The Art of Getting By

If You Leave, Don't Leave Now

2009-08-07T09:41:00.002-04:00

Yesterday was just a regular day like any other.

I had a fun, yet semi-cloud filled day walking on the boardwalk with an old college roommate. We don't get to see each other a lot, so we did what most old friends do- we spent part of the time reminiscing, part of the time catching up. Experiences like that are bittersweet. It's great to look back, but looking back also reminds you of how much time has really passed. That's where the sad part kicks in.

When I got home I went on Facebook to check the old status updates and immediately saw these words, "No! Not John Hughes, too! ..." Immediately, I saw red. Although the words weren't plainly stating what happened, a knot started forming in the pit of my stomach, imagining the worst. So I jumped on Google, typed in John Hughes and got back the dreaded results, "John Hughes dead at 59".

A wave of sadness rushed over me. Instinctively, I turned around and posted my thoughts about John Hughes and his sudden demise. I wrote, "(Janet) is sad John Hughes died. Now the illusion he would ever make a sarcastic, yet heartfelt teenage movie comeback one day is officially dead, too."

So, for the big question that may be on some of your minds, what made John Hughes so special? Well to me, it was so many things. For starters, he captured what it felt like to be a teenager better than any other writer before or since, (although Kevin Williamson sure did try his hardest to claim the title at one point). How a man in his mid-thirties managed to recreate those awkward moments that were so painfully beautiful is what made him a true artist. Not only did he capture a time period so perfectly, he made the portrayal timeless. Sure, those films are riddled in eighties fashion and slang, but somehow their goodness transcends any tackiness. That in itself is a gift my friends.

Not only did he have a knack for wonderful storytelling, he also had an amazing eye for talent. I'm not sure how much involvement he had in this process, but it still needs to be said that his movies made stars out of relatively unknown actors such as Molly Ringwald, Anthony Michael Hall, Macaulay Culkin, John Candy and so many more. Casting of those films was so precise. You knew this because when you tried to imagine the confident Ferris Bueller played by anyone other than Matthew Broderick or the lovable Duckie portrayed by someone rather than Jon Cryer you simply cannot. Go ahead, I dare you.

As if being a talented writer/director/producer wasn't enough, Hughes also had a hand in creating wonderful movie soundtracks. Suddenly songs were synonymous with moments. If I hear "If You Leave" I am instantly transported back to THE prom in Pretty In Pink. When "Don't You Forget About Me" comes on the radio I see Judd Nelson pumping his fist in the air as he did during The Breakfast Club. When The Commitments made a remake of Otis Redding's "Try A Little Tenderness" famous, it was good, but it would never suprass Duckie's lip synching in the record shop. And who could forget the usage, or should I say OVER usage of Yello's "Oh Yeah? Which was prominently featured in two Hughes films alone, Ferris and Planes, Trains and Automobiles, along with many others over the years.

There were many stories about when, why and how John Hughes unofficially bowed out of Hollywood. Some say his downfall started after a falling out with his then muse, actress Molly Ringwald. In fact, some of those same people would argue neither of them would ever be the same..like Lennon without McCartney or peanut butter without jelly. You might be powerful on your own, but never as powerful as you were together.

Others say it was the beginning of the end when Hughes started "going soft" as he went from depicting the jaded, teenage era to the light-hearted family fare of movies like Home Alone or Curly Sue. I have to say I'm more inclined to fall in line with one of these people. While Home Alone was a monster hit, it was never one of my favorites and I never saw the big deal. But then again I think I also held a bit of a grudge. It was almost as if Hughes and Ringwald were the parents and they split up. Culkin was the new wife, or the Hagar to Ringwald's Roth, if you will. Odd comparison, but it works. Sometimes a different kind of magic isn't magical at all.

That's not to say that his death itself isn't sad enough, but to me it was more than the death of a person. Essentially it is the death of an era, too. Not that he ever would have been able to reclaim those glory days of cinema, or that he'd ever really want to, but just the possibility that it *could* happen one day was enough for me. In fact, in looking over some of my old John Hughes related blog posts, I found this one. Written over four years ago now, I had completely forgotten about it. Obviously the movie never came to fruition and even if it ever had it probably would have paled in comparison, but there was hope and on some level, hope was enough.

Since first hearing the news, my awareness of all things Hughes has heightened. Stories about a famous person always surface after they die. That's also when you discover the supposed true measure of a man. It has been refreshing thus far to read nothing but good things about the man and his work. From famous actors expressing their sadness to fulfilled fans conveying their gratitude, all in all, it seems like Hughes was a stand up, non Hollywood sort of guy. In fact, at age 59, an alleged farmer and the father of two children (another rumored reason he left the limelight), Hughes was also married to the same woman for 39 years. A 39 year marriage that not only lasted the Hollywood days, but outlasted them? This is just one of the many reasons why Hughes was so one in a million.

Some of you reading this, mainly those who were not touched by his work in the same way, might be thinking I'm crazy. To you, John Hughes was just a man who made noteworthy films some twenty years ago. It's the same mixed mentality about Michael Jackson's death. Some were appalled regardless of what he did or didn't do over the years. Then there were those who felt he was iconic and no amount of time passing could take that away from him. Others felt his day had come and gone and that his death now was not nearly as prolific had it would have been at the height of his fame and fortune. It's all about perception. But when it comes to the untimely deaths of men like Hughes and even Jackson, I always revert to what once was. Somehow, on some level, their mortality, even if unexpected, reminds me of how much time has really passed, thus bringing this post full circle.

Sometimes it's not even about the death of a life but rather, a life change. The example that comes to mind in all of this was the day the world found out Michael J. Fox had Parkinson's Disease. Not only was Fox so young, his image was synonymous with active, spunky youth. Although the optimistic Fox still lives on, the memory of what he once was would only be that, a memory. It's the fact that things would never be the same again. That's not to say that they ever really would. Looking back is pointless anyhow. But that doesn't stop the nostalgic part of me, a big part, from doing this every so often anyhow.

I don't know what it is that makes so many of us look back with fondness, but it's a popular phenomenon evidenced in pop culture in so many ways. As a society, we're always either looking back or looking forward. It's so hard to truly enjoy living and appreciating the here and now. But as the great character of Ferris Bueller once said, "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it".

Off The Deep End

2009-08-02T10:53:00.003-04:00

As anyone who has ever known me can tell you, I'm a rather simple girl. In fact, there are really only two things in my life that, on a grand scale, I've consistently wanted. Those things are a dog and a pool, and not necessarily that order. I also want a full on waterfall wall in my house and a personal salad bar that is stocked at all times, but that's not important now.

Last fall, after getting married and moving into our new home, we attempted the dog thing with disastrous results. It's weird how you can spend so much time wanting something, but still give no thought to what wanting said thing actually means. While I wanted the dog, when it came right down to it, we rushed into the actual decision, if that makes any sense. We took on a puppy that would require a lot more maintenance and care than either of us were prepared or ready for. We also took on a puppy that within a few short months time would clearly pass me in height and weight. So needless to say the dog, that dog, didn't work out. But most of you knew that already.

However what we did inherit when we bought this house was an above ground pool. I was so excited to get this pool as all my life, my parents had a huge yard that was oh so pool ready, however ready for a pool they never were. I think I could have talked my dad into it easily. My mom, on the other hand, was another story. So when I moved into this house I was super excited to finally have a pool of my own.

Only the problem was this. Last year we moved in in mid July. A few weeks after that we were getting married, and a week after that we would be on our honeymoon. Then, a few weeks after that the summer would be over and I'd be back at work. So last summer, although my first official summer with a pool, was not the summer to truly enjoy said pool. Instead it became an expensive headache of maintenance worries. My husband wanted no part of the pool, swimming or otherwise, so the burden, since I was the interested and seasonably unemployed party, rested on my shoulders.

Last summer I had to make a lot of phone calls to get someone to come out and help stabilize our pool and try to teach me some of the basics. Some people laughed at me when I called 1. because I couldn't answer their "simple" pool related questions and 2. that I wanted so much help to maintain a *shudder* above ground pool, of all things. Ultimately I did find one guy, and his son, who were willing to come out and assess the situation. He was a little rough around the edges, but a nice enough guy and hey, he was probably making more money than he should of off of us anyway.

When the season came to an end, the pool was stable, but our cover was not. Still, not being home the day we got the pool closed, my husband who wanted to be done with it just had the pool man put the old cover on the pool. Apparently the pool guy did warn that the cover was not in great condition, but my husband was tired of dealing with it for the season and just wanted it to be over for now. Of course that was a decision he'd pay for some eight or nine months later.

As fall turned to winter and winter to spring we slowly but surely started to see our crappy cover, the one we were advised not to use, cave in bit by bit. So when it came time for the big reveal, a stable pool that really should only need to be shocked needed a hell of a lot more than that. In fact, my husband and my father in law ended up having to drain the whole thing after finding a slew of organisms, both dead and alive, inside. It's probably better off I didn't see this first hand for myself. I did however, get to see the husband actually put on waders to do the job which in itself, was a sight to behold. Apparently the pool drained, but the last bit of "stuff" wouldn't come out so some thing a ma jig had to be rented to finish off the job.

Once the pool was drained, it had to be filled up like new and stabilized from the start. But stabilizing a pool, if you remember, was something I never fully mastered from the year before. Oh and did I mention that I had about a week to figure it all out as we were having our first bbq and told people to bring their bathing suits? So off to the pool store I went. Now going to the pool store is a funny experience. While I love handing over a sample of my pool water and being told what to do, the skeptic in my always wonders how much of it I really have to do, or if it's just another lame attempt to get me to buy more chemicals than I really need. It's just like when I take my car in for an oil change and they inevitably tell me I need something else, like fuel injection service, whatever that is. Maybe I do need it, maybe I don't. But the fact that I don't know if I can trust the source is what upsets me the most.

One thing I will say though is the girl I got at the pool store to help me totally gave me instructions like pool maintenance for dummies. Not only did she tell me which chemicals to use, she saw how panicked and overwhelmed I looked, so she went that extra step to put specific sticky notes on each container telling me what I had to do and in what order I had to do it. Thank you pool girl, wherever you are. Yet even with the directions it was a time consuming and somewhat awkward process, mainly because of the way our pool is situated. It's hard to explain, but I'll try. Our backyard is a little bit hilly, so it's almost as if our pool was built into a hill. Nice shrubbery surrounds the perimeter of our pool, too. Together this gives the appearance of our pool being an in ground pool although it's not. It also makes say, broadcasting chemicals over the surface of the pool harder to do because it's not easy to actually walk around our pool. It also makes plugging the vacuum in a two person job since you can't be in two places at once and like I said..there's the whole "you can't easily walk around the pool" thing.

So for the most part, I maintain the pool solo as much as I can. We bought these test strips and I stared learning pool terminology enough to at least halfway hold my own if a pool related conversation should ever arise. And since I am home a lot this summer, I've been using the pool a lot, too. I have no idea if I'm maintaining it the way I *should* but considering I haven't grown any extra arms or legs and my hair hasn't turned green, it can't be all that bad. And while we run the filter faithfully and I need my husband's help to vacuum, overall skimming it is easy since I go in every few days and clean out the miscellaneous bugs and leaves in their majority before they settle at the bottom. Yes, overall things have been a lot better since last year.

That was, of course, until yesterday.

Yesterday started off like any other, sun filled day and so I decided it would be a good time to vacuum the pool since I was going to be out there anyway. My husband plugged the vacuum in and all was well. After about a minute he told me he wanted to turn off the filter pump for a second to add more water. I couldn't see what he was doing. All I know is that when he went to turn it back on, it wouldn't turn on. At first we thought it needed a minute or two...or ten. But a few minutes turned into a few hours and still nothing. All we did get was some humming which might have been a good or bad thing, who knows. He swears he saw smoke at one attempt so I told him to cool it for a while. He was certain that the next day it would work fine as it has happened before. I'm certain that was just a feeble attempt to try to stop me from worrying about the inevitable.

This morning I woke up and tried the switch again. Not only is it still not working, now the humming has stopped. I don't know if I should have or not, but I liked the humming. The humming gave me hope. Now all I hear are the sounds of silence and as a result, I feel frustrated. I have no idea how to troubleshoot a problem like this safely, even after researching possible causes. It could be a clog or a tripped circuit, but while both of those are I suppose easy enough to fix, neither are easy to fix by ME. In fact, I'll be honest and say that playing with electricity+water scares me anyhow.

So now I feel like my false sense of security has been snatched out from under me. My husband says he'll look at it again today, but that doesn't give me hope as we both know he does not know what he's looking for. I suppose there are some ways he can troubleshoot it if he does try. But more likely he'll want to call someone to come out. And once again I feel that burden falls on me....and our wallets, too. It might seem like a shallow thing to want your pool to just be usable, but that's really all I wanted. Right now though I feel like I'm more inclined to sink than swim.

New Girl In The Neighborhood

2009-07-19T17:04:00.003-04:00

Before I begin, I'll give mad props to who can figure out what pop trivia nugget served as the inspiration for the title of this post. Here's a few hints. It's from the eighties, as if you even needed to ask and all I did was change one word!

As I'm trying to settle back into my blogging digs, I've noticed that some things aren't the same as they used to be. After all, it was a wise Ferris Bueller who once said, "Life moves pretty fast. You don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it." That being said, I honestly don't feel like I've been absentee THAT long. Yet, the speed in which the internet digests, regurgitates and regenerates things is insane!

For instance, when I started blogging, way back now in 2003, it was still a relatively new medium. In the beginning I would tell people I had a blog and I would get wrinkled up nose reactions that implied they had no idea what I was talking about and/or didn't care. While I still get reactions like that, mainly it's from people like my grandmother or an aunt who can't work the remote control on her new fangled television, much less "log on" to the internet.

After a while, however, I felt I would mention my blog and it was all but passe. Suddenly having a blog was like having a cell phone, everyone, except your grandma and that aunt had both. The fact that you do also doesn't make you special, it makes you the same. About two years into blogging I noticed that the medium was starting to get saturated with anyone and everyone who had something to say. And really, who was I to judge? If I even remotely thought someone, somewhere might find my daily musings mildly interesting, it would be naive to think that someone wouldn't think the same about someone else's goings on, right?

But the more I think about it, I don't really feel it's about how mundane (or exciting) your life really is, but more so it's all about the presentation. For instance, you can write a whole post about going to lunch that could bore someone to tears (and believe me I've read PLENTY of those) or you can make light of the conversations that happened, the food that was eaten, the waitress that was crazy...you get the idea. In other words, making the uninteresting interesting is an art form. It doesn't really matter if you are good at it or not though because like it or not, there are plenty of bloggers out there, the good, the bad... and the boring.

Then, in the past year or two, I noticed an even newer trend. Long before my self-imposed, though not preferred absence, I started seeing other bloggers fall off the blogging face of the earth, too. The worst was finding out the hard way. I'd go to click on a link only to discover the dreaded, "this url no longer exists" message, or something along those lines. There's nothing worse, by blogging standards, then completely losing a blogging connection without any warning or any way of reaching said blog contact. Return to sender. Address unknown.:(

Which reminds me of a sub related, blog link issue. You know it's been a while when my blogroll is like an overgrown garden that needs a lot of weeding, but I don't know where to begin. In fact, I went to add a link the other day and would you believe I don't even know how to add links to my own blogroll anymore? I can log on to blogrolling, but I can't update it. Instead it keeps adding links to this mythical blogroll I allegedly have entitled "Tell It To Me Tuesday", after a weekly entry I used to do. I have no idea where blogrolling got the idea that I want other people's blogs saved under there, wherever there is, but even worse, I can't seem to figure out how to update my current blogroll since blogrolling itself has evolved into something I no longer recognize. I mean maybe people don't even use blogrolling anymore, and I'm just THAT out of touch. As a result, any help on this matter would be much appreciated. (On a related note, what is up with so many blogs being by invite only now? I am trying to visit my old links and I have gotten a few messages that say I need an invite. What is this madness??)

Recently, as I mentioned to you in my last post, I had become very lazy when it came to blogging related matters as it it became even easier to update via Facebook. Suddenly, traditional blogging with like complete paragraphs of five sentences or more was downright prehistoric. And now I can already see the new wave will be the phasing out of social platforms such as My Space or Facebook and the ushering in of Twittering. Once twittering started taking over that's when I knew.

I was officially old.

Now I feel like twittering is like blogging's version of the Fight Club. You can't talk about twittering unless you are in fact, twittering yourself. I still don't see the difference between twittering and Facebooking and when I ask someone to explain I feel like I get the passion of a defensive teenager who will protect their twittering superiority to its death, yet never pause to explain what it is they are actually defending. So another question is out there for you...if you can explain to this old blogger what is so great about twittering I'd be much obliged.

This is just a sampling of how I feel things have changed and how I'm trying to figure out where I belong now in this great big and new blogosphere. I imagine this is what Teri Garr's character in Mr. Mom must have felt like after she was out of the workforce for so long. She didn't know where she fit in either, nor did she know what she had to do to fit in again with so many other things to juggle. But she managed to get through it, with or without Martin Mull's help. In fact, I would venture to guess this is how Teri Garr feels like a lot these days. But perhaps that's another post for another time.

Welcome Back, Welcome Back, Welcome Back...

2009-07-13T18:03:00.004-04:00

Have you ever gone down in your basement and uncovered a bunch of old, cheesy memorabilia? Perhaps it was a bunch of photos of yourself with a bad 80's hairdo, or maybe it was your New Kids on the Block cassette shaped bubble gum. No? Well, I digress.

The point I'm trying to make is that when you revisit a part of your past, a few things are certain. One, it may be equal parts comforting and discomforting, and two, it may be awfully, awfully dusty. That's how I feel about returning to writing here at AOGB, but I'm doing my best to embrace the dust and the cheese and forge ahead.

I'm fortunate that many of you have allowed me to maintain, or at least, reenter your lives by Facebook which by the way, has made me extremely lazy in terms of formal communication. In fact, I think if I hadn't found Facebook to be so easy, I would have returned to blogging a lot sooner. But Facebooking is really the fast food of blogging. By default, Twitter is the fast food of Facebook. (which by the way I deem is completely unnecessary) I shudder to think what is coming next. Perhaps an internet version of Charades? Anyway, courtesy of FB, I know what some of you are doing from day to day, even if it's just kissing a girl....and liking it. You in turn, learn the same things about me, minus the kissing the girl part, of course. Things haven't changed THAT much.

So what have I been up for those of you who don't think the world revolves around me and/or haven't been on Facebook? Well the answer is everything and nothing all at once. In the four months since I last wrote, another school year came to a close. Although I didn't write much about this school year, it's really only because all had been pretty quiet on the chalky, western front. For the first time in my five years of teaching I had a really nice bunch of "normal", age appropriate students. Even better, I only had thirteen of them! Some might think of thirteen as an unlucky number, but not with this class. There was no drama in this bunch, and believe it or not, no retentions either! They got along with each other and tried their best to listen. Rarely, if ever did they see my really mad face, or as former students would have told you, "the when Miss B gets red" face. Even when I was mad at them, justified or not, I still felt extremely guilty afterwards about getting angry. Who knew that normal children could have such an effect on me?

Some of the parents, on the other hand, were another story.

Other than that, I've spent a lot of time trying to work on the house and learn how to be a wife. Never been in my life have I had to take care of a house, or a husband for that matter, so that has taken some of my time (and energy). Now for the most part the house is under control, although as I'm sure you older, wiser homeowners will tell me that it is constantly a work in progress. The same can be said for marriage. Boy, do I miss the lazy days of my twenty-something, carefree blogging. Remember them?

So new resolution. Starting small, but I'm doing so while I have the time so that I'll try to keep my promises. My guarantee to you, if I can keep it, is one new post a week, at least. If I don't write one new post a week, you get your money back. Well, I mean if you want to give me money to begin with, that is. If not, then all bets are off.

Actually, if I act now, I might even squeeze out TWO posts this week, if you're good that is. Because after all, this is the trillionth "getting to know you, let me apologize for being such a crappy blogger" post I've done over the past year that it's really a bit redundant now isn't it? Redundant, albeit on some level, necessary. I don't like just walking back into blogging as if nothing happened. I leave that form of disillusion to the likes of B movie and tv stars who return a la reality TV.

So on the count of three here we go...the question is...who's with me???

Drive By Blogging

2009-03-11T18:46:00.002-04:00

Hello again one and (probably also) all! I don't really have the time to compose at length, but I wanted to write a quick note to let everyone know I'm still alive. I always hated when bloggers would drop off the face of the Earth unannounced and I'd hate to be associated with that lot. Seriously, I really, really do.

In an effort to micro-manage my life I am touching base with blogging friends via Facebook these days. It's quick, easy and digestible. It's the microwaved meal version of blogging, if you will. I haven't forgotten any of you, even those of you who don't do social networking, I just don't have the extra time to mix and mingle like I used to. I always intend to catch up on a weekend, but it never seems to actually happen. *sigh*

Once again I reiterate this blog is not now, nor ever, planning to going away. It just unfortunately takes long bouts of forced hibernation at times. Yet I was thinking that perhaps there might be a way to squeeze a painless entry in here or there....with a little help from you, that is. If you are willing to tell me what you want to hear about, I will be willing to try to blog about said things more often.

Now I'm not promising anything and the wackier topic you give me is not necessarily the better, I just feel that whenever I do get the chance to sit down and write, I either have too much to say (past readers can attest to my long-windedness) and not the time to write it, or nothing at all because basically, I'm in the need of a good nap. So it's up to you, AOGB reader(s). Inspire me. Ask and you shall receive. Demand and I shall supply. Seek and you shall...well, you get the idea. :)

Oh and speaking of finding, if you haven't found me socially yet, let me know or remedy that, pronto!

The Best That You Can Do: My Media Thoughts On 2008, Among Other Things

2009-01-03T11:35:00.000-05:00

In general, I'm not one for resolutions. All resolutions ever are are promises made, pressures you put on yourself that are overall, pretty much unnecessary. As it is, there are enough things in this world that are out of our control. If you manage to accomplish something positive in any given new year, good for you. But no one arbitrary day should be the catalyst for change.

Another thing I see a lot around this time of year are reflective posts regarding the personal opinion of "best" and "worst" of the year that has just come to a close. Every year around this time I kick myself for not having been a better secretary so that I could contribute to the conversation. If only I kept track of what I liked and didn't like all year long, it wouldn't be so hard to recall when the time came to do so. I suppose what I need to do is resolve to keep tabs on such things, but if I say that aloud, I'd be calling the thoughts I just stated in the previous paragraph null and void, now wouldn't I?

I also notice, as I've stated before, that as time goes on that there is less and less to be passionate about. I watched the movie The Lather Effect the other day and there was a line in there about how when you're in your thirties, you realize that nearly all of your "firsts" are now over and that realization is what depresses so many people. I can't truly say objectively if I would be excited about things like emo if it was MY generation. But the fact of the matter is it isn't and so I stand back and look at the entertainment of today and find myself saying, "Really?, Is that the best you can do??"

One thing is certain. As the years pass, I find things like events and releases get more muddled in my brain. The other day Orange Crush by R.E.M. came on the radio and my husband and I debated about the year of its release. He said early nineties, I said late eighties. I said late eighties, I might add, with complete certainty, even adding the specific year of its release, 1988, to the mix. It's not even like I was ever a huge R.E.M. fan because I wasn't, I just know things like that are ingrained in my brain. Ask me what I was about to tell you before you put me on hold for call waiting though, and I simply can't recall.

The way I see it the mind is like one huge computer. Documents from long ago are easily retrieved because they were stored when the system was free and defragged. But as time goes on, the hard drive gets overloaded with new information. At some point there simply isn't any room anymore. Now with a real computer, this problem is easily solved. Either you add more memory or you replace it with a newer, shinier model. But when it comes to your brain, there is no backup. The closest analogy I can come up with is something like blogging. If you forget something and you record it, it's there indefinitely for posterity's sake, to remind you it actually happened once you inevitably forget. Whether or not that's a good thing, well, I'll leave that to you to decide.

So if I want to recall the best of 2008, I must do so by whatever means necessary. In this case, I'll cheat. I'll do so by looking at my iTunes "listen to" list which I will warn you, is by no means a comprehensive system. Still, if I can share with you something new, it will be worth it.

Best Albums That I Heard In 2008

1. Alphabeat- This Is Alphabeat Remember the eighties when pop was fun and innocent? I do too. If want to recapture the fun of your youth, look no further than Danish pop band, Alphabeat. Their songs are downright infectious. And if a song like Fascination doesn't conjure up memories of Footloose days gone by, I don't know what will.

2. Lady Antebellum- Lady Antebellum Normally I'm not a country music fan in general, but this album is just amazing. This young, fresh trio of two guys and one girl has the perfect mix for built in duets or flying solo. Their music is fun when it needs to be as on Looking For A Good Time, or poignant when appropriate as with All We'd Ever Need. They manage to make country cool which in my book, is nearly impossible.

3. Katy Perry- One of the Boys Katy Perry is one of those artists I wanted to hate, but the fact of the matter is, I can't. She's the Cyndi Lauper meets Madonna of a new generation, infusing many generations of styles and a dash of outlandish antics in for good measure. With her debut single, I Kissed A Girl, I thought for sure she'd be a one hit wonder. And then I listened to her whole album and believe it or not, it's a great pop record. And her videos (gasp) tell the story of the song! Remember when something like that wasn't novelty? Just watch Thinking of You or Hot N'Cold if you don't believe me. The only thing I worry about here is novelty. I have a fear that she's a go with the tide kind of artist which can hurt or help. Only time will tell for sure.

4. Journey- Revelation For the most part when super groups break up or fall from grace, it isn't like it is in the movies. They don't have comebacks, at least not where they make new fans or new hits on the charts. But this was the year of the unexpected comeback having the last laugh as was seen by bands like New Kids On the Block and even Journey. What blows me away about Journey though was that they came back without their powerhouse, legendary lead singer, Steve Perry. Instead, they replaced him with a virtual unknown, Arnel Pineda that if you close your eyes, you most certainly could believe he was indeed Perry. Not only does he nail old classics like, Separate Ways, he also brings his own flavor to new hits like After All These Years.

5. Leona Lewis- Spirit Remember when Mariah Carey burst on to the scene in 1990? She was a young unknown, only twenty years old who had a magnificent vocal presence on her debut single, Vision of Love. Little did we know that was the beginning of the baton being handed from Whitney Houston to Mariah Carey. But nearly twenty years have past and while Mariah is still technically going strong, she's also gotten a lot tackier, and her skirts just keep getting shorter although she keeps getting older. That's why the debut of Leona Lewis is so great. She reminds me of when Mariah first started and was untainted. Just a good singer without all the flash. My personal favorite is still Bleeding Love.

6. Saving Jane- Supergirl Technically I didn't fall in love with Saving Jane's Supergirl album, but considering that their previous release, One Girl Revolution, was 2007, I couldn't include it here. But the weird thing is that Supergirl is pretty much a reissue of One Girl Revolution, so I get off on a technicality by including it here. Unlike most of my favorites, this album actually reminds of the nineties, not the eighties. (Yes, I've recently begun to feel nostalgic about that decade, too). They've had minor success with songs like Girl Next Door and Supergirl, but unknown gems like What I Didn't Say and Grace are really worth a listen, too.

Best Movies of 2008- Once again I will acknowledge that there are many movies I've yet to watch from 2008 so by no means is this list an end all be all. It's just the best of what I've seen, for what it's worth.

1. Ghost Town- This movie was an unexpected gem that had just the right blend of comedy and drama. It also introduced me to Ricky Gervais, a comedic actor I knew, but never had the experience of watching for myself. I'll be on the lookout for more after watching this.

2. Wall-E THe posters for this movie reminded me of Short Circuit and Johnny Five Alive! Normally I'm not a huge fan of animation, although I do acknowledge how it is so amazing what they can do nowadays. But this movie was so so sweet and actually had a bit of a message, too. It's one of those great family movies that is good for kids of all ages, even just those that are young at heart.

3. Heath Ledger in The Dark Knight- My lack of love for the action/comic book genre prevents me from listing this movie as one of my actual faves, but I will acknowledge that for a fan of the genre, I could see how The Dark Knight could have been a real treat. I'm one of the rare few who are bored by the bang, bang shoot 'em up scenes, so the wow factor is lost on someone like me. But in the quieter moments, where the late Heath Ledger is riveting as the menacing Joker makes this movie worthy of honorable mention. The fact that the world viewed his performance posthumously only makes it more eerie. Although I was always a Ledger fan, I never would have guessed he had such range in him. It's bittersweet he got to go out on such a bang.

4. Definitely, Maybe- Most romantic comedies overshoot or just miss the mark. This one was actual a quiet release, but managed to hold its own. I know it was a good romantic comedy because just like Ghost Town, it held my husband's interest, too.

5. 21- Sometimes I think movies that were released early in the year get lost in the shuffle. I was surprised that no one that I saw included the gambling movie, 21 on their list (until now, that is). Not only did it shed light on some rather unknown actors, it also marked the somewhat return of great Kevin Spacey. If that's not worthy of a watch, I don't know what is.

6. Forgetting Sarah Marshall- Another romantic comedy that did it right. Film maker Judd Apatow is proving a forced to be reckoned with as is much of the former Freaks and Geeks crew that he has taken along with him for the ride including Seth Rogen, Jason Segel and James Franco. (Before you ask, no I have not seen Pineapple Express yet). I knew Freaks and Geeks was the start of something special. It only took a few years for the rest of the world to catch up.

7. Step Brothers- Cinematic greatness it's not, but when you get Will Farrell and John C. Reilly in the same room, it still manages to be something magical. Of course you have to be a fan of pure silliness. If you're looking for plot twists and a script that makes you think, this movie is not for you.

And so I'm off to make good on keeping better track of 2009, before I forget to do so. If you have favorites that you want to share, I'm always looking for something new so let me know!

Point of Know, Return

2009-01-01T15:20:00.000-05:00

Well hello again from blog purgatory! I'll go ahead and state the obvious and say it's been too long. In fact, you know it's been awhile since I've been to my own blog when I forgot how to log on. Man, that's pathetic. At first I thought everything was gone, and then I realized I was just logging on wrong. Now all systems are go again, sorta.

For starters, I want to wish anyone who still subscribes to this blog or even those few and far between passersby a happy new year. I cannot believe it is not 2009. I can still recall 1989 like it was yesterday, but I digress.

Although I always have the best of intentions to more regularly update this blog, life has managed to intervene over and over. I've tried to figure out what the old blogging me did differently in order to have more time. My job didn't change. I don't commute to my then boyfriend, no husband's place anymore. I should have more time, in theory, but the fact still remains- I don't. Even now as I type this there are a dozen other things I should be doing that keep me in a constant state of guilt. It's a sickness, really.

The truth is that my time is just distributed differently. Now I have a house of my own to cook, clean and shop for. I also have a further commute to work each day. By the time I get home and cook and exercise etc, I just don't have the time, or energy, to blog. Actually that's given me a newfound appreciation of all the bloggers out there who do just than and still manage to take care of things like animals and children. How do you people do it?

There also comes a point where you know you've been absentee for too long so it seems next to impossible to catch up. Where do I begin when it comes to answering comments, visiting blogs or even writing posts? There are always things going on, always more to say, but as time passes on what seemed like a good idea for a blog post initially begins to lose its luster.

Thankfully I have reconnected with many of you in a much more manageable way, through the wonders of things like Facebook or My Space. I find it much easier, much less stressful, to log on to something like Facebook each day and leave a comment here or there. It keeps me connected, but doesn't feel like a chore. Blogging regularly would feel like work now and I just don't have the stamina for the job as I did in my "youth". If there's anyone I missed adding by the way, let me know and I'll invite you (or the other way around) into my other little corner of the online world.

So now I'm going to do something the long winded me rarely does, I'm going to end this post here and now in an attempt to keep it short and simple. Now I'd like to go visit all, most or perhaps more realistically, some of you and see how things are in your neck of the woods. I still have three and a half days though before my winter break is through, so I hope, now that I've gotten the awkward reconnecting post out of the way, to add something more creative and AOGB like to the mix. Wish me luck and I'll see you on the other side!

Those Magic Changes

2008-11-06T13:40:00.000-05:00

So this is the story. Already I have fallen short on keeping a blogging promise to myself and to my readers. Ugh. I hate that I have no time to blog appropriately. Wasn't it John Lennon who said life is what happens when you're busy making other plans? Well it was true, whomever said it.

The good news is that this week I have off from work. The bad news is that I had so much to do this week, I still didn't get to blog. Now I am only blogging because I am sick. Lovely, right? Considering I don't have much energy for anything else, I'm trying my hand at blogging. I guess you could say it's good that I'm finally getting it done, but just because a gun is being held to your head doesn't mean you want to do something. Sorry, maybe the sickness is making me delirious. What I'm trying to say is it somehow doesn't feel right that this is the way I get some blogging in. I like the creative juices to flow-- which they always seem to do late at night, while I'm falling asleep --and if I get up and write it all down, I'll be sleep deprived for work the next morning.

The one topic I wanted to blog about this week was the topic that was on most Americans minds- voting for our next president. I suppose a few days late is better than never. Those of you who are old school AOGB readers might be surprised to see that I did vote at all after my behaviors during the last election. To be honest, I still agree with a lot of the things I said in that post. But that doesn't change the fact that the overwhelming guilt I felt about not voting overshadowed not voting at all, if that makes any sense. I am still bummed though I didn't get any stickers, coffee, ice cream or even say, sex toys for voting on Tuesday. Although I have to admit the practice itself seems a bit like the polls are some generous grandfather and us, the voting public, are the grandchildren rewarded for being good while grocery shopping.

All goodies aside, this was an election many people were passionate about and with good reason. No matter which side won, it was going to be a landmark event. That's because on one side there would be the first woman vice president, and on the other side we'd have the first African American president. Months ago my husband and I had, who are equally disillusioned with the politics of America, had a discussion about who we thought would win. He thought McCain was going to win, I thought Obama. He thought McCain because he believed no matter how badly some people wanted change, many were not ready to vote for an African American president, at least not the majority. I believe he would win regardless of this fact if only because a lot of America had such a bad taste in their mouth courtesy of the current Republican administration. This again isn't stating what we wanted necessarily, just what we thought might occur.

As election night got closer I had my finger on the pulse of the nation also known as the not able to vote, voters who are under the age of 11. If you had a conversation with a lot of the older kids in my school you would see that they too were passionate about the election, as passionate as third grade students can get that is. I found this to be true much more so than the last time we elected a president. I guess the strong feelings their parents had about this election was contagious.

Since we aren't in school this week, we held a school wide mock election last week, complete with voting booths with curtains for "authenticity's" sake. Even before they cast their vote though I knew which way it was going to go down- out of our 700 and something students, 639 votes were for Obama, 125 were for McCain. We also had 5 Hanging Chads, but that's not important now. The reason why I can't give you an exact number is because technically some teachers might have voted as well, but for the most part, that vote was indicative of what the majority of children, and ultimately America, wanted.

One thing that was hard to explain on a third grade level was the fact that public voting alone doesn't determine who the next president is. There are all those damn electoral votes to contend with which to be honest, I don't even understand completely myself. I will say this though- no matter how much I don't love the events leading up to the election, I do like election night. I like watching the excitement that so obviously permeates the newsrooms of television and the fly by night nature in the delivery of the news that so many news reporters are forced to use. This is where you separate the men from the boys. One reporter compared it to the excitement you might see on New Year's Eve which is analogy I was thinking of myself. Only on New Years, we all know what's coming. With an election, you don't know for sure. Oh and New Years has performances by people like Fergie, but I digress.

So one thing is fairly certain. Now that Barack Obama has won things are bound to be pretty different in the White House, as well as the nation. But in Obama's surprisingly subdued acceptance speech he put it best when he said that change may not come in a year or even in his first term. He acknowledges that while he has different ideas, there is a lot of work to be done, or undone as the case may be. Some people are afraid of change, especially Obama's brand of change, because he's so much more liberal than any other president we've had.

Still it's hard not to be moved no matter what side you stand on when you watch the sea of faces, mainly the African American ones, watching Obama make that first speech. I mean seriously, if you're not African American, just put yourself in their shoes for a moment. That win is monumental. I know that and I was moved by it and I'm NOT black. The fact of the matter is as much as this wasn't an election rooted in race relations, there are still some people I believe who voted for or against Obama precisely because of that. Where Obama himself stands on this issue remains to be seen. Did a lot of African American voters vote for Obama simply because he was African American? Probably. But at the same time, did a lot of people not vote for Obama simply because he was black? That too has an element of certainty. I know because when discussing such things with friends I found many of them, without knowing it, showed shades of discrimination in their reasons not to vote for him. I guess it's true when they say the more things change, the more they stay the same.

No matter where you stand on where the new administration will take this nation, I really do hope that the American public does not make this upcoming presidency all about race. It would be truly ironic if America's reputation in the world improved as more countries grew to respect Obama's leadership and his win only for their to be more division within America itself. You can be happy, unhappy, skeptical or even hopeful, but no one should feel like they've lost. It's a new world, no matter how you spin it. Give someone a chance before you dismiss them completely. After all, we've only just begun.

Sit, Ubu, Sit. Good Dog.

2008-10-10T22:14:00.001-04:00

I guess you could call this a disclaimer of sorts. The post below was extremely hard to write and even harder to experience. I'm not asking anyone to agree with the way I handled things, but I also hope that anyone who reads it has enough compassion to think about the person who wrote it and understand that I already feel extremely guilty and bad about it and will continue to do so indefinitely. I don't come to this blog, my own blog, to feel unwelcome or horrible, as I would not want you to feel that way on my blog or anyone else's for that matter. If you don't know why I'm stating this then there's please move along, there's nothing else to see here. If you do, please put things into perspective before judging a virtual stranger as it's really easy to pass judgment on things when you only see things as black and white and don't acknowledge the shades of gray. Thank you in advance.

Growing up as an only child I loved going to my friends houses. Don't get me wrong, I loved my house too, but when I went to a friend's house, there was a certain noisiness and a bustle of activity that I couldn't have at my own home no matter how loud I played my music, put the television or had one-way conversations with my Barbie dolls.

Part of the reason it was so much fun to go to my best friend's house in particular was because they had pets, and plenty of them. In fact, I believe that if at any give time it would have come down to a people pet ratio, it would have been equal. Not only did they have a lot of pets, they were equal opportunity pet owners, too. Dogs, cats, guinea pigs, fish...no pet was too big or too small. But there was only one animal I was ever truly envious of them owning and that was a dog.

See, all of my life, one of the things I've ever wanted the most was to own a dog. Since I was an only child I always made the argument that I should have a dog to keep me company, but my mother never saw it that way. She said that owning a dog was a big responsibility and one that she ultimately would have to take on which she didn't want to do. My father could have easily been persuaded, but since mom put her foot down on the matter, things never changed.

One day a stray dog wound up on our street and everyone tried to convince my mom that it was destiny and that I should keep it. The family that had all the animals were my biggest supporters in this crusade. Mom still didn't budge and so then and there I vowed that I had to be patient until the day when I could one day own my own dog in my own place.

Now that thirty-one years have gone by and I've finally moved out of my parents home one of the things I was most excited about was making my dream to be a dog owner a reality. After we were somewhat settled into our new home we started researching breeds and places do adopt from. My husband was rather indifferent on dog ownership as he had both a sister and a dog before, there were no unrequited feelings to fulfill. Still he knew how badly I wanted to own a dog and so he decided to let my desire to own one fuel his desire to support me.

We went to a few different places and found a few good dogs, but we also found that a adopting a dog is serious business and a process that can be stringent as well. We knew we wanted to adopt because we wanted to give a dog who was taken in by people who loved dogs a good home. We filled out multiple applications and in some cases had to wait a certain amount of time before we could even be considered to play with a dog, let alone adopt him or her. In some ways the waiting was agony, but I also think it was necessary. Adopting any living being is a big responsibility and if you are a dog lover, you'd be remiss in not checking out who you were letting adopt any animal. After all, it's not like animals can defend themselves.

After researching and visiting a number of places we narrowed it down to a few certainties. One, we wanted a dog that was a little bit older than a puppy and preferably didn't need to be housebroken since we weren't experienced in this. Two, we wanted a medium sized dog that wasn't going to grow to be too big, but wouldn't be too small either. Instead, we wanted the Goldilocks of dogs...juuust right. Third, my husband wanted a male dog as he believed a female dog would be "higher maintenance". And fourth, we wanted a non-dominant breed like a Beagle or a mixed breed because we loved the mannerisms and the appearance of these types of dogs.

Although we had been to enough places to know that adopting a dog, let alone the right dog was not going to be quick and easy, impatience ultimately got the best of us. We ended up at a shelter that had a dog we fell in love with, but didn't match our prechosen criteria at all. For one thing it was a she, not a he. I wasn't so emphatic about that, but the people at the shelter said there really wasn't a major difference, so the husband caved on this one. Another thing was that this dog was a lab/shep mix which while beautiful, would ultimately grow to be a larger dog than we planned on taking on. And lastly, she was a two-month old puppy that would need a lot of TLC along with training.

All reason was thrown out the window though as we looked at her. She had "sisters" with her there, each with a unique personality all their own. but Dolly (as she had been loosely named) had a personality all her own. Instinctively it seemed she was as "in" to us as we were to her. She sat up and cocked her head to the side almost as if to say, "So, whadda ya think? Do you think you want me??" We played with her with no precautions and we were told that if she was the dog we wanted, we could take her home right then and there. Newly in love and wearing our rose-colored glasses, we proceeded with the adoption.

As we were filling out the paperwork, however, apprehension started to sink in. Instantly we were paired with a different person who worked at the shelter, one who we quickly learned was much more knowledgeable and experienced than the first lady who helped us. This is not to take away from the first lady, but it was her lack of expertise that really hurt us in the end. When we at down with the second lady we quickly realized that A LOT of work came along with adopting a new puppy. Not only were we new dog owners, we were going to be owners of a brand new dog, one that had to be fixed, and taken to the vet and one that already had an infection that she had to be on medication for. It was like becoming a parent overnight without the nine month incubation period. I was willing to take on the for the responsibility, I just don't know if I was prepared for it.

Still we listened to the advice and the instructions as best we could, trying hard to soak it all in like a sponge, but after awhile it became hard to keep track of all the information coming at us. Really if they could just write some things down so you can refer to it later, that would be so much more effective (and calming). At this point I think both my husband and myself were apprehensive, but I still wanted the dog so not saying yes didn't even seem like an option. After all, people adopt dogs every day, how hard could it be?

One the way home I sat in the back with her while my husband drove since we didn't have a crate for her yet and the whole "driving in the car" thing was a new experience anyway. She was antsy at first, but she calmed down quickly and didn't even have any accidents. After awhile she started to look up at me and search my eyes. I know I may be sensitive to such things and read into it too much, but I really felt that she was trying to bond with me. After she'd look at me a few times, her head went to my lap as she was seeing me as source of comfort. Instantly I felt a rush of love for her.

Before going home we stopped off to to buy her a few essentials to get us started. One thing in particular we were told to keep our eye on was training her to go to the bathroom. Accidents will happen, we've all heard people say. But the lady at the shelter recommended we take her out every half hour until we had a groove down. Now in theory, this sounded easy enough, especially since my husband works from home, but getting up every half hour to stand outsid God knows how long is easier said than done. Plus we would take her outside to do her business and sometimes she'd go and sometimes she wouldn't. Regardless of the outcome, sometimes she'd go yet again...when she came back inside. So now it became an issue of not only taking her out, but cleaning up after her.

It is true when they say puppies are like babies because that's exactly what they are. It wasn't our fault she didn't know when or where to go to the bathroom, it was our job to show her this, as it was our job to patiently introduce her to crate training. It was apparent she was smart and would ultimately be a quick learner, but learning would take time and guidance and maybe even some expertise.

A very short time after having her my husband came to me saying that he thought we made a mistake. He regurgitated all the reasons I listed above as to why he was apprehensive about owning a puppy. He said that since I was at work during the day, the majority of the burden would fall on him and it would be hard to do alone and get work done, too. At first I wanted to be mad at him for not trying, but then I thought better of it because it wasn't my burden as much as it would be his, at least not initially. Plus he was only being honest I just wished that the honesty he was giving me didn't have to be the truth.

So that night, the only night we were to have her, we decided it would be best to return her to the shelter the next day. This way we wouldn't get too attached and she could be adopted by a new family sooner rather than later. I knew in my heart it was the right thing to do, but that didn't stop me from being devastated at the idea of doing it.

That night, as it would have been if we had decided to keep her or not, we decided to keep her enclosed in one room so that she didn't have free reign of the house. The only problem was she was only a baby in a strange house and she didn't understand. As a result, as soon as she was left alone, she started to cry and bark. I had to go to work in the morning and I knew puppies could do this to test anyway so I begrudgingly tried to ignore her. But it was just that she was so loud, I didn't know how I was going to be able to do that.

Suddenly, the noises stopped. Ultimately I drifted off to sleep, only to be awoken about an hour or so later by the cries all over again. So instead of dragging myself out of bed, I called my husband on the phone and asked if he had checked on her at all. Our schedules are completely different, so he was still up doing work downstairs. He told me that the reason she had stopped crying for awhile is because he took her and calmed her down. He got her to fall asleep and then he carefully carried her back into the room again. It wasn't until she woke up and realized that she was by herself that everything started all over again.

After hours of her crying on just would not subside, my husband decided to have her sleep with him since it would only be for that night anyway. It was a bad habit to get into, but it was a decision of survival (and the avoidance of sleep deprivation). What killed me was that was all she wanted. Somehow she didn't cry anymore, nor did she have any accidents the entire time she slept with him. When I heard this the next morning, I thought for sure that there was hope. But my husband said that as soon as he did wake up and went to go to work, she was alone again and ultimately, started clamoring for attention once more.

By the time I got home that evening, she was gone. He gave her back like you might handle ripping of a Band-Aid. It stings more at first, but the goal is that it will hurt less in the long run. Only problem was in the back of my mind, although there was no perfect solution, I kept hoping for a happy movie ending where I'd get home and he'd surprise me and she'd still be there. But when I walked in my house, it was almost as if it never happened. Any trace of her had been removed, as if it had all been just a dream.

I know it might sound silly since we weren't even dog owners for a twenty-four hour period, but when I think about giving her up, even as I type this, I still get sad. I can't even imagine what people do who have dogs for much longer and have to give them up or lose them to death or for some other reason beyond their control. I know I could have been anybody and she would have grown attached, but I'd like to believe I would have been the somebody she would have grown attached, too.

In an effort to appease me, my husband says it just wasn't the right time and place to have her. He says we can try again with an older dog and maybe in the summer when I have a few months to get a routine down with the dog before returning to work. So now the waiting game begins again. I'd like to think that it's true that it was the wrong time and place, but that she will ultimately end up with a good home (if she hasn't already) and that we too, will be able to give a dog that same unconditional love one day.

I don't dream a lot, but this is one dream, doggone it, I have to hold onto.

Get Right Back To Where We Started From

2008-10-01T00:00:00.002-04:00

You don't have to say it, in fact I'll say it for you.

I've been a bad, bad blogger.

I remember when I used to visit other blogs and marvel at their "here today, gone tomorrow" approach to blogging. It baffled my mind that someone could be SO busy that the blog they once loved and coddled as if it was one of their own children (okay, maybe the analogy is a bit extreme but some people really love their blogs, k?) could just abandon it like that.

And then it happened to me. My name is Janet and I've been an absentee blogger.

As I've stated in the past I do have somewhat of a defense. To recap, I had a pretty busy year. In a nutshell, I got engaged, my mom got cancer, I got married, I moved out and I became a home owner. I'm not trying to dismiss the importance of any of these events, it's just that I've typed it all before so there's no need to rehash it here, especially when present day blogging is the thing of essence.

But I have to admit something. Even in my downtime, I still did not have a strong desire to get back to blogging. This is why I put myself on a self-induced blogging break. A fast of sorts, if you will. I had to walk away for awhile for my own sanity and in order to not hate blogging completely. You see with everything else going on, blogging began to feel like somewhat of a chore. It became a job writing and responding on a regular basis, so much so that I began to resent "having to" blog.

Actually, if you knew me in real life you'd know how hard it is for me to admit something like that. I pride myself on spreading myself too thin at times. I'd rather be busy than sedentary and as a result, sometimes I bite off more than I can chew. Over the years this blog has been so many things to me. It's been a release of random thoughts and personal feelings in equal parts. It's also been a gathering of sorts where I've "met" many of you and got to know you in ways I would never have imagined. I have made friends on here that have stood by me even in my self-imposed sabbatical understanding that just like Chicago once said, "everybody needs a little time away".

But perhaps most of all blogging has given me self-awareness and validity as a writer. I love that so many of you have enjoyed my posts and that at one time, this little old blog was actually pretty darn popular. But I quickly grew to realize that being popular in high school and being popular in blog land were probably a lot alike. In fact, now I understand a bit when Dave Chappelle said he had to walk away from it all. Okay, maybe AOGB was never the next Chappelle show, but still they both had to have mentioned Wayne Brady at some time or another.

So here we are again and the question is where do we go from here. Well, one thing I am not going to do is make any promises. I also know I'm not now, nor will I ever, abandon AOGB completely. Come to think of it, that sounds a lot like a promise, doesn't it? Oh well I blew it and already lied...to myself.

Okay, but from this paragraph on I'm not making any promises. I mean it. You can't make me! Instead I'm going to tell you what I want this blog to be. I want it be a casual version of what it was before. I hope to post at least once a week so it doesn't seem so hard to catch up that I won't want to do it. I want to find a balance between blogging and living, living and blogging. I want to be a more spontaneous blogger. As it is I had no intention of sitting down to write this post tonight. It just hit me that it was the thing to do and the time to do it. I like that feeling. It's one I want to make last.

So there you have it. AOGB has been down, but it's not out. It's going to take some time to earn back your readership and your trust, but heck, Rome wasn't built in a day either. So, if you want to take this laid back journey with me, where ever it takes us, just jump in for the ride.

All That... Sans A Bag Of Chips

2008-09-01T08:49:00.010-04:00

You know how you know you haven't done something in ages? I'll tell you how. You know when you can't remember how you did it in the first place. That's what happened to me this morning when I decided to log on, to my own blog. How pathetic is that? At thirty-one years old I am already forgetting things that I did or didn't do or how I did them and stuff like that. Geesh. If I can nominate myself as a strong candidate for having Alzheimer's in the future, I'd like to do so now. Really, I have to write it down here otherwise I won't remember. You all are my witnesses, but I digress.

As Sharon so politely pointed out, it's been just a little over two months since I last updated. Needless to say a lot has happened in those last two months and thus, that's the reason why I haven't had time to update to begin with. Let's try to go in order, shall we? To add richness to the story I plan on including pictures so get ready!

When we last met I mentioned that we were slated to move into our new house in mid July. All went well and we did just that. With only a few weeks left until the wedding (like I previously mentioned) we tried to get as much done as possible. While our house is pretty much in move in condition, there are still things that need to get done. This included getting three rooms painted and ordering an area rug for one of the bedrooms (the upstairs is currently all hardwood). The rest of the time was mainly spent organizing what I did bring, that mainly being gifts from the shower which, in large part, were kitchen related. I have been bringing my stuff in bits and pieces, mainly because I can since I moved from my parents house.

Front of Our House

In other house news, so far we have had a love/hate relationship with our pool. I love it, he hates it. See, all my life I've always wanted two things my parents never let me have-- a pool and a dog. When we found this house we had the first one and in the next few months I hope to be working on the second. So when we found this house with a beautiful above ground pool which does not effect your taxes, it seemed meant to be. Only problem is neither one of us has a clue how to take care of a pool. I'll spare you the details now, but let's just say that not knowing what to do or being unable to carry out what to do for whatever the reason, coupled with not being around much this summer to use it has made the pool a bit of a nuisance. I still love it though and I hope that next year, with less going on and, as Madonna once put it we, "get into the groove" it will feel like less of a hassle.

Our backyard, including the pool

After we moved in we had the little business to attend to of getting married. For the most part, this went off without a hitch...or, in this case, should I say with a hitch? Ha, ha. Amazingly the groomsmen all did show up, dressed in the right clothes and everything. Only one guy was running late that day, but as it turned out so was the girl I found to do my makeup so it didn't really matter. Apparently she was having car problems and called to tell us this at the same time she was supposed to arrive. I did have a backup if I needed it, but when things like this happen on your wedding day, it's like a domino effect. Incidentally her being late offset everything else. Thus things with the photographer seemed rushed and in a way, they were. While taking photographers I knew we were behind schedule to getting to the ceremony itself, but my girls wouldn't tell me just how behind. But like they said, no one could start the wedding without us, so they had no choice but to wait.

I don't know what time it was when we actually showed up, but drinking wine in the limo helped me care less about what didn't go right. Since neither one of us are super traditional people I wanted the ceremony to be a mix of the fun and the serious. So prior to my entrance, we decided to play "Somebody's Getting Married" from Muppets Take Manhattan. My parents were mortified when I decided to go through with this, but I told them to just trust me. Wouldn't you know when we did the receiving line that is the one thing more than anything else people told me they loved? To walk in I went pretty traditional with Pachelbel's Canon in D. On the way out we decided to "Rick Roll" our guests a bit by playing "Together Forever" by Rick Astley as our recessional music.

A bad shot of me walking down the aisle, but you get the idea

Our priest also made it to the event, wearing his sandals, yes I wrote sandals, to officiate. I felt like the ceremony itself took no time at all as did everything that followed. I never got to see the cocktail hour or all that was there as I was in the bridal suite with a fraction of the food that everyone else had. These are the drawbacks of being the guest of honor. When it came time to make our grand entrance, the DJ asked me if someone was saying grace before dinner. I had already confirmed this with the priest so imagine my surprise when that's how I found out he had already left. Granted we were running behind, but the least he could have done was tell someone he was leaving and attempt to say goodbye. Oh well, so we proceeded, without grace although there was a woman named Grace there, so I guess that's good enough.

I liked our DJ when I first met him, but he did give off an air of cockiness I couldn't quite put my finger on that night. It was just a vibe I got that pretty much was confirmed the day of the wedding. When I met with the DJ I mentioned how we wanted to do the traditional mother/son and father/daughter dances in the middle of the night as neither one of us really like being center of attention. Since he was only half listening he responded with something to the effect of, "But if you do it in the middle of the evening, less people will notice." Exactly, Sherlock.

Reception Entrance

I know it seems like a bit of an oxymoron to some to not expect to be the center of attention on the day of your own wedding, but we just don't like being on display. I liked the idea of a big party and all of that, but fussing over me, not so much. At any rate, the day of the wedding arrives and we're about to walk in and that's how I discover the DJ already cued up the first dances to go at the beginning though we had discussed and solidified the opposite. He acted like he didn't realize and he could still change it, but since we were buzzed and I didn't want to delay things any further, we went ahead and got all the dances out of the way in the beginning. And for us, honestly this wasn't so bad. For my dad, however, who is a lot like me and didn't get forewarning (though didn't get to drink nearly enough to prepare), not so much. By the way, in case anyone is interested in the nitty gritty details, Mother/Son dance was "I Hope You Dance" by Leann Womack (mom's pick), Father/Daughter dance was "My Little Girl" by Steve Kirwan and our dance was to "Angel Eyes" by The Jeff Healy Band.

Mother/Son dance

Dad/Daughter dance

Our First Dance

Because You Can't Have Dancing Pictures Without One of Ninety-One Year Old Grandma

My father in law did get a lot of nice pictures and even a few videos, but I don't know where he was during our first dance as he had no pictures of that. He did, however, have pictures and videos of the bane of my existence, the organized dancing. I tried my damnedest to keep it out, but come hell or high water, these people need their Macarena!! God bless them all.

Something Horrible Was Happening Here

As I mentioned earlier, we're not overly traditional people. I also don't like cookie cutter weddings. As a result, I didn't do the bouquet toss or garter exchange. I always found it to be awkward anyhow. Hey! I just caught the garter of someone I probably don't know and now I'm going to put it on someone I just met in an incredibly awkward moment of public humiliation. Sound fun?? No thanks, I'll pass. I also don't think my DJ took me seriously when I said in lieu of the clinking of the glasses, I'd like Rick Springfield's "Jessie's Girl" (my favorite song and a real crowd pleaser to boot) to be played every hour, on the hour. Instead he threw me a bone and played it once, and even that was far into the night. I did make sure that my wallflower self got on the dance floor though. It was the least I could do.

Jessie's Girl!!

I Feel Like This One Says, Thanks For Coming

But this is just the tip of the iceberg. If you're interested in seeing the professional pictures, i.e. getting ready, on location, posed and perfect, shoot me an email at aogbgirl@yahoo.com and I'll give you behind the scenes access to the online proofs. There are also more pictures uploaded to those of you who have access to My Space or Facebook. If I haven't added you as a friend on either site, let me know that, too.

Next up was the honeymoon. Thankfully we had a bit of a breather in between the wedding and the trip as our wedding was on a Saturday and we left on Thursday. We took a nine day cruise to the Caribbean, specifically Bermuda, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Puerto Rico. Neither one of us had been on a cruise before, so that was fun, but I have to admit nine days is a bit much. I would love to go on a cruise in the future, but I think it would be more fun to go with a group of other couples, girlfriends or family. This is only because if you are with just one person and said person, ahem, doesn't want to do certain things, there are other people to do things with. Also when you're only with one person for that long there's only so much to do or say. We were very lucky though as we had a kick ass table in the dining room of two other couples and ourselves so dinner each night was fun and delicious, not a chore.

Our Dinner Table

We did a lot of fun things on our cruise and a lot of relaxing, but I couldn't imagine writing about it all now after all that I wrote above. Let this be a tip to you. This is why you shouldn't take long hiatuses from blogging kids! I will tell you though about the most exciting thing that happened on our trip...I was a winner at the casino! I barely put any money in to win too and it was from a 25 cent slot machine! Nice, right? I didn't even know I had won or what I had won when my machine started dinging. total strangers started gathering around me out of curiosity, but "hubby" had no idea it had happened. I could see him in the distance, losing his quarters, but he didn't look up and couldn't hear me (as often happens anyhow). It wasn't until they had to come over and hand pay me since the machine doesn't spit out money over a certain amount that I could go to him and fan out my winnings (as seen below). When all was said and done I won a little over a thousand bucks which, as anyone who has ever cruised before knows, basically covered most of our on board expenses and a little of our port expenses, too.

Me and My Winnings

But now it's back to life, and back to reality. Tomorrow I go back to school and the kids start Thursday. I have to say though that I'm ready to go back. This summer flew by because I had so much going on, but typically I get bored the second half of the summer. I like keeping busy. The paperwork and the preparation, not so much, but still. My commute will be further since the move so that's one change, as well as my moving my classroom as I told you about in the previous post. I got as much done as I could this summer in terms of setting up so I'm in pretty good shape now. We don't have class lists yet, that's always a last minute thing that changes constantly anyhow. I heard through the grapevine though that I have fourteen students (my max in the new room is fifteen) but the breakdown may be 9 boys and 5 girls...ouch. This means if the boys act up, and sorry but they often do, there's really no way to separate them in the new room. It should be interesting and at the very least, different from past years. I hope to give you more regular updates about the day to day happenings now that the major things are no longer keeping me from blogging.

One last thing, for those of you who have been kind enough to ask, my mom is doing well. She finished her chemotherapy up a little over a week before the wedding, which was good. She's now done with all treatments, but has to take a pill for the next five years as a precautionary measure. She was nervous about taking it as there were possible side effects to that, too, but so far, so good. She's glad she had the wedding the same year as being sick because it kept her busy and kept her from becoming preoccupied so I guess it's true when they say God doesn't give you more than you can handle. I'd like to think so anyway.

And there you have it, the last two months the Reader's Digest version. But enough about me. So, what's new with you?

When It Rains, It Pours

2008-06-28T09:42:00.002-04:00

I know it's been awhile (two months to the date exactly, though not on purpose) but I wanted to take advantage of the quiet hours of the morning and try to write an update on how things are going. I also want to visit those of you who have taken the time to visit me. Unfortunately, I fell out of the loop even with that since the server that sends my janet@theartofgettingby.com email, Go Daddy, fills up from time to time, yet never tells me I've reached capacity. It's up to me to realize that I haven't been getting messages to that address for awhile in order to make something happen.

1. The wedding- The good news is, the priest did eventually resurface. The bad news is that there never was an explanation to his absence. I ended up emailing the website where I found him and relaying my concerns. They sent him a message cc'ing me and suddenly, lo and behold, he started responding. No sorry, no this the story...NOTHING. After a few more attempts, he did eventually send a few links about ceremony specifics like I asked but the problem with that was that by the time he finally did send them, things were busy again and I didn't have the time to devote to reading them. I also feel a bit perturbed that I'm basically choreographing the whole ceremony by myself. It's a pretty daunting task if you ask me, and thus why I'm dreading diving into it.

2. Wedding Part #2- There are a few other things that still have yet to be finished for the wedding. One thing is the music. I have to make a final appointment with the DJ, only problem is we have yet to pick out the songs we want to use for the important moments and don't want to use at all, period. Something like that is a bigger deal to me because I'm such a music buff. It's on the agenda for this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes.

Also needing to still get done is all of the men need to go and get fitted for their tuxedos. We went to the preliminary appointment and picked out what we want, but the men (including the groom) have to go now and formally be measured. Along with this a few of my girls haven't had their fittings for their dresses yet. One lost a lot of weight and just waited because of it, the other is now pregnant and needs the dress taken out and yet another is just lazy it seems, period. A few other things that are in progress are gifts for the attendants and finishing registering for the honeymoon online.

The final wedding related snafu are the invites themselves. Our response date is July 1st and we still have a good amount of people who have yet to respond either way. In fact, three of those people are the groomsmen (which instills such confidence for the big day, doesn't it?) I mean technically I suppose you could say we could count them as yeses, but are they coming with dates or wives? One wouldn't know. Also awkward was the fact that my principal and vice principal were invited out of courtesy. The principal said he was coming, yet never formally responded and the vp said nothing at all. (although I found out after writing this that he told a co-worker of mine who asked if he was going that he doesn't think he was invited which who knows what's going on with that) Nice huh? Welcome to the wonderful world of inconsiderateness by way of wedding planning!

3. School- The third grade show, for better or worse, went off without a hitch. We did do a mock career day and I ended up choosing the career of medicine. The kids pretty much choreographed themselves because I was shot. I put them into groups of four and they told the story, through songs I spliced together, of getting sicks to getting better (Tossing and Turning, Bad Medicine, Doctor Pressure and then I Feel Good).

Otherwise, school was crazy the last month or so, but what else is new? I had one kid who was absent pretty much the entire month of June after being absent numerous times before that. In the end, he was out a total of 54 out of 181 days and as it stood, we did not retain him. The justification was that the child is actually pretty bright so another year in the grade wouldn't do him any good. In fact, even with all of those absences he still managed to nearly score advanced proficient in both the NJ ASK Language Arts and Mathematics. Still the fact that the school did NOTHING otherwise really gets to me and is a major concern. Also if he does return next year, what sort of message does that send to the rest of the kids that he still managed to move on? He should have been retained on principal of the fact that no child should miss that much school, period.

One final note on school and then I'll move on. In the last few weeks, as if there wasn't enough already going on, my principal approached me about moving my classroom. I would still be in third grade, just in a smaller room down the hall with less kids, 15 being the maximum (right now my class list is at 12). He justified the move based on the fact that he observed my teaching and heard enough through the grapevine about the types of students I typically get (those who can't or won't do anything) and he wanted to offer me a change of pace. He told me to consider it an "early wedding present". While the move itself is meant to be a good thing, the physical aspects of the move are what killed me. So the last few weeks of school I tried to move what I could to this new room as I'm not sure when or how I'm going to get in over the summer.

4. Moving- Which leads me to the next topic, moving. My fiance successfully sold his house. He moved out officially this week and closed on Friday. We are now in the process of closing on the house we found together. Right now our closing on that house is mid July which is good in terms of timing and gives us a few weeks to get in before the wedding, but connects back to why it's so hard to figure out a time to get into my classroom with all the other moving going on.

5. Mom- Finally, I want to thank all of you for your wishes and prayers for my mom, especially since y'all don't even know her. She's doing well, the chemotherapy is over and now she's in the midst of radiation. She has to do that every day *excluding weekends) for 6 weeks which concludes right at the end of July, right before the wedding. She still has some small side effects be it from the chemo or radiation itself, and sometimes her spirits get down with all that has been on her plate, but overall she really has done a remarkable job. The radiation is nothing compared to the chemotherapy either and she's happy because her hair is slowly starting to come back in. Adding insult to injury is the fact that my mom turns 65 this year and her health care coverage switches over next month which, as some of you may know, that dealing with health care providers is never a smooth process. Overall though, she's hanging in there.

So I think I touched upon all the major things going on in my life for now. Suffice it to say I'm definitely not ready to be promising posting on a weekly, or even regular basis, but I will try to take some time this summer to pop in more here (and there) to see how everyone is doing. Thanks again for remembering me and AOGB!

Don't You Forget About Me

2008-04-28T16:24:00.002-04:00

I haven't had the time (and technically, I still don't) to update this blog as things have gone from busy to busier but I did want to swing by and let everyone know the bullet points of why I've been MIA. I also intentionally have Tell It To Me Tuesday on hiatus because I realized I didn't have the time to respond and it was lame just posting questions without contributing, so I decided to put everything on hold temporarily. The site will still be updated from time to time, it's just that it will happen when I get the time, if you catch my drift.

Here's a brief overview of what's been happening in my neck of the woods...

1. Wedding craziness has gone into full swing. Like someone once said, the devil's in the details. He's also apparently, involved in wedding planning, but I digress. I have more I could say about the wedding specifics but I've been weary not only because of time, but because of who might read the blog. This has held me back from sharing a few stories which is a shame because I know y'all would enjoy reading them. One day though I hope to fill you in on some of the details, if not all of them.

2. My priest, the guy who is marrying us, had been MIA for awhile, but has resurfaced. No explanation has really been given as to where he was or if he was indeed anywhere which doesn't exactly sit right with me, but at least I believe he's back so I'm trying to be positive.

3. Our third grade show is coming up again soon. The good news is I came up with the theme this year. The bad news is I gave all my good ideas away and I'm not sure what to do. Our theme is a mock career day. I can't decide on a career although I'm leaning towards medicine and of course, using songs surrounding that. Of course costumes are a concern that I haven't wrapped my head around either. Any suggestions within this theme are more than welcome. Our show is in the beginning of June.

4. My mom just had her 3rd round of chemo and has one more treatment to go. She's doing well and her spirits, for the most part, remain upbeat. After that ends it's on to radiation. She doesn't feel so hot a day or two after the treatment, but otherwise she's been able to live her life as close to normal as possible.

5. My second student teacher finishes up in a few weeks. You'd think I'd have more time on my hands having her around, but I don't. Most days I feel like a glorified secretary trying to get all the paperwork done and I'm STILL not ever satisfied.

6. My fiance's house went on the market for a second time a little over a week ago. Thankfully he received an offer this time quite quickly due to a combination of things including better timing, a better agent and a better overall showing for the home. He signed the papers today which is great news and if all goes well through the attorney review process, he could close on the house the end of June. What this means for us is that we can finally step up the process of looking around for a new home to live in. If we play our cards right, we can be in the new home by July in time for the wedding in August.

So that's a quick overview of what's been going on in my life. I want to know what's going on in all of yours so if you get to me before I get to you, please drop me a line letting me know what's happening on your end and pointing me directly to any juicy entries you want me to read. Remember, I'm still here, just trying to "get by"!

Tell It To Me Tuesday "Don't Quote Me"

2008-04-08T19:24:00.003-04:00

Once again I'm behind on my weekend response but you know the drill by now. I do have a few good questions yet to use in my bag of tricks, but I don't want to choose a too complicated one this week. The reason for that is simple, I have to find the time to respond to it! So since I've yet to respond to last week's or manage to find the time to write anything else for that matter, I want to ask you about another topic that is near and dear to my heart, quotes.

As a preteen and teenager I used to collect quotes, daily in fact. So my question to you simple.

What are some of your favorite quotes, who said them and why do you like them so much? Feel free to go ahead and quote yourself, too if you so desire. Don't try to trick me though. I'm thinking next week my question my include a few quotes and you have to figure out where they came from. If I play my cards right, this can be interactive and productive. Imagine that!

If you are participating on your blog, the rules are simple:

1. Answer this question ON YOUR BLOG and THEN link back to it via the box below.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you played along.
3. If you are interested in adding the box to your site, please visit Mister Linky.

Tell It To Me Tuesday (On A Wednesday) "I'll Always Remember...Until I Forget"

2008-04-02T16:36:00.002-04:00

The other day Lorna In Wonderland posted an entry that inspired me today's question. Luckily I "remembered" to check her site again and she said I could use it here. So here I go...

disremember

\dis-rih-MEM-ber\
verb
Meaning
: forget

Example Sentence
"'It was the British who did it,' I said quickly. 'I disremember the place and time....'" (E.L. Doctorow, Loon Lake)

What are a list of things you wish you could disremember?

If you are participating on your blog, the rules are simple:

1. Answer this question ON YOUR BLOG and THEN link back to it via the box below.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you played along.
3. If you are interested in adding the box to your site, please visit Mister Linky.

Write Back, Period! "Verrrry Interesting..."

2008-03-29T11:54:00.003-04:00

Okay, so it's been established that I'm grossly overdo in regards to my posting. I did hope to make up for lost time during my week off, but you know how that is, best laid plans and all of that jazz. In fact, those of you who remember my posting from a weeks ago will recall that I was sick at the time. Yeah, well I'm sick again which is rare, even for me. So what I'm going to do right here is attempt to go back, way back. Back into time. Maybe not so far back, but since I have yet to answer two different Tell It To Me Tuesday questions, I decided to lump them together in one big post now. I also realize that there was no Tell It To Me Tuesday question for this week. I figured why kick a girl while she's already down, no?

The first question was...What are your thoughts on life outside of Earth? Do you believe in aliens? If so, what do you think when you think about them?...

For me, it all comes down to one word, believe. I'd like to believe there is intelligent life outside our planet. Do I personally have any proof? No, but then again there are a lot of things I haven't seen for myself that I believe in, too. For example, there's the fact that Tom Cruise is really a gay man or that God really exists, just not necessarily in that order.

I'd like to believe that there is life outside our planet because it makes life interesting. I don't know if any life outside our planet is nearly as exciting as the movies makes it out to be, but it's fun to wonder and in that wonderment, create any reality we want. I somehow think that if we had the answer for certain we'd all be worse off for it. It might let us down. It would certainly disappoint people like Steven Spielberg. I do so wish that they were all like E.T. though.

I guess it all boils down to the fact that I have a hard time believing that there isn't a reason to believe. Imagining that we are the only intelligent beings in the whole galaxy just seems so far-fetched. Maybe it's even outside our galaxy, who knows? But the fact that someone, or some "thing" somewhere might be wondering the smae thing is exciting, too.

Now on to question number two...What's the strangest food(s) you've ever eaten?

Unintentionally there is somewhat of a common, quirky theme in these two questions. If only I had dined with an alien, now that would be unique in itself. Then again, maybe I already have. How would I really know?

Anyway, when it comes to food, I am no stranger to experimentation. I don't like people who say they don't like this or that, when in actuality they've never really tried...this or that. Another term my students over misuse is that they say they are allergic to things they haven't tried or things they have tried, but haven't liked. I try to explain to them that there's an important distinction to be made between people who can't say drink milk because they'll break out into hives versus someone who doesn't drink milk because they don't like white foods.

But when I say I like to try a lot of different foods I should clarify. One of my favorite things to do is try foods that come from different places. When I first went to Epcot Center in Florida I was so excited about the trip for that reason alone. I thought it would be so cool to "visit" each country and try a bit of their food, too. I didn't realize at the time that even Epcot had many limitations in this area, but I digress.

Since then I've discovered that cities are the best melting pots of different kinds of authentic culture. For instance, you can have Mexican food at Taco Bell, or you can have Mexican food at an authentic, Mexican restaurant. As anyone who has had both will tell you, they are entirely different experiences. When you've had good food of any culture and you compare it to the bad, only then do you really know. It's just like the words to the Facts of Life theme once said, "You take the good, you take the bad, you take them both and then you have...the perfect bite." No, that can't be right.

Anyway, it is within those given cultures that I've probably tried some interesting foods that I wouldn't try otherwise. In Japanese culture I love to eat sushi which when you think about it sounds disgusting, but it's actually really delicious to those of us who've ventured out and actually tried it. It's not even that unusual anymore. I can't even tell you all the different types of sushi I tried, but I'm glad I did. The other most unusual food I can remember trying was at an Indian restaurant in Philadelphia. My boyfriend ordered frog's legs just for the hell of it, and I had to try them because they were on his plate. I can honestly say that everything you've heard about frogs are true...they really do taste like chicken! Drier, chewier chicken, but chicken all the same.

Although I do try a lot of different foods, more than the average bear anyway, I do have some limitations. For example, I have no interest in knowingly eating any bugs or random body parts like brains or stomachs. Notice I said the word "knowingly". That's because I do realize that unbeknownst to myself I may very well have tried something, or will try something, that I wouldn't want to. I acknowledge this because I, like many of you, go out to eat. Like it or not, when you go out to eat, you really are at the mercy of the chef in the back. Sure you may order the chicken, but do you really know that what you ordered was chicken? It's a scary, sometimes disgusting thought that I don't like to dwell on too much.

All I'm saying really is that when it comes to foods, and even aliens for that matter, there's a motto to remember, "Never say Never".

Tell It To Me Tuesday "Just Eat It!"

2008-03-18T19:33:00.003-04:00

First of all I'd like to say thank you to everyone who left me supportive messages and gave my mom, a virtual (no pun intended) stranger, well wishes. I know that my answer to last weekend's TITMT question has yet to be posted, but given the post below, I think you'll all understand why I didn't get the chance to respond. The good news is that spring break is coming up next week so I should have a little extra time on my hands to post and to visit your blogs. In short, just hang tight!

Ari (who shares delicious recipes on your blog, by the way) gave me the idea for this week's question so I hope you all play along...

What's the strangest food(s) you've ever eaten?

If you are participating on your blog, the rules are simple:

1. Answer this question ON YOUR BLOG and THEN link back to it via the box below.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you played along.
3. If you are interested in adding the box to your site, please visit Mister Linky.

Truth Be Told

2008-03-12T18:44:00.000-04:00

As I sit down to write this post, I'm taking a deep breath. This is the post I've been putting off writing for sometime as I haven't really known what to say. I guess in a way I still don't, but here I am, full steam ahead, attempting to say it anyway. It's no secret that this blog is a shell of what it used to be and to be honest, there's a number of factors that have contributed to it's slow demise. When I started AOGB, it was was an outlet for me in so many respects, personally, professionally and mentally. Now it's more like an old friend, one I hate neglecting, but one that when I do get the chance to visit, things fall right back into place as if no time has passed at all.

Before I proceed, I realize as I write that the tone of this post is hinting that I am giving up on AOGB and no, this is not the case. I've toyed with closing its doors completely, but instead I've opted for the alternative, the understanding that those of you can accept that my posting is sporadic at best are going to be with me regardless of how often I post. I know that blog readership itself is fickle and I've seen its effects first hand. Maybe one day I'll have the time and the energy to get this blog back to where it used to be, but in all honesty, as many of you already know, truly running a good blog is like having a part time job. So instead I settle for second best. This blog might be winning any additional awards or even any new readers, but I've made peace with that. The fact that I haven't folded completely while other good blogging friends have come and gone over the years is in itself, a reason to be proud.

So why is it so hard to update AOGB as often as I used to do it? I have examined the reasons before myself and I've come to a variety of conclusions. Simply put, when I first started this site there was just less on my plate. In the last year or so the cup has overflowed so to speak and it's made it hard to catch up. It all started with my getting engaged and having a lot of my time, at least initially, devoted to planning a wedding which is, as many of you know, no easy task. With the planning of the wedding came the staging of the house my fiance has yet to sell and all that entails. A dismal housing market caused him to take the house off for the winter. Now, with more work being put into the house and less of a profit to be made, he's poised to put it up a second time in the hopes that we can still get it off our hands by the wedding in August. Needless to say we're cautiously optimistic.

From there, last fall I received my first student teacher which allocated my time differently as it was an additional responsibility. I'm not complaining about this responsibility in the slightest however, considering I learned a lot, had a great time and made a new friend in the process. I was so happy with the experience, in fact that when asked if I wanted another student teacher for the spring semester I happily agreed. But factors in and out of work have made this experience far different from the first one. There's more pressure for one thing the second half of the year and there are extenuating factors outside of school that have made this harder.

Which brings me to this week and another added pressure, the big state test. It's something I prepare for every year, but this year it really seemed to sneak up on us. All of us are feeling the pressure because it's a bit earlier than it usually is and the kids feel less prepared than they normally do. This compacted with the fact that the percentage of kids that need to be proficient each year increases and you realize the outlook doesn't look good. Still for better or worse, the test is almost over now and by this Wednesday I can heave a big sigh of relief that it's done for the time being, until I have to hone in on a new batch of kids, that is.

So now you have a taste of what I've been going through the last year or so. Maybe you think this already seems like a lot, maybe it's nothing compared to what you go through on a daily basis. Regardless of what it is, it's a lot all at once. Which makes the fact that one more thing getting added to my plate last fall truly pushed things over the edge. That's because on New Years Eve my mother was diagnosed with cancer.

It all started in the fall when she felt what she thought was a swollen lymph node under her arm. It triggered her to make an appointment for a routine mammography that was a bit overdue. Results from the mammography were inconclusive and after a series of tests, including a needle biopsy, it was discovered that she had Stage One breast cancer in both breasts.

The good news is that it was Stage One which makes it very easy to treat and the prognosis was excellent. But as any of you who have dealt with cancer directly or indirectly before know, it's still not an easy thing to deal with. The process itself is amazingly a long, drawn out one all things considered. Perhaps if she had a more advanced stage of cancer everything would seem to go faster, but they haven't. She went in to have a lumpectomy on both breasts in early February. The process of being in the hospital all day was a grueling one at best and disheartening, too. But really that is a post in itself that I won't bore you with here. Needless to say we were there from 8:30 in the morning and didn't get home until after midnight. The wait was worth it though when we got the news that her lymph nodes were clear and that the cancer itself had been removed. Had the cancer been present in her lymph nodes the battle would have been far greater, but thankfully and luckily, it was not.

My mom's recovery from the surgery itself was a relatively painless procedure, her words not mine. They do something now where they can hook you up to a pain ball which sends medications locally to the site where you had the surgery. In essence, the surgical site was numbed without her having to feel the side effects of pain meds throughout her body. It made her recovery much smoother and more pleasant. But after the surgery, we had entered the next phase, the hurry up and wait of treatment.

See we figured that since her cancer was stage one and for all intents and purposes had been removed, she'd have radiation and then move on. But unfortunately my mother was a rather unusual case, something you don't want to be in circumstances such as these. For whatever the reason, she had stage one cancer in both breasts, however the cancer she had in each breast was different. The good news is that meant that the cancer itself hadn't spread from breast to breast as it seems that it would have. The bad news is that she technically had two different types of cancers which effects the course of treatment they ultimately suggest.

So as a precautionary measure, it was suggested that my mother have four cycles of chemotherapy spaced twenty-one days apart to be followed by five weeks of radiation for five minutes each day. In addition, she also will take some sort of pill. The doctors showed her a chart that mapped out her chances of reoccurrence decreasing with each form of treatment that was added. They were the experts, so she trusted what they said and that's where we are now as she finally starts chemotherapy tomorrow.

As a bystander the whole experience has been surreal at best. As a family we are known for being worriers and over analyzers and even at times can be accused of seeing the glass as half empty and that would be right. But I must say it's true that you don't know how you'll deal with things until they happen. It's also corny and cliche to say, but God does not give you more than he thinks you can handle. I know she's my mom, but I must say that she has handled this whole process amazingly well. She has maintained a positive attitude and most importantly, her sense of humor. She has a great group of friends, lifetime friends and work friends, that have been extremely supportive, too. I also have told only a few close friends up until now and have seen first hand how others react to what you are going through. In general this has been a bittersweet experience because it can sweeten or sour the experience as the case may be. I wish I didn't take such matters to heart, but going through something like this and seeing where you truly stand with people is quite the eye opening experience.

My mom has continued to work while all of this has been going on, only taking off days as necessary for various appointments. She doesn't have to work at all, but she chooses to do so and I think it's great she has that outlet for her mental health. Just recently I started to see her show signs of being more scared now that she knows that she has to undergo the chemotherapy. After all, up until now she hasn't really felt sick. The chemotherapy and radiation however may change all of that and it's the unknown that scares her, not the fact that she's not really "sick" anymore. She also gets sad when she thinks about the possibility of losing her hair, especially since that means that she will have to wear a wig most likely for my wedding. I suggested postponing the date but there's no way around it. If the date is changed she'll always look at pictures and remember her sickness was the reason why. If the date isn't changed she'll probably always look at the pictures and remember what was going on at the time. One thing we can't change is the fact that cancer itself changes things, period.

So why am I telling all of you this now? Well it's not so much avoiding sharing it with all of you, it just hasn't seemed necessary or appropriate up until now. But for those of you who have been loyal enough to stick with AOGB through highs and lows I felt I owed you something. This isn't an excuse, merely an explanation and a disclaimer that the highs and lows continue indefinitely, until further notice. Regardless of the fact that I've never met any of you, many of you are like an extended family of sorts, knowing me in different ways than some of my own friends and family do. Only like minded bloggers know what this sort of experience is like. It's hard to explain to people who haven't experienced it for themselves, but needless to say I'm glad I'm still along for the ride.

Tell It To Me Tuesday "They Came From Outer Space"

2008-03-11T16:13:00.003-04:00

Thanks again to all who come here and have been patient in my ongoing absence. Rest assured there is a post explaining all coming tomorrow so I hope you swing by and accept my sincerest apologies.

In the meantime, for today's TITMT question, I'm going to go with a twist on Rhodester's question. His original question was the following...

"Have you ever been abducted by aliens, be it from another planet OR country, and if so, did they experiment on you?"

Now since this question, even if it was meant to be serious, is rather narrow in scope, I took an idea that he gave me and instead went in my own direction.

So the new and perhaps improved TITMT question that at the very least, encourages more people to answer, is the following...

What are your thoughts on life outside of Earth? Do you believe in aliens? If so, what do you think when you think about them? I am purposely being vague here in the hopes you'll expand upon your own.

If you are participating on your blog, the rules are simple:

1. Answer this question ON YOUR BLOG and THEN link back to it via the box below.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you played along.
3. If you are interested in adding the box to your site, please visit Mister Linky.

Write Back Weekend "Making Sense"

2008-03-09T10:52:00.002-04:00

So here I am with the long overdue response to the week before last's TITMT question. I am pretty much back to normal in terms of my health, except for a stubborn, lingering cough I can't seem to get rid of. But enough about that.

The question in question was all about your senses, your hits and your misses.

Most Favorites

The things you are about to read about qualify as my most favorite in some way, shape or form. As with anything else, I'm sure the list is a lot longer than this, but it's a start anyhow.

Favorite Taste

Of course my favorite taste depends on the mood I'm in, but overall I prefer salty to sweet. I'm not really a typical dessert type person. I next to never would choose a piece of candy over a raw vegetable. I can't really tell you why, it's just how I roll. Unless of course it's (cover your ears, or eyes as the case may be, men) my time of the month.

Favorite Smells

I can go in two different directions with this one. I have always loved the smell of the laundry detergent aisle in the supermarket. I guess you could say I love the smell of clean. I love taking in the smell of my newly cleaned sheets for instance. It's addictive to me. It's also the reason why I'm greatly upset when I can't smell such things due to a cold like I went through last week.

But on the flip side, I also love the smell of good foods cooking. Newly baked bread is a good one, as are any type of baked goods. But really the smell of most foods, sans perhaps cabbage, cooking are pluses for me.

Favorite Touch

This might seem like an odd one, but I if I had to pick touches I like, I like the feeling of holding someone's hand whom I trust. I find that holding hands can be very comforting, calming and soothing. There's also a sense of protection that comes along with it, not to mention what it says to the outside world. But don't take my word for it. Just ask Angela Chase.

Favorite Sight

This is the trickiest one to answer because sight encompasses so many different things. I love the sight of some of my friends after not seeing them for awhile. I love to see people laugh heartedly. I love to see my favorite movie when I find it by accident on television one afternoon. I love to watch people's reactions to good news. I also love to watch things that don't know we're watching them like animals or babies. Just a whole hodge podge of stuff.

Favorite Sound

I love the sound of water. I like waves crashing on a beach, splashing in a pool or a fountain or waterfall overflowing. I know this sound can also make you want to pee. I feel it's a small price to pay though.

Least Favorites

At the risk of stating the obvious, this category is going to be restricted to things that I've actually experienced that I feel are awful, not awful in the traditional sense. For one thing, that's gross. For another, it's not realistic. So there.

Least Favorite Taste

I always hated the taste of cucumbers. Even worse than the taste of cucumbers is cucumbers when they are repeating. There are some instances I can tolerate eating cucumbers when they are mixed in with something else, but the repeating part after I'm done eating is what really does me in.

Least Favorite Smell

I don't know about anyone else's house, but the first time the heat is turned on when it starts to get colder, there is a good awful smell that permeates the house. Luckily it's temporary, but it really gets to me and makes me gag. I also incidentally, hate the smell of cigarette smoke because there's no escaping it, it's everywhere and it's cumbersome to get rid of to boot.

Least Favorite Touch

This might seem odd, but the one touch that comes to mind is the sensation of a fortune cookie on my fingers. I hate opening them. I do it all the time, though I rarely eat them, if only to get to the actual fortune. I do it begrudgingly so though, as a means to an end, because I really, truly hate that sensation.

Least Favorite Sight

I seriously hate seeing cruelty to animals. It makes me very sad, overwhelmingly so, even if it's just depicted on television and I know it isn't real. Maybe I was a dog or something in another life, I don't know. All I do know is that seeing animals being treated meanly or being ignored completely really does something to me. I think it's sadder to me than people because animals are completely at our mercy and can't defend themselves the way we can.

Least Favorite Sound

For some reason, it really, really irritates me when a fly whizzes past my ear. It bothers me so much to the point that it's a slow torture for me. It's even worse if you're stuck in a house with a dying flying because it's buzz gets louder as it struggles to live. I've been known to trap a fly or two in a room with the door closed when I can't get it to leave, simply because I need to put it, and me, out of their misery.

The other sound I hate is snoring. I'm a light sleeper and once a snorer has infiltrated my sleep system, rarely is there any going back. I know the snorer can't help it, but that doesn't make it any less annoying.

So there you have it, my hits and misses, the abbreviated version. Thanks to the few of you who have been patient enough for me to get it posted!

Tell It To Me Tuesday "Calling In Sick"

2008-03-04T13:25:00.002-05:00

Although I've been no stranger lately to being a bit behind as far as AOGB is concerned, this week I actually have a legitimate excuse. I got sick on Saturday and so once again I'm behind. Apparently in addition to having a bad cold, I have double ear infections and pink eye. Good times, my friends. Good times.

So today's TITMT is an open-ended question that I've asked before, but it never hurts to ask again. I decided to go this route since I'm still trying to make up for the post I'm behind on from last week. So....

What sorts of questions do you want to see for future Tell It To Me Tuesdays? As always, if a question of yours is used, you will be given credit.

I'm not going to do the Mister Linky thing today for obvious reasons, but if you happen to stop here today, I hope you decide to jump in with ideas anyhow. I also hope to get to many of your blogs sometime today, too.

Tell It To Me Tuesday "Coming To My Senses"

2008-02-26T16:42:00.002-05:00

I couldn't think of a question for today's Tell It To My Tuesday no matter how hard I tried. I felt like a good question was on the tip of my tongue, but nothing. I thought I smelled something cooking, but it went nowhere. I heard something good through the blogging grapevine, but it didn't pan out. Okay, so maybe none of those things really happened, but instead I decided to write a corny introduction to what did.

So today's question is all about your senses, all five of 'em.

What is your favorite taste, smell, touch/texture/sensation, thing to see/sight and sound?

And of course, what TITMT would be complete without the flip side?

What is your least favorite taste, smell, touch/texture/sensation, thing to see/sight and sound?

As always, remember this is just a springboard. The more creative you get with this the better!

If you are participating on your blog, the rules are simple:

1. Answer this question ON YOUR BLOG and THEN link back to it via the box below.
2. Leave a comment letting me know you played along.
3. If you are interested in adding the box to your site, please visit Mister Linky.

Write Back Weekend "How Much Is That Doogie In the Window?"

2008-02-24T10:34:00.001-05:00

My whole life, I've considered myself a dog person. In fact, I'm probably the biggest dog person you'll ever meet whose never actually owned a dog.

The main reason I have never owned a dog is simple; my mommy wouldn't let me. If it had been just me and my dad I'm sure I could have convinced him. In fact, together we tried to convince her, too. After all, she thinks they're cute, but she always felt that she'd end up the one taking care of the dog, not giving us, or mainly me, any credit in that department at all. My dad understood my desire to want a dog. He had dogs as a child. He also knew that being an only child, a dog could be a welcomed addition.

When I was little, the story I got was that I was probably allergic to animals since I had a lot of allergies. All of that was fine and good, but even if I was allergic to dogs, I think I would have been okay. I say this because my best friend growing up had plenty of dogs, mainly Irish Setters, and I was around them all the time and I felt fine. Long story short, I think it was an excuse.

One time those very same relatives came across a stray dog who looked a lot like Benji. They kept him for a few days and contemplated keeping him in the long run, but truth be told they didn't really have the room for another dog. My friend's mom, who was good friends with my mom, tried really hard to convince her to let me keep it. Alas, it never happened.

So now that I'm finally on the verge of branching out on my own my to do list looks something like this: get house, get dog. This is because the person I am marrying loves dogs like me. He has faltered a bit over the years about getting a dog, but I won't let him. He worries about the responsibility factor. I think it's silly because we're luckier than most considering he works from home. Granted, that being said, I still have a sinking suspicion I'll be doing most of the dog taking care of it ness, and I'm okay with that, really.

Just recently, we've begun to talk specifics where dogs are concerned. See although we already know we want a dog, we don't really know what kind of dog we want. So far it seems the types of dogs he'd be inclined to get are the opposite of the ones I'd be inclined to get. Isn't that always the way? He also thinks we should have two so they can keep each other company. In theory I think it's a great idea, but I still say we need to acclimate to one dog first before we do any add ons. I know in some ways it's easier training them together, and this way one is less likely to feel dominant, but on the other hand, even just going on breed generalities, you really don't know what your individual dog is going to be like until you get it home. Breaking in two difficult dogs at the same time is probably my worst nightmare regarding all of this.

Although we are both getting this dog, I can't help but feel what I want should trump what he wants. Is that bad? I only say this because I do know that I'm going to be the one taking care of it more and because I am the person who has been patiently waiting for this day my whole life. He's had dogs before, so it's not new to him. I waited so long for this experience, I think it's only fair I have a big say. That being said, I think I want a smaller to medium sized dog, preferably one that doesn't shed a lot, is not a big barker and who is cute and loyal, but doesn't scare visitors.

What he wants however differs. He agrees on the size, the shedding and the barking, but he's not really into cute dogs and he kinda digs the fact that he'd have a dog that would scare other people or at least protect us. While there's a time and place for a dog like that, I am not into getting a dog that protects me right now. I've been unprotected by one for years and done just fine. I want one who will cuddle up with me and watch TV at night or be excited when I come home, not aloof. I also don't want a dog that will scare neighbors cause chances are then he'll scare me, too.

But the type of dog I want and the type of dog I think I would be are two different questions. All my life I've been convinced I must have been a dog in another life. I have a lot of hair that sheds a lot and I have a great sense of smell. I also get an overwhelmingly feeling of sadness when people are being cruel to animals in movies or on TV. I know it's fake, but I get so, so sad. Even if it's a cartoon. I get sad for people too, but not in the same way. That has to say something about me.

So, to help me decide which dog is most like me, I took the same quiz that Sharkbait did in order to figure out how I measured up. Here were my results:

You scored 42.9% Jack Russell Terrier
This pint-sized explorer is the Dr. Livingstone of the canine world. Always ready for adventure, the Jack Russell Terrier is known to wander off at a moment's notice. Her life is never dull, and entertainment is key. Accepting in nature, she makes friends easily and is usually the center of attention wherever she goes. Her high energy and upbeat personality make the Jack Russell Terrier a fun-loving part of any family.

You scored 28.6% Lhasa Apso
The Lhasa Apso may be petite, but she's very tough. Always ready to romp, her daily exercise requirements may leave her companions winded. Fond of her loved ones, she is likely to cuddle up with them at night, content to be doted on. Her long coat requires regular maintenance but is sure to turn heads when properly styled. The feisty and exuberant little Lhasa Apso has a well-earned reputation for her lovability.

You scored 14.3% German Shepherd
The German Shepherd is a workaholic. Intent on business, this loyal breed is always on patrol. Suspicious of strangers, she defends her territory with a fierce reproach. When it comes to affection, she is tender and loving toward her pack and feels a deep responsibility for their well-being. Mental and physical exercise both appeal equally to the German Shepherd, and her intelligence is further enhanced by her dedicated nature. When it comes to dependability, the German Shepherd has the market cornered.

You scored 14.3% Cocker Spaniel
The Cocker Spaniel feels the need to please. She tends to become overly submissive in her mission to make everyone happy but makes up for it with her sensitive nature. A brisk walk around the block is right up her alley, but she prefers to spend a good part of her time indoors. Her silky hair tends to become tangled, and regular grooming sessions are necessary to keep her looking her best. The accommodating Cocker Spaniel is truly a loving and trusted friend as well as an ideal companion.

So let's review the results, shall we? In some ways, I completely see the comparisons. However the terrier, which I'm the most like allegedly, is probably the description I least relate to. I like entertainment, but I like watching it and creating it, not being part of it. I never like to draw attention to myself either. I've also never been too keen on adventure in it's truest sense of the word. Meanwhile I like the fact that the Lhasa Apso is described as petite, but tough. I think that's a fair comparison to me. I also think my hair looks good when properly styled.

At first I didn't see how I could be like a German Shepard, but I guess I too am suspicious of strangers and remain guarded until I know someone. I also take responsibility and dedication seriously. Then there's the Cocker Spaniel, a breed I've always loved, that is described as being eager to please, preferring indoors and a sensitive, trusting soul. I also feel that this description is a lot like me.

So what have we learned? Apparently I match four very different breeds, but none of them overwhelmingly so. What does this say about me? To me this says that more than likely, I'm a mutt or a mixed breed which I truly think I'd be. I also wonder if that's what I'd lean towards getting, too and that's why my indecisive nature makes it so hard to pick just one. After all, I've never fit into any category and sometimes ways people have perceived me have even surprised myself. Like most dogs, I feel I am a loyal person and if you treat me well, I'll be your best friend for life. That and buy me dinner once and awhile.

Of course all this doesn't mean that the mixed breed of the Labradoodle still doesn't crack me up. But going on about that would be a lot like barking up the wrong tree, now wouldn't it?

Same Old Song

2008-02-21T19:18:00.000-05:00

Note: This post was written before the performances for this week's American Idol aired. Most of my comments still apply, but there could probably be some additional comments added, provided I had the time which of course, I do not. Still for AI fans, or AI haters as the case may be, enjoy!

This week launches the first real episode of American Idol of the season. Sure, technically the show has been back for a good month or so now. I don't know how many of you feel about it though, but I am bored by the horrible auditions. I'd much rather hurry it up and get to the good stuff.

Although it's season seven and so most people know what to expect, they are trying to throw in a few zingers this year to keep you intrigued. For one thing, the singers were allowed to use instruments to showcase their skills during one round of auditions and presumably, will be able to do the same thing at some point during the actual competition. For another, there is said to be a more concerted effort this season for you to get to know the contestants and thus hopefully make more of a connection with the singer after the competition has ended (see boost their record sales).

But there's another issue, and thus the main reason why I am writing this post, that American Idol has struck a sour note early on. This is in regards to the selection process of the candidates themselves. You see I can still remember season one of American Idol. I'll always have a soft spot in my heart for this season as it was one built upon no expectations. We didn't know that poor Nikki McKibbin really could get so far on the mean-spirited redials of future Vote For the Worst type fans. Not only did we not know what to expect, we didn't know who to expect. That's because American Idol was just that. It was America's chance to pick somebody from obscurity and fulfill their American dream. This is why a winner like Kelly Clarkson was so perfect. She was just a girl from the South who happened to sing really well and amazingly, had been in large part undiscovered before the program.

But at the seasons have evolved, so have the contestants. No longer are just the unknown wannabes trying out for the show. The people who are trying out are also okay with not winning the whole thing. In fact, if you're someone like Daughtry you were better off NOT winning as now he had a chance to make the kind of music he wanted to make instead of being pigeon holed into puke worthy (Taylor "cough" Hicks) type pop, only to be dropped from a label consequently at a later date. Now unsigned artists and savvy marketeers are trying out, sitting right next to that undiscovered girl who worked at Dairy Queen. Some might say there's nothing wrong with this as they are still technically unknowns, but I say failed deals and child star pasts are still an advantage over someone who has no experience and essential, no connections, to anyone in the business, period.

This is why every season since that first one has had a contestant or two that has raised some eyebrows. But now it's worse. Maybe it's because the proverbial well has run dry, but this season, more than any other, is full of stories behind the stories that makes the American dream seem more less and less about being plucked from obscurity and more and more about previous history.

But before I continue, let me say this one side note about American Idol. I am beginning to get really annoyed that they focus so much time on certain people so that you get attached, only to let them go. For instance, Angela Martin the single mom whose child was disabled and then her dad died during the process, too (not to be confused with the other African American contestant whose dad died) and Josiah Leming, the young emotional guy who lived out of his car were two of my favorites. Neither one of them made it though which baffled me because some of the people who went in their place I never saw. It seems obvious from the way they edited it that they wanted us to focus on them for some reason, but why I'll never know.

Meanwhile some of the people who DID make it are a far cry from being unknowns which changes things for me.

My personal favorite "back story" is the one contestant, Carly Smithson, the Irish girl who tragically tried out before, only to find out she didn't have a work Visa to stay. It's since come out though that Carly Smithson is actually already was a singer who recorded an album. I didn't recognize her because her album wasn't a hit, and she didn't enter the competition under her maiden name, but her married name instead. In fact, I realized that under her old name, before she got married, I actually have a song by her LOL

There's already controversy brewing over whether or not this should matter because she is talented and currently, unsigned but I think it should, at least to some extent. I think the public should at least be informed and then make their decisions accordingly. If it doesn't make a difference to you after knowing, fine. But her connections to the business run deeper than some others and I for one refuse to believe this doesn't contribute to her place in the competition. Interestingly enough, on her album she barely sounds like the same girl who tried out for American Idol. Instead she sounds an awful lot like former child actress turned singer/songwriter, Danielle Brisebois who wrote many songs for the album. I know Danielle's sound because her album, although never a hit, has always been one of my favorites. Her one song, "Just Missed the Train" in fact has been recorded by her, Carly and former Idol contestant, Kelly Clarkson. If all of this is just coincidence I'll shut up, but I don't think it is.

But Carly, although the biggest story, isn't the only story. There's also country crooner Kristy Lee Cook who apparently recorded an album and was ultimately dropped by her label before, too. Another country tinged contestant with a backstory is Amy Davis who is a part time model who also appeared as a reality show contestant on Nashville Star. Or how about Jason Castro who allegedly was on MTV's Cheyenne show as her boyfriend or Jason Yeager who once appeared as a contestant on ABC's Making the Band? Maybe you recall the daughter of a Motown back up singer, Syesha Mercado who was on short-lived ABC show called The One, as well as appearing in numerous commercials? What about Kady Malloy? She's the girl who showed off her ability to do impressions during her audition. What she didn't advertise however, was the fact that she already recorded an album songs from which can be heard here. Perhaps you were intrigued by long haired "rocker" Robbie Carrico who is no stranger to show business and in fact, used to be in a pop band called Boyz-N-Girlz United and looked like this.

So you might say a lot of these contestants have entered competitions before, but it's not like they won them, so all bets are off. Only to this I say au contraire, as seventeen year old David Archuleta not only was a contestant on the most recent Star Search, he actually WON. Sure he won when he was a minor, but he won regardless. If you can just can go on reality show after reality show, where's the fairness in that? All this being said, just wait three years. By then, America's Got Talent winner Bianca Ryan will be sixteen and thus eligible to enter and win this competition, too.

All of this reminds me of the semi-controversy that surrounded previous Idol contestant Mario Vasquez. Mario made the top twelve in season four only to mysteriously drop out due to reasons that are still unclear. At the time, the consensus was that Mario was already signed with J Records and that once that information surfaced, it would have been a conflict of interest for him to continue. Regardless of whether or not he was signed at the time, he did ultimately get signed and released an album which makes you believe there was some weight to this rumor. In this case the only difference would have been that the artist was signed currently, not in the past. It's a minor technicality if you ask me, but a technicality nonetheless.

When try outs were going on this season I remember hearing about Philadephia native, Lindsay Pagano auditioning. Lindsay, along the same lines as Carly, already had an album released in 2001 when she was only fifteen years old and around here, there were local articles remarking about whether or not it was fair for her to try out. All of it was a moot point, however, considering she didn't allegedly make it past the first round and her audition was never shown on television. Ouch. Her catchy single, Everything U R was even used as the theme song to now defunct WB show, Maybe It's Me as well as an AOL campaign. Pagano argued that none of this mattered as that was then, this is now and now she's just an unsigned artist who is trying to make a name for herself like everyone else.

So as I watch the top 24 performances this week, I watch not with baited-breath, but instead with cautionary interest. It's early, but if I'm rooting for pure, unknown talent I'd go with contestants like Asia'h Epperson, Brooke White or Danny Noriega. They remind me of the days when the competition gave you that feel good feeling about watching someone's dreams come true. I would include rocker nurse Amanda Overmyer in that list but she's a little intense and to be honest, quite scary to me. Of course there are a slew of wild cards who have yet to be seen that may have something worth mentioning, too. This is not to take away anything from some of the more "experienced" contestants. If nothing else, they should make for good entertainment. And who knows? Maybe there will be a male who has to be eliminated for a shady past. Stranger things have happened after all. Then contestants like Josiah can be added to the competition where he should have been all along.

Tell It To Me Tuesday "It's A Dog Eat Dog World"

2008-02-19T19:49:00.007-05:00

Today's TITMT question is being posted a bit later, but actually that's on purpose. This is because I had to post not one but two answers to Write Back Weekends since I fell a bit behind. Now that I've given all five or so of you sometime to digest, I figured it was safe to forge ahead. I even have a new, original post to put up this week. It's amazing what a four day weekend can do for ya!

Nat actually suggested this question awhile back and I just got around to using it now. It actually has some significance to me in regards to timing, but the TITMT part is never about me. Now it's on to YOU.

If you were a dog, what breed would you be?

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