Sssshhhhhh.....

Don't tell anyone, but the Flyers are making me care. They are getting a hold of my heart. The playoff knot in my stomach has returned after suppressing it for a few years.

They better not break my heart. I'm running out of super glue.

I'm kind of stealing from Deathlok. It's o.k., because I'm Scottish. Trust me, you'll dig this. Well, Captain America will.

• Biron was HOT!
• It was fun to watch the fans and players jumping around like little kids, really enjoying this.

Not-so-happy fat guy

It appears that weighing 308 pounds isn't enough for Broderick Lloyd Laswell. He used to weigh in at 413 pounds, a weight he prefers.

Since his September incarceration for fatally beating and stabbing a man (he then set the guy's house on fire), Laswell has experienced deprivation of the worst sort. His Aramark catered meals only amount to approximately 3,000 calories per day. He's so hungry that he's decided to file a lawsuit. It has also really impacted his workout routine, too:

"On several occasions I have started to do some exercising and my vision went blurry and I felt like I was going to pass out," Laswell wrote in his complaint. "About an hour after each meal my stomach starts to hurt and growl. I feel hungry again."

WAHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Poor baby. His tummy feels empty. What a freakin' loser!

However, being a wise Professor of Crime and not one of common sense, Laswell then says that the other inmates and he do not get enough exercise; therefore, the weight loss is due to the inmates, "being starved to death." (Gee, did you ever think a criminal would contradict himself?) There is also a complaint afoot to have hot meals served, since only cold meals are served, now.

1. I haven't heard of prisoners starving to death.

2. If I ate 3,000 calories a day, I'd weigh 600 pounds. I can't even eat over 1100-1200 a day.

Another plus? Laswell filed the lawsuit without a lawyer. Heh. What an ass.

(H/T: Philly.com)

Random stuff

Have you ever had to explain to teenagers that when Shakespeare uses the word, "ho," he doesn't mean the loose girls?

Why is it that the one day I went to the store to pick some bananas they were all green? Now I have to wait to eat them. Dangit.

I think I'll go see Iron Man this weekend--maybe Friday after work.

I now have my official summer reading list, just for me, screw what the kids are reading:
1. Yon's Moment of Truth in Iraq
2. 1776
3. Liberal Fascism

I'm also going to take a teaching writing book and grammar book and some journalism stuff (one of the classes I teach). I will be making some major changes to my classes.

Oh, and there's a church that has ministries that match my abilities and desired areas of service. It would be cool if they ran those programs over the summer and I could be of some help.

Umm....that about covers it.

What's up with you? :)

KA-BOOM!

Recently, a minefield of sorts has been found underneath a defunct drive-in theater near me.

I think of all the years people sat in their cars watching the movies, then in recent years all of the people walking around it shopping for flea market finds.

I'm honestly too tired to come up with a real post for this story. It's close to home. In fact, it is 5-10 minutes down the road from me and less than a mile from my Dad's house.

You can read about it HERE. Frankly, the mayor's puns and tone bother me.

I also wonder why the state of NJ is paying for the clean-up. Shouldn't the Army be paying for it?

Well, now you have to go read the article, don't you? :)

Hey, maybe they could re-open the drive-in as part of some nostalgia thing and run old WW II era movies and movies about WW II?

Well, the mayor is thinking about a bomb exhibit of sorts if he can get NASA onto the site (which would be cool, btw).

Picture of the Day

I'll post winners of the caption contest tomorrow evening. Until then, feel free to leave a witty caption entry. My brain hurts, no more decision making today. O.k.? :)

Here's a picture from my drive home. (I pointed and shot with the cell phone...no aiming or focusing or putting any effort into it took place...40 mph...in a 65 mph zone.)


My drive home was kind of a fitting comparison to my day: Long, intense, and annoying.

This was the visibility I had for most of my trip home. YAY! (Didn't really bother me that much since it was still light out.)

Flyers vs. Habs: Game 3

Tonight the Flyers and Habs play game three of their second round match-up.

Keeping with my "shout outs," I'd like to play this song for the loudest, brazenist (heh) fans in the universe! O.k., so I have an excuse to play this song. I don't really like the video, but the song is cool.




In some good hockey news, I found this story while roaming around the Flyers' site:

Former NHL star, Pat LaFontaine was always a favorite of mine. He was just so skilled. Unfortunately, he had to leave the game much to soon. Fortunately, he has found a calling in life to help others.

LaFontaine is helping sick kids forget about their pain, even if it is just for an hour.

HERE'S an article worth reading.

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Headlines: Somewhat "Bad RT" version. It happens.

1. Testicle bill dangles over Fla. legislators
State reps from Miami are always up for some bill dangling over them.

2. Cops: Carjacker asks TV crew for directions
Being the anti-cop, liberal yahoos that television reporters are, the crew members sent them in the direction opposite of jail.

3. Chicago mayor arms cops with M4 rifle
The cops have now been ordered to add, "Who's your daddy?" to the end of the Miranda.

4. Chinese eatery specializes in penis
Is that why I like Chinese food?

5. Beaver rampages through Russian store
Never make a beaver angry. I'm just sayin'.

6. Father of 77 rejects polygamy
Hmm. . .how convenient. He gets 11 wives and 77 kids and says, "I'm done." What was it all thrills and fun until number 76? Seventy-seven just pushed him over the edge, eh?

7. India police nab sperm theft suspect
Did they give him the squeeze? Oh, and ewwww!

8. Arrest warrant issued for 'Darth Vader'
No one has volunteered to issue that warrant, of course.

9. Police: Man tried to take M&M statue
In an odd twist, it melted in his hands.

10. Work Stress Pushes People To Junk Food
Duh!

Now, from the school administrators can be really stupid file:

11 students suspended for banana prank

ZION, Ill., April 23 (UPI) -- A Zion, Ill., high school has suspended 11 seniors involved in a prank that featured a student in a gorilla costume chasing banana-clad seniors in the hallways.

Zion-Benton Township High School handed seven-day suspensions to the costumed students, who phoned in sick before the stunt and wore pantyhose over their heads to conceal their identities during the prank, the Waukegan (Ill.) News-Sun reported Wednesday.

Some of the students said the school overreacted with the harsh punishment.

"What's funnier than a gorilla chasing bananas through a school? Nothing," said Andrew Leinonen, the prank's mastermind and the student who dressed as a gorilla. "It was a harmless prank."

However, others said they were just thankful the school decided not to bar them from prom and graduation.

"We think this is a just punishment," said Brendon Epker, one of the students who dressed as bananas. "We broke rules we shouldn't have broken."

SMUG

I thought of a word, today, that is already coined, but struck me funny. It's a word that describes people I run into at work and at the local hippie grocery store. You know, the type of people that make me want to take an organic eggplant and throw it at their heads...really hard.

I call them huppies. They are yuppies, with the money of the upwardly mobile folk, but they think they are hippies. They take the yuppy wealth given to them by companies that probably support or do things that would make their hippie toes curl. I'm sure they find some way to justify it, and then they go to the hippie grocery store and behave as if they are more in tune with natural stuff than anyone else.

As I took my cart around the hippie grocery store, today, I noticed something else about these huppies: smugness.

I make no bones about my weight. I walk through my day knowing why people stare at me. So, it is always interesting when I go through this store with my wild-caught fish and shrimp, organic veggies and fruits, and antibiotic and hormone-free meats (all for health reasons). I get stares and peeks into my cart. I wonder if they are thinking, "Wow. How does that fat chick know what to buy. She must be too stupid to buy healthy food." I know that look. Not unlike these folks, the people at work who are like them, stare at what I eat for lunch. They comment on how healthy it looks, too. Funny. I don't take a second glance at what they eat, except for the times they have something really yummy. I don't judge it healthy or unhealthy. I stopped eating with everyone else because of it. I eat at my desk with one or two co-workers. As people walk by, they still look and some comment, though.

Back to that smugness. These are the same people who have their lives in neat compartments. They see me as lacking that neatness they desire in their lives. So, I get the stares.

That smugness also leads to some pretty annoying behavior in the hippie grocery store: They like to leave their carts and block the aisles. They see where they need to go and walk blindly without regard for others and run into them with their carts. Then come the looks of, "What are you doing in MY way?"

They are the people out with their only (trophy) child--the one with the hyphenated last name of both his parents. They talk with the hyper-intellectual nasal tone to their voices-where every statement sounds like a question. They get into their V8 SUV's and drive home to their oversized McMansions.

But hey, they shopped at the hippie grocery store, saved the planet, and put on a good show, right?

There's something else I notice at the hippie grocery store: When there is another fat person there, we look at each other with the "we'll get there" look of wanting to do better for ourselves.

Oh yeah, and those huppies? They always seem pissed off about something. They never smile.

Le't go Flyers!

I was all set to watch the Flyers game last night. I couldn't wait, because I knew the Flyers were really angry about game one (well I was). But given my true form, lately, I fell asleep minutes before the puck was dropped, and I woke up at 10:30. What a pisser. I even fell asleep during the last 20 minutes of BSG, Friday. I'm tired of being tired.




While I was reading stories written about the game, one quote of Canadiens' coach, Guy Carbonneau, stood out to me:

"Biron stole the game or he was lucky."

I'd say what I want to say, in French, even (I looked it up); however, I am trying to not curse like a sailor. Suffice it to say that it would involve what Carbonneau could go do with himself, since probably no one else wants to do that with him.

Here are the highlights showing Biron's ability to snag the puck:

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!

And for good measure, since someone from Georgia looked up "Let's go Flyers" and visited my blog because of it, a salute to Biron. Luck and theft...my ass.

Weigh-in

I haven't lost anything. Nothing to report, except for frustration. I'm going to see if changing my breakfast routine will help. It might be the protein shake. If I was more active, it would be o.k. to have the shake. My reasoning could be wrong, though.

I'm really limited as to what I can eat for breakfast. Carbs on an empty stomach make me really queasy. I'll try egg whites and some quinoa or some fruit or something.

I'm not happy, that is for sure. I'm the type of person that needs results. I'd also like to be stared at for other reasons than my weight. Not being an old-maid would be nice, too. Yeah, I see this post spinning into bitterness. That means I should stop, now.

Hope you all have a great week and experience weight-loss success. I hope to report some kind of victory next week.

Sunday Song

Proverbs 27:17
As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.

Yesterday, I had the opportunity to go to a get-together for Christian women. A co-worker invited me. We've worked together for four years, but never really discussed our faith until this year. Even though she sits right next to me, our schedules have always been so different that we hardly ever had a chance to talk.

God knows I need her sitting next to me. God also knows I've been asking Him for female, Christian friends. Since my best friend moved away I haven't really had someone I can talk to and trust.

Today, I felt very blessed to be around some great women of like-minded values and faith. One of the areas discussed by our speaker was how we have to support one another and pray for each other. We also have to "sharpen" each other as we serve God, as we can become burned out and feel isolated.

At one point in the service, the speaker brought a girl up to the front who is in her first year of teaching. All of the angst, second-guessing, burn out, and wondering about what kind of a presence for God I am, was in that girl. We prayed for her. It was encouraging for me, because for once, someone wasn't saying, "Yeah, but you get summers off." (Like that is a trade-off for no life, teenagers in your face, and apathetic parents and administrators.) Today, though, we tried our best to "sharpen" our sister in Christ.

I often feel like Christians don't do enough to strengthen each other (me included). Whether it be friends, relations, or those God has placed in our lives to love (if we are blessed enough to have those people in our lives). We take each other, and the wonderful presence of others God has provided, for granted. To me, that is denial of some of the blessings God has for us.

Yet...we wonder why our lives are so empty at times. God doesn't put people in our lives/cause them to cross our paths by accident. Maybe we should be looking to care for those God has placed into our lives, and maybe we should allow for Him to work in us to "sharpen" each other. (Meaning, we should get over ourselves and our insecurities. Taking that risk to love and care for others is way more important.)

As with any formal get-together, there was a time of worship. Here is one of the songs that we sang. You all know I love music. I love to allow lyrics to seep into my brain so that I can really think about what the writer intended (curse of my trade). The lyrics of this song just really placed into perspective God's place and power.

It was a very good day. (I totally slept through the entire Flyers' game, though. Grrrr!)

"God of Wonders"
Third Day, et al

Meme about me.me.me.

I have been tagged by Old NFO with a meme. It's about me. This might be a tough one. /snark

Here are the rules if you decide to play along:
1) Link to your tagger and post these rules on your blog.
2) Share 7 facts about yourself on your blog, some random, some weird.
3) Tag 7 people at the end of your post by leaving their names as well as links to their blogs.
4) Let them know they are tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

------------

Stuff about me:

1. My childhood pet was a cockapoo named Misty. I had her from when I was two until I was seventeen. As a child I tried to teach her to be a circus dog. Lots of times, though, she was my companion on the roof of my house. I hated being inside of it.

2. My first car was an orange Volkswagen Rabbit. I was flying down I-95 to a job interview when the tread on one of the tires flew off. This happened after I mocked someone broken down on the road. Lesson learned? Even your grandfather will sell you a lemon (yes, he made me give him a dollar bill) and "God don't like ugly". Since then (almost 20 years ago), when I see someone broken down on the side of the road, I pray for them.

3. I have a friend in California that works on movie, television, and commercial sets. We talked on the phone, today. He said it was nice to hear my voice. Awwww...warm fuzzies.

4. I'm actually a happy person despite my whining.

5. Twenty-one years ago this week, I moved to Los Angeles, lived with a band, did their hair and make-up, went to cosmetology school, hung out on the Sunset Strip, and almost ran over pedestrians, because that's what we do in Jersey. (Stopped for a pedestrian the other day; she looked at me like I was crazy.) I also rode on the back of a motorcycle without wearing a helmet.

6. I shot a rifle, once. When I'm nervous I laugh. A rifle and laughter do not mix, thus I do not shoot guns. Well, that and because my uncle, an expert marksman, shot and killed himself almost 10 years ago.

7. I hate wearing watches, shoes, anything tight around my wrists, and wearing socks. I've been that way forever. I was born 10 weeks early and they had me in restraints so I wouldn't yank out tubes and what-not. I wonder if I ended up conditioned from it.

I'm tagging:

• Mrs. Grim
• Aprilwine
• Ssssteve (That will take a while. Maybe.)
• Noddy (I'm throwing one over the pond.)
• Momster
• JT (Come on, you know he has funny things to say about himself.)
• Jeffro (If he is up to it.)

**Since this is a draft/scheduled post, I can't really say "tag you're it" to anyone, since the post won't be up when I tag them. If you are visiting and you are one of the above and see this, well, you know what to do. I'll tag y'all when I get home from work--whenever that is.

Caption Contest

I wonder what Prime Minister Brown and President Bush really wanted to say to each other--hmmm...

Provide a witty, creative caption (or Photoshop entry). I'll post winners Monday evening. Have a great weekend!

THE WINNERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. Rodney Dill: "Didja ever havta consider putting up a wall to keep the French out?"

2. Noddy: "Texas. That's part of Mexico innit?"

This week's winner is. . .

1. Deathlok: At the post game press conference, Coach Bush reminds Coach Brown of the series dominance back in 1776.

Other contests you should visit:

• Blonde Sagacity
• bRight and Early
• Cowboy Blob
• Gone Rick Motel
• Peakah
• Right Pundits
• Rodney Dill
• WILLisms
• Wyatt

Your choice

Today you have your choice for discussion. Choose one or both. It's up to you.

1. If you could do anything or be anything what would it be?

2. Is it me, or is looking at the "front" page of the Drudge Report just plain depressing?

Hope you all have a great day!

Gettin' on my nerves

There are some things/people doing the Mexican hat dance on my one, last nerve-some recent pet peeves, if you will:

1. Two-faced people.

2. All of the drama and baggage that goes with teaching and advising teenagers. They really are shitty toward each other. It's depressing.

3. The slowness with which June is approaching. It needs to be June 20th, now!

4. Neighbors who fight and scream all night and then have loud sex. It makes it really hard for spinster cat ladies like me to get to sleep.

I think if I had a good reason, other than just saying, "I quit," I'd quit teaching (there are the financial concerns). Maybe I'll get as lucky as Mrs. Clifton (about 2-min. in/give or take).

Hold 'em if you got 'em!

And I thought the Salem witch trials were wacky!

It appears that in the congo, sorcerers have been using their freaky magic to steal or shrink men's penises.

Imagine: You go to bed one night a happy man. However, when you wake up the next morning, you are no longer a member of the stand up to pee society.

Rumours of penis theft began circulating last week in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo's sprawling capital of some 8 million inhabitants. They quickly dominated radio call-in shows, with listeners advised to beware of fellow passengers in communal taxis wearing gold rings.

Purported victims, 14 of whom were also detained by police, claimed that sorcerers simply touched them to make their genitals shrink or disappear, in what some residents said was an attempt to extort cash with the promise of a cure.

See, Hillary causes shrinkage, but all she has to do is look at 'em.

"You just have to be accused of that, and people come after you. We've had a number of attempted lynchings. ... You see them covered in marks after being beaten," Kinshasa's police chief, Jean-Dieudonne Oleko, told Reuters on Tuesday.

The hysteria is real, as is the belief that this can really happen to a man (sans Hillary):

"It's real. Just yesterday here, there was a man who was a victim. We saw. What was left was tiny," said 29-year-old Alain Kalala, who sells phone credits near a Kinshasa police station.

Dang.

(H/T: Yahoo)

Just pondering. . .

1. What will Obama have to do to re-shine that star of his?

2. What will Bill Clinton do next to stick his foot in his mouth?

3. Which career choice seems wiser? Alligator wrangler or bear trainer? Better yet, why do these jobs even exist?

4. Is it me or have we gone back in time to the '70s? (If so, does that mean the '80s will be relived? While I liked the ratty, maned hair, I really don't feel like wearing those clothes again.)

5. What is in the water in Montreal that they are rioting over a first-round playoff win?

Happy 444th Birthday!!!!

Today is William Shakespeare's birthday!!!!

My favorite play is A Midsummer Night's Dream. I love the comedies. Here are a couple of my favorite quotations from the play:

"Love looks not with the eyes, but with the mind, and therefore is winged Cupid painted blind."
(Act I, Scene I)

"My heart Is true as steel."
(Act II, Scene1)

In honor of it, I'd like to play a clip from Blackadder. I think this would make my students happy, and out of frustration from trying to teach them Shakespeare, I think I wouldn't mind giving the bard what's coming to him, too.

WOOOOOO HOOOOO!!!!!!!!

O.k., so I saw parts of the game; most importantly, I saw the winning goal! YAY! THE FLYERS WON!!!!!!

I know Wyatt is so happy! I'll make no predictions about their next round. I'm not that cocky.

I will, however, play a song to celebrate:

"TNT"
AC/DC

GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, WYATT!!!!

Thirty-nine years ago, today, Wyatt entered the world screaming and kicking. Eh, things never change, do they?

Seriously, I hope Wyatt has an awesome birthday!

In honor of Wyatt's birthday, here's a special song:

And if that wasn't enough, here's one more clip that should just make him really happy:

For the icing on Wyatt's cake, I guess he needs a babe, eh?

Most importantly, I hope Wyatt has a great birthday, that his team wins tonight's hockey game, and that the next year is full of happiness and unexpected blessings.

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!

We can put the last nail in the coffin of the Capitals' season.

Since AC/DC doesn't seem to work anymore, here's "Battery" by Metallica. Hey, it always made me hyped when I heard it. I could have used this song earlier today.

GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Food stuff that I thought I'd share

Even though trying to eat better hasn't garnered the results I had hoped, I am still trying and I am still looking for healthier foods to eat. (Ignore that I ate cake and a brownie at Wyatt's party yesterday. Thank you.)

I've been wanting to try quinoa. For dinner last night, I had stuffed peppers. Instead of using rice, I used quinoa. It was so good!

I used red quinoa. The quinoa was cooked with peppers and onions before it was placed into the peppers with ground turkey breast. The box the quinoa came in even "said" that it could be cooked in chicken or vegetable broth for added flavor. The quinoa can also be cooked as a side dish, cooked for breakfast, or used in a salad.

How did the experiment pan out? YUMMY! That sums up the experience.

I'm a potato girl. I love potatoes; however, my body cannot handle the sugar potatoes release into it. I've been searching for something that I can use instead of rice, because rice is so blah. I can't have pasta, either, so it was rice or sweet potatoes, until I found out eating too many sweet potatoes can interfere with my thyroid's function. YAY! I'm a freak!

So, back to the quinoa: I decided to try it because it looked hearty enough to make me feel full, without the detrimental effects of potatoes and too much rice.

Quinoa is a whole grain and compelte protein. It has many good attributes and is quite tasty if cooked with something that will give it some taste (garlic, onions, peppers, broth, etc). I was pleasantly surpised.

So, I thought I'd share, since reports say we should get plenty of whole grains and fiber. Quinoa should help fill that bill. (I believe it is gluten-free, too--if any of you have that issue.)

HERE'S a link to a site with a few recipes.

A really nice day

I had the immense pleasure of being invited to Wyatt's home for his newest son's christening party, today.

I'm so glad I went. I got to meet Wyatt's very nice and lovely wife. I also got to meet Captain America's wife, who is just plain awesome to talk to. It was great to meet Mrs. Grim and Grim Jack, too. Mrs. Grim even gave me a present!

It was fun to watch the forces of nature that are Wyatt's, Captain America's, and the Grims's children. Wow, were they all cute and balls of energy! It reminded me of all the family cook-outs we had when I was young. (I'm one of 13 grandchildren on my mom's side.) The best part was watching Wyatt's reaction to the dismantling of the playhouse. Heh, heh. (He missed the part where a couple of kids were trying to kick the door in--guess they want to be cops.)

Deathlok was there with his family, and it was nice to talk to him again, even though it was a brief conversation. I knew who a few others were, but I didn't want to interrupt their coversations.

I must say, the cake was flippin' awesome! I have to mention it, because it was so good. (It was the pound cake kind...my favorite!)

The best part was that I made it through the day without Captain America calling me a crack whore; however, he did leave early for work. I imagine if he had more time, he would have.

In all seriousness, though, Wyatt is very blessed with lots of good friends and a very sweet family. It was nice to see, since we hear about so much sadness in the news about the things we value in life crumbling.

It was just a very nice day. :)

Something good to read

Jeffro deserves a second link this weekend.

His post compares the cycles of nature, as he sees it in Kansas, to the cycles of life.

It really is nicely written. Go read it.

The power of prayer

Every now and then I head over to a website called Christianity Today. Sometimes I like to read the articles about the different musicians they interview/cover. While I scanned the first page of the site, I happened to notice a really interesting article about Eric Clapton and how he has perceived God throughout his life.

The part that caught my attention was his own description of learning to come to God in prayer when he reached his lowest point in 1987:

"I was in complete despair," Clapton wrote. "In the privacy of my room, I begged for help. I had no notion who I thought I was talking to, I just knew that I had come to the end of my tether … and, getting down on my knees, I surrendered. Within a few days I realized that … I had found a place to turn to, a place I'd always known was there but never really wanted, or needed, to believe in. From that day until this, I have never failed to pray in the morning, on my knees, asking for help, and at night, to express gratitude for my life and, most of all, for my sobriety. I choose to kneel because I feel I need to humble myself when I pray, and with my ego, this is the most I can do. If you are asking why I do all this, I will tell you … because it works, as simple as that."

I have to honest. Once in a while I do get on my knees. I haven't done so in about a year. It was the first time in a few years that I was able to because of my leg issues. The past few days, the things I vividly remember praying about a year ago have been weighing mightily on my heart and mind. I've had thoughts of getting back down on my knees to pray, but I haven't. I think maybe I should.

There is a song that talks of the power of getting on ones knees to pray. It is an act of humility. It is also an act that tells God you know He is the one in control. It is also a time to thank Him for all of the blessings he has given.

So, I am thankful: for my health (it could be worse, but God chooses not to allow it--and I'm trusting Him to continue that blessing), for the people placed in my life, and most importantly for God not giving up on me.

Yep...I'll be getting on my knees, now. Time to talk to God about those things that brought me to my knees last year. . . and so much more.

(H/T: Christianity Today)

Sunday Song

I hope you all have a peaceful and restful Sunday. Take the opportunity to enjoy the blessings God has given you and thank Him for them.

"The Sunrise of Your Smile"
Michael Card

Isn't she awesome!?!?!?!?!?

While I haven't smoked in a while, and don't plan to, this lady captured my general attitude. I want to be old, wise, and not give a crap. I aspire to be this lady. I look forward to "getting there." Hopefully, though, my hair will be a little tamer. :) The well-seasoned members of our society rock!

Weighty Stuff

Up three pounds. Really not in the mood to wonder why. I'll whine and complain, otherwise. Not in the mood to do that, either. There's always next week.

Orange and Black!

Today is game five against the Capitals, and well, because I was raised to be superstitious by my Scottish grandmother, I'm firing up another AC/DC song.

This time the song salutes the entire team! This series has shown (so far) that they can break through a deficit and that they can break out of the pattern of poor finishes.

Jailbreak
AC/DC

GO FLYERS!!!!

FRIDAY FREE-FOR-ALL!!!!

I've got all kinds of stuff for you today. I've got a picture of the day. I've got linky-dinks. There is also some humor thrown into the mix. Enjoy!

There is a crabapple tree outside of my apartment. Today, when I came home from running some errands, it smelled so nice and looked so pretty that I thought I'd share a picture with y'all. Yes, I took that picture. If you click on the picture, you will enjoy a ginormous view of the beautiful flowers.



Then, when I sat down to watch some television, I heard a saying that we are all familiar with: "Here's a dime; go call someone who cares." It got me thinking. Aren't phone calls a quarter? Even with that said, because of the use of cell phones, isn't the pay phone somewhat extinct these days? We need some new sayings. Hmmm...

Speaking of thinking, Big Bad Wolf has a whopper of a post! It really makes you think. What would you do to change/repair our Constitution? Wolf provides his views and suggestions. Take a look and add your thoughts.

While visiting Dee's blog, Conservatism with Heart, I noticed that she has a post showing Dick Cheney's funny speech at the Radio and Television Correspondents Association dinner. The crowd was warmed up by Mitt Romney and his top ten reasons for dropping out of the race. You can watch Mitt, below, and see Dick talk (heh...remember the readers?) on Dee's blog.



Next, on our list of links to visit is JT at Jundland Wastes. He's had a series of unfortunate events occur. He offers his sage advice on avoiding burning poles and runaway John Deere mowers. Go read "Some More Advice" and "That Time of Year Again," and laugh with him, not at him. ;)

Last, but not least, is Jeffro at The Poor Farm. He has a pretty good '70s music quiz link. I got a 95 percent. While most kids were out playing or taking part in Girl Scouts and organized sports, I was glued to my radio, gladly.

Have an awesome day, everyone!

NEWSFLASH: Hockey is a physical, hard-nosed sport!

WAHHHHH!!!!! The Flyers are meanies!!!!! WAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
Well, that about sums up Mike Wise's column in Wednesday's Washington Post (need I say more?).

You see, he has an issue with Flyers fans and how the Flyers organization spirits up the fans through replays of fights and stuff. But, he also seems to be calling for "the fix."

"Can't Gary Bettman pay off someone to ensure his meal ticket for the next decade advances to the second round? Doesn't Tim Donaghy live close by? Does he still have his whistle? Can he skate?

The Washington Capitals and their star Alex Ovechkin, the closest thing the NHL has to Kobe and LeBron, need some kind of help if they are going to genuinely awaken America to their game again."

I guess because there is little to say about the Capitals' play in this series, Wise feels the need to hit on the always present punching bag: the Philadelphia fans.

Your typical, out-of-towner rant about the fans is plainly that of someone who really doesn't belong in a sporting arena. And so what if we are excited about the playoffs? And when good hits happen, why is it a problem if we yell like banshees? We're not "frothing" as you put it. Sir, you have a flair for hyperbole:

"Midway through the third period of this demoralizing 6-3 loss at Wachovia Center, 20,000 people in fluorescent orange howled for their World Extreme Cagefighters, and a crowd in the upper bowl chanted vulgarities at Ovechkin that went beyond the bounds of loutish fan behavior. As the frothing masses left the arena, they felt good about the bull being struck and killed -- checking the multi-generational Russian wizards Ovechkin and Sergei Fedorov into humility as much as the boards."

Dude. We chant, we yell, and we do it well. It is our job. It's called home-cookin'. I've heard similar things (sometimes worse) while watching other sporting events. But, that's o.k., Mr. Wise, just pick on us. However, do not pick on our team. They are gritty, determined, and have shown a lot of heart this year, especially in the stretch when it has mattered. (Yes, all of those hockey cliches were on purpose.) It is called "getting into the heads" of our opponents.

Hockey has NEVER been a "mannered" sport, and I suggest that you and all the others trying to turn it into a wine sipping event just stop. This is not cricket or polo. Hockey fans don't politely yelp, "Here, here, good boy. Way to hit the puck with your stick." Your use of language to try to stir up your troops falls short and makes this Flyers' fan laugh. The part that made me laugh the most?

"Something about this R-rated environment is just not conducive to Ted Leonsis' Family Pack Night or Ovie on Ice. The contrasts are so stark and revealing.

The Caps' postseason slogan: 'Rock The Red.' The Flyers? 'Vengeance Now,' which comes across as less of a slogan and more of a sequel to Charles Bronson's 'Death Wish.'

The Capitals didn't come out as Eastern Conference foes; they entered the playing surface like Russell Crowe entered the Coliseum in 'Gladiator.' Flyer fans didn't want to beat Washington as much as see Ovechkin bludgeoned, his teammates emasculated.

It's almost impossible to fathom, but the Capitals took the ice in front of a building as loud as Verizon Center last Friday. The fans wore orange instead of the Capitals' red, and many of the women and children looked as if they could work security for Megadeth.

On I-95 entering town there is a billboard of Riley Cote, a stumpy rogue who engaged in 24 fights this season, twice as many as Capitals tough guy Donald Brashear. Cote's wild-man eyes and his quick fists are the only features shown of the Flyers' player.

Five minutes into the game, they showed a video of Philly's top brawls this past season, many involving Cote grabbing hold of an opponents' shirt for leverage before pummeling him to the ice, which is just a swell environment for children -- children of Patrick Roy.

They flat-out market and sell violence here, sanctioned, unbridled assaults disguised as sport."

1. "Vengance" is a slogan born out of last year's humiliation, it is not the playoff slogan. It has been used all year. We saw teams literally laugh at the Flyers last year. The act of vengance is making those same teams eat their laughter. (Btw., "Rock the Red" is just gay.)

2. You do realize a lot of the fan noise at the Verizon Center included many of our fans that made the trip, right?

3. Megadeth? I love Megadeth! I've met Dave Mustaine twice. I digress. So what if I could work security for Megadeth. I'd get a free concert. And yes, I can fight my way out of a paper bag. Are you afraid of me, because I am a fan of the Flyers? I've been to a lot of games. Not once did I see a fight in the stands, nor did I ever get into a fight with anyone. (I did yell "dummy" a few times at Tie Domi and told Darius Kasparaitis that his name sounded like a disease, but they were within ear shot.) I never pushed or shoved my way through a crowd, either. It is a pep rallyish atmosphere as far the excitement level is concerned.

4. In addition to their appreciation of the pretty passes and goals, true hockey fans like the brawls and know they are used as strategy. The fights have been around as long as the sport. Every time people like you try to take the fights and hits out of the sport, and make rules to protect the "please don't check me because I might break a nail finesse" players, ratings fall and so does interest in the sport. Both the beauty and the brawn of the sport are needed for it to succeed.

I think you're just jealous, Mr. Wise. Your team has no balls. They know how to dive and draw penalties, but they really can't play a physical, playoff hockey style. Yes, playoff hockey is more physical. You are a student of the sport, right?

My advice Mr. Wise? Put down the soy latte and grab a beer. Take off the shirt and tie and replace them with a hockey jersey. While you're at it, try cheering for your team instead of telling them they suck. That's what we do, well, unless they really do suck. We love them either way. It's called passion. Relax, dude. It's hockey.

Oh, and just a question: Have you ever been to the Flyers' Wives Fight for Lives carnival? That's where you'd see the true heart of the Flyers and their fans. I suggest you look it up and read about it. While you're at it, send a donation, too.

(*It should be noted that Mr. Wise served the Flyers with a cease and desist order when they wanted to copy and distribute this article to the fans at game four. The Flyers posted in on the board at center ice.)

(H/T: Washington Post & NBC10)

Now, for some Megadeth!

Caption Contest

Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to create a witty, creative caption for this picture of protesters gone wild in the streets of gay Paris (Pari? Whatever.) If you'd like to provide a Photo Shop entry, by all means do so. I'll post winners Monday evening. Have a great weekend!

THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS. . .

Mrs. Grim: You people really need to stop eating beans for lunch.

Thanks for playing! :)
Cowboy Blob:









Other contests you should visit:

• Blonde Sagacity
• bRIght and Early
• Cowboy Blob
• Right Pundits
• Rodney Dill
• WILLisms
• Wyatt

LET'S GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm feeling superstitious. I must play AC/DC for the Flyers game.
This one is for Kimmo Timonen. I salute you, sir! Heh.

I wonder if Ovechkin will take another dive, tonight? Wanna hear some surly Flyers' fans state how they feel about Ovechkin? Heh.

GO FLYERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I can't even think of a title for this one.

I know this is old news, but the polygamist sect in Texas is really disturbing.

I watched some interview footage of the women. It's like I want to believe they know that the actions of the sect are criminal; however, when you watch them, you just can't tell. I realize that many of these women have been raised within the sect and that what goes in it must be their version of a normal life: sacred, as they put it.

It's sad. But that's why we should never turn over our ability to think for ourselves to anyone. We should never blindly follow and say, "Well, that's normal." We should listen to that twinge of conscience we all have that tells us right from wrong, a sincere person from a mountebank.

Some other things stand out. These women don't look well; in fact, they look malnourished and aged beyond their years.

I also can't help but think how confused the poor kids are. I can't imagine the patience and love of those that will have to work with those kids to reverse generational sexual, physical, psychological, and spiritual abuse.

This is ABC's coverage

This is Carolyn Jessop's story

Headlines!!!!!

1. Fried chicken with a side of marijuana
Umm...not saying how I know this, but wouldn't the chicken be the "side?"

2. Boyfriend proposes in game. And she said ...
"Game over."

3. No Cash for Philadelphia Poll Workers
Heh. Yeah, right. Guess there won't be any poll workers, then.

4. Colin Farrell to star as photojournalist in Bosnia war
Yeah, I just put this one in here so that I could say, "Colin Farrell is sooooooo friggin' hot!"

5. Fed up with politics, man eats vote
I wish idiot voters would do that more often. How about idiotic New Jersey voters?

6. Oregon man thinks his black Labrador is an impostor
Another right-wing conspiracy? Does the dog fake wagging its tail? Instead of barking, does the dog meow?

7. Principal bans tag at school; had become game 'of intense aggression'...
Ummmm...idiot! Raisin' pansies!

8. Murtha says McCain too old to be president...
Yeah, but McCain could kick Murtha's ass! Murtha would go home cryin' to his momma, wussy!

9. Man in drag rams car into lingerie store
Guess he got his panties in a bunch, eh?

10. Company receives hundreds of 'smelly' gas calls
Bush's Baked Beans thought the bean eating contest was a good idea at the time.

By the way, it is Aprilwine's birthday, today!!! Go wish her a happy one!

Bloggy goodness!

This week, hit permitting, Wyatt will reach 200,000 hits. Be sure to go hit him a few times. Prizes are involved, too. GOOD prizes!

In honor of this momentous event, I give you this:

"Wyatt Earp"
The Marquees

Actor goes off on Scientology

MAJOR LANGUAGE ALERT!!! Big time use of the F-word.

I'd like to hear some specifics (in plain English).

I think he imitates "happy" Tom Cruise during this.



(H/T: Fox News)

A special song for a special man

Even though he probably won't play, would it be wrong to dedicate this song to Patrick THOResen for tonight's game against the Caps?

If you have the name Thor in your name, you've gotta have boys of steel, eh? (Get well, btw.)

GO FLYERS!

Mugshot Meme

Wyatt tagged me with a meme. It's pretty simple, and I'll tag others at the end of my post.

According to Cowboy Blob, who tagged Wyatt, all you have to do is put up shots of your favorite "beverage vessels."

I don't have many vessel choices. I do have a tea mug that is MIA at the moment. I'm more of a tea drinker than a coffee drinker. I like fraps and coffee ice cream, but I don't like coffee. Go figure. I love gunpowder green tea, Russian caravan, and regular Lipton black tea in case you wanted to know (straight, nothing added).

I also tried to locate the "How to know you're over the hill" mug I got my mom when she turned 40. She's been saving it all of these years. She plans on presenting it to me on my 40th birthday in December. Joy.

However, here are two things that hold my beverages:


The flowered glass is for my protein drinks in the morning: whey isolate and blueberries...yummy! (I try to convince myself that the shake is yummy.) I also use it for milk.

The other non-mug is one of my three water bottles. I keep one at school and two at home, so one is always cold. I'm supposed to drink three liters of water a day. That's fun. Today, my very concerned and cute kids told me that the plastic in my water bottles is toxic and will kill me. I will have to look for an alternative, now. You know me, Ms. Worrier. Personally, all these so-called conveniences in our food and home products seem to want to kill us--not so convenient in my estimation.

So, there you have it. I'm a simple gal.

I will now tag Dragon Lady (she's got to have mugs galore), Mrs. Grim, Deathlok, and Momster.

All of this talk of drink has reminded me of this show:

I've got questions!

I've got a couple of questions, today.

1. Last night, I was told that I should "play dumb" a little more. What do you all think? I keep thinking of this line from The Great Gatsby:

". . .that’s the best thing a girl can be in this world, a beautiful little fool."

2. I had scheduled a personal day for this Friday, since I was supposed to go to court provide moral support for my dad. Well, that has been canceled. (Thank God! Seriously.) What should I do with my day off?

One last question: Do you want to see who won this week's caption contest? Well, click HERE.

Memoir meme

Well, I've decided to give the 6-word meme a try. I've seen it at various blogs, but I'll give Wyatt the credit.

Smith Magazine also has a page that shares the memoirs of people who have posted them on the their site.

For mine, I've decided to take the Smith route and use words to tell my "story." This was kind of hard for me to do, so if it is weird, I'm sorry.

First, the rules:

1. Write your own six word memoir.
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you want.
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post and to the original post if possible so we can track it as it travels across the blogosphere.
4. Tag at least five more blogs with links.
5. Leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play.

blessed; busy; need love; lacking profundity

Since pretty much everyone has been tagged, I won't hit anyone with this meme. Feel free to participate if you haven't done so. :)

Supreme Decision

The Supreme Court will hear a case this week that could put a man to death for the rape of a child.

The state of Louisiana sees Patrick Kennedy's rape of his 8-year-old stepdaughter as serious as murder and as a crime that deserves the death penalty. Louisiana isn't the only state to take this bold step, though, and that is why this week's case is so important.

"Nobody in this country has actually been executed for anything other than murder since 1964, although five states, including Louisiana, have laws on their books permitting capital punishment for the rape of young children. Several others are considering broadening their laws to do the same. So the court must determine, in Kennedy v. Louisiana, whether the Eighth Amendment's prohibition of cruel and unusual punishment bars the execution of someone who didn't commit a murder, but did violate a young child."

In 1977, the Supreme Court denied Georgia the legal authority to execute a man for raping a 16-year-old, because she was an adult and because they found it "'an excessive penalty for the rapist who, as such, does [sic] not take human life.'"

Sounds like an ill-informed and glib statement to me. But, times change, and while Kennedy's lawyers will probably argue the public desire to get rid of the death penalty and that it has been since 1964 that someone has been executed for rape, to me, Louisiana has the better argument:

"'The rape of a child under twelve is a crime like no other,' the Louisiana brief notes, because it results in devastating implications that last a lifetime. Louisiana also points out that state legislatures are trending toward making certain nonhomicide offenses a capital crime, with 38 percent of death-penalty states now punishing such crimes with the death penalty."

Crimes against children are heinous and should be treated as life-altering events for those children. It will be interesting to see how the Supreme Court handles this one.

(H/T: Newsweek)