Tales from Creekistan

Thursday, November 30, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #34

Eleven T-Shirts I Designed for CafePress Plus Two Extras!

Make great gifts for the Holidays!

Shirt #1 - A quote from Coretta Scott King’s memorial service by the Rev. Joseph Lowery: “ . . . for war billions more, but no more for the poor.”

Shirt #2 Moo Disorder

Shirt #3You are Outside the Circle of Trust

Shirt #4 “I got your Badonkadonk right here!”

Shirt #5 “I auditioned for Godot and they gave me the title role!” - Waiting for Godot

Shirt #6 “Happy Birthday Mozart.” Celebrates his 250th birthday.

Shirt #7 Think Outside Uranus

Shirt #8 Ho3 (in case you don’t get it, it means “Ho Ho Ho”

Shirt #9 Jingle All The Way

Shirt #10 "Noel"

Shirt #11 “You’ll shoot your eye out kid!”

Shirt #12 Thirteen - Not such an unlucky number after all.

Shirt #13 “Thursday Thirteen - It's more than a meme, it's a microcosm.”

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Monday, November 27, 2006

The Things I've Done

Found this list at Blue Star Chronicles

Simple rules. Copy and paste the list below. Highlight the things you have done.

01. Bought everyone in the bar a drink

02. Swam with wild dolphins

03. Climbed a mountain

04. Taken a Ferrari for a test drive

05. Been inside the Great Pyramid

06. Held a tarantula

07. Taken a candlelit bath with someone

08. Said “I love you” and meant it

09. Hugged a tree

10. Bungee jumped

11. Visited Paris

12. Watched a lightning storm at sea

13. Stayed up all night long and saw the sun rise

14. Seen the Northern Lights

15. Gone to a huge sports game

16. Walked the stairs to the top of the leaning Tower of Pisa

17. Grown and eaten your own vegetables

18. Touched an iceberg

19. Slept under the stars

20. Changed a baby’s diaper

21. Taken a trip in a hot air balloon

22. Watched a meteor shower

23. Gotten drunk on champagne

24. Given more than you can afford to charity

25. Looked up at the night sky through a telescope

26. Had an uncontrollable giggling fit at the worst possible moment

27. Had a food fight

28. Bet on a winning horse

29. Asked out a stranger

30. Had a snowball fight

31. Screamed as loudly as you possibly can

32. Held a lamb

33. Seen a total eclipse

34. Ridden a roller coaster

35. Hit a home run

36. Danced like a fool and not cared who was looking

37. Adopted an accent for an entire day

38. Actually felt happy about your life, even for just a moment

39. Had two hard drives for your computer

40. Visited all 50 states

41. Taken care of someone who was drunk

42. Had amazing friends

43. Danced with a stranger in a foreign country

44. Watched wild whales

45. Stolen a sign

46. Backpacked in Europe

47. Taken a road-trip

48. Gone rock climbing

49. Midnight walk on the beach

50. Gone sky diving

51. Visited Ireland

52. Been heartbroken longer than you were actually in love

53. In a restaurant, sat at a stranger’s table and had a meal with them

54. Visited Japan

55. Milked a cow

56. Alphabetized your CDs

57. Pretended to be a superhero

58. Sung karaoke

59. Lounged around in bed all day

60. Played touch football

61. Gone scuba diving

62. Kissed in the rain

63. Played in the mud

64. Played in the rain

65. Gone to a drive-in theater

66. Visited the Great Wall of China

67. Started a business

68. Fallen in love and not had your heart broken

69. Toured ancient sites

70. Taken a martial arts class

71. Played D&D for more than 6 hours straight

72. Gotten married

73. Been in a movie

74. Crashed a party

75. Gotten divorced

76. Gone without food for 5 days

77. Made cookies from scratch

78. Won first prize in a costume contest

79. Ridden a gondola in Venice

80. Gotten a tattoo

81. Rafted the Snake River

82. Been on television news programs as an “expert”

83. Got flowers for no reason

84. Performed on stage

85. Been to Las Vegas

86. Recorded music

87. Eaten shark

88. Kissed on the first date

89. Gone to Thailand

90. Bought a house

91. Been in a combat zone

92. Buried one/both of your parents

93. Been on a cruise ship

94. Spoken more than one language fluently

95. Performed in Rocky Horror

96. Raised children

97. Followed your favorite band/singer on tour

99. Taken an exotic bicycle tour in a foreign country

100. Picked up and moved to another city to just start over

101. Walked the Golden Gate Bridge

102. Sang loudly in the car, and didn’t stop when you knew someone was looking

103. Had plastic surgery

104. Survived an accident that you shouldn’t have survived

105. Wrote articles for a large publication

106. Lost over 100 pounds

107. Held someone while they were having a flashback

108. Piloted an airplane

109. Touched a stingray

110. Broken someone’s heart

111. Helped an animal give birth

112. Won money on a T.V. game show

113. Broken a bone

114. Gone on an African photo safari

115. Had a facial part pierced other than your ears

116. Fired a rifle, shotgun, or pistol

117. Eaten mushrooms that were gathered in the wild

118. Ridden a horse

119. Had major surgery

120. Had a snake as a pet

121. Hiked to the bottom of the Grand Canyon

122. Slept for more than 30 hours over the course of 48 hours

123. Visited more foreign countries than U.S. states

124. Visited all 7 continents

125. Taken a canoe trip that lasted more than 2 days

126. Eaten kangaroo meat

127. Eaten sushi

128. Had your picture in the newspaper

129. Changed someone’s mind about something you care deeply about

130. Gone back to school

131. Parasailed

132. Touched a cockroach

133. Eaten fried green tomatoes

134. Read The Iliad - and the Odyssey

135. Selected one “important” author who you missed in school, and read

136. Killed and prepared an animal for eating

137. Skipped all your school reunions

138. Communicated with someone without sharing a common spoken language

139. Been elected to public office

140. Written your own computer language

141. Thought to yourself that you’re living your dream

142. Had to put someone you love into hospice care

143. Built your own PC from parts

144. Sold your own artwork to someone who didn’t know you

145. Had a booth at a street fair

146. Dyed your hair

147. Been a DJ

148. Shaved your head

149. Caused a car accident

150. Saved someone’s life

Monday, November 20, 2006

The Return of the Dead Squirrel

Our dog, Bandit, has found a new toy: A dead squirrel. I don't think he killed it--it was probably roadkill. We noticed it the a week ago when my son was about to get in the car.

"Uh, Mom, there's a dead thing here."

So I backed up the car so he could get in without stepping on the dead thing.

Then it was on the porch. Then it was not. Then it was back on the porch. I almost stepped on it. Then it was gone. A few days later, it appeared on the back porch. No one wants to pick it up and throw it away or bury it.

It might as well be a pink elephant. Granted, a small, dead pink elephant. But on nonetheless.

We're going to have a big bomb fire tonight. We'll make it into a funeral pyre, as long as we can find the dead squirrel.

Snow Day #1

Today was the first official snow day of the 2006-2007 school year. Pretty weak, actually, since there wasn't much accumulation. It never even occurred to me to listen to the (yucky, country) radio station to check for school closings. But when we got to the school, it was obvious the school was closed.

By noon, the snow was completely gone. Will they call off school tomorrow? Why not! It's probably snowing somewhere. Besides, why ruin a perfectly good week with one day of school?

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Where I've Been (In the US)

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or check out ourCalifornia travel guide

Thursday Thirteen #33

Earlier this week, I saw Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan. It was hilarious! It inspired this listing of:

My Favorite 13 Funny Movies

A Christmas Story “You’ll shoot your eye out, kid!”

A Mighty Wind “There was abuse in my family, but it was mostly musical in nature.”

Austin Powers, International Man of Mystery “Yeah, baby, yeah”

Best in Show Hotel Manager: “We have you down for a queen.” Scott: “What are you suggesting... my dear man.”

Borat “He insist we not fly, in case the Jews repeated their attack of 9/11.”

It’s Pat Chris: “I find everything about you... endlessly fascinating.” Pat: “Join the club!”

Napolian Dynamite “Napoleon, give me some of your tots.”

Old School “We’re streaking to the Quad!”

American Pie “I would like to make an announcement. There is a beautiful woman masturbating on my bed.”

The Holy Grail King Arthur: “On second thought, let's not go to Camelot. It is a silly place.”

South Park: Bigger Longer and Uncut Satan: “The time of prophecy is upon us!” Saddam Hussein: “I love when you get all biblical, Satan! You know exactly how to turn my crank.” Satan: “No, I'm being serious!”

This Is Spinal Tap Nigel: “It's part of a trilogy, a musical trilogy I'm working on in D minor which is the saddest of all keys, I find. People weep instantly when they hear it, and I don't know why. . . . Well, this piece is called ‘Lick My Love Pump’.”

Waiting for Guffman “Some people find it ironical that although we run a travel agency, we've never been outside of Blaine.”

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

Thursday 13 Google Graphic

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Thursday 13 Addendum

I thought it was very important to get my message across, so I'm leaving my Thursday Thirteen from last week up. Besides, since I was out of the office and didn't have a computer last Thursday, I wasn't able to "officially" post. Enjoy!

Wednesday, November 01, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #32

13 Things That I Want Everyone To Know

A rabid bat can bite you while you’re sleeping and you wouldn’t know until you die of rabies.

Accidentally putting metal in a microwave will not destroy the microwave. In the late ‘70s, I accidentally put a stick of margarine in the microwave, not thinking that the outside covering was foil. The light show was spectacular! As far as I know, that microwave is still running.

Curses or blessings cannot be passed through e-mail. How many times have you received an e-mail that says “pass this on to 5 people or you will . . . ?” I am not afraid of ignoring those sort-of things.

Elmo is voiced by Kevin Clash, a 46 year-old African American man. It always makes me feel good to know that there are some adults, just like me, who haven’t lost touch with their inner 4-year-old.

Gilbert Gottfried actually does the voice of the AFLAC duck.

Halloween does not have anything to do with Satan. Some people believe that Halloween is a prime recruiting season for Satanists and therefore poses a considerable chance for children to convert. If you look at it simply, it is a secular holiday where children dress in costumes and go door-to-door trick and treating for candy. I have never experienced a Satanist prostletizing Satanism. In fact, I have experienced the opposite: Christians prostletizing Christianity.

In the song, “Blinded By the Light,” by Manfred Mann (1976), the lyric that sounds like, “Wrapped up like a douche, you know the roamer in the night,” is actually “revved up like a deuce, Another runner in the night.” A “deuce” is a 1932 Ford Coupe, as in “Little Deuce Coupe.” Now you know.

Jell-O is not a salad. Sorry Mom! It’s a dessert.

Jesus was not born on December 25th. Starting about the eighth century, Christians began to discourage pagan or secular celebrations and to make up a Christian meaning for the celebration. The most common times for celebration are the Winter Solstice and the Spring Equinox. Christians then assimilated those celebrations into Christmas and Easter.

Podcasts do not require an iPod in order to listen to them.

Sushi does not mean “raw fish.” I don’t like fish. But I will eat sushi. That’s because I like sushi that does not include fish. Sushi is a type of food that has seaweed, rice, and an inside. While that inside is usually fish, it can be all kinds of other things. I love Inari: sushi rice filled into deep fried tofu bags.

When a kid says they are feeing sick, as in “going to throw up,” believe them and immediately act accordingly. As a child that was prone to car sickness, I can attest.

You do not need to stop when making a right turn. Unless there is a stop sign.

Tuesday, October 31, 2006

GHOUL POOL

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Friday, October 27, 2006

Fortune Cookie

Your Fortune Is

Man who walk through airport door sideways is going to Bangkok.

The Wacky Fortune Cookie Generator

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #40

I have been participating in the Thursday Thirteen Forums. I posted a message on there with several ideas for topics or themes that people could steal if they were stuck. Well, here I am on Thursday, stuck for an idea of a topic. So I took a page from my own book:

13 Things About the 13-year-old Amy the Black

After watching The Outsiders, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0086066/, I was inspired to color my hair with peroxide. My hair turned orange.

I was a huge Duran Duran fan. http://www.duranduran.com/

I watched so much MTV that I could name the artist, song, and album of a video before the text would appear in the bottom left-hand corner. It was a game I would play. But that was when MTV played Music Videos all the time.

I always had a VCR hooked up and ready to record. I still have a few tapes that capture MTV during it’s early days.

I was a good clarinet player. In fact, I was considered one of the best in my age group in the area.

I had a really nice 12-speed bike that was black, red and silver. I used to ride it everywhere I could. I kept the bike until about 5 years ago. I hadn’t used it in ages, but couldn’t part with it, either.

I collected unicorns. Anything with a unicorn on it was good enough for me: stickers, posters, figurines, purses, t-shirts, etc.

I was active in Girl Scouts. I belonged to a small, but close-knit troop. We weren’t into the uniforms and formal stuff. If we had to go to a city-wide event, we looked more like the Bad News Bears. But we didn’t care.

I wanted to play synthesizers in a Rock/Pop band, just like my idol, Nick Rhodes from Duran Duran.

I got a Yamaha keyboard for Christmas. I was thrilled, even though it wasn’t a large-scale keyboard. I still played it all the time.

I had started to collect LPs of the music I liked. You know, actual vinyl records. But I figured out a way to record them onto cassette so that I could play them on my Walkman.

I was 13 in 1983. Okay, so now do the math.

I was a fan of of the TV show, M*A*S*H*. I was 13 when the show ended with it’s record-breaking and haunting final episode. I cried. One scene in particular has stayed with me ever since. It is the scene where Hawkeye is in a bus filled with refugees trying to hide from an enemy patrol. Everyone on the bus knew that they had to be absolutely quiet or they might all be killed by the North Koreans. A mother was holding her baby, when it started to cry. She smothered her child.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Tuesday, October 24, 2006

Thursday Thirteen Graphics

Monday, October 23, 2006

Happy Birthday Weird Al!

Before & After:

http://weirdal.com/

Thursday, October 19, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #30

13 Things That Happened to Me in the Past Two Weeks

Yeah, I know: I didn’t post a Thursday Thirteen last week. I was out of town. Here’s what happened:

I went to an outdoor wedding for a good friend. The weather was actually very nice. I was able to bring both kids and we all partied until we couldn’t party no more!

I had a business trip to Denver for a tradeshow. The hotel we had made reservations with, the Grand Hyatt, didn’t have a double double room, so they put Aimee the Red and I on the “secure” top floor with a great view and a free lounge. Aimee slept on a roll-a-way bed until they moved our room, across the hall, to one with two double beds.

We’re not 100% sure, but we think Kathy Lee Gifford was staying on the secure floor with us. She was in town to do a musical about the Red Hat Society.

We were exhibitors at the tradeshow, so we had to stay around our booth for 6 hours, two days in a row. My feet have yet to recover!

On one side of our booth were a couple of guys who we seemed to get along with. They challenged us to an early-morning game of basketball, which we accepted. So we got up at 5:30 am, walked in the cold to their hotel, and played basketball. We gave them a run for their money!

On the other side of our booth was a company that included a couple young, handsome guys dressed as cowboys. Not bad to look at all day!

A booth across from us offered free chair massages. During a slow time, I took advantage of the situation and MAN, did it feel good!

As you may know from a previous blog entry, I danced at the bar at Coyote Ugly. I wasn’t drunk—I just wanted to say that I’d done it!

I had made a request of the piano man at the hotel lobby, Moondance. I tipped him a little, and then every time he saw me, he’d play that tune again. So I had to keep tipping him!

I got to have dinner with my old friend, Sandi the Red, who I grew up with and now lives in Denver. We had great Indian food and lots of talk!

We rented a car and drove to Boulder. Boulder was awesome, especially Pearl Street. We met two brothers of a friend of Aimee the Red’s. The brothers, and their friends were all very cool.

We agreed to watch one of our godsons for the weekend. My husband drove 2 hours to go pick him up. On the way back, our godson got carsick. He projectile vomited as soon as the tires hit our driveway. Why couldn’t he have waited a few seconds?

Aimee the Red told me about a car accident she had when she was in high school. She slid on some fresh tar, hit a construction truck, and the car behind her hit her. She was cited, but contested and won! When talking to our good friend and neighbor, I found out that she was the one that hit Aimee the Red. Small world!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Tuesday, October 17, 2006

On the Bar in Denver

Lots of people, upon hearing that I danced on the bar at Coyote Ugly in Denver, wanted proof. Why was that? Did they think that I wouldn’t do it? Am I not outgoing enough? Well, here’s the proof: a picture taken from Aimee the Red’s camera phone. Sure, the picture isn’t that good, but it’s definitely me.

Thursday, October 05, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #29

13 TV Shows that I miss or were cancelled.

Since I can’t watch television at home, I have become nostalgic for the ‘ol days. It’s funny to think about how much TV I used to watch. Now that I only watch things on DVD or on demand by downloading onto my iPod, I am more picky.

ALF – I don’t think I appreciated this show enough when it was on, and now I would like to see it again. He was always so witty. I just added it to my Netflix queue, so I guess I’ll introduce a new generation to the Alien Life Form. Besides, I seem to have a thing for puppets.

Judging Amy - And not just because the main character is named Amy. I just liked this show, especially Amy’s mother, played by Tyne Daly. The show jumped the shark when Amy went to be a judge on criminal court.

E.R. – I assumed the show went off the air when I stopped watching it, but I guess it’s still going. I think it jumped the shark a long time ago. But the old shows were great. I especially liked it when they did a live episode. PS: I created an ER drinking game: Every time they say “intubate,” drink. You could get drunk fast!

The Practice – A show that came on late Sunday night. This lawyer show featured young lawyers that defended murderers, rapists, mobsters, etc. And sometimes you were actually hoping that the lawyers would lose, but they were so good, they would win. Makes you wonder. ASIDE: One of my favorite characters was a strange guy who you were never quite sure if he was a serial killer or just a pretend serial killer. Now this guy is on the show, LOST. Another ASIDE: The current show, Boston Legal, is considered a spinoff.

Ally McBeal - Don’t know why I liked this show so much. It was like watching a train wreck. But I followed it to the end.

Doogie Houser, MD - Cute kid as a doctor. How did the patients feel about having a 16-year-old treat them? How can the hospital allow him to practice?

Northern Exposure - I got totally wrapped up in the happenings of this small Alaskan town and their Jewish doctor from New York. Sometimes, when I think about what he had to go through to adapt to a rougher lifestyle, I can now relate!

Amazing Stories - Every week was a different story. A lot like Alfred Hitchcock Presents or The Twilight Zone.

Trapper, John MD - "Trapper John" from M*A*S*H in as the Chief of Surgery at San Franscico Memorial Hospital. But I remember one character specifically: Gonzo. He lived in an RV in the parking lot.

M*A*S*H* - ‘nuf said.

The Muppet Show - Ah, the good ‘ol days when you can have puppets on primetime TV. I still can’t get enough, and watch the old DVDs with my kids.

Kate & Allie - It’s a show where the premise is so stupid, that you can’t help but watch. Two divorced mothers move in together, and the two moms and various kids have to get along.

Six Feet Under – Only gone for a year or so, but I already miss it. Not only did they end the show, but they show each main character’s death. I guess that takes care of that!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Tuesday, October 03, 2006

Of Amish, Robots, and Dry Clothes

I am extremely sad to hear about the Amish girls that were killed yesterday. I have always admired the Amish and their devotion to their beliefs. Living in an area where there are some Amish and Mennonite families, I have come into contact with them on occasion. We make trips to an Amish store where we get wonderful baked goods and non-perishable cooking supplies. We have purchased building supplies for our home at a quality and price that far beats the home improvement superstores.

Of course, the Amish don’t have a website where you can get the latest information about them. But other people have done it for them: http://www.oacountry.com/Amish-Etiquette.htm

My son has been obsessed by robots. He spends much of his free time designing and drawing robots that do various things. A pastime that I heartily encourage.

My son had his notebook of robot drawings with him at the Laundromat when an Amish family came in to dry some clothes. First I was shocked that they would be there, but I figured that even though they don’t like electricity and modern conveniences at home, they probably utilize them elsewhere. Besides, it was raining really hard, and I’m sure they couldn’t get clothes dry by hanging them outside!. There were several boys about my son’s age, and a couple of young girls. I’m never quite sure how to approach the Amish, so I just smile and stay to myself. But my son, who is never shy, was glad to have some potential playmates. I didn’t stop him when he approached the Amish boys and asked if they wanted to see his robot drawings.

I watched in amusement as my son started explaining the different robots to these boys, who had no idea what a robot was. After a few minutes, he had gone thorough his drawings and was trying to get the boys to give him new ideas for robots. They just laughed. “You know, like in ‘Star Wars!’” he said, obviously becoming frustrated. I didn’t stop him. I just smiled and kept folding clothes. The other boys didn’t say a thing except to introduce themselves.

My 19-month-old daughter went right to a young Amish girl, who immediately picked her up. They were both content for a long time, so I was happy. I know that if there is the best babysitter in the world, it would have to be a young Amish woman. How wonderful and peaceful they are.

In the car ride home, I had to explain to my son why the other boys didn’t help him with his robot designs. That they don’t know a lot about electricity, they especially don’t know much about computers, and that the idea of a robot is completely new to them. That they are peaceful people that prefer to live away from the hustle and bustle of modern life.

I can’t believe that there is a soul in the world that would have a grudge against the Amish. But I guess no one is immune to the horrors that plague the world.

Thursday, September 28, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #28

The Red is a fiery red-head that seems to draw a lot of attention. So whenever we go out, interesting things happen! This week, we were out-of-town for a conference and were staying at a hotel. We would walk to dinner or to a local bar.

13 Things, Good and Bad, About Going Out and Drinking With Aimee the Red:

Good: Some guy on a motorcycle actually pulled over to talk to us. He was a little creepy, so I was trying to nicely get rid of him.

Bad: The Red let it slip where we were going to eat and Creepy Motorcycle Guy actually found us and joined us for a while.

Good: We watched Monday Night Football at a bar with a bunch of IT guys from Atlanta.

Bad: The New Orleans Saints beat the heck out of the Atlanta Falcons, so the IT guys were upset.

Bad: A guy propositioned The Red by asking, “So, how much do you cost?” The Red was really pissed off at him.

Good or Bad: I didn’t get a chance to see him, or he would have had me to deal with.

Good: The guy at the hotel bar that was going to Vet School. He was really cool and loved animals. Good luck at Ohio State!

Good: The retired dentist from Texas that was at the hotel to help a friend run a Transformers tradeshow. http://www.botcon.com/ My son loves the Transformers.

Bad: Transformers Dude couldn’t (or wouldn’t) give me any loot to take home to my son.

Bad: Transformers Dude left the bar without paying his tab. We’ll just have to send Optimus Prime after him.

Good: The Red kept buying me more drinks.

Bad: I drank too much and was up half the night throwing up.

Bad: We had to get up at 6:15 am to get ready for the conference and be down there by 7:30 am. I was pretty hungover all day.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #27

Since moving out to the “Sticks” where we can’t get any TV, I have become best friends with my video iPod and iTunes. Especially with Podcasts and Video Podcasts. These allow me to subscribe to and download shows that I like, so that I can listen or watch them whenever I want.

Mainly, we listen to shows on the radio when going to school or home in the evening. But there are a few video podcasts that we can watch at home. I also listen to a few more “adult” podcasts at work or when I’m doing dishes.

Here is a list of my 13 Favorite Podcasts:

Crazy Dave’s Kid Show – A kids call-in radio show from Des Moines, Iowa. My son called in once, and we had a great time!

Dantastic You Dos – A new, short, video podcast with ideas on crafts that parents and kids can make at home. It features Crazy Dave, so that’s why we love it!

Kids Music: Spare the Rock, Spoil the Child – Another kid radio show that plays kid-friendly music. They always play They Might be Giants, if that gives you any indication about what kinds of music they play. I’ve also become hooked to a kids version of “Jungle Boogie.”

National Geographic Video Shorts – Video Podcast – Great shorts about all kinds of different things, from a tribe that hunts and eats rats to a Shaman in Paraguay, my kids love this show.

Never Not Funny – Jimmy Pardo’s “PardCast” – Adult conversations with comics and TV personalities, it’s an interesting glimpse into the life of comedians.

NPR: Wait Wait . . . Don’t Tell Me! - This is the extremely funny NPR call-in game show about current events and news. Since I can’t always catch this show when it’s live on the radio, the Podcast is great to listen to when I get a chance.

Penn Radio Podcast – Penn Jillette, the tall, loud one from the Penn & Teller duo, has a daily 1-hour radio show. I love him, his humor, and his topics. Especially Monkey Tuesday, when people call in to tell stories about monkeys.

Smelly Monkeys – A podcast created by a father and his 8-year-old twin sons. My family likes to listen to their antics. They try to stick to a format, but usually end up just being silly, like boys do.

Wild Chronicles – Another National Geographic video Podcast. This focuses on animals. Who doesn’t like to learn about animals?

PotterCast - A Harry Potter podcast with news and discussion about the Harry Potter books, fandom, and wizarding world. Since my son and I are big fans of Harry Potter, we enjoy this podcast and their advance theories about what the books are really trying to say.

Real Time with Bill Maher – An audio version of Bill’s HBO show. Each show features an opening monologue, roundtable discussions with politically incorrect muse Bill Maher and a guest forum, plus segments with other special guests.

NOW PBS – Segments from the PBS show Now that feature information about today’s most important issues. Plus, David Brancaccio has such a nice voice.

NPR: Satire from The Unger Report - Communiques from the edge of America by humorist Brian Unger of NPR's "Day-to-Day." Humorist Brian Unger ponders the government's response to two of the day's most pressing issues: defining torture and banning spinach

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The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Avast! It's Talk Like A Pirate Day!

Friday, September 15, 2006

Goodbye WOXY

Two years ago, my favorite radio station, WOXY, went off the airwaves and became an internet-only radio station. The station, formerly 97.7 on the dial in the Cincinnati/Oxford Ohio area, was a refreshing change from the cookie-cutter Pop radio stations that we are all familiar with. Especially today, when just about every radio-listening area has a few of the Clear Channel template stations running. For example, the MIX format that plays a variety of music. I counted about 30 of those stations throughout the United States.

WOXY was The Future of Rock and Roll.
I can at least take solace in the fact that the radio station is immortalized in the Academy Award-winning movie, Rainman when Dustin Hoffman's character kept repeating the station's slogan:

"97X Bam! The Future of Rock N Roll".

I hope the future of rock-n-roll is not going the way of corporate-controlled franchises and that every city will not have completely homogenized radiowaves. Already every main street in every city looks the same, with Outback Steakhouses, Applebees, and McDonalds on every corner. I hope that music does not become homogenized.

I'm listening to the last few hours of WOXY's life. And, just as I’m typing this, one of my favorite songs, Radiohead’s “How to Disappear Completely,” is playing. I don’t know if I’ll ever hear this on a radio station again. How ironic.

http://www.woxy.com/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WOXY_(internet_radio)

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #26

Just to be weird, I thought I'd list my

13 Favorite Palindromes.

In case you don't know, a palindrome is something that is the same forwards and backwards. The word OTTO is one. But in this case, I like phrases that are spelled the same forwards and backwards. Yes, most of these are in the weird Al Yankovic song, "Bob."

Ah, Satan sees Natasha.
A dog, a panic, in a pagoda!
I prefer Pi.
Redrum, sir, is murder.
Was it a cat I saw?
UFO tofu
Madam, I'm Adam
Rise to vote, sir
Oh no! Don Ho!
A Man, A Plan, A Canal: Panama
Go hang a salami; I'm a lasagna hog!
Do geese see God?
May a moody baby doom a yam?

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
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Monday, September 11, 2006

9/11 Tribute: For Peter Gyulavary

REBUILD

In memory of Peter Mark Gyulavary, 44, victim of the September 11th attacks.

A little over a year ago, me and my family moved out to a rundown house in the forest, far from the city that we had grown used to. The house wasn’t livable, at first, and needed massive work. But we were determined to make it our home—and a nice home—because we wanted to rebuild our life in an area that is safe. Or at the very least, safer.

You see, in 2001, two things happened to make me and my husband re-think how we were living, where we were living, and how we would want our children to grow up. The first was the April riots in Cincinnati, Ohio following the fatal shooting of a 19-year-old black male, Timothy Thomas, by a white police officer. The second was September 11th. Both events shook us, shook our foundation. We decided, at that time, that we would find a way to escape the urban violence. To rebuild somewhere else.

Don’t get me wrong, we understand the lure of the big city. How the city hums with activity and thought, and you can get coffee or beer late at night and hear jazz playing on the corner.

Peter Mark Gyulavary understood this too. Peter grew up in Geelong, Victoria, Australia and moved to New York City and married an American wife. According to Paul, Peter’s twin brother, Peter always described New York as a place of extremes. I understand what he was saying. If you’ve ever visited New York, you’d know too. That is perhaps what lured Peter to make his home there.

Peter wasn’t content to just make his home in New York, he wanted to rebuild—to make homes better. Peter and his wife, Jane, restored a Victorian house in Warwick, NY. In order to be closer to the city, they purchased a condominium in Weehawken, N.J., and Peter began refurbishing an apartment in Manhattan.

Peter worked on many building and rebuilding projects in the public sector as well. His curriculum vitae is impressive. Peter’s final position as environmental engineer for Washington Group International had him working on light rail projects. He worked from the South Tower of the World Trade Center.

Peter was working on a big project on the morning of September 11, 2001. When a plane hit the North tower, he, like so many other people, started to evacuate the building. He even called his wife. But he was sure that he was safe. He went back to work, even when his wife told him to leave.

He was last seen on the 78th floor minutes before the south tower of the World Trade Center collapsed.

His body was recovered in the wreckage of the buildings, and is now buried in Warwick, NY. His twin brother, Paul, was in attendance.

There are many things we can do to remember Peter: We can eat at Outback Steakhouse and drink Fosters beer. We can wear yellow and gold in honor of his homeland. We can walk and do things backward in order to “put the evil behind us,” as his brother puts it. We can point to Australia on the map and say “That’s were Peter was from.”

But I don’t think that would be quite right. Peter liked America. He had rebuilt his life here. I think, in honor of Peter Mark Gyulavary, we should revel in our American culture and spirit.

When I get home from work on September 11th 2006, five years after the tragic event that took Peter’s life, I will drink Pete’s Wicked Ale, read Psalm 91, and listen to Bob Dylan’s song, “Forever Young”. And I’ll continue to rebuild our Creekistan home, and I will teach my children that although terrible things happen, we need to look forward to the future and rebuild.

Peter worked on the 91st floor of the South Tower. Psalm 91 is especially symbolic

The Bob Dylan song, “Forever Young” was dedicated to Peter at his memorial service.

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Thursday, September 07, 2006

Thursday Thirteen #25

13 Things I Like About Myself

I have an eclectic sense of humor.

I’m pretty easy going. Not too much stresses me. I usually have the attitude that as long as no one is dieing or will die, it’s probably okay. For example, being late to a party isn’t a matter of life-or-death.

I love kids and kids love me. Perhaps it’s because I haven’t forgotten what it’s like. My daughter’s daycare class all huddle around me when I arrive because they want to see my “bubble”—a small level I have on my keychain. I spend at least 5 minutes every morning showing it to them. Plus, my 10-year-old goddaughter wants to have me at all her sleepovers—her friends said that Aunt Amy is really cool!

Whenever I ask someone to guess my age, they usually say 27. I’m not 27 anymore!

I’m a tomboy—I don’t fit the traditional “girl” mold. I like sci-fi and computers. I like to put Lego kits together and can fix things.

Although I’m overweight, I don’t let it stop me from buying sexy lingerie. But it is harder to find.

I love to introduce people to new things—to get them out of their “sphere of comfort.” I usually insist people try Indian food at least once. I also tell people that Sushi doesn’t mean “raw fish,” and although a lot of sushi has fish, there are vegetarian options as well.

I can play many musical instruments, but not at a professional level. I can usually figure out a new instrument within a few minutes.

I enjoy diversity and am sensitive to other people’s believes and traditions. I will hang out with anyone.

I love animals and appreciate what they bring to our lives. I swear that sometimes they communicate with me. Okay, call me crazy, but who do the work dogs come to when they want to go out? Me!

I am not easily offended—which makes it really nice when I’m in mixed company. I can enjoy all the jokes—even the dirty ones!

I love to learn new things. It never hurts to know things.

I like to break routines and try new things. I don’t go the same way home everyday, and I don’t eat the same things all the time.