"You nauseate me, Mr. Grinch..."

I was born around the hey-day of Christmas Specials; Rudolph, Frosty and one of my favorites...How the Grinch Stole Christmas.
Although I admit that the live-action version with Jim Carrey is one of my favorites, the original animation holds a special place in my heart as well. There's something about showing someone whose anti-Christmas that makes this time of year even warmer and fuzzier!
While searching for a song on one of my favorite Christmas sites (Santasearch.org) I noticed that they had the full audio version of the cartoon downloaded.
So I thought I'd share it with you and hope that it makes doing your homework or 9-5 work more tolerable.
And just so you know, it's not the TV version but a version where Boris Karloff does ALL the voices; but it does include all the music!
http://santasearch.org/music.asp?PID=2&AudioID=1928

A little visual gift for Emily

And all the other red-blooded women who read this blog....

Unfortunately I can't wrap this up in a bow and put it under the tree for my niece!
and just in case you don't know who he is:
http://und.cstv.com/sports/m-footbl/mtt/quinn_brady00.html

Nothing like a little Brayden for the holidays!

Don't be a Scrooge!

I know as well as anyone that holidays can be a stressful time of year.
No money, no time....just crazy, keep-you-awake-at-night stress.

This article that I read in the New York Daily News today makes some great points:
(I hope my sister reads this, she has the holiday-crazy bug worse than ANYone!)

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/479767p-403596c.html

Ho, No Holiday Stress
Coping with the demands of the Season

by Jean Chatzky

Time is money, the middle of the holiday season, it can seem as though you don't have enough of either. Not only do you have to scrape together money to buy presents, you also have to find windows in your busy days to hit the stores, go to holiday parties, entertain out-of-town guests and, if you're really ambitious, decorate your house.

To make things worse, this season just naturally seems to lend itself to clutter. Gifts need to be stored or even hidden, wrapping paper is ev erywhere and visitors leave things behind. As if that's not enough of a mess, you have to find a place in your home for all of the new stuff coming in.

"Everybody's eyes are bigger than their schedules," said Julie Morgenstern, time management expert, author of "Never Check E-mail in the Morning" and creator of her own line of organizers. "There are just so many things that you need to do during this time of year."

So, how do you take care of it all and clear the decks before New Year's Day with a peaceful mind? You don't. Morgen stern said the key is trimming the fat and finding a balance that you're happy with.

Jean Chatzky is the author of the bestselling book "Pay It Down!"
Additional reporting by Arielle McGowen

Anti-stress to do list

Map it out. Forming your plan of attack in advance is always the best thing to do when approaching a high-stress situation. Get out a piece of paper and a pen (leave the computer out of this — it's way more satisfying to cross things off a list) and write down everything you need to get done between now and the holiday.

Don't worry about prioritizing just yet; instead, throw it all down there, no matter how small the task. Then, said time management expert Julie Morgenstern, put a realistic time estimate on the paper to reflect how long each item will take. After you've done that, it's time to add it all up. Literally. Get out a calculator, and start punching in the numbers until you have the total number of hours remaining until you can crumple up that list and recycle it.

Decide what is most important. Clearly, you're not going to be able to accomplish your entire list if it adds up to 200 hours. (Mine did. Bah, humbug.) So, Morgenstern suggested ironing out your priorities. What are three things that make the holiday season really special for you? Maybe you like to bake, decorate your house and spend time with your family, but you aren't so keen on shopping for gifts. Make those three things a priority, and cut down on shopping time by going online.

Delegate or delay. If your list includes things that aren't urgent, then by all means focus on them another time — like next year.

Even things that seem of-the-moment can occasionally be put off. Example: Holiday cards. Send New Year's cards, or Valentine's Day cards, or even random I-didn't-have-time-during-Christmas-but-still-wanted-to-send-my-love cards. If this doesn't appeal to you, or you cannot fathom the idea of no holiday cards, you might want to consider delegating the duty. There are companies that will send out hand-written cards for you to your specifications, or you could try swapping with a friend or neighbor: You'll bake an extra batch of cookies that she can give to her friends, if she'll write up holiday cards that you can give to yours.

Treat your house to a big cleanup. It may seem like just another thing to add to your already overflowing list, but giving your house a fresh polish can actually make you feel less stressed.
Morgenstern suggested cleaning room by room, starting with those that are going to be the most used — the living room, dining room, foyer, kitchen and bathroom — if you have family and friends coming to visit. That way, when someone calls from their car and asks if it's okay to pop by, you won't spiral into a panic at the mere thought.

Make a donation. "I think the holidays are a great excuse to do a big purge through your house," Morgenstern advised.
Neglected stuff in your closet and your children's closets are a great way to help others during a season that is supposed to be based on giving. Go through each closet, and get together a couple of boxes to give to a clothing drive or local shelter. Explain to your children that they have to get rid of a few toys they don't play with anymore to make room for the new ones they are going to get.

Know that it's okay to turn down an invitation. You can't go to every party, dinner and work event. So don't. Pick and choose the ones that mean the most to you and attend those. Don't feel bad about saying you aren't going to be able to make it to the others — go ahead and pull a reason off your list.

Bitch doesn't win the Battle of the Blondes

For once on a reality show the nice girl finished first!
I've admitted before that I watch reality shows and I've been hooked on America's Next Top Model since Cycle 2.
So tonight I suffered through another hour (personally, the cat fights got old in Cycle 2), I like watching the whole process of the photos and what exactly they WANT from the contestants. All the other crap is just Jerry Springer BS to me.

During the finale I thought for sure my favorite's goose was cooked. Her Covergirl photo was gorgeous but when the race is tight, they've always picked the girl who won the runway.
I gave in. When Tyra said "Americas Next Top Model Is....." I finished the sentence with "Melrose" and WAIT!
There was Caridee's picture on the screen!
You would've thought the Bills had won the Super Bowl! (well, I guess I wasn't THAT loud) But I did cheer, and clap and say "OH MY GOD!!" at least 10 times.
I still can't believe it!
Yea, Caridee did bitch alot about Melrose. She was a drama queen like the rest but something about her I still liked. Somewhat of a Vendela quality I guess. That sweetness with a bit of crazy underneath.
To me Melrose was just an annoying perfectionist car salesman.
Hell, she'll get modeling gigs anyway but at least I won't have to see her pathetic mug during the theme song next season or hear her say "This is my life as a Cover Girl"

WAY TO GO CARIDEE!!!

"Oh no. I'M SPEAKING IN RHYME!"

It is that time of year to be holly and jolly but sometimes it's easier to be a Grinch. Or a Scrooge.
Nahhhh!

So last year I listed my favorite Christmas songs, so this year I decided to be a LITTLE harder on myself and list my favorite Christmas movies/specials.

And yes, I’m SAYING Christmas. Not holidays, or any of that other PC crap. CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS, CHRISTMAS!
If you don’t like it….sue me. Oh wait, you can’t…it’s a blog! BAHAHAHAHA!

So here they are:

13 - Santa Claus is Coming to Town: Burgermeister Meisterburger made this special funny. And the Winter Warlock. "Put one foot infront of the other...."

12 - Frosty the Snowman “HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” Another special where the villain in it makes it funny. That and the rabbit. “Busy, busy, busy!”

11 - Emmet Otter’s Jugband Christmas: An amazing muppet story told by Jim Henson and his band of incredibly talented puppeteers. That I know of it was only aired on HBO but has recently been released to DVD. A great story of the true meaning of Christmas; family, friends and music! and of course, the Christmas branch!

10 - The Snow Queen: Not as well known as the others but the original version from the 60’s is pretty amazing. Of what I read one of the animators eventually went to Disney. (look at the Queen herself and you’ll see the familiar work) I remember the intro by Art Linkletter very well. “1 snowflake, 2…”

9 - The Santa Clause: One of the best of the more recent Christmas films. Yeah, it’s got the Disney corniness but you can’t beat the weight gain and the hair growth!

8 - A Year Without a Santa Claus: Heat Miser and Snow Miser make this more memorable "I'm Mr. Green Christmas, I'm Mr. Sun.."

7 - How the Grinch stole Christmas (animated): I remember drawing The Grinch in kindergarten and getting a star for it. You can’t beat Boris Karloff’s voice. And Max, poor sweet Max.

6 - White Christmas: I hadn’t seen this movie until a few years back but it made me love Danny Kaye even more and see what a dork Bing Crosby was. (okay, so he was playing a character..but still!) Some of the best corny music too, especially “Snow” and “Sisters”. I will admit that when the General makes his entrance in the final scene I always cry like a baby!

5 – Scrooge: A Christmas Eve tradition at my sisters house. The lesser known musical version of the Dickens story.

4 - Charlie Brown Christmas: TV Land named this the #1 Christmas special of all time. Because they're all so hard to rank I still had to put it in my top 5. You have to love Linus receiting (and in this PC day and age I am SO glad that they haven't cut that part out), Snoopy decorating his house and Charlie Brown's choice in trees! Not to mention Vince Giraldi's soundtrack, just amazing.

3 - It’s a Wonderful Life: People who don’t like this movie concern me. They don’t need heart transplants, they need heart installations! Granted, Jimmy Stewart is totally adorable in my eyes. If you’re a fan of this movie, make sure you rent SNL’s Christmas Special and watch their version of the “lost ending”.

2 - How the Grinch stole Christmas (the live action version): Next to Liar, Liar, this is my favorite Jim Carey movie. It has some of the greatest lines, I still recite every holiday season. "Blast this Christmas music. It's joyful and triumphant." "The nerve of those Whos. Inviting me down there - and on such short notice. Even if I wanted to go my schedule wouldn't allow it. Four o'clock, wallow in self pity; 4:30, stare into the abyss; 5:00, solve world hunger, tell no one. 5:30, jazzercize. 6:30, dinner with me. I can't cancel that again. 7:00, wrestle with my self-loathing; I'm booked. Of course, if I bump the loathing to 9 I could still be done in time to lay in bed, stare at the ceiling and slip slowly into madness. But what would I wear?"

1 - Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer: This must have been one of the first Christmas specials I watched when I was young, actually it was released the year I was born. Rudolph holds a special place in my heart along with Hermey, King Moonracer, Sam the Snowman and Yukon Cornelius. “Didn’t I ever tell you about Bumbles? Bumbles Bounce!”

I'll get you my pretty!!

After sitting up until almost midnight the other night, I realized that there was a VERY important topic that I have yet to discuss on my blog.
This subject is something that has affected and amused me my WHOLE life.
The Wizard of Oz.

I admit, if there’s a movie I like I’ll watch it over and over again.
It amazes me that many people don’t understand that concept. They watch a movie once, love it and move on.
(shaking head)
They just don’t it.
Every time you watch a movie, you notice something new.
Even now when I watch Oz, I’ll see something that I haven’t seen before. I’ll focus in on a different character and just watch how they move through a scene. Their corny expressions, their body language or, in the case of last night, I was trying to figure out what was pinned to Ms. Gulch’s dress on the right side of her chest. Or what shoes was she wearing, how was her hair done? Do that next time it comes on, it’ll keep you intrigued.

My cousin Sharon had an album of the movie and I remember playing THAT over and over again. This was before they started showing it more than once a year on TV.
I remember her brother David had written ‘I Love you” in crayon next to Dorothy’s picture. Obviously, she was his first crush.
From that album I learned to recite the whole movie. A dubious distinction I know. It will get me no where but it’s a fact and I’d be willing to prove it to anyone, anywhere, anyhow.

There are so many things about that movie that I love. I’m almost envious of Dorothy sometimes. I want to dance with the Scarecrow, hang out with the Munchkins and have a work day like the people in Oz did. (“We get up at noon and go to work at 1. Take an hour for lunch and then at 2 we’re done..jolly good fun!”)
I have some questions as well; I wonder why The Wizard used the same colored smoke as The Witch did when she exited a scene on her broom? Why does the Scarecrow knock on the door to see if that was the room Dorothy was locked in? Where were all the flying monkeys during the chase scene in the castle? Were the Winkies wearing masks or were they related to the witch what with those pointed noises and green skin? If the witch was allergic to water, why was there ANY laying around the castle? Did Glinda and the Munchkins think Dorothy was ugly? (‘cause Glinda said that only bad witches are ugly and she actually ASKED Dorothy if she was a good witch or a bad witch)

I have Oz “stuff” all over my apartment. A beautiful pencil sketch that my niece bought me for Christmas last year. (She was an Oz freak too….when she was little) A few of the Shelia’s figurines (basically Oz characters or scenes painted on carved pieces of wood), a wicked witch of the east door blocker complete with ruby slippers and striped socks to keep out drafts, a Making of Oz book, a Oz Cookbook, Oz Monopoly, Oz trivia game, a Wicked Witch bobble head and this beautiful half Oz/half Kansas music statue by the San Fransico Music Box Company that my Mom gave me for Christmas a couple years ago. One side is black and white and the other is color complete with Dorothy and Toto on both sides.

The cutest Oz reference I have is how my niece Nikki wanted to name her baby sister Emily because she wanted her kids to have an Aunt Em. This coming from the mouth a 3 year old!

So every time this movie comes on all I can think is "Oh joy...rapture!!"
Now if they'd only re-release it to the theatres; wouldn't that be somethin?

Get real...

As I've stated in earlier posts, I am a reality TV fan. I've watched all of them at some point; Survivor, Big Brother, America's Next Top Model...you name it.

The one that amuses me the most is definitely The Bachelor. It's the reality TV train wreck that you can't help but watch.
There's always the virgin, the drama queen, the girl who you don't even notice or remember her name who makes it to the final 3 and you think...what's her name again? The chick who has to be the center of attention, the girl who seems semi-normal at first who then turns into a complete nut-job, the girl who falls in love with the guy the VERY first night who doesn't get a rose the very first night and cries.

The thing about this show is,..okay; it's a reality show but it's not REALITY. If it were a TRUE reality show the dates wouldn't be in exotic locales. They wouldn't be on yachts in the middle of the mediterranian. It would be something like this; he's an hour late because his car broke down and he couldn't get a signal on his cell phone.
You go to the movies and a bunch of drunks keep kicking your seat or making smooching noises when he puts his arm around you.
You get a sick stomach during dinner and have to suck it up so you don't ruin the whole evening; you just pray to GOD he doesn't want to come inside when he brings you home.
You go to a hockey game and some fat ass sitting near you decidies to verbally accost the players the whole time.

And instead of a Rose, you get either his cell phone number, his e-mail address, his business card or, if he doesn't like you, he just says "give me your number and I'll call you tomorrow".

Now THAT'S reality dating! He could even pretend his a prince...kind of like the guy on the show now! An Italian prince whose never been to his homeland and can barely speak a word of the language??? I'm more Italian than that ugly bastard! (ask me how I REALLY feel)
I'm surprised that any woman would want to be on this show now anyway. Other than to get their 15 minutes of fame seeing as how of all the "relationships" haven't made it past week 2. I think they're 2 for 10.
Let's call the show what it really is. Dudes on Fantasy Island...pick a ho'.

Dreams are a wish your heart makes...

Is it true dreams actually mean something?
My dreams are usually just weird little things or semi-nightmares about me trying to escape from somewhere or someone.

I never had dreams about my boyfriends or even when they became ex-boyfriends. I dream about family, my dreams include my friends.

So what is up with me dreaming about Gale Harold alot lately?
Is he in trouble?
Is he sending telepathic signals out into space and for SOME reason they're making it down to MY brain?

If these dreams mean anything, someone please let me know.
Then maybe you can also explain what my dream of having hermit crabs attached to my toes meant as well!

Gale, Gale, Gale. WHY are you in my subconcious? Last night my dream was about me buying a house. I was somehow "in" it already but the people who owned it were still living there as well. With cats, I remember lots of cats. Then someone came by to inspect or access the house and, you guessed it. It was Gale. LOL.
Here the guy is rehearsing his part in the revival of Suddenly, Last Summer off Broadway and somehow he turns into a man who does house inspections.
Hey, maybe that's it! He's in the same state as me at this very moment. My brain is feeling his energy.
Well, at least he's off that shitty excuse for a FOX TV show!
Okay Gale...as Lori in Oklahoma sang "Out of my dreams and into your arms I long to fly!"

R.I.P Cory Lidle

I have to be honest; yesterday I was going to post a blog about the end of the Yankees season.
How disappointing it was to finish the season so well, only to tank in the first round.

Then todays tragedy...puts it all in perspective doesn't it?
Shit, it's only a game.
Granted, I wasn't devestated by the loss. Actually, I wasn't even surprised.
But what's important?

The thing we forget is that these guys are people. Not superhumans
Not robots
They're dads, husbands, sons and brothers.

So screw the fact that ARod had a bad series
That Mussina didn't have his usual blue-collar effort
Fuck the whole "Fire Joe Torre" thing

It's a game folks
and it lost one of it's boys today...

Girlfriend

As those who are close to me know, I haven't taken a dive into the dating pool in quite a while.
I have my reasons and they are many and easy to explain. At least for me.
Most females probably think I'm nuts. Which is fine, because I am. Nuts and sane all in the same half-second.
To me, life is complicated enough. You add a man into the mix and things only get crazier.
It's just too much work and I've never been known to be much of a hard worker!
Not to mention after watching what my friends have been through lately.....that would make ANYone steer clear of getting involved with someone.
Unless that someone is Gale Harold. For him I could deal with a TON of BS. (but that's another story...see http://auntsnoozy.blogspot.com/2006/04/i-need-me-some-gale-harold.html)

Recently a very close friend of mine had a relationship come to an end. It was sad but considering everything she's stressed about and tolerated the last five months or so....it was time to throw the bottom feeder back into the pond. Wow she put up with alot,..and put herself THROUGH alot.
Then yesterday I was channel surfing when a song I used to LOVE in the 80's came on and I just felt like it summed up everything I was thinking when it came to her and what she's going through...

You can watch part of the video here: (dig those funky 80's outfits and hairdo's)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3mG6Mc91nI

To believe or not to believe
that is the question
It just takes a street degree.
You've lied your last lie and I've cried my last cry
I'm out the door babe
there's other fish in the sea!

Girl, make a list
go out and find yourself a new plaything
Girl, you needn't trip
'cause he's not worth the misery and pain.

Just remember how he would tell you lies
And then pretend that ev'rything is so sweet.
Why should you sacrifice if you're not satisfied
He's just a canine running 'round in heat!

Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!
Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!

Girl, you must resist
don't let him squirm his way into your heart
no
Girl, I must insist
you've got to stop the fool before he starts.

Just remember how he was so untrue
and all the tacky things he did to you
No need to signify, 'cause he's not worth your time
You need to find someone that's true to you!

Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!
Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!

To believe or not to believe
that is the question. . .
just takes a street degree
You've lied your last lie, and I've cried my last cry
I'm out the door babe, there's other fish in the sea!

HeyDele! Sing!

To believe or not to believe
that is the question, it just takes a street degree

You’ve lied
I’ve cried
I’m out the door babe, there’s other fish in the sea!. . .

Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!
Girlfriend, how could you let him treat you so bad?
Girlfriend, you know you were the best he ever had!

RockStar SuperSkunk

We interrupt our regularly scheduled blog entry to bring you this update.....

WTF?!?!?
CURSE YOU ROCKSTAR SCUM!

That's two years in a row that this show has ended with them picking a jackass to front the band. Must be a pre-req.
"Hi, okay...we're looking for a posing, preening, egotistical growling idiot to "sing" for us."
"No...not you attractive man from over seas. No, not you talented woman with the amazing vocal quality. We want that over-made-up dude so we can get Maybelline to sponsor our tour."

How could you DO this to me Jason?!?!
INXS I understand. No one will EVER replace Michael Hutchence so go with the sob-story and pick the ex-homeless dude who still had the cash to legally change his last name. So them I could ignore.
Personally...I don't think Tommy Lee wanted to compete for the chicks and he wouldn't stand a CHANCE next to Toby Rand. Unless they were having a longest shlong contest.

So I gave it a chance and listened to Skunkboy perform two of SuperNova songs.(or whatever they're going to call themselves now that the lawsuit has been settled and they can't legally use that name) I gave Skunky a chance to win me over. I put down the remote and listened...and watched. I couldn't understand a fucking word he said. His voice is shit.
I'm sorry Jason...I can't listen to that. I can't watch that. He's pathetic. He's freakin terrible! You picked him just because he was voted in by the largest country in north america?? Nice logic.

I hope you bail on that gig Jason and go back to the Chophouse and Voivod or EchoBrain or whatever other project you have. Your musical reputation hangs in the balance...RUN!!!

Where have I been??

I don't think I've gone a whole month without updating this blog but....I did. Sorry.
What can I say, August was a crazy month.
I went to a NASCAR race weekend and had a great time...only to get home and find out I had a blood clot in my left leg below my knee.
Spent less than 24 hours in the hospital which was 24 hours TOO much.
Seriously, this was my first time in the hospital since I was a kid. I didn't like it then and I didn't like it now.
For one thing, the people who "check you in" at the Emergency Room..not nice. Hello. You're hurt or ill or whatever and you're upset and they can't even have the decency to be sociable to you?
Then I got wheeled to a bed and sat in said bed in the hallway of the ER. Not the trauma unit thank goodness. There were enough sick people there to tolerate I really didn't need to see any real nasty stuff. The worst was when some guy went walking looking for a bathroom and peed all over the floor right by me. And my friend Janet got a great view of it. Then his girlfriend/wife/whatever made some comment like we were giving him dirty looks. Seriously, bitch wanted to start a fight in the ER?!?!? What a jackass. Excuse me if I don't smile when someone walks by pissing on the floor.
I had great folks who came by to "work on me" while I was in the ER. Anthony, the resident vampire and another guy whose name escapes me who had to put his finger where no one should have to put their finger. My comment to him was "You had to go through years of medical school to do that???"
So I laid there, AND laid there, AND laid there. Wait, wait, wait. Rumor had it that they were going to send me in for a CAT scan. Which didn't sound like fun 'cause all I heard about was some glass of crap you have to drink before you go in there.
Next thing I know they were wheeling me and my bed up to the observation unit for the night. Room 73..or was it 72. I had a phone, a TV which was blocked when I pulled my screen across and they even brought it some yummy hospital food.
Fortunately my friends didn't leave me alone until almost 11pm that night. Which was great. I didn't want to be by myself. I was little-kid scared in that place.
The fun part was when the nurse came by to tell me not only was I going to be given a blood thinner pill but a shot because it takes the pill 4-5 days to take affect.
I had my choice of where I wanted the shot; my arm, the top of my thigh or my stomach. I chose the latter...just seemed to be where it would hurt the least. It wasn't bad at all.
I think I slept maybe 15 minutes that night. Some dude across the hall from me snored louder than any human I have ever heard. And, of course, they were coming by almost every hour to take my blood pressure, my temperature and my pulse. Is it me or does the blood pressure machine in the hospital get so tight in almost crunches your bones? Geez! Like sick people aren't in enough pain already, thanks!
In the middle of the night they woke up Senior Snore and I heard the nurse say that he probably has Sleep Apnea. No shit Sherlock. I'm not even a medical student and I could've told you that!
Then there was the cleanup people there. Those fuckers do not know how to whisper. They walk through there practically yelling at the person standing next to them. Ummm..HELLO. People trying to sleep here. And if you give me a dirty look because I have my Grover plush in bed with me I'll get right outta this bed and kick you in the ass! LOL
Yeah, I had my Grover plush. I told you, I was kid-scared in that place.
(TO BE CONTINUED)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BLOG!!

This blog is officially 1 year old as of yesterday.

(sniff) It's getting so BIG! lol

Welcome to the world Meghan Claire Paul!

With two other sisters at home, Meghan's daddy will be living like Jeff Foxworthy once stated:

"I live in the estrogen ocean, in the middle of nekkid Barbie Woodstock..."

Welcome to the family little one!

I miei complimenti Italia!

I wanna Rock!

Tonight is the premier of Rockstar:Supernova, the Tommy Lee Project on CBS.
It should be called The Jason Newsted show as far as I'm concerned. Although I'd probably watch it no matter what band was involved, but seeing Jason twice a week all summer is going to be HEAVEN!!
I became a Jason fan when I became a Metallica fan. There was something about the dude. That under-dog quality given the fact that he had to replace the original bass player and just the way they showed how he interacted with the fans. (not to mention the hair flinging, head banging, bass playing and back-up singing)

After Jason left my interest in Metallica was dead. Let's face it, he was treated like shit by those guys from Day 1. He was the new kid who was never quite accepted and I know what that feels like. It sucks. He said he was leaving for health reasons...yeah, MENTAL health.

I did, however, watch the movie Some Kind of Monster. That was pretty enlightening. It wasn't a happy time in the Metallica camp after "Jasonic" left. Lars freaked out, James went to rehab and poor Kurt was probably confused as hell as to what the fuck was going on.
The best part of the movie was when Lars went to see Jason and his new band Echobrain at a live gig. Afterwards he muttered the immortal words "Jason is the future, Metallica is the past"
That's the smartest thing he's ever said!

Dr. Edward Crane

A sad day in the canine community as Moose, the beloved pooch who played the incredibly popular Eddie on the show Frasier, has passed away.

As a tribute, here is one of many favorite moments starring this talented dog:

Eddie stares at Frasier

Frasier: What? Do you want to know what's bothering me too? Well, here's a start, I'm talking to a dog, that bothers me. I'm another year older today, I suppose that bothers me, but not as much as people seem to think. I'm still single, that's a big one. Not having a woman to share my life with. The only women in my life are friends; Roz and Daphne. Daphne's not even here anymore, she'll be married soon. That's going to be tough on Dad. Who am I kidding? It's going to be tough on me. It's been nice having her here. Even when my love life hasn't been going so well, I can always come home to a warm and considerate woman. You know, that's probably why I've been so brusque with her lately. I know that once she's gone, I'll probably be twice as lonely... Well, it's quite a realization isn't it?

Eddie buries his head under the pillow

Frasier: You know, there are subtler ways to let the patient know his hour is up.

RIP sweet boy!

Just call me Trixie...

'cause we both were constantly yelled at by my Grandmother!

You Are a Beagle Puppy

Cheerful, energetic, and happy go lucky. And you're sense of smell is absolutely amazing!

What Breed of Puppy Are You?

I'LL MARRY YOU KEANU!!

I just read on MRN.com that Keanu Reeves is desperate to get married.
http://www.movies.msn.com/celebs/article.aspx?news=224827

My question is this; how is it possible that he is having a problem finding someone to take him up on it?
He's tall, good looking, seems quirky but intelligent, (although he's been known to call himself dumb) he's a musician, he's an ex-athlete and he's financially stable. So what's the problem?

I've always been one to like the quirky-yet-charming actors such as Johnny Depp, Robert Downey, Mel Gibson, Nic Cage, Orlando Bloom; guys like that. The handsome yet not totally main-stream, take-any-role-they-throw-at-you kind. Keanu is definitely part of that group for me. You never know what to expect from him. What I've found with all the above mentioned men is that even if the movie they're in isn't great, their performances will stand out.

So what do I have in common with Keanu? Age, experience, hockey, music and..who knows what else. Maybe I could even get him into NASCAR!

So pre-nup or otherwise, call me Keanu..let's talk!!

Need a little laugh today....

You Are Ernie

Playful and childlike, you are everyone's favorite friend - even if your goofy antics get annoying at times. You are usually feeling: Amused - you are very easily entertained You are famous for: Always making people smile. From your silly songs to your wild pranks, you keep things fun. How you life your life: With ease. Life is only difficult when your friends won't play with you!

The Sesame Street Personality Quiz

LET'S GO BUF-FA-LO!!

My love of sports began with baseball. Yankees baseball to be exact. I even have the phrase "#1 Yankees fan" embossed on my highschool yearbook.
Then there was hockey,..which is a love that continues to this very day. It's not in my blood like NASCAR is, it doesn't have the american tradition in the heart that football does but there's something that NASCAR and the NHL share. That down-home, glad-to-meet you, parents-brought-'em-up-right, thank god the fans are here kind of love. They appreciate us and we appreciate them even MORE for appreciating us. There's not the bling-bling-attitude like there is in football, there's not the "if I wasn't playing hoops, I'd be in prison" mentality of the NBA. It's, and you'll have to excuse me if this comes off as prejudice because that's not my intent, a sport for middle sized white boys, born and bred in the outskirts of the big city who have a respect for what they do and know that they're privledged for getting chance to do it.
So tonight my beloved Buffalo Sabres will be battling it out in Game 7 with the Carolina Hurricanes. If nothing else, haven't we had enough of freaking hurricane talk as it is??

I love my Sabres. Yes, they are mine. Although I share them with many, I still consider them my babies. I've been with them for years; cheered them on through the bad years, the No Goal-we-got-screwed-out-of-another-one thank you dumb-ass Bettman year (I still LOATHE Brett Hull), and the years when it wasn't even for sure that they'd STAY in Buffalo. So now with all but four of their regular defensemen on the injured list I have to pray that their toughness in the face of adversity attitudes will survive another day. Another battle in the corner, another cross check infront of the net, another press deep in their zone when they can't clear the puck...

Bob DiCesare wrote a great column in the Buffalo News today that sums up how we Western New Yorkers feel about our boys in black:

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20060601/1056389.asp

Sabres, WNY happily share a common fate

For an instant it looked as though Brian Campbell might lose it. For the briefest moment it appeared a tear might roll from the corner of his eye.
He'd just been told there's a perceptible difference in how Buffalo hockey fans have come to feel about their Sabres. No longer is this a community craving a championship merely for its own satisfaction, its own glory. It now goes much deeper than that. This is a town yearning for its players to win a title for their own personal fulfillment. The overriding feeling is that, with all this team's been through, it deserves nothing less than a chance to play for the Stanley Cup.
"That's a nice thing for them to feel," Campbell said. "It shows a lot of respect from our fans if that's the case. We've gone through a lot of adversity this year. I think they've seen how hard we've worked. We haven't given up at any time and they've been so happy for us and cheered us on."
Buffalo sports fans get it, always have, always will. They cheered when the announcement of the scratches revealed Teppo Numminen would be back in the lineup Tuesday night, however brief that turned out to be. They cheered when Carolina's Rod Brind'Amour was tossed from the faceoff circle, knowing draws are more easily won when he's not around. They're totally in tune, fully realize what the Sabres have achieved to this point is unique, special and worthy of their admiration.
That's why today is going to seem longer than the darkest, coldest day in February. That's why 7:30 won't arrive until what feels like midnight. This is it, Game Seven of the Eastern Conference finals, the culmination of a tense, taut and tantalizing series that has brought hostilities between the Sabres and Carolina Hurricanes to a rolling boil. Six games of drum roll and now the cymbal crash, either the sweetest music or the harshest noise.
It's delicious stuff, the ultimate in hockey drama. Lose the seventh game of the Stanley Cup finals and at least you had your shot. Lose the seventh game of the conference finals and it's a matter of so close and yet so far, a sick and hollow feeling.
"We're going to give it our all," said Daniel Briere, as if there were any doubt on that front.
Have they really made it this far? With no Tim Connolly and no Dmitri Kalinin? With no Henrik Tallinder and now no Numminen, again? And yet it's the Hurricanes, said to have iced champagne in the visitors' dressing room Tuesday night, who are scrambling, desperate, forced to win to save face, offering up excuse after excuse for why it is they've yet to finish off this depleted bunch. Who knew Raleigh was such bountiful whine country? Meanwhile, the Sabres march on, focused, resolute.
"I think we have the look of this city," Briere said. "We're a team that's resilient. We're a team that's relentless, a team that has to work for everything we get. We've been through tough times, the city's been through tough times. People work hard around here."
The town can see it. Everybody can see it. Even those Sabres clubs of the late '90s, billed as the hardest working teams in hockey, can't measure up to this collection of indefatigable spirits that keeps cashing bets on the long shot, the long shot being themselves.
Thing is, the Sabres want this for Buffalo as much as Buffalo wants this for them. They want to be the team that takes the city off the schneid. They want to see the looks on all of your faces if they get this one and four more to follow. They're determined to keep this magical postseason run alive.
"Yes, we want to win it for us," Briere said. "But it would be so neat, so cool, to bring a championship to this city. We know they've been through some hard times with their sports teams, 20-25 years. There's nothing that would make me more happy right now than to be able to bring a championship to the fans here."

NOW, LET'S GO BOYS!!

When did we lose our freedom of speech?

What can I say, I'm sick of closed-minded MF'ers. I'm opinionated as anyone (got that skill from my father) but even if I don't agree with someone, I'm glad that we both have the right to voice our opinions. That's what our country is all about, right? So why would someone get so beat down for disagreeing with what others think? I don't get that. If you don't follow the norm, you should be afraid for your life or the life of your family??? Excuse me, what country do I live in again?
I don't like to get all political. First of all, it doesn't interest me in the least. There isn't a politician out there who's a saint. If they were, they wouldn't be elected officials because you can't be one without lying, cheating, stealing or killing somebody.
Secondly, I don't belong to a party. I'm a party of one. Like Chris Rock said "don't be a right winger, don't be a conservative or a liberal. Just listen. Listen, think and then make up your OWN mind" Maybe people are too afraid of speaking their minds. Maybe they have no minds to speak of.
So today the Dixie Chicks new CD is being released and I won't go home without having it in my hot little hand. Above and beyond everything that's happened to them, I love their music. That's why I listened to them in the first place, that's why I went to see them from the front row in Buffalo, NY a few years back. Natalie can sing her little ASS off. Martie and Emily are not only amazing musicians but combine to make incredible three-part harmonies.
I could care less what Natalie said about the president. If that's what she thought, she had every right to say it. Just as much as you and I have a right to speak our peace.
So here's mine; we've been in this war WAY too long. Sons, daughters, fathers, wives, brothers, sisters, grandsons, grand daughters, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins are DYING. EVERY day. I have a nephew there right now. I'm scared for his life.
Some say that the media is painting the war as such a negative. That the people are HAPPY that we're there. Explain to me then...when was war EVER a positive...for ANYone??

Is it better to burn out than fade away?

I had a friend in highschool named Wendy Hastings who LOVED Def Leppard. That's all I'd hear about when we talked; Joe Elliott, Def Leppard and Pyromania. At the time, I was a HUGE Loveryboy fan. I must've played the LP Get Lucky a bazillion times in our basement. (gotta love the red leather pants)
So after alot of nagging by Wendy I finally watched a Lep video on MTV one night and became totally intrigued. Not by Joe Elliott, although I admit I was completely envious of his hair, but of their music and the fact that they weren't your average rock band. They were cute, running all over the stage with youthful energy and they're songs were really solid. I was sold!
22 years later I still love the Leps. Maybe even more now than I did then. At the same time like any past love there is some pain involved. Why? Because my favorite member of the group died back in 1991. As much as I have enjoyed VH1 Classic's Metal Month, it's still quite painful to watch when the videos for Photograph, Rock of Ages and especially Foolin' come on the screen. Steve Clark looked so young then. You couldn't see the demons lurking in his head. All you saw was his blonde hair, his pale skin under whatever opened shirt he happened to be wearing at that time and his guitar down around his knees. What was hidden was his poor, tortured soul and his badly abused liver. He was as talented as he was depressed.
I had a friend in college named Dave who spent hours in a hallway trying to perfect the opening guitar sequence from the song Foolin. A few years later he crashed a motorcycle he was taking for a test drive, hit a tree head on and died from the injuries.
Then the video for the song comes on and there's Steve playing that opening part on the acoustic guitar. It leaves me somewhat speechless and sad.
That song always reminds me of Dave and Steve....it probably always will

Here's what Joe Elliott wrote about Steve five years ago:
http://www.defleppard.com/diaries/index.html

So here we are, January 8th, 2001 and I’m in Japan with the Cybernauts. Tonight I’ll be singing a song called “Rock and Roll suicide”…How ironic, don’t’ you think? It’s 10 years to the day since Steve passed away and I shall be dedicating that particular song to his memory.
Steve lived it like he wanted to, and if the truth be known, probably went the same way. Always one notch too low with the strap, always one step ahead with the ideas, he could be the most inspiring and depressive person you ever met. But I wouldn’t change a thing. Yes, of course, I wish he was still alive but I doubt he’d be in the band anymore….But you never know do you??

I’ve seen women fighting over him, I’ve seen him fighting with his own demons and I saw him lose the ultimate battle, the one for his own life. At the end Steve wasn’t happy but he always meant well, even if he knew in his heart of hearts that he was letting us down. I think he enjoyed the success , but ultimately wanted to be Johnny Thunders more than he wanted to be Steve Clark. We all found out the hard way he couldn’t be both.

I miss him, I miss his humor, I miss his spark, but I don’t miss the heartache of seeing him slowly killing himself. Life moves on and so did we, and to borrow from one of his favorite bands, he’s ten years gone.

It’s almost nine years since Viv joined and we’re still here doing our thing. In many ways we’re a stronger unit now than we were before, but we wouldn’t be in this position if it hadn’t been for the contribution of one Stephen Maynard Clark. I love you, man, I always will, and I know that if you are up there (I doubt it!), you’re watching what we do, and you’re rooting for us. My guess is you’re DOWN there, whooping it up w/his un-holiness, beating him at cards and telling him why the Pistols were the world’s second greatest band. You always did love the danger of it all….

Sugar Me!

Your Stripper Song Is

Pour Some Sugar on Me by Def Leppard "Love is like a bomb, baby, c'mon get it on Livin' like a lover with a radar phone Lookin' like a tramp, like a video vamp Demolition woman, can I be your man?" Break out the baby oil, you rock it old school.

What Song Should You Strip To?

I need me some Gale Harold

What is it about spring?
Most times of the year I feel semi-normal (at least as normal as I'll EVER feel) but spring makes me feel different.
I woke up Sunday morning realizing that I just had a dream about a celebrity, which for me is REALLY odd. I'm not a teenage girl. I don't have posters of the latest teen heart throb on my walls or magazines of celebrity's in my house.
I don't go to movies needing a drool bucket, I don't watch MTV hoping for a glimpse of the latest video by Teddy whats-his-name. It doesn't interest me.
There are a few athletes who I will say are VERY easy on the eyes but I don't dream about them either.
So what was I doing have a dream about slow dancing with Gale Harold?
He has a dorky name, doesn't he? What were his parents thinking?
"So what name can we give our son so he gets his ass beat every day at school? I know, let's call him Gale Morgan!” YUH! I'm sure they're nice people, but if they had a clue as to the stature to which their son was going to grow into, they could’ve come up with something better than THAT! He deserves the name Brad Pitt even more than Brad himself. (in my opinion anyway and if you don't agree...too bad, it's my blog! and I even appreciate Brad Pitt, but he is no Gale Harold)
If you're a heterosexual person and have never owned the channel Showtime on your cable network you probably don't know who Gale is. And that's okay. I think he's much happier being a semi-celeb than a BIG time celeb. I can't see his talent and looks keeping him under the radar much longer though.
So why wouldn't most common heteros know Gale? He had a lead part in one of the most controversial night time shows since Sex and the City. It was called Queer As Folk. You got it, it was SATC for gay men. Except somehow it also appealed to straight women, especially THIS straight woman. Gale played a unapologetic sex god in the city of Pittsburgh who fucked who he wanted, when he wanted and as often as we wanted and every woman watching cheered his fine ass on. Why? Because we wanted to see him nekkid. It's that simple. Which is funny because if he was a straight man doing the same thing, I doubt we would love him as much. Men wronging other men must be more okay with women!
But as much of a bastard as he was, he was still appealing. REALLY appealing. Tall, thin but by no means skinny, dark hair and the most entrancing hazel eyes I’ve ever seen.
In the very first episode he poured a water bottle over his head, stripped completely nekkid (with a great camera shot from behind) and asked his latest conquest “Are you coming or going? Or coming and then going? Or coming and staying?” It was classic. He was the ultimate sexual predator who was such a bastard that you just couldn’t help but want him as well.

But that’s not Gale, that was Brian Kinney.
Gale is said to be extremely intelligent, media-shy but un-apologetic about the role that made him (in)famous. So now we’ll see where his career takes him. He has a lead role in the upcoming CBS show Vanished, will play Wyatt Earp in a few episodes of the HBO series Deadwood and has a movie coming out called East Broadway.
Personally I don’t care what he does as long as I can turn on the TV and see him. (even if he is wearing clothes!)

Here's a topic I have yet to really talk; religion.

I was raised Catholic. Baptised, had my first communion and was confirmed with the name Veronica. (I liked the name, what she stood for AND the fact that she was also an Archie's character)
I don't however go to church weekly. I go on major holidays just because it makes my mother happy. The service for me just got...empty. Stand up, sing this, say this, sit down, stand up again, kneel, shake hands with your neighbor, sing, take the host, kneel some more and then run for the car. I just wasn't getting anything out of it so when I was old enough to decide whether or not I wanted to go, I decided the latter. Not.
To be quite honest I probably would've stopped going years before that except for two reasons. One, my father MADE me go and two; youth group. As in choir. I was probably in one of the most amazing ones I've ever heard next to those kids in Sister Act 2.
I remember the day I was at Saturday 5:30 mass with my mother and heard the church youth group sing for the first time. Wow. There were a bunch of them too; all ages and sizes and three guitar players leading them. I had to join. So I did. Then dropped out, then joined up again about a year later when they had named themselves Morningstar.
For me it wasn't about the whole religion or singing infront of people in church, it was about being a voice in the middle of that sound. The harmonies were amazing. I had prided myself on being a pretty strong singer and have been known to drown out people by complete accident...but not in this group. There were strong singers everywhere.
That's when I was also introduced to the musical Godspell. Never heard of if but we sang practically every song off the soundtrack. Especially when the whole group went on a retreat. That album (this was pre-casette tape days) would get played to death. And we would act it out too. Recently one of the songs popped into my head and I haven't been able to get it out.
So what's my take on religion? Well....I don't believe that God is like Santa Claus and something that was made up like George Carlin says. I do believe that he exists, in his son and that there's a heaven and hell.
How else would you explain the power of music? Because when I think hard enough...I can still hear all those voices singing around me, it's SO comforting.

All Good Gifts
We plow the fields and scatter
the good seed on the land..
But it is fed and watered
by God's almighty hand..

He sends us snow in winter,
the warmth to swell the grain...
The breezes and the sunshine,
and soft refreshing rain...

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above
Then thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love...

We thank thee then, O Father,
for all things bright and good,
The seedtime and the harvest,
our life our health our food,

No gifts have we to offer
for all thy love imparts
But that which thou desirest,
our humble thankful hearts!

All good gifts around us
Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, thank the Lord for all his love..

I really wanna thank you Lord!
All good gifts around us Are sent from Heaven above..
Then thank the Lord, oh thank the Lord for all his love..

GET WELL SOON!

Just a Get Well wish to the other half of the brain down in Chattanooga, TN.
Look, even Jonathan's worried about her!

"I just hope nothing happens to her bangin' hair..."

That's it?

Your Quirk Factor: 63%

You're so quirky, it's hard for you to tell the difference between quirky and normal. No doubt about it, there's little about you that's "normal" or "average."

How Quirky Are You?

I thought it would be a MUCH higher percentage than THAT!

I really need a life!

When news like this gets me all excited, I think it's safe to say that I need a life!

It's official: Warner Bros. has announced that the Harry Potter and the Order of Phoenix movie will hit theaters on July 13, 2007!

Granted, I'm kind of angry as well that I have to wait a year, 3 months and 6 days to see it. (Not that I'm counting or anything!)

Bring it on Yankee-haters!

I love the Spankees. Call them what you want, say they're bought, say they're old and washed up or over-rated every year. I don't care. Most Yankee fans don't. Would you care if someone said the same about your favorite team? Probably not. After a while all the bashing gets humorous, not hurtful. So save your breath!

I love April baseball. The season is fresh, the players are tanned and ready to go. Something about opening day just makes you happy; maybe it's because it means spring (unless of course you live in the Northeast) and that summer isn't far away. Fall being right around the corner from there. (my favorite season)
Maybe it's because it reminds you of sitting in the stands for a lazy, lovely Sunday double-header where you can smell the hots and hear the crack of the bat and the pop of the glove. Like Ray Liotta's Shoeless Joe said about baseball in the movie Field of Dreams "It's the sounds, the smells".
I love going to the ballpark; I just wish I did it more often.
But then there's always YES Network to fill my empty heart with Yankee joy. Yeah, the Yankees have their own freakin network. THAT'S gotta piss the haters off! Does any other team have one of their own? Doubt it, but I could be wrong.

I have my favorite Yankees. Currently it's Mike Mussina. Gotta love Michael Cole. (although I have to apologize the best pic I can find of him was in his 'Birds-wear, see upper-left) What's to hate? He keeps his yapper shut and just goes about his business. Not to mention he's a brain with a degree from Stanford.
I got to see Mike pitch here in Rochester for Triple-A before he went on to the Orioles for a few years. He was always an interesting pitcher to watch. Infact, I got an up-close and personal view of a work-out of his one time. The teams pitching coach was catching for him, I'm not sure what they working on, but the ball was just whizzing within feet of the fence that seperated me from the field. Saying that it was impressive was an understatement. I remember the coach looking over at me and saying "How did that look?" and I said "wow....very nice!" and they both laughed. I really didn't know what to say, I was just enjoying the moment. You know the kind,..when you know it'll never happen again. People say Mike isn't as good a pitcher as he used to be,..who is. All I know is I'd rather have him on my team than hit against him.

My all-time favorite Yankee is Don Mattingly, but at the same time I have to wonder about the Mattingly curse. Is it any coincedence that we never won a championship when he was a player and we're having the same issues ever since he became the hitting coach? If you're a sports fan you know, we're all VERY superstitious! As much as I love Donnie...it will take another ring to make me think otherwise.
But I still have the utmost respect for Don. To me he was a true Yankee; came up through the farm system, busted his ass and kept the press at bay the best he could. Him and Jeter are alot alike in that way,..respected by people with brains in their heads. Even rival Sox fans like him although they refuse to ever speak it as so.

So here's to best team money can buy. Without the haters it wouldn't be as much fun to win, so thanks!

and GO YANKS!!

10 people every woman needs

Read this on MSN.com today and thought it was SO true! I added who I think those people are to for me so, enjoy:

1. An Ethel Mertz. (I have a FEW of these) This lifelong friend will be there for all your impetuous "Lucy" moments, whether you're embarking on a crazy scheme (spying on your ex, dying your hair pink) or nipping at the Vitameatavegamin.

2. A boy friend. (Mike) As in platonic male pal. While he'll never replace your girlfriends for late-night Ben & Jerry's gossip sessions, having a Ben or Jerry in your life can be just as beneficial. With him, you're free to sport your dowdiest duds, have a heated political discussion (without fear that it will carry into the bedroom) and even belch out loud. He'll be your plus-one at parties and the third wheel when you need a buffer. And his insight is especially helpful for all those "Y" questions, such as, "Why are men so...?" "Why did he...?" and "Why won't he...?"

3. A born-to-shop pal. (my sister) This sartorial sidekick will not only help you find flattering outfits amid the chaos of your closet, she'll also score a heavenly pair of black pumps for you (on sale!)-even when she's shopping for herself.

4. A money manager. (Janet) A financial advisor can help you get fiscally fit, from reducing your debt to funding your kids' education.

5. A fitness buddy. (Christine and Sharon) Pairing up can help you slim down. In one University of Pittsburgh study, participants who worked out with pals lost 33 percent more weight than those who exercised solo. "In addition to providing increased motivation and better results, exercising with a partner is just a lot more fun," says Charles Stuart Platkin, author of Breaking the Pattern (Red Mill Press, 2002).

6. A gynecologist. Despite the skimpy paper gown and awkward position, this relationship can save your life.

7. A Bea Arthur. (I think I'M that person in my circle-o-friends) They don't call her a "Golden Girl" for nothing. Having an empowered, feisty female role model lends wonderful perspective.

8. A trusted hairstylist. (Kelly and Bridget) Trusted being the key word. This is someone who comprehends the meaning of "just a trim" and can teach you how to achieve salon results at home. How to find your mane man or woman? Ask someone with locks you love for the name of her stylist. (Of course, once you settle down with the shear genius, you'll need to keep the news to yourself.)

9. A dream lover. (oye, do I dare list them??) You're in a committed relationship (no I'm not!), but every so often, you picture yourself getting jiggy with Ashton Kutcher/Tyrese/the UPS guy. Sick and twisted? Nah. Imagining yourself in an intimate situation with someone other than your partner is normal-and then some. "Sexual fantasies increase interest and arousal and decrease anxiety," says Wendy Maltz, coauthor of Private Thoughts (New World Library, 2001). Hey, as long as it takes you both to rapturous heights, he never has to be the wiser.

10. A child. (my nieces and my nephew) Watching a kid (yours or someone else's) at play reminds you how simple and joyful life can be.

Public Service Announcement

And now, a message from Pathological Liars Anonymous.

"Hello, my name is Tommy Flanagan, and I'm a member of Pathological Liars Anonymous. In fact.. I'm the president of the organization!
I didn't always lie. No, when I was a kid, I told the truth. But then one day, I got caught stealing money out of my mother's purse. I lied. I told her it was homework -that my teacher told me to do it. And she got fired! Yeah, that's what happened!
After that, lying was easy for me.I lied about my age and joined the army. I was thirteen at the time. Yeah.. I went to Vietnam, and I was injured catching a mortar shell in my teeth. And they made me a three-star general!
And then I got a job in journalism, writing for the National Enquire.. er, Geographic! Yeah.. I was making twenty thousand a ye.. month! In fact, I won the Pulitzer Prize that year! Yeah, that's the ticket.And then my cousin died - Joe Louis - and I took it hard. Maybe too hard - I tried to kill myself. Yeahh.. I did kill myself! Sure! I was medically dead for a week and a half! It was a woman that brought me out of it - Indira Gandhi! Yeah, right.. And she told me about Pathological Liars Anonymous.
Oh, you'd be surprised how many famous people belong. In fact.. at one of the meetings I met my wife - Morgan Fairchild! Yes, I'm a changed man now, and all because of Pathological Liars Anonymous. Why, I - I even have my picture on the cover of Newsweek magazine. Yeah. Every day! Yeah.. that's the ticket! Yeah, you betcha!

Detroit leaning....

You Should Drive a Ford Shelby Mustang Cobra

You have an extreme need for speed, even when you're not in a hurry. And while your flying by, you don't want to look like every other car on the road!

What 2007 Car Should You Drive?

I had to laugh while taking this quiz...as to what my driving attitude is like. It's ALWAYS "GET THE HELL OUT OF MY LANE!!"
But then again, if I'm in the left lane doing 10 miles over the speedlimit, what the fuck are these goofballs doing tailgating me? The way I look it at is if you have to get there that quickly, LEAVE EARLIER!

They ain't no Annie or Molly

There are times to bitch, complain, vent until you're red in the face..and then there are times to just sit back and enjoy simple stuff. Something that just makes you say "awwww".
I had that kind of moment this morning when my buddy Christine sent me this picture of her two dogs; Dottie and Shorty.
What makes this picture even sweeter is the fact that both of these dogs were pound rescues; orphans basically, who are now enjoying the rough life of walks, toy hedgehogs and dog beds in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Yeah, it's the hard-knock life for them..can't you tell?

From the home office in Wahoo, Nebraska

Did you ever read something online while at work that made you laugh so hard that three people came into your office to see what they were missing?
And to those in my family who are reading this...you know why!

Top Ten Signs You've Been Living With Your Parents Too Long
10. They withold Social Security from your allowance
9. You notice that "old person smell" but it's coming from your room
8. You have to explain to your children that you can't take them to the zoo today because you're grounded
7. The annual "growth chart" marks on the hallway door indicate you are getting shorter
6. The blue of your Smurf sheets match your vericose veins
5. You were grounded for drinking the last can of Ensure
4. You excitedly beg your mom to buy that new cereal, the one with the high fiber
3. Stopped stealing their liquor; started stealing their Lipitor
2. Last night you were grounded because you stayed out too late with your wife
1. You can't go to Vegas until you eat all your vegetables

A Night at the "thea-tah"

Last night I went to see The Lion King at the local Auditorium "Thea-tah". (I have to write it how the snobs say it)
I haven't been to see a live musical in a couple years but I was definitely looking forward to it because nothing beats a live experience not to mention the magic of Disney and my love of the original animated movie.
I will get to my review of it in a bit but first I have to talk about the whole experience of going to see a musical locally.
Rochester isn't known for much. Okay, we had George Eastman which was something to be proud of until Eastman Kodak laid off half of the town. (granted, it wasn't HIS fault) We had the riots, which I heard SO much about when people found out I was moving here and we have serial killers. What some people don't know about Rochester is it's VERY artsy. People really enjoy and love to experience the arts in it's many forms here so musicals tend to create a big buzz. Especially one as loved and renowned as The Lion King.
If you drove by the building where these events are held, you wouldn't give it a second glance. Infact, the armory across the street would probably get your attention instead. (most people are fascinated by anything that looks like a castle; I know I am!) Once inside however the building takes on the aura and charm of a classic thea-tah house. The carpeting, the wooden railings and the whole pre-show excitement. Not to mention it's a prime people-watching place. Make that people staring. There was alot of staring going on. It's a place to see and be seen I guess.
One thing I notice that people at the thea-tar love to do is tell total strangers how they've seen that nights production in other cities. You don't even have to ask; the person sitting next to you will offer up this information and never even introduce themselves. Then they will give you a list of all the musicals or plays that they've seen in the last two years. Granted, I wish most total strangers were this friendly but it seems that it's more of a speech of domination. They've got season seats, they've seen every production at the venue the last five years so what gives you the right to sit next to them? You better have some ammunition or they may never speak to you again.
Now on to my review.
Unfortunately I can't give as glowing a write-up as I had hoped. It could be for many reasons but here are mine.
Most of the cast were not strong singers or actors; they didn't command the stage or demand your attention. I sat there many times hoping for a puppeteer to come on stage again and break up the bore. Mufasa seemed to be trying to do a cheap James Earl Jones impression, it wasn't even that sad when he died. Scar was good but not exactly scary, he was more weird than intimidating...and shouldn't a villainous lion be at least a LITTLE scary? Simba young and old were average; not great actors and so-so singers. I couldn't help but wonder what Wayne Brady could do as older Simba. The hyennas comic timing was lousy and most of the time, they just weren't funny. How come they cracked me up in the movie and I didn't even giggle at them last night? It's all in the delivery folks.
The worst parts of the show had to be some of the dance routines. And that's saying alot considering they were choreographed by the renowned Garth Fagan. A man who has local ties which SHOULD bring an additional air of excitement. I found alot of it boring, out-of-synch and, most of the time, badly placed. What was the point of dancers suspended in mid-air, half naked and clinging to each other during "Can you feel the love tonight"? The song itself is enough, the production slowed it to a halt and de-tensified the love-connection.
But there were highlights. The opening scene is AMAZING. I had goosebumps. I get them again just thinking about it. So was the opening scene in Act 2. The puppets and puppeteers were first rate; exactly what you'd expect from a Disney production. Timon and Pumbaa were fantastic and funny. Nathan Lane and Ernie Sabella are not easy shoes to fill but these guys last night made a hilarious stamp of their own although them doing a charleston instead of a hula to distract the hyennas didn't quite get the laugh they had hoped but Timon's headware was great! The music was outstanding, perfectly loud yet soft and emotion-filled when it had to be.
The biggest star in the production was without a doubt Rafiki played by an amazing South African woman named Phindile Mkhize. I would've been just as happy last night listening to her sing any song w/the puppeteers dancing wildly about her and from what I heard from others as I walked out of the thea-tah, I wasn't alone. She received the loudest cheer of any during the bows, and deservedly so. One reviewer put it best when speaking of her voice "As the wise baboon Rafiki, Phindile Mkhize (new to this cast) sets the vocal tone in the opening number, "Nants Ingonyama,'' when she calls the animals to the introduction of Simba. Her voice pours through the theater, sending a chill down the spine and vibrating through every molecule of air"
If she was a lion, she would be King!

Does March come in like a lion?

Then being a LEO, no wonder I like it. (at least so far)
It's closer to spring, it has St.Patrick's Day in it and makes us meat-eating Christian's take a cow-break every Friday for the next 6 or 7 weeks. Bring on the fish fry!

Here are some other reasons why I like March right now: (have you noticed I've been doing alot of lists on my blog? it's just as confusing to me, believe me!)

It has five Friday pay days in it
It's not February (Valentine's Day..blahhhhhhhhhh)
It's not November or Christmas-time where you have to blow a bunch of money on anyone
The NASCAR season will finally be in full swing which will give me something to do with my Sunday's now that football season is over
BlowOut Season 3 starts on the 21st: You thought The Bachelor or Flavour of Love had Drama Queens in it, wait until you see Jonathan Antin. The guy cries at the drop of a hat. Don't get me wrong, I'm all about men showing their emotions but this dude is a raging, sobbing freak with a beard of a wife and a kid now. What's next?!
America's Next Top Model:Cycle 6 is upon us so it'll be another season full of cat fights where one girl thinks she's more black than the others and someone who's the most irritating of ALL the broads will make it to the Final Three much to the dismay of every viewer
Every day is one day closer to the May 23rd release of the long-awaited Dixie Chicks new CD "Taking the Long Way". Say what you will about their lack of apologies for saying what most American's think by now...these women are amazing musicians and Natalie's voice; hands down the best I've ever heard. Not to mention she gets to bang Adrian Pasdar. To those haters, get a life! I say bring on The Chicks!
Every day is one day closer to Brokeback Mountain being released on DVD. Sorry but I'm just dying to see Heath and Jake makeout!
And lastly, every day is one more day closer to the NASCAR race at Watkins Glen!!

You're never too old for Harry Potter

As previously admitted, I'm a Harry Potter fan. Freak, no. Fan, yes. I have all the books, all the movies and two leather HP wristbands. (I ordered one and they sent me one that was different than the one I ordered so I asked them why so they sent me what I ordered and told me to keep the one I got for free, NICE!)
Last night I had to run out and buy the new DVD which shows once again that I'm not a FREAK of HP but a fan considering it was released on Tuesday. (Over 5 million sold the very first day)
I did, however, go home and cue it up right away. I did see it on it's release weekend back in 2005 but there are always things you miss at the movie theatre, no matter how quiet everyone is. You could be reaching for your popcorn or your soda and BAM, you miss some dialougue or an important facial expression.
It was amazing; I enjoyed the movie all over again. It made me laugh, cry and it was the scariest of all four so far. At least in MY opinion.

Here are something things that I love about the HP series and the movies:
The friendships: who wouldn't want friends like Harry, Ron and Hermione? Harry's famous and talented, Ron's a kick and Hermione's amazingly smart ALMOST to the point of annoyance but her loyalty and cuteness make up for it.
Fred and George: totally geeky and hilarious, I can't WAIT to see their escapades in movie 5. Hopefully that whole storyline won't be cut.
Hogwarts: who in their right mind wouldn't LOVED to have gone to a school that just LOOKED like that? To get away from your muggle parents for a year, have a "house" of rooms to be part of and eat in the great hall with spooks and spectors everywhere. Although I can't say I'd be thrilled w/those moving staircases.
Snape: that's right, I just love Severus. Even though he seems to be a downright rat at the end of Book 6.....I don't think he's as bad a guy as we're lead to believe. There has to be a reason Dumbledore trusts him. Plus a foe who never bends to the charm of HP makes the movie even better. And he's down-right hilarious beating Ron with a book in movie 4.
The Dark Arts teacher: each year whoever teaches this class endures some bad mojo. Mad Eye Moody was the best and most entertaining of them but wait until you see the freak down-front for movie 5. She makes Snape seem like an ANGEL!
The villians: The death eaters, Barty Crouch Jr, the dementors from Azkaban prison and Valdemort himself. The movies wouldn't be as interesting or scary without them. Granted, the maze in movie 4 was scary without anything else but itself, it's high walls and sounds. Turn up the sound, turn on the surround and turn off the lights. yikes!!

Want to know which HP character you're most like? Clink the link below my results and take the quiz. Believe it or not, I'm Severus Snape, how appropriate!


Harry Potter Personality Quiz by Pirate Monkeys Inc.