So sue me for enjoying Halloween. I don't pull out an ouiji board or book of spells or anything. I just like to put on my Edward Scissorhands soundtrack and dress up for the kiddos who come begging for a sugar high. I have all these teenagers on the messageboards talking about how it is "satan's holiday" and how they sit with the lights off and ignore the doorbell. And yeah, I understand part of their argument to a certain extent. No, I'm not an advocate of attending the virgin sacrifice at the local church of satan... but I think these people are missing an opportunity. This article pretty much sums up my whole philosophy on the matter. "Yes, spiritual warfare is a real thing, but if Christians are off having their own party in church on October 31, we must reconsider who really is winning this battle." "Which is more of a victory for satan, I wonder—a shining Jack-o-lantern and five costumed kids at my door, or a dark house where the light should be?"

The wide world is all about you: you can fence yourselves in, but you cannot forever fence it out.
J.R.R. Tolkien -- Fellowship of the Ring

On a different note... I had someone tell me "smashing" today. I wish I could work that into my own speech without sounding like a wanna-be. This guy was quite obviously Australian judging by his accent and the things he referenced. When I told him that we were going to be sending something out to him straight away he said, "Smashing! I look forward to it." Hehe.

smash·ing adj.
Informal. Extraordinarily impressive or fine; wonderful: a smashing success.

Of course, it almost goes without saying that today Michael Jackson's new album is released. I plan to head over to my local music outlet and make that purchase here shortly. I must say that I am thoroughly disappointed in Tower Records. I was all excited last night when Michael (not Jackson) suggested that the bunch of us go to Tower to buy the album at midnight... but no -- it's not important enough to them to stay open past midnight. Sheesh. Such disrespect to the King of Pop.

Song for the Day:
I Will Find You - Clannad
~~No matter where you go
I will find you~~

I must say that I just love George W. Bush. I think it would really suck to have to be president right now. I wish I could just not pay attention to the news, but I find myself at cnn.com several times a day... and I have been picking up a newspaper at lunchtime these days. Ignorance is bliss.

Well, for anyone who has let candle wax run into their carpet, here is the easiest way to get rid of it. (And yes, I do know this from experience... I just got mine out.) Let the wax harden and then pick out what you can. Put your iron on a warm setting. (Not super hot or you'll melt the carpet fibers too.) Place a paper towel over the wax, and iron over it. You may need to do this several times. (I saw remedies that said to use newspaper, but I started to think that the ink was staying in the carpet. I like the paper towel better.)

Song of the Day:
Perfect Blue Buildings - Counting Crows

I determined that I must be suffering from a bit of homesickness. That's really the only way I can explain it. I cried last night at the thought of not being able to go home for Thanksgiving. I just have to find a way to get home in time.

By the way, honeysuckle is supposedly a remedy for homesickness... and somehow amethyst is supposed to protect against homesickness. Unfortunately I do not have either one on hand at the moment.

draculascastle.com - they have t-shirts there that say "Got blood?" Funny.

fellow won the band tournament tonight. They rocked the house. Woot woot! Exposed Conspiracy (aka the group with the "fro guy") was there too.

Made homemade microwave popcorn when I got home. I love this. You just take one of those brown paper bags you would take your lunch to school in. Put 1/4 cup of popcorn kernels in there, fold the top shut and mircrowave for a little under two minutes. There are usually quite a few old maids, but to leave it in there any longer would turn it into one big chuck of burnt mess. However, the resulting popcorn is the fluffiest, tastiest, most delectable popcorn you may ever know. Mmm.

Song of the Day:
On N'a Pas Besoin - Paris Combo
I can't figure out why this song is stuck in my head... especially since I cannot remember the lyrics or what they mean, but there you have it.

Friday Five via smattering.com
1. What's your favorite time of day? The prime of the day for me is the 9:30pm until 2:30am window.
2. What's your least favorite time of day? Any time I am perfectly peaceful, and I hear my alarm clock... be that at 6:30 am on a Monday or at 2:30 pm on a Saturday. I guess I just don't transition from asleep to awake very well.
3. Are you a morning person or a night owl? Does it cause any problems? I am, and always have been, a night owl. I get much more accomplished in the wee hours of the morning than I could, say, mid-afternoon. Goodness yes, it causes problems. Every morning I have this war between mind and body. My mind knows I need to get out of bed, but my body refuses. So my mind starts to bargain-- "Okay, you can hit snooze one more time, but you won't have time to blow your hair dry. Okay, one more snooze, and you can kiss making coffee goodbye." Etc.
4. If you had an entire worry- and obligation-free day, what would you do with it? Lounge around. Listen to music. Sew or bake or do something crafty. Probably play a game or two. Just be lazy and not think about anything work-related.
5. How do you plan to spend your weekend? I have some laundry issues to contend with tomorrow, and I would like to rearrange my bedroom a little bit tomorrow to make it more user-friendly. Franklin Jazz Festival is this weekend, so I hope to catch June Bennett either tonight or Sunday. fellow in concert on Saturday.

Song for the Day:
Schizophreniac - Earthsuit
The new singles are in and are cool looking!
~~It is much easier to change your tune
when your song ain't being played~~

Ahh... I never thought my favourite commercial would be one by Victoria's Secret -- but I am so thrilled with their new one. I heard the music from the kitchen and came running in to see if it was really true. That's right -- Inertia Creeps by Massive Attack. Just one of their many great songs. Yay!

Seems as though Turkish women may have better times ahead -- Turkey Revising Male-Dominated Code. I am not a feminist by any means. I am actually quite a big fan of chivalry. However in the same breath, I must add that there are women in other parts of the world who live in daily oppression. That just is not right either. It brings to mind the reports of the treatment of Afghan women as well. Sad.


Song for the Day:
Hero - David Crosby & Phil Collins
~~And the reason that she loved him
was the reason I loved him too
and he never wondered what was right or wrong
he just knew - he just knew.~~

I have no idea who Scott Whiteley is, but I came across his Rantings of an Unexploded Scotsman tonight. Only one entry, but it is hilarious. This is my sense of humor, right there.

Had a bit of a tornado scare tonight. I'm a big fan of thunderstorms and all their lightning/thunder goodness, but I have seen Twister. I know the fear of the funnel. You don't mess around with that. Mother Nature deserves a little respect.


Sometimes life is one big turn-lane. Things buzzing by you on the right. Others coming at you head-on from the left. And then there is you. Sitting there in the middle going nowhere... just waiting for a chance to turn.

I can see what people are searching for in search engines when they find my site. I think that is kinda funny. Here are some search phrases that led people to me:

housewarming rituals

funny pumpkin carvings

music, humorous, taliban song

jim morrison pumpkin carvings


Sometimes I hate that I get up and go to work in the morning. Work all day. Home by 7:00. Sit and play a computer game or go out with friends or bake or whatever. Sleep securely in my own home. I feel so unworthy of my peace and safety. Not everybody has that. There are people worried about when they will eat their next meal and where they will get it. People worried about having their homes bombed. People worried that their son will be the next called to go.

Articles like this one are disturbing to me. 'China assisting Taliban in war against US from timesofindia.com...

Haqqani said that the US had not scored any noteworthy success in its three weeks of bombardment in Afghanistan.

"So far, the Taliban have lost around 25 fighters. Also a military helicopter and two passenger planes of Aryana Airlines have received minor damage in the US attacks," he added.

Haqqani said that the Taliban's all helicopters and planes were safe and no prominent commander had so far fallen victim to the US attacks.

He added that real war would begin when the US would land its troops on the soil of Afghanistan. "We are anxiously awaiting their entry into Afghanistan in order to make a graveyard for the US army."

"We have made all out preparations to engage Americans for a long time. We do not trust in the might of arms rather we believe in sacrificing our lives for the cause of Islam and honour of motherland," he further said.

"We ask the US to land its troops without any delay and then see as to how much dead bodies it would airlift daily," Haqqani said.

Though today China denies any contact with Taliban. What a crazy world we live in.


Song for the Day:
Be Still My Beating Heart - Sting

~~Be still my beating heart
It would be better to be cool
It's not time to be open just yet
A lesson once learned is so hard to forget~~

Happy birthday to Dirk Gouwens... wherever you are. Isn't it weird how you can spend so much time with a person and then just not think about them really anymore? Toured with Dirk. King of the pitch pipe.

Song of the Day:
Counting Blue Cars - Dishwalla
Dedicated to Dirk... since the "off-ten" annoys him so thoroughly.

What an educational night. First of all, succotash. "Suffering succotash." Who honestly has experienced succotash before? Well, I have... as of tonight.

succotash n : fresh corn and lima beans with butter or cream

And so I was reading the label of my honey jar tonight, and it said not to give to infants under the age of one... but they didn't bother to give an explanation of any kind. Gee, thanks for getting my curiosity going. According to honey.com, honey may contain bacterial spores that can cause infant botulism. Okay. Enough said.

I cannot contain my joy. I bought Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves tonight. All this playing Age of Empires has left me needing to see it. I wish I could fully explain how much I obsessed over this movie. I spent countless hours watching scenes over and over again in order to type out a transcript at the computer. I think I was almost finished when I abandoned it. I listened to the soundtrack endlessly... even sitting at the piano and picking out the parts for each instrument in the overture. Ahh... I love this movie. (Nevermind how Christian Slater is just cute as can be in this one.)

Song of the Day: (I think it is obligated to be...)
Everything I Do (I Do It for You) - Bryan Adams

Monday, October 22nd
3:49 pm
79°F

Man, I love living in the south!

Between these two sites, I have been inspired to never leave home without my camera ever again.
  -- Fire and Ice Photography
  -- The Mirror Project

And on the note of photography, these photos are so great. StorybookWeddings.com. (Side Note: Under "New Weddings", Allyson of "Allyson & Alex" used to work for Teligent... my old company.)

I'm so happy there are good people left in this world. Talked to my neighbor tonight for a little while. We run into each other outside about once every two weeks or so. I expressed my concern that the security light on our side of the building has been out for over a month. He gave me his phone number and said not to be afraid to call if I was ever worried about anything. He was apparently a police officer for thirteen years. That gives me a little peace of mind.

I really have to get my internal clock set right again. Getting up for work is probably going to hurt tomorrow.

I had two best friends towards the end of my high school career. We have gone through different phases of closeness over the years since graduation -- we even lived in a house together a couple years ago.... and a couple years before that as well, if you count the ARC dorm. Now we are spread out again. Contact has been less than what I wish it was, but so it goes.

So anyway, I did have a point here. We have a game that is simply referred to as "The Game". There is no real scoring system... no real strategy either. The idea is just to come up with the name of a person from our school who you think that the others might not have thought about in a while... in essence forgotten about. So it would go like this:

Hey, I just thought of one for The Game.
-Okay.
Remember Joe Baker?
-Who?
Joe Baker, you know... came to our school freshman year and then ended up in juvey hall until our senior year when he moved back to Utah?
-Oh yeah! Good one!

That's really about it. And the reason I thought of this is because I thought of someone who I hadn't thought of in forever. Keith Meyer. We were in Dordt's production of The Music Man together when we were in junior high. He was my "brother", and we had lots of fun. I think he was a year or two younger than me, but we were still a couple of the oldest kids. Oh wait! And then a couple summers later we were in the Centennial production together. Hot off the Stove. I almost forgot about that. He rode Emily's bus. I wonder what he's doing now. I may have to make The Game a regular section.

I know this might make me a mental equal of a teenie-bopper, but I get a kick out of these name generators. So via ++saccharin happiness++, this is my ~ * Magic Fairy Name * ~:
Dewdrop Silverweb
Behaviour: A protector from evil demons and a poisoner of werewolves.
Seen When: Only in the mist of an early morning.
Habitat: In forests of oak and lime.

I'm so excited to see fellow next weekend. Collin is the man. Je suis Martin Guerre!

Song of the Day:
Won't Forget These Days - Fury in the Slaughterhouse
Something very Cure-ish about this song. I don't care what anybody says (ahem!), this is a great album. Ember can testify.

I think this is a sign. For kicks I took the quiz to find out who is my perfect partner. I was quite pleased with the highly scientific results...

My perfect partner is:
The tough guy: A diamond in the rough is what you love!
  You want the best of both worlds, you want a nice guy, but one who is a little rough around edges. Good, but not TOO good. You're looking for a boy who's confident enough to wear what he wants and do what he wants, but underneath that exterior he's just going to be a sweet, laid back kind of guy! The slightly rebellious streak is what you like - sounds pretty much like the babelicious Health Ledger to us!

Aww, yeah, baby.

And then according to celebmatch.com, Heath and I have 96% physical combatibility, 43% emotional combatibility, 88% intellectual compatibility... making a total of 76%. Not bad, I guess. :)

Check your rating on the Lurve Meter. I'm an Angel Baby.

And since this entire entry is a load of cheese... be sure to consult the Online Cheese Comparator to find out which cheese you are. My cheese rating is Caerphilly:

Caerphilly is a hard cheese, first made in the Welsh town of the same name in around 1830. It is aged in a moist cellar, where the white/gray moulds on the rind grow thick and leathery. It has a fresh taste, and the flavour becomes more rounded with age. This cheese is known as "the crumblies".

S T A R   W A R S   T R I B U T E
Episode One

I have come across some great Star Wars links lately and felt the need to share.
How to Make the Costumes - With Halloween around the corner, this could come in handy for anybody who wants to fashion their own Stormtrooper or Tusken Raider costume.
Lego Star Wars - This is quite possibly one of the most amazing things I have ever seen. Episodes 4-6 done storyboard-style entirely with Legos.
evanmather.com - He has several Star-Wars-ish movies on there.
Pulp Phantom - What happens when you take Pulp Fiction and The Phantom Menace and put them in a high-speed blender? (As with Pulp Fiction, these movie clips contain explicit language.)
Star Wars Christmas Special - Get this while you can. I make no guarentees on how long the link will be good. (Right click on link and hit "save target as...") This is the film that George Lucas never wanted anyone to see... and with good reason. It's awful. Nothing quite like a good ol' Wookie Christmas.

(Segue into Friday Five in 3, 2, 1...)

The Friday Five via smattering.org
1. What's the best gift you've ever received? I don't think I can answer this properly, because I have gotten so many neat and thoughtful things from people that have meant a lot to me. Special things I got this past year: the sewing machine from my parents for my last birthday, the housewarming gift from Manda, the powder case from my Grandma D (It was the first gift that she received from my Grandpa when they were courting.), and the gift from my sister for being in her wedding. (It is this ugly ceramic piggybank of a girl with a bowling ball. The story goes, and I still deny to this day, that we were fighting when we were kids, and I allegedly threw that thing down the stairs and it broke. A little superglue put it back together, but that story still gets brought up.)
2. What's the worst? I'm no fun... I know. I can't really think of anything horrible... but I do remember that I wasn't very thrilled when I got firetrucks for Christmas because my Grandma thought we needed some boy toys in the house. That must have been when I was four, because my brother was born the next February.
3. What do you want for Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa this year? I haven't even thought about it really. Plane tickets would be nice. I just want to be home with my family.
4. As far as Holiday shopping goes, do you buy throughout the year or do it last-minute? I'm generally last-minute, but not as last-minute as I used to be. I have had my mom's gift nearly ready since the fourth of July, so I'm pretty proud of myself this year!
5. How do you plan to spend your weekend? Playing my new game. Pop rock night or whatever at Belmont with Katrena tomorrow. Sleeeeeep!

Song for the Day:
Move to the Moon - Wes King
Since I officially met him yesterday and I had been listening to this album last weekend.
~~And I can't breathe
The same air that you breathe
If you can't understand
I've got to have your hand ~~

Wanna speak like a local? Consult slanguage.com--

For Nashville
NashVegas: Our fine city
BOO Lee Vard: Wide traffic throughfare
Meat n' thray: Restaurant offering of a slab of flesh and 3 sides
Vandyland: Area surrounding Vanderbilt University
Music City: That's us
The King: He was born near here
The Nunbun: Local sticky bun that resembled Mother Theresa
Batman Building: Our skyscraper

From thisislondon.com -- Heros and Wimps After the Attacks
  Apparently, I qualified as a hero and didn't even know it... listed under the heros: "Everyone who has flown in a plane since 11 September. They may not consider themselves to be heroes, but they have got on with their lives in a quiet, dignified manner and not given way to their fears."
  But what I found hilarious was the first one listed under Wimps. I make my hatred for Oasis a secret to no one, so this was great. "Liam Gallagher -- The Oasis frontman has vowed never to visit the US again, after the atrocities. He said: 'I'm never going to America again, man. And I ain't getting on a plane for a while.' America's gain is our loss." Hats off to the Brit who wrote that!

Song for the Day:
Hey, Jude - The Beatles
~~And any time you feel the pain, hey, Jude, refrain
Don't carry the world upon your shoulders
Well don't you know that its a fool who plays it cool
By making his world a little colder~~

Use your imagination... eblots.com

It is finished. *dramatic pause* And now, ladies and gentlemen... the debut of my country song. I tried to channel the inner Shania... my inner down-home goodness... bits of it might be roughly inspired by recent news. I really wanted to work a dog character or an abused wife into it, but they just didn't feel right so I just played with the heartache idea. It's meant to be a bit cheeky... I used the unconventional verse-chorus-verse-chorus-bridge-chorus-verse format. Items in parenthesis would be sung improvisationally by a background vocalist or perhaps a choir. As of right now, there is no tune, but my hope is that someday there will be a line-dance choreographed for it. I couldn't think of a title. I do not plan to quit my day job.

Song of the Day:
Back, On - Danielle and the Repressed Depression

Verse 1:
~~In his song of life, he felt just like he hit a minor chord
Recent events played ‘round him like wrong notes in the score
He says, “I got to leave this place to find some harmony.”
While those behind who loved him are left sadly humming his melody.

Chorus:
You’re moving on.
You’re going back.
You will be missed, and that’s a fact.
You’re going back.
You’re moving on.
I hope you figure out where you belong.

Verse 2: [a little bigger]
On her boat of life, she feels like the skipper not the cap’n
Standing up along the rail, waiting for something to happen.
She says, “I got to pick up and move on for goodness sake.”
But sailing on, she leaves a sea of broken hearts in her wake.

Chorus:
You’re moving on. (oh)
You’re going back. (back)
You will be missed, and that’s a fact. (yeah)
You’re going back. (oh)
You’re moving on. (on)
I hope you figure out where you belong.

Bridge: [big build here, folks]
Though we’d like to stay the same,
Can’t avoid the change any longer.
Deep down in our hearts we know
What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger. (you know it makes us stronger)

Chorus: [and the key change we've all been waiting for]
You’re moving on. (moving on)
You’re going back. (going back)
You will be missed, and that’s a fact. (ooo, yeah)
You’re going back. (going back)
You’re moving on. (moving on)
I hope you figure out where you belong.

Verse 3: [and it all drops back to the vocalist and one guitar]
Like this tree of life, you said you need room so you can grow.
I know for you to touch the sky, I need to let you go.
In summer winds the branch must hold on tightly to her leaf.
But sadly now it’s autumn; I will step back and watch you leave.~~

'Tis the season to start thinking about The Great Pumpkin. Test your GP knowledge here. Speaking of great pumpkins... this site has some great pumpkin carvings.

In other veggie news:


 
Join the fun:


 
 

So even though I put in a thirteen-hour day yesterday, it was all worth it... because I actually spoke to -- STEVE TAYLOR. He just rocks. That was the highlight of my day. And then I went home.

I came across some really horrible song lyrics today. Not nasty horrible... but just "what were you thinking??" horrible. So I've been inspired to write a country song. I don't write poetry, lyrics, or the like... so this will be interesting. I think I have some cheesey ideas to work with... so stayed tuned. I just need to tap into the reservoir of repressed depression, and I think it could be a hit. Repressed Depression... that will be the name of my non-existant band. Danielle and the Repressed Depression.

"I have, as when the sun doth light a storm,
Buried this sigh in wrinkle of a smile:
But sorrow, that is couch'd in seeming gladness,
Is like that mirth fate turns to sudden sadness."
--Shakespeare: Troilus and Cressida


Though trying to be understanding and supportive, tears still fell.

Song for the Evening:
Andante Religioso - Edvard Grieg
The music that has always calmed my soul.

Ya learn something new every day... I just found out who I was in my past life... erm... or something.

Diagnosis:

---

I do not know how you feel about it, but you were male in your last earthly incarnation.
You were born somewhere around territory of modern Scotland approximately on 1550.
Your profession was banker, usurer, moneylender, judge.

---

Your brief psychological profile in that past life:
Natural talent of psychologist, you knew how to use the opportunities. Cold-blooded and calm in any situation.

---

Lesson, that your last past life brought to present:
The timid, lonely and self-confident people are everywhere, and your problem -- to overcome these tendencies in yourself and then to help other people.

---

Now you remember?

Hmm... yeah, I think it's all coming back to me. Right.

In honor of the upcoming holiday which, in certain company, shouldn't be considered a holiday even though I don't remember ever having a Halloween pass without celebrating it in some way... I have a couple links that I wasn't looking for, but thought would be appropriate...

findagrave.com - umm, yeah, that about says it all...
deathclock.com - apparently I'm going to die on Tuesday, March 7, 2056... okay, that is purely unscientific, but still it made me feel weird to think that I might live to see the year 2050. I mean, I would be 74 then, but it just seems so Sci-Fi.

Okay, I discovered this a little late, but I think it's cute... so here is the new weekly feature from smattering.org:
Friday Five (Fall Edition)
1. Do you have any rituals or ways that you celebrate autumn? Not specifically. I pull out my pumpkin-shaped candles, and I like to pick up pretty leaves and acorns and such from outside to decorate my home.
2. Do you observe Halloween, Samhain, and/or All Saints' Day? I think that Halloween can be celebrated with good clean fun. I realize that there are dark undertones, but I don't personally feel any conviction about dressing up and playing a little eerie music out the windows to keep the kiddos on edge.
3. Carve pumpkins or paint them? I don't really do the whole pumpkin thing to save myself from the heartache of having my creation smashed on the sidewalk. I think carving is more fun...but I just distinctly remember one year when we painted them and then used the photos for a Christmas picture.
4. If you observe trick-or-treating, what will you be handing out at the door this year? I'm hoping I won't be at home. Do kids trick-or-treat at apartment complexes? It's a Wednesday night, eh? Hmm... I don't know.
5. How do you plan to spend your weekend? Well, it's a bit late for that... but I plan to spend my week surviving until the next Friday Five.

Song for the Day:
Jim Morrison's Grave - Steve Taylor

Four words...

Cat
Scan
Dot
Com

I will admit I have a slightly demented sense of humor when it comes to tongue-in-cheek websites. You know, the ones (like Bonsai Kitten or Landover Baptist, for example) that get people all riled up because they don't get it. Came across another one yesterday along the same lines-- babysmasher.com

And then there is the World Rock Paper Scissors Society. I so want this t-shirt. With "Rock" on the front and "World Rock Paper Scissors Society: Serving the needs of decision makers since 1918" on the back. That's humor, folks.

This is interesting... I wonder how this APU works:
Record Number of CD-Rs Seized "The RIAA Anti-Piracy Unit assisted in the seizure of 1,257,796 illegal CD-Rs at mid-year 2001. This number is up 133 percent from the 539,130 CD-Rs it seized by mid-year 2000. Additionally, RIAA investigative personnel assisted in the execution of search warrants at 72 illicit distribution locations and 34 manufacturing operations, seizing a total of 604 CD-R burners in the process. This number is approximately equal to the total number of burners seized in all of 2000."
-- from riaa.com

And on that note... Song of the Day:
You Are God (Hope Remix) - The Katinas
This song just appeared on my computer. I honestly don't remember downloading it. That song has moved me immensely ever since the first time I heard it -- something about the gorgeous chord progression mixed with their emotion-filled vocals... and the little a cappella section literally gives me chills. But this remix is especially poignant with clips of President Bush's speech on September 11th.

It's still raining. Flood warnings. ~I'm only happy when it rains.~

According to this survey, my personality is closest to Relena Peacecraft. I'm not sure if I should take that as a compliment or not.

My Smurf Name is: Slowly Evaporating Smurf
My Hobbit Name is: Camellia Loamsdown of Deephallow
My Jazz Name is: Dee Sharp
My Mob Name is: "Tranquil Danielle"
My Pirate Name is: Dread Pirate Kidd
My Hawaiian Name is: Kaniele Kakoukeni
My Top Gun Name is: Silver
My Cereal Name is: Nutty Magicsmacks
My X-Men Identity is: Worm (I can burrow through the ground at alarmingly slow speeds.)
Okay, that's enough of that.

Well, according to findyourspot.com, I am living in one of my Top 25 Top Spots, as Nashville ranked #13 for me. My top five?
1. Chattanooga, TN
2. Greenville, SC
3. Hickory, NC
4. Clarksville, TN
5. Tulsa, OK

I love Jimmy Fallon... and I have for about three years. I don't think he knows yet.

*sigh* He's dreamy....

Okay, so remember that crash course in ASP I'm supposed to be doing this weekend? I'm unable to focus. I even had a fleeting thought of making cookies. I'm just thoroughly enjoying my Saturday alone in the Cottage with the patio door open, the rain falling, my windchime tinkling. It led me to wonder what the weather is like in the other places I have lived. Oh you want to know too? See below.

73°F	68°F	66°F	57°F	57°F
Nashville, TN	Indianapolis, IN	Allegan, MI	Decorah, IA	SiouxCenter, IA

Thanks to weather.com.

Since I probably won't remember where to find this picture by the time Easter rolls around, thought I'd put it now. So cute. :)


from sfgate.com.

After much agony and searching today, I have concluded that the cricket that is driving me batty is actually inside the door. There is no other way to explain it. This is going to be a long night.

For those people who know the power of ALT-F4, you may find this ICQ prank as hilarious as I did.

And this one is funny too. On making Jedi a national religion.

Todays song for the day is going to remain the same as yesterday... just because it was that amazing.

Something I Wish I Thought Of:
This is just too great. These people are collecting 1,000,000 of those junkmail AOL cds. Once they reach their goal, they are going to AOL headquarters and dumping them off to let them know how we are really feel about them. The sheer mass of that many cds is quite amazing. Read for yourself.



Song for the Day:
Hot Child in the City - Nick Gilder
I have no idea where it came from, but I have been thinking about this song all day.
~Runnin' wild and lookin' pretty
Hot child in the city~

True Rocker Award for the night goes to Pete Orta. He is phenominal, and I don't use that lightly. He was totally grooving, and during the second song he somehow cut his eyebrow. Unfortunately, I don't think the majority of the audience "got it" or appreciated the talent that guy has. He ended it all by pulling all the strings off his guitar.
\m/ o[-_-]o \m/ Roooooooock!

This post is kind of a work in progress. I have been running across some random sites that have been rather interesting to me, and rather than post a zillion times today, I am going to just update this post as I go off on new tangents of thought.

For anyone who finds political commentary even remotely interesting, this article (The Agony of the Left) from andrewsullivan.com is a good read.

I missed Dubya's speech last night because of the concert (which I will rave about later). However, I saw a couple of snippets of it on the news when I got home. It brought a somewhat humorous parallel to mind when I thought about what he was saying. Yes, I actually took the time to put this one together.



For some reason this struck me as weird: Window on the Wall. It's so Times-Square of them. Of course, if it's webcams that interest you, have a look at Nashville.

So while I was looking for the Charlton Heston / Yul Brynner photo for my Bush/Taliban variation, I came across several other sets of 10-Commandments. Apparently the ones from God just weren't enough, so now there are 10 Commandments for everything. Including:
The Ten Commandments...
... of Employment Negotiations (hey wait, they put eleven)
... of Web Design (I found these amusing)
... for Math Teacher (this goes out to Sjaarda)
... for Cell Phone Usage (this is a personal favourite)
... of Reptile Purchasing (there must be 10 for everything)
... for the Studio (good call)
... for Living with a Loser (this is getting a bit ridiculous)

Now, don't get me wrong... I'm all about the Ten Commandments. But somehow this page was a little scary to me... Society for the Practical Establishment and Perpetuation of the TEN COMMANDMENTS... they need to read the 10 Commandments of Web Design.

frond n.

The leaf of a fern.

A large compound leaf of a palm.

A leaflike thallus, as of a seaweed or lichen.

Not sure exactly why I kept thinking "palm fronds, palm fronds" on my way to work. "Frond" has become a bit of a non-word to me now. Say it. Over and over. Kinda like "fork". This reminds me... I think I'm going to find a recipe for flan... just to say I made flan.

I was the girl of somebody's dreams last night. hehe. I just love it when I make guest appearances in people's dreams and then they tell me about it. It's so Wizard of Oz-ish... "You were there... and you were there, too."

I am making my first music video tonight. Okay, so I'm just going to be in the audience... and it's not exactly my style of music... but still... it's my music video debut. Rock!

No music. No time.

Do not ask me where I find this stuff. -- Dance lessons anyone?

Tune for the Moment:
The hauntingly beautiful background music in the new Camry commercial

There is nothing quite like sitting on the floor of Barnes & Noble and having Carmina Burana play in the background. I was there over lunch today. I have begun my decent into total geekdom today -- I bought a book titled something like "A 15-Hour Crash Course in ASP". Guess what I'm doing this weekend!

Last night I watched what I think was a National Geographic special on PBS on underwater excavation. I think if I ever decide that I hate the field I'm in, I would definitely go that route... become a treasure hunter. I have been fascinated with Mel Fisher and the Atocha since the first time I watched Dreams of Gold: The Mel Fisher Story. Someday I will buy one of those gold coins. I think, after half a lifetime of being completely taken with the story, I should have one.

After all, I do have some seafaring blood in me. Now sit back and get comfy for your history lesson, kids. Way back in the year 1615, there was a man named Isaac La Maire who was in search of another trade route around South America besides the Strait of Magellan. "He meticulously and skillfully planned an expedition and enlisted the assistance of Willem Cornelisz.lSchouten, a master mariner who had journeyed thrice to the East Indies and who also believed in the likelihood of a new passage." Schoutenlbecame chief navigator and skipper of the Eendracht, which in early 1616 became the first European ship (possibly the first ship ever) to sail past South America across the open sea.
--information taken from Mercator's World

Song for the Day:
O Fortuna - from Carmina Burana by Carl Orff

Disappointment seems to be running rampant these days... far and wide... no one is immune. Just when you think it can't get any worse... it does. Oh well. We will bounce back; we always do.

Found a website that reminds me of Deke Metzler (whose birthday was two days ago... and if I knew how to find him, I'd wish him well... haven't seen him since the last day of tour... oh well.). He was the one who originally told me about the "take a dump on it and burn it" philosophy when it came to ex-flames. Holding on to those old letters, poems, ticket stubs and other stuff just serves as aching reminders of a past that was fun (sometimes) while it lasted but ended up sucking a whole lot. How can we expect to face the future fresh and new if we are still clinging to the old baggage that gives us a sick comfort thinking that at one time we were "loved"?

Anyway, here it is: shoeboxed.com
"shoeboxed.com believes in the premise that each and every one of us have one time or another (or still do) keep a shoebox filled with letters. this site was borne of the need to share those letters."



Song for the Day:
Youth of the Nation - P.O.D.
Yeah, Michael said it was addictive, but little did I know. I guess I'm going to have to buy this album.

Words of Wisdom on Love and Friendship passed on by Tash:
"I'm certain, now more than ever, that we don't end up with the kind of people we think we will - in fact, I think we are more likely to end up with the opposites. But I do know that I know the people that I want to be around now and for the rest of my life."



Here's someplace you've probably never been before: bangladesh.com -- literally and figuratively. Tigers... yay!

I was going to write extensively about all the people that I randomly ran into in Georgia this weekend... only further causing my parents to believe that I have met everyone in the world. But I don't feel like it anymore. I'll just give a brief run-down of the people I ran into:
... Matt G. -- former ARCie
... John C. -- was in ARC with me for like 3 days
... Beth J. & Chanel C.-- my gal-pals from InPop
... Thux -- just Thux
... Greg F, Rosie L, & Amanda L -- the messageboarders
... Tonya & Becky -- the post-Disciple IHOP people
... Brian -- went to my Sunday School class when I lived in Michigan
It was just weird. Cool, but weird. In Atlanta of all places. I haven't been to Atlanta since Halloween of 1996 when Christie and I had no costumes so we just put on everything plaid and flannel we could find. Quite obnoxious. Anyway. Yeah, good times.

Song of the Day:
Lullaby (Goodnight My Angel) - Billy Joel
Ahh... the summer of Pyzza '94... for some reason we all fell asleep to this song playing on repeat. Sprawled out over the furniture and floor... just a lazy summer day. Perfect. Billy really knew how to write a song to nap to.

(I wrote this last night.)

Heath Ledger is two and a half years younger than me. How sad. He sure is a pretty thing.

Speaking of things from down under, did you know that Double Stuff Oreo Cookies are not available in New Zealand? (hehe, hi tash!) :)


Today has been exceedingly crappy. That's so disappointing for a Friday. I have been waiting for today all week.

It all started when the telephone rang five minutes before my alarm was set to go off. I was about to throw the phone into the closet, when I decided that since no one who knows me would dare to call that early, it might be an emergency of some sort. But nooooo....

[*cracky, sick, morning voice of death*] "Hello?"
"This is Omar's mother, is he there?"
"What??"
"Is Omar there?"
"No, he doesn't live here, you know that right?"
"Yes, but I think he called me from this number last night." (oh yeah, he came over to use the phone last night.)
"Yeah, I'm sure he did."
"And he's not there this morning?"
"What?? [*emphatically*] No, he's not here this morning!" (umm... gah! Who do you think you're talking to anyway, lady??)
"Well, if you see him, will you tell him I called?"
"Yeah, sure, whatever."

So apparently I am now Omar's answering service. Please tell me this is NOT happening. I think I may have come off a little rude, but I really was not completely coherent at that time. My day hasn't improved much since then. Anxiously awaiting work to be over.

Song for the Day:
Leave Me Alone - Michael Jackson

By the way, did you know that Tony Blair used to be the lead singer for a band called Ugly Rumours? Funny.

I am boycotting bands with numbers in their names. I think it is a requirement for every Tooth&Nail band to have a number in their name, and I just cannot take it anymore. There will be a few exceptions (i.e. U2), but no more twothirtyeight, Driver 8, Project 86, PAX217, Calibretto 13, or the like.

Song for the Day:
Get a Haircut - George Thorogood
~Get a haircut and get a real job~

OH MY GOODNESS!!! I finally found the car of my dreams. This isn't like the ordinary "that is my dream-[insert object]." No, I seriously saw this exact same car parked next to a yellow house somewhere several years ago, and I said two things... #1. That is the coolest looking car I have ever seen. #2. I must own one exactly like that some day. Only thing is that I haven't seen another like it since, and I began to wonder if my "blue saddle shoe" car even existed at all. The one I saw had a white top though, I think. Yay. I love this car.

Yes I'm still awake. 3AM Eternal for two nights in a row. I still got it in me. Working on the "new" section of the website for the big bossman. I can't help but feel like I'm lacking a bit of direction and a lot of content at the moment... but after 6 hours, I think I have a decent shell started. Just so long as he can picture my vision. Bleh. How did I get this job again?

And I was sad to learn that my creature Omar got eaten. I figured that would happen. He was an herbivore. Yandella is still alive and kicking, I guess. It still hasn't done anything. Earthsuit, on the other hand, only appears to be mating. Umm... right.

Song for the Moment:
Songbird - Fleetwood Mac as performed by Duncan Sheik
Creeped me out just a bit ago. This is officially Jay's voice-twin. (you still read this?)

Yes, I am an updating maniac today. I just found a new addiction... not completely taking the place of my last addiction which was the game Collapse on gamehouse.com... this one is basically pointless, but kinda fun nonetheless. It's this stupid website called technosphere.org.uk. You get to make stupid little creatures like this one. You name them and wait for them to move (which you never actually see) or eat (don't see either) or procreate (really don't see) or die... You get to name them. And part of you dies when one of them gets eaten by a mean carnivore. *sniff* Like I said... pointless. And right now neither of the remaining ones I have left are doing anything. Oh well. Enjoy.

CDs on Shuffle:
Legacy: Tribute to Fleetwood Mac - Various Artists
...HITS - Phil Collins
August and Everything After - Counting Crows
Among Thorns - Among Thorns
Amplified Heart - Everything but the Girl
It's a mellow night here at the Cottage. Three three-wick candles burning in the fireplace. Coffee in the Denny's mug. Flannel pants. And good music. Perfect.

Ah, Moon of my Delight who Know'st no wane
The Moon of Heav'n is rising once again:
How oft hereafter rising shall she look
Through this same Garden after me---in vain!
--the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

Song for the Day:
Moondance - Van Morrison
It's a marvelous night for a Moondance....

Tonight is the night of the Harvest Moon. I was hoping to find some sort of interesting information on that, but alas, there doesn't seem to be any. On that note, there does not seem to be any fall RenFaires around here either. Bummer.

Tonight was a great end to a perfectly depressing day. I can't remember the last time I was so sad without it being PMS-related. I just felt like crying about everything... and did once. Grr. It felt kinda good though. And then tonight I laughed much... good cure for the blues.

Made me miss my old friends though. Ahh... the good ol' days of the Nerd Herd. We were relatively decent kids... but we had our occasional run-in with the authorities. Dave, I hope you still have that Canadian flag after all we went through -- mine is gone, so sad.

So I was forced to stare into a magnificent full moon on the horizon on my drive home from work. Ay. Yet another sad part of my day. Reminded me of someone who was very dear to me. Should this person ever wonder about me again and stumble across this webpage, I just wanted to say this:

I know that life moves on and so do we, but part of me still just wants to know that you are safe and happy. (Did you ever get the greyhound and name it appropriately? Can you still name 10 Led Zeppelin albums in 30 seconds or less? Did you ever finish the dissertation? Is Wednesday still your favorite?) Those were some of my fondest memories. I can still think back on conversations and laugh. (i.e. the one when you made me decide which “shef” boy was which… and then you LIED! Only to have the true Watson determine the truth… it was all in the little cigar.) You taught me so much and were a friend when I needed one the most. I wish you could see me now... I think you'd be proud of the turns my life has taken since then. Seni seviyorum? I think maybe in my own little way, yes. You’ll always be my favourite (spelling okay with you?) 65-year-old trapped in a younger body.

Song for the Day:
Missing - Everything but the Girl
You know why..... like the deserts miss the rain.....
/me wishes you success in life and leaves.

chip·per3 (chpr)
adj.
In lively spirits; cheerful.

what a great word. Not feeling especially chipper at the moment, due to the truck that slammed into my sinuses tonight... but at least I'm not the only one. Made Mom's chicken soup today -- a little taste of home. So easy, just a little time consuming. Mmm.

Song for the Moment:
Elle G. - Newsboys
One of my all-time favs of theirs. G'nite.

Had a very bizarre night last night. I met one of my neighbors. I take that back -- I should not have so much credit...it was more like he met me. Poor soul without a telephone stopped at my door on his way back up from the mailbox to see if I would allow him to borrow my phone to make a quick call. Okay fine. He leaves. A couple hours comes back... has another phone call, could he please use my phone. Sure whatever. Let him in... ended up talking to the guy until 2:30 in the morning. Nice fellow... my age... musician... lived in the UK for a time... currently working at O'Charlies.

Now after the fact, I realize that I was probably really stupid. A bit naive and trusting. The guy could have been a total creep. I just like to think that people are all generally good -- though I know it is not the case. Maybe he was just trying to get a peek inside to scope out what he wanted to steal later. (I really don't think this is true... but if I should go missing someday along with most of my possessions, check Omar Patterson in #1920.)

On a more pointless note... according to humanforsale.com, I am worth exactly $1,958,158.00. That makes me feel great.

"Proudly wear the scars of a life that is changed." -- Pastor Mark

Bought groceries today. I really hope that my husband likes shopping... because otherwise we may end up starving. I just hate going to the store. I'm really not fond of shopping of any kind, but I have a particular aversion to grocery stores. I think I'm just overwhelmed by the sheer magnitude of Kroger. But anyway... I bought the stuff for chicken soup -- which will be my main project this afternoon... yum!

Song for the day:
Never Tear Us Apart - INXS
So Omar was amazed that I own an INXS cd. He sang "Mediate".