Purrrfect Posse

My way too cool boys...

JAWS

BUSTER

Ahhhh...that makes me feel better.

Random Stuff

I have nothing today. I'm still dealing with student drama. Yes, drama before the year even begins. So, I'm wiped out from working hard all day in school and dealing with the drama. I have some really random thoughts, that otherwise, would not take up an entire post.

The "youtube" guys are dancing on the treadmills on the VMAs. It is nice that people realize that the child-like imagination is so important to retain. Frost would be proud.

Speaking of the VMAs, I want to dance like Shakira, have Fergie's voice, and look like a Pussycat Doll. I'll never be confused with a militant feminist. Well, unless I have a brain transplant with one of the said militants.

The person who advised the school newspaper before me was way overworked and her boyfriend was thinking of not taking things further. I saw her today with an engagement ring, news of a new house, and she said the thanks belonged to me. Great. I already have no life. My cats and my job will be my life. Guess I don't need to dance like Shakira, sing like Fergie, or look like a Pussycat Doll now. Hrrrummpff.

(I was going to place pictures of my cats here, but the blogger or my computer is a piece of shite right now.)

So now that I've spent about an hour trying to upload pictures from files I couldn't find (ugh), I'm gonna go dream about the blood tests I have to get tomorrow. Say a prayer that what I've been doing has improved my "numbers."

Have a good one, and thanks for reading the random crap.

Glenn Ford RIP

I just read an obituary of sorts for Glenn Ford. He died today. While the obituary (actually more than one obituary) listed his many accomplishments as an actor, it did not even mention his service to our country. This angers me. Of all of his accomplishments, serving in our military should be listed at the top. Ford was a hero that wore a uniform for previous generations so that my generation could enjoy freedoms we so obviously take for granted.

I knew he was a veteran of WW II, but what I did not know, as reported on a web site that honors him, is that Ford served two tours in Vietnam, too. He was also a highly decorated veteran. In fact, the man did so much more than I have just mentioned.

What speaks volumes to me is that every time a movie came on television with him as part of the cast, my mom would always mention his military service. He deserves more than to just have his movie bio listed.

R.I.P

For The Boys

This is a special post (example of pandering) for the red-blooded, all-American men that read my blog.

Anna and Charlize send their love; they wish you were there...

I need to go wash the "ick" off of me, now. Perhaps the gentleman in the picture below will help me!

He's got an outie!

I'm not saying I want his children, but I want lots of practice!

I wonder if he needs any help with any hard to reach places?

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year!!!!

A week from Thursday, I begin my seventh year of teaching. In honor of the "seven-year-itch," I have decided to channel some humor and try a top ten list of what I can look forward to during the school year.

10. Assignments turned in to me with weird stains and substances encrusted on them.

9. The word "opportunity" spelled "oppertunitie" at least a bazillion times--despite my efforts to correct the spelling. BTW, why do students insist on creating possessives when they want to make a word plural???? I correct the errors, but again...they ignore my corrections. Yes, their grades get lower because of it.

8. At least four notes from parents stating that their children could not finish an essay on time (after given a week, and two of those days in class) because: a pet was ill, the child was ill, a pet died, or because the computer blew up into tiny pieces.

7. Parent emails that state his/her child is different from all the others and needs special attention, special seating, my individual attention after school, weekly or daily emails reporting on the child's progress, etc....this email will come from at least twenty parents. (BTW...I do offer help after school...I've had about five students in seven years take me up on the offer.)

6. The same student will always be absent for all tests, quizzes, and in-class essays. That same student will wait until threatened with a zero to make up the work.

5. I will have at least one student cut class to study for a test for another class.

4. All of my students will have ADHD/ADD/OCD and some kind of barking/mad dog disorder....at least their parents are convinced of it.

3. There will be students who think that sucking up to me works.

2. There will be students who think I hate them because I grade them honestly and try to help them improve.

And the number one thing to look forward to during the school year:

1. Kids who want to negotiate their grades the last day of the marking period....because a "B" shames the family name (actually have had that said to me and it was true).

**Bonus: I will have at least one student copy an essay word-for-word off of another student or piece one together from various websites and turn the essay in to the required plagiarism site. That student will deny any evidence of cheating. Nice.

Of course, these are all "problems" that my counterparts in lower-performing schools would love to have. Truth be told, I'm very grateful for my job. I'm blessed.

Poor Taste

I watched the Emmy Awards show and something has been bothering me about it. The show "opener" included a Lost-like plane crash and wash-up on a beach followed by various entrances into other shows. Now I know these opening segments are done in advance, but they are capable of editing magic. I think the show would have survived with a clever edit that just had Conan O'Brien wash up on the beach. Folks would've "gotten it." We would have figured out it was a spoof on Lost, and that perhaps the crash was eliminated out of respect for those who died in the plane crash today (and their grieving families). Guess tact and manners really are dead in this society.

Asses.

Earth to Joe, Come In, Joe

For those of you not from the Philly, tri-state area, Sen. Joe Biden from DE thinks that he has an actual chance of becoming the next President of the United States. Years back, he plagiarized his speeches, and made false claims about his family background. He also had hair plugs years back, too-suspiciously around the time he had a brain tumor removed. Well, a few months ago he made a remark about bumping into South Asian Indians at 7-11 and Dunkin Donuts. Now he is looking to implant his other foot into his extremely wide mouth. I wonder what would happen if say, Frist or another Republican said things Biden has. (BTW, there have been bonehead comments in recent weeks by Republicans, but Biden is a repeat offender, big time.) This article in total was lifted from AP.

Biden not worried about Southern Dems

Sen. Joseph Biden (news, bio, voting record) says he can hold his own in a 2008 presidential primary against Democratic contenders from the South, noting that his home state of Delaware was a "slave state."
Biden dismissed the notion that he was a "Northeastern liberal" who would have a poor showing in the South against other likely contenders such as Virginia Gov. Mark Warner and former Sen. John Edwards of North Carolina, the 2004 Democratic vice presidential nominee.
"Better than anybody else," Biden said, when asked on "Fox News Sunday" to rate his chances of winning Southern states.
"You don't know my state," he said. "My state was a slave state. My state is a border state. My state has the eighth-largest black population in the country. My state is anything from a Northeast liberal state."
The last three Democrats to win the presidency — Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and Lyndon Johnson — came from the southern states of Arkansas, Georgia and Texas, respectively.

MY HEAD IS SPINNING TOO MUCH TO EVEN COMMENT ON HIS STUPIDITY!!!

Haven't Done that in Two Years

There was a minor triumph in the RT household this evening. After a four hour nap (ugh), I cooked myself dinner. Sounds trivial, but I haven't done that in two years-haven't been able to stand up and cook. My mom lives with me, so she's been cooking, in case you just had images of cereal for all my meals. Gluten-free pizza w/out tomato sauce. Could've used more garlic, but I kneaded the dough and actually cooked. Now, if by Oct. 7th I could actually be able to go to the Maiden concert in Camden...I'd be a happy camper. I won't go, but a girl can dream.

I watched the MTV2 Maiden program this evening. It was awesome! I wish they had played a full video, though. The guitars sound amazing. I appreciated how they talked about how they get the subject matter for their songs. Hopefully the youngins will take note that metal isn't all about insanely dark stuff and can have a purpose....sounding like the cookie monster on crack isn't one of them. Hey, even Megadeth is putting out a cd titled United Abominations--it's about what a joke the UN is. You go, Dave.

Preponderance of Pimping

Wyatt has an interview posted on Basil's blog. If I knew how to do linky stuff on a blog post, I'd do it. I'm lame. You can go to Rachel's blog about Wyatt or Wyatt's blog and find the link to Basil. It is a good interview with the witty remarks we've come to expect from our fearless pimp, er...uh. gunslinger.

I have also added two blogs to my list of blogs. Grim Jack and Dragon Lady are linked for your reading pleasure.

No adventures today. I'm hoping for adventures on Monday. Until then, cleaning and organizing for the impending school year are on the docket.

I also have a thought for the day. Hockey starts way too late. It needs to start now! I'm getting itchy for checks, wristers, and shots from the line that just seem to find their way into the net. Yeah....fights, too. Question: Do you think hockey is going "small-guy" again, and for good?

Movie Night

No adventures today. Although tomorrow I plan on going to Cingular, Barnes and Noble, Staples, and Shop-Rite. If I can do all of that I'll be really, really pleased. I might even try to hook up my DSL...Earp has inspired me.

Tonight, I read 170 pages in three hours...and I remember what I read. That wouldn't have happened even six months ago. (If I notice I can do something related to my ickness, I always say "couldn't do that .....ago.") I remember yesterday I was able to side step something without fear...couldn't do that a year ago. Hopefully, I won't have to make those statements much longer. Enough about my health.

I watched two quite awesome movies tonight. I watched Friday Night Lights and ..And Justice for All. WOW! What excellent movies. Friday Night Lights just got me so ready for the football season. The stress put on those young men is kind of hard to see. The saddest part is a lot of them are not prepared to meet the stresses of college once their athletic talents get them to a school. There are so many things that I would love to see changed in education, as do many teachers. But, extra-curriculars are all that some kids have. High school is also the only "good" years some kids have. So for some, they are the best years of their lives. I try to get my kids to see a bigger picture, though.

And Justice for All was just awesome. Al Pacino is an awesome actor. I really like watching old/older movies. There is a quality that is sorely lacking in today's flicks. While there are plenty of special bing-bang-zooms and "epic" pictures, there is something to be said when you compare acting/actors. Right now I'm watching Sugarland Express with Goldie Hawn. It is supposed to be a comedy-drama. I love humor the most, so hopefully it will provide some laughs. Maybe it will lull me to sleep. Last night every time I was about to drift off a friggin' car horn went off outside my window, like in the movies when a dead guy slumps over and sets off the horn with his head. Only this would happen for five or ten minutes and then stop for about twenty (then repeat about five times). I wished I had a bat or a gun. That would've stopped it and given me some aerobic exercise. I think the battery finally went dead or something. :) If my adventures are worth noting later on today...I will. Hope you all have a great Saturday.

Got Beer?

Beer facts brought to you by military.com:
*Yes, I visit that site to see the shock and awe section.

-Proven to be a healthy component of longevity.

-Moderate consumption (1-2 beers/day) has been proven to reduce the effects of high cholesterol, heart disease, some forms of cancer and even impotence.
(Take note, Wyatt.)

-There is even a US Beer Drinking Team
that links beer enthusiasts and promotes moderation, responsibility, and healthy
living.

Boy this is long...

I've wondered just how much I should talk about myself (aside from stupid stuff) in my blog. I don't want to sound or seem self-centered and needy.

I think I'll just talk about the past couple of years, but if you want to know more about me, just ask. Two years ago, I lost the use of my legs. I was bed-ridden for six weeks and had to go to physical therapy three times a week for a month to learn to walk again (muscles went to mush). I had been working two jobs, teaching full-time all day, then teaching four hours in the evening three days per week. I wasn't taking care of myself, ignored signs of a thyroid going to rot, and didn't realize I had a separate disorder that makes me pre-diabetic. My body simply gave out because all of my hormones (not just ones guys get squirmy about) had gone wacky. Up until this spring it was all I could do to get out of bed when I didn't have to go to work. As soon as I came home...I went to bed. My laptop is right next to it, and has become a portal to the outside world at times.

It's been hell, and I feel like a ticking time bomb because both issues caused my girth to become girthier and at risk for a load of stuff. It's been very depressing, quite frankly. I can't just go out somewhere and hang. I can't go to Phillies or Flyers games like I want to, I can't just go to the mall for hours on end, and I can't just go walk on the beach like I want to.

BUT...things are getting better, and hopefully, I'll be able to do those things when spring blooms again. I managed to walk around a grocery store for an hour today. My limit is slightly over. It is not that I don't have strength; I was able to ditch the cane last summer. Because I was so wiped out from everything until this past spring, all of my lower back/upper leg muscles don't have stamina and cramp up a bit.

BUT....things are getting better. I'm becoming more agile, my overall health is improving, and I'm beginning to lose some of that much unwanted and unneeded gain of girth.


Today, for the first time in two years, I was able to go to school and do some heavy lifting and work. Then, to be able to go shopping afterward was an even bigger plus. (Not to mention that my foggy brain is clearing, too.)

So hopefully, I will soon be blogging about my adventures. A lot of life has passed by me the past two years, but I hope to more than make up for it. So until then, my blogs probably won't be so exciting and will probably have to do with school, since that's my life. If I can resume my love of photography soon, maybe I'll provide some nice shots.

Now back to my usual drivel: So today...after realizing I have five preps (lots of planning over the weekends), I decided to numb myself with Chinese food again. My fortune cookies were odd:
"We are great together."
"It tastes sweet."

How weird and so not fortunes! Usually I get "Your love life (yeah, the non-existent one) will be harmonious and full of joy/laughter." "You will be showered with good luck."

So, we all know the joke. If you add "in bed" to end of the two fortunes I had today, they are actually good/interesting fortunes. :)

Thank you for reading all of this. I know it is long-winded. I always enjoy reading all of your blogs and getting to know y'all. Hopefully, I haven't bored you all to death. Hopefully I'll fun adventures and many milestones to report-soon.

Back to Reality

I received a partial shipment of books today. Because of other things I've had to do this summer, I haven't had the opportunity to finish my summer reading. I have thirteen books to read. I began the first one this morning--Cannery Row. I like it so far. Except for one book that I read seven years ago, I've never read any of the books I'm reading. Yipeee!

At least this year, I do not have a fog settled in my brain, so maybe I will be able to read all of the books by Sept. 4th. I used to read a 100 or more pages a night in college...maybe I can do it for the next couple of weeks. Well, at least I love to read.

*I might explain the foggy brain some other time; in case I don't, I became really ill two years ago, and I am slowly but surely getting my wits back about me.

Have a good day, today! :) Oh, and sorry about the obnoxious yellow lettering in the previous posts. eeek!

My friends send me the nicest presents!

My friend, Karen, knows that I am in love with Vin Diesel, so she sent me these pictures tonight. Hmmmm.....I think a Diesel-fest is in order this weekend. XXX, A Man Apart, Fast and the Furious....yep, not the babysitting movie...well, maybe as long as he is in every scene.

Now I know why I can't sleep. I'm too busy day-dreaming. DAMN!

Could I clone him (with a different voice)? Please?????? Damn!

BTW...A Man Apart is a really good movie.

Did I say, "damn?"

I don't think the cops in my town look like this.

Power Hungry

If you could have any super hero type super-power, what would it be and why?

I wish I had the power to strike people with lightning. I'd offer the use of my powers to the military for top-secret missions that involve zapping and frying to a crisp any enemy deemed suitable. A girl can dream.

Your turn!

Planet Dummkopf

So, you live in India and you want to open a restaurant. Hmm...what to call it? How about you name it Hitler's Cross?

When asked why someone would open a restaurant with the theme of Hitler, one of the owners stated it's because the Hitler idea is different and will be memorable. DIFFERENT????? How about DUMB!!!!! I don't know if a picture of Hitler looking down on me is such an appetite booster? Didn't he starve people?

What are the specials? Jack boot jerky with mustard gas sauce, and a side of Mengele mashed potatoes?

I guess they'll have a special table reserved for Mahmoud Ahmadinejad.

People have no sense. As my dad says, "No sense, no feeling."

One of My All-Time Favorite Bands!

Ok Maiden fans, guess what!?!?! Iron Maiden will be on MTV2 for "Iron Maiden Makes an Album" (guess the whole cd thing hasn't caught on in the UK). When? Next Saturday, Aug. 26th at 11:30 p.m. It is a half an hour show. Then, on September 5th, the "album" (cd), "A Matter of Life and Death," will be released.

I am excited about this one. I haven't purchased any Maiden (except to update to cds) in herds. I still want the Ed head "box" set, though.

I live for my drives home from work with the cd player pounding out the high-octane tunes! (Well, love songs make me cry and rap makes my ears bleed, so those are two conditions that one should not be experiencing while driving). Ok, my Monster Ballads cd is a guilty pleasure. And yeah, I sing all of the songs all the way home on my one hour drive.

BTW!!! Somebody go cheer Det. Earp up, as I think he might be grumpy today.

Limerick Winners!

Well...y'all are winners in my book!

I really enjoyed reading all of the limericks. Maybe I'll run the contest again someday. It is hard to have original ideas considering all the clever and intersting posts I read on the other blogs.

For what it is worth, here are two more limericks composed by me. However, I think the one about Wyatt going to Antwerp is my personal best.

There once was a guy named Ted;
Well, the ladies, he knocked them dead;
One lady, she drowned;
But the law, he got around;
Now his dog, Splash, sleeps at the foot of his bed.
(Hmmm...Let sleeping dogs named Splash lie.)

There once was a guy from Nantucket;
Who caught his foot in a bucket;
He whined like a girly;
And became quite surly;
Until his wife came by and un-stuck it!
Well, it seems I proved myself wrong, eh?

NOW FOR THE WINNERS!!!! (You have all earned my undying respect, but bragging rights are up to you.)

6. fmragtops:
There once was a man from Nantucket
Who kept liquid soap in a bucket.
He always washed his car
After he went to the bar
And when it was clean he said Fk it

5. fmragtops:
There once was blogger from Philly
Whose blog was a little bit silly
He couldn't write a poem
But we're all glad to know 'im
We just he doesn't show us his willy.

4. Wyatt:
There once was a broad named RT;
Who thought she was smarter than me.
I drank too much beer;
Is the toilet in here?
Cause now I think I have to pee.

3. fmragtops:
There once was a man from Beirut;
Who like to cross the border and shoot
Jewish girls and boys
While the Katushas made noise
and Kofi gargled Ahmadinejad's root.
(Would that be "root beer?")

2. grimjack:
There once was a hippy who liked Phish:
His favorite Smashing Pumkins CD was "Gish"
While playing with Wyatt's glock
He shot off his cock
Now he's known around town as Trish

1. DragonLady:
There once was a leprechaun named Shamus...
Who was more than a little bit famous...
his willie caught cold...
was allergic to mold...
When it sneezed it was long enough to hang us.
(That sounds painful!)

Thank You

Just a short note to thank you all for your limericks. I look forward to reading more tonight. They really did help me with my funk. ;)

Feel free to keep posting limericks. I won't assemble them until about 8 p.m. or 9 p.m., this evening. I think Wyatt's manhood should be off limits now, as he is about to blow a fuse. :)

Straight from the Horse's Mouth

All-knowing and wise one, John Kerry gave an interview to for Clinton towel boy, George Snufflelupogas of ABC. Here are two quotes I pulled from Drudge Report that made me laugh:

"Kerry accused the 2000 Democratic vice presidential candidate of 'adopting the rhetoric of Dick Cheney,' on the issue of Iraq."

Let's hope, for Kerry's sake (since he is a lawyer), that Lieberman doesn't adopt any of Cheney's other qualities. Advice to Kerry: Duck.

"Kerry also criticized President Bush's approach to the troubled [Middle East]region . 'I know that I would have handled the diplomacy,' he said."

Yep, sure. How, Mr. Ed? I guess Kerry confuses terrorists with people who are rational and sane. Kerry's diplomacy? Retreat....oh yeah, he is friends with the French, isn't he?

Advice to Kerry: Your debate club tactics don't work in the real world.

I don't trust anyone that has a stubborn mule as a mascot; nor do I trust politicians, period. But I really, really dislike smug, liberals.

And Another Thing!!!

Note to VH1 Classics: When you finish Metal Mania with Iron Fkn Maiden, do not follow it with friggin' boy-lover, Michael Jackson. Thank you!

Oh, and the South Pole just had a 7.2 earthquake. Get out the hard hats and the duct tape, folks.

THIS IS A TEST!!! THIS IS ONLY A TEST!!! NOT!

Ok. I can't sleep (again, so bite me). According to Reuters (guess I should double-check my sources) an hour ago, Iran tested a short-rane missle (insert joke here) and announced a few minutes ago that they will not stop uranium enrichment (no big surprise). Does Iran not realize that we have them surrounded? Am I the only person that said three years ago, "Finally, we have Iran surrounded, so lets get 'em." Seriously, I think we have a lot of experts in precision bombing that are kind of bored right now. (Any former or present members of the military should please excuse my ignorance of such grave matters right about now.)

I'm tired of having "that feeling" in the pit of my stomach. I had the same feeling during the 80s. That lugubrious feeling of eventual doom is getting on my last nerve. The angst has now more than turned into anger.

It's like two minutes to midnight all over again.

Warm and Fuzzies

Some things just make me smile. Funny jokes, clever personalities, when my sports teams win, pleasant surprises, and pretty flowers pretty much do it for me. My favorite flowers are daisies...gerber daisies. They are big, bold, bright, yet very fragile.

Ok...too sappy, eh? I was very ugh and blah the past twenty-four hours or so. Well, I'm still feeling ugh and blah, but I don't want to share why. Not health related or anything, but whatever...getting sappy again, sorry.

I look forward to reading more limericks. They've definitely helped my mood. I'll post the list of funny tonight. Multiple entries are encouraged. See y'all later.

Good Read: Moxargon Group

X-Ran the Fleshrender, of the Moxargon Group, posted a good read. Some entertainment-types see the value in defeating terrorists. I have a link to MG, so go read it and look at the list.

POW! ZAM! BONK!

You find some things you don't expect to find when you can't sleep and you are up all night, online. I saw an article about favorite superheroes. Then I saw a link to the postal service...they have D.C. Comics superheroes stamps!

Then I thought about my favorite cartoons. Yes...I loved the "legion," (You know, the one with the Wonder Twins...) and Scooby, Road Runner, Josie and the Pussycats (rockin'), Jetsons, and Bugs. But for obscurity's sake, I really miss Ultra-Man and Hong Kong Phooey. My favorite live-action: Sigmund the Sea Monster, and the Banana Splits (mainly because they were rockers...it started at an early age with Paul Revere and the Raiders...it is a sad tale). Yeah, I watched the Hudson Bros. "Long hair and music," what can I say?

So what were your favorites?

Entertain Me!!!

I seem to have a lack of hate, today. I mean, well, I'm pissed about the wiretapping decision and I'm still pissed about how the world screwed Israel. However, I rely on humor to always get me through the day. Who doesn't, right?

I thought it might be fun to have a limerick contest. I know...ewwww, poetry. But limericks allow for a lot of humor and my favorite, innuendo.

The winner gets my undying respect and bragging rights. Sorry, I don't get paid for another three weeks. The winners will be posted Sunday evening around 8:00 pm EST. Gets to rhymin'!

The rules (I'm leaving out a few characteristics of a limerick):

Limericks have five lines.

Lines 1, 2 & 5 all end with the same rhyme (ex. flue, do, blue).

Lines 3 & 4 rhyme, but separately from lines 1,2 & 5.

Limericks should always be funny, so please have fun.

Starter if you need help: A dude from L.A. once said, WHOA!

America Has Talentless Freaks!

Someone PLEASE retire Regis Philbin to a pasture. He can't sing, he can't hear, and does he really need another television show? So far I have seen a guy play the guitar with a weed wacker and I thankfully have forgotten the rest, so far. BUT there is a little girl from the Philly area (Mayfair?) on this show with an amazing voice. I hope she wins. Anyway...I'm tired of Philbin. He thinks he has talent. He's been graced with good luck, that's all.

Happy Birthhhhhhday, Mr. President.

Sixty really isn't that old these days, but Bill Clinton seems to be having a problem with it. So, I've listed the reasons I could surmise.

1. He has to replace his sexy bikini underwear with depends. (I just grossed myself out....ewwww.)

2. Bad eyesight: Constantly confuses Hilary for Buddy....Oh wait, Buddy is dead...But still, it must hurt getting hit in the head with all those milkbones and balls.

3. Every year older means more lies to remember.

4. Pretty girls ask how the "olden-days" were, pinch his cheeks, and say, "Thanks Gramps."

5. His groupies include Babs Streisand, Diane Keaton, Lily Tomlin, and Janet Reno.

But the one thing bothering him the most about his birthday....

He doesn't have anyone to blow out his candles! (Wait, is Monica around?)

And the answers are....

The only bad thing about having off during the summer is that the brain tends to become mush-like. Therefore, it is a good thing that only three questions were asked. I'm gonna go watch Project Runway now...thank God there is football tomorrow night!

CUG asked, "Who put the 'sham' in the shamalangadingdong?"

Answer: That could be either the guy who invented the shammy (sp?), or Sam the Sham (and the Pharaohs).

Wyatt, because he is my pimp, feels as though he can ask two questions. Well, ok; he is my pimp. He asked what I looked like with blonde hair and thigh high boots, and also asked if he should eat yellow snow.

I looked like a 5'10 girl with bleached beyond belief hair that had on boots that went above the knee. I wish I looked like that again. I was fearless. Growing older sucks!

Now for the yellow snow. Well, I guess you could eat it if you were stuck on a mountain somewhere after a plane crash. I hear the Chinese drink urine to cure ills. But if you are living in Philly, perhaps someone just spilled some Philly tap water on the snow; therefore, it should be ok.

Fmragtops asked when I'm "gonna answer these questions."

Ummm, when I am done having my Pedro Martinez-type meltdown over how I feel about going back to school in a couple of weeks. That reminds me, I need to get back to work on planning my year. Speaking of beating the pine tar out of the Mets....wooohooo the Phillies just won a third game against the Mets!

Hope y'all keep visiting! :)

Extension on the Questions and Other Crap!!!!

The reason why I am giving an extension is because I was at school all day meeting with teenagers while nursing a migraine. I'm advising and teaching the newspaper/journalism classes for the first time. They all have a system, and I'm overwhelmed. I did take a grad class for this over the summer, so I'm not completely clueless, but I feel like a loser because the kids can run the show.

I'll post answers to questions tomorrow around 8:30 pm. Feel free to ask questions until that time, as I am preparing answers as I get questions.

I'm gonna go eat my Chinese food and cry (and try to get the image of plantains out of my mind).

SPRINGER! SPRINGER!

Dancing with the Stars has announced its line-up. Yep...Jerry Springer will be taking part in the twinkle-toed sport. Producers better weld the chairs to the floor and check for fat women in belly shirts before they allow the audience into the studio. Perhaps Tucker Carlson will moderate any throw-downs. (Yeah...he's on it, too.)

I might watch the train-wreck this year.

A New Blogger to the Blogosphere

That's right President Mahmoud (they-don't-call-me-a-crazy-hostage-taking-terrorist-for-nothing) Ahmadinejad of Iran is joining us in blogging fun. His blog is www.ahmadinejad.ir, in case you are interested in having him link you or vice versa.

In fact, he has an awesome poll asking whether or not the US and Israel are responsible for the world's ills and leading it to another world war. His underlings report that people are encouraged to ask questions via the site.

Hmmm....how many fingers are chopped off for a bad question? Certainly he would not adopt freedom of speech...then he'd be an infidel.

Questions Anyone? Buehler? Beuhler?

Well...I'm lacking orginality and creativity, so I'll steal an idea. Got any questions for me? I'll post answers on Tuesday...around 8pm or so.

Links

I've posted some of the blogs I visit. I couldn't get GOP/City to post on my links, but I'll keep trying. I'm sure you all have these links, but whatever.

HOPE

So while I was trying to devise a witty "Weekend at Fidel's" post to go with those insane pictures published by Juventud Rebelde, I came across a story on cnn.com worth watching. (Hmmm...CNN and worth watching? The end must be near.)

Under the "latest news" there is a video clip about a little girl who had a bone marrow transplant canceled because her illness disappeared. (Her white count is still low, though.) With all the bad news we hear these days, perhaps viewing this clip will warm the heart and provide some hope.

Prayer. Need I say more?

Duty Roster

I might write more later on today, but I have to go sit with my grandmom while I give my dad the day off so he can go on a day-trip. Grandmom has Parkinsons...as did her brother, and as her other brother does have. My great-grandfather, a fighting member of the Black Watch in WWI survived a gas attack (wasn't the beans). Most of those around him were killed. All of his children have had Parkinsons except for one. She won't discuss it, though...she might have it, too. Well, this is what my grandmom says, and I have no reason to doubt her.

Now for a really awkward transition...I wasn't sure what to write about today. So I thought I'd spotlight a really good program for our soldiers deployed around the world and at home. I help support a program called Operation AC (http://www.operationac.com/). It provides troops with replacement boots, currently has a Christmas tree program going, and provides for virtual care-boxes to be sent to soldiers that you can "adopt" from their database. (Wyatt also has a link for Books for Soldiers on his blog, too.)

I am currently assigned (the choosing thing is new) to a kick-ass, really nice guy from Ft. Campbell. He is coming home really soon and I have had an awesome time emailing back and forth. It has also been a lot of fun shopping for goodie boxes. It can certainly be a boost to the soul. So I encourage y'all to do something. Operation AC also has a link for sending get well cards to injured soldiers, or you can just give money. It has been a very good experience for me.

If you are in the NJ/PA area....enjoy this glorious weather...it is beautiful today!

Take away teleprompter, and insert foot!

The following is an exchange between Chris Matthews and Brian Wilson on MSNBC. Is it possible to put both feet into your mouth?

CHRIS MATTHEWS, HOST: But, here we have maybe 24 people who have lived inLondon and England and the free world for all these years that become citizens,subjects of the Crown, and yet, after having gotten to know us, they want tokill themselves to hurt us. Isn’t that an even deeper conundrum here than thechemicals being used in these attacks.

BRIAN WILLIAMS: And that, Chris, that last aspect, the willingness to takeone’s own life. I always tell people there are guys on our team like that, too.They’re called Army Rangers and Navy Seals and the Special Forces folks and thefirst responders on 9/11 who went into those buildings knowing, by the way, theyweren’t going to come out. So we have players like that on our team.

Last I checked, the aim of our soldiers is to preserve as much life as possible (their own and civilian). Ugh!!!! Our guys and gals want to return to their families. Get me the duct tape! Nice way to insult every veteran of every branch of service we have in our country's history, asshat!

The Feel Good List

I stole this list from Peakah a week or so ago. Peakah's link can be found via Wyatt's links (for now). Given our angst ridden present events, I thought it might be nice to revisit some very pleasant memories. Take a deep breath and say ahhhh.... Please add you own. I've provided some of my more innocent memories. :)
Memory Lane
Close your eyes...And go back......
Before the Internet or PC or the MAC......
Before semi-automatics and crack......
Before Playstation, SEGA, Super Nintendo, even before Atari......
Before cell phones, CD's, DVD's, voicemail and e-mail......
way back......way...way...way back...
I'm talkin' bout hide and seek at dusk
Red light, Green lightRed
Rover, Red Rover
Playing kickball & dodgeball until the first... no... second... no... third streetlight came on
Ring around the Rosie
London Bridge
Hot potato
Hop Scotch
Jump rope
Duck....duck....GOOSE!!!
YOU'RE IT!!
Parents stood on the front porch and yelled (or whistled)for you to come home - no pagers or cell phones
Mother May I?
Hula Hoops
Seeing shapes in the clouds
Endless summer days and hot summer nights (no A/C) with the windows open
The sound of crickets
Running through the sprinkler
Happy Meals
Cereal boxes with that GREAT prize in the bottom
Cracker jacks with the same thing
Ice pops with 2 sticks you could break and share with a friend...
but wait...there's more
Watchin' Saturday Morning cartoons:
Fat Albert, Road Runner, Smurfs, Picture Pages, G-Force, He-Man...
Schoolhouse Rock
Watchin' Sunday morning oldies (Abbott & Costello, Three Stooges, Godzilla) Wonder Woman & Super Man Underoos
FONZIE.....AYYYYYYYY
Playing Dukes of Hazard
Catchin' lightning bugs in a jar
Christmas morning
Your first day of school
Bedtime Prayers and Goodnight Kisses
Climbing treesSwinging as high as you could to try and reach the sky
Getting an Ice Cream off the Good Humor Truck
A million mosquito bites and sticky fingers
Jumpin' down the steps
Jumpin' on the bed
Pillow fights
Sleep-overs
A 13" black and white TV in your room meant you were RICH
Runnin' till you were out of breath
Laughing so hard that your stomach hurt
Being tired from PLAYING
Work meant taking out the garbage or doing the dishes
Your first crush
Your first kiss (I mean the one that you kept your mouth CLOSED and your eyes OPEN)
Rainy days at school meant playing "Heads up 7UP" or hangman in the classroom,
Remember that?
Oh, I'm not finished yet...
Kool-Aid was the drink of the summer
So was a swig from the hose
Giving your friends a ride on your handlebars
Wearing your new shoes on the first day of school
Class Field Trips with soggy sandwiches
When nearly everyone's mom was at home when the kids got there.
When a quarter seemed like a fair allowance; and another quarter a MIRACLE
When ANY parent could discipline ANY kid, or feed him, or use him to carry groceries... And nobody, not even the kid, thought a thing of it.
When your parents took you to McDonalds and you were COOL
When being sent to the principal's office was nothing compared to the fate that awaited you at home.
Basically, we were in fear for our lives but it wasn't because of drive by shootings, drugs, gangs, etc.
Our parents and grandparents were a much bigger threat!
And some of us are still afraid of em!

Didn't that feel good?
Just to go back and say, "Yeah, I remember that!"
Well, let's keep going!!
Let's go back to the time when...
Decisions were made by going "eeny-meeny-miney-mo"
Mistakes were corrected by simply exclaiming, "do over!"
"Race issues" meant arguing about who ran the fastest.
Money issues were handled by whoever was the banker in "monopoly "
Catching fireflies could happily occupy an entire evening
It wasn't odd to have two or three "best" friends.
Being old, referred to anyone over 20.
The worst thing you could catch from the opposite sex was cooties.
Nobody was prettier than Mom
Scrapes and bruises were kissed by mom or grandma and made better
It was a big deal to finally be tall enough to ride the "big people" rides at the amusement park.
Getting a foot of snow was a dream come true.
Abilities were discovered because of a "double-dog-dare"Spinning around, getting dizzy and falling down was cause for giggles.
The worst embarrassment was being picked last for a team.
Water balloons were the ultimate secret weapon.
Older siblings were your worst tormentors, but also your fiercest protector.

(Your turn to add to the list of those things that you did back then that made you feel ALIVE!)

Here are my additions to the list:
Morgan Freeman and Ritan Moreno were my favorite actors...on Electric Company.
Convincing my friend's dog to chase us over all the fences on our block for a game of "wolf," and stopping to eat wine grapes from a neighbor's yard.
Creating homemade perfume with roses, honeysuckles, and pool water.
Swinging as high as I could on my swing while belting out "Why Can't We Be Friends," "Big Bad Leroy Brown," "These Boots Were Made for Walking," and "My Baby Does the Hanky Panky."
Jumping off of my swing when I got as high as I could to see how far I would fly.
Trying to teach my dog circus-dog tricks.
Building forts out of all the blankets we had.
Riding my bike to little league games to see if I could get a foul ball for a free snow-cone.
Putting on my radio and dancing and singing to almost every song that came on...air guitar was not ruled out as an option.
Playing dress up and putting my mom's make-up on to purposely look like a clown. ha ha

I've Been Pimped!!!

Good very early morning, y'all! Wyatt has been kind enough to pimp me and help me with my linking difficulties. So if you would like me to link you, please feel free to let me know.

Hopefully I'll have something to say today.

Just a thought...

Just a thought, today. Given the news about the thwarted terror plot, how can people argue against us being in Iraq? Imagine if we weren't. What would be festering there had we not taken on the task? Hmmmmm.....Just a thought.

Be afraid...be very afraid!

Well....I had a dream last night. I'm not kidding. My dream involved creating a blog. Why? I don't know. I don't know that I really have anything to say. I've visited about five blogs throughout the past year and I thought...well, dreamed...that I'd give it a try.

Don't be surprised if I talk about my love of music, my country, and my chosen profession...one of the oldest known to man...teaching.

I promise I will try to use proper grammar and spell words correctly, but if I don't, save your rude comments, as I am sure I could find errors in your work. :)

Seriously, I hope this all turns out well and that any readers I get, stay a while and enjoy themselves.