MISS SELF-ESTEEM

I dearly would love to be in my bed right now but I have to get this off my chest. Bed can wait...

Yesterday, Britney Spears graced Lousiana with her presence. She hooked up with four teen-aged girls who lost everything to Katrina. She treated them to a shopping trip, lunch (fried chicken!) and a token fleur de lis ribbon pin as a souvenir of their fun day together. I won't go into each individual girl's story of the devastation of their respective homes or how their lives have changed in these few past months. I'm sure you can imagine. But what I want to know is this... What the hell kind of ego thinks that "Ooooh, a day with me will make up for all the loss and pain that these po' South'n gals have had to withstand since that nasty ol' hurricane demolished their very lives." Give me a fuckin' break. Excuse my French, I'm fired up.

I will tell you what kind of thinking we're talking here. The same kind that would admit on national television that she, indeed, likes Walmart.

Say your prayers people, the World is coming to an end.

That's all I have to say aboot that...

A maudlin day in the world; we lost Don Knotts, Darren McGavin and Dennis Weaver. This is a bad week to be in your eighties with a first name that begins with a D.
That was a dumb thing to say, I need slepp maybe. Or more likely, sleep.

"Egotism - usually just a case of mistaken non-entity." - Barbara Stanwyck

LET THE BAD TIMES ROLL

Every time I sit down here to post, all I can think aboot is the aftermath of Katrina and how, even now, (what is it, six months passed?) it is too upsetting for me to watch. Film I'm seeing of New Orleans and Mississippi looks like it happened last week. WTF? I realize that it will take years to clean up and rebuild but not enough is being done. One state alone still has 1,902 people missing and unaccounted for. Mardi Gras is going on, I'm not sure how I feel aboot that yet...
But I feel so utterly helpless and the pain I feel for those poor people who lost everything they've worked their entire lives for means not a thing to them. The trailers that have been bought and paid for with taxpayer's dollars are sitting in fields sinking in the mud... A couple finally received a trailer last week and it's sitting locked in their (once) driveway because they haven't been issued a key. Everything is tied up in red tape and bureaucracy. Huge bulldozers are sitting idle in the midst of piles of what once were people's homes. I can't stand it.
There are thousands of people in Mississippi living in tent cities who must shower outdoors and use portable toilets. The walkways are flooded with stagnant rain water and the people complain of mosquitoes and other bugs. Mid-March they will be told they have to leave and most have nowhere to go. It is obvious to me that this is way more than our government can handle and as a result, they are turning a blind eye. You already know all this, I'm just venting. I haven't been Proud to be an American for quite awhile now but especially not today.

"The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity." - George Bernard Shaw

TRUMPET CLIP

...is the ONLY Replacement's song that I don't like, but since none of you ever listen to them anyway, it's irrelevant. But the title seemed appropriate to announce that tomorrow (or today if you're reading on Monday) is Mr. JuJu's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY JEFF!!! (Insert trumpet blaring obnoxiously here when you figure out how to use audio clips, Linda). The Big 3-0. Man, oh man. Have a great day for us.

THE SHIT HITS THE FANS

Ok, it's not as bad as all that, but I feel like last week has finally shown up and kicked me in the ass. If I could be satisfied with only eating and sleeping and working, I would be fine. But I need very badly some semblance of an actual life in there somewhere. And am clueless as to how to accomplish that. I can't let go of the feeling that I'm going to have to go to sleep at some point. Or that I better eat something. Ah, this is way past boring...

Cool news to share. Jeff A. has a Scavenger Hunt going on over there that sounds like fun. Check it out. While you're there, look at some of his photography. He's very talented.

I'm afraid that, during my all night "vigil" last night, by 3am I found little to occupy my time and (Egads!) resorted to watching TV. It only took a few minutes to fully realize my mistake but in that time frame I saw a promo for a show coming out called "Miracle Workers" or something to that effect. It looked actually like something worthwhile. Real doctors helping real people. I would probly cry too much though if I watched it.

I'm going to go attempt to be productive in some way. I'll probly end up back here, bitching.

FIRST GLIMMER

Would like to get this out of the way RIGHT away... Tammy has revealed an interest in where my first sexual encounter took place. The answer is: At a Holiday Inn.
Thank you Tammy, for the opportunity to answer your question... I sincerely hope that I have satisfied your curiosity. ;-)

I'm so excited. I have been tagged for the very first time in my short, but extremely gratifying Blog-areer. Thank you Simon for making me feel all important-like.
I also just attempted to insert a link to your site. If it was successful, I will be outre happy and will be able to sleep like a baby until I have to get up later and go back to work. If the link didn't work, Readers, please go see Simon at Simian Farmer on my Blogroll. His writing is amazing and wonderful.

1: Black and White or Colour; how do you prefer your movies? Totally depends on the movie. Sometimes b/w sets a mood, ie. Young Frankenstein, Psycho,(most Hitchcock flicks). Mixing the two disturbs me (Wizard of Oz) sometimes, but not always (Schindler's List). Really doesn't concern me enough to be an issue. Good (or bad) entertainment is just that. Don't even ask me if I prefer subtitles to not... As for colorization, why mess? It's like changing ketchup to green; some things you just don't mess with.

2: What is the one single subject that bores you to near-death? Politics. It bores me to a degree of unconsciousness that is so disabling that I can't even grasp what they are or how they work or why we have them. I might add that it takes a lot to bore me.

3: MP3s, CDs, Tapes or Records: what is your favourite medium for prerecorded music? Oh God, does this issue involving my rusting iPod have to keep haunting me??? Were it not for my techno-issues, that would be my answer. That aside, cds I believe are the greatest invention of all time, sound-wise.

4: You are handed one first class trip plane ticket to anywhere in the world and ten million dollars cash. All of this is yours provided that you leave and not tell anyone where you are going ... Ever. This includes family, friends, everyone. Would you take the money and ticket and run? Absolutely, definitively, no. What fun would that be without friends and family? I would however, settle for half the dough and be able to tell one (loose-lipped) person...

5: Seriously, what do you consider the world's most pressing issue now? Humanity's pre-occupation with materialism as opposed to what is real and important. There is a pervasive belief that everything is disposable and replaceable. Everthing is neither. Our priorities are FUBAR.

6: How would you rectify the world's most pressing issue?
Um, someone needs to pull out from under us the sand that we spend all our time burying our heads in. We need to spend more time providing necessities to those without and less time amassing senseless possessions that we neither need nor can afford.

7: You are given the chance to go back and change one thing in your life; what would that be? This may sound extremely shallow, but I'm being very honest. I would have asked for braces on my teeth growing up. The self-consciousness about my appearance influenced my every act in my teens and early adulthood. Had I been more confident, I think every facet of my life would have turned out more to my liking. At this point in my life, it is not such an issue but I hate that it took most of my life to learn to accept and move on.

8: You are given the chance to go back and change one event in world history, what would that be? The first act of slavery of any kind.

9: A night at the opera, or a night at the Grand Ole' Opry -- Which do you choose?
Wow, this is a tough one. I wouldn't even want to spend a night at a soap opera. But if I HAVE to pick, I guess it would be the Grand Ole Opry, provided it was back in the "grand" days, certainly not now.

10: What is the one great unsolved crime of all time you'd like to solve?
How Dubya got hisself a second term in the White House. Period.

11: One famous author can come to dinner with you. Who would that be, and what would you serve for the meal? Truman Capote. We'd dine on pretty little cucumber and watercress finger-sandwiches with the crusts removed, a bit of liver pate' on rye crackers, a nice creme brulee' with a carafe of something moderately inebriating.

12: You discover that John Lennon was right, that there is no hell below us, and above us there is only sky -- what's the first immoral thing you might do to celebrate this fact? Actually, I agree with John. Consequently I live my daily life immorally from beginning to end. I've been celebrating for decades. I've just gotten so good at it that everyone thinks I'm a model citizen...

SIXTEEN BLUE

Thank you Simon for your query. In re: yesterday's post asking you (my Readers) to ask me (Me) anything you might want to know. Obviously I've told most of you more than you ever wanted to know...

Simon asked aboot my first date EVER. I'm assuming he means "car date" which was (way back then) the reigning qualifier for a real date. I can picture the car, a very hot car, but I can't for the life of me remember the model. It was metallic aqua anyway. I was not allowed to "car date" until I was sixteen. When you are 15 and allowed to date at 16, believe me that is all you can think aboot. So of course when I turned 16, I went out with the very first boy to ask. The guy, Doug, was a friend of a friend. It was actually a double date, the other couple made out in the back seat for the entire date and I was scared to death to know what was going on back there. I wore a white peasant blouse with lace down the front and blue denim hot pants (don't ask, they were a fad, kind of along the lines of F-Me pumps today. They were the absolutely tightest, shortest hip-hugger shorts you could wear and not get arrested.) with a suede fringed belt. Ooooh baby. I cannot believe my mother let me out of the house. Although, after I put the shorts in the laundry, I never saw them again, swear to god.

So Doug shows up at my house. Had to go and have a nice firm handshake with my Dad (slick). The other thing I remember aboot Doug is that his long-on-top dark hair kept falling in his eyes and he would jerk his head to the side every 5 minutes or so. I don't know if he was just afraid to touch his hair of if he did it for effect. But it was way cool how he did that. The uncool thing he did was wax the seats in the car. Most of the night I spent trying to keep my hot pants in the middle of the seat, straddling the hump on the floor and not in his lap. Small consolation, he let me pick out which 8-track we would listen to. He had a lot of country music but also the Rolling Stones. "Under My Thumb" was one of my favorite songs back then and still is in my top 500. He had a very good sound system...

So anyway, where did he take me? First we went to a drive-in restaurant (Yes, the real deal- where they bring the food to your car.) I'm not really that old, I believe it was the last existing drive-in restaurant in PA, was called The Cadet. We had burgers/fries/cokes. Then we went to a drive-in movie to see Buster and Billie starring Michael Vincent and a bunch of no-names. He later became Jan-Michael Vincent. Kind of a weird movie but I liked it. I watched it again a couple years ago and have no idea what I found to like aboot it.

So my first real date was also my first real exercise in fending off the advances of a hormonally-charged teen-aged boy. Who had six arms if I remember correctly. Didn't exactly help that Annette and Frankie were trying to start a family in the back. Made for some interesting "mood music". I guess after awhile, Dougie got the message because I did see some of the movie. And he did ask me out again.

So there, that was my first date. I was home by eleven. My diary got an earful.

NOBODY

...took my cue. Y'all are not cooperatin'. I tell you I need help posting. I ask you one simple little thing to do; ask me questions. You'd really be helping me out. I was relying on you for material...

So I guess I have to resort to this exciting subject...

The Night Shit. It's not so bad, really. I slept like a baby today. Last night around 3 am was a bit rough. It's not that I got sleepy or especially bleary-eyed. A little hoarse maybe. But the body fatigue was what got me. Just felt really whooped. After having slept most of the day though, I feel pretty good right now.

When you consider the dynamics of a group situation, there usually develops out of that group certain personality types to make up the body of said group. I am vying for the title of "comedian" but am afraid I'm being upstaged by the tattooed-Harley-type who is a riot and a half. I can't compete. It seems though that, being I'm the only one with "seniority" (that is, with the company, not the department itself) I find myself in the role of leader/spokesperson. Not where I want to be exactly but somebody's gotta do the job. This shift is an experimental thing and there are a lot of bugs to be ironed out. I normally like to keep a very low profile at work, this will be an adjustment for me. Whatever. As for the job I'm at now, I really, really like it alot.

I am in the process of implementing "The Royal Order of the Crazy Knight Shift," otherwise known as R.O.C.K.S. Thinking of laminating membership card and collecting dues... ;-)

ACHIN' TO BE

...in my bed. That is going to happen real soon here. But I want to see the looks on your collective faces when you come in to work this morning (those of you who are at work, being that it is President's Day here in the US and a work holiday for the lucky ones...) to blog read and find a post from Your's Truly that is actually freshly written. By that I mean first thing in the morning, not "fresh" from my tired, sleep-deprived brain. I am used to writing before bed at night, after I've actually had an entire day's worth of experiences to share and comment on.

My first experience working the "graveyard shit," as Joni referred to it, was not bad at all. I work in a lab-type room with no windows, so once I faked myself into believing the sun was up outside, it almost felt like a regular day. Except that there were aboot half the number of people in there making noise and that was nice... The best part was saying goodbye to the people coming in when I was on my way out. When I did get outside, the first thing I saw was a big, bright halfmoon and some really bright stars. Halfway home the sun was coming up and it was beautiful.

One thing I am going to enjoy severely is being home in the early morning. Right after the sun comes up, it shines through my stained-glass windows in my livingroom. I rarely get to enjoy that sight, being that it's dark when I leave for work on the weekdays and on the weekend my ass is still abed. (Yeah, that's aboot the size of it these days, hehe.) Poopy is still asleep so I actually have some "alone time" which is really rare and (sorry, Poop) wonderful.

Hey Ruby! Hey Mike! Welcome back! Looking forward to pictures (hint). Mike, I finally got to see your Christmas pictures. Wow, you like to take a lot of hockey shots... huh? Hope you brought us some sunshine, my friends. It has been really quiet around here, how aboot you liven things up for us?

Since my brain might not be up to its usual par this week, I'm going to rely on y'all for material. Is there anything you might want to know aboot me? Ask away. This might be fun. Outrageous is ok. Terribly personal, maybe, but at my discretion. Surely I haven't tole you EVERYTHING already... If I refuse to answer (slim chance), don't be buggin' JuJu, K?

"Fatigue is the best pillow." - Benjamin Franklin :-)

I shall now partake of some sweet dreams...

PS Yes, Dana, I'm afraid that Traversa's has closed. We had finally gotten all the old waitresses to recognize that we came there every year for our anniversary and they saved us "our table".

Yes, Joni we ate at Garda's. Sometime let's you and MarkyMark and us go dine there together. When is he back from China?

TINY PIECES

Don't have a lot of time today, will try to tie up some loose ends from last week.

Elizabethtown was a pretty decent watch. Although the last hour was the better part of the movie. Made you think aboot your life and what's important and what's not. Some really funny stuff at a funeral if you can imagine that. Good music too, think I'll maybe invest in the soundtrack. Kirsten Dunst played kind of a weird character, a bit intense and quirky for my taste. But Orlando Bloom shone. I would give it 3 1/2 stars on a generous day.

In an effort to accomodate a quickly-growing work force in a limited amount of space and to increase production to meet ever-growing sales and orders, my employer is implementing a second shift. I have volunteered to work this shift on a trial basis for the next six weeks, starting tonight. The shift is 10:15 pm to 6:15 am. Yeah, I know, I'm a lunatic. Don't rub it in. But I'm going into this with a positive attitude, considering it a much-needed change. How the sleeping thing will work out is yet to be seen. Will be interesting to say the least. Wish me luck.

These weather changes are a bit insane, don't you think, locals? Yesterday was 11 degrees. Thursday last week it was 61 degrees... Mother Nature is screwing with us, don't you know.

Yeah, things have been pretty quiet here at One Wink, not sure yet what to attribute that to. But I'm looking forward to hearing how a percentage of my Faithfuls have enjoyed their time away sunning and funning. Kinda feel bad for them coming back to this, but it will be good to have them back around.

Was a bit irritated last night to find that, for the second week in a row, the Olympics bumped SNL off the late-night viewing schedule. Ok, maybe more than a bit irritated. Sports and competition are great if you're a Sport and competition fan... Now I would watch BMX and surfing and skateboarding, stuff like that. But in the name of uniting all the nations of the world in a common event with a common purpose, I can respect that. I think though that there should be Music Olympics.

You all enjoy your beds tonight, think of me.

VALENTINE

I realize that it is not Valentine's Day today. I ain't lost it yet. I was panicky a few minutes ago when I realized that, after frantically scrounging through dozens of yet-unused Mat's titles, there was not one suitable for tonight's post. So I went online and started digging for track titles that I had been unfamiliar with. Lo and behold, I discovered a track called Valentine from Paul Westerberg's 1987 Pleased to Meet Me album. While you might be saying, "Yes Linda, but today is still not Valentine's Day." Well see, that's where you're wrong. Since Poopy and I celebrate out first-date anniverary on 2/17, we incorporate V. Day and celebrate both together. Cheaper and less time-consuming. Where romance is concerned, those are two prominent factors, don't you know.

I don't think I mentioned this little tidbit. Just before Christmas, I found out that the restaurant where PD and I have been going to for 15 years as we had on our first date, was closing. The owners retired and that was that. So we had to decide on another place not too far from home that was worthy of our honorary anniversary celebration. Being that more often than not, it snows and/or freezes on that night, we decided it would be better not to travel far. So we decided on a place and went there last night. It's a charming place aboot a half an hour away. The only part I wasn't crazy aboot was that the bar borders on the dining room and there were a lot of loud people there last night. Evidentally an ex-waitress had returned from Hawaii with her new husband and everyone in attendance was more than glad to make them feel welcome.

But the dinner made up for the lack of ambience. I had the Sole Romano (no relation to Ray) which was two lightly breaded filets smothered in baby scallops and chunks of lobster. I could not decide between lemon-butter-wine sauce and the Garlic Alfredo, so they brought me both. Sides of roasted red potatoes and perfectly steamed baby carrots were excellent. A nice glass of Chianti and I was in dining heaven. Poopy had a fisherman's platter that he claims was yummy too. All in all, tres excellent.

The best part though was on the way home. I was driving. PooDo (ha!) knows how I am aboot driving with music cranked. It was aboot 38 degrees. I suggested we crank the music and open the moon roof, which is exactly what I was in the mood for. The next thing I knew we were cruising, doing about 60 with John Hiatt LOUD and the roof open. Cool :-) It was a good date.

TAKE OUT SOME INSURANCE

As I was walking through the "Television Viewing Area" night before last, I heard a character wonder aloud to another character, "If tomorrow were your last day on Earth, what would you do?" Or something to that effect... Don't know the show, seemed to be taking place in a hospital.

Got me thinking and I thought that the concept might make for an interesting post. Seems crucial today, as I've had nearly no visitors for days now. No, no, no, I'm not complaining mind you. Could be my imagination but everything was going swimmingly (as far as comments go) and to my satisfaction until I posted a bitchy post about Miss Chipper and the SUV. Got a few comments on that post and then everyone just ran away. Maybe it was the references to my love life that did it. Regardless, I figured I better find something half-way intriguing to spark some renewed interest in One Wink.

If tomorrow were my last day on Earth, I would be spending today as follows:

1. Go to bank. Withdraw all funds. Cash in everything cashable.
2. Procure someone to call every person in the world that I love and care aboot and invite them to the biggest blow-out extravaganza/party ever and make all the arrangements for said party to take place.
3. (Pretend here that I have more financial resources than I do...) Book U2 for the entertainment.
4. Have someone make hotel/motel arrangements and flight reservations for out-of-towners.
5. Arrange for a spectacular fireworks display.
6. Take something for the overwhelming anxiety that's setting in quickly.
7. Read Moby Dick, learn French, have my teeth straightened, jump out of an airplane, go to Paris, learn how to put photos on here, fill up my iPod and find someone to take care of Poopy after I'm gone.
8. Decide what to wear for the party and do my nails. (Not.)

Then what would I do tomorrow? Spend every second with everyone who has ever touched my heart and tell them what they have meant to me, hopefully in a way that will etch a part of me in their collective hearts so that I might live on through the love that each of us has shared. There are to be no tears, dammit. Just hearty partyin'. Then I will dance myself to death, happy in the thought that everyone I love and care about knows and will remember it.

What would be your plan? Even if you don't share here, which I hope you might, think aboot it and maybe do one thing (meaningful) today or tomorrow that you might not have otherwise.

DON'T GET MARRIED...

Until you're good and ready.

I won't kid you. It wasn't "Love at first sight" for me and Poopy Do. Although, he will be more than happy to tell you that, at first sight, I turned and looked away. What he did not see however, was the smile on my face as I turned away... A girl can't look too hopeful or too interested or too... available. In all honesty, I was sick of the bar scene, sick of men in general when I met PD. Yeah, he was very cute, but we were both at aboot the same point in our lives. Each of us had left our respective mates two years before. We had each dated and attempted permanent relationships but were tiring of the whole game. In fact, the night we met, he was wearing his wedding ring on the wrong hand to remind himself not to ever involve himself with another woman. Imagine that. Our meeting took place in January of 1990. He will tell you he did the legwork to arrange our meeting. I will tell you that I waited until he was talking to my brother and a mutual friend to take the opportunity to "present" myself. The mutual friend had told him previously, I guess, that I was an artist. After we'd been introduced and a bit of time had passed, he asked if I would be interested in doing some artwork on his truck. I had never done anything like that but agreed to attempt it. He asked me out to dinner to talk aboot it. I accepted. We talked about everything but his truck over an excellent dinner. After dinner, we went to a dance club in an old converted barn called Sunset Grove where Poopy's cousin's rock band was playing. Had a great time there inside and outside under the stars.

Seven months later, we were engaged. Ten years later, we were married. Yeah.

That "First Date" was 16 years ago today. We are going out tonight to recapture some of that sweet, sweet romance as we do every year on this night. You all have a good night too. :-)

BABY LEARNS TO CRAWL

Isn't it amazing that Paul Westerberg wrote almost every one of his songs and titled them in a way that enabled me to have blogpost titles for just aboot every occasion??? What a guy.

This part of my post could fall under the STHTTMML because I laughed my still ever-spreading ass off. JuJu reported that Little Miss BabyJuJu is crawling now. Albeit not in the traditional sense. I've heard of babies crawling in strange new ways, in fact at first I thought BabyJuJu's initial preferred mode of transit was going to be flat on her back, scooting with her heels. Now it seems, the little dear is using her forearms, elbows out in front to drag herself across the floor, and at an acceptable rate of speed! I have not yet seen this in real life but, Goodness gracious, this will be amusing. Might have to start looking for infant elbow pads to cut down on the risk of brush burns to the ol' elbows. JuJu said if she were dressed in cammo, she'd look like a soldier doing that thing they do to get under the barbed wire fence. Baby JuJu will get up on her hands and knees occasionally, only to drop back down to her belly in order to attain speed... JuJu claims she is too fat to crawl regular. I resent that. ;-)

Conversation with Little JuJu, falling under same category. Congratulations are in order, as this particular little kindergartener (sp?) has been invited to be a member in good standing of the Principal's Club. (JuJu may post of this with more accuracy. ) Contrary to how it might sound, this is indeed, an honor and acknowledgement for good behavior and strength of character.

After having congratulated him repeatedly on the merits of his good fortune, we had this conversation:

Little JuJu: "Did you know I have a Light Saber? I'm wearing my Batman costume with it."

Nana (me): " I didn't think Batman could handle a Light Saber, I would think maybe a cupcake would be more his speed." (Meaning that, imo, Batman could never even dream of hanging out with the likes of the Jedi Masters.)

LJ: "Nana, did you say that to me because Batman can smash the cupcakes in the faces of the bad guys?

Yeah, Little Buddy, that's it.

HOW CAN YOU LIKE HIM (HER?)

Ok, a bit of a stretch from yesterday's post. I was just thinkin' how people can get on your nerves. Or worse, your last one. There's a lady (loose use of that word) at work who hasn't been there more than a few months. She is one of those who just totally rub you the wrong way from the very first time you meet them. You know the kind. It's 5:30 in the morning. You just drug your sorry ass out of a nice warm cozy bed to drive through blinding snow on roads that have not been cleared because real people are still sound asleep at home in their beds. The whole rest of the modern world will not venture out of their homes for another two hours. You run into this flake somewhere between the time clock and the coffee machine; not a safe place to stand with a ridiculous smile chirping "Good Morning to you!". Jee. Suss. After a couple weeks of this obnoxious morning routine, I looked her straight in the face and said, "Lady, you are way too chipper this time of the morning." Today she informed me, with a smile no less, "When I first started here, I thought you didn't like me. Can you believe it?" Why she thinks anything has changed is beyond me.

You know what else pisses me off? And you, I'm sure. Today this woman pulls out in front of me driving her big shiny new ten-ton SUV which probly cost more than my house. (Well...) She could see me coming for ages. I'm going, like 60. She pulls out and is going like 30. Lucky for her, right away there's a passing zone. I dusted her ass. If I had felt like wasting time, I shoulda slowed down to like 20 cause there's no passing for miles. But that would be very childish.

I'm not really as irritated as this post sounds, frankly, I'm quite fine. It thought if I told you that, Simon would gag and everybody else would yawn. Promise to be more interesting tomorrow. Any stragglers, I still need to know why you fell in love...

SAY MY WORDS

"This is what made me fall in love with My Love..." Then finish the sentence and add it to my comments for the rest of us to enjoy. Here is how I finish that sentence...

First let me say that Poopy Do was (when we met 16 years ago) not my type. Too stubborn, too short, too serious, too "rural", too old-fashioned. Dyed-in-the-wool Country Boy, military brat, beer-guzzlin' good ol' boy. He was, and (believe it or not) still is, 5 years my junior. But that's cool. Anyway, it wasn't looking too good, you say. But here we are, all this time later. And since it was such a long time ago, I'm having a rather hard time recalling just what it was that made me fall in love with him... Just kidding, Poopy. That man could woo like nobody's business. Flowers, gifts, dinners... He once had me over for dinner that he cooked for me. Was wonderful and soooooo romantic. If any man could ever make a woman feel like a queen, it was Poopy. We both fought it (falling in love) for as long as we could. Who said it first? Me of course, he was too stubborn. And when I said it, it just popped out and I don't know who was more shocked. The 5 minutes following my declaration consisted of me, with my face buried in a pillow on the couch in my livingroom, and him, trying in vain to wrestle the pillow away from me all the while demanding "What?!" aboot a hundred times. I wouldn't repeat it. Not right then.

So what was it that made me fall? He was the most honest, moral, upstanding, genuine, rock-solid man I'd met. Just like my dad. But with killer abs and a terribly sexy gap between his front teeth. Yeah, I'd say that's what did it.

We were engaged within the year and were married June 17, 2000. Yeah, so it was kind of a long engagement. All the while, and still now, I wonder why he puts up with me...

Happy Valentine's Day Poopy Doo :-)

"Love is the only gold." - Alfred, Lord Tennyson

I WON'T

... be posting much tonight or online probly. JuJu, bless her heart, has talked me into calling my mom and trying to work things out. I just called my mom and asked her if she wanted to talk to me. She was busy but said yes, she wanted to talk and would call me back. I don't want to be online or she won't get through. I'm having some serious anxiety and am hoping one of you will tell me you'll trade me places... Guess there's not much chance of that... Thanks anyway. Wish me luck. Chances are this is either going to be heated or tearful or more likely, both. But it's way overdue. We (you and me) will talk later. Lord, help me. :-)

"No matter how old a mother is, she watches her middle-aged children for signs of improvement." - Florida Scott-Maxwell :-Þ

UPDATE: Well, that wasn't so bad after all. I see that there are just some things I have to accept, and go on. I see that I have to learn not to let people dump on me so much and I see that it is not my job to change the world, or to make my mother happy. *sigh* We will be ok. Thank you JuJu. We will never find ourselves at odds like that. I Love You. :-)

FOLK STAR

I buy a ridiculous number of cds. At any given time, if I'm in the mood for something new, I have an unopened stash of music. I know, its nuts. A guilty pleasure, of which I have many. My purchasing habits are erratic and posess no rhyme or reason. There are a few artists whom I love dearly and will buy any and all of their work, good or bad, just to own their entire discology. If I find a great bargain on a cd that I even think I might like, I will buy it. If someone recommends music to me, if I'm feeling good aboot that person on that particular day, I might buy that cd. If I've been looking for a particular piece of music for a long time, I will buy it just because I finally found it. Maybe I'm not in the mood for that music at the time; I will be at some point. I have been known to actually purchase music because I really adore the artwork on the case. Don't dismiss me for being ditsy so quickly, I have found some really cool tunes that I would never have known aboot any other way. It's my money! And I rarely pay full price for anything. I'm ditsy AND thrifty. I can say that four times fast without messing up. Number five comes out "fritsthy and dithty". Tell me yours.

Anyway, where was I going with this? Oh! So this morning I decide to keep the exercise thing going. I have actually managed to get a work-out routine going and if I skipped today it will have all been for naught. I must have tunes for motivation, as with most things in my life if you don't know this aboot me yet... Yesterday I ripped open a John Hiatt cd that I've had for aboot 3 weeks now. It's "Y'all Caught? The Ones That Got Away 1979-85". I can't imagine my life before John Hiatt. He's an artist that I must own the entire collection of work of. What did I just say??? You know what I meant. Lot's of times it's hard to find music with the just-right beat for working out. This cd was so good, I just paced myself to it rather than find something else to play. And I got that burn going and started to feel that "high" kick in and didn't want to stop, even though Do keeps warning me to start out slow or I'll regret over-doing it. He's been mothering me a lot lately, I think he forgets how old I am. I hate to remind him because then I'm reminded. I do appreciate that he looks out for me. Mostly.

Back to John. If you're not familiar with his music, imagine a voice that spreads from your ears down into your soul with the consistency of honey and molasses and just as thick and sweet. The male equivalent of Joan Armatrading in voice quality, imo. Rich and full-bodied, ear candy.

His song writing is honest and soulful. He sings of guts and dirt, living and dying, and all things real. He can be brash and crude and sensitive and fragile. His guitar playing, well, sounds great to me but I'm not a great judge of that. He's no Rory Gallagher or Jeff Beck but I would put him in a room with B.B. King or Mark Knopfler and I think he could hold his own.

If you should check out this music though, the two best tracks I think are Love Like Blood (You'd like this, Ruby) and She Said the Same Things to Me (which is aboot the woman I would like to be in another life, bad to the bone and proud of it...) Maybe someday (just maybe *sigh*) I will learn to operate audio or podcasts or whatever they are and could share with you. That would be so great!)

Going to go finish watching Elizabethtown. Orlando Bloom is looking well, I must say...

STHTTMMS: The tons of snow we got overnight is really pretty. Hope it's still as pretty when I go out later to unearth the Toyota... Or unsnow it, rather.

GSL: "I'll take your tears for drinking water, make your pain sweet company. You can lay all your burdens on my shoulder, Girl. You mean that much to me." John Hiatt, "Love Like Blood" from Y'all Caught?.

RQ: "Where there's music there can be no evil." - Miguel De Cervantes

PORTLAND

I once knew a guy who moved to Portland.

Luckily no one has asked me to explain why I chose the title for this morning's post. I actually had a very good reason for it when I started. Now I don't know if I even wrote what I had to say that made it a good choice.
Today was a "lay about" or aboot, day. Is that a Canadian term? I've seen it a couple of times (referring to me) and wondered where that came from. We don't say that "down here". I'm getting so accustomed to talking to Canadians, I often automatically write words like colour, favourite, honour, apologise, realise. All in all, if the Canadians I've met here are a true representation of the citizens of the beautiful country to our North, I would have to say, it's a Nation of Nuts. KIDDING! Seriously, I will say they must be fun, genuine, and good people. I have to ask a question now and I'm embarrassed not to know the answer and if I offend anyone I'm Sincerely Sorry. Is Canuck a derogatory term? The reason I ask is that it's shorter and easier to type than Canadian. And with me getting old like I am, I'm constantly looking for faster ways to do things. I don't have time to be typing out words like "Canadian" all the time. Why you put "u's" in your words makes me think you have more time up there than I do here.

I can cross a couple things off my list. I did the checkbook, laundry, took Do to the bank yesterday. Oh, and on the way home from there, stopped at a new shop called "Pie Country". Talk aboot died and went to heaven... I could smell the baking before I even opened the door. And once I got inside, oochie wow-a. It smelled soooooooooo good.

Need to run now.

ALL THAT I HAD

What an interesting morning I've had so far. And it's not even 9:00. Firstly, I woke up with my alarm at 5. I keep it set on weekends too because I love to wake up, slam it off, mutter a vulgar phrase directly at the clock, smile wickedly and return to my glorius slumber. Don't often get the chance to actually have that much power over a machine. Turning my back on the thing and tunnelling deeper into warm snuggly blankets is one of life's great pleasures. Especially if I'm able to get back into that wonderful dream I was having when the alarm went off...

So this morning I wake up. Look around the room. It's such a beautiful shade of blue. Poopy painted it the color of my grandson's eyes which I love and the fact that I think of LittleJuJu every time I see it, makes it even prettier. The second thought in my fuzzy head becomes, "Hey wait a minute, the sun is up..." That quickly turns into "OMG, what time is it?" Then "Aw, f---." My weekend friend/weekday foe, the alarm clock, reads 8 am ( I keep the time set 15 minutes head, don't ask me why.) I heave a huge sigh and haul my still-asleep butt out of the warm, soft, wonderful bed. Must call off work. Where is my cell? It's somewhere in the bed, I remember grabbing it off the night stand in the middle of the night to look at the time. Don't have time to look for it. I get socks, undies and jeans on and decide I will call now and finish getting dressed after. Go downstairs, then to the basement where the emergency cigarettes are stashed in the freezer. Grab one. Frantic search for lighter. If I hurry I can get to work by nine. (Remember the Bangles? Susannah was so dam cute, wasn't she?) That will work. Turn TV News on to see if it snowed, as forecasted. Something on the bottom of the screen looked wrong. It's gone now. Need ashtray. Where's the freakin' ashtray? Grab the phone. What day is this? If it's Friday my supervisor will not be there. Who do I ask for? What day is it for gawdsake? Look at the bottom of the tv screen. It's February 11th. That doesn't tell me much. Walk over to Poopy's calendar by the phone on the wall. Eleven. Wednesday. Ok. Something still feels wrong. Damn this cigarette tastes good. Punch in first three numbers on the phone. Wait, that's January I'm looking at on the calendar. Flip it over, drop ashes on the floor. Dammit. What the... February 11 is a Saturday. !!! *Huge sigh of Relief* Ahhhhh...

Feel a rather large smile slowly spreading across my face. It. Is. Blessed. Saturday. :-)))))

I can go back to bed if I like. That is freakin' wonderful! But wait, I'm half dressed, fully awake. Maybe a cup of coffee? But first I'll clean these ashes up off the floor and maybe go see who's online at this ungodly hour. Then maybe I'll tackle that infernal list... and post more later.

WAITING FOR SOMEBODY

... to tell me the secret of keeping a smile going for this long. I just had Great Day #3 in a row and am getting really nervous, waiting for, like, I don't know, the other shoe to drop??? What exactly does that expression mean and where did it come from? I'm not even sure if I'm using it correctly. I was afraid to say anything really dire, in case I would jinx myself somehow. Simon talked about bottling his zen recently, to take out and use as needed. I want to put the feelings of these few days in a vessel to keep. If I never get another day like any of these, I sure as hell want to remember what they felt like. I just have another thing to say aboot this subject before Simon actually does come and smack me. And that is this: How pitiful is my life that I get three especially happy days in a row and I have to gush on and on aboot it like a raving lunatic? I need to address this on my own. Add that to my list of weekend projects. I do have a theory aboot maybe why this has occurred. Have I mentioned that I like my new job? You don't suppose, do you, that I liked my last job less than I thought (it wasn't bad...) and that a simple thing like that can louse up everything else? I know it wasn't the NyQuil, I didn't have any last night. I didn't sleep either but that is a whole 'nother story. I've cut back on the chocolate, that should have had the opposite effect; you know, releasing the endorphins and all that. Ha! I've got it! There's this weird hormonal phenomenon that occurs when a woman is approaching 50... It's a combination of not having to worry aboot getting pregnant any longer and getting the kids out of the house when she can relax and concentrate on her own needs after years and years of concerning herself with everyone else.

Sadly enough, I hear that this is also the time that many marriages fail. A couple realizes that the sole thing they had in common was the rearing of children and they drift. Or worse. This is a time when couples really look at each other and prospect what the rest of their lives will hold. Sadly, this "looking" occurs often after each has either accumulated x-number of extra pounds/beer guts/other gravity-induced afflictions, headfuls of graying hair (if any), and assorted wrinkles, age spots and stretchmarks. Not aways a pretty sight to curl up with at the end of the day. Not to scare you youngsters or anything.... What the bloody hell? you (and I) say. Are these our just rewards after a life-long sacrifice to give our kids the things we never had? For working our asses off to pay off a mortgage? For a million other things? There has to be more, dammit! Can you say "401 K?"...

If I'm boring myself, Lord help you all. On to funner stuff.

Great song on the radio first thing this morning as I was speeding out of the driveway, late.

"I'll stop the world and melt with you..." (Scroll down, Jeff A. will have the band name and complete lyrics for us. Isn't he a dear? ) "And it's getting better all the time..." :-)

I might pop on here later, going to go do some stuff. Have a good weekend. If you get a chance, stop over and visit my poor JuJu and leave her some good stuff...

KISS ME ON THE BUS

This is going to be one of the days that I use a song title for my post that has nothing to do with anything. I'm bound and determined to use every Replacement's title until there are no more to use. I suppose I could write aboot a bus. I could write aboot kissing but it's not Valentine's Day yet. I could write aboot kissing on the bus. Instead I shall write aboot what I'm going to be doing for the next few days. None of which is interesting or provocative or even worthy of your time. You may scroll down my blogroll and click on just aboot anything and have way more fun. Which reminds me of one more thing I need to do...

1. Add new blogs I've been reading to blogroll
2. Balance checkbook for first time since November
3. Take Poopy to bank for banking
4. Finish Dana's dream interpretation
5. Take Christmas tree down*
6. Put aboot 50 cds back on shelves where they belong (alphabetical order)
7. Gather up tax info Now- Not on April 14th
8. Clean upstairs bathroom
9. Finish putting summer clothes in attic
10. Clean inside car windshield
11. Change bedsheets
12. Answer oodles of email (backed up as usual)
13. Gather up all borrowed books that aren't going to be read anyway, return them
14. Ignore this list and find something way more interesting- which is what I always do and why this list is this long. I haven't even scratched the surface.
15. Start packing for vacation (scheduled for mid- June)
16. Go to bed.

I'm going to opt for # 14 and 16. After I wash my hair.

In case you were wondering, I just had two really good days in a row. Suppose I pleased the gods somehow? I seriously doubt that. ;-)

POSTCARDS FROM PARADISE...

... was not an original Replacement's song but they did a cover, and a damn fine job of it I must say. (Ed Grimley keeps popping in my head!) If you never heard the song, Flesh For Lulu did it in the late (very) Eighties. I capitalize the E in Eighties because it was one of the finest decades in the history of music IMHO, and deserves the honor of a capital letter.

And speaking of Paradise, two of my very best friends are vacationing next week in warm, sunny places. And I am not. Mike B. , who will be glad to tell you over and over that he and his beautiful wife will be in the sunny Dominican Republic, offered to take me along if I could squeeze into his carry-on. I promised to be very quiet. He cited the improbability of that ever happening and I think maybe I replied something equally insulting back. Seriously, I hope you both have a wonderful time and safe trips. Just bring us some heat back, please. Please.

Today was an extremely excellent day in all respects. Not sure exactly what to attribute it to, but I'm not one to look for explanations when they are not required. Ok, sometimes. OK, usually. All Right! Most of the Time! But not today. Work was great; people were cooperative, even fun. The sun was out, snow was even pretty. At one point everything looked like being inside a giant snowglobe. I love when that happens. And on my walk in to work, while it was still dark, the snow was sparkling. I really love when that happens. And the italics worked on my Blog. Life. Is. Good.

Homework Assignment for Readers: (Don't you just wanna slap me sometimes?) Next week when I post for Valentine's Day, I'm going to ask all you Lovers what it was that made you fall in love with your S.O. So, start thinking about that now. Then you will have no excuses. Unless of course the dog ate your computer. And unless you have a dog like Rosey, Zog's dog, I won't believe you anyway. No essays required, just something simple. It's usually something simple that causes one to fall in love anyway. Except in my case of course. Nothing is ever simple in my case. No comments from any of you, thank you very much :-)

Hey, not that I'm a TV watcher (are you sick of hearing that yet?) but I freakin' cleaned house on Jeopardy tonight. Yeah, it's Collegiate Week, but what the hell? That's the best time to play. You (I) at least have a chance in hell of answering some posers. If, of course you remember to answer in the form of a question. I'm a stickler for rules like that... I figure I could have amassed aboot $20K. I wiped out two complete categories; Romeo & Juliet and another one, something obscure. Had a bit of trouble with the American Revolution (imagine that) but I swear, I even got the Final Jeopardy question, something I've only done 6 or 7 times in my life.

STHTTMMS: Just aboot everything. Am I making you gag? I'm sorry. I'm just happy, I had a really good day. I think I know why, I just realized. I was so busy I didn't have time to think. Aha! Maybe we're on to something here. Like, um I wonder if my insurance will cover a lobotomy? It's certainly not a "cosmetic" thing, cause, like you'd have that big ugly scar across your forehead and shit...

GSL: I had some GREAT lyrics I wrote down and carried around in my pocket all day and now I can't find them. Maybe later. Anyway, I heard a great song on the way to work this am.

Can't remember who sings it. Somebody help me. Jeff? "I believe in miracles / Where you from, You Sexy Thing?" That is such a happy song :-)

RQ: "Thoughts are energy. And you can make your world or break your world by thinking." -Susan Taylor. Hmmmm... Interesting.

NEVER AIM TO PLEASE

Sorry folks, Linda has been screwing around too much on the computer tonight and has therefore neglected her responsibilities as a Blogger. It is now past her bedtime and she still has things to do. Things less critical than pissing off her adoring fans. What do you think her punishment should be?

(PS Dana, I was LOL. Tell him "Hey" for me would ya?)

TICKLED TO TEARS

When's the last time somebody tickled you so hard you cried and yelled "Uncle!" Been a really long time for me. What's wrong with people anymore? Nobody tickles you after you get your driver's license and vote and shit. I, for one, could use a good tickling.

A person just can't laugh too much or too often. After my son Zog went away to college and there was just me and JuJu, she used to crawl in bed with me at night before we went to sleep and we would watch the Improv or The Golden Girls or (I swore I'd never admit this but I have nothing to lose anymore) Beavis and Butthead and we'd laugh our asses off. Yes, she probly should have been doing homework or sleeping, but I never said I was a great parent. I hope I was a fun one at least. Not like Cher in Mermaids, (was that the one?) but fun.

I've said this before, I'm not a TV watcher. It's rare if I do and it would be either Jeopardy, Everybody Loves Ray or FHV. Last night on FHV, they had vidieos just of people laughing and it was absolutely hilarious.

Does anybody remember an old Pepsi commercial with a little kid rolling on the ground with aboot ten puppies? He was giggling and giggling and it was SO cute and funny.

Maybe tell us what made you laugh the hardest lately? Keep it moderately clean.

I need help. Doing a crossword puzzle today, the clue was "Native People of Canada". Four letters.

Dana, if you like "You're Beautiful," you must get the Back to Bedlam cd. I promise, you will love it.

For anyone who didn't catch it, Blogging for Dummies is the book I got. It's over my head.

Was going to share some of the weird things I do sometimes but I think I'll save that for tomorrow. Think of some things that you do that are not the norm and we can share tomorrow, k?

STHHTMMS: Normally while in training at work, you're not allowed to have your radio/cd player. I have been experiencing serious withdrawal since I started this new job. I was told today that I can have my radio tomorrow. Aside from feeling like a small child, I AM EXTATIC! (I found a better way to spell ecstatic.) Anyway, I am happy aboot that.

GSL: " B.B. Bumble and the Stingers, Mott the Hoople, Ray Charles Singers. Lonnie Mack and Twangin' Eddy, Here's my ring, we're going steady. Take it easy, Take me Higher, Liar, liar, pants on fire. Locomotion, Poco Passion, Deep-a Purple Satisfaction, Baby Baby, got it, got it,

gimme, gimme, gettin' on it..." Why yes, of course I know all the words by heart. Bad part is, I had to sing it (outloud, mind you) aboot 14 times to get it all down here. There's more, WAY more, I just don't have time. And for the life of me, I can't remember the name of the freakin' song! Life is a rock... something? And The Radio Rolled Me? Somebody help me!

RQ: And if I laugh at any mortal thing, 'Tis that I may not weep. - Lord Byron

SWINGIN' PARTY

I am thinking that everyone I know, save those residing here in my own humble abode, is at this very moment attending and enjoying a Swingin' Stupidbowl Party. Oops, another typo. Dammit. Speaking of blogging ailments (of which I've become all too familiar in my short blogging career) AL, a kind Reader, has been courteous enough to inform me that Blogger was going ballistic the other night when my post appeared in bold italics against my will, so 'twas not ME after all !!! You have no idea the elation that filled my heart when she shared that little tidbit. Ugh, why did I use that word? Tidbit, what a creepy word. Let me please, change that to... um, ... uh, ... morsel? Thank you. She shared... that... little ... morsel. Not great, but better.

Thanks AL, you alone are responsible today for my renewed faith in my limited, but well-intentioned blogging, um ... ability.

So what music have y'all been listening to lately? I'm trying to decide if I want to log off here and go see what the Stones are doing on the halftime show. Maybe, nah. I'm always half afraid not to, like the year I missed Miss Jackson's fashion faux pas. You never know when some life-altering event could be captured on video and of course I would end up the only schlump in the Modern World to miss it. It's happened before, it will happen again. To this day I regret that I could not identify Janet's Jug in a line-up if my life depended on it. Could be tonight Mick's Lips could freeze like that and crack and fall off and I'll be none the wiser until I get to the water cooler at work tomorrow. Oh, wait, they're playing in a dome, huh. Still you never know. There could be some freak accident and... Oh, who gives a shit.

Music. I'm listening to Mix 4 from the OC Soundtrax. No, I don't watch the show, don't even know what it's aboot. (Didn't know I could speak Canadianese, did ya?) But I love Death Cab for Cutie and a few other bands whose music has been featured there and thought I might check what else has been on there. Excellent music, I must say. (What ever happened to Ed Grimley anyhow?) I had not heard Imogene Heap or The Reindeer Section before but I will definitely be in the future. And never was a huge Beck fan, but "Scarecrow" is an extremely awesome song. I was looking at Mix 5 in the record store yesterday, looked interesting, maybe get that later. I bought a John Hiatt I didn't have but haven't listened to it yet. Poopy Doo has a thing for Lisa Marie Presley and he was playing her today. Don't pooh-pooh Poopy Doo's music. Actually, if you've not given Lisa Marie a listen, she's not horrible. There's a song she does called "Idiot" that I actually like. Poopy also was listening to U2 today so I didn't want to hog the stereo.

While I'm training for this new job, I don't have access to my cd player at work and have been having some serious withdrawal issues at work. Worse yet, on Thursday and Friday, on breaks in the cafeteria they were cranking stupid Steeler songs on the sound system. You might think I would think that it was better than no music at all, all day. But no. I didn't.

STHTTMMS: We didn't, not yet anyway, get all the snow the weatherman was predicting.

GSL: Sorry, all outta words tonight...

DON'T NEED TO KNOW WHERE

Today was one of those days when I just wanted to get in the car and drive. Ever do that? Or want to? I bet you do. It was kind of warm, enough to put the window down a little. I didn't have the sun/moon roof open but I did slide the slider-cover thing open. Good music, sunshine. I coulda just kept goin'...

Instead I ran the errands I mentioned before. Didn't find any music but the SpiceGirls and Backstreet Boys :-Þ at Bloomingdales. Bought a bunch of books and a Monty Python tape instead. I did pick up three cds at the bookstore on a bargain rack for $5.99. Cool.

I decided to forego the party tonight. It's cold and pouring rain here. My hair is all wired out and I'm just tired. Gonna stay in and chill. Might read my new book which not even one of you tried to guess. I'll give you one more day. And then I don't care either. A bubble bath may be in the works, too. Then Steve Martin and Prince on SNL.

Gee-zuss Lover. I'm sitting here and (JuJu, you remember this) this freakin' sound comes out of one of my speakers (not the little ones, the big one with the woofer thing), sounds like freakin' Hannibal Lector breathing through the mask! AAAAHHH!!! Did you ever actually feel your blood run cold? Mine just did. I think I'll finish up here and go somewhere else for a bit.

Oh, just one more thing before I go, go. I was following a red jeep today. Weird combination of bumper stickers on this vehicle. One was Bush/Cheney in '04 and the other one read "Real Men Love Jesus". Just struck me as kinda strange...

K. I'm outta here. You got your STHTTMMSandGSLandRQ earlier. Don't get greedy. I can't believe you got two posts.

Thanks for leaving your birthdays/etc. You just don't listen!!!

SUNRISE ALWAYS LISTENS

Good Morning :-) Woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed after being on here way too late last night and then falling asleep soundly with my good friend NQ. (I think the sun was actually starting to come up when I got in bed.) It's absolutely beautiful outside. The thermometer said 41 degrees but it feels warmer than that and there's a nice breeze blowing. I brewed myself a nice cup of Senseo and topped it off with some yummy Vanilla Nut creamer and came here to see who's up and running. Looks like it's just li'l ol' me. Stinky, I mean Poopy, is still asleep too. I think maybe when I'm done here I'll make a run to Bloomingdale's (my affectionate name for the Thrift Store across the way) and check to see if anyone has donated any good music lately. Did ya know that's a great place to find music? That's how I got turned on to Guster and Jann Arden and a bunch of others. Sometimes a really cool looking cd cover really does mean good music inside. Of course I find a lot of weird stuff to, but hey, it's way cheap.

Speaking of Poopy, he must not have been reading lately, he hasn't mentioned his new nickname to me. He's going to be surprised that the Webernet thinks I'm married to a (fabricated) cartoon character. God bless him though, he's been on here everyday while I'm at work, busting his butt with tech support and Applecore trying to get my pod working. Since he bought it on abcdBay, even though it was new and in the package, it was originally purchased a couple of months before and the original warranty had just run out recently. He purchased an extended warranty and if what he's trying now doesn't work, he can return it for a new one. I feel bad, yesterday he used up all his cell minutes talking to a support dude. He must like me. Although, he's uber stubborn, it could be a case of either...

I'm going to live dangerously here and click on the bold setting, as I'm going to ask a question. Wish me luck. What are your plans for the weekend? *whew* Now that wasn't so bad, why wouldn't it work last night? I hate that a machine is smarter than me. Or makes me feel that way, anyhow.

Dana N., I am going to do your dream for you before the weekend is over, I promise. Other than that, I am going to undecorate and take down the Christmas tree. Probly tomorrow. I am invited to a birthday party tonight but the way I've been feeling I don't know if I want to be in close quarters with a bunch of people. Germy, you know. I may go or I may stay home and watch SNL. Today I'm going to the bookstore, the book I ordered has been in for over a week. Take a wild guess what I ordered. I'll tell you later. I had asked the clerk last time I was in, was there such a book as ________ for Dummies? She said she'd not seen it if there, indeed, was. She looked in the computer and laughed and said, "Actually there is one that has just been published and isn't available in our stores yet. But if you'd like, I can pre-order one for you and give you a call when we get it." I said that would make me very happy. It's actually a book that will, hopefully, benefit both you and me. I'm giving too many hints. No, it's not "Making Millions Online for Dummies". And it's not "Spellchecker for Dummies," all you smart asses. If I can find the time to read it, I will be happy. I still haven't really gotten to check out the face-reading book I got weeks ago. And I'm trying to get to an article a friend lent me from Musician magazine from 1987 about Jaco Pastorius, the bass player from Weather Report whom I've recently become interested in via another friend. Can't quite believe he's entrusted me with a magazine from his precious archives. But I need to read that and return it so I can relax.

I also need to transfer all the important dates from my 2005 calendar to my 2006 calendars. If you think maybe I don't know when your birthday and/or anniversary is/are, please tell me so I can remember you. I am a fanatic about cards, but if I don't have your address, I can at least wish you a happy day on here. Last year once I figured out how much I spent on greeting cards (with postage included) and it was sinful. Especially since I love making my own cards but just can't seem to find the time to spend making them these days. (If you happen to own one of these, hold on to it. It will be a rare relic and worth millions after I die.)

Going to go start my day, nice talking to ya. ;-)

STHTTMMS: The sun was shining in my window when I woke up.

GSL: "Smile an everlasting smile, a smile can bring you near to me. Don't ever let me find you gone, cause that would bring a tear to me... It's only words and words are all I have, to take your heart away." from Words by the ever-very-vibrato Bee Gees. (Say that fast.)

RQ: "The meaning of things lies not in the things themselves, but in our attitude toward them." - Antoine De Saint-Exup'ery

LOOSE ENDS

Normally I don't feel this way. Normally I have a direction at least, if not a routine to follow. I don't do routines, they make me feel constricted and claustrophobic. Do you have any phobias? What the hell, the bold print won't quit, you may have to comment on this whole post. Dammit. Oh great, now the italics won't go off. This pisses me off to no end. Just try not to notice, please. Where was I? I remember growing up, everybody's Mom did certain things on certain days, like laundry Monday, shopping Tuesday, cleaning Saturday, whatever. I was never one of those moms. Just can't doit, Captain. (No I am not, repeat NOT a Trekkie, I just like the sound of that. I also like, "Dammit Jim...") But tonight I have no direction and am just feeling rather scattered.

Had a very nice little surprise earlier. Poopy Do yelled that Collective Soul was on Leno. I tore downstairs and there they were. I love that band. They have a new cd/dvd out, Poopy said. I'll need to have that. Mike B., did you tell me you have it? Ooh, sorry, I shouldn't have put that in blue up there, you probly thought I installed a link. Get real. I just like the color. Go ahead, though, you can click on it. It won't take you anywhere. Kind of like the buttons on my iPod, you push and nothing happens.

I just realized something interesting. As far as I know, I have like 10 full- and part-time Readers. Out of that 10, there are 2 Mikes, 2 Tammys, 2 Thomases and 2 Danas. Isn't that trippy? I think so.

I kicked some serious ass at work today. Production-wise. Still liking what I'm doing and I hope that holds true for the future. I signed up today to try another shift for 6 weeks, I believe that will kick in on the 19th of this month. Should be interesting.

I need to go do something constructive to get my brain focused. Maybe answer some email. I'm working on a list of 100 Things About Me that I'm sure you're all just dying to read. Like I don't talk about myself enough already. That's on my list of Coming Attractions. Hold your collective breaths. Not.

Later I will turn in with my "other" bed mate, NyQuil. Tomorrow may be a Sleep-In Saturday.

STHHTTMMS: Kicking ass at work. It's all about the numbers...

GSL: Last night heard "Never Gonna Give You Up" by Barry White. Never really paid attention to that song but I like it now...

RQ: "Believe me, you have to get up early if you want to get out of bed." - Grouch Marx. Wha?!

Well I finally got this print straightend out. *shaking head, disgustedly*

GOOD DAY

Can you believe that I am beginning my fourth month of Blogging and am just now using this title? Sad commentary on my life, eh? In actuality it has only been two full months and two partial weeks but still. Geeze. Really, now that I think of it today wasn't the best day I've had in almost six weeks, not by far. For awhile there (before I gave up smoking) I was having some downright glorious days. And a few since. You know, now that I think of it, almost all of my days are good days. I know, I whine and bitch here a lot, but that's not really me. Poopy Doo can tell you, I'm neither a whiner nor a bitcher. I just wanted you all to think I was a hard-ass. I'm not. I bet I do a good job, though of playing the whiny, bitchy blogger. No need to comment, there are no bold letters here.

Most of today was a very good day. I started my new job and I liked it. I didn't expect to but I did. That makes me happy. And probly a lot easier to live with...

I had to laugh over how many comments I got on my post about NyQuil. I guess drugs are what reels in the masses, no? Tomorrow we will discuss preparation H and Botox.

Speaking of cosmetics, Miss America, I must now go to work everyday sans make-up (requirement for new workplace which is in a controlled environment). Which seemed like a big deal before I actually did it but was surprisingly easier than I thought. Notice I did not say easy, just eas-ier. In a way it was kind of "freeing"; never had to check for raccoons (mascara smudges under eyes) all day. Could actually rub my eyes if I needed to (outside the work area of course). There were no lipstick rings on my water bottle and no stains on my lover's collar. AAAH! Did I actually write that???!!! Now if I can just walk past a mirror without flinching, I'll be fine. I figure another coupla' weeks will take care of that.

I found out today that a dear, dear friend had a close family member pass away. If he's reading, I would like to offer my most sincere sympathy and prayers.

STHTTMMS: Simon's post @ Simian Farmer

GSL: "Teach me to die, a butterfly soft and slow, deep in the meadow. Peace to my soul. I'm good to go, I'm prepared, Lord, to travel." from New Life by Paul Westerberg.

RQ: "We die as often as we lose a friend." - Publilius Syrus.

JOB COUNTRY

Hate to admit this, but I never heard this Replacement's song. Dumb title for a song. Maybe it's a TV jingle. It's still stupid. But I'm usin' it.

Have no time to write tonight, spent too much time doing other things.

Starting the new job tomorrow. Probably can't tell you what I'm doing, wouldn't want to compromise/jeopardize the confidentiality of whatever you call that. The security of the free world? I'm tired too, so I can't think. Oh, and I'm all hopped up on NyQuil. I LOOOOVVVVE NyQuil.

Afterthought: In case you were wondering about the quirkiness of my kids, check out the comment of The General (my son) on the post Mannequin Shop. Sorry, haven't learned links yet.

Promise to be here tomorrow ready for anything!

BTW, T., will you please update? Need stats!