Cover Me....

We interrupt this post to bring you this hilarity: everytime I see the Blogger Dashboard, I can't help but think "Bloggerdise by the Dashboard Light." We now return you to your regularly scheduled nonsense.

Cover versions -- 95 times out of 100, covers can't hold a candle to the original. At worst, they destroy our good memories of songs. At best, they are poor reproductions. But sometimes a cover version turns out to be better than the original -- or at least the version that I tend to enjoy most. I present, in no particular order, my favorite covers:

1. I Heard It Through the Grapevine (Marvin Gaye). Gladys and the Pips were shouting about a cheating love. Marvin made it dark, brooding, ominous -- almost like he was channeling John Fogerty (and oddly enough, CCR covered this not too much later, choosing to cover Marvin's version). You knew this wasn't going to be a sweet happy song from the first shakes of that rattlesnake tambourine.

2. How Sweet It Is (To Be Loved By You) (James Taylor). Marvin's original wasn't bad by any stretch. But somehow, JT's is the one that I cling to more. It's a happy reminder of a good childhood, filled with fun and music. And quite frankly, it's easier to shag (dance, shag DANCE) to JT's version.

3. Respect (Aretha Franklin). She took Otis Redding's song of male prowess and turned it on its head. Rumor has it that Otis heard it and said, "That girl done stole my song!" Sock it to me, sister.

4. Hard to Handle (Black Crowes). Damn. Otis can't win tonight, can he? Now, don't get me wrong -- Otis Redding is awesome! But again, another one that I just prefer, because it's more well-known to me.

5. Oh Lonesome Me (Kentucky Headhunters). I'm sure a few country purists have just dropped over dead. Too bad. I love the Headhunters, and I love this particular version. It's rollicking fun, and good to dance to (no doe-see-doeing either)!

6. Please Come Home for Christmas (The Eagles). I think it was Charles Brown who did the original, but this will always be the definitive version for me. Jon Bon Jovi's is passable, Aaron Neville's is just alright, but this one is the best. Ever. Bar none. Seriously.

7. Ain't It Funny How Time Slips Away (Al Green & Lyle Lovett). What can you say about Willie Nelson? I'm not crazy about his singing..... However, he is a very gifted songwriter -- exhibit A: "Crazy," made famous by the immortal Patsy Cline. Exhibit B is this particular song, a classic to country-philes. This version of "Funny How Time Slips Away" appears on the Rhythm, Country and Blues CD project, which paired various country and R&B artists. This song, in the hands of Green and Lovett, is just nothing short of awesome. Fonked-out Willie. Ah yeah.......

8. Smokin' in the Boys' Room (Motley Crue). Yeah, I left off the umlauts. Sue me. Another one that just reminds me of high school and the fun times. High school was something I would never want to experience again in a million years, not even knowing what I know now and going back and doing it again.... But that's not to say it didn't have its good moments. Every time I hear this song and think of high school, I think of my friends on yearbook staff and all the fun times we shared: DP and the nin-jitsu blades (you had to be there), me falling out of my chair, the weekend at SS's house with NO sleep!, lots of silly good times. Why this one song reminds me of all that, I'll never know. But hey -- don't look a gift horse in the mouth.

9. All Along the Watchtower (Jimi Hendrix). Oh yeah. I've heard Dylan's a couple of times, and no, no no. I can't wrap my brain around it. Hendrix wins by a mile. By a marathon. By Alaska.

10. Mr. Tambourine Man (William Shatner). Psych. (evil maniacal laugh commences)

10. Shake Your Tailfeather (Ray Charles & the Blues Brothers Band). Yeah, yeah, yeah. It was in the movie. And yeah, yeah, yeah, it's still awesome! When I heard someone attempting to sing this a couple of weeks ago on American Idol, I thought, "My God! Ray Charles and John Belushi are BOTH spinning in their graves!" That was the ka-chunk, ka-chunk sound you heard........

Idol Worship, Week 2

Sweet Lord. It just gets worse and worse, doesn't it?

Okay, before we take a look at the nevergonnabe's, I must say that Kelly Pickler, Katherine Neill, and Paris Bennett are going to be VERY strong contenders. It would not surprise me if all 3 are in the big hunt. Fabulous voices all!

Tuesday's torturers:
Munchkin Woman (whatever her name was): she had on a pink cowboy hat. Correction: she sounded like a Munchkin on helium. HORRID!
Rhonetta: holy Jesus. She was just (beeeeep) horrible, and had not a (beeeeep) bit of (beeep) talent, unlike that (beeeep) Paula Abdul who ain't even CUT no (beep)(beep) record in no twenty years. So bow down (beeeeep)! I do admit to a bit of amazement at how she was able to keep her glittery tube top up around her rather ample (but sagging) bazoom.

Wednesday's woefuls:
Wolfie: sings like Clay Aiken? He can't even beat out Clay Pot!
The girl who quit her job: Homegirl shoulda KEPT that day job!
Marcus, the "all-terrain entertainer": Hmm. Well, he certainly had an interesting hairdo. But when he broke into "This Little Light of Mine" I 'bout lost it. Yep. That's how I want to make my mark on "Idol" -- go in and sing a Sunday School song.
27-Year-Old Rock Girl: In the words of Dr. Evil, "riiiiiiiiiiight." 27, my considerable azz. Those have been a tough 27 years for her.
Santo Niño de Atocha dude: As my pal Carol said, "He made the Baby Jesus cry...."

I can't wait until next week......

Cold chills....

YAHOO!!!!!! My cousin Maggie made her way into the world today! I'm so very excited! A new little cousin to love and watch grow. I'm so excited for my cousin (her mom) and their family. This is totally awesome!

Here's the part that gave me cold chills: she was born right around 2:00 PM ... the same time that Tee's funeral was starting. One life ends, another begins. The circle of life goes on. Amazing. Freaky. Mysterious. Awe-inspiring.

Ob-la-di, ob-la-dah....

Life goes on, brah!
La-la how the life goes on

Tonight was the viewing for my friend Tee. She looked good, considering what she had been through. It isn't meant to sound humorous, but I'd never seen Tee as a brunette, and it was a bit jarring. I also saw Em and her little sister .... oh my Lord! The hugs and the tears, the laughs and the memories. They had photo collages of Tee and her family (both birth and her own family), and one of the photos was her senior class picture. It reminded me that Tee and I had gone together to have our pictures made -- and she had done my hair the night before. I had forgotten all about it, and it brought back memories of sitting in her living room, watching that day's episode of Days of Our Lives while she was rolling my hair. I could go on forever.....

And yet, as the life of one of my friends has ended, a new life will come into my family! My newest cousin Maggie will be born sometime soon -- my cousin (her mom) will hopefully be induced tomorrow (crazy thing -- you have to call and see if they can squeeze you in??? What kind of crock is that?). I can't wait to see her after she makes her appearance! I know that Maggie's older brother will have some adjusting to make, but he is a good kid and will do well.

Goodbye Tee -- I will miss you and hope that you greet me on the other side!
Welcome Maggie -- I can't wait to meet you!

Ob-la-di, ob-la-dah
Life goes on, Brah!
La-la, how the life goes on!

Keeping the memories alive....

Forgive me, but I need to write more about my friend Tee. Even as I spent today working on important things for my company, I often found my thoughts wandering back to my child and teen years. It is so hard to believe that Tee is really gone. So I am trying to remember all the smallest things to keep the memories alive -- and to keep her spirit alive in my life and in my heart.

Tee, Em and I were all oldest children. There's something about daughters who are the oldest who tend to attract toward each other -- all my closest girlfriends in life have been firstborns. Like myself, Tee was also the only girl in her family. I think that is what helped bond us together. We needed sisters -- and found them in each other and in Em.

Tee was the first person I knew who actually had a KISS album -- on 8-Track, no less! GASP!!!! In our very conservative church, that would have caused mild coronaries in some people. They weren't even her folks -- I think an uncle had put them in the pile when he gave them their stereo. She also had a record player in her room, and I'll never forget the first two songs we played on there -- "So Nice To Be With You" (Gallery) and "Beach Baby" (I forget who did it). Tee was also an unabashed country fan. She really was country when country wasn't cool. She was a die-hard Alabama fan. Now at the time, I was so incredibly hip (or so I thought) because I knew who U2 was before anyone else. I would have d-i-e-d-died to listen to country. She didn't care. Because of her, I knew pretty much all of Alabama's 80's songs -- and as I later discovered, so did everyone else at our school. Closet Alabama fans, perhaps.

We had our share of slumber parties and sleepovers. I'm sure our mothers were all about ready to kill us the next morning, because God knows we got giggly and silly and everything else. I'll never forget one slumber party at my house, where I had a schedule printed on the back door of my room -- can you imagine "7:00-8:00 -- Listen to WANS; 8:00-8:30, do nails..." (like we were actually going to STOP listening to the radio at 8:00 precisely)... Makeup and hair and giggles and all sorts of craziness. This was repeated at least 3 or 4 times throughout the year. And we all I shared a die-hard love of Days of Our Lives. Oh my sweet Lord. If it wasn't me calling Em, it was me calling Tee at 2:00, saying, "OH MY GOD! Did you see that? What is going on? Oh my Lord!" Or trying to call either of them, getting a busy signal, and knowing that Em & Tee had gotten to each other first -- this was before conference calling! Bo, Patch, Shane, and "The Pawn" - no, it's Roman - no it's John Black - ah, whoever the hell you are..... they were all our men.

Tee was a cosmetologist. She went to "career center" -- only we still called it "vocational school" back then. And for her, it was a great vocation. Not only did she enjoy what she was doing and learning, but she was good at it. She was the best in her class. From 11th grade on until probably late 1989, when I was in college, she was my hairstylist. I would come home on weekends and schedule a home-cut with her. She was a natural, honestly! It is a shame that she stopped doing hair, and then her health didn't allow her to start again.

Tee only attended one prom -- her sophomore year with an ex-boyfriend who was a senior. He'd already bought the tickets. Her favorite aunt took her shopping and got her a beautiful red dress. She went and had a nice time -- okay, as nice as you can have with an ex that you don't particularly care for anymore. I was there too, as a hostess -- an "honor" given to the Top 8 sophomore girls (read: free labor). She didn't go as a junior or a senior because she only had the one formal dress and was afraid that everyone would say something about it. It did not matter to her that I knew for fact that some of the snootier gals were truly swapping dresses with their friends. She couldn't do it. She did wear it in the pageant one year. But that was it. She wore it twice, and it was a shame, because she looked great in it. I suppose that's a reason why I go to every dance I can, even if I have "nothing to wear" -- because life's too short not to have fun.

She had a mint-green Gremlin for her first car. I had forgotten all about the car until this very moment. A couple of years later, my then-college roommate was joking around with her boyfriend and he made a remark about a Gremlin. Stephanie looked at me and winked and said, "John, you're being mean. Annette's first car was a Gremlin." I took the exact description of Tee's mint-green Gremlin and wove a tale for him. I even tossed in tears about getting rid of the car..... When he left that night, Stephanie said, "That was great! How'd you come up with it?" She had no idea! Tee was also the first to buy a brand-new car, and it was a SHARP car (a Nissan Sentra, if I recall). Bright red, too!

Sometime in '88, I came home for a weekend and C of C just happened to be playing a nearby school. I got Tee to go with me, and we had a blast -- an absolute blast! I ran into a few folks I knew, and she was just amazed at all the people I'd met and the stories I had. We both grew up in teetotalling households, and she was the first person from "back home" to know that I not only drank on occasion but totally enjoyed it. She wasn't shocked -- and shared the same secret with me! I think it was the first moment that marked our true adulthood.

She was there for me when I had my hugest crush in college -- and there when I walked to her house (two houses down) one night and said, "Go walking with me." She immediately knew that things were going south in that relationship, and walked with me without saying a word until I was ready to talk. And like all good friends should, she immediately wrote him off as persona non grata in her world. She didn't know him from Adam, but he'd broken my heart, and that was enough.

In late '89, Tee inspired me, although in a roundabout way. It was a less-than-ideal semester -- from Hugo interrupting our lives and throwing us all into a whirlwind, to not seeing eye-to-eye with my roommate (and one of my dearest friends) to the point where I was barely civil to her (and now cannot fathom why). I came home needing a good laugh and friends who could perk me up and support me. I mentioned to my mother that I was going down to visit Tee. She got quiet and said, "Um, you can't." She then explained that Tee had moved out just the night before, after a huge row with her parents. Of course, self-centered me thought, "How could she DO that to me? She KNEW I was coming home this weekend. How DARE she?" But then I became very sad. Em had just gotten married that summer before and was expecting -- and in no condition to go out and celebrate or do any of the things that I now took for granted in college. And now Tee was gone. I worked over Christmas break in the offices at a textile mill (doing some catch-up work in their accounting department), and there were slow times. So I took a notebook with me and started writing poetry -- mostly about Tee. And how I felt about her leaving. I couldn't contact her -- didn't know how or where or who to call. I was never so lonely as I was that Christmas.

Then the next summer, Tee was married -- another year later, she had a daughter, just like Em. And things were never the same. That's life.

Everything must change, nothing stays the same
Everything must change, no one stays the same
The young become the old, and mysteries do unfold
That's the way of time, nothing and no one goes unchanged
There are not many things in life you can be sure of
Except rain comes from the clouds, sun lights up the sky
Hummingbirds do fly
-- from "Everything Must Change" by Quincy Jones
(sung at our baccalaureate service just before our HS graduation)

To Tee: In a couple of days, we will commit your body to the ground, with the sure and certain hope that one day we will see you again. I will remember. I will remember you whenever I hear an Alabama song, whenever I see a red formal gown (with hoop skirt to boot!), when I flip through high school yearbooks, at the reunion... hard to believe you will not be there, and that is just so not right. It is wrong on a thousand levels that we will be holding a picture (along with Jeff & David's) and not having you stand with us. I will remember you everytime I look at the house next door and then the house next to it, where you lived for a good part of my life -- or the house near the church, where you lived for a while. Whenever I see Em out and about, I will remember you as well. Whenever I have a chance to donate to breast cancer research, I will do so, and remember you. I will proudly wear a pink ribbon not just in October, but as often as possible, and I will remember you. Yes, my friend, my heart-sister, I will remember.

Memories of Tee

As you can see below, my old friend Tee lost her battle with cancer. I want to share a few memories and thoughts about her.

Tee came into my life somewhere around May 1976. She had started attending our church . I saw her on the school playground, and I can remember her outfit even now. It was a mint-green short set, with a tank top that said, "Butterflies Are Free" (and had the little butterfly on it). Sometime over the summer, she moved next door to me, and we were friends from then on. There were always us three: Tee, me, and my long-time best friend, Em.

When we wrote "LYLAS" in our yearbooks, we meant it. There were times when we had our fusses and our melodramas, and our good times and bad. She and Em were boy-crazy a little earlier than me, and were into cheerleading and other things that didn't necessarily interest me. But that was okay too. There were times I was closer to Tee than I was to Em and times they were closer to each other than either was to me. That's life when you have a trio of best friends. We were friends all the way up through high school and even into my college days. I had gone to school across the state, over 200 miles away, and we still stayed in touch.

We walked each other through our silly young-girl crushes and our first serious loves. There were engagements (some broken, some fulfilled) and weddings. I was in Em's wedding as her singer. I didn't go to Tee's. I had already set up a job interview out of town for the same weekend. The interview was set before the wedding date was. Being young and dumb and full of myself -- and also considering I wasn't terribly wild about her choice of groom (he has redeemed himself to me, however) -- I went to the interview. I got the job, but then it fell apart a few months later. I honestly regret not telling them to reschedule the interview and going to the wedding. I should have.

Then there were children. Em had her daughter first, and then Tee's wedding was that summer. Tee had her first a year later. And suddenly jobs and families and everything possible separated us. It's hard to be the lone singleton, and by that time, I had other friends who had become just as dear, and who had seen the grown-up (okay, growing-up) me and seemed to understand me in ways that Em and Tee couldn't. They were mothers and wives -- I was still the single career gal wanting to live it up.

And we drifted further apart. Phone calls stopped and seeing each other in the store took its place. Life has a funny way of doing that. I became totally wrapped up in my work life and my church life and my college and post-college friendships. Another regret -- because as a Girl Scout, hadn't I learned to ...
Make new friends, but keep the old
One is silver and the other gold.

Apparently not.

Then came the times I might only see them in the stores every few months -- time to play catchup. I genuinely enjoyed hearing news -- both good and bad. And it seemed that for Tee, her health became the bad news. I ran into Tee' s mom at the grocery store one day. Tee had started having back problems, and hip problems, and could not even work full-time anymore. And with two very active kids to keep up with, it was all she could do. Em was now a nurse, also with two active kids. And I was still the career girl. One day this spring, my mother had gone to the grocery store. She ran into Tee's aunt who relayed the news that Tee was battling breast cancer.

Breast cancer? NO! Thirty-six-year-olds are supposed to be in prime of their lives, not the fight of their lives. I got angry. I got sorrowful. I got guilty. Because I was too damn busy with my own life to do anything besides pray. I didn't know what to do, what to say, how to even broach the subject. I mean, it wasn't as if I could just pop over and say, "Hey Tee, your aunt told my mama that you have this, and it sucks, and I hate it and I want to do something, and I know we haven't really been all that close in years...." All I knew to do was pray.

Two days ago, I got the e-mail y'all saw below, and then the news today. And I am still angry. Angry at myself for having been such a dadgum schlub. Angry at a disease that is robbing a family of their daughter, sister, wife, mother. Really angry at myself again, for being a putz extraordinaire. The sad lesson is that life really is too short. I should have done something in spite of my awkwardness. And I didn't. Except pray.

I do believe in the power of prayer. In some strange way, my prayers were answered. Tee was healed -- healed of the pain and sorrow and struggle of this life, the ultimate healing and that she is at peace and at rest. But I sure would have preferred the other kind. The kind that would keep her here for her daughter's sweet sixteen in a couple of years. The kind that would have her watch her children graduate high school and maybe college. The one that would have allowed her to live life to its absolute complete fullest and then go into that good night at a ripe old age, not way too soon.

The really odd thing is that quite a number of years ago, I was working on a roman a clef kind of story about the three of us: Em, Tee and myself. I mean, I started this story in 1990. And in the story, we were in our mid-30s, and the character I created for the real-life Tee died. Do you know how completed effed up that feels to me right at this moment? To think that I wrote about it years ago (although it wasn't due to cancer) .... and that it actually happened is just freaking me out. I had planned someday to have a collection of short stories -- and I can promise you this particular one will never be published. It's now way too personal.

And forgive myself? Not for a while. Not for quite a while.

God bless you, Tee. I will miss you.

Forever your sister,
A.

Very sad news.

After a long battle with breast cancer, my friend Tee passed away earlier today. Thank you for all the kind thoughts and prayers.

A moment to be serious, please....

Today is supposed to be a good day. I am off work today, I am heading to Atlanta tonight for some fun with friends, I have a family gathering tomorrow that is supposed to be fun.

Enter reality, in the form of an e-mail, with some very sad news about an old friend of mine:
"Tee is in (Local) Hospital and they just found out she has cancer, again. She's on a ventilator but they plan to unplug the ventilator in 48 hours. She's 37 with two children. They need a miracle."

If you are so inclined, please take a moment and pray. Pray for Tee, for a miracle, for her peace and comfort, for healing. Pray for her family and all who love her.

Tee, I am sorry that I wasn't as close to you in my adult life as I was as a child and teen. Forgive me. I have had you in my prayers for a long time, but have been too much of a jerk to do much for you other than pray. I continue to pray for you. I pray for that miracle.

Thanks for indulging me.

OHHHH! My head hurts.....

From laughing so dang much at this year's "American Idol" wannabes. I'm not talking the good ones who get those little yellow slips and a trip to Hollywood. I'm talking about the ones who make me think, "Oh My God. Please tell me that when I sing I never sound that bad....."

From Tuesday night:
Crazy Dave: Somebody give that boy an IV of Ritalin ..... PLEASE!
Miss Ukraine: forgot her pole, didn't she?
Everyone who attempted to sing "Lady Marmalade": HOLY CHEEYET, people! Learn the words!!! Mocha Choca Latte?????

From tonight:
Mr. Weird Outfits (the "entrepruhhhhneeurr"): Dude. Seriously? Holy Jeez.....
Mr. Coaster Inventor: You seriously chose "If I Only Had a Brain"??????
Everyone who attempted a Paula Abdul song: You gotta be chittin me......

I wish to God's sake they had "Older Idol" -- I'd go and try out and see whether or not I have what it takes. That's all.

A great underrated movie!

There are "cult classic" movies and then there are undiscovered gems. Luckily for me, I have a fave in each category that features Tim Curry, who is one of my all-time favorite actors. Everyone knows about him as the sweet tranvestite, Dr. Frank N. Furter (see "cult classic," above). But not everyone knows about him as Rev. Ray Porter (see "undiscovered gems").

The movie is Pass the Ammo, from 1988. It is a wonderful satire, which unfortunately fell victim to some bad timing. It was supposed to have been released in late 1987 (if I remember the story correctly), but ended up being postponed by over a year -- and unfortunately by then, the subject matter was "old news." It matters not to me. The satire is still just as biting nearly 20 years later, and it is a damn shame that this movie is so overlooked.

Jesse Wilkes (a younger Bill Paxton) and Claire Waters (Linda Koslowski as a stunning redhead) are a couple of Arkansas kids. She is a poor farmer, he's a con artist, and she loves him... Claire's poverty isn't helped by the fact that her grandmother changed the will 2 hours before her death, leaving all her worldly goods to The Tower of Bethlehem Ministries, headed by the Rev. Ray and Darla Porter (Tim Curry and Annie Potts). But Jesse has a plan -- one that includes Claire's two jailbird cousins (Dennis Burkeley and Glenn Withrow). With the help of an "inside man" their plan almost comes off without a hitch. Almost. Major hijinks ensue -- with a little additional help from a few ministry investors, a New Age producer who's been "goosed up with divine inspiration," a few angels in the choir, a gun-loving redneck militia, and a Cajun sheriff..... well, you can just imagine. Oh, and it's all being broadcast world-wide.

If you've never seen it, get thee posthaste to your nearest video rental place, FIND yourself a copy (warning: as of now, it's still not out on DVD -- just VHS), and watch. It is so friggin' hilarious, I don't even know where to begin. It's also a mighty powerful satire about televangelism, "prosperity gospel" and stuff that's still happening today in religious television. I lucked out a few years ago finding a copy on eBay. If the day ever comes that it is released on DVD, I will be "the happiest woman since Eve!"

Seriously, go. Rent it. Laugh. Laugh. Laugh. Oh, and Arkansas people: there's a special cameo in there by a very well-known Arkansas broadcasting icon (radio and lately TV). Believe me, you can't miss him.

Getting better all the time.

I have the world's best friends. I promise. I always knew this, but after my meltdown the other day, I rediscovered it.

During my rough day, just as I was getting ready to go to the boss's office to discuss the project I was working on, I heard, "Nettie, please call the switchboard. Nettie, please call the switchboard." I thought, "Oh man! What is going on?" I went up front and there was my friend Nicole, with a present for me. She had tried calling earlier to let me know she was coming by to pick up a part they needed at their office, but I had the phone on "no calls" (to work on the project). She brought me some scrapbooking supplies and a Frappucino. To someone who was on the emotional edge and crying all day anyway, I just cried all over again at how completely sweet and selfless it was. Even our receptionist was moved to tears -- but she hates to see anyone cry (kind of like Truvy in Steel Magnolias).

Then the next morning, after a looooong sleep prefaced by a migraine, I awoke to a response (to my previous post) from my good friends in Georgia. I started crying all over again. Plus my friends on the MBOL were just so sweet to me as I begin this new phase in my life -- of recognizing the good in myself and stopping the negative self-talk.

We had a girls' lunch out that day (okay, really just my department, but....). I brought back some dessert and gave it to a coworker who was also having a very bad, horrible, terrible, no-good day on Thursday. I felt really bad that I couldn't console her in her hour of need because of my own crisis. She replied that working with me each day was present enough -- and to take back the dessert (I told her to pass it on to her hubby!).

And best of all, the project (Phase I) is finished, and I'm working heartily on Phase 2 on Monday. Gotta get it done -- time crunch. And now I know what I need to do with this project each month.

Today, I went shopping with a dear friend - just like old times, and I had such a great day! We laughed and gossipped and just had a total blast catching up on all the news we'd missed with each other. She's just like a sister to me, and even though we haven't spent too much time together lately, it was as if no time had passed.

Life is good.

Today is the day...

Let's just suffice it to say that today was a less-than-stellar day in my world, but I came to some realizations on the drive home that I wanted to share. Thanks in advance for indulging me.

Today I choose to break the cycle.

Today I choose not to listen to that tape loop in my head -- the one that tells me that I'm not smart enough or good enough or (whatever) enough. The tape player may never go away for good, but today I'm no longer choosing to push "play."

Today I surrender the stubborn side of my independent streak -- the one that says asking for help is a sign of weakness, and accepting help when offered equals failure. I instead choose to accept said help because it means someone cares that I'm shouldering too much for my own good, and I choose to ask for help when I'm bogged down.

Today I embrace all the good things that my friends and coworkers and other loved ones say about me -- and not to summarily dismiss it by saying, "Yeah, but that's because they're my (friend, coworker, etc.)"

Today I accept that I do not know everything. I cannot do everything. I cannot be all things to all people. I accept that I must pick and choose -- and learn to pick-and-choose wisely.

Today I choose to ignore those who feel it their duty to attempt to break my spirit. I will bless their hearts and let them go.

Today I learn the real meaning of "let go and let God." Today I acknowledge that I am not in control of everything in the universe -- only my actions and reactions.

Today I start over. Tomorrow I will do the same. And every day after that.

Classic Nettie: a dose of summer for a winter's day!

Taken from my June 1999 "Top Ten List" (formerly appearing on my web site, and now stored in glorious electronic archive on my hard drive):

Yeppers, folks, the list you've all been waiting for! Whether you're hitting the holiday road this summer, searching for fun in the sun - or staying in town working all summer - everyone knows you're gonna need some great songs for cruising! Here's what's in Nettiemac's car this summer, and I proudly present to you my picks for Summer '99 (in no particular order)!

Music for All Occasions by The Mavericks. No, I haven't gone crazy -- hear me out! If you want to hear real country music, don't go for the big-smiling, too-cute boys in hats. Instead, go for these men, who sing about love, life, and everything in between. This is what's been playing in my car for the last couple of weeks, with everything from cool honky-tonk sounds to tender ballads. While for me, just about anything by the Mavericks will do, this one remains my favorite pick.

Bat Out Of Hell by Meatloaf. Mr. Loaf's debut album makes almost any good list of mine. I don't know why it's so appealing to me, but there are some things you just don't analyze. Last year, as I headed to the beach, this one was on auto-reverse all the way down there. It must have made at least 5 trips through the old tape machine (which is probably why the machine is on the fritz now), and it never got old. I must have sung every song to death, and couldn't get enough of it.

Grease (movie soundtrack). The perfect summer sing-a-long; it's pure fun, and you know exactly where the song is in the movie. I have a bad tendency to do hand motions to "Greased Lightning" while driving -- and I bet half the people who saw me thought I was an idiot, while the other half began singing, "Greased lightning, go greased lightning..." The original Broadway soundtrack isn't bad either, but for those of us who grew up with Olivia and John, no other version will do.

Songs You Know By Heart by Jimmy Buffett. It wouldn't be a summer without tunes by the Big Kahuna of the Parrothead Nation. Here's one you'll hear almost everywhere you go this summer. This one's especially good to keep with you, when you're sitting in traffic and wishing you were anywhere else. It's a great mental escape to the Keys and to the good life. And if I could make a living as a beach bum, God knows I would! So grab onto your shaker of salt, and enjoy the tunes!

Big Ones by Aerosmith. I admit, I've given the bad boys from Beantown a bit of grief lately. Still, if I had to pick any of their stuff for traveling music, this is the one. I know it will be in my case this summer. This is the best of everything from Permanent Vacation forward (pre-Nine Lives, though), and it's a winner for putting the top down, letting your hair down, and being free to do what you want!

Grand Strand Gold (compilation). Okay, at least that's what this album was called when I bought it about ten years ago. It's had several incarnations since, all put out by Ripete Records of South Carolina. You will hear these songs all over the Carolina coast, from Myrtle Beach to Beaufort. And if you're looking for the best in pure Carolina beach sounds, then look no further. Put this one in, and prepare to shag the night away, baby! Special note: in South Carolina, "shagging" is dancing. The shag is the official state dance; there's a movie about it, go check it out. Still, we had lots of fun in college explaining to our British exchange students that for only $10, they could have six weeks of group shag lessons!! :-)

Boston by Boston. This one's just a great hard-driving, good-rocking CD that I wouldn't want to be without. Some of the songs may be a bit dated, but the sounds never will be. While again, just about any CD would do, the first is always the best, and these guys are great!

Cracked Rear View by Hootie & the Blowfish. Another great debut album makes the list!! Again, while I like all CD's from H&TB, this one remains my all-time favorite. It's just pure infectious pop, and it's always good for a smile and a light heart. And isn't that what vacations are for -- forgetting all your troubles and being lighthearted for a time? Enjoy!

Greatest Hits (both volumes) by the Eagles. I hear you saying, "Ugh! These songs are so old, so jaded, so dated." And in spite of all your best intentions, you listen to them over and over again. Why? Well, if you're like me, it's almost as if these songs are the soundtrack to your life. And the underlying thoughts and feelings of the songs don't go away -- in some ways, they seem more true the older you get. Update: Just go ahead and the "Very Best of" (the 2-CD set). Way more songs, including some of the truly good ones that should have been on the original 2 GH's.

Big Chill (soundtrack). If you want a great sing-along album, then this is the one! This one hearkens back to the days when the highest compliment a song could get was that it had a "good beat and you can dance to it." If you're up for a heavy dose of the Motown sound, with a bit of other good-time stuff thrown in, then you can't go wrong with this one!

"But Nettiemac," I hear you saying, "are these the only ones you'd pick? Aren't there others?" Of course, my child, there are always other good tunes for the road -- it all depends on your musical tastes and styles. Here are others you may want to consider, dependingon your personal tastes. My own list of runners-up include (also, in no particular order):

Rubber Soul by the Beatles. For me, this is the best of all the Beatles albums. It's less pop-oriented than Meet the Beatles or Hard Day's Night, but it's also not quite as trippy as Sgt. Pepper's. The songs are catchy and good to sing along with, and you'll enjoy them!

Latin: Colors of the World (compilation). Colors of the World is a collection of compilations issued by Allegro Records. Others in the series include a sample with songs from all over, a Celtic compilation, and and African compilation. This one is great for hot rhythms -- from the rumba to the conga to the tango, it's all here, and it's all good! This one definitely gets you moving!

Metallica by Metallica. Also known as The Black Album, this one's an excellent choice for hard-driving music. While I'm not a metal-head, Metallica is one of my metal picks (along with AC/DC's Back In Black). If you're looking for something to bang your head to while driving, you can't go wrong with this one!

Rock of the 80s, any volume (issued by Priority Records). Yes, I admit with pride that I am a child of the 80s, and there are times I really miss the music. I certainly miss the variety found on the airwaves at the time, and there's something about these albums that take me back. I have several of the volumes in my collection, and they're all excellent.

"One last question," you say. "Are there any bands of today you'd put in your collection?" Paul Simon once sang, "I seem to lean on old familiar ways," and I suppose I do too, to a degree, with my musical collection. But, just because I don't keep the latest stuff in stock in my collection doesn't mean I don't listen to it on the radio. I like some of Sugar Ray, some of Matchbox 20, almost anything by Collective Soul and by the Black Crowes, a good bit of Kenny Wayne Shepherd, and a few other picks. Who knows? If it hits me the right way, I might even buy a CD or two from some of the bands. I'll keep you posted......

Fortune Cookie Wisdom

A coworker and I went to lunch today at a nearby Chinese buffet (and may I say, a very good one, with a huge variety -- something sorely lacking in most CB's but I digress.....). Naturally, we got fortune cookies at meal's end, and I went ahead and opened mine.

Mine was amazingly wise: Just because you make a mistake doesn't mean you are the mistake.

Wow. I had to read it several times. I wanted to make sure that it was what I thought it said. I almost cried, because it was pretty timely.

I tend to beat myself up over the most minor flubs and peccadilloes. I did a flub last night at work -- one where even my boss said not to sweat it, it was fixable -- and beat myself up all the way home. I tried hard to focus (my key word for today) on the tasks at hand today -- and it seemed as if Murphy had invaded the building. The nasty negative feedback loop kicked in -- you know, the one in your brain that says, "You are a screw-up. You are way out of your league. You are fooling everybody you know, because you're not that (fill in the blank)....." and on and on.

Sometimes, that negative feedback loop gets so embedded in our brains that we take it for Gospel, especially when we do make honest mistakes. And we tell ourselves that we are not (whatever) because someone in our past once told us that -- and our brain held on to it, and plays it back to us ... sometimes more, sometimes less. But we deserve better than that -- and need to remind ourselves that we are good because we have been lovingly created to be good. That we are not junk and that we are not mistakes, regardless of how many mistakes we will make over our lifetimes.

Fortune cookie: a whack of perspective with dessert to boot.

Of prosthetic chins, French failures, and ol' cousin Nimrod

I went over to my pal Stacey's house today to exchange presents and visit for a while. We had a great time, and I am so blessed to have her, hubby Chris and kids Rebekah & JP in my life!

Speaking of the kids .... well, to use a good ol' Southern expression, "they ain't right!" (Believe me, in my world, it's a high compliment). It means in this case, they crack me up and leave me in stitches. Tonight, it was Rebekah's turn to perform.....

First, JP had brought a false nose (Halloween style) into the living room. After he abandoned it, a few minutes later, she purloined it, strapped it around the bottom of her face and said with glee, "Look Mommy!!! I finally have a chin!!!" Another thing that Stacey and I have in common: round Irish faces without chins......

Next, we were helping her study for her test tomorrow in South Carolina history. Stacey asked her, "Of the three settlements, which lasted: the Spanish, the French, or the British?" Rebekah said, "The British.... the French, they failed" and threw her hand up against her forehead in extremely dramatic fashion. I swear, if they do not enroll her in a dramatic arts class, it will be a major mistake -- that girl has talent!

Then we began talking about settlers, and I mentioned my great-great-great-great-grandfather, who came over from Ireland to SC in 1792. He had a son named Nimrod (my direct ancestor), and we all cracked up over the name Nimrod. Yeah, it's a Biblical name, but it has such a bad connotation these days ("What a nimrod!"). So I started teasing Chris about a cousin of his out West -- the only other male in his family -- and said that he'd better start producing some other male heirs, so that Rebekah and JP could have a cousin Nimrod L. Rebekah starts howling, "NO! No cousin Nimrod!!!"

JP also had his funny moments of the evening, but he was working on his homework and not really engaged in the hilarity. He was busy trying to come up with "P" words for his worksheet! At least easy P words that he could draw.....

I love these kids to death, and I love the amazing way that their minds think!

Yet another "Stolen From" post....

TEN RANDOM THINGS YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT ME
I covered this in another post.......

NINE PLACES I HAVE VISITED
1.) Charlottesville VA
2.) Thomasville GA
3.) Colorado Springs CO
4.) Jackson MS
5.) Biloxi MS
6.) Greensboro NC
7.) Chattanooga TN
8.) Ft. Payne AL
9.) Tallahassee FL

EIGHT WAYS TO WIN MY HEART
1.) sing to me
2.) write poetry to/for/about me
3.) cook for me
4.) be as much of a computer geek as me
5.) surprise me
6.) don't judge me
7.) love football
8.) you'll know the words to say.....

SEVEN THINGS I WANT TO DO BEFORE I DIE
1.) cut a CD
2.) win the lottery
3.) be a size 8
4.) write the Great American Novel (or at least a great facsimile thereof)
5.) create a cocktail and have it named after me
6.) meet Raul Malo
7.) travel abroad

SIX THINGS I AM AFRAID OF
1.) falling
2.) heights
3.) snakes
4.) spiders
5.) stinging insects
6.) damn dirty apes.... ;-)

FIVE THINGS I DON'T LIKE
1.) venison
2.) anime
3.) intolerant people
4.) beer (not alcohol, just beer)
5.) thrash metal

FOUR WAYS TO TURN ME OFF
1.) be intolerant
2.) be boring
3.) hate sports
4.) be unhygienic

THREE THINGS I DO EVERYDAY
1.) check my e-mail
2.) laugh
3.) sing

TWO THINGS THAT MAKE ME HAPPY
1.) a favorite song coming on the radio
2.) good news

ONE THING ON MY MIND RIGHT NOW
1.) where to get the CD I want for less than full price....

Desert Island discs

There really is a record collection out there called "Desert Island Discs" -- in fact I own one of them! And one of my earlier "stolen from..." posts this week asked me to list four that I couldn't live without.

It's more like forty, or even four hundred, that I couldn't live without. But if I had to pare it down to ten, here's what I'd choose (in no particular order):

1. Gold (Steely Dan; expanded edition) -- okay, I'm a major Fan O' The Dan. So having to choose simply one album of theirs, I picked this one over Decade or Greatest Hits or Two Against Nature or Aja or any of their others. Why this one? Why not?

2. Rubber Soul (Beatles) -- it's practically a tie with Revolver, but I give this one just a slight edge. Don't know why.... just something appealing about it.

3. Exile on Main Street (Rolling Stones) -- I find it very hard to choose between the Stones and the Beatles. I love them both. And I love '67-'73 Stones best of all. I picked Exile, but I'd prefer a 3-disc set (along with Sticky Fingers and Goat's Head Soup).

4. Gold (Frank Sinatra) -- he's been dead for some time, and this is some of his older stuff. It matters not. He can still melt the heart.

5. Moondance (Van Morrison) -- Because it's him. Singing. Romancing the soul. Awakening the senses. Making magic. That's reason enough.

6. Boston (Boston) -- one hell of a debut album. I just wish it didn't take them eons to produce additional albums.

7. Decade (Allman Brothers) -- yes, I'd pick this one over Live at the Fillmore East, but that's just me.

8. Getz/Gilberto -- okay, truly, I'd like to take with me the compilation that my "exchange brother" Marcio left with us when he returned to Brazil. Some incredible bossa nova by Joao Gilberto. But since it was a homegrown compilation (on cassette, no less!), and I have yet to find all the songs on one CD, I'll take this one. Good stuff, all the way around.

9. Very Best of (Eagles) -- I have seen them live, and friends, I am here to tell you that it was almost a religious experience. So this would have to be the one. And besides, it has "Please Come Home for Christmas" on there....

I can only pick one more?????? NO!!!!! You can't make me! I love them all! You can't make me choose! You can't, you can't, you can't!

10. Colors of the World (compilation). Allegro Records has a series by this name, but this was the first sampler -- all sorts of world music. I have the Latin and Celtic compilations and they're all great, but this one has a little of everything.

Thanks to Bolivar and Talmadge,

I now have Eric Clapton and Meat Loaf going through my brain. An odd combination, but it's working. Thanks fellas!

Stolen from Mezzy's blog.....

Four jobs you've had in your life: Church secretary (heh heh heh)...; Call coordinator for Tier 3 customer service for a computer manufacturer; Computer lab assistant (basically, we reminded people to make sure paper was in the printer....); and, Telemarketer. Yes, I did this for the summer before I went to college, and Christmas break during my freshman year. It paid for books.

Four movies you could watch over and over: Blazing Saddles; Steel Magnolias; Revenge of the Nerds; Fletch/Fletch Lives

Four places you've lived: I've actually only lived in two..... my hometown (Liberty SC) and Charleston SC, where I went to college.

Four TV shows you love to watch: Law & Order (any of them), Whose Line Is It Anyway?, What Not to Wear (both the BBC and TLC versions), Celebrity Poker Showdown

Four websites you visit daily: Sweet Potato Queens, Blogger, IMDB, Wikipedia

Four of your favorite foods: Boneless Spare Ribs, Barbecue (mustard-based), chicken parmesan, turkey and dressing (my MAMA's dressing, preferably).

Four places you'd rather be: Charleston SC; Colorado Springs CO; Savannah GA; Fiji or Tahiti or Somoa or any other South Seas island.

Four albums you can't live without: GASP!!!!!! You'd make me choose FOUR??????? Okay..... these are four I adore, but there are MANY more I wouldn't want to live without: Gold (Steely Dan) --- The Very Best of The Eagles --- Rubber Soul (The Beatles) --- Hot Rocks, Vol. 1 (Rolling Stones)

I've got a rock and roll heart...

Now, most of my friends know that I have a fondness for the music of Eric Clapton. I have a special place in my heart for one song in particular: "I've Got A Rock & Roll Heart." I loved it when it came out in '83, and I still love it whenever I hear it (which is rarely.....).

I have come to realize that in some ways, the song describes me. About eighteen months ago, my old boss was teasing me about someone from a nearby parish who spoke of me with great interest. Now, this person was also musically inclined but totally opposite of me. He was in a chamber orchestra or something like that; I sing pop. I've written papers on rock and roll history -- he had written a letter to the editor denouncing rock and roll: not as the devil's tool (to which I thought a very hearty "thank God"), but as "pablum for the masses."

Nuh-uh. You don't say that to me. No, no, no, no. And the song that went through my head as I thought of the incident was Clapton's "I've Got A Rock & Roll Heart." And that is me -- it's not that I don't enjoy the finer things in life, because I certainly do. I'm also at ease with simple tastes and simple pleasures. It's taken me many years, but I have finally learned to be comfortable in my own skin, with who I am, where I'm from, where I am. I have finally grown into a "what you see is what you get" person.

A few random thoughts on the first day of Christmas...

BTW, a little factoid: Today is technically the First Day of Christmas. The Christmas season is NOT all the shopping days from Thanksgiving to December 24, but begins on December 25 and ends on Epiphany, January 6.

This holiday season has been full of wonderful gatherings and seeing friends near and far. I haven't done this much socializing in ages, and I have loved every moment of it! I have a few more holiday gatherings this week, and my family's gathering in mid-January -- and I can't wait!

Christmas Day is a small affair at our house. We have deliberately planned it that way, especially now that my parents are older and money is tighter. And like my dad, I have a tendency to buy myself stuff all through the year. If I need it or have the extra money for it, I get it then instead of putting it on a wish list. So this year, I got gift cards to Bed Bath and Beyond from the parents-- Mom said that she MEANT to get Bath & Body Works, but honestly I'm actually glad they're from the Triple B. I have been wanting some Egyptian cotton sheets or some other linens -- this is PERFECT! And my brother got me a DVD. Mom also got me a necklace/earring set -- YAY!

Last night, I went to a party at a friend's house, where we had homemade fajitas and lots of fun! Then I went to Midnight Mass. Now at my old parish, when we said, "Music begins at 11:15" we began to a mostly empty church as people straggled in. At the new parish, I got there at 11:15, and found a seat on the very back row -- it was packed!

I do miss, at times, the Christmas Days of my past. When I was a child, every Christmas Day was getting up fairly early (no later than 8) for present unwrapping, and getting ready for the trip to my grandmother's apartment. We usually made a casserole or two of some sort, or maybe one casserole and one vegetable, and a dessert -- and off we went. We were allowed to take ONE of our toys/presents with us, because otherwise, we were bored out of our skulls. Eventually, the rest of the family would get there, and dinner would commence around 1:00 or so. We grandchildren ate on her stair steps, usually with the older ones at the top, and the younger ones at the bottom. We would alternate the way we faced in order to have meaningful conversations!

As we got older, and Granny moved to a different apartment, it was held at their activity center, and then at my aunt's church. After Granny died, things went crazy as they often do in families.... And ever since then, Christmas gatherings have been with other people instead of my own family. I'm the one who plans the January gathering -- and I chose that time specifically because I didn't want people bitching and hollering about me cutting into their Christmas time!!!

I hope that your Christmas season is filled with faith, hope, love, dreams, wishes, fulfillments, and all good things.

Scenes from an American Restaurant

(with all apologies to Billy Joel)

Tonight I began my Christmas shopping. No, that is not a typo. BEGAN.

While out and about after work, I stopped off for a meal at an "American cuisine" restaurant (read: sit-down restaurant with a bar for sports fans). Behind me and over to my left was a gaggle of giggly girls. Lots of "shut UP y'all" and "yeah but was he looking at her like she says he was?" and "do you think he likes me? really?" They were a tad loud, enough that I caught a couple of other patrons rolling their eyes in their direction. While part of me wanted to go back and say, "Sweeties, please use your indoor voices!" I also remembered that it wasn't too long ago that I was that age -- out with my friends, obnoxious as hell (I'm sure) to all adults in my vicinity, and louder than I needed to be. God knows that M, T, and I were boy-crazy, giggly and goofy, and having the time of our life, not caring about anyone else around us. I smiled at the memories that brought, especially since we've grown and I have not stayed in touch with them as much as I ought to have done.

Also off to my left and a little closer toward me was someone -- don't know the gender or age -- who enjoyed all the songs that were coming over the speaker. How do I know? Because this person sang along every now and again. Good voice, too, especially on Al Wilson's "Show and Tell." They were playing a good 70s/80s mix with an occasional holiday song thrown in. I could have hugged the music programmer for that reason alone.

And it was a nice moment in the midst of the holiday hoo-ha and madness. Thank God for those moments.

2 weeks to go to 2006....

And I am getting in that reflective mood. It isn't my last post of 2005, but I also figure that as long as I'm in the mood.......

2005 was a very good year for me -- but it didn't seem as if it would start out that way. A mere 50 weeks ago, I was sad, tired, burned-out, completely unsure of myself or my direction in life. When I decided to make a change, I discovered some wonderful things: I discovered that I was far more capable than I gave myself credit for. I found that I had a wealth of self-confidence -- it had been buried so long that I imagined it to be totally gone. I realized that I had a lot to offer the world. I found that I had the most amazing friends in the world, both 3-D and cyber-friends, who picked me up every time I needed a boost, and who still never let me forget how special I am, and how loved I am. I get a bit verklempt thinking of it.

If you have played any part in my transformation this year, then please accept my heartfelt thanks, my undying gratitude, and all my love. Your faith in me and your support of me has been a lifeline as I have blossomed. You will never know how much you have meant (and continue to mean) to me. Blessings on your kind and generous hearts and spirits!

One tired gal....

What a week!!!! We had an ice storm here, with about a 1/2 of ice on trees, power lines, and roads. I am one of the lucky ones -- we had almost no interruption at home or the office. There are nearly 700,000 customers in North and South Carolina who cannot say the same.

I work near at least 20 restaurants, all within about 1.5 miles of the office. Usually, it's a veritable feast for the palate. The last two days? Only one restaurant that we could find that was open. Today, it was about 5 -- and only two of them were in the main restaurant area. Let's just say that Wendy's and Atlanta Bread were doing BOOMING business, and yesterday "The Deli" (as we call it) got a BUTTLOAD of our business (at least 35 meals). And we were VERY grateful indeed that they were open and serving!

On the drive to work, I was stricken by the beauty of winter. One of the roads still had LOTS of ice-laden trees, and it was almost blinding in its beauty -- a very bright blue sky, and the trees that looked crystalline and white everywhere. It was amazing.

Wherever you are, stay warm!

What Happens When A Girl Drinks Too Much

(please note that I do not speak from personal experience...... heh heh heh)

1. I absolutely have no idea where my purse is.

2. I believe that dancing with my arms overhead, wiggling my butt, and yelling "WOO-HOO!" is truly the sex-i-est dance move around!

3. I've suddenly decided I want to kick someone's ass -- and honestly believe I could do it, too!

4. In my last trip to pee, I realize I now look more like a homeless hooker than the Goddess I was just four hours ago!

5. I drop my 3:00 AM submarine sandwich on the floor (which I'm eating even though I'm not the least bit hungry), pick it up and carry on.

6. I start crying and telling everyone that I love them SOOOOO much.

7. I get extremely excited and jump up and down every time a new song plays because "OH MY GOD! I LOVE THIS SONG!"

8. I've found a deeper/spiritual side to the geek sitting next to me.

9. The man I'm flirting with used to be my 5th grade teacher.

10. The urge to take off articles of clothing, stand on a table, and sing and/or dance becomes strangely overwhelming.

11. My eyes just don't seem to want to stay open on their own, so I keep them half-closed and think it looks exotic.

12. I've suddenly taken up smoking -- and become really good at it!

13. I yell at the bartender, who (I think) cheated me by giving me just coke -- but that's just because I can no longer taste the rum.....

14. I think I'm in bed, but my pillow feels strangely like the kitchen floor.

15. I start every conversation with a booming, "Now don't take this the wrong way, but......"

16. I tend to fall into the toilet bowl when trying to sit on it (funny how that is normally NOT a problem).

17. My hugs begin to resemble wrestling take-down moves.

18. I'm tired, so I just sit on the floor (wherever I happen to be standing) and take a quick nap.

19. I begin leaving the buttons open on my button-fly pants to cut down on the time I'm in the bathroom away from my drink!

20. I take my shoes off because I believe it's their fault that I'm having problems walking straight.

21. When you think it's cool to dance and spank your own ass (or each others') at the same time ---- oh yeah, baby!

A real-life scare today.

I have one brother. For years, we fought like cats and dogs, but as we matured, we got to be good friends. Today, in the blink of an eye, I could have lost him.

My brother's office (a personal finance company) was robbed at gunpoint today. And the guy had a bomb that was later detonated. The guy got away with just a little stuff, and the good news is that all employees are physically safe. But all it would have taken is just a gunshot here or a push of that detonator button, and I would have been an only child again after 30+ years.

And that, my friends, would have been more than I could bear.

At last....

I have been out of the loop for a while, because I am on day 8 of a 12-day work stretch. We finally got moved from our old location to the new one. While there's a big loss in personal work space, the building itself is very spacious and nice to work in!

Saturday, I set up my computer (so they could install some new stuff), then went to help in my assigned area, then got called to the warehouse where they needed us. As I told someone, I will never again complain about the customer who tries to apply the same credit memo 3 times in a month, or even the other stuff -- instead, I'll keep my mouth shut and be grateful I don't work 8 a day in the warehouse! Those of us in the office had dreams all weekend about stuff in the warehouse! No, seriously, it's way more involved than I would have ever guessed, and very physical labor. We had a little snag but otherwise, it went pretty well.

Yesterday (Sunday), I was on trash detail in the warehouse (breaking down boxes and stacking up cardboard flats for reuse). Then the boss pulled me aside to work on the lunch order. That's a whole story in itself! Let's just say that the folks at Bojangles deserve a BIG hand for pulling this order together! Then a little more work back in Accounting (filing and finalizing my space for today).

There were a few snags this morning -- but nothing bad, and we were able to do our jobs well for the most part.

But it's also NOT something I would want to do again any time soon!

Never been finished THIS early!!

Not Christmas shopping -- ha ha ha! Barely started!

No, I am proud because this is the earliest that I have ever planned my family's annual post-Christmas gathering!

For many years as a child, Christmas Day was a huge family dinner at either Grandma's townhouse or at my aunt's church's social hall. But once my grandmother died, and a few other events transpired, we stopped doing it. In a way, it was a relief, because there was so much going on in December for everyone. But it was also very sad, because then we didn't do anything at all.

A few years ago, several of my cousins and I realized we missed all the fun times, and wanted to do something -- but what? So one year, I took the bulls by the horn and planned a gathering at a nearby seafood place. 26 people showed up -- which I thought was REALLY good. It continued at varying locations, and the last one (January 2004) we had 35 people! This past January was the first that I just didn't have the time or energy to plan anything -- but we also had a gathering at my cousin Lori's over Labor Day weekend.

This year, I have a little extra time and energy to devote to the gathering. My plan is to have us all meet in January at a nearby barbeque place that also has live entertainment (a bluegrass band). That ensures that my dad's brothers will be the last to leave the place -- they LOVE bluegrass!

So I'm working on the invitations now, to go out into the Christmas cards! WOO HOO!!!!!! I'm so thrilled that this is now off my list of "Things To Do Before December 10!"

From a turkey coma to the Dark Side....

To quote Adam Sandler, "Oh, I love turkey on Thanksgiving!!!" MMMM!! Thanksgiving dinner was awesome this year. My parents -- whose dressing is fabulous anyway you cook it -- made it even better this year, adding chopped apple and toasted pecans to it. Oh My God!!!! Divine. And naturally, the tryptophan kicked in as it should and we all fell asleep as usual during the football game. The turkey coma is alive and well!

Today, I have officially crossed to the Dark Side. Yes, 'tis a sad day: I have turned on the holiday channel on XM. God help me. I mean, I love holiday music -- truly! Okay, there are a few songs I despise, but 98% of them are good and I love them. But I just HATE having Christmas music shoved down my throat as soon as the Halloween candy is passed out. So I have done my best to avoid listening to them before now. I'd catch myself occasionally singing a line or two from one, and react in complete horror! I still think it's a little too early.

When I was a kid, holiday music was slowly phased in along with the regular music -- and as Christmas got closer, more music. Then on Christmas Eve, they'd play ALLLLLLL Christmas music and again on Christmas Day. That was cool. But these days, it's just a full-on all-out assault!

I guess it's a scheme worked up between retailers and radio -- "Hey radio man, if you start playing Christmas music early, we win, you win, it's all good baby!" -- to get my butt in the store and buying. But all it makes me want to do is stay inside and away from the Christmas music that permeates the malls and stores and holiday stuff crammed down my throat: BUY BUY BUY! You are a Bolshevik weenie if you do not!

If that's the case, I'll proudly wear the banner of "Bolshevik weenie." I am proud to say that for the last 5 years or so (maybe longer) I have not bought one Christmas present at the mall. For my family and friends, I can get everything I need elsewhere -- a few stand-alone big box stores, and a few local shops. It works and it's good!

XM on TV

Yep! DirecTV has made the switch on their music portion from Music Choice to XM stations. Now, I liked the Music Choice stations just fine myself, but I have to admit I was pretty excited about the XM offerings.

It's been about 5 days, and so far, so good. I haven't had a chance to listen to it much, but I like what I've heard so far! I'm rather fond of the 60s, 70s, and 80s -- along with a smattering of the 90s AND the 40s! Why I bypass the 50s, I don't know... just haven't listened to them much.

Haven't delved into too many of the specialty stations, but I can tell I'm going to like what I see so far. I'm more a fan of classic country (and I never imagined myself ever saying that when I was 16), and they have a station or two of that, plus a couple of alt-country stations. I like bluegrass too (never imagined myself saying that one either), and they have a couple of those. Not to mention the other stuff.

Oh yeah. This is gonna be good!

Auntie Nettie's Driving Tips!

Hello all. Auntie Nettie here with a driving tip for the day:

There is no need to slam on brakes when you notice that a trooper has pulled over another car.

HELLLLLLOOOOOO? Keep going at a normal rate of speed -- S/HE'S OCCUPIED! Believe me, unless you are committing a seriously egregious act of dangerous driving, s/he's not gonna hop in the car and come after you.

Thanks. Happy driving to you!

Begging their pardon!

I got home (late as usual) from work. My mail contained a catalog (YAY!) and insurance information, from the fine folks who sponsored "Wild Kingdom" with Marlon Perkins.

So after dinner (and perusing the catalog and making mental notes), I began to review the information that "Wild Kingdom" had sent me. Imagine my shock as I read this:

For a long time, we wanted to do something really important for a too-long neglected group of Americans.
I'm thinking, "GREAT! They wanna do something for us working stiffs! Woo-hoo!" It continues....

Especially the ones in your age group.
Okay, I'm not sure what to think but I give them the benefit of a doubt and say to myself, "Wow! Nice of them to start marketing to us who are a little younger, help us get insurance we could always use." Okay.... I'm biting.

The solid, decent, dependable Americans (yup, that's me) who had raised their families -- paid their taxes -- fought our wars...
Fought our wars? WHAT? Vietnam ended when I was a kid.... the Gulf War was when I was in college, so maybe that and the War on Terror qualify.... maybe?

Then I keep reading to the next paragraph:
So we're happy to offer you a second chance to get up to .... blah blah, yadda yadda ... will be issued if you are age 45-85...

Well. In the words of Ellen Foley (female lead in "Paradise By the Dashboard Light"):
STOP RIGHT THERE!

Crushed. Deflated. Totally humiliated. I double checked the mirror. I know I'm working long hours right now and probably look like warmed-over crud ... but do I look 45? That's still 9 years off. Fercrynoutloud, I just hit 36!

And this is the way they reward me for actually WATCHING "Wild Kingdom" when I was a kid!

GAAAAAK.... it's started already!

Frickin' Christmas music 24-7. I knew it would start, but good gravy, does it have to start in 4 weeks before Thanksgiving? And of all songs, WHYYYYYYYYYYY did they have to play that ghastly "I Want A Hippopotamus for Christmas"???? I've already heard the bad news that (dare I say it?) "Christmas Shoes" has been playing???

Bah Humbug!!!!

10 Things You May Not Know About Me

These are in no particular order......

10. I have never traveled outside the US. And outside a trip to Colorado, I've never been outside the Southeast.

9. While I am most familiar and knowledgeable about classic rock, I listen to all genres across the board -- except for three. I do not listen to speed/thrash/death metal, or to gangsta rap (heck, to most rap, for that matter), or Southern/country gospel music. No thanks to all three.

8. If I could go back and visit a period of time, I'd like to visit the late 50s/early 60s. I would be a Rat Pack hanger-on/wannabe something bad. Totally into their music and Space Age stuff, with a Tiki lounge in my cool apartment in NYC, and working as an architect or designer. If you want an idea of the mood of this, think "Blast from the Past" set to Donald Fagen's "New Frontier." I think it would just be the coolest thing ever.

7. I took Calculus II my first semester in college. I should note that I hate math. I scored a "4" on my AP test in high school, which gave me 4 credits. I needed 6 in math, so I had to take one more math course. I decided to get it over with as soon as I could, while it was all still fresh. I haven't done math any more complicated than basic 8th-grade algebra since December 1987. As you can tell, I'm just heartbroken over that.......

6. Speaking of college, I don't actually have a degree. I have approximately 81 hours toward my degree, but I bet I've lost all my credits by now. Crud.

5. Short of woodburning and knitting, I have probably done at least some of every handicraft known to man. I have done crocheting -- made a fish-shaped thing that ended up as a trivet. I have painted wooden figures. I have cross-stitched. I have (and still do) scrapbooking. Again, I've attempted them all. Okay, not model cars, but those never interested me anyway.

4. I have been reading since around age 2. My parents have no idea how I picked it up, just that I did. By age 5, I could read the newspaper and books from the "older youth" section of the library. I've had my nose in a book (so to speak) ever since.

3. I have no concept of stage fright. Never have. No fear of public speaking, no fear of being a ham, even no fear of getting up and making a fool of myself. None at all. How did this happen? When I was 3 years old, somehow I ended up with the responsibility for Scripture reading on "Youth Day." I learned that day that I had nothing to fear from being in front of people. And I also remember going away feeling that I'd done something very unusual, but wasn't sure what it was.

2. I have always wanted to be a redhead. But it's gotta be the right shade of red. So right now, I do red highlights. But I want actual red hair. Oh well......

1. I crank the car up to 11 every time "Highway to Hell" comes on.......

In A Mellow Mood....

Yep, I am Miss Mellow this fine evening.

I woke up at 6:00 AM ... yes, on a Saturday, I voluntarily woke at 6:00 AM ... because I had to go into work. We are in the process of moving to a new building in about 4 weeks, and we're trying to rid ourselves of a lot of the crap that has collected over the years. So from about 8:15 to 12:15, we unboxed, sorted, reboxed, tossed, laughed, shook our heads, laughed, etc. trying to get it all together.

Stopped off for lunch... since USC was playing the Razorbacks, I was in a mood for barbecue. So I ate the delicious stuff while watching us get a very not-too-pretty win. One where we were just glad to get out of the stadium..... Sorry to pals Bolivar, Laslo, Hazey, and other assorted Arkies.

And now, I'm watching another game, and sipping on some very delicious vanilla bourbon and Diet Dr. Pepper. Yeah, it sounds weird but it's what's on hand..... mmmmm! It's delightfully mellow! Really, it's not so much "vanilla bourbon" as it is homemade vanilla flavoring -- a cut-up vanilla bean that's soaked in some Maker's Mark. It's about 2 years old, and it's the best vanilla ever. I will be making a couple more batches this winter. And besides being a great flavoring, it makes one hell of a mixed drink! Smooth and delicious!

Ba-da-boom-boom-boom...

bomp-bomp-bompa-bomp!

If you don't recognize the bass line, I'm trying to replicate "Another One Bites The Dust." That's the song that swims through my head whenever I think of roller-skating. I was around for the resurgence of skating in the late 70s/early 80s (think "Xanadu")..... and EVERY single time I went skating, it wasn't a complete evening until they played "Another One Bites the Dust." I went to skating birthday parties, weekend skates, church youth group skates. I owned my own pair..... white with burgundy and gold trim, translucent yellow wheels and a bright yellow stopper, size 9 (at 10 years old!). Oh yeah baby, I loved those things, and I loved going skating.

Today was the first day I wore a pair of skates -- quads, no less! -- in probably 20 years. Mr. Know-It-All had a skating party, and I finally got back on a pair of skates for the last 10 minutes of it. One: it was like 1980 all over again (HA!) except for the music. Two: These were some really loose wheels. Or else I've forgotten they're supposed to be that way. Three: to quote Danny Glover from Lethal Weapon, "I am too old for this kind of (barnyard substance)!"

Then there was "BreakDance Guy" -- some guy who was probably way closer to my age than the rest of the people on the floor, and he was showing off the moves. Yep. It really WAS like going back in time (insert rolling eyes icon here). He even had the mullet to go with it (and I could have sworn his locks bore some Jheri-curl in them too). ...... SNORK!

Oh yeah -- Stacey & Chris gave me their present -- HONEST, they know me so well! They got me a poker chip set, some Princess gear, and a cocktail shaker & glass set. Heh heh heh.....

Happy birthday, my birthday buddy!! I'm glad you had such a fun party!

16 Candles....

... and add more than just few to that, and you'll have my age. Yeppers, I turned the big 3-6 this week. And I share a birthday with Mr. Know-It-All, the (now) 6-year-old son of Stacey & Chris. It is amazing to realize how much he's grown up..... holy Moses!

I had a wonderful birthday dinner with my friends Nicole & Jeff, and Stacey & Chris and the kidlets at Haus Edelweiss, a nearby German restaurant that is one of my favorite places. MMM-MMM GOOD! We had lots of good German food, a delightful Riesling (we gals), the boys enjoyed some brews (Bitburger and Warsteiner), and lots of laughter. The kids kept us in stitches, and Nicole brought me a cool "Girlfriends" memory book for Stacey and I to work on together. It's kind of wild to realize that Stacey and I have been friends for half my life. It feels as though I've known her forever.....

Yesterday, my buddy "Queen Serene" (as I call her) gave me another super-cool present! It's a cooler with a radio in it! Is that not the neatest thing??? I can tailgate and listen to the game (or pre-game show) and keep my stuff on ice. Or if I take some drinks to work to keep at my desk, I can keep my radio on low and all will be well. Hmm, now there's an idea!!!! Plus there were some drinks and snacks in it as part of the gift basket. Now that's a friend who knows me well, too!! And it was great to get to see her. I miss her lots, especially now that we're not working together anymore.....

Then today, my coworkers and I went to lunch to celebrate both my birthday and my boss's (hers was Friday). We did have to make it a working meeting, but that was okay too -- lots of stuff to go over. We had a great lunch at Red Lobster, and stopped at a little place called The Chocolate Shoppe. Oh. My. God. Homemade cookies that were TDF, and chocolate confections everywhere. Thank goodness it's nowhere near the office or I'd be in some reeeeal trouble.

***

It's hard to believe how much I've aged, but how little I feel it. Honest to God, I still feel as though I'm in my mid-to-late 20s. When I was a kid, I always felt older than everyone else -- more mature, even though I was younger than most of my friends and classmates. I hit 18, and it started reversing itself. I felt younger than I had in years.

I think one of the greatest medicines to stop the aging process is laughter. Luckily, it's a medicine I take daily, if not several times a day! So keep laughing, and keep living.

Just call me the Dramamine Kid....

I had the pleasure of visiting my good friends The Glecks (of Five Flavors of Reflection fame) this past weekend. We had a great time!! I didn't get in until late Friday, but Saturday we had a full day at an Open House event at T-Gleck's work (complete with some of S-Gleck's yummy cupcakes!!), then onto a fun evening aboard a casino boat.....

Now I have long had trouble with motion sickness. I could take Dramamine, but then I would be out cold for a while. That's no fun. So I try to control it through natural means: ginger is usually a great remedy for nausea, etc. So with box of crystallized ginger in purse -- chewed before getting on the boat and once on the boat -- we boarded. Two decks (maybe a third one) of machines ... and tons of cigarette smoke. And then an upper deck with picnic tables, a karaoke machine, and (ah!) fresh air!

Unfortunately, once the boat got underway, we hit a little choppy water. Not even thirty minutes into the cruise.... well, let's just say I'm SO glad that trash can was nearby. And how did I make myself feel better? Falling asleep..... I could have taken the Dramamine, saved myself the trash-can shuffle, and slept anyway.

Somewhere around midnight, they started some karaoke... (at which point I woke up) I'm just glad there were no cops on board, because these people would have been arrested for murder!! The first was some guy who was so wasted, he didn't even know where the monitor (with the words) was. Then he treated us to a rap about how he was in jail and found the Lord; my first thought was, "Yeah, but where along the way did you lose him again?" The next guy just slaughtered "Come Monday" -- like who the hell DOESN'T know the words and timing to that??? Then RapDude and several friends got up to hack "It's So Hard to Say Goodbye To Yesterday" into little teensy pieces. Worse, they pulled up a girl friend of theirs to help with the high notes -- and her screeching made Mariah Carey sound like Lurch! GAAAAK!

Wait -- it gets worse. The next guy was horrendous -- if Neil Diamond were dead, he'd be rolling in his grave to hear this guy's rendition of "Sweet Caroline" (another one that if you don't know how it goes, don't get up and try to sing). The next guy did a fairly decent job of "I Wanna Be A Cowboy" (Kid Rock).

Then Buffett Murderer reappeared to do a version of "Summer Nights" and was begging for a partner to sing with him. This went on for about 2 minutes. Finally, to shut him the hell up, I got up to help. Good thing -- the poor boy needed it. Luckily, I managed to get a few compliments on the way out from some folks who'd heard me.

And special thanks to S-Gleck for the gift of earplugs...... AH!!!

I have also decided that when I win the lottery, I will devote a sizeable portion to research for ending motion sickness.

The rest of the weekend went all too quickly, but lots of fun. S-Gleck was kind enough to send a birthday cake home with me (and it is sooooooo good!)

Until next time, dear reader.......

Enjoy The Ride (r)!!!

If you're looking for a great classic rock station, please please please allow me to recommend a great one: The Ride 95.7 FM out of Charlotte NC -- now streaming for your listening pleasure!

I was lucky enough to discover them purely by accident one day on the way to my friend Nicole's house. I was also amazed to discover that (a) they were out of Charlotte and (b) I could pick them up on the other side of Greenville! They are my morning bliss on the way to work, and my evening wind-down.

They are not your typical Southern classic-rock station (also known as the "All Skynyrd, All ZZ Top, All the Time" syndrome). They play Steely Dan, they play Van Morrison, they play Talking Heads, they play the Clash, they play the Beatles, they play the Stones, they play lots of artists -- all with pure joy and abandon.

They even play -- are you ready for this??? -- deep album cuts.

Administers smelling salts to readers. Allows them a few to catch their breath.

Enjoy!

A-hee-hee-hee-hee.....

......WIPEOUT! I am totally pooped!

Each evening this past week, I worked like a madwoman on a costume for a party this past Friday night. I still didn't get it perfectly in line with my vision for the outfit, but pretty darn close. So it worked well.

What didn't work:
1. The wig: It was too darn hot and humid Friday night to wear. It was on for five minutes before I said, "Enough of this!!" But this costume really needs it, so by the time of the next event, I'll have perfected it (and hopefully the weather will cooperate as well).

2. The earrings: The hoops were horrendous. I bought this pair of silver "ho-hoops" (humongous hoops which hit my shoulders) which were thin and felt very light. WRONG! Even without the wig, the hoops were a nightmare. I wore them for a half-hour and took them out. OUCHIE! They actually, at one point, had twisted around, taking my earlobes with them.

3. The bracelets: I have a ton of stretchy jingly bracelets, all very cute and inexpensive (which suits my checkbook just fine). Unfortunately, they do not suit my skin -- if all the conditions are right (wrong?) and the moon is in the seventh house, then my skin will break out in a godawful red itchy rash at the mere touch of costume jewelry. At least the bracelets were able to stay on for a whole hour before I started feeling a little itchy. And luckily, my skin is thanking me for paying attention -- the rash didn't develop.

What worked:
1. The skirt: I spent most of Thursday evening sewing costume coins and bells on the eyelet trim of my broomstick tier skirt. It was perfect!!

2. The shirt: Last weekend, I ordered a shirt online (after searching for two weeks in vain for a peasant blouse, which apparently just isn't in this season). I could have paid twice the cost of the shirt for express shipping (guaranteed by the 11th), a nice chunk for delivery by the 13th (for a party on the 14th) or wait 10 days for regular shipping (not even an option). So I paid the nice chunk and prayed and crossed my fingers for arrival on the 13th. Would you believe it came on the 11th??? Anyway, the shirt was just gorgeous, a perfect fit, and very light -- perfect for fall!

3. The shawl/headpiece: Okay, really, I was less "gypsy" and more "Stevie Nicks, pre-rehab" ... but I had her in mind as I was working on this. I found a beautiful fabric at Hancock Fabrics -- an iridescent dark red. When I saw it (in dark red and a plum color), I started looking everywhere for hunter green ('specially with my red hair).... but no such luck. Oh well, the red was exquisite. And incredibly easy to sew. And I can use it over and over. I put my pewter Merlin pin on with it (a wizard with crystal ball) and it was perfect. Of course, I'm saving my $$ for one of those SO cool dresses from a place I saw on eBay -- one where I can still use the shawl and headpiece!

4. Most importantly, the good friends! It was a wonderful evening with good friends. Lots of friends came from all over (from as far as Texas, Indiana, New Jersey, Tennessee... where else?) for a whole weekend of fun (started by the party). Special thanks to Shawn & Catherine who opened their home for the party and as a B&B for us Carolina girls. We also got to have lunch at a great little Cuban place in Doraville with a few other folks. Shopping, too! We (the Carolina crew) decided to bail a little early because of some things going on today (we were starting to poop right on out)......

I have a few things to do today, so no nap for me (at least none I can foresee). So extra vitamins and such to ensure I don't become susceptible to any nasty bugs out there. Too much to do....

It's almost here! It's almost here!

My favorite holiday, that is!

Yes, I love Halloween. Love it, love it, love it. I always have. That may be due to the fact that it is so close to my birthday -- I was actually brought home from the hospital on Halloween! And thanks to a good friend of mine, I have a SLEW of Halloween tunes!!! YAHOO!!! I am now so psyched! Yes, yes, yes! By golly, I will be having a great musical feast this Halloween......

And I am *SO* very ready for an early Halloween party next weekend with my friends in Atlanta. I got the final piece of my costume today -- I ordered it and I am praying MIGHTY hard that it gets here by the 13th (as they have said it most likely would). I can't wait -- I've been working on my costume, and have some final parts to put together over this weekend (just that one last piece I'm waiting on......).

Did I mention how much I love Halloween?

Forgive me KatieG....

I am borrowing this from YOUR blog!

10 years ago I was:
Getting ready to START my work for the church. I had just been let go from a huge corporation (think "Death Star"), and totally unsure of how things would turn out. I lasted there 9 years, 4 months, 13 days.

5 years ago I was:
Getting better. Settling into things. Beginning to emerge from a self-imposed tunnel.

1 year ago I was:
Freaking out over what the future was bringing. I should have trusted my gut instincts.

Yesterday I was:
Crying my eyes out because everything seemed to go crazy at work, and I felt as if I'd really let a lot of folks down. I am my own worst critic and that will continue for my lifetime. But then I met friends for dinner, and things got so much better.

5 snacks I enjoy the most:
1. Cheetos Cheesy Puffs -- not the crunchy crap, the poofs.
2. Cool Ranch Doritos
3. Little Debbie Star Crunch.
4. TGIFriday's Baked Potato Skins (the "chip" kind, but I love the real ones too)
5. Whatever is in the vending machine at lunch.

5 songs I know all the words to :
*Okay, really, what songs don't I know the words to!??!* Fine... if you insist:
1. Penny Lane (the Beatles)
2. Amazing (Aerosmith)
3. Honky Tonk Women (Rolling Stones)
4. Kid Charlemagne (Steely Dan)
5. Ain't Too Proud to Beg (The Temptations)

5 things I would do with a billion dollars:
1. Pay off the bills for myself, my brother, and my parents. Set the 'rents up so they'd never have to work another day. Give baby bubba enough ca$h to do what he wants to do.
2. Put half immediately into a Swiss account. Gotta save for my future.
3. Buy my beach house on Sullivan's Island. Or Isle of Palms. Or Folly Beach. Heck, even Edisto would be fine for me -- and BUILD a house here.
4. Set up an endowed chair at my alma mater.
5. Buy a radio station. Make sure it's programmed the way *I* want a station to be.

5 places ideal for running away to:
1. Charleston SC
2. Sao Paulo, Brazil
3. Colorado Springs
4. Fiji ... Guam ... Samoa. Any of the South Seas islands where the men appreciate women with a little "extra" something.
5. Asheville NC

5 items you'll never see me wear:
1. Heels higher than 2" - God did NOT intend for me to teeter.
2. Skirts above the knee. God forbid.
3. Anything in "Clemson Orange" (or Tennessee Orange, for that matter!)
4. a jumpsuit. GAAAK!
5. Overalls

5 best TV shows:
1. Law & Order, any incarnation
2. My Name Is Earl (looks to be pretty doggone good)
3. M*A*S*H (especially the Frank Burns years)
4. Saturday college football
5. Sunday pro football

5 biggest joys in life:
1. Spending time with my godchildren.
2. Spending time with my friends.
3. Knowing I've made someone's day a little brighter and a little lighter.
4. Finding a true bargain.
5. Discovering the beauty to be found in solitude.

5 favorite toys:
1. my cards and poker chips
2. my computer (that counts... doesn't it?) ;-)
3. my truth-or-dare ball (similar to a Magic 8-Ball)
4. a pen and legal pad .... not technically toys either, but I love to write.
5. Hmm.... hmmm... hmm... hmmm... I'll have to add another later.

Thanks Katie -- this was fun!

Just a crazy thought I had

Yesterday, I was out at lunch, and was silently reflecting upon various things. Something hit me out of the blue, and I wanted to post it. I thought it was terribly profound -- and while it really had no connection with anything going on in my life at the moment, I figured that it might soon -- and I'd best remember.

In moments of tragedy, the self-righteous say, "There but for the grace of God go I." The truly righteous say, "Oh my God, there I am."

Whatcha think?

Attention spammers....

First a note to good friends and others who come across my blog: PLEASE comment! I cherish your thoughts, and am sorry that a bunch of azzhat fidiots are ruining the Internet for everyone. Unfortunately, because of those same cretins, I have had to put in a verification step before your comment becomes final. I hate it, but such is life.

NOW FOR YOU IDIOT SPAMMERS:
Do NOT place comments on my blog to direct people to dating sites, how to make money, or any other "business opportunity."

I have no need for penile enlargement or any other thing dealing with erectile dysfunction. I couldn't care less about seeing hot, horny housewives, or writing for an Eastern European mail order bride. I do not want to be a medical transcriptionist or envelope stuffer from home. I could give forty craps about any other business opportunity.

Do all of us a huge favor -- go far far away from the Internet and do not return.

Grab some tissues and an oxygen mask....

Because you will be laughing SO hard, you'll cry and forget to breathe!!!

Worst Album Covers
This one has some incredibly great commentary, and even after reading it a dozen times, I still crack up! AND he also has a second page (hit "next entry") and a link to yet another site. Really good stuff!

A Whole Slew of 'Em
This is a massive collection of all sorts of album covers. Some are incredibly good (dated, but even now would stand up to any CD cover work of today). Some are just godawful (with appropriate commentary provided). There's admiration for the good covers, and appropriate opposite sentiment for the not-so-good ones. This one is broken down into two main galleries, with probably 10 or 12 sections each, and I'm guessing about 30 covers in each of those sections. MASSIVE collection.

Work hard, play hard!

Work: I love my job. No, REALLY! I love it there! Where else could this happen?

Last Friday night, we had the 1st Annual Poker Tournament. Both the owners are poker fanatics. So they set up a tournament for us. Anyhow, adult beverages were allowed to be brought in to the office, but not opened until the tournament began (about a half-hour after closing). So I stopped at the nearby ABC store to pick up some goods. I was perusing the pre-mixed drinks, when this voice says, "HEY! Get away from that stuff, it's bad for you!" It was my boss. I mean, not just one of the owners, but the one that I work with! Of course, he was picking up his own libations...

Then, I got back with goods in hand, to find the other owner setting up the poker chips and instructions for the evening! His comment? "Special book or no special book, I'm taking all your chips!" (I had mentioned to him that I bought a book to help me prepare....). He was not prepared, however, for the name of the book: The Badass Girl's Guide to Poker (great book, btw). He laughed much about that.

Only at this company could these events happen!

Play: As it turns out, I didn't do too badly. Middle of the pack, with a good run up front. We took a dinner break about an hour into it, and I had a pretty good stack o' chips at that point. My own boss said, "Man, we are seeing a whole different side of YOU this evening!" When I first started there, I was trying hard not to cause too many waves, so people assumed I was quiet, shy, bookish (okay, I'll concede that one!), meek and mild...... did THEY ever get the shock of their lives! (HA HA HA)

I eventually went all-in (pretty much had to, since the blinds had gone WAY up). And lost. Oh well. I stuck around for the end of the tournament, taking pictures and stuff. Lots and lots of fun altogether.

And I think we're having another tournament next month. Heh heh heh........