A Little Night Music

Its Beyond Cold

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Tue, 08 Dec 2009 21:22:00 +0000

I'm not looking forward to Thursday or Friday when the temperatures dip below freezing here in PA. I also don't feel jealous of those south of me or in the midwest that are experiencing SNOW in larges amounts right now.

I've got too much to do to have to deal with snow! Cold is enough. I hate being cold. I'm not a huge fan of being too hot either, but cold really makes me miserable.

Have I mentioned I hate winter? Christmas and New Year's Day are about the only two good things about it.

I just want to get my warm fuzzy robe on and stay inside for the next 3 months.

A little hibernation is in order, doncha think?

Best Movie I've Seen In Ages

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 11:31:00 +0000

I haven't had much time to do much of anything these past few days. Blogging has been scarce and reading blogs even scarcer. Is that even a word? But Saturday night I took the time to sit down and watch Mrs. Miracle on the Hallmark channel and I'm so glad that I did.

Its a movie based on Debbie Macomber's book of the same name. When I heard about it, I knew it was a movie I had to watch, because Debbie's books are some of my favorites and her holiday books are always the best.

This movie was wonderful. Its the story of a widower with twin sons who are rambunctious. They can't seem to keep a housekeeper. The female character is an owner of a travel agency who is not on speaking terms with her sister because of an event in the past that she considers unforgivable.

Well its Christmas and with Mrs. Merkle (Miracle) both overcome the fears and hurts that have kept their hearts closed for years and they learn to move on, forgive and find love.

A wonderful story! If you get the Hallmark channel, look for a re-airing, its worth watching. If you don't? Go out and buy the book!

I'm Done!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 00:30:00 +0000

My last two Christmas presents were bought today and now I can concentrate on the mix CD card! Woo hoo!

I've got about half of the mix figured out. I still need a few more songs and then it will be complete. I've even got an image for the artwork, which I found while trolling some stock photo websites.

Woo hoo!

I'm officially broke, but I'm festive and everyone will have a gift, including a few of the members of my online family that I've bought gifts for over the last 5 or more years.

I'm really pleased how everything is turning out.

Here's hoping Dec 25 turns out to be just as lovely as the advent season. I'm excited for it.

My Tree!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sat, 05 Dec 2009 21:10:00 +0000

So far so good, the cats have only tried to eat the garland and one ornament so far today!

This is the tree I keep in my computer room. We still haven't put the tree up in the living room yet. Mom's still fearful that the cats will knock it over. I keep telling her they won't. They just want to gnaw away at the bottom branches. They are crazy like that. Better that then when our little malty-poo decides to water the tree.

Funny I thought all of this bad behavior was supposed to be corrected by spaying and neutering.

Ha!

At least the tree is pretty.

For now!

Top 5 On Friday: Week 252

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 11:28:00 +0000

This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other weekly memes and play along.

Top 5 dream collaborations. ex: Justin Hayward of the Moody Blues and Andy Bell of Erasure (something I only wish would happen)

1. Justin Hayward and Andy Bell: I don't know what they'd sing together, but I would love to hear it. These are probably two of my favorite voices and they both do sappy love songs so well.

2. Mika and Andy Bell: Just because the video for whatever they did would be so colorful and shiny that you'd probably spend hours staring at it.

3. Elvis Costello and Diana Krall: I mean they are married they really should record together. What beautiful music that would be!

4. Over The Rhine and Grey Eye Glances: Two of my favorite not so well known bands fronted by two very beautiful women with even more beautiful voices. This would definitely be a collaboration that dreams would be made of.

5. Simon Le Bon and Elvis Costello: A dream collaboration, cos I'd like to see Simon learn how to write songs, good songs. Unlike the crap they've been recording lately (meaning Duran Duran...not Elvis)

Do You Know What?

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 11:14:00 +0000

I'm sick of hearing about Adam Lambert. I don't really care about his performance on the AMA's. I don't care about him at all. I don't think he's that great. Didn't when he was on American Idol and I don't now.

What most people need to get a hold on in this country is this: If you want to cause a stir do something sexually or religiously explicit. It causes an uproar. If you push the invisible bar, you will cause controversy. Will it hurt your career. Probably not, which is why all people, probably me too, should just STFU about it. Give it a few weeks....Adam will go platinum, and all will be well in the world.

Janet Jackson is fine...Madonna is fine...heck even George Michael still sells records when he can be bothered to record.

Scandal gets you in the papers, and when you are in the entertainment industry, that's really what you're aiming for. He didn't hurt a puppy or a child, so I'll safely predict he's going to be just fine.

I only wish he'd go away and take all his other Idol predecessors with him

The Thing I Like About My Cats

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 11:20:00 +0000

Actually its what makes me go hmmm about all cats. Why do they want to eat plastic? My older cats ie: the cats I had before last August, don't really give a damn about the Christmas tree. I knew this before I started to put the tree up this year. The young ones; Miss Callie and her babies, think that that tree is an appetizer. This would make more sense if I didn't have an artificial tree.

But nothing makes sense with cats!

I have 2 of the 4 kittens sitting under the tree....and they look as cute as buttons, but then I hear..lick lick...munch munch!

I've been threatening them with spanks for the last two days.

Mind you, threatening a cat is as good as nothing. So is punishing a cat. Cats don't listen. They don't care. They only let us live in our houses as long as we feed them and right now, artificial evergreen is on the menue

Things Are Looking Up

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 20:06:00 +0000

~ Dad's colonoscopy went well. He just had a small polyp removed. So yay! Even though I had to wake up @ o'dark thirty to take him.

~ Paycheck finally arrived and made it to my bank account.

~ Got a bunch of Christmas books in the mail! Oh joy! I love my books.

~ Found out that Hallmark has made one of Debbie Macomber's books into a movie and it will be airing on the Hallmark Channel on Saturday woo hoo!

However right now I'm too exhausted to care about much of anything except when I'm going to go to sleep for the night.

~sigh~

I really could have used another day off this week...maybe two..or ten.

I'm so very sleepy

A Dog Named Christmas

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 11:09:00 +0000

I read this book earlier this year and I loved it. Last night I watched the made for tv movie version, and I have to say they did a wonderful job adapting it to the small screen.

I only wish they could do this so well with other books that they turn into movies or TV specials.

I realize that the books was a short one, much like Neil Gaiman's Coraline, but to the best of my knowledge they really didn't change much of anything from the novel, and what they did, didn't harm the story or anger me in any way. I do realize that Christmas was more of a black lab...but other than that, I can't complain very much.

The movie was just beautiful and I cried most of the time I was watching, because even though we have the kitty community and little J.J., I really miss Purrbee.

So if you are a dog lover and one that likes good family movies, look into this one @ Hallmark. Oh and read the book!

The Day From Hell

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 22:44:00 +0000

I'm down to 4 presents that need bought and all of them can be bought either locally or online. However in my jaunts today; I spent scads of money and my dad's car broke down.

Yeah.

Oh and did I mention, Dad has his colonoscopy on Tuesday? This was supposed to be a nice day out for him with a good dinner and the car has to go and try to die on him. His car, not mine.

ARGH!

This all happened in the parking lot of the restaurant, so even though we could eat, there was no enjoying the food and what we did eat was the stupid shit, like the peanuts in the buckets @ Texas Roadhouse and the onion blossom.

Double ARGH!

I would just like to know when something is going to go right? I think my family and I are deserving of some good luck.

Disgusted

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 17:53:00 +0000

Our payroll processing company FUCKED UP badly this week. I ran out to work to check on the status of the paychecks and they weren't there.

I'm not sure what Dave is going to decide to do on Monday, but I really need my paycheck badly.

I've already bought presents for the holiday and I want to start working on the mix CD for my friends, but I need to buy stuff. Stuff that I don't want to put on a credit card. Presents, those go on credit, because that's what Christmas is all about, going into debt to buy people stuff.

ARGH!

This is not a good way to start the Christmas season.

If I don't get my pay on Monday, I think I will SCREAM!

Top 5 On Friday: Week 251

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 11:03:00 +0000

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other two weekly memes and play along.

Top 5 artists/bands you'd brave Black Friday crowds for. (Use your imaginations, you're not necessarily going out in the crowd to buy CDs) Make up a little story if you'd like to go along with your 5.

1. Elvis Costello: I would brave black Friday crowds for him, as long as those crowds didn't involve being in or around Post Gazette Pavilion in Burgettstown. Have I mentioned lately how much I hate that venue?

2. Mika: Ok, for him I'd brave PGP, simply because I'd never have the chance to see him without trecking to Philly and I hate Philly with a passion that can't be described. However for Mika I'd probably even brave Philly if I had the money. I'd even stay up late if I knew he was going to be on. He's so damn cute its disgusting.

3. Erasure: I've loved these guys too long not to be considered hopelessly devoted. I might even sing that song in a black Friday crowd if it meant getting to see Andy and Vince up close.

4. Danny Elfman: They call me Elfslut in some places for a reason. Danny Elfman is one of my longest standing musical crushes. I'd even babysit his shrunken heads!

5. Oh lordy, who would be number 5? The Moody Blues? Davy Jones? Gordon Lightfoot? Don't make me pick! It could be any of these artists, really. Heck I might brave black Friday for Over The Rhine, cos I love them so much

Happy Thanksgiving!

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 15:39:00 +0000

067
Originally uploaded by moodylady

From all the turkeys here in my little hamlet of Charleroi on Mon to all of you the world over (even though some of you don't have a thanksgiving) I wish you a day of blessings with your family, good health, good food and much to be thankful for.

Eat, drink and be merry!

Then we can do it all over again in about a month!

Woo hoo!

Happy Thanksgiving to all my blog friends!

Hell Hath Frozen Over

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 11:34:00 +0000

I ranted that there was no way on earth that Donny Osmond would win Dancing With The Stars, but apparently there was, because he did, and even though I wish the show to perdition (sorry Bilbo) and all other shows like it to the same place, Donny's win made me exceedingly happy.

Now all the women can put their clothes back on and go back to doing whatever it was they did before they started. I will never understand the appeal of dancing that looks more like tossing the half nekkid girl around. To me acrobatics is that, and dancing is, well, dancing.

But I congratulate Donny on his win, because he wasn't obnoxious and because he's cute as a button.

So yipee!

Now if only the show would go away and take all other competitions (American Idol etc) with it and never come back

How To Tell Christmas Is Near?

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 11:25:00 +0000

It doesn't take Thanksgiving to remind us that Christmas is just around the corner. What it does take is Eat N Park to air their beautiful star commercial.

This is the best commercial ever. Now where's my Smiley cookie!!

Missing Mondays: Holiday Style

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 11:13:00 +0000

You know what I miss the most during the holidays? My metabolism! I miss being able to scarf down whatever I wanted to without a worry about that scale.

Of course this was back when I always had the day after Thanksgiving off too.

I'm not sure why I'm even excited about this day off. I'm just going to have to be awake early so I can help with dinner and there won't even be anything on TV except for stupid parades and football, none of which interest me.

In fact, the only thing that would really interest me is curling up somewhere and reading until I fall asleep.

Fat chance of anything like that happening.

In fact the only thing that is likely to happen on Thursday involves me likely getting fatter!

Grrr.

Which reminds me again how much I miss the metabolism I had in my teens and twenties. I think its horrible that metabolisms can't stay nicely fast at least through your 40s.

~sigh~

Ah well....I'm going to eat drink and be merry! Who gives a fig newton!

I Hate Cleaning

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 22:47:00 +0000

This is the thing I hate the most about the holidays. Cleaning the damn house. I don't know why, but it makes me cranky, bitchy and pissy all rolled into one big unpleasant girl.

Cleaning takes up so damn much time. Time that could be spent doing other things. Anything for that matter. I would rather watch paint dry than clean the damn house.

I think that explains the state of our house too.

But I'm so damn sick of every stupid task having to involve me when there are other people living here besides mom, dad and I.

The only thing the nephew does is clean out the litter boxes. And when I say that, I don't mean cleaning the boxes etc, I just mean the task of scooping the poop.

That takes 10 minutes.

I do shopping.

I do cleaning.

I do laundry.

I pay my bills and write the checks for mom and dad now.

Sometimes it just feels a bit overwhelming.

Good Times Had By All

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 03:00:00 +0000

Its been a busy day overall today. So much running around. So much eating and a whole lotta fun had by all.

We went to Later for crepes and then Paradox Books which is the most incredible book store in all of Wheeling and there are quite a few book stores in the Wheeling area.

After that we did a bit of shopping @ Target, TJ Maxx and Books A Million, because you can never have enough books, EVER!

By the time we were done there, we had dinner at Indigo Joes, which was damn tasty for a sports bar. I had a steak sandwich and we had onion straws for an appetizer and funnel cake fries with chocolate dipping sauce for dessert.

A little too much food for the day, but I don't really care. It was all yummy.

Oh and at Joe Muggs' I had the most awesome Caramel Apple Latte!

I'm officially in a food coma!

Oh and on non-food related news. I got an awesome bracelet from Istanbul (not Constantinople) for $15. Its uber cute and jingles, which really amuses the hell out of me!

Good eats, good shopping, good day!

Top 5 On Friday Week 250

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:46:00 +0000

Top 5 album covers that really scare you.

You guys know the drill. Play along in the comments or in your journal. This meme is created for my site Music Memoirs. Feel free to go there and check out my other two weekly memes and play along.

1. Adam Lambert - For Your Entertainment

If that picture doesn't terrify you, I don't know what would!

2. King Crimson - In The Court Of The Crimson King

This cover gives me nightmares!!

3. John Lennon & Yoko Ono: Two Virgins
I wouldn't post this album cover, its too traumatizing. Nekkid Lenonos! Yuk!

4. The Moody Blues - In Search Of The Lost Chord

For a band that is known for gorgeous cover art, this is the one that I like the least, its just creepy looking to me.

5. Bauhaus - In The Flat Field
More nekkidness on the cover. That scares me more than anything!!!

My Day Went From Bad To Worse

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:18:00 +0000

Yesterday was full of epic fail for me.

1. The exhaust on my car finally went. Bernie is in the car hospital and with any luck she'll be out by Saturday or Monday.

2. Once a year I end up with a cell phone bill from hell. Guess what? That month is now. I about shit a brick when I got a $95 bill. I went over my minutes! Which proves October was a lousy month because I obviously using my cell a lot which I don't normally do. Most of the time I'm under the minutes in my plan.

3. Took my sister for her b-day dinner a day early. Here is epi bar food fail, even though everything was super awesome. 2 lambic beers, 1 micro brew, meat and cheese appetizer and the bratwurst sampler totaled $45. Yikes. I never get b-day dinners like that from her..and I make less money. I fail and am too nice.

Today I have a gyne appointment.

Pardon me while I go hide under a rock. This is one of those really bad weeks and I just want it over. NOW!

Thursday Thirteen

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Thu, 19 Nov 2009 14:54:00 +0000

Thirteen things I would like to tell people and pets that went before....

To Grandma:

1. No, Grandma, I love you more.

2. Grandma, you are the rock that held our family together, without you we are falling apart.

3. Your house still has your smell. I know this sounds weird, but when you went into my grandma's house, it always had a particular smell about it. A clean, yet totally unique smell. Its going to be two years in April and every time I walk into your house Gram, I expect to see you there.

4. I'm sorry your house isn't clean anymore. Please forgive me. I just don't know what to do with some of your things. I feel like I'm throwing you away when I start cleaning and then I have to stop.

To Purrbee:

5. You are and always will be a nice little dog. I knew you were going to be leaving us soon, but I miss you so much.

6. The floors are quiet without your clip clopping.

To Mutchka:

7. I miss you so much my little Mutchy kitty. There is no etting time now. I loved kitty cat etting time. All the other kitties eat dry food.

8. I always tear up at cans of Friskies Mixed Grill.

To Itchy:

9. Thank you for somehow sending Miss Callie to us. Her and her little ones have brought so much love to our house since you left us.

10. I miss your pick me ups by the hot air register in the kitchen and the piggy back rides you used to take on my back.

To Misty:

11. You left me to soon, baby girl. You were my kitteh. My little angel. I love you so much and miss you. I call Bootsie by your name so often. Misty-fa-cat-or you were a cat in a million.

To Buddah.

12. I hope there are lots of belly rubs for you in heaven kitlet. You were a special boy.

To all of you...

13. There was never enough time to show you all how much I loved you. I hope wherever you all are, Grandma...my kitties and doggies, I hope you know how much you were loved.

So Running For An Hour Works

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 12:00:00 +0000

I've been watching what I eat again. More so than just going...oh yeah that's food going into my piehole.

Last night I watched Doctor Who The Waters Of Mars while running on the elliptical.

I'm in some serious pain today, but the scale is finally moving downward just a bit.

This is progress.

Now if I can keep it up for awhile. I need to lose the same amount of weight I lost a few years ago.

Yeah, a death in the family is murder on the waistline when you use food for comfort.

I wish I could be one of those people who got depressed and didn't eat, but sadly I'm not. I love food.

My goal used to be operation 120, but I don't think that's realistic for me anymore. I'm shooting for 130 by February, if at all possible.

The holidays aren't going to be fun my friends. They aren't going to be fun at all.

Ever Wonder What Happened To A Certain Actor?

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 11:17:00 +0000

With David Tennant's upcoming departure from Doctor Who, I've got to start wondering what will happen to my favorite actor. Will I ever see him again?

Thankfully with him it may be a little easier than the last UK actor I fell in love with.

David has shot a pilot for NBC. Assuming it gets an air date, the US may have cleverly stolen the Doctor!

But he's not the actor I'm wondering about.

I used to love the show Coupling. I've seen a few of the shows some of the other actors and actresses have done since, but what of Richard Coyle who played Jeff Murdoch in the first 3 series? I know he departed the show without much love between him and Steve Moffatt. The last I heard he was in the film Libertine with Johnny Depp and that was about it.

I adored him.

I would love to see something he's been in since he left Coupling.

Richard, where are you?

And if you were a more responsible guy, you would have made a better Doctor Who. Probably better than the young guy I like to call Intern Who, because he doesn't look old enough to be a doctor!

Missing Mondays

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 11:03:00 +0000

Every Saturday morning I miss cartoons. I know that we have whole channels devoted to the entertainment of kids, but there was something really exciting about waking up on Saturday morning and watching Bugs Bunny, The Flintstones, The Jetsons and a bazillion others.

Now on ABC you get reruns of all the Disney shows that you've seen a million times before. Trust me, I've seen every Hannah Montana, Zack and Cody, and Raven episode that they've made.

I like them, but I have the freaking Disney Channel and I do watch it!

(Yeah I know, I don't have kids either, so I'm doubly goofy)

Give me some cartoons!

The fun kind, like I used to watch when I was a kid, sitting dangerously close to the TV so that I'd wreck my eyes!

Awww well, I guess I just need to watch The Cartoon Network!

I'm Kinda Sad

noreply@blogger.com (The Mistress of the Dark) — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:54:00 +0000

This isn't the sad from something bad happening, its the sad from seeing a performer that you love really getting old.

I was @ John Lodge's Blog cos I haven't really been paying much attention to the guys lately and I was scrolling down, grumbling at the fact that they are playing Lancaster @ the end of March, which is still in my hibernation time of year, and just catching up with what has been going on when I saw this picture.

JUSTIN!

What the hell is happening to you!!!!

I want to force him to eat all of John's b-day cake! Possibly a few cheeseburgers too.

He seriously looks like he's wasting away!

~Sniffle~

Its heartbreaking.

At least my Lodgey still looks good for his age.