The Final Treck

Well, the time has finally come to officially say goodbye to my boys.......Hang on while I grab a tissue.

Anyway, tomorrow night, at about this time, I will be shaking my booty for the last time to Ekoostik Hookah as I know them. Their last show is actually new year's Eve, but due to other plans, I will not be there. However, Ryan and I are leaving in the morning for Newport, kentucky where they will play their last show at the Southgate House.

Going back to Southgate House alone is exciting for me. I have continued to dream (literally) about this place on a pretty regular basis since seeing Hookah play there last year. I had a blog entry about Southgate House and how it constantly haunts
my mind a few months ago...I think I called it "dreams." So, it should be interesting to see if this visit raises as many questions in my head. I have done a little research since I was there last year, and hope to get some more answers to this bizaar obsession of mine. I plan on taking plenty of pictures with my new digital camera that Santa brought me, so hopefully I can capture some of its eeriness to share with all of you.

It is going to be a very bitter sweet evening. It's exciting as always knowing that I have another show right around the corner, but that will all be done and gone after tomorrow night. I'm not usually a softy about things, but it will be rough to hold back the tears at the end of the show. I feel like I'm losing a big piece of my heart. I know it may sound rediculous to some people who have never been in my shoes, but for those of you who have, I'll take all the sympathy I can get.

I have been reassured that my one big fear will not happen. That is losing touch with these guys. I have come to call them my friends over these last few years of following them. Eric and I have been in touch several times, and although he doesn't have any other side bands right now, I think we'll manage to hang out and keep in touch. I've also talked to Cliff, the bass player, and he will be moving to Colorado this spring. Ryan and I already have his address, so hopefully, we'll be able to keep in touch with him as well.

As for the rest of the guys, I guess that remains to be seen. We plan on following them in all their future endeavors, wherever that may lead. We will definitely be following Johnny and Ed with their new band One Under. ( oneunder.net ) The way I'd like to look at it is....this just means more shows for us in the future. Maybe Eric will join us for a few.

So, as I end my year with my favorite band, and my favorite man, I wish you all the best in the new year.

Thank you all for being so kind and making such a wonderful difference in my life. i would be lost without my family and friends..........................I came for the music..............I stay for the family.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!

back in 1942

Back on this day, December 22nd, 1942, there was a very wonderful person brought into this world.

Jack Robert Simmons 1942-1998

He would have been 63 years old today. It's impossible to not think of Dad on this day every year, which is a good thing, because he always makes me smile.

He always told me that smiles and laughing were contagious. With Dad around, that was always true!!! He was one of the most jovial and positive people to anyone who ever knew him.

On this day, I hope everyone will smile at my dad just like I do every day. He would be happy to be responsble for putting another smile on our faces one more time.

I LOVE YOU DAD.......and I pray you are at peace............

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!!

MERRY
CHRISTMAS
EVERYONE!!!!!!

MY MOTTO FOR GOOD OL' ST JOE

WE, THE WILLING,
LED BY THE UNKNOWING,
ARE DOING THE IMPOSSIBLE
FOR THE UNGRATEFUL.

WE HAVE DONE SO MUCH
FOR SO LONG
WITH SO LITTLE,
WE ARE NOW QUALIFIED
TO DO ANYTHING
WITH NOTHING.

need a good laugh?

Make sure you turn the volume up for this one.

Maybe I'm just plain silly, but I laughed so hard, I almost peed (or tinkled..for Andrea) my pants when I saw it!!!

You will need to scroll to the top of the screen when it comes up. For some reason, I can't figure it out otherwise.

http://www.funnyjunk.com/pages/cat.htm#tell

Hope it puts a big smile on your face!!!

stuff that annoys me!!!!

Stuff that Annoys Me!
1.People who point at their wrist while asking for the time. I know where my watch is buddy, where the hell is yours? Do I point at my crotch when I ask where the bathroom is?

2.People who are willing to get off their butt to search the entire room for the TV remote because they refuse to walk to the TV and change the channel manually.

3.When people say "Oh you just want to have your cake and eat it too". Screw off. What good is a cake if you can't eat it? What, should I eat someone else's cake instead?

4. When people say "It's always in the last place you look". Of course it is. Why the hell would you keep looking after you've found it? Do people do this? Who and where are they?

5.When people say, while watching a movie "Did you see that?" No idiot, I paid $9.00 to come to the theatre and stare at the frigging ceiling up there. What did you come here for?

6.When something is "new and improved", which is it? If it's new, then there has never been anything before it. If it's an improvement, then there must have been something before it.

7.When a cop pulls you over and then asks if you know how fast you were going? You should know a$$hole, you frigging pulled me over.

8.When people say "Life is short." What the hell?? Life is the longest damn thing anyone ever does!! What? Are they going to do something that's longer?

9.When people ask "Can I BORROW a piece of paper?" Sure, but please don't return the favor! It's one piece of paper!

10.When you are waiting for the bus and someone ask you "Did the bus come yet?" If the bus came I would not be standing here idiot!

11.People who ask "Can I ask you a question?" Didn't really give me a choice there, did ya buddy?

hugs

Isn't it nice when the day just isn't goin' right, and someone comes along and does something really nice for you?

I didn't do anything out of the ordinary, or go above and beyond my call of duty, but one of my patients just decided that I needed a hug today.

Whether he knew it or not, I really needed that hug...it's those little things that make a big difference in our lives every day.

So thank you to my thoughtful patient that made me feel better about the day.

LIFE IS GOOD

innovative..or just plain cruel???

OK, seems like it would work, but I'm not sure the kids need to learn the idea of multitasking so early.........any comments???????

women drivers suck...yeah, I said it!!

I think I must have come across all the idiots in Kokomo today on my way to work.

The route I take to work requires me to go through five stop lights. There were four old women drivers infront of me stopping at the green lights!!!!!!!!! Four out of five freakin' lights, I made unecessary stops at. Do you realize I could've clocked in about three minutes sooner if it weren't for these idiots? What the hell is wrong with these people?

I like to scream a lot in my car, but I try to be careful not to flip people off, because I might just have to x-ray that stupid old woman when I finally make it to work that day!!

Some days people just drive me crazy!!!

Where's my Klonopin when I need them?!?!?!?

be awake

Be awake
Love yourself
and be awake
-today, tomorrow, always.
First establish yourself in the way,
then teach others,
and so defeat sorrow.
To straighten the crooked
you must first do a harder thing
-straighten yourself.
You are the only master.
Who else?
Subdue yourself,
and discover your master.

May the Four Winds Blow you Safely Home

"May the four winds blow you safely home"................

These are lyrics that have gotten me safely home at least in my mind so many times......Thank you Robert Hunter for writing these beautiful words, and of course Thank you to Jerry Garcia, for putting his music with them to become the song.........Another collaboration that has touched me deeply.

Franklin's Tower

In another times forgotten space

Your eyes looked from your mother’s face

Wallflower seed on the sand and stone

May the four winds blow you safely home.

Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew

I’ll tell you where the four winds dwell

In franklin’s tower there hangs a bell

It can ring, turn night to day

It can ring like fire when you loose your way.

Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew

God save the child that rings that bell

It may have one good ring, baby, you can’t tell

One watch by night, one watch by day

If you get confused listen to the music play.

Some come to laugh their past away

Some come to make it just one more day

Whichever way your pleasure tends

If you plant ice you’re gonna harvest the wind.

Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew

In franklin’s tower the four winds sleep

Like four lean hounds the lighthouse keep

Wildflower seed on the sand and wind

May the four winds blow you home again.

Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
You’d better roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dew
Roll away the dewYou’d better roll away the dew - roll away.


PS This is the song I named my dog Franklin after...incase you care:-)

Fly in the toilet????

The following article from About was forwarded to me from a friend. Who knows if it's really true....but it sounds like a good idea to me!!!

You can see a better picture from this link:

http://urbanlegends.about.com/library/bl_fly_in_urinal.htm

For more information on this topic, be sure to check out the Urban Legends and Folklore site.

Good Karma...mantra to share

Compliments of the Dalai Lama

More people should embody his teachings...

1.Take into account that great love and achievement involve great risk.

2.When you lose, don't lose the lesson.

3.Follow the three R's:
___Respect for self
___Respect for others
___Resposibility for all your actions

4.Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.

5.Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.

6.When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate actions to correct it.

7.Spend some time alone every day.

8.Open your arms to change, but don't let go of your values.

9.remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.

10.Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and look back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.

11.A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.

12.In disagreements with loved ones, deal only with the curreent situation. Don't bring up the past.

13.Share your knowledge-it's a way to achieve immortality.

14.Be gentle with the earth.

15.Once a year, go someplace you've never been before.

16.Remember that the best relationship is one where your love for eachother exceeds your need for eachother.

17.Jugde your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.

My Addition to this is really pretty simple:
Speaking from experience............I am a strong believer in the "Golden Rule"
If you treat people as you would hope to be treated, Karma will find it's way....ten fold.

I've come to realize I have an addiction......

They say that the first step to dealing with any problem is admitting that you have a problem.

So, this is my confession.......I have an addiction...............to my couch.

Some people may call it laziness, but I call it sweet sweet slumber. Now that the weather is cold, all I can think about is getting home to cuddle up in my down comforter with my puppies on my couch. I literally think about it all day when I'm at work. I just can't wait to get home every night.

When I walk in the living room, it's as if my couch is calling my name. It is so inviting....so warm....so soft...oh I could just go on and on!!!

I think it's getting a little rediculous...I just can't get it out of my head. I love the nights when it's snowing outside and I know I don't have to even think about leaving my house. I just sit on my big comfy couch with the puppies and watch it all blow by.

It's 3:46 PM now....only seven hours and 14 minutes until I head back for my next fix!!!!!

sad day..........

Today, December 8, 2005, marks the 25th anniversary of the death of a great man...Mr. John Lennon.

This world suffered a tremendous loss that day. Many of us have felt it very deeply since then.

Even at the tender age of only five, it had a huge impact on me. This was the first time I ever saw my Dad cry...something I will never forget.

After hearing the news, my dad came home and sat me down on the floor to tell me that he had been shot. Tough stuff for a kid to take in. I knew this man as the voice of one of my favorite songs at the time, which was Yellow Submarine. So, Dad and I sat there on the floor, and listened to Beatles albums crying together. It will be a sad day forever.

I'm fillin' up with SUPER!!!

Have any of you Kokomoans noticed that the unleaded gas at Casey's is usually more expenxive than the super unleaded?

I think I have been tricked a couple times!! You know, you just assume that the cheaper price on the big sign is for regular unleaded, so you pull up to that pump, fill 'er up, and go on your way. If I wouldn't have actually paid attention to the price on the pump itself, I would have continued to be tricked!!!

Anyway, the moral to the story is......go to Casey's...you can fill up on Super for the same price as regular anywhere else!!!

photos that caught my eye from Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving day in Washington Square in New orleans. Dinner was provided by volunteers.
An unidentified man takes a break from cleaning out his home in New Orleans on Thanksgiving day.
Troops in Iraq enjoy their feast.
People get into the Thanksgiving day spirit with some appropriate headgear while enjoying their day at Disneyland.
Reverand Maurice Chase takes time out of his day to pass out money to the less fortunate in Los Angeles on Thanksgiving Day.
Wow! someone else eats flan too!! Aunt Jan would appreciate this!!
Children catch a peek of the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade from a window along Broadway.
two deer enjoy the snow of Thanksgiving in Ohio.
A soldier plays guitar while spending Thanksgiving away from home.
Ben Franklin is a bourbon red turkey enjoying his Thanksgiving dinner of mealworms...yummy!!!!