Searching for Sunshine

Goodbye Innocence

2010-09-06T08:54:00.000-07:00

My heart is saddened and dismayed to find out that my first love has passed away. At only 36 he was taken from this world. There are so many things I could say about Richard Cooper Crosby- both good and bad. But for now, through tears of sadness and disbelief I will suffice it to say... I loved you with all my heart, thought we would grow old together - our separating was one of the hardest things I ever had to do, but I wish you were still here to be my friend. A little part of me has died with you. Like never before I choose to believe in God and Heaven and I pray that you are there. Goodbye Richard.

2009-12-08T01:56:00.000-08:00

My modern little 4 year old talking international on his cell phone

It's Christmas time....

2009-12-08T01:48:00.001-08:00

So it has been a long time since I have written anything and I think probably I will start writing more as I will probably have lots of free time on my hands now. Don't even understand people anymore. It seems like an entirely different world that I live in than the one I grew up in...I guess it is just my perspective that has changed. I truly never believed that people could be mean just to be mean and for no other reason. I have made lots and lots of mistakes in my life, but I never ever was mean intentionally trying to be mean. At least I don't recall ever doing it. I have been catty and bitchy but not mean for meaness sake. Whatever, I have got to move on and find a new project to keep me busy. I would like to take a moment and thank God for my children..they are absolutely the best thing I have ever been given. A gift that keeps on giving. I mean of course they drive me crazy sometimes and I never thought that I could literally go a year without sleeping through the night, but I have and they are getting older and I love them more each day. When they were born I instantly felt a primal urge to protect them and now I not only feel that, but I love them down to their very being and I LIKE them too. I am proud of them and can't wait to see what wonderful things they are going to accomplish in their lives. I know this is a bit rambly and I am sorry for that, but lately I have had the rug pulled out from under me and have gotten a bit down..but at the end of the day, if my children are safe and happy and protected I got nothing to complain about.

2009-10-12T04:10:00.000-07:00

"We will all at some time in our lives, fall. Life is so very fragile, we are all vulnerable, and we will all at some point in our lives, fall, we will all fall.We must carry this in our hearts, that what we have is special, that it can be taken from us, and that when it is taken from us, we will be tested. We will be tested to our very souls. We will all be tested.It is these times, it is this pain, that allows us to look inside ourselves."

The New Arrival

2009-10-12T03:55:00.000-07:00

Born 20 November 2008 - Andrew Clinton Magherini

Rainy Daze

2008-09-12T08:35:00.003-07:00

Rainy days and Mondays always get me down- so it is pouring down raining in Florence this evening. I, of course, was hoping for one last weekend at the beach- but alas this is not to be...however, it is good as my very dirty car is being washed at the moment. So, what's up with you - nothing, what's up with you??? Have been watching lots of movies lately and reading books (that's what happens when your toddler stays at grandparents for the week!!) I just watched Keeping up with the Steins about this 13 year old boy who's parents are planning his Bar Mitzvah- I had NO IDEA that it was such a HUNORMOUS event. I mean I gave it the Catholic equivalent of a first communion but apparently it is a much bigger deal in terms of the "festivities" afterwards. Anyway this movie was quite good and had a nice cast- Jeremy Piven (who I love- PCU), Jamie Gertz (who I haven't seen since Less than Zero) and Darryl Hannah...nice mix. I liked it and even got a bit teary- but I think that is due to the pregnancy hormones and Madison starting "big boy school" next Monday. And of course this morning- one of my newer faves- BLADES OF GLORY with Will Ferrell and Jon Heder (Napoleon Dynamite)- super funny ice skating flick...check it out...I really want to see the new Ben Stiller film- my sister is already praising it. So this weekend will probably be pretty relaxed- I have relatives in from Atlanta tomorrow for dinner and not much else going on...will let you all know on Monday

2008-09-12T08:35:00.001-07:00

Help me find a name for my baby NEMO

2008-09-01T07:06:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest list (not in preferential order)

Mackenzie
Leland
Liam *
Riley
Miles
Nicolas
Allistair

Please vote your favorite name please....

Friday August 30, 2008

2008-08-29T04:32:00.000-07:00

So what can I say-- August flew by and now summer is almost over (despite the weather conditions). I am hoping that I will have the energy to take Madison to the beach tomorrow, but I am not sure as my energy level is fading these days. Although if it is that or be annoyed keeping him indoors and out of his bedroom (that looks like Beirut in the 80's) then I might have to buck up. I found a hotel for about 100 euro for the night, but together with beach fees, dinner and lunch out, gas etc I am sure I would spend at least 250 euro (almost 400 bucks you Americans) for 2 days on the beach and I am not sure if that is in the budget these days. I will see tomorrow how I feel. On the baby side I am not 27 weeks..11 weeks to blast off...and feeling relatively fine. Meaning, I am irritable and bulky but on the medical side I am doing well except for my (thank goodness) low blood pressure- tonight I am planning on taking Madison to see Kung Fu Panda and am super excited about it-although it will be in Italian and not English - oh well hopefully it is dubbed well....Rock out...

TGIF ...

2008-07-25T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ok- so I am at work and have lots of time to kill...it is 6.30 in the p.m. and I am ready to be outta here. So I had a doctors appointment this morning and baby #2 is coming along nicely...we are now at 22 weeks and tooting right along fine. That's good to here...makes me happy. Baby (shall I say "big boy" ) is at the grandparents tonight as mommy has scheduled a massage for tomorrow morning and babbo (daddy in eye-talian) has lots on the agenda tomorrow- I shall be joining them and the redneck pool tomorrow around lunchtime...I am not completely worthless!. I would really like to have some "adult time" (not what you are thinking) tonight- meaning go to the movies or something but my guess is we I will probably just collapse in the bed and read a book. I actually have to hop over to the ole Paperback Exchange (my previous employer) to pick up some beach reading for our vacation---YEAH!! we are leaving next Saturday for a week on the beach....I am planning on doing lots of nothing- relaxing at the beach, swimming in the ocean/pool-whichever strikes my fancy, eating lots of fish, and basically taking it easy- I am pretty good at taking it easy- it is a learned behaviour that however seems inherent in most Italians- they are experts in taking it easy. You think southerners are slow....you have no idea. You have not seen slow until you ask an Italian to do something-take my word for it. Enough about that....whatelse is going on with me these days?????? Hmmm....have been eating lots of ham and cheese sandwiches, I need to go to the store and buy mustard and ketchup though because we are out..I have taught Alessandro to love mustard and pickles- he never ate either one before he met me...think how much he was missing out on...come to think of it before that glorious fall of '96 when we met he had never eaten Chinese food! Much less Sushi or Indian...pointless to mention Cajun - which he of course loves. His most favorite breakfast item are my mamma's drop biscuits and grits...he still can't like French Toast (but I love him anyway) but pretty much devours pancakes...Madison is very into eating cookies and "splashing it" in milk in the morning. This is pretty interesting- my son as he is bilingual has a pretty unusual way of talking...I have to admit my coloquial speech and jargon from Baton Rouge probably doesn't help...but he pretty much puts and -ing and it after every verb...example
Wook mamma, Madison is walking it--(translation-Look Mamma, Madison is walking)
Wook mamma, Madison is singing it (Look Mamma, Madison is singing)
Wook mamma, Madison is dancing it...etc etc

And of course I don't correct him at all because I think it is cute...the strange things he says in Italian would not be particularly interesting for the majority of people who read this site as they probably wouldn't understand, but basically he used to (because he doesn't so much anymore) put the emphasis on the wrong sa-llyble...
Examples....
Ma-cchina
Gee-lato
Here again he was not corrected because his babbo thought it was cute.....recently though mostly he asks me if "baby is kicking it?"

It's a Boy!

2008-06-20T09:06:00.000-07:00

The doctor confirmed it yesterday- we are having another BOY!!! Any suggestions for names are welcome- while Sled was a top favorite for our first child alas we went with Madison. This second go round it is even harder as it was hard enough to come up with a boy name in the first place....so far I like Riley, my grandmother and mother has suggested Grant to go along with the presidential theme- but as he was the leader of the YANKEE ARMY during the civil war - just can't do that. I also like Julian, Miles and Allistair...all vetoed by Alessandro...let me know your thoughts.

Ain't we lucky we got 'em

2008-06-09T01:44:00.000-07:00

GOOD TIMES... I am so excited. I have found a way to watch full episodes of Good Times that I can watch on the computer...check it out... http://www.surfthechannel.com/tv/Good_Times/6e357fee80d062ac2dd6506e90ebc904.html

Very exciting- very exciting....I am thinking about ordering the first 4 seasons--not interested in season 5 and 6 as James has been killed off...and they get boring after that...did not realize that Thelma's name in one of the first episodes is Bern Nadette and in a later episode it is Bernnadette Stanis....hmmm did she get married or just change her "stage name"....things that make you go hmmmmmm.....I really really like this show, I think it is my all time favorite...followed by the Jefferson's, then One Day at a Time and then Three's Company...then The Facts of Life, and Different Strokes and the Brady Bunch. Come to think of it I watched a lot of TV when I was a child...I occasionally had to watch Sanford and Son in order to get to one of the favorites but it was not my favorite....any thoughts???

2008-06-06T03:07:00.001-07:00

It is now 12 noon and still watching... I can't turn it off..........

Still watching

2008-06-06T02:34:00.003-07:00

I am still watching "They Said What?" I am sooooooooooooo addicted....

Addicted

2008-06-06T02:07:00.000-07:00

I am addicted to THEY SAID WHAT on People.com.....I have been watching it for like 2 hours straight....

Bored at Home

2008-06-06T01:13:00.000-07:00

I have been put on "rest" - not "bed rest" but "rest" from work because I was having some painful cramps ....but now after 4 days I am SUPER SUPER BORED, not that I would prefer to be at work- however, I am now online watching People.com - which I find infinitely better than the magazine- since I can pick and choose without going through all the pages...I really like "They Said What?" which has what was said on Late Night TV which I obviously don't have here in Italy...really really funny. Sometimes, I feel like I am in GoodFellas how they only associate with other Mafia people- when you live in Italy- after 12 years while their behaviour is still bizarre and strange I have come to not understand it (for that I would have to at least have a lobotomy) but accept it as what they do....like this morning. I had to go have blood tests- regular I am pregnant blood tests- but in order to do this you have go to this clinic where they open at 7am but if you don't get there by at least 5.30am you have to wait for numerous hours...so I arrive at what I thought to be a reasonably early hour- 5.5o am and wait OUTSIDE ON THE SIDEWALK until 7am- at which point all these "elderly folks" who basically acted at if there were on the last leg--bolted for the number machine--I literally got pushed and thought I was going down...it was insane...nothing like socialized medicine...then I called because I need to make an appointment and today is June 6th and the first open appointment was in OCTOBER... I mean I am supposed to give birth in November....what good is an appointment I need now going to be 6 months from now I ask you....for all of those who think socialized medicine is a good idea- think again--at the end of the day I have to go private and pay out of pocket ANYWAY--thanks for taking 20% of my salary in taxes for nothing!!!

One of my favorite songs featured in one of my favorite movies- Valley Girl

2008-05-30T07:45:00.003-07:00

Moving forward using all my breath
Making love to you was never second best
I saw the world thrashing all around your face
Never really knowing it was always mesh and lace
I'll stop the world and melt with you
You've seen the difference and
It's getting better all the time
There's nothing you and I won't do
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(You should know better)
Dream of better lives the kind which never hate
(You should see why)
Dropped in the state of imaginary grace
(You should know better)
I made a pilgrimage to save this human race
(You should see why)
Never comprehending a race that long gone by
(I'll stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(I'll stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
The future's open wide
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I've seen some changes but it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
The future's open wide
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm
hmmm hmmm hmmm hmmm
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
You've seen the difference and it's getting better all the time
(Let's stop the world)
There's nothing you and I won't do
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you
(Let's stop the world)
I'll stop the world and melt with you...

Rainy Tuesday in Florence

2008-05-20T04:12:00.000-07:00

So I am just back from the doctor's from the first "official" sonogram and even though we thought I was only 12 weeks the dimensions of #2 the revenge are that we are really 13 weeks and due on November 24th...very strange because I went to the hospital to have Madison on the 24th of November 2004- even though he was not to arrive until the 27th...I am quite freaking out for that because I don't want Madison's birthday to in any way get ruint by this baby- by the way if you don't know what ruint is look it up in the Meridian Ms Guide to past simple verbs.. (learned that word at Strong River in the 80's). Anyway, the weather is crap here today...rainy and cold...not like what it should be on May 20th ...and yes, for the few of you out there that attended it was 10 years ago this May 23rd that I wed the big Sandy....I have to admit it was the best wedding I have attended so far--including my sisters! Maybe I am a bit prejudiced on this one- but I had a great time, my friends and family had a great time and the FOOD WAS AWESOME! Now here I am 10 years later with 3 year old at school and his sibling for the moment making me look like lots of people do after Thanksgiving lunch...I will try not to talk too much about babies in the next 6 months as I am sure it will bore lots of you singletons and wocs, but that is a lot of what I am doing now--doctor's appointments left and right...Alessandro left today to go to Lecce which is at the very bottom of Italy for work and I really hate it when he leaves because at first I am relieved to have some space but I truly miss him when he is gone...and there is no one to take out the garbage either....just joking...it was a nightmare though because he left at 6am and then his plane had problems due to too much weight and it was storming here so he volunteered to get off the plane- then was bused to Bologna and just now flew to Rome and hopefully he is boarding the plane for Brindisi where he will then take a car transfer to Lecce---travelling to southern Italy is not easy! Maddy and I will miss him! Well gotta get back to work for now...

Guess What??

2008-05-16T09:50:00.000-07:00

For all of those who still don't know...I am pregant with # 2!!! This is not him or her but a random sonogram picture of a 12.5 week old baby- I am right at 12 weeks so I thought it was appropriate... I am very excited and scared and nervous and overwhelmed and joyful and hormonal and emotional...I was telling my husband today about what the guards who watch the tomb of the unknown soldier have to go through to be worthy of their job and how even in the face of death refused to leave their post and I started crying. I am patriotic even though there are lots of things that American does that makes me angry mostly because I consider them un-American (like putting an Italian guy in jail just for visiting his girlfriend "too often" in Washington, DC- see the NY TIMES for the article) but I could never be as patriotic as these guys- in fact all military persons who risk their own lives in order to protect our country deserve our respect even if you are not in agreement with war- I truly don't think that anyone wants war- this is my opinion...anyway I digress...

Friday night ramblings and outrages!

2008-05-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am at work and should be working but as it is 10 to 4pm on Friday afternoon my mind is wandering. I am super bummed out because the weather forecast for this weekend and the next 10 days is rain, clouds and more rain! SHITE! I don't normally hate "rainy days and mondays" but with a 3 year old who is barely containable in open spaces the thought of having to be indoors for a weekend is horrendous..this means I will more than likely be forced to spend the weekend with my mother-in-law. This would not be as awful as it sounds, except that she and her "partner" (European word for man/woman who is not your legal spouse and you are too old to call them girlfriend/boyfriend--> for me it sounds like a same-sex word but I am adapting to the Your a peein' ways) are fighting a lot. Not like knock down drag out fights, but bitchy, wise-ass comments left and right and lots of voice raising (not uncommon for Italians) and it is doing my head in-- I am mean I have enough working with crazy eye-talians all week that I don't need it on the weekend.

ok so time is passing so slowly today that I feel like I am going to cry...ok so lots of horrible things have been happening in Italy lately- mostly in Sicily. I doubt this has made the NY Times but it should..three boys 15,16,17 killed this 14 girl because they claim that she was pregnant with one of theirs baby and was going to tell her dad- they took her to an isolated spot...raped her in turns then beat her beyond recognition of her own parents and then strangled her....they have now confessed and after confessing said "can we go home now?" What kind of animals are these people? I mean what is going on in this world-- horrible to have your child killed, but also think what it would be like to know that your own child was a HORRIBLE MONSTER who could kill another person and not even feel bad about it....I am shocked and feel nauseous. Another situation where a 20 year old man is taking phone films of sex with his 13 year girlfriend---hello are you INSANE?? What are you doing having sex with a 13 year old--that is called being a pedofile! I am very frightened for the world we are bringing our children into ....

2008-04-24T04:37:00.001-07:00

Update on the gerlfriend--she is super nice and gets a Healey thumbs up...

work work work

2008-04-23T01:18:00.000-07:00

So I am at work and after only an hour I hate it!!! Whatever, my brother-in-law's brother MATT
is magically in Florence for the day with his NEW GF and of course I am taking some time off of work in order to have lunch with them...really excited as I love Matt (in a brotherly way of course) and I am the FIRST to meet the new gerlfriend! so of course my opinion is going to be super serious as I am of course probably the most critical of all my sister's (at least out loud) and notice EVERYTHING...hopefully she is not stupid. I mean not that I think she will be but that is my fear- I can forgive ugly, I can forgive poor fashion sense (my sister's maybe not) but STU-PID I cannot forgive..sorry all those dumb dumbs out there but I have no sympathy for you...not that I think I am super smart but people who are just stupid cause me pain- its almost physical...i am thinking back on certain cousins' ex-girlfriends and THANK GOD they married someone else because could not have handled stupid in the family...back to work..

2008-04-21T05:06:00.000-07:00

So please see the article below on the history of ICEEs and SLURPEES...and K & E you bees kraz-ee. Can't believe in searching for proof that ICEES are truly superior I found that there are entire webpages on this subject and most people agree that the carbonated ICEES are the best!!!

Look what you find on other people's blog....

2008-04-21T05:05:00.000-07:00

ICEE vs. Slurpee

The 7-11 store in Mission, KS carried ICEE frozen fountain drinks, not Slurpees. ICEE was the brand we drank in various flavors like Cola and Cherry. When I was about nine years old, I found an old 45 single at a garage sale called Dance The Slurp. The flip side had humorous anecdotes from voice-over actors about the strange things that happened to people who drank ICEEs from 7-11. It was a hoot.

I lost that 45 and didn't think much of it until I got to talking with an avid record collector years later. He traded me a copy for something else I had and much to my surprise, when I played it in the production room at the radio station where I worked at the time, all the voice overs mentioned Slurpee, not ICEE.

Yes, it's true. ICEE and Slurpee are one and the same. The original concoction was invented by Omar Knedlik of Coffeyville, Kansas. That sounds like a name out of Mad Magazine. Omar marketed ICEE and ICEE machines in Kansas and a few other Midwestern states and eventually sold the rights to 7-11 in 1965. They rebranded it the Slurpee and sold it coast to coast. There must have been a wrinkle in the contract that kept the ICEE brand (complete with polar bear mascot) in Omar's legacy outlets here in the Midwest. ICEE may be dead, but I saw the logo on an office building at Johnson Drive and I-35 in Merriam, KS the other day. Perhaps the spirit of Omar Knedlik lives on.

Found here...
http://fowlerjones.blogspot.com/2006/04/icee-vs-slurpee.html

An anonymous left this comment
I don't think Slurpees and Icees are the same. Icees (with the bear) are still found at Mr. Bulky's and some Walmarts. Icees are way better than Slurpees with the carbonated taste (probably some chemical) in the cola flavor. You could drink a whole Icee quickly and not just end up with a chunk of ice at the bottom like you can with Slurpees. I remember the 7-11 at 89th and Roe and collecting the Icee coupons in the sorghum and soybean fields that used to be there to redeem free Icees.

Lunch Break Commentary

2008-04-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

So I am not a faithful blogger like my friends, however, many times I feel sure that it is quite egotistical of me to assume that others would be interested in what I have to say-but as there are only like 3 people who occasionally read this blog I guess it is no biggie. ... I want to just say a few things in my remaining 9 minutes of my lunch "break"....lately I have come to realize that while I CHOOSE to move to Italy and a lot of times I do love it...I mostly love what it could be and not what it is...I miss ICEES not Slurpees as they are the ugly step sister of ICEES which only 7-11 had in the past and then Circle K....by the way I only figured out the other day that 7-11 referred to the operating hours of the famed convenient store--am I an idiot or what...HELLO!!! Because I was thinking- 7-11, 24-7 what the hell is 7-11 and then I was like DUH open at 7am close at 11pm...well glad to know that I have single-handedly put this issue to rest. Umm, I also love cheese grills (as I used to call them ) from the BRCC snack bar at the pool- at least I used to until all the REAL staff were either let go or died. They were super fattening before I cared about fattening and smothered with butter on the outside to make them crispy and I would only eat them with mustard- which I love...and prefer to all other condiments..what else do I really really miss--a part from my sisters - which I consider practically appendages I love them so much..I miss driving around with nothing to do with Eliza Borne, listening to the radio and singing our (or my in this case) tone deaf voices belting out show tunes...once or twice with a daiquiri in my hand--here they pronounce it DIE-Key-ree and it drives me BATTY.. I miss fat free twinkies...I miss daytime television, I miss NBC nights (do they even have them) although I have to admit that last night by myself I rented AirBuddies for Madison, Spiderman 3 for Alessandro and Pride and Prejudice for myself (because I hadn't quite finished reading it for the book club meeting tonight-even though I have read it in the past)...one minute remaining...mostly I just miss American easiness and laughter-thank god for my 'merican friends here -especially Heather --or else it would really be unbearable...God Bless American- your humor and your junk food without which I would be forever lost...

hello everyone

2008-03-30T00:42:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am back in action. Update on what has been going on....well my parents came to meet us in Paris for Easter---despite being very cold, and intermittent rain, sleet and sunshine Paris was lovely as usual. I have decided that I must learn (or rather re-learn) French and make and a yearly pilgrimage. Really great. Madison enjoyed it- a bit less than the rest of us as the word of the week was "Madison" as in "Madison sit down"! "Madison DON'T TOUCH" "If you do THAT AGAIN you are BACK in the stroller"...and on and on....I was feeling a bit ill for a 24 hour period but it was Madison who THREW UP in the bed with Mama and then again in the subway. I really am not familiar with subway vomiting etiquette- I am sure that many a wino has spewed their wares in subway cars but I really didn't know what to do...attempt to clean up the subway floor?? I thought not-so in any event, as we were sort of in a corner no one really noticed until we made our exit...rude I know, but nothing could be done.

On another note my parents and I were discussing something, don't remember exactly, and someone made reference to a line in GOODFELLAS (one of my favorite movies) and that line was "this is what it is, but you gotta go home" and I have found that this line comes in handy a lot. As in when your child throws up a chocolate muffin on the Paris metro... it is what it is then you go home....I like it.

My sisters got me SUPERBAD and KNOCKED UP for my birthday and I am about to put on Knocked Up as I have been fortunate enough to have already seen SUPERBAD which in Italy has been renamed SUXBAD now how that is more Italian than Superbad I have no idea...MCLOVIN RULES.........

photo of Madison in San Gimignano for Carnival

Have "Happy"Period Indeed!

2008-02-21T01:06:00.001-08:00

This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editor's choice for best webmail-award-winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the LeakGuard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts. But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills' Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying, jags, and out-of-control behaviour. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: 'Have a Happy Period.'

Are you fu*ing kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you're some kind of sick S&M freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull sh*t. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

FAT TUESDAY

2008-02-04T07:42:00.000-08:00

..on the eve of Fat Tuesday--- it just occured to me that I think that it is only appropriate that in Louisiana (one of the fattest states in the Good Old U.S. of A.) that we are the biggest celebrators of FAT Tuesday...

Today's Role Model

2008-02-01T09:56:00.000-08:00

I really like Avril Lavigne. I was thinking that today that I really like her.

Trip to the Cinque Terre

2008-01-31T07:57:00.001-08:00

Tribute to Sisters - I love you !

2008-01-31T07:45:00.001-08:00

A Birthday Tribute

2008-01-31T07:38:00.000-08:00

Band on the run... today I am writing in memory.. in memory of what you ask? In memory. Today is January 31st 2008- today is also the birthday of my first love- Richard Cooper Crosby. I have not seen him in 14 years since we broke up a little after my 19th birthday. He subsequently married, had a child and now I believe is divorced. It just seems that every year when Jan. 31st rolls around I can't forget that it is his birthday. Band on the Run--was our song by default. Not because be both loved WINGS (although I am sure that everyone secretly does) but because strangely every time we got into my car (because even though he was year older he didn't have a driver's license and I did) the silvery Caprice Classic inherited from Gaggi & Poppi this song was on the radio. Not like once or twice, but like every time we got in the car for an entire summer. It was strange and remains permeated in my mind. Anyway, he was my first great love. I was sure we would marry and have oodles of kids, but alas this did not happen..for many reasons but mostly because I was 15 and he was 16 when we met and over the years people change. We were different in so many ways, but I am sure that the love that we had for each other at that time in our lives was real. As real as it gets anyway. I am now much older, married and have my own child and I live in another country so needless to say my life has changed a lot since 1994 when we broke up, but here's to you Richard... Happy Birthday where ever you are!

I would post a picture if I had one ....

WHAT DID YOU SAY??

2008-01-29T09:06:00.000-08:00

So I am totally deaf in my right ear since Saturday morning- this really sucks and tomorrow I am going to the doctor again to see if this is normal after 4 days of antibiotics. I mean I love the fact that we have "social medicine" here in Italy (ha ha ha-- as if it were really free), but they so suck at treating every day normal illnesses. I mean if you have a horrible illness or something chronic then there is no HMO saying you aren't allowed treatment etc- you just get in line with everyone else- but if you have something like an ear ache (which Madison had for 1 year solid until we had tubes put in - in the US) then they basically wait until you are deaf to do anything and then at that point they say "well you are deaf in one ear but you will live" - THANKS A LOT! I love living in Italy when I am driving through the countryside and the beauty really takes my breath away- the parks are basically safe places (even at night) my child's public school (that he will attend next year as day care is not yet available to all) does not require a metal detector etc. but the salaries stink, job market is super closed (if you are over 30 forget about finding a job and if you are a woman between the ages of 18-40 the first question on your interview is "do you plan on having children?" to which of course you answer "no, absolutely not- in fact I am sterile". but of course they don't believe you and don't want to pay for the eventual maternity leave (which if you have a job is great- 5 months paid leave and up to 2 years off where they must maintain your position) and so you don't really get the job. What else... can you tell I am surly these days... and NO - I am not having my period!

p.s. just looked at an ear health website and thank god I don't have ear maggots!

Bitch Blog

2008-01-29T08:44:00.000-08:00

Ok- so I have not been posting lately. Mostly because I can only do it at work (which I am not supposed to do) because it is MISSION IMPOSSIBLE for me to work on the computer when I am at home because Madison wants to sit on my lap and hit all the keys and begs for me to go on the Anniejuneleoquincy site a.k.a Little Einstein site and play. Also I was struck with an inner ear infection on Saturday morning at 7.30am - the pain was so intense that I went to the ENT Emergency clinic at the hospital becuase A) I thought my ear drum was going to burst and B) the pain was so intense I thought I was going to pass out..
So that is the reason why I haven't been blogging. Now to my current topic I have to bitch
Bitch #1
I have been having some "challenges" (as my father would call them) at work. I have a colleague who is extremely anal about the way she works - which is fine- but lately she has been "controlling" my work. "Why did you do this?" " Why did you do that?" " Why are you here early?" "Have you sent this or that?" Basically I want to yell "why don't you mind your own FREAKING business and let me get on with mine" But being the civilized person that I am - I have so far refrained. This morning I asked her simply to modify the way in which she sends me FYI messages as they are a bit cryptic for me and the response was "why are you so irritated this morning" ------YIKES...

Bitch #2
This bitch goes out to a person that will remain unnamed- However put in a general way, I really hate when someone bombards with demands- do this, do that, get on it right away- I do it with the quickness of a cowboy drawing for his life and then when I say ok- "i've done it- now what?" and they respond- oh well, I don't want to work on that now - it's late, I'm resting, I've got over things to do....etc etc. If you are not serious about something DO NOT BREAK MY BALLS ABOUT IT.
At this point I have made some decisions about my life and for now I am going it alone....

--

Scary Dreams

2008-01-18T09:55:00.001-08:00

I was reading about my friend Natalie's dream the other day and last night I had a doozy. So anyway I will not even go into the fact that I have not had more than 4 hours continuous sleep this week due to varying factors.....Madison waking up and wanting to know I am there, him need for some reason this week to have the light on, the lovely little kicks that he gives me in my sleep and of course last night---the big "Maddy Moo is going to sleep in the his own big bed" which led to a 1am waking up crying searching for Mamma-three peas in a pod- or 3 people, a cat and a partridge in a pear tree in my bed..so between Alessandro snoring like a Crazy Train and little feet up my back, kitty making biscuits on my tummy--needless to say it was a restless night before the NIGHTMARE occurred. Ok, so there we are all three (oops) 4 if you include the cat in the bed with Maddy in the middle. I have this horrible nightmare that I woke up to find a crazy, scary, bedraggled and toothless (imagine Ethan Hawkes description of that guy in DPS) homeless man standing over our bed with not 1 BUT 2 knives calmly but crazily telling me that he must kill us..now for some reason I am the only one who is awakened by this man who is literally holding death over our heads...I am sure you could reason that this represents my feelings of how Alessandro is not involved in things I think are important and Madison's ignorance due to age and innocence for all things evil...in any event--without waking anyone up I am able by using my calm voice to talk this crazy beggar man with a white beard (O Capt'n My Capt'n) to hand over first the small knife (which I quickly toss under the bed in a Law & Order type swiftness) and just as I am about to take possession of the larger sword/knife I realize that I am holding the sharp blade in my hand and just at the moment when Capt'n Jack is about to give it up he changes him mind and slashes my hand open exposing me (in my dream) to all sorts of imagined infections and diseases that I could have potentially picked up from the unclean blade....then I wake up. So the disease thing is not new as this is all part of my phobias/OC disorder which seems to rear its ugly head (despite my meds- which I forget to take frequently- that could be why) when I am under a lot of stress. Might I also mention that I have had unbearable pain in my neck and shoulders this week... I bought that damn Roll-On essential oils Anti-Stress thing and am using often--I have finished my Rescue Remedy-what is going on Marvin Gaye?
So I am just finishing up a week of work slaving at the computer renting luxury villas to people who are apparently made of money and the low USD is not affecting, I am having a cup of tea that smells like cumin (armpits) and am about to head home... what I am thinking tonight is Tylenol PM and earplugs!!!

New QUIZ

2008-01-16T08:46:00.000-08:00

Who was your favorite teacher? Miss Nelson- fo so, 5th grade at EHS with Khaki

Where did you first encounter FWM? I feel like we knew each other as soon as we were born.

Who is your favorite Brady? I actually really liked Jan, because she was the whiny middle child like me.

What is your favorite Mexican dish? Fa-geetas

Who were the members of the Steak Club? - don't know but I remember the Shelby's Angels (by the way Shelby is blind now from Diabetes- I find this truly sad as he is a wonderful fellow)

What brand of underwear do you like? I am not brand particular- I try to get cute stuff that doesn't cut off my circulation and leave nasty red lines

What is your favorite BR bar? Hmmmm it's been 13 years since I lived in Baton Rouge so I am not very hip - but at it's time it was The Library or The Bayou (I was a Chime Streeter)

Of all the cars that you have owned, which is your favorite? I really like my Bora (a.k.a. Jetta) that I drive now.

Would you consider getting a bowl cut? I will leave that to my 3 year old who looks like a cute little preppy kid with his (in my mother's opinion). I avoid short haircuts as they enhance my tendency to a little plump

Do you prefer your sausage in patty or link form? I have to say that don't have a preference. I mean I like the patty equally to the link. But I like the sound of cracking the skin on a link (is that weird?)

Sound Sleeping

2008-01-16T06:30:00.001-08:00

So for the last 2 nites I have been sleeping extremely deeply, having intense realistic dreams and when I am awakened by the sound of my baby angel (hee hee) saying "sveglia mamma" (trans. WAKE THE HELL UP AND PAY ATTENTION TO ME) I have been dazed and confused- misreading the clock and thinking it is like 1:30am instead of 7:30am which in any case is early- far too early considering I have to be at work for 10:30am. But it seems that I need this extra time as it took me literally from the time my feet hit the ground at 7:42 until 10am to walk out the door - dressed and ready accompanied by my 3 year old who was already dressed and ready. It seems unfathomable to me that it takes 2.5 hours for 2 people to get showered and dressed. But alas one of those people is a little 3- year old how is going through a period of his life that I like to call Pig Won't (if you are familiar with Richard Scarry you will know what I am talking about). Madison let's get dressed- no dress. Madison let's put your shoes on- no cappe (trans. shoes) " juice juice" -ok, here's your juice. NO! YUCKY (throws cup across the room). Maddy please don't do that...he looks at me with a sly look and does it anyway. What is this insanity? Terrible twos are over? HELP you other moms... what do I do?

Q & A from the Aquarium

2008-01-09T07:43:00.000-08:00

1. Do you still have tonsils? yes

2. Would you bungee jump? maybe

3. If you could do anything in the world for a living what would it be? I would rate commercials

4. How many tattoos do you have? 1

5. Your favorite fictional animal? tigger

6. One person that never fails to make you laugh? KPE now Creech and my Brit friend Abbi

7. Do you consider yourself well organized? NO WAY JOSE

8. Any addictions? let me count the addictions...coffee for one

9. From what news source do you receive the bulk of your news? internet

10. Would you rather go to a carnival or circus? neither really although I spent New Year's Eve at the Circus-what is a carnival really?

11. When you were twelve years old, what did you want to be when you grew up? a playboy model.
12. Best movie you've seen this year? ummmmm Napolean Dynamite? or wast that last year

13. Favorite alcoholic drink? Apple Martini

14. What is the first thing you do when you wake up in the morning? kiss Madison &/or pee

15. Siblings? 2 and 1/2

16. (make up your own question here) Why are pretzels twisty?

17. Have you ever gone to therapy? yes many times

18. If you could have one super power what would it be? being invisible

19. Do you own any furniture from Ikea? yes and love it all

20. Have you ever gone camping? yes

21. Gas prices! First thought? Americans need to have smaller cars like in Europe

22. Your favorite cartoon character? Leo from Little Einsteins

23. What was your first car? Caprice Classic! Got love the Healey cars

24. Do you think marriage is an outdated ritual? no and yes...it was meant for people who died at age 35-- I am almost 33 and have been married 10 years...

25. The Cosby Show or the Simpsons? Cosby all the way

26. Do you go to church? to do volunteer work but not to mass

27. What famous person would you like to have dinner with? Ozzy Osborne

28. What errand/chore do you despise? I hate running errands period

29. First thought when the alarm went off this morning? no alarm- 3 year old alarm clock

30. Last time you puked from drinking? hmm about 2 months ago sadly. I seem to always throw up when I drink- strange that.

31. What is your heritage? UMMMMM Scottish McInnish, Irish Healey, German - Burkhart

32. Favourite flower? peach roses

33. Disney or Warner Bros? neither- PIXAR

34. What is your best childhood memory? i have tons..Milkawanna (ask me or N- too long to write)

35. Your favorite potato chip? salt and vinegar chips (those ones you can only get in the NE)

36. What is your favorite candy? I like Tootsie pops

37. Do you burn or tan? burnish tan

38. Astrological sign? pisces

39. Do you own a gun? no, but my husband does

40. What do you think of hot dogs? i really like them but cringe when I think about what's really in them. They are the perfect drunk food though

8:32 PM

The Case for Not Voting in November

2008-01-09T07:11:00.000-08:00

The Case for Not Voting in November

Dispatches from one nauseating presidential primary

By Chris Faraone, Mark Grueter and Dan McCarthy

While you were sleeping like a dead baby at 4am last Friday morning, three of us crammed into a rental car and hurtled up I-93. We brought laptops, long johns, stimulants and skepticism -- all the necessary tools for documenting New Hampshire's notorious first-in-the-nation presidential primary and the carnival that surrounds it. Initially, we came for the same reason that we cover local politics: because by delivering anti-partisan commentary with some stank on it, we believe that even intellectually retarded hipsters and college kids who wonder why a Middle Eastern city named itself after a drinking game might be interested in the policies and people who govern them. But after four days of chowing bullshit and baloney, we decided that you're all better off not voting. If you're a status quo robot who wants press release-inspired rub about flip-flops, hollow promises and poll results, then please consult your daily newspaper. For the rest of you lazy fucks who need new excuses for not exercising your democratic duty, this is the only article that you need to read all year.

They've turned the word "change" into a cliché. Our candidates reveal total contempt for us by endlessly repeating the same meaningless slogans every cycle; the contenders all declare support for "change" (we tracked how many times this word was abused until we ran out of ink) and other vague notions such as "hope." All of this rhetoric should be denounced, but instead we are expected to decide whose crap smells best. Barack Obama busts the same junk that John Kerry did in '04: "change," "unity" and all that mindless tripe. But our new guy has alleged "rock star" appeal, so we're compelled to soullessly embrace nonsense because he has a solid chance of winning. In desperate hope for victory, sheeple are swallowing candidates' vapid focus group advice, and such pathetic subjugations should be opposed on all fronts.

Fred Thompson is no savior. He's the Wesley Clark of this race -- a comparison he earned by galloping in on a Trojan horse stuffed with half-cocked ideals and unwarranted egomaniacal one-liners. We all support the Law and Order franchise, but unless Ice-T is running that's no reason to elect someone president. If you're a sucker for celebrity appeal, and you really feel the need to pull a lever on November 4, then John McCain is a much better pick. In addition to that whole prisoner of war thing he has going, McCain also looks like Dan Aykroyd's character in Nothing But Trouble. We suspect that Dennis Kucinich would consider appointing super hunk Viggo Mortensen to a considerable cabinet post, but despite the Ohio congressman's being one of the few candidates in either party who is genuinely interested in engineering social equality, he's been written off as delusional.

Mitt Romney's tan is artificial. And so is everything he says. Sure, he'll stack his administration with cute blond nitwits like he did on Beacon Hill, but that's only a perk for the security guards who monitor the White House bathroom surveillance cameras. After covering Mitt in Massachusetts for three years, we were looking forward to ignoring him the way he did the Commonwealth for his entire term. So imagine our frustration when he decided to crisscross America advertising the irresponsible unfunded health care mandate that come tax season will leave us not only still vulnerable, but a few hundred bucks broker. You can fool some of the people most of the time, and those are the chumps who Romney has had success preying on. Judging by the Patagonia-and-khaki decked turds at his New Hampshire rallies, it's mostly clueless yuppies and other assorted selfish jerkoffs who gravitate to Mitt's optimistic economic babble, family junk and racist anti-immigration fluff. Prove that you're not one of them by staying home on Election Day.

Our electoral process creates a hysterical intolerance of dissent. We went to the Puritan Backroom Restaurant on Saturday to watch the debates with Mike Huckabee supporters, and while we expected virgin punch and a dangerous tribe of Christians, it turned out to be an enlightening Republican debate bash at which we could trade opinions with the bunch. And then Ron Paul was asked about the War on Terror. As the Hucksters booed Paul's criticisms of American foreign policy, we stood up and cheered, only to be reminded that we were across enemy lines. Even those who disagree with Ron Paul should appreciate his contrarian stabs, but Republicans prefer an echo chamber, like Sunday night's Fox News debate that Ron Paul was excluded from.

America is not a real democracy. Money has completely corrupted our politics, which is why we have the lowest voter turnout of any industrialized country. It's not that most Americans are indifferent to political issues; it's that we don't even necessarily get to choose whether or not we participate in what can best be described as transparent fraud. For starters, it's pointlessly difficult and tedious to register and vote. Unlike those in peculiar civilized European countries, our election days are not holidays, so many people simply can't vote because they have to work. Voting isn't supposed to be for everybody; they just make it look that way. Here in New Hampshire, campaign events are staged for the cameras. Hillary Clinton holds a "rally" in the small cafeteria of a Hampton high school (rather than in, say, the gymnasium) so that it will look jam-packed on the 10 o'clock news. Her handlers, paid to manufacture frenzied momentum, opened the auditorium for the citizens that otherwise would have been denied entrance, piping Clinton's speech in over speakers. The phony democratic politics that prevail every campaign cycle.

Chuckabee. Judge Reinhold's endorsement of Bill Richardson runs a distant second to the Chuck Norris-Mike Huckabee tag team. Their union put a choke-hold on every crowd they faced, and we sat at several star-dipped rallies watching voters suck Huck's puck just because it came with Chuck. It's eerie when a presidential frontrunner gains noticeable steam by billing himself as the undercard on a B actor's ticket, but we expected nothing more from a party whose greatest hero was a Tinseltown side note. If Huck goes the distance, Chuck will be VP. And while that might make for one fuck of a Chuck-Huck T-shirt, you're better off using the 10 minutes that it would take you to vote at your local precinct to cast your third ballot in the upcoming American Idol contest.

You don't have to be sexist and/or racist to reject Clinton and Obama. Bill Clinton impressed us so much with his speech at Bow High School that we fancied his wife was a committed public servant. Only after escaping his aura did we remember that she's a megalomaniacal carpetbagger who's determined to buy this election like she did her New York Senate seat. Hillary's declining popularity in New Hampshire might be due to the aggressive presence of armed guards and police dogs at her campaign events, but those of you outside the Granite State only need to resent her shameless yap. As for Obama -- the candidate of tolerance -- we thought you should know that his staffers don't allow people to bring homemade signs to his events. Sorry if you registered to vote for the first time because you were inspired by his rainbow coalition of supporters with multicolored placards tagged with hopeful messages; every one was painted by an intern.

Manchester matters. This place is ground zero for the primaries, which is both an unfortunate reality and an easy metaphor for the entire flawed electoral system. The mills that didn't collapse from neglect were favorites for squatters and addicts before the recent overhaul. The gilded theaters were bulldozed and replaced with parking lots and dive bars. To its credit, Manchester is a historically relevant working-class mill town that was once a cultural and industrial epicenter, but as a stage on which candidates' performances mean everything, this city's role as a political epicenter is a punchline to a depressing joke. Every four years this silly circus stops here, and the clowns never consider how using this so-called "Queen City" as a litmus test is just another exercise in meaningless tradition.

On the ride home, we didn't listen to Tom Finneran hack it up on WRKO. By unanimous decision, the crew also vetoed NPR icon Tom Ashbrook's cynical half-stepping. Besides not caring who won, the car was already littered with Bud Light cans, expired Newports and Burger King Italian Chicken wrappers, and even with the nipple-jerking New England breeze ripping through the windows, the thought of smelling any radio blowhard's breath was sickening. We had endured pollsters, talking heads and barstool strategists making irrelevant predictions all week, so instead of torturing ourselves we bumped some Tupac and rubbed our own crystal ball. Here's what we saw: one candidate or another wins in November, and thousands of American soldiers will still be sacrificing life, wife and limb to stick band-aids around the Middle East. You or someone who you know and love will still be poor, uninsured and about to be foreclosed on. Gas prices will be high, morale will be low and no one will take responsibility. Especially us, because no matter which ticket prevails, we will not have voted for it.

BORED!

2008-01-09T06:49:00.000-08:00

My mother always told me(the myriad of times that I told her I was bored) that intelligent people are never bored. I think that this is wholely untrue as I consider myself quite the intellect and am ALWAYS bored. I mean things hold my attention for about 5 seconds then I am over it. I mean Madison (my three year old) are on about the same attention span- which works out great when we are together, but the majority of my day is spent in an office -where- when there is lots to do I am content and when there is nothing to do I get super super antzy! Like really ants in my pants can't sit still. I mean I can lay in bed and read for hours, I can watch movies (ones that I like) for entire weekends straight, but if I don't have something occupying my head I get agitated. I mean the problem is really that I am smart, but I am lazy. I have creative ideas, but am too lazy to put them into act. I prefer to be force fed entertainment as opposed to looking for interesting things to do. Am I a product of my 1980's culture? Maybe so...

Ugly Clinton???

2008-01-09T06:44:00.000-08:00

ok, so I just got back from my lunch break where I was supposed to hop out to pick up my daily contact lenses, juice and diapers....and instead, I broke down and ordered a pair of glasses (which I never wear) as I was convinced by the "not so ugly" sales boy Claudio that if I continued to wear only contact lenses all my eye muscles would turn to mush and I would be blind by 40! So to the tune of €350 - translations $500 I have ordered a new pair of glasses that I desperately hope will not make me look like Ugly Betty. It's bad enough that there is such a thing as "adult acne" damn the man, and now I have to wear glasses- what's next "adult braces?"

checking in

2008-01-08T07:26:00.000-08:00

so I am trying to blog more frequently as I am interested in what others are doing and there is the off chance that someone I know might be interested in what I am doing. At the moment I am at work- feigning work - as I have really none to do. My left buttock cheek is hurting from my sedentary lifestyle, but this morning I finally (after joining in July 2007) when to the pool to swim. It was a "prova" [Italian for ....for ...for..shit. can't think] a trial run sortof. I wanted to do my Power Yoga this morning and seeing as we bought a new DVD/VHS combo the other day and Madison slept at his grandparents as he is Scarlet with Fever I was again "a singlish adult"..however and there is always a however, this NEW DVD player does not play Region 1 (a.k.a. American DVDs. effer) so we are going to have to be rednecks and put the OLD DVD player on top of the NEW DVD player so I can see all my movies (50% of which are American). Goddammit!!!! So needless to say Power Yoga was American - I couldn't watch it and so I did a trial run at the pool- to see how long it takes to get there, swim a bit, shower, dry hair and get to work. It seems as if ..if I leave my house at 8.30 I can get there, swim about 45mins and be dressed and at work for 10.30. So I have made a deal with Alessandro- we are going to try for me to go to the pool on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday morning and he will take Madison to school and on Tuesday and Thursday night he will go to JUDO for 8pm...sounds like a deal to me. By the way, I am digressing but I just now finally saw the new version of HAIRSPRAY thanks to Carden Gene who sent it to me for Xmas. Love ya girl.... John Travolta is so good! My favorite line is "this sooooo Afrotastic" I wish I could say that a lot, but I don't think it is PC-but it's like saying Afrodisiac.... I like it... no offense intended.

watcha readin?

2008-01-07T08:22:00.000-08:00

At the moment I am 2/3rds the way through Elizabeth Gilbert's - Eat, Pray, Love: A women's search for happiness...and I like it. I loved it at first, then didn't like it and now like it again. Next I am going to read- Watching the English...should be a good laugh

17.20 Monday afternoon

2008-01-07T08:16:00.000-08:00

Well, it is completely pitch black dark outside at 5.20pm for those of you on a 12 hour clock. I am at work and have been typing my little heart out since 10.30. I am going on South Beach from today until my 10 year wedding anniversary- which is on February 14th 2008. I mean really, my child is now fully three so I can't use "I had a baby" as an excuse anymore. However, I have that "getting off of pasta" headache now. I have tried to do this diet like 4 times and I always gives up after about 4 days...Courage (spoken with a French accent- ku-rahj).

HAPPY NEW YEAR

2008-01-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to 2008! I have a feeling that this is going to be a fantastic year and that great things are going to happen. I am not sure why I have this feeling but I do despite the fact that my horoscope claims that this year will be my most demanding one ever.....I find that hard to believe and therefore I don't. I had a wonderful Christmas here in Italy, despite my intial trepidation and fear that it would be sad and loney without my American family once again. However, we managed to have a wonderful holiday season right here in Italy. Instead of walking in a Healey wonderland on Donray Drive- my friends gathered in Via Baroni for the third annual Healey-Magherini winter wonderland party. There was good food to be eaten, drinks to be drunk and good times to be had. All in all I have to say-SUCCESS. Christmas eve was spent in town doing last minute shopping, Christmas day at the Nonni's(grandparents) house, the 26th Santo Stefano (holiday in Italy) was spent with the Zii (aunt and uncles)...a few days of holiday rest...then the 31st was spent with hubby and toddler at the CIRCUS...only in Italy do they give you a split of Champagne at the circus (obviously for you to toast the New Year at midnight) but I thought it was a nice touch. Of course, we had ours open way before midnight. And let me just add this for all those mothers who give looks to parents of rowdy children - if my child can not act rowdy at the circus when can he be rowdy....stay at home if you want a calm evening!!!!
Sorry, but I have had the most uncontrollable urge to slap some of those mothers... I didn't ask for an "active" child, but i have one and I love him and I refuse to tell him No 24-7... there is a time and place I agree- but a healthy tiger growl at the circus when he sees the tigers at the cirucs I think is totally appropriate.

Sadness

2007-11-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was a very sad day for us. Beverly Domenick, mother of Michael Domenick (my sister Catharine's husband) died from Acute Leukemia. She was only 59 years old. I was not expecting it. I was not that close as she was my sister's mother-in-law but the times I met her she was kind. A good heart. It has saddened me and has confirmed my belief once again that life is a gift that we have been given (by God, by Allah, by the Big-Bang who knows) and it is our responsibility to live it. For what I believe we have only one life and a short one at that and who knows when our last day might be - so we must celebrate every day that we are granted and live it to the fullest. Tell the people near to you how much you care about them. Give your child a hug and kiss and let them know that they are precious to you. Don't hold back in love- invest everything in it because these are the things that really matter. Make the choice to be happy and make others happy. Smile, laugh, and enjoy every breath that you have. This is my choice and I hope it is yours.

Smile Smile Smile......

2007-10-31T06:23:00.000-07:00

I've got nothing to do to-day but smile.....

Elvis has left the Building

2007-10-31T06:05:00.001-07:00

And Papa Healey has arrived in Florence. Very excited. He landed in Bologna last night and this morning, after a relaxing massage that his darling daughter arranged, we had lunch together near my office. It is so weird, but it seems as soon as I see him that no time has passed at all- much less 2 months since the last time I saw him and a year since he was in Florence. Madison is super excited that Papa is here and has spent the last 24 hours saying "Papa guarda, guarda" (translation- Papa look, look) Papa brought him a bathtub basketball net with 3- count 'em three balls and we are now in 7th heaven (we slept with the balls clutched in our little hands). And this morning we were there in bed with Papa counting the balls. Papa would say 1,2,3 balls and Madison would say one, quattro, ten! Very satisfied with himself obviously...to be continued.

Things I like to say....

2007-10-26T09:34:00.000-07:00

Sometime I just like to say "WE'RE GONNA ROCK OUT WITH OUR COCKS OUT"
I really like to say this....I am strange I guess....but it's fun like saying "rockin and rollin and whatnot!" or "majoragerallnighterexciter"

Boogey Wonderland

2007-10-26T03:57:00.000-07:00

I just recently deciphered the words to Boogie Wonderland and I really liked the idea of such a place. I am sure that Xanadu was inside a Boogie Wonderland....

New Favorite Show

2007-10-26T03:56:00.000-07:00

Here are my new favorite television shows:

Criminal Minds
Missing
Cold Case
Without a Trace
Crossing Jordan

Coffee, Tea, ME???

2007-10-26T03:49:00.001-07:00

I have been drinking lots of hot tea lately. Not to say that I have replaced coffee, but here in Eye-tallee coffee lasts a whole 2 seconds to chug, like a shot and then it's over. Instead with weather outside being frightful, having hot tea at my desk is delightful. Mostly I have been kidding myself drinking lots of Tisane (non-tea tea). Basically anything that does not contain TEA can not be called tea- For example cammomile can not be called tea, this is a tisane or warm beverage. I learned this when I was a waitress at a Tea Room when I lived in the PORT. I have to say that I had fun in the Port for a year, but that was enough for me. Either way, been drinkin' lots of tea.

Guten Morgen

2007-10-26T03:40:00.000-07:00

Good morning to all of you who don't speak German....it is actually closer to lunch time here but I am still feeling that "I need another espresso to wake up" so I will say Guten Morgen instead of Guten Tag...I have to admit that I find German a sort of offensive sounding language, but a friend of mine who speaks it really commands control of her kinder when she scolds them in German-even I am scared. Italian often just sounds like you are hysterical (same for Spanish) and French as if you have a mucous buildup in your throat...This is my experience anyway....

DREAMS..............

2007-10-25T08:36:00.000-07:00

I wish I could go back to college.
Life was so simple back then.

What would I give to go back and live in a dorm with a meal plan again!

I wish I could go back to college.
In college you know who you are.
You sit in the quad, and think, "Oh my God!
I am totally gonna go far!"

How do I go back to college?
I don't know who I am anymore!

I wanna go back to my room and find a message in dry-erase pen on the door!
Ohhh...
I wish I could just drop a class...

Or get into a play...

Or change my major...

Or fuck my T.A.

I need an academic advisor to point the way!
We could be...
Sitting in the computer lab,
4 A.M. before the final paper is due,
Cursing the world 'cause I didn't start sooner,
And seeing the rest of the class there, too!

I wish I could go back to college!

How do I go back to college?!
AHHHH...

I wish I had taken more pictures.

But if I were to go back to college,
Think what a loser I'd be-
I'd walk through the quad,
And think "Oh my God..."

"These kids are so much younger than me."

Papa Healey & Rockin Out!

2007-10-25T08:19:00.000-07:00

So my dad is going to be here in less than a week...I am excited. We always have a good time so no worries about that. I am planning a little trip to Lerici which is a little town near the Cinque Terre over the November 1st weekend. Then I am taking another 3 days off to spend with him. I am anticipating a very nice time...No that is not my dad above.....

Time flies.....

2007-10-25T08:15:00.001-07:00

This was over a year ago..........

Ideal Job

2007-10-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

I was talking to my sister a while back and we were talking about ambition and dream jobs etc and we were saying that it would be great if reading books was a job. And I was like "it is a job if you are an editor" and she explained that she didn't mean reading for work, but that if you could get paid just to read books for pleasure. For me this would be great, but only if I could talk to other people afterwards about the book. It's the same for me when I watch a movie. If I don't have anyone to talk about it with it loses something. I recently ready A Thousand Splendid Suns and while it didn't MOVE me like The Kite Runner I really really liked it and the entire subject of women in general, women in muslim countries etc etc. (don't want to ruin the book for you if you haven't read it.) And I recently saw BABEL with Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett...really good, confusing and wonderful and thought provoking...which I like. I don't like movies or books that end with you going "what the f***?" but neat ending leave no room for the imagination. One of my favorite movies LOST IN TRANSLATION....I believe this is the Asian version of my life many times in Italy......

2007-10-25T07:04:00.001-07:00

Half of the time were gone but we dont know where,
And we dont know here......

For Someone Very Special

2007-10-25T07:00:00.001-07:00

My minds distracted and diffused
My thoughts are many miles away
They lie with you when you're asleep
And kiss you when you start your day.

Haircut

2007-10-25T02:52:00.001-07:00

So I had this idea the last time I went to the hairdresser's that I wanted to cut my hair short - because I am now in my 30's (yuck) and need a more sophisticated do....well, bless her, my hairdresser E slowed me down and told me to think it over and leave it for the next time. Thank goodness I did- because I was looking at some pics the other day of when my hair was really long and I am nostalgic for my silken mane....I wish I had the money to get extensions on a whim like Britney Spears who one day was bald and the next day has hair pratically down to her navel. Not that I want to in any way resemble Brit (already my British friend introduced me as - Clinton-->she's from Louisiana and talks just like Britney Spears)....such is my heritage. The best thing that ever came out of Kentwood was the water. Full Stop! No, I feel bad for Brit, she was born WT and will remain that way...it's in her blood. Just like when you see certain children and they have that WT look. They can be wearing cute clothes and whatnot but there is no denying it. There is something in the pallor of their skin or the way their hair is not combed or too long bangs, there is that indescribable knowledge of their legacy....oh well. So needless to repeat that NO I did not bob my hair.

back in black

2007-10-24T08:25:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I am back after not blogging for quite some time. New things in my life....stress stress and more stress. I have seen more doctor in the last few weeks than I care to think about. I have had back problems, headaches, stomach problems etc etc....nothing wrong but stress. What is causing all this stress??? Indecision. I have decided that not being sure about something is worse than knowing something bad. Because if you have clear information-even if it is not pleasing information you can react..but to when you are unsure you have to dwell on the what ifs. It's the what-ifs in life that will kill us.
Example- theoretical of course
I hate my job, my boss is a jerk....need the salary, job market is sucky...what do I do???
What makes me happy? What job would I like? I DONT KNOW: I know I don't like what I have but I don't know what I want.....this is the worst possible situation for anyone to be in.
Because your own indecision makes you angry at yourself but you feel impotent so you blame others for your lack of happiness, satisfaction yadda yadda yadda....

Happiness....it's a path and not a destination!

Happy Halloween

2007-10-18T09:57:00.000-07:00

Weekends in The Country with Maddy Moo

2007-09-11T08:10:00.001-07:00

FILL ME UP BUTTERCUP

2007-08-10T08:41:00.000-07:00

I absolutely love this song. It reminds me of my college room mate Misty who used to love to sing it when we were getting ready to go out. I was talking to a friend the other day about what a crazy time I had in college-- there were some not so great things, but for the most part I had a FANTASTIC time. I don't remember lots of it...lots of this, and a little bit of that- but we rocked out....I have been feeling very nostalgic lately for these days and others even further back. Who knows why- I am not involved in a project and that is a problem for me. I need to create something new .... snaps for N who has created Lost and Found Hound for lost and recovered animals....recently I spent some time with my long lost cousin Kevin and he shared some k-nowledge with me....TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE YOU HAVE TO CHANGE YOUR MIND. This is very insightful and I am trying to do this- but it is harder than you think... to be continued....

IT'S FRIDAY IT'S FRIDAY

2007-08-10T06:55:00.000-07:00

I have been horribly neglecting my blog - but I have a good excuse- all that is new in my life is an overwhelming amount of work.....YUCK! Last night as I was making tomato sauce - out of fresh tomatoes and various other ingredients I was wondering to myself it I would like to be a chef- low key - do cooking lessons etc ....hmmm I am so like Otis of K & S that it is incredible...except for somethings.. I mean I have two emotions - antsy and testy, maybe I am hyperactive, but if so I am the laziest hyperactive person I have ever met. I have no idea what I want out of my life, what truly makes me happy- besides Madison and champagne and dark chocolate..... I loved teaching and am sorry that I don't do it anymore - financial needs prevail, but hopefully one day I will find a way to make this professional valued by others in a more economical way. It's too bad I am not

Independently wealthy
Married to someone who is independently wealthy
In a situation where those around me are not concerned about money

However, this is not the case. I have to get back to work now as I my 60 minutes of lunch are up. Hopefully over the weekend I can catch up and put some more photos on from our Sicilian holiday.

More pics from the family trip

2007-08-03T09:04:00.001-07:00

Eating watermelon at the OSTERIA DEI PAZZI in Florence

Hayes in the fountain at the Spanish Steps in Rome!!! (he was removed by an Italian Policeman!)

Family Trip to Italy 2007

2007-08-03T08:07:00.000-07:00

Mister cool showing off in his Babbo's shades at the PAZZI

On top of Mount Etna in the midst of old lava flow - very exciting and exhausting (it was only about 104 ° that day!)

Feeling good in the stroller Night out with the famiglia in front of the Trevi Fountain

90210

2007-07-18T08:36:00.000-07:00

Let's talk about 90210 for a minute - can I just say that either you were a Brenda fan or a Kelly fan
I personally was a Brenda fan and my friend Eliza was a Kelly fan--- blasphemy. How can you go for the
blonde, rich girl whose biggest problem in life is choosing a boyfriend - which she steals from her "best friend"
Of course, she pays for this in the end by

having her mother marry her geeky friend's father and having a late in life baby
overdosing on diet pills
becoming a victim of a sinister cult
becoming a crack whore
getting burned in a fire
stalked by her fellow burn member
shot in a drive by shooting
????

It seems a lot, but as Brenda says, "if i looks like a duck and quacks like a duck..."

All I have to say is DONNA MARTIN GRADUATES!!!

All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go.....

2007-07-18T08:28:00.000-07:00

Ok, so here I am Wednesday July 18th - only 3 days away from vacation and Maddy Moo is sick, I haven't packed, my cousin is arriving tomorrow, I feel naseuous , but I happened to catch a rerun of an old 90120 - the day that Valerie arrives, which cheered me up for a moment, the heat is out of control in Florence and I still have a million things to do before I leave at the butt crack of dawn on Saturday morning.

How does Butter Fly????

2007-07-17T08:31:00.001-07:00

No one really knows the origin of this word. It is possible that it arose from the butter-yellow color of common European butterflies called sulphurs. I personally like the French and Italian words Farfallina and Papillon

Hebetudinous????

2007-07-17T06:20:00.001-07:00

Are you tired?

Tell us why.

19.15 Monday evening

2007-07-16T10:15:00.000-07:00

ok, so I should so be working, but I have had enough for today. There were problems starting at 10am this morning and I am tired and thinking about all the things I need to do to get ready for my vacation that starts this Saturday!!!! I am really pumped. I am going to see my fam and we are going to eat yummy food, and lay in the sun and hopefully just Ree-Lax! Sicily has wonderful Granitas that are similar to the famous Looziana SnowCone...and I love the mint flavor as does Maddy Moo. What I am super excited about are the desserts in Sicily.

Everybody's Workin' 4 the Weekend!

2007-07-16T09:57:00.000-07:00

Who knew that these guys were Canadian?

Thursday once Again

2007-07-12T07:11:00.000-07:00

It is Thursday once again and every morning I debate about getting up and going for a run know full well that there is no way in hell I am going to actually leave the house and run. The number one reason being I hate to run. The number two reason being I HATE TO RUN!!! and I don't often get much sleep. Last night I actually used ear plugs and slept in the living room to escape the grand central station that my bedroom has turned into. Amazingly, I slept from 3am to 8am which was pretty great. I actually went to bed at 11pm but was awakened at 2am-3am by crying child. I am not sure but I am about to KICK THE ASS of whatever scary monster is making him wake up every night.
In any event, the day is passing quite nicely and I am looking forward to the weekend. I just realized that in less than 10 days I will be in Sicily with my family (sans Cardene) for a week- and needless to say I AM PUMPED!
So I am sitting at my desk feigning work, which is a nice plus about this job, admiring the sunshine outside and thinking that at some point I would like to go see the new Harry Potter movie....

Stop and smell the flowers!

2007-07-12T04:31:00.000-07:00

Madison has been sick lately with a sore throat and fever (according to the expert Italians it was too much PISCINA - swimming pool over the weekend) I am a believe in germs and bacteria as opposed to weather conditions causing fevers and other ailments. That is neither here nor there for this discussion. I decided to stay home with him while he was sick, normally he stays with his grandmother when he is sick and mamma has to go to work, but I have just been enlightened to the fact that mothers of children under 3 have the right to take off work to stay with their children. Didn't know this, but now I do. Anyway, since anyone who have ever met my child knows that it is virtually impossible to keep him inside all day even with a high fever, we decided to take the 2 second walk down the street to the coffee bar and get a popsicle for his ailing throat. As we were walking he noticed this large gelsomino bush growing near the sidewalk. He stopped (literally) to smell the flowers and it made me think how the most of us are so wrapped up in the crappy details of our lives that we don't stop and realize the important things that are all around us. I have been feeling down lately, but the "maudlin" phase is over - I decided! I refuse to waste even one day feeling down when all around me there are wonderful things to do and see. I have also discovered that there is a new machine that cures allergies with light therapy. Basically you stick these two nodes in your nostrils and a light comes on a does something so you don't suffer from allergies anymore. I am really interested in purchasing this product. If anyone has tried something like this please let me know before I go "spending the big bucks".

How to Scramble Eggs - The proper technique

2007-07-06T01:18:00.001-07:00

EAT ME??

2007-07-06T01:08:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture of toast and it appealed to me (yes, ok I am a bit of a perv)....mostly because I was having my second breakfast of the morning at my desk ---spilling the requisite crumbs and what not on my key board etc. As you will know if you read the previous bit . I awoke at 4.30am and never went back to bed this morning. So at 5.50am I meandered down to the coffee bar at the end of my street and had a whole wheat brioche and a cappuccino..now at 10am I was getting the stomach rumblings of a person who needs to eat and therefore decided upon a second breakfast of toast with sugar free jam (strawberry) and low fat yogurt along with a cafe latte. So here I am at 10.15 - came into work 1 hour early so I can have a long lunch today as one of my colleagues has taken the day off and the other is arriving late...........oh, guess what? TGIF --- or was it GFI Piscopal Hi -go 4 it!!!

GOOD MORNING SUNSHINE

2007-07-06T00:58:00.001-07:00

Ok, so insomnia reigns at Via Enrico Baroni #13...was up at 4.30am to settle an unsettled child who was apparently fighting demons in his sleep and wanted his mamma. So of course I ran (the whole 2 feet) to his room and hugged and cuddled him and laid beside him until he was back in the land of sugarplum fairies and broom brooms (translation - cars) peppe (trucks- imagine a horn honking peh peh) and fanté (his new favorite we go to school with it we sleep with it plastic elephant that was bought to calm him at the discount German grocery store that I frequent ever since I was put on a restrictive budget by my hubby! (No Commnet) It has it's good points- they frequently have "Americany type stuff" that I pick up.
So I definitely think that this lack of sleep is the main cause of my - dare I say it "mild depression" that I have been feeling lately - just not my usual sunny self. My dad's advice "drink water". While drinking water is a good idea I am not sure that it is going to solve my problem. However, a relaxing weekend with a pool party, sunshine, grilled hot dogs & hamburgers should do the trick - I am counting on it.

2007-07-05T10:14:00.000-07:00

What's been going on with me lately - I am not feeling my usual sunny self. Well, not entirely true, when I talk to a good friend who exceeds in gaining a unexpected giggle out of me I feel great, but on the whole I am feeling a bit down these days ..........could it be lack of sleep? Maybe. Change in the weather? A possibility. Or am I just looking for a new adventure and haven't found it yet. Hard to say. Work is monotonous, I have started smoking again, my back hurts...... I am not longer feeling like the spritely Clinton that I long to be. Hmm I need to reflect on this.

I have a pool party with friends (kids and hubbies included) this weekend and I plan to ROCK OUT with my um um out... For real, we will grill out, have a splash in the pools, drink a little and hopefully have a few laughs. Maybe it will be just the trick to turn my frown upside down

TACO TRUCKS??? HOT DOG CARTS???

2007-07-05T09:46:00.001-07:00

Ok, so talking to my dad today he was telling me about how N'awlins is crawling with Taco trucks. This is not an unusual site in Italy to see on the roadside or at outdoor markets, not Mexican food, but roadside trucks offering tasty treats such as tripe sandwich and the such. We had a particularly interesting roadside stand near my house a few years back called Ciccio & Ciccia which literally means Fatso and Fasta (the feminine of Fatso). I found this name particularly amusing but however quite appropriate as the two proprietors were rather on the chubby side of the spectrum. They were very popular with the late night motorino after disco crowd - much like the famed late night hotdog runs of my friend Natasha. Anyway, I am happy to see that the new locals are installing their own traditions and giving the local folks a bit of their Latin flavor - a one man quoted "it's better than Taco Bell" - that's good enough for me!!!

2007-07-03T23:58:00.000-07:00

The Magherini Family

Summer 2006

I know it's old but I really wanted to put it on here!

Look I have my own store in LONDON!!

2007-07-03T23:55:00.000-07:00

2007-07-03T23:53:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would add this picture of my little choc-a-holic

at Easter time ...

Wednesday Again

2007-07-03T23:47:00.000-07:00

So here we are in the middle of the week. So far exciting news is that I have been granted Italian citizenship and once I decide to schump my way downtown to Palazzo Vecchio to make an appointment for the swearing in ceremony then we will be on our way. I can only do it on Mon. Wed. and Friday from 8-30-1pm so probably I will make it down there this Friday. In the meantime the chiropractor is going well - I am sore and feel bruised but apparently there is a noticeable difference in my mongy arm - so that is well worth it. What else - Maddy Moo is now pretty much sleeping in his own bed which is great, but he is refusing to do "pee pee" or "poo poo" in the potty. He is also reverting back to not using utensils and has started to do lots of grunting and pointing instead of talking - I am insisting that he "use his words" on that one mostly because it drives me crazy to be grunted at. So that's it for now. It is now 10 to 9am and I must get going - work has been crazy but today should be calmer so I might get a chance to write more.

Worst Songs Ever

2007-06-28T04:48:00.000-07:00

We built this city by Starship is by far one of the worst songs ever written. Apparently I am not alone as I have googled this song that I am being forced by work space radio to listen to. I mean really- At the moment I am sitting at my desk eating a pear and cottage cheese (although not together) and wondering how I am going to make it to 5 o'clock. The witching hour today as I am taking off early for a chiropractic appointment. My hub-a-dub is out o' town tonight and therefore while I appreciate the freedom, I have to go to a dinner party where I only know 1 person and I don't relish the idea of going solo. I really want to leave now, but I can't. I have to sit here at my desk like an autonotom and pretend to work!
DAMN THE MAN!
"The Man. Oh, you don't know The Man? The Man's everywhere: in the White House, down the hall, Miss Mullins; she's The Man! And The Man ruined the ozone, and he's burning down the Amazon and he kidnapped Shamu and put her in a chlorine tank! Okay! And there used to be a way to stick it to The Man, it was called rock 'n roll. But guess what? Oh no! The Man ruined that too with a little thing called MTV! So don't waste your time trying to make anything cool or pure or awesome 'cause The Man's just gonna call you a fat washed up loser and crush your soul. So do yourself a favor and just give up!"

--

2007-06-28T03:28:00.001-07:00

Max: That was more of a yield at that stop sign.
Grover: I broke, thanks.
Max: No, it was more of a yield.

'tash disaster!

2007-06-28T02:54:00.001-07:00

Every time summer rolls around I am so happy to tan my skin a glorious bronze colour but ever since I was preggers I have developed a darkening of the skin above my lip that gives me the look of having a nice 'tash - but it's not true.
I swear, I have looked closely, the beauty shop girl looked closely -it is like having a shadow over my lip --but I hate it. And if I forget to put on PROTECTION (sun protection that is) then it only gets worse. So either I cover my whole face and I have white a face like Morticia from the Adam's Family and a golden tan body or I have a 'tash shadow! What to do??

A Poem on the Underground Wall

2007-06-27T10:02:00.001-07:00

A Poem on the Underground Wall by Simon & Garfunkel

The last train is nearly due,
The underground is closing soon,
And in the dark deserted station,
Restless in anticipation,
A man waits in the shadows.

His restless eyes leap and scratch,
At all that they can touch or catch,
And hidden deep within his pocket,
Safe within its silent socket,
He holds a colored crayon.

Now from the tunnel's stony womb,
The carriage rides to meet the groom,
And opens wide and welcome doors,
But he hesitates, then withdraws
Deeper in the shadows.

And the train is gone suddenly
On wheels clicking silently
Like a gently tapping litany,
And he holds his crayon rosary
Tighter in his hand.

Now from his pocket quick he flashes,
The crayon on the wall he slashes,
Deep upon the advertising,
A single worded poem comprised
Of four letters.

And his heart is laughing, screaming, pounding
The poem across the tracks rebounding
Shadowed by the exit light
His legs take their ascending flight
To seek the breast of darkness and be suckled by the night..........

kicking & screaming

2007-06-27T07:43:00.001-07:00

Lucky Dogs- a New Orleans tradition

2007-06-26T05:47:00.000-07:00

I would like to include this review in my blog because honestly- I couldn't have written it better myself-

Editorial Review for Lucky Dogs – by Pableaux Johnson

The Scene
More a kitschy local institution than a traditional eatery, these weenie-shaped hot-dog carts prowl the French Quarter serving up gastrointestinal ballast for inebriated Bourbon Street tourists. During peak party times, every street corner seems to be occupied by a distinctive red and yellow Lucky Dog wagon manned by a somewhat surly sausage technician.

The Food
When you order a late-night meal from a giant metal frankfurter, there's very little room for mystery or confusion. The hot dogs and spicy smoked sausages are boiled for hours and topped with a simple range of nonperishable condiments: mustard, hot white onions and straight-outta-the-can chili. Not much for taste and definitely no match for NYC's Coney Island dogs, but the Lucky Dog mystique relies more on accessibility than flavor. The drunker you are, the better they taste.

Are You Experienced?

2007-06-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

"Suffering, danger and poverty are all fine by me, but dirt and disease are two things I happen to hate".
I am not sure why people want to suffer whilst on holiday. I mean I suppose if my funds and vacation days were unlimited then I guess I might consider it - but probably not. I imagine a holiday to be just that -- something better than everyday - not worse. I don't want to be too hot, nor too cold. I want to eat food that I recognize at least what it is and 9 out of 10 times is delicious. I want to sleep on a comfy bed and not be eaten alive by bugs. Mostly I would like to lay in the sun and have a super sexy cabana boy bring me frozen margaritas and pina coladas all day... this is a vacation. Tromping around a hot, third world country just waiting until the dysentery hits is not my idea of fun..call me crazy?

CHEESEBURGER IN PARADISE

2007-06-26T04:21:00.001-07:00

Have you ever all of sudden noticed that you are soooooo hungry. That is how I feel right now and out of the kindness of my heart I told my colleague that he could go to lunch before me. Now I am feeling a slight anger at myself for this kindness. This is however, a picture of the world's smallest cheesburger.

I like mine with lettuce and tomato,
Heinz Fifty-seven and French fried potatoes.
Big kosher pickle and a cold draft beer.
Well, good God Almighty, which way do I steer
For my cheeseburger in paradise.

DAMN THE MAN!

2007-06-26T02:05:00.001-07:00

"In this life, there are nothing but possibilities." -Lucas

This is a quote from one of my favorite movies - that I unfortunately only own in Italian - and it loses something in the translation.... I was just recently reminded by a good friend of mine how wonderful this flick is. It's one of those movies that totally catches you off guard. For those of us who have slaved in retail with the same people day after day who pretty soon became friends out of lack of choice this movie will keep you rolling. And the soundtrack is fab-o!

Happy Dance

2007-06-22T07:37:00.000-07:00

I really think I either have "soul" blood running through my veins or I have ADD! I mean I am so excited that it is Friday that I had to run into the bathroom and do a little dance (that i fondly call the Happy Dance) singing silently to myself "we're gonna party like it's 1999". I am definitely not normal.

IT'S FRIDAY IT'S FRIDAY

2007-06-22T07:05:00.000-07:00

TGIF

'TGIF' is an acronym meaning "Thank God It's Friday" or "Thank Goodness It's Friday", an expression of relief that the work week is finally over and that even if the weekend is not full of leisure, at least the drudgery of the workplace is temporarily over.

Pau Hana

'Pa'u Hana' (pronounced "pow hana") is a Hawaiian phrase literally meaning, "finished work", but generally refers to the practice of leaving work early on Friday to start the weekend.

POETS day

another acronym meaning "Piss Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday", a term for Fridays, used in industries where it is common practice to finish work early at the end of the week. Variations on this are "Push Off Early Tomorrow's Saturday" and "Push Off Early Tomorrow's Sunday" (based on the old 6 day work week). Used in UK and Australia but appears less popular in U.S.A.

wash your damn hands!

2007-06-22T05:36:00.000-07:00

During an hour's swimming at a municipal pool you will ingest 1/12 liter of urine.

In an average day your hands will have come into indirect contact with 15 penises (touching door handles, etc.)
An average person's yearly fast food intake will contain 12 pubic hairs.
In a year you will have swallowed 14 insects - while you slept!
Annually you will shake hands with 11 women who have recently masturbated and failed to wash their hands.

Annually you will shake hands with 6 men who have recently masturbated and failed to wash their hands.
In a lifetime 22 workmen will have examined the contents of your dirty linen basket.
At an average wedding reception you have a 1/100 chance of getting a cold sore from one of the guests.

Daily you will breath in 1 liter of other peoples' anal gases.
HAVE A GREAT DAY...
...and wash your damn hands!

MISANTHROPY

2007-06-22T02:45:00.000-07:00

"you hate people"
"but I love gatherings - isn't it ironic??"

TIRED??

2007-06-22T02:15:00.000-07:00

SLEEP DEPRIVATION

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sleep deprivation is a general lack of the necessary amount of sleep. A person can be deprived of sleep by their own body and mind, as a consequence of some sleep disorders, or deliberately. Sleep deprivation has sometimes been used as an interrogation technique or as an instrument of torture. It has been reported that sleep deprivation affects tens of millions of adults each year.^[1]. Sleep deprivation (in sleep deprivation therapy) has also been used as a treatment for depression.

This is the definition of sleep deprivation and I am sure that I am suffering. This morning I had the pleasure of being awoken by the cat who decided to jump on the dresser and knock all the brick a brack (of which I have a lot) on the floor. I proceed to push her out the room and shut the door controlling my homicidal urges. Then as soon as "I lay me down to sleep" I began to receive little kicks in my side. I know that Maddy is not doing it on purpose to deprive me from sleep but never the less I had to have talk with Babbo this morning about the fact that his single sleeping days are over. I don't really care where anyone sleeps as long as I get to sleep and right now I am apparently the only on who isnt. Enough is enough!!!!

Fun Fact

2007-06-21T04:44:00.000-07:00

I just discovered as I was rocking out to some disco one hit wonder in the office that can boogey at my desk- the wheels of my chair on the laminated "faux" parquet makes an excellent pseudo dance floor for the office bound worker. Obviously, I can only shake the booty left and right but better than nothing!

BOOTY CALL................

2007-06-21T04:34:00.000-07:00

For lot's of us the "booty call" is a relatively new thing... but not so. I have discovered in re-reading the lyrics of one of my most favorite songs that the booty call is as old as Ma Bell herself

" Whenever blue tear drops are falling
And my emotional stability is leaving me
There is something I can doI can get on the telephone and call you up baby, and Honey I know you'll be there to relieve me"[Marvin Gaye - Sexual Healing -
MIDNIGHT LOVE album 1982]