total solar eclipse

People gathered in the River Ganges in allabad, India to read Hindu tesxt to ward off evil spirits during the total solar eclipse.


These Lebanese students enjoyed the solar eclipse in Beruit!!



The solar eclipse that happened yesterday March 29th will be the last total eclipse until 2008.

















These are just a few pictures I thought were cool from the eclipse that happened yesterday. Unfortunately, we couldn't see it on this side of the world.......what would we do without the internet?????





Graphic showing the path of a total eclipse of the sun which crossed four continents on March 29. The faithful said prayers, astronomers and thrill-seekers gazed skyward and watchers clapped in wonder as the moon turned day into night.


My dad was always intereseted in this type of thing, and I wish I would have taken the time to learn more myself.......I guess it's never too late to learn.

Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay............

On this day in 1968 Otis Redding's "(Sittin'on) The Dock of the Bay" was number one on the billboard charts.

What a great song....Really....I don't know anyone who doesn't love that song. It's one of those that takes you away with it....helping you "watch the clouds roll away."

Otis had sadly passed away in a plane crash nearly three months before his song hit No. 1.

What I found interesting about this song as I researched it, was the fact that Otis' inspiration for the song was none other than The Beatles. He spent a week on a houseboat back in 1967 listening to "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band" over and over as he looked out across the water watching the clouds and mist and all the beauty rolling around him. With that, this world was given a beautiful gift of song.

Otis was involved in music all his life. He sang with the choir for his church in Geogria as a child. He was involved in his high school band, but dropped out to work for Little Richard in order to help his family financially.

Unfortunately, we lost this legend when his plane crashed into a lake near Madison , Wisconsin on December 10th, 1967.

It wasn't until 1989 that Otis was finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It seems so sad that so many people have to leave this earth before they are really given credit for their accoplishments.

What a great artist and inspiration we lost on that sad day.........

Need a good laugh???

Just some random stuff that made me laugh....

Good Night......

When it's almost four in the morning and I get called in to work.....this is where my head is.................................................


Good Night
Lennon/McCartney

Now it's time to say good night
Good night
Sleep tight

Now the sun
turns out his light
Good night
Sleep tight

Dream sweet dreams for me
Dream sweet dreams for you.

Close your eyes and I'll close mine
Good night
Sleep tight

Now the moon begins to shine
Good night
Sleep tight

Dream sweet dreams for me
Dream sweet dreams for you.

Close your eyes and I'll close mine
Good night Sleep tight

Now the sun turns out his light
Good night
Sleep tight

Dream sweet dreams for me
Dream sweet dreams for you.

Good night
Good night Everybody
Everybody everywhereGood night.

Violent Femmes

It's been a few days since I've had time to sit down on the computer........For those of you who didn't know, I got the chance to see the Violent Femmes at the Vogue last weekend.

What a great show!!! Needless to say, there were lots of thirty-somethings running around reliving their high school and college years...and yes, I was one of them!!!!

For a three piece band, they sure can put out a huge sound!! Their percussionist was very annimated, and a lot of fun to watch. They also had a horn section join them for a few songs. They were called "The Horns of Dilemma." The sax player was great, and they had a guy with a slide whistle which gave everything a very unique sound.

They've only got a couple more shows before the end of this tour, but if anyone has a chance to catch them....I highly recommend it!!!

The only bad thing about the show was that my friend left a little early. It's kind of ironic actually, kind of sad from her perspective, but I couldn't help but laugh when it was all said and done.....anyway, quick story....My friend Jill and her boyfriend just broke up. The tickets for the show were a Valentine's gift from Jill to Russ. He was nice enough to let her keep them when they broke up (which I'm really sad about) but she left right after they played "Breaking Up is Easy to do." How ironic........she was outta there!!!!!

concert for Bangla Desh

GEORGE HARRISON LYRICS

"Bangla Desh"

My friend came to me, with sadness in his eyes
He told me that he wanted help
Before his country dies

Although I couldn't feel the pain,
I knew I had to try
Now I'm asking all of you to help us save some lives

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Where so many people are dying fast
And it sure looks like a mess
I've never seen such distress
Now won't you lend your hand and understand
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Such a great disaster - I don't understand
But it sure looks like a mess I've never known such distress
Now please don't turn away, I want to hear you say
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh
Relieve Bangla Desh

Bangla Desh, Bangla Desh
Now it may seem so far from where we all are
It's something we can't neglect
It's something I can't neglect
Now won't you give some bread to get the starving fed
We've got to relieve Bangla Desh
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh
We've got to relieve Bangla Desh
Relieve the people of Bangla Desh

RIP "Pigpen"....one day late......

RIP "PIGPEN"

9/8/1945-3/8/1973

33 years ago yesterday, the rock and roll world lost a huge part of its history.

Ron "Pigpen" Mckernan was one of the founding members of the Grateful Dead. Known to many as "The Bluesman," Pigpen was the life of the show for years. Besides his skills behind the drums, his vocals and lyrics were cherished by fans everywhere.

Pigpen toured with the Dead from 1965 until August on 1971 when he took a four month break due to health problems. He returned to the tour in December 1971, but performed his last song only a few months later. He officially left the band in June 1972.

After struggling with his drinking and the evils it brought his body, Pigpen lost his battle at the age of 27 due to a stomach hemorrage.

Appropriately, his tombstone was inscribed with the phrase "Pigpen Was And Is Now Forever One Of The Grateful Dead." His legacy lives on in the hearts and souls of deadheads everywhere.

"The Stranger (Two Souls in Communion)"Words and music by Ron McKernan

Copyright Ice Nine Publishing

What are they seeing, when they look in each other's eyes?

What are they feeling, when they see each other smile?

Is it love, I don't know - or an emotion that I've outgrown?

Did I take a wrong turn on life's winding road?

Won't somebody help me find the right way to go?

My life need some correction, alteration in direction.

Won't somebody comfort me - yes, I'm lost, yes, I'm lost,Yes, I'm lost.

What is the secret of this tie that binds?

Two souls in communion, both body and mind.

Is it special magic, or just the nature of things?

Conceived of great spirit, not for beggars but for kings.

You who have found it please help me along.

I'm a man, I'm a man, - I'm not made out of stone.

My needs they are simple, I don't want anything,

but I surely want to fly on those wings, on the run, one more time.

All I wanna do, fly up, fly home.

Fly on those wings of love, fly up, fly home,

I'm a stranger staying in your town, fly up, fly home.

Help me somebody please! Fly up, fly home.

I wake up early in the morning, fly up, fly home,

you know I never saw you babe, fly up, fly home.

I just can't seem to understand,

can't seem to understand what's wrong, fly up, fly home.

What I wanna do is take a little ride with you,

on the wings of love,woh-oh one more time, one more time.

New Links

I finally figured out how to add links to my blog site. I've added some links to a couple blogs that I enjoy such as Pete Townshend's blog, and a wine blog, a daily photography page that has cool photos posted every day, and of course, some links to my favorite musicians' websites.

There is also a link to the art gallery (La Luz De Jesus) that I visited when I was in Hollywood. On that webpage, you will find all sorts of links to artists....some pretty cool stuff. Also, Mark Ryden's website is here to view. He is an artist that caught my eye a few years ago in "Bizarre" magazine. I'll warn you, his art is a little morbid, but still beautiful to me. (If you look closely, you'll find Abraham Lincoln hiding out somewhere in most of his paintings) I love the eyes he paints....sounds kind of weird, I know, but you'll either love it like I do, or you'll hate it and think I'm totally crazy. I guess we'll see!!!

Check 'em all out, you might find something you like!!!

Watch out for the blue hairs

So, I'm on my way to work on Sunday, just sitting in my car at a stop light, minding my own business.....and.......BOOM....I get rear-ended.

I'm already running late for work, so I really don't have time to deal with this crap. I get out of my car, saying a few choice words to myself as I approach the car behind me. Then what do I see, but a sweet little blue haired lady that looks as if she's about to cry. Suddenly, my fury was gone and my sweet speaking self came back saying "Oh, honey, are you OK? You didn't hit your head or anything did you?" After a couple deep breaths, she finally looks up with a pitiful look on her face. "Honey, I'm so sorry," she says. "I was already stopped behind you and I was looking through my purse and my foot slipped off the brake and hit the gas. I'm SO, SO sorry!"

After seeing how much more upset about the situation she was than I was, and knowing I was already late for work, I said "Let's just forget this happened. No one is hurt, and the cars are fine." I thought she was going to cry right then and there.

So , anyway, even though no one was hurt, it still made me mad. But what can you do?!?

a time of celebration

After nearly five years, I have finally come to a time of comfort knowing that my paranoid schizophrenic mother married a paranoid schizophrenic man. (It was real hard to accept at first)

Mom and Will have been together for about five years, and will be celebrating their 2nd wedding anniversary this Sunday, March 5th. I am very happy that they have one another.

It has been a struggle (like my Mom hasn't endured enough struggle in her life) but they have come a long way in the last few years.

I'll never forget the day Mom called me and said "guess what I did today...I got married!!" I had to sit down before I fell down. Not only did this mean that they wouldn't get as much from social security to support themselves and I would be more accountable for helping them financially, but it also meant that I now had a schizophrenic step-dad who I wasn't sure could take care of himself let alone my mother. I thought for sure this would be the beginning of me having another child...for years, the roles have been reversed with Mom and me.

What a great surprise it has been to see the two of them grow in their relationship. After all the trips and long term stays in the hospital for both of them, after all the fights and changes in meds (which makes them harder to deal with than normal), they are still holding strong.

It's amazing to see someone like my mom functioning fairly normally in society. Who would've ever thought a woman who spent over 17 consecutive years in a mental institution could lead a normal life now. Of course, it's not exactly normal by most people's standards, but for two mental patients, it's beyond normal.

I thought when Dad died seven years ago that it would be the beginning of the end for my mom. I am so proud to say that she proved me wrong!! I love my mother with all my heart, and I feel so fortunate to have been able to rekindle a somewhat normal relationship with her. We have had a lot of oppourtunity to catch up on times that were lost while she was in the hospital during my childhood. I am so thankful for that.

So, this Sunday brings a day of celebration. A day for Mom and Will to be thankful for one another. And a day that I can also be thankful for the remarkable steps my mom has taken to better her life....

HAPPY ANNIVERSARY MOM!!!!!!!

strange news

OK, How weird is this? This is an article from the "Daily Record UK."
I know people have some strange beliefs, but I think this poor little girl may have some issues after this incident.......

23 February 2006
GIRL WEDS STRAY DOG

A girl was forced to marry a dog because her superstitious family thought her teeth had brought them bad luck.

Seven-year-old Shivam Munda was told to wed the stray after her upper teeth arrived before her lower teeth.

Her father Kundan, a coal miner, said it was a bad omen and had brought an "evil eye" on her and her family.

He added that by marrying the dog, she would remove the eye's spell and be free to marry a man later.

The Santhal tribal marriage ceremony was part of three days of traditional festivities in Dhanbad, a town in Bihar, eastern India.

David Gilmour

If anyone is looking for some new music, David Gilmour of Pink Floyd has a new CD which will be released on March 6th, and available in stores on March 7th. It has been played on radio stations nation wide for a couple days now. From what I have heard, it's a great compliment to any music collection. I have only caught a couple tracks at this point, but I like what I've heard so far. Both songs had that eery/trippy Pink Floyd sound to them.

It's great to hear new material from artists that have already contributed so much. This is David Gilmour's first release since Pink Floyd's "The Division Bell" which I think was released in the mid 90's.

David Crosby and Graham Nash collaborated with Gilmour on the title track "On an Island," which I haven't heard yet, but who can go wrong with Gilmour, Crosy, and Nash together?

Looking forward to adding this little gem to my collection........

The First Robin

Could it be?

Is it really almost spring?

I saw a robin today. The first one I've seen this year. I was out driving with my Mom, just enjoying the nice weather, and there he was....the first robin of the year.

It seems like there may still be something treacherous waiting around the corner. We haven't been pummelled with snow since before Christmas, and where's the ice been?

Don't get me wrong. I long for warm weather. The kind of weather where I can drive home from work at 11:00 at night and have my windows down enjoying the air and moonlight together.

I hope Mr. Robin isn't deceiving me....I hope he's not too early.........

work poop survival guide

I received this valuable little piece of info from a friend. I hope you all find it useful :-)

Work Poop Survival Guide


We've all been there but don't like to admit it. We've all kicked back in our cubicles and suddenly felt something brewing down below. As much as we try to convince ourselves otherwise, the WORK POOP is inevitable. For those who hate pooping at work, following is the Survival Guide for taking a dump at work.

CROP DUSTING When farting, you walk briskly around the office so the smell is not in your area and everyone else gets a whiff but doesn't know where it came from. Be careful when you do this. Do not stop until the full fart has been expelled. Walk an extra 30 feet to make sure the smell has left your pants.

FLY BY The act of scouting out a bathroom before pooping. Walk in and check for other poopers. If there are others in the bathroom, leave and come back again. Be careful not to become a FREQUENT FLYER. People may become suspicious if they catch you constantly going into the bathroom.

ESCAPEE A fart that slips out while taking a leak at the urinal or forcing a poop in a stall. This is usually accompanied by a sudden wave of embarrassment. If you release an escapee, do not acknowledge it. Pretend it did not happen. If you are standing next to the farter in the urinal, pretend you did not hear it. No one likes an escapee. It is uncomfortable for all involved. Making a joke or laughing makes both parties feel uneasy.

JAILBREAK When forcing a poop, several farts slip out at a machine gun pace. This is usually a side effect of diarrhea or a hangover. If this should happen, do not panic. Remain in the stall until everyone has left the bathroom to spare everyone the awkwardness of what just occurred.

COUTESY FLUSH The act of flushing the toilet the instant the poop hits the water. This reduces the amount of air time the poop has to stink up the bathroom. This can help you avoid being caught doing the WALK OF SHAME.

WALK OF SHAME Walking from the stall, to the sink, to the door after you have just stunk up the bathroom. This can be a very uncomfortable moment if someone walks in and busts you. As with farts, it is best to pretend that the smell does not exist. Can be avoided with the use of the COURTESY FLUSH.

OUT OF THE CLOSET POOPER A colleague who poops at work and is damn proud of it. You will often see an Out Of The Closet Pooper enter the bathroom with a newspaper or magazine under his or her arm. Always look around the office for the Out Of The Closet Pooper before entering the bathroom.

THE POOPING FRIENDS NETWORK (P.F.N) A group of co-workers who band together to ensure emergency pooping goes off without incident. This group can help you to monitor the whereabouts of Out Of The Closet Poopers, and identify SAFE HAVENS.

SAFE HAVENS A seldom used bathroom somewhere in the building where you can least expect visitors. Try floors that are predominantly of the opposite sex. This will reduce the odds of a pooper of your sex entering the bathroom.

TURD BURGLAR Someone who does not realize that you are in the stall and tries to force the door open. This is one of the most shocking and vulnerable moments that can occur when taking a poop at work. If this occurs, remain in the stall until the Turd Burglar leaves. This way you will avoid all uncomfortable eye contact.

CAMO-COUGH A phony cough that alerts all new entrants into the bathroom that you are in a stall. This can be used to cover-up a WATERMELON, or to alert potential Turd Burglars. Very effective when used in conjunction with an ASTAIRE.

ASTAIRE A subtle toe-tap that is used to alert potential Turd Burglars that you are occupying a stall. This will remove all doubt that the stall is occupied. If you hear an astaire, leave the bathroom immediately so the pooper can poop in peace.

WATERMELON A poop that creates a loud splash when hitting the toilet water. This is also an embarrassing incident. If you feel a Watermelon coming on, create a diversion. See CAMO-COUGH.

HAVANA OMELET A case of diarrhea that creates a series of loud splashes in the toilet water. Often accompanied by an Escapee. Try using a Camo-Cough with an Astaire.

UNCLE TED A bathroom user who seems to linger around forever. Could spend extended lengths of time in front of the mirror or sitting on the pot. An Uncle Ted makes it difficult to relax while on the crapper, as you should always wait to poop when the bathroom is empty. This benefits you as well as the other bathroom attendees.

to whom it may concern.........

I will be bringing the PINK jumpsuit picture to Grammy's tomorrow........

Music pick for the day

I've found a new CD that I was very surprised that I liked so well. It's the Curious George soundtrack. Jack Johnson has such a soft and tender voice that it's perfect for the type of music on this CD.

I've bought a few Jack Johnson CDs in the past, and I have always enjoyed them. He's got a real "feel-good" vibe to everything he does. I was a little skeptical when I heard he was doing this soundtrack, but I have been pleasantly surprised.

This is something that the whole family, from the kids all the way to grandma and grandpa, would appreciate. There are good messages in these songs, and the general happy go lucky feel that Jack adds to all his tunes is overly abundant. It's one of those CDs I can put in and it just makes me smile.

There are some soft, sweet lullabies. There are a couple of Jack's typical bouncy and happy songs. There is a cover of a White Stripes song that I was really impressed with. And he also does a duet with Ben Harper, who I LOVE!!!!!

His CD debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Magazine's top 200. This is his first No. 1 CD!!! Good job Jack!!!

I recommend it highly........

Valentine's Surprise

This bright red room seemed perfect for Valentine's Day!!
The room with the red couch is the library right outside our room.




Ryan and I had a great weekend in Logansport, of all places. Sounds kind of weird saying we had a little getaway in Logan, but it turned out to be really nice.

I surprised Ryan and took him to a Bed and Breakfast for a belated Valentine's gift. He had to work Saturday night, so we only stayed Sunday. I would have loved to stay longer....there was so much to see.

We stayed in a B&B called The Inntiquity Inn. It was beautiful. It and the home next to it were originally built in 1849. The building that is used for the B&B was once the dairy barn. They have filled it with antiques from all over the world...it was amazing. The outside of the buliding had a little to be desired, but in the summer, I'm sure it's nice when everything is in bloom.

The inside of the house had beautiful things around every corner. It seemed like I would notice something different every time I went into our room. We had a little study area with a desk and a couple chairs. There was a huge antique bookcase full of books and old knick knacks. There was a huge library with a game board, an enormous selection of movies to take back to the room, and a beautiful marble fireplace. (There were three different fireplaces for us to use) We had a jacuzzi tub, so we enjoyed that after sitting by the fire and playing a little chess and some cards.

We had the entire house to ourselves for the night. The innkeeper, George, was there through the night to get us anything we wanted. All non-alcohlic drinks were included with the room, as was our huge breakfast. There was a restaurant in the bar downstairs, but we decided to go out to eat. The bar on the first floor reminded us both of the bar in the movie "The Shining." It had a lot of character, but it was a little creepy at the same time.

Our breakfast was absolutely delicious!! We walked down to the dining room at about 9:00 to find our table set, and our first course waiting on us. There was fresh fruit cups and a couple different breads. Our cook came out and asked if we wanted the "normal country breakfast." We didn't have menus or know what our other options would be, so we said yes. it was a good choice!! We had some kind of egg, cheese and sausage casserole, sausage patties, more bread, more fruit...it was almost overwhelming!!

Overall, I had a fantastic time, and I hope to go back when we can spend a little more time there. Ii would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a quick little getaway. This place would be great for anyone who likes antiques and talking history....George likes to tell lots of stories if given the chance. The website doesn't do this place justice at all, but this is the website. www.inntiquity.com

Creepy or Cute?!?!?

I was sent an e-mail about this...now, I'm taking a poll.....
Creepy or cute????

They are made of frosting!

These are made with marzipan.

Definition of Marzipan A, Almond paste: a sweet paste made of ground almonds and sugar, often with egg whites or yolks, used as a layer in cakes or molded into ornamental shapes.

MY VOTE IS: CREEPY!!!!!!!!!

OH, that romantic man of mine!!!

Some of you got roses, some of you got romantic cards, was anyone as lucky as me? Did anyone else get the book called "I Love You More Than Beer" for Valentine's Day? (It's even shaped like a beer can...it reminds me of the old Hamm's beer that Dad used to buy) Coming from Ryan, that means A LOT!!!!!! :-)

So Ryan, being on the tight budget he's on, put together a V-Day basket for me with very little....but it meant a lot!!!

He even decorated the basket himself. He tied ribbons around the handles, and one around the whole basket. There was a little pink tissue paper in the bottom covered with some Hershey Kisses, a green leather journal, the book, and a framed picture of Ryan wearing a PINK....yes, PINK jump suit!!!! It was hysterical!!

At Christmas, I bought my neighbor a hot pink jump suit. When I sent Ryan in to look at the great bargain (like he cared,) he came out of the bedroom wearing it and strutted around the house unzipping the jacket, sticking his sexy little chest out with a look of either terror, or extremely overwhelming pleasure...and I got pictures!!! I had no idea he stole one to use for this occasion. And yes, once again, I did say PINK...how perfect for Valentine's Day!!!

So, along with the lasting memories I will have from the photo, I have this book.....which is filled with heart felt thoughts from a guy's perspective.

A couple good examples of the contents:
--"I love you more than beer. You taste better than beer (even those pricey microbrews). You're less filling. And when I've had more of you than the law should allow, I can still drive."
--"I love you more than hamburgers. You're juicy and meaty. Your buns are soft, never stale. And you don't need a lot of condiments to be tasty."
--"I love you more than Mcdonald's. You're more delicious than a Big Mac, saltier than a box of fries. And you know that a happy meal doesn't necessarily end with a toy prize."
--"I love you more than old westerns. You're always one of the good guys (even when you're bad!) I'd love to have a showdown with you at high noon. And if you ever showed up in chaps and a white hat, I'd slap my knee and holler "Yee Haw!"

Yeah, and there's 96 more to go with those!!! He's so crazy!!!

There's never a dull moment with this guy!!!! I love my Valentine!!!!!!!

The Treck Continues.......

I'm sitting here at work recovering from yet another long night of good music.

Ryan and I met up with a few friends last night and went to Bloomington to see One Under. We had a great time. This was only the band's second trip to Indiana, and I'm happy to say I've been able to make it to both shows.

The band is made up of two of the guys from Ekoostik Hookah, and some other fellows from a band called The Shantee. They played at a bar called Uncle Fester's. I had never been there until last night. It was a pretty cool little place. There was balcony seating with a bar upstairs, and a small dance floor downstairs with another bar. Of course I was glued to the dance floor all night long. My legs and butt are killing me today......I guess it's good exercise to shake my butt, huh?

The band was excellent. They covered a Wilson Pickett song in memory of him due to his passing this past week. They also covered a couple Santana songs, which were awesome!! I guess Santana would be one of the different artists I could compare One Under to. They throw a lot of spice into their music.

It was strange to sleep on someone's floor last night. I haven't done that in years. The band didn't stop playing until nearly 3:00 A.M. so we opted to crash at my friend Tashanna's house. Ryan, being the boyscout he is, thought ahead and brought our air mattress, so it wasn't too bad. I got about four hours of sleep before we had to get up and get back to Kokomo so I could be available to be on call for work.......I love my job!!!!!

I've gotten my fix of Ed and Johnny from Ekoostik Hookah for awhile....now it's time for the other boys to come back out and play!!!!!!!

Thankful for the Little Things

So, I had a little battle with my toilet the other day!! (Isn't it weird how much we've blogged about toilets)

I decided to try out my plumbing skills because my toilet wouldn't flush. I pulled the top off the tank and tried a little handy work.....now I'm ready to flush...so, here we go, the top is still off the back, the lid is up so I can observe....Yeah, it's flushing...just like it should...but wait, all of a sudden, there's a nice long stream of toilet water shooting like a bullet across my bathroom. The wall is wet, the door is wet, the floor is a total disaster, but you know what.....that dirty ol' toilet water never once touched me!! Not my hands, not my face (YUCK!!)...nothing.

So that is the little thing I'm thankful for........

Moral to this story:
Always make sure the pipe that refills your tank is UNDER the lever for the handle...when the handle goes up, you don't want that pipe going with it!!!!!

cast iron

Ok everyone, time to clean out your cabinets.

Do you or any of your parents and/or grandparents have any old cast iron skillets, or other cookware? Apparently they are pretty hot commodities in the world of antiquing. Maybe that's not a surprise to some of you, but I had no idea that old rusty stuff in my cabinets was worth anything.

I find stuff like this at the goodwill store all the time. Now, I think I'm gonna start buying it if I'm lucky enough to find the right brands because a lot of these (especially Griswold or Wagner brand) are selling for a couple hundred dollars a piece.

There's a pretty interesting website called panman.com that has pricing info, history, and cleaning instructions. It's full of all sorts of info about old cooking stuff.

There was a dutch oven on ebay going for over $500.00, so if you happen across any of theese items, it might be a good investment.

I'm going to Salvation Army and Goodwill after work. I'll let you all know if I get rich quick from this little mission....wish me luck!!

floating babies

This was posted on "my Yahoo" page as one of the most e-mailed photos recently...pretty interesting, huh? It kinda freaks me out.....I think maybe someone did this to me as a child...maybe, that would explain my recurring dreams about water....weird!!!!


In this photo released by China's Xinhua news agency, babies have the swimming training at a Maternal and Infantile Health Care Center in Suzhou, east China's Jiangsu province, on Friday February 3, 2006. Swimming for newborn babies, which is becoming increasingly popular in China, is not only good to the growth of babies' bones and muscles, but can strengthen heart and lung functions, Xinhua said. (AP Photo/Xinhua, Hang Xinghui)

Oh, the memories......

Not having cable has been good for reminiscing the last couple of months.... I know at least Andrea will appreciate this!!

I pulled out a bunch of old movies the other night and came across Coal Miner's Daughter. I think this was the first movie I ever learned to quote. I can thank Andrea for that!! :-)

I remember pulling the old hide-a-bed out of the couch at Aunt Sissy's house and watching this movie over and over again. Watching it the other night brought back a lot of good memories.

It was always good times at Sissy's...at least when Andrea wasn't throwing brushes at me, or hiding nail polish bottles under my pillow case to smash my head on at night. Brent, or "Bee", as I used to call him, was usually a little nicer...sorry Andrea :-) I guess it builds character though, right?

Anyway, I just wanted to let everyone know that if they appreciate Loretta Lynn, Sissy Spacek, and/or Tommy Lee Jones, and they haven't seen this, or just haven't seen it in ahwile, you should take the time to find it somewhere. Sissy Spacek does such a great job, and you can't help but fall in love with this movie if you appreciate country music at all.

Brent and Andrea...this brought back a lot of warm fuzzy feelings for me. Thank you so much for giving me such great memories!!!!

another one of those songs I FEEL

Let my inspiration flow
in token lines suggesting rhythm
that will not forsake me
till my tale is told and done

While the firelight's aglow
strange shadows in the flames will grow
till things we've never seen
will seem familiar

Shadows of a sailor forming
winds both foul and fair all swarm
down in Carlisle he loved a lady
many years ago

Here beside him stands a man
a soldier by the looks of him
who came through many fights
but lost at love

While the storyteller speaks
a door within the fire creaks
suddenly flies open
and a girl is standing there

Eyes alight with glowing hair
all that fancy paints as fair
she takes her fan and throws it
in the lion's den

"Which of you to gain me, tell
will risk uncertain pains of Hell?
I will not forgive you
if you will not take the chance

"The sailor gave at least a try
the soldier being much too wise
strategy was his strength
and not disaster

The sailor coming out again
the lady fairly lept at him
that's how it stands today
you decide if he was wise

The storyteller makes no choice
soon you will not hear his voice
his job is to shed light
and not to master

Since the end is never told
we pay the teller off in gold
in hopes he will come back
but he cannot be bought or sold

GRATEFUL DEAD - "Terrapin Station: Lady With A Fan" lyrics

Volunteering for the animals

Well, I have decided to get involved in volunteering at the Kokomo Humane Society. I know what you're all thinking...I'm going to end up with 5,000 pets at home after it's all said and done. Maybe you're right, but I'm going to try to control myself.

My inspiration behind this decision has been a book called "The Man Who Talks to Dogs." A friend of mine from St Louis gave it to me for Christmas, and I can't get it out of my mind.

The book is about a man who has taken the strays of St Loius and given them some hope. He has set up several programs for adoption, shelters that didn't exist, broken up large dog fighting rings, and has helped with the huge puppy mill problems in the big cities. His personal story of how a dog basically saved his life is very moving, but much too detailed to get into here.

I know we all have our own problems and families to take care of, but there are so many little things we can do to help the homeless and hopeless animals in our community.

Here are a few pictures of some of the sweeties in Kokomo waiting for homes right now. (I had to do that to tug your heart strings a little)


The program I'm mainly trying to get involved in is where you take a pet from the shelter to nursing homes or assisted living homes to visit patients and people who live in these places. (Ryan said "great, you'll bring home a ton of pets AND old people. You know you'll fall in love with everyone!") I have already gotten my dog Jerry involved in this type of thing here at work. He is a huge inspiration in his little wheelchair to so many patients at the hospital.

There are so many things that can be donated to help the shelter care for their animals. I posted a list of some of the things that are easy to get...just incase anyone is interested.



~ Blankets
~ Small Rugs
~ Collars (multiple sizes)
~ Leashes (this could also include harnesses, 'gentle-leaders', snap-off cat collars)
~ Towels and washcloths
~ Carpet pieces or small rugs
~ Non-clumpable cat litter
~ Dog and cat food
~ Purina Puppy Chow (because of their sensitive digestion system, we keep them on a consistant diet)
~ Grooming supplies (shampoos, brushes, combs, fingernail clippers,etc.)
~ Small animal pet food (rodent food, rabbit pellets, guinea pig pellets, bird seed, alfalfa or Timothy hay)
~ Aspen or Pine litter for bedding (NO CEDAR SHAVINGS, please)
~ Small animal cages (bird cages, small pet cages, aquariums)
~ Pet toys for cats
~ Larger pet toys for dogs (small toys and balls get down in drains)
~ Laundry detergent
~ Any other miscellaneous pet supplies YOU can think of !

Anyway, just keeping you up to date on my latest obsession. If anyone is interested in donating anything at all, or donating any time, let me know, and I will take care of dropping off any items, or getting any info you may need for any other interests about the strays and the shelter.

Good advice!!!

Dance like nobody is watching... live like there may be no tomorrow....

Tell everyone important to you that they ARE important to you...that you love them

Smile at the people we have lost and loved every day

Just some food for thought

"If people let the government decide what foods they eat and what medicines they take, their bodies will soon be in as sorry a state as the souls who live under tyranny." - Thomas Jefferson


"One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors." - Plato


"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty." - Ben Franklin


"First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." - Mahatma Gandhi (1869-1948)

"Wisest is he who knows what he does not know" -Plato

"If a man who cannot count finds a four leaf clover, is he lucky?"-Stanisalw J Lec

"when the student is ready, the master appears"-Buddhist Proverb

"If you think you're free-there's no escape possible"-Ram Dass

"To learn something new, take the path you took yesterday"-John Burroughs

"By all means marry. If you get a good wife, you will be happy. If you get a bad one, you'll become a philosopher, that's a good thing for any man."-Socrates



YOUR THOUGHTS?????

A New Year!!!

Hello All!!!!

Sorry it's been awhile since I've been online...I actually took some time off work...Yeah for me!!!

Anyway, not much exciting, except for the fact that another year has passed, and I'm STILL scraping wallpaper ( I mean LAYERS of wall paper) from the wall in my old bedroom.

So, does anyone have any big plans for the new year ahead? Nothing exciting to speak of from my end....no new dogs, no new roommates, no new husbands etc....

I did make a New Year's resolution which has gone pretty well so far. It's very simple...all I want to do is get my lazy butt out of my soft, cozy, warm, snuggly bed early enough to make it to work on time.....so far, so good....but don't hold your breath :-)

So, the Colts lost today....I think I better go home and have some wine to consol myself!! What a bummer after such a great season....and don't you all feel awful for Tony Dungy. He's going to have a lot more time on his hands and on his mind. What an awful thing for any parent to ever have to face.

On the up-side of things, we celebrated Grammy's 88th birthday this week!!! WOW!! Can you imagine everything you could see in that amount of time? I'm so thankful for Grammy and the whole family for that matter!! If it weren't for her, none of us would have eachother...she has built a beautiful family for us. It sounded as if Grammy really enjoyed herself this year. She partied hard until at least 10:30, because that's about when I left....what a woman!! Sorry I missed the rest of the family. But you all know me...I'm always the last one to arrive:-)

I guess that's it for now. I appologize for the lack of interesting content....just wanted to let you all know I'm still out here!!!

I found this picture on a website of strange pictures. I found both the picture and the story behind it pretty interesting.

Back in the 1800's, there was a convivted forger named A. Schiller who was a great artist. He was found dead in his cell with seven straight pins laying on his body. They all had a part of the Lord's Prayer etched into them. It was carved into the pins with a tool too small to be seen by the naked eye. There were six silver pins and one gold one, which was flawless according to the article I read. The Lord's prayer has 65 words and is 254 letters long. It took this man 25 years to finish his masterpiece, and he went blind due to his artwork. (The picture was taken at 500x zoom)

Bottom's up!!!

The School of Textiles and Design at Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh have begun what is believed to be the world's first-ever study on how women's clothing affects the bottom(AFP/Illustration)

OK, so this is a photo that caught my attention. Wish my cheeks were that smooth!!!

Happy 2006!!!!

Well, 2006 is officially under way. It's pretty hard to believe another year has passed. Time seems to go so fast anymore...now I know what all the "old folks" meant when they used to tell me that time goes faster and faster every year. Doesn't it seem like it was just yesterday that everyone was freaking aut about the new millenium???? Now, here we are, six years later......

Anyway, I hope everyone had a great New Year celebartion. Our trip to Kentucky was a blast!! When I figure out how to work my nice new camera, I'll post some pictures from the show.

The concert Friday night was enough to bring in my new year, but we still made the trip to St. Louis as well to visit some friends. Three days later, I'm still recuperating from a crazy weekend.

Before the show Friday night, we met up with Dave and Kelly ( a couple friends we met at Hookah shows) in Newport and had dinner and just hung out at the hotel. Eric Lanese (the drummer & my guilty pleasure) came and hung out with us before the show!!! It was so nice to actually have him in our room where we could have a decent conversation rather than a quick "hello, how've you been...e-mail me" type thing. We tried to get him drunk, but he was being a "good boy." (Those are his words) I would never call Eric a good boy :-) Nevertheless, we got some good quality time in before the booty shakin' began. That made my day...if not my year!!!

The show was very bitter sweet. It was great to be up in front of the boys one last time. The energy from both the stage and the crowd was out of this world!! I ran into several friends I have met through our travels following the Hookah boys, so that was nice. They played for about three hours, and closed with an encore covering "Don't Fear the Reeper." Who would've ever seen that one coming?!?!? Not this girl!!! There were tons of people in the audience screaming "more cowbell!!!" It was hilarious. I wish I could figure out how to put all my feelings into words, but the situation is still so fresh in my mind...I need more time to think...It's hard work, you know!!

Our trip to St. Louis was fun also. The drive was rough after only about three hours of sleep, but Ryan is a champ. He drove the whole trip and I slept quite a bit.

We arrived in St. Louis at about 2:30 Saturday afternoon. So, we were there for just over 24 hours...but it was worth it. We stayed with our friends Jeff and Karen...both wonderful people. We went to Jeff's parents' house on New Year's Eve for the annual family get-together. It's only the second year I have gone with Ryan, yet I feel right at home with all these new faces. Jeff's family considers Ryan one of their own, so I have come to accept them as part of our extended family. We had a lot of fun playing shuffel board, ping pong, drinking, eating, and well, lots of other stuff...maybe I'll remember more details later...who knows!!!

Hope everyone had as much fun as I did bringing in the new year!!