on the job hazards

there are few things quite as sickening as watching an athlete get injured right before your eyes, thanks to the high tech camera equipment piping these large-as-life images right into your home, so close up you feel like you're right there on the field of play. whether it's a hockey stick across knuckles. or a football player with a dislocated shoulder leaving his arm dangling limply or his leg broken & twisted at a disturbing angle. or as was the case in last night's Red Sox game against the Devil Rays, when the Sox star pitcher Matt Clement took a line drive right in the side of the head. knocked right flat to the ground. made my stomach clench up & my eyes water to see him grab near his ear & crumple to the picther's mound dirt. to see him laying there so still & the medical team moving frantically & team mates gathered round in concern. i realize that these injuries are an understood hazard of the job these men have but i hate to see any athlete take a serious, potentially career-ending blow. it doesn't matter if he's the best pitcher on my favorite baseball team...an obscure player i've never heard of before...or one of my least favorite professional athletes from a team i loathe. when you get past the uniform & the sports equipment, we're all still people--flesh & blood & muscle & bone. the pain is still the same, regardless of how much money we make or what job we hold. my thoughts are with Matt Clement & those who care about him & the doctors who are tending to him. and i hope that he has not sustained an injury, both mentally as well as physically, that will end his still young career.

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ripping my heart out

it should be no secret to you if you've been reading here for very long that music & especially song lyrics strike a huge emotional chord with me. in fact, if i can't identify or connect with the lyrics, no matter how much i like the sound of the music, i will never really love the song. i think there is a conspiracy in the music world this morning to make me cry though.

started the day off by seeing the premiere of Gary Allan's new video "Best I Ever Had". the ache in that man's soul is so raw & intense it's almost painful to see. he looks haunted. this the first video i've seen him in since his wife took her life back closer to the beginning of the year. he just looks so dark & hurt now...if you're familiar at all with his videos, you'll maybe understand what i mean when i say that even if he was singing a sad song, there used to still be a light about him...and it seems to be struggling now to avoid being completely extinguished. i can't shake the way that video made me feel. (there isn't a video code available for it yet but when it is, i'll add it to the player...)

so i get in the car. first song that came on was "Go Rest High on That Mountain" by Vince Gill. that song really gets to me. i can't hear it & not think of my Grandpa & his last few years with us as he suffered from Alzheimer's. i hear that song & tears just roll down my face. especially: "I know your life / On earth was troubled / And only you could know the pain / You weren't afraid to face the devil / You were no stranger to the rain / Go rest high on that mountain / Son, you work on earth is done / Go to heaven a shoutin' / Love for the Father and Son". and when i hear that song, i can't turn it off. i have to listen.

recompose. change the station. hear Trace Adkins on a morning show talking about his latest single "Arlington", sung from the perspective of a soldier who gave the ultimate sacrifice & is being buried in Arlington. here is this huge man, rough around the edges, getting all choked up talking about how this song came to be & i was already on the edge. of course i had to listen. there isn't a video code for this yet either but i will put it up as soon as there is. in the mean time, here are the lyrics to "Arlington":

I never thought that this is where I'd settle down.
I thought I'd die an old man back in my hometown.
They gave me this plot of land,
Me and some other men, for a job well done.

There's a big White House sits on a hill just up the road.
The man inside, he cried the day they brought me home.
They folded up a flag and told my Mom and Dad:
"We're proud of your son."

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace;
I'm one of the chosen ones:
I made it to Arlington.

I remember Daddy brought me here when I was eight.
We searched all day to find out where my grand-dad lay.
And when we finally found that cross,
He said: "Son, this is what it cost to keep us free."

Now here I am, a thousand stones away from him.
He recognized me on the first day I came in.
And it gave me a chill when he clicked his heels,
And saluted me.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
I'm thankful for those thankful for the things I've done.
I can rest in peace;
I'm one of the chosen ones:
I made it to Arlington.

And everytime I hear twenty-one guns,
I know they brought another hero home to us.

And I'm proud to be on this peaceful piece of property.
I'm on sacred ground and I'm in the best of company.
We're thankful for those thankful for the things we've done.
We can rest in peace;
'Cause we are the chosen ones:
We made it to Arlington.

Yeah, dust to dust,
Don't cry for us:
We made it to Arlington.

i think the only thing that could have punched me musically in the stomach any harder this morning would have been hearing Sherrie Austin's "The Streets of Heaven". can i just tell you that i am NOT turning on the radio in the office this morning? i think i'll stick to surfing blogs that play music i know is safe.

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easing into monday morning

from Unconcious Mutterings

I say … and you think … ?

Believing:: faith
Invasion:: of ants
Boys:: blue
Island:: tropical
Repeatedly:: fab shop manager at work who has the ability to make any short story long
Normal:: huh? (lol)
Hex:: curse
Tuxedo:: wedding
Virgin:: pure
Cereal:: is gross when it gets soggy

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*happy sigh*

returned to the magical world of Disney this afternoon. after 6 weeks of withdrawals, wandering around the Epcot's World Showcase felt so good. doesn't matter how many times i've been, i still find something new to capture my attention. tonight it was the largest frogs i have *ever* seen in China's water garden. and always with my camera. think i got some great shots too--not of the frogs though, they weren't very cooprative & i don't have a powerful enough zoom lens. but we won't know quite yet about the ones i did take. still have half a roll of film to finish off...said it before & i'll say it again: i so need to go digital. this suspense is killing me!!

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G is for...

...Good grief. these tropics need to settle down for a bit.
...Give me a break!
...Grimacing: what i am doing with each new storm. it feels like we're in a mine field with explosions going off all around us...and i am just waiting for it to be our turn.
...Great record setting year for hurricane statitics with this being the earliest there has ever been 7 names storms.
...Tropical Storm Gert who poses no threat to the U.S.


edit to add:
...Giggling because Gert sounds like the name of someone's great aunt sporting hot pink lipstick with a tissue up her sleeve, not so much a destructive force of nature. it's hard to take something seriously when it's named "Gert" (no offense out there to anyone who is or loves a Gert!)--but couldn't they at least call the storm by Gertrude instead of a nickname...?
...Grateful. because i am. we've been spared & after last year this is not something i take lightly.

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not that i needed further proof

but it came in today's mail:

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the Bruschi effect

we've (we being the Patriots fan base) waited with bated breath for the official announcement. it came this past week & while i can't say i'm all that surprised, i'm sad & a little concerned by what this will mean for the team.

Pats Face Dynasty's Top Test Without Bruschi

it is, of course, first & foremost about his health. no sport, no championship, nothing is worth a man's life. don't think i am so selfish as to think he should risk his well-being just to play football & i completely agree that if he doesn't feel ready to play, then he shouldn't. from the shallow end though, i can't help but wonder how this will affect the Super Bowl Champion New England Patriots. after all, this team is like a well-oiled machine. all parts work in unison to accomplish that which they have proven they can do on the football field. sure i know that they have gotten there with Ty Law out with injury as well as some other key players, often against what appear to be insurmountable odds. and i know that they are a team that pulls together, some opting to take pay cuts just to stay with this franchise, playing multiple positions & showing dedication, doing whatever is asked of them, behind a quarterback who is far from a showboat, just another hard-working team member who gets the job done with amazing style. it's certainly a thing of beauty in the realm of professional football. they are gritty. they are determined. they are often far from pretty. but they play hard. they are for real. and now one of their own, a team captain, a key component in their defensive line & a huge piece of the team morale, will need to sit on the sidelines & cheer them on. for a whole season. a team player who has been a piece of the Patriots puzzle for all 3 Super Bowl victories. i know it's got to be killing him not to be out there with them this year...but then again it could kill him to do so. i am definitely glad that the team is behind his decision--just another reflection of how this team is different from most.

i hope the go-to attitude will prevail, that they will rally & continue to astound people with their ability to find victory when the odds start stacking up against them. they've done it before. i just hope their luck hasn't run out. and if it has, that talent & perserverance, blood, sweat & tears will pick up the slack where luck leaves off.

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*happy dance*

today has been an awesome day. i love good saturdays! and just what happened to qualify this as a "good saturday" you ask? ok so you aren't asking...but seeing as how this is my blog, i'm telling whether you asked or not. how's that strike you? lol

1. ALISON IS COMING TO FLORIDA IN SEPTEMBER!!! talked to her just this morning to confirm. airfare is purchased & she will arrive on the September 16th to play at Disney World with me! i am *so* excited. and roughly a month after that, Heather will arrive with Sweet Baby Girl & Hubby in tow for their Disney vacation--just waiting on an official date from her so i can *really* start getting excited & add her to my countdown list over there on the left.

2. apparently Disney World has decided to give their seasonal pass holders a special treat again this year and MY DISNEY PASS IS NO LONGER BLOCKED OUT AS OF YESTERDAY!! thanks to Michelle, who totally rocks by emailing me with this info, i have learned that we have been granted permission to get back into the parks 4 weeks early this year in honor of the Happiest Celebration on Earth! (ha!! take that Andie after yesterday's conversation...LOL!!)

yes i realize that it apparently doesn't take much to make my day. what can i say? it's the little things in life...
=)

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counting down to...

...my Disney Pass coming off summer block out: 28 days

...the start of football season: 48 days till the Thursday-night season opener Raiders at the Patriots! (15 days till week 1 of preseason play!!)

...the end of hurricane season: 132 (long) days

...Darna & Tony's wedding cruise to Cancun & the Grand Cayman Islands!: 127 days

...the Memories Expo in Orlando: 78 days

...opening day for "Must Love Dogs": 7 days

...my mother comes to Disney World (first family to visit down here since i moved to FL 3 1/2 years ago!): 50 days

...hearing back from Alison (which will hopefully lead to a NEW countdown!!): sometime in the next 24 hours! (if she obeys the message i left on her machine lol)

dates TBD but also looking forward to:
**they just announced that a cast is being assembled for the 2nd sequel to "Meet the Parents" & "Meet the Fockers", tentatively titled "Meet the Little Focker". not normally a huge fan of sequels but "Meet the Fockers" was even funnier than "Meet the Parents" so i am hoping we continue this trend!
**Heather, Jason & Catherine's arrival in FL for a Disney Vacation: coming some time mid-October!!

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exactly what i was hoping to see

it appears as though Franklin sorted himself out overnight & understands that he is not welcome here. good for him, bettter for us. =)

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F is for...

...Feeder bands. they talk about these alot. these are the outer edges of the hurricane that sort of resemble a pinwheel. they rotate around the eye & they are essentially what fuels (or *feeds*) the storm. they can extend out from the center of the storm for hundreds of miles & they often contain tropical storm force winds & heavy rains & can spawn tornadoes.
...Fantastic. that would be dripping with sarcasm for those of you who missed that part.
...Front right quandrant: this is usally the most common area of the storm to produce the tornadoes i mentioned earlier.
...First storm of the season to come up the Atlantic coast as opposed to following along Cuba & turning up into the Gulf.
...Florida, where we have unbelievably high odds of being hit with hurricanes, higher than anywhere else. i had the actual statistics here somewhere but for the life of me, can't figure out what i did with them...
...Fort Lauderdale area where Andie lives. hope this storm leaves them (and the rest of us) alone.
...Figures we couldn't go for more than a week without another named storm. i'm not even surprised at this point.
...Four: the number of major hurricanes that hit FL last year. so far we've been very very lucky. and for that i am thankful.
...Frances: the 2nd major hurricane to hit FL in 2004. point of reference for you: it made landfall in the Ft Pierce area on September 5th. we are on the letter F a full 6 1/2 weeks earlier this year!



...and finally: meet Franklin who recieved his name earlier this evening. i've yet to see a 5-day projected storm track like this before! there's not even a cone of error...it's a giant...circle...? i don't get it. but hey if he wants to be confused & stay out to sea & away from us, fine by me!!

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just a passing thought

this moment brought to you by "the morning commute"

it sure is nice to have all 3 lanes open on I-4 the whole time i'm on it for both directions of my commute. as i was breezing along down the highway toward work this morning, enjoying the wide-open feeling of no more orange barrels or concrete barriers crowding my lane, it crossed my mind that so many people who travel this stretch of I-4 have whined & moaned about how long it took for the construction to be completed. it made me laugh to myself.

see...they began this little expansion project to add the third lane & do some necessary ramp reconstruction in January 2003. if you count with me, faithful readers, that would be about 2 1/2 years ago. the work is scheduled to be completed in its entirety in late 2005/early 2006. that would be 3 years max. beginning to end. sure it had its moments of inconvenience. like when they shut down entire ramps. or when they condensed all traffic down to one lane. at 7:30am. but!! there were crews working various jobs, virtually round the clock, 6, sometimes 7 days a week. and WORKING. if they were standing around it was very obvious that they were discussing some instructions or taking a quick break (usually sitting right on their piece of construction equipment) but more often than not, what you saw were road crews actually laboring in the scalding FL sun & the thick humidity. sometimes even in the rain. (unless you have experienced FL rain, you can't appreciate what i'm saying when i say they worked IN the rain. FL rain is frequently in likeness to a monsoon. you can't see a darn thing, you look like a drowned rat in under 8 seconds & it comes down so hard it HURTS.) and even more than seeing the road crews working, you actually saw real progress. sometimes just from one commute to the next. the whole thing would look different. and now the work is almost done, the lanes are all open, the ramps nearing completion & even the "landscaping" along the highway has been so much improved. the whole commute is so much more pleasant.

yet i hear those complaints. those rants about what a pain it's all been & how long it took. and i have to laugh to myself. why? well...i'm from CT. if you're from CT. or have been to CT a few times. or even happen to be from the surrounding area. you know about I-95. and you totally understand why a 3-year highway improvement project that is completed right on schedule & does what it was intended to do is a beautiful thing. if you are unfamiliar with the CT highway to which i refer, i'll just say this: I-95 has been under repair for as long as i have been alive. possibly even longer than that. there are always crews that appear to be on a perpetual coffee break. for 30 years. or they are standing around staring at something on the ground. i have news for them. if they haven't figured it out after 3 decades, they're in the wrong line of work.

my point--and yes i DO have one lol--3 years of mild inconvenience while they successfully make the highway more capable of handling the traffic that travels it & subsequently making MY commute much less stressful is not something i find worth bitching about. you want to bitch about highway construction, move to central CT & work in the southeastern coastal section so that you have no choice but to use I-95 5 days a week. i think you'll find that the FL DOT is way more efficient than you give them credit for!

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things that drive me crazy

1. the sound of a fork or knife scraping against the plate. that sqeal sends a shiver right through my soul.
2. when your body is exhausted but you can't get your brain to shut off & the thoughts tumbling over one another keep you awake.
3. conversely, when your mind has had enough & needs to sleep but your body doesn't cooperate so you lay there, jittery & uncomfortable, praying for unconsciousness to take over.
4. when someone shuts a door but not all the way. how much extra effort does it take to push it that last 1/8" so it latches??
5. when someone takes out the garbage but doesn't put a new bag in the garbage can.
6. the lighting in walmart. instantly sucks your life-energy right out of you.
7. people who find a way to be miserable AT DISNEY WORLD. seriously folks. Happiest Place on Earth. repeat after me...
8. when 3 cars ride side-by-side across all 3 lanes of the highway at exactly the same travel speed--and always about 10mph lower than the posted speed limit. like they can't see the other cars piling up behind them or something.
9. people who insist on waiting until the very last second to pull out in front of you when they had plenty of time to do so, even though you are travelling at full speed, causing you to have no option but to jam on your brakes. and of course once they pull out they proceed to drive 3mph.
10. people who flip you the bird because you won't allow them to cut you off.
11. Tampa-area professional sports, sports casts, sports commentators, sports news coverage...see earlier entry on this.
12. commercials for Red Stripe beer. you may not be aware of this commercial of you never turn on ESPN as this is the only place i have ever seen it. if you've never been subjected to this experience be grateful. if you have, i need only say this: "Red Stripe. It's beer. Hooray beer." please shoot me.

there's more but we'll stop it with a nice even dozen for tonight.

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remedies for rotten days--part 1

having a not-so-great day? how about trying some of these. more to come...on another day...
(Good Housekeeping July 2005)

1. do a love inventory
take a few moments right now to think about all the times you have been loved in your life. the affection may not have come in the way you expected or imagined; it may not have lasted as ong as you wished. but you have been loved!

2. overtip
a small act of generosity not only brings a spot of pleasure into a hard-working person's life, it also floods your body with feel-good hormones. no matter what amount you choose, overtipping is a wonderful way to lift your spirits and assure continued good service.

3. haul out the photo albums
the older the better. look at yourself and your friends and family with those funny clothes and haircuts. remember that shack you used to live in? that old VW Beetle you used to drive? how incredibly cute your 3-year-old daughter was in her first tutu? you'll soon be smiling. ***ETA just for Chele: these would be EXAMPLES of POSSIBLE memories...not actual ones i was suggesting you remember. =P LOL!!***

4. trash it
write down each problem on a separate piece of paper. make a stack. read the sheet on top of the stack. spend a few minutes thinking about how to solve the problem and then throw the paper in the trash can. repeat until the whole pile is gone. now focus on something else.

5. belt it out
so many of us have cut ourselves off from this natural joy maker--mostly out of embarrassment out of our voices or lack of vocal talent. it's too bad , because singing lifts our spirits and opens our hearts. and making music has been shown to lower blood pressure and alleviate depression and sleep disorders. so sing today, even one short silly song. if you find singing in public too intimidating, wait until you are your only audience and sing in the shower or the car.

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words of wisdom

"life is not a path of coincidence, happenstance, and luck. but rather an unexplainable, meticulously charted course for one to touch the lives of others and make a difference in the world. you dont know what you get back until you give. live to the point of tears."

this was on Tara's blog and then Cathy Z had her own thoughts on it in her blog. both times i encountered this quote, it spoke to me. not in a loud, yelling and jumping up in down sort of way. but in quiet undertones, like the gentle voice a mother uses to calm her child. it whispered to my soul rather than shouting in my face.

i love that quote. because i don't believe that things happen by accident. i believe that we *are* on an "unexplainable, meticulously charted course", one that we can neither understand nor predict, but we're on it none the less & it's how we choose to act while we're on it that matters. things happen but not for no reason--we just don't always get it till we have a little hindsight.

and i was saying this to someone just the other day: to love, *really love*, you have to risk. it's not about what you're going to get out of it. it's not about YOU. it's about the other people, those you care for. you don't wait to see what they will give you before you give of yourself. you just risk it & give. whole heartedly. not knowing what the return will be until you've already put yourself out there. when we live like this, the payback is immeasurable.

love this quote. thank you Tara, for sharing it & Cathy, for repeating it & driving it home. =)

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why i hate the Tampa sports teams

it's come up on more than one occasion here that i am NOT a fan of my "local professional sports teams". let me explain to you why, in light of tonight's Red Sox game against the Devil Rays. it was broadcast on television down here on FSN (Florida Sports Network). in my experience, sports announcers are supposed to remain neutral & objective. it's something i was accustomed to, living in New England. it was nothing to hear the local announcers & commentators even criticize the play of a local team. it's not that they didn't want them to win, but if they performed poorly, they weren't afraid to say so.

so back to tonight's game. there was a call out on the field. it was the top of the 9th, 2 outs, Tampa at the plate up by 2 runs, one man on third. the batter hit the ball, the man on third headed for home but the play they went for was the 3rd out at first. the play was made, but very very close. the first base umpire called the runner safe & that would have left a runner on first & the Rays now up by 3 & still with 2 outs. of course the Red Sox protested the call. that's what you do on a close call like that. there was some exchanging of words & the manager had to come out & get between Schilling & the umpire as it was Schilling insisting he had made the out.

can i stop here & say that the tv announcers were GLOATING about how Schilling clearly didn't make the play even as the replays were showing it was a very close call but appeared that he had beat the runner to the bag. at this point the umpires are conferring & after a quick discussion in which i can only imagine that there was the exchange of second opinions from other perspectives, the umpire reversed the call & made that definitive hand motion that the runner was being called out. now i would expect to see the Rays manager get mighty peeved about this. i wasn't at all surprised to see him slam his hat to the ground, mouth off & get ejected from the game. but what floors me is the commentary, how the people who are supposed to provide neutral calling ofr the game for the viewers, can say the following: "are you kidding me?? clearly this is the wrong call. you can't reverse a snap judgment call that's been made just because it's argued. you can't reward the defensive team for not doing their job. it's obvious that the Red Sox just got a hometown call. and it's a case of the World Champion Red Sox (said extremely sarcastically btw) getting preferential treatment over the Devil Rays just because the Rays are having a losing season."

give me a freaking break. no one is giving anyone "preferential treatment". the umpires get to call the game & they have the right to confer on a call that's close. period. but that's how it is with Tampa sports. their teams can suck, be the worst in their respective leagues, yet somehow it's all a conspiracy against them because EVERYONE knows that they can do no wrong, they are in reality the greatest teams playing & would have every championship if the officials would stop spinning all the calls in the other teams' favor.

please. maybe i wouldn't have such a bad taste in my mouth about the local teams if i didn't have to hear announcers & commentators sing the praises of losing teams season after sports season ad nauseum. at least in New England when our teams stink & deserve to lose we aren't afraid to admit it & be critical of how they could improve. we wish they would be champions but when they aren't champion caliber material, we don't live in delusional dream worlds. we keep supporting them & hoping for next year & major overhauls taht will make the teams better. c'mon. the Red Sox didn't win a World Series in 80+ years & no one ever made excuses for them. every Spring we hoped & every October we just shook our heads & hoped that the next year would be different.

and so my loathing of the Devil Rays, Bucs & Lightning thrives, alive & well thanks to the inane delusional self-promotion of the sports casts i am subjected to.

vent over.

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how true it is

No tool is more beneficial than intelligence. No enemy is more harmful than ignorance.
(Abu Abdullah Muhammad al-Harithi al-Baghdadi al-Mufid)

amazing how many people one encounters over the course of a day that can illustrate this quote to perfection. amazing and sad.

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happiness

celebrate we will cause
life is short but sweet
for certain
(lyrics from "Two Step" by Dave Matthews Band)

had a much happy weekend
hope you did too
=)

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hanging on by a thread

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i can tolerate the Orioles tying for first place if they win later today. as long as those damn Yankees don't get in there.

nice play by Varitek throwing Matsui out at third. (video available here, for now anyway) i love when it goes off with such fluidity that it looks like a choreographed dance. and it was great to see Schilling come in & have a clean 1-2-3 inning, getting back in the groove.

now if the 2nd half the season goes much like the first, we can still squeak in, even "by the skin of our teeth"--as my Gram would have said. which by the way is an odd mental image. not that thathas to do with anything lol.

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of band geeks & goofballs & great memories

found this little bit of fun on My Life So Far & i couldn't resist. i've been meaning to get back to this topic since i posted some fun old pics for Chele's birthday anyway & this is the perfect opportunity! 4 years in the halls of Bristol Central High School...

1) Did you overall enjoy your high school years? oh heck yes, as much as anyone ever does. i think if you had asked me at the time i would have given you whatever typical teenage answer there is to that question but looking back, it was a lot of good times. would i go back? GOD NO. are you crazy?? who would want to relive their teenage years lol. but in retrospect, it's something i look back on with a ton of fond memories. (i'm probably just able to edit out the awful stuff at this point by sheer power of denial lol...)

2) Name of your best friend(s)? Chele, Brain, Shannon, Michael, Angela, Bev, Mike, Dan, Katie, Theresa

3) Did you have a boyfriend? a few Their names? Jamie, Dan (and his mother lol...), Todd & Michael

4) What was your favorite subject? anything related to English, creative writing, advanced vocab & anything in the music department

5) Jock? Geek? Rebel? Queen? Other? i really think i was just me with a healthy dose of band geek thrown in lol, able to get along with everyone

6) Favorite Teacher(s)? Ms Norton (3 years of homeroom & junior year English), Jim Tardif (senior year band director), Mr Geitz (sophmore & senior English), Dr Powers (advanced vocab)

7) Special Awards? National Honor Society & some Peer Leadership Award for band my senior year

8) Did you attend prom? sure did! both my junior & senior proms and the senior prom for the graduating class after me as well

9) Still live in same hometown as your h.s.? not even close!

10) Keep in touch w/anyone? a few people =)

11) Classmates would be surprised to know that I ____________ today: live 1200 miles away from Bristol, CT

and just for some added fun *evil laugh* and yes i do expect some hate mail for this but it'll be worth it ;-)

Spring 1994 on our music department trip to Virginia Beach. the pimp-daddies: Mike (on the left) & Brian (obviously on the right lol)

taken at my locker sometime in 1992 of my very own Chele--i think i have this same expression in about 5 other photos but this one is the best so try to ignore the finger in the way at the bottom lol




first of all there had to be *someone* posing in our wonderfully flattering marching band uniforms. it had to be done. can't relive a little high school without recalling those...things...lol. modeling this breathtaking fashion ensemble would be Michael (not to be confused with the Mike in the earlier photo)--my senior prom date--although he looked a lot better in a tux ;-) LOL









another of Chele, this time with Shannon, who, as you can see, did not get nicknamed Poofy for nothing!

and last not least, another of my high school boyfriends, Dan. i sure knew how to pick 'em back then huh? LOL

hmmmmm...seems someone is mysteriously missing here...who could it be?
=P

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counting down...

three weeks. three weeks till week 1 of preseason football! have we *any* idea how happy i am to be closing in on football season??

don't get me wrong. i like baseball & i'm rooting for the Red Sox & the Astros but i just don't get into it deep till we get closer to the playoffs. and i am really starting to enjoy Nextel Cup racing, getting into it more each week. and finally--dare i say--LET THERE BE HOCKEY!! well next season anyway. but as sports oriented a girl as i am, nothing grabs me & raises my adrenaline like the NFL. sports-wise i live for this time of year that we're approaching. i wanna do a little happy dance of anticipation just thinking about it! LOL

just a little break-down of what you can expect to see here during those wonderful 17 weeks (plus pre- & post-season play!):

OBVIOUSLY:
much elation & support for the New England Patriots & the Green Bay Packers
there should be no question of this. my perfect Super Bowl match-up right here. the only way i would be okay with the Patriots losing would be if Brett Favre got one last ring.

OTHER TEAMS WE LIKE:
Kansas City Chiefs (although not expecting much yet again from them defensively. unfortunately.)
Pittsburgh Steelers

TEAMS WE WOULD LIKE TO SEE DO WELL:
Houston Texans (young but showed some real heart last year)
Carolina Panthers (love a good underdog team)
Detroit Lions (would like to see them finally having some good times after their years in the dumps)
Arizona Cardinals (i feel bad for them--i'd just like to see them have a better season)
San Diego Chargers (really liked the way i saw them play last season!)

TEAMS WE HATE TO SEE WIN EVER UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES:
Denver Broncos
Miami Dolphins
Tampa Bay Bucs (you haven't been reading very carefully if you are unaware that i LOATHE all Tampa sports teams)
Minnesota Vikings
Indianapolis Colts (Peyton Freaking Manning. gag me with a spoon.)
New York Giants (Ego...oops i mean Eli Manning. only thing i like less than Peyton.)
Dallas Cowboys
St. Louis Rams
Phildelphia Eagles

the rest i could take or leave, depending on who they're playing. but be prepared to hear my thoughts on the teams listed above. cause it's coming, baby. football season is on its way!

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just who is this girl you all know through my thoughts & ramblings...?

a "conversation through blog comments" with Marianne has prompted me to uncover a little piece of me that for some reason so many people find surprising or they just think it's nonsense. given what would appear to be my outgoing personality in expressing myself here & having zero qualms about leaving commentary on the blogs of people i wouldn't know in real life from a whole in the ground...i am in reality very shy & quiet, reserved in unfamiliar company & very guarded. i say this & people think i am insane & i can't imagine why this is! (LOL...)

let me quote to you exactly what i said to Marianne:
i am so shy & quiet & hesitant...until i'm comfortable. then look out!! ;-)

i am admittedly a LOT better than i used to be, but i still prefer to hang back & observe for a while before i break the ice with people i don't know. and i like it much better when i am approached as opposed to initiating the conversation myself. i have been told my sunny friendly personality & my ability to make others feel comfortable is what misleads people to believe that i am not shy. i guess i'll take that as a compliment! but at the end of the day, i still am drawn to the quieter people as opposed to the really loud & obnoxious, the intimacy of one-on-one or a small group of those i know over the party scene for sure!

i am sure those of you who know me casually will take the stance of everyone else i've met & say that you can't believe i'd call myself shy. but the smile i turn on & my nature to be as helpful as possible combined with the fact that i firmly believe in treating people with a smile & genuine "nice-ness" must somehow cause others to classify me as outgoing. i guess i just feel like greeting people with a smile, making eye contact, paying attention, calling them by their name when at all possible--it all has the potential to catch them off guard, make their day a little brighter in a world where so many just hustle other people right along without any real acknowledgement, like they are somehow bothered by someone else approaching them. maybe that is what throws people off of my shyness. but i think those that know me well will attest otherwise--that the smile & the friendliness are for real, but they seem to overshadow the quiet girl who bestows these qualities on the world around her.

yep, that's me. little miss quiet the moment i feel out of my element but always with a friendly smile. something i used to hate about myself but have finally just embraced as part of who i am. and that is apparently far more apparent to myself than the world around me.

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if you need me...

...i'll be in my own little corner of heaven

every girl needs to have a "grandfatherly figure" where she works who goes back home to Germany twice a year & returns with yumminess for her such as




























mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm...

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public service announcement

New Ways You Can Avoid Identity Theft
(Good Housekeeping July 2005)

1. Read all your mail, even of it looks like junk. If a theif opens a credit or banking account in your name, a statement may come to you. Letters from collection agencies soliciting payment for purchases you didn't make are a sure sign you've been scammed.

2. Stop the credit card offers. The average household receives 60 credit offers in the mail each year. Thieves can steal these, fill out the forms, and open a new account in your name. Call 888-567-8688 to stop these offers.

3. When banking online, always go directly to your bank's web site. Never use a link in an email. It could be part of a "phishing" scheme in which scammers try to trick you into divulging financial information over the internet.

4. Post a fraud alert. If you suspect your identity has been stolen, you can place a free 90-day alert with the 3 major credit bureaus. This warns creditors that someone may be trying to impersonate you. In some states, including California, you can freeze your credit files. For more information, go to www.privacyrights.org .

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so far so good

while she's not really following my earlier request to head more north & east (which actually i would now prefer she not lol), TS Emily does appear to be headed on a much different path than she was the other day. at least according to the National Hurricane Center's 5 am update anyway...

**keeping my fingers crossed*

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The Glamour List (July 2005)

just a little something light for today =)

9 things you should remember forever:

1. the heat of your first kiss
2. your social security number, blood type and European shoe size
3. those stories your grandmother told you about escaping from the old country with diamonds and a loaf of bread hidden in her coat
4. the best compliment you ever got in bed
5. the exact scientific combination of hair products that resulted in the greatest hair day of your life
6. just how brilliant and gorgeous you thought you were when you were five years old
7. for every relationship that didn't work, the true reasons why
8. the scents of your baby's head and your mother's perfumed hug
9. how good it feels to do the right thing

...and 7 to forget as quickly as possible:

1. your urge to make him over
2. the astonishingly low weight you reached once and will never reach again
3. any "advice" that makes you feel worse, not better
4. the rules to the drinking game you aren't ever allowed to play again--right? right
5. your married-guy crush
6. that incredibly embarrassing moment from which no valuable lesson can be learned
7. Murphy's Law--why not assume that if the best can happen, it surely will?

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E is for...

...ENOUGH ALREADY!!!
...Excited: what these storm chasers & meteorologists are by all the record-setting tropical activity & quite frankly, it bugs me
...Enormous--the size of tropical storm that the Atlantic is breeding this season
...Electricty: what i like to have in addition to a roof over my head, both of which become threatened by powerful forces of nature, like hurricanes
...Evidently this will NOT be a quieter season in the tropics huh?
...have i mentioned i've had Enough already...?
...Exhausting: what it's like to wait for these storms to hit somewhere & what it feels like to actually go through one
...i am also Exasperated by these storms that just don't stop coming
...the End of hurricane season: November 30
...Eternity: the amount of time between now & November 30...or so it seems
...much further East--the direction this latest storm needs to start heading, north & east
...EEEEEK! a SIXTH tropical wave has been spotted right behind the one we're watching now
...Eternally optimistic: what i am NOT feeling right now in regard to tropical weather
...meet Tropical Storm Emily
















....oh yeah...i think i may have forgotten ENOUGH ALREADY!!

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just a little something

located these on Stacy's blog who got them from the 2 sites referenced. you can get to the original sites by clicking on the buttons! =)




1) What is your favorite fast food restaurant? Wendy's

2) How many times per week do you eat fast food? probably once every 2-3 weeks. sometimes more, sometimes less. not if i can go somewhere better though!

3) Describe your favorite fast food meal. #1 from Wendy's: Classic Single with Cheese, no onion. fries. usually a kid's sized rootbeer which is pushing it--i *really* don't do carbonation.

4) Do you always Super-Size your meal? actually we do if i go with Ken. then he gets the big drink & we split the fries. by myself though? nope!

5) What is your least favorite fast food restaurant? mall food court chinese. scares me silly.







1. What book are you currently reading? the sidebar of my blog lies. LOL i have not in fact been reading that Mary Higgins Clark book for 3 months now. i finished it in about 36 hours actually. just too lazy to change the image & nothing really to change it to. there are a ton of books i would love to be reading. you can see a whole stinking list of them if you check out my amazon.com wish list (link also located in the sidebar!) but at the moment i am weeding through a pile of old magazines, pulling out the stuff i actually want to keep & categorizing it into binders for easy references and tossing the remains. i REFUSE to relocate the magazines again!

2. Have you ever experienced the loss of a pet? as a very very small child. i barely remember the cat, truth be told. it's not something i want to think about. as big of a cramp in the backside as the beastus is capable of being, i would miss his aggravating furry little self.

3. Is anyone in your family in the armed services? not that i know of. my great uncle served in WWII. my dad is a Vietnam vet. i think i have a cousin who will be going to boot camp now that he has graduated from high school. but a friend of mine is in the Army, has served in Iraq & will go back again.

4. If you have or have had a girlfriend/boyfriend, did you tell your parents about her/him without them prying for the information? what's there to hide?

5. What was your favorite childhood pet and tell me a few things about it. we only had that one cat i mentioned earlier. i was probably 2 or 3 years old so my memories are hazy at best. she was a black cat (i think...) & the runt of her litter so she got the name Squirt. that's the extent of it!

6. Have you ever been in love? i am lucky enough to say yes, more than once.

7. What’s your favorite activity? well i love playing around online. i love playing with my camera (which would ultimately be *much* cheaper if i went digital! *hint hint* for anyone who cares lol!!!) & i love going to the movies if there's actually something good playing. but what makes me the happiest? i have been in the Disney World parks probably close to a hundred times combined over the last 3 1/2 years & i never ever get tired of going to play there. =)

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*banging my head against the wall*

Tropical Depression 5

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you have got to be kidding me...

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sweet victory

Dale Jr finally celebrates a win

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after watching him struggle the whole first half of the season, it sure was great to see Jr. back in victory lane. let's hope this is the start of a new trend with very few races left for him to sneak into the 400-point window for the race for the Cup. *crossing my fingers* it's good to see him finally running strong & consistent the last couple of races but there's still 91 points to catch if he's even going to be in the running for the Cup...

Go 8 Go!!

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on making mistakes in life

(from an interview with Michael Bolton in Good Housekeeping magazine July 2005)

Is there any part of your life you would do over?

"You know, I don't think so. At some point, you realize that the decisions you make are all part of the bigger picture, one that you cannot understand until later in life. So I really like to think that the mistakes I've made may have happened for a reason that I just might not be aware of yet."

for a girl who takes everything to heart, who hates to let anyone down or disappoint them in any way, this is very much an attitude i would like to adapt into my way of thinking. Lord know i've made my share of mistakes & then some. it would be good to be able to write them off as having some larger purpose, some lesson learned, something that will become apparent as more of my life unfolds. it shouldn't really be that far a stretch for me as i already believe that my life experiences are priceless--even the bad ones--as they made me who i am today & without them i may not be where i am now or have had some of the good experiences that have happened since. i guess that's back to the inspiration for my blog title as well: "every long lost dream led me to where you are-others who broke my heart, they were like northern stars-pointing me on my way into your loving arms-this much i know is true-that God blessed the broken road that led me straight to you"

here's to taking our mistakes & letting them be part of the bigger picture.

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everything you never cared to know about hurricane history

i probably ought to warn you know that if there's a hurricane setting sights on where i live, you're going to hear alot about it here. it may seem like just another windy rainy storm to you, but unless you hunkered down & waited one (or three as the case may be) of them out, you just have no clue the effect it has on you mentally. the incessant winds pummeling your house & shaking its walls all around you. the rain falling any direction you can imagine--except for down like you normally see it. the fear of the unknown once darkness falls & you can no longer see what missles an angry Mother Nature is hurling in you direction. it feels like it will never end. you long for silence. you pray that your roof stays on. it was like nothing i ever experienced before, a total mental assault even if you sistain no physical harm.

we're waiting on Hurricane Dennis. watching. wary. remembering Hurricane Charley from 2004 who took a last minute sharp right turn & ripped up through Central Florida with a furious vengence. like Charley, Dennis is a Category 4, meaning he has sustained winds of 131-155mph, with gusts even stronger. a hurricane of this magnitude is catastrophic. causes on average more than 8 billion dollars worth of damages.

this is only the 2nd time in recorded history that there has been a Category 4 hurricane in the month of July. this is also the first time the Atlantic hurricane season has had four named storms this early since record-keeping began in 1851. to see them on radar is impressive. to expect it to barrel down your street is terrifying.

yet all we can do is wait. and watch. prepare. hope. and see the destruction left behind in his path as he heads for the Gulf...

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oh yeah...

...and we have our first official huricane of the season. a full month earlier than last year's. yippee. Dennis is a solid Category 2 with sustained winds of 105mph & looking like he's gaining strength. they are watching for him to become a major hurricane before he makes landfall sometime on sunday or monday. thankfully it looks like he will be staying well off to our west in the Gulf...although my thoughts & prayers are with those where ever he decides to come ashore--right now looking like it could be Alabama.

thoughts & prayers for London as well with the terroist attacks on their transportation systems. and a watchful eye cast as threats against more cities have been made by this same group taking responsibility for the explosions. so grateful for our troops who tirelessly & selflessly risk themselves to protect us all from these vicious attacks against innocent people.

and one last passing thought:

Across a crowded room
I know you know what I'm thinking
By the way I look at you
And when we're lying in the quiet
And no words have to be said
I think to myself, I think to myself
This love is a beautiful gift

I have been blessed
And I feel like I've found my way
I thank God for all I've been given
At the end of every day
I have been blessed
With so much more than I deserve
To be here with the ones that love me
To love them so much it hurts
I have been blessed
(from "Blessed" by Martina McBride)

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and a Happy Chocolate Day to you!

yep you read me correctly. July 7th is Chocolate Day. as if there were any question that it deserves a holiday all it's very own...and you know that of course you are obligated to have some in honor of this very special day of celebration right? ;-)

a few chocolate facts for you (as borrowed from the July/August issue of Simple Scrapbooks):

**the Aztecs considered chocolate an aphrodisiac & forbade it to women (kinda glad we didn't adopt that ideology...)
**North Americans--including women--have been enjoying the treat for 250 years
**the average American eats 11.6 pounds of chocolate every year

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from bad to worse

i suspect i will be rather quiet for a bit. feeling completely beaten down by the universe today...

=*(

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a little presidential trivia in honor of george dubya's birthday

20 Things You Didn't Know About U.S. Presidents
(courtesy of MSN Encarta)

Not only were these men leaders of the United States, they were multitalented, unique, and sometimes even downright quirky. We've heard a lot about their contribution to United States history. But would you have guessed the following?

1. In warm weather, 6th president of the United States John Quincy Adams customarily went skinny-dipping in the Potomac River before dawn.

2. 9th U.S. president William Henry Harrison was inaugurated on a bitterly cold day and gave the longest inauguration speech ever. The new president promptly caught a cold that soon developed into pneumonia. Harrison died exactly one month into his presidential term, the shortest in U.S. history.

3. John Tyler, 10th U.S. president, fathered 15 children (more than any other president)--8 by his first wife, and 7 by his second wife. Tyler was past his seventieth birthday when his 15th child was born.

4. Sedated only by brandy, 11th president of the United States James Polk survived gall bladder surgery at the age of 17.

5. 15th U.S. president James Buchanan is the only unmarried man ever to be elected president. Buchanan was engaged to be married once; however, his fiancée died suddenly after breaking off the engagement, and he remained a bachelor all his life.

6. Often depicted wearing a tall black stovepipe hat, 16th president of the United States Abraham Lincoln carried letters, bills, and notes in his hat.

7. 17th U.S. president Andrew Johnson never attended school. His future wife, Eliza McCardle, taught him to write at the age of 17. (Bonus fact about Andrew Johnson: He only wore suits that he custom-tailored himself.)

8. Ulysses S. Grant, 18th president of the United States, died of throat cancer. During his life, Grant had smoked about 20 cigars per day.

9. Both ambidextrous and multilingual, 20th president of the United States James Garfield could write Greek with one hand while writing Latin with the other.

10. Grover Cleveland, 22nd and 24th president of the United States, underwent a secret operation aboard a yacht to remove his cancerous upper jaw in 1893.

11. The teddy bear derived from 26th U.S. president Theodore ("Teddy") Roosevelt's refusal to shoot a bear with her cub while on a hunting trip in Mississippi.

12. William Taft, 27th president of the United States, weighed more than 300 pounds and had a special oversized bathtub installed in the White House.

13. Warren Harding, 29th U.S. president, played poker at least twice a week, and once gambled away an entire set of White House china. His advisors were nicknamed the "Poker Cabinet" because they joined the president in his poker games.

14. Calvin Coolidge, 30th president of the United States, had chronic stomach pain and required 10 to 11 hours of sleep and an afternoon nap every day.

15. Herbert Hoover, 31st U.S. president, published more than 16 books, including one called Fishing for Fun-And to Wash Your Soul.

16. 32nd president of the United States Franklin D. Roosevelt was related, either by blood or by marriage, to 11 former presidents.

17. The letter "S" comprises the full middle name of the 33rd president, Harry S. Truman. It represents two of his grandfathers, whose names both had "S" in them.

18. Military leader and 34th president of the U.S. Dwight D. Eisenhower loved to cook; he developed a recipe for vegetable soup that is 894 words long and includes the stems of nasturtium flowers as one of the ingredients.

19. 40th president of the United States Ronald Reagan broke the so-called "20-year curse," in which every president elected in a year ending in 0 died in office.

20. George W. Bush, 43rd president of the United States, and his wife Laura got married just three months after meeting each other.

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the smile fairy visits

in a day i would mostly rather forget happened there's nothing like this to bring a smile to my otherwise rather unhappy face

american child =) love how her hair is doing the little "flippy thing" in the back at the bottom--just like auntie dawn's!!


or for that matter this which about sums up how i felt about this whole stupid day

sweet silly girl

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D is for...

...Don Germaise, the lunatic reporter from my local ABC station who becomes a storm chaser when a hurricane hits & is frequently seen blowing across the tv screen as he tells people how dangerous it is to be outside in what i will admit is very much sensationalized news coverage but he amuses me when the tension is high
don germaise

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...Dammit, TWO named storms in the same day?!
...Heather's dad, Dennis, who has a condo in Venice, FL. hope Dennis stays away from Dennis' vacation get-away!
...Dreading the idea of Dennis coming ashore in Florida
...Denis Phillips to whom i will be paying very close attention over the next few days
...Drama queen=what i become with the threat of severe tropical weather lol
...Tropical Storm Dennis whos is predicted to become the first official hurricane of the season some time between wednesday & thursday
tropical storm dennis

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...Dramatic looking satellite imagery of the two storms. that's Cindy to the upper left & Dennis down there to the bottom right
current infrared imagery

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C is for...

...holy Crap this has been a busy hurricane season for the first month of it!
...Crazy! which is what the tropics are right now. the third named tropical storm of the season coming up through the Gulf. the fourth named tropical storm of the Pacific bearing down on western Mexico. and a tropical wave in the Caribbean that is expected to be a named storm by this evening & suspected to become the first hurricane with a possible path projection in Florida.
...the Center of a tropical storm or hurricane that everyone focuses their attention on, often forgetting that there are still strong winds & heavy rains in those outer bands that can do damage.
...the Cone: what we should all take into consideration, not just the line up the middle since we learned last year that storms don't really care what track is "predicted".
...the Caribbean which is unfortunately starting to look alive with activity. i was much happier when all the storms were forming in the Gulf & being steered west of us by the Bermuda High.
...Counting: as in counting down to Novemver 30 when hurricane season ends. also as in counting on the Bermuda High not to weaken since its current location is preventing the storms from getting to close to where i live.
...Cuba: better start getting ready. Tropical Depression 4 is looking like it's headed your way before the week is over.
...Central Florida: where i live. and where we are hoping that the Bermuda High doesn't start directing these babies back over us in a replay of last year.
...Cringe, as in what i am starting to do when i watch the weather now.
...Cool water is not good breeding ground for tropical weather which fuels itself on the warm waters. maybe all these storms so early will cool the waters off quickly & prevent those whoppers from being able to form later in the season?
...Closely watching the tropics now for a potential Florida landfall.
...Current 5-day forecast for Tropical Depression #4.
Tropical Depression 4

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...Tropical Storm Cindy which is the sponsor for this blog entry.
Tropical Storm Cindy

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hey, it's ok...the July edition

hey, it's ok...

...to give up on the boyfriend hunt for a while. for the whole summer, even.

...not to be an exceptionally great self-tanning artist. so you have a brown blotch on your ankle--who's really gonna notice?

...to ardently wish Kirstie Alley would take a time-out.

...to have a second hot dog. honestly, only five-year-olds are full after one.

...to fantasize in secret how your guy would look if he fell into a vat of wax and emerged completely hairless. well, almost hairless.

...to consider, just for a second, wrestling that fourth-grader to the ground and swiping his copy of the new, sold-out Harry Potter book.

...to truly stink at something you love doing. the world has enough experts.
(as seen in Glamour magazine, July 2005)

love love LOVE that last one. i think there's something to that: who *cares* how "good" you are at something as long as you find pleasure in doing it! (ok well that goes for *most* things anyway. ;-) LOL)

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more on candles

i love having candles burning at home. i have them in almost every room & have one or two burning most of the time when i'm at home. (note: i make a point to burn them in seperate areas so the scents don't mingle & just smell nasty) i don't usually do large jar candles. i like to change the scents up so often that i need to be able to finish a scent on & break out a new one. unless it's an absolute favrote scent that i gravitate toward frequently, you will usually find a 3-4oz jar, a votive, a tea light or in the kitchen, a tart in the tart warmer. currently out for sensory pleasure are:

IN THE KITCHEN

cucumber & cantaloupe: very summery & fruity. nice & light.











lavender: soft & flowery without being too heavy or perfumed. there's something very fresh & airy about this scent.










IN THE DINING ROOM

caramel apples: this just smells yummy. i know it sounds like more of an autumn scent but it so sweet & yummy that i just couldn't resist.










lilac blossoms: this is about as floral as i get. still smells more clean & sweet than that heady over-powering scent of a lot of flowers though.








IN THE LIVING ROOM

applewood orchard: smells like an apple orchard in summer. like ripening apples, a little woodsy & sunshine on the grass. a seasonal scent from Yankee Candle that is not currently available but i have a couple kicking around. ;-)


IN THE BATHROOM

mango kiwi: i was surpised i liked this scent so much but it's nice. not super sweet. not really strong. just...happy.




IN THE BEDROOM

clean cotton: smells like freshly washed laundry & dryer sheets. i love that it makes everything smell clean. and something about it is very comforting & relaxing.









IN THE DEN

sugar vanilla fantasy: warm. homey. peaceful. i adore the scent of vanilla. warms me up & makes me smile.

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in honor of Independence Day

10 Surprising Facts About the Fourth of July
(courtesy of MSN Encarta)

1. Independence Day commemorates the formal adoption of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776. However, it was not declared a legal holiday until 1941.

2. Fireworks were made in China as early as the 11th century. The Chinese used their pyrotechnic mixtures for war rockets and explosives.

3. Uncle Sam was first popularized during the War of 1812, when the term appeared on supply containers. Believe it or not, the U. S. Congress didn't adopt him as a national symbol until 1961.

4. There are many precise rules for taking care of the American flag (see my entry from yesterday for just a few!). And speaking of flag traditions, we're sorry to report that contrary to legend, historical research has failed to confirm that Betsy Ross sewed the first flag.

5. Not all members of the Continental Congress supported a formal Declaration of Independence, but those who did were passionate about it. One representative rode 80 miles by horseback to reach Philadelphia and break a tie in support of independence.

6. The first two versions of the Liberty Bell were defective and had to be melted down and recast. The third version rang every Fourth of July from 1778 to 1835, when, according to tradition, it cracked as it was being tolled for the death of Chief Justice John Marshall.

7. The American national anthem, the Star-Spangled Banner," is set to the tune of an English drinking song ("To Anacreon in Heaven").

8. The iron framework of the Statue of Liberty was devised by French engineer Alexandre-Gustave Eiffel, who also built the Eiffel Tower in Paris.

9. The patriotic poem "America the Beautiful" was published on July 4, 1895 by Wellesley College professor Katharine Lee Bates.

10. Father of the country and architect of independence George Washington held his first public office at the tender age of 17. He continued in public service until his death in 1799.

Have a safe & happy Independence Day! =)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness....these United Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States...
John Hancock, The Declaration of Independence

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where the stars & stripes & eagle fly

just a few words that i particularly love from one of the songs in my video player right now:

Well if you ask me where I come from
Here’s what I tell everyone
I was born by God’s dear grace
In an extraordinary place
Where the stars and stripes and the eagle fly

There’s a lady that stands in a harbor
For what we believe
And there’s a bell that still echoes
The price that it cost to be free

I pledge allegiance to this flag
And if that bothers you, well that’s too bad
But if you got pride and you’re proud you do
Hey, we could use some more like me and you
Where the stars and stripes and the eagle fly
(from "Where the Stars and Stripes and Eagle Fly" by Aaron Tippin)

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Let Freedom Ring

"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers...but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."
(Erma Bombeck)

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what your baby would tell you (if he could talk)

i wish i had a buck for every time Heather & i have said "man i wish Catherine had a thought bubble over her head so we could know what she's thinking right now!" found this & somehow think this about sums it up:

ON LIFE'S PLEASURES
**I have my blanket, you have your caffeine. Enough said.
**Don't be jealous but I think I'm in love with the ceiling fan...
**I know where the remote is...but it'll cost you.
**To you, it's just an empty egg carton; to me, it's a PlayStation.
**Actually, I don't mind sitting in a bathtub that I've peed in.

ON LIFE'S PAIN
**Bang a screwdriver slowly and steadily into your gums--that's what teething feels like.
**Two words I'd rather not hear from you again: rectal thermometer.

ON THE IGNORANCE OF PARENTS
**There's no point in teaching me to say "mama" or "dada". My first word is going to be "hat".
**I've told you FIVE TIMES what a cow says. If you can't remember, I am not telling you again.
**There is no question that I can cry longer than you can listen.
**I'm NOT just wildly throwing my food! I'm exploring the laws of gravity, estimating mass, and testing wind velocity.
**If you wanted a good sleeper, you should have gotten a cat.

ON LIFE'S GREAT QUESTIONS
**Who the heck is that baby in the mirror you keep asking me about?!
**If my bottom is so darn cute, why is someone always trying to cover it up?
**Who are YOU TWO to tell me how important it is to sleep alone?!

A FINAL THOUGHT
**What you secretly believe is true: I am much smarter than the other babies!
(Kelly Ahlfeld)

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just what i...ummmmmm...NEED. yeah that's it i *need* these.

Cinnamon Apple Berry: yum...sounds just like Autumn in my grandmother's kitchen. i am such a sucker for spicy apple scents.

Ocean Winds (Clean Cotton-Ocean Water-Storm Watch): something clean & fresh. i love when the house smells like clean laundry...

Just Desserts (Vanilla Cookie-Buttercream-Hazelnut Coffee): can't get enough of vanilla. just the thing i need for the den to warm the room up & make it feel homey.

Fruit Salad (Cucumber Cantaloupe-Pineapple Paradise-Honeydew Melon): a sunny, fruity, tropical scent that brightens up the whole house. i almost feel like it's the signature Florida scent in some way. it just fits. now if i could just get them to capture the scent of orange blossoms in March...

Chocolate Chip Cookie & Buttercream: this is just perfect for making the whole house smell yummy. only problem is that it would make me want wrtm chocolate chip cookies from the oven every time i burned it.

Autumn Wreath: ok this one i really want to smell first but it sounds like my kind of candle. i love a smokey harvest scent. i can't imagine i *wouldn't* like this one but then again i guess you never know. some of the scents that sound so appealing when you read the name make you wish you'd never uncapped them when you lean in for a test drive.

i guess what REALLY ought to be doing is burning the 412 candles i already have in my cabinet huh? however if anyone feels like sending me gifts...
;-)

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honor your Stars & Stripes

so many people proudly display the American Flag, especially on important national holidays. just a few rules to keep in mind for the proper care, display & retiring of Old Glory:

How to Fold an American Flag
Folding the American flag properly exhibits decorum and respect.

Steps:
1. Have two people stand on either end of the flag, holding a corner in each hand.
2. Fold the flag in half twice, width-wise.
3. Beginning at the striped end, fold one corner into the opposite side of the flag, forming a triangle.
4. Repeat this triangular folding until only a small strip of the star field shows.
5. Tuck this strip into the triangle.
Remember: Keep the flag from touching the ground while folding.

How to Properly Display an American Flag
The U.S. flag should occupy a place of prominence when being displayed. No other flags displayed with it should be larger or hung higher than the U.S. flag. In addition, the U.S. flag should not be allowed to touch the ground, nor should it be dipped to any other flag, person or object.

Steps:
1. Make sure the flag is in respectable condition before you display it. A torn or tattered flag should not be displayed.
2. Make sure the union (blue field with white stars) is at the top of the staff when the flag is displayed on a flagpole.
3. Keep the U.S. flag at the top when more than one flag is flown from the same halyard.
4. When hanging the flag at half-staff, first hoist it to the peak of the pole, then lower it to half-staff. When lowering the flag, hoist it to the peak of the pole again, then lower it. Any other flags flying alongside the U.S. flag should also be lowered to half-staff.
Note: The flag should never be flown during inclement weather which could damage it. A flag flown at night should be properly illuminated.

How to Properly Retire an American Flag
When the flag is in such condition that it is no longer a fitting emblem for display, it should be destroyed in a dignified way. You can locate your local VFW Chapter who can assist you with respectfully retiring your American Flag.

Did you know that you are able to purchase a U.S. Flag that has been flown over the Capitol building?

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irony is...

...being followed for 18 miles by a police officer talking on a cell phone.

=P

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8 truths & 2 lies revisited

we played a little game the other day, remember? i listed 10 statements & 2 of them were not true. it's time to unveil the answers!


1. i got my driver's license when i turned 18. lied right up front lol. actually i was 20.

2. i have never been issued a traffic citation of any sort, not even a warning. this is completely true. i have been stopped for various things: alcohol check point (i was drinking water & the officer laughed); had an emmissions sticker that had just expired (i was actually on my way there after the dr's appointment i was already late for); got into an accident but it wasn't my fault & the other girl actually admitted fault right to the officer at the scene. but never ever issued so much as a warning.

3. my very first car was a brand new black nissan altima that i leased all on my own. totally true. i could have gotten a better interest rate if i had had my grandfather co-sign the lease but i opted to do it solely on my own to help build my credit history. sometimes it pays to wait a few years to get licensed. ;-) lol

4. i have been wearing glasses since i was 7. also true, i was in the 2nd grade.

5. my hair used to be all the way down the middle of my back. yep believe it or not, i had really long hair. haven't for years though. once i started cutting it, i just kept going shorter & shorter (sometimes by my choice & sometimes by Joe's--my old *awesome* hair stylist!)

6. i was in marching band in high school. sure was. all 4 years. switched from flute to piccolo my senior year.

7. i majored in human services in college. here it is, the other lie! i started off as human services, hated it & changed to child development after 3 semesters.

8. i graduated 14th in my high school class. yes i did & i don't know how because i don't ever remember studying. sometimes i look back & wonder what on earth i was thinking...

9. i would love to see Jim Brickman in concert. i like all sorts of different music & yes Jim Brickman is one of them. i would really like to see him in a small intimate setting. i love piano solos. =)

10. i once had a 10 minute conversation with WWE celebrity Mick Foley (aka Mankind). also 100% the truth. i stood in line to get a book autographed for a Christmas gift. couldn't have cared less who this guy was. everyone else was fawning all over him, star struck. whoop. dee. doo. he probably liked that i wasn't acting all stupid & we stood there chatting about nothing lol.

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add this to the list of things that truly scare me

we (meaning work) go to the local prisons & school cafeterias to get the industrial-sized cans they get rid of--we use these empty cans to mix chemicals & dyes & all sorts of stuff around here. well i just saw one in the trash with a label that disturbs even me & we all know that i am far from being a picky eater:

CURLY PICKLED BEEF BITS

i do not even want to know...

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well that's it!

2005 is half over. already. the accleration on the passing of days as you age is some kind of phenomenon i tell you. so here we are in July. i'm flabbergasted. (ok so maybe that's dramatic but truly, how often do you see an opening to use a word like flabbergasted? i just had to take advantage...)

and for those of you who are terribly concerned, July is National Hot Dog Month. and if you're being honest with yourself, you know nothing beats a good dog right off the grill. yum. when i was a kid, my grandparents didn't by weenie (sorry lol...) little franks. they got the *good stuff*. the ones you had to buy at the deli counter. Grote & Weigel's. or Deutchmacher. you can't find those down here in FL, so i settle for Ball Park BunSize. there just isn't any comparison though.

What do you eat on your hot dogs?
	Mustard
	Ketchup
	Relish
	Sauerkraut
	Chilli
	Onions
	Something else
	I would rather starve to death than eat a hot dog...
Free polls from Pollhost.com

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