Have a Happy New Year everyone!
Saturday, December 31, 2005
YUK...
I feel gross...I'm freezing and I have a sore throat. Someone please come take care of me. I think I'm going to be in bed for New Years...hello betty!! I'll need a manservant. I'll pay by the hour. I swear!
Thursday, December 29, 2005
Thursday Thirteen!
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2. It's 10:38 a.m. EST and I still have my jammies on! 3. I do have things I must get done today so I will have to actually get a shower and get dressed. 4. I am enjoying a cup of Folger's Chocolate Silk coffee. It's very yummy if you've never had it. 5. It tastes especially chocolatey if you put in a strong shot of Godiva chocolate liquer. Although I do not condone drinking first thing in the morning. 6. I usually wait until 9:00. 7. Resolutions, resolutions...any one making them? 8. I know some blogger buddies out there have some pretty special plans to ring in the New Year....anyone care to share? (their plans that is...) 9. I think I will be going to Harrisburg this year for the New Year's celebration. This is something my nephew has always wanted to do, so I think that's what we're doing. There will be fireworks and live music by a couple of bands, one of them being the Luv Gods. 10. The lead singer Shea Quinn is like a music icon round these parts. I remember seeing his band The Sharks back in the 80's at my highschool. I thought he was a god of some sort. You know, he had the long hair...and some nice lips, let me tell you! 11. I think the weather is supposed to be pretty decent this weekend, maybe some rain but at least it won't be freezing outside. 12. Speaking of weather...how's everyone down Texas way?? You don't have fires in your backyards do you? 13. Hope everyone has a great day and a most festive New Year no matter what you do! Don't forget to give the bail money to someone responsible. Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
It's a Beautiful Day!
Another beautiful close to a beautiful day.
I also found out that my coworker/friend passed away on Christmas Day. Certainly bittersweet in that it's sad to lose such a wonderful person but thankfully her pain and suffering is over. Rest in peace gentle soul.
Death is not extinguishing the light,
but putting out the lamp
because the dawn has come.
-Rabindranath Tagore
Sunday, December 25, 2005
Home is Where the Heart Is
Did you ever notice how warm the home gets when it's filled with loving family, laughter and wonderful food? I'm generally always chilly. But today when my family arrived, and we started cooking, we started laughing, talking and just being a family, how warm I got. I actually had to take off my sweater. We then started the marathon Trivial Pursuit game. My nephew Patrick and I started the game earlier in the morning, then as his parents arrived, we added players. We'd stop play to eat or open gifts. Then resume play for an hour or so. This is the millenium edition of the game. And for the longest time no one had more than one or two pie pieces. Ironically, after I started drinking wine, the pie pieces were coming at me like lightening! Needless to say, I won the game. I am ruler of Trivial Pursuit! Challengers need to step up to the plate!!
Hope each of you had a most wonderful holiday how ever you chose to spend it. The Rev. is skiing, Mark was in the the deep, blue ocean (hopefully), Dean was home in Germany, thankfully safe and sound, the rest of us took the traditional approach with family/friends. I hope all of your homes, hearts and/or tummies were filled with warmth in some way.
Hope each of you had a most wonderful holiday how ever you chose to spend it. The Rev. is skiing, Mark was in the the deep, blue ocean (hopefully), Dean was home in Germany, thankfully safe and sound, the rest of us took the traditional approach with family/friends. I hope all of your homes, hearts and/or tummies were filled with warmth in some way.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
Friday, December 23, 2005
Day is Done
Day is done, gone the sun,From the hills, from the lake,From the skies.All is well, safely rest,God is nigh.
Happy Friday!
(Everybody sing...) It's springtime for Hitler and Germany....o.k. that was a little rendition from The Producers, my point is, the weather here is beautiful! It's sunny, the snow is melting the temps are in the 40's!
Findley and I were out as you may have read on yesterday's post. She wisked me off to the local Harley store in search of Christmas gifts for her brother. Well, that's what she was looking for anyway. Luckily she found what she was looking for, I didn't. The traffic was horrendous! We had to pass a horrible accident on the way to the store as well. After shopping we stopped for dinner and drinks and ended up staying till well past 11:00. Yea, it was a good night!
I was at the gym this morning and The View was on, which I think is a most ridiculous show, but I wasn't paying too much attention anyway. Has anyone else noticed how great Star Jones looks? She's a little wisp of a thing now. She must have lost 100 pounds or more! Funny how you only see reports on how fat someone is but when they work at losing weight, no one mentions it.
I did some grocery shopping today and made some of the food for tonight festivities and this weekend. Now the sink is full of dishes and I think I need a nap.
Bone, don't forget to pick me up at the airport! Can't wait for the Festivus party!
Findley and I were out as you may have read on yesterday's post. She wisked me off to the local Harley store in search of Christmas gifts for her brother. Well, that's what she was looking for anyway. Luckily she found what she was looking for, I didn't. The traffic was horrendous! We had to pass a horrible accident on the way to the store as well. After shopping we stopped for dinner and drinks and ended up staying till well past 11:00. Yea, it was a good night!
I was at the gym this morning and The View was on, which I think is a most ridiculous show, but I wasn't paying too much attention anyway. Has anyone else noticed how great Star Jones looks? She's a little wisp of a thing now. She must have lost 100 pounds or more! Funny how you only see reports on how fat someone is but when they work at losing weight, no one mentions it.
I did some grocery shopping today and made some of the food for tonight festivities and this weekend. Now the sink is full of dishes and I think I need a nap.
Bone, don't forget to pick me up at the airport! Can't wait for the Festivus party!
Thursday, December 22, 2005
Thursday Thirteen!
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2. Funny, the last couple of days of fall here in PA have been frigid and snowy. So, here comes winter and the temps are in the 30's. Christmas day is supposed to be near 50! WHOO HOO! 3. I only have to work until 10:45 today. 4. I will not return to work until January 3. 5. Believe it or not, I have a party to go to tomorrow. Really, it's more like a gathering of friends, but isn't that what a party is anyway? 6. I never got Bone's invitation to the Festivus party. I'm really kinda bummed! 7. The Rev. never got the deviled eggs I sent him. I'm thinking there's a postal conspiracy going on here! 8. For those of you keeping tabs, last word from his family, is that Dean is still stuck in limbo-land. 9. Lass, thanks for posting the fictional story blog, that was fun! You people have some very vivid imaginations and I like it! 10. Do really sad things happen around the holidays or is it that they are just more magnified? 11. I know there are some folks outtherer in blogland that are going through some personal struggles and I found out yesterday a coworker that has been hospitalized for a few days has been taken off life support. 12. She was a breast cancer survivor for 5 years and then it came back and is taking her from her husband and children. She is the bravest soul I know. She knew this was going to claim her life but she would tell me about her illness without regret, without a tear in her eye. If I ever get a terminal illness, I can only hope to be as strong as her. 13. Have a great day everyone and a very Happy Christmas! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, IÂ’ll add you here!) |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
Reality is Overrated!
I got this from Lass's blog and I'm also going to take the cheap way out of a post today and use this. I think I know who will shock me and who will make me laugh, so let's see if you can prove me right or wrong. :) If you read this, and you happen to have a few seconds and a dollop of creativity to spare, please post a comment with a completely made up (read: FICTIONAL) memory of you and me. It can be anything you want - good or bad - but it has to be fake.When you're finished, post this little paragraph on your blog and be surprised (or mortified) about what people don't actually remember about you. Try it, it's fun
Monday, December 19, 2005
New Rules for 2006
Got this via email today and thought I'd share the rules with all of you. Please be advised some people may be offended by the following. If you're easily offended, I'm not sure why you stopped here in the first place.
New Rule #1: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for Classmates.com! There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because you don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days: mowing my lawn.
New Rule #2: Don't eat anything that's served to you out a window unless you're a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, the chili costs less than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain? Trout? Luckily, it was only a finger! If it were a whole hand, Congress would have voted to keep it alive.
New Rule #3: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description for these kids: lucky bastards.
New Rule #4: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: do you have two of them? Okay, we're done.
New Rule #5: There's no such thing as flavored water. There's a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket, water, but without that watery taste. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's your flavored water.
New Rule #6: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a "decaf grande half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extradry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low and one NutraSweet," ooh, you're a huge asshole.
New Rule #7: Girls, just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you spiritual. Come on, it's right above the crack of yourass and it translates to "beef with broccoli." The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You were just high when you picked it out.
New Rule #8: Competitive eating isn't a sport. It's one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN recently televised the US Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What's next, competitive farting? Oh wait. They're already doing that. It's called "The Howard Stern Show."
New Rule #9: If you're going to insist on making movies based on crappy, old television shows, then you have to give everyone in the Cineplex a remote so we can see what's playing on the other screens. Let's remember the reason something was a television show in the first place is the idea wasn't good enough to be a movie.
New Rule #10: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for weddings. Now it's for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white people version of looting.
New Rule #11: and this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell if he's supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. I don't want to be on your web cam, dude. I just want to wash my hands.
New Rule #12: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to know in months. "27 Months." "He's two," will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.
New Rule #1: Stop giving me that pop-up ad for Classmates.com! There's a reason you don't talk to people for 25 years. Because you don't particularly like them! Besides, I already know what the captain of the football team is doing these days: mowing my lawn.
New Rule #2: Don't eat anything that's served to you out a window unless you're a seagull. People are acting all shocked that a human finger was found in a bowl of Wendy's chili. Hey, the chili costs less than a dollar. What did you expect it to contain? Trout? Luckily, it was only a finger! If it were a whole hand, Congress would have voted to keep it alive.
New Rule #3: Stop saying that teenage boys who have sex with their hot, blonde teachers are permanently damaged. I have a better description for these kids: lucky bastards.
New Rule #4: Ladies, leave your eyebrows alone. Here's how much men care about your eyebrows: do you have two of them? Okay, we're done.
New Rule #5: There's no such thing as flavored water. There's a whole aisle of this crap at the supermarket, water, but without that watery taste. Sorry, but flavored water is called a soft drink. You want flavored water? Pour some scotch over ice and let it melt. That's your flavored water.
New Rule #6: The more complicated the Starbucks order, the bigger the asshole. If you walk into a Starbucks and order a "decaf grande half-soy, half-low fat, iced vanilla, double-shot, gingerbread cappuccino, extradry, light ice, with one Sweet-n'-Low and one NutraSweet," ooh, you're a huge asshole.
New Rule #7: Girls, just because your tattoo has Chinese characters in it doesn't make you spiritual. Come on, it's right above the crack of yourass and it translates to "beef with broccoli." The last time you did anything spiritual, you were praying to God you weren't pregnant. You're not spiritual. You were just high when you picked it out.
New Rule #8: Competitive eating isn't a sport. It's one of the seven deadly sins. ESPN recently televised the US Open of Competitive Eating, because watching those athletes at the poker table was just too damned exciting. What's next, competitive farting? Oh wait. They're already doing that. It's called "The Howard Stern Show."
New Rule #9: If you're going to insist on making movies based on crappy, old television shows, then you have to give everyone in the Cineplex a remote so we can see what's playing on the other screens. Let's remember the reason something was a television show in the first place is the idea wasn't good enough to be a movie.
New Rule #10: No more gift registries. You know, it used to be just for weddings. Now it's for babies and new homes and graduations from rehab. Picking out the stuff you want and having other people buy it for you isn't gift giving, it's the white people version of looting.
New Rule #11: and this one is long overdue: No more bathroom attendants. After I zip up, some guy is offering me a towel and a mint like I just had sex with George Michael. I can't even tell if he's supposed to be there, or just some freak with a fetish. I don't want to be on your web cam, dude. I just want to wash my hands.
New Rule #12: When I ask how old your toddler is, I don't need to know in months. "27 Months." "He's two," will do just fine. He's not a cheese. And I didn't really care in the first place.
Sunday, December 18, 2005
Last night I was getting ready to go to a surprise graduation party. And as I was leaving I was treated to one of the most beautiful sunsets. As Findley says, the colors were yet unnamed. It was wonderful, and me without my camera. Maybe I should ask Santa for a camera phone!
I am actually starting my Christmas shopping as of today. I don't have much to get, it just going to require a lot of popping around and sitting in long lines of traffic.
Mike, thanks for having the bail money ready for us on Friday, but as you can see, I'm not in jail. Don't think anyone else is in jail...maybe I should check! We had a great time celebrating Findley's birthday. There was much silliness, and plenty of dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld followed up by the "can you spare a square" routine in the bathroom. By the end of the night, it was just me Findley and her son Kyle, pronounced keelay (not really but that's what we call him.)
I'm already starting with the gotta go to work tomorrow blues. Fortunately, it's a sunny day, and I have lots to do.
P.S. Just chatted with Dean. He's still in transit but should be sprechenden Deutsch innerhalb ein paar Tagen.
I am actually starting my Christmas shopping as of today. I don't have much to get, it just going to require a lot of popping around and sitting in long lines of traffic.
Mike, thanks for having the bail money ready for us on Friday, but as you can see, I'm not in jail. Don't think anyone else is in jail...maybe I should check! We had a great time celebrating Findley's birthday. There was much silliness, and plenty of dancing like Elaine from Seinfeld followed up by the "can you spare a square" routine in the bathroom. By the end of the night, it was just me Findley and her son Kyle, pronounced keelay (not really but that's what we call him.)
I'm already starting with the gotta go to work tomorrow blues. Fortunately, it's a sunny day, and I have lots to do.
P.S. Just chatted with Dean. He's still in transit but should be sprechenden Deutsch innerhalb ein paar Tagen.
Friday, December 16, 2005
By the Light of the Silvery Moon
The sky was pretty clear, moon beaming brightly this morning when I went out to shovel. Yesterday started out with snow and ended with sleet and rain. So, there was a nice crust on top. Most notably when I went out this morning was that it was almost balmy! The temp was like 35 degrees. And I was dressed for the tundra. Needless to say, I was sweating my butt off by the time I was done. The temps also melted a lot of the snow so shoveling was quite a chore. Each shovel full weighed 50 pounds I swear! So, I did my driveway and walks and then did my neighbors. There wasn't any way a snow blower was getting through this stuff and I wasn't letting them shovel the heavy snow.
I suspect in about an hour, I'm going to need a nap and some Advil!
Today is day two of the feeding frenzy. My manager takes the entire unit out for lunch. Today we're going to The Macaroni Grill. Maybe I can get a nap in before the festivities tonight celebrating the birth of our dear Findley! Tomorrow night I have another party. I swear, I don't usually party this much. Really!
I've been in "tropical state of mind" lately. I just started reading A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffet and listen to Radio Margaritaville while I'm at work. Kinda makes one forget it's chilly and snowy outside.
Have a great Friday everyone!
I suspect in about an hour, I'm going to need a nap and some Advil!
Today is day two of the feeding frenzy. My manager takes the entire unit out for lunch. Today we're going to The Macaroni Grill. Maybe I can get a nap in before the festivities tonight celebrating the birth of our dear Findley! Tomorrow night I have another party. I swear, I don't usually party this much. Really!
I've been in "tropical state of mind" lately. I just started reading A Salty Piece of Land by Jimmy Buffet and listen to Radio Margaritaville while I'm at work. Kinda makes one forget it's chilly and snowy outside.
Have a great Friday everyone!
Thursday, December 15, 2005
Thursday Thirteen!
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2. I have a little over one month to do what I want with my evenings. 3. I actually only had to carry 2 things in to work with me this morning as opposed to the usual 2 things and big, heavy book bag. 4. I won't have to spend my lunch time studying! Whoo hoo! 5. Today is the first of the feeding frenzies in the office. 6. I made deviled eggs. And yes, they're good! 7. Everyone say Happy Birthday to Findley Labrador. She's turning 30 tomorrow! 8. We are planning to go out and celebrate her birthday after work tomorrow. Watch your local news for the details. 9. We'll be going out if the roads aren't skating rinks. 10. We're due for a snow, sleet, freezing rain, ice storm. Perhaps there will even be swarms of locusts just to round things out. 11. That means the liquor stores, grocery stores and gas stations will be jammed. There will be no bread, eggs or milk at the stores. I swear, everyone makes French Toast when it storms! 12. And speaking of French Toast, check out Smoke and Mirrors for the recipe for French Toast Casserole. mmm, yummy! 13. Hope everyone has a great Thursday! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Wednesday, December 14, 2005
Dreamin'
Can I just say how much I wish this was me? It's been quite cold and snowy here in the Northeast. We're due again tomorrow evening for an ice storm. Not fun! Unless of course, there's no work on Friday because of it!
Tuesday, December 13, 2005
Monday, December 12, 2005
Twas The Night....
Twas the night before Christmas,
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung
By the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
Soon would be there.
The children were nestled
All snug in their beds,
With no thought of the dog
Filling their head.
And mamma in her 'kerchief',
And I in my cap,
Knew he was cold,
But didn't care about that.
When out on the lawn
There arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed
To see what was the matter.
Away to the window
I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free
And into the trash.
The moon on the breast
Of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday
To objects below.
When, what to my wondering
Eyes should appear,
But Santa Claus
With his eyes full of tears.
He unchained the dog,
Once so lively and quick,
Last years Christmas present,
Now thin and sick.
More rapid than eagles
He called the dog's name.
And the dog ran to him,
Despite all his pain.
'Now, DASHER! Now, DANCER!
Now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! On CUPID!
On, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Let's find this dog a home
Where he'll be loved by all'
I knew in an instant
There would be no gifts this year,
For Santa'd made one thing
Perfectly clear.
The gift of a dog
Is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup
For all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think
Of a gift for the kids
There's one very important
Thing that we missed.
A dog should be family,
And cared for the same
You don't give a gift,
Then snap on a chain.
And I heard him exclaim
As he rode out of sight,
'You weren't given a gift!
You were given a life!'
-Author Unknown
When all through the house
Not a creature was stirring,
Not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung
By the chimney with care,
In hopes that St. Nicholas
Soon would be there.
The children were nestled
All snug in their beds,
With no thought of the dog
Filling their head.
And mamma in her 'kerchief',
And I in my cap,
Knew he was cold,
But didn't care about that.
When out on the lawn
There arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed
To see what was the matter.
Away to the window
I flew like a flash,
Figuring the dog was free
And into the trash.
The moon on the breast
Of the new-fallen snow
Gave the luster of midday
To objects below.
When, what to my wondering
Eyes should appear,
But Santa Claus
With his eyes full of tears.
He unchained the dog,
Once so lively and quick,
Last years Christmas present,
Now thin and sick.
More rapid than eagles
He called the dog's name.
And the dog ran to him,
Despite all his pain.
'Now, DASHER! Now, DANCER!
Now, PRANCER and VIXEN!
On, COMET! On CUPID!
On, DONDER and BLITZEN!
To the top of the porch!
To the top of the wall!
Let's find this dog a home
Where he'll be loved by all'
I knew in an instant
There would be no gifts this year,
For Santa'd made one thing
Perfectly clear.
The gift of a dog
Is not just for the season,
We had gotten the pup
For all the wrong reasons.
In our haste to think
Of a gift for the kids
There's one very important
Thing that we missed.
A dog should be family,
And cared for the same
You don't give a gift,
Then snap on a chain.
And I heard him exclaim
As he rode out of sight,
'You weren't given a gift!
You were given a life!'
-Author Unknown
Friday, December 09, 2005
Winter Wonderland
As expected this is what I woke up to this morning:
This resulted in about an hour's worth of shovelling at 6:00 a.m. this morning in order for me to be able to get out of my driveway. I of course attempted to shovel my neighbors walk but was promptly told by my neighbor to stop! So, I finished their front steps which prompted the delivery of homemade blueberry muffins at my door when I returned home this evening. YUM!
In case you are unfamiliar with these tracks, they are from a very illusive creature known only to these parts.
The greater northeastern snow cat!
And of course, by the time I got home, I wasn't able to pull in my driveway because the big, yellow monsters that remove the snow plow the driveways shut again with compacted snow.
But anyway, all the walks are cleared and the roads too for that matter. I'm cold but I'm home and don't see any need to go any where else.
This resulted in about an hour's worth of shovelling at 6:00 a.m. this morning in order for me to be able to get out of my driveway. I of course attempted to shovel my neighbors walk but was promptly told by my neighbor to stop! So, I finished their front steps which prompted the delivery of homemade blueberry muffins at my door when I returned home this evening. YUM!
In case you are unfamiliar with these tracks, they are from a very illusive creature known only to these parts.
The greater northeastern snow cat!And of course, by the time I got home, I wasn't able to pull in my driveway because the big, yellow monsters that remove the snow plow the driveways shut again with compacted snow.
But anyway, all the walks are cleared and the roads too for that matter. I'm cold but I'm home and don't see any need to go any where else.
Thursday, December 08, 2005
Simple Pleasures Part Deux
I was perusing the blogosphere and was checking in on one of my usual blog reads and saw the title was "Simple Pleasures." And I thought, hey, did he steal my title? Then I see I was tagged by my friend Aaron to list the top five simple pleasures I like most. And I will be nice because of the busy time of the year and just say if you want to participate, please feel free, I will not "tag" anyone.
My five simple pleasures:
1. Falling asleep with a cat close by that is purring
2. Sitting by a fire
3. Doing something nice for someone (even something really small) and they act like you've just given them the world
4. Doing something "out of character" and finding out it was pretty fun
5. An impromtu gathering of friends that turns out to be a blow out party!
Here's wishing everyone their "simple pleasures" this weekend!
My five simple pleasures:
1. Falling asleep with a cat close by that is purring
2. Sitting by a fire
3. Doing something nice for someone (even something really small) and they act like you've just given them the world
4. Doing something "out of character" and finding out it was pretty fun
5. An impromtu gathering of friends that turns out to be a blow out party!
Here's wishing everyone their "simple pleasures" this weekend!
Wednesday, December 07, 2005
Tuesday, December 06, 2005
Simple Pleasures
Today was full of little surprises. I was anticipating hearing from my French Prof as I did and I will not talk about that any longer....I don't have to take the final!
Besides that bit of good news, the president and CEO of the company I work for gave us a half day of paid time off to be used between now and December 22. I know to some a half day of paid time off is no big deal, but I know to some folks at my company it was probably a God send. I think I will tack on the extra hours to my already approved paid time off between Christmas and New Years.
Finally, the last pleasant surprise of the evening was a knock on the door from my neighbor. These are the 90 year old neighbors I've written of before. On Sunday it had snowed a bit here but I was obsessed with getting my research paper done. I didn't even bother to go outside and shovel the walks or driveway. So, round noonish, I hear the familiar sound of a snowblower just outside my window. I immediately felt guilty that I didn't a) bother to do my own walks but b) didn't bother to help my neighbors.
So, he finished up my driveway and walks so later that night I took over a pan of sticky buns for them for breakfast the next day. Tonight's visit was him returning my pan, with of course another container of freshly made, still warm pierogies. And thus begins the season of eating!
In my unit today at work we signed up for what we were going to bring to the "unit lunch". Then we had to sign up for what we were going to bring to the week of pre-holiday eating that's just for our small unit. I hear the gym calling!
Besides that bit of good news, the president and CEO of the company I work for gave us a half day of paid time off to be used between now and December 22. I know to some a half day of paid time off is no big deal, but I know to some folks at my company it was probably a God send. I think I will tack on the extra hours to my already approved paid time off between Christmas and New Years.
Finally, the last pleasant surprise of the evening was a knock on the door from my neighbor. These are the 90 year old neighbors I've written of before. On Sunday it had snowed a bit here but I was obsessed with getting my research paper done. I didn't even bother to go outside and shovel the walks or driveway. So, round noonish, I hear the familiar sound of a snowblower just outside my window. I immediately felt guilty that I didn't a) bother to do my own walks but b) didn't bother to help my neighbors.
So, he finished up my driveway and walks so later that night I took over a pan of sticky buns for them for breakfast the next day. Tonight's visit was him returning my pan, with of course another container of freshly made, still warm pierogies. And thus begins the season of eating!
In my unit today at work we signed up for what we were going to bring to the "unit lunch". Then we had to sign up for what we were going to bring to the week of pre-holiday eating that's just for our small unit. I hear the gym calling!
Patiently Waiting
I took the very scary French test last night. And, it was just that...scary.
Mme Bowley will be grading our tests today and will let us know by this afternoon whether or not we have a 95% average and therefore exempt from taking the final.
By the way, she reads my blog, so everybody say really nice things about her!
P.S. Is everyone o.k. from last nights panic with the blogs being down? Hope no one was too terribly bored!
Mme Bowley will be grading our tests today and will let us know by this afternoon whether or not we have a 95% average and therefore exempt from taking the final.
By the way, she reads my blog, so everybody say really nice things about her!
P.S. Is everyone o.k. from last nights panic with the blogs being down? Hope no one was too terribly bored!
Sunday, December 04, 2005
Happy Stinkin Holidays!
As if I haven't said enough about my own hatred of malls, and the ridiculousness of it all, here's someone else's two cents:
Christmas is About Jesus, Not Money
Christmas is About Jesus, Not Money
Friday, December 02, 2005
Sweet Charity
As promised, some pics from the atrium of my office building. As I had said on a previous post, Social Services from the area compiles a list of underprivileged children in the area along with their "wish list" for Christmas. You can specify if you'd like a young child or a teenager. Some kids are very generic on their "wish list" and only ask for a sweater or Eagles sweatshirt. Others are very specific about the toy or CD they want.Those employees who choose to participate can choose one, two or however many children they want to purchase gifts for. There's always a dollar limit, but I don't think anyone stays within the limit. I think the employees have as much fun with this as the kids do in getting their gifts!
Often when people come into our building for one reason or another think we're having a gift swap amongst the employees. I love to take the time to explain to them what we are doing. It really does make a person feel good!
I have a friend in the Philadelphia area that is a Social Worker. Past Christmases she has been responsible for distributing the gifts received from a company that has done a similar project. She said it's very rewarding to be able to give these kids gifts and the parents are thrilled too.
Photographs courtesy of my coworker John Heckert...thanks! Nice job!
Merry Christmas, My Friend
Twas the night before Christmas, he lived all alone,
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give and to see just who in this home did live
As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.
With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
It Was Dark And Dreary,
I Found The Home Of A Soldier,
Once I Could See Clearly.
I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.
The Face Was So Gentle, The Room In Such Disorder,
Not How I Pictured A United States Soldier.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?
His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.
Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of the soldiers like this one lying here.
I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.
He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps."
With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this soldier from his toes to his head.
I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over,
and in a voice clean and pure, said
"Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a goodnight.
This is an adaptation of a poem written by James M. Schmidt, who was a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps stationed in Washington, D.C., when he wrote the poem back in 1986.
Over the years the text of "Merry Christmas, My Friend" has been altered to change Marine-specific wording into Army references.
After leaving the Corps, Corporal Schmidt earned a law degree and now serves as an entertainment attorney in Los Angeles and is director of operations for a security consulting firm.
In a one bedroom house made of plaster & stone.
I had come down the chimney, with presents to give and to see just who in this home did live
As I looked all about, a strange sight I did see, no tinsel, no presents, not even a tree.
No stocking by the fire, just boots filled with sand.
On the wall hung pictures of a far distant land.
With medals and badges, awards of all kind,
a sobering thought soon came to my mind.
For this house was different, unlike any I'd seen.
It Was Dark And Dreary,
I Found The Home Of A Soldier,
Once I Could See Clearly.
I'd heard stories about them, I had to see more,
so I walked down the hall and pushed open the door.
And there he lay sleeping, silent, alone,
Curled up on the floor in his one-bedroom home.
The Face Was So Gentle, The Room In Such Disorder,
Not How I Pictured A United States Soldier.
Was this the hero, of whom I’d just read?
Curled up in his poncho, a floor for his bed?
His head was clean-shaven, his weathered face tan.
I soon understood, this was more than a man.
For I realized the families that I saw that night,
owed their lives to these men, who were willing to fight.
Soon around the Nation, the children would play,
And grown-ups would celebrate on a bright Christmas day.
They all enjoyed freedom, each month and all year,
because of the soldiers like this one lying here.
I couldn’t help wonder how many lay alone,
on a cold Christmas Eve, in a land far from home.
Just the very thought brought a tear to my eye.
I dropped to my knees and I started to cry.
He must have awoken, for I heard a rough voice,
"Santa, don't cry, this life is my choice I fight for freedom,
I don't ask for more. My life is my God, my country, my Corps."
With that he rolled over, drifted off into sleep,
I couldn't control it, I continued to weep.
I watched him for hours, so silent and still.
I noticed he shivered from the cold night's chill.
So I took off my jacket, the one made of red,
and covered this soldier from his toes to his head.
I didn't want to leave him so quiet in the night,
this guardian of honor so willing to fight.
But half asleep he rolled over,
and in a voice clean and pure, said
"Carry on, Santa, it's Christmas Day, all secure."
One look at my watch and I knew he was right,
Merry Christmas my friend, and to all a goodnight.
This is an adaptation of a poem written by James M. Schmidt, who was a Lance Corporal in the Marine Corps stationed in Washington, D.C., when he wrote the poem back in 1986.
Over the years the text of "Merry Christmas, My Friend" has been altered to change Marine-specific wording into Army references.
After leaving the Corps, Corporal Schmidt earned a law degree and now serves as an entertainment attorney in Los Angeles and is director of operations for a security consulting firm.
Thursday, December 01, 2005
Thursday Thirteen!
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1. So many lists, so little time! 11. 20 days till the first day of winter and the shortest day of the year. I have really been noticing the shortness of days lately. It doesn't help that the sky is gray to begin with. 12. I think I'd like to go to Jamaica for Christmas....will be checking airfare. 13. I lied, I do have some Christmas decorations up at my desk at work....and two Christmas cards already. Have a great day all! |
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Tuesday, November 29, 2005
My 100th Post!
1. I have no idea what to say first so I'll say this.
2. Does it make me a conformist because I'm doing this?
3. Conformist is one word I don't think anyone has ever used to describe me. Other words never used to describe me: quiet, shy, reserved, shallow, stingy
4. I have never been married
5. I have never been engaged
6. I do not have any children
7. I have one sister who is 17 years older than me
8. No, SHE was the mistake
9. My parents were married 50 years, my sister and brother-in-law are going to be married 33 years in May
10.They have one son-Patrick
11. My sister and I are vegetarians
12. I have visited Canada, Barbados, Jamaica, Ireland, Belgium, France, and England but have also been in Italy and Puerto Rico, but only the airport
13.I have visited New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas and California
14. I would like to live in Key West some day and be a bartender
15. I think it would be fun to be a Go-Go dancer and dance in a cage in a club
16. I have ridden but never driven a motorcycle
17. I've never flown in a helicopter
18. I don't own any jewelry from Tiffany's, but fully intend on changing that very soon!
19. I have never been in a really bad car accident
20. Have had fender benders and several speeding tickets
21. I actually had to go to driving school because of the amount of speeding tickets
22. I hope to never hit an animal on the road
23. ...or a person for that matter
24. My first car was a Honda Prelude-thus the speeding tickets
25. We used to pierce our Barbies ears with our earrings and make her and Ken "do it"
26. I wasn't allowed to get my ears pierced before I was 18
27. Guess what I did on my 18th birthday?
28. I used to try to get away with wearing make up when I was little
29. I used to wear this pair of really ugly, kelly green platform shoes-I thought I was da bomb!
30. I had my first kiss at a highschool football game-I was in 8th grade
31. The computer I have now is the first one I ever owned
32. I have never had a dog
33. I used to have fish when I was a kid
34. As a kid I remember going through the real Hershey's plant, now you can only go through Chocolate World
35. My first concert was The Osmonds
36. God, did I love Donnie!
37. I also used to love Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy and Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton)...geez, that's embarrassing
38. I used to fake playing my instrument in marching band because I was too lazy to memorize the music
39. And one time at band camp...
40. I'm just kidding!
41. I didn't get drunk or do drugs until after highschool
42. I took my first trip to NYC when I was in highschool
43. I got to see Cats and A Chorus Line
44. I never cheated on a boyfriend
45. I have blue eyes
46. I take after my mom's mom
47. I was mischievous as a child, mainly out of boredom
48. I am a multi-tasker
49. I think I'm pretty organized
50. When I was a kid, I used to make prank phone calls to one of my neighbors, I didn't like her
51. My friend and I used to make lots of prank phone calls
52. I used to have a paper route
53. I have lived in Pennsylvania all my life
54. Sad, but true
55. I have only been to one class reunion...because there has only BEEN one!
56. This blog is my first experience with html
57. I love walking through cemeteries
58. I've often thought about being an undertaker because forensic pathology is just way too mathy I'm sure
59. People that don't know me often think I'm a snob
60. My eyes are what I get the most compliments on
61. My hair is the second thing I get the most compliments on
62. I have two cats
63. I had three until I had to put Abbie to sleep a few years ago
64. At one time my mom and dad had 11 cats
65. My favorite beach is still Ocean City, Maryland
66. I used to go fishing with my dad
67. Everything was o.k. until I would see a snake
68. I go to church almost every Sunday
69. I used to find Box Turtles in the woods and bring them home for a couple of days
70. And see, I didn't die of salmonella
71. I used to be a switchboard operator for a department store
72. I would have to make those announcements "Come to the Estee Lauder counter today for your complimentary trial size make up, yours with a purchase of $39.95"
73. Most of the time I would crack up laughing in the middle of the announcement and have to cut myself off
74. I love to listen to terribly sad music, read sad books and watch sad movies, you know, the one's that make you sob by the end
75. I do not plan on decorating for Christmas nor do I intend on sending Christmas cards (this is not normal for me) this year
76. I can play handbells
77. I can play the piano (a little)
78. I was never on an organized sports team
79. In highschool I discovered I could serve overhand when playing volleyball
80. I have no desire to travel to Japan or China
81. I would like to live on a farm
82. I get bored easily
83. I do not like to listen to myself talk
84. I have a secret crush on someone
85. I can be very critical of others
86. I'm very critical of myself
87. I swear too much
88. When I was a kid I really wanted to be a teacher
89. I would like to go to Wimbledon and the French Open
90. I saw Vitas Gerulaitis and John McEnroe play tennis
91. I saw Brooke Shields and Bernadette Peters on the street in New York
92. I saw Peter Horton on a film set in Santa Monica
93. I believe in ghosts, spirits, hauntings
94. I do not believe in UFO's
95. I have been bitten by a dog and a camel
96. I have had stitches 5 times
97. I have only had one broken bone
98. I have never stayed over night in a hospital
99. I like to learn new things
100. As long as no homework is involved
2. Does it make me a conformist because I'm doing this?
3. Conformist is one word I don't think anyone has ever used to describe me. Other words never used to describe me: quiet, shy, reserved, shallow, stingy
4. I have never been married
5. I have never been engaged
6. I do not have any children
7. I have one sister who is 17 years older than me
8. No, SHE was the mistake
9. My parents were married 50 years, my sister and brother-in-law are going to be married 33 years in May
10.They have one son-Patrick
11. My sister and I are vegetarians
12. I have visited Canada, Barbados, Jamaica, Ireland, Belgium, France, and England but have also been in Italy and Puerto Rico, but only the airport
13.I have visited New Hampshire, Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, Ohio, Maryland, Delaware, North and South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Texas and California
14. I would like to live in Key West some day and be a bartender
15. I think it would be fun to be a Go-Go dancer and dance in a cage in a club
16. I have ridden but never driven a motorcycle
17. I've never flown in a helicopter
18. I don't own any jewelry from Tiffany's, but fully intend on changing that very soon!
19. I have never been in a really bad car accident
20. Have had fender benders and several speeding tickets
21. I actually had to go to driving school because of the amount of speeding tickets
22. I hope to never hit an animal on the road
23. ...or a person for that matter
24. My first car was a Honda Prelude-thus the speeding tickets
25. We used to pierce our Barbies ears with our earrings and make her and Ken "do it"
26. I wasn't allowed to get my ears pierced before I was 18
27. Guess what I did on my 18th birthday?
28. I used to try to get away with wearing make up when I was little
29. I used to wear this pair of really ugly, kelly green platform shoes-I thought I was da bomb!
30. I had my first kiss at a highschool football game-I was in 8th grade
31. The computer I have now is the first one I ever owned
32. I have never had a dog
33. I used to have fish when I was a kid
34. As a kid I remember going through the real Hershey's plant, now you can only go through Chocolate World
35. My first concert was The Osmonds
36. God, did I love Donnie!
37. I also used to love Andy Gibb, Shaun Cassidy and Richard Thomas (John-Boy Walton)...geez, that's embarrassing
38. I used to fake playing my instrument in marching band because I was too lazy to memorize the music
39. And one time at band camp...
40. I'm just kidding!
41. I didn't get drunk or do drugs until after highschool
42. I took my first trip to NYC when I was in highschool
43. I got to see Cats and A Chorus Line
44. I never cheated on a boyfriend
45. I have blue eyes
46. I take after my mom's mom
47. I was mischievous as a child, mainly out of boredom
48. I am a multi-tasker
49. I think I'm pretty organized
50. When I was a kid, I used to make prank phone calls to one of my neighbors, I didn't like her
51. My friend and I used to make lots of prank phone calls
52. I used to have a paper route
53. I have lived in Pennsylvania all my life
54. Sad, but true
55. I have only been to one class reunion...because there has only BEEN one!
56. This blog is my first experience with html
57. I love walking through cemeteries
58. I've often thought about being an undertaker because forensic pathology is just way too mathy I'm sure
59. People that don't know me often think I'm a snob
60. My eyes are what I get the most compliments on
61. My hair is the second thing I get the most compliments on
62. I have two cats
63. I had three until I had to put Abbie to sleep a few years ago
64. At one time my mom and dad had 11 cats
65. My favorite beach is still Ocean City, Maryland
66. I used to go fishing with my dad
67. Everything was o.k. until I would see a snake
68. I go to church almost every Sunday
69. I used to find Box Turtles in the woods and bring them home for a couple of days
70. And see, I didn't die of salmonella
71. I used to be a switchboard operator for a department store
72. I would have to make those announcements "Come to the Estee Lauder counter today for your complimentary trial size make up, yours with a purchase of $39.95"
73. Most of the time I would crack up laughing in the middle of the announcement and have to cut myself off
74. I love to listen to terribly sad music, read sad books and watch sad movies, you know, the one's that make you sob by the end
75. I do not plan on decorating for Christmas nor do I intend on sending Christmas cards (this is not normal for me) this year
76. I can play handbells
77. I can play the piano (a little)
78. I was never on an organized sports team
79. In highschool I discovered I could serve overhand when playing volleyball
80. I have no desire to travel to Japan or China
81. I would like to live on a farm
82. I get bored easily
83. I do not like to listen to myself talk
84. I have a secret crush on someone
85. I can be very critical of others
86. I'm very critical of myself
87. I swear too much
88. When I was a kid I really wanted to be a teacher
89. I would like to go to Wimbledon and the French Open
90. I saw Vitas Gerulaitis and John McEnroe play tennis
91. I saw Brooke Shields and Bernadette Peters on the street in New York
92. I saw Peter Horton on a film set in Santa Monica
93. I believe in ghosts, spirits, hauntings
94. I do not believe in UFO's
95. I have been bitten by a dog and a camel
96. I have had stitches 5 times
97. I have only had one broken bone
98. I have never stayed over night in a hospital
99. I like to learn new things
100. As long as no homework is involved
Monday, November 28, 2005
Inhumane Society
Just when the Harrisburg area Humane Society was getting a better reputation in my opinion by claiming (in a newsletter) that they will keep animals in their facility until they find homes. The Humane Society also claims on their web site that they "accept and care for all types of animals, contacting third party agencies for assistance when necessary." The following story proves otherwise.
You may have noticed several links on my blog that refer to animal welfare organizations. I have an extreme love affair with animals of all kinds. I think the cruel things that humans do to animals is despicable. Over the last decade or so, many no-kill animal shelters have sprouted up in my area. One of them being the Helen Krause Animal Shelter (link on the right.) My sister has volunteered there for many years. Through this relationship she has gotten to know other people that have no-kill shelters or run foster care facilities on their own property. One such facility is the Dog's Den which I used in the past to rescue a dog that lived behind me when the owners just didn't want him anymore.
It was the owner of the Dog's Den that recently told my sister the story of a woman that had contacted the Humane Society in the Harrisburg area because she could no longer care for a dog that she had gotten from another animal shelter-not the Humane Society. The H.S. took the dog from her. She later contacted the H.S. to say that she wanted to check some other shelters to see if they would take him instead of H.S. Now according to the information on H.S. website, they should have done this. But the previous owner did it and later contacted H.S. to get her dog back. The dog had already been put down.
First, this animal came from another shelter. Often when adoptions are done from other shelters, the new owner signs a waiver stating they will return the animal to that shelter if they can no longer care for it. In my opinion, the H.S. should not have even accepted this animal or should have promptly contacted the shelter it originally came from since they claim "to work with shelters in the area."
Secondly and most importantly, what justification could the H.S. have had to put this animal to sleep? I'm sure the answer to this question will remain a mystery.
Bottom line, the Humane Society of the Harrisburg area are a bunch of liars. I wish the person this happened to would have gone to the media about this as she was encouraged to do. Also, I'm very glad that I haven't yet made my Christmas contribution to the liars at the Humane Society in Harrisburg and now that I know this, they are crossed off my Christmas list for years to come.
And yet another lesson learned. Please, if you decide to take on the responsibility of having a pet, make it a life long commitment. And if you haven't learned by now, don't always believe what you read.
You may have noticed several links on my blog that refer to animal welfare organizations. I have an extreme love affair with animals of all kinds. I think the cruel things that humans do to animals is despicable. Over the last decade or so, many no-kill animal shelters have sprouted up in my area. One of them being the Helen Krause Animal Shelter (link on the right.) My sister has volunteered there for many years. Through this relationship she has gotten to know other people that have no-kill shelters or run foster care facilities on their own property. One such facility is the Dog's Den which I used in the past to rescue a dog that lived behind me when the owners just didn't want him anymore.
It was the owner of the Dog's Den that recently told my sister the story of a woman that had contacted the Humane Society in the Harrisburg area because she could no longer care for a dog that she had gotten from another animal shelter-not the Humane Society. The H.S. took the dog from her. She later contacted the H.S. to say that she wanted to check some other shelters to see if they would take him instead of H.S. Now according to the information on H.S. website, they should have done this. But the previous owner did it and later contacted H.S. to get her dog back. The dog had already been put down.
First, this animal came from another shelter. Often when adoptions are done from other shelters, the new owner signs a waiver stating they will return the animal to that shelter if they can no longer care for it. In my opinion, the H.S. should not have even accepted this animal or should have promptly contacted the shelter it originally came from since they claim "to work with shelters in the area."
Secondly and most importantly, what justification could the H.S. have had to put this animal to sleep? I'm sure the answer to this question will remain a mystery.
Bottom line, the Humane Society of the Harrisburg area are a bunch of liars. I wish the person this happened to would have gone to the media about this as she was encouraged to do. Also, I'm very glad that I haven't yet made my Christmas contribution to the liars at the Humane Society in Harrisburg and now that I know this, they are crossed off my Christmas list for years to come.
And yet another lesson learned. Please, if you decide to take on the responsibility of having a pet, make it a life long commitment. And if you haven't learned by now, don't always believe what you read.
Saturday, November 26, 2005
ND Wins!
It was a nail biter...OMG! What a great game between Notre Dame and Stanford. I didn't think they were gonna do it, but they did it! My throat hurts. I thought my Penn State fan friend Donnie ruined it when Notre Dame missed the field goal in the last few minutes (he jinxed the kicker). Damn those Penn State fans!
OK besides the game, I had a wonderful birthday outing with my friends. Awesome food, lots of drinks and I got the most wonderful gifts. Can I have a birthday every day??
OK besides the game, I had a wonderful birthday outing with my friends. Awesome food, lots of drinks and I got the most wonderful gifts. Can I have a birthday every day??
Friday, November 25, 2005
It's a Family Affair
Today my family and I drove to the Allentown area to see some family. My sister and husband went just a bit further to pick our our Great Aunt. She's 101 years old. Just last year we had a party for her 100th birthday. She still cooks and goes to church every Sunday. She just had her first cataract surgery and was just at the dentist...no cavities...still her teeth! I can see a big difference in her mentally since last year. She asked several times what our names were, but it could have just been a bad day. She's the dearest woman, but has shown me that living to a ripe old age ain't what it's cracked up to be. She's lost her husband, her two daughters, and her nieces and nephews. I don't like her living arrangements nor how she's treated by family that lives with her. But, it's the only home she has known, there's no going anywhere else. But at least for today, she got out of the house and was able to visit with us and my other aunt. She lives in Bethlehem, PA, home of Moravian College, Bethlehem Musikfest, Bethlehem Steel and is the place to visit during the holidays!
My aunt lives with my cousin in Bethlehem. She recently broke her hip from falling off a ladder that no 86 year old should be on.
Anyway, it was a good day, always good to see family.
Wednesday, November 23, 2005
Thanksgiving Thursday Thirteen
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1. I'm thankful that my parents loved each other enough to bring me into this world just a short 29 years ago! 13. I'm thankful for the the sad times for they make me appreciate all the good ones. Have a blessed Thanksgiving all of you!
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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Tuesday, November 22, 2005
The Spaaaahhhh
Today was my afternoon at The Spa at Hotel Hershey. 
I have decided that this is my favorite place on the planet. It's just beautiful there. When you first arrive, they hook you up with a comfy robe and flip flops, provide you with a locker and there are several places you can sit and relax before your treatments begin. There is the quiet room, which always makes me think of a mental hospital, the aromatherapy room and now I see there is a silence room. In the quiet room, there is coffee, tea, hot chocolate, muffins, fruit and lots of water. There are dishes of Hershey Kisses everywhere in this place. I know some of the guests left with their pockets full of Kisses. There's a fireplace, big comfy chairs and a beautiful view of some of the gardens behind the hotel. 
The sky today was heavy laden with thick dark clouds. As I looked out from the quiet room over the formal gardens, I could see the surrounding hills and saw spotted sunshine on the hills.
Another favorite part of this hotel to me is The Circular Dining room which I didn't get to visit today, but they have the most fabulous Sunday brunch on the planet.
After a brief wait, I was called in for my Cocoa Sugar Scrub. All the rooms for the services are dimly lit, with soft new age music playing. This scrub was wonderful, my skin was soft and smooooth!
I waited again for a bit and was then called in for my Hot Stone Massage. This was the first time I had one of these types of massages. The stones are very hot, but the heat permeates way down to the muscles. It was nice and toasty!
Once you are a guest at the Spa, you are permitted to use the gym, and the indoor pool. I decided to go to the gym for a bit and then returned to the steam room for a bit, had a shower and was on my way home.
So, here I am again a slave to my computer as I attempt my research paper again. I spoke to my Prof yesterday and decide to pursue a different avenue on the paper than I originally intended. I don't think I'll need a new supply of books...I hope!
The wind is howling outside, and it's threatening SNOW!! The entire northeast is due for some ugly weather over the holiday. From the weather reports we may wake up on Thanksgiving morning with a dusting of snow on the ground.
I have decided that this is my favorite place on the planet. It's just beautiful there. When you first arrive, they hook you up with a comfy robe and flip flops, provide you with a locker and there are several places you can sit and relax before your treatments begin. There is the quiet room, which always makes me think of a mental hospital, the aromatherapy room and now I see there is a silence room. In the quiet room, there is coffee, tea, hot chocolate, muffins, fruit and lots of water. There are dishes of Hershey Kisses everywhere in this place. I know some of the guests left with their pockets full of Kisses. There's a fireplace, big comfy chairs and a beautiful view of some of the gardens behind the hotel. The sky today was heavy laden with thick dark clouds. As I looked out from the quiet room over the formal gardens, I could see the surrounding hills and saw spotted sunshine on the hills.Another favorite part of this hotel to me is The Circular Dining room which I didn't get to visit today, but they have the most fabulous Sunday brunch on the planet.
After a brief wait, I was called in for my Cocoa Sugar Scrub. All the rooms for the services are dimly lit, with soft new age music playing. This scrub was wonderful, my skin was soft and smooooth!
I waited again for a bit and was then called in for my Hot Stone Massage. This was the first time I had one of these types of massages. The stones are very hot, but the heat permeates way down to the muscles. It was nice and toasty!
Once you are a guest at the Spa, you are permitted to use the gym, and the indoor pool. I decided to go to the gym for a bit and then returned to the steam room for a bit, had a shower and was on my way home.
So, here I am again a slave to my computer as I attempt my research paper again. I spoke to my Prof yesterday and decide to pursue a different avenue on the paper than I originally intended. I don't think I'll need a new supply of books...I hope!
The wind is howling outside, and it's threatening SNOW!! The entire northeast is due for some ugly weather over the holiday. From the weather reports we may wake up on Thanksgiving morning with a dusting of snow on the ground.
Sunday, November 20, 2005
'Tis the Season to be Hateful
Already with the Christmas shopping. No, not me, everyone else. This afternoon I went to the mall with the intent to purchase specific things. That's the only reason I ever go to the mall. I hate the mall. I hate crowds of people that are delirious with the thought of buying things for themselves or for others that no one ever needs to buy.
While on my way to get where I was going I walked through one of the department stores that are the "anchor" stores in the mall. I haven't been in this store for years. Upon opening the door, I was greeted with Christmas carols blaring on the PA system. I walked down the steps to go through the store and had a birds eye view of the over flowing merchandise neatly folded in piles and hanging on hangers. Then I noticed they have these obnoxious buggy things that look like baby carriages but they aren't for children. They are for the obscene amount of merchandise the store anticipates you will find and fill this ridiculous buggy thing with.
I ran through the store as quickly as possible to my destination and was again greeted with the shoppers that are like deer in headlights...any thing shiny, sparkly, smelly all must be investigated without regard that there may actually be someone behind them that has something better to do than spend a perfectly lovely day inside a shopping mall.
To everyone that is on my shopping list...expect cash!
While on my way to get where I was going I walked through one of the department stores that are the "anchor" stores in the mall. I haven't been in this store for years. Upon opening the door, I was greeted with Christmas carols blaring on the PA system. I walked down the steps to go through the store and had a birds eye view of the over flowing merchandise neatly folded in piles and hanging on hangers. Then I noticed they have these obnoxious buggy things that look like baby carriages but they aren't for children. They are for the obscene amount of merchandise the store anticipates you will find and fill this ridiculous buggy thing with.
I ran through the store as quickly as possible to my destination and was again greeted with the shoppers that are like deer in headlights...any thing shiny, sparkly, smelly all must be investigated without regard that there may actually be someone behind them that has something better to do than spend a perfectly lovely day inside a shopping mall.
To everyone that is on my shopping list...expect cash!
Saturday, November 19, 2005
The Morning After the Night Before
Oy vey...my ears are still ringing and my head hurts. I had a bunch of audio blogs out here from last night and thankfully/hopefully Coyote Mike was the only one subjected to them. They were out of control. And each one of them began with Whooo! I mean how many times can you use that?
LeeAnn was up an at 'em at 8:00 a.m. fresh as a daisy. Not fair!
Now that I'm thinking a little straighter, I remember that LeeAnn got socked in the mouth by some guy in the pit last night. There was no blood though. Some guy cow kicked me in the pit and being the girl I am, I kicked him back. Oh, and I got smacked on the ass too by someone...hope it was a guy! Whoo hoo! Oh, there I go again.
I need to go lay down.
LeeAnn was up an at 'em at 8:00 a.m. fresh as a daisy. Not fair!
Now that I'm thinking a little straighter, I remember that LeeAnn got socked in the mouth by some guy in the pit last night. There was no blood though. Some guy cow kicked me in the pit and being the girl I am, I kicked him back. Oh, and I got smacked on the ass too by someone...hope it was a guy! Whoo hoo! Oh, there I go again.
I need to go lay down.
Psycho, Groupie, Cocaine, Crazy
OMG! I have never, ever in my life been to a show like the Misfits. I am going to be sooo sore tomorrow.
After three opening bands, the Misfits finally came on somewhere round about midnight. It was 1, 2, 3 , 4 song, after song after song. LeeAnn and I were in the pit before the first chord. After too many Jager Bombs, too many beers, dear God, I was pushing people into the pit. It was crazy.
The smell of clove cigarettes, dry ice, cigarettes and sweat. Song after song was just belted out. Did I say how sore I was going to be tomorrow or when ever I wake up?!?
Got the lead singer's sweaty wrist band, gave it to LeeAnn after I wiped it all over myself. I've had an easier time at a wedding reception getting the brides bouquet. Then we got the lead singer to sign our tickets. Felt up his leg and anything else that may have gotten in the way.
It was ghouls, jack o'lanterns, coffins, skulls and eerie makeup. What a great show! I'm going to be sore tomorrow. Am I getting too old for the pit??!?!?
After three opening bands, the Misfits finally came on somewhere round about midnight. It was 1, 2, 3 , 4 song, after song after song. LeeAnn and I were in the pit before the first chord. After too many Jager Bombs, too many beers, dear God, I was pushing people into the pit. It was crazy.
The smell of clove cigarettes, dry ice, cigarettes and sweat. Song after song was just belted out. Did I say how sore I was going to be tomorrow or when ever I wake up?!?
Got the lead singer's sweaty wrist band, gave it to LeeAnn after I wiped it all over myself. I've had an easier time at a wedding reception getting the brides bouquet. Then we got the lead singer to sign our tickets. Felt up his leg and anything else that may have gotten in the way.
It was ghouls, jack o'lanterns, coffins, skulls and eerie makeup. What a great show! I'm going to be sore tomorrow. Am I getting too old for the pit??!?!?
Friday, November 18, 2005
Thursday, November 17, 2005
Misc.
First, I must make a correction on something I said yesterday. The Beaujolais Nouveau was in stores in the States as of today. See, it was a little too mathy for me to figure out that the planes left France as of minuit their time which would get them here first thing in the a.m. here. So, needless to say I've had my first taste of this years grapes. It's manifique!
Second, I wanted to update you on the murders from Lititz...not Li Titz, Lititz, PA that I blogged about the other day. Seems boyfriend wasn't so sweet and innocent as we may have originally thought.
Third, I just noticed that there are plenty of Xmas decorations up around Harrisburg as well as surrounding cities. Additionally, there is a station locally that has recently decided it was time to start playing Christmas songs 24/7...that's just wrong on November 18!!!
I've also been reading lately about all the bodies that have recently been found in New Orleans since people are returning to their homes. I read this absolutely gut-wrenching story about a man that had to leave his dead mothers body to board a bus to get out of the city. We know the stories about people leaving their animals which again, I don't think I could do even if I had to look death in the face. But, I saw this picture recently and it gave me a good feeling and made me think...now that's my kind of flight!
Second, I wanted to update you on the murders from Lititz...not Li Titz, Lititz, PA that I blogged about the other day. Seems boyfriend wasn't so sweet and innocent as we may have originally thought.
Third, I just noticed that there are plenty of Xmas decorations up around Harrisburg as well as surrounding cities. Additionally, there is a station locally that has recently decided it was time to start playing Christmas songs 24/7...that's just wrong on November 18!!!
I've also been reading lately about all the bodies that have recently been found in New Orleans since people are returning to their homes. I read this absolutely gut-wrenching story about a man that had to leave his dead mothers body to board a bus to get out of the city. We know the stories about people leaving their animals which again, I don't think I could do even if I had to look death in the face. But, I saw this picture recently and it gave me a good feeling and made me think...now that's my kind of flight!
These were animals left behind when people fled New Orleans. They flew them to different animal shelters in the U.S. I would love to have a house full of the cats and dogs from NO. It just breaks my heart.
Thursday Thirteen
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1. I added at Stat counter on my blog so I could see who was visiting and from where. I'm sure you all remember how much I love statistics!! I had some visitors yesterday from Canada, Denmark, Finland, San Francisco, North Hollywood, and as well as my wonderful regular blog visitors! 2. 4 more weeks till the end of this semester! Very excited about that! 3. Today is my last day of work until November 28. This is a standard with me, I take of the week of Thanksgiving, because it's my birthday and we get two days off for Thanksgiving anyway. So, by taking three vacation days, I get an entire week off of work! 4. I added an additional day to my vacation so I can take off work tomorrow. LeeAnn and I are going to see the Misfits at the Dragonfly nightclub in Harrisburg. And hey, I see Bret Michaels from Poison is going to be there. Check out the pic on on the Dragonfly link...hello Betty! 5. Tomorrow is a big day for fans of Beaujolais Nouveau wine. It is against the law, at least in France to sell this wine prior to the third Thursday in November. So, if we were all there right now, we'd be sipping some in a small cafe with our fabulous scarves, smoking cigarettes and discussing Baudelaire..no doubt. It's a huge deal in France and you can buy bottles of this wine in the grocery store for like 3 Euro. Here it's a bit more expensive, especially if you get the first round that leaves France at midnight...small sacrifice. It's a dry, red wine, not as dry as Merlot, but on that side certainly. 6. I got my first birthday card today...thanks LeeAnn! 7. You're probably wondering what is she going to do with all that time off work? Well, I will get my nails done and I think I'm due for a pedicure. I have a hot stone massage and cocoa bean scrub scheduled on Tuesday at The Spa at Hotel Hershey. I may trek to Philadelphia to visit my friend who I never go see. And between all the fun stuff I'll be working on my research paper for my Paris class. 8. The Paris class will be leaving for Paris on 11/22. I'm glad I'm not going. I would be freaking out about this research paper while I was there. And, if I went, certainly she would have us write yet another paper about something we saw/learned there. 9. My family and I are going out to dinner for Thanksgiving. We just don't care anymore, don't want the hassle of cooking, cleaning, etc. Is that wrong? 10. OMG! I was driving home from school last night yacking away on the phone to my friend Stacy when a deer ran across the road in front of me. Scared the crap out of me! 11. I will be having a birthday bash next Saturday...everyone's invited! 12. Getting a hair cut tonight, nothing different than before...exciting aren't I? 13. Everyone have a super day! Links to other Thursday Thirteens! 1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
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Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Has Blog Become a Bad Word?
Recently in a nearby town an 18 year old boy shot to death the parents of his alleged girlfriend who was 14. You may have heard about this incident on the news. They were found in Indiana and have been returned to PA to figure out their fate. Officials suspect the murder took place due to an argument the girl had with her parents over a curfew.
What has been discovered is that the teenagers kept in contact via their blogs.
In another situation you may remember is when Joseph Edward Duncan, a 30 year pedophile abducted two young children Shasta and Dylan Groene after killing their parents. Again, how did the police find further information on this guy? Through his blog.
This is only two instances when bloggers became criminals or vice versa. But somehow when hearing the news of a crime and the word "blog" comes up, I feel like those that know I have a blog kind of look at me funny. Like they're saying "oh, you must be one of them."
What has been discovered is that the teenagers kept in contact via their blogs.
In another situation you may remember is when Joseph Edward Duncan, a 30 year pedophile abducted two young children Shasta and Dylan Groene after killing their parents. Again, how did the police find further information on this guy? Through his blog.
This is only two instances when bloggers became criminals or vice versa. But somehow when hearing the news of a crime and the word "blog" comes up, I feel like those that know I have a blog kind of look at me funny. Like they're saying "oh, you must be one of them."
Princess Marries a Commoner
I know, you're all wondering, why didn't she say she was getting married? I would have bought the happy couple something. (hee, hee, couldn't resist that opportunity!)
When I read this article, my gut response was, boy she's giving up a lot for a marriage that will probably end in divorce. Then she's gonna be kicking herself. Unless of course, the Japanese take lessons from British royalty and pretend like none of these rules ever existed in the first place.
In any relationship or marriage I suspect someone gives up something to make the relationship work. And what if that relationship ends in divorce or you're just no longer together, do you kick yourself for the rest of your life about it? How much is enough to give up for a relationship? When is it not enough? Is it possible to keep your life just as it is and still have a happy relationship? Is it wrong to decide that you want to be selfish and do what you want, when you want and not be fulfilled by another person...is that even possible?
When I read this article, my gut response was, boy she's giving up a lot for a marriage that will probably end in divorce. Then she's gonna be kicking herself. Unless of course, the Japanese take lessons from British royalty and pretend like none of these rules ever existed in the first place.
In any relationship or marriage I suspect someone gives up something to make the relationship work. And what if that relationship ends in divorce or you're just no longer together, do you kick yourself for the rest of your life about it? How much is enough to give up for a relationship? When is it not enough? Is it possible to keep your life just as it is and still have a happy relationship? Is it wrong to decide that you want to be selfish and do what you want, when you want and not be fulfilled by another person...is that even possible?
Sunday, November 13, 2005
Feelin' Groovy
I couldn't have asked for a better day in NYC yesterday! The weather was perfect. I barely needed a coat.
I started my day off at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One of the current exhibits is the Vincent Van Gogh drawings. It was interesting to see his drawing style progress up to the style most of us are used to seeing in the Starry Night painting.
I also got to see this interesting exhibit on Photography and the Occult. Today these images seem silly, contrived. But when this pictures were taken, they seemed quite believable. It's funny some of the images referenced "ectoplasm" and here I thought that was a word the Ghostbusters made up!
I did get to see some of the permenant collection including the Egyptian exhibits:
I'll give .25 for the first person to tell me what 80's movie was filmed in this room.
More from the permenent collection, I just love this Dali painting.
After my visit at the museum, I took a trip downtown to visit my friend Susan that you all know from the previous blog. I met her at her place in The Village and we headed off for lunch. As always I learned much about some of the buildings in the area particularly Susan's favorite, The Friends Seminary which used to be a Quaker church. There is a small park just across the street where Susan showed me the small tree she had planted in honor of her recent birthday. There were also these funky little sculptures in the park made of credit cards. And, there were plenty of "takers" willing to teach you how to play chess or match wits with you in a chess match...one thing I never learned to play.
As we got closer to where we were going to have lunch Susan showed me a church I've seen many times, St. Marks on the Bowery.
I had never been inside the building or within the gates. Little did I know there was a cemetery there that I had never noticed before. All the stones are lying down. And, Peter Stuyvesant is buried there. 
We made our way towards 2nd Ave. since our main agenda was to get some food. We were both starvin! We were going to my favorite place, The Telephone. I had the best fish and chips, Susan had a yummy looking plate of shephard's pie. They have a really nice selection of food, the food is good, moderately priced and they have a great beer selection. It was such a nice day, some people were sitting outside. Oh! And I got another Homie! This is a grim reaper Homie, quite appropriate. Thanks Susan!
We then went down by NYU thinking there was some kind of student art show going on but didn't find one. There is a little mews in the area that is just so beautiful. It's where the Institute of French Studies is located. You would never imagine you were in the middle of a huge city.
We also walked in Washington Square park which is always an adventure. And, I think one of the prettiest parks. This is the park that has the giant arch similar to the Arc d'Triomphe in Paris. This is a look underneath the arch.
And some of the sculptures on the arch:
Susan and I ended the day in NYC at the Back Fence with Brigid (see previous blog entry) at the bar. After I left there and was making my way up 6th Ave. I saw a guy wipe out on his bike in the middle of the street. He was a hurtin pup but fortunately, he didn't get hit by a car. People waiting to cross the street ran out to help him.
There seems to be one of two things going on here. One is that New Yorkers get a bad rap. People say they're unfriendly and cold. The second thing is that maybe New Yorkers are changing. Saturday my Metro pass wasn't working. The girl in front of me turned around to see if I needed help and she directed me back to the ticket agents at the window. There was the bike incident and since my new found friendship with Susan and Brigid, I've been introduced to some really nice people...all New Yorkers!
P.S. This day was my big adventure out on my own in the big city. You know, it wasn't any different than being there with a friend.
I started my day off at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. One of the current exhibits is the Vincent Van Gogh drawings. It was interesting to see his drawing style progress up to the style most of us are used to seeing in the Starry Night painting.
I also got to see this interesting exhibit on Photography and the Occult. Today these images seem silly, contrived. But when this pictures were taken, they seemed quite believable. It's funny some of the images referenced "ectoplasm" and here I thought that was a word the Ghostbusters made up!
I did get to see some of the permenant collection including the Egyptian exhibits:
I'll give .25 for the first person to tell me what 80's movie was filmed in this room.
More from the permenent collection, I just love this Dali painting.
After my visit at the museum, I took a trip downtown to visit my friend Susan that you all know from the previous blog. I met her at her place in The Village and we headed off for lunch. As always I learned much about some of the buildings in the area particularly Susan's favorite, The Friends Seminary which used to be a Quaker church. There is a small park just across the street where Susan showed me the small tree she had planted in honor of her recent birthday. There were also these funky little sculptures in the park made of credit cards. And, there were plenty of "takers" willing to teach you how to play chess or match wits with you in a chess match...one thing I never learned to play.
As we got closer to where we were going to have lunch Susan showed me a church I've seen many times, St. Marks on the Bowery.
I had never been inside the building or within the gates. Little did I know there was a cemetery there that I had never noticed before. All the stones are lying down. And, Peter Stuyvesant is buried there. 
We made our way towards 2nd Ave. since our main agenda was to get some food. We were both starvin! We were going to my favorite place, The Telephone. I had the best fish and chips, Susan had a yummy looking plate of shephard's pie. They have a really nice selection of food, the food is good, moderately priced and they have a great beer selection. It was such a nice day, some people were sitting outside. Oh! And I got another Homie! This is a grim reaper Homie, quite appropriate. Thanks Susan!
We then went down by NYU thinking there was some kind of student art show going on but didn't find one. There is a little mews in the area that is just so beautiful. It's where the Institute of French Studies is located. You would never imagine you were in the middle of a huge city.
We also walked in Washington Square park which is always an adventure. And, I think one of the prettiest parks. This is the park that has the giant arch similar to the Arc d'Triomphe in Paris. This is a look underneath the arch.
And some of the sculptures on the arch:
Susan and I ended the day in NYC at the Back Fence with Brigid (see previous blog entry) at the bar. After I left there and was making my way up 6th Ave. I saw a guy wipe out on his bike in the middle of the street. He was a hurtin pup but fortunately, he didn't get hit by a car. People waiting to cross the street ran out to help him.
There seems to be one of two things going on here. One is that New Yorkers get a bad rap. People say they're unfriendly and cold. The second thing is that maybe New Yorkers are changing. Saturday my Metro pass wasn't working. The girl in front of me turned around to see if I needed help and she directed me back to the ticket agents at the window. There was the bike incident and since my new found friendship with Susan and Brigid, I've been introduced to some really nice people...all New Yorkers!
P.S. This day was my big adventure out on my own in the big city. You know, it wasn't any different than being there with a friend.
Friday, November 11, 2005
Serendipity
This is a word I rarely use, but it was used yesterday and it made a connection. It happened in the cemetery, driving over thousands of brightly fallen leaves, surrounded by hundreds of the tombstones I find so fascinating. She said, "That is what this is! Serendipity! That should be what we worship. Do you want to be a high-priestess or an acolyte?"
"I've been an acoloyte before." And, I think that's what I want to be again in this worship of serendipity. Or as Jack from Will & Grace calls it, serendipitydoo.
This was just one of the many conversations I had with my friend Susan Maurer,
one of the poets that came to Harrisburg from New York to read at the Uptown Poetry Cartel poetry reading at the Susquehanna Art Museum. As she tells everyone, "Google me." So, I will leave that up to you to find out more information on her.
When I arrived at the hotel to pick her up, she was waiting in the lobby...with gifts no less! She has given me my first Homie, which she collects. And, she gave me one of her "chat books," a small booklet containing some of her works, which I fully intend on sharing with you at some point.
I took Susan on a driving tour of Harrisburg complete with all the scenic vistas I could muster up. As if that wasn't enough, we stopped for a bite to eat at one of my favorite, borderline dive restaurants;The Paxtang Grill. It's a typical blue collar barroom that's been around forever with the best darned, inexpensive food!
By 7ish we made our way to the musum for the readings. Susan was already there and raring to go. We were soon joined by Brigid Murnaghan, Susan's friend who would also be reading that night. I will also let you "Google her" for more info. They were introduced as "The Beatific Babes from Greenwich Village" quite appropriately, except he kept saying Green Wich which got on my nerves almost at once.
These ladies soon made a strong indication of what the night would bring. I think the others at the reading knew there were poets coming in from New York to read that night. Perhaps they suspected they'd come complete with beret's and bongo's which these ladies did not. But Susan and Brigid soon left everyone know who they were and why they were there.
Susan has gifted the museum with a document of her work with hand set lettering. I can't wait to go back to the museum and see it hanging on the wall! Brigid kept everyone entertained with her sour gummy worms she was eating and her occasional interjection of the word "fuck" or reference to the "cock sucker" that stole one of her lines. By the end of the night, everyone expected the unexpected and kind of lightened up a bit-thankfully.
The beginning of the program was open mic for anyone that wanted to read. Most were very good, some hit quite close to home for me. Susan then began to read her selections; Ocularis, 9-1-04, 10-10-04, Noise at 210 E. 15th St.: Critical Mass: Clash 8-28-04 complete with stories of how these poems were written. She's got quite a group of friends that occasionally serve as inspiration for her poems. You can well imagine having lived in the city for many years, being a published poet with a history of Social Work and living for a period of time in France.
Brigid took the floor and began to read her selections; To Be A Poet, Anna Murnaghan, and Eve. Brigid also told us how these poems were developed which I find truely fascinating.
After the reading, we made our way to a local bar, not your typical poets bar and Susan rightly pointed out. On the way, I got to talk to Brigid a little more. I asked her opinion of the local poets writings, she said they were good. I almost expected her to belt out "they were SHIT!" She and I spoke about romantic poetry which she said she has written but it's most often humerous, not sad. She told me to never shed a tear over a man...a broken plate, yes, never a man. Words to live by!
I was seated between the two ladies and the lively conversation began. Brigid told me about her friendship with Alan Ginsberg and that she's not such a fan of his writing. She's more of a Jack Kerouac fan. Keep in mind, Brigid was writing poetry during this era, living in The Village and travelling with this circle of poets. Brigid also told me about this man she has met, a man that has always caused her to have questions. She's spent time with this man and says he's the dearest person-Bob Dylan. I said I had recently seen him in concert and said he must be a man of few words since he didn't speak a lick during the show. "Actually", she said, "he is not."
She told me about Graham Greene who she said she always had the biggest crush on simply based on his pictures. She was almost apologetic about this crush she has simply because he's deceased. I let her in on my obsession with Jim Morrison. She said, "he was beautiful when he was young wasn't he?" Oh God yes! A woman after my own heart!
Meanwhile to the right of me Susan was developing her musical talents on the trumpet. Well, it was a plastic trumpet, that played music but she did a fair trade with another at the table and the trumpet is now hers.
I really hated to end the evening while everyone was still out having fun. I really hate to miss any kind of fun. The ladies and I fully intend on meeting up in The Village tomorrow for lunch or whatever we can get into.
Susan, I know you are out there reading this. Thank you and Brigid so much for making the treck to Harrisburg. I enjoyed our time together. And, it truly was serendipity, yesterday and our original meeting at The Fence, (which has been voted, by the way, as one of the top dive bars in the city!), you be the high-priestess.
Have a great weekend all! Me and my camera are off for a day in the Big Apple. Report at 11:00.
"I've been an acoloyte before." And, I think that's what I want to be again in this worship of serendipity. Or as Jack from Will & Grace calls it, serendipitydoo.
This was just one of the many conversations I had with my friend Susan Maurer,
one of the poets that came to Harrisburg from New York to read at the Uptown Poetry Cartel poetry reading at the Susquehanna Art Museum. As she tells everyone, "Google me." So, I will leave that up to you to find out more information on her.When I arrived at the hotel to pick her up, she was waiting in the lobby...with gifts no less! She has given me my first Homie, which she collects. And, she gave me one of her "chat books," a small booklet containing some of her works, which I fully intend on sharing with you at some point.
I took Susan on a driving tour of Harrisburg complete with all the scenic vistas I could muster up. As if that wasn't enough, we stopped for a bite to eat at one of my favorite, borderline dive restaurants;The Paxtang Grill. It's a typical blue collar barroom that's been around forever with the best darned, inexpensive food!
By 7ish we made our way to the musum for the readings. Susan was already there and raring to go. We were soon joined by Brigid Murnaghan, Susan's friend who would also be reading that night. I will also let you "Google her" for more info. They were introduced as "The Beatific Babes from Greenwich Village" quite appropriately, except he kept saying Green Wich which got on my nerves almost at once.
These ladies soon made a strong indication of what the night would bring. I think the others at the reading knew there were poets coming in from New York to read that night. Perhaps they suspected they'd come complete with beret's and bongo's which these ladies did not. But Susan and Brigid soon left everyone know who they were and why they were there.
Susan has gifted the museum with a document of her work with hand set lettering. I can't wait to go back to the museum and see it hanging on the wall! Brigid kept everyone entertained with her sour gummy worms she was eating and her occasional interjection of the word "fuck" or reference to the "cock sucker" that stole one of her lines. By the end of the night, everyone expected the unexpected and kind of lightened up a bit-thankfully.
The beginning of the program was open mic for anyone that wanted to read. Most were very good, some hit quite close to home for me. Susan then began to read her selections; Ocularis, 9-1-04, 10-10-04, Noise at 210 E. 15th St.: Critical Mass: Clash 8-28-04 complete with stories of how these poems were written. She's got quite a group of friends that occasionally serve as inspiration for her poems. You can well imagine having lived in the city for many years, being a published poet with a history of Social Work and living for a period of time in France.
Brigid took the floor and began to read her selections; To Be A Poet, Anna Murnaghan, and Eve. Brigid also told us how these poems were developed which I find truely fascinating.
After the reading, we made our way to a local bar, not your typical poets bar and Susan rightly pointed out. On the way, I got to talk to Brigid a little more. I asked her opinion of the local poets writings, she said they were good. I almost expected her to belt out "they were SHIT!" She and I spoke about romantic poetry which she said she has written but it's most often humerous, not sad. She told me to never shed a tear over a man...a broken plate, yes, never a man. Words to live by!
I was seated between the two ladies and the lively conversation began. Brigid told me about her friendship with Alan Ginsberg and that she's not such a fan of his writing. She's more of a Jack Kerouac fan. Keep in mind, Brigid was writing poetry during this era, living in The Village and travelling with this circle of poets. Brigid also told me about this man she has met, a man that has always caused her to have questions. She's spent time with this man and says he's the dearest person-Bob Dylan. I said I had recently seen him in concert and said he must be a man of few words since he didn't speak a lick during the show. "Actually", she said, "he is not."
She told me about Graham Greene who she said she always had the biggest crush on simply based on his pictures. She was almost apologetic about this crush she has simply because he's deceased. I let her in on my obsession with Jim Morrison. She said, "he was beautiful when he was young wasn't he?" Oh God yes! A woman after my own heart!
Meanwhile to the right of me Susan was developing her musical talents on the trumpet. Well, it was a plastic trumpet, that played music but she did a fair trade with another at the table and the trumpet is now hers.
I really hated to end the evening while everyone was still out having fun. I really hate to miss any kind of fun. The ladies and I fully intend on meeting up in The Village tomorrow for lunch or whatever we can get into.
Susan, I know you are out there reading this. Thank you and Brigid so much for making the treck to Harrisburg. I enjoyed our time together. And, it truly was serendipity, yesterday and our original meeting at The Fence, (which has been voted, by the way, as one of the top dive bars in the city!), you be the high-priestess.
Have a great weekend all! Me and my camera are off for a day in the Big Apple. Report at 11:00.
Thursday, November 10, 2005
Thursday Thirteen
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2. Tonight I'm going to a poetry reading at the Susquehanna Art Museum 3. My trip to NYC in July has forged a friendship with two of New York's poets. They will be making their way to Harrisburg today and will be the main poets reading this evening. I'm thankful they were willing to come here for this! 4. I will be taking my first trip to NYC on Saturday...solo! I'm nervous and excited. 5. Since this week of classes is over, I took a look at the remainder of the class schedule. There are only 4, FOUR, FORE weeks of classes that remain to this semester. I cannot wait till it's over, I need a break. 6. I feel a long beach weekend may be in order. Mark, can you make room for me? A hammock will do. 7. It's gray, chilly and windy out today. I need some sun! 8. 14 days till my birthday. Ew, the closer it gets the less I want it to be here. 9. The bright side to that is that my friends and I usually go out for a nice dinner and some form of debauchery...nothing wrong with that! 10. I had been planning to go to Paris with my Wednesday night class. However, in light of all that's been happening there, I'm glad I'm not going. 11. Even more reason to go to the beach and vegitate. 12. Did everyone vote on Tuesday? 13. Everyone have a great day! Links to other Thursday Thirteens!1. (leave your link in comments, I’ll add you here!) |
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Tuesday, November 08, 2005
American Graffiti
I thought of writing this entry a couple of months ago when I saw this really awesome piece of graffiti artwork on the back of the local Kmart. It amazes me what can be conveyed through a simple collection of lines and colors. I would see this work every day upon leaving the gym. I thought, I better remember to bring my camera tomorrow because certainly someone will have to get rid of that. And, of course they did before I was able to get a picture.However, when on my walk down by the river this weekend, I did come across some other graffiti work. Some of you will find it quite humorous I'm sure.
Sunday, November 06, 2005
Take Me to the River
This morning I got up early and decided I just couldn't bear the gym so instead I went for a long walk down by the river. Today was a gorgeous warm day. I took my camera along so I could share the scenery with you.
This is our Champs Elysees. Really it's the State Street Bridge, and the capital building in the center. This is going into the city of Harrisburg.
One of the many bridges across the Susquehanna.
The Walnut St. bridge. It's now just a walking bridge. Very pretty at night.
Detail of the bridge above.
The road that lies before me.
This end of the river walk has lots of sculpture and gardens.
WWII Memorial...I really like the way this one turned out.
Holocaust Memorial
Piet Mondrian was here. I think people live in this place, but I really have no idea what it is.
The residence of Edward G. Rendell, the governor of PA. Or as our Lieutenant Governor called him at a public event Edward G. Robinson.
It was a luvly day!
This is our Champs Elysees. Really it's the State Street Bridge, and the capital building in the center. This is going into the city of Harrisburg.
One of the many bridges across the Susquehanna.
The Walnut St. bridge. It's now just a walking bridge. Very pretty at night.
Detail of the bridge above.
The road that lies before me.
This end of the river walk has lots of sculpture and gardens.
WWII Memorial...I really like the way this one turned out.
Holocaust Memorial
Piet Mondrian was here. I think people live in this place, but I really have no idea what it is.
The residence of Edward G. Rendell, the governor of PA. Or as our Lieutenant Governor called him at a public event Edward G. Robinson.
It was a luvly day!
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