I Did A Little CD Shopping

Why?

Because there are 2 CDs that I must have as soon as possible, which is as close to the release dates as possible.

Which discs are they?


Andy Bell's Electric Blue



From what I've heard of this one, it's going to be fantastic. Andy has one of the most beautiful voices out there. There's very little that he's done that I haven't liked, so I had to get this. (Even though I don't buy all the CD singles anymore)

Diana Krall - Christmas Songs



Yeah, Diana's going to be my first Christmas CD of the year. Expect to see a song or two from this CD on the Christmas Card/Holiday Mix I send out this year.

Oh and if you haven't ever received a holiday cd card from me, leave a comment so I can get your mailing info. This year I should be able to send out more cards to friends!!! Plus I've got loads of new music for the mixes!

Busy Busy Busy

Am I allowed to breathe at all this week?

I'm beginning to think not. Between the stuff that I need to do to get ready for my new job and other stuff that I have to do regularly, like laundry, I have no time to breathe. I also still have no suitable work clothes.

I thought going back to work in an office environment would mean getting to wear suits again. Boy was I wrong. I'll be wearing business casual, and in this environment even jeans are acceptable.

I have no jeans. My jeans don't fit me anymore.

So sometime between getting the laundry done, going grocery shopping, taking on dog for shots and sleeping, I'm going to have to go shopping for some other things to wear to work.

I'll definitely be looking forward to my first real weekend off, which is something I haven't had in a long while, at least not a worry free weekend.

But truly what I'm going to be living for just happens to be 5 days paid vacation which I'll be eligible for come Jan 1.

Top Five On Friday

This week's Top 5 care of Music Memoirs:

Top Five "Acoustic" songs

1. Erasure - Always
This acoustic version came from a fanclub only release called Buried Treasure. The original technopop version is beautiful, but this stripped version is even prettier.

2. Justin Hayward - Heartbeat
This mp3 was ripped (poorly) from a DVD. I say poorly, because the volume isn't quite what it should be. But it's worth it to hear Justin and his guitar singing Buddy Holly. (Especially the words Piddly Pat)

3. The Beatles - Here Comes The Sun
Probably the best acoustic song in the whole world. To omit this from my list would be criminal.

4. Elvis Costello - You've Got To Hide Your Love Away
He covers this Beatles song so well, but then again, he does everything so damn well. (Including hugs!)

5. The Moody Blues - Never Comes The Day
I've posted this version of the song before. It's from a video clip I found somewhere. I'm not sure if the audiograb was done from a clip Moody Mistress sent me or if it was from one of the clips on Yvonne's lovely site.

My Brain Is Mush

OK, since I was going through a training center to get my new job, in a round about way, I had to take an assessment test this morning at 8:15. Being sick and taking tests are not a good combination.

I'm still sluggish, but I do feel a bit better today. But I said that the other day too, so I'm not holding out hopes that I'm completely better.

The test was something like a PSAT.

Shoot me.

Some of the math problems were things I hadn't done since high school or college and frankly are things I hope I never have to do again.

Math has never been my strong point.

The whole test took about 2 hours.

Sweet Mother of God!

On a plus note, I scored 100% on the reading part! Yay! I can read! Never would have guessed that, right?

Math I did better than I expected scoring 10.8 out of 12.9.

I could have told them I suck at math.

Now I would like to go back to my vegetative state for a few hours, so I can survive 4 hours at work today.

The Sickness Has Returned

This is frustrating. It started out on Monday as just a wonky belly. I was fine with that. I took some meds went to sleep and woke up yesterday feeling just ducky.

Today, however, is another story.

I have a bit of a sore throat and I'm getting chilled.

Not a nice feeling.

Oh and the wonky belly is making an on again off again appearance today.

I'm really ready for bed, but I have to get things done, because I need to be somewhere at 8:15 tomorrow morning. Let me tell you, I'm not looking forward to that, and neither is my wonky belly.

I seriously think the only thing for me to do now is go to bed, which means missing tonight's epi of Law and Order. (Not something I want to do either, but my nephew will be taping CSI on my VCR) Perhaps if they keep the tv turned up loud enough I'll at least be able to listen to it in my semi-vegetative state. If not, I suppose I'll survive, because I think I need sleep more than Law and Order right now.

Hump Day Hunkyness

We can't have a Wednesday go by without hunks to drool on right?

I'm starting out the parade of hunks with one you've probably not seen before, David Caruso. He's my number 2 redhead and my favorite CSI guy.



But not to worry, I won't neglect my other hunks either.



Cos I do love my Lodgey!



And my sweet sweet J'tiny Poo.

The day can go on as usual now, the hunks have been paraded.

I Saw The Sign

Truly, I was given a sign from the gods about my new job.

Today I went to the office to fill out the usual new job forms. (W2s etc) Well, as I was sitting there signing my life away I heard a familiar voice in the background.

No, it wasn't someone I knew, it was the radio.

And on the radio at that moment in time was The Moody Blues and the song was Nights In White Satin.

That had to be a sign that this is the right job for me, right?

I Feel Much Better Now

Ever get hit with one of those 24 hour viruses that make you feel like you were ready to collapse?

I had one of those yesterday.

I don't know if it were the changing of the seasons/weather thing that we have going on now or what but I felt like a freight train hit me yesterday.

I was in bed by 10 o'clock last night. I didn't even watch CSI Miami. Come to think of it, I didn't even tell my nephew to keep the tape with CSI Miami on it until I had the chance to see it. That's how sick I was, because I try not to miss an episode of the show with my second favorite redhead in it.

Thankfully, today I feel much better. Who knows maybe I needed the 9 hours of sleep I got last night. I'm just not used sleeping that much.

Now I've got to catch up on all the stuff I meant to do yesterday, but couldn't because I was sick. Grrr.

Random 10

Music Memoirs asks us to wrap up our weekend with 10 songs.

John Lodge - Thunder Child
Most of the time I spent on the computer this weekend was listening to John Lodge and Ray Thomas. This is currently my favorite Lodgey song.

Ray Thomas - Didn't I
A very bittersweet song. I'm falling in love with Ray's songs.

The Monkees - Look Out (Here Comes Tomorrow)

The Monkees - St. Matthew
I had a mix cd of Monkees songs playing in the car on the way to Ohiopyle yesterday

The Moody Blues - Leave This Man Alone

Justin Hayward - The Way Of The World

John Lodge - Street Cafe
These 3 songs were on the mix cd I listened to on the way home. It's my "Feeling Moody" CD, which has some Moody Blues songs as well as stuff from their solo albums.

Manfred Mann - The Mighty Quinn

Dusty Springfield - I Just Don't Know What To Do With Myself

The Animals - The House Of The Rising Sun
This song, along with the last 2 were on a 60's mix I listened to on the way to the mall on Saturday. As I was listening to this last song, I realized, if The House Of The Rising Sun did exist, it's gone now....


The rapids at Ohiopyle 

More pictures of Ohiopyle can be found here

And if there's any song on my list that you'd like, just ask.

140 + Pictures Later

To say that I'm a bit of a picture whore is probably a bit of an understatement. My Easy Share Z740 took 140 pictures, my CX6200 took at least 30 and I got one shot from my camera phone, just to see how well it worked.

We went to Ohiopyle State Park today, which is in the Laurel Highlands. It's an absolutely beautiful part of the state with loads of places to stop and take in the beauty. Sadly it was hazy today which didn't do much for our photos on the scenic overlook, but we did get a few shots which I hope I can enhance with Photo Shop.

We had the same problem with haze when we were in Atlantic City. It seems like Mr. Blue Sky is avoiding us at all times.

At the park we saw both the Cucumber Falls (which I hadn't seen before) and the main falls which are on the Youghiogheny River. Along with the water pictures (And we know that water is one of my favorite things), I also got some lovely shots of the area and of the bike trail that runs through the park.

It was a wonderful day, full of long walks and many photo opportunities and good eats. We had hamburgers and onion rings at the snack shop at the park and after we went on our 4 mile walk on the trail we drove to Connellsville and had pizza and cheese fries at Bud Murphy's Sports Bar.



Doesn't that BBQ chicken pizza look yummy?



And mmmmm, cheese fries!

And lastly here's a picture of the main falls. I'll get some pictures up on my photoblog shortly.

Insanity At The Mall

Well I did get two pairs of pants today and my dinner at Taco Bell, so I'm happy. I never knew a Southwest Border Bowl could make me so blissful.

It's the little things, I suppose.

It's also the little things that make you go, WTF!

I truly thought that I'd have nothing to take pictures of today. After all, I was just going to the mall. What the heck could there be to photograph there?

Insanity!

That's what there was to photograph there.

And if you don't believe me, just click here

And after that, you'll need to calm down, so click here

Shopping Day!

Finally! Today I'm going to head out to see if I can get some work clothes for my new job. Since I have a rental care this weekend I might as well use it. Plus I have a really bad craving for bad for me fast food.

Can you say Taco Bell?

Yeah.

Yo quiero, Taco Bell!

Tomorrow I'm going to go to Ohio Pyle where there will be loads of opportunities for picture taking

For those of you not familiar with Ohio Pyle, here are the falls



But until then. I need pants!!!!

I'm heartbroken

I wish to god that little black kitten had come to our yard. Not because I like it any better than my sweet little Oreo, but because it would still be alive if it had.



They left the kittens out again, and my sweet little black kitty was killed. If only the other two had come into our yard, one of the bus drivers for our school district had said they would keep them.

Now my little one is dead.

Is it wrong to wish these irresponsible pet owners to hell in a handbasket wrapped in a butaine blanket? Because right now that's what I wish. They have the deaths of 2 defenseless kittens on their heads.

I know I can't rescue every animal that needs it, but these kittens deserved so much better.

I'm glad I got Oreo before something terrible happened to the sweet little thing.

Say a prayer for this sweet little kitty that he's in kitty heaven.

He didn't even get a chance at having someone love and care for him.

Top Five On Friday

This week's Music Memoirs Top five is about "Fall."

Top 5 "Fall" songs (As always interpret as you see fit)

Justin Hayward - Forever Autumn
This is the rerecorded version from Classic Blue and of all the "Fall" songs, it's my favorite.

Michael Penn - Half Harvest
From Michael's debut album. I probably like this one better than the hit, No Myth.

Bernie Barlow - Golden
Just seems to be appropriate too. We all know that I adore Bernie. Everyone should buy her album of the same title. It's well worth the money!

Ray Thomas - Migration
I had this song posted on Monday, but it makes this list too. If you didn't get it then, snag it now, it's truly a beautiful tune.

The Story - In The Gloaming
This is the band Jonatha Brooke was in before going solo. Just a beautiful track that seems to be a bit haunting, putting me in mind of Halloween without being "spooky".

I GOT THE JOB!!!!

I'm so freaking happy!

So freaking happy!

I'm going to start on Oct 3!

I'm so freaking happy!

I've got a real job again.

A nice normal job again.

SQUEE!

On The Move

I will be on the move a bit more this weekend. No, my car isn't fixed. Yes, I'm renting one. I need to get away a bit. Just to do some things. I don't care what at this point, but they should involve my camera which has been very underappreciated these past few weeks.

I'm going to pick up the rental car tomorrow at noon, which means I'll have a small amount of freedom this weekend.

Can I get a yipee please?

I'm hoping to go to Ohio Pyle one of those days. I'm not sure about they other day yet, but I'll get somewhere, even if it's to a mall.

I don't know how people in the city survive without cars. I'm not sure I could stand relying on PAT buses to get me everywhere. It would make me crazy. It will be almost 2 full weeks without a car on Friday when I rent this one. I don't think I could make it much longer, but the way I look at it, if it's only the water pump on Bernie, maybe, just maybe I'll have it back by the following weekend.

Fingers Crossed Time

The interview went well. It went really well, considering they gave me a math test before the interview started.

Math at 9:30 in the morning!

ARGH!!

I think I did well though.

This job would be so wonderful for several reasons.

1. 15 minutes from my house.
2. 100% paid medical benefits
3. Dental that only costs 27 dollars monthly.
4. VACATION! PAID VACATION!
5. M-F 8-5:30 shift or 7 - 4:30!

It's in the hands of the fates now. I only hope that fate will smile down upon me, because I want this job terribly.

(Oh and my father actually worked with the guy that interviewed me at Corning, ages ago)

I'm In Need Of My Hunks!

So nervous. Less than 2 hours until my interview. I'm scared and a little bit nauseous. Wherefore art thou hunks?

Oh Lodgey! Oh Justin! I need you!

Wish Me Luck

My first job interview in quite a long time is tomorrow. The last interview I was on was at least a year or more ago, when I was trying to sort out what I was doing with "The boss from hell." After the 2nd interview I knew it wasn't any place that I wanted to work for.

Tomorrow's interview came out of the blue. I've been hunting down any Secretarial/Customer Service positions that are in the Mon Valley. (Let me tell you, there aren't many) The phone call came out of the blue on Monday and I'm not really sure if it's something I want yet, but it doesn't hurt to interview.

I need a full time job again and I need one that's fairly close to home, or I need a rich husband and since one of those isn't forthcoming, I'll settle for a new job.

So what I need is a hope and a prayer that I can get through tomorrow morning and that maybe just paybe I'll be lucky enough to get this job so I can get my life put together again. (At least financially)

Kitten update

Right before I went to work today, one of the kittens showed up on the doorstep.

This one to be particular.




I'm falling in love with this sweet little face, but I know I can't keep him, because it's a him and I have one female cat that I couldn't have fixed. I need to find a home for him, and I don't want to take him to a shelter. I don't want anything to happen to my sweet sweet baby.

I Tried, I Really Tried

Right now I'm so upset I could spit. I had the baby kittens over here most of the day yesterday. But then I went to work. I made sure that I didn't make a fuss over the babies when I left, because I didn't want them to follow me out of the yard. I didn't want to hear tales of another dead kitten. Seeing the one dead on the road this weekend was enough.

So I didn't say goodbye to my babies.

When I called home from work at 6 o'clock yesterday my nephew informed me that the neighbors came and took them back home.

I'm not happy about this. I can only hope that they told the truth when they said they had homes for them. Because I don't want anything to happen to them. Not to mention the fact I've heard horror stories about these people and what they've done to animals.

I'm really not happy.

Because if you ask me, if you are planning to give kittens away, why would you let them out to play in the road?



And I didn't get to say goodbye to my babies!

Randomosity

~ I managed to get to f-ing Wal-mart yesterday. I bought some necessities:

- A pair of navy blue capri leggings for work.
- A pair of brown plaid dressy capris and a pink t-shirt for when I get to leave the f-ing house again. (BTW...they were junior size 3s!!)
- Some meal replacement bars, cos I really need to get back on my diet if I want to get my weight down to 120 where I want it to be.

~ Didn't try to kill the neighbor when they left their kittens out on the road. (One got killed) I snuck the other two over to our yard one by one to feed them. They were starving the poor little babies. I was not a happy human at all.

~ I contemplated purchasing an Ipod shuffle. Kaufmann's had them on sale for 99 bucks. This was one time when the car being broke was a good thing because I probably would have bought it when I really don't need it. I hardly use the little mp3 player/junk drive that I have now.

~ I've got a job interview on Wednesday! Big Squee

Random 10

Wrapping up another dud of a weekend. If my car isn't fixed next weekend, Enterprise-Rent-A-Car is going to get some business, let me tell you.

There are places to go and things I have to do. Like go to Ohio Pyle and Oglebay Park! I need to get out and about!

But enough about my car troubles, on to the music!

Ray Thomas - Migration
(Easily one of Ray's most beautiful songs. Prettier than some of his Moody tunes and the flute work is fantastic

Ray Thomas - Love Is The Key
(I decided to give this wonderful Moody Man some love today)

Nana Mouskouri w/Justin Hayward on backing vocals - Morning Angel
(I had my Justin Hayward folder on random this weekend and this song kept coming up)

Justin Hayward and Marti Webb - Unexpected Song
(If Justin can sing this Andrew Lloyd Webber song he can do Music of the Night god dammit!)

Death Cab For Cutie - Soul Meets Body
(A friend sent me this song yonks ago, I finally got around to listening to it yesterday)

Paul McCartney - Fine Line
(I was reading Polly's LJ and she had the link to the video for this song posted today! Let me tell you, Macca is still one fine looking man!)

Justin Hayward - Billy
(I haven't changed the playlist on my mp3 player in months and it's all Justin)

Olivia Newton John - Please Mr Please
(Don't ask!)

Olivia Newton John - Tied Up
(Really, you don't want to know)

Duran Duran - Chains
(I was also loving Astronaut! Best damn Duran Duran CD since the Wedding Album)

Download the whole Random 10 here.

And my picture?



I was playing around with some more of my Borgata pictures today.

Let Me Out! I've Had Enough

7 days without a vehicle is hard on a girl.

7 days without a trip to the mall.

7 days without a trip to Pittsburgh to the flower show.

7 days without having anything to take pictures of.

7 days without being able to go to f-ing Walmart.

7 days without being able to satisfy those damn fast food cravings.

7 days of being dependant on someone else when I want to go somewhere.

7 days of going completely stark raving mad sitting at home!

I hate Saturdays

Most everyone waits for Saturdays.

I don't.

I hate them.

For years when I worked retail, I worked most of them, and they were the most miserable day of the week. The mall was always busy. The store was messier than usual.

Yuck!

I worked for a call center for a time and though it was a Monday - Friday job, I always ended up working overtime on Saturday. (Along with most everyone else)

Now I work for a fitness center and even though I don't work many hours, I still work on Saturday. I still hate it too, because it's every week from 7 - 11 a.m.

Granted I wouldn't be doing anything as early as 11 on a Saturday, but I still don't like it. (Especially when we only get a small handful of people coming in to work out)

I just can't like a day that is part of a weekend that I don't really have. And I hate it even more because I don't have a car to take me anywhere now that I'm done working. Grrrr!

My Tickets Came!

Can I get a big ole Yippee for that?

That's probably the fastest service I've ever had buying tickets for a concert.

So I will be sitting in Orchestra Center Row E. Our seats our 205 and 206.

Not bad, not bad at all.

Should be good for picture taking if we can smuggle the Easy Shares into Proctor and Gamble Hall.

Top Five On Friday

The Top 5 meme from Music Memoirs

Top Five Questioning Songs

First I can't do this one without giving a nod to one song:

The Moody Blues - Question

Now onto the rest and just to be snarky, I answered their musical questions.

Duran Duran - Who Do You Think You Are
Simon, I think I'm the Music Whore, what about you?
Justin Hayward and John Lodge - Who Are You Now
I'm still the Music Whore and you're Justin Hayward and the bloke with the bass is John Lodge, M'kay?
The Monkees - Do I Have To Do This All Over Again
Not if you'd do it right the first time.
Madonna - Who's That Girl
Who me? It is "I" the Music Whore once again!
Nick Lowe - Where's My Everything
Probably with my everything. Shall we go look for it, Nick?
Downloads available for 7 days

Fingers Crossed

Bernie the Beretta may not be deader than spam yet.

The mechanic that's going to be fixing her stopped by to have a look today and he seems to think that it may only be the water pump!

Please keep your fingers crossed for me, because that wouldn't cost an arm and a leg and my first born (which I don't plan on having) to fix.



She may be an old clunker but I miss her because she's not running!

Where There's Smoke There's Fire

Here's the mix of "Fire" type songs.

The Doors - Light My Fire
Arcadia - The Flame
Siouxsie and the Banshee - This Wheel's On Fire
Erasure - Worlds On Fire
The Moody Blues - It May Be A Fire
Paul McCartney - Flaming Pie
Cheap Trick - The Flame
Elvis Costello - Fire Suite 3
Judith Owen - Smoke On The Water
Sarah McLachlan - World On Fire
Vienna Teng - Hope On Fire
Robin Zander - Jump Into The Fire
Madonna - Burning Up
Midge Ure - Fields Of Fire

As always,if you want anyt of these songs I have them on my hard drive, so I can upload them, just ask.

Hump Day Randomness

~ Papa John's makes a dessert pizza thing that's to die for. Just what I need a tasty dessert after consuming two very greesy slices of pepperoni pizza! And I'm still craving it now, and I had it with my dinner yesterday!

~ After doing the Take Me Back Tuesday this week I've been inspired to do a "Fire" songs mix. I'll post the final tracklist as soon as I have it put together.

~ I'm still without a car. I miss my Beretta and I really wish someone would look at it soon so I know how much I'm going to be set back. It's funny I hardly drove the darn thing, but when it's taken away I really miss it.

~ The new David Gray CD is awesome! He reminds me a bit of Elvis Costello in some ways. I can't exactly pinpoint what it is about him that does, but I really think if you like EC you'll like DG too.

~ Chaos and Creation In The Back Yard is great! As good as Flaming Pie, go buy it!



And if you don't have Flaming Pie, buy that too!

Hump the Hunk Day!

Ok, Wednesday wouldn't be Wednesday without the hunks to hump. (If only) So here are my offerings of hunks to hump. OK, same hunks as usual, but I love them!

Simon Le Bon is always humpable



2 for 1, John and Kristian Lodge. Personally I'll just take John, until his son lays off the bon bons.





Oh and I couldn't forget Justin Hayward.



I just love this picture of Justin. It makes me want to muss up his pretty hair.

Now that the hunks have appeared, I can go on with my day.

Take Me Back Tuesday

The Tuesday Music Memoirs meme!

1. Name three songs with anything fire related in the title.
The Moody Blues - It May Be A Fire
Erasure - Worlds On Fire
Elvis Costello - Fire Suite 3

2. Name three artists with anything fire related in their name.
Matchbox Twenty
Lightning Seeds
Sparks

3. Name three albums with anything fire related in the name.

Lisa Loeb - Firecracker



Roy Nathanson - Fire At Keaton's Bar and Grill


(excellent CD which features Elvis Costello's Fire Suite)

Bauhaus - Burning From The Inside



This is a great classic goth album featuring She's In Parties and Who Killed Mr. Moonlight. These two songs should be heard by everyone at least once!

I need to go CD shopping today!

The new Paul McCartney CD is out today. My love for Macca makes me want to walk the ten miles to Walmart so I can purchase the CD. My legs say I'm out of my mind since I have every song from the disc on my harddrive already. (Erm, don't ask how, m'kay?)

Plus I still haven't bought Rob Thomas' Something to Be even though I have that one one my hard drive as well.

On a plus I did just get the latest Wallflowers disc as well as Garbage's Bleed Like Me and Anna Nalick's Wreck of the Day (another one that I had on my harddrive)

But in the next few months there are going to be loads of new releases that I've got to acquire one way or another.

Diana Krall is going to have a Christmas CD. (Which will hopefully stop me from trying to by the Japanese Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas EP for another year)
Andy Bell from Erasure is going to release his first solo album. I'm not sure if there is a US release date, so I'm likely going to have to buy an import!
Echo and the Bunnymen's latest, Siberia is out next Tuesday. The first track Stormy Weather is fab!

I'm sure there will be more too, and with a dead car its going to be hard to justify purchasing new music.

Grrr.

It's hard to justify my trip to Cincinnati right now, but somehow I'd move hell and high water to see the Moodies one more time this year.



It's an obsession I tell you!

Weird Morning

It's a given when I have something planed I end up working a bit in the morning. Today is one of those days. It's also one of those days when I planned to get up and do everything just because I wanted to be lazy last night.



Which = Me running around like an idiot so I can get to work by 10, so I can work for 2.5 hours. Not that I'm complaining. With a car that's dead, I need all the extra money I can get to get it fixed or get a new old clunker to replace it. Still it throws my morning off track.



I'll survive, of course, I'll just be cranky.

Random 10

I'm going to wrap up the worst weekend I've had in a long time in song. Are you ready? The tunes will be ecclectic at best this week.

Adam Ant - Car Trouble

My car had so much trouble it decided to die on me.

Elvis Costello & The Attractions - Turning The Town Red
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - The Comedians
Elvis Costello & The Attractions - The Great Unknown

I was listening to Goodbye Cruel World yesterday in my infinite boredom.

Ray Thomas - I Wish We Could Fly
Ray Thomas - Play It Again
Ray Thomas - One Night Stand

I was also listening to Ray's From Mighty Oaks and Hopes Wishes Dreams

Nick Lowe - I Knew The Bride (When She Used To Rock And Roll)

They played this video on Vh-1 Classic on Saturday (One of the highlights of this miserable weekend)

George Harrison - Fish On The Sand
Justin Hayward - On The Road

These two songs were on a mix cd that I was playing Sunday night.

Downloads available for 7 days



This is a shot of the moon taken while walking on the streets of Wheeling Saturday night. Click on it to better see the spooky house below the moon.

At your request

I have the photoblog pictures posted here

Hope you enjoy them. Finding pictures of the Moodies that I hadn't posted was the hardest part, though I still think there are a few more that no one has seen except for me and my sister.

Like this one!

Picture Day

As well as it being a PJ day, I'm sitting here going through all my files of photos that I've taken in the last 2 years with both my cameras.

It's a beautiful day, and if I had a working automobile, I'd be out doing something other than this, but since my 1990 Chevy Beretta decided to breathe it's last I'm sitting here in front of my computer for the rest of the day.

So here's what I've got in my Kodak folders.

Phipps pictures from at least 4 flower shows (At least 2 Christmas shows)
Pictures from the South Side Works in Pittsburgh
Moody Blues pictures from 2004 and 2005 (Cos there are still more I haven't posted)
Longwood Gardens photos from 2004 and 2005 (You wouldn't believe how many!)
Pictures from Idlewild and Storybook Forest from last week.
Pictures from the Palace of Gold (mostly flower pictures, all the pictures of the temple have been posted)
Birds! Lots of birds!
Pictures from the South Side

So I'm going to leave it up to you. Help me create a random photoblog post. Let me know which picture groups you'd like to see images from. M'kay?

Look Out Cincinnati Here We Come

Tickets bought.

The seats are pretty good, considering there was a pre-sale yesterday that I couldn't utilize.

Center stage.

Hotel room reserved.

(That was a killer!)

Can I please take a nap now? I'm drained. This was worse than buying tickets for the Borgata. I'm almost ready to say nice things about TicketBastard. OK, no I'm not, but almost.

Go Ahead, Laugh

I swear I broke my butt today.

Go ahead, you want to laugh. I'll let you.

I work for Curves for Women as some of you know. So I'm around exercise equipment almost every damn day.

Exercise equipment is damn dangerous.

I have more bruises on my body from various machines that just happen to run into my legs, arms or in this case, my ass!

I was getting on the leg press, and as I swung my leg over I conveniently hit my hip into the bolt on the side of the machine.

Ouch.

Fucking.

Ouch.

I'm glad no one was in the club at the time, because I uttered some choice words. Some of them nice. Some of them not so nice.

I can't wait to see how large of a bruise I'm going to have on my butt tomorrow. I look like a battered woman, I tell you!

Which is proof that exercise is bad for you!

Top Five On Friday

It's time for a meme from Music Memoirs, go on, you want to play too, you know it.

Top 5 "Medical" Songs (These can have anything to do with the medical profession, doctors, drugs, ailments)

Cheap Trick - The Doctor
The Beatles - Doctor Robert
Olivia Newton John - Heart Attack
Duran Duran - Vertigo
Elvis Costello - 20% Amnesia

Downloads available for 7 days

A Night of Guilty Pleasures

I have a very cheesy gothic romance novel sitting beside me on my desk and I'm hunting down some of the cheesiest music I can think of, namely Olivia Newton John. I think every little girl in the early 80's wanted to be her. I know I did. I longed to be the character she played in the film Xanadu. I'm pretty sure her name was Keira.

When Physical came out, I wore the headbands and leg warmers along with countless others, even though the song had nothing to do with working out. Listening to it now, it's pretty damn ridiculous, but I still like it.

Even more than I like that song was one called The Rumour from an album she did in either the late 80's or early 90's of the same name. The song was written by Elton John and Bernie Taupin, and it was probably one of her better songs.

So tonight I'm going to curl up under the covers with my cheesy novel and listen to cheesy music and do you know what? I'm going to be happy. Why? Because sometimes it's the simple things and the not so deep things that keep me amused.

I'm off on Saturday

Through a small miracle, I am off on Saturday this week. I will be purchasing the tickets for the Moody Blues show in Cincinnati.

Happy Dance!

I'll also be making arrangements for the hotel etc.

I'm so excited.

I love planning trips.

And I didn't even ask for Saturday off. We're have a "Little Great Race" in our town on Saturday and the street our business is on just happens to be closed for 2 out of the 4 hours of operation.

Thank god for small favors. My paycheck won't appreciate that, but I will, when I get my concert tickets.

Weird miracles do happen!

About Damn Time

Cincinnati tickets go on sale Saturday!

Dances around.

I hope my nephew gets us good seats, since my sister and I will be working that day.

Grrrr.

Still, I'm happy and hopefully I'll get a decent seat and be able to see my Moody men up close and personal for a third time this year, and hopefully a bunch of my moody friends will be there as well.

Humpable Hunks For Hump Day

Wednesdays get here so much quicker when there's a holiday in the week. Yay for that.

Now it's time to get down to business and we all know what that business is don't we? Yes, it's the Hump Day Hunks!

First off, Paul McCartney, who's new album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard is really nice, almost on the scale of Flaming Pie, for those of you familiar with his more recent recordings.



And next are two lovely shots of Elvis Costello.




Mmm, I love me some Elvis.

And in case you thought I forgot my other two hunks, you're wrong!



Couldn't forget my Moody Men if I tried!

Least Appropriate Songs For A Porn Soundtrack

I've been working on this idea for a few days and here are the tracks I've come up with.

The Moody Blues - Don't You Feel Small
Depeche Mode - Dreaming Of Me
Madonna - Ain't No Big Deal
Oingo Boingo - Little Girls
Peter Murphy - Cuts You Up
Elvis Costello - You're No Good
George Harrison - I Don't Wanna Do It
Glann Tilbrooke - Genitalia of a Fool
The Wallflowers - Too Late To Quit
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers - Don't Come Around Here No More
Justin Hayward - Wrong Time, Right Place
The Beatles - It Won't Be Long
Icehouse - Hey Little Girl
Matchbox Twenty - Disease

If you want any of these songs leave me a comment and I'll send them your way.

Summer's Gone!

ARGH!

It's time to recap my summer, to remind me that I actually did things this year that are worth remembering. I'll do another over at my photoblog.

Again I find that I've done more that I felt like doing and less than I wanted to, but isn't that how it always is? One year I'd really like to come up on the plus side of things.

Still I did manage to do all of this:

1. Several trips to Wheeling to the gaming center (Wheeling Island) and to the city to wander about.
2. Two trips to Phipps Conservatory to take in the beauty of the flowers.
3. A fab trip to New Jersey to see the Moody Blues twice.
4. A wonderful stop at Longwood Gardens on the way home from Jersey.
5. I got to meet Elvis Costello again after the Pittsburgh concert which was fab.
6. I got to see the beautiful Palace of Gold in Moundsville, WV.
7. One fun trip with the nephews to Idlewild Park in Ligonier.
8. A trip to Round Hill Farm to commune with the animals.

I think that covers it. Now I have to start planning what to do this fall!

A Pox on Labor Day Sales

A big ole pox on them.

I combed every inch of Washington Crown Center today, hoping to find a bargain or two or ten, at least one! Did I?

Hell no.

Granted there were some good sales, particularly at my 2 favorite stores, Dots and Kaufmann's but sadly there was nothing that struck my fancy.

I think there might be snowballs in hell today.

I walked into the mall. I paid my Kaufmann's bill. I bought something that my mum was after and looked around. I bought nothing for myself. Nothing at all.

I hope the devil has a winter coat, cos I'm sure it's getting cold down there.

I would prefer not to disturb the delicate balance of hell. It would have been so much easier if there would have been something pretty to buy, or even a pair of pants, because I can't fit into any of my old ones.

I will go sulk now, because all the good stuff is gone.

Random 10

What did I listen to this weekend, Music Memoirs asks and though my weekend isn't over until Tuesday, I'll tell you what's been visiting my ears so far.

Smash Mouth - Walking On The Son
Weezer - Buddy Holly
The Mamas and Papas - I Saw Her Again

These three were playing at the Soak Zone at Idlewild yesterday

Nick Lowe - The Rose Of England
Susan Werner - St Mary's of Regret
Bernie Barlow - Astral Plane

All of these were on a mix cd that I played while driving to Ligonier to the park

Paul McCartney - Calico Skies
Caroline Lavelle - Lagan Love
The Moody Blues - Say It With Love
Sarah Brightman - The Last Words You Said

These four songs were played on my winamp during random parts of the last two days.

Here's the picture that sums up my weekend.



Download 9 out of 10 of the songs here

For some odd reason I don't have Buddy Holly on my computer right now. The 9 songs are zipped for convenience.