HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

Before the countdown, here is just a little recap of the year 2005. The first line from the first post of each month in 2005.

January ~ No blog

February ~ No blog

March ~ No blog

April ~ No blog

May ~ No blog

June ~ Wednesday, June 29, 2005
Today is the day.....
How come we wish our days away?

July ~ Sunday, July 10, 2005
Dennis
It's here.

August ~ Tuesday, August 02, 2005
And the winner is...
Well to be honest he is not really the winner, but placed 72nd out of 500.

September ~ Friday, September 02, 2005
Not the elevator ride!
Have you ever been in a situation where you had to engage in small talk?

October ~ Monday, October 03, 2005
Doctors, Mechanics, Lawyers...
Here is a recap of some of the things I experienced last week.

November ~ Tuesday, November 01, 2005
Good things to know!
1. Budweiser beer conditions the hair

December ~ Thursday, December 01, 2005
"Half-Nekkid Thursday-7"
Ahhhhhh! Fresh out of the nice, hot shower.

Ten

Nine

Eight
Seven

Six



Five
Four

Three
Two

ONE


HAPPY NEW YEAR!


Have fun and be safe!

When I was 3....

When I was 3 years old, my family moved from Des Moines to Birmingham.
The builder had not finished our house as planned, therefore had to set us up in some apartments until the house was finished.

Since he had to pay for the cost of the apartment, of course, he wanted to spend as little as possible. He arranged for us to live in one apartment and store our things in a second apartment which happened to be located in a very low income part of town.

I was very little, so I could not really form an opinion of where we were living, but I do know that I was not happy. The little boys that lived in these same apartments were mean to my older brother and me. They would push me down and steel our toys.
(I know, poor little thing, right?)
On a couple of occasions, my mom had even had gone to the neighbors apartment to retrieve our toys. My mom would say, "Excuse me sir, but I believe your son has brought some of my children's toys to your house." The man, sitting in an easy chair staring at the television, without turning his head, would say "yeah, just take what's yours."
Well, I guess you kind of have the picture.

Once, my grandparents had come in town from St. Louis to visit.
Before they left to go home, they said to me (I am sure just an endearing way to say good bye) "Why don't you come home with us?"
Well, I guess I took them literally. I went into my room and a few minutes later I came out dragging a suitcase behind me. My mom asked me where I was going, and I said "I am going home with them....come get me when we move". If any of you know me, then you would be able to picture me with pouty lips ~ a trait I have always had.

(I suppose at that time my parents and grandparents discussed it, but I don't remember that part of it, I was too young).

So, they put my suitcase in the car, and off I went on my own adventures to St. Louis with my grandparents. I was shared and showed off between both my mom's parents and my dad's parents.

A month later, my dad flew to St. Louis and brought me home, to our new house.


My parents have always said I had a little bit of an independence streak from the time I was very young.


Okay, I shared, now it is your turn...what is one fond childhood memory that you have.

The Kind of Dame I am...

Guys, what leading man are you? Ladies, what classic dame are you?

I was visiting Dave. While I was there, I took this test. I found out what kind of classic dame I am...

Myrna Loy You scored 14% grit, 14% wit, 28% flair, and 57% class!

You are class itself, the calm, confident "perfect woman." Men turn and look at you admiringly as you walk down the street, and even your rivals have a grudging respect for you. You always know the right thing to say, do and, of course, wear. You can take charge of a situation when things get out of hand, and you're a great help to your partner even if they don't immediately see or know it. You are one classy dame. Your screen partners include William Powell and Cary Grant, you little simmerpot, you.

Guys, find out what kind of classic leading man you'd make by taking the Classic Leading Man Test . Gals, find out what kind of lady or tramp you are by taking the Classic Dames Test.

Then, let me know!

~ Happy holidays *hugs*

Cold and almost bare!

Carsley tagged me!
Here is what is in my "fridge" right now. I know, it is almost bare, but there are some essentials in there.
So, while you are in there looking around, feel free to ask if you can't find something!



I am supposed to tag five people.
This one is easy, so let's see....
1. Neo
2. Jef
3. Becky
4. Roboshrub
5. Aliecat

I hope everyone will play. Just let me know when you have posted your picture, then tag five others.

Now, let's do a shot! Does anyone have any limes?

Merry Christmas!

fa-la-la-la-la
la-la
la
la ....

My Stalker

I hear many people talk about be stalked by other bloggers and they end up having to move their blog.
I once had a stalker in real life, and it was almost 4 years ago.
I used to work at a bookstore parttime, and this guy we shall name "Freakboy", worked there fulltime.
He seemed nice and always tried to talk to me. I became friends with him. We would hang out and spend time together (as friends). The more time I spent with him, the more I realized that he wasn't "quite right"...(sort of slow, but it wasn't drastic).
After a while, I felt more and more uncomfortable being around him (take in mind I still had to work with him).
He kept talking about getting a different job, so of course I encouraged him.
I know, that was completely selfish of me, I was mostly thinking how nice it would be to not work around him, but he did not know that.
Finally he got a job at an eyecare center, making glasses ~ frames and lenses.
Good for him...and now I didn't have to work around him!
I had wanted to tell him that I no longer wanted to hang out, but I was a little concerned he might not take the news so well (to the point he may do something to himself).
It was apparent that he liked me much more than just a friend, so I decided to break away from him slowly, so it would not hurt his feelings.
I became busy with other people instead of doing stuff with him. Finally, I got the courage, and I told him that I just couldn't hang out anymore that I felt uncomfortable about our friendship. Well, I won't go into complete details of how hard he cried, but all in all, it ended pretty good.
I really was nice to the guy, even though I wanted to scream to him that he was a "perverted freakboy and I never wanted to be around him anymore".

**Side note~Right about this time I started going out with boyfriend.

It wasn't over then....

So, here is what happened because I was nice and did not want to hurt his feelings....

He kept coming in the bookstore at night and hanging out in a section close to the area that I was working and would watch me.
I found out later that he would call nearly every day to find out when I was working.
When my friend told this to me, I went to the manager, he said he would put a stop to this.
He also kept calling me and hanging up. (I know, what grade are we in, 3rd?)
I ended up moving, which was a good thing, now he didn't know where I lived any longer.

Wrong!

Once he came in the bookstore and asked me how I liked living in my new apartment off of Cahaba River Road!!!! What? OMG! Has he followed me?
Then he said "Oh, I saw your chart at the eye doctor, so I looked at it". WHAT? (Oh, did I mention that he got a job at the eyecare center that is connected to the eye doctor I go to)?
One of the co-workers at the bookstore overheard him tell me this and said "Dude, that is illegal".
Then he started stuttering and mumbling...."Uh, well, I didn't really look at it, I just saw it".
First of all, he works in the glasses lab, not the doctor's office ~ they just happen to be in the same building, so what was he doing snooping around the doctor's office? ...And secondly, isn't that against the law for him to do that?
I told my boyfriend and he said he was going to talk to him. I think at this point, boyfriend was ready to do more than "talk to him".

It was about a month later, I had to go to my eye doctor to pick up some contacts (luckily "Freakboy" wasn't there, but I was in tow with boyfriend).
They couldn't find my chart, and boyfriend was about to speak up when they finally found it. We contemplated saying something about "Freakboy" anyway, but didn't.

Then we had to get mean...
So, between me, boyfriend and the manager at the bookstore, we finally made "Freakboy" realize if he didn't stop there would be consequences.
He finally did stop!
....And
He no longer works at the eyecare center. I am not sure where he works now, or if he even works...I don't want to know.
He no longer calls me.
I have moved again,
and I no longer work at the bookstore.
What a freak for sure!
I guess I was lucky, it could have been much worse.

Answers to Buggtastic Brain Busters

1. WIFALLTH

Fall in with


2. THING MANY MANY

One thing too many


3. SPEAKER SOUGHT

Sought-after speaker


4. H O M E

Home grown


5. GET GET FOTHINGSCUS

To get things in focus


6. FANACTTILE

Act infantile



7. B B
___________
COME GRIEF

To be overcome by grief



8. B B
________
BURDENED

To be overburdened


peace ~

Buggtastic Brain Busters

We haven't done this in a while. Plus, these are easy!
Tell me what you think? Post your answers, but don't cheat by looking at the other's answers. Most of you guys know by now, if you don't want to play, just leave a comment, any comment (be nice:)

1. WIFALLTH


2. THING MANY MANY


3. SPEAKER SOUGHT


4. H O M E


5. GET GET FOTHINGSCUS


6. FANACTTILE


7. B B
___________
COME GRIEF



8. B B
________
BURDENED

~*~*~*~*

There are no right answers for the numbers below. Just tell me what comes to mind!

ONE ~ No one can eat just one (potato chip)
TWO ~
THREE ~ is company, or a crowd (which?)
FOUR ~ play (I know it's not spelled that way) *blushing*
FIVE ~ Golden rings
SIX ~ you get egg rolls!
SEVEN ~
EIGHT ~
NINE ~
TEN ~ little indians

Give it your best shot. I will post the answers later. Have fun, cya later!

Twinkle-Toes...that's me!

Christmas Elf Name My Christmas Elf Name is Get your Christmas Elf Name at JokesUnlimited.com

Christmas Naughty or Nice List I am on the The Nice List After checking the North Pole database I had : 2,482 nice entries 287 naughty entries Check your name on the Christmas Naughty or Nice List at JokesUnlimited.com

Tell me your "elf name" and if you are on the Naughty or Nice list!

Night on the Town

Here is a cute little movie that I made........> Night on the Town

I hope you enjoy it!


ALSO...
Here is a little movie that TWolfe made for me........> Castle Lee Ann

I hope you have a great Friday and super weekend!

Five things about me!

I was tagged by Kay Ray. The object of this game is to list "Five weird habits of yourself", then tag five people. The people tagged need to make a blog entry with their "five weird habits" and tag five others.

1) I put the volume on the tv on an even number.

2) I put the items in my refrigerator in the same spot all the time; (I can grab my juice or milk with my eyes closed).

3) The zipper end of my pillow cover is the first end that goes into the pillowcase.

4) When I get hot while sleeping, I will put my left foot out of the covers instead of moving the sheets and blankets off of me.

5) When I am happy, I will unknowingly sing out "fa-la-la-la-la, la-la-la-la" (even if it is not Christmas time).

Tag time!!!

T-Wolf,
Becky,
Angel,
Ellen,
and......

Ok, I know not to tag Carl (you know why Carl), Jiggs (because I think I have tagged you for everything, but I still love ya), Calzone (you have usually been tagged by someone or tagged with the same game previously), hmmmm.....I seem to tag the same people each time ~ so Dave, I will spare you too! Soooo,

FRANK, you are tagged too!

Through the eyes of babes...

NUDITY

I was driving with my three young children one warm summer evening when a woman in the convertible ahead of us stood up and waved. She was starknaked! As I was reeling from the shock, I heard my 5-year-old shout from the back seat, "Mom! That lady isn't wearing a seat belt!

HONESTY

My son Zachary, 4, came screaming out of the bathroom to tell me he'd dropped his toothbrush in the toilet. So I fished it out and threw it in the garbage. Zachary stood there thinking for a moment, then ran to my bathroom and came out with my toothbrush. He held it up and said with a charming little smile, "We better throw this one out too then, 'cause it fell in the toilet a few days ago.

OPINIONS

On the first day of school, a first-grader handed his teacher a note from his mother. The note read, "The opinions expressed by this child are not necessarily those of his parents."

KETCHUP

A woman was trying hard to get the ketchup to come out of the jar. During her struggle the phone rang so she asked her 4-year-old daughter to answerthe phone. "It's the minister, Mommy," the child said to her mother. Then she added, "Mommy can't come to the phone to talk to you right now. She's hitting the bottle."

MORE NUDITY

A little boy got lost at the YMCA and found himself in the women's locker room. When he was spotted, the room burst into shrieks, with ladies grabbing towels and running for cover. The little boy watched in amazement and then asked, "What's the matter haven't you ever seen a little boy before?"

ELDERLY

While working for an organization that delivers lunches to elderly shut-ins, I used to take my 4-year-old daughter on my afternoon rounds. The various appliances of old age, particularly the canes, walkers and wheelchairs, unfailingly intrigued her. One day I found her staring at a pair of false teeth soaking in a glass. As I braced myself for the inevitable barrage of questions, she merely turned and whispered, "The toothfairy will never believe this!"

DRESS-UP

A little girl was watching her parents dress for a party. When she saw her dad donning his tuxedo, she warned, "Daddy, you shouldn't wear that suit.""And why not, darling?" "You know that it always gives you a headache the next morning."

SCHOOL

A little girl had just finished her first week of school. "I'm just wasting my time," she said to her mother. "I can't read, I can't write and they won't let me talk!"

BIBLE

A little boy opened the big family bible. He was fascinated as he fingered through the old pages. Suddenly, something fell out of the Bible. He pickedup the object and looked at it. What he saw was an old leaf that had been pressed in between the pages. "Mama, look what I found", the boy called out." What have you got there, dear?" With astonishment in the young boy's voice, he answered, "I think it's Adam's underwear.

My visit to Dallas

I had such a great weekend. I went to Dallas to visit Kay Ray. With wonderful hospitality, she showed me the city. We went to South Fork Ranch. That was so cool. Did any of you ever watch the old tv show "Dallas". They play the theme music throughout the ranch. Then later that night, we went bull riding at Billy Bobs. Oh my gosh, talk about fun! I would have never guessed how much fun it could be. Kay Ray is a pro at bull riding. Me on the other hand, well, just put it this way, I would have had you laughing for sure. By the end of the night I was riding that bull for more than "eight seconds" haha.
She has a great group of friends, they took this picture before I was ready, but we had a blast.
She is trying to get me to move to Dallas but it is just not in the works for me at this point! Next time, she is going to have to come visit me here in Birmingham.
Thanks for such a great time Kay Ray!
Love ya

What's in a name?

Stolen from Osbasso
Hmmm......



....hmmm

I tried it differently....



I never thought of myself as "naughty", but when done both ways, there is reference to that!
I just have too many "N"s in my name.

How does your name come out? Just click on one of the pictures, then let me know.

Just a little OCD

I know that I like things done a certain way.
Most of my friends tell me that I have OCD.
I realize there may be a slight tendancy, but it is definitely not extreme.
I have illustrated a few examples of things I like done in a specific manner.
Come on, realistically, don't many of you do these same things?


The sink gets wiped down after each use. A separate towel is used just for that.
This drives boyfriend nuts!




All of my DVDs (pictured above) and CDs are kept in alphabetical order.
Who doesn't?




The shower curtain gets closed completely after each use.
Well, you have to let the curtain dry, right?




The toothpaste tube gets squeezed from the bottom after each use!
Well, it just makes it easier, doesn't it?




The dishes get washed before going in the dishwasher.
Ok, they are clean, but the dishwasher sanitizes them with the high heat.




Money is organized by denomination before going into wallet.
Well, it makes it easier to pay quickly.

Hope all of you have a great weekend!

Multiplicity, and I don't mean the movie!

We have all heard of the sheep that were cloned a few years ago.
What do you think of cloning humans?
I am not talking about the movie Multiplicity, with Michael Keaton. I am talking about real life human cloning!
Woo Suk Hwang, a trained veterinarian, gained worldwide attention after announcing last year that his team had cloned the world’s first human embryos and extracted stem cells from them.

Since then, there were rumors that he used eggs donated by subordinate scientists in his lab. Scientists have said that collecting eggs from an employee is unethical because of the potential for subordinates to feel coerced.

So, after Hwang was accused of ethics violations, he apologized to the public, acknowledging that two junior scientists working for him voluntarily donated their own eggs for his research.

There had been plans to open cloning centers in San Francisco and London. But U.S. support for the effort is waning in the wake of the egg donation allegations. Earlier this month, a University of Pittsburgh researcher pulled out of his partnership with Hwang’s research team, citing ethical concerns.

Hwang’s apology came after the Health Ministry said earlier that an ethics investigation at Seoul National University found the two junior scientists gave their own eggs for research. However, the ministry said the donations were not in violation of ethics guidelines because they were made voluntarily. As the scientists’ egg donations were neither “coerced or coaxed” nor “aimed at making profit,” there has been “no violation of ethics guidelines,” Health Ministry spokesman Choi Hee-joo told a news conference. Hwang said he would continue his research at Seoul National University.

I am all for advancement in medical technology, but I find it strange that the only part of this they find unethical is the manner in which the eggs are donated.

What do you guys think?

Medical technology is the greatest!

Little Zachary Davis was born October 20 with an abnormal heart. It was a marvel in its own right. Besides having many features of known congenital defects, it also had something not previously recorded in the history of medicine. His coronary arteries, which normally deliver oxygen and nutrients directly to the heart muscle, were instead supplied by a bizarre circuit routed through his brain.

Richard A. Jonas, a heart surgeon at Children’s National Medical Center, said “It usually takes a lot for us to say ‘That’s amazing.’ We see a lot of unusual things, but this was way out there.”

This exotic misassembly was good enough to get the baby through gestation, but he would not have been able to make it through life. A week after Zachary was born, Jonas took his heart apart, added missing pieces and reconstructed it to something close to its original specifications. It took about four hours and included a 25-minute period when the infant was packed in ice, with no blood circulating.

This is simply amazing to me. This little child would not have survived if it had not been for this doctor who specializes in “early primary repair”.

"There are only a handful of people in the world who can take a problem like this, think it through, do a complete repair, and have the child turn out so well," Mary T. Donofrio, Children's director of fetal cardiology, said of Jonas. "He actually did three operations, and [Zachary] had no leftover heart defects."

A newborn's heart is about the size of a large walnut. The operation is done with the surgeon wearing jeweler's magnifiers attached to glasses. How long a baby can be kept safely in "circulatory arrest" varies, but it is generally not more than 45 minutes. With each minute beyond a time limit that the surgeon cannot pinpoint exactly lies brain damage, a lifetime of lost potential, unhappiness and death.

Jonas sketched out the repair, determined the order of his work and kept a running total of how long it would take. (He prefers to do this the night before, explaining that "you do literally sleep on it; you run through the steps in your sleep.") There were 10 steps, the first seven requiring circulatory arrest. "What is difficult about an operation like this is coordinating all those modules," Jonas said. "You do not have an unlimited amount of time." The right order of work is not always obvious. In this operation, for example, he sewed one end of a donated vessel as Step 6, and the other end as Step 10. The price of doing things in the wrong or inefficient order can be very high. "You can paint yourself into a corner. You can literally get in a position where you can't get there anymore because you did things in the wrong sequence."

Zachary ended up with a normal appearing four-chambered heart in which the blood flows in the right direction.
Talk about stressful jobs!

Student’s best friend too!

Man’s best friend has been a helpful learning tool in Washington Grove Elementary school, Gaithersburg, MD. Tucker, a Golden Retriever and Ross, an Irish Setter have been helping struggling students with their reading skills.

One day, each week, the little readers get private sessions with one of the trained therapy dogs. The only other person in the classroom is the dog’s handler. The handler guides the lesson by posing her questions as if the dog is the one who wants answers about the story.

The children are inspired by the “nonjudgmental character” of the dog. The dog just listens and loves every word they say. This has helped children overcome their fear of mistakes. The kids don’t question if the dogs are listening, they just assume it.
The principal of the school says this enables a child to relax and enjoy reading. This is the first step for children to improve in pronouncing and comprehending the words.

The dogs are specially trained therapy dogs. They are screened to ensure they have the right skills, temperament, health and cleanliness.
The handlers must go through training with their pets. They do this on a volunteer basis, supported by donations, which means there are no direct costs to schools.

Over the years, dogs have been trained as therapy dogs to help the blind, hearing impaired and the elderly, why not in school?

In college, in my first psychology class, one of the guys in my class brought his Golden Retriever to class everyday. He wasn’t blind or impaired in any way. Those are very good tempered dogs. I could see why those dogs would be helpful to the children.

Some of the most colorful figures of the Old West

I am so glad it's Friday! I am ready for the weekend.
I just wanted to show you something that is fun.



That tall handsome dude in the middle is my cousin, obviously a distant cousin...(4th)
His name is "Texas Jack" Omohundro.
The two fellows with him are Wild Bill Hickok on the left and Buffalo Bill Cody on the right.

"Buffalo Bill’s show business career began on December 17, 1872 in Chicago; he was age twenty-six. "The Scouts of the Prairie" was a drama created by dime novelist Ned Buntline, who appeared in it with Cody and another well-known scout, "Texas Jack" Omohundro. The show was a success, despite one critic’s characterization of Cody as "a good-looking fellow, tall and straight as an arrow, but ridiculous as an actor." Other critics noted Cody’s manner of charming the audience and the realism he brought to his performance. Actor or not, Buffalo Bill was a showman. "

"The following season Cody organized his own troupe, the Buffalo Bill Combination. The troupe’ show "Scouts of the Plains" included Buffalo Bill, Texas Jack, and Cody’s old friend "Wild Bill" Hickok. Wild Bill and Texas Jack eventually left the show, but Cody continued staging a variety of plays until 1882. That year the Wild West show was conceived. It was an outdoor spectacle, designed to both educate and entertain, using a cast of hundreds as well as live buffalo, elk, cattle, and other animals."


Buffalo Bill Cody (2nd on left) / "Texas Jack" (on right end)
In stage costume 1873



"Texas Jack" 1874



"Texas Jack" 1880

I hope all of you have a good weekend!
*Hugs*

Luscious chocolate

Blommer Chocolate Co. is a family owned plant that has been in Chicago for the past 66 years. They make chocolate liquor, cocoa butter and other products for bulk sale.

For decades, mouthwatering smells have radiated from this factory. Commuters, tourists and area workers have enjoyed the chocolate aroma. There was at least one person that did not find the smell and emissions pleasurable. The EPA had a complaint that prompted an inspection and subsequently a citation.

Now, it won’t be long before the chocolate odor will be gone. Officials are hurrying to resolve allegations by installing new filters. The EPA said “that inhaling the plant’s emissions in high concentrations can harm children, the elderly and people with heart and lung disease.”

In a sense, it is a shame. "Chocolate smells put people in a relaxed state," said Hirsch, who likened the effect of chocolate vapors on the brain to an antidepressant. "It's been shown bad odors increase aggression; pleasant ones make people more docile. So you could say the chocolate smell is a real service to Chicago."
Smells are a big deal in this city once closely associated with the stench of slaughtered cows and whose very name etymologists say comes from the American Indian words for skunk or onion.

"It's like crushing an ant when there's a pack of wolves around — then claiming you have saved people from harm," said Brian Urbaszewski, of the American Lung Association's Chicago chapter. Far more pollution is created by power plants, which pump some 15,000 tons of particles into the air annually, he said.
"A lot of people may get a warm fuzzy feeling from this chocolate smell," he said. "Some people may get the same warm fuzzy feeling from smelling tobacco — but that doesn't mean it's good for you."

I think I would rather be harmed by the smell of chocolate than be harmed by the smell of slaughtered cows, car emissions or smoke.

Nice way to start things off!

Wow, this is a great way to start off a marriage! Katie Holmes’ father is a lawyer. He wants to protect his daughter, just as every father would. He has drawn up some prenuptial papers that he wants his daughter and Tom to sign prior to getting married. Hey, wait a minute. Isn’t this in reverse? I would bet that Tom is worth far more than Katie, wouldn’t he be the one that would want to protect his treasure? Maybe he has given it all to Scientology!
Oh, wait…here it is…..Martin Holmes wants to make sure that if their marriage should dissolve prior to the five-year mark, that she receives a lump sum payment in the millions. I guess that speaks volumes for Cruise’s most recent antics and past relationship history.

On another note with Mr. Cruise. He bought a sonogram machine so he and Katie can monitor the development of their unborn child. I guess he didn’t give all of his money to Scientology. Not everyone can drop $200,000 on a sonogram machine. What is admirable about this is he did say, when they are finished with it, he will donate it to a hospital.

In an ABC interview with Barbara Walters, he was asked if he knew the gender of the baby. He replied “no, but if he did, he would not reveal it”. I wonder if he knows how to interpret the findings of what he sees, or if he has to hire a technician too. Walters asked him “So, what do you see?” and he answered “a little baby”.
Hummm, really? That sounds pretty expert, doesn’t it?

The end of a long weekend!

The end of a long weekend!
I hope all of you are having a great Sunday.

XOXOXOXO... hugs and kisses to all of you!

Before and After

Pam Anderson before makeup /after.




Christina Applegate before makeup / after.




Britney Spears before makeup / after.




Courteney Cox before makeup / after.
(The community celebrity, she grew up in my neighborhood and went to my school)


What do you think?

So, do you think you know me?

Welcome to the 2005 edition of getting to know your friends. I got this from Becky a while ago.

1. What time did you get up this morning? 6:15

2. Diamonds or pearls? Definitely diamonds

3. The last film you saw at the cinema? Harry Potter ~ Goblet of Fire (there were fire breathing dragons...friends of your's Calzone?)

4. What is your favorite TV show? Grey’s Anatomy

5. What did you have for breakfast? nothing

6. What is your middle name? Patricia

7. What is your favorite cuisine? American, Mexican, Italian…too hard to choose

8. What food do you dislike? Calamari

9. First love? "boyfriend"

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment? A mix I burned with Various artists

11. What kind of car do you drive? One that is paid for! :)

12. What characteristics do you despise? Dishonesty, immorality, rudeness

13. Favorite item of clothing? Flannel pj pants

14. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation,where would you go? Italy

15. Daisy or Sunflower's? Daisy

16. Favorite brand of clothing? No particular brand, just what looks nice and feels good

17. If you could retire where would you like to retire to? maybe somewhere I have never been, who knows!

18. Favorite time of day? 4:15 on Friday afternoon

19. Your favorite birthday? Someone elses ;)

20. Where were you born? Des Moines

21. Favorite sport to watch? Olympic gymnastics

22. Coke or Pepsi? Coke

23. Favorite Place to Dance? Hmmm ;)

24. What did you want to be when you were little, when you grew up? Airline flight attendant

25. What book are you currently reading? AM Best Underwriting Guide *yawn*

26. If you could have dinner with anyone living before 1900 who would it be? My distant cousin-Texas Jack (he was friends with Buffalo Bill Cody and Wild Bill Hickock)

27. What bad habit do you want to give up? Lack of excercise

So, do you think you know me yet?

Your First Visit to My Castle!

I wanted to give you guys some stats about you!

I have gone back through my blog and determined the first comment you ever wrote here. I have shown the date, the title of the post and you're comment. You have made several comments on various posts since, but I have only revealed your special first visit to my Castle. There have been many other posts and several other visitors that have stopped in on their way through The Land of Blog, but they were just passing through. I am glad you had a good time here and continued coming over. It would be cold and lonely here in this big castle without all of you guys! You are welcome here anytime.

Blake ~ The Everglades
Saturday, July 16, 2005
TV needs a makeover

Throw your television out of your window. That is the only option. Even if there were 567 chanels, none of them would be any good. And I'm sure Britney Spears is shitting a golden brick now that she has been eclipsed by Jessica Simpson--Dukes is no Crossroads. Blake
2:21 AM


Beckeye ~ The Pop Eye
Saturday, July 16, 2005
TV needs a makeover

The deal with reality TV is that it's become as scripted as regular TV, under the guise of still being "real". I remember the first season of The Real World and it was pretty obvious that those kids had no idea what the hell they had gotten into. While I'm sure they were well aware of the camera at times and weren't always completely themselves, it was probably the most real anyone could've hoped for. But once the producers saw how well it worked, every season after that had to have "the naive girl", "the hunk", "the gay one", "the angry black one", "the wannabe musician", "the jackass" and then a few "wild cards" who were camera-friendly. I really can't get into that show anymore because of it's scripted nature, but I do get a big kick out of those Real World/Road Rules challenges. People are never more real than when they're competing for money. I do like some reality shows but others turn my stomach. And the sheer volume of them is pretty ridiculous.By the way, it's so funny that you and I have that same college dream. I read on some dream analysis website that it means that I'm afraid to move on to the next stage of my life...which in my case is probably true!
1:53 PM


Carl Spackler ~ From the Mind of Carl Spackler
Tuesday, July 19, 2005
The Power of the Wealthy

abc news just reported that story the other day. when will it stop! seems we won't have any property rights at this rate.
10:07 AM


Jef ~ Thunderfish
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Apartment Life

I'm so glad to be out of an apartment. Mowing isn't all that bad and the tax break is wonderful and I'm making a profit off of it when I sell it. I would call the home office and check out the story, get the person you talked to's name and then call Ms. Bubbly back and ask again and then tell her you talked to Home Office and they will be calling her later. Like Joe Pesci said in Lethal Weapon II, "They screw you at the [apartment complex]."Hoping to read more from you,~Jef
10:12 AM


Dave Morris ~ Dave’s Window
Wednesday, July 20, 2005
Apartment Life

I have a habit of leaving apartments REALLY clean. Far cleaner than they were when I moved in. Yet, I never get a bonus refund. Only the deposit. Why doesn't the world work the way I want it to???
11:55 PM


Avik ~ The Surging Waves
Friday, July 22, 2005
Just enough to get by!

nice reading.....
take care.....
12:00 PM


Ticharu ~ Ticharu Gets Legs
Saturday, July 23, 2005
Backyard surprise

We've re-named the 'Department of Natural Resources' up in my neck of the woods the 'Destroy Natural Resources' from a simular encounter. Not aligators obviously, but a baby raccoon. We found the little guy, wet and shivering, lost, quite helpless. Called the DNR, asked how to take care of it, they said to just kill it. We fed it with a bottle and in a few days it was strong enough to leave and we've not seen it since. People aren't pests, but every animal that gets in our way sure is. Actually, humans are the real pest...
6:11 PM


Mojoala ~ Dialetic Storm
Monday, July 25, 2005
I just don't get it

just a sign o times.now if botox could grow hair, I might use it. Jef might too!His forehead and mine are identical....lol
10:59 AM


Goan Pao ~ Vindaloo
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Where are the parents?

Guess the I in todays world is more important than the We. Parents supported by psychologists are more concerned about themselves than the children. Also a lot of parents like to act "Cool: and are afraid of disciplining their children. Some parents are just darn lazy.Kudos to you guys ticharu, dave ....
1:41 PM


Allison ~ AP’s Blog
Tuesday, July 26, 2005
Where are the parents?

he'll look for attention from other sources and they probably won't be good ones ie: drugs, gangs, etc..
6:20 PM


Rebecca (now Becky) ~ Becky’s Ramblings
Thursday, July 28, 2005
Integrity?

Most people don't know what the word respect really means, it's no longer one for all and all for one, more like it's all for me!! What can you do though, you can't change an entire world's views on things.... Free will is a bitch sometimes...
9:57 AM


Robmcj ~ open text
Friday, July 29, 2005
A little too edgy for some

Apart from the music, it reminds me of macrobiotic people, who in decades gone by used the doctrine on food, toxins, etc. to better themselves. Maybe they still do.Macrobiotic couples would plan something like 7 years of pure living so as to replace every cell in the body before conceiving a child. I don't see a problem with these movements, except that if everyone did it, there'd be nobody buying junk food and drink and pharmaceuticals and fertilisers to prop up the economy. And farmers might have to employ more people.I'd still be macrobiotic myself if I could afford a personal macro chef, like Madonna.Lee Ann - your profile refers to Led Zeppelin, here's a shameless link.
5:07 PM


Menzies Milngavie iii ~ Menzies’ Mumblings
Sunday, July 31, 2005
If there is a will there is a way

Dear Lee Ann,Rather late for your Tuesday posting about 'where are the parents', but thought you would be amused by this sign.MM III
9:44 AM


The Zombie Lama
Wednesday, August 03, 2005
Do you know someone personally?

Future "Darwin Award" winners there...
11:39 PM


Fred ~ Fred’s World
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Due what? Do when?

This sounds like one of those stories the local newspaper's "Action Line" would love to print. One call from them and your deposit will be ready that afternoon.
6:27 PM


Frank ~ Frank the Tank
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Due what? Do when?

Completely agreed! It's ridiculous! They should be alloted no more than 60 days to remit payment! I HATE cable companies!!!
6:36 PM


Robert C. Seifert ~ RCS Thinking Out Loud
Monday, August 08, 2005
In just one unsuspecting moment!

I'm not certain I would have been as graceful. Bitterness is like a cancer. It will consume and destroy you if you're not careful - see your neighbors. I came via Dave's Window, I'll be back!RCS
12:04 AM


ilaiy
Thursday, August 11, 2005
Working for your money ~ what a concept!

Be careful with all those email scams... Never make your life revolve around money .../thanks ilaiy


Echeevo72 ~ Soundboard de Cheevo
Saturday, August 20, 2005
What will be next?

hey, i randomly found your blog. i am in birmingham too and you are one of the few birminghamsters i have found out in bloggerville. this competitive eating event was something we covered at the bham news (i work there) and we talked about how amazing it was that a tiny asian dude was on the one to pack away so many weiners, where did he put them all?
11:19 AM


Spinning girl ~ Eleven Point Five
Saturday, August 20, 2005
What will be next?

Aww, sheeeat. I could've made like $7000 last Thursday when I ate my way through my whole fridge.
9:42 PM


Kay Ray ~ K Doll Killah for Shizza
Monday, August 22, 2005
Isn't it a bit ironic?

Druggies have to ruin it for all of us!! That really sucks.. Great blog!!!
2:23 PM


Hotboy ~ Rablissblog
Monday, August 22, 2005
Isn't it a bit ironic?

Duh! Dealing a little drunkenly with this ...Is this American irony? Are drug dealers (my deep dear friends) saints, or capitalists? Hotboy
6:36 PM


Friends of McDougal ~ Who is McDougal
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Less is more!

A buddy of mine (man by the name of McDougal, do you know him?) is half sasquatch on his mom's side.The guy's a 6'9" freakin' orangutan.He doesn't shave, but I know from seeing it done first hand, the man conditions his pubes with hot bacon grease.Being half blind (Dad's side), I'm not the best judge of physical appearances. However, I see enough to know that while McDougal is a mountain of a man, he's not much to look at. His eyebrows actually grow straight into his hairline. And the man's essentially had to pick a line of demarcation on where to stop shaving his face. There's no way to tell specifically where the beard stops growing and the chest hair starts. This, I think, is why in recent years, he has decided to go completely natural. He's got a 2-foot long beard, and can no longer where a shirt because of the excessive chest hair growth.President Kennedy gave him a gold chain with a St. Christopher medal on it back in '62, which McDougal has never taken off. However, it's been missing in the tangle of chest hair since some time in the mid-80s.I will say this for the old guy though -- he smells like a goddamn dream. It's like a mix of lilacs and sulphur ... but it's a good smell.Strong. Musky.Drives the women nuts.This probably comes from his steady diet of Chinese ... people. They're about all he eats.Another little tidbit -- I once bedded McDougal's third wife (immediately following their divorce) and she was naturally hairless. No body hair, no hair on her head, no eyebrows.Stunningly beautiful woman though.I also know that as we speak at the McDougal Institute at MIT, they are working on cloning a breed of completely hairless humans. This breed also possesses just a single arm, no legs, and two dozen tiny feet.Dean Kaman (sp?) is involved, and this new breed of superhumans will be powered by a brilliant combination of naturally occurring hydraulics and magnetic energy.I think in a few years, we're all going to have to revisit the nature of human beauty.
2:40 PM


Justice ~ Rambling Thoughts of a Weary Traveler
Wednesday, August 24, 2005
Less is more!

I'm with you...I really wonder what type of person participated in these studies. LOLThanks for stopping by my blog earlier. I hope you will come back again.
8:37 PM


The Mad Hatter
Saturday, August 27, 2005
Now this is interesting!

I've always loved this story. Link me if you dare!
9:21 PM


Jiggs ~ Jiggsblog
Wednesday, August 31, 2005
Oh, So smart!

I think we all know what the deeper message is here:Don't be a douchebag.
6:12 PM


Carslemane Foraix
Monday, September 12, 2005
Sounds of silence

It sounds like a typical party at Hotboy's place, except that at his parties, everyone dances around all night without any music or headphones at all.Carslemane
3:25 PM


Crallspace
Thursday, October 06, 2005
Feeling a bit under the weather

I can see the amazed Chinese kid in the background.
11:18 PM


Neo ~ Just Bring It
Friday, October 07, 2005
Ohhh! Something to see!

Lee Ann - OUCH!!!!If it wasn't real, it would sure look fake. The body just isn't supposed to bend like that. I know my man is on some serious pain killers.Neo cringes
6:37 AM


Ellen ~ The Secret Garden
Wednesday, October 12, 2005
Rock-a-bye Husband?

Lee Ann- I popped over to your blog from Neos. I read through your posts and got a great chuckle about the GYN visit. Haven't we all experienced that? (I waited so long one time, that I literally took a nap on the table).Anyhow, just wanted you to know that I enjoyed your stories, and loved the pictures as well.Good work!
5:54 PM


Calzone ~ Dragon for Hire
Monday, October 17, 2005
Are you my mother?

Man...I came over here to bust your ass, but...you are so sweet. Damn
8:06 PM


Saurkraut ~ Saurkraut Speaks Frank-ly
Wednesday, October 26, 2005
At work?

Yeah, the same thing happened in Clearwater, FL (a major tourist town in FL). You just gotta wonder: Public Servants - How Dumb ARE They?
9:11 AM


Aliecat ~ The Kitty Kat Lounge
Wednesday, November 02, 2005
Not a 3-way but a 4-way!!!!

I failed my driver's test once, but hey, I was only 14 when I took it...
1:44 PM


Twolf1920 ~ R700 Rider
Friday, November 11, 2005
Ahhhh, now that is nice!

Woe is me-I had to convert an old tub with a hose with a showerhead on it. I am NOT a plumber...NOR is it easy to convert an old style bathtub to a shower-All the hardware is oudated. I have to SIT in the stupid thing and hose myself off like a DOG.DAMMIT!I am looking for a conversion kit to make a shower stall. Seeing your post jut made me realize that I too really want a decent shower.I am so deprived!Bloody HELL!And I live in Minnesota, so its gonna get cold here soon!CRAPPITY CRAP!Anyway, Nice blog!
10:29 PM

Pickle Slicer

There once was this man who worked in a pickle factory, who had this very great and powerful desire to put his "member" in the pickle slicer. This went on for years, and he couldn't stand it, so he decided to seek professional help for this odd infatuation of his.
He spends a few months with the shrink, and the doc finally gives up and tells the man that since his desire is so powerful to put his "member" in the pickle slicer, the only way to get over it was to do it. The man gladly agrees and says he will do it the next day at work.
The next day he comes home from work about 11 AM. His wife is very worried and asks what happened. He explains to her, for the first time - the desire he has had to put his "member" in the pickle slicer.
And then explains that he couldn't take it any more and today he did it.
She gasps and runs over to him, yanks down his pants and briefs, only to see his "member" perfectly normal and intact. She looks back up and says, "I don't understand, what happened to the pickle slicer?"
"I think she got fired too."

Ok, I know you have probably already heard this one, but I thought it was funny. I needed something funny, because it's Friday and I am tired! I hope all of you have an excellent weekend.
*Hugs* cya later ~

I'm guilty, well maybe not!

I stole this list from Aliecat! The things in bold are the things I'm guilty of...

smoked a cigarette – yes, but wouldn’t now, I get pneumonia too easily

crashed a friend's car – no, but have crashed while riding in a friend’s car

stolen a car – no, never, not ever even thought about it.

been in love – yes, I certainly am now!

been dumped - yes

shoplifted – no, don’t like the idea of going to jail

been fired – no, but have been through a corporate closing – very stressful

been in a fist fight – no, but I think I have dreamt that I was

snuck out of your parent's house – no, brother did once, I never wanted to after that

had feelings for someone who didn't have them back - yes, 6th grade, that is a bad feeling

been arrested - no, thankfully

gone on a blind date – yes, once with a guy with long hair, did it mostly to make my dad mad (high school)

lied to a friend – yes, so their feelings would not be hurt

skipped school – yes, only some classes in college

seen someone die – not right in front of me

had a crush on one of your internet friends – yes...not telling!

been to Canada – no, would like to

been to Mexico – yes, just Matamoros

been on a plane – yes, used to love it, now I don’t

purposely set a part of yourself on fire – heck no!

eaten sushi – yes, not my favorite!

been jet-skiing – yes, in the Gulf of Mexico (the ones you had to stand up on, not those easy sit on and ride type)

met someone in person from the internet – no, but I would like to

been moshing at a concert – no, doesn’t sound appealing to me

taken pain killers – yes, I get bad migraines

loved and missed someone – yes, I loved and miss my grandpa

made a snow angel – yes, what is a fresh canvas of snow without an angel?

had a tea party - yes, doesn’t every little princess have one?

flown a kite – yes, with my brother and sister when we were young

built a sand castle – yes, right before jet skiing in Florida

gone puddle jumping – yes, a girl has to try it at least once!

played dress up – yes, 3rd grade, went to a birthday party where all of us little girls dressed up in our mommy’s clothes (had lunch at a nice restaurant)

jumped in a pile of leaves – yes, my Dad’s favorite past time for my brother, sister and me growing up was raking leaves, so it was only natural to jump in the piles

gone sledding – yes, I used to live in Iowa when I was very little

cheated while playing a game – no, I don’t recall ever doing that, don’t play too many games anymore

been lonely - yes, unfortunately

fallen asleep at work or school – yes, and yes

used a fake id – yes, well I knew where the fun was when I was 18 and didn’t want to wait 3 years

watched a sun set – yes, I love the sunset soooo much

felt an earthquake – no, so glad, hope I never do

touched a snake – yes, unfortunately….very cold and moist – ewwhhh!

slept beneath the stars – yes, camping with my grandparents

been robbed – no, thankfully

been misunderstood – yes, sometimes too much

petted a reindeer/goat – no, I saw a goat kind of up close once

won a contest – yes, won Bingo when I was 6 (I won a Barbie doll), and $50 in the FL lottery (co-worker gave me a ticket)

run a red light/stop sign – yes, $120 ticket in Houston, TX

been suspended from school – no, fotunately

been in a car accident – several, mostly hit by drunk drivers

eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night – yes, this is not a difficult task…especially when feeling down and out

had déjà vu – yes, more times than I can count

danced in the moonlight – no, something on my list to do

liked the way you looked at least at one point in time - yes, sometimes

witnessed a crime – yes, I saw someone take $ from a cash register

been obsessed with post-it notes – no, why, when there are so many other good things to obsess about ;)

squished barefoot through the mud - yes, I think that was the same day I stepped on a slug!!! Ewwhhh!

been lost – yes, that is a scary feeling

been on the opposite side of the country – yes, traveled to NY when I lived in FL (south FL)

swam in the ocean – yes, many times

cried yourself to sleep – yes, many times

played cops and robbers – yes, with my brother when we were little (also, cowboys and Indians)

recently colored with crayons – not in the last couple of years :)

sung karaoke – no, wish I had the guts

paid for a meal with only coins – no, I would do without if that was all the $ I had

done something you told yourself you wouldn't – oh yes, and I won’t tell

made prank phone calls – yes, what child doesn’t?

laughed until some kinda beverage came out of your nose – yes, soda really hurts coming through your nose

caught a snow flake on your tongue – yes, definitely, I love snow

written a letter to Santa Claus – yes, didn’t you?

been kissed under the mistletoe by your boy/girlfriend – no, but definitely on my list to do ~ baby, let’s get some mistletoe this year, ok?

watched the sun rise with someone you care about – yes, on the beach with my parents and their best friends when I lived in Boca Raton

blown bubbles – yes, of course

made a bonfire on the beach – no, but sounds fun

laughed so hard you pee your pants - no, almost

cheated on a test – no, but thought about it

been kissed by someone you didn't like – yes, that blind date guy…at least I turned my cheek

gone skinny dipping in a pool – yes! what group of girls don’t do that at some point?

Is that really an aphrodisiac?

Goat testicles boiled in milk, in ancient India; oysters in Rome; coriander in Arabia; honeyed mead in medieval times; fresh snake blood in Asia; bat blood, reindeer penises, shark fins and ground rhino horns ~ what do all of these have in common?
They all, at one time or another, have been acclaimed as aphrodisiacs.

Aphrodisiac by definition is just about anything that awakens or increases sexual desire — be it your own, or the object of your desire's, named from the Greek goddess of sex and beauty, Aphrodite.

They are all as effective as Spanish Fly (which by the way is not fly, but the dried remains of beetles that irritate the urogenital tract). These aphrodisiacs are folklore at best and hazardous to your health at worst.

According to an article in Forbes, The Food and Drug Administration has declared "There is no scientific proof that any over-the-counter aphrodisiacs work to treat sexual dysfunction," while acknowledging that its findings "clash with a 5,000-year tradition of pursuing sexual betterment through use of plants, drugs and magic."

People still desire an aphrodisiacal quick fix because stirring arousal can be tricky. "We're all unique individuals and we all respond differently to different things," notes Dr. Beverly Whipple, a professor emerita at Rutgers University and president of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sex, who co-coined the term "G-Spot" back in 1980.

At the source of human sexual desire is the "core erotic personality". Each person has an image or thought of what they feel is sexually desirous. It is different for everyone. Factors that go into that could be specific age, hair color, build, race, style of dress, or other objects like fur-lined handcuffs, even different types of behaviors feed into the desire.

According to Dr. William Granzig, dean of clinical sexology at Maimonides University, “Whatever it is in particular, the sexual template is believed to develop early on during a childhood erotic experience — perhaps as early as age three or four — and it sticks with you for life.
The difficulty of maintaining sexual desire over the long term, of course, is that if your partner falls outside of your sexual template — or you fall outside theirs — sooner or later one of you is going to lose interest.
Many people whose template is not, say, age-specific can have great sex throughout their lives, but if you're only attracted to 20-year-olds, once your partner hits 30, your desire will decrease.
Unless, of course, you can figure out some ways to spice things up."

The spicing it up thing is where things can get complicated. Men and women are wholly different sexual creatures.
For most men, of course, sex is all about orgasms: it's culturally imbued in them to desire sex, and they possess a superb feedback device for letting them know when they're in the mood.
Yet most women have been conditioned to regard sex as more sensual, with sexual satisfaction often attainable without orgasm, and the desire for orgasms often reliant upon sensual needs being met first.
As such, women are far more likely then men to emphasize psychological satisfaction in their sexual relationships. I guess by now, we know that sexual pleasure can be achieved from a more emotional level for women. (Well most women).

Ok guys, are you still with me?

Here is what I found interesting….

“In recent times, it has been revealed women to have greater sexual capacity than men. After all, unlike the wham-bam-snore capabilities of men, women can go not only go all night if they want to, but have more powerful orgasms: six to ten contractions on average, versus four to six contractions for the guys. "When it comes to sexual capacity, men are wimps," says Dr. Robert Hatfield, a clinical psychologist and sex therapist at the University of Cincinnati. "
Over the past 15 years I've notice a shift with my patients, with most of the 'I'm-not-in-the-mood' complaints now coming from men."
This has inspired a $1.7 billion of sales in Viagra. Much to the success of the sales of this little blue pill, there has been a recent push in both genders to find a remedy for decrease in sexual desire. Outside distractions are a great contributor to this like job, careers, the pressures of the daily grind.

Ok everyone, to sum it up… there are no special aphrodisiacs, according to Dr. Granzig, “"Your biggest sex organ is the one between your ears. What is desire, after all, than the hope that you can fulfill your sexual fantasies? And that's all in your mind."

Do you like my castle?

Here are some pictures of my apartment....







...that I want when I get my new shower!