It suddenly dawned upon me while I was on my way home from work, tomorrow is December first! It hit me like a ton of bricks. Calendars to make, gifts to buy, long hours to work, I may never get to Curves! ARGH! Someone please make December go away (but not The Moody Blues album of the same name. I like that.)!
My heart is filled with terror at the thought of the Christmas season. How am I going to get the lights put up on my house. That has always been "the estranged one's" job, but this year he cannot do it, climbing ladders is on his list of no-no's for medical reasons. Still, I suppose that I was going to have to learn hoe to do it myself eventually. There's no time like the present, I suppose.
My mind drifts to thoughts of Christmas Day. What will that man do to screw it up? He sure as heck put the screws to Thanksgiving by deciding that he didn't need to see his kids on the holiday for the first time ever. Oh, how I wish I could end this marriage now, but to do so would be financial suicide.
If I make it through this month with my sanity intact, I'll consider myself lucky.
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Monday, November 29, 2004
How Not To Fix A Blown Head Gasket
Last Monday my postal vehicle broke down. It was overheating quite rapidly, all of the engine coolant was disappearing, gurgling noises could be heardcoming from under the hood, clouds of steam followed me wherever I went. Pair these symptoms with the fact that the vehicle has travelled over 110,000 miles and it becomes obvious that the head gasket is blown. The local mechanic who does minor work on these vehicles took a look under the hood and concurred. So, last Tuesday my vehicle was sent off to the Vehicle Maintainence Facility (VMF) in Washington, PA to be fixed. It was returned to me on Friday afternoon.
When I spoke to the guy from the VMF, I knew that I was in trouble. They had fixed the transmission, he told me. The transmission had neen giving me some minor problems when shifting into reverse, so this pleased me. "What about the engine?" I asked him.
"Yeah," he told me, "there was no coolant in your vehicle." When he said this, warning lights began to go off in my mind. I just knew that they hadn't fixed the vehicle's real problem.
I watched all of the guages very carefully as I delivered my route on Saturday. All appeared to be functioning properly. I was pleased. Perhaps they had fixed that blown head gasket, even though that seemed highly unlikely consiering how quickly the work had been done. Maybe that mechanic and I had been wrong... Alas, this was not the case.
About twenty minutes into my route today, the steam clouds, overheating, and all of the other problems returned. My first instincts had been correct.
AS I sat waiting in the cold for my boss to procure another vehicle for me, it became obvious to me how those guys at the VMF had "fixed" my vehicle. They had dumped a gallon or so of antifreeze and a can of stop leak into the radiator. That's a nice temporary fix to get you through the day, but that's no way to fix a blown head gasket! What the hell is wrong with these guys?!
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1. How did you choose a name for your blog? The name of my blog is derived from The Scorpions' song, Send Me An Angel.
2. How many times have you changed the name of your blog? Never! And I never will, either...
3. How many blogs to you update regularly? I update this blog and my photo blog on a daily basis. I am also one of The Certifiable Wenches and blog there about once weekly. My other blogs are updated very infrequently. I really need to post more on my Scorp-Fic blog!
4. How many times have you moved in your life? I moved once as a child when my parents bought their house, and four times as an adult, to Charleston WV with an ex bofriend and back home when his job didn't pan out, to a rented house when I got married and to the house where I currently live when "the estranged one" and I bought it thirteen years ago.
5. On a scale of 1-10, how stressful is moving (in your opinion)? When it involves the purchase of a house or telling your parents that you're moving in with your boyfriend, definitely a 10. In all other instances about a 7 or 8.
6. When moving, do you/would you rent a moving van/truck? When moving into my current home we borrowed a truck from Snyder of Berlin, where "the estranged one" was employed at the time. It made things much easier.
7. Do you wear glasses? If so, how old were you when you needed them? I'm supposed to wear them when I'm reading, but I seldom do until the eyestrain gives me a terrible headache. I've been farsighted for a long time. I got my first pair of perscription reading glasses when I was in my early twenties!
8. What one question would you hope someone running a meme would ask? Answering silly or rhetorical questions is so much fun! I'd love it if someone asked, "How much wood could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood?"
It's officially the holiday season. Time to shop and be shopped for. So in the spirit of the busiest time of the year, the mambo will be about musical gifts.
1. What album do you want the most for the holiday? Topping my list of most wanted albums this Christmas is The Scorpions Crazy World, since I just managed to obtain a copy of Pure Instinct. I'd really like to complete my collection, so Live Bites and Best Of Rockers And Ballads are also on my most wanted list.
2. Are you buying any of your friends or family music for Christmas? What are you buying for them? Ray usually asks for at least one CD for Christmas every year. I don't imagine that this year will be an exception. The same is true for Mike. They haven't told me which ones they want yet, but I'm certain that they will.
3. What was the best musical gift you ever received? (Doesn't have to be for the holiday season) I got my very first guitar as a gift one year for Christmas. That was oh so many years ago that I can't remember exactly when it was. I think that I was in Junior High. It doesn't really matter when I got it though, it was the best musical Christmas gift ever!
4. Are there any holiday concerts you want to attend? No, but there is one that I definitely don't want to attend, my son Mike's holiday chorus concert. Between the freaky parental units of the other chorus members and the imbicilic chorus teacher, I cannot decide which makes me more annoyed.
5. Other than CDs what music or music related gifts are on your wishlist? I'd love it if someone could get me that white Gibson 76 Explorer that I dream about. The price is down to a mere $999 at Musician's Friend.
Or, if you really love me, you could get me this...
Look! He even comes equipped with one of those white Explorers!
6. Do you keep a wishlist at Amazon or any other site for your musical wants? Unless you count the wish lists that I keep here, no.
From all of us musical mamboers here at BDI have a wonderful week! And shop til you drop!
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Sunday, November 28, 2004
A Trip To The Mall
Following today's mall themed meme, I got an irresistable urge to go to the mall. Since The Spongebob Squarepants Movie (which my kids just had to see) was playing at Southland 9, the mall had to be Century III, not one of my favorites. Still, it was quite a profitable trip.
I had no intention of doing any Christmas shopping and I did not buy anything for anyone other than little ol' me! I am still doing the dance of joy because I finally found a copy of The Scorpions Pure Instinct. Couple that with the pretty sweaters that I found on sale at J. C. Penney and you have one very happy camper. It takes so little to make me happy...
Oh, The Spongebob Movie was a hoot. It's a full hour and a half of the same stupid silliness seen in the television episodes. You gotta love it!
"George Washington had a vision for this country. Was it three days of uninterrupted shopping?" ~ Jeff Melvoin, Northern Exposure ~
1. Do you enjoy shopping at the mall? Normally I enjoy a nice shopping trip to the mall, but at Christmastime, it's a nightmare!
2. What is your favorite mall food? The food court is one of my favorite places in the mall. It is always so hard to decide. Panda Express, The Potato Shack and Taco Tina's are among my favorites.
3. What are your three favorite “mall” stores? My favorite clothing store is Dots, my favorite department store is Kaufmann's, and Sun Coast is great for buying DVDs and other TV and movie trinkets.
4. What is your favorite mall? Washington Crown Center is a nice mall, small and not too crowded, but Monroeville Mall has a Guitar Center...
5. Do you have one special person that you enjoy going to the mall with the most? Usually I go to the mall with my sister. When I take my sons along, they spend entirely too much of my money!
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Saturday, November 27, 2004
Sign Of The Times
The greater Pittsburgh area is famous for its constant state of road construction, just ask any of us who live in the area. Commuters are told so often to use their favorite alternate routes that we joke that the city's motto should be:
You can't get there from here!
With this in mind, I was quite surprised that the following news story had not happened in Pittsburgh...
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - A hacker put an obscene message, possibly for the city's mayor, on an electronic traffic message board, shocking morning commuters.
Mayor Lois Frankel recently had put up large electronic signs that flash humorous messages meant to make light of ongoing construction delays, such as "I Am Mad Too! - Lois."
A hacker typed in the three-word message that Frankel thinks was aimed at her for Tuesday morning commuters to see.
The story didn't contain a photo of the sign, lest more sensitive readers would take offense, so we are left wondering what exactly it said.
Hmmmm... a three word message... Perhaps the hacker was responding to the mayor's earlier message. If that is the case, I imagine that the sign was flasing "Fuck you, bitch!"
Tee hee! I wish I could have seen it, but I suppose it is only a matter of time before someone tries something similar in this area.
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Friday, November 26, 2004
First Flurries
We got a little extra this Thanksgiving Day! The first snow flurries of this winter season fell. Here you see them as they looked upon my "creepy little car" as it sat outside my mom's house.
Winter has arrived. Argh!!
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Thursday, November 25, 2004
My Fair Market Value
According to a quiz on this site, I am worth $1,990,200.62! Not too shabby, eh? I wonder who it is who would be willing to pay that much for me, because I've got some oceanfront property in Switzerland that I'd really like to unload!
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Obligatory Post Of Thankfulness
It's Thanksgiving Day here in the U. S., a time for us to give thanks for all of the good things that we have. So, what is Lady Starlight thankful for this year...
Besides the usual sappy stuff such as good friends, continued employment, good health and a loving family, even if it is a bit disfunctional, I am thankful for the following things:
Having the opportunity to see these guys in concert twice this past summer.
Having one son who knows how to fix computer problems...
And another one who actually enjoys cleaning house (even if I don't have a good picture of him to show you)!
But mostly, I am thankful for beautiful things like this...
and this...
And even this!
I am also thankful that I have a friend who made these screen caps for me, since I never got around to doing it myself.
Yes, yes - we know, the hump is late today. But you know it's never too late to hump. Today is National Espresso Day but since many of us drink espresso on a regular basis thanks to Starbucks let's celebrate something else. *flips through calendar of events* Ah HA! Here's a good one. November 26th is Good Grief Day celebrating the birth of legendary creator of the "Peanuts" comic strip, Charles M. Shultz, in 1922. We here at BDI adore "Peanuts" characters but we're partial to Woodstock -- so much so we joined the Woodstock Fanlisting.
Okay, let's warm up. If you were a character in the "Peanuts" comic strip, which character would you be and why? Not familiar with "Peanuts"? Then tell us what makes you slap yourself in the head and say, "GOOD GRIEF!"
I've always associated with Charlie Brown, I've got the same kind of dumb luck that he has. Yep, that's me, Charlotte Brown!
Shall we hump?
This week, some humping' good fun with free association or "I say ___, you think ___". The rules are easy as pie. Just copy and paste the questions below into your blog and add your responses. (Respond with the first word, words, phrase that pops into your head. Or babble insanely - it's all good.) You need not be a member to play - so let us not delay .... let's hump like crazy.
1. Foreign: Foreign exchange student
2. Deluxe: Bigger and better
3. Warning: It seems there's one on everything these days!
4. Class: A touch of class
5. Easy: Easy as pie
6. Incoherent: Confusing
7. Scarlet:The Scarlet Letter
8. Goodie: Goodie two shoes
9. Jumping: Jumping for joy
10. Mob:The Godfather
11. Bang, bang: It's lyric time!
Bang! Say da, da, da! Tell me yes, and let's feed the fire. Bang! Bang! Say da, da, da! Nothing less I want to hear a yes!
Does anyone else Remember the Russian band, Gorky Park?
12. psychic: Clairvoyant
This hump has been brought to you by those loons at BDI who put lipstick on our heads just to make-up our minds. Wheee!
By now everyone has heard of those strange Thanksiving dinner flavored sodas made by the Jones Soda Company, so it was just a matter of time before the people at Blogthings made a quiz about it. So, here it is, in all of it's glory.
I'm quite curious as to how they calculated these results. What exactly is it about me that makes me a green bean casserole? Was it the fact that I would name my pet turkey Elvis, not dinner? I am not a vegetarian, but I sure as hell would never eat my pet, even if it was a turkey! Eating a pet is just disgusting.
I know, that sounds like I should be a vegetarian, and perhaps I should be, but dammit, I like meat.
1. If you could thank one artist/band for their contribution to your life, who would it be and why?
Is it any wonder that Lady Starlight would be thanking The Scorpions? Their music somehow touches my soul in a way that no one else's can. It brings to mind old dreams which I thought had died. It is a terrible thing for a dream to die. Although they may never be fulfilled, I have these guys to thank for bringing mine back to life.
Matthias, Klaus, Rudolf, Pawel, and James (also Francis, Herman and Ralph), I love you. Thanks for the music and for being a part of my life.
2. What albums are you thankful that you purchased or heard this year? I am most definitely thankful that I was able to purchase replacement copies of Deadly Sting and Worldwide Live after the dreadful doggie incident. I am also thankful for my multiple copies of Unbreakable, which proves that The Scorpions can still rock with the best of 'em!
3. If you wanted to tell someone thanks in song, what song would it be? I don't think that I could use a song written by someone else to express my thanks. I would have to write the song myself. As for what that song would be, I do not know. I haven't written it yet. Hmmm... Inspiration!
4. What musical things are you thankful for? Besides The Scorpions and my vast collection of their music...
Why, my guitars, of course!
Meet Blackie!
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1. What is your favorite sport? Football, American style!
Go, Steelers!
2. Do you watch sports on television? I try to avoid it. I tend to put some kind of curse on the Steelers when I watch them play! Sometimes, I just can't help myself, though. I actually enjoy a game more when I don't care which of the teams wins or loses.
3. In high school, did you (or do you) play any sports? Good heavens, no! I am a klutz. No one would want me on her team.
4. Any favorite teams? Go, black and gold... Steelers, Pirates, and Penguins, all of the requisite Pittsburgh teams.
5. If applicable, did you (or do you) attend your child's games? My sons inherited the klutz gene from their mother. They do not play sports.
6. Do you think professional athletes make too much money? Some do, but not all. When you consider the short length of their careers, the expenses involved in their work, and the punishment taken by their bodies, their high salaries suddenly become much more reasonable. Really, how many people complain that actors make too much money? Why should our standards for professional atheletes be any different? I say that if someone is willing to pay you oodles of dough, go for it!
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Sunday, November 21, 2004
How Dumb Is Lady Starlight?
The world may never know, but if what happened today is any indication, she's pretty damned dumb. Hey, I'm not above letting you guys have a good laugh at my expense. Here's what happened...
Several months ago, my laptop computer suddenly and inexplicably lost all sound. It became so silent that I could not even hear the modem as it dialed. This left me baffled. One of the first things that I did was to click on the little speaker icon to see if the volume had been muted. It appeared that this was not the case. I downloaded new drivers for my sound card. Still, I was met by silence. Perhaps some program was sucking memory away from the sound card, I thought, so I stopped all but the most essential programs from loading on start-up. The great silence continued. A virus or spyware program being at fault was another option that I considered. I scanned for and removed both to no avail. I was at my wits end. My beloved laptop sat idle until another option was brought to my attention, a faulty modem could draw memory away from the sound card, causing me to lose my sound. In a last ditch effort to get my machine to function properly, I asked my son, Ray, to disable the modem for me. When this produced no results, he decided to do a few system diagnostics of his own. This is what he eventually discovered...
Although the speaker volume on my machine was turned all the way up, the system volume was turned completely off! It seems that the demon machine has two sets of volume controls, and I remained blissfully unaware of one of them! He turned the system volume back on, and suddenly sound was returned to my world! Then he showed me how to access the system volume. When he did this, I realised how I had managed to lose my sound. While typing in a darkened room, I had accidentally pressed the keys which turned the system volume off!
The moral to the story is...
Never let the world's worst typist operate a keyboard in the dark!
In my defense, I must say that Ray had checked the machine once before and not found the elusive second volume control. It's not like the machine came with an owner's manual, either. I bought it used, from a computer show. They didn't even reformat the hard drive before selling it, they just deleted most of the original owner's files!
"I awoke this morning with devout thanksgiving for my friends, the old and the new." ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson ~
1. How do you cook your turkey? (Stuffing, spices, cooking bag, etcetera) I don't! Cooking turkeys is my mother's department. The day that mom can no longer do it will be the day that I have Thanksgiving dinner in a restaurant. Lady Starlight does not cook!
2. What is your favorite Thanksgiving dessert? Mmmmmm... Pumpkin pie!
3. What are you doing this year for Thanksgiving? The same old same old. I'm going to my mom's for an early dinner. Afterwards, I'm taking the boys to their other grandma's home for yet another dinner. I'm not staying there. Argh! Insanity! I wonder if there are any good movies opening on Thanksgiving Day...
4. Do you have any family traditions at Thanksgiving? My brother almost always comes home for Thanksgiving. He watches the traditional Detroit game on TV and we eat dinner during halftime. At some point in the day a heated argument usually breaks out. It just wouldn't be right if it didn't. Another disfunctional family holiday...
5. What one dish does it just not feel like Thanksgiving without besides turkey? If you're having turkey, you MUST have cranberry sauce!
And now for a brunch with international appeal...
Air Travel
"Flying may not be all plain sailing, but the fun of it is worth the price." ~ Amelia Earhart ~
1. Do you enjoy travelling by air? It beats the hell out of a long road trip if you can afford it and have the patience to tolerate the ridiculous post-9/11 security. I have neither, so it has been quite a while since my last flight.
2. Do you typically check a bag when you fly or carry on? When I took flights in the past, I checked my large suitcase and carried on a smaller bag containing a few essentials.
3. Has an airline ever lost your bag? Describe what happened and if you were compensated by the airline. Thank the dear lord, this has never happened to me!
4. Do you eat the airline food? On a seven and a half hor transatlantic flight... What do you think? Of course I ate it. I've had worse, hospital food, for example.
5. What do you do to pass the time when you fly? Watch the movie, listen to music, nap, and converse with my travelling companion. If I were to take a flight now, I might play around on my laptop computer which would definitely be in my carry-on bag.
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Saturday, November 20, 2004
I'm So Confused...
This is the gift that was bought for me by "the estranged one." It is so adorable. I love it, but it leaves me feeling confused. He left it at my mom's house to be given to me today. He was not there to present it to me, nor has he called to wish me a happy *cough* birthday. Why does he insist upon playing with my emotions so?! It would have been so much easier for me if he said that he bought it for one of the boys to give to me, but he did not. So, I ask myself, "What is the significance of this lovely gift? How did he come to choose something that I would like so much? He never seemed to possess this ability in the past."
Is it merely given out of obligation? I don't think so. I expected nothing from him. Is it his way of saying thank-you for covering all of those nasty medical bills for me? Hardly likely, as I am obligated by law to do so since we are still married. Could it be his plea to me to bring his kids to him on Thanksgiving Day? Perhaps, but it is highly unlikely that I would be cruel enough to keep them from him on the holiday. This leaves me thinking that he wants something from me, but what is it? I do not know, but it is certain that I shall find out eventually. Until then, it remains a cherished gift, a reminder of happier times long past. I should thank him for it, but I'm not certain that I know how...
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Friday, November 19, 2004
I'm Depressed
I suppose that it is because tomorrow is "Buy Me A Present Day." As much as I like to deny it, I know that tomorrow there will be yet another year tacked onto my age. I look into the mirror and a middle aged woman looks back at me. I do not recognise her. Surely she could not be ME! The whole aging thing scares the hell out of me. I don't want to do it. Just let me be twenty-nine for one more year...
Maybe the present thing will make me feel better. Presents are good. Maybe someone will get me something like this...
Or this...
I seriously doubt it though. They are playing in Vegas tomorrow, and I can't be there. WAAAAAAAAH!
I really need to quit feeling sorry for myself...
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This Is My Number...
Because I just had to have the latest Blog Thing!
You Are the Individualist
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You are sensitive and intuitive, with others and yourself.
You are creative and dreamy... plus dramatic and unpredictable.
You're emotionally honest, real, and easily hurt.
Totally expressive, others always know exactly how you feel.
"If you are a dreamer, come in. If you are a dreamer, a wisher, a liar, a hoper, a prayer, a magic-bean-buyer. If you're a pretender, come sit by my fire, for we have some flax-golden tales to spin. Come in! Come in!" ~ Shel Silverstein ~
1. What were some of your favorite books as a child (pre-kindergarten)? Did you prefer picture books, or books that you could read? What were your favorites in elementary school? I never liked books with just pictures very much. I learned to read before I entered kindergarten, quite unusual at that time (the late 1960's). Some of my favorite books as a preschooler were Green Eggs And Ham, Are You My Mother, How The Grinch Stole Christmas, and a book from the easy reader series called Ann Likes Red. As I got older my favorites included The Mouse And The Motorcycle and just about any biography of Helen Keller that I could get my hands on. All of the books mentioned were read multiple times.
2. Were there any books that you just did not like? Why? There are two children's classics which I have never liked, Alice In Wonderland and The Wizard Of Oz. I can't really say why I didn't like them (and don't until this day). I just didn't. I never liked their movie versions either!
3. Who was/were your favorite children's author(s)? Who were your least favorites? I have always loved Dr. Seuss. It is my humble opinion that he is the greatest children's author of all time. Many may try to immitate his lyrical rhymes, but none can compare! As for my least favorites, it has been a long time since I was a child, their names are long gone from my memory.
4. Did you read any of the "popular" series, like Nancy Drew, Hardy Boys, Sweet Valley, Babysitters' Club, etc.? Which ones? Why did you like or dislike them? Nancy Drew and The hardy Boys were the only series around when I was a young 'un! I read books from both series, much to the dismay of the school librarian, who felt that The Hardy Boys was "boys only" material. Those were still very sexist times. I enjoyed the books from both series, 'tis where I learned to love a good mystery.
5. Do you feel that any of the books you read as a child have influenced who you have become as an adult? Which ones, and why? Certainly Green Eggs And Ham taught me not to judge new things before I try them, and all of those Helen Keller biographies taught me that even the most difficult of obstacles can be overcome.
Bonus: If you have children now, do you read to them? What do you read? And if you don't have children, what would you recommend that all parents should read to their children? At eighteen and twelve, it is hardly necessary that I read to my sons any more. When they were young, I read them all of my chilhood favorites, plus a few new gems that I discovered in the library. Angus And The Cat and Once Upon A Potty are but two. The latter was a great help during the potty training phase in the lives of two stubborn little boys. I would recommend it to any parent who is having difficulty in that area.
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Wednesday, November 17, 2004
Good-bye Blog Explosin I can't say I'll miss you...
After a brief relationship with the folks at Blog Explosion, I have decided to call it quits. It just wasn't good for me. You may ask why I feel this way. There are multiple reasons.
I was promised lots of new traffic by this site. I received next to none. It seems that multitudes of people there block pages with embedded sound files. Yes, I have one. I make no apologies for it. I like it. It makes a statement about me and this blog. The title of this blog is The Angel Waiting To Be Sent, the sound file is a midi of Send Me An Angel. See the relationship there? If you don't like it, you are quite capable of muting the volume on your computer. Hell, if you use a Netscape or Firefox browser, you'll never even hear it. The code that I use is readable only by IE based browsers.
I am sick of self censorship as well. It seems that the Blog Explosion people have a profanity police force patrolling member blogs. Well, fuck that! I'll use whatever words that I see fit! I like profanity, I like it a lot! Nothing expresses anger and frustration like a few well placed explitives! I desire to use them freely. Not that it matters much, no one was coming here anyway, since my sound file is so damned offensive.
Finally, there is the blog rating feature. It seems that the radical right-wing Republicans have flocked to Blog Explosion. Needless to say, my blog rating was low, just slightly above a four on a ten point scale, and falling rapidly with each post that expressed my liberal viewpoints. Really, I thought that the people using this site were adults, not a bunch of elementary schoolers bent on playing popularity games and blacklisting anyone not sharing their high and mighty opinions. Obviously I was mistaken.
Since the people there seem to hate a liberal, sound file loving person such as myself, I have decided that it is for the best that we cut all ties. I wouldn't want to offend you any more by my presence. We are all better off this way.
Once again, I say, "Good-bye, Blog Explosion. It hasn't been good..."
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Tuesday, November 16, 2004
I'm Feeling A Bit Silly!
I have been overcome by the urge to take pictures of food! This is what the bottle of Mexican pineapple soda that I am drinking looked like before I opened it. Mmmm... tasty!
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Intolerance Is Not a 'Value'
Following is an exerpt from an article by Timothy M. Gay published in The Washington Post.
Here's what Republicans of conscience have to understand about the machinations of Karl Rove and company. Fear isn't some emotion that can be easily bottled back up after it's been -- viciously -- unleashed. It isn't a once-every-four-years vehicle that can be wheeled out for a few months, then stowed back in the garage to be retooled for the next election cycle. Encouraging fundamentalist preachers to pound their pulpits and inveigh against gay people has consequences. It puts men and women in communities across this country at personal and professional risk. There's nothing more despicable than creating a phony political issue (just how many gay couples are clamoring for marriage certificates in the state of Ohio, anyhow?) and preying on people's prejudices.
So now it's up to discerning Republicans to wrestle with this quandary: You won all right, but at what cost? What happened to the party that once shared Abraham Lincoln's faith in the "better angels of our nature"? A fifth-grade teacher taught me to appreciate how -- through Lincoln's resolve -- our nation overcame a cataclysm of hate to stop the Union from dissolving. Back then, certain avatars of ignorance were called Know-Nothings, which, come to think of it, is an apt description of more than a few right-wingers today.
"Our progress in degeneracy appears to me to be pretty rapid," Lincoln wrote in the years leading up to the Civil War. "As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except Negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except Negroes and foreigners and Catholics.' When it comes to this, I shall prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty -- to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure and without the base alloy of hypocrisy."
There are a lot of Republicans troubled by their party's exploitation of contemporary know-nothingism. You know who you are. And before your party's degeneracy is complete, you ought to do something about it. Because camouflaging the fear and loathing of gay people as "moral values" isn't the base alloy of hypocrisy. It's hypocrisy itself.
Well put, Mr. Gay. I couldn't have said it any better myself. George W. Bush and his pseudo-Christian cronies have managed to make a mockery of a political party which was founded to promote the equality of all humankind. Mr. Lincoln is surely rolling over in his grave!
1. The Scorpions - Unbreakable. Well, duh! You knew I was ging to say that, didn't you? 2. Def Leppard - Hysteria. A must have for any fan of classic metal. 3. The Moody Blues - December. One of the very few Christmas albums I can tolerate! 4. Nickelback - Silver Side Up. Proof that there are still some new bands that make good music. 5. Neil Young - Decade. All of Neil's best early works in one neat package.
Four songs that show how you feel right now A K A - My bundle of mixed emotions, as expressed in songs by The Scorpions.
On the sorry state of my love life.. 1. Deep And Dark 2. Lonely Nights
On the sad state of affairs in my nation... 3. Crossfire
On my desire to make an escape to the Tropicana in Atlantic City... 4. Passion Rules The Game
Three artists/bands you'd like to see in concert
1. The Scorpions, of course! 2. Elvis Costello. I've heard that he's quite fan-friendly. 3. Cheap Trick, but NOT as the opening act for Aerosmith!
Two videos that you love
1. The Scorpions - No One Like You. Klaus in cute little gray Speedos! 2. Tom Petty And The Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More. I love the creepy Alice In Wonderland theme!
One song that you just can't get out of your head
Checking current mental loop... Du Bist So Schmutzig, It's so much fun to have a song stuck in your head when you don't understand half of the lyrics!
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This week we'll choose one or the other of the following....
1. Bar soap or shower gel? Shower gel gives you so many more options. So many scents, so little time!
2. CDs or cassettes? So far, my car stereo has never eaten a CD.
3. Television movies or documentaries? Documentaries tend to bore me.
4. Wall calendar or desk calendar? My desk is too cluttered to hold a calendar!
5. DSL, cable, or dial-up? I'm too cheap to pay the price of the other options. Besides, with dial-up you don't have to deal with those pesky telephone salespeople!
6. Summer or winter? I hate being cold!
7. City or country? There's not enough excitement in the country.
8. Camping or staying in a hotel? Camping, Ewwwwww!
9. Gold or silver? The "Color Me Beautiful" people told me that I am a "winter", and therefore I must always wear silver.
10. Fiction or non-fiction books? Preferably science fiction novels.
11. Mashed potatoes or baked potatoes? Got mashed potatoes, ain't got no T bone... I'm having a Neil Young moment!
12. Ranch, Italian, or Catalina dressing? A difficult decision, Italian is a very close second. I don't like Catalina at all, though.
13. Solid or spray deodorant? Actually, I prefer roll-on!
"A little nonsense now and then, is cherished by the wisest men." ~ Roald Dahl, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory ~
1. What is your favorite flavor of M&Ms? I am a purist. I like the plain ones.
The green ones are the best!
2. Is there a special edition of candy that you wish they would make a permanent item on the shelves? Hershey did inside out versions of some of their most popular candy bars, on a limited time only basis. The inside out Kit Kat was delicious, chocolate wafers and cream covered in white chocolate. Mmmmm...
3. What is your favorite flavor of Hershey’s Kisses? Once again, my purist tendencies become evident. I like the plain ones!
4. What is your favorite candy bar? Besides those three dollar Godiva Raspberry chocolate bars which I like to call chocolate orgasms?! Kit Kat bars are a favorite of mine when there is not quite so much money burning a hole in my pocket, and Dove bars, and Nestle's Crunch, and... Oh, Hell! I never met a chocolate bar that I didn't like!
5. Do you prefer milk chocolate, dark chocolate or white chocolate? I like milk and dark chocolate equally, but only like white chocolate in certain instances. It's not really chocolate, you know. It contains no cocoa.
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Saturday, November 13, 2004
An Apology Is In Order
I found this on Brandie's Blog, and I knew that I positively had to do it!
I am so sorry, Mr. and Mrs. Cow! Damn you for tasting so good. I wish that I had the will power to become a vegetarian, but I don't. Please, forgive me!
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Santa Claus Is Coming...
I spotted this on my route yesterday. Argh! It is only November 13, and already people are decorating for Christmas. For crying out loud, people, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet! Can't you wait just a few more weeks to start displaying your Christmas finery? Has Thanksgiving now become lost in the shuffle to win the "My House Has The Best Christmas Display" contest?
* This concludes the Grinch's rant for the day. *
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Friday, November 12, 2004
My Political Persuasion
After a very long day at work, I don't feel much like blogging. I'm so tired. Zzzzzz.... So, instead of a normal post, I am bringing you the results of a quiz that I took the other day. I don't know how accurate it is, considering the fact that I am neither young nor affluent. I like the picture of Clinton with the sax, though, so here it is...
You Are a New School Democrat
You like partying and politics - and are likely to be young and affluent.
You're less religious, traditional, and uptight than most Democrats.
Smoking pot, homosexuality, and gambling are all okay in your book.
You prefer that the government help people take care of themselves.
"In the case of good books, the point is not how many of them you can get through, but rather how many can get through to you." ~ Mortimer Adler ~
This week, some general questions about why we choose the books that we read (or why they choose us).
1. Have you ever read a book that has changed your life in some way? Has it altered your outlook, or made you think about something you never considered before? I've read quite a few books by the former Episcopal bishop John Shelby Spong. His books on Christianity are great. His approach to interpetating the Bible takes into consideration many things besides the literally written word, such as the common styles of writing and religious traditions at the time the individual books of the Bible were written. By looking at the Bilble in this manner, our faith can be allowed to grow and change as our knowledge of humanity and the world around us changes. His works were real eye openers for me. I think that they are a must read for any Christian who is having doubts about her faith in the light of modern knowledge.
2. Along the same lines, do you seek out books that make you think, or do you mainly read for entertainment? I'd have to say that I do a bit of both. I read to be entertained, but I also want the books that I read to make me think. This is why I am so fond of science fiction. On the other hand, romantic fluff bores me. I seldom ever read it.
3. Do you let a critical review influence your own opinion of a book? Do you ever choose books based solely on a review or a critique that you've read? Since critics and I seldom agree on what is good and what is not, I don't pay much attention to their opinions. If a book looks like it might be interesting to me, I read it regardless of critical opinions.
4. Are you influenced by bestseller lists? Do you generally read the "buzzed-about" books that everyone's talking about? I read based upon my own likes and dislikes. Best seller lists seldom influence my reading. However, if everyone truly is talking about a certain book, I may read it just out of curiosity. Such was the case with The Satanic Verses back in the day when its autor received death threats from the Islamic community.
5. When you go to your favorite bookstore, are you going to look at one specific section or to find one specific book, or do you browse through the entire store? Do you ever find a book simply by browsing the shelves? Do you ever pick up a staff-recommended book? I usually head straight for the science fiction section to look for new books by my favorite authors. Sometimes a book of a different type will catch my eye along the way, and I will decide to purchase it. I have never asked a staff person in a book store for a recomendation, so I guess that I've never read a staff recommended book. There's a first time for everything, though...
Bonus: What is your favorite bookstore, and why? I suppose that Walden Books is my favorite book store, merely out of convenience. There is one in just about every mall.
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It's Veteran's Day
This national holiday is celebrated each year in the U. S. on November the eleventh, the anniversary of the end of World War I at 11:00 a.m., November 11, 1918 (the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month). First celebrated in 1926, the holiday was originally known as Armistice Day. The name was changed to Veteran's Day on June 1, 1954 to extend honor to all veterans.
So, have you hugged a veteran today?
If you haven't, please do so now, whether or not you live in The United States. All veterans deserve our love, wherever they may be. These men and women are true patriots and stood for their countries, right or wrong, win or lose. They all deserve a bit of love.
Wednesdays -- always a good day to celebrate. Let's see what's on the celebration calendar for this Hump Day. Ut oh. Today is Headache Day - a day celebrated during the feast of the patron saint of headache sufferers. Hmmm - that's a good cause but let's do something totally wild and wacky. Let's celebrate a day we missed - a very important day - a day to celebrate the garment that men and women alike can't wait to take off ... November 2nd was BRA DAY! With Halloween being celebrated just couple of days before we totally missed Bra Day.
According to an inventive history of the undergarment that is now widely believed, Titzling came to invent the item while living in a New York boardinghouse in 1912. One of his neighbors was a buxom opera singer named Swanhilda Olafson, and the structural engineering problems she presented inspired Titzling to create a contraption to uphold this lady's ample bosom. In the early 1930s, a French fellow named Phillip de Brassiere began producing a similar undergarment. Titzling sued, but Brassiere won in court, and that is why today we call a lady's frontal uplifter a brassiere instead of a titzling. There is absolutely no evidence to support this urban myth. *titter* (all puns intended - lol)
Let's have some fun -- let's warm up by fabricating our own factoids about the bra. First, tell us some of the crazy things you've heard a bra called such as a double slingshot. Second, tell us what other things a bra might be useful for. Example: a double winter cap for couple. Or the wire in the underwire bra can be used to pick a lock. Get the idea?
I have heard bras called many different things. Double barrelled slingshots, over the shoulder boulder holders, booby traps, and tit slings, to name a few. I prefer to call them medieval torture devices, because that is what I believe that they really are!
Bras are very useful things to toss at The Moody Blues. Go ahead and try it. The Music Whore and I have!
It's great fun. John really enjoys it!
Some day Lady Starlight hopes to be able to toss her bra at Matthias Jabs in the hope that his face will look something like this!
Ladies and Gentlemen, Boys and Girls of the Hump Nation -- let's get ready to Hummmmmmmmp!
This week, some humpin' good fun with free association or "I say ___, you think ___". The rules are easy as pie. Just copy and paste the questions below into your blog and add your responses. (Respond with the first word, words, phrase that pops into your head. Or babble insanely - it's all good.) You need not be a member to play - so let us not delay .... let's hump like crazy, shall we?
1. reality: Reality shows. Yuck! 2. lather: Shaving cream 3. tramp: Darla 4. alligator: Izod. No, wait... That's a crocodile on those shirts! 5. crackle: Rice Crispies. Snap! Crackle! Pop! 6. exposure: Northern Exposure. I don't know why I said this. I hardly ever watched that show. 7. imaginary: Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends. Lady Starlight digs cartoons. 8. lick: What most dogs like to do to me! 9. cabbage: Corned beef and cabbage 10. howl: Aw Ooooooooo....! 11. fracture: Long wait in the emergency room 12. sprinkle: If you sprinkle when you tinkle, please, be neat and wipe the seat! 13. junkyard dog: "Bad, bad, Leroy Brown, the baddest man in the whole damned town! Badder than old King Kong. Meaner than a junkyard dog."
This hump has been brought to you by those dingy dames at BDI -- who are all diagonally parked in a parallel universe. Wheeeee!
It's Time For
