike of being called a monkey.

I held a bearded dragon…well, more that it was plopped in my hand along with a mealworm…..the dragon finally ate after I stopped saying “EEEEEEEEEEEEEEKKKKKKK!” in a pitch that made the dogs cry.

I met Anderson Cooper's doppelganger....he's 8 and a mini hurricane.

I marveled at the athletic prowess of a kid that was fighting a 103 degree fever but wanted to play since I was there. Even deathly ill, she had “Olympics” written all over her playing style.

I got to experience an extended sunshower – big and little – made me smile and bask in the glow.

I ate pizza on the beach and marveled at the lightning in the distance while enjoying the ocean breeze.

There were great chats, there were incredibly long hugs and there were all the things that I needed and more.

I never cry for anyone else the way that I do when I leave them….probably because they love openly and honestly…..despite the drama that sometimes comes their way. They provide unwavering support and I can tell them the absolute truth and know that it will be kept safe and protected. Plus they seem to need me as much as I need them. We have considered each other family for years now - even though things did not work out the way that we had expected.

It’s tough to leave but it is the right thing to do for me.

Big Sunshine, Little Sunshine...

Oh Little Sunshine, I knew that I would love you, but the extreme and how quickly it happened surprised me.

And I had no idea that you would have the same exact reaction to me.

Big Sunshine had said that you would love me since he does….it works the other way too.

Bonus points for melting me with the "Bye, bye, mwah, mwah” *clunk* that you did as you started to fall asleep in my arms.

Mega bonus points for the look of shock that everyone had as you reached for me…..you are not a social sunbeam so I truly felt special that you wanted to hang out with me during the past few days.

Big Mistakes...

We all make them.

Then we realize what they are and move on.

Only to re-visit them a bit later.

We remember why it fell into the mistake category in the first place.


Yeah…it was a mistake…I knew that going in…

I’m gonna clap my hands, show my palms and go...

And then go back...

More Yippage...

Recharging...

"Run, Run I'm coming to get you!" That is what I have felt like for the past few days. Tornado-Viz is in town!!

The road has been flying by me at 80 mph for the past 5 days - I was beyond exhausted from spending 4 hours on the road every day.

And when I get to be that tired, everything makes me cranky. (people mean well, but it’s colossally annoying and hurtful - take a minute and think about it before you say it/write it folks)

Due to some lack of planning (not on my part), I have been scrambling to change flights and keeping other people in limbo. I need to go on this trip – it has been planned since August - everyone that I want to see will be in one place.

I will be back on the road right when I get back from this trip. I have to help move some furniture and then I will be living with dad for a week to help out. There’s no internet so it may get ugly quickly….maybe I'll take the furballs with me so that we have some entertainment!

Step, Together, Step, Hop....

The fact that I woke up and headed out the door at 4 am today was not lost on me - I have been known to get home after many a fun night around the same time....

But today I was headed to a hospital to be moral support for my dad. I only have two parents - have to make sure that I keep them around a while!

Despite my fears, I had to be brave - even crack some jokes - "If you see your parents, a white light and our childhood dog, you need to run the other way. Yes, run!!"

This surgery was needed to get his quality of life back.....it was long overdue but he has never had any other procedures done so it took a lot of convincing.

After a few hours, I got the call that "everything went ok" (in Latvian - talk about instant credibility!) and was able to relax and go call the troops while he was in recovery. Mom even joked that I was being "Mom for the day".

Blatantly obvious that the man was feeling no pain when I walked into his hospital room and was greeted with "Dizzzzzzzzzzzzyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!". I was happy that he was coherant and ok and did a really good job of not crying from relief.

And we talked and talked and talked....."So what did they do with the bone they took out??", "Yeah, you need another ice pack - that male nurse was cute!" and "It's on FB and Twitter that you're ok!"

He has an intense recovery ahead of him, but his spirit is strong and he is motivated by being able to polka again....

Big thanks to my supporters - all your texts/calls/comments helped!!

Ping Pong....

I have been in a bit of a quandary…

I had thought that I had made a decision.

And then the next day things changed.

And then they changed again.

And the ping pong action is continuing.

Every time I think that the path is clear, something changes.

So I am frozen on the spot not sure which way to go.

Yip-Yip....

Will He Hold Your Purse?

A reminder as to why some guys are not worth our time and some are worth all of it.....

“Everything I know about marriage I learned in my cancer clinic.” I’ve been known to say this to my friends, maybe more than once, maybe even causing some of them to grind their teeth and grumble about Robin and Her Infernal Life Lessons.

I can’t help myself. I’ve worked as a breast cancer doctor for 20 years, I’ve watched thousands of couples cope with every conceivable (and sometimes unimaginable) kind of crisis, and I’ve seen all kinds of marriages, including those that rise like a beacon out of the scorched-earth terror that is a cancer clinic.

It’s a privilege to witness these couples, but the downside is I find myself muttering under my breath when my single female friends show me their ads for online dating. “Must like long walks on beach at sunset, cats,” they write, or “French food, kayaking, travel.” Or a perennial favorite: “Looking for fishing buddy; must be good with bait.” These ads make me want to climb onto my cancer doctor soapbox and proclaim, “Finding friends with fine fishing poles may be great in the short term. But what you really want to look for is somebody who will hold your purse in the cancer clinic.”

It’s one of the biggest take-home lessons from my years as an oncologist: When you’re a single woman picturing the guy of your dreams, what matters a heck of lot more than how he handles a kayak is how he handles things when you’re sick. And one shining example of this is how a guy deals with your purse.

I became acquainted with what I’ve come to call great “purse partners” at a cancer clinic in Waltham. Every day these husbands drove their wives in for their radiation treatments, and every day these couples sat side by side in the waiting room, without much fuss and without much chitchat. Each wife, when her name was called, would stand, take a breath, and hand her purse over to her husband. Then she’d disappear into the recesses of the radiation room, leaving behind a stony-faced man holding what was typically a white vinyl pocketbook. On his lap. The guy -- usually retired from the trades, a grandfather a dozen times over, a Sox fan since date of conception -- sat there silently with that purse. He didn’t read, he didn’t talk, he just sat there with the knowledge that 20 feet away technologists were preparing to program an unimaginably complicated X-ray machine and aim it at the mother of his kids.

I’d walk by and catch him staring into space, holding hard onto the pocketbook, his big gnarled knuckles clamped around the clasp, and think, “What a prince.”

I’ve worked at cancer clinics all around Boston since then, and I’ve seen purse partners from every walk of life, every age and stage. Of course, not every great guy accompanies his wife to her oncology appointment every day -- some husbands are home holding down the fort, or out earning a paycheck and paying the health insurance premiums -- but I continue to have a soft spot for the pocketbook guy. Men like him make me want to rewrite dating ads from scratch.

WANTED: A partner for richer or poorer and for better or worse and absolutely, positively in sickness and in health. A partner for fishing and French food and beach walks and kayak trips, but also for phone calls from physicians with biopsy results. A guy who knows that while much of marriage is a 50-50 give-and-take, sometimes it’s more like 80-20, and that’s OK, even when the 80-20 phase goes on and on. A man who truly doesn’t care what somebody’s breast looks like after cancer surgery, or at least will never reveal that he’s given it a moment’s thought. A guy who’s got some comfort level with secretions and knows the value of a cool, damp washcloth. A partner who knows to remove the computer mouse from a woman’s hand when she types phrases like “breast cancer death sentence” in a Google search. And, most of all, a partner who will sit in a cancer clinic waiting room and hold hard onto the purse on his lap.

Firsts....

I have had a few “firsts” in the past couple of days…..

Thursday - not the circumstances that I expected to have this specific experience in. It turned out to be the polar opposite of what I thought it would be. It was a fun bonding time and I have a good memory with a friend that I won’t see much of since they are moving across the country.

Friday – a first in a bar game environment, watching grown men giddily play the newest version of “Golden Tee’. I had no idea that it was as intense as it was – player’s cards, winning cash, game recaps and Youtube videos!

Saturday – I’m not a Ren Faire snob, just spoiled by the one in New York! Granted, that fair was small once too. I went to the Connecticut ren faire for the first time and had a great time despite the two monsoons that passed over. We threw sharp objects, saw a dragon carrying a “Good Humor” umbrella, met a vendor who did the “come into my booth” speech as if he was selling fake Louie’s in NYC and made friends with the King of Scotland who invited us to be merry.

There were some firsts during dinner on Saturday night as well, but they will remain undocumented to protect the innocent….

NJ Round Trip...

I felt like the phrase "My dance card is full" should have been used. Everything got set up and the schedule was tight but I made it! Plus I didn't have that horrible feeling that I had not been able to make it a decent visit. (some people didn't get to see me-I knew the schedules would not mesh)

I had dinner at one of my favorite Thai Places, busted out an innapropriate comment almost immediately, realized that the phrase did not translate well, ate some INCREDIBLE food (I handled the spicy, spicy goodness) and we had some amusing chats. According to M-O-M, I came back totally enthused and just talked and talked and talked. (shocker)

I got to spend M-O-M's birthday with her and make what would have been a regular day a bit more special. And I impressed myself with the lunch I made. (it presents very well and looks fancy but is easy to make!)

I traveled into NYC and had drinks with another friend - rounding it out to be a very Latvian visit! We drank some fall-appropriate pumpkin beers before I hoofed it down a few blocks to see Instrument play. The timing just worked and I got to spend some time with the boys before making the trek home.

Lots of fun packed into a day and a half.....

Karaoke Celebration...

Since our favorite DJ was not available, we opted to go to karaoke to continue my birthday celebration the other night.

We had an absolutely great time - lots of jokes, lots of laughs and lots of fun. Just the way I like it.

I had friends that trooped out even though they were sick.

There was a surprise guest star as well.

I highly recommend spending a night like this with your friends - it is good for the soul!

Alumni Band

We wore our bruises with pride back in the day. Now we're just in pain.

I was running on 3 hours of sleep but was still excited to be there.

The weather was perfect and I loved the feeling of playing a bass drum again. (until my back started to complain)

And I uttered the phrase "How did I do this for so many years?" a whole bunch of times.

I may march next year...not sure yet...

Bring on Fall....

Birthday Trek...

I had a fun day - did a nature hike at the Arnold Arboretum, got lost and ended up in the neighboring town. I found my way back and then headed to Castle Island to fulfill my part in a pinky promise. There will definitely be another trip because there are two parts to that promise. (yes, I take my pinkie promises seriously)

My greetings came from near and far - some very creative ones too!

Some were pulling out Latvian phrases even though it’s not their culture.

Some were traveling to a gig and I was the furthest thing from their mind but they found the time to send a text.

Some that wanted to know if they called first - even though it wasn't a contest.

Some that had to call twice so they had bragging rights for double wishes (there were two of those calls).

Some that said “I need to win this week's college basketball bet so I can get you your present!” HA!

Some that sent the Gerber daisies – quite the surprise!!

I felt the love.

And then there was the last call of the night "I wanted to be one of the first and also the last to wish you a Happy Birthday!". Aww...yes, I said it - Aww...you know you want to say it too! Aww...Aww….Aww….

The fun will be continued this weekend!!

Birthday!!

see more Lolcats and funny pictures

How? How? How?!?!?!?

How do you talk about stuff that you know will hurt other people? You figure out a way.

How do you refrain from screaming at someone to get a clue? You just do it.

How do you not vent your anger when it is well deserved? You bite your tongue.

How do you forgive someone for lashing out at you? You don’t.

How do you stop yourself from reminding someone that they keep contradicting themselves? You bite your tongue and when you can't take it anymore, you lean on a friend.

How do keep quiet about something that you will never agree with? You withdraw your support.

How do you NOT comment on someone over stepping their boundaries? You do your best given the situation, all the while chanting "I told you so" in your head.

You do all of the above and deal with the consequences.

Hmm.....seems that I have more answers than I thought I did!

More Rock....

Just because I love this pic......(taken with my cellphone)

And thanks to Michele, I have a pic that shows where we were (red square).....as you can imagine, I spent the first 5 minutes walking into that section just saying "OH MY GOD!!!" over and over and over....

I Wanna Rock...

U2 was on my list of “Bands to See Before I Die” – they did not disappoint. We had a fun tailgate, talked about random life things and then headed in to the stadium. We meander on the field as Snow Patrol is playing. Best moment of their set – the crowd starts singing “Shut Your Eyes and Sing to Me” after they had ended the song.

The set up was open field seating – with more than enough room for everyone to have a great view. We were standing where we thought we were close and one of the security guys let us know that people could get closer on the other side. So we hoofed it over and got in – ended up standing about 10 feet from the stage. And of course I have the “OMG I have to pee!!” moment. (figures) I come back and they are no longer letting new people in. I felt all cool as I flashed my stamp and went in.

We had a great view of Adam Clayton the whole concert and he played to the audience – he would do this great bass player pose where he just juts out one hip and plays. Plus he had a sparkly gold bass for some songs – oooo, sparkly, shiny, pretty! They had bridges that went over the audience and we had everyone but Bono pass over our heads a few times. And AC stood there a few times – close enough to see that he wears tighty whities….tee-hee!

Of course I was a total bouncy pogo stick during “Vertigo” and “Elevation” – I can’t stand still during those songs!! They had some song mixing which I absolutely loved – they went from “Amazing Grace” into “Where the Streets Have No Name”, “Sunday Bloody Sunday” had a “Rock the Casbah” chorus thrown in and “Stand By Me” closed out “I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For”.

They also did a funky remix of “I’ll Go Crazy If I Don’t Go Crazy Tonight”. The whole stadium singing “With or Without You” was just amazing – I found myself just slowly spinning in a circle to take it all in. And I turned to Michele and just said “How could people not like live music?!?!?”
We made some random friends. Oddest excuse for pushing through the crowd? “Don’t smush me, I’m a mother!” *eye roll* We got to trail the band as they left the stage – wish I had brought my camera in as well. It was an incredible show!

We sat in the parking lot for a good 2 hours before getting out. Combine that with paying $40 for legit parking (some of the offsite ones charged $50!) and the town just fails at traffic control.

We took some fun back roads back and I made Michele listen to the Rock of Ages soundtrack. Definitely had an incredible time!

Recurring Theme...

I continued the summer’s theme of “I haven’t hung out with you in ages!”.

I journeyed North to see a friend who relocated there about a year ago. (next Northern trip will probably be Maine)

As I’m sitting at the light to turn right in the center of town, I see a hotel – a very familiar hotel. I have stayed at this hotel. And I just start laughing. It’s the “Let’s send in the Marketing Dept to make up for what that other department did” hotel.

I had a fun afternoon chatting with a friend who has gone through some big life changes. It’s very good to see her happy and content in her new life phase. Will definitely have to visit again!

Worry, Worry, Worry...

As of late I have been feeling anxious about the little things.

Not the big stuff that I truly should be worried about, but the little things.

The little things that I know I have enough time to do.

The little things that will get done.

The little things that I can do with my eyes closed!

Why am I worrying about them??

Cereal For All...

One of the reasons that I was SO excited to get a working printer was this week’s Kashi cereal deal at Target.

5 boxes on sale at $2.88 each
4 coupons at $1.50 off each
1 coupon at $2.00 off
OOP = $6.40

Received a $5 Target gift card for purchasing 5 boxes

Boxes of cereal = $0.28 each!!

And a receipt that proclaims – “You saved $15.95”.

Ring A Ding..

My poor cell phone – it had been acting strange in the past few months - I refused to buy a new one since I was so close to my “New Every Two” date. (of course I have Verizon Wireless - it has a V & a Z in it’s name!) Plus they didn’t fail me during an issue with my car like AT & T did….but I digress….

My old phone just fried over the weekend….making getting rid of all the data easier.

After the initial anxiety of not having the phone, it was very liberating. It was such an odd feeling at first to not be able to tweet or update my FB status. (not that I’m that important that people need a play by play, but I was in a fun city!)

I now have a dual flip phone – I can be like all the cool kids and text away on a Qwerty keyboard…

New York, New York....

Ah, the city so nice, they named it twice!!

For only being there a few days, I was able to pack in a bunch of fun!

We took in an improv show – one of the cast members is a friend from camp. (Latvian, not band). I laughed the entire time, but my favorite line is still “Can my peacock have some of your cocaine?”

We ventured to a bar after the show - Triple Crown Bar to be exact. They had the most eclectic mix of people and most overzealous servers. You barely got done with your plate and it was gone! We had two separate guys stop by asking to be spanked – one settled his booty on the table and refused to move until the deed was done. The other one had “2 kids & a vasectomy!!” - exclaimed with delight. In the next breath he invites us to come with him because “we’re going to see strippers!” (I made eye contact and then humored him – totally my fault for this chat)

The next day was “Rock of Ages” – I want to see it again. (like now!) If you are a fan of Poison, Journey, Asia, Motley Crew, etc. you should go see it. And if you sit next to me, I will warn you now – I will be singing along to every song. (yes, every one)

Random “Rock of Ages” exclamations - Jazz hands!, The Axl dance!, “Strippers, not strip malls!” and Oooo, a sparkly rock star!

We waited by the stage door and got to meet/greet/cheer for the cast. My friend’s mom actually shoved us aside a bit and was the first (and loudest) to scream Constantine’s name when he walked out. By the way, it was pouring the whole time, but he worked the entire line and did not rush things.

Dinner was the massive pizza fest that I described previously, but I have to throw this in - Check #2 is awesome! (Hey, Check #1 – Check #3 says that you’re cheese hogs and you suck and you tell kids that there is no Santa!!)

I made new friends, apparently drew some others out of their shells and got some great advice. It makes some decisions a bit easier – they echo what I have been thinking, but it’s more credible because it’s from someone one who did what I am gearing up to do…..maybe.

We had the token chat with the cabbie, the token “hey slow down my feet hurt” moment, the token waitress trying to scam $10 and the token visits to great bars. We spent the most time at the Fat Black Pussycat. (bar/lounge/awesome place)

I made new friends – both within our group and out of it. The couple that had been making out on the couch next to our table, the random guy that was lost in the area but looked like a native and the DJ that loved my accessories. “She’s still talking to him….” “Now she’s blushing.” “Isn’t he gay?” Yes, yes he was and he was mocking his own voice and telling me he loved my accessories.

It was a great time. Can’t wait to do it again….

Falafel Friday & It's Friends...

Another fabulous thing about NYC - the food is all around you.

There is a complete ADD moment when asked the simple question of "What do you want to eat?"

Pizza is the first thing that comes to mind since I can't find a decent pizza up North. Saturday night was all about the pizza - 15 people that kept saying "Can you pass the cheese/pepper flakes/spices....hey, hand it over!!!" as they tried to find room on the table for their pint glass among all the pizza stands - it was good....

Falafels were introduced to me by M-O-M in NYC, so I lucked out with having a yummy (and inexpensive) falafel joint around the corner. I had to throw in some stuffed grape leaves - they are so incredible when they are freshly made!

Bagel & Coffee are standard breakfast fare. There's just something about walking down the city street juggling both as you take in the scenery. (and until the subway door chomps on you - luckily it did not get my bagel - I had finished it)

Champagne & Chocolate Covered Strawberries were a "September Babies" toast extra. Always, yummy - especially when someone else pays for them.

Gray’s Papaya Hot Dogs are a new discovery for me. I hate hot dogs (blech), but can't seem to resist one from Gray's. I actually went on this trip with a list of locations so that I could stop at one before I left. In the wee morning hours of Sunday, we walked out of the bar and lo and behold, we were across from King's Papaya. And as I chomped on my hot dog, I raved about the fact that they are open 24 hours and decently priced.

Yes, there was good food, but it's only part of the weekend.

Transportation Nightmares...

It poured as I drove to the tri-state area – making the trip two hours longer than it needed to be. I missed the first bus that I wanted to be on by a matter of minutes. (was driving right behind it actually)

I go to wait for the next bus on the street corner and the skies open with a vengeance. Five minutes later, I get on the bus and the rain lets up.

Subway doors chomped on me – spilled my coffee on the person next to me. (this was my fault for saying “Hey, let’s go in the next car!”)

Subway construction that night led us on a long loop – 3:30 am found us sitting at a stop watching guys work. (we had entertainment!!)

And on the way back to get my car, the main drag out of the city was blocked due to an accident – we had a lovely detour and I got to see some buildings up close and personal that I have always admired from the highway.

Bunched together like this, it seems like it was a horrible trip, but that was not the case!!

September 11...

The day that brings up so many emotions.....remembering what happened, where we were and who is important in our lives.

Loved this entry by one of my friends - go here to read it.

I also want to remember the people that have birthdays and anniversaries today - they forge ahead despite the fact that their special day will forever be associated with such a huge act of terrorism.

Hunting The Will That Is Good...

Apparently it is a sin to not have watched this movie.

Well, I can't stand Minnie Driver.

So, I never watched the movie, choosing to see Ben Affleck and Matt Damon in other movies.

But I have been spending some time at the L Street Tavern and some people who can quote the longest monologue from the movie, so I figured that it was time to watch it.

And the Hunting of the Will was Good....

9/9/09

"Knowing your penchant for darkness, is 9/9/09 big in the darkness community because it is the mirror image of 666?"

Sheesh, can't even celebrate a nifty date anymore.

I took advantage of the deals out in the world - scored a bunch of wine that will combine with a rebate and make each bottle ridiculously cheap.

Did I say cheap? It has such a negative connotation……

In-expensive, yeah, that's the word!

Candle On the Water….

It's been running through my head.....

I'll be your candle on the water,
My love for you will always burn.
I know you're lost and drifting,But the clouds are lifting,
Don't give up, you have somewhere to turn.

I'll be your candle on the water,
'Til every wave is warm and bright.
My soul is there beside you,
Let this candle guide you,
Soon you'll see a golden stream of light.

A cold and friendless tide has found you,
Don't let the stormy darkness pull you down.
I'll paint a ray of hope around you,
Circling in the air,
Lighted by a prayer.

I'll be your candle on the water,
This flame inside of me will grow.
Keep holding on, you'll make it,
Here's my hand, so take it,
Look for me, reaching out to show,
As sure as rivers flow,
I'll never let you go,
I'll never let you go,
I'll never let you go.

Choo-Choo...

My life train had a slight derailment Friday.

Not a full *WHAM* off the tracks de-railment, but just enough to spill drinks in the dining cart.

I hunkered down for 2 days in Boston with my polar opposite.

I blew off all my plans.

Now I see it as a kick in the booty - change that I wanted - even though it was not on my terms.

Oh My Word....

I have a new favorite website.....

I should have KNOWN that this site existed!!

It's dedicated to the People of Walmart....

My favorite one

Second Chances?

So, you find yourself in a quandry.

Do you offer a second chance knowing that the outcome will probably be bad?

But then will you kick yourself because “what if”?

You offer it to someone who you know won't offer it to someone else.

You offer it to someone who doesn't deserve it.

You offer it to someone who has hurt you.

I gave it a sporting chance - my conscience is clear.

Not Alone...

I think that he was able to sum it up better than I did.....
http://blog.tinou.com/2009/08/totality-of-life.html#comments

As for the airport renaming - won't that create some confusion with the NY airport?

And how do the Logans feel about this?

Sainted...

Notice that everyone becomes a saint once they die? All the bad memories fade and we remember the good that they did? Ted Kennedy…..Michael Jackson….

Yes, they both contributed to society – a lot.

BUT there were bad things – a woman died, kids may have been touched and some more scandals…...

It’s all sugar coated now – in order to not tarnish their legacy.

Both had huge events to give the public closure – I watched the pomp & circumstance – can’t help it – I got caught up in it too. (even though it seemed like Boston got to film a free tourism commercial given the hearse’s tour of the city)

But the whole time was the nagging thought that the bad things are being forgotten….

Punch Vas Served...

Only Family Guy can make WWII funny....

German Tour Guide: You vill find more on Germany's contributions to ze arts in ze pamphlets ve have provided.

Brian : Yeah, about your pamphlet... uh, I'm not seeing anything about German history between 1939 and 1945. There's just a big gap.

Tour guide: Everyone vas on vacation. On your left is Munich's first city hall, erected in 15...

Brian : Wait, what are you talking about? Germany invaded Poland in 1939 and...

Tour Guide: We were invited. Punch vas served. Check vit Poland.

Brian : You can't just ignore those years. Thomas Mann fled to America because of Nazism's stranglehold on Germany.

Tour guide: Nope, nope. He left to manage a Dairy Queen.

Brian : A Dairy Queen? That's preposterous.

Tour guide: I vill hear no more insinuations about the German people. Nothing bad happened. Sie werden sich hinsetzen. Sie werden ruhig sein. Sie werden nicht beleidigen Deutschland. You will sit down. You will shut up. You will not insult Germany. (Throws his hand up in a Hitler salute.)

Brian : Uh, is that a beer hall?

Tour guide: Oh yes, Munich is renowned for its historic beer halls.

Potential Tour...

I feel special - I was invited to 4 BBQ's - in 3 separate states - all on the same day.

Yeah, I would need a clone army to make that work.

The decision came down to this deciding question - "Who won't I see regularly after the end of September?"

Family members who are moving across the country.

Decision made.

Just a Touch of Rain....

Trying to figure out how to sum up the weekend….it was just good – lots of fun despite the pouring rain.

Spending time with someone who wasn’t hell bent on watching every minute of the Ted Kennedy coverage – seriously, the shuttle launched and there was NO coverage, just the "Weekend at Bernie's" tour.

Being asked to stay – at two separate times. Not sick of me? “Hell no!” And I had full access to the inner sanctum – taken at face value, but nonetheless, it was the inner sanctum and it helped the bond.

“Isn’t it too early for that?” Sing-songy “Not for me!” was the reply. I have an interesting Saturday morning cartoon replacement!

Having the most bizarre and calm breakfast pattern – reading the paper – swapping sections over coffee while waiting for our food.

Hyde, meet Jeckyll…Jeckyll, meet Hyde – great, now that you two have met, quit it!!















Standing outside in the rain so I can hear the thundering hooves as they cross the finish line. And there was total shock that a horse that I bet on actually won!

Mis-pronouncing certain words - Su-f**k vs. Su-folk

Why do we get along? Why do we both keep wanting to spend time together? (the amount of differences is ridiculous!)