A Day in the Life of Jetty

Just Spring Already, Spring!

2012-02-18T15:36:00.000-05:00

So two of the four limes fell off of the tree. I'm hoping that it's due to the weather being so inconsistent, and that it will bounce back as Spring is almost here. We picked up sticks in the yard today and were going to burn the leaves in the garden but ran out of time. It's supposed to pour tonight and tomorrow, so it looks like the pyromania will have to wait until next weekend. The weather today has been outstanding! I can't wait until it's warm for good and I can get back out in nature again!

Progress

2012-01-27T19:34:00.000-05:00

The flower petals on the lime tree fell off and now we've got some tiny baby limes growing! We got some plant food at Southern States last weekend, and just the tiny bit of it I applied has really helped the lime tree grow.

The third lime beginning to grow, and the fourth lime has yet to bloom in this picture.

These are the same two limes. The flower opened on the left and the long stem on the other lime fell off.

Life in General

2012-01-27T19:27:00.000-05:00

I haven't posted in a while, I've been really busy with school and life in general. I started working out again and between that and school I haven't had much time to post. Things are moving along swiftly this semester. I've got my first test this weekend for my Sociology class. It's an online test and I get two attempts, but sometimes when something seems so easy it messes me up. I will be studying for it this weekend, and of course reading and writing for all of my other classes. I've been getting a little bit stressed lately, but that's to be expected. Most of it is due to the ignorance of people around me. I can't believe some of the crap I witness in class. How can you bitch about having to write a paper?! IT'S COLLEGE!!! I'm just trying to keep my eye on the prize, do the work, and move on to bigger and better things.

In Bloom

2012-01-13T17:31:00.003-05:00

I came home from school today and out of the corner of my eye noticed something different with the lime tree. While I was gone this morning the first flower bloomed. Pretty amazing stuff!

It was nice to see such a pretty thing, because on my way home from school I saw a poor little dog get hit by a car doing about 80 mph. Instead of slowing down and changing lanes when the dog ran into the road, the lady sped up and plowed right into it. I think I'm going to be traumatized by the sight of it for some time. I've seen plenty of animals dead in the road, but never actually witnessed their demise. It was sad.

Limey

2012-01-11T19:38:00.002-05:00

I've been back in school for three days now, though it's felt more like three weeks. I can already tell that taking five classes is going to be much more work than four, but I'm up for it. As long as I stay on top of things and get ahead rather than behind I'll be fine. I'm taking three communication classes, sociology, and an advanced film study class. What's funny is that all of the material is meshing together. The first chapter in my intercultural communication class is of course on culture, which we discussed today in my sociology class. There was a section in the same chapter on ethnography, and next Tuesday we're going to watch "Nanook of the North" in my film class.

Anyway, as I was heading out the door the other day I noticed that our lime tree has started to bloom. I brought it indoors a couple of weeks ago when it got cold. We purchased it two years ago, and the guy who ran the nursery said we would have limes within a year. He moved back to Florida and I was starting to think we may have been sold a lemon (not literally of course). I'm looking forward to some limes this summer!

Available

2012-01-05T16:32:00.002-05:00

I was listening to Ash's "Intergalactic Sonic 7"s" and thinking about how easy kids growing up now have it with music. I listened to a lot of bands whose albums you couldn't find by going to the mall and finding at Camelot. I had to go downtown to Tower Records (which I think are closed now, I know the one in Atlanta closed years ago) and hope that they had what I wanted. The Ash album made me think of it because it was always difficult to find their stuff. Now kids can just download whatever they want online. This is something I take advantage of now, too, but it's sad what people listen to when so much different and awesome music is available at the click of a mouse. Just another random thought.

Kick Out the Jams (Literally)

2012-01-04T14:18:00.002-05:00

We got back from Atlanta on Monday and had a blast with family. I can't believe how big Isabelle is getting! She's so much smarter than other kids her age, and I'm not just saying that because I'm her aunt. Tristan is on the verge of walking, but is being stubborn like his sister was. We had a blast, though, and got a chance to visit Noah's Ark, Little 5, and downtown while we were there.

When we got home Christmas continued since Santa was a little bit late on a couple of my presents. I was really stoked to find the Pearl Jam vans I'd been wanting really bad.

The holidays were great, and as always I love getting back to Georgia and seeing my family. This last year has been pretty spectacular, but here's to this one being even better! Oh, and a Super Bowl ring for the Falcons would be nice, too.

Instant Street

2011-12-28T19:42:00.000-05:00

Christmas was good. I guess you could say it's still going on in a way. We tend to drag out the holidays since our relatives are spread out all over the place. I can't believe I'll be back in school in less than two weeks. I have to say that the break has seemed longer than it really has been. My break between summer and fall flew by, but this one is lasting. Anyway, I got "The Ideal Crash" by dEUS for Christmas and have been listening to it today. For some reason it wasn't on iTunes, and I just never got around to buying it from Amazon. They're an awesome band out of Belgium, so maybe that's why their stuff is so hard to find. It's a really great album and every song is worth a listen. The following has to be my favorite, though.

Craving Gyoza

2011-12-23T15:21:00.000-05:00

We're going to look at Christmas lights tonight, and going out to eat with Barry's mom. I was thinking about eating Mexican, but all day I've been craving gyoza for some reason. Maybe it's got something to do with the gyoza recipe that's been on our fridge for probably a year now. I really want to make it, and I'm not sure when I'll have the time to do it, but I really am going to finally cook it. I was unsure of how exactly to seal the gyoza, but this video has helped me realize just how to do it. If I can get the recipe down pat I'll be stoked!

I'm Dreaming of a Wet Christmas

2011-12-22T15:45:00.002-05:00

It's been raining for the past couple of hours, yet it's still warm enough to wear shorts outside. So much for a white Christmas!

Traditional

2011-12-20T08:08:00.001-05:00

It's getting down to crunch time with Christmas shopping. I can cheat some with my mom, sister, niece, and nephew since I won't be seeing them before Christmas, but I can't with my husband. I feel pretty good this year about actually getting him what I know he wants. I don't know why we didn't use Amazon lists before. Unfortunately that also means there's the potential for cheating and seeing what has been purchased. I've found myself tempted, but have resisted the urge to peek. We're going to the in-laws Thursday for an early Christmas dinner, and we're taking my mother-in-law out Friday to look at lights. Slowly but surely the Christmas spirit is creeping in. We're also taking my mother-in-law to the movies on Christmas day. It's a German family tradition that I've been trying to keep. We always went to the movies on Christmas day, and one year we even saw two films. It's good to keep traditions going.

Teddy

2011-12-16T16:55:00.001-05:00

I accomplished some Christmas shopping today, all from the comfort of my own home. The internet is your friend. Teddy the porcupine has a new video up, and I never knew that porcupines are so cute! Then again it could just be Teddy. I'm sure if I ran across one in the wild it wouldn't seem so cute.

Everything Changes Eventually & I Will Someday, Too

2011-12-14T20:12:00.000-05:00

I was just looking back at some of my first posts and adding photos that were deleted thanks to the whole blogger draft photos folder incident. I'm still kind of mad about that, but I'll get them all back in time. I wish everyone else still blogged. Everyone still keeps in touch now on facebook, and of course I married Barry, but all of the old skool blogger people don't write anymore. I don't think that facebook is an acceptable outlet. Well, I don't mean acceptable, but I don't think that it's enough. Not for me anyway. I still need this to get thoughts out into the universe and just write whatever. I am glad that Berndog has started blogging again with his new blog, and hopefully more people will get back into it. Guess I could always venture out and start reading some new blogs, but I really liked the old blogger gang. Oh well. I guess everything changes eventually, and I will someday, too. So I'll leave you with one of my favorite songs by Leonard Cohen. It was in my head for much of the day. I don't know why, but of course I didn't mind.

108

2011-12-13T17:42:00.002-05:00

Just one more day of classes on Thursday. I completed my final exam for my history class last night, which took me about eight hours. I got a 108 on it so I'm pretty happy! Anyway, I've been listening to The Crimea's "Secrets of the Witching Hour" lately and this is one of my favorite songs on it. I really wish they made more music!

Inordinate World

2011-12-12T12:31:00.000-05:00

It's the last week of the semester and I'm struggling to find some motivation to finish my final history exam today. I'm the queen of procrastinating but am trying to change that. This month is flying by and I've not even started my Christmas shopping with less than two weeks left. Anyway, I heard Duran Duran's "Ordinary World" today and it brought me back to my teenage youth. I've never been a big Duran Duran fan but I loved that song when it came out, and it's one of those tunes that can take me back in an instant. We went to DC this past weekend and my dad was asking me if I remembered our two dogs that would try to dig under the patio and out of the fence. Of course I did, they were Sprocket and Teddy. We had to get rid of Teddy because he ate the wires to the air conditioning unit, but Sprocket made the trip with us to Japan before he bit a kid who threw a can at him and had to be sent back to the states. So I said that I did, and he remarked that I am the age that he was when we lived in that house with Sprocket and Teddy. That totally blew my mind! I always pictured my parents as much older than they really were, and now I'm as old as they were when I was eight. Time flies!

Spiritless

2011-12-07T15:43:00.001-05:00

This semester is winding down at a rapid pace. I'm almost finished with my math class, and will take my final exam either tomorrow or Tuesday. Next week is the last week, and Thursday will be my last day of actual classes. I'm so ready for a break! Christmas is only weeks away and I've not bought one present. I'm really starting to stress about that, but I've got enough on my plate right now. I was in my car today and was listening to 1st Wave on XM when Band Aid came on. It was the first tinge of Christmas spirit I've really felt so far this year. I put the tree up a few days later than usual this year, and didn't play the usual John Lennon Collection album I always do while decorating the tree. We even went to the Festival of Lights in downtown Greensboro last Friday night and it didn't really do anything for me. Maybe it will kick in soon. Until then-

Priest!

2011-11-29T20:17:00.001-05:00

We went to the Judas Priest concert Sunday night which rocked! The two opening bands were Thin Lizzy and Black Label Society. I didn't care for the Thin Lizzy show. I thought it sounded bad, the vocals particularly, and Barry was upset that he actually witnessed it since he saw them back in the early 80's. Black Label Society was really good, and I was surprised to see that a large majority of the crowd was wearing their shirts and seemed to really be there for them. I hadn't really heard much about them, but their music sounded tight so I'm going to have to check their stuff out. Judas Priest was amazing, and Halford can still hit every note perfectly. The entire show was about four and a half hours, with Priest playing for two and a half. I didn't mind getting home after midnight and still having some hearing issues. It was worth it. After all, how many more times is Judas Priest really going to come through North Carolina again?

Thin Lizzy

Black Label Society

Judas Priest

Lasers

Final bow after an encore performance of "Living After Midnight"

Thanks

2011-11-23T16:23:00.001-05:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and we're heading to Durham to have our meal with Barry's parents. I'm looking forward to some turkey, and am going to have to take home a doggy bag for Angel. The weather here has been crazy lately. It's been in the 70's and warm enough for shorts, so I wore shorts to go get my weekly burrito from Barberitos. I was pretty shocked when I went outside a few hours later to bring in the trashcan and found that because of the massive arctic winds blowing out there it's freezing! Poor Angel was literally blown over while trying to do her business.

Anyway, here is the electric version with the entire band for the Crimea song I posted yesterday. That tune was in my head for hours. I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving. I've got a lot to be thankful for sure.

The Psychologist

2011-11-22T18:28:00.001-05:00

I got the classes I wanted and needed for the spring semester. I can't believe the fall semester is nearly over! I don't know where the time went these past few months. A guy in my class today told me he was majoring in psychology and then I saw a Crimea video posted for "Baby Boom" on facebook when I got home. I checked it out on youtube, and "I am the Psychologist" was in the sidebar. I hadn't heard it before and really dig it! Some of the craziest people I've ever known are psychologists, but they don't know how to make me laugh.

6-4

2011-11-20T20:01:00.001-05:00

The Falcons improved to 6-4 today with a win over the Titans in the Georgia Dome. They play the Vikings next Sunday at home before heading to Houston the following week. If we keep winning we should be good for the playoffs, but they gave me a good scare today by letting Tennessee score 14 unanswered points to come within 6 near the end of the 4th quarter. A win is a win, though!

Numbers

2011-11-19T07:54:00.001-05:00

I've been pretty stressed with school this week, well with math in particular. For the past four or five nights I've incorporated quadratic equations into my dreams. No matter what I'm dreaming about, I seem to find a way. I'm ready for this semester to be over, and since I've got four classes that are only offered in the spring, and none of which are math, I'll use Sociology for my fifth course and get a break from numbers at least until the summer.

PJ

2011-11-09T09:20:00.002-05:00

I haven't posted in a while, though things are going well with school and everything. Getting ready for the holidays and everything associated with them. Most of all I'll be ready for a break from school! This semester has flown by pretty fast and I've only got about five weeks left. Oh, I finally watched the Pearl Jam American Masters documentary by Cameron Crowe. If you're a fan it's a must-see!

Another Game Slips Away

2011-10-10T19:57:00.002-04:00

Last night's game was painful to watch. It started out really promising with the Falcons looking like the team of last year. We were up 14-0 in the first quarter, but sadly we never scored again and allowed the Packers to score 25 unanswered points. I don't know what's going on with my team, if it's because of a short training camp, or if we spent too much to get one player, or if we need to fire Mularkey and Van Gorder. We have to start playing the entire game, not just the first half. I do know that if we lose next week against the Panthers many people will be in panic mode, but I'll just resort to pre-Matty Ice mode. I've been through worse than this!

One thing that needs to change is the fan base at the dome. I think some of that has to do with the people in charge of music and entertainment. The past few times that I've been it's been kind of lame. When I had season tickets they would start out playing "Hell's Bells" by ACDC and the actual falcon would fly around the dome. When you heard those bells chiming you knew it was getting started. People got amped and the crowd was really into it. Individual players were announced as fireworks went off for each of the starters, and now they just send the entire team out at once. There weren't all of the late fans who don't even fill the place until halfway through the first quarter. Last night was embarrassing as the dome started emptying before the game was even out of reach. A lot needs to change, but the team also needs to play better. Rise Up!

Another Year Gone By

2011-10-07T15:37:00.001-04:00

Today is my birthday, which isn't really a big deal anymore. I don't know at what age it stopped being a big deal, probably 21, but it seems like just another day every year. One of my favorite birthdays was when I turned 10 and my family and a friend of mine all went to Six Flags in Georgia. I remember it started raining and they shut down most of the rides for a while. The Mine Train was still running and since most of the people in the park left we got to ride it over and over and over and over...etc. I remember each time it stopped we jumped out and raced through the winding line to get back on in time for the next ride. We got soaked but had such a blast! Birthdays kind of bum me out now as I already freak out about getting old fast. Anyway, I had my birthday dinner last night at US Sushi since we've got a lot going on this weekend with a football game tonight, tomorrow night, and Sunday night. I'm supposed to be getting a new tattoo on Tuesday, so that will be cool.

Get Used to It

2011-09-27T17:18:00.000-04:00

The Falcons aren't doing so hot right now, but I have faith in them and believe that they'll turn it around this Sunday. It's a short week for me, so I'm trying to get all of my schoolwork done by Friday. This means that tomorrow I've got to knock out another History paper, do some math homework, and study for my Communication test that's Thursday. More on that later I suppose. Here's a new track from Ben Lee's upcoming album, "Deeper Into Dream", which will be released October 11. Great tune!

Paul Bunyan

2011-09-23T10:18:00.001-04:00

I've not been posting very much lately, I know. Things have just been crazy as usual. My school work has me studying constantly, it's football season, and the whole trip to Illinois was another thing. On our way to Decatur we pulled over in a town in West Virginia because we were out of gas. As we drove to the petrol station we noticed what looked like a nuclear plant. I'd never seen one before, and it was like The Simpsons. We tried to get closer to get a picture but it was too far from the highway. We ended up pulling over at a Southern States and found one of the Paul Bunyan statues. This one had Babe the blue ox as well. There are a few websites that detail these statues, and they're scattered throughout the states. There's one at Bill's Truck Stop in Lexington, NC that we pass on our way to Atlanta. Next time we go we'll have to pull over and take a pic. The guy at Southern States told us he's had the statue for ten years or so, and that he got it from a truck stop that had closed just off of the interstate. He also said that it was a coal power plant, and not nuclear. I think he got a kick out of it, because he laughed and said, "You're in West Virginia, that's coal!"

Salute

2011-09-21T15:37:00.002-04:00

We returned home last night from a sad trip to Illinois. My grandfather died last Wednesday and the funeral was Monday. While it was wonderful seeing family I'd not seen in years, I'd rather have not seen any of them if it meant I'd still have time with my grandpa. He was in a lot of pain this past year so it would be selfish to keep him here with us. That doesn't make it hurt any less, though eventually the pain will subside some. My grandpa was an amazing man and he touched so many lives. Having served in World War II he was given a military funeral. I'd never been to one in person. They played Taps and fired their weapons. My cousin Chad picked up the spent casings and gave one to each of the cousins. I plan on turning mine into a necklace. Since we had such a great time last year at the family reunion golfing, my uncle Larry wanted me to have Grandpa's favorite set of golf clubs. Maybe I'll take up golf.

Meeting Grandpa for the first time in Japan

Do Over

2011-09-06T18:44:00.000-04:00

Today was one of those days which I should have stayed in bed. I didn't sleep well at all because of my allergies, and then the allergy medicine kept me awake for even longer. I managed to get a few hours of sleep, but then the whole day I was dragging. The monsoon like rains didn't help, and they surely didn't help the roof of the scion which started leaking because of the waterfall I drove home in for almost an hour. I'm getting a headache just thinking about it. Actually I've had the headache for the entire day. I'm sure tomorrow will be better.

Old Skool

2011-08-27T10:22:00.000-04:00

Irene isn't bringing much here but rain and clouds. Would be a good day to go back to bed, but we're heading into town in a bit to run some errands and check out a new video games store that specializes in old skool games. We were at Ed McKay's last weekend and I was looking through their NES and Atari games reminiscing about the good old days. I wonder if my grandma still has the Atari. Speaking of my grandma, she turns 81 tomorrow! Unfortunately Grandpa is back in the hospital, but we're hoping they'll let him out for the day to be with Grandma for her birthday party.

I'm watching the WPS final this afternoon which is Flash v. Independence, and I'll be rooting for Independence. I'm sorry, but I can't bring myself to root for any team with Marta on it. Flash is considered the favorite, but we'll see what happens. I'm a magicJack fan, so it doesn't really matter to me. Oh, and of course tonight the Falcons play the Steelers. Rise Up! I was listening to the Manics yesterday and have had this song stuck in my head off and on ever since. Enjoy!

Have Your Cake And Wear It, Too!

2011-08-22T10:32:00.001-04:00

Tristan had his birthday party yesterday, and though I couldn't attend, I got to see the great pictures. I can't believe how big both babies are getting! Wish I could have been there! It's amazing how much he looks like my sister did in her baby pictures.

Belle and Tristan having cake

Brandi had to take Tristan straight to the tub!

Worn out from a fun day!

August 16

2011-08-16T16:54:00.000-04:00

I never really realized how many things have happened on August 16. Not just in my life, but monumental occurrences for several people. My nephew was born a year ago today, my grandfather died twenty-four years ago today, I started back in college a year ago today, and of course Elvis died thirty-four years ago today. Sean Penn and Madonna were married on August 16 and Madonna was also born on that day. Paul Simon and Carrie Fisher also tied the knot on August 16. Strange how so many people have important events tied to this day.

Looking Good!

2011-08-13T10:19:00.002-04:00

Guess I fed my own superstitious ways yesterday by posting on game day. We ended up losing to the Dolphins 28-23, but our starters went up 17-0 before the second and third string stepped in during the first quarter. I was really impressed by Julio Jones, and both Abraham and Grimes got interceptions in that first quarter. I'm looking forward to more playing time by our starters against Jacksonville on Friday, and some of the weaker players to be cut.

Game Day

2011-08-12T16:58:00.001-04:00

So tonight is the first preseason game for the Falcons. We play Miami and it should be a good game. Of course with it being just the preseason, the starters will probably just play for half a quarter at best. This is why I've always been a fan of extending the regular season. You pay a full ticket price to go to a preseason game, but you see players that probably won't even make the cut and be on the final team. Oh well, football is back! I'm normally extremely superstitious about posting on game day. I won't post on facebook or twitter, because every time that I do we lose. I know it's silly, but it seems to be true. I'm sure it's just my O.C.D. shining through, but when we played the Packers in the postseason I made a comment on someone's post, and that game went horribly wrong. With that being said, it is just the preseason and this game doesn't technically matter. I do want a W of course, and I'm anxious to see how our new players perform. It's going to be a great season!

Dare

2011-08-12T16:28:00.000-04:00

I've been using the genius feature on my iPod while working out lately. It seems to group together just what I like, and that's saying a lot. Genius takes songs from your library and finds similar songs, or music that is of the same genre. With some 12,000 songs in my library, I can't say that I love all of the music on my iPod. What's funny is that today I did a genius playlist using "Dare" by Gorillaz and it synched a playlist which included Oasis. Of course Damon Albarn is in Gorillaz and had beef back in the day with Oasis, so I thought it was amusing. The playlist also had Arctic Monkeys, Muse, The White Stripes, and Snow Patrol. Anyway, every now and then a genius playlist will be good enough to save, and that one was. One of my favorites would have to be the one generated by Eddie Vedder's "Rise" off the "Into the Wild" soundtrack. I'll include that playlist so you can see what I'm talking about. It's a really cool feature.

"Rise" Eddie Vedder
"Two" Ryan Adams
"In The Colors" Ben Harper & The Innocent Criminals
"Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town" Pearl Jam
"Phantom Limb" The Shins
"Turpentine" Brandi Carlile
"Shadowplay" The Killers
"Fake Plastic Trees" Radiohead
"Come Pick Me Up" Ryan Adams
"Shelter From The Storm" Bob Dylan
"Wolf Like Me" TV On The Radio
"Well Thought Out Twinkles" Silversun Pickups
"Given To Fly" Pearl Jam
"Caring Is Creepy" The Shins
"Society" Eddie Vedder
"Lover, You Should Have Come Over" Jeff Buckley
"Everybody Knows" Ryan Adams
"Rebellion (Lies)" The Arcade Fire
"Chocolate" Snow Patrol
"Something Good This Way Comes" Jakob Dylan
"The Wrestler" Bruce Springsteen
"Running To Stand Still" U2
"Romeo And Juliet" The Killers
"The Times They Are A-Changin'" Bob Dylan
"Nothingman" Pearl Jam

Relief

2011-08-10T16:43:00.001-04:00

Just got good news that my grandfather is doing well after being admitted to the hospital for congestive heart failure a few days ago. My dad says it seems to be one of his routine maintenance visits. Situations like this make you appreciate your loved ones, and just how little time we truly have!

Guns N' Poses

2011-08-08T20:58:00.000-04:00

We ended up going to that flea market on Sunday, and I'm glad that we did. There is a really cool vendor there who has an unbelievable record collection. I'm talking vintage stuff from the 70's and 80's that is extremely difficult to find. The only problem is that we don't currently have a turn table, so that's next on the agenda. We've still got the jukebox that plays 45's, but both of us have lost our record players along the way. Barry got the Hanoi Rocks album, "Two Steps from the Move". I wasn't really familiar with the band, but he was back in the day before Guns N' Roses. He's been educating me some about them even before last weekend. Without Hanoi Rocks and Michael Monroe, there would be no Guns N' Roses. If you listen to it and look at Michael Monroe and how he moves it's like watching Axl. Don't get me wrong, I'm a huge GN'R fan, I grew up listening to them, but it's cool to see who influenced the band. Music is important to us both, and it was awesome seeing Barry get all nostalgic about bands and finding records that you normally don't see anywhere. They even had the original Lynyrd Skynyrd "Street Survivors" album with the flames. We will definitely be back!

Gardening & Gomi Piles

2011-08-05T19:16:00.000-04:00

I have about two and a half weeks left until the fall semester starts back up and the days are just flying by. I've been catching up on some movies, working in the garden, and doing stuff around the house. The garden is looking fantastic lately, and I've finally got some tomatoes that are turning pink. The Romas are ripening fast, and I've got several that will be ready for consumption by the end of the weekend.

I'm not sure what we're doing this weekend, but we were talking about heading to Cook's Flea Market in Winston-Salem. I haven't been there before, but after checking out their website I learned that it is the biggest flea market in North Carolina. I love flea markets, but I'm hoping it's not one of those lame ones that sells a bunch of garbage. There are several flea markets now that have knock-off junk, and as you walk around you realize that every booth has the same crap. Who knows, maybe it's cool and I'll find some Falcons stuff.

Everything Changes

2011-08-01T19:48:00.002-04:00

I've been slowly putting the pictures that are gone from this blog back. Some are gone forever, but most are somewhere either on my computer, or in a photo album in a social networking site. I'm realizing now that having all of my photos deleted was actually a blessing in disguise. I've been writing this blog for almost three and a half years now, and so much has changed. I started writing it right after a very painful loss, then I met Barry, I left my job of eleven years, moved to North Carolina, started gardening, we got married, traveled all over the place including my favorite trip ever (our honeymoon), my niece and nephew were both born, and I went back to school. Along the way I made a few good friends who no longer blog, but we keep in touch daily on facebook. It's been fun to look back on everything, and see just how much my life has changed and continues to develop. Who knows where I'll be three years from now? Hopefully finished with school, working at a good job, possibly with 1.5 kids, or maybe Barry and I will win the lottery and will be retired on our own island somewhere. You never know!

Rise Up!!!

2011-08-01T16:57:00.001-04:00

It's that time of year again! Now that the lockout is over and players are being traded everywhere, I'm getting excited about my Falcons! The first preseason game against the Dolphins is a week from Friday! I'm still waiting to hear whether or not we keep Brent Grimes and Jason Snelling, but we re-signed Tyson Clabo, Justin Blalock, Eric Weems, John Parker Wilson, and Matt Bryant. I'm really hoping that Grimes and Snelling stay, but we'll see what happens. I'm stoked about Julio Jones and Jacquizz Rodgers! Jones is going to take some pressure off of Roddy White, and Rodgers is going to give Michael Turner some breaks. John Abraham has some serious help with our signing of Ray Edwards from the Vikings. I can't wait to see our defense with each of them on the line! We've already decided that we're getting the Sunday Ticket this year, and I'm super happy to be able to watch every single Falcons game from the comfort of home! It's going to be an awesome season! Rise Up!!!

I Want my Vintage MTV

2011-07-30T11:48:00.001-04:00

If you dug MTV back in the day, and by back in the day I mean when they actually played videos on Music Television, be sure to check out VH1 Classic this weekend. For some reason MTV can't break away from a stupid Jersey Shore marathon to air their own 30th anniversary show. VH1 was lame back in the day, and MTV was cool, so go figure. What does the "M" in MTV stand for now anyway? I'm guessing Moronic. They do actually play videos briefly in the morning, I'm guessing they think that it's an escape clause and nobody who watches MTV will be up yet. I'm not sure you can actually call what they play "music". It's either some degrading rap video that samples music from the 80's or some emo cry-baby video. I would probably pay to just watch a channel that was vintage MTV, like pre-1996. Either way, savor this bit of paradise while it lasts, because you probably won't see how good MTV actually once was for another 30 years.

Creeper

2011-07-27T15:16:00.000-04:00

So it's 95° outside right now and our 87-year-old landlord is out there pulling weeds in her flower bed. It was too hot for me to be out there at 11:30 and now we're talking 3:00. It's insane to be out there in this heat, much less when you're approaching 90. I feel like a creeper. I keep looking out the window to see if she's gone yet, knowing that she'll probably knock on the front door just to let me know that she's working in her flower bed. I can see you out there, believe me. She actually just got some help from one of her brother's workers who is in our front yard eating his lunch right now. I'm a private person, and I don't like people in my space. If you love your flowers so much, don't rent your house out! Some people may think it's mean, but when someone comes walking through your front door while you're sitting on your couch watching tv, we'll see how mean you think it is. Ode to the joy of renting!

Wow!

2011-07-25T13:22:00.003-04:00

I did some work in the garden early this morning, but could only stand a couple of hours. It is so humid outside that I was completely drenched and haven't felt well since. The garden is doing amazingly! There are two eggplants that are about ready with many others flowering, several tomatoes that should start turning red any day now, jalapenos and habaneros that have gone crazy out of nowhere, okra that's almost ready, huge bell peppers, and six inch long chili peppers. Good thing I've not got school for a month!

I'm Back

2011-07-21T18:06:00.001-04:00

So I'm back, I couldn't stay away forever. In my defense, I have been extremely busy with this summer semester coming to an end. I've got a final exam and research paper that I'm just about finished with, and that will be it for a whole month! I'm excited to have a year of school behind me now. It's looking like I may not be able to

graduate and move on in a year, it may take another semester, but I'll see what happens. It is what it is, and all I can do is my best.

Google Plus and a Very Huge Minus!

2011-07-10T10:01:00.002-04:00

So I started using Google+ yesterday, which I'm really happy with. It's so much better than facebook when it comes to pictures and videos. No one else is on it yet, and I like being one of the chosen few. There is one thing I am not happy about, and it concerns this blog. Years of pictures are now gone because there is no backup system in Google regarding pictures you've posted in picassa. If you accidentally delete them, thinking that they'll still be on your blog and that you're just deleting them from your Google+ album, you are wrong and they are gone forever. So I'm pretty upset about that, and don't plan on going back and manually inserting every picture from the past three years into my blog posts, and some photos I no longer even have. They're gone, and it's time for me to let it go. I don't know if I even want to continue with this blog after that, but I'll see.

Sssssscary!

2011-07-08T19:23:00.000-04:00

So we had a bit of a situation Wednesday evening at the house. I was about to go into the kitchen to grab some chicken for the grill when I looked down and saw a huge black snake. I screamed so loud, grabbed my dog, and ran outside without shoes on. Luckily my cell was in my pocket, so I called the neighbor because I saw his van at the house. He wasn't home, so I called Barry. He was still at work. So I waited outside barefoot freaking out and being eaten alive by mosquitoes. When I screamed I must have scared the snake because it was in hiding. The neighbor and Barry finally found it, in my office of all places, and took care of it. Its body was flung into the woods where I snapped this pic. Pretty creepy stuff! Guess that's the price to pay for living in the country.

It Wasn't a Rock...

2011-07-05T19:30:00.001-04:00

I didn't make it to Denton or really do anything that was planned because we were invited to Myrtle Beach, and I can never turn down a trip to the beach! The invitation was given on a pretty short notice. Barry got the call Saturday and we were headed down Sunday. It was only for one night and a day and a half, but we had a blast and both got a little too much sun.

Ready Steady Go!

2011-07-02T08:59:00.000-04:00

I know I've been posting sporadically, but I've been pretty busy with school, the garden, and life in general. We've got a great weekend lined up that should be boss. I'm not trying to lose any fingers, but we did stop by a huge fireworks store in South Carolina on the way home from Georgia Sunday. Tomorrow we're going to Denton for the Old Southeast Threshers Reunion. This is a huge get-together that involves steam powered tractors, bbq, antiques, and bluegrass music. I think we're going to the Fun Fourth in Greensboro on Sunday, but we're watching the fireworks display in Eden that night. Hope everyone has a great holiday and stays safe! Here's a Generation X song I heard last night on 1st Wave and dug.

Where Does it Go?

2011-06-27T15:49:00.000-04:00

We got back from Atlanta yesterday. Saturday we celebrated Isabelle's second birthday with a trip to Noah's Ark and cake and presents. I can't believe how fast those babies are growing up! She's a little person who talks and runs, and it just blows my mind!

It was a good trip, but I returned to a jungle in the garden. This is now the time of year where you pay dearly if you take off a few days from weeding. The mulch idea is working, but the walkway between rows is overrun with grass and weeds. I spent a good two hours in it this morning with the shovel, but since the hoe broke last week we've got to get another one this evening. Everything went wild while we were gone. I'm pretty sure we had some rain, as the tomatoes are about a foot taller with flowers all over them. The okra have started producing, as have the cayenne peppers and cucumbers. It's about to get real!

Anyway, I'll leave you with Ben Lee's "The Debt Collectors" from Awake is the New Sleep. I was listening to it this morning, thinking once again about how time really does fly. I remember being a teenager and listening to him as a teenager (he's a month older than me), and now he's put out seven albums. This is one of my favorite songs by him.

Hammer Time

2011-06-21T17:11:00.000-04:00

I got a lot done in the garden yesterday. I finished staking about a third of the tomato rows, which is not a simple task. It doesn't take long for a four pound hammer to start feeling like forty as you stand on your tiptoes bringing it down repeatedly. I'm going to do some more after dinner tonight, and again in the morning. Everything is coming along nicely!

Hawk

2011-06-19T10:59:00.000-04:00

Here's a better picture of one of the baby hawks. This is the first one that came down from the nest. I think it has already flown away. We named him Harry the Hawk.

The second one to come down has stuck around, and anytime I'm outside in the garden or with Angel it calls out to me. The other morning I was working in my office with the door open and the screen shut when I heard him. I turned around to see him sitting right outside the door! It definitely looks a lot different from Harry, and we named this little guy Potter. He was out on the tree overlooking the pond this morning, sitting in the same spot that Mayor McDuck used to occupy and where the turtles like to sunbathe. I hope he sticks around!

Dad

2011-06-19T10:51:00.000-04:00

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there! I've already called my dad this morning, and it was good to talk with him. We're planning on a trip up there sometime soon, after this summer semester is over. It will be nice to spend time with him and check out the museums of D.C. like we did when I was a child. Time flies by way too fast! Tell your parents and other loved ones how much you love them now, and take the time to see them. We're heading to Durham in a little bit to see Barry's father. Good times!

Rain

2011-06-09T20:11:00.000-04:00

We finally got some rain again today. It stormed for about an hour this afternoon. I was going to work out but Angel was terrified and didn't want to be alone so I hung out with her and finished watching a movie. Tomorrow I'll get a workout in for sure, along with a bunch of school work. I'm hoping the rain we had earlier helps the garden. It's not looking bad, I just wish it would speed up a bit. I'm ready for some tomatoes! Oh, and the facebook tattoo chick was a fake. It was an advertisement for a company that sells facebook related items. Major fail!

Is It 2012 Yet?!

2011-06-08T19:10:00.000-04:00

This brainiac decided to get all of her facebook friends' profile pics tattooed on her arm. Wonder if her other arm is full of her former myspace friends. Will she move on to her legs when facebook eventually falls out of fashion and another social networking site comes along?

There's Always Next Year

2011-06-06T11:45:00.000-04:00

Randleman did lose, and Northeast pulled out a miraculous win in the second game after being down 11-6 late in the game. We hopped in the Scion and headed back out to Raleigh only to watch our boys lose the title game. They had a great year, and we're proud of them! Luckily Randleman won their championship game, and hopefully Barry's cousin will be on the team next year.

Baby hawk making its way through the garden to the woods

I'm not feeling too great today. I read for a couple of hours this morning, but my eyes are giving me trouble with my allergies acting up. I guess I was outside for too long yesterday. We have a huge tree in the middle of our front yard that a baby hawk is nesting in. We looked at it for quite a while yesterday, trying to keep the crows from pecking at it by scaring them with the BB gun. This morning I heard the crows squawking again, and stepped outside to find the baby in the garden. It was limping and attempting to fly as the crows were swooping in and attacking it again. I grabbed the BB gun and tried to help, but it disappeared into the ravine. As I was making my way back to the house I heard the familiar cry of the hungry baby hawk and saw one peeking down at me from up in the nest. I thought I heard two babies yesterday, so it seems that one has left the nest while the other is still up there. Hopefully they'll both survive. We could use the help with snakes this year!

Them's the Breaks

2011-06-04T13:14:00.000-04:00

We went to Raleigh last night to see Northeast Guilford High School's first game in the state championship series. Unfortunately they lost, and it wasn't a pretty last few innings. The Rams were up for most of the game, but had too many errors at the end and were beaten 12-6. I'm hoping they win today when they play at two, and if Randleman loses and Northeast wins we'll head back up there for the game at eight tonight. If the Tigers win then they're state champs for their division, and even if the Rams pull out a victory for the second game, that means they would play back to back and their game would be at five. I'm hoping they win. They haven't done so since the sixties, so that would be awesome. We'll see.

90's

2011-06-01T14:41:00.001-04:00

I'm seeing some progress in the garden since we planted Sunday. Alvin (the farmer who taught Barry how to plant) said to remove the lower limbs of tomato plants and they'll grow faster. I did that the other day, and again today, and I do think that they have grown some. The problem is this weather in the mid-nineties. The roots will have a difficult time taking hold when it's this hot. We've been watering every night, and I'm thinking they'll be alright. We shall see. The peppers are all doing outstanding. I was a bit worried about the habaneros but they look awesome today. We already have a couple of California Wonders growing and a few sweet banana peppers.

California Wonder

Sweet Banana Pepper

Debbie Downer

2011-05-31T21:07:00.000-04:00

I had class this morning and got home around twelve-thirty. After doing some homework I watched one of the most depressing movies I've seen in quite some time. Not as bad as "Steel Magnolias" or "Terms of Endearment", but pretty sad all the same. It was "Never Let Me Go", and it's a great movie, just a bit of a downer. So that put me in a sort of bad mood that stayed with me for a little while. I went to the poultry store, and on the way this song came on. I found it ironic that it was exactly what was on my mind! I had to laugh, and just like that my mood was all good!

Sweet!

2011-05-30T10:32:00.000-04:00

We planted everything we have in the garden yesterday. I'm going to probably get some more peppers to plant in the remaining space, but for now I'm extremely pleased with it. Barry had the genius idea to drive his lawnmower through the garden to form the mounds. It worked, and though it's not as professional as recent years with the tractor forming mounds, I like it more. It may actually be better, as you don't need really high mounds for veggies. You need the high mounds for growing tobacco, and that's why they're so high when the farmer makes them. His tractor is used for planting tobacco. Our neighbor says it's better to have flatter mounds that can soak in the water easier. We shall see.

Dale

2011-05-29T12:22:00.000-04:00

I've been listening to the Outlaw station on XM a lot lately, and some other real country music like Waylon Jennings, Johnny Cash, Hank 3, and Jamey Johnson. This led me to discovering Dale Watson. This is good stuff, and it probably won't ever make it onto "popular" radio, so I'll do my little part here in sharing.

Good Times!

2011-05-28T19:34:00.000-04:00

We just got back from Hillsville, VA a little while ago. We did a lot of walking at the flea market, bought a cool pair of shades, some home made pork skins, and a couple of 45's (Cyndi Lauper's "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" and Sweet's "Ballroom Blitz"). The sky was threatening at times, but eventually the sun came out and we both got burned. It was fun, though! We had an early dinner at Goober's on the way back. The food was awesome and you can't beat the prices. I have no idea why we've never stopped in there before, but I think it will be a must from now on when we're out that way. I had a jerk chicken sandwich that was amazing, and Barry had the jalapeño turkey sandwich which was tender and juicy.

When we got home we saw that the garden had been tilled, but not made into mounds. Still, this is better than having to do the whole thing ourselves, and the dirt was turned nicely this time. It shouldn't take long at all tomorrow morning to get the rest of the mounds done and plant everything. My squash is starting to bloom and the cucumbers are beginning to run so I definitely need to get them in the ground as soon as possible.

Looking Good!

2011-05-26T07:45:00.000-04:00

I accomplished a lot in the garden yesterday. I planted a bunch of tomatoes, cabbage, lettuce, and broccoli. The farmer stopped by to tell me he'll try to plow the rest of the garden I've not planted in, but I'm not holding my breath. I've got to head out to school soon, but will finish mounding the fourth row and plant some more tomatoes when I get home.

Dan

2011-05-25T08:03:00.000-04:00

I've been too busy with schoolwork and the garden to blog these past couple of days. Sunday we went to Danville, VA for a drive and found a really cool park. We were actually looking for the park but couldn't recall the name of it (I still don't know) when we decided to check out historic downtown Danville. They were having some sort of Wheel of Fortune game in the pavilion. I think it may have been a contestant search. We saw a cool bridge and decided to check it out, and it was part of the park we were looking for. I think it's something like thirteen miles long, but we're going to get the bikes fixed and head out there sometime soon.

Bridge over the Dan River

View of the Dan River from the bridge we were on

After checking out the trail we asked a passerby where the old cemetery was. She didn't know, but pointed us in the direction of the science museum. We checked that out, and it was cool. One building was for kids, with science experiments and stuff like that. They had a sound booth you could enter and scream in. On the outside above the door there was a display that measured your decibels. I screamed louder than Barry, and came in around an elephant and a peacock. We went to the building adjacent to the science museum and checked out some stuffed animals and live snakes. Then we went into the butterfly garden. We could have spent more time there, but got there just before closing. In all it was a great day!

Oh, and action is being taken against those monsters who run the exotic zoo in the parking lot in Eden. My pictures are going to help I'm hoping.

Rapture Fail

2011-05-21T18:43:00.000-04:00

Clearly the whole rapture thing was an epic fail. I feel bad for all of the children of the idiots who did stupid stuff thinking it was going to really happen. Some dude blew his life savings to advertise the whole rapture. Hope he didn't have kids. There was an article in the paper today about these two insane parents who have three normal teenage children. They stopped saving for the kids' college funds, the mom quit her job, and they've told their own children that they're not going to make it into heaven. Wow. And now what? Awkward!

So today we went to Eden to check out a military surplus store. Not for any end of the world stuff, but just to see what the place had. We got a couple of things, but the parking lot is where I'm really headed with this. When I pulled into the lot there was a big tent with a sign saying "Free Admission" and that they had lions, a tiger, llamas, a camel, a kangaroo, and monkeys. Naturally we checked it out, but I really wish that I hadn't. They had these poor animals in cages without room to move around. The tiger was in an empty metal cage, and the poor camel was sprawled out in the heat but couldn't even stretch out completely. It was so sad! I really hope PETA or somebody shuts them down!

After that we were heading back towards the house to stop by the grocery store and passed by a car show going on. I made a U-turn and we stopped and checked it out, and it was pretty cool. They had all kinds of old cars that were in mint condition, they were selling food, and a band was playing. It was a pretty cool afternoon that really came from out of nowhere. Those are always my favorite days!

Debbie Harry's Rap on Repeat Tomorrow

2011-05-20T17:07:00.000-04:00

So there are some people who actually believe that this rapture thing is going to happen tomorrow, and it blows my mind. Sheeple, sheeple, sheeple! I wonder how many times "Rapture" by Blondie is going to be played tomorrow. Maybe Debbie Harry is behind all of this. How much does the band make on royalties? Then there's the whole issue of when it's supposed to occur. A friend of mine said 6 PM in every time zone. So that makes me wonder if CNN is going to cover it like they do New Year's around the globe. Will it be like Santa and his sled flying across the country through the different time zones? The whole thing is ludicrous, and really I'm just contributing to it. It is pretty amusing, though. The only way I'm going to drink the Kool-Aid is if the Kool-Aid man himself comes busting through the wall and pours it down my throat. It could happen!

Random Thought of the Day #14

2011-05-20T09:31:00.000-04:00

Why do people look tanner in the shower? Is it the lighting in the bathroom? Perhaps it's just the magic of the shower, like how people sound better while singing in it. I noticed how much darker I suddenly was after working in the garden the other day, yet when I stepped out of the shower I was winter pale again.

Cuz

2011-05-20T09:09:00.004-04:00

So happy to find out this morning that my cousin Kelly has gotten a clean bill of health at her six month check-up! That's so awesome! Though she's just one year older than me, she had the fight of her life with breast cancer and survived. I love this old pic of us with Kelly looking all huffy puffy. Neither of us really remember it, but that's her mom (my aunt Bonnie), and we're pretty sure she was trying to get me to blow out the candles at our grandma and grandpa's house. Life is good!

Critical

2011-05-19T13:49:00.000-04:00

I had my first Critical Thinking class today, and I must say that I really dig it! Barry told me I'd probably enjoy it, and he was right. My teacher's cool, and I think it's going to be a really great learning experience for me. Technically this is my Monday and Friday at once, but I'm going to get started on some homework and go read outside. Finally a beautiful day out! I'm thinking of possibly heading to the Summit tomorrow, depending on the weather.

The Babies are Growing Up Fast!

2011-05-18T19:28:00.001-04:00

I was just looking at some pics of Isabelle and Tristan and can't believe how big they're both getting! We're going to Atlanta soon for Belle's second birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's. I can't wait to get back down there and see them! I've been seriously getting homesick, not for the traffic and smog, or the hustle and bustle, but I miss my family big time. I'll see them soon enough, though.

Class

2011-05-18T14:45:00.001-04:00

I've got a three hour class early in the morning tomorrow. In just glancing at the syllabus it looks like a lot of work for only ten weeks. Oh well, what can you do? I'm getting ahead on reading for my literature class, and have already posted in the forum, which was the assignment for this week. Better days.

Black Clouds

2011-05-17T14:16:00.000-04:00

I was just doing my daily walkabout searching for golf balls, and there are some ominous clouds out right now. I did find a nice Nike golf ball. One day I'll figure out what the different types are worth.

All for Nothing

2011-05-17T08:07:00.000-04:00

I spent over an hour yesterday making the first row in the garden. Barry laughed at it when he got home, and said it was cute. I thought I did a pretty good job, but I guess it should have been wider. As I was grabbing the tray of lettuce and broccoli to plant, the farmer pulled up alongside the garden. He said not to plant anything yet, that he would fix the mounds for me as soon as he could. Nice timing! My already blistered hands wanted to slap somebody at that point! I really shouldn't complain, though. Considering it took me over an hour of back breaking work to form that one mound. To complete the rest of the garden it would take at least ten hours of work. It was kind of cool to do things old skool, and think of how people once had to work their land. It was not cool enough to finish it that way. Give me a mule or something! It's pouring outside now so I guess it will be a day for working out inside, watching a movie or two, and chilling before my American Literature class starts tomorrow. This week off has flown by!

It Builds Character

2011-05-16T10:27:00.000-04:00

So I quit slacking and uploaded my camera this morning. Here are a couple of before and after pics of the garden. Now it's time to get out there and do some work. I plan on planting the lettuce this morning, and forming mounds, or at least an outline of where they'll be. Barry used the tiller, but there were areas that were far too wet, so I had to rake it. Wet leaves, mud, and weeds are tough to move! I did this for probably an hour and am extremely sore this morning. It's definitely worth it, though!

50

2011-05-16T09:17:00.000-04:00

Today would have been Solveig Dommartin's fiftieth birthday. Solveig was the co-author and star of my favorite movie, "Until the End of the World". So many people still haven't seen it, and some have and didn't get it. If you do get it, the film stays with you forever, as does Solveig who was gone too soon at just forty-five. Here's a tribute video that was recently made for her, taken from a scene of UTEOTW.

Reason # 589 for Moving Back to Japan Someday

2011-05-15T19:14:00.002-04:00

The ingenious commercials! I should totally go into marketing just so I can go back to Japan and come up with some of this craziness. The commercials here in the states could use some of this brilliance. So scary and yet it makes me want some Tarako pasta sauce!

Progress

2011-05-15T15:03:00.000-04:00

The garden is tilled and my hands are blistered. We were able to get it done before the rain came. Actually the rain still isn't here, though the sky looked threatening. Tomorrow I'll begin forming mounds and in a little while we're going to buy fabric to prevent weeds from growing. I'm glad this first major step is completed and I can really get to work.

Got my Kicks

2011-05-15T11:26:00.000-04:00

We went to the Dynamo game last night, and definitely want to catch some more games there this season! The game was awesome, and the Carolina Dynamo beat the West Virginia Chaos 2-0. It should have been 3-0, but the refs made some bad play calls and nullified a goal. The second goal was made in the three extra minutes. The Grasshoppers lost at an away game last night, and they'll be back Friday. I'm thinking of checking them out this weekend, but may wait until Money off Monday. Dollar beer, soda, hot dogs, and six dollar tickets. You can't beat that!

Strawberries and Soccer

2011-05-14T11:07:00.000-04:00

We just stopped by Rudd's on the way back to the house and picked up some strawberries. It did rain last night so we won't be able to till the garden. We're heading out to Eden in a little bit to see what trouble we can find. Later tonight we're going to the home opener for the Dynamo. I've never been to a real soccer match, although in Germany I did live right behind a minor league soccer field and could see it from the bathroom window of my apartment if I stood on the toilet. Tonight's match is a qualifier game for the US Open Cup, so that should be cool. It's funny, we live like five minutes from the stadium and have never been to a game.

Nasty Little Thing

2011-05-13T17:10:00.000-04:00

Just caught this muskrat out at the pond. They must not have very good eyesight, since I was able to sneak up on it easily. I heard its mother calling for it and it finally looked up at me before diving back into the water. I don't mind it eating the weeds, which is what it was doing, it's the massive holes these things dig that snakes love to hide in. Not to mention the fact that they're notorious for digging holes which cause entire ponds to drain in no time.

Buckets of Rain

2011-05-13T13:49:00.001-04:00

I finally uploaded the pics from our beach trip, but haven't found the patience yet to put them on facebook. I definitely want to get back to the water soon, though. Guess I'll settle for the pond in the meantime. I finally got Miss Louise out of the water the other day. She had filled up with rain after Barry put her back in, which caused her to sink into the mud and out of reach. The recent storms blew her close enough to the edge, and I had to empty her with a bucket. This took about an hour, and I'm sure the golfers were amused by my efforts. She's not going back in the pond until I'm ready to hop in with some oars.

Grab Your Hockey Masks, It's Friday the 13th!

2011-05-13T12:54:00.000-04:00

So blogger was down for almost an entire day. A couple of my posts disappeared and haven't returned. Oh well. Now it seems that youtube is down. Maybe Jason Voorhees is hacking through the interwebs. Another cloudy day, and we still can't till the soil because it's too wet, but it's cool. As long as we get things in the ground relatively soon we'll be alright. My cucumbers are already starting to run, and some bell peppers have sprouted. Heading out to Hobby Lobby this evening to meet the in-laws and have dinner in Burlington. Life is good!

Kiss Off!

2011-05-11T15:40:00.000-04:00

I got my final grades for the semester today, and made all A's! I'm so happy! It's great when hard work pays off, and people who doubted you can suck it! Time to relax for a week before summer semester starts.

Long Movies and Rainy Days

2011-05-11T08:13:00.000-04:00

It's been raining some here at the house this morning, which is great weather for catching up on some movies. I'm finishing up the Millennium Trilogy with "The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest". I've been meaning to watch it for some time, as I've already seen the first two in the series, but at two and a half hours it's time consuming. Definitely worth it, though! I finally went through all of my spam on unspoiled reviews. I average about fifteen comments per day now. Some are clever, most are blatant spam. I still don't get why a lot of spammers quote Woody Allen and Mark Twain. Weird.

Vintage Scissors for Lefty

2011-05-10T14:24:00.002-04:00

This is a pretty cool video, but was it taken from an old film and spliced together with footage of the band to look old?

Frisbees and Finals

2011-05-09T08:22:00.000-04:00

We didn't make it to the boardwalk this past weekend. There was just a bunch to do around the house and with Mother's Day we went out to lunch yesterday with Barry's mom. Saturday we went to his cousin's house and had a nice dinner with family. We are about to start playing frisbee golf. The last time we were at Northeast Park we noticed that they've set up a frisbee golf course that looks sweet. We've also decided that if the farmer doesn't plow our garden by Tuesday we're going to cultivate it ourselves with the neighbor's tiller, and I'll spend a good part of this week forming mounds manually with a hoe. Sounds like fun!

Today is my last real day of classes for the spring semester. I've got two final exams, and tomorrow I've got an English class where we'll probably just sign in and leave. I'm debating whether or not to go, but I've got the same teacher this summer so I probably will. Plus it will be good to take a drive and catch up on some podcasts. Anyway, here's a song that was in my head when I woke up this morning.

Saturday in the Park, I think it was the 7th of May

2011-05-06T09:25:00.000-04:00

I'm ready for the weekend! It's been a long week with the semester coming to an end. We were going to go to a horse show Saturday, but the brainiac who planned it didn't realize that the Kentucky Derby would be on at the same time and has since canceled. Saturday should be beautiful so I want to check out the boardwalk at the state park near here. I want to do something with nature, and enjoy the sunshine.

I've Missed You So, Ikea!

2011-05-04T20:03:00.000-04:00

I haven't been to Ikea in quite some time. After Tokyu Hands it's my favorite store, and since I'm not going to Japan any time soon I'll have to settle for second best. We've been talking about getting another wardrobe, and they have a really huge one on sale at an unbelievable price that's just too good to pass up. Living in an older house (ancient) there are much fewer closets and closet space than more recent abodes (as in the past forty years). Ikea has been our hero in that department, but we're running out of space once more. I think it's time to break down and visit Ikea. For anyone who is unfamiliar with Tokyu Hands I'm posting the video below. I used to get lost for entire days in that place!

Good Times!

2011-05-04T09:22:00.000-04:00

Not much to say today, running a little behind after a good workout, and am only on my second cup of joe. I'll leave you with this great video, and can only hope that today we're all as happy as these guys are. (I'm pretty sure alcohol was involved, though.)

She's Got a Ticket to Ride (or fly)

2011-05-03T16:42:00.001-04:00

We're considering flying to Illinois later this summer for my family reunion. In doing the math we're finding that it's almost the same amount of money as driving would be. When you take into account the gas money, hotel accommodations on the way up, food on the road, the oil change and other maintenance required before one makes such a long trip, and not to mention the time. Two days of driving is a lot worse than two four hour flights! We'll see, though. Who knows what will come up between now and then anyway? Life is crazy! The semester's almost over, and I could use a break. Just four more days and three final exams. Sometimes I still can't believe that I finally went back to college! Life is indeed crazy!

It's Bliss!

2011-05-02T19:44:00.001-04:00

There are times in my life that I am truly dumbfounded and amazed by people. A few of us were discussing the news this morning, and one girl actually said she didn't even know what 9/11 was about. She said that she was only ten at the time and can't even remember it. Really?! That's a pretty big part of our nation's recent history, like huge. Amazing.

Anyway, I've been listening to the new Foo Fighters album, "Wasting Light", and it is awesome! Every track is great, which is rare for me. I'd pretty much given up on recent music, even the bands I love have been somewhat disappointing lately.This is the kind of stuff that makes me dust off my guitar and get back to work.

Finally!

2011-05-02T09:01:00.000-04:00

I got up around midnight last night and Barry was still up. He said something about Osama bin Laden being killed. Still half asleep, I asked him if he meant Gaddafi. He responded that he did indeed mean Osama bin Laden. I stumbled back to bed and this morning I got up a little bit late. Barry was already watching the news, and when I heard President Obama speaking I asked him if that was in my dream last night, or was bin Laden really dead. He pointed at the screen and it was all over CNN. People were celebrating in Times Square and outside of the White House. Now is the time for the "Mission Accomplished" banner on the aircraft carrier.

Power Up

2011-05-01T18:48:00.001-04:00

We got back this afternoon from spending the weekend at the beach. What a needed break that was! There's something very healing about the ocean. Almost like it replenishes my soul. I could just stare out into it for days. I can't wait to get back! I most definitely want to live near the ocean one day. I was pretty bummed this morning about leaving, but we'll get back soon enough. We went to Atlantic Beach, NC and had a blast. I'd not been to the beaches of North Carolina before, but it was cool. Much more laid back than Myrtle Beach, and we checked out some historic sites like an old cemetery in Beaufort and Fort Macon. I miss doing stuff like that. Now that the weather is changing I plan on doing a lot more exploring.

Belly

2011-04-27T08:49:00.000-04:00

I got an earlier start than usual this morning in order to get my oil changed. The place I go to does a good job, they're just so busy that I have to wait about half an hour. This gave me time to do some reading for school, so it's cool. Yesterday on the way to school I was listening to Lithium and Belly came on. I forgot all about that band! Really I only knew of one song, "Feed the Tree", and that's what they played.
Memories!

80's

2011-04-25T08:41:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was really nice. We grilled out and sat outside until the pollen won, and we had to retreat indoors. The farmer stopped and looked at the garden, so I'm really hoping they'll plow it today. I need to get these plants in the ground! Should be another hot one today. I love this weather!

Hard Boiled

2011-04-24T08:37:00.000-04:00

Sometimes getting old really sucks. There are no eggs out there for me to find, unless I go next door and rummage through the chicken coops. In that case, they aren't hard boiled, and I risk not making it out alive. Barry did get me some of those chocolate marshmallow bunnies, so that's cool. I do wish that we could have gone down to Atlanta this weekend and watched Belle find her Easter eggs. There's just too much going on here with school and everything. We're grilling out with family this afternoon, so that will be nice. The weather should be in the 80's, and they're saying that it could be the warmest Easter of recorded time here.

Soundtrack of my Dream

2011-04-23T07:36:00.001-04:00

I woke up earlier than I wanted to this morning thanks to Angel. I swear, she's like having a kid that wants to watch Saturday morning cartoons. Only she doesn't want cartoons. She wants to bark at birds, do her business, eat, and go back to sleep. Wish I could be as lucky! Once I'm up, that's it. So coffee's on and I'm awake. I woke up with The Crimea in my head, so I'm assuming it was part of my dream's soundtrack. Davey MacManus is a genius, and I can't believe this song only has 208 views.

No Mas!

2011-04-22T09:43:00.000-04:00

Another dark and dreary day outside. Evidently it rained last night, so the garden won't be getting plowed any time soon. I was really looking forward to working in it this weekend. Oh well. I've got a ton of school work to do any way. I need a serious break, and this semester can't end soon enough! Tomorrow should be a warmer and brighter day. Maybe I'll be out of this funk by then.

Time Flies and Uses Too Much Gas!

2011-04-19T08:20:00.000-04:00

I was on the phone with my youngest niece yesterday listening to her count to ten thinking about just how fast they're growing up. Now my oldest niece is already on facebook. Time is just flying by! My sister is supposed to come up here next month during my break between semesters, and she won't have the kids so it will just be some quality sister bonding. We're going down there in a couple of months for my youngest niece's birthday. It's hard to break away with school, and the cost of petrol doesn't help!

I registered for fall semester yesterday, and got extremely lucky with my classes. They've implemented an appointment time which you must adhere to in registering. I couldn't register one second sooner than 4:00 in the afternoon. I had all of my classes selected, and watched in frustration as they all were filling up. Right at 4:00 I hit the submit button. Unfortunately about 5,000 other people did as well, and the system momentarily crashed. Somehow even though one of them was supposedly full I got all of the courses I wanted. That means I'll only have to travel to campus twice a week for summer and fall! My Scion thanks me!

Vanishing

2011-04-18T08:42:00.000-04:00

Another week is beginning, although it feels like yesterday was only Friday. Where does the weekend go? Probably the same place socks in the dryer escape to.The weather is superb today, I just wish the farmer would hurry up and plow the garden. I've got a ton of stuff to get in the ground. It will happen soon enough, though.

He Blinded Me With Math

2011-04-13T09:43:00.001-04:00

Today's another big math test. We've been studying for this one for what seems like forever now. The problem with that is that you cover such a broad range of material, and when it comes time for the test you find you've forgotten what you learned initially in the chapter. The past few days we spent reviewing things in class, and from the practice test I took yesterday I feel somewhat assured that I'll do well. Sometimes I look at what I'm accomplishing in the subject and amaze myself. This was all Greek to me this time last year. I'm pretty damn proud of myself really. Anyway, I'll leave you with another good one from my youth that I found while working out this morning using Genius on a For Squirrels song.Think I'll listen to some Everclear on the way to school this morning.

Too Peaceful

2011-04-12T09:01:00.000-04:00

Last night was a trying one for sleeping. The temperature had risen to the 80's during the day, which made it around 78 degrees at bedtime. Not wanting to turn on the air conditioner, I opened the bedroom windows. Now I enjoy living in the country. There's a peace and quiet which you can't enjoy in the city. Unfortunately it can be too quiet at times. Last night was so quiet that I could hear the guineas squawking, the bullfrogs at the pond, and all of the various insects chirping in the night. Windows closed, AC on! After an hour or so I finally drifted off to dreamland.