Am I Living My Life Vicariously?

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Okay, folks, I'm going to toss this out and see what you think ... and be honest with me, I'm a big girl and I can take it!

While visiting my mother yesterday after my doctor's appointment, she made mention of the fact that one of my cousins said that I was reliving my teenage years through Amanda (I guess that would be that whole 'living one's life vicariously through someone else' thing) because of the concerts that we go to, etc. Least ways, I think that's what she might have meant.

Being the over-thinker that I am, when my mother tells me this sort of thing I have to analyze it from every possible angle to see if there's any truth to it. Which, of course, is what I've been doing! So - let's see ... I have taken Amanda to three concerts this year - a My Chemical Romance concert, the Projekt Revolution Tour, and most recently to see Trans-Siberian Orchestra (of which I might add there were probably more people my age than Amanda's at); I have learned how to play Guitar Hero II; and dressed up like an Emo kid for Halloween; I have taken Amanda shopping at Hot Topic on several occasions; and I'll even admit to listening to some of the bands that she likes including HIM, Panic at the Disco, AFI, The Used, and sometimes - when I'm feeling really adventurous - Mindless Self Indulgence.

I have not dyed my hair some strange off-the-wall color like Amanda has on more than one occasion and neither do I wear black eyeliner or eye shadow that makes me look like a zombie. I don't write on myself with Sharpie pen nor do I wear band shirts on a constant basis. Sure, I do on occasion but I've always done that and seriously, who hasn't? Yes, I send text messages to friends, I have a MySpace page and a Facebook page, and I've had a Monster drink a time or two but am I reliving my teenage years through my daughter by doing those things?

I don't know, I thought I was taking an active interest in my daughter's life but maybe to some people it would seem that I am trying to relive or, better yet, rewrite my own teenage years. Maybe I'm trying to do all the things I didn't do when I was a teenager by doing them through, or with, Amanda but I just never saw it that way. Maybe I just haven't been seeing it right.

Thoughts, anyone?

The TSO Concert Wrap-Up

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Trans Siberian Orchestra - Requiem The Fifth



The above is something to listen to while you read ...

As I mentioned in several earlier posts, Amanda and I went to see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra in concert Sunday night at The Mohegan Sun Casino which is about five minutes down the road from me. This wasn't the first time we have seen them as we went last year with Andrew and Bethany when they played in Worcester, Massachusetts. After last year's show we had both enthusiastically agreed that we most definitely wanted to see them when they came around again this year so when tickets went on sale at The Sun I got down there the first day to get decent seats.

This is the first show that I've seen at The Mohegan Sun Arena (despite the fact that I live so close as well as having worked there as a blackjack dealer for awhile) and I must say that I was impressed. Everything was very orderly and our seats were perfect midway from the stage on the first level. My only complaint is that after 2-1/2 hours, the seats were getting a little uncomfortable but I'm sure the heck not going to complain about a 2-1/2 hour concert!

For those not familiar with Trans-Siberian Orchestra, they were formed in 1996 by Paul O'Neil, a composer, lyricist, and producer who, in the 1980's, was one of the biggest rock promoters in Japan as he promoted every tour of Madonna and Sting done in that decade, along with some of the biggest rock festivals of the 80's with such acts as Foreigner, Bon Jovi, and Whitesnake. Along with O'Neil two of his long time friends and collaborators, Robert Kinkel and Jon Oliva, joined together to form the core writing team for TSO.

So - to answer the anonymous comment left on my previous post titled "Head-Banging Classical Music" which said, "This is very similar to the Metallica S&M album where they performed with an orchestra. Which one came first?" the answer is TSO came first by several years. Their first album "Christmas Eve & Other Stories" was released on October 15th, 1996 while Metallica's S&M wasn't recorded with the San Francisco Symphony until April 21 & 22, 1999.

As I stated previously, TSO's music is a combination of rock, progressive rock, symphonic metal, and heavy metal with influences from classical music. It's heavy metal long-haired rockers meet classical music long-haired composers (as evidenced by the video above which is from their album "Beethoven's Last Night" which was released on April 11th, 2000). I'm not sure how to describe it any better than that! The group is absolutely fantastic and pour their all into every performance. If you don't walk out of a TSO performance saying "WOW!" then you are both deaf and blind and have no clue what true musicianship is. Sorry - that's just the way it is!

Sunday night's concert was absolutely phenomenal and Amanda and I both enjoyed it thoroughly even though we seemed to be sitting amongst a group of people who seemed to have trouble even tapping their toes, never mind clapping along when prompted. Ah yes, reserved New Englanders ...

At every concert they perform, Trans-Siberian Orchestra routinely donates $1 of every ticket sale to the Red Cross and for those of you who are Rachel Lutzker fans (the traffic reporter for Channel 3 WFSB News in Hartford) who flock to my blog looking for mention of her (seriously, you should see my searches!); you'll be happy to know that she was there and, along with several band members, helped to present a check for $10,176.00 to a representative of the National Red Cross. Rachel also works at The River 105.9 FM in Hartford so she was there in her DJ capacity and not as a traffic reporter before she took her seat in the audience. For those who want to know, she was wearing jeans and a very nice blouse, okay??

Amanda was probably the only person there with turquoise-green hair and even though she routinely listens to the likes of My Chemical Romance, Mindless Self Indulgence, HIM, and The Used, she is also quite the TSO fan as you can see by this picture and the look on her face.

The only drawback to her being a fan is that she insisted we stay afterwards for the autograph session that TSO has after every concert. We didn't get the chance to stay when we saw them last year and she really wanted to get autographs. Incredible pushover that I am, I acquiesed and after standing in line for a little over half an hour and chatting with a very nice couple from Rocky Hill (the male half was sporting a Mohawk haircut so he and Amanda got along quite well) she got autographs from every band member on the drumsticks she'd gotten from the merch stand. One of the sticks has all the band members' autographs while the other stick only has Jeff Plate, the drummer's autograph. He is - after all - the drummer and what an incredible drummer he is!

Chris Caffery, guitarist and the guy who does all the introductions and speaking for the band when they're performing, asked Amanda if her hair was a natural green and she had a good giggle about that. Alex Skolnick, another of the guitarists who is incredibly talented, was also extremely nice and even gave Amanda an autographed guitar pick to add to her collection of goodies. All in all, she had a fantastic night and has been playing TSO music since. A nice break from the other stuff she normally plays I must say!

My main thought during the show, other than how much I was enjoying it, was that I really, really wished that Jamie could have been there with us. She's never been to a concert while her sister has been to three this year and I am more than positive that she would absolutely love TSO as she is a child of the 80's when it comes to the music she likes - AC/DC, Queen, Led Zeppelin, and other bands of that genre are her favorites and to go to a concert with long-haired, head-banging rockers would probably be the ultimate thrill for her. I'm really hoping that when they come around again next year, as they do every year, that she'll be here to go with us.

In the meantime, here are some pictures from this year's show. Surprisingly, The Sun has no stipulations against taking pictures during performances so Amanda was able to take quite a few. (Oops! After looking at our tickets I saw where it said "No cameras or recording devices" so technically The Sun does have stipulations against taking pictures! Sorry!) This is where a nicer digital camera would have come in handy but all things considered, they came out pretty good. Of course, you really have to be there live to appreciate the laser show and the pyrotechnics as well as the energy of the band. Trust me on that one, I wouldn't lie to you!

Head-Banging Classical Music

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In my post on Sunday I mentioned that Amanda and I were going to be attending a Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert at The Mohegan Sun Arena and I said that it would "be a nice evening out with good head-banging classical music and pyrotechnics". Apparently there are those who are not familiar with Trans-Siberian Orchestra and had no idea what "head-banging classical music" could possibly be so for Mimi and Patti, I am posting the following video clip that Amanda took at Sunday night's concert.

This is just a small segment of "The Flight of the Bumblebee" and even though that's not a classical music piece, it's still pretty cool and definitely head-banging! TSO's music is often described in different terms but basically they incorporate rock, progressive rock, symphonic metal, and heavy metal with influences from classical music and have a sound that is out of this world. One of their album's is entitled "Beethoven's Last Night" and there's some definite hand-banging classical music on it!

If you have not had the chance to see this band perform, trust me - you do not know what you're missing! I'll be writing more about Sunday's night concert complete with pictures later today after I get back from a doctor's appointment and visit to my Mom's but in the meantime, enjoy this small segment ...

Digital Cameras

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There are probably very few people who don't own some form of a digital camera these days. Well, except maybe for my son and his wife but I'm looking for one for them for Christmas. Granted, it's not going to be a Nikon D3 or anything like that, though I would love to own a digital SLR camera myself some day, but even a basic digital camera would probably get me some pictures of my grandsons on a fairly regular basis!

My current camera is a Nikon CoolPix 4100 and it's served me well for the almost two years that I've had it. I'm sure Amanda would be totally lost without it as it's important for teenagers to constantly update their pictures on MySpace and I use it a lot for pictures to go with posts here on my blog. I think that pictures definitely add something to just about any post and seriously, where we would have been without a camera at any of the concerts we've gone to this year? Matter of fact, I've got some great pictures from our recent Trans-Siberian Orchestra concert that we went to this past Sunday to post just as soon as I have the time to a) write the post and b) get them put into some sort of slideshow!

If there's enough money left after paying bills with this year's anticipated tax return, a new digital camera is definitely on my list of things I want to get. I'm pretty sure I can find a great one at a great price at RitzCamera.com as they've got a fantastic selection and the prices can't be beat. Until then, though, my trusty little Nikon Coolpix is going to have to continue to get the job done!

Doing your online shopping has never been better especially with digital cameras and other electronics because you're able to easily find great deals on digital cameras. Not to mention you never have to enter a store when you do go shopping and that alone is a huge convenience.

Manic Monday - Gravy

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Good gravy! It's Monday again already and that means it's time for The Magnificent Morgen's Manic Monday Word of the Day which is -- GRAVY! For those of you who might be wondering how on earth that became the word of the day allow me to quickly explain ... the other evening Morgen, Claire, and myself were playing a game of Scrabulous online and having a lovely Yahoo! Instant Messenger chat at the same time. Mo mentioned that he had yet to pick a word for Manic Monday and asked Claire and I if we had any suggestions. Well, with it being close to Thanksgiving and all, my mind immediately went to all of the good things about Thanksgiving and settled on gravy because you can't have turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing without having gravy. Gravy is the thing that ties it all together - much like friendship is the thing that ties life together. Hence, the word of the day is "gravy"! Makes sense, right?

I wasn't sure what direction I was going to go with "gravy" but while debating options I had an epiphany of sorts what with it also being Veterans Day this weekend and I was recalling some of my time in the military. I was in the Air Force and after my six weeks of Basic Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas I was transferred to Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi for eight months of electronics schooling. Keesler was known to have some of the best chow halls in the Air Force and had actually won quite a few awards. For the eight months that I was stationed there, I never once complained about the food as it was very good and very plentiful and if you couldn't find something you liked then you were way too picky and should never have joined the military to begin with!

One of my very favorite things to have for breakfast was ground hamburg in a white gravy sauce served over toast otherwise known as Sh*t on a Shingle. A lot of people get this particular delicacy confused with creamed chipped beef but true SOS is made with ground beef and I can't remember ever going to the chow hall and having them serve up SOS made with chipped beef. It just wouldn't have been the same.

Say what you want about it but it was stick-to-your-ribs food and was absolutely delicious. I liked to have mine put on my hash browns or even my scrambled eggs for a variation once in awhile and my mouth is watering just sitting here thinking about it now!

SOS was also one of my Dad's favorites and being a 20-year career man I can certainly see that happening! My Mom used to make creamed chip beef a lot when I was younger but it wasn't the same so I eventually found a recipe of sorts and learned to make true SOS myself. The few times I made it for my Dad, he gave it high points and said it tasted just as good as anything he'd ever eaten in a chow hall. My youngest brother who spent some time in the Army National Guard also gave it a big thumbs-up so I have military experts backing me on this!

I don't have an exact recipe written down as SOS is something you basically make for taste but I can give you the basics should you ever wish to try it yourself. Oh, and don't even think about the calories because they are plentiful but an Army can't run on carrots and celery sticks!

First off, get a pound of bacon and fry it up placing the bacon to the side and reserving the bacon fat; in the same skillet you just friend the bacon in, add enough flour to the bacon fat to make a nice gravy base along with salt and pepper for seasoning; add milk until you have a nice thick sauce; stir in one pound of already-cooked scrambled ground beef; and when it's good and hot serve over toast or potatoes. Yummy! Some people like to add Tabasco sauce or other condiments but I like just the basics. I'm going to have to make this again sometime soon now that I think about it!

Everyone have a great Monday and may all your gravy be good!

Shipoopi, Stew, & Stuff

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After a rather busy day yesterday, it's been nice to have a Sunday to just relax a bit and sit on the couch. I think I could rather get used to having Sundays off though I guess I'd best not, I only have this afternoon off as I've got plans for later on.

I spent most of yesterday cleaning the house and cooking as we had invited Jason, Amy, & Cate over dinner. That would be the Jason, Amy, & Cate who are related to the phenomenal Lyn-Z of Mindless Self Indulgence fame who is married to the one and only Gerard Way of My Chemical Romance fame. Normally I wouldn't even mention that but I figure with Google dropping my Page Rank faster than the stocks crashed on Wall Street in 1929, I could go for some shameless self-promotion and drop names!

Truth be told Jason, Amy, & Cate don't need to be related to any one at all for me to want to invite them over for dinner as they are three fantastic people and I truly enjoy their company. It's good for Amanda to have Jason come over and pick on her unmercifully and then break out into a pretty decent rendition of "Shipoopi", originally made famous in Meredith Wilson's "The Music Man" but maybe more widely known in this video -


It was actually quite entertaining to have dinner and a show of sorts! Since the first time I met Jason at American Ambulance he's been making me laugh and last night was no exception! Poor Amy and Cate were getting quite the work-out with the eye-rolling but I could see they were holding back the snickers themselves! Cate is one lucky girl to have a father who has such a good sense of humor.

For dinner I made homemade beef stew in a bread-bowl that turned out to be quite tasty, in my own humble opinion, followed by apple crisp using a slightly different recipe than the last batch I made. In this one I added some chopped pecans to the topping and drizzled it with butter prior to baking it. Yum! Considering that it was a cold November day yesterday, it was the perfect meal - again in my own humble opinion! And one of the best parts is that there's plenty of leftover stew because I always make way too much and there isn't much better than reheated beef stew - yet again in my own humble opinion!

Unfortunately Amy wasn't feeling too well as she's battling the nasty cold that seems to be going around and around and around out here so they didn't stay for too long after dinner - just long enough to watch the latest episode of "House" that we had on DVR and then VH1's "Best Week Ever", though if you ask me if that was the best they could come up with for this week then NO ONE had a best week! Normally the show is pretty funny but this week - not so funny.

Later this evening Amanda and I will head over to the Mohegan Sun Casino for a concert by the Trans-Siberian Orchestra - which thankfully wasn't canceled for any reason! We went to see them last year for the first time after Christmas at the DCU Center in Worcester, Massachusetts and they were excellent (you can read about it in my post here if you'd like) so I'm expecting no less of a spectacular show this evening. Add on the fact that it's less than 5 minutes down the road and what more could you possibly want? Well, I would like Jamie to be there with us as I'm sure she would absolutely love the show, too, but alas she won't be here until next month. Maybe next year if we're lucky?

Anyhow, I'm sure it will be a nice evening out with good head-banging classical music and pyrotechnics and maybe even a stop at Ben & Jerry's for some ice cream! Sure beats the heck out of being at work! Oh, and speaking of work, if you'd like a small glimpse into what I do (or is that say?) for a living, click on this link to WTIC-Fox 61 News and then scroll down to "EMS Shortage" on 11/8. That voice you hear as the ambulance rolls out of the bay is mine (cringe!). Ah, fleeting fame!

Puttin' on Plushie Pants

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After weeks of waiting and wondering whether it was ever going to happen or not, I am happy to announce that Steve the Plushie has finally gotten a pair of pants and no longer has to sit around the house in nothing but a shirt and hair barrettes! Amanda finally got around to putting together a pair of baggy pants for Steve this weekend and even though it took her from Friday night until Saturday evening (not continuously mind, you!), she finally got them done before our company came over for dinner.

I guess with having friends over for the evening, Amanda thought that it would be more appropriate to have Steve properly dressed or something. Amanda also wanted me to make sure that I posted a picture of Steve in his new duds so that you who have been anxiously awaiting the outcome of the poor pantless plushie would also know that he's all set for the cold winter months now! As you can see from the second picture, even Steve looks quite amazed at the fact that he's wearing pants!

Yeah Baby!!

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Calendars with pictures of semi-clothed (sounds so much more polite than semi-naked, doesn't it?) firefighters have become quite the hot (pun intended!) item as holiday gifts and a great way for some departments to generate a little extra income either for charities or, if the company is all volunteer, much needed equipment. Case in point, the Waterbury Connecticut Firefighters put out a calendar last year that was smokin' and would have looked great on my wall had I purchased one before they were snapped up by all the other women who like to droll supporters of firefighters.

I think I'm going to have to move quicker this year to ensure that I get a calendar as I got an email yesterday with a preview of one of the pictures and let me just say, baby - this is one handsome fella!

An Opportunity to Be Your Own Boss

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These days working from home is something that has become a lot more appealing to a lot more people. With the rising cost of gas for the commute, the rising cost of child care, and the tension and frustration that seems to run rampant in most work places - working at home sounds like an ideal solution. It's the chance to take yourself out of the rat race, establish your own schedule, wear comfortable clothes at your job, and have your job work around your family's needs rather than having your family's needs come in second.

If this is something that appeals to you and you've got excellent phone sales and communication skills than a unique opportunity awaits you with Courtney Raymond Consultants, the leading recruitment firm for Merrill Lynch, one of the largest financial service corporations in the world.

If you have a desire to become a "virtual recruiter" and run your own business from home, then Courtney Raymond Consultants wants you. They offer free professional training to help you get started (no prior recruiting experience is necessary), free leads of people to call with the positions and firms already in place, and earning potential that commensurates with you hard work and effort. This is a great opportunity to be in business for yourself but not by yourself as they will help you every step of the way. Your opportunity is waiting why not check it out?

I Was Having a Good Day Right Up Until ...

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... I decided to see what was available over on PayPerPost so that I could do a quick paid post before writing my regular post for the day. I found a nice little $10 opp that looked pretty interesting, signed up for it, wrote it, submitted it, and got a message back telling me that I didn't meet the qualifications for the offer. HUH? I had a sneaky feeling I knew what that was about so I hopped over to a Google Page Rank Lookup Report and sure enough, the good folks at Google have dropped my blog from a Page Rank 4 to a Page Rank 2. It seems to be happening all over the place and I guess it was just a matter of time before Google decided to punish me along with everyone else who is doing paid posts.

Normally, this wouldn't bother as I didn't get into blogging to make money but times have been pretty tough lately and are only going to get tougher considering that there is no longer any overtime available at work. I had been counting on my paid posts to maybe be able to get some things for the girls for Christmas but now it looks like I am only going to be able to get $5 opportunities - if that. This really and truly stinks.

It isn't that I really like doing paid ads all that much - I don't - but I don't think that Google should be punishing me for doing them. I don't know exactly what they base Page Rank on, and I can't seem to find a straight answer anywhere explaining it, but apparently advertisers take it to heart as PayPerPost wasted no time in cutting me out from decent opportunities even though my Alexa ranking has improved. I just don't get it.

Oh well, I guess there's no sense crying over a dropped Page Rank but it just ticks me off as I feel it's a slap in the face and is Google's way of telling me that my blog stinks or something. Right now, I am not liking the people at Google very much - at all!

Veterans Day History and Thoughts

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Veterans Day is only two days away on November 11th but how many people really know what Veterans Day is all about? Originally called Armistice Day in 1919 at the end of World War I, President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the following:

"To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations…"

The original concept was for the holiday to be a day of parades and public meetings with a brief suspension of business at 11:00 a.m. to honor the Veterans of World War I - "the war to end all wars". Sadly, that was not the case and in 1954, after World War II had required the greatest mobilization of soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen in the Nation’s history; after American forces had fought aggression in Korea, the 83rd Congress amended the Act of 1938, at the urging of the veterans service organizations, by striking out the word "Armistice" and inserting in its place the word "Veterans." At that time, November 11th became a day to honor all Veterans of all wars.

Because the government is the government and can't leave well enough alone most of the time, The Uniforms Holiday Bill (Public Law 90-363 (82 Stat. 250) was passed on June 28, 1968 in an attempt to give all federal employees a three-day weekend when it came to our National Holidays - Washington's Birthday, Memorial Day, Columbus Day, and Veterans Day. The first Veterans Day under this new law was celebrated on on October 25th, 1971 amongst a lot of confusion and not even close to the original date. On September 25th, 1975, after it became apparent that commemoration of Veterans Day was a matter of historic and patriotic significance, President Gerald R. Ford signed Public Law 94-97 (89 Stat. 479) which returned the observance of Veterans Day to its original date of November 11th in 1978. It has since remained that date regardless of the day of the week on which it falls and is the date when all Americans should take the time to thank a veteran for his or her service to our country.

The day shouldn't be about Veterans Day sales at your local stores or about kids having the day off from school or banks and the post office being closed ... it should be about focusing on the important purpose of this day - a day set aside to celebrate and honor America's veterans for their patriotism, for their love of country, and for their willingness to sacrifice and serve for the common good.

My father was a veteran and served proudly in the United States Air Force for over twenty years. He retired with a Bronze Star medal, a Purple Heart medal, and exposure to Agent Orange in Vietnam that would eventually turn into Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and end his life way too damned early. But he was proud to serve and I was proud of him - still am.

So for my Dad and to everyone else's Dad or Mom out there who served or is serving in the United States military, I ask you to take the time on November 11th to thank a veteran for his or her service to our country - no matter what you think of this current war or the wars that have gone on before it, we owe it to these fine people to remember them and honor them for what they do and have done.

Thank you!

Boston-Bound!

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This is an apartment building located in Allston, Massachusetts which is only 2.68 miles away from Fenway Park, home of the World Champion Boston Red Sox and favorite team of one of my very favorite bloggers, Ms. Maggie Moo, who will soon be making this very apartment building her new home. How exciting is that??

Mags was able to sell her cute little house here in Connecticut in no time flat, interviewed for and got a great new job before you could say "Bob's your uncle" (even if he isn't!), and located a nice little apartment in this building on the 5th floor with a partial view of the Boston skyline where she will be moving in less than ten days time. I tell you, when the girl makes up her mind to do something - she does it!

I get the feeling she's a bit overwhelmed and nervous at this point and I can't say that I blame her as moving is supposed to be one of the biggest stressors out there and, considering she's leaving behind family and friends to move to a new place where she knows only one person at her new job, there's lots to be nervous about! But, Mags is one of those people that you just can't help but love when you meet her and no doubt she'll have lots of friends in no time flat.

Honestly, part of me is a bit envious as it sounds like such a great adventure but I'm sure I'd be as nervous as a cat myself with everything that's going on! In the meantime, please join me in sending good thoughts to Mags while she sorts through the stuff in her house, waits for the roofers to finish before the closing on the 27th, and gears up for a whole new life in Boston.

Oh ... and Mags ... the sooner you get settled the better as I will definitely be visiting! Amanda would love to visit Newberry Comics on Newberry Street and I bet Boston at Christmas time is beautiful! What better way to see it then with a good friend with the best smile in the whole Blogosphere??

Mags, Carrie, and I from our dinner last Friday evening.

Once you're settled in Boston, Mags, don't hesitate to find a dating service that that can allow you to find friendships or a relationship. Finidng free Boston personals is easy.

The Pantless Plushie Saga Continues

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I'm sure you all remember poor pantless plushie Steve Righ, right?

Despite the fact that she made an attempt towards getting the poor guy some pants made this weekend, Amanda still has yet to clothe the poor little fella and with the colder temperatures of November now upon us, I'm guessing this is what Steve thinks about the whole thing ...

Doesn't look too happy, does he? (Gee, I wonder if this is how other pantless plush animals feel?). When Amanda did this drawing the other day I asked her if it was inspired by Steve's disgust in still not having any pants upon his plushie but she just smiled. I tell ya, the kid has procrastination down to an art! Maybe someday soon poor plushie Steve will get some pants but in the meantime it gives Mo the chance to sing "Pantless plushies in a pile" and make me laugh. Hmm, I wonder if Mindless Self Indulgence might be able to make that into a song??

"Ain't It Good to Know That You've Got a Friend"

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It's been a long day and as I sit here with my eyes starting to slide shut on me because it's after 11:00 and I really need to go to bed, the thought occurs to me that I didn't really do much writing today - for a change! I did one paid post and my "I've Got a Question, You've Got an Answer" post. Normally I would have written at least three paid posts but this afternoon when I came home I found that I had something more important to do than to write posts.

I've got a friend who's going through a funk right now and even though he's a lot of miles away from me, he's still a friend and one of the nicest guys in the world in my book. When you have a friend who's feeling down you don't abandon that person to write paid posts or otherwise, you spend time IM'ing with him or her and playing endless games of Scrabulous on Facebook so that maybe - just maybe - you can take his or her mind off of that which is bogging him or her down. Least ways, that's my thought on it.

So, I spent the majority of the afternoon/evening having a wonderful time with my blog buddy and another who joined us from across the pond later on. I consider it time well wasted and I hope that I was able to cheer my friend up just a little bit as he certainly brightened my day some; there were times when he had me laughing so hard I thought my laptop was going to pop off my lap!

If I've missed anyone's blogs recently, I apologize and will make my regular rounds soon. As was once said in a Star Trek movie long ago - sometimes "the needs of the one outweigh the needs of the many." Though I'm sure I've quoted that wrong! Anyhow, I'm sure you understand, right??

Well, I'm sure this video says it best even though I can only virtually come running ... take it easy, my friend, life will get better, I have faith that it will. In the meantime, it's your move!

I've Got a Question, You've Got an Answer

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This week's question comes courtesy of a Yahoo! Instant Messenger session that I was having with some friends last night. I've discussed this with other friends before and it oftentimes makes me feel deficient in the "warmth and caring" department of life but I must confess - I am not a hugger - never have been and probably never will be. For me spontaneous hugs are virtually unheard of and not something that I initiate very often - if at all. If I do, consider yourself very special for a spontaneous hug is generally way out of my comfort zone.

If you were to trace back my family tree, you would see that I come from a long line of non-huggers with a few exceptions - one being my sainted grandfather on my mother's side. When it came to family, he was THE hugger and I have no happier childhood memories than those which contain a hug from Gramp. Strangely, my daughters seem to have inherited a hugging gene from somewhere as Amanda is extremely huggy as is Jamie. My son, though, continues the tradition of non-hugging!

That's not to say that I don't enjoy a good hug and that I haven't been known to give and receive hugs quite happily but I guess I'm just ultra-picky about who I let into my personal space. Despite my years of living in California where hugs run rampant most of the time, I'm going to chalk my lack of hugging enthusiasm up to my reserved British heritage.

So how about you? This week's questions asks:

Are you a hugger?

Dona Nobis Pacem

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In honor of today's Blog Blast for Peace, I wanted to share some of my favorite peace quotes by some of my favorite Americans as there are people who have said it so much better than I ever could. Funny how we've been talking about peace for so many years and yet it still seems to be so out of reach. May peace be with you and yours not just today but always!

I like to believe that people in the long run are going to do more to promote peace than our governments. Indeed, I think that people want peace so much that one of these days governments had better get out of the way and let them have it. - Dwight D. Eisenhower

There was never a good war or a bad peace. - Benjamin Franklin

But peace does not rest in the charters and covenants alone. It lies in the hearts and minds of all people. So let us not rest all our hopes on parchment and on paper, let us strive to build peace, a desire for peace, a willingness to work for peace in the hearts and minds of all of our people. I believe that we can. I believe the problems of human destiny are not beyond the reach of human beings. - John F. Kennedy

One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant goal that we seek, but that it is a means by which we arrive at that goal. We must pursue peaceful ends through peaceful means. - Martin Luther King, Jr.

The structure of world peace cannot be the work of one man or one party or one nation. It must be a peace which rests on the cooperative effort of the whole world. - Franklin D. Roosevelt

With malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right as God gives us to see the right, let us strive on to finish the work we are in; to bind up the nation's wounds; to care for him who shall have borne the battle, and for his widow and his orphan - to do all which may achieve and cherish a just and lasting peace, among ourselves, and with all nations. - Abraham Lincoln

Peace on The Mo Show

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This week on The Mo Show bloggers unite for PEACE!

Mimi, the originator of the blogging phenomenon Blog Blast For Peace, will be joining Mo LIVE on Wednesday, November 7th.

Tune in to Blog Talk Radio @ 7pm Eastern time as we wrap up the day's PEACE festivities!

Can you think of a more peaceful way to spend your evening after looking at the beauty of the Peace Globes that grace the Blogosphere? I can't and I'll be tuning in as well as joining in on the chat that's sure to distract Mo to no end! Hope you can join us!

An Exposed Chink in My Armor

Well, I can tell we have entered into the season of holiday spending once again as the TV is bombarding me with commercial after commercial about jewelry of all sorts and diamonds in particular. There is probably nothing in the world that reminds me of the fact that I do not have a significant other in my life more than having to watch one of those darned commercials where some lucky woman is presented with the unexpected gift of diamonds by some guy who - a good majority of the time - doesn't even exist in the real world!

Then there's that slogan - "Diamonds are forever" - that really cuts to the core and reminds me of the fact that neither of my marriages were forever in any sense of the word. How could I possibly ever expect to get a diamond commemorating the longevity of my relationship when, all told, I've been single longer than I've ever been in a relationship during the course of my adult life? I can't.

I honestly don't expect to get anything for Christmas this year and I'm good with that as there really isn't anything I need or want but I hate the fact that I am reminded on a regular basis of something I will never get because there's no man out there who wants to hold my hand, never mind put a diamond on it. I try not to get depressed about that very depressing reality but there are times when the chinks in my armor are more exposed than usual.

And the worst part of it? About the time I think I'm out of the woods and those darned commercials are over, they roll them out again for Valentine's Day! Maybe I should send my suit of armor out for some re-plating?

Not Quite the Cure For the Common Cold But Good Anyway!

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As I mentioned in the post previous to this one, Amanda and I have both been dealing with colds for going on over a week now and, truth be told, it's getting to be quite annoying having a constantly drippy nose and sore throat to boot. I am beginning to think I need to buy stock in Kleenex, cold remedies, and, while I'm at it, maybe medical supplies, too!

Getting up in age and having a memory like a sieve, I can never remember whether it's "feed a fever and starve a cold" or vice versa but I finally got up the ambition to do something with all of the apples that were thinking about going bad in the refrigerator as a nice apple crisp sounded like it might help soothe these colds we've been nurturing.

Looks pretty good, doesn't it? With the exception of having to peel, quarter, and slice the apples making an apple crisp is pretty darned easy and I must say that even with my stuffy nose, the smell that wafted through the house while it was baking was absolutely marvelous! I would have to say that even better than eating one, is the smell of an apple pie or apple crisp baking - nothing beats it and no candle can imitate it, though there are some that come close.

There's only one thing that was missing ... I forgot to get vanilla ice cream or some whipped cream while I was picking up milk, tea, and lottery tickets at the convenience store. D'oh!

But it was still good anyway! I'm thinking it might make for a tasty breakfast before I go to work tomorrow with a nice cup of coffee ... yummmyyy! To hecks with the oatmeal!

Tea & Tickets

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I had to run to the convenience store today to pick up milk and tea as we were out of both and Amanda and I have both had nasty sore throats for the better part of a week for which tea is an absolute necessity. I didn't realize that we were out and normally that's something that I would rather buy at a regular grocery store because prices at convenience stores are none too convenient! There was nothing for it today but to suck it up and buy it at the local Cumberland Farms as there was no way I was traipsing all the way to a regular grocery store just for that as with the current cost of gas ($3.09 a gallon), I would have spent more money driving there than I would have saved on the box of tea.

So, I spent $3.15 on a gallon of milk, $3.49 on a box of 48 tea bags, $3.00 on a "Win for Life" scratch game lottery ticket, $1.00 on a Classic Lotto ticket, and even shelled out $1.00 for a Powerball ticket. I figure it's hard to have all these dreams of luxury homes when I don't even buy a ticket for a chance to win the millions I'd need to afford one!

Sadly I did not "Win for Life" and I doubt that my chances of either of the other two tickets I bought being a winner are very high but in the big scheme of things, I guess $1.00 or two isn't going to make a big difference one way or the other. And as the Lottery Commission likes to say, "You can't win if you don't play". Right ...

Jamie Will Be Home for Christmas!

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Despite the fact that this is going to be yet another financially strapped holiday season (Is there ever a year when I don't have to say that? Maybe I need to get some decent budgeting software and figure out how to actually put some money away for the holidays!) things are looking up a bit as I was able to book a flight for Jamie to come home for Christmas this year as opposed to last year when she wasn't here and I was feeling rather Grinch-like and blue. Yes, I know - the Grinch is green so I guess I was actually rather blue-green but I think you get the idea! Either way, I wasn't happy.

Jamie had her heart set on being able to come up to Connecticut this year and had asked me about it several times but I wasn't sure if her father was going to allow her to come up or if I was going to be able to afford to fly her up. He refuses to contribute to the cost of her visits despite the fact that when he remarried and moved out of state we had agreed that he was going to cover the costs of visits. Yeah, right! Anyhow, the burden falls entirely on me and it can be tough knowing that if I can't afford to fly her up, Jamie is going to terribly disappointed - as will I. Barely having two nickels to rub together most of the time I really have to keep my eyes open for bargains from the airlines and hope like heck I have enough cash to jump on the bargain if one shows up!

I got an email notification the other day from Southwest Airlines that they were having a Fall Sale with some pretty decent prices so I contacted the ex yesterday and asked if a) Jamie would be able to come up for Christmas and b) if she had any time restrictions. After some issues at her new school, they decided to home school her so I don't have to work around a set school schedule - which is rather nice - but I wanted to make sure that her trip up here wouldn't interfere with whatever schooling schedule they've developed down there.

The ex said that she could come up as long as I could afford to fly her so after running the dates I had in mind by him (December 18th to January 5th), he agreed and told me that I could go ahead and book the flight - which I did last night. I had a small credit with Southwest left over from Jamie's summer trip so between that and the low prices that they were offering, I was able to book a flight from Tampa to Providence for just a bit over $139. And where do you think that money came from? From all of the paid posts that I've been inundating you, my faithful readers, with! See? I'm doing them for a good cause!

Anyhow, there might not be a plethora of presents for the girls to open but I'll have both of my daughters with me for Christmas and even though Amanda and Jamie will probably pick up their game of "Family Feud the Home Version" as soon as Jamie gets here from the airport, I'm going to be a lot happier this year than I was last year!

Of course, now I have to go back to writing more paid posts so that I can afford at least a small present or two ...

A Rainy Day Chuckle

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It's another cold and rainy day here in southern New England so it looks like I'm not going to be getting outside with a rake and attacking some of the leaves that are all over the place. Instead it looks like I'm going to be staying in the house and ignoring everything I need to do inside because I'm glued to this darned computer yet again while I juggle ten games of Scrabulous over on Facebook and catch up on some emails.

Speaking of emails, I got the following joke from our receptionist at work (thanks, Amy!) and thought I'd pass it along as it's good for a chuckle or two and we all could use one of those as often as possible, right?!?! Right! You chuckle, it's my move over on Scrabulous!

Bob was walking home late at night, through the park, and sees a woman in the shadows.
"Twenty dollars" she whispers.
He'd never been with a hooker before, but decides, what the heck, it's only twenty bucks.
So they hide in the bushes.
They're going "at it" for a minute when all of a sudden a light flashes on them -- it's a police officer.
What's going on here, people?" asks the officer.
"I'm making love to my wife," Bob answers indignantly.
"Oh, I'm sorry." says the cop. "I didn't know."
"Well," says Bob, "I didn't either, 'til you shined that light in her face."

Manic Monday - Earth

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Banner courtesy of The Jannaverse

Today's Manic Monday word is "Earth" in honor of this coming Wednesday's Blog Blast for Peace. Peace is something that we all want to have all the Earth over but when I saw the word for this week my thoughts immediately raced back in time to the 1970's and one of the most comfortable pair of shoes I owned - ever! My Earth shoes! I wish I still owned them even though, after giving birth to three children, my feet are certainly not the same size they were when I was in high school!

For those not familiar with Earth shoes, they originated in Copenhagen, Scandinavia in 1957 and were designed by a yoga instructor named Anne Kals. They didn't make their way to the United Staes until 1970 when they were first marketed under license by Raymond and Eleanor Jacobs who changed their name from Anne Kals Minus Heel Shoes to Earth Shoes when they were impressed by Earth Day crowds gathering near their just opened store in New York City. The name change was a snap decision by the Jacobses but it was a successful one as the rest - as they say - is history!

The shoes have is what is called a "negative heel"- meaning their heels are actually lower than their raised toes. This was said to mimic the effect of walking in sand and to make for orthopedically superior posture. They also had boxy toes which gave your toes room to "breathe" and made for one incredibly comfortable shoe that was available in all sort of styles from sandals to boots to clogs to even hiking boots. Fashionably they might not have looked all that great but who cared?

The pair I had looked very much like the pair pictured here which, incredibly, are available now at several shoe stores as Earth shoes seem to be making a comeback - woohoo! I'm really going to have to think about ordering a pair as I just can't seem to find shoes that are comfortable anymore. Besides, like Manolo Blahnik, the pre-eminent European shoe designer who is an unabashed Earth Shoe fan said: "It was the first shoe, [along] with the Jesus sandals, to make a social statement!" I may not be all about making statements but I am definitely all about comfort and practicality!

Be sure to visit all of the other Manic Monday Minions by visiting Morgen at It's a Blog Eat Blog World!

P.S., I now work 16-hour shifts on Mondays from 7:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. but if you visit me, I'll be sure to get back to you either late tonight or on Tuesday!

Random Musings on a Sunday Afternoon ...

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If everyone on the turnpike (or "highway" for those in other parts of the country) all went the same speed then no one would ever catch up to or pass anyone else - least ways that's the way that theory should work, right?

Speaking of driving, why are the gas prices going up so high again? Most places here in Norwich are over $3.00 a gallon again. Is it the anticipated Thanksgiving travel that is jacking the prices up or do the oil execs need more spending money for Christmas?

How much would could a woodchuck chuck if a woodchuck could chuck wood? And why would he want to anyway? Does he have home heating problems, too?

Do men wear cufflinks anymore or is that something that has gone the way of niceties and manners?

Speaking of manners, is it my imagination or do people just seem to be getting ruder and ruder these days?

Are the rest of the leaves that are on the trees going to get the chance to change into some nice eye-catching foliage or are they just going to fall to the ground and blow away without being able to put on a show first?

Can't I just stick my head in the ground and pretend that Christmas is not less than two months away?

Why is it that the socks you need are always the ones at the very bottom of the clothes basket? And where do all the missing ones go? Is there some sort of limbo area for socks that we don't know about that only one can go to at a time?

Why is it with everything else in the world being super-sized that my paycheck isn't? How is it that the cost of living goes up daily while my pay level stays the same? How am I ever going to get caught up, never mind ahead?

Speaking of work - whorever decided that 3:00 in the afternoon was a good time to go in? That's smack in the middle of the day!

Speaking of the middle of the day, it's almost 2:00 and I'm still in my robe and slippers! I really need to go try to get some stuff done!

Everyone have a great Sunday!

It's Scrabulous!

Okay, it's official, I'm hooked ... just what I needed, too - something else on the internet to suck up my time but I just can't help it, I absolutely LOVE playing Scrabble and always have! Some of my other blogging buddies had talked about playing Scrabulous over on Facebook and even though it sounded like fun, I didn't really feel the need to sign up for yet another social network site being that I already have a MySpace page and very rarely ever seem to do anything with it except occasionally check a message or two.

However, with yesterday being a lousy day to do anything other than stay in the house and vegetate due to the nasty weather that we were having I decided to give it a go and see what all the fuss and feathers were about. I signed up for a Facebook account and then dived into not just one or two but eight games of Scrabulous! One was with a gentleman from Turkey and another was with a nice lady from Brazil as well as several others with friends I already know.

What fun! As of this morning I still have nine active games going and am going to definitely miss playing while I'm at work because I'm sure there's no way our IT guy is going to go for me playing any sort of online game when I'm supposed to be sitting bored to tears waiting for the phones to ring!

Now if I could just figure out a way that I could get paid to play a Scrabulous game, I'd have that second-source of income I really need!

Fancy a Fun Forfeit??

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So ... while some of us are plugging away at NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month)- which is easier than falling off a log for those of us who post a lot anyway! - there are others who are participating in the harder version - NaNoWriMo, which is short for National Novel Writing Month. Those brave souls are attempting to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Hokey Smokes, Bullwinkle! I can't even imagine attempting such a feat never mind actually pulling it off!

One such brave and intrepid soul is Simon of The Freelance Cynic who has decided that one way to push himself to actually completing this task is to put himself on the chopping block with the following:

"In order to give me an extra kick up the backside I'm letting you play along at home. Here's how it works. You pledge to do something should I get past the 50,000 word mark, e.g. If Simon finishes the novel I will...Write a praising blog entry, pay him some money or run naked down the high street. Make sure it's something that wouldn't haunt you for the rest of your life incase I actually reach 50,000 words.

However if I fail to reach 50,000 words then, and here's the bonus, I carry out the pledge instead! E.g I write you a praising blog entry, I increase your bank funds,and I scare small children In Bristol Town centre.

Money, Forfeits, blog post, adverts, video clips, the possibilities are endless. Just keep it light hearted and keep it legal. Otherwise I promise to do anything you ask, providing of course I fail to meet target. Ladies and Gentlemen, place your bets!"

I salute Simon for putting himself on the line and placing himself under extreme pressure to complete his 50,000 word novel - a task that I am way too chicken to ever attempt even if I had the time and the idea for a novel! So far Simon has three people backing him up on his quest and I'd like to invite more of you to go over to this post and apply some more pressure on the poor man. After all, what are blog buddies for??

Good luck, Simon and should that fail, I am really looking forward to that highly-praised post you're going to be writing for me (or is that going to be the other way around?!?).

You Are Cordially Invited To ...

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BYOG (Bring your own globe)

Where: Bloggingham Palace at Mimi Writes
Who: Everybody!
Why: Last minute BlogBlast For Peace questions
Socialize with other peace bloggers Say hello!
It's fun!
When: Sunday evening 4 pm - midnight ESTHosted by: Mimi Pencil Skirt aka Mimi Queen of Memes
Click here to get your peace globe
I have to work tomorrow evening so won't be able to attend but I sure hope a lot of others can stop in! Tell Mimi I sent you! If you've got any questions about Peace Globes, want to meet up with other Peace Globers, or just want to pop in and say 'hello' this is the place to do it!

Don't forget the official Blog Blast for Peace is this Wednesday, November 7th - let those Peace Globes fly proudly on your pages!

"Red Sky at Night"

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While Amanda and I were driving to Cromwell last night to meet up with Carrie & Mags, the skies were turning a beautiful shade of red as the sun set in the west. Amanda took some pictures from the sunroof of the car as we drove down Route 2 at 65 mph and all things considered I think they came out pretty good!


Whenever the sky is red like that, I always remember the saying "Red in the morning, sailors take warning; red sky at night, sailor's delight." that my Mom taught to me when I was just a kid. My Mom learned it from her father but the saying actually originated in the New Testament Book of Matthew, Chapter 16, Verses 2 & 3 when Jesus "... answered and said unto them, "When it is evening, ye say, it will be fair weather: for the sky is red. And in the morning, it will be foul weather today: for the sky is red and lowring."

Normally, the saying proves pretty accurate when it comes to dusk (though not so accurate when it comes to dawn!) but in the case of this weekend, it was completely and totally off-base as we're being hit by the remnants of Hurricane Noel, the fifth hurricane of the 2007 season that has now become a huge coastal storm over the northwest Atlantic. It's about as rainy and windy as it can get out there today with predicted wind gusts of 65 mph along the coast! Had sailors been relying on last night's sky to determine their weather for today, I'm afraid they would have been sadly mistaken but it was awful pretty, wasn't it??

A November Contest to Shake You Up!

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Aren't these just the cutest salt & pepper shakers you've ever seen? Well, I think they are at least and that's why I'm entering the contest to win them over at Just Not Martha. If you'd like a shot at winning these adorable little snowmen yourself, there are three simple ways to do it - 1) you can just click on the contest link and leave a comment on the post telling Not Martha what you like best about winter and that will get you one entry; 2) you can click on the contest link and leave a comment then do your own post about the contest linking back to the original post and that will get you two entries; or 3) you can click on the contest link, leave a comment, do a post on your blog linking back to it, and add Not Martha's contest widget to your sidebar - that will get you three entries!

Of course by telling you all this I'm probably lessening my own chances of winning but hey - it's the holiday season (technically) so why not spread the joy? Good luck and if you want to be really nice, you can tell Not Martha that I sent you!

Meeting Another Blogging Buddy

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I had the extreme pleasure of meeting what has got to be one of the nicest families in Michigan tonight when I had dinner with Carrie from Asara's Mental Meanderings and her fabulous family. They made the drive all the way from Michigan to spend some time in Connecticut this weekend so Mags and Amanda and I met them for dinner at a Chili's restaurant not too far from their hotel.

I have got to say that their children, Andrew & Emily, are the cutest and best-behaved children I have sat down to dinner with in a very long time. No whining, no crying, no playing with their food - I was completely and totally impressed! Carrie's husband, Billy, was just the nicest guy ever and very easy to talk to (I absolutely loved his bleach-tipped hair!). This trip was part of his birthday present and he really seemed to be enjoying it.

I love the idea of being able to take an impromptu road-trip like that - to just get in a car and drive part-way across the country to actually meet people that you've come to think of as friends online. If I had the time and the finances, I'd be driving all over the place meeting all of the wonderful people whom I have come to know through their blogs myself. Alas, until I win that elusive lottery, though, it's only a dream!

There are other pictures from tonight but I have to wait for Mags to email me one as Amanda neglected to recharge the batteries in our digital camera and it died on me (figures!). At least I was able to get one to post here tonight!

I hope that Carrie and Billy and the kids enjoy their time in Connecticut tomorrow before they head back out to Michigan early, early Sunday morning. We're supposed to be getting part of Hurricane Noel but hopefully it won't be too bad while they're here and they can see a little bit of the country they've never seen before.

Meeting blog buddies is just the coolest thing ever!

Cyndi - This One's for You & Marbles, Too!

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I promised my good friend and all-around cat fanatic, Miz Cyn, that I would write a post "coming clean" about the fact that I no longer have a cat living here at my humble abode. After much debate and trying to decide what to do, Marbles was taken to the Waterford Branch of the Connecticut Humane Society when it became evident that both my and Amanda's allergies were getting worse and Marbles' behavior was becoming such that she wasn't exactly making herself well-liked around the house either. I'm afraid she did some serious damage to the love-seat and I don't even want to look at the back of the couch (this despite the fact that I had provided not one, not two, but three scratching posts!).

After doing a lot of research, I ended up taking Marbles down to the CT Humane Society in Waterford because they have a Companion Animal Sanctuary that was built in October of 2006 and is a regular house that is dedicated simply to cats and dogs who are awaiting adoption for longer than three months.

Pets who have been in the regular kennel system longer than 90 days are moved into the sanctuary to await adoption as the Humane Society believes that "the longer pets are kept in kennels the greater the risk is that they may become depressed, which can lead to health problems." They feel that pets will be more comfortable as well as happier and healthier while they await adoption in the sanctuary and that just really appealed to me as, to be honest, I wasn't entirely sure how "adoptable" Marbles was going to be. To say that she was NOT a people-cat is an understatement.

This picture shows the view from the front windows of the Sanctuary House and the day that I dropped Marbles off, there were several cats sunning themselves in this very window.

This is the "cat room" which looks quite comfy and cozy. There is also a furnished living room and a cat playscape in addition to the other rooms in the house. I think this is a terrific idea and I'm sure the pets love it while they wait for their "forever home".

When I dropped Marbles off I definitely had mixed feelings about the whole thing as I am not a heartless cad despite the fact that I have never been a "cat person". I have no doubt that Marbles has been taken into a good home as I've kept an eye on the adoption pages and she is no longer listed but in the meantime, I knew that she was well taken care of at the Humane Society.

I think the Sanctuary House is a great idea and I'd like to see more animal shelters take up this idea if at all possible. I'm sure Miz Cyn would agree with me, too.

Technically I Don't Think It's a Secret Anymore

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One of my blogging buddies said that she had a secret the other day but I don't think that it's technically a secret anymore so I believe it's okay to post about it. If it isn't, well, I guess then I'm in trouble and shall have to deal with the consequences!

Carrie of Asara's Mental Meanderings decided that her family needed to take a bit of a road trip so they got themselves a rental car and left Michigan bound for Connecticut yesterday evening. Enroute they stopped by Dowagiac and had dinner with our good friend Mo and, from what I hear, they had a wonderful time. Mo got along quite well with not only Asara's husband but her children, too, and who wouldn't get along with Mo? The man is a big teddy bear!

Tonight Amanda and myself are going to meet up with not only Carrie and her brood but also Ms. Maggie Moo for a lovely little get-together over dinner in a town not too far from here. It's going to be so neat to meet another fellow blogger and share some stories and laughs! I wonder if I should dress casually or wear my pearl necklace that I only reserve for special occasions? Hmmm ...

I Joined NaBloPoMo - Did You??

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After getting an invitation from Kai to join in on the fun of NaBloPoMo, I decided to officially sign up as - what the hey - this should be easy, right? For someone who posts in my blog as much as I do then doing at least one post a day for the month of November should be as easy as falling off a log or taking a walk through the local cemetery! For those not familiar with the concept (and where have you been that you aren't??), NaBloPoMo is National Blog Posting Month and it occurs every November when you just have to write one post a day to participate. If you haven't joined up yet, just click here and it will take you to the page where you can sign up and get your own page with Ning (who powers the network for NaBloPoMo). From there you can get your own page to do with what you'd like - send comments to other members, check out the cool prizes available, join in on a Forum - all sorts of stuff. Or, you can be like me and just sign up officially, join the Blogroll, and then post like you normally would do on your own blog. If you want to check out my page, feel free to click here though I warn you - it's nothing special!

So what do you say? Come join myself, Morgen, Kai, Claire, Joan, Sari, Lynn, Carrie, and a host of others as we participate in National Blog Posting Month. Who knows? You could come away with a really cool prize!

Are you participating? Leave me a comment and let me know so I can be sure to visit you every day during the month!


View my profile on NaBloPoMo

What the Fashionable Peace Glober is Wearing

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Look what I got from Mimi for submitting my new Peace Globe to her for next Wednesday's Blog Blast for Peace! Isn't it just the cutest thing ever? You've still got time to get one of your own - just click on the link below and join myself and hundreds of others across the Blogosphere on November 7th in giving peace a chance. Are you in??

Click to get yours

How's the Weather Out There?

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I've been wanting to post some pictures of some lovely New England foliage but so far we really haven't had all that much to speak of here in my part of Connecticut. All things considered, it's been a pretty screwed-up kind of autumn so far with temperatures ranging from the low 50's to the mid 80's. Matter of fact, when I walked out the door this morning at 6:45 to go to work, it was a balmy 67 degrees - on the 1st of November!

I've got to wonder if Mother Nature is as screwed up about all this as I am! No doubt we'll all be complaining before too long about how cold it is (especially with the cost of home heating going up by another ridiculous amount this year) but for now, it's just strange - very, very strange!

What's it doing in your part of the world? And is it "normal" or a little bit out there??